Phaze

by S. C. Mitchell

  Probably going to run a security check on him first.

  Joel’s plate was full enough. He needed to check on all the other loose threads of this crazy situation.

  Kayla tucked her arm around his waist as they headed toward the elevators. Next stop, third floor and Heather’s office, for a full rundown on Wylde, Mary, and poor little Jimmy, plus whatever Chris and the forensics crew found out in that forest clearing.

  That didn’t stop him from stealing a passionate kiss once the elevator doors closed. He wasn’t quite finished when the doors opened two floors up, but no one was watching, so he took the chance on being totally inappropriate. He was a private citizen now, not chained by government protocols and proprieties. Still, old instincts died hard.

  Having Kayla at his side and in his arms made everything easier, but where he really wanted her was in his bed. It had already been an incredibly long day and he’d certainly earned some R & R. If he could finish up these last few tasks without any snags, maybe he could steal a little time for them. “How are you holding up?”

  He also needed to check with Heather on Kayla’s wounds. That cut on her arm looked nasty. Kayla would tell him she was fine, but he wanted Heather’s reassurance.

  “I’m fine, but do you have any idea how badly I want you naked and in bed with me.”

  She slid her hand down his back and cupped his butt cheek, giving it a squeeze.

  Warmth filled his heart as his cock came to full attention.

  Okay, they were both on the same page. “Just a couple more things and I think I can make that happen.”

  Jason Pike approached with Paul Tompkins at his side. “The facility’s locked down, and I’ve tripled the guard around the perimeter.”

  “Thanks, Jason. I’ll rest easier tonight.”

  “Yes, sir. I bet you will.” There was a twinkle in the man’s eye, and he winked at Kayla.

  She chuckled as Jason gave her a strange look. Then Pike and Tompkins headed into the waiting elevator.

  After the elevator doors closed, Joel had to ask, “What was that about?”

  Her eyes sparkled as a soft smile spread across her oh so kissable lips. “I’m taking it as fatherly approval though, I don’t know, maybe he’s just sweet on me. Are you jealous?”

  Was he?

  Hell yes. He wanted . . . needed Kayla on a level he’d never needed anyone before.

  Anger erupted. Any man who thought he could . . .

  Joel forced down the irrational fires. Jason Pike wasn’t like that. A gentleman, but still one hell of a scrapper, fighter, and trainer. A rare combination. Not a man who would poach someone’s woman.

  My woman. That sounded kind of cavemanny even as just a thought.

  Sweetheart sounded better. He rolled the idea around in his head and found he liked that concept.

  He took the opportunity to pull Kayla into a full hug. Her eyes so wide, lips so full. “As long as I have your father’s approval, sweetheart.”

  He kissed her then, crushing her supple body to his. Aching, yearning desire flared, and it was all he could do to pull himself away before they were discovered.

  ~ ~ ~

  The kiss still lingered on Kayla’s lips, and she found it desperately hard to concentrate on Heather’s words or make any sense of them. She wanted Joel so badly.

  “I can’t explain it, but there is definitely some kind of bond between Mary and Jimmy.” Heather pointed at some kind of line graph on her computer screen. “I plan to run some more tests once they’re awake again, but I’d really like you to look at the data I’ve already collected, if you have some time.”

  Damn it. “Sure, I can take a look. Send it to me.”

  Once they were back out in the hallway, Joel squeezed the hand he’d refused to relinquish since their elevator ride. He pulled her down the hall toward her lab. So not where she wanted to go right then. The stairway down to his apartment was the other direction.

  When they stopped in front of the door to her lab, he pulled her in. “I need to check in on Wylde, Dove, and the pack anyway. Meet me in my apartment when you’re done.”

  Pressing her against the door, he stole one more, soul-rocking kiss. They were both gasping for breath when they finally broke apart.

  Her body clenched with desire. “You’re apartment. Don’t take too long.”

  Passion danced in his eyes. “Count on it. You either.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Joel recorded his conversation with Wylde for later playback. He was only half listening. Damn, he should have just dragged Kayla back to his bed and waited until after to finish up all this other stuff. But he wanted long, slow, and lingering lovemaking, with nothing but her on his mind.

  Kayla’s lush body, his to explore . . . touch, taste, relish.

  “He’s not really listening to me at all. I could be saying anything here.” Wylde’s voice was distant, though humor laced every word.

  Shit, he hadn’t been listening.

  Playback_Previous_10_seconds.

  “Natasha and Wanda tell me they can see that ghost girl here. They saw her on the island as well.”

  Joel faked a cough, as he listened to the recording. “Sorry, I’m a bit distracted with everything going on. But I did hear you.”

  In his own way.

  “Tell that to someone that can’t smell the pheromones cascading off you.”

  Okay, so maybe his bluff had been called. Still, maybe not. “Your wolves can see Olivia. That could prove useful. Have they seen other ghosts?”

  How in tune to that other dimension were animals in general. Or was this something intrinsic to only Wylde’s pack?

