Authors: Rebecca York
Dark Warrior (32 page)
“WE
need to find a place where we can contact Tessa,” Jason said.
need to find a place where we can contact Tessa,” Jason said.
“You’re right.”
“This time, I’ll drive,” Sophia said.
As they headed back toward town, neither one of them spoke, and Sophia assumed they were both worrying about what was going to happen next. They’d come here to rescue her sister, and they’d hit an immediate obstacle. What other defenses did Rafe Garrison have?
As they approached a motel chain north of town, Jason gestured. “Stop here.”
He got out and paid for a night.
When they’d stepped into what looked like a three-star motel room with a bed, a chair, and a television set, he turned to Sophia.
“Let’s see if we can change the rules a little bit.”
“How?” She was the one who’d been practicing mental communication all her life, but he seemed to have more creative ideas.
When he held out his arms, she came into them, clasping him tightly and laying her head against his shoulder.
They swayed together in the center of the room, both overcome with emotions—and longing. But she knew they had to stick to business.
“Do we have to stand up?” she asked.
He laughed again. “Comfortable is good.”
Turning, he pulled down the spread and blanket. They both kicked off their shoes and lay down, reaching for each other again.
She closed her eyes, absorbing the feel of him and at the same time trying to connect with his mind.
The process was becoming familiar, and she was able to link with him quickly.
Try it with less physical connection
, he suggested.
, he suggested.
Sophia eased away from him, keeping their hands as the only physical link.
When the mental connection held, she felt his satisfaction.
Slowly he drew his hands away, his fingers inches from hers. She felt the connection waver, but it still held.
Can we still do this while we’re running around out there in the hills?
I hope so.
Too bad we don’t have a lot of time to practice.
He took her hand again. This time, by mutual agreement, they reached toward Tessa—and found her waiting for them.
Thank the fates.
Are you all right
? Sophia asked urgently.
? Sophia asked urgently.
I have to get out of here.
We’re very close. But we can’t get into the estate. Garrison has some kind of barrier that keeps out Minot.
Some kind of electrical thing?
Do you know where it is
? Jason asked.
? Jason asked.
She gasped when she heard his voice.
You!
You don’t think Sophia can do this by herself, do you?
Tessa made a moaning sound.
I don’t know what to think. What to do.
I don’t know what to think. What to do.
Help us
, he said.
Can you turn off his device?
, he said.
Can you turn off his device?
I don’t know.
Sophia spoke.
Please. We need your help to get in.
Please. We need your help to get in.
I’ll try. I have to go. He’s expecting me at lunch.
Jason entered the conversation again.
I just got caught in the edge of his shield. Did he act like he knows I’m out here?
I just got caught in the edge of his shield. Did he act like he knows I’m out here?
I don’t think so.
Okay. Try to turn it off as soon as it’s dark outside. Then keep him busy.
How?
Be creative.
I . . .
The communication snapped off, and Sophia rolled away from Jason, staring at him.
“You know what you’re asking her to do?”
“Yes.”
“Suppose she . . . can’t.”
“Then we’re in trouble.”
“You are, already.”
Both of them looked toward the door, where the speaker stood, trapping them in the room.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FOUR
IT WAS EUGENIA. In back of her were Ophelia, Adona, and Vanessa.
Jason and Sophia sprang off the bed. He drew her in back of him, for all the good that would do if the Ionians attacked.
“You said you wouldn’t follow us,” Sophia said in a shaky voice.
Eugenia shrugged. “I needed you to find Tessa, and I needed to see how you would proceed. I think it’s clear you can’t get her back by yourself.”
Jason kept his gaze fixed on her. “We’re going to give it a try.”
Eugenia’s voice turned scornful. “You can’t even get in there. He’s got some kind of device that stops Minot.”
“Tessa’s going to turn it off. We asked her to do it as soon as it got dark.”
“If she can; if she has the will. Maybe she’s switched sides.”
Sophia raised her chin. “She told us he’s planning to kill all the other Ionians. She wouldn’t have said that if she wasn’t on our side.”
Eugenia gasped. “Is that true?”
“She thinks so.”
“It could be a lie. I don’t know what tricks a Minot is going to play,” Eugenia snapped.
“Because it’s been drummed into you for years that we’re evil.”
They glared at each other.
Jason forced himself to calm. Getting into a fight wasn’t going to help Tessa—or him and Sophia. “Be logical. Making Tessa terrified for her sisters isn’t a smart move on Garrison’s part.”
Eugenia nodded. “All right. That makes sense. But she may not know she’s under his control.”
Sophia grimaced, hating to think that was true. She knew that making assumptions about Tessa’s loyalties or her abilities was dangerous, yet at the same time, she knew that they needed her help to get inside the estate.
“We’ll all go there tonight,” Eugenia said. She looked at Jason. “If you can get in, you can keep him occupied. Let him think you’re the main threat. We’ll find Tessa, then surprise him with the same technique that we used on you. Only we’ll turn up the volume.”
“Phasers set to kill?” Jason asked.
“Something like that. If Tessa’s right, he’s too dangerous to walk the earth.”
Would that turn out to be true of him, too, when the emergency was over? He’d like to discuss that point, but he didn’t have the luxury at the moment.
“We’ve been digging into his background,” Eugenia said. “We found the Web site of the architect who designed the house. We have the plans. And the location of the house on the property.”
