"You can do this without me." Darcy shook his brother's proffered hand.
"It's going to be so boring this way," Bennett said.
Darcy could sense that there was much more his brother wanted to say, but wouldn't.
"Safe flight," he said as Katz stepped forward, a paper gift bag dangling from her fingers.
"Speaking of flight, this is from Dad." Her eyes glowed as she handed him the bag and wrapped her arms around his waist.
The Karak siblings finished their good-byes and dispersed.
Darcy and Corra made the short drive to the airport in comfortable silence, left the car at the rental office, and made their way to the security lineup, where Darcy peeked in the bag his sister had given him from their father.
He smiled, seeing another slice of the decadent tower of chocolate cake with two plastic forks, a crisp new copy of Pride and Prejudice, and a manila envelope.
"We're next," Corra said, drawing his attention.
He closed the bag as they stepped forward together, dismissing it until they were settled by their gate. Corra glanced at the bag with curiosity. She didn't ask what was in it. Returning his attention to the bag, he pulled the book from it and handed it to her with a smile.
"Dad's favorite."
Then he pulled the envelope from the bag, considering it. Corra's name was written in his father's neat hand.
Her eyes widened when he placed it into her hands, her gaze lingering on his face. "What's this?"
"Knowing Dad? Probably Mom's file on your family."
Corra's fingers tightened on the envelope before she shoved it back at him. "Throw it away."
"Why? This is what you wanted."
"I'll get it another way. Bryah is still working on it. She's persistent enough to find something."
He considered her a long moment before dropping it back into the bag, more than a little confused by her reaction.
Seeing this, she said, "That information was intended as a buy-off. Whether your mother knew anything about where our relationship stood or not, it was meant to be a wedge. Wherever we go, whether it works between us or not, I don't want that file to be her planted weapon to achieve her means."
He swallowed the emotion that suddenly rolled over him. She wanted to give them a chance to make or break on their own terms. And weaken his mother's arsenal to get him into her boardroom.
He touched her cheek and leaned in to place a soft kiss on her warm lips.
Memories of Travis and Mindy flooded his mind. His mother had tried hard to shake his resolve, and it seemed Corra was doing all she could to counter that. His best friend, Travis, had done all he could to support him in this same fight, while his human girlfriend—his first love—had been bought off.
Darcy took comfort in the steadiness of Corra's smile as she looked at him.
One had been paid to walk away, the other abducted and buried in a lab.
Darcy had always thought Travis' fate was a situation of wrong place, wrong time. A shiver crept up his spine. What if it wasn't? What if his mother's ambitions to achieve her goals went deeper than he could have ever imagined?
His gaze shot to Corra's profile as she read the back cover of his Dad's book, pulse growing in his ears.
FUC had shut down all the labs like the one Travis had died in. The records FUC had confiscated and Darcy’s memories were all that he had left of his best friend. The ruthless experimental labs weren't a threat anymore. The agents had been too late to save Travis and many others like him, but they couldn't hurt anyone else.
What about the mysterious shifter that had been following them for the last couple of days? He'd nearly forgotten about them.
17
Bryah launched herself at Corra the second she walked through their shared dorm room back at the Academy. She chattered excitedly over the news that Corra and Darcy were sort of a thing now.
"Oooh, this is so exciting! I knew it! I knew you two would hook up."
"Okay, Bryah, you're way more excited about this than I am. Take a breath."
"Come on, Corra, it's just too cute!"
Corra rolled her eyes, unpacked her bag, and hung her new vintage dress on a hanger behind their door as she gave into Bryah's demands that she recount her activities over the weekend.
"I had no idea Darcy was such a romantic."
"I know, right? Who'd have thought? I certainly didn't."
"What was it you called him? A strutting tomcat?"
"Yeah, well, that may have been unfair."
"I told you so." Bryah sniffed. "Anyone could see you had the hots for him but were trying to hide it from yourself."
Corra groaned. "I wasn't that obvious, was I?"
Bryah's toe nudged the pile of dirty clothes on the floor from Corra's bag. Sand sprinkled over her foot. "How was the ocean?"
"Amazing." Corra grinned. "Aside from the creepy dude following us."
"Creepy dude?"
"Smelled like shifter. Too far away to tell for sure what kind." She shrugged. "Probably a local seeing who was in their territory."
"I don't know, Corra. What if it wasn't that simple?" Bryah's eyes had gone owlish.
"Bryah." Corra's voice softened, knowing Bryah was thinking about recent events, of her abduction by Bryah's crazy ex-boyfriend, being beaten up and rescued by Bryah, Caleb, Darcy, and lots of FUC agents.
Normally Corra was the one worrying over Bryah's welfare while she made light of her own circumstances.
Corra slipped her arm around her best friend. "We're back. No harm done."
Bryah threw her arms around Corra in a strangle-hug. "I don't like the thought of you being caught and beat up again. Once was enough. Wait. Twice, the time before that—"
"Yes, yes, I know, stabbed. Bryah, honey, we're training to be FUC agents. We're going to be going into loads of dangerous situations, and we'll each have to believe the other can handle themselves in the field. I know what you're saying, and I love you too."
