∞ The Tethered Ones ∞

Chapter 12

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• Amir •

Amir went quiet. Luna just stared at him.

He couldn't believe she thought their moment was nothing but a dream. But maybe she felt that way because . . . Simon had given her an unknown medication?

He shook his head so he didn't have to think about what that man had done. Waltzing into the room his wife laid defensively in, catching him crouching over her, angered him. Amir was on the verge of removing Luna from his lap and finding Simon, only to smash his fist into his face.

But he chose to stay settled down instead. Luna, the one woman who meant the world to him, even though he didn't remember his life with her, continued to stare at him like he was a ghost.

"Say something," he pleaded. "Please?"

She didn't make a sound for a moment longer, then he pushed her off his lap and waited for her reply.

"This . . ." she uttered, facing him. "This is real? You woke up and decided to make us . . . breakfast?"

Okay. That's not what I expected to come from her lips, he thought, but then nodded.

"How do I know this isn't a dream?"

"It's not," he answered. "Why do you think you're dreaming?"

"Because the house is quiet. If no one is in there, then why aren't we making a run for it?" she asked, and then he laid his hands on his hips, looking away.

She made a point.

"I thought of that, too. I want to run, but there's a problem."

"A problem?"

He cleared his throat. "Dr. Kim's home is on a large plantation. About fifty acres wide," he explained, then turned toward the trees behind the guest house. "About thirty yards in that direction is twenty or so miles heading into New Orleans, and in the other direction has one road going in and out. It stretches at least a hundred feet. And some soldiers are monitoring the entrance."

When he whipped back around, her face went pale. "So we're stuck here," she mumbled. "There's no way out."

Without a moment of hesitation, Amir stepped forward and curled his fingers around her cheeks, lightly caressing them.

He didn't know how to bring her hope that he has an escape plan, and all he could do to ease her worries was lightly touching her skin.

"We'll figure something out," he said, lifting her chin. Her eyes became a glossy red color, and tears continued to pour out of her. "Oh, Luna . . ."

He wanted to tell her something to let her know they will flee from that place, but no words could come out. He just kept his mouth shut, because at that point all she could do was sob. He knew there had been so many tears she'd already shed, but he could sense the essence of her soul-shattering in agony. All he knew to do was guide her to his chest and hold her, making sure she felt his heart pounding for her.

"I have this vision, or maybe a memory of something," he whispered against the top of her head. "I'm lying on a bed, in a room I have never been in before, and at that moment I'm waking from a nap. I click on the TV and catch a news reporter talking about the phenomenon in Texas. Then, I hear Faisal outside my door. I stay planted right where I am, and I hear him say the name, Max. A moment later, I hear others talking about a group of people who are doing a video conference." He was trying to explain to her everything about that image inside of his mind. It was really hard to describe for him. "Faisal yelled for everyone to meet in the living room. I stayed still and then closed my eyes."

He felt her fingers run softly through his hair.

"I even heard them talking about serums and how BARDA was going after people with special abilities. Then, I woke up in bed next to you and wanted to rush down here to make you something to eat."

"You heard people talking?" she asked, and he nodded. "You heard your cousin's voice?"

"I did. It felt good to hear from him." He smiled.

"But he didn't see you."

Amir shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Are you sure you heard the name 'Max?'"

He nodded. "Yes."

"This is real . . ."

"As real as it'll ever be," he replied.

"That means . . . you still have your telepathy."

He let out a deep breath. "I don't know. Probably. I heard the man's name being mentioned. Max Gardner."

That did it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Her chest rose up and down, and he stayed close to her. "God, Luna, what is it?"

Her chest had felt like it imploded, so he reached forward and slowly trickled his fingertips down her soft skin. She dug her fingers into a fistful of hair, letting out soft whimpers and sobs.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good." He stayed quiet for a moment, comforting her the best he could. Then, as he straightened his back and swooped her into his arms, he carried her into his living room and settled her down onto the couch. "I don't know what's going on, but I know something happened. I wished there was more I could do, and I'm sorry for all the pain you're going through, Luna."

She blinked back a few tears as she gazed up at him. "The pain I am going through . . . no. You are the one who's in pain."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be okay."

Pain flashed across her face as she rested her forehead against his. "Parts of your life were taken from you. I was injected with a serum that was intended to separate us, but it didn't work. But you were killed. Like, flat-lined dead. Then you were resuscitated. I have yet to find out why, but I'm certain it's because they want us to have a child together."

She took a deep breath, then continued, her eyes focusing on her stomach.

"We're Pure Souls, and we can bring in a new species for them to have their fun with. But damn this organization. They'll never get their hands on any baby I breed. Never."

"That's . . . that's crazy," he said, drawing her close.

"If you can connect to your cousin, that means all hope isn't lost." She smiled at that, glancing up at him. "I wonder if you and I can connect, again."

"Using telepathy?"

She nodded. "We could try it out."

"I don't know how to do . . . it." He chuckled. "Maybe it was a one-time thing with Faisal."

"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I don't believe that. I think your abilities are still in there."

"You think so?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"How?"

She smiled and then jumped to her feet. "You stay down here, and I'll run upstairs. You can connect to me."

"But what if it doesn't work?"

"Oh, there he is," she scoffed and laughed. "I was wondering when he'd come back. I've missed my skeptical husband."

"Hardy har-har," he retorted, biting his lip. "Seriously. This is new for me."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm just . . . I'm anxious to find out if you can use your telepathy. That way, when you're in another area, we can see each other whenever we want."

Amir nodded, then stood up and reached for her hand. "Then let's try it. Maybe it will bring me one step closer to my memories coming back."

