Hathor Legacy: Burn (16 page)

What if this pain was also affecting Nadira? Biting down on his lips he willed himself to shut his awareness off from her. But how? He had no idea how to do the things she did. All he could do was hold it in as much as he could. Maybe that would help. Maybe if he could just take it, he'd protect her.

As the pick in his brain intensified, he groaned and shuddered. He couldn't admit to blowing up Matt's apartment. He wouldn't do it. He had to hold on. Somehow he had to hold on.

"Guardian, I've never seen anyone endure this much. This is dangerous," one of the guards said. "If he's permanently damaged we'll have to answer for it."

Talia ignored him. "It's not worth it, Mr. Keel. I don't know how you're doing it, but you must stop fighting me. Admit your guilt and the pain will stop. I will give you pleasure instead of pain," she insisted.

Never. He'd never give her what she wanted. Never. He wanted to scream, but he had no energy left to push out a sound. Instead he let himself drift into unconsciousness. As the darkness surrounded him, he welcomed it.

21
Surrender

Darkness was all around her. Was she awake or dreaming? For a moment, she wasn't sure. Shifting in the bed, she turned to look out the window. But instead of seeing the large picture window, she looked into the eyes of someone sitting in a chair next to the bed. It was Mikal.

Startled, she sat up and knocked one of her pillows onto the floor. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

He slowly leaned over and picked up the pillow, then stood up, still holding it. "Waiting for you to wake up."

Easing herself to the middle of the bed, she clutched the coverlet to her. "Okay. I'm awake."

Mikal set the pillow down on top of the others. "Are you fee
ling better?"

"I'm still drained. Why are you here? Is there something wrong?"

He pulled the chair closer and sat down. "There was an explosion last night at an apartment tower in the Palatine."

"Jon! Is he all right?" She pulled the covers back and stuck her leg out. "Where is he?"

"You can't go anywhere yet. You haven't fully recovered and you need your rest." Mikal grasped her bare thigh.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nadira pushed his hand away and covered herself. "I don't belong to you, Mikal."

"I'm sorry, Nadira. I couldn't help myself."

"Tell me what happened! Where's Jonathan?"

"An explosion at the Diamond Star. At the apartment of Matt Bento, to be exact."

"Matt? Is he all right?"

"They think someone planted an explosive device in his apartment. His remains haven't been found yet," Mikal replied. "But…Keel has been taken to Detention for questioning."

"What? Why?" Trembling, she took a deep breath to steady herself. "He had nothing to do with it. Matt asked him to go there. Jon didn't go there to kill him."

"Keel can be abrasive, yet I doubt he would do something like this," Mikal said. "The problem is that Guardian Protector Talia was on duty when Keel was brought in. She contacted the Elder and--"

"Why did she contact Dakar? What does he have to do with i
nterrogations?"

"Keel was scanned when he went to the Center. All of his ass
ociations came up in the system--including the fact that he lives with you. It's a very delicate matter if a Guardian is having relations with someone who commits a crime against the corporation."

"Mikal, you know Jonathan didn't do this."

"There's something else that you should know." Mikal shifted in his chair, like he was uncomfortable about continuing. "Talia reported that, instead of allowing her to read his thoughts, Keel became aggressive and had to be restrained."

Jon would've been upset, but she knew he wouldn't do anything to threaten Talia. "Why was he interrogated? No one saw him with a device."

"The security cams saw him going into Bento's apartment yesterday. For all they know, he carried something in and planted it," Mikal replied. "He probably didn't do it, but for a crime like this, Talia is following procedure. His claim of innocence must be verified."

"I'm getting him out of there." She moved to the other side of the bed and threw back the covers.

"Nadira. I wouldn't do that." Mikal jumped out of the chair. "It won't help. By the time you get there, Keel will be dead."

*****

She was unable to move. Frozen to the spot as she stared into Mikal's eyes. It couldn't be true. If Jon had been killed, she would've felt it.

"No, you wouldn't have," Mikal said. "Yes, I read your thoughts. I'm sorry but you're so open. I--I couldn't help but pick them up."

