All the food was gone, and I wasn’t surprised to see her wave one of them toward the console.

  “Another full round and then some deserts - chocolate.”

  They spent the entire hour eating, talking, exchanging information, and I’d almost forgotten where I was as I listened, learning things I never would have suspected.

  “Yes, we can confirm that. People have already begun to come in for the meeting.”

  “Male or female?”

  “As many of each. It seems there are more males in the West.”

  “We even heard a tale of an entire city of men. Such is likely the dream of a drunken fool, but nevertheless, we’ve heard it.”

  “I’d give a lot to see that.”

  “Yes. If the Network knew and didn’t tell anyone, it might cause their downfall.”

  Angelica snorted. “It’ll take more than that.”

  She gestured toward the mess they’d made, and the men hurried to clear the evidence.

  “Would you like to pass messages somewhere?” she offered.

  “Would you be headed west from here?”

  “That could be.”

  “We’d tell Baker that there’s something bigger going on than the power meeting, that too many troops have been sent out.”

  “We’d tell him a new Safe Zone would be a good idea.”

  That was a secret I’d thought only the bachelors knew, and it was a surprise to find out that wasn’t true.

  “I’ll be sure that falls on the right ears.”

  “Will you also tell him now is the time if he plans to move against them? We’ve never seen more confusion as the new generation is brought in for training.”

  “Training?”

  “Every two generations, the next set of rulers are brought in and updated so they can take over. It’s the way the Network keeps control.”

  Angelica’s head was still turned toward my hiding place… how I would get back without being seen?

  Like she read the thought, Angelica stood up.

  “I’m sorry to leave you here.”

  “We’re sorry to see you go.”

  I ducked lower, holding my breath.

  She moved by me, for reaching the door…

  “Come along now, Jason.”

  My mouth dropped open as she stepped through, and I hurried to do as I’d been told, now worried over a punishment.

  Behind me, the conversation of the train males went on.

  “She’s a sharp one.”

  “She’ll keep Rankin away. You remember her cousin with the Snake Trackers last month?”

  “She took out five of them, and during mating, too. You can’t distract a Pruett when there’s danger around.”

  I stepped inside our car quickly when she held the door for me, and then stopped, waiting.

  “Did you learn anything useful?”

  I nodded slowly. “Yes, I think so.”

  Angelica moved toward the main bedroom. “So did I. Good night, Jason.”

  “Good night, Angelica.”

  Not sure what I’d expected, I watched her close the door with a slight smile. These Pruetts sure knew how to throw a man off and make him feel as though he didn’t know anything about women. I kinda liked that.

  What I didn’t like was Rankin being on this train with us. Because of my abduction delay, the train hadn’t left until almost dark. We still had another full day and night on the Network Rider, and I wasn’t happy about it anymore. The Head Defender might try to kill Angelica now that we were away from the city.

  Speeding relentlessly through the darkness toward my future, I settled onto the couch and the smooth chugging motion of the train quickly lulled me to sleep against my will.

  Chapter Eight

  Day 10

  Angelica

  The sound of the shower woke me, and it sent my mind back to the layered plans I’d been working on when Jason’s snores told me he was finally sleeping, and that I could, too.

  I’d expected to have a tail, plus the tracker hidden under the Pruett crest branded into Jason’s arm. I would remove it when we got into the Borderlands, where the Network would naturally lose the signal anyway, but those two paled in comparison to having the Head Defender lusting after your property, and I moved toward the small washroom with plots and possible outcomes flying.

  What I needed was more information, and as soon as I finished in my wash area, I headed for his. I didn’t change into more covering clothes, forcing myself to keep working on tolerance. We would only have a week at most, and I needed all the shoring-up I could get.

  When I eased inside that small, steamy room, Jason noticed right away, hands grabbing at the red towel slung over the bar.

  For an instant, I saw him again in the vision, with the naked skin of his chest beckoning to me from the flames…

  I turned toward the door so I wouldn’t be so distracted, but what I’d already seen started to repeat in slow detail behind my lids. The thin shower curtain hid nothing. He had a beautiful body.

  “Tell me about Rankin.”

  I listened to his movements - jeans coming up without drying, towel being draped around his neck. I stayed facing the wall.

  “She’s been waiting for me to go up for sale.”

  I grunted, already anticipating killing the woman for the pain I read in his words. She might have been waiting for him to reach selling age to fully take him, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t played with her toy.

  I switched to a safer subject. “How do you know about the rebels?”

  “We all know.”

  That had me turning around to lean against the door. Set up to match the rest of the train, after the sink, john, and shower, there wasn’t much room between us.

  Jason’s long, wet hair hung over those bronze shoulders in wild disarray, and his big body made claims that he wasn’t even aware of. He stepped from the shower, sending his delicious scent over me… I forgot to how to exhale.

  His skin glowed in the light, sparkling with dampness from his shower that stunned me with the fiery need it sent into my already boiling gut. Had I really thought he wasn’t as good looking as the others? I’d been blind. The man now stopped by the sink, waiting for my attack, was incredible.

