Predatory Game

CHAPTER 13

Rain greeted them as they pulled out of the drive and headed for Patsy’s estate. Jesse and Patsy’s grandparents had left both of them well off, and Patsy lived only a few miles from her brother, the back of her property connecting to the same thick wooded area. A month after Jess’s legs had been damaged she had purchased the property next to his and bought into the radio station. It actually took longer to drive to her house than walk through the woods to it, as they had to circle around following the roads.

“What are we going to say to her?” Saber asked.

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Jess snapped and then shot her a quick, apologetic look. “I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”

Saber swallowed hard and stared out the window into the driving rain. The storm was moving in fast. The weatherman had been predicting a major storm for several days and it was finally here, the heavy layer of thick fog blotting out the stars and moon. Lightning veined the underside of the ominous dark clouds swirling overhead, and unease slid down her spine. “I’m sorry, Jess. I should have found a way to tell Patsy without giving away the fact that I’m a trained psychic.”

“I’m not upset with you, Saber, just the situation. And I have no idea what to tell Patsy at four in the morning, but I have to go. I feel a sense of urgency, which is silly I suppose, but I just can’t take chances with her life.”

“She’s your family. And I think it’s best to tell her immediately and get her to a hospital.” She yawned. “I’m actually tired. It’s still dark and I’m tired. Amazing.”

He reached over and ran his finger along the back of her hand. Her stomach clenched. It was the first gesture of affection or tenderness he’d shown her since she’d revealed she thought there might be something wrong with Patsy’s heart, and she instantly felt happy. It was odd caring about another human being. You sort of got sucked in whether you liked it or not, because her affection-and her need to protect-carried to his sister as well.

“I was looking forward to sleeping with you. I love the idea of waking up with you in my bed, wrapped in my arms, your face the first thing I see.”

It wasn’t fair that he could say things like that to her and make her body go into hyperdrive. But even more unfair was the way he made her heart and soul reach for him. Run to him. Need him. How ironic, considering she’d always been so independent, considering how she’d struggled for freedom. And now Jess was holding her as surely as if she were in a cage.

Lightning flashed across the sky and a few seconds later thunder boomed. The windshield wipers could barely keep up with the pouring rain. Ordinarily she enjoyed storms, but this time her heart pounded and her mouth went dry.

Jess drove down the winding road leading through the thick grove of trees that separated his estate from his sister’s. “Don’t regret loving me, Saber.”

She gave an exaggerated flinch. “Don’t be saying ‘love,’ dragon king. I’m not really used to that yet and I’m letting my mind go there slowly.”

“You’re crazy about me.”

“I’m crazy, that I’ll agree with. The rest of it…” She trailed off deliberately and waited for the sound of his laughter.

She loved the sound of his voice, the way it seemed to wash into her body and fill her with warmth and a sense of peace-and she needed peace right now. The storm seemed to be really affecting her, her body wound tighter and tighter, her breath coming in ragged little gasps and her pulse racing.

Jess sent a quick grin, but it didn’t ease the fear growing in her. She rolled down her window and inhaled sharply, waiting to feel the night around her. “Slow down.”

His smile faded and he did as she asked. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“I don’t know, but I think you should pull over.”

“We’re only a few yards before we hit the entrance to Patsy’s place,” Jess pointed out, but he slowed the van until they were barely moving.

Her heart was racing now and prickles raced across her skin. She tasted fear in her mouth. “Someone is broadcasting tremendous fear. I can hear the heartbeat thundering in my ears and it isn’t…right.”

Jess swore. “Patsy. It’s Patsy, isn’t it?” He accelerated. “She’s having a heart attack.”

Saber put her hand on his arm. “No, it isn’t that. Pull over and cut your lights. Did Ken and Mari follow us?” She swiveled around in her seat looking for headlights.

Jess did as she asked and rolled down his window as well, trying to feel the flare of energy that signaled something was wrong. Whatever it was, they were a distance away. Saber had to be very sensitive to feel it.

“I’m going in. Pull the van around to the back of Patsy’s property and leave the engine running and the doors open. We’ll make our way to you.”

“That’s bullshit, Saber. We don’t even know what’s going on. We’ll wait for Ken and Mari and go in at full strength.”

Saber swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We need them here as soon as possible, but something’s not right and I have to try to get to Patsy now.” Her hand fluttered against her throat. It was getting harder to breathe. “I have to go now, Jess.”

He caught her wrist, his grip hard. “No, Saber.”

Her gaze locked with his. “I don’t think she’s alone.”

