Chapter Ten

The sunshine streaming in through the window woke Karina. Jericho had been beside her when she’d drifted off, but he was gone now.

It was almost a relief, even though she missed having him by her side. She couldn’t afford to depend on anyone.

Last night she’d escaped into sleep, as much to avoid dealing with everything she’d learned as to heal her injuries. It was hard to process and harder to believe, even though she knew it to be the truth. But she could hide from the facts no longer. The world and reality were waiting for her. It was time to deal with both.

She rolled toward the window, simply enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays on her face. Such a simple thing, but something she didn’t think she normally did.

But how would she even know?

Closing her eyes, she replayed every bit of information she discovered about herself and the world she lived in.

First off, she ran a pharmaceutical company, which meant she was extremely wealthy. Drugs were big business. Not only had she had a driver, but there had been another person in the vehicle with her when it crashed.

The information was right there. Just out of reach. If only she could find the way to access it.

Opening her eyes, she stared out the window, seeing only the tops of the trees in the distance. She knew many things about herself, intangible things, like she valued control and didn’t trust anyone. That was a hell of a way to live.

She didn’t like her old life, even if she couldn’t remember it.

Which brought her to the biggest revelation of all. She was the leader of a secret society that captured dragons—no, drakons. Worse, it seemed to be a family thing, something they did.

Oh yeah, and magic was real, too. Blood magic. Evil magic.

She shuddered and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

Did she have any other family?

The young, dark-haired woman popped into her head for a brief second, then she disappeared again. Karina’s chest ached, but she didn’t try to hold onto the image. The more she tried to grasp a memory, the more likely it was to slip away.

She had no idea who the woman was, but when Karina thought about family, she was the one who came to mind.

“You can’t avoid it,” she muttered. Drakons were real, and Jericho was one.

Scooting up in bed, she leaned against the headboard. To say she’d been stunned was the understatement of the decade. To watch him shift form, to see him go from tall, solid man to an enormous creature with huge teeth, large wings, and red and black scales that seemed almost iridescent, had been the most incredible experience.

The others had been uneasy, which told her this was not something they normally shared.

Did that mean they would have to kill her now?

Her stomach lurched, and she shoved her hand over it to calm her nerves. It was as though a hundred butterflies had taken up residence there, keeping her always feeling queasy. No, not butterflies. That was much too tame for what she was experiencing. Wasps. They were nasty creatures. Her stomach had become a wasp’s nest.

In spite of not eating much last night, she wasn’t very hungry. Could be due to the head injury or withdrawal from the medication she’d been taking. Or maybe it was the shock of everything—the crash, the kidnapping, the discovery of the seemingly impossible.

If that wasn’t enough to put a girl off her food, nothing was. Still, she had to eat. Weakness simply wasn’t an option.

It would be easier to stay in bed, pull the covers over her head, and pretend the last few days had been nothing but a dream. But that wasn’t who she was. Of course, she wasn’t exactly sure who she was anymore.

Frustrated with the circularity of her thoughts, she flung back the covers and eased her legs over the side of the bed, not rising until she knew she was steady. She made her way into the bathroom and stared at her reflection. It was more familiar now, but it was still a jolt every time she saw herself.

The nightshirt she’d pulled on last night before slipping into bed was low cut in the front and left her arms bare, allowing her to see the mottled bruising on her arms and chest. Her temple was bruised, as well. Heck, her entire body was black and blue.

“You’re whoever you make yourself into. Whoever you allow yourself to be.” The past couldn’t be changed. It was over and done. All she could do was move forward with purpose.

Her remembered history might only span a couple of days, but it was hers, and it was real. She’d build on it.

It didn’t take her long to shower and dress in the same leggings and sweater she wore yesterday. With a limited clothing selection, she’d need to do laundry soon if she wanted clean underwear. Apparently, she’d only planned on being gone a few days.

She tossed the covers over the bed and smoothed them out. It was a delaying tactic, but that didn’t stop her. When the room was tidied, she had no more excuses, no more reasons to stay. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she really did need food.

After giving the hem of her sweater a tug, she opened the bedroom door.

“About time.” Jericho pushed away from the wall opposite her and ran his gaze over her from head to toe. “You’re looking better.”

“I’m feeling better.” She touched her fingers to her temple and realized it was true. The dull ache in her head was manageable.

