The Sigma Menace Collection

by Marie Johnston

  X didn’t bother to nod, raising her face to the spray. Maybe they would get discovered at any moment, maybe the Agents would turn on them, but she didn’t care. X let the water run over her until she felt revived enough to wash herself. Heaven must feel like a warm shower.

  The shower was stocked with everything she needed. Apology accepted. Agents R and Z must’ve banked on how this would drain some of her irritation at their beatings. Totally right. She’d still break a bone or two for payback, but she wouldn’t mangle them.

  There was even a razor. X felt the sides of her head. Her hair had grown during her punishment, but she’d pass on shaving the sides back down. Once she was done with Sigma, she might even grow them out entirely. After the shower, she would braid the rest of her hair. Nothing was going to get in the way of destroying Madame G.

  She shut off the glorious water and chose a towel hanging by the shower entrance. After drying her hair and body, she wrapped the towel around her torso before returning to the locker room.

  She was weak, dizzy. It was only partially due to the potent male waiting for her. She was low on blood. The wound at her neck trickled blood, leaving a trail down her chest, soaking into the towel.

  “Will that heal when you feed?” Rhys’ voice was rough.

  She could sense his arousal filling the room. Hers was probably doing the same, but she had no intention of doing anything about it. Not here.

  “Probably,” she answered.

  “Do you want to get dressed first?” he asked gruffly.

  No, she wanted to stay naked around him and enjoy the torment of his desire. However, she experienced the same torment and now wasn’t the time. “Yes, I’d better.”

  “You can rest, too, after you feed.” X raised an eyebrow at him, gathering her stuff. He continued with an explanation. “We thought if we could pull this off and get you up to strength, we might be able to hunt her down.”

  “Take her by surprise.” X shrugged into her shirt and stepped into her pants, then kept the towel at her neck to catch the trickle of blood.

  Rhys didn’t say anything in reply. He was watching her every move, his eyes travelling over her body. She was doing nothing more than getting dressed, but from his rapt expression, one would think she was putting on a high-end strip tease. Even once she was fully clothed and had her aching feet stuffed into boots, he still wore the same expression.

  “Been a while since you’ve seen a naked female, Rhys?” she asked wryly.

  “Yes. But no one naked can compare to you, even with clothes on.”

  Awww. She smirked, but it held a hint of shyness. He might actually make her feel all girly.

  “You’re pretty hot, too.” Romantic words and poetry were not her forte. She gave him an impish grin. “For a redhead.”

  He scowled at her and she almost laughed. He was extra haw on the hawt scale. Deep strawberry-blond hair, with a strong face and a ruddy complexion that only complemented a body honed in nature. In human terms, he was a man’s man.

  “But, I wouldn’t know if you’re a true redhead. I haven’t gotten to see you naked,” she teased. What the hell she was doing playing with fire? This was not the time to get frisky.

  His intense hazel eyes blazed, the green in them almost glowing. He knew she was teasing, but he wanted her. So. Bad. It was a heady experience for a girl.

  “Anytime, Alex.”

  Her breath hitched at the challenge in his voice. Damn, he barely had to do anything to get to her.

  To distract herself, she checked her weapons. She wouldn’t fully trust Agent R or Agent Z. They had their best interests in mind, X had hers.

  “When I feed—”

  “I know,” he interrupted. “Now’s not how I want our first time together to be, either.”

  He was partially telling the truth. She could sense it. He wanted her, whenever he could get her. But he would respect her wishes and with her fucked-up past, she didn’t want to feel anything like Agent X when she was with Rhys. If she ever got to be with Rhys. She dedicated her life to eradicating the world of Madame G, and she was still prepared to give it.

  He was such a good male. He would have totally been worthy of Alexandria King. X was quite the goody two-shoes before Madame G had gotten a hold of her. Good grades, humanitarian projects, healthy living. She’d had a family who loved her, cherished her, protected her. Now she was Agent X, a stone-cold murderer who used her mind and body any way necessary.

