Temptress by Lola Dodge Page A

to be happy with me.
    “Kidnapped,” I purred. Might as well play the role.
    “You—”
    “I know where he is. We need to rescue him. Now.”
    Ruin gripped the phone so hard I could hear his knuckles. “Where?”
    “I’ll come to you. Fifteen minutes.” I flipped the phone closed. They’d absolutely go without me if I gave them the info, and with Deena’s power, I could find the Ten at their doorstep.
    First, I needed to get out of my bikini.
    Regular Jenny would’ve saved the day in yoga pants and a tank, but I was channeling my alter ego. I wanted my man back, and I’d see Drake in cuffs before the end of the night. Kicking ass was easier when I played the part, and even seasoned heroes tended to pause and ogle. Showing skin was the secret to my success.
    I bee-lined to my closet, rummaging piece by piece for the most ridiculous Temptress outfit I could assemble. There was a lot more black leather than I remembered. I unearthed a pair of skintight shorts that laced up the sides and a scandalous leather bustier with pops of lace. The ensemble paired nicely with thigh-high red boots. For the hell of it, I threw on the scarlet cape I’d worn for Halloween.
    I took a running start and leapt off the balcony, triggering Deena’s powers while I flew. The Manhattan Ten were staying at New York, New York. It must’ve made them feel like they were still guarding their post.
    Letting the image go, I dropped a few feet as dizziness swamped me. I battled waves of nausea through the air and finally careened onto the balcony at their suite.
    As side effects went, it wasn’t the worst, but it made me more vulnerable than I wanted to be, and every power I used added to my exhaustion. I wasn’t eighteen anymore.
    The Ten had closed their curtains, but the sliding door was open. Typical heroes. They thought they were invincible. I went invisible and waited for a gust of wind. When the curtain shifted, I slipped into the room.
    “She’s got two minutes.” Ruin paced the living room. The whole bachelor party crew—minus Steel and Tank—was assembled. Cyclone, Jet and Annihilator sat on barstools while Panther sprawled on a couch. Thunder stood about a foot from me, leaning against the glass door. As long as I didn’t sneeze, they’d never notice me. Without Tank, they were as lost as I was.
    “Do we have a plan?” Panther scratched his whiskers.
    “We get him back, and then we take care of that bitch.” Ruin smacked the wall.
    Thunder turned to squint at the curtain blowing behind me. I must’ve made a noise. So much for stealth.
    “You got the first part right.” I flashed visible, flipping my hair over my shoulder.
    Thunder jumped, and an ear-splitting boom echoed through the suite. The other heroes leapt from their seats, calling their powers until energy crackled like Fourth of July fireworks.
    “Temptress.” Red lightning danced over Ruin’s arms as he approached. “Where is he?”
    I appreciated that his leader and best friend had been abducted because of me, and that I was on Ruin’s turf, but I liked being threatened even less than I liked being called a bitch. Tank had stopped my powers, and I was guessing he could stop theirs. I channeled him, but moved deeper than mind reading as I focused on the heroes surrounding me. It was kind of like holding a paper shield in front of a herd of stampeding elephants, but I gritted my teeth and forced it to work. One by one, their powers fizzled.
    “You really have them.” Ruin stared at his arms, naked without their lightning.
    A headache built at the back of my skull, but I held on. I couldn’t show weakness. “I’ve got the plan too.”
    I swept past the heroes. Rows of liquor bottles and shot glasses lined the bar. I poured a quick shot of Grey Goose and knocked it back. The cold booze stung the back of my throat as it went down. I was going to need the extra support to survive the night.
    The guys gaped. I shrugged and took a barstool, aware that the