Knight Awakening

by Zanetti, Rebecca

  Heat climbed up Marcus’s throat. “Somebody sabotaged the vials?”

  She nodded.

  Those vials had been in Penny’s clinic. What if she’d come across the person responsible? She could’ve gotten killed. He sucked in air, awareness pricking along his skin. Calm. He was calm. “I guess it isn’t a large surprise, considering somebody let those Rippers loose.” Was it one person or several? Jax had been right that they had a traitor trying to harm people in territory. How were they going to find this guy? “The vials that were locked up are okay?”

  “Yes. Those were fine, although we need new supplies soon. We’re running out.” Lynne looked down at her notes. “We might have to start trials soon, anyway. Have people go without the six months shot and see if they’re okay. My research indicates they will be.”

  That wouldn’t help newly infected people, although most folks had been infected by now. “Have you told Jax about the doctored vials?” Marcus asked.

  “No. I just finished testing all of the vials.” Her hand shaking, she pushed herself to stand. “He’s supposed to be in his war room this morning. I’ll talk to you later?”

  He nodded, moving aside so she could walk around the reception desk to the cafeteria, her movements slow and tired.

  The examination door opened, and he jumped into Lynne’s office, slipping to the side and out of sight. If the pretty girl with the dark hair was crying, he didn’t want to embarrass her. Her footsteps were light and quiet as she left, and he waited a beat before stepping into the hallway.

  Penny stood there, looking at the empty reception area. She jumped. “Oh. Hi.”

  He studied her, not liking the dark circles beneath her eyes. “Is the baby okay?”

  Penny nodded. “I think so. I heard a strong heartbeat, and spotting during pregnancy isn’t unusual. But Jill survived the fever, and we have to find a cure sooner rather than later.” She held up a hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

  “I didn’t feel pressured,” he said honestly. She’d only spoken the truth.

  Her hand shook and she pushed back her hair. “Good. I’m going to read through the rest of that research you guys grabbed from the Reno Bunker and just see if I missed something last time. There has to be something there that can lead us to a cure.”

  There was no cure for Scorpius. “Maybe there’s just a different concoction of Bs or something else to help with pregnancies?” He didn’t have much of a science background. Probably. He didn’t have a background at all, actually.

  “That’s what we’re hoping,” she said, backing away and not meeting his gaze. “I’ll see you later?”

  He stopped her with a hand on her bicep. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No.” Her voice trembled. “You didn’t do anything. Everything is fine and I just need to get to work.” Her voice broke on the last.

  He drew her closer. “What’s wrong?” He thought back. “Did I scare you when I was hypnotized? I’m sorry.”

  “No.” She lifted a hand and let it drop. “You’ve never scared me. I’m fine. I can’t do this with you right now, Marcus. Let me go.”

  Do what? “I don’t understand.” He ducked his head, rocking back when he saw the first tear slide down her pretty face. “What’s happening?”

  “Nothing.” She sniffed and then started to cry, her shoulders shaking.

  Shit. While she’d asked him to leave her alone, instinct whispered that he shouldn’t do that. Not until he’d discovered if it was him who made her cry. So he swept her up, and when she cuddled into his chest to cry harder, he figured he’d made the right decision.

  He carried her easily into her office, where he kicked the door shut and dropped into one of the guest chairs, holding her tight.

  She sobbed, her body shaking, the sorrow pouring from her.

  He rocked her and might’ve said something soothing, but he doubted it. So he mumbled and just held her, trying to pull the sadness out of her and put it in him. It seemed too heavy for her small body to contain.

  She ran out of steam after a while, sniffing. Then she lifted her face to him, tear tracks visible and her nose red. “I’m sorry.”

  He blinked. “Sorry for what?”

  She shook her head, and a piece of her dark hair stuck near her forehead. “To cry all over you. I know we don’t have this or any emotion, and I was trying to do this myself, but I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

  He didn’t like that. “You shouldn’t do this by yourself.” Keeping his movements gentle, he freed the captured strand and smoothed the tears off her face, wondering where he’d gone wrong with his explanation the previous night. “I’m here for you to cry on any time you want.” In fact, it was better if she cried on him. “You can’t watch your back when crying, so you should cry on my chest.”

