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Index
Prologue
Chapter 1 D r. Laura Johnson had a secret. She was different, able to manipulate objects with her mind, able to read people’s emotions, and sense danger and tragedy before they became reality. Her parents had always thought that hiding her abilities was for the best. They’d warned her that there were people who would be greedy and power hungry, people who would be enticed to misuse the power behind her secret. And now, fifteen years later, both her parents having passed on, she still remembered their words, understood them, lived the truth they held. Hiding those abilities had become second nature. In fact, her research exposed her to others like herself, people with similar gifts, and still she remained silent. She knew it was the right choice. Pretending to be no different than everyone else around her was as much a part of each day as brushing her teeth and having morning coffee with her favorite vanilla creamer. Sometimes she even convinced herself it was true, that she was like ev
Chapter 1
Chapter 2 R inehart stepped onto the sandy beach of his island destination, after a long night on a boat spent, in part, blindfolded. Behind him several military police officers followed, one of them informing him their ride would be there shortly. Only these soldiers weren’t men. Not anymore. They were Beasts in human disguises. Beasts that reeked of evil. The hardest part of the trip had been not killing them. No. That wasn’t true. The hardest part was thinking about his past, about the time he’d spent in the military and then the FBI. About the night he’d led his men on a mission deep into Mexico, his mind distracted by personal matters, by a woman, to be exact—a matter that should have been left at home. His team had fallen that night, ambushed by Beasts. He’d failed his men and his country. Why Salvador had saved him, converted him to a Knight of White, he didn’t know. Still didn’t. But when he’d finally pulled himself out of the self-hatred that day had created, he’d vowed to bot
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 A few minutes later, Rinehart and Walch stood inside a small apartment that seemed as much laboratory as it did living quarters. What his living arrangements had to do with Walch’s resourcefulness, he had no idea. Shiny white tile covered the floors, and when combined with the bright white walls, the effect was damn near blinding. The closest things to color in the room were the cream-colored leather couch and the marble coffee table. “This will be your temporary home. Very temporary, I hope. I want this project nailed down rapidly. Your men are one floor up.” Rinehart would be done in a few days, all right, but not in the way Walch meant. He’d be ending this project and delivering Walch and his men to hell, minus their plan for super-soldier Beasts. Playing his role, Rinehart was quick to counter Walch’s statement with caution. “I feel compelled to remind you that our work has been limited to animals thus far. We’ve never tried to reproduce our results with humans.” “I don’t
Chapter 3
Chapter 4 S haking. Laura was shaking inside. How she had managed to hide that fact, she didn’t know. Perhaps years of hiding a secret had steeled her to face the challenge before her. Laura walked down the hallway, away from Rinehart and his men—men who planned to strip away the new life she’d desperately tried to create for herself and her patients. And one of those men did more than threaten her work—he threatened her sensibilities. Rinehart. The impact of that man on her senses was downright intense. Everything about the man set her on fire—her emotions, her body, her anger over his research. And she was angry, but it did nothing to dispel the onslaught of awareness the man created in her. It had been so long since a man, any man, had gotten to her. So long, she didn’t remember the last one. Hiding her abilities had made every relationship a chore, a lie she couldn’t bear. At some point, she’d decided dating wasn’t worth the effort or the fear of trusting the wrong person. So why n
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 “I thought you knew the code to the elevator,” Rinehart demanded as he, Max and Rock watched Des punch numbers into the keypad for the fifth time. Des had managed to tune into the place where Lucan was being held. Rock stood guard at the only door in or out of the place—in other words, they were sitting ducks. “I’m trying,” Des muttered, punching in yet another failed code. He ran a hand along the back of his neck. “Obviously I’m not completely in tune with these visions yet. I was right about the elevator.” “It’s now or never,” Rock asserted. “We got company.” Rinehart tensed. “How many?” “Two,” Rock reported. Rinehart acted without waiting for input. He stepped up to Rock’s side and grabbed the door, yanking it open and meeting the soldiers head-on. “About damn time,” he said. “We’ve been waiting fifteen minutes. Walch is expecting us down below.” They stopped in their tracks, stared at him. “How did you get here?” “I followed the yellow brick road,” Rinehart retorted sarca
