of the station.
* * * *
Dane watched the two of them head toward the car. Kon’s trench coat was draped around Eliana’s shivering shoulders. He didn’t know what to make of the intense, frowning figure. She was perhaps eighteen or nineteen with thick, wavy hair and definitely Hispanic although a second heritage refined her features. She was a little thin and walking awkwardly from whatever injury had forced the use of the cane, but she was a beauty.
Kon opened the back passenger door for Eliana, then slid in after her. She looked from Kon to Dane and back, arching an eyebrow. “Who’s this?”
“Eliana, this is Dane. He’s my, ah, friend. He’s going with us tomorrow.”
Her mouth quirked as Kon said friend , giving Dane the impression she knew he was far more than that. She studied Dane with a matching intensity. “The more the merrier.”
That was all she said as they went the short distance back to the enclave. By the time they reached the parking garage, Dane was prepared to dislike her—she treated Kon as if he were her valet and unworthy of notice—but, watching her walk, he could tell she was in pain and entirely unwilling to ask for help from a man all too eager to give it, which implied a lack of trust. She sported the leave-me-the-fuck-alone attitude for protection, not pretension.
So she had barriers. Few men and women didn’t. Kon must have been able to sense something worthy in her; otherwise he wouldn’t be going to such lengths to assist her. He could have put her on a bus or had another Warden drive her up instead of going himself. But Dane knew exactly why Kon was attracted to her. She had an air of imperialism radiating the fact that she wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone.
But is she worth it? Dane didn’t have enough information yet to know, and as much as he wanted to trust Kon’s judgment, doubts remained.
At any rate, he only had to put up with her for the few hours it took to drive to South Dakota. Besides, she just might be the distraction Kon needed to forget about his father for a while.
* * * *
After Eliana was settled in her suite and Dane tucked into bed, Kon had a few precious moments alone. He took the metal case from its hiding place. There were a dozen vials, each numbered and labeled, along with a dozen syringes.
He snapped open the vial and filled the syringe, ignoring the niggling voices in his head telling him this was a bad idea. My father sent this. He wouldn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t. This is his proof that he loved me after all.
Without taking time to think, he slid the needle into a vein and depressed the plunger. He held his breath…and waited.
He didn’t know what to expect, but nothing wasn’t it. Several minutes passed, but he felt no different than before.
Maybe it takes time . There were eleven vials left, after all.
“Kon? You’re taking forever in there. Everything all right?”
“Coming.” Hastily, Kon flushed the toilet and stashed the case before joining Dane in bed. A pang of guilt jabbed him for keeping a secret from Dane, but he didn’t want anyone interfering.
Not even the man he loved.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, Kon watched the weather report on the news, wondering about the wisdom of heading out into what was looking to be a massive storm. The weatherman gestured toward the masses of white clouds and low temperatures and pontificated about possible snow accumulation.
“We’re going out in that ?” Dane asked.
Kon shook his head. “We’ll wait.”
Yet when he broached the subject to Eliana, she stomped her cane on the ground and glared at him. “I’m going. Today. If you won’t drive me, I’ll take the bus.”
He was willing to bet she’d be stranded at the station due to the storm, but if he was smart, he’d let her find out for herself. He’d done plenty for her. There was no reason to endure the stress and risk of driving through a blizzard to aid a young woman who adamantly refused his
* * * *
Dane watched the two of them head toward the car. Kon’s trench coat was draped around Eliana’s shivering shoulders. He didn’t know what to make of the intense, frowning figure. She was perhaps eighteen or nineteen with thick, wavy hair and definitely Hispanic although a second heritage refined her features. She was a little thin and walking awkwardly from whatever injury had forced the use of the cane, but she was a beauty.
Kon opened the back passenger door for Eliana, then slid in after her. She looked from Kon to Dane and back, arching an eyebrow. “Who’s this?”
“Eliana, this is Dane. He’s my, ah, friend. He’s going with us tomorrow.”
Her mouth quirked as Kon said friend , giving Dane the impression she knew he was far more than that. She studied Dane with a matching intensity. “The more the merrier.”
That was all she said as they went the short distance back to the enclave. By the time they reached the parking garage, Dane was prepared to dislike her—she treated Kon as if he were her valet and unworthy of notice—but, watching her walk, he could tell she was in pain and entirely unwilling to ask for help from a man all too eager to give it, which implied a lack of trust. She sported the leave-me-the-fuck-alone attitude for protection, not pretension.
So she had barriers. Few men and women didn’t. Kon must have been able to sense something worthy in her; otherwise he wouldn’t be going to such lengths to assist her. He could have put her on a bus or had another Warden drive her up instead of going himself. But Dane knew exactly why Kon was attracted to her. She had an air of imperialism radiating the fact that she wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone.
But is she worth it? Dane didn’t have enough information yet to know, and as much as he wanted to trust Kon’s judgment, doubts remained.
At any rate, he only had to put up with her for the few hours it took to drive to South Dakota. Besides, she just might be the distraction Kon needed to forget about his father for a while.
* * * *
After Eliana was settled in her suite and Dane tucked into bed, Kon had a few precious moments alone. He took the metal case from its hiding place. There were a dozen vials, each numbered and labeled, along with a dozen syringes.
He snapped open the vial and filled the syringe, ignoring the niggling voices in his head telling him this was a bad idea. My father sent this. He wouldn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t. This is his proof that he loved me after all.
Without taking time to think, he slid the needle into a vein and depressed the plunger. He held his breath…and waited.
He didn’t know what to expect, but nothing wasn’t it. Several minutes passed, but he felt no different than before.
Maybe it takes time . There were eleven vials left, after all.
“Kon? You’re taking forever in there. Everything all right?”
“Coming.” Hastily, Kon flushed the toilet and stashed the case before joining Dane in bed. A pang of guilt jabbed him for keeping a secret from Dane, but he didn’t want anyone interfering.
Not even the man he loved.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, Kon watched the weather report on the news, wondering about the wisdom of heading out into what was looking to be a massive storm. The weatherman gestured toward the masses of white clouds and low temperatures and pontificated about possible snow accumulation.
“We’re going out in that ?” Dane asked.
Kon shook his head. “We’ll wait.”
Yet when he broached the subject to Eliana, she stomped her cane on the ground and glared at him. “I’m going. Today. If you won’t drive me, I’ll take the bus.”
He was willing to bet she’d be stranded at the station due to the storm, but if he was smart, he’d let her find out for herself. He’d done plenty for her. There was no reason to endure the stress and risk of driving through a blizzard to aid a young woman who adamantly refused his
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