by Karen Kelley
She hurried to her room and opened her closet door, excitement building inside her. The rush of adrenaline running through her right now made her giddy. She reached for her jacket, but it flew toward her, the hanger slapping her in the face.
“Ow!” She jumped back a step.
What just happened? She looked at the jacket still on the hanger, then back at the closet. Whoa! This had never happened before. She put the jacket back, then reached for it again. Nothing happened.
But it had flown to her before she even had a chance to touch it. Now it just hung on the hanger. She backed up a few steps, and raised her hand.
“Come to me!”
Nothing happened. She moved a step closer.
“Come to me!” She lowered her voice.
“Usually, people just reach in and take it off the hanger,” Roan said from behind her.
She jumped, whirling around to face him. He stood in the doorway, hands crossed in front of him. Heat traveled over her. This was so embarrassing.
“You did want to try some target practice…today, that is?”
She gave him her best glare. “I reached in to grab my jacket, but before I could touch it, it flew out to me.”
“Maybe it really likes you.”
“Not funny, and it did happen.”
He sighed. “After what I’ve seen you do, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He walked farther into the room. “What were you feeling when you opened the closet door?”
He was right. Her emotions usually caused most of her abilities. When she was calm, she could blend in. When she was emotionally charged up, she ran faster.
“I was excited about going to the firing range.”
“Then try being excited again.”
She faced the closet and held out her hand.
Nothing.
“Concentrate.”
“I am.”
She closed her eyes. Yea, she was going to the firing range.
Nothing happened.
She took a deep breath. Wow! She was going to the firing range.
“Are you sure it flew out to you?” Roan said.
“Yes, I’m sure. I can’t do it with you watching me. Besides, I think it was my initial reaction. I don’t feel that same thrill.”
He stepped closer, running the back of his hand down the side of her cheek. Her nipples immediately hardened and there was a tightness in her belly.
“Maybe I can get you excited,” he murmured.
Her jacket didn’t jump out at her, but she could feel the pounding of her heart. She closed her eyes, surrendering to his touch.
“I can feel the heat coming off your body,” he whispered close to her ear.
Heat. Burn. Incinerate into a pile of ashes.
She stepped away, reaching into the closet to get her jacket. “I thought we were going to the firing range.”
“I’d rather make love to you.”
“Are all instructors this…this intent on taking their students to bed?”
He casually leaned against the chest of drawers. “Only when they’re as sexy as you.”
“I think you’re trying to scare me away from being an agent.”
“That too, but I wouldn’t mind taking you to bed, either. In fact, I think I’d enjoy it.”
“You admit you’re trying to run me off?” She couldn’t believe he was actually admitting it. “Less than ten minutes ago, you said I’d impressed you.”
“Just because you can make it through a portion of an obstacle course doesn’t mean you’re cut out for this line of work. You and I both know you’re not agent material. You’ve practically lived the life of a nun. You wouldn’t know a bad guy if he stepped out in front of you. All you’ll accomplish is getting yourself killed, and that would be a damn shame.”
“Oh!” She stomped her foot, anger rushing through her.
The hangers inside the closet trembled, then clothes and all, flew out, landing on Roan’s head. He didn’t move, just stood there with her clothes draped over him. Her hand flew to her mouth.
“It would seem you’ve discovered another talent, but I don’t really think throwing clothes at the bad guy will be a sufficient deterrent.” He pushed the clothes off. They landed with a plop on the floor.
She raised an eyebrow. “No, but then, I can always shoot them.” She turned and walked out of the room.
Roan watched the swing in her hips. She had a sense of humor. He liked that in a woman, but he still wasn’t so sure about her making a good agent. Agents were supposed to be ultimate fighting machines. So far, Lyraka could hide from them, outrun them, and throw clothes at them.
She had yet to prove her worth as one of the best. Sure, there had been a few people who came in off the streets without a bit of experience and they’d made it. They’d had to work harder, though. It all came down to how bad she wanted to be an agent.
He left her room and started down the stairs. She waited for him at the bottom.
“I will make a damn good agent. Just watch and see.” She turned on her heel and walked to the door.
Agents didn’t walk like she did, either. Even the female agents. And it was getting harder and harder to keep his hands to himself. Maybe she was putting off some kind of pheromones that made him attracted to her. Now that would be a good weapon to have. An agent that could bring men to their knees—Lethal Lyraka.
He closed the front door and walked to the Jeep. Maybe that was another reason why Joe had wanted the one-on-one training—to keep her away from other men.
She was already sitting in the passenger seat when he climbed in. Very prim and proper. But he knew different. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. So why did she hold back? It wasn’t as though it was against the rules. In their line of work, death could be right around the corner. You lived hard, you played harder. As long as it didn’t interfere with a mission.
Man, what was that scent she wore? It was driving him crazy. He’d never smelled anything like it. It was a little musky, and sexy as hell.
They were silent on the way to the firing range, each lost in their own thoughts, and he lost in inhaling the fragrance she wore. When he pulled up and parked, she turned to him.
