by I. T. Lucas
Even though Jacki had warned her, Jin gaped at the door, too stunned to respond.
“I know that you are in there. Open up.”
Leaning forward, Jin unlocked the door.
Mey walked in and flattened herself against the side panel to close the door. “Are you still not done peeing? We don’t have time. My friend is keeping yours busy outside, and we need to sneak by her somehow.”
Shaking her head, Jin found her voice. “If I’m going, Jacki is coming with me. She is a clairvoyant, and she foresaw you coming for me.”
Mey sagged against the stall’s door. “That complicates things. I don’t know if we can take her.”
Wiping quickly, Jin pulled up her pants and flushed the toilet. “I want to hug you so badly, but I need to wash my hands first.”
“Don’t be an idiot.” Mey pulled her into her arms, crushing Jin to her chest. “I was so worried about you. Do you know that you were compelled to sign that contract?”
“Um, can you let go? I can’t breathe.”
“Sorry, I’m still getting used to my new strength. But never mind that. We need to hustle.”
What new strength? Had May started weight training? She would have to ask her later.
“Jacki is not a problem. She is the one who actually wants to leave. She convinced me that I should accept your help and run, but I’m still not sure that this is the best decision for me.”
With a sigh, Mey nodded. “I had a feeling you might say that.” She pushed the door open. “Come on, let me introduce you to my friends.”
Jin didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t a gorgeous guy who looked like he had stepped off the cover of a romance novel. One of those about hot billionaires.
“This is Lokan, and he is here to free you from the compulsion.”
The guy smiled and offered her his hand, but Jin didn’t take it.
“Give me a moment to wash my hands.”
He dipped his head. “Of course.”
Such a gentleman. Was that Mey’s new boyfriend? Lucky girl.
As Jacki and a petite blond entered the bathroom, Lokan offered his hand to Jacki.
“So, you are both a clairvoyant and an immune. Fascinating.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “How do you know?”
“I overheard Mey and Jin talking about you. I’m Lokan.”
“Jacklin.” She shook his hand. “You know that this is the ladies' room, right? Someone might come in and see you here.”
“We have friends outside, making sure that we are not disturbed until this is done.”
“What is done?”
After drying her hands with a paper towel, Jin offered him her hand as well. “Hi, thanks for coming to help us.”
The petite blond smiled and put her arm around Lokan’s middle in a show of ownership. “I’m Carol. Nice to meet you all.”
Putting her hand on her hip, Jacki struck a pose. “What are we still doing here?”
“Talking, dear,” Carol said. “We need to make sure that Jin wants to come with us, but to do so, we need to free her of the compulsion first. And that’s what my guy is about to do.”
Jacki frowned. “Is this your talent? Compulsion removal?”
He shook his head. “I’m a compeller like the lady who recruited you. In theory, one compeller can remove the compulsion placed by another, or rather override it.”
“In theory,” Jacki repeated. “You’ve never tried it?”
“This is my first time.”
Leaning against a sink, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Good luck then. As far as I know, Marisol compelled Jin to trust her, which was probably why Jin signed the contract in the first place, and she also compelled her to think that she is attracted to Richard because the director wants to create super-babies. There might have been smaller compulsions, but if you remove those two, I believe that Jin will be free to make her own decisions.”
18
Arwel
Outside the bathroom, Yamanu created an illusion that both the men’s and the ladies’ restrooms were closed for cleaning, complete with a sign that pointed toward the bathrooms at the other side of the mall.
“I hope this girl is the only one who is immune,” Arwel said.
“Why don’t you go in and ask? I’m sure she knows whether there are others like her in the program.”
“In case there are, I need to stay here and guard the entrance. If thralling and shrouding don't work, old-fashioned lying about a mess in the bathrooms will.”
It was just an excuse. Arwel didn’t want to go in and face Jin. If she was in love with another guy, hearing that she wanted to stay because of that was sure to send him over the edge.
As it was, he was struggling to keep his head from going places it shouldn’t.
Leaning against the wall, he folded his arms over his chest and listened.
“Good luck,” he heard Jacki say. “As far as I know, Marisol compelled Jin to trust her, which was probably why Jin signed the contract in the first place. And she also compelled her to think that she is attracted to Richard because the director wants to create super-babies. There might have been smaller compulsions, but if you remove those two, I believe that Jin will be free to make her own decisions.”
Arwel felt as if he had suddenly grown wings and was about to soar up to the sky while singing hymns to the merciful Fates. Jin wasn’t in love. She’d been compelled to like that guy, and once the compulsion was removed, she would be free to fall for Arwel.
As if things were ever that easy.
Arwel raked his fingers through his shaggy hair, regretting not getting a decent haircut. He was also sporting stubble, and his clothes were not exactly GQ style. Still, he had been told that his eyes were his best feature, and, hopefully, Jin would notice them and ignore the rest.
“I’m going in,” he told Yamanu. “Are you going to be okay here shrouding on your own?”
