Disclaimer—See Chapter One
A/N: For those that asked (Thank you, Rain and Blue Koi!!), I am actually working on a sequel right now to this story. I've got two chapters written so far, so even though there are only two more chapters left in this story, it will not be a complete end! (Just a different plot and different bad guys!) And Lady Elizabeth and Catjerica--I promise this will be the last cliffhanger for the story! :) Thank you all so much for your feedback and comments, I appreciate it so much!!
Things Best Known—Chapter Fifteen
Shalimar faltered on the steps, on the verge of moving toward Brennan, her heart in her eyes. The warm, dusty breeze from the open doorway behind her ruffled her hair, and he noticed her movement. Their gaze met and locked. She saw a quick flash of brilliance in his brown eyes, but it turned to visible pain. She winced, feeling the strong grip of Steven on her arm. He drew her beside him, and there was possessiveness in the action. She knew it was deliberate, to hurt Brennan. He was moving her forward across the room and toward the back where Brennan was chained. Knowing what he intended, she tried to break free, but his hold was too strong, his fingers digging in and bruising her skin.
"So you wish one last lingering gaze, do you?" Steven hissed in a low voice. "You shall have it."
He forced her to a stop in front of Brennan, who made a move as if to help her. Steven backhanded him.
"Stay still! She wishes to say something to you," came his cold voice. "There is no understanding a woman's heart. Despite your betrayal with Allie and your murderous ways, she still holds love for you." He laughed contemptfully.
There was no sign of despair or defeat in Brennan. Nothing in his strong build beneath the torn, blood-stained clothes offered satisfaction to his gloating captor. A faint smile touched his lips at Steven's words.
Steven watched him, eyes flaring at the sight. He again punched Brennan, who doubled over, chains clinking as they moved against the floor.
Shalimar bit her lip and turned her head away, holding back a sob that tore at her heart. He was here because of her.
"Look at him!" Steven blustered. "You wanted to see him, look at him!" He took her chin and jerked it upward, whirling her face toward Brennan as he struggled back to his feet. "The man your foolish heart yearns for! Look well! Because I will make him suffer for what he did to Allie. A most lamentable fate, my dear."
Shalimar growled, yanking her chin from his grasp, eyes glowering golden and angry. He laughed again.
"You are a coward," Brennan gritted, spitting blood out of his mouth. "You want to boast, then release us and face us without your mind tricks."
Steven's white teeth showed brilliant in his tanned face. His strong hand came up and rubbed his chin musingly. "A most intriguing thought. But alas, I have something else in mind. And before the night is over, I will have what I want." His fingers dug further into Shalimar's flesh until she winced.
Brennan made a slight move toward him, but the chains stopped him fast. Steven simply turned his back and strode away, leaving Shalimar standing there, as though he did not fear their moment together, as though in the end he was in full control and would do as he wished.
Brennan looked down at her, his dark hair tousled and his handsome features showing bruising. Her heart constricted, and her cool hand touched the cut on his lip. His sultry eyes darkened as they swept over her.
"Are you ok?"
Despite the situation, she smiled, shaking her head. "I should be asking you that." Her fingers brushed across his bruised face, soothing him. "Brennan, what happened? Where's Jesse?" She spoke softly, hurriedly, unsure where Steven was or when he would return.
He leaned his head into her touch. "Jesse left in the helix to get Lexa. I was following you, and then suddenly I was here."
For a moment her breath stopped. Not again. He controlled them like puppets. "He's too strong for us."
"No, Shal." He clumsily took hold of her hand, his grip warm and strong. "We can't give up. The others are coming; we just have to hang in there."
She stared up at him. "You still believe that?"
He nodded silently, watching her evenly. She could not bear the warmth in his gaze, and lowered her eyes again, staring at the chains on his wrist. She touched them, and they clinked, a sound of certainty, of doom. "I don't know anymore, Brennan. He—he's so much stronger than me. I don't understand it." Her eyes hinted defeat, but there was anger in their depths as well.
The muscle in his square jaw flexed as he looked down at her. "I don't think so, Shal." His hands tightened on hers. "I've been thinking about this. He's a psionic, right? I think a lot of his strength comes from his mind. He makes us believe he's stronger."