“Good.” He offered her his hand. It was big and strong, capable of driving a motorcycle or holding her while she slept.

She slipped her hand into his. Dragon or man, she was still drawn to him. Finding out he was more than human didn’t make her want him any less. Whenever she was around him, all her hormones fired, urging her to get closer, to rub herself against him.

Not smart, all things considered.

“I was afraid you’d decide to move all the furniture around before you finally came out.”

“Why would you think that?”

He shrugged, the motion pulling the fabric of his T-shirt tight against his broad shoulders. “You were a long time puttering around after you finished your shower.”

“You were waiting all that time.” It was a little unnerving to imagine him standing in the hallway staring at the door to the bedroom while she was dressing.

“I came up when I knew you were awake. I wasn’t sure if you’d need help or not.”

Was he truly worried or was he simply guarding her, making sure she didn’t try to escape? It was difficult to reconcile the drakon assassin with the man waiting patiently outside her bedroom in case she needed him. Yet, he was one and the same.

Jericho was a complicated man.

Of course, her life didn’t appear to be simple either. Maybe they had more in common than either of them realized.

Getting down the stairs was easier than it had been. Any improvement was a good sign. “What time is it?”

“Just after lunch. Rest is the best thing for you right now. Your body needed it.”

When she paused for breath at the bottom of the stairs, he ran his free hand down the braid she’d fashioned. For a brief moment, she wished she’d left her hair down so he could have slid his fingers through it. Not smart. She really needed to keep her wits about her. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but getting involved with Jericho would not be a good idea.

And it would be so easy.

All he had to do was be in the same room with her and she felt the tug, both emotional and physical. It was as though he was a magnet, pulling her into his sphere simply by standing there. She wanted to touch him, to trace her fingers over his rough features, slip them through his silky hair, run them over his powerful body.

Heat exploded inside her. His gaze narrowed and zoomed right in on her mouth. His nostrils flared.

“You hungry?” Sadiq stood a few feet away, feet spread and hands on his hips.

Karina would have laughed if she could have, but nothing about this situation was even remotely humorous. “I need to eat.”

“You’re not hungry? But you’ve eaten hardly anything.” She should have known that Jericho would immediately pick up on her wording.

“It’s probably the head injury.” For some silly reason, she didn’t want him worrying about her. It didn’t seem natural for her to be concerned about someone else, but it did feel right.

“You need to eat.” Beyond his autocratic demand, she saw the concern etched on his face and reflected in his eyes.

“If you have bread, I’ll try some toast. It may help settle my stomach.”

“Your stomach is upset?” He ushered her into the kitchen. There was no sign of Enoch, but Khalil was sitting at the table reading something on his laptop and sipping a cup of what smelled like coffee. “Does the first aid kit have anything for that?” he asked.

Khalil immediately stopped what he was doing and went to check. Sadiq was already working the toaster while Jericho seated her.

Karina shook her head, unable to believe what she was seeing. These men, these drakons, were tending her better than anyone had in her entire life.

That thought stopped her cold.

She tried to grab on to a memory. Any recollection would do, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. But they remained as elusive as ever. It was sad that her life had been so barren of basic caring that having virtual strangers show her a shred of kindness brought tears to her eyes.

She willed them back, not wanting to shed them, not in front of the men.

“Karina?” Jericho was standing over her.

She blinked several more times before leaning back and meeting his worried gaze. “I’m fine. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

…

He wished he knew what the hell was going on in Karina’s mind. He hadn’t known her long but was getting better at reading her expressions and body language. She’d remembered something.

He longed to ask what it was, but refrained. She seemed…fragile. Not a word he’d normally associate with her. And as bad as her physical injuries were, they weren’t what worried him. They would heal in time. It was her emotional and mental state that concerned him most. Those kinds of injuries were slower to heal. He should know. He was still dealing with abandonment issues from four thousand years ago.

She seemed more closed off. What was she hiding?

“Here.” Khalil passed him a small bottle filled with pink liquid. “That should help her stomach.”

She took the bottle and studied it before unscrewing the top and taking a swig. “Thank you,” she said as she recapped the bottle and handed it back to him.

Jericho was bemused at the way she’d guzzled the stuff like a drunken sailor would a beer after being at sea for months.

