"Eva ..she needs this," Conrad argued with Eva to let Cassie go in and be with William. He couldn't understand why this waiting was necessary. Not while his sister was still suffering. It just seemed so cruel to prolong their separation. He couldn't help but think what it must be like and marvel at his sister's strength.
The woman was reluctant as she glanced back over at the monitors. " No, Conrad, I don't think this is the right time for a happy reunion. Please understand, I know you want to help Cassie, but this isn't the time..not yet.""Babe, I get what you're saying but look at her. She has been through hell. That's just a few minutes of hand-holding going to hurt? Will isn't even awake, and who knows if he even will wake up at this point. I know you're nervous about what's happened before, but he's strapped down in there ." Conrad smiled sweetly, turning on the charm and running his hands down the collar of Eva's lab coat. Maybe it was wrong of him to use suThe desolate world of white began to fade away like smoke before his eyes. Drifting away like a dream, the pristine horizon cracked like ash and turned tarnished and gray. Particles of this melancholy place float away on some unseen wind. The further William ran in this now disintegrated world, the more the darkness encroached. It was as if this darkness had its breath, its heartbeat as it surged and flowed. Like a wolf chasing its prey in the night. Soon the man found himself running in pitch-black darkness, his legs ached and his chest burned, but he didn't care. He was certain that if he kept going he'd reach the end. He'd find his way back from this nightmare of death. He just couldn't give up.Somewhere in that thick oppressive darkness, the ground began to give way. Crumbing beneath him, William shouted, scrambling to grab for anything, but his hands found no purchase in the nothing before him.He was falling, down, down..... just when he thought there would be no ending to thi
Cassie Baker was, by most standards, an ordinary young woman; she lived in a typical town and had a regular job. Every day was so beautifully predictable while not being bland. In a word, Cassie's life was comfortable, she was happy, and that is something most people long for. That blessedly everyday existence came from security. A life without worry or strife, almost picture perfect, one might say. She lived in a city she adored and helped people every day. From the outside looking in, red might believe Cassie had it all. Or at least on the surface.Cassie was a nurse at Denver Hospital, an ER nurse, to be exact. She enjoyed her job and her friends. They were all unique and made her life more enjoyable. This little collection of people all became like family to her. Not to say she didn't have a family, because she did; it was just a little complicated. Cassie wasn't without her quirks, and her past wasn't always sunshine and roses.She was born and raised in Virginia, your average
"Luke!" Felicia squealed, attempting to pull her fiancé out from under the umbrella the man had propped up in the sand. The six-foot-4 blonde man often cursed his fair skin when it came to outdoor events. He wasn't as bad as his elder brother, who took pale to an all-new, nearly florescent level. However, those Germanic roots ran deep, and the sun was not his friend. Unless looking like a lobster ever came into fashion. Speaking of older brothers, Luke looked too. His left at the chime of a dry laugh. There was his big brother and his typical grin. "Looks like you got your hands full, little brother." William quipped under his umbrella. Since the wedding announcement, the elder had been having far too much fun at his younger brother's expense. William had maintained that he would stay a bachelor for as long as possible and not fall into the 'marriage trap,' as he liked to say. Although most people who knew him would say the only one trapped in that situation would be any p
" hang .....ah..ha..ah.Will..d-don't tease .." Cassie mewled and moaned, her knuckles white from gripping the headboard. The things Will could do with his tongue, criminal."Oh, but honey, you're so cute when you beg." William popped his head out from under the sheet, grinning. " I love those noises you make."He was far too impressed with himself as he hurried up into the bed beside his girlfriend. As if his ego needed further boosting, turning his lover into a begging mess certainly did the job. Wrapping his arms around the other, bringing the slender girl back against his chest, William let his hands wander. He felt the quivering anticipation of the blonde's musculature, flexing abdominal and obliques. Each breath, withering and shuddering, pleaded for the satisfaction only he could provide."but if you insist," he all but purred against Cassie's ear as he pushed inside agonizingly slow.'Oh! My ah Will! ..." Cassie couldn't help it.
Cassie sat silently in the cold and stark room beneath the hospital. She could help but think she shouldn't be here; they shouldn't be here. Sitting in wordless agony before the steel table and the harsh white light that hummed overhead, illuminating the face she loved so much. she couldn't help but believe that this was all some rule joke. That any moment, the man before her would spring up and laugh. She'd be angry with him, but she got over it. Anything to hear his voice and feel his touch. Anything to not be here in this moment.William's face looked like he was sleeping. Cassie knew he wasn't, though. Blue eyes flitted about the room, its walls lined with small silver doors, each one opened to a roll-out table unit. Soon the love of her life would be behind one of those doors, alone in the dark. Cassie stood up and approached the body.Oliver had left her alone and promised to keep everyone out. She didn't want to be comforted; she did
Eva took keen notice of her associate's behavior change. Luke had left in a hurry saying there was an emergency, something involving his older brother. By the looks of things, that something was severe. Of course, Eva didn't stop him; the woman knew the importance of family above all else. The family was why she was doing this, so another family would not be as broken as hers.Eva sent one of her assistants down the hall soon after Luke and the others left the lab. When the shy intern returned, he had company, a man in a military uniform. Conrad Jones was the government liaison for the group's research. He was also someone very special to Eva."Hey, honey, where's Lizzy and the gang headed in such a hurry? If you sent them for food, you should have told me. I would kill for a biggie with cheese right now. That meeting with the FDA guys ran long, and I missed lunch. I feel like my navel is touching my spine; I'm so hungry!" While Conrad wasn't as ...eloquent a
Felicia looked over at her husband as they drove away from the hospital, the emerging light of dawn casting a hazy blue over them both. The world felt like that misty blue, cold, and almost colorless. It had been silent for some time. At first, she thought they were going home, which was all she truly wanted. Felicia just wanted to be home in their bed, to call in sick and lay there in the soft serenity of their king-sized bed and try and pretend something wasn't missing. However, she quickly realized this wasn't the way back to their home. Not to mention they were still behind Randy's Mercedes. She knew they lived farther out from the city than they did. Still, no one had said anything about going there. She thought maybe it had been something Randy and Luke had discussed privately. Perhaps they were going to head there for breakfast and to decompress before tackling the heavy task at hand. Felicia remembered how hard it had been when she and Victoria had
Massive gates and electronic key card entry points graded them as they made it to the research facility Conrad led the way opening each checkpoint. After the convoy entered the base Conrad broke off from the group, He knew the others would be going to the underground parking which held direct access to the Lab. Conrade didn't want Cassie to be there when they unloaded the body, he didn't think his sister needed to see that.Given everything that had already happened Conrad felt he was doing her kindness. Why would anyone want to see a body bag on a rolling stretcher knowing what was inside said bag, or rather who, she didn't need more of a reminder that the man she loved was dead.When he pulled into the parking space at the far side of the base he looked over, touching his sister's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. " Cassie, we're here, are you ok to get out ?"The little blond didn't answer and Conrad just sighed, he hoped this would work. If this