Deadly Call (5 page)

As Helen was propelled through the air, Diesel somehow vanished. She felt his huge body wrap around her own from behind, enveloping her completely. They hit the side of the road, bounced slightly, and rolled into the snow.
My God.
Diesel had taken the entire impact. He had shielded her with his body. She struggled to get free from his arms, but she couldn’t. He was holding onto her too tight.

“Are you okay, Doc? Tell me you’re okay,” he said into her shoulder.

“I’m fine. Let me up so I can check you over.”

“I’m alright.”

He slowly started to unwrap his arms and legs from around her body. He reached up and took off her helmet, as if he needed to be able to see her face to be sure. His chest was heaving.

“Are you sure? You’re not hurt anywhere?”

“I’m…”

When he took off his helmet, Helen looked up into his face and realized a ring of bright yellow surrounded his pupils. He reached up and buried his hand in the side of her hair. She could feel the power coming off his hand in little snaps and crackles.
Oh, God.

Diesel’s nose was flooded with Helen’s scent. He looked from her eyes to her full mouth and back again. Suddenly, he wanted to taste her like he’d never wanted anything else. He drew her to him and when his lips found hers, his whole body erupted with heat and emotion so intense he totally lost himself in the sensations. The warmth. The softness. He held on tight to her body and gleamed them back to the mansion.

To his bed.

On top of him.

Whoops.
Oh, well. His body knew what it wanted.

And so did his heart.

“Diesel,” she whispered.

As she touched the side of his face, he leaned into her hand. And when her mouth met his for a second time, he reveled in it.
Son of a bitch.
He suddenly realized he hadn’t actually kissed a female in like, years. Literally. There had been a lot of sex, a
lot
of sex, but not much of this and never casually. Kissing was as intimate as it got. And he’d so won the lottery, because Helen had the sexiest mouth he’d ever seen.

He rolled them over and looked into her big gray eyes. She seemed so small beneath him. Thank Christ she hadn’t been hurt. She licked her lips and he just about went through the ceiling. Yeah. That tongue was next. He took her mouth with his and ran his own tongue where hers had been. Her taste.
Holy fuck.
She was so sweet. She opened her mouth to him and when he slid inside it was magnified a hundred times, his New Breed senses going off the chart. God help him, she was so warm, so…
alive.
And he’d been numbed out for so long.

She moaned and that was the end of his restraint. There were endless other places he wanted his mouth to go and he couldn’t get there fast enough. He unzipped her leather jacket, yanking it down and going straight for her neck. He suckled her skin, reaching down and unbuttoning one button on her blouse before he realized that was gonna take way too damn long. He pulled at the top and popped them all the way down. She fell back against the pillow, her thick, blond waves framing her face. Goddamn, she was gorgeous. And she was his. A low, feral growl rumbled through his chest.

Ilah.
His second soul whispered in its ancient Mayan.
Mine.

As their second souls connected, he felt Helen suck in her breath beneath him. She grabbed onto his shoulders, her body tensing against his. He looked into her eyes and saw the same look he’d seen when she was about to get on his bike. Pure, unadulterated panic.

When Helen’s control switched off entirely in favor of instinct, it was the most thrilling and terrifying thing she had ever known. She pushed back hard against Diesel’s upper body, as if she were the one throwing on the brakes. Not that his huge body budged an inch.

He slowly took her hands from his shoulders and swept her hair away from her face. “Hey, it’s just me, Doc.”

It wasn’t the concern in his voice or the look of worry on his face that did it. He called her Doc. He always called her Doc. Her body relaxed entirely. She reached up, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and pulled him into a searing kiss. The satisfied sound that came from him when their mouths joined was the hottest thing she’d ever heard. And she’d had some kisses in her time. Most shifters didn’t even crave sex until they mated, but she was thirty. Humans didn’t corner the market on curiosity.

She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and he tugged it off as she slipped out of her blouse and kicked off her boots. He kissed down her collar bone and used his mouth to unhook her bra.

And then kept right on using it.