“We’ll wait for Ken and Mari.”

“We don’t have the time.” Her hands trembled. “She’s terrified, Jess. You have to trust me, trust in my abilities. I can get into and out of places without detection. I can do this.”

“It isn’t a matter of trust, Saber. I’m not risking you. I can’t risk you.”

She tilted her chin. “You wouldn’t say that to Ken or Mari. You can’t get into the house without being seen and you know it. I can. Patsy needs me and I’m going.” She tugged at her hand, trying to get free.

“I’m in a fucking wheelchair. What’s going to happen if you get caught?”

“The wheelchair has never mattered, Jess. If something happens, you’ll get us out. I know you will.” Her blue eyes met his. “I trust you completely.”

He swore, his gaze angry, furious even, but he nodded his head, jerking her close and catching the back of her head to hold her still while he kissed her. He ground his mouth hard against hers.

She tasted the potent mixture of fear and anger, a fierce need to protect, helplessness, but most of all a predator unleashed. She kissed him back, trying to convey confidence and love all wrapped together.

Jess rested his forehead against hers, his fingers shaping the nape of her neck. “Stay in communication with me. I’m a strong telepath. I’ll hear you.”

“I will.”

“No, Saber. Promise me. No matter what’s going on. Don’t let your fear or your need to protect me stop you from telling me what’s happening. I’ll need all the data in order to have a plan of action.”

“I promise.” And she meant it. Because no matter what, Jess Calhoun was lethal, and if she needed him, he would find a way to get to her.

Jess reached up and flicked the overhead light off. “I’ll pull around to the back of the house, but you need to make certain the way is clear. If they have a guard posted, once I turn onto the drive, lights or not, they’ll know I’m heading for Patsy’s house.”

“I’ll clear the guard.”

He pulled a gun and silencer from a compartment behind the glove box. “Take this and the spare clip.”

“What about you?”

“I’m armed. Just be careful.” He kissed her again, this time gentle, tender, wanting her to feel loved. “I’ll be pissed if anything happens to you.”

“Right back at you,” Saber said and cracked open the door.

She dropped to the ground and took off running to the deepest part of the woods surrounding Patsy’s house without looking back. It had taken precious time to convince Jess to let her go in alone and she knew what it had cost him in pride. If it were anyone else but Patsy in danger, he would have tried to stop her-and a part of her found that thrilling. No one had ever worried about her before.

Lightning flashed again, this time rippling across the sky in a jagged bolt. Immediately thunder cracked so loud the trees and heavy brush shivered. Saber was drenched within moments of leaving the van, the cold penetrating through her thin clothing. She moved swiftly toward the house. She’d only been to Patsy’s house once before.

Saber had been living in Jesse’s house about five months and his sister had wanted to make certain Jess was safe with her. Patsy had asked Saber not to discuss their meeting with Jesse, and she hadn’t, but trying to hide anything from Jess was next to impossible. He had eyes and ears everywhere and he’d known about Patsy and Saber’s meeting even before it was over. Of course Jesse hadn’t been happy about his sister trying to protect him, but Saber had instantly liked her for it.

Saber slipped through the trees, approaching the side of the house. The rain poured down through the leaves, the pattern unmistakable, so when the discordant note was introduced, Saber sank back into the shrubbery near the windows and waited. Someone was patrolling around the perimeter of the house.

She waited, crouched low, breathing away the stark fear Patsy radiated from within the house. Even the vicious storm couldn’t tamp down the energy of violence, rather the wild winds and streaks of jagged lightning seemed to feed it until her stomach heaved in rebellion. She prayed Jess was far enough away from the house that he wasn’t picking up Patsy’s terror, or there’d be no holding him in the van.

As the guard approached, Saber dropped to her hands and knees. The guard was a short, stocky man with wide shoulders and an easy swing to his gait. He could handle himself and that wasn’t good. Saber willed him to stop, hoping she could get a hand on him, but he kept moving, watching the drive and all ways to approach the house. Panic began to creep in, flooding her system with adrenaline, and she knew Patsy was close to collapse.

Fighting off the waves of dizziness, she waited until the guard was almost on top of her and then rolled out from under the brush, right at his feet, the gun in her hand as she squeezed the trigger and hit him dead center in the forehead. She kept rolling as he toppled to the ground, facedown in the small puddle of water collecting in the flower bed. She landed next to several small ornamental trees, the violent energy crashing over her, piercing her skull like a thousand knives.

