Once Bitten, Twice Burned (Phoenix Fire #2)(20)
Author: Cynthia Eden

But now, she sure needed to separate the fact from the fiction pronto.

“Your thoughts are easy enough to see on your face.” He picked up the white lab coat again. “Put this on. You’ll blend in better if we’re spotted.”

He turned away. Began digging in a nearby drawer. He pulled out another lab coat. Yanked it on.

Her fingers dug into the fabric. Not yours. That phrasing had been deliberate. She had to ask the question that had been burning through her. “What did you do to that guard downstairs?”

His back was to her, but she saw the sudden stiffness of his shoulders. “I stopped him from killing you.” Said quietly. He glanced over at her. “You’re welcome.”

She licked her lips. Dammit, she tasted him. “You made the guard turn that gun on himself. You were in his head, weren’t you?”

A slow nod.

“How did you—”

“I’d delay the escape for a f**k,” Ryder said, the hard words cutting like a knife, “but not to play Twenty Questions. It’s time for us to get the hell out of here.”

Her eyes narrowed.

He lifted his hand and offered it to her. “Unless you want to stay?”

She wasn’t taking that hand yet. “I want to make sure I’m not going to find myself suddenly aiming a gun at my own heart.” Because she’d seen the desperate fear in Donaldson’s gaze. Sabine didn’t want to wind up on the receiving end of whatever scary mojo Ryder was working.

When she’d been snatched by Wyatt and his psycho team, Sabine hadn’t exactly had time to pack her gris-gris. And her aunt Rya had worked so hard to create that satchel to protect Sabine. I could sure use its protection right about now.

Ryder stared at her. His eyes were so bright. His face tense.

“What?” Sabine muttered. “I think it’s a fair concern.” Especially considering the events she’d witnessed with her own eyes.

“If I could control you, your hand would be holding mine right now.” He said the words with an annoyed air. “I can’t get in your head. Not even with the blood I took.”

That was good, right?

“I tried to get into your head.”

She gulped.

“There was a wall of fire blocking your mind. It kept me out—is keeping me out. I’m betting it will keep every paranormal out.”

Her hands had fisted, the better to hide the faint tremble of her fingers.

“So I won’t be making you shove a gun at your own heart. I won’t be making you do anything that you don’t want to do.” He exhaled on a long sigh. “Now, can you take my hand?”

She headed toward him. Her shoulder brushed his arm. She forced her right hand to unclench, and she lifted it from the pocket. Her fingers touched his. A hot charge seemed to pulse from his skin to hers.

“Lead the way,” Sabine whispered.

Her fingers curled around his.

“Donaldson, drop the gun,” Richard barked as he rushed into the cell.

Donaldson dropped the gun. The other guards swarmed in, searching the area.

“They’re gone,” Donaldson gasped out. “Been gone . . .”

“And you just let them walk away?” Fury spiked within Richard. “You were supposed to shoot the woman, not free her.”

“I-I didn’t . . . The vampire came in. He let her go.”

Obviously. “While you just stood there.” The man actually was still just standing there. Richard waved his hand. “Get moving, Donaldson. We’re locking down the facility. We’re going to find them.” He turned away. “They won’t get out of Genesis.”

Richard had taken two steps before he realized Donaldson wasn’t moving. Richard glanced back over his shoulder. The guard stood frozen in the middle of the room. His eyes were wild, his face taut. Sweat covered him, but the man wasn’t stepping forward.

“Come along, Donaldson,” Richard snapped. He didn’t have time to waste coddling a guard. The man had been attacked. Yes, yes, traumatic, no doubt, but he was fine now. No injuries that Richard could see, except for the bandaged bite mark on Donaldson’s neck. The wound still appeared to be bleeding, judging by the way the red stain was spreading on the white cloth.

“Can’t,” Donaldson rasped. “Not until . . . Ryder’s back.”

What? Richard spun around. His gaze swept over the guard. Donaldson’s body was shaking, but the man was not so much as inching forward. “Come here, Donaldson.”

All of the other guards were dead silent.

Donaldson shook his head. “Can’t!” He shouted this time, his frustration breaking him. “I can’t move a step, not ’til Ryder gets back!”

Richard knew his own eyes were widening. He tried to school his expression even as excitement filled him. “Why would you follow his orders?”

The other guards were avid. Watching too much. Hearing too much. Richard waved them away. “Go join the others! I want a search of every room at Genesis!”

The guards hurried to comply. Richard waited until they were gone, then he asked again, “Why obey him? Did he threaten you? Your family?”

“He’s . . . in my head.” The horror of those words was reflected in Donaldson’s eyes. Eyes that appeared to be filling with tears.

Richard remembered the way Donaldson had stood when he first burst into the room. “He made you put the gun to your own chest, didn’t he?” Richard didn’t want to let the excitement get the better of him. He’d hoped this would be the case. For so long, he’d searched for a vampire who’d mastered this particular talent. His search had yielded no success, until now.

Donaldson nodded. “I could . . . feel him.” His hand lifted and his fingers rubbed against his temple. “It wasn’t me up here. Just him.”

Richard smiled. “It was the bite.” Smart vampire. The attacks on Donaldson and Thomas had been part of an escape strategy.

Jim Thomas . . . you attacked him because you knew he’d have access to the key cards. He was your ticket to freedom.

Richard realized he’d underestimated Ryder. He wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

Richard bent and picked up the discarded gun. “Do you still feel Ryder in your mind?”

Donaldson didn’t answer. But then, wasn’t that answer enough?

Richard glanced over his shoulder. They were alone. Donaldson deserved to hear this. “There are stories . . . some vampires are old enough, powerful enough, that they can actually control the minds of humans.”