Touched by Lightning

by Avet, Danica

  He had to bite back a smile at her chirp, affection for her filling his chest.

  Aww, don’t go falling for me, Brit. I really don’t want Gyda to play Punch Joe in the Tits with me.

  That was about the time the investigators requested Brit leave the conference room until he could comport himself in a manner that suited the solemnity of the investigation. He was laughing—and crying—too hard to care.

  * * * * *

  Gyda stared out the window of the room she’d been given upon arrival at the O.T. compound. It was a hell of a lot nicer than anything she’d ever stayed in except for Leo and Estelle’s guest room. At first, she’d been wary of this change of circumstances, especially after the grinding she’d given the healer while he was tied up. But she was allowed to come and go as she wanted, although she hadn’t tried to leave the compound yet. That was next on her list.

  The fine furnishings and the warm smiles of the others who lived in the dormitories couldn’t make up for the hell of the last week. She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself as she recalled having to relate everything she could remember from her original captivity. Luckily they’d allowed her to use a pen and paper, because if she’d had to say what happened to her… She shook her head and pressed it against the cool glass. No, better not to think about it.

  “I love you with everything I am.” The words haunted her just as the man did. She hadn’t seen him since Joe teleported her out of the prison, but the last glimpse she had of him was forever imprinted on her brain. He’d looked wild and out of control, his eyes glinting with a madness she’d only felt in herself when Tora was ready to attack someone. It’d taken several guards along with a Void to keep Brit from killing Asa with his electricity-laced bare hands.

  She’d brought him to that. It was funny in a very sad way really. How many times had he told her justice wasn’t something that should rest in one person’s hands? That vigilantism wasn’t the way of the Order of Themis? Too many to count. She’d scoffed at him then, positive he’d never understand how thrilling it was to bring a monster to justice and yet when he’d very nearly killed his cousin for what he’d done… Gyda closed her eyes.

  There had been a fierce satisfaction in his eyes when he had his fingers wrapped around Asa’s throat. The true justice he believed in, the honor she so admired in him, warped around a hatred so intense she feared he’d give in and kill his own cousin. Would it have been worth it? To a point, sure. She still wanted Asa to die, but not at the expense of Brit’s goodness.

  A soft knock sounded at the door, breaking her out of her reverie. Gyda sucked in a deep, calming breath. This had to be it. Although Joe claimed the investigators would understand her attack and the murders she’d initiated, there was no room for vigilantism in the Order of Themis. She knew that just as surely as she knew there was very little chance Brit would ever be able to forgive her for bringing darkness to his life.

  So this had to be Joe coming to tell her the final verdict. Gyda could run and keep running, but she was tired of it. So very tired of trying to outpace the monsters that chased her. She straightened her shoulders and stepped away from the window. She might not have been born with much, had been reduced to less than human by the bastards who’d taken her, but she had pride.

  Her visitor knocked again and again, this time louder, before she managed to cross the room. She frowned at their impatience and threw open the door, only to stop and stare, stunned.

  Brit stood in the hallway, the air around him crackling with his power. His face was grim, his jaw tight as though he was barely holding himself in check. His dark eyes scanned her from the top of her head, lingering on the rings in her ears and the hoop in her nose, to the tips of her bare toes, which curled into the carpet at his intense scrutiny. His emotions were inscrutable, difficult to decipher as they stared at each other.

  “Seriously? You made me teleport you all the way here and now you’re just going to gawk at her?” Joe asked from behind him, peering over Brit’s shoulder. She gave a pinky wave. “Hey, Gyda, are you going to let us in?”

  Blinking at the Director, Gyda automatically stepped back, silently offering them entry into her room. Brit stumbled into the room when he was shoved from behind by Joe, who finally jostled him out of the way.

  “I swear, he’s acting like that boy who asked me out to prom and puked on my dress when I answered the door for him,” Joe muttered under her breath. She strutted into the room as if she owned it and plopped into one of the chairs. “I do sort of own it, you know,” she drawled with a wink at Gyda. “I’m like the boss. I think I probably have the keys to every room in this place somewhere.”

