Chapter 19 · The Forbidden Frequency

"Good girl. Come home."

Victor's voice didn't come through the speakers. It came through the bone behind my ear, straight into the nerve. My knees hit the deck before I could stop them.

"Zero!" Kael grabbed my shoulders. His hands were hot through my suit. "Hey, hey, look at me. Not him. Look at me!"

"I can't—" My teeth slammed together so hard I tasted blood. "He's inside. He's pulling—"

The pain hit like a switch. Not mine. His trigger. White-hot wire down my spine, and Kael jerked like he'd been shot.

"Ah— fuck!" He doubled over, his forehead smacking against mine. His breath hit my face, short and ragged. "Okay. Okay, I feel it. I feel you. Don't fight it alone."

"You shouldn't feel this," I choked out. My hands fisted in his jacket. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to drag him closer. "The link— it's supposed to be one way. You're not supposed to hurt—"

"Yeah, well, it is now." He forced my chin up. His eyes were blown wide, wet, pissed. "You think you get to carry this by yourself? No. We share it.