Reluctant Protector (9 page)

Instantly, he slowed his pace and met her eyes. He shifted positions again, tilting her hips forward. His right hand caressed her ass as he held her. “I can help. Just let me know when something feels good. He withdrew. She moaned. When he surged forward again, her breath caught.

But when his fingers grazed the cleft of her buttocks she started to tremble. A wicked glint flashed in his eyes and he repeated the movement as he pumped into her again.  The only way Cassie knew to answer him was to crush her lips to his.

As he kissed her, his fingers stole down the cleft of her ass, past the tense pucker to where their bodies met. He stroked the sensitive patch of skin and wet his fingers with her juices. When he traced a path back to the tight pucker, Cassie stilled.

In a slow measured movement, he circled the opening with his moist fingertips. Her breath hitched. He performed the motion again and she whimpered.  He started working in rhythm with his thrusts and her orgasm began building again. More than a fleeting distant sensation. Now as a tangible concrete mantle she hurtled toward. One gentle finger probed her ass and her head flew back as the blunt digit pushed beyond the resistance.

 In time with his finger, he worked his cock in and out of her. Then he added another finger. The tight pressure completely filled her. With another curse, he picked up the pace, demanding she follow him. She had no choice. With or without him, her path led to ecstasy.

Seth shifted his other hand so both hands rested her rear entrance, opening her, teasing her nerve endings. Cassie’s orgasm slammed into her with such force, her vision grayed. The walls of her pussy milked Seth, pulsating around him, refusing to let go.

With another groan, Seth followed her jump into oblivion—his body trembled with each pump of his seed inside of her.

He still didn’t release her lips as he stumbled back from the wall to the bed. Seth collapsed on top of her with their bodies still joined.

Chapter Eleven

Lisa barged into the guest bedroom like Satan himself was on her heels. “Move your asses. You got to go.”

Cassie sprang from the desk in the corner, pointing her gun at Lisa, safety off. Somewhere in the middle of the night she needed to breathe and shoved Seth’s hulking body off of her. But missing his warmth, she donned her long sleeved T-shirt and perched by the window, trying to work up the nerve to leave him. She never found it. So, she made use of the time and tried to get a peek at the flash drive Annabel had given her. No luck, though. The damn thing was encrypted.

She darted a glance at Seth, face down on the bed, naked as when she pushed him aside. He was dead to the world. He really needed to work on his reflexes.

She lowered the gun and returned her gaze to Lisa’s strained expression. “What’s happened?”

Lisa helped toss their things into Cassie’s lone bag, along with some medical supplies. “Nosy neighbor who listens to police scanners came over this morning, asking about your car in the back driveway. There’s an APB out for your make and model.” She paused, her eyes grave. “Cassie, that friend you mentioned, Annabel. She’s on the news.”

Cassie stilled.

“They found her in her house. Apparent suicide. I have to admit, even with your levitation trick, your story was a little hard to believe until that news story. You guys have got to move.”

“Shit.” Wheeling, she tossed the clothes Lisa had bought at him and she yelled. “Seth, Trackers are coming.”

That did it. He lurched up out of bed, bleary eyed but alert.. “I didn’t get any flashes.”

“We can worry about that later. Right now we have to go.” 

“According to the police, little Miss Wonder Woman here has been kidnapped and you're wanted as a person of interest.” Lisa grabbed a few Clorox sheets and helped Cassie wipe down surfaces in the room.

“Bullshit.” Seth’s voice was low and angry as he glanced at Cassie. “How far’s Peter going to go?”

Despair licked at Cassie’s sanity. “You should stay here with Dr. Trenery. I can turn myself in.”

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t be stupid. I wasn’t turned into Professor X just to have you go back to h—” He glared at her. “You’re trying to ditch me.” It was a statement, not a question.

She held up a hand. They didn’t have time to argue. She would sort out his hurt feelings later. “You and Lisa need to go somewhere safe. Get far away from here. Even better, neutralize Peter’s plan. Go to the police. Lisa can act as your alibi. They’ll clear you of any involvement and you never have to be part of this craziness again.”

