Shadow of the Coalition

by Jamie A. Waters

  “No!” Kayla shook her head. “No meds, Mack. I can handle it.”

  “You’re hurting pretty badly again. If you won’t take the meds, you can have more to drink. Let’s go check that arm and see if you pulled it back out,” Mack said as he carried her back into the common room. Carl ignored Mack’s threat and followed them into the room with everyone else trailing behind him.

  Mack put her on the couch and grabbed the bottle of vodka from the other side of the room. He poured another glass and sat beside her.

  “Drink it,” he ordered.

  She lifted the glass and swallowed it down quickly. The warmth filled her, and Kayla handed him the empty glass. Mack put it down and carefully removed the splint from her arm. His hands were gentle as he ran his hands up her arm toward her shoulder, feeling and prodding along the way. Kayla winced and bit her lip while he checked to make sure her shoulder hadn’t popped back out.

  Carl’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell happened to her?”

  “She dislocated her shoulder,” Leo said in irritation and turned to Kayla. “Dammit, girl, you told me being here wouldn’t interfere with our trading relationships.”

  Without taking his eyes off Kayla, Carl said, “Your trading relationships aren’t an issue, Leo, but I’m not leaving without her. When I go, she’s coming with me. That arm needs to be properly treated.”

  “You already had your chance.” Mack snarled and stood, taking a protective stance in front of her. “You’re going to stay the hell away from her. You traders are all the same. You think you can just jerk her around because she’s a ruin rat?”

  “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Carl snapped.

  “I know you screwed with her head pretty damn good.”

  “Stop it!” Kayla tried to push Mack out of the way. He took a small step to the side but didn’t budge. The pain in her arm was excruciating, and she didn’t want to have to deal this on top of her shoulder. Her brain was fuzzy enough as it was. “Carl, I don’t want to talk to you right now. Just go away and leave me alone.”

  Carl shook his head. “I’m not leaving until we work this out. If you want to take a swing at me, too, you’re welcome to it, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you disappear again.”

  Veridian frowned. “Kayla, give him five minutes. You owe him that much.”

  Kayla glared at Veridian. His betrayal at bringing Carl here cut deep. “Like hell I do. I don’t owe him a damn thing. Whose side are you on anyway?”

  “Yours, Kayla,” Veridian answered, an apology in his eyes. “Always yours.”

  She looked away, still unhappy by Carl’s presence, but she couldn’t bring herself to be angry with Veridian. He didn’t know everything that had happened, and that was her fault. She hadn’t told him.

  Mack crossed the room and got right up into Carl’s face. In a low, rumbling voice, he said, “You heard her, Trader. Get lost.”

  Carl’s fists clenched, but he stood his ground and warned, “I suggest you back off. This has nothing to do with you.”

  “Mack,” Leo said sharply and pointed to the door. “Get out of here. I don’t need you making this any worse.”

  “Fuck that, Leo,” Mack said, crossing his arms. “I’m not going anywhere until this asshole is gone.”

  Leo stepped forward. “You really want to go up against me, boy?”

  Mack scowled and moved away from Carl but didn’t leave the room. Leo’s eyes narrowed on Carl. “Trader, you have no business being in my camp and interrupting my operation. I think it’s time you left.”

  “As long as Kayla’s here, it’s my business. Even though Mack took a swing at me, I don’t have any issues with you and your camp right now. I’d like to keep it that way.”

  Carl turned to Kayla, his eyes softening as he looked at her. “I never meant to hurt you or push you away. If you really want me to leave, I will, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to fix this.”

  Kayla opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t find words. The love that shone in his eyes enveloped her in its warmth, weakening her resolve. None of this was Carl’s fault. She wasn’t being fair to him. The whole thing with Alec, the engagement, the energy… it was all just too much. She’d hurt him too. Taking a deep breath, Kayla nodded in agreement.

  Leo sighed and shook his head. “Damn women and their fickle minds. Go ahead and talk. We’ll be in the other room.”

