Ghostwalker 06 - Predatory Game

colleagues while listening to his elevated heart rate and smelling his fear every time she got near to him. And it was tempting to get near him. To offer her hand when she knew he was so afraid. And damn Jess for telling Lambert about her abilities.
    She stared out the window in Jess’s bedroom into the rain, wishing everyone was gone so she could go yell at him. Pick a fight. Make it easy to leave. Lily and Lambert knew. And if they knew, eventually the government would come knocking on the door and expect her to do a little job for them. She’d told Jess it would be like that, but he’d given her up anyway. He was too trusting, thinking everyone was his friend.
    A big happy family.
    Moron. Idiot. Naive. She pushed the heel of her hand hard against her forehead. What is wrong with you?
    Saber? Jesse’s voice sounded in her mind.
    Whoops. She was really distracted to make such an amateur mistake. It was exactly how she’d given herself away in the first place. She was so connected to him, she barely noticed when she reached for him anymore.
    Well, you’re an ass. You told that slimy little doctor Lambert about me. I told you what would happen once everyone knew. He’s a government man. In a couple of weeks we’ll be getting a knock on the door and an engraved invitation to some social event where I’ll get to use my special talents for the good of mankind.
    That’s not true, baby. First of all, Eric’s not like that and he’s not “everyone.” Second, I didn’t tell him.
    He doesn’t know.
    He knows.
    There was a small silence while he digested that. Are you certain? You’re tired and maybe a bit cranky.
    Saber sucked in her breath. Cranky? He thought she was cranky? Her blood pressure was shooting through the roof, she wanted to scream at him, but she forced a calming breath to stay under control. He knows and I’m not cranky, I’m angry. I can fight one enemy, but not several, not all at once. He’s government all the way and he’ll trade all of us in in a heartbeat if he’s given the order.
    Frowning, Jess cast a brief look at Eric Lambert. The doctor looked the same as he always did, laughing Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    with Lily, teasing her about how she looked as if she’d swallowed a basketball. Saber didn’t know him and she was so worried about anyone finding out about her past. There was no real way Eric could have known. Saber was seeing things where they didn’t exist.You’re paranoid. And exhausted. Why don’t you go to my room and lie down. Eric’s sewing up the cut and they’ll leave. We’ll get some sleep and you’ll feel much better.
    First I’m cranky and now I’m paranoid? Saber’s voice went low. Cold.
    Jess winced at the ice in her voice. “Lily, come on. Enough already.”
    Lily studied the cut on his head, frowning as the blood continued to seep in spite of the hours that had passed since he’d first been injured. “I told you to be careful. We’re using Zenith on you and that drug is dangerous.”
    Eric held up his hands. “I’m going to wash up.”
    “You know where the bathroom is.”Jess waited until he was out of the room. “You assured me that you were going to destroy the file on Saber.”
    “I did.” Lily straightened up, stretching her back out.
    “But you told Lambert about her?”
    “No, of course not.”
    “Why of course not?” Jess took the pill she handed him. His head was throbbing. They’d spent most of the morning at the hospital, staying with Patsy while the doctors ran tests and treated her wounds.Once they knew she was in good hands—and he’d put a guard on her door—Jess and Saber had returned home and waited all afternoon for news from the cleanup crew at Patsy’s house. Saber still hadn’t been to bed and she still intended to go to work. She wasn’t—he was going to make certain of that—but she needed sleep desperately and so did he. He just wanted everyone gone so they could be alone and he could hold her.
    But Saber was wrong about Eric Lambert knowing the truth about her. Jesse hadn’t told him and neither had Lily. He breathed a sigh of relief.
    “He isn’t one of us.” Lily ducked her head. “That sounds terrible, Jess, and I don’t mean it that way, but he could never understand our lives. If Saber stays, she’s going to have to be protected. Her skills will have everyone after her, even the good guys—especially the good guys. And what Whitney did