  Or was Olivia some kind of unique ghost being? She certainly didn’t seem like the other ghosts he’d encountered, though he hadn’t seen many. But those he’d met seemed standoffish. Maybe it had something to do with her connection to Carlos.

  That dimension, what Olivia called Purgatory, was also where he’d been when he’d died. Twice. It was where Kayla’s physical body went when she phased. Kayla’s amazing, sexy body.

  The body that could be right now down in his room waiting for him to touch, taste, experience.

  “Oh for crying out loud, go. My pack and I are fine.” Wylde chuckled. “Go see your woman before you explode.”

  ~ ~ ~

  A lot still didn’t adding up, but there was definitely some kind of connection between Jimmy and Mary. Some kind of bonding.

  Heather put brainwave scanners on both and found remarkably similar neuron firing patterns. Communication and understanding were beyond even the best trained pets and their owners.

  Somehow, during that battle in the forest, they’d merged into a single entity, and now, even though separated, they’d kept some kind of link.

  Carlos Diego indicated that magic was involved. Mary wouldn’t buy that. Mary was a scientist. In her mind, there was no such thing as magic. Just science that hadn’t been explored, discovered, or mapped out yet.

  Kayla sat on the fence there. Though she had no proof, she so wanted to believe in magic. Her many hours spent with Gandalf, Dumbledore, and Merlin probably influenced her desires to find real magic in the world, and she had to admit, Carlos did things she couldn’t begin to quantify.

  In any case, magic or not, she’d finished analyzing Heather’s data. She attached her summation to an email and sent it off. No need to walk them down the hall. Heather was probably busy with something else anyway, and Kayla had someplace to go.

  Someplace magical.

  She locked her laboratory door, then moved to stand on the stained spot on the floor of her lab where the chemical stew once sat. The spot she now knew was right above Joel’s bed.

  Then she phased. Out of her clothing and through the floor.
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  ~ ~ ~

  Joel couldn’t tear his gaze away from Kayla’s sexy form as she executed a perfect, three-point superhero landing on his bed.

  Completely naked.

  His cock came instantly to full attention, his slacks suddenly far too tight. “Fair warning, I am ogling you.”

  She rolled off the bed, vaulting to her feet and approached. “Ogle away, big boy, you are overdressed for this occasion.”

  Arms akimbo, he raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Really? What ‘cha gonna do about it.”

  The sultry look in her eyes almost had him coming in his pants. She had him at a disadvantage and she knew it.

  “You don’t need this.” She grasped the hem of his uniform shirt and dragged it up over his head.

  He lifted his arms to assist, but then brought his hands down, brushing her hair and skimming her cheeks. So soft. So warm. “I’ve missed you. What’s it been, a whole half hour?”

  She kept enough distance between them to run her fingers down his abdominals, hooking them under the waistband of his slacks. “Forever.”

  When he moved in close, she pushed back, looking down and concentrating on working his belt free.

  “Damn it, let me kiss you first.” He needed his lips on hers so badly.

  But she ducked. “Not until I free that fine ass of yours. I like to ogle too, you know.”

  This flirty playfulness was only an overture to the deep emotion he could feel boiling between them. Something to hold back, if only for a few seconds longer, the passionate plunge they were about to take.

  And he loved it. Loved her.

  He raised his hands, surrendering to her ministrations. “Do be quick about it.”

  He toed off his boots as she unhooked his pants and slid down the zipper. His aching cock sprung free, as she slid the garment down his legs.

  Oh yes.

  She rose as his slacks dropped. He stepped out of them, moving into her, drawing her into his arms. “Now we’re even. Kiss me.”

  Her hands splayed across his back, she brought her lips to his. Her hands dipped further, gliding down his back to grasp his butt.

  “Mmmm.” The passionate rumble from deep in her throat drove him to kiss her harder.

  Tongues tangled as he laced his fingers through her hair, drawing her close to deepen the kiss. She was so . . . everything.

  ~ ~ ~

  Passion blazed within her, as Kayla drank Joel in, kissing and touching him so intimately. Her fingers glided over the dense musculature of his backside, pulling him closer. His cock, so thick and hard, pulsed against her stomach.

  She needed him. Every glorious inch of him.

  Without breaking the kiss, Joel hoisted her up into his arms, carrying her toward the bed.

  Then he dropped her on the mattress, breaking the kiss. “I wanted to take my time with this, but I don’t think I can. I need you so much.”

  Cool sheets instantly heated as he tumbled in after her. Pulling her into him, he rolled them toward the center of the bed. She felt his urgency, felt her own.

  Intense desire, bottled up as they’d gone through the days rigorous adventures, was finally boiling over. Her body thrummed to his every touch.

  His index finger glided down her cheek, through the hollow of her neck, and across the top of her breasts. Then it circled, teasing, taunting, and causing her nipples to pebble hard.

  “Touch them. Oh please, touch them.”

  He cupped her breast, drawing the peak into his mouth. As he sucked, his tongue danced around and across the sensitive bud. At the same time he rolled the other nipple between the thumb and forefinger of his other hand.

