Authors: Ashlynn Monroe
“Cut. I think we need to give them some time to settle in before pushing the camera back into their faces.”
She went to her RV and unpacked her suitcase, feeling tired and a little cranky. Dina wasn’t looking forward to the next day when the filming would begin full time. With an exhausted sigh, she flopped back on the little couch. There was a king-sized bed at the front, but she didn’t have the stamina to stand up. A rest before the afternoon filming sounded wonderful. The makeup artist would never be able to hide how tired she looked.
Her feet hurt. Slowly, she pulled her swollen, damaged feet out of her pumps. If she didn’t have to host, she could wear appropriate footwear.
Thanks a lot, Zane.
Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. She couldn’t tell which felt worse, the throbbing in her feet or the pain in her head. She hoped she’d remembered to pack Excedrin.
Damn it, Zane.
As if he had ESP, Zane appeared in front of her. She gave a startled shout. Scowling, she shook her head grumpily. “You know how much I hate it when you use your powers unnecessarily.” Realizing what he’d just done, she paused. “How can you do that? You’ve been here before?”
He smiled as if he were pleased with himself. “I found out where the studio was renting the RVs from. I made a point of entering the one I saw was reserved for you. Just so I could annoy you and make sure you were keeping your end of our bargain.”
Dina tried to keep the gloomy look on her face, but she couldn’t stop a laugh from bubbling up and out of her.
“Do you mean that in the five minutes of spare time you have between crime fighting and the day job, you went to an obscure, recreational equipment rental company and broke into this RV just to make sure that you could pop in whenever you liked? You really need a hobby. Okay, you’re here, so what’s up?”
Zane sat down next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she couldn’t deny how natural it felt to snuggle into the warmth of his massive, hard body.
She liked the sensation too much, so she scooted away. He frowned. Dina focused on the carpet, unwilling to face his disappointment. His lack of disguise annoyed her. She needed to protect his secret to protect him. She couldn’t ruin his life. He was risking so much for her, but she couldn’t help him if he wasn’t willing to guard his anonymity. If anyone had been with her when he popped in this could have been a disaster.
He chuckled. Sexy. She shivered, and felt her body react to his nearness. Dina glanced at his face and immediately regretted looking at him and seeing the desire in his eyes. The smoky look sent a sharp stab of awareness through her. She tried to back away farther, but she couldn’t get very far away in the small space.
“I don’t bite. Why does it have to be like this? Holding you felt wonderful. I’m here because I wanted to make sure you were okay. You look worn out. If you don’t get some rest, I’ll back out of this thing.”
“I’m fine, Zane. I just got up too early. It’ll only be a few weeks, and then I can get all the rest I want. Are you sure you’re not just here to check out your potential lovers?” Dina needed to put him on the defense. His game was so good. Zane made her forget how important it was for her to keep her distance. She loved him too much to give into her long-suppressed need.
He didn’t smile at her teasing. Darkness clouded his eyes and his rugged face was drawn. He reached out and took a strand of her hair between his fingers, rubbing it. “I miss your natural color,” he murmured.
She gasped as he yanked her close. His muscular body pressed against her. She couldn’t stop herself from closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his neck as his lips touched hers. She moaned. His tongue slid between her lips and she felt it toy with hers. When he pulled his mouth away she blinked up into his face as she came back to reality.
“You know how I feel about you. You can give me away to every woman on the planet, and I’d always come back for you. Why are you fighting it? How can you accept this strangeness between us? There was a time we could tell each other everything. It was as natural as breathing to hold each other. I just wish you could forgive me for not being as strong as you were. They changed me. I never wanted this. I only wanted you.”
His words made her heart ache. She drew in a small, shaky breath. “Zane, I need to rest. I think it’d be a good idea for you to go. I’ll see you here tomorrow at nine, okay?” She couldn’t look him in the eyes.
Oh God, stay with me. Touch me. Don’t ever leave me again. Fuck me until I can’t walk, but don’t leave me.
She wanted to shout the words at him. Instead, she bit her lip to keep them to herself.
Thank God he can’t read minds, only control them.
Zane could force her. He could keep her mind prisoner, but he’d never used his abilities on her, not once.
He stood, crossing his arms over his chest before poofing away without a single word. She closed her eyes, shaking. If loving her wasn’t a danger to him, she’d claim him as hers. Dina hated to hurt him, but it would hurt him more if she got him killed. Her love would only be a noose forever dangling just above him to use against him. Why couldn’t he see it? Why wouldn’t he understand?
Zane stood toe to toe with Ian, their height equal, neither backing down. “Stop. Please, this is crazy,” Dina cried.
Without warning, Ian’s electricity shot out, hitting Zane. Bridget ran into the room. She tried to use her ability to paralyze Ian. She’d only be able to hold him for a moment, but it would give Zane the time he needed. Ian turned and flung an electrical current at her. Bridget screamed, convulsing with the pain.
“No, God no,” Dina muttered. Her friend fell lifelessly before her eyes. The fun-loving redhead was dead. Ian zapped Bridget with another burst, and she gasped. He’d just restarted her heart.
Looking at Ian, Dina saw the cruel danger he presented with new eyes. He grinned. His cold eyes connected with hers. “I’m powerful enough to take life, or give it. That makes me the strongest.”
Ella came running into the room. Her eyes widened and she skidded to a halt. She was the most dangerous to Ian’s ability and he knew it. Electricity and water didn’t mix. Ella could become pure liquid, vapor even if she chose. Before she could attack, he sent a blast of force at her. Her whole body seized.