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 L aura opened her mouth to reveal the truth to Kresley about her plan to escape the island, when unease prickled along her nerve endings. The shadows have ears. The warning rang in her head, and she wasn’t about to ignore it, not when a lifetime of living had proven her senses were rarely wrong. She considered her options. She could turn the sound up on the television, and they could climb under the blankets and cover their heads. That should muffle their voices. “Laura!” Kresley’s panicked reaction drew Laura from her internal debate. She was about to reach for the remote when a knock sounded on the front door. Her gut clenched uncontrollably, the knock thundering at her as if it held an urgent warning: Stay silent. Laura inhaled and narrowed her gaze on Kresley. “You expecting someone?” Kresley shook her head. “Everyone knows this is our night.” Laura started to get up and Kresley grabbed her hand. “I want to know what you were about to tell me.” Laura grappled with her tho
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 T he temperature in Kresley’s apartment had gone from icy to distinctly warm and inviting. Rinehart leaned against the archway leading into the kitchen and watched Laura pull the second of two pizzas out of the oven. Finally, he had her to himself and not soon enough for his liking. She’d spent most of the last fifteen minutes behind closed doors with Kresley—no doubt talking about him. He didn’t know what was said, and at this point he didn’t really care. The heated looks she’d cast his way were proof enough that the conversation had gone his direction. In fact, Laura appeared less tense, softer and more comfortable in his presence. He could see a glimpse of the woman beneath the rigid doctor, see who existed inside the wall she’d placed around herself, and he liked what he saw. “All set.” She turned to him, one delicate little hand curled around the oven handle. “We can eat.” “Good,” he replied. “I’m starved.” But not for food, he silently added. For you. She laughed. “Me,
Chapter 7
Chapter 8 “L aura! It’s Blake.” Laura squeezed her eyes shut at Blake’s announcement. Now, Rinehart knew her secret. She had known who was on the other side of the door before she should have. She hadn’t made a stupid slip like this one since the fifth grade when she’d told her teacher, Ms. Wilkens, that her husband had been in a car accident only seconds after it happened. She remembered that day clearly, and not because of the shock on her teacher’s face, but because of her father’s wrath when he’d come to clean up her mess. Since then, not one slip had occurred—until now. And, damn it, Laura didn’t know how to explain her screwup any more than she knew how to explain why she had not only let Rinehart kiss her, but damn near invited him to strip her naked. Another knock jolted her out of her reverie. “Coming!” she shouted automatically. Rinehart stared down at her, his arms framing her upper body. “Can you have him come back later?” he asked, no doubt because he wanted to discuss her
Chapter 8
Chapter 9 D eep in the Mexico mountains, home of the Darkland Beasts, a battle between two Beasts was taking place. Adrian, ruler of the Darkland Beasts, sat in his silk-covered chair on the podium that overlooked the center of the massive underground coliseum he’d built for his amusement. At his feet lounged two gorgeous women, one blonde, one brunette—variety being his favorite flavor. Beneath them, inside the war zone, two soldiers were circling a bonfire, maneuvering to defeat one another. They wore nothing but buckskin pants—no shirts, no magical armor, none of their standard attire. Unlike the other Beast in the battle, Tezi, Adrian’s secret weapon against the Knights of White, retained his human form, his weakest side—no doubt to prove a point: that he could destroy his enemy with ease, without ever breaking out his beastly strength. Tezi’s long raven hair was braided at the back of his neck, and his thickly roped muscles were painted in war colors of red and black. His eyes, ev
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 T he Knights gathered on the dock several miles from the research facility, with the exception of Lucan, who still had plenty of healing to do. As expected, there wasn’t a boat in sight. No one came to or left this island without Walch’s knowledge. “We all felt it,” Des said, explaining why Rinehart had been paged. “A punch-in-the-gut sudden rush of evil.” “It has to be Beasts,” Rock added, leaning against the wooden railing next to Des. “And lots of ’em. More than I’ve ever sensed in one place.” Rinehart grimaced. “Like we weren’t dodging enough of those bastards as it was,” he grumbled, rubbing the tension balling in the back of his neck. “Walch couldn’t convert the remaining humans on the island until they were given a power, so maybe he brought in reinforcements.” Max’s attention flickered to Rock. “All jokes aside kid, but…you’re young, and I’m older than dirt. I read things differently.” He shrugged, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. “This felt more like one power
