by Ophelia Bell
Val
Val knocked on the sleek front door of an apartment in one of the nicer buildings in an upscale neighborhood of the city. It wasn’t far from his own apartment, which suggested this matchmaker did well for herself. For some reason he’d expected something different. Incense and crystal balls maybe.
But the woman who opened the door was the polar opposite of a charlatan, at least to look at. She was a petite older woman perched on designer pumps, her platinum blond hair trimmed in a neat bob. She wore a dress tailored to fit her slim frame, and his brows lifted at the familiar style. She must use his tailor.
“Val Carver, I’m Gerri Wilder. Please come in.” She smiled and stepped back, gesturing for him to enter.
He walked in with a slight nod. “I apologize for my father, Ms. Wilder. I hope I’m not wasting your time.”
“It’s Mrs. Wilder actually, and you would be surprised how many parents call me on behalf of their children. What they don’t know is that this is between me and you. Your needs are paramount. I take it you and your father had a disagreement over this?” She directed him to a cozy sitting area near a window overlooking the city and he obliged, sitting and meeting her gaze directly.
The woman was intense, and their eyes locked for a moment. Understanding passed between them as if they were two predators who shared overlapping territory but also mutual respect for one another. She was not one to cross, but then neither was his dad. Still, she sounded like she was on Val’s side, which was some comfort.
“You could say that. Dad’s afraid my lack of a public social life is leaving too many things open for interpretation. He wants me to find a mate—a female mate—to preserve my reputation.” He scoffed. “I barely go out as it is. My work is my first love. Any partner I bring into the mix would be neglected and that wouldn’t be fair to them.”
“I see. But you are one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. You’re of an age where potential partners might take interest. You could have your choice of women without my help, you know.”
Val sighed. “I could, but that isn’t what I want. What I want is to go back to work, but Dad hasn’t given me much choice. I will double your fee if you just run interference with him. Tell him you’re looking but that it takes time. He seems to put a lot of stock in your abilities, so he’ll believe you. Trust me, that’ll make all our jobs easier.”
Gerri settled in the chair across from him and leaned forward to pour a cup of tea from a delicate china teapot. She really had amazing taste, not only in clothing, but in decor too. But he didn’t like the look on her face, like she was about to argue with him or try to change his mind.
“I could do that,” she said. “What I would rather do is play a little game. Hypothetically speaking, if I were to proceed with this search, what would you like in a mate?”
She pushed the teacup across the table toward him, and when he leaned down to pick it up, he paused. The morning edition of the newspaper was resting beneath it, the headline as clear as day. He moved the teacup off and stared at it, seething once more at the utter disregard for privacy displayed by that photo. Jason didn’t deserve it. He was a good man with a happy life, about to embark on a marriage to a woman he loved.
“Do you have feelings for him?” Gerri asked and Val’s head jerked up.
“No. Not beyond friendship anyway. I care about him and he probably hates me now.” His stomach roiled as he contemplated the fallout Jason might have to endure from this photo. His business was far more conservative, and that was saying a lot. Val’s tender feelings toward another man notwithstanding, he should have been more careful about such an open display of affection.
“But you care for him. Were you in love with him?” Gerri asked in a gentle, yet straightforward tone.
Val sipped his tea and exhaled. His tone was gruff when he finally spoke. “I don’t have many friends. He was arguably the closest, and yes, at one point I did have feelings, but I never pursued them because I knew he wouldn’t appreciate it. I valued his company as a friend far too much to fuck that up.”
“So in our hypothetical, if I were to search for a mate for you, it wouldn’t be a woman?”
He chuckled ruefully. “I wouldn’t say that. I love women. I just happen to be attracted to men as well.”
Gerri’s sculpted eyebrows lifted and she leaned back with her teacup in her hands, fingernails tapping the porcelain handle. “Both? This presents a more interesting challenge. Hypothetically speaking.” She gave him a wry smile. “I deal in soul mates, Dr. Carver. That you’re still single suggests that you have never really been in love. For shifters, we know crossing that particular threshold is a point of no return. Our animals simply can’t resist the draw to the one—or ones—who call to them on that level.”
Val leaned forward, enjoying the glint in her eyes as she talked about shifter nature. “But we also know that pure-blooded shifters follow different rules. Some of the shifters born on Nova Aurora have learned to hone their self-discipline to the point that they control their animals better. The arena champions are the prime example of how shifters can make their connections with their animals work for them, given the proper training and diet. This is the foundation of my research. I find it all quite fascinating.”
“Yes, but not even Champions can deny their true natures. They’ve just learned to control their animals better than the rest of us. But I am curious about your research, now that you’ve brought it up,” Gerri said. “It means a great deal to you, doesn’t it? Tell me more about it.”
That was the magic question to get Val talking, and he didn’t stop for at least an hour. Gerri stood and made another pot of tea, then served him a slice of delicious-looking cake while he continued to rattle on about EG-Alpha and all its myriad benefits. Gerri listened and nodded politely. When he reached the part about the potential side effects he was working on eliminating, she had a bite of cake poised before her lips and stopped short.