“Piece of cake. I can do this and fight off hordes of bathroom seekers all by my lonesome.”
Smoothing his hand over his untamed mane, Arwel squared his shoulders and walked into the bathroom.
“Who are you?” Jacki asked.
It was good that she was the one asking because he doubted he could have answered Jin.
In person, she was even more impressive than in her pictures and so beautiful that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
On her part, she didn’t seem bothered by his stare. In fact, she stared back, and her lips parted.
Was he imagining it, or was she gaping a little?
With his own emotions in overdrive, his empathic ability was rendered worthless. All he could feel was his own turmoil, which was louder than the entire mall full of human feelings.
“I’m Arwel.” He finally managed to put two words together.
“Are you also a compeller?” Jacki asked.
Still looking at Jin, he answered, “I’m an empath.”
“Cool. So, who are you people? A private organization of paranormal talent?”
That was actually an excellent cover. They couldn’t tell Jacki who they were because she was an immune. She might be a Dormant, but until it was ascertained that she was, she couldn’t be told anything.
Damn, he should have called Kian and given him an update about the unexpected additional escapee. His brain was really not functioning right.
“Yes,” Carol said. “That’s precisely who we are. We are trying to keep others like us safe from our government’s clutches. And not only ours. Other governments, as well as various shady organizations, would just love to get their hands on what we can do. We keep each other safe.”
“What’s your talent?” Jin asked.
Carol struck a sexy pose. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m a seductress.”
Lokan chuckled. “Can we keep all the explanations for later? Now is not the time for this.” He reached for Jin’s hand. “First order of business is freeing you from the compulsion.”
As another growl threatened to escape Arwel’s throat, he turned his back on Lokan and Jin and their conjoined hands.
Leaning against one of the sinks, he pulled his phone out and texted Kian. We have a complication. Jin’s friend is an immune and she wants to come with us. What do you want us to do?
He could only imagine the litany of curses leaving Kian’s mouth. Jacki was a pain in the ass. They couldn’t bring her to the village, and they couldn’t release her into the wild either. Not only that, with her around they would have to pretend to be human, which was going to complicate explaining the situation to Jin.
Kian’s return text arrived a whole minute later, probably because he needed a moment to calm down. We have no choice but to take her. Make up a story about who we are. We are going to put her in the keep until I figure out what to do with her.
Arwel texted back. She might be a Dormant.
I’m well aware of that. What I’m trying to figure out is how to introduce her to potential mates.
Arwel chuckled softly. That’s not going to be a problem. Jacki is a bombshell.
Kian responded. Are you interested?
Not really.
Figures. Keep me updated.
Damn. Julian’s stupid comment at breakfast had outed Arwel before he could even process what was going on with him. Now everyone was assuming he had a thing for Jin.
Which he had, so they weren’t wrong. Except, he would have liked to have kept his feelings private.
“How do you feel?” Lokan asked Jin. “Can you tell that the compulsion is gone?”
19
Jin
How did she feel?
Jin wasn’t sure.
Pulling her hand out of Lokan’s, she tried to delve inward to examine her feelings, but all she could think about was Arwel’s amazing eyes.
She’d thought that Jeremy’s were beautiful, but they were dull compared to Arwel’s, which were a deeper shade of turquoise and seemed to be glowing with an inner light.
But it was not just that. For some reason, Arwel evoked a longing in her that she’d never felt before. And that was even before Lokan had removed the compulsion.
Jin had felt attraction before, but not like this. It wasn’t even sexual, or rather not entirely. The longing felt as if her soul was craving his. It was a need to connect that she’d never felt before toward any of the guys she’d dated or hooked up with. Even with Mitch, it had been mostly about having fun.
Why the hell was she suddenly thinking about long talks into the night with a guy who wasn’t even her type?
She liked guys who were mindful of their appearance, while Arwel was the definition of a schlump. His hair was messy but not in a stylish way, and his clothes were loose and baggy, and the colors didn’t match. He had a five o’clock shadow at eleven in the morning, and it wasn’t the styled scruffy that some guys cultivated with care.
On the positive side, he was a couple of inches taller than her, and he had the most amazing eyes. He might also have a good body under the ill-fitting clothes, but it was hard to tell. He could be a little overweight or maybe a bit too skinny, but none of that mattered. Jin wanted him and hoped that he wasn’t taken.
On the other hand, Lokan, who was precisely her type, had stirred no physical attraction or longing in her, even before Carol had made it clear that he belonged to her. Jin had acknowledged his good looks, but that had been the extent of her interest.
“Well?” Lokan asked again. “Anything?”
“I’m not sure.” She pushed a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear. “I liked the money, and I liked the idea of meeting others like me, so I think I would have signed the contract even without being compelled to do it. I still feel uneasy about going back on something I committed to.”
“What about Richard?” Jacki asked. “Do you still want him?”
That was an easy answer, but Jin had a feeling it had nothing to do with compulsion or lack of it. After looking into Arwel’s incredible eyes, Richard was the furthest thing from her thoughts. She still liked him as a friend, but the attraction she’d felt for him was gone.