Chapter 10
Chapter 11 R inehart’s hand wrapped around Laura’s, offering unfamiliar warmth inside and out. They were running from danger they couldn’t see, danger they could almost taste in the air, smell in the breeze. But it was fading as they neared the lab, slowly easing to a less intrusive presence. Laura tightened her grip on Rinehart’s hand, not sure why she felt so compelled to retain this complete stranger’s touch, why it made her feel safer. She reminded herself she had well-hidden abilities she could use to defend herself. Those abilities that had caused her a lot of emotional pain in the past, but here on this beach, in these moments of retreat, those abilities offered a sense of security. She knew she could fight if she had to. She didn’t need anyone’s protection. So why did she want it? Why did she want Rinehart’s right now? Her skin prickled with the certainty of being watched, with the touch of callous eyes. Her gaze flickered along the line of the woods, silently seeking out what
Chapter 11
Chapter 12 W hen Rinehart’s strong arms surrounded her, Laura melted into him. He was a stranger, a man she had thought was an enemy only hours before. Yet she was warm in places she didn’t know could be warm, aching in places she instinctively knew only he could soothe. Blinking into his hot stare, she searched for the anger she’d seen moments before, the accusation he’d thrown her way, but she saw neither, felt neither. Still, she couldn’t let it go without some resolution, not after the conviction his words had held, not when she knew that Lucan had been tortured because Rinehart had tried to help her. She’d spent her entire adult life trying to make a difference, trying to do the right things. But everything seemed to be falling apart. Her kids were in danger. She was in danger. Now it appeared others, too, had faced danger on her behalf. “I didn’t mean for Lucan to get hurt,” Laura whispered. “I…wish you wouldn’t have tried to help me. Not at someone else’s expense.” He squeezed h
Chapter 12
Chapter 13 L aura blinked, fighting the haze of heavy slumber; an irritating stream of light was cascading from the nearby window straight into her face. She inched farther back on her pillow, moving away from the offending sunbeam. Snuggling farther beneath the blankets, she started to fall back to sleep. Her eyes snapped open, and she surveyed the bed. Realization slammed into her mind. She was in bed, his bed, alone—naked, but thankfully covered by blankets. The sound of a running shower caught her attention. She lifted her head, noting the bathroom door, slightly ajar, a few feet away. Rinehart was in the shower. A visual of him whipped through her mind, water streaming over his lithe male perfection. She dropped her head back onto the pillow, cursing the distraction created by that man and his muscle, willing it away. But more distraction followed. Memories washed over her, sensual, wonderful memories. But it was morning now, and her night of escape had passed. The new day forced
Chapter 13
Chapter 14 H ours had passed since Laura’s conversation with Rinehart. Hours since he’d been man enough to admit the truth—that he couldn’t let her fall into enemy hands, no matter what the cost. She’d felt the pain in his admission and knew he was battling to reconcile his feelings for her with his obligation to his duty. She’d sworn she would never do anything to aid wrongdoing. But he’d grimly promised that the Beasts would convince her to cooperate in any painful way they could. She didn’t want it to be true, but she was a realistic person, if nothing else. Everyone had weaknesses. They’d torture her, torture people she cared about. Reality drew a clear picture. And it was clear to her now that the Beasts were evil. No matter what the intentions of Rinehart’s superiors, she shared at least one agenda with them: She didn’t want herself to end up with the Beasts. Laura stuck a vial in the rack in front of her and glanced at the desk a few feet away, where Rinehart had lingered most o
Chapter 14
Chapter 15 T he desire Rinehart felt for his mate was automatic, the respect she had earned from him this day was not. Telling Laura the true nature of his duty—to protect her, but also to protect humanity from her ending up in the wrong hands—had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. She’d taken the news with amazing resilience, determined to save her patients, working tirelessly to prepare the supplies needed to ensure their safe escape. But he’d watched her work twelve hours straight with no break, leaving her lunch untouched. Enough was enough. Rinehart headed for the mess-hall door with his bag of food, planning to insist that Laura take a few minutes to eat. He wanted her to accompany him to the picnic area behind the building where they could discuss her progress while they ate. It would take some prodding to get her out of the lab, but he planned to play on her logical side to convince her. If she collapsed, she wouldn’t be helping the people she cared about. He quicke
