Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)

by Melissa A. Craven

  “This is no longer open for discussion,” Sloane said in frustration. “When you are as talented as you are, sometimes you don't have the luxury of making your own choices!” She tucked her mousy brown hair behind her ear, biting her lip as if she regretted her outburst.

  “Lady, if you intend to turn my child into a weapon, the least you can do is speak plainly and prepare her for what to expect.” Gregg’s voice was low and full of restraint. Sasha knew he was nearing the end of his patience.

  “Thanks, Dad. I got this,” Sasha said, leaning toward Sloane. “If you want to commandeer my gifts to serve your purpose, I understand it is our duty to serve the Senate in that capacity. But if you want me to cooperate and make this easy for you, then I suggest you do as my father said and speak plainly. Why now? Why not when I am Proven?”

  Sasha wasn’t certain, but she thought she heard Jayesh mutter something about the apple not falling far from the tree.

  “A fair question,” Sloane reluctantly agreed. “But I am not exactly … prepared to give an answer."

  "Then perhaps the Senate should send someone who is prepared, if they expect my blind cooperation?"

  “Little Naeemah-ogen.” Jayesh heaved a huge patronizing sigh. “Don't be a naive child. When you have a gift like yours, it should come as no surprise when people decide they are going to use you for it. Get used to it."

  "I'm well aware of that eventuality." Sasha gave him her best glare. "I would just like a straight answer about why this has to happen now. I am seventeen years old. I accept the fact that the Senate will probably always have an interest in me and my gifts, but I also expect them to have enough respect for me and my family, who have served them well, to allow me a normal life for just a little while before making demands on my training.”

  "Couldn't have said it better myself." Gregg crossed his arms over his chest. "You will answer my daughter."

  "Very well." Sloane sat ramrod straight in her chair. "The Senate has decided that you have been lax in your parental duties to your daughter.” She lifted her chin as she met Gregg’s glare. “You've allowed her too much freedom and not enough time to focus on her potential. Under your tutelage, her gift will never be of much use beyond target practice. We want to guide Sasha while this gift is still developing so we can help her shape it into much more than simple accuracy. We will not remove your daughter from your home. As long as you cooperate. But she will complete her training on our terms while she is still young enough to be molded into what we believe she can become."

  If looks could kill, Lieutenant Governor Sloane would be nothing more than a pile of ash at Naeemah and Gregg's feet.

  "It's okay, Mom. Dad. I think we can all agree that this is bullshit and I shouldn't have to do this. But we all know I can take care of myself. I'll be okay and I'll be home in six weeks." Sasha knew her only recourse at this point was to get this thing done and get back to the business of freeing Quinn. “When do I leave?”

  “You have one hour to pack and say your goodbyes,” Jayesh said. “But you will not tell anyone what you’re doing. As far as your family knows, you’re taking a clerical internship with the Senate for the rest of the summer.”

  Sasha snorted. There was no way her brothers would buy that. “Fine. I’ll see you in an hour.”

  “Jayesh will escort you,” Sloane said.

  “No one enters our home at this time,” Naeemah said. “Not even an old and trusted friend.” She cast her eyes up at Jayesh, her gaze speaking volumes.