“No.” The small sound slipped from Dina’s lips as she watched her sister’s face pale.
Ian was there without warning, holding Ella by the throat, sending his power into her body. Ella’s lips turned blue. He dropped her, dead. Screaming and sobbing, Dina went to her beloved sister to begin CPR.
“Live, Ella. For once don’t be stubborn, sis,” Dina begged as she did chest compressions, then she breathed for her sister before returning to force her heart to beat. Willing Ella to live, blinded by her tears, she tried not to be hysterical, but her self-control was slipping. Ella’s heart was beating again and she took a few shallow breaths. Dina fell back sobbing, and then gathered her sister in her arms.
The sound of grunts and flesh colliding with flesh barely registered on her consciousness. She looked over her sister’s shoulder to see Zane grab a vase filled with water and flowers. He smashed it over Ian’s head. Ian screamed as his control on his power flickered. The water cascaded over his face. His eyes glowed and she saw little blue currents running up and down his arms. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. Zane hit him, hard, and the younger man fell. She’d never seen such raw rage on Zane’s face before as he slammed the uncontrolled flickering form repeatedly until blood tricked from Ian’s eyes and nose.
“Stop, Zane.” Dina’s voice was flat. As angry as she was with Ian, she couldn’t stand to see Zane kill him…for Zane’s sake.
His fist paused midair. “Get out.” Spit and blood hit Ian’s face as Zane ground out the angry words.
Ian wobbled to his feet, giving Dina one last look as he stumbled out the door.
Zane slumped back against the wall. Tears filled his eyes. “I lost control,” he muttered.
Dina helped Ella sit before she went to Zane and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s okay.”
“No. When I saw him hurting you I wanted to kill him. I…I couldn’t control myself—my strength. I don’t care what happens, I’ll kill to protect you. No one will ever hurt you again,” Zane muttered as he pulled Dina into his arms.
It wasn’t long after that day that the media started stalking them. Zane became irrationally worried about Dina’s safety. Organized crime resented the heroes. Threats were made openly as the police began arresting criminals foolish enough to take on the young vigilantes. Dina could see the stress of his fear for her. If those crime bosses found out who they were, she’d be the target. They’d use her to kill him. Her resemblance to her twin put her in danger too. If someone thought she had power, they’d come after her. So she’d dyed her hair and walked away. She’d been cruel, making him think she’d stopped loving him, so he could get on with his life. She needed to protect them all. She was their greatest liability.
She set her cellphone’s alarm clock for an hour. She was asleep the moment her eyes closed.
Chapter 7
Groggily, Dina slapped at the annoying sound. Tired, blurry eyes wouldn’t focus on the phone for her to turn it off. She popped the battery out in frustration. Pulling herself up she stumbled out of her temporary home. The makeup artist gave her a very dirty look when she sat down. The woman worked ferociously until Dina looked fresh, and her hair no longer stuck out in disarray.
Dina walked to each of the cabins and asked the occupants to follow. Like the Pied Piper of single women, she led the procession up the hill, showing them the mess hall, toilet, and shower facilities. Gleefully, the cameraman caught all the traumatized reactions after they saw how rustic the conditions really were.
“Everyone has five minutes of shower time each day. You can take a morning or evening shower, but not both.”
There was a rabble of outrage from the group. Ignoring their irritation, she continued with some of the other rules.
Dina spent the day leading the girls around the camp. They had time to get acquainted with each other too. Most of the day was spent setting up cameras and deciding where they’d be recording the contests. The women played volleyball for a while. A few of them went on a hike. Dina noticed alliances forming. By lunch, she was pretty sure which of them had become friends and what group was going to be the most drama.
The day was muggy. Dina hated how tired the heat left her. Every breath seemed to drain her a little more. She was proud of her crew. They didn’t complain. This was going to be a successful production because the people she’d handpicked knew how to do their jobs well. By the time she was ready to film the last scene of the day, she felt confident that no matter what, this was going to be amazing TV.
Dina gathered the contestants in the dining hall. They’d be piecing bits of the day’s casual footage with this final scene. While they were enjoying a light supper, she motioned for the cameras to roll.
“We will be working together. You will each have assigned chores,” Dina announced.
Nelly and Virginia made an especially loud fuss in unison. “I’ve never had to do a chore in my life. That’s why Daddy pays the help.”
“Consider yourself the help for the next six weeks. This is all part of the competition, and if you refuse to do it, you’ll fail,” she replied, then gave the girls a grim smile.
Nelly took a broom from Dina, gritting her teeth and glaring. Virginia grabbed the mop Dina held in her other hand.
Dina continued. “Anyone ready to back out, or are you up to the challenge?”
No one backed out, so she assigned the chores.
“What’s your chore?” Alexi asked.
“My chore is to babysit you all. I’m not competing for the hero, so I have chore immunity.”
Grumbling, the girls went back to their tasks. Dina hid her smile behind her planner. The camera panned the group. Many were putting in minimal effort. Susan and Purity worked diligently, no surprise there, but Candy seemed to be putting in honest effort.
Alexi set her dusting supplies on a table. She walked over to Dina and asked, “So what’s the point of this?”
Dina smiled at her. The camera focused in on them. “Mind Man needs the kind of woman who would help others, without any reward for herself. You’ll receive a score for your chores, and that score will help you win extra one-on-one time with him.
Alexi rushed back over to where she’d left her things and began working in earnest. Dina noticed the others had stepped up as well, except for Nelly, she was still pouting. When the women finished, everything sparkled.