the crowds, he fought to hold on to the threads of his sanity, to his control, but as rage spiraled tighter, spun even higher, it became harder and harder.
Pain snaked in, grabbed him by the throat. His shields shuddered more, and in his mind’s eye, he could see hairline cracks forming in those solid, stone walls.
Bad. This was bad.
He was almost shaking from the cold now, and the howl of the ghosts was more like a banshee’s wail than anything.
Finally, he broke free of the people.
Finally, he was alone.
He went to the ground, one hand fisting in the grass as he slammed up another stone wall in his mind. Stone. Encased in ice. He had to take a page out of Whitmore’s book, it seemed, and ice it down a few notches. Ice it down, Crawford . . . ice it down.
The voices receded bit by bit as he built up the stone wall in his mind.
But still, the pain that gripped his chest, all but threatening to rip his heart out, that . . . that remained.
Just fucking had it ripped out—
The stone wall cracked.
“Not now . . . not now.” His fingers sank into the dirt and he squeezed his eyes shut. Stone. By stone. Ice encasing each one.
The pain didn’t recede, but the voices eventually did. They faded to a dull murmur by the time he had the wall halfway built. It glittered in his mind’s eye like a cobbled road slicked with black ice.
But the louder voices remained.
Help me . . . help me . . .
The cold, shivery trail of a ghost’s touch along his spine. He could see her shimmering just ahead of him, too. Almost fully formed, her eyes locked on his but barely aware. “I can’t help you yet,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t.”
Help me . . . please help . . .
As he continued to build the wall in his mind, she faded away, still sobbing, begging for help.
He’s one of them . . .
The whispers faded as he sank the last stone in place, and finally, he was alone in the peace of his own mind.
No ghosts.
No whispers.
Just the ache of a broken heart that somehow managed to keep beating inside his chest.
“How the fuck did this happen?”
* * *
“THIS isn’t happening.”
She’d kicked off the ridiculous four-inch heels she’d been wearing with her equally ridiculous dress as she suffered through that dull party, waiting, just waiting for the moment. It would happen, she knew it. Something would happen.
And then something did.
“This isn’t happening . . .”
Her skin continued to prickle and burn, alternating between hot and cold chills. Her chest ached like somebody had ripped her open and carved her heart out using a rusty old shovel.
And still, all of that adrenaline crashed through her.
It wasn’t over him, though.
Not him . . .
Traitor.
She wanted to scream it at him, at this man she didn’t know, and how utterly absurd was that? She didn’t know him. He didn’t know her. He didn’t owe her anything, yet it felt like he’d betrayed her.
Doesn’t betraying mankind and decency and humanity count?
Except she dealt with people who did that sort of thing all the time, and none of it felt like this. Like a raw, personal betrayal.
“Oh, God . . .” Dru sank to the edge of the bed, one hand pressed to her belly, the other covering her mouth and trying to hold back the sob. This wasn’t happening. Couldn’t be.
There was a knock.
She barely managed to wipe the emotions off her face before the door opened.
“Ella.”
Patrick stood there. But he wasn’t alone.
Rising, she automatically smoothed a hand down her dress. “Patrick . . .”
“Darling.” He came over. “You should be resting.”
“I know. I was going to change, but I . . . well.” At least, she didn’t have to fake feeling a bit off her stride. “I haven’t quite worked up the energy just yet to get ready for bed.”
He gestured. “This is a friend of mine, Dr. Lewis Badger. He offered to take a look at you.”
Inwardly, Dru wanted to scream. Outwardly, she managed an embarrassed smile. “Oh, that’s hardly necessary, is it? I just need to rest, I’m sure.”
“He’ll look at you nonetheless.”
Judging by the look in his eyes, Dru knew there was no point in arguing. She gave the doctor a weak smile. “Shall I change?”
“No, you’re fine.” As Patrick moved past them, the doctor’s eyes rested briefly on her breasts. She managed barely to resist a