Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(81)
Author: Gena Showalter

"Also, he had a fling with Desert Gall shortly after his divorce from Lexis. He called her Candy. They were pretty hot, but he broke things off to try and win Lexis back. Pissed Candace off royally.

Embarrassed her."

Every muscle in my body was stiffening. The ice inside me was melting, swifter than it ever had before.

Little flames were branching from my fingernails. "That’s not possible. One, she’s a scrim who was in Pretty Boy’s employ. Two, Rome hates scrims. Three, touching her drains a person of their water, and he wasn’t drained."

Jean-Luc was shaking his head before the last word left me. "Nope. She’s only worked for Pretty Boy a year, so maybe she wasn’t a scrim when Rome dated her. And she’s not like Elaine. Skin to skin doesn’t drain the water from a body. Candace controls it. She decides when to drain, when not to." He was right. I’d watched Cody touch her and nothing had happened to him. "I – I – " Had no words.

Why the hell had Rome not told me about this?

We rounded another corner and stopped abruptly as Rome held up one hand. I rammed into Jean-Luc.

He humphed, stumbled forward and rammed into Hans.

"Sorry." I scanned the room we’d entered. Spacious but with more cages, these actually filled with people. Around fifteen of them. I searched their dirty, bruised faces – and found Sherridan and Lexis.

My heart raced and tears popped into my eyes. They were alive. Thank God, thank God, thank God.

Each occupied her own cage. They were more bruised than the other prisoners, but alive. They gripped the iron bars and watched the happenings with a mix of fear and hope.

And there, in the center of it all, was Cody. If I’d had any remaining doubts about whether I could trust him, the sight of him put them to rest. Lightning streamed from one of his hands, wrapping around Desert Gall in a supercharged cage of her own, her hair standing up from her scalp, her eyes bugging out from the intensity. Clearly, she couldn’t move. But the lines of tension around her mouth suggested she was trying to do so with every ounce of strength she possessed.

Cody’s other hand was pointed at a group of people. Doctors, judging by their lab coats. Sweat was running down Cody’s face, his shirt already soaked to his chest. "Can’t hold…them…much longer." Every word emerged strained, even as they echoed from the walls.

There was a weird sort of air pressure in the room that made my ears constantly pop. It was unnerving.

"No guns," Rome said, placing his on the ground and kicking it to the far wall. Everyone in our little group did the same.

I stared over at the woman who had supposedly once shared my man’s bed, and my teeth gnashed together. She was prettier in person than she’d been on Rome’s small cell-phone screen, even lit up like a Christmas tree as she was. Damn it! All of Rome’s exes were prettier than me.

"Elaine." Rome withdrew a knife. "When Cody’s shield falls away, take out as many of the doctors as you can."

She nodded and marched forward, shoulders squared, expression scared but determined. Was she recalling the cage she’d occupied for so long? Poor thing. But what bravery to march ahead anyway.

"Hans, guard the doors," I said. "Don’t let anyone escape." The boy looked to Rome, who nodded, and marched off.

"Jean-Luc, if at all possible, jump into Desert Gall when Cody frees her and take as many memories as you can," Rome instructed. "We’ll sort through them later. If you can’t get to her, wait. Belle will try and give you a chance. Tanner, get our girls."

Both men raced to obey.

That left me and Rome. He looked at me, mouth firm, unyielding. "Cody’s going to collapse. I’m going to pull him to safety. If Jean-Luc can’t access her, you’ll have her all to yourself. Don’t be afraid to use your powers. She won’t."

"I’ll win," I said on a trembling breath. I wondered, though, how he could be so ruthless when he’d once slept with this woman.

"You better." His eyes darkened, the pupils expanding. "Don’t worry about the rest of us. All right?

Don’t think about holding back or caging your emotions. Unleash them. And…be careful."

"I will," I replied.

"I love you, Belle. I hope you know that." He didn’t give me time to reply. He closed the distance between us and meshed his lips to mine, his tongue plunging deep for a split second.

Sweet fire.I was instantly transported out of the building into Paradise, where angels sang and ambrosia flowed in golden rivers. In that moment, I knew everything would be okay, that nothing bad would happen, could happen, that tomorrow I’d wake up in this man’s arms, and soon I would be his bride.

But then he pulled away, rushing to Cody’s side, and I came down from my euphoric high, unsure about today, even more unsure about tomorrow.

Still the passion burned inside me, though. And it was hot, so hot. Blistering me from the inside out. This was probably what Rome had intended, not a reassurance of his feelings. Or maybe the new me was just being cynical. I couldn’t worry about that now.

Fingers flexing at my sides, I stalked to Desert Gal. I pictured her in Rome’s bed, naked, straining, biting him, begging him for more, and my passion mutated into the fury I’d craved. My hands caught fire.

"Now, Cody," Rome shouted. "Now!"

The lightning suddenly stopped. I heard grunting, groaning, heard clothing rustle as Elaine leaped into motion, touching everyone she could. Heard the shuffle of feet as Rome dragged an unconscious Cody out of the way.

Desert Gall dropped to her knees, her pale hair shielding her face, her small shoulders hunched.

Jean-Luc dove for her, but she’d clearly expected it and rolled out of the way.

I launched a fireball at her. But again, she was quick, and flattened to her stomach, the ball flying over her. She looked up, her gaze clashing with mine. She reached toward me, fingers pointed at me. I threw another fireball. Water rushed from her hands, meeting my fire midway and causing it to dissolve.

Her action was so unexpected, I wasn’t able to jump out of the way before the water pummeled me to my back. The name Desert Gall implied she needed water, not that she had it in abundance and could spew it like this.

"Belle Jamison. I’ve been waiting for this moment for months," she said. "And now, here we are. The other woman in my father’s life."

"Yes. Here we are." The spray continued until she made it to her feet. Then she stopped, grinned at me, free hand shooting out. It was aimed at Jean-Luc, keeping him back with another spray. "But I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never met your father."

"Really? When he taught us both our tricks?"