Mary Wine (19 page)

* * * * *

Waking up never seemed so very difficult before. Rubbing her hands across her eyes, Roshelle tried once again to force the heavy folds of skin to rise enough for her to discover just where she was.

The pre-dawn light greeted her as her eyes fell onto the bedside clock. Four-fifteen? Good! That meant it was perfectly acceptable for her to roll back over and sleep some more.

Remind her to have a very long talk with Jared about the way the man seemed to be able to sap her energy. Tugging the coverlet up over her shoulder took extraordinary amounts of her strength. Yes, she needed to talk to that man about wringing her out to dry…

“Shelly? You’re beginning to worry me. You really need to get up.”

“Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Christina smiled in relief. Even if the voice was pitifully groggy, any sort of response at least made her stop worrying that it was time to call in some medical help. She knew that the solider that’d brought her friend back was lying about her fainting but Roshelle had been sleeping for close to twenty-four hours now. Maybe Roshelle was the doctor but Christina did know when to begin worrying!

“I brought you some coffee.”

“Caffeine?” Roshelle lifted her head as she sniffed at the air trying to catch the scent of fresh, hot coffee.

“Not a chance, pregnant one.”

Pushing herself up, Roshelle stuck her lip out in response. She caught the scent of the beverage and relented as she eyed the steam rising from the mug in Christina’s hands. Maybe it was decaffeinated, but it was hot and her body seemed to have been cold for a very long time.

“Actually, it smells wonderful.”

It tasted even better! Roshelle found herself savoring the slide of the hot liquid as she considered hiking up the hill for more. Deciding not to push her luck, she settled for a shower instead.

Standing under the water, she searched for a way to relieve the ache that seemed to have settled into her flesh. Stretching her arms above her head, she tried to force her muscles to relax.

Where was Jared?

He had pulled something from her mind. Her memory might still be fuzzy but she remembered the disorientation from her first encounter with him. She just hoped it was enough for him to find their captor.

Roshelle should have been distressed about what Jared would do at that meeting. Instead she found herself more concerned that he might not find the man. Ending someone’s life still clashed with her basic morals but this man’s evil was like an infection. Sterilizing it was simply necessary.

Pulling her clothes on, she set her day’s tasks before her. Pregnancies didn’t wait for missions to end. It was far past time for her to see to her pre-natal care. Simple as it was, attention given in the first trimester was essential to a healthy baby.

Just how to go about that was her quest for the day. Shane seemed to be in charge of a great deal of things but the man also disappeared whenever Jared did. That left Colonel Jacobs but Roshelle had no idea how to contact the man. She had never seen a single phone in either house.

Cell phones seemed to be the only form of communication used on the mountain. Roshelle often saw Shane or Jared using the small devices.

The morning was fresh and she found herself enjoying the sounds of the mountain. You could actually hear the breeze as it passed through the trees. As she stood listening, her ears picked up another sound, this one clearly manmade. As it came closer the noise rose to almost a deafening level.

“Take cover!”

Roshelle stared at the sentry trying to decide just why he was shouting at her. Her eyes caught the approaching aircraft as they cleared the forest. Brown and green camouflage in color, the helicopters swung into the clearing as they angled back around to hover just twenty feet from the ground.

The aircraft began a slow descent into the clearing. Reaching out she searched for Jared but whoever these people were, Jared wasn’t with them. There were no weapons in Jared’s house but it was just possible there might be in Shane’s.

Scrambling up the steps, Roshelle cast another look at the men who were jumping from the aircraft. They angled high-powered rifles in front of them as her ears picked up the popping sounds of them being fired. Her mind was trying to tell her that this could simply not be happening but the reality of the last few months told her that it definitely was.

“Shelly, what is going—”

“Come on!”

Pulling her friend behind her Roshelle ran for the back of the house. The only instinct she had was to place as much distance between those soldiers and themselves. The sound of the front door crashing in sent terror right through her; without any form of protection, they had little hope of defending themselves.

The hallway filled with the sounds of their pursuers. The firing of a rifle was deafening as it echoed between the walls. Roshelle flung herself to the floor as the bullets embedded themselves into the wall in front of her. Christina stumbled over her ending up with her blue eyes staring into Roshelle’s frantic ones. The glazed look in her friend’s eyes caused terror to erupt. Christina’s face was losing color as quickly as her shirtfront began turning red.

