Read Desire the Banshee for Free Online Page B

when she saw him again, if she could raise her fists.
    Her shoulders slumped, her leaden feet trudged next to the woman past curious faces watching her every heavy step. She let herself be led, trying to memorize what she saw, the layout, the numbers, but everything blurred. Directed to a small cottage, no bigger than a utility shed, she ducked inside.
    “Get some rest. I’ll be back in a few minutes with some water.” The woman gave an angelic smile.
    She shut the door and Daisy let out a breath.
    The distinct sound of a deadbolt sliding and a lock clicking in place halted the air in her lungs.
    She was trapped.
    Her limbs weighed her down like she’d trudged up and down this mountain trail a dozen times instead of the one easy hike into this camp. She didn’t fall to her instinct and open her mouth to express her rage. She didn’t bring the house down around her. She’d never hesitated to use it before. On the lone piece of furniture in the room, a small cot, she gripped the edge of the surprisingly thick mattress.
    The last time she’d used her banshee wail, she’d nearly killed Griffin. She could kill everyone within hearing distance in this camp. But could she say any of these people had done wrong, other than lock her in this shed? And would they consider it wrong, if they thought she, a stranger, endangered them? Did she have the right to hurt them? The questions inundated her.
    Sean. This was all his fault. He’d sneaked his way into her entire being already. Rather than go with her emotions, she made herself think. Question. For the first time since she’d come into her talent, she hesitated, considered. Her head pounded.
    He’d done this to her. Made her deliberate. Made her weak, pulling from her powers.
    She’d never had trouble taking down the small-time culprits who used their talents to rob, coerce and abuse. Still, she had to admit she usually only faced one rogue at a time and her anger never got past her admittedly thinning control. Her modulated voice forced the rogue to pass out rather than turning his brains to mush. Her banshee’s wail in full splendor was a shriek so loud it could kill every man within hearing range. That had only happened once before.
    The memory of the past disaster flickered away as her eyes burned.
    Her shudder vibrated through the cot. Once was enough. She didn’t know what these people were up to. She had to keep herself under control long enough to find out.
    Ray would never believe it, but she choked back her rising blood pressure and clamped her mouth shut tight. The bed creaked beneath her as her muscles corded. If she let go, she was afraid she’d open her mouth and wreak destruction.
    Instead, she opened her mind to Sean, gathered her vision and blasted it.
    * * * * *
     
    Sean gasped. He gulped down air and threw his head back against the bucket seat. The vision faded and he swallowed hard past his scratchy throat.
    The clear fall day kept the cab of the Jeep cool, but he pushed sweaty hair out of his face as he struggled to get control of his shaking. He rolled down the window for more fresh air and to clear his thinking.
    When chill bumps rose on his arms, he closed the window and tried to reason with himself.
    He’d rushed up here, but had no plan. No idea what to do, how to avoid the trap. No conception of how to get to Daisy without getting locked up with her. Though maybe that wasn’t a bad idea, to be stuck together in a small room empty except for the bed and the two of them.
    The spicy taste of her had branded him, and he hungered for more.
    Hmmm. I like the way you taste too, lover. She purred in his mind.
    His cheeks heated fast enough to take away his shivers. He shot up straight. You’ve never read me before.
    Sure I have. We talk all the time on mission. Her genuine puzzlement came through their connection.
    We talk. Yes. You’ve had intuition about me that’s spot on, but you haven’t read my thoughts unless I sent them to you .
    You