“Here.” Sadiq slammed a plate down in front of her. The bread was toasted a golden brown and lightly buttered.

“Thank you,” she repeated and reached for a slice, pausing to look at them all. “Why are you staring at me?”

They ringed her, watching her every move. It was almost comical. “Just try to eat.” Jericho didn’t like the idea of her being hungry.

While she nibbled and swallowed, he retrieved another of the individual orange juice containers from the refrigerator and set it in front of her. To give her some space, he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“What do we know?” she asked between mouthfuls.

“About what?” Unable to stay away, he yanked out the chair beside her and sat. Khalil was at the other end of the table, while Sadiq leaned against the counter.

“The medication I was taking. The skin sample.” She took a sip of juice, and his chest expanded with pleasure. He was providing what she needed.

Shit, this was getting out of hand.

“Why do you want to know?” Sadiq demanded. He was frowning, but then again, that was pretty normal for him. Karina didn’t seem the least bit put off or afraid of him.

She reached behind her shoulder and gingerly touched the area just above her tattoo. “My body, my head, my life.”

And that about covered it all. Jericho knew how he’d feel if he suddenly discovered that someone might have been slipping him some kind of drug without his knowledge, or maybe even had him tattooed.

He’d rain hell down on the earth.

Somehow, he didn’t think Karina would be much different than him in that regard.

Khalil’s head came up suddenly. “He’s back.”

Jericho heard it then, the rumble of the motorcycle growing closer.

“How do you know?” she asked.

“We can hear the bike,” he told her.

“You can?” She gave a decisive nod. “Makes sense your senses would be heightened. I assume it’s the same for your vision.”

He didn’t want to talk about himself or his abilities as a drakon. It made him uncomfortable when she stared at him like he was some sort of experiment, or a creature to dissect and study.

Ignoring her question, he waited with the others until the back door finally opened and Enoch strolled in. He paused and then grinned. “Wow. Miss me much?”

Khalil made kissing noises, and Sadiq rolled his eyes. “Were you gone?” Jericho asked.

“Bastards,” Enoch quipped, laughing.

Karina watched them interacting with a bemused expression. Of course, she’d never seen them like this. Their friendship ran deep. They laughed and fought and lived together and had for longer than most people could truly fathom.

Enoch dropped into a chair and dragged his fingers through his wind-blown hair. “I guess you want to get straight to business.”

“You guess right,” Jericho told him. Sadiq had pushed away from the counter and poured Enoch a coffee, handing it to him.

“Thanks.” Enoch set the mug down on the table. “I was able to get it done quickly and quietly. Money talks. A lot of money sings. The lab results were what you would expect. The medication is one used for headaches, particularly migraines.”

“A dead end there.” He had assumed the drug would tell them more.

“Not quite.” Enoch took a sip of coffee, drawing out the suspense. Jericho was getting ready to throttle him when he finally continued. “Did you take your medication at certain times or was it whenever you needed it?”

“I think whenever I needed it. Why?”

“Hmm. Were you alone when you took it?”

“What are you getting at?” Jericho demanded.

Karina rubbed her temples. He could see her straining, trying to remember. “Likely sometimes, but I imagine not always.” After about a minute, she shook her head. “I honestly don’t know.”

“The medication is a mixture of painkillers that would work for severe headaches, but it’s also laced with scopolamine, or devil’s breath.”

“What is that?” He knew he wasn’t going to like Enoch’s answer. Karina was positively pale.

“It’s a legitimate drug, but it’s also used for less than legitimate reasons. When breathed in or ingested in a certain quantity it makes people susceptible to suggestion.”

“Mind control?” The horror in her voice made Jericho ache for her.

“Given in a big enough dose, it makes people lose free will. They’ll do basically whatever they’re told and then lose the memory of having done it. At least, that’s the belief.” Enoch spun the mug on the table. “In this case, the amount is too tiny to have that kind of effect. But in combination with the tattoo, it’s suspicious.”

“If someone was around when I took the pain medication, I’d be more likely to listen to whatever they wanted to say?” she asked.

“If someone close to you made a suggestion of some kind after you’d taken the drug, you might—and I have to stress might—be more susceptible to agreeing with it,” Enoch continued. “We just don’t know for sure.”

“Who would be around me the most?”

