Family Secrets: Books 5-8

by Virginia Kantra

  Private Mimms stood there, oddly pale and sweating on this cold October day.

  Maam? he said, swaying forward and grabbing onto the doorjamb just to remain on his feet. I hate to bother you but somethings wrong. I dont feel well at all.

  Once again, the clinic was in turmoil. Half the soldiers who had been guarding the clinic had been infected with the virus. So had the blond reporter from Great Falls. The haz-mat team that had almost finished examining and cleaning every home in the area took over the first floor of the clinic and found remnants of the virus in powder form. It had been scattered near the area where the soldiers assigned to the clinic took their meals.

  Faith was determined to save them all, and for once in his life Luke just listened and did as she commanded. If she had told him to go stand on his head in the hallway, he would have done it.

  She knew what she was doing, more than anyone else ever could. And yeah, when she worked she was definitely like a freight train. No one got in her way.

  By now she knew the virus well, understood its effects and its weaknesses. No one had inhaled as much of the stuff as Tyler had, so the cases were primarily mild. There were just a few serious cases, a handful that required Faiths personal attention.

  Quickly treated with Faiths antibiotic, they were well on their way to recovery. Some of the initial victims of Rockland Fever were moved to Lukes makeshift clinic, in order to make room for the newer, sicker patients.

  The media got hold of the story within a couple of hours, and the return of Rockland Fever was on every channel and would soon be in every newspaper. So much for getting Faith out of town quickly and quietly! She wasnt safe here; Luke knew that more than anyone.

  Again Luke asked himself, why here and why now? Faith had been able to stop the progression of the disease in the original patients. Shed identified the source. What point was there in infecting the soldiers who were guarding the clinic?

  Chaos. Whoever had done this wanted chaos.

  It was well into the afternoon before Luke realized that whoever had planted the virus among the soldiers had probably retrieved Faiths senseless notes from the closet and was already gone.

  A tingle of warning brought him to alert. Gone? Maybe. Maybe not. Would the Coalition henchman wait around to see if there was an opportunity to take Faith as well as her work? He knew that was what the Coalition wanted, more than anything else, even the new virus. They wanted Faith, and if they ever got their hands on her, they would treat her like a lab rat. They would use her as a weapon, dissect her, destroy her life.

  No matter what happened, he had to stay close.

  Jake Ingram called several times during the day, but Faith never had time to speak with him. Through Molly, Faith sent the message that she was fine, but she did not accept the phone calls from her brother. Of course, Luke was the only one who knew Jake was her brother.

  Another secret they shared, one of many.

  When all the soldiers and the reporter had been treated and were in stable condition, Luke cornered Faith in the hallway and insisted that she head to his office. She hadnt sat down all day, much less had a meal, and he could tell she was approaching collapse. She was pale, and her usually steady hands trembled.

  Sit, Luke ordered when the door was closed behind them.

  Just for a minute, Faith said as she sank into the chair at his desk. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I need to call Jake.

  Jake can wait, Luke snapped.

  Faith smiled wanly. I have the feeling Jake doesnt like waiting much, and no one ever leaves him waiting for very long.

  Too bad. Right now all he cared about was Faith, and she was exhausted.

  Theyre all going to be fine, she said. Private Mimms was the worst. He mustve ingested a larger amount of the powder than the others, or else his immune system is not what it should be. I thought for a while this afternoon that I might lose him, she said softly. Hes such a sweet boy, I just cant Her voice broke. Sorry. Im not usually so emotional.

  You have every right to be emotional, Luke said. It would be a miracle if you didnt lose it now and then. Youre only human.

  She looked at him, tired and uncertain. Am I? Human, that is.

  No more of this nonsense, he said gruffly, reaching out to take her hand.

  She didnt respond except to twine her slender fingers through his in a gesture that was surprisingly and strongly intimate.

  Youre the best person I know, Luke said truthfully. Dont question who you are, Faith. Youre the same woman you were when you arrived here. The rest of itit doesnt matter.

  It does matter, she said. And Im not the same. I will never be the same.

  Faith held his hand while she sat at his desk and composed herself. Luke watched her do her best to bury deep everything that haunted her. Her birth, her life, Mimms, the deadly formula shed concoctedwhat was happening with them. She didnt speak, but no words were necessary. Sometimes just being with the right person was enough.

  Eventually Faith released Lukes hand and insisted on calling her brother. Jake Ingram was not happy, Luke could tell just from listening to Faiths side of the conversation. She said no, sometimes quite forcefully and more than once, and judging by the number of her sentences that ended abruptly, Jake interrupted her on several occasions.

