by Regan Black
"Stay back," Kincaid demanded, entering the engine. "Don't touch her."
Gideon sneered. "What if she's hurt?"
"I'm not," Petra said, putting an end to yet another pissing contest. They seemed to be Gideon's specialty.
"Can you lift your head?" Kincaid asked.
Petra obliged, raising her chin for his visual inspection, but keeping her eyes closed.
The men made noises about bruising and soft tissue damage, but Petra wasn't worried. "I'm fine." She'd learned years ago how best to heal herself. Opening her eyes to ease their concern, she asked about the status of the guards.
"All on their way to the city lockup," Kincaid replied. "Want a hand?"
"Thought we couldn't touch her."
"Actual contact is possible if I'm prepared," Petra explained.
Gideon's eyes narrowed. "Prepared for what?"
Oh, the temptation to shock him with his own ignorance. She managed to control herself. Barely. "Touch enhances my ability to read emotion." And memory, she left unsaid.
Gideon leveled his sharp gaze at Kincaid. "You hired an empath? It was bad enough when I thought she was psychic."
"She's been of great assistance to CRIA–"
Petra gained her feet and gave up on them both. "I'm going to the hotel to write your report, Kincaid," she called on her way out.
"Wait!" Kincaid jumped out of the engine after her. "You get anything on the victims?"
"They're safe. Escaped on a ferry headed up the Michigan coastline."
"Destination?"
Petra just shrugged.
"And the Jane Doe?"
"That was self-defense, not murder." Petra shook her head. "She was one scary woman."
"What about those arm bands?"
Petra sighed. "I don't know. Things went haywire before I could prod that out of them. If I'd been alone maybe I could've gotten more." She refused to look at Gideon.
"If you'd been alone, you'd be dead by now," Gideon said, joining them.
Petra looked at him, then away. But the docks weren't any improvement. The bleak, dismal view left an impression she didn't want to cloud her senses later. The very air smelled of disuse and decay. "I need to get out of here."
"I'll drive you," Kincaid offered. "We're at the Ritz downtown."
"Nice. But no thanks. I'll take the el." But as she walked the few blocks to the platform, her nerves got worse instead of better. Only after forcing herself through the security scanner and into the elevated train, did Petra realize the feelings weren't her own.
My sister.
Pushing aside the layer of anxiety, Petra smiled. Her sister hated the el. It was fascinating to discover such a detail about a person who'd been a figment of her imagination until an hour ago. Mentally, Petra reached out and waited for a reply. When nothing but emptiness returned to her, Petra sent out as much warmth as she could generate after the ordeal at the docks.
Once in her hotel suite, she wrote her first draft of the report and then ran through a brief healing meditation. When she felt restored, she put on her music and sent herself in search of the sister she'd never known.
The incessant summons of her phone brought her back before she'd made any real progress. But the distinctive chirp told her it was another CRIA call. Maybe they'd found the victim in the lab at last.
"Petra Neiman."
"It's Kincaid."
The tension in those words brought her to full alert. "Let me guess. Genetics researcher dead by self-evisceration. Pretty fresh scene, I'd bet. It got funneled to me–"
"And you didn't report it?"
"CRIA ordered me here. I haven't had a chance to re–"
"Just shut up a minute."
She did. This sort of impatience didn't match with Kincaid's normally temperate personality. Something was very wrong. "You're scaring me."
"About time something did. Meet me downstairs in ten minutes."
About the author:
Regan Black is dedicated to providing action-packed stories with a paranormal twist to readers of all ages so you can savor a fantastic escape from your daily routine. If you’re looking for an author who can deliver stories from the heart, full of unforgettable characters willing to risk it all to reach the goal, you’ve come to the right place!
Other titles by Regan Black:
The Shadows of Justice Series:
Justice Incarnate, Book 1
Invasion of Justice, Book 2
Veil of Justice, Book 3
From the Ashes novella
Dream Works novella
The Hobbitville Saga:
The Pixie Chicks
Hot Spots
Breaking New Ground
The Shadow Stone
Snow Covered Resolutions
Non-fiction:
Adopt A Greyhound Guide
Connect with me online:
Visit ReganBlack.com for excerpts, writing tips, giveaways and more!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/black.regan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/reganblack