Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Whitney knows better than to send his soldiers after us, but he just can’t help himself.” He tightened his grip on Volter to hold him in place as he allowed the deep well inside him to open fully. “The dead bodies you and your friends found in the gorge? Those are my kills. Stupid to enter my terrain and challenge me.”
At hearing Diego’s name, Volter started to pull away, and then he relaxed, grinning, sure of himself and his ability to kill using his talent.
“None of them were friends of mine,” Jim said. “Where’s the woman? Did you kill her too?”
Diego’s body was flooded with electrical pulses, but that healing well of energy slid through his veins and arteries, settling the activity until it was normal. He brought up his other hand, palm out, inches from Volter’s chest as if he was showing him that he had no weapons—or he was about to push him away. They stared at each other, neither giving an inch. Volter was confident he could kill Diego and he remained relaxed, even when the heat pouring into one spot on his chest increased.
Diego shrugged casually as he continued to raise the temperature of Volter’s heart. “Leila? You’ll be happy to know she’s alive and well. Why would Whitney want her when he has her sister? He knows if you take her, it’s going to piss off some pretty important people.”
“Whitney knows there’s something special about her. He’s been talking to someone in that lab for a long time and knows all about Leila. He says he needs her to create the perfect soldier.” Volter’s grin turned evil. “You know what that means, don’t you? She’ll be up for grabs. I intend to be her partner, so if you had any aspirations in that department, you can forget them.” As he spoke, he sent a jolt of electricity arcing through Diego’s veins.
The healing energy rushed to swarm around the snapping, crackling massive charge of electricity bent on short-circuiting Diego’s heart. All the while, Diego continued to turn up the heat on the one location in Volter’s chest, directly over his heart.
Diego never looked away from his enemy. The intensity of the heat grew quickly. He’d always found it difficult to control when there was so much energy, and it gathered fast and was centered in a precise spot. Repairing arteries and veins had been a huge learning curve when it was done with heat.
Killing was so much easier. A concentrated amount of heat he didn’t have to control was all it took. With an animal, he euthanized as quickly and as humanely as possible. He had heated the body much slower than he normally would have to prevent Volter from realizing he was in trouble. Now, it was too late. By the time the soldier realized his chest felt as though it was on fire, his core temperature had risen too high and his organs were already shutting down. His heart couldn’t take the elevated temperature. His brain faltered.
Jim Volter fell to his knees and then collapsed on the trail. Diego was relentless, following him down, ensuring the man died quickly. He left him on the edge of the trail. There would be no visible signs of injury. No bullet wound. No knife stab. Diego removed the few tracks he’d left in the dirt when he’d confronted the soldier.
It wasn’t long before the others came looking. Russ and Bobby arrived together. Both rushed to Jim’s side and crouched low. Russ examined the body while Bobby kept a lookout.
“It looks to me like he was alone when he bought it,” Russ said.
At the uneasiness in Russ’s voice, Bobby twisted his neck and hissed in agitation. His body undulated, contorting continually.
“Knock it off, Bobby,” Russ snapped. “Get some control. We all have to learn control or we’re going to end up like this. I think his own talent killed him from the inside.”
Bobby cursed and put his hands on his hips. His arms were long and thick, the muscles moving incessantly.
Diego left them to it, taking to the trees to go back to the gorge. Dean would be looking out for Billy. Billy had to teleport back up to the main trail. He would be weak when he did so, and it would be Dean’s job to protect him until the weakness passed. Diego moved through the trees as quickly as his cat DNA allowed. He needed to see to Dean before Billy was out of the gorge and completely recovered.
He called to the red-tailed hawk to find Dean’s position, although he was certain the soldier hadn’t left the tree overlooking the gorge. Sure enough, the hawk gave a confirming cry. Diego didn’t hesitate. He moved with ease through the trees, using the abilities of a leopard. Fortune favored him in that the wind was picking up, going from a slight breeze to a stronger one. And it was blowing in the direction he was traveling. If foliage moved and caught Dean’s eye, he would put it down to the wind.