Echoes at Dawn

It was hard to separate herself from the child she’d saved. She no longer knew where one began and the other left off.

She was so tired. It would be so easy to just let go and drift away to a much more comfortable place. The shadows whispered to her. Beckoned her gently, a soft lullaby that soothed her soul.

But each time she thought that she would give in, she was pulled back by an unseen force. A will much stronger than her own in its current state.

It was uncomfortable. Stark. Unyielding. And yet she gravitated toward it because she sensed that it was where she needed to be. Not this other dark, quiet place.

And then, in the dark, a gentle presence. A sliver of sunshine. Warmth stole over her, replacing some of the bone-deep cold that had invaded her body.

Grace.

She stirred, hearing her name. She tried to respond but lacked the knowledge of how to. She waited, wanting to hear her name again, but silence settled around her and the cold crept back in.

No! She wanted to weep. For just a moment, she’d known true comfort. She’d felt warmth and gentleness. She’d felt love and known it was for her, aimed at her, that someone was fighting for her.

Grace, goddamn rach ait. Don’t you fucking give up. I have no idea if you can hear me. I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but don’t you dare leave me.

She frowned because that was someone entirely different. It confused her, being pulled in two directions and yet they both beckoned from the same place. There were two distinct people fighting…For her.

Grace. I know you’re out there and that you need me right now. I’m here. I love you. Please fight.

Shea.

Hearing her sister’s voice after so long devastated Grace. Crumbled her heart to pieces. Stripped her down to her very soul. Tears were wet on her cheeks. Warm tears against cold skin.

Can you hear her, Grace? Is Shea talking to you? You’re crying, baby. I know you can hear at least one of us. Fight this. We want you back. Fight, Grace. Don’t you dare give up. You’re stronger than this. There is nothing that can beat you down. Do you hear me? Nothing can defeat you except your own will.

Rio.

Grace, please talk to me. Let me know how to help you. You’ve always been so strong for both of us. Let me be the strong one now. Let me help you.

Shea?

She put everything she had into reaching out to her sister. Fear paralyzed her because if she couldn’t reconnect, if she couldn’t respond, it would devastate her.

Grace! I hear you. I hear you, Grace. Barely. You sound so weak, but you’ll get stronger. Talk to me. Don’t let go. Tell me what you need.

Didn’t want you to see me like this.

The tears were strong in the message she sent back to her sister. Her best friend in the whole world. The one person she loved and who loved her unconditionally.

Oh, Grace. Don’t you know how much I love you? How much you are loved? We’ve both been so intent on protecting the other that we’ve forgotten that we’re best when we’re strong. Together. Side by side. No more shutting each other out. Do you hear me? From now on, it’s you and me against the world.

Grace smiled at the ferocity in her younger sister’s words. Warmth was spreading through her mind and heart. Sunshine replaced the darkness, chasing away the shadows that stubbornly clung, unwilling to relinquish their hold just yet.

I’m just so tired, Shea. So cold. I’ve never felt this weak. I don’t want to give up, but I don’t know if I have the strength left to fight.

And then she felt another presence. Warm but different. So strong and overpowering. It surrounded her from every angle. Lifting her up, lending her the strength she so desperately needed.

I’m here. We’re here. I can feel him there with you. Can you feel him? I can sense him through you, and he’s strong, Grace. He’s strong enough for both of you. Lean on him. Lean on us.

Rio.

She sent out the one word, releasing it from the deepest part of her soul. It was a cry in the night, chased by the promise of dawn.

I’m here, Grace. Right here, baby. I won’t let you go. Take what you need. You’ve been alone for so long. Never leaning on anyone else. This time be strong enough to ask for help.

She soaked up every bit of comfort. Absorbed the light, embracing it to ward off the dark. She grabbed hold of the hope and the love so readily offered by the two people who loved her.

Warmth spread to every part of her body. It was an electric current arcing through every muscle, ridding her body of the lingering effects of ng wiillness, madness and the loss of hope.

I’m so glad you’re here.

She sent out the message to both Rio and Shea, bridging the gap, forming an irrevocable pathway between the three of them.

Don’t let me go. I don’t want to go.

This time, the voices were stronger. Louder in her mind. So very close.

No one’s letting you go, honey.

I’m here, Grace. I’m always here. Always with you, Shea said fiercely.

And then some of the pain and despair simply began fading away. Absorbed by Shea, who had the ability to take people’s pain and emotions and absorb them into her own body. Just as she’d done for Nathan when he’d been tortured. Just as she’d done so many times since. This was why she hadn’t wanted Shea to know. Hadn’t wanted her to see the depths of Grace’s pain and despair.

No! Shea, stop it! Don’t you dare take this. It’s enough that you’re here. Don’t do this. Do you hear me? Don’t suffer this for me. You’ve been through enough.

Tears of frustration burned her eyes. This wasn’t what she wanted.

Let her help you, Grace.

Rio’s command was strong. Compelling. He was firm and unyielding. He had a tight hold on her and he wasn’t letting go, almost as if he had a part of her captive.

I don’t want her to ever feel this, Grace choked out.

She has people to support her. She has Nathan there. She isn’t alone. And now neither are you. Don’t be so stubborn. Lean on us. Allow us in. Allow us to take it for you until you’re strong enough to bear it yourself.

More warmth and love po

ured into her through the connection to Shea. Grace felt herself enfolded by her sister, held tight and rocked back and forth as if she were a child in need of comfort.

