He stopped pacing and leaned against the wall with his head back, his eyes squeezed tight, his hands fisted at his sides. The need to punch … no, more like beat-the-hell-out-of-something, raged in his chest. How could he be so stupid, so fucking irresponsible to leave her alone? He turned to slip out the door, to get the hell out of there, to go bash a tree or something when he saw Maia and Gerry hurrying toward him.
Here we go, he thought as he caught the anger flaring in Gerry’s eyes.
“Cael,” Maia yelled out as both she and Gerry came running over to him. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know.”
Maia placed her hand on Cael’s shoulder. “What did the doctor say?”
“Nothing yet. They took her for x-rays or something.”
“Where were you when this happened?” Gerry asked.
Cael ran his hand through his hair; he wanted to pace, to pound something. He didn’t want to stand there and answer questions.
“We were on our way home and there was a house on fire. We stopped; I ran out to help. When I came back, her truck was gone. I found her a short way up the highway. She must have gone to try to turn the truck around or something and landed in a ditch. She banged her head pretty badly. God, if anything happens to her ... I’ll never forgive myself.” He was used to lying or stretching the truth, but never liked it, especially this time.
Gerry glared at him, but he didn’t care. He’d even considered not calling them, but the gash on her neck would only make them suspicious and worried if they were to see it and not know what happened.
The doctor finally came out. “Are any of you folks here waiting for Addison MacKenna?”
“Yes,” they answered as one.
“Well, she’s doing fine. The injury to her neck required seven stitches, which should dissolve on their own, and she has a minor concussion. She should be feeling much better by tomorrow.”
“Oh, thank God,” Maia said.
“We took a CT scan of her head and there doesn’t seem to be any major trauma, and no hemorrhaging. Her vision and reflexes are fine. She’s good to go whenever she’s ready. Because of the concussion, she’ll need to have someone stay with her through the night and wake her every couple of hours, just as a precaution.
“She says she doesn’t remember what happened. Can any of you tell me?”
Gerry and Maia looked at Cael.
Cael cleared his throat and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I’m not sure. When I found her, she’d passed out in her truck in a ditch on the side of the road. I can only assume she lost control of the truck somehow.”
“Well, she’s lucky you showed up when you did. With a little rest she’ll recover nicely.”
“Thank you, doctor. Thank you so very much,” Maia said.
“You’re welcome. You can see her now.”
Addison was still lying on the bed when all three of them entered her room. Cael rushed to her side and took her hand. Maia went to her other side. Gerry stood at the end of the bed, arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I never should have left you alone.”
“We’re just glad you’re okay, sweetie,” Maia said.
“Do you know how you lost control of the truck, Addie?” Gerry asked.
Addison glanced at Cael before answering. Cael noted the sudden shift in Gerry’s feet, and he sensed the man’s suspicions.
“I’m trying to remember, but my head’s still a bit fuzzy. I should get dressed. The doctor said I could leave, right?”
“Sure, sweet thing. Maia, you help her—Cael and I will wait out in the hall.”
Cael kissed Addison on the forehead before leaving the room.
In the hallway, Gerry leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, fury welling in his eyes. “How did she get the gash in her neck?”
“I can’t answer that. I know you blame me for this, but ...”
“Fucking A, I should beat the bloody hell out of you is what. Lucky for you, I promised Maia I wouldn’t.”
Cael only nodded. “Look, I take full responsibility for what happened.”
Cael shuddered when he thought about it. That sick bastard could have killed her tonight, but he figured he was toying with them, at least until he located the crystal and the book. He wondered why Addison hadn’t tried to use her powers—but maybe she had.
“It’s too late for that. I think you should stop seeing her.”
Did Gerry really think he had that much control over Addison? “What? I think that should be—”
Addison and Maia stepped out from the room.
“Addie, you’ll stay with us tonight,” Gerry commanded as they all walked out of the hospital.
“No! I don’t think I need a babysitter. No offense, Maia, but I’d rather stay with Cael tonight, if you don’t mind.”
Gerry was a hard-ass, and played the fatherly role a bit too heavy, in Cael’s opinion. He secretly smiled when Addison stood up to the man.
“No sweetie, of course I don’t mind. We'll drop you two off at the truck.” Maia gave Gerry a calming pat on the shoulder and Cael figured she understood that Gerry was acting like a jerk.
“The truck is in a ditch, Maia. We’ll have to call for a tow tomorrow,” Gerry said.
“I’ll take care of it,” Cael assured them.
“We’ll give you a ride to your place then,” Maia said.
The ride home was agonizingly quiet. Cael took a silent deep breath as he and Addison left the car. Just before Gerry steered the car away from Cael’s rental house, Maia stuck her head out the window. “Nice place, Cael. Don’t forget, dinner tomorrow night. Will seven work for you?”
“Sounds great, we’ll be there.”
Cael and Addison strolled toward the door arm in arm.
