Whispers in the Dark

CHAPTER 7

THERE was something to be said for big cities, but they still made her nervous. After ditching her car after the near miss in Kansas City, she’d decided to go with something a little more rugged. Just in case. Four-wheel drive. Something that could handle rough terrain if it came to that.

She’d really wanted to stay in Colorado, lose herself in some remote mountain area, but if she was tracked there, her escape possibilities were slim. And she knew little to nothing about roughing it. Her idea of camping was a nice hotel with room service and a spa.

Until Nathan was rescued and no longer needed her, she absolutely had to keep to areas that swallowed people up. Afterward, she could hopefully find a place that was quiet, big enough that she wouldn’t garner too many questions but small enough that she would know if her pursuers showed up.

And yeah, she’d prefer a place with an actual roof, working utilities and a bathroom so she wasn’t forced to do her thing behind a bush.

She’d start in California. Work her way up the coast, closer to where it all began. Maybe Grace was right in that they needed more information. If she could eventually get back to her parents’ house undetected, she could access the surveillance footage from when her parents were killed. Maybe by then it wouldn’t hurt quite so much. Maybe the distance would enable her to view the act with a critical eye.

She shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut at the idea of ever being able to be that analytical when it came to the monsters who’d killed her family.

That would come later. For now she had to concentrate on remaining safe and undetected.

First she checked into a dive motel, giving a fake name and a story about her purse being stolen with all her ID. The clerk hadn’t cared about anything other than her ability to pay, and when she produced cash, he gave her a key without question.

The next item on her agenda was to walk into a salon and undergo a radical change in her appearance. The hairdresser had been dubious about her decision to dye her honey blond hair dark brown, but she’d shrugged and done the job.

It wasn’t the first time Shea had dyed her hair. She’d changed her appearance every few months. Since she’d been back to blond in her last close call, she chose dark and she’d switch to the brown-colored contacts.

In other circumstances, it would have amused her that over the last year she’d been a redhead, a blonde, several shades of brunette, and her eyes had been a range of green, blue and brown.

She’d go back to blond the next time she moved. The important part was that whenever she left an area, that same woman didn’t appear somewhere else.

Back at her hotel, she took the handgun out of her bag and placed it on the nightstand so it would be within easy reach. The rest of her things she left packed in case she needed to make a fast getaway.

She was starving, but she was more exhausted. She sank onto the bed, grimaced at the hard lumpy mattress and closed her eyes.

It was automatic to reach for Nathan. She’d checked on him frequently as she made the drive to Southern California. Part of her fatigue was from maintaining such constant contact.

To her surprise, he was alert, intensely so. Rigid, crouched in his cell, rage so prevalent that it rolled through her like fire.

This time there wasn’t a hesitation. He’d grown used to sensing her as soon as she brushed against his mind. He no longer questioned her presence.

They’re working Swanson over, goddamn it.

Fury hit her like a tornado. Nathan boiled with it. Helpless fury. He clenched and unclenched his hands, and hatred clawed at Shea until she flinched from the negative wash that poured from him.

She did the only thing she felt capable of doing. She wrapped herself around him and held on, offering him whatever comfort she could.

You’ll be free soon. Believe that, Nathan. Swanson too.

Damn right. I swear to God, I’ll get him out.

She sensed strength in him that hadn’t been there before. Renewed determination. An iron will that was nearly tangible. Thank God. He was ready to fight. He was refusing to give up.

This time there was no pain for her to take. He’d blocked it out himself with the uncontrollable anger that rocked his body. His focus was on his teammate.

Part of her wanted to shield him from the sounds of his teammate’s suffering, but she knew that it was what was feeding his rage and determination. So she sat there with him, holding him as he shook with fury.

The door of his cell burst open. Nathan shot to his feet, startling Shea and sending her sprawling on the bed. Two guns were pointed at him as he was yanked forcibly to his feet.

This time they didn’t bind him. They dragged him out of the cell, down a dim hallway that must have been a pathway in the cave. A moment later he was thrust into blinding sunlight.

Shea winced and blinked as Nathan threw his arm over his ravaged eyes. Her sight was distorted because he couldn’t see. All she saw were flashes of light, the ground. The air was cold. The wind bit at Nathan’s naked body as he was shoved to his knees.

Gradually he blinked and squinted enough that he could see, and she sucked in her breath at the sight before her.

Swanson was standing a few feet away, bloodied and bruised, his eyes bleak. The left side of his face was a mess. There was a ragged cut that ran from his temple, over his jaw and lower to his neck. The flesh lay open, blood streaming. There was panic and defeat in his eyes.

“Don’t you do it, Swanny. Don’t you fucking do it,” Nathan said, echoing words from the teammate who’d been killed in front of him.

Shea gasped when the barrel of a pistol was jammed into the back of Nathan’s head. Oh God, they were going to use him to break Swanson because Nathan had been unbreakable so far.

