Jinn & Toxic (7 page)

“Don’t flatter yourself. Tanaka is much more attractive than you in many ways. Besides, I wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

Though she had no idea who Tanaka was, she went along with him.

When Tab picked up her blade, fingering the tip with one hand, the handle gripped tight in the other, Jinn watched him with caution. There was a sudden edge to him she didn’t trust.

“Tell me why you did it.”

As she rolled her eyes at his persistence in believing she’d betrayed them, he moved so fast it caused her to gasp. The knife slammed into the tree mere inches from her head, dropping something thick like a branch on her thigh. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized it was the head of a snake and shoved it away from her.

Deep laughter came from Tab’s throat as he said dryly, “You’re lucky. They strike fast. Then again, maybe I should’ve saved the government the cost of a court-martial and let him have you.”

Her heart pounding as adrenaline rushed through her veins, Jinn realized how close she’d come to being bitten by the venomous
Eyelash Pit Viper
, if not for Tab’s quick reflexes and good aim. When he stood and pulled the rest of the body down from the low–-hanging branches above her head, she saw that it was more than three feet long, the bright yellow and orange flecked scales slithering mere inches past her eyes.

Speechless, Jinn watched in silence as he walked off with the reptile and returned a moment later without it. When he sat down and continued to stare at her as though nothing had happened, she began to tremble as the adrenaline receded and shock set in. What she didn’t understand is why he’d bothered to save her at all.

Jinn, I need you.

She gasped as Juliette’s voice echoed in her mind. There was no way she could tell him about the fact that she was a twin. It was an impossible situation.

Julie!

“Look, let me go and you can take care of your people. I have to leave right now.”

Eyes narrowed in question, he asked, “What did you just hear?”

“What are you talking ab—”

Sudden, blinding pain crashed through her head again, stopping all thoughts.

The next thing Jinn knew, she lay flat out on the ground.He hovered over her, his fingers searching through her hair. Her body’s reaction to his threw her into a hot craving for him and startled her into action.

“Get the hell away from me!” she snarled, shoving his hands away, yet he held onto her.

“I think you have a concussion. You keep getting those headaches.”

“What do you know about it? Stay out of my head and away from my body, or I’ll kick your ass.” His bare, incredibly muscled chest drew her eyes as wild sensations roared through her core.
I should have taken the needle before I came here.

His laughter amazed her as his fingers returned to her scalp. Though she tried to push him away again, he would have no part in it. A sudden frown as his eyes glazed over for a moment confused her.

“I said, get you’re damned paws off me.” It scared her that he might guess her secret. Time was running out. She must break free, and it had to happen soon or Juliette would die!

“Dennison, you had a complete physical before the mission, didn’t you?”

“Sure. Whatever. I’m leaving. Now let me up.”

Eyes hardening with anger, he held her down, coming face-to-face with her, his lips only a whisper away from hers. He smelled fresh now that they’d hit the water. The male scent of him stirred her core up and set it on fire. When she gazed into his eyes, she saw the attraction too. All sounds from around them faded as it became just the two of them.

“You’ll do what I say, Lieutenant and that’s final!”

Though she wanted to tell him her rank was Sergeant, Jinn was mesmerized by his eyes, the heat of his body, and the thought of having him fill her. It was impossible not to shift beneath him as her body responded. When his eyes widened in surprise as his cock hardened against her belly, she rotated her hips and seized his mouth, her arms pulling him closer, preventing his escape. If it took sex to set herself free, she’d do it. The little voice inside her head egged her on.

Frozen, he held back until her tongue slipped between his lips and then he took over, mastering her within seconds. Jinn groaned, wrapping her legs around his hips as she ached for fulfillment. He seemed to know all her buttons and pressed them at the right moments.

Soon she was naked, his fingers exploring her wet entrance. Eyes closed in ecstasy as her first orgasm built, she dropped her head back, allowing him to kiss her neck. In her glory, Jinn responded freely, her nub throbbing as he worked it with his thumb.

“Tell me why you did it?” he whispered.

