The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Revelations Ch. 13.1

Dr. Dewey made calming motions with his hands. "Alex, relax. You may have eliminated the effects from your central nervous system, but the rest of your body is still addicted."

"I'll feel horrible, but I won't lose my mind?"

"Yes. Most likely the side effects with be gastro-intestinal and vascular. Stomach cramps and flushing. That feeling of being overheated."

"I can live with that." She wiped her forehead again. "I wish it wasn't so hot."

"You do feel hot. Hey!" Gabe jerked his hand away in surprise. "That stung."

"You're sparking white fire all over."  Rile dropped his sulking for a closer look.

"I feel really bad," she said in a small voice.

"You might be rebounding from the sedative effects of the drug and overproducing your energy," Dr. Dewey said.

"I better get out of here." Alex pushed herself out of the chair. "I don't know how much longer I can contain all this power."

"No, wait—ouch!' Dr. Dewey drew back his hand from her arm.

Alex stumbled through the door. "I'll be right back."

Gabe was quicker than the rest and grabbed her ankle as she took off.

"Gabe, you shouldn't have come." She swept over the roof and set him down gently, but her own landing was less graceful. "Gabe, get away," she cried as he tried to help her up. 

Their world exploded in white light. Gabe had the presence of mind to cradle her against his chest and fall on his shoulder to protect them both before Alex's power knocked him out.

Weakened, Alex could only blink at Gabe for long seconds before she could prop up on unsteady arms. He fell off her, limp, to the dirty ground of the roof. Tears streaming down her face, she laid her head on his chest until the steady thump thump thump of his heart reassured her. She cuddled against him to share her body heat until she recovered.

Please don't let me have hurt him, please don't let me go crazy, why am I an atomic bomb that destroys everything around me?

Long minutes of recrimination and self-hatred later, Alex tightened her grip on Gabe, started her slipstream, and flew them back down.

"I told him to get away. I told him," she sobbed as she entered the apartment.

Rile rushed to lay Gabe on the couch, eerily re-creating the earlier scene, except with Gabe, instead of Cale, unconscious.

"His vital signs are stable," Dr. Dewey pronounced after his examination.

"Rile?" Gabe's eyes fluttered open. "Hey, Rile." He stood up and grabbed his brother in a bear hug.  "You're the greatest. I mean it. I really do."

"Sounds like you're having a good time." Rile stood there, encased by his brother's arms, posture stiff and looking extremely awkward. He looked over at Alex for help, who held up her hands in surrender.

"Rile, always a joke for every occasion. You're awesome." Gabe hugged him tighter and pounded his shoulder. "Where's Cale?"

"Gabe, do you remember anything that's happened?" Dr. Dewey asked.

He smiled woozily. "Nope."

Rile looked next at Dr. Dewey, who shrugged. Rile tried to squirm free of his brother's embrace and earned another friendly pounding on the shoulder, followed by a quick kiss on the side of his muzzle. Rile shot Alex a horrified look. Alex covered her mouth to hide her smile.