Intuition

by Anna Durand

  David threw a glance at her. In an instant, she knew what he needed.

  She poured all her energy into their connection, into him.

  He drew his fists back and slugged them into Nkosi's chest. The power gushing through David demolished his manifestation, transmuting him into a ghost once more. His fists, now masses of energy, punched through Nkosi's body, straight to the heart of his power.

  Nkosi screamed.

  A crack split the air. The power coruscating out of Nkosi shredded and dispersed into the void of the crossroads.

  David flung his hands away. Grace fed more energy into him, until he manifested again. A pinch in her chest alerted her the second it happened.

  Moaning, Nkosi rolled his head side to side.

  Each breath a wheeze, David clambered to his feet and stumbled backward.

  "You fools," Nkosi said, his voice slurred. "Did you think it would be that simple?"

  David tripped, flailing toward the ground. Grace hurried to catch him, her arms around him so fast he'd barely tipped over yet. He listed against her, and they both stared at the man sprawled on the ground.

  Nkosi pushed up onto his elbows. "I was willing. I welcomed the Golden Power. It granted me untold potential, and I offered up my mind and soul to it. You — " He speared the air with a finger pointed at Grace. "You rejected it. I gave it form and purpose."

  David trembled in her arms, too weak to move or speak. His body weighed down on her, but she gritted her teeth and held on. No way in hell she'd ever let go of him again.

  Nkosi wrestled to his feet and wiped his hands on his pants. "You may have driven out the Golden Power, but I still have plenty of my own psychic energy. Yes, you are the strongest traveler my ally Tesler has ever seen, but I am almost as powerful as you."

  "Maybe," she said, "and maybe not."

  Nkosi massaged his jaw, one of the places where David had clouted him. "I volunteered for the project. Your parents were weak, unwilling to take the risks necessary for advancement. I was terribly pleased when Tesler came on board, and when he shared with me his vision for the project, I invited him to test his methods on me."

  "You let him torture you?"

  "Of course." Nkosi grinned with predatory lust. "How else could we discover if the technique would work?"

  David stiffened against her, and she hugged him to her. "Technique? You aided in the torture of hundreds of psychics, not to mention the ones how died because of it. You're insane." She shook her head, unable to process the depth of his madness. "You've lost your big advantage. The Golden Power is gone."

  "But I still have Digital Prognostics." He took one lithe step toward her. "I purchased JT's company after his demise, which means I own Tesler's files. I own the facilities scattered around the world. You stripped me of my greatest asset, but I hold more cards than you believe."

  Like hell. They hadn't come this far, survived this much, to lose the final battle.

  She must destroy all the files. There had to be a way. Without JT's secret files, which she still kept tucked inside her bra back in her real body, Nkosi would have nothing if she obliterated Tesler's data. The loss would terminate Nkosi's manic dreams.

  But she had no idea how to destroy the data.

  Nkosi knew how.

  David pushed away from her, though his hand lingered on her back. "No."

  "I thought you couldn't read my mind."

  "Don't need to." He fixed his fiery eyes on her. "I know you, Grace, and I know how you think. This is not the way to end things."

  "I'm afraid it is. If I don't stop him here and now, the suffering will never end."

  His eyes went wild, his face pale. "Please don't do this. Please."

  She kissed him, a light and tender expression of the immortal flame he'd lit inside her.

  David's eyes, his beautiful soul, pleaded with her.

  I'm sorry. His tiny flinch assured her he'd heard.

  She confronted Nkosi. He bared his teeth in a nasty imitation of a smile. She balled her hands into fists, battling the urge to sock him in the gut. Instead, she marched up to him, nailed her gaze to his, and bashed through his mental ramparts.

  He wailed. His eyes rolled back into his head. His mind fought her, pushed back, floundered for a weapon to fend her off.

  She battered him with the last remnants of her psychic power. His mind splintered under her assault. A crack opened up, and she charged inside.

  Not so powerful now, are you, Nkosi?

