Free Racing Hearts (Shadow Quest 4.5) by Kiersten Fay Page A

She swallowed
hard.
    Sebastian keenly noticed her reaction
to his words and gave her a crooked smile. She hated herself for
thinking it sexy.
    “So you can understand us.” It wasn't a
question. “Then you can answer my questions. Where did you come
from? When?”
    Analia nibbled her bottom lip, sickened
at not being able to better control her emotions.
    Sebastian grated, “Tell me, damn
you…What is your name?” She flinched. He took note of her reaction
and calmed his tone. “Just give me a name.”
    A name wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't tell
him anything about where she had come from. She hesitated for a
moment and then opened her lips to speak, but stopped, however, at
her dry cracked throat. She had to swallow several times before she
could speak.
    Noticing her discomfort, the doctor
lifted a glass of water to her mouth. She turned her head away,
refusing to drink. The last thing she needed was more of their
concoctions in her system. Shrugging, he put the glass back
down.
    “My name is Analia.” Her voice was
pained.
    “Analia,” Sebastian repeated in his
deep rumble. She stifled another shiver at the sound of her name on
his tongue. “Let the doctor give you some water,
Analia.”
    “No.” She cleared her throat, trying to
summon her own moisture.
    “Why not? You must be
thirsty.”
    “Because you've most likely drugged it.
You've already given me something, I can tell, it's making me
react…differently.”
    Sebastian glanced at the doctor. “Have
you given her anything?”
    The doctor shook his head. “Nothing out
of the ordinary.” He paused. “But, again, I haven't been able to
determine her species. She may be having a reaction to one of our
medicines.” Focusing on her again, the doctor asked, “How are you
feeling exactly?”
    “I…just…” She couldn't tell him that
she seemed to desire his captain. “I just feel strange.” Her head
fell back, and she allowed her eyes to close as a wave of dizziness
washed through her.
    “You need to drink some water. It will
make you feel better,” Sebastian commanded.
    Again she refused with a simple shake
of her head.
    “We haven't drugged it, I promise
you.”
    “I have no reason to take your word on
it.”
    A tick started in his jaw. She got the
feeling that he wasn't used to being disobeyed. He reached for the
glass and took a swift gulp. Analia watched the thick muscles of
his throat work as he swallowed. “There, is that enough proof for
you?”
    “You could be immune,” she
rasped.
    Growling, he shoved the glass at her.
“Drink it or I'll make you drink it.”
    A hard dry lump stuck in her throat.
She tried to reach out for the glass, but her bindings held her
tight.
    Frustrated, she began struggling again.
Sebastian placed his hand on her stomach, and she froze completely,
shocked at its gentle weight.
    Afraid to look at him and risk becoming
entranced once more, she kept her gaze on the ceiling. Her stomach
quivered under his palm. “Remove your hand,” she managed, though
her voice was less commanding than she meant for it to
be.
    “If you promise to stay calm and take a
drink, I will free you from your restraints.”
    Slowly, she nodded, not trusting him in
the least. He began at her feet, his hands brushing her skin,
leaving trails of warmth followed by a lingering coolness. Where he
touched her, she felt a jolt of energy.
    To her humiliation, her body began to
react again. What did it think? That he was going to take her here?
On the table? In front of the doctor? The thought sobered her. She
didn't want anything to do with him. He was just another obstacle
keeping her from her freedom.
    After he unclasped her
wrists, she sat up and allowed her legs to drop over the edge of
the bed. As if to say a deal’s a
deal , he held out the glass. She took it
and dared a sip. It tasted…okay. The small amount of liquid was
quickly absorbed by her dry tongue, and she took another sip. Soon
she was gulping back the cool drink with fervor,