Burning Yves (Benedicts #2.5) (5 page)

She nodded, but Yves could tell from her tenseness that the fight had not gone out of her.

‘But you have to promise not to do anything stupid like try to escape me.’

‘OK.’

But it wasn’t OK. Yves knew he couldn’t afford to blink or she’d be gone with nothing settled between them. Sitting on her to keep her in one place wasn’t much of a solution either. He shifted off, sliding his hand down to take hers. It was bandaged.

‘I did this?’

Her pale face, headscarf askew, remained bent so he couldn’t read her expression.

‘Sorry. I couldn’t let you take that stuff—it wasn’t mine to let you steal. But I admit I lost control. I have to keep a lid on my emotions or my gift gets out of hand. You really pissed me off yesterday.’

Taking her elbow, Yves helped her to her feet just as Dr Sharma came into the room. He quickly gabbled some brain-dead excuse for their behaviour, all the while aware of the ominous silence from the girl at his side. His soulfinder. Now the initial euphoria had passed, he had begun to see all the drawbacks in discovering he was matched with someone so ineligible. How would his brothers treat her? Victor would go ballistic. And did he really in his heart of hearts want to have a criminal as his life partner? He was Mr Straight-and-Narrow when it came to behaviour, always had been and had thought that’s how it would always be. Still, she was young, had to be just starting out on a bad path. Maybe he could help her sort herself out, pamper her a bit, make her feel safe so she didn’t have to break the law? It was an odd kind of damsel-in-distress scenario but she was definitely distressed, more than anyone he had ever met; it was broadcasting from her in loud waves. Discovering your soulfinder came as a shock to everyone, it was said. Both parties had to adjust.

She resisted as Yves towed her back to the classroom. ‘I can’t go back in there.’

‘Yes, you can. There’s a break at twelve; we can sort everything out then.’

‘I know nothing about that stuff you’re doing.’

The first truth he had heard from her, he realized.

‘Yes, I guessed, Miss Geoscience.’ She swayed and stumbled a step. ‘Are you OK?’

She didn’t answer. Yves carefully supported her arm as he helped her into the seat next to his. ‘Sorry, guys. I’m so embarrassed we broke up the class messing about. It’s a dare thing. Totally idiotic of us. Meet me in the bar and I’ll buy you all a drink later to apologize.’ She pulled away, trying to put as much space between them as she could. ‘Got any handcuffs?’ he murmured, more to himself than to his reluctant partner. Her reply was to lay her head on the desk. He didn’t like her colour—so white he could see the blue veins at her temples. He dug out his water bottle.
Drink.

Can’t.

Why not? I haven’t even opened it.

Please let me steal something from you.

Something very peculiar was going on here but he decided to run with it. Keeping his eyes fixed on hers, he put the bottle back into the open top of his bag.
That’s my water. Whatever you do, don’t take it from me.

A look of relief flashed across her features. Reaching down, she took the bottle, twisted off the cap and gulped it down with the desperation of a desert explorer reaching an oasis.

Confused by her signals, Yves shook his head.
You’re strange.

The plastic bottle crumpled in her fist.
And you’re not?

Finally, the seminar ended. Yves hadn’t heard a word, spending the entire time wondering about the girl beside him. What could he do with her? Victor was in the middle of a sensitive police investigation and wouldn’t thank him for bringing a suspicious savant home. Then again, all bets were off when a soulfinder came into the picture. Every single one of his brothers, even Victor, would understand that she had become his first priority. Still undecided how to handle the explosive situation, Yves waited until the room emptied, going through the motions of answering the invitations to lunch and other chatter that came his way. OK, why not begin at the beginning?

‘Shall we start with our names?’ He took her bandaged hand in his. ‘I’m Yves Benedict. I come from Wrickenridge in Colorado.’ He paused but she didn’t respond. ‘That’s in America. In the Rockies.’ He could have been talking to one of those stone mountains right now. ‘I’m one of seven brothers and I’m number six. My younger brother Zed found his soulfinder a few months ago.’

