Training Rain (3 page)

He bundled up and went outside into the blizzard. Rain
didn’t take his advice, she waited, watching for him out the window, but all
she saw was a white-out of snow. Ten minutes later, he was pounding on the door
with a hammer and nails.

Once he’d managed to cover the mess she’d made of the door,
he dropped the hammer and a few nails on the floor near the inside of the door.
“There was some wood and tools in the shed.”

Within minutes, Jess had stripped down to his long
underwear. Rain’s heart pounded and her body trembled at the sight of him
stripping without any regard for the fact that she was standing in the room
watching him. He slid down onto the couch and put his feet up. His long, lean
form stretched the length of the sofa.

With the power off, the bedroom was freezing and if she kept
the door closed it would stay that way. If the electricity remained off, in the
morning she would try to start the generator she’d seen out back.

On her way to the bedroom a thought struck her and she
stopped in her tracks. “I don’t like the idea of going to sleep and having you
invade my dreams.”

“I can sense your emotional state, and if you let me in, I
could probably get more, but telepathy is not really my thing. Even if it was,
I wouldn’t invade your privacy without an invitation.”

“But you heard me earlier.”

“You were thinking very loudly.”

“Was I?”

He nodded. “I won’t read your mind while you sleep. You have
my word.”

She believed him. “I appreciate that.”

“Go to bed, Rain.”

Rain took the lantern and got ready for bed. She lay back in
the small lumpy bed.
Why did they have to send Jess?
Of all the people
who could have come to train her, why him? She’d never forget the day they’d
gone to Las Vegas to defeat Troth Banta. The man was so evil even now her skin
prickled to think of him.

Troth Banta had been stealing the auras of psychic people.
He killed psi agents and stole whatever power they had to keep as his own. Rain
didn’t know the extent of Jess’ skills, but she suspected that had Banta
succeeded in stealing his aura, the agency might not have won that battle.

Being able to block psychic waves had made her valuable to
the plan. She had been too late for one man but had gotten there just in time
to save Jess. She’d immediately set her healing powers to the task of mending
his aura. That memory still haunted her nights.

She’d tried to banish what it had been like. The searing
pain. The terror. It would not be put aside. Her body quaked six months later
from the recollection. Seeing Jess again brought it all back in vivid detail.

Over an hour passed and the thoughts would not leave her.
Wiping the moisture from her cheeks, she resigned herself to little sleep.

His tall, sinewy body was shadowed in the door frame. Rain
gasped and clutched at the sheet and blanket as if they would protect her. Even
in the dark with only the glow of the fireplace behind him, she knew it was
Jess. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What?” she asked.

“You’re freaking out and it’s keeping me awake. What could
you possibly be that upset about? Is it because you shot me? Because if that’s
it, I’m fine and I forgive you.” There was clearly a combination of anger and
worry in his voice.

“You said you couldn’t read my mind. You lied.” She was at a
disadvantage. Getting out of bed, she put her hands on her hips.

He took a step into the room. “No. I said it wasn’t my
greatest psi ability. However, if the person in the next room is in a complete
panic, I can sure as hell feel that. Now what’s wrong?”

“I don’t remember you and I being in each other’s
confidence. I’m not required to tell you my innermost thoughts and feelings and
I don’t believe you really care. You just want to get to sleep. So I will
control my emotions and you can return to the couch.” Even as she said it, she
wasn’t entirely sure she could do what she claimed. His presence had brought
those memories to the forefront and he was very much still a factor.

He didn’t say a word for a long time. Then his voice was
very soft when he did. “Come in the living room, Rain.”

She should have ignored the order. It was definitely a
command. Even in that barely audible voice, it held grit and even though she
wanted to tell him no and slam the door in his wake, she followed him out. Her
only act of defiance was that he sat and she crossed her arms over her chest
and glared down at him.

“Are you afraid of me?” he asked.

“No.” It was the truth.

“Then why am I in your thoughts as well as pain and fear?”

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “That seems like a
lot of information for someone who doesn’t have good telepathic abilities.”

“A psi child could read that. You were practically
projecting your thoughts. So do you want to tell me what that was all about?”
His southern lilt got stronger.

