Cravings (Fierce Hearts) (12 page)

Tizzy slipped up beside her. “Scary, huh?”

Kennedy nodded, words choked in her throat.

“It looks like the cavalry has arrived.” Tizzy’s cognac brown eyes twinkled. “These Nexus Group people are seriously on your case, Kennedy. I’m so sorry. But you can breathe easier tonight, thanks to the Laurelwood Police Department.”

The longer she was among Casey’s colony, the more she was coming to see them as individuals with likes, dislikes, and loves. Kennedy couldn’t think of anything but the danger everyone, especially Asher, was in because of her. She’d been with Casey’s colony for less than a month, and already her pursuers had come close three times. It stirred panic in her gut to a degree it felt like she was coming out of her skin.

She turned back to the room, taking steady breaths. She hoped no one noticed. They’d automatically offer more advice, more sympathy. The steady pouring of well-intentioned help was becoming more familiar, less annoying. But it still pointed out to her that she was not normal. She was a pain in the neck, as her mother had frequently pointed out. She would wear out her welcome before she even knew if she wanted to stay with the colony. She needed more time to show them she wasn’t helpless, a nuisance. She wanted to spend more time with Asher.

Her nerves settling, she noticed Lara and Booker, the healers, bent over Asia lying on the couch.

“It’s nothing,” she protested. “The bullet just grazed my back leg. I’m fine.”

Booker pressed around the place on her leg where blood was oozing from a gash.

“Ouch! Don’t push there.” Asia rested her head against a pillow and closed her eyes. “Okay, so it does hurt a bit, but it’s not serious.”

Lara laid her hands on Asia’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Kennedy contemplated them both, seeing Lara’s thoughts directed inward and Asia’s pained face relax. The bleeding stopped, but Lara continued her concentration.

“I’m going to bandage your leg.” Booker’s voice was soft, gentle. “You just lie still and soak in Lara’s healing touch.”

Asia sighed deeply, her muscles loosened. Clearly Lara’s touch was working.

“I think your ability is wonderful.” Kennedy crouched beside Lara. “You can actually help others.”

Lara glanced over at her, her eyes slits. Kennedy knew what Lara was thinking. That she’d failed to help Adrian. She’d heard the wistfulness in her own voice, too, to be a help to others.

“Your ability is helpful, too, Kennedy. Just be patient.”

The back door opened, letting in brisk air, and Casey and the others stomped off the snow and tossed their outdoor clothes to the floor.

“Let’s get a fire going.” Casey blew on his hands. Quinn grabbed some large logs and laid them on the fire grate. In minutes, a hot fire blazed in the fireplace, sending warmth throughout the room. Comfortable ambiance danced in the shadows on the walls. Kennedy sat perched on the edge of the couch, her arms wrapped around her midsection. Reluctance heavied her heart. Dinner was over, the drama that transpired outside was over for now, and now the meeting would begin. It had been called to discuss her; she knew that. Insecurity grumbled in her belly. It seemed as if her life had been balancing on the edge of all things for her entire life.

Casey carried in a mug of hot coffee and took a seat beside Michelle. Her eyes shone with their typical clarity, so Kennedy took that as a sign she had recuperated from being tranquilized. Across the room, Asia propped up her leg on the large ottoman in front of her chair and rested against the cushion beside her. Thanks to Lara and Booker’s healing work, she didn’t need a bandage, and the bullet wound looked nearly completely healed.

“The meeting is going to feel anticlimactic after the run in with TNG people.” He relaxed into his chair and sipped his coffee.

The room’s stuffiness congested Kennedy’s thoughts. She glanced at Asher, who sat on the floor at her feet, his legs crossed, his elbow propped on one knee. Maybe it was her defenses kicking in, but his body screamed detachment, and she didn’t know why. Then he spoke up, startling her.

“This was the third encounter with those people in just a little more than two weeks.” He rubbed his hand through his hair impatiently. “I know we need things to go slowly for Kennedy’s sake. But I think we’ve either been lucky in our passiveness and our luck is going to run out, or they’re not trying very hard. Their agenda includes intruding on our lives. It’s part of the plan. I don’t know why. But soon they’ll take more aggressive action, and I’m nervous we won’t be ready.”

