Cain's Salvation

Genophytes

Cain’s Salvation Cain was designed in a lab to be used as a super warrior called a Genophyte. Genophytes are programmed with military training, psychic powers, and diminished emotions. After buying out his contract with the company that built him, he uses the talents, including his empathic abilities, to run his own security firm. He was built without emotions, but that all changes when a dream shows him a female, Samantha, who needs his help. A glitch in his programming makes him susceptible to a primitive possessiveness when he meets the one female that can deal with his issues. From the moment he first sees her, he desperately wants her. His firm receives a call from her father. Sam was kidnapped and held for ransom. Cain and his employees are hired to fix the botched attempt to get her back. Their happiness rides on Cain’s ability to find her in time. Genre: Futuristic, Science Fiction Length: 65,603 words

CAIN’S SALVATION Genophytes

Lea Barrymire

EROTIC ROMANCE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance CAIN’S SALVATION Copyright © 2012 by Lea Barrymire E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-798-5 First E-book Publication: July 2012 Cover design by Harris Channing All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Cain’s Salvation by Lea Barrymire from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Lea Barrymire’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Barrymire’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To my dearest son, who loves superheroes, monsters, and any kind of being with special “power.” He inspired some of Cain’s “coolness” and has helped me plan out the rest of the genophyte traits for the series.

CAIN’S SALVATION Genophytes LEA BARRYMIRE Copyright © 2012

Prologue November 1, 2015 “Please, ladies and gentlemen, take your seats. We’ll start the presentation and auction in just about ten minutes.” The main conference room at Genotech Global was full to capacity with men and women looking to attend the biological event of the millennium. There were computers and flat-screen televisions lining three of the walls. Attendees not able to participate in person were given the ability to connect via the Internet. The room could easily accommodate two hundred people when tables and chairs were used, but with the tables removed, the Genotech staff had crammed three hundred fifty chairs into the space. Every single seat had brought in a $4,000 fee for attendance. Even the people calling in or participating via technological methods were required to pay the fee. Teresa peeked out from behind the curtain strung along the entryway she and Adam would be using to enter the room. Nervous energy skated down her spine as she caught a glimpse of the people slowly making their way to their seats. She anxiously reached up and touched the tight French knot on the back of her head. She’d spent an hour twisting and tucking her blonde hair into the hairdo. Smoothing

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sweaty hands down her tailored gray suit helped soothe her nerves. This whole advertising stunt of bringing Adam and his brothers out to the public through an open auction was a gamble. She was sure that tomorrow morning the papers would be full of reports about human atrocities and such, but for tonight, she was going to be the queen of the ball. “Are you ready, Adam?” Teresa asked. She glanced up to check on her star creation and again marveled at his chiseled features. He was six feet three inches of genetic perfection. He had blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, and a tiny dimple that graced his right cheek. His combat training rivaled any hardened military soldier, and he had enhanced strength that no mortal man could challenge. Adam was the monetary savior for Genotech Global. Without him and his brothers, there would be no company left. They had taken a gamble and sunk every last dollar into creating the superhuman soldiers that Adam was representing tonight. He was the first of many that would be contracted out to the highest bidder. “Sure, Doc. I’m always ready,” Adam answered. His icy-blue eyes observed the people with a calm, emotionless gaze. He was dressed in all black, T-shirt and cargo pants stretched taut across impressive musculature. He had submitted a request to carry weapons tonight, but had been denied. Instead, he was sporting a small microphone and communications device in his ear to facilitate his interactions with the crowd. “Good. Do you have any questions about this evening? I know we’ve gone over the itinerary, but I want to make sure you know what you’re supposed to do.” Teresa turned once more to glance out into the crowd. So many people and so many high-ranking individuals walked through the hall. The thrill of the potential income made her tingle with anticipation. She caught herself reaching up to check her hair again and stopped, admonishing herself for the nervous action. “Doc, you know I have a photographic memory. I know every word you’re going to speak, every turn you’re going to take. I’m all

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set. Don’t be nervous. I’m not.” Adam turned calm eyes on Teresa and smiled pleasantly at her. “Of course you aren’t nervous. You were built that way,” she chided. She took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m heading out there. Wish me luck.” “Good luck, Doc.” “Welcome. My name is Dr. Teresa Robinson. You’ve all been individually invited to attend tonight’s event. What we unveil tonight will have a huge impact on your lives or the lives of your contacts,” she said as she walked to the podium. The lights within the room slowly dimmed as she spoke. The screen behind her suddenly shone with the faces of Adam and Benjamin. The men were beautiful in their maleness. The title said it all. Genophytes, the Soldiers of the Future. “I’m going to take the next few minutes to explain what we’ve been doing at Genotech Global over the last decade and a half. Most of you know that the Human Genome Project was undertaken in the late eighties. That project was to map the genes found in the normal genetic pattern for humans. Genotech Global had been included on the list of companies working on the genome project. Without getting into the scientific mumbo jumbo, by 2001 my team and I had designed a process of mapping and testing functionality for each gene as we mapped it. We stumbled across some interesting genes that we had hoped to manipulate later to help humankind. In 2003 we started working with one of the genes that is normally inactive in humans and found that it controlled mental abilities such as telepathy, psychic empathy, and psychokinesis.” As she spoke, Teresa watched the faces of the people sitting in front of her. Most were listening, but once she uttered the last sentence, every single face in the audience breathed in an exclamation of shock. Oh, just wait. “In 2008 we had perfected many of the inactive genes, or had manipulated existing active ones, to do exactly what we wanted them

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to do.” She kept her voice steady and signaled the slide to change to the photo of Alpha. She turned and pointed to the screen. “That is Alpha. He was created, or conceived, in 2008 and hit his biological adult age in eighteen months. Through gene manipulation, we’ve been able to control the growth rate of human cells. We have manipulated this gene to not only accelerate growth from fetal to adult phases within months, but have been able to then stop the growth and degeneration of the cells throughout the body. Alpha is the first of his kind. Since his birth and subsequent adulthood, we’ve conceived more men with these same types of genetic foundations. We’ve named all of the beings created ‘genophytes,’ as they are not normal human men anymore, but the first of their kind. Genetically perfect individuals both designed and conceived in this facility.” Absolute silence hung in the large room. She chuckled under her breath. Here we go. “Along with gene manipulation, we’ve worked hand in hand with Dr. Klabor in developing neuron-stimulating technology. Through his work, we’ve been able to produce amazing results in memory building. All of our genophytes have been given years of education and memories through these techniques. We’ve worked tirelessly to create the most comprehensive memory banks and programs to provide the genophytes knowledge in many areas. We have programs covering anything from hand-to-hand combat to piloting the most sophisticated military aircrafts. I’d like you to meet the man of the hour, the one you all came to see. Let me introduce you to Adam, the first fully ready genophyte.” Pandemonium erupted as Adam came around the curtain and walked with animalistic grace to the podium. He glanced around the room and calmly took in the surroundings. “Please, please. Take your seats, and I’ll explain everything. Each of you has an envelope taped to the bottom of your seat that contains a flyer. This will explain the possible characteristics of our men. I’ll go through them quickly now, but if you don’t win the bid tonight,

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know that we already have five more soldiers ready for contract work. Also, as I said, we can create the ultimate in security personnel in eighteen months. If you don’t like what you see, you can select your own soldier’s characteristics.” Teresa signaled for the next slide to show on the screen as everyone settled down and reached below their seats. She’d known they would need something to focus on once everyone understood what she and her team had accomplished. The human mind could only take in and assimilate so much information before going on overload. The envelopes worked as a great distraction. “Now, if you will focus on the screen, I’ll go over the characteristics that we’ve used to design Adam. These are the characteristics that can also be added to any new genophyte we create here.” Teresa turned to Adam. “Adam, would you please step forward so everyone can see you?” **** Adam watched Dr. Teresa Robinson walk into the room buzzing with activity and excitement. He understood the ramifications of this evening, but as the doctor so easily commented, he was biologically engineered with a reduced ability for emotions. It was an asset in the work that he would soon be contracted to perform, or at least the people that designed his DNA thought so. He scowled at the thought that not having highly developed emotions might be detrimental in his extended life span, but rather than ponder the issue, he felt nothing but vague intrigue. Adam took two steps forward and stared out over the crowd, focusing on a spot at the back of the room. He felt a flutter of something in his belly, but knew it couldn’t be nervousness. He was well versed in his attributes and had gone through rigorous testing to assess his abilities. He kept his telepathic ability on lockdown to keep out the thoughts of the hundreds of people sitting in front of him.

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“Adam has enhanced strength, vision, hearing, and smell. He’s also been designed to heal faster and age much slower than normal humans. He has been designed to have almost no emotions or desires beyond accomplishing his assignments. The only emotions we have enhanced are anger and pride, as they are necessary evils in most combat situations. He’s also been given the abilities of telepathy and psychokinesis. Now, yes, I’m assuming most of you will want tests and certified results. We’ve certified all of his abilities and will offer those papers to the winner of tonight’s bid. Adam has been trained in all forms of combat and is also very astute at logistical battle planning. You’re here tonight to witness the first open bidding on contracts for a genophyte. Adam will work exclusively for the winning bidder for a specific time frame. We will run a short film to demonstrate his abilities, and then we’ll start the bidding for a five-year contract at twenty million dollars.” The noise in the room rose to deafening levels in seconds. He continued to stare over the assembled throng. His heartbeat raced a little more than normal. It concerned him, but not enough to bring it to anyone’s attention. Once the presentation was over he would bring it up with his handler.

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Chapter 1 May 20, 2090 Sam sat in the warmth of her vehicle, humming along to a song as she watched the sunset color the clouds in beautiful pastel shades of pink and purple. She watched the light in her window click on. Once again, she was glad to have the timer system installed in her apartment. She knew that the scent system would be infusing the oxygen recycler with a calming lavender smell. Her virtual fireplace would be crackling to life in ten minutes. It was good to be Samantha Bridgestone, daughter to moneymogul Roger Bridgestone. Her father was a major player in the country’s financial scene. He was well-known for investing in anything from bookstores to fish markets if he felt there was money to be made, and he was right most of the time. Sam had grown up with the understanding that money was nice to have, but it took tenacity and hard work to get. She was an only child of two loving parents and didn’t really want for anything during her childhood. She was loved unconditionally by both her parents and had a great relationship with them. Even her teen years had been smooth compared to those of her friends. That was until two years ago, when her mother passed away after a battle with liver cancer. It had ripped Sam apart to lose her, and had done the same to her father. From the sorrow came a very tight bond between the two of them. Sam had lived at home, more to keep her father from depression than her own needs, until nine months ago.

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She had finally reached the point that, as a twenty-three-year-old, she needed to strike out on her own. When the song was done, Sam powered her vehicle down and stepped into the chilly May air. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the smell of damp soil and the stirrings of spring flowers. It had rained most of the day, and there were still puddles along the walkways around her apartment building. Colorado was not really known for its weather in spring, but it was Sam’s favorite season. There was nothing better than a gloomy day spent in front of her virtual fireplace, and then a night out strolling once the sun peeked out of the clouds. Sam pulled her jacket closed and reached into the storage compartment to grab the bag containing her dinner. She’d stopped at the Chinese restaurant around the corner and ordered her favorite, steamed dumplings and snow peas with shrimp. The egg roll she’d eaten on the way home wasn’t enough to stem the growling in her stomach. She stood slowly, already mentally getting into her pajamas and curling up on her couch in front of her fire. It’d been a long day working the floor of her father’s store. One of the salesgirls had called in sick, and it was busy enough that Sam needed to help out on the main sales floor. Her feet hurt from standing all day in punishing heels, and her stomach growled from the lack of lunch. She wasn’t used to being in the sales area of the store. Usually she was in the office, buried in register reports and data tables that kept the store running. At least she kept a change of clothes at work in case she was needed in the main part of the store. She’d pulled her auburn hair into a tight bun and thrown on the textured jeans and mini-T that was the typical outfit for their salesgirls. Although her fuller figure showed more curve and cleavage than the other girls, Sam secretly thought she looked damn good in the jeans she had on. She needed to remember to bring sneakers next time, though. Sam stiffened when she turned toward her apartment building. A large male emerged from the shadows directly under the first flicker

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of light from the security pole. He was only a few feet from her, staring at her with a smirk. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and a chill raced down her spine. She mentally slapped herself for not having her personal security system on. He father had paid a lot of money for her to have that system on at all times. It was one of the compromises she’d made when she moved out of his estate. “Are you Samantha Bridgestone?” the man asked. His voice was a commanding baritone with a slight southern accent. She edged back against her vehicle, trying to decide the best course of action. She’d taken two semesters of self-defense in college and was a pretty fast sprinter, but her fear had locked down her muscles. Her heart was pounding in her chest, making it hard to hear anything over the rush of blood in her ears. She slowly slid the bag of food onto the ground, mentally calculating the number of steps she’d have to run to make it to the doors. “Um, no,” Sam squeaked. She glanced around, hoping to see someone, anyone, who would help her. “She does live here, though.” “You look like her,” the shadow said. He studied a piece of paper and glanced up at her with black eyes. He was a very large man, dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt and cargo pants. His boots were black leather, much like the military boots she’d seen some of the teenagers sporting lately. “Yep, looks like you. Long, red hair, curves, and gray eyes. And ain’t you parked in her spot?” With a smooth glide forward, the male placed himself between the apartment building and Sam. He was within a yard of her huddled form before she could react. His face was shadowed, all hard planes and clenched muscles. Terror spiked so fast that she nearly passed out. She couldn’t catch her breath. Each gasp felt like her last as her chest constricted. “Stay back,” she breathed and tried to move along the side of her vehicle, backing toward the storage area. She threw a warning hand up in an unconscious attempt to ward him off. Her instructor’s words slid through her mind about how to stand and where to strike an

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assailant. Never allow an abductor to take you to another location. The mantra of her self-defense class pounded in her head. “I know self-defense and will kick your ass if you come closer.” The male chuckled and made a quick grab for Sam’s outstretched hand. He clamped a meaty palm around her wrist, twisting her around, and slammed her body against his chest. Breath was forced out of her lungs in a swift huff. Even being tall for a female, five nine, didn’t keep her from feeling like a child in his grasp. Her captor had to be well over six foot and built like a bouncer or a football player. His chest was a brick wall of muscle. With a fast move, his other hand slammed across her mouth. His breath came in slow, warm streams against her right cheek. She silently screamed, terror edging through her entire body. “You, little missy, are in deep trouble. Now, you’ll be silent and won’t fight me, or you will be hurt,” he whispered. “Nod your head in understanding.” Sam nodded as directed and tried to slow her breathing. Her lungs were burning, and her body was fighting to get enough oxygen through her nose. Blackness was already edging her vision. She started counting between breaths and tried to remember her breathing exercises from yoga class. Adrenaline raced through her bloodstream, making any attempt to calm down almost impossible. “We’re going to walk quietly to my vehicle, and you’re going to get in like a good little girl, right?” he asked. He trailed one hand down her arm, sending goose bumps over her skin. The other hand still held her firmly to his body and covered her mouth. Sam nodded again to show her understanding. Her thoughts were still fuzzy as she tried to wrap her head around what was happening. Please, let me be dreaming. She shuddered as his hand skimmed down her side before circling her waist. Her memory was dragging up stories she’d read in the last few years about women who were abducted and then killed or raped, or both. Terror tasted metallic on her dry tongue.

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“Nice and easy, now,” he directed. He pulled her tighter against his body and started moving them toward the back of the parking area. Sitting in the darkest corner was a large black vehicle with tinted windows. As they approached the right side of it, the cargo door slid open, and another male stepped out. He wasn’t as impressively large, though. His face was less harsh, and his body wasn’t as sculpted. He was dressed like Shadow in all black. “Get the restraints, Jimmy. I think our little captive will be safer if we secure her before our ride.” Shadow spoke quietly to Jimmy, but with enough authority that left no doubt in Sam’s mind of who was in charge. Jimmy grabbed a set of plastic straps and quickly bound her hands together in front of her body. He also bound her ankles together with quick efficiency. A whimper escaped before she could stop it. Shadow half-walked, half-carried her two steps to the open vehicle, and picked her up with ease. He placed her on the seat and slowly removed his hand from her lips. He gave her a menacing look before pulling a cloth from his front pocket and wrapping it around her mouth, securing it behind her head. “Easy, pet. I’m not going to do anything to you. Our job was to grab you and keep you safe for a while,” he said as he stroked a hand down her cheek. “I do have something to ease your trip to your temporary home, though.” With quick movements, he pushed something against her thigh. She felt the prick of a needle and the spread of warmth through her leg as the injected heat traveled through her body. She’d only a moment to panic about being knocked out before darkness slid over her sight. Her last thought was a silent prayer to any deity listening to save her. ****

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Sam wasn’t sure when thoughts started bouncing around in her groggy mind. She knew she was lying on something that resembled a bed, was still bound, hand and ankle, and had a headache that rivaled a nuclear explosion. The first time she’d started to come out of the fog, she’d tried to turn her head, and the pain from the movement sent her spiraling back into the black abyss. This time, she vowed not to move at all. She was just going to lie still and not do anything that might cause her pain or nausea. “Hey, I think she’s finally waking,” a male’s voice whispered off to Sam’s left. He didn’t sound familiar, but she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten to that point either. Sam must’ve twitched when she was thinking about not moving. Damn. She wanted to take stock of her surroundings while they, whoever “they” were, thought her still unconscious. As Sam lay on the bed, she tried to remember how she had gotten there. She remembered pulling into her parking area, and stepping out of her vehicle, remembered planning her evening. When the image of a man gliding out of the darkness into the lamplight in front of her apartment building slid through her thoughts, terror blossomed. The memories came fast as she played the last events she remembered through her mind. Shadow had grabbed her and put her in the black vehicle. Oh God, she’d been kidnapped. Sam let a whimper escape her lips as the memories rushed over her. Adrenaline spiked in her bloodstream and pounded her pulse in her ears. “Hey now. Don’t go crying on us. You’re fine.” The voice was gravelly and slightly familiar. It clicked for Sam. It was Shadow’s voice. Cracking an eye open, she forced herself not to flinch when she saw two men in the room with her. She took a moment to take in her surroundings, cataloging the interior of the room. She was lying on an old military-type wooden cot that was shoved into a corner. There was a small pillow under her head and a worn blanket thrown over her legs. The men were sitting in chairs around an old-fashioned card

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table across the room. They sat close to the doorway, with Shadow resting against the doorjamb. The only other item in the room was a naked lightbulb dangling from a socket in the middle of the ceiling. The walls were dirty, and the floor looked to be compacted soil. Cobwebs were draped in the corners and between the rafters above her head. There was a tiny window above Sam’s head at the top of the wall. It was either really late at night or the window had been painted over, because the view was pure black. She guessed that they were in a basement of an old house or warehouse. “I’m not going to cry, you ass.” Sam was pretty proud that her voice only shook a little. She wasn’t known for cowering during situations of stress, and by God, she wasn’t going to now. Her dad used to tell her that a little strength goes a long way. She watched a grin flash across Shadow’s face before he unfolded himself off the chair. “Now, aren’t you a little spitfire? I’m going to explain how things are going to play out,” he said. He slowly walked across the room, moving with the grace of an athlete. He stopped right next to her head and slowly lowered himself into a crouch. “You, little lady, are going to stay on this cot while we call your daddy. You won’t scream or cry. You won’t demand things. You will not fight me when I let you up to visit the ladies’ room. As long as you follow those rules, you won’t be hurt. Do you understand?” “You want me to just lay here and let you, and God knows who else, do whatever you want to me. And, I’m not supposed to make a fuss? Really?” Sam huffed. She was trying not to shrink away from the intimidating mountain of man near her. Keep it together, Sammie. “Yep, that’s exactly what I expect. Now, you’ve been out for a few hours. Do you need to get up and take a walk?” He tilted his head and studied Sam as though she were an interesting toy. “I won’t offer again for a while, so I’d suggest you take me up on it. But, the only way I’m letting you up is if you promise not to cause a scene.”

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Sam studied him for a minute and then decided that it’d be worth the time to get up and go to the bathroom, even if she did have to behave. Maybe he was telling her the truth and they weren’t going to hurt her. If this was about her father, then she was nothing but blackmail insurance or a ransom. She breathed a sigh of resignation. “Fine. I’ll behave myself if you’ll take me to the bathroom,” she said through slightly clenched teeth. The fear was starting to ebb, followed closely by rising anger. She wished that just once she was big enough to fight the men in her life, even the uninvited ones. “Good girl. I’m going to cut the ties at your ankles first, and then we’re going to swing you around to a sitting position.” He pulled out a wicked-looking knife and slid it quickly under the plastic ties around Sam’s ankles. She whimpered, but he moved too quickly for her to react. He pushed an arm under her shoulders and lifted her to sit at the edge of the cot. “There, now sit here a moment to make sure you aren’t going to pass out or get sick. The sedative I gave you can affect people differently.” Sam stiffened at the physical contact, but couldn’t concentrate fully on his touch because as soon as she was upright, nausea hit her like a punch to the gut. She swallowed convulsively to keep from vomiting all over the floor, and a cold sweat erupted along her skin. She closed her eyes and breathed through her nose, forcing herself to keep her food down. With a few deep breaths, the feeling passed, and only a faint unease remained in her stomach. By the time she had a better handle on her stomach, her wrists had been freed. She noticed that her shoes had been removed, leaving her barefoot. “Come on, Samantha. Let’s get you to the bathroom so you can feel comfortable.” He grabbed her upper arm, pulled her to her feet, and steadied her as she teetered unsteadily. “Whoa, easy there. We don’t need you falling and getting bruised, now do we?” “No, of course not. Bruising a kidnapped hostage is such a nono,” Sam grumbled. She straightened her spine and tried to step away

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from him. She glared at him with her best badass look. “I can walk on my own now, Mister?” Shadow chuckled. He kept hold of her arm and steered her toward the door. His hold on her was firm, but wasn’t hard enough to bruise her. “Buck. You can call me Buck and the kid is Jimmy. When you get back to this room, you’ll stay on your cot. We won’t tie you again unless we have to,” he said. He pulled Sam through the doorway and turned a corner, shoving her into a small, dingy bathroom. “Now, do your business. I’ll give you three minutes with the door closed. If you make me wait longer than that, I’ll be coming in to get you.”

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Chapter 2 May 23, 2090 The sound of bodies slamming together echoed through the workout room. Bass pounded from the large speakers mounted on the wall and pulsed through the room. Grunts were barely audible over the music. The two massive males pushed away from each other, blood dripping from various superficial wounds. They circled each other, growls vibrating through their chests. Both men had knives clenched in their fists. Their bodies collided with a speed that defied normal human abilities. Their weapons whistled through the air, arching toward each other. With a brief clang of metal on metal, the blades collided. The males separated again with snarls aimed at their opponents. They were a study in opposites. Adam was the larger of the two males. He had white-blond hair, shaggy and spiked in a haphazard mess. His eyes were a brilliant crystal blue that blazed with anger under heavily pinched brows. His chiseled features were sharp and angular. His muscular chest was immense and covered in a tight, white muscle shirt that made his pale skin look transparent. A tribal phoenix tattoo adorned his right shoulder and upper back. Cain had sandy hair that was shorn off in a typical military hairstyle. Dark, hazel eyes stared with absolute concentration as he circled the other male. His mouth curved in a sneer above a blond goatee. His face twisted in barely controlled rage. He was clothed in black from head to toe. Black gloves covered his clenched fists.

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“Come on, Adam. You fight like a pussy,” Cain shouted, sidestepping the other male. “How am I supposed to stay toned if you’re going to fight like a fucking girl all the time?” With a grunt and a swift move forward, Adam angled his right hand for a strike at Cain’s chest. He swept his other arm up to block Cain’s attack. Cain’s knife made contact with Adam’s arm and sliced into flesh. Adam hissed, but didn’t slow his movements. He struck Cain in the face with a closed fist. “Asshole. How would you know how a pussy fights, seeing you don’t get any?” Adam huffed. He swept his right leg around and pulled Cain to the ground with a swift leg sweep. He flipped the knife in his right hand and brought it down on Cain’s chest, just over his heart. The point dug into the fabric of his shirt. “Stay down this time. I’m hungry, and I want to count today as a win.” “Fuck you. You wouldn’t care about pussy either if you had to do everything with a layer of protective gear between every fucking inch of skin,” Cain growled. He held his hands out and dropped his weapons on the floor next to his head. Anger and regret twisted his guts. The comment had cut him deeply. He wasn’t the lady’s man that Adam was, but he had good reason. Pain was the outcome of an unplanned skin-to-skin incident between him and a woman. No one would take their chances if they knew what it felt like to internalize all of the emotions of another person within a nanosecond of contact. He shook off his thoughts. “You win this round. But tomorrow, we aren’t stopping until one of us needs a transfusion or an X-ray. We’re getting lax on our training, and you know it.” “Shit, Cain. Sorry. I was just talking out my ass again. I know getting laid is an issue for you.” Adam pulled the knife away from Cain’s chest and slid it into the sheath on his belt. After climbing to his feet, he stuck his right hand out to Cain, and pulled him to his feet. Both men were covered in blood and sweat. Already, most of their cuts were beginning to heal. The faint scars from the beginning of

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their session were starting to pale. “I’m grabbing a shower and then some food. What time are Hannibal and Guy calling in?” Adam turned off the stereo and grabbed a towel off the floor. He methodically cleaned each blade before placing it back in its sheath. He peeled off his shirt and tossed it in the hamper by the shower room door. “They’re calling in around 0900 hours,” Cain called over his shoulder as he entered the shower room. “I’m expecting an update from Delta this morning as well. He should be finishing up his operation in the next day or so.” “That gives us just over an hour. See you in the ops room at nine,” Adam called through the door. Cain didn’t respond as he heard the main doors close. He walked to his locker and unloaded his weapons. He stripped out of his clothes, throwing them all into the special hamper designed specifically for his clothing. He slipped on his flip-flops and wandered into the shower room. His skin still tingled from the shallow cuts and bruises. One of the cuts on his back still ached. He grunted with appreciation for the force Adam must’ve put into that strike. No matter how much he harassed Adam, Cain knew they were well matched and equals in hand-to-hand combat. He entered his shower and turned on the water. No one else was allowed to enter this one, on pain of a serious ass kicking. Along with advanced healing abilities, he was also “gifted” with empathic abilities from his genetic blueprint at Genotech Global. His empath talent allowed him to read emotions and thoughts from solid objects that had been handled by others. Genotech hadn’t figured out how to give him the ability to control his “gifts” when he was designed. As a by-product, any objects that came in contact with his skin would send emotions and thoughts coursing through his body. Cain had learned very quickly to avoid touching items he didn’t want to gather information from. The shower, along with everything else Cain touched with skin, were made and handled by people wearing treated

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gloves, washed using specially developed detergents, or kept in packaging designed to leech psychic energy. It cost him a fortune, but it was well worth it in the end. At least in his own building he didn’t have to hide his abilities or try to suffer through acting normal. He smirked as he remembered almost passing out once on one of the fishing boats he’d worked on after leaving Genotech. He had been working for hours gutting fish and putting them on ice. He’d worked with gloves on and had just wanted to wash the smell of fish and guts off his hands before applying a new pair, when the boat hit a large wave, sending him sideways into the galley’s cupboards. He had reached out instinctively to catch himself and had such a backlash of emotional sewage strike him that he nearly passed out. The pure hopelessness, anger, disgust, anguish, and human suffering that flowed through his nervous system was overwhelming. After losing his fight with nausea and vomiting a few times, he decided that once they docked, he would leave that boat. That had been his last tour with that crew because he just couldn’t look any of them in the eye after experiencing their thoughts and emotions at such a visceral level. As he mulled over his past, a prickle of energy skated down his spine. He cringed at the unexpected feeling and closed his eyes as the first image hit him. Once again, he was seeing the same woman, bound and scared. She was a beautiful vision, with auburn hair pulled back from her face. Sometimes he could see more, but this vision was just her face and the fear held in her expressive eyes. He had seen her in his dreams and thoughts for days. Each image seemed to come stronger than the last, and all of them were of her in captivity. She sat in the back of a vehicle, bound hands and feet, gagged and terrified. Anger and rage pulsed through his body. He shook his head, and the image dispelled. What the hell was wrong with him? Anxiety for the woman, and perhaps a bit of nervousness about his own mental health, caused a shiver to course over his skin. He wasn’t clairvoyant.

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Never had been. He huffed in irritation and turned back to finish his shower. “Cain and Adam, Hannibal is requesting you in ops ASAP.” A female voice came over the speaker system in the shower, breaking into his thoughts. Cain sighed. It never failed that he got in the shower and someone interrupted. He pressed a button on the wall and spoke into a speaker. “All right, Nancy. Give me ten to get my clothes back on,” Cain answered, trying to hide his irritation. “Tell Hannibal that he is going to have to wait a few minutes.” Cain shut off the water and toweled off quickly. He ran back to his locker and dressed in a clean black outfit similar to what he’d been wearing to spar with Adam. He slid both gloves on, settled his weapons on his chest and belt, and shut his locker with a resounding metallic thud. Turning quickly, he headed for the elevator that would take him to the ops floor. **** “What the hell is the issue, Hannibal? You were supposed to call in at nine. You couldn’t wait thirty-seven minutes?” Adam scowled at the bank of communication hardware. The operations room was outfitted with every state-of-the-art communication device known to mankind, all mounted on white walls. Each member of the teams was tracked electronically by computers every second of the day. Everything from weather to traffic could be accessed within seconds for any location on the globe. The room itself was shielded, and scanned to detect listening devices or other monitoring systems. Genophyte Security Firm was not only good at tracking down objects, they were also good at pissing off people who liked to take objects. Every technological advantage was used by the company to keep the “bad guys” from knowing what went on in these four walls.

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The male staring into the camera at the other end of the comlink snickered and gave it the universal middle-finger salute. His face still had smears of camo makeup around his hairline. Sweat was dripping down his chiseled jaw. Thick jungle could be seen behind his head. “Fuck you, boss. I didn’t think you’d want me to wait thirty-seven minutes for this update,” Hannibal snorted. “Now, if you guys’ll get your panties untwisted, I’ll fill you in.” “Jesus, Hannibal, did you get the asshole’s dictionary uploaded with your last memory packet?” Cain asked. Hannibal had spent two days at Genotech Global receiving the latest in training via memory packets, delivered directly to his brain, just before this assignment. He’d come back with some incredible knowledge of the newest fighter aircraft being used by the US government, and some new vernacular. “No, but I do so enjoy studying the colloquialisms of the times.” Hannibal laughed as Cain and Adam both flipped their camera the same one-finger salute. “Okay, now that the touchy-feely is done, shall I fill you in?” “Please do,” Cain scowled. He liked working with this male, but sometimes he was so irritating. “What was so important that you set up a secure line?” “We found fourteen hostages.” Hannibal let that sentence hang on the breeze and grinned as Adam’s eyes widened. “What the fuck? There were only five in the group you were tracking,” Adam said. “What are the other nine people doing in that location?” “Well, from what Roach can figure out, the other nine are from other humanitarian groups, one from Switzerland and the other from Canada.” Hannibal shifted to soldier mode as soon as he started reporting. “Roach has been gathering intel all night, and he says that the group of assholes that took the Americans lucked out and grabbed the other two groups in the same swipe. They haven’t contacted the other governments yet. Probably waiting to see what the US says.”

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“Okay, so what does this do to your plan for extrication?” Adam scratched his chin. Alpha team was run by Hannibal, a genophyte, and contained some of the best military-trained individuals GSF kept on payroll. They had been sent to South America to extract a team of five people who had been assisting with humanitarian efforts. The kidnappers had contacted the US government and promised to deliver dead bodies unless their demands were met. GSF had been called when a team of marines were sent in for the extraction and were all mowed down. They couldn’t leave the other hostages in the hands of the bastards who had grabbed the Americans. The hostages left would likely be killed in an attempt to cover up the kidnapping and extortion operation. Cain leaned forward. “Can you grab all of them in one movement, and do you have enough transportation for all fourteen?” “I discussed the logistics with the team, and we all agree that there’s no way we can leave the other hostages. I’m confident we can get them all out. I just wanted to make sure you guys were behind that move,” Hannibal said. His jaw muscles twitched, and anger flashed in his brown eyes. “There’s no way in hell I’m leaving them here. The conditions they’re being kept in are absolutely abysmal.” “I’m in agreement. You can’t leave any of the hostages,” Adam said. “Plus, it will give us a boon with the other governments, and I don’t want their murders on our head.” “Yep, I agree, too. Take them all,” Cain added. “Once you’re out and at the transport location, let us know, and we’ll contact their governments to arrange for their return.” “Great. We will begin our extraction at 2200 hours. I’ll contact you once we’re at the appointed contact location. Hannibal, out. Peace!” Hannibal laughed and then reached forward and cut the connection.

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“He’s such an ass,” Adam commented, rubbing his jaw. “But, he’s very good at what he does. Interesting that they found so many hostages.” “I’m glad we sent him to Colombia. Hannibal’s team will be fine, and to rescue all of them is great news.” Cain glanced at the clock. “We’ve got our call with Guy in about twenty-five. I’m going to grab some food and will be back.” “Can you grab me something, too? I’m going to try and contact Delta now while we’re waiting for Guy to call in.” Adam turned from Cain and sat at the com center, quickly sending off a message to Delta to call in if he could. “Oh, and can you check with Nancy to see if we have any messages? I haven’t been to the office yet today.” “Sure. Anything else, Your Majesty?” “Shove it, Cain.” Adam threw over his shoulder. “I’m not sure I approve of you sporting a sense of humor. I liked you better when you didn’t find anything funny.” “Well, fifty-two years of working with your ugly puss would give anyone a sense of humor, you old fart.” Cain ducked instinctively as a phone handset flew over his head. He chuckled on his way down the hall. All of the genophytes noticed changes in their supposed lack of emotions as years passed. It seemed that once they were required to interact with normal humans, the emotions of the genophytes started to change. They all first noticed empathy seeping into their awareness as they dealt with humanitarian cases. Then feelings of affection started to show up in the males who dealt with children or females on a consistent basis. Lastly, was humor. It showed itself in quirky ways in the beginning, but eventually, even the most stubborn genophytes could be caught laughing at something. Sometimes the humor was darker or dryer than normal, but it was humor nonetheless. The scientific staff at Genotech had tried for years to remove the ability to gain emotions, but had been unsuccessful in all cases.

