Rebel Heart

by Young, Christine

  His footsteps clamored for a few seconds outside while he paced. When she could hear nothing more, she let out a long sigh.

  Nessa flipped on the security monitors. His departure was swift and uninterrupted. By the time he reached the ground floor, Tori was aware of the quick preparations. All her assistants and personnel were hurrying about. Food lined the tables in the dining room. Decorations graced the visitor center.

  It all appeared as mass confusion. Her eyes rose to Nessa and she flushed with panic.

  "I don't think I can do this."

  "You no longer have a choice."

  Tori felt as if her heart sank to her feet. She knew what her sister said was true.

  "But--"

  "Dr. Savage is the perfect man for you, Tori. His interests are the same as yours. Together you will form a solid alliance against Sheridan and his men. You'll strengthen Jonathan's cause."

  Tori brushed the hair from her eyes, watching as Nessa walked purposefully to her wedding finery. She closed her eyes listening to her heart pound and the blood rush through her veins. It was a thundering in her temple. She was so very afraid of what she was about to do. "If he would only grant me my freedom, I could find a way to compromise." "Perhaps you have to earn his respect first."

  Tori inhaled and exhaled softly. She wanted to tell Nessa the truth about Savage, about The Phantom.

  She could not.

  "He's--he's not as he seems. He's--"

  "At the least, Tori, he's a man who has lived life to the fullest. He expects to be in command, and he expects his orders followed. Not so unlike our father." She paused, holding the dress up for inspection. "And I do not believe he's at all cruel. In fact at times he seems a bit stuffy." She touched Tori lightly on the cheek with a warming smile.

  This was not easing her mind.

  "Nessa, what now?"

  "You forget the past and move forward."

  He had not tried to stop her, and she could not say the words, could not confess. She was not ashamed of what she'd done, but she'd had a pact with Nessa and she'd broken it.

  The Phantom had his place. He did keep the thieves and thieftakers alike in continual fear. He kept them honest. Perhaps he was not truly a thieftaker. Anyone could be listening in on the monitors. She didn't dare reveal his identity or what she'd done.

  She felt her breath coming more rapidly.

  If only she had not woven a thousand lies around herself. She could close her eyes. Accept the enchantment.

  "What is it?" Nessa insisted.

  Tori looked at her hands then shook her head. It was too late for a confession. It would change nothing.

  "I think, Tori, the two of you might find a love like our parents had."

  "Theirs was one of a kind.

  "And you, sister, may someday give up the freedom that you crave so openly for him."

  "Never!"

  "Ah, a word of finality but said with such passion, such conviction. Don't be so hasty to deny that which is in your heart. Come on now. We have five minutes."

  Nessa turned from her then swiftly went to the sideboard. "I think a bit of wine would ease the jitters."

  Tori nodded then accepted the wine her sister poured for her. She swallowed down nearly the whole glass full then looked at the crystal forlornly.

  It did bring back memories of a time in her not so distant past when she realized The Phantom was Savage. Quickly, she downed another glass.

  She did feel calmer. Before she could think of a way out, Nessa had her dressed in her mother's gown and Nessa was working on her hair.

  "You're beautiful," Nessa said softly. "I'd gladly change places."

  "No you wouldn't, Tori. You've an incredible man waiting for you, and I think you know it. He may be a bit arrogant, a little too bold, but it will not take you long to tame him."

  Tame him? If only I could. A mysterious trembling swept within her. She thought back on the time in the forest. There had always been something between them, an unexplainable force and a sweet explosion of heat.

  She relived the stroke of his fingers across her cheek. She remembered the tenderness in the way he held her. He did not mean to take her research. He meant to add his own expertise to it.

  Could they work together in harmony?

  The first test would be tonight.

  Tori paused, watching Nessa and wondering when her sister would find someone, "You will be free to wed when this is through."

  Nessa looked up, catching her lower lip lightly with her teeth. She turned from Tori; she was staring out the window as if she could see the future. "No, I've no one. No one who stirs my heart or my soul," she said softly.

  But Tori could not refute those words. If she would stop battling, she would admit that she'd already lost the war, had already surrendered to him.

  Nessa stepped back. "I think it's time."

  Tori inhaled deeply. "All right."

  Nessa smiled at her then opened the door. They descended the steps together, side-by-side.

  Savage was waiting at the bottom of the steps for her. He took her hand, leading her to the visitor center. She felt the warmth of his hand, the comfort in his touch, but she felt much more. She felt determination and a cold resolve.

  She must have passed the ceremony in a daze. She remembered nothing that was said or done until he slipped the ring on her finger, binding her eternally to his side. She felt nothing until he rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed her.

