Leaf, Erin M. - Tango Trio [Dream Marked 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (23 page)

Tessa, you’re amazing
, Jared sent her. He was astonished by her ability.

I don’t know yet what I can’t do. I seem to be limited to enhancing scent and vision, maybe physical strength. This image is just a representation of what the three of us are smelling
, Tessa thought to him.

Jared realized she was right. He’d continued to instinctively scent the scene even as she constructed a virtual image in her brain. Now that he knew, he could tell which parts of the image were his contribution and which were Tessa’s and Parker’s.

That’s incredible,
Parker sent, the admiration he felt clearly permeating his mind voice. Jared felt Tessa’s answering bashfulness and smiled to himself. He loved them so much.

I think I can cut the power, too
, Tessa added.

How?
Jared asked, even more astonished.

My ability to heal seems to work on physical things, in a limited fashion
.
I can short it by disintegrating pieces of the cord. It’s a bit harder with inanimate objects, especially if they’re not organic, but I think I can do it.

That would help us get the drop on them,
Parker sent.

I hope so. It would be nice if we can disorient them before we barge in there, totally outnumbered
, Tessa responded.

Jared wanted to hug her.
Yeah, do it. There are six of them. We should be able to handle them, even with the acid pistols.

Okay. On three?

Yup.
As Tessa’s body press against his, Jared sensed Parker’s resolve build. A well of gratitude for his bond-mates’ strength filled him, and he began the count.
One, two—

Chapter 14

Tessa pulled with all her strength, willing the bright cord of power she sensed in her mind to disintegrate. It bent in her grasp, twisting like taffy, but as she sucked in more of the power, feeding it to Parker and Jared, it grew brittle.
Just a little more, and it will break
, she sent, her mind voice gasping. She sensed Parker gathering his determination around him like a shield, and Jared tensed beside her. Suddenly, the conduit exploded in a flash of light. She’d been expecting that, so she had their auras thickened in front of their eyes for the split second needed to protect their vision. Jared and Parker flinched then leaped forward. Tessa was more afraid of the excess energy generated by the brief explosion. When it blew, the earth-energy she held in her mind flared. She struggled, trying to absorb the excess even as Jared and Parker disappeared into the cavern. Her brain was full of static, the energy bouncing around inside her skull until she wrestled it down, shoving it into their auras. The sound of screaming grew louder as she grounded the energy and focused her nose again. Tessa sniffed then once again formed the energy-aural image in their minds. She eased forward to the cavern’s opening, not wanting to get in the way. Parker was ripping out the throat of one of her mother’s men while Jared snarled at a thug who was pointing a gun at him.

No!
she screamed, shoving more power into Jared while simultaneously unmaking the attacker’s legs. The man toppled but didn’t lose his grip on the gun. Tessa wanted to vomit at what she’d done, but there wasn’t time. It felt like the opposite of healing, disintegrating flesh like that, but she’d had no choice. She had to use every weapon at her disposal. It was even easier than when she’d dissolved her mother’s arm. The thought made her gag but she reigned in her reaction. Jared needed her. She tried again, unmaking the man’s fingers but she was too late. Jared ducked as the man shot at him but the bullet missed. The attacker toppled and died. In the corner of her eye, Tessa saw her mother shoot Parker point blank with her psychic acid, and suddenly she was too busy shoring up Parker’s aura to worry about Jared any longer. Thankfully, repairing the aura was easier than before. All the extra energy she’d pushed into them helped.

What’s that smell?
Jared thought at her, his mind voice harried.
And where’s Johnson?

Tessa looked around wildly.
I can’t pinpoint him!
She sniffed, trying to get a hint of the man, but all she inhaled was ash.
I don’t smell anything but ash.

Something’s burning
, Jared gasped into her mind even as he shredded another thug with his claws. Tessa sensed another sneaking up behind him and concentrated. His body burst into nothing. She gagged then forced the reaction down. The extra energy she’d pulled made her control tenuous, but she couldn’t regret saving her bond-mates.

Thanks, sweetheart
, Jared thought to her, his mind voice soothing.
He would’ve gotten me if you hadn’t killed him.

I know, but it’s horrible. I should be healing—

Tessa, behind you!
Parker shouted in her head, and she whirled. A man loomed up over her, and she instinctively shoved her power into him, willing him to die. This time the man melted, his flesh slipping down over his bones into a sludgy pile of ashy residue before disappearing. Tessa coughed up saliva and spat.
I hate this!

Darling, you had to. He would’ve killed you
, Jared sent, moving closer now that all the thugs were dead.
Johnson escaped. Damnit.

Parker snarled, and Tessa realized he still had her mother cornered. The woman shrank back against the wall, dropping her now-empty acid pistol. Parker snarled again then shifted, his muscular human body looming over Tessa’s mom. He looked just as menacing like that as in his cat form. He reached down and picked up a flashlight then clicked it on. “Your acid can’t hurt us anymore, Cynthia.”

Tessa’s mom blinked in the sudden light, gaping at the naked man looming over her. “Parker?”

“Where did Johnson go?” Parker demanded, grabbing the woman by her uninjured arm. He shook her. “Is there another way out of here?”

“Like I’d tell you!” Tessa’s mom hissed. She was pale and weak but still stubborn.

“If you don’t, we’ll leave you here,” Parker said, fingers digging in hard enough to make her gasp. The woman spit at him, but Parker didn’t blink.

Tessa stalked around the cavern, growling as she listened. Just like her mom to turn nasty when cornered.

Why isn’t she using her power to try and fuck with our heads?
Parker asked.

Tessa thought about it for a moment.
Blood loss. She needs a certain amount of ‘Path in her system to do anything. Look, her pupils are dilated, and she’s getting the shakes. You’d better ask her your questions before her brain seizes.

