by Marie Harte
Alicia nodded. “What he said is true. I've seen a lot in my lifetime. Some good, some bad. I have a touch of Kisho's ability to see into the future. Not as clearly, and some things are meant to be, no matter how much you struggle to change them.” She deliberately glanced from Gunnar to Ava.
Thanks, Grandma. Make the guy hate me, why don’t you.
“You're all here for a reason. There's so much good you've already done and so much more you have to do. But you can't do it alone.”
“We're not exactly alone.” Jules gestured to everyone around him.
“No, you're not, are you? And yet some of you are.” The cryptic response did little more than aggravate the Circs. Just as Alicia no doubt intended. “Suffice it to say we need everyone present in this room if we're going to nip our current problem in the bud.” The strain on her face worried Ava. “It's come to my attention that though Melissa and Jack Keiser were the informants giving our information to the enemy, we actually have a threat much closer to home.” Jules groaned. “Mrs. Sharpe, not now.”
Ava had spoken briefly with her grandmother earlier and absolutely refused to believe Lonnie might have been in on anything that would hurt them. Grandma wasn't supposed to say anything yet, not until they'd talked to Lonnie first, face-to-face. But the woman had been acting weird. “Grandma, I don't think—”
“It's Admiral London. He's been against us from the beginning. Honestly, I'm not sure how I didn't see it. Perhaps because Lonnie's always had a special place in my heart. But regardless, he's been the one pulling Melissa's strings, giving Montaña insider information as well as details about us we wouldn't want him to know.” The stare she aimed at Olivia's and then Sheridan's flat stomachs unnerved everyone.
Rogues getting their hands on Circ babies would not be good. At all.
The heavy silence in the room felt oppressive.
“No way.” Morgan shook his head. “Admiral London's a good guy. He'd never stoop to something so low.”
Jesse looked unsure. “We've been down this road before with Elliot Pearl and William Delancey. I'd hate to think it, but what if Admiral London really isn't on our side?”
“You can't believe that.” Kisho frowned.
“I told you, Mrs. Sharpe—” Jules began before she cut him off.
“Lonnie is the special name I call him in private. You know that, Jules; you've heard me say it. When Gunnar told me what Raul had said about Melissa's contact, I didn't want to believe it either, but it explains a lot. How our enemy was able to work around me and the team. The things he knew, timing events to always miss being picked up by the navy and his own psychics. It makes sense, unfortunately.”
“Maybe.” Ava wasn't convinced. One thing Admiral Geoffrey “Lonnie” London wasn't was stupid. No way he'd slip up so easily by using the exact same nickname with Melissa that her grandmother and she used. The man was smart enough to cover every base. It made no sense. Yet her grandmother seemed certain, wounded, and angry. A terrible combination all around.
Alicia continued. “The admiral is due to visit in a few days for an informal briefing on the status of a drug shipment gone missing. His men are guarding us around the clock. We'll have to remove them without being too obvious. I'll order the lot back to Quantico as a protection detail for Olivia and Sheridan. Doc's there anyway, and I'd like our expecting Circs to see him.”
“I've already done some workups, Mrs. Sharpe,” Sheridan said. “Olivia and I are healthy.” With a touch, she could verify sickness and heal it. If Sheridan thought they were okay, they most likely were.
“I understand, but it gives us an excuse to get you two out of here, and for you to meet Doc, finally.”
Dr. Evan Dennis had been with the Circ project from the beginning. A steadfast and loyal man, he worked with the Circs up north and had thus far delivered two Circ babies into the world. It made sense for Alicia to send them.
“Okay.” Sheridan grudgingly accepted.
Olivia nodded.
Gunnar had to add his two cents. “Keegan Price and James Foreman will be a problem. They're supposed to stick to you like glue, and they have authority issues.”
“Pot calling kettle, hel-lo,” Morgan said. He returned the finger Gunnar shot him. “Leave Price and Foreman to us.” He nodded to Kisho.
“Fine,” Jules agreed. “But I don't want Olivia and Sheridan to leave our small sanctuary alone, and right now I need to be here for a few things. We need a handle on Grayson.”
