by Brenna Lyons
“You knew help was on the way?”
“Yes, I did. All I needed was time, but hiding didn’t buy me enough.”
“He tried to kill you,” Keith prodded her.
She slid her eyes away and shook her head. “No, he wanted to nullify the threat. He tried to bind my powers and put me under his control.” She rubbed her fingertips back and forth across her forehead in an oddly distracted movement before squeezing her eyes shut and wrapping her arms around her chest. The memory was very painful, he guessed.
“What went wrong?” he asked gently.
“I fought back,” she answered simply but in a shaky voice. “I freed myself before he could bind me. Then, I tried to bind him.”
“It didn’t work,” he observed.
She met his eyes again, looking absolutely tortured. “No, I wasn’t strong enough. He knocked me senseless. He decided— If I wouldn’t be bound, I would have to die. He could do that. I was a match for him mentally, but physically, I was powerless compared to him.”
“O’Hanlon showed up then?”
“Dad. And then Uncle Michael. He realized he had lost, so he decided to take me with him.”
“You held on. He was shot. You were hanging over the edge, and he tried to push you off.”
Katie swallowed and looked away. “No, he didn’t.” Her voice was strange and flat.
Keith cupped her chin and turned her face back to him. “They saw it—Michael and your dad,” he soothed her. “I already know he did.”
“They saw his hand on my head, pushing my head back. I thought the blast in my mind was intended to make me let go so I would fall, but I understand what it was now.”
A sick sensation assaulted him. “What was it?”
“He tricked me. He transferred his will into my mind, his personality. He did as much as he could before my father pulled me away.”
Keith dropped his hand from her chin slowly. “Then, he does own you,” he whispered.
“No. Let me explain. He has no powers of his own. He would have to tap into mine. I was traumatized, mentally and emotionally, but also physically. His attacks—branded me. I shut down everything at first. When I started opening up again, I stopped at my powers. I think the emotional trauma hindered me. Without knowing it, I had him trapped.”
“Had? What happened?”
She sighed raggedly. “My father died.”
“What difference did that make?” he asked in confusion.
“For ten years, I didn’t have to deal with what happened that night. By soothing me every time I needed it, my block was intact. Nothing ever had to change.”
“What happened when he died?”
“The nightmares got worse, more numerous and more intense. I had to grow past it.” She paused and met his eyes. “Growing past it meant destroying the walls that I had control over and facing what I am.”
“And he was free?”
Katie nodded.
“He’s been free to use you since then?”
“No,” she cried in horror. “Good God, no.”
“Explain,” he demanded.
“He wanted to take me by surprise. His plan was to make me think I was going insane, being haunted. Keep in mind that I didn’t know he was in there lurking around. Then, he would bind my personality and own me – body, power, and soul. He thought I would be weak from years of disuse. He would use my own powers against me.”
“And?” he prodded.
“He tried and failed. I really thought he was a ghost or something. I had no idea he was in my head, but I did know that he was using my powers against me, so I resorted to something very painful.”
“What did you do?”
“I bound my powers to my personality, sort of like passwording a file. He can’t access them now. He can’t use me. Again, I had him trapped.”
“Had? How is he doing this?”
“Kyle.” She sighed. “Kyle has powers too.”
“But Ty is trapped in you and powerless,” he protested.
“Kyle and I have a sympathetic link. We’ve always had it, but until Kyle developed other powers, I don’t think it did Ty any good.”
“Why wasn’t this link passworded like the rest of your powers?”
She shrugged. “There was no one to link to. I didn’t know it existed, so I missed it.”
“Destroy it now. Password it now.”
“I can’t. Kyle has never lived apart from me. If I do that, it will go badly for him. I can live without his input. I don’t know if he is ready to adjust to life without mine.”
“What exactly is Ty doing?”
“He’s using the link as a carrier wave. Once he’s inside Kyle’s mind, Ty uses his powers to do what he wants to do.”
“What does he want to do?”
“Ultimately? Be free.”
“Can you do that?”
“Absolutely. Will I? Hell no. I will never sacrifice Kyle to get him out of my head. That’s what he wants, you know. He wants me to buy my freedom by giving him Kyle.”
“Can you transfer his personality into someone who has no powers to trap him for good?” The thought of offering his own mind chilled him, but if it would end this, Keith could live with a trapped monster in his mind.
Katie looked at him uncertainly. “I don’t know. It would be painful, and I don’t know how his personality would function in a different type of brain. He might be able to overpower the unprotected psyche. No. That’s too much of a risk,” she decided.
“Can you bind Kyle’s powers?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Several reasons. First, the pain is incredible. I know. Second, losing half of himself would be a major trauma. Believe me, I know. Third, what if I screw up and hurt him and still botch it? Finally, it wouldn’t do any good. I have to take Ty down, not Kyle.”
“Why wouldn’t it work?” he demanded.
“I would have to do it over and over again. Any family member I have a sympathetic tie to would have the same problems. It would never end.”
“You don’t have a sympathetic bond with anyone but Kyle,” he exploded.
