Ondrea was right. It would be too awkward for all involved. Still, something about the colonel called to her on levels she didn’t understand. “I can’t let anything happen to him, Onnie.”
“No one said you had to. All I said was don’t fall for him.”
Deryn went to deny she was falling for him but Ondrea beat her to the punch. Shaking her head, Ondrea placed a well manicured hand on her hip. “Do not even try to tell me you aren’t the least bit interested in him. I saw you watching him when you thought he wasn’t looking. He’s the reason you didn’t move further into the shade, isn’t he?”
“No.”
“Deryn,” she scolded.
Feeling like a child, Deryn shrugged. “Fine. He was part of the reason I didn’t move into the shade. Now, don’t worry about me. I know better than to fall for a man like him.”
“Mmmhmm.” Ondrea licked her lower lip. “All I’m going to say is this one has the potential to be like the biggest mistake of your dating life, Deryn. I think he could do what you know who did. I think he could mess your mind to the point you are blinded to the idea he could turn on you.”
The very mention of ‘you know who’ left Deryn wringing her hands. She didn’t want to think about Dean. He was the one man in her life, aside from Kane, she’d allowed to not only get close to her but let her guard down around and he’d betrayed her in the worst way possible. “Please don’t lump the colonel in with Dean.”
“Why? Don’t you like hearing the truth, Deryn?”
She stiffened. “I refuse to believe two men like that could exist. What makes you think he’s anything like Dean?”
“All I’m saying is I know you and I’m picking up something in you when you’re around the colonel that tells me you already trust him and you don’t even really know him. If he turned on you, Deryn, you’d be blindsided.”
Thoughts of the tomb guard approaching her disguised as Alejandro came back to her. She’d already been blindsided. “I don’t trust him already,” she said, lying through her teeth.
Ondrea snorted. “Right and I don’t want to stay forever in a testosterone-filled male paradise. Try a new one, Deryn. I’m not buying this one. You stuck to him like glue after you two came back to the jeeps. I thought I was going to need a crowbar to get you away from him. I’m not the only one who noticed. I saw the other men raising a brow or two at how freakishly overprotective he seemed of you.” She tossed her hand in the air. “The man fucking buckled you in.”
“No, he didn’t.” She thought back to when they’d rushed to the jeeps. It had been a blur. Her eyes widened. “Oh, shit, he did. Onnie, I let myself be buckled in like a baby.”
“No, like a kept woman. Big difference in the world of shifters, honey. Trust me on this.” Ondrea snorted. “What? Do you need him to piss on your leg so you can see what every other shifter there did?”
“Apparently, because I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. He’s a nice guy. He didn’t want me to fall out of the jeep. It’s not like the terrain is level or we had smooth turnpikes to drive on.” Deryn ran a hand through her hair. “No. We were off-roading it and, for your information, I was still pretty shaken up about what we’d run into. Onnie, those things are scary. I don’t say that often.”
Ondrea thumped her upside the head lightly. “Hello, anyone up there? I swear, Deryn. You have no clue when a man is totally into you. Or are you aware but doing your best to tell yourself he’s not because you’re afraid of a Dean repeat? Huh? Are you afraid if you dare acknowledge the colonel might be into you too then you’ll have to admit you trust a man you hardly know? A man who I don’t doubt is even stronger, deadlier than Dean was?”
Refusing to answer that, Deryn gritted her teeth. “So, you’re telling me I’ll never be able to fully trust anyone in my life? Is that it? If it’s male it must be bad? Huh? I just want to know, seeing as how I am completely moronic when it comes to the opposite sex and all. Are they all inherently evil, Ondrea?”
“No, sweetie.” Ondrea took Deryn’s hands in hers. “I’m telling you that you cannot afford to blindly trust a supernatural male. He didn’t grow up with you. He wasn’t there playing dolls ... err ... bad example but you get my drift. Find a nice human guy. Trust him with everything you have. Avoid the supernaturals like the plague.”
There was something Ondrea was holding back. Deryn knew her friend well enough to spot when there was more to the story. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing.”
“Ondrea.”
She bit her lower lip. “Okay, I might trust him a little too and that scares me. I don’t want a repeat Dean performance.”