  Sensuous ripples shot from her breasts straight to her core. She clenched hard. “Yes, oh yes.”

  She wrapped her fingers around his erection, and he groaned against her breast, sending still more bolts of pleasure shooting through her. Gasping for breath, she increased the pressure and speed as she stroked him.

  When had she fallen so completely for him? Hell, how could she have helped herself? He knew just how to touch her, arouse her, and send her sailing to new, erotic heights.

  He pulled back, then laced fingers through her hair. His gaze caught hers. “You’re killing me.”

  “Ditto,” she said through gasps. “Do something about it.”

  Damp heat slicked her channel. She needed him so badly.

  She spread her legs and he knelt between, his erection held at the ready.

  So big. So wonderful, as it slid into her, exciting every nerve ending in its path.

  Orgasmic ripples washed over her and Kayla’s core quaked as Joel settled, pushed to the hilt inside her.

  “Ohh.” Her voice jumped an octave, as Joel slid back then pushed in once again.

  Hard, steady, and so fulfilling, Joel pistoned, picking up speed and intensity with each stroke.

  Inside, heat built as Kayla’s head spun. Wild, uncontrollable, her body writhed in ecstasy under him. She gripped the bedding, holding on to whatever shreds of her sanity she could, as his motion sent her higher and higher.

  So incredibly wonderful.

  She’d never experienced passion so intense. Deeply emotional. Powerfully physical. And so damn amazing.

  The world around her quaked and trembled. Rumbling, explosions. Was it all just inside her?

  “I can’t . . .” Joel pushed deep, his cock pulsing with release, driving her over the edge of an orgasmic abyss.

  Reality scattered. The point of their joining became the epicenter of all that mattered. Him. Her. Them.

  Passion. Emotion.

  Love.

  He collapsed next to her on the bed, breathing heavily. “That was so amazing.”

  She drew in a deep breath, savoring this moment. “The Earth moved for me.”

  It had.

  That amazing, out-of-her-head orgasm shook her like an earthquake.

  Smiling broadly, he chuckled. “You know, it did feel like—”

  Then the Earth moved again.

  An explosion shook the building. Alarms triggered throughout the complex. Muffled shouts and boot stomps reverberated through the floor from down below.

  Joel sprang from the bed. “Shit.”

  Chapter 26

  “Damn it.” Kayla needed more time with Joel. What the hell was going on now?

  “Suit up and meet me downstairs.” Joel pulled one of his Shade costumes from his closet.

  She jumped from the bed and sprinted into the wall. Her apartment was located directly next to Joel’s. Phasing through the wall brought her into her bedroom where her new suit hung ready on its rack.

  She’d lightened the black color to more of a charcoal gray and added some royal blue accents. More superheroie. Was that even a word? Not sure if she liked the new design, she’d spent some time in front of the mirror trying to decide.

  But she had no time for the mirror now.

  She pulled on the unitard, adjusted the facemask, and buckled on the belt. Then she pulled her POS from its charging station and slid it into the holster.

  Gunfire erupted outside. Automatic weapons, more explosions, and men shouting.

  A glance out her window revealed a heavily armed force streaming out of the forested area to the north of the complex. Foot soldiers in black fatigues fired toward the building accompanied by three freakin’ tanks. Three other mechanized units, giant robots looking to be over twenty feet tall, towered behind, knocking down trees as they rumbled out of the forest.

  How had a force like this gotten through the perimeter surveillance? Every roadway for a mile around the Xi Force Headquarters was monitored continually.

  Still, the bigger question was why were they here?

  A mu
ffled dumph reverberated through the ceiling.

  “Crap.” That teleporter was back, and in the labs again. They changed out all the windows in the complex with one-way glass. How the hell had he gotten in this time?

  Kayla sped out her apartment doorway and toward the stairwell. No way was she letting that little fucker get away with anything again.

  The shattered window in the hallway explained how Port found a line of sight into the building. That window had been bulletproof, but not tank-blast-proof.

  That explosion.

  So was the attack below just a ruse to pull them away from the invasion up here?

  Through the opening in the wall, she heard the gunfire and explosions of the fighting below. She should be there helping. But first she’d need to deal with Port. She was probably the only one who knew he was here.

  The open door down the hall led to Heather’s lab.

  Pulling her POS from its holster, she slid around the door frame.

  The acrid cigarette stench of the man hit her just as she spotted him rifling Heather’s desk. He had her laptop tucked under his arm.

  Oh no. Not this time.

  Kayla kicked the door closed as she sighted him in with her blaster. With no other exits or windows in the room, he wouldn’t be able to teleport out.

  Zzzt.

  Dumph.

  Port vanished, and the POS bolt hit the wall behind where he’d been standing.

  Where had he teleported to?

  Dumph. Behind her.

  She spun, kicking out. Swiping his legs out from under him, she sent the man tumbling across the floor. Heather’s laptop skidded out of his arms, across the tiles.

  Hopefully not too damaged, but in any case, no longer in the thief’s possession.

  Kayla put her back to the door as she brought her POS up, aiming toward him. “Nowhere to go, asshat.”