Project Genesis (15 page)

“Take me home,
Vincent.”

He clenched his
jaw so tight, pain shot down his neck. He was scared, Vin realized. For the
first time in his life, fear gripped him hard at the thought of reaching for
what he wanted. One precious dream that he never thought possible. Letting her
walk away from them from what they could have wasn’t an option.

“I love you,
Helen.”

***

She tried to
swallow but the sob caught her off guard. Facing him was the hardest thing but
Helen forced her feet to turn in his direction.

“Helen.” He
dragged her name out and the sadness in his eyes spoke volumes. There was
nothing more for her to say.

“I love you,
hellcat. You love me too, even if you won’t give me the words.”

Helen sniffed,
scrubbing frantically at her eyes. She needed to get out of here. Heading for
the door, she reached blindly for the knob. Vin shifted blocking her exit.

“I know you love
me because you’ve shown me. Every touch, every kiss.” His thumb caught her
tears. “Don’t leave me, Helen.” She couldn’t take her eyes from his. “Keep
fighting for me.”

Helen burst into
tears as he used her words against her. “You don’t fight fair, Vincent
Michaels.”

“Stay, Helen,” he
continued. “Fight for me until I get it right because I’m for damn sure I’ll
mess up time and time again.”

She wanted, no
expected a kiss full of passion and instead he kept the brief touch light.
Soft. And Helen stood there wanting more.

“Helen?”

Everything about
Vin exposed his vulnerability. His stance, the precious words he’d given her.
He didn’t care that she saw it all. The bravery it took for this man with his
background was what decided her.

“I love you, Vin.”

“Thank fuck.” His
arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her hard against his body. They held
on to one another and let minutes tick by. Helen would have stayed in his arms
forever except Vin pulled back.

“30, huh?”

“What?” She
frowned and tried to figure out what he was talking about.

“Your thirtieth
birthday.”

Helen locked her
jaw, “Your friend, Rock, I presume.”

Vin huffed a
laugh.

Fine, he knew.
“Well how old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

Helen gulped in
horror. “I’m older than you?”

Vin rolled his
eyes. “It’s two years, Helen. Hardly worth mentioning.”

Well maybe not to
him but she didn’t
want
to be the oldest. Helen flushed at the stupid
thought. Her lips twisted ruefully. “Okay but no jokes about it.”

“Never,” he
promised, roping her in closer.

Helen trusted
Vin’s promise. “We do this together. No decisions without input to the other.”

“Promise,” he
whispered backing up toward the sofa a familiar gleam in his eyes.

“Vin!” Helen
laughed and batted at his hands but Vin didn’t stop until his legs hit the
sofa. He sat and pulled her between his thighs.

“We should seal
our promise.”

Helen couldn’t
stop the ridiculous smile from spreading on her face. Vin’s hands pulled on her
wrist and Helen stumbled to her knees.

“Well, look at
this.” Vin raised a brow and his mouth quirked. “What are you going to do down
there, hellcat?”

***

“I’m sure I can
think of something.” Helen hid her surprise at this side of Vin. She’d never
doubted his sense of humor but he seemed lighter somehow. Fingers twisting, she
broke the light clasp on her wrists and reached for his zipper.

Expecting
resistance, Helen jerked her head up when he spread his legs wide in invitation
and smirked. Filled with desire, she fumbled with his belt buckle. A quick peek
up caught the gleam in his eyes. Fuming, Helen parted the material. He didn’t
think she’d do it. Considering this was one intimacy they’d never shared, she
could see why he doubted her.

Helen ducked her
head and tugged on the strap to his thigh holster. Vin’s large fingers entered
her vision and removed it for her, placing it on the cushion beside him within
easy reach. He shrugged off the other gun and leaned over to place it further
away.

Seeing her look,
Vin explained. “Triggers more sensitive and keyed to my touch.”

Continuing her
mission and determined to see it through, Helen pulled on his pants and Vin
lifted enough for her to ease them down to his thighs. The prominence of his
erection bulged against the slit of his boxers. Touch ever so gentle, Helen
parted the fabric and released his eager length.

She felt his
breath quicken and hesitated. Of all the responses she expected that wasn’t one
of them. Vincent Michaels, soldier extraordinaire, lived up to his reputation.
Nothing disturbed him. Except…maybe Helen. A smile twitched at her lips. When
his eyes narrowed, she laughed outright.

