Chapter 5

“I’m sorry. I should have asked you first. I’m Crissy.” She motioned around us. “I heard you say you needed a window and thought you wanted some air.” She looked left then right. “There’s lots of air here.”

I backed away from her.

We were on a roof. A roof! Holy mother of pearl! I gaped at her. She was how I got from the fire escape to that cube. “It was you.” I put my hand over my mouth. “You put me in that clear cube.”

She frowned at me, then her eyes went wide. “No. No, that was Victor with his port box.” She nodded.

…I wonder how those work…

…she doesn’t look happy to have fresh air…

…maybe the library has a book…

…Victor is going to be upset I did that…

…grey hair and black eyes…

…has to be more pieces…

The voices just kept coming, or it was one voice, several thoughts at the same time. I put my hands up to my temples and backed up a few more feet. The word pattern…these were Crissy’s thoughts. All of them.

Music started playing. Crissy looked at her phone and then tapped the screen.

“Cristy?” There was no mistaking Victor.

“I’m here. We’re on my roof. I thought Kara wanted some air.” She looked at me and bit her lip. “I don’t think I helped her.”

“Kara?” It was Daxx.

“Yes.” I was having to focus hard to keep all of the thoughts out of my head. I wouldn’t be able to block for long without another meltdown.

“Are you all right?” She asked.

I grimaced. “Not really.” I looked around. “We’re on a roof.” I looked back to Crissy. “How the pish did we get on the roof?”

“That’s complicated.” Daxx said slowly.

I stared at the phone in Crissy’s hand. “Can I get off the roof now?”

“Do you want me to…”

“I’ll be there in a moment.” Victor said before Crissy could finish.

She bit her lip. “He’s not happy with me.”

I could only shrug. He could get in line.

Victor was suddenly standing beside her.

He. Just. Appeared.

I hope they were watching what things like that did to me on their Fitbit. Or, I had suffered a complete mental breakdown and this whole day was in my head. It had been ten years since that last happened.

Giving her a quick once over to make sure she was all right, Victor turned to me. “I have a better location if you require fresh air.”

“On the ground?” I glanced around. “I’m not normally afraid of heights, but I’m feeling…” I waved my hand in front of my face. “A little shaky right now.”

He inclined his head and looked at Crissy’s phone. “I’ll take her to the courtyard.”

“We’ll meet you there.” Chase answered.

Victor held out his hand to Crissy, she took it without question. When he held his other one out to me, I looked at it. “Take my hand, take a deep breath and then close your eyes.”

I looked at his hand as I walked toward him. He closed his hand around mine, then looked at me. I nodded, took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

My head was filled with white noise again. Not as bad as before, but it still wasn’t pleasant. I opened my eyes to see grass and stone. I let go and stumbled back several feet. Looking around I spotted a stone bench and quickly went to sit down.

Victor and Crissy didn’t follow me.

“Everyone all right?”

I turned to see a woman with long black hair leaning over a railing on the top floor. A redheaded woman appeared beside her.

“Crissy you can’t just vanish like that without a word.” She scolded.

“Sorry, Beth. I could hear how upset Kara was getting and wanted to help.” Crissy called up to her.

“We’ll be down in a moment.” The dark-haired woman said.

I was trying to decide if this was inside my mind or really happening. Looking down, I moved my feet over the grass. At least I wasn’t on a roof now. I gave Victor and Crissy a cautious glance, they were keeping their distance. There was no way my imagination was creative enough to invent people like this.

Their body language told me he was expressing his displeasure that she’d vanished us to that roof.

This was really happening.

I looked around to see aged stone walls and pillars covered in vines. An archway in the wall held a large, closed gate. I inhaled slowly, trying to steady my nerves. The air was clean, with a sweet floral scent. Nowhere in the city smelled like this. I inhaled again.

“It’s the lavender.”

A dark-haired woman was walking toward me. She stopped, leaving at least ten feet between us. Her smile was sincere. She pointed to a garden in the center. “I love the smell of lavender.”

I looked over at the small purple flowers. “I’ve never smelled it before.”

Her look showed no surprise. “I’m Alona. Chase’s mate.”

I frowned. “You’re a queen. Should I be calling him king Chase?”

She smirked. “If you like,” she shrugged, “or your majesty.”

I nodded, feeling lucky I hadn’t already upset him.

