Primal Claim

by Marie Johnston

  “I am carrying your baby,” she replied.

  “Impossible,” he said simply. And it was

  Her eyes took on an accusatory note. “Please, I’ve heard of you Guardians. Did you not think there were no consequences for playing like you do?”

  He raised his eyebrows at her tone. Play?

  “And you’re saying we played together?”

  She shook her head and nervously looked around. “Redhead, big boobs, couple of months ago? Janice?”

  At his blank look she continued, “Madame G sent her in to, ah, harvest from you and inseminate me, somehow thinking I could bear your young. Look, I will gladly tell you everything I know once we get somewhere safe. She wants me back, bad. They’ll find me.”

  He stood, in all his bare glory, regarding her silently. She seemed edgy, shifting from foot to foot, glancing repeatedly down the highway with dread anticipation.

  Finally, he spoke, “Why do you smell like a dead Agent?”

  “Cuz I had to kill one to get out of there,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “Are you an Agent?”

  “No.”

  “Recruit?”

  “No. I told you. Somehow, Madame G knew I could get pregnant by you and kept me captive until she had what she needed from you.”

  She looked down the road again and he smelled her fear. Risking a quick glance himself, he saw headlights in the distance. Quickly deliberating, it might indeed be Sigma, he decided he needed to find out the truth so she had to come with him.

  “Get in the car,” he nodded to the Agent’s car still idling in the middle of the lane. “I’ll load them up, then I’ll drive.”

  Relief flooded her eyes and she turned to follow his directions.

  “Wait,” he ordered her. “Raise your arms, I’m taking your weapons.”

  “But-,” she sputtered, but said no more and raised her arms.

  Mercury moved up behind her, her back ramrod straight. Normally, he’d frisk her and be done. But he felt the need to warn her, “I’m going to pat you down.”

  With her terse nod, he began. Moving as quickly and efficiently as he could although it was hard to ignore the body under his hands. He felt hard muscles and womanly curves under the clothes he patted. Gruffly, he asked her to remove the knives she had hidden on her body. Again, normally he’d just take them – didn’t matter if it was a male or female he dealt with. Both genders had tried killing him. But this female...if what she said was true, life would’ve been pretty traumatic for her with Sigma. And if what she said was true, she carried his young.

  The scent teased his nostrils. She smelled of rank blood. He found the cloth in her pocket along with the finger, but it must coat her too. Death lingered around them. The Agent she took out, and the one he’d taken care of enveloped them with fragrance, but her scent was the one that teased his nose. Wafting to him, laced with the subtle scent of his essence that wasn’t possible unless he was becoming a dad. Him being a father should be impossible, but what she was saying...plausible. But how? And the feeling someone, somewhere, needed him had abated as soon as he spotted her. His midnight need to run, and changing his route midflight to this highway, he found her fighting for her life. More than coincidence.

  Once she’d unloaded her stash from her body, there was a nice little pile of gear sitting on the pavement next to his bare feet.

  “Go on, get in,” he ordered, not wanting her to hear how much she affected him. Her scent was threatening to drive him mad, and her fierce beauty and the pat down threatened to put on display exactly how much. Okay, it was too late.

  “I’ll load up the bodies.” That should put a dent in his erection. “You got anything you need in the other car?”

  She shook her head as she stepped around the agent she had dropped with a head shot. “It belonged to the Agent I killed. I didn’t have time to grab anything but...” She gestured to the little pile of guns and knives.

  While she climbed in, he hauled both bodies to the back by the trunk. She jerked when he leaned into the driver’s side to hit the trunk latch. Her eyes flickered to him and flickered away just as quickly. He was still nude, but there was nothing he could do about that until they got back to the lodge. Once the bodies and weapons were loaded, he again leaned in and ripped out the car’s GPS and threw it into the Mustang. It was the most obvious way Sigma could track the vehicle. They would dump it later, probably on Sigma’s doorstep with a note that said something witty Bennett made up, like “I swear they were dead when we got there.”