There were a lot of things he couldn't help doing. "Talia should've verified that Jon was telling the truth by now."

"My concern is that Keel's resistance might cause Talia to use force to open his mind to her. She's a Protector and trained in inte
rrogation techniques…however Fragiles are quite weak when it comes to deep mind probing."

"Don't call him that!" She drew her legs up and hugged them. If only she could stop her body from trembling. What was happening to Jon right now?

"I was only stating a fact," Mikal said. "I'm as disturbed about this as you are. All I know is Elder Dakar has given her orders to break Keel. That's why I came here to talk to you."

"But why hurt him? What does Dakar want from me?" she asked.

"Compliance, Nadira. You must understand how dire things are right now. Novacorp has never completely trusted the Guardians. They fear our powers," Mikal said. "With everything that's happened, the Elder must restore trust if we are to survive this."

"And what does that have to do with Jonathan?"

"The company officials are upset that we haven't stopped the arsonists. Then with the security officers being killed and that Deshtu making accusations about our people…if they see that Keel is being treated differently because he has an association with a Guardian, it won't look good."

"My relationship with him has nothing to do with the rest of you."

"Appearances matter, Nadira. The decisions the Elder makes now must be bigger than the desires of one individual."

"I thought you didn't go along with Dakar's decisions."

"I don't. But this one is absolutely necessary."

By the way he said it, she knew something was coming that she wasn't going to like. "What is it?"

"The Elder will instruct Talia to stop the interrogation. She'll verify his story and Keel will be released from detention."

"But he knows Jon didn't do anything. Talia knows it too if she's reading him. It's not an interrogation is it?" Nadira uncoiled herself. "Dakar ordered her to hurt him, didn't he?"

Mikal didn't flinch. "You must agree not to see or communicate with him again. That is the price for Keel's life."

"How can he torture Jon to force me to do what he wants? Then the Guardians are no better than the company executives." She dropped down to the floor and had to brace herself against to the bed. If only the room would stop moving. Right now she felt like she was being tossed around on a boat in the middle of the sea.

"Nadira!" Mikal rushed over and gripped her arm. "You haven't recovered yet." Guiding her over to a chair, he helped her to sit.

"I have to go to him. Don't you understand?" She leaned against the cushioned chair back and dug her fingers into the ar
mrests. The stone floor was icy against her bare feet, and instinctively she lifted them so that only her toes were touching.

"Nadira," Mikal's voice was barely above a whisper. He got on the floor in front of her and sat on his haunches. "Please let me help you."

Before she could protest, he took her left foot in his hands and massaged it, gently squeezing the ball of her foot.

"What are you doing?" she asked.  She pulled but he didn't r
elease her. "Mikal, let me go."

"Give me your word, and Keel will be released from Detention. I'll find a way to protect him from the Elder." He continued to rub, holding her foot with one hand and allowing the other to move up her leg. "Don't resist, Nadira. Don't fight me."

She gripped the arms of the chair as Mikal's hand moved further up to the hem of her short gown. Deep within her she tried to gather the strength to push back at him. But she was empty, drained and helpless to put up any barriers.

Now she realized what he was doing. Using his power to bu
rrow into her consciousness and find a way to connect himself. But instead of overwhelming her with force, he was using her vulnerability and her exhaustion to ease into her.

Normally, his abilities weren't as strong as hers, but right now they didn't have to be. And he knew it. If he could find a way in, he could disable her. She'd never seen him as a threat. Never been afraid of him, until right now.

"Let me go," she protested, but her voice was so weak it surprised her. Gasping for air, she worked to pull some reserve of energy from somewhere within. But instead all she felt was an echo of her life force, still not restored enough to give her what she needed to resist him.

"Elder Dakar hurt you. I know," his voice was a caress, lulling her as he slipped his fingers underneath her gown. "Your mother…your father…they were both pushed aside and you were alone. I know your loneliness. I felt it when we were children. I wanted to comfort you then…but Dakar took you away from me."

