Mind Game

by Iris Johansen

  “I can understand. I just regret being in the middle of your problem.” She met Lisa’s eyes. “And I believe that if I’d been hurt or killed because I was trying to help you, you’d regret it, too. You try to be very tough, but you couldn’t feel as strongly as you do about Caleb if you didn’t have some empathy for people around you. Though you do try to hide it. I think if you made the wrong choices, it could devastate you.”

  “It couldn’t be a wrong choice to save Seth,” she said flatly. “Who else will do it? Everyone else has someone to reach out to when they’re about to fall into a pit. Not Seth. There’s never been anyone there for him. Not even me. I was too young. He wouldn’t let me fight for him.” She gazed at Jane defiantly. “But I’m here now and he’s promised he’s not going to send me away. I’ll try never to involve you again, but you have to know that he has to come first.”

  “I’m not arguing that point.” How could she? The passion and intensity of the girl was overwhelming. “Hopefully, you won’t need me again and the question will be moot.”

  “No, that’s not what I mean. What if you need me?”

  Jane blinked. “What?”

  “Well, you helped me, didn’t you? I couldn’t not help you if you got in trouble.” She frowned. “Though I hope you don’t. It could be very inconvenient.”

  Jane’s lips twitched. “Sorry. I’ll keep that in mind. But I usually can take care of myself.”

  Lisa nodded. “And when you can’t, Seth would be there for you. His link with you is very strong.” She tilted her head curiously. “Do you sleep with him?”

  “That’s not a question you should be asking. Very rude, Lisa.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “No,” she said. “Our relationship is complicated. Caleb and I have known each for a long time and that’s probably the reason you could link with me.”

  “I don’t think so.” She shrugged. “It would have to be stronger than that. I just thought that sex might be it. Seth probably sleeps with lots of women, and you’re beautiful.” She gazed at Jane appraisingly. “More. You have character. Seth would like that.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but the decision wouldn’t rest solely with Caleb,” she said drily.

  “Most of the time, it would. After all, he has the Persuasion.” She chuckled. “Which he’s refusing to teach me right now. Even though you think that he should.”

  “I’d be content with politeness and diplomacy. That abrasiveness must be a problem for you … and anyone with whom you interact. Tell me, how did you get along at school?”

  “Fine. I was there to study, not socialize.” She made a face. “Though that’s what Teresa wanted me to do. She wanted me to make contacts to spread her influence among all those billionaires and minor royalty who sent their kids to my schools. All the more reason why I shouldn’t be either polite or diplomatic. Why should I give her anything she wanted when she wouldn’t let me see Seth?”

  “Maybe because it might be lonely without a friend or two?”

  “I was fine. I didn’t need anyone.” She smiled. “But it wasn’t as if I didn’t have company when I wanted it. I made super grades, so they couldn’t kick me out, but I did pretty much what I pleased.”

  “You broke all the rules.” Jane nodded slowly. “And there’s something very alluring about that to teenagers. I don’t doubt that you became a kind of rebel rock star to them.” And not only to the young. Caleb was an outlaw, too, and no one could deny his fascination. “No real friends, though?”

  “I didn’t need them.” She added impatiently, “Why do you keep going on about it?”

  “Just trying to understand you. You’re nineteen; are you going to the university this year?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know what I want to study. Maybe I’ll travel a little until I decide.” She looked at Jane. “You’re an artist. Did you always want to be one?”

  “Most of the time. It was always there in the background. I became distracted now and then. Life does that to you.”

  “Cira.”

  She went still. “Yes, Cira. What do you know about Cira?”

  “Only what I picked up while being linked with you. It’s not as if I could read your mind or anything. I don’t even know if Seth could do that.”

  “I sincerely hope not.”

  “But then, I don’t have any idea what he can do. He doesn’t share it. I think he learned not to do that when he was a kid.” Her face became shadowed. “They punished him, you know. All the time. My parents never treated him like they did me and Maria. Any little infraction and they’d bring out the whip. They said that he shouldn’t be permitted any lapse or he might fall deeper. He couldn’t do anything to please them. All they saw was the bad in him.” She moistened her lips. “He was wild, but why wouldn’t he be? They hurt him.”

