He somehow managed to nod. In that instant, as fast as it had come, the pain eased, becoming a muted throb in the back of his mind. He took a deep breath and shook off his brother's grip and struggled to his feet.
"What the hell was that all about?" Charles demanded, lean face pale.
"It appears Gabriel and Sam have formed a telepathic link of some kind," Stephan said. "What you just saw is him experiencing what has happened to her."
Though Stephan's voice was tightly controlled, Gabriel nevertheless felt his twin's anger. It was as if the link being forced with Sam had somehow unfettered the link with his brother. Neither of which he wanted.
He reached for his viaphone again and quickly dialed her home number. No answer. He tried her viaphone, and got the same result. "She's not answering."
"I'll arrange for a team to go and check her apartment." Stephan's phone beeped. He moved away slightly and answered it.
Jessie touched Gabriel's arm, catching his attention. "You can use the link to find her, you know."
He met his sister's compassionate gaze. Knew she could taste the worry in his mind. Jes had taken after their mother, and she was both an empath and a clairvoyant. "What do you mean?"
Her quick smile was sad, and in some ways, an echo of the almost bitter smile Stephan had given him last night. "I mean your connection with this woman must be strong if a link has been forged despite your determination to avoid all such bonds." She hesitated and tucked a wayward brown curl behind her ear. "If you open fully to the bond, you can use it to track her down."
Once opened, never closed. He didn't want that sort of closeness with anyone ever again. Death was bad enough in itself, but when you could feel it within every pore and fiber of your being...
"Andrea was a long time ago," she said softly.
A long time, yes. But forgotten, never. In the worst of his dreams he could still feel the bullet that had torn through her heart and shattered his world. Could still feel the hand of death as it reached for her soul.
Jessie touched his face gently, like a mother calming a frightened child. "Such fear was perhaps understandable when you were eighteen. But you are thirty-four, and you have hurt Stephan more than you can ever imagine."
He glanced at his twin. "I know. But blocking him out has become such habit that I'm not even aware of it anymore."
"Until this Sam of yours came along."
"She's not my Sam." Why did people keep calling her that? Shit, the truth was, they barely even knew each other. "She's my partner, and if I have my way, won't even be that for much longer."
Jes raised a dark eyebrow. "Are you denying your attraction?"
"When you can read the truth in my mind?" He smiled a little grimly. "I'm not that foolish. But it's an attraction I have no intention of following through. I don't want to lose another partner."
"Such things cannot always be controlled, Gabriel. As evidenced by this bond you're forming."
"If I can cut my twin from my thoughts, I can cut an unwanted connection with Sam, believe me."
Her smile became a little sad again. "You will end up a very lonely old man if you're not careful, Gabriel."
He briefly cupped her cheek with his palm. "How will I end up lonely when I have a sister who'll nag me senseless?"
"You're hopeless, little brother." She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on his cheek. "And soon you will learn to watch what you wish for."
Gabriel glanced up sharply. She met his gaze with a cryptic smile and stepped back as Stephan approached.
"That was headquarters." His face was grim. "Sam's apartment has just been bombed."
Jessie gasped softly. "Is she all right?"
"A question Gabriel can no doubt answer."
He ran a hand through his hair. "She's alive. She wasn't caught in the bombing, that much I know."
"Then you'd better figure out how to find her. She's probably our best shot of stopping this murderous bitch fast." Stephan glanced across the room. "Meantime, dad and I will search the State Police recruitment records and see if we can find anything suspicious."
He watched the two men leave the room and then looked at his sister. "How do I use the link to find her?"