Cross Waves, page 21
Cool hands touched his chest, absorbing a small amount of the dark heat. He groaned, opening his eyes. A spark of light surfaced, a lone candle flame amid a sea of blackness. Mine. A memory. His cells reached for her. Reached for the light.
Energy vibrated. Anger. Their anger. His anger. Voices at the door. Familiar voices brushed his consciousness. They would take her from him. The one bright spark in a sea of madness. All would be lost. “No,” he said. Or did he think it?
His mind reached for hers and clipped the barriers she’d erected as easily as clipping a hedge. His reach extended farther, farther until he occupied her brain. Controlled her body and soul. Sweet, sweet sunshine. He would have her. They could not take her from him. Ever.
“Rolf, please, no, not like this. Not in this awful Institution.”
Her voice tugged at his black heart, warmed it. A portal formed between their minds. Safe harbor from the darkness. He squeezed the life from her, and she offered herself to him without protest. Offered the mind link. Freely. Completely.
“I love you, Rolf. I always have.”
He snagged the portal she’d created, cemented it in his mind and held on tight.
“I always will.”
He forced her to breathe, her heart to beat. Dark filled him, and he welcomed it but kept it from her small form. He pushed it toward those who would capture them. They would either clear out or risk death. He smiled. Or grimaced; he wasn’t certain.
The men backed away. Smart move. Nate raised his gun and fired, hitting him in the chest. Dark filled in where there once was flesh and blood.
A growl tore from his throat at the impact—more monster than man. He rose in one smooth move, Geneva in his arms. The wall shimmered in front of him. Time to get them both the hell out of this place before he did something he’d regret to her brothers or the others. With their minds locked together, he could perform the mental maneuvers needed to take her with him. More shouts trailed behind them. The voices faded. He focused his mind on the wall, turning the solid surface into liquid particles. He slipped through the wall, which carried them outside and to the ground and then sprang back into place, a solid structure once again.
Geneva remained unconscious, her head slumped against his. He cupped the back of her head to avoid jarring her and continued moving forward. He half-ran with her in his arms until he stepped through the barbed wire fence surrounding the complex.
He reached the main road. Kaitlyn had parked their rental car nearby as they planned. He glanced once in the driver’s seat. Although he knew it was Kaitlyn, he almost didn’t recognize her. While he’d visited Julia and fought with Cynthia, Kaitlyn had picked up disguises for them all and tucked her long hair under a short black wig.
Rolf placed Geneva in the back seat and climbed in with her, cradling her head on his shoulder. “Drive. Hurry. But not too fast. We can’t afford to attract attention.”
Kaitlyn floored it. In moments, they entered the highway. “Are you okay?” She handed him a brown paper bag.
“I am now. Will we make it before the helicopter departs for Cleveland?”
“Yes. We should have plenty of time.”
“Good.”
They were quiet. He could sense the buzz of Kaitlyn’s thoughts circling for a safe place to land. Her eyes caught his in the mirror. “Will she be okay?”
“Yes.” He wouldn’t allow any other outcome. If he had to function as her heart and lungs forever, he would do it.
Rolf’s mind remained lodged in Geneva’s. She had resumed breathing on her own, but he kept watch, sensitive to any change. With one hand, he dug through the brown paper bag and pulled out a pair of wigs—a straight, brown one for him and a long, curly red one for Geneva. He reached in again and pulled out a mustache, fake eyelashes, and a new cell phone. Gemcatcher had stolen his old one.
Geneva moved her head. Her heartbeat had slowed to a steady, even beat. Thank God.
He reached into the bag a final time, pulled out a baseball cap and a hoodie, and put them on. He glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Amazing how a few simple props worked miracles. Guilt gnawed a hole in his heart. Feelings flooded through, emptying into his mind, breaking through the iron control he maintained. Feelings he could no longer deny.
