Slade's Desire (White River Wolves Series, #2)

by Dawn Sullivan

  Jade lightly brushed a stray strand of hair out of Gypsy’s eyes as she replied confidently, “Yes, you will. You aren’t alone now, Gypsy. You have Slade, Trace, and me. Hell, you have the whole White River Wolf pack behind you. Slade is their head enforcer. They will do anything for him. I promise you, you never need to be afraid again.”

  Gypsy frowned in confusion at Jade’s choice of words. Exactly what was the White River Wolves compound? And what did Jade mean by the wolf pack protecting her? Maybe they lived in a place for endangered wolves. She had heard of places similar to that...at least she thought she had. There were obviously a lot of questions that needed answers, but right now, she just did not have the energy to ask them all. Looking down in shame, Gypsy told Jade, “I never used to be afraid of anything. I was the strong one. Until they broke me.”

  ‘Trust me when I say this, Gypsy Layne,” Jade growled, her hand gently squeezing Gypsy’s shoulder, “you are far from broken. You are just a little lost right now. You will find your way soon.” The promise in Jade’s gaze filled Gypsy with hope and belief that she would not stay the empty shell of the person she now felt herself to be. “You are slowly beginning to remember things. Once your memory returns, you will be so much stronger.”

  Looking up at Jade in surprise, Gypsy murmured, “I am starting to recall some things. I have all of these pictures running through my head sporadically, and it’s like I have to fit all of the pieces of a puzzle together. And there is no rhyme or reason as to what I remember. I can’t tell you for sure that my name is Gypsy, but I do know my favorite food is pizza. I love the color blue. I enjoy singing, but I can’t carry a tune.” Shaking her head, Gypsy whispered, “Why can I remember the little, trivial things, but not something like my own name? And Sari? You would think I would remember my own sister.” When Jade told her the week before that she had a sister in the hospital with her, one who had suffered as much, if not more than Gypsy at the hands of an evil drug lord, Gypsy had not wanted to believe her. She couldn’t remember any family, and the thought of someone else suffering the way she was, broke her heart. She could understand forgetting some things, but family? It had been a couple days before she was able to talk Jade into helping her down the hall to Sari’s room. She had wanted to see the girl with her own eyes, hoping that if she saw her sister, it would help her memory return. She did not recognize Sari, but was encouraged by the fact the girl’s features were very similar to her own. Sari had long, blonde hair, where Gypsy’s was a dark brown in color, and pale skin to Gypsy’s more tanned tone. But, even with that, it was obvious they were related.

  Gypsy had gone back a couple of times to see Sari, but every time she visited, the girl had been asleep. She had sat by Sari’s bed and held her hand, tears flowing freely down her face as she thought about the things she’d been told her sister had gone through at the hands of a madman. Her visits didn’t last very long because she was so weak herself, but she went because she didn’t want Sari to feel as alone as she did.

  Interrupting Gypsy’s thoughts, Jade covered her hand and smiled gently. “Doc Josie and I believe you have what is called Dissociative Amnesia. We think it’s been caused by the trauma you have been through these past few months. It is common to not only forget the traumatic event itself, but to have huge holes or gaps in your memory.”

  “Will I ever regain all of my memories?” Although she had no problem with forgetting the torture and horror she had been put through, Gypsy wanted to remember life before her time spent in hell. There were so many questions she had, so many things left unanswered.

  “Statistically, it could go either way. Some patients eventually remember everything, while others never recall pieces of their past. Your memories still exist, Gypsy, you’ve just buried them deep after all that you have been through. If you want my personal opinion, I think you are suppressing them. You don’t want to remember because it’s too painful.”

  Gypsy thought about Jade’s words for a minute before she admitted softly, “I do remember some things about my captivity. At least, I think that I do.” Jade’s hands tightened on hers, but she stayed silent. “I have these dreams. Horrible nightmares of pain and suffering. Trace is in them. They are hurting him, beating him, but there’s nothing I can do. I try to stop them...”

  “They aren’t just dreams, Gypsy,” Jade said softly, her emerald eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Trace was tortured for months. The chances are very good he would have died without you there to encourage him to push on.”

  “No,” Gypsy shook her head in denial. “He would have lived. For you.” Gypsy frowned as she struggled to remember. “He fought to come home to you.”