“Not now, I don’t, but I will.”
He looked at her in confusion.
She sighed and took his hand. “You want children?” she asked gently.
“That—That’s part of the deal?” he asked in shock. Keith hadn’t counted on that. Why hadn’t he counted on that? It was obviously something that ran in her family.
Katie dropped his hand and buried her face in her own. When she looked at him again, he could see that she was miserable. “This is a surprise to you, isn’t it?”
Keith gathered her into his arms. “No. I guess it’s not a surprise. It won’t be all of them, will it? I mean, Carol and your mother—”
“Not all,” she agreed.
“And you can control them and teach them the right way to use it?”
“Of course I can. It will be years before they can take me on.”
He sighed raggedly. “What can you do to stop Ty? Can you tie him to yourself?”
“No, I can’t,” she admitted.
“He’s too strong?” Keith asked.
“No, I can’t bind him inside myself. Concentration through pain makes that a physical impossibility.”
He pushed her away and locked onto her eyes with his hands clamped on her arms again. “What are you going to do?” he demanded.
Her eyes were sad. “Don’t worry. It will work.”
Keith tightened his grip on her arms reflexively. “He told the truth, didn’t he? You’re going to die to try and stop him, aren’t you?” he accused.
She hesitated for a moment. “No,” she answered quietly, “it won’t kill me, but it won’t be pleasant. Keith, I don’t want you there.”
“Why? What are you going to do?” he demanded again.
“I can’t. Please, Keith.” She met his eyes miserably. “I don’t want you to hear me scream anymore, and I will sc
ream,” she admitted tearfully.
Keith felt his mind shut down. “Oh God,” he breathed, “what are you doing?”
“Winning—the only way I can.”
* * *
Katheryn stretched lazily and curled into Keith’s waiting arms. Over the preceding days, she had discovered the joys of waking up in his arms. Today, they were in his bed. This time, when Keith pleaded the need to pick up clean clothes and toiletries, Katie went with him. They made it as far as packing his bag, but they never made it back out of the bedroom. The first time held an element of desperation as if each of them was sure that it would be their last time. The rest of the night was more fun and games than serious business.
Keith cupped her breast and kissed her playfully, bringing her back to the present.
“You’re incorrigible,” she teased.
He nuzzled her neck. “Is that a complaint?”
Katheryn rolled her head back as his mouth found the breast he held. “No,” she gasped, “I love it.”
Keith shifted his weight to settle over her, and his erection teased at her. “And?” he prodded, sucking on her nipple and pressing the head inside her a fraction of an inch.
“Oh, God,” she groaned. “You know I love you. Why—”
The rest of the question was lost as Keith surged into her and moved at a frantic pace. The end came quickly, and both of them lay stunned and panting at the results.
“Have you ever,” Keith started to ask.
“No,” she assured him. “I haven’t, but I want to again someday—really bad.”
“Good. That means you’ll do everything you can to survive.”
“As if you thought I wouldn’t?” She raised an eyebrow at him comically.
Keith glanced over her head at the clock on the nightstand. “Good. We have some time,” he decided.
“Time for what?”
“Our date. You still owe me a date from the little wager we made, remember?”
Katheryn laughed heartily. “Do you really feel it’s that hard getting a date with me? Okay, this time, it’s your choice. How should I dress? Or should I dress?” she teased.
“You’ll dress. For this morning? We’ll stop by your place and get you into jeans. Tight jeans are fine with the master of the date.”
“Am I changing later or just undressing?”
“Now who’s incorrigible? Changing? Sort of—”
She raised an eyebrow.
Keith smiled secretively. “You’ll see. My choice, remember?”
“Is this an addition since I spent the night with you after the drive-in?” she asked.
“Yes,” he admitted breathlessly. “I’ve wanted to do this forever.”
“Forever?”
“Okay. Ever since I undressed you in my bedroom the first time.”
“The outfit is special?” she guessed.
He laughed. “You’ll see.”
“I’m curious.”
“You’ll live.”
* * *
Keith ordered Katie to stay in bed while he made their breakfast. He served her in bed and had to short-circuit her advances. He smiled at the realization that he never thought he’d be doing that a few weeks ago. If everything went as planned, she’d be in the same shape he was at the drive-in before long. They stopped by Katie’s for a shower for her alone—he knew he had his limits—and a change of clothes.
While Katie was busy in the shower, Keith grabbed some necessities including clothes for her for the next day, determined to head the need to run to anyone’s house off at the pass. The bag stashed in the car, he waited for her to emerge so they could start their day in earnest.
The first stop was the Strip District for some shopping. To simplify matters, they parked at Station Square, took the T to Liberty Avenue, and took a bus the rest of the way out.
“Good idea,” she commented to him. “I love the T, but I hate downtown driving.”
“Don’t you mean dahntahn?” Keith teased.
“No. Pittsburghese is only good for teasing someone and trying to get you into bed. So, why didn’t we take the bus from my side of tahn?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.
