Page 61 of Between Imminent Fates

Pathways he’d never previously noticed, loopholes in code, back doors into firewalls: all of them became glaringly obvious as his mind shifted to accommodate the additional power.

Moving swiftly through Torrin’s documentation and any associated links, Remmus’ consciousness soared toward the Army’s archives. After the slightest hint of hesitation from the practically unbreachable firewall, Remmus felt Derikles’ hand grip his other shoulder.

Nothing would ever be the same.

Remmus was barely aware of his physical body, but his mouth formed the one word that seemed to illustrate his sudden shift.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Derikles

Derikles chuckled at Remmus’colorful curse. Though he’d never met the Raeth before today, he had been impressed by the man’s abilities. Even before Zeke began to amp Remmus, the span of his power was breathtaking. Now that he’d connected to him on the psychic plane, it was even more astounding.

“Is it too much?”

Zeke’s voice, a combination of physical and telepathic voice, broke through the barrier that existed between their three minds. Interconnected as they were, each of their psychic walls had essentially become porous.

Derikles, unaccustomed to anything quite so intrusive, was taken aback by Zeke’s question until he remembered that Remmus was a part of his clan. It would be similar to Isaiah inquiring about his own safety.

“Just … just give me a moment.” Halting words, as if Remmus had to remember how to speak. “Let me adjust.”

At first, Derikles thought he’d imagined it, but then he realized the truth of it: Remmus’ voice had been amplified by the cell phone speakers around them, echoing through each of the devices.

No one had missed it.

Above their heads, the lights in the room brightened to an almost blinding degree. The level of power he was emitting burned around them. Remmus’ eyes turned entirely white as he became jacked into the technology he wielded like the sharpest blade.

Then, Key’s voice guided him. “Funnel it into the computer, Remmus. Find the thread and begin.”

Remmus dug in, every ounce of his concentration focused on removing all traces of theCitizens—and the immortals they hunted—from the web and the Army archives. Twenty-five minutes into it, his heart rate and respiration had accelerated, and the two healers in the room, Zia and Kaien, hovered nearby.

Occasionally, Remmus teleported something into the room: a cell phone, laptop, or a USB. All of them were ordered to be destroyed. Toni, the fire Elemental, took great satisfaction from carrying out that task.

A fine sheen of sweat had coated Remmus’ skin, and every couple of minutes, he’d shiver. The two healers would occasionally check his stats, but the technopath didn’t seem to even feel them.

Derikles knew that he could only continue amping Remmus for another hour at most, but Key didn’t look worried. Beside him, Zeke hadn’t so much as flinched.

Fifty-two minutes after they started, Remmus blew out a long breath, and the pull of Derikles’ amp gradually lessened.

Key stepped forward and asked, “Is it finished?”

“Yes.”

“And the other technopath?”

“He won’t be a problem.”

“Good,” Key said softly. “Come back now, Remmus. Reel in your ability.”

Connected as he was to Remmus’ well of power, Derikles knew the instant he faltered. Remmus’ mind had expanded so swiftly, like liquid splaying outward without a border, that trying to cap the flood was like fixing a leaking valve in the Hoover dam.

The barest shake of Remmus’ head seemed to draw his mate’s attention like a gunshot. Ava’s encouraging words came quickly. “Come on, baby. Draw it back in.”

“Let him feel your hands, Ava,” Key instructed. “He needs the tangible to be able to reinforce the sense of self.”

Ava’s palms came up to cup Remmus’ cheeks as she whispered words meant only for her mate’s ears. But for a single, shining moment, Derikles felt the transfer of her love as though it was for him. With the way Zeke shifted beside him, Derikles knew he wasn’t the only one who’d felt it.

It was odd. The purity of a mate’s love didn’t compare with any other sensation he’d ever had. It made him hungry for more.

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