Donaldson fell under her spell completely. Unlike Joshua, his mind rolled under hers without incident. “Of course, Ambassador. Follow me.”
The inside of the small building looked much like any shipping agency, Ari assumed. She fell into step beside the security chief as they moved through the front offices, through a corridor, to a heavy gauge steel door. There was a numeric keypad to the right of the entrance.
Karia had a moment’s hesitation. Marshall wasn’t stupid and looking at the door, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to project her magic beyond it. That meant no back up.
The panel beeped and the door’s locking mechanism released. Donaldson turned to her, ushering her through the door before him. Harsh neon light filled the hallway, lined with a series of doors with more corridors branching off it. Thankfully, Donaldson gestured for her to head toward the large door at the end of the hall. If she had to get out quick, at least she wouldn’t have to run through a maze.
He leaned past her to knock twice on the door. A muffled “Enter” echoed from inside. Donaldson turned the knob, but Ari stopped him before he completely opened the door.
“Wait here for me. Make certain no one disturbs us. I’ll need you to lead me out when I’m through.” His glazed eyes blinked slowly as her orders set in. He nodded once, and then opened the door.
Chapter 13
Karia stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind her. A man sat at a large desk, head bent over paperwork. The sounds of a computer whirring and pen scratching paper were all that disturbed the peace.
“What is it, Donaldson? I told you not to bother me.”
“I’m sorry to intrude, Mr. Marshall.”
The man behind the desk didn’t react as she expected. Instead of jumping up from his seat, yelling for Mr. Donaldson, Robert Marshall sat back in his chair with a sigh. “Miss Logan. You’ll forgive me if I leave off your title. Most ambassadors don’t force their way into a negotiating party’s domain.”
Karia moved away from the door and took a seat in one of the large, leather chairs in front of the desk. “You’re right, Mr. Marshall. It’s an inexcusable breach of diplomatic conduct. And please, call me Karia.”
“I hope no one was hurt when you gained access?” Marshall laid his pen down and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked like a younger version of his brother William. He had short, sandy brown hair lightly dusted with gray. His wide set hazel eyes held no anger or aggression.
All in all, he looked like a very kind man. Ari could only hope his looks weren’t truly deceiving.
“No, sir. I have an interesting ability. I don’t use it if I can avoid it, and never in these types of situations, but I really couldn’t wait for you to contact me. The two men who called me to Mobile impressed upon me the need for speed. They packed twenty or so human mafiosi onto a boat, after incapacitating them, and sent it across Mobile Bay. The humans were here to attack you.”
“Two more of William’s soldiers are here with you? Who?” Agitation deepened a frown on Robert’s forehead.
“Lt. Colonels Jeremiah Dean and Joshua Black.”
“He sent the War Wolf down here?” The reaction she’d expected at her entrance manifested as Marshall leapt from his chair, rounding the desk between heartbeats, bearing down on her.
Karia jumped up from the chair, putting the heavy furniture between them, and called up an illusion. Joshua materialized between them, and Robert Marshall fell back, stunned.
“How-how did you get in here?” Marshall eased away from the projection of Joshua.
“He isn’t really here, Mr. Marshall. I’m a master transmorphose mage. But I assure you, if he hits you, it won’t matter if he’s an illusion or not. You’ll feel it.”
“Amazing, Miss Logan.” Real awe filled Robert’s tone. He stepped toward the fake Joshua, and her magic War Wolf growled low and menacingly.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone. And I can’t take too long, or the real Joshua Black will come looking for me. According to Colonel Black, we have approximately thirty-six hours to find the mafia don who wants your port badly enough to kill for it. After that, it’ll most likely be an all-out war, and neither the Heteroclites, nor the People, want that.”
“I knew it was coming to that.” Robert sighed loudly. “But we don’t deal with humans. We rarely even transport freight for them. I had no idea how to stop this without putting my people in more jeopardy. I thought if we sent a few of the humans back to New York in caskets, the man would take the hint.”
Karia perked up. Here was information she could use. “New York? Do you know who is behind this, Mr. Marshall?”
