Page 89 of Lust
The Sinner’s masked face dipped over the roof. Rain pattered her head, leaving a halo of mist that glowed under the faint moonlight.
“You stubborn mule,” she chided. “Take my hand.”
She reached down.
“Fuck you,” he growled, and looked down to calculate the best way to drop.
If he pushed against the wall with his foot, he could get clearance.
At the ground, a dark figure walked into his scope. Another Sinner. She tilted her face up, eyes crinkling. She moved around the equipment and found something.
“What the fuck is she doing?” he mumbled.
The woman pulled a long power cord from beneath the equipment, made a show of searching, and then plugged it into an external socket. She looked up, saluted her friend on the roof, and then pulled a lever on the grinder. The rotating blades started turning.
“Crazy bitch,” he snarled.
“Parker,” the Sinner shouted above him. Her halo disappeared as a spray of cold rain buffeted the side of her head. “Don’t let your pride get in the way.”
She didnotjust say that.
She reached again.
He glanced down.Fucking meat grinder.Heat rose up his neck and slammed into his face. He wouldnotgive her the satisfaction. He couldn’t. He was better.
“Parker,” she urged.
The sound of a helicopter gearing up filtered through the din. Someone was getting away. The Deadly Seven were winning, and the bastards that ran this place were fleeing for their lives.Damn it.There was no time for pride. He swung his dangling hand up and latched onto the Sinner. She gripped his bare wrist as he gripped hers.
An almighty spark zipped up his arm, sending power soaring through his body.No!He knew what this was. This feeling of strength, roaring through him like a wild beast. His bones started to crack. His blood started to boil. He locked eyes with the Sinner.
She seemed to sense something was wrong. Very wrong, and it was. This woman was his mate.
Over his dead body.
He fell.
30
“What isthe meaning of this, Special Agent Luciano?” Director Dixon asked as he strode through the crowded lot of the meatpacking plant. First responders were everywhere, from the Fire Department, to paramedics, to the Feds, SWAT and the local police. Dixon wasn’t happy to be one of the last on the scene. “I told you to investigate the Deadly Seven, not...” He surveyed the devastation, illuminated by the blue and red of law enforcement. “Whatever hell hole this is.”
Joe cast his eye over the mess, trying to be patient and to see what his director saw. Yes, there were mercenary bodies, slimy replicate bodies, and blood sprayed on walls. A meat grinder had remnants of Parker’s body matter. The warehouse was riddled with bullet holes. Not to mention the dead bodies hanging from meat hooks, the broken replicate tanks, and evidence of more blood thirsty battle. Forensics were having a field day. The Deadly Seven had truly come in, decimated, and conquered. But if they hadn’t arrived in time to catch the clones while they were fresh and still learning how to use their limbs, the body count might tell a different story.
Joe was grateful Briggs, Houlahan and the rest of the CCPD arrived when he’d eventually called it in. They were first on the scene which meant the director couldn’t sweep this under the rug.
“With all due respect, sir, I did. That investigation led me here.”
“So they’re responsible for this mess?”
Joe jerked back, incredulous. “No. Well, sort of. They stopped these clones from wreaking too much havoc, but they had nothing to do with the experiments.”
“Destruction of property isn’t exactly the charge we were hoping to bring against the vigilantes.”
Captain Morais arrived and cleared his throat. He settled his shark eyes on the director. “You should be commending your agent, director, not chastising him. What he’s done tonight is a win for our side of the law. Any fool can see that.”
Dixon’s eyebrows raised so high, they almost disappeared into his hairline. But the captain didn’t back down.
“In fact,” Morais continued. “If you’re unhappy with Luciano, then we’ll take him back. With a raise.” He faced Joe. “Your work has been stellar. Not only did you capture the Ripper killer, but you saved one of our own, and uncovered this shit show at the same time. We would be lucky to have you back. You’re a credit to our team. What do you say, Luciano?”
