Phoenix Rising I (13 page)

“I can’t believe you’re bringing that up now,” Summer huffed. “And these boots are killing me.”

“Yeah, but you and I look totally hot. This is how sex sells best. Prettied up for entertainment.” Lorie licked her lips, and Summer couldn’t help but laugh.

“I think you joined the wrong force. You should be out there ‘escorting’ handsome men.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lorie said sourly. “But I have to tell you, Hotbod is definitely weird about you. I don’t know, Summer. With the strange way his mind works, he might know what you’ve been up to this past week.”

Summer stopped in her tracks. “You said that wasn’t possible. If he can’t remember, he won’t remember. That’s what you said.”

“Who knows with a man like Nichols?” She tugged Summer to follow her. One more block and they could see Godzi’s behind a line of overpriced sports cars.

“No way.” Summer shook her head. “If he knew, he’d have said something. Drake is nothing if not a man who prizes control. And if he knew who’s really been in charge the past few days, he’d blow his cork.”

Lorie thought that over. “Good point. So he doesn’t know, but his body does. And wow, you are one lucky girl!”

Summer flushed, easily recalling the size and feel of Drake inside her. Heaven on earth, no two ways about it.

“I’m trying to focus on the job, remember?” She scowled at Lorie. “I know I can’t have Drake, and I’d planned on ending it completely after last night.” When he’d brought me to my first multiple orgasm, ever. She just couldn’t handle the dichotomy of their relationship anymore, especially since she’d stupidly fallen in love with the autocratic sex fiend. Much as it killed her, she knew last night had been their last night.

Feeling depressed and little reckless, Summer shook her teased hair and planted a hand on the hip of her low-slung skirt. “Now why don’t we focus on Godzi’s, and how lucky we plan to get tonight?”

Chapter Six

Drake stared through the crowd, feeling the press of bodies and sexual energy thrumming through him. A feeling of doom had hit him the minute he’d watched Summer and Tannon saunter out of the locker room. Hell, as soon as he’d recognized Summer in that outdoor bra he’d been hard as a rock. Even now, just watching her flaunt that tight little ass had him half out of his mind.

He couldn’t shake the feeling of wrongness following him and was beginning to think he might be growing a case of paranoia. Ever since that bust with Summer on Thursday night, his life had been strangely out of whack, as if he was missing something important that lay just out of reach.

Rubbing his temple, he ordered another beer. Technically, he was off duty. But he wanted to make sure the surveillance was taken care of properly, or so he kept telling himself. The captain had been on his ass to be very careful investigating Godzi’s. The mayor’s close friends owned the place, and the clientele ran to high-scale contributors to his campaign. But the one underlying factor he couldn’t stop thinking about stood cozied up to some asshole by the bar.

He snorted. Interesting that for a place run by the ‘mayor’s friends,’ two detectives dressed as high-priced call girls had no problems entering the club, and they fit right in with the other scantily-clad beauties writhing on the dance floor.

Another glimpse at the bar showed Summer wrapped around a hulking bruiser sporting enough gold to choke a fucking pharaoh. Her small hands stroked the guy’s massive biceps, and her foot massaged his calf, up and down.

Irrational, jealous rage consumed him until a soft female voice cautioned him to relax.

Shocked, he realized he’d internalized his nonsensical anger, and the voice he’d heard had not been from the crowd, but from Summer, inside his head. Since when had his eavesdropper developed telepathic skills?

* * * *

Summer curled her hand around D.J.’s arm, the man with enough gold to “choke a fucking pharaoh.” She’d almost jumped when Drake’s voice had penetrated her thoughts, not to mention her shock in seeing him across the club, glaring at her, before the throng of the crowd shifted to obscure him again.

What the hell was he doing here? Unfortunately she had no more time to wonder, because D.J. had his hands on her waist and was pulling her between his sturdy thighs. Not pleased that this brute had caught her, she at least realized her luck that he was thick with the owners. Apparently D.J. was a regular at the club who knew just about everyone around him.

“You and I are going to get real friendly soon,” he murmured in her ear, then cupped her ass to rub against his bulging crotch. “Shit, baby, you’ve got me hard as a bricka pike.”

She supposed in his environment that passed as foreplay. Then recalling her role, she smiled up at him and winked.