  “Alex?” Rhys asked, reading into her silence.

  Maybe someday, she thought at the use of his nickname for her. Ironically, it was the name she used when she needed to blend in with the humans. For now, she needed to be X.

  “Time to eat,” she announced.

  “All right, but…” He stalled, clearing his throat. “Can you take my neck?”

  X’s eyes shot to his thick jugular, and she swallowed hard. When she had fed from him before, it was from his wrist, and that had been an intensely erotic experience. She couldn’t imagine the impact it would have with her body pressed into him. Her better judgment told her to say no, they couldn’t risk that level of intimacy. Then again, they could both die once they left this room.

  Her heart constricted. What if he died and she didn’t? She was prepared to give her life, but what if she was left alive and alone?

  It was what she deserved, another part of her brain filled in. She’d been part of an evil organization for a decade. She continued being Agent X even after she knew Rhys was her mate. Did she really deserve the male in front of her?

  Fuck it. She’d take his neck, breathe in his scent, drink his blood down, and think about it all later.

  She finished inspecting her gear and holstered her last weapon. It didn’t look like anything had been tampered with. Then she rose and spun so she was straddling Rhys’ lap. His eyes instantly went heavy-lidded as he slid back on the bench and rolled his head to one side.

  X’s fangs throbbed, and not just from malnourishment. Being this close to Rhys, his throat bared for her, made the most exquisite desire course through her. Ever so slowly, enjoying the moment, she dropped her head down until her lips were at his nape.

  He tensed, his hands tightening around her waist. He was resisting pulling her closer. It was like he was almost afraid to breathe, afraid she’d back off and grab his wrist instead.

  That would be the smart thing to do.

  Flicking her tongue out to lick at his warm, salty skin, she reveled in his groan. When her poor fangs couldn’t take any more, she sunk them slowly into his flesh, knowing the burn would feel nothing short of erotic for the male.

  His groan deepened, and his hips thrust underneath her. Her mouth filled with rich, potent shifter blood. If her eyes were open, they would’ve rolled back in her head. Her starved body grabbed up the nutrition, while her core went up in flames.

  A whimper escaped and she unintentionally ground down onto Rhys, feeling the hard mass of him trapped by his pants. He pulled her in close as she sank fully onto him. If she hadn’t dressed before she bit him, his fly would be undone and she would be fully impaled already.

  He rocked his hips up into her and she rode him, seeking the release her body wanted so badly. The wound in her neck burned as it healed, standing no chance against Rhys’ blood. Power surged through her body, desire swamped it.

  She rode him faster, preparing for her first fully-clothed orgasm. His arms were wrapped around her, one hand holding her head to his throat. An earthquake started in her center, rippling out in the tidal wave of climax. She shook in Rhys’ embrace, crying out into him.

  When the tremors passed, her fangs retracted before she took too much from him. Her eyes fluttered open, but not very far.

  She was exhausted. Bone weary, her body spent from healing, basking in an orgasmic afterglow, the first she actually enjoyed. Usually, after she got off, it was back to business as usual. Rhys’ comforting warmth kept her in place.

  “Rest,” he said softly.<
br />
  Yes. Rest. X turned her head onto his shoulder and fell fast asleep.

  Chapter 3

  He could let her sleep for another half hour and then they had to get going.

  Rhys glanced down at X where he had stretched her out on the bench. Even asleep, she exuded power and sexuality. Her ebony hair was now dry and swept back from her face; he could get lost in her creamy complexion that had a natural blush along the cheekbones.

  She was intoxicating. And lethal.

  And not yet his.

  Rhys sighed and leaned back. His erection had finally backed off, allowing him a level of comfort. He’d never been as turned on as he had when she had climaxed with her fangs inside of him. As if drinking from him wasn’t erotic enough.

  Rhys moved off that subject before his pants became too constricting again. He could tell right away when she came out of the shower she was apprehensive about having sex with him. He wondered if she had ever had sex because she wanted to, or if it had always been forced on her, or used as negotiation. He would wait as long as she needed him to.