  “I’m not leaving her alone with him.”

  “It’s okay, Mack. I’ll be fine,” Kayla assured him, although she had her doubts. Carl had a way of turning her to mush when she was clearheaded. She wasn’t sure she stood a chance against him now. She didn’t know if she wanted to.

  Mack apparently still had his doubts too. He frowned and hesitated. “You sure, darlin’? I’ll stay if you want.”

  Kayla nodded. Mack gave Carl a hard look and then followed Leo, Veridian, and Marshall out of the room. Brant remained behind and leaned against the wall on the far side of the room. Carl jerked his head toward the door, but Brant stood his ground.

  “I have my orders, Trader. I’m not leaving.”

  “Hiya, Fluffy,” Kayla said with a small smile. She still felt a smidgen of guilt about fighting dirty and smacking him down with his own weapon, but he shouldn’t have gotten in her way. Brant didn’t reply, but his mouth folded into a hard, firm line. It was obvious he wasn’t happy with her either.

  A puzzled expression crossed Carl’s face. “Fluffy?”

  “Yeah. I shot him with his own weapon. Sorry about that. I tried not to hurt you too bad.”

  “You didn’t hurt me,” Brant replied. He hesitated for a moment and then added, “It’s a little difficult to adequately defend yourself against someone you’ve been ordered to protect. It was an interesting lesson to learn.” A small smile traced his lips. “You fight like a crazed tigress.”

  Kayla grinned and slumped against the back of the couch. Carl sat next to her, his eyes roaming over her and lingering on the bruises and abrasions before stopping at her shoulder. The concern in his eyes touched her, and she drank in the sight of him. It had only been a day, but she’d missed him. A small cut at the edge of his mouth where Mack had hit him caught her attention. She lifted her uninjured hand and touched it gently.

  “Does it hurt?”

  At her words, Carl reached up to touch his lip. “Your friend obviously doesn’t think much of me. He’s got an impressive right hook. Let’s leave it at that.”

  “He doesn’t like traders,” Kayla said with a soft smile. “No one here does. You guys are baaaad news.”

  Carl studied her with a frown and glanced at her empty glass. “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Mmm, a bit.” She stretched out her legs, trying to remember how much she drank. Maybe three? Four? They were small glasses. She could probably use another. “My arm hurt so Sergei gave me some vodka. Can you hand me another glass? It still hurts.”

  Carl hesitated a moment but poured a small amount of the clear liquid into her glass. She drank it quickly. It didn’t burn as much anymore. Strange how that happened.

  “What happened to your arm?”

  “I crashed my bike so I wouldn’t hit a ghost,” she said matter-of-factly. The thought of trying to avoid the ghostly figure struck her as funny and she laughed.

  “A ghost?” Carl frowned, clearly confused. “Maybe you’ve had too much to drink, sweetheart.”

  Kayla shook her head. “Yep. Alec said it was an echo of the past. I don’t think I like ghosts much though. They run into the road and almost get you killed. Or they jump out at you in the mirror.”

  Brant’s sharp intake of breath caught her attention. She turned to find him staring at her in disbelief.

  Carl flicked his gaze toward Brant. “What? What does that mean?”

  “She’s an untrained spirit energy channeler,” Brant said in a near whisper. There was no mistaking the awe in his voice.

  Carl’s expression
was bewildered. “I know she’s untrained, but what’s a spirit energy channeler? Is what she’s saying accurate? She actually saw a ghost?”

  “Yes,” Brant said without taking his eyes off of her. The security officer was studying her as though she were some sort of exotic creature capable of disappearing at any moment.

  Even intoxicated, she didn’t like the scrutiny. Kayla waved her empty glass in the air. “I could use another.”

  Carl took the glass and put it on the table. “Maybe you should wait a bit. We found your bike. It’s back at my camp.”

  “That’s nice,” she mused and then frowned. “Hey, wait, you stole my bike!”

  “No, it’s safe,” he corrected. “We found it for you and traced your coordinate history back to Leo’s camp. Do you want to come back with me and get it? We can fix your arm too.”

