by Jodi Redford
Teague nodded. She picked at the seam of the cat suit, the knot in her stomach growing. “My family will always be an obstacle for us, won’t it?” Rather than wait for his response, she offered a humorless laugh. “Shit. They’re an obstacle for me.”
Teague crossed to the bed and sat beside her. His hand sought out hers. “Let’s take care of the queen first. We’ll figure out your family later.”
His advice was solid. And in the long run, the queen was infinitely more solvable than Ruby’s fucked-up DNA.
Chapter Eleven
After a sleepless night, Ruby woke up bright and early. Teague had already left the bed. Not wanting to be the last one ready, she hopped in the shower. A few minutes later, clean and still sporting a legion of butterflies in her belly, she tugged on the cat suit and covered it up with one of the disguises Teague had brought along. The long-sleeved knit top and wool pants would come in handy where they were headed. Once her tall leather boots were zipped and her wig in place, she left the room and strode toward the control center. As she suspected, everyone was up and bustling about in various activity.
Miles appeared carrying an insulated bag. He caught her speculative look. “I made sandwiches and snacks for the road. They should tide us over until we reach the train depot.”
Sabby reached into the bag and snagged one of the cellophane-wrapped packages.
Miles speared him with a glare. “Damn it. Those are for later.”
“I’m hungry, and you didn’t make breakfast.” Peeling back one corner of the paper, Sabby sank his teeth into the sandwich.
“Cretin.” Grumbling, Miles zipped up the bag.
The ladder rattled, and everyone glanced over as Teague descended into the room. Ignoring the guys, he strode to Ruby and gave her a proper good-morning kiss before squeezing her hand. “We can’t all fit in Sabby’s truck, so you and I will follow on the bike. We’ll join up on the train, and once we reach the last depot in Shadow Vail, we’ll officially become their prisoners, so to speak.” He gave the guys an expectant look. “Ready?”
After a final inspection for any lights they might have forgot to turn off, they all headed upstairs and outside. While Sabby, Miles and Joe jumped in a big blue pickup, she secured her helmet and climbed behind Teague on the crotch rocket. Less than a minute later, their small caravan was zooming toward the highway. The earliness of the day meant they had the road virtually to themselves. She clutched Teague’s waist, enjoying the steady warmth seeping through his T-shirt. Somehow she resisted the urge to bury her nose in the damp, jet-black hair curling against his nape.
Yeah. She definitely had it bad.
They rode nonstop until the sherbet sky bloomed into full azure blue. Teague found an isolated spot for all of them to pull over and wolf down the leftover beef sandwiches and rehydrate with water. She availed herself of a concealing screen of scrub pines and relieved her bladder before rejoining him on the bike.
Shortly before nightfall, they arrived at Shadow Junction. Leaving the NightWing and Sabby’s pickup in the secured lot, the five of them made their way toward the checkpoint. Fortunately this time of night the border patrol ran on a skeleton crew, and the two wardens on duty appeared to be half-asleep. Rousing just long enough to give everyone’s passports a cursory glance, the yawning warden waved them through.
Her heart rate returning to normal, Ruby jogged to keep up with Teague’s lengthier strides. “Now why couldn’t the checkpoint outside Neon City be that easy?”
“They rarely are.” Taking her hand, he headed toward the ticket booth. Joe, Miles and Sabby ringed her on the other side. Teague deposited the necessary credits into the kiosk. Five boarding passes ejected from the dispenser, and he snatched them before guiding the way to the arrival platform so they could wait with the small cluster of fellow travelers. A slovenly dressed teen slouched against a cement support beam, guzzling a bottle of Shadow Soda. Ruby frowned at the rapidly draining vile substance.
Teague gave a heavy exhale and turned away from her. A moment later, he bumped into the kid, jostling the bottle. It slipped from the boy’s hold and hit the ground, shattering.
Mystified, she lifted her focus from the fizzing amber soda soaking into the pavement and stared at Teague. Taking her hand again, he pulled her close. “You owe me one.”
“Anything you want, it’s yours.”
