Into a Dangerous Mind (20 page)
Read Into a Dangerous Mind Online
Authors: Tina Gerow
Zach took both her hands.
“Listen to me.”
His voice firm, it commanded compliance.
“You won’t be sick, this is just like the first night he attacked you—you’ll feel nauseous, but you’ll be fine.
Just breathe.”
He ran his hand gently over her hair and kissed her forehead.
“You have to drop your shields and let me in.
Every time you panic, you close them tight against everyone—that’s probably why he can only let you feel the pain and not the entire vision.
I’ll be with you, I promise.”
“Listen to me.”
His voice firm, it commanded compliance.
“You won’t be sick, this is just like the first night he attacked you—you’ll feel nauseous, but you’ll be fine.
Just breathe.”
He ran his hand gently over her hair and kissed her forehead.
“You have to drop your shields and let me in.
Every time you panic, you close them tight against everyone—that’s probably why he can only let you feel the pain and not the entire vision.
I’ll be with you, I promise.”
Fear flowed through her like a heady wine.
She’d seen how much power she wielded as well as Zach’s.
She knew he would protect her at all costs, and yet a small niggling of doubt still nagged her.
She’d seen how much power she wielded as well as Zach’s.
She knew he would protect her at all costs, and yet a small niggling of doubt still nagged her.
But if I don’t try and another woman dies, I won’t be able to live with myself.
She sighed and took a deep breath.
“Okay, I’ll drop them, but please don’t leave me.”
She held his hand in a tight grip.
“Okay, I’ll drop them, but please don’t leave me.”
She held his hand in a tight grip.
“I’m right here.”
Cassidy gingerly lowered her shields degree by degree until the vision came into fuzzy focus.
Brian stood in a nondescript room with gray carpet, closed gray drapes and a simple bed.
He stared down at a naked blonde tied to the bed, face up.
Spread eagled, each arm and leg secured to a different corner of the bed, a small broken heart tattoo was visible on the woman’s hip.
Her arm and her thigh were bleeding, and her whimpers sounded even through the gag stuffed in her mouth.
Brian stood in a nondescript room with gray carpet, closed gray drapes and a simple bed.
He stared down at a naked blonde tied to the bed, face up.
Spread eagled, each arm and leg secured to a different corner of the bed, a small broken heart tattoo was visible on the woman’s hip.
Her arm and her thigh were bleeding, and her whimpers sounded even through the gag stuffed in her mouth.
Brian turned to face her.
“
“
Cassidy, I knew you’d come.
I would have saved this for you, but your time will come.”
I would have saved this for you, but your time will come.”
She shuddered even as Zach reassured her deep inside her mind.
Along the pathway only she and Zach shared, he mentally whispered to her.
“
Keep him talking while I try and figure out where they are.
”
Along the pathway only she and Zach shared, he mentally whispered to her.
“
Keep him talking while I try and figure out where they are.
”
Brian leaned over the woman on the bed and traced the wound running along her thigh and then raised his finger to his lips.
“
She’s mine, just as you are, Cassidy
“
She’s mine, just as you are, Cassidy
.”
He licked the blood from his finger, an evil smile stealing across his face.
He licked the blood from his finger, an evil smile stealing across his face.
She thought frantically, trying to figure out a way to keep him from hurting his helpless victim.
“
Brian, you don’t need to do this.
Why hurt these women?
They haven’t done anything to you
“
Brian, you don’t need to do this.
Why hurt these women?
They haven’t done anything to you
.”
She reached into her mind to find Zach frantically searching for clues in the barren room.
She reached into her mind to find Zach frantically searching for clues in the barren room.
“
Because I can…
Don’t you see?
Every woman I kill adds to my own psychic power
.”
He gestured wildly with the knife.
“
When they die, they transfer their power to me.
One day I’ll have as much power as is my birthright
Because I can…
Don’t you see?
Every woman I kill adds to my own psychic power
.”
He gestured wildly with the knife.
“
When they die, they transfer their power to me.
One day I’ll have as much power as is my birthright
.”
Brian’s eyes took on a glassy, faraway look as if he were seeing something no one else could.
“
And then my parents will stop laughing—forever.”