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Cain amused himself with thoughts about Adam and his supposed lack of humor until he made it to the front office. He walked through the door and was hit smack in the stomach with the smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies. His stomach growled loudly, and he heard Nancy chuckle inside the office. “Cain, I bet that’s you. Get in here and eat some cookies,” Nancy yelled around the corner. Cain rounded the corner into the main office and smiled at the woman seated at the large reception desk. Its polished mahogany top was covered in neat piles of papers, a slim computer system, phones of all types, and pictures of Nancy’s family. A large painting hung on the off-white wall behind her head. The office was the epitome of business offices—all creams, browns, and landscape paintings. The country landscapes fit well with Nancy’s old-fashioned glasses, and the sweater that hung on the back of her chair. Today, Nancy had her red hair fluffed around her round face. Her glasses perched on her nose and connected to a delicate chain that would hang around her neck if she took the glasses off. Laugh lines crinkled around her mouth and eyes when she saw Cain. “There you are. I made cookies last night. Chocolate chip, which I know is Adam’s favorite, but I do expect you to eat a dozen or two by yourself.” Nancy pointed at the platter of cookies taking up most of the top of a long, low table. It was nestled between the leather couches in front of her desk and usually was covered with plants and other items Nancy deemed appropriate. “Now, I know Guy is calling in at nine, so what can I get you before you head back to ops?” Cain chuckled. For a woman who should be sitting in a rocking chair with grandchildren on her knee, she truly kept the company running. Nancy was nothing but a true force of nature in the paperwork world. She could put her finger on any piece of information that had passed across her desk in the last four years she’d worked for Cain. She was as proficient with a computer as any techno guru. They had employed separate research personnel to do the

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background intel on cases until they found that Nancy could do a better job in a shorter time. “I need any messages for myself or for Adam that’ve come in since closing time yesterday. And, of course, I need that platter of cookies. No need going into a call with Guy without cookies. You know how he can get,” Cain said with a wink. He knew that Nancy would come to Guy’s defense if needed. She’d adopted the entire operation as extended family, even though all of the genophytes on staff were much older than her fifty years. “The only message came from a Mr. Bridgestone. He seemed pretty stressed on the call. He only told me that he’d like to hire us for a kidnapping case, but from what I can gather, his daughter was taken a few days ago, and the ransom drop went bad. I did some research, and he seems to be a pretty successful investor in Colorado, pretty honest, too. He’s involved as a witness in an extortion case in Denver. His accountant was siphoning millions off his books, and others’ as well.” Nancy handed a sheet of paper to Cain and motioned to the computer system sitting on her desk. “If you’d checked your calendar, you would’ve seen I entered it as soon as he called. Also, all of the research information is also attached to the calendar entry.” Cain and Adam both preferred to still get notes, memos, and files in paper format, even though Nancy kept everything on the computer system as well. She joked with the men that it was because they were born in the paper era and hadn’t changed with the times. “Thanks, Nancy.” Cain took the paper and skimmed it, slowly turning to head out of the office. He turned back to face her just as slowly. “Could you print the info on the father on the ops printer? And, could you also contact John Decker and see if he had heard about this kidnapping? It seems right up the FBI’s alley.” “Sure, I will contact him in a moment. Do you want me to pull any other information on Mr. Bridgestone’s daughter?” Nancy was already typing away on her computer.

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“No, for now, just see if John was involved, or if one of his associates was. Give us a call in ops if you hear back from him before we make it back up to the offices,” he said, grabbing the tray of cookies and walking quickly toward the main hallway.

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Chapter 3 Cain could hear Delta’s voice as he approached the ops room. Of all of the genophytes, Delta remained the most unchanged. His emotions and social skills rivaled those of a brick. He had come to GSF in 2058, after being a test subject for almost fifty years at Genotech. He hadn’t spent more than a few days outside the facilities when Cain worked the deal to acquire Delta. Cain shook his head, and grinned at the amount of time he and Adam had spent working with him on normal social procedures. Even after thirty-two years of being a GSF team leader, he couldn’t hold a normal conversation without seeming “off.” Cain couldn’t think of another team leader he would prefer to have, though, running the Beta team. For every rudimentary social skill Delta possessed, he had ten combat skill sets. Before he had left Genotech, Delta had been given every training memory pack available. He could single-handedly take down an entire country if he was instructed to do so. In a couple of campaigns, he had almost done that exact thing. “As I’ve already said, Commander, we are collecting data at an acceptable rate. Cisco is confident that he’ll have a solid lead on the murderer within the next fourteen hours. Until then, we have stationed ourselves near the police station that has jurisdiction over the case. We’ve placed recording devices on the comlinks for the officers and are monitoring all information coming into or going out of the station.” Delta’s flat voice echoed in the room. His green eyes held no emotion as he discussed the case involving twelve brutal murders of young women. His bald head reflected the sunlight like a halo around his smooth face. The flash of the Greek delta tattoo above his left ear

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was the only personal feature on the otherwise nondescript soldier. “As soon as we have the suspect in our custody, we’ll contact the police department and offer our file to them.” “Delta, I know that you and your team are doing everything that they can, but time is ticking. There hasn’t been a murder in six days, which means he’ll be striking again in the next forty-eight hours. I want him caught before another murder occurs,” Adam commanded. His voice was slightly strained. Serial killers were one of the most difficult cases for them to work because of the risk of getting entangled with the police. They’d been hired by one of the victim’s parents to find and apprehend the murderer, but the police weren’t happy with GFS’s involvement. All of the electronic surveillance that Delta had set up was illegal and could get him or the company in considerable trouble. “I want him stopped, Delta.” “Yes, sir. I understand. We’d like to finish this before more casualties occur, sir. The bodies just muddy the waters with false leads.” “Delta, we don’t want more deaths because it’s bad for people to die, especially for women to go through what this maniac puts them through,” Adam said in a low voice. “Call me tomorrow at 0900 hours with an update. If you need additional personnel, let me know, and I’ll send you anyone I can get my hands on. Good luck, Delta.” “It’s not luck, sir, but thank you anyway. Over and out.” Delta ended the call without so much as a smile or a frown. “He still has such a difficult time connecting to the situations, doesn’t he?” Cain asked. He turned to find Adam scowling. He understood the feeling. He was frustrated with Delta’s lack of improvement or understanding in normal human emotions. “I swear, sometimes it’s like talking to a child, or a robot.” “Yes, but he’s an excellent soldier even if he doesn’t understand why what he does is important on a personal level.” Adam scrubbed his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then with a deep breath,

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he opened his eyes and zeroed in on the platter of cookies resting on Cain’s lap. “Are those chocolate chip?” Cain laughed. The other male couldn’t pass up sweets. “Yes, and Nancy said we needed to eat them.” Adam grabbed a stack of cookies off the platter and turned to the computer system. Cain glanced at the clock. They had three minutes before Guy called in. He watched Adam shove three cookies into his mouth, and grinned when the other male growled with appreciation. “She also gave me this.” Cain handed the message about the Bridgestone case to Adam. “Looks like we could pick up a kidnapping retrieval case if we want it.” Cain reached under the table and grabbed the stack of papers off the printer containing information about the Bridgestone case. He flipped through the data and once again marveled at Nancy’s abilities. She’d gathered newspaper and court information for the case that the father was involved in, communication records, passwords to the video surveillance system for the abduction location, and even grabbed still frames from the videos. Cain scanned over the information and came across a photograph of the victim on the fourth page. He stopped and stared at the picture, a shiver of apprehension shot over his skin, raising goose bumps. Samantha Bridgestone was breathtaking. She was the picture of perfection. She was laughing in the picture and had the most amazing smile. The curves he could see were perfect. She was like a Greek goddess with breasts and an ass worth squeezing. His pulse rate increased, and he could feel a gut-wrenching surge of adrenaline release from his adrenal glands. His heart squeezed in an uncomfortable way, and something almost painful pulsed through his mind. A thought tickled through his head. Mine. A sizzle of unease burned his mind just as an image of Samantha Bridgestone, naked, glistening in sweat, spread across his green silk sheets, hit Cain so hard that he gasped. He could smell the scent of candles burning, and see the flickering of candlelight off her auburn

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curls at the apex of her thighs. Her generous breasts were topped with dark areolas and darker nipples. Her skin looked alabaster in the light, creamy and soft. He could tell it was night in his vision. Dark windows acted as mirrors, reflecting his naked image back at him. His cock hardened painfully as the images flowed fast into his mind. He could almost taste her on his tongue, feel the satiny texture of her folds on his fingers, the heat and clenching walls of her pussy on his shaft. As the scene played out in his mind, he lost himself to it, giving up his grasp on reality to sink into the images he was seeing. He became his alter self in the vision as he stalked forward, ready to take this woman fast and hard. Cain walked to the edge of the bed, intent on burying himself in the warmth he instinctively knew was waiting for him. He watched Samantha stroke a hand down her own belly, drawing goose bumps from her skin. She slowly reached down her body and parted her pussy lips with her fingers. With slow, languid circles she rubbed her clit. She dipped a finger into her opening, and threw her head back with a sigh. Her other hand massaged a breast. She moaned as she rolled and tugged at the nipple. She opened her eyes and looked right into his soul. “Please, Cain, I need to feel you inside me. Don’t make me wait,” she breathed out, just above a whisper. Her gray eyes shined with passion. “No worries, love. I’ll be buried so deep inside you in a few minutes you won’t know where you end and I begin.” He climbed onto the bed, stalking her on all fours. He felt predatory, feral with need. He could smell her arousal perfuming the air and it was driving him crazy. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips, stroking them with his tongue until she opened for him. He stroked his tongue into her mouth, caressed hers and dragged a soft sigh from her lips. He moved his mouth over her chin and down her neck, breathing her scent in. She smelled of warm woman and almond soap. When she

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leaned her head back to give him access to her throat, he licked down the column of her neck and nuzzled her shoulder. He bit her lightly, moving his tongue over the skin clamped between his teeth. The moan that escaped her throat made his cock throb. He kissed the place he had bitten and leaned back to watch her face. Her eyes were closed and a slight smile tilted the corners of her mouth. He fought the urge to lean down and capture her lips once more. He wanted to be buried balls deep into her body, to feel the heat and tightness of her pussy milking his cock. “Now, roll over and show me that lovely ass of yours.” Samantha opened her eyes and grinned. She slowly rolled over, keeping eye contact with him. She got on hands and knees, spreading her legs. She leaned down and placed her head on the bed, moaning as he rubbed a hand over her lower spine and ass. She leaned back into his hand and wiggled slightly, giggling when he gave her a light smack. The giggles dissolved into a moan of pleasure when he moved his hand down and under her mound, pressing firmly against her folds. He nearly came when he felt the wet heat against his palm. Her skin was so soft and slick with her passion. Cain moved between Samantha’s knees. He could feel the heat radiating off her body, pulsing against him. Her skin was smooth and soft under his calloused hand. He slowly ran his hands up her outer thighs, and grasped her hips. He kneaded her flesh, grinning at the whimper that escaped her lips. He pulled her back against his cock, nestling himself in her slick folds. Pumping his hips, he enjoyed the slick glide of his cock through her juices. “Oh, God, you’re so wet for me. What do you want, Samantha? What do you want me to do to you?” She moaned and shoved back against his groin, wiggling her pussy against his cock. “Fuck me, Cain. Make me come with you inside me.” Her plea pushed him closer to the building release. That vulgar request from her beautiful lips was too much. He leaned back and ran

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a finger down her ass, lightly circling her anus and moving lower until he could plunge his finger into her wet opening. The whimper that escaped her was animalistic. He couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed her hips and positioned the crown of his shaft at her opening. With a slick slide, he entered her to the hilt. They both groaned as he filled her. With her channel tightly wrapped around his shaft, shivers raced down his spine. He could feel slight tremors massaging his dick as he slid out of her warmth and rammed himself back in. Cain wrapped his arm around her waist and slid two fingers into her folds, finding her swollen clit. He rubbed the nub with fast, tight circles, driving her toward her climax as he pounded into her pussy. He could feel her clit hardening, and her muscles tightened as she got closer. She mewed softly as she pushed back against his hand. “Come for me. I want to feel you come around my cock,” he growled as he thrust into her. He smiled as she keened and her muscles clamped down on his cock. She came fast and strong, milking his shaft as he held himself deep inside her channel. He threw his head back and moaned as she tightened around him, forcing his release. He tumbled both of them to their sides, pulling her snugly against his chest. He buried his nose in her hair and savored the smell that was uniquely Samantha’s. He closed his eyes in sated bliss, feeling both of their heart rates slowing. “You can call me Sam, by the way. I don’t normally go by Samantha,” she said after she yawned. She wiggled closer into Cain’s arms. “I haven’t been called Samantha so much since I was a little kid.” **** “Hey, dumbass. What are you doing? Share the file,” Adam quipped as he ripped the stack of papers from Cain’s hand. He turned the papers around in his grasp and flipped through them.

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Cain blinked a few times to clear the vision from his eyes. He tried to get a handle on his rapid breathing and the aftermath of the images he just had. His body still felt the aftereffects of the release, and he superstitiously checked his pants to make sure he hadn’t shot off while watching the images flash through his head. He went to grab the papers back and then stopped. He wanted Adam to review them, so why was he feeling possessive of the intel and of that woman? Damn, this is weird. “Do you know any of us that have clairvoyant abilities? Because, I think I just had a vision of the future…or, it better be the future.” “I don’t think so, but you know we’re constantly stumbling over new talents. What did you see?” Adam was still studying the papers, flipping through the stack. “Um, it was about the kidnap victim, Samantha. We were, well, we were intimate in my bed.” Cain blushed and cleared his throat. He ran a hand through his hair. He was embarrassed to admit what he was feeling, but if anyone would understand it’d be his friend. “But, I don’t think it could be the future. She wasn’t wearing a latex suit, and neither was I. Guess my imagination is just working overtime. But, wow, it was intense. I can still feel her imprint on my skin. I totally lost my grip on the here and now. She was so warm and wet, beautiful and passionate.” Adam’s head snapped up, and he studied Cain for a few moments before shaking his head in disgust. “Jeezus, Cain, you really do need to get laid. Back to business before you start coming on to me. We could easily take this case. We can call the father after Guy calls in. Did you have Nancy contact John to see if the FBI is working this case already?” “Yep. Look, do you need me for Guy’s call? I could go to my office and contact the father myself and get the ball rolling.” Cain was already on his feet, edging toward the door. He wanted information about that woman, and wanted to get started on it immediately. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the vision had been of the future. The

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idea that he would find someone that he could be with, touching and loving without the need of elaborate contraptions and suits was titillating. His heart was still racing, and he could feel the adrenaline focusing his senses. He wanted to be moving on this rescue, to prove to himself whether his vision had been wishful thinking or really the future. She could be mine. He shook himself from his thoughts when he realized Adam was still talking. “Sure, but who are we going to send if GSF takes this? Hannibal won’t be free for a few days, and we know that both Guy and Delta are tied up for a while.” Adam was staring at Cain with a confused look. Brows and lips pursed. Cain watched the other male take a deep breath and knew what was coming. “What the hell is wrong with you? You look like you just took a round in the gut.” “I’m fine, must be the cookies not sitting well with me,” Cain said. He turned away from Adam’s gaze. He was confused enough by his reaction, and he didn’t need Adam worrying too. “You and I could take this one. I’ve been itching to get back into the field. Haven’t you?” “Fine. Okay, call the father. I’ll chat with Guy and then meet you in your office,” Adam said. He threw one more questioning glance at Cain and then turned to the comlink panel just as Guy’s ID popped up on the screen.

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Chapter 4 “Hello, this is Mr. Bridgestone’s office. May I ask who is calling?” a cool, feminine voice asked over the phone. “Yes, this is Cain from Genophyte Security Firm. Mr. Bridgestone had called and left a message that he’d like to speak with me.” Cain hoped that the father was in the office today. Any additional time wasted could spell disaster for recovering the daughter without injury. “Hold one moment, Mr. Cain, while I connect you with Mr. Bridgestone.” A slight click could be heard, and then generic orchestra music came through the speaker. Cain thought for the millionth time that he should give himself a last name. Genotech didn’t give their creations last names, and he hadn’t thought to use one once he bought out his own contract. “Hello, Cain.” The voice was male and definitely shaky. “I’m Roger Bridgestone. I’m so glad you called back so quickly. I’m so worried about Samantha. Did your secretary tell you that my daughter is missing? Did she tell you that I want to hire you? No fee is too high. I’m willing to pay anything to get her back safely.” “Mr. Bridgestone, please slow down. I understand the situation as you have outlined. Your daughter was kidnapped approximately seventy-two hours ago. Is that correct?” “Yes, that is correct. The police think she was taken from her apartment building. I received a ransom demand the next morning and tried, I really did.” Roger’s voice faltered. “God, we screwed it up. The kidnappers demanded money, actual money. They wouldn’t let me transfer funds or give them fund cards. When the drop occurred,

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the police somehow had someone at the location, and no one showed up to grab the money.” “Okay, Mr. Bridgestone. How did you know that she’d been taken? Did they contact you via comlink?” Cain’s muscles were cramping down his back. Statistically, if the drop went badly, the hostage was killed shortly thereafter and dumped. This situation wasn’t looking good for Sam. Every hour that went by without the kidnappers contacting the father again lowered the percent chance the daughter was still alive. “They called my private line that’s linked directly to me. I took the call at about nine forty-five Sunday morning. It was a male on the phone, but his voice was altered. He told me the amount, the location, and the time to leave the money,” Roger said. He breathed out a long, agonized sigh. “She was on the call Sunday morning. She heard me promise that we would get her back. Now, she thinks I lied to her, and they are doing God knows what to her.” “Mr. Bridgestone, I know this is difficult, but I need all the information you can give me. Have they contacted you again since the initial call?” Cain almost crossed his fingers. He knew it was a silly tradition humans did when hoping for something, but at this point, why not try everything? “I haven’t heard from them. Do you think they’ll kill her, Cain? I can’t lose her. She’s all I have left. If she dies because of a mistake I made, it will be the end of me.” Roger choked out the last comment. The sound of a sob echoed across the communication line. “Sir, I obviously can’t promise anything, but statistically, a kidnapper will attempt a second retrieval before doing anything that’s detrimental to the situation,” Cain said. He hoped that his lie was not detectable. At this point, anything to keep the father mentally together was worth it. He wiped his damp palms down his pants. He should have been worried about the emotional connection he felt to this case, but the fear that something could go horribly wrong had him pushing aside the fear. “I’m contacting our pilot right now and will have our

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jet ready to head to Colorado in under an hour. We’ll do everything in our power to get your daughter back, Mr. Bridgestone. Do you want to retrieve her with or without money changing hands?” Cain unleashed his psychic talent and searched the complex for Adam as he listened to Mr. Bridgestone’s response. They would need to get out of Pennsylvania as fast as possible if they were going to make it to Colorado in time to find Sam alive. He sensed Adam in the general location of the ops room. “Adam, I’ve contacted Scooter to ready the jet. I’m leaving as soon as I can to go to Colorado. I’d like to be out in under an hour. Do you want to go with me?” Cain sent. He tried to keep the connection quick. Adam still suffered from severe headaches when he used his psychic abilities too long. “I’m heading your way now. We can discuss in person,” Adam sent back. Even his thoughts were tinged with discomfort. “I don’t care if we have to pay the money as long as I get my daughter back, Cain. Nothing else matters to me at this moment.” Roger’s voice held a note of command. He didn’t own and manage so many investments without having a strong personality. “All right, Mr. Bridgestone. My associate and I will be on a plane in less than two hours heading to your private airstrip. If you could, contact your people and let them know that we’ll be arriving, and that we expect transportation to be waiting for us when we land. We’ll spend our time in the air collecting additional data. If you hear from the kidnappers again, please make sure to contact us the moment you hang up and, if possible, record the call. And one last thing. I’d like an object that Samantha has recently touched delivered to the airstrip.” “Not a problem. May I ask what you will do with the object?” Roger asked. “I have empathic abilities and may be able to pinpoint her location faster if I have an object with her energy signature attached to it,” Cain explained. He didn’t look forward to touching anything that

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she’d touched, but anything that would give them an edge in finding her was worth it. “I’ll call the head of my airport now and let them know about your arrival. Thank you so much. Please call my personal number with any questions.” Cain swapped phone numbers with Roger and ended the call just as Adam entered the office. Even though neither of them could fully empathize with the feelings behind losing a child, they understood the impact it would have on a parent. They had seen too many parents dissolve into despair after losing a child, especially in a violent situation. “So, we’re going to Colorado, huh?” Adam asked. He sat on the corner of Cain’s desk. “What’s the plan? Do we go in and rescue her, or do we facilitate another ransom drop?” Cain tugged on his goatee. He wasn’t sure which way would be the best method of extracting Sam without injury to her. They’d already completed a few extraction missions during the past months. All of them had been successful, which meant all of the people rescued had been alive. Sometimes the best method was to take out the kidnappers and just extract the hostage. If the father was willing, that might be the best method. Fear was an uncomfortable feeling that made any decision more difficult. He didn’t want to jeopardize the female and he didn’t want to see her scared or harmed in the extraction. “We just don’t have enough information at the moment. I want to know about the people that took her. Let’s get Nancy researching while we pack. I want to know everything about the daughter and about the father’s dealings with the guy on trial,” Cain said. He ran through a mental list of information he’d like to get his hands on for planning. “Nancy was supposed to call John Decker, too, to see if he was involved with the initial drop. It seems interesting that the local police force was allowed to screw up the ransom drop if it was a federal case.”

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“I agree. If it was a federal case, the locals wouldn’t have been allowed within ten miles of that mission. And, if they weren’t included in the case, I would wonder why. Bridgestone is a heavy hitter in the Colorado area. I’d think he would make the local police nervous,” Adam commented. “Let’s get out of here and see what we can find out while we’re in the air. We could pull Bart and Jerome in on this. They’d be great assets if this becomes more involved than a straight kidnapping-for-money case.” “I think that’s a good idea. Why don’t you call in the troops, and I’ll talk with Nancy.” Cain stood from his desk and grabbed his personal computer system. He had to get moving. Sitting around was making his skin crawl. He needed to see Samantha, make sure she was safe. “Meet me at the airstrip in thirty. Pack as if this is a full tactical assault. No reason to not be prepared.” “You got it, boss,” Adam threw over his shoulder as he left Cain’s office. Cain grinned as a psychic “ass” came through his connection with Adam. **** Sam cowered on her cot. She didn’t know what was wrong, but for the last few hours, the strain and anger in the room had ratcheted up to a palpable level. Buck had come into the room sometime the day before and told her that her father had somehow screwed up the money drop. He was irate and dangerous. Malevolence had flowed from him in waves. She’d been terrified by the change in his normal affable character. It was disturbing, and she was worried he would become physical with her. He’d slammed the chairs around, threw one of them into the wall, and roared his rage. After his tirade, he’d stomped from the room, and she saw no one for many, many hours. Now, Buck was back with Jimmy. They entered the room and stalked toward her with menace bleeding off them. Without a word from either, Buck grabbed Sam by the arm and hauled her to one of

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the chairs across the room. He roughly shoved her onto it and held her down. Jimmy secured her arms behind her back and to the back of the chair with proficient movements. He used the same plastic ties she’d been bound with when she was first taken. “Please. What is going on?” Sam tried to keep her voice from showing her fear, but it shook anyway. This was such a drastic change from the earlier interactions she’d had with these men. A cold sweat broke out on her skin. She looked back and forth between the two men, and shivered at the look of cold, calculating anger glaring back at her. Sam had only an instant to glimpse movement before her head jerked to the side with the sharp smack of a broad palm. Pain shot from her cheek down her neck as her head snapped back. Her vision darkened for a split second. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision and stem the flow of tears. The strike had been so unexpected that her brain couldn’t seem to catch up with what had just happened. “We didn’t want to have to rough you up, Samantha, but we don’t seem to have an option,” Buck said through clenched teeth. She swore she could see glistening tears in his eyes. He stroked her cheek gently for a moment, and then the look of sympathy was gone. In its place was the hard, angry mask. He took a step back, and nodded his head at Jimmy. She saw the next blow coming, but could only tense and close her eyes before Jimmy’s fist slammed into her stomach. Her breath whooshed out with the impact. She tried to breathe in, but air wasn’t moving into her lungs. In a panic, her eyes popped open. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Pain blossomed in her gut, and she bent forward in agony, straining against her restraints. Tears streamed down her face as she sucked a trickle of air into her lungs. She took the next blow to her other cheek. Her head snapped backward and slammed into the wall behind her. The pain was so intense in her cheeks that she saw flashes of light behind her eyelids. Sam didn’t realize she’d closed her eyes until she heard Buck growl at

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her to open them. The tears were thick, streaming down her face and clouding her sight. She could only see blurry images of the men standing in front of her. “Why?” Sam cried out, her words garbled through split and swollen lips. “Please, stop. I didn’t do anything. I’m sorry. If you just tell me what I did, I promise not to do it again.” Sobs throbbed in her chest and ached as they tried to escape. “You did nothing, Samantha. This is all because of your fucking father,” Buck said. He bent over and peered into Sam’s face. Regret flowed across his features for a brief moment before it was replaced with an angry mask. “If he had done what we told him to do, what he promised to do, we wouldn’t have to do this to you.” Sam closed her eyes as she saw Jimmy pull his arm back again. She tried to sit tall and take it. She tried to be strong. The next blows came one on top of the other. She took a fist to her face and another to her stomach. She doubled over and vomited whatever was left of her latest meal on her feet. She tried to open her eyes, but they had started swelling shut. She could feel blood flowing down her face in fast rivulets from her nose. She didn’t even try to stop the sobs and moans flowing from her mouth. The pain was almost too much, but she didn’t get the escape she hoped would come from unconsciousness. Isn’t that what everyone said in books? They would get beaten and then pass out or have an out-of-body experience? Please, please stop them. Another round of blows struck her in the side and face. She tried to fold in on herself to make the target smaller. Nothing had prepared her to be beaten. The most painful thing she ever endured was a sprained ankle when she was ten years old. Nothing could compare to the pain she was experiencing now. It spiked as she breathed in and she tried not to cry out as the next blow hit her in the side of the face. She felt her lip split against her teeth and gagged on the flow of blood down her throat.

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“Enough, Jimmy,” Buck said through clenched teeth. He sounded closer when he spoke again. “I’m sorry, honey. My boss forced my hand. We’ll clean you up as soon as we talk to your father.” Sam heard the sadness in Buck’s whisper before she heard the sound of a comlink opening. She listened to one of them take her picture with a camera and then perhaps a comlink device. The flash of light from the cameras was harsh even with her eyes closed. She flinched at the flash and the thought that someone would see her like this, beaten and broken. “Bridgestone. Your daughter has paid for your inability to follow simple instructions. You’re receiving photographic confirmation of your punishment now,” Buck said. His voice had been digitally changed through a device Sam knew he must have attached to his throat. He had used the same device the first time they called her father. “You will follow the next set of instructions to the letter, or you’ll find your daughter delivered to you in pieces.” For a few moments, there were no sounds in the room other than the sniffles and whimpers that Sam couldn’t swallow back. She knew that Buck was still on the line with her father. She knew that her father could probably hear her, but she just couldn’t gather the courage to do anything other than sit and suffer. Her face felt like it had been through a meat grinder. Her guts were still heaving. Every breath burned down her throat and shot pain through her ribs. She was thankful that she hadn’t eaten more. Tears poured down her battered face and off her chin. Sam jumped and squeaked when a hand rested lightly on her shoulder. She cracked open an eye enough to see Jimmy crouch down next to her. He leaned forward and wiped her cheeks with a paper towel. “Shh, sweetie. I’m going to get you ice in just a minute. Hang in there, and we’ll get you cleaned up,” Jimmy whispered into her ear. Regret and pity sat in his eyes. He brushed a stray piece of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You just be a good girl and tell

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your daddy how bad you feel when Buck puts the comlink by your mouth. It’ll all be over soon.” “No, you listen to me,” Buck said into the phone. His voice was controlled, but gravelly. “You’ll bring double the payment to an address I’m sending you right now. You’ll schedule some muchneeded vacation time and disappear for the next two months with your daughter after I return her to you. You have twenty-four hours to comply. If you bring law enforcement again, I swear to you I will kill her and send you a video of the bullet entering her brain. Do you understand?” The silence was deafening in the room. Sam was quaking in the chair. Horror pulsed through her veins. Would they really kill me? She shook with the answer. Yes, they would. Sam jumped when Buck resumed his conversation with her father. “Good. Now I’m going to let Samantha speak with you for a moment so you know she’s still alive,” Buck said. He stepped closer to Sam and bent down to her ear. “You won’t tell him anything other than you want to go home and that you are hurting but okay. Right?” The look of leashed violence made Sam nod quickly. She had no doubt that he was capable of hurting her much worse than a few bruises and cut lip. “Here you go. You have one minute.” Buck put the phone to her face, and she flinched when it rested against her bruised cheek. “Daddy?” Sam’s voice trembled with fear and sounded strange coming through swollen lips. “Oh God, Sam. I’m so sorry. I’m going to make this right, I promise. We’ll get you back, and I’ll have you home as fast as I can.” He father sounded broken. There was fear and acceptance in his voice. “Okay, Dad. Just be careful. I love you.” Sam tried to sound strong, but she was just in too much pain to mask her fear. Buck pulled the communication device from her face and clicked it off. He threw it against the wall, and it skittered under her cot.

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Small pieces of plastic littered the floor. He growled deep in his chest and paced the room a few times before blowing out an audible sigh. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. Jimmy, go get some ice packs and something for her to eat.” Buck clicked open a small knife and approached her. She flinched and tried to back away from him. Raw terror coated the inside of her mouth, metallic and bitter. Was he going to cut her now? After everything else they’d done to her, how could he threaten her more? She whimpered and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to watch him mutilate her. “Shh, hon. I’m just going to cut the ties holding your hands together.” He quickly released her limbs and wrapped his hand around her upper arm. He lightly pulled her from the chair and helped Sam stand. He whispered, “Easy. We’re going to go in the bathroom and get you wiped down and see what bandaging we have to do.” Buck led Sam into the small bathroom and forced her down onto the closed toilet seat. He tilted her head up with a finger under her chin and looked over her face with a look of disgust and sympathy. She knew she must have looked horrible. She could feel the blood starting to dry on her face, crusty and itchy. She watched with terrified fascination as he took a washcloth from the shelves in the corner and wet it. Her emotions were burning out, leaving her empty and hollow. She knew she should fear him, be scared to death of more pain, but she just couldn’t scrape together enough mental attention to fear him. Slowly he approached her face with the cloth, looking her in the eye as he got closer. “I promise we won’t hurt you anymore today. Let me clean up your face.” He waited for her nod before applying the cold cloth to her forehead and wiped down one side of her face. Sam winced when the cloth abraded the cuts and bruises on her cheeks. Her hands were still shaking violently. She tried to steady them by pushing them into her lap, but the tremors still raced up her arms. Sobs threatened to erupt, but she battled to keep them down.

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“We’re going to get you all cleaned up and fed. Then you’re going to rest. Tomorrow night is the next attempted drop. I want you well rested before we leave,” Buck murmured. He gently wiped the blood off Sam’s lip and around her nose. “I can’t promise that we won’t have to hurt you again, but for the rest of tonight, you will be safe, I promise.” She whimpered and shifted her gaze to the floor. There was no way she could endure another beating like she just took. Tears ran down her face and silently fell onto her lap. God help her if things went badly tomorrow.