“I have some allergy pills back at the building,” she reluctantly told him.
“And?”
Her forehead puckered. “And what?”
“And why would I need allergy pills?”
“Because you’ve been sniffing since we got inside the Jeep. I thought maybe you were having allergy problems.”
He started to laugh. Her frown deepened.
“I don’t see a thing funny about me offering you some relief.”
“Oh, baby, it’s not allergy relief that I need.”
She opened her door, slamming it closed after she got out, except it had almost looked as if her hand hadn’t touched the door. It might pay to not make her angry when he gave her a gun with real bullets.
Sometimes the Nerakians discovered they could do more the longer they were training. They were pushed past the normal point of their endurance level and that had a way of bringing more of their abilities to the surface. It would be interesting to see just how much Lyraka could do.
He caught up to her before she could open the door to the firing range. “Don’t wear that perfume again. Too distracting.”
“I’m not wearing perfume. It must be the soap.”
He doubted it since he’d used the same soap. They went inside. Mike Avery sat behind the desk, but looked up when they walked in. Mike was older, an ex-cop adding a little to his retirement by manning the firing range.
“Hiya, Roan. Haven’t seen you in a few days.”
“Been busy.”
Mike let his gaze wander over Lyraka. “Yeah, don’t blame you.”
“Lyraka is an agent-in-training. Lyraka, this is Mike. I heard he’s a ladies man so watch yourself around him.”
Mike shook his head. “I never got so lucky as to have a partner who looked quite as pretty as
Lyraka. Nice meeting you ma’am.”
Lyraka focused her smile on the older man. “Hello, Mike. It’s nice to meet you.”
Mike leaned his elbows on the counter and grinned like a fool. “If you ever want someone with more experience, then I’m your man.” His face immediately turned a dark shade of red. “I mean to train you…uh…to be an agent.”
Roan had never seen Mike this flustered. It was like he’d thought. Lyraka was going to be more trouble than any of her abilities were worth.
“Want me to get you both a gun?” Mike asked as he cleared his throat.
“Sure, Mike. How about a three-fifty-seven mag and a nine mil.”
“Coming up.”
Roan walked to a door on the right. Lyraka followed. One side was lined with stalls. He flipped on the lights and walked to the end stall. In case someone else came in, it would give them a little privacy from prying eyes, although, at some time or other, Lyraka was going to need to be integrated with a team.
Mike brought the guns, laying them out on the waist-high shelf of the stall. Roan watched as Lyraka warily eyed them. If she couldn’t fire a weapon, she’d never make it as an agent. She met his gaze after Mike left, then took a deep breath, and picked up one of the guns.
Good girl. He had expected her to do no less. Hell, maybe she would make an agent after all.
He pushed a button. A light came on at the end of the stall away from where they stood. He pushed another button and a paper target appeared.
Sweat beaded Lyraka’s upper lip. “I’m ready. What do I do?”
“Point and shoot. Try to hit the target.”
She nodded, pointed, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. She looked at the gun, then at him.
“It’s broken.”
“The safety is on.”
“Oh, what’s the safety?”
This was going to be a very long day. “The little switch on the side. If it’s on, the gun won’t fire.”
She slid the switch to the other side, then pointed. He stepped behind her. She pulled the trigger. The gun fired, her arm jerked up, and she slammed into him—just as he’d known she would.
“I didn’t expect that,” she said in a breathless whisper, then looked up at him.
All he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her, but she moved away from him.
“What did I do wrong?”
He proceeded to show her. After an hour of practice, Roan had to admit she impressed him. She hit her target more often than not, and she even seemed more comfortable holding the gun.
She fired, hitting the heart on the paper target dead center, then looked over her shoulder and grinned. “I bet you didn’t think I’d be this good.”
“I thought you’d never fired a gun before.”
She shrugged. “I haven’t, but there was a woman who came to the colony and sometimes she brought her daughter. The daughter was more into video games than painting. One of the games had a gun. This is way more cool, though.”
He started to say something, but stopped when the door partially opened and he heard someone talking to Mike. Damn, Roan had hoped they’d be out of there before anyone else arrived. Maybe they could slip out in a few minutes when the agent was busy.
The door opened the rest of the way and Roan immediately knew they wouldn’t be sneaking out. Damn, of all the people to stop by the firing range today, it had to be him.
Chapter 11
Lyraka fired the gun, hitting the silhouette of a head that was on the paper target. Ha! She’d nailed it.
“Roan, I’d wondered where you were hiding.”
Lyraka looked up. She’d been so absorbed in hitting the target that she hadn’t even heard the door open.
Good Lord, where did they get these men? Hotties R Us? The man was delicious—thick, light brown hair, beautiful caramel-colored eyes, and shoulders almost as wide as the door. And he was looking at her as if she was the only woman in the room. Which technically, she was, but he was giving her a slow, sexy appraisal that was a huge boost to her ego.