His hungry gaze roved her face. The intensity in his eyes made her breath catch. “Everything I want is standing right in front of me.”
A warm glow erupted in her heart. It might not have been a declaration of love, but it was close enough.
A train whistle blew in the distance, breaking their spell of intimacy. Moments later, the sleek locomotive chugged into view. With another series of whistles, the conveyance slowed to a stop and its debarking doors slid open. Teague quickly handed out the tickets. After their passes had been inserted in the collector and the attendant waved them through, Teague led the way toward the cabins in the rear of the train. Leaving their few things on the small bed, they crossed the aisle to Miles’s cabin. A large map of the ice-mountain range was spread open on the floor, and the guys were plotting out a route, from the looks of it. A circle had been drawn around the depot at the base of Shadow Mountain with the words Operation Stormtrooper Phase One scrawled beneath.
Ruby dropped down next to Joe. “Does anyone else think it’s odd that an alien reptilian queen basically built her version of Mt. Everest in what used to be Kansas?”
Miles took a swig from the water bottle he’d opened. “Yeah, it seemed weird to us at first too, but we’ve come up with a possible explanation. Remember that blood we tested? Well, the parasite reacted strangely to heat. Best we can figure is it needs to be kept at a certain temperature during the harvesting stage. Hence her little ice castle.”
She shivered, both at the mention of the cold environment they were traveling to and the disturbing production the queen was running. No wonder she hadn’t brought a huge army beyond her minions when she’d decided to invade Earth. Assimilating the native populace was infinitely easier.
Miles tapped the circled section on the map with his index finger. “This is as far as the train will take us. Beyond that it’s restricted territory.”
“And minion territory,” Teague interjected. “You better hope those ugly assholes buy your story about bringing Ruby and me in for the reward.”
Sabby grinned before snagging another sandwich from the stash. “You can always rough Miles up to make it look more believable.”
Miles grabbed the wrapped sandwich from Sabby and tossed it back in the bag with a glare. “The minions won’t give us any trouble.”
Teague grunted. “Says the man who’s never been body slammed by one.”
They spent the next hour going over every possible hiccup that could get in their way. Unfortunately there were many. Ruby rubbed her stomach, trying to soothe the anxious flutters. Teague massaged her shoulder before taking her hand. He glanced at the guys. “I think we’ve covered most of everything. We’re going to bed. Do not disturb us.”
Matching smirks crossed the guys’ faces. Ignoring them, Teague led her out the door and to their cabin. The minute their privacy was secured, he snuggled her close. “We’re not going to worry about the queen, the Shadow or anything else for the next hour or two. Okay?”
She nodded. He hefted her up into his arms and tucked her legs around his waist. Cradling her skull with one hand, he coaxed her in for a hot, devouring kiss. His tongue thrust greedily inside her mouth, taking possession of her senses. The metallic shush of the runners pistoned beneath the floorboards in a steady rhythm, but she barely registered anything but Teague and his innate skill at setting her body on fire.
She slipped her hands beneath the cotton of his T-shirt and stroked his velvety flesh. Teague’s mouth left hers and traveled to her neck, his lips blazing a trail of fire along her skin. Purring in pleasure, she tipped her head back, giving him better access. Tugging her
wig off, he scraped his teeth over her jaw before sucking the tender underside. Decadent arousal unfurled low in her belly. His cock nudged at her groin, and a sensual current raced through her. “Mm, I think we need to rename you the man of steel.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Pretty sure someone already beat me to that one.”
“True. But I bet he doesn’t have anything on your superpowered orgazmo-cock.”
Teague choked on a stunted cough before grinning. “More powerful than Kryptonite, is it?”
“Absolutely.” Growing impatient with the fabric that separated him from her, she wrestled with his clothes. Moving sideways, he deposited her on the small bed and yanked his shirt over his head. Tossing it aside, he unbuckled his belt and made short work of kicking free of his boots and jeans.