She beamed and quickly stepped back, then darted for the railing. "Once I'm up there, you'll need to concentrate, and you'll connect to my soul. All right?"

He nodded, and then she disappeared up the stairs.

Ten seconds later, he closed his eyes and focused on her presence, sensing it behind a closed door. Walking toward his bedroom, he slightly opened it and saw her standing beside the window.

A huge smile crossed her face as she rushed quickly to his side and threw her arms around his neck. "See? I knew it would work. You still have it."

"This feels strange," he said, his arms wrapped around her waist as their scenes changed near the couch. His eyes trailed the small room, then landed back on her. "We're in two places at once."

"Yeah, but it's cool. Right? Now we can connect to Faisal and the rest of our group together."

"Do you think I'll be able to connect to others?"

She nodded. "I don't see why not. All I know is that Sarah and my family are okay and we have allies on our side." She stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "I have a feeling they're not far from us. Probably in Texas."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"I spotted a calendar on the wall in their cabin. It had pictures of the state, and that was where we were heading to before . . ." She trailed off. "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're able to connect to me this way. They can't keep a good person down."

He smiled. "Was it always like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like having a swimmy feeling floating into your mind? Like you're becoming dizzy and want to lay down?"

She pinched her lips into a thin line. "Your experience probably differs from mine. When I connect with someone using my ability, it feels like I'm on the top of a rollercoaster and it drops quickly down the slope. A second later, that feeling normally goes away."

"That's an apt . . . description," he said, hearing her snicker. "I'm glad I don't feel that way. I'm not a fan of rollercoasters."

"True, but I'm sure you'd ride one with me if I wanted to. We never had a chance to do most things as a family."

"I'd love to take you and Sarah out to a theme park and see both of you have fun. That would make my day."

She beamed. "That's the one thing I've always admired about you, Amir."

"What?"

"Your need for making sure we're happy."

"If I was like that before, then I haven't lost it. I haven't lost you."

She placed the tips of her fingers against his chin, slightly tracing his jawline. Just the soft touch of her fingers was enough to send him into an abyss, a place he never wanted to crawl out of. "You're still in there," she whispered, her tone soft and moist. "You'll make your way back to me."

He smiled, then nodded. "I may not understand it now, but I can sense how our souls feel like they're fused. That probably doesn't even make sense."

"No," she said, shaking her neck, her brown hair waving around her shoulders. "It makes perfect sense. It's because of our oath. Our love is unbreakable, timeless, and deep. No matter what they bring our way, we will never be apart. In my mind, you are there. In my heart, you are here. And next to my soul, you are with mine. Wherever I am is where my other half is. You'll always be able to experience everything I do because they're twin flames."

"That's why I am beyond thankful that our connection isn't lost," he said, gazing softly into her eyes. "Our souls are the same."

She sniffed as he broke away.

"If you don't mind, baby, I'd like to stop using my ability and meet you in my room. My head is starting to hurt."

"Sure. You should definitely come up here," she said, noticing their scenes switching back into his bedroom.

"Okay, but don't go anywhere."

She chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He grinned, then disconnected from her and made his way to the kitchen. Grabbing two glasses and a bottle of sweet tea from the fridge, he scurried up the steps and stopped at the doorway.

Taking a deep breath, he gradually opened the door and then cleared his throat. Luna, who was flipping pages of a magazine, looked up and caught his gaze. "I brought you something to drink in case you were thirsty."

She gave him a soft smile. "Thank you. My throat feels quite parched."

Stepping through the threshold, he laid his items down onto the dresser and poured her a glass. She gulped it down quickly, which caused a few drops of tea to spill out of her mouth. "Sorry," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I guess I was more thirsty than I thought I was."

He laughed. "It's all right. Take as much as you need. That is why I brought the bottle with me."

"You're always thinking of my well-being, Amir. You never ceased to amaze me."

"Even when I'm not . . . myself?"

She shook her head as she stepped closer to his body. "I love you for you."

"I think I love you, too, Moon."

"Moon. I like it," she said, smiling softly. "How did you come up with that name?"

He smiled a little. "I saw the moon last night. It was in the shape of a crescent, which is my . . ."

"Favorite," she said, interrupting him.

He nodded. "That's right. Of course, your memories are intact while mine is. . . scattered."

Taking his hands and staring into his eyes, she uttered, "True. You don't have all your memories, but I believe they're slowly coming back to you."

"Does that nickname mean something . . . to us?"

She nodded. "You called me 'Moon' since the first moment you confessed your feelings for me. I'll never forget it."

A tear slid down his eyelid. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek and near her earlobe, moving his mouth along her skin. He trailed a line of kisses along her neckline as she reached up and cupped his jaw, bringing him forward to meet her lips. She rocked him from the inside out, and he was absolutely amazed by the person she was. She blew him away just with one kiss, one touch, and he was completely humbled by his wife.

Then there was no talking, no thinking, no more discussion about his memories. His mouth was everywhere, exploring her whole body like it had done a million times, piercing their souls back together. He needed to make love to her and show her that the slight predicament they were in wouldn't stop him from loving her heart. They moved together, keeping their hands tightly joined at the sides, and their lips staying locked. He stopped for a second and lifted so that he could peer into her eyes.

He thanked Allah for bringing her into his world, and he was determined to reunite her with Sarah.

Flickering lights blinked through the blinds as their hearts pounded in tandem. She held on tight, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, keeping up with him. He swallowed her moan with a kiss as a shattering whirl of sensations shot through him, powering down his spine.

He didn't know how much time had passed, or if they'd be interrupted, but he kept her close, never letting her go. He vowed in his heart to keep her safe, even if it meant he'd have to kill others who stood in his way.

Her life was all that mattered.

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