She raised both hands and shook her head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. General Milliner delivered them, but he told me nothing specific.”
“The girls are my kin, not close, but blood relatives. And I think that bastard knows it.”
“Why would he intentionally provoke you like that?” Milliner was the type of person to pick at a scab until it bled. Capturing Osric’s relatives for this program was well within the scope of his personality.
“You tell me. You’ve been all buddy-buddy with him lately.”
She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. “Yesterday was the first time I’ve been in the same room with him. You’re paranoid.”
“Maybe. And maybe I’m starting to see things clearly for the first time. I’m going out for a couple of hours. No one goes near Devon until I return.”
He slammed the door behind him and Carly exhaled. Afraid he’d give it one more try on his way out of the facility, Carly accessed the security feed and watched Devon’s holding cell. The door swung inward a few minutes later and Osric appeared. “So predictable,” she muttered as he stalked across the small room. He patted Devon’s hand and even slapped her hard enough to redden her cheek, but the young woman remained unconscious, completely limp. Carly switched to the corridor cameras and followed his progress until he left the building. “Don’t hurry back on my account.”
“Do you always talk to the computers?”
Carly gasped and spun around in her chair. First General Milliner and now Roberto risking personal appearances? Something about the situation was definitely escalating.
“It’s been an odd night.” Pushing to her feet, she straightened her skirt and offered him her hand. “Were you expected? No one warned me.”
“Warned? I mean you no harm. I assure you.” He pressed her hand between his, holding it far longer than necessary. “The detour was a last-minute decision. As with yours, my night has been rather odd.”
He was taller than she’d realized. Videoconferencing could be misleading. But his eyes were just as dark and his features even more appealing. He wore gray dress pants and a white shirt, yet he’d folded back the sleeves, partially revealing a tattoo on his forearm. His thick brown hair brushed his shoulders and the diamond stud shimmering on his earlobe gave him a rakish air. She’d called him “the pirate” until she’d learned his name and she suspected the nickname would amuse him.
“What can I show you or are you here to see someone else?”
He moved his hand to her shoulder as he said, “Relax, cara, this is not a surprise inspection.”
“I’m sorry. Osric has been particularly challenging today.”
“Thus the reason for the parting shot?”
She smiled, ignoring the irrational urge to wrap her arms around him and press her face into the warmth of his throat. “Exactly.”
His hand slid to her elbow, an unmistakable caress. “James and Tias are waiting for our call. We presumed it was important. You’re not usually so persistent.”
James? She pressed her lips together and started across the room. She’d heard Milliner called general so often she’d begun to think that was his first name. “I’m honestly not sure how important it is. I’ll let you three decide.”
His hand moved to the small of her back as they walked down the hall. The warmth of his fingers sank into her skin, the gentle pressure far more arousing than it was meant to be. Why was she so…aware of him? She sure as hell wasn’t sex-starved. Osric had made sure of that. But Osric treated her like a blowup doll. He played with her when he was in the mood and walked away without a second thought.
And Roberto would be any different? Who was she kidding? If she encouraged the interest in his dark eyes, the most she could hope for was a few minutes of pleasure. She’d already compromised her self-respect to increase her standing with the backers. She was not going to do it again!
The quandary was ironic. In college she’d craved male attention, longed to participate in the sexual escapades transpiring all around her. Instead, her intelligence and ambition kept men at bay. Now her intelligence and ambition led her to a situation where she was sequestered with a group of men, vastly improving her sexual appeal.
Refocusing her mind on the present, she led Roberto to the conference room and he ushered her inside. They sat on opposite sides of the large oval table and angled their chairs toward the massive video screen. Roberto used his cell to notify the others that they’d arrived. Carly had no idea how they remotely activated the projector, but there were no controls in the conference room. Or if there were controls, Carly had no idea how to access them.
The video screen came alive, dividing into six neat segments. Tias, a striking Asian woman in her late forties or early fifties came online first. General Milliner’s image appeared a few seconds later.
“What have you learned?” Tias prompted.
Carly thought the question was meant for her, but Roberto answered. “The entire convoy is lost. That wily bitch knew exactly were to strike and how to hurt us. This will set us back weeks, perhaps months.”
“We don’t know that it was Nehema.” General Milliner was a little too quick to defend the “wily bitch” and the other two backers glared their impatience at him. “The three I took from her belong to a powerful tiger clan. This could be—”
“If anyone associated with the girl’s clan knew enough about our operation to strike the supply convoy, the complex itself would be under attack. Therians don’t waste time with subtleties.” Tias managed to command attention without raising her voice or changing her expression. “This was Nehema and we all know it.”
“Were you aware that the girls are related to Osric?” Everyone looked at Milliner, confirming Ava’s suspicion that he had acted alone.
“I knew it was a possibility,” he muttered. “The Therians have closed ranks. It’s going to be harder and harder to get our hands on test subjects. Greater risks will have to be taken. You might as well get used to it.”
“The deed is done. There is no avoiding the ramifications.” Tias dismissed his defensiveness and turned to Carly. “How are your reserves?”
