ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ Tethered ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Chapter 9

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• Luna •

Luna wished she could tell Amir everything about Faisal, but she didn't know how. She didn't want to ruin the happy moment they were both having. Her actions had already haunted her. Fear and shame kept her silent. Killing the guards and staff at St. Matthew's was one thing. Even in self-defense, they managed to shoot at her, but Faisal? That had been an act of anger toward someone else and nothing more. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

How could Amir look at me the same way when he knew I was a murderer? Because I had murdered his cousin.

She hadn't felt any different since that incident in terms of becoming more powerful and close to being activated as a Trojan. What if she had to kill more than one person to be activated? She realized the organization had most likely attempted to activate her from their hands. But she appeared to be tough and resilient. Maybe a little too strong. They have no power over her.

"Are you okay, Moon?" Amir asked.

"Yeah," she said, holding his hand as they followed the staff to another area of the underground facility. She needed to keep holding him, reminding herself that as long as he was there, she could get through anything. She wished they'd had more time together earlier, but she'd take what they could get.

She came to a halt in the middle of the white corridor and lifted her hand, tracing his lower lip with the pad of her finger. Amir's jaw flexed, and his eyes brightened. Her heart did a funny little cartwheel, and he closed those beautiful eyes, his face tensing. She began to pull her hand back, but he caught her arm.

"Don't." He inhaled a breath. "Your touch is the best feeling in the world."

"It's just that there's a lot to talk about and . . ." She trailed off, not sure of how to explain it.

A lopsided grin appeared on his face. "We'll talk later. Let's just get through this, okay?"

"Yes, Mrs. Khan," Major Thibeau piped up, causing her to jerk. "We have work to do."

Luna rose to her tiptoes and kissed Amir.

They were led to a medical floor and into a room that could accommodate two patients. Dr. Reynolds was waiting for them, his face enthused as he hooked them up to devices.

"I've been looking forward to seeing what you can do, Amir," he said, his voice high-pitched.

His brow furrowed. "Great. Another groupie. They're everywhere."

Luna muttered, "Only you would revel in that."

He shot her a grin.

Color emphasized the doctor's cheeks. "It's not often that we have a patient like you. We thought Faisal would be bigger and better, but we were mistaken."

Amir's face darkened. "You worked with my cousin?"

Uh oh.

Luna had never said anything, and now the cat was out of the bag. "Amir, I—"

Amir turned around and said, "I know."

Then he whispered in her head, 'It's okay, Moon. I don't blame you for anything.'

Her eyes narrowed, and she looked around the room.

Eyes widening, Dr. Reynolds glanced at where Alisha and Major Thibeau stood. He cleared his throat as he unwrapped the cuffs. "Their blood pressure is identical. It's extraordinary. One-twenty over eighty."

Alisha scribbled it down on a clipboard that she swore had just appeared in her hands. Luna shifted in the chair, bringing her focus back to Amir. He was eyeballing the doctor like he wanted to beat information out of him.

Dr. Reynolds checked their pulses next. Resting pulse was in the sixties, which was a good thing because the doctor was practically humming. "Luna's rate was in the higher last time, blood pressure well into the high levels. It appears that with Amir's presence, her rates are optimizing, matching his. This is good."

"Why is it good?" she asked.

He pulled out a stethoscope. "It's a good sign of how strong your connection is."

"Of course, it is. Luna and I are awesome," Amir said coolly.

That earned a small snicker from the doctor, and Luna's anxiety notched up. Amir had jabs coming out of his ears, it seemed.

"Their hearts are beating in perfect sync," Reynolds said, turning to Thibeau. "She has succeeded in the previous training round, right? No outward signs that suggest she's dangerous?"

"She faced off with the other patients brilliantly, just as we hoped," Thibeau confirmed.

Luna sucked in a sharp breath, pressing her hand to her stomach. She'd done as they expected. Did that mean they didn't give a crap about either man surviving their fight? She couldn't even consider that.

Amir glanced at her. His eyes narrowed. "What exactly was the training for?"

Her mouth opened, but she didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to get into it right now, reliving what she had done. She turned to the major, and his expression was guarded. She prayed that the man would break it down easily in front of Amir. If he told her husband about the fighting, it was likely that he would go postal.

"Our training is standard," he explained. "I'm sure Luna will fill you in later."

Yeah, totally standard, if getting your butt kicked and murder were ordinary things, but in a twisted way, she appreciated the white lie. "Yeah, completely normal."