He didn’t know her at all but he felt as if she might be close to tears. Her bottom lip was definitely quivering. She bit it to get it under control. He wished he knew how to comfort her, assure her he was a nice guy really.

‘What about you? Is Wendy your real name?’

She tugged off the bag and threw it on the desk with such despair it hurt Yves to feel its echo inside. He pulled her to his shoulder. ‘Hey, hey, what’s the matter?’ He swallowed against his dry throat, trying to cast this situation in the best light he could. ‘Finding you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, don’t you understand? Aren’t you pleased that it’s me, not even a tiny bit?’

He could feel the tremors running through her and felt a little desperate that he might say the wrong thing. ‘Look, I know it’s a lot to take in, but give it time. I realize I come across a bit geeky—you know, correcting you about the petroleum extraction and everything.’ He rubbed the back his neck, conscious of a flush of embarrassment. ‘We didn’t get off to the best start, I admit.’

She made a funny spluttering sound. ‘You mean because I stole your stuff?’

He stroked the back of her head, wishing he had Xav’s calming powers in his fingertips. ‘Well, yes, but I also hurt you when I blew up my gear. I’m really sorry about that. What did the doctor say?’

She eased away, wiping her eyes with the bandaged hand. ‘It’s fine.’

Looking more closely, Yves realized that she had wrapped the burn in cling film under the bandage, a lame attempt to protect it. ‘You didn’t go to a doctor, did you?’ He was furious with himself for causing the harm. His agenda for the next few hours crystallized: get help for her. The first rule of being a soulfinder was that you looked after your other half better than your own self—he had kicked off by injuring his.

His anger intensified as she tried to draw away again. ‘People like me don’t go to doctors,’ she muttered.

‘They do now.’ He got to his feet, bringing her with him. ‘Come on, I’ll find out where the nearest emergency room is. I’ll never forgive myself if that scars.’

‘I’m not going. I can’t.’

Was there nothing easy about this girl? ‘Wendy, don’t make a mistake. I’m ready to forgive you for trying to steal from me—twice, wasn’t it?—but if you won’t get yourself medical attention then I’ll have no choice but to turn you in to the police and let them make sure you get seen by a qualified practitioner.’

She shoved the chair back with a squawk of wood on tiles, dark eyes flashing. ‘Get the hell away from me. You don’t know the first thing about me and my life and already you’re ordering me around!’

‘You’re completely wrong. I do know the first thing about you: you’re my soulfinder. That fact takes first, second, and third place in my life. What about in yours?’

She was shaking with her own fury now. Covering her face with her hands, she moaned, ‘Just … just go away!’

‘I can’t go away. You’re being foolish—reckless with your own health.’ A pile of papers next to him began to smoulder. Hell, his control was bolting but he couldn’t catch hold of the reins. He thumped the papers with a book to put out the sparks. ‘Goddamn it, look what you made me do!’

‘Me? The fire thing is your business, not mine.’

She was right, though that wasn’t what he wanted to hear right then. He took a breath. ‘Look, I’ve got to stick with you—that’s the deal with soulfinders, you know that. Do you think I’m pleased that mine’s a thief—a sneak that uses her gift to rip people off? Hell no! I dreamed about this moment—but it involved, I don’t know, moonlight and roses or something, not a kick in the stomach and a thousand dollars of property up in smoke! So the least you can do is see to that burn if I tell you you should!’

The little thief straightened her spine and looked at him as if she would spit in his eye rather than bend to his will. ‘I’ve seen to my injury as best I can. You needn’t worry about it.’

She wasn’t fobbing him off with that asinine statement. ‘Not good enough, Wendy. I made my gear explode, and that hurt you, so I am responsible for clean-up.’

‘Not this time. I am not your mess to clean up.’

‘That’s exactly what you are.’ Even as the words slipped from him, he knew she wouldn’t like them.

‘Well, thanks for that. Nice meeting you. Really must be going.’ She headed for the door.

‘You can’t leave.’

‘What are you going to do? Wrestle me to the floor? Oh, I forgot, you did that already.’

