Rebel Heart (40 page)

The blood drained from her face. The last thing she wanted at this moment was intimacy with him. Many problems lay between them, and she had to have time to think.

Without another word, she spun away from him. Then she whirled back to him. "I will apprise you of my work in less than an hours time."

To her astonishment, she had made his eyes shimmer with barely concealed amusement.

"Thank you, Victoria."

Tori did not stop to say anything more. She left. She nearly flew up the stairs she ran so swiftly, bursting into the room. Nessa had preceded her.

"Look, Tori. Look at their eyes." Nessa was standing in the middle of the room, slowly turning from screen to screen. "The children...so much pain."

Then there was silence.

Tori vaguely watched as death gripped a town then the view was of another place--more death and misery. Under other circumstances, she would have raced to the scene, but Savage would never allow it. She would have serum, the obsolete one, administering to the sick in hopes that the injection would buy them some time.

She must learn to deal with him.

Nessa turned up the volume. Shivers traveled within her. They watched the people dying. She raised a trembling hand to her throat. "Tori, we've no time to spare. We must send out the serum then set to work on the genetic codes. You must convince Dr. Savage."

"It's hopeless. You know he won't relent on this. He'll never give me the pins, and without them so very many people will die."

"I didn't expect you to give up so easily. There are ways to convince him. Use them."

"I cannot."

"You must!" Nessa said vehemently. "Tell him what you know. Share with him."

"You sleep with him then," Tori said bitterly. But Nessa was right. It was, perhaps, the only way. She couldn't understand why she was so weary of this night, of the man. She had deceived him. But in her mind his deception was worse. Nothing she could do would change that now. Even the thought sent a new wave of tremors along her spine.

"What does he expect from me?"

Yet even as she spoke, her heart leapt then catapulted down to her feet. Someone had knocked on the door. It couldn't be Savage. He wouldn't bother with the gesture. And when Nessa opened the door, she saw she was right. Luke was there, frowning, his eyes desperate with apprehension--worry and understanding.

"He expects complete access to everything in the center--and your compliance," he told her seriously. "He cannot even get into the second level security systems."

Tori swallowed down her tension and the urge to use blackmail to get what she wanted. Instead, "He needs Nessa for that. She runs the computers."

"Then she'd best sit down and start opening some avenues for Dr. Savage."

Nessa was already doing just that. The main computer in Tori's office hummed to life and folders began to appear on the screen. She tapped into one of them and began to work.

It would take a long time to give Savage all he asked for. If he insisted on working downstairs, it would take even longer.

"May I look at your lab," Luke asked.

"What, not a command?”

"Well," Luke paused, "I do have my orders."

He clearly didn't like the imposition, but neither of them could think of anything to do about it. Tori couldn't argue with Savage's reasoning. All the vital information was here, with her. All the information, that is, except the pins, the most important of all.

She led the way. The room was exceptional and Luke did not hesitate. He searched her files and notes. She pointed out pertinent information. They left nothing to chance. Hours passed as if they were seconds.

"I do believe this will do."

Nessa suddenly was with them. "Another City has reported a death. The media is causing mass confusion. The Counselors are shutting down all cities. If we don't leave soon, we'll never get out."

Tori swept by her sister, pacing frantically. She was wringing her hands, desperate to find some way out of the tower. She glared at Luke who Cameron had sent to guard her.

"Savage! Is he still here?"

Luke hesitated a moment too long. "As far as I know."

"He's gone. How could he?" Well, she was leaving too. When he found out, he'd probably want to lock her away forever.

Luke stepped in front of her before she left the room. "I can't let you go," he said softly. "And Dr. Savage is still here. He gave me no indication that he would be otherwise engaged."

"Then I'm a prisoner in my own home."

"You may think what you wish. This is for your safety only. It is a dangerous time." Luke was opening the door. He was leaving, and when he looked at Nessa, he knew she would leave also.

"Nessa, wait," Tori's voice shook. "What is going on down there? Nessa, what is happening?"

"Sheridan and Morray showed up while we were working. I saw them on the security monitors. Dr. Savage is doing his best to detain them."

Luke and Nessa both disappeared despite the wild panic Tori felt. It was only then that Tori realized how exhausted she had become. It had been a long day and even longer night. The virus was decimating the City people, and now she was wed to Savage.

There had been no way to stop this, any of it. Savage would be here soon, she guessed, but in what capacity? So much was happening she could not discern if he would demand his husbandly rights tonight or if he would take off, an angel of mercy in the plague-infested cities.

She stifled a hysterical giggle. Angel of mercy, indeed. More like the devil in disguise.

Sheridan was below--with Morray.

She heard the soft click of the latch. She whirled around, her heart pounding.

Savage was there, in the room, lounging against the doorway. Larger than life, he appeared so very tall, and so effortlessly, domineeringly assured. Arms crossed over his broad chest, his stance relaxed. Cool amber eyes shimmered as he studied her. The silence went on...and on...

Tori fought the urge to throw herself into his arms, to seduce. What was he thinking? She couldn't tell from the way he studied her, from the strange devilish smile that curled so slightly into the curve of his lip, from the set of his jaw, or that cool shimmering in his eyes.