“You never once trusted Dean. Ever.” Deryn slammed her fist into her other hand. “You even went so far as to try to sabotage our relationship. And do not even try to tell me it wasn’t you who told Dean I was fucking Kane on the side. You know damn well I wasn’t.”
Ondrea bit her lower lip, looking very guilty. “Maybe I did. So what? I was right! He was a creep! Worse than a creep. A nut job. The man tried to kill you. I think I should be getting a thank-you here, not yelled at.”
“Stop lumping nice, honest men in with Dean and I won’t yell at you. You admitted you trust the colonel, too.”
Ondrea growled. “I know but I still don’t want you hurt. I’m trying not to trust the colonel. He’s making it hard to do.”
Pointing at her friend, Deryn narrowed her gaze. “You’re the one lecturing me about trusting him.”
“Yeah, well it’s not my life he’ll try to take if he turns out to be an asshole.”
“Hey, I’m not trying to snag a husband here, Ondrea.” She stared down at her friend. “It would be nice to not be on guard every moment of my time here. I’m sorry for having this nagging feeling, deep within me, that keeps encouraging me to trust him. I can’t help it. It in no way means I want anything to happen above a working relationship. It’s pretty presumptuous to assume he has any interest in me whatsoever. You’re a cat shifter. If he’d be into anyone it would be you. Now, shut up about it. It’s wearing on my last nerve.”
“You must be pissed. You never call me by name.” She offered a small smile. “Can we call a truce on the subject of the colonel? Let’s go have a nice time. Issac thinks we’ll enjoy ourselves. He’s Fae, he should know. He’s got that magik thing going for him.”
“You’re going to yell at me but I really wish the colonel would have changed his mind about coming out with us tonight.”
“Deryn.”
She put her hands in the air signally defeat. “I know, Onnie. I just like being around him. Is that so wrong? I don’t mean it in the way you’ll take it. I just mean he ... umm ... makes me feel safe.”
“I suggest we drop this.”
Nodding, Deryn turned and headed towards the main portion of the base.
“Why do you think they stuck us out here in tents instead of putting us in the guest rooms near the infirmary?” Ondrea asked, clicking her heel against the hard worn dirt path.
“Probably because I asked them to treat us the same as the men stationed here. If they selected tents then that’s what I asked them to put us in. Besides, we’re closer to Kane this way. That makes me feel better.”
“You asked to be on an extended camping trip?” Ondrea’s eyes widened. “Say it ain’t so, Deryn. I’m convinced something is going to come bursting through the tent fabric and eat me at any minute.”
“You could shift and eat them first. Works out nice. Don’t you think?” Deryn asked in a teasing voice. The very idea of Ondrea being scared by anything was amusing. She was tough as nails and could handle anything thrown at her.
“Sounds like they know how to party around here.” Ondrea nodded towards the large tent that had men stumbling in and out of it. Music pumped from it and it was easy to guess it was one of the three bars Fulk had mentioned they had at base camp.
Deryn couldn’t help but laugh as Ondrea began to shake her hips and
move to the beat. The girl could dance anywhere. Hell, so could Deryn. It was one of the things they shared in their friendship. A love of music, good times and dancing set them apart from other scientists they were normally around. “Watch shaking that ass tonight. I’ve only seen a handful of women here and two of them were a couple--I think.”
Ondrea glanced over her shoulder and licked her lower lip. “Mmm, the odds are in our favor then, honey. Feel like getting laid?”
“That all depends.”
“On what?”
Glancing over her shoulder, Deryn couldn’t shake the feeling Alejandro was close, watching her. “Are there any humans in there? You’ve banned me from screwing any supernaturals.”
Ondrea laughed. “Okay, I’m willing to lift my ban if you promise to pick one you can’t begin to imagine yourself going on a second date with.”
Deryn cringed. “So, you’re saying I get to fuck Rodriquez?”
“Yep. Wait, could you see yourself going on a second date with that Issac guy?”
Shrugging, Deryn stopped looking behind her. “He seems like a nice guy. Then again, so does Rodriquez. He’s just wear on my last nerve.”
