Red Handed

“Not yet. I’m going to work out or something.”

“Want company?”

“Nah. Go on.”

“Sure?”

I nodded.

“Good, ’cause I’m about to pass out.”

We shared a grin and then she was off. The halls were empty as I strode to the gym, ready to expend some unwanted energy. I ID’d in with a hand scan and approached the virtual boxing ring.

Those Sybilins…I was worried about them. About the damage they could do to the people of New Chicago. What if one of them got to my mom? What if they killed her? What if—damn it, there were so many “what ifs.” The girls didn’t know what they could do, they hadn’t seen. They hadn’t been attacked that night in the forest.

Mia had said there were always others, but she hadn’t seen any. Had they seen us, then? Hidden? Or had they followed us? I wasn’t ready to face those water suckers again. My skin was still flaking from the last time. Next time I fought them, I wanted to have the expert skill of an A.I.R. agent. I wanted to do major damage.

I wanted to kick ass.

“What are you doing here?”

Gasping at the unexpected interruption, I spun around. Ryan was leaning one shoulder against the wall. Sweat trickled down his temples and neck, as if he’d just worked out. Hardcore. Strands of wet hair were plastered to his head.

He looked fantastic. And he’d spoken to me.

“What are you doing here?”

“Honestly?” he said, then frowned. “I have no idea. You?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” I admitted.

His frown slowly inched into a wry smile. “Me neither, but I bet your sleeplessness is for an entirely different reason.”

“Yeah?” I regarded him silently. Something about his words caused my stomach to clench. No, I realized in the next second. Not his words. My stomach clenched at what he didn’t say. He wanted sex; that’s why he couldn’t sleep. “What’s your reason?” I wanted to hear him say it. Dangerous, I know.

He didn’t reply for a moment, just looked at me. His ice-blue eyes were filled with heat. A heat I’d seen before—and liked. A heat that did crazy things to my heartbeat and to the blood flowing through my veins. “What, you’re ignoring me again? I asked you a question, Stone.”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s ‘Mr. Stone’ to you.”

I snorted. He was Ryan to me. Not once had I thought of him as Mr. Stone.

Ryan straightened and closed the distance between us. I drew in a deep breath, absorbing the male scent of him. “Well?” I insisted.

He tapped me on the end of the nose and said, “You. You’re the reason I can’t sleep.”

“Oh.” The word slipped from me, a breathless sigh. He’d given me the answer I’d wanted to hear, the answer I’d expected, and a tremble worked through me. I liked this guy, way more than I should. Way more than was wise. And every time I saw him, I only liked him more.

“What’s your reason, Miss Germaine?” he asked.

It was hard to think with him in front of me, his hot blue gaze boring into me. I wanted to repeat his answer, but didn’t dare. The truth was hazardous to my health. Instead, I sidestepped his question and told him about the tour I’d just taken and how it had been cut short.

His nostrils flared in anger. “Those Sybilins…I hate them. They multiply and kill, multiply and kill. Like a virus.”

I studied him for a moment. “I’m glad you came that night in the forest. We would have died without you.”

“We’d heard they were in the area, but none of us had actually seen one. Then one of Allison’s old friends called her and invited her to the party. We came alone because we didn’t want to alarm the kids or alert them to our presence, but backup was supposed to have arrived earlier if needed.”

Kids. I ran my tongue over my teeth. He’d just lumped me into that “kid” category. I didn’t want him to see me as a kid. It’s for the best, Phoenix. You know it is. “Why didn’t they?”

“They were fighting Sybilins somewhere else. The creatures were out in droves that night.” Ryan tilted his head toward the boxing ring. “You came to work out, right? Well, let’s work you out.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Together?”

“Why not?”

I threw my arms in the air. “Because you don’t look at me or touch me anymore.”

“I’m looking at you right now.” And he was. His eyes were still blazing that blue fire, hotter than before.

“Why?” I asked, a sudden catch in my throat. “Why now?”

“Tonight I’m feeling dangerous. Daring.”

So was I, I realized. I hadn’t been able to admit my feelings, but I did want him to touch me. Very badly. I could tell he was on the verge of changing his mind, though, of the danger he’d admitted was so exciting. He was already stepping backward, away from me.

“You don’t look like you’re into danger.” Stupid. This is stupid. “Sure you can take me?” I taunted in a way that was guaranteed to get him inside the ring. Boys couldn’t tolerate jabs to their prowess. “Afraid I’ll knock you on your ass again?”

He paused and smiled wryly. “I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” He latched onto my shoulders, spun me around, and gave my lower back a gentle push. “You’ve been doing very well in class. You focus. You have strength. Speed. What you don’t have is a killer instinct.”

“I do, too!” I stepped into the ring marked by red lines on the floor.

Ryan stepped in behind me. “Ring. Lock,” he said. Then to me, he said, “No, you don’t. You think you have it, but you don’t.”

The air swirled and solidified over the lines, then branched upward until we were encased in a clear, solid box. No room to run. Only room to fight and fight some more.

“I’m not going to go easy on you,” he said. There was relish in his voice.

“Good. I don’t want you to.” I’d thought to fight a hologram, but Ryan was better. Much, much better. Cuter, sexier. “And just so you know, I don’t plan to go easy on you, either.”

“Funny.” He didn’t give me any warning. In the next flash of time, he leapt forward, grabbed my shoulder, and spun me around, placing us chest to back.

Startled, I didn’t react and that failure cost me. Ryan was able to lock his hands around my neck and squeeze. I tried to elbow him, but he expected it and dodged. I tried to step on his foot, but again, he expected it and moved out of my line of fire.

“Back to where we started,” he said. “Distract me once, my bad. Distract me twice, I don’t think so.”

What should I do? What the hell should I do? I could not let him beat me so easily. But he was stealing the very breath from my lungs, squeezing harder than he had that first time.