“Who funded this lab?” Parker asked. Tessa sensed he knew he wouldn’t get any information about Johnson from her.

“This is my lab,” she said, but Tessa could hear the quiver in her voice. Her mom was hiding something.

Parker glanced around at the crates packed full of Styrofoam. “There’s enough ‘Path in here to buy a small country.” His eyes grew hard. “Where did you get the blood to make it?”

Tessa’s mom suddenly dived for the floor, wrenching her arm out of Parker’s grasp. Tessa snarled, but before she could get there, Jared had the woman pinned. Tessa began to walk over then paused. What was that smell?
Jared was right. Something is definitely burning
, she sent to Jared and Parker.

Parker looked at her, his face grim.
Can you pinpoint the source?

I can try.
Tessa swept the room with her senses, trying to focus her energy on the room. The dim light didn’t help at all, so she closed her eyes and inhaled, ignoring her mother’s futile struggles. As she reached out, she realized that she could sense packets of blood along one wall, packed into crates. Her healing gift cringed as it touched the blood, sensing the death of the cells inside. Tessa guessed it didn’t matter if the blood was fresh or not. They could still manufacture ‘Path from it. The drug vials were packed nearby in small lots of eight inside the Styrofoam. The organic nature of the drug called to her, and Tessa realized that she could unmake everything in here with the stored energy of the drug. She shuddered then realized that she felt a spark of energy traveling along a cord. It lead under the stack of ‘Path crates.

I found the fuse!
she exclaimed, sending the image to Jared. Jared backed off Tessa’s mom, letting Parker grab hold of her again. He shifted to human and grabbed Parker’s light.

“Who is that?” Tessa’s mom asked, her voice shocked.

Parker snorted. “That’s Tessa’s other bond-mate, Jared.”

The woman gasped. “Trio-bond!”

Knowing they wouldn’t get any information from her mother, Tessa ignored her and followed Jared to the crates, sniffing out the source of the burning scent. He crouched down and peered into the crack between the stacked boxes.

“It’s a fuse. I can’t find the end,” Jared said, frowning.

Tessa’s mom cackled. “Johnson’s parting gift!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Parker shook the woman again, not caring that her head snapped back and hit the wall. Tessa looked at her mom, strangely unmoved. After everything the woman had done to hurt her, she just didn’t care anymore.

“Boom!” Her mother laughed, eyes wild.

Tessa snarled.
That’s it, she’s snapped! Be careful.

Wait
, Jared sent, his mind suddenly buzzing a million miles an hour.
Tessa, do you know if ‘Path is flammable?

I don’t know,
she answered, worried.

Why else would Johnson have lit that fuse?
Parker reasoned.

Tessa looked at him then at Jared, seeing her fear reflected in their eyes. A deep rumble shook the ground.
What the hell was that?

Tessa’s mom laughed maniacally. “There goes the main tunnel!”

I think it’s time to run
, Tessa said, just as the fuse beneath the crate sparked. The wood caught fire.
Fuck!
She leaped for the secondary tunnel where she’d undone the generator conduit.
I hope this leads somewhere!

Jared shifted into cat form and dived after her.
Leave the woman
, he ordered Parker. Tessa sensed a flash as Parker shifted. She took off as fast as she could down the tunnel, ignoring the shards of slate on the floor that cut her paws. She’d have time to heal later. She ignored the small pang of regret at the thought of her mother dying back in the cavern.

She deserves everything she gets, Tessa
, Parker sent as he loped behind her.

Tessa didn’t have time to agree. A massive explosion shook the mine, slamming them to the ground. She struggled for breath as all the air was sucked out of the shaft, then a billowing rush of fire roared toward them. Tessa chanced a look back and wished she hadn’t. A wall of flame shot toward them. There was nothing they could do. She instinctively grabbed onto their auras as she sank her claws into the ground, pulling up massive amounts of energy in an effort to save them.

Tessa!
Parker sent, his thoughts crashing into her brain. She felt Jared hook onto them both, and then the flames were there.

Hang on
, she sent as the heat splashed over them. The acrid scent of singed fur slipped into her nostrils. Sparks danced behind her eyes as she fought the urge to breathe in. There wasn’t any air anyway. Everything around them was hot, red fire. Then the ground began to melt, and she lost control of her form. She shifted back to human, wincing as her tender flesh met the burning slate beneath her, but she didn’t release the shield.
Even if I burn to a crisp I won’t let go
, she sent to her men.

* * * *

Tessa!
Parker raised his head, relieved to be alive. The initial shockwave had smashed him to the ground. Everything in Parker’s body urged him to grab Tessa and Jared and get the hell out of there. He couldn’t believe she’d been able to keep them shielded through the initial blast. He drew in a tentative breath, regretting it immediately. The air was thin and hot.

The floor is melting
, Jared sent.

Parker looked down, horrified to see the slate beneath him flare molten.
We have to get out of here!

Tessa can’t move or she’ll lose the shield
.

Parker didn’t even think about it. He shifted to human and tried to pick Tessa up, but his hands slid over her skin. He’d burned them when he shifted, and his hands were slick with blood. He ignored the pain.
Jared! Don’t touch the ground if you can help it!

I’m here
, Jared sent, his human form bending and helping Parker lift Tessa.
Hold on, sweetheart, we’ll get us out of here
. He looked at Parker.
I was able to shift and keep my front paws up.

Thank you,
Parker thought, tears running down his face. He wiped them away impatiently.
We’ve got to move
.

You go, I’ll follow
, Jared thought.

Parker moved carefully, trying not to break Tessa’s concentration. The floor and walls glowed a sullen red, but he ignored it, trusting Tessa would keep the shield intact long enough.