  Faith tried to assure her brother that everything was fine, that she was safe, that everything was under control. She looked at Luke with quiet horror in her eyes as she kept to herself the knowledge that her programming had been activated.

  He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Somehow he had to let her know that everything was going to be okay, one way or another. The virus was under control again, the deadly formula she had constructed had been destroyed, and she loved him.

  She had admitted as much last night when shed been unleashed, when shed been in that state of mind where she held nothing back. Would she ever admit to her feelings when she was herself?

  Yeah, she would. One day. Maybe when all this was behind them and she felt safe again, shed say the words again.

  He was willing to wait.

  Maybe he should tell her that he felt the same way, that he loved her, that no matter what happened they would be together. Somehow. Some way. Luke Winston wasnt a romantic who painted pretty pictures in his head of the way things should be. He knew what was ahead of them would be difficult, perhaps impossible.

  He wanted to give it a try anyway.

  Faith was busy assuring her brother once again that everything in Rockland was fine, just fine, when the door to Lukes office burst open and Nelda ran inside with a limp Abby in her arms.

  Somethings wrong with the baby, Nelda said breathlessly. Shes burning up.

  Faith slammed the phone down and jumped to her feet as Luke took his daughter from Nelda. Abbys skin was hot to his touch, and she wasnt breathing normally. Everything stopped for Luke as he looked down at his daughter. Time. Reality. The moment of peace hed been experiencing a few seconds ago was gone.

  As they ran out of his office, the phone began to ring again. No one bothered to turn back to answer.

  Fifteen

  F ai
ths hands shook as she examined Abby. The baby was unconscious and burning up with fever. She knew the signs; Abby had come into direct contact with the greenish-yellow powder that was host for the contagion.

  She didnt know when or how Abby had contracted Rockland Fever, but the child was much further along than the guardsmen shed been treating. How fast had the disease hit the little girl? The very young and the very old were most susceptible to this sort of respiratory illness. At the moment, Faith could not assure Luke that his child would survive the night.

  Shed dispatched a haz-mat team to Lukes home and had ordered Molly to begin treating Nelda with the antibiotic, as a precautionary measure.

  Luke said nothing, at least not to her. He held his daughter and muttered that baby talk Faith had once been so sure was utter nonsense. Maybe shed been wrong. Abby responded as well, or better, to her fathers touch and words as she did to the antibiotic.

  The three of them were in the room where Faith had found Luke holding Benjy on her first night here. The lights were dim, the baby bed empty, as Luke sat in the rocking chair and cradled Abby close. On her first night in the Carson County Clinic Luke had thanked her for saving the childs life. She had fallen a little bit in love with him then and there. Now what? If Abby died

  Luke lifted his head and stared at her. There was such agony in his eyes. I cant bury her, he whispered.

  Faith shook her head. I wont let that happen. For the first time in her life, she promised something she might not be able to deliver. Abby wasnt responding to the antibiotic treatment. Slowly and surely, her condition worsened.

  If I ever find out who did this, Ill tear him apart with my bare hands. Lukes gaze returned to Abby. Ive never so much as hit another human being. Ive spent my entire adult life trying to save people, not hurt them. But if I had a shot at the man who did this, Id kill him. I want his blood, Faith. I want it for Abby and the five patients I lost, for Benjy and Tyler and Private Mimms and all the others.

  Blood. A shiver passed up Faiths spine.

  Luke, she said softly. I have an idea. Will you be okay here for a few minutes? I can send Molly in to sit with you if you

  Were fine, he said gruffly. Go do whatever it is you have to do.

  There wasnt time to explain. She ran, her footsteps loud in the hallway, from the room where Abby slept to the lab. She found Dr. White studying the newest tissue sample.

  Help me, she commanded as she stripped off her lab coat.

  John was tired, as they all were, and the exhaustion showed on his face as he lifted his head and blinked twice. He pushed his glasses up on his nose. Of course. Help you with what?

  Draw my blood, she said.

  How much? He walked away from his workstation and reached for a single syringe.

  We need to get set up for a blood transfer.

  He raised his eyebrows and set down the syringe.

  No questions, John. We dont have time for delays of any kind. Faith took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. My blood type is O-negative, which makes me a universal donor. Lets just do it.

  Maybe her less-than-normal origins would turn out to be a blessing, in a way she had never imagined. If she was immune to the virus, as she was apparently immune to everything else, her blood might help Abby fight. She knew without a doubt that without extraordinary measures of some kind, Abby wouldnt live through the night. For the first time since shed discovered who and what she was, Faith was grateful for the science and the experiment that had produced her.

  Her blood could save Lukes child.

