Playing With Fire (21 page)

Rome snorted, but he leaned toward me and whispered, “I already have.”

Grade A? Ha. More like A-cup. Still, I shivered at the intensity of his words. Instead of allowing myself to jump him as I always seemed to want, I reached for a sandwich. Rome and Tanner reached for one at the same time. The boys were lucky they didn’t pull back bloody stumps, I was
that
hungry. Apparently, the more I used my powers, the hungrier I became. With my first bite, I almost died and went to the pearly gates. Turkey and Swiss. Mmm. I ate three pairs of breasts.

“So, Rome,” Tanner said, after swallowing a gulp of milk. “How’d you get Belle into bed so soon?”

I choked on the olive currently in my mouth.

Rome fought a grin and slapped me on the back.

“I mean, you guys have only known each other, what? A few days? And you’re already going at it like rabbits. I wish you could have seen yourselves. She was moaning, you were groaning. Live porn for sure.”

The moment I could breathe, I shouted, “Are you calling me easy?”

“Close your pie hole, Viper. I’m not meaning no disrespect, okay? Rome obviously has some skills I need to know about, and since you haven’t exactly given me any tips that work…”

I scowled at him. “They work when executed properly.”

“Oh, really?” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his middle, the picture of disbelief. “I told Lexis she had pretty hair and you didn’t see her stripping and falling into bed with me, did you?”

“You’ve got to try it on someone your own age, moron.”

Rome slammed his palm against the table surface. The plates jostled and clanked. “You’re teaching him to con women into bed?”

What was this, dump on Belle hour? “Not con. Exactly.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Seduce.”

“There’s a difference?” He studied Tanner, letting me off the hook for a minute. “You shouldn’t sleep with a woman unless you care about her.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Tanner grumbled. “You’re getting some.”

“Not really.” This time, Rome was the one grumbling. His eyes darkened with savage need.

My nerve endings reacted to that need, springing to instant attention. Again. Why couldn’t I have civilized men in my life? Instead I was stuck with a horny teen determined to nail some booty and a horny adult determined to nail
my
booty.

Never mind that I liked the latter.

And never mind that I planned to offer said booty freely and eagerly.

Just remember to guard your heart,
my mind piped up.

“Well?” Tanner banged his empty glass on the table. “Are you going to share your expertise or not?”

“Not,” Rome said succinctly. “We have more important things to do than talk about your lack of a sex life.”

“Hey, now. There’s nothing more important than my sex life.” The kid straightened, adamant and offended. “All we’re doing is eating. Nothing wrong with a little erotic conversation during a meal. Especially when we’re eating booby sandwiches.”

No way to refute that.

Flustered, Rome pushed his plate away. “Fine. I’ll talk to you about sex and how I—how I got Belle to like me, but I’ll do it later. Right now I need to talk to you guys about tonight. Have either of you ever broken into someone’s home?”

“No.” Me.

“No.” Tanner. Although his admission came more reluctantly, as if he didn’t like revealing he wasn’t a criminal.

“I thought not.” Rome glanced to the heavens. For guidance? “Usually the best time to go in is during the day. People are at work and less likely to be home, and if you’re dressed right, the people who
are
home won’t notice you. But Belle was sick and I needed to see how much she could handle, so I postponed for—”

“Dressed right, how?” I interrupted. Had people broken into
my
house that way?

He popped a nipple (aka an olive) into his mouth and shrugged. “Repairman. Deliveryman. Doesn’t matter, though, because we’re going in at night.
This
night, to be exact, and it’s a whole different story. Dr. Roberts’s house is, I’m sure, being watched by Vincent’s men. And Belle is a wanted woman,” he continued, “so we don’t have the luxury of hiding in plain sight.”

A wanted woman. I liked that. Well, when it pertained to Rome. Not Vincent. “What exactly are we looking for?”
The antidote, please say the antidote.
“We know the good doctor isn’t home, and we’re risking a lot by going there.”

“Papers, books, anything that will give us information about where Dr. Roberts is hiding and whether he has an antidote.”

Excellent! “Wouldn’t Vincent have already found those things, though?”

“Not necessarily.”

Okay, what did Rome mean by that? I was about to ask him when Tanner said, “If the house is being watched, how the heezie are we going to get in? You mentioned breaking and entering, but we can’t do that if our every move is monitored.”

Confused, I shook my head. “Heezie?”

“You know. Hell. Don’t you ever listen to the Snoop Dogg?”

