He cleared his throat. “We’ll start by joining our hands like we’ve done before. Your right to my left, and my right to your left. The chakra energies will come fast and strong, followed by the sexual surge. The energies will flow through all seven chakras as before, and you’ll feel pressure, possibly hear sounds, and see images. You don’t have to worry about anything but maintaining the link. Just don’t let go of my hands.”
She nodded. “What about the sex?”
“Is that all you ever think about?” he teased, trying to ease the tension down a notch or two.
A small grin turned up the corners of her generous mouth. “Actually, I thought that was the guy’s job.”
“Then I’m batting a thousand.” He placed her glasses on the nightstand, took her right hand in his left, and felt a jolt of chemistry. “We’ll both know when it’s time to join our bodies. No instruction manual needed. Ready?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes.”
He took her other hand and the connection was instant. It was like grabbing a lightning bolt. Electricity leaped in a wild arc and the energies initiated spontaneously. They burst upward, snapping the first two chakras wide open and he literally saw flashes of red and orange. The sexual surge hit like a tidal wave, and Marla gasped.
“Easy,” he murmured. “Just hang on.”
The energy was a roaring inferno now, pounding through the adrenals and the thymus as the next two chakras burst open. Sexual need permeated every cell of his body. Joining with Marla became a necessity for survival, a response to a primitive instinct ingrained in man since the beginning of time.
She thrashed against him, her fingers digging into his arms. “Luke!”
He rolled over her as blue blanketed his mind; fifth chakra open. She spread her legs and arched up to meet his thrust. She was wet and more than ready as he slid into her heat. The sixth chakra exploded open with a burst of indigo.
God, she was tight, like a fist wrapping around him. He groaned, struggling to maintain. But he couldn’t control the frantic need to thrust hard and deep. “Am I hurting you?” he asked raggedly, pounding into her even as he spoke.
“No.” She pulled her legs farther back, taking him impossibly deep. “Don’t stop.”
As if he could. They moved together in a mating frenzy more compelling than the moon’s pull on the tides. The seventh chakra ripped open with a dazzling starburst of violet light. Superspeed images flashed in his mind, battling for precedence over the throes of the most incredible conduction sex he’d ever had.
He automatically committed the images to memory. His conscious focus was on the climax crashing over him like an avalanche. He was aware of Marla crying out, of her internal spasms triggering his own release, igniting wave after wave of pleasure.
He gave himself up to the sensation, felt another climax grip her. He savored her hoarse cries, the aftershocks that shook them both and seemed to go on and on.
Finally, it was over, the reverberations receding like a wave on the beach, leaving tingling warmth and a feeling of utter satiation. Beneath him, Marla went limp, rolling her head against the pillow. “Oh, my God.”
“You can say that again.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Smart-ass.” He eased out of her, another twinge of sensation shooting through his cock. He couldn’t believe there was any life left in it. He collapsed onto his back beside her. “But that
was
pretty amazing.”
“Amazing doesn’t begin to describe it. You could market conduction sex. A lot of conductors would pay for it.”
Amused, he shifted to his side. “Would you?”
“Hell, yes.” She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes had darkened to deep amber; her pupils were dilated, and an enticing orgasm-induced flush spread across her chest.
He hadn’t even kissed her, or done any foreplay—not that any was necessary when the sexual surge was rolling in. He couldn’t resist running his fingers over the curves of her breasts. Her nipples tightened into tempting pink points.
“How much?” he murmured.
Her breath caught. “How much . . . what?”
He smiled, enjoying her exquisite responsiveness, teased one nipple lightly. “How much would you pay for conduction sex?”
“Just name your price.” Her voice was low, breathy. She reached up, sliding her hand behind his neck and tugging him down.
He knew he shouldn’t indulge in after-sex play, knew they should get on with analyzing the images and keep everything on a Sentinel/conductor basis. But her mouth was so lush, the glow in her eyes so appealing. He leaned down, touched his lips to hers—
The cell phone ringing jarred them out of the moment. Torn between regret and relief, Luke sat up. He told himself firmly it should be relief. He sure as hell shouldn’t be lingering with Marla like this. He retrieved the phone from the nightstand. “Yeah?”