She turned from him, unable to match his gaze a moment longer. He would follow her, she determined, cursing herself for a fool because she'd headed for the bedroom, once her private sanctuary.

His hand suddenly touched her shoulder and he deliberately caused her to turn to him.

"Don't run from me," he said, his voice deceptively low and soft. "I'll find you wherever you try to hide. And Victoria, it is too dangerous for you to run to the disease ridden cities."

He hadn't been there when her father had banished her from the City, handing her over to a convent. Savage had never had one restriction after another placed on him. She would never understand why she'd let him make love to her once and wanted so desperately to deny him now.

Yet maybe it was because he rescued her that day by the cliff. Maybe she had just come to know his touch. Perhaps it had been that first time he'd kissed her. How could she ever explain what had gone on inside her head?

Yet even now she respected the man who had postponed his wedding night to set in motion the necessary work to help the cities. She identified with his dedication to his work and wanted to be part of it. Nessa had seen him clearly--his strengths--and it didn't seem as if he had a weakness. She had promised him this night.

She had longed for it at the time. She still craved his touch, his mouth on hers...

He was a man of great courage and resolve, his daring legendary, his intellect unsurpassed. If she had not given herself to the legend of The Phantom, she would not be facing these demons.

She stood very still. If she could just think of a way to explain this to him, a way to tell him why she couldn't do this right now, perhaps a resolution would appear.

She swiftly decided that the deadly threat surrounding them was her best recourse. "You have all this at your disposal. The serum must be manufactured. We don't have time..."

"We must sleep."

Trying to keep her apprehension under control, she thought desperately for words to change his mind. He was still studying her, claiming her with his eyes. She couldn't think of one word, and suddenly he was moving toward her. She looked up, backing away from him. "You wanted me willing. I-I'm too tired."

"Ah, babe, I mean to collect. And I remember your promise to me even if you choose to forget."

She backed away further, another step then she fell against the bed. Swiftly she leapt to her feet, skirting the end and moving away from it.

"You're wrong. We can't sleep. There is still so much to do. If we work together, we can accomplish so very much. We should both be working, non-stop. Sheridan is here again, expecting a report. Morray, too. We must have something to give them."

"I thought you were exhausted."

"I am...I'm not, really it was fleeting."

Cameron paused. There was a shimmer to his clear amber eyes as he steepled his fingers beneath his chin. "I applaud you. Your ingenuity is commendable. But I'm too tired to pursue the quest any further and if you'd listen..."

"Nessa told me Sheridan and Morray are here. I don't understand how they would dare to return."

"No? You forget that both of them were here the night of the attempted kidnapping. But doubt it not, they are here for the same reason. Their quest is more imperative now. Sheridan must get his hands on your research in order to control the council. He must have his man securely established here, today." He had followed her and she suddenly found herself maneuvered back to the bed, trapped against its length.

"Sheridan will stop at nothing. I will not risk losing you. You're mine and I keep what is mine. I don't mean to rush you or frighten you, but it seems that we must proceed with haste."

She gasped for air and shook her head wildly. Eyes bored into her, cool, hard and unrelenting.

"Proceed with haste? I don't understand..." Perhaps she should know what he spoke of, but he'd been talking in riddles since he'd first entered the room. She scooted back on the bed, seeking distance between them. "Yes, people are dying. We must do something."

"First, we must secure the center so that we have time to find a cure."

She shook her head, confused. "It is secure..."

He hesitated, smiling grimly. "That is debatable. In a few minutes, there will be no room for doubt. If you don't want to be caught naked in front of the cameras, I suggest you hurry."

She was on her hands and knees, glaring at him, prepared to move swiftly if need be. "Naked--cameras?"

"Undress, please. We've only a minute or two before Luke turns the monitors on."

"Monitors?"

"So I've managed to limit you to one word at a time. I'll have to remember how I did it."

She gasped, her eyes narrowing. "Explain yourself and I'll have something more to say."

"Oh, I would reveal every specific detail, but there is no time," he assured her quickly. He stood so very close. He didn't make sense but he wanted her to hurry and undress, and he didn't appear rushed in the least.

Lounging against the headboard, she crossed her arms in front of her and tilted her chin regally, intending to best him.

It was then the screen above her bed switched channels, and the camera in the corner of her room began to swivel in their direction, giving her a clear picture of what he demanded.

"I won't--you can't mean to--it's indecent. You--you barbarian!"

He laughed out loud. "You forget. But I'll teach you that between lovers there is nothing indecent. And barbarians like their brides chaste on their wedding night."

"You're incredible, you know, but I will not stay here and have the whole of my research center watching the two of us cavort in bed together."

"Cavort? I'd like that. But it's not my intention to have your people, or mine, for that matter, watch us either."

It was then she chose to move swiftly from the bed.

She had not gone far when she felt him at her back. He no longer laughed. Holding her by the shoulders, he whirled her around to face him. With unrelenting determination, he caught hold of her tunic and ripped it from the top to the bottom.

Naked, her hair tumbled around her shoulders, crossing her arms in front of her, she shivered. He stepped back to look long and hard at her. Then he swept her into his arms. Two steps brought them in front of the bed. In a breath-stealing second, she was upon it and he was staring at her again.