Honor Bound - Awakenings - Book 1 Of The Honor Bound Series

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Fifteen minutes later they pulled into the hotel parking lot and woke Dani up before heading into the lobby. It would be better to get the explanations completed before they were around the general populace. At least all the explanations they were going to give her now.

"What happened?" Dani muttered, "Where's Chad?"

Jessie placed a hand on her arm and started talking. "He's at the hospital, he's fine. He's going to call your dad. We can check on him later." Jessie could feel Dani's emotions begin to rise and fight against her control. Dani was stronger than most people she tampered with. Instead of trying to wall all that emotion away, Jessie chose to let some of it leak through a little at a time.

"You have to listen, Dani," Jessie continued. "Some of us, we're like you. We're different. We will tell you more about who we are and what we do but for now, just trust us a little bit more. We need to get to our rooms, and we don't want to attract attention. If you can put these sunglasses on it will help. Your eyes are kind of noticeable. Just stay calm, ok?" She felt Dani calm down a bit and was able to release some of the control she was exerting.

"John, we have to get her something other than these torn-up clothes to wear," Jessie pointed out.

"We need some fashion advice please," John told Clara who was driving the other car. They had been speaking mind to mind before they could speak a word.

"I'll take the jacket that we gave her back, give her my clothes and grab some heels from my bags. She'll fit into what I have on. People will just assume I'm wearing something short. If her dad doesn't get here soon we can buy clothes for her." Clara opened the back door as she finished sending her thought to her brother.

"Jessie, can you get out please? I'll switch clothes with her. Dani let's get you into some cleaner clothes. I'll take my coat back and you can wear these for now until we get up to the rooms."

Dani was still oddly calm considering what she had been through, thanks to Jessie. She just did as she was told and put on the clothes Clara handed her.

Clara slipped the coat over her bra and panties and put on a pair of four-inch black stiletto heels that she always kept in her backup bag for quick changes. The coat reached to her mid-thigh and buttoned up to her neck. She reached up and took her hair out of the bun it was in and it flowed down her back like a wave of burnished copper. She stepped out of the car and walked to the lobby as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with her attire. Her legs were perfectly curved, the heels accentuating her calves. As she walked through the lobby all heads turned to watch her, which made sure no one noticed the rest of the group.

Halfway to their rooms, John noticed Dani starting to shake, he put his arms around her to help steady her. "Hold on Dani, once we get inside you can let it all out, ok? Just hold on."

Jessie reached out and touched Dani's arm. She looked at John and shook her head. Dani was too far gone for Jessie's empathic abilities to help much. She had learned the hard way that there were times her empathy could cause more harm than good. If you create too much of a disconnect between the situation a person's in and the emotions they are feeling, mental illnesses start popping up.

About five steps from the door Dani collapsed. The emotional toll of her captivity, the realization that her eyes had changed into something otherworldly, the aftereffects of healing her brother, and the dawning realization that she had been rescued finally robbed her of her ability to move. John caught her as she fell and carried her the rest of the way. She started taking short, panicked breaths, hiccupping sobs escaping her lips and felt sick to her stomach. Clara opened the door, John walked right into the bathroom and placed Dani on the floor in front of the toilet. She lost control of her stomach and started retching.