Reality Hero (14 page)

* * * *

Dina returned to her RV. It had been a grueling day. She wanted to take a shower and go to bed. A sudden sound made her grab a broom, the closest thing to a weapon she could reach. Cautiously, she walked to the back, where she heard the noise again. Zane was the culprit, to her relief and surprise. He laid on the floor half-inside and half-outside the small bathroom. His crazy meal was clearly not sitting well with him. Dina stood looking at him, caught between annoyance and sympathy.

“You know those things don’t flush like a regular toilet. It’s really more of a holding tank, yuck.”

“Thank you so much, little Miss Camping Etiquette- Expert. You’re the one who poisoned me with your evil picnic. That was diabolical, you know—making me eat that stuff.”

“It serves you right for cheating. Is that how you always got Boardwalk? You always declared cheating went against your moral code, but now the truth comes out. Ha.”

“I have the mad-wicked skill to
earn
Boardwalk, and as far as unfair, this whole thing has been
unfair
to me from the start.”

“Keep your voice down. No one can know you’re here.” She shushed him, overcome with her paranoia.

“Are you that ashamed of being around me? Is that why you didn’t want to be with me? After the media found out what I could do, you never wanted to be seen with me. I know I’m a freak, but I thought if anyone would understand, it’d be you.”

His question felt like a knife in her heart.
How can you think I’d think you’re a freak?
She slid down the wall of the miniscule hallway to sit across from him. His large frame filled the tiny bathroom completely. She wondered if they’d need the jaws-of-life to free him. For a long time they just sat looking at each other in silence. His eyes widened and then narrowed. She wondered about his claim that he didn’t read minds for a moment. His powers could evolve. She’d seen them transform herself, first hand.

“Zane I’ve always been proud of what you do. Not because of what you do, but why you do it. You use a skill others would hide or use for themselves, and you do it for strangers, randomly, free. You are the bravest and most noble man I’ve ever known.” She sat up a bit and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring. “Well, at least you were until you cheated in that game, and I was always proud to be yours. I can’t be with you because I couldn’t stand it if you were hurt because of the weak, regular person in your life. Me. I don’t want to be the reason you die or give up what you do for the city. Even if you swore to never wear the costume or to save someone, I’d never be able to forgive myself for cheating so many out of hope. You’ve become a symbol, not just a hero, for the entire city. You’re too important to belong to one person.” She spoke from her heart. Her eyes never left his. Dina needed him to see she meant what she said.

Zane just looked at her for a long time and then—poof. He was gone. She really hated it when he did that.
Men are bad enough when they don’t poof.

After a quick shower, she went to bed. For too long, she lay looking up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. She closed her eyes until she felt a presence in her room. Startled, she sat up. Zane stood at the foot of her bed, and she glared at him.

“Do I need to get you a bell? For goodness sake, Zane, you scared ten years off my life.”

“I want to be here with you tonight. Di, I want you in my arms right now. Bridget tried to kill herself tonight. She couldn’t go on without Aaron any longer.”

Dina started to cry. She loved Bridget like a sister, and she felt guilty because she hadn’t supported her friend during her last rough months. Opening her arms, she let Zane slide into her bed. They held each other. Dina cried. When she’d gotten the first wave of her grief out, she looked into his face. He was so handsome. Lying in the darkness with him, she could almost forget all the years and go back to when they were young and she wasn’t afraid he’d be killed because of her. Zane pushed the hair off her face.

“Should we go to her?” Dina asked.

“No. Ella told me she sent her away. She doesn’t want to see any of us right now. She’s hurting and has to have someone to blame. She’s blaming me for not saving him, and you for encouraging us when it started.”

“Me? I couldn’t have stopped any of you. I hated sitting at home and worrying.”

“I know. I do know, but you were why we didn’t stop. You were right, people needed us.”

Dina closed her eyes. Bridget was right. So much of this was her fault.

Aaron gave Zane a high five. “Did you see that? We so kicked that mugger’s ass. I’m glad Ella made us these threads, man. I think they scared the little coward. He pissed himself when we came around the corner.”