  Her chuckle was more of a sniffle, but it lightened his heart, anyway. “We decided no emotion.”

  “No, that’s not what we decided.” He settled his weight, cradling her. “We agreed that neither one of us would pressure the other one, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share emotion if we’re having it.” The fleeting thought of her crying on another man’s lap shot a now familiar emotion through him. More anger. He let it heat him and then shoved it away. “If you’re sad, it’s okay to tell me. I think you’re supposed to, since we’re sleeping together.” He grinned. “See? I listened and didn’t say fucking.”

  She chuckled again. “Thank you for listening.”

  “I’m ready to do it again. Why were you crying?” If anybody had been mean to her, he’d rip their head off right in front of her, if she wanted. He could fix this. “Tell me.”

  She swallowed. “It’s my birthday.”

  Oh. His Penny couldn’t be sad about getting older, could she? “Okay. Why did that make you sad?”

  Her gaze dropped to his neck. “It’s also my sister’s birthday. Her name was Luna.” She looked up, her smile so sad, he swear he could feel his heart crack. Actually really feel it. That was something new. “I was four years old when she was born, and she was the best present I could’ve ever wanted. We had double birthday parties from the time she turned one until she died from Scorpius.”

  “Ah, Penny. I’m sorry.” If anybody should have their loved ones still alive, it was Penelope Kim. “I bet she was a great sister.”

  “She was,” Penny whispered. “Even followed me into medical school. Luna was going to specialize in pediatrics. She loved kids.”

  Sometimes the gaping hole in his memory might be a blessing. “What can I do to help?”

  Her smile was even softer. “Be careful, Marcus. You sounded like the perfect boyfriend right there.”

  He wasn’t sure how, but at least he’d made her smile again. If she was sharing shit, maybe he should, too. “I think part of the reason I haven’t tried to get to know Jax too much is that I don’t want to know who I was before Scorpius.”

  She lifted her head more, studying him. “Are you trying to share with me?”

  He nodded. It seemed to be what she needed. Why couldn’t he need that, too? Did he need anything? Except her? “I have concern about being hypnotized because I got violent. Should I ask Jax to be there next time? Either he or Raze has to be, just to keep Vinnie safe, and I’d rather my brother heard whatever I said.”

  “I’m sure your brother would like to be involved.” She patted his chest, offering comfort. Man, she was a sweetheart. It was a miracle she’d survived Scorpius with this much kindness still intact inside her.

  He had to be a better guy since he was with her. For now. They were together for now, and someday she’d find somebody whole. Penny deserved that. If he was a decent person, he’d let her go right now. But he wasn’t. He couldn’t. So he held her and kneaded her tight neck muscles. “Do you want to talk about your sister some more?”

  “No. I’m good right now. I should remember the happy times. Have you noticed that Damon Winter is so strong and stable because he draws on the pa
st? He had several brothers and a happy family, and he seems to get power from that.”

  Winter was a good guy in charge of the Merc soldiers along with Greyson Storm. He was also with April Snyder, and they seemed happy. Maybe Marcus should try to copy Damon. Wait. He couldn’t. He didn’t have a past. “Do you think I’ll ever be able to remember my past?”

  Penny caressed the side of his neck. “Memory loss has always been a mystery, and I don’t even know what drugs they used on you in the labs.”

  “Don’t sugarcoat it,” he said. “I need the full truth.”

  She sighed. “The full truth is that there is no way to know, but since the loss is so complete, from everything I’ve read, chances aren’t good. You seem to have some memory of your time in the labs, so some of that might come back. But before that? Before Scorpius? I just don’t know and think you should stop waiting to live until your memories return, since there’s a good chance they won’t.”

  Huh. Was that what he’d been doing? Waiting?