Kisho shared a sad glance with her grandmother. Now what was that all about?
He turned back to Jules, his eyes narrowed in thought. “Why don't Morgan and I convince Price and Foreman to follow the ladies to Quantico, per Mrs.
Sharpe's special orders? I'll make up something about a classified liaison with Admiral London and draw them away from here on one pretext or another.” Morgan offered, “Hell, tell them you already saw them accompanying us.
Pretend it was a vision.”
“Good idea. That should work.” Jules nodded. “But I want you two focused on Olivia and Sheridan twenty-four seven.”
“Can do, hoss.” Morgan smirked.
Ava rolled her eyes. Jules hated being called hoss, and her cousin knew it.
Trust the team to be on each other's cases during a crisis. Not surprisingly, their easy banter calmed her. Gunnar too, she noted, pleased to see him grin at the rumblings Jules threw Morgan's way.
Her grandmother straightened in her seat, sitting primly. Always a lady…concealing the predator within. Ava could only imagine the conflict brewing in her grandmother's heart. Her great love for Lonnie fighting against his supposed betrayal. Ava didn't believe it, but her grandmother did. Why? After so many years spent loving each other, how could her grandmother doubt Lonnie? There had to be more to this that Alicia wasn't telling her.
Ava not only needed to find out what the hell Grayson had gotten himself into, but how Lonnie was tied into it. And all while sticking close to her elusive mate. A headache of monumental proportions.
Alicia cleared her throat. “While the rest of you prepare for what's coming, I need Ava, Jules, and Gunnar to stay behind.”
Everyone else filed out. Sheridan stopped to kiss Jules before waving at Ava and Gunnar, then left as well. Ava watched her grandmother with the others, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I'd like to know what you all think.”
Ava opened her mouth to reply, but Jules beat her to it. “Mrs. Sharpe, this is wrong. Admiral London has done more for us than I can say. I know we should be leery. Hell, what with our own captain and then Melissa and Jack turning on us, I get it. But I'm no fool. Geoffrey London is not what we're being led to believe he is.” Gunnar stirred. “Let Fallon question him. He'll get the truth.”
“You know, the Viking actually makes sense.” Ava winked at Gunnar. “I thought you'd recommend a little bit of bloodletting, at least.” He smiled, showing sharp fangs. “Oh, we'll get to that if it turns out our good friend is lying. If his answers aren't what we want to hear, I'll make him dance.” He flexed his fingers, and five sharp talons grew in seconds.
Ava quickly tamped down the arousal flaring at his show of strength. He never used to flash his abilities around her, but now that he knew she was Circ, Gunnar apparently didn't feel the need to hide himself. And God, he was so sexy when he turned mean.
She must have let something show, because Gunnar's eyes darkened. Jules coughed, and her grandmother sighed.
Ava purposely looked away from him, trying to gather her wits. “Grandma, I agree with Jules. Something feels off about this.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Gunnar asked. “Just how psychic are you, Ava?”
“I'm not a mind reader or an empath. I don't see glimpses of the future. I just know things sometimes.”
“But you haven't said that you know he's not guilty,” Alicia corrected her. “You just don't want him to be guilty.” To Ava's shock, her grandmother's eyes watered.
&
nbsp; “I don't want him to be guilty either. But Kisho had a vision earlier. One with Lonnie and a gun. And I'd been shot.”
Crap. Ava rushed to her grandmother's side and leaned down to hug her tight.
“Shit, Alicia. Dry up the waterworks, would you?” Gunnar's soft growl sounded more worried than annoyed. “Come on, we'll fix this. I won't let the bastard hurt you. I swear.”
Her grandmother's sobs continued. A quiet suffering made worse because she tried to hide it and couldn't.
“I'll get Olivia,” Jules murmured and left.
Ava turned to Gunnar helplessly. She'd never seen her grandmother so upset before.
Alicia pushed out of Ava's arms and stood with her back to them.
He looked as if he'd rather hug a cactus, but Gunnar gently took her sobbing grandmother in his arms. Like a giant bear hugging a doll.