They no longer had use for Nathan. Maybe they’d grown tired or bored or frustrated with their efforts.

Now, Nathan. You have to fight now. You have your hands. They aren’t expecting you to fight. Oh God, you have to try.

Tears poured down Shea’s cheeks. She couldn’t allow this. She’d never felt more helpless in her life.

Nathan lifted his gaze so that he stared straight back at Swanson, and Shea caught her breath at the silent exchange. It was do-or-die time for both of them.

I’m with you, Nathan. I won’t leave you.

The men holding Swanson began barking a series of questions in broken English. Swanson stood there like a stone, his expression impassive. Then he seemed to crumble.

“All right, all right, I’ll talk. Just leave him alone.”

Don’t freak, Shea. He’s acting. Get ready. I need you for this.

She sat up on the bed, her focus razor sharp.

And suddenly Nathan whipped around, ramming his fist into the knee of the man holding the gun. The pistol hit the ground, and Nathan had it before she could think to tell him it was there.

One shot. Then two. Three more in rapid succession. The world tilted crazily, and she struggled to keep everything in perspective as Nathan exploded into action.

Swanson had managed to disarm one of his captors but the other pointed a gun at Swanson’s head.

No! Shea screamed.

Nathan dropped the man with a shot just as Swanson slit the other captor’s throat.

Nathan grabbed another gun, a knife and then rushed toward Swanson.

“Let’s go!”

Bullets exploded past Nathan and Swanson as they ran for cover. Dirt blew up beside them. Shea could hear the thud as bullets struck trees on either side of them.

Oh God, why couldn’t she have telekinesis as a power? Or be able to set shit on fire? Blow them all to hell?

Grace didn’t think Shea had the balls to kill anyone. Right now she’d set the entire world on fire and burn the bastards straight to hell.

Already she was exhausted but Nathan needed her now more than ever. She drew pain away from him, his fear, absorbed every emotion except his anger and determination to escape. And she infused him with every ounce of her own resolve.

The two men ran through the trees, heavy brush, over a stream, never stopping. The gunshots grew more distant. The shouts of alarm went silent.

Keep running, she begged.

After an hour, Swanson went down, but this time he didn’t get back up. He was bleeding heavily and his face was ashen. His breaths were labored.

“Get up, Swanny. Come on, man. We’ve got to keep moving. They’ll be tracking us and we’ve been sloppy as hell.”

“I can’t do it, Nate. Go on without me. Don’t let me drag you down.”

“Fuck that! We go as a team. I’m not leaving you. Even if I have to carry your ass out of these mountains.”

“Don’t think I’m going to make it anyway,” Swanson said in a raspy voice. “They broke something inside me. Pretty sure I’m bleeding internally. You know you have to leave me.”

Nathan’s fist tightened in frustration. Shea, help me. Please. I don’t know what to do.

I don’t have a connection to him. God, I wish I did. I hate how random my abilities are.

Try, Shea. Do it for me. Use me. Do whatever you have to do.

Shea, what the fuck is going on? What are you doing?

Shea wanted to scream in frustration as Grace broke into her thoughts. She sensed her sister’s panic and worry, but oh God, not now!

Not now, Grace. Please. I have to figure this out.

Shea’s own panic was rising, and she tried valiantly to keep it from spilling over into Nathan. He didn’t need this. She had to be strong for him.

Go to him, Shea. Grace’s calm voice penetrated the haze. Quit trying to shut me out so I can help you help him.

No! Grace, no. I won’t let you do this! You know what it does to you.

Shut the fuck up and quit fighting me. Get your ass over there so we can save him.

Nathan, I don’t have a connection to him. You have to be near him. Touch him. Put your hands on him so my sister can help.

This was never going to work. How could it?

Nathan dropped down and put his hands on Swanson’s chest.

“Nate, what the fuck? Get the hell out of here. What are you doing?”

“Shut up, Swanny. We go together.” Do it now, Shea. Hurry!

She opened herself fully to her sister for the first time since they’d last been together. She was bombarded by so many emotions she was staggered.

Keep it together, Shea. I know this is hard maintaining both links. I can do this.

Sweat beaded Shea’s forehead. Her breathing went shallow and she teetered precariously on the edge of the bed.

Hot white light flooded Shea. She felt Nathan’s surprise as he, too, felt the effects of her sister’s healing energy.

Don’t go overboard, Shea said fiercely to her sister. Just do enough that he can move. We don’t have the time, and I won’t have you suffer more than you have to.

Swanson’s eyes snapped open. Color flooded back into the one undamaged cheek and he drew in deep breaths. “Holy fuck.”

Shea worked at pushing all of the energy she received from Grace into Nathan. She was fast weakening and she knew there was still a long way to go before Nathan and Swanson were safe.

Then Nathan broke suddenly away.