Doubt crossed Amir's features as he turned back to the doctor. "Were these the kind of tests Faisal did?"

No one responded, which proved sufficient. Amir was motionless, but his eyes remained locked and his lips pressed into a firm line. He then stretched out and took Luna's hand in his, the gentle grasp so unlike his demeanor.

"We can now proceed to the subsequent, more critical part of our work." Dr. Reynolds approached a cart of cutlery. "One of the most amazing characteristics of superhumans with the Alpha serum is their capacity to heal not only themselves but also other individuals. We hope that gaining access to that ability will give us the knowledge we need to duplicate the function and heal others who are afflicted by human illnesses."

While turning back to Amir and Luna, the doctor picked up something, but his hand concealed it. "This next exercise, Amir, is entirely intended to test how quickly you can heal. Before we can proceed, we must be able to identify it."

Luna's anxiety suddenly erupted like a cannonball. There is only one possible outcome from this.

"The reason I was kept alive is now clear to me," Amir said. "Everything is starting to make sense."

"Mr. Khan, you are a very powerful Pure Soul. When we last checked, your parents were still married and had never had their abilities awakened. You're genetically pure."

Amir growled when he faced the doctor. "If you've done anything to my parents or my brother, you're dead, and I won't hesitate to rip your head off your shoulders."

Reynolds chuckled slightly, a small smirk on his lips. "Don't be worried. They aren't with us."

"Perfect." Amir inhaled deeply. "How are we going to do this?"

As the doctor approached him, Luna noticed Greer and another guard tightening their posture. "You're a healer, and we need you to heal your wife," he said.

Amir leaned forward, his hand clenching around her elbow. "Heal her from what? Because I'm baffled. I've already taken care of her bruises—which, by the way, you're all going to pay for inflicting them on her. I'll see to that."

Luna's pulse quickened as she took in her surroundings. The round nozzles were all over the room, and she had a feeling they were about to reacquaint themselves with hisyl's loving embrace.

"It won't be anything too severe," the doctor said gently. "It's only a minor cut that she'll barely notice. Then I'll need to draw blood and check your vitals."

All she could think about was Ethan and Jamal, and all the things BARDA had done to Jamal to force Ethan to do their bidding. Ethan most likely didn't have the Alpha serum in his blood, but that didn't matter. Once the organization got its hands on the people they wanted, their fate was sealed. There was no way of escaping them.

Luna was dizzy and nauseous. Major Thibeau hadn't acted as if getting them into this facility was a main priority, but now that they were, they would be exposed to every facet of this organization. And how could they begin bringing in other people to heal until they knew the true extent of his abilities? Things were going to get messy.

"No," Amir howled. "No one is going to hurt her."

"But you both agreed," Alisha pointed out. "Do we have to keep reminding you of that?"

"I never agreed to my wife getting hurt," he said, his pupils darkening. "This is insanity."

Greer inched closer. The other guard moved to the wall, near a button that appeared to be hostile. When Dr. Reynolds revealed what was in his hand, Amir sprang to his feet, letting go of her hand and moving in front of Luna.

"You better back up, buddy," Amir said, his fists clenching. "Step away. Now."

The doctor's steel scalpel gleamed in the light. Dr. Reynolds took a cautious step back. "I promise she'll barely feel it. I can make a clean cut."

"So can I." Amir's back muscles tensed. "No."

Alisha lowered the clipboard, making an impatient sound. "This can be simple or challenging."

Amir swung his head in her direction. "Is it challenging for you or me?"

"For both of you." She took a step forward, either bravely or foolishly. "We could always subdue you. Or we could just do this and finish. It is entirely up to you."

Luna was aware that they would carry this out despite Amir's apparent intention to call the doctor's bluff. If either of them started fighting back, the staff would sedate them both until they did whatever they were told while also dousing the room in hisyl and every other chemical they had. And then let them go. This test had to take place, regardless of the outcome. She had to decide whether to follow the clean path or the messy one.

Luna stood on wobbly legs. "Amir."

He turned to look at her from behind. "Forget it."

She shrugged while trying to force an unsettling smile. "We are forced to comply." Pain flickered across his face after her statement. "Whatever happens, I can handle it."

"From what I've seen on the video, nobody is touching you."

"We have to do what they want, A. Things are different now that we're together." And things were different this time with him around. Turning to face the doctor, Luna extended her hand. "Amir isn't okay with this. I'm not either, but these are your rules, and I agreed to do anything as long as I could see him."