Bryah squeezed a little harder.
"I got you something," Corra wheezed and was instantly released.
"What is it?" Bryah was leaning over Corra's bag, trying to peer into the pockets without touching it, hands folded in front of her chest to restrain herself.
Corra reached down beside the bed where she'd stashed the bag out of Bryah's sight and handed it to her. As soon as it touched her fingers, the bag bounced off the pin-board over her desk, and the shredded wrappings floated around them. Bryah sat beaming at the silver charm bracelet that Corra had found for her during her shopping time with Darcy.
Bryah caressed the object. "It's beautiful," she breathed, then launched into another strangle-hug.
"Come on, we need to get some sleep," Corra managed to get out.
Bryah released her when she'd sufficiently hugged her and moved toward her own bed.
With the lights out, Corra lay staring at the ceiling.
While the trip had been great—she'd enjoyed all the time she'd spent with Darcy—it had also been a complete mission failure. The whole point of her presence was to get information about her family and Darcy's folks off his back. And she couldn't be sure that his mother wouldn't interfere anymore, despite the apparent support from his father and siblings.
She rolled onto her side, letting some of the few precious memories of her own mother flicker through her mind.
Her hand found the pendant under her sleep shirt, and she slid her fingers over the etched surface as she recalled the dreams that kept the memory fresh.
On the run. Nowhere safe. No real home or place I belonged.
She'd always found herself in circumstances where she was being pushed out.
Darcy was trying to escape a situation of being pulled in.
She closed her eyes and focused on him. His eyes, his lips, and the way he'd touched her the night before. She finally eased into sleep.
For a few hours at least.
After a weekend devoid of nightmares, Corra's recurring dre
am memory rolled back in vivid Technicolor.
Opening her eyes, she stared at the water-stained ceiling that was becoming far too familiar.
Bryah's soft snores filled the small room. Corra slid from her bed into her slippers and housecoat. Easing the door closed behind her, she headed for the cafeteria.
She was surprised to find it wasn't empty.
Lydia, one of her classmates, sat at a small table in the corner reading a book. She looked up and smiled at her, while instructor Joe Suricatta and Professor Sylla Columba were at another table, heads together over mugs as they talked quietly.
Corra moved past them, trying not to draw attention to herself as she headed to the counter to make a cup of tea.
Tea made, she’d turned to pick a seat when Professor Columba waved her over.
They greeted one another, and the professor wasted no time inquiring into her wakefulness. "I'd have expected that you'd be tired enough to sleep after a weekend trip.
"Dead exhausted," she admitted. "Nightmares."
Columba nodded, aware of Corra's sleeping habits after many sessions following the Leonard Couleuvre incident, where she and Bryah had been abducted. The sessions had been a requirement for entering the Academy after such a traumatic event.
"I should let you talk," Instructor Suricatta said, reaching for his cup as he rose from his seat.
"No, it's okay," Corra said. "With all that happened before, I should probably give you a heads-up that Darcy and I had a shifter following us while we were away. Probably just a curious local." She shrugged. "Just in case. And…" She thought of Bryah's concerns. "There was something vaguely familiar about them that I can't put a finger on.”
"What did they look like?"
"That's the problem. I couldn’t see them clearly. Just an impression. Male, big and maybe long hair. We could never get close enough for any kind of scent identification."
"Come to my office and you can have a look through our databases. Maybe the images will trigger something. Speaking of which, I was hoping to meet with you once you returned. Bryah spent the weekend in our archives and deep in the FUC databases she's allowed access to, tracing your and Caleb's family. She's quite determined."
Corra laughed. "Yes, determined is a good word for her. I’ll have a look through the databases, but I doubt it will help."
He continued, "I'll need to talk to both of you together on the matter of Leonard Couleuvre."
"This can't be good. Can it?"
Suricatta’s expression was impassive, which was normal but, at the moment, annoying as hell. "We'll set up a meeting."
"On the matter of your dreams, I have an idea if you're willing," Columba said in her usual soft voice. She had one of those low soothing voices that connected to your brain on almost a theta state.
"Okay?"
"Hypnosis."
Corra's knee-jerk reaction was to say, “no fucking way.” She swallowed it down, clamped her mouth shut, and processed.
The professor smiled at her, clearly reading every expression.
They'd been over the recordings she'd diligently made—minus any hot dreams about Darcy that had broken up the nightmares. No one needed to hear that.
Corra was tired of living as though she was always on the edge. And two days of freedom from her nightmares had altered her perspective a little, and probably seeing the dynamic within Darcy's family had as well. Aside from the drama with his mother, it was clear Darcy had a strong bond with his siblings. Thinking of Caleb, she hoped that they could be that easy around each other someday. While they had been spending time together, there was always a kind of fragility underlying the moments.
She wanted more, normal relationships and to belong. She'd already made the decision to join the Academy. Now the decision clicked with a solid resolve, and living with these nightmares wouldn't do her or anyone else any good.
Facing her nightmares was a good step in the direction she wanted to go.
"Okay."
Sylla Columba's smile widened. She glanced at Suricatta then back to Corra. "Looks like you've got a busy week ahead of you."
