Twice as Hot

by Gena Showalter

Chapter Six

 

  Sherridan's words haunted meall night. She knew how careful I had to be not to fry the entire world.

  She knew my name was at the top of many agency hit lists. She knew I had to undergo twice-weekly - sometimes daily - mandatory blood tests. She knew there was nothing I could do about any of it unless I abandoned everyone I loved, ran off and spent the rest of my life in hiding.

  Having powers was more a burden than a blessing. Why would she want that for herself? And how could I stop it from happening?

  Simple fact was, I couldn't. Never wrong, bitchy Lexis had assured us Sherridan would acquire them and I'd never been able to stop Lexis's visions from coming true before. If I tried this time, I might destroy Sherridan's newfound sense of happiness and thereby her strength, dash her "greatest desire" and ruin our friendship forever.

  What a freaking mess.

  WasLexis right this time, though? Maybe her future-seeing ability was on the fritz. I mean, I still couldn't picture another man winning my heart. Or me marrying said man.

  Those thoughts led to the flowers. Did the sender truly admire me or was it some kind of joke? Maybe even a Trojan horse. Like maybe there was a camera in the vase, so the bad guys would know when to attack.

  See! This was what being a superhero did to a person. Made them question everything. Even flowers.

  And Sherridan wanted that?

  Muttering under my breath, I stumbled into the kitchen, grabbed the vase, stumbled outside and chucked it, flowers and all, into the garbage. I went back to bed but once again, my mind was too active to allow me to sleep.

  Finally sunlight pushed its way into my room. I lumbered from the cocoon of covers, showered and dressed in Rome's second-favorite outfit of mine: a pair of stone-washed jeans and an emerald-green cotton shirt that buttoned all the way to the hem. He liked to undo the buttons, one at a time. Sometimes at different times throughout the day, as though it was a prolonged peep show.

  I couldn't wear his number-one favorite: skin and a smile. Not to work, at least. So I made do with second string. I only hoped he'd appreciate it.

  Once I was dressed, I anchored my hair into a ponytail and went in search of Tanner and Sherridan.

  Before I found them, my cell phone rang and I rushed back into my room to swipe it off the dresser, where I'd thrown it last night. Hoping. . .

  "Hello," I said, huffing for oxygen.

  "Belle Jamison, please," a pleasant feminine voice said.

  My heart sank. "This is she. Her. Me. " I could never remember what was correct. "I'm Belle. "

  "Oh, good. I'm Martha Hobbs from Let's Get Together and I'm calling about your upcoming wedding.

  We've got you scheduled to come in today at noon to look over our invitation selection, and I just wanted to confirm with you. "

  I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples with my free hand. "I'm sorry. I forgot, and something's come up. "

  "All right. Twenty-four hours' notice would have been appreciated, but we can work with this. " Professional that she obviously was, there was only the slightest hint of irritation in her voice. "Would you like to reschedule?"

  I wish. "I'll have to call you back. I really am sorry. My fiance, he's - well, things are up in the air right now. "

  "Oh. I'm sorry. I do understand. " And she did, it seemed. Her tone had gentled. "I hope you'll call us if things. . . work out. "

  "Sure. Yes. " I gulped, hung up, threw the cell on my bed and jumped back into my search for my friends before I burst into tears. This was the first time I'd voiced out loud that the wedding might not happen, and well, it hurt. Like that damn knife was back in my chest, twisting.

  I found Tanner in the living room, lounging on the couch. There was no sign of Sherridan. Most likely, she still lazed in bed, avoiding me. She knew I wanted to talk to her about the power thing. Last night I'd tried to find out what kind of ability she wanted, what she thought she'd gain from it and if she was willing to be chased by bad guys for the rest of her life, but she'd made her announcement and then popped open a celebratory bottle of champagne. Only, she had the bottle pressed to her mouth before Tanner could grab a glass. Always a quick and easy drunk, she'd been a goner five minutes later, none of my questions answered.

  Tanner groaned when he spotted me. "Not the button-up shirt. " Perhaps I wore it a little too much. But damn it, I liked when Rome unbuttoned me.

  "If I know Lexis, and unfortunately, I do," Tanner said drily, pushing to his feet, "she'll be wearing a dress. A sexy, I-want-your-hands-all-over-me dress. Your jeans and T-shirt won't compare. You'll resemble her poor frumpy cousin from Hick Town. "

  Ouch. Honest friends were not as wonderful as I'd always assumed. "Yeah, but he split with Lexis.

