The Forbidden Trilogy(171)

Hunter wrapped his large hands around hers, and twisted them to the right and up. The sword extended to full length.

Lucy gasped. He'd been right; the sword grew, but she couldn't figure out how. "Who made this? I've never seen anything like it."

She pulled away from Hunter and took a fighting stance, doing a series of movements she'd learned from her weapons instructor. The sword seemed to pulse with power, enhanced by the pulsing of the sphere in her pocket. She became one with it, moving in the fluid, graceful way of a deadly but beautiful hunter.

Hunter spoke, breaking her focus. "You're amazing. No one's ever handled my sword with such skill."

Neither laughed at the clear sexual innuendo, because this time he wasn't joking. She could see the awe in his eyes.

It almost pained her to return the sword to travel size and give it back.

Hunter noticed her look of despair. He draped his arm over her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Something tells me that's not the last time you'll get to dance with my sword. Cheer up."

A flush of heat rose up from Lucy's stomach. She ducked out from Hunter's arms and wagged her finger at him as she started walking down the path again. "Do all the girls fall for that line?"

A smirk played across his lips. "Most of them, yes."

"I'm not most girls. It takes more than a shiny sword to impress me. Don't get me wrong, it was very impressive." She flashed her own smirk. "You never answered my question. Who made it and what's the metal it's made of?"

Hunter sighed as if her questions were such burdens. "You're right, I didn't answer your question. That information is classified top secret, and you, Miss Rivera, don't have the clearance."

Lucy would have argued with him, if he'd been lying. The sword clearly had some kick-ass technology behind it. That only made her desperate to know more.

Damn Sam for not being here, she'd just pry the knowledge out of his mind. The thought of Sam connecting so intimately with Hunter made her a bit jealous, and she chastised herself for being so silly. First, Sam would never make a play for a guy Lucy liked, and second, Lucy had no claim to Hunter.

She did want to get to know him better, though. "What brought you to IPI?"

"Why not? I get cool toys and get to kill monsters. Plus I get to meet beautiful women with kick-ass super powers."

"More deflection, I see. So I take it there are a lot of beautiful women with kick-ass super powers at IPI?"

He winked at her. "Well, only one. And she's not actually at IPI—yet."

"Cute. What makes you think I'd ever join IPI, or that they'd even want me. I tend to be a bit of a rebel."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

Liar. "How long have you worked with Agent Simmons? You two seem close."

"She trained me. She's almost like a mother to me, but don't tell her that. She'd freak. Basically, I wanted to serve the best, and she's the best."

As they walked, Hunter told stories about his training with IPI and Simmons. He painted a picture of a tough but fair woman who was strong and wise, and definitely not a pushover. "Once, in training, this other recruit boasted that he could kick her ass because she was just a girl. She challenged him to hand-to-hand combat, took him out in ten seconds flat, and had him scrubbing the bathrooms with his toothbrush for a month."

"Wow, a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"Maybe. But he never insulted another female agent or instructor again, and neither did anyone else in that group."

Lucy found herself liking and respecting Simmons even more. "How long have you been an agent? You look young."

He smirked. "I get that a lot. I haven't made many friends, with such a rapid advancement. Really, it's because of Agent Simmons' training, and of course, because I'm so incredibly talented, naturally."

"And modest. Let's not forget that."

"No, we mustn't forget my modesty. It's my most charming quality, after all."

Lucy couldn't help but return his smile.

They'd been walking so long, lost in each other's banter, that they hadn't been paying attention to the sounds in the jungles until they heard a crash.

Lucy jumped. "Something's out there. Let's go look."

"I love a woman who walks toward potential danger."

She ignored his comment—at least she pretended to—and crept up to a huge fallen tree that a car could've driven through, had there been a pathway. It reminded her of the giant redwoods in California. They peeked over to see what kind of animal was causing such a ruckus, and Lucy nearly fell over at the sight.

Hunter rested his hand on her lower back, and while she didn't need it there for support, she liked how the warmth of it traveled through her body. But even a touch from Hunter couldn't distract her from what stood before them.