“I don’t really want to share that with you.”

“You’d probably feel better if you did. Maybe I can help.”

“Unless you can change the nature of my gifts, you can’t
help.”

“I don’t understand.”

“No. You don’t. That’s because it’s none of your business.”

She watched as his chest rose and fell in the firelight. She
blocked her mind from him since she was unable to look away from his beautiful
body.

He leaned against the back of the couch. Relaxed as if he
was a cat, but just like a cat he appeared ready to spring at the least
provocation. “All right. Since you can’t sleep and you’re keeping me up, we’ll
talk about something else. Why don’t you sit?”

She couldn’t argue with him. She was not going to sleep and
once she tried to relax her mind would open and she would project her fears.
She took a seat at the other end of the couch. “What do you want to talk
about?”

“I’m glad you can at least block your mind. I know you can
block other people.”

“It’s not so much blocking. I interrupt the flow of psi
energy.”

“So you could affect more than one person at a time?” He
sounded intrigued and his accent was all but gone.

“It’s harder, but yes. As long as I’m in close proximity, I
can stop the flow all around me.”

“Do you have any offensive talents?”

“No.” Her thoughts immediately went back to the idea that
she had no business in this new agency.

He smiled. Even in the shadows it was devastating. “You
know, defensive abilities can be turned to offensive purposes in some
situations.”

Her heart beat faster. She had her mind closed off. How had
he known what she was thinking?

“Don’t freak out. I don’t need to be psychic to know what
you’re thinking. You don’t think you belong here. I get that. Maybe you’re
right. We won’t know until we test you out.”

“I suppose.”

“First you and I are going to have to come to an
understanding.” His accent returned.

Her instincts told her to be cautious. “What kind of
understanding?”

“You are going to have to trust me enough to tell me why I
make you so damn uncomfortable, because if you’re afraid of me this will not
work. I will have to call Josh and tell him to send a different agent to train
you.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“Then why is your mind still closed down?”

She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest again.
“Just because I don’t want anyone poking around in my head doesn’t mean I’m
afraid. It means I’m cautious.”

“It means you don’t trust me.”

“I don’t like the idea of anyone being in my mind.”

“Why? Do you have something to hide?”

She laughed, but it was not a pleasant sound. “Everyone has
something to hide.”

That smile again. “That’s true. I will not invade your
privacy. I can promise you that. I can’t help hearing emotions that you
broadcast the way you did from the bedroom, but I will not go searching for
information without permission.”

Her palms grew sweaty. Should she trust him? “I have your
word on that?”

Jess reached his hand across the space between them. “Trust
me.”

She took it and let down her mental block.

She could see his body relax. What did he care if she
trusted him? Why should it matter to him if she became part of the new Psi
Alliance?

“Do you want to tell me what had you so upset before?”

“To do that I have to explain a lot of other things and it
will take some time.” She hoped that he would be persuaded to wait for another
time.

“Do you think you can go to sleep and not return to your
earlier state?”

Damn him. “I don’t really want to talk about this.”

To her surprise, he chuckled then he got up and added logs
to the fire. “Yes. I got that.”

Without saying another word, he returned to the couch and
lounged while watching her. Rain didn’t like to be the center of attention even
when it was good attention. This was not good. He would be repulsed by what she
did. At least she would get her wish and Jess McMean would be out of her life.
Why didn’t that make her feel any better?

“I was thinking about the day in Las Vegas. I couldn’t stop.
The minute you walked in the memory hit me and I couldn’t let it go. At the
time, you were bleeding so I could focus elsewhere, but as soon as I went to
bed it was as if I were reliving the events all over again.”

He leaned forward. “I don’t understand. That was a victory.
I’ll admit it was terrible to lose Trip that way, but he knew what he was
doing. We both did. We were willing to sacrifice our lives for the greater
good. Banta draining our auras would slow him enough for everyone else to have
a chance to take him out. It worked. If you hadn’t blocked Banta, I would have
died too.”

Her stomach was in knots. “I don’t think you can understand
what happens when I heal someone.”

“I only know what you told me about urging my body to heal
itself. I know that the wound in my arm is almost knitted. I find that
fascinating.”