"And we'll keep our end of the bargain just as you will," Dr. Reynolds said.

"He isn't going to let anyone do this, so I think I'll do it myself," Luna choked out. "Just . . . just tell me where I should make the incision."

Amir looked at her nervously. Alisha nodded as the doctor turned to face her. Her position, whatever it was, clearly trumped everyone else's.

"Please continue," Alisha said. "I trust Luna to know her body and where to cut. Just don't do anything you'll regret later."

As the cool instrument landed in her palm, Luna shot the woman a poisonous look. "Believe me. The last thing I want to cut is my skin. I have a lot of people to choose from."

Alisha snickered. "Mrs. Khan has guts."

Luna gathered her courage and turned to Amir. He kept staring at her as if she were insane. "It's okay."

"Stop." His chest rose in a deep breath, and something very rare happened. Helplessness had seeped into his eyes, transforming them into a golden sand hue. "Moon . . ."

"We don't have a choice."

Their eyes locked, and he reached out his hand. "Give me the scalpel."

Luna tensed up. "No. This is something I can manage."

"Please, Luna, give me the knife."

She wasn't giving him the scalpel for a multitude of reasons. She didn't want him to feel bad about this, and she was worried he'd transform it into a projectile. She shifted her weight slightly and opened her left hand. She had once hurt herself, but she was in a bad place at the time. Her heart was racing and her stomach was fluttering. She assumed it wouldn't take much pressure to do the deed because the knife's edge was super sharp.

Luna squeezed her eyes shut as she held it over her open hand.

"Stop!" Amir hollered, making her jerk. His pupils were completely dark when she looked up. "While we were apart, I studied my ability to glow, and I believe I can heal you in that way."

She was now staring at him as if he was insane. The fact that he wants to shine brighter than a light bulb in this room was disturbing. In that superhuman form, they could do anything they wanted to him. This action frightened her.

Amir glanced around at the staff, who were all staring at him suspiciously. "I'm doing it quickly and easily. Luna is not to bleed or feel pain. And I'll be damned if this incision leaves her with a scar. I will not hesitate to leave scars on any of you."

They seemed to believe that because Alisha nodded her permission. Amir took a deep breath and his body began to shimmer. He was changing. His outline, clothes and all, began to fade out. For a split second, Luna forgot they were in this room, that she was holding a scalpel prepared to slice her flesh, and that they were BARDA's captives.

It was nothing short of breathtaking to watch her husband transform into an angel.

He began to take shape again just as he was about to fade out completely. Arms, legs, torso, and head were included. For a brief moment, Luna could see him. The skin was delicate, like that of a starfish, and the vein network was filled with an iridescent glow. Their features were identical to Amir's but cleaner and more distinct, and he shone as brightly as a star. Her eyes were filled with tears as she saw a human-shaped light tinged with silver.

'I'm not comfortable with you doing this.'

Hearing his voice in her head came as a surprise, as it always had. She started to respond aloud but stopped herself. 'I have to or they'll separate us, A. This is what I must do.'

His sparkling head cocked to the side. 'This decision should not be in their hands. Don't be upset with me, but I'm blocking you from shining alongside me. Your glow is only for my eyes.'

Luna smiled and held his gaze. 'I can tell.'

'I'm not okay with them treating us and hundreds of other people like test subjects. Now do this before I change my mind and release my energy to kill someone.'

She cringed as her gaze fell to the medical equipment. Luna could feel numerous eyes on them as she tightened her grip on the handle. She squeezed her eyes shut, positioned the blade on her palm, and sliced.

She hissed in response to the sharp pain and dropped the blade, observing the thin cut instantly fill with blood. It was like a million paper cuts.

Amir's voice quipped, 'Holy crap, Luna!'

'I think I sliced my skin too deeply,' she admitted, closing her palm against the warmth.

"Beautiful," Alisha said. "They're communicating with each other, and no one else can hear them."

Greer shifted in the corner and resumed standing at attention.

"Incredible pairing," said Dr. Reynolds. "These two are exactly what we needed here at Harmony."

As Luna looked up, she was barely aware of the doctor reaching over and grabbing the blade. Amir's light surrounded her when his hand outstretched, fingers becoming more distinct as they circled her injury.

'I need to look at your palm,' Amir said.