Ava gaped, not quite sure what to think. The same man who sneered at her grandmother's orders, who called her Alicia instead of Mrs. Sharpe, and didn't seem to respect her authority when he dragged his feet over her every order, offered physical comfort?
“It's not that bad, Alicia. Isn't that what you always tell me?” He patted her back with what Ava assumed he meant to be soft taps.
Her grandmother jerked under the blows.
The older woman stopped her tears and squirmed to free herself.
Torn between laughter at Gunnar's awkward assistance, surprised pleasure that he'd been so thoughtful, and concern that her grandmother might have shattered a rib, Ava pulled Gunnar aside.
“Better now?” she asked Alicia.
Her grandmother wiped her eyes, now filled with mirth.
Thank you, Gunnar.
“That was just what I needed, Gunnar. Thank you.” She gingerly made her way to her desk and sat, looking more amused than upset.
Not wanting Gunnar to feel embarrassed by his kindness, Ava tugged him with her. “I need to talk to him about Grayson. I have some ideas on how we might contact him.” She kept her shields up tight, just in case Grandma had a sudden urge to peek.
“That's fine.” Alicia chuckled and smoothed back her hair. Not a trace of sadness lingered on her face.
Ava could have kissed the stubborn Circ resisting her pull.
Alicia nodded at them. “Go on, Gunnar. I need to focus on a few other items right now. Ava, call Robert Anderson. Notwithstanding his participation in a congressional hearing that has bearing on our funding, he was the last one to talk to Grayson that I know of. And that was two days ago. I'll leave your brother in your hands…for the moment.”
“Good idea. Come on.” Ava released the hold on her strength and yanked Gunnar out of the office. She closed the door behind them.
He stumbled to a halt in the hallway and glared. “Jesus, you're a lot stronger than you look. Not to mention more irritating.”
No more Mr. Nice Guy. He'd probably spent his load of kindness back in the office. So much for their brief bonding moment consoling Alicia.
At the thought, she couldn't contain a grin. “So, Mr. Comfort, how come you never offer to hug my fears away?” She batted her eyes. “I'm so scared of the future.
However will I survive?” Actually, she did worry for her brother, but she'd rather laugh than cry about him.
“You really need a better use for that smart mouth.” He raised their twined fingers to rub them over her lips. Tingles suffused her entire body, and he leaned closer. “Next time you're hard up for a good fuck, I'll let you suck me off. A real treat for you. How's that?”
She swore under her breath. Ava truly was perverted, because his arrogance made her wet. And he knew it, by the look of that sly grin.
“Oh really?” Determined to have the last word, she stood on tiptoe and tugged him down to whisper in his ear. “I don't think so. But now that I think of it, the next time I'm 'hard up for a good fuck,' I'll look for someone to take my mind off it.” She deliberately nipped his earlobe, smugly satisfied when his breath caught. “Yeah, I'll just go find Keegan or James and let a real man take the edge off.” She pulled away from Gunnar and smiled. “Thanks for the idea.”
The laughter caught in her throat when he muttered a few swear words under his breath, hauled her over his shoulder—fireman-carry style—and strode down the hall. He dumped her in Jesse's hands and left without a backward glance.
Chapter Five
Tersch grimaced. For two whole days he'd avoided Ava. He felt like a grade-A pussy, but the sexy little witch was driving him fucking crazy. He smelled her everywhere. His masochistic beast refused to let him change his sheets, where she'd made herself come. And damn if that image would leave his mind anytime soon.
He made sure Fallon kept her well away from him. Though he'd been dying to see her change, he didn't think he'd be able to help himself if he did. So when Jules and the others met with her to see just what she could do, he'd insisted on staying by Olivia's side. The sweetheart had known exactly what he'd needed and let him stay with her as she and Sheridan readied for their trip to Quantico.
He sat in Sheridan's lab at the moment, watching as she gathered her notebooks and downloaded files onto a portable hard drive.
“For Doc,” she explained. “I want him to see just what I've been doing. It's not much, but I think I might be able to help him with any new rogues his people find.
