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Hearts thundered.
Rage consumed his thoughts.
Then Paul Dekker’s presence rolled over Reese, his hot breath brushed his cheek, and the echo of shattering bones rode down his arm.
Reese’s legs gave out, and a strong hand kept him from smashing his face into the floor. The scent of Mah replaced the phantom flavor of dust.
Reese was pulled to his feet. He didn’t fight when he was guided from the kitchen.
Wood scraped against wood. Reese found himself in a chair.
Paul Dekker knelt in front of him. “Dr. Dante?”
Reese dug his grip into the arms of the chair. Air wheezed from his lungs instead of a scream.
“Breathe, Dr. Dante.”
There was no cruelty in the man’s eyes. No unbridled aggression. No madness.
And his scent, while similar, wasn’t the same.
This wasn’t Paul. It wasn’t. Paul was dead, and the man in front of Reese was his twin brother. Same face, different soul.
Not that Paul Dekker ever had one.
Seung walked up. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.”
“C….” Reese’s shoulder shot off with an electric stab. He gripped it and squeezed. “C.…” His throat tightened until his lips numbed.
Seung pushed her way in front of Johnathan. She held Reese’s face, and the crushing presence snapped.
As soon as his lungs filled, he pushed out the word. “Curs….”
* * *
Nox stopped where the pasture dropped into a slow roll, and the dying grass shifted to spring green. Thousands of years ago, it might have been a lake, but now it was nothing more than a cradle among vast acres of farmland, gifted with soil rich enough to bring life even when everything else faded with the winter.
The landscape was both foreign and familiar. Not like déjà vu, rather a reminder for a memory Nox didn’t have.
He scanned the field, the horizon, then beyond. Something equally familiar was out there.
“This makes me miss Tank and Butter Spot.” Luca leaned against Nox.
“Who?”
“The horses Koda and I used to have growing up.” Luca shrugged. “Well, technically, I had a pony.”
“Is that what they call a starter horse?”
Luca scowled. “I was a kid. Like five. Give me a break.” He nudged Nox in the ribs with his elbow. “And for your information, he wasn’t astarterhorse. We called him Tank for a reason.”
“That sounds like a story.”
“More like a fortune cookie.”
“A what?”