  Savage slowly lifted his mouth from her, still watching. His eyes were sizzling, his lips turned up in a mischievously wicked smile. Tori was still dazed beneath the tumult created by the man's caress, by his hold. Her hands were at his chest, but they reveled in the feel of his muscle, the rhythm of his heart, and she did not push away.

  The intercom was blaring.

  Tori was dimly aware of the confusion that suddenly surrounded her. Then as the moment faded into the past, she realized the mayhem was not caused by their kiss. She began to hear sounds, distinct words. Then she heard Nessa.

  "It's hit again."

  Tori did not have to ask to know of what Nessa spoke. The signe virus.

  Then it seemed Savage's attention was elsewhere. He stepped back from her and looked to Nessa then the monitors which had been switched to receive the incoming news.

  "How many?"

  "Two cities have been hit. Four hundred are sick. Only ten people have died."

  "Can you tell me when the first case was reported?" Cameron asked him quickly.

  "Early this morning, Dr. Savage, though I cannot believe the virus has spread so rapidly. Ten dead..." Luke replied.

  Then Cameron was quickly issuing orders. "Nessa, go with your sister to the lab. Luke, I'll see you in the office."

  Tori stiffened. This was her home, she thought, and she would have gone without an order. In her mind, she was already preparing for the epidemic. The terminal in her office was an immediate necessity, and she wanted nothing more than to escape there. "I will not be--"

  He interrupted her before she was finished, brow arched in surprise. "Go to your lab."

  "I'm your wife, I was--"

  He lowered his voice. "I assumed you had your own work to pursue, but if I'm wrong, and you wish to sit on your backside and watch others, then be my guest."

  "Oh..."

  "Go now--do what you feel must be done, and report back to me."

  "Yes, my love," she said sweetly.

  "And I will expect a report from you in no less than an hour."

  He arched a brow in amusement. A smile curled at his lip, and he moved a step closer to her. "You have a saucy little mouth when you think you can get away with it. This is a dangerous situation, and if you wish to plague me with your childish behavior, perhaps I can find another way to occupy our time. I could sweep you into my arms and up the stairs…"

  The blood drained from her face. The last thing she wanted at this moment was intimacy with him. Many problems lay between them, and she
had to have time to think.

  Without another word, she spun away from him. Then she whirled back to him. "I will apprise you of my work in less than an hours time."

  To her astonishment, she had made his eyes shimmer with barely concealed amusement.

  "Thank you, Victoria."

  Tori did not stop to say anything more. She left. She nearly flew up the stairs she ran so swiftly, bursting into the room. Nessa had preceded her.

  "Look, Tori. Look at their eyes." Nessa was standing in the middle of the room, slowly turning from screen to screen. "The children...so much pain."

  Then there was silence.

  Tori vaguely watched as death gripped a town then the view was of another place--more death and misery. Under other circumstances, she would have raced to the scene, but Savage would never allow it. She would have serum, the obsolete one, administering to the sick in hopes that the injection would buy them some time.

  She must learn to deal with him.

  Nessa turned up the volume. Shivers traveled within her. They watched the people dying. She raised a trembling hand to her throat. "Tori, we've no time to spare. We must send out the serum then set to work on the genetic codes. You must convince Dr. Savage."

  "It's hopeless. You know he won't relent on this. He'll never give me the pins, and without them so very many people will die."

  "I didn't expect you to give up so easily. There are ways to convince him. Use them."

  "I cannot."

  "You must!" Nessa said vehemently. "Tell him what you know. Share with him."

  "You sleep with him then," Tori said bitterly. But Nessa was right. It was, perhaps, the only way. She couldn't understand why she was so weary of this night, of the man. She had deceived him. But in her mind his deception was worse. Nothing she could do would change that now. Even the thought sent a new wave of tremors along her spine.

  "What does he expect from me?"

  Yet even as she spoke, her heart leapt then catapulted down to her feet. Someone had knocked on the door. It couldn't be Savage. He wouldn't bother with the gesture. And when Nessa opened the door, she saw she was right. Luke was there, frowning, his eyes desperate with apprehension--worry and understanding.

  "He expects complete access to everything in the center--and your compliance," he told her seriously. "He cannot even get into the second level security systems."

  Tori swallowed down her tension and the urge to use blackmail to get what she wanted. Instead, "He needs Nessa for that. She runs the computers."

  "Then she'd best sit down and start opening some avenues for Dr. Savage."

  Nessa was already doing just that. The main computer in Tori's office hummed to life and folders began to appear on the screen. She tapped into one of them and began to work.

  It would take a long time to give Savage all he asked for. If he insisted on working downstairs, it would take even longer.

  "May I look at your lab," Luke asked.

