to the civilian population.
Turning her over to a testing unit hit him right in the gut with its ugliness. Roshelle would view that life as nothing better than slavery. Damned if Jared couldn’t see the correlation.
* * * * *
Good grief! Roshelle had somehow been under the assumption that she was in good condition. Watching the last light fade from the trees, she turned her wrist up to note the hour. She had only been hiking for three hours, yet her legs were screaming in protest.
Bracing her hands on her thighs, she pushed each foot back behind her in an attempt at stretching out her angry muscles. She just might have found something to do with herself. Considering the abrupt turn from reality that her life was taking recently, building up some true endurance might be in her best interests.
At least hiking wasn’t any more boring than sitting in her room. She had searched the house from top to bottom. There wasn’t even a Playboy magazine in the place. What kind of solider didn’t even have a nude girlie magazine around? Wasn’t that a requirement in the code of disgusting male conduct?
Well, she did draw the line at entering Jared’s room. A delicate shudder ran over her shoulders as she considered that. She’d let boredom send her snooping through the man’s cupboards. Roshelle could hear Abba now. Her grandmother would be devastated to discover her granddaughter behaving in such a base manner.
Roshelle would bet there were plenty of things in the master bedroom. She had stood at the doorway in uncertain frustration. The problem was she just didn’t see what lay behind those doors as a simple bedroom. Her mind was offering up the vision of a lair complete with a flesh-eating carnivore. There were just some animals that were best left alone if possible.
The chill in the air made her straighten and turn back towards the house. Wearing nothing but a short-sleeve top, there was no question of remaining out now that the sun had set. Rubbing her hands over the exposed skin, she felt tiny goose bumps rise up.
Roshelle stopped short of beginning that journey. Wrapped up in her own thoughts she had missed the burning sting that announced company. Searching the shadows, her eyes found nothing but she knew Jared was here. Roshelle doubted that she was ever alone.
“Forget to threaten me some other way?”
Nothing but stillness answered, but he was here. Close. Maybe it was the boredom or just maybe her efforts fatigued her more than she knew, but the desire to force Jared from his hiding place rose up and Roshelle seized it. The complete lack of control she currently held over her life bred a determination to grab any shred she could.
Upsetting his balance seemed a perfect place to begin.
Moving forward, Roshelle intended to catch sight of her specter. Her eyes found nothing in the darkness. Stopping again, she tried to discover just where he was. She could still feel the man. Turning with her senses she traveled where they led her but she found nothing.
The reason was simple; Jared was just keeping one step ahead of her. Roshelle had forgotten just how easy he found it to search through her mind. She should not have begun this game. Her mother’s voice floated across her memory with its warning to never display her gifts to anyone.
“So, you can find your target.”
This time he came to her, melting from the night into a solid figure that caused her to step back, seeking protection from his reach.
“No comment?”
“What do you want?”
Jared frowned as he caught the shudder in her voice. She’d been standing still long enough to lose the body heat her walking had produced. Controlling her wardrobe gave him the peace of mind of knowing she wouldn’t attempt any more night escapes.
“Here.”
Tossed at her in the dark, Roshelle was completely clueless as to what she captured with her arms. Moving it about in her hands she sought to identify the bulky item. Still warm from his body the jacket
Turning her over to a testing unit hit him right in the gut with its ugliness. Roshelle would view that life as nothing better than slavery. Damned if Jared couldn’t see the correlation.
* * * * *
Good grief! Roshelle had somehow been under the assumption that she was in good condition. Watching the last light fade from the trees, she turned her wrist up to note the hour. She had only been hiking for three hours, yet her legs were screaming in protest.
Bracing her hands on her thighs, she pushed each foot back behind her in an attempt at stretching out her angry muscles. She just might have found something to do with herself. Considering the abrupt turn from reality that her life was taking recently, building up some true endurance might be in her best interests.
At least hiking wasn’t any more boring than sitting in her room. She had searched the house from top to bottom. There wasn’t even a Playboy magazine in the place. What kind of solider didn’t even have a nude girlie magazine around? Wasn’t that a requirement in the code of disgusting male conduct?
Well, she did draw the line at entering Jared’s room. A delicate shudder ran over her shoulders as she considered that. She’d let boredom send her snooping through the man’s cupboards. Roshelle could hear Abba now. Her grandmother would be devastated to discover her granddaughter behaving in such a base manner.
Roshelle would bet there were plenty of things in the master bedroom. She had stood at the doorway in uncertain frustration. The problem was she just didn’t see what lay behind those doors as a simple bedroom. Her mind was offering up the vision of a lair complete with a flesh-eating carnivore. There were just some animals that were best left alone if possible.
The chill in the air made her straighten and turn back towards the house. Wearing nothing but a short-sleeve top, there was no question of remaining out now that the sun had set. Rubbing her hands over the exposed skin, she felt tiny goose bumps rise up.
Roshelle stopped short of beginning that journey. Wrapped up in her own thoughts she had missed the burning sting that announced company. Searching the shadows, her eyes found nothing but she knew Jared was here. Roshelle doubted that she was ever alone.
“Forget to threaten me some other way?”
Nothing but stillness answered, but he was here. Close. Maybe it was the boredom or just maybe her efforts fatigued her more than she knew, but the desire to force Jared from his hiding place rose up and Roshelle seized it. The complete lack of control she currently held over her life bred a determination to grab any shred she could.
Upsetting his balance seemed a perfect place to begin.
Moving forward, Roshelle intended to catch sight of her specter. Her eyes found nothing in the darkness. Stopping again, she tried to discover just where he was. She could still feel the man. Turning with her senses she traveled where they led her but she found nothing.
The reason was simple; Jared was just keeping one step ahead of her. Roshelle had forgotten just how easy he found it to search through her mind. She should not have begun this game. Her mother’s voice floated across her memory with its warning to never display her gifts to anyone.
“So, you can find your target.”
This time he came to her, melting from the night into a solid figure that caused her to step back, seeking protection from his reach.
“No comment?”
“What do you want?”
Jared frowned as he caught the shudder in her voice. She’d been standing still long enough to lose the body heat her walking had produced. Controlling her wardrobe gave him the peace of mind of knowing she wouldn’t attempt any more night escapes.
“Here.”
Tossed at her in the dark, Roshelle was completely clueless as to what she captured with her arms. Moving it about in her hands she sought to identify the bulky item. Still warm from his body the jacket
Similar Books
