Marissa O’Neill and Jurden Bailey share a past which they don’t remember, though it’s haunted their dreams for a decade. In their teens, they encountered something powerful in a cave in Mexico, and it changed them forever. But it isn’t until they meet again, years later that they realize just how much they’ve changed.

Suddenly they have these powers—super powers—and they don’t know how they’re supposed to use them or why they have them. All they know is that sex seems to trigger the power and enhance it. And that’s one trigger they’re happy to explore.

But something alien and terrifying is trying to kill them and it won’t give up until it gets what they don’t even know they have—the single remaining object that can tie an advanced, alien race to much of Earth’s history.

If only Rissa weren’t so distracted by the things Jurden’s vibrating finger can do!

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~~*~~

Rissa had never liked tights. She thought her legs were too skinny for them. And a cape made her feel like a vampire. But head-to-toe black leather? Now that was a super hero’s outfit if ever she saw one. She’d rather be Cat Woman than Bat Girl any day.

“Why don’t you think Green Lantern could have a suit that molded to him?” she asked her partner, Detective Malek Stevens. After sharing a huge bowl of popcorn over a super hero movie marathon the night before, they’d been arguing costumes for the better part of an hour.

“Where’d it come from, Rissa? You think it just sprouted from his skin? And that mask… Where does it go when he’s not using it? And how does the mask know when he needs it? All that appearing and disappearing doesn’t make sense.”

She snorted. “It’s not like it really hides his face, anyway. After all, that Ferris chick didn’t have any trouble at all recognizing him underneath it.”

“The whole costume is stupid.” Malek opened the door for her, and they entered the cool, quiet interior of the Indianapolis Museum of History.

“So what kind of costume $do you like? Don’t tell me Batman or I’ll think you’ve been visiting that BDSM dungeon on a hundred and forty-fifth street again.”

Malek laughed, shaking his massive, shaved, ebony head. “No real man would wear them tights.” His gruff voice vibrated with humor so she laughed with him.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about women.”

“No. If I was a super hero I’d be Iron Man. That costume rocks. It has substance. It comes on and off in a way that makes sense, and it’s just chock full of gadgets.”

Rissa saw the museum director, standing beside a very tall man in an expensive looking suit, and headed across the marble floored display area toward them. “Ahhh. Gadgets. Yup. That’s definitely you.”

Malek dipped his head. “That’s what I’m sayin’.”

Then she grinned because she’d caught him up in her trap. “So, maybe you should don a trench coat and private dick hat and become Inspector Gadget.” She couldn’t help snorting at the look on his fine, ebony face.

“Girl, you wound me to the heart. I ain’t no pansy ass Inspector Gadget.”

Rissa was laughing when she reached the two men waiting for her. She extended a hand toward Mel Roth, Director of the Museum. “Director Roth. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Detective, O’Neill.” He shook her hand and turned to the younger man standing next to him. “This is…”

Her gaze slid to his, and her breath stalled in her throat. Dark green eyes, fringed in a short, thick arc of light brown, almost blond, lashes, looked into hers and widened slightly in surprise. A wavy strand of sun-kissed brown hair had escaped the ponytail he’d pulled it into at the nape of his thick neck and had settled onto his wide forehead.

He was even taller than she remembered him being, and much broader in the shoulders. But his face was still chiseled perfection, with a wide brow, a square, clean-shaven jaw, and a long nose over a wide, well shaped mouth.

“Jurden?”

The nicely formed lips bent upward in a slow smile. “Rissa O’Neill, I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Oh, my God!” She leaned forward and gave him an impulsive hug. “Do you work here?”

He shook his head, “Actually, I’m here to view the collection that was stolen. I’m an art historian.”

Nodding, she said, “That’s right, You were an art history major, as I recall.”

They shared a smile that made Rissa’s stomach jump with excitement.

It had been ten years. Jurden had figured he’d never see her again. Yet there she was. Just standing there looking at him with those incredible, golden-brown eyes. Her silky, black hair was a bit shorter than he remembered, but still sprang around her pretty face in lively curls that seemed too random. The style complimented her angular face very well.

She looked just the way he remembered her. Except maybe a bit curvier. Very nicely curved, in fact.

He offered her his hand. “You’re all grown up.” He hoped his grin didn’t make him look like a predator. He was feeling just a little bit that way. She’d always had that affect on him.

She tossed her head and laughed. “Ten years will do that to you.” She cocked her head. “You look good.”

“Thanks.”

The big, black man standing next to her had been glaring at him since he’d first spoken. The man finally offered an enormous hand.

“Detective Malek Stevens. You can call me Sir.”

Jurden laughed but was disconcerted to see that Rissa’s partner didn’t. Apparently he wasn’t kidding.

Rissa threw Stevens a glare and looked at the museum director. “Can you take us to the site of the theft?”

“The basement area. We hadn’t even put the artifacts on display in the Archeological wing yet.” He shook his head and turned away. “Please follow me, Detectives.”

Jurden stepped back, indicating with the sweep of a hand that the two detectives should precede him. Rissa’s partner stepped past him and moved protectively close to her side. Jurden moved quickly to catch up, sliding around to her other side.

Detective Stevens glared past her, his gaze intense. “It’s quite a coincidence that you came to see the collection the day it was stolen… professor, is it?”

“Doctor, actually,” Jurden said. “And not entirely. I’d made plans with Director Roth months ago to view and authenticate the etchings as soon as they arrived. I’m sure the thieves figured the opportunity to steal them was best before they were placed on the main level, in a case with an alarm on it.”

Rissa nodded. “Makes sense.” She turned to him. “How long will you be in town?”

“Just a couple of days. Are you free for dinner?”

Rissa opened her mouth to respond and Stevens said, “Can we maybe focus on business, kids?”

Rissa’s perfectly-shaped lips closed and she gave Jurden a soft smile, her eyes sparkling.

 

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