Ondrea clapped. “Goodie. Rodriquez it is. He’s hot. They all are.”
They both sighed.
“Yeah, I noticed that, too.” Putting her arm around her friend, Deryn hugged her tight. “We have such hard jobs.”
“Did I thank you yet for getting me on board for this assignment?” Ondrea asked, laying her head on Deryn’s upper arm.
“Yes, about thirty times the first morning I told you I accepted it with the condition you be brought on to advise. Please don’t start talking about this being a penis paradise again. I’m horny enough as it is. I really don’t need you to dangle the fact I’m surrounded by gorgeous men I can’t touch in my face.”
“Hey, I gave in on Rodriquez and he is friggin’ hot.”
Sighing, Deryn rocked Ondrea slightly. “Honey, I’m not going to sleep with him. So, please don’t try to make that happen. Kane would have a fit and I’d end up feeling bad enough to tell the guy I was screwing with him about the plant. Let me have my moment of fun.”
“Yeah, but he’s hot and I can guarantee he’d do you.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment? I think he’d fuck anything with breasts and two legs.” She laughed and Ondrea joined in.
“I don’t know about that. He seemed kind of picky about his women and their bodies.” Ondrea patted Deryn’s abs. “Those will do.”
Deryn smiled as she followed Ondrea to the front entrance. An MP stood, almost rooted in his spot and nodded. “Evening, ladies.” He pulled the flap back exposing the interior of the bar to them.
The place was packed. An especially large group was gathered at the bar area where it looked like a redhead with a pixie-like haircut was being lifted up and down in a seated position. As they neared her, Deryn realized she was sitting on Fulk’s back as he did push-ups on the bar.
“Ohmygod, look at the abs on him. No wonder he was obsessed with yours. He’s a fitness freak,” Ondrea said, not bothering to lower her voice as she practically drooled at the sight of Fulk.
The redhead turned her head and locked gazes with Deryn, instantly making Deryn stop dead in her tracks. There was something about the woman that wasn’t right. Not necessarily bad but not normal either. She was one that definitely warranted keeping an eye on. She also looked extremely agitated by Deryn’s presence. In truth, she looked as though she wanted to rip Deryn limb from limb.
Ondrea leaned back a bit and whispered, “Gee, what did you do to piss off the redhead?”
The woman sat there, going up and down as Issac and a bunch of men Deryn didn’t know continued to count off the number of push-ups Fulk was doing. As he approached the two hundred mark the woman hopped off his back and landed on her feet. At five seven she was three inches shorter than Deryn but puffed her chest out like she was the biggest, baddest chick in the world.
“These must be the civvies,” she said, as though it were a dirty word.
Fulk sat up and the men shoved shots in his face. He wagged his brows and smiled from ear to ear. “Either one of you care to ride me?”
Ondrea let out a sultry laugh. “Honey, you wouldn’t know what to do if I was behind the wheel.”
“Wanna bet?”
Issac closed the distance between him and Deryn quickly with two glasses in his hand. “Drinks? They were Fulk’s idea. I swear. I think he’s hoping if he gets the two of you drunk enough, you’ll forget he’s an ass and hop in the sack with him.”
Putting out her hand, Deryn accepted it while Ondrea took the other. “Not likely but I appreciate the drink. Thank you.”
“Not a problem.” He glanced over at the redhead. “Vonni, this is Dr. Deryn Murray and Dr. Ondrea Harris. They’re stationed here to help with the project.”
“So I was right--civvies.”
Deryn took a sip of the drink Issac had given her and coughed. It burned all the way down and felt like it was straight. Beyond straight. Liquid fire. “Wow, there’s no watering down here, I see.”
“Shit,” he said, running his hand through his blond hair. “I forgot you’re human. None of the rest of us are, so the drinks are stiffer.”
“Mmm, I hope everything else is stiffer, too,” Ondrea added, making Issac turn red and move closer to Deryn. “Oh, she can’t save you, buddy.”
Issac jerked slightly and pressed himself to Deryn. “Tell me you can control her.”
“Right.” Deryn snickered. “She tells me you’re Fae. Maybe you should keep your magik charged. Fighting her off you is a very real threat. She has a thing for blonds.”
