And each time his body reacted to thoughts of her, he remembered the way she'd rebuffed him. How she'd wanted no part of his (magnificent) body. Not sexually, at least.
His desire to see her, really see her, had increased.
If he put the vastness of his sensual knowledge to work, would he be able to tempt her to his bed? He just didn't know, and every fiber of his being sparked with the challenge of finding out.
He was going to have to find her, he decided. Surely she'd succumb, just like everyone else, and he'd stop thinking about her. Exactly as he'd done with everyone else. Life was too precious to waste wondering if Bride's eyes would sparkle like emeralds when she came. If her ni**les were really blood red. If she had any tattoos, birthmarks, or scars. The scars he might enjoy kissing all better. Or was kissing boo-boos an Earth custom she would hate? Had she been raised here on the surface? Or had she escaped the underground to avoid punishment for something? If so, why? And did that mean she would make love like a naughty little criminal?
He had to know. The sooner he found her, he thought, the better.
He'd use the databases at AIR, of course, but would they be able to lead him to her? All he had was her first name. And what a strange name it was. Bride. Who had named her? Why had they named her that? Was she mated?
"Can you believe the balls on this guy?" Dallas muttered. They were on opposite sides of the alley, yet Devyn heard him as if he'd spoken directly beside him. They were both wearing sweet little headsets that allowed them to communicate quietly and privately no matter the distance between them.
They were dressed in black from head to toe, and even though Devyn knew his friend's exact location, he had trouble making him out in the sea of red and shadow.
Helped that clouds covered the moon, and the closest streetlights offered only a minimal glow.
"Yeah, I can. I'd be doing the same thing." He spoke in a whisper so low not even the wind could pick it up.
"No, you wouldn't. If he screws her, she'll die. You're pretty f**ked in the head, but you wouldn't knowingly kill a woman."
Not necessarily true. Many times during his marriage he'd imagined cutting his wife's heart out with a spoon and eating it in front of her. "Can I approach him now?" Devyn couldn't wait to finish off the Schön. He wanted to be looking for the vampire, and that he wasn't ... "Huh, huh, huh? Please."
"Worse than a child." Dallas sighed. "I told you. That's not how AIR works. There are too many civilians around. We can't protect them and take Nolan. We have to wait for backup."
"AIR can suck it. How much longer before we get to give up on backup? 'Cause at this rate, they'll never get here. The pimp is almost done giving the price list. Nolan's growing impatient, and very soon he's going to lead the female inside, where we'll have to involve a shitload of other civilians. We have to take him here."
Would have been easier if at least one of the others had arrived, yes. Devyn didn't mind admitting that. Breean could move faster than the eye could see. Mishka was stronger than ten men combined. Kyrin could heal with a drop of his blood, and Mia was just plain mean. Eden and Macy, well, they were good soldiers, but Devyn preferred them as eye candy. But damn it, this inactivity was driving him insane.
Of course, none of the other agents would have been necessary if Devyn's own ability worked on the Schön. Unfortunately, there were some people that were immune to his telekinesis, able to move normally when he attempted to control them with his mind.
It was strange, though. Most that had been raised here on Earth, no matter their race, he could lock on and control. Outside of Earth, it was iffy. Their energy frequencies were usually too jumbled.
"Someone should be here," he griped. "What the hell is holding them up? You made the call half an hour ago."
"What do you want to bet Mishka's the culprit? She wants Nolan alive."
"Then she should be here to save him from our wrath."
"She would be, if she thought we were competent. To her, you're a slut and I'm a bad shot."
"Right on both counts." Devyn's lips curled into a smile. It had been the last time they'd battled a Schon that Dallas had turned on Mishka, squeezing off a few rounds in her direction. Yes, he'd wanted to kill her, thinking he would be saving Jaxon from her evil intentions, as his vision had led him to believe. That's when he'd hit Jaxon instead. "Doesn't matter, though. We have to act. Nolan's pale, unsteady on his feet, and perfect for plucking."
"If we fail..."
"We won't."
"You're not the psychic in this relationship. If he opens fire on civilians, our heads are gonna roll."
"And that would be a damn shame, pretty as I am. Give me a minute and let me see if I can move people away from us." Pissed him off that he hadn't thought of this sooner. He blamed Bride. Damned red ni**les.
Devyn propelled mental fingers out of the alley and down the connecting streets, grabbing onto every pulse of energy he could and commanding each body they belonged to, to perform the same act: turn north and keep moving one foot in front of the other.
Pulling the strings of that many humans tired him, but he fought through the lethargy until they were a good distance away. "Done. No civilians will be hurt in the making of this war zone."
"You're scary, you know that?" Dallas said with quiet affection.
"I know. It's hardly fair to others that I'm a triple threat. Pretty and talented.”
“That's only two, moron."
"I thought it'd be rude to mention my cock."
Dallas chuckled. "All right. Here's the deal. Despite Mishka's belief, I'm the better shot, so I'll do the firing. You and Mr. Happy just sit there and look pretty."
A given. But he would be wearing heat-sensitive goggles just in case Dallas missed and Nolan did his invisible thing and tried to run. "Next time at least try and challenge me."
Dallas uttered another of those raspy chuckles. "Oh, and before I forget, I think you should stun him rather than kill."
"Planned on it," Dallas said.
That was good; they were agreed. But ... "Why not kill?" Devyn knew why he wanted the little shit alive but frozen, but he doubted his reasons were the same as his friend's.
Dallas didn't like to show it, but killing bothered him.
Devyn could tell. The knowledge was always there, dulling the light in those baby blues. That was
why Devyn had wanted Dallas only to stun. When the bastard was immobile, Devyn could move in and finish him off.
Still not a drop of the Schön's blood could be spilled. Not without causing that pandemic. So he'd have to content himself with something simple, like stomping on the guy's trachea.