  She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “It’s hard to find a silver lining in this world, but maybe think about you getting to be whoever you want to be? That you can invent yourself.”

  Her optimism was like a blade to the neck, but it warmed him, anyway. Part of who he’d become was who Georgia and those scientists created in the labs. There was no way around that. But he was free now, and he had Penny in his arms, so maybe he should try to figure out what to do with both of those facts.

  He kissed her and then leaned back. “You asked me who Georgia was.”

  Penny’s eyebrows lifted. “You mentioned her while hypnotized.”

  “She’s a scientist and the head of experiments, and she took a personal interest in me,” he said. “I think I survived a lot longer than most subjects, and she was creepy. Sometimes she was clinical, and sometimes personal. I don’t know where she is today.”

  “Maybe she’s dead,” Penny said simply. “Think of her burning in hell.”

  Yeah, he liked this vicious side of his girl. Not that she was his girl. Right now, she felt like his. He grinned. “I like that.” Although, chances were, he wasn’t that lucky. Georgia was out there somewhere, making plans to find him again. Maybe he should find her first. He couldn’t think about her any longer. “Penny?”

  “Yes?” Her hand on his neck was driving him even crazier, and now wasn’t the time to get her naked. She was too vulnerable. “As your boyfriend, since you said I am, should I find a cake or something for your birthday?”

  There was that sweet smile again. “Not this year, if you don’t mind. In fact, can we keep the fact that it’s my birthday just between us this time? I just want to have a quiet day and remember Luna. Hopefully without crying.”

  “We can do that.” He kissed her nose, having no clue where he would’ve gotten a cake, anyway. Besides a fruitcake. They’d raided a factory a while back, and it turned out that fruitcakes had a shelf life of forever. A hundred years from now, a fruitcake would still be good. Well, edible.

  Footsteps clomped outside. Penny moved to get up, and he held her in place. “Marcus.”

  He shrugged. “It’s Jax. He’ll find us.” It was a handy ability to decipher different footsteps, strides, and movement.

  Jax poked his head in. His eyebrows rose at seeing them. “You okay, Doc Penelope?”

  “Yes. I’m fine.” She pushed off Marcus’s lap. “I need to get to that research again. There has to be something there we can use.”

  Jax set his hand on the gun strapped to his thigh. “Marcus, I want to scout the area we think the Rippers went out. I’ve posted guards on each entrance for the clinic, so this place is secure. You up for a scouting mission?”

  Marcus stood. Now was as good as time as any to try and bond with his brother. “Sure.”

  19

  I feel the clock counting down, second by second, each moment a prelude to the unbelievable pain coming if I don’t figure out how to save these pregnancies. There has to be something in these notes.

  —Doctor Penelope Kim, Journal

  Penny shoved the papers across her desk and ground her hand into her right eye. The headache had started an hour ago, and it was just getting worse, but she didn’t want to waste a painkiller on herself. There were mentions of other Bunkers, other facilities, in the notes, but no location. Why did the government keep the whole damn system a secret?

  Without a doubt, everyone had underestimated how quickly a pandemic could decimate the entire world.

  At least she’d been able to identify the three new Rippers from Dr. Harrington’s notes, although she hadn’t met any of them. Two were part of the security force and the third, the one who’d already died, had been a scout.

  The back door opened and she stood, her body aching from sitting for too long.

  “Doc?” Somebody at the rear door called out.

  “Here.” She closed around the desk and stepped into the hallway, stopping at seeing Larry Sowers leaning against the back door, bleeding from a wound beneath his eye and cradling his left hand. “What happened?” In an instant, she forgot about their confrontation that morning and walked briskly for him, noting his coloring and the pain in his eyes.

  “Ripper attack out scouting,” Larry said, his face pale.

  She motioned him into the second examination room, following and reaching for the suture kit. “Were you bitten?” Sometimes the bites could get infected from other bacteria.

  “No.” He sat on the table, and his size struck her. Not many men were as big as Marcus, and he was close. “He had some sort of plate and smashed it across my forehead.”