His hand tightened on her ass and his light blue eyes clouded. She wondered at his strong reaction and then realized she was responsible for all of it. Her, ah, sister self was asserting her power--the word “succubus” still made her cringe. But what the hell? It ought to be good for something more than screwing up her love life.

Reeling in this big fish she blew a small kiss at him and watched him literally squirm on his seat.

“Why don’t you show me around, D.J.?” She pouted prettily.

Easy, Summer. Too much of that and he’ll be coming in his pants, sniped Drake. And if he doesn’t have his hands off you in the next two seconds, I’m coming over there-

She quickly stepped out of his embrace and smiled at D.J. over her shoulder. Grunting, D.J. shoved his way through the crowd and began introducing her to anyone she wanted to meet. A small glare from Drake met her as her eyes scanned the crowd. Crap. If Drake kept up with the macho stuff, she could kiss this opportunity good-bye.

You’re damned right. I don’t know what I was thinking to let you and Tannon walk into this place like fuck toys. I want you out, now.

Stop it, Dr--Lieutenant. What a strange way to communicate. It was so … intimate. You don’t seem to have these issues with Lorie. So it’s just me, then?

I, ah. Hell, I don’t know what’s going on between us, Summer. But I have a feeling you do. You shouldn’t be able to communicate with me at this distance, but you’re doing it easily. And it’s not coming from me. You’re just so--

“And upstairs we have the private, VIP floor. Would you like to see that?”

D.J. asked as he pressed against her ass, pushing her toward the stairs. “Would I.” She shoved Drake out of her mind, noting his scowl as she ascended the stairs. “I just love to party.”

“Yeah.” He deliberately stumbled against her, leaning into her. “I just bet you do. Come on.” His breathing was harsh, and he passed her onto the second floor, practically pulling her with him.

Once past the hulking security guards, Summer followed D.J. into the heart of the party. On almost every table, obscured by a dark privacy screen along the railing overlooking the dance floor, lines and pipes filled with Illuso were inhaled and smoked. The substance roiled about like a fog, and she grew dizzy just inhaling. She’d noted the haze from downstairs, but had thought the heavy smoke was no more than some special effect. Dazed now, as much from the second-hand Illuso as from the energy she was unconsciously pulling from D.J., she loosened his hold on her.

“Damn, those tits are killing me,” he groaned and stared, bringing his monster hands up to caress her.

Drake’s rage meshed with her resistance. “Not here, baby,” she teased and licked her lips, running her finger into the deep décolletage of her bustier. “I want to see some real fun. Is this all the stuff you got?” She frowned and pulled from him. “I heard this club was hoppin’. But guess I was wrong.”

Prodding D.J. to make an impression on her, she trailed a hand over his thigh and watched him swallow hoarsely.

“You want to see the real stuff? The motherload?” He laughed, a grating sound that prickled her skin. Dismay and excitement wrestled within her. Motherload? She hadn’t expected there to be much more than what this floor possessed. A few pipes and a stash, surely, but how much more did Godzi’s have in store? “Come with me, baby. I’ll show you where it’s made. And if you want, you can have some of the pure stuff while you blow me.”

He grinned nastily and forced her hand over his erection. She wanted to squeeze, hard, but forced herself to block her repulsion from Drake and let her mind stimulate him while her hand hovered over his crotch, unmoving.

“Fuck, I’m near ready to come,” he panted, and she could sense Drake near his end. Much as she tried to keep him out of the conversation, her telepathic boss was eavesdropping with astonishing skill. And he made her more than uncomfortable.

“Downstairs, D.J. Come on.” She playfully yanked him toward the stairs, and he lumbered after her like a lovesick puppy, one that could and probably would bite the hand that fed him.

They stepped onto the main floor, where Drake was idly stirring a drink as he glared holes into her from the bar. Then D.J. took her to another door at the back guarded by two gorillas. She wondered if they were friends of the mayor’s, as well.

Shit. The mayor. Drake’s voice reached her easily as she followed D.J. down a dark stairwell.

The minute she reached the bottom and stepped through another set of guarded doors, her mouth dropped open in shock.

“This is huge.”

D.J. grinned and stroked himself. “Like I said, baby. The motherload.”