Corra drank some of her tea, feeling the weight of fatigue again. Either the tea was doing its job, or the thought of knowing her problem was going to be addressed did the trick. "I'm heading back to bed."
"Good night," Professor Columba said, and Instructor Suricatta echoed the sentiment as they watched her rise from her seat.
She gave Lydia a little wave as she left and got a friendly smile in return.
Reaching her door, she belatedly wondered what had the professor and the instructor up in discussion at this hour. She yawned and went inside.
Bryah was still snoring away when Corra crawled back into bed.
"How'd things go with your folks?" Caleb asked Darcy as they went through their usual early morning spar.
"Your sister is a remarkable woman."
The comment caught Caleb off guard, and Darcy took advantage of his distraction.
"Shithead."
Darcy snorted. "You know I'm going to go for the hit if you leave me an opening."
Caleb swung and jabbed. Darcy ducked and rolled.
"Mom probably won't let it go, but everyone else is cool. She'll lean on them to put pressure on me." He shrugged. "We all know that's how she works."
Caleb came in with a few jabs. "What about Corra?"
Darcy hesitated and landed hard on the mat with a groan. As he sucked air back into his lungs, he stared up at his roommate looming over him.
How was he going to react to the news that he and Corra had slept together?
Darcy sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to tell him. He accepted Caleb's extended hand to pull him back to his feet.
"They all loved her."
"Except your mother."
"Yes and no. I think deep down-I mean really deep down—Corra earned her respect on some level, despite the fact she didn't roll over and submit."
"Oh, wow."
"Yeah, it was impressive."
Caleb was quiet a long time as he stood considering his words. "I know she was going to ask for help finding out about our family."
"About that…" Darcy saw the disappointment slide across Caleb's face before he walked off the sparring mat to his gym bag. He pulled the manila envelope from the bag. "It was Mom's price for Corra to walk away."
"Holy shit, you're kidding. I don't know what to say to that, man."
"Corra walked away all right. But not from me." Caleb's expression changed as he regarded Darcy. He quickly added, "Dad slipped the file to Katz to pass along. Corra still refused to take it."
Caleb's gaze was still glued to Darcy's face. He wasn't going to open the discussion on the turn of relationship status between Corra and himself.
"She told me to throw it away. It's too important to do that. Besides, you have as much right to it as she does."
Caleb blinked and cleared his throat, looking away. "Thanks, man, this really means a lot."
Darcy had no idea what was in that envelope. It was still sealed. He warred with his overwhelming sense of curiosity. It wasn't his business. He was dying to know as he watched Caleb turn it over and over in his hands.
"So, if I open it, everyone's off the hook for whatever conditions your mother placed?"
"Yeah, sure," Darcy said instantly.
A mischievous grin spread across Caleb's face at Darcy's quick response.
"I should think on this."
The bastard was testing his patience. He knew it.
"Uhm, okay," Darcy said, biting his tongue against encouraging him to open it. Caleb didn't like him getting into his personal business, but this was killing him.
"Really take my time."
Darcy drew in a deep breath and decided on nonchalance. "Sounds great. Good not to rush into things." He nodded.
Caleb's grin widened. "Let's get some coffee, and you can help me read it."
"Yeah, sure, let's go." Darcy grabbed both their bags an
d led the way out of the gym.
"Darcy."
He turned to see Caleb jerk his head toward the change room doors.
"Right. Shower first, read later."
"On second thought, maybe we should hold off until classes are done."
"What the hell, man?" Darcy said, dropping the bags.
Caleb laughed the rest of the way to the showers.
18
It seemed like forever that Corra lay reclined in Professor Columba's office, the professor’s soft voice pulling her through visualization after visualization.
She followed the soft low tone like bread crumbs on a pebbled path through a forest, a meadow, along a mountaintop, and various other places until she stepped out onto a dark city sidewalk.
She couldn't help resisting, despite her instincts telling her she needed to do this.
There was no longer any sense of time.
"What do you see?" The professor's voice was a soft bubble around her.
"The scene from my dream." Her pulse began to accelerate.
"You are safe."
Corra's heart rate calmed.
"You're an observer. Look down at yourself. What do you see?"
She recited, “Small hands, superhero pajamas, pink rain boots, backpack.”
Another voice pulled at her. Her mother's voice.
She forgot Columba as her mother's hand grabbed hers, pulled her along the street, and turned down a dark alley. Dense trees lined the top of the brick wall before them. It was so high, and Corra was so afraid.
"You just have to climb over this wall, and you'll be safe, Corra."
Momma was too sick to go with her. Corra refused to go over the wall alone.
"Honey, you have to go before he finds us."
Now Momma sounded so afraid. Corra couldn't go over the wall, leaving Momma alone and afraid.
Something changed.
Her voice frantic, Momma told her to hide in the shadow behind the trash bin in the corner and shift into her puppy form.
Voices echoed off the walls as Momma argued with a man. Corra peeked out, her nose twitching, sniffing, her ears listening hard.
The big man stepped into the dull light from a nearby streetlight, and Corra saw the hard angular features of a face.
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