  She leaned in to look at the wound and winced. “You have some particles in there.”

  “Figured.” He took a deep breath.

  She reached for a wipe and opened it. “I need to clean it out before stitching you up.”

  “Not my first time, Doc.” He settled himself.

  She looked at his cradled wrist. “Broken?”

  “I think just bruised.”

  She gently prodded it, noting a lump near the radius. “I think you’re right. If we had ice, I’d have you ice it.” They lacked ice. “Let’s keep an eye on it.” Then she began to clean his cheek, and he shut his eyes, holding perfectly still. Finally, she got the wound as clean as she could. “Let’s stitch you up.”

  He opened his eyes and let her go to work. “Marcus Knight is dangerous, Doctor Penelope. I like you. Heck. Everyone likes you. If you were hurt, this place would fall apart.”

  She pushed aside irritation and kept evenly suturing him. “There’s no need to be concerned.”

  “Ha. Have you ever seen him kill? I have, and there’s no emotion.” Larry shook his head. “You remind me of my sister, the one I lost, and she always went for the bad boy. For the impossible charity case, and every time she got hurt. You’re just going to get hurt with him, and we’re all worried.”

  People were talking about her? She kept her voice calm. “I appreciate the concern, but I know what I’m doing. Instead of judging him, why not get to know him?”

  Larry scoffed. “That psycho won’t let anybody get close enough to even try—except for you and his brother. Maybe some of the other women. Perhaps he uses his whole dark side to get close to women. I knew a guy like that once.”

  Marcus didn’t have a manipulative bone in his entire body, and he was not a psycho. She bit her lip to keep from snapping at Larry, considering she was his physician currently pushing a needle into his skin. “So don’t be his friend, but you could show a little compassion.”

  “About his sleeping in the hallway and waking everyone up? We need sleep, too. It’s hard to fight a Ripper when you haven’t gotten any sleep.”

  She finished the sutures and placed a bandage over the wound. “There you go.” She stood back and studied a couple of scratches down his neck before taking the wipe and cleaning them. “Keep an eye on that wrist.”

  Larry grasped her arm. “First, thank you. Sec
ond, when I said that I like you, I meant it. I’ve been meaning to ask you out for a while.” He smiled, softening his face. “By asking you out, I meant asking you to dinner at my apartment—whatever the cooks have made that night. Probably soup with a side of fruitcake.”

  She could see how somebody could find him charming. After what he’d said about Marcus, she did not. “That’s sweet, Larry, but I am with Marcus.” The fact wouldn’t be a secret much longer, and why keep it secret, anyway? She was a grown-ass woman and she had made the decision while knowing all the facts.

  Larry shook his head and stepped down from the table. “That’s a mistake, Doc Penelope. A huge one.” He sounded more regretful than angry.

  “It’s mine to make,” Penelope said, moving aside so he could leave.

  “Yeah. That’s true.” Larry loped toward the door, blood dotting his pants. “Thanks for the stitches, Doc. If you need my help for anything, please let me know.” He walked toward the outside door and stepped into the cloudy day.

  Penelope cleaned up the area and wiped down the counters. It was true that Marcus had purposefully kept his distance from most people, and she didn’t see that changing any time soon. It wasn’t a surprise that Larry and some of the other soldiers were wary around him. If she didn’t know him, if she hadn’t seen what he’d gone through in the labs, she’d probably be cautious as well.

  Hopefully he was bonding well with his brother today. It was a start, at least.

  All right. Headache or not, she needed to go back to those records they’d taken from the Reno Bunker before it had blown up. She had to help those women.

  They were at least two hours out from Vanguard-Merc territory to the east, in a small neighborhood marked by row houses painted in muted colors. “Have we scouted here before?” Marcus asked.

  “Not really,” Jax said, eyeing the intricate bars on one house. “It’s on the list, but there aren’t many commercial properties in this area, so it’s far down on the list. We have a better chance at supplies, especially medical, when there are businesses strewn throughout.”