  The eccentric Director peeking into her thoughts was the least of her worries though. Gyda couldn’t tear her gaze away from Brit, who quietly closed the door behind him. She didn’t know what to do with herself. She’d just been thinking he was well quit of her, but seeing him again, smelling that familiar ozone scent he carried with him, feeling the static charge of his power filling the air around him, made her heart clench and warmth flood her body.

  Joe let out a very loud, annoyed sigh. “Really? If I fall in love I swear I’m not going to be an idiot about it,” she announced to the room.

  Gyda jumped at the Director’s words, shooting her a startled look.

  The blonde snorted. “Honestly, you guys act as though I’ve never seen this shit before. You’re both so sick in love for each other, I’m getting a goddamn cavity just watching you.”

  Cheeks hot from embarrassment, Gyda slanted a glance at Brit and almost fell. He stood mere inches away from her, his eyes like bittersweet chocolate, but it was the love that emanated off him that nearly knocked her off her feet. Pure love, strong and hot and not quite innocent, not after what they’d shared, but it was still clean and freeing. Her heart felt full to bursting from his unabashed feelings for her. He wasn’t trying to hide them, was leaving himself open for anyone to see if they cared.

  Gyda ached to throw herself in his arms, to take that love and hold it close, selfishly, but he deserved so much better than her. She stepped away, wrapping her arms around herself again, shaking her head.

  “I can’t,” she told him in a rough, barely there whisper.

  His face drained of color, his pupils contracting until they nearly disappeared in the field of brown. Jaw bunching, he stepped back. Gyda may as well have ripped her heart right out of her chest and handed it to him, because there was no way she’d ever get over this.

  “I—” he began, only to be cut off by Joe.

  “Hold up,” the Director snapped as she stood to her full height. “Brit, give me and Gyda a few minutes, if you will? I’ll call you back in when we’re finished. Promise.”

  He gave a short nod, but his eyes never left Gyda as he backed out of the room, closing the door again. The minute the barrier was between them, she crumpled, the strength leaving her body in a rush.

  Gyda stared at the thick carpet, trying to pull herself back together. She’d done the right thing. If you love something, set it free, right? But why did it hurt so much? Because she was selfish and dark and dirty. Brit deserved so much more than her. He deserved to have a woman whose entire life wasn’t a series of evil events, even if they weren’t all of her making.

  The pointy toe of a bright-pink shoe appeared in her vision, its twin settling right next to it. “You’re an idiot,” Joe announced on an exasperated sigh. She suddenly crouched down next to Gyda, scooping her fingers beneath Gyda’s chin to turn her face up. The blue eyes that were usually twinkling with good humor were dark with stress and sadness. “Oh, Gyda girl,” she sighed, lowering herself to sit next to Gyda.

  “You know I’m the first female Order of Themis Director?” she asked conversationally, smoothing a hand over her expensive skirt. “When I accepted the position, I thought I had to change who I was, be tougher than the men, prove to them that I was strong and capable. And I was for all of five minutes. Because this man, some
one they assigned to be my Siphon, could see how scared I was.” She let out a little laugh, relaxing against the wall. “Brit knows women. He’d have to with all those sisters of his. Did you know I met some of them?” Gyda shook her head, enthralled by the story. Joe nodded. “Gorgeous, of course. But they’re tough as nails because Brit made sure they understood the world wouldn’t watch out for them, and as much as he wished he could, not even he could keep their hearts safe.”

  Gyda could picture that so easily, women with a strong sense of worth and independence, women who weren’t afraid to go after what they wanted because they knew they deserved it. Her heart leapt.

  Joe nodded. “Yeah, see where I’m goin’ with this? I’ve known that man for years, watched women who were all high society and shit fall over themselves in front of him and him help them back up before moving on. Not sayin’ the man was a saint ’cause…well, he’s a man. But the minute he met you, God almighty, it was as though he was breathing for the first time in his life.” She tilted her head back to smile at the ceiling. “The man turned into a goddamn fool over you, turning himself inside out to get you to smile. You’re worried about his honor, about bringing darkness to his life. Right?”