“You really shouldn’t.” Chase walked over and put his arm around Alona. He looked at me, “call me either of those.” He waved his hand around, “I hear my king so much in a day, it really means little to me now.” He watched me closely. “What we need to do is figure out what is the best distance is to stay back, so you aren’t picking up too many thoughts at once.”

I glanced at Crissy.

“Ah, yes, Cutie may be someone you’ll have problems with.”

I gave him a blank look.

“I can relate to what you’re going through.” Alona smiled sweetly at me.

I bit my tongue before something sarcastic flew out of my mouth.

“I’m an empath.” She made an annoyed face, “I pick up on the emotions of others, whether I want to or not.”

Wanting to understand, before I offended her, I tilted my head and studied her for a moment. I’d never met anyone who could possibly understand what I was going through. “So, walking down a busy street…”

She put her hand against her throat. “Is a nightmare. Sometimes to the point of being debilitating.”

I nodded but couldn’t think of anything to say. Someone who knew—really knew the fear of being around others was standing in front of me. Could it be true?

“Just so I understand,” she gave me a gentle look, “you obviously have some sort of telepathy.”

“If it has a name, I guess that’s as close as I can get.”

Alona nodded her head slowly. “Now, can you project thoughts to others or just perceive theirs?”

I blew out a breath, “if I could project, I’d be in a lot more trouble than I am right now.”

She smiled. Chase chuckled.

Alona motioned to the bench. “May I?”

I gave her a skeptical look. “You might not want to get too close.” I tapped my head. “It’s a ticking time bomb up there.”

She touched Chase’s arm. “Oh, I think I’ll be all right. Chase and I have a—” With a gentle look, she let go of his arm, “connection, he helps me control emotions, so they don’t overwhelm me.”

I couldn’t keep the surprise off my face. “That’s—” I shook my head, “Nope, I don’t have a word to describe that.”

“Oh, I understand that feeling well enough.” Alona came over and sat on the bench, watching me for a moment. There was no judgment on her face. “I suspect those of us with greater focus won’t affect you adversely.” She smirked, “I had to learn how to erect mental barriers to protect myself.”

“And it works?” I sighed. “I try, but it rarely works.”

Alona gave me a slight shrug. “Most of the time, unless strong emotions are involved and then it becomes overpowering.”

“I understand that.”

Michael and Autumn appeared—out of thin air – to stand beside Victor and Crissy.

I startled, looking to Alona and back to them.

She gave Chase a sweet smile. “Perhaps having the others use the door would be better than just appearing?” She motioned to the glass doors leading from the building.

He nodded and touched his ear as he was walking over to Michael.

I realized they still had their group call happening. I just wanted my gear so I could get gone. I looked at Alona for a moment. “I’ll answer questions and try to help, but I’d really like to get my gear and go before dark,” I looked around as more people were coming out of the doors toward us, “if that’s okay.”

She gave me an understanding smile. “I will see what can be arranged.” She stood up and walked toward Chase.

I inhaled deep and blew it out slowly. Just stay calm and get through this. Crumbs! Arius and Paisley were walking toward me. I looked the other way, so were Chase and Autumn. Just keep it together, answer the questions and you’ll be fine, I told my brain…and mouth. I didn’t need any more moments like in the office.

Paisley stopped, leaving a good distance between us. “Hi again.” She smiled. “I’m Paisley.”

I nodded. “I’ve seen some of your shows that you did by the old bridge.”

She smiled. “Arius told me.” She frowned, “you must have had to stand across the bridge to not pick up all the thoughts.”

I shrugged, “I go higher up most of the time.”

Arius turned and looked at Crissy. “That’s not surprising.”

Paisley waved her hand around. “I had an idea,” she gave me a hesitant look, “to help you today, not permanently.” She nodded and looked at Autumn, “Then you can be near us without your head exploding.”

I jumped up and scooted around the bench. “I’m not taking any drugs.”

She lifted her hands, “oh, no, no. I don’t mean drugs.” Paisley glanced at Autumn.

Autumn shrugged, “we’re feeling a,” she gave Paisley a hesitant look, “kinship to you.” She shrugged, “we want to help.”

“Kinship?” Chase stepped between us. “How do you mean?” He leaned down and looked at Paisley and then Autumn before his head snapped around and he studied me. His eyes looked wild.

