Tucker wasn’t a serial killer, and she didn’t need to know anything more about his past. She forced her hands away from the energy field and curled her fingers in her lap, waiting for her mind to clear. The familiar throbbing at her temples warned her she’d been using her gift too often and too close together, but, although she was certain she would find that Ian wasn’t any more guilty of murder than Tucker, for her parents’ sake, she had to be certain.

She took another deep breath, blew on her palms, and leaned forward to surround Ian’s empty mug. His energy was fainter than Tucker’s, and for a moment her heart jumped, afraid she might have to actually grasp the mug. That would plunge her in far deeper than she wanted to go. She inched her palms closer, until she was a hairs-breadth away. Then she was in the wave of energy, and impressions raced into her mind.

Like Tucker, Ian was worried about his unit, particularly Kadan. The man rarely shared personal information, and Ian was certain a lot more was going on than Kadan was telling them. Ian didn’t like the fact that he’d never heard of Tansy and that he had the feeling she was one of the “lost” girls; that was bad news because it would mean Whitney would be hunting her.

That sent a shiver down her spine. She forced herself deeper into the impression, wanting to get it over with. He wasn’t a killer, but he’d certainly killed. There was Kadan again, this time dressed in jungle combat gear. The team was sitting, buried to their noses in mud, down in a swamp with alligators and snakes, barely breathing, sharing telepathic communication that Kadan and Ryland seemed to maintain together for the rest of the men. Saw grass waved above their heads, but even so, they each used a straw to breathe through the mud and few inches of water above their heads.

Ian’s disgust was strong. He glared at Gator, who kept poking him. You say alligator one more time, I’m gonna feed your body, piece by piece, to one. There was no real malice in the words; she could even detect affection.

She had the impression of others moving around them, nearly stepping on them. No one moved, everyone stayed quiet, even Ian, when Gator made a swimming motion through the mud with one hand like an alligator, right toward Ian’s belly.

That’s it, Rye, I’m doing it. I’m gonna cut his throat and leave him here.

Grim amusement swept the circle. Yeah and you can answer to Flame. She’ll eat you alive, Ian, Ryland replied.

Tansy made a note to meet Gator’s wife. The woman seemed able to strike fear in the men when a swamp full of enemies and alligators only made them laugh.

Why is it every time we rescue someone, something goes wrong? Ian demanded. From now on, take the missions where we get to kill everyone. We need to be taking down targets, not sitting here in the mud with Gator’s little play pals.

Tansy heard the words, but felt his emotions. He preferred the rescue missions even though nearly every time something did go wrong, and for that reason, he desperately wanted to be with his team, providing cover, watching their backs just as Tucker did. She realized that Tucker had been thinking about a rescue that hadn’t quite gone by the book as well. She took a deep breath and moved her hands away from the cup.

At once she felt the dizziness and headache that accompanied using her gift. She’d been careful not to go too deep, but still she was shaken. She touched her face and found a trickle of blood by her mouth and another along her nose. Just as she was pushing to her feet, Ian rushed in.

“They’ve got your parents and are running clear. They should be here anytime.” He stopped in the middle of the floor, took in the two tea mugs in front of her, the blood on her face, and the fact that she was no longer wearing the gloves she’d been wearing since the moment he’d met her. “What the hell are you doing?”

She felt her color rise. It was embarrassing to be caught, like a Peeping Tom staring in a window at someone’s private life. She wiped at the blood, succeeding in smearing it as she walked without haste to her gloves. “I’m sorry. I felt I had no choice.”

Tucker pushed in behind Ian, frowning when he saw the blood. He moved quickly to the sink and soaked a small towel. “Come here. Let me see what I can do.”

The headache was pushing forward and she didn’t want it, not with her parents and Kadan on the way. She shouldn’t be feeling guilty that she’d used her gift without Kadan present, but she had the feeling he’d be upset, and for some strange reason, that disturbed her. Her life was already twined with his in such a short time she could barely believe it.

Tucker tipped up her chin and dabbed at the blood, while Ian continued to stand with his hands on his hips, glaring at her.

“You may as well confess,” Tucker said. “Ian might stare holes through you. He’s scaring the hell out of me.”

“You’re guarding my parents,” she explained. “I had to know what kind of men you are. I tried not to pry too deep.”

Something dangerous flickered in Tucker’s eyes, but his hands remained gentle on her face as he removed the blood. “Did you find what you needed?”

She nodded, flashing a tentative grin. “Ian doesn’t like alligators.” She looked up at the tall Irishman. “I’m really sorry to have intruded. I was careful.”

Ian made an effort to keep from looking affronted. “I might have done the same.”

Tucker sent him a look, clearly reminding him they were there not only to keep her safe but to prevent her from leaving if she had a mind to, so they were just as guilty. “Do you get headaches along with the bleeding?”

She nodded. “I have some medicine in my bag.”

“I’ll get it,” Ian said and stalked out.

“I don’t blame him for being upset,” Tansy said. “No one wants to have their private thoughts read.”

“You can really do that?” Tucker asked.

She nodded. “I’m careful to wear gloves so I don’t handle things. It keeps a barrier between me and everyone else unless the energy is particularly strong, such as violent energy. Then I read it whether I want to or not.”