“That is a small thing. I can’t cure cancer. Well that’s not
entirely true, if the person has not had radiation or chemotherapy, I can try
to force their immune system to kill the bad cells.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why not after those treatments?”

“For selfish reasons.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“Look, I know you’re not used to this environment. It must
have been different growing up on the reservation and I’m sure all of this is
frightening. I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself.”

“See what I mean? You know nothing. I didn’t grow up on the
Shoshone Reservation. I grew up in Los Angeles. Adianca came when I was
eighteen and brought me to Nevada. She saved me from myself.”

Everything she said was in English and yet he didn’t
understand. “LA? Wow, that’s surprising, but I don’t know what you mean by
Adianca saving you from yourself and what does any of that have to do with last
summer and why you were so upset earlier?”

She physically shook herself and he couldn’t read her.
“Nothing.”

He’d promised not to pry so he’d have to allow her to tell
the story her own way. The temptation to poke around in her pretty head was
strong. He just wished he wasn’t so distracted by all that long black hair,
smooth skin and curves that would not stop. At least when he arrived, she was
bundled up for the cold weather. Now she was in a tank top and sweatpants and
it was more than he could stand.

Maybe he should have left her in her bed, left her to suffer
alone, but he couldn’t. Somehow, though he didn’t know how, he was responsible
for the agony she was experiencing and that would not do. He would try to
gentle her into confiding in him.

“Maybe we should keep it simple, Rain. You said that when
you heal you manipulate the body’s cells to work faster.”

“That’s right.” She looked as if she was surprised he’d been
listening.

“How do you do that?”

“I experience the event that caused the injury and I use it
to turn the negative energy around.”

Jess was pretty sure his heart had just stopped beating. She
could not possibly mean what she just said. “You experience the pain?”

Her dark gaze was so intense he couldn’t have looked away if
he’d wanted to. “The pain, fear, whatever the patient went through.”

It was too much to accept. She’d saved his life and healed
him in Las Vegas, but he didn’t dare ask. Not yet. The idea was far too terrible.
“So earlier when you healed my arm, you actually made yourself feel the pain of
being shot?”

“I felt the hot lead tearing skin, the rush of adrenaline
and the instant of fear before you became angry with me.”

He had to get up and move away from her. If he could have
left the cabin he would have, but the howling wind told him the storm was far
from over. His gut was in knots. “What about in Las Vegas?”

She lowered her eyes and stared at something only she could
see in the wood floors.

As soon as he realized that she wasn’t going to answer he
leaped across the room, grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled her off the
couch. “Tell me.”

Those dark eyes met his and a sad smile touched her lips.
“You don’t really want to know this, Jess. If you could leave me here and never
see me again, you would do it. Why ask a question you don’t want the answer
to?”

His hands were shaking. She could likely feel it, but he
didn’t care. “I took this assignment because I owe you for saving me. I didn’t
want you to go through what is going to be a kind of hell on your own. I
thought I owed you that much. If what you say is true, there is no way to repay
the debt, and I always repay my debts.”

“Let this go. There is no debt.”

“Tell me about Las Vegas.” He had pulled her closer. He
hadn’t meant to, but his body was touching hers and her lips were too close to
his. As her chest rose and fell, her tits rubbed against his chest.

“Maybe you should let me go, Jess.”

He did and took a step back. What was it about her that
mesmerized him? He didn’t know but he didn’t like it. Once she was seated, he
sat on the edge of the wooden coffee table facing her. His heart raced as if he
were on his first assignment.
Pull yourself together, McMean.

Rain’s gaze drifted toward the fireplace. Jess watched the
flames dancing in those mysterious eyes. “I never wanted to go with you to Las
Vegas, but I couldn’t say no to Adianca. She saved me and so when she asks
something of me, I say yes. Your people didn’t want me along either. They
thought I would get in the way, and I could understand their concerns. I’m not
trained for combat. I know nothing of psychic battles. Yet Adianca was sure I
would be needed and she was right as she always is.

“I’ve never been as frightened as I was that day. I had no
weapon. My job was to get close enough to Banta to stop the flow of psi energy
so that others could reach him with weapons, psychic or otherwise.

