Savage Awakening (Alpha Pack #2)(34)

"Next time say it with a bit more oomph if you expect me to believe it." Looking mighty smug, he pushed away from the wall and began to walk again. "Coming?"

"Already did," she retorted.

Green eyes glittered with amusement. And there was that heat again, searing her to the core. "I like you, officer."

"Good to know. You're pretty okay, too."

"I'll accept that as high praise from you."

"Trust me, it is."

They walked slowly, by mutual consent, and Rowan thought he was as reluctant to reach their destination as she was. The silence was companionable, the discomfort of moments ago banished. She decided to chance a burning question.

"Do you think something is real if it happens only in the mind?" If she'd thought he'd take the opportunity to tease or make some witty retort, she was wrong.

"You're talking about our mutual dream-fantasy."

"Yes, but I also wondered in a broader sense. The idea is scary. Fascinating, too, I'll admit."

"Before I can answer that and have you believe what I say, you have to reconcile your perception of what's real and what isn't. You have to understand that what humans traditionally accept isn't the only reality there is in the universe."

She stared at him, impressed and pleased that he was taking her so seriously. "You're pretty smart."

"Not really. I've just had longer to come to terms with alternate reality."

She thought about what he'd said about the universe. "I guess I have no choice but to believe."

"Nope, no guessing. By now you've seen enough to know whether you do or don't."

"Okay, I do. But I don't want to," she clarified. "My brain still rebels against all of this stuff."

"That's fair. Then I can say yes-there are occasions when what happens in the mind is very real. Even better, I can prove it."

"How?" Her fact-loving self liked this.

"Easy. Here, I'll show you." Grabbing her hand, he veered off course, turning down a different hallway.

"The doc isn't going to like that you didn't get your butt straight there like she said."

"She'll get over it. Besides, this will only take a couple of minutes."

"That's all? A few minutes to make me accept the 'mind over matter' theory?"

"I'll let you be the judge."

The trip was shorter than she would've hoped, because she really liked his big hand enfolding hers. It made her feel like a teenager again, and very few things could perform that miracle these days. In moments, they stood in a room that held a huge rectangular table and a bunch of chairs. A big flat-screen television adorned the wall at one end.

"This is our conference room," he told her. "Nick just splurged on updating it with new furniture and the TV. A vast improvement over the secondhand crap we had in here before."

"Nice. But what can you show me in here?"

"Watch."

Guiding her farther inside, he directed her to stand off to the side, away from the furniture. She observed, puzzled and a little amused as he raised one arm, turning his hand palm up and simply held that position, staring intently at the table and chairs.

Which ever so slowly began to rise.

"Oh, my God!"

Her mouth fell open as they continued upward, like they were being hoisted by invisible ropes and pulleys, damned near to the ceiling. Then down again. When the legs were about six inches off the floor, they dropped the remaining distance with a noisy clatter, less gracefully than they'd gone up.

Aric braced one hand on the back of a stuffed chair, looking a bit pale. "There's your proof. I told you I'm a Telekinetic. I can start fire the same way, though Nick would be kinda pissed if I torched the new goodies."

"I've never seen anything like that in my life," she breathed.

"The mind is a powerful tool. There's so much untapped potential in every single human's brain-that demonstration only scratches the surface." He gazed at her. "Now do you believe in power you can't see?"

She gave a shaky laugh. "Yes. It's very safe to say I do. Who would've thought?"

"I ask myself that question every single day," he said quietly.

"Are you all right? You suddenly don't look well."

"I'm fine."

She frowned, not convinced, and cupped his cheek. "You're still burning up, and now you're pale. That took too much out of you when you're still not recovered from your ordeal. Let's get you to Dr. Mallory."

"Yes, ma'am. You can call her Melina, you know. She doesn't bite too hard."

"I'll keep that in mind."

He was teasing, but the fact that he didn't attempt to argue again about getting checked was worrisome. She figured a stubborn man like Aric had to feel really awful to admit he needed help of any kind. Not that he had admitted it, exactly, but still.

Leaving the conference room, they started on their way once more. But halfway to the infirmary, he stumbled. Acting quickly, she grabbed his arm and leaned her body into his until he got himself steadied.

"I'm okay. I'm good."

He wasn't, but she didn't argue. They made it all the way to the infirmary, where the cute nurse, Noah, sat behind a desk and greeted them with a tentative smile.