Rather than give Tias false hope, she took a moment to mentally inventory her supplies. “If I focus entirely on the new test subjects, I might be able to stretch my current stock out for a week.”
Roberto sighed and shook his head. “Which means all of the established programs come grinding to a halt.”
“We were unprepared this time,” Tias admitted. “It will not happen again. I’ll reroute all established supply runs and shuffle vendors wherever possible. We will not waste energy bemoaning our loss. We will move on and learn from our mistakes.”
“And allow this aggression to go unanswered?” Milliner looked as if he wanted to reach through the screen and shake her. “This was an intentional provocation. I will not allow—”
“You got greedy!” Tias managed to look every bit as intimidating as her male counterpart. “We are not going to waste time and resources on your pride.”
Defiance blazed in Milliner’s gaze, but he said nothing more.
“I agree that our goals are more important than teaching Nehema her place,” Roberto began, “but these Abolitionists have become more than an annoyance. If an opportunity presents itself, we should permanently solve the problem.”
So Nehema was the leader of a group called the Abolitionists? And this group knew about shapeshifters. How odd. How many other groups of humans knew about the Therians? Maybe a better question was, are there other quasi-human species mixed in with the unsuspecting population? She shivered and released her tension with a deep breath.
After agreeing with Roberto’s compromise, Tias looked at Carly and prompted, “You asked to speak with us.”
The fact that they’d discussed backer business in front of her made her feel important, but she wasn’t foolish enough to believe she was one of them. She was a tool, and when her usefulness had ended, they would
dispose of her like any other tool.
“The guards discovered a couple of hikers, one male and one female,” Carly began in a calm, clear tone.
“We were told.”
If they weren’t upset about the incident, she could just imagine what they were told. “Who submitted the report and what did they tell you?”
“Barns submitted the report,” Milliner told her. “We were led to believe that the guards verified that the hikers were no one of consequence and then drove them a safe distance from the complex. The hikers believed they were rescued by two forest rangers.”
No wonder they’d recruited a spy. How long had Osric been lying to them and how often did Barns help him falsify reports? “The truth is a little less tidy, I’m afraid. The hikers were not released. They overpowered the guards and took off in their Jeep.” She waited until shock registered on their expressions but didn’t give them time to reply. “And that’s not the worst of it. Osric thinks the female hiker was Ava Seymour and the male was Kyle Lashton.”
“Ava has been desperately eluding capture to avoid coming here.” Roberto drew her attention away from the screen. “Why would she venture so near Osric’s stronghold?”
“That was my question as well.”
“And did he tell you?” Tias’ expression remained cautious, but Carly heard hope in her soft tone.
She’d only been spying on Osric for a short time, but the backers had hoped for better results. Well, she was about to prove her worth to her demanding superiors. “Osric had no idea why Ava would intentionally put herself in such a vulnerable position, but he’s pretty sure Kyle was attempting to rescue his sister.”
“Osric is hiding his rival’s sister among the test subjects?” Tias exchanged meaningful glances with her partners then muttered, “That sly bastard.”
“He didn’t intend to tell me who she is, but—”
“It’s Devon.” Carly wasn’t surprised that Tias anticipated the punch line. She was shrewdly intelligent and every bit as ruthless as the men. “It explains his arrogance as well as his obsession with the girl.”
Devon was in her mid-twenties, hardly a girl, but Carly didn’t correct her supervisor. “He was infuriated by the near disaster and intended to interrogate Devon, to find out if she was somehow signaling her brother.”
“Did he damage her?” Milliner scooted closer to his camera, clearly upset by the possibility. “We’ve accomplished more with Devon than any other test subject.”
“Yes sir, I’m aware. That’s why I’ve kept Devon sedated until I could speak with you.”
“Then he hasn’t harmed her?”
“No sir. Intimidation is lost on someone who’s unconscious. He’s impatiently waiting for Devon to ‘metabolize the new formula’. I told him it could take several more hours.”
“Excellent work.” Tias offered a rare smile. “I knew you were perfect for this position.”
Carly refused to think about all of the positions she’d been in since her stint as spy began. It had been a means to an end, nothing more. “I can’t keep her sedated much longer. He’s already suspicious.”
“I’ll take her to another complex,” Roberto said.
There were other complexes? A sick feeling took root in the pit of Carly’s stomach. The more she learned about this project, the less she liked being part of it. “Osric will be furious and he’ll immediately suspect me.”
“Which is why Barns is going to take the fall for you,” Milliner supplied. “I can’t believe that scrawny bastard has been double-crossing us.”
“Devon will need to be interrogated once she’s relocated,” Tias reminded. “We need to know if what Osric fears is true.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Milliner volunteered, and Carly shivered. Would being interrogated by the cold-eyed general be any better than what Osric had in mind?
“There’s no need for you to exert yourself.” Roberto grinned. “I’ll speak with her on the way to her new home.” Given a choice between Osric, Milliner and Roberto, Carly would vote for the soft-spoken Italian.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Tias asked.
“That’s all I’ve been able to learn. For now.”
“Avoid him until he learns that Barns betrayed him then be there to console him,” Milliner advised.
