“Amen to that.”Boomer made a short, snorting sound.“How’s that for payback?Yeah!” It was the closest to unadulterated joy Del had ever heard from the man.
“Anton,” Rowan whispered, and Del’s skin went cool and rough with terror and gooseflesh.“He…Jilssen…”
“Later,” Del promised, taking a little pity and struggling not to crush her.She probably couldn’t breathe with him lying atop.A spike of frustrated heat went through him, an animal reaction to the adrenaline surge.
Every time I get some time alone with you, something else happens.I swear to God I’m going to lock you in a room and spend some time getting to know you again in the best way, angel.
It was the sudden rubber-band snap of released tension, postcombat jitters.“You were under a compulsion, Ro.I didn’t spot it.My fucking fault, I’m sorry.I’m so goddamn sorry?—”
“They’re not even scrambling helicopters,” Yoshi said, wonderingly.“Wow.What the hell?”
“Anton,” Rowan choked again.“I killed Jilssen.He’s dead, I killed him.”
Christ.His knee felt bruised, but he wedged it against the floor and dragged her up to sitting.Propped her back against the locked door and started feeling for any damage, mostly to reassure himself she was still alive.
“Road’s clear,” Brewster said from the front.“This is fantastic.”
“Let’s not get cocky.Yoshi, find out what the hell’s happened.Rowan, what about Anton?”The bite of command in Henderson’s tone made her stiffen.
Del almost opened his mouth to take the old man down a peg for barking at her, but he was right.They needed to know.
Rowan gulped.He touched her collarbone, her arms.Then he felt her knee, her ankle, and spread his hand against her belly.Her tank top had ridden up.He felt warm, soft skin and almost groaned.
“Jilssen.”She choked on the word.Delgado realized she was weeping, messily and completely as a child.“He wanted tobreedme.Theywanted to breed me.I killed him.I killed him and then Anton came in?—”
“Christ.”Del caught her shoulders, stopped from shaking her by a sheer effort of will.“Did he hurt you?Did he?” His stomach boiled at the thought.
“Let her talk, Delgado.”Henderson moved irritably so Boomer could tighten the tourniquet.
“H-he had a gun.”She held up her own piece, fingers locked outside the trigger guard.“T-tried t-t-to use his t-talent on me.I burned him, I burned him out.I wanted to kill him.God, Iwantedto kill him.”
You’re not the only one, angel.
“Burned him?”Henderson sucked in a breath as Boomer yanked.
“Sit the fuck down, General.You’re bleeding on me.”
“Bite it, soldier.Burned him, Rowan?”Henderson cocked his head.
Dammit, leave her alone.She’s just been through the wringer.But he kept his mouth shut.Henderson needed this information, desperately, or he wouldn’t be pushing her.
“He’s not a psion anymore.”Her breath hitched in.“I burned his talent.Then I p-pistol whipped him.Maybe I killed him too.I don’t know, I didn’t stick around to find out.”
Silence rang through the vehicle.Then Cath whistled out through her teeth.“Good fucking deal,” she summed up.“Hope you did.Brew, how we doing?”
“No pursuit that I can see.Yosh?”
“None here, either.Their tails are still tied in a knot back there.Hope you used enough C4.”
“Enough to knock out the whole fucking grid,” Boomer replied irritably.“All the lights were down.”
“Rowan.”Del shut out the chatter.Acceleration pulled against his body as Cath took a curve.He cupped Rowan’s face in his hands.“You all right?”His voice almost broke under the sheer inadequacy of the question.“Goddammit, talk to me.Talk to me.”
“I’m not all right.”A sob cracked under her words.“I killed him.I used my talent to kill him.”
She bent forward, curving into his arms.She cried against him as if her heart was breaking; he closed his eyes, stroking her tangled hair and tasting bitterness.She should never have had to do that, face that, alone.He should have gotten to her before the Sigs did.
The full horror of what she’d experienced soaked in.His arms tightened.Fortunately, Henderson didn’t ask any more questions, just submitted to Boomer’s ministrations and began organizing the finer points of their escape.
