Pret Ops: Familiar

by Emma Ray Garrett

  He broke eye contact. “In unusual cases non-magic shifters can assume more than one alternate form. Natural chimeras only occur in shifter offspring or in metamorphic magi. That’s why The Veil is always on human police watch lists. They traffic children.” Stas looked back at the computer, typing something on the keyboard.

  “You mean they kidnap chimeric children and do --”

  “Unspeakable things.” Stas didn’t look up. His lips barely moved as he said the words. He turned away from Natalie and her father completely, reaching for the pull-down map mounted above the white board. “Then they sell the ones that survive to the highest bidder. And it’s not just potential chimeras. Any child with shifting ability is a potential target. Igborski is a sick, twisted animal bent on taking over the planet, like most megalomaniacs.” Natalie flinched at the harshness in Stas’s voice. She opened her mouth, about to ask him if he had personal experience, but her father interjected.

  “The two of you are going in without backup. Are you sure that’s the best way, Stanislov?” Her father turned his head to look at Natalie, his eyes telling her to back off. She gave him a slight nod, squelching her piqued curiosity.

  “We’ll be here, William.” Stas moved his right index finger over the map of eastern Russia. “I have an extraction team on stand-by. Once we have the scientists, and anyone else who needs rescuing, they’ll come in and we’ll be out in minutes.”

  “Just two operatives, though?” William Marshall didn’t say what he wanted to say, but neither Nat nor Stas missed his point.

  “It’s easier to blend two people into these small villages than a team. We’re going in as a newlywed couple.”

  A surge of shock bolted down Natalie’s spine. “What? Whose idea was that?” She pursed her lips and met Stas’s cold gaze with a hard one of her own. Her father reached over and patted her arm.

  “Since I’m from the area, it’ll be easier to explain our presence in these close-knit communities. You’ll draw some unwanted attention, but it can’t be helped. I need you. Besides your control of the elements, you’re the best healer we have.”

  Natalie opened her mouth to reply to Stas’s comment, but her father interceded, again. “Just be careful.” William turned to Nat and gave her the fatherly eye.

  “We’ll be leaving in ninety minutes, Natalie. I need to make sure all the orders are clear and everyone is in place.” Their eyes met once more, and Nat stifled a sigh.

  “Affirmative. I’ll meet you in the hangar,” Stas agreed.

  Nat returned Stanislov’s nod as he left the room. “Did you know about the cover, Dad?”

  William leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Yes. Relax, pumpkin. I know you and Stas don’t exactly get along anymore, but he’ll protect you with his life. And you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Trust in him and try not to be overly antagonistic. All right?”

  Nat suppressed a smile. “Yes, sir.”

  “Let’s get something to eat before you deploy and I can tell you what else your brothers are into lately.” Nat straightened and picked up the file from the table while her father rose. She looped her arm through his as they headed out of the conference room toward the DFAC.

  Chapter 4

  Natalie clutched the arms of her seat in a white-knuckled grip. Normally, she didn’t mind flying, but they’d hit a nasty patch of turbulence and her stomach was pitching and rolling with every bump. “Oh, God, I’m gonna be sick.”

  She didn’t hear Stas move, but when his large body settled next to hers, the heat from his skin stirred her thoughts away from nausea and she looked up.

  “You will not puke, Natalya.” The lime green hue, the cat’s eye color, of Stas’s irises stole her focus. She forgot all about the bumpy ride and her churning stomach. Her reaction to him stunned her. He made her forget everything but him. In that moment, she was sixteen again, feeling her need, wanting to ease his, and loving Stanislov with every cell in her being.

  She shifted her gaze to his masculine mouth, and without the prerequisite inner argument, Natalie took what she’d wanted for so long.

  His lips were softer, more full against her own, than she’d imagined. She felt more than heard the quiet purr rumbling from Stas’s throat. Nat raised her right hand, gently tracing the top of his ear before sliding her fingers over his coarse hair and gripping the back of his skull. She pulled him closer, pressing their mouths tighter, and when he opened his lips, she thrust her tongue inside.