Chapter 15
Chapter 16 T he water crashed against the nearby shore; the stars twinkled in the sky. Laura sat at the picnic table beside Rinehart and finished off the last bite of her barbecue sandwich. “That was good,” she said, dusting off her hands. They’d spent the entire meal talking about the discovery she’d made with the twins, and she knew Rinehart was trying to give her an escape, if only for a few minutes. Not the act of an enemy. The act of a friend. Her gaze drifted over the dark water. If not for the tingling, warning sensation inching along her nerve endings, she might have actually relaxed a few minutes. “You’ve been living on mess-hall food too long if you think that was good,” Rinehart quipped, tossing their bags in a metal trash can beside the table. His mood turned serious. “You’ll have a taste of the real world again soon, Laura.” “The real world,” she repeated. “For me that means hiding. Secrets. Lies.” “And making a difference,” he pointed out. “Making discoveries like the one
Chapter 16
Chapter 17 H ow she had acted calmly as she hugged Kresley goodbye, Laura didn’t know. Perhaps it had been the absoluteness she’d felt in Lucan’s promise to protect Kresley. Or perhaps it was the man now walking by her side across the parking lot toward the lab—Rinehart. The quiet strength he offered had done more for her than a million words. He’d been there by her side as she talked the kids through their fears, helping her stay strong for them. They paused at the bottom of the stairs. “You’re sure Walch doesn’t know anything is wrong yet?” Rinehart asked. She looked at the building and reached out to it, feeling the life within it, the emotions. “I’m sure,” she said bringing Rinehart back into focus. “All right then,” he said. “We’ll get in and get out, and leave this place behind forever.” “Just walk in like nothing is wrong,” she said, reminding herself of his instructions. “That’s right,” he said, his hand brushing her lower back as he urged her to start making their way inside.
Chapter 17
Chapter 18 S tanding outside a flaming fire ring, Tezi watched the two Beasts inside it battle to the death. Both were seasoned soldiers who’d survived centuries of immortality. Both wanted their place in the Dark Knights. The one who lived could have that spot, and their first duty would be killing Walch. Tezi had received the news of Walch’s failures only hours before. The guardians had faced the Knights of White, men known to Carol as Walch’s hired researchers, in battle. The idiot had invited Knights into his operation, offered himself and their plans up as prizes. The guardians had fled when Tezi’s anger had erupted; they were hiding in the Underworld until he regained a semblance of tolerance. Since then, Tezi had killed dozens of Beasts, enraged by the decision he had to make: to cut his losses, take what he could from the island and move on. Build his army one by one. Seek out those with gifts and convert them. Use the best of the Beasts until they could be replaced. But in the
Chapter 18
Chapter 19 O verwhelmed, Laura lay beneath Rinehart. His emotion, her emotion, it all pounded into her, fogging her brain. Something had happened between them. Something she didn’t understand. Was she losing her mind? Had he bitten her? She swallowed hard. And she had liked it? It was all so confusing. The male perfection of muscle pressed close, only serving to make matters worse, reminding her of the pleasure he’d given her. The connection she had felt in those incredible moments with him; the connection she felt now, and in truth had felt since the moment she had met him. “Rinehart?” she whispered, a question in her voice, a plea to understand what had just happened. Slowly, he eased up onto his elbows and stared down at her, his eyes telling the story she couldn’t read in his emotions. Whatever had just happened held some sort of consequence she wasn’t going to like. A consequence he had knowingly bestowed upon her. “What did you do?” she demanded, urgency growing inside her. She k
Chapter 19
Chapter 20 H idden within the cavern that she and Rinehart had called home for nearly a day, Laura nibbled on a piece of beef jerky as Rinehart did the same. His clean-shaven military persona had roughened to a thin layer of stubble, which rasped across her skin in a way she had found decidedly erotic. In the twenty-four hours they’d been hiding, Laura had worried often for her kids, and Rinehart had become her willing distraction. A distraction she had needed desperately to set aside the obstacles they faced outside these walls. “What’s wrong?” Rinehart asked, drawing her out of her reverie. She noted he was studying her intently. She shook her head. “Nothing,” she said, trying to mean it, but failing. Looking unconvinced, Rinehart pressed. “Talk to me, Laura.” She hesitated. They’d talked about so much locked inside these walls. About her work, about his past in the army and then in the FBI. She’d even opened up about how being different had affected her growing up. About feeling lik
Chapter 20
Epilogue
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