Jungle Inferno (17 page)

Faith’s lips parted and her eyes got a heavy-lidded look. “I can’t believe you bought that.”

“Oh, darlin’, this is only the beginning.” Reaching into the box, he took out a small leather sack and pulled from it a small metal vibrator. He held it out for Faith to see.

“This is a clit vibrator. The little note that came with it said it will drive you wild. I think we’ll see if that’s true.” Finally he took out a velvet pouch, opened it and two round, smooth balls connected by a thin piece of leather dropped into his hand. “Ben Wa, balls,” he told her. “I heard they drive you out of your mind when you come. Let’s see if they were right.”

Taking the toys, he knelt between her legs, bending them up so her feet were planted flat on the bed and spreading them as wide as he could. He took a moment to grab a pillow and place it beneath her hips, raising her pussy higher and giving him even better access. He bent his head down between her thighs and lapped at her slit with one long slow glide of his tongue. She shivered beneath his touch.

“So wet,” he murmured. “You liked that shaving as much as I did.” His fingers curled into her softness, his stomach contracting at the touch of the wet, quivering flesh.

He withdrew his fingers reluctantly, reminding himself the best was yet to come.

“Okay, now. These little guys first.”

Spreading the lips of her cunt with the fingers of one hand, he used the others to insert the Ben Wa balls into her very wet channel, smiling at how easily they slid in.

“Let’s see how much pleasure I can give you with this stuff.” He twisted the tiny vibrator until it hummed in his hand, then leaned forward and began massaging her slit with it. Faith jerked at its touch, and tried to close her legs, but his body kneeling between them kept them spread wide.

“Oh, no. Wide open, sweetheart. That’s what it says.”

He moved the little toy around and around the hot bundle of nerves.

“Can you feel those little balls inside you?” he asked.

“Yes.” Her eyes were glazed with her rising passion. “They…move back and forth… Oh, Mark, it’s like tiny fingers inside me. Ohmigod!” He bumped up the speed on the vibrator, circling her clit with it then pressing it right on the tip. Faith went wild, tugging desperately on the scarves that bound her hands and thrusting her hips at him with a hard, jerking motion. He knew when her orgasm began. The muscles in her stomach tightened and clenched and delicious moans rolled from her mouth. He spread the lips of her pussy with the fingers of one hand, the sight of those pink muscles convulsing arousing him to the point he had to clench his jaw to maintain some measure of control over himself.

“Please?” she begged. “I want you inside me now. Please?” He’d planned to slip the dildo inside her spasming pussy but he couldn’t wait any longer to feel her around him. Rolling on a condom, her slipped two fingers inside her to retrieve the Ben Wa balls, lifted her to him and drove into her with one hard, swift stroke.

He let out a slow breath when he was fully inside her, the walls of her cunt clutching at him, her liquid heat bathing his cock. As always he had to grit his teeth to keep from coming immediately.

He bent a head to take first one swollen nipple and then the other into his mouth, swirling his tongue around them, then nipping lightly with his teeth. His balls tightened as desire slashed through him, hot and molten.

He lifted his head to trace the edges of her mouth with his tongue before taking her in a kiss that was hungry and devouring. God, she always tasted so good. Like fresh peaches or fine wine. Her scent and her taste were everywhere inside him. He—

“I cannot help but admire you,
Capitan
.” Escobedo pushed aside the flap and walked into the tent and immediately the image dissipated. “I don’t know another man who could have held out as long as you have with our, shall we say, inventive treatment.”

Anger fueled him and gave a boost to his waning strength. “Go fuck yourself.” Escobedo’s mouth turned up in an evil caricature of a smile. “Still full of spirit. I think we haven’t shown you the full extent of our hospitality yet.” Mark said nothing, just waiting. The man wanted something. What now?

“Imagine our surprise to learn that one of your men actually eluded us.” He shook his head. “Unbelievable. I was sure we’d gotten every one of you. My men will pay for their failure.”

Joey. Still alive? And where?

“I see by the look in your eyes you know exactly who I mean.” He pulled out one of his ever-present cigarillos and lit it. “Apparently your extraction team found him when we could not and brought him home, alive but unconscious.” Mark watched and waited again. Did Escobedo’s contacts in the States have Joey?