She glanced around at the sleek operation, realizing the danger she was in, clearly, for the first time. Her mind immediately tuned to the situation and the mission.

It’s not small, Lieutenant. In fact, it looks like this place may be the actual source of Illuso running around the city. Hell, Godzi’s is a powder keg just waiting to explode.

I’m calling in reinforcements. Stall your friend until I get down there.

No! There are guards everywhere, with guns! You’ll be killed. Let me handle this.

Warmth surged through her. Thanks for the concern, Detective, he said with humor. But I’m ordering you to stall the asshole, then jump to the extraction point the minute you see me, or sooner if he gets rough. Do not, I repeat, do not, attempt to take him yourself.

So she’d be clear while he and reinforcements took down the operation, placing themselves at risk? They still had no real idea what they were up against. They would need every able-bodied Spec and a ton of back-up to secure this area. Dammit. She rubbed her hip. Now was not the time to be without a gun. And where the hell had Lorie disappeared?

Lieutenant? Do you see my partner down there?
Silence.
Lieutenant? Drake?

D.J. drew her into a private room filled with computers and filing cabinets. Once inside, he deadbolted the door and turned to her with a lascivious grin. Unzipping his trousers, he reached his hand inside and stepped toward her.

“The Illuso with a blow. That’s the deal, baby.” He reached for a small black box on top of the nearest desk and opened it. Filled with red, grainy Illuso, the box would be worth a small fortune on the streets. “I’ve got the drugs, now how about my fee?”

He withdrew his cock and stared at her.

As if she could get that monstrous phallus in her mouth even if she wanted to. She swallowed loudly.

“Yeah, that’s what I want.” He laughed.

Crap. What to do? Her instinct said to get the hell out of there. Mr. Big looked like he planned on having satisfaction, one way or the other, by the hard look in his eyes.

Should she jump and risk exposing her identity and the surveillance on the club? Or stall him, like Drake had said, until Drake arrived? Of course, seeing her and D.J. like this, she imagined Drake would beat him until he bled from every orifice in his body, and if she was lucky he’d stop before killing the guy.

She chose option number three, and prayed she looked more convincing than she felt as she slowly stepped closer. * * * *

Detective Lorie Tannon was nowhere to be found. Even the women coming out of the restroom confirmed her absence. Uneasy about the entire situation, his pulse pounding at thoughts of Summer and that huge dick downstairs, alone, made him want to scratch the itch of his paranoia.

Fuck it. He knew Summer was in trouble, and Tannon missing on a case like this, by choice? Not likely. He sent a telepathic distress to the station, pleased to know several of his men had stayed behind on the off-chance they hit pay-dirt at Godzi’s. If the mayor only knew how eager his force was to bust his ass.

Anticipation heating his blood, he nodded subtly to both Richards and Delacorte, Richards’ new partner who had managed to instill peace between Drake and his rebellious detective. Richards had been quietly respectful lately, and Drake thanked God at least one spot of drama in his life had passed.

But Summer … what the hell could he do about her?

He motioned Richards to meet him at the bar. “I’ll have a whiskey sour,” he told the bartender. Tannons’ missing, and Michaels is downstairs playing

party treat to a thug the size of you and me put together.

Richards clenched his jaw. “I’ll have the same thing he’s having.” The bartender nodded and left to get his drink. I’ll check for Tannon. Last I saw her she was flirting with some security guards by the exit. Delacorte said he heard you make the distress call. Our team should be here in ten minutes.

Drake nodded as he sipped his drink, then purged the toxins from his body. The process hurt, but he and his people had been trained by the doc in the event such a thing became necessary. He quickly wiped the unnatural sweat off his forehead and took a deep breath.

Good, but ten minutes is ten minutes Michaels doesn’t have. He could feel panic crawling over his skin, a foreign and unwelcome sensation. Find Tannon and have Delacorte meet our backup outside. I’ll secure Michaels. And when the team arrives, let them know the Illuso lab is in the basement, where I’ll be standing by.

Richards nodded and left in search of Delacorte. Shaking his head, Drake fought the residual headache brewing between his eyes and felt incredibly powerful for all that he’d just been through. For days he’d been almost euphoric with uncommon strength and clarity of thought. Again, another mystery to solve that had its roots in the stakeout last Thursday night.