  He whimpered, wailed, and collapsed to his knees. His thoughts rushed into her, a swirling, seething mass of words and intentions, laced with panic and rage, and engorged with a madness beyond comprehension.

  Gunshots boomed around her.

  David shouted her name.

  None of it registered in her conscious mind. None of it mattered. She held a man's mind in her hands, and every thought he ever conceived slithered in her palms. She dived her fingers into the quicksand, digging, hunting, ripping, tearing.

  "David, no!" Sean's voice. Distant. Unimportant.

  Need, I need, yes, I need this.

  She rifled through Nkosi's memories. Tossed each aside. Dug deeper. With one final thrust, she captured the information she coveted and ripped it from his mind without hesitation.

  Far away, he shrieked.

  A sharp pain jabbed into her neck. Weariness flooded through her, buckling her knees, and she toppled into the void.

  Chapter Thirty

  David bounded to catch Grace before she hit the ground. His heart jackhammered against his ribs, and the torrent of blood thundering behind his eardrums muffled all other sounds. He lugged her behind the big pine tree, cradling her limp body, with her feet dangling a few inches above the ground. Her head drooped onto his chest and the silky strands of her hair feathered across his chin.

  Amador and Sean circled around the two of them, eyes on the woods, postures tense. Two of Nkosi's human puppets lay dead at the edge of the woods, both shot by Amador. David couldn't believe the man had swooped in to fend off their attackers. He did not want to feel obliged to like the lying son of a bitch.

  Amador's gaze flicked to David. "How is she?"

  Ah yes, of course. That explained why he'd stepped in — for Grace. For the moment, David had given up worrying about the man's intentions. "I don't know, she's out cold."

  "Care for her. We will guard you."

  "Thanks," David said, uttering the word slowly, unable to grasp that he not only thanked this man, but he meant it.

  Amador nodded, his attention returning to the woods. Despite the bright sun overhead, a screen of trees cloaked them in false twilight. The gloom hid their attackers, but with any luck, it masked their exact whereabouts too.

  David reclined Grace's head to expose her face to him. He settled a hand on her shoulder and jostled her carefully. "Grace?"

  She didn't move. Didn't speak. Didn't stir at all.

  His chest constricted. He ran a hand over her forehead, the pale skin cold against his. When he dipped a finger to the pulse point on her neck, the beating of her heart pulsed in a slow-but-steady rhythm. Relief weakened his knees, but he sucked in a breath and clutched her tighter.

  She was alive. For now, that was all he needed to know.

  Behind him, inside the small clearing, Nkosi lay crumpled on the ground. His body depressed the thick moss. His eyes gaped wide and empty.

  Dead. A chill shimmered in David. Grace had killed Nkosi, without intending to and she would have no reason for guilt. Nkosi attempted to kill all of them. He imprisoned innocent people and hollowed out their minds to reshape them to his will. How many lives had he taken? One was too many. Grace acted in defense of herself and countless others. When she woke, he'd convince her she did the right thing.

  What if she doesn't wake up?

  The th
ought shred through him like an electrical shock. She would wake up, she had to. Her heart still beat and her psychic energy still crackled through him. She would come back to him. She must.

  But he understood what she'd done and the cost it might exact. The look on her face right before she enacted her plan — a mixture of determination and intense regret — conveyed her intentions to him. Their bond compelled him to experience a fraction of what she unleashed on Nkosi, of what she endured to accomplish the feat, and he knew. She exploited the one ability he'd made her swear never ever to attempt.

  She read Nkosi's mind.

  Worse, she tore it apart and rummaged through the fragments to unearth what she sought. David realized what she'd been searching for too — the key to bringing down the entire network of psychic research facilities. The vital piece of information that would serve as the nail she might drive into the coffin of Digital Prognostics, Tesler, and everything both had represented.

  David touched her cheek, hunting for some sign of awareness on her face, but detected none. His heart ached with a desperation that burned him from the inside out. He could not lose her, would not stand for it. She owned his heart, his soul, every part of him that was worth anything. Before her, he'd been a zombie, not unlike Nkosi's puppets, devoid of passion or purpose. Grace brought him to life. He owed her more than he could ever repay.

