Tempest - Kris Michaels Page 0,94

hair, high cheekbones and dark eyes slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. He was out of the chair and at the end of the bed in seconds. The man stood quietly just inside the door. His eyes snapped to and stayed on Pilar.

The stranger held up his hand and because he posed no immediate danger, or at least none he couldn't handle, he waited. Finally, the man jerked his eyes away from Pilar. In a very quiet voice he said, "I'm Mike White Cloud. My wife is Tatyana."

He relaxed immediately and released the air he had trapped in his lungs. He sent a cautious look back at the bed. Pilar's brow furrowed for a moment before it relaxed, and she sighed into a deeper sleep. He nodded to the adjoining door, and both men left the room.

"There is no way the DNA results are back already." He extended his hand. "Luke Wagner."

"A pleasure to meet a fellow Guardian." Mike shook his hand, the grasp strong, but not overpowering. "No, they aren't back. I couldn't let Taty go on another wild goose chase. We've searched all over the world for her sister, and each disappointment has taken something from her. She’s stopped looking. The pain of each successive disappointment was too much."

"Then why are you here?"

"Fury, Anubis, Asp, Lycos and Moriah. They swear the woman is Taty's double. Tatyana’s DNA is on file with Guardian. They are running the tests without her knowledge, by my request. I wanted to save her if your woman isn't who they believe she is."

"Having seen her, what do you think?"

"The resemblance is striking. Is she... what is the diagnosis?"

"Guarded, but she woke up last night. She remembered everything, which is a blessing and a curse."

Mike nodded. "Taty thinks we are here in New York for a break. If the results come back positive, I'd like to arrange for them to meet."

"Of course, we'll be here until Pilar is cleared to travel."

"I will let you get back to her. Please call me if you need anything." Mike handed him a card. "We'll be in New York as long as necessary." He extended his hand, and Luke shook it again. The big guy slipped from the room as quietly as he'd come. Luke eased back into Pilar's room and made it to her bedside before she opened her eyes.

"Hi."

To him her smile was brighter than the rise of the sun on the horizon this morning. "Hi back. How are you feeling?" He gently pushed her blonde curls away from her face. He'd memorized the bruising left by those bastards and avoided brushing the tender skin.

"Mmm... I feel like I've been hit by a bus."

"Well, fortunately for you, that didn't happen." Her doctor's voice at the door interrupted their moment. "Most people who get hit by things like buses don't fare as well as you did. Not to say you didn't cause us some worry, but the fact you're awake and talking to us is a good sign. A very good sign. I'm Doctor Anders. Guardian has retained me to make sure you receive the best possible care. Let's take a look at what's happening with you now, shall we?"

Luke stepped back and let the doctor examine Pilar. He spoke to his nurse and ordered another round of tests, as a precaution, and to ensure there was nothing they'd missed. "How is your pain on a scale of one to ten? One being next to nothing, ten being the worst pain you've ever experienced."

Pilar moved her head and winced. "Four when I don't move, six when I do."

"Can you tell me your full name?"

"Pilar Grantham."

"What is the last thing you remember before waking up here?"

"Being sick and then Luke helping me."

The doctor glanced at him. He nodded confirming what she remembered.

"Any nausea, problems focusing, auras around anything? Follow my finger, please. Don't move your head."

Pilar answered as she tracked the man's finger with her eyes. "No. Just a dull pounding, like I've got a hangover, but I'm not nauseous."

"Good. We can give you something to manage the soft tissue discomfort. I'll check in later today after the tests are done and see where we stand. All in all, I'm comfortable with the progress so far. We'll have some food sent up and see how you do." He tapped away at a laptop before he closed it and picked it up. "Any questions for me?"

"Can I make this bed sit up?"

"Certainly, however, sitting up is