Tizzy spoke up, her bright eyes eager. “What can you tell us, Kennedy? Are these people playing with us?” She pulled up her knees and wrapped her arms around them, waiting.

This was Kennedy’s chance to be useful, to prove she could be a contributor to the colony. The words floated out of her mind and scattered around her. She frowned while time stood still and everyone waited.

Asher leaned back against her legs and smiled up at her. She knew it was an offer of his ability to loosen her memories and thoughts about the group that had programmed her for silence and unquestioning obedience.

But during the brief time she’d been with the colony, and especially with Asher, she was coming into her own in a new way. She would awaken the beast inside her, she knew. But she was willing to face it in order prove to herself that she could.

She nodded to Asher.

The now familiar warmth of Asher’s nudging, like a summer breeze blowing across her, brought relaxed focus back to her thoughts. Images of her mother pounding into her the need for secrecy and excellence in the skills she was being taught. Images of her trainers demanding superior skills in the martial arts, weaponry, and technology. Words came back to her of plans she needed to be ready for.

She drew in a deep breath then released it slowly. “I don’t know specifics of what they’re doing right now. I know my rescue disrupted their plans for me. I’d been readied for taking action, and the time for that was coming soon. I don’t know specifically when, but very soon.” She ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes. “I’d been schooled and grilled on a job they’re positioning me for. Before they packed me away in a cage for experimentation I’d interviewed for an aide position with—”

“Let me guess,” Asher interrupted. “Senator Daren Sage. He’s connected somehow to Phoenix Biosciences.”

“What’s Phoenix Biosciences?” Quinn sat forward on the couch, his eyes on Asher now.

“Before I answer your question, how about we give Kennedy a little more time to answer Tizzy’s question?”

“What do you think, Kennedy? Are we on borrowed time?” Casey flashed his golden eyes.

“Before you rescued me, the disruptions the colony created with its discovery of William Carter’s project set back their timetable. They made adjustments in their plans.” She glanced around the room and was met with serious, sober expressions. It gave her goose bumps.

“Is that why they’d delivered you to the project?” Asia asked.

“Of course, they didn’t tell me everything, but I heard more than I expect they intended. I knew I was to have the drug therapy. Now it appears they still have plans for me within the circle of the politician. I would guess they are simply trying to get me back, but also trying to let you know they know where you are and can reach you at any time.”

Asher growled. “Intimidation? Push us just enough that we let down our guard?”

Casey nodded. “I think that’s good speculation, Asher.”

“So what are we going to do? I think we need to be more aggressive.” Asher clenched his teeth and pounded his fists together.

“I agree.” Casey set his coffee down on an end table.

All the cats stiffened and stared at Casey. Asher burst out laughing. “Finally, Casey appreciates my point of view. Take action now.”

Casey chuckled, a deep, rumbling laughter that drew more laughter from the others. “Let’s take this one step at time, Asher. The next thing we need to do is learn more about Phoenix. Do you have anything for us?”

“From what I can tell, Phoenix Biosciences is perfecting the alteration of DNA with nanotechnology. They’re doing a study right now on using nano-delivered chemicals through special, small tubes that contain the delivery system and the drug. They’re programmed to perform the task the scientists need. The tubes are implanted, and the scientists retain control over them through a computer program. From a disease-fighting aspect, it’s brilliant. It focuses, for instance, chemotherapy directly to a tumor in prescribed intervals. It minimizes damage to other parts of the patient’s body and heightens treatment success of the disease.”

“It may be brilliant, but I’m betting the applications include those aimed at dosing people and were-animals to become agitated and under control of TNG people.” Lara shuddered. “The idea that they’ve attained that capability is scary.”

“I think it’s already happening, and subjects believe they’re being treated for a particular disease.” Asher relayed the news piece he’d read in the office about the woman with bipolar disease who put her child in the hospital.

Booker tapped his fingers on his knee. “As a physician, I could imagine all kinds of useful applications, but the systems aren’t ready for use in humans.”

A physician, too, Shaun, sitting beside Booker, frowned. “The technology promises some amazing things, but I agree with Booker. Attempting to affect DNA makeup such as TNG is trying to do is downright dangerous.”

