Twin Souls (The Guardians: Book 2)

by D. M. Mortier

  Cherone stared at Neo and then at him. She nodded her head as if coming to a decision and returned to preparing dinner at the kitchen counter. “I hope you guys are hungry, because Clara and I cooked a lot of food.”

  Rico grunted. I guess we’re changing this conversation!

  Smart man.

  Rico heard the smile in her voice, taking the sting out of his disappointment for the lack of information.

  Hours later in his bed, Rico tried desperately to hold on to the fleeting glimpses of memory that had been running through his mind ever since he woke in the hospital. The problem was that the memories were so disjointed that he couldn’t make heads or tails of them.

  Once asleep, he was back in his familiar dream of making love with Cherone, but like the first night in the hospital, this felt different, more real.

  They were in the kitchen. Cherone had on the frilly apron she had worn earlier. But this time she had nothing on under it and wore a pair of red stilettos.

  Hell yeah, he breathed in appreciation. In this dream the casts on his arm and leg miraculously disappeared. He was whole again, naked and achingly aroused.

  She stood with her back to him, rolling her hips provocatively in rhythm to Joe’s “The Love Scene” playing in the background.

  Rico grinned.

  Ever since his erotic dream of Cherone in the nurse’s outfit, he had been listening to this song insistently through his Beats. He had even teased Cherone with it. She hadn’t found him amusing at the time.

  Now he got to play it and watch her brown ass and thighs, smooth and toned, rotate to the beat. She was a sexy magnet.

  Yes, querida, let’s make a love scene and let the foreplay begin.

  Lust unlike anything he had ever felt before flowed through him like hot lava. He stepped close behind her and pulled her lush ass against his aching shaft.

  She wriggled her apple-shaped bottom against him in a slow grind.

  He palmed her lush globes, spreading them so he could sink deeper into her, and growled in approval as she bent forward, her head touching her knees. The head of his cock glistened with his seed at the sight of his cock sandwiched between the brown cheeks, sliding erotically into the dark, moist cavity.

  So fucking sexy!

  The muscles of her ass tightened and clutched around his thick length.

  His lips parted with a shaky breath, and he trembled with lust. His dick was hard as steel, ready to detonate any second. He turned her in his arms pulling her close against him, clutching her tight. Bending his head, he captured her lips in a probing kiss, fusing their lips, twirling his tongue around hers.

  Cherone moaned loudly.

  He lifted her of her feet and spread her over the kitchen table. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he sank into her tight core.

  He growled deep into his throat.

  As he sucked the beaded tip of her breast into his mouth, he grabbed her ass and plowed into her like a madman, stroking in and out of her tight channel.

  She sobbed in ecstasy.

  Grabbing her breasts, he tormented taut nipples as he sawed into her.

  They both plunged over the edge in a blazing orgasm.

  Moments later, when his heart had steadied to a more normal beat, he pulled her against his chest and hugged her close. “Ah, mi amor, gracias,” he said softly.

  She buried her face in his neck and started to cry.

  “What is it, querida?”

  “I can’t do this, Rico. I can’t live like this.”

  “Can’t live like what?”

  “I love you,” she sobbed. “Do you understand that? I have always loved you. I can’t be with you like this. You don’t know who I am!”

  “I know you, pequeña,” Rico insisted.

  “No you don’t!”

  He looked down at her in shock. “This is not a dream!” Rico woke and sat up in his bed. What the hell? Rico was stunned to be sitting in his bed alone but still sated from their dream-state lovemaking. It was a dream! How?

  Sliding his feet over the side of the bed, Rico stood and immediately crashed hard to the floor. “Fuck!” He had forgotten his injuries.

  Sean, with Neo following closely behind, burst into the bedroom. “What the hell happened?”

  “Go back to your rooms,” Rico muttered, slightly embarrassed. “I’m fine.”

