Free Phoenix Tonic by Shelley Martin

warmth of his breath, she’d crumbled. Mentally, though she knew she hated him, she wanted him to take her. The release from her resistance would have been rapture. Physically, she’d trembled until she wept. She’d never wanted to touch someone so arduously. But now, it wasn’t as bad as it was before she took the suppressant. She could keep some semblance of herself, as long as he didn’t touch her.
    She took in a huge gulp of air as she wrapped the thick, dark brown towel around her body. She refused to let him drive fear into her. She hated the man. He was the reason she’d swooned over her brother and almost killed her mother. He was the reason she was forced to be separated from all she loved for who-knew-how-long. And he used his stupid beautiful lips to get her to take that medicine.
    Although, in hindsight, it was better she’d taken it. But still, he seduced her to do something she didn’t want to. She had to be careful. If not, he could seduce her into assassinating the president, or something worse.
    She just needed to go out there, get answers, and get away from him as fast as she could. That was the plan, and she walked out, chin up, until she saw him.
    His muscular shoulders and chest filled out his light blue shirt, set off by a gold tie and black slacks. However, she couldn’t help but notice his feet were bare. She stared at his large strong toes until his gaze followed hers.
    He blushed a bit. “Yeah, you melted my shoes.”
    She drew in a sharp breath at his rumbling voice. “I- I’m sorry.”
    Kallian cracked a half-smile. “No you’re not. You hate me. I’m sure when you’re away from me you’ll be quite pleased with yourself.” He motioned to the clothes on the couch. “Go ahead and get dressed. I’ll wait.”
    Her arm scooped up the clothes, but she couldn’t move. She didn’t want to leave him. She knew she needed to, but physically she just couldn’t move away from him. Her eyes moved from Kallian to the bathroom and back to him again.
    Kallian watched her with interest, his copper colored eyes holding her motionless.
    She saw his forehead crease, and he stood.
    “No, don’t.” The words escaped her lips, and mournfully, he obeyed. Her feet shuffled slowly to the bathroom and, with great effort, she closed the door. Now cut off from his gaze and scent, her mind found a little clarity.
    “Hailey?” His tone came softly through the door. Remorseful. “You are very unhappy. I’m sorry I’ve made you so… miserable.”
    There was nothing for her to say. She wasn’t ready to accept his apology. What she did need was answers. “What did you do to me?”
    The lilt in his voice changed. “Are you going to talk to me from behind the door the whole time?”
    She pushed it open an inch and glanced through the crack. “It’s safer this way.”
    He nodded and got comfortable in the leather chair. “My family’s genetics are unusual.” He paused, gazed through the crack, and continued. “But mine are even stranger than the rest of the bloodline. My antibodies have the ability to rewrite a living creatures DNA, helping them overcome any illness. Once the body accepts my genetics their fever rises until…”
    “Until we go up in a huge fireball?” Hailey finished for him.
    She saw him nod through the crack. “That is the main side effect.”
    “Side effect?” She snorted. “That’s a misleading way to say it.”
    Kallian continued. “The other effects are a difficulty. It seems we can’t separate or lessen the attraction factor, or the fire. We’ve been working on it for a while. My blood could heal so many people if we could isolate those two little problems.”
    “Little?” Her eyes grew wide. “Little? You have no idea what kind of hell you’ve put me in—”
    “Stay calm,” his monotone voice broke in. She huffed, but knew he was right. She turned the pewter handles on the sink and splashed her face with cold water.
    “We understand how difficult this