Emergence (The Primogenitor Chronicles Book 1) (41 page)

“I may be able to help with some of that.” She sat back and looked into his face.

He cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand, his thumb brushing her skin. “We’ll do whatever it takes.”

He didn’t remember choosing to lean forward and he really didn’t care. All that mattered suddenly changed when, as soft as a dandelion wish, their lips brushed. And his brain felt as scattered as those same seeds on the wind. Their lips slid across each other before the tip of his tongue traced them ever so softly. She parted hers and the first brush of tongue against tongue tasted sweet. Just like his body craved. Her hands slid up into his hair and he sank deeper into the kiss.

His other hand came around, cupping both sides of her face, and they lost all track of time.

Breath labored, they pulled back for a moment; she studied his face, and he wondered what she looked for as he watched the hazel roam.

The door locks released. He closed his eyes, and Jess dropped her forehead to his chest. He thought he could feel the rumble of a soft growl reverberate through her back where his arms now rested. Wrestling with his own anger, he sent a slashing look at Jays, who waited near the door.

“Time to go, Nick. Ian’s waiting.”

“I’m not ready.”

“Too bad. Lunch is over. You have duties you need to see to. Trust me, you won’t like the consequences if you don’t listen.”

Jessica’s growl became a certainty, and he stared into Jays’s eyes. The grounded didn’t flinch.

He felt his own growl try to form and shoved it down for the moment.
Damn it.
He realized this would only end badly.

He tugged on Jess’s hair so she would look up at him. “I should go. But I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

The gold flecks in her hazel eyes flashed with a weak spark of power, even through the inhibitor. He felt his newfound power rise in answer. He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers once more.

“Nickolas.”

This time he did growl, but Jessica slid off his lap. He stood then picked up the tray of dishes. And with a last glance at Jess, he stormed past Jays, who held the door for him.

Out in the Hub, he dumped the tray with a clatter on the cart. The noise would have drawn everyone’s attention except he already had it, he noticed.
Great. I guess we were a popular peep show.

Kieran and Dylan stood with Ian over Jessica’s screen. The two Beta’s made a valiant but ineffectual attempt to hide their smirks; Ian just looked grim.

“Nickolas, we need to talk.”

“I don’t feel the need to.” He flared his wings and turned to prowl along the cell doors then along the wall.

“Nick, you almost killed your brother. We have to talk about last night.”

He stumbled to a stop and stared at the ground.

“How much do you remember?” Ian’s voice had gentled and drew nearer.

He raised his gaze from the floor to Ian’s in front of him. “It’s a bit blurry. I remember anger, I remember you drugging me.”

He clenched his fists, but when Ian reached out to touch him, he shied away and started pacing again.

“I remember wanting to see Jessica.”

The doctor sighed. “Jessica’s arrival has set a train of events into motion. When you chose to stop taking the pills, it was because of her. But the pills didn’t just block you from using talent that you already possessed. They froze your development at the end of stage three of your change. The reason you are having so much trouble controlling your mind is because it is changing again. You are in the middle of stage four.”

Disbelief swept through him. “So many lies.” He turned and stalked Ian. “Our whole life, a lie?”

Ian’s gaze followed him, the swirl of power inside started to surge with a surf all its own. An answering light flashed in Ian’s eyes and was gone so fast Nick doubted that he really saw it.

“Trust me,” the doctor snapped, “if I had any choices, things would be very different. There are rules I have to follow. I didn’t dictate the lies, but I tried to use them to my advantage. It was the only way I could keep you safe. I knew someday you would find out the truth or need to be told.”

Ian leaned against the center island, his arms crossed, watching him like a bug under a microscope. A shiver racked his body, and he turned away from those green eyes.

“Nicky. I can’t change the past. I can’t change the fact that the rest of your isolation was delayed fifteen years. I can’t take away your pain or your memories. But I can and will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Even against your will.”

Nick stopped and turned to stare at the doctor.

“You almost killed Chris last night. Remember what your isolation was like.”

“As if I could forget?” he snapped. “You made sure I wouldn’t have that option.”

“You can no longer remain unmonitored. I’ve arranged with Chris to take over your duties, not that you’ve been doing much with them lately anyway, and he and Donald have already talked with the Flight and Wing leaders and set up a rotation for you.”

He backed away, his eyes flicking to Kieran and Dylan, now understanding their presence.

“Don’t do this, Ian,” he whispered. “I can handle it. I’ve been handling it.”

“Not anymore. Last night was too close. I’ve given you as much rope as possible. But you’re deteriorating too fast now.”

He ran his hands through his hair and stalked the side of the island Ian didn’t control. He raked a glare across Kieran, and the Beta pulled Dylan out of his way. He moved into the island and braced his hands on the desk, staring down at Jess. She did calisthenics in the middle of her cell. The feel of her lips lingered on his as he watched her.
How am I going to get her out now?

“I’m sorry, Nick. This is the best I can do.”

“And that’s supposed to help?”

“I guess that’s up for interpretation.” Ian paused. “You’ve let your phys-ex tests slip. I need you to go with Jays and make them up, along with your agility.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. That should take you the rest of the afternoon. I’ll see you back in here tomorrow morning.”

“But her dinner?”

“Someone else will bring it.”

With a snarl, he spun on his heel and stormed across the Hub, his two shadows hot on his heels.

Their footsteps, a quiet reminder of Ian’s words, goaded his already tenuous temper as they made their way through the maze of halls. He slammed through the doors into the gym. All activity ceased as they turned to stare at him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Control. Get it under control.

