Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) (22 page)

He snapped his wings closed and resumed his pacing while he thought furiously about what to tell Ian. Finally, he realized the truth was the only thing he could tell. He stopped and looked out over the river to the buildings and trees on the far side. “While we were out chasing down Jessica, we missed our pills. Flynn caught on to me pretty quick, but no one realized what was happening to Nick. He didn’t exhibit the usual aggression, or at least not too badly. But he did start to behave oddly. Both Donald and I noticed it. Every time I was sure we had lost her for good, Nick suddenly hared off in an unexpected direction.

“Then, later when we were on the ferry, he had an argument with Flynn and stormed off to think. I followed him, and while we were standing out on the deck, a feral Valkyrie talked to him…in his head…”

“What!”

He spun around to look at Ian. He couldn’t remember ever seeing him look so livid before. “He said she was asking for us to release Jessica.”

The sight of Ian mastering his temper was a new experience, and he was unsure whether to go on or not, but then Ian waved at him irritably to continue. “He told me later, after we got home, that when he touched something Jessica had touched, he would get a picture, and feelings, I think, of what she had been doing and where she had gone. He decided after all that had happened yesterday to quit taking the pills and see where that led him. That’s why I took everyone out to the course today. I couldn’t think of a better place where we wouldn’t draw attention so I could discuss this with them.”

“You could try the gym. There’d be a bit less damage.”

“Yes, sir.” He looked at his feet. “We are forming a guard to protect him during the detox period.”

“He’ll need it,” Ian said unhappily. “You have no idea what you’re up against. There’s nothing I can say to get you to change your minds, is there?”

“No.”

“Do you have any idea how powerful he is? I have no clue how he’s going to react to the changes yet. I’m not even sure what changes will take place. All I do know is that Gabriel will do anything to get his hands on Nick. I’ve spent the last fifteen years protecting him, from himself, and those who would like to dissect him like a lab rat. And if Gabriel finds out about this, he’ll finally have the power to get what he has wanted since Nick’s fledging. I don’t know what Nick is, Chris, but he isn’t just a Seer.”

Walking slowly up to Ian, Christoff looked down at him for a moment before he crouched in the gravel.

“And what about Jessica?” he asked softly. Ian’s sober gaze made Christoff swear.

“I don’t know, Chris, but keeping both her and Nickolas hidden now may be beyond me. They are something more, that’s all I can tell you, though I have my suspicions.”

He trailed off, turning inward. Christoff waited for his attention to return. “Keep up with the guard on Nickolas. He’s going to need to learn control on many different levels. Think of it as mental fine muscular control. Tell him he needs to learn to focus his awareness; visualize a spider in a web, and all the lines that radiate out from the center. If he plucks one, focuses on it, he’ll learn things. Right now I suspect he is flailing around in his web and is randomly brushing all the threads. If he stays in the center and doesn’t touch anything, he won’t see more than he might want. Spin a cocoon of silk around himself, and he will stop most chance encounters also. With practice, he’ll learn the best ways for himself.”

Ian glanced at his wrist and stood. “Times up. We need to get back to the Hub.”

They walked back in silence.

Chris’s thoughts turned inward as he struggled with how the new information fit. Castes? The concept seemed surreal. But the knowledge fit into a place inside, he couldn’t deny. He barely noticed their route back, but the snort of amusement from Ian when they walked through the doors into the Hub brought him out of his contemplation.

None of the Valkyries who had come in for medical attention had left yet. A seething mass of bodies jockeyed for position around the console containing the video monitors.

Ian shook his head then caught Chris’s eye. Laughter, mixed with something he couldn’t define, lit the green depths. Chris glanced away. Jays stood across the room with his arms up, drawing a syringe. He grinned at the two of them then laid the sharp down on a tray with some other items.

“I almost have everything ready, Ian.”

“Good. Chris, I need you to stay. Please wait with Jays.”

Chris’s eyes raked across the items on the cart. Nothing unusual.
He must want me to stay because of Nick. He’s more concerned than he let on.

Across the room, Ian escorted the flight out the door.

“Go on now, I’m sure you have things that need doing.”

“Aww, Ian, can’t we stay for a little bit more? Please?”

“Come on, out. You heard me. There’ll be visitations once she’s settled in more. Have patience. Go and tell the others everything you’ve seen.”

They dragged their feet, but he finally got them and their excited chatter out the door.

Ian paused by the monitors before he joined them.

Chris cleared his throat. “So, what do you need from me?”

The doctor picked up Jessica’s chart and flipped through it. “I’m not sure, Chris. Nickolas has her calm, but I doubt that will last. And I can’t trust your brother’s reactions at the moment.”

He slid the chart back into the slot. “Just be ready.”

“I’m set, Ian.”

He nodded at Jays. “You good, Chris?”

Taking a deep breath, he nodded.

Chris followed Ian to door number four, where the doctor swiped his card in the reader. The latch popped and he pulled the door out.

With a twitch of his wings, he followed Ian through the opening, the soft rattle of the cart on his heels. Jessica pressed into the far corner; fear chased across her features. His brother straightened into an upright position from where he had reclined on the foot of her bunk. They stopped next to the bed and Chris watched Nick’s muscles tense.

Beside him Ian stared at Nick, and Chris realized where Nick’s fear lay. He flicked his gaze back to Jessica. She had managed to conceal her emotions and now inched along the wall, keeping as much distance as possible from them.

A soft squeak sounded loud in the room as Jays kicked the break on the cart. She froze, and the intensity of her gaze shot to Jays behind him.

Nick still hadn’t moved.

“Nicky?” Ian said.

The shifting of his eyes was the only indication that his brother tracked what happened around him.

“Nickolas?” Jessica whispered. “Please?”