Casey sat silent, and the seconds on the mantel clock ticked methodically on. The tension spurred Kennedy’s heartbeat. Her fight-or-flight mode definitely leaned toward fight.

“We don’t want a physical confrontation.” Casey knitted his brow.

Kennedy’s stomach did flip-flops. No fight? The idea burned in her gut. She wanted to fight the people who had hurt her. She was entitled to a showdown. But she also accepted that if she were to be a part of the colony, she needed to accept Casey’s direction.

Tapping his fingers on the arm of the couch, Casey looked like he was still plotting out their next move. “Maybe we can immobilize them with threats to expose them to the government.”

Kennedy shook her head. “You don’t know these people like I do. They want nothing less than to conquer the world, one piece at a time. They don’t respect negotiations or any sort of make nice.”

“Don’t you think we need to show them other ways of interacting? Humans are always so quick to grab a gun or go after the win. It pains me.” Casey rubbed his hand through his dreads.

Asher jumped up. “No. We live in secrecy for a reason. You’re right. Humans are dangerous but predictable. Especially those who are criminals.” He paced the floor, his voice loud and his words clipped. “TNG people would laugh in our faces while pulling out their guns. Look, we’re not crime fighters or comic book superheroes, but we know about TNG and their plans. We can’t let their plans progress.”

“I agree.” Lara nodded vigorously. “We need to take action, just as we did with Carter Enterprises.”

Casey’s eyes dipped. “Two deaths came out of that action.”

“I never forget for a moment about one of those deaths. I blame myself for not being able to heal Adrian to a point where he could have survived.” Lara fixed her gaze to the floor, her voice quiet.

“It wasn’t your fault, Lara,” Casey piped up. “It was Carter’s experiment that robbed Adrian of his life.”

Booker reached over to touch Lara’s arm. “I know how you feel. But we didn’t get to him in time to save him. That’s why I’m in favor of us taking action soon. We were able to rescue many cats, rescue Kennedy, and free Adrian for his last moments.”

“My area is computer systems. I think you should let me run an analysis of your network.” Kennedy knew it was the logical next step, but she also knew the colony didn’t trust her. “If TNG has hacked into your system, it would explain how they’re finding you wherever you are.”

Silence heavied the air in the room. She waited for a reaction, twiddling her fingers.

Casey nodded his head. “You’re probably right, Kennedy. Thank you for speaking up.”

“Then you’ll let me do it?”

“Yes,” Casey said without hesitation. “Tomorrow. Asher, can you bring her to my office at Carter, Inc.? She can work there for now.”

“Of course. First thing in the morning.”

Kennedy watched Asher shift restlessly from one foot to the other. He’d helped her remember things, painful things that reminded her she was never safe from the same harsh treatment she’d lived with all her life. The doubts about her adoptive parents shimmied in her still. She was unsure if she was afraid of the consequences of her defiance against her parents or simply had more clarity about who the good guys were. Maybe she was unsettled by a better understanding of who she was. This was new ground she stood on, but it felt as though there was no ground.

Gratitude for Asher’s help spun around her heart like an ethereal ribbon of light. Memories of his touch clamored for attention. These were things that contrasted radically with everything else in her life before Asher. What would it be like to simply lean into being with Asher and see what would happen? Of course, he’d have to come back from wherever it was he’d gone after making love.

She chanced a glance at him standing against a wall across the room. Her heart shot into her throat. He stood there staring at her. He looked lost in thought, not even seeing her. She couldn’t help herself. She smiled at him.

While the others discussed possible approaches to stopping TNG, Asher stole a glance at Kennedy. He’d leaned against a wall a few minutes ago and refrained from looking into her face. He’d stopped nudging her to release repressed memories of her captivity. It was just him now, standing a few feet apart from her, the emptiness in him a bottomless morass of aloneness and yearning.

His suspicions of her loyalty to TNG were waning. She’d made no attempt to contact them, as far as he knew. Maybe he was letting his fears get in the way of reason. Maybe he could believe that something good could come from trusting her.

The idea of having her close with nothing between them to create chaos and pain tingled sweetly inside him. It lifted his spirits, giving him strength from the hope of what could be.