Taming Jax (First Wave Book 5)

by Mikayla Lane

  Reven squeezed her cold hand and lowered his head over the bed as he choked on the grief for a moment before stiffening his spine.

  He turned to Amun and in a voice choked with emotion he asked, “What are we facing? Will she remember anyone? Walk? Speak? How can I help her? What can I do?”

  Ivint grabbed his friend in his arms and hugged him close as Reven broke down. Both men shook violently with the force of Reven’s grief, and Ivint nodded at Amun over his shaking shoulder.

  Amun quickly dosed Reven with a calming agent and wished there was something more he could do for the man. But he had no answers. He’d gone through the archives of Valendra, Tezaria and Zendar looking for anything similar that would give him an idea of what to expect, but there was nothing.

  He had never seen anyone recover from such extensive brain injuries before. It hadn’t been a matter of mere trauma; it had been almost every single previously active connection being permanently destroyed.

  The connections she was forming now, were in parts of her brain that had never been used before, and he had no idea what the end result would be. She could have extremely limited reasoning skills or be a genius; he had no idea. And those were not answers that Reven needed right now.

  Amun waited until the calming agent took effect, and Reven was able to pull himself together before trying to explain it to him.

  “Reven, I have no idea what we’re facing. There are parts of her brain that are becoming active that even we do not use. I have no idea what will carry-over from what remained and what new characteristics she will form. We will figure it out. I promise; we will figure it out, and we’ll help her in any way that we can.” Amun said, meaning every word. He would do whatever it took to bring Jax back to the loyal commander.

  Reven nodded his head and sat back down beside Jax. He pulled her hand back into his own and scraped together enough energy to send into her. Healing energy, memories and love. Between the calming agent and exhaustion, he finally dropped his head to the bed near Jax’s and fell into a troubled sleep.

  Ivint grabbed a blanket and covered his friend before motioning to Amun and stepping over the tiger on his way to the door. Once outside, Ivint spoke to him through the Shengari’ to ensure Reven wouldn’t hear the conversation.

  “Tell me the truth.” Ivint demanded.

  Amun shook his head. “That is the truth. I don’t know what will happen. This is new, even for us, this is new. This wasn’t a cut or a bruise of the brain; this was a fire bomb going off on her active connections.”

  “Her brain can rewire itself to where she is almost exactly as she was before, or she could be different…” Amun admitted.

  Ivint flashed angry blue eyes at the doctor. “What the hell do you mean ‘different’?”

  Amun tried to avoid his gaze, but strict military upbringing and respect made him look up. Once he did, there was no way he could try to make it sound any better.

  “She may never wake up. If she does, she could be as powerful as Lara, or she could never walk again or interact with the world around her. Or anyone in it. As advanced as we are, even we are unfamiliar with the areas of the brain that we can’t and don’t use.”

  “Jax is forming connections everywhere. She is creating new paths completely around the damaged areas into places not used in any culture I have researched yet. I’m still looking. Expanding my search into other species that we’ve interacted with…” Amun said, just as frustrated that he didn’t know what was going on or what to expect.

  Both men gasped and jumped back when Melina appeared beside them. When he caught his breath back, Ivint leaned down to the obviously upset child.

  “What is wrong little one? Are you hungry?” He asked patiently, still trying to calm his racing heart. The child’s skill was truly remarkable, but not quite as fun when turned on him.

  Melina looked up at the Valendran leader with pale eyes that pulsed slightly with silver dots. “She’s still there. She’s coming back to us. If you don’t stop with your doubts, you will continue to upset my father and my sister. I won’t have them hurt like that. Stop it.” Melina growled the last two words with a dangerous look in her eyes, leaving no doubt that she was angry.

  A part of Ivint wanted to chuckle at the child’s courage in standing up to someone who was more than twice her size and at least four times her weight. However, he’d seen the vid of her in the training room and wasn’t a fool.

  Leaning down on one knee, to put himself closer to her level, he looked her dead in the eyes, so she would have no doubt of the truth in his words.

  “I love your father as a brother, and I would never do anything to hurt him. He means as much to me as my own mate and child, and his pain is breaking my heart. Amun and I are just trying to understand what to expect as Jax recovers, so we can be prepared to help the both of them, however, they may need it.” Ivint said honestly as he looked into her pulsing silver eyes.

  Melina looked from Ivint to Amun and back before nodding her head slightly, the silver dots receding back into small pinpoints as she released her anger.

  Amun had to ask. “Do you know what is happening in her mind?”

  Melina shook her head before looking down sadly. “I feel her energy…, but I don’t feel her anymore. But, I believe she’s there… we believe she’s there…” Melina said roughly as she motioned inside the room to Reven and Bayla.