“Benito Salducci. He’s the head of the notorious crime family. He’s been trying to get me to sell to him for more than a year. I thought I’d made myself clear the last time he came to Mobile, about two months ago, that I wasn’t interested in his offer. But about a week after he left, the trouble started.”
“Mr. Marshall, that was all I needed from you. The colonels and I can take it from here. I promise you, we’ll do everything possible to put a stop to this.”
Robert gave a sardonic laugh. “The People of the Recondere to the rescue, huh? My brother’s precious Recondite Corps fighting for all preternaturals.”
“I don’t know what happened between you and your brother, Mr. Marshall, but yes. That’s how we work. Inclusion in the People doesn’t give anyone special protection. All it means is we freely share information. Things like your situation rarely happen, because the Corps keeps active, open conversation flowing throughout the People. No matter how remote a group may be.”
“But it isn’t just the People. Your care spreads to humans. Humans who would destroy us, as they have time and again throughout our shared history.” Marshall eyed the Joshua image. “People who would shoot the amazing creature you’ve projected here, the instant they saw him.”
Karia dissolved the illusory Joshua. “That may be true, Mr. Marshall. But we don’t ask anyone to subscribe to our beliefs. Your problem is you’ve confused the People and the Corps into the same entity and they aren’t. The People of the Recondere are preternaturals united by their differences as much as their similarities. The People protect each other above everything else.”
“Really?” Marshall sat back down in his chair.
“Yes, really,” Ari snapped. “The Corps works in conjunction with human police and military authorities to keep both of our communities safe. And for your information, I am human. Mage, certainly, but I am mortal. And I’m a productive part of the Corps.”
Marshall turned startled eyes on her and then… He began to laugh. Heartily. Karia frowned in confusion. What in heaven’s name was so funny?
“Mr. Marshall, are you all right?”
“Human! Girl, you aren’t human!”
“I most certainly am.” Indignation burned through Ari. How dare he accuse her of lying?
“I apologize, Miss Logan, but who told you this?” Marshall had stopped laughing and was rubbing his chin, humor shining brilliantly in his brown-green eyes.
“My parents, my genetic tests, blood work. You name it, I come up human.”
“Miss Logan, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that gift you used to get in here? I assume it is some type of enchantment, right?”
“I can influence people’s will, though I wouldn’t call it an enchantment.”
“Ah, but I would. I’ve been around the world. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with many types of preternaturals. And I have a rather unique ability myself.”
“Mr. Marshall, please. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to get this information to the colonels.” A knot formed in her gut. Karia wanted to get away from Robert Marshall, right now.
“You’ve got Sidhe blood in you, Karia. I can smell it as clearly as the fear on your skin.”
“That’s not possible. It would show up somewhere.” She wrung her hands, trying not to listen.
“It does, in your unique gi
ft. Magic like that doesn’t manifest in humans. Ask the War Wolf if you don’t believe me. Ask the vampire.”
They wouldn’t keep something like that from me, would they? She closed her eyes, getting control, refusing to let paranoia or anger mess up her objective. Whether or not she was human had no bearing. She had what she needed and it was time to leave.
“Thank you, Mr. Marshall. You could have made this much more uncomfortable. I appreciate that you didn’t.”
“Some of what you’ve said tonight has made me think. Perhaps the Heteroclites, no, I should reconsider our interactions with the People.”
Karia felt a smile lift her lips. “If you’d like to talk more, I’d be honored to spend more time with you. Mr. Donaldson has my cell phone number. Please, contact me when you’re ready.”
She held her hand out to Robert Marshall. His warm hand enveloped hers, squeezing gently and then releasing. “Good luck, Miss Logan.”
Karia nodded to him. Mitch Donaldson was standing guard exactly where she’d left him. He led her back to the front of the office. She stopped him before he opened the door.
“Thank you, Mr. Donaldson, you’ve been very helpful. Mr. Marshall needs you now. Go back to him.”
“Yes, Ambassador.”