She hissed in a breath, nodding in sudden understanding. "Mind over matter." Her eyes hardened into stone. "Well not anymore."
"No, Shal." His voice was anxious, "That's just one small piece of his power. You have to be careful; we don't know what all he's capable of."
She frowned, sighing in agreement.
His strained a hand against the chain binding it and touched her cheek softly with his fingers, then her lips. "Has he hurt you?"
Her eyes softened at his fear for her, and she swallowed, heart surging with pain and frustration over their situation. "No."
He leaned over and sought her lips. She took hold of him and kissed him as if she would never let him go.
"I love you," He breathed against her lips. "No matter what happens, don't forget that."
She sniffed, nodding and pulling him closer. "I love you too." She pressed a frenzied kiss against his swollen lips, fingers raking across his back. "We'll find a way out of here, we have to." She pulled back slightly, meeting his eyes. "I just found you, I won't lose you now."
He groaned and met her seeking lips, frantic.
"How touching." Steven's voice mocked them from the darkness of the room. "Unfortunately, it will not happen again."
She whirled around, searching for him, feeling the angry tension harden the muscles in Brennan's body. She quickly stepped forward and walked towards Steven, hoping to draw him away from Brennan.
He laughed, reading her intentions. "Nice try, my dear. But his fate is set, as is yours." He pulled out a knife from his pocket, stroking it with his fingers. "Playtime is over."
"No!" Brennan yelled as Steven advanced towards Shalimar. His wrists arched against the chain cuffs, struggling to form a tesla coil. Small lightening streaks danced on his straining fingers, and he shot them forward. Steven whipped around, pulling Shalimar in front of him.
"Shalimar!" Brennan screamed as blue streaks pounded into her back. She gasped, shuddering as her body jerked and spasmed from the jolt.
"Enough!" Steven curled an arm around Shalimar's neck. "See what you've done?" His hand caressed her trembling back, "I won't have you damaging this skin. I want her preserved in perfect condition."
Shalimar's nostrils flared as he pressed the blade of the knife against her jugular, jerking her head back. Her legs shook beneath her, limbs tingling from the lightening shock as she struggled to maintain consciousness. She was lucky that was all Brennan had been able to form with his hands chained the way they were. She faintly heard him screaming her name as Steven outlined her neck with the curved tip of the knife. He pressed his nose into her hair, smelling her.
"I knew from the moment I saw you, I had to have you." He pressed the blade slightly deeper, drawing it up her cheek, breath hissing in arousal as bright red blood beaded along the line of the blade. "Such an exquisite specimen." He panted into her ear, forcing her body back against his own. The knife tip stopped just short of her eye. Her lids dropped shut, and her stomach clenched in fear as her lashes brushed against steel. He chuckled lowly, eyes fluttering and glowing white, slowly connecting with her mind against her will. She stiffened, and then hissed in a sharp, painful breath as he suddenly disconnected.
"You stupid fool!" He seethed in anger, shoving her away from him. She stumbled forward, striking her head on a table and landing hard on her hip. She screamed, and her body curled in upon itself as he hurled the knife at her and it struck, impaling her hand to the ground.
"And you!" He whirled around towards Brennan who was throwing his body forward against the chains, roaring in anger. "You thought you could actually win against me? You thought you could bring my enemies here? With a wave of my hand, I can make this house disappear from their sight!" He laughed in disdain, raising his hand into the air and slowing closing his fingers into a deliberate fist. As he did so, Brennan's face gradually began to turn red, and his eyes bugged out as he gasped and wheezed for air. "I can crush you with a mere thought!"
Shalimar's fingers curled spasmodically as she pulled the knife out with her free hand. She choked back an agonized cry and pitched the knife towards Steven's back, chest heaving in defeat as he turned his body sideways with a derisive snort, raising his other hand and stopping the knife in midair. It crashed to the ground with a sharp clatter and it was silent, save for Brennan's desperate gasps for air.
"Now," Steven spoke conversationally, bringing his hands together in front of him and releasing his hold on Brennan, who lolled heavily against the chains. "Let's try that again, shall we?"