Page 41 of Kane's Bounty
Chapter 7
It was true. He had never had sex while he’d had the other person be open to his probing mind. It was not something he’d ever even considered doing until his brother coerced them into a probe in the safe house. After that, it was constantly in the back of his mind. He wanted to have all of Lena all at once. The fact she allowed the intimacy astounded him. He felt sure she would have told him to go to hell. Everything about the woman in his arms surprised him.
Lena Cruz excited him in ways he never had expected. She was beautiful and he found her attractive, but he found many women attractive. Certainly, he wanted to fuck her almost all of the time, but he also wanted the life in the second vision. It was a life he had never dreamed of for himself. He’d never wanted to have people need him that way. He didn’t keep the kind of hours conducive to a family. It was impossible, and yet, here she was, in his arms.
He ached with need for what the stones had only given him a glimpse of. His entire body had reacted to the idea. The child in the vision was already a part of him. If the first vision came to pass, it would be more than just Lena’s body zipped into the body bag. His children would be dead as well. Pain streaked across his chest and he reached up, wiping a tear from his cheek.
This is crazy.
Joshua had asked if he was in love with Lena and he had not really known how to answer, having no prior experience with the emotion. It had gotten him wondering about all of the new feelings that coursed through his mind. One thing he knew for certain, he had to protect her. He couldn’t let the outcome in the first vision come to pass.
That unpleasant thought was his last before Lena’s even breathing lulled him to sleep.
* * *
Kane feltTroth Banta even before the presence of another telepath woke him. The mercenary’s Psi abilities niggled at the back of Kane’s mind, forcing his eyes open.
“Lena, get dressed fast.” He pushed out of bed and she was on her feet in seconds.
She did as he said and pulled her clothes on. “What is it?”
“Banta.” Kane walked to the window and peered out of the corner of the curtain without disturbing the cloth. He could see the parking lot and trees beyond. No sign of any person, but he knew they were close. With only one way out of the room, he pulled on his clothes, grabbed his duffle and dug out the gun his brother had provided. Then he opened the door slowly.
“Stay close,” he said.
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew it was too late. Banta’s mind pressed down on his and he had to fight to keep the mercenary from ripping him to shreds. He shielded his mind, throwing up his wall as quickly as possible while turning to grab Lena.
One of Banta’s soldiers already had his arm wrapped around her and was pressing a knife to her throat. Kane froze. Three other soldiers all dressed in black from head to toe and wearing black masks had surrounded him. He might have been able to fight his way out, but if he did, he would never save Lena.
Troth Banta had a deep, almost musical voice. “Impressive. I can usually crush a mind in seconds. I planned to leave you here for that brother of yours to find. Please drop the weapon.” Banta stepped out of the shadows. The bright whites of his eyes stood out against his dark-chocolate skin. He approached Kane with sure strides and looked down at him.
He had little choice, so he dropped the gun. Even though he was the enemy, Kane couldn’t help being impressed by the sheer size of the man. If Kane had not been properly trained as an agent, Banta might have been able to overpower him with his mind. He could have been left in a vegetative state on the pavement for Joshua to find.
“I didn’t know you were acquainted with my brother. Most people don’t even know we’re related.”
Banta looked him up and down as if he were a rare insect, which he was trying to decide if he should crush or study. “He and I served together before I decided to take another path.”
“One where you do the bidding of scum like Oscar Thorn,” Kane said.
“Thorn is one of my clients. He pays well and doesn’t interfere with my methods. He and I share the view that the senses we were given put us in another class than the rest of humanity. Their laws of right and wrong do not apply to men like me. If you were smart, you would realize they don’t apply to you either, Lakeland.”
Kane’s anger bubbled beneath the surface, but he kept his mental wall in place. “That kind of thinking is a sign of insanity, Banta.”
The big man laughed. “I like you, Kane Lakeland. Everything I’ve heard about you tells me you’re as good a soldier as your brother, if not quite as psychically gifted. You should consider joining my team. I might even be able to get you your own squad in a month or two. It would be very profitable for you.”
“What about Lena?” Kane wished he could open his mind and assure her they were not done yet. Her eyes were wide with fear, but he couldn’t risk letting Banta get in his head.
Banta turned and looked at Lena. She was still tightly held in the grip of one of his men. “I’m afraid her fate is sealed. I’ve contracted to bring her back to Thorn and assist him in getting the information from her he needs.”
“Then I’m afraid I can’t entertain your offer.”
Banta frowned. “Foolish. You can’t win and she isn’t worth all the trouble of dying. Thorn wants to kill you himself, but I had hoped to talk you into joining me. I was even willing to buy you from Thorn. You wouldn’t have come cheap either. Once Thorn learned you were sleeping with his ex, he became obsessed with wanting to kill you.”
“How did he hear that?”
“Wade told him.”
“I thought Wade was working for the government.”