“Hold your fire. We need her alive.”

“Don’t need the blonde.”

Roshelle thrust her fingers onto the girl’s neck searching for a pulse. She never found the reassurance of life. Her body was pulled from the floor and held up for inspection.

“This one.”

They dragged her towards the front door. Roshelle fought her captors all the way. Her blows made solid contact, but the sheer size of the men still pushed her out the front of the house. Once in the open, her body was quickly hoisted from her feet and shoved into one of the waiting aircraft.

She was dropped into a seat but immediately pushed away from it. A solid blow ended her efforts as it sent her reeling. Her head collided with the solid frame of the aircraft, causing the pilot to bark some comment at her tormentor. Whatever the man said it traveled through his helmet and into the slim radio attached to the helmet of her captor. With the helicopters blades still in motion, her ears didn’t catch more than a few muffled sounds.

The motion of the craft as it lifted away from the surface caused her to struggle in panic. Her efforts gained her nothing as her captor leaned his body weight across her, pinning her into the seat. The close contact with Christina’s killer made her gag in horror.

But she had to keep hope. Christina might survive. Some wounds looked fatal but were in fact more bluster than life-threatening. Lying to herself wasn’t bringing any of the relief that she’d thought it might. Without medical attention, her friend wouldn’t live very long.

It was very possible that they would share the same fate.

Chapter Twelve

“Dr. Everitt, how very good to see you again.”

His voice still held the chill of new snow but it didn’t cause a rush of fear inside her anymore. Red-hot rage rose up as Roshelle met the eyes of her enemy.

“Nothing to say?”

“I prefer not to waste my time, thank you.”

“Now, now. There’s no need to be rude. After all we may be spending a great deal of time together.”

“How very revolting.”

That frigid smile touched his face as he inspected her. The way the man moved his eyes reminded her of a chef as he considered a fish about to be filleted. Everything about him was far too perfect. From the starched tips of his collar to the manicured fingernails.

But if they were going to be spending time together then he wasn’t going to have her shot. Perfect. Roshelle fully intended to best him again and cheat death for another few years. A sharp rap on the door caused him to look up with clear interest.

“Dr. Moosavi requires a blood sample from you. Feel free to tell him anything you wish. I assure you he is being compensated enough to relieve him of any morals he might have suffered from.”

Roshelle didn’t think the man in question had lost a moment’s sleep. He radiated the same stench of disparity. His hooded eyes didn’t spare her a glance as he pulled a pair of latex inspection gloves onto his hands. His motions were razor-sharp as he pulled the specimen from her arm.

“Fifteen minutes, Mr. Thyssen.”

The door swung closed on the man’s heels as she considered just what that blood was for. Not many tests could be run in so short a time span. The way Thyssen continued to contemplate her almost made her nervous. Roshelle firmly thrust the emotion aside. Her composure was the key to her survival.

“Babies are wonderful creations, so very unspoiled by either morals or even opinions. When proper training is applied from birth, they can be formed into the most effective of weapons.”

Her composure dissolved like sugar. The implications of his words assaulted her on too many levels to identify.

And it all made sense. Horrible, sickening, logical sense.

“My client is very excited that we are so close to providing his merchandise. It will be most interesting to see if the offspring is genetically similar to its father.”

They wanted to turn her baby into a monster. Not her baby, Jared’s baby. A child who carried his psychic abilities that they could use or sell when and where they pleased. Roshelle had never wanted to kill someone before. The desire to snuff out this creature’s life was so overwhelming she was halfway to her feet when the handcuffs that bound her to the table stopped her.

“Thank you, my dear. Being so close to success, I must confess that the waiting was becoming unbearable. I appreciate you confirming the pregnancy. Most men can not resist mating with an available female. Once Jared Campbell took you home, it was simply a matter of time.”

“You will not have my baby.” The words were low, laced with the venom of a mother intent on protecting her young.

“Your voice betrays your maternal instinct. Emotions can be such cumbersome things. You have very few options. I doubt that even given the chance you will not willingly end your pregnancy. You will eat because you don’t have the mental strength to deny your child. There is no way for you to prevent its growth or birth.