Knowing he rode
this roller coaster with her made things a lot easier. Heated pleasure flared
in his eyes. Yeah, he wanted her. No doubt about that.

Vin’s gaze
darkened with hints of smoke and clouds. Helen stroked the velvet covered steel
in her hand and lowered her head. Maintaining eye contact, she sucked him deep
and enjoyed the way his legs stiffened and his shoulders thrust backward.

“Helen.”

Her name was
dragged out on a moan and Helen added her tongue to the suction of her mouth.
Vin released another rough groan.

Helen’s pleasure
increased, fueled by the sounds he made. Vin’s hands tugged her head closer and
framed her face. His hold allowed him to control the depths of her pull. She
should have known it wouldn’t last. In every instance, he sought control in the
bedroom.

Helen eased back,
leaving a slick trail of moisture behind coating his length. Why the sight
aroused her, she couldn’t say but now her thighs were as damp as her panties.

“Come up here,
hellcat.” His hands were already hauling her to her feet and Helen soon found
herself straddling his waist. The blunt length beneath her leg throbbed. He
wrapped his hand around the stretchy waist of her drawstring pants. “Off.”

Not wanting to
wait, Helen lifted to her knees and slid her pants down just enough before
retaking her erotic seat. Vin grinned, his hands whisper soft as they stroked
through her hair. “I don’t deserve you but you’re mine, Helen. Never doubt it.”

Shivers rolled
down her spine from the roughly voiced claim. “That means you’re mine too.”

Vin leaned forward
pressing their torsos together. “Then take me.”

Helen eagerly
responded to the entreaty. Angling her hips, she lowered herself carefully onto
his hardness. Inch by inch, he stretched her moist channel. When their legs
touched again, Helen leaned her head back.

“Don’t stop,
hellcat.” Vin thrust up with the husky demand.

Bracing her hands
on his shoulders, Helen rode him the way her body wanted. Her clothing hindered
her more robust motion and she grit her teeth together in frustration. Vin
muffled a laugh before lifting her entirely. Helen yelped but he tugged and
pulled until he had her pants and underwear thrown to the floor then flipped
them so her back lay flat on the sofa cushions and his smooth length lay over
her.

“Better?” His
words accompanied a swift glide as he entered her once more.

The wicked glint
in his gaze challenged. Helen widened her legs fully prepared to match him.
“Absolutely.”

As if her word was
all the permission he needed, he began a hard and pounding rhythm that left her
gasping and moaning with each pump. Helen held on as long as possible but the
sensations felt too good. Her climax rolled over her on a wave as she arched
her neck back and screamed her release.

“Fuck, yeah.”
Vin’s pace increase and his hips slammed against hers with enough force to move
her on the cushions. “Shit,” He cursed dropping his face to her shoulder as she
felt the heat of him pour through her.

His weight
depressed her further into the sofa but Helen didn’t care. Wrapping her arms
around his waist, she could only hold on and catch her breath. Tears burned and
she let them run down her cheek.

“You’re crying,
aren’t you?”

Helen thumped him
on the back. She wanted to ask so many questions but there was only one that
mattered at this moment. “You love me?”

Vin rolled them to
the side cradling her in his arms. “With all my heart.”

She brushed the
hair back from his forehead. “What do we do now?”

“The battle with
the Rekabians won’t be an easy one. I can’t leave Alpha Squad.” He frowned. “I
owe them four more years of my life.”

Helen knew all
that. He’d mentioned it before when discussing the obstacles to their relationship.
“Do you want me to wait for you?” Four years wasn’t long knowing what she had
waiting at the end.

“Hell, no.” Vin
gripped her tighter and glared. “Tomorrow isn’t promised. The Rekabians are
playing for keeps and my men and I will be there fighting.”

“Vin.” He shushed
her.

 “I’ll meet with
Slade tonight. I want you here with me for as long as it takes. As long as we
have. I can’t guarantee it will be easy if I’m sent out a lot.”

Her jaw dropped.
“You’re serious?”

“I don’t want to
be apart from you. We’ve let too many months separate us, I refuse to go longer
without you sleeping by my side every night.”

“I love you,” she
blurted and surged up to kiss him fully on the mouth.

His lips met hers
laughter bubbling between them. “Tell me again,” he asked, nipping at her lips,
eyes shining.