Chris watched his brother. Nick quivered, but Ian’s stare held him in place.

“Nicky,” Ian coaxed, “I know you have a lot of memories surfacing right now. But you know this needs to be. Are you going to get in the way?”

Nick closed his eyes then looked at his feet.

“Nickolas?” Jessica echoed.

“We’ve been over this, Jess,” Nick replied, his voice thick. “It wouldn’t be safe.”

Ian’s shoulders relaxed slightly. Behind him, Chris heard Jays shuffle a few supplies around as he got ready for the exam, but he kept watch on Jessica. She stared at Ian and continued to inch along the wall.

“How are you feeling today, Jessica?” the doctor asked.

She shrugged a shoulder and took a step.

“I’m very glad you ate so much. That’s important at this stage.”

Chris shifted closer to the bunk to keep her from getting behind his back as she moved along the wall. He flicked a glance at the closed door she was nearing.

His moving brought Jays into her view. Her eyes narrowed and he thought he heard the beginning of a low growl. Next to him Jays froze.

“I see you remember Jays,” Ian said. “I wasn’t sure you would.”

“Why wouldn’t I? He spent enough time around my house.” She turned a sneering look on Jays. “You know, Robin was devastated when your family left with no notice.”

Pain laced her acidic comment, and Chris watched Jays set down his stethoscope with too much care for its placement.

“We were kids, Jess. It’s not like I had a choice.”

“No. But you do now.”

“That’s not fair, and you know it.”

“When has anything ever been fair, Jays?” And faster than Chris could believe, she lunged at the cart. With one hand, she grabbed the syringe off the top of the cart, and the other fisted around the lanyard dangling from Jays’s neck. A quick yank and she held the keycard to the door.

He took a step toward her, but the needle immediately trained on him. Her back hit the door.

Ian’s voice murmured behind him and he spared a glance over his shoulder. Nick had risen to his feet, and Ian had his hands full talking his brother down.

Without lowering her weapon, she got the card up and swiped. The door popped behind her. He took another step.

“Where are you going, Jess? How do you plan to get there?”

This time he was sure he heard her growl. She kicked the door wide and started to back out. Through the open door, Chris saw Kieran leap over the monitor desk.

Now if he could just get her to back into his arms.

He took another couple of quick steps, focusing her attention on him. “How do you think you’ll get out?”

“I managed for quite a while yesterday…”

Kieran’s arms wrapped around her the moment she backed through the doorway. An ear-shattering shriek pierced the air. He lunged forward and grabbed her wrists. A feral snarl ripped through the room behind him, but he didn’t have time to deal with Nickolas. Jessica writhed like a snake. Kieran held on, but Chris heard the grunt of pain when she slammed the back of her head into his face. He got in as close as he could to avoid her striking legs.

“Drop the needle, Jess.”

“Go to hell.”

He worked his thumb under her clenched fist and dug into her palm, hitting the nerve. With a gasp, her fingers convulsed open. Kieran squeezed tighter, and he let go of her wrists to grab her thrashing legs. Together, they manhandled her back into the room. Backing up, he saw Ian had his hand slapped to Nick’s chest, somehow holding the vibrating Valkyrie at bay.

Even over all the noise Jessica was making, Chris could hear Ian’s voice.

“Nicky, I want you out of this room. Now.”

“They’re going to hurt her!” his brother shouted.

“Nickolas Sinclair.” The ice coating Ian’s voice chilled Chris. “If you don’t want me to knock you out for the next twelve hours, get your ass out of here.”

He and Kieran had gotten her to the cot and were working on pinning her down. “Damn it, Nick. Shut up and obey,” he snarled at his brother.

“Donald,” Ian yelled.

Chris saw his Second dash in.

“Get him out and make sure that door gets shut and locked.”

“I can help, Ian…”

Over Jessica’s struggling body, Chris locked eyes with his brother. Emotion swam hot through the blue depths. Donald had a grip on the back of Nick’s neck and his arm twisted up behind. He fought the lock halfheartedly as the subordinate Valkyrie forced him out of the room.

The door clanged shut.

He heard Ian softly reply, “Not this time, Nicky.” Ian scrubbed his face with his hands then turned back to them.

Kieran lay across her chest with her arms pinned above her head. He leaned on her shins to immobilize her legs. His nose twitched and he looked down.
Damn.

“Ian. There’s blood running down her leg.”

The doctor sighed. He walked over and crouched down by her head, waiting until she turned to look at him. “It’s your choice to make this hard. If you want to enjoy the freedoms and privileges of the other fledglings, then you will need to cooperate.”

She bared her teeth at him.

He shook his head then stood. Chris leaned to the side as much as possible to give Ian room to look at the blood.

“Jays, she’s pulled her sutures and reopened the wound. Chris, I need you and Kieran to get her turned. I need that leg on the outside.”

“Kieran?”

“When you say, Chris.”

“On the count of three. One. Two.” He slid down her legs and gripped her ankles. Kieran slid his hands down her arms to her shoulders, still pressing her to the bed. “Three.”

Kieran lifted his weight and they both flipped her to her stomach as she took the same moment to try unsuccessfully to break free from them. She screamed her frustration into the mattress.

Chris got a better look at her thigh. Blood soaked the leg of her shorts and ran freely down her skin. Ian rolled her leg a bit to get a better view of her calf.

“These are fine. It’s just her upper leg. Scissors please.” With a couple snips, the doctor had the shorts off of her, much to her indignant complaints. “They were dripping in your blood, Jessica. It’s not like you could continue wearing them.”

Readjusting his grip, Chris watched Ian examine the laceration. Several stitches had popped, so the wound had an ugly gape to it, and bright red blood leaked in a trickle.