Reality came crashing in as she realized he was using her weakness against her. It was the one thing she couldn’t fight. Sex. Raw, hard, mind-blowing sex. When she tried to pull away, he thrust two fingers into her channel and all thoughts of freedom disappeared. Jinn cried out as the first orgasm hit.

The smell of his skin was intoxicating, mixed with her juices. She’d never been so incredibly turned on by a man before. Most of them were easy to manipulate and mediocre in bed, and when she had her fill of them, she sent them away…but him, she wanted more of.

“Do you want me deep inside you? Do you crave the satisfaction I can give you?” His low murmur sent shudders of desire flashing through her veins.

“Shut up and get busy with it.” Jinn fought the need to beg him for more.

His deep chuckle at her groan went ignored as he inserted another finger, pressing down on her nub with his thumb. Jinn went wild, her hips jerking as she lost herself to another blinding release, yet she wanted more. She wanted him, and he knew it. His self-satisfied smile pissed her off, but she played his game.

“Please, give me more. I need you inside. Fuck me!”

Instead of doing as she asked, he began a trail of kisses down her neck, over her collarbone, and spent tantalizing, endless moments with his open mouth on her breasts, all the while keeping up with his fingers until she was mindless with need.

“If you want more, you’ll tell me what I want to know. Why did you betray us, Dennison?”

“Will you get over it? I refuse to keep defending myself when you ignore every word I say. Now give me your cock, damn it!” She panted, a fine sheen of sweat covering her body.

Her fingers digging into his shoulders, Jinn urged him onward, but he stopped, leaving her gasping for air. For a moment his eyes were on her belly then, before she could react he moved on top of her, his fingers around her throat. Jinn could barely breathe as he began to squeeze.

“Who the hell are you?” he shouted, his eyes aflame with hatred and suspicion.

“Dennison,” she croaked.

“Liar! I know her. I’ve known her for years. There was something about you I couldn’t understand, but it’s clear now. You’re an impostor!”

“Let go.” Her whisper was hoarse as her eyes filled with black spots. Unable to break his hold, she tried one last thing and grabbed his little fingers, yanking them away from her throat. The weakest digits on the hand became her weapons, and he had to release her. He grabbed her jaw next and glared at her.

“Who sent you? Why did you give us up?”

“I didn’t. Damn you anyway. I can’t tell you anything more.”

He turned her head as though searching for plastic surgery scars, but she knew he’d be disappointed.

“What are you, a clone?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“That tattoo on your belly. It’s the opposite of Julie’s. She has a green dragon in a yin symbol over half her navel area while yours is red, upside down in a yang shape. Tell me what the hell is going on! You don’t have the troop tattoo either. You’d better tell me or I’ll kill you here and now.”

Sparks of hatred showed in his eyes as she watched his wrath build, and she knew he was serious. She had to spill yet avoid most of her secrets such as her abilities.

“What I’m about to tell you can only go as far as you. The information is top secret, just like TT&T. Do you understand, Captain?”

Though his eyes narrowed with suspicion, he nodded. “Make it good. If you don’t prove it, I’ll follow through. I don’t make empty threats.”

“Let me go and we’ll talk.”

“No deal.”

Her head pounded as another headache edged closer, the pain building. She spoke fast before it could take over.

“I’m Jinn Dennison, Juliette’s identical twin.”

“Why are you a secret?”

“Captain, I can’t tell you that. Needless to say, if anyone finds out about her and me, it could mean a serious breach in our security.”

“…because you can’t be trusted. You’re a traitor.”

“Stop calling me that. I’m no more a traitor than you, Captain Toxic. I left my base without leave to save my sister’s life. She’s in grave danger, maybe dying, and I have to get to her now. Do you understand?”

He let her go and sat back, his gaze on her tattoo. She knew that each member of his team had a TT&T tattoo on their hips, small enough to escape notice for the most part, but she’d never seen one.

“Why did Julie tell you about us if not to give us away?”

“She never said a word to me. I did a little research and broke into your home and office before I came here. I needed to know about your team. Not a bad job hiding your files, but I figured it out fairly fast.”