Gladly, Helen
started to comply when Vin flinched. “Vin? What…”

Moving with a
speed beyond natural, Helen found herself tossed to the side of the sofa as Vin
rolled to his feet. “Rekabians spotted outside the gate.”

Helen pushed up to
her elbows, shirt tangled about her waist and strained her ears. “I don’t hear
any alarms.”

“Don’t want to
warn them we’re aware of their presence.” He tapped his finger on his ear
before proceeding to pull up his pants and tuck himself away.

Helen couldn’t
resist a moan of disappointment.

Vin shot her a
smile and wink before speaking to his men on the ear com. “Alpha team assemble
at the front door, I’m on my way.” Vin grabbed his weapon from the table,
strapped his holster to his thigh and placed a kiss on her temple before
walking backward toward the door. His loving gaze never broke from hers. “Stay
inside.”

He didn’t have to
tell her twice. Helen slumped back on the sofa, still half dressed. Despite the
interruption, she grinned from ear to ear.

   Chapter 20

Members of Alpha
Squad waited at the front hall as Jones and another man from Delta joined them.
Vin quirked his brow only to have Jones stare back.

“Bravo isn’t here.
They took a couple of my guys to New York to handle a Rekabian outbreak at the
metro station in the city. I had to stay back with Gibbons because of this.”
Jones pointed at the plasti strip on the base of his neck from a wound during
an altercation with the Rekabians earlier.

The gravelly voice
spoke of a past Vin remembered all to well. Screams of pain as his flesh rotted
from his bones had damaged the Delta Team Lead’s vocal cords passed healing.
Vin nodded. “The help is appreciated.” He held up his hand and bumped fists
with the Delta Team Lead then John Gibbons.

Their group exited
the main door, surprising the aliens circling the outer gate. Since the
previous attack, Slade had ordered an electrical element added to the fencing.
If the Rekabians tried to climb it, they’d be in for a shock, literally.

Vin dispersed his
team to different sections of the grounds with hand signals. Two Rekabians
turned into four then five.

“Where the hell
are they coming from?” Jones growled, the red of his eye scanning the premises.

“It’s an ambush,”
Harkum declared. “They know something’s different about the fence but can’t
decide how to continue their attack.”

“Why the hell are
they back?” Sen voiced the question on all their minds.

Vin slowly put it
together. “They’re eliminating the threat. I’m not sure if they’re getting
direction from the big ass mother ship that hasn’t moved from New York or what
but they’ve changed their attacks.”

Harkum grimaced.
“That’s why Baltimore and DC are seeing so much action. They’re targeting the
vicinity where they’re encountering the most resistance.”

Vin agreed.
“Sounds about right. Defeat those that fight and the rest will surrender.
Slade’s looking into that. Bastards tagged me with a tracer.”

Jones grunted.
“Fuck this shit. Less talk, more shooting.” The Delta lead hefted the classic
Arkane 7 in his beefy grip.

Vin smiled. The A7
was heavy firepower. Not as easy to cart around as the G32 but potent enough to
do some real damage.

Rock shifted his
weapon and primed the trigger. The red light on the barrel lit up as one by
one, Vin’s team primed their weapons.

Vin hefted his
own, newly replaced gun. “Let’s give them something to call home about.”

Sen barked out a
laugh before darting to the left, Rock on his heels. The twins glided toward
the rear with a chin lift in Vin’s direction. “Jones, you and your boy cover
the right. Harkum and I are gonna take the truck parked up front and drive
right through the gates to catch them off guard.”

The other team
lead didn’t hesitate. “On it.”

Gibbons grinned
and pounded his fists together. The sound of metal hitting metal had Vin
wincing. He’d been hit once by the Delta team member in a sparring match with
those enhanced cyber fists. Not a pleasant feeling at all.

“Harkum, follow
me.”

“Lead on, Vin.”

Together, they
crouched and raced across the yard. The armored SUV would provide some
protection against the alien’s laser fire. “Battle armor.” Vin gave Harkum a
moment to comply and activated his own armor. The thick skin suit covered him
from throat to ankle.

As if realizing
they’d been targeted, the five Rekabians stopped investigating the fence line
and started shooting.

“Forget the truck,
we’re running through the gate,” Vin yelled, anticipation of the battle to come
amping him up.

“Always got your
back, man.” Harkum’s growl came right from his side.