“No, I don’t want Richard. But I still feel bad about leaving him without a word of explanation. That’s mean.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Arwel’s shoulders sagging in relief. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who felt the connection.
Jacki shook her head. “Don’t forget that Richard’s feelings for you are not real either. Maybe Lokan could free him as well, and then he won’t be upset about you disappearing on him.”
Lokan shrugged. “If you point him out to me, I can give it a try. But right now, I’m not sure if I managed to override Marisol’s compulsion. Jin seems unsure.”
Pushing away from the sink, Jacki put her hand on Jin’s shoulder. “How far do you trust Marisol?”
“Just as far as I can throw her. She is an evil witch.”
Jacki smirked. “There’s your answer. Before Lokan did his thing, you would have answered that you trust her completely.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I knew that she’d compelled me to trust her.”
Throwing her hands in the air, Jacki looked at Mey. “I give up. It’s your turn.”
Mey nodded. “Would you all mind giving us some privacy?”
“No problem.” Lokan draped his arm over Carol’s shoulder, and the two walked out. “Just be mindful of the time. The longer we stay here, the riskier it gets.”
Arwel cast Jin a quick glance before taking Jacki’s elbow. “Let me apologize in advance for taking you into the men’s bathroom, but we can’t have others from your group see you with us.”
She grimaced. “How gross is it in there?”
“Gross. I suggest that you cover your nose. By the way, are any of the others in your group immune?”
“I’m the only one.”
“Good. We might get away with just standing at the entrance to the bathroom.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“It’s a long story.”
20
Mey
Mey waited until Jacki walked out with Arwel, trusting that he would keep her from hearing what she was about to tell Jin.
Jacki being an immune was a problem.
Kian would never allow her in the village, and Mey had no idea how they were going to figure out whether Jacki was a Dormant or not. As far as she knew, all the other female Dormants had entered a romantic relationship with a clan member first and were induced later by their partners. How was it going to work in reverse?
Taking Jin’s hand, she walked her to the furthest corner away from the entrance. “I couldn’t tell you anything while your friend was here, and I can’t give you the entire long explanation either because we don’t have time. My friends are not a group of talented paranormals, they are a clan of immortals. You and I are carriers of their immortal genes. I was activated, and now it’s your turn. I think immortality trumps anything the government is offering you. No contract is worth giving that up.”
Gaping at Mey as if she had lost her mind, Jin lifted her hand and put it on her chest. “I can accept people with special abilities, but what you are saying sounds crazy. A clan of immortals? Like in Highlander?”
Mey chuckled. “Most of them were born in Scotland, so you are not far off. I know it’s hard to believe, but I can show you proof.” She grinned, letting Jin see her new fangs.
Her sister’s eyes widened. “What the hell, Mey? Have you lost your mind and had your teeth filed into points?”
Ugh, it was so frustrating. Maybe she should call Arwel in and have him show Jin his fangs. The guy was obviously attracted to Jin, so having his fangs elongate in her presence shouldn’t be a problem.
“When I entered transition, my canines fell off, and these little fangs grew instead. It’s not common for a female to grow fangs, but we are the freak sisters, so naturally, we have to be different. When you go through your transition, you will probably grow a set as we
ll.”
Jin leaned in closer to take a better look. “Can I touch them?”
“Sure.” Mey opened wide.
Reaching with a finger, Jin touched one pointy fang. “Oh, wow. They are really sharp.” She put the finger in her own mouth to lick the scrape. “So, you want to tell me that you are immortal now?”
“Yep. And it comes with a lot of other advantages. I’m stronger, my vision, hearing and sense of smell are more powerful, and I can eat whatever I want.”
Jin smiled. “Immortals don’t gain weight? That alone is worth the price of admission.” She frowned. “What is the price? I’m sure that there is one.”
Smart girl. But it was too early to go into all that, and definitely not in a public restroom in a mall.
“Immortals can gain weight, but I guess it would take real binging to do so. I can eat whatever I want because I’m not going back to modeling, so I don’t have to worry about my weight anymore.”
“Why not? You are not going to age. You can go on modeling for as long as you want.”
Mey shook her head. “First of all, immortals have to live in hiding, which means no modeling or acting or even politicking. We need to stay away from the limelight. Secondly, I’ve been followed around, and my apartment was bugged. The same people who hired you were probably trying to figure out if I had an interesting talent as well. Needless to say, I had to go into hiding, and if you come with me, you will have to do so as well.”
“I didn’t tell anyone about your ability.”
“I know. That’s why they were following me around. If they knew for sure that I had a talent, they would have sent Marisol after me as well.”
“How do you know about her?”
“It’s a long story, but we found her first and had her tell us where to find you.”
“Did you have to torture the information out of her?”
Stifling a chuckle, Mey nodded. “My friends tied her to a chair and didn’t let her go to the bathroom.”