“Come.” He scooped her up, headed for the bathroom, and stepped into the stall. Icy water tumbled down on her, and she yelped, startled back to awareness.
She half groaned and half grimaced as he let her slide down his body to stand. “If that was a way to get me back on track, consider yourself successful…”
His jaw set, he removed her ruined, drenched nightshirt and underwear, dropping them.
Ugh.She rubbed her hurting temples, the water turning warm as the turmoil of noise and colors slid right back into her head. “It worked for a second.”
“Then tighten your mind shields, Nia. It will shut off the turmoil. You can do it.”
“I’m trying, but it’s all still in there.” She jabbed a finger to her skull. At his encouraging nod, Nia shut her eyes and, with a shuddering breath, she managed to pull up her mind shields…and it all subsided to a dull roar.
“Let’s get this cleansing over and then figure out what’s happening.”
A familiar burst of scent—green apple and jasmine from her shower gel—fragranced the air. His warm palms gently lathered her skin with the foamy bubbles, his touch soothing.
She opened one eye and looked up at him. The cascading water plastered his hair to his skull and rivulets ran down the hard lines of his gorgeous face. Much as she wanted to linger, the absence of his powers was worrying.
“I can do this.” Nia hurried through her shower and washed her hair, but Lore remained there, watching her as she rinsed off the conditioner, his expression troubled.
“What?” she asked.
“I can’t sense you like I normally do. I mean, I can…” He rubbed his chest.
“What is it?” She hastily wiped the water from her eyes, anxiety digging its claws into her.
“I’m not sure…” He went motionless, staring at her like he’d never seen her before as water continued to stream down his face.
“Lore?”
He grasped both her hands, a sense of urgency to him. “What do you see, Nia?”
“I told you. Colors, a buzz like electricity, constant noise, voices. Why?”
“Tell me again exactly what you see. Describe them.”
She winced, the clamor bouncing against her fragile mental shields, trying to break free. Eyes shut, she said, “The moon. Stars. The universe, so clear…” Images filtered through. “Young angels practicing their instruments, a rather discordant sound. Sunny meadows. More angels, a little like you, but they feel older somehow… One’s looking directly at me—shit!” She reared back, eyes snapping open, heart pounding. “I think he saw me!”
Lore’s features morphed to granite, but a nerve pulsed on his jaw.
“Keep your mind bolted. Do not let your thoughts jump. Imagine a metal shield. Secure it. Don’t let anyone into your head!”
“For Christ’s sake, Lore, you’re scaring me. Am I dying? Is that why I can see Heaven?” she panted, feeling as if all the air had rushed out of her lungs as she struggled to lock down her mind again.
“You’re not dying. I think I know what happened…” He looked at her almost in disbelief, then shook his head. “I should have suspected something like that.”
“What?”
“Let’s get out of here.” He shut off the faucet and stepped out of the stall. A low growl rumbled free. “I can’t dry myself or summon clothes.”
“Use this for now.” She snatched three towels from the shelf and handed one to him.
He stared at it for a second, then rubbed his face and wet hair and tossed the towel over his shoulder. Nia wanted to smile as she wrapped the terry fabric around herself and used the other to swathe her dripping mane.
“That would explain why I passed out,” he said, raking back his damp hair. “To do that to someone of my age and caliber, you are incredibly gifted. And dangerous.”
“Do what?” She frowned, a chill sweeping over her. “Please, just tell me.”
“When you slammed your palms on me down at the river, you absorbed my powers.”
