Revolutionary

by LeAnn Mason

  “But what?”

  Holden ran his thumb across the injured cheek then smiled softly, his eyes slowly returning to their natural blue state. It’s already stopped bleeding.

  “Good, now we can find the douche-nozzle responsible for this mayhem.” I put some effort into standing while the guys both faced me.

  “You good?” Devlin asked shortly.

  “Yeah.” I nodded.

  They just stood there, staring, with matching looks of shock and awe painted across their faces as they looked at me. I wanted to ask what had them all riled, but their minds supplied the answers. My wound was closing before their eyes. What was a sizeable gash a few moments before was now on its way to being nothing but a scab to remember this encounter.

  “Holy crap.” Dev breathed heavily as he brought a hand up to comb through his shorn locks. “I knew it had to be true, but…”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m a freak. What do we do now?” I was uncomfortable with the scrutiny and was beginning to sweat, though it had nothing to do with the humid late summer afternoon. I wanted to run away or, better yet, wipe their minds of the proof of my differentness. I was going to hyperventilate if they kept staring at me like that. “Guys, really. I’m— Can we focus on the problem, please?”

  They must have seen the panic brewing, because with only a moment’s hesitation, they both turned and once again faced the street, scanning to see if anything had changed. Our location kept us pretty closed-off from prying eyes and I could only hope no one else realized what had just happened. Sirens broke through the silence, approaching quickly and from various directions.

  The response time wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great, either. We’d been on this street getting pelted with crap for several minutes, and Minefield wasn’t large by any stretch of the imagination. At least they made it. When two cars pulled up at the curb, each releasing two uniformed enforcers, we split into teams to search the surrounding area for assailants. We kept the teams to the partners as they arrived for ease and familiarity.

  Dev and I went up and across the street to where there were a few apartments above the businesses on the street, figuring that the direction of the projectiles may have originated from around there. The other two teams searched along the ground level and reaffirmed that people should stay indoors until we cleared the street. Holden stayed back and played chameleon, blending in and keeping an eye out for any suspicious movement.

  As we walked through the hall between apartments, I reached out with my telepathy to hear the mental voices of anyone in the building within range. Nothing obvious. Looked like we may need to knock and talk, but I had a feeling that we’d not find our culprit.

  Our search proved me right. No luck. Who had done this? Why? What was the point? Just another Enhanced lashing out for whatever reason, or was this a targeted attack? I vented my questions in anger and frustration as we made our way back to our starting point back in front of The Corner Bean.

  “Nat! Devlin! Did you find anything?” Rolph roved worried eyes between us as we strode toward the bright umbrella-clad outdoor seating area of his establishment. “What happened? Are you bleeding?” Our worried friend swiped a finger across my cheek.

  I found a glass of water abandoned on a nearby table and dunked my fingers in it quickly. With wet digits, I scrubbed at the evidence of my former wound. I didn't want anyone else to ask about the blood.

  “No, we didn’t find anyone up there. Did anyone move around out here while we were gone? Was anyone acting sketchy?” Dev questioned.

  “Not that I saw,” Rolph answered, shaking his head. “But I was inside on the phone with emergency services for a few minutes.”

  “Thanks anyway, Rolph. I guess we’ll need to start questioning the people we’ve got quarantined in the shops around here. See if anyone found or saw anything.”

  “Well, at least we have a quick and easy method of finding out what everyone knows at once…” The telepathy was a handy thing sometimes. I could admit that nowadays. Yeah, it came with being face-to-face with crazies and scum—hell, today I was taking shrapnel—but I was helping people.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “We’ll just ask a question to the room, and I’ll home in on anything that pings.” I shrugged, flapping my hands a bit. I was totally winging it.

  “You think you’ll be able to pinpoint guilt in a full room? I don’t want a migraine sneaking up on you.”

  “Dev, I’ll make it work. I took a freaking rock to the face.” I paused, remembering finally what had been lurking in my memory about the familiarity of the rock.