She tried to shut it out, pressing her hands to her head, but it was already inside, where she had no filters. There was no way to escape the pain, jackhammers pounding at her skull, the thunder of death, the silent scream of her victim. She rolled in agony, eyes closed, trying to breathe it away. She barely made it to her knees when her stomach rebelled, heaving over and over.

She had to get hold of herself. She was extremely vulnerable and Patsy desperately needed help. Unfortunately, even with a shield, if someone was torturing Patsy-and Saber was beginning to fear it was so-then the violent energy would slide under the shield and debilitate her, as this energy had done. Only an anchor could draw violent energy permanently away. The shield simply kept her energy from alerting others that she was close.

Ordinarily when she killed, she made certain her target was destroyed fast and with as little knowledge or pain as possible. She introduced a natural means, rather than a brutal blasting away of life. She’d never killed using a weapon, although she was proficient, and she was unprepared for the backlash.

She dragged herself to her feet, stumbling, her head still pounding, every movement jarring her teeth and sending shards of glass through her skull. This wasn’t going to be easy. She staggered around the flower bed to the window and unexpectedly the pain eased, and then disappeared altogether. She knew before she turned that she wasn’t alone.

Jess! Relief and fear mingled together. She spun around looking for enemies. Jess couldn’t outrun anyone or hide sitting in his wheelchair as he was. But without the pain she could think with clarity and interpret what she was feeling much easier.

He pulled her close to him, inspecting for damage. You can’t go in there alone, not after this. His voice was edgy, angry even, but his hands were gentle as he stroked her hair.

I have to go in there, Jess. Something bad is happening. She didn’t want to go in. “Something” wasn’t happening. Violence was happening. The moment she stepped foot in the house, the energy would have a target. With Jess close, it would be much easier to deal with, but she would have to get both Patsy and Jess out of danger.

You shouldn’t be here. It didn’t matter that she wanted him there, it was far too dangerous.

Get it done. I’ll be around at the back of the house. Try for the basement, but if you can’t make it, go out the attic. You’re especially good at that, aren’t you? I’ll cover you. Just bring her out, Saber.

Saber nodded and turned back to the window. She had almost handed the gun back to him, but hesitated. As awful as the backlash would be, using the gun might be the only way to save Patsy’s life. Whoever was in the house with her was playing for keeps, and the guard hadn’t been an amateur. What a mess.

She tested the window. Of course it was locked. Patsy had a security system, Saber knew, but considering the intruders in the house, she figured the system was likely off. She didn’t have time for finesse, and the room was empty. She waited, elbow poised, for the next boom of thunder. When it came, she hit the glass and reached through to disengage the lock.

It took only seconds to dive through the window and hit the floor, rolling for the cover of the sofa she’d seen during that brief meeting at Patsy’s house. The room was carpeted and most of the glass shards had fallen on a long, heavily cushioned window seat, making little noise. She smelled blood the moment she was inside. Fear hit her in waves. Red-black energy washed over and into her with brutal force. She choked and fought back the blackness swirling at the edges of her vision.

Jesse!

I’m here, baby. Breathe your way through it. I’m almost in position.

She could already feel the lessening of the violent energy as Jess got close enough to the house to draw it away from her. And how close was that exactly? Her heart thudded too hard in her chest and she bit down on her lip to steady herself. She couldn’t think about Jess and what these men would do to him if they got their hands on him. She had to keep her mind on her shield, build it as strong as possible to mask her presence as she began to search for Patsy.

She concentrated on being small and invisible, fading into the background, moving slow and low to the floor. With the small glimpses she’d had of the interior of Patsy’s house committed to her memory, she made her way to the sweeping double staircase that led to the wraparound art gallery. Paintings covered the walls going up the stairs and were displayed in alcoves along with sculptures on intricate pedestals. The curved gallery opened into the upstairs bed-and bathrooms, and already she knew exactly where Patsy was.

Two statues lay smashed on the parquet floor and there was a smear of blood along the wall near what was most likely the master bedroom. She heard men’s voices, slightly raised, harsh tones, the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Patsy’s cry of pain. Saber made it through the rubble without incident, conscious that she had no time to cover her tracks. If there was a third guard, he would see the marks of her passage, but it couldn’t be helped. Terror was coming at her in waves, even with Jess’s close proximity. The intent of the intruders was to brutalize, torture, and kill Patsy, and that energy was red-edged and horrific.

Saber ignored her churning stomach by reaching out to Jess, to find his calm, to feel the warmth of his mind.

Tell me.

