Forbidden Fire (Forbidden #2) (21 page)

Nothing seemed to rile the Seeker. He smiled at her and offered her more water. "You have fire in you. Spunk. I like that. I am glad Sam picked you for her best friend. She is going to need both of us, in the coming months. Her baby's powers will increase. Without my guidance, those powers will drive her mad. That is why I seek her."

"Oh my God, what kind of baby did you put in her?"

"Her baby is the hope for our race. Without her, paranormals will stand no chance in the coming storm."

"I can't tell if you're lying, without my powers, but my instincts say you're being honest. If all you've said is true, then remove the lockdown and get rid of Mr. Black. Stop beating kids and shooting them. Turn this back into the school we loved before you got here."

"Come now, Lucy. After Sam's escape, rebel meetings started occurring. Other students started breaking rules, trying to escape. You didn't know what was best for you. We had to implement a stricter policy to protect the students. We had to keep all of you on campus, away from those who would kill you. But you persisted. The harder you push, the harder the organization has to push back, for the safety of everyone."

"So if we stopped the rebellion, then things would go back to normal?"

"No, not normal."

Lucy scowled. She knew this was all bullshit, but his next words surprised her.

"Better than normal. It's clear to me now we should have been honest with you all along. No more lies, no more cover-ups. I will personally make sure that everyone knows the truth."

"I want to believe you, but you've blocked my powers. If you're being honest with me, why not let me confirm what you've said?"

The Seeker chuckled. "I blocked you so that you would listen to me as a human being. I wanted you to look into my eyes as we talked, and assess at a basic human level if you could trust me. We are still people, you and I, and we deserve the courtesy of simple human interactions. You can feel what is right and wrong without your powers. We tend to rely too much on our extraordinary gifts, and not enough on our most remarkably ordinary talents."

The candle by the bedside flickered out and left them in darkness. Lucy reached over, lit a match, and the candle came to life once again.

The Seeker continued. "I can see that this is hard for you. If it makes you feel better, I will drop my protection and you can test me."

Lucy perked up at this. She'd gotten better at trusting her instincts, but with so many lives on the line, she'd much rather have her power to help her.

"First, I shall lie. Hmm... what shall my lie be? I have only three toes on one foot and one of the toes knows how to sing and dance to Irish limericks."

Lucy smirked. "I didn't expect you to have a sense of humor."

"Yes, people seldom do. I have unexpected depths, you know. All right, I assume you felt the lie in that, as I do not, in fact, have limerick-singing toes."

"Yes, I felt it."

The Seeker then repeated everything he had said about wanting to help her and Luke, about his care for Sam and Drake and his sadness about the recent tragedies.

"I have arranged a memorial for the boy who was killed. I know you dislike Mr. Black, but his job is to keep all of you safe, and he is good at what he does. As for you and your brother, there is no assignment. You are free to go back to your dorm, but I would recommend checking in at the hospital to get some medication. You'll likely need it. I've enjoyed your company, Lucy. I hope you will consider all of this carefully."

Moments later a guard came and escorted Lucy out of the building. The Seeker actually let her go, and gave her a lot to think about in the process. Could it be that Darren was right when he refused to join the Freedom Fighters? Were they safer here than anywhere else?

On her way back to the dorm, the warmth of Lucy's sphere washed over her. Her thoughts spun, conflicted and confused. If there were organizations bent on destroying her kind, would they even be safe if they escaped, or would she be leading these kids from bad to worse? They'd have no money, no identification, no resources, and no way to protect themselves. Then what would they do? Where would they go?

The honey-and-wine voice of the Seeker filled her veins, pulsing through her like a second heartbeat, enticing her and drawing her closer—but another, darker power kept her from succumbing.

She pulled the sphere out and clutched it, letting the cool metal ease the feverish state of her body.

Drake crouched in the dark Montana wilderness and rubbed his hands to keep warm. Sam shivered beside him despite the many layers he'd insisted she wear. This part of the country had skipped fall altogether and gone straight to winter. An early snow dusted the land around them and enveloped them in the kind of silence only the cold could usher in.

Sam held up the drawing she'd made from her dream. Her teeth chattered as she spoke. "There are guards by the front gate, and guards in and around each building. The Seeker is likely located in what was once the main office. We need to get in and find him."

"I have a plan for that." Drake knew she wouldn't like it, but he could see no other way. "We take control of the guards' minds and pretend to be prisoners. They'll take us directly to the Seeker."

Sam didn't reply, but Drake could practically hear her mind as she tried to think of any solution other than mind control.

"It's better than fighting our way through," he reminded her.

She flinched and pulled away from him.

His heart sank. It was bad enough that she would never forgive him for beating that man, but he had to battle his own self-loathing as well. He would do anything to protect his family—even if that condemned him in the eyes of the one he loved most—but it did little to ease his conscience.

"Sam, we won't hurt them. We need a way in, and this is the easiest and safest way for all."

"What if they're like the men who came after us, and we can't use our powers on them?"

"I'm going on the assumption that the Seeker can't control everyone all the time. It made sense he would protect the minds of those he sent after us, but he probably doesn't waste energy on every guard here. It's a risk we have to take."

Sam stood and stretched. Each day her stomach grew, the baby inside getting stronger and bigger. Drake caressed and kissed her belly before he rose to lead them into danger.

Dressed all in black, they blended into the night, but they couldn't silence the crunch of snow underfoot, no matter how stealthy they were.

Before they exposed themselves, Drake and Sam linked minds and took control of the two men on patrol.

