Into the Lair

Chapter Sixteen

Tyana stared dully over the ocean as the sun’s first rays peeked over the horizon. The sky was bathed in soft lavender, a beautiful contrast to the dark rolling sea. The sea fit her mood. The beauty of the sunrise mocked her.

Her foot was propped on a pillow but there was no comfort for her. Inside Jonah and Mad Dog were determining D’s fate while Tyana grew sicker at heart by the moment.

He can’t stay, Ty.

He’s a danger to you. To himself. To everyone.

He’ll be better off.

It’s better this way.

She closed her eyes against the statements that had been flung during the long night. No one had slept. No one had rested. They kept watch over the unconscious tiger until finally, an hour before dawn, the tiger had slowly given way and D’s naked, weakened body had appeared on the floor of the game room.

The glass doors opened. She looked up to see Eli file out followed by Mad Dog, Marcus, the team physician, and finally Jonah. Her chest tightened with dread. They’d come to deliver their edict.

“Are you all right, Ty?” Jonah asked in a gruff voice.

She nodded, her throat too knotted to speak. She glanced expectantly at Marcus. He stared back at her, apology in his eyes.

“He has to go,” Mad Dog said quietly.

“No,” she choked out.

Eli sat down next to her, his fingers curling around her nape and massaging.

Marcus nodded even as she shook her head in denial.

“It’s time, Tyana,” he said. “I’ve done all that can be medically done. It’s time to pursue other means. It’s our only hope. He grows more unstable all the time. His shift last night was so fast that you didn’t even have time to react before it was done.”

She closed her eyes. “I won’t leave him alone.”

“He won’t be alone,” Jonah said. “Marcus is going with him.”

“Where?” Her voice cracked and shattered like glass.

“I want him to try alternatives to medicine,” Marcus said. “As I said before, I think the key is psychological. His DNA has been altered, and there is no cure for that. I can bandage it, but it won’t fix the problem. I firmly believe…” He glanced around at D’s family. “There is no cure right now. As much as we want there to be one. Damiano is going to have to learn to control his abilities or they’ll kill him. There’s no way to soften that truth.”

“Where are you taking him?” Tyana demanded hoarsely. “Why can’t I stay with him?”

“He has to do this alone,” Marcus said. “It’s best if you don’t know where. I want him to take on a regimen of meditation and spiritual honing. Mind over matter. He needs discipline.”

Tyana’s mouth twisted. “It sounds like a bunch of bullshit”.

“He’s going, Ty,” Jonah said.

Panic and grief crashed over her like a wave. “When?”

Mad Dog’s expression drew into a grimace.“As soon as the chopper gets here”.

Eli’s grip tightened around her, but she didn’t want comfort. Not when Damiano was going to be alone. Without his family. Without her.

“Where is he now?” she demanded.

“He’s resting under guard,” Jonah said.

“I want to see him. To say goodbye.”

Jonah nodded. “Of course. As we all do.”

“Does he know?” she asked.

“He knows,” Mad Dog said quietly.

She closed her eyes against the sudden tears. She and D had been together since they were children, never separated for longer than a few days. He needed her now more than ever, and he would be alone. She’d sworn he’d never be without her. And now she was forced to break her promise.

Gently, Eli helped her to her feet. The agony caused by the tiger’s attack was nothing compared to the pain lashing at her soul. Ignoring the crutches and the hands that reached to help, she dragged her casted leg behind her as she hobbled to the door.

When she walked inside, she saw D sitting on the couch, his face in his hands. Four of the Falcon secondary stood guard around him.

Slowly, painfully, she made her way toward him. When she was but a few feet away, he looked up. The anguish in his eyes was her undoing. She dropped heavily to the floor, her hands clutching at him as he reached to hug her.

“I’m sorry, Ty. I’m so sorry.”

His voice was muffled in her hair. She hung onto him, her tears seeping into the material of his shirt.

She pulled slowly away and touched her hand to his cheek. “Don’t be sorry, D. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’ve failed you. I swore to find a cure.”

He shook his head. “I could have killed you. Marcus is right to take me away.”

She shook her head harder. But he stilled her motion with a finger to her lips.

“I have to do this, Ty. For me and for you. I won’t stay where I might hurt you. It’s already happened once before. I could have killed you this time.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

He cupped her cheek in a loving gesture, and with his other hand, he stroked her hair. “I love you more.”

He glanced up at Eli who hovered protectively over Tyana. “Keep her safe for me.”

Eli nodded. “You know I will.”

D’s gaze went to Jonah and Mad Dog. He swallowed as though he didn’t know what to say. And then he stood, letting his hand fall from Tyana’s face. Eli helped her to her feet so that she was beside her brother.

“You take care, little brother,” Mad Dog said gruffly as he enfolded D in his beefy embrace.

Then it was only D and Jonah, standing face to face. Dark emotion, so uncharacteristic of Jonah, clouded his face. His eyes flashed with pain, and Tyana felt guilty for all the times she’d thrown such nasty accusations at him.

“You’ll beat this, D,” Jonah said. “You’ll beat it and you’ll come back to us. Your family. We’ll always be here for you.”

He hugged D tightly, stiffly, his face a mask of sorrow.

“The chopper is two minutes out.”

The statement came from behind Jonah, from one of the secondary standing guard. Tyana stifled the urge to scream. She turned into D’s arms and held on tight.

D stroked her hair in his quiet, generous way. God, it should be her offering him comfort, but as always, he took care of her.

“Come back to me, D. Swear it.”

He pulled away and brushed his lips across her forehead, his words whisper soft. “I’ll always be wherever you are.”