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Weapons
meant defense against the Rekabians. Vin stayed close to her side during each
turn around the stairs as they went lower and lower. She wanted to push him
away but fear overrode pride. His hand lightly touched her lower back, guiding
her over the rubble. Helen ignored the masculine scent of him. When he’d held
her in his arms earlier, she’d wanted to cry.
    The biggest
complaint from her other boyfriends was her inability to show her softer side.
Helen curled her nose. They should see her now. Only Vin could bring out such
girly feelings in her.
    “Vin, DB coming.”
    Helen frowned at
the blond’s curious words but Vin swung her around with a lightening quick
move. Her face smashed into his chest. His arms locked around her waist,
lifting her feet from the ground as his pace sped up. Before she could put up a
fuss, he spun her back around to face more of the endless stairs.
    Her lips parted,
the complaint about his manhandling on the tip of her tongue but the scary one
with the dark hair shook his head when he caught her glance. Helen bit her
tongue and let herself be lead round and round, her hands gliding over the
dirty railing for balance. Their swift flight taxed muscles long underused and
while she tried to keep up, her breath labored. The large green seven on the
wall had her wincing. Maybe she should rethink the gym membership in addition
to the aerobic classes.
    “Vin. Civ check.”
    Helen paused when
the other dark haired one nodded in her direction. Not the freakishly
tall, scary one. This one had grey eyes. Vin came to an abrupt halt and
searched her face. Whatever he saw caused the whole group to pause. 
    “Helen?” Vin’s
warm hand cupped her elbow. “You doing okay?”
    Her breath escaped
in pants. Grateful for the temporary rest, Helen nodded. “I’m fine. I can make
it.” His mouth curled down. “Really,” she stressed. “I’m good.”
    Another long look
then he dropped to one knee. “Get on.”
    He couldn’t mean
what she thought. Helen glanced at the other six who stared back impassively.
“You’re kidding, right, Vincent?” She tried to infuse her question with
condescension.
    Vin glared over
his shoulder. “No time, hellcat. Climb on.”
    Beautiful muscles
she remembered personally rippled before her as he presented his back from his
kneeling position. Helen called on a mightier power from above for help and
received no response. Now was not the time to get aroused. Feeling conspicuous,
she approached slowly and leaned over his back.
    Her hands lightly
touched his shoulders which flexed beneath her grip. Lowering herself closer,
she yelped when he suddenly stood and boosted her hip with a firm push from his
right hand to her buttocks. “Wrap those legs around me, baby.”
    Helen buried her
face in his shoulders, hoping to hide the hot flush as she complied. How many
times had she heard those words? She locked her ankles around his waist, arms
around his throat as he picked up the pace. Air rushed along her face and Helen
closed her eyes from the dizzy sensation of circling the stairs from her
precarious position.
    “Hold tight,” Vin
ordered, as his hand gripped her hip for support and they were airborne. Helen
bit back a squeak and jerked when they landed. She opened her eyes just as they
exited the stairwell and entered the lobby. She gasped at the destruction to
the once beautiful showcase area. LS&G had been in numerous architectural
magazines for the innovative design of their corporate office. Now it was gone.
Demolished in one attack.
    Vin reached behind
him and tugged, sliding her to his front. “Here’s where I have to put you
down.” His hands cupped her buttocks and squeezed but neither of them moved.
    Helen stared,
entranced by the masculine planes of his face. Blond hair messy around his
head, damp sections darkened by sweat. His eyes sparked with humor and
something else. Something darker and very familiar to Helen. Her nipples
hardened and she cursed the