Was that it?

“Ah, yes. You’re wondering if we’ve been able to retrieve him. Perhaps he might be more forthcoming about the sources of your information. Unfortunately, just as our people were about to move him to another facility, it seems he was snatched literally from under their noses.”

Phoenix. That’s who it had to be. Damn it, Mark, wipe that name from your brain.

But he hadn’t been quick enough. Escobedo’s eyes narrowed.

“I see in your eyes you know who took him. People who move like ghosts with honed precision. Well, then. We’ll have to have a little discussion about who they could be. We’ll have our little conversation shortly. My…guest…would like to observe and he’s occupied at the moment. Enjoy the respite,
Capitan
. It won’t last long.” As he walked past Mark he leaned down and pressed the lighted end of the cigar against Mark’s tortured chest. It was all Mark could do to swallow the scream.

* * * * *

“Aunt Vivi, I’m losing him.”

Faith sat at the little table, finishing her coffee. She’d had a restless night, her dreams filled with images of Mark, flashes from their unforgettable weekend interrupted by scenes of him bloody and beaten. Twice she woke up covered with sweat and choking. When morning arrived she was more tired than when she’d gone to bed and increasingly depressed.

“Sweetheart.” Vivi’s voice across the distance was calming and comforting. “You have to try to separate your empathetic reactions from the telepathic messages. The pain is acting as a roadblock.”

“But—”

“I know that’s easier said than done. Especially because you are so receptive. But if you want to keep the thought connection viable and fight the one who’s trying to interfere, you have to call on that strength I know you have.”

“You’re right. It’s just so hard.”

“Of course it is, my darling. Here’s what you do. When he contacts you, close your eyes and visualize a narrow stream running between high banks. Focus on keeping the water inside those barriers. And I’ll call Sarah and Emily and tell them we need to form a circle of energy. Reach out to us, Faith. Receive our strength.”

“I’ll try, Aunt Vivi. I’ll do exactly what you say.”

“When will you be home?”

“Maybe tonight. Tomorrow for sure.”

“Call me as soon as you get in and I’ll come over.”

Faith let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much. For everything.” Her next call was to Tia.

“What time does your plane get in today?” her assistant demanded.

“I don’t know yet. I may have to change my plans a little. Why?”

“Listen, Faith.” Tia’s voice dropped. “I don’t know what you’re looking for but I’ve dug up a bunch of stuff you need to see.”

Faith’s heartbeat speeded up. “Can you give me some idea of what you’ve got?”

“I’d rather wait until you’re here. I tried—”

“Hold on a sec. My call waiting just beeped.” Faith pressed the Talk button to connect to the incoming call.

“Okay, Faith.” Trey Winslow was his unctuous self. “You’ve got your appointment with Major Gregorio. Tomorrow.” He gave her the time. “Can you get there by then?” A tiny shiver of excitement rippled through her. “He agreed to meet with me?”

“Not very happily. I had to go over his head to get it done. But I don’t think you’ll get much out of him.”

That’s what you think.

“I’ll be grateful for anything he gives me. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”

“Let me know how it goes. And of course, I want one of the first copies of the book.” The artificial laugh drifted over the airwaves.

“Of course. I’ll deliver it myself.” She disconnected and was back with Tia. “Listen, I have to find a flight to North Carolina.”

“What? Faith, I—”

“I promise to call you later. And to try to get home tonight. Gotta run.” Dodging Tia would take some broken field running. Was it time to let her in on things? No. Tia had no idea of Faith’s psychic abilities. Faith didn’t know how open the woman was to them and if the revelation would damage her credibility. No time to think about that now. She could worry about it when she was finally headed home.

She managed to snag a seat on a flight to Raleigh-Durham leaving in two hours.

Hustling, she packed her few things, checked out and was in a cab headed to the airport in thirty minutes, planning a full frontal assault on Major John Gregorio.

* * * * *

The cabin had two bedrooms. They set Joey up in the larger one. They’d take turns in the other one, since only one or two of them at a time would be sleeping. Rick helped Troy get his brother settled, then pulled up a chair next to the bed and dropped into it.

“He’s still knocked out from the shot I gave him,” Troy pointed out.

“I don’t care. I’ll just be here when he wakes up again.” His jaw was set in a stubborn line.

