by D McEntire
Ignoring his inner voice, he spoke. "I have the socks and shoes. Sit. I'll put them on for you." Tank grasped Sonya's wrist lightly. This time she didn't tense at his touch, and he hoped it meant she was getting used to his presence.
Assisting her to a nearby chair, he waited while she sat. Lowering to a crouch, he glanced at her bare feet--small and elegant. He lifted one and cupped the heel in his palm while he slid on the sock, then did the same for the other. After the socks, Tank placed sneakers on each foot and tied the laces.
"There, how's that?"
Still in a crouched position, he glanced at her beautiful face. Exotic, white eyes glowed, seemingly staring at him. The breath suddenly left his lungs in a rush. He had the sudden urge to lean forward and taste her soft, pink lips. He wanted to pull her to his chest and feel her pressed against him once again, just like when she'd fed from him.
Whoa, easy, fella. Back away from the eye candy. Tank warned himself to rein in the beast.
Having someone dress her should've made her uncomfortable, but it didn't. She worked hard to maintain her independence, but this time the thought never entered her mind. In fact, she found herself enjoying Tank's touch.
Once he'd finished with the socks and shoes and had removed his hands, Sonya immediately felt empty, alone. It shocked her how she was beginning to look forward to his touch. It made her feel safe, anchored. Chaos had taken over her life with things that hadn't been there only days ago, but when she was with Tank, none of that seemed to matter. Why?
Worry set in about the direction of her thoughts and how they managed to have taken up space in her mind. She didn't know this man, nor could she afford to allow herself to begin depending on someone. She'd lived alone for years, well, except for the time she'd cared for her grandmother, but otherwise she had depended on one person--herself.
Sonya thanked Tank, gave a small smile and allowed him to escort her out the room.
As they walked, her mind went at it again. Usually, she didn't want anyone guiding her. She knew her reason to be based mainly on pride. To show her ability to walk into and out of a room and do other things, normal things, on her own. She also knew the cause. Her childhood had been spent trying to prove herself to her parents.
The feel of Tank's warm, strong hand on her arm sent tingles of electricity throughout her body, taking away all her sense of independence. She tried to ignore it, telling herself it was all in her head. He probably felt nothing of the sort. He was taking care of her and that's why she felt the attraction. Perhaps she suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, her mind reasoned. He was only being helpful. Besides it wasn't as if he could've taken her to the hospital. There was no fix for this. One of his kind--her kind she mentally corrected--had to care for her through the conversion as Tank had called it. And, since he seemed to be the leader here, he'd taken over the job. At least for the time being. He'd probably put her off on someone else. Most likely the women he'd mentioned.
Sonya's heart grew heavy. She'd never been a burden to anyone, and she wasn't going to let it happen now. Once she knew what to expect with her new life and David had been found, she'd leave. She'd return home and try to get some semblance of her life back.
"When you leave my room, you're facing the hallway. We're on the second floor. There's a railing a few steps to your left. Once you reach it, go straight."
Tank's voice cut off the drowning feeling weighing heavily on her from her thoughts. They'd gone from playing ping pong in her head to a fast slalom.
"Okay, give me a minute to count my paces."
Sonya mentally counted two steps to the left, then the ones it took from his room to the staircase.
"Now we're at the stairs. I've never really paid attention to how many there are. The handrail is on your left side."
Sonya reached out with her left hand and grasped the railing. As they descended the stairs, she ticked them off one by one. One...two...three...
"This is the last step," he told her. "We're now on the main floor. If you take a left, you'll be heading in the direction of the kitchen. If you take a right, you'll go into the living room."
"Got it." She heard the television as well as voices. When they suddenly quieted, her heart began to race. Strangers. Sonya blurted the first thing that had come to mind to break the tension and cut off her panic. "This is where my cane comes in handy." To her ears, the nervousness she heard in her voice almost made her sound hysterical, and she mentally winced.
"Is it at your house?"