That’s enough. His voice was harsh and laced with worry. Stay with me, Shea. I know you’re weak, but I need you. We need you.

Shea retreated and focused solely on her sister. Grace. Are you okay? Talk to me, Grace.

Her sister’s soft moan of pain splintered Shea’s heart. Oh God.

Stop it, Shea. I’m not dying, for fuck’s sake. I may feel like it, but your guy broke the link before it got too involved. I was at least able to fix his lung.

Shea closed her eyes in relief. Thank you, Nathan.

Now break away, Grace demanded. I can’t believe I’m the one telling you that this time, but I can feel how weak you are and I have no idea what the fuck kind of mess you’ve landed yourself in, but be careful, and as soon as this is over, you better talk to me because you have a lot of explaining to do and I want to make damn sure you’re all right.

I promise.

And then Grace was gone. Shea feared that it was worse than what Grace was letting on. She could be in bad shape right now and she wouldn’t want to worry Shea.

Shea, are you still with me?

Nathan’s worried voice cut through the anxiety she felt for her sister. She sucked in a fortifying breath and focused all her attention back on Nathan.

I’m here. Get Swanson up and get moving. We’ve already wasted too much time.

Nathan reached down, pulled Swanson to his feet and half dragged, half carried the other man farther into the trees.

“I can walk,” Swanson ground out. “I have no goddamn idea what went on back there, but I can make it. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Swanson gripped a handgun in one hand and a rifle in the other. He didn’t grimace when he walked and his step had quickened.

Shea breathed a sigh of relief and concentrated on helping Nathan.

They cut a path through a narrow gulch, and in some places it was so narrow that they had to turn sideways to edge through. Rocks cut into Nathan’s feet, but she shielded him from the pain. It was doubtful he even knew that the soles of his feet were dripping blood.

The terrain leveled out when the gulch opened up into a wider valley. The men kept to the edge, moving stealthily through the brush.

Just before they could slip into another dense path of trees, the whine of a bullet reached Shea’s ears and pain exploded through Nathan’s leg.

He stumbled and went down.

Oh God, oh God. He’d been shot.

Without thinking, she used every bit of her flagging strength to draw the pain. Agony pulsed down her thigh and blood seeped into the material of her pants.

She flooded him with hope, determination. She took away the pain, gritting her teeth against the urge to scream out as fire coursed through her veins.

Get up! You’re okay, Nathan. Keep going.

This time it was Swanson who reached down and pulled Nathan to his feet.

Shea. Thank you.

She closed her eyes as she began the slow slide into oblivion. She had to hold on. She had to keep him strong. She couldn’t falter. Not now. She’d made him a promise not to leave him until he was safe. She wouldn’t fail.

They charged into the wooded area and then both men took cover behind a tree as they pulled out their guns.

Shea sensed Nathan’s grim determination that they wouldn’t take him alive under any circumstances. He would die fighting them and take as many of the bastards with him as he could.

Blood ran more freely down her leg and the pain had become unbearable. She was further weakened by the fact that not only was she shouldering his pain, but she was also shielding him from picking up on her agony.

Her head pounded. Nausea rose in her throat and the walls of her hotel room spun in rapid circles.

Shea, my God. You have to stop this.

Get the hell away from me, Grace. You’re distracting me.

At once warmth and strength poured into Shea, bolstering her when she so badly needed the reinforcement.

Don’t bother trying to hold our link. I’ll do what I can. Focus on your guy. I need to stop your bleeding.

Shea didn’t argue. She didn’t have the strength and she couldn’t afford even the tiniest slip where Nathan was concerned.

“Make your shots count, Swanny. When we run through this ammo, we’re SOL.”

Swanson nodded, a fierce scowl etched across his face. “Bring it on, motherfuckers.”

More bullets slapped the trees and ground around them. Nathan ducked behind the broad tree and looked over at Swanson. “They’re still a good distance away. Don’t shoot until you’re sure you’ve got a good shot.”

Swanson nodded.

The valley went quiet. Wind whistled eerily through the trees. Leaves rustled. Chills raced down Shea’s arms. She was Nathan’s only barrier to the cold. His only protection from pain that should have had him unconscious on the ground.

In the distance, the bastards crept forward, drawing closer to Nathan’s position. He held a finger up to tell Swanson to hold off.

“Wait,” he mouthed.

Swanson nodded and tightened his grip around the rifle.

They were about four hundred yards away when the world exploded in a series of gunfire. Several of the men who’d been pursuing Nathan and Swanson hit the ground. Others broke and ran, shooting wildly left and right, completely away from where Nathan and Swanson stood.

“What the fuck?” Swanson demanded.

As Nathan stared, mystified, the valley swarmed with soldiers. Holy fucking hell. American goddamn soldiers.

His heart raced and damn near beat out of his chest.

“Oh my God,” Swanson breathed. “They’ve come for us.”