Seduce the Darkness (Alien Huntress #4)(50)
Author: Gena Showalter

"What are you going to do?" Hector asked.

Letting Hector see his powers, know beyond any doubt that he was different and no longer just speculate about it, didn’t sit well. Hector was one of the few people who didn’t complain about working with him. Would that change?

"You’ll see." Now that he’d accepted his abilities, was letting them do what they wanted, when they wanted to do it, using them shouldn’t be a problem.

As he peered down at the men, he reached inside himself to the box containing his powers, no longer locked and shoved into the shadows. He clasped onto the mind control, which was twinkling like a star. The moment he touched it, its energy exploded through him and he cried out. Almost fell to his knees. It was so strong, weighing down his shoulders, shooting through his body like a boomerang, vibrating in his bones.

"Dallas?" Hector said.

Dallas held up a hand to ward him off, and they stood like that, in silence, for several minutes. Finally, things settled, and he was able to refocus. Hector was watching him with concern, though the agent didn’t voice that concern. He wouldn’t, either. He wouldn’t want the humans to think Dallas was about to crumble.

Dallas crouched in front of the guy he’d cut, the only one still conscious. "Tell me why you’re here."

The moment he spoke, the guy’s eyes glazed over and he started talking, unable to stop himself. "The vampire. We want to sell her. We already have a buyer. A man. He was looking for a female vampire with a tattoo on her wrist. We were to capture her, stun her if at all possible, and take her in uninjured. But she killed Tom, my brother, and we decided to rough her up a bit before delivering her to her new master."

So. They were slavers, just as he’d suspected. What he liked least about all he’d heard was that they had a buyer ready to go. "Tell me who wants her."

"I don’t know his name."

"Who does?”

“My boss."

Dallas learned what he could about the boss and then said, "Sleep." Once again the guy couldn’t help but obey.

He looked over at Hector, who was eyeing him with confusion and wariness, and opened his mouth to explain what had just happened, but pressed his lips together before a single word escaped. Hector would freak if Dallas forced him to do something. Accident or not.

He closed his eyes. Focused. Tried to push the power back into its box, but it refused. It was free, now swirling through him in a frenzy and tickling his vocal cords.

Not knowing what else to do, he whipped out his cell and typed Hector a text.

Can’t speak. Power. No automatic off switch.

Hector’s phone beeped, and the agent pulled it out with a frown. Read the text. Paused. Nodded stiffly.

Lost another friend, Dallas thought, turning back to the couch. He would have gone to Nolan’s cage and commanded Nolan to tell him everything he wanted to know, but the otherworlder had immunity to that power, as well. It seemed to Dallas that he—or anyone—only had to use their abilities against Nolan once for Nolan to learn how to combat them. First the voice, then Devyn’s energy thing.

"It’s okay, man," Hector said, suddenly beside him and patting his shoulder. "Your secret is safe with me." He held out his hands, spreading his fingers. A white glow started at both sets of fingertips and spread up to his tattooed wrists. Brighter and brighter the glow became, until Dallas was squinting. Then the glow seemed to break apart, de-atomizing Hector’s hands.

Dallas swung wide eyes to Hector.

Hector lowered his arms, and the glow faded. "I’m human. Stun doesn’t affect me, never has, but even as a kid I could do this. I can reach into someone’s body and pull out their organs, one by one. For a long time, I couldn’t control it, and people died. I don’t know why I’m like this, but maybe more humans than we know or want to admit have strange abilities they can’t explain. I mean, it’s not like they’d advertise them, you know. Not after the way everyone reacted to the otherworlders." He paused, giving Dallas time to absorb his confession. "I’m telling you because I don’t want you to think I’ll run and tattle. I know your secret, and now you know mine."

Never had Dallas been more stunned. Psychic that he was, even he couldn’t have predicted what had just happened.

"Backup has arrived," he heard Mishka say a split second before she and Eden Black pushed their way inside the apartment. He and Hector jumped apart guiltily. Both agents had their guns raised and ready for action. But they stopped and peered at the sleeping humans.

"Wow," Mishka said, looking to Dallas. "You started without us."

Behind them, the bars of Nolan’s cage rattled. Dallas didn’t have to turn to know Nolan had rushed to the front to get a closer view of Mishka and to listen to what was being said.

"Slavers tried to take the vampire," Hector said. "Dallas was nailed in the throat and can’t talk. Ask me your questions."

He didn’t have the heart to tell Hector that Mishka and Eden already knew about him. At least a little. But grateful as he was, he nodded in thanks and crossed his arms over his chest as Hector explained what happened.

"Human slavers, huh?" Eden ran a hand through the length of her golden hair. Gold from head to toe, the woman was mouthwateringly gorgeous. "We have no jurisdiction over them."

Mishka bent down and slammed her fist into the closest guy’s cheek. Because her arm was comprised of solid metal, his bone instantly shattered. She dusted her hands together, job well done. "I don’t care if we have jurisdiction or not. We’re not giving them to the local PD."

Everyone had taken up the Devyn, king of the Targons, way of fighting dirty, Dallas supposed.

"Oh, oh. I just had an idea. The way I hear it is the vampire is aiding AIR," Eden said. "The fact that they were trying to kidnap her means they were trying to shut down an AIR investigation. That gives us all the jurisdiction we need."

"I love the way your mind works and could kiss you for it. Actually, I will kiss you for it." Mishka pressed her lips to Eden’s. It was brief, without tongue, but damn, it was sexy. Dallas moaned. It was the only way to stop himself from begging for more.

"Kyrin was right behind us," Mishka said. "We’ll let him take out the trash."

"Devyn know about this?" Eden asked. "I heard about what he did to the last slaver that tried to get Bride." She shuddered, but she was grinning. "I’ve got to meet this woman. She’d kept the little slut from harassing me, and I owe her, well, a kiss."

Please let me be there for that, Dallas thought. "I haven’t told him," Hector replied. "Haven’t had a chance."