“An unstoppable fighting force,” Diego interjected. “Someone goes down, Grace heals them through a psychic link. Boom, up they go again.”
Grace was shaking her head before he even finished. “I’m not psychic. I mean I can’t predict events, tell the future. I’m not a mind reader in the sense that I can pick out your thoughts. It’s…different. I’m telepathic, which just means I can communicate mentally. I can heal remotely, telepathically I suppose you’d say.”
“So you canSod. ?t read our thoughts?” Browning asked.
Of everyone, he seemed to have the keenest interest in her abilities. He’d remained thoughtful throughout the conversation, his brow etched in concentration.
“Not unless I connect to you.”
“Can you connect to just anyone?” Decker asked. “Shea said her abilities were random.”
“I could at one time,” she said softly. “I’m not sure I can anymore.”
They all looked inquisitively at her. An uncomfortable silence fell.
“You’ll get it back.”
Grace turned to see Rio standing behind the couch just over her shoulder.
“With the proper care and reconditioning, you’ll get it back.”
“I hope you’re right.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped as she turned back around. She remained sideways just a bit so she could still see Rio while including the others in her sight. “I used to think that I didn’t want my gift. That it would be easier—my life would be easier—if my head was silent. If I couldn’t hear other people. If I couldn’t heal.”
“And now?” Diego prompted.
“I miss my sister,” Grace said, an ache building in her chest as she thought of losing that link to Shea. “This past year has been difficult. She’s tried to keep communication to a minimum because she always feared knowing too much about me and where I was. She didn’t want to be used against me or to draw me out.”
“How did you lose it?” Decker asked. “I don’t understand. What happened?”
Grace went numb as memories of all she’d endured came hard and fast. Residual pain echoed through her joints and muscles. The voices in her head screamed. Before she realized what she was doing, she’d lifted her palms to her temples and closed her eyes in an effort to make it all go away.
“That’s enough,” Rio said in a terse voice. “It’s time to eat, Grace. You need to keep your strength up.”
She swallowed, realizing that Rio had just bailed her out where before he hadn’t and she’d recognized the importance of standing on her own, of not being so damn weak all the time. The past couldn’t hurt her. Memories couldn’t hurt her. Only the present and the future had that ability. She had to stop fearing the ghosts.
They were all still staring at her. She cleared her throat and pushed away the lingering shadows.
“When they…” She took another deep breath. Pull it together, Grace. This isn’t a big deal. “When they made me heal all those test subjects, it hurt me. Not just physically but mentally. When I heal someone, I take on their injury or illness. It becomes mine. As if I lift it straight from them and absorb it. They go away free, recovered. I have to then recover myself.
“Some of the subjects were hard. With each one I grew weaker until I was sure I would die. I severed the link to my sister because I didn’t want to become so weak that I called out to her without realizing it. I never wanted her to see me as I was and I didn’t want to endanger her.”
Terrence scowled fiercely. Diego was frowning as well while Decker and the others still wore puzzled looks.
“You just severed it? You can do that?” Decker asked.
Grace nodded, tears crowding her eyes. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. She was…she was a part of me. Always with me and suddenly andinI was alone and frightened. And slowly dying.”
“Ungoddamnbelievable,” Diego muttered. “What the f**k were they hoping to prove? That they could kill you? How would your death benefit them at all? If they wanted to use your powers, why the hell wouldn’t they take better care with you?”
Grace wiped at her cheek in an offhand manner, relieved to find no trace of tears there. “I don’t think they understood. How could they? I think they thought I was acting because I didn’t want to perform to their expectations. It wasn’t until…”
She shook her head and clamped her lips shut. She didn’t want to go there. It still shamed her even though she knew it wasn’t her, that she hadn’t had any control.
Rio cleared his throat. “That’s enough. Come eat now, Grace.”
She glanced gratefully over, this time allowing him to rescue her. She pushed herself from the couch and slid her shaking hands into the pockets of her jeans to disguise how traumatized she still was by the past weeks.
To her utter shock, Terrence stood, towering over her briefly before he pulled her into a huge bear hug. She stood there plastered against the big man’s chest, mouth open as he squeezed the breath from her.
Touched by the show of support, she slowly put her arms around him and returned the hug. He swiped a big hand down her back and then patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as he pulled away.
“You’re a tough nut, Miss Grace,” he said gruffly. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”
She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Terrence. You’re very kind.”