  Remember?" Hopefully someone did. "A glamazon is not what he wants for himself. "

  "At one time, he did. And that one time is the state of mind he's in right now. " Shit. Tanner was right. My shoulders slumped as I said, "I need five minutes. "

  "Do everyone a favor and take ten. "

  Rolling my eyes, I stomped off. I rifled through my closet, but didn't have anything that could compete with the ever-fashionable Lexis's wardrobe. Just pick something already. I had people to interview and a meeting to attend.

  Finally I stripped to my underwear and jerked on a too-fancy-for-work chocolate dress that boasted thin straps, an empire waist and a flowing skirt. Very Greek-chic, I hoped. I couldn't wear a bra because I didn't own a strapless and the straps of my comfortable white cotton would have showed. And not in the oh, so sexy you're-seeing-something-you-shouldn't way, but in the granny-got-dressed-in-the-dark way.

  On my feet I wore shiny brown sandals that ribboned up my calves. I removed the band in my hair and let the (silky, I liked to think) mass fall. It was straight and hit the middle of my back. Rome liked to sift his fingers through it. Or rather, he used to. Bastard. Lexis had long hair, too, so I was probably okay in that arena.

  I straightened my shoulders and studied myself in the full-length mirror. Not bad. Kind of pretty.

  Definitely elegant.

  "This is war," I told my reflection. "Lexis is going down. " I dumped the contents of my purse into a nicer one with one quick shake - a girl had to match - and sailed from the room, ready for the battle to begin. Tanner now stood in the entryway, once more leaning against the wall.

  He nodded in approval. "Nice. Your nipples are hard. "

  I punched him in the stomach, but I was grinning. From Tanner, that was the highest of compliments.

  Besides that, he'd sounded like his old self. The happy, perverted boy I knew and loved, not the sad wounded puppy he'd been.

  "I need my cell," I muttered, rushing back into my bedroom. The little black device flashed red in the upper right-hand corner, which meant that I'd somehow missed a call. A search of the ID showed that it had come from the caterer. Not another one, I thought with a groan. I should call them back, but damn it, if I called I'd have to cancel and I didn't want to cancel them. They served chocolate cake that tasted like it had fallen straight from a rainbow in heaven and booked up fast. Two seconds after I canceled, someone else would already be lined up.

  As I joined Tanner in the foyer, I made a mental note to call them, as well as the dress shop, later today and beg a new date.

  He opened the door and I sailed past him. Or tried to. Instead, I tripped over a box of. . . chocolates, I realized, righting myself. Three tiered boxes, one stacked on top of the other like the cake I'd just been imagining, and all wrapped in gold foil. A card was taped underneath a bow.

  "Are you seriously that clumsy?" Tanner asked.

  "Yes. " Warm, humid air beat around me, sunshine hot against my bare arms as I peered down at the boxes, motionless. Idiot! Check them out. Heart racing, I tore open the card and read, "There's nothing as sweet as you, though I do hope you enjoy these. Your admirer. " Again, no name.

  They weren't from Rome, then. My
secret hope that he'd suddenly remembered me and now thought to romance me back was once again dashed. I could have drop-kicked those chocolates into a new dimension.

  "First the flowers and now candy," Tanner said. "This guy's serious about getting you into bed. "

  "Shut up. Not all men have sex on the brain. "

  "If they don't, they're dead. "

  Or maybe their intentions were nefarious, I thought, reminded of my fears last night.

  Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. "So what I want to know is who the hell admires you?"

  "Like it's impossible," I replied, ignoring the fact that I'd wondered the same thing. I grabbed the box and clutched it to my chest, determined to find answers. Was there a camera strapped to the outside, someone watching my every move? Were the little treats poisoned? "Some men do think I'm cool. "

  "That's not what I meant, so sheathe the claws, Viper. You're an engaged woman and the only guys you meet are scrims. "

  Though our minds were on the same track, I said, "Maybe my banker or my grocer finds me irresistible. " We headed toward his car. A sleek red Viper - the very vehicle he'd named me after.

  Okay, fine. First time we met, I'd told him Viper was my name.

