Hunting the Shadows (15 page)

Her mind started to misfire but she refused to pull away. She wanted to feel, to know what it felt like to be wanted. His palm slid higher to cup her breast. She sucked in a breath and he took advantage, kissing her harder, deeper.

Excruciatingly aware, pain combined with the pleasure and she whimpered against his mouth. She didn’t pull away. Couldn’t.

* * *

The instant J.C. realized that he’d pushed her too far, he put up his shields and shoved her out. Her eyes stayed closed, lips soft and swollen. And damn if he didn’t feel the kick of arousal at the sight. He hadn’t expected to feel this drive of desire, but as he stared at her mouth, wet from his kiss, he couldn’t think about anything else.

He drew away and felt the pleasure of her small nails in his hair as she tried to bring him back to her. “Amy.”

Her teeth caught her bottom lip.

“Open your eyes, Amy.” He couldn’t help the rough sound of his voice. He forced himself back a step, taking her hands from his hair. Bringing one hand up, he nipped the sensitive skin of her wrist and watched her eyes jerk open.

Normally when her eyes opened, they’d be a soft dreamy blue. The eyes that stared back at him were dark, pupils dilated.

It only reminded him how far he’d pushed her, shoving her figuratively off that edge and leaving her dangling. Now, she watched him warily as she stumbled ten steps back until she was nearly at the door, her fingers scrambling to put the leather bracelet back in place.

“I shouldn’t have done that. I apologize.” He watched her press her fist against her forehead.

“Don’t apologize. I’m tired of letting other people dictate what I can and can’t do and that includes you.” Her dark eyes stared up at him. Every emotion and desire displayed in them. “I want to get some air, that’s all.”

J.C. watched as she hurried away. It only complicated matters. Rubbing a hand over his mouth, he shot a glance at Drake’s files, then to his phone. He would make it up to Amy later, but at the moment, he had other matters at hand.

Like tracking a killer who was feeding off the children’s life energy.

Chapter Fourteen

Blood warmed her skin. As it spilled from the ugly gash at her throat, the darker the world became. Dizzy and weak, she hung in the chains, wanting nothing more than for it to be over. The woman knew it wouldn’t be as simple as that and as the killer pressed his hand against the wound, it wasn’t to staunch the blood.

Amy’s heart tripped, her palms sweaty as she swung her body around in the fork of a dark corridor, somewhere deep in the Crypt. The place was like a damn labyrinth with so many corridors and sub-levels that she felt as though she was simply going deeper and deeper.

The overhead light flickered, but she refused to think about it failing while she was lost. There was nothing worse than being trapped in the dark while locked in a memory trail of death.

As she turned around a corner, the scent of ammonia hit her. Holding her breath, she followed the cement wall and stared down at the row of empty cells lining both sides of the narrow hall.

Edging closer, goosebumps prickled her skin. She shivered, cautiously moving one step at a time. At the last cell on the block, she had to stop herself from recoiling at the sharp odor that permeated the air.

Death.

The back of her neck tingled, cold air brushing along sensitive skin. She glanced behind her, almost expecting to see someone in the hall with her, but she was alone.

Chains clattered and fell.

Amy screamed and spun around. A rat scurried across a small wooden, splintered bench, drawing her attention down where something flickered on the ground.

Frowning, she glanced around once more then edged inside slowly, almost expecting the door to slam shut and lock her in. When it didn’t, she bent beside the bench to touch the gold chain.

The small feminine locket made her heart race. She ran her thumb along the top and drew back at the sensation at the greasy trace of energy. It had the same signature she read off Drake. The same signature stamped all over her.

Gripping the necklace, Amy turned her head. The cell was cramped, the chains that would have locked the person up rusted and crusted with dirt. She could see, if she squinted, marks from fingernails of the person trying to get free. A small cracked toilet stood in the corner, if it could be called one. Disgusted, she turned back to the small bench.

The black energy of death was thick in here. Whoever had recently died left a mark. Amy looked down at the locket again.

“Who were you?” she whispered to the dead woman, “What did they do to you?”

Only the room held the answers, the stains of blood and other body fluids telling the tale of horrors too terrifying to mention. Death was never pretty. It didn’t just end with blood. When the body let go…it was ugly.

She rose to her knees, pressing her palms to the wooden bench. Rocked by the pain this room radiated, Amy closed her eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Eyes opening in shock, Amy slapped her hand over her mouth, muffling a strangled sound. She fell back, scrambling to the far wall as dark orbs coalesced into the form of a man.

Dare.

“Answer me,” he demanded. “What are you doing here?”

There was an emptiness to his eyes—as though he were soulless. Maybe he was. She didn’t think that anyone with a soul could do what he did.

