Sage started to answer. Then he fell silent. Finally, he said, “She doesn’t need to be surrounded by people right now. She prefers solitude, especially when she’s upset.”
And he had to be near her. If he was back at the base, chances are Jax would send him off on a mission within a few days, and he needed to be with Anni.
Miguel opened one eye, staring at Sage narrowly. “You going to tell him about the base we found?”
Sage shrugged. “Why? Is it even standing?” There had been a buzz in the air as Sage pulled through the void. The electric buzz associated with Miguel’s power.
Miguel cracked a grin, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. “Nah. But there could be more like it. Now that we know what to look for…”
Sage dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “I’ll get to Jax, let him know. But my priority is Anni.”
As he turned away, Miguel snorted, “Since when is that news?”
A hot flush darkened his neck and cheeks, but he didn’t say anything. After all, it was more or less true.
Before he could ‘port, though, Miguel spoke up. “You need to rest soon, pal. If you don’t, you’re going to be useless.”
Sage tossed Miguel a sidelong look and just shook his head.
Rest? Now? When Anni was sleeping warm and naked in his bed?
When she had her body marred with bruises and cuts and scrapes?
He had too much rage, too much hunger, too much need trapped inside him. Sage couldn’t see himself sleeping any time in the near future.
Emotions were fuel to him—he’d use them as long as he could.
He could sleep later.
Chapter Six
He finished describing the base with short, terse terms, linking with Caris’ mind briefly to give more elaborate details without wasting the time to try verbally explaining them.
Caris glanced at Jax and Sage knew she was relaying those details to the vampire even as they finished speaking.
“How is Anni?” Jax asked quietly, barely glancing at the information disc Sage had quickly compiled.
His dark eyes were worried, full of guilt.
Sage was still too furious over what had happened to care much about that. Let him suffer a while. “She’s hurt. Sore. Battered. They beat the hell out of her.”
Jax clenched his jaw. “Did they…was she…was she raped?”
With the heat of his own fury driving him, Sage harshly said, “No. She fought too hard. Scared them.”
Caris laughed. “That’s my Anni.”
Mine. The word leaped to Sage’s lips and he had to bite it back. My Anni! Damn it, he wanted to claim her so much it hurt. Wanted to hunt down the men who had hurt her and kill them. Slowly. Painfully. Except he was pretty sure that Miguel hadn’t left anything standing.
“They were waiting until she was too worn out to fight,” he said, turning away from them to stare out the window.
“You got there in time, then.”
“No. I didn’t. She was still beaten. She’s got bruises all over her. They pissed on her.”
A soft keening wail escaped Caris and part of Sage wished he hadn’t said it.
Damn it, he swore silently. The guilt and anger was choking him. Why in hell had he given Caris that brief glimpse?
He turned to see Jax holding his wife, stroking a hand up and down her back. “They’ll pay for it, love,” the vampire whispered quietly. “They will pay.”
Sage said sardonically, “They can’t. They are likely all dead.”
When Jax lifted his head to look at Sage, he just shrugged. “Miguel.”
Jax scowled.
This wasn’t the first time Miguel had killed somebody before Jax could do it. Wouldn’t likely be the last.
But now Sage could understand the bastard’s frustration, because he itched to feel flesh and bone break under his hands.
“Bring her home.”
Sage shook his head. “No. You know how Anni is. The more people she had around her, the more caged she’s going to feel. I’ll take care of her. Keeping Miguel with me for a while—he’s down from jump sickness.” Jump sickness, the term given to the symptoms that plagued somebody who was pulled through too many teleports in a short time.
Jax nodded. “Keep him close. This…this worries me. The teleporter the government has, there are likely more of them.”
Sage closed his eyes as he turned away. Yeah, he’d figured that. “We knew they had ours working for them.”
Quietly, Jax said, “No. They are not ours. They may share your talents, but they are monsters. They are the enemy.”
Sage turned his head and met Jax’s eyes levelly.
