Lightning Game (GhostWalkers #17) -Christine Feehan Page 0,157

the veins and arteries, give both men ones that would actually work. It was a time-consuming and dangerous surgery. Extremely meticulous. Sorting out what amounted to what carried the life’s stream of blood and oxygen supply throughout the human body and making certain it was the correct size and shape for every major organ was a nightmare.

We have to go very slow and take our time. You have to take breaks, Jonquille, when you need them. Self-care is just as important as patient care in this instance, or we won’t survive.

He remained steady and calm, moving through Milo’s body with complete care and confidence so that Jonquille could follow his every action doing the same for Leon. She had to learn control of her ability along with the actual surgical skills. He took great pride in her for following the map he laid out for her, but also for listening to Joe’s quiet instructions when it came to pulling back her heat as she sealed connections with white-hot energy. Joe was very experienced in psychic healing. He might not be a psychic surgeon, but he was extremely good at healing most wounds or illnesses. Rubin knew his experience would help to steady Jonquille.

This type of surgery wasn’t the same as trauma surgery. There wasn’t an exchange so much as an actual surgery. It was just time-consuming because one had to use the mind to move everything inside the body. It was extremely difficult and took an amazing amount of energy, draining the body and mind until one felt as if they couldn’t move or even think.

Time passed and Jonquille staggered. Joe caught her and lowered her into the chair they’d provided, quickly pushing water at her and wiping her face. Rubin sank into the chair behind him. They needed to continue. They had to take a break after hours of work, but they were both exhausted.

“We need some way to get energy fast, Diego,” Rubin said. “If Jonquille could absorb it, she could feed it to me. We’ve got several more hours of work to do.”

“That’s what you need, Rubin?” Ezekiel asked.

Rubin sighed. “A lot of it. She’s like a magnet. She can absorb it, but everyone here is so low-level …”

“I can give her whatever she needs,” he said. “The others need to go to the other side of the room for a few minutes though, just leave us.” He waved them away.

Joe, their team leader, stood looking at Ezekiel for a moment, shook his head and then followed the others across the room.

Ezekiel crouched down beside Jonquille’s chair. Bellisia took her hand. “You really can absorb energy, Jonquille?” Ezekiel asked quietly.

She nodded but kept her eyes closed.

“It’s going to be dark and powerful.”

She gave him a faint smile. “Best kind.”

Around them the air crackled, began to heat. Power amassed in Ezekiel and poured off him in waves. They could see sparks snapping all around Jonquille, as the dark energy streamed straight to her and was swallowed up immediately until her body was glowing. Humming. Static electricity made her hair stand out. Little dots of light snapped and crackled, leaping from Jonquille to Rubin.

Ezekiel sank all the way to the floor and pulled Bellisia onto his lap. “That’s the first time anyone’s ever taken energy like that. It’s never happened before. I didn’t think it could happen.”

“There was no way for anyone to see what happened,” Bellisia answered. “It was gone too fast. I think your secret’s safe.” She looked to the couple. “Right? His secret is safe?”

“It goes without saying, Bellisia,” Rubin said quietly. “Thanks, Zeke,” he added. “Jonquille? We’ve got to get back to work.”

It took several more hours of complicated surgery, and blood from Bellisia, before Rubin and Jonquille were able to turn the rest of the process over to Joe and Wyatt so they could once again collapse. This time, neither one bothered to try to open their eyes, even for the boat ride home.

19

Colonel Joseph Spagnola to see Oliver Chandler. I will also need to see Major Sidney Kingsley immediately. Have him meet me now and walk with me to Chandler’s office.” Joe spoke with complete authority. On either side of him were Ezekiel and Gino, both in full uniform. Flanking them, in rows, came Draden, Mordichai and Wyatt, and then Trap, Malichai, Diego and Rubin, also in full uniform. All officers. All were armed and all were grim-faced.

The guard at the gate blanched. “Yes, sir. I’ll call the major now. I didn’t know