I rested my back against the hallway’s wall while I closed my eyes and thinned my shields enough to search for the healer’s familiar presence. I found it almost immediately and politely brushed against it in the mental equivalent of a knock. He acknowledged it but waited for me to initiate a telepathic conversation.
::Good evening, Healer Mithrae. Is something wrong? Or is this a test of my abilities?::
::A little of both, Zahra. An emergency case came in which requires my attention, so I don’t think we’ll be able to meet tonight. However, there’s something odd about this patient that I can’t identify. I’d like you to try and “shadow” me—in other words, stay linked like this—while I do a second exam and start treatment.::
I frowned. ::I think I can accomplish that easily enough, but why?::
::I’d like to see if you can pick up on what’s bothering me and help me figure it out.::
::Remotely?:: My astonishment reverberated through our link.
He chuckled, although he winced at my unintended volume. ::Yes, remotely. And Zahra? If things go haywire or the strain becomes too much, withdraw immediately. That’s an order.::
Either my face took on a stubborn look, or I inadvertently broadcasted to Gavin because he quietly admonished me, “Zahra. If the healer asked you to be careful, please do as he says.”
My shoulders slumped. ::Very well, Healer Mithrae. I agree.::
::Thank you, Zahra. Oh, and regardless of what happens here, I think it’s best for you to stay at Sari’s tonight. I’ve noted in your records that you’re on temporary discharge due to all the activity this new case has caused in the natural healing wing, and are resting in a quieter, unspecified location under my direct orders.::
My eyebrows shot up. Before I had time to react any further, the healer joined other presences. One was appallingly loud, although most of it was in reaction to a significant degree of pain. Still, it was annoying enough that I instinctively tried to shield and had to stop myself to maintain the level of awareness needed.
I felt the sense of wrongness through Healer Mithrae as soon as he started to scan the patient. I also picked up the fact that it was a female, although there was a curious duality about her that puzzled me. As the scan moved further down her body, the feeling lessened.
::Scan back up until you get to her head again. Please.:: The courtesy was tacked on as an afterthought as a niggling thought tried to make itself clear.
He obliged. The closer he came to the patient’s skull, the stronger the duality became. When it felt as though his hand was directly over her head, I experienced a sudden flash of insight. ::Someone is using her to remote-view!::
He swore. ::Withdraw! Now!::
I threw my shields up as soon as I was out of his mind. His went up a fraction of a second quicker as the link between us snapped. My eyes flew open as I swayed, disoriented by the abrupt severance. Gavin grabbed my shoulders and steadied me.
“What happened?”
“That...is an interesting tale. But first—Sari, you have me as a houseguest tonight. Healer’s orders. Second, could we please get to a chair and a drink? My head still feels a little askew.”
Lumi promptly dashed off. Sari pivoted and moved into a brisk walk in one fluid motion. I tried to step away from Gavin, but he picked me up and then jogged forward until he caught up with Sari.
“I can walk, you know.”
“I’m sure you can. But since we’ve arrived...” He let go of my legs and let me slide down his body until my feet were on the floor. Before he released the arm behind my shoulders, he whispered in my ear, “This way, I had you in my arms while you had a few moments to recover. Don’t knock it.” He winked as he let go.
I shook my head and chuckled under my breath as I sank into the chair behind me. Lumi came in a moment later with a tall glass of water in one hand and a shot of something in the other. I looked at it dubiously.
“I really shouldn’t drink anything alcoholic right now, Lumi. Some of the drugs are still in my system.”
She sniffed disdainfully. “It’s not alcoholic. It’s not even a drink as such. It’s a mixture of valerian root, licorice, and honey. The most it’ll do is help you calm down a little faster and settle a queasy tummy. The honey is to hold the mixture together and make it go down smoothly.”
I gave it another skeptical look then held out my hand for the shot glass. “Very well. Because now that you mention it, my stomach is threatening mayhem.”
