Aware that time was of the essence, she began sifting through the metal balls that filled the box as quickly and quietly as possible. She found the one that she and Stone had done at once—it was right at the top of the pile. She picked it up and placed it carefully between her feet to keep it from rolling away and resumed looking for The Beast’s snuff film.
In the dim lighting, she was glad for the fluorescent markers that had been used to write the title of each vid. Otherwise she would never have been able to read them.
Daring, was the first title she saw.
Well that must be an interesting one, Cassie thought.
The next title she read was Provocative and then the more prosaic, Hot Stuff.
There were some more porny names too like Squlids in Heat and Scratching Jumbo’s Itch. She wondered if that one had anything to do with the weird plants Dr. Sslwx had showed her. If so, she felt sorry for Jumbo’s costar—whoever it had been.
There were some titles that were worse though.
Slime in every Crevice, Cassie read and shuttered. And the next one she saw was Moldy in all the Right Places. Fondled by Feelers, was next and then, Tentacle Torture. She tried really hard not to imagine what that one was about.
Finally, about halfway down in the middle of the chest she found the small silver ball marked, Deadly in bright blue letters.
Ugh! She felt dirty just handling it, but it was, after all, what they had come to get. She scooped it up, shut the lid of the chest as quietly as possible, and then picked up the ball at her feet which contained the vid she and Stone had done. Then, moving as silently as a cat on her bare feet, she left the stage and rejoined her partner.
They were very close to being done with this mission. If only the last part could be as easy as the first two…
Fifty
“Mission accomplished,” Cassandra whispered triumphantly as they made their way out of the backstage area.
“Almost,” Stone reminded her grimly.
“Yeah, but the last part is easy. Guys like The Beast always think with their dick—I’ll have him out to the ship before you can blink!” she told him.
“Just remember, you promised to use the panic button on your communicator if he tries anything—anything at all,” Stone reminded her. This was the part of their mission he had been dreading the most—letting his partner be alone with a murderous rapist.
Of course, he knew that Cassandra could handle herself in a tight situation—he had respect for her capabilities. But he preferred to be with her anyway, to get her back, as she always said. They would only be separated for a little while—just long enough for her to lure The Beast out to their ship, but Stone still felt a wave of anxiety when he thought of leaving her.
Unable to help himself, he leaned down and gathered her into his arms.
“Stone!” she exclaimed under her breath and stiffened at first. But then her soft, curvy body melted against his own. “It’s all right, you know,” she whispered in his ear. “I’m going to be just fine.”
“I do not like leaving you.” Stone nuzzled the vulnerable side of her neck, kissing her gently there. He had an almost overwhelming urge to bite her—to sink his fangs in and inject her with his essence, Claiming her as his own.
But he knew he couldn’t do that. If he did, he would want to bond her to him and Cassandra had said over and over again that she only wanted them to be friends.
If that was all she wanted, though, why did her heart pound so much faster when he held her close as he was doing now? Why did her breathing quicken and the sweet scent of her feminine desire fill his nose?
“Cassandra,” he murmured, “At the end of this mission, we will still be friends?”
“Of course we’ll be friends, Stone,” she whispered back. “How can you even ask that? We’re best friends and partners—forever.”
“Forever.” Stone sighed. He would be back in the zone of friendly acquaintance with no hope of getting out of it.
“Does that upset you?” Cassandra asked, sounding worried. “You do want to still be friends, don’t you?”
“Of course I do,” Stone made himself say. But he couldn’t help adding, “I will miss being able to hold you, though. And taste you between your legs.”
“Stone…” She wiggled in his arms and he could feel her soft, nearly-bare breasts against his chest. Her voice expressed displeasure but the scent of her desire intensified considerably.
She likes it when I speak my desires aloud to her, Stone thought—not for the first time. It arouses her when I tell her what I want to do to her.
But now was probably not the right time. Although, when would he ever get another chance to speak his desires to his partner after this mission was over, Stone reasoned with himself.