  Ivint and Amun came to the same conclusion as they watched the small girl struggle with her own fears and sadness. Ivint pulled the child into a hug and stroked her hair as he fought to keep his voice steady.

  “You’re right little one. Jax is the strongest woman I have ever met and more stubborn than a mountain. She’ll be back.”

  *****

  Grai woke with a start and looked down at the straps holding him in the seat blankly. He shook his head to try to clear the fog as he struggled to remember why he was in a transport.

  He pulled off the straps and stood, swaying slightly; he remained still until the world stopped spinning before staggering to the hatch.

  He hit the button and stared out at the docking bay in Dillon. The normal bustle of activity was muted and strained and the techs working were giving a wide berth to the animals that still remained in the bay by the MedLab door, waiting for their friend to awaken or to lend more energy to heal her.

  Grai stared at the scene for long moments before his memory came rushing back to him, and he roared in fury. Ignoring the startled stares of the flight craft techs, he strode angrily towards the MedLab door.

  Several inquiries through the Shengari’ later, Grai was ready to kill. He stopped halfway to the door when he saw Ivint in the doorway with the child. He stood there among the field of animals and tried to calm himself so the child wouldn’t be able to pick up on the rage coursing through him.

  Taking deep breaths, he looked around and finally noticed the animals. Really noticed them. He cursed loudly as he roared orders through the Shengari’ and watched in satisfaction as moments later vet techs and assistants poured into the bay.

  He watched in silence, trying to calm himself, as the techs checked the animals as the assistants took water and food to them. They were so exhausted they barely flinched at the close contact of the people.

  The animals were loyal; he thought. Which was something he could respect. They had been there when Jax had needed them the most, and he would be there for them until she could return and take over their care again.

  Feeling calmer, but not calm enough to be around children right now, Grai looked up at Ivint and called him through the Shengari’ to get his attention.

  “We have a major problem. One that cannot wait. I need all senior staff in the conference room.”

  Ivint looked up and saw Grai in the bay. There was no mistaking the anger in his eyes and the tic of his jaw. Whatever had happened was pretty serious for Grai to want him to leave Reven, and he nodded his head before responding.

  “I’ll be there shortly
.”

  Without another word, Grai turned on his heel and headed into one of the doors that led to the interior of the building. Each step towards the conference room only increased his anger as he realized that most of his senior staff was not fucking coming!

  Jax was barely alive; Reven was devastated and Lara, Dread, Drago and Viper were fucking missing; he thought as he roared his anger through the hallway. He didn’t even notice the people scurrying to turn around and head away from him when they saw him coming.

  His mind quickly ran through their staff, and he sent out calls to everyone that he believed would be suited to taking over for those that wouldn’t be there. People he knew he could trust; he thought as he clenched his fists at the betrayal and anger he felt raging through him.

  Grai slammed into the conference room door and nodded sharply at Cristali, Risk and Traze, who were already waiting for him. He paced the length of the table as Discorian, Decano, Balduen, Niklosi, Ratoka and Ivint came in one after another. Each looked at the other oddly before taking a seat at the table.

  Grai took a deep breath before beginning. “Lara and the fle’ te’ Trugh brothers are gone. She knocked me out, and they left me in the fucking transport in the docking bay while they escaped through a series of our portals.”

  Ivint was the first to speak. “I don’t understand, why did she knock you out?”

  Grai answered through gritted teeth. “I went with them to where Jax was hurt. I demanded to know who did it, because she knew. She knew, and she wasn’t telling us. The next thing I knew I was waking in the docking bay, and they were gone. They are refusing to respond through the Shengari’ and have cut off communications.”

  Grai looked around the room, his eyes flashing with fury as he said, “She knows damn well who the bastard is because he’s a fucking Prime. I felt the energy at the site, and I felt her reaction to it before she knocked me out. It’s one of her people who was targeting us and who set us up on that mission.”

  Gasps and various outbursts of ‘hell no!’ and other curses filled the room as everyone reacted to the shocking news. Ivint just shook his head slowly, making Grai ask, “What do you know?”

  Ivint shook his head. “Something seemed very off with this mission and what happened to Jax. If and when Reven begins thinking more clearly he will realize it as well and there will be hell to pay when that happens.”

  “Collectively, Reven and I have fought more battles than most of you, and I’ve never seen or heard of such an injury. Not one so complete or received in such a fashion. It was clear that it was caused by a weapon we’ve never seen before or someone we’ve not encountered before.” Ivint said, trying to figure out the puzzle.

  “Fuck!” Grai roared as he paced the room angrily.

  If he hadn’t been so worried about Jax, animals flooding his docking bay and his own son and mate being used for an unknown healing, he would have fucking seen it sooner!

  He was getting too soft. Too complacent since coming to Dillon. And Jax and Reven were paying the price for it. He roared in rage and pain at what his laziness had caused his people, even the animals given into his care when he purchased the town.