They killed monsters. That was their job.
“This teleporter—is he likely dead?” Jax asked.
Sage scowled. “I don’t know.”
“You say he brought Anni water, rags, let her clean up. That he kept the guards away. But he’s also the one who grabbed Anni in the first place?”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Caris spoke from the circle of Jax’s arms, lifting her face and staring at Sage. “Why would he grab her, then help her?”
Jax’s face chilled. “He did not help her. He is the enemy.”
Caris shook her head. “Aid to the enemy—that is what he did. Letting Anni clean up, even a little, that is comfort. The government has no use for comfort, for humane treatment.”
Sage knew that. And there was more that bothered him about the teleporter. But he was still dead.
Sage moved through Anni’s room, grabbing her emergency pack and shouldering it before turning to her closet.
He couldn’t go back with just standard combat gear.
Not after what she had been through.
Hanging from a hook inside the door, he saw deep, shimmering red. It was slinky, soft as silk, sexy as hell. It smelled like her.
He took it down, just barely resisting the urge to bury his face in the cloth.
A raw, savage hunger ripped its way through him, making his blood burn, his hands itch. His cock ached, throbbing like a bad tooth. “Get it under control, Monroe,” he muttered to himself, grabbing a small suitcase and shoving the shimmery red nightgown inside, out of his sight, his reach.
Didn’t help though—her smell was everywhere in here. Signs of her touch and her presence.
Clenching his jaw, he rifled through her closet, grabbing a few shirts from the hangers and some jeans from the shelving units there. All black. She rarely wore anything else. Hell, he could count on one hand how many times he had seen her wearing anything besides her basic black. And it had either been utilitarian white T-shirts or drab colors so she’d blend in with shadows as she worked.
Never that shade of red. His mouth watered as he pictured her wearing it, the slick cloth clinging to her long, supple form.
“Damn it!” he growled, spinning away from the closet.
Only to see Kelly there.
“Anni’s fine—or she will be,” he said shortly.
She just smiled serenely, her hazel eyes unreadable. “I’m going with you.”
“No.”
Kelly just arched a brow. “Like you can stop me,” she drawled. “I know where she is—there’s only one other place you’d trust as safe enough. And it would be safer if you to just take me with you, instead of me getting there on my own.”
“Since when have you been afraid to go anywhere alone?” he demanded, tossing the bag down and holding her gaze.
Waste of time—a stare-down with Kelly wasn’t something he’d win. He never had the patience for them and she hadn’t ever been intimidated by him.
She grinned as though she knew exactly what he was thinking. “I’m not. But you don’t like me to go traipsing around the country on my lonesome, not with things as bad as they are right now. Do you, brother dear?”
“I didn’t give you enough spankings when you were a kid,” he muttered, turning away and moving over to Anni’s dresser. He prayed Kelly couldn’t see
the fine tremor in his hands as he reached in the top drawer and closed a hand around a bunch of the silk and lace panties inside.
Kelly dropped silently down on the bed as she responded, “You didn’t give me any spankings when I was a kid, sugar.”
Shooting her a narrowed-eyed glare, he said sardonically, “I guess that’s the problem.” Trying to ignore her, he shoved the panties inside and turned back to grab a few bras. Tucked inside a different drawer, neatly laid out in rows. More black. A few white. Anni was probably the most monochromatic female he had ever met in his life.
He tossed the bras in and stood there, looking around the room. Was there anything else?
“Books.”
Glancing at Kelly, he arched a brow. “Excuse me?”
“Take some of her books,” Kelly said patiently. “She loves to read. Even if she isn’t really able to read much, having a couple there might help.” She rose from the bed and crossed the room, opening the glass-fronted bookcase and taking out a couple of ancient books. Ancient—as in still printed on paper. They were worn with age. Being inside the glass away from the dust protected them, but you could tell just by looking at them how fragile they were.