  There had been a loud roar, and then the sounds of Trace in the cell next to hers fighting against the chains that bound him. His eyes had seemed to glow and his hands had changed, what looked like claws emerging. “Stop, Trace. You have to stop,” Gypsy demanded weakly. “Conserve your strength. You aren’t going to get out of those chains. You have tried so many times.”

  Trace hissed, “I have to, Gypsy. I have to get home to her.”

  Her eyes full of sympathy, Gypsy whispered, “And you will, my friend. But you have to calm down. You can’t let them see you like this. They can’t know your secrets.”

  As the memory faded away, a nurse entered the room, Gypsy’s chart in her hands. “I just need to check your vitals,” she said, placing the chart on the foot of the bed. “You have been making remarkable progress, Gypsy.”

  Fucking hurts. I need to get to her. Need to protect her. Gypsy froze as the words seemed to seep into her mind. It felt as if someone was in her head with her. She could feel him there. Need to take care of her. Gypsy gasped out loud as she was suddenly consumed with pain, fear, and a strong determination to protect someone, but she had no idea who. Can’t let anyone hurt her. Need help. Then, he was just gone, like he’d never been there in the first place, taking all of the overwhelming emotions with him.

  “We are going to up your daily physical therapy to include small walks around the hospital,” the nurse was saying. “We need to get your strength back up, and the small trips you are taking to the bathroom aren’t enough.”

  “O...Okay,” Gypsy stammered, trying to focus on what the woman was saying. Had that really happened? It couldn’t have. No way was someone inside her head...was he?

  “You’re trembling, dear,” the nurse said as she gently encircled Gypsy’s wrist with her hand, placing two fingers over her pulse. “Are you alright?”

  Gypsy looked up into kind, light blue eyes and swallowed hard. “Yes. Yes, I’m okay,” she lied. What the hell was going on? She had felt that man’s pain, had heard the terror in his voice. It was real. It had to be. Was it a memory? She didn’t think so. It didn’t sound like Trace’s voice, and as far as she knew, he was the only one she had really interacted with in the Dungeon.

  “Gypsy? What’s wrong?” Jade questioned softly. “Talk to me. Let me help you.”

  Poor child seems scared to death.

  Gypsy’s eyes widened and she yanked her arm away from the nurse, scrambling off the bed and almost falling to the floor. What the hell was going on? That had been the nurse’s voice. She’d heard it loud and clear in her head. Stumbling to the chair in the far corner, Gypsy collapsed onto it, silently screaming inside.

  Jade knelt in front of her, but Gypsy shrank back away from the other woman, flinching when Jade placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. Immediately, Gypsy started to calm down, a feeling of peace filling her. That’s it. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Rest.

  Unable to fight the subtle push Jade sent her way to force her compliance, Gypsy slowly let her eyes drift closed. What’s happening to me? Unaware of the surprise in Jade’s eyes, Gypsy fell into a deep sleep, leaving all of the fear and confusion behind.

  Gypsy was awakened just hours later by a loud, piercing scream that ripped through the air. She was lying curled up in the chair, a blanket draped over her. Slowly sitti
ng up, she ran a hand through her tangled hair as she wondered what was going on. A scream of terror reached her again, and then there was the sound of several footsteps rushing past her door. Gypsy shoved the covers aside, and bracing her hands on the arms of the chair, careful of her broken arm, she stood weakly on shaky legs. One more scream had her slowly shuffling out of her room and down the hall in the direction of the commotion.

  “Gypsy,” a female voice yelled. “Gypsy, help me! Please, help me!” Moving faster at the terror in the young female voice, Gypsy ignored the pain and weakness she felt. All she knew was someone needed her, and she had to get to them now. She knew that voice. Who was it? She frowned as images of a young girl in a light blue dress with laughing brown eyes filled her mind. It was Sari, she was sure of it. The girl giggled as she held out a hand to Gypsy. Gypsy blinked and the vision was gone.

  Gypsy followed a nurse into Sari’s room and stopped just inside the door, gasping at the sight before her. Cowering on the floor in the corner of the room was her sister. Her beautiful blonde hair was matted around her pale, tear stained face. “Get away from me!” she cried as she pushed at the nurse’s hands. “Don’t touch me!”