  When he slid into the driver’s seat, she stiffened again.

  “What’s your name?” he asked, as he guided the car around the stalled Mustang. They wouldn’t need to backtrack, he could get to the lodge using roads further down. The headlights were closing in and could be more Agents so he couldn’t head in that direction.

  “Dani.” She spoke quietly, but her voice was strong. She kept glancing in the mirror, gauging how close the other car was.

  “Dani what?”

  She paused, obviously deciding what or how much she told him. Or maybe even whether to tell him the truth or not.

  “Daniella Maria-Sofia Santini.”

  Shiiiit. Her name caressed its way through him. His cock twitched again. The way it rolled off her tongue, with a slight hint of accent, like she was born American, but grew up with another language spoken around her. Italian? Maybe she was bilingual.

  “And you?” she asked. “Mercury what?”

  “Just Mercury. You don’t look Italian.”

  She glanced at him, eyebrow arched. “What’s Italian supposed to look like?”

  “Jersey Shore.”

  Her mouth quirked. Guardians watched reality shows? “Only my dad was full Italian, his parents were from the old country. My mom’s ancestry was mostly northern European. And I’m not from Jersey.”

  They drove in silence some more. Mercury turned off the main highway, traversing backroads, dirt paths, and roads that were often little more than trails, until they reached the lodge. He studied her reaction to their headquarters. She seemed genuinely impressed, not smugly triumphant like she found a way to their home and couldn’t wait to get the information back to Sigma.

  He wanted her to like it and tried to see it as a newcomer might. A human. Moonlight filtered through the trees but it would be hard for her to make out detail with the shadows. Their cabins, interspersed through the trees, could not be seen at night as they blended too well. The lodge stood tall and dark, moonlight reflections gleaming off the large front windows. The rest of the building blended into the darkness around it.

  He pulled up close to the door. “Wait here.”

  Dani was studying the building, trying to make out details in the dark, but she made no move to get out.

  Mercury got out and let out a howl, sensing Dani jump inside the car. Dani. The nickname suited her. Tough, but feminine. He went around and opened her door. By the time she got out, dark shapes were coming out of the trees from around the lodge.

  She stiffened when she noticed the movement. Mercury stood behind her.

  “Mercury, are you bringing home strays?” Bennett called.

  As they closed in, Mercury could see they were all dressed for battle. He wanted to step in front of Dani, protect her from scrutiny and malice. These were his people, Guardians he trusted with more than his life, he should feel protective toward them instead. He resisted the urge, staying where he was.

  “Mercury?” Commander Fitzsimmons questioned. Their leader was a male of few words, but he conveyed much with his tone.

  Mercury sensed Kaitlyn and Jace in the trees, listening intently, but ready to provide extra support if needed. It seemed laughable, this little slip of a woman had five Guardians at the ready, but he had the feeling it wouldn’t be enough for the drama she brought to their door.

  He knew exactly when Bennett and the commander caught the scent that had been haunting Mercury.

  “What the...” Ben
nett trailed off.

  “She says she’s carrying my young.”

  “Impossible.” Bennett repeated Mercury’s first thought.

  Dani stood completely still, her eyes shifting from the commander to Bennett. He sensed her resolve, her determination, but her fear almost overwhelmed both. Commander Fitzsimmons studied her with meticulous intensity. Bennett with abject disbelief.

  “She said Madame G knew she could bear my young.”

  Bennett scoffed.

  “And how would she know that?” Commander Fitzsimmons quietly spoke to Dani. Her fear spiked another notch, but she just shrugged a little.

  Bennett rolled his eyes. “How would Madame G know some random human could carry one of our young?”

  “She’s not random. She’s my mate.”

