Echoes at Dawn

“Shea was with her and she took my pain. I can remember being on my mother’s lap and having Shea put her hands around my arm. Her face was so solemn. I can still remember what she said. ‘I’ll make it better, Grace.’ And she did. At least temporarily.”

“Wow, that’s heavy,” Decker said. “It’s incredible what the two of you can do.”

“As I got older, I was able to focus my ability more. Direct it. I don’t know how to explain it, really. I could be a great distance from someone, but if I had a connection to them, I could still heal them. As I did with the man you called Swanny through Shea’s connection to Nathan.”

“It’s no damn wonder there are people so eager to get their hands on you,” Terrence said in a somber voice. “The possibilities are endless. You’d be of vital interest to the military or any radical group.”

“An unstoppable fighting force,” Diego interjected. “Someone goes down, Grace heals them through a psychic link. Boom, up they go again.”

Grace was shaking her head before he even finished. “I’m not psychic. I mean I can’t predict events, tell the future. I’m not a mind reader in the sense that I can pick out your thoughts. It’s…different. I’m telepathic, which just means I can communicate mentally. I can heal remotely, telepathically I suppose you’d say.”

“So you canSod. ?t read our thoughts?” Browning asked.

Of everyone, he seemed to have the keenest interest in her abilities. He’d remained thoughtful throughout the conversation, his brow etched in concentration.

“Not unless I connect to you.”

“Can you connect to just anyone?” Decker asked. “Shea said her abilities were random.”

“I could at one time,” she said softly. “I’m not sure I can anymore.”

They all looked inquisitively at her. An uncomfortable silence fell.

“You’ll get it back.”

Grace turned to see Rio standing behind the couch just over her shoulder.

“With the proper care and reconditioning, you’ll get it back.”

“I hope you’re right.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped as she turned back around. She remained sideways just a bit so she could still see Rio while including the others in her sight. “I used to think that I didn’t want my gift. That it would be easier—my life would be easier—if my head was silent. If I couldn’t hear other people. If I couldn’t heal.”

“And now?” Diego prompted.

“I miss my sister,” Grace said, an ache building in her chest as she thought of losing that link to Shea. “This past year has been difficult. She’s tried to keep communication to a minimum because she always feared knowing too much about me and where I was. She didn’t want to be used against me or to draw me out.”

“How did you lose it?” Decker asked. “I don’t understand. What happened?”

Grace went numb as memories of all she’d endured came hard and fast. Residual pain echoed through her joints and muscles. The voices in her head screamed. Before she realized what she was doing, she’d lifted her palms to her temples and closed her eyes in an effort to make it all go away.

“That’s enough,” Rio said in a terse voice. “It’s time to eat, Grace. You need to keep your strength up.”

She swallowed, realizing that Rio had just bailed her out where before he hadn’t and she’d recognized the importance of standing on her own, of not being so damn weak all the time. The past couldn’t hurt her. Memories couldn’t hurt her. Only the present and the future had that ability. She had to stop fearing the ghosts.

They were all still staring at her. She cleared her throat and pushed away the lingering shadows.

“When they…” She took another deep breath. Pull it together, Grace. This isn’t a big deal. “When they made me heal all those test subjects, it hurt me. Not just physically but mentally. When I heal someone, I take on their injury or illness. It becomes mine. As if I lift it straight from them and absorb it. They go away free, recovered. I have to then recover myself.

“Some of the subjects were hard. With each one I grew weaker until I was sure I would die. I severed the link to my sister because I didn’t want to become so weak that I called out to her without realizing it. I never wanted her to see me as I was and I didn’t want to endanger her.”

Terrence scowled fiercely. Diego was frowning as well while Decker and the others still wore puzzled looks.

“You just severed it? You can do that?” Decker asked.

Grace nodded, tears crowding her eyes. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. She was…she was a part of me. Always with me and suddenly andinI was alone and frightened. And slowly dying.”

“Ungoddamnbelievable,” Diego muttered. “What the fuck were they hoping to prove? That they could kill you? How would your death benefit them at all? If they wanted to use your powers, why the hell wouldn’t they take better care with you?”

Grace wiped at her cheek in an offhand manner, relieved to find no trace of tears there. “I don’t think they understood. How could they? I think they thought I was acting because I didn’t want to perform to their expectations. It wasn’t until…”

She shook her head and clamped her lips shut. She didn’t want to go there. It still shamed her even though she knew it wasn’t her, that she hadn’t had any control.

Rio cleared his throat. “That’s enough. Come eat now, Grace.”

She glanced gratefully over, this time allowing him to rescue her. She pushed herself from the couch and slid her shaking hands into the pockets of her jeans to disguise how traumatized she still was by the past weeks.

To her utter shock, Terrence stood, towering over her briefly before he pulled her into a huge bear hug. She stood there plastered against the big man’s chest, mouth open as he squeezed the breath from her.

Touched by the show of support, she slowly put her arms around him and returned the hug. He swiped a big hand down her back and then patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as he pulled away.

“You’re a tough nut, Miss Grace,” he said gruffly. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Terrence. You’re very kind.”

“Let’s go eat. Rio cooks some good stuff when he’s home in his kitchen.”

