far away as the atrium from here. It’s not an easy gift to control. The voices drove Derrek to insanity, and I think my father feared the same would happen to me.”
“Then perhaps he should have been teaching you control instead of locking you up like a criminal.”
His vehemence on her behalf touched her, but neither of them could change the past. “It’s not all bad, though. I have a better than average ear for languages.”
Tariq frowned. “That’s why we have language converters.” He tapped the back of his neck. “Why is that a good thing?”
Well, didn’t he just know how to rain on a girl’s parade? “I guess you’re right.” And now Cami was back to being useless. “Is dinner ready?” It had been a day full of ups and downs, and Cami wanted off the emotional rollercoaster.
Stretching to the side without moving from his place between her legs, Tariq took a thin slice of chicken from the plate, tore it in two, and offered her the smaller piece. “You eat. I’ll go see if I can find something for you to wear.”
She’d showered, but she only had the one dress. “Do I smell?”
Tariq pressed against her, bending his head to skim his nose up the side of her neck. “I love the way you smell, angel. I thought you might feel more comfortable in some clean clothes, though.”
With a satisfied sigh, Cami leaned her head back, arching her neck to give him more room to explore. “Yes, I think you’re right.” She’d only vaguely registered his words, but if he kept nibbling at her throat like that, she’d agree with anything he said.
His warm breath stuttered across her sensitive skin when he laughed. “Food and then sleep,” he announced, standing straight and pulling away from her. “We have a big day tomorrow, right?”
Cami bobbed her head, though she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep. “Thank you.”
Tariq drew a line down the center of her brow with the pad of his index finger. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Cami, I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know.” She toyed with a loose string on the hem of his T-shirt and blew out a breath. “I have nightmares sometimes,” she whispered. “They’re worse when I’m upset.”
“So you don’t want to sleep.” Tariq took both of her hands and brought them up to his lips. “Wait here.” He disappeared into his room, returning just seconds later holding a small disk with a raised bubble in the middle. “This might help.”
“Somnium.” Cami took the disk from him with a grin. “I take this at home. My great-grandfather developed it for soldiers with PTSD.” The drug provided deep, dreamless sleep, and it had been Cami’s saving grace for years. Of course, in her flight from her home in Light City, there hadn’t been time for her to pack an overnight bag. “Thank you, Tariq. For everything. I don’t know how I’d do this without you.”
“I have every confidence you’d find your own way, angel.” He plucked another piece of chicken from the plate and held it up to her. “Now, are you hungry? Or would you like to sleep?”
“I really am hungry.” Cami broke the seal on the short nozzle, held it in front of her face, and squeezed the center bubble. A fine, cool mist sprayed over her skin, making her shiver a little. “Okay, let’s eat and by the time the dishes are put away, I’ll be ready for bed.”
Unfortunately, she hadn’t taken into account the side effects of the drug. By the time she’d finished eating, she could barely stand, let alone help with the dishes. So Tariq carried her to an armchair near the port window and pushed a glass of water into her hands.
“Drink that. It’ll help.”
Before she had a chance to argue, the intercom buzzed to announce a visitor. “I’ll get it.”
Tariq pointed a finger at her. “Sit.” He spoke quietly to the person on the other side of the door through the intercom before
“Then perhaps he should have been teaching you control instead of locking you up like a criminal.”
His vehemence on her behalf touched her, but neither of them could change the past. “It’s not all bad, though. I have a better than average ear for languages.”
Tariq frowned. “That’s why we have language converters.” He tapped the back of his neck. “Why is that a good thing?”
Well, didn’t he just know how to rain on a girl’s parade? “I guess you’re right.” And now Cami was back to being useless. “Is dinner ready?” It had been a day full of ups and downs, and Cami wanted off the emotional rollercoaster.
Stretching to the side without moving from his place between her legs, Tariq took a thin slice of chicken from the plate, tore it in two, and offered her the smaller piece. “You eat. I’ll go see if I can find something for you to wear.”
She’d showered, but she only had the one dress. “Do I smell?”
Tariq pressed against her, bending his head to skim his nose up the side of her neck. “I love the way you smell, angel. I thought you might feel more comfortable in some clean clothes, though.”
With a satisfied sigh, Cami leaned her head back, arching her neck to give him more room to explore. “Yes, I think you’re right.” She’d only vaguely registered his words, but if he kept nibbling at her throat like that, she’d agree with anything he said.
His warm breath stuttered across her sensitive skin when he laughed. “Food and then sleep,” he announced, standing straight and pulling away from her. “We have a big day tomorrow, right?”
Cami bobbed her head, though she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep. “Thank you.”
Tariq drew a line down the center of her brow with the pad of his index finger. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Cami, I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know.” She toyed with a loose string on the hem of his T-shirt and blew out a breath. “I have nightmares sometimes,” she whispered. “They’re worse when I’m upset.”
“So you don’t want to sleep.” Tariq took both of her hands and brought them up to his lips. “Wait here.” He disappeared into his room, returning just seconds later holding a small disk with a raised bubble in the middle. “This might help.”
“Somnium.” Cami took the disk from him with a grin. “I take this at home. My great-grandfather developed it for soldiers with PTSD.” The drug provided deep, dreamless sleep, and it had been Cami’s saving grace for years. Of course, in her flight from her home in Light City, there hadn’t been time for her to pack an overnight bag. “Thank you, Tariq. For everything. I don’t know how I’d do this without you.”
“I have every confidence you’d find your own way, angel.” He plucked another piece of chicken from the plate and held it up to her. “Now, are you hungry? Or would you like to sleep?”
“I really am hungry.” Cami broke the seal on the short nozzle, held it in front of her face, and squeezed the center bubble. A fine, cool mist sprayed over her skin, making her shiver a little. “Okay, let’s eat and by the time the dishes are put away, I’ll be ready for bed.”
Unfortunately, she hadn’t taken into account the side effects of the drug. By the time she’d finished eating, she could barely stand, let alone help with the dishes. So Tariq carried her to an armchair near the port window and pushed a glass of water into her hands.
“Drink that. It’ll help.”
Before she had a chance to argue, the intercom buzzed to announce a visitor. “I’ll get it.”
Tariq pointed a finger at her. “Sit.” He spoke quietly to the person on the other side of the door through the intercom before
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