6 --- 4

"That will leave a temporary scar." Helen said as she withdrew her hands from Nate's shoulder.

"Is there no way you can make it permanent? Chicks dig scars." Nate joked.

"Sorry, I can't help you with that, Mr. Merlyn." She replied with a smile on her face as she cleaned the sweat of her brow.

"Busy day?" Nate asked, noticing her tiredness.

"Like you won't believe, I just treated Genk and Minx for some serious injuries. Whatever missions' Victor has been sending you guys on must be extreme?"

Victor also sent the others on missions? "Did any of them tell you how they got hurt?"

"The rest of the team isn't as friendly and chatty as you are, Nate."

"I know but Minx must have at least said something?"

"No, for once she was actually quiet but I can say for certain that she had been fighting a willer."

Nate wasn't surprised that Victor didn't tell him about this but it looked like he was going out of his way to make sure he didn't know. He grabbed his jacket and got up to leave when he noticed boxes in the corner of the room that weren't there before. "What are these?"

"Rohypnol. It is a very powerful sedative. Victor asked me to verify its potency plus they are sort of illegal,"

Nate walked up to it and opened the box. The first box was half empty. He could see the vials and the extra-large syringes. "Why are the syringes so big?"

"Well like I told Victor, if he plans to use it against willers, it must be delivered in large doses for instant effect."

"Do you ever use it?"

She shrugged. "The only equipment I need are my hands."

Nate sighed. "Thanks doc, I need to get going." She nodded and he left.

He made a quick stop to his room to change his bloody clothes. Then he went to the common room where he found Victor talking with Ronda, Caleb and Genk.

*Odd.* Carl and Genk were always together. Like peas in a pod, they were inseparable. What he found odder was that Victor called a meeting and he wasn't invited. Nate was now assured that Victor was hiding something.

They stopped their conversation as soon as Nate entered the room. 

"Nate, I have been expecting you." Victor said and threw something in his direction. Nate caught it and took a look; car keys.

"I need you to take Susan home."

Driving duty? Victor had humans employed for tasks like this. Why would Victor care about hiding something from him? Nate made sure his face did not betray his thoughts. He gave a slight nod and left.

He put a quick call to Anna on his way to the car but only got her voicemail. "Hey Anna, can I get a rain check on the concert this evening. Victor has got me running errands; call me when you get this." He hated that he had to do that. Anna was really looking for time together.

"Girlfriend?"

He half gasped as he turned and saw Susan behind him. "Don't do that."

"Wow, don't tell me I just sneaked up on one of the great protectors of New York City."

"Not a big deal actually. I didn't sense it because you are not a danger to me."

"Are you saying I don't count as a threat?" She looked offended.

Nate quickly tried to rectify his error. "No, I just meant that you didn't have the intent to --"

Her laugh stopped him. "Ease up Nate; I was just messing with you." Nate cursed under his breath as they reached the car. She sat at the front with him instead of sitting in the back. "You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"Were you talking to your girlfriend?"

"Why are you suddenly interested in my personal life?" He asked back, ignoring the question.

"I am just trying to know more about you, I mean you have been working all of nine months with Victor and the only thing I know about you is that you are Nathan Merlyn."

"I don't know much about you either, Susan Lopez."

"Well in the interest of friendship, why don't we trade? You tell me something about you and I will tell you mine."

Nate's hand tightened on the wheel. These were the kind of discussions he tries to avoid. His memory loss wasn't exactly a secret but to him it was a weakness and the less people know the better but then again Susan didn't look like someone who would exploit that weakness.

"I don't have anything to trade." He simply said.

"Oh." She sounded hurt. "I don't mean to be a prude. I just wanted us to know each other better."

"No. I mean I literally don't have a past, not one I can remember anyway."

"Wow." Her brown eyes were wide as she processed the information. "How long?"

"Since Victor recruited me."

"I am so sorry."

"Don't be, it felt kind of good to get that off my chest."

"Well, if you can't share, I will just tell you about me."

The rest of the drive to her home, Nate learnt more about Susan than he knew about anybody else. She told him all about how she was the only girl and had two elder brothers. She was a vegetarian. Her father always wanted her to be a lawyer. He laughed when she told him the story of how she almost got married when she was nineteen.

Finally, they reached her home and she got down and smiled to him through the window. "Thank you for bringing me home."

"Does your offer for coffee still stand?"

"Her smile grew wider. "Of course it is, come on inside." Nate exited the car and followed her inside. "Welcome to my humble abode."    

Nate gazed around her house as the lights came on. It was anything but humble. It was filled with expensive interior decorating and the walls were filled with beautiful paintings. One of them caught his attention; it was a painting of Susan in a swimsuit. The artist heavily portrayed her curves and perfect figure in a very sexual way. The painting was enough to amplify desire in any man.

"Like what you see?" She asked suddenly.

"Um…yeah…it is very…um very beautiful." He stuttered.

She smiled. "Thanks, I paid a lot of money to get it done. Why don't you look around while I made coffee?"

Nate looked into her living room and admired her colorful rug. He wondered how much victor was paying her if she could live extravagantly like this. Whatever amount it was, it was definitely more than what victor was paying him. Susa must be doing more than just handling his money.

"Coffee is ready." Susan chimed, snapping him from his thought.

He spun around in time to see her trip on the rug. His reflexes kicked in and he caught her on her way down. A little coffee spilled on his shirt and burned his skin.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry. I have ruined your shirt."

"I don't care about it."

They remained in the awkward position as his amber eyes continued to stare into her brown ones. Nate was trying hard to suppress his desire. What if he misread the situation?

Susan answered his question by kissing him hard. Nate didn't think twice before returning the kiss. Their tongues dueled and his ran over her body. He caught her bottom lip between his teeth as he breathed in her honeysweet breath. She gave a deep throaty moan and looped her arms around his neck while still holding the cup.

Nate broke the kiss and they both stared into each other's eyes breathlessly. There was a silent agreement between both of them. Susan wordlessly led Nate to her bedroom, the coffee all forgotten on the table. Clothes were hurriedly taken off and they both unleashed hot passion on each other's bodies.