Slipping the Past by D.L. Jackson Page A

the silhouette of Nate pace back and forth. When he’d first sensed her energy back in the hospital, he’d gone through a range of emotions: anger, worry, fear. At one moment, he’d thought they’d found her, taken her. In that moment, his world ceased to exist, and he’d begun to question if he could follow through on the warrant.
    Then he’d found her in the closet. His emotions changed to hunger and he’d tossed his duty out the window. Who was this woman? Who was Jocelyn Miller that she could bring him down like the walls of Jericho, expose his heart, his soul, and leave him helpless? Could he take her and run? Doubtful. They’d find him. He’d been an Enforcer long enough to know he couldn’t escape them. Eventually, they’d catch up. He’d have to play the game their way.
    Gabriel shifted Jocelyn in his arms. How to explain her nakedness? Nate wouldn’t be happy. He took a deep breath and started up the stairs to the outer deck that led to the room. Open to the street, all entrances visible, something someone running from the law would consider. Seemed they’d been running so long, it was instinct to take precautions. No one should have to live with that fear.
    Those precautions couldn’t stop him. Now that he held some of her energy, he could locate her anywhere, anytime, and the connection didn’t negate the fact he was an Enforcer and there was a warrant for her. When the time came, he’d do his job. He owed her that, even if it killed him. No other Enforcer would possess her energy, even for a second. He would take her. Hold her, make love to her one last time, and lull her into eternal sleep. Then he’d follow.
    He stared down at her face. “They won’t take you. Not as long as I live.” But he would. He hated himself for it. Gabriel banged the door with the toe of his boot. “Open the door, Nate.”
    The lights in the room cut off and the door flew open. Nate stood off to the side with his damned baseball bat, ready to take a swing.
    “Put it down.”
    Nate eyed Jocelyn and dropped the bat to the floor. He rushed to take her from Gabriel’s arms.
    “I’ve got her.” Gabriel tightened his grip and brushed past him, kicking the door shut behind him. He strode to the bed and set her on its surface. “Do you have clothes for her?” He began to unfasten the coat.
    Nate glared. His eyes widened as his gaze swept over his sister, stopping on the bare skin peeking through the open buttons. “Where are her clothes, reaper?”
    “At the hospital.”
    “I mean, why’s she naked?”
    “She’s not. She’s wearing my duster.” Gabriel continued to unbutton the front.
    “Why isn’t she waking up? What did you do to her?” Nate spun around and reached for the bat. “Get your hands off her.”
    “Don’t hit me with that.”
    He raised the bat and Gabriel flung his hand in Nate’s direction. A blast of kinetic energy slammed into his chest, sending him across the room and into a wall. Plaster rained down on the orange shag carpeting, mushrooming up into a cloud of dust.
    Gabriel held him against the wall for a few seconds. The lights flickered and popped. Nate’s hair rose, standing off his scalp, reaching for the ceiling.
    “I said, don’t—hit—me—with—that.” He pulled his energy back, dropping the kid to the floor like a sandbag.
    Nate staggered to his feet, leaving the bat where it fell. “Did you touch my sister?”
    He didn’t need to ask. He could see for himself, put it together.
    A part of Gabriel needed to explain, another part felt anger at the intrusion. Jocelyn had consented. He kept his mouth shut, fighting detonation with each accusation the kid made.
    “You did. You touched her. You’ve no right.”
    “Easy, Nate. It was mutual.” Gabriel ground down on his teeth. The muscle in his jaw twitched with tension. He’d never rape a woman, or even consider it. He rolled his hands into fists. Not because he wanted to punch the kid, although he did. The greater