Fear, anger, awe—love. Yes, that was the feeling overriding all the others. What an amazing woman he held. Brave and foolish beyond measure. One part of him wanted to hug her close, wrap her in bubble wrap, and never let go. The other could strangle her for offering herself to him. He had nearly killed her. A moment more and perhaps he would have. Only the portal she’d erected between their minds had saved them both. Her light to his darkness—the perfect combination.
Geneva stirred in his arms. Her breath warmed the spot where her lips touched his cheek. He smoothed a hand over her golden hair.
“Hmm.” “Is this heaven?”
He smiled. “For me, it is.” He breathed in her roses and vanilla scent.
“Where are we going?”
“Home.” But that was a lie because he was already home.
“Okay.”
She snuggled into his chest. Her trust disarmed him, shook him to his core. His hand trembled against her scalp.
“What’s wrong?”
“I might have killed you.”
“I know. But you didn’t. Why are you sad?”
“Because.” He leaned toward her and brushed a kiss on the top of her golden head. He breathed her in, wanting so much more than scent. “I love you. You have to know how much I love you. But you deserve better. I never wanted to tie you to me. I knew I would cause you pain.”
“Rolf.” She said his name with such tenderness he nearly choked. “I always knew you were the one for me. That hasn’t changed. We’re meant to be together.”
He placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m not arguing. Not anymore. What’s the matter?” But he understood. Her thoughts were his. His thoughts were hers.
“I’m afraid for you. My brothers will search, find, and kill you. They’re tracking us. I can sense them.”
“I know. But you have nothing to fear, my love. I won’t let anyone take you from me. As long as I have you, I can handle anything that comes our way.”
“What will we do? Where will we go? The CMU won’t rest until they find us. We’ll have to hide from them. It will never end.”
“That’s why we won’t hide. I don’t want you to live a life of fear.”
“What are you saying? You will give yourself to the government? I won’t let you.”
“No, I’m saying we will let them come.”
“We’ve arrived,” Kaitlyn said from the front seat. “Will she be well enough to fly?”
“Yes,” Geneva said before Rolf could answer for her. “I am. What airline?”
“None.” Rolf held her close. “My cousin and your former partner, David Jenkins’s, private helicopter. I’ve called in a favor.” He held up the red wig. “He supplied us with these disguises, too.”
“What do you mean we won’t hide, Rolf? You’re not thinking of confronting them, are you? That would be foolish.”
He took a moment to slow her racing heart, ignoring Kaitlyn’s frowning face. She tossed her head in irritation and got out of the car.
Rolf grabbed the wig and fitted it on Geneva’s head. “Yes, but with proof. We’re going after Cynthia. I suspect she’s hiding in Cleveland, and she’s the key that will lead to Gemcatcher. We cannot let them sell the crystals to other countries. Once the CMU is aware of her talent, and whoever her silent partner is, they’ll understand how they could have held me captive. Plus, we’ll have the crystals as proof.”
She applied the fake eyelashes to her beautiful blue eyes, first right, then left. The long lashes made her look angelic. All she needed was a halo and the picture would be complete. He would never tire of looking at her face. He would never tire of her.
“She’ll be expecting us, won’t she? She’ll learn the CMU didn’t kill you. That you’ve kidnapped me and are on the run.”
“She’ll believe I’ve killed you. That’s what your brothers believe. I caught their horror before we fled the Institution. That’s the statement the police will make to the news media.”
“Let’s go.” Rolf took her arm and guided her from the car.
Kaitlyn pulled a black suitcase from the trunk.
Rolf nodded at the suitcase. “David also supplied a change of clothing and personal items for all of us.”
Kaitlyn glanced at Geneva, and their eyes met before Kaitlyn looked away, her expression remaining stiff and remote. She didn’t like Geneva—viewed her as competition for his attention. She didn’t like Geneva—viewed her as competition for Rolf’s attention.
He massaged Geneva’s neck. “It’s okay, G. Trust me. You’re proof enough I didn’t kill you.”
“But if everyone thinks you’ve killed me, they’ll be out for blood. Yours. My God, I’m surprised we’ve made it as far as we have.”
