Free Seducing Eve (Guardians of Atlantis) by Michelle Miles Page B

It still smoked.
    “You’re hurt,” she said.
    She reached up to put her hand on him, thinking to heal him quickly but his fingers clamped around her wrist, biting into her bones.
    “I’m fine,” he said through clenched teeth.
    A warning. He didn’t want these men knowing she was a healer. And she’d been stupid and not really thinking when she reached for him.
    Dr. Brice sauntered into the room, looking smug and full of himself. She hated him all over again.
    “Caught and cornered,” Brice said. “You should have known you couldn’t run forever, Lucian. And now I can deliver the lovely Eve back to Dr. Franco. After I’ve had some fun with her.”
    His gaze raked her body. She stepped closer to Lucian, hoping his big form would block most of the view.
    “Over my dead body,” Lucian said.
    “I hoped you’d say that,” Brice said and grinned. Then looked over Lucian. “I thought for sure I shot you before. Once in the leg. Once in the back. But you appear to be healed.” He lifted a brow as his gaze flickered from him to Eve and back again. “Isn’t that interesting?”
    Lucian stiffened. Eve put he r hand in the small of his back as she cowered behind him. Brice stepped closer, peering intently at her.
    “I patched myself up,” Lucian said. “And you got me in the shoulder just now. Score another one for you.”
    “Let me see your other wounds.” Brice folded his arms across his chest.
    “That’s kind of personal, isn’t it?” Lucian asked.
    The doctor’s gaze narrowed. “There’s something going on here. I intend to find out what it is. Until then, take his weapons. Arrest him.”
    Two guardians complied and Eve saw her only hope withering away. Lucian’s hands were cuffed behind his back. They pulled him away from her. Brice advanced on her. She may as well be naked the way he looked at her. She felt so exposed.
    “Do you remember Kane?” He motioned toward the big thug standing behind him. “He was kind enough to bring you to me.”
    She refused to look at him as he stepped next to Brice.
    “ I’m happy to see you again, Eve,” he said. “Though I confess I prefer you in the other outfit. Not this shabby jumpsuit. Wherever did you find it, Lucian?”
    Brice ran his hand over her cheek, smiling.
    Lucian lunged forward but the men held him steady. “Take your damn hands off her.”
    He’d growled the words and if he hadn’t been cuffed, she knew Lucian would tear the man apart. That gave her some smug satisfaction.
    “Is he your lover now?” Brice asked. “You whore.”
    His open hand smacked against her cheek. The stinging pain seared through her but she refused to cry out. She wouldn’t give this bastard the satisfaction .
    Lucian lunged again, fighting against his bonds and his two captors. One of them punched him to subdue him.
    “I’d like to finish what I started with you, Eve,” Brice said. “Shall we?” He pointed a gun at her gut, waved her toward the door. “Perhaps your lover will care to watch.”
    Her loathing for this man increased tenf old. When she refused to move, he gave Kane a nod. He reached for her but she jumped back.
    “Make this easy on yourself, love,” Brice said.
    Kane wrapped a beefy hand around her upper arm and pulled her along beside him. Another guardian fell in step on her other side, making sure she followed them out the door of their little room and into the dusty corridor.
    She knew Lucian walked behind her a few steps. She wished there was some way she could get them out of this. But she was trapped by Brice and the six guardians—two flanking her, two flanking Lucian and two flanking Brice. She was no good at self defense. She was nothing but a big wussy. And they were outnumbered.
    It seemed they walked forever as Brice led them through the shadowy corridors. Past rooms long abandoned. They came to a door. She watched Brice as he used a cardkey to swipe over some invisible pad. The door swished open.
    One of the guardians pushed