Why did she leave? What did I do that was so bad that she didn’t want to be around me anymore?
The pain flayed my lungs. I was hyperventilating with my sudden rage, and I felt disoriented, wondering where it was coming from and why I was feeling all this now.
All things happen for a reason. Dreya’s voice was firm, but kind. Your struggles won’t be for naught.
So easy for you to say!
Remember. No judgment.
How will I remember this? I don’t even get to keep you. It hurt. It really did. Dreya was becoming another source of warmth to be teased with.
You’ll remember when you need to.
The darkness enveloped me again. Gratefully, I let the dream fade into the mental black hole that housed unwanted, painful memories.
Opening my eyes, I saw that I was in yet another room I’d never been in before, tucked into a warm, fluffy bed and feeling pretty good. Sleep was a beautiful thing. I managed to take it in stride, remembering immediately that I was on another planet. My pulse didn’t even flutter. I was probably all tapped out of fear at this point.
“Oh, thank the Gods you’re awake,” Cynthia murmured from a chair by another of those cool floor-to-ceiling windows, like I’d seen in Ryder’s library, where I’d first learned what I’d gotten myself into, surrounded by his stacks of books. The wild jungle was just beyond, and it didn’t seem quite so frightening to me anymore. She set her book on a side table and approached the bed quickly. “How are you feeling?”
I was somewhat confused by the concern in her warm brown eyes, but I cautiously did a quick internal check and replied, “Good. Why?”
“Ryder has been going out of his ever-loving mind since he met us at the medic ward. I think they were glad to let him bring you home. They couldn’t wait to get rid of him.”
“The medic ward.” I let that sink in a moment.
That’s right!
Memory returned in a messy, tangled flood of sound, color and texture. The marketplace, the Brausiian warrior who was going to gut me—these were all things that had taken place, along with a host of other equally terrifying events.
Yes. I’d survived them all. They were all lovely things I would be able to add to my résumé. Visited foreign planet...check. Defeated big, nasty warrior with cool ninja mind trick...check. I smirked, feeling like my life had become one big sideshow.
“Don’t worry. Aside from a minor scratch from the dagger he pinned you with, nothing is broken, and you’re just fine. You slept like the dead, though. Nothing could move you. No one could connect with you.”
“Connect?” I assumed she was referring to dreamwalking or mindwalking, but I didn’t get confirmation on it. Cynthia wasn’t listening to me. She seemed a bit distracted, almost absently continuing her monologue of what had occurred while I was out.
“So the Brausiian was removed, people were saved, but you were out cold. The medic unit arrived with a stretcher, and we got you all checked out. I called Nick so he could let Ryder know what had happened, and he showed up at the ward all crazy with worry.”
As an afterthought, she added, “What have you done to that man? He’s become certifiable. He has only ever behaved calmly, logically and with a cool head, but not today. Ryder was barking orders at everyone, ripping on the medical team for not curing you. No one knew what to do, and the general consensus was to let you sleep it off, since your vitals appeared fine, but that wasn’t enough for Ryder. Nick had to physically remove him from the examination room, which almost caused a fight between the two of them, when the medics were checking you out.”
“What have I done to him?” The question bemused me. Like I had the power to do anything. He was a big, powerful male, probably used to getting his way in all things. There wasn’t anything I could do to influence him one way or another. “I’m sure he just feels responsible for me.”
She shook her head exasperatedly, obviously in disagreement. “Anyway, we now have this big investigation to conduct. The tapes were retrieved and reviewed by the council over the last few hours.”
“Tapes?” I knew I was sounding like a parrot, but there was nothing else I could contribute.
“We have all public places surveyed continuously.”
It sounded very Big-Brotheresque to me, but who was I to criticize? I didn’t live here.
“It’s been an eventful afternoon.” Cynthia finished her recitation and paused.
“How long have I been out?” I sat up and scooted back to lean against the blue-stone wall, noting with relief that I was in Cynthia’s clothing and that no one had felt the need to put me in something else.
“About five hours. Ryder’s been with you the entire time. He only left the room a few minutes ago because Nick told him the high court needed to speak with him immediately.”
Poor Ryder, so used to being in control. My heart warmed. It was probably his worst nightmare to lose the ability to handle a situation where danger was afoot. More somberly, I figured this was particularly true, knowing what I knew about his sister. His sister. I couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like to lose a sister. Did you ever get over that? My mother was still alive, yet I still mourned her.
I didn’t quite understand why any of them were worried, though. So what? I was asleep. What was the big deal?
I felt him before I saw him. Ryder. My dark, mysterious knight. Standing in the doorway of the bedroom, his body tense, his energy thrumming. There was a wild look to his pale eyes. They roamed my face searchingly, almost desperately, like he was assuring himself that I was okay. I barely noticed when Cynthia left the room, muttering about getting food put together. I wasn’t paying her any attention. I just wanted to look at his face, memorize the lines of care and concern.
This was addicting. This was dangerous. Tenderness warmed my heart, but with that came my warning voice.
I wanted him, but he had the power to hurt me.
I’d never wanted anyone before, but he was making me care.
Was I ready for this? I didn’t seem to have a choice. I was enthralled by his intense, pale green gaze. It refused to let me look away.
But then he ruined the whole damn thing.
I could almost see the fear become replaced by anger. His voice shook as he growled, “What the hell were you thinking?”
“What do you mean?” My mind was in such a different place, it took a moment for me to catch up.
“What the hell were you thinking, to put yourself in danger? You took on a Brausiian warrior, Taylor!” He stalked the length of the room toward me, his body throwing off suddenly fierce energy.
“You’re mad because I stopped terrorists from bombing your marketplace?” Incredible. He was going to be mad about that? I glared at him, feeling my anger begin to simmer. What was wrong with him? He made no sense.
“Don’t be ridiculous! You know why I’m mad.”
He did that thing where he braced his hands loosely on his hips. It was such a guy pose, and really sexy, like calendar sexy. Even with his mad look on, where his eyes were, like, blazing at me, I was momentarily disarmed. It stalled the flow of irritation that I was ready to unleash on him because I was suddenly focused on his lips. They were great lips. Really kissable lips. All right. I had to admit it. I was E.Z.
I sighed. “You’re being irrational.” That was apparently a bad thing to say to an angry guy.
“I’m irrational?” His look was one of disbelief.
“Yes, you are. I’m sitting here perfectly fine and no one died, but you’re stomping around here, huffing and puffing—”
“Huffing and—”
“Puffing. Yes, that’s what I said.”