  He tasted so good. The dark flavor of Stas’s favorite Turkish coffee and the remnants of a peppermint he’d eaten recently burst over her taste buds. Heady sensation rushed through Nat’s blood so hard, so fast that she didn’t notice Stas wasn’t kissing her back. It was only when his warm, calloused hands caught her wrist and pulled her fingers from his scalp that she realized her mistake.

  Natalie eased back from Stas, fighting the desire to lick her lips and get one more taste of him. She raised her eyes to his and saw nothing reflected there. She sensed the heat spreading through him, the hungry clawing of his beast and need in his gut, but neither his body nor his face showed any reaction to her kiss. If anything, his coolness smacked of admonishment, and Nat narrowed her eyes.

  “Does your stomach feel better?”

  She jerked her arm from his grasp and felt her lip curl. Before her rational self could intercede, Natalie lashed out. She curled her hands into fists and landed both of them to his solid chest, knocking Stanislov back against the wall of the plane.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Her mouth spoke before her brain could stop it. A raw second passed, a moment Natalie knew showed her unguarded emotions, before she snapped the mask in place and rose from her seat. She turned away from Stas and moved out into the aisle. Nat walked slowly away, shoulders straight, head high, without looking back. She headed toward the sleeping suite at the rear of the plane. She needed to get to the private bathroom before Stanislov tried to stop her.

  Hands curled into fists, she willed the tears in her eyes not to fall before she could guarantee he’d never see them.

  * * *

  What the hell is wrong with you? Stanislov rubbed his sore pectorals and replayed Nat’s outraged question in his mind. Speaking low so she wouldn’t hear him, Stas watched her walk away and replied, “What’s wrong with me? What the hell’s wrong with you?”

  Irritation didn’t do anything to lesson the fire in his blood. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his pulsing cock straining the front of his BDUs. If Natalie started kissing him with any amount of frequency, he’d never be able to continue to pretend disinterest. A loud voice in his head shouted “good” and Stas pursed his lips.

  He closed his eyes and replayed her kiss in his mind. Soft, full, hot lips, brushing against his. A determined tongue snaking inside his mouth, caressing every surface it touched. Natalie tasted like he’d thought she would, of coffee and sugar, and magic. He breathed deeply, letting the lingering scent of her skin fill his lungs.

  The big cat inside Stas rumbled a growl, replaying the scene much as Stas the man did. The tiger had felt her lips against his, sensed Natalie’s desire for more, and couldn’t believe Stanislov had stopped Nat from finally quenching their thirst for her. His beast was incredulous at the man’s need to continue to push away a willing, and choice, mate.

  There’s nothing wrong with Natalya. It’s me. I’m the problem. Why do I pretend she doesn’t affect me? The man coughed up all the usual reasons why he couldn’t be with her. Natalie was William’s daughter, he owed William his life, and he couldn’t betray the Marshalls by seducing their only daughter. Besides those, he was her superior officer, she was like family, and she was too young for him. But William had hinted, subtly though it might have been, that he thought Stas should try to woo Nat. Hell, he’d given his backhanded blessing by not objecting when Stas had suggested the newlywed cover to him.

  Stanislov didn’t delude himself. He was damaged goods. But he was a loyal man, an honest m
an. He was a good lover, if his one-night stands’ comments were anything to go by. Scouring a hand over his short hair, Stanislov sighed loudly. If only to sate the unending need to conquer Natalie and brand her his, he should get his head out of his ass and let nature take its course. As it was, every woman he was with became her in his arms; every fantasy he pleasured himself with starred her. Moreover, it seemed that Natalie still saw something redeeming in him.

  Even while part of him was ready to move forward, a stronger section of his brain told him no. He couldn’t take what he wanted. He had to keep Natalie Marshall at arm’s length. He wanted to protect her from his past, from himself, and he wouldn’t take the chance that being with her would hurt the only family he knew.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  * * *

  “What’s wrong with you?” Natalie glared at her reflection, at the shiny, bloodshot eyes looking back at her. What the fuck had she been thinking, kissing Stas? “That’s the point, you weren’t thinking. You let him get to you, and you forgot all of your common sense!” She turned from the mirror in anger and stalked to the bathtub. A nice hot bath would do her some good.

