Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(32)
Author: Gena Showalter

Tanner was there, saying something to Sherridan, but he stopped midsentence and whistled. "Look at the delicious piece of candy that just walked in."

He was looking pretty tasty himself. Injured yet strong, just the way he liked.

"Oh, you look so hot!" Sherridan said, clapping excitedly. "Do I know how to dress a girl or what?"

"I’m still waiting to hear how you un dress one," Tanner muttered. Clearly Jessica Alba was still on his mind.

I held out my arms in exasperation. "I have to do interviews in this, I hope you know."

"Interview the men," Tanner suggested. "’Cause they’ll take one look and answer anything you ask." I rubbed my temple, knowing a headache was imminent. How I longed to sink into that dark leather couch and snooze the rest of the day away. Or maybe I’d recline in the matching leather chair. Hell, I’d even splay myself on the worktable in the center of the room. "Unfortunately for me, our first meeting is with a woman. Elaine Daringer, the energy vampire – not to be mistaken with the blood-drinking kind like Reese, and – "

A buzz sounded. "Subject is waiting in interrogation room three." John’s voice echoed through the room.

"She’s been waiting for half an hour. Do you need a second monitor to watch the clock for you?"

"We’re on our way," I said with a sigh. It’d be a miracle if I survived the rest of the day.

Elaine Daringer was not what I expected.

When Tanner and I had entered the interrogation room, I’d actually gasped. She was young – probably in her early twenties – with a short crop of blond hair and an angel face. Big brown eyes, a pert nose and dimpled cheeks. Seriously, she could have fallen straight from a copy of Heaven’s Gates Weekly .

The only thing menacing about her was her outfit. A black cloth covered her from neck to toe, and not even her fingers were visible. Had to be that way, I knew. One touch of her skin, and she could drain every ounce of our energy.

As a further precaution, she was cuffed to an inflexible, uncomfortable-looking chair.

"Hello," I said.

Instantly her eyes glared pure hatred at me. "Go to hell," she snapped.

O-kay. Not so angelic, after all. "Welcome to PSI. We have a few questions for you, and you have my word we’re not going to hurt you. All right?" I watched her, waited for a response, but didn’t get one.

"I’m sorry about the accommodations, but they’re regulation for someone with your abilities."

"Please." She snorted. "Sorry? Ha! You’re grateful for the accommodations. You’re too scared to face me, girl to girl."

"Actually, no. I’ve – "

"Save it and feed the lies to someone else. I want to go back to my cell. I’m done here," she shouted to the two-way. "Do you hear me? I’m done!"

I stepped into her line of vision. "Look, I’ve been where you are. Well, not exactly. But close." She might be working for Desert Gal, she might not. She might be Tobin’s mystery friend, she might not. But I wasn’t going to treat her as a hated enemy during this interview. Not without cause, and her crappy attitude wasn’t exactly cause. She was cuffed, for God’s sake. Probably sweating underneath all that fabric. I’d be pissed, too.

She pushed out a forceful breath to blow the hair from her brow. "Is this the part where you sympathize with me and I tell you all my secrets?"

Tanner choked out a laugh. "Someone’s been watching B movies, I see." Those puppy-dog browns strayed to him as though noticing him for the first time, and she stilled. For several seconds, she even managed to keep all hints of emotion from her features. But after a while, the effort drained her and she sagged, fascination consuming her expression.

Hello, attraction.

I couldn’t blame her. Tanner was a heartstoppingly good-looking guy when he wasn’t wasting away from heartbreak.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded shakily.

He inclined his head in greeting. "They call me Mr. Sensitive."

"Really? I’d have pegged you for Blueberry Lollipop."

She’d meant it as an insult, I think, but predictably, Tanner took it as a sexual innuendo. "God, I wish. It would let girls know up front that I’m okay with being licked." Red spread over her cheeks like the wildfire had spread over my body.

"I just realized I forgot to make introductions, and I’m sorry for that," I said. "I’m Belle Jamison and this is my friend and associate, whose real name is Tanner Bradshaw."

"Feel free to call me Lollipop, though."

Elaine cleared her throat and tried to shift in the chair, as if that tiny movement could somehow save her from Tanner’s penetrating stare. "Yes, well, everyone calls me Draino."

"Seriously?"

Yeah, seriously? And I’d thought Homicidal Tendencies Wench was bad.

"Yes" was the sniffed and clearly offended reply.

"Sorry," Tanner said, "but that name sucks a big juicy one. You need something new." Not exactly the way to win the girl to our side. Actually, at this rate, Tanner would guarantee Elaine joined the other team. If she wasn’t already part of it. Time for me to take over and at least pretend I knew how to conduct an interview. "Listen, we’re getting off track. What I was starting to say before Mr. Sensitive here interrupted is that a few months ago this doctor came rushing into the cafe where I worked and spiked my drink with a formula that gave me power over the four elements. Earth, wind, fire and water."

Her eyes swung back to me, the anger returning. "So?"

"So," Tanner piped up before I could say anything else, "she’s trying to prove to you that she’s been where you are, just like she said. Two agencies marked her for extermination, one of them being the group that was keeping you prisoner in that warehouse, and began chasing her. I helped her get away. It could even be said that I saved her from certain death, but I’m not one to brag so I’ll leave that part out." Elaine looked between us, a spark of jealousy stealing over her features. Jealousy she couldn’t hide, even when she cast her gaze to the gray tiled floor.

"He’s like my brother," I explained, palms up. Did I ever understand what she was feeling. "Swear to God."

"Like I care," she said, but slowly she relaxed, her body seeming to melt into that slatted wood. "If I’m going to talk to you, I need proof that your intentions are good. Something more than just your word.

I’ve learned to be cautious."

"All right. How?"

"First up is proving you can do what you say you can do. You have control over the elements? Well, make it rain inside this room. Here, now."