“Did you say a toxic by-product?” she asked, setting her fork back down without taking the bite. “How toxic?”
“Well we don’t test on live subjects, but in simulations, the toxin could potentially be fatal. It presents in the saliva and claws when a subject shifts, so if they were to, say, attack someone else and break the skin, they could effectively poison their victim. Naturally this is not a desirable side effect, but trust me, the drug will not go to market if this is a possibility.”
“And this toxin would be strongest if the drug were to be used by pure-blooded shifters. Nova Aurora shifters, correct?”
“Correct. Human subjects and most Earth shifters have a weaker metabolism, so the drug doesn’t undergo the same transformation in their systems. It remains weak or even benign, does what it’s supposed to, basically. But we can’t risk putting it out there as long as there’s a possibility of it being used for other purposes. In addition to awakening a human’s latent shifter, it can work as a performance enhancer for shifter athletes, since it magnifies their innate abilities. And the toxin may even go as far as severing a shifter’s link to its animal, making healing even more difficult. In simulations, anything more than a simple scratch could be fatal.”
Gerri’s forehead creased and she nodded. “Yes, that would be bad. I’m glad you’re being so diligent about your research. Thank you.”
He settled back with a relieved exhale. “So you understand why it’s crucial that I get back to my lab. This drug could help so many people. I can’t in good conscience stop my research. My dad’s request is of course well-founded—he cares about our bottom line—but he’s missing the point. The best place for me is in that lab, not wooing a woman in an effort to carry on the family name.”
“I completely agree,” Gerri said. “But there may come a time when you change your mind. The search for a mate is rarely a fast one and can often take months. If I tell your father I’m looking, it won’t be a lie, and it will give you a reprieve, but I’d still like the opportunity to do what I was hired to do. Will you at
least humor me and tell me what you look for in a mate?”
It was the least Val could do after bending her ear for so long about his life’s work. “Well, if I’m being honest, I don’t think I’d be happy with just a woman or just a man. As long as we’re still speaking in hypotheticals . . .” He raised an inquisitive brow.
Gerri waved him on. “Don’t hold back. Tell me all your dirty secrets.”
“I want both,” he said, his tone turning serious, despite the fact that he felt decadent even admitting this small desire of his. “Triads aren’t unheard of in our world. If Jason had suggested I join him and his fiancée, I’d have jumped at the chance. But that isn’t the kind of thing you push on someone, especially not a human who isn’t as open to how shifters might do things.”
“And we are talking about your potential mates here, after all,” Gerri added.
“Right,” Val said, swallowing. “I want a woman who is forward, maybe a little dominant.”
“Do you enjoy being dominated?” she asked with an arched brow.
He barked a laugh. “No. I say that because I prefer topping other men and I don’t enjoy topping submissives, if that makes sense. So for a woman to please me, she has to be a challenge. And likewise, a man has to be secretly all right with being topped. God, it’s been so long since I’ve even thought about sex.”
“That is a shame,” Gerri said with a twinkle. “You would make many shifter women very happy, and a fair share of men too. I will keep it in mind.”
She stood and brushed the creases out of her skirt. Val stood as well, giving her a hopeful look. “So you’ll be sure to tell my dad you’re on it, but drag your feet a little?”
“Consider it done,” she said. “After all, it does take time to find the perfect match for someone as high-profile as you. Not any woman will do.” She winked at him and then sauntered toward the door.
Val hesitated at the threshold, suddenly knotted up with emotion. The entire afternoon had been nothing short of cathartic for him, and he wasn’t sure how to properly show Gerri how grateful he was that she’d simply listened. It reminded him of his mother and all he’d loved about her.
“May I hug you, Mrs. Wilder?” he blurted out. He clenched his fists, waiting for her reply.
But she merely held her arms out to him and he stepped into them.
“Thank you,” he murmured against the top of her head.
“You’re very welcome, Val. And please call me Gerri.”
5
Javin
Javin tossed the tablet onto the lab table and collapsed onto a stool, dropping his head into his hands. He’d had to take a walk after his conversation with Astra, yet even with the breather he was still frustrated by her inability to see reason.
“That bad, huh?” Simina said without glancing up from the screen she’d been scrutinizing when he walked in.
“She’s so fucking stubborn.” It had always been a challenge not to punch something whenever he spent time with her. His wolf was still agitated after their encounter, and it hadn’t helped that he’d scented beyond the toxin to that raw female dragon aroma that had always been so alluring to him. But she was Talon’s sister, so “off-limits” was an understatement.
Simina sighed and reached over to pat him on the back. “She’s a Garrick. It’s in her genes. Though I need to ask, is there something else that’s got you upset?”
“I’m not upset. Just frustrated that she won’t see reason. She loves the arena. Losing that would be the same as you or I losing this lab or our patients. Life would be meaningless. I gave her the answer, but she’s not interested.”
“You suggested she find a mate?”
“Yeah. There’s clear evidence that a strong mating bond can heal the worst maladies, restore a shifter’s bond to their animal if they’ve lost it. Without that, she’s in for a long, hard recovery.”
Simina held up her hands. “You don’t need to convince me. I’m already sold. But have you—I don’t know—admitted your own feelings?”
