by Rae Morgan
“Drake! Where you going?” one of his department managers called out.
He couldn't be bothered to answer. Something was wrong with Rhea. He touched the amulet. Her fear tickled his subconscious like static energy.
She was in danger.
* * * *
7:00 a.m., Law Offices of Galway, Headley and Monroe
“You heard me, you back-stabbing bitch. Get on your knees, crawl over here, and suck my dick.” Sebastian Headley cupped the bulge that destroyed the line of his perfectly tailored trousers.
Rhea couldn't believe the bastard had the nerve to show his face in the firm's offices after he'd been fired last Friday. Galway hadn't taken long to move on Seb after she'd told her superior about the lawyer's unethical conduct and showed him the copies of the files she'd made. The senior partner had terminated Seb, kicked him out of the partnership, and hadn't even allowed him to clean out his desk or pack up his personal belongings. Galway told Seb never to show his face in the office again and that the firm would forward his possessions to him later.
She'd thought the slime ball was gone for good. Obviously, she'd been wrong.
Hell, she wasn't too bright, either. Her damn curiosity. She should've thought to check out his secret compartment last Friday when others were around and he hadn't been. The CIA wouldn't be calling her to come work for them anytime soon. What an idiot she was.
“Seb, what-why are you here?”
“Shut the fuck up,” he sneered. “Don't play Miss Innocence with me. You got me fired, bitch.” Sebastian Headley stalked toward her, his hands fisted at his side. His normally icy blue eyes darkened to a storm-cloud grey-blue. “How did you know about that secret drawer? Were you spying on me?”
Rhea backed away. If she could just get to the stairway, then down to the next floor, maybe someone else had come in by now. The partnership level was empty and would be for at least another hour. She'd planned on giving herself enough time alone in his office to find out if there was any more evidence about who might have hired Seb to sabotage Morgan, Ltd. Her plans didn't look too bright, now.
Seb was between her and the stairs. She watched for an opening.
“You got yourself fired,” Rhea said as she backed into a coffee table and almost fell.
Seb stopped a few feet from her. He had her trapped between him and the heavy granite-topped table.
“They'd have never found out if you hadn't been snooping where you had no business. How did you know I had a secret compartment?” In less than a split second, Seb closed the distance between them, then pounced, grabbed her shoulders, and shoved her to her knees. “Answer me, bitch.”
“No!” And he wouldn't believe her if she told him that the drawer had whispered to her. Heck, she hadn't even believed it at the time. But since then, she'd had more experience with the voices in her head.
And, just where was the voice who'd said she would never be alone? Where was her dream man when she needed him? He sure as hell had made his presence known and felt every day. But what could he do? Throw Seb into sexual ecstasy so she could make her escape? That is, if he swung both ways.
She stifled the hysteria bubbling up her throat. She couldn't afford to lose it now. She had to get away.
Seb held her down with one cruel hand, then slapped the side of her face with the other. Pulling her against his body, he rubbed her face against his bulging crotch. “For all the trouble you've caused me-you owe me.”
“No! Please.” Panic threatened to choke her. She gasped for air. The room faded in and out. A buzzing noise masked the rest of his foul words. At the sound of his zipper, she gagged, then started to struggle against the iron grip on her shoulders.
He was too strong.
Rhea closed her eyes. God, this was really happening to her. She needed to think, figure a way to escape this nightmare.
Something warm, hard-and foul touched her. Evil oozed from Seb's pores. There was more than retaliation going on here. He wanted something else. But what? Rhea's eyes flew open as Seb's fully engorged penis nudged against her mouth.
“Be nice to me, slut.”
No way. She struggled once more. No use. The harder she fought, the more strength he put into holding her. It felt as if he could crush her like an egg. When would one of the partners’ secretaries get here? Could be at least another hour. She was on her own.
“Okay, I'm done being accommodating.”