The Snoop Dogg? Dear Lord, another superhero? “If heezie means hell, then why the heezie don’t you just say hell? Jeez.”

“Doesn’t sound as cool,” he said with a pout.

Rome covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing. Or possibly to keep from strangling us. “You want to hear my plan or not?”

“Yes, please.” Me.

“Totally.” Tanner.

“All right. Here’s what we’re going to do.” Rome launched into a speech worthy of any army commander.

I listened, growing pale. God help us. The more he talked, the more it sounded like he wanted us to die.

Actually, I think that was Plan B.

T
HAT NIGHT
, after I’d changed into clean clothes—with panties and a bra!—we made the hour-long drive to Dr. Roberts’s house in silence. I was too nervous to speak. The men, well…I think maybe Rome was getting into his zone. His kill-or-be-killed zone, that is, weighing possibilities and probabilities, mentally preparing to do whatever was necessary to obtain the desired results. Tanner’s features were pale, and he looked ready to pass out at any moment. Oddly enough, he also exuded a palpable air of excitement, like he could high-five some of his buddies while bragging to the ladies.

“Duck,” Rome said conversationally.

Tanner and I didn’t hesitate; we ducked. Since we were both in the back seat, Tanner smashed his face against the seat and I covered his body with my own. My heart rate burst into hyperspeed.

“What’s going on?” I whispered, then mentally chastised myself for whispering. I didn’t have to be quiet yet.

Our car slowed, turned gently, straightened out and eased over a speed bump. “I’m going to park several blocks away from the doctor’s neighborhood. We’ll enter on foot.”

Great. Walking. Exercise. Making a target of myself. My favorite things. Perhaps I should just hang a neon sign around my neck that read Shoot Here.

“Why are we ducking?” Tanner said, whispering as well.

“Vincent’s agents are patrolling the area,” Rome said.

“What the hell?” Tanner, I noticed, was too nervous to say “heezie.” I did my best to comfort him by giving his arm an I’m-here-for-you squeeze. I only prayed he didn’t notice the nervous, swamplike nature of my hands.

“You didn’t mention
that
in the plan,” he continued. “You said they’d be watching the house, not the whole goddamn state of Georgia.”

“I did mention the fact that you could be shot at or knifed, and
this
is what you complain about?” Rome blew out a heavy breath, and through the crack between the seats I watched as his hand inched from the steering wheel and curled around the handle of the gun resting in the passenger seat.

That gun was the reason I’d been relegated to the back seat. He’d wanted it at the ready, and he hadn’t wanted me near it.
You might accidentally nail me,
he’d said. And I’d replied,
I thought you
wanted
me to nail you.
He’d shut up after that.

A few seconds passed—or were they minutes?—before he parked the car in a shadowed corner. “I saw four agents in four different cars, and they’re diligently watching this lot.” He tucked the gun in his ankle holster and covered it with his pants. I knew he had knives (and other guns) strapped to several parts of his body, too.

“Park somewhere else,” I said.
Please.

“Every shop, house and building is going to be watched. Dr. Roberts got away. We got away. And they’re determined to find us. This is as safe a place as any.” Rome paused, turned off the car and palmed the keys. “This is what we’re going to do. I’m going to head toward the store and create a distraction, as well as draw the agents to me and, well, you can guess. When I’ve done that, you guys get out, stay in the shadows, and meet me behind the Dumpster on the west side.”

I gulped. “I could try to start a fire somewhere in the distance.”

Before I spoke the last word, he was shaking his head. “Too risky. One, we don’t know if there are innocent people in the area, and two, you might accidentally start the fire in the car, and we need a getaway vehicle. I’ll create the distraction.”

“With what?”

He patted his slacks pocket. “You’ll see.”

Frustration clawed at me. “How am I supposed to develop my powers to the point that I can help you with Sunny if you’re always making me hide and duck?”

“I told you I was no longer sure how I’ll want you to help with her, so that question is moot right now.”

I hated that Rome was taking so many risks, but didn’t see how I could truly aid him at the moment. “Be careful,” I said softly.

“No worries, baby.” He didn’t turn to look at me. “I’ll be fine. You just make sure
you
don’t get hurt.” With that, he exited as casually as a man intent on shopping for eggs, milk and biscuits. But I could see the muscles bunched under his shirt, the tension that he tried so hard to hide. Had I once thought him impossible to read?