Lasers punched
holes in the yard leaving black gouges in the grass. They both dived low. Vin
rolled, immediately getting to his feet to shoot. From the corner of his eye,
Harkum mirrored his actions. Vin tapped his com. “We’re opening the gate.
Curtis, I need you ready to slam the release and close it behind us.”

Gun fire sounded
before Curtis replied, “Affirmative.”

“Rock, keep your
shield around us when we get through but don’t expend yourself unnecessarily
trying to hold it.”

“I’ll do what
needs to be done.”

Vin kept from
rolling his eyes at the calm response. Harkum put on a burst a speed. ‘
Talk
to me, Harkum.’
His friend was outpacing him with those damn long legs.

‘We know they
don’t do well with fire so I’m going to burn them.’

“Shit, no!” Vin
roared. The price for using their abilities was worse for Harkum. In order to
project the flames of his pyrokinetics, his friend would be engulfed in the
blaze.

It was too late.
The gate parted and Harkum stormed through. Vin raised his weapon and began
shooting. Seeing the opening, the Rekabians came directly toward the entrance.
Curtis slammed it closed behind Vin and Harkum. Fuck.

Harkum came to a
dead stop and the five aliens surrounded him. Vin stood back, his weapon at the
ready for the minute his man faltered. Harkum’s fists clenched at his side and
instantly lit up like Christmas lights. Seconds later, his entire body appeared
covered in deadly flames. Bright orange licked over his body in one fluid wave.

A shimmering
shield dropped in front of Vin. Rock didn’t lose focus of his role.

Vin’s men on the
other side of the gate cursed through the ear com.
‘You better make it
quick, Harkum or I’m gonna kick your ass. You still owe me a sparring match.
’

Vin continued to
use telepathy despite the small darts of pain at his temple. He hadn’t fully
recovered from his injuries despite the drugs pumping through his system but it
was the only way to communicate with his friend. Harkum’s ear com would have
already been destroyed the moment his body sparked. The Rekabians charged en mass
uncaring or unaware of the danger of the walking inferno before them.

The Rekabians
charged en mass uncaring or unaware of the danger of the walking inferno before
them. Initially, it seemed to work. The first two aliens burned like toast the
minute they came in contact with Harkum. The other three hesitated, heads
cocked to the side as they began the infernal clicking and squealing. One of
them stepped forward and raised his silver weapon.

“Rock, get that
shield around Harkum.” Vin wasn’t sure if laser could penetrate the flames
licking along Harkum’s body but didn’t want to chance it.

“Sorry. I can’t
extend that far and cover you.”

Vin ran forward
and hit the unyielding energy. “Damn it, Rock. Harkum’s the one surrounded by
the enemy not me.”

“You’re the Alpha
Squad Lead, Vin.”

Helplessly, Vin
watched the alien fire its laser. Harkum seemed fine. The remaining aliens
pulled forth their weapons as well and blasted at Harkum. His large frame
jerked and his booted foot staggered back. Fuck that.

Curtis must have
managed to re-open the gate behind him. Alpha Squad along with Jones and
Gibbons came running out. Harkum lifted his right arm and pointed at one of the
Rekabians. Flames licked out in a long curling tendril. The whip-like blaze
wrapped around the torso of the creature and its body went up like a torch
while it screamed in rage and pain.

Three down two to
go. But as if suddenly realizing the danger of the men racing in their
direction, the two remaining Rekabians turned and fled. The sky above darkened
pulling all their gazes upward. Hovering in the air, a Rekabian craft lowered
and a beam of light shot down.

“Get this fucking
shield away from me,” Vin ordered and Rock obeyed immediately.

“Fall back. Fall
back,” Vin roared into his com refusing to lose any of his men. “The Rekabians
have regrouped.”

“Shit, Vin, I
think Harkum’s hit.”

Vin continued to
make his way to his best friend’s side. Harkum rolled over and lurched to his
feet. Relief bombarded him. “Let’s go, man.”

Harkum nodded and
they took off together in the direction of the gate, Vin practically carrying
Harkum’s limping frame.

Rock fired and
picked off another Rekabian, providing Vin and Harkum the chance to reach the
safety of the entrance to the Command Center. The rest of the team advanced forward
and continued to shoot while Zander and Nathan held the Rekabians back with
burst of energy from their hands.

The barrage of
fire power from both sides was deafening. Fortune must have shined on the scaly
sucker because the last Rekabian ran into the beam of light and vanished. The
eerie beam faded and the ship took off.