Father had bought this property over two years ago. However, it was the first time he’d visited it.
“I’ll show you to our room.” Flint led me to the stairs.
I followed Flint from the entryway up a wide staircase. Everyone else stood huddled, watching us go. It felt as if we were at an airshow, and I was the plane. Their faces looked up, following me with smiles of wonder. I waved. The twins and Mica laughed.
When they disappeared from view, Flint grasped my hand. “They’re happy you’re back.” The heat from his warm palm was wonderfully searing.
We passed a number of bedrooms. Clothes and suitcases were strewn on the floor. It didn’t appear anyone had fully moved in.
“Which room is ours?”
“It’s at the end.”
Sunlight poured in through huge windows at the end of the hall. When we reached it, a railing stopped us. I peeked over the ledge. It overlooked a large living area below. A fire crackled in the hearth, and the windows on the main floor traveled all the way to the top of the second floor. It was literally a wall of windows.
“This home is beautiful.”
“Isn’t everything Conroy buys?” Flint’s tone was minus its usual derision. He tugged me into our room and closed the door behind us.
Before I could respond, he pulled me into his arms. His lips found mine. I let out a gasp before twining my arms around his neck. He groaned and pulled me closer.
We kissed for so long, I had to stop to take a breath. Flint didn’t slow down. He picked me up and had me on the bed before I could think two words. Once again, his hands and mouth were everywhere.
I met him every step of the way. A wild uninhibited need grew in me. The days of fear and longing poured into our lovemaking.
“I thought I lost you,” he murmured. His teeth grated down my neck, nibbling on my sensitive spot.
I raked my hands through his hair. “I’m still here.”
He plunged into me the second our clothes were off. I gasped at the intensity and feel of him. His energy was hot and heavy as it pulsed around us. I let it work its magic and pull me under its spell. Closing my eyes, I gave myself over to the sensations washing from him into me.
When we finished, we lay in a tangle of sweaty limbs and sheets. Flint continued to grip me tightly to his chest, the coarse hairs peppered on his pectorals tickling my cheek.
“I almost lost you,” he said again. His energy still strummed heavily in the air.
I switched my vision while simultaneously pulling upon my own power. I grabbed a hold of Flint’s cloud. The ball pulsed. It was so powerful and raw. I snapped my gaze back to normal and let it dissipate.
“But you didn’t,” I reminded him. “I got away.”
“With no help from me. I should have been the one to help you, but instead, you were left on your own. None of us could find you. It didn’t matter that we have all these powers and abilities. What good did it do?”
I pushed up onto his chest so I could look into his eyes. They were filled with pain. “It’s not your fault, Flint. If I’m not mad at you then you shouldn’t be either.”
“How can you not be mad at me? I failed you.”
My mouth fell open. “Is that really how you view this? That you failed me?” I moved closer to him and cupped his cheek in my hand. “You are not responsible for me. You have to stop thinking that every time something goes wrong that it’s your fault because it’s not!”
He stared at me, not saying anything.
“We’re not kids anymore. Haven’t I proven that I can take care of myself?”
His jaw clenched. Pain still filled his eyes.
I softened my tone. “Let me take care of myself. You don’t need to always put me first. And the day will come, someday, where I’ll need to take care of you. If we’re going to grow old together, you need to let me do that. We’re equal partners, remember?”
He tucked a thick strand of curls behind my ear. “It’s not easy for me, giving up control and letting you be the strong one.”
“I know. That’s why I usually let you take charge, but sometimes you’re going to have to let that go. This is one of those times. Yes, we made a mistake. Maybe we shouldn’t have tried to lure Marcus’ men. But it turned out okay, and I actually learned a lot about Marcus and found Raven in the process. Maybe it was meant to be.”
His eyes darkened when I mentioned Raven. “He still hasn’t called.” The tone of his voice made me wonder if Flint wanted him to call.
“I hope he does.” My heart broke for the boy who had spent his life alone and isolated from everyone else. “He’s your brother, Flint. I’m sure of it.”
“Do you still have that piece of hair?”
“As long as I didn’t lose it.”
His lips tugged up. “There’s always that possibility.”
I pinched him playfully in the arm. “I haven’t lost anything in a while. I’m doing better.”
“Says the girl who loses her phone every time she sets it down.”
“That’s what ringers are for. You just call it when you can’t find it.”
He laughed and hauled me into his arms. “I missed you.”
I gripped him tightly. “I missed you too.”
A few yells sounded from outside our door. It sounded like the twins.
I cocked my head. “What did they say?”
“I think it was something along the lines of, wondered if we were done yet or not.”
Heat flushed my cheeks. “Why is it that everybody always knows what we’re doing?”
“Funny how living in close quarters does that. We still haven’t got that month alone in a hotel.”
“That’s the first thing we’re doing once Marcus is taken care of.”
WE GOT UP and showered. I was right about Flint. He hadn’t showered or shaved since I went missing. We soaped each other up, which of course made one thing lead to another. By the time we got out, thick steam coated the mirror.
It was only as we were toweling off that I realized something. My hand flew to my mouth, my eyes widening.
