The Gathering (DR) Read online

  "In a gilded cage," I said, waving at the house.

  Dr. Inglis stepped forward. "No, Maya. This is just temporary. Do you remember what I said about finding you another Salmon Creek? We have. That's where you'll live until you go away to college. After that, you'd be free to live on your own, as any other young person would."

  Nast leaned forward. "Except you won't be living in a dingy one-room apartment in a questionable part of town. You would get a condo your average college grad can't afford unless she comes from a very wealthy family." He smiled. "Which, in a way, you do."

  "What if I just want to come from the family I have now? My parents?"

  Silence.

  I turned to Dr. Inglis. "You said you're setting up Salmon Creek Two. I assume it'll be just like the first, right?"

  "As close as we can get."

  "So my parents will be there?"

  She looked momentarily stricken, as if she'd thought they'd come close to selling me the deal, and the decision now rested on a response she couldn't give. I knew she couldn't give it. But I sat there, looking expectant.

  "Your father will be there," Nast said.

  I gave him a look that said I wasn't dignifying that with a response. Then I turned back to Dr. Inglis.

  "My parents will know soon, right? They'll come live with me. Just like before?"

  "I . . ."

  "You remember my parents?" I said. "You've known them for eleven years. You've been to our house. You've gone to lunch with my mom."

  "Your adoptive parents can't join you, Maya," Nast said.

  I kept my gaze on Dr. Inglis. "I saw you at the memorial service. And you saw them, right? My parents? They seemed okay with me being dead, didn't they?"

  She looked away fast.

  "This is for the best," Nast said. "Perhaps, if you kids hadn't run like that, we could have avoided the ruse of your deaths."

  "Like hell!" I said, wheeling on him. "When we crashed, we were being kidnapped. Of course we ran. You never intended to return us to our parents. The crash just gave you a really good, really permanent way to do that."

  "Permanent," he said, drawing the word out. "Yes, it is permanent, Maya, because there's no way we can reverse it without endangering the project. Your parents are human. They know nothing of the experiment or of supernaturals in general. If they found out, they would go to the authorities, which would be catastrophic. Catastrophic for us if the authorities believed them, but more so for your parents, when they didn't. And that's presuming they don't reject you outright. A girl who can change into a mountain lion?" He shook his head. "You're not theirs. Not really. For once, I suspect they'd be glad of it."

  "My parents would never--"

  "Of course they wouldn't," Dr. Inglis cut in. "They will mourn you. Deeply mourn you. But, after a time, they will move on. In fact, we're pulling in the full medical resources of both the Nast and St. Cloud corporations. When your mother is ready, we're going to offer to help her conceive."

  "Help her . . . ?"

  "Many advances have been made in the years since they adopted you. We firmly believe that, with the right treatments, your parents could have a child of their own."

  "Wow," I said. "That's like . . . it's like losing your dog-pound mutt and getting a purebred puppy in its place. They're so lucky."

  My hands started to pulse. I looked down at them, certain I was imagining things. But I wasn't. The skin had begun to ripple.

  Why was I shifting? It only seemed to happen when I got stressed. Sure, I wasn't happy with this conversation, but they'd said nothing I didn't expect. I was annoyed and frustrated, but my heart was chugging along at a normal--

  Almost as soon as I thought that, it sped up so fast I had to gasp for breath. What was happening to me?

  "Maya?" Dr. Inglis said.

  I turned to her and when I saw her face, rage filled me. Blind rage, like in my room, with Nast. But I wasn't enraged with her. I was annoyed and frustrated and hurt. Yet as that untethered rage shot through me, it brought a wave of memories, of all the times I'd trusted her, all the times my parents had trusted her. As if my brain was finding reasons for the anger.

  I gripped the arms of the chair and closed my eyes.

  "Maya?"

  Dr. Inglis touched my shoulder and I had to clench the chair harder to keep from smacking her hand away.

  "She's shifting," Nast murmured as if I couldn't hear.

  No, as if I don't matter. As if I'm nothing more than--

  The rage surged and I clamped down as hard as I could.

  "Maya?" Dr. Inglis said. "Can you tell us what you're feeling? What you're thinking?"

