Lessons Learned (The Gifted Realm Book 2)

by Jillian Neal

  “Does that feel good, baby?” He wanted her to tell him. He wanted to do anything she needed.

  “It feels so good,” she whimpered and began to swell around him. Her muscles cinched. She pulled his hand deeper.

  Longing took a strong hold of Rainer. He wanted to feel her around him. He needed to feel her pulse tightly, but he forced himself to wait.

  Frustration set in her eyes. He concentrated, but she couldn’t let it go. Worry and doubt still plagued her, and they hindered her release.

  He moved over her and kissed her breasts. She shuddered and arched her back. Her nipples stood in stiff peaks, drawn into tight mounds as he laved over them.

  Her breath quickened as a heady, “Yes” panted from her mouth.

  He pulled one deeply into his mouth. He sucked fervently as she began to give way. He reveled in the knowledge. He held the things he’d learned from being with her, the things no one else would ever know, in the deepest wells of his heart. He dragged his teeth over the sensitive skin, and she cried out for him. She begged for the release that her body kept from her.

  “Relax baby,” he urged. “I’m going to give you everything you need. I won’t stop until you’re ready.”

  Her breath quickened again as her eyes closed, and he felt her concentrate on what he was doing to her.

  “I want you to come for me, baby.” Her body began to give her over to him. “Just let it go and let me have it. I will always take care of you. Give it up for me, Em.” He had her. She whimpered and gasped as it flooded around his hand.

  He felt the hot, wet lubrication her body made for him, and he groaned in the ecstasy of them together.

  “Please,” she pled. Her first release drove her second as she bucked and writhed for him.

  “You ready for me, baby?” He wasn’t certain how much longer he could wait to feel her body move in time with his.

  “Please, now,” she begged.

  “Spread your legs for me, sweetheart.” He felt her energy spike as he uttered the phrase. He knew it drove her wild. He could always feel her body quiver and her energy flood around him whenever he whispered it in her ear just before he made her his own.

  This time was different. He was able to keep his knowledge of her tucked deeply in the safety of his soul, but he was learning as well.

  She wanted him to make her feel safe. He could feel that from her. He was able to focus on more than just trying not to go before she did.

  Though he’d always wanted to take care of her, and had been worried about never hurting her, he’d grown up more in the past two days than he had in the past two years. He was stronger now in his knowledge, in his patience, in his body, and his mind.

  He allowed himself a moment to concentrate so he could give her everything she needed. He pushed out his shield cast until it surrounded her in his protective energy. She moaned loudly as he met her every need. She inhaled him in every panted breath.

  He pushed into her slowly, and reveled in her heat as he took her inch-by-inch. He let her feel him as he pierced through the heart of her and made them one.

  “Yes!” Her muscles clenched tightly around him. She pulled him in deeper. He continued to thrust until he filled the tight space completely.

  “Tell me what you want, baby.” He was able to keep the shield cast over her easily, and he could tell she wanted something.

  “I want more,” she pled. “I want more of you.” He’d never heard anything sweeter in his entire life, and he met her needs again. He transitioned until he was taking her hard, forcing her open to his hilt, as she cried out for him.

  He flooded all of the love in his body into her as he surrounded her with his protection.

  “That’s amazing,” she gasped.

  He wouldn’t allow himself any adulation. This was how it should have been all along. Before that moment, he’d only ever made love to her as a horny teenager. He knew he still had a great deal to learn, but at that moment he felt it as he made love to her like a man.

  She wanted more, wanted him to take away anything that had ever hurt either of them. She wanted more pressure, wanted his friction, she wanted to feel the release only he could give her.

  He plunged her depths and kept his shield flooded with his calming energies. They surrounded her as he cossetted her in his guard.

  He took his time. He reveled in the way she felt inside and out. He caught her hands and held them to the bed over her head. She wanted him to take control and he did.

  “Take it, baby. I don’t want you to feel anything but me. You’re all mine,” he commanded, strong and in tune with her needs and desires.

