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Power Trip(52)



The Imp continued, “Now Genecorp needs a weapon that can neutralize its creations. Ultimately, they plan to combine our talents and create a being impervious to physical harm and immune to talent. They’ve already begun trials. Remember—they don’t need you. Just your genes.”

She flinched under his opaque stare but refused to look away. “Why did you help us?”

His eyes flicked over to Cal. “A leap of faith.”

Cal put his arm around her. “Isn’t that enough information for the moment? You just woke up, after all.”

She stood and pulled Cal to his feet. “We’ve got work to do,” she said, not caring if she sounded rude. “Genecorp might need time to regroup, but this isn’t over.”

Sam and the Doc rose from the couch. “That’s our cue. Call us if you need us,” the Doc murmured as they headed for the front hall.

“C’mon, Imp. We’re out of here.” Truman saluted and followed the girls. Impervious trailed behind him.

“Wouldn’t the boy be better off with you?” she asked her brother.

Jake shook his head. “Truman says he means no harm. I kind of feel sorry for the kid. He got a lousy start in life.” Jake pushed out of his chair. “Are you heading home, Sis? I’ll go with you. We can’t let Genecorp drive you out of your apartment forever.”

“I think I’ll stay here…and work for a while, as long as Cal doesn’t mind me taking up space in his lab.” And his life.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “I bet he’d rather have you taking up space in his dungeon.”

Cal rose to his feet. “After what she went through yesterday, I’d never—”

Audrey linked her arms with his and smiled. “Never say never. My brother, the king of the kinksters, understands that, I’m sure.”

“Cal’s a hell of a lot harder to scare off than those geeks you used to date, that’s for sure,” Jake said.

“What do you mean scare off?” she spluttered. “You threatened my boyfriends?”

“Every single one. Couldn’t have you hooking up with some normal.”

“You told me you didn’t want her dating a talent, either,” Cal scowled.

Audrey felt her jaw drop. That certainly cast her rocky relationship history in a whole new light. It truly hadn’t been her fault she’d failed at romance so many times. Relief hardened her resolve to force Cal to a new understanding of their relationship.

She walked her brother to the front door, where he grabbed his leather jacket from the newel post and shrugged into it. She pulled his glasses down so she could look into his eyes. “You’re an asshole.”

“I love you too, little sister. Be careful with Cal. Just because he can’t hurt you with his talent doesn’t mean he can’t break your heart.”

She nodded, stepping back, amused that he was still warning her, still protecting her. “An acceptable risk.”

She saw a shadow cross Jake’s eyes before he pushed his shades up and stepped out the door.

She walked back down the hall and found Cal in the kitchen. “Hungry?” he asked.

“Yes.” His short hair emphasized the strong planes of his face and made his blue eyes positively breathtaking. His long-sleeved T-shirt and low-slung, well-worn jeans clung to his body, making her desire to touch him even sharper.

“What would you like to eat?” he asked.

“You,” she said simply.

He frowned but his eyes began to glow. “Don’t tease me. Last night proved how little control I have.”

She rolled her eyes. “I had a feeling you were blaming yourself. It wasn’t your fault, Cal. How much power was in that circuit last night? How many volts?”

“There wouldn’t have been any voltage at all if I hadn’t touched your hand.”

“Answer my question.”

He sighed. “All your energy, all my energy, multiplied by the bio-enhancer…hmmm…eight hundred million volts or so, conservatively speaking?”

She looked up at him. “Is that a lot?”

“It’s at least eight lightning bolts.”

She stroked his arm. “Do you really think you are any sort of danger to me after I survived that much electricity?”

He glowered. “That’s not the point.”

“It’s exactly the point, Cal. You can’t hurt me. And as long as I’m not wearing the bio-enhancer while you touch me, I doubt we’ll burn down any more buildings.” She reached up to place her hands on his cheeks, humming in pleasure as current connected them. She could hear music already.

He gripped her wrists, removed her hands from his face and stepped away from her. The melody faded. “Losing control last night was the single most terrifying moment of my life. I can’t risk it, Audrey.”