Issac slid behind her and Ondrea snapped her jaws at him and winked. He grabbed Deryn’s shoulders, playfully using her as a shield. “You wouldn’t want to hurt Dr. Murray to get to me, would you?”
“Deryn,” Ondrea asked, lifting a brow. “You wanna hold him down for me?”
Fulk moved up next to Ondrea and bit his lower lip. “Baby, I’ll go down willingly for you.”
Issac exhaled, apparently thinking he was off the hook. Deryn laughed. She knew better. Ondrea glanced at Issac. “I prefer it when they play hard to get.”
Instantly, Issac was next to Deryn putting his hands up. “I’m easy. Take me. I’m yours.”
A chorus of laughs followed. Deryn took another sip of her drink as she continued to laugh softly. Vonni continued to stare at Deryn as though she were the lowest life form in the universe. Never one to lie down and take it, Deryn tipped her head slightly and stared down at Vonni. “I’m sorry but have we met before?”
“No,” she bit out.
“That’s what I thought.” Deryn took another sip of her drink, this time not coughing. “Care to tell me what the hell crawled up your ass then? It’s obvious you have issues with me. What are they? I’ve had a really long day and I’m not in the mood to put up with shit from you.”
The entire bar fell silent as Vonni’s face dropped. She looked stunned. For a moment she just stood there as Ondrea snickered under her breath and Deryn awaited a rude comeback. The minute Vonni narrowed her gray gaze Deryn knew it was coming. She just didn’t know it would be in the form of a mystical attack. The slight buzzing, followed quickly by a sharp push left Deryn taking a tiny step backwards.
Vonni had thrown enough power at her to knock her on her ass. The fact that Deryn merely took a tiny step back had to piss her off. She narrowed her gaze and glared at Deryn. “What the...?”
Ondrea moved towards Vonni fast. “Try that stunt again and they’ll be searching the corners of this joint trying to find your head.”
Issac put his hand on Ondrea’s slender shoulder and the crowd seemed to swell in on them. “Hey, take it easy. We won’t let anything happen to Dr. Murray. From the looks of it, she has the majority of the base ready and willing to step in to protect her--you too. Look around. I can’t even count the number of ‘protectors’ that just
jumped forward.”
Ondrea laughed. “Will you protect us from one of your own?”
“One of our own?” Issac looked confused. “Meaning?”
Fulk wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel from the bar. He stared at Deryn and then glanced at Vonni. “Was that your power I felt zapping past me towards her? She’s human. You don’t throw shit like that at her. Understood?”
Deryn glanced at him. “I’m sorry about the plant thing.”
He looked lost.
Ondrea and Issac snickered.
Vonni’s jaw tightened as she sneered at Deryn. “Does anyone know exactly who or should I say what is now bunking among us?”
Here it comes.
Deryn waited for Vonni to voice what she had clearly figured out--Deryn was a slayer and they were not welcome among supernaturals.
Issac shook his head. “I think Vonni needs some leave. She’s not making any damn sense.”
“Oh, I make perfect sense.” Vonni took a small step forward to find Ondrea blocking her path to Deryn.
“Going somewhere?” Ondrea asked with a lethal note in her voice.
Not wanting to make a scene, Deryn took hold of her friend’s shoulders and tugged gently. “Come on, we’ll go hang at another place tonight. No biggie.”
Fulk’s expression changed, leaving him looking like he was up to no good. He pushed his chin-length brown hair behind his ears and winked. “Jones, put Vonni’s music on. Let her show her stuff. We’ll let the other two shine when she’s done.”
Let us shine, my ass, Deryn thought as she turned to leave.
“Ompf.” She hit the equivalent of a brick wall and was left struggling not to dump her drink down herself.
“Back at you,” a familiar voice said in her ear.
Smiling, Deryn shook her head to the beat and snickered as her childhood friend, Kane Soto, flashed his notorious playboy smile. He’d grown on her like a fungus over the last thirty-three years. A fungus she loved dearly. He swept a handful of shoulder-length black hair from his face, exposing his gorgeous almond-shaped brown eyes. “What, no hello kiss?”
Shifter Fated Mates: Boxed Set Page 62