She couldn’t tell him. Nothing would stop him from coming in, and how would she ever protect both of them? I’m almost there.

Saber peered into the bedroom. One man stood over Patsy, who was duct taped to a chair, her upper body naked and water dripping from her wet hair and skin. Bruises were already forming on her face, one eye closing, and marks marred her breasts and stomach. She wept continually, shaking her head.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It doesn’t matter how much you hurt me, I don’t know. My brother was a Navy SEAL but he’s in a wheelchair now. Whatever you’re thinking he’s doing, he’s not. He couldn’t be.”

The man standing in front of her slapped her again and the second leaned in with a long-handled paddle, touching Patsy’s breast so that her body convulsed and she screamed as electricity sizzled.

Saber’s stomach flipped as she crawled into the room, coming up behind the first man who had slapped Patsy. He was medium height, but strong looking. He laughed and began to unbuckle his belt.

“She likes that, John. She’s into pain, you can see she’s getting horny. Look at her nipples.” He pulled off the belt and swung it at Patsy. “Lie all you want, bitch, but you’ll tell us in the end. We want names. His friends. Who he works for. Everything.”

The belt left a long welt across Patsy’s breasts and stomach. Her body jerked, but she didn’t scream this time, she just shook her head helplessly, her eyes wild.

“Tell us or your legs will be smashed just like his, bitch.”

Although the men were torturing Patsy, using depraved and brutal methods, Saber wasn’t necessarily getting sexual energy from them. Even the laughter wasn’t genuine. This was business. They would take Patsy apart-her body, her soul, her mind-until they knew everything she knew, and then they would kill her. It was simply business to them.

“Again, Greg, hit her again.” John bent toward Patsy, catching her hair and yanking her head back. “You’ll look good in stripes. Of course, we’ll stop anytime you want to tell us the truth about your brother.”

Patsy’s gaze jumped around the room searching desperately for a way out. Saber was now in position, on the floor directly behind the man called John, who still had Patsy by the hair.

Saber placed the pads of her fingers very gently on his ankle even as her gaze met Patsy’s. I’m going to have to kill him right in front of her. There was anguish in Saber’s voice when she confessed to Jess. There was no choice.

Already Patsy’s gaze had widened, hope pushing through pain and terror as her mind grasped the possibility of rescue. Saber blocked out everything but John’s heartbeat. Finding it. Melding with it. Disrupting it. She didn’t have time for finesse. She had to take him out fast, introducing a massive heart attack.

A solid kick landed in her stomach as Greg attacked, rolling her over, sending her halfway across the room, as John went down, clutching his chest. She kept rolling, aware of Patsy’s desperate screams, of the man coming at her, rage on his face, swinging the belt at her body over and over. She felt the blows landing, but she didn’t flinch, rolling onto her back, gun in her hand, finger squeezing the trigger over and over, watching as holes blossomed in the body, a small circular pattern in the middle of his throat. If nothing else, she was accurate.

And then everything went black and red as violent energy, anger and pain and brutal death came at her, laying greedy hands on her, grabbing her by the throat and shutting down her airway even as ice picks slammed into her skull from every direction. She tasted blood in her mouth, felt it on her face, wiped it from her eyes. She was dead, but Patsy was safe. As long as there wasn’t another enemy close, Jess would come for his sister. The roaring in her head increased and she rolled over, writhing, her body beginning to convulse.

Breathe, Saber. Damn it, you fucking breathe. Jess’s voice filled her mind, a clear command from a man clearly used to obedience.

It would have been comical if she weren’t struggling for survival. If she could breathe, she’d be doing it. She fought for air, tried coming to her knees, but was driven back to the floor by the pain. She was losing consciousness. Maybe her life.

Jess was there, on the floor beside her, dragging her into his arms, pulling her head back and lifting her stomach. “Take a breath, Saber. One fucking breath, that’s all I’m asking for.”

The terrible crushing stone on her chest and head eased with Jess’s close proximity, but she couldn’t hear or see properly. There was real pain now, all through her body, her ribs, her back, even her face. Had the belt struck her a dozen times before she got a shot off? How many times had he kicked her? It felt as if she’d been run over by a truck.

Jess pushed her hair back as he laid her on the floor, careful to keep her body from the blood staining Patsy’s ivory carpet. He turned his head quickly to assure himself that Patsy wasn’t in any danger. She was fighting the tape, trying to get out of the chair, her horrified gaze on the blood dripping from Saber’s eyes and mouth.

“What’s wrong with her, Jess?”

