Love, Immortal (Alchemy Book 2) Page 9

  “Yes, but something went wrong with the transmutation. Instead of becoming tethered to the body they created for him, Drekker possessed a living human. Mason Drekker became something else entirely…something evil. And he cannot be contained to a single host. He’s somehow corrupted process. When his body is killed, Drekker moves on even though the vessel has died.”

  “What happens to the people whose bodies he takes control of?”

  “They cease to exist. Two souls cannot inhabit the same body. Once Drekker transmutes into a human, that person is essentially overwritten…terminated.”

  “Shit. Then Drekker could be anyone when he comes after Hogan. How the hell are we supposed to protect him from something like that? Never let him outside again?”

  “I will keep Hogan safe. Fortunately, Drekker can’t just transmute into anyone. There has to be a certain susceptibility to the process. GC scientists are still struggling to understand it, but my mission right now is essentially damage control.”

  Davey studied him, gnawing at her bottom lip. She believed every word he said. Ethan had no reason to lie to her, but she still got the nagging feeling that he was holding back. “Why do I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me?”

  “Because there is,” he answered without hesitation. He placed his hands on either side of her face.

  “I have my memory back and would never betray either of you to my superiors—no matter the directive, no matter the cost to me. But that’s not all. I don’t understand it, but something bigger is stopping me. Something has changed inside of me, Davey. I first noticed it at the school…in the parking lot…”

  His gaze slid away from her as his voice trailed off. His eyebrows furrowed in thought, but his hands never left Davey’s skin. A constant, steady hum started between her ears. Beneath his hands, her cheeks began to tingle, buzzing like the buildup before a static shock.

  “When you touched me,” he finished softly. Shaking his head, Ethan leaned away from her, and the hum fell silent. It took a moment longer for the tingling across her skin to dissipate.

  “I know it may seem odd, but it frightens me. I’m used to being controlled by my father and brother, but this—this is different.”

  “It’s not strange, Ethan. Fear is a part of being human. We get scared all the time.”

  When a faint, uncertain smile tugged at his lips, Davey couldn’t resist. Sliding into his arms, she kissed him. Taking her time, she moved her mouth against him as if exploring him for the first time. When she broke away, his eyes had slightly widened.

  “I could investigate the matter further,” he mused. “Run an integrated diagnostic of all systems and coding, but that would require me to enter a dormant state where I would experience a significant decrease in awareness for my surroundings.”

  “But,” she said between kisses, “since there’s a psycho out there trying to kidnap my brother, you wouldn’t be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree to try that right now.” Nuzzling his neck, she moved to his ear and teased the soft lobe between her teeth.

  Ethan squirmed. “Affirmative.”

  Davey let out a soft laugh. “So…do you still have that phenomenal sense of hearing and infrared vision?”

  “Yes.” He raised one eyebrow. “Why?”

  “Because…” Davey began, but paused to bite his nipple. “I’m yours tonight.”

  “Ah,” he said and smiled, shuddering as she slid her tongue down the length of his abs. “We definitely wouldn’t want anyone to walk in on us while you’re doing that.”

  She licked the inside of his thigh and then slowly lavished the velvety cock resting against it, tugging a moan from his lips as she slowly swirled her tongue across the very tip.

  “Or that,” he whispered hoarsely.

  7

  Davey sat straight up, dragged from her dreams by an inexplicable dread. Wide awake and with trembling fingers, she began to get dressed.

  “What is it?” Ethan asked. Every muscle was rigid, ready to launch into action. If she looked anywhere near as horrified as she felt, then his reaction was a reflection of that.

  “It’s Hogan,” she said. “He’s having a nightmare. Get dressed.”

  Looking confused, Ethan did as he was told and caught up to Davey near the bottom of the stairwell. They hadn’t climbed halfway when the blood-curling scream tore through the walls. An instant later, there came a second scream, rivaling the first, and carved from pure terror. The sound squeezed Davey’s heart, making it harder and harder to catch the next breath. Ethan raced past her, charging up the stairs as he became a blur of motion, moving faster than she had ever seen. When she reached Hogan’s room, Ethan was already inside, staring down at her brother. He barely glanced up when she entered.

