Phoenix Tonic (12 page)

Hailey blinked. A hug was not what she was expecting him to offer. Suddenly a hug, comfort from a friend, sounded exactly like what she needed. So much so, that his open arms brought a wave of emotion to the surface.

"But, what if I attack you?"

He chuckled. "I doubt that. You are, by far, the strongest, most stubborn woman I know."

Hailey hesitantly walked forward, and allowed his huge, bear like arms to wrap around her. She struggled with his scent and his warmth, at first. Then her emotions trickled through. It was okay that her body wanted, for just a moment. As long as she didn't act on it, as long as she was being comforted by her friend, it was okay.

"I can't even begin to tell you what an awesome friend you are, Malachi. How did you know I needed a hug so badly?"

He patted her on the back. "Because I was once married. And when my wife was forced to help someone who didn't deserve it, even if it was the right thing to do, she was always in a disagreeable mood for days on end. I found that a hug went a long way to comfort her."

Hailey buried her face against his stout chest, pressing her cheek against his silken amber tie. Emotions overwhelmed her. Slipping on iron shackles would weigh less heavy on her heart than the decision she’d made. She was already a prisoner, just under different circumstances. The least she could do was free her family from the burden.

~***~

Malachi froze as Hailey’s shoulders shook against him. His eyes widened as muffled sounds of grief came from her. “There, there Hailey. Everything will be okay.” His hands rested on her shoulders. “You’re very brave to make the decisions you have. You’ll see. Kallian really isn’t such a bad guy.”

Her head rocked against him. “It’s not about that anymore. I’m just a prisoner. It doesn’t matter what I do, I’m a prisoner either way.”

Malachi’s shoulders dropped. “Yes. I know how much you value your freedom. But you do have the freedom to make your own choice. If you’d rather stay here, in the facility—”

“But then he’d never return to my family what is rightfully theirs.” She sniffled. “They’re prisoners just the same as I am. I have to free them, and the only way I can do that is to marry him.” Her shaking arms went around him. “I’m so scared of what he could do to me. It’s not just that I don’t have the freedom to choose my own husband, but that he could literally make me do anything. I’m terrified just to be in his presence.”

Malachi’s voice was soft as he tilted his head to see her better. “What exactly terrifies you so? Aren’t you happy when you’re near him?”

Her shuttering breathing slowed and she brought her hands to his tear stained shirt. “I’m not me when I’m near him. I’m someone else completely. That stupid tonic takes over and there’s no self-control. All I want… All my body wants…” She struggled to form words. “I need more suppressants!” She ended her words with a bite to them.

Malachi smiled as her embarrassment refused to let her say aloud the truth. “So, it’s not that you disapprove of him, it’s because you are also a prisoner to the tonic?” He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “I’ll do what I can to alter the suppressant, I promise. But I can’t give you a greater dose. The effects could be dangerous.” His brow suddenly wrinkled as her fingers clenched down on his shirtfront. Her breathing picked up and the muscles under his hands tensed.

“He’s here,” she rasped.

Malachi looked up in time to see his office door bounce against the wall, fully open. Kallian and Kira stood with quizzical expressions that quickly melted to confusion.

Malachi’s hands flew off Hailey’s shoulders and innocently shrugged at his audience.

With narrowed eyes, Kira spoke first. “Dr. Markham, are you trying to seduce Hailey Simmons?”

“Uh, no. No, nothing like that, Kira.” He sputtered. “She’s just having a difficult time and…”

“Well,” Her hollow tone revealed little of her thoughts. “I can see this is going to be an interesting discussion. But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not get in the middle of it.” She bowed to Malachi. “Dr. Markham.” She turned and bowed to Kallian, “Lord Markham.” And with one graceful movement, she stepped backward and walked away.

Almost at the same time, Hailey backed away from Malachi. She looked up at him with eyes equaling that of a deer in headlights. “Why did she do that?”

Hailey’s paling face filled Malachi’s body with alarm. “Did what?”

Her head shook as she stared at him. “She bowed to you and said ‘Dr. Markham.’ Why,” she gulped, “would she do that?”

Guilt spread through his chest. He had grown fond of the little spitfire, and didn’t want to hurt her. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Whatever lie he told Hailey, Kira would never go along with it. She always bowed to the brothers formally. It was a stretch just to get her to call him Doctor.

“Why won’t you answer me, Malachi?” Hailey took another step back, disbelief shaking her head back and forth slowly. Her mouth hung slack as his face reflected the guilt.

Kallian sighed heavily behind her. “Because, he’s my big brother.”

Hailey’s mouth snapped shut. Her eyes closed as fists formed at her sides. She became very still for a moment. Malachi looked over her petite frame at his brother. He worriedly shook his head.