Troy was in and out throughout the night checking on Joey’s vitals, careful not to disturb Rick who dozed restlessly in the chair. When he saw the sleep the younger man had fallen into was a natural one and his vitals were stable, he disconnected all the monitors, leaving only the IV that pumped vital antibiotics and narcotics into his system.

He examined the incisions where the doctors had removed the bullets from his leg and shoulder. Neither wound had done serious damage, fortunately. The coma had been due mostly to shock and loss of blood and the trauma of the surgery. Troy made sure to give him plenty of pain meds, then assured Rick they’d see steady improvement.

Rick grunted. “Getting him out of that hospital ought to help.” In the morning Troy brought him a steaming mug of coffee. “He’s slept off the shot I gave him and his breathing’s a lot more normal than when we fetched him. I think he’ll wake up soon.”

Rick raked his fingers through his hair. “God, I hope so.”

“Something else for you to think about.” Dan came into the room carrying a satellite phone. “I checked in to make sure our paying clients were being taken care of.”

“And?” Rick raised his eyebrow. “We pick our staff carefully. I can’t believe anything’s falling through the cracks.”

“That’s not it. All that’s going well. It’s that woman.” Rick raised an eyebrow. “Woman?”

“Faith Wilding. She’s left three more messages for you.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Are you sure this isn’t one of the many women you’ve blazed your path of destruction through?”

“Damn it. No. You think I’m such a shithead I wouldn’t remember?” He made a sound of disgust. “Anyway, no one I ever slept with would call me Eric. I can’t think of a single person who uses that name anymore.”

“Well, she’s damn anxious to talk to you.” He held out the sat phone. “Find out what she wants.”

“Not until Joey’s awake and I can get a handle on things. Right now that’s all that’s important.”

At that moment his brother groaned, a raw sound that made the hair on Rick’s neck stand up. He leaned over the bed.

“Joey? It’s me, kid.”

Joey’s hand flailed and Troy locked his fingers around the younger man’s wrists to keep him from knocking himself loose from the equipment.

“Give him a second,” he told the others. “He’s coming around but he’s fighting it.” Troy was right. In a moment Joey settled back and his eyelids opened slowly. When he caught sight of Rick bending over him a look of shock spread over his face.

“Rick?” His voice sounded as if it was scraped from the bottom of a barrel. “God.

That really you?”

“It’s me, kid.”

Joey struggled to sit up and they had to restrain him again.

“Take it easy,” Rick told him. “Wherever you were, you’re safe now.” The younger man’s head fell back on the pillow, pain slashing across his face. His breath rasped from his lungs. “Safe. A joke.”

“Joey?” Dan moved to the bedside. “Are you up to talking at all?”

“What he needs is rest,” Rick told them.

“No.” The word rasped from his throat. “Have to tell you. Need…to talk.” Troy filled a glass with water, stuck a straw in it and helped Joey to sit up so he could take a few sips. “Just go easy, okay?”

“Rick,” he began again. “Please. Listen.”

Rich looked up at Troy, who nodded his head.

“Okay, kid. Let’s have it.”

“They’re all… Oh God.” Tears filled his eyes. “They’re all dead. Everyone except Mark.”

The men looked at each other. Finally Dan asked, “The whole unit?” Joey nodded. “They were…waiting for us. Someone told them we were coming.” The tangos had been waiting for them, guns chattering even before the unit was fully in place. All hit. Except for Joey, who was already settled high in a tree.

The young man’s eyes were haunted as he told about the dead men dragged to the campsite in the bowels of the Peruvian jungle and burned. And Mark, beaten and bleeding, dragged away.

“Shit.” Rick ground out the word. “Fuck all anyway.”

“Are you sure Halloran’s still alive?” Dan asked.

“Yes.” Joey’s breathing was labored but he was obviously determined to get his story out. “They wanted to find out who told us about this meeting and where it would be. He’ll…hold out…but…”

“According to your CO, you were almost dead when the team found you,” Rick told him. “I’ll be lighting candles over this for a long time.” Joey drew in a painful breath, forcing himself to speak again. “Do you know… Is anyone getting the captain out?”

The men all looked at each other. “We didn’t even know he was still alive until just now. And the government isn’t real good about sharing information.”