She moaned as his lips caressed her nipple and he took it into his mouth. Oh, God, she was so wet for him. As her thighs brushed together she imagined what it would be like to have his mouth between them. When the heat of his breath touched her belly, her hips went straight off the bed. He let her settle down a bit before unbuttoning her jeans and pulling them off.

Nothing.

Hello?
Nothing was not on the schedule. She looked up at her male. He was staring down at her, eyes glowing like the sun.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered.

His blood was racing, his erection pounding, but all he could do was look at her. And he wasn’t the kind of male to be knocked senseless. Her curves were just so stunning. Her waist was so small it brought all the attention to her breasts and hips. She was a knock-out with her clothes on, but here, almost totally naked and alone with him—
for
him, she was a goddess.

A goddess who was going straight for his leathers. As she moved forward to unbutton them, he caught the scent of her arousal. He slid his arms around her and laid her back horizontal again. His pants could wait. Her panties, not so much. He pulled them down her legs and groaned the second he caught sight of her slick core.

More to taste.

He planted kisses across her belly and down her thighs. She slid her hand into his hair and guided him exactly where she wanted him to be. He had to smile.
Typical Doc.
He took hold of those beautiful hips and drew her into his mouth. He gasped. She was exquisite, like satin down the back of his throat. As she came, she called out his name and his control snapped. He shucked off his leathers and covered her body with his. As he buried his face in her hair and entered her in one long, perfect stroke, he gave a shout of sheer ecstasy.

As Diesel filled her and their bodies were joined at last, Helen’s instincts told her that it was as it always should have been. She looked up at the magnificent male above her and it finally hit home. This was why she hadn’t been mated all these years. Her second soul had been waiting for his.

Diesel slowly started to pump and she arched her hips to meet each delicious thrust. He took his time, letting them both savor their connection, every stroke, never breaking eye contact. She ran her hands along his tremendous shoulders and down his arms. God, she loved how the big male trembled under her touch. She reached up to the sides of his face and he dropped to take her mouth with his. When their lips met, the pace went into overdrive. He reached up and grabbed the headboard above her. She wrapped her legs around his hips to hold herself in place, wanting him to come inside her, to mark her. He came explosively, the force of his orgasm touching off hers. As she lost herself in her own glorious waves, she basked in the completeness of her second soul.

She was his.

Evy stared at her laptop screen and absentmindedly hit the T key. She had next to no interest in her assignment and she just couldn’t seem to concentrate. She looked out the front window of her bedroom and stared into the dark quiet street outside. Flurries floated gently by the glass. With the business of the holidays over and the cold Boston winter settling in, she couldn’t seem to take her mind off what she’d seen on Thanksgiving. It had been easier not to think about it, with the rush of Christmas shopping and the heavy work of exam preparation.

But now?

Evy was more sure than ever about what she’d seen. She had what her mother always called
eyes like a hawk.
She missed nothing and she knew what she saw that night, when the unmistakable flare of a cigarette had caught her attention. Two glowing eyes. Like an animal or something. Except animals didn’t have nicotine addictions. She’d gone with the shapeshifter theory for a while, but she was pretty sure their eyes didn’t glow in their human form. Of course, you never knew with all the crap you heard on the news. So many shapeshifters were shunned by their families if their parents were human, simply because they were different. They would have their first transitions around the age of eighteen and be thrown in the street. Evy remembered how they would be bullied and picked on in school. She’d decided to do her own digging and found some reliable articles on the subject. It turned out she was right. Except if it wasn’t a shifter, what the hell was it?

Oh, my
God.
If her sister didn’t turn down that music. She banged on the wall. “Kate!”

The volume lowered. Sometimes she felt like she was the older one. Seriously, who still waitressed, lived at home, and hung out with high school friends at twenty-one? Evy hated living at home. She did it because she couldn’t afford her counseling classes any other way. Not that working at the center was helping any.
She
should be waitressing at night. But she wouldn’t give it up. Those kids were too important. Besides, eventually it would be her career and she needed it on her résumé.

