A Touch Of Lightning (COMPLETED!)

Chapter 23 Links

And then, her willpower was gone and she was peeling off a glove and reaching toward him. At the last moment, when her hand was inches above his bare shoulder, she looked up and saw his eyes open and watching her. She gasped and stepped back as her eyes met his burning gaze.

"What do you think you're doing?" He growled.

"Ah...um...I was just...uh..." Carmen spluttered, helplessly waving the clipboard about as if it could explain what she had been doing.

Callin sat up, not taking his glittering eyes off her. His midnight black hair was sleep tousled, and his jaw was clenched, making him look even more dangerous than usual. Even as she backed away from him, she couldn't help but react when she saw him like this, and it didn't help one bit that the sheet had fallen and now his bare chest was there before her eyes.

Callin flicked his eyes to the clipboard she was holding, and gave a bark of a laugh.

"Here to examine me? Doctor's orders?"

It was that short laugh more than his mocking tone that made her stiffen, made her stop backing towards the door and start advancing.

"Actually, you conceited jerk, I was here to try to help you! It might have escaped your little toad mind, but I'm not dressed as a nurse for no reason! You're here, wounded and in a coma for two days, in the Med room, and I happen to be trained as a nurse!"

Callin was momentarily speechless at this outburst, and she seized the moment and pushed on, pointing her finger at him like a weapon as she stalked towards him.

"You've been unconscious for two days, Callin! And just like when you were wounded last time, I'm the one who's been taking care of you! Although I don't know why, seeing as all I get in return is your hot-then-cold torture! Are you actually trying to drive me crazy?!"

Callin looked down at his arms, at his chest, his eyes narrowed as he struggled to remember why he was in the Med room. Then, his memories came crashing into him, and he lifted his head, his fangs just visible behind his lips as he spoke.

"The Flayer! I remember..."

Carmen blinked. "What Flayer? What is it?"

Callin didn't hear her, too busy scenting the air, his eyes closed as he cast his senses outwards.

"It probably followed us here. It's probably just out there, waiting for me." He muttered, his mouth a thin, hard line.

"What is?" Carmen was bewildered.

He snapped his eyes open, then, and Carmen took a quick step back at the fury flooding out from them.

"An enhanced assassin, created by the lab. It's been hunting me ever since I escaped. It followed me here! I have to tell Ahleena and Jacob." He threw the sheet off and rolled out of bed, then stood still, blinking down at himself, as he realized he was only wearing thin, cotton shorts.

He looked up, seeing Carmen staring at him with wide eyes. And abruptly, all thoughts of the Flayer left his mind as her scent struck him like a lightning bolt.

"Carmen..." He warned, his voice sounding choked and almost dark, to his own ears.

Her cheeks went pink and she looked away, and he could see her swallow nervously.

"I don't think you should be out of bed just yet. Your power...Ahleena said it entered the first Alpha stage. And that it nearly killed you."

Callin grabbed the sheet off the bed and wrapped it about him, racking his memories. He didn't remember his power almost killing him. Then, he remembered the bone armor, he remembered the new, exhilarating surge of power inside when it had been complete when he had faced the Flayer.