  “No, you are not fine.” Cherone ran into the room and sank down on the floor next to him. “What were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking it’s time you told me the whole truth.” He stared at her stonily. “You have no right to keep the truth from me!” How could we share something so intimate and you not tell me?

  “Oh please!” Cherone sighed. “If you remembered me, you would remember that you did the same thing to me for years!”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Rico shouted.

  “Yeah, what are you guys going on about?” Neo asked.

  “I found out we shared dreams the same way you just did,” Cherone said. “You invaded my dreams for years without my knowledge, and I forgave you!”

  “Whoa!” Neo exclaimed. “TMI. I think this is our cue to leave.”

  Rico glared at his friends. “That’s what I told you. What the fuck are you still doing here?”

  Neo held up his palms. “Call us if Roni tries to break your other leg.”

  “I think she’s planning on breaking a different appendage.” Sean laughed.

  Rico muttered and noticed the grins on his friends’ faces as they left the room. He tried to get back up onto the bed, but he couldn’t get enough leverage with his good arm and leg to do that. So fucking embarrassing!

  “Here, hold on to me.” Cherone edge closer to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and offered herself as a crutch.

  A few uncomfortable grunts and groans later, they managed to get him sitting on the bed.

  “Forget Dr. Chou,” Rico said. “Tell me how this connection between us works.”

  “You already know most of it,” Cherone said quietly.

  “Tell me the rest of it,” he insisted.

  She spent the next half hour telling him about her grandparents. “According to my Creole family ancestors, because of our ability to mind-link we are destined to be together.”

  “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? It could explain some of the anxiety I feel when you’re not around.”

  “No. I don’t think that has anything to do with it. Although we were always close, you were never worried about leaving me alone. You trained me well to defend myself.”

  “Why does every instinct in me demand I not let you out of my sight? What aren’t you telling me?”

  “This is pointless and you know it. I have already told you more than I was supposed to.”

  Rico gritted his teeth. “I want you back in my bed.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but we never slept together like that.”

  “I feel like we’re speaking two different languages,” he growled. “Stop trying to tell me that we’re not lovers because I don’t believe you!”

  “It doesn’t matter, Rico. You don’t remember me, right? And until you do, whether we’re lovers or not is not relevant.”

  “I think it is.”

  “No it isn’t,” Cherone demanded. “And please stop dreaming of making love to me.”

  “How do I know that it wasn’t your dream we were in?” Rico teased.

  “Me in an apron and stilettos? Not a chance.”

  Rico grinned wickedly. “Just so you know, when I get better, we are going to do all those things for real.”

  “You were there and I was there. What makes you think that the dreams weren’t real?”

  “What?”

  Cherone stood, walked to the door, opened it, and looked back at him. “I can still feel you stretching me and still feel the imprint of you deep inside of me.” She palmed her breasts. “My nipples are sensitive from your sucking and gnawing on them
. And my thighs are wet. It feels pretty real to me.” She closed the door behind her.

  Damn! Were you just seducing me? Rico asked. Because that sounded a lot like foreplay!

  Only in your dreams, Rico. Pun intended. Cherone laughed huskily.

  Very funny. So you’re a tease as well. Just so you know I’m keeping track of all of these things. You’re not as innocent as you pretend to be. And don’t think I didn’t notice your active participation.

  Rico realized he, too, was sensitive and sore, a testament to his vigorous pounding into her tight walls. Rico reached into his boxers and palmed his dick. His hand came away damp with his spilled seed. “Unfuckingbelievable!”

  Rico slumped back onto his back and stared at the ceiling. I have to get better, stronger. I’m tired of this situation. I want my woman in my bed. No more denying my right to claim her. And I need to find out how the fuck I got injured in the first place. Who is after us?