“
And then my parents will stop laughing—forever.”
Cassidy jumped.
Brian
had
killed his parents and now acted out some childhood issue.
“
Brian, you can’t do this.
You aren’t gaining their power, you’re only killing needlessly.
You’re parents are already gone
.”
She took a deep breath and prepared to test out her reasoning.
“
You killed them—remember
?”
Brian
had
killed his parents and now acted out some childhood issue.
“
Brian, you can’t do this.
You aren’t gaining their power, you’re only killing needlessly.
You’re parents are already gone
.”
She took a deep breath and prepared to test out her reasoning.
“
You killed them—remember
?”
He jerked back like he’d been struck, his face contorted with rage.
“
I killed them, but they won’t die!
They keep laughing at me, Cassidy.
And until I gather all the power I should have been born with, they will keep on laughing and tormenting me!
Don’t you see
“
I killed them, but they won’t die!
They keep laughing at me, Cassidy.
And until I gather all the power I should have been born with, they will keep on laughing and tormenting me!
Don’t you see
?”
His voice rose with his fury and anguish.
His voice rose with his fury and anguish.
Cassidy whispered to Zach.
“
Do something.
Affect him physically or whatever it is you do.
He’s going to kill her
“
Do something.
Affect him physically or whatever it is you do.
He’s going to kill her
!”
“
It doesn’t work like that.
I’ll do what I can
It doesn’t work like that.
I’ll do what I can
.”
Brian turned and plunged the knife deep into the woman’s shoulder.
As the sharp pain arrowed through Cassidy, she and the woman screamed in unison—the woman’s cries muffled by the gag.
As the sharp pain arrowed through Cassidy, she and the woman screamed in unison—the woman’s cries muffled by the gag.
Cassidy’s rage rose up to swallow her.
I refuse to be helpless any more.
I’ve got powers.
It’s time to see what they can do.
She
I refuse to be helpless any more.
I’ve got powers.
It’s time to see what they can do.
She
took a deep breath and concentrated on the Reaper’s hand.
She willed him with all her might to drop the knife.
The hand holding the knife became her total focus.
She willed him with all her might to drop the knife.
The hand holding the knife became her total focus.
Seconds passed, but nothing happened except Brian continued to grind the knife inside the wound to cause more pain.
Hot tears stung her eyes.
Hot tears stung her eyes.
She met Brian’s wild gaze as he turned to her.
“
You’re wrong—you’ll see!
Now I’ll take what’s mine
“
You’re wrong—you’ll see!
Now I’ll take what’s mine
!”
Brian leaned over the wounded woman, fondling her breasts, and reached inside her mind.
Brian leaned over the wounded woman, fondling her breasts, and reached inside her mind.
The familiar white-hot pain seared into Cassidy’s head.
Frustration poured through her, followed closely by anger.
Without thinking, she opened her link to Brian fully and let her anger, fear and frustration pour down the link between them like a tidal wave.
Frustration poured through her, followed closely by anger.
Without thinking, she opened her link to Brian fully and let her anger, fear and frustration pour down the link between them like a tidal wave.
Much to her shock, Brian dropped to the floor, his hands over his ears and began to scream high and thin.
“
Nooooooo!
”
“
Nooooooo!
”
The link between the woman and Brian broke before dark spots encroached on her vision and Cassidy slipped into blackness.
Chapter Ten
Cassidy woke with a splitting headache—the insides of her head raw and tender.
Terrific, this day just keeps getting better and better
.
Sighing, she gingerly opened her eyes.
Sighing, she gingerly opened her eyes.
Her room, dark and silent around her, gave some comfort and she cuddled farther under her quilt.
Must’ve been out for quite some time
Must’ve been out for quite some time
.
She turned to glance at her alarm clock, and her aching head protested loudly.
Worse than any hangover I’ve ever had
Worse than any hangover I’ve ever had
.
“And no
Parrot
Bay
to blame this time.”
Her voice came out as a dry croak.
“And no
Parrot
Bay
to blame this time.”
Her voice came out as a dry croak.
The glowing numbers on her clock read two forty-five.
She was optimistic enough to assume she’d only been asleep a few hours and not an entire day or more.