“Chase. They don’t mean that way.” Arius said and then sighed.

Chase straightened back up and looked from one to the other again. “That’s really disappointing. I’m looking forward to the next conversation we have with Elder Roan.”

Paisley smirked, “just don’t start running down halls.”

He gave her a look, seeming as if he was offended. “That was one time.” He whispered.

Arius cleared his throat. “Finish explaining, babe, before we have to muzzle a king.” He grinned down at her.

Paisley nodded and put out her hand, Arius put a wide red bracelet in it. It looked like it was made of rubber. She held it up. “This is an inhibitor cuff. It blocks abilities and skills.”

I raised one eyebrow and looked at it, then to her. “Skills?” I shook my head. “I wouldn’t say what happens to me is a skill.” I looked from one to the next and so on, until I was back looking at Paisley.

She offered a gentle smile. “Many of us have abilities here, Kara.”

“Show her.” Autumn said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Paisley handed her the red bracelet, then she glanced to Arius and nodded. Arius reached behind him and pulled out a knife.

I backed up a few feet.

Arius tossed the knife into the air, then it just stopped. Didn’t fall.

I looked from the knife to him, wondering how he did that. He shook his head slowly and motioned with his chin to Paisley. I glanced to see she held her hand up facing the knife and was just standing there. “She’s doing that?” I looked from Arius to Chase.

Chase nodded. “Yes, we have our own musical Chronos.”

The knife fell and Arius caught it.

I know I’d just seen that, but my brain was struggling to accept what had just happened.

Paisley looked at Chase. “Musical Chronos?”

He winked at her before turning to me. “The cuff will help you, whether you continue to wear it is entirely up to you.”

“Can I look at it?” I motioned to the bracelet.

Autumn stepped closer and handed it to me.

It was a hard, rubbery-feeling substance. I turned it over yet couldn’t see how it closed nor were there any wires, it was just a red piece of rubber. I looked up when the redheaded woman came over with another big man. He had short red hair and compassionate brown eyes.

“I’m Beth,” she motioned to the man, “this is Leone.”

I nodded. “Another brother.”

Beth grinned. “Yes.” Her expression grew serious. “Being in one of the cells is unpleasant, I should know…”

I gave her a startled look.

“She highjacked Leone’s mind and held him for ransom.” Autumn said while smiling at Leone.

I thought she was joking. I glanced from her to Leone, then to Beth. No one was smiling. Highjacked Leone’s mind? Ransom? For what?

Beth sighed, “that’s behind us,” she motioned to the bracelet, “we’d all like to talk to you, see if you have any pieces that will help us find Hubert and his men that are taking women.” She looked at Arius, “we’ll let you hold the device that takes it off. You can remove it whenever you want.”

I bit my lip. I had serious doubts. “This,” I held up the piece of rubber, “will stop me from hearing thoughts?” She nodded, “and you think I’ll want to take it off again?”

She gave me an understanding look. “It’s entirely up to you.”

I nodded slowly and looked at it. “Well, fuzz. Can this day get any more messed up?” I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. I glanced to see Chase smirking. “Sorry, sometimes I blurt things out and think I’ve said them in my head.”

He smirked, “it must get a little busy up there,” he motioned to my head.

“You have no idea.” I took a deep breath, then nodded and looked at Paisley. “Okay. Let’s do it.” I held the piece of rubber out to her.

Turning, she held out her hand to Arius. He handed a hand-held scanner the size of a little phone. She took the piece of rubber and held out the scanner to me.

I took it and looked at it.

“Give me your arm.” She said, moving closer.

I held out the arm that didn’t have the Fitbit on it, questioning if I should even be considering this. Hadn’t I been fooled before by the asylum staff telling me ‘this was it’, the thing that would help me. My arm was shaking.

“It’s okay.” She said softly and placed it around my wrist, pushing it together.

It wrapped around my wrist like a cuff and stayed there. I looked up at her, unable to hide the fear in my eyes.

“Just hold the scanner over the inside of your wrist.”

I turned my arm over and put the scanner against it. The cuff fell off and landed in the grass. I looked down at it. “That is going to stop me from hearing thoughts?

Paisley nodded.

Bending down, I picked it up, still not believing a rubber bracelet could do that.