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Chapter 5 “Just got the transmission from Nancy. Looks like Mr. Bridgestone is an upstanding member of society,” Adam said. He flipped through a few more screens on his handheld com device. “The only problem I see is this trial he’s involved in. Nancy sent all the transcripts from the trial so far. Seems the defendant was siphoning off loads of money from Mr. Bridgestone and a few other clients.” “I’m reviewing the information on the daughter now.” Cain concentrated on the maps of Aurora, Colorado. He committed the street map to memory and zoomed out to start memorizing the surrounding areas. “I have Aurora memorized. Will you do the same for Boulder? Might make travel around the father’s house easier if we need to visit his neck of the woods.” Cain was concerned that there was nothing especially interesting about Sam’s past. She’d lived with her father until recently, went to college, got a job working for her father, and kept a relatively low profile. This led him to believe that the father was the target. This didn’t bode well for Samantha’s well-being, especially with the failed attempt to collect the ransom. “Hey, incoming communication from the father,” Adam said. “Holy fucking shit!” Cain jumped to his feet as the picture of Samantha opened on his computer. The photo was slightly grainy, but clear enough to see the violence she’d suffered. Disgust roared through his brain as he processed the picture. She was tied to a metal chair in the middle of a dark room. The blood and bruises marring her face were fresh. Terror pinched her mouth and shown from partially swollen eyes. Fury pounded through Cain’s body. He paced the length

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of the plane, trying to get a handle on the intense feelings. Mine. He snarled deep in his chest. How dare someone hurt a woman like that? He could tell that she’d been beaten severely. Helplessness coursed through him. He had the urge to break something, throw something against the walls, mangle something with his pent up rage. “What the hell is wrong with you? She’s alive and was conscious when that photo was taken, correct?” Adam shot a look of confusion at Cain. “This is nothing new in our business. We’ve taken and received much worse photographs of hostages. You’re acting quite strangely over a female you’ve never met and worrying me that you need to seek a health scan.” “I know. It’s just…I don’t know. She doesn’t deserve this,” Cain said lamely. He took a few deep breaths and sat back in his chair. He didn’t understand his reaction either. This wasn’t their first kidnapping case that had gone wrong, and Adam was right, she didn’t even look too bad. She was obviously conscious and sitting upright on her own. The knowledge that another male had touched her in a harmful way just made him want to hurt someone. He shook with it, felt the anger all the way to his bones. “I’m fine. If the symptoms or reactions become much worse I will seek you out.” Adam rolled his eyes but didn’t pursue the conversation. Cain was thankful that his friend was taking the silent route this time. He wasn’t sure he would be able to keep from attacking Adam. He was too worked up, too on edge. Perhaps a trip to Genotech would be in order to verify his health and test his mental stability. “I’ll review the photo for any telling evidence. Maybe we can pinpoint her location before we land. I have Jerome searching potential sites around the area that have been rented, leased, or bought in the last few weeks. I will send the photo to him to assist in the data analysis. He’ll compile the list of likely locations and transmit when he’s finished.” “Good. I’ll contact Bart and see what he knows about this photo and when it was sent to Mr. Bridgestone. He should have caught some

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sort of ping as he monitored communication lines. Oh, it looks like Mr. Bridgestone is contacting us.” Cain swiveled in his chair and opened a com line. Anything to move forward and take his mind off Sam’s plight and his useless emotional reactions. “We received the photo, Mr. Bridgestone. Did the kidnappers also speak with you?” “Yes, they phoned me at the same time they sent the photo. I have a new drop location and time set for tomorrow. I have to have double the money at a coffeehouse at one p.m. tomorrow afternoon.” Roger’s voice was strained and thick with emotion. “They let me speak with her. She was terrified but alive.” “That is typical behavior, Mr. Bridgestone. She’ll be safe until the drop tomorrow,” Adam said. “Did you record the conversation as we requested?” “Yes, I just sent the file to your account.” “We’ll be landing in less than two hours. Once we are on the ground, our team will convene at a location we’ve selected and then we’ll let you know what the plan is,” Cain commented. “We will keep you apprised of our movements, but Mr. Bridgestone, please understand that we’ll expect you to behave as if you’re following through on the drop. There should be no indication that you’ve involved us. The law enforcement teams and the kidnappers should not know that we’re on this case. Is that clear?” “Of course,” Roger answered. “I want Samantha back home. I don’t care what it takes.” “Good. Also, please make sure you have the object we requested waiting for us at the hangar. We’ll be in touch once we’ve landed.” Adam closed the com line and looked at Cain with concern. Before he opened his mouth Cain shook his head. It wasn’t the time or the place to talk about his emotional outbursts. He knew Adam was one breath from commenting on his lack of discipline. He didn’t understand his own reactions and didn’t want to discuss it. “Leave me alone, Adam. I’m fine,” he growled. Breathing slowly, he tried to get his mind back to its optimal analytical state. “Let’s

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finish going through the information Nancy has sent us, and by then, Jerome’s analysis might be done.” Instead of answering Adam’s questioning look, he turned to study the photo of Sam. He could see that she’d been secured to an oldfashioned folding chair. The room was dark, but it looked like a dirt floor, perhaps a basement of some sort. If it was a basement, it would be in an old building or home. He enlarged the photos and scanned each section, changed the contrast and other characteristics, trying to find more information. Behind her was a small window at the top of the wall. Definitely a basement. “I think she’s in a basement. I’m calling Jerome right now,” Cain said. He turned quickly to the comlink and contacted Jerome. Adam rushed over to look at the picture on the computer. “What’s up, guys?” Jerome’s smooth voice came over the speaker. “Jerome, I’m sending you a photo we received from the client. I think the hostage is in the basement of an old building or house. Looks like a dirt floor, and what might be a basement window behind her.” “Okay. I’ll filter my data to exclude recent builds. Honestly, Adam, I think you are still looking for a proverbial needle in a haystack,” Jerome noted. The clatter of a keyboard could be heard over the comlink. “Okay, that narrows it down to forty-seven properties in a thirty-mile radius.” “Thanks, Jerome. We’ll be in touch prior to you landing,” Adam said. He closed the communication line. “This might not be as hard as we initially thought.” “I’m hoping the same,” Cain said with a shake of his head. “For the daughter’s sake, I hope we find her fast.” “Hey, boss. What’s up?” Bart’s baritone flowed into the plane’s cabin. “I just got the photo you sent of the victim. Harsh beat down for a girl, huh?” “Enough, Bart. I need comline locations for the calls that have come from the kidnappers. The last was the photo and a call from the

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hostage location,” Cain barked. “We need to triangulate possible locations, and I want it done before we all land.” “Got it, and I’m already working on it. The kidnappers know what they’re doing with disintegrating the comline intel. I had a bitch of a time chasing the line before it was completely irretrievable. Good thing I’m not governed by acceptable law-abiding practices.” Bart chuckled. “Even after I caught the input location, it was corrupted, but I know the general area of Aurora that the call came from.” “They’re still in Aurora? Shit. Are they stupid?” Cain asked in astonishment. Anyone that knew anything about kidnapping moved the victim to a location away from the initial crime location. “I didn’t say they were in Aurora. I said they were in the general area of Aurora. The calls originated from thirty to forty miles south of Aurora. I’m guessing Castle Rock, but I could be wrong,” Bart answered. “Although, we all know I’m never wrong.” “Shut up, Bart. Just send us the coordinates that you captured from the comline. Send them to Jerome as well so he can use them to narrow our search.” “What’s your ETA, Bart?” Adam asked as they scanned the information Bart had just sent. “Jerome is landing in just over an hour. We’re landing in about seventy minutes. We are all heading to the ops location and will work on the search pattern and assignments once there.” “I’ll be landing in about forty minutes. Are there vehicles waiting for us?” “Yes, there should be two of our vehicles waiting at the landing strip. Contact us the minute you’re on the ground,” Adam said. He was looking over Cain’s shoulder as the triangulation software worked through the data that Jerome had supplied. “You got it. Talk to you in a few,” Bart said. With a click, the connection was broken. “He can be an ass, but by looking at the comlink intel, he had one hell of a time outwitting the corruption programming,” Cain said

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grudgingly. “From a quick glance, it looks like we’ll be searching about eleven buildings.” **** “Cain, incoming from Nancy.” Adam’s voice broke into his thoughts. They’d worked on the information collected and had put together a few versions of tactile plans. He’d been drowning in the pain and isolation he knew Samantha must be feeling. With a final shake of his head he leaned forward and pulled up the call. “Nancy, how are you? Did you finally get in touch with John?” Cain smiled at the video screen. He couldn’t help but smile at the motherly face. If he’d been born to parents he’d want his mother to be just like her. Quick witted, great sense of humor, and great at baking. “I’m fine, thank you. Yes, we just disconnected. He wants you and Adam to contact him ASAP about this job. He seemed agitated when I told him what you were working on,” Nancy said. She pushed the small glasses up to perch on the top of her nose again. “Also, in reviewing the police database in Aurora, it seems that this case has been on the forefront of their department as well.” “Nancy, did you hack into a police department computer system again?” They both grinned at the screen. She may look like everyone’s mother or grandmother, but that woman was amazing with a computer. “You know you aren’t supposed to do that, right?” “You aren’t supposed to get caught. Isn’t that the normal response you boys give me when you do something you aren’t supposed to?” Nancy laughed. Cain and Adam laughed. They indeed gave her that excuse often when they broke into buildings or did other illegal actions. After the first few months of working in the office, she’d stopped asking them for specifics on their missions. She seemed to like it better when she didn’t know what they had been up to. Then, she started working on research for them and had mistakenly broken into a college computer

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system. Since then, her scruples were not so defined, and she did what was needed to get the information needed. “Thanks, Nancy. We’ll give John a call,” Cain said. He waved at her and disconnected the comlink then searched quickly for John Decker’s information. John ran one of the hostage recovery units for the FBI. Adam and Cain had dealt with John and his associates on many of their operations. Many times they attempted to work together to apprehend the kidnappers. “John Decker.” A male voice came across the comlink. No video link was accepted, as per FBI protocol, but Cain knew John’s voice well. “John, it’s Adam and Cain. We hear you chatted with Nancy a little while ago.” The video feed was connected, and John’s face flickered onto the screen. His face showed years of hardship and missions that had gone badly. His hair was gray along his temples, and he had deep crow’sfeet around his blue eyes. He looked every minute of his fifty-two years. “Guys, how are you? It’s been, what, three weeks since you’ve stepped on my toes with a mission?” John said. He softened the statement with a grin. “I hear you’re on your way to Colorado. Actually, I’m tracking your plane right now. You did file your flight path with the appropriate government agencies, right? I mean, I don’t want to have to bail you guys out again for landing illegally in a state.” “Geez, we forget once, and he never lets us forget it,” Adam quipped. They’d flown without alerting officials many times. Sometimes the job required action over paperwork. “So, are you or your buds involved in the Bridgestone kidnapping?” “Well, on the record, no. But, I do have to tell you that there are quite a few federal agents in Colorado who are coincidently in Aurora.”

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“So, you guys weren’t involved in the first drop?” Adam asked. He scrubbed his hands over his face. Cain shared a knowing look with him. If the FBI wasn’t technically involved but had agents on the ground, they were hunting someone other than the kidnappers. This could cause unnecessary wrinkles in the mission if they needed to be careful of agents. “No, we weren’t called in until after the initial failure. That is what has caused the influx of agents into Aurora. The FBI should have been called as soon as the victim was taken. We are concerned about the police department and possible corruption. But, you didn’t hear that from me,” John answered. He lowered his voice and leaned toward the video screen. “I’d suggest you tread lightly if you’re going to grab anyone other than Samantha. The FBI is interested in the captors almost more than they are in the girl, but don’t tell anyone I told you that.” “What the hell? So, what are you suggesting? We let the assholes go and just grab the girl?” Cain asked angrily. The government wanted to get the captors for whatever twisted reason, so they were sacrificing Samantha. Damn it, but he hated the government. This wasn’t the first time this same scenario had played out, and he was sick of it. The victims should be important to someone other than just their families. “They need to be fucking beaten for what they did to her, and you know it.” “Cain, is that anger I see leaking out? You better watch it, man, or we’re going to start thinking you are human,” John commented. “I don’t care if you grab the guys and rough them up a little, but just leave them for us to scoop up when you’re done, all right?” “That sounds fair enough.” Adam was scowling at Cain for his outburst. “We’re landing soon, as you can see, and then are heading out for some recon. Do you want to know what we’re doing or not?” Sometimes it was easier to keep the agent from learning what Genophyte Security was doing to accomplish their assignments. Too

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often, the means to the end were not quite legal and Cain hated paying the steep fees to bail out any of their employees. “In this one, I think knowing might be beneficial. Just call me on my personal line if it’s something…sketchy,” John said. He shook his head and grinned at the screen. “Actually, what you consider sketchy is different than my idea. Let’s make all communications through my personal line, shall we?” “John, what are you not telling us? If you guys were investigating police corruption, you’d be in there working the case and observing the police force. What else is going on?” Adam asked. Cain watched the flicker of something cross John’s face before the smooth mask, gained through years of training, fell into place. This case was bigger than the man was letting on, and Sam was in the middle of it. “We’re interested in who orchestrated this kidnapping. This individual or group has widespread control of not only the police but it seems other governmental agencies in and around Colorado. It may reach much higher on the food chain as well. We think that it’s Erik Sampson pulling the strings to keep from going to jail. If that’s the case, he has the police, governor, and who knows who else in his pocket.” “So, you want the captors for questioning? I wonder if that is why they demanded Mr. Bridgestone take his daughter into hiding,” Adam commented. That piece of the conversation between the captors and Bridgestone hadn’t made sense until now. If they were pushing to have the Bridgestones go in hiding to keep Roger from testifying, then the kidnapping was nothing but a way to ensure compliance. “When did they demand that?” John interjected. He looked confused and then angry. “I take it they contacted Roger again? How the hell did you know that and we didn’t?” “Bart. That’s the only answer you will get about that. I’ll send you the latest in communications,” Cain answered. His fingers flew across his keyboard, and then he looked back at the screen, where John was

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still trying to get a handle on his facial features. “You should have it now.” “Thanks, Cain. We’ll study this and see if we can get any information from it.” John nodded at the screen. “Do you know where you’re going to start your search?” Cain sent a quick “Don’t tell him” to Adam. Cain enjoyed working with John Decker, but didn’t enjoy working with the FBI. He knew their comlink was being monitored, and there was no way he would jeopardize this mission by filling in the FBI if he didn’t have to. “We’re going to start in Aurora at her apartment building and work circles out from there.” Adam glanced at Cain quickly before adding. “We’ve not been able to lock onto any comlink signals so far to get a location.” “Fine. Keep me informed of what you’re doing, and I’ll try to keep the boys out of your hair.” John waved at the screen and closed the comlink. “Well, that was interesting news. I’m going to work on search patterns for us and get them to Jerome and Bart before they land. We did acquire a location to stay in while on this mission, correct?” Cain had been in such a hurry to get moving on the case that he’d forgotten to secure lodging. He was slipping and didn’t like it one bit. “Yes, I took care of it. We have a couple of cabins in the mountains on retainer should we need them,” Adam answered. “So, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but what the hell is wrong with you? I’ve never seen you get this angry before, and definitely not this many times over a mission.” Cain glanced at the other man and tried to come up with a good answer to the question. He didn’t know himself why he was behaving this way. All he knew was that every time he thought about Samantha or her injuries, emotions crashed through his body. He understood the rage and the anger, but the other feelings that made his guts tight and his skin hot were just befuddling.

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“I wish I had an answer. The thought of that female going through what she’s going through just makes me want to hurt someone. I look at that photo of her and see red. Images keep popping into my head of her. She haunts my dreams, and they feel so real.” Cain tore off a glove and rubbed his hand through his hair. He blew a breath through his lips. “I want to save her. All by myself. I want to put her someplace safe and never let anyone touch her. I want to growl and tear apart anyone that has ever hurt her. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” “Sounds sort of cavemanish to me,” Adam said with a grin. “Whatever it is, man, you need to get a grip on it. If you’re going to be a liability on this mission, I will chain you to a wall someplace until it’s done.” “Fuck you. I’m fine, and if you come near me with chains, you are going to be in a heap of trouble,” Cain grumbled and glanced down at his computer screen. “Besides, you need me to help search houses— which, by the way, I have the list of now. It looks like we’ll each get to peek into about four tonight. I’m working up schedules now.” “Sure, change the subject, you pussy.” Adam laughed as Cain threw a small pillow at his head.

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Chapter 6 Sam watched the door as she crawled off her bed and slipped her hand under the cot. She’d been waiting for Buck to come back and grab his comlink, but it had been hours since she’d seen him. She peeked under the cot and scooped up the little device. The outer case was destroyed, but she hoped that the electronic parts were still working correctly. She palmed the device and lay on her cot, facing the wall. She curled her body around her hands in hopes that if one of the men entered her space she’d have time to hide the comlink. With a small click, the device opened. It was still powered up, and she held her breath as she dialed her father’s private number. Please, God, let him be there. “Hello?” Sam gasped and tried to keep her tears from streaming down her face. “Daddy, it’s me,” she whispered. “Oh, my God, Sam. Are you okay? How are you calling me?” Roger Bridgestone’s voice faltered as he took a deep breath. “One of the men threw his comlink but forgot to pick it back up. Look, Dad, I’m not sure how long I can talk. Can you trace this line?” Sam tried to keep it together long enough to use this miracle to her advantage. She didn’t trust Buck and Jimmy to not kill her, and she surely didn’t trust their boss to keep his word. “No, but I’m going to transfer this line to someone. I hired a group to find you. If anyone can track this line, they can. Hang on. You want to talk with Cain. He’s the one in charge.” “Okay.” Sam could hear a couple of clicks and then silence. Dread coursed through her body. Did Buck know she had his phone and he

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had terminated the line? She tried to breathe deeply and wait, but panic was starting to pound through her veins. “Hello, Samantha?” A deep voice came on the line, and Sam closed her eyes in thanks. “Yes. Is this Cain?” Sam’s voice was weak with relief. They would be able to find her. She had to keep that thought foremost in her mind. “Yes, I’m Cain. Now listen, I know that you may have to end the call at any point, so you need to listen to me. We’re tracking the signal right now, but every second you keep the line open, the closer to your actual location we can get. This comlink is routed through splitters to disguise the site they are using to hold you. If the kidnappers come back in the room, do you think you can hide the device and leave the line open?” “Maybe. They’re going to be pissed if they find me with the comlink. But, I think I can hide it under my pillow for a few minutes while they search my room.” Terror ran icy cold through her body. What would Buck do if he caught her with the comlink? She couldn’t take another beating. Her breathing rate ratcheted higher. Her lips started to feel numb. Someplace in the back of her mind, she knew that she was hyperventilating, but she couldn’t stop herself from gasping for breath. “Sam, you need to calm down. I can hear you breathing too fast. You need to slow your breathing down, or you’re going to pass out.” Cain’s steady voice washed over her. “I can’t take another beating. If Buck finds me with this, he is going to hurt me, I just know it,” Sam gasped. Tears were flowing steadily down her face as the impact of her actions struck her. “Sam, listen to me. You will be okay. My technology geek is working as fast as his fingers can work to find you. My team will get to you as soon as we can. I need you to be strong. Breathe with me.” Cain started breathing and counting softly in her ear. She concentrated on the sound of his voice and the slow exhale of his breaths. After a

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few minutes, her breathing had slowed and her lips weren’t numb any longer. “That’s a good girl. Now, we only need a few more seconds, and we’ll have your location pinpointed. Can you tell me anything about where you are?” “No. They drugged me, and I woke up in this room. I think I’m in a basement, but other than that, I don’t know anything,” Sam answered. Her panic attack was still jangling her nerves, but she’d a handle on her emotions. She would take anything they dished out on her as long as she could be free soon. She glanced over her shoulder at the door. She was sure Buck or Jimmy would be down soon to check on her. “Okay. You’re doing great, Sam. Hang in there with me. How many men are holding you?” “Two that I know of, Buck and Jimmy. They’re the two that took me from my apartment building as well.” Sam liked the sound of Cain’s voice. It was deep and calming and sexy as hell. “Good. We just need a few more seconds. I saw the pictures that they sent your dad. How are you feeling?” Concern was evident in his voice even through the comlink. “I hurt, but it’s not too bad. My face is the worst because I have to lie on a cot all the time. They’re giving me pain medicine, though, so that helps.” Sam could hear him growling through the phone. She frowned. What the hell was he growling for? “I’m going to kill them for what they did to you. I’m going to string them up and beat them with a baseball bat until they look like ground meat.” Cain’s voice had deepened with his anger. Rage flowed thick through his voice. Sam could hear someone yelling at him in the background. She heard someone tell him to get a grip, and she concurred. He wasn’t the one risking his life right now. “Ummm, although I’m all for them being punished, I really don’t want to know what’s going to be done to them, okay?” She tried for light, but her voice just came out scared and shaky.

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“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I just am so pissed at what you’ve suffered. I promise that you will be safe once we find you. I’ll personally guard you so you feel safe again.” She could hear him take a deep breath. “We’ll find you as quickly as we can, and we’ll protect you with our lives if needed.” “Thank you, Cain. Really. I don’t know if I will ever feel safe again, though.” Sam sniffled as tears tried to leak from her eyes again. Enough of the waterworks, get a grip. She jumped when she heard the stairs squeak outside her door. Panic took her breath, “Oh God. Someone is coming. I have to go. Thank you.” Sam couldn’t be caught with the device, terror made her click the comlink off and slide it off the cot, onto the floor behind her head. It clattered softly to the floor. She hoped that whoever was on the stairs didn’t hear the noise. She closed her eyes and tried to quiet her breathing. Her heart was racing, pounding hard in her chest. If they thought she was asleep, maybe they’d leave her alone. She flinched when she heard the door open and someone entered. She breathed as shallowly as she could, listening for movement. After what felt like forever, her door closed quietly with a click. She turned over on her cot and verified that the person had left. She took a deep breath with relief and prayed that Cain would be coming soon to find her. **** “Shit!” Cain yelled, as he watched the comlink connection close. He picked up his handheld device and almost threw it across the plane. Only Adam’s quick grunt reminded him that doing so might be a really bad idea. “Bart, did we get her?” “Close, but not exact location. She’s definitely being held in Castle Rock. I’ve pinned it down to a few-block radius, so that should narrow down the number of buildings we have to search,” Bart answered.

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“Okay, send me the info, and we’ll see you on the ground.” Cain closed the comlink with Bart. Rage surged through him as he replayed the conversation he had with Sam. She’d been so scared. He growled deep in his belly and clenched his fists. Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to get himself under control. The only thing keeping him from tearing something apart with his bare hands was the sweet memory of Sam’s voice. It echoed through his thoughts and soothed the anger. Mine. When Cain and Adam disembarked from their plane, Bart and Jerome were already waiting for them, leaning casually against the vehicles. Before Cain could ask, Jerome opened the passenger-side door and pointed to a small box sitting on the seat. “It’s in there. I took it from one of the security dudes here. He says it came from Mr. Bridgestone.” Cain took the box and opened it slowly. Nestled inside tissue paper was what looked like a glass egg. It was very heavy, clear, and swirled with different colors. If he could hazard a guess as to its use, it would be a paperweight. It supposedly was something that Samantha Bridgestone was known to handle often. He closed his eyes and reached with his senses toward the egg and felt nothing. It didn’t carry any auras at all. What the hell? “Call her father. I need to speak with him. I need something she has handled recently, and this piece of shit hasn’t been touched by a human hand in years.” Cain almost threw the egg, but decided against it at the last minute. If it was Sam’s, then he didn’t want to ruin it. “Cain, I have him on the comlink. He says that she holds that all the time.” Adam was looking at Cain with a big question mark across his face, but wouldn’t ask the question yet. “Here, give me the comlink.” Cain quickly replaced his glove and grabbed for the device from Adam’s outstretched hand. “Mr. Bridgestone, I needed something that Samantha would have touched recently, at least in the last few weeks. I thought I was blatantly clear when I gave you instructions earlier.”

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“Cain, that item was her worry stone. She held it all the time. She calls it her ‘stress ball.’ You can call and talk to her employees about it, but I know she was seen most days cradling that piece of glass in her hand all day long,” Roger said. Cain could tell that the comments were truthful. How could she have handled the glass egg without leaving her imprint on it? “As long as you’re sure. I’m sorry I barked at you. I’m handing you to Jerome, one of our associates, so he can fill you in on our location and the plans we have for the evening,” Cain said. He absently handed the comlink to Jerome and continued to scowl at the glass egg in his other hand. He slowly removed his glove again and placed the glass piece in the center of his palm. Cain closed his eyes one more time, trying to get anything off the cold glass. “Cain, are you serious? You can’t sense anything?” Adam whispered, staring into Cain’s face. Surprise and concern burned in his eyes. Cain glared for a moment at the object in his hand. He raised his eyes to Adam’s concerned gaze and just nodded. They wouldn’t be using empathic tracking to find Samantha Bridgestone. “Well, at least we only have eleven buildings to search,” Adam said flatly. “I don’t understand. I’ve never had someone not leave at least an aura on an object before,” Cain said. He shook his head. “Let’s get to the ops location and then get set up for our evening. I want to talk to John before we head into Castle Rock.” “Maybe your empathic level is changing, or it’s changing into a form of clairvoyance? You’re getting closer to your need for a longevity booster,” Adam commented. Both Adam and Cain were part of the first genophytes created at Genotech Global. Both men would live until their two-hundred-fiftieth year and then, without a longevity booster from the laboratory, they would quickly die. It was part of their genetic programming. Both men were approaching eighty-five years old and were going to be the first genophytes to test

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the actual cell life given from an initial booster. Dr. Robinson had told them years ago that the moment they felt themselves changing in any way to contact her or another scientist at Genotech Global to verify that they were still functioning properly. This change in Cain’s empathic ability could be the first marker of something big happening to one of them. “Maybe. Do you realize this is the first object that I’ve ever touched that belonged to someone else that hasn’t given me psychic energy whiplash?” Cain was torn between hating the lack of information and the pleasure at being able to touch something with skin that didn’t belong to him. He rubbed his thumb across the smooth, cool surface. No one could understand the loneliness that came with never being able to touch anything or anyone with an uncovered hand. When he did decide to use his ability, he had such backlash of energy that it could cripple him for a time. “Give me your key ring. I want to test my ability.” “You’re sure you want to test this before our mission? You know how you can get,” Adam asked in a hushed voice. Most of their men didn’t know about Cain’s debilitating response to psychic energy he received empathically. Reluctantly, Adam pulled his keys out of his pocket when Cain motioned his impatience with his hand. “Your funeral, bud.” Cain closed his eyes and tensed for the onslaught to hit as soon as Adam’s keys reached his open, uncovered palm. The first emotion hit like a wave of intense heat. Concern was like a sticky, hot caramel coating the back of his throat and fusing to his spine. A split second later, the smooth slide of happiness flowed over Cain. Small amounts of anger and annoyance buffeted against his mind, inky and thick. He breathed slowly through his teeth and tried to keep from getting the dry heaves. He slowly opened his eyes and signaled Adam to remove the keys from his palm with a nod. “Well, I see you’re still suffering from the mental sludge of others. So you aren’t broken,” Adam quipped. He turned to Jerome and Bart

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to keep them from focusing on Cain. “You two can head to the cabins we’ve rented and start setting up the communications center. We’ll grab some food and meet you there. I want to be able to be on the road to Castle Rock by 2100 hours.”

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Chapter 7 Sam was facing the wall again, studying the cracks in the cement block. She was unsure what time of the day it was, or even how long it had been since her beating. She’d snoozed off and on since she talked with Cain. The men had brought her food and ice packs every so often. They had stopped trying to talk to her. She was hurting, angry, and terrified. She swung from fighting tears to wanting to kill one of her captors. She’d mutely stared them both down each time they came near her. The door swung open with a slight squeak, and Sam listened to someone enter the room. The smell of soup overwhelmed her, and she almost rolled over. Her stomach clenched and growled loudly. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her give in, though. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep just as she had the last five times someone entered the room. “Samantha, I know you are awake,” Buck said. His voice was low and gravelly. “You need to eat something or at least drink some water. You can’t heal if you aren’t taking care of yourself.” Sam sighed and rolled over. She glared at Buck through swollen eyes. Her ribs and stomach ached with the movement, and she winced when her face touched the pillow on the other side of her cot. “Fuck you, Buck. If you cared so much, you guys would’ve given me the medicine to heal all this already.” She waved a hand around her head. Her anger boiled up again and made her head throb with the increased blood flow. “I just want out of here. I don’t want to eat your food or drink your water. You and Jimmy beat a helpless woman,

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who, by the way, was tied to a chair. Why in the hell would you think I’d listen to you now?” Buck scrubbed his face with his hands. The slight beard that had grown in the last couple of days made a raspy noise as he moved his hands across the hairs. Sam noticed that he looked more haggard than he had even the day before. I hope the guilt eats him alive. “I already told you. The man who hired us required we do what we did. I didn’t want to. You have to believe me,” Buck said. He squatted next to Sam’s head and watched her. “I know you don’t want to trust me, but we aren’t going to harm you again. You are nothing but a pawn in this game, and I refuse to do that again. Do you hear me?” “Oh, and I’m supposed to believe you? You told me the first night that you wouldn’t hurt me. You lied.” “I know, and we’re both really sorry.” Buck continued studying Sam as she lay on the cot. Sadness darkened his eyes as he scanned her bruised face. “Look, tomorrow afternoon is the next drop. We’ll be taking you with us and exchanging you for the money. You will be free tomorrow. You need to eat something so you’re strong enough to deal with tomorrow’s events. It’s going to be stressful, and I don’t want you passing out or something because you are too weak.” “Fine. I’ll eat,” Sam huffed. She tried to sit up and squeaked with the pain in her side and gut. She flinched away from Buck when he reached out a hand to steady her. “Samantha, let me help you up. Jeezus, woman, I hated doing what we did. Let me help you.” Buck snaked an arm under her shoulders and slowly helped her sit up. He grabbed her elbow and helped her carefully to her feet. They shuffled across the floor to the table, where he settled her in a chair. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to help you to the bathroom. Don’t try to get up without me.” Sam watched him walk quietly out of the door and shut it behind him. She took a deep breath and then winced at the pain in her ribs. She didn’t want to like Buck. She didn’t want to trust him, but the

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look of sorrow and anger that still flickered in his gaze when he talked about his boss’s demands made it difficult to hate him. Isn’t it called Stockholm syndrome when you start trusting your kidnappers? She shook her head at her own musing and picked up a spoon to eat her soup. Her stomach growled in response. **** “Checking in. I just finished searching building two on my list. I’m moving in on building three. Nothing abnormal about building number two,” Adam said into his comlink. He was walking along the back side of an abandoned building, staying in the shadows as he approached an older home. The third building on his search list was a rental. It supposedly was being rented by a family on vacation. “Roger that. I’m working my way to the second location on my list. All quiet out here. This would be a nice town to live in. It’s really calm.” Jerome chuckled over his comlink. “Nice commentary from the peanut gallery,” Cain added. “I’m approaching number three for me as well. Remember, if you see anything, call us all in.” “Yes, Mommy, we know.” Bart snickered over his line. “I’m checking in as well. Finished my search of second building, moving to third.” Adam laughed as he listened to Cain grumble about people being disrespectful. He could sense Cain’s tension even across a couple of miles and having his mental shields up. As the evening progressed, Cain was becoming more and more unhinged. Adam feared that when they did find the woman that he would have to restrain Cain so no permanent damage was inflicted on the perpetrators. Adam slid around the back of a house across the street from the one he was to search. The home was dark inside, but did have two vehicles in the parking area. He studied the house, looking for any indication that he was being monitored. He adjusted his goggles and

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switched them to detect heat signatures. Three bodies were in the house. Two were on the first floor at the back of the building. The third was in the basement. Adam’s pulse picked up just a little. He switched the goggles to detect ultraviolet waves and verified that no security systems were in place. Next, he switched the goggles to detect radiation wavelengths to scan for weapons other than knives or handguns. Nothing showed up in his sweep. Silently, Adam walked down the block to the corner and crossed the street. Using the shadows of the large trees along the street, he made his way to the house he was observing. He approached the vehicles noiselessly and inspected both of them for evidence of children. Both vehicles were black, and all windows were darkened. Interesting. Slowly, Adam let his mental shields drop, and he reached out with his psychic ability. He braced himself for the headache that would come with using his gift. Quickly, he sensed the two men in the back of the house. The third warm body in the basement gave no mental waves at all. He switched his goggles back to thermal imaging and watched as the body moved around a room. Adam closed his eyes and pushed his mental net toward the location of the other person and again felt nothing. His head started to pound in time to his beating heart. He gathered himself for one more push and settled the net around the two men. “In the morning, Jimmy, you will head out for some good coffee and doughnuts. That might perk Samantha up enough to listen to instructions tomorrow.” Adam jerked his shields back up and took a couple of deep breaths. He took out a couple of pain pills and swallowed them without water. He was confused over why he couldn’t sense Samantha, but if she was being held in a shielded room, that would explain the lack of reading. “Checking in. I have a possible contact with the victim. Address is being sent now to your handhelds. Approach from the north along

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side street,” Adam said into his comlink. He quickly entered the address into his handheld computer and sent it to the other men. “Let me know your ETA.” “What do you mean, ‘possible contact’?” Cain came across the ear piece. “Is it her or not?” “I think she’s being held in a shielded room because I can see a mobile body in the basement, but can’t pick up any psychic signature,” Adam answered. “Although, one of the males in the house mentioned Samantha in his conversation. It warrants further observations.” “I’ll be there in ten,” Jerome added. “It will take me almost twenty to get to your location.” Bart’s voice came next across the comlink. “I’ll be there in fifteen with one of the vehicles,” Cain said. “I’ll park around the corner and come from the south. Keep me apprised of any changes in status.” **** Cain sprinted from his location to the vehicle he and Jerome had driven into Castle Rock. It took him three minutes of running to reach it and get on the road. His breathing rate had barely increased after the sprint. He drove until he was two streets south of Adam’s location. He worked his way along a side street until he found a parking location between two similar vehicles. He had kept himself from thinking about Samantha while he drove, blanking his mind and focusing on the next minute, the tasks at hand. Once he had the vehicle turned off and was walking along the shadows toward Adam, he could feel a fluttering sensation in his stomach. He hoped he wasn’t reacting to bad food because vomiting during a mission usually was not the best way to stay concealed. His guts were in knots. He could lie to himself for a little while, but the

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feelings flowing through him were telling. You’re all worked up over her and you know it. He reached out quickly to locate Adam’s location and slid silently between a bush and the house next to the target building. Adam acknowledged Cain’s arrival with a slight nod then indicated with hand signals that Jerome was located on the other side of the target building, also hidden from view. They adopted a statuesque form while waiting for Bart’s arrival. Cain used his thermal imaging setting and watched the body in the basement shift repeatedly on a bed or cot. He mentally reached into the building to try to connect with the warm body he could see. He easily picked up the mental patterns of the two males in the house, but he couldn’t sense anything from the third occupant. “Jerome, I want you to install recording devices around the perimeter of the building,” Cain whispered into his comlink. He could’ve sent the thought to the other man, but most normal humans didn’t like having thoughts pushed into their heads. Jerome disliked it more than most. “If you get some sort of verification on the body ID in the basement, I’ll give you a bonus. I want to know for sure that this is the location before we do anything else.” “You got it, boss,” Jerome answered. Cain watched the other man slink through the darkness, placing listening devices around the building. They were soon connected to the team’s handheld devices. “Cain, I have a basement window at the back of the building that has been painted over on the outside. I’m going to attempt to scrape some of the paint off to verify ID.” Cain programmed his computer to cycle through all the channels every five seconds. He heard the sound of something softly scratching near one of the listening devices. He caught himself holding his breath, waiting for the word from Jerome. He shook himself to try to stop the nauseous feeling threatening his stomach. “Video monitor is in place, window is clean, switching to night vision mode,” Jerome reported. “Room contains a cot and card table.

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Subject is on the cot, not moving. Subject isn’t facing window. I can’t positively ID. What are your instructions?” “Finish placing the recording devices, and install video feeds on the entrances. Once that’s accomplished, I suggest we all fall back to the vehicles and select monitoring locations,” Adam instructed. “Roger that,” Jerome whispered. “I’m around the corner. Do you want me to stay with the vehicle?” Bart asked. “Remain there. We’ll meet you in four minutes,” Adam answered.