Sonya nodded. "Yes, it should be unless David had taken it for some reason. I don't need it to get around my house so I usually put it beside the door by my purse. That way I know where it is when I leave the house."
"I'll get it when I head to your place to get Brat. Is there anything you'll need besides clothing?"
Sonya considered what she needed, suddenly realizing how embarrassing it would be for Tank to pack her clothes, especially her undergarments. "I'd like to go as well, not to stay or anything. I'd rather pack my things, if that's all right."
He didn't answer for a moment, and she found herself holding her breath. When he agreed, she let it out slowly. Out of sorts and wound tight, she felt the desperate need for familiar surroundings.
"Let's turn left and go to the kitchen."
Tank pulled slightly on her arm, and she turned left, tracking her steps until he announced they'd entered the kitchen. While there, he guided her around the room while describing everything there. She tried to ignore the fact the voices she'd heard earlier hadn't returned except for a whisper here and there. She hoped they weren't watching. Being the object of attention was not something she needed right now.
After the trek through the kitchen, all the while mulling over her request to go along with them when they went to her home, Tank explained they were returning to the staircase. He had wanted to refuse or come up with an excuse as to why she shouldn't go with them, but instead he'd relented. He understood her reasons for wanting to go.
"Now we're back at the stairs. I figured it would be easier for you to judge where you are from this point."
"Yes. That's perfect. Thank you."
Pulling her gently to the right, he guided her to the living room.
"This long table is sort of like the defining point of the living room. It'll help you determine where everything else in the room is located. Directly behind it is the couch."
Tank grasped her hand and placed it on the table. He watched as she trailed her fingers to the end and walked her around it.
"Right after the table is a space between a chair on your left and the couch on your right. In the middle of the floor is a square, glass-top coffee table."
A sudden twinge of fear gripped him as he eyed the glass table. He turned to Kern. "We need to get that thing out of here and get a wooden coffee table."
Sonya spoke quickly and put out her hand to protest. "No, no. Don't change anything for me, please."
The look of panic at his suggestion had him spinning his wheels to halt her protest. The cartoon playing on the television quickly gave him a thought of how to smooth this over. "With the children here as well. We don't need such things which could be a danger to them."
When she relaxed at his explanation, Tank was glad for his quick thinking. Although it was true the glass top could be a danger to children, his main concern was Sonya might trip and fall onto it, smashing the glass and getting severely injured.
With Sonya now appeased by his explanation, he continued the spoken tour. "Of course, you can hear the television. It's mounted on the wall. We have a stereo system here as well if you'd like to listen to anything. There's an extensive collection of movies and CDs."
Tank could have smacked himself for his last statement. She could listen to music, perhaps if someone helped her make a selection, but movies?
To change the subject in his head, he surveyed the room once more, making a mental of note of possible hazards to Sonya. He'd have everything r
emoved quickly and quietly. She didn't need to know as he'd learned from her reaction moments ago by the mentioning of removing the table.
Tank turned to Kern once more. "Don't tell me the WITs are still in bed?"
Kern shook his head. "Nope. Believe it or not, the commotion had them flying down the stairs. Guess they thought Rogues had invaded the building or something. Marie tossed a few things in a bag for them to eat, and I sent them on their way with their new orders from Headquarters."
The news brought Tank relief. One less worry, he told himself.
When Trigg and Robyn entered the room, Tank glanced at Robyn and noticed she seemed to have regained her composure from Sonya being burned by the sunlight. He knew the poor girl felt tremendous guilt at not locking the door to the fire escape the last time she'd come in from the roof.
Her eyes were a little red-rimmed from crying. Tank gave her a reassuring smile and softened his face. It was the only thing he could think of at the moment to convey silently all was forgotten and everything was fine. Sonya was okay.
Tank pulled Sonya to his side and turned them both to face his Cell-mates. "Now, the introductions. First, let me introduce you to Trigg, my Second in Command."
Second in Command. Sonya thought about the statement for a moment as it was the second time Tank had mentioned something about a command. And, what is a WIT? Later, she'd ask him to explain. Right now, she wanted to concentrate on the names of the others in the house.