  Stunned silence followed Mercury’s declaration. Dani felt the blood drain from her face. This was a bad idea. Really bad. Mate? The behemoth of a male would never let her go now. She came seeking protection for her baby, not realizing she’d entertained the notion that someday she and the child could escape. Odds just dropped drastically. She’d worry about that later. Right now, she had to secure protection. Madame G could not get her hands on this child.

  The males fell silent, eyes snapping between her and Mercury. Both males were tall, taller than Mercury but not as wide, though heavily muscled themselves. And dressed, thank goodness. The stunning blonde looked almost horrified at Mercury’s declaration that he had a mate, she was it, and she was pregnant. Their leader remained impassive, taking in all the information and deciding what to do with her.

  “Take her to Interrogation Two. We’ll talk with her after you get dressed.”

  Nerves were going to get the best of Dani soon. It had been a long day and even more trying night, followed by a tense car ride with a very naked shifter male. A Guardian male. The father of the life that grew inside of her. Immense relief flooded her by being with him, but she couldn’t explain it. Sigma felt wrong for so long, but being here, surrounded by wary males who didn’t trust her, perhaps never would – especially if they found out her true story, felt more right than anything she’d done in years, even after she’d hunted their kind, seeking to satisfy a vengeance born one fateful night years ago.

  The tall blonde led the way into the massive log building. Dani couldn’t make out much in the dark, there were no porch lights or street lights, just moonlight. There was no need as the males could see perfectly well in the dark. Inside, nothing was lit and the shifters were completely silent, leading her down a pitch black hallway.

  She experienced a small moment of panic when she sensed Mercury’s absence from behind her. He’d said nothing since his mate declaration. As quickly as he was gone, he was back with a slight rustling of material. Clothes. It would be a shame to cover his magnificent body with its bronzed skin rippling over loads of muscle, but a welcome shame as his nudity unnerved her. She spent the time in the car searching out the window to see if they were being followed, but it served double duty to keep her eyes off Mercury’s handsome looks, impressive physique, and large package. Otherwise her mind might have wandered to what conceiving naturally by him would’ve been like; to have his broad back covering her, and those rounded, heavily muscled thighs between hers.

  Wrong time, wrong place, wrong mental image. These guys could kill her. They wouldn’t though. She knew it instinctively. Torture maybe, if they felt she was a threat to them, so she wouldn’t give them any reason to think so. She’d give them most of the truth, lying only by omission. Omission of a few key details.

  The blonde opened a solid door and stood aside for Dani to enter first. Light slowly began illuminating the room, allowing her vision to adjust without the assault of instant blinding light which she would have tolerated better than those who surrounded her. Humans didn’t have many sensory advantages over these creatures, but it was nice to have at least one.

  “Have a seat,” the blonde’s low voice rumbled. He was several inches taller than Mercury and if memory of gossip was correct, this one was Mercury’s partner. He was the congenial playboy who offset Mercury’s quiet, on and off the field. She’d heard impressive tales of both of them and she didn’t want to think them about at this time.

  Pulling a metal chair back, she sat down. Waves of exhaustion flowed through her, as the long adrenaline rush since waking up to Agent T was beginning to dissipate. Her head spun, nausea threatening to upset her already empty stomach.

  “What’s wrong?” Mercury asked, dressed in a black t-shirt which was stretched across his broad shoulders, barely circling his bulging biceps, along with black sweat pants and bare feet.

  “I just haven’t been feeling well and tonight’s catching up to me.” Did she look as bad as she felt that he picked up on her feeling ill?

  None of the males moved.

  “Would a little food help? Water?” Mercury retained his wariness, but seemed attuned to her needs.

  “Yes, please.”

  None of the males moved.

  “Bennett. Get some crackers or something.” Mercury didn’t look to his partner, keeping his scrutiny on Dani.

  “We’re not a fucking bed and breakfast. We’re here to question her, Merc.”

  “She can’t answer if she’s throwing up and I’m not leaving this room.” Mercury pinned Bennett with his dark eyes, silver swirling in their depths.