  Gyda’s throat worked for several seconds before she was able to whisper, “Yes. He wants to kill Asa. For me.”

  “Of course he does. Hell, if they gave me five minutes alone with that fucker, I’d be wearing his balls as earrings. In fact, I can think of several people who’d like to skin that little bastard alive,” she finished in a near growl before shaking herself out of her anger. “But how can you possibly think you’ve brought darkness to Brit’s life when you’re the very light that guides him in the direction of justice?”

  Startled, she looked up at the Director. “What?”

  “Right now, that man is pacing a hole in the floor, trying to figure out a way to bring you the justice he believes you deserve. He’s prepared to leave the Order of Themis and take you on some kind of Bonnie and Clyde-esque killing spree and disappear to Buenos Aires or some shit as soon as you’ve collected the hides of the men on your list.”

  “What?” Gyda nearly shouted, her heart slamming in alarm. “He can’t do that! I’d never let him do that.”

  Joe rolled her eyes. “Duh. Because you love him, but he’s willing to give up everything he’s ever believed in. For you. That man is ready to slay dragons for you because he loves you more than honor, more than justice. So do you really think he cares who deserves who?”

  But Gyda wasn’t listening anymore. She scrambled to her feet and shot out of the room. Brit was indeed pacing the hall, his back to her when she stormed into the hallway. The minute he heard the door open, he spun around, just in time to catch her as she launched herself into the safety of his arms.

  All the plans Brit was carefully putting together vacated his mind the minute he saw Gyda running toward him. Her face was streaked with tears, but glowed with the love he’d hoped and prayed she felt for him. When she hit his chest, his arms closed around her even as he staggered back to hit the wall. His head banged into the fire extinguisher, but he couldn’t have cared less about the pain in his skull.

  “You can’t do it,” she whispered against his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. “You can’t. Not for me. You deserve so much better than me, Brit.”

  He tightened his arms around her, squeezing hard enough that she lifted her face to get air. Brit dipped his head to kiss her hard on the lips. “When are you going to realize you’re worth everything to me, woman? I’d lie, cheat and steal for you. Only you. I love you more than my own life.”

  He kissed her again, swallowing a harsh sob that seemed to come from the depths of her soul. But she kissed him back, her hands clinging to his head, pulling him even closer as though she was afraid he’d leave her. Never, he swore to himself and her, a heavy vow he silently accepted. He’d never let her go. He couldn’t because she was the other half of his soul.

  Brit didn’t know how long they kissed, didn’t care either. He finally had the woman he loved in his arms, her whispered words of love branding him down to his soul. But when he heard the delicate clearing of a feminine throat followed by muffled giggling, he finally let Gyda up for air, huffing and puffing as though he’d run five miles. Lifting his head, he glanced around to see the hallway packed with recruits and trainers, all of them grinning at him, some with tears in their eyes, but none smiled so broadly as Joe.

  “Now that we’ve just turned this into a PG-13 feature presentation, can we finish the business at hand?”

  Gyda buried her face in Brit’s neck, the heat assuring him that she was blushing. If he wasn’t so happy to have her in his arms, he might have taken exception to Joe’s bullshit. As it was, all he could do was offer his boss a goofy grin.

  With his arm around Gyda’s shoulders, Brit followed Joe back into the dorm room, the crowd dispersing with catcalls and jokes. Sure, she hadn’t said the words, but with Gyda he’d never needed words. The way she shyly peeked at him through her eyelashes and easily snuggled into his side as they entered her room were clear indications that she embraced what they had. The words would come later. Much later when he was able to gently coax them out of her.

  Daydreaming about how to do that, Brit led Gyda to one of the two big chairs in the room and sat, pulling her into his lap. Joe sat across from them, rolling her eyes with exasperation.

  “I really hope your brain becomes cleaner the longer you’re together. Good God, I’m going to have to put a damn label on you two,” she joked as she smoothed her skirt.