Before I could second-guess myself, I tossed the mixture back as quickly as the honey allowed. It was surprisingly tasty, which made it easier to wait, head tipped back and glass upended, for the last of it to hit my mouth. Once the final drop trickled down, I handed the glass back to Lumi and took the water glass in exchange.
“Might as well grab seats. I know you want to hear what happened, and I only want to tell it once. Then I want to soak because my neck feels like several hundred white-hot metal wires are being pushed through it right now.”
The others quickly sat nearby then listened expectantly.
“As you know, Healer Mithrae asked if I could locate him with my empathy then speak to him telepathically. That part was easy. The reason for it was both a test to see if I could, and a request to stay linked and ‘shadow’ him as he reexamined an emergency case. He hoped that I could help him identify something odd about the patient.”
Lumi sucked in a breath, and Gavin’s eyes widened as I dropped that last part on them, but they didn’t otherwise react. Not even to ask questions. Sari remained impassive.
I closed my eyes for a minute, fingers pressed against my forehead, then continued, “To simplify the next parts, I’ll jump straight to what happened. I sensed the same thing he did, right away. The full scan he performed produced an interesting result that triggered a vague idea, so I asked him to scan back up to the patient’s head. As soon as he did, I realized what was going on and told him. That’s when he ordered me to withdraw—and might’ve given me an added ‘shove’ to speed the process, I’m not sure. We both snapped our shields up hard and fast as soon as I was clear, and he severed our link at the same time.”
Sari winced as Lumi swore softly. “No wonder you’re queasy and tense.”
Gavin leaned forward intently. “I notice you haven’t told us what you found.”
I looked at him steadily. “That’s correct. Until I have permission from Healer Mithrae to divulge those details or my failure to disclose them will have an immediate, adverse impact on my well-being, then I won’t violate the oath I took to keep such information confidential.”
He ran a hand through his hair, which left it a rumpled mess. “Anything to do with your abilities right now should constitute clearance to provide us with at least the big-picture details. However, I respect your ethics and choice.”
“Thank you.” I faced Sari after a quick sip of water. “Would it be possible to use—”
“Of course, you may use the hot springs,” she interjected. “I was about to suggest it. However, I think it would be best if someone went with you in case you experience additional reactions.”
“Agreed.”
Lumi started to volunteer, but Sari’s headshake silenced her. “I need your report before anything else happens.” Sari looked between Gavin and me. At my subtle nod, a faint grin flashed across her face. “Gavin, how’s your tolerance for hot water?”
I almost gave myself away by breaking into a fit of giggles. I was pretty sure Sari knew what had happened earlier, but I wasn’t sure if Gavin realized it.
Chapter Forty-Five
Zahra
SARI TOLD LUMI SHE’D meet her in the office then beckoned Gavin and me to follow her down the bedroom hallway to the hot springs. She had already gone through the security scans and stood in the open doorway when we walked up.
“Take your time. There are plenty of fresh-laundered towels. Don’t walk out until you’re ready to leave, though, because you don’t have reentry access.” She
stepped aside as we walked through. “Oh, and Zahra? Mind the security cameras if you decide to play with your foxfire again.”
I giggled at her reminder. “Got it, Sari. And thank you. Those bath salts you have are wonderful, but they can’t beat these mineral hot springs.”
“Any time, Zahra. Enjoy. If you’re still in here after Lumi gives me her report, perhaps we’ll join you for a soak.”
“Sounds good.” I lifted a hand in farewell as the door slid shut then turned my attention to Gavin.
“I plan to soak in the hottest one for a while.” I pointed to the smallest pool. “The largest ones are the coolest, although all of them are still quite warm. You’re free to choose one of the cooler ones if you don’t want to deal with the heat I need right now.”
He shook his head. “The heat doesn’t bother me. I’ll join you if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all.” I unsealed my armor and stepped out of it, boots and all, then strolled across the rock floor of the cave until I reached the small spring. It was barely large enough for four people, and only if they didn’t mind close quarters.
