JUMP (The Senses) (33 page)

“
Agreed. Something is wrong
,” Waleron said.

Danielle raised her head, tears trailing down her cheeks. “They’re dead. Oh my God, Hannah . . . Hannah is dead.”

Waleron’s brows rose. “Ryker?”

Danielle shook her head. “They . . . they took him. But the others . . . Sandor, Derek, oh
God and . . . Hannah they . . . they killed them.”

Kilter’s voice became stronger.
“For fuck’s sake, woman, keep it together. I’m going after Ryker. They took him alive. You’re the only one left living who knows where the hideout is. Go there. In the back, behind . . .”

“But how . . .
why—”

“
Shut up and listen, for Christ’s sake. I’m tracking them. There’s no time. In the back of the cave, look on the floor, there is a hidden door, lift it up. Crawl down the ladder and follow the tunnel to the end. The bracelet that Hannah gave you, undo it and the latch is the key for the box at the end of the tunnel.”

“I can’t. I can’t.”

“I saved your fuckin’ life, woman. You will do this or, by God, once I finish with these bastards I’m coming for you. Open the box and, for fuck’s sake, listen to me, because I never repeat myself. Remove the amulet, don’t fuckin’ wear it, wrap it in something and get to me.”

“Why? Why me?”

Kilter remained silent.

“Kilter?”

“Unfortunately, for me, you’ve just become the strongest telepathic among us, and so I will use you in order to contact Ryker.”

“Oh
, God.”

“
Shut your freakin’ mouth and speak to me using your mind. It echoes like a bloody cistern when you speak out loud. Now, can you listen to instructions or not?”

“Yeah, but—
”

“
You’re still talking out loud so you obviously can’t. Great. Just bloody great. Okay, I’ll make this simple, do what I tell you, or I’ll kill you. Is that clear enough for you? I’ve called Keir. He will meet you at my place.”

“
But Balen can’t . . . the Wraiths are . . .”

“
I don’t give a flying fuck. Get the amulet.”

It was like a pillow smothering her head and then as soon as Kilter left it was gone. She took several deep breaths. Hannah was dead. Hannah and Ryker . . . oh God
, Ryker.

She looked up at Balen, horror reflected in her eyes. “They killed her and . . . God
, they killed them. Kilter . . . he’s gone to find Ryker. He needs . . . my help.”

“Release him,” Waleron said to Tor.

The ground began to tremble. “Waleron, I warn you this is past your ability to stop—”

“I will go in his place,” Waleron stated.

“No,” Balen and Edan said in unison.

Waleron continued, “Our law is to preserve our kind. If any are in need, we assist one another. Kilter has need of Danielle. She knows nothing of our kind or capabilities. Balen will assist her.”

“He betrayed his warriors the last time. What makes you think he won’t do it again?” Edan said.

Balen flinched at the insult.

“Because I say he won’t,” Waleron said.

Edan glared at the three of them. “This is preposterous.” He curled his hands into fists. “When does it end? He’s escaped his judgment too many times. We must put an end to this.”

Tor stood stiff and completely immobile, not even blinking as he stared at Waleron. Danielle wondered if they were communicating by mind, but both men revealed nothing with their expressions.

Tor gave one nod. “I will consent to this. But the gold bonds remain.” He paused. “And you will go in his place.” The Wraith looked at Balen. “If you do not return, if you betray us, know that Waleron will no longer walk this earth.”

“Say nothing
,” Waleron told Balen and then nodded in Danielle’s direction.
“She has become a rare Reflection. I only know of one other and that is Europe’s Taldeburu Xamien. For her to be able to speak telepathically this distance is unheard of. Take her to Newfoundland. If whoever took Ryker finds out what he is capable of—it will destroy our kind.”

Waleron gave an abrupt nod to Balen and then
, without another word, he disappeared into a cloud of mist.

“This is bullshit!” Edan said. “Waleron cannot remain with us.”

Tor produced a half-smile. “And why would you object, Edan?”

Edan sputtered for a moment and then in flash of blinding fireball he vanished.

Tor looked at Danielle. “Continue as you do and salvation will pass you by.” He gave an abrupt nod to Balen. “Let nature guard you.” The ground shifted and then he vanished.

Danielle didn’t have time to think upon the Wraith
’s words as Balen propelled her out of the cave at a dead run. He had his phone out of his pocket and was dialing before they reached the car.

****

Little was said on the flight back to Newfoundland; Balen spent most of his time on the phone to both Keir and Jedrik as she tried to sleep to alleviate her spinning emotions. She’d heard nothing further from Kilter, and Balen couldn’t reach him on the cell. He was MIA and, according to Balen, that was what Kilter did best.

She had Balen stop at a drugstore for more Advil after they got off the plane. She kept hearing mumbled words tap dancing across her mind, undecipherable and growing worse whenever she was around people.

She swallowed two pills and then chugged back her bottled water.

“It’s thoughts,”
Balen said. “Others around you. You can hear what they’re thinking. You have to learn to block them out, or it will eventually drive you crazy.”

“Thanks for the good news,” Danielle muttered. Okay, he didn’t deserve that, but she had just died, been told that she had to go into another cave—oh joy—and she was suffering the mother of all headaches which, she just discovered, would continue if she didn’t learn to control it.

“How come I can’t hear your thoughts?” She’d like to know what he was thinking right now. He looked tense, had barely said two words to her the entire flight and now was abrupt, eyes staring at the road.

“I can block you. Like telepathy. It’s like a live wire, disconnect it and others can’t contact you.”

“So, are you going to explain shit to me or what? I’d rather not live with a migraine. Or would you prefer I go crazy?”

That got his attention. His gaze turned to her for a split second and then went back to the
road; instead of a frown, she got a scowl. Pleasant.

