Disclaimer—See Chapter One
A/N: I am officially using my new computer today! Yippy! It's been a major series of ups and downs this week, but I think I am finally all set now. Hopefully won't have to deal with any of that again for a few years! Thank you so much to MariShal, Fiery Feral, Rain, Melodie, Mayra, July, and Lucy for your comments and feedback, it helps so much! Lucy, this is mainly a B/S story, but J/L will reappear at the end for the final three chapters! And just wait July and Mayra, Shal's turn will come... So here we go, back to the island...!
Things More Beautiful—Chapter Seven
All along the outskirts of the building they gathered, murmuring crowds of Dominion agents, doctors, and scientists. Already, maintenance men were shaking themselves out of shocked stupor and were working on sweeping the massive pile of dead centipedes, stacking the bodies into huge piles. A few stacks had been lit, and the stench of thousands of burning insects sickened Shalimar. She looked around the group that had stayed in the pool all night with her. A few had been bitten, and were now being attended by doctors. She watched as they gritted their teeth, doubling over in great pain as they awaited treatment. Her hands shook as she finally released her death grip on Chester and set the small dog onto the edge of the pool. The frightened dog didn't move, but stayed glued to Shalimar's side. Shalimar groaned as she pulled herself out of the water, barely aware of anything around her as her body trembled, deep shakes that started within her bones and left her cold and quaking. A passing medic threw a blanket around her shoulders, and she sighed in relief, pulling Chester back into her arms and pulling her knees up against her chest, blanket wrapped securely around them both; waiting.
Several long minutes passed and her body settled into occasional, long shivers as warmth seeped back into her frame. Chester whined and licked her face, and she absentmindedly stroked the scruffy head, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.
She could smell him.
Her head shot up, eyes searching, and then she saw him. He was coming of the building, and walking back toward the pool. She stared at him. He looked unearthly. The rising sun turned his dark hair to coppery fire. He stood shirtless, vigorous and unyielding. The clean geometrical planes of his brow and cheekbones and jaw were carved in sharp relief in the light of the morning sun. He hardly showed any weariness at all. She bent over, putting her head down on her knees in stark relief. She struggled to her feet, fingers gripping into Chester as she watched Brennan come near. In the merciless glare of dawn, she saw an angry red lump on his side, giving him a matching set from the fierce burn on his other side.
"You got bitten!" She called out harshly.
Brennan looked down at his side and shrugged. "Didn't hurt. I was thinking of other things at the time." His shirt hung limply from one hand, waving forlornly as he gestured at the people around them.
"And I suppose you haven't even had it looked at yet?!" Her voice was high with indignation.
He grinned at her, and she could have cheerfully killed him. "You—you idiot!" She shouted, pushing her way through the crowd. "I need to get through! Move, Mr.—Mr.—Sir! Excuse me!" Like a charging lioness, she plowed her way through to his side.
They met breathlessly in the middle.
Brennan reached down, grabbed her around the waist, and hugged her, lifting her up into the air. She could feel Chester squirming as she was squashed against her chest. She clung to the dog with one arm, the other bracing herself on Brennan's shoulder.
"Brennan! Put me down!" She gasped, kicking futilely. "You're hurt!"
He held her up and looked into her face. "I'm just glad you're ok, Shal. I'm just really glad you're ok."
Shalimar surrendered and grew still, eyes luminous as she bent down and kissed him gently before pulling back and frowning down at him ferociously. "I'm ok, Brennan. Now put me down so we can get you looked at!"
He set her down but kept his hands at her waist. Chester gave a whine of displeasure, shaking her head out as she once again could breathe.
"I didn't let go of her." Shalimar smiled as his eyes landed on the dog.
"I knew you wouldn't." Brennan smiled back down at her, scratching the dog's head for a moment, never taking his eyes off Shalimar's face.
"Where were you?" She spoke quietly, turning around as they walked toward one of the temporary medic stations.
"I was looking for Luka." He frowned grimly. "Last I saw him, he was still in his lab, refusing to leave his precious experiment. The last time I went back there, he was gone."
Her face turned sharply up at him. "Do you think Riley got him?" She had briefly told him about her conversation with Luka before they had gone to bed the night before.
"I don't know." Brennan shook his head. "And to tell you the truth, I normally wouldn't give a damn. It's just—"
"He may be our only chance for stabilization."
"Exactly." Brennan sighed as he sank down in the seat indicated to him by one of the doctors, wincing as the doctor clucked his tongue at him and immediately plunged a shot of antibiotics into his arm.
After enduring their examinations, Brennan and Shalimar headed back into the office, side-stepping the dead monstrosities still littering the ground. Scores of people were slowly also making their way back inside, hardly daring to believe the plague was over and the centipedes were truly gone.
"Do they know what caused this?" Brennan's voice seemed loud in the quietness of the hallway.
Shalimar shook her head. "One of the scientists in the pool with me was telling us that it was somehow tied to the earthquakes, but I don't know—" Her voice trailed away.
"I think the sooner we get off this island, the better." Brennan finished the thought for her, reaching down and grasping her fingers with his own. His other hand held Chester securely under his arm. He didn't want the little dog to step on any of the centipedes, even if they were dead. He didn't know if they were still harmful and some were almost as big as she was; one string could kill her.
