9781618857835FrozenFuryBeckNC (8 page)

“Yes,
I can block any witchy mindreading you try on me,” Gage cut her off with a hand
on her arm. “But I promise you that I won’t. There will be no secrets between
us.”

“Telekinesis?”

He
nodded, “I can use telekinesis on inanimate objects, not people.”

“Is
it handy?”

“Sometimes.”
Gage moved his coffee cup closer with his mind and then picked it up to take
another sip.

“I’m
impressed,” Amelia taunted.

“Your
powers are much more impressive. Mostly, Breeds are strong, durable and very
difficult to harm physically. We don’t have the fun magic of the Magdalena
Circle.”

“But
what about that seeing me naked thing you were doing?”

“Oh,
I was visualizing, as you might say, which is what we use for telekinesis. I
think that’s why you sensed it,” Gage felt almost guilty, “but it was your
fault. I can’t help wanting you even after I’ve just had you.”

Amelia
blushed—she actually blushed—at his words.

* * * *

Madden
told him to stay home. He knew he should. He should stay with his mate, but he
needed to be there. Gage was also aware that Amelia knew. She knew he didn’t
have to go, that he was choosing to go. And she was handling her anger much like
a tea kettle, the steam escaping a bit at a time. He planned to be gone before
the full power of the steam was released.

Once
in the safety of the TEU main meeting room, Gage settled in. Everything made
sense here. There were no unknown variables when it came to his work. He marked
a target and shot. That was just the way he liked it. Having a mate was not so
easy.

“Doing
okay, little brother?” Madden patted him on the shoulder on his way into the
room to take his seat.

Gage
nodded.
“So far, so good.
I’ve got the specs on the
lab and found the best locations for marksmen.”

“Good
but not what I was asking. I’m wondering about you and your mate.”

“Oh,
well,” he paused as the other men filled the seats around them. “I suppose so
far, so good for that as well.” Gage shifted uncomfortably. He would never
admit to this group that getting a handle on his mate was not as easy as
everything else in his carefree life.

He
scanned the men around this table. Most had mates now. Madden, of course, was
the first when he found Layla. Next to mate were Caedon and Seamus who now
lived overseas with their mates. Donovan mated with the fourth Sinster sister
and then surprising everyone, Lucas found his mate. She wasn’t a Sinster. In
fact, they’d found her on a rescue mission. She was as timid as a little
country mouse, but his momma was working on her. So, no way was Gage admitting
he was having troubles when each of these men had pulled it off.

“That
why you look so beat?” Donovan asked.

“Give
the kid a break, Van,” Lucas spoke up, his eldest brother was always prepared
to defend him. Sometimes Gage was sure he still saw the little boy who used to
run after him growing up.

“What?”
Donovan put his hands up in surrender. “I gave him some advice. If he’d taken
it, he might be looking happier right now.”

“I
took your advice,” Gage mumbled and then kicked
himself
when the surprised looks of both Van and Madden landed on him.

“You
did?” They both asked at the same time.

“What
advice?” Lucas asked.

Gage
shook his head at Lucas and rolled his eyes before answering. “Yes. But instead
of sitting around talking like a bunch of pansy girls, could we focus on the
mission instead?” Gage redirected the conversation before he sunk under the
table at the stares he was getting.

A
ping came through the room indicating the Italy office had joined the meeting
via phone. Now Gage really wanted to shift the topic. No need for everyone to
hear the details of his Claiming.

“Ok.
Little brother is right.
Caedon, everyone there on your end?”

“We’re
all here.”

“Good.
Pop the screen up for visual.” Madden nodded when the wall lighted with mission
data. “Here’s what we know.” He turned to the screen and began the briefing.
“We now know they were successful at extracting blood samples and using it to
create at least one batch of positive serum.”

“They
created another Breed?” Granger asked.

Madden
nodded. “That they did, I’m afraid. And it seems when they couldn’t create any
more successful subjects but one, they changed tactics. That man in Turkey we
were to aid a few months back is part of the operation. He’s a Breed. Links
have been discovered between a potential arms deal with a terrorist faction in
the US and this man. We suspect they’re using his abilities to aid in the
negotiations.”

“Which
means this man, the terrorists and Nassir’s group are all in this,” Gage
deduced.

“You’ve
got it. Now, we’ve been able to work with our government counterparts to get as
much information as we can. There are currently four main target locations to
be taken out.”

“How
many men?”

Madden
shook his head, “We don’t have a count on this new terrorist organization but
we imagine it’s big. Why would he have chosen this one if not for the strength
of many men?”

“Do
we have help?”

“No.
No back up. This needs to be dealt with quietly. We’ll be taking them out on
the ground with no military counterpart. It could turn into a world war if
governments were involved.” Madden shook his head. No one wanted to consider
that option.

“I’ve
used satellite to tell us when the heaviest times at each of these locations
are. We’ll not be able to ensure every person associated with the group is
eliminated but we’ll concentrate on the heaviest volume times,” Caedon spoke
through the intercom as the visuals on the screen changed to the different
locations.

“What’s
their goal here?” Seamus asked.

“Idiots
think they can infiltrate the government facility, retrieve information on the
Breeds and create their own army of indestructible soldiers.” Gage could hear
Caedon shaking his head from across the continents.

He
snorted and shook his head in agreement with Caedon’s assessment.
“Idiots.”

“Roll
out the plan, Lucas,” Madden motioned to their oldest brother who had just
returned from his own Claiming.