  Instead, he thought about how heady it was to actually be able to hold her while she was sleeping. Not dream hold her, but as X would say, “for realsies.” It wasn’t until the first twitch of a nightmare that he shifted her to stretch out, using his dream walking abilities to murmur in her ear. She settled into a healing rest and he had kept watch over her for a few hours.

  He was about to check his watch when her vibrant green eyes opened and she sat up.

  “Tell me the plan while I put a braid in this mess.” X finger-combed her hair to get it straightened out.

  Damn, she was good. Even he thought she was fast asleep. Life with Sigma had seriously honed her survival skills.

  “Shift ends in forty-five minutes. Bennett has the Guardians surrounding the place. When Demetrius gives the signal, his vampires will take care of the Agents and recruits, while you and I hunt for Madame G.”

  “So that’s been his thing all along? Taking out Madame G?” X’s fingers deftly braided her short hair tightly to her scalp.

  “Even bigger.”

  She arched a brow. “Sigma?”

  “Bingo. The new generation of vampires don’t think their council regulates Sigma well enough. They think the organization threatens their existence and want to see it destroyed.”

  X whistled low. She finished her braid and tucked it back up into itself since she didn’t have anything to secure it with. “That could cause a vampire civil war.”

  “Yep.” He frowned despite himself.

  “What?”

  “Sometimes I wonder if shifters won’t be facing the same thing.” She waited for him to elaborate. “Before your partner killed Mason, he said some revealing things to Dani.” Dani Santini was the human mate of one of his Guardians. A member of his own pack had almost killed her, but Agent E shot his heart out. Literally.

  X wrinkled her nose. “He was always a douche.”

  Rhys had to agree. E solved the problem that had plagued Rhys about what he was going to do with the human-hating shifter.

  “He alluded to the Lycan Council being behind attacks on human mates. Then Madame G hinted that the council was also behind the slaughter of Mercury’s village.”

  X did one more final check of her weapons. The hybrid couldn’t sit still, and he was content to watch. “Why would they do that?”

  “She posed the hypothetical question of what if the council killed a colony of shifters with uniquely powerful abilities so none of them would fall into Sigma’s hands? Or was it because they thought they couldn’t control them?”

  “Sounds like you and Demetrius have some major council issues.”

  “They’re your councils, too,” Rhys grimly pointed out.

  X gave an indelicate snort. “No they’re not.”

  He decided not to argue. It was exactly as he expected. X only allowed herself to be forced into Sigma service so she could destroy Madame G. From what E said, Madame G had tried to break X for almost two years before he came along and they teamed up. She was eighteen when she was captured, and not even sadistic Madame G could destroy her. She was raised to be strong, following no one. There was no way she would submit to either council just because she was the first known vampire-shifter hybrid. And both councils would demand dominion over her.

  “Ready.” X fluidly rose. Rhys loved watching her strong body move. She was a work of art.

  He, too, rose. As much as he wanted to snatch her up for one last kiss, or rather, their first kiss, it wasn’t the right time. She was amped, ready to hunt and fight. He was too, but for a far different reason after her feeding.

  Rhys went to the door, giving the same two knocks as he had before. Two knocks echoed in return farther down the hall, so he opened the door.

  Agent R and Agent Z waited for them. R was only a couple of inches taller than X, with ink-black hair, light-brown eyes, and an olive complexion. He was always partnered up with Agent Z, and sometimes they were partnered with another female vampire, Agent O. Agent Z wore a perma-sneer and kept her long walnut-colored hair drawn back in a severe bun.

  “The only way up to Madame G’s suite is by elevator,” Agent Z briefed them. “We can’t even flash up there. Not that it’d do you two any good,” she finished with a smug grin about her vampire ability over shifters.

  Rhys repressed a smirk. It might not do him any good, but X was a different story.

  X made a theatrical show of rolling her eyes. “Ouch, that one hurt, Zitch. Tell me again, how was your last daylight stroll? Oh yeah, you can’t even step out the door half the day.”