They wound themselves through multiple hallways, deep into the heart of the Dominion building. Shalimar felt the familiar wave of fear and dread, halting mid-step as simultaneously, building alarms began to ring.
It was a fire call.
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she sniffed. The smoke wasn't heavy and there was no sign of flames, but it was definitely not a false alarm.
"Brennan?" Her voice came out in a whimper.
He set down the dog, grasping her by her upper arms. "Shalimar, stay with me!" He commanded harshly, eyes boring into hers.
She clung to the warmth of his gaze, taking deep breaths, fighting the overwhelming fear building within. "I'm ok, I'm ok."
"Good." His hands cupped her cheeks firmly. "Now I need you to take Chester and get the hell out of here."
Her eyes had drifted over his shoulder to a wisp of smoke, but latched back onto his as he spoke. "No!"
"Shalimar, listen to me." He spoke quickly, urgently. "There's no time to argue. I have to find Luka."
"No."
"Shalimar."
"No!" This time her voice cracked, and his heart broke, pulling her into his arms as her face crumbled.
"Baby, please." His own voice wavered as he felt her hands raking across his back. His throat tightened in fear as he saw smoke hovering around the ceiling.
"No, no, no." She continued her litany, face buried in his chest, sobs ripping from her slender body.
He tried to pull back, but she clung to him, and he winced as nails dug painfully into his flesh. His eyes desperately looked around them as more and more smoke lingered in the hallway, covering the ceiling and surrounding the hall lights, creating an impression of a fog coming down. It was getting warm and edging towards hot, but still no flames were visible. The alarms blared on.
"Shalimar!" His voice turned stern, forcibly wrenching her away and holding her at arm's length. "I need you to try and focus for me."
"No!" The feral came out, eyes glowing, and she suddenly snarled at him, screaming in frustration as he refused to release his hold, fighting him.
He could hear the fire.
"Shalimar, stop it!" His hand flew out and lightly slapped her. They both froze, and then her eyes slated back to their familiar brown as she stared at him in shock.
He sucked in a deep breath, face white as his hands fell limply to his sides. "Go, Shal." He whispered brokenly.
"I—I can't."
His eyes swung back to hers, stunned to see lucidity back in her gaze.
"I won't leave you." Her body visibly shuddered.
He groaned, pulling her back into his arms. "I'm sorry."
"I'm—I'm ok." Her voice seemed suddenly loud as the alarms abruptly cut.
They stared at each other.
"Let's go." She entreated, face pinched and white.
He nodded, hand closing firmly around hers. They reached the turn in the hallway into the east wing of the building. The fourth door on the right had small wisps of smoke coming from under it, burning their eyes.
"Of course." Brennan cursed under his breath. "Our luck, it would be coming from his lab." He could feel Shalimar trembling again as she pressed her body into his back. He squeezed her fingers in reassurance, glancing behind him to make sure her eyes were still clear. She nodded tightly, and Brennan pressed his hand against the door, testing for heat before tentatively closing his fingers around the doorknob and trying to turn it. The door was locked.
"Stand back, Shalimar."
She quivered, forcing numb fingers to release their grip on Brennan and taking a step back, almost stepping on Chester as the little dog huddled under her feet. She bent over and grasped the dog, pressing her nose into her fur and biting her lip, stifling the urge to scream.
Brennan kicked the door open and more smoke billowed out. It was hard to tell if it was coming from a ceiling or a floor fire, the smoke simply hovered. He stumbled forward as Shalimar again latched herself onto him, and he moved her with him into the lab. He felt incredible heat the deeper inside they went; smoke was so thick the light could no longer pierce it. He coughed as it began to fill his lungs, eyes watering.
"Brennan." Shalimar tugged on his arm, and his heart stopped when he saw her eyes again glowing.
"What?" It took him a moment to realize she was sensing something.
"Something's wrong. There's someone here." She pointed through the smoke to the floor a few feet in front of them.
They moved towards the body. An adult male. Together, they turned him over.
"Luka." Brennan was shocked to see the doctor. He had been expecting smoke inhalation, but not the blood staining the man's chest. What had been a dark blue shirt was now a huge stain.
"We're too late." Shalimar whimpered. "We came in here for nothing."
"No, Shalimar." Brennan kept his tone calm. "Maybe we can still save his work." He rose, glancing helplessly around the smoke-filled lab as he was again overtaken with a fit of coughing. He heard Shalimar choke back a scream, and he whirled around, prepared to fight with her again, halting as he saw her staring at the back wall, fist shoved into her mouth. Her free hand trembled as it pointed to the back wall. His eyes followed the line of her finger, and he swore under his breath.
There was a mural on the laboratory wall. A mural of flames. Big, bold, red flames. It shocked him.
Shalimar backed up, pressing her back into his chest, and he locked his hand onto her shoulder.
The word atop the mural of fire was huge. Burn.
Fear rippled through Brennan's muscles from his toes up to his back. Riley.
The huge word flickered.
The paint peeled back.
He shoved Shalimar back toward the open doorway. "Get out!"
The wall exploded toward them.