  I shoved away from the wall. That was an understatement. Jason was perfect and I found the strength to turn away from him, but there was fire in my mind. “Give me the details.”

  I heard his sound of relief… and the undertone of disappointment.

  “Bachelors pick up a lot of gossip from their renters. One of us found out things the rebels need.”

  “Other than the Network knowing where the Safe Zone is?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it about the kids or one of the twelve experimental bachelors that only produce immune offspring?”

  I could feel him gaping at me, and I reigned in my torment with a sharp warning. “Close that mouth, Jason, or I’ll have to do it for you.”

  Jason

  There was a challenge to the words that I was surprised to find myself wanting to accept. What was it about this brutal bounty hunter? How could I be so scared and yet so attracted to her?

  “I have to talk to Baker. He’s in danger - they all are.” Telling her more than I would have anyone else, needing her to know it was real. “Please…”

  “I’m taking you.”

  I let out the breath I’d held. “And our deal stands?”

  Her shoulders stiffened, and I could feel the waves of heat radiating from her body. There was really only one thing she needed.

  “Pruetts don’t charge for good deeds. I’ll retrain you because you need it to survive.”

  Her voice said differently, though. It rang with hesitation. She wanted my services almost desperately, but she didn’t like the idea of taking it out in trade, even though it’s what she’d basically come to the Games for. What a paradox she was.

  I moved closer. Once I got her in the cuffs, some of my fear would ease... Angelica was obviously one of the ‘good’ women we’d heard of, and I liked the idea of being able to give her something in return for taking away the loving mate she’d thought she was gaining. If she really wanted to build up a tolerance, I could help.

  “Can we make an amendment to the deal?”

  The small room was thick with steam as she shook her head, sensing my ambush. “No.”

  “You don’t know what I’m offering.”

  She turned around with flaming eyes that stripped me naked.

  “Don’t I? Be careful offering yourself up as stock, Jason. It’s dangerous with a Pruett. We like to own things.”

  I saw she had herself under tight control despite the warning. I’d spent most of the night thinking about what I wanted and how to get it, and I moved forward with that plan now.

  I smiled invitingly. “Not stock. Just a friend, when you need one.”

  Angelica

  A friend, when you need one.

  That’s what Baker had been to Candice at one time. She’d suggested it to me, but I had snarled in frustration, expecting her to understand that I didn’t want one night here and there. I wanted… I wanted Jason.

  “You can trust me.”

  His hand moved, and I flinched back, afraid of hurting him, of snapping, of falling for a man who didn’t want me.

  He stopped, gaze going to the cuffs that were even on the walls of the washrooms. I watched him gather the nerve to try again, and I turned for the door. If he touched me, I might not be able to resist.

  “Angelica…”

  I didn’t want to snap - I wouldn’t snap!

  His big body moved behind me, hot hands settling firmly on my shoulders to send lightning through my skin.

  “You’ve given up so much for me.”

  His arms curled around my rigid waist and tugged me back against his hard heat. “Let me ease your pain a little... I’m well trained.”

  Jason

  She was holding her breath, afraid my smell would make her snap. She was scared.

  I could feel it and I didn’t like it. She had killed to win a mate and ended up with nothing to show for it except a male she was honor-bound to free, unable to use, and I suddenly couldn’t stand the feel of it. There was no reason for her to keep suffering.

  She would though, I had no doubt. If she couldn’t have all of me, she wasn’t interested… except that was a lie, wasn’t it? I knew what effect I had on her, how I could use it. I was scared of what might happen, but the need to help was stronger.

  When she turned, I stayed close, forcing her back against the wall. It was the one with the cuffs, but I didn’t think we’d need them this time. Angelica was already on the edge. She only needed a shove.

  When she stiffened, stopping to scold me, I dropped my mouth over hers for the kiss I’d secretly wanted since she’d stepped from the shower to fill my mind with her wet, perky body.

  Angelica went rigid, hands clenched between us in an effort to resist. Her body trembled and I pressed a second, softer kiss to the corner of her taunt lips. “Let me help you.”

  I drew back, bringing my hand up to cup her tense neck. Her eyes burned into mine, almost full red, and I pressed my luck by moving in for a third kiss. I wanted one she was willing for, a possible taste of the future, I thought.

  Angelica didn’t move as I touched her lips again, I wasn’t sure she could - her grip on herself was that tight - and I gave another shove. I leaned against her with my hard body, delighted to find that I was eager to render her a service.

  Angelica

  I wanted to say no, but the feel of his lips on mine was enough to halt my power of speech. I stood there, unable to speak, afraid to move.

  “Let me help you.”

  It was a fiery caress that pulled the flames up into a level of hell I’d never felt before. I was burning alive, with no way to put out the blaze.

  Jason shifted, pushing me back until I was pinned between him and the wall. His body was hard against mine…

  He moved again, stroking my nape, and I felt one of my bolts snap, go flying. His lips pressed against mine in a sweet rub that had my claws extending, cutting into my palms.