  Zitch sucked in on her teeth before shooting back. “Maybe if it’s raining. Smelling like wet dog isn’t an issue for us.”

  Rhys remained impassive, but X was never one to let a challenge go. “The last time I smelled wet dog, yo’ mama was panting under one.”

  Zitch’s eyes went wide before she broke out in a grin. “Nice. I’ll have to use it on Agent O.”

  Agent R shook his head before turning, expecting them to follow. “Demetrius should be in place.”

  Getting shot at, I hope. Rhys didn’t want to like Demetrius. Aside from his history with X, Demetrius was also cocky and a vampire. If the male was dishonorable and undependable, and didn’t care so deeply about his species’ future, it would be easier to hate him.

  They swept through the punishment ward in the compound, making their way to the creepy stairwell to get above ground. The plan was for the Guardians to attack the facility and engage the Agents, distracting them so Demetrius and his team could wipe out as many as they could.

  The structure still hadn’t been fully rebuilt since the Guardians launched the assault that helped E escape. Normally, they didn’t keep ammo of that scale on hand, but Demetrius had sources who supplied them with heavy artillery, then and now. As far as Madame G was concerned, the shifters regrouped and attacked before she could fortify her headquarters against another attack. They didn’t want her to figure out it was an inside job until it was too late.

  X didn’t know how Demetrius and Rhys planned to lure Madame G out of her suite. She rarely left, and when she did, it was only to flash in and out somewhere mysterious. The dark mistress made it hard to get to her for a very good reason. A lot of people wanted her dead.

  The elevator would only work if she was expecting someone and wanted them up there. The madam kept her quarters heavily warded so it was impossible to flash in.

  Or was it?

  Of course, X had never tried. Nothing would say, “Hey, I’m part vampire,” faster than a flash. The vampires who worked for Sigma had commented on it, but had any of them ever really tried?

  “How does Big D plan to get Madame G out of her hole?” X stopped, causing the rest to do the same.

  Agent R answered, “His best plan is to attack and fight our way toward her. She won’t leave and let all of her work get taken over.”

  “We should try to flash t
here,” X replied.

  “You on crack?” Z laughed. “Everyone knows we can’t flash into her office.”

  “Have you ever tried?”

  R and Z both looked at each other. “Well, no, but we’d have to bring you two dogs with, and the trip would disorient you too badly.”

  “I’ve flashed along plenty of times,” X lied smoothly. “I’m used to it.”

  “I’ll manage,” Rhys added firmly.

  X held out her hand. “Hang onto us and you two try to flash past her barrier simultaneously.”

  Agent R radioed Demetrius. She grabbed onto Rhys’ hand, making sure he didn’t get left behind if the flash worked.

  “All right,” R finally growled, showing his fangs. “He’s going to signal the attack. Once it begins, we’ll try to get into her office and hunt the bitch down.”

  Deep in the recesses of the edifice, they couldn’t feel much but faint vibrations as artillery hit the walls. The same walls that were still weakened from the Guardians’ last attack. Loaded with even more lead, this time the structure may not survive. Even if they didn’t get Madame G, they would seriously incapacitate her for a long amount of time.

  Z threw her hand on top of X’s and Rhys’ hands, waiting for R so they could flash.

  By now, shouts filtered through the walls and down the hallway as Agents and recruits were running up to defend the building.

  R used both his hands to cup the hands of the group. “One, two, three.”

  R and Z focused, X watched intently.

  Their first attempt didn’t work, whether it was due to Madame G’s shields or the added weight of trying to bring along two bodies. Both Agents closed their eyes for deeper concentration, and X took the opportunity to use her flashing ability to enhance their power.

  They shimmered and disappeared. Instead of instantly reappearing in the deep-red and royal-purple chambers of Madame G, the group hovered in nothingness. It was like they were pushing against an invisible wall, until the flood of potent vampire power overwhelmed even Madame G’s cryptic forces.