They all looked at Jericho. He shrugged and gave her the truth. “Your bodyguard. He’s been with you since you were a teenager.”

“Then there’s the painkillers themselves,” Enoch continued. “The mixture you were given would likely affect certain centers of the brain, possibly suppressing certain emotions. That’s according to some research I’ve read. It’s not definitive.”

“And the tattoo?” Jericho asked, wanting this done.

“Nothing definite on the content of the ink. But the mark is old.”

“How old?” she asked.

“Likely done when you were a teenager. Some of the ink has faded slightly at the edges,” Enoch continued. “That might have some effect, whatever the original intent was.”

“I can’t see myself getting a tattoo.” She honestly seemed bewildered. Maybe it was all an act, but he didn’t think so.

“You said you’d stopped taking the pills.” Jericho was trying to piece together exactly what had been done to Karina.

She hesitated. “Yes. I didn’t trust them anymore.”

“Why?” he prodded, needing to understand.

“I don’t know,” she yelled. Exploding off the chair, she knocked it to the floor. Hands fisted at her sides, body stiff, anger flowed off of her in waves. “I don’t know who I am or why someone would do this to me.” Her green eyes flashed; her chest rose and fell with each rapid breath she took.

Neither of them might be prepared for her to know the entire truth, but they were past the point where that mattered. She looked ready to shatter under the growing pressure.

He glanced at the others in turn. Enoch shrugged, Khalil nodded, and Sadiq simply stared at him. They knew what he planned to do. They might not all support him wholeheartedly, but they would back him.

“What if I told you there was medicine I could give you that might jolt you enough to kickstart your memory.” It was a risk, a big one. If she reverted to Karina Azarov, leader of the Knights of the Dragon, he’d have to end her, even though it would destroy him. He might not care about himself, but he couldn’t allow her to hurt his family, or his blood brothers.

The tension slowly bled out of her, like air released from a tire. “I’d say let’s do it, but why haven’t you tried it before?”

“I’m not sure I want you to get your memories back.” Best to be brutally honest.

She flinched but slowly nodded. “You’re afraid, aren’t you?”

Her intelligence had never been in doubt. “Yeah, I am,” he answered.

“It’s worth the risk. I can’t go on like this.”

There were two choices. One was to lock her up and simply keep her, letting her memory come back or not. She’d come to hate him if he did that. Or, he could give her some of his blood, which would heal her completely, at least physically. Whether that would bring her memory back was unknown.

“There’s no guarantee,” he warned, wanting her to understand that going in. “And it won’t be pleasant.” He’d never given anyone his blood before, but he’d heard rumors of drakons who had willingly donated. It was said to be difficult for the human.

Even if the end result would be total healing, he hated the idea of hurting her.

“I’m willing.”

And that was the bottom line. He needed her to get her memory back. But the question was: With the head injury healed and the drugs out of her system—his blood would take care of any remaining trace—who would she be?

Would she want to take him to bed, or try to find a way to trap him? It was a risk either way.

“Best to do this in the living room. You go ahead. I’ll get the medicine.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip and tugged at the hem of her sweater, seemingly nervous. Not that he blamed her. He was asking her to trust him enough to take some unknown substance, and she was desperate enough to do just that.

“Yes. Okay.” Then she spun around and hurried from the kitchen.

The living room wasn’t far, so Sadiq moved closer so she wouldn’t overhear. “Have you lost your mind?”

“No. It has to be done. We can’t afford to just sit and wait.” Not only because Karina’s people would be looking for her—might even now be closing in on them, which put them all in danger—but because he couldn’t allow himself to get more deeply involved with her. Not until she remembered, not until the past and present were integrated and they both knew where they stood.

He was trying to be realistic, but realism sucked. He went to the cupboard and took down a black mug. The dark interior would help disguise what was actually in it.

Enoch and Khalil watched silently as he manifested a claw and cut his arm. Sadiq swore and went to stare out the kitchen window. Jericho quickly held the open wound over the mug before the cut healed. He had to do it twice more before he had the vessel about a quarter full. He hoped it would be enough. On the flip side, there was danger in giving someone too much.

Drakon blood was potent and powerful stuff. He wished there was someone he could confer with, but he was on his own with this.

“Let’s do this.” Grabbing the mug off the counter, he headed to the living room with the others right behind him.