“I think we should think about this. Aaron, you could’ve been killed. Sure, you were able to levitate before the bullet hit you, but next time, if you’re distracted, you might not be so lucky,” Bridget whispered. She was very pale. Aaron wrapped his arms around her and she seemed to melt against his embrace. Dina could see just how in love her friends were and it made her happy.

“You can’t stop,” Dina said. They all turned to look at her, surprised. “You’re making a real difference. I love you all, but you’re giving this city hope.”

When Aaron smiled, his white teeth flashed. “Girl’s got a point. I’m not ready to stop. Besides, I like the way my woman looks in spandex.”

Bridget punched him in the shoulder. He faked an injury and she rolled her eyes. “Fine, but if you get hurt, I’ll kick your ass—Helium. The Diamond Gazette named you well. You’re full of hot air.”

They all chuckled at the bad joke. The city was a little bit safer now that people knew they weren’t at the mercy of criminals and corrupt cops.

Dina’s eyes popped open. Zane was staring at her. “Is Ella okay? Should I call her?”

“She’s fine. She’s the one who took Bridget to the hospital. They weren’t in costume. Ella deals differently. She needs her space. She’ll come to us when she’s ready.”

Dina nodded, knowing he spoke the truth, but hurting to think of her sister alone with her grief. Even if being on her own was her preference, Dina wanted to see her.

It felt right to grieve with him. It hurt, but in his arms, she felt she’d survive the pain. Bridget was a wonderful woman. A world without her seemed unthinkable, and yet it was the reality they’d almost had to face. Not tonight, but if they couldn’t get through to her, it might still happen. She pushed the fear away for now, if Bridget was in the hospital she was safe.

Dina reacted to the primal needs of her body. Her pussy ached for Zane to fill her. No other man fit her the way he did, or made her as comfortable in her own skin. With him, she could truly be who she was. Lust clawed at her womb, she needed to be with the man she’d always loved. Even if she could only be with him on a physical level, tonight it felt right. Sex was a reaffirmation of life, and Dina felt the need to reaffirm.

She put her hand gently on his stubble covered jaw line and ran her hand over his face tenderly. He looked down at her. She couldn’t resist wiggling up just enough to reach his lips with her own. First, it was just a tender touch, a flutter of sweet, soft caring. Then the long caged finally burst free of its shackles, and for the first time in six years, she welcomed the passion she’d been trying to ignore. Dina pulled his zipper down and helped him peel out of the spandex. His abs were well defined. His hard chest was crisscrossed with scars she hadn’t seen before. Her breath caught, and she ran her finger lightly over the marks. How many times had he risked his life? She’d lost count. He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips lightly.

“Don’t worry about those,” he whispered softly. His voice was husky.

“How can I not? Oh, Zane.” She tried to keep her voice steady, but it still trembled, just as her body did. The idea of losing him turned her blood to ice. His eyes were so intense as he looked at her. Then he growled and she tilted her head, preparing for his lips.

His devoured her mouth in a kiss filled with unspoken promises. He nibbled at her bottom lip just the way she liked. No one else kissed like Zane. She deepened the kiss while clinging to him, afraid to let go, afraid he was just a dream. Her arms twined around his neck, and he pulled her closer.

His body felt stronger than she remembered. They’d been so young the last time they made love, she hadn’t realized how much more delectable he’d be now. She ran her hands over his chest, relishing the feeling of his body. The play of the night shadows across his skin caused her to marvel in the beauty of his masculine body. He rolled her on top of him and she straddled his stomach, all while the kissed continued. She pulled back and looked down at him. The lust in his eyes stole her breath.

“Oh God, Zane, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you,” she said with quiet honesty.

His hands clutched her hair, and she heard him growl in a very primal way. His large hands slid down her neck and shoulders until he found her breasts. Gasping, she relished the feeling of his light rubbing on her sensitive nipples, heightening her desire. He brought one of them to his mouth and drew hard on the nipple. She cried out. He pulled away.