Seb grasped the back of her head in one large hand, then struck her with the other several times. The forceful blows snapped her head back against the cruel pressure of the restraining hand.
As she cried out from the pain, he rammed his penis into her mouth, almost to the back of her throat. She struggled not to retch as she instinctively clenched her teeth to punish the intrusion.
He swore and slapped her face until she stopped biting him. More dizziness assailed her, and she knew he would beat her to the point of unconsciousness if she continued to fight him.
“Behave yourself and suck me good, bitch, and maybe I won't have to hurt you.”
His hands held her head steady in an iron-like vice as he plunged in and out of her mouth with short, forceful thrusts.
Rhea shut her eyes. She had only one chance at escape. She called to the man who'd taunted her dreams for the last two weeks. All she had to do was believe.
Lover? Help me!
* * * *
Dizziness. Gagging. Fear. Anger. Pain. Lots of pain. Resignation. And finally, a glimmer of hope. Rhea's feelings were his.
He beat back the rage threatening to roar out of him. He couldn't afford to unleash his powers within the confines of the car, powers that could destroy it and everything around for several city blocks.
“Keir, can't you drive any faster?”
“No. Unless you want to fly us there and set downtown Chicago on its ear, I'm doing the best I can.”
Drake growled several foul epithets. “Find a compromise and just get us there. He's hurting her.”
Keir's burning dark gaze caught his in the rear view mirror. His cousin nodded, then maneuvered the car through the Lake Shore Drive traffic with the finesse of a bullfighter dodging a herd of raging beasts.
With Keir's peculiar magickal skills fully occupied with the car and traffic, Drake used his powers to shield their speeding passage from bystanders. Getting pulled over by an eager traffic cop with a quota wasn't on the agenda.
The air in the limousine hummed and crackled with excess electricity, a by-product of two male witches utilizing full power.
“Turn it down a tad, Drake.” Keir's controlled warning belied the anxious glances he threw Drake. “Even magickal engineering has its limits. How you gonna explain a car disintegrating and us surviving it?”
“Let me worry about that. Just drive.”
Keir's dire worries meant nothing. If he had to, he would add his powers to Keir's and fly the damn car to Rhea. She was in danger. No one and nothing would stop him from helping her.
Lover? Help me.
Lover? Well what else would she call him? That's the only way she knew him.
At least she believed in him enough to use their telepathic connection and seek his help. And if she had enough faith, he could help her tap into her dormant energy.
While maintaining the masking cloak around the moving vehicle, he closed his eyes and fingered the amulet, his precious link to Rhea. As had become his habit, he'd been unconsciously fingering the talisman during the Monday morning meeting when the first feelings of fear had swept through Rhea like a tsunami.
Today, the talisman might just be the key to saving her life.
Holding the amulet to his forehead, he concentrated on Rhea's unique magickal rhythm, a rhythm which he'd gotten to know as well as his own. Even though they had not physically consummated their relationship, he, theoretically, should be able to forge a strong enough connection through the amulet. It was like hot-wiring a car rather than using a key. It would start the engine, but just take
more time. Once a strong link was attained, he would then pour his power through it. His power would seek her latent energy and jumpstart it. His efforts should be enough to help her, at least until he arrived to blast the cretin into smithereens for daring to abuse what was his.
Hurt. Pain. Shock. Terror. Repulsion.
Images of what was done to Rhea flashed through Drake's mind. His inhuman growl bounced off the walls of the car. “Headley!”
The seething energy of his outburst threatened to upset the delicate balance of powers within the car.
“Drake! What is it?” Keir's shocked question went unheeded.
Drake had only two conscious thoughts: helping Rhea, then killing Headley.
* * * *
Rhea?
Although aware of the violence used against her physical body, her inner place was amazingly calm. Peaceful. Strong.
Lover? You came!
Always. Can you break away, my own?
No. He's too strong.
