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CHAPTER 1
SHEA Peterson’s eyelids flew open as she came instantly and fully awake Her breath escaped in soft pants as agony crushed through her body She went tense and her fingers curled into the tangled sheets at her sides
She heard hi waves She closed her eyes as his pain h her veins until they were ed, she a part of him
Tonight more than any other time she felt his will to live dissolve She felt his shaht that he was a coward and didn’t deserve to die with honor
Tears burned her eyelids How long had she felt hith had always aht of his despair She hurt with him She hurt for him
She could no longer reer remain silent despite the awful risk to herself and her sister, Grace She couldn’t turn her back on this reat
She drew in a deep breath, afraid and yet deter the trail of pain until she became hyperaware of the hell that he lived in
The sent She sucked in her breath as the scent of blood, dirt, sweat and death filtered through her nostrils
Her instinct was to flee this place, break the link between her and the sufferingover her nerves
In the distance, cries, grunts, e indecipherable to her Thewas different but he put it off as evidence of a losing battle for his sanity
She huddled there, co the surroundings through his senses
He was ies as they flashed through his head His capture The endless days of torture, starvation and misery
He sat in a corner, his face in his hands, feelings of loathing and rage firing relentlessly through his brain He hated his weakness, hated that he wanted to die Hated that he wasn’t able to help the others who suffered with him
He thought of his faht comfort to hi to his parents and to his brothers He thought constantly of his twin Joe
His name floated in Shea’saway
No one had come for him in two days He felt a mixture of relief and dread because he knew that his reprieve would soon be over and he would suffer terribly once again He wasn’t sure he had the strength to survive more And he hated the weakness that made him question whether he preferred death to his continued existence Caged like an animal
He’d never felt so alone in his life
Tears slipped down Shea’s cheeks, and she knew she could no longer be silent, no longer pretend she wasn’t connected to this man
You aren’t alone I’m here
He went still, his head co darkness Despite his weakness and his broken-down spirit, the warrior within him immediately came to life Hisas if to scent the intruder
“Who’s there,” he uttered in a cracked, hoarse voice
Shhh You don’t want to alert the others Talk to me in this way With your mind If you think it, I will hear you
“Jesus,” he whispered “It’s finally happened I’ve finally lost oddamn mind”
A chill stole over his body and he hunched farther dorapping his ar back and forth He buried his face against his knees and closed his eyes Weariness and sadness crept over him And acceptance of his fate
No You ive up I’m with you I won’t leave you
“Who are you?” heup his head from his knees
Why do you persist in talking? They’ll hear you Don’t do anything to draw their attention
It doesn’t matter whether I draw their attention or not
The weary thought drifted into her nation so heavy in his consciousness
You’re not alone She pushed the thought at hiainst her, iive him what comfort she could
She stroked her hands over his body and , nonsensical words in his ear She pressed a kiss to his brow, ignoring the s them
She didn’t know this man, but she could no more deny him comfort than she could deny anyone who suffered so much
What she was about to do was dangerous But how could she not do what she could to give him relief when she had the ability to help him just for a while?
She ed more fully with him, sent herself inside his very soul She bit her lip to control the cry of agony as his pain swah her His pain became her own
Tears ran freely down her cheeks as the full extent of his suffering blew over her like a scorching wildfire It took all her strength and concentration to maintain the link between them
What are you doing?
His quiet question was full of bewilderment She could sense his disbelief, even as his body relaxed in brief respite froht this was so insanity He thought she was a copinghis shattered mind had conjured as a way to cope with his horrific reality
It took her a long moment before she was able to respond She lay on her bed, shaking, her nerve endings shooting little jolts of fire through her body as she absorbed the pain from him
Are you there?
There was hope in the uncertain question She saw his battle between truth and hallucination and then his acceptance that he didn’t care Noon to the notion that he was no longer isolated
CHAPTER 1
SHEA Peterson’s eyelids flew open as she came instantly and fully awake Her breath escaped in soft pants as agony crushed through her body She went tense and her fingers curled into the tangled sheets at her sides
She heard hi waves She closed her eyes as his pain h her veins until they were ed, she a part of him
Tonight more than any other time she felt his will to live dissolve She felt his shaht that he was a coward and didn’t deserve to die with honor
Tears burned her eyelids How long had she felt hith had always aht of his despair She hurt with him She hurt for him
She could no longer reer remain silent despite the awful risk to herself and her sister, Grace She couldn’t turn her back on this reat
She drew in a deep breath, afraid and yet deter the trail of pain until she became hyperaware of the hell that he lived in
The sent She sucked in her breath as the scent of blood, dirt, sweat and death filtered through her nostrils
Her instinct was to flee this place, break the link between her and the sufferingover her nerves
In the distance, cries, grunts, e indecipherable to her Thewas different but he put it off as evidence of a losing battle for his sanity
She huddled there, co the surroundings through his senses
He was ies as they flashed through his head His capture The endless days of torture, starvation and misery
He sat in a corner, his face in his hands, feelings of loathing and rage firing relentlessly through his brain He hated his weakness, hated that he wanted to die Hated that he wasn’t able to help the others who suffered with him
He thought of his faht comfort to hi to his parents and to his brothers He thought constantly of his twin Joe
His name floated in Shea’saway
No one had come for him in two days He felt a mixture of relief and dread because he knew that his reprieve would soon be over and he would suffer terribly once again He wasn’t sure he had the strength to survive more And he hated the weakness that made him question whether he preferred death to his continued existence Caged like an animal
He’d never felt so alone in his life
Tears slipped down Shea’s cheeks, and she knew she could no longer be silent, no longer pretend she wasn’t connected to this man
You aren’t alone I’m here
He went still, his head co darkness Despite his weakness and his broken-down spirit, the warrior within him immediately came to life Hisas if to scent the intruder
“Who’s there,” he uttered in a cracked, hoarse voice