“I’m on a treasure hunt,” she muttered, needing to hide her terror at seeing him.

“If I were you, I’d start talking. I’m not J.C. When you talk back, I
will
make sure you never do it again. The truth, now.”

Slowly so that she didn’t draw more attention to herself, she rose, keeping the locket safely hidden in her hand. “I’m lost. What about you?”

He smirked and stepped toward her. Her pulse hammered in her ears as he leaned close, his face inches from hers. Those flat eyes met hers. He sniffed her neck suddenly, making her jump. “I smelled a soul.”

“You’ll have to hunt down the previous tenant. I still need mine.” She hoped he hadn’t heard the tremble in her voice.

Dare seemed to contemplate that for a moment. He stood there and licked his lips, gaze flicking back to her. “Maybe.”

She waited until he turned his back before slipping the locket into her pocket. It was too important to ever let Dare take it away. Not only was she sure it had belonged to a victim, the signature on it resonated within her.

“Do you know where you are?”

Somewhere in the Crypt. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be here.”

He shot a glance over his shoulder at her. “Not even the Council comes down here. Only those who are about to be killed are brought to these prison cells.”

In other words, it was one big slaughterhouse. It explained why he knew the place.

When she didn’t respond, he turned to face her, reaching over to grip her chin. “You’re scared.”

“Don’t touch me.” She tore her chin out of his grasp, stepping back.

His hand shot out like a vise, wrapping around her wrist and pulling her forward until she fell against him. “Now surely you don’t mean to be rude, Amy. I’ve always been kind to you, supporting you while you went to Testing. I would hate to find out that after all these years, it’s meant nothing.”

He drew a finger down her jaw and she shivered. “J.C.’s going to be wondering where I am. I need to go. I’ve been gone awhile.” It was sort of the truth. She didn’t know how long she’d been wandering these halls.

“I’m going to tell you a little secret. Even if J.C. was looking for you, which he isn’t, he has no control over what I do. I, on the other hand, can do whatever I want.” His eyes glittered with restrained anger. “If the Council tells him to give you back to Rick and me, he will. I won’t be kept out of Testing again. I like to keep an eye on all of the ‘special’ projects.”

“Get your hands off me.” She leveled him with a stare when he didn’t move.

Dare laughed, a full throated sound that brought light into his eyes. “I like you, Amy. I really do, but you’re becoming a pain in the ass.”

Adrenaline and fear flooded her system, her palms itchy with nerves. She fingered the ends of the band, releasing the clasp. “Then you’re really going to think that now.”

She caught the quirk of his brow, the flash of surprise in his eyes and then of pain when she shoved inside his mind. As he fell to his knees, she touched her fingertips to his forehead. Severing his mind’s contact with his body, she watched him slump to the ground, paralyzed.

She leaned down beside him, knowing he fought the force of her mind. Knowing he tried to tell his body to move. Vulnerability. She could see it in his eyes. Maybe now he knew what it felt like to be a victim.

There was so much violence in his head. Death occupied the majority of his memories—torture and humiliation a main theme. He didn’t care who he hurt. His main concern was getting what he wanted, however he had to. If he had to go behind the back of the Council to do so, he did. He had no qualms or fears about flexing his powers, perhaps because most people were too afraid to stand up to him. Although the living had some protection, in death, no one did.

Amy loosened herself from his thoughts. Kneeling beside his prone form, she tugged his head up. “Next time I tell you not to touch me, don’t. This won’t last. You’ll be fine as soon as I let go, but I want you to remember something. I could kill you. Right now, I could end your life and you wouldn’t be able to fight back. But I’m not like you, Dare, and I’ll never be.”

Clapping broke out behind her. Amy rose quickly, spinning around to face the man standing six feet away. Broderick.

“Impressive.”

Surprise cut her link with Dare. The moment his mind was free, he launched himself at her, his hands bruising as turned her around, shoving her back against the wall.

“Enough. Let her go, Dare. You let your guard down and she overpowered you.”

For one long moment Dare simply glared at her. When he finally let go, she stumbled and rubbed at the dark mark forming on her arm.

“The bi—”

“Really?” Broderick lifted a brow. “You want to argue? If she hurt your pride, that’s all on you for giving her a weakness to exploit. You can go through the Council if you’d like a second round with her, but I warn you, I’ll be making sure they know all the facts.”

She didn’t realize she was holding in her breath—not until Dare stormed out of sight. The only problem was she didn’t know who was more dangerous. Dare…or Broderick. “I could have handled him.”

“Today, yes. If he’d been prepared, it’s entirely debatable whether you could have taken him down. It’s something we won’t know unless I give him another try.” He studied her, a long sweep of a gaze over the length of her body until she felt violated. “I’d ask what you were doing down here, but it doesn’t really matter.”