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Chapter 8 May 24, 2090 Sam sat long into the night, reliving the beating, dreading the morning, and just not finding enough peace to fall asleep. Sometime after Buck left and turned off the light in her room, she heard a quiet scraping noise near the window above the cot. At first her hopes were high, thinking that Cain and his men had found her. She listened intently for hours, waiting for someone to open the window and pull her to safety. She even started fantasizing about what Cain might look like. She closed her eyes and thought about what it would be like to be held by strong arms. She was sure he was muscular. His voice had been deep and angry. That had to mean he was buff, right? She laughed at her own musing. When the scratching noise resumed, she tried to ignore it. She thought perhaps it was a mouse or something trying to get in the window. Poor thing if it thinks it would find something better inside this room. Her situation became very clear as the night dragged on. She was at the mercy of an unknown person who had hired the two men upstairs to kidnap her and hold her against her will. She was to be kept until her father met whatever demands were placed on him. By the sound of it, the two men were not really thrilled about hurting her further, but would without a second thought if instructed to, maybe. Buck had even threatened her father with her death. Was it a bluff? She didn’t think so, although it seemed he wasn’t really happy about the damage he already had to inflict—which left her at not only their

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mercy, but her father’s as well. She wondered who else knew she was gone. Would her entire world be in the balance for the next twentyfour hours as powers played some game that she seemed to have been sucked into? At some point, she’d rolled over and stared at the wall. She thought she could see faint light coming in through the window, but each time she looked straight at the window, it looked black as pitch. She was attempting to look at it in her peripheral vision when her door opened and the light was switched on with a blinding click. She blinked a few times, squinting against the light. “Morning, sunshine. Wakey, wakey,” Jimmy said happily. He grinned at the scowl Sam shot at him. “Your face looks a lot better this morning. I’m taking requests for doughnuts and coffee. What’s your pleasure?” With the mention of doughnuts, Sam relaxed. She would love some grease and sugar. Every situation looked better with a doughnut in hand. And to have decent coffee, not the gut rot the men had been making the last few days, sounded divine. She shuddered at the thought of the damage their version of coffee was wreaking on her digestive system. “I would love a Boston cream, or two. And, if it’s not too much, I’d love to get a mocha latte with extra cream,” Sam rasped. She cleared her throat, wincing at the dry pain, and tried again. “Thanks, Jimmy. What time is it anyway?” “Not a problem, kiddo. It’s a little after seven thirty. Seems Buck is an early riser. After what we had to do to you yesterday, I’d get you pretty much anything you want,” he said with a grin and a wink. “Will the doughnuts work for breakfast, or would you like an egg sandwich or something, too?” Sam couldn’t help herself. She laughed at the absurdity of the situation. She was kidnapped, being held against her will by two of the nicest men she’d ever known. Both of them had been forced to beat her just a day ago and now were trying to make it up to her while

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she still sported the bruises. On top of that, she possibly could be dead by the end of the day, but with doughnuts in her near future, she just couldn’t stir up enough fear to suit the situation. “No, the doughnuts will be enough,” she said. “I would like to visit the little girls’ room, though, before you go, if you don’t mind.” She grimaced at the pain in her sides when she stood. She was still sore, and her muscles didn’t like the movement. She walked across the room when Jimmy motioned her through the door with a slight bow. She shook her head at him and entered the bathroom. The slight grin she had on her face dissolved when she caught a glimpse of her bruised and cut-up face. She sucked in a breath of shock while she studied her black-and-blue face. Her left eye was still swollen shut. She had dark bruises on both cheeks and on the left side of her chin. Her lip was split in one corner and covered in a crusty scab. Oh God, I look horrible. It’s no wonder they’re trying to make it up to me. After washing her hands and using a washcloth to clean up her face, she walked out of the bathroom. Buck was waiting for her with a handful of medicine tubes. He motioned her into her room and closed the door. “I have something for the bruises that should help them fade quicker,” Buck said. He placed the tubes on the table. “I also brought you some pain pills. I know your side is still tender, so you might as well take something to help with the pain, especially with the amount of moving you are going to be doing this afternoon.” Sam watched him for a moment before reaching out to accept the pills. He wouldn’t look her straight in the eye and kept grimacing after running his eyes over her face. She almost felt bad for him, almost. “Thanks, Buck,” she said. She threw the pills in her mouth and swallowed without water. She turned and looked over the tubes of ointments and creams that he had placed on the table. She noticed that most of them were pain relievers and used to reduce swelling. She opened one of them and started working the cream in careful circles

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on her cheek. She winced every once in a while when she slid her fingers over a particular sensitive spot. She glanced up to see Buck watching her with anger burning in his eyes. She shied away instinctively. “Shit,” he spit out. “I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at this fucking situation. I hate having a job change into something I’m not comfortable with. None of this is your fault. We’ll make it through it, and I will try to make sure you’ll be free by the end of the day.” Sam knew that most of his promises were wishful thinking. If for some reason her father didn’t meet the demands, the situation would definitely not be okay. She was thankful that Buck was trying to make her feel better, though, even if it was with lies. “I’m going back upstairs. Jimmy should be back in about ten minutes with coffee and doughnuts. I’ll send him down when he comes back.” Buck turned to leave, but swiveled around to look at her for a moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but with a shake of his head, he shut it again. He quickly left her room and shut the door behind him. Sam sat on her cot and stared moodily at the doorway. She refused to dwell on what was going to be happening during the day. Terror coursed through her body as she remembered the murderous look that had crossed Buck’s face when he threatened her father on the phone. There were so many things that she was not in control of at the moment. There really was nothing she could think about that didn’t cause her heartache or fear. A thump above her head drew her attention for a moment. Buck or Jimmy must have dropped something heavy on the floor. No additional noise could be heard, so she went back to focusing on her thoughts, absently staring at the door. Sam was just getting ready to start counting spider carcasses again when the door slammed open and the largest man Sam had ever seen flowed into her space. Her eyes opened wide as she took in the towering male. He was dressed in all black with a bulletproof vest

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covering his chest. She noticed that even his hands were covered in black gloves. He had a black knit cap on, with some sort of goggles pushed up on top of his head. Dark eyes stared at her from under pinched brows. A goatee was the only feature of his visage that wasn’t black, but it still lent to the menacing aura. Weapons were strapped to his chest and around his waist. Military boots rounded out the look. He looked intimidating at best, homicidal at worst. She sucked in a shocked breath and cowered back into the corner of her cot, scooting as far back against the wall as she could. **** “Samantha Bridgestone, I’m Cain with Genophyte Security Firm. I talked to you last night. I need you to come with me right now,” Cain said slowly. He could see the stark fear on her battered face and was battling his own anger with the condition she was in. He didn’t move further into the room, but he did hold out a gloved hand to her. He took in her features and felt something shift in his chest. It wasn’t quite painful, but it was uncomfortable. Her long frame was curled in on itself in a defensive position. Her long, red hair was in a messy braid, tied back with a rubber band. Her clothes were wrinkled and dirty. From the file on this case, he knew she was wearing the same clothes that she’d been taken in. Pity and sadness burned through the anger he felt and left him empty. He wanted to rub his chest over his heart, but was afraid the movement would send her into a panic. “Samantha, please, you need to come with me now so I can get you to a secure location.” “What happened to Buck?” Sam asked and then slammed a hand over her mouth. “I guess that shouldn’t be the first question out of my mouth, huh? How do I know it’s you and not someone that found out I talked to Cain?” Cain hadn’t expected to have to reassure her that he was himself. Most kidnapping survivors were willing to throw themselves at the

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rescuers without so much as a word of urging. Then he remembered the piece of glass in his pocket. He slowly reached into one of his cargo pockets and pulled out the paperweight. He turned it slowly in his gloved hand and then held it out to Sam. “Your father gave me this to help us find you,” Cain said. He watched the fear lift from Sam’s face as she stared at the object in his palm. He found himself drowning in the stormy-gray eyes that stared at him in mistrust. “And when we talked, you told me you didn’t want to know the type of punishment I had promised for your captors. Please, I don’t want to startle you, but we must go now. We have to be out of this house as quickly as possible.” “Okay,” Sam said. She stood slowly from the cot. He watched her wince with pain, and reach out to lift the paperweight from the center of his gloved hand. He wanted to comfort her, take away the pain that she was trying to hide. “Where are we going? Is my father outside?” “No, we’re going to take you to a secure location and then contact your father. The rest of my team is waiting outside. Please, we must go.” Cain was anxious to get her out of the house. So far, the mission had gone flawlessly. The team had monitored the building until one of the males left to go to a coffee shop. Adam and Bart followed that male to the store and collected him when he exited the building. Adam had assured Cain that everything had gone smoothly. Then, Cain and Jerome had entered the house in which Samantha was being held and subdued the second male. Cain needed to remove Samantha from the basement, and then they would all head to the ops center. “Lead the way,” Sam said. He could see fear still in her eyes but she was being brave. His admiration for her increased. To have gone through what she had and still have the ability to fight her own fear was amazing. Cain stepped away from the doorway and reached out a hand to guide Sam through the door. He scanned the surrounding area to verify that there were no additional people who had entered since he

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had come downstairs. Jerome had moved the male to their vehicle already, and Cain could tell that the man was still unconscious. **** She tried to keep the fear to a minimum, but when Cain approached her, she still felt the twinge of unease. What if he wasn’t from her father? What if he was taking her someplace far worse than the basement? She took a deep breath and made herself move toward the door. At this point the what-ifs were only going to give her a headache. She knew she didn’t have an option, and she didn’t want to be knocked unconscious or something. Sam could feel the heat radiating from his arm as he guided her forward. He wasn’t touching her, but from the few centimeters separating them, she could feel the warmth and energy burning into her skin. For a split second, she battled the impulse to lean back into that hard arm. With a mental shake, she walked swiftly toward the open door and headed up the stairs. That’s all you need, a man you just met who is as big as a house. The last man that she was involved with had also been big and muscular. It’d taken her a year to get away from him. Sam hadn’t been beyond the bathroom during her incarceration, at least not while she was conscious. She glanced around, trying to take in everything as she headed up the stairs. She slowed as she approached the landing. Fear bubbled to the top of her emotional list as she thought about the thud she’d heard earlier. She didn’t want to see Buck or Jimmy on the floor in a pool of blood, or worse. “When we get outside, you’ll stay right next to me the entire time. Do you understand?” Cain was already stepping around Sam at the top of the stairs. He turned swiftly to say something else to her, but bumped her instead. He reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her steady. “Whoa. I don’t need you falling back down the stairs and adding to your bruises.”

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“Thanks,” Sam said. She looked up into his face and marveled at how massive he was. It wasn’t really his height that made him seem so big, it was the whole package. She was a tall woman, but standing next to him made her feel small. What is it with the men I have come into contact with lately? She caught her breath when she got her first real look into Cain’s eyes. They were a gorgeous hazel with green and gold flecks all but hidden behind long golden lashes. Cain had chiseled features, a harsh scowl, and goatee that made him look truly menacing. Figure in those hazel eyes, and he was beautiful in a male, godlike way. He was just overwhelming. Each time Sam glanced at him, she noticed something new, the line of his jaw, the corded muscles along his neck, the massive definition in the muscles under his tight shirt. He looked like a Greek or Roman god reborn wearing a military uniform. He would be drool-worthy if he wasn’t so terrifying. After a moment, she realized that she’d been staring at him, openmouthed, for quite some time. She ran her gaze back up his body and noticed the slight smirk on that Romanesque face. “Um, should we get going?” she asked, trying to step back away from him, but was still restrained. She realized that he was still holding her arm with a gentle but firm grip. She’d unconsciously leaned into his body and was standing much too close. A blush crept up her neck and cheeks. Busted! You got caught checking out your rescuer like he was some tasty ice-cream sundae. Oh, but he was definitely tasty looking. Down, girl, behave. “You’re right, we should get going,” Cain said. She could see he was fighting a smile. Perfect lips were tilted at the corners. She bet he’d be stunning if he smiled. “We’re going to go out the front door as if we own the place then walk down two houses to a black vehicle waiting for us.” He pushed something near his ear and spoke into the comlink. “Jerome, we’re coming out. Open the door as soon as we approach. Once we’re in the vehicle, we’ll head to the cabins.”

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Cain maneuvered them to the front door. They walked out of the house and down the steps to the sidewalk. Sam tried to look nonchalant, but being shadowed by a hulking man in all black, she was not sure they could really blend in. She noticed the vehicle two houses down and made a beeline for it. When they were within a few steps of it, the door slid open, revealing a large cargo area within. She gasped when she saw the other passenger. Buck was sitting along the far side of the cargo area, his hands secured behind his back and a blindfold covering his eyes. He had his ankles tied together with plastic cords and connected with chains to bolts in the floor. The seat restraints were fully buckled across his chest and upper body. He was slouched in the seat with his head dangling forward on his chest. Sam guessed that he was unconscious. “Get in, Samantha. He can’t hurt you anymore,” Cain whispered. He mistook her halted movement for fear. He urged her forward with a hand on her lower back. The heat from his hand seeped through her clothes and soothed her, draining the fear from her body. She climbed into the vehicle and selected a seat as far from Buck as she could. She wasn’t sure how she felt about seeing him in restraints. She should feel relieved, but she just couldn’t muster anything but concern for Buck. She buckled in and sat back. She watched Cain settle in the seat next to hers. She tried to stifle the urge to lean into him. God, Sam, get it together. Like you need to throw yourself at the guy that rescued you. She closed her eyes, wishing for the entire ordeal to be over. Exhaustion stole over her, draining her energy. She was so tired of the fear, of the unknown, of the constant threats. “You can call me Sam, by the way. I don’t normally go by Samantha,” she said in a hushed voice. She didn’t even waste the energy to raise her head from the seat. She’d burned up what energy she’d had left with worrying about the coming day and then her abrupt rescue. She didn’t have the strength to deal with anything else. “I haven’t been called Samantha so much since I was a little kid.”

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**** Cain jerked his gaze to her face as the memory of his vision stormed through his head. Those same words had been uttered already by her, but it was in that vision of their shared pleasure. He closed his eyes as the feel of her body beneath him surfaced, torturing him with the imagined scene. He opened his eyes and looked at her face. The bruising on her face angered him but he could see the beauty under the discolored skin. She was his, and anyone who touched her should be tortured for it. “Sam, will you look at me for a moment?” Cain asked in a hushed voice. He needed to verify that she was unharmed and if she needed anything, but more than that, he wanted to see her eyes. There was something about the gray depths that just soothed him. They made him think of the ocean after a storm, or a cloudy sky at dusk. He laughed to himself about the poetic nonsense that was flowing through his head. He watched her open her eyes slowly and focus on him. They glistened with unshed tears that ripped at his heart. Was it pain that caused her to cry? “I need you to tell me if you’re injured beyond your facial bruising,” Cain told her. He wanted to hit the man sitting across the vehicle from him. He wanted to turn his face into a bruised mess to match hers. Cain wanted to beat her kidnapper for every time she looked at him with fear in her eyes. “I also need you to understand that we have to contact your father later, and you may not be able to go back to him for a little while.” Sam sighed and nodded. “I’m fine. My face is the worst of it,” she said. “Look, what I really could use right now is some coffee and some food. You intercepted my breakfast when you stopped Jimmy from returning to the house.”

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Cain chuckled. A girl who put her stomach in front of injuries. He scanned his memory for the information that Adam had conveyed to him earlier. Cain was thankful he had a superb memory. “Jerome, let’s stop and get the lady some coffee. Didn’t Adam mention something about Boston cream donuts and a mocha latte?” Cain watched a look of surprise bloom across Sam’s face. “Do you want something other than doughnuts? We have protein bars back here, but we can stop and grab anything you want.” “Um, no, coffee and doughnuts would be great,” she stuttered out. She gave him a little smile, closed her eyes, and sighed. “Thanks.” “You can lean on me if you’d like. I know these seats aren’t the most comfortable if you’re going to sleep,” Cain said in a low voice. She drifted in and out of a light sleep. As they’d driven through the mountains she’d slowly slouched on the seat, sliding down until her head rested against his side. The contact was wonderfully relaxing, allowing Cain to breathe deeply for the first time in days. He slowly stroked her arm, hating his gloves. He hated to wake her, but he nudged her gently when they reached the coffee shop. He wanted to make sure she was fed and taken care of. She opened groggy eyes and a soft smile played across her lips. “Hey there, we have your coffee and doughnuts, as requested,” Cain said, motioning to the cup and bag sitting next to them. “Thanks. Sorry about taking over your seat. I didn’t know I slid so far,” she said as she struggled to sit up. She tried a couple of times to right herself and finally grumbled another thank-you as he pushed her up into position. She blushed a beautiful pink when he left his hand on her shoulder. He couldn’t stop from stroking down her arm, and resting his hand for a few seconds on her thigh. She gasped softly before looking questioningly into his face. He waited for her to complain, for fear to creep into her eyes, but she just watched him with wide eyes. He pulled his hand from her warmth. She’d been through enough. This obsessive behavior wasn’t

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going to help her, but he couldn’t help the disappointment from taking hold of his heart when he was no longer touching her.

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Chapter 9 “Sam, we’re here. You need to wake up,” Cain whispered. “Come on, sleepyhead, you need to wake up enough to walk into the cabin.” Sam woke slowly from a deep, dreamless sleep. She couldn’t quite place the voice of the man trying to wake her. Was she asleep on a transit vehicle? She blinked a few times to rid her eyes and brain of sleep. Her eyes widened for a split second when they rested on Cain and the memory of her rescue flooded her head. “Oh, God. It all did happen, didn’t it?” She moaned as she tried to move and her stiff muscles screamed with pain. She tried to unhook her seat restraints but couldn’t make her fingers work correctly. Her hands shook as the last few days washed across her memory. She tried again to release the restraints, but couldn’t see through the wall of tears threatening to spill. With an exacerbated growl, she threw her hands down in her lap and fought tears of defeat. “I hate this!” “Hey, it’s okay. I promise. Let’s get you into the cabin, and you can take a shower. You’ll feel much better after getting cleaned up, and the shower will help your aches and pains,” Cain said soothingly. “I can’t get the restraints off,” she whispered. She’d hit her emotional wall and couldn’t seem to keep control of herself. She wanted to dissolve into a puddle of tears for about four hours. Mourn the loss of her innocence, cry over the terror that had held her for the last few days. Her mind was blank, her fingers numb. “I can’t get out of the stupid vehicle…can’t stop someone from kidnapping me…can’t even escape on my own.”

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“Sam. Stop it. You were in a bad situation and dealt the best you could. Now, let’s get you out of that seat and into the shower. You’ll feel much better after that, I promise.” Cain reached over and started releasing the restraints, and she held her breath as his hand approached the chest restraints. His gloved hands slid against her sides and breasts as he unhooked her from the seat. She closed her eyes and savored the contact. She was sure that he didn’t even realize he was touching her, but she was fully aware how warm he was, how softly his hand moved against her body. Her breathing kicked up a notch as his hand brushed against a nipple that had pebbled in anticipation. She swallowed a groan as his hands rested for an instant on her hips. How could she be turned on just by being unstrapped from a seat? She wanted more of him touching her. When she looked up into his face she was struck by an almost painful need to touch him, to perhaps caress his stubbly jaw. God, she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to lean forward and capture his perfect lips with hers and see what all that maleness tasted like. Nothing said “you survived” like reconnecting with another human being. She wanted to feel alive, prove to herself that she was going to be okay. Cain cleared his throat and grinned as he watched the blush creep up her cheeks. He tried to hide his smirk, but she saw the corners of his mouth twitch. Once again, he’d caught her staring. At least he had no idea why she blushed. It had nothing to do with staring at him and everything to do with the urge to lock her lips with his. “Come on, I’ll give you the tour, and then you can get in the shower,” Cain said with a grin. “Thanks,” Sam said. She kept her eyes downcast until she felt the blush fade. Jeez, you would think I’m a teenager with the amount of blushing I’m doing around this man. They walked up the steps to the wraparound porch and entered the cabin into a small kitchen. The decor was definitely flavored with mountains and nature, but it was well taken care of and smelled like a

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well-used kitchen. Sam glanced at the clock and was glad that she hadn’t lost the whole day. Through the kitchen was a living room with a full wall of electronics, including a huge video screen. They walked through the living room into a long hallway that had five doors off either side. “You have the last room on the left. It has its own bathroom and door to the back deck. There’s a hot tub on the deck that you are free to use.” “Thanks, I think I’m going to take a shower. Do you happen to have clothes or anything I can wear? I’ve been wearing these same clothes the last few days.” Sam was looking forward to getting out of the same clothes and just standing under the shower until she was all pruny. She’d been given five-minute intervals to take sink baths while she was held captive, and that just wasn’t long enough to feel clean. “Um, no, we didn’t bring clothes for you, but I’ll grab something you can put on. Tomorrow we’ll run someplace for you to get a change of clothes,” Cain answered apologetically. “We hadn’t thought about having you with the team for more than a day and hadn’t planned for your needs. I’ll send Jerome or Bart for some necessities.” “Thanks.” Sam opened the door Cain had indicated and walked into a large bedroom. The queen-size bed was made of large wooden beams and covered in a quilt that used natural patterned fabric. The whole room was decorated in dark colors that complemented the rustic furniture. She didn’t waste time looking at much else once she spied the door that led into a very large bathroom. Once the lights were on, she only had eyes for the shower that was large enough to accommodate ten people. She turned on the faucet to start it warming and sighed in contentment as soon as hot water was pouring from all five showerheads. Sam squeaked when she heard a throat clear behind her. She’d forgotten Cain was still there and was already pulling her shirt up in a hurry to wash away the last few days.

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“Do you need anything else?” he asked her. He was staring at her skin she’d uncovered. His eyes were hooded as he openly took in her body. She blushed again. It was one thing for her to ogle his assets, but to be looked at with such open appraisal was disconcerting. “No, thanks. I’m good. If you could just find me something to put on when I’m done, I’d be grateful.” Sam motioned at the door with a hand. She didn’t know if the heat in his eyes was something she imagined or not, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She needed to get him out of the bathroom and away from her before she did something unforgivable, like strip him down and run her fingers over every inch of his delectable frame. She could feel heat pooling between her thighs and knew she had to get him away from her. **** Cain took the hint and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He hadn’t escaped the sight of her eyes darkening and the beautiful smell of her arousal floating on the steam. The small glimpse of her stomach from under her shirt had been the most erotic thing he could remember seeing. It was an expanse of pearly skin unblemished by anything. Her tiny belly button just begged to be licked. He’d fought the urge to fall to his knees and worship her perfection. He groaned out loud and adjusted his pants. He couldn’t remember the last female who had made him hard, but Samantha Bridgestone definitely made him hard as rock. When her eyes had changed from surprise to arousal, he almost stripped her then and there. Screw the fact that he would be in psychic agony once he touched her skin to skin. He almost was willing to suffer to feel her naked against him. With that thought, he went into the room across the hall that he’d claimed as his own. He grabbed a T-shirt from his stack of clothes. He knew that it would be too big for her, but he wasn’t letting her wear

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anything that belonged to anyone else. He scowled as that thought crossed his mind. Why would he feel so possessive of her? He didn’t even know her, yet he wanted to hurt someone when he even imagined her in someone else’s clothes. He shook his head and wandered back into her room. He placed the shirt on her bed, listening to the shower running. After standing in her room for a few minutes like a lecher, he thought it best for him to go back to his room. He didn’t need her to catch him hanging out in her bedroom, just waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. He glanced out the sliding door to the deck and thought a dip in the hot tub would be a good way of relaxing him. Cain had paid too much for a special team of people to come into both cabins and scour them with a special detergent that made everything safe for him to touch. He had coordinated the movement of both captives to the other cabin. Adam, Jerome, and Bart were securing the cabins for the upcoming calls to the FBI and Sam’s father. Everything was set for the calls, but Cain wanted to make sure that no one would be able to find them in case they didn’t go as hoped. There wasn’t anything he needed to do at the moment, so why not take a moment and indulge a little? With that thought, he changed quickly into the trunks, slid open the door to the deck and stepped out. He stepped gingerly into the tub and sighed as the heat wrapped around him. **** Sam was sufficiently pruned and sated after her quick shower. She’d helped herself to a quick orgasm to spend the sexual tension she’d been drowning in when Cain left the bathroom. Her body didn’t seem to understand that she’d just been through trauma. It wanted a taste of him. She’d stood for long moments remembering the feel of his hand sliding across her breast while he’d unbuckled her. Heat had pooled in her pussy, and her clit throbbed and ached. When she’d finally given in and brought herself to orgasm it took a quick image of

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Cain’s lips, the thought of what it would feel like to have them on her skin, and she went off like a rocket. She couldn’t believe she’d done that, but it really had released tension and pent-up energy. She felt cleansed, refreshed, more herself. Her aches and pains were much more manageable, and her bruises looked much better. The medication she’d taken while still in the basement was working wonders. All in all, her shower was exactly what she needed. She felt so much cleaner physically and emotionally. She opened the bathroom door and wandered into her room with a towel wrapped around her body and one around her hair. Lying on the bed was a large black T-shirt with the Genophyte Security Firm logo on the pocket. It was way too big for her, and would probably look like a nightgown, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. She wanted to burn the pants and underthings she’d been forced to wear for so many days in a row. Anything was better than putting those nasty things back on her body. She sat on the side of the bed and unwrapped her hair. She rubbed it with the towel to get more water out of it and was working her fingers through it like a brush. Add that to the list of things I didn’t know I would miss. She would take nothing for granted ever again. Life was too precious and fleeting to leave it up to expectation and assumptions. Sam stood to put the shirt on and glanced out the sliding glass doors. She froze in the middle of removing her body towel when she noticed the steaming hot tub on the deck and the man stepping into it. Her eyes widened as she took in the full view of Cain’s body. He had the most magnificent ass she’d ever seen, even if it was wrapped in a very tight pair of swim trunks. It was tight and muscular and begged to be bitten. Oh, God, he was gorgeous. She caught a glimpse of the impressive bulge in the front of the shorts and nearly choked on her own tongue. The entire scene looked like a wet dream. Steam swirled around his perfection, mountains topped in late-season snow stood erect behind his body, and the forest, dark and foreboding, was an appropriate backdrop. She clenched her thighs together to stem the

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flow of heat she felt collecting at the apex of her thighs. God, she wanted him with a desire so thick she couldn’t think of anything else. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Decide. Either go out there and see where it goes or get that shirt on and get away from the door. Was she willing to take what she wanted? Was she going to seize the day or sit back and mope about what had happened to her? She stood at the door for a few minutes arguing the pros and cons with herself, but her libido won as she slid the door open and stepped out onto the deck.

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Chapter 10 The deck boards were cold on her bare feet. The air held a slight hint of chlorine as it whispered past her. The early morning breeze was still cool and sent air swirling under her towel. An unconscious shiver ran down her spine. Sam didn’t really feel the temperature. She was warm and getting warmer as she stepped closer to the tub. Her skin felt flushed and exquisitely sensitive. If she hadn’t been so self-conscious she would’ve giggled. How could she not be giddy? She’d been rescued by a man who put all other men to shame. He was masculine, sexy, smart, sexy. So sexy. Anytime he touched her she felt safe. She reacted to him on a visceral level, cellular perhaps. She felt a pull to him on a primal, completely animalistic level. She could feel her nipples puckering with just a perusal of his body. She watched Cain for a response, but he was still seated with his head thrown back against the edge, and his eyes were closed. He was absolutely breathtaking. Sam finally noticed that his shorn sandybrown hair didn’t match the blond goatee at all. She held her breath as she studied his frame. His chest was massive and muscular. She could see a dusting of sandy hair across his chest and down to the water lapping at his body. She glanced back up to his face and was caught in a hooded gaze. Damn, caught again. “Hey, do you mind if I come in the tub? The shower was good, but nothing beats a hot tub in the mountains,” she said lamely. She stood shifting from foot to foot, trying to decide if she shouldn’t just turn around and go back to her room, or do what she really wanted to

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do which was to climb in the tub and all over Cain. She wasn’t any good at the whole seduction thing and definitely not with a stranger. “No, I don’t mind. Actually, I was just thinking it was lonely sitting out here by myself,” Cain answered. He grinned at her and sat patiently, watching her with a smile in his eyes. She wanted to melt at the way the smile softened his face. He was so beautiful, but a smile gave him a rakish, naughty look. He just sat there watching her, holding her gaze but not moving to approach her. He surely could see her reluctance in the way she held her body and he was giving her the time to run. “Oh, okay.” Sam stood there for a moment longer trying to figure out how to drop her towel and get in the tub without him seeing anything. She blushed a deeper pink. “Um, could you close your eyes or something? I don’t have anything on under this towel.” Cain chuckled and closed his eyes. She waited for a moment to make sure he was going to keep his eyes closed. She dropped the towel and stepped into the water. She watched emotions race across his face. At first he looked entertained, a slight smirk playing on his perfect lips. Within moments all of that changed. He scowled and not in a sexy way. His brows scrunched together and anger pinched around his mouth. That expression quickly changed to disbelief when he suddenly opened his eyes. Before she had him close his eyes he’d been looking at her with normal male lust, but now there wasn’t an ounce of it. What was different now? She looked down to make sure she wasn’t growing a third arm out of her chest, and then let her anger take hold before some weaker emotion did. “What? What the hell are you looking at? Not exactly the body type you like or something? Fuck you.” She turned to climb out of the tub and stopped when she felt a warm hand on her arm. “Wait,” Cain begged. “I’m sorry. I was stretching my mind a little and was just taken back by the fact that you put out no psychic energy.”

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“I what?” Sam asked. She’d heard of people getting genetically altered to supposedly have psychic abilities, but she hadn’t believed the stories. **** Cain hadn’t been sure if he wanted to run or grab Sam and pull her into the water with him the moment he noticed her standing there. He didn’t know how he hadn’t sensed her approaching, but he was surprised when he opened his eyes and she was statue-still on the deck. She’d looked like an angel until he noticed that she’d been staring at his chest. A white towel had been wrapped tightly around her, just covering the tops of her breasts and ended just above her knees. He didn’t think she could look more alluring in any other outfit even if she tried. When she looked back up and noticed that he was watching her, she blushed a beautiful pink from her hairline to the top of her towel. Cain’s dick hardened in response, and he groaned to himself. She was going to kill him, he just knew it. When she’d asked him to close his eyes he had taken a moment to reach out psychically. He’d planned on just tasting her thoughts, and hit a wall of nothing. He felt her enter the tub as the water rose around him, lapping gently at his chest, but he felt nothing from her. His eyes popped open with a sense of panic washing through him. What the hell? He pushed harder with his mind and still couldn’t sense anything at all where she was sitting. He tried bending his thoughts around her to see if she’d some form of a frontal shield, but he still couldn’t feel anything. If he didn’t visibly see her sitting there, he would have sworn he was alone in the tub. “You don’t put out psychic energy,” he answered in a whisper. He was staring in astonishment at his uncovered hand resting on Sam’s arm. He felt nothing but warm, soft skin under his palm. No backlash of emotions. No overwhelming feelings overriding his own. He

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moved his hand up and down her arm and laughed out loud. “You don’t put out energy. None. I feel nothing coming off you.” In the time it took Cain to blink, he had her folded in his muscular arms and pressed against his chest. He buried his face in her hair, both overwhelmed and self-conscious. He needed to explain his behavior before she screamed. He knew he wasn’t acting rationally, but he couldn’t make his arms relax enough for her to escape his grasp. “You don’t understand. I haven’t touched anyone in my entire life, skin to skin, where I didn’t get some sort of emotions from them. It’s usually quite painful to me. I’ve spent my entire life avoiding contact with people and objects because of it,” Cain said into her hair. He rubbed his cheek over the top of her head and started running his hands up and down her back, drawing small circular designs. He groaned deep in his throat. “You are so soft. I want to bury myself in you and feel your softness around me.” **** He moved her quickly, lifting her effortlessly swinging her body around and positioning her to straddle his hips. She could feel the immense erection nestled against her stomach. Her body reacted to his nearness before her brain could stop it. Her cheek rested against his chest, and she buried her nose in his neck. She took in a breath and was bathed in a wonderfully masculine scent. It worked its way into her lungs and oozed through her body, relaxing her. She melted into his body and sighed. She couldn’t remember being held quite so tightly or so securely in her life. When her brain clicked back on, she struggled to sit up and pull away from Cain’s chest. The flush of heat that his words had caused wasn’t enough for her to lose her head. He released his tight hold on her so she could push away, but he didn’t drop his hands from her body. She looked into his face and saw hope and something close to worship.

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“Whoa there, bud. So, you’re what? A psychic leech or something?” she scoffed. “Not quite. I’m an empath. I can read emotions from people and objects if I touch them. But, I can’t control how intense the information is when I read it. The rush causes me discomfort while I’m in contact with the person or object.” Cain ran his hands up her arms and through her hair. She closed her eyes and almost purred with the sensation. “When I touch you, all I feel is you. No pain, no emotional sludge. And you feel warm and soft and slippery.” Cain rubbed his chest against her breasts, causing her nipples to pucker. His skin slid easily over hers with delicious smoothness. She moaned in the back of her throat and closed her eyes, leaning her head backward. He bent forward and kissed her throat. She was losing the fight with her brain. Her body wanted anything he was willing to give her. Seize the day, girlie, or get off his lap. She groaned at her internal monologue. “I want to feel you slide over me, on me. Please, Sam, I need to feel you around me.” “We need to chat about birth control and things like that first.” Sam struggled to keep her voice firm instead of breathy and weak. Her eyes were trying to roll up inside her head as Cain’s hands wandered around to cup her breasts. She swallowed a groan when he rubbed his thumbs in tight circles around her nipples. “Cain, wait. We need to talk first. I can’t do this. I don’t even know your last name.” “I will set your mind at ease, love. I can’t get you pregnant because I’m sterile, and I don’t have any diseases at all. I don’t have a last name, but that is a story for later, when I can think. Any other questions?” He leaned forward and ran his tongue down the side of her neck. He nipped her just at the base, where her neck and shoulder met, then kissed away the sting on the same skin. She leaned into his embrace and moaned. The sound elicited an answering sound from Cain.