I crouched and put a hand on the edge of the pool then eased into a sitting position, legs dangling in the water, then slid in and submerged until just my head was above the surface. Gavin entered the water soon after. He came up behind me and laid his hands on my shoulders, then began to massage them as he slowly worked toward my neck. “Are there seats in this pool?”
“There are, but legroom is at a premium.” I let my head sink forward as he worked his way up my neck. “Mmm. That feels good.” A stray wavelet created by our shifting bodies splashed my nose and caused me to sneeze. Gavin laughed as I rubbed the tickling sensation away, then backed away and sank into one of the seats.
“Come here, Zahra.” He mimed patting the water in front of himself.
I pushed off with my feet and glided through the water until my hands landed on his thighs. He grasped my waist with both hands and turned me around, then gently guided my head and shoulders to rest against his. My legs floated up as I let him hold me in place.
We stayed like that for some time in comfortable silence, relaxing. Eventually, I grew tired of floating and brought my legs down until I sat on his lap. I hooked my toes behind his calves to hold me in place. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head against mine.
“Why did Sari tell you to mind the security cameras if you wanted to use your foxfire? For that matter, what is it? There’s so much I don’t know about you, that I don’t know where to start.” He turned his head to kiss my temple then resumed his former position.
I chuckled. “Do you recall a recent incident where a security scanner came to life during a meeting, then revealed a glowing silhouette?”
“Yes, but how do you know—wait a minute, was that you?”
“Yes and no. That glow was my foxfire. Lumi and I were testing whether I could use my empathy to find her in the dark and tag her with foxfire when I did.”
I let the silence hang.
“So...”
“Lumi hadn’t shielded a few emotions well enough, and my inner minx responded. I tagged her entire physical shield rather than just a small spot, and she lost control of it in her surprise. Neither of us realized she was right in front of a security camera. Then Sari screened Lumi to say she that she’d appeared on one of the monitors as a very shapely glowing silhouette.”
Gavin’s body shook against me as he threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, that’s priceless!” ::And gives me ideas,:: he whispered.
::Ideas involving foxfire can wait,:: I purred back. ::I want you to myself for now. And I’m not up to using any abilities other than staying upright at the moment.::
His arms tightened around me, sliding up to just under my breasts. “Are you at least feeling a little better?”
“The stomach has settled and so has the disorientation I felt earlier, but my mind feels a little raw and I have a whopping headache.” I sighed then admitted, “I might have overextended myself. I’m honestly not sure if it’s that or an aftereffect of the abruptly-broken link between Healer Mithrae and me.”
Gavin let go with one arm, and then his fingers touched the back of my neck as he dug into the knots that lined it on either side. I relaxed into his touch as much as I could and let the rhythmic motions of his fingers and the hot water work their magic.
Sooner than I’d expected, given how tense I was, I was drowsing in his hold as he worked farther down my spine. My face dipped closer and closer to the water.
“Let go of my calves, Zahra. I have you.” His murmur barely registered, although it roused me enough to unhook my toes. His hands gripped my waist as he lifted and turned me sideways, then settled me on his lap before he gently drew my head against his shoulder. Once I was comfortable, he resumed the one-handed massage along my spine while his other arm kept me anchored in place.
I must have dozed off before he’d finished because I woke to both his arms wrapped around me and my head cradled between his neck and shoulder. I was also too hot. “Damn, you’ve got good hands,” I mumbled as I pieced together what had happened. “Too hot,” I added as I tried to push away from him. “Need a cooler spring.”
His arms tightened. “Easy. Let me help you.” He slid me off his legs and held onto me as I waded to the side and grasped the edge with one hand, then got to his feet and lifted me until I sat on the edge. My legs still dangled in the water. The much-cooler air was a shock against my steaming skin.