  “What? What’s got that constipated look on your face?”

  Nice. After taking the time to flip off Dev for the lovely remark, I expounded on my remembrance. “It may be nothing, but back before becoming official, I was regularly getting pelted with rocks. I remember one specific incident, I was walking to the barn and a rock just like the one that hit my shoulder today… I think that one hit me in the shoulder too, actually. My earbuds always did a great job of distracting me from the world. There’s one playlist. I call it ‘Immersion,’ and it works the best. I need to listen to that when I get back home. There’s this one song—”

  “You’re rambling, Hybrid,” Dev informed me drolly, his mind scrutinizing me. Again.

  “Hey, Mister-Judgy-Pants, I need me some music time. Especially if I’m going to be reading rooms full of peeps for the afternoon.” I could almost hear Dev’s eye roll, but Rolph seemed impressed. I couldn’t help but preen a little under his appraisal. When my stomach rumbled loudly, I remembered that part of the healing process was protein and that I'd not fulfilled that need. “Rolph, can I snag something to munch on? I need to recharge a bit after that cut.”

  That perked Devlin right up. He looked as close to frantic as I’d ever seen him when he squeezed my shoulder, his mind worried about me spilling that I’d healed from less than an hour before. “I, uh, need a little something, too. Running around looking for some rogue stone-thrower has me needing to nosh a bit. Yeah.”

  Well now, that was smooth. Who said Devlin's gift was stealth?

  While tucking into some absolutely delicious pastry confections made by Rolph’s sensory-enhanced wife Deena, Devlin and I started our inquisition and filled our bellies. You know, two birds, one stone. Pun totally intended. He asked questions to the room and its twelve inhabitants, which also included all of The Corner Bean’s staff.

  I didn’t detect any malicious intent or knowledge of the random rock tantrum, so we thanked Rolph before moving to the next locale.

  “Did you see or hear anything from Holden? I haven’t seen him since we split off. I wonder where he ended up, if he found out anything while we were… roving.” I needed to make sure Holden was good to go. “What the Hell was someone doing mind-moving a bunch of rocks at people? You know it was a Sage, right?” That was really perplexing to me. Such a random thing to do. What was the point?

  “Yeah. Rocks launching at people without anyone around tends to be a Sage thing.”

  “Har, har, smartass. This is one powerful telekinetic using their ability for some truly random crime, unless it really wasn’t random…”

  “Who knows why any Sage does anything,” Dev groused. Hopefully this little incident didn’t put him back on the Sage-bashing road. I was enjoying this new mutual respect thing we had going on, and I’d hate to have to thump him for being a douche again. “You ready to go again?”

  We had stopped just outside the door of the neighboring establishment which, judging by the buzzing voices in my head, held another several people. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I nodded. I could already tell that Holden wasn’t in there. I didn’t hear his deep timbre in my mind, and I deflated a little. I always did better with him at my side. Buck up, buttercup, I chided myself as I pushed through the door to the chiming of the overhead bell.

  We went through every door along the street that afternoon, coming across Holden in his ginger p
ersona at the fourth business. There, he informed me mentally that he’d heard a few people talking about seeing someone suspicious, but each account was born of fear and confusion and didn’t coincide with any description given by anyone else who’d recalled anything. In other words: dead ends.

  At seventeen-hundred hours, we climbed into Dev’s vehicle to head home, totally dragging ass and no closer to knowing who or why this random act of violence occurred. Could I blame it on Councilman Asshat? I really wanted to, because I could totally see him creating a problem to make himself seem more important, but then again, I was a little biased against him. The ride home was short, and the smells wafting through the screen door as we trudged up the steps gave us just a little more pep in our steps. Jade and—amazingly—Steve had taken it upon themselves to make a full dinner once we’d called in our afternoon troubles.

  I was really going to miss these meals when we were booted from this place. Who would have thought I’d regret leaving our compound lifestyle? Clearing my throat, I finally asked what was on my mind. “Do any of you know the future living arrangements? Are we going to be pushed into the apartments? Do we all get houses?”

