Feel (24 page)

“I so owe you, pretty girl.  Let’s go,” I murmur against Saige’s ear.

“And I’m absolutely going to collect, Rider!  You always see that in shows; I can’t believe it actually worked.  I don’t know if I should be flattered or seriously pissed,” she cocks her brow, cocking the hell out of the erection already bulging embarrassingly in my jeans. 

Sliding her arm through mine, she’s more than willing to get away from the chaos and crowd of people who have gathered behind the barricades.

Andy catches my discreet nod towards the hotel and lets the officer finish answering the last question he asked before breaking away and catching up with us outside Sam’s room. 

“What the hell took you so long?” Axe blasts when he ushers us inside. 

Saige sinks onto the edge of the bed as Andy throws open the curtain, shoving his finger at the window, “Really?  You try explaining why your van was involved in a bombing to an army of cops and see if you can get out any quicker, dumbass.”

“How are we going to leave?” Saige interrupts, her words strained and exhausted. 

Darrin’s gaze shifts to mine before he takes a seat on the bed next to Saige.  Her shoulder bumps against his as his weight sinks the bed.  “I’ve got that covered with a local rental company.”

I kneel in front of Saige, slipping her fingers between mine, “What I really want to know right now is how you knew about the bomb.”

Her eyes close as she drops her head back. “When Darrin said that about Sam being the strongest threat, I knew that was wrong.”  Her eyes dim, all playful banter with Andy is gone as viral fear burns like an inferno, “You are.”

Saige’s hands tremble when she reaches inside her bag and pulls out Dad’s journal she was reading in the van.  Pages flip by rapidly until she stops at a passage, placing the journal in my hand.

When dealing with non-paranormal subs, any person with special abilities poses a risk.

But, the most powerful and imminent threat to a person with powers is the sub who is immune to what he can do.

My eyes raise to Saige, and she takes the journal from my hands.  “I think your father stopped working with you not only because he was trying to make sure you didn’t possess other abilities so he could help you learn to control them so you didn’t end up like your mom, but also because he realized you posed a threat to people like Griffin, and he didn’t want anyone else knowing what you can do.  I don’t know how I knew about the bomb – I just had a feeling.  Not the kind of feeling I usually have, though.  I can’t explain it.”

Axe punches me on the arm, “Damn, Rider.  The people without powers are becoming even more of a minority here with you crossing over to their side.”

“I don’t have special abilities,” I mumble.  “I’m only immune to them.”

“Hate to break it to ya, man, but it’s looking like that’s a power all in its own,” Darrin claims.  “He’s been a step ahead of us the whole damn time.  The only explanation we have is that Griffin can feel us or keep tabs on us somehow.  You’re the only one of us he can’t track.”

If I thought Saige looked scared earlier, she looks fuckin’ terrified now. 

“That’s all good and well hearing Rider here is one of us, but it doesn’t do anyone any good with how Griffin’s delayed us by blowing up our vehicles,” James practically yells.  “I loved that Highlander.  Do you have any idea how much money I sunk into all the extras I installed?  The bastard deserves to die just for blowing up my damn ride!”

“If we’re going to go, now is the safest time with all the cops outside,” I state, grabbing Saige’s bag and pulling her next to me. 

The rental place is across the city, and I make arrangements for cabs while Darrin clears our exit, making sure the perimeter is safe.  Sam eyes me suspiciously when Stephen, James, Axe, Andy, and I form a walking barrier around the girls.  We’re about to climb inside the cabs when Saige stops.  Her eyes close and body stills. 

  Quickly scanning the area, I know Saige feels the man who’s supposed to kill Sam.

Fire blazes in her eyes when she spins around, thrusting her finger towards a man in a suit at the edge of the alley, “There!”

I’m already racing towards him when Saige lets out an ear-splitting scream.  “Gun!  That man has a gun.”

My face about plants against the concrete as I quickly stop running, proud as hell of my girl and her quick thinking.  At least twenty cops charge towards the man as he pushes his way through the crowd.

