and Sali had no idea how to deal with much of that. He felt inferior and had spent years studying and learning how to fight in a constant effort to improve himself. It was an attempt to level the playing field and close the distance between himself and Ashe. They remained friends, but might never be as close as they once were.
"A bit of anger from understandable stress and a temporary loss of control," Kevis said. "Nothing world-shattering."
"Bill, I blasted piles of brush to bits," Trajan said. "Worked out some kinks, that way."
"Next time you go, take me with you," Bill sighed. "I tried to take it out on my girl."
"Bill, stop." I leaned away and placed a hand over his mouth. "Let’s face it, if Hank were here, he’d have done a whole lot worse."
"We would have to clear smoke for days," Trajan agreed solemnly.
I sagged against Bill. Whether I liked it or not, I had to get back to Earth in the past to do what I could, and that, by default, meant catching up with Hank again. I wasn’t looking forward to that.
"What’s this about?" Bill noticed the difference immediately.
"Hank’s gonna yell," I muttered. Jayson would be right behind him, and likely so would Bill and Trajan—their past selves, anyway.
"It upsets you when that happens, doesn’t it? It terrifies you, in fact. Doesn’t it?" Kevis the shrink was back.
"I don’t want to talk about it." I huddled against Bill again.
"We messed up the last time," Bill whispered.
"How bad was the beating this time?" Kevis asked.
"Kevis, I died. I stood outside my body and knew it was dead. That’s how bad it was. Are you gonna talk about my PTSD now?" I turned my eyes on him and blinked.
"Bree, I can’t talk about your PTSD. Only you can do that." Kevis sat on the edge of my bed and studied me. Was there concern in his eyes? Yes. Overwhelming concern. I didn’t know what to do with that. "It might help if you did talk about it," he added.
"I’m not comfortable with that." I buried my face against Bill’s shoulder.
"I know," Kevis soothed. "Maybe someday you’ll feel comfortable enough with me to tell me those things. This isn’t a job to me, Breanne. Dad and I—we both care about you. We want you happy. If it takes one of these guys to be with you, to hold you while you let this go by talking about it, then so be it. I’ll go with whatever works."
"Kevis, that may be a long time in coming," I mumbled.
"Take your time—there’s no hurry," he patted my shoulder and stood to stretch. "I believe Ashe has something to say before we go to dinner."
I turned my head and watched as Kevis walked out of my suite. Ashe took Kevis’ place on the side of my bed. "Look," he began, "this feels as awkward to me as it will to you," he continued. "But Traje pointed it out to me earlier, and it may be worth a try."
"What?" I asked.
"Well, I’m Strength, so, maybe it would do you some good to get my blood. All I’d ask in return, if the experiment is successful, is for you to help Kay."
"You want me to bite you?" I stared in disbelief. "You know what happens when," I didn’t finish.
"I’ve been advised," Ashe replied dryly. "I’m willing to overlook, well, that’s not coming out right."
"You’re saying it won’t mean anything." What was I supposed to do? Once, I might have been a willing participant, so I could give him pleasure. He wanted nothing of the kind from me. I was merely a means to an end for him, and we were right back where we’d been before—when he’d yelled at Trajan to get me out of the house.
Kay, on the other hand, desperately needed my help. She needed to be in charge, instead of Kalia’s fears. I released a weary sigh. "I’ll do it," I said. "For Kay."
"That’s all I ask." Ashe rose. "Thank you." He walked out without another word.
"When?" I turned to Trajan.
"He says tomorrow morning, after you’ve rested again. Then we’ll see how much good it did."
"Yeah." At that moment, I wanted to mist away. Lick my wounds. Wallow in
"A bit of anger from understandable stress and a temporary loss of control," Kevis said. "Nothing world-shattering."
"Bill, I blasted piles of brush to bits," Trajan said. "Worked out some kinks, that way."
"Next time you go, take me with you," Bill sighed. "I tried to take it out on my girl."
"Bill, stop." I leaned away and placed a hand over his mouth. "Let’s face it, if Hank were here, he’d have done a whole lot worse."
"We would have to clear smoke for days," Trajan agreed solemnly.
I sagged against Bill. Whether I liked it or not, I had to get back to Earth in the past to do what I could, and that, by default, meant catching up with Hank again. I wasn’t looking forward to that.
"What’s this about?" Bill noticed the difference immediately.
"Hank’s gonna yell," I muttered. Jayson would be right behind him, and likely so would Bill and Trajan—their past selves, anyway.
"It upsets you when that happens, doesn’t it? It terrifies you, in fact. Doesn’t it?" Kevis the shrink was back.
"I don’t want to talk about it." I huddled against Bill again.
"We messed up the last time," Bill whispered.
"How bad was the beating this time?" Kevis asked.
"Kevis, I died. I stood outside my body and knew it was dead. That’s how bad it was. Are you gonna talk about my PTSD now?" I turned my eyes on him and blinked.
"Bree, I can’t talk about your PTSD. Only you can do that." Kevis sat on the edge of my bed and studied me. Was there concern in his eyes? Yes. Overwhelming concern. I didn’t know what to do with that. "It might help if you did talk about it," he added.
"I’m not comfortable with that." I buried my face against Bill’s shoulder.
"I know," Kevis soothed. "Maybe someday you’ll feel comfortable enough with me to tell me those things. This isn’t a job to me, Breanne. Dad and I—we both care about you. We want you happy. If it takes one of these guys to be with you, to hold you while you let this go by talking about it, then so be it. I’ll go with whatever works."
"Kevis, that may be a long time in coming," I mumbled.
"Take your time—there’s no hurry," he patted my shoulder and stood to stretch. "I believe Ashe has something to say before we go to dinner."
I turned my head and watched as Kevis walked out of my suite. Ashe took Kevis’ place on the side of my bed. "Look," he began, "this feels as awkward to me as it will to you," he continued. "But Traje pointed it out to me earlier, and it may be worth a try."
"What?" I asked.
"Well, I’m Strength, so, maybe it would do you some good to get my blood. All I’d ask in return, if the experiment is successful, is for you to help Kay."
"You want me to bite you?" I stared in disbelief. "You know what happens when," I didn’t finish.
"I’ve been advised," Ashe replied dryly. "I’m willing to overlook, well, that’s not coming out right."
"You’re saying it won’t mean anything." What was I supposed to do? Once, I might have been a willing participant, so I could give him pleasure. He wanted nothing of the kind from me. I was merely a means to an end for him, and we were right back where we’d been before—when he’d yelled at Trajan to get me out of the house.
Kay, on the other hand, desperately needed my help. She needed to be in charge, instead of Kalia’s fears. I released a weary sigh. "I’ll do it," I said. "For Kay."
"That’s all I ask." Ashe rose. "Thank you." He walked out without another word.
"When?" I turned to Trajan.
"He says tomorrow morning, after you’ve rested again. Then we’ll see how much good it did."
"Yeah." At that moment, I wanted to mist away. Lick my wounds. Wallow in
Similar Books