  After carefully testing the temperature of the water against her wrist, Nat let the tub fill. She stripped down and got in the tub, hissing slightly at the heat.

  “That bastard. Is your stomach feeling better?” She mimicked his question in a smart-ass tone. “There is something so wrong with him!” Confusion and doubt colored her thoughts, shifting her anger at Stas back to herself once more.

  “Shit, I’m no empath; I’ve probably been misinterpreting his signals for years. He must be gay.” Though it felt good to slam Stas, Natalie knew he wasn’t gay. And emotions were clearer than words; it would be difficult to misunderstand lust when it was your mouth on the person feeling it. Still…

  It’s me. There’s something wrong with me. I’m not pretty enough, too outspoken, too strong, too independent. Too young, her inner bitch chimed in. She snorted at the thought. Like twelve years made any difference, considering both of them had life spans reaching well past the typical human.

  “I’m pretty, but otherwise there’s nothing to keep him interested. That has to be it. He’s attracted to me because I’m a good-looking female, but he doesn’t really want me. All those emotions I feel are familial. Oh, God, how sick is that? He feels like I’m his sister!”

  Shame heated her face and made her stomach uneasy again. It was time to face the facts. Stanislov Rubenesso would never act on his feelings. Deep down, she knew he didn’t feel brotherly toward her, but it didn’t matter. He’d never allow himself to be with her the way she wanted.

  A crushing weight settled over her chest. Sure, it was tough on the ego, but in the quiet, solitary confines of the bathroom, Natalie would admit to herself alone that the horrible pain was more from a broken heart. “Why can’t I take the hint? How stupid am I?” Her nose stuffed up and her breath hitched, but Nat refused to cry.

  She glanced back up at the mirror. “What’s wrong with me?” The woman there didn’t have any answers either.

  Chapter 5

  A sharp rap at the door startled Natalie awake. Water sloshed over the side of the tub as she jolted up.

  Stas’s voice rumbled through the closed door. “We’re preparing to land.”

  “Fine. I’ll be out in five.”

  She sat there a few more minutes. With a sigh, she got out, redressed, and exited the bathroom.

  She returned to the passenger suite and took her seat, buckling in and getting ready for landing, without sparing Stanislov so much as a glance. The pilot’s voice came over the intercom, informing them of their ten-minute ETA.

  “Lt. Col. Black is on the tarmac awaiting your arrival.”

  Natalie softened a little at the mention of Joshua Black. The Guardian Class C. O. was a hard nut to crack, but he was also another of her parents’ adopted children. Noelle Marshall, Natalie’s mother, had found the scarred boy on a New Orleans street corner and after much convincing and cajoling, she’d brought him home.

  “I hope Black has some new intel.”

  Nat ignored Stas’s comment. The nose of the plane dipped down, and she held her breath a little, releasing it when she felt the first bump of tires against asphalt. Taxiing went quickly, considering they had landed at a Recondite Corps base, and in less than the ten minutes the pilot had given them, the plane was stopped, the door opened, and Natalie had disembarked.

  “Nat!”

  She turned toward the voice and smiled broadly. “Joshua!” Black opened his arms and Nat rushed to him.

  The C. O. of the Guardian class was a massive male. Standing just an inch or so shorter than Stas, his shoulders were half again as broad. His skin was an inhuman black, like a starless night. His long, midnight hair was braided in a single plait that reached his ass. Regardless of his scars, Joshua Black made an impression.

  Joshua didn’t smile much, but his lips lifted in what passed for one from him. His teeth, which he kept hidden most of the time, reminded Nat of the vampire chompers in the movies. The canines were elongated and thick, but they didn’t retract. Blood red eyes and perpetually clawed hands were scary icing on the dark warrior cake of Joshua Black. Though his looks intimidated most, and terrified many, Nat adored him.

  She stopped in front of him, reaching around to tug his braid. They embraced warmly and she gave him a chaste peck on the cheek. Joshua tensed slightly, and Natalie felt some of her happiness leak away. She released Joshua and moved away from him.