“Have you forgotten I look like I belong in the NBA? I am part of this. Besides, you need me. You’re not going to find the others by yourself.”

She considered the flash drive Annabel had given her. She didn’t want to admit he had a point. “Seth, it’s safer if you’re away from me.”

He glowered. “For you or me?” He set his jaw, and even though she barely knew him, she recognized the stubborn glint in his eyes. “I’m a grown-ass man and I’m making my own decision. You turn me into a superhero, I get a say in the fighting of evil assholes.”

Cassie sighed.  “Fine. Lisa, get your things, you have to come with us.”

The doctor halted her frantic movements. “What the hell do you mean?”

Cassie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “We can’t leave you alone. It’s not safe here.”

“Cassie’s right, Lisa. Those guys coming, they won’t show you any mercy. They’d kill you just for seeing us. Never mind what they’ll do when they find out you helped us.”

“They might find out you’ve been here, but if Cassie mind pushes me, they don’t have to know I was complicit. I can’t just leave. I have patients who need me.” She turned her attention to Cassie. “How does your mind pushing work?”

Cassie blinked. She couldn’t put this woman in harm’s way. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember. They won’t care. Your choices are come with us, or you and Seth go somewhere safe and I’ll run on my own.” Guilt wrapped around her like a wet suit. How many more people would she put in danger?

Lisa rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Seth. “Look, take her to the cabin. It’s in Matt’s mother’s name. No one will look for you there. And if you can get your girlfriend to cooperate, I won’t remember I sent you there.  When things die down, call me and I’ll meet you there.”

Seth’s brows furrowed as he darted looks between Lisa and Cassie, but Cassie wasn’t ready to give up. Patients or not, the doctor had no chance if she stayed behind.

“I’ve only been to the cabin once. You’ll have to give us directions in the car. Cassie’s right. Get your stuff. You can’t stay here.”

The brunette put her hand on Seth’s arm met his eyes. “Your attempts to protect me won’t make up for Matt’s death. Seth, I don’t blame you. You should stop punishing yourself. Matt would have gone into that village with or without you. He made his choice then. I’m making mine now.”

Seth lumbered back several steps. “Lisa, I—”

“This is my choice to make.” Lisa repeated.

Cassie fought the jealousy rising like bile in her throat. She did not need to witness this moment of intimate apologies. When Seth sighed, Cassie knew they wouldn’t be seeing the doctor again. Lisa’s mind was made up. With a weary sigh, Cassie said, “How much do you want me to erase?”

“Enough so I only remember you showed up. Erase Seth’s transformation, obviously, if you can. And erase memory of where you’re going.”

Before Cassie began, she tried pleading once more. “Dr. Tren—, Lisa, are you sure you won’t—”

“Time’s a wasting, Cassie. Let’s get this over with.”

***

Maybe she made a mistake taking Seth with her. Cassie slid a glance toward the driver's seat. He was angry, and he had every right to be. This was another impossible situation of her making. She should have just mind pushed him into staying. But she made the best decision she could. She changed his life forever and she hadn’t asked his permission. She was no better than her brother.

“You need to think of next steps, Cassie. You can’t just run forever.”

She sighed, and desperation dripped from her simple breath. “If I can shake these Trackers for a minute, I can get the information I need. The flash drive Annabel gave me. It has information about the other Gentech facilities. I tried checking at Lisa’s house, but the files are encrypted. I need to find someone who can decrypt them.” She shrugged. “The only other thing I have to go on is the town of Riddenwell.  Annabel mentioned it before I ran. It’s a little north of here on the coast, but I need more information to go on. All I know is it’s got a population of a hundred thousand and is a science and tech hub. Smaller haystack, but still a tiny needle.”