  Grai turned darkened eyes to the others in the room. “I want them found and detained if possible. We are to stay on a heightened alert until we know what the fuck is going on.”

  Ratoka interrupted Grai. “If you are thinking that the Tezarian’s have turned traitor, then you are dead wrong Grai. I can assure you that it is not in the hearts of any of them. If Dread thought for one moment that what Lara was doing was wrong, he would have no part of it. You know that.” Ratoka said gently, trying to calm the enraged leader.

  “I am not assuming anyone is a traitor. But, I also do not believe we know the full truth of the arrival of the ancients or the Prime, and until we do, we need to treat them with caution and suspicion.” Grai said between gritted teeth.

  Ivint added. “There is no reason not to continue with the additional security measures. I agree with Grai; the situation is too unique and the danger to our people too great to ignore.”

  Everyone at the table slowly nodded their heads in agreement. No one liked the idea of distrusting what they assumed to be one of their own, but there were too many in Dillon, counting on them for protection to consider the feelings of one individual.

  “What of the hunter?” Disc asked, as Traze came to his feet as if to fight.

  Grai held a hand out to his brother. “Sit down! The hunter is a child and although incredibly gifted, her love for Jax, Reven and her sister is absolute. I do not think we have anything to fear from the child.”

  “She will be watched, more so because I worry for her safety. The animal that damn near killed Jax was trying to get the location of the child from her mind and Melina has stated before that the man who hurt Jax was the one who captured her and sold her to the Relian’s to begin with.” Grai said, ensuring everyone understood that the child was not the enemy, but a true victim.

  Grai and Ivint’s comm’s started trilling that they both had a message. Grai immediately picked it up and roared out a long string of curses as Ivint shook his head sadly and uttered “Damn it!”

  Grai looked at the assembled group with furious eyes. “Whoever this is, has declared war on our people. The other doctors have completed the autopsies; the six women found mutilated in the barn, were indeed hybrids. All of them were our people.”

  “There were obvious signs of imprisonment, rape and torture. Some of them showed signs of extended captivity. We need answers. Until we get them, I want everyone, at all locations to be on alert for anything suspicious. Anything. This was a message we cannot ignore!” Grai said, looking at the angry and disturbed faces of his new team.

  Decano spoke up. “It cannot be a coincidence that they were all hybrids. Or that he tried to kill Jax to get the location of the hunter.”

  Everyone shook their heads in agreement while Grai’s mind whirled with the beginnings of a plan.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Reven stood and stretched his aching muscles. It had been five days since Jax had been brought back to him almost lifeless, and still she hadn’t awakened. There had been no sign in that time that she ever would, other than the pep talks that Melina and the others gave him regularly.

  Although things were looking incredibly dismal, he maintained an unwavering confidence that his strong mate would come back to him. Reven had seen the pitying looks thrown his way by just about everyone who had come to visit Jax.

  Even people she had known for years, were giving up hope that she would ever regain consciousness. He knew better, and he wouldn’t stop believing in her. Ever. Even though the bonding strands were gone and had never come back, she was his mate and would always be his.

  If he had to spend the rest of his days tending to her comatose form until she could bring herself back, then that is what he would do, he vowed to himself before picking up her cool hand and rubbing it across his cheek. He placed a kiss on her palm and gently placed it back under the covers.

  Looking at the time he realized that Bayla and Melina would be coming from the academy soon, and he did his best to clean himself up before they arrived.

  He had been angry and stubborn when Ivint and Sacara had first recommended that he allow the girls to go to the academy during the day, with the other kids. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that waiting day and night beside Jax, with him, wasn’t going to help the children to heal and grow, and he had finally relented after the second day.

  He was glad that he had. It gave the children a much-needed break away from the despair that hovered over Jax’s bed as friends came to check on her and grieve her loss. They were fools! Reven thought with an angry growl. Jax was coming back to them. He was sure of it. She just needed more time.

  Each school day, Melina and one of the team members would take Bayla to the toddler center before heading to her own class and would bring her back to him at the end of the day.

>   He loved to see their smiling, happy faces as Melina recounted their day to him and Jax. He did his best to give them twice the encouragement and love, making up for Jax until she could do it herself again.

  Grai had moved Jax into an unused room near the stairs that led aboveground. This enabled them to add in furniture for Reven and the kids, like beds, a couch, TV and games. Her condition wasn’t stable enough to go home and since Reven, the kids and the animals had refused to leave her side, there had been no choice but to find a better way to accommodate them.

  It had worked out well; Reven thought as he looked around the bustling docking bay. The door leading outside had been propped open and all personnel had been warned to avoid using it. It was guarded from discovery by elite warrior’s topside that were hidden from view of the animals that were using the door as a way in and out to Jax.