  I'm thinking of launching out of this chair and taking you down. I'm thinking of putting my hands around your throat--

  I jerked forward, a whimper escaping.

  What the hell was happening to me? It was like I was outside myself, watching a stranger--

  Annie's words came back. It was like watching myself. No, watching someone who looked like me and felt a bit like me, but wasn't, not really.

  No. I wasn't reverting. I was stressed out, and they were making it worse by telling me to forget my parents. They'll certainly forget you . . . after we give them a real daughter.

  My arms started to throb.

  Don't think about that. Think about anything except your parents and Ash and Daniel . . . Daniel out there, injured, maybe even--

  Do not think about that!

  I took a deep breath and struggled to think of something innocent and meaningless. Think back to what I'd been doing before all this happened. Back in Salmon Creek before everything started with Rafe and Mina Lee.

  Biology. I'd had a midterm coming up and I'd really wanted to ace it. I was always in competition with Brendan in bio and we'd laid a wager on who would do better this time. Winner got lunch at the Blender, which meant I needed to win, because Brendan could really pack away--

  "Maya?" Dr. Inglis shook my shoulder.

  Damn it, no. Leave me--

  "She's stopped it," Dr. Inglis said.

  I opened my eyes and saw her staring at me. When I looked down at my hands, they'd gone back to normal. The rage had evaporated.

  Dr. Inglis bent in front of me. "That was excellent, Maya. Can you tell me how you reversed the process?"

  Nast brushed her aside. "That's not important. Tell us what happened, Maya. You got angry, didn't you? I could see it."

  I looked at him, then turned to Dr. Inglis. "I'd like to leave now."

  "You'll leave when--" Nast began.

  "Yes, I think that's a good idea," said a voice behind us.

  I turned to see Antone in the doorway, his hand still on the knob, his breath coming fast, like he'd been running. Moreno stood behind him.

  Nast rose. "If you want to watch this discussion, Calvin, the video feed is active."

  "I've been watching." He walked in. "Under the terms of our agreement, sir, I am allowed to veto any treatment of my daughter. I'm going to ask that you allow me to cut this interview short. It's been too much for her and the strain is clearly showing."

  "That isn't strain," Nast said. "She's reverting. You know it and I know it, and coddling the girl isn't going to change that."

  As they argued, Dr. Inglis tried to reassure Antone, verbally tripping over herself. Behind him, Moreno rolled his eyes and shot a smirk my way, as if we were sharing some secret.

  Finally, Nast agreed they were done with the interview anyway, so Antone could take me. He led me out as Moreno stayed behind to talk to Nast.

  "You started to shift, didn't you?" Antone whispered as we walked down the hall.

  I considered ignoring him, but that seemed petty. Not just petty but unwise. What's that saying about the fire and the frying pan? Antone was my frying pan. It wasn't a comfortable place to be, but it was safe, at least compared to the fire.

  "I did."

  "I know what they were saying wasn't easy to hear, but you didn't seem that angry."

&nb
sp; "I wasn't. Not until . . ."

  "Until what? Did they say something to trigger it?"

  "I . . . I don't think so. I was okay. And then . . . and then I wasn't. I don't know how to explain--"

  "Calvin!"

  Pumps clicked on the hardwood as Dr. Inglis jogged toward us. Antone looked back, then turned away and kept walking.

  "Calvin, please."

  He slowed until she caught up.

  "I'm so sorry about--" she began.

  He stopped so abruptly she fell back. "You were supposed to be in there for me. In my stead. Watching out for my daughter's interests."

  "I--"

  "I trusted you, Maggie, and when things went wrong, you were right in there, pushing Maya as hard as he was."

  Her mouth opened and closed, and she stared up at him with . . . Oh God. I recognized that look. Any teenage girl did.

  Dr. Inglis had a crush on my biological father. A serious, starry-eyed, "OMG, I'd do anything for you" kind of crush.

  Ick.

  I suppose I shouldn't say that. I'm not the kind of kid who freaks out when I catch my parents kissing. I don't think romance is reserved for those under the age of twenty. And yet, seeing Dr. Inglis making goo-goo eyes at Antone just seemed creepy. She was an attractive, smart, accomplished woman. She shouldn't be simpering over any man.

