by Desiree Holt
Dan held her in place while she shook with the tremors, the walls of her cunt clenching and shivering, his low voice murmuring soft, erotic words to her. But if she thought he would fuck her then she was wrong. Keeping the one finger in place in her anus, he thrust two into her now drenched pussy, resting his thumb on her clit. His eyes lifted to watch her as he set up a dual tempo, the finger in her rear pushing inside just a little farther each time. Mia couldn’t stop herself from rocking back and forth on the twin impalements, spikes of lust spearing through her body. Her clit was so sensitive now that each soft stroke over its tip sent waves of heat through her, stirring the coil of lust deep inside her.
Dan was relentless, driving her over and over until she came again. Only then, when she was barely standing, did he rise to his feet. From somewhere a condom appeared and he rolled it in place. Then, balancing her with his hands, he carefully lowered her onto his cock. Spinning around he pressed her against a swath of black velvet that had suddenly coalesced into a wall. His hips pumped, each time driving into her a little harder, his thick cock stretching her walls and she arched and squirmed and whimpered with mindless passion.
Biting gently on her lower lip, he increased his rhythm. As the pace picked up he buried his face against her neck, his hot breath like a dry wind against her skin. Mia strained against him, her legs wrapped around him as she pushed herself into each thrust.
His body tightened just as hers did and in a blinding rush of pleasure they climaxed together, his semen spurting hot inside its latex sheath, her pussy clutching him like a wet glove, milking him. His mouth slid across her cheek to take hers in a grinding kiss, his tongue mimicking what he was doing to her with his cock.
When it was over she hung against him limply, struggling for breath, inhaling the scent of his musky, sweat-slicked skin. An unfamiliar feeling of satisfaction blossomed in her, a sense of being home. Of being safe.
She wanted to stay here forever because somewhere in a tiny sliver of her brain, a thread of panic unwound and told her outside this cocoon was danger and pain. She closed her eyes and sank deeper into the velvet.
* * * * *
On the way to the hospital, Dan called Captain Holcomb. He tracked him down in a meeting in his conference room.
“Your ears must be burning,” Holcomb said in his gruff voice.
“Oh? Is that good or bad?”
“I was just about to call you, so you saved me the trouble. I got Mark’s message. I’ve put together a task force to concentrate on the three cases that are tied together—Nate Wilson, Stan Forbush and your girl.” He paused. “How is she doing?”
“Hanging in there. Thanks for asking.”
Holcomb cleared his throat. “Mark left a message that he had some information on the sniper rifle used and your guys have been a help to us. So I was wondering if you’d like to have Mark come sit in on this meeting. We’re just getting started and we’ll be at it for a while.”
“I appreciate it. And yes, I’ll get him down there.”
“Listen, you folks helped us corral everyone at that demonstration before they scattered, so I wanted to mention this to you. We’ve got the feeling that someone paid to have the Denoyer woman do her thing yesterday. Not that she needed much urging.”
Dan gripped the wheel. “I said exactly the same thing to Mark and Rick. Like someone called her and said this might be a good time to confront Mia again?”
“Uh-huh. Anyway, what do you say? About Mark?”
“I say thank you very much. I’ll call Mark and tell him to get going right now. And he’ll bring the list of rifle owners with him that our office pulled up. It’s pretty long and we confined it just to sales in the last six months. Whoever this is could have owned it for quite a while.”
“Let’s see what we get on a first cast with this,” Holcomb said. “If nothing turns up we’ll go back further. Also, we checked with Wal-Mart. Nate’s phone came from there but it was obviously a cash deal. No credit card receipt. And no records on disposables.”
“Well, hell. Did we really expect anything more?” Dan sighed. “Thanks very much.”
“No problem. That’s what the city pays us for. So I’ll look for Mark.” He cleared his throat. “Hope your girl’s okay.”
* * * * *
“You have to disappear.”
John Grant listened to the voice on the other end of the phone connection and smiled. “That’s what I do best.”
“I mean really disappear. They’ll be hunting everyone who owns one of those fancy rifles you use and you can be sure your name will come up.”
Grant laughed, an unpleasant sound. “Amateurs. They’ll never be able to find me.”
“Do not mistake these men for amateurs,” the voice snapped. “They’re all former military and they can track a gnat through a jungle. Write them off and it could be the last thing you do.”
“Calm down. They won’t find me, that’s all I’m telling you. They never have before, have they? I’m on my way to my destination right now. And the way I’m traveling, even my own mother wouldn’t recognize me. If she wanted to, that is.”
”Just be sure your ass is covered.”
“My ass is always covered.” A hint of laughter entered his voice. “Except, of course, in Argentina…”
“Shut up. This is important. We can’t afford a screwup now.”
“What about my money?”
“Oh, you want to get paid for a job you didn’t do?”
“Do not pull that shit on me. She turned at the last second or she’d be spread all over her porch right now. I got the next best thing out of it. She won’t be having any visions or whatever she calls them for a long time. I get paid or you’ll be my next job. And I’ll be doing it for free.”
The voice was bitter. “Don’t worry. It’s being taken care of. We have to move the money through a lot of places so it can’t be traced but you’ll have it tomorrow. I’ll call you as soon as it’s done.”