She fished something out of the closet—Sage arched a brow at the small transport case. “Anni will kill us if we don’t transport them safely,” Kelly drawled.
Rolling his eyes, he waited impatiently while she secured the books in the case. Catching sight of him, Kelly smiled. “You obviously don’t understand Anni’s love of books, brother mine. They are like gold to her, and old ones like this? Worth more than that.”
“Yeah, well, her wellbeing is worth more than gold to me and I don’t want to be away long so hurry it up already.”
Smiling serenely, she tucked the case inside the bag and said, “I’m sorry to have delayed you by thirty seconds or so.” Sealing the bag, she held it out to Sage and waited for him to shoulder it before moving up close to him.
Lowering his brows, he said, “Don’t suppose I can convince you to stay here, can I?”
Kelly just shook her head.
Sighing, Sage wrapped his arms around her. Just before he let the power suck them into the void, Kelly said, “And Sage, darling, if you make this a rough trip, I’ll knock you into next week.”
* * * * *
The cabin was silent when the siblings alit in the living room. Sage thanked God that Anni was still sleeping, and he suspected Miguel was, too. The past day had been hell on the kinetic. It had been hell on Sage—if he didn’t draw so much energy from his emotions, he would be pushing burnout level.
As it was, he was physically worn out. His body ached with exhaustion. And it would be a wonderful, long night on the couch since he hadn’t planned on company. He’d built this place with Kelly and they’d had two occupants in mind.
Just them.
That being the case, he hadn’t stored any temp sleeping units.
Then he scowled. Shit, he was going to be sleeping on the floor. Kelly would get the couch.
She sighed and said, “It sounds quiet. I’m going to get some rest before I talk with Anni. I’ll probably need it.”
Turning slowly, Sage studied her. “Kelly, Miguel is sleeping in your bed.”
She paused, pursing her lips. “He is?”
Protective brotherly instincts rose to the fore and he said, “I can kick him down here if you want.”
Kelly shook her head. “The bed’s big enough for me to crash there, too. You sleeping on the couch?”
Narrowing his eyes, he said, “You can sleep in my bed with Anni.”
His sister gave him that look only a sister can give a brother—that wordless look that said You are so dumb. “You’re telling an empath to go up and sleep next to a very restless, very tormented soul. And how am I supposed to rest?” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she drawled, “At least Miguel isn’t going to put me in emotional hell.”
* * * * *
Less than ten minutes later, Kelly was about ready to eat her words.
She’d known if she didn’t sleep here, Sage would bunk on the floor and he’d been through enough in the past few days. He needed better sleep than that.
But damn it—she hadn’t been expecting this kind of hell.
It had been too long since she’d been this close to a man, close enough to feel his heat, smell his skin. Close enough to touch him in any way she could possibly want.
Healing didn’t count.
And part of her worried just a little as she lay on her side staring at Miguel’s profile, would another guy have bothered her like this?
She’d forgotten how he bothered her. Maybe on purpose. Maybe that female part of her that she tried so hard to silence had made her forget, just so she could lie this close.
If she’d remembered how hot her belly got when she stared at him, she wouldn’t be lying here, sharing her bed with him. Damn it, his scent was going to be imprinted on her sheets.
Even after the scent faded, or she tried bleaching it out, Kelly had a bad feeling that every time she lay in this bed from here on out, she’d remember how Miguel looked, long limbs sprawled loosely on the bed, that angelically beautiful face relaxed.
Either go to sleep or go sleep on the floor, she told herself. She couldn’t go sleep in Sage’s room with Anni.
The other woman would wake up and she needed her rest.
She could always go sleep in the living room, but Sage would insist on her sleeping on the couch. I’m buying gel mats, she thought, irritated. They hadn’t figured they’d need them.
Closing her eyes, she blocked on Miguel’s image and focused on her breathing. She could induce herself to sleep—most healers could.
Of course, it was a bit harder than normal…
* * * * *
Sage flopped on the couch, debating between sleeping and dragging Kelly in there so she could sleep on the couch.
