Guild of Truth 02 - Shield from the Heart

by Mary K. Norris

  Holy shit, had that been Kevin’s thoughts?

  He touched the clothing again. This time he didn’t get any black voids. He picked up on the nurses: their boredom, their sympathy. He pulled away when a few nurses got curious about how hung Kevin was.

  He moved onto the sheets. More nurses. He was ready to pull away when he stopped. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He skimmed the sheets like someone would skim the pages of a book until he found what he was looking for. There.

  “Where is she?”

  It was Vander.

  “You hid her from me, didn’t you? Why?” Vander grunted. “It doesn’t matter. It was a fool’s mistake. You forget I hold Collette’s life in my hands. One phone call to the hospital and every machine that’s keeping her alive will be unplugged. This might not matter to you now but it will. I’ve found a way to bring you back to me. It might take time but we’ve both got plenty of that.”

  Shouts erupted.

  It took Merrick a moment to realize that they weren’t coming from his visions. He wrenched his hand away from Kevin’s bed in time to see Luke get shot in the chest by a taser. His body convulsed, then dropped.

  “Shit.” Joel caught him on the way down.

  Felix waved his hand and the taser disappeared from existence. He launched himself at the men in the doorway. Joel placed his hand flat on Luke’s chest. He held on for a second before jumping into the fray with Felix.

  Merrick rushed to help. A fist shot out and took him in the solar plexus. He staggered back. The man who’d hit him crouched next to Luke and gripped him under the arms. He heaved but Luke’s body didn’t move an inch. It was like he was glued to the floor.

  Not glued, Merrick realized, but Locked. He laughed aloud at Joel’s genius and flew into the fight with renewed vigor. His fist smashed into the face of the man trying to abduct Luke. The man flew, knocking into the back of Felix’s knees. Felix stumbled and took a hit in the gut.

  Merrick winced. Cali was going to beat his ass if she ever found out about that.

  Felix’s eyes locked with his.

  My bad, Merrick mouthed.

  Felix grinned before slammed his elbow into his closest attacker’s ribcage. The man doubled over. Merrick kneed him in the face.

  They systematically worked their way through their assailants. Joel Locked them in place and Felix and Merrick took them out. By the time they were through Merrick could taste his own blood in his mouth. They’d moved into the hallway but there were no nurses or doctors to be found.

  “Convenient,” said Merrick.

  “Come on.” Joel went back into the Bauers’ room to unlock Luke from the floor. “More could be on their way. We better head back.” He was sporting a cut on his forehead and a swollen lip.

  “I’ll keep watch — you guys try to wake his ass up,” said Felix.

  Joel shook Luke by the shoulders. “Come on, Skywalker, a little electricity never hurt anyone. I mean, look how fast Luke bounced back after being jolted by the emperor in the movies. This is nothing.”

  Merrick gripped Luke’s other arm and together he and Joel lifted him to his feet.

  Luke blinked.

  “I think he’s coming around,” said Merrick.

  Luke gave a pained groan.

  Joel and Merrick walked him out of the hospital room. By the time they reached the elevators he could stand on his own. Merrick reached out and steadied him when he started to sway again.

  “You’re fine,” Joel kept repeating. “You’re invincible, remember?”

  “I don’t want to be invincible if it means I have to take all the hard hits,” Luke said as he rubbed the back of his head.

  Felix patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll bet after a few more big hits like that you won’t even feel pain anymore.”

  Luke stared at him incredulously.

  “Welcome to the Guild of Truth,” Felix said with a grin.

  “The Guild of Aletheia,” Joel said, exacerbated. He dabbed at his swollen lip with the hem of his shirt. “You know that fight would have gone a lot smoother if you would have brought back the taser for us to use,” he said to Felix.

  Felix punched the button for the lobby. “Sorry, it’s force of habit to not bring something back.”

  Joel grunted. “I’m going to have to think of a better excuse at work for all my bruises besides ‘I like to box.’ Everyone’s going to think I’m into S&M or something.”