  I’d get a house with you. Imagine all the things we could do with true privacy. The heat in those vibrant turquoise eyes had me wanting to fan myself, if not grab him, haul his toned bum up those stairs, and throw a sock on the door…

  “Now would be a good time for you guys to maul each other. We’re all sooo distracted by this yummy meal. Maybe you should take your leave while we are.” Jade shrugged while she continued to shovel food into her mouth, still full when she added, “Just a thought.”

  Done! Holden was up and snatching my hand before I could say a hasty “goodnight” to my roommates. We were at the wood-covered stairs less than a moment later, it seemed. My head was all fuzzy, and I knew that at the speed we were traveling, I’d totally wipe out. I remembered all too well each and every time my feet had come out from under me along this staircase… Okay, so the stairs of death I would not miss.

  Holden once again proved how well he knew me as he scooped me into his arms and bounded up the stairs without hesitation or misstep. Then, we were standing at the top where he'd put me back on my feet, directly between the doorways to his and my rooms.

  Was this happening? By the thoughts swirling through Holden’s head, I was pretty sure he’d combust if things didn’t pan out. To be honest, I probably would, too. I was definitely ready. I think.

  Your room. It’s a little further from the dining area. Maybe that will help to ease your mind while we… play.

  Oh, boy. Holden was planning to be utterly wicked, if I let him. Slowly, he backed himself into my room—the room I’d picked all those months ago because of the glorious view and peaceful feeling I’d had when ensconced within its walls—his smoldering blue eyes not releasing me from their pinpoint focused gaze. I could see each taut line of his upper body as he tugged me along, his t-shirt clinging to his toned torso like a Sage to logic. It was glorious, and just looking at him fuzzed the worries that clung to me like chains, letting them fall heavily to the floor.

  Come here.

  I was suddenly in fast-forward, slamming into Holden hard enough to knock him back into the bed, forcing him to sit. He didn’t mind, and he wrapped my legs around his waist as I wound my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, my lips moving over his as if it was the only way I'd draw breath. Tongues tasted. A quick nip forced a gasp from my throat, my head falling back to expose my neck, which seemed too good an invitation for Holden to resist and had me making many sounds associated with bliss.

  “Music. We need music,” I said breathily.

  You need mood music, my love? He didn’t make any moves to stop, let alone comply.

  “No, but I hope it may help distort sounds, both from within these four walls… and on the outside of them. I mean, it helps me be in the moment at other times—”

  Enough rambling. I get it, but you best be quick because I won’t stay away from you for much longer. I hate seeing you hurt. I need to assure myself you’re okay. Thoroughly.

  I could have been mistaken for a speed-gifted Primal with how quickly I queued up my playlist and had it pumping through the speaker. I didn’t even worry enough to pick a specific playlist; I just needed something to drown out potential sounds. I thought everyone would appreciate the gesture. I needed this, had needed this—needed Holden—for some time. I didn’t want to deny it anymore. I wasn’t scared, not tonight.

  Come here, baby. Holden mimicked the song and fueled my desire. I’d once seen the video for this song—I don’t remember how or where, but it had stuck with me—and I began to tease Holden as I made my way back toward the bed, grabbing the hem of my not-so-sexy training shirt and inching it up my belly until the underside of my bra peeked from below. Totally not sexy lingerie, but hopefully that wouldn’t matter.

  The lust-filled ramblings Holden was exuding told me I was doing just fine. So I continued, pulling the shirt from my body completely before tossing it at him with a straight face. Hand at my jeans, I unbuttoned the closure and forced the zipper to descend, turning so I faced away. Coy, I think, is what I was playing at. Swirling my hips to the beat and mouthing the words of the song, I pushed the material past my rear and tossed my hair as I looked back over my shoulder at Holden, but he wasn’t on the bed anymore. No, he was right there, inches from where I stood. The move flustered me out of my seduction, and Holden grasped his shirt behind his neck and jerked it over his head like it was the biggest damn spider ever encountered and needed to be eradicated—immediately and with extreme prejudice.

