"Harder?"

"Yes." Mayor Jeffries lumbered off the bed. She retrieved a mint green suit from the floor. Once the wrinkled material was secured over her equally wrinkled body, she withdrew a stack of bills and placed them on the table. She stared over at Romeo.

"You will be free tomorrow," she said, her voice going crisp. When she donned her clothes, I guess she also donned her sense of power.

Romeo glanced at her. He grinned slowly. "Of course. I'll ride you so hard your screams will be heard all over the world."

"Tomorrow, then." She shivered before striding from the room. The door closed behind her automatically, locking her out.

Romeo quickly lost his smile. "b.i.t.c.h," he muttered.

If I hadn't realized before, I did now. He didn't like her. Not a bit. He was a paid lover, and gave her what she wanted. Domination. It was ironic that a public figure known for her iron fist in the political arena allowed a man, and an alien at that, to so control her privately.

Alone now, Romeo scowled down at the dog. "You should have bitten a chunk out of her a.s.s, you worthless piece of s.h.i.t."

The dog whimpered at his tone.

I frowned.

Romeo closed his eyes and began stroking his erections-he needed two hands for the job. Added new meaning to the term "double your pleasure." I rolled my eyes. I could stun him now, then poison him while he couldn't fight me. He'd be dead by morning, and no one would know why or that I'd even been here.

But...

I'd broken in several hours ago, bypa.s.sing two guards and a cutting-edge robotic security system. A robotic system that used artificial intelligence to systematically learn the homeowner's behavior patterns and adjust itself accordingly without the need for programming. Security components integrated into such a system armed and disarmed automatically, while making accommodations for those still on the premises. To even enter the home, I'd had to program myself into the system. Very time-consuming, but worth it.

There should have been more guards, but I guessed the mayor preferred to keep their liaison as private as possible. Probably because she was nothing more than the Morevv's b.i.t.c.h. I wouldn't want people to know that, either, if I were her.

Upon first entering this room, I'd taken the time to glance around. I'd found Romeo's holograph appointment book. Why did people use those? They left a clear trail to follow. Anyway, there'd been an interesting tidbit there.

Visit home, 9P.M. Return 11:30.

What did he mean byhome? Did he have family here? Or did he mean something else entirely? Did he mean to travel through a portal and return for a while to his home planet? I suspected the latter, and that piqued my interest. Actually, I hoped the latter. EenLi was using those d.a.m.n portals. Michael wanted to know where they were. Lucius wanted to know where they were. IfI could supply that information...The intoxicating thought seduced me as surely as a pa.s.sionate lover.

When Romeo (thankfully) finished his business, he rolled to his feet. "Like what you saw, Killer?" he asked the dog, his tone snide. "b.i.t.c.h," he said. "You're all b.i.t.c.hes."

He kicked Killer in the stomach, and she yelped. She tried to bite him, but he kicked her again. Head ducked between her paws now, she crawled backward, away from him. I bit the inside of my cheek. Kick her one more time, I thought darkly, and I'll forget the portal and kill you now.

Naked, he padded to the closet to find something to wear. As huge and filled to bursting with clothing as this s.p.a.ce was, I didn't worry that he'd see me lying on the top shelf. h.e.l.l, I wouldn't have been surprised if a dozen other a.s.sa.s.sins were hiding in here, and I simply hadn't seen them. The only thing that bothered me about the situation was how cliched it was. I mean, a sophisticated killer forced to hide in the closet? Please. But I'd been stuck like this before, and I'd most likely be stuck like this again.

Romeo quickly chose another pair of black leather pants. He opted not to wear a pirate shirt, instead choosing a tight V-neck. I supposed I could see why some women fell for him-besides the double p.e.n.i.s. His outward beauty bordered on illegal. He left me cold, however. Partly because I knew he possessed the heart of a monster underneath all that masculine beauty, but also because he lacked the rich vitality Lucius possessed. Comparing the two men was like comparing a still-life portrait with a carved sculpture. The sculpture, at least, boasted three dimensions.