I'm developing an antibody with my research that needs a lot more testing, but it might actually provide some relief to the mating heats. The shots you guys were getting actually suppressed your instinctive senses, though Jules told me he never felt a difference. That's why Mrs. Sharpe took you off the meds, you know.”
“A decent tradeoff, I'm thinking.” He wondered how he'd handle his next heat.
Because after that incident with Ava in his bedroom, he didn't think anyone but Ava could relieve his sexual needs. And that worried the hell out of him.
Sheridan worked in silence for a few more minutes.
“Gunnar, when I'm gone, promise me you'll take care of Jules.”
“Of course I will.”
She patted him on the arm. “No matter what he says, do what you have to do to make sure he's all right.”
Tersch grinned. “Can I quote you on that? Because he's pretty sensitive about anyone actually trying to help him out. Has a stick up his ass about it the size of Texas.”
She sighed. “I know. But ignore it like you always do. He's as fit as ever, but I think he worries about me and the baby when he should be focusing on work, and he can't afford the distraction right now.” She leaned closer. “But don't tell him I told you that.”
Tersch liked Sheridan more every day. When he'd first met her, he'd thought her a troublemaker out to hurt Jules. Then he'd thought her a seductress bent on taking advantage of their team. It had taken some tough love, but she'd made him see the light. Oh boy, had she. The feral little redhead had sucked him off but good.
A twinge of guilt hit him at the thought. Did Ava know? Would she understand? And why did he feel a sense of shame for what they'd shared, the communion of his alpha's mate with him? A natural thing for the team to share loving, mates and all. Yet he suddenly sensed he'd done something wrong, and he couldn't have said why.
Hell, lately even the soft, flowery scent of Sheridan smelled stale to him.
“Gunnar, are you okay? You don't look so good. A little wild around the eyes.”
“I'm fine.” To his embarrassment, his voice sounded hoarse. He cleared his throat and took a subtle step back. His beast approved the small distance, but his stupid berserker wouldn't be satisfied until he sought Ava again. “Ah, make sure you take care of yourself and Olivia while you're gone. Don't stray from Morgan or Kisho. At all, Sheridan,” he warned with bite. “I'm not kidding. You can't chance that kid.” He nodded to her stomach. Jules's young, the continuation of their species. His beast nodded as well, pleased that their leader's strength would be passed on to future generations. The very reason for the mating heat to begin with.
Perpetuation of their kind.
“I'll be careful, Gunnar.” Sheridan smiled at him and moved closer for a kiss when his beast jerked him back.
What the fuck? He could bend over for the guys but not kiss the girls? To cover his uncontrolled reaction, he backed away and lied. “Uh, Fallon's calling me. I gotta go.” “Fallon, get your ass down here and sit with Sheridan. I need a breather. She’s getting all weepy and shit, but don’t tell her I said so.”
“Right-o.”
To his relief, Fallon didn't complain. A decent buddy, one who hadn't changed or softened because of Olivia. Then again, Tersch couldn't have picked a better mate for his friend than the dark-haired beauty. Olivia gave as good as she got, and she kept Fallon on his toes. Plus, she had a kink streak a mile wide.
A streak he no longer had any interest in riding.
Fuck. What the hell is my problem?
Tersch practically ran out of the room and hurried down the long hallway of the basement to the stairs. He passed Fallon on the way.
“Where's Ava?” Tersch didn't even try to hide his need to know the woman's whereabouts so he could avoid her. The guys found it hilarious, especially since Ava seemed to be enjoying her time trying to find him. She friggin' tied him in knots. He thought she'd be angry he wanted nothing to do with her. Instead, she treated it like another game.
“Your woman is currently sparring with Price and Foreman. I think they're in the gym—”
Tersch saw red. He bounded up the stairs and pushed past Jules, knocking him into the wall.
“What the fuck, Tersch?” Jules swore.
Tersch couldn't stop. He kept hearing Ava's teasing comments in his head.
“Yeah, I’ll just go find Keegan or James and let a real man take the edge off.” Like hell she would!