Kallian shrugged and fixed his gaze back on the statue-like girl between them. Malachi did the same, only to see tears trickling down her cheeks. His heart ached as he watched her heart break in front of him.

“You were my friend,” she hissed.

“I still am.”

Her eyes opened a slit, only to stare at the floor. “You’ve been putting in my head that Kallian’s a great guy. You’re the one that said I should marry Kallian and become a hero to my family. You’ve always supported him. You’re nothing but Kallian’s pawn.”

“I am no one’s pawn, Hailey.” Malachi started to take a step forward, but an ashy black burn growing under her feet stopped him. “My brother’s blood flows through your veins. That makes you my sister.” His voice changed from a guilty, defensive one, to a kinder tone. “I was only doing what I thought was best for you.”

Her piercing eyes swung up and locked onto his. “What was best for me? What is it with all you rich fat-cats thinking they know what’s best for me? Well, you know what? I’ll give you what you want, and you’ll both regret it wholeheartedly. I’ll make sure of that. You see, I know what
is
best for me, and that’s getting out of this hell-hole, and away from you. As much as I hate Kallian, he never once lied to me.”

Hailey’s gaze locked back on the floor, while she struggled with her temper. Her voice strained as the words tumbled out of her mouth. “Kallian Markham, as long as you promise to give my family back their company, and never touch them again, I will marry you.”

Kallian looked pitifully down at Hailey. Malachi knew Kallian’s original plans included a candle-lit dinner and him on bended knee with a diamond ring. But this was going to have to do.

“Kallian.” Malachi’s voice pulled Kallian’s eyes up. His brother caught his nod of endorsement, and he nodded back solemnly.

Gently, her responded, “You honor me with your acceptance, Miss Simmons.”

A tear drop fell and hissed on the blackened wood floor. “I want out of here today, Kallian.”

Malachi shook his head once at his questioning brother. “Forgive me, but tomorrow is the earliest—”

“Fine.” Hailey wiped the tears from her eyes and held her head stubbornly high. She turned and walked to the door, which Kallian effectively blocked. She paused, staring straight through him. Her breathing picked up, and just as her hand twitched toward him, he backed away.

Hailey paused for a moment longer, then marched as far around her fiancé as she could.

Chapter Nineteen

Hailey sat ramrod straight next to Kallian. The seventh reporter settled in before them and introduced himself.

“Hi, I’m Ronnie Browne, from the Inner Circle.”

Kallian nodded. “Mr. Browne, you have two minutes.”

The photographer started snapping at the couple as the reporter became flustered at his unexpected time limit. “Uh, how long have you been together?”

“Around two years.” Hailey stretched a tense smile. “Because of my illness I didn’t want to lead him on. I tried to break it off several times, but he just wouldn’t give up.” The weight of Kallian’s stare annoyed her. She refused to look at him. He kept flashing those puppy dog eyes at her, filled with apology. All she wanted to do was repair the damage she’d done to the company and get away as fast as she could. Her face heated up at the thought of Malachi. How dare he? She trusted him. If there was one thing she couldn’t stand, it was a liar. Most of her doctors were liars. She dropped them like rocks when she realized they were sharing vital information with her parents and not her. She’d rather be hit with the truth than left in the dark.

She blinked back her anger and struggled to pay attention to the flurry of questions. Kallian had been answering the last few, but they suddenly turned to her. She faked exhaustion. “I’m sorry, what was the question?”

Markham brushed the side of her arm, causing only a slight rush of goose bumps to form. “Are you feeling alright, Sweetheart?”

Hailey squeezed her eyes tight in response to Kallian’s endearment. She resisted the urge to smack him.

“Just a little headache. Go ahead.”

“Uh,” The reporter hesitantly looked from Kallian to her. “I was just mentioning how much better you seem to be doing. Is the drug Mr. Markham produces really helping that much?”

She gave a dry smile. “Vitamins. The FDA and FBI already went through the facility this morning, they can confirm that Mr. Markham only deals with natural sources that promote health. The vitamins help, but as you can see, they don’t cure cancer. They just help my body deal, along with the chemo, radiation, acupuncture, meditation and rest. I think it’s safe to say anyone in my situation would try anything. I just wanted to be close to Kallian before I died. But the tumor seems to have stalled on its progress, and that’s just fine with me.”

“So, there’s no animal testing, as Mr. Redding claims?”

Hailey scowled. “That’s a desperate man’s twist of the truth. The Markham’s have done an amazing job saving animal lives. Many of them have been traumatized and a vitamin supplement is provided for their recovery. I said drug to Redding, referring to the vitamin. As you can imagine, having a tumor tearing down your body doesn’t feel like rainbows and sunshine. Therefore, I’m on a lot of pain medication. The right words don’t always come out, and he misunderstood. I wholeheartedly apologize for the huge misunderstanding, and promise not to speak to strangers on my bad days again.”

