Free Seeking Asylum by Mallory Kane Page B

narcotic antagonist medication they gave me at the hospital? I thought it was supposed to counteract these sedatives.”
    “The antagonist is a long-acting drug. Its effects will increase as your body builds up its own resistance to the drugs. Remember, they think they’re medicating Caleb, and his system is quite resistant to the drugs’s effects. He requires larger doses.”
    “I can’t operate like this. What else can you do?”
    She didn’t say anything. With a huge effort, he lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at her.
    The sad look was gone and in its place was worry. “I can’t do much, Eric. You’re just going to have to fight it. Plus, you have to be careful what you say and do. The more out of control they think you are, the more they’ll medicate you.”
    “Isn’t it unethical to use drugs to restrain patients? Is this how they treated my brother? Is this how they treat other mentally ill people?” His senses sharpened as his anger grew. That was good to know. “Who gave them the right to control people’s minds and bodies?”
    “It’s not as inhumane as it seems to you right now. Just try to work with it, and please, be careful what you say. They’re watching you.”
    “Work with it.” As the bite of fury pushed away the drugged haze, he sat up. “I’ll work with it, all right. Just enough to find out what kind of heinous experiments are going on in this snake pit.” He licked his lips and reached for the water. This time, using all his concentration, he managed to hold on to the cup. He took a long drink. He couldn’t let Caleb come back to this place.
    Caleb. His brother’s name sparked a memory, or a dream. “I heard something.” He took another drink of the refreshing water. “Right after the nurse gave me the shot.” He rubbed his face. “Who was in here? An orderly held me down. The male nurse had the syringe. Somebody was talking. Was it Metzger?”

    “Dr. Metzger went to check on you while I was talking to Dr. Patel.”
    Eric tried to force his brain to work, but a fog still clouded his thoughts. “Something about Germany.”
    “Germany? Were you dreaming? Maybe your brain was trying to place Metzger’s accent.”
    “Maybe.” He frowned. He’d have to think about that later. Right now he needed information. “Are they going to keep me sedated? Is this a locked ward? What should I expect?”
    Rachel couldn’t take her eyes off him. The sheet had slid down as he’d sat up, revealing the sleek planes of his chest and shoulders. His long, blunt fingers encircled the plastic cup, their ragged nails jarring in contrast to his elegant body.
    Her reaction to him disturbed her. Eric was Caleb’s brother. With his torn fingernails and short haircut, he could be Caleb.
    As far as she was concerned, he was her patient, just as Caleb had been. And as much as she cared about her patients, there was no way she’d ever be physically attracted to one, much less emotionally involved. Caring too much would only lead to heartache.
    She’d been down that path, with her mother. When she’d taken her oath as a physician, she’d made a private vow to remain detached. She would do everything in her power to give her patients the best of care, but she would never, ever, involve her heart.

Chapter Five
    Rachel swallowed as Eric’s gaze met hers, his dark eyes flashing. For an instant she had the feeling he could read her mind.
    She lowered her gaze and needlessly adjusted the position of the cup on the bedside table.
    “Rachel? My daily routine?”
    Composing her face, she gathered her cloak of professional detachment around her. “You’re not on a lockdown ward, so your mornings will be fairly ordinary. You’ll shower, dress, go to breakfast in the dining room. Tomorrow, you’ll probably have a session with Dr. Metzger.”
    “So how do I act? How do I convince Metzger that I am Caleb?”
    “Have you ever had any…experience with mental illness? Yourself, I mean?”
    Eric’s