  "What, not a command?”

  "Well," Luke paused, "I do have my orders."

  He clearly didn't like the imposition, but neither of them could think of anything to do about it. Tori couldn't argue with Savage's reasoning. All the vital information was here, with her. All the information, that is, except the pins, the most important of all.

  She led the way. The room was exceptional and Luke did not hesitate. He searched her files and notes. She pointed out pertinent information. They left nothing to chance. Hours passed as if they were seconds.

  "I do believe this will do."

  Nessa suddenly was with them. "Another City has reported a death. The media is causing mass confusion. The Counselors are shutting down all cities. If we don't leave soon, we'll never get out."

  Tori swept by her sister, pacing frantically. She was wringing her hands, desperate to find some way out of the tower. She glared at Luke who Cameron had sent to guard her.

  "Savage! Is he still here?"

  Luke hesitated a moment too long. "As far as I know."

  "He's gone. How could he?" Well, she was leaving too. When he found out, he'd probably want to lock her away forever.

  Luke stepped in front of her before she left the room. "I can't let you go," he said softly. "And Dr. Savage is still here. He gave me no indication that he would be otherwise engaged."

  "Then I'm a prisoner in my own home."

  "You may think what you wish. This is for your safety only. It is a dangerous time." Luke was opening the door. He was leaving, and when he looked at Nessa, he knew she would leave also.

  "Nessa, wait," Tori's voice shook. "What is going on down there? Nessa, what is happening?"

  "Sheridan and Morray showed up while we were working. I saw them on the security monitors. Dr. Savage is doing his best to detain them."

  Luke and Nessa both disappeared despite the wild panic Tori felt. It was only then that Tori realized how exhausted she had become. It had been a long day and even longer night. The virus was decimating the City people, and now she was wed to Savage.

  There had been no way to stop this, any of it. Savage would be here soon, she guessed, but in what capacity? So much was happening she could not discern if he would demand his husbandly rights tonight or if he would take off, an angel of mercy in the plague-infested cities.

  She stifled a hysterical giggle. Angel of mercy, indeed. More like the devil in disguise.

  Sheridan was below--with Morray.

  She heard the soft click of the latch. She whirled around, her heart pounding.

  Savage was there, in the room, lounging against the doorway. Larger than life, he appeared so very tall, and so effortlessly, domineeringly assured. Arms crossed over his broad chest, his stance relaxed. Cool amber eyes shimmered as he studied her. The silence went on...and on...

  Tori fought the urge to throw herself into his arms, to seduce. What was he thinking? She couldn't tell from the way he studied her, from the strange devilish smile that curled so slightly into the curve of his lip, from the set of his jaw, or that cool shimmering in his eyes.

  She turned from him, unable to match his gaze a moment longer. He would follow her, she determined, cursing herself for a fool because she'd headed for the bedroom, once her private sanctuary.

  His hand suddenly touched her shoulder and he deliberately caused her to turn to him.

  "Don't run from me," he said, his voice deceptively low and soft. "I'll find you wherever you try to hide. And Victoria, it is too dangerous for you to run to the disease ridden cities."

  He hadn't been there when her father had banished her from the City, handing her over to a convent. Savage had never had one restriction after another placed on him. She would never understand why she'd let him make love to her once and wanted so desperately to deny him now.

  Yet maybe it was because he rescued her that day by the cliff. Maybe she had just come to know his touch. Perhaps it had been that first time he'd kissed her. How could she ever explain what had gone on inside her head?

  Yet even now she respected the man who had postponed his wedding night to set in motion the necessary work to help the cities. She identified with his dedication to his work and wanted to be part of it. Nessa had seen him clearly--his strengths--and it didn't seem as if he had a weakness. She had promised him this night.

  She had longed for it at the time. She still craved his touch, his mouth on hers...

  He was a man of great courage and resolve, his daring legendary, his intellect unsurpassed. If she had not given herself to the legend of The Phantom, she would not be facing these demons.

  She stood very still. If she could just think of a way to explain this to him, a way to tell him why she couldn't do this right now, perhaps a resolution would appear.

  She swiftly decided that the deadly threat surrounding them was her best recourse. "You have all this at your disposal. The serum must be manufactured. We don't have time..."

  "We must sleep."

  Trying to keep her apprehension under control, sh
e thought desperately for words to change his mind. He was still studying her, claiming her with his eyes. She couldn't think of one word, and suddenly he was moving toward her. She looked up, backing away from him. "You wanted me willing. I-I'm too tired."

  "Ah, babe, I mean to collect. And I remember your promise to me even if you choose to forget."

  She backed away further, another step then she fell against the bed. Swiftly she leapt to her feet, skirting the end and moving away from it.