Chapter Five

Gage was exhausted.
After the meeting and getting his mission assignment, he’d put in a few hours
in the shooting range before heading home. He could feel his own need to feed
and knew it meant Amelia was feeling the same effects. He jogged into their
house happy to see his mate, and walked right into a lion’s den.

Without even so much as
a greeting, Amelia rounded on him, “You didn’t tell me you were going away. How
could you even consider this? We need to be together now. You know that. You
know and you’re still leaving. I mean, I thought just this morning was bad but
now you plan to be away for days…”

Gage cut her off.
“Amelia, I won’t have you shouting at me. Calm yourself down and we’ll talk.”
It took every bit of restraint for Gage not to yell back at her, for him to
keep calm.

“I will not calm myself
down. You are leaving me!”

“Well, this is
happening sooner than I hoped.” Gage said as he moved towards her.

“Misunderstanding his
inference, she agreed, “Me too.”

Gage knew she’d catch
on soon enough as he scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He sat on
the sofa and laid her out across his lap. “I suppose we’ll give this another
try.
Worked the first time.”
Gage intentionally made
his voice expressionless and took a few deep breaths to be sure he was calm.

He felt Amelia’s
anxiety spike and smiled. She knew what was coming. “Not this again. I don’t
want you to spank me.”

“Did you not promise to
keep from yelling, being disrespectful?”

“Yes, I did but…”

“Did you not feel
better after our last session?”

A long pause followed.
Gage waited.

“Yes,” her voice was
quiet.
“If I apologize now?”

“Not going to work.”

Amelia
struggled
a bit more. Her anger was just below the surface
and he’d give her credit for holding back, but still he needed to be
consistent. If she turned her anger on him, if she got so angry she couldn’t
manage it, he would take on that responsibility. He was her mate now. It was
his responsibility now to care for her well-being.

With her torso and legs
dangling down from either side of his lap, he easily flipped up her skirt—Goddess,
did he love the little skirts she wore—and massaged her buttocks over the scrap
of silky material she wore underneath. Then he pulled the panties down, just
low enough to bare her rounded globes so he could warm them to his touch.

“Why am I doing this,
Amelia?”

She didn’t respond and
he tapped her bottom.

“Because I yelled,” she
gritted out from between clenched teeth.

“Yes, you couldn’t
control your anger on your own so I will help.”

She snorted but he
didn’t give her a chance to say anything before he lifted his hand from her
bottom and came down heavy with a strike across both cheeks. He held back much
of his Breed strength so as not to harm her. Still, there was no gentleness in
his demeanor as he spanked her in steady, heavy strokes. After a dozen, he
stopped and gently rubbed her buttocks.

“You’re doing very well,
sweetheart. That was the first dozen. Now let all that emotion you hold inside come
out with the next dozen.” Gage spoke softly, coaxingly.

He administered the next
series of slaps in a rhythm so she could sink into them. Amelia needed to
immerse herself in the sensation, allow it to wash away all the useless anger. He
wondered if she were rebelling in a passive way by remaining quiet. He
remembered her tears during their first session and wanted that for her. She
needed the release, he was sure of it.

Oh Goddess, he hoped he
was right. Gage allowed a twinge of doubt to seep into his mind before turning
from it and concentrating on his mate. He was positive the release from her
first spanking had helped. If only it would again. And if he could ask only one
thing of the Goddess, it would be that her soul sin be gone once their
Pronouncement was completed.

Amelia’s body began
quivering just before he felt a surge of emotional energy, like a dam releasing
its water. Amelia cried out and raised her bottom towards Gage’s palm, pushing
into him as if instinctively seeking more. He continued spanking her, but began
to slow. Although he’d delivered as many as he’d planned, she was finally
crying. When her body shook with the sobbing, he stopped.

“Good girl. Just let it
all out, just let it all go.” Gage spoke as he rubbed her back and waited.

Her body grew limp and
heavy. She’d cried herself to sleep. He pulled her up into his arms without
waking her and lay back on the sofa with her cuddled into him. Content to cuddle,
he pulled a blanket over them and closed his eyes. They could talk more when
they woke. Gage held onto his new mate just as he’d long ago snuggled a teddy
bear as a child. He felt just as fragile now as he had then, knowing he was
responsible now for her well-being and happiness.

* * * *

Amelia
woke knowing that in the few hours Gage had to leave. She desperately needed to
feed. The blood exchange was taking more time than she’d expected to get used
to. She hated to admit it but the Claiming was leaving her tired. All the
effects she was experiencing after years of researching genetics fascinated Amelia
to no end. She’d spent time contemplating what it would feel like to experience
them, but this was different. She envisioned her soul sin immediately vanishing,
but it was a process. Until their Claiming was completed, she’d continue to
feel this way. It was better than it had been, but she still wanted more peace.

“Why
are you awake?” Gage whispered, pulling her closer.

“I
couldn’t sleep anymore. We need to talk before you go,” Amelia spoke into his
chest, averting her eyes from his scrutiny. His scent was intensifying her need
to drink from him.

Gage
pulled himself up to sit against the headboard. Thank the Goddess that the
sheets had stayed around him, hiding his lower half from her view, or she may
have neglected their talk for another chance to have him inside her before he
was gone.

“Your
eyes tell me what you feel. Come here and let me hold you while we talk.”

Amelia
gave into his request—and her desire—to place herself into his arms. “I’m going
to sound crazy. I know I’m the one who’s been fighting you. I know I’m the one
who brought this latest problem to our doorstep. I know how wrong I was in
nearly everything, but I’m also certain of one way to fix this.”