She turned around, her large blue eyes wide. “You’re back.”
“How long was I gone?”
“Ten, fifteen minutes. Don’t worry; I shielded you.”
He nodded. “I know.” He glanced at the shotgun she held in her hands.
She drew close and laid her hand on his left arm. She searched his eyes. “A vision?”
As though his brain still worked to catch up, words didn’t come right away. He inclined his head as portions of the vision replayed through his mind. He folded his sword to his weapons locker and slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She sent the shotgun away at the same time.
Everything was changing, including his relationship with Rachel, whether he could handle it or not. He felt her sigh as she slid both arms around his waist and hugged him. “You’re back.”
“I am.”
“Something has changed, though, hasn’t it?” she asked.
“Yes. I’m not going to pull away from you this time, but I’ll need your help. Something inside me is tearing me apart and I don’t know how to fix it.”
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do, Duncan. You’re worth the effort, do you understand?”
He nodded, knowing she’d touched the heart of the issue. “I love you,” he whispered.
She lay her head against his shoulder and sighed once more. “Are you okay?”
“I am.”
“Can you tell me what you saw?”
With his arms holding her tight he shared the vision, beginning to end.
~
As Duncan spoke, Rachel could feel his heart beating and the sound mesmerized her. His whole body was warm, no doubt from the energy flowing through him which had produced the glow. She wanted to stay with her arms around him forever, just like this, skin-to-skin, resting against him, hearing the steady beat of his heart.
He spoke of a prison, of Third Earth What-Bees and Militia Warriors aligned with Yolanthe, and of a veiled woman desperate to get out of her cell. He also believed the vision had led him to Yolanthe’s prison because of Rapture’s Edge.
As his description ended, he made no move to let her go so she stayed and held him. Suddenly, the vision began to roll through her mind as well. I’m seeing the vision, Duncan.
You are?
Yes. As the vision played through, she described it to him telepathically, moment by moment, including the numbered sequence at the portal. He was astonished by her descriptions.
That was amazing, she sent, as the veiled woman disappeared from sight. Aloud, she said, “And I can feel her connection to Rapture’s Edge. We’re meant to rescue her, aren’t we?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what we’re supposed to do.”
She drew away from him slightly. “How?”
At that, he smiled and seemed more like himself. “I have no idea.”
“Then we’d better get the team together.”
As he moved away from her, his gaze drifted down her body and his lids fell low.
She nodded, licking her lips. If he offered to take her to bed right now, she wouldn’t say no despite the need to get going.
“Your scent,” he whispered, drawing close once more and kissing the top of her head.