Drake commanded them mentally.
'When we walk up to you, take us through the gates safely and show us to your leader, the one called Seeker. Alert no one else to our presence. Deflect any inquiry about us. Act as though we're captured, but defend us with your lives if it comes to that.'

The compulsion waned with the last statement as Drake felt Sam pull away, repulsed by the thought that these men might die for them.

They maintained their mental control and approached the guards. Drake stepped in front of Sam, to protect her if things went wrong.

The guards' glazed eyes stared at him, offering no resistance. Without waiting for further commands, they led Drake and Sam through the electrified gates and onto the school grounds. This early in the morning, few staff or students were up and about. They walked to the main office without conflict or question.

Uneasiness stirred in Drake. He'd hoped for easy, but this was
too
easy.

The guards guided them to a white door and turned to leave. Drake mentally stopped the guard closest to him and compelled him to give up his gun.

"Drake, what are you doing? We don't need guns. We aren't killing anyone."

'I'm not taking any chances, Sam. If we can't use powers on this guy, then bullets will have to do.'

With gun in hand, Drake turned the knob on the door. While still connected mentally to Sam, he sensed her scan the room. They found no trace of another mind.

The darkness temporarily blinded them. Drake felt Sam reach for his hand.
"Something doesn't feel right."

A flick of a match startled them both. The soft illumination of a candle revealed the Seeker, dressed in a flowing white robe, with long, pale hair, sitting in a chair. His translucent skin and fragile body reminded Drake of a vampire.

The Seeker smiled at them and lit a few more candles. "You will have to forgive the low lighting. My eyes have become very sensitive as of late, and anything more than candlelight is simply intolerable."

Sam stepped forward from behind Drake. Her voice didn't quaver at all as she addressed their enemy. "You're the Seeker, then?"

"Of course. And you are Sam, and Drake. I cannot tell you how long I have been waiting to meet you both. You have no idea what this means to me, to have us all three here together. You have proven very clever at evading my men, and quite deadly, though they deserved it. They were never meant to harm you, only bring you in. No matter, the easiest solution was simply to lure you here of your own volition. And you have arrived just in time. This is so lovely."

He rose and glided with unnatural grace to light more candles around the room. A loveseat sat across from the Seeker's chair. "Please, sit. Let us discuss matters of great importance."

Sam sat on the edge of the couch, so Drake sat next to her, poised to attack at the smallest hint of provocation.

Sam cleared her throat. "We aren't here to talk. We're here to rescue our friends and all the other kids you're holding prisoner. And you're going to help us."

"Honestly, Sam, I am offended by the use of that word, 'rescue.' It implies such vulgarities. This is a place of safety and learning, a place where children with extraordinary powers can learn to use their gifts without fear. I cannot let them into the world where they would pose a threat to others, as well as themselves—not yet, anyway. It would be the epitome of irresponsibility to do so."

Drake aimed his gun at the Seeker. "We're not giving you a choice in this, freak. You will help us, or you will die."

The Seeker laughed and dismissed Drake as if he were a misbehaving child.

"Come forward, my pet. Let us show your friends who has the power here."

Drake turned in confusion as a woman walked out of the shadows.

Sam gasped. "Mary? What are you doing here?"

Mary didn't answer. Her lifeless eyes and stiff body seemed poised for another command, but held no free will.

Sam had told Drake about Mary, and he'd harbored little sympathy for the bully who had made her life miserable.

Sam's rage erupted. "What the hell have you done to her, you bastard? Release her right now. You're hurting her. Her mind—I can feel your powers eating it away."

Curious, Drake allowed his power to seek out her mind, but the pain became too much and he pulled back.

The Seeker frowned slightly. "I thought you would be pleased. After all, is this not the girl who tormented you throughout high school? Now she will never harm you again."

Drake and Sam linked together and reached for the Seeker's mind, but they hit an impenetrable wall.

"Your powers will not work on me. And now, your powers will not work at all."

Drake's heart pounded against his chest. He reached for Sam's mind, but found nothing. He couldn't compel or seek the mind of anyone. One look at Sam proved she had lost her powers as well.

Drake stood and cocked his gun. The Seeker nodded, and Mary cat-walked over to Drake. Heat exploded in his body, every muscle and nerve ending crackling with awareness. The room zeroed in on Mary, her smell and heat and the expectation of her touch.

"No! I won't be seduced by you." Drake turned the gun towards Mary, but Sam kicked it out of his hand.

Tears clogged up her throat. "You can't kill her. She's only acting on his command."

Drake gaped at Sam, shocked that she'd just disarmed him of the one weapon they had against the Seeker. Rage exploded in him. He pushed Mary out of the way and charged at the Seeker, bent on beating him until he could never hurt another soul again.

Before he could move two feet, the Seeker tore through his mind until all Drake could experience was pain.

The nurse handed Lucy a bottle of pills. "Take one every four to five hours as needed for pain. Come back in if you notice any puss or infection forming around the wound, or if the pain spikes suddenly or the stitches tear. Do you have any questions?"

Lucy shook her head. "No. Thanks."

She stuck the pills in her backpack and brushed her finger against the metallic sphere. The gentle thrum of energy filled her and eased the pain in her shoulder better than any medication could.

At least a dozen students filled the waiting room as Lucy made her way to the front door. Most of them had sought treatment for some kind of injury after a run-in with the guards from the night before. Lucy reflected on her conversation with the Seeker and wanted to talk to Luke about it. While the Seeker's rhetoric made sense, the reality was less convincing.