Phoenix Tonic

by Shelley Martin

  She sat up, and the motion caused the air to stir. The spicy scent of Kallian lit up her senses and warmed her skin. She looked around for the source. Her eyes blinked at the blue shirt he had been wearing, crumpled under her. Well, she learned something at least. Burning and anger came to a stop when he draped his shirt around her. It seemed that when she was out of control, his scent calmed her down.

  But if she was denied her own emotions, her anger, then who was she?

  “I hate him,” she reminded herself, and shoved it under the mattress. Once the air cleared, she placed her bare feet on the cold, metal floor. Moving slowly, glancing constantly at the cameras in the ceiling, she made her way to the door. She stood to the side and peeked through the opening.

  “Hello?”

  No answer. No movement.

  Glancing back over her shoulder at the camera one last time, she pushed the massively heavy door open. Her feet paused, waiting for him to appear before her, but he didn’t. She poked her head out and looked either way.

  A hallway stretched out either way from where she stood. Simple cream colored walls with wooden panels were broken only by endless doors. And there wasn’t a soul in sight.

  She walked out and stood in the middle of the hall, looking one way, then the other.

  She had to go exploring. Kallian had taken her right when he carried her out, but Kira had taken her left, to the locker room. She debated and turned right.

  Her heart thrummed as she walked along the corridors. So Kallian’s room was really an office in a huge building? She wondered how many more offices there were…

  She walked along the hallway until the classic wooden panels gave way to white washed stucco. The walls began to take on framed pictures of “employee of the month” and “safety records.” Smiling faces looked down on her, along with animals from all over the world. She wondered if part of the facility’s work was done in Africa. The background of all the pictures was so lush, and Kallian was in more than half of them.

  Hailey reflected on the past and how Kallian always talked about saving animals. She realized just how serious his efforts were, when she noticed a set of double doors farther down. She tentatively pushed one of the doors open and slipped in.

  The sharp scent of bleach and other chemicals assaulted her senses. She rubbed her nose as she walked along, taking in the room before her. Tables stood in rows down the middle, covered with computers, beakers, droppers and all kinds of other laboratory tools. She saw one computer lit up, humming, and walked past it. At the end stood a set of three wide steps, leading to a desk, and a door behind it. A dry erase board hung next to the door, listing names and dates in blue marker. Potted plants and a few chairs lined the wall near the door.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this was the head honcho’s office.” She let herself in, thinking it was the same room she’d been to before. But she was mistaken.

  Inside sat a man in a big, leather chair, looking over documents on his desk. His hand lowered the paper he was holding, and he frowned at her.

  “What are you doing out?”

  Hailey took a step back, but stood her ground. “Markham said I wasn’t a caged animal.”

  The man took stock of her, then stood. He looked to be around fiftyish. His brown hair hugged his stubbled face. A small belly peeked out from his dark suit jacket. She figured him to be a little over six foot, like Kallian. “No, of course you’re not. You were in that cage due to your own actions. But now it seems you have more control.” He lay his papers down. “Why is that?”

  Hailey lifted her chin. She didn’t know who this man was, but he had an air of authority about him. “I just needed out of that room. It holds nothing but bad memories for me.” She held her own with the stern man eyeing her. “Who are you, anyway?”

  The man motioned for her to have a seat on the sofa. “My name’s Malachi. I’m in charge of the facility. Please, come in.” She moved to the right of the room, and perched on the edge of the oversized couch.

  “You, ah, look like you were having some problems.” The man nodded to her shirt.

  “Oh, yeah.” Her arms crossed over her chest where the shirt’s blackened marks screamed proof of her temper. “Markham...”

  “Humph.” Malachi shook his head. “Hospitable, isn’t he?”

  Hailey nodded. “Yeah. We had a few words. I hate that guy.”

  The man walked to the corner of the room where a white lab coat hung. He plucked it from the wooden coat rack and removed the name tag. “I’ve heard you’ve been having a rough time. If you don’t mind me asking, what upsets you so about him?” He held out the lab coat.

