Here is a chapter for you to hopefully enjoy, as I've enjoyed writing it. Always do. Leave a review letting me know! As previously stated, I do not own anything except new characters and ideas. All rights go to the rightful owners and I make no money from my writings.

I watched Peace debate things in his own head, he was showered and still in a right foul mood. My eyes raked slowly, almost mechanically, over his chest and shoulders and down his powerful arms, then to his lean, hard belly, where the hair on his chest narrowed to a thin, silky line. I hadn't let myself think about it the night before, when it had been important to hurry and start on the mission. I had realized even then how attractive he was. His features were even and well formed, his nose thin and straight above the mouth she had just touched. That mouth was firm and strong, with a finely chiseled upper lip that hinted of determination and perhaps even ruthlessness, while his lower lip curved with disturbing sensuality. His chin was square, his jaw firm and darkened with a stubble of black or very dark brown beard. His hair was like thick dark brown silk. His skin was darkened with an allover tan, a deep, olive-bronze hue.

He was very muscular, without having the off-putting bulk of a body-builder. His were the muscles of hard work and physical exercise, the muscles of a man trained for both strength and speed.

I was being foolish…

I knew one thing was for sure as I picked up my burner phone dialing her number, after a single ring Magenta answered in a normal tone. "Astraea?"

"Are you alone?"

"No shit well other than Joe." her tone was a little frustrated now.

"Get a bag, and take my dog to my place stay there until I arrive. The Mantle has been compromised and right now we have no idea how high it goes. You have my blood you can get in and lock it back down, will be in touch." I clicked the receiver down and tossed the cell into the fire, Peace just watched the short exchange.

His brow was raised, ""I can't give you all the answers you want." he murmured. "I don't know them myself. Even if I tell you I'm a good guy, you'd still only have my word for it, and why would I cut my own throat by telling you anything else?"

"Don't play devil's advocate." I said sharply, wishing I could find the will to break away from the seductive power of his gaze and touch. "Let's deal in facts. Right now, you're number 2 in the Mantle and we both know it is compromised. If I am being lead into a trap than so be it, as long as I find my sister."

Something cold and furious flashed in his eyes. "Layla and the idiotic husband she has was ambushed, set up by one of our own men."

Layla and I both know and accept the risks of our jobs. We had even talked about them, holding hands in the night and discussing the danger we faced, as if by bringing it out in the open we could hold it at bay. Now she was gone, my old flame gone, even Will was too and this was my one shot to get them back.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked roughly.

"No." my tone cold and calm, he could be scary but something was not letting me.

"Layla was for the longest time."

"She was scared of lots of things, that's not saying much. She was the baby and treated as such probably why she was so naïve to the world."

"She spoke of you often, more than I ever wanted to hear. She loves you more than anything, her heart hurt for you being alone. Not going to lie you have lived up to everything she stated and much more, we will find her for now we need sleep." his body was taking most of the bed with only the sheet draped over his mid-section, guess the sofa was mine.

But as soon as the bed unfolded from the sofa, His voice was quiet. "Get that damned thing up from there and get in bed with me, where you belong."

She gave him a long, cool look. "You're presuming a lot on the small details my sister told you."

"I'll be right here." now my voice was more cold than used before.

"No. I want you at hand, so I'll know exactly where you are at all times. If I have to use my powers I want to make certain you don't accidentally get in the way."

I turned my head and looked at him, a glint in my eyes. "You should be more worried about my powers, there was a reason I was so good at my job. A reason I was and am number one."

"Yeah, but for now we are together in this."

I was so tired that I gave in and covered with the sheets letting out a slight moan as my muscles relaxed.

My body jerked awake, seeing the sun starting to poke through the old curtains, a arm was draped over me, my eyes glanced behind me seeing the big bad sleeping his face soft and natural. I moved from the bed taking to the small bathroom, I pulled on the black sweater that clung to me with matching black jeans, nothing fancy. I tied my Vans on the toilet before brushing my teeth and stuffing the pjs into the duffle bag. When I walked out he was buck naked standing in the sunlight, was it a sign the light shined on his chiseled ass?

I gasped, "My god, put some clothes on we need to go." I gave him another of those long, level looks mentally ordering this man to clothe himself before, just before.

"Fine." he drawled.

He wore black jeans and a simple red tee with dirty combat boots, I left the room heading to the car while he used the restroom. It looks like there's a chance of rain. A thunderhead passed right over us last night and didn't leave a drop. Right on cue, thunder rumbled and a few fat drops of rain splashed down on me, "Stay close, my body evaporates the water before it touches me." it was Peace.

"I like the rain." slipping into my sleek car with him right behind me.

"So do I."

The drive was silent for some time before I broke the silence, "The calluses on the outside edges of your feet, and on your hands. Not many people have them. You work out barefoot, don't you?"

When he spoke his voice was quiet and silky, and it raised a chill along my spine. "You notice a lot, honey."

Nodding in agreement. "Yes."

"Most people wouldn't think anything about calluses. But you have muscle even in your retirement you have kept in shape."

"Yes."

"Can we stop for food? I am starving."

"Okay." I mumbled pulling into a local Denny's.

He sighed, "Nova was last seen in Maine."

"I have a contact, go in and give me a few minutes." being a super was not always about your power and bursting in and taking out the bad guy. They are as smart as us and as powerful and right now Nova Prime was the worst and he had my sister.

"Need information on Nova Prime, if you fuck me over your life is done. You have an hour." hanging up, he knew the drill, this was how we work together.

"Your metabolic rate must be something else." I said admiringly.

He said nothing just finished eating.

He took my keys "I will drive."

"Hope you didn't order my sister around or walk around her naked either."

"No never, she was like a kid sister. I remember her from school and you too, freshmen while I was a senior, both sullen and withdrawn when not around your friends."

"Yeah, our mother was killed and we lived with our grandpa while at Sky High. It was a good four years for her, she finally started to date Will who we grew up with and we learned life does move on as we learned to cope with the loss."

"How about you though, never saw you with boys?" he drawled, smiling at me.

"I didn't date was more focused on studying, and never wanted a boy, was looking for a man to match me." he frowned.

I smiled at him, "Saw you though, picking on Will and flirting with the upper girls."

"Not my finest moment, I have been in one serious relationship and its not really for me." now this bothered me for unknown reasons as he drove through the storm.

My burner number two went off, this was a hard life. "Peace is being tracked, find out how. Nova is in Louisiana north sector."

"You're being tracked, we need to pull over now."

One hour later he was sporting a cut on his neck as the implant was gone, his cell and beeper gone. Now that he was clean we are going off the grid.