“She’ll be all right.” He sent up a silent prayer that it was true. “Give me a minute and I’ll get you loose.” He breathed for Saber, trying to find a way to get air into her bursting lungs.

Saber stirred. Groaned. Her lashes fluttered. She gasped and spat blood. Rolling, she came to her knees, clutching her stomach. “Patsy?” She glanced at Jess’s sister, her vision blurry. Patsy’s color was off, her face pale, sweat beading on her forehead and mingling with the water that had been poured over her.

Jess steadied her. “Can you stand?”

The energy was gone, drawn away from her by Jess’s presence, but the aftermath was there, pounding in her head and strangling her lungs. She fought to take a breath, and then a second. More blood seeped from her nose. She wiped away the tracks on her face, spat again to clear her mouth.

“Saber?” Jess’s hands went to her hips, holding her as she staggered to her feet.

She had to hang on to his shoulder, cling to his chair in order to stay standing. “How many, Patsy?”

“Four. I saw at least four, but I thought there were more.”

“I only got three of them,” Saber said and wiped at her mouth. She’d never been so shaky. Killing with a gun wasn’t for her, certainly not this close to the victim and not in an enclosed space.

“Sit down, baby,” Jess said, his hands gentle as he pulled her onto his lap. “Just rest for a minute while I get Patsy free.”

“She said at least four, Jesse. I only got three.” She pushed the gun onto his lap. “I can’t use this, not again.”

Saber helped Jess cut through the duct tape holding Patsy to the chair. Every movement was painful, but she forced herself to keep going, pulling clothes from a drawer and helping Patsy to put on the soft sweatshirt to cover the terrible marks on her body.

“I can’t stop crying,” Patsy said, collapsing onto her brother’s lap. “I was so scared, Jess. They were going to kill me.” She flung her arms around his neck, sobbing, burying her face against his chest.

“I know, honey,” he said, trying to comfort her and watch the door at the same time. “We’ve got to make a run for it.” He caught Saber’s hand. “Can you do this? I need to know, Saber.”

She forced air into her burning lungs, her throat raw, the taste and smell of blood forever etched into her senses. She nodded. “I’m good. Let’s get Patsy out of here.”

She didn’t wait for his piercing gaze to assess her, afraid she’d collapse. Saber inched her way around the bodies, careful not to touch either of them. They were going to make a run for it. A man in a wheelchair, Saber unable to breathe properly, and Patsy tortured and traumatized. “I never realized what an optimist you are,” she muttered as she peeked around the corner. “We’re clear. Move fast.”

The elevator, which Saber hadn’t known existed, was to the left of the bedroom. It was small and hidden by the long columns that formed arches to frame the art pieces. With Patsy on his lap, Jess powered the chair with fast bursts of speed across the gallery floor while Saber guarded the stairs.

“No wonder you managed to get in so fast.”

“Patsy put in ramps for me at the back entrance because it was easier to maneuver and close to the elevator if I wanted to go up to the second floor.” His gaze met Saber’s over Patsy’s head. He was frowning. Patsy was rocking now, back and forth, making small keening sounds of distress. She looked gray, her skin cold and clammy. I think she’s going into shock.

Who could blame her? Those men were terrorizing her deliberately for information on you. She wouldn’t mind going into shock herself, as battered as she was. She was an assassin, and she’d killed, but not like this, not this brutal, ugly, messy death. She did it with style and no fanfare. Quiet and natural as if it were meant to happen. She even tried to lessen pain and fear for her targets.

Saber felt rather than heard movement. On the stairs, Jesse. Patsy has to be quiet. Get her into the elevator with you and I’ll distract them.

Fuck that. You’re coming with us.

She sent him one telling look. The elevator was going to make noise. No matter how modern, it wasn’t silent when running. The enemy would know and would be standing at the door, blasting away as it opened.

Damn it, Saber. But he was already using powerful strokes to propel the chair down the hall to the small cage. Saber inserted her body between Jess’s and the stairs. She no longer had the gun, but it didn’t matter. Her mind would never take another assault and survive. There had to be another way.

Two men leapt onto the gallery floor, rolling away from each other to take cover behind the massive columns. Before Saber could react, the paintings and sculptures began to shake, the floor undulating. She caught at the banister for support, glancing at Jess in alarm.

Take cover, Saber.

She didn’t have time for much more than dropping down with her hands over her head for protection as sculptures began to fly through the air. Statues and paintings crashed around and into the columns. Pieces of the frames became weapons, hurtling through the air like missiles.