“You done, big bro?” Barrie asked. “It shouldn’t have taken too long.”
He shook his hair back. “I’m surrounded by disrespectful females.”
“You get what you deserve. Besides, you answered the phone, so I’m assuming you’ve completed your assignment. I figured it was safer to call than come upstairs and ask.”
“Yeah, it’s a done deal.” And he felt damned uncomfortable talking to his little sister about a sexual conduction, especially where Marla was concerned. “How’d the meditation go?”
“I got some vivid images. This thing is really scary, Luke.”
“Tell me about it. What are you doing now?”
“I’m at Angelo’s, picking up some pizzas. I was starving and figured you and Marla would be hungry, so I ordered three extra large, along with some salads. You can pay me back.”
“We’ll have to negotiate that. I should get something for pain and suffering.”
“You wish.”
“I
know
, brat. Get some of their bread and marinara sauce while you’re there.”
“Already ordered, along with some cheesecake.”
“You might just turn out all right.”
She laughed, and then her voice turned sober. “I thought we could discuss our results while we eat. I’d like to bounce what I saw off of you and Marla.”
Luke glanced over at Marla. She had pulled up the covers and was half asleep. The dark circles beneath her eyes attested to the stress of the past few days, not to mention lack of sleep. They needed to discuss the images before calling it a night, and maybe that would be easier over food and camaraderie. Plus he sensed Barrie’s concern about doing well on her first solo run.
“Sure,” he said. “That’s a good idea. We’ll join you downstairs and go over everything.”
“Great. I should be back there in twenty minutes. Bye.”
Luke closed the phone, watched Marla’s breathing deepen. He hated to disturb her, but they had pressing concerns. He started to waken her, but she suddenly jerked.
“No,” she whispered. “No!”
He felt it then. Belian energy, emanating from her.
“YOU.”
The voice hissed in her mind.
“You fucking whore!”
She felt overwhelming rage, directed at her. It took her a moment to process what was happening.
“Why are you mad at me?”
she projected, struggling to keep her wits about her.
“I’ve been waiting to talk to you.”
“You bitch. Did you think I wouldn’t sense you and that cursed Sentinel doing a conduction? I could feel the surge all right, could tell you two were fucking like wild animals.”
How could the Belian have known that? Unless she had somehow projected to him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re a lying whore! You told them, didn’t you? Somehow you knew my targets, and you told them. You’ll pay for that, bitch.”
“No! No, I didn’t tell anyone anything. I had no idea where you planned to hit next. I
—
I thought you were still in Austin, remember?”
“You’re lying. I don’t know how you knew, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll find you, Marla. And I’ll make you sorry you ever crossed me. I’ll find your Sentinel lover, too. I’ll dismember both of you, very slowly so you can feel every agonizing slice of the knife. Then I’ll drink your blood.”
Oh, God. This thing would be stalking her, like Bennett had stalked Julia. Terror, like a sharp sword, pierced through the shock.
“You’re wrong. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know your energy pattern, Marla. I know what you feel like. And I know exactly what you just did.”
She felt it start to withdraw, and knew she had to try to get information from it.
“Wait! What are you going to do next?”
“As if I’d tell you. Not that it matters. I’m too smart, too far ahead of you and those Sentinels. You’ll never catch me.”
Intuition told her to strike at its pride.
“We will. Look how close we came to you yesterday and today.”
It howled in fury, flaring out utter depravity.
“Only because I allowed you to!”
it screamed.
“I am in control here. I’m brilliant. You can’t touch to me. More will be punished
—
many more
—
before I leave Dallas. And none of you will be able to stop me.”
The contact was making her nauseous, and she was trembling. But she held on, trying desperately to shake up the Belian.
“So you’re going to blow up another church? You’re awfully predictable.”