“What?” Flint wrapped a towel around his middle, his hard toned abs peeking out.
“My birth control. I haven’t taken it in a week!”
His eyes widened.
I had to admit, that for so many years where he’d been the responsible one and so conscious of the possibility of that happening, it was a little ironic that a mere kidnapping had thrown all of his concerns out the window.
Flint took a deep breath before his jaw tightened. “We’ll worry about that if it happens, but right now, that’s not something we can focus on.”
I knew he was right.
With Marcus still hunting us, Raven out there on his own, and us flying around the continent from hiding spot to hiding spot—unprotected sex wasn’t high on the list. However, a pregnancy could change everything.
The blood drained from my face.
Flint hauled me into his arms. I knew he was trying to be supportive and strong but considering his energy just increased tenfold, I wasn’t entirely convinced.
“It’s going to be fine.” He pulled me to the bedroom and picked up my suitcase. Inside were my clothes from San Francisco.
I lifted my favorite shirt. Seeing my own things helped. I felt more grounded, more like myself and not quite so panicked.
“What do we do with these?” Flint held up the clothes Marcus had given me.
“I heard a crackling fire in the living room.”
Flint chuckled, shoved the clothes under his arm and pulled me downstairs to join the others.
ALL OF US settled in the living room after lunch. Father and Jacinda had made a huge feast. I felt pleasantly full as I sat beside Flint. It was hard to keep my eyes open. Besides dozing on the plane, I hadn’t slept in over thirty-six hours.
We moved the furniture to form a half circle around the fire. The twins, Mica and Di squeezed together on one sofa. Jacinda, Luke, Edgar and Amber were on th
e other. Flint and I took the love seat. Susannah was still nowhere to be found.
It had started legitimately snowing, not just the wind blowing it. Fat snowflakes danced outside, getting caught in the numerous pines dotting the property. The ones that stayed free accumulated on the ground. It reminded me so much of our Colorado home that a wave of nostalgia hit me.
Father sat in the chair closest to the fire. The fire’s warmth and crackling filled the room. With worry in his eyes, Father leaned forward and clasped his hands. “Since it’s obvious Marcus has no intention of letting us live in peace, we must decide what we want to do. We have two options: continue hiding or confront him.”
The nervous chatter disappeared. Everyone fell silent.
“That’s a no-brainer.” Jet sneered. “That sorry son-of-a-bitch isn’t going to control my life.”
Di glanced between Jet and Father. “Easier said than done.”
“But is that what you want?” Jet retorted. “To run from place to place every time he finds us? That’s not living, that’s surviving.”
Edgar shrugged. “Maybe we can find a place Marcus will never locate.”
“Like here in Canada,” Amber agreed. “Or we could go to another country.”
“We’re here on visitor visas.” Mica rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure even Father has the power to make us legal.”
“It would require time and money.” Father drummed his fingers on his knee. “But it would be possible if that’s what you all want.”
Jet shook his head. “It’s still hiding. I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“What about going to the police?” Amber suggested. “He kidnapped Lena. He could go to jail for that. Wouldn’t that take care of him?”
I bit my lip. “If we tell the police, Marcus could indict Father too. He was just as involved in Project Renatus.”
Jacinda nodded. “Marcus probably wouldn’t go down quietly. If he were to be jailed, he’d bring everyone down with him.”
“And once it was out what we can do, scientists or doctors may want to study us,” Jasper added. “No thanks. I’ll pass.”
Amber shrugged.
Edgar smiled encouragingly and put his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled closer to him.
Di stood and paced. “So confront him or keep hiding? Those essentially are our two options.”
“It sounds like the twins aren’t willing to hide.” Flint laid a muscular arm around my shoulders.
Jet sighed and gave Jasper a questioning look. Their faces twitched a few times before Jasper turned back to the group. “We’ll do what everyone wants, but we prefer to fight.”
“Do you know how many men are working for him?” Flint turned to me. “Confronting him wouldn’t be so easy if they outnumber us. They also have advanced weapons, as we learned in San Francisco.”
I remembered that sound machine. I never did find out what it was or who invented it. Just thinking of it made me cringe. One blast of that and I’d be useless again.
“Any idea, Lena?” Di asked. “You were closest to them. Did you overhear anything or see anything?”
I nodded. “He has ten men. Raven told me about them. They travel with Marcus when needed and guard his house. The ten men who surrounded us in the Headlands are the same men.” I described in more detail where I was kept and what I’d seen.
“Marcus has always had criminal contacts.” Father adjusted his glasses. “He has a huge underground network of them. Just because he routinely uses the same ten men doesn’t mean there won’t be more.”
Jacinda cocked her head. “Who’s Raven?”
My eyes widened when I realized I hadn’t told them. “I think he’s Di and Flint’s brother. He’s been living with Marcus since he was born. Marcus hid him from everyone, even Father, and he’s like us. He has abilities too.”
Shocked expressions filled the room before everyone erupted in a roar.
“No shit!” Jet exclaimed. “Are you serious?”
“What makes you think they’re related?” Mica beamed.
“There’s more of them?” Amber’s mouth dropped.