  “S and M?” asked Luke.

  Felix and Joel exchanged a look. Felix raised his eyebrows as if to tell Joel that Luke was his trainee.

  “Sadomasochism,” Merrick spoke up. “It means getting off on pain.”

  Luke shuddered. “Who’d ever want that?”

  “There are some … unique people out there,” Felix said carefully. It was very politically correct of him.

  Merrick remembered the man in San Francisco whose power caused pain on contact. He studied Luke, took note of the way he held his arms around himself as if to ward off the world. He was pretty sure Luke would never want to experience pain ever again if he could avoid it.

  The lobby was bustling with people and it took everything Merrick had to keep his head high as he walked out as if nothing had happened, as if he wasn’t sporting the beginnings of a black eye or a split lip.

  A few workers stared openly. Some pointed. Merrick kept an eye out if any one of them pulled out a cell phone. Someone had to have alerted Vander that they were here.

  “Well, that was pointless,” Felix said once in the safety of his vehicle.

  “Not completely,” said Merrick as he buckled up. He told the rest of them what Vander had said to Kevin’s unconscious body.

  “Well, shit,” said Felix when he was done. “What the hell did he mean he can bring him back?”

  “No idea.” But he wished he did know. If Kevin woke up would Vander leave him alone? Vander had said it would take time, which meant that for now he would keep pursuing Merrick.

  • • •

  “Would you two knock it off?” said Niella. “What the hell is wrong with you guys?”

  Sydney and Cali both stopped their pacing.

  Cali rubbed at her chest. “Felix is away from me, that’s what’s wrong.”

  Niella waved her off. “Yeah, fine. You I understand. You … ” She pointed to Sydney. “What’s your problem? Why are you so antsy?”

  Sydney dropped her hands before she felt tempted to rub at the hollow ache in her chest. She was nervous, anxious. As soon as Merrick drove away she wanted to race after him.

  Both women watched her carefully.

  She forced herself to sit. “I’m worried about them. All of them,” she stressed in case they got any ideas.

  “Well, quit it, you’re making me nervous.” Niella rolled her shoulders.

  Could it be that Niella was worried too?

  “Are you worried about Luke?” Sydney asked.

  The glare shot her way was answer enough.

  “You are. That’s so cute,” Sydney teased, glad to divert the attention away from herself.

  “Look, the kid has had a tough life. He doesn’t need any more complications.”

  Cali continued to pace. Sydney wanted to join her but concentrated back on Niella. “I know he was in the foster care system, that had to be rough.”

  “You want to know why he was in the foster care system?” Niella asked. “It’s because he had an abusive father. Luke and his sister were separated and he went from home to home until this last one kept him for a few years.”

  “He told you all this?”

  “He mentioned it and then while he was touring the clinic again on his own I had a Dream about him. His past.”

  “Did you tell him that?”

  “Nah, I’m sure he doesn’t want anyone to know, so you better keep your mouth shut.” Her hazel eyes hardened.

  Sydney leaned back. “I promise.”

  Cali let out a relieved sigh.

  Sydney looked up. The tig
htness in her chest had lessened, which meant —

  She shot to her feet as the front door opened.

  The men shuffled into the living room all bruised and bloodied except for Luke. Luke looked shaken, his hair frizzing out like he’d stuck his finger in an electrical socket.

  Sydney’s attention flew to Merrick. He had a black eye and a split lip. “Are you all right?” She ran to him and only realized her mistake when she clutched Merrick’s face in her hands.

  A deathly quiet settled over the room.

  Sydney dropped her arms and spun to find the rest of the guild gaping at her. Her eyes instantly sought Joel.

  He stood off to the side sporting a cut on his forehead and a swollen lip. He stared at her dazed, as if someone had bashed him over the head from behind.

  He blinked and the dazed look was gone. In its place was hurt and betrayal.

  Sydney took a step toward him.

  His midnight blue eyes narrowed. His anger couldn’t quite mask the pain she saw in his face.