  Chapter Seventeen

  THE NEXT DAY, Rico started training like he was about to reenter a SEAL unit. With his right arm in a sling and leg in a brace, he had to learn to better utilize the left side of his body. He insisted on one armed push-ups, bench presses, loading and shooting his gun, perfecting his knife throwing, and hand-to-hand combat fighting with Neo and Sean. He kept at it all day, unrelenting. The guys had to call a halt on numerous occasions, trying to stop him from hurting himself.

  “Man, Rico, you may be a machine, but the rest of us need to eat and take a break,” Sean said, sweat dripping from his face.

  “I have to be able to dislodge a guy the size of Neo,” Rico huffed. “Come at me again.”

  “Good luck with that, Neo is a big son-of-a-bitch!” Sean said drolly.

  “Thanks squirt,” Neo muttered.

  Sean grinned. “Any time old man.”

  “Hey, we don’t have time for this. Let’s go!” Rico demanded.

  “No, that’s enough, Rico.” Cherone stood from where she sat in the corner of the room. Rico had refused to let her leave his side, so she had trained alongside him, improving her precision with the set of knives Rico had gifted her years before. She also took part in target practice with her gun. But when Rico had started the hand-to-hand combat, she had tapped out. No way could she wrestle with him and continue to deny her need for his possession. Every time she saw him, every time they touched, every time she smelt him, she was reminded of how badly she wanted to make love with him. It is hell playing indifferent to his heated looks.

  Rico stared at her for a few tense moments. “We’ll take a thirty-minute break.”

  “Rico…” Neo said.

  “No! You fuckers won’t tell me who hurt me on American soil. Unless I had let my training go to hell, how the fuck did I get captured?”

  “We don’t know that either,” Neo said.

  “When you were not on a mission, you were always training, maintaining your skills to be ready for active combat,” Cherone said.

  “Did you see how he was captured, Roni?” Sean asked.

  “What do you mean if she saw? Were you there?” Rico looked at her with concern.

  “Oh man, I forgot that you don’t know about all of her abilities,” Sean said.

  “You don’t know either.” Cherone raised one eyebrow at him.

  “What the hell, is there more?” Neo asked.

  “First of all, Rico never told you about them, and since I don’t know why he didn’t, I wouldn’t tell you either,” Cherone said. “As to how they detained Rico, yes, I know some of it. But how will telling him be any different from telling him any other fact the doctor has forbid?”

  “Wait! If you weren’t there, how would you know what happened?” Rico asked. “So far I know we can talk to each other telepathically and that we share dreams. What else is there? Do you have abilities outside of that?”

  Cherone looked from Neo to Sean.

  Rico gritted his teeth. “Look, I wouldn’t have kept this from them because I didn’t trust them. I just don’t talk about my life with anyone. And you have to admit, this shit is hard to explain or believe.”

  Cherone sighed. “Well, they know already that I can read palms.”

  “What do you mean, ‘read palms’?” Rico asked.

  “I can see a person’s past experiences by touching his or her hand,” Cherone said. “That’s as much as the guys know.”

  “So you can read my palms?” Rico asked.

  “No. You’re the one exception. I can’t read your palm.”

  “Why?”

  “It has something to do with our connection. Although we can talk to each other telepathically, random thoughts are safe.” Cherone shrugged. “I don’t know why.”

  “And the rest of it?” Rico asked.

  “What?”

  “You said that’s as far as the guys know. What else can you do that they don’t know yet?”

  “Look, I don’t mean to invade anyone’s privacy, so I rarely touch anyone’s hand without purpose,” Cherone said. “This is why I hug instead of shaking hands.”

  “Damn! I’m almost afraid to know the rest,” Sean said

  “When I touch a person’s palm, I can tell what they are thinking, and I can see their immediate future,” Cherone said.

  “What?” Neo yelled.

  “Keep your knickers on,” Cherone said. “I have never held your or Sean’s hand.”

  The guys all sighed with relief, and Cherone laughed. She didn’t admit to the brief glimpse she had gotten of Neo’s mind. Let him live in blissful ignorance.

  “Why only the immediate future?” Rico asked.