She held up the minicomputer she’d been carrying in her right hand.
“All right. That will help,” he said in acknowledgment, hating that they were running the show. Too bad he and Sophia had come here without any firm plans. Maybe he’d been assuming that he and Garrison would fight—hand to hand the way they’d done in the desert.
“There are two Minot there,” Sophia said.
Eugenia blinked. “How do you know?”
“Tessa told us.”
“You’re sure?”
“She mentioned him several times,” Sophia answered.
“Why has he joined with Garrison?” Eugenia asked.
“He hates the Ionians,” Jason answered.
“Why?”
Jason couldn’t stop himself from saying, “I can imagine the order did something nasty to him. Hell, for all I know, his father could have raped his mother. He could have been a boy baby born at the spa, and they left him out in the desert to die.”
“No! You’re angry and making assumptions. We would never do anything like that.
“Maybe he wanted to hook up with one of those other women who left the order, and the Ionians killed her.”
“Impossible.”
“Would you have thought Cynthia would veto getting Tessa back?”
“No,” Eugenia said again.
“The guy calls himself John. Does that mean anything to you?” Jason asked.
“Nothing.” She snorted. “Maybe John Doe?”
“It appears we can’t figure out who he is,” Sophia broke in. “Let’s hope we can get Tessa out of there.”
“And make sure Garrison can’t kill any Ionians,” Eugenia reminded them.
“What about the other guy?” Jason asked.
“We have to assume he’s just as dangerous.” She switched back to the invasion plan. “We can get close because a hill hides the road from direct line of sight.”
“Garrison’s got to have security cameras,” Jason said.
“We can park about two hundred yards away and walk to the property line. And wait for the signal that the”—Eugenia flapped her hand—“let’s call it a force field—is down.”
Jason didn’t ask what would happen if Tessa couldn’t drop Garrison’s shield—or distract him.
“We’d better get some rest,” Eugenia said. “We have rooms at this motel.” She looked at her watch. “We’ll come back here a couple of hours before dark, have something to eat, then drive out to the compound.”
“You’ve got it all figured out,” he said dryly.
“You and I both know something will go wrong,” she answered.
“Yeah. One thing we won’t know in advance is if the barrier is down. I’m going to have to try going through. And if I pass out, you and Sophia will have to drag me back.”
AFTER
Eugenia and the other Ionians left Sophia and Jason alone, he was too restless to sleep. He’d transferred the house plans to his own computer and spent some time memorizing them. It was a sprawling property, and he hoped they could locate Tessa.
Eugenia and the other Ionians left Sophia and Jason alone, he was too restless to sleep. He’d transferred the house plans to his own computer and spent some time memorizing them. It was a sprawling property, and he hoped they could locate Tessa.
Finally, he joined Sophia, who’d been lying on the bed with her eyes closed. As soon as he eased down beside her, he knew she wasn’t really sleeping.
He reached for her and pulled her close.
“We’re supposed to be resting,” she murmured.
“If something goes wrong tonight . . .” He stopped and started again.
She might have been thinking the same thing, because her mouth came down on his for a kiss that turned frantic the moment their lips touched.
“Slow down,” he murmured, his lips against hers. “We both want to enjoy this.”
Turning his head, he nibbled at her ear, then slid his lips to her jaw, her neck.
In the darkened room, he gathered her closer, marveling at how perfectly her body fit against his. Swaying her in his arms, he slid her breasts against his chest as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth.
Do anything you want with me
, she whispered in his mind.
Everything you want.
, she whispered in his mind.
Everything you want.
Oh yes.
He kissed her deeply, drinking from her essence, trying to hang on to his will to go slowly and savor every moment of this time they had together. Perhaps the last time.
His hands went to her bottom, cupping her sweet curves so that he could press her center to the erection straining at the front of his slacks.
If Eugenia barged in again, she was going to be embarrassed, he thought as he unhooked Sophia’s bra, then eased away from her to pull up her T-shirt and suck one of her hot, distended nipples into his mouth while he tugged and twisted the other one with his thumb and finger.
His hand went to the button at the top of her jeans, pulling it open and lowering her zipper.
Impatiently, he reached inside, dipping into the folds of her sex, loving the way she had turned wet and molten for him.
When he slipped two fingers into her, stroking in and out, she answered with a muffled sob as her hands went to the front of his jeans and began struggling to get them off of him.
As she lowered his zipper, he couldn’t hold back a cry of gratitude. And when she freed his cock and wrapped her hand around him, he fought not to lose control.
It felt good. Too good.
He wanted to take her now, but they were still both half dressed, and he knew it would be better naked.
Naked
, she echoed in his mind.
, she echoed in his mind.
He rolled away to tug at his shirt and jeans, and she also finished undressing. When they were unencumbered, she came back into his arms, both of them crying out as they clung together.
She looked at him, her eyes dazed, as he reared up, then kissed his way down her body, finding the delicious core of her, lapping and sucking on her, feeling the fluttering vibrations of her approaching climax.
“Not that way,” she gasped.
“Let me.”
She tensed, then lay back, and he kept up the caress, bringing her to a rocking climax. Then he came back beside her and started arousing her all over again. When he knew she was ready, he thrust deep inside her. As she began to move in a jerky rhythm, he cupped his hands around her bottom, pushing deeper into her, watching her face as her inner muscles clenched around him.
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