  Kayla bit her lip, trying to think. There was a reason she came here, but her thoughts were fuzzy and it was hard to concentrate. She was supposed to be figuring something out, wasn’t she? “I don’t think so. I think I want to be a ruin rat again.” She lowered her gaze. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t want to hurt either.”

  Carl closed his eyes for a minute and took a deep breath. He lowered his forehead to rest against hers. “I know, sweetheart. I don’t blame you for feeling that way. I was out of line with what I said to you back at the towers. I had no right to put you in that position and ask you to make that kind of choice. I know you probably wanted more time before seeing me again, but I couldn’t stay away.”

  Carl’s closeness and words captivated her. She inhaled deeply, trying to memorize his scent. There were a thousand times today that she’d thought about him, wishing he were there. Kayla needed this man like she needed her next breath. He was her biggest strength and greatest weakness all in one. The thought terrified and exhilarated her at the same time. She ran her fingers lightly along the contours of his face. “I didn’t think you wanted me anymore.”

  “Not want you?” Carl gaped at her and wrapped his hand around her wrist, holding her to him. “Kayla, I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you. Why do you think the situation with Alec frustrates me? Every time he puts his hands on you, I want to drag him out of the Inner Sanctum and show him exactly what I think of him.”

  Brant cleared his throat, and Carl glared at him. “If you’re going to sit here and listen, at least pretend you’re invisible.”

  “Your treasonous comments aside, I’m not sure how well you can reason with her if she’s intoxicated,” Brant pointed out.

  “What do you suggest?” Carl asked in a dry tone. “I think we’re a little too far down the evolutionary track for me to club her over the head and drag her back to my cave.”

  “Pick her up and take her out of here,” Brant replied casually. “Or I’ll do it myself. She’s not safe here, especially if she’s what I suspect. She needs to be returned to the tower immediately. She’s in no condition to argue the point. This location is not secure.”

  “No,” Kayla sat up in a panic as his words registered. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she put her hand on Carl’s arm to steady herself. She couldn’t handle the energy right now. Not like this. She had to keep her distance from Alec before she made things with Carl even worse. “I don’t want to go back to the towers yet. I can’t.”

  “It’s all right, sweetheart,” Carl said in a soothing voice and put his arm around her. “You don’t have to go back there. No one is going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

  Kayla relaxed at his words, confident he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Brant scowled. “It’s not your place to make such promises, Trader. You have no idea what you’re dealing with here. She needs to be in the towers.”

  “You’re not touching her,” Carl snapped. “She’ll either come with us willingly or she’ll remain here. I won’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do, sober or not. Frankly, she’s probably safer here than just about anywhere. There’s no way in hell these guys would let anything happen to her, and they have no love for the towers. You saw what happened when I walked in the camp. The only reason we’re even talking to her right now is because she agreed to it.”

  “You underestimate the Inner Circle’s reach,” Brant warned. “You don’t think these people can be bought for a handful of credits?”

  Carl ignored him and turned back to Kayla. She was having a difficult time following the conversation, but she got the impression she was going to have to kick Brant’s ass again. It would have to be later though. It seemed like too much trouble right now.

  Kayla laid her head against Carl’s chest and closed her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat. “You really do smell good,” she murmured and snuggled against him.

  Carl brushed his lips against her hair and tightened his arms around her. “Why don’t we get your things and I can take you back to my camp? Would you like to go back there instead?”

  She snuggled deeper into his arms and tilted her head up to kiss him. He returned her kiss gently, careful not to jostle her.

  “Sweetheart, let’s go get your arm fixed,” he urged. “It looks like it hurts. Where’s your bag?”

  “Mmm… crew’s quarters.”

  “Can you tell me where that is?”

  “I can show you,” a voice came from the hallway. Kristin walked into the room and eyed the two men. She offered Carl a warm smile. “I’m Kristin, and you must be Carl.”