  She felt safe. He felt it as her energy spiked rapidly and her temperature rose.

  “That’s it,” he pounded into her, giving her the friction and the pressure her body begged for.

  “You ready, baby?” He felt her swell as her breath washed from her and her body flushed. She was fevered and pitched for release. “I want you to come with me,” he commanded, and she lost it all. She spiraled from the highest peaks. Her release so much more, this time, than it had ever been.

  He buried himself deeply inside her and exploded. He filled her with everything inside of him. A deep, guttural groan echoed from his lungs and from his soul.

  He held her to him tightly, kissing her as she calmed. He let her body ease as the powerful orgasm cascaded over her in convulsive waves.

  When it released her and she stilled, he withdrew. He kept her body tucked closely to him. He tried not to be impressed with himself, that he was able to keep his shield over her even after his thorough release.

  “Rainer, I have never felt anything so amazing.” She clung to him. He felt her tears return, and he panicked.

  “Baby, what, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she smiled through her tears. “I’ve just never felt so loved. It was incredible.” The tears fell softly from her eyes, but she was smiling so contentedly.

  Confusion rocked through him as tears were certainly not what he was hoping for, but he held her tightly.

  “I do love you, Em, more than anything in the world. Even with everything I got wrong and that we screwed up, as long as I have you, then that’s all that really matters to me,” he let his words soothe both of their souls.

  “You’ll always have me, Rainer, forever.”

  “Then that’s all I need.”

  They never redressed. Rainer begged her to let him feel her all night. He wanted to continue to revel in her soothing energy.

  He brushed a sweet, tender kiss across her cheek, and held her as she drifted off to sleep.

  …And What’s Taken Away

  Rainer blinked confusedly as he sat up. He heard it again, but he couldn’t understand what it was. Emily sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was pitch-black outside. He glanced at the clock, 2:45 in the morning. Finally understanding, he picked his cell phone up off of the bedside table.

  “Hello?”

  “Lawson, get out here!” Vindico ordered.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Rainer’s heart hammered.

  “They’ve taken Serena. We’ve got to find her. I’m not sure what they’re planning.”

  “I’m on my way,” he leapt from the bed and began throwing on his combat uniform. He heard Logan’s cell phone shrill in the next room.

  “What’s wrong?” Emily panicked.

  “It’s okay, baby. Just, uh, get dressed for me. I’m taking you to your parents.” He buckled his belt and grabbed his gun and shoulder holster.

  “Why?” She began pulling on panties and a bra.

  “Wretchkinsides’ men took Serena.” He concentrated on what needed to happen. He focused on everything he’d been training for.

  “What? Oh my gosh!”

  Rainer’s heart ached for what the Crown Governor must be going through.

  In less than five minutes, everyone was in the Mustang, and Rainer was flying to the farmhouse. Logan and Rainer were quiet in their concentration as th
ey steeled themselves to do what needed to be done.

  Adeline and Emily shared terrified expressions, but said nothing.

  Rainer raced Emily into her parents’ home. Governor Haydenshire met them in the kitchen.

  “I wanted them to stay here.” Rainer refused to let the events of his day keep him from doing his job. “I need to know she’s safe, so I can concentrate on getting Serena back.”

  “Sounds like a good decision, Rainer. Something a man would do. I’ll be right here with them. Tell Dan and Regis to call me if they need anything.”

  Though it certainly wasn’t a compliment or even an accolade, Rainer hoped, for a moment, that he was beginning to show Emily’s father that he would learn from his mistakes.

  With a nod, he embraced Emily, though her father grimaced. He kissed her tenderly, and then with more intensity until he broke away.

  “I’ll be back,” he vowed as Logan made the same promise to Adeline, and they raced to the car.

  Summoning, Logan harnessed all of the energy in the engine and pulled from the surrounding resources as Rainer drove and cooled the engine.

  They arrived at the Pentagon in less than fifteen minutes. Throngs of police and other law enforcement officers stood in the Iodex offices.