  Come here. The voice that sounded within my head was so guttural, it was nearly unintelligible. Need you. I was sinking into the bed coverings, panting like a dog in the middle of summer, being completely devoured by eyes that only showed the slightest sliver of teal along the rim. The black pupil had taken over when I’d begun my tease.

  If you want to stop, Nat, now is the time. I’m barely hanging on to this… shred of restraint… and it’s going—fast.

  Everything about him said as much. The gorgeous specimen of man hovering above me was visibly shaking with the effort to hold himself away from me, his hands clenched into fists in the sheets, a hair’s breadth from my hips. It was torture.

  “Don’t you dare.”

  Thank God! With my three uttered words, his restraint snapped like an overextended rubber band, thrusting him into action. There was no longer him and me, just a tangle of reaching, grasping, winding appendages, all vying for just one more feel, one more taste.

  All thoughts of music or seduction fled. It was just us. Me and Holden—together. Finally.

  CHAPTER 10

  “Why did we wait so long to do that, again?” I mumbled languidly from my position as “blanket” draped across Holden. The music, and the magnificent beast that was my man, had completely drowned out any other potential… mood inhibitors that may have occurred, keeping my fears from coming to fruition. We’d had a beautiful, intense, and… sweaty evening completely devoid of interference. I was smitten. Not that I hadn’t been before, but damn.

  Glad I could get your motor running, Holden purred within my head, a deep chuckle following his humor. A quick pinch to the tender skin on the underside of his biceps pulled an affronted ouch! from his mind as he jerked his arm away from my pinchers, his chest tightening to resemble a rock beneath my cheek. That’s not nice, he growled as he wrapped his arms around my waist and flipped us. A burst of hysterical giggling left me breathless as he made a valiant effort to hit every ticklish spot contained on my body.

  “Stop, stop! I’m gonna pee!” I laughed in agony. Wasn’t it truly unfair that something that torturous forced a sound from my mouth which would always be mistaken for glee? Horrible design flaw, God. Thanks, I bemoaned silently. “Don’t even think about it, Hold!” He was eyeballing my feet, and those things were weapons when set upon. I could very easily break his nose in a f
lailing kick reflex brought on by the devilish torture. If he didn’t heed my warning, I’d probably make sure my aim was true. My fist had already broken a nose, why shouldn’t my foot have the same chance?

  Luckily for him, he saw the truth of my threat and collapsed in a heap, drawing me on top of him and holding me close while his broad chest heaved both with exertion and huffing laughter from his exploits. I contented myself with drawing invisible lines, characters, and shapes along his defined body, stopping to play with that dark trail of hair that did indeed lead to a treasure, just as I’d imagined many times before.

  Now that our activity had ceased, the music was once again an entrancing and distracting thread to get lost in, and I was sucked into the repeating bass hit while the lyrics spoke to me, as if perfectly chosen for this moment, here, in the aftermath with Holden. Words of shining light into the dark and unpacking your heart. Believing in someone enough to share everything about yourself with them, and I couldn’t help but stare up at Holden. His eyes were closed, face flushed, and full lips turned up just slightly, almost like an unconscious reaction to my touch. I imagined my lips did many involuntary things when Holden was involved, so I understood. My fingers brushed lightly at the stray lock of unruly dark hair that fell over his left eye, then trailed down, over his defined cheek, and then to trace those beautiful lips. The smile grew, and those glorious cerulean peepers fluttered open, boring holes into me.

  “I love you.”

  I know, Holden drew me in for a soft, languid, completely heart-melting kiss while adding to his rather macho words. I love you, Nat. Always. Now, let's get some sleep. You had a long day. With those rumbled words, my eyelids fell closed, refusing to open again. I’d been fighting sleep for a while, but with my body and mind sated and more than a little depleted, I could no longer win that battle. I only hoped that the following day proved to be uneventful.