  “We have reached the end of our patience and our hospitality.” Gregg echoed his wife’s decree. “We are governor of our region and we hold a position within the Senate community that demands respect as well as trust. My daughter will return to her room to pack and have a quiet moment to herself. Her sister, Imogen, will accompany her until they both return to this office in one hour. My wife and I will keep you company until then.”

  ~~~

  CHAPTER

  FOUR

  Quinn: Summer

  Atlanta, Georgia

  “Quinn.” Livia gave him a curt nod as she marched into the white room with a sour look on her olive face. She was as beautiful as she was terrifying. Her dark hair and high cheekbones hinted at her Arabic roots. Her silvery eyes, cold and unfeeling.

  Quinn shook his head, remembering he didn’t have the years of experience with her that he thought he had. He couldn’t let that give him a false sense of confidence. It wasn’t real.

  “You’re strong and you’re stubborn, but make no mistake, I will break you.” She sat in the chair opposite him, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s strange, but of all the scenarios Michael put you through, this room affected you the most. You don’t respond to pain. It’s like you expect it.”

  “I’m sure whatever else you have up your sleeve will be more of the same.” Quinn sat back and met her piercing gaze. The hard chair against his back lit him on fire. “You will not break me.” His voice wavered as he sat up straighter, the chair sticking to his wounds.

  “You’ve either suffered a great deal in your life or you have the self-control and the pain threshold of a man a thousand years old. Which is it?” She leaned in closer, examining him like a bug under a microscope.

  Quinn shrugged and gave her an empty look. He’d learned a long time ago that his future depended on his ability to harness his power—to never let it rule him. If Santi was right, Livia would know his secret soon enough. Quinn was an addict and his drug was his power.

  Like most young Immortals, Quinn struggled with his gift. But it was different for him. He wanted to lose control. Wanted to let the power fill him until it controlled him. For those like Aidan and Allie, the struggle was simple. Maintain the upper hand. If they didn’t, it meant a long road to recovery. For Quinn, the struggle was denying himself the thing he wanted more than his next breath. The seduction of his power lured him to the edge every time he used his gifts. He knew if he ever crossed that line and drew more power than he could reasonably maintain, the addiction would have him and there would be no coming back. He’d resisted the temptation every day since his first gift emerged.

  The minute Livia discovered his addiction she’d have the means to manipulate him. She owned his cloaking ability. She could use it whenever and however she liked, but she channeled his power to fuel the gift. He trembled at the thought of how she might push him to the point of no return. With Livia at the helm, he would become the thing he hated most—a junkie monster too seduced by his own power to think of his actions and how they affected others. That was the secret to breaking an Immortal like Quinn. If he succumbed.

  “You’re a good guy, aren’t you, Quinn?” Livia sat back and crossed her legs like she was just having a friendly chat. “Tell me about yourself. Your family.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Come on. I’m not that easy. At least buy me dinner first.” His attempt at bravado would have been more convincing if he wasn’t sweating and shaking from the intensity of his pain.

  Livia reached for his hands. Her grip was strong and his wrists began bleeding again. He couldn’t break her hold. He could feel her power slicing into him like a hot knife.

  “You’re a talented boy. You know very well by now how my gift works. You haven’t been able to touch your cloaking gift since the night I forced you to come with me while your family chose to save the girl instead of you. What is she to them? She’s not even family.”

  “She’s family,” he said through clenched teeth, praying she would release her grip soon.

  “Tell me about her. Allie.”

  Of all the things he thought she might ask about his family, Allie was the last person he expected her to focus on. “She’s no one. Just a girl.” But he could see it in her eyes—Livia was obsessed. It can’t just be about Allie’s power? There had to be more to it than that.

  “Bullshit. That girl is one of the most powerful Immortals I’ve ever met. Your family protected her and sacrificed you to save her. I want to
know why.”

  “That’s not how it went down, and you know it. You aren’t going to plant that kind of doubt in my mind. My family came to rescue us both that night, and you were pissed you couldn’t get out of there with Allie so you took me instead. Now you want to get to her through me and it’s not going to happen, so just get on with whatever you have planned.”