She liked the first part much better than the last, but she nodded. “I understand.” Tias and Milliner blinked out, leaving her along with Roberto. “I’ll prepare Devon for travel. Where are you taking her?”
Laughter made his dark eyes sparkle as he pushed back from the table and stood. “No wonder Osric can’t resist you. You’re adorable.”
Osric didn’t think she was adorable, he thought she was weak and convenient. And each time he took her, ambition devoured another part of her soul. “If you take me with you, I’ll find out everything Devon knows.” She tried to make the offer sound playful, but she wanted nothing more. She wanted to go back to being a respected scientist who was largely ignored by men.
“You’re right where we need you. For now. Make sure Osric has no reason to doubt you.”
She nodded, silently accepting her fate while inside she was screaming.
* * * * *
“And all that time you had no idea where you were?” Jake didn’t sound accusatory. He sounded concerned, so Ava tried to relax. Reviewing the bizarre events hadn’t been fun, but he’d listened without interruption, allowing her to move quickly through the sequence. She still had so many unanswered questions and a nagging sense that the danger hadn’t passed. Who had dispatched the guards? And most importantly, was Kyle going to be okay?
“The only thing we were worried about in the beginning was whether or not we were being followed.” She pushed aside her empty plate, amazed that she’d devoured the entire steak dinner. She’d thought she was too anxious to eat. Despite his gruff exterior, Jake had managed to put her at ease. “And once we were sure we were on our own, Kyle pointed the Jeep downhill and we hoped for the best.”
“Not a bad strategy when you’re shooting from the hip.” Jake fiddled with one of the forks laid out on his side of the table, obviously lost in thought. “I presume you’ve never teleported before.”
“No…or yes. I’ve never teleported before.” Ava stirred the ice in her water glass with her straw then took a sip. She still felt dazed, as if she’d been relaying a chapter from someone else’s life. “Kyle thinks it was a reflex, part of my survival instincts.”
“That makes sense, but it still seems really random and not very helpful. Therian abilities, even in their infancy, tend to be more accurate than that.”
Ron or Steve—the tall, stern-faced blond didn’t say a word, so Ava wasn’t sure which one he was—walked into the restaurant and handed Jake a plastic bag containing everything they’d recovered from the Jeep. Jake thanked him, and the guy walked away without ever making eye contact with Ava.
“Is he always so friendly?”
Jake lounged in the booth across from her, obviously at home in his domain. “He has other, more valuable skills.” He opened the bag and looked inside. “Kyle’s phone should be in here. Do you still want to talk to your sister?”
“Of course I do.” He continued rummaging through the bag as she asked, “Is it safe to call her cell? I don’t want to reveal her location.”
“Osric knows where she is, but…” He looked up, hesitating over what he’d been about to say.
“Quinn claimed her so she’s no use to Osric?”
“Basically.” He found the phone and handed it to her. “I’m not saying she’s no longer in danger. Allowing ourselves to believe that is foolish.”
“He’s just more interested in me now?”
“He’s always been more interested in you.” Jake set the bag aside and returned his gaze to her face. “Carissa’s definition just widened the gap.”
Rather than ask him to explain the strange claim, she activated the phone and entered Carissa’s number. Sti
ll, the comment buzzed around in the back of her mind. They were fraternal twins. Why would Osric care more about her than he did about Carissa?
“Hello.” Carissa’s voice sounded hushed and thin.
“It’s me, Car. I’m fine. Are you okay?”
“Thank God I answered. I didn’t recognize the number, but Quinn thought it might be Kyle.”
Ava smiled, soothed by the familiar cadence of her sister’s voice. “I guess that means you’re all right.”
“I’m wonderful.” She laughed. “But where are you? They found Kyle’s truck out on Pine Valley Ranch. Are you with him? How did you leave the cabin?”
“Keep the information general, just in case,” Jake cautioned. “You’ll be with her tomorrow. You can catch up then.”
Ava nodded. “Jake says to keep it short. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Don’t you dare hang up!”
“I wasn’t going to. It’s just better if we leave the details until tomorrow.”
Clearly beyond caution, Carissa persisted, “Jake? I thought you were with Kyle? Where are you?”
“It’s a really long story and Jake’s right. This phone is disposable, but you’ve had yours for years. Chances are slim that we’re being recorded, but better safe than sorry. The important thing is we’re both safe and we’ll be together soon.”
Carissa finally calmed down enough to pause. “I really missed you. This has been the worst week of my life and yet it’s been the best. It’s so confusing.”
“I’m right there with you.” Several times literally. Ava smiled.
“I love you. Please be careful.”
Emotion thickened her sister’s tone and Ava blinked back tears. “I love you too. And I’m always careful. You’re the reckless one.”
“Tell Jake to be nice or he’ll answer to me.”
Ava looked at the brawny tiger-shifter seated across from her and smiled again. “I’ll tell him.” She ended the call and handed the phone back to her host.
“You’ll tell me what?”
“To be nice or Carissa will kick your ass.”
He chuckled as he returned the phone to the bag. “Ordinarily I’d welcome the challenge, but Quinn’s scent was all over her long before we defined her.”
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