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“Oh, do that again,” Sam gasped. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the feeling of Cain’s warm breath playing down her neck. She shivered as his teeth dug deliciously into the skin at the base of her neck. He licked over the bite and hummed in appreciation against her skin. He hovered with his mouth over hers for a moment before pressing his lips softly to hers. He nibbled back and forth along her lips, flicking his tongue over the small bites. When she finally opened her mouth with a sigh, he took advantage and delved in. He ran his tongue over hers, coaxing her to do the same. They swirled their tongues together until she was sucking his into her mouth. He broke off the kiss and nibbled his way down her chin. Goose bumps broke out along her arms as he kissed down her shoulder and along the tops of her breasts. “I want to lick and taste every inch of you,” Cain said as he buried his head between her breasts. He ran his tongue under one breast and made a wet trail to the nipple, and sucked it into his mouth. He pulled hard, hollowing his cheeks, and lathed the perk nub with fast strokes. With his hand, he copied the same pattern on the other breast. Sam’s breath was coming in short gasps. With every lick and flick of his tongue, she could feel herself getting hotter. She threw her head back, thrusting her breasts toward him, and ground wet pussy against his erection. She cried out when he bit down on her nipple. The slight pain shot warmth to her slit. She felt empty and swollen, needing to be filled. “Cain, please.” Sam wiggled in his lap and tried to stand, but was held on his lap by a hand on her shoulder. “Not yet. I have more skin to taste first,” he whispered against her collarbone. He made his point with a slow trail of kisses up her neck to her earlobe. He suckled on the skin just behind her ear and blew a heated breath along her nape. He leaned back and grinned as she melted against him. Cain moved too quickly for Sam to register it. One moment she was on his lap, the next she was sitting on one of the benches in the

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tub with Cain kneeling between her legs. He bent forward and dipped his head below the water level until he was kissing her belly button. He swirled his tongue inside the little opening, and Sam gasped. She shivered as he kissed down to the top of her mound. He nudged her legs farther apart before coming up for a breath. He pushed his arms under her knees and pulled her up so she was floating on the top of the water with her head resting on the side of the tub. Sam sucked in a shaky breath. She watched him lower his mouth to her belly and then watched him kiss a path downward. His mouth was as hot as the water and so wonderful against her skin. When he blew air across her folds, she shuddered and closed her eyes. Her pussy clenched with need. Another burst of moisture coated her pussy, dragging a moan from her chest. She thrashed her head back and forth, lost in the feeling of his mouth on her heated skin. The difference between his smooth, hot tongue and his wiry goatee was almost too much. The hot water lapping her body and splashing over her taut nipples made her skin sensitive to the cool breeze. Cain’s breath was so warm on her cooling skin that she shivered with goose bumps. She could feel the beginnings of an orgasm tightening her muscles. Her breath came in short gasps as she spiraled higher and higher toward the top of her release. She could feel her clit hardening and shook with the need to come. **** Cain needed to taste her. He spread her legs farther, hooking them over his shoulders, and stared at the glistening pussy in front of him. He couldn’t remember seeing anything so exquisite in his life. Soft red curls covered her outer lips, and pink skin lay hidden between them. He flicked his tongue at the top of her cleft and grinned as Sam moaned. He flattened his tongue and tasted from her clit, down between her lips, and then back up the other side. He reveled in her

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taste and scent. He used this thumbs to open her up even more just before grabbing her clit in his lips and flicking it mercilessly with his tongue. “Please,” she begged in a keen. “I need to come. Please.” Cain swirled a finger around her opening and then slowly slid it into her channel. He pulled the finger out and repeated the swirl and plunge, causing Sam to whine at the loss of penetration. He pumped his finger into her sopping pussy again and again, feeling the muscle spasms starting to quake in her walls. He slid his finger in and out with the same demanding tempo he was using to flick her clit. He increased the speed and depth of his thrusts when she grabbed his hair and started moving her body in time to his fingers. He felt her muscles clench around his finger and slid a second finger into her on the next thrust. She threw her head back and moaned a note of need just as he felt her muscles pulse and flutter around his fingers. He groaned at the liquid heat that spilled down his chin and hand when she came. Sam strained in his arms as she came, thrashing in his hold. Cain kept licking her folds and clit until the last muscle spasm rippled around his fingers. He slowly pulled his fingers from her core and slid them into his mouth. Her heat was so delicious he wanted to make her come again just to lick her clean. He growled in appreciation. Cain unhooked Sam’s legs from over his shoulder, setting her down on the bench again. He leaned forward to capture a nipple in his mouth. He suckled lightly on the sensitive nub until Sam was squirming under him. He grabbed her around the waist and spun them to another seat so he was under her and she straddled his legs. He ran his hands up her sides and watched the goose bumps follow his path. He watched her face and waited for her to look at him. He wanted to see what her eyes looked like when she was spent. Would they turn darker? Smokey with passion? Sam slowly peeled open her eyes. She looked up and sighed when she met his stare. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. She

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slowly teased his lower lip with her tongue and suckled it before leaning back. Slowly, she ran her hands across his chest and slid them across his nipples. Little fingers plucked and rolled the nubs until he wanted to squirm with the sensual feel of it. He closed his eyes, unable to watch her torturous grin any longer. The feeling of her hands on his body was overwhelming enough without watching the passion stir in her eyes. Her skin was so soft against his. Every stroke warmed him, sent pleasure coursing through his body. He hummed in appreciation when one of her hands stroked down his stomach and gently grasped his cock. Her grasp was tentative, exploring his hot shaft. A finger circled the head, rubbing across the slit and spreading the small drop of precum that had collected there. He shuddered with the silky glide of her finger along the seam. He wanted to rush her, to see what it would feel like to have her stroking him, but then he wanted to savor every single sensation. With a slow glide, she moved her hand up and down his engorged shaft, slightly twisting her wrist as she stroked him. He groaned, deep in his chest. “God, that feels so good.” She leaned in and kissed him. Her tongue tortured his lips. When she slid into his mouth he thought he’d explode. Lust rushed through his veins and a possessive need struck him hard. He wanted this woman more than anything else in the world. He wanted to feel her under him, moaning his name. The sensual slide of her tongue against his and the slow glide of her hand on his cock had him straining for control. “I need to be inside you before I come on your hand.” His voice sounded gruff to his own ears, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to be inside her, connected to her. She grinned and stood. She guided his cock through her wet folds and hummed. She was beautiful like this, wanton and open. Her head fell back as she teased her clit with his engorged head and he nearly came at the sight. Her breasts were thrust toward him, plump and pink. Her nipples were hard little points. If he didn’t get inside her soon

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he’d truly lose it, but he wanted her to take her pleasure from him. The knowledge that his body was giving her what she wanted was a heady aphrodisiac. Her body shook as she positioned him at the mouth of her channel. A deep moan floated on the breeze as she took him inside slowly. She was hot and tight, squeezing his cock. It took an infinity to be fully sheathed in her depths. She’d slid slowly down his length until she’d taken him to the hilt. When his balls rested against her ass and he could feel his cock nudging her cervix he shuddered. Nothing had ever felt so perfect. They both sighed, mingling their breath together in an intimate melding of selves. He needed to move. His release was an ache in his balls, throbbing in time to his racing heart. Cain rested his hands on her waist and started moving her up and down his shaft in a slow, smooth rhythm. Sam was so hot and tight. He groaned as he pulled her back down to take him fully. He could feel his release building and fought to control it for another moment. He lifted and dropped her a few more times, reveling in the smooth slide through her slick velvet folds. He couldn’t hold back the coming release, even though he wanted to. He was too ready, and she was too tight. “God, Sam. I’m going to come. Do you think you can come with me? I want to feel you spasm around my cock.” He leaned forward and captured her mouth for a deep kiss. He moved her faster on his shaft. Her walls clamped down on him with an impending orgasm, pushing him closer to his own. “Faster, please.” Sam moaned into his mouth. He complied, picking up the pace and rotated her hips to rub her clit against his shaft on each downstroke. She threw her head back, and a long whimper escaped as she shook with her release. Her muscles rippled and milked his cock as he plunged a few more times into her depths, reaching his own climax with a shout. His hot flood of cum pushed her to another climax, and her soft scream coupled with his as she

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melted against his body. He smiled when a contented sigh whispered across his skin. This woman was amazing. **** Sam lay against Cain’s chest and tucked her head under his chin. She breathed a sigh of contentment. She had never had an experience like that. Sex had always been fun for her, but never as completely overwhelming as this had been. Her brain remained fuzzy with pleasure. She twirled his chest hair with her fingers, enjoying the full body contact this position gave her. “Mmm, are you hungry?” Cain asked quietly. Sam snuggled into his arms further. He chuckled and whispered into her ear. “I think we need to recharge before we do this again.” Sam shivered with the promise in his warm breath. She felt a tremor in her belly at the thought of making love with him again. She shook herself from the picture of him lying across her bed, naked and sweaty. “I think we burned off my doughnuts, and I haven’t really eaten well in the last couple of days, so, yeah, I could eat.” Sam stood and tried to scramble out of the hot tub. She was stopped by a hand on her arm. She glanced back down at Cain and trembled as pure desire flared in his eyes. Cain stood slowly. She couldn’t help but look him over. Her belly clenched and a new flood of heat flowed through her body as she studied the perfection in front of her. She wanted to lick him from head to toe. She watched with bated breath as he stepped out of the tub. He reached for her and then lifted her into his arms before she knew what he was planning. She squeaked and struggled for a second in his arms, but she stopped squirming when he pinned her with a scowl. He stopped at the sliding door to his room and waited patiently, eye brow cocked, until she opened the door for them. He crossed the

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room and set her on the edge of the sink in the bathroom. He took his arms from her only long enough to wrap a fluffy towel around his hips and one around her body, then lifted her again and headed back into his room. “What are you doing? Put me down,” Sam squeaked. She hadn’t been carried by anyone since she was a little girl, and she definitely wasn’t little now. When her struggling got her nowhere, she huffed out her breath. “I can walk, you know.” “I know you’re fully capable of walking, but I haven’t been able to touch another human being in so long that I don’t want to stop now. If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep holding you for a while.” Cain stopped in the hallway and pressed her against the wall, kissing her until her breath came in little gasps. He smiled at her with a grin that would rival the famous Cheshire feline. “I will be busy soon enough with calls and other things. Right now, I want to hold a beautiful woman in my arms and enjoy her body.” Sam sighed against his lips and closed her eyes. Damn, but he knows how to make me melt. “Fine, I guess if you can keep calling me beautiful, I can keep letting you carry me.” She grinned and waved her hand toward the kitchen. “Onward, good sir. I need to be fed.” She giggled as he set her on the cold counter in the kitchen. She kicked her legs like a kid as she watched him digging through the fridge looking for something to eat. The view of Cain’s towel-clad ass was something beautiful to behold. She wanted to toss the towel aside so she could watch him prepare food naked. The thought of all that glorious naked skin gleaming in fluorescent light made her blush. She swept her eyes up his back and caught the grin he was throwing her over his shoulder. Shit, caught again. She blushed even deeper at the amused look in his eyes. “Like what you see?” She cleared her throat and then grinned. She swept her eyes back down to his towel-covered butt. “I do, very much, but I was imagining

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the picture without the towel impeding my view of your delectable ass.” Cain sputtered before standing and quickly turning to catch Sam by the waist. He wiggled between her legs and pulled her tight to his body. He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. She closed her eyes to savor the feel of his lips on hers and then gasped as cold air swished over her skin. Her eyes snapped open to find she was sitting naked on the counter with her towel pooled around her thighs. Her eyes widened when she found that his towel was gone as well. Cain pulled her flush against his waist and leaned forward to nibble on her collarbone. “If I’m going to be naked for your perusal, then you’ll be for mine, right?” He grinned. He bent forward and captured a nipple in his mouth and teased it with languid swirls. She closed her eyes and thumped her head back against a cabinet door. Heat rushed through her body as he sucked her breast into his hot mouth. A soft moan escaped her lips. Sam wrapped her legs around Cain and locked her ankles together over his hips. She pulled his body close to hers and ground her mound against his belly. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as he continued to circle her puckered nub with his hot tongue. She groaned when he moved his mouth with hot, wet, questing kisses to her other breast. A gasp whispered from between her lips when he bit down on her nipple at the same time as he snaked his hand between their bodies to rub on her swollen clit. “God, Cain, that feels so good. Mmmmm, bite me harder.” Sam threw her head back and let herself sink into the delicious feeling of his mouth and hands on her. She could feel another orgasm starting to clench her muscles, and she chuckled. “What’s so funny about what I’m doing to you?” Cain asked as he slipped his thumb into her dripping core. A groan escaped his lips, and he bent his head and licked a wet path up her neck, to her earlobe. “I don’t find any of this funny, you know.”

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“It’s not funny…just that I don’t think I have ever had more than two orgasms in one day, and I’m ready to explode again. It’s like a world record for me, and it’s not even noon,” she answered with breathless gasps. Her eyes closed in bliss, and she moaned when he sucked on her neck. “Oh, God. Rub me harder, please. I’m so close.” Cain laughed low in his chest and bit her neck while rubbing her clit faster and harder. He slid his other hand around to her ass and slowly rubbed a finger against her anus. He rubbed her rosette at the same tempo as he rubbed her. She couldn’t help the keen that escaped her lips. He slid his mouth to a nipple again and sucked the nub into his mouth. She shuddered when he pressed it against the roof of his mouth. Sam’s body clenched, and with a final flick of her nipple, he sent her over the edge into an abyss of pleasure. She gasped out a litany of praise for Cain’s lovemaking in breathy abandon. She chanted, “Oh my God, that was so good,” until he captured her mouth in an amused kiss. “I think I like having you naked in the kitchen,” he laughed. He pulled her into his arms and she snuggled against him. She couldn’t help but melt into his arms. He was so warm and open, fun and sexy. “Now, I’m starving. Do you want me to make you a sandwich?” Her eyes were still lidded with passion and pleasure when she looked up from his chest. She scowled at him and glanced down at the evidence of his arousal. “Don’t you want me to take care of that?” “Ummm, I won’t turn you down if you’d like to, but I figured we could eat and then I would help myself to your luscious body in the bedroom to take care of that,” he said as he looked pointedly at his engorged cock. He grinned and she blushed again as she glanced down at the “that” they were discussing. He was really aroused. It had to be uncomfortable. She pushed Cain away enough for her to slide off the counter. She loved the feel of his rock-hard erection against her belly. The proof of his need made her feel desired and feminine. She kissed his chest and

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skimmed her hands over his shoulders. The heat pouring off his skin kept her from feeling cold as she stood naked, pressed against his body. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cupped his ass, pulling him against her. “Maybe I’m hungry for something a little different,” she whispered, glancing at his face as she pushed him back against the island. She kept eye contact with him while she folded to her knees and slid her hands down the backs of his thighs. She grinned at the wide-eyed surprise on his face. Sam hadn’t gone down on too many of the guys she’d been with, but she was willing to give it a try for Cain. She was feeling sassy and wanted to cause him some of the same torture that he had just put her through. She wrapped a hand around the base of his cock, and while keeping her eyes trained on his, she placed an openmouthed kiss on the tip. She grinned at the groan that escaped his throat as he stared at her mouth on his cock. She swiped her tongue around the head as though she were swirling around the top of an ice-cream cone. The droplets of pre-cum that peeked out of his slit tasted salty and sweet. Yum. She flattened her tongue and licked down one side of his shaft and then back up the other side. She could feel his cock bobbing against her lips. She took his erection in both hands and worked him up and down a few times as she watched his face. She bent forward and sucked a testicle into her mouth, swirling her tongue along the skin. The sound he made in the back of his throat made warmth blossom in her folds. She let his sac slide from her mouth, and she blew lightly on the moisture, watching his sac contract with the cool air. She licked the other side and softly mouthed his other ball, licking around it like the other side. “Sam, you’re killing me. I’m trying not to shove my dick in your mouth, but if you don’t start sucking me, I’m dragging your naked ass in the bedroom,” he growled. His hands were fists, knuckles white. She could see him straining against his control.

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She gave in and took his cock in her hands, gliding her tongue around the head and slipping it into her waiting mouth. She bobbed slowly up and down his cock, wetting it with her saliva. She sucked as she drew him out of her mouth and licked along the throbbing vein on her downstroke. She grabbed his thighs to keep herself steady as she increased her speed. She took him as far into her mouth as she could without gagging, but that left a few inches uncared for. She wrapped a hand around his shaft and worked up and down in tandem with her mouth. She could feel him hardening more as he approached his release. She flicked her tongue along the rim of his head with each stroke. “I’m going to come. If you don’t want me shooting in your mouth, you need to back off,” he groaned out. His hips were pumping with her strokes, and he gripped the counter instead of her hair. She could feel his muscles tightening, his balls pulling closer to his body and a feral groan choked from his lips. She doubled the movement and suction on his cock knowing he was moments from coming. He shot his cum into her mouth in long spurts as she worked his cock. She hummed in satisfaction, sucking every last drop from him. Sam gave his cock a last lick, grinning up at him from her knees. “Now, that was yummy.” “You are really trying to kill me,” he mumbled as he helped her stand. “Now, can we please have sandwiches or something? I’m starving.”

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Chapter 11 “There is no way I’m sitting here, waiting, while you and your guys talk to my father. I need to speak to him. I’m sure he is falling apart.” Sam blinked quickly to keep the unwanted tears from streaming down her face. She and her father had forged a very close relationship once her mother died. She couldn’t even imagine the heartache and despair he was feeling, especially after receiving pictures of her beaten and bleeding. They sat at the counter in the kitchen polishing off a pile of nachos after another round or three of lovemaking. They had made and consumed sandwiches, and then taken a shower that proved to make them more sweaty than clean. Cain had lifted her and taken her against the shower wall, quickly powering them both to loud releases. Snuggling after the shower had turned into a bout of sweaty monkey sex, as Sam said. They had decided they needed food again after all the acrobatics. She sat on a stool with one of Cain’s long black shirts on. It was huge on her, but she liked knowing it was his shirt. It hung to the middle of her thighs, and the cuffs hung well past her elbows. They had found a pair of woman’s sweatpants in one of the dressers. They were too big and baby blue, but they were clean. Cain was dressed in full black as usual, except he hadn’t put on gloves yet. “Sam, we don’t want you exposed to your captors. We have them held at the other cabin, and that is the most secure location to make the call.” He reached out and touched her hand when she had balled her fists and slammed them on the table. She tried not to be soothed by the contact, but each time she felt his skin, it was another shock.

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Her body reacted so quickly and completely to his touch. She sighed. She needed to make him see that she wouldn’t be in danger if she went with him. She’d been distracted for too long by his body and the sex they’d shared. Her father was waiting and she should be the one to speak with him. “I’m not afraid of Buck and Jimmy. They are decent guys. I need to speak with my father.” She looked him in the eye to prove her point. She turned her hand over and gripped his. She gave it a squeeze and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. “I promise I will do whatever you tell me to do, but I need to be there when you talk to him.” “Fine. But you’ll listen to me at all times. I won’t have you causing issues with my mission.” Cain glanced at his watch and motioned to the door. “We need to get going. We need to call someone before contacting your father.” They walked out into the crisp mountain air together and headed down one of the trails to the second cabin. Sam took a deep breath to calm her nerves and to just take in the clear air. The weather in the mountains was always colder and crisper in the spring. The path wound through a small patch of woods and into a clearing where the other cabin sat, nestled under pines. It wasn’t as big as the cabin she and Cain were staying in, but it was still large. She could see electronic devices along the roof and trees, some turning to mark their approach to the building. “What do all those gadgets do, anyway?” She pointed to a couple of the little black contraptions attached to the tree they walked under. “I mean, we’re out in the middle of the woods. What could you possibly see on those things?” “They are more than cameras. They can detect body heat, comlink signals, tracking beacons, and other energy outputs. They also record sounds and filter them through special software looking for patterns or voices that are unknown to the team.” Cain pointed to one of the boxes on the roof. “That one keeps our outgoing signals from being

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tracked back to our location. So, if someone tried to find us, they wouldn’t be able to.” “Huh, pretty impressive stuff. Do you do this kind of thing a lot? I thought security firms do, well, security.” She stumbled over a root in the clearing and found herself in Cain’s arms. She blushed and grinned up at his face. She felt like a klutz, but she loved having him catch her. “Thanks.” “We do traditional security, but we’re also contracted for all kinds of extractions. Kidnapping and hostage situations are one of the most common jobs we take,” he explained. “Come on, you can meet the rest of the team before we call your father.” They walked up the steps into a large, rustic living area complete with bear rugs on the floor and a roaring fire in the fireplace. Lounging on two long leather couches were three huge men. Sam stared at them for a second before looking around the room, trying to ignore how intimidating they were. She’d gotten used to the size of Cain and the amount of space he took up when he was near, but add in three more men the same size, and she was feeling claustrophobic. The testosterone in the room was stifling. She could almost smell it rolling off all four men. They were a mass of black clothes, militarygrade weapons, and scowls that made her tremble where she stood. She took an involuntary step backward when they all stood in one fluid motion. They were massive. Mountainous piles of muscular testosterone. If she hadn’t backed into Cain’s chest she would have fallen on her butt. She could almost feel her body retreating from the men. She knew they were the good guys, knew that they wouldn’t harm her, but the danger that oozed from their very pores terrified her. “Sam, meet Adam, Jerome, and Bart. They’re the ragtag members of your rescue team.” She felt Cain chuckle behind her as each man inclined his head with a small bow as they were named. He draped a protective arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his body. She’d never admit it, but she was grateful for the contact and the safety of his arms.

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He spoke, his words vibrating against her body. “Are we ready to call John? I don’t want him being able to trace the call until we’re sure of their intentions with Sam.” “Yep, we’re all set. I have the calls originating from a substation in Alaska and then traveling through a bunch of comlink scrubbers before making their way to John. If he can track our location through all of that, he deserves to find us,” Bart said with a wide grin. He winked at Sam. “I’m fairly handy with a computer station and comlinks. You’re as safe as you can be while we have our chats today.” “Good. Let’s get the backdrop set up in one of the bedrooms, and we’ll get this call over with so Sam can talk with her father.” Cain pushed Sam lightly toward a hallway that had a couple of closed doors. “What do you use a backdrop for?” she whispered over her shoulder. She was impressed with the level of technology and thought that had gone into keeping her safe. She stopped in the middle of the hall and waited for Cain to direct her toward one of the doors. “You’ll see. Go in that room, and we’ll set up the screen and show you why we use one.” Cain pointed to the second door on her left. Sam entered a decent-sized bedroom that held a bed and dresser but not much else. The decor was rustic, using the same theme as the rest of the house. There was a fireplace in one wall, and a set of French doors that led to a back deck that overlooked a large portion of forest and a mountain peak in the far distance. She scanned the room and the view quickly, focusing in on a large duffel bag with weapons and electronics spilling from it. A few rifles were laid out on the floor next to the bag. Sticking out was a long sheath that must have held a very long knife or short sword. The handle was polished silver and shone in the light from the doors. These men didn’t travel lightly, she mused, and definitely didn’t fly commercially if they were packing that type of equipment.

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Behind her, Jerome and Adam had entered the room carrying a long, plastic, black tube. They set the tube on the floor, and Adam started putting together a folding tripod. Quickly, Jerome unrolled a large plastic sheet, which was actually silver on one side and black on the other, and attached it to the structure Adam was constructing. The plastic sheet had a few wires attached to the bottom, which confused Sam even more. She was expecting a white sheet or something lowtech for a backdrop for their call, not an electronic mat. Jerome bent and quickly attached his handheld computer to the wires protruding from the screen. He tapped away on the keyboard and then looked up, catching Sam’s attention. He nodded his head toward the screen, and instantly a large picture window with birds and moving clouds popped onto the screen. Sam gasped as she watched tree leaves blowing just outside the window. She swore she could even hear a breeze. “Impressive, isn’t it? This little beauty was designed exclusively for GSF. Each of our teams employs a varied set of locations. Today you can choose. Where would you like to be? City, farm, or hotel room?” Jerome glanced down at his computer and continued typing quickly on the keyboard. An image flicked on the portable screen, changing to a room overlooking a beautiful cityscape. “Oh, I like that one,” Sam answered. She leaned forward and squinted at the screen, trying to place the buildings that looked so familiar to her. “Aren’t those buildings from Boulder?” “Yes, we have a few real-time cameras set up around the world that we can pull. We set this camera up just a few days ago, when we took the job to come get you.” Jerome nodded at the screen again with a wicked glint in his eyes. “We actually have one set up in your apartment. Want to use that one?” “What the hell? You guys were in my apartment? I’ll kill my father if he let you guys in there,” she sputtered. She ran quickly through what her apartment had looked like the last time she’d been

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in there. She was sure she hadn’t made her bed or washed her dishes. There probably was a pair of underwear on her bedroom floor, too. “Oh, he didn’t know we went in. We didn’t disturb anything.” He put his hand over his heart and bowed low. He looked up at her and winked. “I promise.” Sam giggled and watched as he tapped along on his computer again. After her initial intimidation, she actually was feeling pretty secure with these men. They were like big teddy bears, she thought then laughed to herself. Yep, teddy bears with teeth, claws, and a penchant for drawing blood. She turned to watch Bart set up some sort of comlink system that was much larger than the equipment she’d had. He hummed something under his breath as he worked. Adam was standing in the doorway with Cain, deep in conversation. She watched Cain with new eyes. She hadn’t seen him interact with his team until now, and she finally understood how he could command a group of men. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, scowling at Adam and nodding at intervals throughout the conversation. He exuded confidence and cool efficiency. His eyes never rested long on Adam as he observed his men doing what they were supposed to be doing. When Adam was done speaking to Cain, she watched the men turn in her direction in unison. Having those two men focus their attention on her was slightly disconcerting. She wasn’t sure she wanted to stand there under the intense gazes, but she couldn’t make herself move. “Sam, our first call is to John Decker of the FBI. He has worked closely with GSF many times in this same type of situation. The call will be monitored by other agents. You cannot give any information away if he asks to speak to you. Do you understand?” Adam asked. He strode through the room and towered over her. “No, actually, I don’t understand. We’re calling the FBI? Why?” Sam stood her ground, even though every cell in her body screamed at her to step back away from Adam’s bulk. “I was taken in Aurora, moved from Aurora to Castle Rock, right? How is that an FBI case?”

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Cain snickered, drawing her attention. He was grinning at Adam with a mischievous glint in his eye. Adam seemed to be both surprised and irritated, but she didn’t care. Cain stepped behind Sam and rested his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them in understanding. “We’re not totally sure why the FBI is involved, but they supposedly aren’t involved in your case. That’s why all the deception and why we haven’t taken you home. Your father paid us to rescue and protect you. That part of the job might not be completed yet,” Cain said soothingly. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. Sam leaned back into his hard chest and closed her eyes for a moment. She didn’t want to be embroiled in some government case, didn’t want to be involved in anything. She just wanted to go home. “Okay, so am I off camera or what?” She kept her eyes closed and soaked in the heat flowing through her from Cain’s chest. She could faintly feel his heart beating against her back. “What am I supposed to say if he asks me something? I don’t want to look like I’m lying.” “We’ll keep you away from the camera if we can, but I’m sure John is going to request to speak to you. Just tell him you know nothing. You don’t know anything about the men that took you, the reason you were taken, where you were taken, where you are now…” Adam answered her questions while staring at Cain. He was scowling, eyes staring at Cain’s arms. “So, act dumb?” Sam opened her eyes and winked at Adam, and giggled at his startled look. He shook his head and grinned back at her. “Yes, act dumb. That should piss him off enough to stop asking you questions,” Adam laughed. “You got it. I do have one other question, though,” Sam said hesitantly. “I’d like to know where you are keeping Buck and Jimmy. I know I shouldn’t be worrying about them, but they were fairly respectful other than the whole beating thing. I just don’t want to be responsible for their pain if I can help it.”

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She could feel a rumble through Cain’s chest as he growled under his breath. She winced at how stupid she was. She shouldn’t have said anything about them. One dumb woman, as ordered. **** “We will not discuss those two fuckers. They will be interrogated and then dealt with as I see fit,” Cain spat. Rage rushed through his body so fast he quaked with it. He closed his eyes and tried to rein in the need to cause them pain for what they did to Sam. He jumped as he felt cool, soft hands on his face. His eyes opened slowly to find Sam stroking his cheeks with concern in her eyes. He fell headlong into those stormy depths and would have drowned there if he hadn’t been called out of his reverie by a cleared throat and a single word thrust into his head. “Fuck!” Cain’s eyes whipped up to Adam’s face and watched as the other man tried to grasp what he was seeing. Adam’s mouth was hanging open, and his arms were outstretched toward Sam, probably to grab her hands. Cain caught his brother’s eye. “Don’t. It’s fine. She’s a null,” Cain sent to Adam. Adam’s eyes widened. He nodded slightly and backed away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought them up,” Sam soothed. She stroked Cain’s face one more time before stepping away from him and blushing. “Um, when are you calling your FBI friend?” Cain smiled at her with a crooked grin and looked at his watch. “We’re calling him as soon as everything is set up.” “Cain, our uplink is complete. We’re ready whenever you are,” Jerome said from across the room. “Good. Sam, I want you to hang out over by the doorway unless I motion you over. Remember, we’re sitting in a high-rise building in Boulder, so approach me from the front and then around the camera. If you come from behind, he’ll be able to tell we are in front of a

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screen.” Cain stood close to the camera and signaled Bart to dial John’s personal number. “This is John Decker.” John’s voice came across the speaker, and again no video feed. Cain smiled at the protocol. “Hey, John, it’s Cain. We have her.” The video feed went live, and John’s face filled the video screen. He looked tired and run-down. Cain felt bad for the deception, but was not sure that he shared John’s trust of the other FBI employees. “Thank God, Cain. Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to contact you since you went dark and didn’t report anything further. I know that the expected drop is at 1300 hours. Aren’t you cutting it a little close?” John blew out a sigh and ran his hands through short, salt-and-pepper hair. “You had me worried, buddy. How is she?” Cain was impressed that the first real question was to check on Sam’s well-being. He knew that John was a good guy and responsible for many kidnap victims making it back to their homes alive. “She’s fine and recovering. We are calling the father as soon as we are done filling you in. We are not ready to release the perps to you yet, but we’ll schedule a pickup time in the next ten to twelve hours. My boys want to chat with them before handing them over to you.” “Cain, I need them now. This case is blowing itself out of the water, and it covers many more people than we originally thought. We need those men to corroborate evidence we have collected against Erik. We are sure he was the mastermind behind the kidnapping and was attempting to force Mr. Bridgestone to disappear for a while.” “No can do. We were hired for her safe return, and her safety is still an issue. We’ll release them to you in about ten hours,” Cain said firmly. He was not giving up his chance to find out what was really going on and take his pound of flesh for Sam’s benefit. “Cain, shit, man. This has already gone far above my head at the bureau. I can’t sit on the fact that you have them. If you won’t give

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me a pickup time soon, I’ll have to fill in my boss, and then we will have to come get them. I don’t want that. I hate having to bail your sorry ass out again.” John tried to smile, but the look was strained. He scowled into the camera. “You and I are friends, Cain. I want to keep it that way, but I can’t cover for you this time.” “I know you can’t, buddy. I don’t expect you to. Look, we’ll give you a call when we’re done with them. We won’t expect any warning, and you don’t have to worry about trying to cover for us.” Cain motioned for Jerome to close the link. “Wait!” John yelled in the camera. “Wait, Cain. I need to talk to Sam. At least give me that.” “Fine, but John, if you ask her anything that will compromise our mission, I’m cutting the feed immediately.” Cain scowled into the camera until the other man nodded. Then he lifted a hand and motioned for Sam. “Sam, come meet John Decker.” He watched Sam walk across the room and marveled at her body. She was a tall woman, but not a stick. She was curvy in all the right places, with ample breasts and hips. She was warm and soft, like a feminine flower. The way she walked was wonderful to watch as the sway of her hips subtly changed the angle of her bottom and caused her braid to swish across her back. She was female grace and feline movements rolled into one beautiful body. He barely swallowed a growl of appreciation. **** Sam walked around the camera and came to stand right next to Cain. She smiled into the camera and got her first glimpse of the man that all this technology was in place for. “Hello, Mr. Decker.” “Hi, Sam. How are you?” “Fine, Mr. Decker. Look, I have a call to make to my father, so could you cut to the chase? I understand the niceties of small talk, but

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honestly, this isn’t the time for it.” All four men snickered in the room as John took a deep breath over the speaker. “I see you are a tough little lady, Samantha. Okay, to cut to the chase, as you so eloquently put it, I need to know that you’re willing to help us catch the man that orchestrated your kidnapping and the attempted blackmailing of your father.” “Huh, well, that would depend on what you want me to do, Mr. Decker.” Sam wasn’t going to fall into any verbal agreements. She knew better from sparring with her father. He was a cunning man who had gotten her to promise too many times to things she regretted in the end. She grinned as Cain covered a laugh with a cough. “I see, Ms. Bridgestone. Well, I’d like you to assist us in connecting some dots for us. We’re pretty sure we know that the man that took investment money from your father is the one that contracted your kidnappers. We’d like to ask you some questions and see if you can tie those men to Erik in some way. Maybe bring you into headquarters to use the memory enhancers to assist your thoughts.” “I’m sorry, Mr. Decker, but the men that held me did not discuss anything with me or in front of me. I was kept away from them unless I was getting walked to the bathroom or getting food. I don’t think I can be much help to you.” “So, you’d rather let the man get away scot-free that paid your kidnappers, instead of working with us to apprehend him? After they beat you and tried to use you as a pawn in a blackmailing scheme?” The sarcasm and disbelief were heavy in his voice. “You’d do that to your father after he spent an ungodly amount of money to have you rescued from them?” “Oh, Mr. Decker, you don’t know me very well, do you? My father paid money to have his daughter rescued. It wasn’t an investment that was siphoned off, or a payment misplaced. My father paid to rescue me because he loves me. Don’t you dare pin this on me for doing something that would hurt my father. I’m grateful to Cain

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and his men for finding me, but I’d have been just as thankful to the police had it been them. I’m not going to be made to feel selfish or threatened by you because I won’t bend to your will. I’m sorry, Mr. Decker, but my conversation with you is done.” Sam nodded once to Cain and turned her back and walked away from the camera. She wasn’t going to let John see how angry she was at his words or the accusation that she was doing something to harm her father. She loved her father, and would do anything for him. But she also wasn’t going to roll over and let the FBI pick her apart to catch some criminal they had their eye on. She needed to see her father, not be sequestered in some holding tank, getting her mind picked clean by a mind-scrubbing system. She turned in time to see astonishment on John’s and Cain’s faces. “Guess that is that, John. We’ll give you a call in a few hours with a location and time you can gather the garbage.” Cain signaled to Jerome, and this time the connection was severed. He chuckled and then let loose a full belly laugh. She could tell that he surprised himself, and the other men, with his laughter. She grinned in response and continued chuckling as he got his laughter under control. “I can’t believe the look of complete befuddlement on his face when you walked away. You are one strong woman, especially to take on John. To blow off a conversation with John Decker is paramount to taking on a platoon of soldiers with a soupspoon as your only weapon.” “Jesus, woman. You have some balls on you.” Bart laughed, shaking his head. “Shit, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk to John that way.” “Well, he pissed me off and got my hackles all up,” she said with a grimace. She was embarrassed that they saw her lose her temper like that. “Can we call my dad now? I really want to talk to him.” “Sure, give me five minutes to reroute the comlink to make sure that his system can’t lock on our signal,” Bart said as he bent over his computer.

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“Sam, do you want to grab something to eat while we wait?” He reached out and ran his hand down her face and neck and sighed. He leaned in close and breathed out his words across Sam’s ear. “I want to grab you to eat. I love touching your skin. You remind me of a ripe peach, soft and warm. I think you taste like one too, all sweet and tangy. Mmmm, what I wouldn’t give to taste you again.” Her breath hitched, and she could feel herself flushing slightly along her cheekbones. Those simple words had her legs weakening and a rush of warmth flooding her pussy. She leaned into his chest and melted against him for a wondrously warm moment. She stepped away, but ran her hand down his chest before leaving the comfort of his arms. “I think that kind of snack needs to wait until after the call, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.” Her whisper was husky with arousal. She stroked her hand down his arm and turned away to walk over to watch Bart’s computer screen. She peeked over her shoulder and watched him take a deep breath and adjust his cock. She grinned and caught his eye, pointedly looking down at the bulge he tried to move. The look of carnal heat that he shot her was enough to raise her body temperature. He was potent even across the room. She was startled from her musings when one of the men swiveled in his chair. “Cain, we’re ready,” Jerome said from across the room. She watched Cain walk across the room and stand in front of the camera. She tried not to notice how his body moved, or how tight his pants were across his thighs. She felt like the bad wolf from Looney Tunes cartoons, ready to howl and waggle her tongue at him. She forced herself to focus and noticed that Jerome had selected a new background to display on the screen. It looked like Cain was standing in front of a large window in a small, shabby apartment in Aurora. “Let’s do this. Sam, why don’t you come stand with me so your father sees you right away. Remember, though, that we aren’t giving

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any information away about locations,” Cain said as he nodded to Jerome to make the call. Sam turned to see the video screen just as her father answered the comlink. They looked at each other for a second without saying anything, and then the blood drained from her father’s face, and he let out a shuddering breath. “Oh, God, Sam. What did they do to you? Are you okay?” “Daddy.” Sam swallowed a sob and blinked fast to hold back tears. “I’m okay. It’s good to see you. I’ve been so worried about you.” “I didn’t think I would see you again.” Her father broke down and cried into his hands. He held his face in his hands as sobs wracked through his body, shaking him with the intensity. He looked back up at the camera, and tears ran ignored down his face. “I couldn’t face losing you, too. Without you and your mother, I would have died.” “I’m so sorry, Daddy. I’m okay, though. I really am. I’m safe and can’t wait to come home.” Sam couldn’t stand the anguish on her father’s face and turned in to Cain. For a split second, he tensed, and then he folded her into his chest. She curled her fingers into his shirt and held on to him for comfort and support. She breathed in deeply for a few moments, dragging his scent into her lungs, cleansing her body of pain. She turned back to the comlink with determination coursing through her veins. “I talked to the FBI earlier. They think that Erik did this to us. They think that he was trying to force you to either back out of your testimony or disappear. I would guess that they still think that I’m in danger and that he’ll still try to get to you through me.” “Yes, they’ve told me the same thing. I know they are crawling all over Aurora and Boulder. Cain, when do you think it’ll be safe for her to come home?” “Sir, I think it would be safer for her to stay with us for now. I fear that the bureau might decide to use her as bait to pull Erik or his accomplices out into the open. Especially now that we have the men that held her, the person that contracted with them for the kidnapping

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will be anxious to clean up their mess. That might include doing something to Sam.” “Fine. I want her safe, and I feel she is safer with you and your team than if I have her come home. I understand that we’re just going to ignore the drop that is scheduled for one this afternoon. I will obviously let you know the moment I’m contacted again, if they call me.” Sam’s father wiped the last remaining tears from his face. Shrewdly, he addressed her next, a slight twinkle in his eye. “I would love to have you home, Sam. But it seems that you are more comfortable staying with him than you’d be coming home. Especially if this isn’t over.” Sam smiled at her father and just nodded. No point in digging my hole even bigger. The heat radiating through her clothes told her that she was still clinging to Cain for support. No doubt her father saw that as well. “Very well. Cain, may I speak with her again tomorrow?” “Sure, we can have her call you the same time tomorrow. Perhaps by then, you can actually have a normal conversation without all of us hovering,” Cain said. “Good-bye, sir. We’ll speak with you tomorrow.” “Bye, Daddy. I love you!” Sam’s voice quivered slightly, but not a single tear escaped her eyes. “Bye, sweetie. Talk to you tomorrow. I’m so thankful that they got to you when they did.” Sam’s father waved at the camera and then disconnected the link. “Come on, let’s get some food before our snack.” Cain waggled his eyebrows at Sam and grinned when she blushed. He took her hand and walked them toward the kitchen, both ignoring the openmouthed stares from the other men. He turned quickly and shot an order over his shoulder. “Break down all the equipment, and keep me apprised of any changes.”