“Let’s go, Rider!” Darrin calls out after me, shuffling the girls inside the cabs. 

Scrambling inside next to Saige, I grab her face and press my mouth against her lips.  “That was brilliant, pretty girl.  Even if the gun wasn’t on him, he just made himself look guilty as hell running.  They’ll be sure to question him now, especially after all the shit that went down here today.”

I expected relief to flash in those beautiful caramel eyes.  What I see staring back at me instead pisses me off as much as it scares the hell out of me.  I love every single look Saige has ever given me in my life, except this one.  The look of death shrouding her is unmistakable.  That tormented glaze of utter despair darkening her eyes, blanching her face, and making her look like someone has stolen her soul and sent it straight to hell makes me want to rip my own heart out of my chest. 

When Saige presses her hands against the back of the cab driver’s seat and her entire body stiffens, the need to protect her from all this is unbearable, but I can’t do a damn thing.  She just has to breathe through death’s taunting anguish until it decides she’s suffered enough.  Digging her fingers into the cheap fabric of the seat and pushing it forward, I see the cab driver glare in the rearview mirror before shifting in his seat.

My return warning glare makes him dart his eyes back to the road.  Running my hand across the small of her back, I can feel every tense muscle.  “Sam, still?”

Sam leans forward, glaring at me over Saige’s bent over back between the opening in the seats.  “Sam, still, what?  Dammit, Jensen, I knew you were hiding something with sending Andy to my room.”

“Not now,” I demand, keeping my attention focused on Saige as she breathes through the despair attacking her right now.

“Not Sam.  Amira,” Saige gasps, digging her fingers further into the seat. 

“Amira’s across the country, Saige.  How can you feel anything about her?”  The pulsing in my head begins a punishing thud at how Saige’s abilities are getting stronger.

“I don’t know,” she groans, “just call her!”

“Alright,” I breathe, dialing Amira’s number as I place my hand against her cheek when she manages to lean back against her seat and her body begins to relax.

“I see you have her number memorized,” Saige tries to crack a smile through the grief. 

“Yep.  But she’s not on speed-dial so I’m in the clear, pretty girl,” I wink, loving the hell out of her for how strong she is, keeping herself together through all this shit.  She’s not used to chasing bombers or having to deal with men who have guns.  Not that I’m a pro at it, but over the past few months, the crew and I have had enough experiences with taking down people misusing their abilities to have more of a taste of danger than I ever wanted.  Saige’s thrill junkie side provides me with plenty when she joneses and gives us both a healthy dose.  When I saw a flash of Griffin’s face on the news a while back and recognized it from Dad’s files, I never would have started this search if I knew it would put Saige or my friends in danger.

Amira answers and I give her an abbreviated version of the situation, telling her to get out of her cabin and go stay with her brothers for a while. 

The look on the cab driver’s face when he looks back at us, hearing me informing Amira of her impending death, would be hilarious under different circumstances.

Andy shrugs his shoulders, “What?  Never met a girl who’s tight with death before?  Want her to introduce you to him?  If you don’t keep your eyes on the damn road instead of in the back of this van, I’ll be happy to make the introductions myself.” Andy leans across Sam’s legs and wraps his hand over Saige’s, “But, seriously, princess, you need to choose a better friend to play with.  I know Jensen here must have been a pain in the ass growing up, but even he’s better than hanging out with the grim reaper.  He’s a bigger ball buster than you are.”

“At least he keeps his mouth shut,” Saige forces a grin. 

Once we’re settled in our rentals, and Saige’s color has returned to her cheeks, Sam bumps her knee gently against hers.  “What you felt about Amira - did you feel it about me, too?”

Saige’s eyes soften as she tells Sam the truth, “Not exactly.  You were going to be shot.  Amira was going to be strangled.”

