Sally also placed her hand on Alice. “Let me see if I can get inside her mind in this form.”
“You mean, get inside her mind … from inside her mind?”
“It sounds ridiculous when you say it like that, but I think someone or something is blocking us from making complete contact with her subconscious. I’m going to try to break through that barrier.”
Sally sat down on the bed and pressed a hand to Alice’s cool forehead. The woman’s lips had even lost their pink hue, taking on more of a bluish color. Whatever was going on, it was bad. Sally pulled on the magic of her bloodline, and then pulled on Costin’s as well, hoping to ensure that she was geared up as she went into the unknown battlefield of Alice’s mind.
“Kara, you stay right here,” Sally instructed. “I’ll need you to pull me out if I get stuck.”
“On it,” Kara said in a no nonsense manner.
Sally closed her eyes and pushed her light into Alice’s mind. The sensation was like forcing herself through thick mud. First, her hand squelched through, then her entire body took on a light form and sunk through the protective barrier that had been around Alice’s mind. Sally was inside, and there was Alice, pacing around in what appeared as an empty hospital room.
Alice’s eyes were unfocused, and her hands twisted around and around as she muttered to herself. Sally listened, trying to pick up what the scientist was saying.
“Not right. It’s not right,” Alice said over and over. She lifted her hands and ran them through her dark locks. “Something is so wrong. Why can’t I figure out what is wrong?” Her voice broke, and tears ran from her eyes, down her cheeks. “Where am I? What am I doing here? Why can’t I leave?” With every question, more tears came, and Sally’s heart broke for her.
“Alice.”
The other woman’s head snapped up, and her gaze collided with Sally’s. “Who are you?” Alice took a step back.
Sally held up her hands. “I’m a friend. I’m not here to hurt you.” As she took in the woman’s appearance, she was shocked to see what Sally could only call the shell of a person. Like a wraith, there seemed to be little life in Alice’s eyes. Her face was gaunt and her eyes were rimmed in dark circles. She seemed overly thin from what Sally could see of the outline beneath the gown she wore.
Alice snorted. “That’s exactly what someone who was here to hurt me would say to lure me into a false sense of security.”
Sally shrugged her shoulder. “That’s a fair assessment. You’re right not to trust strangers. I would be wary, too, in your position. But I promise, I truly mean you no harm.”
Alice’s eyes narrowed, arms crossing defensively. “Why should I believe you? For all I know, you’re just another illusion in this nightmare. At least I think it’s a nightmare. I don’t really know. I don’t know what’s real. I’m a scientist, and I can’t figure out reality. How sad is that?”
Nightmare? So Alice was at least somewhat aware this wasn’t reality. Sally filed that information away. But was it a nightmare? Or was it something else?
“Let me prove my intentions,” she offered. “Ask me anything. I’ll answer honestly.”
Alice chewed her lip, considering. “Tell me about yourself. Something real. Not the usual ‘my name is’ crap.”
Sally nodded. She knew she would have to open up. “All right. I grew up in a middle-class family. My parents are awesome. And it turns out my mom is a sprite. My dad is a human, but a badass human. I’m mated to a werewolf named Costin, and we’re pregnant with our second child. We adopted a son that had been held captive by vampires because he’s a dormant wolf.”
Alice blinked, some of the suspicion fading from her gaze. Sally continued.
“I can honestly say that though my life has had many huge blessings since discovering that I’m a gypsy healer, and mated to a mega-hot werewolf, life was easierbeforeall of this mess.” She gave a wry smile. “Maybe it wasn’t full of adventures—well, if you don’t consider Jen’s escapades adventures—but it was safe. Sometimes, I really miss that.”
“What happened to you?” Alice’s quiet question lacked accusation, only understanding. “If you don’t feel safe now, something must have happened.”
“After being with Costin for a couple of years, I was abducted. Some bad things happened.” Sally’s throat tightened. “I ended up with a group called the Order of the Burning Claw. They—” She broke off as the old pain welled up. She swallowed and forced it down. This wasn’t about her wounds.
“Let’s just say they took things from me that I can never get back. But I survived. Costin came for me, as I knew he would. Nothing short of the Great Luna would have stopped him. I had to start over in some ways. Trauma, the mental kind, sometimes hurts more than the physical pain.” She met Alice’s eyes evenly. “You can survive this, too. And have that life still ahead of you.”
Alice stared at her for a long moment. Then, haltingly, she whispered, “You’re real. A real person.” Alice wiped at more tears. “Sometimes, Ithinkit’s not real, but it feels so damn real. I’m tired. I don’t know what’s happening to me. I was attacked by Claude, a vampire. And Cain was desperate to save me. But not for my blood.” Alice looked at her, a deep V forming on her brow. “He doesn’t want me for my blood. He wants me for me. He’s said he’s in love with me.” She laughed, though it sounded a little unhinged. “It sounds insane, but love conquers all, right? Isn’t that how the saying goes? But what if I’m wrong? What if it’s not love. What if I wind up needing help because it’s not real? Would you help me?”
Sally nodded. Shock, fear for Alice, and relief that she actually wanted help, crashed through Sally. Sure, there was some stuff that would require a big time come-to-Jesus meeting, but the potential was there. “Yes. And I’m here to help you, if you’ll let me.” Sally couldn’t help but be shocked that Alice had feelings for Cain, but she wouldn’t judge, not after what she’d done. Sally had learned that powerful supernatural beings had ways to make you do things you might not otherwise want to do.
“Quit thinking that way.”Costin’s voice filled her mind as his love poured into her body like warm water.“I will bite you if I must in order to remind you that you are mine. I choose you no matter what.”
Sally’s heart squeezed in her chest. Her mate reminded her over and over, sometimes daily, that he wasn’t going anywhere and what had happened to her held no sway over his feelings for her.“I love you, Costin Miklos. Now, keep your thoughts to yourself.”
“Don’t give me a reason not to.”
Damn. He’d gotten grumpy since she’d started showing her baby bump. They were going to have to have a talk about that.