Angry, but empowering, energy pounded through Rhea's head and into her body as Seb violated her mouth. Then his penis was gone. Forced from her mouth by some unknown power source.
Quick to take advantage of this windfall, she snapped her mouth shut. Yet, she still could not escape Seb's cruel grip.
“Bitch.” Seb slapped her across the mouth several times. “What the hell was that?”
No way she was falling for that maneuver this time. She gritted her teeth against cries of pain.
“You're not done.” He grabbed her chin with one hand, then pinched her nose shut. “Open.”
"Rhea. Use your hands and twist his balls as hard as you can."
"I don't think-"
?"Just do it. Then run. Help is on the way."
"Okay ... I'll try."
"Good girl. When you grab his balls, visualize bees stinging."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Her dream lover's deep baritone resonated throughout her body, setting fires in her veins, warming her chilled limbs, and imbuing her with a courage she'd never known before. She could do this.
“Come on, slut.” Seb's cruel voice cursed her. “Get to work.”
Rhea glared at Seb through slitted eyes. If he wanted her to get to work, she would. Just like her lover said.
As spots from lack of oxygen floated across her field of vision, she used her newfound inner strength and reached for his loathsome penis.
“That's a good cock-sucking slut.” Seb groaned as her fingers slid down along the length of his hardened member.
Leaving the penis, she grabbed his balls with both hands, then twisted as she visualized Africanized killer bees swarming his testicles. If she was going to call upon some bees, they might as well be the nastiest.
Seb's reaction was immediate-and gratifying.
“Goddamn fucking son-of-a-bitch,” he howled. In his pain and rage, he threw her from him.
Rhea landed hard on her back. Her head struck the side of the granite tabletop on her way down. Stunned, she still managed to push herself up off the floor. As she stumbled toward the door, she kept Seb in view.
Hunched over now, he coddled his tortured balls. Garbled words and sounds of pain spewed from his mouth.
Move. Move.
Heeding her lover's voice, Rhea ran from the office.
Seb's grunts and curses should have faded into the background as she raced away. But they didn't. Somehow, Seb managed to overcome the debilitating pain and gave chase.
She should've imagined two swarms of bees.
That's my little witch.
What? I'm not-
"No time to argue. Just get to the lobby.”
Fine. She and her dream lover would have to have a true meeting of the minds-later. Right now, all she wanted to do was escape Seb and his twisted plans for her.
* * * *
“How's she doing?” Keir asked.
“She got away and is heading down the fire stairs for the lobby.” Drake opened his eyes. His link to Rhea had proven to be strong enough that he could manage to concentrate on several matters at a time. He glanced at the passing buildings. “We're almost there. Drop me off, then park in the garage on the valet level. I'll send Rhea to you while I take care of Headley.”
“No. Not a good idea.”
“What do you mean no?”
Drake aimed a small amount of his energy at his cousin's head. The energy fizzled like water on a hot griddle when it hit Keir's shields.
“I mean, cuz, you can't kill the man. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but how would we explain his disappearance? And we need to figure out who bribed him to leak Morgan information. Besides, you don't want Rhea to see your dark side this early in the relationship, do you? Wait at least until after the honeymoon to show her what a bastard you can be.”
“Shut up, halfling,” Drake said. “Or I'll turn you into a soon-to-be extinct variety of South American tree toad.”
Keir's answering shout of laughter indicated he knew Drake was teasing, just as Keir had been teasing about Drake murdering Headley. Drake had never killed out of anger. Not to say that he wouldn't kill to protect his loved ones or the innocent, but just that he did not do so indiscriminately.
Now, that didn't mean he wouldn't teach Headley a valuable lesson about touching another man's woman. A grim smile crossed Drake's face.
Keir pulled the car in front of the Wrigley Building. No sign of Rhea.
Rhea? Where are you?
In the stairwell. On the 14th floor landing.
Why are you up there?
Dizziness. Exhaustion. Defeat.
She was hurt.