A scent different than Tank's caught her attention as someone approached. A deep, rumbling voice greeted her as well as a strong hand.
"And, this is Robyn, Trigg's mate."
A soft, small hand grasped hers. "I'm so sorry, Sonya. The door should've been locked. It's my fault."
Sonya shook her head profusely. She didn't want anyone feeling bad because of her. Mistakes happen. Lord knew she's made many in her lifetime. "No. Don't worry about it. I took a wrong turn. At least I know now where that direction will take me. I probably would've done it sooner or later anyway. Please don't fret over it."
As the others were introduced--Vane, Rosa, Kern and Marie, Sonya wondered about the men's odd names. Perhaps they were nicknames, she thought.
"Is something wrong?"
Sonya hadn't realized she was frowning. "I was just processing the names so I wouldn't forget them."
Tank laughed. "Yeah, I know. Our names are a little strange. There's no Peter, Paul or Mary here."
"Hey. Mine's close."
Sonya figured it was Marie who'd spoken. She realized she was able to recognize each one, not only by voice, but by scent. Her new talent must be the product of her new situation, she reasoned and found herself wishing she'd developed the ability long ago. It would've helped her many times over.
"It's nice to meet you all. I want to apologize for the fiasco I caused earlier. Maybe I need to invest in one of those GPS systems. One that talks to help me get around strange places."
Soft chuckles released some of her tension.
"Tank. Is that a nickname?"
"That's a long story. Let's just say my given name isn't easy to pronounce."
After guiding her to the couch, she sat, but as soon as her butt hit the cushions, a loud voice calling her name made her jump. The next instant, she found herself in a fierce hug.
Sonya laughed with surprise. "Si. I'm so glad you're okay. Where's Mya?"
Si's arm was still around her neck as he answered, but Sonya didn't mind. She missed the children--Si and Mya as well as her students.
"She's sleeping. She needed a nap."
"I can't wait to meet her," Sonya said. "I'm sure I scared her when I opened the outside door. I didn't mean to make her cry."
"I know. She's okay. She'll be glad to see you."
With that, Si released her.
"I'm gonna get something to drink. Want anything, Sonya?"
Sonya smiled at his thoughtfulness. She remembered how concerned he'd been for her while she'd been ill. "No, but thank you."
She heard the shuffle of Si's feet as he sprinted out of the living room. His exit was followed by soft laughter, bringing her mind back to where she was--sitting in a room full of strangers. Sonya struggled for something to say to make conversation.
"Sonya, how are you feeling? You missed breakfast...well...we call it breakfast even though we eat our first meal at around four in the afternoon."
"Robyn's the resident cook," Tank explained.
"I am a little hungry, but only if you have something quick and easy, or perhaps leftovers which can be reheated. I don't want you to go to any trouble," Sonya replied.
"No trouble at all, and I want you to strike that word from your vocabulary. There'll be no worrying about causing trouble, okay?"
Sonya smiled at Robyn's feigned admonishment.
It suddenly occurred to her she wasn't wearing her sunglasses, which meant her unusually colored eyes were visible. So preoccupied from the shock of being burned and still attempting to absorb what had happened to her, she'd forgotten all about them. Closing her eyes, she silently berated herself as she no doubt had made everyone in the room uncomfortable. Tank and Si had been the only ones to have already seen them.
Tank noticed the sudden change in Sonya and frowned. "Sonya, are you feeling okay?" he prodded. She assured him she was fine, but didn't open her eyes. It took a moment for him to realize the problem.
"Sonya, your eyes are beautiful. Mine don't bother anyone here. Do they, folks?"
Murmured reassurance was voiced all around.
"As I said, I have several extra pairs of sunglasses. I'll get one for you if you want, but I would really like it if you didn't cover your face."
The room grew quiet, adding to the embarrassment she was beginning to feel over his compliments. He'd already told her twice her eyes were beautiful. Is he flirting or simply being nice?