“Did you save the boy?”
“Yes, but I almost lost you.” The unbearable thought wrenched his gut.
Chapter 34
They entered the house and Addie headed straight upstairs. She left the light off, needing the comfort of the dark. She hoped it would ease the ordeal of telling Cael everything, not being sure of how he would deal with it. God, she wasn’t even sure how she was coping. Remembering the whole horrible experience had her trembling as she sat on the bed. Cael came over and sat beside her; draping his arm around her, he drew her in and reached for the light.
“No, please. Leave it off.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Moving away from him, she sank back against the pillow, slung her arm across her forehead, and closed her eyes. “It was Eidolon.”
“Yes, so you said before you passed out. Tell me what happened.” His hands clenched, watching her.
She opened her eyes but kept them lowered, unable to look at him. “I’m trying! It’s just …”
“I’m sorry. I know it must be difficult. Eidolon is very powerful.”
He misunderstood and she shook her head. Maybe if she just eased into the assault, one horrible step at a time. Addie sucked in a deep breath and started with the easy part.
“He was waiting for you to leave. He set the fire and knew you’d go in to rescue that little boy. When you disappeared, I unbuckled my seatbelt so I could get out, but he stopped me, put a knife to my throat. I'm not sure how he got in the truck; I wasn’t paying attention to anything other than the fire, and I was so afraid for you. I didn’t have a chance to think and I couldn’t figure out how to free my hands to use my powers.” Her voice trembled; she lowered her arm and sat up.
Cael scooted closer. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed again, twisting her fingers together on her lap. “With the knife at my neck, he told me to drive, so I did. He kept telling me to go faster, and when he told me to pull over, I lost control of the truck and plowed into the ditch. He swore he’d kill everyone I know if I didn’t give him the crystal and the book, starting with Darcy. He said he’d have his way with her first, I think he meant sexually, before killing her. I heard my phone ring
, but he wouldn’t let me answer it. He told me to keep my hands on the wheel. Every time I tried to move, he pressed the knife harder into my neck.”
Addie stopped talking and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to find the courage to go on, to talk about it, to release the anger, the fear, the filth, the humiliation, and the hate from taking over and consuming her for life. Would she ever be the same?
“Cael ...” she hesitated, looked out the window and closed her eyes.
***
A rock developed in Cael’s gut as he stared at her. “What is it?”
Addison kept her gaze on the window avoiding his and he wanted to yank her out of the shell she suddenly withdrew into until she finally said, “He touched me.”
“What ...? Where?” Fury rose in his veins as heinous thoughts skated through his mind.
“My breast. He …”
“What else did he do?”
“I can’t … I don’t know if I can.” Addison lowered her head into her hands and sobbed. “He stuck his hand down my pants and yanked at my crotch and ... and put his fingers in me. God, I feel so dirty.”
He rose and turned toward her—his one hand fisted into the other—and felt the unchecked rage rise in his eyes.
“Cael?”
“I’m not handling this very well. You have no fucking idea.”
“Please, don’t. I can’t bear it. You found me. You were there for me when I needed you.” Her voice quaked through sobs, almost incomprehensible.
“No! Fuck! I wasn’t there! I should have been there! He touched you! He touched you, for Christ's sake!”
“I’m okay,” she said, trembling.
“No, you’re not. I’m not. I’m not okay. God, why didn’t I sense him? It’s one of my abilities. I swear I’ll kill him.”
Cael's voice shook with each word, with each quiver of every muscle in his neck. His veins pulsed, threatening to burst. Addison sat still, staring at him, her cheeks blotchy and tear-tracked. The vehemence behind his eyes ignited and he felt dangerous. He’d been so calm and steady, so attentive to her needs—staying centered for her—and now he paced the floor like an angry tiger in a cage. He took another look at her and, not wanting her to see his rage, dematerialized.
Materializing down at the beach, he kicked sand into the air. He ran to the wall of the cliff and pounded his fist into it, making a hole the length of his arm. He had no control over Eidolon and his abilities and it scared the hell out of him. God, he wished he had the power to give Addison back those last few hours; he would never have left her alone in the truck.
Shit. What did he just do? He’d left her again. Leaving her, even for this short amount of time was detrimental, unforgiveable. Standing down here sniveling like a two-year-old wasn’t helping anything. He shook his head, swiping tears from his cheeks with the backs of his hands, then closed his eyes and disappeared, praying she was still safe and would forgive him for abandoning her again.
***
Addie had forced herself to think of Cael, standing to comfort him, but he’d vanished without a word. The room spun around her and she sank back down on the bed. She wanted to wash the filth off her body, but couldn’t make the world stay still long enough to get undressed. She buried her face in her arms and cried, wondering if Cael hated her now or thought she was dirty.
She looked up at the distant sound of his voice whispering her name and blinked as she watched him materialize in front of her. Red-rimmed eyes suggested he’d been crying.