  “Lead me to her and I’ll set you free.”

  “No chance. I won’t sacrifice her or my family to this place. You’re stuck with me.”

  Livia’s eyes narrowed. She tightened her grip and delved deeper with her gift, leaving him feeling naked and exposed. She could see everything. She would soon discover all of his secrets. He couldn’t keep it hidden forever. That was all this was about. Michael’s methods were all about delivering pain. Livia’s methods were about raping his mind and leaving him helpless with nowhere to hide. She was about to see right through his walls to the root of his power and his addiction.

  “I knew you were powerful, but this is too easy.” She sat back with a smirk. “I’ve never seen an addict with so much restraint. Your cloaking gift alone makes you worth keeping, but I’m guessing you’re good for much more than a fun trick. I know exactly how to break you now. All I have to do is give you exactly what you want. Let you get hooked on the use of your power and then deny you. The breaking will come with the first withdrawal symptoms. But I want to see what you can do first. No need to tell me all your secrets at once, Quinn. We have time.”

  She gripped his hands tightly, her gift lancing through him, searching for more of his secrets. Quinn went rigid, like a bolt of electricity shot up his spine. Livia was like a surgeon, cutting through the layers of his ability to see how it worked. It was nothing compared to everything else he’d been through, but it still had him clenching his jaw, and holding back a gasp of pain.

  “Now that I have your full attention, tell me about the girl.”

  “Allie again?” Quinn bit back a moan of agony. He knew she didn’t mean Allie this time. She was delving into his past, searching his memories without his permission.

  “The brunette girl with the sweet disposition. What did you do to her?”

  Quinn felt the first sting of tears burning his eyes. He would not let this woman make a mockery of his mistakes.

  “You know I can look into your past whether you want me to or not, so just relax and let’s see what we see.”

  Quinn resisted her push, but he was no match for her. Not in his current condition. Before he knew it, he was falling into his memories with Livia at his side.

  “Quinn?” Eva’s soft voice made him cringe with regret, even after so many years. He sat under a huge oak tree with the young mortal girl he’d grown up with. Unshed tears burned his eyes like acid now as Livia stood by them, observing as the worst moment of his life was about to unfold. It wasn’t enough to make him stand by and watch this happen again—no, Livia was going to make him experience it all over again.

  “You’re weird today.” Eva gave him a quizzical look. She never pulled any punches, always saying exactly what was on her mind. She was the only mortal friend he’d ever had. He was so different now that he’d experienced his Awakening. He knew she couldn’t see the stranger aspects of his appearance, but she sensed something was off.

  “Did you get a haircut?” Eva asked. Her tiny hand looked odd against his larger one. Hers, smooth and unblemished, and his hard and calloused from years of training. She was slim and kind of geeky, with her nose always in a book.

  “What are you reading?” Quinn asked, gesturing at the pile of books beside her.

  “I’m catching up on my list of one hundred books to read in a lifetime. I’m almost done.” She handed him Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, knowing it would be the one he’d choose anyway. “I’m on Anthem right now. Seriously, Why are you so … bummed?” Eva set her book aside and gave him the kind of look that seemed to see right through him. “You’re all tense and … sweaty.”

  “I’m not, you little pest. Just read your book.” He gave her a playful swat and leaned against the huge tree trunk. She was right—he was tense. He was still adjusting to all of the new sensations after his recent Awakening. He could feel his power swirling inside of him, like an icy storm filling his chest, eager to burst forth at any moment. The temptation to reach for it was already there, but it wasn’t something he was capable of so soon. It took most Immortals weeks of practice before they could truly touch their power for the first time. He had nothing to worry about. He was just being overly cautious.

  It wouldn’t kill you to relax. Give yourself a break from all that self-control. It’s not like you’re actually going to touch your power or use a gift you don’t even have yet. The voice was his—an echo of the thoughts whirling through his mind. It’s not a good idea, Quinn.

  You can feel it right there at your fingertips, man. It’s so close and you’re just going to sit there and read a book? The temptation was getting harder and harder to resist. His hands trembled and a bead of sweat rolled down his back. I shouldn’t have come here. He ran a hand over his short-cropped hair, gazing down at Eva by his side. She was lost in her book already. He’d never known anyone who could fall into another world so quickly.