A moment later, that gorgeous body of his was hers to explore. She kissed, licked and tasted every inch of him she could reach while he stripped her naked. She rolled over on top of him, facing his erect cock. Superpowered orgazmo, indeed. Sweet anticipation shivering her bones, she leaned forward and took him in her mouth with one hungry downstroke.
“Ruby. Fuck.”
She swirled her tongue along the knob of his dick like it was an ice-cream cone before giving in to a smile. “I think I’ve discovered your Kryptonite.”
“Yeah, baby. I’m looking right at it.” His palms traced the swells of her hips before situating her thighs on either side of his head. A moment later, the wet rasp of his tongue swirled over her clit.
She swallowed his length deeper into her throat, reveling in his masculine groan. He sucked leisurely on her clit, building her decadent arousal to a fever pitch. Intense waves of pleasure started in her toes and spiraled inward, rolling her ever closer to the cresting peak. For one luscious, breathless moment she hovered on the precipice. The next second she fell with a resounding crash, the orgasm ripping a keening cry from her throat as her body bucked.
Dazed and limp, she slowly floated back to earth. The bed shook as Teague disengaged from her mouth and shifted her onto her back. She stroked his jaw as he leaned down and claimed her lips. Their tongues glided together in a lush dance, stoking the pleasure higher and higher. By the time they came up for air, she was teetering near the boiling point. Teague’s harsh breaths hinted that he was right there with her.
Settling between her legs, he fisted his cock and guided it to the entrance of her pussy. He slicked the head over her wetness, teasing her, before he eased inside. “I can’t resist you, Ruby. Kryptonite is fucking child’s play compared to you.”
He tipped her pelvis upward to meet his shallow thrusts. His penetration was slow. Exquisite. She dug her fingers into his flanks when his shaft nudged her G-spot. His stare snagged hers. “Feel good?”
“God, yes.”
Releasing her legs, he pulled out. Her murmurs of protest petered off as he coaxed her onto her belly and raised her hips. He entered her in a smooth thrust, the silky underside of his cockhead gliding over her sweet spot with unerring precision.
“Teague.” The rest of her gasp was muffled by the pillow. An overwhelming tidal wave of emotion crashed over her. Each beat of her heart sang with the truth that’d been building inside her. There was no choice but to free the words. “I love you.”
He faltered for a moment, his breath a ragged exhale. His touch tender, he hugged her close, his body rocking hers in a familiar seductive rhythm. The same erotic, electric tango she’d experienced during their countless practice sessions coursed through her synapses. She groaned.
“Come with me, baby.” Teague sucked the side of her neck in an open-mouthed kiss, and her pussy spasmed around his cock. The interwoven threads of their energy exploded outward in a radiant shower of blinding light. A hoarse shout shook from Teague as he pulsed and throbbed inside her. It was enough to trip her into a renewed spiral of orgasms.
With simultaneous moans, they slumped into the bedding. For several blissful moments, she dozed in contentment as her heartbeat kept time with Teague’s.
She might have stayed like that forever if not for the odd stench drifting to her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell?”
Teague slurred something unintelligible. She lifted onto her elbows. Craning her neck sideways, she was greeted by the sight of the disintegrated television screen across from her. “Uh-oh.”
She reached behind her and poked Teague between his shoulder blades. He jerked his head up with a “Wha—?”
“I think you might want to see this.”
Groaning, he shifted off her and followed the point of her finger to the demolished appliance. His expression went from sleepy to wide-eyed in zero point two seconds flat. “Aw shit.”
“Did we do that?”
“Pretty damn certain.”
Recalling the wild electricity they’d generated together, she nibbled her lip. “I don’t understand. We never fried anything at the guys’ compound, and we had plenty of sex there.” She blushed at the admission.
Teague’s gaze probed hers. “Because this time it was different.” He swung his legs over the mattress and stood. She wanted to ask if it was different good or different bad. But she’d already put herself out there enough with her confession of love.
He took two steps before slamming to a halt and staring at the floor. His focus veered to her. “Please tell me we’re still moving.”
She glanced toward the window and noted the lack of landscape speeding by. “Uh…”
“Fuck, fuck, triple fuck.”