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Chapter 12 Cain grabbed Sam by the hand and pulled her out of the ops cabin. He rushed her around the first curve of the path heading toward their cabin. She tried to keep up, almost running. He stopped suddenly and she bumped into his back. Before she could fall he pulled her into his arms. He bent his head and stared into her eyes, she could see the lust burning there. “I need to touch you, feel you, be inside you. I can’t wait another minute. Please, Sam, let me kiss you,” Cain whispered in a strained voice. His words fluttered over her cheek in a soft caress. Sam closed her eyes and tilted her head up, submitting to the desire burning in his eyes. Between one breath and the next, her lips were being devoured. She gasped and then let the fire take her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sucked his tongue into her mouth. He tasted of pure maleness. They twined tongues together, stroking each other, until both were breathing hard. Cain pulled away, kissing her swollen lips with a chaste kiss before lowering his forehead to hers. His breathing was heavy as he shook against her. “I don’t want to do this here. I just can’t control my reaction to you.” His breath tickled across Sam’s nose. “Knowing that I can touch you and feel your skin is intoxicating to me. I want you naked under me now. Just give me a second to catch my breath, and then we’ll go to the cabin.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled Cain with her as she backed against a tree trunk. She speared her hands into his hair and pulled his head back to her lips. Her tongue teasingly licked along the seam of his lips. She grinned as he moaned deep in his throat. She took his

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hands and placed them on her hips just as she leaned back against the tree and wrapped her legs around his waist. She leaned her head back with a gasp. He was so hard against her slit. She moved her hips for a moment, savoring the way he rubbed against her swollen, aching clit. “Oh God. That feels so good. Let me touch you, Cain. Let me caress you and feel you,” Sam moaned. She wanted to give him something to remember, an experience they both could look back on when this crisis was over. He jerked when she slid her hand down between their bodies and grab his cock through his pants. A soft moan whispered from his lips with the first pull of her hand on his erect shaft. She grinned, watching him groan and throw his head back. He was gorgeous when he let go. Masculine with tension, muscles bunched, veins showing under tight skin. She unlocked her other hand from his hair and worked at his zipper until she could slide her hand in and around his heavy erection, skin to skin. She stroked him to the same tempo she was grinding against him. She twisted her wrist slightly when her hand reached the head of his cock and then tightened as her hand slid down. He started pumping into her hand with the same rhythm. Her other hand reached farther down and cupped his balls. He shuddered as she slowly massaged his sack, pulling lightly on the skin. “I’m going to come right here if you don’t stop,” he gasped. His voice was throaty and hoarse. He moaned as she released his balls and worked his cock with both hands. “Oh. God. Sam. Stop.” “Make me,” she whispered. She leaned forward and kissed him with all the passion she could. She slid her tongue into his mouth and stroked his with hers. She nipped at his lips, sucking the bottom one into her mouth and licking the little hurt. She released one hand from his cock and grabbed his head, pulling it to hers. She kissed her way along his jaw, toward his ear, blowing lightly against his skin. She chuckled when he shivered. She licked a path up his neck and sucked his earlobe into her mouth, moaning softly across his neck.

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He rumbled low in his chest and crushed his mouth to hers. He delved into her open mouth and devoured every inch. He pumped into her hand and she could feel him hardening further, approaching his release. He leaned into Sam, crushing her against the tree, and thrust against her a few more times before growling incoherent words. Hot semen pumped into her waiting grasp even as she continued to stroke him. Sam slowly released his spent member and brought her hand to her mouth, waiting for Cain to open his eyes before licking off his cum. She sucked her fingers into her mouth and hummed her appreciation for his flavor. A chuckle escaped when he groaned and ground against her. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist and lowered them to the ground. He was still pushing her against the trunk, but when she pushed gently against his chest, he moved back enough that she could place his softened cock back in his pants and zip him back up. She grinned at his look of consternation. “Come on, I need a cup of hot chocolate or something.” She grabbed his hand and led him toward their cabin. She laughed at his incoherent grumbling as she dragged him along the trail. “You do realize that I now owe you, right? And I always pay up, with interest,” Cain said as he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. She squealed at the abrupt movement and started pounding on his back to the tune of “Put me down, you ass.” He laughed as he ran them back to the cabin and up into the kitchen. He plopped her down on the stool she’d occupied for breakfast with a quick kiss on the top of her head. She swatted at him, but he dodged the blow with ease and chuckled as he dug into the cabinet, looking for hot chocolate mix. “I can get my own, you know,” she huffed. She started to get down off the stool, but stopped mid-scooch when she caught a scowl from Cain. She slid back onto the seat and grumbled about he-men

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and their attempts to make up for inadequacies while watching him struggle in the kitchen, looking for spoons and cups. With a few minutes and a microwave, Cain created an acceptable cup of hot chocolate and placed it on the counter in front of Sam. He dug around inside the refrigerator, hiding something behind his back as he walked around the bar. She ignored him the best she could and blew on the steaming cup of sweetness. She’d hoped for the miniature marshmallow kind, but she would take anything she could get if it had chocolate in it. She jumped when she felt cold foam hit the back of her neck. “Hey, what are you doing?” She swiped at the cold spot, and her hand came away with a smear of whipped cream. She flicked a small chunk of foam at him and grinned when it splatted on his cheek. “In the cup, not on me.” “Mmm, but I’d rather have it on you,” Cain whispered as he bent forward and licked the cream off her neck with broad strokes. She shivered under his mouth. “Drink your hot chocolate so I can have my sweet treat.” He reached around her and squirted a little cream into her cup. He took her hand that still had a cream smear and stuck her finger into his mouth, sucking the whipped cream off and swirling his tongue around her fingertip. Sam closed her eyes and groaned. Cain licked the last remnants of the cream off her hand before turning and heading toward the hallway. “I’ll be waiting for you in your room,” he said with a wink. He had his shirt off before he rounded the corner. Sam felt liquid heat soak her panties in a hot gush. That man is sex incarnate. She quickly gulped the hot liquid, burning her tongue in the process. She didn’t care, though, because she had a sexy man with a can of whipped cream waiting for her. She hopped down from her seat and walked rapidly down the hallway. She stopped in the doorway to the room and almost melted into a puddle of sensation right then.

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Cain was lying on the bed, naked and erect, with nothing on but his gloves. He was stroking his cock with one gloved hand. The contrast of black glove to pearly skin was erotic and delicious. His face was slightly flushed with desire, his eyes half-lidded. A sensuous smile crossed his face as he crooked a finger at Sam, beckoning her to the bed. Sam swallowed hard, and fighting the urge to drop her gaze in embarrassment, she walked closer to the bed. She hungrily ran her eyes up and down the feast of male perfection spread across the bed in front of her. She couldn’t remember seeing anything so delectable in her life. She slowed when she approached the side of the bed, unsure if she should just strip off her clothes and throw herself at his mercy or if she should crawl under the covers fully clothed to hide from him. She could feel color creep up her neck and face. “Come here, Samantha. I want to touch you,” Cain said. He watched her with predatory eyes, gleaming at her under heavy brows. His voice was gravelly and made her shiver in anticipation. Goose bumps raced up and down her arms as she walked the last couple of steps to the side of the bed. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it off, dropping it on the floor at her feet. She smiled at the small moan that escaped his lips as he watched her undress. Her eyes widened as he once again stroked his jutting cock. Her stomach fluttered, and warmth flowed through her body. She quickly removed her pants, added them to her shirt on the floor, and then crawled onto the bed, embarrassment evaporating with the lust shining in Cain’s eyes. “Is it my turn for something sweet?” he asked. He bent forward and captured her lips in a kiss. He reached out and pulled her onto him, nestling her body between his thighs. His erection was sandwiched between their stomachs, twitching in anticipation. He stroked the side of Sam’s face when he pulled back from their kiss. “Can you take the gloves off, please? I want to feel your hands on me,” Sam breathed. She leaned down and kissed him, slowly moving

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her lips along his jawline, to his ear, and sucking in the lobe. She breathed into his ear and nipped at the lobe in her mouth, smiling when he growled deep in his chest. She gasped when a warm hand caressed her side, sighing with ecstasy. “I love the noises you make. They are so sexy,” he whispered into her ear. Sam was lost in the feel of roughened palms rubbing her hardened nipples in lazy circles. She hummed her appreciation of the sensations skating through her body. She tensed as Cain squeezed both peaks between his thumb and forefinger, bringing pain and then hot pleasure shooting to her core. The unmistakable sound of the whipped cream can shaking made her grin. Seconds later, cold foam covered both nipples. Hot breath blew across one breast, and then it was sucked into a hot, wet mouth. A groan escaped up her throat as she threw her head back. She could feel each pull and flick of his mouth on her puckered nub sending heat and need down to her clit. She moaned when he moved to her other nipple and gave it the same attention, lathing it with wicked flicks and sucks. “Please,” she whispered. She wasn’t sure what she was asking for, but she needed something and needed it now. She felt too hot, too wet, too empty. Her hips moved in involuntary pulses between his thighs as he suckled her breasts. Her breaths came in stuttering sighs as her body became molten need. She moaned, “Please, I need.” Cain slid her body up his and took her lips in a scorching kiss. He plundered her mouth, sliding over her teeth and tongue. She could taste the sweet, creamy flavor from the whipped cream still on his tongue. He nibbled on her lips, suckling each one lightly. He swallowed her cries as he slowly ground his cock against her clit in quick, hard thrusts. He pinched her nipples between his rough fingertips and then massaged her breasts after each pinch, alternating between pain and pleasure, pushing her body into a frenzy. Sam needed him inside her. She needed to feel him filling her, pulsing inside her, quenching her fire. She ground her slit against his

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cock, spreading her slick wetness. Her pleasure was climbing quickly toward a release, but she needed more. With one smooth motion, she raised her hips and captured his cock at her opening, sighing as she slid down his erection until she took all of him. A shiver of pure pleasure slithered down her spine as she let her head fall forward and started to ride him. “Oh, God. You feel so good,” Cain said with a gasp. Sam leaned back, propping herself up against his thighs, giving his hand space to rub her swollen clit with increasing pressure and speed. Her climax was close, and was building faster as his cock glided against her G-spot with each thrust. Her vocalizations were getting louder with each slide into and out of her body. She could feel her muscles clenching and reveled in the approach of her orgasm. She bore down on his cock on the next thrust and tumbled over the edge of her climax, gasping and moving against his body. She cried out as the pleasure spiked again with a second orgasm as Cain continued to stroke her clit in lazy circles. He grabbed her hips and pumped into her twice more, then shouted as his hot cum coated her channel. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat, breathing hard, muscles twitching with the last glimmer of their climaxes. Sam collapsed onto Cain’s chest with a sigh of contentment. She closed her eyes and reveled in the warm and sated feeling. With a quick lick, she captured the salty taste of his body. She snuggled into the arms that circled her waist, breathing in contentment like she’d never known before. “Cain, if I ask you something personal, will you answer me?” Sam asked quietly. Some questions had been nagging her since earlier in the day. “Sam, you can ask me anything, and I’ll try to answer you as honestly as I can,” he answered. He rubbed her back with one hand while holding her tightly to his body with the other. “How have you had sex before if you couldn’t touch skin? I mean, you obviously have before…” She trailed off, embarrassed by what

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she was going to say. She just stopped herself from gushing on about how wonderful he was. Cain laughed and held her down to his chest when she tried to sit up. “Anyone I’ve been with has had to wear specially designed silicone suits.” Cain sighed. “When it was first determined that I couldn’t control the empathic side of my psychic abilities, I had a full team of doctors and scientists trying to find ways around touching objects. Then, over time, we worked to find ways to cleanse the energy from objects so I could interact with things as normally as possible. Like this cabin. I paid a team of people to come here before us and clean every surface so if I had my gloves off and touched something, I wouldn’t be a vomiting mess on the floor. Even the sheets we’re on now were cleaned by the team and then placed on the bed. It has made life easier.” “Wow, so how did you find scientists that could help you? When did your issues surface? Was it a ‘triggered with puberty’ type of thing?” Sam made slow, lazy circles on his chest while she listened to his voice rumble under her ear. Her curiosity was piqued. “I knew that I had issues with empathy almost from the first minute of cognitive thought. Genophytes don’t really go through puberty, at least not like a normal male. I spent about four days in what you’d consider a teenage state. But, by then, I already had the basic knowledge that I have now, so it wasn’t too difficult to make it through.” Sam pushed against Cain’s chest to sit up. The conversation was taking a turn in a direction she wasn’t expecting. “What do you mean four days? What is a genophyte?” “Guess I should start at the beginning. I’m a genophyte. I was created in a lab by a group of scientists a long time ago. I was an adult in eighteen months once I was conceived, and I stopped aging shortly after my eighteenth month.” “I read something about a group of soldiers being created in a lab. It was in the news a few years ago because of some war someplace,

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right? Does that mean you are one of them?” Sam watched a smooth mask slide across Cain’s face at the same time she felt him tense slightly under her hands. “Yes, I’m one of them. Although, I haven’t been a soldier in a long time,” he clipped. “Well, now that we have illuminated my past, I think we should get up.” Sam pushed his chest back down and glared at him, trying to figure out what the trigger was for the change in his countenance. “What? You aren’t getting away from me that fast. You’re assuming this is a big deal to me, aren’t you?” “Yes. I’ve dealt with this too many times in the past. I’m not going to lay here as you either feel sorry for me because of my past, or get angry and weird because of it. I don’t need that experience again, so let’s just get up.” “Nope. Sorry. You don’t get off that easy. So, you’re a genophyte. So what? I still don’t see why that should trigger this.” She motioned to his clenched jaw and impersonal mask. “So far you haven’t told me anything that should warrant the clenching.” Sam watched Cain study her face for a few moments. She needed him to see the truth. She didn’t care about his past, or how he was created, be it naturally or in a test tube. “You really don’t have an issue with me being a lab rat?” “Christ, Cain. Who hasn’t had something modified in this day and age? Now, granted, I haven’t had much done, but I have friends who have spent a fortune on having gene therapy done on everything from their ability to retain information to the color of their hair.” She smoothed her hands down his arm and lightly held his hand and stifled a yawn. “I don’t care if you were born in a laboratory or a barn. Now, if you’re done being stubborn, cuddle me so I can take a nap. You wore me out.”

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Chapter 13 May 25, 2090 “Cain, just received a message from Mr. Bridgestone. It seems that Erik or one of his associates was quite upset with our intervening. He is threatening Sam’s life now, and hinted at knowing where we are.” Adam’s thought came through and disturbed the tranquility Cain was enjoying. “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Cain sent to Adam. He shifted in the bed, trying not to wake Sam as she slept curled along his side. Cain had just lain there, watching her sleep. He hated to disturb her. Yesterday had been a long day, and he was sure she hadn’t slept well while in captivity. And, well, they had expended a lot of energy throughout the evening. He grinned, remembering the way she looked during their last bout of lovemaking while she cried out his name in the shower. He hardened again, and he sighed. It probably would be a while before he would be able to alleviate that ache again if Adam’s message was any indication of what was to come. With Sam tucked into the bed under blankets, and a quick note stuck to the refrigerator, Cain jogged to the ops cabin to find out what had been happening since the night before. He checked the surrounding area for human psychic energy, but felt only the men he was running toward. He shook his head at the possibility of him running into a null, and her being a beautiful woman who accepted him for who and what he was. He had heard talk throughout the years that Genotech was trying to breed a few nulls, but were completely unsuccessful. Samantha was like a gift from God. He sighed at his

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musings. A gift, coincidence, fate, call it what you want. He was just happy to have found her. Cain bounded up the steps into the cabin and nodded absently to Bart and Jerome as they sat at their comstations monitoring everything around the cabins. He noticed that Bart was speaking to someone on a comlink, but breezed by him in pursuit of Adam. Cain noticed that the boys had been busy assembling more security systems and gadgets. They had surveillance systems for seismic activity, cameras that could detect heartbeats, body heat, and brain activity. All of these systems were set up in a two-mile radius around the two cabins they were occupying. Many of the systems had been custom designed for GSF based on prototypes that Cain and Adam had designed and tested during their Genotech contracts and then perfected under their guidance in the private sector. Their human-detection systems were far superior to any on the planet and were highly sought after by every military unit in the world. Cain had acquired one of the most technologically advanced design teams when he worked for the US government training soldiers for mental warfare. He had promised the team its own facilities once he was out from under Genotech. It took him ten years to fulfill that promise, but he now employed the entire team in a secret facility in Nevada. That group of brilliant men and women spent every waking minute designing security and assault technology for GSF to use or sell. Without them, he knew that GSF would not be as successful as they were. “Cain, there you are. The transmission came seven minutes ago from Mr. Bridgestone. The male that called threatened Sam’s life and said that he knew where we were hiding her. He knew us by name, Cain. He knows that GSF was contracted and that you and I are heading up the team. He mentioned that four against his team was going to be fun,” Adam said with concern etched in his pinched brows. “How the hell does someone know all of that information, unless they have an in with the bureau?”

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Cain had the same thought. If it wasn’t the bureau, then he was stumped as to how someone would know that much intel in such a short period of time. Well, unless Bridgestone had someone on his staff that was passing information, which was very likely as well. Well, that would make the next couple of days more interesting, he thought. “It really doesn’t matter how this guy got his information. We’ll just react as if the mission is compromised and adjust accordingly. I see that you have all the systems up and running for surveillance. Have you had time to interrogate the two in the other room?” “No, but I think it’s time. I want all the information I can get about this guy before he shows up with an army or something,” Adam answered. He scowled and ran his hand through his hair. Tension flowed off him in almost visible waves. “Let’s go talk with them and see what they can give us, and then we will chat with John and see if he can’t get them off our hands in case we need to evac quickly.” Cain nodded and headed down the hallway, into one of the bedrooms. It had been rigged as an impromptu holding cell with chains and metal bars that held the two men who had taken Sam. The metal frame was made of a very light but tough alloy that was almost indestructible. This specific model was made to hold up to five individuals in either a seated or standing configuration. The chains and restraints were also made from materials impervious to most types of cutting, but were very lightweight. It made portable captivity easy for this type of mission. The two men were seated on metal chairs and chained, back-to-back, to the frame. They had been blindfolded until they had been restrained, and then were allowed vision and even the ability to speak, knowing full well the room was fully wired and recorded everything from their breathing rate to their body temps. Anger started to flow through him as soon as he saw the two men. He fought his immediate need to pound them both until they were bleeding. He felt Adam grab his arm, and breathed slowly through his

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nose to calm himself. Adam was right. There was no place for revenge or rage. They needed information. “Gentlemen, my name is Cain. I work for Genophyte Security Firm. You were found in possession of a woman that didn’t belong in your company. I know you kidnapped her. I know that you took her under direction of someone else. We’d like to know who that person is.” Cain strolled into the room and stood over the larger of the two men. He was the one they found in the house, and was presumed to be in charge of Sam’s captivity. “Now, you can give me the information, and nothing bad will happen to you, or I can start digging around in your heads, and, trust me, it will hurt like hell…and I’ll still get what I want.” Both men sat silently, as they had since they were first placed in restraints. Cain grudgingly admired their ability to remain silent. Usually captives would start to talk, even to themselves, after two or three hours. These two men had not said a single word for close to six hours. The one in front of Cain stared straight ahead, breathing in a measured way, in a relaxed pose, but not submissive. The other sat in much the same way, but Cain could see a tic in the man’s cheek that was probably due to stress. Interesting, wonder if these are exmilitary men? “Okay, let’s make this even simpler. Who are you?” Cain asked. He waited, hoping, almost, for an answer. Neither man answered. He glanced up at Adam and nodded imperceptibly. Cain took a deep breath and slowly lowered the shield he used most of his waking day. It worked as a filter to non-directed mental images and conversations. It kept him from hearing most of the thoughts that people had on a day-to-day basis. He pushed what he thought of as a mental sheet over the two men and took another deep breath before opening up one of the worst abilities he was programmed with by Genotech. Cain brutally pushed his thoughts into the other men. He watched them jerk with the intrusion, and then he started picturing the same

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room they occupied. He played a mental movie in the brains of the two men in front of him. The movie started with him and Adam leaving the room. He pictured a fire starting in the corner of the room, slowly creeping across the floor toward the two men. He envisioned the light and the heat that radiated from the fire as it consumed the rug the men were sitting on. He showed them the flames as they slowly caught the first male’s clothes on fire and he struggled against chains that he couldn’t escape. He gave them both the smells of fire, smoke, and cooking flesh. Cain made the man feel the pain of the fire slowly burning his feet and ankles, and the heat that had engulfed both of them. Throughout the mental movie, Cain and Adam studied the two men. Adam couldn’t see the pictures that Cain was forcing into the men’s heads, but he had a good idea of what was being shown to them. The captives both started to sweat after the first few seconds. Then, as they saw the fire in their mind’s eye, they started to panic. By the time the fire was creeping up the man’s clothes, the two were screaming for help and exhibiting signs of major distress. The hairs on Adam’s neck and arms rose as the two men screamed. The one in front of Cain had his eyes open so far his pupils looked tiny surrounded by so much white. His screams were piercing and gut-wrenching. Panic had him breathing in fast, erratic breaths. Cain shut off the pictures and pulled his mental presence out of their heads in one swift move. It was not only painful for them, but it was very abrupt. It would take their brains a few seconds to understand that they were no longer in a fire, that the fire never existed, and that they only had been given the images. Adrenaline would still be coursing through their bodies, forcing the fight-or-flight response. Cain rubbed his temples to help dispel the tension there. He could work a long time with his psychic abilities, but they always gave him a headache. “I’ll ask you again. Who are you?” Cain asked the man in front of him again. He had waited until both men had their heart rates back to

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almost normal. He had expected some sort of verbal outburst from one of them, but was impressed with their fortitude. Dealing with mental interrogations was tough, and exceptionally terrifying. He gave each man a second to think about responding, but when both men continued to stare straight in front of them and didn’t look like they were going to budge, he started a second mental campaign. This time Cain shoved his thoughts into the head of the second man. He forced him to feel the pain associated with a special torture technique Cain had endured years ago during a mission. He gave the man the sensations that would be felt if someone slowly ripped out fingernails from their beds, one at a time. The man felt each nail being pulled on, and then yanked off his fingers, by a pair of pliers. Then, the smell of burning flesh was thrust into his brain, and the image of a red-hot metal pole cauterizing the nail bed of each nail pushed into his mind’s eye. The man remained silent through the first two fingers, moaned on the third, and was screaming by the fourth. Cain kept the visions intensely real and even added in the sound of blood dripping and hitting the floor. Throughout the torture session, Cain kept his eyes glued on the man in front of him, watching the stress of listening to his buddy being tortured lay heavy on his shoulders. He knew when he had broken the man, because he closed his eyes and lowered his head for a moment before raising it again and looking Cain in the eye. “Stop what you’re doing to him, and I’ll start answering questions.” Cain stopped the torture immediately. He brought the tortured man around slowly and extricated himself from the man’s thoughts with more care than he used the first time. He didn’t like hurting others. Cain had lived through enough torture to know that it was not always better to survive it, but he had found that this type of interrogation worked much faster and without as many complications as true torture. “Who are you?” Cain asked again, punctuating each word as if they were sentences.

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“My name is Buck Caldwell. His name is Jimmy Blake,” Buck responded, still keeping his chin firm and his eyes straight forward. “Why did you kidnap Samantha Bridgestone?” “We were hired by a man to take her, and to exchange her for a set amount of money,” Buck answered. “At least, that’s what we were originally hired to do.” “And, what happened? It sounds like things changed?” Adam asked. He kept his gaze on Jimmy. His facial expressions were much more telling and were an interesting companion to the information Buck was spilling. “We were contacted just before the first switch was scheduled and told that the drop was a mess and that we were not to attempt it. We were informed that we were to punish Ms. Bridgestone for the error and contact Mr. Bridgestone with her image and new instructions.” “You did a fine job beating the shit out of her,” Cain growled. He was trying to keep a handle on his rage, but it was getting more difficult to listen to Buck tell this tale with indifference when Cain knew how Sam looked. Buck turned his head and looked Cain in the eye, squinting with some emotion Cain didn’t want to decipher. “I hated doing that to her. She’s all right now, right? I have been worried about her.” “You don’t even get to think about her, asshole. You beat her and then fucking think you can ask me about her?” Cain leaned forward, his face inches from Buck’s. He shoved the man with each word that was forced between clenched teeth. His anger screamed for vengeance. “I will only warn you once, do not push me about Sam, or you will regret it.” “Cain, man, take a breather. I want to ask them about the first drop to make sure we understand what went wrong.” Adam steered Cain toward the doorway, giving him a little push, and then whispered, “Get in control of your emotions, or you won’t be coming back in this room. Understand me? You will not compromise this mission with your stupid human, male, possessive shit.”

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“Okay, but I’m coming right back,” Cain grumbled. He left the room, moving quickly to listen to the conversation from the com center. He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm himself. He knew he was acting out of character, knew that his reactions to all of this were not normal for him or for a genophyte, but he just couldn’t care enough to worry. He wanted to protect Sam from everything, and felt like he had the right to seek revenge for the injuries she received at the hands of those men. “Cain, can you look at this?” Bart’s voice broke into Cain’s thoughts. Bart pointed to the computer system he was using. “There looks to be some anomalies in the atmospheric tracking system we have in place. I can’t get them to disappear. What do you think is causing it?” Cain watched the data scroll for a minute, noting that Bart was correct. There was some sort of issue with the barometric pressure and humidity above the second cabin, but there was no reason for the differences. “Do a full check of all other sensors and let me know if there are other anomalies that you can’t explain,” Cain said. Concern skated along his spine. A sense of dread bled into his thoughts. With a shake of his head, he dispelled the thoughts and turned to watch Bart and Jerome run system checks. “Hey, I have something, too,” Jerome called from his system across the room. “It looks like we have a malfunctioning heartbeat sensor five hundred yards south of the other cabin. It’s registering seven humans, but there is nothing else showing on any other system. All is well on the visual cameras. Thermal imaging and sound are all clear.” Cain became more worried with the new issues. He fought the impulse to run back to the other cabin and check on Sam. He closed his eyes and stretched his senses out past the other cabin, down the mountain, to the town. He felt nothing out of the ordinary. He slowly reeled his mind back in, and just as he was going to open his eyes, he

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felt something. It was like a shadow of a mental signature. He felt something, and then it was gone. His eyes popped opened, and he turned quickly, stalking back into the room where Adam was questioning the captives. “I told you we were only contacted by a middleman. His name was Derek. He called me on my work line and offered me a staggering amount of money to plan and execute this kidnapping. We only spoke four times, and each time the story was the same. Kidnap the girl, hold her for ransom, release her once we had the ransom in hand. Things changed after we had Sam with us.” Buck sighed. “I wouldn’t have taken this job had I known I was going to have to hurt her. I don’t take those types of jobs.” Cain stood in the doorway, absorbing the scene in front of him. Buck and Jimmy were no longer restrained. Adam was sitting in a chair facing the two other men, nodding as Buck spoke. “What the fuck, Adam?” Cain stalked into the room and clenched his fists as he stood over his partner. “I leave for three minutes and you have them released, chatting like old friends?” “Relax. They’re telling the truth. You know they are. There isn’t any reason to keep them tied up if they are willing to help us, right?” Adam rubbed his temples, and pain was already pinching around his eyes. Cain watched Adam for a moment and then breathed out a sigh. He knew Adam was right. “Look, Bart and Jerome are seeing anomalies in our systems. I want to take a look at them and see if I can figure out what is going on. Are you all right to stay here and pump these guys for information?” “Sure, and if I get anything worth sharing, I’ll give you a call,” Adam said over his shoulder. Cain turned and walked out of the room, through the living room, and out the front door. He was spurred on by an inexplicable urge to check on Sam. Once on the trail, he broke into a jog and sped through the woods. His heart skipped a beat when he rounded the last corner

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of the trail and noticed the cabin door was wide open. He sprinted the last few meters and vaulted up onto the porch. Dread flowed icily through his veins.

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Chapter 14 “Sam?” Cain yelled as he entered the cabin. Eerie silence met his question. He raced through each room to verify that she was truly gone. The bedding was disheveled, and with a quick feel, he could tell that she’d gotten out of bed quite a while ago. The bed was cold to the touch. He checked the bathroom, and the mirror was still fogged around the edges. She’d taken a shower, and not too long ago. Next, he checked his clothing and found that his bag had been emptied onto the bed in his room. Clothing had been tossed around, and it looked like at least one shirt was missing. He walked to the cabin door and pulled off a glove, grabbing the knob in hopes of gathering information. Nothing came to him. Whoever took her had worn gloves. Shit. “Sam is gone. Assume she was taken with force. I want all information that you collected over the last fifteen to thirty minutes available to me when I get back to the cabin. Bart, sync the data so I can watch all inputs running simultaneously,” Cain shouted into his comlink and raced back toward the ops center. “Adam, what has Buck given you? I have a feeling she was swiped right out from under us, and if that is true, we need to know who we are dealing with. Jerome, I want you in this cabin looking for anything you can find that will help us find her.” Bart was working feverishly on his computer when Cain barreled into the room, nearly colliding with Jerome, who was sprinting out of the cabin. Images and data were streaming at lightning speed on the monitors surrounding Bart’s workspace, relaying and compiling information.

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“I have everything cued up. It will run all of the scanners together in these screens. Then, the data that isn’t visual will be running on these screens. It’ll run in a continual loop until you tell me to stop it.” Bart stood quickly from his chair and relinquished it to Cain. His eyes darted back and forth between all the screens, watching the data with Cain. “When did the atmospheric anomalies show up?” Cain flicked his attention back and forth between the camera angles that were watching the cabin and the streaming data. He kept hoping to see something that would give them an indication of what had happened. “I had to push back further than you requested, but found that thirty-seven minutes ago the sensors picked up the disturbance moving into our area from the south of our location. It moved slowly across the area, paused above the cabin locations, and then moved south again in the same trajectory. You can see the data here.” Bart pointed to a specific set of information on one of the screens. “I didn’t catch the issue until the change in barometric pressure hovered for nine minutes and then moved backward in a linear fashion. I’m not sure we would’ve caught this at all without the new sensors.” “Okay, so hypothesize with me. How could someone come in, with multiple men, remove Sam, and not show up on our sensors or cameras other than giving off a slight weather disturbance?” “I think they used a cloaking device on an aircraft of some sort that did something to our sensors. Watch this screen. This is the input from the camera pointed directly at the front door. Do you see anything weird?” Bart pointed to another screen. He looked down at Cain expectantly. “Holy shit, the image is frozen. So, they froze all of our sensors and cameras to relay identical images while they removed her?” Cain jumped out of the seat. “That is why Jerome caught heartbeats. That technology is so new they probably didn’t know we had those sensors. Can you track the weather issue to give us at least a direction of travel after the aircraft left our area?”

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“Probably, let me work my magic, and I’ll let you know in a few minutes.” Bart sat and started typing on his computer system. He scowled at the computer and started cussing under his breath. Cain turned and rushed into the room where Adam was still conversing with Buck and Jimmy. He needed to mobilize everyone to follow Bart’s directions once he could pinpoint a location or path to follow. They would just have to restrain the two men again until they had Sam back. Adam couldn’t remain to babysit the two. “Adam, can I speak with you for a moment?” Cain stood stiffly by the door. He was still angry with the two other men, but he was trying to rein in the feeling. When Adam was in front of Cain, he moved his gaze to his partner. “We need to mobilize. They were using a cloaking device on some form of ship or plane and took Sam. They also had some form of psychic barrier. I didn’t feel them out there, but I did sense a shadow for a split second. Bart is finding a way to track their movements, but we need to be on the move if we are going to continue tracking them.” “A cloaking device? Who the hell has one of those? I didn’t even know the military was actively using them yet,” Adam growled. They both hated having their missions screwed up, and this was turning into a clusterfuck. “Wonder if it was borrowed from the government without their permission?” “Let’s call John once we’re moving and see what he can dig up. We need to secure these two and then get moving. I want to be rolling in ten.” Cain turned to leave, but stopped in his tracks when Adam stopped him with a hand on his arm. “We could use them, Cain. They’re more than willing to help us. They have some affection for your Samantha and are distressed that she was taken again.” “Fuck. Are you going soft? I don’t want to take two mercenaries with us in hopes that they don’t switch sides again once we find Sam. I can’t worry about them right now. We need to be moving, tracking her.” Cain glared at Adam and then at each of the men standing

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behind him. “I don’t trust them, no matter how genuine their feelings are.” “Fine. If something happens, they’ll be my responsibility. Both of them are military trained and would give us a little more manpower. Four against at least seven is a bit much, even for us, Cain.” Cain watched Adam who was waiting with his normal patient calm. He knew that Adam was right, the likelihood of coming out of this unscathed if it became violent was close to zero. “She has been through so much already. If they fuck up, I’m killing both of them.” Cain stalked out of the room, leaving Adam to deal with the other men. “Cain, I have the trajectory, and a possible location where they could land,” Bart called into the hallway. Cain rushed to the man’s side and looked over the screens. “See here. This is the only strip large enough for a large plane in the surrounding area. If they don’t land here, then they could be heading anywhere.” Cain studied the map and the digital image showing the path the plane was moving. He couldn’t believe that Bart had caught the disturbance. Without him, they would have no idea where to look for Sam. It was a well-executed mission. Too well executed for a normal group of hired guns. Cain was getting more and more concerned that the military might be involved, but why would they be used to kidnap a rich guy’s daughter? Cain couldn’t begin to fathom it, and that bothered him. “Great job, Bart. I want to be mobile in about five minutes. Is that enough time to get to one of the vehicles and upload this information so we can continue tracking?” “Already done, boss. I have been transferring data to one of the trucks for close to fifteen minutes. It is fully functioning, and all systems can be remotely tracked from that vehicle,” Bart answered. “You are the shit, Bart,” Cain said. He smacked the other man on the back. He pushed a button on his comlink and entered the code for immediate evac. That would bring Jerome back, and it would limit the

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amount of information that could be recorded. He was starting to worry about being traced, and if their transmissions were being monitored, he didn’t want to give the enemy any more information. “Let’s go.” Cain led the group from the cabin into one of the cargo vehicles. Adam, with his additional entourage, climbed into the back with Bart. Jerome bolted out of the woods and hopped into the driver’s seat, leaving Cain the passenger seat. They all buckled in silently and took stock of their individual areas. Bart had the most equipment to check over, and he spent a few minutes verifying that all data had transferred correctly from the cabin before signaling Jerome that they could leave. They drove in silence for a few minutes, listening to Bart mumble about weather and satellite tracking systems. Adam spent a few minutes checking his weapons, pulling each blade out and then checking the charge on both of the laser pistols that he carried. “So, will we be able to get weapons for this campaign?” Buck asked, with a smirk directed at Cain’s back. “I mean, I don’t mind being cannon fodder, but I usually like to go down fighting.” “Shit,” Cain mumbled. He shook his head, but nodded to Adam. If these men were going to fight with them, they needed to have some way to defend themselves. Adam pulled out a black duffel bag from under his seat and pulled out laser pistols, holsters, chest protection, and other protective gear. He handed each man a set of gear and watched each one suit up with practiced movements. Yes, these men had seen some combat if they could get themselves into combat gear while still strapped into the vehicle’s harness. “Okay, I have a satellite tracking them now. They still haven’t decloaked, but they are causing more atmospheric disturbance now that they are flying at normal speeds,” Bart exclaimed. He didn’t lift his eyes from the screens he was studying. “Looks like they are heading to Boulder, or at least in that direction for the time being. I’d

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suggest we head in that general direction and hope they decloak soon.” “Call John, Adam. Let’s see what he has to say. I think we might need his assistance, if he’ll be willing after our last conversation,” Cain said. He ran a gloved hand through his hair and cringed as he remembered the last time he spoke to John. They might be on their own. “Keep our location quiet, though, just in case he isn’t too happy with us.” “You got it. Connecting now.” “Cain, what the hell are you thinking?” John’s voice boomed over the speaker. “Put me on video screen, damn it, so I can yell at you.” Cain nodded his head at Adam. He turned on the video feed, and John’s face filled the screen in Adam’s lap. He looked like he had slept in his clothes. He was wrinkled and red-eyed, and if the scowl was any indication, pissed off. “John, how you doing?” Adam quipped. He grinned at the murderous look John shot him over the link. “Look, we don’t have time for pleasantries. Sam was taken from our location by an unknown group about forty-five minutes ago. We’re tracking now, but John, they are cloaked.” “What do you mean they’re cloaked? No one has that technology other than the military.” “We know this, and I’m telling you they flew in, under our surveillance, unseen, and took her. We’re tracking using satellite weather systems. The plane is causing anomalies in the weather above Colorado skies.” “Weather? What are you talking about?” John slowly calmed down, the blood draining from his face. “You can track a cloaked plane? Shit, the government isn’t going to like that.” “I don’t care about the government. I care that our mission was to keep this woman safe and she was taken, again, within twenty-four hours of her rescue,” Cain yelled over the back of the seat.