The reporter smiled understandingly.

“Time,” Kallian said. Standing, he extended his hand to Mr. Browne.

“Thank you for your time.” The reporter stood as well, and shook hands. “I really appreciate it. And you Miss,” his hand extended before Hailey, swirling his scent in the air around her. Bearing down against her sudden urge to lunge on the poor, unsuspecting reporter, Hailey shook her head. He looked questioningly at Kallian.

“She, uh, doesn’t want to contract any illnesses, so she has a policy on not shaking hands.”

Understanding dawned on Browne’s face. “Right. The chemo knocks your immune system down.” He retracted his hand and inclined his head instead. “It’s been an honor. I wish you a speedy recovery.”

She flashed him a distracted smile and watched him and his photographer, exit. A sigh of relief gushed from her as she spun to open the windows again.

Markham quirked a smile. “My brother was right, you are amazing. I can’t believe your resistance.”

Gulping in fresh air, she shot him a glare. “I sucked down a double dose of suppressant the moment I realized I was going to be stuck with you in this tiny room.”

Kallian’s brows snapped together. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Malachi said—”

“Screw Malachi.” Her anger rose and her eyesight began to blur around the edges. “Don’t mention his name to me again. He manipulated me. He’s a liar and I resent myself for thinking of him as a friend.”

Kallian guarded the door from any uninvited guests and addressed her coolly. “I wasn’t present at any of your conversations, so I have no grounds to deny your accusations. All I know is you will be my wife after today, and I will do everything I can to make you happy. But you must remember he is family. And if we have anything in common, it is our protectiveness over family.”

She harrumphed as she stuck her head back out the window. Tears of frustration gathered and blinded her eyes. She wanted to fight with him and kiss him all at the same time. But she was grateful for the having anger in his presence. The double shot was working. As she fought the warring emotions, her throat closed up. She gasped air and coughed twice to clear it. Her body slid back onto the smooth sofa she was turned around on. The motion made the room spin as she coughed a few more times.

“Are you okay?” Kallian lunged forward as she tipped off the couch. Landing safely in his arms, he lowered her to the floor.

His voice muffled as her sight darkened. Something was wrong. It was suddenly difficult to breath and the room wouldn’t stop spinning… “I… I can’t hear very well. Or see. And my throat…”

Kallian’s eyes narrowed. “When did you take the suppressant?” Her eyes fluttered closed. “Hailey? Stay awake.” He shook her and her eyelids snapped open. “When did you take it?”

“About an hour ago. What’s happening?” She rasped.

~***~

He touched her cool forehead. Kallian tried not to panic. Her temp had plummeted. She usually ran an average of one hundred and one degrees since she’d been changed. He figured he should keep talking to keep her awake. “The suppressant normally dulls the senses, but if you took too much it could shut them down. It may affect other systems as well.”

She stared blindly ahead. “Has anyone ever died from this stuff?”

After what just happened with his brother, he figured the truth would be best. “Yes,” he said shortly.

“Crap. Thanks for the honesty.”

He cursed as her lids drifted closed again. He couldn’t help but think this was his fault. He wanted her to choose him, but if he’d mated her, none of this would have happened.

Hailey’s labored breathing made his heart pound. If he didn’t do something soon he could lose her. He needed to get her to a medical room. Gathering her in his arms, he kicked open the door to the few remaining reporters. Their camera flashes didn’t faze Kallian as he pushed past them with Hailey’s limp body.

“Is she okay?” They called out.

“She’s exhausted and passed out.” Guards immediately appeared at his side. “Interviews are over.” He kicked through a swinging lab door to a private room. The guards posted themselves at the door, holding back the reporters. Inside, Dawn came to a standstill, and gawked as he laid Hailey on a steel testing table.

“Get my brother. Now.”

She nodded frantically, and ran out the way he’d come.

“Come on, Hailey. Come on.” He began hooking monitors on her, flipping the switches to the machines. He rifled through one of the drawers and found a thermometer. He frowned as he stared at it. This was an animal facility. It was likely a rectal thermometer. He threw it on the floor and sighed as he spotted an ear thermometer.

Anxiously, he held it to her ear as Malachi strode through the door, followed by Kira and Dawn.

“What happened?” He quickly took note of her shallow breathing and pale skin. Dawn grabbed a blood pressure cuff and slapped it over her upper arm.

“She said she took a double dose of suppressant about an hour ago. Then all of her senses started shutting down.”