  Brit refused to be ashamed of his desire for Gyda and gave her waist a small squeeze when she stiffened. She gave him a smile that was part siren, part innocent and all her, making his dick swell with want. He couldn’t wait to get her alone. He glanced around the suite, his mind already cataloging the things he wanted to do to her in it.

  “For fuck’s sake stop already!” Joe pleaded. “I have official business to speak with you about before you commence to fucking like bunnies.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Brit said with another gentle squeeze of Gyda’s hip. Then he sobered. “What did the IID decide?”

  Joe’s smile dimmed. “Well, it’s better than I’d hoped, although not as good as I wanted. Asa—”

  She paused, her head tilting to the side as though she was hearing something they couldn’t. Considering her abilities, Brit supposed she was. Then her face darkened, her eyes widening with horror. She sat forward, her hands clutching at the arms of the chair, seeing something, hearing something Brit and Gyda couldn’t. But Gyda’s head whipped around, her eyes on Joe who suddenly slumped into her chair as though she’d lost the strength in her body.

  Her hand shook as she lifted it to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Fuck me,” she whispered.

  “What?” Brit demanded. While Joe was usually a drama queen, something about this felt important. “What happened?”

  She shook her head, dropping her hand. “Asa…I don’t believe this.”

  Gyda’s fingernails dug into Brit’s arm, her body rigid with tension. “Joe, for fuck’s sake, what happened?” Brit barked at his boss.

  “We had him in one of the isolation cells waiting for a full interrogation by a justice squad. No one went in the cell, or even near the cell.” She paused to swallow hard and whispered, “He must’ve had some kind of trigger or switch implanted. It’s the only way they would’ve been able to bypass our protective measures.”

  “What. Happened.”

  Joe stared at him and Gyda. “I’ve mentioned before how he was a blank slate, how I couldn’t actually read him almost the same way as I couldn’t really read Gyda. But Sixteen had mental shields that protected her from the worst part of whatever mind wipe Asa experienced. He knew his part in her captivity, but not who ordered it.” She stopped to suck in a deep breath. “His brain is fried.” She shook her head. “No, not just fried, he’s a complete vegetable and unresponsive to any stimuli. Some
one, a very powerful telepath or mind manipulator, managed to slip through the protective net we keep on all prisoners and fried his brain. They’re telling me his brain is nothing but mush.”

  Her words fell into the silence of the room like a drop in a bottomless well, hanging over them for what seemed like forever.

  Brit couldn’t find it in himself to feel sorry for his cousin, not after what he’d overheard in that video or what Gyda had screamed at him in her cell. He felt bad for his aunt, Asa’s mother, who was a good woman who’d done the best she could with the material she’d been given, but any sympathy he might have felt for a fellow O.T. member was absent. Asa had been pure evil and he deserved death.

  “What does this mean for Gyda’s case?” he asked the question he knew she had to be wondering as well.

  Joe took in a shuddering breath. “It means she’s going to have to be watched carefully, monitored by a trusted member of the O.T. for a minimum of five years. That’s what the IID decided before this happened.” She held up her hand when Brit opened his mouth to protest. “In light of recent events, those being the impossibility of Asa giving us any information on who pulled his strings, I’m offering Gyda the position as a consultant with the Order of Themis’ Human Trafficking Taskforce. She’ll report directly to you, Brit. I’d like to bring Estelle and Leo Jendrix into this as the co-leaders of the taskforce, but that offer hasn’t been approved by the Sector Leaders yet. In the meantime, Gyda will have to complete full O.T. Boot Camp.”

  Brit looked at Gyda, who had lowered her eyes with the news of Asa’s death. Her face was pale, but he didn’t think it was regret. When she glanced up at him, he saw the feral light behind the bright green of her eyes, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It seemed at some point in the last few days she’d gained control of her other selves.

  “Do you want to do this?” he asked in a low tone, even though he knew Joe could still hear them. “I’ll only agree to it if you want it as well. If not, I’ll turn in my resignation and we’ll live at my cabin. They can keep tabs on you from there.”