"There's still a couple of chocolate chip pancakes left. Would you like me to heat them up or would you prefer something else?"
"The pancakes sound great," Sonya answered, glad Robyn had brought up the topic once more. At least it gave her a distraction, not to mention an excuse to distance herself from the awkwardness. It was adding to her nervousness, something she didn't need right now. It was bad enough to be in a room full of strangers, but to have a man she barely knew, but found she'd like to, continually offer compliments kept her off balance.
Sonya stood. "I'll help."
She suddenly felt Tank's fingers around her wrist.
"I'll bring it to you. You just have a seat."
Sonya frowned. She wasn't used to anyone waiting on her, and she wasn't going to appear delicate or disabled in front of these strangers. She actually hated the words. Sure, she may not be able to see, but she had other honed skills that helped to balance things out a little. She was thirty-four years old and lived on her own. She hadn't needed a babysitter before David's attack, and she definitely didn't need one now.
Aggravation attempted to rear its ugly head. Sonya silently counted to ten, a tactic she used often to calm herself when she got riled, reminding herself Tank had stated he'd had no previous dealing with anyone having her...now, how did he put it...oh yes, condition. It wasn't his intention to be overbearing.
Her little self-correction talk over, she pasted on a smile, which she hoped looked genuine. "I want to help in whatever way I can. I like to earn my keep. Besides, I need to learn to navigate this place on my own while I'm here. That is, until I return home."
The sound of someone clearing their throat had Tank turning his head to where he noticed Robyn's narrowed gaze directed at him. After staring at her in confusion, the finger she pointed at him, followed by the action of slicing her neck made him realize his error.
Releasing Sonya's wrist, he watched Robyn escort her into the kitchen. Once out of earshot, he closed his eyes and blew out a long, hard breath. When he opened them again, he saw all attention focused on him--amused expressions dramatized by matching grins. "
What?" he barked.
Marie patted Kern's knee as the Watcher shook his head and laughed.
Standing, she glanced at Rosa. "I think Rosa and I will join the other ladies in the kitchen." Kissing Kern's cheek, she spoke against his skin. "Go easy on him. He's got a lot to learn."
As both she and Rosa passed where he sat, Marie gave him a wink. Tank tried to ignore the women's laughter, which lasted all the way to kitchen.
He glared at their backs through narrowed eyes, then as soon as they disappeared into the kitchen, he turned the same look on Kern, Trigg and Vane. "What is she talking about?"
Vane let out an exaggerated sigh, which told him he was in a world of trouble. "Tank, brother, I think the women are trying to clue you in on how to deal with Sonya."
Feeling the need to defend himself, he started to speak, but was cut short when Vane held up a hand.
"I know we weren't perfect in our pursuits of our mates." Vane glanced at Trigg and Kern. "So, if you can learn a few things without making the stupid mistakes we've made, I'd listen if I was you."
"What makes you think I'm pursuing a mate?" This talk was making him edgy, not to mention uncomfortable. What was going on in his Cell-mates heads? He wasn't searching for a mate, was he? He mentally explored the scenes of the last hour since assisting Sonya down the stairs and couldn't find anything to suggest a pursuit.
"Right," Vane drawled. "That I just brought home a brand new puppy smile is your natural look?"
Vane snorted, vacated his chair, then headed upstairs to his room.
After a long beep sounded from the fax machine, Kern left the living room and disappeared into the office. Tank continued to glare at Trigg. The warrior's amused look seriously pushed his buttons.
A few minutes later, Kern returned with papers in his hand. Tank accepted them and began reading, noting the documents were from Headquarters.
"Seems there's been an increase in missing persons, mostly human, in the south end." The sanitarium quickly came to mind. Tank didn't like the idea of returning to that place, but there was the possibility David was there. There was also the possibility the Rogue was behind this increase. Si had given him somewhat of a description. At least one from a child's perspective. He hoped he'd be able to sense Sonya on the vamp. Then he'd know he had the right man.