Ash looked around, seeing a green slope behind her on the other side of a road. Wherever she was, it was remote and quite isolated. She looked back at the water.
“You aren’t supposed to be here,” a man said just off to her side.
She looked at him, not having noticed him before. He was a big guy, tall, muscular, the kind that probably spent hours flipping tractor tires at the gym. His dark blond hair was wavy to the point of being curly. His lips were rounded in a pleasing way. His skin rocked a summer tan. He was clean-shaven and well groomed, but there was an edge about him that screamed a warning.
He was close enough that she could see his khaki eyes. She tilted her head, realizing their unusual color could be pale green or brown, depending on the light.
Funny, she hadn’t remembered moving closer to him, but there she was, almost nose to nose.
What had he done or experienced or seen that put such sharpness in his eyes? She wondered if she touched him, would she see his secrets?
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said. She was surprised by his Australian accent.
“Where are we?”
“Valle de Lágrimas.” He stared down at the ocean. “At the edge of death.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Nor do I.”
“Am I dreaming?”
“No. You’re in my nightmare.”
“But it’s beautiful here.”
“Beauty’s just one side of the knife.”
Ash tried to smile. It was probably more of a grimace. Maybe this was a nightmare. She looked around again. Standing at the top of the hill behind them was a red, glowing man. Or phantom.
The man next to her followed her gaze and seemed to know what that thing was. He was angry when his eyes met hers next.
“You. It’s you.”
“What’s me?”
“You’re the one.”
That made no sense to her, but the undercurrent of a threat was as real as a riptide current waiting to suck her under. “Are you going to kill me?”
The man seemed to stare right through her. “Probably.”
She looked back at the water. “I don’t want to die yet.” He reached over and took her hand in his. His palm was warm and tough-skinned, his hand large. She steeled herself for what she would feel, but the only thing that came through his touch was a pervasive sense of peace, not the assault of disturbing visions and burdensome knowledge that often accompanied such things.
He was peace to her, and he was going to kill her.
“I’ll try to protect you,” he said, as if he knew her thoughts.
She looked up into his eyes and felt the strangest exchange of energy. “I wish you were real.”
“I am real. Tell me your name. I’ll find you.”
She did.
“Ashlyn,” he said, testing the feel of her name on his tongue.
She loved the sound of his voice.
“I know you.” He smiled, a minor grin at first, then it widened into a full expression that almost touched his sad eyes. He lifted his free hand to her cheek, watching the path his fingers made along the side of her face. A puff of wind blew her hair every which way, covering her face.
Valle de Lágrimas. The words, whispered in his voice, were haunting.
When she pushed her hair away, she realized she was alone. She hadn’t asked his name. He’d said he’d find her, which was good, because there was no way she could ever find him now, knowing nothing about him. She felt the loss of him as keenly as if she’d truly lost a friend.
Valle de Lágrimas. What did that mean? Had he said that to her or was it something the dream caused her to think? Or had that been where they were standing? She looked up at the red phantom on the hill.
It was still there, still glowing, staring right at her.
Summer jogged upstairs, looking for Ash. They only had a few hours together before the guys finished work for the day. She’d have to share her friends then, for a little while, anyway. She missed the days she, Ash, and Kiera could hang out together. The old days. So much had changed—in magical and wonderful ways, but that change had come at the cost of time with her friends.
She saw Ash’s bag in the guest room, but there was no Ash in sight. The double French doors were open to the balcony. Summer went out there, then saw the doors to Merc’s room open.
Summer rushed inside. Sam had told her that Merc had been hurt during his trip to Colombia. He was recovering and wasn’t to be disturbed. Gosh, she hoped Ash hadn’t gone in there.
Guerre, the team’s healer, was standing at the foot of Merc’s bed. Merc was asleep under the covers…and Ash was asleep next to him, on top of the covers.
Oh. No. This wasn’t good. “I’m sorry,” Summer whispered to Guerre as she hurried to the side of the bed so she could rouse Ash.
Guerre stopped her. “Leave her.”
“She shouldn’t have come in here.”
“But she did. And she has connected with Merc in a way none of us have been able to for a while. He’s shut us all out—and has for weeks.”
Summer folded her arms and stared at her friend. “I don’t understand.”
“None of us do. We just live what comes.”
Summer frowned. “She saw Lautaro’s projection downstairs.”
“I know.”
“That was unexpected.” She looked at Guerre. “How did that happen? Is it because she’s highly sensitive?”
Guerre nodded. “Everything mutants do can also be done by regulars. They just need to tune in to that skill. Maybe she has. Maybe that’s how she’s entered Merc’s coma state.”
That was worrisome. Summer had been a mutant for only a short while, but it was long enough to know there were places a person could go in their mind and not come out of. “Is Ash safe?”
“Yes.”
“Sam will be upset she came in here.”
Guerre smiled. “Sam’s not the boss of the world.”
“Is Merc getting better?”
“His body is healing. His mind is recovering. His spirit is—scarred.” Guerre looked at Summer. “I’m glad Ash came over today. He needed her.”
Merc’s hand slipped across the duvet to grip Ash’s. Oh, no. No, no. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t happen. If Merc and Ash got together, everything would change.
But everything had already changed. Would it be so awful to have Ash with her on this side of their reality? Kiera already knew much of the world she and Sam lived in. It would be great to have Ash know everything too.
“She’s rousing,” Guerre said. “You should go. I’ve hidden Merc and myself. She thinks this is an empty room.”
Summer nodded and left through the hall door. When she heard Ash back in her own room, Summer knocked and went in.
Ash was standing just inside the closed double doors, looking confused.
“There you are!” Summer said cheerily. “All settled?”
“Yeah.” Ash looked dazed.
“Are you all right?”
Ash rubbed her arms. “I guess so. I just feel really tired.”
“Do you want to rest before we visit?” Summer smiled. “This is your weekend too.”