“Take heart, my dear; you will help to create one of the most perfect examples of logic and training that the world has ever seen. Your intelligence level will be greatly appreciated. The original female I selected to take up residence in your home was far more beautiful but not nearly as accomplished.”

Her hand curled over her abdomen as Thyssen left the room. He was right. Damn him! She could not destroy her baby even to keep it out of his hands. Whatever horror they planned for her son, there was still hope if there was life.

And she had seven months. She must be patient. Information was the key. They knew about Jared but not about her. Well, she wasn’t too sure how her own abilities might help except to give Thyssen another selling perk.

But they weren’t going to shoot her; in fact, keeping her healthy would be vital. There must be a way to use that to her advantage. Roshelle shifted her options about as she tried to find a course of action. Surrendering her child was out of the question. Jared would find her.

Despite the number of times that Roshelle had resented his ability to probe her mind, she longed for it now. Jared could find his way into her thoughts but could he actually find her? The secrets of his life seemed to be her greatest enemy at the moment. Jared had told her he was an operative but just what did that mean?

Roshelle found herself with the time to ponder that question. She just hoped she could discover an answer that might protect her son.

* * * * *

Shane didn’t wait for Jared tonight. Instead, he left his unit with its operative while he went in search of his own home. There were reports to file and the two men he’d left on guard duty needed checking up on. Pulling into the front drive of his house, he took in the light shinning from the kitchen.

Christina needed checking upon too. A deep chuckle came from his chest as he considered just what opinion Ms. Faulkner would have about that. He just might mention it to her for the entertainment value.

A frown began to replace his amusement. The man on duty better have a good reason for not investigating his arrival. Moving from the truck, Shane let his eyes adjust to the night as he slowly searched the surrounding cover.

His eyes picked out the body of his fallen Ranger. A single arm was visible but no man of his would be lying like that unless he was dead. Jerking his gun from its holster, Shane moved forward to confirm his suspicions. The body was still warm but beyond any help.

Jared’s house stood dark and silent. Shane considered the single light from his own house as he watched for movement. His fingers punched in the code that would bring reinforcements. Giving the light another glance, he moved towards the rear of the structure. If the women were inside, he held a better chance with surprise on his side.

He found his second Ranger on the back porch. Rage slowly burned along his spine. The complete silence of his home caused his rage to increase. Pushing the door open his eyes scanned the hallway. Christina lay across the floor like a broken doll. The head of blonde hair confirmed her identity before he moved forward to face the reality of her death. His stomach twisted as he took in the blood covering the young woman’s chest. The red stain drove home his failure to protect her.

Her eyes snapped open, causing Shane to jerk his gun up in defense. The blue orbs focused onto the weapon before they moved on to his face.

“Just what I need, another gun in my face.”

A curse slipped from his mouth as Shane dropped to a knee beside her. She was covered in her own blood. The floorboards were smeared for at least fifteen feet, betraying her struggle to find assistance.

“I really wish your house had a telephone.”

Despite her attempt at humor, the sound of approaching aircraft caused her eyes to register panic. Her arms flailed at him trying to escape from the terror the helicopters inspired.

“Easy. They’re here to help.”

“No, they took Shelly.”

Christina’s half-panicked comment told him exactly how someone breached his security. They must have flown in low, right on top of the tree canopy. Otherwise his father’s compound would have registered the approaching aircraft.

“Stop bothering me! Isn’t there some Army law about not tormenting the dying?”

“You’re not dying.” Now that he’d ripped her clothing aside, Shane stared at the amazing fact that none of her wounds was life-threatening. Shock from blood loss was completely possible, but his eyes counted four wounds. One bullet passed just under her collarbone and through the shoulder but just high enough to miss her lung. Another piece of lead had impacted on her sternum directly over her heart. The bone looked broken but had held enough to deflect the bullet away from the vital muscle beneath.

The calm manner as she lay on the floor caused him the most concern. She should be writhing in agony. Instead her blue eyes shifted about in a lazy manner that caused Shane to want to keep her talking. With the amount of blood she’d lost, slipping into unconsciousness could have deadly results.

“Now you’re lying to me. There must be a rule against that, too.”

“They’re called regulations. But I’m not lying.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’ll bet you.”

A bet? Christina considered his offer. Maybe she should live just to have the satisfaction of taking him to the cleaners.