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” the nurse said softly, as she tried to capture one of Sari’s hands with her own. “We need to get you back in bed, Sari. You need your rest.”

  “Gypsy,” Sari moaned plaintively. “I need Gypsy.” Her small, frail shoulders shook with her loud sobs. “Please, I need her.”

  “I’m here,” Gypsy said as she slowly made her way across the room. “Sari, I’m right here.” Silence filled the room as everyone looked from Sari to Gypsy. The next thing she knew, Sari was off the floor and in her arms.

  “Why didn’t you come to see me, Gypsy?” Sari cried, clutching tightly to Gypsy’s waist. “I’ve been so scared without you. They said Philip is dead and he can’t get to me, but what if he isn’t? What if he comes back?”

  Philip, Gypsy thought, her eyes narrowing. He was the bastard who had stolen them from their family and placed them in hell. Her head pounded in pain as an image of a man grabbing hold of Sari by her hair and lifting her off the hard, cold floor of Gypsy’s cell swam through her mind. Slowly putting her arms around Sari, Gypsy ran a hand down the girl’s hair, her heart clenching at the thought of anyone hurting the terrified child. Sari’s whole body shook as she clung to Gypsy.

  “We need to get Sari back in bed, Gypsy,” Jade said softly as she moved to stand beside them. “Can you help us with that? She needs to lie down.”

  Gypsy nodded as she guided the weeping girl over to her bed. Sari refused to let go of her, so Gypsy crawled up into the bed and Sari slipped in after her, wrapping her arms once again tightly around Gypsy’s waist. Gypsy hid her own pain as she held the girl close. Letting her head fall to Gypsy’s chest, Sari cried.

  Motioning for the nurses to leave, Jade came forward and sat on a chair beside the bed. They sat in silence for several minutes before Sari’s sobs finally stopped, and Gypsy realized she had fallen asleep.

  Running a hand gently down the girl’s back, Gypsy whispered raggedly, “Why can’t I remember, Jade? Why can’t I remember my own sister?”

  “Your mind is blocking everything out,” Jade replied gently. “It’s a way of protecting yourself from the horror of everything you’ve been through. You will remember when you are ready.”

  “I’m ready now,” Gypsy insisted, her dark eyes snapping with anger. “How can I help Sari if I can’t remember what happened to make her this way? To make me this way?” she questioned as she motioned to herself. “How can I protect myself or my sister when I have no idea who I am even protecting us from?”

  “That’s what you have me for,” a deep voice said from the doorway. Gypsy’s gaze swung quickly to the man standing in front of her. Her mate. She still had no idea what a mate was. Maybe it was like a soul mate. Her breath hitched as she began to drown in his hypnotic stare. “You just worry about getting better and let me worry about any danger that may be out there,” Slade said as he leaned against the doorjamb.

  “You can’t always be here, Slade,” Gypsy murmured as she let her gaze slide down his muscular chest covered in a snug black tee-shirt, down lower over his abs to his lean hips...when her sister moaned softly in her sleep, Gypsy shook herself out of the direction her thoughts were taking her as she continued, “I need to know what to do when you aren’t around. What happens when we go home?” Hell, did she even have a place to go home to? “I don’t even know how to make a fist, let alone how to fight off someone who would want to hurt me.”

  “Then I will teach you,” Slade replied as his gaze wandered over her face. “I will teach you how to protect yourself, but not until Doc Josie approves it.”

  “I’m so confused,” Gypsy admitted quietly, her gazed going from Slade to Jade. “I have so many questions. If only I could remember.”

  “You are starting to, Gypsy. Give it time. Don’t try and push it.” She knew Jade was right, but time was something Gypsy didn’t feel she had. She shivered as a feeling of trepidation moved through her. Something or someone was coming for her. Somehow, she knew it.

  “Xavier is ready for you, Slade,” a soft, feminine voice interrupted from the hallway. “The doctor said not to stay long. He is unconscious, so won’t be of any help right now, but you can still check on him.”

  “Xavier?” Gypsy asked, a shiver running up her spine. It was a bad sign, she somehow knew. The name meant something, but she had no idea what.

  “One of my enforcers. He was shot today while out on patrol. I need to check on him and talk to the doctor. I’ll be by to see you later tonight, Gypsy.”