  “But he had you,” Jane said gently. “That had to be a comfort to him.”

  “I don’t know. I was much younger. All I could do was love him. I was almost glad when they sent him away to Scotland to his uncle. At least he wasn’t being punished.” She drew a deep breath. “No, I’m lying. I hated it when he left me. I thought together we might be able to do something about it.”

  “And now you are together. Time to put the past aside.” Jane wanted to pull Lisa away from those bitter memories. They had shocked and appalled her and she could see how those experiences had tied the brother and sister together in an unbreakable bond. “That sounds a little saccharine. I guess I mean that new starts are good. I know memories are forever, but we can build on them.”

  “And I’ll make a new start.” She paused. “As soon as I’m certain that Seth is safe.”

  Jane was silent, gazing thoughtfully at her. “And we’ve made a full circle back to why you frantically wanted me to visit you.”

  “Not frantically. Frantic sounds very weak. I’m not weak.”

  “No, you’re not weak.” She smiled faintly. “So tell me why I’m here.”

  “I need to leave here. I need to find a place to hide until I can heal a little more.”

  “Hide?”

  “Santara will be coming after me. Teresa and Gino will make him do it.” She added bitterly, “And even if they didn’t, he’d still come after me. He hates me. I made him hate me.” She looked down at her bandaged thumb. “I wouldn’t give in to him.”

  “You heard Caleb. He’s looking for a place where you’ll be safe.”

  “But then he’ll stay with me and protect me. I don’t want him to do that.”

  “It’s going to happen, Lisa.”

  “And that will make me the bait that they wanted to make me. Can’t you see? If they can’t get their hands on me, maybe they’ll threaten to just shoot me, or poison me, or whatever. Anything to get him to do what they want. I’ll be playing the same role as at San Leandro, only with a different location.”

  “You said he’d promised to let you stay with him. You know what that means. You can’t have it both ways.”

  “Yes, I can. I’ve got to,” she said. Her eyes were bright with eagerness and determination. “Look, everything’s different now. I can take care of myself.” She made an impatient motion with her hand. “Or I’ll be able to do it soon. Seth released me from my promise.” She wrinkled her nose. “Well, he actually modified it. Anyway, I’m not helpless any longer. I can fight back.”

  “I don’t want you to have to fight. Haven’t you gone through enough?”

  “Yes, and so has Seth. I won’t go looking for trouble, but he might decide to do it. I don’t want to be a pawn. You get me out of here and find me an apartment or condo to stay at. I don’t have money right now, but I’ll owe you. I’m good for it. I’ve got all kinds of money in my trust.”

  “So I’ve heard. It’s not a question of money, Lisa. It’s a question of either Santara finding you and killing you or Caleb finding out that I did this and killing me.”

  “He won’t kill you. It’s too strong a link. He was angry with me for put
ting you in danger.”

  “Did I forget to mention that I’d be worried to death to have you out on your own? Protection is not a bad thing.”

  “Then protect Caleb,” she said harshly. “Keep me away from him. It’s what I wanted from the beginning anyway. Look, I’ll just disappear. Find me an apartment. You’ll probably want to get me a nurse to check on me now and then, and that’s okay. Then just leave me alone until I’m a little stronger.”

  Jane shook her head. “Too dangerous.”

  Lisa gave a sigh of exasperation. “Okay, then I’ll find another way to do it. It’s not as if I’m asking very much, Jane. It’s only until I’m strong enough. Then I’ll go back to Seth. When I can help him, not hurt him.”

  Jane went still. “Strong enough for what?”

  “To protect him,” she said simply. “My blood talent is getting stronger and stronger all the time. Seth said it was really teaching itself. Though with this wound, it’s slowing me down a little. But soon enough I’ll be able to do what I need to do.”