  Garrett was pacing, and Vindico stared at the call-tracer device that the Crown Governor’s cell phone was plugged into.

  Everyone stood ready to answer the inevitable ransom call. The Crown Governor looked anguished as he sat quietly in the corner. He met no one’s concerned gaze. Rainer’s heart raced as he took in the pulsing nervous energy that surrounded him.

  “Lawson, Haydenshire, I want you on impulse.” Vindico ordered. They moved to the tracker.”

  “I want you three to amplify,” he instructed Tuttle, Ramier, and Garrett. Then he turned and bellowed to the large crowd, “I want every law enforcement officer here who has a car to spread out through all of D.C. and Arlington. Drive until you get my broadcast.”

  “He wants something this time. If I’m right, we’re gonna get her back, but I’d like that done sooner than later.”

  With that, most of the men and women in the office dispersed quickly. Rainer could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He swallowed down the terror of what might be happening to Serena.

  “Come on, dammit, call!” Vindico growled. He stared at the tracker, and then glanced at the clock on the wall with a grimace.

  Time dragged on. Every minute seemed to last hours. Rainer and Logan stood reticent over the machine. A little after four, the phone rang. The noise sent chills down Rainer’s spine. He concentrated and refused to let his hand shake.

  “Ready?” Vindico queried. Logan and Rainer nodded. Tension crackled through the air as Vindico lifted the receiver. They summoned instantly, Rainer and Logan locked onto the electrical energy in the tracker. They made it work faster and run harder as Portwood kept it from overheating.

  “Talk,” Vindico demanded. As soon as the disguised voice began speaking, Tuttle, Ramier, and Garrett locked onto Rainer and Logan’s energy streams. Other Iodex officers joined in. They broadcasted the signal from the tracer further and further into the night.

  The map lit with several red dots, and they began to pulse and trace.

  “Bring five million dollars in small, unmarked bills to the rear parking lot of the Victory Theater on Lincoln and McKinley. The Crown Governor should come alone, or we’ll kill her.”

  Vindico paused. He tried to give everyone more time to lock onto and broadcast the signal further. The triangulation on the map grew tighter.

  With a nod from Garrett, Vindico replied, “The Crown Governor won’t be coming. I will, and before anyone does anything I need to know Serena is still alive.”

  “Regis,” came a small and terrified Jamaican female voice. Rainer swallowed down his fury and his fear.

  “Serena, it’s Dan Vindico. He’s right here with me. We’re going to get you out. Are you hurt?” Vindico’s voice was somehow soothing and demanding at the same time.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “We got it,” Garrett mouthed.

  “Serena, do you know where they’ve taken you?” Vindico showed no sign that they’d located her. The modified male voice came back on.

  “Good-bye, Vindico. Be at the theater by five o’clock, or we’ll kill her and walk away,” the voice laughed derisively.

  “That’s not good enough. I want a photo,” Vindico ordered. “Send it to the same line you phoned, or I’m not bringing you anything.” The line went dead.

  Vindico spun. He took in the map and motioned all of the officers closer. He whispered, clearly trying to keep the Governor from hearing.

  “As this is Wretchkinsides’ favorite game, we need to move. He’s planning on shooting her, but not killing her. He has a much bigger plan in mind, but it’s his men who are running this, not him.”

  “They’re all bloodthirsty, fucking morons who might end up leaving her and letting her bleed out. That’s why he chose the theater on Lincoln and McKinley.”

  Rainer didn’t understand how Vindico knew that, but continued to listen intently.

  “He’s got her at the Townsend,” Garrett announced. He’d worked out the GPS coordinates on the map.

  “Let’s go,” Vindico called. You three take one car,” he threw Garrett the keys to an Expedition and then instructed Portwood to drive another with Tuttle, Ramier, and Ericcson. “I’ll bring the Governor.” His body tensed for the inevitable battle.

  Before they left, he picked up the encrypted radio, and informed all of the officers in the area to meet him at the Townsend Hotel on Jackson. After he sprinted to the Expedition, Rainer climbed in just as Garrett began backing out.