She allowed Terrence to lead her into the kitchen and up to the large island with barstool seating. She glanced around, having just given everything a cursory once-over last night. It was indeed a dream kitchen. A chef’s kitchen, she believed they were called. Top-of-the-line appliances. A huge, six-burner gas stove. Double oven. Stainless everything.

It didn’t compute.

She’d spent time in the mountains under the worst conditions possible with these men. Rio was a badass. A dark, brooding type that looked like no one ever dared cross him. But here? He was relaxed. Obviously a fan of creature comforts, judging by the custom home, the appliances and all the luxury items.

The bedding alone was simply to die for. She hadn’t stayed in hotels that had better linens.

Rio was obviously someone who liked to live well when he wasn’t out saving the world and getting shot at. It was hard to reconcile this man standing before her with the man who’d carried her all over a mountain tied to his back.

Terrence seated her on a stool close to the end and then took the one next to her. There was only one left on the other side of her, which she assumed was for Rio, since the othe

rs were all claimed by his team members.

Rio put a plate in front of her and the scent wafted through her nostrils. Her stomach immediately growled and she closed her eyes, savoring just being able to sit down and enjoy a meal in the comfort of a home.

Rio slid onto the stool beside her after serving the others and glanced over.

“Eat up,” he said gently. “As soon as you’re done, I’ll try to get Shea on the phone for you.”

CHAPTER 17

THE meal was rather simple. Baked chicken, vegetables and rice deep>Sheȁ, with hot rolls straight out of the oven. But for Grace it was the closest she’d come to having a normal meal in longer than she could remember.

She savored the sheer mundaneness of sitting there, cutting into her chicken, the burst of warmth and flavor on her tongue. She purposely took her time, not wanting to hurry the moment. It was probably a sign that she really had lost her mind that she was taking such pleasure in drawing out a meal.

But for her, it was like Christmas and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. All that it lacked was Shea.

Remembering what Rio had promised her, she dug into her food more rapidly, not wanting to waste a single bite. She was already full, but she was compelled to eat it all. Going for so long without food made a person not take a meal for granted when they finally got one.

When the last bite was consumed, she looked up to see that the men had already finished and were staring oddly at her. It made her self-conscious and she pushed the plate away, her cheeks warm under their scrutiny.

“That was really good, Rio. Thank you.”

He continued to look at her, his lips set firm. He inclined his head to the side, motioning for the others to leave. When they were gone, he took her plate and the others and stacked them in the sink. Then he glanced up, catching her gaze and holding it for a long moment.

“How long has it been since you ate?” he asked bluntly. “I mean really ate, Grace. I watched you last night and now today and you never once looked away from your food. It was as if you were afraid it was going to get up and walk off your plate.”

She bit into her bottom lip and ducked her head to avoid his scrutiny.

“You’ve lost weight. Even since I saw you in that surveillance footage. You were lean and toned. You had more muscle mass. You look like they damn near starved you.”

His words stung even though she knew he hadn’t meant them to be demeaning. He was angry. Not at her. She knew what she looked like. Like someone who’d been as close to death as one could be without sliding all the way into the grave. There were times when she swore she felt the cool earth cover her and darkness surround her. It was all in her mind. Her mind had become hell instead of a refuge.

“They mostly gave me IV fluids,” she said in a low voice. “I’m not sure what all they gave me, to be honest. Those weeks are—were—a blur. But they certainly didn’t bring me regular meals that I ate on my own if that’s what you’re asking.”

Rio’s expression grew stormier. His eyes darkened until they were nearly black.

“I’ll make you special meals for as long as you’re here. You won’t go hungry again, Grace.”

She blinked in surprise and then smiled, some of the shadows lifting at the fierce vow. Being plied with yummy food and luxurious surroundings wasn’t exactly a hardship.

“Can…Will you call Shea for me now?” she asked anxiously.

His expression grew more serious. “You need to understand that I may not be able to make this happen.”

Her lips turned down and she was unable to call back the unhappy frown.

“I’ll do what I can. I know this is important to you.”

He walked around the island and held out his hand to her. She slid her fingers over his palm, tangling with his fingers, and allowed him to pull her from the stool. He led her beyond the kitchen and into a small enclosed space that resembled a patio except it was cut off from the outside. The windows were dark and seemed thick, and there was and chelmost a distortion of the view.

But beyond was a lush garden, well attended. A small pond sporting Japanese koi had a cascading waterfall that slid over a series of rocks before splashing into where the fish swam in lazy circles.

“What is this?” she asked as she stared around at the enclosure.

“It’s a safe room. A place to enjoy the outdoors without actually being outdoors. There’s an indoor pool just around the corner and behind the same bulletproof glass that currently surrounds us.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you have that many enemies?”

“Yes.”

She hadn’t quite expected his terse, blunt response, and if she’d thought he’d go into further detail or perhaps elaborate, she was completely wrong. He said nothing more and instead drew out a phone and began punching a series of numbers.

Rio waited while the call connected, capturing Grace from the corner of his eye. She’d turned away but her body posture was stiff. Agitation rolled from her, almost tangible in the quiet. Then she paced a few steps, turned, and he could see her hands clenched tightly together.

When the line opened, Rio uttered the password and then Sam was there, immediately brisk and all business.

“Rio, what the fuck is going on? Where are you and is Grace okay?”

Rio lifted a brow. “Is there any reason she shouldn’t be? She’s with me and recovering well.”