  Go on. Touch her. The wayward thought sent him reaching for her hand without a moment’s hesitation. It was like watching himself from far away and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His power filled him, urging him on like a siren’s call.

  Quinn, don’t do it. Get a grip, man.

  It’s not going to hurt to just see what we can do. For once no one is watching and we can do what we want. He was losing it. The thoughts filled his mind like so many voices—like they weren’t even his.

  Control slipped away. The power raging inside him was intoxicating. He wanted more. Needed more. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Quinn spiraled out of control as he pulled on his power, taking in more than he could possibly understand how to handle, but he didn’t care—it felt so incredible, like he’d never known what it felt like to be alive before this moment. He forgot about the book in his hand, about Eva, about everything, and let himself revel in the sensation of touching his power for the first time. He was so powerful, it was frightening. Nothing like Aidan would be, of course, but for just a moment, Quinn had an inkling of what it was like to be Aidan.

  “Quinn?”

  Eva’s strangled voice pulled him back and he realized what he was doing.

  “P-panic attack.” She sat beside him, her hand in his, with a look of terror on her face. She couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t let go. His power was feeding off her fear. He’d never tasted anything so sweet.

  No.

  Yes, this is what we want!

  No. Quinn battled against this new, darker side of himself, this monster that wanted Eva’s sanity. Craved it like a drug. He would drive her mad if he didn’t stop now.

  You’re not taking this from us! The insanity of his gift hissed in his mind.

  With every ounce of willpower he possessed, he dropped her hand, forcing his power back into his core where he held it in a vise grip.

  Eva coughed, wiping tears from her eyes. He stared at her in horror, uncertain of what he’d actually done. Her eyes were glazed, pupils dilated. She trembled beside him, but he couldn’t risk touching her.

  “Eva?”

  She took a deep breath and clutched the blanket beneath her. “I-I’m fine. I think.” Her voice sounded so meek. She gazed down at her hands in her lap, her shoulders hunched like she was trying to sink into herself.

  Quinn stared at her but she was as still as a statue. He reached for her when she started rocking back and forth, shaking her head. “Eva, please, what’s wrong. Talk to me.” She hadn’t had a panic attack in years.

  She snatched her hand away, muttering as she rocked.

  “Eva? Talk to me, please?”

  “It’s always been so mild,” she said.

  “What are you talking about?�
��

  “The panic attacks. My shyness with strangers. I have … issues, Quinn. It’s never been this bad.”

  Eva was always shy, keeping to herself and those she was most comfortable with. When they were kids, she’d needed speech therapy, but lots of kids needed that. But he’d never suspected she struggled with mental illness.

  “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

  She shrugged and rocked, refusing to look him in the eye. She didn’t like to make eye contact. But Quinn was beginning to wonder if what he’d presumed as shyness was a sign of a much more serious condition. If that was the case, then what the hell had he just done to her? Had he made it worse? Was that even possible?

  “Please leave,” she said abruptly in a detached voice that didn’t even sound like her.

  “Let me help you inside, Eva.” He stood and reached for her but she recoiled.

  “Don’t touch. I don’t like people touching me. Please go, Quinn. I don’t want you to see me like this. I’m barely holding it together.”

  Quinn turned from his friend, wondering if they’d ever be friends like they were. He’d done something to her. As he crossed the lawn in a daze, her manic screams echoed behind him. That sound would haunt him forever.

  Quinn sat on his front porch with his head in his hands, wondering how he could have been so careless.

  It’s not our fault—it’s just what we are.

  “No. This is not what I am,” he whispered, gripping the porch railing in his fist.

  It’s our nature. Get used to it.

  “I will not be … a monster who preys on the sanity of others.” But that was the only way he could describe what happened with Eva. The lure of using his power had been so strong, he couldn’t resist it. But even now, like a true junkie, he couldn’t wait for another taste. I can never let this happen again.

  But we will. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. You can’t deny it or stop it.

  “This is not my gift,” he whispered into the silent afternoon. My gift is not going to be this.