  Crunch.

  David froze at the sound. It had come from the woods behind him. He bent sideways to peek around the massive tree, careful to keep Grace secure in his arms. Amador and Sean both trained their weapons on the area where the noise had originated. Even the birds no longer chirped, and the breeze had ceased its rustling.

  The sharp crack of a twig breaking lanced the silence.

  Among the trees, a shadow shifted.

  "Who goes there?" Amador shouted.

  "Give up," a strained voice replied. "Or die."

  Sean sidled toward David, his back to the tree. He said under his breath, "Shouldn't we run or something?"

  David shut his eyes and made a quick sweep of the vicinity with his RV senses. "We can't run. They've got us surrounded. At least a dozen people."

  "Their master dude's dead. Why are they still doing what he told them?"

  "I don't know."

  Why? The question plagued David as he surveyed the forest for human-shaped silhouettes. Why hadn't the enslaved psychics abandoned their mission? With Nkosi dead, logic suggested they should stop. Instead, they pushed forward with an unstoppable resolve.

  And the puppets had guns. Ammo. Knives. He, Sean, and Amador barely escaped when two of the zombie psychics assaulted them. With a dozen closing in around them…

  Grace roused with faint grumble.

  He stared at her closed eyes, afraid to move, to bump her too much and push her back into unconsciousness. She shifted against him, her eyes darting behind the lids. He rubbed his thumb back and forth over her mouth, and at the feel of her warm, alive skin, his gaze flew heavenward. Thank you. Her eyes, though bleary, gazed up at him with trust and love. The sun illuminated the green flecks in her irises.

  Her lips wriggled under his thumb, then stretched into a smile. He lowered her onto her feet, but kept his arms around her until she stopped swaying.

  "Are you okay?" he asked.

  "Mm-hm." Her gaze rolled toward Nkosi. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. She whipped her head toward David. "Is he… "

  "Dead. Yes." David clasped her hands. "You did what you had to do."

  "I know." She inhaled, straightened, and gave a sharp nod. "And I found what we need."

  "What do you mean?"

  "The computers at all the facilities around the world are linked through a secure network. If we destroy the mainframe, everything's wiped out."

  Oh hell. Just when he'd given up global quests for justice. "Let's talk about that later. We need to figure out why Nkosi's puppets are still carrying out his orders."

  Her fingers lighted on her neck, her eyes distant. After a few seconds, she glanced around as if hunting for something. "Do the puppets have guns?"

  "Yes. And clearly plenty of ammo, plus knives."

  She fingered the bark on the tree trunk. Her lips compressed, the corners pulled tight. Although she studied the tree, he had the distinct impression she was concentrating on a sight beyond the reach of normal vision. Her psychic senses expanded through him, around him, encompassing them both and fanning out.

  Her eyes turned steely. Her nails scratched the bark. "Tesler."

  David moved to enfold her in his arms, but she batted them away. His hands were poised near her arms, because he didn't quite know what to do with them. "What about Tesler?"

  Her hazel eyes glowed a soft, gorgeous green, lit by the otherworldly energy enlivening her mind. "He slipped away from us. He's hiding nearby, though. And he is the reason the puppets are still enslaved. They switched allegiances, and answer to him."

  "How? Tesler has no powers."

  She shook her head. "Somehow the Golden Power latched onto him too. I didn't notice it before because the energy is subtle and I was focused on Nkosi. Now… " Her expression slackened, as her mind receded from the physical world. Seconds elapsed, each tick of the clock an anvil pounding on his chest. At last, her eyes swam back into focus. "What's left of the Golden Power took refuge in Tesler. I don't understand how, and it doesn't really matter at the moment. To stop the assault, we have to stop Tesler."