  "Yeah, well, maybe your banker and your grocer need a beat down. My bet is the chocolates are from a rival agency. You know, to lure you to the dark side. Or maybe even kill you. " This wouldn't be the first time someone tried to soften me up before attacking. Once, a scrim had jumped behind my car as I was backing out of a parking lot - I hadn't known she'd jumped at the time - and I'd slammed into her. She'd known how to absorb the impact without truly damaging herself, but again, I hadn't known that. Concerned, I'd thrown the car in Park and rushed to her, only to watch in horror as she pulled a gun on me. Only problem with her plan was that she'd already engaged my emotions. My fear froze the bullets inside the gun's chamber and her ass to the pavement.

  "And to think, this is the life Sherridan craves for herself," I said. "I can't even enjoy a box of chocolates. " A fate far worse than being shot at.

  We reached the car, but Tanner didn't open my door. He slid into the driver's side and waited for me to let myself in, the turd. Once I settled beside him in the plush leather seat, my dress tucked daintily around my legs, the candy resting in my lap, I said, "I'm in silk. " A lie. I'm sure it was a poly-blend. "At the very least, you could treat me like a lady. "

  He snorted. "You. A lady. Funny. "

  "Just drive us to PSI, Mr. Sensitive. " As I spoke, I popped open the lid to the top box and gazed in amazement at the assortment of truffles, chocolate squares and cookies. How innocent they appeared. . . how delicious. My mouth watered, and my stomach rumbled.

  Tanner backed out of the driveway at Mach one, his preferred speed. "Don't eat them. They could be poisoned. "

  "I'd already thought of that. I just wanted a peek at what I'm not going to enjoy. " He glanced at them and whistled. "Those suckers are expensive. " One of my brows arched as I faced him. "How do you know?"

  "My dad used to buy that brand for his girlfriends. "

  His dad had died not too long ago, and I patted his arm in sympathy. His mother, an alcoholic, had left on his eighth birthday - some present, right? - and his dad had been all he'd had left. The loss had devastated him.

  I knew that sense of loss intimately.

  I'd just started learning to walk when my mother died in a car accident. Though I couldn't remember her features without looking at a photograph, sometimes I would swear there was a hole in my heart. A hole her death had caused.

  But I still had a parent, still had someone to lean on. My dad had always taken care of me. He'd bought me tampons for my first period and talked to me about sex, even though he'd been uncomfortable, his face as red as a lobster. Those things had made me love him even more, but they'd also made the pang of not having a mother worse.

  "You're staring at the chocolates like you've spotted Jesus," Tanner said. "Just. . . toss them on the floorboard. John can dust the box and the candy itself for prints. " I replaced the lid, but left them in my lap. "If we're dealing with a rival agency, there won't be any prints. " It saddened me that I wasn't more upset someone might want to kill me. But then, been there, done that. A lot.

  "Better safe than sorry. "

  "Since when? Your motto is 'bad shit draws chicks. '"

  He nodded. "True. Maybe I should eat one. Being poisoned is a good war story. " My lips twitched into a grin. As good a mood as Tanner was in, now might be the perfect time to talk about his ex. My nemesis. The world's biggest bitch. "So Lexis - "

  "Still isn't up for discussion," he said firmly, his good mood melting away in the blink of an eye.

  Grrr! Men. "I think you guys need private time. You know, to talk. "

  "Yeah. " He rolled his eyes, the good mood returning. "Translation - you want private time with Rome.

  You're willing to throw me to the wolves just to play a little game of suck face. You are such a bad friend. "

  I didn't try to deny it. "But you love me anyway. "

  "That just proves I'm the dumb one of the friendship. "

  I snorted. "I can't really refute that, which is sad for you. And me, I guess, since my friends are so dumb. "

  "Why have we never hooked up?" he asked with a little laugh.

  "Because I'm so smart. "

  Another laugh. "Funny. "

  A few minutes later, we arrived at PSI headquarters in the heart of the city. Outside, we had to check in at security and flash our badges (even though we were recognizable at this point - I guess unlike Sherridan, we weren't cute enough to make the guards overlook procedure). Inside, we had to sign in at another security booth, ride an elevator to the fifteenth floor and sign in at yet another security booth. We even had to do fingerprint and retinal scans.

  John liked things as protected as possible.