He smiled widely. “You’ll see.”
“Ahh. The litany of the day. You’re getting me back for last weekend, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
“I can live with that.”
To Keith’s surprise, Katie practically filled her large purse with dried spices purchased at the various ethnic food stores along the strip. She lingered the longest at the oriental shop.
“What are you planning?” he asked suspiciously.
She eyed the breads and fruits in his bag speculatively. “I’m just restocking my larder. What are you up to?” she countered.
“Oh, no. No deal.” He stopped at one of the small coffee shops. “Care for a snack?” he offered.
“Actually, if we’re headed back—” Katie blushed. “Sorry. I forgot. It’s your turn.”
“No, tell me,” he prodded in renewed interest. “I still want to know what you like.”
“Come on. It’s back in town.” She practically danced to the bus stop, and he watched her in wonder as she left him outside the Jenny Lee Bakery.
Katie reappeared with a small box wrapped in twine. “Aren’t we eating?” he asked.
“Yep.” She handed him a cup of coffee. “Two creams, just how you like it.” She started walking across the square.
“You know me so well,” he mused. “What if I was in the mood for something sweet?”
“Oh, you’ll have sweet,” she promised. Across the square, Katie flounced onto a bench across from the Original Oyster House and started working the twine off the box patiently.
Keith reached across her and cut the offending tie with his pocketknife, and Katie smiled her thanks. He furrowed his brow as a huge green confection was placed in his hands.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Their famous frogs. They only make them for spring,” she replied. “Try it. They’re—”
“Decadent?” he offered.
Katie smiled as she bit into her own. She wiped icing from her nose and licked it from her lips as the cake disappeared.
“Is there a reason for this?” he asked as he took a huge bite. She was right again. It was an incredible experience.
“You work with kids. Anything wrong with pampering your inner child?” she countered.
“Do you make a habit of knowing every decadent experience in the city?”
“No, but in time, I could teach you quite a few.”
“Like?”
“Kunst in Oakland has the best cream puffs. Dimperio’s in Hazelwood has the best cream-filled doughnuts. There’s a little candy store two blocks up that has—” She smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll buy some on the way back to the subway. The best gravy fries are—”
“At the Potato Sack at Kennywood. Worth going there just for them,” he asserted.
She looked at him in surprise. “Yes, they are. Best ice cream flavor is Goodie’s Peachtree Schnapps in Oakland. Best ice cream cone is an Isly’s Sky Scraper.”
His smile widened. “You’re wrong on that one, but I’ll educate you later.”
She blushed. “I’d like that. So, back to the T, now?”
“Nope. One more stop first.”
“Okay. Where?”
“You’ll see. Oh, your candy store is on the way. You might as well stop now.”
Keith couldn’t see what she bought at Bolan’s, but she came out with a big box sticking out of her overstuffed purse. “Chocolate?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. There are better places for that. Where to?”
“Kaufmann’s.”
“What for?”
“Shopping.”
“What are we shopping for?” she qualified patiently.
Keith didn’t answer her. Instead, he led her to intimate apparel and spoke with one of the saleswomen. When he turned to Katie again
, it was hard for him to hide his excitement. “You are shopping for a bra and panties set, something black and pretty. I want to sweat just thinking about what you have on.”
“I’m wearing them out?”
He shook his head. “No, you’re not.”
“Ahh. For later. Okay, any guidelines?” she asked.
He considered that for a moment. “Strapless,” he decided.
“You’re not staying?” she asked.
“I have other shopping to do. I’ll meet you under the clock.” He gave her a quick kiss and started away. “Oh, and Janice there has my charge on file. She’ll put what you buy on it for me.”
“You do this often?” she teased.
“Nope. First time.” He wasted no time. On the way out of the department, he snagged a pair of thigh-high stockings. At the semi-formal department, armed with Katie’s size, he had no problem finding exactly what he wanted. One last stop and he was on his way to the clock to meet Katie.
She was there, holding a large shopping bag. Katie smiled at the large box in his hands. “Ah, he arrives.”
“Sorry.” He eyed the bag she held suspiciously. It was much too large for just the bra and panties set. “Looks like you had fun,” he commented.
“Don’t worry. Only what you asked me to buy went on your charge. I knew you’d take a long time. I shop pretty fast and I don’t get down here very often, so I sidetracked a little while I was here.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Ready to go back to the car?”
Katie nodded.
“We’ll just grab the 51C and get off at Station Square. No need to backtrack to the T.”
At the car, Keith dropped their packages in the trunk and smiled at Katie as he shut it. “We’re not getting in,” he informed her.
“We’re not?”
He shook his head and took her arm to lead her into the Freight Shops, pausing only to buy her an anklet at Crystal Rivers Gems. The anklet disappeared into his jacket pocket as he led her to the Cheese Cellar.
Katie’s eyes lit up as she read the sign. “I love this place. How did you know?”
“Darn,” he replied in mock annoyance.
She moved to wrap her arms around him. “You don’t want me to enjoy our date?” she teased.