He hopped out in one smooth move. His muscles rippled under his skin and water droplets flew off it as he landed and straightened, then extended his hands. “Swivel around to face me, grab my hands, and plant your feet flat on the floor.” I did as instructed, and he pulled me to my feet in one dizzying motion. I stumbled against him when I tried to stop my forward momentum but couldn’t.
“Easy,” he repeated. “I have you.” Rather than going to a cooler spring, he guided me away from them toward a partially-screened alcove instead. When we drew closer, I noticed what he’d already seen: an extra wide chaise longue with invitingly thick cushions that was masked by its position and the darker lighting in that area.
He settled onto it and drew me down against him. There was just enough room for both of us as long as neither became too restless. “Rest, little one. We both need to cool off before we use another spring, even the coolest one.” He grabbed a large bath sheet from a nearby rack and draped it over our wet torsos. While it wasn’t necessary at the moment, I knew I’d cool off rapidly now that I was out of the water and would want it later.
I wriggled a little to get comfortable, then sighed and closed my eyes. “Don’t let me rest too long, Gavin. Otherwise, I’m liable to sleep here all night.” I didn’t know if he heard me or not, because I was out cold as soon as the last word crossed my lips.
I ROUSED ENOUGH AT one point to realize I couldn’t smell the hot springs anymore and that a waterfall of moonlight spilled through nearby windows, then went back under with Gavin’s soothing, “I’m here, little one. Go back to sleep,” in my ears.
When I awoke the next morning, brilliant sunshine bathed the room in warm, golden hues. I stretched luxuriously, then stopped as my legs encountered another, hair-roughened leg. I turned my head and met Gavin’s amused gaze. “Don’t stop on my account...I enjoyed the view.”
I glanced down, and sure enough, the blankets had slid from my shoulders to my waist and left my breasts exposed. A fact he took full advantage of as he leaned over and treated each nipple to a toe-curling lick and nibble. “And good morning to you, too, ladies,” his muffled voice continued as he buried his face between my tits. He kissed a path up my breastbone to my neck, then up and over my jaw before he captured my lips with his and indulged in a long, thorough kiss.
I was breathless when he finally lifted his head. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning, Gavin.” I lifted my head and stole another quick kiss then
settled back against my pillow. “Not that I’m complaining, but how did I end up in your room? I don’t recall a thing, other than moonlight, no mineral-scented air, and you telling me to go back to sleep.”
He pushed back a tendril of hair that had worked its way onto my face. “You fell asleep as soon as we settled onto the chaise longue. You were so deeply under that I couldn’t wake you up once we’d cooled down, so I carried you here and tucked you in bed. You roused a little at that point but were never fully awake.” He stroked my cheek with the backs of two fingers. “And now I’ve woken up to a gorgeous woman in my bed, and even better, she’s one I want to be there.”
My first reaction was to tease him about that comment even as I leaned into his touch, but I checked it when I felt the emotions radiating off him. There was a sense of wonderment threaded through his lightly-spoken words, as though all the jaded years had fallen away and he’d once again discovered the joy of waking up with someone.
I placed my hand on his and pressed it to my cheek as I whispered, “Thank you.” Two simple words, but laden with multiple meanings.
“No, thank you,” he murmured as he leaned forward and kissed me again.
THINGS MIGHT’VE GOTTEN heated in short order, but my wrist holo vibrated with an incoming message notification. When I glanced at it, I discovered it was from Lumi.
[Breakfast is ready. Come and get it or go without. You can’t live on Gavin-meat alone.]
I snorted a laugh and tapped a quick reply.
“Something amusing?”
“Lumi. She informed me that breakfast is ready and that we should come and get it or go without.”
“That sounds remarkably tame for Lumi. She didn’t say anything else?”
“Well...” I rolled over and swung my legs off the bed as I twisted upright then stood, “she might’ve added, ‘you can’t live on Gavin-meat alone.’” I delivered the quote in a fair imitation of her voice and speech patterns, then ducked, laughing, as Gavin tossed a pillow at me.
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