When she was alone, Karia took a minute. She had the name and general whereabouts of the human stirring up so much trouble. She hadn’t had to hurt anyone, and she’d been very careful with her power. Overall, everything had gone very well.
Except that little bit about you not being wholly human.
“It doesn’t really matter,” she whispered to herself. Even if Joshua and Jeremiah sensed something not quite human about her, neither of them was likely to call her on it. Both men had their own secrets. She couldn’t be angry with them.
But now that Marshall had said it, she had to know if it was true. More than that, she had to know if her power was affecting either man without her conscious knowledge.
Looking at her watch, she figured out the time in New York. Pulling out her cell, she paged through the phone book until she found the number she wanted. When the other end picked up, she made her requests, telling the researcher on the other end to forward the information to her laptop. By the time she and the boys got back to Dean’s, what Mr. Salducci had eaten for breakfast would be waiting in the file she requested.
She opened the door and stepped outside. When she’d cleared the lights, Joshua and Jeremiah flanked her.
“So, how did it go? You were in there longer than we liked. Black and I were about to bust in the door.”
“I got what we needed. I called Research and they’re sending me the file. Now, I want something to eat.”
“Huh?”
“Jeremiah, get me some food.”
He looked at her and shook his head. “Okay, food it is.”
Chapter 14
Joshua watched his companions as they bickered over the proper condiments for a hamburger. The byplay between them fascinated him. When Karia launched a French fry at Jeremiah’s head, Joshua laughed to himself. The cat and mouse game those two played, at once avoiding mention of their mutual attraction and heightening it, was quite entertaining.
Joshua had never understood the subterfuge humanity performed during their mating rituals. People who were normally straightforward and blunt became tongue-tied and shy. William used to say lust and love made people crazy, but Joshua hadn’t understood exactly what he meant, until now. Watching Jeremiah and Ari flirt and spar made his cock swell and his blood pound.
For the first time, Joshua felt accepted. These two had given him a gift he couldn’t possibly reciprocate. When their magic had given him a human appearance, neither of them had thought he looked better, even though he’d thought they did at first. When he’d lashed out, they’d both been compassionate, assuring him his form didn’t matter. They didn’t care about his reputation, either, which was icing on the cake.
He’d already made a deeper connection with Jeremiah. After this mission, by unspoken agreement, he would continue a relationship with the vampire. But Joshua wanted Karia, and so did Dean. The War Wolf wanted her soft body sandwiched between Jeremiah’s and his.
A sharp squeal from Karia interrupted Joshua’s musings. A look of outrage contorted her lovely features. She recovered and narrowed her eyes at Dean. Lips thinned and jaw clenched, she looked ready to pounce. Not sure what he’d missed, Joshua looked toward the vampire.
Jeremiah’s mouth curved with a smug grin. He seemed exceptionally pleased with himself, and unimpressed by Ari’s fuming. Joshua took a drink of soda and slouched deeper into the sofa. He wondered how much nudging he’d need to do to get them both into bed.
He wished he could ask William for advice. The retired general would have known exactly what to do to accomplish the goal. Thoughts of William Marshall made him smile. He’d helped a young, terrified Joshua find a place for himself in the world.
Sometimes, Joshua pondered what kind of man he’d be if his father’s pack hadn’t refused to accept a mixed breed child. When he was younger, he spent a lot of time imagining his father hadn’t stolen him from his mother’s arms in a fit of spite. Would the War Wolf have ever been?
Joshua didn’t think on these things because he longed to be different. He was proud of who he had become. He was strong, loyal, and a good leader. He had family -- both in the Marshalls and within the Mound where his mother lived. He’d come a long way from the frightened boy Noelle Marshall had found abandoned and starving in the middle of New Orleans.
Jeremiah hissed. Karia laughed loudly, and Joshua nearly joined in. Caramel-colored liquid stained the front of Dean’s shirt and dripped from his chin. Since Ari held an empty cup, Joshua easily put two and two together.
Humans were so different from his mother’s people that Joshua couldn’t help being captivated by them. Even the werewolves of his father’s line were more direct in their dealings with each other, despite their close genetic connection to Homo sapiens. As he watched, Karia’s laughter faded, and the irritation on Jeremiah’s face darkened, becoming something more intense, more potent.