  I suspect it didn't seem as creepy to Antone. But he didn't exactly return her moonstruck gaze. Just stood there, looking pissed.

  "I'm sorry, Calvin. I thought I was helping. It won't happen again."

  He hesitated, as if considering. "Have you gotten the results of Maya's physical yet?"

  "No, but I'll do that right away."

  He didn't exactly smile, but his face relaxed and she breathed an audible sigh of relief. I looked at him. You're using her. You know how she feels and you're using her. And . . . and I don't care. Part of me feels bad for her, but mostly, I'm beyond that. Whatever works. Whatever helps.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  DR. INGLIS LEFT AND Antone led me to my room. He didn't say a word until the door was closed. I walked to the bed and sat. Kenjii hopped up and laid down with her head on my lap.

  "So they told you the grand plan," Antone said.

  "Yep. I get a brand-new life. Everything I could ever want . . . except my parents, but that's okay, because they'll get a new puppy--I mean, baby."

  He sat beside me on the bed. "If you think that means the Delaneys will forget you, they won't."

  "You really think I'm worried about that?" I shook my head. "I'm not pissed off at being replaced. I'm pissed off at the basic lack of respect for my parents. They lost a daughter? Let's give them a new one. A real one. Then everyone will be happy."

  "Except you."

  "Oh, I'm sure I'll be happy. I get a new puppy, too. A brand-new daddy. Lucky me."

  He flinched at my sarcasm, and I reminded myself that I couldn't do this anymore. I didn't have to suck up to him--I couldn't--but nor could I afford to antagonize him.

  "This isn't what I wanted either, Maya," he said after a moment.

  "What did you want?"

  He took a moment before answering. "Contact. That's all I've wanted for years, since you got too old to be taken from the Delaneys. I just wanted to be part of your life. I won't make excuses. I allowed the Nasts to commandeer that rescue helicopter. They promised it would be temporary. They'd tell you kids what you were and, they hoped, woo you from the St. Clouds."

  "Like head-hunting new employees? Seriously?"

  "That's what you are to them, Maya. Very valuable future employees. The Cabals . . . I can't get into it now, but this isn't unusual, fighting for rare supernatural types. The Nasts would have laid out the situation. Positioned themselves, not as the people who kidnapped you, but as the people who were honest with you. Told you the truth. Let you make your own choices."

  "And let me go back to my parents?"

  "Yes. I know you don't believe that, but I'm really not the enemy here, Maya. I'm the guy trying to make the best of a lousy situation. An impossible situation." He looked at me. "You understand that, don't you? The situation. You can't escape it. There's no place to go. You need the Cabals."

  "Good."

  He hesitated. Then said, slowly, "Good?"

  "Yes, good, because that means we can negotiate."

  "Negotiate?"

  I paused. Daniel and I had discussed this, but only briefly. Negotiate with our captors? We'd rather fight and we'd win.

  Win what? Our freedom? No, because even if we got our friends and our families back, we were still held prisoner by our conditions. Corey's headaches would get worse, Annie would stop progressing, and I'd continue regressing.

  I took a deep breath. "They want happy little future employees? Let's back up a step. Back to what they planned before the crash. They can pitch us their packages. We'll make our own decisions, including the decision to be reunited with our parents."

  He went quiet. Very quiet. When he tried to speak, his breath hitched and he had to take another moment. Then he looked me in the eyes. "That's a very mature solution, Maya. Remarkably mature, and you have no idea how proud I am of you right now, for even thinking of it."

  "So we can, right?" I knew the answer. I'd seen it in his face as soon as I suggested it. Pride and pain. Mostly pain.

  "The Cabals would never allow that, Maya. The risk of telling your parents, after they've buried you . . ." He shook his head.

  "And after they paid good money for us."

  "It wasn't money. It was a trade of resources and intelligence."

  I gave him a look. "Do you really think that matters? We're bought and paid for, whatever the currency. They say they want us happy, but they really just want us compliant." I looked at him. "I don't do compliant."

  TWENTY-SIX

  IF IT WASN'T FOR the light coming through my window, I'd have been certain it was night by now. It had to be, after everything that had happened.

