Gemma wanted to cry, but she forced herself to hold on. “Sorry… Ian,” she said. “Need… awaken.”
His brother eyed them both. “So that’s why you were late.” James shook his head. “Really, Cal? Her? She’s a goddamn resident.”
“As if that tall female doctor is any better,” he spit back, suddenly angry. He stood, flinging his fork to the table. “I’m going back to the ship. Enjoy your night in the nuthouse.”
Then he was striding away from the table, and Gemma had to run to catch up with him.
“Please!” she yelled as she pursued him. “Need… awaken. Kiss!”
Suddenly, he stopped, grabbing her and pulling her into an empty room. “Look, lady, you’ve got to knock it off,” he said, his hands gripping her arms tightly.
Gemma’s breath came faster, her eyes glued to his lips. “I can’t,” she whispered. “You… fix something in me. I… I can think…”
He stared down at her, confused. “I wish I knew what you’re talking about.” Then he shook his head. “On second thought, no, I don’t. I don’t have time for this. You’re a distraction I can’t afford. Not now.”
Setting her aside, he smiled sadly. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t want to be exposed either. If you keep running around, shouting at me to kiss you again, we’re both going to end up in trouble.”
Gemma wished she could articulate the longing in her heart. This man represented everything she wanted, everything she needed. “Kiss!”
He sighed. “I really hate to do this, kiddo, but you leave me no choice.” As she watched, his eyes turned a bright red. “You’re not going to talk to me anymore.”
Gemma could feel a force inside her mind. It shuffled around in there, rearranging things, forcing her to obey. She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Shaking her head violently, she felt the tears spring into her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said, turning away. “It’s easier this way. Trust me.”
He hurried down the hallway, waving a hand at the guard in his booth. She rushed after him, but the guard shut the door behind him and told her to move back.
Gemma slid down the wall beside the booth, tears overflowing her eyes to roll down her cheeks. Somehow, her savior had betrayed her. Somehow, he’d taken away the very gift he’d given to her. She could never talk to him again.
Why? And more importantly, how?
She’d known he was different from the first time she’d seen him on the holo-screen. Now she knew why. He truly was a powerful being, one capable of controlling another’s mind. That could explain why she was so affected by him.
But it didn’t explain what he was doing here. Clearly, he was looking for something or someone. While the last vestige of clarity inhabited her mind, she laid out all the facts.
His brother called him Cal.
He’d been worried about exposure.
He’d been digging through confidential data in the therapy room.
He could control her mind.
He was hiding something.
Gemma let out a groan of frustration. She didn’t have all the facts, not enough to puzzle together his motivations, not yet. Nor did it explain the source of his powers.
It had to have something to do with the new staff and the fact that they’d come out of nowhere. Like that blond man had come out of the shadows.
“Medication time,” came a voice from down the hall. She could see Simmons headed her way, carrying her tray of pills. She held a cup up to Gemma’s mouth, but Gemma turned away.
I can’t let the fog return, not now. While I have a few moments of precious clarity.
“Gemmaline, you’re going to take these pills. Do you understand me?”
“No.”
When Simmons tried to block her in, Gemma fought back, upending the tray of medication cups and scattering pills everywhere. A few inmates scurried forward to grab at the strays and gobble them up, and Simmons started shouting for backup.