  Following his gaze, she located Hogan. He was on the floor, tucked in the corner, and balled into the fetal position. Tears streaked his face, but his eyes were closed. He had no idea they were there. He screamed again, another gut-wrenching wail that clawed at Davey. This was the worst she had ever seen him.

  “Stay away from me. Stay away. Stay away.” Over and over, Hogan mumbled the words in a low chant, using a voice too deep to be his own.

  Kneeling on the floor, she reached for him, but Ethan shook his head. “This isn’t a dream,” he cautioned.

  “What?” Taken aback, Davey withdrew her hand. “How do you know?”

  “Because I just measured his brain waves and Hogan is not asleep.”

  “Okay.” Davey swallowed. She hadn’t realized electroencephalography was a part of Ethan’s bag of tricks. “So, what’s happening to him?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She gritted her teeth. She was frustrated, and it had nothing to do with Ethan. Davey was simply tired of being helpless when her little brother seemed to need her the most. Hogan whimpered, pausing his chant long enough to whisper a soft plea. “Please, no,” he said.

  “Ethan, I have to do something. Holding him usually calms him, and he’s never hurt me.”

  “Davey, I don’t think you should.”

  “Why not?” She trusted Ethan wholeheartedly, but he was scaring her. What did he know that she didn’t?

  Grimacing, Ethan took a seat next to her. “Stand back,” he said softly. “Watch.”

  Davey waited expectantly. At first, nothing happened, but then Hogan opened his eyes and she nearly sighed with relief, until his hand shot out and grabbed Ethan’s wrist. Hogan’s lips began moving, mumbling words that did not quite reach her ears. She leaned in closer, trying to hear, and finally made out a single, rasping phrase.

  “I told you to stay away.”

  “Ethan, let go of him.”

  “I’m trying. I can’t.”

  On Ethan’s arm, the skin beneath Hogan’s touch had become translucent, glowing with a faint light that gradually brightened. “Stay away,” Hogan shrieked, and suddenly, Davey was blinded. A dull roar filled her ears, followed by a deafening crack that seemed to split apart the very air in the room. As her vision finally cleared, her heart leapt to see Ethan sprawled on the opposite side of Hogan’s bedroom with chunks of plaster and drywall littering the carpet around him. He wasn’t moving.

  “Oh god.”

  Davey ran to Ethan. Shouting his name, she shook him but got no response. He just lay there, limp and motionless beneath the fractured impression his body had left in the wall. Frantic, Davey looked to Hogan. He had returned to a trance-like state. She had no idea what to do and no idea how to help either of them.

  “Ethan,” she tried again. “Ethan, please. We need you.”

  Travis chose that moment to stumble into the room. “What the fuck is going on?”

  “Hogan is having another episode.”

  “I can see that. I meant what happened to Agent Asshole? I thought he left.”

  Deciding that now wasn’t the appropriate time for honesty, Davey lied. “He stayed the night, Travis. He wanted to be sure we were safe.”

  Rubbing hi
s eyes sleepily, Travis checked on Hogan and suffered no ill effects after touching him. He came over to Ethan, frowning in concentration as he clumsily felt for a pulse. “Fuck,” he said in an awed whisper. “I think he’s dead. Davey. Call an ambulance.”

  “He’s not dead, Travis.”

  “What do you mean, he’s not dead? I can’t find a pulse, and he sure as fuck isn’t breathing.”

  Ethan didn’t need to do either of those things in order to function, but Davey couldn’t tell Travis that. “Just go stay with Hogan,” she urged. “See if you can wake him up.”

  Keeping one eye on Hogan and her boyfriend’s efforts to rouse him, Davey continued calling to Ethan, quietly begging him to come back to her. In an unexpected twist, both of her wishes came true at once when Hogan sat up, dragging in a long, raking breath. Across the room, Ethan did the exact same. Davey could have laughed with joy but she was too dumbstruck. Nothing that had happened made sense. There was so much she didn’t understand about Ethan, and maybe even more—she now realized—that she didn’t understand about her brother.