“What is it?”
He scooped up her scattered clothes and shoved them at her. “Get dressed. Fast.”
She gulped. “Are they on to us? Is that why they stopped the train?”
“Babe, they didn’t stop it. We did.”
Befuddlement dulling her brain, she watched as Teague yanked on his jeans. “How?”
“With the same blast that took out the TV. We over-amped the circuits.”
“Holy shit.”
“Exactly. Much as I love looking at your cute little ass, you need to haul it into those clothes so we can grab the guys and get the fuck off this train before they realize we’re responsible for frying it.”
He didn’t need to tell her a third time. After scrambling off the bed, she hurriedly dressed and rushed with him out the door. The aisle was full of acrid smoke that assaulted her lungs. Hacking, she pressed her nose and mouth into Teague’s T-shirt as he bundled her close. He rapped hard on Miles’s cabin door. “Time to leave.”
The guys piled outside, their expressions confused. “What the hell happened?” Miles demanded.
“Ruby and I short-circuited the train.” Not waiting for any replies from the guys, Teague swept her toward the debarking doors in the distance. They leapt down the emergency ramp and stopped to catch their breath next to the group of passengers gathered near the front of the train. Bending at the waist, Ruby sucked in great big gulps of frigid, pine-scented air. A soft curse shot from Teague, and she peeked up at him. His fingers curled around a lock of hair streaming over her face. “We left your wig back in the cabin.”
“Does it matter? Who’s going to recognize me out here?”
A shout sounded, and she and Teague jerked their gazes in the direction of the ruckus. One of the train attendants was running in their direction. Two dozen or more Shadow minions were pulling up the ranks.
“Fantastic. Precisely the ugly-ass bastards I was hoping to avoid.”
“How the hell did they get here so fast?” Sabby demanded.
“Who knows? I sure as shit don’t plan to ask.” Teague slashed his arm at the humans standing around in a numb daze. “Get inside the train.”
The congregation obediently trooped up the ramp without hesitation. For once, Shadow Soda served a beneficial purpose to the humans—actually saving their fannies. Because God knows, if they’d stayed out here, they likely would have been caught in the crossfire.
Teague glared at Sabby, Joe and Miles
. “What are you waiting for? Get on that damn train.”
Sabby shook his head. “No way. We’re not leaving you—”
Gripping Sabby by the shirtfront, Teague tossed him through the doors. Moving with lightning speed, he did the same to Miles and Joe before slamming the debarking door shut and breaking off the handle.
“Teague, they’re moving in fast,” Ruby cried.
He pivoted and fired off a round of lightning bolts at the oncoming minions. Several of the creatures fell in the shootout, their bodies mercilessly trampled by the remaining tide of their compatriots. She joined Teague in holding them off, but it seemed like for every minion they took out, two more multiplied in its place. Her pulse pounding in her ears, she winged off a volley of bolts. Screams and curses from the wounded minions shattered the still night. Beyond the radiant perimeter of her energy blasts, she could make out the dark shape of the creatures maneuvering in the shadows. Every doubt and fear she’d ever harbored chose that moment to rear their ugly heads. How would she and Teague ever hold off this army?
A flash of movement to the right of Teague caught her eye, and she called out to him in warning just as a minion leapt from the roof of the train and knocked Teague to the ground. A cry scratching her throat, she swung out her arm the same instant rough fingers grabbed her wrist, causing her light energy to misfire into the ground.
The flat end of a knife blade pressed into her neck. “I wouldn’t advise trying that again, Rubyoo.”
There was only one person who called her by that name. “Uncle Hugo.”
A tsking noise came from her uncle. “I never thought you’d top the lab-rat stunt, but this one takes the cake.”
Chapter Twelve
Teague had no choice but to keep his energy reined as he and Ruby were pushed in the direction of the snowcat parked at the base of the mountain. If it was anybody but Ruby who Hugo Winston had the poisoned blade of darkness pinned to, Teague wouldn’t think twice about ripping out Hugo’s throat.
