Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(7)

An hour later , I found myself standing outside of Rome's recovery room in PSI headquarters. I'd been beside his bed, but my grief had gotten the better of me and ice tears had once again begun falling from the ceiling, so I'd been asked to leave. Now I was looking at the love of my life through a glass partition.

He lay motionless, his dark hair in disarray. His features were smooth, as if he were merely sleeping, at peace and healthy and dreaming of love and heart-pounding sex. Perhaps the last was wishful thinking.

Long black lashes feathered over his sharp cheekbones. I wanted to trace the shadows they cast, the slope of his nose. His lips were soft and parted. I'd kissed those lips. Those lips had kissed every inch of me.

He hadn't lost any weight. His body was still tanned, primed and roped. Pure strength, total vitality. The only evidence that something was wrong was the electrodes scattered all over his torso. On the monitor, his heartbeat appeared steady and sure.

Lexis stood beside the bed, clasping his hand. Tears were sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto his bare chest. They should have been my tears. I should have been the one holding his hand.

Right then, I hated my powers.

Tanner was in the waiting room with Sherridan, who had yet to exit her Happy Place. How I envied her.

Rome was my Happy Place, but I couldn't get to him. And I couldn't leave to give them an update.

Approaching Rome was too dangerous, but I refused to move from this spot. When he awoke, he would need me. By then, I would be calm.

Really?Several ice crystals splattered atop my head. Hand shaky, I brushed them off. Stupid fear.

Several more instantly took their place, but I didn't bother with them. Until I did that pesky calming thing, they wouldn't stop falling.

"Belle."

I felt the heat and zap of Cody's body as he approached me, and then I caught the scent of a wild storm. Familiar, but not as comforting as it should have been. I didn't turn. My gaze was still locked on Rome. My Rome. Lying there, so helpless. Even with all my powers, there was nothing I could do to help him right now. None of the doctors knew what was wrong or why they couldn't rouse him.

"What happened?" I asked Cody softly. He and Rome were friends. They worked together, trusted each other. He would tell me the truth - no matter how much it hurt.

"I honestly don't know."

Or maybe not. "If you're saying that because you think the truth will cause me to break down - "

"Nothing like that, believe me." He laughed, but there was a hard edge to the sound. "If I knew, I'd tell you. But it's like a piece of my brain is missing, my memories of the event gone. All I know is that I saw Rome open one of the cages and then he was unconscious on the ground. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground myself and crawling to get to him. Had Lexis not told me about the man entering our bodies, I would have no knowledge of it whatsoever."

"He's going to be okay," I said, more for my benefit than his.

"Yes. He's strong. A fighter. Remember when our old friend Pretty Boy plugged him full of poisoned bullets? He lived through that, thanks to you, and even helped end the son of a bitch, so he can live through anything."

My hands fisted at my sides, tongues of fire suddenly licking at my skin and melting the ice. "I'm going to capture the bastard who hurt him."

"It will be my pleasure to help you."

"Thank you." I'd take any help I could get. "I doubt John will balk. The guy who attacked you and Rome is linked to Desert Gal, since she's the one who rounded up all of Pretty Boy's experiments, so technically his case should be mine, anyway." God. This might not have happened if I'd taken care of her already. She wouldn't have gathered those people, that horrible body-entering man, and Rome wouldn't have gone to that warehouse. "As soon as Rome wakes up, I'm hunting them both." No longer would I be lax in my duties.

"I'll be ready," Cody said. "From what I hear, Desert Gall is worse than Pretty Boy. More coldhearted, hungrier for power, with no perceivable weakness."

Didn't matter. I would not fail. Not again. "I'm going to request Tanner and Lexis as backup." The two might not get along, and Lexis might not be my favorite person right now, but they were amazing agents.

If anyone could help me find and destroy my fiance's tormentors, they could.

"The bastard is going to suffer," I said with determination.

"Belle," Cody said gently.

"Yes?"

"Look at me."

And away from Rome? "No, I - "

"Please."

When a strong, dominant man said please, it was best to give in unless you wanted six-foot-four of solid muscle breathing down your neck. Something I knew firsthand from Rome. I'd delighted in refusing him, and he'd delighted in changing my mind.

Eyes welling, I slowly turned to face Cody. He was almost as beautiful as Pretty Boy had been. Like a fallen angel or a glamorized devil. He had silvery-blond hair and silver eyes with a hint of violet that actually sparked with the electricity he contained inside himself, allowing him to shift into nothing but energy particles.

But he wasn't Rome, wasn't my Cat Man, and he'd never made my heart pound or my skin tighten with anticipation. I wiped at the droplets splattering my cheeks and arms.

He stepped away from me, clearly not wanting any of that water to hit, and perhaps electrocute, him.