Sam’s face blanches and Andy wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest.  “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

I feel Saige’s smile as she presses her face against my neck, whispering, “That’s the first time Andy’s sentiments weren’t backed by nasty, perverted thoughts when talking to a girl.  He loves her.”

“I know that,” I grin, whispering back. 

Her eyes snap to mine and I laugh.  “I told you I have raw talent, pretty girl.  I don’t need superpowers to figure things out.”

James calls over his shoulder, “Get some rest.  I’m good for a few hours.”

Settling Saige against my shoulder, I throw my arm around her and pull her close, ignoring the painful protests in my bones.  I lay my head against the back of the seat, my body craving sleep after being awake all night. 

It feels like I’ve just closed my eyes when Saige gently shakes me, “We’re in Boston.”

The fog in my head is thick as I roll my shoulders, squeezing my fingers tightly against the bridge of my nose, mumbling through the sleep-depravation, “Already?” 

The view of Boston’s waterfront confirms Saige’s sleepy nod. 

“We’re going to stop for dinner, then find a hotel until Griffin decides to stop playing hide-n-go-seek with us,” James mutters, obviously still seriously pissed over his ride before shaking it off.  “How about Italian?  My brother visited Boston last year and said there’s a great Italian restaurant in South Boston called Mirisola’s.”

  Twenty minutes later, we park and round a brick building to a corner entrance as my stomach growls from the aroma of Italian cuisine and not having been fed since last night. 

“I want a pizza with everything I’m smelling all over it,” Saige exclaims, inhaling deeply and smiling for real this time.  “I’m starving!”

Taking tables in the back, we cut up with each other and try to relax after the stress of earlier today.  All chatter stops when the pizzas arrive and everyone digs into the piled pies.

Saige reaches over my arm, grabbing a banana pepper off one of my slices, popping it into her mouth and licking her bottom lip as she gives me a salacious wink.  That’s all it takes for my dick to twitch hungrily in my jeans, wanting to plunge into her for a taste of its own.  From the heated desire in those caramel eyes, she plans on letting me have my way with her while delivering some serious pleasure herself.

Stephen’s chair screeches backwards, pulling me away from my thoughts of devouring Saige’s delectable body.  His knuckles are already white from the death grip he has on the edge of the table.  I’m getting ready to ask him what he’s seeing when Josie’s glass falls from her hand, soda splattering across the table when it crashes against the smooth top.  Quickly grabbing my wallet, I throw money on the table as I grab the keys.

Darrin has Josie’s hands wrapped in his, but even his firm grasp can’t keep them from trembling violently.

“What are you seeing, Stephen?”

His grip tightens and sweat breaks out on his temples, but he doesn’t respond. 

“Sam?” I call, trying to keep the panic out of my voice as Saige stands, looking at me like she has no idea what to do.  I’m right there with her on that. 

Sam shakes her head, confused.  “I don’t feel anything.”

Grabbing Stephen’s arm, I give it a firm shake.  “Tell me what you’re seeing!”

Stephen is sweating profusely when he meets my gaze, “He’s going to take out half the damn block, Rider.”

Tears drip from Josie’s eyes and her trembling has moved from her hands to her entire body.  I’ve never seen Darrin show fear before, much less like how it’s burning through his eyes right now as he tries to comfort Josie. 

“Where, Stephen?” I demand.

“I can’t tell yet, but it’s in Southside.”

“What do you see?” I prompt, every muscle in my body tensing.

“Buildings,” he spouts, his knuckles turning almost purple from his fierce grip.  “A large glass building.” 

“Can you describe it better?” I question, searching large buildings in South Boston. 

“It looks like a gigantic mirror.”

“Hancock Tower,” I exclaim, quickly typing the address to figure out the quickest way to get there.”

“Do you know when?” Saige blurts out.

“Soon,” Josie cries.  “Very soon.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.  Most of the offices will be closed in that area at this time of night,” Darrin mumbles, never taking his eyes off Josie as he smoothes a lock of blonde hair off her face.