He ignored the concerned gazes and moved to the back corner of the large gym and started a quick muscle warm-up. Kieran and Dylan leaned against the wall a couple of feet away, their watchful stares grating on his self-control. He inched down the wall with each exercise, pushing for some breathing space, but they acted like he had an invisible tether attached and just followed if he got more than four or five feet away. The tension thrumming through his shoulders made loosening up his muscles more difficult than normal. Finally he spun at them. They fell back a step into a fighting stance; Dylan moved to bracket him.

“Back off,” he growled.

Kieran took a slow, measured breath then shook his head before his eyes darted a look at Dylan, and together they stood up. “Sorry, Nick.”

Jays chose that moment to arrive. He swept all three of them with a glance then flipped his notebook open. “Ok, Nick, let’s start with the ropes.”

A little of the snarl he tried to suppress escaped, and he plowed past his watchers, crossing the distance to the ropes, and vaulted onto the nearest. Swinging himself hand over hand, he ascended to the top. Upon reaching it, he kicked off from the wall, and doing a backwards somersault, he snapped out his wings to break his fall. He landed in a crouch. All eyes in the gym focused on him. The attention wasn’t helping him regain his equilibrium.

“Again,” Jays snapped.

He growled and threw a threatening look over his shoulder, but he leaped at the ropes again. He repeated each variation of the exercise to Jays’s satisfaction then moved to the rings and continued. The damn doctor followed his every move, with Kieran and Dylan breathing down his neck, and the eyes of the entire clan stared at him, pushing him to his limits.

After the last circuit, he landed in a crouch and stayed there, breathing heavily and rumbling a growl at his escort. Kieran glanced around then slowly approached and held out a water bottle.

He didn’t rise out of his crouch, but he did take the bottle, then ducked his forehead against his shoulder to wipe the sweat away. He drained the bottle and slowed his breath. And for the first time, he noticed the shards slicing behind his eyes; he pinched his nose and gave his head a shake.

“Let’s move to the mats, Nick,” Jays said softly.

He opened his eyes and met Jays's. The grounded didn’t look away but just waited. Hissing, he lunged to his feet and smiled when Jays stumbled back a step. Kieran growled, and Nick slowly turned in his direction.

“Leave him alone, Nick.”

He stared a moment at the Beta and felt Dylan move around him. Kieran’s eyes flicked a look to the side, and Nick noticed Dev leaning against the wall twenty feet away. Nick turned and started walking to the mats, scanning the rest of the crowd.
There.
He found Aidan flanking him as he walked, also twenty feet out.

So it's double. Would Chris have posted a third circle on me?

At the tumbling mats, he dove into the first routine. He pushed himself in an effort to ignore the pain, but it continued to escalate. As did his visions. The talents growing within him wanted acknowledgement. Now that he no longer had Jessica helping to keep it in check, his power had started to build, the pressure growing uncomfortable.

He lost track of the time, and Jays pushed him through the tests, Kieran and Dylan always in his space. More and more eyes turned his way.

The pain ate away at what little self-control he could maintain, and the constant scrutiny finished off the rest.

He rolled, the movement taking him near the edge of the mat. But instead of rising from it then falling into the next move, he swept his foot out and forced Kieran into the air or get knocked on his ass.

“Stop smothering me,” he barked at his escort.

Kieran dropped to the ground in a crouch but didn't answer. The pain sliced through and he touched his forehead to his bent knees with a groan. When he looked up, Kieran still waited but concern filled his eyes. Warm wet slid from his nose. Blood again.

“Nick,” Jays said. “I think we’ll skip the last set of evals.”

He wiped the blood, smearing it across the top of his arm. The smell of blood drew more attention and others started to gather closer, not even trying to pretend that they were working.

Weekly evaluations?
He shook his head again, trying to clear it and stood up, pressing his hand to his forehead. Too much pressure.
That’s right. Sparring would be next.
That would help. Movement. He looked at Kieran and watched the Hunter’s face blanch.

The workout had helped at first, but now it wasn't enough.
Fly. I need to fly.
He scanned the room. Too many to get through. The doors were too far away.
If I can’t fly…

He started to smile.

Spreading his wings, he did a somersault over their heads, landing outside the mats, then sprinted across the room.

I can fight.

He bounced on his toes in the middle of the large sparring circle. The tide of bodies that raced after him slid to a stop at the line painted on the floor. Kieran and Dylan split, pacing the circumference in opposite directions. His wings flared and his head swiveled, trying to follow both.

“Dev,” Kieran yelled. “Go get Chris. Aidan, get Jays back, keep him protected. No one else move.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aidan pull a white-faced Jays back away from the ring, but most of his attention had turned to focus on Kieran.

“Don’t go too far, Jays. This is the last set of tests he needs, Kieran.” He smiled. “He pushed me through the others, but I’ll enjoy this one. Come on. I can take care of you two first, then Jays.”

He held his hand out and beckoned the Hunter with his fingers. Kieran loosened his wings but continued to pace on the outside of the line, holding his attention.

“I don’t think my crossing the boundary would be a good idea, Nickolas. I’m pretty sure both Chris and Ian would find that activity too dangerous. Think about what you almost did last night.”

Ghost images started to flirt across his vision and he blinked. Mantling his wings, he feinted at the edge of the ring, trying to bring the Hunter across where he could do something…anything.

When Kieran wouldn’t oblige him, he turned to baiting the rest of his audience and hoped someone would make a mistake and cross the boundary.

He heard a shuffled movement and snapped his focus over his shoulder. Aidan pushed Jays back and shoved him behind a larger onlooker to block him from his sight. Nick took a step in their direction, but Kieran raised his wings and he lost interest in the grounded for the moment.