“I do not doubt there will be,” he replied. I waited for more, but he turned away. “Get dressed and have a quick breakfast. I will meet you in the examining room in twenty minutes.” He shut the door behind him.
I sat there a little stunned and surprised. Delaney isn’t walking me today?
I quickly dressed and checked on Sprig. He was still fast asleep or pretending to be. I patted him gently before heading out. He was my tiny anchor, keeping me grounded to what really mattered.
Though I rarely saw anyone when I went to the bathroom or walked to the cafeteria, my senses told me I wasn’t alone. Liam was somewhere in the shadows, watching and keeping tabs on me.
I didn’t defer my walk to the cafeteria; the secret eyes kept my path straight. It was hard when I passed Croygen’s hallway not to want to sneak a glance, but I forced my head straight. The key card rubbing against my lower back was a silent reminder I would see him tonight. The thought of leaving the card behind to be discovered overrode my fear of getting caught with it. It was a gift I didn’t want to part with.
Kate was nowhere to be seen in the cafeteria, which disappointed me. Even if she were there, she probably wouldn’t risk talking to me again. But she was the olive branch I needed. The only other turncoat in this war.
Eyes watched me as I ate my oatmeal alone. No one dared to even sit at a table near me. Wow! I actually haven’t left high school. I snorted, shoving another spoonful into my mouth. Except in high school people sought me out, usually for protection. All the way through school, my round, sweet face made me have to prove over and over why they should fear me. I always did. Soon, even the biggest and toughest were trying to associate with me. I ran with a rough crowd during the week and an even wilder one on the weekends.
“Rapava told me we have to cancel our session today,” a voice spoke above me. I looked up to a tall blond. Peter’s stern gaze met mine. His arms were crossed.
“Yeah. More tests.”
“Too bad,” he replied. “Your roundhouse kick is shit, and your arm strength is pathetic.”
“Not my decision.”
Peter frowned. “It simply means I go harder on you tomorrow. Be prepared to get your ass handed to you again. And maybe you should cut back on the sugar.” He pointed to the pile of honey packets on my tray, then whipped around and sauntered away.
A grin tickled my lips. That was the closest to approval and acceptance Peter would ever show me. This was how he treated me before the “incident.” A surge of confidence and optimism pushed me off my seat. I threw away my dish and headed out, snatching the extra honey packages and stuffing them in my sports bra.
My plan to re-establish myself, become one of them again, was slowly working. Peter was one of my toughest opponents. If I got him, the rest would follow.
Even Rapava.
When I walked from the cafeteria, my confidence fell away the nearer I got to the lab. Every hour, every minute of being stabbed, cut, examined, drugged, and prodded wore me down. Whatever Rapava was trying to figure out, he was being obsessively thorough.
Every tube or syringe he brought near me and shoved in my vein or down my throat, I bit back my tears and repeated: “Whatever I need to do to help.” My will was slipping; I could feel it. Every day the injections tore my powers from me, while the testing challenged my resolve. The only thing keeping me going was my determination to ruin the man doing this.
When underground, I only knew time by the lights turning off or on. A couple of times Rapava’s wristwatch faced me, so I caught the gap in hours passing. When I last looked it was well past four in the afternoon.
“It’s good to see you being yourself again.” Dr. Rapava stared at me over his clipboard, gauging my reaction. His eyes were always scrutinizing and critical, staring at me as an experiment rather than a person.
Blood dripped down my arms from the abundance of needle jabs. Exhaustion and pain lowered my defenses, and I didn’t trust myself to speak. A big fuck you lay on my tongue, seeking release.
“I know you are working hard to return to your former station here, to earn the respect back from your peers. Me.” Rapava set down the chart. “I feel the more progress you attain here, the less those dreams might keep you awake at night.”
Quicksand. It was under my feet again.