  “Joel,” she croaked. “I — ”

  “What the hell, Syd?” His gazed flickered around the room to where the rest of the guild was watching them. His face flushed with humiliation. He stepped forward and took her arm. “Can we talk somewhere private?” he whispered between clenched teeth.

  He didn’t wait for an answer. He started to pull her toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

  “Joel, wait,” she protested meekly. She didn’t want to have this conversation while he was pissed. She didn’t want to have this conversation somewhere the entire guild could overhear them. She didn’t want to have this conversation period.

  His fingers tightened around her arm. “Joel, stop. Please let go.”

  He made it three steps with her stumbling after him before he stopped. She peeked around his body to see Merrick blocking their way. His eyes were shining like blue fire.

  Joel’s body stiffened. The tension in the room rose another notch. “Get out of our way,” Joel seethed.

  Merrick crossed his arms and widened his stance. “She doesn’t want to go with you.”

  Sydney could barely hear over the roaring in her ears.

  Joel’s fingers twitched against her arm. “And you think she’d want to go with you?”

  Merrick’s eyes briefly met hers. For one second she could have sworn she saw a flicker of vulnerability. It was gone in the next instant, replaced with hard ice. “She asked you to let her go.” He avoided Joel’s question.

  “This doesn’t concern you,” said Joel. “She’s my girlfriend and I want to talk to her alone.”

  “If Sydney doesn’t want to do something then it concerns me,” Merrick said flatly.

  “And since when did it become your responsibility to protect Syd?”

  Merrick took a menacing step toward Joel. “Since you failed to do so.”

  Sydney gasped. “Merrick — ”

  Joel dropped her arm.

  A split second later his fist slammed into Merrick’s face. Blood gushed from his nose. He stepped back to regain his balance and threw his fist.

  Sydney heard the crack of bone and cried out as Joel flew off his feet.

  “Shit.” Cali jumped out of the way.

  Felix rushed to Joel’s side. His blue-green eyes caught with Sydney’s and he gave her a look like “what the hell are you doing?” She wasn’t rushing to Joel’s side. She was anchored to the floor, her gaze darting between Joel and Merrick.

  Merrick held his clenched fist close to his body, his chest heaving.

  Their eyes locked. Something like fear and anticipation coursed through her body. Her breasts ached and her sex pulsed.

  She tore her gaze away and ran to Joel.

  “Joel.” She knelt next to him. Cali handed her a roll of paper towels. She brought them to his face where his hand was cupped to catch the blood from his nose. “Here.” She tried to shoo his hand away. “Let me.”

  “Get away from me.” He pushed her away. She fell back onto her butt. Numb.

  Cali took the towels from her hand and shot her an apologetic half-smile. She took her place at Joel’s side and handed him the paper towels.

  Sydney mechanically got to her feet. She stared from the outside as Felix, Cali, and Luke helped Joel.

  A delicate hand grasped hers.

  She jumped.

  Niella squeezed her hand once and let it drop. She rolled over to the rest of the group and handed them more tissues.

  Tears welled in Sydney’s eyes. It was all her fault. She’d done this. Her greatest fear of breaking up the guild was happening right before her eyes.

  She felt Merrick come up behind her. She quickly stepped away, not looking at him. “Just stay away,” she pleaded, though the words broke something fragile inside of her. She wanted nothing more than to curl into his strong, warm arms and forget the sight before her.

  Out of the corner of her eye she could see Merrick’s white knuckles. He backed off into the adjoining kitchen.

  Felix helped Joel to his feet. His face was swollen and Sydney could already make out the beginnings of two black eyes. “Joel, I’m so sorry — ”

  He walked right past her.

  Felix gave her an apologetic look and followed Joel out, talking to him in a hushed voice.

  Numb didn’t even begin to describe what she was feeling. She was dead inside. Joel wouldn’t even look at her.

  A car started in the front yard.

  A few seconds later Felix came back in, looking uncharacteristically somber. He studied the blood stains on his carpet and Sydney felt even more terrible. “I’ll help you clean up,” she offered.