Finished dressing, Romeo closed the closet. I quietly climbed down and moved to the slatted door. He was admiring himself in a full-length mirror. I glanced at his digital clock. He was scheduled for "home" in thirty minutes. The ticking of time didn't rush him. Humming under his breath, he ambled to his dresser and slipped a necklace around his neck. I remembered seeing the necklace earlier when I'd searched his room. It was small and triangular, with a platinum chain and an odd stone in the center-a stone unlike any I'd ever seen. Crystal-like, yet shiny and smooth as bra.s.s.

After spritzing himself with cologne, Romeo finally left the bedroom. The dog growled at the door. I desperately wanted to spirit-walk and follow his exact steps, but I didn't dare leave my body unprotected in this home. Instead, I pulled my duffel bag from the shelf. I strapped it to my back before stealthily slipping from the closet.

Killer stopped growling and glanced up at me through soulful eyes.Save me, she seemed to say. She didn't attack me, didn't act as if she wanted to hurt me in any way. Something inside me lurched. I didn't have time for this, but I found myself bending down, cupping her face in my hands and meeting that big, brown gaze.

"Don't worry," I whispered to her. "That's the last time you'll ever have to see him." Then I left the same way I'd entered-through the bay window. I didn't think the portal would be located inside the house. That meant he had to exit sooner or later.

I pulled my face mask down. As I hooked my belt to the clear wire I'd left dangling, cool, moist air penetrated the knitted fibers of my black body stocking. I already wore gloves, so I pushed myself over the window's ledge. Amid the sound of nearby swishing waves, I propelled down the five stories. The evening darkness offered some protection. Unfortunately, the home's security lighting cast away most of the shadows.

I'd scaled walls brighter and more visible than this with no problem, and this proved no exception. I floated to the ground undetected. The key was to stay close to the corner, move quickly and silently, without pause.

I unlatched the clear metal tether and crouched low to the ground as I maneuvered to the front of the house. Romeo's car still sat in the driveway. I pushed out a relieved breath as the Morevv exited the house's front door. I'd guessed correctly.

He didn't go to the parked, empty Porsche, however. No, he strode purposefully to the wooded area behind the house. Confused, I silently followed, wondering all the while if I'd made a mistake after all.

Chapter.

10.

Romeo stopped in a small circular clearing at the edge of the property, away from the ocean and allowing me an un.o.bstructed view of him. Over the years, other targets of mine had come to clear areas like this. I'd never known why; I hadn't cared why. I'd always used the isolated surroundings to my advantage and struck. Perhaps I should have had more patience.

For a long while Romeo stood motionless, silently watching the darkening sky. Was he meeting someone? Did he suspect I followed? Or...was he expecting a s.p.a.ceship? Perhaps the wordportal actually meant "ship."

Minutes pa.s.sed. I unsheathed my gun.

Brittle gra.s.s bit into me. Salt stung the air. Concealed by shadows and bushes, I crouched motionlessly, waiting as time continued to pa.s.s and nothing happened. Nothing at all. No one arrived. At least his movements didn't indicate suspicion. I uncovered my wrist.w.a.tch by pushing back my shirtsleeve. Three minutes after nine. I frowned. What or who was he waiting on? Did he expect to world-travel simply by standing there?

If Lucius were here, he'd grab Romeo and beat the answers out of him. I could do the same, I suppose, but that wasn't always effective. I preferred to observe the other-worlder's natural tendencies.

I only prayed my patience would be rewarded.

A quiet whistling sounded several feet behind me. A person? Merely the wind? Heart drumming with adrenaline, I shifted my focus, switching my aim as I searched the trees. No one was there that I could see. Leaves rustled, then stopped...rustled, then stopped...like the beat of a drum, ever increasing in intensity. Not wind, for I felt nothing on the ground. An animal?

Romeo didn't seem to notice or care.