"Mikal…" Her body was heavy lead, unable to move or to defend itself. Wherever he touched was fire--not the warmth she felt from Jonathan, but a hot, molten heat destroying everything in its path. "I love him. Tell Talia to stop hurting him."

"If you do love Keel, don't you want him to be spared further pain?" Under the gown his fingers moved closer and closer to her center. "I can protect Keel if you give your word. He'll thank you for it. He'll understand…don't you see? You can free him from his suffering…just as I can free you from yours."

"I don't need you to free me…" she croaked.

"I'd never hurt you. I want to protect you. Can't you see? That's all I've ever wanted to do." He let go of her foot and rose up to his knees. Sliding his other hand up under her gown, he leaned fo
rward so that his mouth was next to her ear. "I don't want to take, Nadira. I want you to give."

The contact of his hands on her seared her, like a red, hot knife scorching her flesh. He was laying a claim on her, trying to force a joining between them that would knit his consciousness into hers. Like weaving a rope together, binding them so tightly that she couldn't break free.

Wrenching her hands up off the armrests, she grabbed his forearms to pull him away. But repelling him physically wouldn't be enough. Even now he was going deeper into her awareness, sensing her weak spots, finding where she was open.

Jonathan. Where was he? She called out to him with her will, reaching for him. As long as he was joined to her, Mikal couldn't completely possess her. But it wouldn't stop him from trying to overpower her link to Jon. And right now, with both her and Jon weakened, he could be successful.

Forcing gulps of air into her lungs, she shored herself up, to keep resisting. She had to keep him from going deeper into her…into her mind and her body.

Then she sensed it, a stronger energy that was contained deep within Mikal. It shot out like flames from a blast furnace, held back but still powerful. Was this the energy of someone else he was connected to? It couldn't be his alone…he had to be drawing on someone else.

Nadira's body shook as sweat poured down her face. The weak could overpower the strong. She could use his energy against him, but only if she was careful and stayed focused. If she could stay calm, she could take his energy and turn it against him, disarming him before he could stop her.

It would be like snatching away a weapon and turning it on the person who'd held it. She could draw on his power and use it to fill up her own.

With a groan she reached into the fire and held on, allowing it to flow into her and restore her own energy. All she'd need would be a few moments. That would be enough to give her the strength she needed.

Thinking that she was surrendering to him, he surged forward, triumphant. It would only be another moment. She felt it now, her life force returning, giving her the power to defend herself. Figh
ting back revulsion, she kept her attention away from his fumbling under her gown. Just a few seconds more. That's all…he was so sure that he'd won that he wasn't even noticing that she was growing stronger as his energy waned.

Now. She could do it now. With all her might, she gathered up her power and sent it flying towards him. The energy blast slammed into him, sending Mikal tumbling back on the floor. He cried out, a long moan escaped his lips and echoed through the room.

She wrenched herself out of the chair and immediately dropped to the floor. Her body was drenched with sweat and her gown was sticking to her like another skin. Barely able to move, she turned her head to see Mikal scamper across the floor. Sliding as he tried to get to his feet, his legs wobbled.

"Get out of here!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "I would never give myself to you. I hate you!"

Crawling on all fours, he grabbed the edge of the bed and came to his feet. But he wasn't there for long; he stumbled and fell back against the wall. "You used my power against me," he gasped. "I tried to help you."

It took the energy she had left to lift her upper body off the stone floor. Bracing herself with her hands, she eased herself back against the chair. "You'll never touch me again. You disgust me!"

"I'll still protect Keel, though you've been ungrateful."  Mikal straightened up. He smoothed out his suit jacket and ran his hands through his hair. "But this is not over between us."

The door swung open and in the doorway stood the doctor who'd treated her earlier. Beside her stood a taller woman wearing light blue coveralls.

"Guardian Nadira!" The doctor brushed past Mikal and headed towards her. "What happened?" She crouched down next to Nadira. "Medic, help me!"

Mikal slipped out of room without acknowledging them.