I waited until everyone calmed down. When it was quiet enough for me to speak, I relayed the same information that I’d told Flint and Father on the plane.
“Marcus raised him as his own son. Raven knew nothing about Project Renatus until a month ago.” I remembered that brief conversation I’d overheard outside Marcus’ study on the night I escaped. “From what I overheard, Marcus and some other guy, most likely Albert, experimented on Di and Flint’s mother when she was pregnant with Raven.”
“So he’s from the elemental group if he’s one of Albert’s.” Luke growled. “He’s like those kids that died.”
“And you think he’s Di and Flint’s brother?” Mica grabbed a handful of mints from a bowl on the coffee table. “From how he looks and acts?” She popped a few in her mouth.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Father said you have a strand of his hair.” Di’s face was unreadable, but her hands clasped together so tightly they were white.
“It’s upstairs,” I said.
“Don’t lose it.”
I rolled my eyes. “How about I give it to you for safe keeping?”
“Good idea.”
Di didn’t seem to pick up on my sarcasm.
“I also think Albert’s still involved in Project Renatus, even though you haven’t seen him in years.” I eyed Luke and Edgar. “Marcus was talking to somebody on the phone the night I escaped. It seemed he and Marcus are working together, and their plan was to experiment on me after I told them I was pregnant.”
A few gaped mouths followed that statement.
“Which I’m not,” I replied. “Never mind. It’s a long story.”
“Unless Marcus has recruited someone else, which I doubt, then that most likely was Albert,” Father said. “When I spoke with my O’Brien contact, he said Project Renatus was all but dead. The current CEO does not share his father’s interest in the project—he’s prohibited any further progression. Most likely, it’s only Marcus and Albert left.” Father frowned. “If Raven’s powers were created in utero, then it would be logical for Marcus to be interested in experimenting on another pregnant woman.”
“At what expense to the mother?” Flint muttered darkly. His arm tightened around me.
Everyone fell quiet. It was possible Flint and Di’s mother had been killed in the process. Or perhaps she’d survived it, and Marcus murdered her after she had Raven, or perhaps she survived just long enough to give birth to him and then died of the drug’s side effects. Or maybe, just maybe, she was still alive somewhere. Most likely, we’d never know.
“So what are we going to do?” Luke’s caramel colored eyes had flitted from person to person, like a predator assessing his prey. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but as nice as these places are we keep moving to, I don’t want to be in hiding forever.”
Mica shook her head vigorously. “Me neither.”
“Neither do I.” I glanced at my tattoo. A perfect circle divided into quarters. “We haven’t gone through so much in the last year for it to all be for nothing.” Every day my tattoo served as a reminder of how Father tried to forge a safe life for us and how that plan had failed. Now, we were back in hiding, only it was worse. Marcus was using every resource he had to find us.
Di stopped pacing long enough to face everyone. “It’s a vote then. All in favor of confronting Marcus?” Most of us raised our hands. Amber and Edgar didn’t.
Di coolly assessed them. Reluctantly, Amber raised her arm. Edgar followed.
Father sighed heavily. “It’s decided then.”
I nodded. “Now we need to figure out how to confront Marcus without getting killed.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
We spent the rest of the afternoon hashing out plans and throwing ideas back and forth. I drank three cups of coffee which helped me stay awake for it.
We knew it was only a matte
r of time before Marcus got a tip on where we’d gone. Whether it be from workers at the airport, an attendant at the car rental company, or someone in the real estate agency who Father had purchased the cabin from, it didn’t matter. Sooner or later, Marcus would have a lead.
Susannah showed up in the midst of our discussion. She crept in through the back door, her movements silent. The only reason I knew she was there was from the energy shift. Her cloud grew and pulled at me.
She stood quietly, watching us. She stayed like that for the next few hours. Since she didn’t seem to want anyone knowing she was there, I didn’t say anything. I made a mental note to fill her in later on what we discussed. Most likely she’d ignore me or stare at me blankly, but it was worth a try.
Di finally put an end to our conversation in the evening. It was obvious we weren’t coming up with a concrete plan today. Too many of us argued or disagreed on what should be done. As always, we had to reach a unanimous decision or we didn’t move forward.
When we stood, I stretched and glanced out the dark windows. The sun had disappeared by four in the afternoon. My reflection stared back. I padded to the windows and cupped my hands against the cold panes. Outside, white glowed on the ground. The trees towered skyward in dark lines.
I felt Susannah’s presence behind me. Her energy strummed softly into my back. She stayed silent. I pretended that I didn’t know she was there.
“It’s colder up here than anywhere I’ve flown before.” Her tone was soft.
I turned around and smiled. She stood still, her hands clasped together. “Do you like it?”
She nodded, her eyes dipping down. “Yes. It’s beautiful.”
It was the most she’d ever said to me. Heck, I think it was the most she’d said to anybody other than Father. “What’s it like when you fly?”
Susannah cocked her head. Her eyes got that faraway look. “Peaceful.”
“Sounds nice.”
The wistful look vanished. Her gaze darted to the others, as if worried they were listening, but nobody paid us any attention. Her shoulders relaxed. “It is. I love flying.”
The Complete Lost Children Series Page 72
