Christine Feehan - Deadly Game

Jack gave a short, expressive snort. Um, that would a negative. I've never actually seen Sean .

I sent you an image.

Tails and horns aren't exactly the real deal. Ken. You gave me a picture of the devil.

Ken made a rude noise, accompanying it with an even ruder gesture his brother couldn't see but would know he'd done anyhow. I did my best to nudge Sean into making a try against Whitney. With a little luck, he'll kill the doctor, and Whitney's men will do him, and we can just write them both off. Thanks for helping out last night .

Sorry I didn't step in sooner. I went to higher ground and dug myself in, just in case using that much energy took its toll. You must have been completely wiped.

Ken tried to sit up, and hit his head on rebar. He swore softly and glanced down at his hands. He hadn't felt the scrapes as he moved over the jagged, unfinished cement, leaving smears of blood behind. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore but getting Mari out of there. For a couple of hours. I couldn't get to Mari and I thought I'd lose my fucking mind. I didn't realize I had such a vivid imagination. I lay there scared shitless. The only time I've ever been that scared was when Ekabela's man was cutting my cock into tiny little pieces . He'd never admitted it before. Never discussed it with Jack-but Jack had to know he couldn't do without Mari. He had to get her out.

There was a small silence. She all right ?

Sean was going to force himself on her. He'd been her friend; they trained on her GhostWalker team together. It's obvious she had genuine affection for the fuckwad, and for him to betray her like that … Ken hit the cement with the flat of his hand, needing to expel his pent-up anger in some physical way. She was pretty torn up, Jack . Ken took a deep breath and forced his mind and body back under control. I'm going to be taking the women out through the corridor the minute you give me the signal. I marked the way to make the run fast, but if you get a shot at Sean, take him out .

You're certain?

He'll never stop. Even if we don't get Whitney, and Whitney gives him a direct order, Sean is going to keep coming after her. In the end I'm going to have to kill the son of a bitch and she'll have a hard time forgiving me.

She isn't a stupid woman, Ken. You're underestimating her. Not that I mind killing him one way or the other.

Take him out, Jack, if you get the chance.

Jack briefly laid his head on his arm. His brother's emotions swamped him at times; then he'd recover, pull back, and regroup. But Ken was at a boiling point. Roger that. Is Mari organizing the women ?

Ken reached out to Mari. Hey, baby. How you doing? It's a great day for freedom .

There was a short silence while he counted his heartbeats. Yes, it is . There was a smile in her voice. Everyone's excited. I've cautioned them about telling anyone the new escape route, and they're waiting for the word . Her voice dropped an octave, the sound brushing like velvet on the walls of his mind and stirring his body in spite of the cramped, uncomfortable quarters. I can't wait to be with you in your home .

Ken closed his eyes and allowed that breathy, sexy sound to wash over and through him. He could admit, there with the walls closing in on him and the dark surrounding him, that he had fallen hard for Marigold. It had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the emotion threatening to choke him. He would continue to deny it, but right now, in this place, with her soul brushing against his. and cement walls separating them, he admitted it. "I love you more than life, woman."

He swallowed and leaned his head against the concrete blocks. I can't wait for us to be there together either .

Mari's softness vanished and she got down to business. Whitney grabbed Rose. She's the one who was afraid she might have conceived. He has us pee in a cup every morning, so if she is, he knows it. He's going to hold her over our heads while the senator is here, to keep us in line .

Ken rubbed his throbbing temples. There were so many threads, and he had to pull off a precision escape to get all the women out. Don't worry about her. If he knows she's pregnant, he grabbed her in case you all manage an escape. My guess is Sean tipped him off to what you re all planning, and he doesn't want to take a chance on losing her. Do you know where she's being held ?

The man who is paired with her is named Kane. He's with her. Rose thinks he'll help, but I'm afraid for her, and I have no idea where she is.

Damn it. This is getting complicated. I have to get back to Jack, hon. Hang in there . Ken swore again, rubbing his hand over his face. You get that, Jack ?

Yeah, I got it. I say screw waiting for the senator. The waters are getting murkier. Grab your woman and let's get the hell out of Dodge . Jack sounded decisive.

Ken had been contemplating precisely that all morning. He had reluctantly left Man right before the guard came with her food. She hadn't even clung to him. There was no last kiss, no protests, and no tears. She simply watched him sneak away, like a thief in the night. It shamed him to leave her there. He had made love to her and left his prints on her. The sex had been rough and wild. She had given him everything she was, and he had just left her there in that cage.

He despised himself. What kind of man would do that? None. Monsters did that. Sick, depraved men who didn't respect a woman. He hit the back of his head against the cement wall and felt a burst of pain.

Cool it, bro, we've got company , Jack watched the small plane circle above their heads and begin descent. The senator is arriving. Jesse did some digging, and he thinks Whitney could have as many as twenty supersoldiers in his employ. Another psychic test was given out about six months ago .

Ken swore softly. There was no stopping Whitney. You know, Jack, Whitney isn't just a mad scientist conducting illegal experiments. He has too much help and he's too well covered. He's up to something far bigger than we ever imagined. And he can't be alone in this like we all thought .

The plane is down. I see two men getting off. Neither is familiar . Jack crawled through the thick foliage for a better view. He adjusted the viewfinder. Nope, I don't recognize any of them, but Violet knows them. She's acting very comfortable with them. Whoever they are, they're GhostWalkers. They're covering the senator like a blanket .

Ken hated being trapped inside the walls, unable to see for himself what was going on. He didn't trust Violet at all. He wanted to get Mari out. His goal had narrowed to one person.

We've got trouble, Ken. Sniper lying up in the trees about a hundred and fifty yards from me. Oh yeah. I recognize that son of a bitch. Remember Mitch? Big guy, smart mouth. Thought he could take the instructor and ended up staying in bed for a week? He's got to be one of Whitney's supersoldiers.

Jack watched the woman walking beside the senator. She looked confident and tough. Her gaze was restless, searching the trees and bluffs, and twice she said something to one of the senator's guards and he immediately moved a step or two to further blanket her husband. Senator Freeman reached out and took Violet's hand even as he nodded and smiled, clearly feeling as though he was safe.

There's no way the senator and Violet believe that Whitney put a hit out on him , Jack reported. They're walking in like they own the place. They're cautious, but not 'we're locked' cautious .

And Violet thinks she's safe because she managed to get her own team in place. The senator must have been the one who tapped someone at the top to change the team , Ken concluded.