“Give it a try.” Chase suggested glancing to Arius, “they’ve always worked, correct?”

Arius nodded. “Always.”

…come on, cupid, what have you got to lose…

My gaze flicked up to the king. “Why do you keep calling me cupid?”

Paisley looked at him. “That’s the best you could come up with? Cupid?”

Chase shrugged. “I know, Sarg, I’m off my game lately.”

Rolling her eyes, she glanced back to me. “Awful nickname aside, you should give it a try.”

My mind was really working to process all of this. “I’d just like my gear back, so I can go.” I took a deep breath, “but if I can do something before I go, to stop women—even the intellectually damaged ones that are mentally incompetent enough to stand around and advertise they should be—”

Paisley smirked.

“Sorry.” I touched my finger to my forehead, “I’m not used to conversing with people.”

“Do you have family you’d like to call? Let them know you’re okay?” Autumn asked.

I shook my head. “Whatever family I had, I haven’t seen since they admitted me to the psychiatric facility when I was ten.” None of them looked surprised by this.

“Should we check out where she’s staying?” Beth came over. “Make sure they don’t have cameras at her place?”

“They?” I sent Chase a curious look before turning back to Beth.

Beth sighed. “Those men you saw stalking the women are part of a much larger, organized group.”

“I don’t know anything about that. All I know is a lot of strange things have been happening the past few months.” I looked at the bracelet in one hand and the scanner in the other. The sooner I told them whatever it was they thought I knew, the faster I could leave. I tried to wrap it back around my wrist.

Paisley reached over and held the one side for me while I wrapped the other to meet it. It sealed without a visible seam. I glanced to Beth. “I don’t have a place. I’ve been on the move for the last month. Ever since this large, sweaty, bald man kept following me.”

Chase raised an eyebrow and looked at Arius. “I’m sure if we show her a picture of Lou, he’ll be that man.”

“You know him?” My heartbeat increased.

“Not personally.” Chase’s expression was very serious now. “He was working with that large organization and is now a current resident with lifelong tenancy is our cells.”

I closed my eyes, feeling relief. “I knew I did the right thing packing up and ditching that guy…”

Chase stood there staring at me, then he smirked. “You didn’t hear what I was thinking.”

I shook my head slowly, focusing on it now. “No.” My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the cuff. “You were trying?”

He grinned. “Yes.”

I hugged my wrist against my chest. It was too good to be true. I gave each person near me a brief assessment. Expert poker players, each one of them. Their expressions told me nothing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Crissy sit down on the grass. I'd been near her twice and both times the speed of her thoughts almost brought me to my knees. I gave Paisley a cautious look, then walked slowly in Crissy’s direction.

Victor watched, a hard look in his eyes as I approached her. Gripping the red bracelet, I stopped, leaving five feet between us. She glanced up from the notebook in her lap and smiled at me briefly, then looked back down. I wasn’t hearing anything. Taking a deep breath, I stepped a bit closer and waited. Exhaling slowly, I waited. Her head was moving, she was mumbling quietly, but inside my head was absolute silence. 

Was it possible? That the little red cuff could do that? I turned and looked around me. So many people and yet there was no noise or static inside my head. Alona smiled at me when I looked at her. I clearly did not have my poker face on. My expression probably showed the shock and amazement I was feeling.

Chase came over and stood there with his hands tucked in his pockets. “From the look on your face, the cuff is giving you something you’ve never had before.”

I touched my head. “It’s so quiet. Only my own thoughts, which aren’t amounting to much right now.”

He smirked. “I have a few brothers with the same issue.”

Rafael appeared a few feet away. In his hand was my bag. His cold blue eyes moved over me slowly, then he paused on the cuff I was still hugging to my chest.

“I guess you didn’t get the memo to walk through a door?” Chase said quietly to him.

Rafael shrugged. “I got it.” He turned and went over to Victor.

Chase watched him for a moment, then turned back to me. “I’m told snacks and refreshments are being served in the solarium,” he shrugged, “which, it seems, will be filled with plants to make it an actual solarium at a later date.”

I had no idea what he was talking about.

He motioned to the windows on the other side of the yard. “It has a clear view of the outside, and we can leave the door open if you’d prefer.”

Hugging my arms around my waist, I turned to walk toward it. There was only one thing I wanted more than leaving, something to eat. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had eaten.