Hell, she’s a grown woman, he reminded himself, one who had been married already.
Married, and widowed.
A grown woman.
Still didn’t change the fact that he didn’t like thinking about her lying beside Miguel. Especially since he knew Miguel had some pretty intense feelings for her.
Hell, Miguel probably felt the same way about Sage’s baby sister that Sage felt about Anni.
And that thought didn’t do a damn thing to lighten his mood.
Of course, Kelly was probably oblivious to Miguel. Ever since she’d lost her husband, she’d lived in a bubble. She sure as hell hadn’t been concerned about bunking with the bastard.
Sage shifted around until he could lie on his belly, pounding the pillow a little before burying his face in it. The linens smelled clean and fresh—as though they had just been washed. So why in the hell was he still smelling the tantalizing scent of Anni’s skin as he washed her clean in the shower?
His mouth watered and he wondered what she would have done if he had licked away the beads of water as they rolled down the slopes of her breasts, down the flat of her belly…and the bruises.
Damn it, the bruises. Clenching one hand into a fist, Sage groaned. “Sleep,” he muttered. “Sleep.”
Blanking his mind, he tried to will himself into unconsciousness.
He heard a soft moan. His body tensed and he jerked upright on the couch. He heard it again. Rising, he strode down the hall. He heard it again just as he pushed open the door. Anni lay in the bed, struggling in the covers. A soft cry escaped her lips, louder, more panicked, full of fear.
Crossing over to her, Sage sat on the edge of the bed. “Anni.” His heart clenched as she did nothing but sob again, still trapped in whatever nightmare held her. He knew better than to touch her just yet—Anni was the same as he, a fighter. Fighters didn’t like being touched—
Well, at least he didn’t think she would as she suddenly launched herself at him, still sound asleep. But she managed to wrap an arm around his waist and bury her face against his thigh. Sage groaned, cupp
ing the back of her head in his hand. “Anni…come on, honey, wake up.”
She just sighed, squirming around to curl her body around his before she settled back down to sleep. Quietly, this time.
“Damn it.” Sage shifted around on the bed, reaching across and snagging a pillow to jam behind his back. Anni moved with him, her breath soft and quiet. Staring at the wall, he muttered, “It’s going to be a long night.”
* * * * *
Miguel came awake the same way he always did. Alert, awake…and aching. He’d dreamt about Kelly, just holding her. Feeling her body against his, the scent of her flooding his head while he slept.
There was a sigh—soft and female. A long, warm body pressed up against his and he slowly slid his gaze down to see a mass of curls spilling across his chest. A slender arm lay against his belly.
“I don’t believe this.” Lifting his head, he peered at Kelly Maguire’s sleeping face for a long minute before dropping his head back onto the pillow to swear silently in Spanish.
Life is cruel, he thought bitterly. His entire body ached, his cock throbbing, hard enough to drill through steel and he wanted nothing more than to flip her onto her back and come into her, riding her until they both exploded and she screamed out his name.
Small problem, though. Kelly Maguire was still in love with her dead husband and totally unaware that Miguel existed. She shifted, her thigh rubbing against his, her knee dangerously close to his balls. She sighed again and snuggled closer to him.
Didn’t mean a damn thing, he told himself.
Hard to convince his body of that, though. He ached. Miguel lay there for a few minutes, torturing himself with the feel of her body, the scent of her. You better move, man, he thought. Before he went mad—or did something he’d regret.
He started to edge himself away but her arm tightened around his waist. “Don’t go,” she murmured, her voice husky with sleep.
He slid his eyes down to stare at her face. Kelly’s eyes were still closed, her lashes lying against her cheeks. Still asleep. Miguel wrapped his hand around her wrist, moving her arm back to lie against her side. She turned her hand over and linked her fingers with his. Her lashes lifted just a little, enough to show a sliver of her golden hazel eyes.
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