Hunting the Shadows

by Alexia Reed

  Fear had returned to her gaze, but she said nothing. She didn’t have to and he hated that he put that look there.

  “You won’t be alone.” He stepped toward her and ran his fingers along her cheek. “You’ll have me.”

  He couldn’t be biased. Scientists couldn’t show preference over test subjects. Unfortunately, it was too late where she was concerned. She’d gotten to him.

  * * *

  J.C. couldn’t take Amy’s freedom away for a second time. As much as he wanted to bring her back to his lab, he couldn’t. She’d lost years because of him. He owed it to her to at least do what he could to keep her from feeling like a test subject. If taking her outside achieved that, then this was a small price to pay. That didn’t mean, however, that he’d forget he had a job to do. As much as he wanted her to enjoy this time, they couldn’t forget that the killer was still out there. Probably searching for his next victim.

  “Amy, I know being outside is new, but I need you to concentrate. You can’t allow yourself to be distracted.” He kept close behind, watching as she stepped off the path.

  “I’m not distracted.” With a sniff of indignation, Amy reached for a flower, rubbing the petals between her fingers as though trying to memorize every detail. “I never had the chance to appreciate being outside. Just because I’m doing so now doesn’t mean I’m not aware.” She brushed the flower against her lips.

  “Try to pick up the killer’s mind. It might be easier now that you’re outside.” He wanted to see how effective the band was. Technically, she shouldn’t be picking up anything with it on, but could she learn to open her mind at will?

  The moon did things to her skin, making her pale flesh glow. Under the light of it, her eyes looked bluer, more intense. She slanted a look at him, frowning. “Does it always have to be work with you? Can’t I just enjoy this a bit?”

  “I’m sorry, but we have to, Amy. I need to know.”

  She sighed. “I know we have to, but I’m tired of my life revolving around these abilities. I’ve been in the killer’s head for over a decade. I just want one moment to myself. Is that too much to ask?”

  Guilt bit him in the ass faster than he could blink. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but we have to. You came to me for help, remember?”

  “I know I did.”

  “So tell me, are you picking up anything at all? Thoughts or emotions?”

  “No. It’s wonderful.” She shot a glance at him. Walking backward, she lifted her arms over her head, then spun in a slow circle, a move that made him all too aware of the curves of her body. “I don’t expect you to understand what that’s like but… I don’t know how to describe the feeling.”

  So the band completely blocked the stimuli of everyone else’s minds. He was going to have to adjust the settings to give her more control. While he wanted her to have some protection, he didn’t want to inhibit her abilities either.

  J.C. lengthened his stride, shooting out a hand to steady her when she stumbled. She curled around him, her body pressing against his and into his arms when he caught her. If he hadn’t been worried that she’d hurt herself, he might have wondered when he’d started to care so much. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. I get spasms in my leg sometimes, that’s all.”

  He loosened his grip, one finger at a time, when her legs steadied. “You were shot. I don’t expect you’ll be running marathons anytime soon, but that’s something we’ll have to get looked at. I don’t expect any lasting damage, but I’d rather make sure of it.” He rubbed his fingers over the hair that had fallen into her face. “We need to go back. Tomorrow’s going to be exhausting and you’ll need your rest.”

  Tomorrow, he was going to test her link with the killer. Now that he knew the band worked, she would be able to help him more in the investigation.

  She trembled. “A bit longer. Please?” Her lashes lowered to brush her cheekbones before her gaze met his. “I know we have to work, but you don’t know how long I’ve dreamt about being outside. I used to sit in that room and stare out the window all day, watching everyone else have all this freedom while I was a prisoner.”

  She moved deeper in the shadows, forcing him to follow. When she reached out to touch a branch, drops of water fell from the leaves, delighting a laugh from her.

  “I’d given up hope that I’d ever have this chance, J.C.”

  “Those days are over.” He stepped behind her and was surprised when she stopped and leaned back against him. She looked up at him and he stared at the long lean line of her throat, barely resisting the urge to nibble there.

  Amy laughed. Her hands caught his as she turned. He stiffened. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  The smile in her voice made him feel foolish, even more so when he felt his face heat. He’d been trained to block emotion and not let anything or anyone get to him. And then this small woman broke into his mind one day, shredding through his shields as though she had every right to be there.

  “What are you doing to me?”

  “You need to have fun. Tell me, J.C., have you ever danced before?” Her voice smoothed over him and that flush of heat intensified as she guided his hands around her waist. “Don’t worry, I’ve never either. I won’t tell anyone if you step on my toes.”

  Dance? When would he have had time to dance?

  His stomach flipped and he frowned. Her arms linked behind his neck, her body pressed close against his and he could only stare at her. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  She laughed, dipping back in a fluid move that pressed her breasts against his chest. He had no choice but to hold her. He swallowed and this time, gave in to the urge and followed that curve of her throat with his lips and teeth. She stiffened for the briefest of moments before melting in his arms, a soft sigh escaping as she leaned closer.

  Dance. The woman wanted to dance. He stumbled and that only seemed to amuse her more. This was ridiculous.