“What do you want?”

He smiled then, a curl to his lips that let her know this wasn’t a coincidental meeting. “No need to worry. I don’t want anything from you.”

Yet.
He may not want anything from her, but he would. They always did. “I’m not going to let you turn me into a killer.”

“I hate to burst that sunshine and rainbow bubble you’re living in, but you were born to be an assassin. Raised to kill with a thought. But be careful who you piss off in the future. I can’t guarantee I’ll always be watching.”

She swallowed, hearing the unspoken threat. “I can take care of myself.” But she remembered J.C.’s words about how she shouldn’t draw attention to herself, and instantly regretted what she’d said.

“Like I said—” Broderick’s tone was cool and even, giving her no indication what he was thinking, “—you handled yourself this time. I’m not entirely sure that on equal grounds you’d have any advantage. From what I’ve seen so far, you have raw potential but your training has been sorely lacking.”

“If I hadn’t been—”

“That’s no excuse. Don’t blame your weaknesses on your circumstances.” Although she didn’t physically react, she flinched on the inside. If he sensed her inner turmoil, he didn’t show it. “Instead of strengthening your abilities, you chose to fight them and your case holder. Rick was too lenient with you and as a result, stunted your growth.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Rick was
lenient
with her?

“I don’t have any inclinations of letting you have a free ride. You aren’t any more special than the other agents here. Everyone has worked hard to earn the respect they deserve. The fact you’re down here exploring instead of training is unacceptable.”

“I—”

“Another excuse. If you want to stick around, you’ll have to own up to your actions. You’re going to have to work to stay in the program.”

What was stopping her from using her abilities right now? Nothing. They were all alone. All she had to do was kill him. She knew J.C. said it wouldn’t end things, but at least then he’d be gone. It wasn’t like he was innocent. He’d sent more than one psychic to their death because they didn’t fall under the “acceptable” range.

He was responsible for the death of J.C.’s parents.

“Nothing to say? Use your words. Surely you’re capable of at least forming a coherent sentence. I was led to believe you were intelligent.”

She gritted her teeth. “Your threats don’t scare me.”

“You look like you want to kill me. Try it. I guarantee you won’t have another chance.” He chuckled, a low, amused sound that scraped against any courage she had. “I haven’t gotten where I am because I’m afraid to die. You’ll learn that one of these days.”

Was this a joke? She stared at him, trying to figure out what his plan was.

“Come now, Amy,” he taunted, “
try
to attack me. Or are you weak like Stefan? He used to be the same way. Do you need me to let my guard down first? Is that the only way you’ll attack?”

Squaring her shoulders, she sized him up. He was nothing but a man. There were no hidden bells and whistles, just brute strength in the large frame of his body.

“Coward,” he whispered. “I was right, you don’t have what’s needed to be an agent. You’d be better off with your brain hooked up to a machine. At least then I wouldn’t have to waste resources on you.”

When she tried to slip into his head, there was a block, a wall that refused to budge. She concentrated, biting her lip as she focused her abilities on him. The barrier stayed in place and weakened her with each attempt, until it felt like she was pounding her head against the wall.

His lips curved and there was nothing warm about them.

She couldn’t get in. Her mind went frantic with the thoughts of repercussion, of what it would mean.
Why couldn’t she get into his head?

He backhanded her. The hit knocked her down, shocking her as she stared up at him.

“Oh don’t look at me like that. Just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean I’m going to treat you any differently. You’re pathetic.” He laughed in quiet disbelief, shaking his head. “J.C. believes you are the key to catching this killer, but so far, I haven’t seen evidence of your importance. You can’t even get through a simple telepathy-blocking wrist band. That should be one of the first things you learn because once the enemy realizes what you can do, they’ll do whatever they can to stop you from invading their minds.”

She should have known he’d be wearing one. Stupid. But then what? It wasn’t as though she could physically take him.

“The human mind doesn’t need constant reassurance of its identity. The killer isn’t sitting there, repeating his name over and over again,” she said defensively. “I’m doing everything I can.”

“You aren’t doing enough.” His words were sharp, his tone quiet with disapproval. “You’ve failed your second test, Amy, and have received another black mark. Do it again and I’ll give you to Dare.”

* * *

J.C. didn’t know what he expected when he stepped into his room, but it wasn’t to find Amy asleep in his bed, wearing nothing but one of his old, ratty T-shirts that bared the long length of her leg. He wanted to run his hand along her smooth skin, to feel her legs wrapped tight around his waist.

He took a step forward and lowered himself onto the bed, the mattress shifting beneath his weight. She rolled toward him, making a soft sound as her body made contact with his, and her eyes opened. “Hi.”