“If Cynthia believes I’ve killed you, she’ll have no idea I have an ace in my back pocket. You. She’ll be in hiding. But you, my love”—Rolf placed an arm around her shoulders and led her toward the waiting helicopter— “will be able to find her.”
39
At Last
“We’ll need an alias.” Rolf wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith?”
They’d arrived in Cleveland without incident and were on their way in a rental car to the hotel they selected for its proximity to the Cleveland Flats. Rolf had Kaitlyn drive, insisting he needed to ride in the back with Geneva to keep an eye on her.
Now he grinned, threading his free hand through hers and kissing her on the lips, his embrace firm and warm and possessive. Energy sparked in the air around them, tingling her nerve endings and causing her heart to pound.
“I can’t wait to make you mine.”
Although she knew he spoke privately in her mind, she found herself blushing and looking toward the front. Kaitlyn’s cool green gaze caught and held hers in the rearview mirror. Dark red mixed with brown and black rolled off her shape in large quantities, mixing with the odd yellow-green of her aura. Anger, distrust, bitterness, frustration. She didn’t bother to disguise her dislike. Her aura oozed hate.
“How about Mary and Bill Williams?” Rolf’s question brought her attention back to him.
“I like it,” Kaitlyn responded, looking at Rolf through the rearview mirror, her voice soft and sickly sweet and seductive.
Geneva bit her lip and tried desperately to stem the tide of insecurity and jealousy rising in her. The suddenness and intensity of the emotion surprised her. Why did Kaitlyn Girard believe she had a chance with Rolf? Of course, they’d been alone together, in the dark, day after day, while Rolf had been forced to channel his energy into crystals. Had something happened between them?
“No, nothing.”
Rolf’s thought echoed in her head, but with it came a barrier in his mind. He hid a truth from her. Something he didn’t want her to know. The secret increased her anxiety. Energy morphed in weird patterns and colors around her.
“I’ve always wanted to be named Gretel,” Kailyn said. Her aura flickered from yellow-green to brown, and through Rolf, Geneva caught her unvoiced thought. Kyle would have been Hansel.
She breathed out slowly and carefully. Still, Geneva couldn’t stop a shiver.
“Cold?”
She shook her head and forced a smile. If he wanted to keep secrets, so would she.
He reached into his pocket and held a fist out to her. When she gave him a puzzled look, he opened it to reveal an ornate platinum wedding band. “Mr. and Mrs. Williams it is.”
“Where did you get this?” She eyed the vintage ring. “Is it real?”
From the front, Kaitlyn’s aura morphed into blackness. Rolf appeared oblivious to her hate, smiling and brushing a strand of wayward hair behind Geneva’s ear.
“It was Nonna’s. She gave it to me the last time I saw her. Claimed I would need it soon. Looks like she was right.” He reached for the ring finger on her left hand. “Put it on.”
Geneva complied. Then he kissed her, a full-on frontal assault in front of Kaitlyn’s wide-eyed gaze. His lips consumed her like he was parched and she was a glass of cold water. Heat tingled her lips and spread through the rest of her body until she was on fire. “You’re the only woman I have ever wanted. Kaitlyn means nothing to me.”
When he lifted his head from hers, he smiled with such tenderness, she thought her heart might shatter into a thousand pieces. But then her gaze met Kaitlyn’s horrified one in the mirror. Daggers of hate shot from the woman’s eyes. Blackness flooded the area surrounding her. If Kaitlyn could kill with a thought, Geneva would be dead before she could take her next breath. The woman may mean nothing to Rolf, but clearly, he meant everything to her.
Next to her, Rolf leaned forward. The dark energy in Kaitlyn’s aura must have caught his attention. He automatically drew some of it toward himself, and Geneva cringed and pulled away. She didn’t want to be infected by Kaitlyn’s hatred. But Rolf was used to the dark energy and didn’t flinch. What did it mean that he could absorb that much hatred?