Impending doom settled over Drake like a heavy fog. No-those were Rhea's feelings channeling through to him. She knew Headley was near, but she did not have the physical strength to get away from him.
Hold on, my own. He poured more of his strength through their telepathic link.
“Keir. She's hurt.”
“You going to teleport?”
“Yes. I'll do it from the lobby. Less likely to be seen.”
“I'll park the car and be up as soon as I can.”
Drake nodded and exited the car. Running to the building, he jerked open the doors, then ran to a blessedly empty elevator lobby.
Good. No one was about.
He turned in slow circles, gathering speed with each revolution.
Power of the wind, speed my way.
Power of the earth, allow me to pass.
Like the whirlwind I shall fly,
As I become one with the elements,
And my corporeal body becomes one with the universe.
Drake allowed the conjured vortex to draw him up, through the floors. As he soared upward, a cyclone of atomic matter, he sought Rhea's energy patterns. Without the connection to her, he could bypass the 14th floor and shoot out the roof of the building. Teleporting was not an exact science even for an experienced witch.
When he sensed that he was closing in on Rhea's patterns, he reversed the cyclonic action of his travel and re-materialized. He hoped on the same floor as Rhea, or one close to it.
A slight dizziness assailed his senses as he came to a halt out of the counter-clockwise spin. His path had been straight and true; he was still in the elevator lobby. But he was one floor short of his goal. Running to the fire stairs, he pulled open the door and took the steps two at a time to the next floor.
A woman's scream, Rhea's scream, echoed off the walls of the stairwell.
“Headley!” Drake roared as he transported himself to the next landing on a burst of energy and displaced air.
At the top of the landing, Headley bent over the back of Rhea who was trapped between him and the railing. He tore at her clothing, as she struggled to escape.
In a maneuver so casual that it belied his rage, Drake swept his hand from his side, then across the front of his body, palm facing Headley. The resulting force from the motion shoved the man off Rhea and held him against the door le
ading to the 14th floor lobby.
Then, he closed his eyes and gathered additional power from the earth. The building trembled and shook as the power traveled up fourteen floors, then through him to his open hand where he held it, a pulsating ball of green and gold. All it would take was one conscious thought and the power of an atomic explosion would travel from him to Headley-and Headley would be no more.
“No! Lover, don't.” Rhea's voice checked his release. Her tourmaline-colored eyes beseeched him. Somehow, his neophyte witch recognized him. She also perceived that he was readying to blast her attacker to kingdom come.
“He hurt you. He sodomized you. He was trying to rape you.”
“But I'm all right. You saved me. He's not worth killing. Just get me out of here. Please.”
“She's right, cuz. You can't kill him.” Keir's voice came from behind his position.
Headley's screams of denial alternating with pleas for mercy echoed within the stairwell.
Drake swore under his breath, but powered down. “At least let me beat the crap out of him.”
“Now that's a plan,” Keir said as he passed Drake on the stairs. “I'll just take Rhea with me. We'll be in the car.”
Keir scooped a weary Rhea into his arms. As they moved back down the stairs, Drake used his unoccupied hand to touch her bruised face. He snarled at the unsightly markings on her fair skin and imagined the ways he would make Headley pay for each and every brutal imprint.
“Don't kill him,” she ordered. “Because I'll know.”
“How?”
“You're my dream-” she hesitated, glancing at Keir who just grinned and winked, then continued, “-the voice in my head. I saw you kill him in my, our, damn it-your mind.”
Drake smiled. “I've met my match.” He bowed his head and brushed a brief, but searing kiss across her swollen lips. “It will be as you will.”
Rhea reached up to touch her lips and sighed. “You bet it will. And later, Mr. Mandrake Morgan, you can darn well explain how you came to be in my head-and it had better be good.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Crossing a running stream of water in the real world is an effective way to lose an energy-seeking projector on the astral plane. -The Survivor's Guide to OBE Dangers, p. 20.