It was obvious they were aroused. Karia’s pupils dilated and her respiration accelerated. Jeremiah’s pupil-less eyes fell to half-mast and he shifted his position on the sofa, leaning toward Ari, his face predatory with intent. Perhaps Joshua wouldn’t need to nudge a thing.
“That’s the second bit of food you’ve thrown at me. I think you need to apologize.” Jeremiah tore the wet shirt from his body. Then he stood up, taking the few steps to Karia’s seat on the other sofa.
When he towered over her, his obvious erection level with her face, Karia licked her lips and spoke. “Not in this lifetime.”
This was the moment. One shift in either of them and the game would end, to the winner going the spoils. But neither moved. It seemed like the two of them were unsure what to do. Well, if they needed a catalyst, Joshua decided, he’d take the job. “Jeremiah, I think the ambassador needs a lesson in manners.”
Dean rumbled hungrily, turning to look at Joshua. “What do you have in mind?”
Joshua rose from his seat and moved to the pair. He stepped in close to Jeremiah, the vampire’s warm skin brushing his. He looked down at Karia and gave her a smile full of intent. A thrill of satisfaction pulsed between his legs as her eyes grew glassy and her lips parted.
“Let’s take her upstairs.” Joshua looked away from Ari. He looked slightly down at Jeremiah, making certain what he wanted was in his eyes.
“I like the way you think.” Jeremiah reached down, a blur of movement, pulling Karia off her seat and tossing her over his shoulder. She made a soft “oomph,” but it happened so fast Joshua doubted she’d registered what happened. He walked to the stairs, sweeping his hand before him, asking Jeremiah to lead the way. The vampire gave him a cocky grin as he started up the stairs.
“Guys? Guys? Okay, I give. I’m sorry I threw food at you, Jeremiah. Now, put me down.” Karia’s a
pology, punctuated with puffs of air with each step Dean took, was ignored. “Come on, we have research to go over and a plane to catch in the morning. Stop messing around.”
“Sounds like plenty of time to me. What about you, Black, what do you think?” Jeremiah strode through the door to the master suite. He stopped at the end of the bed, dumping Ari unceremoniously onto it.
Joshua shut the door behind him. “Plenty of time.”
Chapter 15
Joshua approached the bed, watching as Jeremiah shed his clothes. Karia looked like she’d bolt, but when Dean peeled off the last of his clothing, a look of surrender lit her eyes. She leaned back onto the bed, her upper body held off the covers on bent arms.
The War Wolf waited until her cerulean eyes turned to him. He moved behind Jeremiah, smoothing his hands over the other man’s shoulders and down his chest. She moaned softly when he stopped to tease Jeremiah’s nipples. Joshua slowly drew his hands down the front of the vampire’s body, lightly scraping his nails over Jeremiah’s ribs and abs, darkly thrilled by his sharp intake of breath.
When he neared Dean’s groin, Joshua slid to his knees. He opened his mouth over one tight buttock, biting softly. Jeremiah’s hips surged forward and Joshua closed his fist around sleek, hard cock. He sank his teeth deeper, and Dean thrust against his grip. Joshua lessened the pressure of his mouth to a brush of skin against skin before easing his body from behind Jeremiah’s legs.
Karia had changed position on the bed. She lay flat on her belly, her head at the foot of the bed, eyes glued to the scene unfolding before her. Joshua slipped to his hands and knees, crawling to Ari.
“Why don’t you join me?” He held a hand up to her, waiting for her to decide. When she placed her palm in his, he growled approvingly.
Tugging her from the bed, Joshua sat back. When she knelt facing him, he let go of her hand to cup the back of Karia’s neck. Her lips parted and her eyes closed as she leaned into him. He brushed his mouth over hers. Though he wanted to conquer the soft flesh, he drew the kiss out until his lips tingled with anticipation. When she moaned softly, warm breath caressing his skin, he covered her mouth and pulled her tight to his body.
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