Page 58 of Coerced

“Oh, being tortured and drained doesn’t bother you, but holding my hand does?” Travis asked.

I took a deep breath and squared up my shoulders.

“I can do it.” I wasn’t sure if I was telling them or myself. “Gemma, where will you be?”

“On Travis’ other side. He’ll hold my one hand and I’ll touch Amanda with my other.”

We arranged ourselves as she said and I glared down at Travis.

“Okay, Dragon. Here’s how this will work. Letmetakeyourhand. And don’t squeeze. Or make any sudden moves.”

“Can I breathe?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure.” I shrugged. “Won’t bother me if you breathe.”

Someone chuckled, but I was listening to Gemma explain how Amanda might be unsteady once she was freed. Clem shuffled behind his wife and said he would catch her if she stumbled.

“We should probably do the same for you three.” He pointed to John. “You take Kerry, Tara Gemma, and Maddy Travis. We’ll make sure no one gets concussed hitting the concrete floor.”

My jaw dropped in horror.

“NowJohnhas to touch me, too?”

“Only if you pass out like a pansy.” John came over to stand behind me.

“There’s one thing you have to remember, Kerry.” Travis looked serious. “Donotlet go of my hand.”

“Don’t let go. Got it.”

“I mean it,” Travis insisted. “You can cry, scream, fall down, whatever, but don’t let go. If you do, Gemma and I won’t be able to hold the power and it’ll backlash on us.”

“IsaidI got it!” I started to get irritated. “I won’t let go. No matter what. As long as I’m here, I’ll keep you safe.”

I held Gemma’s eyes and hoped she knew I would die before I failed them. Before I failedher.

“Okay, Gemma.” Travis turned to her. “I’m as ready as I’m going to get.”

“Me, too,” she agreed. “Kerry?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to me and I swallowed hard. Taking a deep breath, I gritted my teeth, reached over, and took the hand Travis held out.

Don’t let go.No matter what. Just like you said. If you do, Gemma will die. You and Travis, too, but he’s not Gemma and you don’t matter.

Backlash from power gone wrong would rebound on its wielder tenfold. It didn’t matterwhatwent wrong; it was the amount of power that counted. And since they were sucking power fromme, it would be enough to kill everyone in this room - and probably the surrounding neighborhood.

“Get ready, Kerry,” Travis said. “This is going to hurt.”

“It’s only pain. It doesn’t matter.”

I braced myself as Travis latched onto me like a leech, stabbed into my core, and pulled power from me like a jet-powered vacuum.

In a way, I was prepared. Like I said, it wasn’t as painful as the exorcism. Not by a long shot. It still hurt.

A lot.

Don’t let go. No matter what.

I felt like my intestines were being yanked out through my throat. It was worse than that fight with those twin leeches a few years ago.

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