  Hailey thankfully took it and slipped it on. It smelled spicy, like the man before her. She took a deep whiff of the collar, losing herself in the masculine scent, before she remembered herself. “It started a while ago.” Her body wanted to get closer to the man before her, but her resistance had grown since she’d taken the suppressant. She could control it. “The first time I met him was at a fundraiser in New York. He was so… enchanting.” She slid farther back on the couch, getting a bit more comfortable, and a touch farther away from Malachi.

  “So we started dating. He asked me if I could have one wish, what would it be? And I said I wanted to fly.” She rolled her eyes at herself. She wished she’d never said anything to Kallian. “Then he got this call and told me he knew where the best place to learn to fly would be. And before I knew it, he whisked me off to New Zealand where some animal was hurt. But by the time we got there, the little creature had recovered, so they didn’t need Markham. And the next thing I knew we were hang gliding over the most beautiful land I had ever seen.” She remembered the sensation of the wind, the thrill of take-off, and of seeing the oh-so-hot Kallian Markham floating next to her from his own glider. That little moment of heaven might plague her for the rest of her life.

  Her head fell a bit. “I got home, thinking he was the most amazing man. I went gaga over him for two weeks. Then I got my diagnosis.” She sniffled, pushing the emotions back. “When I qualified for the research study, I was so relieved. Until someone emailed the board and told them who my family was. I had my dad look into it. Turns out it was Markham who sentenced me to death.” Her chest constricted at the memory of when she’d found out the truth. At first, she couldn’t believe it. Then he actually admitted to it, when she’d asked him on their next date.

  “And then there was the proposal. Like I would agree to blackmail? Yeah, fat chance.”

  Malachi had gone back to sit at his desk. He leaned forward with interest, and propped his chin atop his steepled fingers. “That sounds pretty awful.”

  “I know.” Hailey buttoned up the lab coat and continued. “I had cancer. I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t want to marry someone who had no qualms about sentencing their girlfriend to death, either. So he took my father’s company away and I ended up in a steel tank as his new toy.” She picked at her finger nail as she tried to keep her emotions down. “I’m not allowed much freedom or privacy. And on top of that, I almost killed my mother, kissed my brother, and he forced me to take medicine I didn’t want to. It’s been a pretty crappy couple of weeks, and it’s all thanks to Markham.” Her brow drew together. “I just want to kill him.”

  Malachi’s thick eyebrows rose. “Would you really try and kill him, if you could?”

  Hailey rolled her eyes. “It’s just an expression. I’m really very nice, usually.” She sighed and plopped her chin against her curled fingers. “Sorry for venting on you. You’re the first normal person I’ve met all week.”

  Malachi smiled briefly before sitting back in his chair. “So, that’s why Kallian left the door open? To give you a little freedom and privacy?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what’s with that guy. If he wanted to do some good he’d give my father’s company back. At least my family wouldn’t have to suffer along with me.”

  Malachi scratched his whiskers. He got a funny little gl
eam in his eye before turning to her. “What if you made a trade?”

  “A trade?” Hailey cocked her head. “What kind of trade?”

  He shrugged and picked up a pen to twirl between his fingers. “What if you traded marriage for your father’s company? I know it seems awful, but you’d be like a hero to your family.”

  Hailey cringed at the idea. “No way. I want to get married one day to a man I love. I want children and a hot tub and a white picket fence.”

  He nodded. “But you’ve got flame and uncontrollable desire. You could hurt a normal person. That way you could get out of the facility, and have at least a little bit of freedom.” Malachi stared at Hailey. His brow furrowed after a moment. “Sorry, you’re right.” He dropped the pen on his desk. “The guy’s horrible. It could never work.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  Her brow creased. She couldn’t do it. It would be terrible, wouldn’t it? “Yes, well… Yes.” She stood and forced a smile. “I don’t suppose you know where I could get some more of that suppressant, do you?”

  Malachi’s lips turned down at the corners. “Is it wearing off already?”