“How much?”

“A kiss.”

He’d said it just to keep her attention sharp. Shane waited impatiently for his fathers’ men to enter the house. He could hear their boots on the planking of his porch. Just a few more seconds and he’d have a medic here to stabilize her.

“You don’t even like me.”

But now that she was taking the time to notice, Shane Jacobs had a really nice set of eyes. They were strong and steady. At the moment she found them strangely comforting. Who cared what he asked for? She was going to die, so she would never have to pay up anyway.

“Okay, it’s a bet. Tell my mother not to wear black for a whole year. She looks really awful in black. Oh, and I really can’t cook.”

The confession made Shane grind his teeth together. He held his face molded into a calm mask that wouldn’t distress Christina any further. “I noticed.”

“You’re a good sport.” Her eyes flickered around the room before shifting back to his face. “But you are still a jerk.”

Rising from her side, Shane left her to the care of his unit’s medic. Jared and his mother might be the only true psychics present but at the moment Shane could literally feel the rage floating on the air. Two of their men were dead.

His men.

While Shane found his temper bordering on violence, his partner stood silently still. Jared stared at the attention being given to Christina. His eyes soaked up the details of the struggle that both women had endured.

“Will she survive?”

“I ain’t never seen someone so damn lucky in my life.” Still shaking his head, the medic pulled his gloves from his hands as he headed for the kitchen sink to finish cleaning up.

Nodding his head in agreement, Jared turned his back on Shane’s house. Why couldn’t he feel
her
?
Nothing but silence met him tonight. Moving across the space separating him from his home, Jared sought out the most likely place for him to find a solid link with Roshelle.

His bed sat in the dark, looking far too empty. The bedding was tucked and folded neatly. Jared hooked a hand into it tearing it from the mattress as he pulled it closer to his face. Roshelle’s scent lingered on the fabric. Pulling the scent into his lungs, he sought out the link that bound them together.

Nothing.

Tossing the bedding aside, he moved about the room searching from any item that might carry her image. The puzzle, the books even the deck of cards all felt like Roshelle but none of them allowed him to see her tonight.

He had spent his life tracking. So why did his skill elude him now? Frustration rose up as Jared found his options exhausted. He needed a personal object to establish a link with his target. Roshelle had very few possessions here.

His room seemed to scream out her absence. Turning his back on the house, Jared sought out the darkness. Without Roshelle, the walls of the structure seemed to press in on him.

“Nothing?”

“You are stronger than I am, maybe you can find her.”

It was not an admission that came easily for her son. Grace heard the rage that burned behind each of his words. Jared didn’t want her help, but he would lower his pride to ask for it to find his mate.

Grace simply could have wished for more hope. She just didn’t think she would succeed this time. Yes she held the advantage of experience but her son was every bit as strong as she was. But she would not refuse to try.

Returning from the house, she met her son’s eyes with the same regret that mirrored in her own. Roshelle had simply not lived in the house long enough to leave her image on any of the items. Jewelry, favorite grooming items, these were the sort of things that her abilities needed for that link. It was the sort of image that took time to imprint.

“Can you pull it off of me?”

“That’s a very bad idea.”

There was nothing good about tonight at all. Colonel Jacobs’ comment wasn’t needed.

“No, my son. I believe that Jacobs is correct. We can not afford to have you down.”

Pulling a link from another human being was extremely tricky. Grace only did so as a last resort. It would sap the energy from that person, sending their body into shock and there was no guarantee that she would get her link.

“Besides, I have never tried it on another psychic. It’s very possible that one or both of us might end up in a coma.”

“I like that idea even less.” Jacobs voiced his opinion with a tone that indicated he wasn’t going to budge.

“Fine! Christina?”

“Possibly, but I don’t believe the girl has any strength to spare right now.”

So they would do nothing. Jared moved away into the trees before his temper snapped. He needed his control firmly in place. His enemy was far too precise in his planning for Jared to make the mistake of engaging him with anything less than complete control.

There would be time for rage. There would be time for recompense. Roshelle was his! The man’s plan for her must have changed; otherwise her body would be laying here with the others.

But this wasn’t about Roshelle. Even she knew that. Their unknown enemy wanted a confrontation with him? Well, Jared would be happy to comply!