“You were always more intelligent than Daniel. I could see you would soon outgrow him. You were a quick study, understanding dangers Daniel never could.” Rapava’s voice and face were expressionless, never clearly revealing if the threat I sensed was real. “You remind me of me when I was young. You came from nothing, but you bucked the system, climbed out of the gutter and became something. You are a fighter and survivor, Zoey, no matter the odds against you. I am enormously proud.”
I chomped down on my tongue, keeping myself from rejecting our comparison with abhorrence.
He clasped his hands together, a pinched grin on his face. “Because you have been good, I want to give you more incentive to keep on your path.” Rapava strolled to the internal phone and spoke quietly into it. What was he up to? My eyes tracked him as he came back, untying the straps around my arms. The blood from my wounds was clotting. I missed the fae powers; with them I would be able to heal a lot faster.
“I understand your need to keep the fae contained and under control, but don’t you need their powers? Their powers and willingness to fight against their own kind?” I shifted to the edge of the seat, too weak to stand yet.
“Yes to both,” Rapava replied, leaning back against the counter. “I am working on one so the other can follow. It is going slower than I hoped. Until I can fully control their minds, I will have to keep their powers from being used against me.”
“Control their minds?”
“It’s another formula I am working on. You will be meeting one of my test subjects soon.”
This man’s god complex multiplied every day.
“You might be able to help me.”
I forced myself to breath in and out evenly. “How could I possibly help?”
“I’ve heard rumors that you and your fae companion were in possession of a certain stone. A stone which holds great power, enough to control every fae.”
Don’t react, Zoey.
Quickly my mind tried to gauge Rapava. He wouldn’t mention it unless he knew for sure of its existence and my proximity to it.
“Yes. Like the others searching for it, I tried to discover its whereabouts. I thought the fae’s and my connection would shed some light on the location.” I twisted the fib out of my mouth. “I was never able to learn anything except it’s hidden somewhere between China and Magnolia.”
“And you believed it?”
“It was something I overheard the Wanderer say when he thought I was asleep. I have no reason not to believe it.”
Rapava stared at me. A trickle of sweat wound around my spine.
“Come, Zoey. I think we both know you are smarter than that.” The intensity of his gaze was causing me to want to wiggle, but I stayed put. “It is a lot closer than that.”
It was like fire shot from my feet to my head with a zap. Keep calm. Keep calm.
“You’re probably right, but I’m no longer in the situation to ask,” I countered.
“If you were, do you think you would have the talent and capability to retrieve this information?”
“I would like to think so,” I replied stoically.
“Would you do anything to obtain what I need?”
I gulped. “I would do anything in my power, sir.”
A knock shook the door, and a strange gleam sparked in Rapava’s eyes as he straightened and moved toward the door. “I will keep it in mind.”
Hell. I felt I had walked into a trap—one he had set for me.
Rapava opened the door to Liam and a figure standing next to him.
My attention was so focused on the knots in my stomach and trying to stay composed, I didn’t really take notice.
“Come in, my dear.�
� Rapava motioned for the person to enter, dragging my attention to the door.
Everything ceased.
Air drained from my lungs and I slowly rose, my head shaking back and forth in immediate denial of my senses. My entire universe swayed under me, and I grabbed on to the lab table to steady me.
A lanky, petite frame with crutches outlined the outer door. She stood stiff and guarded.
No. I’m hallucinating...
Rapava signaled again for her to enter.
“Come in and say hello to your sister, Lexie.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lexie alive?
I couldn’t move or breathe, too afraid I would shatter the illusion if I made a sound. My sister was alive. My brain struggled with what my eyes took in, and what had really happened.
“But…I-I saw…you…the fire,” my voice choked.
“You saw her chair,” Rapava said.
I turned back to the girl. Lexie still stood in the doorway, staring at me with a cool aloofness I had never seen directed toward me. And she’s standing. My brain understood this change, but it was not my focus. Nothing mattered except her.
I didn’t even remember moving until my arms were wrapped around her. Standing, she was an inch taller than me, her skinny frame engulfed by my arms.