“Use one of the other numbers I gave you. I’m ditching this phone as soon as we’re through talking.”
“Fine. Meanwhile, just get the hell out of Texas.”
Grant snapped the phone shut and banged it on the steering wheel. He’d begun to hate doing business with these people. If the money they offered wasn’t so good he’d have walked away from them a long time ago. Regardless of any former relationships.
He separated the battery from the phone, pulled into a rest area and tossed it into a trash can. Then he slipped the SIM card into his pocket. The now useless phone itself he’d get rid of in the next state.
Let them try to put that together, he thought smugly.
* * * * *
Mia didn’t know where she was, except it was very dark and cold and she was floating in space. She thought everything should feel soft but instead there was enormous pain. When she tried to breathe the pain grew worse.
I must be dying. Dan, I’m so sorry.
She felt tears streaking her cheeks. Dan. She wanted him so badly.
Baby blocks suddenly came tumbling at her and she tried to duck, to get out of their way. But moving hurt and then the blocks crashed into her, sharp edges piercing her skin. She wanted to scream, with the pain but no sound came out of her mouth.
Here came the blocks again, only this time they were floating on water and babies were steering them. They came close to her but the babies laughed and laughed and steered away from her.
I have to tell Dan. There’s something here. Oh, Dan. I’ll never see you again.
She tried desperately to push her way out of the thick blackness surrounding her but the pain was too intense. All she could do was lie in its cocoon and cry silent tears.
* * * * *
Faith looked up as Dan came into the room.
“I think she’s doing better. The nurses seem pleased with her vitals and the readings on the machines apparently are pleasing everyone.”
Dan moved to the side of the bed. Faith pushed her
chair back to give him room.
“Has the doctor been in?” he asked.
“Four or five times.” She swallowed a smile. “I think you put the fear of God into him.”
“Good. Anything to make sure he keeps on top of this.” His voice was taut and grim. He picked up Mia’s hand, still as cold as the rest of her and tried to warm it with his own.
“She seems restless,” Faith told him. “As if she’s trying to wake up. But they’re keeping her heavily sedated because of the pain. Doctor Cardoza said it will be at least two days before they’ll even think of cutting back on the meds.”
“Did she wake up at all?” Dan felt a thread of fear weaving through him.
“Oh, yes. They wouldn’t have moved her from recovery if she hadn’t. But then she was right back out again.”
“She looks agitated,” he commented, smoothing the hair back from her forehead. “Like she’s struggling with something. Is that good for her?”
“She just started doing that. Let me go tell the nurse and give you some time alone with her.”
Mia was dwarfed by the bed, by the massive amount of bandages, by the machines that sent out messages letting people know she was still alive. Lines creased her forehead and her head moved slightly back and forth, as if she was in some distress.
Dan kept stroking her, as if his touch could settle her. “I love you, Mia. You are my life, do you know that? You walked right in when I least expected it and now I don’t know how I’d live without you.”
He bent down and pressed his mouth to hers, careful not to touch any of the bandages or jostle her at all. He could have sworn he felt an answering pressure and for a moment his heat skipped a beat. He tried again and this time her mouth moved under his.
“Dan?”
The word was a breath, so soft he barely heard it. He leaned closer, wondering if he imagined it. “Mia? Sweetheart, it’s me. What is it?”
He saw her lips move but no sound came out. The lines in her forehead deepened and she tried to thrash her head back and forth again. Dan panicked and pressed the call button for the nurse. But she was already there, Faith right behind her.
“I think she’s trying to say something,” Dan said. “She’s moving around. I’m afraid she’ll hurt herself.”
“Let’s see what’s going on here,” the nurse said, gently moving him out of the way. She checked all the machines, then opened Mia’s eyelids and checked them with a tiny penlight. Felt her pulsed and timed it.
“Well?” Dan couldn’t contain his impatience. “What’s happening? Is she all right?”
“Her pulse is a little rapid and her heart rate is slightly elevated. I think she’s trying to wake up.” She studied his face. “If she does wake up the pain will be enormous but I’ll be ready to up the morphine drip. However, there seems to be some inner urgency so maybe we should try to help her and see what happens. Are you staying?”
“You bet I am,” Dan told her.
The nurse stepped aside so he could move next to Mia again.
“It’s way early for her to be fully conscious but she’s struggling with something. Try talking to her. See what happens. And touch her. Maybe that will soothe her.”
He placed one hand against her cheek, stroking it lightly, his other hand holding hers lying on the covers. “Sweetheart, I’m here. Do you want to talk to me? I’m not going anywhere until we get it right, okay? Just take it easy.”
He kept caressing her and placing light kisses on her lips and cheeks. He felt her breath against his skin, so light he was afraid at first she wasn’t breathing at all. But the machines whirred and beeped and she continued her attempt to move.
He pressed his mouth to hers again and said, “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here.”
Again he felt her lips move against his, her mouth forming his name.
“Tell me, honey. Whatever it is, I’m here listening.”
