Bytes of Passion

Chapter 24

Skylar sat in the middle of the cell, staring at the concrete floor, the only part of the room not charged. It had been hours since they'd taken Teegan away, and all she could do was sit and wait. The walls and ceiling were charged with energy fields that would fry her on contact. Her skin felt as if thousands of ants were crawling all over her and her hair was standing on end.

She hugged her knees to her chest, thinking about what Margaret might be doing to Teegan. Despite how much she had tried denying it, Margaret and Ephram had been using her. Had she been that desperate to have someone care for her that she had been unwilling to see the truth?

No, she wasn't that desperate. Teegan had said he cared, and she hadn't believed him. She'd pushed him away. But he did care. That kiss of his had been spontaneous and ill-timed... and soul-awakening. Coming here had been the only way to get out of the charges, assuming he could find what he needed for Dennison. When she had begged him to leave, though, when she'd needed him to be there for her the most, he had. Without question or hesitation, Teegan had understood her need and he'd led them back to the shuttle.

If only they had made it... What if the drugs wiped his memories of her? The drug's effect on memories was unpredictable. Why some memories stayed and others vanished was a mystery to the Goldsmiths, though of no real concern to them. As long as the drug enabled the mule to retain massive amounts of information long enough to deliver it to the terrorists, Margaret deemed her drug a success. The side-effects were 'acceptable', her former guard Thayna had explained when she'd thrown Skylar into this cell.

The energy field dropped and two guards hauled Teegan in by his arms, his legs dragging behind him. With a thud, his body hit the floor as they dropped him and left. Skylar eased his hair back to reveal one swollen eye and a split lip. He groaned, and shifted, his arm falling against her leg. The sleeve on his left arm had been pushed up. The second her fingers felt the tiny bump of a needle Ephram, she hissed and her stomach twisted, the fear washing through her. What if he didn't remember her?

She angled his head against her lap and stroked his hair. His breathing eased, but he remained unconscious. Depending on the dose and the medicine, he could be out for days. "We're in trouble, Teegan," she said, talking softly to him, even though he wouldn't hear her. "I'm not sure how to save you. I can offer myself to one of the guards maybe."

"Absolutely not," Teegan said, his eyes still closed.

"Teegan!"

"Shh, Princess. My head's pounding thanks to Garrox' guards."

When she pressed her lips to his, intending a quick kiss of joy, he turned it into a longer and more intimate kiss.

"Ah..." he said, when she broke away. "Getting beaten up was worth it after all."

She smacked his shoulder. "Not funny."

His grin said he disagreed.

"I thought they'd drugged you," she said, sliding her hand in his to rise.

He unfurled his sleeve to cover his arm. "Blood draw, that's all. Goldsmiths said she had to adjust the drug to my DNA and that takes time."

"We'll be fine." He must have noticed her frown, for he placed his hand behind her neck and drew her close. It was such a protective feeling that made her believe him. Then her hand grazed the tiny bumps on his arm where the Goldsmiths had drawn blood.

"I can't let them drug you, Teegan. Maybe Dennison will send men soon." She inhaled a sharp breath, remembering how she'd gotten rid of his men. "They have no clue where we are."