Javin shot her a withering look, and she rocked back. “My feelings are that she’s Talon’s little sister and she needs our help. That’s it.”
Simina narrowed her eyes. “Denial never served anyone. I love you both like you’re my family and I’d have to be blind not to see how you two look at each other when you think the other isn’t paying attention. You’re being as much of a stubborn ass as she is if you’re unwilling to see past your misplaced sense of honor to what she needs.”
What she needed was a mate, and if Astra wasn’t willing to be proactive about it herself, he’d have to do what Simina suggested and give her what she needed. He reached for his tablet again.
“You know what? You’re right. I know what I need to do.” Tapping the screen, he brought up his contacts list, which included the number Simina had given him after her return from her Earth vacation the year before.
A moment later, a tinny woman’s voice answered, “Paranormal Dating Agency. May I help you?”
Simina’s eyes widened but he pressed on. “Yes, I’d like to speak with Mrs. Wilder please. I’d like to hire her.”
“That’s wonderful! Unfortunately, Gerri is with a client at the moment. Please give me your info and I will pass it on to her.”
Keeping a wary gaze on Simina, he said, “I’m hiring her for my friend. Astra Garrick would be the client.”
“From Nova Aurora, based on your prefix, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“And who am I speaking to please?”
Simina crossed her arms and Javin knew he was in for it when he hung up. “Dr. Javin Traore. My colleague Simina Taji referred me.”
“Oh, Ms. Taji! I will let Gerri know as soon as her meeting is over. You should hear from her soon. Thanks for your call!”
When the call disconnected he held up his hands to forestall Simina’s lecture. “You and I both know Gerri’s the best option.”
“Yes, I do. That’s not what I’m objecting to. But if you’re going to do this, can I make one request?”
He caught a wily glint in his friend’s eyes, but nodded. “Okay, what?”
“Don’t just do this for Astra. Let Gerri find someone for you too. I can’t help but feel like you’re channeling your frustration in unhealthy ways right now and I’d rather you find real happiness than what you’ve been doing in your off hours.”
His skin prickled. “What do you mean?” he asked, standing and heading toward the cooler in the corner of the lab. He had a house call to make later to one of the other patients affected by this bloody toxin. She couldn’t be referring to that as an extracurricular, could she?
He rifled through the racks of vials, looking for the serum he needed, but came up empty. Where the fuck was it?
“Javin,” Simina said from close behind him. He turned and looked down at the vial she held in her hand. “Looking for this?”
His face heated, which was not the reaction he needed to show under the circumstances. There was no way he could brush it off as a professional house call when he was so agitated.
Simina held his gaze. “You’ve been helping Simon with his addiction to the drug, haven’t you? That’s the only reason you would need this. What I don’t understand is why he’s still dependent.”
“Because he was a fucking idiot and kept a stash of the stuff hidden. The counteragent doesn’t prevent relapses, unfortunately. It’s a small blessing he’s been barred from competing. But if there was ever a time for me to see him, it’s now. He’s the only link I have to the source of the drug. If I can finally get him to agree to face his old arena partner, maybe we can get a lead on the maker and find out why the fuck another champion has been poisoned.”
Simina relinquished her hold on the vial and nodded. “Are you sure that’s the only reason you keep visiting him?”
“Yes. I want to get to the fucking bottom of this. Astra is the last champion who will fall victim to this vile shit. I promise you that.”
He strode to the doorway, shed his lab coat, donned his leather jacket, and stowed the vial in the inner pocket.
“Just be careful, all right? Fallen champions are not the most predictable people, especially when their link to their animals is weak. Simon’s still vulnerable.”
He snorted. Simon was maybe a little desperate, but Javin wouldn’t call him vulnerable. The male gave as good as he got. But Javin offered Simina a slight nod, then leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek. “Duly noted,” he said in a gruff voice. “Look in on Astra before you leave, all right?”
“I will. See you tomorrow.”
6
Simon
Simon’s neck prickled with unease when the doorbell rang. He should have felt relieved at his weekly visit from Dr. Traore. The other man had been his lifeline for months, ever since his withdrawal symptoms had returned, leaving him feeling like he was being burned up from the inside out.
Taking the drug in the first place hadn’t even been his idea, but the pressure to excel in the duo bracket of the arena league, to have a shot at even ranking second after the Hot Wings team, had been too tempting to resist once his partner had finally worn him down.
And now here he was, hanging on by a thread every week until the good doctor showed up with his relief. Or he would be if he hadn’t slipped. He hurriedly checked that his stash was out of sight before answering the door.
The doctor’s lanky frame filled the doorway, his gaze sharp and cold. The clever greeting Simon had on the tip of his tongue fizzled and he stepped back with only a “hi there” and gestured for Javin to enter. The other man could be intense at times, but Simon had never seen him so agitated.
Javin went straight to the dining table and sat, removing the mechanical injector from one pocket and a small vial from the other.
“Hard day?” Simon asked, pulling out the seat catty-corner to the doctor and sticking out his arm. This was the standard routine, which was frankly becoming tiresome.