The room spun frantically as she sat up, so she lowered herself back down onto the bed and let out a self-indulgent moan.
She was optimistic enough to assume she’d only been asleep a few hours and not an entire day or more.
The room spun frantically as she sat up, so she lowered herself back down onto the bed and let out a self-indulgent moan.
“Terrific.”
She closed her eyes until the room steadied.
“Just terrific.”
She saw a sliver of light through her closed eyelids, but she still didn’t dare open them.
She closed her eyes until the room steadied.
“Just terrific.”
She saw a sliver of light through her closed eyelids, but she still didn’t dare open them.
“Hi there, stranger.”
Kathy’s voice sounded out of the darkness.
“How are you feeling?”
Kathy’s voice sounded out of the darkness.
“How are you feeling?”
“I felt better after my brief affair with
Parrot
Bay
the other night.”
Parrot
Bay
the other night.”
Kathy laughed.
“Well, if your sarcasm is alive and well, I’m done worrying about you.”
“Well, if your sarcasm is alive and well, I’m done worrying about you.”
“Where is everyone?”
Cassidy’s throat was dry and tight like she’d been screaming—and maybe she had.
Cassidy’s throat was dry and tight like she’d been screaming—and maybe she had.
“Zach is making more coffee, he hasn’t been to sleep yet, he’s been busy shielding you.”
Kathy paused.
“That’s the right word—shielding—isn’t it?”
Kathy paused.
“That’s the right word—shielding—isn’t it?”
Cassidy risked cracking open her eyes.
She could just make out Kathy’s face in the light seeping in from the door left ajar.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you, Kath.”
She could just make out Kathy’s face in the light seeping in from the door left ajar.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you, Kath.”
Kathy smoothed Cassidy’s hair away from her face.
“Don’t apologize, you couldn’t tell me.
I totally understand.
Although I admit, I raked both of them over the coals for separating you from your entire support network in one fell swoop.
But then they
are
“Don’t apologize, you couldn’t tell me.
I totally understand.
Although I admit, I raked both of them over the coals for separating you from your entire support network in one fell swoop.
But then they
are
men—so what do you expect?”
Cassidy held onto Kathy’s hand.
“I’ve missed being able to confide in you.”
A familiar sense of comfort emanated from her friend.
“I’ve missed being able to confide in you.”
A familiar sense of comfort emanated from her friend.
Kathy chuckled.
“No time like the present.
I’m here for as long as you need me.
You’re the closest thing I’ve got to family, kiddo, and you scared the hell out of me.”
“No time like the present.
I’m here for as long as you need me.
You’re the closest thing I’ve got to family, kiddo, and you scared the hell out of me.”
Cassidy heard the unshed tears in Kathy’s voice and reached out mentally to comfort her.
Kathy had been closer to her than most of her family as well and she’d rather die than cause her tears.
“Well, other than being psychically attacked and stalked, I have the most amazing sex to tell you about.
Maybe we should break out the
Parrot
Bay
again.”
Kathy had been closer to her than most of her family as well and she’d rather die than cause her tears.
“Well, other than being psychically attacked and stalked, I have the most amazing sex to tell you about.
Maybe we should break out the
Parrot
Bay
again.”
Kathy laughed as she’d hoped.
“Isn’t anything sacred?”
Zach stood in the doorway, an amused glint in his eye, a frown curving his lips.
Zach stood in the doorway, an amused glint in his eye, a frown curving his lips.
“No.”
Kathy stood to make room for Zach.
“After everything you men put her through, it serves you right.”
Kathy’s voice held obvious affection for Zach.
Kathy stood to make room for Zach.
“After everything you men put her through, it serves you right.”
Kathy’s voice held obvious affection for Zach.
Kathy must have gotten to know Zach and Dix pretty well while I slept
.
Kathy, notorious for being a great judge of character, tamed the Secret Agent men.
Kathy, notorious for being a great judge of character, tamed the Secret Agent men.
Zach sat beside Cassidy and took her hand in his.
“This woman has been grilling us for hours about every last detail.
I don’t know how you put up with her.”
“This woman has been grilling us for hours about every last detail.
I don’t know how you put up with her.”
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