  “Maybe if you relaxed a bit you’d feel more comfortable.”

  He wasn’t built for this. His moves were clumsy, his hands tightening around her. He forced himself to relax and when he twirled her, grinned. “I think you have me mistaken for someone else, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t worry.” She leaned up to whisper, her lips brushing the sensitive lobe of his ear and he hardened against her. “I’ll be gentle. Promise.”

  He shook his head at her playfulness and nipped her jaw. “For someone who doesn’t like to be touched, you’re awfully close, aren’t you?”

  “You touch me and I feel heat,” she murmured. “I want to pretend that you’re a normal man and I’m an ordinary woman, without abilities.”

  She rested her cheek against his chest. J.C. couldn’t help but hold her closer, lowering his chin to the top of her head. The soft strands of her hair clung to the stubble of his jaw as he nuzzled softly. “But this is our reality. We can’t change the circumstances any more than we can change who w—”

  A shot rang out in the silence, pain licking like flames along his shoulder as he shoved Amy to the ground. He rolled off the path, pressing himself low to the ground as he scanned their surroundings, searching in the dark for the direction of the shooter. “Keep down!”

  Stupid. He should have been alert. He knew better, damn it.

  He was already reaching for his gun, dragging it out from an ankle holster and readying it as his gaze raked through the shadows for the shooter. Bullets sprayed into the dirt and he rolled away into a dip in the terrain. “Amy, are you all right?”

  “He’s up in the trees.” It wasn’t the answer he was going for, but it worked. He found her under a large tree, belly down in the dirt, her body half concealed by thick brush. Good girl, he thought, keep low.

  “Stay where you are. I’m going to draw whoever it is out.”

  J.C.
crawled, keeping his mind open. He rolled when a bullet slammed into a tree inches from his face. “Now you’re playing with me,” he called out. That bullet could have easily killed him. A bit to the right and it would have. A smart man would have been terrified, but after being shot at on a regular basis, those kinds of threats didn’t mean much anymore.

  Either he wasn’t the target or the shooter had really bad aim. He wasn’t sure which one he preferred. But this was going to end.

  “J.C., don’t do anything foolish,” she whispered, but he heard the worry in her tone.

  “I’ll be fine.” Foolish? He had better things to do than wait around in the dark. Anyone who knew him knew to aim to kill—otherwise he would have their life. Him or them. That was the way the dice rolled.

  * * *

  He was going to get himself killed.

  Amy lost sight of J.C. as he’d taken off, leaving her to wait for his return. Gunshots echoed in the distance, loud blasts that shook the air, punctuated by long silences. In the back of her mind, she knew she should stay still. But J.C. was out there alone with no one watching his back.

  Pressing herself flat to the ground, she crawled from the brush, thorns tearing at her clothes and scratching her skin. She scanned the treetops, searching for darkened shapes that could be the shooter. Finding none, she maneuvered slowly over the terrain, keeping her eyes open for signs of movement. The narrow path split into an open area as the tree line receded.

  Amy edged toward a wall of rock, keeping low. There was the sense of something up ahead, the feeling of something not quite right. Wariness twisted with instinct, making her pulse race.

  Gunshots broke the silence.

  She pushed back the panic of being watched. If only she could figure out the direction of the threat. Her hand dropped to her wrist, down along the leather band and hesitated.

  Did she want to risk it?

  Turning slowly, she looked back to the trees. Unsnapping the band, she slipped it into her pocket. The moment it fell from her wrist, voices spilled inside. Her mouth went dry, her body tense with the urge to turn and run. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that there was a weapon trained on her.

  Malicious energy poured over her, a thick black wave that smothered her. She dashed off, intending to get out of sight, but she couldn’t escape from it. No matter where she went, where she hid, she couldn’t get away. Bullets tore into the ground and she threw herself into the darkness of a small cavern. Small chunks of rock flew at her, cutting her cheek.

  “Goddamn it, Amy. I told you to stay put.”

  “There are three of them,” she snapped, keeping her eyes trained on the entrance. She pressed back, plastering herself against the wall. “If I’d stayed put, they would have found me. I’m holed up, but one of the shooters is pinning me in here.”

  “I know.” He paused. “Stay where you are and this time I mean it. I’ll get to you as soon as I can.”

  She stepped forward carefully to peer around the protection of rock. If she could get a sense of movement outside, she could figure out what to do next. Bullets ripped dirt and more rock from the wall and she ducked her head back inside with a short, cut off scream.

  The air thickened, growing heavier. “I don’t exactly have any other choice. What’s going on? Why are they shooting at us?”

  The shooters were out there for her. She could hear their thoughts and lifting her hands, pressed her fingertips to her temples. Nothing softened the voices, their thoughts completely trained on killing her. Sweat rolled down her back. The need to do something tightened her muscles but she flattened herself back.

  “The bitch is somewhere inside the cave—” Amy couldn’t help but listen as the thought ripped through her mind. She cringed at the sound of branches snapping under heavy feet. The shadow that filled the cave entrance was large, the assailant’s eyes staring straight through her. She shot a glance at the gun he held and tried to press deeper into the darkness.

