“I know,” he muttered, but retained his grip. Tanner and my dad kept holding on, too.

“Lexis, you may go see Rome,” John said, “but you, Belle, will stay with me. We have much to discuss.”

“I’ll keep you apprised of his progress.” Lexis rushed out, already running for the door.

I scowled at John. I wanted to go with Lexis, but was too afraid my dad or Tanner would be punished in retaliation. So I stayed where I was. For the moment. “I’m not talking to you or allowing you to test me until I know Rome is okay.”

John’s eyes narrowed. “Allowing me?” He snorted and reached out to clamp my arm in an iron grip. Only then did Cody release me.

Fuck it, I thought darkly. And after all, Rome had once told me John wasn’t an evil man, that he didn’t hurt innocent people. I’d take him at his word. “That’s right, allowing you,” I said. “Daddy, you and Tanner stay here, okay?” They nodded. “You have to let go of me now,” I added.

The moment they did, I froze John’s hand without much effort-I was getting damn good!-and when his grip on me slipped, I took off without another word in the direction Lexis had gone. Rome, my heart shouted. I’m coming. I managed to catch up with Lexis in the elevator. She held the door open for me, and I flew inside before it closed, catching a glimpse of John’s shocked face as he chased after me.

She knew exactly where to go, and ushered me into a sterile-smelling hallway. John soon arrived, scowling, but he didn’t protest. He must have sensed that I’d fry him if he tried to come between me and Rome right then.

Rome was being wheeled into-an operating room? A lab? I didn’t know which. Thick silver doors flapped shut, blocking the sight of his gurney. He’d been deadly silent, though, and I gripped Lexis’s hand.

“He’s going to be all right,” she said.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m… hopeful.”

My chest constricted. Hours passed. We paced. More hours passed. John watched, observed us. He even relented and allowed my dad and Tanner to wait with us. They sat on the only couch, their expressions equally troubled.

Lexis eventually sat next to Tanner and rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and she cried. He cooed and comforted her, and she finally stopped. She raised her head, and they stared at each other for a long moment, then she leaned forward and kissed him.

I stopped pacing long enough to watch Tanner eagerly respond. I was shocked, but happy for them.

John pinched the bridge of his nose, much as I’d seen Rome do whenever he was truly exasperated. “What next?”

“Come sit by me, doll,” my dad said. “You’re not doing Rome any good by worrying.”

“No. I’m too upset.” I leapt back into motion. I felt so helpless. I could control the elements, but not save the life of one lone man. I couldn’t help him, and I would have given my own life to do so.

“You love him?” John asked me.

“Yes.” God, yes. I’d given the man my whole heart.

“Belle, sweetie,” my dad said. “Please sit down. Rome will-”

“He’s going to make it,” a man said, stepping past the doors. He had dark red hair and so many freckles he appeared to be one big brown spot, but at that moment he was the most beautiful, welcome sight in the world. “ Rome is going to make it. Whoever froze the wound saved his life. We almost lost him a time or two, and would have if the bleeding hadn’t stopped.”

“Thank God.” I slumped to the floor in relief. Lexis pulled away from Tanner and threw her arms around me with a laugh. Tears trickled from my eyes, then the dam burst and I gripped her and sobbed. My dad and Tanner were suddenly at our sides, trying to offer comfort. Though I was experiencing intense sadness and worry, it didn’t rain or freeze. Yes, I really was getting good at controlling my powers. I would have loved the knowledge yesterday. Right now, I couldn’t make myself care.

When I finally quieted, John said, “Will you speak with me now?” Exasperation filled his voice.

I gazed at him through the watery shield of my lashes. “I need to see Rome first.”

Silence descended like a thick, oppressive blanket. John nodded to the redheaded doctor. “Let her see him, then take her to the spare room.”

Whatever he had planned for me in that spare room, I didn’t give a shit. I was too eager to glimpse my man. Lexis bid Tanner a tentative goodbye, then she and I were led down another hallway. Around us, scientists-nurses?-meandered in and out of rooms. There were computers and some type of beeping machine along the walls. Definitely a lab. A short, round man in a white coat stopped me when I tried to enter Rome ’s room, and pointed to an observation panel.

“You can’t go in yet. We’re sterilizing the air.”

Beside Lexis, I pressed my nose to the glass, my hands at my temples, and looked inside. Rome lay on a bed, completely still, but I could hear the steady beep of his heart monitor, could see the bandages on his chest and the color dusting his skin. A bright blue light was shining on him from the ceiling.

“He’s okay,” I breathed. “He’s really okay.”

“Yes,” Lexis said, her voice trembling.

“Lexis, you may stay here,” the redheaded man said. “Belle, I need you to follow me now.”

I wanted to refuse, but didn’t. The time had come. I’d promised. I blew Rome a soft kiss and followed the doctor. John waited in an empty room, leaning against the far wall. When I stepped inside, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Shut the door,” he said.

My hands trembled as I obeyed. “What exactly is it you want from me?”

His thick, silver brows arched. “I’ve worked at PSI for a long time,” he began. “I’ve seen more evil than most people know exists. There are vile scrims out there, like Vincent, intent on claiming a piece of the world pie for their own. They don’t care who they hurt or what they destroy.”

“I thought you didn’t, either,” I said, laying it all out. “You were-are-willing to experiment on me. To hurt me.”

“For the good of the world,” he said. “By now you know there’s a paranormal realm out there, people who have powers as deadly as yours. That’s why agencies like mine exist, to keep them under control. People like you could destroy us all.”

“I don’t want to cause harm,” I insisted.

He studied me for a long moment in silence. “Good. Cody told me how you defeated Vincent, a man who has been a thorn in my side for many, many years.”

“I helped,” I admitted.

“Would you like to do it again?”

I blinked in confusion. “Do what again?”

“Destroy another thorn in my side. There’s a woman-Desert Gal, we call her. She dries everything in her path, destroying life.”

I blinked again, shook my head. “You want me to fight her?” Even as I said the words, excitement worked through me. Actual excitement. I’d had fun with Rome these past couple of days. Yes, we’d been chased and shot at and almost killed, and at times I’d hated the danger. But for the first time in a long time I’d felt content, all hints of restlessness gone.

Maybe I’d found my true calling. Maybe I’d found the one job I could stick with.

Maybe I was as bad as Cody, finding joy amid the danger.

“What about neutralizing me?” I asked. “What about testing me?”

“Oh, I still want to test you. You survived a formula that killed everyone else who ingested it, and I want to know why. So yes, I will test you. But there’s no reason to neutralize or imprison you if you work for me. You’d be a real asset to PSI.”

“But there’s nothing special about me! Dr. Roberts finally perfected the formula, that’s all. He told me so in a note.”

John hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll need to verify that.”

“By talking to the doctor or by testing me?”

“Both.”

Grr! Was there no getting out of the testing? “We have no idea where Dr. Roberts is,” I said.

“Don’t worry. We won’t give up the search.”