“I know what you’re doing and it won’t work. You won’t know my next target until it explodes. After that, I’ll find you, bitch, and I’ll dispatch your worthless soul to the fires of Belial.”
Then it was gone, leaving behind the taint of evil.
It was coming after her.
Terror permeated her soul. The darkness pressed down on her, and she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs and throat seemed paralyzed; she was choking. She bolted up, making an awful gasping sound as she tried to suck in air.
“Marla!” Strong hands grabbed her, but she struggled wildly. “Whoa! Stop fighting me. Calm down.”
Horrific rasping sounds came from her constricted throat; she still couldn’t breathe. Luke’s hand slid over her chest and rested over the center, and the pressure inside eased. His hand moved to her throat. Heat flowed there, and air suddenly rushed into her lungs. Chest still heaving, she sank back and looked at Luke’s concerned face.
“I—He—It—” She paused to take in more air.
“I know, babe. Come here.” He pulled her against him and held her tightly.
She clung to him as if he were a lifeline, which perhaps he was. She didn’t care that they were naked and bare skin to bare skin. There was nothing sexual in his touch; she couldn’t even feel the usual Sentinel/conductor chemistry.
All she could think was that he was the only thing standing between her and the monster now tracking her.
MARLA sat at the kitchen table, watching Barrie and Luke knock back some of the best smelling pizza she’d ever encountered. Despite the fact she’d eaten very little the past few days, her stomach was too queasy for anything more than the crackers and ginger ale Barrie had gotten for her.
Marla stared longingly at the moisture-misted longneck beers the two Sentinels were also enjoying. She sure wouldn’t mind a drunken oblivion, but knew she’d pay if she hoisted anything nonbland on her stomach right now. It was so damned unfair. She so deserved primo pizza and alcohol.
Bryony pirouetted between the chairs watching hopefully for any falling food. Crash crouched on the arm of the den sofa, ears back and tail twitching, as he glared at the poodle. It was an uneasy truce, and Bry had some deep scratches across her nose to attest to her participation in the war. Crash didn’t have any apparent war wounds, but then he’d soundly won every skirmish.
“I slipped into the meditative state faster than I ever have,” Barrie was saying. “It was like a vortex formed and just sucked me down.”
Luke nodded. “If you’ve worked enough Belian energy to create a strong psychic signature, it will do that. The PS enhances the chakra energies.”
“I got some clear images,” Barrie said. “That BCS across the street from the church was bad.”
Marla was glad she hadn’t experienced those particular images. “I saw the form of a man dressed like a minister, but not his face,” she commented.
“Yeah. The bastard. It dressed like a minister so that poor old lady would open the door to it.” Barrie’s voice simmered with anger. “She had the sweetest smile, but her expression sure changed when he pulled out that knife.”
“That’s enough, Barrie,” Luke said sharply.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” Barrie shot Marla an apologetic look. “I guess it’s heavy on my mind.”
Marla shuddered and pulled Luke’s heavy velour robe tighter around her. Even with her nightshirt, a pair of his sweatpants and his robe, both of which were way too big, she still couldn’t get warm. “Why didn’t I see that?”
“It’s the actual crime scene. A Sentinel can see the entire event play out, like a movie, only it’s blurry and jerky, because the Belian is shielded. The visual images and energies are filtered through the Sentinel’s psyche, so the conductor usually sees only snippets of images linked to the Belian,” Luke explained.
“Thank God for that,” Marla said. “I could feel the Belian’s emotions, though. But I don’t know if it was when he was . . . killing that poor woman, or detonating the bombs. Whichever it was, he enjoyed it. He—it—was excited. I’ve never felt such evil, not even when—” Vivid images of Bennett pinning a battered, bleeding Julia to the floor resurrected to join the horror of the Belian murdering an innocent old woman. She drew up her knees and huddled into herself.
Luke leaned over to squeeze her arm. “Hey, you okay?”
She knew he’d been watching her closely since the conduction. Probably thought she might come apart, which was a distinct possibility. It was taking a major effort to hold things together. “I’m fine. Sorry. I’m getting off track.”