She felt Roan tense beside her and wondered what was up with him. She looked back at the new guy, who was smiling from ear to ear. He had pretty white teeth. She smiled back.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” he asked.
“No. We were just leaving,” Roan said.
She met Roan’s gaze. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head for her to walk in front of him. Well, he might like the personal trainer stuff, but she was tired of the isolation. She turned back to the newcomer.
“Hi, I’m Lyraka, and we weren’t just about to leave.” She held out her hand and he took it in his. His hand was large and warm.
“Since Roan doesn’t want to introduce us, I’ll do it for him. I’m Gavin Chambers.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Gavin.”
“So, what’s a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?”
She laughed. It was a corny line, but the way he said it made it sound funny. “I’m shooting bad guys, at least on paper.”
“Why would you want to shoot bad guys when you have me around? I’ll do it for you, cross my heart.” He made a motion of crossing his heart.
“But if I let you do it, then how will I ever become an agent?”
Gavin straightened from his relaxed pose, looking at Roan as if for confirmation.
“She’s in training,” Roan finally admitted.
Really, he acted as though she were top secret. Sooner or later people were bound to find out about her. It wasn’t as though they didn’t know what aliens were. Nerakians trained side by side with earthlings all the time.
Gavin studied her a little closer. “Nerakian?” he asked.
“Yes,” Roan said.
“No,” Lyraka said at the same time.
Gavin raised his eyebrows. “Okay, is it yes or no?”
Roan’s jaw had started to twitch. She’d already figured out that wasn’t a good sign. Why was he getting so irritated?
“I’m half earthling, half Nerakian,” she said.
“That’s a first.” Gavin looked from Lyraka to Roan. “She must be special.”
“Joe wants her kept under wraps.”
“I’ve been under wraps all my life. It’s boring. I want to experience life. I feel as though I’ve traded one prison for another and I don’t like it. And you’re both talking as if I’m not even here…excuse me!”
Gavin suddenly grinned, then looked at Roan. “Keeping you busy, huh?”
“You can’t imagine.”
Men, they were all alike. No wonder her mother had advised her to stay away from them.
“You’re right. Maybe it is time for us to leave.” She started to walk toward the door, but decided to give them something they could really talk about and hit her internal speed button, zipping past Gavin in a blur.
“What the hell?” Gavin whirled around.
She stopped at the door. “I’m not just special, I’m their secret weapon.” She let the door slam behind her and headed for the Jeep.
Maybe this wasn’t what she was meant to do in life. She climbed into the Jeep on the passenger’s side, flopping down in the seat, then slamming the door shut. Actually, she hadn’t made contact with the door. It just sort of slammed on its own.
That was the way her other abilities had come about—sort of by accident. The day she realized she could kick speed in the butt, she’d tumbled head first into the river that ran close to the colony when she hadn’t been able to stop in time. She’d eventually learned to control most of what she could do.
Roan would probably tell Joe, and then they’d keep her hidden so they could study her more, and see what else she could do. She was starting to feel like a lab rat.
She laid her head back against the seat and sighed. All her life, she’d lived at the colony. Long after she’d finished any home schooling, she’d stayed because she couldn’t bear to hurt her mother. But now that she was free, she wasn’t.
She jumped when the door opened on the driver’s side and Roan climbed in. He started the Jeep, put it into reverse and backed out. His jaw still twitched. It wasn’t like she didn’t know she’d pissed him off. Joe had been very specific when he’d said he wanted to keep her under wraps.
Now might not be the best time to start a conversation so she looked out the window. He still hadn’t said a word by the time they pulled up in front of the building.
Nope, this wasn’t good at all.
Damn it, he really needed to see her side of things. She followed him inside. He went straight to the training room. At least he was aware why they were there and wasn’t giving up on instructing her. Except he went straight to the classroom, then to the bookcase. He ran his fingers over the books in the case, drew out the thickest one, thumbed through the pages, then thrust it toward her.
“Read this. There’ll be a test.” He turned and strode purposefully out the door.
She glanced at the book. Policies and Procedures. Man, she must’ve really pissed him off. She had a feeling taking the book to the woods and reading beneath one of the trees wouldn’t be a good idea.
On the other hand, he was already pissed at her. What did the degree of being pissed off really matter? She headed for the door.
She could almost feel his gaze on her as she headed into the woods. She didn’t go far, not wanting to push her luck that much. She parked herself beneath one of the tall pines. Serenity washed over her. She closed her eyes, breathed in the heady fragrance of pine, and soon felt her troubles drifting away.
Really, what did it matter if Roan was irritated? Or Joe for that matter? Joe had recruited her, not the other way around. They were all excited about what she could do so she really doubted they would stamp FAILED across her paperwork. At least, she didn’t think they would.
She flipped to the back of the book and looked at the last page—412 of them. Good grief. Okay, whatever.
Two hours later, she closed the book. Her eyes were permanently crossed. Most of it had been so boring she’d barely gotten through it. The chapters on investigative techniques had been really cool, and there’d been some other chapters that hadn’t been too horrible to read through.