  “Well, the future can change with a change in decision making, so what I see is a slightly fuzzy day in the future. I don’t like interfering with fate by telling people too much because it may cause a different chain of events. And that could create havoc.”

  “What do you mean?” Sean asked.

  “People sometimes grab my hand before I can stop them,” Cherone said. “One of my friends in college grabbed my hand in excitement, and I saw that she was going to be raped later that night at a frat party. Of course I wanted to stop it, so I talked her out of attending without telling her why. But by preventing her rape, the guys only targeted another girl. When you interfere with the future, it doesn’t always end in the way you think. So I try not to unless it’s a matter of life or death. I can’t control what happens after my intervention, obviously.”

  “Why would Neo think you can tell what happened to me if you weren’t there or can’t read me?” Rico asked.

  “That would fall under the category of telling you too much,” Cherone said.

  “But you haven’t told us either.” Neo frowned.

  “Your knowing won’t change anything,” Cherone said. “How he came to be abducted was pure chance.”

  “Wait, what?” Rico said. “I thought this had something to do with a mission gone wrong.”

  Neo shrugged. “That’s what we told him.”

  Cherone frowned. “It doesn’t matter how he was abducted. The reason for the abduction is still the same. They needed information, and Rico didn’t give it to them, I might add. They still don’t know who you guys are.”

  “Why am I more confused than when we started this conversation?” Sean asked.

  “Because you guys are trying to talk about stuff that you know we can’t talk about around Rico! Unless you’re willing to tell him everything, there’s nothing else to discuss.” Cherone stood and stalked out of the room.

  Rico grabbed his crutches and hobbled after her.

  I’m going to my room, Rico. Please give me some space.

  It’s not safe. Rico insisted. You’re not safe.

  I’ll be back soon. Just give me some time to myself, please.

  No. It’s not safe.

  Rico?

  Don’t be difficult, querida. Fifteen minutes and then I’m coming to get you.

  Cherone went to her room, slammed the door behind her, and locked it
for good measure.

  Later that night, again Rico found himself dreaming about Cherone. They were in his weapons room, and he had her arms and legs fastened to the wall with leather straps. She was spread-eagled and wearing only scarlet garters and stilettos.

  “Rico, what are you doing?” Cherone licked her lips nervously. “You promised to stop the dreams. And what the hell do you have me wearing?”

  Grinning, Rico sauntered toward her. “I’m asleep. I can’t control what I dream about.” He continued toward her.

  “Yes, you can! Rico, stop right there!”

  “But you don’t want me to stop.” Rico laughed. “I can see your round breasts are crowned with big hard nipples begging me to suck them. I’ll bet you’re already wet for me.”

  “I don’t care how aroused I am. I still want you to stop this.”

  “This is a dream. What’s the harm in that?”

  “Rico, you promised,” Cherone said softly, her eyes glistening.

  “Ah, querida, don’t cry.” Rico gently kissed her eyelids, her cheek, and settled a tender kiss on her lips. “Don’t cry.”

  “Then wake up and stop this.”

  “But this room, though, everything already set … The restraints and clamps may be interesting. Can’t say I would get turned on from whipping you, but if you want to try that, I could be persuaded.”

  “Rico, wake up!”

  “You sure about this?” He looked around the room longingly. “I’ve never tried bondage before.”

  “You promised.”

  Rico woke up.

  Cherone woke and sat up in her bed. Now you know that we can control our dreams.

  Yes. And obviously you have control as well. Why didn’t you tell me that? You could have called a halt at any time. You led me to believe that I forced you into taking part in my dreams, that you were trapped in them.

  I didn’t say any such thing. I loved every minute of our lovemaking. I don’t even try to resist giving into you, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.

  So you don’t dream about me?

  Sure I do. But ever since you woke up in the hospital, I haven’t been so inclined. You need to stop the dream or change the venue when your dream gets erotic.