Mia was frustrated. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t find her way out of the blackness. It wrapped around her like thick material, yet when she touched it, it disintegrated beneath her fingers. She would reach out to push it away and another wave of blackness would grab her.
A tiny pinprick of light disturbed her, like a spark at the end of a tunnel. The spark turned into Dan’s face, then faded again and the blocks with the numbers, bouncing on the water, began coming at her in waves.
Dan. She concentrated on finding his face again. She had something important to tell him. Why couldn’t she get rid of this blackness? Was she dead already? She concentrated as hard as she could, trying to move but pain knifed through her, stealing her breath.
Was that really Dan or was she imagining it?
Dan! Don’t leave me! Stay with me!
She had something important to tell him, if she could just figure it out. She had to get to Dan. She reached up, pulling on the blackness, grasping it in her hand. Gathering every bit of strength she could, gritting her teeth against the pain, she opened her mouth to scream.
Dan!
“She said my name.” Dan put his face next to Mia’s again, his fingertips on her mouth. “I heard her say it.”
With what must have been superhuman effort, she reached her right hand up to grab his lapel.
“Look. Look at this.” His voice was filled with hope. “She must be waking up. She’s grabbing onto me.”
“Dan.” Mia’s voice was barely audible but what they heard sounded like a rusty saw dragging across metal.
“See, I told you.” He kissed her mouth. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here.”
“Blocks,” she rasped. “Water. Moving.”
Dan slid a glance at Faith. “Could she be having a vision under all that medication?”
“It’s possible. It’s not unheard of, although I don’t know as much about it as some of the other women in the Circle.” She had a look of amazement on her face. “I can’t imagine the strength it took for her to do this.”
Mia wouldn’t release her death grip on his jacket. Her lips moved although her face was contorted with pain. “Blocks,” she repeated. “Water. Floating. Numbers.”
”Should I call Aunt Vivi and have her get someone over here?” Faith wanted to know.
“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t want any more people here except us right now. I heard what she said.” He kissed Mia and uncurled her fingers from his jacket. “I hear you, sweetheart. The numbers. That’s what you mean, right? The baby blocks and the numbers. You saw water and the numbers moving over it.”
She lay back exhausted, her face covered with perspiration. “Hurts,” she managed to get out.
Then the machines began to go crazy and her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Faith!” Dan hollered.
“I’ll get the nurse again,” Faith said, already on her feet.
But the nurses were already there, along with two men Dan assumed were a resident and an intern. When he saw them rolling in a crash cart, Dan nearly stopped breathing.
“You’ll have to move,” one of the nurses told him.
He backed up against the wall, next to Faith, who quietly slipped her hand into his and squeezed. His eyes followed the organized chaos around Mia’s bed, heard the orders being barked out, saw them ready the defibrillator and yell, “Clear.” Other orders were called out and people moved swiftly to obey them. They worked like a well-oiled machine, each person doing a specific job.
During the next few minutes Dan felt as if time had stopped. Not a man given much to religion anymore, he found himself uttering fervent prayers, promising God anything if only Mia could be spared.
At the moment he was sure he would lose his mind, he heard someone say, “She’s stable. Let’s keep her this way. Good work, everyone.”
The crash cart was rolled out of the room and all but one of the nurses left, carrying various pieces of equipment. The one Dan had met who was assigned to Mia was checking the IV fluids and injecting medication into one of the lines.
>
One of the men who’d worked on Mia walked back in the room and over to Dan, an angry look on his face. “Have you any idea of the serious nature of this patient’s condition? What did you do to her? And why isn’t she in ICU?”
Dan felt Faith’s hand slip into his and knew she was doing her best to keep him from punching the man and to remind him to rein in his temper.
“And you are?” Dan asked, every muscle in his body tense.
“Dr. Richards. I’m on Dr. Cardoza’s team and the resident charged with the care of this patient. Who the hell are you?”
“I’m her fiancé and I can assure you I know just how serious her condition is. She’s not in ICU because there’s a killer after her. That’s why we have two guards on the door. And you can believe I did not aggravate her condition in any way. She seemed to be trying to force herself awake and was agitated. I was just calling the nurse when this happened.”
The doctor took a long, hard look at Dan’s face and apparently decided arguing with him was not a good option to choose. “We’re just lucky we brought her back. But I’m going to increase her sedation and talk to Dr. Cardoza about changing some of her meds. If you’re going to be in here with her, you have to make sure she doesn‘t get agitated again.”
“Let me tell you,” Dan said, a muscle jumping in his cheek, “that young woman means everything in the world to me. I have no intention of jeopardizing her in any way at all.”
He realized the doctor was just doing his job and didn’t know him from Adam but Dan had to restrain himself from punching his lights out.
When everyone had left the room he moved back to his place beside Mia. Faith pushed one of the chairs behind him and he collapsed into it, leaning his arms on the side rails of the bed. Then he dropped his head to his forearms and did something he hadn’t done since he was ten years old. He cried.
* * * * *
By the time he returned to the hotel, Dan had managed to get his emotions under control, thanks in large part to Faith Halloran. He had stood in the hospital room, torn between wanting to glue himself to Mia’s side and knowing he had a job to get done. If only he could be in two places at the same time.