She shrugged her shoulders, and his phantom sigh bounced around in her head. He gently peeled open her hand, his touch as warm as clothes just coming out of the dryer. 'Crap. That hurt a lot more than I expected.'

A low growl replaced the sigh. 'Did you really think it wouldn't hurt, Gizmo?'

Maybe. She waited, watching as he knelt before her, head tilted. While he proceeded to do his magic, heat ignited over her palm.

"Miraculous," Dr. Reynolds whispered. "The power Amir and Luna share are mind-blowing."

Luna's eyes was drawn to Amir's glowing, bowed head. The warmth that radiated from him filled the room. She extended her uninjured hand and rested it on his shoulder. His light pulsed, and the silver around the edges bled inward about an inch. 'Intriguing.'

'You know how much I enjoy it when you touch me. Particularly in this form.' His voice sent shivers down her spine.

'You sure know how to charm the pants off your wife.' She didn't pull her hand back this time.

His chuckle rolled through her, and the pain in her palm had subsided by that point. 'I wish I could do that right now.'

Her eyes narrowed, her gaze wandering around the room.

'Without them, of course.'

She grinned.

Both of his hands surrounded hers, and she was sure her hand was already healed at that point. 'Now, L, stop distracting me.'

She burst out laughing. 'L?'

'You know you like it.' Amir winked.

"This is just . . ." Dr. Reynolds began. "I'm astounded by who these two are. Amir heals her so effortlessly."

Amir ignored him. 'I'm glad we can talk this way without being overheard.'

'Greer can hear what we're saying,' she said.

'I don't care.'

Luna sat up straighter. 'Why not?'

'I'm not concerned if Greer can hear us, but I do care about the other people in the room.'

She nodded. 'I agree. We must be cautious with them.'

'Exactly.'

He cupped her cheek. 'We will get out of this, Luna. This place is not our future. They've already taken Faisal away from me, and I won't lose you.'

A tear slid down her cheek. 'I'm so sorry for what I did to him. I didn't mean to.'

'Moon, listen to me. We can't show any emotions here. We need to be strong. Okay? I haven't had time to mourn my cousin's loss, but I plan to once I'm back in my room.'

Her lips trembled as she thought of what he must be going through. But there was no time to talk to him with their audience.

"Show us what Amir has done," Alisha demanded.

Luna tried ignoring her, but when she looked up, she saw the other guard approaching her husband with what appeared to be a tranquilizer in his hand. She yanked her hand away from him and demonstrated to them. "Look better?"

"Amir, take your physical form," Alisha commanded, her voice chipped.

He stood after a heartbeat. In his angelic form, he appeared taller and far more threatening. His light rippled once, more silver than white, before dimming.

Amir stayed frozen, aside from glowing like a lightbulb. Only his eyes shone with white light. "I'm not sure if you've taken the time to truly understand me, but I don't like being bossed around."

Alisha cocked her head. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm used to people taking my orders."

Amir snorted. "With that attitude, Mrs. Bankole, you'll never win people over."

"And you'll no longer see Luna with yours, Mr. Khan." Her lips perked into a smile.

Luna's hand was examined by Dr. Reynolds. "Remarkable. Only a sliver of a diagonal line. It'll probably be gone in a few hours." He turned to Alisha and Major Thibeau, practically buzzing with anticipation. "Some Alphas had previously healed others, but nothing like this. Her wound is completely closed."

Luna thought Amir's ego couldn't get any bigger.

The doctor shook his head as he looked up at him. "Truly marvelous. Amir's wounds are healed, too."

Luna was certain that the good doctor would lean in and kiss her husband. Her stomach twisted at the thought because his lips were only for her.

The door burst open just as the man was about to start drooling on Amir, and an out-of-breath officer appeared, his cheeks ruddy with the color of his cropped hair. "We have a problem," he declared after he took several deep breaths.

Luna couldn't help but think the guy in the doorway would get yelled at later for barging in the room after Alisha gave him an arch look.

Thibeau coughed. "What seems to be the issue, Edwards?"

A blast ricocheted through the floor, indicating that there was a commotion right outside the door. Amir locked his eyes on Luna. She was on the verge of jumping up and fleeing with him. However, everything that followed became challenging.

"Don't shoot!" yelled a man outside, waving a syringe. "We need the baby!"

The baby?

The officer's stare darted across the room, passing over Amir and Luna before returning to them and finally settling on the major. "A patient has gone hysterical. She's attacking everybody."

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