He studied the weariness in her eyes. “It takes a toll.”

“Yes. Does it on you?” She shook her head hastily when his gaze went hard and dangerous. “I didn’t pick up any national security secrets. I have no idea what you can do, but your energy and Ian’s both indicate strong psychic ability. Without Kadan here, I can read that just standing in the same room with you.”

Tucker nodded. He’d read her energy as well.

Ian came back in and handed Tansy her bag. “You look pale. Maybe you ought to sit down. If Kadan sees you looking like that he’ll kick our asses.”

Both Ian and Tucker were very large men with defined, bulging muscles. Neither looked as if he could get his ass handed to him very easily.

“He really isn’t as scary as you make him out to be,” Tansy said, swallowing the pills.

They looked at each other. “Honey-girl,” Ian said, “don’t you go deceiving yourself. Kadan Montague is hell on wheels in a fight. I don’t want any part of him.”

A strobe light flashed, and both men went from easygoing to alert, their demeanor changing abruptly. Tucker glided on silent feet, catching Tansy by the arm and pulling her with him to the living room. Ian plunged the house into darkness, drawing his weapon.

“Coming in,” Ryland’s voice came, and the front door opened.

He came through first, sweeping the area with his cool, hard eyes, gun out just in case they were walking into a trap. Ian relaxed and put his weapon away. Tucker released his hold on Tansy. The rest of the rescue team walked in, Don and Sharon Meadows in the center.

“Mom! Dad!” Tansy eluded Tucker’s grab and rushed her father, charging across the room, nearly knocking him down as she flung herself into his arms before anyone could stop her.

Kadan stood close to Don, inches from his side, the hilt of his knife already a part of his hand, and knowledge burning in him that he could stab deep, severing the jugular before Meadows would know what hit him, if Tansy’s father made one wrong move toward her.

Tucker and Ian moved to cover Kadan, and Nico and Gator took up positions in back and front of Meadows. Each had a knife blade up against his wrist where no one could see. Ryland was stuck with Sharon, still woozy from the drug Kadan had injected into her system to quiet her. He moved her to the side, making a show of placing his body between Meadows and his wife.

Even as Tansy kissed him, Don caught the movement, correctly interpreting the threat. He gently put Tansy away from him, holding her shoulders at arm’s length.

“Are you all right, Tansy-girl?”

“I’m fine, Dad, but I was so afraid for you. I heard Mom scream and I thought the worst. Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?”

“No, he just knocked us around a little. It was just such a shock finding out he’d been betraying us all of those years. I considered him family.”

Don Meadows was lying to his daughter. Kadan flicked a glance at Ryland. Meadows had known Fredrickson belonged to Whitney.

“What did he do to Mom? And how could he, after sitting down with us all those years eating and watching movies and being a part of our family?” She looked beyond her father to her mother’s delicate frame.

Her eyes darkened when she saw the bruises. “Mom! Oh no. What happened?”

Kadan looked from Don Meadows to his adopted daughter and then to his petite wife, Sharon. Tansy’s hair was a thick mass of almost white gold, an unusual color at her age, almost a silver gold. Sharon’s hair was dyed the same color, but Don’s hair was prematurely silver gold, lending the parents a similar appearance to their adopted daughter.

Tansy hadn’t once looked at him, not even a stolen glance, not a hint of recognition, and part of him felt dead inside. He kept his hand curled around his weapon, not speaking, not interrupting the reunion, when he really wanted to drag her against him and make her notice him.

Sharon touched the bruise on her face. “Fredrickson hit me very hard when he took over the phone call. I nearly fainted.”

“I’m sorry he did that, Mom. He was a horrible person. What happened to your mouth?”

Sharon glanced at Don. “He was angry at your father. We didn’t know Watson was in on it, and when he came in, Don tried to jump Fredrickson. They didn’t touch him; I think they knew it wouldn’t do any good.”

Don swore. “Damn cowards. Hitting a woman.”

“They knew if they threatened me, Don would do whatever they said. They hoped you would too.”

Tansy was more careful with her mother, hugging her gently and kissing the bruises on her face. “Come sit down.” She caught her mother by the hand, tugging, leading her to the couch. “I would have gladly exchanged my life for yours, Mom, but fortunately I have friends who were willing to help.”

Don made a sound that was suspiciously like derision. Tansy didn’t look at her father. She wanted to go to Kadan. He was all she could think about. He filled her mind, but she needed to comfort her mother. She needed to touch her and know she was all right before she was selfish, before she acknowledged to herself, to everyone, that Kadan was her heart and soul. Because if her parents were involved with Whitney, she’d lost them and she needed this one last time to be wholly loved by them and love them back without reservation. Once she saw Kadan’s face, nothing else was going to matter to her for a long while.

She let out her breath, running her glove-covered fingers over her mother’s arm, feeling inexplicably sad. She wanted to touch Sharon skin to skin. To be normal. “I love you, Mom,” she said, her heart heavy. “I’ve always loved you so much. I’m sorry for all the letdowns over the years, but mostly for this. I don’t know what they want, but you got this,” she touched the bruise again with trembling fingers, “because of me.”