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“Okay, you better give me the whole story, and talk slowly so the guys recording this get it all as well.” John attempted a smirk, but was still pale. “Sam’s father called us this morning after being contacted by someone. He was told that Sam was in danger, that this person knew we were the ones that rescued her, knew that there were four of us, and knew Cain and I were involved.” Adam ticked off all the information on his fingers. “Holy shit, really? So it sounds like the employer has an inside person someplace. I’m hoping it’s not the bureau, but with the information I’ve been gathering over the last two days, it might very well be someone here.” John blew out a sigh. “It seems that Erik Sampson not only had friends in high places in Colorado, but also had friends in the military and US government. He made some very important people very rich over the last twenty years. From what I can gather, if he goes down, these friends will be ratted out and will not be too happy. Senators and generals don’t like having their faces splashed across the news while being implicated in extortion, murder, and a few other nasty tales. I think that Samantha and her father are the final link in a long chain of events that was orchestrated to either reduce the sentence for or free Erik. If you’re truly tracking a cloaked plane, we are talking US military technology, so that would lend additional validity to the ‘friends in high places’ theory.” “Okay, so if all of that is true, how do we get her back safely? Cain and I can’t take on the military with only four other men.” “Four men? I thought you only had Jerome and Bart with you.” John quirked an eyebrow. “Well, your two kidnappers weren’t happy with how things played out after their initial employment and have decided to work with us to get Sam to safety,” Adam said with a grin. “So, it seems that you aren’t going to be able to pick them up anytime soon for interrogation.”

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“Well, of course not. What part of this whole mess has gone the way it was supposed to?” John asked. He ran his hands over his fiveo’clock shadow, pulling down on his cheeks. “I hate this job sometimes. So, let me get this straight. The men that kidnapped Sam have decided that they don’t like their employer enough to turn the tables on him and work with you to rescue Sam again?” “Yep, that’s what I’m telling you.” “Whatever. You can have them. What can I do to help you get Sam back safely?” John looked Adam in the eyes with sincere concern. “We need manpower and a get out of jail free card should this get ugly. We’re tracking the mystery plane to Boulder, but we can’t get there before it lands. We’re trying to get a few of our associates to the landing strip that we assume they are going to use, but if they decide to land at a military installation or something, we aren’t going to be able to get anyone there in time.” “Not a problem, let me make a few calls and see if I can’t get some agents mobilized and on call for your use. I have a buddy in Colorado that should be able to help you with anything you need. His name is Bradley. I’ll send you his contact information once I have touched base with him.” John typed away on his computer. “Please keep me in the loop on this, Adam. I’ll give you all the help I can, but I need to know what’s going on.” “Will do. Oh, and John, we’ll let you tell the government that their cloaking system is trackable.” Adam laughed as he disconnected.

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Chapter 15 Sam woke slowly from a fuzzy dream about men and fear. She turned her head and tried to reach out for Cain, but realized she must be sleeping on her arm because she couldn’t move it. With a jerk, she tried again to stretch out her hand to touch him, but she still couldn’t move her limbs. Realization came to her in a flood of images and memories. She’d been taken again. She’d been in the shower when she heard a noise in the bedroom. Thinking it was Cain, she quickly wrapped a towel around her body and swaggered out into the room. What she walked into was a nightmare of enormous proportions. Four men dressed in all black stood throughout the bedroom. All of them had their faces covered in paint that made the whites of their eyes look all the more bright. They were terrifying. Sam tried to backpedal back into the bathroom, but one of the men had been standing next to the door and grabbed her when she moved backward. She tried to scream, but it was cut short when something cold was pressed to her neck. With a quiet hiss, she felt a quick stab of pain, and then darkness rushed over her. She opened her eyes slowly, trying to keep calm and not let her fear get out of hand. She knew that she’d been taken again. She knew that Cain had not been in the cabin when the men came in because she’d read the note he left her before taking a shower. There was hope that he would find her again. She just had to keep calm. The room she was in looked like a jail cell. She was lying on a metal bed, complete with a very small pillow that her head rested on. There was a short toilet in a corner of the room, and a small window above the toilet.

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The wall looked to be some type of metal. The door was solid, with no handle on the inside. It did have a small sliding window that was closed at the moment. Above the door was a small, black object that Sam knew was some form of camera. She struggled to sit up, but her hands were still bound behind her back. She noticed that she was wearing one of Cain’s shirts and shorts that she hadn’t seen before. She shivered with unease at the thought of someone touching her enough to dress her while she was unconscious, but she couldn’t do anything about that at the moment. Her goal was to get upright in case someone came in. With some wiggling, and a huge amount of stomach muscle, she sat forward, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her head swam for a moment, but it passed quickly. Her mouth tasted like she’d been licking coins, but other than that, she felt fine. She sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments, collecting her thoughts and studying the room from that angle. She was convinced she was in some sort of cell. It looked very similar to the types of cells seen on police shows on television. After a few minutes of waiting for something to happen, she stood up and walked the boundaries of her cell. It was seven paces square. She walked around the cell ten times in each direction, assuming someone would come once they saw she was up and walking. When no one came, and nothing happened, she decided to push her luck. She walked to the door and gave it a kick, hoping the noise would bring someone to check on her. Nothing happened. Fucking men! Anger surged through her at being at someone else’s mercy again. It was the story of her life. She never was strong enough, smart enough, firm enough. She’d taken so much from her ex-boyfriend before finally getting tired of the verbal abuse, and she kicked him out. Before that happened, though, she’d been weak, too weak to tell him to leave or to take the advice that everyone had been giving her. Once he left, she wasn’t strong enough to keep him away from her. Wasn’t strong enough to keep the fear from keeping her

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locked up inside herself and her father’s house for months. And now, she wasn’t strong enough to do anything but be the victim again. “Hey!” she yelled. She jumped at how loud her voice sounded as it echoed and amplified in her cell. Her heart was racing with both fear and anticipation. This could be a really bad idea. “Hey, I really would like to go to the bathroom. Can someone release my hands?” Sam waited a few minutes, and when nothing happened, she tried again. She kicked the door until her toes hurt, screaming at the unknown assholes who had her captive. When she’d worn herself out, she slunk back to the bed and sat, scooting as far back as she could and curling her feet up under her. She refused to lie back down. She rested her head back against the wall and dozed off and on for a while. After the hundredth time she struggled to remain sitting instead of sliding down onto the bed, she got up and walked the boundary of her cell again. Once again, she was without a way to sense time. She knew it wasn’t night because it was light outside her window, but other than that, she’d no way of knowing the time, or how long she’d been unconscious. Her hands were numb, and pain was starting to pulse up her arms with her heartbeat. She tried to wiggle her fingers every few minutes, but that wasn’t working any longer to keep blood circulating to them. She would have to give in and attempt to go to the bathroom soon if no one came to free her hands. She wasn’t sure how to do that without dropping the shorts for good, though. She was getting ready to start kicking the door again, when she heard a key in the door and it swung open, allowing two men to enter her cell. She sucked in a shaky breath and instinctively stepped backward, toward the bed. She stumbled over her own feet in her haste and fell hard on her ass. The air in her lungs huffed out with the impact. Graceful, aren’t you. “You will sit quietly, and I’ll release your hands.” One of the men walked forward and grabbed Sam above the elbows, lifting her easily to her feet. “You’ll be brought a meal in a little while, but until then,

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you will remain quiet in this cell. No more temper tantrums, or we will be gagging you along with restraining you again.” He reached behind Sam and cut the ties binding her wrists with a flick of a knife. The blood flowed quickly into her numb hands, sending sharp pains through her arms. She stifled the cry that tried to escape, but she wasn’t able to stop the flow of tears that sprang to her eyes. Pain crackled through her nervous system as blood flowed into the starved tissues. Her knees buckled with the onslaught, and she landed heavily on the bed. She cradled her tingling hands in her lap and glared at the men standing in her cell. The one who had freed her hands took a step closer to Sam, and she flinched. The two men snickered and left, closing the door firmly. Sam hung her head in defeat. She prayed that Cain would come rescue her, that he would sweep in and carry her out of this mess like the fragile female she was. Tears ran silently down her cheeks, dripping onto her lap. How was she supposed to survive something where she’d nothing to use as leverage? She’d nothing they wanted, nothing to hold as insurance that she would live. She curled up and wrapped her head in her arms, being careful not to jostle her tingling hands. She let the tears flow as great wracking sobs shook her body. **** “Cain, this is Sergeant Tony Dillard. He and his group will be assisting you in extracting Samantha.” John’s voice came through the comlink speaker. Cain and Adam were standing on the top floor of a condemned building, staring out across a large parking lot, toward their target. The man in question had arrived and presented himself to Cain in full tactical gear. He had twelve men with him, all geared up and ready to follow orders. The sergeant had called John the moment he was acknowledged. “He has been briefed on the mission, and understands that he is to follow your orders exclusively.”

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Bart had been able to track the cloaked plane to an airstrip ten miles from their current location and then had gotten a final location from one of John’s contacts. The men were positioned in the derelict building, gathering intel and preparing for a full assault on Sam’s location. The building that she was being held in was a quarter mile from the building they stood in. She was being held in an old police station that had been damaged in a fire years ago and had been abandoned. They had been hard-pressed to make it to this location before dark and get set up. Bart adopted Jimmy as his lackey, and between the two of them, they had the ops center set up on the first floor. They were monitoring as much as they could without having true surveillance equipment set up. Jerome had been sent to the burned building to mount sensors and to get a firsthand look at the building. He had finished his installations and was on his way back. “Thanks, John. We’ll owe you big for this one,” Adam said. He waved a hand at the comlink. “We will call you prior to moving in on the target. For your benefit and ours, we won’t contact you until we are actually on the move, in case the mole has access to your comlink.” “Fine. Good luck, gentlemen.” John disconnected. “Sir, I’d like to get my men settled below.” Sergeant Dillard was a well-built man who showed all the attributes seen in battle-tested individuals. He held himself stiffly in parade rest, looking just over the shoulder of Cain. His uniform was crisp but well-worn. His weapons were well cared for, but showed the signs of use. “Go, Sergeant. We will reconvene downstairs in two hours. By then we will have data from our surveillance and be better prepared to plan our attack.” Cain nodded to the man and turned to stare out the window again, ignoring the retreat of the soldier. He was almost vibrating with pent-up anger and frustration. He wanted to be charging toward that building now, killing the men who had taken Sam. He wanted to be blowing holes in the walls and fighting hand to

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hand with anyone who had touched her. He wanted to have her safe in his arms again, not to be standing in a building that smelled like mold, staring at the building that she was being held in. “Cain, I have all of the cameras and sensors online. Shall we take a look at what we have to contend with?” Bart called from below them. He didn’t use a comlink. There wasn’t a point with Cain and Adam’s enhanced hearing. Cain turned away from the window and nodded to Adam before the two of them sprinted for the stairs. Cain entered the room they were using as a control center. Computers, screens, comlinks, and all other forms of technology were wired together and blinking or streaming information. Bart was perched on a rusty chair in the center of the corded mess like a snake charmer. He turned and grinned when Cain entered the room. He pointed at one of the screens and chuckled. “Looky what I found while checking through county records. These are the schematics for the building, including all of the electrical inputs and the backup systems,” Bart crowed with amusement. “We know every corridor, window, doorway…Combine that with the heartbeat sensors, I can pinpoint where every living person is inside that building.” “Have I told you lately you are the shit?” Cain said, grinning at the other man. They were so lucky to have Bart on their team. He was known to be an asshole, but he was a magician when it came to technology. “Can you track the paths those men are taking on rounds, and time their shifts?” “Sure, I can tell you when each of them takes a piss, too, if you want,” Bart quipped. “I don’t care about their bathroom habits, but I would like to know if they’re on set rotations or if they are staggering their shift changes.” “Not a problem. I also have the entire block recording every type of movement we can gather data on. So far, no one has entered or left that building since we started monitoring it twenty-two minutes ago. The building itself is shielded, so getting thermal imaging is an issue.

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If someone moves in front of a window, then I’m recording the movement, but not within the building proper.” Bart clicked a few keys. “Right now, the best data is from the heartbeat monitors. We’re picking up slight seismic activity with the movement of the elevator inside. I’ve found the method of electricity, though. It’s located in a building off property. Here, in this small building, is a bank of generators that are hardwired into the building. If we cut power there, it’ll cut all of their power, or at least force them to use generators inside.” Bart was pointing to a small building on a satellite photo. The power building was located fifty yards from the building housing the people, but was hidden behind another structure—all good news for taking out their power source without putting anyone in direct line of sight of their target. “Call in Jerome. Let’s meet in an hour and see what information you have for us. I’d like to get a few men in place around the power building to see how the cockroaches will scatter if we flip the proverbial lights on, or off in this case.” Adam smiled. This was the type of tactical offense he enjoyed. They’d be up close and personal with this group of men, and would see if the best men would win. “Bart, print me off a copy of those schematics. I’m going to take a gander with the ol’ noggin and see what I can gather with placement of men. We can check your intel against mine at the meeting,” Cain said with a shrug. Most of his men knew the extent of his psychic abilities, but flaunting them was usually not something he liked to do. In this instance, though, it was a viable way to gather information about their target. “Do they have any men stationed outside the building, in surrounding structures? It seems odd that they’d be using external power supplies without guards.” “I will verify that, but right now, it doesn’t look like it. If this is being run by a military-minded person, it would seem to me that they’re hunkered down, assuming they are safe. But, I agree it seems odd. I’ll run through all the data coming in with a fine-tooth comb, as

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they say.” Bart turned back to his console and started frantically typing. “Your printed copy is coming out now. I’ve sent a message to Jerome stating the meeting time. I will have all data together by then. Oh, do you mind if I still use Jimmy for a while? He seems pretty handy with data analysis. I have him set up in the other room running through my simulation program now.” “That’s fine with me. Keep your eye on him, though. I don’t trust the turncoats,” Cain growled. He bent to collect the printouts and headed back to the top floor to spread his mind out over the surrounding area. He grabbed a few meal bars and sodas on the way out the door. He hoped the caffeine would help with the impending headache.

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Chapter 16 “You’re clear on the directive?” Cain and Adam stood in front of their merry band of men, plus the troops that John helped them acquire. They were all wearing black from head to toe, faces painted with black, weapons weighing each man down. They were rolling out in less than ten minutes for an all-out assault on a locked-down building that contained trained men. Nothing could go wrong if they were to rescue Sam without her being harmed or many of the men standing around being killed. “Yes, sir,” echoed around the empty room they were standing in. Cain nodded. There was nothing else he could do to prepare them. Each man was outfitted with a personal computer system that translated his location to each other member of the group, and gave him real-time satellite locations for his individual mission. Bart had spent the last forty-five minutes programming each system to assist the soldiers. They had all sat through briefings of the locations, rotations, movements, and number of men they would be going against. Sergeant Dillard and his men would be taking the entry points that would bring the most firepower from the men inside their target. Jerome, Jimmy, and two of the soldiers would be taking out the power four minutes before entry was attempted. Cain and Adam would be entering through a side door located close to the room where Sam was presumed held. “Let’s move out. Jerome, head to your location and signal us when the power is down,” Adam directed. All the men silently melted into the darkness, moving in small groups of two or three, taking different routes to the buildings. Bart

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had assured everyone that there were only two targets to be taken out between them and the target. The two teams that were to take out those men were given strict instructions to keep the incapacitations silent. “Cain, call John and let him know we’re on the move,” Adam said before he slid into the shadows and disappeared. Cain quickly cued up the link for John and waited a split second for the other man to answer the call. “John, we’re moving in. We’ll give you a call in approximately fifteen minutes, once we have Sam out of the building and at a safe distance.” “Cain, be warned we have found our mole. He was working in my department, sending information to Erik Sampson directly. We’ve enough evidence to go after Erik, but he is missing from his incarceration location. Our agents are working to find him. We’ve traced the information being sent via bureau comlinks to a few prominent military men as well. We are assuming they’re the ones behind Sam’s abduction from your care.” John ran his hand through his hair. “If you can’t get her quickly, pull out, and I’ll send more agents. I’m worried about the number of people this will affect and how antsy they seem to be implicated in any of this mess. You and your team could be in grave danger if anyone gets wind that you’re there.” “Jeez, John, when haven’t we been in danger? We’re striking quickly and doing a snatch and grab. We won’t be around when someone finally realizes what is happening,” Cain said gruffly. His hackles were up in response to the implied weakness of his team. He knew that every second counted in this campaign. “I have to go. We will be in touch in a few minutes.” Cain disconnected and ran into the night. He looked at his watch and saw that he had seven minutes to get to his location and meet with Adam. The first target was radioed in. They had taken out the two men stationed on the roof three buildings from their target. So far, so good, he thought as he raced through the night.

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Cain ran through the empty streets barely aware of his surroundings. He was so focused on getting to his rendezvous point that he almost missed the shadow that streaked toward him from an alley. He lowered his mental shields and struck out at the assailant at the same time as pulling one of his blades from his belt. He sidestepped the laser pistol aimed at his body and clamped his mental grip around the man’s thoughts. The man folded into an unconscious heap on the sidewalk with a groan. Cain grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the darkness behind a stairwell in the alley. He quickly restrained the man with ties and shoved a gag into his mouth. “Shit, Bart, you could’ve warned me we had other targets out and about,” Cain growled into his comlink. “Target is down at my location. Unconscious but restrained.” “Sorry, Cain. He didn’t register on my scans. I’ll broadcast that some might be cloaked. Fuck. Where did they get individual cloaking systems?” Bart answered. Cain could hear the clicking of keys through the comlink. “I’m running another scan of the area for heartbeats and have found no additional signatures. Maybe your dude was taking a piss. See, you should’ve asked me for their bathroom patterns.” “Shut up, Bart. Make sure you tag that location for cleanup later. I’m moving to my target location,” Cain barked, ending his transmission. With a deep breath, he lowered his shields and headed toward his assigned location. His earpiece came to life as other units called in their information. “Second target is down. Unconscious, restrained.” “Power is being cut now. Four-minute countdown starts now.” Cain raced the clock and made it to Adam with thirty seconds to spare. Adam nodded to Cain, and then both watched the seconds click down on their watches. They both stood, staring at the blackened windows. Jerome had set explosive charges on all external doors during his recon mission, programmed by Bart to all explode together.

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The charge attached to the door Cain and Adam would be entering exploded exactly four minutes after the power to the building was cut, and the two men raced into the building before the smoke cleared. They heard and felt the reverberations of the explosions at the other end of the building as the other men entered through other entry points. From years of working missions together, the men didn’t speak to each other. Cain entered the building first, mental shields down, scanning the rooms ahead. The lights were still out, but both men had been created with enhanced night vision. Their vision rivaled an owl’s at night. They both had night vision goggles on their vests, but Cain didn’t need them yet. The faint light that filtered into the hallway from the street was enough for him to see. Adam entered the building behind Cain with two laser pistols raised and ready to take out targets. Cain motioned with a hand signal that they would be moving down the corridor. Cain had memorized the layout of the building and mentally walked through the upcoming turns until they reached the room they suspected Sam was held in. He counted off doors and entered a hallway to their left. He sensed four men in the next section of hallway. He motioned to Adam to stop and took a deep breath. He unleashed his thoughts and entered the men’s thoughts with little resistance. Cain forced them to their knees and had them unconscious in seconds. He motioned to Adam that they had four to secure and moved forward, down the hallway. Adam used plastic ties to restrain the men and gagged them while Cain scanned the next section of the building. He could sense a large contingency of soldiers surrounding the room he was moving toward. He picked up Jerome’s thoughts from the interior of the building. That team was working through corridors, taking out enemy forces as they pushed toward Cain and Adam. Once the men had been secured, Adam signaled for Cain to lead the way. They both moved quickly down the next two corridors toward the force waiting for them.

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“I pick up eight ahead,” Cain sent to Adam. With Cain’s continued use of his abilities, he was tiring. After these eight, he wasn’t sure he would be able to take on too many more mentally. With his shields down, he could hear the thoughts of every man in the building. They swirled in an ever-louder cacophony of noise. His head was pounding with exertion, and it was taking longer for him to unwind his mental fingers from the soldiers he brought down. Cain reached out one more time and wound his mind into the eight men standing ahead of them. It took him a few heartbeats to get into their thoughts and apply the pressure to their minds to make them pass out. It was taking much longer than the first few men he incapacitated. The men fell where they stood with a thud that echoed down the corridor. Cain heard them all hit the floor and took a deep breath. His head was pounding, and his vision was starting to cloud. He needed to rest for a few moments. He signaled to Adam to lead the way and stumbled after his partner, trying not to fold into a heap on the floor. Adam glanced at Cain as he scooted past him in the hallway. He noticed the drawn look and pale skin on Cain’s face and knew that the man was at the end of his strength. Adam nodded once to Cain and started down the hall to secure the last men Cain had just taken out. The two men worked together to secure the soldiers lying on the floor. They restrained their hands and ankles and gagged each one. They moved the men against the wall, out of the way. Cain motioned to Adam to open the door into the cells and took up a position behind him. They moved together through the unlocked door into an empty room. It would have been furnished with a table and chairs when it was used by the police department, but now was completely empty. Small stains on the tile floor showed where the legs of a large table had sat for years. There were five cell doors off of the room. Each one was gray metal with a little sliding window at the top. “I can’t sense her,” Adam whispered. He motioned to Cain to take one side of the room, and they started sliding the windows open one

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at a time. Both had scanned two rooms, finding nothing. They approached the last door together, concern showing on both of their faces. If she wasn’t in this room, they would have to head into the basement level and hope that she was still in the building. Cain grabbed the knob for the metal window and sent a quick prayer to whoever was listening. He jerked the window and peered into the gloom inside the cell. At first he didn’t see her, and his heart started pounding. He swept his gaze around the room a second time and noticed a slight movement in the shadows under the bed. He breathed a sigh of relief. They had found her.

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Chapter 17 May 26, 2090 Sam sat on the metal bed trying to keep the panic and fear from dissolving her into a stupor. After one of the guards had brought her a sandwich and drink, she hadn’t had any contact with anyone. She listened at the door for a long time, waiting to hear movement or voices. She was afraid that they had left her locked in the cell and left the building. She didn’t want to starve to death, but if that is what they had planned, they wouldn’t have fed her. She walked the confines of her room, learning the exact number of steps, until she could walk it with her eyes closed. Her thoughts swung from anger to simpering fear. Night found her curled on her bed. She still hadn’t heard or seen anyone else and was trying to keep tears from sliding down her face. The bed was hard and uncomfortable. The room was cold and sterile. She was afraid to sleep, but pretended to anyway. She spent some time counting in her head to pass the time. She’d reached five thousand for the tenth time when the light in her room went black. At first she thought that someone finally had come to shut the light off because it was nighttime. The only light in her cell shone weakly through her window and illuminated a small square on her floor. She was just settling in for a long, dark night when she heard an explosion, and then another, as they rocked the building. She felt the shock waves tremble through her bed. Dust and paint chips cascaded from the ceiling. She heard men yelling far from her cell, and then silence eerily enveloped the building. She scrambled off her bed and

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ran to the door, pressing her ear to the frame, hoping to hear something. She heard nothing at all. With fear and hope warring in her head, she stood for long seconds in the middle of her cell, trying to decide what she should do. Should she pound on the door, bringing her to the attention of someone out there, or should she hide and hope that whoever caused the explosion didn’t find her? Please let it be Cain. The sound of metal screeching on metal made her jump. Fear won in the emotional struggle. Gone was the woman who was spoiling for a fight with her captors. She hurried to her bed and crawled under it, hiding in the shadows. Terror coursed through her body as she waited. She feared that her captors were coming to get her and take her away before Cain could find her. Scenarios so horrible she flinched from her own thoughts played out in her head. What if they killed her? What if they had caught Cain and were going to torture both of them? Sam shivered as she heard someone slide the window open on her door. She held her breath and tried to stay perfectly still. She willed whoever it was to not see her. She was just a shadow. Please don’t see me, please don’t see me, please don’t see me, she chanted in her head. Her breaths came fast and shallow as adrenaline pumped through her body. She whimpered when she heard the unmistakable sound of a laser pistol being fired at the metal door. She huddled into herself tighter. The blood pounding through her system at lightning speed was the only thing she could hear after the report of the weapon. They were coming for her. Animalistic instinct kicked in, and she froze, eyes closed as tightly as they could, muscles locked down, and her breath held. **** A sharp, metallic thud echoed sharply through the room as the door was kicked open with enough force to imbed it in the wall behind it. A split second after Cain opened the door, he was on the

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floor next to Sam. He reached a hand out to her shaking form and touched her arm. He pulled it back when she recoiled and whimpered. “God, Sam, it’s me. It’s Cain. Come on, honey, come out from under there.” She didn’t respond at all. She still huddled in on herself, curled into a defensive position as far under the bed as she could get. Tremors rocked through her body. He looked up at Adam with a questioning look. He would normally be able to use his mental ability to calm a victim, but with Cain’s inability to enter Sam’s mind, he was at a loss as to how to deal with her. Obviously, she was in shock and probably pulled far into her own mind. Adam gave him an almost imperceptible shrug. They both turned to the doorway as men’s voices could be heard. Cain decided that forcing her out now and dealing with the catatonic woman would be better than waiting for more soldiers to find them pinned down in this room. He reached under the bed and grabbed Sam by both arms. He was not ready for the struggle she put up. She kicked out as soon as she was clear of the bed, thrashing with her full body, trying to escape. She screamed loudly as she struggled. Her eyes were wide with terror. One of her knees connected with Cain’s inner thigh, pulling a grunt from him, and making him very glad her aim was a little off. Cain sat quickly on the bed and maneuvered the woman into his lap. He clamped a hand over her mouth and wrapped the other arm around her arms and chest. He started whispering into her ear, trying to calm her. “Please, Sam, come back to me. It’s Cain. Remember me? Please, honey, stop fighting me. I don’t want to hurt you,” Cain pleaded. Sam stopped moving and slowly turned her head into Cain’s chest. He could feel the tension bleed from her muscles. Cain removed the hand from her mouth and wrapped that arm around her as well.

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She took a shuddering breath through her nose and buried her head into his neck, sobbing. “I was so afraid that they were coming to kill me,” she whimpered between sobs. “Oh, honey, I would never let anything happen to you,” Cain said, his voice strained with emotion. “Please look at me, Sam. I need to see your eyes.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him with ferocious strength. He watched her tilt her head back and took the move as an invitation, bending down and lightly kissing her. Before he even touched her lips she sighed, the breath moving lightly over his face. He could feel her shaking, still reacting to the adrenaline and fear. Slowly as he moved his lips over hers, gently, nibbling her lips, he could feel her muscles relax. Cain watched a myriad of emotions move across her face and needed to feel her skin on his. He wanted to hold her tight and never let her down. He wanted to touch every inch of her skin to make sure she was truly safe and unharmed. He wanted to kiss her so badly he was shaking. When she tilted her head up and he watched her eyes dilate even further with the beginning of passion, he couldn’t stop himself. He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and warm, molding to his, parting on a small sigh to invite him in. Cain wanted to take this kiss slow, but when she parted her lips for him, he couldn’t help the need that rode over him. He delved into her mouth, tasting her lips and tongue. He breathed in her moan and returned it with a deep hum of his own. Their tongues slid across and around each other, dancing a slow, sensuous rhythm. He slowly leaned back and placed a soft kiss on her lips. They needed to get out of the building, and Adam’s impatient movements across the room were an indication of his feelings. With a swift movement, Cain stood with Sam in his arms. He started moving toward the door before she even gasped her reaction. He waited for

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her to fight him carrying her, but she just snuggled further into his arms and clung tighter to his neck, burying her nose under his chin. Cain motioned to Adam to lead the way out of the cell. Adam nodded and stepped silently into the room outside the cell. The two men walked swiftly to the hallway and almost made it out of the building before Cain sensed others approaching. He signaled Adam that there were others ahead and turned his body to place himself between the doorway and Sam. He was too exhausted to take these men down. He was amazed he had enough strength to keep his mind scanning their surroundings. He watched Adam tap a few buttons on his comlink and tense as the answering information came back. “No one can get to us in time,” Adam sent to Cain. He nodded toward the turn in the hallway that hid the men waiting for them. “I can incapacitate them, but we won’t have time to secure them. On my signal, get to the rendezvous point. I will signal Jerome or Bart to come take care of these guys.” Cain nodded, and grimaced in sympathy for Adam. He knew that for the other man to use his telepathy would cause lasting pain. It would take days for Adam to recover. He watched Adam’s face as the blood drained from excursion. Pain etched itself into wrinkles around Adam’s mouth and eyes. Adam staggered a little before catching himself against the wall, breathing in short gasps. With a nod, Cain knew that the men ahead of them had been subdued. He patted Adam on the arm as he moved past him. With a last look at his friend, Cain took off running down the rest of the hallway, vaulting over the men lying on the floor, and out the door. Cain felt her wrap her hands tighter around each other, holding tightly to his neck. A slight gasp slipped through her lips just before she buried her nose in the crook of his neck. She groaned in his arms and he worried she’d be sick before he could get her to safety. He slowed when they entered the shadows of a large brick building. The streetlight above them had been blown or wasn’t working, throwing near blackness around them like a cloak.

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Cain held Sam tight to his chest, breathing fast. He wasn’t winded from the run, but the turmoil rolling around in his heart was almost too much. He needed to make sure Sam was all right. He needed to feel his skin on hers. The desire was so strong it nearly dragged him to his knees. With quick movements, he held her against his chest with one hand, removing his gloves and stashing them in a pocket. He wrapped his arms around her and just pressed his lips to her forehead, breathing in her scent and absorbing her warmth. He tried to drag her scent into his lungs to ease the need. The intensity of the feelings terrified him. Every cell of his body cried out for her. He tensed when Sam relaxed into his embrace and giggled. It seemed an odd reaction to her fear and it worried him that perhaps she wasn’t quite herself yet. He watched her as she leaned her head back and slowly pulled his mouth to hers. She lightly pressed her lips to his and inhaled the breath that he sighed out. The mingling of their breath was like a sensual caress that they shared, giving and taking of lifegiving air, moist and warm. She slowly moved her head to slant her mouth over his and tentatively stroked his upper lip with her tongue. The small invitation ignited a fire deep in Cain’s belly, causing a small gasp to escape his lips. Cain tried to hold back. He tried to keep the kiss light and casual, but with the little gasp that softly feathered over his lips, his desire exploded. Without breaking the kiss, he turned their bodies and stalked toward one of the buildings. While he walked, he turned Sam’s body in his arms, urging her to wrap around his waist. He used one hand to keep her against his chest and the other to urge her legs around his waist. He pushed her against the building and pressed his engorged cock against her heat. He moaned when she shifted her body and rubbed against his swollen member. “God, Sam, I thought I was going to lose you. I couldn’t sense you, couldn’t tell if you were still in that building. Then, when I didn’t see you at first in that cell, I almost went nuts.” Pain and anguish colored his voice and made it rough. “I just need to feel you,

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I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t want this for you, but I need to feel you. Please, Sam…please.” His whisper cracked on the last word. He closed his eyes when he felt Sam caress his back with slow sweeps of her hands. She used her legs to draw him closer to her body, and wrapped herself around him and held him to her. He nearly dropped to the ground when she leaned forward and ran her tongue along the shell of his ear and breathed a soft sigh against his flesh. He shivered but kept a firm hold on his control. He wouldn’t ravage her in an alley unless she was totally in agreement. She’d been through too much already. He held himself still, fighting the urge to rip her clothing from her and stroke his cock into her tight pussy. He needed her to agree, needed to know that she felt the pull as much as he did. She leaned back against the building and looked into his eyes, her own lust shining from hers. She took his face in her hands and slowly leaned forward until their noses were almost touching. “I want to feel you in me, Cain, right now. No, not want, need. I need to feel you stroking into me. Make me forget for a few moments that I just stared death in the face,” Sam whispered. She touched her lips to his and slowly rotated her hips, grinding Cain against her slit. She wrapped her hands around his neck and kept her lips on his when he tried to talk, slipping her tongue into his open mouth as a distraction. She smiled when he took charge of the kiss and pressed his long shaft tighter against her groin. With a moan, she closed her eyes. Cain couldn’t fight the need. He would make it up to her later, make her come until she was begging him to stop, but right now, he needed to be inside her warmth. He quickly leaned his hips away from hers and almost laughed at the disappointed sound she made. He unzipped his pants, releasing his aching cock. He helped her stand long enough to pull her pants and panties off, throwing them over his shoulder. He picked Sam up and let her wrap her legs around him again, backing her against the building. He slid one hand down her belly and stroked her clit, delving a finger into her opening to find her

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hot and wet. He groaned against her neck as he positioned the head of his shaft against her opening and looked into her face, requesting permission one more time. Before he could back away from her, she used her legs and a quick tilt of her pelvis to slide down his shaft, impaling herself to the hilt. She threw her head back and let a moan escape, dragging an answering moan from his lips. He growled deep inside his chest as he leaned forward and licked her neck. She whimpered as he slowly pulled out. When he thrust back into her with enough force to push her up the wall, she slid one hand down to rub her own nub. He could feel her channel clenching, grasping, milking. An orgasm was already clenching her muscles. He watched her rub her clit to the same tempo he set, and faltered for a moment. It was one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen. When the orgasm took her he slowed his strokes to watch her, soak in the vision. He wanted it burned into his brain, the look of pure passion that pinked her cheeks and coated her body with sweat. The pressure in his balls forced him to push toward his own release. He pumped into her a few more times, dragging exquisite shudders from her body. He closed his eyes and rode out his orgasm, shuddering as his seed pulsed into her channel. He breathed against her cheek in harsh, sharp breaths. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I’m such an ass. You were just held captive, again, and I’m fucking you against a building,” Cain spat. He backed away from the wall and tried to untangle Sam from around his body, keeping his eyes down. “Stop it, Cain. Just stop it. Don’t ruin that for me. It was fast and hot, exactly what I needed,” she said with a scowl. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear. “If I didn’t want you to fuck me against a wall, I would have said so.” He looked up and searched her face. Her gray eyes held his for a moment. He sighed in relief and gave her lips a quick kiss. “I will make it up to you, I promise.”