  “Yes, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “No, we haven’t. I’ve heard quite a bit about you though. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m guessing you’re here to convince Kayla to go back with you?”

  “That’s what I’m hoping,” he admitted.

  Kayla traced her fingers along his jaw. “He’s too pretty to be a trader. Don’t you think so, Kris?”

  Carl sighed and shook his head in exasperation. Kristin laughed at his reaction. “Sergei mentioned he brought over a bottle of vodka. Looks like she got into it.”

  The room was starting to spin, and Kayla closed her eyes. The spinning feeling continued even with her eyes shut. It was beginning to look like she needed to avoid men bearing gifts of alcohol.

  “I don’t think any of us thought she’d be staying here long,” Kristin said to Carl quietly. “I can take you to the crew’s quarters to collect her things. I figured she’d be going back with you when I heard you were here. She cares about you a great deal.”

  “I’m going to grab your bag and then take you back to my camp, sweetheart. Is that okay?” Carl’s voice was a warm breath in Kayla’s ear.

  She nodded and put her uninjured arm around his neck, too tired to argue anymore. She’d go anywhere as long as Carl was with her. When he lifted her, she snuggled against him and blissfully slipped into unconsciousness.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The guilt was eating away at Carl. He’d pushed Kayla too far too fast. What the hell had he been thinking by demanding she abandon Alec to his fate? Insisting she make a decision right then and there was just foolish. She had been letting him in little by little and he had to go and push her past the breaking point. The whole situation with Alec had pressed all his buttons, and he’d lost it.

  It was too soon. He had to remember Kayla was still coming to terms with everything–her life as a ruin rat being over, her identity as an Inner Circle member, the energy, and their relationship.

  Their argument had opened his eyes though. Kayla never talked about her past except the one time he’d pushed her to talk about Pretz. That had ended in a disaster too. Carl had an idea, but he’d never fully realized the depths of her pain or the responsibility she felt at keeping her camp companions safe.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face and paced the length of the small medical room. He’d come so close to losing her. Again. When they were arguing and that light had gone out of her gorgeous green eyes, he’d thought it was over between them. Although he couldn’t prove it, and the
High Council leader hadn’t admitted it outright, Carl was convinced Alec had orchestrated the entire event in the café.

  He’d thought it odd when Leah approached him that morning. They hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and she’d never come on as strong as she had that day. He’d wondered about her prodding questions about life on the surface but assumed she was just trying to catch up. At least, until she admitted to being a reporter.

  The warning signs had all been there. It was more than her insistence that they catch up and the heavy flirting. Leah had always been a troublemaker with a penchant for gossip. Her tendency to be self-centered and shallow overshadowed any redeeming qualities she might have once possessed. Someone must have promised her something rather elaborate to pull off that stunt.

  Carl had been sure Kayla was going to leap across the table and yank out the reporter’s hair. Although it was probably wrong of him, he’d found Kayla’s jealousy endearing. The corner of his lips lifted in a small smile as he shook his head at the thought. God, he was crazy about the woman. He turned back to look at her motionless form again, and the smile disappeared.

  “Quit beating yourself up, Carl. She’s fine,” Jinx said and adjusted the vital sign monitor. The redhead reached into a drawer and pulled out some medicinal cream. She tossed it to him, forcing him to stop pacing long enough to catch it. “If you’re going to be in here, you can at least help.”

  Carl looked down at the small container and tightened his fingers around it. Jinx was right. He needed to focus and not obsess like a lovesick idiot. He put a dollop of the cream on Kayla’s arm and gently began to rub it in.

  “The liquor’s been flushed out of her system, and the ligaments in her shoulder are almost done regenerating. She’ll be a little sore for a day or two, and she’ll need to rest that arm.”

  Carl nodded at Jinx’s words, distracted by the bruises on Kayla’s skin, and he was reminded of the first time she’d come to his camp as he’d applied the cream to her. It had taken everything he had not to grab her then and kiss her senseless. He’d wanted to touch her so badly, and the cream had been a perfect excuse.