"What can we do?" Lewis said.
There were sounds of stirring in the back of the house. Marisol's parents. Rob glanced that way, then back out the window.
"We'll have to get to her somehow. Find her and get her out of there."
"Get her out," Anna said quietly. It wasn't a question, it was a confirmation.
"We have to," Rob said. "I don't know what she has in mind, but it's not going to work. Not in that house of lunatics. They're dangerous. They'll kill her."
"I came to see you," Kaitlyn said, and moved closer to him.
She could tell he wasn't buying it.
"It's true. Look at me, feel my thoughts. I came here to see you, Gabriel."
She was taking a chance. But she had come to see him, that much was true, and after he'd just saved her life she was genuinely glad to see him. He could sense that much safely. And she was betting he wouldn't search below the surface, because that would mean getting close, letting her sense him. She had the strong feeling he didn't want that.
He was looking at her hard, his gray eyes narrowed against the light. Beautiful north light, slanting around them, making the modest houses look enchanted, making even Gabriel look golden and warm. She could only guess how it made her look.
Gabriel dropped his eyes. His psychic senses had brushed her mind as lightly as a moth's wing. "So you came to see me," he said.
"I've missed you," Kaitlyn said, and that was also true. She'd missed his razor wit and the mocking humor that glinted behind his eyes and his strength in the web. "I want to join you."
It was such a whopping huge lie that she expected to feel the alarms going off in his head. But he'd withdrawn his mental probing and veiled himself. He wouldn't even look at her properly.
"Don't be stupid," Gabriel said, in a voice suddenly gone weak.
Kaitlyn saw her advantage and pounced. "I did. I decided last night. I don't like Mr. Z, but I think some of the things he says are true. We have infinite possibilities-we just need room. Freedom. And we are superior to other people."
Gabriel seemed to have gathered himself. "You don't go in for that stuff."
"Why shouldn't I? I'm tired of running. I want to be with you, and I want power. What's wrong with that?"
His mouth had gone hard. "Nothing's wrong-only you don't believe it."
"Test me." Kaitlyn's heart was pounding with the risk. "Gabriel, I didn't know what we had together until you left. I care about you." This was it, the time to see whether she was true Hollywood material. She stepped even closer to Gabriel, almost touching him. "Believe me."
If he wanted, he could reach into her mind and rip the truth out. Her thin shields wouldn't hold against him.
But he didn't try to probe her brain. He kissed her instead.
Kaitlyn surrendered to the kiss deliberately-she knew she had to, and she felt a flash of triumph. Small-town girl makes good. A star is born!
Then the triumph was swept away by something much stronger and deeper. Something fierce and joyous-and pure. They were clinging together, he was holding her as hard as she was holding him.
Electricity seemed to arc between them. Everywhere they touched Kaitlyn could feel the sparks. His hand tangled in her hair, and she was frighteningly moved by the tiny tugs, the little pain it caused as his fingers worked. His lips brushed against hers again and again.
An ache was starting inside Kaitlyn. They were together, together, so close, and she wanted to be closer. A trembling thrill raced through her-and then a flash of light. His fingers were on the nape of her neck.
A flash of light-it was beginning. The sparks becoming a blue-white torrent. In a moment the transfer point would open, and her energy would flood into him.
The ultimate sharing-but she couldn't. Their minds would be open to each other. She would have no shields-he would see everything.
Kaitlyn tried to pull away ... but it didn't work. He was holding her and she couldn't seem to let go of him. She didn't have the will-and in a moment he would see-
A garage door roared to life.
Kaitlyn jumped and was saved. Gabriel lifted his head, looking at a house near them. Kaitlyn took the moment to step away.
The world was coming to life around them. It wasn't dawn but daylight. The door to another house was opening; a cat was running up a walkway. No one had noticed the tall boy standing in the street kissing a girl, or the crumpled figure at their feet.
"But they'll see us in a minute," Kaitlyn whispered. "Let's go."
They walked quickly. At the intersection, Kaitlyn looked at him. "Which way to the Institute?"
"You really want to go there?" He looked doubtful, but not contemptuous as before. She'd convinced him.
"I want to be with you."
Gabriel was confused. Confused and vulnerable- there was something fragile in his eyes. "But-I hurt you."
"You didn't want to." Kaitlyn was sure of that suddenly. She'd thought so before, but now she was sure.
"I don't know," he said shortly. "I don't know anything anymore."
"I know. Forget about it." She could tell he was still bewildered, but she figured that was probably good. The more off" balance, the less he'd be likely to analyze her. She was still dizzy and bewildered herself from that kiss.
Oh, God, what am I getting myself into?
She decided to think about it later.
"Is Joyce still running things?" Joyce Piper was the woman who'd recruited them both last winter- who'd made the Institute seem like a legitimate place. Even now Kaitlyn had a hard time believing she was as bad as Mr. Z.
"If you can call it running things. She's supposed to be in charge, but-well, you'll see."
Kaitlyn felt a surge of victory, suppressed it. He wasn't arguing anymore. He was assuming she'd come, and that they'd let her in.
I'm going to do it, she thought. She suddenly realized that it was wonderful good luck that she was arriving with Gabriel. He was going to help her immeasurably.
As they neared the Institute she thought, stand tall, walk tall. She held her head up. The first time she'd come here she'd been overwhelmed by anxiety. Worry about her new roommates-would they like her, would they accept her? Now she had much more serious things to worry about, but she had a purpose. She knew she looked cool and confident, almost regal.