  “For God’s sake,” Jane said. “I take it you’re not speaking of the healing aspect of it. And you’re not working toward defending yourself, either. You’re going the Caped Crusader route.”

  She looked away from her. “Don’t be silly.”

  “You weren’t able to protect Caleb when you were a child, so you’re going to do it now. He won’t put up with it, Lisa.”

  “Don’t lecture me.”

  “I’ll do what I please. I’m just telling you that you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “I know. I thought about it. I told Seth that I’ve never wanted to use it to do any harm. Except for Santara.” Her hand clenched on the coverlet. “But if I had to do it to protect Seth or anyone else I cared about it, I could do it.” She added, “Of course, I don’t care about anyone but him, so that leaves me a narrow field, doesn’t it?” She frowned. “But I’d do it to protect you, too, Jane. So I guess that means I do care about you.”

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m not pleased that you came to that conclusion by deciding that you’d cause some slimeball to have a heart attack to protect me. There’s something basically wrong in your reasoning.”

  “I’m trying to do the best I can,” Lisa said fiercely. “I’m what I am, and I won’t apologize for it. Seth fought to make sure I wouldn’t have to do that. He might not have always been right, but I won’t have him lose what he gave up for me.”

  “But you’re not your brother. You might not be able to do…” She paused. “I just don’t want you to do anything that would cause you to be hurt. Sometimes the things that Caleb does are the stuff of nightmares.”

  “And the people he gives them to probably deserve them. And sometimes he saves lives, instead of taking them,” she said defiantly. Then her belligerence faded. “You’re trying to be kind to me.” There was a touch of wonder in her voice. “And it’s not phony. Genuine. You really care, don’t you?”

  “I really do. Somehow or other, you managed to make that happen.” She took Lisa’s hand. “And you didn’t even have to use that Persuasion talent. Imagine that.”

  Lisa gave Jane’s hand an awkward squeeze. “How do you know? Maybe I’m using it right now.” She released her hand and her smile widened. “Okay, how can I use this to get what I want?”

  Jane chuckled. “You can’t. Nice try.” She was silent. “But let me think about it. Maybe we can come up with something.…”

  SOUTH GLASGOW UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

  TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER

  “Good afternoon.” Jane moved brusquely into Lisa’s room with a young black nurse in tow behind her. “This is Beth, Lisa. She’s going to help you dress and pack. Be nice to her.”

  “Why?” she asked blankly.

  “Because she’s a nice person and is going to help you get what you want.” She turned to Caleb. “Come out in the hall with me. You aren’t going to get exactly what you want and I don’t want you to set a bad example for Lisa.”

  “Indeed?” He got to his feet and strolled behind her into the hall. “What are you up to, Jane?”

  “Trying to save myself time and trouble.” She turned to face him. “And the possible prospect of having to start drawing any more sketches of Lisa. I can’t let that nightmare happen again, Caleb.”

  “The situation has changed. I have her safe.”

  “Do you? I don’t think so. You have her safe as long as she wants to stay safe. That’s going to last only while she thinks that her presence doesn’t make you unsafe.”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked impatiently.

  “She has this thing about wanting to protect you. You saw it at San Leandro. It shouldn’t surprise you. It seems to run in the family.” She met his eyes. “And it’s been ingrained in her since childhood. Did you know how bitter she is that she wasn’t able to help you then?”

  “I know,” he said without expression.

  “Well, I didn’t. It’s no wonder she was so fanatical about not letting you help her with Santara. It would be her worst nightmare to cause you any hurt.”

  “That’s all in the past. What is this about?”

  “The fact that she’s not going to let you take her some place and stand guard over her. Not when she thinks she could be thrown into the same position she was in at San Leandro.”

  “I’ll convince her it’s best.”

  She shook her head. “And she’ll run from you. Just as she would have that night at San Leandro if we hadn’t handled it right.” Her lips twisted. “Only now she might decide to come back when you least expect it and stand guard over you. Since you obligingly lifted restrictions so that she could go out and make people bleed to death or have massive coronaries.”