She didn’t have more time to contemplate because they’d reached their destination and the next few minutes were occupied making sure her disguise was firmly in place and fetching the bag Kaitlyn had stored in the trunk. Minutes later, they’d checked in using their aliases, and Geneva and Rolf were alone in their hotel bedroom.
Rolf strolled to the window and drew the curtains. Then he turned to face her where she stood in the doorway. “What is it?”
She frowned and shook her head, stepping inside and pulling the door closed behind her.
He stayed still and silent, studying her. The expression on his face gave nothing away. He took a step toward her as if she were a bird he didn’t want to frighten. When he reached her side, he stopped, but he made no move to touch her. Geneva wished he would—then she wouldn’t have to deal with the doubts racing through her head. What secret did Rolf keep? Could dark masters love another? Did Rolf truly love her? What if all of this was an illusion created by Kaitlyn Girard?
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Now he reached a finger and tilted her face so he could see into her eyes. The turquoise light coming from his aura nearly blinded her. He wanted her to know he spoke the truth.
She did not flinch from his gaze. “Then don’t keep things from me.”
The time for secrets between them had passed. He either trusted her or not. He either loved her or not. Something of her thoughts must have transferred to Rolf because he held out his hand, asking her without words to trust him. She placed her hand in his, and he led her to the bed, where he pulled her down next to him.
He cuddled her into his chest and rested his head on top of hers. For a long moment they stayed that way, silent, absorbing one another’s energy. Then he spoke, his deep voice rumbling through her body. “The dark was endless. Each day I grew closer to snapping, to letting it control me.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He stroked her hair, his touch soothing and exciting at the same time. “One thing. I had retrieved a memory of you. It’s all I had, but it was enough. Enough to know that you were out there. Somewhere. That I needed to make my way back to you—make sure you were okay.”
He kissed the top of her head. She felt warm and safe and loved. But was it an illusion? “How did you escape?”
He sighed, and the sound lay like a heavy burden on his shoulders. “I made Cynthia believe Kaitlyn and me had the hots for one another.”
She stiffened. A picture rose in her mind—a memory. Rolf and Kaitlyn together, kissing, his hands on her body. A sick feeling filled her and then flooded outward, bursting into vibrating energy molecules. The air around them warmed and the closet door rattled. Neither of them bothered to look toward the noise.
“You kissed her—made out with her. No wonder she believes you want her.”
“I had to. It was the only way to distract Cynthia long enough to use my talent. I needed to be convincing.”
The lightbulb in the lamp on the nightstand burst. Static electricity snapped and crackled in the air above their heads. She pushed at his chest. “Kaitlyn loves you, you know.” She stood, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t do this. Be with Rolf. Her body had taken on so much of the energy in the atmosphere she was liable to blast him the moment he touched her.
He frowned but did not move. “She thinks she does. I can’t help that. It doesn’t change my feelings for you. G, I need you.”
“She hates me. She’ll hurt me if she can find a way.”
He shook his head. “I won’t let her.”
She walked toward the window, one step, then another. “I don’t want you to kill her. That will only make the dark in you stronger. Besides, you may not be able to stop her. She’s powerful, and she’s been held captive for much longer than you, which has turned her into a lunatic.”
“That’s not what you’re worried about.”
She stalled for time. “What do you mean?”
Although she hadn’t heard him move, she turned to find him by her side. His eyes glittered with turquoise energy. She couldn’t look away.
“You’re worried you’ll hurt me. Being around me makes your talent stronger. Your feelings for me will override your self-control if we’re intimate. You’ll cause an explosion, and I’ll die.”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. He was inside her mind—understood her deepest fears.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, drawing her toward him. “I won’t keep any more secrets from you.” His breath warmed her cheek, his aura morphing into deep purple. “We’ll take it slow—stop if things get out of control. Will you trust me?”
It all came down to this. This moment. He already held her heart, but did she trust him enough to give her body, too? Did she trust herself enough not to harm him?