  His voice lowered into a nerve-searing tone. “I want to, Angel.”

  A second bolt went flying, and I closed my lids as his head moved toward mine. I raised a hand to push him away… and found it against his bare skin. Need, hot and heavy, settled into my groin and stole any rational thought.

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  But he was killing me this torment that I was honor-bound to refuse. I pushed against him and Jason covered my hand with his own, moving it up his satin skin to his shoulders…his neck…his hair!

  White heat flooded me as he tangled our fingers together in his silken locks and slowly moved for my mouth again. He knew what I wanted, how I was fighting the urge to crush him close, and he pressed harder this time, trying to draw a reaction.

  His mouth went to my jaw, my cheek, the corner of my lips, pressing light, agony-filled kisses. His hips shifted, rubbing, and I groaned as a third bolt snapped like old wood.

  His grip tightened at the sound of my pleasure and his hips ground against me in an instinctive thrust that I was helpless to resist. Liquid heat flooded my thighs and Jason knew, remorselessly taking advantage of my lust, my weakness. Sexy!

  “Will you kiss me?”

  He wasn’t playing fair and I surrendered this match, full of fire that I had no outlet for. If he could help me regain control this one time, I would carry the guilt afterwards.

  I very slowly extended my free hand toward the wall. The other wasn’t moving from his hair. “Cuff me.”

  Jason

  Her rough words sent a rush of blood into my stiff length that had me moving quicker than I intended. I rubbed against her chest as I snapped the cuff in place and she growled at me.

  I thought to take her other hand, but when I drew back, she captured my neck in an iron grip and dragged my mouth to hers. There were no rigid lips beneath mine now, only flames as she slid that tongue into my mouth and gave me the kiss of my dreams.

  She arched against me in abandon as I thrust forward, and I stretched the moment, confident in the cuff. I’d never known of a Changeling who could break titanium.

  Angelica wrenched away, gasping for air, and I didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. I sent both hands up her small waist to capture hot, rocky-tipped breasts that made me twitch against her thigh. I flipped the nipples with rough thumbs, wanting to see her, and watched my hands rip the material away.

  She had breasts a man could spend hours on and I bent down to get my first taste.

  Angelica

  He ripped my shirt off!

  The last bolt snapped, and I clutched his head closer, directing him to which aching peak needed his attention the most.

  “Oohh…”

  He suckled, hard enough to pull me against his body, hands sliding to my hips… the waistband of my shorts. His lips pressed rough kisses to my nipple and then dropped lower.

  “What are…”

  His mouth slid to my thigh as his hands pulled away my clothes and I felt the Change sweeping over me in waves.

  “Jason…”

  “Shh…”

  His breath on my skin was followed by a press of those lips that ripped a cry from mine. He did it again and I groaned in torment.

  The train began to chug up a slight incline, forcing me to lean against the door as the motion took my balance and Jason stole my ability to think. The motion of the train, combined with his movements… “Please!”

  Jason

  The taste of her!

  I lashed my tongue against her nub and drew another cry that had my hand coming up to hold a bare cheek so she couldn’t get away. I lashed her again, lingering to swirl, and felt her claws rip into my shoulder.

  The Change was coming, I needed to get her other hand cuffed, but she begged! The sound of it had me sucking on that sweet nub and holding on as she jerked violently in pleasure.

  More pain as she clenched a tight fist into my back, and then she was melting against me, filling my head with noises that had me thrusting against her leg. I wanted her!

  I took her up the levels quickly, but the urge to slow down and make it good for her, was unexpected. She was silken under my tongue, her rough groans sending heat into my gut, and when she raked me again in her climax, I grunted at the feel of it. This was the reaction Rankin had forced from me with her drugs and threats - the one she’d never been able to get willingly.

  Angelica had frozen, realizing I was swept up in her pleasure and I braced for a punishment. Rankin only let me enjoy things on her terms. I drew back slowly.

  “Stand up.”

  Hearing that tone, I was suddenly unsure. Had I gone too far? I wiped a fast hand over my chin, and straightened with my pants jutting out against her stomach.

  “This wasn’t part of our deal.”

  My head shot up at the gravelly tone, and I realized she wasn’t satisfied despite the orgasm. The Change was still here, glinting at me. How could she even talk when she was like that?

  “It is now.” My desire and her lack of anger made me reckless. “This is a part of my retraining.”

  I leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her cheek, and the movement put us chest to chest. I sucked in air at the chill of desire, caught off guard. My body was still tight, a condition I was usually forced to tolerate until it left…

  “Make contact, talk to me, be yourself with no rules or limits.

  I swallowed my fear and did as I’d been instructed. I slipped my arms around Angelica’s bare skin and held her close.

  My lips went to that spot just under her ear and she started to protest, unsure of my intentions. Wise, I thought, sliding forward to rock our bodies together. Rankin sometimes snapped when I did that, but Angelica only stayed still and let me have my way. Encouraged, I moved a little faster, hoping she wouldn’t make me stop yet.