Page 23 of Coerced

My mind woke up in a flash and my eyelids shot up. A ring of concerned faces peered down at me, buthiswasn’t among them. Panicked, I flooded my body with healing.

“Oh, no. Where is he?” I held out a hand and Jax hauled me to my feet.

They all moved aside, and I didn’t really need Gigi’s pointing finger to find him. It’s hard to miss a skyscraper lit up with blue spikes. Hank stood near him and tried to talk him back from the edge, and Ms. Weatherbee stood a few yards away, guarding Hank’s back.

Running over, I reached Ms. Weatherbee at the same time as a man with - I kid you not - lavender hair that shivered like downy fluff with the slightest movement. He leaned over and braced his hands on his knees.

“No go, Gina,” he panted. “He has a shield like nothing I’veeverseen. Can’t get through it, around it, over it, or under it.”

“I figured.” She propped her fists on her hips. “Thanks for trying, Mingo.”

“I would like to meet this kid when he’s calmer.” The lavender-haired man grinned. “How long do you think he can hold out?”

“Indefinitely,” she sighed.

“Ha ha. Very funny.” Mingo’s laugh was dry. “His shield alone is taking a huge amount of power. He’ll drain out in a few minutes.”

“No, he won’t,” said Ms. Weatherbee.

“You don’t know my tiger,” I added.

Mingo glanced at me, and I saw his eyes were also lavender.Andhis eyebrows and the five-o’clock-shadow on his jaw.

Well, that isn’t something you see every day. Backlash, curse, or something worse?

Swallowing my curiosity for now, I made a move toward Kerry.

“Be careful.”

I acknowledged Ms. Weatherbee’s warning with a wave, but kept going. I knew what I was doing. My boy would never, ever hurt me.

And he was calm enough to be talking with his warden, not beating the daylights out of his enemy. That was definitely a good sign.

I walked a little faster and grinned with pride when Kerry released Cole, turned to Hank, and dropped his shield.

Now if only he’ll lose the spikes, we’ll be good to go.

Of course, Cole chose that moment to wake up and continue the fight. He filled the air with the same black scorpion-bats from the other day, and they streaked toward Kerry’s back in a dark flock.

Oh, no, you didn’t, you coward!

Sweeping an arm out, I let loose my own power and hoped it would do something. When my golden sparks met the scorpion-bats, they exploded like glitter bombs - and satisfaction filled me.

I was only a healer, but I was a powerful one, and I wanted to figure out how to use my power offensively. Never again did I want to be helpless or cause someone to be hurtbecauseI was helpless.

Cole and Hank swung around to stare at me, but Kerry went for his enemy. I let him knock the jerk out, then stepped in because, once he started hitting, he wouldn’t stop voluntarily.

“Kerry. It’s over now. I’m asking you to stop. You told me I could ask you for anything, remember?”

His arm still cocked for a second punch, he looked over at me. It took nearly three seconds, though, before hesawme.

“He coulda hurt you. He coulda—”

“Yes, but he didn’t. I’m fine. Not even a bruise.”

“He threw my mercy back in my face.” He lowered his arm, but still stood over Cole.

“Yes. Some people do that,” I said with a nod. “The important thing is that you offered it.”

---