Seth tightened his jaw. “I know someone who can help with the decryption. It’s a long shot, but I can try and track him down. You can’t keep running. Even after you free the others. You all can’t keep running forever. Peter has to be stopped before anyone else dies.”

She frowned. He was pissed, but she couldn’t have changed Lisa’s decision any more than she could Annabel’s. “Look, give me another couple of days and I’ll be out of your hair. Then you can do whatever you want with the information you have about me.”

He took his eyes off the road to glare at her. “You really think I would turn you in? You seriously think that's the kind of person I am? Let's get something straight. I'm pissed about all kinds of things.  I’m pissed Lisa wouldn’t listen to me and pulled the guilt card. I’m pissed about you trying to leave me behind and how you never got to live your life. And that with all my new found Superman skills, I still don’t know how to use them. What’s happened to me isn't something I planned. At least not since I was ten years old and dreamed about being able to fly and see through walls. But I'm not going to hang you out to dry because I've got abs that put Billy Blanks to shame. Once you figure out what to do about your brother, I can get back to my life.”

“I promise I will clear your name. Whatever it is I have to do. If there’s a cure, I’ll find it.  I won’t be responsible for ruining your life.”

“Yeah, now where have I heard that before?” The corners of his lips turned up in a smirk.

Cassie knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but his comment still pricked her conscience. “I—”

He slammed on the brakes. They met each other’s gazes and the fear swirled between them. “Seth, did you flash? Any images?”

He shook his head. “But I hear something.” His eyes narrowed and he cocked his head as if listening for something.

The sounds finally filtered through her shields. Cars, lots of them. Muted voices. Clanging machinery. They had company on the road. Police maybe? “How much further until the cabin?”

He checked the GPS on Lisa’s car. “A couple of miles, but how did they find out about it? They can’t have had time to get to Lisa’s and be already after us.”

Peter had all kinds of resources at his disposal. He could find anything. “Not likely. They could have just hedged their bets and be putting up a barricade in case we did come this way.” But she didn’t believe in coincidences.

He blanched and slowed down. “Cassie, I’m sorry. I—”

“No time. How are you feeling?” She scanned their surroundings. He wouldn’t be as useful if they had to fight, but at least he would be less likely to get killed. She had asked Seth to drive to help him get accustomed to his new body. As training went it was minimal, but she’d take what she could get.

“Strong enough, I think. The driving helps with my hand-eye coordination.”

Cassie breathed deep as they approached the police checkpoint. Seven officers.
Holy shit.
She never pushed so many at once before without seriously incapacitating herself. She risked a glance at Seth. His jaw was set and his eyes narrowed. They didn’t have any other options. If she failed, her brother would yank her back to his house of horrors faster than she could ask, ‘“Can I get a phone call?”’

Seth pulled up to the barricade and rolled down his window. “Morning officers. Is there a problem?”

Cassie blocked out all distractions and focused on being invisible and erasing her image from the men present. Luckily, no dogs were present. Dogs might not see her, but they would smell her. Seth’s answered the officer’s questions in a reassuring voice while she concentrated.

“Looks like you have all the state troopers out here.”'

The cop flashed a light at the car, but he seemed not to notice her. “We’re looking for a woman, traveling with a man. She's a kidnap victim. Her name is Cassie Reeser.” He paused. “Dark hair, green eyes, about five feet tall. Have you seen anyone matching that description?”

Seth casually shook his head and asked a couple of questions. The lies rolled off his tongue with ease. Cassie felt the heat of the cop move further away from her.

“Go ahead on. If you see anyone matching the description, we recommend you call the police immediately. We’re holding an ongoing investigation.”

Cassie waited a full minute after the barricade before she took a breath.  She sat back against her seat, unable to fathom that they just avoided a huge problem.

“How did you do that?”

Cassie's didn’t answer until she did a mental check of her abilities. “Practice.”

Just as Seth picked up speed, a tingle ran up the back of her neck. Something wasn't right. Seth’s tight, grim expression said it all. “What do you hear?”