  I'd been in my room for about an hour, just lying on the bed, thinking. No, not thinking. Worrying. About Daniel. I couldn't see a way out of this prison, so there was nothing to think about except a very general, incredibly unhelpful I need to get out and find him. And, while I was getting out, I needed to take Rafe and Annie and Sam and Hayley and Kenjii and how the hell was I going to manage that, short of having an armored minivan break through the gates and rescue us?

  A staccato rap at the door broke my reverie.

  The door cracked open. "Decent?" Rafe asked.

  "Yep."

  "Damn." He pushed it open.

  "If you're hoping to see something, the trick is to not knock first."

  "That would be wrong," he said as he walked in. "The trick is to hope you say 'no, but come in anyway.'"

  "Ah."

  I patted the bed. He waggled his brows. I shook my head and he murmured another "Damn." I laughed and watched him cross the room and I felt . . . lighter. Like the weight lifted, not completely but enough for me to function again.

  He didn't sit, but just reached over to pet Kenjii. "I was hoping to talk you into coming up on the roof with me."

  "Lockdown is lifted?"

  "My door was open. Your door was open. I take it that means we can wander and, if it doesn't, we'll just get on the roof fast, before they notice."

  "Good plan."

  I glanced at Kenjii and was about to ask if she could come when he patted his leg, and she jumped up and followed us to the door. When he motioned for her to wait, she sat.

  "I do believe you've stolen my dog," I said.

  "Not quite. But we have been roomies for the last couple of days. They wanted to kennel her. I said 'like hell.' She's a smart dog. She knew her choices were to behave or sleep on a cement floor."

  "Thank you."

  He shrugged and opened the door.

  I caught it in my hand. "No, really. Thank you." I leaned over and kissed him.

  When I pulled back, he was grinning. "See, I'm not as dumb as
I look. Most girls like flowers, candy, walks on the beach. But the way to your heart is through your pets." He paused. "And your friends, but I'm not doing so well with that part of my master plan."

  We walked into the hall, Kenjii trailing.

  "Are Sam and Hayley giving you a hard time?" I asked as he led me the other way down the hall.

  "Sam, always. Hayley's not exactly chatty. I can't blame her. I was a real jerk to her, leading her on. I was trying to make inroads with Nicole and that seemed to be going better, until . . ."

  "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

  "No way you could have. I'm just . . . shocked. Disgusted. I keep telling myself she must be mentally ill or something, but that doesn't make it better, you know? I don't see how anyone could do that, crazy or not." He looked over. "I'm sorry you had to go through this. Finding out. It must have been hell." He paused. "At least you had Daniel."

  "He doesn't know."

  We'd reached the door at the hall's end. He stopped and looked over, frowning.

  "How can I tell him?" I said. "She killed Serena over him."

  And, worse, he'd been about to break it off, and if he'd only done that a little faster . . .

  "Then she went after you," he murmured.

  I nodded. "I don't get that. There's never been anything between Daniel and me. I guess it's only proof she's crazy."

  He hit the buzzer for someone to open the door. It clicked open. On the other side were stairs heading up to another door.

  He waved me forward. "You're right about Daniel. That's a shitty thing to pile on anyone. He doesn't deserve it. He's a good guy."

  "He is." I glanced back. "And thank you for saying that. I know he hasn't always been a 'good guy' to you."

  "Hey, like I said, the way to your heart is through your friends--furred and otherwise. He's had reason to be wary of me. I'm hoping I'll get the chance to change his mind."

  "You will."

  We climbed the steps, Kenjii following. At the top, I opened the door and we found ourselves walking onto a roof.

  If I'd hoped for a huge flat roof with plenty of room to roam, I was disappointed. I suppose, being the daughter of an architect, I should have known better. Putting a flat roof on a house is not only problematic, but would give it an odd, industrial look. So we only had one flat section, maybe five meters by seven. And with high walls on all sides, the patch of late-day sun was barely enough to bask in.

  "Looks like a prison exercise yard, doesn't it?" He waved at the basketball net and weight deck. "Even got the cameras. There and there." He pointed them out. "Not quite what you were hoping for, I'm sure," he said. "But these are cool." He walked to a set of balance beams and swung up.