Free Temptress by Lola Dodge Page B

but my hand wouldn’t move.
    “Well, this is awkward.” A female voice spoke from the doorway. My eyes were like rusted bowling balls in their sockets, but I managed to get a look. Red hair. Tight dress.
    Deena.
    “Drake isn’t going to like it,” she said. “You good, Sam?”
    A minion with a goatee nodded at her shoulder. This would be the time freeze guy. Why were they at my place? And couldn’t they have waited half an hour?
    Frickin’ A.
    I reached for any power I could grab, but the minion knew what he was doing. Nothing. Tank’s gaze was empty, but at least I was still with it.
    Sam and Deena hoisted Tank from the water while I sat frozen. As soon as he was out, Deena brushed the droplets from her dress with a scowl. “Get Thinktank back to base. I’ll take care of her.”
    The scene blurred, and Sam disappeared with Tank in tow. Deena muscled me out of the tub and let go. My butt thwacked the concrete. It stung, but it was nothing compared to the kind of pain I was used to. That, and my system ran on Vicodin.
    Deena pulled a tiny gun from her clutch and fiddled with a rectangular case. I caught a glimpse of feathered darts.
    The bitch was going to tranq me?
    My toes twitched. Goatee guy’s power was loosening, but I wouldn’t be able to beat Deena in a fight. Best tactic? Save her for later.
    It took all my strength to summon the power I wanted. I controlled the energy, targeting the phase shift directly at her feet. This time, she couldn’t get away.
    The ground rippled, and Deena screeched. She jumped, but as soon as she landed, she plunged to her calves, and her case of darts tumbled away. I let the power go and the floor solidified, trapping her where she stood. She couldn’t reach me or her ammunition.
    Which was good, because a lance of pain jabbed my body. I’d thought I was recovered from the scene at the casino, but apparently not.
    The world fuzzed. I hoped Tank was okay. Wherever he was, I’d get him back.
    We had unfinished business, and I wanted my kiss.
     
     
    Water soaked me. Ice cold. Not from a hot tub. My eyes wouldn’t focus.
    Where was Jenny?
    “Finally awake?” The guy sounded amused, and his voice was slightly nasal. I could already tell he was a douche bag. When I finally blinked him into focus, my assessment was confirmed. Frosted tips, clothes out of a menswear catalog and a cocky smile. I would’ve hit him, but I was tied to a chair.
    “Drake,” I guessed.
    “Knew you were a smart one.” Drake took a seat on the other side of a sprawling mahogany desk. Four monitors surrounded him, and a fifth one faced me, recording with a web cam.
    “What is this?” I strained against the ropes, but it was a professional job. I hardly had room to breathe, though I managed to turn my head. It was a bland office, with no Jenny in sight.
    “An auction.” Drake rattled off some keystrokes. “And the bidding begins at one million. You’re going to make me a rich man, Mr. Hero. Well, a richer man.” He leaned forward and the glowing screens reflected in his eyes. “Hope you were being good to my Jenny.”
    “Your—” The web cam showed the vein pulsing in my neck. “What did you do to her?”
    “Left her right at home where she’s safe. I’ll stop by later and hide all this from her memory. You too. I don’t like heroes messing with my girl’s heart.”
    “I’ll kill you.” It came out as a growl. Who was this bastard?
    “Yes.” Drake’s fingers flew over his keyboard. “Get angry. One of the heiresses just upped it to fifty mil, though between you and me, I’m hoping the villains win out.”
    If he was serious, I was royally screwed. The villains I’d worked against would pay through the nose to get me on a rack, and they wouldn’t kill me. I’d just want to die.
    I needed my powers. In three seconds I could hack his mind, read every thought he’d ever had and overtake his will. Without powers, I couldn’t get myself out of the fucking chair.
    “She