“Lexie.” Tears spilled down my face as I pulled her closer to me. Her beautiful wavy black hair tickled my nose, creating more tears. The happiness of seeing her and holding her again was so overwhelming it took me awhile before I realized she was not hugging me back. I pulled back, my hands not letting go of her. “Are you okay?” I touched her face as my eyes scoured her frame.
“Yes.” Her voice was like a hand came in and squeezed my lungs together. I pulled her back into me, letting the tears fall freely now.
“I thought you were dead.” I rocked us back and forth.
She stayed board-stiff in my arms.
“What happened? How did you get out?” I brushed the tears away, leaning back to see her face.
“Lexie contacted us before the fire.” Rapava’s voice was like acid in my wounds.
Keeping her clutched to me, I swung around to him. “How could you keep her from me all this time? Why did you let me believe she was dead?”
“She asked for us not to tell you at first,” Rapava replied.
“What? I don’t understand.”
“Lexie came to us about a month before the fire. She figured out you had been lying to her and followed you one night. She’s a smart little girl and when she asked to see me, I obliged. She knew she was dying, Zoey, a painful, cruel, slow death. She offered herself as a test subject for a chance at life, to walk again. How could I refuse? It was the least I could do for her.” His words dug into my chest and twisted around. “When she couldn’t get a hold of you the night of the fire, she called us. Hugo and Marv barely got her out in time. Too late for your caregiver.” The way he said it made me believe they could have saved her and chose not to. “Lexie was barely alive the brief moment you came back here last time. After hearing about Daniel, I didn’t want to give you hope and take it away again. By the time she was out of the woods, you were gone.”
What a fucking liar.
“With or without you, I saw no reason to let this special girl die. As you see, Lexie has been given legs. The transplants are not adapting liked I hoped, but she can stand with help now, which is progress. I hope to keep advancing in my treatment for her.”
My gaze shot to Lexie’s legs. They were covered by baggy pants and bent under her weight, crutches under her arms. But she was standing.
“Lexie.” My fingers cupped her face, the need to touch her and make sure she was real overwhelmed me. She watched me. Finally her silent aloofness caught up to my mind. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you talking?” More silence. “Why isn’t she talking?” I shot over my shoulder at the doctor.
“I think it is time to take Lexie back to her room.” Rapava nodded his head at Liam.
“No!” I reached for Lexie’s wrist.
“I think this is enough for the day.” Rapava stepped between us. “If you continue to behave, you can spend more time with her tomorrow.”
“Lexie!” I shoved my way through the doctor and Liam.
“Good night, Zoey.” Lexie looked at me, her head tilted, her eyes watchful.
“What did you do to her?” I shouted at Rapava.
Liam pulled Lexie back out of the room as I leaped for her. Rage balled my fists, ready to strike anyone keeping me away from my sister.
“Zoey, stop!” Rapava commanded. “I know you are emotional right now, but don’t let all your hard work go to waste. Don’t force me to keep Lexie away from you permanently.”
My struggle fizzled at his threat.
I whispered her name as Liam took her away. She glanced over her shoulder at me, and a brief emotion I couldn’t decipher filtered over her face before she turned. Her crutches clicked down the hallway, disappearing from sight.
I swung around, no longer able to hide my feelings. Fury burned my throat. “What did you do to my sister?”
“She is the first human to receive my new mind stimulus. I needed to try it on humans, especially ones receiving fae blood, to see how it works.”
“You’re mind-controlling my sister?” My lips hitched in a snarl.
“I am not doing anything she didn’t agree to do.” Rapava crossed his arms defensively.
“She’s twelve.”
Strain whitened his lips. “I am not the bad person here. She wanted me to test on her. To help her walk again. This will aid others like her. She’s a special girl. I have only her well-being and best interests in mind.”
