Ghostwalker 09 - Ruthless Game

when Whitney first took you al . You were in a big house, and he kept you in a dormitory. You were never al owed out of the laboratory.”
    Rose nodded. “It’s impossible to forget that time. Lily was always like a mother to the rest of us. He treated her better, and she tried to get privileges for us.”
    “She put aside money for each of the other women she was raised with as wel . You’ve got that money, Rose,” Kane said. There was a hard knot in the pit of his stomach. Money could change things. She might decide to take the money and vanish.
    Rose moistened her lips, her little pixie face very sober. “Do you trust her completely?”
    “Yes,” Kane said. “She’s done too much for al of us to be anything but the real deal, Rose. She just had a baby. And Jack Norton and his woman had twins. They have three babies up there in the mountains. Sebastian isn’t the only child at risk.”
    “Do you trust Eric completely?”
    Kane almost nodded and then stopped himself. Did he trust the doctor the same way he trusted Lily? Eric was the official GhostWalker surgeon, and he always came through when needed. Why hesitate? What was the difference between Eric and Lily? Was he prejudiced simply because Eric wasn’t a GhostWalker and had no real idea of what they went through? Kane didn’t like the idea that he might in any way be prejudiced, but the truth was, there was a hesitation for whatever reason.
    “I don’t know. He’s so intense about research. Maybe that creeps me out a little.”
    “That’s al he’s real y interested in,” Rose said. “I didn’t leave him alone with Sebastian. The doctor was so insistent about taking his blood, and I knew once it was out of here, at a laboratory, it would be vulnerable. Whitney would pay a fortunate for Sebastian’s blood. I told the doctor that, but it was obvious he didn’t care. Taking his blood from this house clearly wasn’t in Sebastian’s best interests, but for the doctor the research came first. I just don’t trust that, Kane.”
    He nuzzled the top of her head. “I can understand, Rose. You’ve been an experiment your entire life. You don’t want that for Sebastian.”
    “Exactly, but the doctor can’t see beyond what he might learn from studying Sebastian’s blood.” She sighed, her smal teeth biting at her lower lip. “I know a doctor should examine him more ful y just to make certain he real y is as healthy as we believe, but it isn’t safe.”
    “We happen to have just the man that wil help you,” Jaimie said, glancing at Kane for permission.
    Kane nodded in agreement. “I was going to suggest you meet him, sweetheart. His name is Paul. He joined our team recently, so I didn’t grow up with him as I did al the others, but he’s got an amazing talent when it comes to healing skil s. I trust him.”
    Rose swal owed hard, but she nodded. “If you’re certain, Kane. But his blood can’t leave our home.”
    “It won’t have to,” Kane assured. “Paul doesn’t work like other doctors.”
    “You can’t ever talk about him to anyone,” Jaimie cautioned. “If Eric comes back, you can’t tel him that Paul examined the baby.”
    “We have to protect one another’s abilities. Whitney would take Sebastian apart to study him,” Kane said. “He would Paul as wel . Do you understand?”
    Rose jumped up and paced across the room. “You’ve had what? Five years, seven years, maybe ten years of experience with Whitney? I’ve had my entire life. You don’t need to tel me what he’s like. We al protected one another from him, and we learned very fast to keep our abilities hidden.”
    “I know, sweetheart,” Kane soothed. “It’s just that Paul is ...” He broke off, unable to explain.
    “Has a rare talent,” Jaimie supplied. “He’s sent out into the field a lot. Whitney would find a way. You’re part of our family now, Rose. Paul is family; that’s al we’re saying.”

    Rose nodded. Kane could feel her agitation, although there was little expression on her face. The idea that anyone would study her son was abhorrent to her, but she was trying to be accepting. She knew Sebastian needed a doctor and that they would need help with him. The only thing he could figure to do to help ease her mind was to introduce his family to her, one member at a time.
    “Who have you met so far?” He kept his voice gentle.
    “One they cal Gideon and, of course, Javier. Jaimie and Mack.” A faint smile touched her mouth, but