  “How did he know his guys might shoot her but not kill her? And why does he keep saying they aren’t going to kill her?” Logan asked his brother.

  “Summon,” Garrett demanded. Rainer and Logan both harnessed the engine in the SUV. Logan forced it to move faster while Rainer kept it cool.

  “Both Lincoln and McKinley were shot, but neither was killed by the bullet. They both died later. This is part of Wretchkinsides’ sick game. He always does this. Everything means something!” Garrett spat disgustedly.

  “How do we know which room she’s in?” Rainer kept his focus on cooling the engine.

  “It’ll be some other meaning. Dan always figures them out before I do,” Garrett assured him.

  They joined throngs of other law enforcement vehicles in the relatively empty parking lot of the Townsend Hotel. Everyone emerged to listen to Vindico. “He’s got men everywhere. They know we’re here. Have your weapons drawn and ready to fire!”

  True to his word, Rainer hit the ground with everyone around him as a shot rang from the hotel.

  “Do not fire!” Vindico shouted from the ground. “You might hit Serena!” he censured as officers near where the shot had come from took aim.

  “Listen up!” Vindico stood again, but remained behind one of the bulletproof doors of the Expedition he’d driven. “Elite Iodex taskforce is going in. Everyone in full shields, and I want six teams doing nothing but making certain I get every Iodex officer and Serena out alive. Do you understand?”

  “Sir!” rang from everyone around Vindico. “I want officers on every floor after we’ve cleared it. Keep any wondering guests in their rooms; tell them we’ll let them know when it’s safe to leave.” The Gifted police who were assisting nodded their understanding.

  “Cast!” he cried. With that, Rainer felt his blood shoot from his pounding heart to all of his body. It raced through his brain.

  Everywhere he looked glowed green from the sheer number of shields cast around him. Another bullet pierced the air near Vindico, but he shattered it instantly.

  As they entered the lobby, all hell rained down. Rainer kept himself shielded as he dodged bullets and took down men on his right and his left.

  He spun as a bullet headed straight towards Logan. They both ref
lected it, and watched in horror as it rebounded and pierced the heart of one of Wretchkinsides’ men.

  He crumpled to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Shots and casts resonated in the air. The decaying sheetrock of the old hotel puffed as it was hit with cast after cast. The air filled with the acrid dust and mixed with the stench of blood.

  Forcing himself to breathe after what felt like hours, Rainer looked around the lobby of the Townsend Hotel. Blood stained the carpets; there was an officer down being healed by a Medio medevac team that had pulled in just after law enforcement.

  Rainer stayed on Vindico’s flank as he’d been ordered to do. Vindico stalked to the vast concierge desk that ran along the back wall of the Townsend. He kept his gaze sweeping right and left to make certain no one else was coming towards him or firing.

  Rainer noted the swimming pool. “Vindico,” he pointed as he choked out his boss’s name. Vindico jerked his head towards Rainer.

  There was a body floating face-down in the pool of the Townsend hotel. Vindico clenched his jaw for a split second before ordering two officers to go investigate.

  His heart ricocheted against his ribcage. Rainer swallowed down vomit as he edged closer to the concierge desk.

  A long string of curse words escaped Vindico’s mouth as he stepped over two hotel employees who appeared to have drowned in their own blood.

  Vindico leaned over and rolled them onto their backs. He looked hopeful for a moment, but then shook his head. They couldn’t be saved.

  He removed a hotel master key card from one of the men on the floor. He wiped blood off of it on his bulletproof chest protector and slipped the key card and chain into his pocket. Vindico and Ramier began studying one of the hotel computers.

  “Pull up the guest name list.” Vindico ordered.

  Ramier was the technical specialist on the taskforce, and he was extremely talented. It took him only a moment to summon and lock onto the computer’s energy before he could access it without the password.

  A minute later, Vindico looked grave. His entire demeanor changed as he studied the computer screen. After all that they’d just watched and seen, how could a room number make him look like that?