“Stealing power through the abomination of gathering
weakened the madman and I saw my chance. Your friend Trip was already drained
of his aura. He lay dead on the cold marble floor. I could see the life drawing
away from you. I crawled on my belly across the floor. Banta was so distracted
and thought himself so invincible he didn’t notice me. Tessa distracted him, he
released his hold on you and when he attacked Tessa I blocked his psi.”

Everything she said, he remembered as a hazy nightmare. Once
he and Trip attacked and Banta countered, everything became out of focus. His
life ebbed away and his world began to collapse in on itself. “Then what
happened?”

It was warm in the room, but she shivered. “Tessa killed him
and I started to heal you.”

“I was dying.”

For the first time she looked at him. “No. You would have
lived. Though perhaps you would have wished you were dead. The pain that the
leaching of your aura had caused was extreme enough that when I looked in your
eyes, there was nothing there.”

“I don’t remember anything after Banta released me until you
were hovering over me.” Jess watched her carefully.

Her cheeks flushed a fresh pink under the warm tan that was
her natural color. “Joshua tried to give Banta one last chance to give himself
up. I could tell he didn’t want to kill him, though I can’t imagine why.”

Jess said, “Troth Banta and Joshua Lakeland were good friends
a long time ago. They served together. I’m sure Josh hoped he could save some
part of his old friend.”

Rain’s mouth turned down. “Tessa took the decision out of
his hand. She fired and killed Banta. She is a fierce warrior.”

He smiled thinking about Tessa Clark. She was a warrior. She
was also one of the only people in the world that he completely trusted. At one
time he had thought that he and Tessa belonged together. Now she was with Josh
and it was for the best. “She’s a great agent.”

Another deeper frown marred Rain’s pretty face. “I don’t
know if I could have made that decision.”

He didn’t argue with her. It was too soon to tell what she
was capable of. Still, there was something about her. “What happened after
Tessa shot Banta?”

“I came to you. Your eyes stared up at nothing. It wouldn’t
be long before the ambulance came and took you away. I knew I had to act fast
or it might not have been possible to help you. It is dangerous to be detached
from your aura for much time.

“I held your body in my lap and took your pain. I mended
your soul.”

“What do you mean, you took my pain?”

Her gaze locked with his. “In order to heal I must take the
pain. I told you that. I knew it would be terrible. I understood the price.”

His palms were damp. It would have been easier to let it go,
but he couldn’t. “What was the price?”

A single tear pushed out of her eye, tumbled over her bottom
lid and slid down her face. Jess’ heart tightened painfully.

Rain closed her eyes and spoke slowly. Her low, resonant
voice vibrated as if it were coming from inside him. “My hands touched your
face. There was a day’s growth of beard on your cheek and chin. All the other
sounds in the casino stopped. The other agents talking faded into nothing. The
calls of your friends were blocked out. No sirens sounded outside. There was
only you and me, trapped in a pain so extreme and all-encompassing, I wanted to
die. I wished for death to take us both and break us from our torture. Our
bodies burned as if they’d been hurled into the sun. Your mind exploded with
horrors I cannot begin to describe and I experienced every moment as if they
were my own.

“I disappeared within you and no longer existed. It took all
of my strength to break free of your suffering and command your body to heal.
You had not lost your soul but the damage was bad enough that I had my doubts
if I could return your gifts to you.”

He was sure his mouth was hanging open. “Are you telling me
that I would have lost my psychic abilities if you hadn’t been there?”

“Yes. It is likely.”

“I’d rather have died,” he said to himself.

Her head cocked to one side. “I suspected as much. I did the
best I could, but I’m sure you have scars.”

He thought about the minimal changes to his abilities. Not
defects only changes. He had learned to adjust quickly. “And you—were you
injured?”

“There is always a price.” Her smile was sad.

He had no idea what was causing the pain in his chest but he
didn’t like it. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“You should not have had to live through that experience. I
would not wish that on my worst enemy and you…”

“What about me?”

“Never mind.”

He had hundreds of questions, but only asked one. “Why do
you do it?”

“Heal?”

“Yes. Why would you do something that is so terrible for
you, something that hurts you?”