  “Stanislov.” Joshua’s voice wasn’t antagonistic, but there was a thread of something not quite welcoming in his tone.

  “Black.”

  Nat put her face in Joshua’s, breaking the men’s stares. “I wanna hit the DFAC, Joshua. Point me in that direction.”

  Joshua looked around her head and back at Stanislov. “Straight through the double doors, down the hall, hang a left. Your nose will tell you when you’ve gotten to the dining facility.”

  Nat felt the tension between the men and wanted to tell Stas to back the fuck off. A sidelong glance from Joshua made her purse her lips. She gave him a tight nod and walked away. She knew Stanislov was jealous, but considering what had happened in-flight, his feelings only served to piss her off more. It was for the best that she left them to their posturing.

  * * *

  Joshua sensed the moment Natalie was outside of hearing range. Goblins, trolls, werewolves, and the occasional vampire filled the Black family tree. His bloodlines made him the superior warrior and tactician he was, but they didn’t make him invincible. No, if it hadn’t been for Natalie, three years ago, the War Wolf would have been dead.

  Stanislov narrowed his eyes, but before the other man could make a fool of himself, Joshua spoke. “She saved my life three years ago. Her skills as a healer literally grasped my disembodied soul and enfolded it back into my body. I have a soft spot for her, more respect for her skills and gifts than almost anyone else, and I love her like a sister.”

  “I wasn’t --”

  “Rubenesso, don’t bullshit me. You want to make sure I’m not competition. Well, I’m not. Besides, it’s about damned time you made a move. Christ, you’ve been pining for more than a decade.”

  “I’m not --”

  “I’m giving you full warning. You hurt her, you fuck it up, and her brothers and I will be appointing a new C. O. of the Recondite Corps.” Joshua growled low in his belly, satisfied when Stas bared his teeth in response and his muscles coiled to attack that they had an understanding.

  Stas opened his mouth to say something, but Joshua cut him off again. “Let’s go get something to eat and I’ll fill you in on my latest intel.”

  Stas sighed and nodded, realizing he wasn’t going to have an option to defend or explain himself. “Good idea.”

  * * *

  Joshua bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. He and Stas had found Nat in the DFAC without trouble. What sh
e was doing when they found her reminded Joshua why the Marshalls were such a great family.

  “Jesus, Nat, slow down before you choke. Would it hurt for you to enjoy your food?”

  Nat swallowed and gave him a smart-ass grin. “Whoever eats the fastest gets the mostest.” Joshua and Stanislov laughed. William’s adage was only too familiar. “Besides, who knows when kitty boy here will feed me next. For all I know, I’ll be eating only what he can catch for who knows how long. I want to fill up on good food now, while I still can.”

  “There’s plenty of opportunity for food where we’re going. It’s rural Russia, not the Sahara.” Stas glared down at Natalie and Joshua squelched a sigh.

  “Mm hmm.” Natalie made a noncommittal sound and returned to her food with gusto.

  Joshua looked over her plates. Chicken à la king, spaghetti, a salad, steamed broccoli and carrots, a soup of some sort, and several brownies filled the dishes she had set in front of her. Joshua felt fondness, and a little envy, spill into his chest. The Marshalls had passion for food and were blessed with the genetics to be able to enjoy it as often as they liked.

  Stas glared at Nat and crossed his arms over his chest. “Think of it like this, Natalie. You’ll be able to lose those pesky five extra pounds.”

  Joshua gaped. He couldn’t believe the statement he’d just heard came past Rubenesso’s lips.

  When Nat dropped her fork, her cheeks flushing and her jaw visibly grinding, he spun a quick one-eighty. It wasn’t like either of his meal mates would notice his absence, but he had to get away from those two before he started laughing. He didn’t think either would appreciate how entertaining they were to onlookers.

  Joshua headed to the chow line. As he finished gathering utensils and a drink, he noticed his assistant off to the left. He motioned the young woman over, taking the small black case from her hand. Careful not to drop his tray, he made his way back to Stanislov and Natalie.