The sound steadily crescendoed to a thousand disharmonized screams, like blades screeching through metal. The noise ripped through me, tearing me apart inside. Pressing my lips together to cut off my own scream, I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my pyre-gun, covering my ears with my hands. That didn't help.

When I realized what was happening, I cringed. Solar flare. They always affected me this way. Humans never seemed to hear them, or feel the searing, violent bombardment of charged particles. Other-worlders always seemed to be affected. For most, the experience was a pleasure. For me, it was a nightmare. Flares were stronger out in the open, with nothing to obstruct their destructive waves.

I forced my eyes open, forced myself to watch Romeo. He basked in the sound, spreading his arms wide, welcoming the disharmony. Had he caused this? How? Why? I didn't understand.

The wind kicked up, lifting and scratching like a desperate lover. Trees shook and rumbled ominously. A bright light pulsed in the purple sky. Too bright. Getting brighter. Getting closer. What was happening? What- Romeo vanished.

One second he stood there, in the center of the circle, the next he didn't. The screaming ceased. The light dimmed. The trees settled.

Gaining my balance, I shoved to my feet. My head whipped to the side as I searched for my target. I searched the entire clearing for tracks. None led away from the circle.

My confusion doubled.

I replayed the scene through my mind. The screaming, the wind, the lights, and the way Romeo embraced them. My eyes widened as realization struck me. He'd somehow traveled from one world to another through the solar flare. My G.o.d.

Knowing what he'd done, however, merely increased the number of questions I had. Why hadn't I traveled with him? I'd been no more than ten feet away. I should have disappeared, too.

He was scheduled to return in two hours. I'd question him then. Br.i.m.m.i.n.g with antic.i.p.ation, I settled into my hiding place. And waited for his return.

Eleven thirty came and went.

I should have returned to Michael by now, or at least called, but I didn't dare move from this spot. I kept myself awake all night, well past the time allotted for the trip on Romeo's daily planner. Another solar flare did not erupt, so Romeo didn't return.

Morning brought the harsh rays of the sun, causing heat to envelope me. Causing the gra.s.s to stiffen. Maybe I'd miscalculated. Maybe he'd meant eleven thirty this morning.

I'd wait.

Sweat dripped down my face and chest. I wished to G.o.d I'd brought a canteen of sugar water. But this was supposed to be a quick job. In and out. So I'd brought no provisions for anything other than killing. One hour after another dragged by, the sound of the insects my only companion. I wouldn't doubt if Michael had sent out a search party for me by now. The man did like to worry.

Eleven thirty arrived without any signs of a solar flare. Romeo, however, arrived right on schedule. I kept my gaze on the circle, and before my eyes, he simply appeared. No warning. Just blink, there he was.

Excitement and antic.i.p.ation renewed, flooding me. He shook his head to orient himself, and I made my move. I jumped up from my crouch and bolted toward him, taking a controlled, don't-f.u.c.k-with-me stance right in front of him. My pyre-gun locked on his heart. His eyes widened when he saw me. Covered from head to toe in black as I was, I looked every bit as menacing and deadly as I actually was.

Without a word of warning, I punched him in the nose to get his attention. His head whipped to the side, and blood poured down his lips and chin. "Where did you go?" I demanded.

His mouth gaped open, and he stumbled backward, away from me.

Instead of trying to overpower me, he wanted to run. I expected no different. Most people, even those who used physical force when angry, backed down when faced with physical force against themselves. "You have three seconds to answer my question, or I'll melt the flesh from your bones. One."

I saw the wheels turn in his head before he morphed into seductive mode and offered me a let's-go-to-bed smile. "There's no need for this. We can-"

Disgust welled inside me. "Two."

"I know how to pleasure women," he whispered suggestively.

"Thr-"

"Home," he gasped out, his body beginning to tremble like a little girl's. "I went home to Morevv."

"Through the solar flare?"

"Yes, yes." He licked his lips, and his gaze darted from side to side. "Please don't hurt me."

