Page 67 of The Enforcers: KANE

He’d come here, hadn’t he? Or maybe she’d imagined him. She’d thought she could hear his voice, feel his touch.

He’d pulled her out of the screaming torment and started to heal her. But then he’d vanished like smoke.

But he’d brought her this talisman. He’d pressed it into her hand and wrapped her fingers around it. Its magic was keeping her sane, but just barely. Her strength was running out.

The whispers grew louder, and she could hear screams in the distance. No. She would hold on.

A voice penetrated the wall she’d put around her mind.

I love you, Raven. You were always the one. You have to come back to me.

Her head snapped up.

“Kane?” she whispered.

And he was there. Sitting next to her on the floor of the cave, his strong arms wrapped around her. “I’m here, Raven.”

She leaned into him with a sob. He stroked her hair, the warmth of his body seeping into her.

“Where are we?” she asked him.

He huffed a laugh. “The spirit world, believe it or not,” he said.

“That really exists?” She had a vague memory of hearing stories about it, when she was a little girl. Why had she never remembered that before?

“Apparently. Jace and Emma were mated here. Although, it sounds like their spirit world was nicer than yours. No offense.”

She laughed shakily. “I’ll try to do better next time.”

“Please do. According to Emma, they got grass and sunshine and a nice forest. This cave sucks.”

“Tell me about it. This cave is the gateway to hell.”

He rubbed her shoulders gently. “I know,” he said. “Selina laid some kind of mind trap inside that poor guy’s head. Both of them, probably. Reliving their pain and torment until you came along and it transferred to you.”

“Oh, my God,” she said. “That’s horrible.” She hesitated. “What happened to them?” she asked.

“They didn’t make it,” Kane said softly.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, tears streaking down her cheeks. “I’m so tired,” she said. “I can’t make it stop.”

He pulled her closer. “I know how that feels,” he said quietly. “I’ve had Selina in my head for years.”

There was nothing to say to that. They huddled together, holding on to each other the way they’d sometimes done in Seattle. It was comforting, but it wasn’t enough.

“How do we fix it?”

Kane said, “Carmichael said the mind trap damaged your brain. Kind of like overloading the circuits. It will probably heal on its own…eventually.”

And what if it didn’t?

“Is he sure?” she asked.

Kane said, “He sounded sure, but I don’t necessarily trust him. That’s why I came after you.”

Hope surged through her. “Can you get me out of here?”

Kane stroked her hair. “There might be a way,” he said. “Jace was dying when Emma followed him here to the spirit world. They consummated their mating bond, and she was able to heal him.” His hand paused. “It might work for us. But then…”