  A strange mans arms held her tight and pulled her away. Away from Mark. Away from her brother. Everyone else was gone. Gone! There was just the two of them now, but no one would ever separate her from Mark. For the longest time she held tight to her brother, afraid they would try to take him away, too.

  That fear came true. Another man tried to grab Mark, but that was no easy task. Mark was strong, much stronger than any other ten-year-old. He fought, and he fought hard. Until they came up behind him and stuck a needle in his arm and he went limp.

  Faiths world crashed in around her as her brother crumpled. She had never seen Mark helpless before. He was the strong one. He could fight anyone. If they could take Mark away, what chance did she have?

  Faiths eyes filled with tears, so that the sight of her unconscious brother was blurred as they dragged him away. No, she said softly, and then she screamed.

  No!

  She woke suddenly, her heart hammering in her chest and the dreamthe memorystill so real she could taste and smell it. Eyes remaining closed, she clutched the bedsheet in her hands.

  It took a moment for her to realize that she was on the cot in Lukes office, and that he was with her. Shed come here after the blood transfer. Tired, drained, depleted, shed slept. How long? Molly had unplugged the office phone so Faith would be able to sleep. Apparently she had slept for several hours, she reasoned as she noted gray light drifting through the uncovered window. The night was almost gone. Morning was coming.

  Luke sat on the side of the narrow cot, and as she woke he laid his hand over hers. The past faded, as it should after all this time, and Faith asked, Abby?

  Much better, thanks to you.

  The relief that rushed through her made her light-headed. You should be with her, Faith insisted, even though she didnt want him to leave.

  I stayed with Abby all night, Luke said. He managed a crooked, tired smile. Nelda and Molly are hovering over her at the moment. They insisted it was their turn to pamper Abby for a while.

  Faith nodded, glad someone was sitting with and cooing over the baby. She was just as glad that Luke was with her.

  He lifted her hand and kissed it. How can I ever thank you enough?

  You dont have to

  Faith, Luke interrupted. You saved my daughters life by giving her your own blood. Dont ever doubt that you are special in the most wonderful way, or that I love you.

  She didnt want Luke to love her because he was grateful.

  But oh, she did want him to love her.

  She scooted over so that her back was almost against the wall. Lie down, she insisted softly.

  Luke hesitated, but he did eventually stretch out beside her on the cot. Lying on her side with her face buried against his chest, Faith relaxed completely. It was nice to have him here, to be here. For the first time in her life, she was a part of something she could not explain. Certain phrases that had always seemed meaningless to her suddenly made sense. My better half. Kindred spirit. Soul mate.

  All my life, Ive been afraid, she confessed. The last time shed been with Luke shed given him, and herself, perfectly valid reasons why she couldnt have a child. Im thirty-three years old, and I dont have anything in my personal life that could be called important. I have nothing but my work.

  He wrapped his arms around her. Thats not true.

  It is. Im tired of hiding, Faith whispered. Not from the Coalition, but from life. She took Lukes hand and laid it over her stomach. She kissed his neck, then moved her mouth to his ear. It just so happens that I am very fertile at this moment. My body is ready to create and nurture a child. Now. Today. How do I know that? I
have no idea, but its true. Bone-deep, I know its true.

  Luke drew back slightly and narrowed one eye. Faith?

  Yes.

  My Faith?

  She hesitated before answering, Always.

  And you will remember this.

  She caressed his cheek and the rough stubble there. Most definitely. Im not under the influence of any programming or hypnosis. Im just tired of never taking what I want. Its time for me to take a few risks, to open my heart, to embrace lifeand love.

  He kissed her, his mouth coming to hers so naturally she knew this was right and true and worth every risk.

  Maybe I should work on being a little bit unleashed, she whispered. Help me, Luke. Help me be the woman I should be.

  He slipped his hand beneath her sweater, touched her in that way he had, the special, tender way that made her forget everything else.

  Unleashed. No, she would never be completely without inhibition. But she could let go of her fear, while Luke touched her. She kissed him with an unbridled passion, caressed him without restraint. They belonged here, together.

  They kissed and touched each other, their bodies pressed close on the narrow cot. Luke could never be too close; she needed him inside and around her, in a way that went beyond the physical. But the physical was fine. Very fine. They were both exhausted, beyond tired, emotionally battered, but the way they came together very quickly changed from sweet to demanding. A new and powerful energy chased away the fatigue.

  When Luke slipped his hands into the waistband of Faiths trousers, she deftly helped him slip them down and off. Half her clothes were tossed aside, and without that restraint her legs wrapped around his. He reached between their bodies to caress her intimately; with his touch he made her shudder and ache.