  “Davey,” Hogan called in voice made tiny by fear.

  “I’m here, monkey.” Giving Ethan’s hand a brief squeeze, she let go and went to her brother. She didn’t miss the flash of anger in Travis’s expression as he witnessed an exchange too familiar between strangers. She was grateful when he held his tongue, but the look in Travis’s eye was a warning, making Davey certain there would be one hell of an argument later. Though never a jealous guy before tonight, Travis had sometimes shown a possessive streak. And it was seriously rearing its ugly head.

  Smoothing Hogan’s hair away from his face, she wrapped him in her arms. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” he said, but his voice was shaking.

  “Was there anything different this time?”

  Hogan tossed an anxious, hesitant glance in Ethan’s direction.

  “It’s okay,” Ethan said, getting to his feet.

  “I saw the bad man,” Hogan whispered. “And I saw him.” He pointed at Ethan. “But there were two of him.”

  ∞∞∞

  Davey didn’t know where to start, and Ethan was no help. Overruling Hogan’s protests, she had spent the rest of the night with her brother, watching over his sleep. Davey knew it was a little irrational because in reality, there was little she could have done if Hogan had lapsed into a second episode of similar or greater magnitude.

  Solely for Travis’s sake, she had assured Hogan that everything had only been a bad dream. In that way, no extraordinary explanations would have to be given regarding alchemy experiments or immortal souls. Not only did Davey not want to endanger Travis by revealing Global Cures’ clandestine ventures to him, but Ethan’s secrets were not hers to tell. Though he probably would not have believed her anyway. Travis had seen a lot in his career, but the story of Ethan Remington/Seth Eleazar was pretty incredible. Ethan’s very existence defied each and every law a scientist like Travis lived by.

  Now it was morning. Travis was showered and sober, but the effects of drinking too much lingered, and his memory of the night before was pretty spotty. He didn’t recall arguing with Davey, storming off to bed, and then arguing with her some more. His mind also failed to remember that Ethan had spent the night. Davey saw the moment when Travis came downstairs and saw Ethan in the kitchen, casually sipping a cup of coffee while making waffles and bacon for an exhausted Hogan. Wearing dark jeans and a pale grey oxford that paired nicely with his steely eyes, and with the morning sun bathing him in its brilliant rays, Ethan was a stunning sight. And apparently not just to Davey.

  Travis rocked back on his heels and nearly fell over.

  Flashing her most charming smile, Davey moved to intercept him and hoped another confrontation could be avoided. “Hi babe! There’s breakfast if you want any. How are you feeling?”

  Travis groaned. “Like I drank too fucking much last night.” Rubbing his temple, he aimed a hard look at Ethan but withheld whatever biting comment would have followed. “Please tell me there’s more coffee.”

  “There’s plenty,” Ethan said almost cheerily and held up the pot. “But it’s decaf. I’ll pour you a cup.”

  “No.” Travis grimaced. “Never mind.”

  “I’m just screwing with you, man.” Ethan chuckled. “I hope you like your coffee strong. This stuff will get you going.”

  Davey nervously crammed an entire piece of bacon in her mouth and started chewing.

  After somewhat hesitantly accepting the mug Ethan offered, Travis sampled the brew and nodded. “I hope I wasn’t too big of a dick last night.”

  “No worries. I handle big dicks all the time.”

  Embarrassed for Ethan, Davey palmed her face, while Hogan laughed so hard he choked on his orange juice. “Dude, I swear you say the weirdest shit.”

  “Language,” Davey warned.

  Hogan winced. “Sorry.”

  Travis eyed her brother warily. “Shouldn’t you be in school?”

  “Nah. Classes were cancelled because the campus is still closed.”

  “Of course.” Sighing, Travis turned his attention to Davey. “And I assume you won’t be joining me at the lab today, given that it’s half past eight and you’re still in yoga pants.”

  “You’re so much smarter when you’re sober,” she answered with a teasing smile.