The tense moment was broken by Jo and Ingrid butting into the room, asking why he hadn’t joined them for lunch. He had to get Wendy out of here before she gave away that she wasn’t supposed to be at the conference in the first place. He announced firmly his intention to take her to the hospital and marched her out of there, calculating that she wouldn’t make a fuss in front of the two strangers. Not to be deterred from his mission, he got the information about the nearest ER from the overly friendly lady at reception and escorted Wendy out to the main road, never once letting go of her.

Once outside, she tried to shake off his hold on her arm. ‘That’s enough. What part of “I’m not going to hospital” don’t you understand?’

‘The “not” part. Look, Wendy, what harm can a little trip to ER do you? You guys don’t even have to pay, so it can’t be the money or insurance problems.’

She gazed out at the street like a zoo animal through the bars. ‘It’s not that I’m stupid. I just can’t.’

Yves wanted to tear his hair out in frustration. ‘Wendy, why do I get the impression that you are about to sprinkle your fairy dust and fly away from me?’ He caught the tip of her chin on his finger and angled her head so he could read her expression. ‘Wendy, talk to me. Let me help you. I’m sorry I said that stuff inside, but I was angry. I act like an idiot when my gift gets loose—just ask my brothers. It annoys the hell out of me that even after all these years of discipline and practice, I’m not in full control of my emotions. Don’t suppose you’ll give me a pass for it being the day I met my soulfinder, hey?’

Turning a little towards him, she nodded.

‘Wendy, I can’t bear to see you in pain when we can do something about it.’

Her stiff shoulders slumped. ‘Phee. My name’s Phee.’

Finally, something real from her! ‘Just Phee?’

‘Short for Phoenix.’

The mythological bird that rose from the ashes in a burst of flame. Yves felt hopeful for the first time. Their soulfinder relationship might look a disaster from the outset but phoenixes were about rebirth. ‘Any other names?’

She hesitated, as if each detail about herself that she gave was like dealing out gold from a miser’s purse. ‘Corrigan.’

Phoenix Corrigan. His Phoenix. She might be stubborn, but in that she had met her equal. A plan was already forming. What was the point of having a brother with a healing touch if he didn’t get to use it? That way no hospitals would be required and he’d have Phoenix where he wanted her, safe with him for the moment. He put in a quick call to Xav.

‘Hey, Xav, got a minute?’

Phoenix was watching like a creature hunkered down in a burrow, scared of the least move he made.

‘Sure, bro. What’s up?’

‘Where are you?’

‘At the Globe with Mags, my very talented and knowledgeable guide.’

Yves could hear a girl’s giggle in the background. ‘I’ve got a bit of a situation here. Can you meet me back at the apartment in half an hour?’

‘Really? Now? You’ll so owe me for this.’

‘OK.’

‘Your timing sucks.’

‘Yeah, I know, I’m a pain in the butt. Tell her you’ll call her later.’

‘But negotiations have reached a critical phase.’

‘Uh-huh. But trust me, you’ll want to be part of this.’

With a few more choice words, Xav ended the call, promising to get home as quickly as possible.

Yves smiled at Phoenix. ‘Problem solved.’

‘Who were you talking to?’ Her gaze skittered across the street, checking the drivers of passing cars, the pedestrians.

‘My brother, Xav, he’s in London with me.’

‘Xav?’ She dragged her attention back to him.

He wondered whether, if he gave her a little more of himself, she would start to trust him. ‘Yeah, my mom and dad had this alphabetical thing going with us, starting with Trace and ending with Zed. Xavier, he’s the next one up from me. We told them they should’ve started with “A” and then we could all have been things like Alan, David, and Ben, but they thought that was too boring. Mom and Dad can be like that—you know, different to make a point.’ Maybe he shouldn’t tell her too much all at once; she had enough to adjust to right now. He’d better get her to the apartment as quickly as possible. He began looking for a cab. ‘Xav’s a healer, not that you would guess that, terrible bedside manner. I’m taking you to see him. You won’t have to put a foot inside a medical practice.’