  “Um, well, no, I guess. I’m okay with you so far. But when I’m around him,” she shook her head. “I need a stronger dose. Or more of it.”

  He nodded and opened a window on his computer. “Kallian Markham is in charge of you, but I’ll see what I can do.” He smiled at her. “I don’t want you to suffer any more than you already have. I like you, and if it helps, I know Kallian likes you too.”

  Hailey snorted. “He probably likes anything with a pulse.” Malachi’s face darkened and Hailey felt instantly bad. “Sorry, guess he’s your friend, huh?”

  He glanced at her, then back to the light of the computer. “I guess you could say that. All this research revolves around him.”

  She stood there uncomfortably, for a moment, before she spoke again. “I’m, uh, just going to go. Thanks.”

  Malachi quickly stood and nodded at her. “It was very nice to meet you, Hailey. I hope things work out for you. And it would probably be best if you didn’t discuss your situation with the people working here. You’re kind of top secret.”

  Top secret? She didn’t know if that was a bad thing or a good one. “How many people here know about me?”

  Malachi held up three fingers. “I believe you’ve met us all.”

  Malachi, Kallian and Kira. Yep. She headed toward the door and paused. “Um, can I come see you again if I get bored, Malachi?”

  He smiled softly, his features disturbingly resembling Kallian. “Of course. But evenings would be more appropriate. The less questions, the better.”

  She nodded. “I understand.”

  “Have a pleasant night.” He smiled reassuringly.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hailey walked back down the steps, feeling better than she had in a while. She’d made a friend. She scowled as she walked along, lost in the thought of what he’d said. Could she do it? Could she make a trade?

  A sudden crash of plastic and papers drew her from her thoughts. A woman stood, holding her chest by a lab table. “Oh my gosh, you scared me!”

  “Oh,” Hailey saw the woman wore the same lab coat she had around her shoulders, only it hung open around her curvy frame. “I’m sorry.” She knelt on the floor. “Here let me help you.”

  “Thanks.” The woman knelt next to her. “These stupid binders are so heavy and overfilled.”

  Hailey stacked the papers together and handed them to the woman. She took them and fed them through the metal loops on the binder. “You’re the new girl, aren’t you?”

  Her eyes went wide for a moment. “Uh, yeah. I was just talking to Malachi about some things.”

  The girl beamed. “Yeah, the boss is great, isn’t he? By the way, I’m Dawn.” She held out her hand over the papers.

  “I’m Hailey.” She clasped her hand and shook it. “What are you still doing here? This place is empty.”

  She shrugged as she heaved the three inch folder to the metal table. “I work better at night. Besides, I have a good chance to see Adam after hours. But I think he already left for the day.” She shuddered. “I don’t blame him. That fire was scary, wasn’t it?”

  “Um, yeah.” Guilt creased her brow. “It was.” She stood next to Dawn and watched her move things around her table. “By the way, who’s Adam? Your boyfriend?”

  She blushed a deep red. “I wish. I could never have that kind of luck.” She curled her pointer finger as she slipped over to the computer at the next table. “Come this way. Abby takes a lot of the pictures around here.” She booted up the computer and grinned up at the light of the machine. “This guy is the hottest thing. He looks like one of those Greek god statues. All the girls here have a thing for him.” She stuck her lower lip out. “But he won’t date anyone in the office. Actually, as long as I’ve known him he’s never had a girlfriend. It’s been going on three years now.”

  “Hot, unobtainable Greek god? Now you’ve got me interested.” Hailey leaned forward as well. If she couldn’t actually be near a man, at least she could look, right?

  “Yeah,” Dawn clicked the mouse again and again. “You have to know what he looks like, because you’ll run into him eventually.” She sat back and clicked the mouse with a silly smile. “Abby even did some shots for a magazine for him. I put it on slide show. Here you go.”

  Hailey reveled at the thought of a hot, normal man, to take her mind off the stress that her life was. But, as the pictures of the Greek God flashed before her, she frowned. Kallian’s smoldering brown eyes and charming smile stared back at her from the screen. She stood up and took a step back. “That’s Markham.”