“It is why I’m here. What else am I supposed to do if not
use the gifts given to me?”

“You don’t even know me or at least you didn’t that day. Why
help me? Why save me at such a high cost to yourself?”

“Have you ever seen someone die?”

“I’m in law enforcement at a pretty high and strange level.
Yes, I’ve seen people die.”

“Strangers?”

“Some.”

“Would you have saved them if you’d known you could?”

She had maneuvered him. Not an easy thing to do. “Yes.”

“Even if it had cost you? What if you would have died to
save them?” Her voice grew intense.

He couldn’t look away from those fathomless eyes. “Yes, I
would have saved them.”

“It’s no different. I don’t cure all sickness. If the
patient will die regardless of my attention and saving them would kill me too,
then there is little point. In those cases I ease their pain.” Rain yawned.

“Go to bed. I’ll wake you early to start your training.”

She opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again. “I
haven’t agreed to the training.”

His eyes fixated on her lips. He shook himself and focused his
gifts on her fears. She might fail, but he would see that she gave it her best
shot. “You will.”

Continuing for a few seconds to bend her decision, he told
himself it was for her own good. As soon as he felt her give, he backed off.

An adorable crease formed between her brows. She had a
strong mind. If she really wanted to go back and resume her old life, it would
not be possible to sway her. He thought she would argue, but then she shrugged
and went back into the bedroom. She left the door open and while he wished it
was an invitation, he knew she did it to gain some of the heat from the fire.

Shit.
Jess pulled the blanket over himself and
stretched out on the couch. It would be a long time before he fell asleep. He
felt it the moment Rain drifted off. Exhaustion had won out over her fears. He
was glad for that at least.

He’d not been conscious in Vegas. The decision had been
taken from him, but if he had known what healing him would cost her, he would
have refused her services. Now there was a debt and it was one that could never
be paid.

* * * * *

Three days later he watched as she climbed a tall pine. She
was nimble. He’d initially been worried that she wasn’t strong enough for the
tasks he would set for her, but she soon proved that she took good care of
herself. Her muscles might have been small and feminine, but she was stronger
than she looked. What she lacked in brute strength she made up for in
determination. She was magnificent and his body reacted on more than one
occasion.

Watching from the ground, he saw her secure herself to a
branch with her legs and put the binoculars up to her eyes. “What do you see?”

“Snow.” The snarky remark tumbled down the twenty feet.

He smiled. “What else?”

Ten seconds went by. “There’s a small camp about a mile to
the west, just past the treeline. No people, but the fire is still smoking.”

“I didn’t make a fire for you to find. I left a small white
tent to the northwest.” His heart quickened.

As he watched from below, she turned her head. “I see it.”

“Go back to the other camp.”

She was turning back before he made the command. “A green
camouflage tent that can sleep several people, ATV with some kind of emblem on
the side and the fire.”

“Weapons?”

“None that I can see.”

“What about equipment?”

“I don’t see anything other than the tent and the ATV, no
clothes or coolers, nothing to identify them.”

“Probably just some campers or more likely hunters. It could
even be the ranger taking advantage of the park being closed. Can you make out
the emblem?”

“No. It’s a pale yellow and there might be a bird or a flag.
I’m not sure. It’s too small and too far away.”

Her attention changed. He felt the shift in her mind. “Jess,
be careful.”

He turned. The dog’s ribs were clearly outlined through his
brindle fur. The wide chest and strong pit bull jaw squared off at Jess. He
didn’t move and neither did the dog. He tried a soft, calm voice. “Okay, boy.
Just relax.”

He bared his teeth, a low growl was the definitive reply.
Jess slowly pulled his handgun from the holster. He hated to do it, but he was
not going to be mauled by a starving dog.

“Don’t you dare shoot that dog!” Rain’s voice echoed loudly
across the snow. The dog looked up the tree and his bared teeth disappeared,
replaced by a long pink tongue and wagging tail.

“Is it your dog?” Jess was impressed by how quickly she’d
gotten down the tree. He kept the gun in his hand but did not fire.

She gave him a look that said “you’re an idiot”. “No, it’s
not my dog. If it were, it wouldn’t be starving to death in the snow.”