  “Right.” Travis hunched his shoulders in obvious chagrin. “I owe you an apology too, Davey. My behavior was inexcusable.”

  Now it was her turn to be ashamed. Her behavior had been worse—much worse. Immediately thinking of Ethan’s naked body entangled with hers and how his cock had buried so deep inside of her, Davey shoved the memory aside and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry too, Travis.”

  “Forgiven,” he said and kissed her in a manner that evoked make-up sex was on the near horizon. Initially resting at the small of back, his hand slowly moved to cradle her ass until the unmistakable sound of ceramic being shattered into dozens of pieces rang out, surprising everyone. Jerking away from Travis, Davey turned in time to see the remnants of the coffee mug Ethan had been holding crumble to the floor. He hadn’t dropped it. He had crushed the mug in his bare hand.

  As Ethan stooped to begin clearing the mess, Davey rushed to help him. Their fingers inadvertently touched when they grasped for the same shard, and a smooth jolt of electricity sparked through her, nearly knocking Davey onto her butt. Gasping, she stood up and dumped the mug fragments into the trash. Then she took Travis’s hand and forcibly escorted him to the door.

  “Okay,” she said almost breathlessly. “So, Hogan and I are going to hang out here for a bit—spend the day together. I want to talk to him about what happened at the school and the nightmare he had last night. They could be connected, so I need to be sure he’s okay.”

  “Good idea.” Travis looked over her shoulder. “What about Agent Assho—Remington? How long does he plan on sticking around?”

  Davey gave a noncommittal shrug. “I really need to make some phone calls about my car, but Agent Remington eventually has to get a statement from me about yesterday. I saw that maniac and talked to him. Maybe I can help the ATF figure out motive.” Davey stopped there. She hated lying but also couldn’t rally the nerve to have the conversation that would break his heart. Plus, Travis needed to get to the lab, and there was a world of shit to be discussed with Ethan. She needed to speak with Travis at a time when she could give him her full attention for however long he needed to understand and accept the truth. She owed him that much. “To answer your question, I don’t know how long he’s staying,” she finally said. “There’s a lot to figure out.”

  He blew out a frustrated sigh. “Davey, I know you don’t want to tell me everything, but can we at least talk about this later? In twenty-four hours, it feels like everything has changed. It feels like I’m losing you. Just tell me what’s going on. I promise to be a grown-up. I won’t get jealous and fly off the handle, or anything like that. But I need to kno
w what’s happening here.”

  “We’ll talk later. I promise,” she said, and meant it.

  Once Travis had reluctantly exited, Davey called Hogan into the living room. It was time for full disclosure. Her brother was in danger and she needed to figure out exactly why. The only way to do that was if everyone sat down and had an open conversation. But as they headed toward the sofa, Ethan pulled her aside.

  “You have to tell Travis.”

  “I know. I will. Now just wasn’t the right time.”

  Ethan frowned. “Do it soon,” he said softly. “If he kisses you like that again, I might kill him.”

  “I don’t believe you would do that.”

  He shook his head slowly. “You don’t know everything about me.”

  “Oh Ethan.” The expression he wore was so haunted, Davey reached up and touched his face without thinking. As if pulled by gravity, their bodies drifted closer and soon her lips were once again wrapped within his. When the kiss ended, Davey was panting. She dropped her head against his chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him,” she whispered.

  Ethan clasped the back of her neck and held her against him, his thumb lightly stroking her skin. His voice rumbled through his chest as he uttered a soft agreement. “Okay.”

  On a unified front, they then went and sat with Hogan. Ethan showed little hesitation in sharing the tale of his death and incredible rebirth while Davey watched her brother’s eyes grow wider and wider with disbelief, denial, and then awe. She followed by revealing her role in keeping Ethan’s secret over the years and how her true mission at TruGreen Labs had always been to find Ethan.

  “Wow. That’s all amazing, and it’s great you two have found each other…but what does any of this have to do with me? Well, besides the fact that I had to spend the night in this house lying to your boyfriend about your long lost ex-boyfriend. Travis is totally going to lose his shit when he finds out.”