His eyes widened only a little as he growled, “That’s not possible!”

“Obviously it is. Damn!” Jinn groaned as the pain increased. Before she became incapable of talking, she retrieved his necklace from her coat pocket and handed it to him.

“What the hell!”

“Psychometry. I tracked you using that after I borrowed it from your bedroom.”

“You tracked me using the ability to touch the necklace and get visions?”

“Yeah, now shut up. I have a headache.”

To her surprise, he sat back and left her alone for a while. The crushing pain became so excruciating that Jinn whimpered, the sound as loud as a shotgun blast in her skull. Blinded, she was unable to move. It was the worst episode yet.

Warmth washed through her head the pain eased. She could function again. It surprised her how swiftly it released her this time. More anxious than ever, she realized that she had to get to Julie before it was too late!

“Are you okay now?”

A bitter bubble of laughter escaped as she recalled what the doctor had told her.

“I’m just peachy. Will you let me go now?”

“No.”

Shocked, she sat up, a bout of dizziness assailing her before her vision cleared.

“No? Why not?”

“Break and enter, stealing classified information, impersonating an undercover officer, lying, and the list goes on.”

“Give me a break. I have to find her. She’s dying!”

He didn’t speak for an endless moment as he studied her. Jinn threw on her clothes, wishing he’d finish what she’d started and fucked her brains out so she could focus on something else other than pain, but he didn’t appear to be interested anymore. Not for the first time, she wondered if he’d had an affair with her sister. Her heart throbbed at the thought. That might put a damper on his interest in her.

In silence, they both dressed then he tied her hands again with a new plastic band and slipped the rope around her waist once again.

“Oh, come on. I was completely honest with you. Don’t start with this shit again.”

“We’ll see if you’re honest. I want details and you’re going to tell me why you and Julie are classified.”

“Get over it. I’m not telling you anything more than I have. You obviously didn’t hear a word I said. Maybe you should get you hearing checked.” For a moment she fell silent then whispered, “Sex makes you deaf.”

The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

“Let’s go.”

When she tried to stay put, he tugged the rope, forcing her to follow him. With every step, anger seared through her already hot body. There was nothing worse in her mind than being worked like an instrument then denied release, in sex as well as from the bindings. Man, was she pissed!

Chapter Five: A Shadow From the Past

In a low whisper, Jennings called out, “Metcalfe, don’t move.”

The tall man stood still, yet the wild boar roared and charged him. Metcalfe wasn’t quick enough to avoid the deadly tusks and was gored in his thigh, going down hard. Jennings palmed her knife and jumped on the animal from behind, hooking her feet beneath its belly to hold on while she slit its throat. The thing squealed and bucked, but she held on for dear life, trying to keep it from attacking him again.

Blood flew in all directions as the creature slowly lost energy. When she knew it was safe enough, Jennings stepped on the ground and did a dive roll to avoid the thrashing tusks and feet as it died. The smell of blood in the air made her feel sick. Sure, she’d killed men, even women in the line of defense, but never an animal.

Once she was sure the boar was done for, she raced over to Metcalfe to see to his wound.

“You look like crap. Stop bleeding all over the forest, buddy or I’ll tell the Captain you’re making a mess,” she kidded, trying to make light of the situation as terror for him set it. Blood was gushing out of the hole in his leg, and she knew there was damage to an artery.

For once, he didn’t have a smart comeback but lay on his back, clutching the thigh.

Unable to see where the damaged vein was, Jennings pressed all her weight on the gash, praying it would help stem the blood flow.

“Damn, I’ll have to break communication silence and call for help.”

He shook his head. “No! I’m fine.”

His face was already losing color as Jennings sent one word to the Captain.

Help!

***

They’d traveled for two hours before Tab got the call. He halted on the spot, ignoring Jinn when she smacked into his back.

“Give me a warning when you plan on doing that, you jerk.”

“Shh.” His whole body went tense as he sought out Jennings’ location.

“I have to go. I’m going to tie you to a tree and come back for you later.”

“Screw that,” she snapped. “What if a wildcat comes seeking dinner?”