  Finally deemed acceptable, we strode out of the comfortable lobby, with its brown leather couches and lush green plants, and down a long, plain hallway. From there we turned left, left, right, and hit the laboratory encased by tall glass windows. We left the box of chocolates with forensics - Tanner had to pry them from my Kung Fu grip - and headed to the hall of interview rooms. Along the way, we ran into other agents, but no one stopped to talk. At PSI, everyone had a mission and idle chatter was discouraged.

  "Who we interviewing first?" Tanner asked me.

  I dug Cody's list out of my purse, glad it had survived the transfer of belongings from one bag to another, and unfolded it. Something untangled from the middle of the paper and fell to the floor. I stopped, grabbed it and - barked out a laugh. Cody had taken a Polaroid of himself, blowing me a kiss.

  At the bottom, he'd written: You're welcome.

  Who used Polaroids these days? Men who wanted to take dirty pictures of their bed partners, that's who, I thought, barking out another laugh.

  "You coming?" Tanner asked, ignoring my outburst. He was used to my swift mood changes.

  "Yeah. " I kicked back into motion and shook my head in wonder at Cody's antics. No wonder he'd looked so wicked when he'd informed me the list was in my purse. As I stuffed the photo back in my bag, I passed an agent staring into one of the interrogation rooms. Before I realized what I was doing, I was peeking inside the room myself. I spied Rome. I stopped abruptly, breath snagging in my throat.

  Tanner cursed, backtracked and pressed into my side.

  "What?" he asked. Then, "Oh. "

  Inside, Rome sat in the corner, looking casual in a slatted wooden chair. He wore black pants and a black T-shirt that hugged every inch of his muscled forearms. His hair was unruly, as though he'd plowed his hands through it a few thousand times. There were dark circles under his eyes and lines of tension around his mouth.

  Thank God he didn't look like a satisfied man. So where exactly had he slept last night?

  In front of him, Lexis sat at a metal table, facing one of the people Rome and Cod
y had rescued from the warehouse. That damn Lexis. How was I supposed to glue myself to Rome if she was always there, right in his face? The nerve of her!

  My gaze raked her, and I gasped when I saw what she was wearing. Stone-washed jeans and a green button-up shirt. My teeth ground together.

  "That bitch is wearing my outfit. " And she rocked it hard-core. She'd even pulled her glossy dark hair into a ponytail, highlighting the perfection of her exotic features.

  A moment passed as Tanner studied her. "My bad. You should have gone with your instincts. " No shit. Now here I was, stuck in a dress when I'd known, deep down, that Rome preferred me in jeans.

  "I think you look nice," the agent beside me said. If I was remembering correctly, his name was Edward and he worked in the labs. He had a folder tucked under his arm.

  "What's Rome doing in there, anyway?" Tanner asked. "He's supposed to be interviewing his own set of people. "

  "He's protecting her," I practically snarled, knowing without having to be told.

  "The guy she's talking to is the one in need of protection," he replied drily.

  At least he didn't sound pissed or sad about seeing the ex-husband and wife together as said ex-wife blatantly attempted to lure said ex-husband under her evil spell.

  "Who are they interrogating?" Tanner asked.

  "That's Tobin McAldrin. " I knew because I was the one who'd picked the people Lexis was to interview. It was pure coincidence that everyone on her list either resembled a beefed-up Arnold in his prime (having the strength to kill her) or seemed as gentle as a lamb and was amazingly good-looking (to romance her). Really.

  Tobin was of the beefy variety. Plus, his eyes were cold, empty. My guess, he wasn't some innocent victim of experimentation. Like Memory Man, he was probably a scrim Pretty Boy and then Desert Gall had hoped to recruit and use against us.

  "What's his power?" Tanner asked. "Do we know if he even has one?"

  "Sadly, no," I muttered.

  Edward handed me the folder. "Actually, we do. I've been testing McAldrin for the last two days. The guy has inhuman strength, and it's like nothing I've ever seen before. Not all of it is his own, though.

  Someone surrounded his bones with metal Wolverine-style, which caused his strength to increase exponentially. "

  As he spoke, I flipped through the pages. There were X-rays, graphs I couldn't decipher and anatomy charts covered with arrows.