  “Go ahead, Bennett,” the third Guardian ordered. He must be Commander Fitzsimmons, Agent X’s nemesis. Dani could have guessed who he was even if he didn’t speak; he carried a heavy air of authority along with the obvious respect of the others.

  Bennett’s navy-blue eyes flashed with irritation, but he left to grab her some food.

  “How far along are you?” the commander asked, directing his keen hazel eyes toward her. Dani suppressed the urge to squirm. Being in the room with these shifters was unnerving at best, but now the interrogation would start and they would study her tone, note any hesitation, any fidgeting, anything that would hint she was lying.

  Mercury’s eyes met hers when she glanced at him.

  “Only a couple of weeks.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Dani.”

  “Your full name.”

  She gave it to them, there was no reason not to. They would look for information on her and they’d find it. They’d learn about her mom and dad, and the night that changed her life and brought her to this table. Nothing more after that.

  “Italian?”

  “Somewhat.”

  Bennett came back into the room, setting a glass of water and a bag of oyster crackers in front of her. “It’s all I could find. We aren’t much for crackers around here.”

  Dani muttered, “Thanks.” Then dubiously eyed the water glass while she opened the crackers.

  “So, tell us,” Bennett said, “why would you think you’re pregnant with Mercury’s baby?”

  Chewing slowly, Dani formulated her answer. She didn’t need to lie about this, just needed to finish chewing. She was extremely thirsty, especially after dry crackers, and the water taunted her. She’d be damned if she drank it though.

  “His scent is on me because it’s his baby. I can feel it.”

  “You ever met her before Mercury?” Bennett asked, clearly not believing her.

  Never taking his eyes off her, Mercury solemnly shook his head.

  Irritation rose. They hadn’t been strapped down and defiled like she was. Their bodies weren’t being used as someone’s own personal incubator. It wasn’t like Janice had to work hard on Mission Semen while they were out doing what they were known for doing besides fighting.

  “And you can remember all the girls you’ve been with? Do you get names and numbers? Take them on second dates?”

  “I’d remember you,” Mercury said simply, then turned to Bennett. “She said they stole from me and inseminated her.”

  “Riiight.” Bennett leaned back, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
r />   Commander Fitzsimmons’ only movement was to narrow his eyes. “How?”

  Dani shrugged. “Janice said she got it one night at The Den. That’s all I know.”

  “Janice was an Agent?” Bennett asked.

  Dani put her fingers up to make air quotes. “Seduction trainer.”

  “Where can we find this Janice?”

  This time Dani shifted uncomfortably before she stopped herself. Lie by omission. “In the morgue at Sigma. When she found out my insemination was successful she started talking about going back to the club. You guys left quite an impression,” she said that a bit more caustically than intended. “They couldn’t let her take the chance.”

  “When was this?” Bennett asked.

  “Yesterday.”

  “No, when was she with us?”

  “A couple of months ago.”

  Mercury and Bennett exchanged looks and each gave a small nod to the commander.

  “Why did Madame G choose you?” the commander continued questioning her.

  Dani shrugged. “All she said was she had a good feeling about me. I don’t know how.”

  “Are you enhanced?”

  Dani shook her head. “No, I always wondered why she didn’t test on me. I think she was afraid if she tampered with me, her plans wouldn’t work.”

  “Are you an Agent?”

  She shook her head again.

  “Then why were you with them?”

  Hesitating long enough to choose her words, she gave a quick run-down of her story. Simplest was best.

  “She found me after my parents were killed. Held me prisoner for a few years until she figured out what to do with me. A couple of weeks ago she said I was ready and...” Dani drifted off, struggling to not remember that vile-tasting wine, Agent T’s slimy touch...

  “And what, Dani?” Mercury spoke low, a faint rumble could be heard emanating from his direction. It was as if he could fill in the blanks and was not happy. That was crazy. He just met her, didn’t trust her, and other than the strange bond between them, most likely from the baby, he should feel ambiguous toward her.