"How does the solar flare work?"

"I-I don't know."

"You're lying." I stepped toward him and punched him again.

Tears filled his eyes and spilled onto his cheeks. He dropped to his knees. "I swear I don't know how it works. I only know it's the transit portal. Please don't hurt me. Please."

I wished he could see my expression when I said, "Is that how women have begged for your mercy? On their knees, pleading? Did you show them even an ounce?"

His sun-kissed skin paled, giving him a ghostly pallor. "I've never raped a woman."

Busted. "I didn't mention rape. Did I?"

"So what?" he said with sudden bravado. "They liked what I gave them in the end. Every woman does."

"Now I know you're lying, angel cakes, and I don't like liars." I pulled the trigger. A blue light flashed, hitting him directly in the chest.

He froze, locked in stun. His features projected shock and fear. I withdrew a small vial from my pocket, closed the distance between us, and poured the liquid down his throat.

"Onadyn," I said, knowing he heard every word. "Completely undetectable. A deoxygenating drug that some other-worlders use so they can breathe Earth's air. You-someone who needs oxygen to live-will suffocate in minutes, your every breath ineffective, making it look like you came out for a walk but died of organ failure."

I saw a muscle twitch in his jaw, and abject terror filled his eyes. I patted his cheek and gave him my sweetest smile. "Don't worry. I'll take care of your dog."

Romeo had named the dog Killer. Since that wouldn't do, her new name became Agent Luc. A play on the name Lucius. Hopefully he would be properly irritated, especially when he learned this s.h.a.ggy brown dog with the big, watery brown eyes was female. I smiled. Ah, life was suddenly good.

Agent Luc and I negotiated an understanding on the flight home. She craved affection, and I gave it to her. She'd been nothing more than Romeo's punching bag. She deserved a little pampering.

When we exited the ITS, she saw Michael waiting at the bottom of the exit steps. His expression was concerned until he saw me. Then a big, relieved grin lit his face. Immediately, Agent Luc began whimpering. I guess she didn't like males-even those who smiled.

Wise woman, I thought. I gently patted her neck, cooing, "He won't hurt you. He just looks mean." I squinted in the harsh daylight, heard another ITS pa.s.s overhead, a gentle hum.

Michael's confused gaze flicked from the dog to me. "You're late, and you didn't call" were the first words out of his mouth.

"I was delayed. I'm sorry." I hoisted my bag over one shoulder. Gripping Agent Luc's leash in the other hand, I strode from the private airstrip toward Michael's waiting sedan.

Agent Luc resisted at first, watching me with those sad brown eyes. "Come on, big girl," I said. "Think of this as an adventure." She reluctantly fell into step beside me, hopped into the back seat, and curled into a protective ball. She looked out of place against the fine black leather.

"Who's your friend?" Michael asked, motioning to the dog.

"She used to belong to the Morevv, but now she's your newest agent."

He rolled his eyes. "Do I have to pay her?"

"Of course." I slid into place beside Luc, and Michael settled behind the wheel. "Mission complete," I told him.

His motions clipped, he spun to face me. "That's it? That's all you have to say? I was beyond worried about you. After your last injuries..."

"I'm sorry I didn't call." I reached over and squeezed his hand. "I got caught up. I should have made the time, anyway, and I was wrong not to. I admit it." I knew he was a worrier, and I needed to take better care of him. "Forgive me?"

"As if I could stay mad at you," he said with no heat. Only affection.

I grinned. "What do you know about solar flares?"

"Only a little, and only because they bothered you so much as a child. Why?"

I sidestepped his question. "Tell me what you know first."

He programmed the self-navigating vehicle to take us home, then shrugged. "They're sudden eruptions of energy, heat, and light."

The car jolted into motion, but Michael didn't have to turn his attention away from me. The car drove smoothly along the road, expertly weaving in and out of traffic. A typical male, Michael had always liked his toys to be expensive, fast, and state of the art.