Weren’t they a pair?
She sat up, waited, unsure if he would still want to touch her. Did he think she was dirty now? Damaged goods? Oh, God. Would she be able to accept his caresses?
He sat next to her, his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry. This isn’t about me. You don’t need me ranting and raving right now. I … I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. God, Addison, I am so sorry.”
Somehow, she found the strength. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You had no idea it was a trap.” She sniffled, wiping away tears with her fingers. “You and I both know—even if you had been aware of him, with the raging fire and the little boy—you had to save him, no matter what. The child would have died if you hadn’t gone in for him.”
“I know you’re right. I had to save him, but at what cost—the life of a kid for yours? Either way, I don’t think I could live with myself. I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how you feel, but please don’t feel dirty, baby. You have no reason to feel that way. You’re beautiful.” He pulled her close and stroked her hair, then brushed his lips lightly on her forehead.
“I think I’d like to … clean up now, take a shower” She needed to remove every trace of Eidolon from her body.
“Sure, but better make it a bath,” he said.
“Why?”
“Stitches.”
Cael covered her neck with plastic wrap and secured it with tape so the stitches didn’t get wet. He helped her bathe, being careful to keep the water away from her neck. He washed her hair, massaging her head, and she almost fell asleep in the tub.
He carried her to bed, lay down beside her, and held her close. She accepted his arms, the gentle tugging reassuring.
“Cael?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t, baby, just hold on as tight as you want.”
He held on to her; his arms were strong, protective and gave her courage. After a few silent minutes, Addie said, “Eidolon said the dog that bit you wasn’t actually him, but he was controlling its actions somehow, the same way he controlled my mind.”
“Then I was wrong about him; he’s not a shape shifter after all, just a mind controller.”
“You mean like Raz?” she asked.
“Similar, but Raz can’t control what people do. He can only make them see things. What a person does while seeing them is up to the individual. Eidolon must be far more dangerous than we thought. He must believe that if he has the power of the crystal and steals everyone’s abilities, he’d be able to control everyone in the world that way.”
“What? You mean like puppets?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“I’d rather die.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
He kissed the top of her head as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.
***
Cael did as the doctor instructed and roused Addison every couple of hours. She woke once on her own, screaming from a nightmare, but he cradled her in his arms and she soon drifted off again. He didn’t know what he would have done if she had died. He was supposed to protect her. How could he have just left her there?
He let her sleep while he showered and dressed, and then went down to start breakfast, hoping she would wake soon from the aroma of bacon and coffee swirling up the stairs. The powers of a hungry stomach were on his side; he looked up from the stove and saw her standing in the doorway wearing only his shirt. He thought of scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back to bed, but considering what happened last night, he went back to cooking. Damn fucking bastard. He would kill Eidolon if it was the last thing he did.
He pasted on a smile and said, “Look at you. You have a near death experience less than ten hours ago, and you still manage to tempt my manhood.” He flinched slightly as the words left his lips, thinking that it might be too soon for that kind of talk. The vision of her not only had him spilling eggs over the counter as his whisking increased with his blood flow, but his sense of timing and lack of appropriate behavior deserved a serious flogging.
“Your manhood doesn’t require much coaxing.”
“Lucky you.” He smiled, relieved when she smiled back. “Hmmm, you do look delicious in my shirt.”
“See? I rest my case. I hope you don't mind. I took another bath and didn't want to get dressed yet.”
“Not at all. That shirt probably reeks of me, though.”
“That’s a good thing.” She rubbed her hands up and down her ar
ms. “It is a bit chilly in here.”
“Go spark up the fire. I’ll bring breakfast to you.”
“You’re spoiling me. If you keep this up I’m going to expect this when we’re old, you know.”
He froze and stared at her, not sure he heard her correctly. “Old?”
“If we get to be old, that is. Um ... I’ll just be out here.” She gestured toward the living room.
***
Careful, Addie, you might scare the man away; as it is, you damn near rendered him speechless. The fire crackled, and the sofa felt cozy as she curled up on it, pulling the small blanket off the back and covering her legs. She touched her hand to her stitches and tried to keep from thinking about last night. She hoped the scar wouldn't be too noticeable.
The journal Cael had stashed under the cushion poked her in the rear. Pulling it out she examined it and considered how a little book could cause such chaos.
Cael strolled in carrying a tray with two plates of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast; two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, and two cups of coffee completed the meal. He had even put a beautiful pink rose in a little white vase.
He placed the tray on the table, then bent down and kissed her softly on the lips.
“This is wonderful, thank you. You must have grown up on another planet because the men I know from Planet Earth don’t usually know how to crack an egg, let alone scramble one and present it with such elegance.”
“Oh, sure they do, what about Jared? I’m sure he can scramble up a couple of eggs. Maybe the flower’s a bit much?” He scrunched up the corner of his mouth, giving her half a grin.
Whisper Cape Page 27