“You taste so damn good. Dina, you’re my only addiction. God, I can’t get enough of you.” He brought his mouth to her other breast.

She clutched his shoulders tightly and closed her eyes, and moaned. Her back arched. His strong, warm hands slid sensuously down her stomach, making her gasp from the subtle tickle of his skin touching hers. His hands were so large. She loved the sight of him touching her. He moved lower and began to massage her clit until she let go of another little moan. He started rubbing her with unnatural speed. She opened her mouth to scold him for using an ability, but the only thing that came out was a small gasp, then another. A moment later, she cried out, coming. Having a superman in your bed was amazingly awesome. He kept up until her shouts of pleasure turned into little whimpers.

“You’re so wet, darlin’. You smell so fucking good, Di. I want to taste you.”

His bedroom eyes were so damn sexy. Seeing his passion was a balm to her wounded heart. They’d lost so much. If he were really just a mild-mannered accountant, they could have this every day. He pulled her up so that he could have his way. She felt his tongue lap her clit and she moaned. He fucked her with his tongue and she was lost. Her sensations heightened from his hands on her breasts, he reached up, stroking them. Then he began lapping at her again. Being with Zane was so much more than being with any other man. Ecstasy overwhelmed her, and she came as she straddled his face. Dina threw back her head, crying out.

When she’d finished she scooted back enough to see his handsome face. Leaning down she nipped his lip, tasting her own essence, and began to kiss a trail down his jaw, then neck, then chest. Dina slid down his body, leaving a trail of hot kisses in her wake.

It was her turn to give him pleasure. He hissed when she took the head of his very hard cock in her mouth and twirled her tongue. Zane’s cock was perfectly formed. He was beautiful. He wasn’t the only one who remembered what buttons to push. Holding the base of it in her hand, she began to suckle the remainder of him. Then she took him as deeply into her mouth as she could.

He groaned. “Oh fuck, that’s hot, darlin’. Di, Christ, if you don’t stop that I’ll come. If you don’t plan to finish me off with that sweet, little mouth of yours, you’d better stop. God, I’ve missed you. Damn, I’m so close.”

Glancing up at him, she couldn’t stop the rush of pure feminine delight knowing she drove him to the edge of his control. Zane was a man who always wanted to be in control. It was nice to see he was still just a mortal man.

* * * *

The heavy look of desire mixing with her amused expression brought out the primitive man within. Zane flipped her onto her back, holding her hands above her head. He moved so quickly she gave a startled yelp. Then a short laugh burst out of her. He loved the way she was in bed. She never took herself, or him, very seriously. He could let his guard down with her. She didn’t expect anything from him. He’d been with other women since Dina, but none had made him feel like she did.

Zane had a new ability he hadn’t told her about. He could read minds, not just control them. He occasionally probed the edge of her thoughts to make sure he was on the right track, but her expressive face told him more about what she needed. He loved how real it was with her. In all his life, she was the only person who’d ever made him feel human. His mouth kissed, sucked, and nipped her everywhere. Her hands roamed his back and gripped his shoulders reflexively.

When he reached the nub of her clitoris, she bucked her hips. He took the little pleasure point between his teeth and suckled it until he felt her mind telling him she was at the very precipice of her breaking point. His Di was so close. A surge of primal response filled him when she gasped out his name. Zane looked up at her beautiful face and saw how very ready she was for him. Lying down next to her, he took her in his arms and began to kiss her. As he did, he hoisted her up, rolling, so that she was straddling his hips. Smiling, she wiggled down and impaled herself on his cock. He groaned. She found a rhythm that left her panting.

Flipping her onto her back, he slammed his cock into her. He fucked her hard and fast. Zane was careful not to hurt her, but his abilities gave him an advantage over most men. Her body clenched his as her orgasm began. He was so close, but he didn’t want the moment to end. As she cried out his name, he wanted to hold onto her forever. Her pussy contracting against his hard cock, sending pleasure from the tip to the base, made it almost impossible to hold on. Her tight body didn’t allow him to hold back. He came, groaning her name and collapsing on top of her.