She clung to her sister, hugging her back, afraid to let go for fear the connection would be broken. Shea pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and smoothed away the hair from her face.

Sleep now, Grace. Rest so your body can heal, so that when you awake, you’ll be stronger and yourself once more.

Then she felt the kiss of another. More intimate. Loving. The kiss of a lover. A warm caress. A gentle touch. His arms replaced Shea’s, pulled her into his embrace. Strong. Protective. A barrier between her and all the darkness.

It’s okay now, Grace. I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay. Sleep now and know that I’ll be here when you wake.

CHAPTER 28

WHEN Grace opened her eyes, she wasn’t entirely certain where she was. The ceiling came into focus and then she saw the high window and the soft light pouring into the bedroom where she and Rio had made love.

She then became aware that she wasn’t alone. Not only was she not alone, but Rio was wrapped around her as if he was shielding her from the world. His leg was thrown over hers. His arm lay possessively over her midsection and his other arm was beneath her head so that she was cradled into his side. And she was completely naked.

She smiled. She was back. She was alive. She’d made it through.

There was no doubt she was as weak as a newborn kitten. She felt as limp as a wet noodle and her mind was mush. But she had renewed strength. Strength she hadn’t possessed before and an awareness she hadn’t felt since before she’d severed the link between her and Shea.

Shea! The awareness was of her sister’s presence in her mind. Always there, just as she’d been before. Tears gathered in her eyes and she bit her lip, afraid to call out, afraid that she’d only dreamed that she’d been able to reconnect with Shea. I’m here, Grace.

The calm sound of her sister’s voice sent joy coursing through her soul.

I worried I’d dreamed it all. I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you so much.

I’ve missed you too, Grace. I love you. It’s been too long. We can be together now. Things are different. We can have a…life. I don’t want to be without you anymore. There’s no reason for it. Nathan and his family have promised to keep you safe. And now you have…Rio. You know you’re going to have to tell me all about him.

Grace smiled through her tears. Happy tears. So like old times when they shared everything.

Deal. Just as soon as you tell me everything about Nathan.

She felt Shea’s answering smile.

We’ll talk when you’re stronger, Grace. Right now I just want you to focus on getting better.

Love you.

Love you too.

Even though the communication ended, Grace could still feel the lingering presence of her sister. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed having her there until she’d been permanently gone.

“Have a nice chat with Shea?”

She turned, realizing that Rio was awake and had been silently watching her. She smiled. “Yeah. I can’t believe she’s back. I thought I’d never be able to talk to her telepathically again.”

Rio kissed her, his lips gentle and loving over hers. For the longest time he stayed there even when he’d pulled his mouth away. His forehead rested against hers and he cupped her jaw in his palm.

“I’m just glad you’re back,” he said. “You scared me, Grace. I thought I’d lost you.”

“I thought I’d lost myself,” she said honestly.

Rio pulled slightly away but kept hold on her jaw, tilting so she met his gaze. “Why did you do it?”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “I didn’t want to die if that’s what you’re thinking. I almost refused because I was afraid I would die.”

Rio’s face went hard and his eyes cold. “Browning said he didn’t threaten you. Did he? Did he hurt you?”

She could only imagine what Rio had done to his teammate. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She shook her head, feeling the firm imprint of his fingers on her face. It was comforting. There was strength in his touch. And possession. A clear message that he considered her his.

“I think he was scared. And resigned. It was as if he knew the consequences of what he’d done. Knew you’d be furious. I was pretty pissed too. But I also understood why he’d done it. I can only imagine how I’d feel if it were my child and I couldn’t do anything to help her. I’d lie, cheat, steal, threaten or kidnap anyone who could help her, you know?”

“Is that why you did it? Because you understood?”

She leaned her forehead against his lips, liking the warmth of his mouth on her skin. “I did it because once I saw her, I knew she was dying. I knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Death surrounded her and I knew that if I didn’t help her, I wouelp onld be responsible for her death and I couldn’t look Browning and Sumathi in the eye and tell them I wouldn’t help their daughter because I was afraid of dying when I’d finally found a reason to live.”

His hand stilled in her hair. He pulled her back so they were looking eye to eye. “What’s your reason, Grace?”

There was such a multitude of things in such a simple question. There was hope. Curiosity. A little dread. Didn’t he realize? She guessed he didn’t. Things had moved so fast. She hadn’t really been that forthcoming about her feelings. She hadn’t even been sure of what she felt.

Her entire world had been turned upside down. She’d barely existed for the last year, and yet in the midst of it all, her life in ruins, had come this man.

He’d challenged her, bullied her and made her feel more loved than she’d ever felt with another human being. He hadn’t allowed her to quit.

Why? What had he seen in her that very first time to make him so determined to track her down?

She touched his face, stroking over the roughness of his jaw. He hadn’t shaved and the stubble was bristly over her fingers.

He looked like hell.

“How long have I been asleep?” she whispered.

His eyes narrowed at her avoidance of the question. But she just hadn’t quite found the right words yet.

“Three days.”

Her mouth popped open in dismay. “Three days?”

He nodded grimly.

“What about the baby?” she asked hesitantly.

His lips thinned. “I don’t know. I assume she’s fine.”

She wanted to ask about Browning and what had been done with him.

Rio sighed. “What are you thinking?”

She nibbled at her bottom lip. “About Browning. And his family. Did you kill him?”

“And if I did? The bastard deserved it.”

She frowned unhappily. “He was only protecting his daughter.”