Another lie. Even if he believed it. I’d experienced him explain what he was doing in the labs, the way he could make it sound heroic and noble. It was not hard to see anyone, especially a dire and desperate preteen, falling for his spiel.
“It is not harming her in any way. It’s a simple formula. I can assess her mood and responses. But it’s only for short bursts of time, and it has yet to work on the fae mind.”
This must be why he kept our visit short. Soon she would break away from his control. Hopefully she could develop an immunity to it like the fae. This was the true reason for his interest in the stone. My anger was shaking loose the monster inside me who thrived on pounding an opponent till they were unconscious and who craved the doctor’s blood on her lips.
“She’s a little girl. Dying and desperate for hope. How could you take advantage of her like that?” Vehement rage rattled my body.
Rapava cocked his head. “You want to assume responsibility for your sister’s care?”
“Yes.” I didn’t hesitate in my response.
“Fine. Your sister’s care is completely in your hands.” He dropped his arms, an edge creeping around his vocals. “You want me to find a permanent cure for her to walk again? Have her stop being my test subject? Then do what I ask, and I will do everything in my power to keep her protected and healthy.”
Rapava’s words hit me harder than if he attacked me. His veiled threat meant he could just as easily end her. His past had ripped any empathy and compassion from his soul. I had seen it happen before on the street. When pain and loss had consumed someone so much, they no longer could feel. And everything bad they did was rationalized in their heads to be okay. Walking the line of madness.
And my sister’s life was now riding on a whim of a madman and my behavior.
The lock clicked behind me, and I beelined to my bed, sitting with my head in my hands.
“Bhean.” Sprig crawled out of his cage. “Wow, you look like crap again.”
I didn’t move.
“Bhean, are you okay?”
“No.” I bit down on my lip. Tears choked my throat. “I’m not.”
My sister was alive. She was a being mind-controlled. Another victim of Rapava’s Frankenstein army. But she was alive. It was only fact that truly mattered. The rest I could deal wit
h later.
Lack of blood, food, and being saturated by extreme emotions caused me to crumble weakly back on the bed, curling onto my side.
Sprig hopped over to the bed, coming over to me. Seeing his sweet little face, I reached out, pulling him into me, crushing him into my chest. At the moment I didn’t feel like talking or telling him about my sister. I would, but first I needed to absorb it was true. To wrap my mind around seeing her again. Rapava’s threat. Everything was jumbled and surreal.
Usually Sprig would say something silly, but he seemed to understand my mood. I needed him near, giving me comfort. We stayed like this for a while before I felt him wiggle against my hold.
“I am sorry, Bhean, but your boobs are poking me.” He pointed between my breasts. “They keep crinkling. That’s not normal, right? You aren’t stuffing your bra to impress people, are you? Is this a fetish I don’t want to know about?”
Crinkling. Stuffed bra.
“Oh, I forgot.” I slid my hands in my sports bra.
“Seriously? With me here?” Sprig covered his eyes.
I tugged out several packets from my bra. “I got these for you at breakfast.”
He peered between his fingers, his eyeballs moving over the items in my hands. “Is... is that…?”
“Honey?” I smiled. “Just for you.”
Sprig’s mouth and arms dropped. “For me?”
I tore one open, the smell of the sweet syrup filled my nose.
Sprig’s hand shook as he reached out for it. “It’s a mirage, isn’t it? You are not really real.” His finger poked into the plastic. Then he snatched it out of my hands. The honey was in his mouth before I could even blink, and he licked every inch of the packet dry.
“More. More. More.” Like a junkie, his hands opened and closed with need. He downed the last two the same as the first.
“Ahh!” He bounced around on the bed. “Bhean, you’re the best. That was so awesome. Can I have more? Oh, did they have those granola bars? What about churros? Oh, my pixie sticks. I want Izel’s pancakes.” He zipped around the room, jumping and swinging from every item he could. “Can you hide those in your bra too? Oh-oh-oh, I’m calling you Honey Tits from now on.”
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