Malachi swore. “I told her not to take more than she was given.”

The beep of the device in Kallian’s hand made him pull back and check it. “Ninety-six point two,” he whispered.

“What?” Malachi took the thermometer from his hand and glanced at it thoughtfully. “This is bad.”

“Her blood pressure is dropping doctor,” Dawn announced.

Malachi leaned over her perspiring form and checked her pupils. “I just don’t know where she would have gotten it. The suppressant is locked in my personal vault, in my office.”

“I gave it to her,” Kira said flatly.

“What?” The brother’s spun on her.

With a bored expression, she shrugged. “You’re marrying her tomorrow. I figured you didn’t want your fiancé sexually assaulting the reporters she insisted on facing. So when she asked for it, I had no problem handing it over.”

“How much, Kira?” Malachi asked calmly

“I gave her what she wanted, a double dose.”

Malachi looked at Hailey thoughtfully, “And she’d already had a regular dose this morning. She’s got triple the amount coursing through her.”

Kallian stepped toward Kira, his face cold as stone. “Do you know what’s in that suppressant? That’s the same stuff that killed Malachi’s wife. In its pure form—”

She didn’t budge an inch. “As long as her head doesn’t come away from her body at this point, she is in no real danger,” Kira returned. “She’s one of us now. She’ll have a new, purified body when that one dies, and all will be well.”

Kallian threw his hand out in an exaggerated motion at Hailey. “But I’ll have to wait twenty years for her to grow up!”

She shrugged. “With your blood you never know—”

“Her heart rate is dropping rapidly, doctor.” Dawn pulled the stethoscope from her ears. “What would you like me to do?”

“That’s enough, you two.” Malachi demanded. “Kira thought she was helping, Kallian. It was an accident.” He turned to Kira. “Go do damage control. Tell those reporters she just fainted and is awake and fine. Then get rid of them.”

She left without a word, her dark hair swinging from her swift movements.

“Kallian, get over here.”

Kallian stared at his brother, then walked to Hailey’s failing body. He slipped his hand around hers and whispered in her ear. “I’m so sorry.”

A blip on the heart monitor made all their heads raise. Her pulse picked up for a moment, then began its descent again.

“Her heart rate sped up when you spoke to her.” Malachi shook his head in wonder. “Kallian, kiss her.”

“What?” His brow pulled together.

“Her head fights it, but her body doesn’t. It responds to you. Either you kiss her or we have to bring out the paddles. And you know how dangerous it will be for the facility in this room. It’s not reinforced steel.”

Kallian understood perfectly. As he leaned forward Malachi put a hand on his shoulder. “A few tears wouldn’t hurt, either.”

He nodded once and whispered against her lips. “Please don’t leave me yet. Give me a chance.” His lips made contact with her. His breath filled her weakened senses. “Please, live on.” His low, gentle voice reflected the emotions he was digging up. He needed to cry. His mouth moved against her again. The beeps on the heart monitor started to pick up. Slowly, her lips responded, moving in harmony with his.

Tears of relief sprang forth. He quickly wiped the fabled phoenix tears from the corners of his eyes, and slipped them in her mouth. He felt her throat working under his touch. “That a girl.” Her heart began to lose momentum as soon as he broke contact.

“If you stop kissing her, her cardiac system can’t keep itself going.” Malachi observed. “But once those tears reach her heart, it should keep it going on its own.”

Kallian leaned in for another kiss. This one sweeter, as she slowly came alive under him. Her trembling lips brushed his softly at first. When the tears finally reached her heart, her arms circled around him, drawing him closer. Her lips pressed against his passionately, as her heat rose around them.

“Heart rate rising to acceptable levels, Doctor.” Dawn announced. “But now the patient is spiking a fever of a hundred and one.”

“That’s fine.” Malachi smiled. He eyed Dawn for a thoughtful moment. “It seems I need to have an enlightening conversation with you Dawn. You keep running into situations with us you shouldn’t be. But as you may have figured, a one-hundred-one fever to you, is normal for our family. Those of us who have some years behind us, have the ability to control our body temperature.”

“I understand, Doctor.” Dawn blushed as her gaze fell on Kalian and Hailey, then she stared at the monitor. “Uh, her heart rate is doing really well.”

Malachi chuckled. “Okay, Kallian. You better stop before things go too far.”

Kallian struggled to pull back, as Hailey’s grip locked tighter around him. He slid his hands up her arms, still lost in the sensation of her passion. He didn’t want to pull away from her, but he knew how much she would hate herself if he let it go too far. His hands twined with her fingers, and pulled them from his neck. Pressing them to her chest, he unwillingly broke free, turning his head. His mouth dipped to her ear, as she continued to kiss his cheek.