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Sam grinned at him and slowly unwrapped her legs from his waist. She slid down his body and grabbed for her pants. Her legs were wobbly, and he grabbed her arm to keep her balanced. He was relieved to see her smiling and joking again. The scared little girl who had shuddered in terror inside the cell was slowly disappearing and the stronger woman he knew was taking her place. She quickly donned her pants, and he watched her slide her panties into his pocket. He groaned as she grinned up at him. “You are such a tease.” He grabbed her hand and wrapped her in a warm hug, tucking her head under his chin. “I’m so glad we got to you when we did.” “Me too,” she answered. “So, now what? I would assume we are supposed to be meeting your boys someplace?” “We are about a block from the building we set up as our operations center. Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you?” He stepped back, holding Sam at arm’s length, studying her face. She looked better now, but still drawn and tired. “I would rather carry you. You look exhausted.” “I can walk. And, I’m not that tired. Let’s go before I jump your body again.” She laughed as he swatted her butt. Cain grabbed her hand and led her through the streets, keeping to the shadows. Just as they entered the ops building, his comlink blinked. He breathed a sigh of relief when Adam reported that there were no casualties in their team. They had a couple of superficial wounds, but nothing major, and all men were heading back, ETA five minutes. “Good news?” Sam asked. “All men are alive and accounted for, which is always a great way to end a mission. They will be here in a few minutes. Why don’t you sit in Bart’s seat and relax? I will get you something to eat. And, you need to drink. You look a little dehydrated.” With a gentle hand, he stroked her cheek. “You are in for a long night, especially when I call John back and let him know we have you. So, rest.”

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She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes on a sigh. He loved seeing her trust him so completely. It warmed him and fed something deep inside his primal self. After a moment of connection and quiet comfort she sat up and looked at him. He could see resolution pinching the corners of her mouth. She nodded her understanding and walked over to the chair positioned in front of the screens. She leaned her head back onto the back of the chair, closed her eyes, and sighed. He hoped she could rest, but he guessed it would be a long, tiring night for both of them.

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Chapter 18 Sam woke from a dark dream where she was running and running but the people pursuing her kept catching her, then releasing her, almost as if they were playing with her. She shivered as the last of the dream slipped off her thoughts, and tried to figure out what had dragged her from her dream. Her neck screamed in pain from slouching in a weird position. Her eyes snapped open when she remembered the last few hours. She scanned her surroundings for Cain and found him standing with another man in the doorway. The other man was dressed in military fatigues and stood at parade rest, focused solely on Cain’s face. After locating Cain and reassuring herself that she’d not dreamed her rescue, she looked around the command room. Jerome and Bart were sitting across the room, studying a computer screen, mumbling together. They were still dressed in black, strapped with weapons and night vision goggles. Outside the doorway she could see many men walking around, all dressed like the soldier near Cain. She wondered where those men had come from, and so quickly. Then she remembered Cain saying something about calling John Decker. She felt like she was in the eye of a tornado as the men all swirled around her, moving with purpose. She sat unnoticed in the chair for quite some time, observing the efficient conversations and movements of Cain’s men. Some sat at computer screens, studying the information on them. Others moved through the rooms, giving direction, handing out food, answering questions. All flawless, military precision.

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She glanced at the window near her and noticed the skyline was starting to lighten. No wonder she was so tired. It had to be five in the morning. She couldn’t remember the last time she stayed up all night. She’d a craving for a large coffee and a doughnut or three, and a hot shower. She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder, but she would recognize those hands, gloved or not, anywhere. “How are you feeling? I thought maybe you would sleep longer,” Cain said. Exhaustion pinched his eyes. “I’m okay. How are you? You look as tired as I feel.” She grinned. She stroked a hand down his arm and twined her fingers with his. “How much longer will we need to stay here?” “We are prepping the comlink now to chat with John. Then I can dismiss the sergeant and his men. I would like to be out of here within the hour. I sent Buck to get you coffee, thought you might like a shot of caffeine.” “Buck? Really? I thought you were going to hand them over to the FBI or something.” Surprise colored her words. She’d seen the anger that Cain had held caged when he talked about the men who originally had taken her. She would never have guessed that he would have brought them along. “Buck and Jimmy convinced Adam that they were going to play nice, so we brought them along. They both proved themselves tonight, so I thought I might as well send one of them to get you coffee, seeing they know what you like better than I do.” “Thank you,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Thank you for not hurting them. I didn’t want their pain on my conscience.” Cain bent down and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “We need to call John.” She nodded and stood, using him to steady her. She was tired and tipsy from lack of sleep, but she wanted to be there for the call. They walked to the adjoining room where the comlink was set up. They hadn’t set the screen up behind the camera, so she guessed John must know where they were. Duh, she thought as she watched a few of the

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soldiers wander through the room. John sent them, so of course he knew where the call was originating from. “John Decker speaking,” he said after the first beep. He sounded tired, but weren’t they all at this point? “John, we’ve got her. Thanks to your sergeant and his men, we came away intact, only minor injuries to report.” “Fantastic, Cain. Congrats on the mission. I need to speak with the sergeant for a moment, and then he can escort Ms. Bridgestone to the pickup location.” John’s face blinked onto the screen. He nodded once to Cain and then typed something on a keyboard. Before his words could filter through to Sam, she’d been grabbed by one of the soldiers. “What the fuck, John? What pickup point?” Cain barked. Then he noticed the soldier holding Sam, and moved with menace toward them. “Get your hands off her.” “Cain, wait. I need Ms. Bridgestone to be moved immediately to a safe location. We have all the evidence we can possibly need against Erik, but the shit is hitting the fan. She’s in grave danger. We’re placing her in protective custody with her father and moving them tonight.” John’s face was harsh and strained. He leaned forward, toward the camera, and dropped his voice. “Don’t fight this, Cain. The orders are coming from so far up the food chain I don’t even know their origin. I’m under orders to take her no matter what. Please don’t force my hand in this.” “Cain.” Sam’s voice was low, but all eyes turned to her. With tears streaming down her face, she looked directly into Cain’s eyes. “Please, I can’t take any more of this. Just let me go with them.” Cain stood dumbfounded for a moment, and then he forced himself to think through the situation. If he filtered out the possessiveness and his emotions, he saw that fighting the government was the stupid thing to do. With Sam in their custody, she would be safe, guarded. That was his mission, to ensure her safe return to her father. There was no other path that he could see, even if he wanted to

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find one. His mind quickly calculated the costs to his men, GSF, and Sam if he pushed this much further. With defeat, he nodded once at Sam and then turned back to the screen. “Fine. But you will promise me that she’ll be safe. You will promise, on pain of death, John, that she’s not going to be put through anything.” “I promise. I’ll personally make sure that she is kept safe and sound.” John nodded at the soldier holding Sam and turned back to Cain. “The government owes you a huge debt. Once this whole thing shakes out, I’m not sure who will be still standing, but this is the first step in closing a huge ethical hole in our system.” “I don’t give a shit about helping the government. My job was to get her back and to keep her safe.” Cain stared at John for a moment and then, swallowing his pride, opened his mouth to beg. “I’d like a few minutes with her before your team leaves, if that would be all right.” Concern and understanding flashed across John’s face. “Of course. They need to leave in about fifteen minutes to make the pickup location.” Cain nodded and clicked to disconnect the call. Anger and disbelief pounded a steady beat against his temples. He wanted to hurt someone or hit something. He clenched his fists and tried to breathe through the overwhelming urge to pick Sam up and run into the night with her. He jumped when a soft hand smoothed down his cheek. “Don’t, please. I know you’re angry, but let me have the next few minutes with you to just be with you.” Sam’s voice soothed him. “I want you to know that you’re the only thing that kept me going in that cell. The memories of the last few days will not haunt me because they will be tempered with thoughts of you. I will remember you always, Cain.” She reached with both hands and brought his face to hers. She kissed him slowly, moving her lips across his with soft strokes. Her fingers wound through his hair and held him to her. When his tears

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fell from his eyes, she kissed them away. He felt her sigh when his arms wrapped around her. He couldn’t help but hold her as close as he could. They stayed like that until one of the soldiers tapped Cain on the shoulder. He swallowed the urge to hit the man and slowly released Sam from his arms. He opened his eyes to her beautiful smile, tinted with regret. He reached quickly into his vest and handed her a card, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. “This is my personal card. Don’t lose it. When you get a chance, look me up if you want to.” Cain turned and walked through the main room, aware that every set of eyes were on his receding back. He started sprinting the moment he left the building, running from the look of sadness in her eyes, from the need to go back and take her from all of this, from the emotions flowing so thickly through his blood that he could barely breathe. He ran in hopes of drowning the sorrow from his heart. He never understood how humans could become so attached to each other, but now, after knowing Sam, he understood too well. He wanted the cool indifference back. He didn’t want to feel his heart aching in his chest with the knowledge that he probably would never see her again. He gritted his teeth and increased his speed, trying to outrun his own thoughts.

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Chapter 19 Eighteen months later, November 7, 2091 “Jeez, Cain, what the hell? It’s been eighteen months. Get over her already,” Adam barked, ducking a high kick. “I mean, I know you cared about her, but shit, you’re a genophyte. Get a fucking grip.” Cain turned quickly and swiped at Adam with a blade then caught him off guard with a leg sweep. The other man tumbled to the ground and was back on his feet in a split second. Cain growled, deep in his throat, the sound of anger or pain, he wasn’t sure. Yes, it had been eighteen months. Yes, he had only known Sam for a few days. Yes, he was a genophyte who shouldn’t be feeling anything remotely as strong as he was feeling. She was his, though. Every cell of his being craved her. He saw her in every female he came across. He spent every dream with her. He couldn’t get her out of his system. “Fine. You don’t want to talk about her, then that’s just great. But your issues have to stop. You’re angry all the time, and it’s affecting the teams. I’m sick of cleaning up your messes when you freak all over one of them. Maybe you need to go to Genotech and get her erased from your memory or something.” Adam launched himself at Cain, catching him with a slice to the arm. He stopped and stared. “Cain, man, your mind fuck is affecting your ability to fight. I’ve won every sparring match we’ve had for the last four weeks.” “There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go. She is mine,” Cain roared. It echoed through the gym. Cain attacked with a ferocity unlike his normal strategic fighting. He let his anger drive him in a red-tinged rage toward Adam. No one could take her from his mind,

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because as long as she tormented him, then he knew she was real. Someplace out there, she was alive and well, living and breathing. Adam took thirty seconds to bring Cain to the mat, a blade at the throat and one over Cain’s heart. He held the pose for a heartbeat and then let Cain up. “Enough, man. I don’t understand it, but I feel for you. Get your head in a better place, please. All this rage is bad for you, bad for business, and just plain bad. Go on vacation. Do something to get some control.” Cain watched Adam walk away and fought the urge to rush him again. He knew Adam was right. He felt the anger coursing through his body, knew he was a bastard all the time. He had even made Nancy cry the day before over nothing. He knew we was a menace and needed to get a grip, but he just didn’t know where to start. He was angry at so many people. John Decker was on the top of that long list for making him give up Sam. Sam was on the list as well for not fighting harder to stay with him. With a sigh, he turned toward the shower room and trudged toward the door. With the shower beating down on his back, he let the last year and a half play through his mind. They had returned from their mission and sent reports to John to use in his investigation. They had contacted the military and reported their findings on the cloaking ability of their aircraft. They had spent a few days recuperating. Then, when Jerome and Bart left to go back to their lives, and Adam settled back into his role, Cain started his search for Sam. He spent time every day, or at least a few times a week, contacting each and every person he knew who might be able to track her down. It was as though she had vanished off the face of the earth. He had Bart running facial recognition programs on every video feed he could find across the country. He had run into so many dead ends. The only thing that kept him sane was the knowledge that she was safe someplace. The hardest day for him was when the criminal trial was over and Erik Sampson was sent to prison. The people involved, including a few senators and heads of military installations, were all brought to

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justice. Every piece of the puzzle was laid out for everyone to see. Sam was safe to come out of hiding, but nothing happened. Each day that went by after that was a roller coaster of feelings, from hope to despair to ever-growing anger. Why hadn’t she come to him? Why hadn’t someone seen her and contacted him? Did she hide from him on purpose? Cold water doused his thoughts and brought him back to the present. He had meetings with his team leads in a few hours, and then he would spend another evening looking for Sam. He sighed with the desperation his actions conveyed. He was absolutely obsessed with finding her. Some days he tried not to think about her, tried to keep his mind busy on other topics. Those days ended the same, though, with his mind screaming mine as he searched, in vain, for her. “Cain, there’s a Ms. Nicole Shellie here to see you.” Nancy’s voice held a hint of question as it came through the speaker. Cain scowled. The name didn’t ring a bell, but then again, he might have an appointment with someone and not remember. He hadn’t been in a normal frame of mind in months. “I’ll be up in a few minutes. Please show her to my office.” Cain hurried through drying himself and getting dressed. He left his weapons in his locker and headed up to his office, his mind already dismissing the meeting and flipping through other agencies he could call to help in his search. He knew that a few of his genophyte brothers were not on contract. Perhaps he should employ one or two of them for a short time to see what they could dig up. He was still deep in thought when he entered his office. At first glance, he didn’t see anyone, but then he noticed a brunette standing, studying the photos he had on one of the walls. She was in a business suit that was well tailored but not expensive. Her hair was a short bob with a slight curl to it. With her body turned away from him, he couldn’t see much else, but the backside of her was nice to look at. She was standing in black pumps that gave her some height, but she was already a tall woman. Cain reached out quickly with his mind to

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touch hers, just to see what she was thinking and to get a feel of her thoughts. He ran into a big area of nothing. His heart jumped. “Cain, how are you?” the woman said as she turned to face him. A smile rested on her lips, but she had concern and wariness in her gray eyes. Cain took the three steps to her and wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her neck. He held her to him with a single purpose in mind, to never, ever let her go. All of the anger and frustration he had carried for the last year melted away, leaving him feeling nothing but relief. “Oh, Sam. Thank God you’re all right,” he said into her hair. He breathed in her scent before leaning away from her. He rested his forehead on hers and shuddered with emotions he couldn’t name. “I haven’t gone a single minute without thinking about you.” Her body stiffened for a heartbeat and then melted into his embrace. He felt her body shake and opened his eyes to find her crying, silently, with tears streaming down her face. He pulled her into his chest and held her as she sobbed, soaking his shirt. He rubbed her back with one hand as he held her to him with the other. When she pulled back from his chest, he let her go. He had a million questions and accusations rushing through his head, but he wanted to feel her more than get information out of her. She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and took a few calming breaths. Finally, she looked up at him with something close to sorrow in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I promised myself I wouldn’t do that to you,” she said with a shaky voice. She wiped a few stray tears from her face. She put a finger to his lips, stopping his words before he spoke. “Let me finish. I’m so sorry for not contacting you before now. I know you have been trying to find me. They had me buried deep for a while, and I wasn’t allowed to contact you, or anyone else. They figured out I was a null, Cain. Once John had me safely hidden with my father, I was visited by someone from the government. They wanted blood samples and

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other tests done. They wanted me to work for them to train other operatives. They wanted so many things.” Cain stepped back from Sam and watched sadness cross her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and took a breath. “After three months of living with my father, I was given the opportunity to work with the government’s Psych Warfare Department. They wanted me to work with a group of trainees to test their abilities.” She looked up, frowning, before she continued. “I accepted. After training and working to hone my own skills, I started working with them in a secure location for the last year. I just finished up my contracted year and bought a plane ticket last night to come here.” Cain fell into a leather chair usually reserved for clients. His brain was whirling through the information she’d given him. She’d been working for the government for a year. He thrust his hands through his hair, tugging absently. Anger started building as he revisited the last year of his life. He had spent every waking moment trying to find her while she hid from him and played with the government. Sam took a breath and blew it out, resignation flowing through her eyes. “Look, I understand you’re pissed. I’d be too. But, at the time, I was looking at living in a cramped house with my father and two agents, round the clock, or working for the government. I made them promise that I’d be free to walk away after a year. I knew that Erik’s trial would take just about that long to wind down, so it was a winwin situation for me. I got away from my babysitters and got to work in something absolutely unique to someone like me for a year. I’m not going to apologize for making the decision. I just wish I could’ve told you what was going on while I was away.” “So, now what? Do you go back to them after this little sharing session?” Cain spit out. He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to put his fist through the front of his desk. “You come here out of the blue and are going to what? Walk away again? Hide from me for another year? I’ve spent hundreds of

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hours and a fortune trying to find you to make sure you were safe, and you were playing with the fucking government?” “You know what? Fuck you. You knew me for what, three days? Three days, Cain. You don’t own me. I don’t belong to you. I thought about you every single day and counted down the minutes until I could get here to see you.” Sam thrust a finger toward his chest. “I came here expecting something much different than this reception. Hell, maybe I was completely wrong about you. I don’t have the strength to deal with you right now. I’ll be at the hotel at the bottom of the mountain, Mountain View, for the next three days. After that, I don’t know where I’ll be. If you get your head out of your ass, come see me.” **** Cain sat in the chair in his office, mind a million miles away, replaying the scene that had just taken place. She’d come to see him, had cried—no, not cried, sobbed—in his arms. Then, she’d turned and stormed out of his office, giving him an ultimatum. What the fuck? She was a federal agent. There was a moment of absolute silence in his head as that thought sunk in. She was a federal agent who worked for the Psychological Warfare Department for the freaking government. But, wait, she said her contract was up. Did that mean she wasn’t working for them anymore? Cain stood quickly and gathered his ID tag and key for his vehicle. Shaking his head with mute disgust with himself, he walked out of his office. “Nancy, I’m taking the rest of the day off. Have Adam contact me if he needs to. I will send him a message in a little bit.” “That was Sam, wasn’t it?” Nancy asked. She was wearing her granny glasses today, and they had slid down her nose. She looked like a kindly old librarian. “She is a bit of a spitfire, isn’t she?”

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“Yes, and I have to go beg her to listen to me because I’m a dumbass. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He rushed toward the door, slowing when she cleared her throat behind him. “Maybe you should give her some time to cool off. She looked pretty upset when she walked out the door.” Nancy shrugged. “If it was me, I’d give her an hour or so and then send her a gift before showing up. That might pave the way for your forgiveness.” “I don’t want her leaving, Nancy. If she decides not to stick around and vanishes again, I don’t think I can survive.” Cain rushed out of the office, to the garage. He sped down the roadway toward the hotel she’d mentioned, hoping she wasn’t angry enough to just leave. The drive to the bottom of the mountain was usually a restful few minutes for Cain. The scenery was always beautiful in any season, but fall was his favorite. Now it was beautifully painted in shades of red and gold. The view in all directions was breathtaking. Cain didn’t see anything this trip, though. He was focused on making it to the hotel as quickly as possible. It felt like hours before he finally pulled into the parking area and climbed quickly from the vehicle. He raced into the hotel lobby and approached a human concierge. He produced a large money credit and his ID. “Could you tell me which room Samantha Bridgestone is staying in, please?” Cain turned to scan the lobby and hoped to catch a glimpse of her while the employee searched their database. “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t have a guest with that name staying with us. Is there anything else I can help you with?” the employee asked with trained efficiency. “Oh, right.” Cain thought back to the conversation with Nancy while he was in the shower. Sam hadn’t given her real name. He struggled for a moment, and then it came to him. “Can you try Nicole Shellie?” The man dutifully typed away on a keyboard and smiled. “She is in room one eighteen. You must call her from this phone, sir, before I

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will give you an elevator key.” He handed Cain an antiquated phone and politely stepped down the counter to give Cain some privacy. The phone beeped twice before it was picked up. Sam’s voice sounded thick, probably with tears, he thought. “Yes?” “Sam…I mean, Nicole. I’d like to come up and see you. Could you ring the concierge desk and let them know I can?” Cain waited a few beats of his racing heart and then lowered his voice. “Please, Sam. I need to see you.” “Fine,” Sam answered briskly. “Put him on.” Cain signaled to the hotel employee and handed the phone to him. He studied the other patrons while the concierge talked in low tones to Sam. He turned to the man when a quiet throat clearing signaled that the key was ready. “Thank you.” Cain turned away and then thought better of it. “Oh, do you deliver anything to the rooms? If this doesn’t go well, I might need something special brought to Ms. Shellie.” “Yes, sir, we can deliver anything you’d like. Do you have something in mind?” He watched Cain shake his head, and smiled. “You could always call the desk or send us a message.” Cain nodded absently while he headed to the bank of elevators. The ride up was quick, and finding her room was even easier. He stood in the hallway for a moment, collecting his thoughts, before he knocked. The doorway opened to reveal a red-eyed Sam. She’d changed into jeans and a tattered red sweater. She motioned for Cain to enter the room, and she quietly slid the door shut behind him. She crossed her arms over her chest and ran her hands up and down her arms. Tissues filled the waste receptacle. Not a good sign, Cain thought. “Okay, talk.” She looked him in the eye and waited with a stubborn set to her jaw. Cain sighed, and then sat slowly on the edge of the bed, patting the spot next to him. He watched her walk to the bed and lower

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herself an arm’s length from Cain. She never took her eyes off his face. “I’m sorry. I was so surprised to see you that I got caught up in the whole anger thing. I have been angry at so many people for so long that it’s the emotion I tend to adopt now,” Cain said. Anguish burned in his chest. “That isn’t an excuse, but it is what happened. Please, Sam, just listen for a minute. Being a genophyte programs me for many things. I can shoot any weapon ever designed. I can take out a target in a hundred different ways. I can speak fourteen different languages. But, the one thing we aren’t given is an ability to have or deal with strong emotions. I didn’t even really care about people for so long. Over time, I started to care for some, like Adam, but still my emotions were muted. When I saw your picture, all of that went out the window. I’ve wanted you, needed you on a molecular level, since we met. Then, to find out you’re a null and don’t hurt me when I touch you, God, that just about made me sing with joy. When I had to let you walk away, it was like ripping my guts out of my body and setting them on fire. I need you, Sam.” Cain continued talking when he realized that she wasn’t going to speak yet. “In the last year, I’ve done some research and have spoken to the doctors that built me. I was uncomfortable with the level of emotions I was exhibiting and asked them to check my genetic makeup to make sure that there haven’t been any defects since my conception. Everything came back fine, well, except for the level of hormones in my system. The scientists were quite intrigued by my reaction to you. So far, their thoughts are that by activating some of the centers in my brain, they may have triggered a hidden gene that allows genophytes to sense their perfect mate.” He cleared his throat and actually blushed. “That sounds so animalistic, but that is where the gene originates from. I’m the only known genophyte to go through this, but they’re assuming it may happen with more of us. They think that once I found you, my recessive aggression and possessiveness was triggered along with spikes of testosterone. There

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are certain areas in my brain that are showing high activity as well that aren’t seen in other males. All I know is that I want to wrap you in my arms and never let you go. I want to growl at every male that looks at you. I want to pamper you and carry you in my arms everywhere.” Cain scrubbed his face with his gloved hands and lowered his gaze. What a time to become chatty. He jumped when a delicate hand touched him on the hand. He looked up into the cautious eyes studying him. “So, your body thinks I’m your mate?” Sam asked, her voice quiet and soft. Her shoulders were relaxed now, and there was no trace of the anger that she’d greeted him with. Cain nodded mutely. He closed his eyes, absorbing the feel of her hand on his, even if there was leather between them. “What does your head say?” Sam was still studying him, but she was slowly gliding her hand up and down his arm. “My head has been telling me for the last few minutes to throw you over my shoulder and drag you back to my cave like a Neanderthal.” He smiled weakly at her before continuing. “I want you with me every moment of every day. I’ll do whatever I need to so that can happen. I can move our headquarters across the world if that is what it takes.” “Good answer, sir.” Sam grinned. Her eyes were still wary, but the grin was natural. “Now, can we start over and pretend that the meeting in your office didn’t happen?” Cain breathed out a sigh of relief. “Yes, please.” He pulled Sam into his arms and placed her on his lap. He rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes as the first hints of relief bled through his body. “So, where am I moving GSF?” “Um, actually, I thought you might be in need of a null to work for your firm?” She ducked her head. “I didn’t continue my contract with the government, and I sort of don’t have a house because I had been living in government housing…so…”

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Cain’s breath hitched. “Are you serious? You want to work for me? I mean, you want to be with me?” “I want nothing else. I’ve trained other men for a year to work with a null. I figured your group of genophytes could use some practice as well. I mean, how often do you actually interrogate someone you can’t read? Or, in your case, eliminates energy signatures from items an empath would use to locate someone? I’m sure that eventually there’ll be someone smart enough to employ some of us, and then you guys are stuck.” Sam snuggled into Cain’s lap. “Well, Ms. Shellie, I think that our teams would greatly benefit from having a null on board. And, well, the boss would like to get in your pants, so can we conclude our interview?” Cain waited to see how she would respond. He wanted her so badly that he was practically vibrating with it. He’d been hard since he saw her in his office, and his mind was screaming at him to take her, make her his. Mine. “Mmmm, well, perhaps I should take the boss for a test-drive to make sure I enjoy his attentions before I accept a job.” He growled as she rubbed a hand up and down his chest. He looked down into her face and saw confusion and vulnerability hiding in her eyes. “You meant what you said about wanting me, right? Because I can’t take this if it’s just for tonight.” “Oh, Sam, you can have me every night, and every morning, for eternity, if you’ll have me,” Cain said huskily. He bent his head to capture her lips and showed her the depth of his emotions with that kiss. The feel of her lips under his was intoxicating. He had waited so long to have her back in his arms. Mine. **** She slowly unbuttoned his shirt while she opened her lips in invitation for him to deepen the kiss. She pushed his shirt open and

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ran her hands over his bare chest, savoring the feel of his muscles moving under his skin. She leaned forward and licked his nipple, grinning at the gasp that escaped his lips. She circled the nub and bit lightly. Faster than she could register, Cain had her flipped over and on her back, with him straddling her thighs. She gasped in surprise, but settled into the bed when she saw the sexy smile on his face. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his, slowly sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. He teased her lips with his tongue, running it lightly along the seam. She opened her lips in invitation and slowly slid his tongue in to slide over hers. She sighed into the kiss and relaxed into the slow pace he was setting for their lovemaking. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers into his hair. Cain kissed down her jaw and nuzzled her neck. His warm breath gave Sam goose bumps that spread down her arms. He slid down her body until he was nestled between her hips, grinding his cock against her folds. The material of their jeans caused delectable friction between their heated bodies. “You’re mine, Sam. Mine and only mine,” he whispered as he nibbled along her neck. She arched her back with the pain and pleasure of the nips. A groan whispered between her lips as her nipples rubbed against the woolen material of her sweater. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. Sam struggled to sit up so she could pull off the offending clothes. She whimpered with frustration when he didn’t move fast enough. “Patience, love.” He helped her sit up and grabbed the hem of her shirt. He slid it up her ribs and off her arms. He wrapped his arms around her back and leaned forward to capture one of her nipples. He slowly swirled his tongue around the nub, teasing it until she wiggled in impatience. He grinned and moved to the other breast, giving that one the same wet treatment. She arched her back, pressing her breast to his lips when he bit down lightly.

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**** Cain laid her back down on the bed and leaned back enough to unbutton her jeans. He pulled them off with one smooth movement, gasping when he realized that she’d gone without underthings. She is going to kill me, he thought as he fought the urge to press his face to her thighs and nibble every inch of her skin. He leaned forward and pressed his erection against her mound and grinned at the moan it pulled from her. He loved the sounds she made, the looks that crossed her face when she was lost to the passion. Slowly, he kissed his way down her stomach, circling her belly button with his tongue. He moved lower, kissing down one hip, nipping the skin over her hip bone. When he was settled between her thighs and his shoulders held her legs open, he took a moment to study the open folds she offered. Cain couldn’t wait another second to taste her. It had been too long. He lowered his head and placed a chaste kiss on the top of her mound, then slid a tongue around her clit. She jerked at the contact, and he swallowed a moan. Using his thumbs, he opened her further and took a long lick up her pussy, from her opening to the hardening nub of her clit. He used his shoulders to pin her legs down when she started to shift against his body. He sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked it rapidly with his tongue. “Oh. My. God,” Sam keened, long and low. A rush of moisture coated his hand when he seized her clit with his lips and teased her with the flickering of his tongue. When he slid a finger into her and curled the tip of his finger to hit her G-spot, she cried out. Her muscles clamped down on his finger as the orgasm took her. She threw her head back and gasped, shaking against his mouth and arching to get closer. Cain worked her clit in slow swirls until the last tremor worked through her body. The light sheen of sweat that coated her was the

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sexiest thing he had ever seen. He climbed back up her body and lay next to her on the bed, drawing her body into his. He wrapped his arm around her and tucked her head under his chin. A sigh of contentment escaped his lips. She was his and had come back to him. Sam stirred in his arms, and he loosened his hold long enough for her to turn over. She scowled at him. “Why aren’t you naked and in me?” Cain coughed. “Well, first off, this room hasn’t been cleaned, so I can’t touch anything unless I want to know about every person that has slept on this bed in the last year. And, secondly, I owed you an apology for being such an ass earlier.” “Huh, well that was one of the best apologies I have ever had.” She grinned. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. “So, can we go back to your place so we can finish this? I can feel you against me, and I sure don’t want you getting a case of blue balls.” He laughed deeply and hugged her closer to his chest. “I’ve actually dreamed so many times about having you in my bed under me. Let’s just relax here for a minute or two, though. I want to just hold you and breathe.” Sam sighed and nodded. She snuggled into his arms and pulled the comforter over them. He watched her close her eyes and listened to her breathing slow. A possessiveness he was becoming familiar with surged through his body. He wanted her forever, just like this, curled in his arms, safe and sound. He loved her, loved her with every single part of himself. Heart, body, soul.

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Chapter 20 “So, this is your bedroom, huh? It’s really nice.” Sam twirled in a slow circle, taking in the dark, earth colors of his room. The king-size bed took up most of the room with its burgundy cover and dark green sheets. The walls were browns and tans that complemented the flagstone-tiled floor. The fireplace that was built into one wall looked so real she walked over and felt the stone. With a gasp, she turned to Cain. “This is real?” “Well, the fireplace is real, but the fire isn’t.” He grinned at her inspection. “I had this designed for me. The fire looks real, but it’s a hologram. There are heaters and scent machines below the unit that pump out the right amount of heat and scents so it feels and smells like a real fire.” “Very impressive,” she said as she finished inspecting his room. The furniture was heavy-duty but elegant. It was exactly what she expected from her manly genophyte. She swiveled around and walked toward his bathroom. When she flicked on the lights, she giggled. That was a bathroom of mammoth proportions. His shower was immense. Four or five men could have fit in it, but that wasn’t even the best part. He had a tub the size of a small swimming pool sunk to floor level. “Wow!” “Want to take it for a spin?” He waggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle. “I need a shower anyway. I could scrub your back, or your front…” “Well,” she said, “I really would like to, but I need to check on my dad. Why don’t you take a shower while I give him a call…then we can take your bed for a spin.”

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Sam laughed at the crestfallen look that crossed Cain’s face. She walked to him and gave him a quick hug and light kiss on the lips. She swatted him on his perfect ass when she walked out, tossing a seductive look over her shoulder. “Don’t take too long in the shower.” **** Cain stripped quickly and hopped into his shower, scrubbing as fast as he could. He could still taste her on his tongue, making him hard. His cock hadn’t softened since her visit to his office, and his head was starting to feel dizzy. He laughed at himself. After he toweled off, he cracked the door open. He didn’t want to interrupt her call with her father, but he didn’t hear her speaking. He threw the towel into the sink and walked into his room, stopping in his tracks with a gasp of recognition and surprise. This was it. This was the vision he had so many months ago. Sam was laid out on his bed, naked, glistening in sweat, spread across his green silk sheets. Candles burned on his bedside tables and his dresser. The smell of candle wax, and sulfur from the matches, invaded his nose. The flickering of candlelight off her body was perfect. Her breasts were a tempting treat topped with darkened nipples. Her skin looked alabaster in the light. “Oh, Sam. I had a vision about this exact moment. I’ve played it back through my thoughts so many times I know every move your body makes, every sound, every taste.” Cain stalked forward, catching his reflection in the glass. He closed his eyes to steady his nerves as the scene played out again through his mind. “Come here, Cain. I want to feel you buried deeply inside me.” Sam beckoned to him with a crooked finger. She smiled at him from under hooded eyes. She ran a hand down her belly, and he pounced. “Want me to tell you what happens next?” he asked her with a grin. “Hell no, show me, big boy,” she said as she pulled him to her lips.

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Epilogue “Okay, try again.” Sam sat on the bed, holding Cain’s hand. He was sitting in black boxers, scowling at her. “I’m trying. I can’t do it.” He growled in frustration. “I know you can. Just concentrate on my aura. Think of it as a radio station that just needs to be tuned in to. Once you can see it, try to capture the image I have in my mind.” Sam smiled as he scrunched his eyes up and concentrated on her head. She closed her eyes and pictured him naked on his bed, stroking himself with both hands. It seemed that he worked much harder in trying to get through her shields if he was given these mental rewards. She laughed to herself as she remembered the session the day before. She’d envisioned herself tied to his bed, and once he had gotten through her shields, she’d been tackled and restrained so fast she barely saw him move. Cain grunted with frustration. Both he and Adam had been working daily with her to learn how to get around her shields. Being a null didn’t mean that she didn’t put out psychic energy. It just meant hers was on a slightly different frequency. A sharp laugh made Sam jump. She opened her eyes to find Cain pulling his boxers off with a mischievous smile on his face. He ripped off the piece of clothing and hopped on the bed like a kid, bouncing her. “Mmm…I see you got through again?” Sam laughed as she watched him wrap a hand firmly around his already erect cock. She felt a trickle of wetness in her folds as she watched the scene. God, he could turn her on with the littlest things. She squeezed her thighs together to stem the heat already gathering.

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“Yes, and now you’re going to be tortured. You, madam, can’t help me get off. You’re just going to sit there and watch me make myself come. I’m going to stroke myself until I can’t take it anymore and then shoot my cum all over my stomach.” He stroked his cock and threw his head back onto the pile of pillows. He stared into Sam’s eyes as he moved his hand up and down his shaft. “Mmmm…I love when you watch me. I can see the lust in your eyes.” “Well, you earned this for being such a good student.” She laughed at him when he stuck his tongue out at her. He knew that talking dirty always got her excited. She leaned back on her hands to watch her student get his reward, knowing that she would be rewarded soon, too, if she knew what that look meant. She ran a hand down her belly and rubbed across her clit through the material of her jeans. The look of pure lust that crossed his face was enough to make her pussy clench. It was good to be a teacher, she thought.

THE END HTTP://WWW.LEABARRYMIRE.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lea lives in Western New York with her hubby, three children, and miscellaneous critters. Before the rug rats, she lived a life of adventure, following her husband all over Europe with the US military. She’s slept in a car outside Paris, drove six hours just to see tulips in the Netherlands, and knocked ash from her shoes at Pompeii. Now she spends her time in life’s adventures at soccer games, PTA meetings, and school plays. Lea has loved reading from a very young age, spending many sleepless nights devouring books. Science fiction and paranormal were her favorite genres to read as a teenager, and that love bled into her adult life. She started writing during a bout of insomnia, to fill time, and found it filled a creative void. Now she communes regularly with the characters in her head and tries not to laugh out loud when they say something funny. When Lea isn’t reading, writing or corralling kids, she enjoys watching movies and sciencey shows, or just kicking back and listening to some music.

Also by Lea Barrymire Siren Classic: Willie Krenshaw: Half in Love Siren Classic: Maggie’s Abduction

Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

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