  Sean and Amador stared at Grace, their faces blank. Thanks to the power boost he got from merging with Grace, David felt the other men's wariness. About Grace? Or about the Golden Power taking over Tesler?

  "Okay," he told Grace. "We go after Tesler. Sean and Amador can occupy the zombie army while you and I track down their new master."

  Sean raised a hand, like a kid in a classroom asking for his turn to speak. "Uh, how do we find Tesler? I can't see him, even with RV."

  "We can."

  "Are you serious?"

  David nodded.

  The boy's brows lifted. "Wow. You guys are kinda awesome since you did whatever it was you did to each other last night."

  Grace flashed a suggestive smirk at David, and he smirked right back. With great effort, he resisted the impulse to haul her into his arms for another super-heated kiss.

  "Jeez, you guys." A blush fired up in Sean's cheeks, and he averted his eyes. "I didn't mean — I was talking about the thing where you joined powers or whatever."

  Growling resonated in the air. Silhouettes bobbed among the trees.

  The puppets were getting closer.

  David stripped his attention away from Grace, which was damn difficult considering the way she licked her lower lip. "We'd better get moving. Tesler's minions are getting closer."

  Sean scratched the back of his neck. "When you say moving, do you mean literally, or psychically?"

  "Have you recovered enough to travel the astral way?"

  "Yeah. I'm cool."

  "Good. You distract the puppets while Grace and I deal with Tesler."

  Amador cleared his throat. "Where does this plan leave me? I cannot… travel as you do."

  David squinted at the man, measuring Amador up as best he could. Though pale, with dark patches under his eyes, he stood straight and gripped his weapon with determination. David suppressed a sigh. He might've misjudged the creep a little, but under no circumstances would he forgive what Amador had done to Grace or the young girl he kidnapped. Today, though, he needed the bastard's help.

  And the task he had in mind was the only thing he'd trust Amador to do.

  "I need you to stay here," David said, "with our bodies. Protect Grace at all costs."

  She slapped the back of her hand on David's chest. "He means protect all of us."

  "No." David stalked up to Amador and glared into the man's bloodshot
eyes. "You protect her. Tesler wants Grace's brain, and it's your job to make sure none of his minions get anywhere near her." David leaned closer, until his breaths reflected off Amador's face. "Protect Grace. That's your only job. Get it?"

  "I understand."

  "If you abandon her — "

  "You will hunt me down, even after death, et cetera. I've listened to this speech before." Chin elevated, Amador gave him a self-satisfied smile. "I am the one who has never left her to suffer alone."

  David swung his arm back, his hand fisted, ready to wallop Amador. But then he glimpsed Grace out the corner of his eye, and the fury evaporated. He had abandoned her. Over and over. Amador was right.

  He dropped his hand. "Just take care of her, all right?"

  Amador inclined his head. "You have my word."

  Right. As if that meant squat.

  But he knew Amador would defend Grace.

  With two long strides, David bridged the distance to Grace, towed her into him, and planted a quick, firm kiss on her mouth. "Let's go for a ride."

  She looped her arms around his neck. "I'll go anywhere with you."

  A weight slammed down on him, forcing out a strangled gasp. His head pounded, and a humming vibrated painfully through his skull. Grace fell into him. The breath exploded out of her. She snared handfuls of his shirt as her eyelids pinched together, almost shut.

  Sean doubled over, hands on his head. "Ah! What the hell?"

  The pain subsided in seconds, but a pressure compressed his mind in its wake. Not a headache, not anything he could identify. An external pressure. Faint yet powerful.

  David rubbed his temple, but held onto Grace with his free arm. "What was that?"

  Her head snapped up, her gaze intent on his. "Tesler. He just threw an EM shield up around us. We're not traveling anywhere."

  "Shit." An EM field, like the one Tesler employed in the lab. The one that prevented him from contacting Grace. "We're back to the Stone Age then."

  With a sly grin, Sean waggled his gun. "Not quite the Stone Age."

  He tossed the big semiautomatic to David, and whipped out of his waistband the smaller gun he'd used earlier.