  There wasn’t anywhere to go.

  Her heart raced in her chest, adrenaline pumping at dangerous levels, heightening her senses. “Leave me alone.”

  His finger stroked the trigger.

  She held her breath.

  “I said leave me alone!”

  She watched his eyes widen at her voice in his head. Before he could recover, she shoved the rest of the way into his mind, shredding his shields like they were paper.

  Her knees trembled and she locked them together when they threatened to give out.

  “If you want me dead, you need to do better.” She followed that mental pathway and prepared herself. She had to act before she lost her nerve.

  His finger tightened on the trigger.

  Slowly, she eased her hand away from the wall. Reaching forward, she touched her fingertips lightly to the man’s jaw until she felt his pulse. He didn’t jolt and she didn’t expect him to. She was locked deep in his head. He fought her, his mind powerful despite the lack of barriers.

  Her brow furrowed. She tasted blood when she bit her lip. The gun went off as they struggled for control—the sound deafening in the small cavern. Rocks ricocheted, dirt raining down over their heads.

  It wasn’t as easy as Rick liked to think. It took effort to get into another’s mind and force them to do something they were against. If she got caught too deep, she was lost. The shooter would have her at his mercy. She felt along the edge of his mind, testing how deep to go before implanting the suggestion.

  He fought her, the strength in his refusal burning through her mind as it shredded her control. She ignored the pain and held on against his attacks.

  It was now or never. She set off the compulsion and watched him slowly lift the gun to his own temple, despite the obvious struggle going on within him. His eyes widened and panic turned into desperation. He pulled the trigger, unable to stop her command. Blood and brain matter sprayed her as his body crumpled in the dirt.

  “And here I was worried I’d be late getting to you.”

  Her gaze jerked up to J.C.’s. She’d killed…killed a man. She hadn’t even thought about disabling him. She shuddered against the disgust, a cold settling deep in her bones. What was becoming of her?

  “This isn’t the time for jokes.” Not when her voice was a mere whisper and her body trembled.

  Not when a body lay at her feet.

  The world swirled and narrowed, the stench of gunpowder and death suffocating. Nausea slammed into her and before she could swallow it back, she dropped to her knees and lost everything in her stomach. She thought she could deal because this was what Rick wanted her to be—a killer. She was wrong.

  Amy trembled when J.C.’s palm brushed her hair, moving it out of her face. She desperately needed his touch, something to wipe this memory from her. His finger rubbed along her jaw, the only comfort he offered before he used part of his shirt to wipe her face clean. “Come on. I’ll send for a team to retrieve the bodies. Let’s get you out of here.”

  Bodies. More than one and all because they’d been after her. They’d tried to kill her.

  Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.

  Why?

  His arm wrapped around her waist, strong and dependable, offering support as he lifted her to her feet and led her out of the cave. “I’m sorry.” She steeled herself, clenching her jaw. Exhaustion made her steps awkward, her heart pounding in a steady riot.

  “For what? Being human?” His face turned toward hers, those gold eyes steady and warm. “You survived, Amy. That counts for something. Give yourself credit. He was going to kill you.”

  She’d killed.

  Her head swam and for the first time since she’d taken off the band, her neurons began to misfire. “J.C., I need to stop.”

  She needed to catch her breath, to feel steady again. His steps stilled and she took
a breath. Amy turned inward, pressing herself against him, burrowing her face against the crook of his neck and simply held onto him as the first tear spilled down her cheek. She needed the strong support he offered. Needed it more than she cared to admit.

  Rick would’ve never been kind. He would have told her she was being ridiculous before throwing her back into her room. He would have never held her while she cried.

  His thumb brushed along her naked wrist. “Where’s the band?”

  Entranced by the sensation of his touch, she fought to process his words. “In my pocket.”

  His curse was soft in her ear, his hands secure around her as he guided her to sit on the ground. His fingers dipped into her pocket, searching until he found what he wanted. He slipped the leather over her wrist and the moment it was in place, the sense of being overwhelmed lifted. Still, she was slow to move away.

  “We need to get back. It’s not safe out here.” Tugging Amy to her feet, he led her back to her prison.

  Chapter Twelve

  There was nothing more terrifying than standing outside the lab with the knowledge that the moment she went in she wouldn’t have control. Even knowing that it was J.C. managing her case didn’t assuage her fears. She wanted to trust him here as well, but she remembered the times they’d strapped her down on the table and sent pulses of electricity through her brain. After awhile, she barely felt those shocks. They used it to study her abilities. They hooked microchips to her brain, tapping her system into a virtual reality machine. This way, they could put her through whatever high stress situations they wanted.

  Like being captured by an enemy.

  They wanted to see what she’d do…how she’d respond and it worked, forcing those fight or flight reactions from her. They stripped her of her conscious will, all for their own sick experiments.

  “You’re going to have to go in at some point.” The man that would make all decisions for her stepped behind her, his palm warm against the small of her back as he gave a slight nudge. “The sooner we do this, the sooner it’s done.”