Touched by Lightning by Danica Avet Page B

herself. Troy, get someone to go with you and trace her psychic signature back to wherever she’s staying and get her stuff. Murphy, handpick your team of baby-commandos and let them know they’ll be shitting in the woods for the next eight weeks if this goes through. See how many of them jump at the chance to do that rather than get a full-body massage from Inga.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Leo, Estelle, I’m sorry but I can’t agree to send her back with you. You lost her once before and she went on a Mickey and Mallory Knox killing spree. Sorry, but that doesn’t exactly scream stable to me. I won’t forbid you from seeing her any time you want. I’ll be sure you know where she ends up.
    “Brit, make out a list of everything you’ll need to house a full T.U. while you’re out there, get it to Ethel and make sure she orders everything to make the next eight weeks possible. Now I have to go wake up some men and let them know we have work to do.”
    The words were an obvious dismissal and the slight pop in the air a final farewell to avoid any arguments as Joe and Mr. Dimples disappeared. No doubt she was teleporting to her private office at her house. Brit glanced at Murphy, who stood with Troy at his side. The big man nodded and left the room. Brit was actually glad to have his friend on his side. Murphy would do his best to protect Gyda as well as give her some much needed training. He also didn’t doubt for a second that Joe would go to bat for the fragile woman in his arms. She might have come off as bitchy and cool, but Joe had the biggest heart of any person in the O.T..
    Well, with the possible exception of the woman sitting on the sofa watching him with Gyda as though she were afraid he’d devour her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” he finally growled when the silence in the room grew heavier and Estelle looked as though she’d wring her hands to the bone. “She’s…” How did he explain what Gyda felt like to him? Would Estelle and Leo think he was out of his mind if he admitted he was possibly in love with her? Despite never having had a conversation with her? That his power was drawn to her the same way lightning was drawn to lightning rods? “She’s safe with me,” he finally said. “I would never hurt her.”
    Leo stood, drawing his wife to her feet, keeping his arm around her waist. “We’ll stay until the decision is made. That’ll give Estelle time to visit with Gyda, pick her up a few things she might need.” He began to walk out of the office, pulling Estelle with him. They paused at the door and the Sensor looked back. “By the way, we’re not worried about you hurting her so much as her hurting you.”
    With that cryptic statement, the Alpha Void and Sensor left Joe’s office, leaving Brit with Gyda. He looked down at her to see her looking up at him, her eyes beginning to glow with awareness and sworn vengeance.

Chapter Six
     
    Cuffed and shackled and sandwiched between two huge motherfuckers, Gyda glared at the van full of people who were taking her someplace quiet and serene for her own good. She didn’t bother memorizing their faces because there was only one person in this frigging vehicle who’d feel the full wrath of her pissed-offness and he was driving like the hillbilly he was. And dammit, it looked good on him.
    The baseball cap was tugged low over his eyes, shadowing them. He sat slumped to the side a little, left arm out with his wrist hanging over the steering wheel. He was perfectly relaxed, perfectly sexy and he knew it. His gaze caught hers in the rearview mirror yet again, the corners of his eyes crinkling as though they shared a secret or something. She looked out the window again as Tora snapped and snarled, even more pissed than Gyda and it had to do with something Leo had done to them back at the O.T. Headquarters. And Sixteen was oddly quiet.
    She lost some of her anger at the thought of her rescuers. Time had