  After Slade left, Gypsy leaned back against the pillow, feeling her eyes droop tiredly. “Why don’t I help you back to your bed?” Jade’s voice drifted over her, but Gypsy didn’t respond. She didn’t have the energy to move, much less walk down the hall back to her room. Within minutes she was sound asleep, cradling her sister in her arms, Xavier’s name running through her mind.

  Chapter 5

  The light touch on her shoulder startled her, and Gypsy sat up quickly. Looking around the room, she frowned when she realized she was once again back in her own bed. “Slade thought you might be more comfortable in here,” the nurse said quietly. It was a different nurse than the one who had been in her room before. Gypsy thought her name was Maria, but she couldn’t remember for sure. They seemed to switch her nurses quite a bit for some reason, and she had never been very good with names. “He brought you back about an hour ago. Don’t worry,” she rushed to assure Gypsy, “Sari is still sleeping.” When Gypsy didn’t respond, she went on, “I brought you some dinner. I hope you like roast beef and mashed potatoes with brown gravy.” She placed the food on a tray in front of Gypsy, a small smile on her lips.

  “Thank you,” Gypsy finally said quietly. Absently replying to the nurse’s goodbye, Gypsy slowly pushed the tray of food away and climbed out of the bed. Something was not right. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew she needed to find out. Walking to the door, Gypsy opened it and glanced down the hall. All was quiet, except for the soft murmur of voices at the counter by the doors leading to the lobby area. Turning down the hall in the other direction, Gypsy slowly started walking, unsure of her destination. Passing her sister’s room, she glanced in to see that Sari was indeed still asleep, facing away from the doorway.

  Continuing on, Gypsy passed three more rooms before she finally found what she was looking for. Opening the door to the very last room at the end of the hallway, she quietly slipped inside. Lying on the bed was a young man, no more than twenty-five or twenty-six years old. A white sheet covered the lower half of his body, while a stark white bandage was wrapped around his chest.

  Stopping by the bed, Gypsy reached out and slowly smoothed a lock of light brown hair back from his forehead. He was so still, almost as if he was dead, but she knew he wasn’t. It was strange, but she could sense the blood flo
wing through his veins and the slow thud of his heart beating weakly. This must be the enforcer Slade was talking about earlier. Xavier. Unsure why she was there, of exactly what had drawn her to him, Gypsy moved a chair that was sitting in the corner of the room next to the bed and sat down. Cautiously, she reached out and covered his hand with one of hers, shivering at the coldness she felt. That was definitely not right. She knew the man was alive, she could feel it.

  Placing her other hand on his arm, Gypsy lowered her head and prayed. Something had guided her to this room, showing her this man needed her help; help she was unsure how to give. Why was she here? What was her purpose?

  Gypsy stiffened when the low thump of Xavier’s heartbeat began to beat loudly in her ears. She shivered when she felt something stir deep within her; seeming to come alive and send an energy flowing through her. Her brow furrowed as her vision began to waiver, and she moaned softly as tremors coursed through her body. Gypsy moaned, clutching Xavier’s hand desperately as pain slammed into her, and she felt utter terror. She knew she was dying and wasn’t ready to go. She had so much to live for. Someone was out there who needed her. She had to protect her above all else.

  Gasping, Gypsy tried to catch her breath as she suddenly realized what was happening. She had done this before. She knew she had. She wasn’t the one in so much pain that it felt like her chest was on fire. It was Xavier. He was hurting, suffering horribly, terrified he would never wake up again. He could feel himself slowly leaving this world, and he refused to go without a fight. This was why she was here. She needed to help him. She had to bring him back to the land of the living. Taking several deep breaths, Gypsy closed her eyes and tried to remember what to do. She refused to let him die, not when she knew she could save him. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself somehow merging and connecting fully with the enforcer. It was almost as if they were one.

  Xavier felt like he was drowning, the pain almost too much to bear. There was fear and confusion, and he felt so alone. He didn’t fully understand what was happening to him. He wanted to just drift away, to let all of the misery and agony go, but somehow he knew if he did, he might never see the people he cared about again. And there was one woman he needed to be with. One he loved with all of his heart, even though she had no idea; his mate.