“Focus. Concentration. Meditation. Whatever works,” Balen said.

She’d had enough. “What is your problem? You’ve ignored me the entire trip, wear a permanent scowl that says leave-me-the-fuck-alone and you haven’t touched me since we left the cave.”

“That was your decision, remember.”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about? Because I ended it between us?” She mumbled, “Such a girl.”

He swerved the car over to the shoulder so fast that it skidded in the gravel and the front tires went into the ditch.
Holy shit.
He threw it in park and, before she had the chance to do anything, he grabbed her by the shoulders forced her to face him. She winced at his fingers digging into her flesh and was about to belt him one when she stopped.

His eyes. Those rainforest
-green eyes penetrated her like never before, and then suddenly his thoughts came swirling through her mind like a baseball bat.

Her mouth fell open as she heard his fear for her safety, the drowning incident being played over and over again in his head. The thought of losing her, his one anchor in his life, this woman
who made him laugh after years of having no one. How she made him feel whole again, that she believed in him. His betrayal weighed heavily on his mind, but she didn’t hate him for it, instead she understood. His hurt that she had thrown them away, didn’t trust what they shared. And then . . . then she was encompassed by the love that he felt. How he loved her and it was killing him to let her go like she had asked.

Then just as suddenly as his thoughts flooded her mind, they were gone and he released her shoulders, put the car in drive and skidded it forward
, all without saying a single word.

She was too thunderstruck to speak. What could she say to a man’s most inner thoughts? To hear that he loved you, that it was destroying him that she had given up on them. What she felt was scared as hell. Terrified that she was going to have to throw away her safety net and jump into the open space of the unknown. If she wanted to keep
him, then she had to let go of her commitment issues and take the chance. And it was one hell of a chance when he still could be killed or sent to Rest after all this was said and done. Could she let her heart be broken? But wasn’t it already breaking? What if they had only mere weeks left together? Would she regret not spending their last days together sharing the love that was between them?

“Pull over,” Danielle ordered. He ignored her and she put her hand on the gearshift. “Pull over or I’ll jam this BMW into park and let the transmission dump out onto the highway.”

Balen took his time bringing the car to a stop this time. He let it idle while his hands gripped the steering wheel like it was his lifeline.

Here goes nothing. Jump with both feet or you will trip and fall.
“I like you a lot,” she said. Okay, that was so wrong. “No, well, yes that’s true but what I meant was that I . . . well, I care a lot about you.” He still didn’t look at her, obviously waiting for the
but
thing. “I want to spend eternity with you whether that is a few days or a few hundred years.” Wow, did she just say that? “I’m jumping here, Balen. and I so need you to catch me.” She waited. And waited. Shit, was it too late? Was he so angry with her that he was refusing to give her a second chance? “I just get scared, okay? My father . . . he and my mother loved one another so much. They were inseparable and then when my mom died of lung cancer, well, it destroyed him. He was never the same, lost in his own world until finally he couldn’t take it anymore and put a gun to his head.

“I found him in his office.” She rubbed her arms at the thought as a cold shiver crawled over her body. “I never want that kind of love.” She reached over and put her hand on his arm. She guessed it was a good sign when he didn’t move away. “I don’t ever want that to happen to me. To love so much that I can’t go on without that person.” She sighed. “I’m terrified that when they finally take you away, I won’t be able to go on. I’ll fall so hard that I won’t be able to get back up again.”

“You’re not your father, Danielle,” Balen said. “You’ll go on because that is what is in your soul. A fighter. A survivor. The most courageous woman I know. And you will never lose me. No matter what happens, I will always be there, whether as I am now or as a scent in the wind. I won’t ever leave you and you will go on if that is what fate has decided for us.”

Tears slid down her cheeks and dropped off her chin. Balen put his arm over her shoulder and pulled her head down onto his chest. She felt his lips kiss her temple and then his finger
wiped away the wetness that clung to her skin.

“I won’t let you fall, little one.”

****

Balen paced the length of Ryker’s demolished living room where Keir, Jedrik, Galen and Delara had gathered. They had been able to grab a commercial flight to Newfoundland and meet them.

He stepped over torn cushions, glass shards and destroyed antiques strewn in every direction. “She’s not a warrior,” he shouted. “Her training is zilch and she’s clueless about fighting. No skills whatsoever. She gets the amulet, gives it to us and stays here.”

“Okay, standing right here,” Danielle said
, but none of them looked at her besides Delara, who gave her a men-are-such-bullies look.

Jedrik cleared his throat and stretched his neck. “You’re being pessimistic, Balen. Her telepathy far surpasses . . .” He shut his mouth when he saw Balen’s face.

Danielle grabbed Balen’s hand as he took a step towards Jedrik. She hooked his arm through her own and smiled up at him. “It’s sweet that you want to protect me, but—” her smile faded, “—you insinuate I’m a wuss again, and I’ll belt you one.”

He gave a frustrated grunt.

“Jedrik is right. Your telepathy is strong,” Keir said. “We all feel it. For Kilter to reach you from that far away was . . . well, I’m not aware of any that have that capability.”

“Ulrich did,” Jedrik said
.

Danielle noticed the tension in the room rise tenfold. She was afraid to
ask, but it never stopped her before so, “Who’s Ulrich?”

Jedrik answered, “Kilter’s brother. He’s dead. Kilter killed him.”

Gee, thanks for the good news.
Kilter killed his own brother and she had to speak to this guy.

“Jedrik is right. Her telepathy surpasses all of us,” Keir said. “The Stream of Hell releases one power stronger than all others. She has become a rare Reflection.” He turned his direct gaze onto Balen. “Kilter is
right. We need her to speak to Ryker on the inside.”