her.
“You’re running out of time,” Danny said.
The urgency in the other man’s voice broke through Simon’s thoughts. “I need her heart.”
The organ floated through the air and settled back in Dana’s chest. He had to bring her back.
Simon held Dana’s limp fingers and placed their joined hands over her wound. From somewhere a clock pealed the hour.
With his other hand he brushed her hair from her forehead. Please Dana. I need you.
Chapter Seven
They’d died needlessly.
Seven women murdered and only one didn’t want to be saved while another couldn’t be revived.
Strength and vitality surged through the air.
“She shouldn’t be doing this,” Danny whispered.
“Shh.”
Magic hummed around them, surrounding the woman at the center of the buzz. Simon held his breath as Dana touched first one woman and then another. Each time she rested her fingertips on one, her pretty milk chocolate skin lost its luster, the wound at her chest red and raw, streaked with bright dots of crimson.
Danny stepped forward and Simon grabbed his arm. He strained against him, glaring at the hand holding him in place.
If you stop her now, you’ll condemn them all to death. Simon pushed the thought into the other man’s head. Just let her do what she was born to do.
I know.
Simon met and held the other man’s gaze, hoping understanding shone in his eyes. Danny’s shoulders slumped and he stopped struggling.
This has always been her calling, what she was born to do.
After a moment or two of hesitation, Danny stepped back.
One by one the women came to life and were embraced by waiting loved ones. When the last one was resurrected, Dana was paler than he’d ever seen. She stumbled forward. Simon surged to meet her, catching her as she collapsed in his arms.
****
Warmth surrounded her. Dana trailed her fingers through cool water and allowed her head to fall back against the pillow. With her free hand, she touched the raw, jagged edges on her chest. It was sore, and she would forever have a scar, but she was alive.
She died.
Gentle hands grazed her legs. She stared into a pair of vivid green eyes. She leaned forward and stopped when a ripple of pain rolled through her body. Simon waded closer, easing her back against the floating lounger.
“Take it easy, my love.You’re still not one hundred percent yet.” He caressed the scar, his fingers glowing as they drifted over the healing wound.
“How did you know you could bring me back?” She combed her fingers through his damp tangle of hair.
He twined their fingers together, brought her hand to his mouth and swept his lips across her knuckles. “The same way I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. All I needed was for you to tell me how you felt, for you to let go and tell me you loved me.”
“I do love you.”
“I never doubted for a minute, but in order for me to tap into your gift you had to trust me.”
She grinned. “And how did that feel?”
He cradled her face. “I don’t know how you do it. All that power and one wrong touch, given to the wrong person...”
“Yeah.” They fell silent. The gentle lapping of the pool echoed off the walls.
“So what happened to Tobias and Angelo?”
Simon pushed the lounger to the side of the pool, hopped out and then bent to help Dana onto the slippery tile.
“Danny did his Security Council eradication thing, so Tobias is no more and Angelo’s powers have been bound. There’s no word on when he’ll get them back, if ever.” He brushed her hair from her face and held her close. “Your brother wanted to bind your powers for what you did.”
“Did he now?” She winged a brow, her lips twitching.
He nodded. “But after what you did for those women, they realize he’s speaking from a place of fear. You’re the only family he has left.”
“He has Telly. She’s wonderful.”
“You shouldn’t have done that.” He cradled her face.
“I had to. Those women didn’t deserve to die the way
“You’re running out of time,” Danny said.
The urgency in the other man’s voice broke through Simon’s thoughts. “I need her heart.”
The organ floated through the air and settled back in Dana’s chest. He had to bring her back.
Simon held Dana’s limp fingers and placed their joined hands over her wound. From somewhere a clock pealed the hour.
With his other hand he brushed her hair from her forehead. Please Dana. I need you.
Chapter Seven
They’d died needlessly.
Seven women murdered and only one didn’t want to be saved while another couldn’t be revived.
Strength and vitality surged through the air.
“She shouldn’t be doing this,” Danny whispered.
“Shh.”
Magic hummed around them, surrounding the woman at the center of the buzz. Simon held his breath as Dana touched first one woman and then another. Each time she rested her fingertips on one, her pretty milk chocolate skin lost its luster, the wound at her chest red and raw, streaked with bright dots of crimson.
Danny stepped forward and Simon grabbed his arm. He strained against him, glaring at the hand holding him in place.
If you stop her now, you’ll condemn them all to death. Simon pushed the thought into the other man’s head. Just let her do what she was born to do.
I know.
Simon met and held the other man’s gaze, hoping understanding shone in his eyes. Danny’s shoulders slumped and he stopped struggling.
This has always been her calling, what she was born to do.
After a moment or two of hesitation, Danny stepped back.
One by one the women came to life and were embraced by waiting loved ones. When the last one was resurrected, Dana was paler than he’d ever seen. She stumbled forward. Simon surged to meet her, catching her as she collapsed in his arms.
****
Warmth surrounded her. Dana trailed her fingers through cool water and allowed her head to fall back against the pillow. With her free hand, she touched the raw, jagged edges on her chest. It was sore, and she would forever have a scar, but she was alive.
She died.
Gentle hands grazed her legs. She stared into a pair of vivid green eyes. She leaned forward and stopped when a ripple of pain rolled through her body. Simon waded closer, easing her back against the floating lounger.
“Take it easy, my love.You’re still not one hundred percent yet.” He caressed the scar, his fingers glowing as they drifted over the healing wound.
“How did you know you could bring me back?” She combed her fingers through his damp tangle of hair.
He twined their fingers together, brought her hand to his mouth and swept his lips across her knuckles. “The same way I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. All I needed was for you to tell me how you felt, for you to let go and tell me you loved me.”
“I do love you.”
“I never doubted for a minute, but in order for me to tap into your gift you had to trust me.”
She grinned. “And how did that feel?”
He cradled her face. “I don’t know how you do it. All that power and one wrong touch, given to the wrong person...”
“Yeah.” They fell silent. The gentle lapping of the pool echoed off the walls.
“So what happened to Tobias and Angelo?”
Simon pushed the lounger to the side of the pool, hopped out and then bent to help Dana onto the slippery tile.
“Danny did his Security Council eradication thing, so Tobias is no more and Angelo’s powers have been bound. There’s no word on when he’ll get them back, if ever.” He brushed her hair from her face and held her close. “Your brother wanted to bind your powers for what you did.”
“Did he now?” She winged a brow, her lips twitching.
He nodded. “But after what you did for those women, they realize he’s speaking from a place of fear. You’re the only family he has left.”
“He has Telly. She’s wonderful.”
“You shouldn’t have done that.” He cradled her face.
“I had to. Those women didn’t deserve to die the way
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