  Felix held up a hand. “I think we all need to just calm down, go home and recuperate. We didn’t find anything out tonight so there’s no rush to do anything.”

  “Is there a phone I can use to call a cab?” Merrick asked.

  Felix pitched him his cell.

  The offer to drive him home was sitting on the tip of her tongue but Sydney swallowed it down. Right now she was feeling crushed and vulnerable. She didn’t know what she’d do if left alone in Merrick’s presence. And she wasn’t willing to find out.

  After Merrick left Sydney helped Felix with his carpet despite his protests. Once that was finished she searched for anything else she could do to occupy her mind and time. When there was nothing left she conceded defeat and collected her purse and keys.

  Niella blocked Sydney’s path to the door.

  “What?”

  Niella’s face betrayed nothing. “Take me home.” It wasn’t a question.

  Sydney’s fingers tightened around her keys but all the anger drained from her when she realized the extra time would keep her mind away from thoughts of Merrick and Joel. Her shoulders slumped. “Fine.”

  Niella’s wheelchair would barely fit in the back of her Yaris but they’d gotten it in once before.

  Felix offered the guest room to Luke. He turned in as soon as possible. Sydney felt bad for ruining everyone’s night but Felix said Luke was probably exhausted from being tasered.

  “What?” Niella and Sydney both cried.

  Cali, who was sitting on the sofa, leaned back in a relaxed pose. “Ah, tasers, that brings me back.”

  Felix shot her a mischievous grin.

  The joke wasn’t lost on Sydney. She’d been there after Cali had knocked Collette out cold with a taser.

  “Don’t worry,” Felix said to Niella and Sydney. “A little rest and he’ll be fine. He regenerates, remember?”

  Niella grumbled about poor treatment of new recruits.

  The car ride to Niella’s started out in relative silence. Niella played with the radio until she settled for some upbeat dance song. When they were about halfway to her place she turned the volume down.

  “So are you going to tell me what happened back there?” she asked.

  Sydney kept her attention front and center. After a few minutes of following the car in front of her, she finally answered
. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt,” she confessed. There was no point lying to a Dreamer. Niella would find out about it eventually. The more she concentrated on a subject or object the more likely she was to Dream about it.

  “Well, you failed on that front,” Niella said bluntly.

  Sydney winced. “I know. It’s just — ”

  “Merrick is your Mirror Mate?” she supplied helpfully.

  The air left Sydney’s lungs in a rush. “How long have you known?”

  “How long have you?” Niella countered.

  Sydney adjusted her hands on the steering wheel restlessly. “I suspected as much when I saw him in June locked up beneath the Kratos building.” She stopped at a red light and turned to Niella.

  Her eyebrows were raised in surprise. “That’s a long time, Syd.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t say anything to Joel. He cares for me so much and this is so … unfair to him.” The light turned green and she concentrated on the road.

  “You’re always so worried about everyone else. You’re trying to please too many people. What do you want?”

  “Merrick.” His name burst from her lips without conscious thought.

  She whirled her head around to gauge Niella’s reaction but she was only smiling at her. “Then you have your answer.”

  “But what about Joel?”

  Niella leaned her head back against the seat rest. “Joel will be fine in time. Trust me.”

  Sydney frowned.

  Chapter 17

  Merrick tipped the cab driver and made his way to his apartment. The door handle was loose and on further inspection there were scratch marks on the doorframe. Merrick jiggled the handle before sticking his key in.

  Still locked.

  He shook his head. Some punk kids were testing out their skills on breaking and entering and failed. Much to his relief. Maybe it was a sign that his luck was changing.

  He pushed open his door and flipped the lights before relocking the front and engaging the flimsy chain. It was the first time he’d been back in his apartment by himself. His gaze drifted to the dog dishes by the fridge.

  The apartment was eerily silent and he wondered if perhaps he should get another dog to quell the loneliness he was currently trying to hold off. He threw his keys onto the counter and opened his fridge out of habit. There was nothing inside of it. Nothing edible anyway.