The door shut, leaving Tanner and me in complete silence. Wait, no, not complete silence. I could hear the raggedness of our breathing, the rush of blood in my ears. “I’m so sorry I got you into this, Tanner.”

“It’s okay.” He uttered a nervous laugh. “It’ll be one hell of a story for my bitches.”

“You could leave. You don’t have to stay with us.”

He paused. Groaned, sighed. “I’ll stay.” The edge of firmness in his voice left no room for argument. “What kind of man would I be if I abandoned you? You’re, like, my family now.”

“I feel the same way.” And I did. I loved this kid. He was smart and brave, a dear friend I hadn’t known how desperately I’d needed until now. “Wait till you meet my dad. He buys Viagra on the black market, so I know he’ll love you.”

“I like him already. Hey, can I tell you something?” Tanner asked, his voice going soft, sweet.

“Of course. You can tell me anything.”

“I can feel your boobs pressing against my back.”

I choked back a laugh. “If we’re family now, that comment is completely incestuous.”

He didn’t reply. Our nerves were frayed, our minds heavy with the coming events. It was odd, really. I’d lived my entire life craving adventure, wishing for it, depressed that I didn’t have it. Now that it was here, a part of me wanted the return of my staid existence. Normalcy, the ordinary, were the gates to paradise. Weren’t they?

“How will we know when Rome’s created the distraction?” I asked.

Boom!

I gasped and jolted upright. Tanner did the same. We stared wide-eyed out the front window as flames consumed a small patch of trees. “My God,” I breathed. Moonlight bathed the area, then was chased away by the glow of the fire.

“I think we know,” Tanner said, his tone awed.

Tires squealed. People raced in every direction, their expressions panicked.

“Let’s go.” I bounded out of the car, Tanner close behind me. “He said to meet him behind the Dumpster on the west side.” But, uh, which way was west? I’d always had a hard time with directions. Did the sun rise or set in the west?

“This way.” Tanner pointed.

My gaze followed his finger and lit on a dark blue bin at the far side of the grocery store. “Come on.” I grabbed his hand and we were off, heading in the same direction as the frantic crowd.

There were more cars in the lot than I’d anticipated, and I didn’t know who to avoid. At least my hair was hidden under a baseball cap. I tried to stay in the shadows as much as possible, but no matter what I did, I felt exposed. Vulnerable. Finally we reached our destination, and I pressed my back against the cool metal.

Smoke was beginning to thicken the air, burning my lungs and throat. I coughed. My eyes watered.

“Shit! Not again.” Tanner pushed on my shoulders, forcing me to the dirty, trash-laden ground. “Lie down. Stay as low as you can and cover your nose with your shirt.”

I did as he commanded and was thankful to discover the air was thinner, cleaner when filtered through the cotton. My coughing subsided. Only a few minutes passed before Rome sprinted around the corner, stopping abruptly. His gaze narrowed when he spied me lying prone.

“What’s wrong with her?” he asked Tanner.

“Smoke got to her.”

Rome reached down and hefted me up over his shoulder, fireman-style. Without protest, I let him carry me. A coughing fit from me would slow us down considerably.

“This way,” Rome said. “We’re good to go, but I want you to stay behind me.”

Tanner moved to the rear. In the distance I heard the wail of fire truck sirens. We entered a field behind the store, careful to avoid security lights. We raced across it. Well, the boys did. I was just along for the (bumpy) ride.

When we reached the beginning of a gated community, Rome gently lowered me. His hands cupped my jaw, and our gazes locked. “You okay?”

I allowed the shirt to fall from my nose, and inhaled deeply. The air was sweet and clean. The cords in my throat relaxed, and the irritating tickling sensation subsided. “I’m good.”

“Okay. We’ve got a public street on one side of us and a fence that peeks into rich people’s backyards on the other. Try to look casual, at ease. Belle, you’re going to hold my hand. Tanner, stay beside Belle. We’re a family out for a nighttime stroll. Nothing more.”

He didn’t wait for our reply, but gripped my hand in his and leapt into motion, leading us closer to Dr. Roberts’s house. Tanner quickened his step until he paced at my side. “If we’re staying in the shadows,” he asked under his breath, “why do we need to look casual?”

“There are people who can see in the shadows, not to mention a little thing called night vision goggles. If we’re spotted, I want people to think we have nothing to hide.”

“Won’t they shoot first and ask questions later?” I asked.