  "Why's he still here, then?" Tanner asked. "I mean, if I had that kind of strength I'd have busted my way free, like, yesterday. "

  I closed the folder with a snap and handed it back to Edward. "Maybe a few of Desert Gal's victims aren't really victims at all, but plants. Plants someone plans to use to take us down. " Of course, Desert Gall would have had to know - or at least hope - PSI would break into her warehouse. For that to happen, she would have had to leak the information herself. That would explain why she'd moved all Pretty Boy's "innocent victims" to a new location and why Rome's contact was only then able to obtain the info.

  "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," I said, my gaze landing on Rome and giving me a jolt.

  He shifted ever so slightly in his chair, angling his face toward the two-way mirror, suddenly staring straight at me. He couldn't see me, I knew that, but God, those electric blues singed me all the way to the soul.

  Tanner must have pressed the speaker, because suddenly I could hear Lexis coaxing Tobin.

  " - here to help you. That's why we freed you. Cooperate, and we'll let you go as soon as this investigation closes. "

  I hoped she realized that was a lie; I hoped he didn't.

  "Now, I'll ask again. How long did Vincent have you locked up?" Vincent Jones. Street name Pretty Boy.

  "I told you," came the cranky, raspy reply. "I don't know. Wasn't like I was given a calendar. Now, are we done here?" He made to stand, his massive body looming like a storm cloud over the petite Lexis.

  "Sit down," Rome barked.

  Barked. I rolled my eyes at the irony. Rome, a jaguar shape-shifter, and dogs did not get along, a lesson I'd learned just a few weeks ago when I dog-sat our neighbor's golden retriever. The gentle giant had foamed at the mouth for a piece of Rome, and had nearly chewed through my man's thigh. Needless to say, there had gone any chance I'd had of ever getting a dog of my own.

  Tobin sat.

  "God, I wish I was like that," Edward said. Then he shook his head, cheeks reddening as he realized he'd spoken aloud. I had forgotten he was beside me. Poor, unassuming man. He was probably forgotten a lot. Then again, I could relate. "Well, uh, I'd better get back to work. " He rushed off without another word.

  "Bye," I called.

  No reply.

  Through the rest of the interview, Rome kept his gaze glued to me. Or rather, the window. I gulped.

  Could he see me?

  "When did Desert Gall take over your care?" Lexis asked.

  "About a month or so ago," Tobin mumbled.

  So he wasn't so bad with time, after all.

  "Did she use any name besides Desert Gal?"

  "Nope. "

  We'd check that with the others, see if he -

  "Truth," Tanner said before the thought could fully form in my head.

  So we still didn't know her real name. Crap.

  "Describe her to me," Lexis said.

  For the first time, Tobin grinned. "I can't. She never came to see us herself. She sent someone else to take care of us. "

  "Who?"

  "Don't know her name, only that she's young, hot and has red hair. Girl had a mouth on her, though.

  Damn did she have a mouth. "

  Red hair narrowed things down a little. It would make her easier to spot, if nothing else. Well, if the red hair was real. It could have been a wig, or temporarily dyed.

  Lexis leaned back in her seat, the very picture of resolute agent. "Did she ask you to do anything for her or Desert Gal?"

  "Nope. " He wasn't a bad-looking guy, with brown hair and big brown eyes. No tattoos, was even clean-cut. Those steroid muscles, though. . . someone should have told him there was such a thing as too much. "Not a thing. "

  "Lie," Tanner said.

  The guy had delivered his lies with a straight face and no telltale signs. Without Tanner, I would have believed him. "We'll have to keep him incarcerated, then, because we can't risk letting him wander around, trying to hurt us. Or maybe not," I added after a moment's reflection. "Like you said, he's probably strong enough to bust out of here. But he hasn't. Which means, as I suspected, Desert Gall and her cohort might have asked him to stay and spy on us. If we let him go, we can follow him. Maybe he'll lead us to them. "

  Tanner slapped me on the back. "Damn, Viper. Now you're thinking like an agent. I like it. Come on.

  We've got our own people to interview. "

  I nodded reluctantly and turned, keeping my attention on Rome as long as possible. Because of that, I saw that he'd pushed to his feet, his chair skidding behind him.

  I stopped. Both Lexis and Tobin glanced over at him questioningly.

  He didn't say anything, just headed straight for the door. My eyes widened and my heart thumped in my chest. Was he coming for. . . me?