No!
Luke reached out and took her fingers in his, interlacing them with his own. She visibly relaxed and together they walked out of the bedroom.
The front door opened as they entered the living room, and in walked Greg and Dani, followed by Mya. Luke had to school his face to not show the surprise he felt at Mya’s appearance. Luke wanted to rip her a new one for ignoring him, but he knew now wasn’t the time. At least she was here, and that was all he could ask for.
Johanna said hello to each of them. Luke noticed that she called them by name, which only served to further his suspicions that Zachariah had started torturing Johanna after she had begun working for the firm. The group made small talk for a few minutes, but then the conversation grew quiet and the silence awkward.
Luke broke it first. “Can you explain what it is you want to do to Johanna?”
Dani nodded. “I communicate with elemental spirits, and they in turn let me utilize their powers for my needs. I believe that by using the elemental spirit of water, I will be able to look into your memories without forcing you to see them as well. That way I’ll be able to see if your—”
“Loved ones,” Luke interjected.
Dani nodded. “Loved ones are safe.”
“It may also help us see what happened to you and maybe help you get an idea of how to retrieve your memories,” Greg added.
“And you?” Johanna asked Mya.
“I’m here for moral support.” Mya swallowed. “It’s also possible you may have information I’m searching for.” Her gaze moved to Luke. “But I also wanted to make sure the both of you were … well.”
“We’ll talk after,” Luke said, and Mya nodded in response.
“Do you have any questions?” Dani asked.
Johanna shook her head. “No. Just … thank you all for doing this.”
“Of course, and thank you for letting me try.” Dani smiled, then turned to Greg. “Could you get me a bowl of water, honey?”
Greg walked into the kitchen and Dani turned her gaze to Luke as she approached the couch he and Johanna were sitting on. “Sorry, bud, but for this I’ll need you to not touch Johanna, or else I might end up seeing your memories as well.”
Luke hesitated, not wanting to move away from Johanna. While outwardly she seemed fine, her spine was so straight and tense that he was concerned it would break in half. He was beginning to realize this was something she did when she thought she needed to hide. She froze her expression and did everything she could to make herself invisible, to make those around her believe she wasn’t a concern. Luke was familiar with the action because he’d been doing the same thing for the last six months, and he didn’t like that his mate felt she needed to hide here, when she was safe with him. Whatever had made this a normal response for her had happened before Zachariah, before Johanna had ever come into Luke’s life. Luke wanted to erase it, and while he knew he couldn’t get rid of it in an instant, he could at least take the first step in trying.
Luke leaned forward, shocking Johanna into looking up at him. “I see you, Johanna. You don’t have to be scared. I’m right here, and I will never let anything happen to you again,” he whispered into her ear, low and quiet enough that even she would have to strain to hear him.
When he pulled away, her eyes were warmer. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back before he scooted away.
While he knew Dani had not heard what he’d said to Johanna, he saw the smile that touched her face before she sat down. Greg carefully placed the bowl of water in Dani’s outstretched hands, and she turned to Johanna, her voice soft, coaxing, as she spoke.
“We’ll need to both take a sip of this, then run our hands through the water, and lay them on top of one another. I believe that will allow your power to accept my intrusion into your mind, and then I will look at your memories. You shouldn’t feel anything while I do this, but if you do I want you to say something right away and I will pull out, okay?”
Johanna nodded. She took a deep breath and took the first sip of water, and then Dani followed. They both slipped their hands into the water, coating their skin with the liquid, and then sat cross legged on the couch, facing one another. Dani placed her hands on Johanna’s lap, palms up, and instructed Johanna to clasp them with her own. Once she did, Dani said, “Close your eyes. My magic tends to feel like electricity, and since I’m working on you internally, you may feel small charges under your skin. But I promise I won’t hurt you.”
“I know,” Johanna said softly.
A pressure released into the room, weighted enough to feel as if the humidity in their environment had changed, but of a soft quality, like steam hitting the skin. When Johanna spoke again, her voice had a strength to it that it had lacked before. “I allow you in, Daniella.”
Dani smiled and closed her eyes. A static electricity blended into the humid pressure in the air, connecting with the surrounding moisture and firing small bolts around them. Luke watched the spectacle, as amazing as it was terrifying. Neither Dani nor Johanna seemed to move beyond a small tense here and there. Sometimes Dani’s face fell into a frown, or Johanna’s and Dani’s arms twitched, but otherwise they were soundless, motionless.
Then Dani screamed.
Greg, Mya, and Luke were on their feet in an instant. The three watched as she yanked Johanna into her arms and cried, her sobs reverberating off the walls. Luke looked at Johanna, taking in the tears rolling down her cheeks that were at odds with the look in her eyes. She seemed confused, her brow in a frown even as the tears continued to pour from her.
Greg approached Dani, but the look she gave him, gave everyone in turn, was fierce. She pulled Johanna closer as if she was protecting herfromthem. Dani’s message was clear and heartbreaking, and it told Luke everything he needed to know: Whatever had happened to Johanna was worse than he could have imagined, and it was possible that one day his mate would look at him with just as rage and damnation as Daniella did.
* * *
When they were finally able to pry Dani away from Johanna, Greg and Mya ushered her into the kitchen while Luke knelt at Johanna’s feet.