I think this is considered priceless art, Jesse. Saber peered through her fingers. He was destroying Patsy’s art gallery. Glass and plaster whirled in the air so that it created a screen.

Now, Saber. Run. Let’s get out of here. We have a better chance outside. Jess cursed himself for shutting down his team earlier. With the capture of the two locals and Chaleen discovered, neither he nor Ken nor Mari had felt any immediate threat. He cursed under his breath as he directed a painting to slam down over the top of the head of one of the gunmen.

Saber moved fast, her small figure a blur as she came rushing toward him. The elevator door slammed shut and they were moving. Jess counted the seconds it took to get to the first floor-an eternity when the two gunmen had only to run down a flight of stairs. He could only hope that both were so shaken by the strange phenomenon of flying art that they remained where they were for a few moments, although they were professionals. They hadn’t fired blindly, or panicked, either of them.

The door slid open and he propelled the chair out onto the floor of the small room Patsy used as a den. That was the other advantage Jess figured he had. The elevator shaft was hidden in the walls and all the panels appeared to be smooth. Even if the enemy had a house plan, the location of the elevator doors wasn’t included. Patsy had installed the lift within the past year. They wouldn’t have any way of knowing which room the elevator opened into.

“You hanging in there, Pats?” Jess asked, worried about his sister.

Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was racing. Her skin was cold and clammy and she wasn’t even attempting to hold herself up, slumping against him as if she were too exhausted to move.

“Talk to me, sis,” Jess said, powering the chair down the hall to the back of the house, where he’d parked the van beside the ramp. Saber, something’s wrong.

Saber shook her head. They were in a hell of a mess. She could hear the men running through the house. They have radios. Someone’s outside.

Fuck. I left the van running. They’ve got us trapped. Because whoever was outside would be waiting in that van, or at a vantage point where they could pick off anyone running to it. He had two women to protect, and if the enemy got their hands on either of them, they’d have Jess by the balls.

Give me some direction. Saber skidded to a halt.

The basement. Through the kitchen. The door’s to the left of the pantry.

Stairs? She was not hiding in a basement while he tried to outrace them in his chair. Jess, I’m not leaving you. She didn’t care if he used his manly I’m-in-command voice and glared at her, she was sticking to him like glue.

I’ll be with you. Just go. Get there fast before they find us.

Saber ran, following Jess’s instructions on left and right turns. She yanked open the door. Her heart sank. The stairs were narrow and steep, although there weren’t that many of them.

Help Patsy.

Saber dragged the taller woman from Jess’s lap, getting an arm around her waist. Patsy said nothing, barely opening her eyes, slumping her weight against Saber, nearly knocking her down the stairs.

Hurry, Saber. You’ll have to get my chair and then close the door.

Saber didn’t look at him, terrified at what he planned. She concentrated on getting Patsy down the stairs. The woman wasn’t walking, so Saber had no choice but to half carry, half drag her. She left Patsy slumped on the floor of the basement and rushed back to see Jess swinging his body from his chair and, using only upper body strength, began to descend the stairs.

The muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged with the effort, and she found her breath catching in her throat. There was determination on his face, his mouth firm, eyes glittering with menace. Even on the stairs, pulling the lower half of his body, he managed to look more predator than prey. She swallowed her admiration and jumped over him, landing like a cat beside the chair to yank it out of the way so she could close the door.

The basement instantly went pitch black. For a moment there was silence, then Jess swore beneath his breath and struck a match. “There’s a light switch near the door, Saber, can you see it?”

She flicked it and below, back toward the wall, a single bulb lit up. “I take it Patsy doesn’t use this much.”

“No. Hurry. Get down here. We’ll have to turn off the light again and unscrew the bulb so it won’t work when they try it.”

She was already carrying the chair down to him, taking the stairs two at a time. Placing the chair beside him, she raced to the back of the room and unscrewed the lightbulb, once more plunging the room into darkness.

“They’ll be coming, Jesse. They aren’t going to be fooled into thinking we’re gone.”

She crouched down beside Patsy and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, aware of Jess moving toward them in the dark. Only the energy field allowed her to “see” where everyone was. Although she was listening intently for the sound of the enemy, she automatically picked up the rhythm of Patsy’s heart-and stiffened.

“Jesse. We’ve got a problem. Can you get over here now? Feel your way to us? You have a clear path. Right now.” She turned Patsy’s limp body over so she lay on her back. Pressing her palm over Patsy’s heart, Saber looked toward Jesse in dismay.