  “It wasn’t like that.” He was scowling. “I was actually fairly moderate … for me.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “No, you can’t.” He was suddenly smiling. “You would have to have been there. But don’t worry, she’ll understand me.”

  “I do worry. That’s why I’m here. You have a major disadvantage in caring for Lisa. She loves you. That could be fatal. She’s afraid of being used to hurt you. But if you force her to run, that has a greater chance of happening.” She looked him in the eye. “And you know it.”

  Silence. “Perhaps.”

  “No perhaps,” she said. “So I decided to take matters into my own hands.”

  “What?”

  “I’m taking her to the camp with me. I talked to MacDuff and got permission to let her stay at Loch Gaelkar. He’s going to put on more guards and bring them closer to the camp. Lisa will be more than safe. I’m not even mentioning Jock and MacDuff. You couldn’t ask for a more lethal escort, could you?”

  Caleb thought about it. “I guess we could go—”

  “Not we. You’re not invited.”

  He stiffened. “Bullshit.”

  “You can come and visit her occasionally, but you can’t hover over her. That’s what she’s trying to avoid.”

  “And that’s what I intend to do,” he said coldly. “Back off, Jane.”

  “No way. Do you think Lisa and I don’t know that you’ll be going after Santara? Only you’ll be forced to stay close to Lisa while you’re doing it if you insist on guarding her. Dangerous for her. Let me take care of Lisa. You go do whatever you have to do.”

  “She’s not your responsibility.”

  “I can’t get out of the habit of thinking that she is. So that must make it true.” She grimaced. “And I believe that she’s fast moving to a place where she won’t allow that to be a factor much longer.” Jane tried to see if she was getting through to him. He was always hard to read. But his eyes were narrowed and they were flickering with intensity. “Let me have her, Caleb. I promise you that I won’t let anything happen to her.”

  He didn’t speak for a long time, and she thought she might have lost him. Then he smiled. “Heaven help you, Jane. She’s difficult for me to handle.
She’ll put you through hell.”

  She felt a rush of relief. “No, she won’t. I actually think she’s mellowing a bit. Just keep in touch with her so that she won’t think she has to go and rescue you.”

  “I’ll do that. And you’re not going to get rid of me so quickly. I intend to be the one to take her to the camp and check to make sure that everything is as it should be.” He turned and headed down the hall. “I’ll go to the administration office and sign her out of the hospital. Have her ready to go when I get back.”

  CHAPTER

  9

  “It’s beautiful.” Lisa stood on the road, her gaze taking in the mist wreathing the lake. “I saw lots of cool lakes when I was in Switzerland, but this is … different.”

  “Yes, it is,” Jane said. “No other like it.” She started down the incline. “I wanted to invite you to meet Jock and MacDuff, but that will have to wait for evening, when they come out of the mist.”

  “That sounds like some kind of horror movie.” Lisa chuckled as she started down the incline. “I think I like it—” She broke off as Caleb picked her up and began the trek down toward the encampment. “I can make it, Seth. Stop treating me as if I’m a baby.”

  “You need a couple more days. You could make it and then have to stay in your bedroll tomorrow and rest. Moderation in all things.”

  She laughed. “That from you?”

  “Do as I say, not as I do.” He was looking around the camp as he spoke. “Four of MacDuff’s guards in plain view. Two more in the trees over there.”

  “I told you that I’d take care of her,” Jane said. “MacDuff was very agreeable when I asked him for extra security. He said that he’d been planning on putting more guards on anyway.”

  “The treasure?”

  “I don’t know. He just said it was going to be necessary right away.” Jane looked over her shoulder. “So does the situation meet with your approval?”

  He nodded. “Probably. I’ll still go over numbers and check-in procedures with Jock. I thought it would. I just had to be certain.” He smiled faintly. “It was my responsibility. You’re making me give up control and it doesn’t please me.”