  Dawn propped her head on her hand and sighed. “Yep. Kallian Markham. He’s our Adam.”

  “Your Adam?” She was now officially confused.

  Dawn giggled like a schoolgirl as the pictures changed to one of Kallian pouring a bottle of water over his face. Hailey’s mouth moistened and she tore her eyes away to stare at the floor.

  “Well, the facility is called Eden. So that makes him Adam.” She glanced over her shoulder, grinning ear to ear. “I would die to be his Eve. When you see him in action you’ll understand.”

  Hailey’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe this is the guy you were talking about. The Markham I know is always covered with women at fundraiser parties. He’s so arrogant he proposes to women he barely knows. And he just takes what he wants, even if it destroys entire families.”

  Dawn looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “I don’t know what tabloid you’re reading, Hailey, but you really shouldn’t repeat such lies.”

  Hailey’s brow lowered. “I’m not repeating lies. That really did happen.”

  The girl turned around in her chair and squared her shoulders. “I’ve known Kallian Markham for over three years. After fundraiser parties he comes here and complains about all the spoiled hussies that cling to him. He’s just too nice and shy to tell them to take a hike. And he hasn’t ever talked about a woman, let alone had a girlfriend, so how could he propose to one? And I, personally, have seen him save over two hundred lives. I’m telling you, you’ve got the wrong idea about him.” Dawn’s shoulders dropped and she looked back to the pictures. “And his family seems very important to him. If anything, you should give him a chance.”

  Hailey started backing up, toward the double doors. She had to get away from Dawn’s declarations of praise for the man she hated. She knew the truth. She knew what he really was. This woman was just some obsessed groupie. “I better get home. I’ll see you later, I guess.”

  “Okay.” Dawn clicked the computer off. “Welcome to Eden, Hailey.”

  “Uh, thanks.” Hailey hurried out the double doors, and ran quickly back to her cage.

  ~***~

  The next night, Hailey tossed and turned. Her mother’s frightened face through a window of fire wouldn’t leave her mind. She couldn’t stop thinki
ng about them. She should be gathered around a table with them, laughing and throwing bits of food at her brother. They used to play old board games on Sunday evenings. Were they conquering the world tonight, or buying and trading properties on cardboard sets with rainbow-colored money? How she missed those old, familiar sights and sounds.

  She rubbed her face and sat up. The fearful faces of her family toward her in this new life overwhelmed the memories of the old, joyous ones. They just kept coming back.

  “I wonder if that Malachi guy is still here?” She poked the button on her tablet to get the time. Twelve-fifteen. She doubted anyone would still be here this late, but maybe the walk down to his office would help clear her mind? Just in case Dawn was sneaking around, she put on shoes and buttoned up the lab coat Malachi had given her the night before.

  Dimmed hall lights and blackened rooms met her gaze. She knew it, the place was deserted. She could probably escape if she wanted to, but she didn’t feel like killing anyone with her raging emotions. So she walked up the three stairs to Malachi’s office and smiled when she saw the lights on.

  Tapping the wood lightly, she opened the door.

  “Hi, Malachi.” Hailey waved shyly as he pushed buttons on the coffee maker. The overwhelming smoke of a cigar wafted from his desk.

  He smiled lightly. “Miss Simmons, please come in. Sit down, make yourself comfortable.”

  Hailey intended to do just that as she fell onto his couch. “I can’t believe you’re still here.”

  He motioned to the cigar in the ash tray. “I hope you don’t mind. I hold off all day until the staff leaves. If it bothers you, I could extinguish it.”

  Memories filled her mind of all the times she complained about her Father’s cigar smoking. For the first time she found comfort in the pungent smell. Also, it masked Malachi’s scent. She actually didn’t want to lick the man like a lollipop. “No, it’s okay. It actually reminds me of my Dad a bit. He loved to smoke a Partagus Black after dinner.” She craned her neck to see the cigar stump. “What are you smoking?”