Rome gave my hand a squeeze. “Hopefully, they won’t expect us to come out in the open. Anyway, there’s really no place for us to hide.”

“Thanks for that,” Tanner said drily. “You could have lied, at least. How the hell am I supposed to act casual now?”

Yes, it
was
hard to act as if we had nothing to hide when we were each loaded with weapons. Did I forget to mention that part? Rome hadn’t wanted us to rely solely on our superpowers—and let’s face it, an empath like Tanner couldn’t slay a bad guy by understanding he was angry. Rome hadn’t wanted us to rely solely on
his
weapons, either, in case we became separated. So he’d given me and Tanner each a Taser, a flashlight and several knives, which were now strapped to our thighs, waists and wrists.

I wasn’t sure I’d have the balls to actually stab anyone. Fry them or ice them, maybe, even though I still wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable with the fact that I’d already deep-fried a few people (bad guys though they were). But there was something so personal about stabbing someone.

I guess we’d see if I could do it (on purpose) when the time came.

A car honked in the distance, startling me. I gasped and jumped about a foot in the air.

“Easy,” Rome said.

I drew in a steadying breath, trying to relax. I kept my attention straight ahead, absorbing Rome’s strength and assurance.

“At the next street, we’re going to turn left,” he said.

Tanner ran a hand through his hair, looking anything but casual. “How do you know the way?”

Rome shrugged, and I think he answered just to keep us distracted. “A while ago, Lexis had to pretend to be Dr. Roberts’s friend. She told you that, right? Our boss wanted the formula for himself. I followed her each time she came here, making sure she was safe.”

Oh, that he would always look after me like that. What a tantalizing thought. Oh, that he still looked after Lexis like that. What a…not so tantalizing thought.

We had to stop and hide behind bushes for a bit as a black SUV slowly prowled the street, followed by a car filled with shouting teenagers. Thankfully, no one spotted us.

“Well,” Tanner said, “I think we should have slammed the car through the security fence and into the house, run in, grabbed what we needed and hauled ass.”

Rome’s brows arched into his hairline, and he shook his head. “And risk destroying our getaway vehicle, not to mention wiping out any possible paper trail?”

“We could have driven two cars,” I suggested. “One to smash and one to drive away.”

“Now that’s a plan, Viper.”

“What about the destruction of files or information about the formula?” Rome didn’t give us a chance to answer, grumbling, “You two are ruining my concentration.” He released my hand and wound his arm around my waist, drawing me closer. “I’m supposed to be on the lookout for the people who want to kill us. I swear, this is why I never work with amateurs.”

The reminder sobered us, and silence reigned until we came to a section of the fence Rome approved. I glanced uneasily at the tall iron bars that stretched skyward, pointing sharp tips toward the heavens.

“This it?” Tanner asked, his voice shaking.

Rome nodded. “This is it. More shadows. No dogs around. And we’re not too far from the doctor’s house.”

The shadows
were
darker here. Thicker. Consuming the small enclosure. I swallowed. Yes, this was it and there would be no turning back now. Several pines stretched toward the gate, but they weren’t close enough for us to climb.

“You ready, Belle?” Rome faced me. I couldn’t make out his features very well, only the occasional flash of white teeth. But I drew comfort from his presence.

I nodded, realized he might not be able to see me, and said, “Ready.” God, I was nervous. I did
not
want to be the weak link that let this team down.

“Then get us past it.”

Breathing in and out slowly, precisely, I squared my shoulders and turned to the gate. I held out one of my hands, palm out. The wind, I was learning, was the hardest element for me to call. It required a combination of feelings. An emotional cocktail, if you will, of fear (check), desperation (check), and, as I’d figured out during the day’s training session, some type of affection. Love worked, though I didn’t know why.

All I knew was that it was hard to maintain such a sweet, positive emotion while drawing from the other two, the negatives.

As before, in the clearing, I allowed images of my dad to spill across my mind. My heart swelled with love for him. To strengthen the emotion, I allowed Rome to enter the picture, envisioning the two men slapping each other on the back. I didn’t want to—God, I didn’t—but I forced the images to twist. To darken. To become a nightmare I never wanted to come true.

“Whatever you’re doing, it’s working,” Tanner said proudly. “I can feel a tornado forming inside you.”

In my mind, I saw the two men I held so dear being hurt. Gunned down. Bullets whizzed and popped with startling realism. I saw both men flinch in pain. Saw blood escape from their many wounds.