She sighed and looked back at her screen. Sure were a whole shitload of T’s on there. She was a smart girl. She knew she could track down Troy Thomsen if she really wanted to. The question was, did she want to? He had totally blown her off when she’d walked by him a few weeks ago. It was his friend who had been polite. Ever since she found out what he’d been doing for the center, she just couldn’t get him out of her mind. Which was ridiculous. She’d had the tiniest of crushes on him, what, two years ago? She’d sensed something about him then. She knew it now. Sure, it would have been easier to find out he was dealing and the donations came from a guilty conscience. But that wasn’t the case. She never really thought it was.

Evy turned away from her laptop and looked back out into the snowy street. There, next to the neighbor’s house across the road, two lights flickered like little candles against the darkness.

Diesel lay on his back with his female wrapped around him. He stroked her back gently and she snuggled closer, swinging her leg up over his and nuzzling against his neck. Her breasts caressed his chest and he lost himself in her incredible softness. If he never had to move again, he would be so set.

“Dies?”

“Mmm?”

“That was…”

“I know. Was I too rough? I might’ve gotten a little carried away.”

“I’m fine, my male.”

“You sure?”

“Mmhmm. I don’t break that easily.”

It was a good thing, because he had just about ripped the headboard right off the bedframe. “It’s your taste.”

“What?”

“Your taste. I just can’t get enough of you. You drive me crazy.”

She picked her head up and looked into his eyes. “That’s interesting.”

He laughed. “You can put it in a research paper.”

“I’d rather put it right here.”

She covered his mouth with hers and he was instantly hard again.

“God, you slay me, female,” he said against her mouth.

“That’s the general idea.”

Troy watched in horror as Evy left her window.
Holy shit.
She had seen him somehow. He knew it. Gripped by panic, he gleamed behind a tree in a nearby wooded area, and waited. Sure as shit, he heard a door slam.
Fuck.
He took a quick gander and saw her crossing the street. She hadn’t even bothered with a coat. She walked alongside the house, stopped, and looked down at the snow. What was she looking at? Aw, Christ, his footprints!

“I know you’re out there. Don’t think I won’t find out who or what you are, and why you’re following me. If you’re some kind of sicko who gets his jollies following young women around, you’ve picked the wrong one.”

She turned around and stalked back toward the house. Troy exhaled. This could have been full-on disastrous. He’d have to be more careful from now on. He gleamed back to the compound and found X mixing himself a drink at the bar.

“Whassup, my brother? You look whiter than usual.”

“I think Evy—”

“Don’t fucking say it. I don’t even want to hear it. God
dammit
, Troy. I been waitin’ for the day you gleamed your sorry ass in here to tell me she’s found out about your sorry ass.”

“No, she hasn’t. But looks like she might have a shifter theory goin’. I don’t get it. She got all that from the flare of a cig?”

“Have you lost your damn mind? Go over to the sink and look in the mirror.”

Troy walked to the kitchen sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror. “Fuck!”

X sipped his drink. “You got that right. She’s been looking at those peepers of yours the whole time, short bus. And another thing. The fact your eyes are glowing at all means attachment. And you have no right to feel that way. Evy’s human, dig?”

“It’s instinct, X. What the hell do you want me to do, gouge my fuckin’ eyes out?”

“It’d be a start. It wouldn’t have happened at all if you’d just stayed away from her like I told you to.” He chuckled. “Unless you think she feels the same way about you, which from what I saw when we ran into her at the center, is pretty fucking unlikely.”

“Thanks for the rundown.”

“Anytime.”

What he was doing for the center was one thing, but to intrude on Evy’s life…he had made a huge mistake. He looked back at himself in the mirror, his brown eyes ringed in bright gold.
Holy hell.
What had he done?

Adriana sat next to the exam table in Helen’s new office that was set up just off the surgical area. Her appointment was at nine, wasn’t it? She glanced at her phone. It was almost half past. When she sensed the female come into the outer room, she poked her head out. It wasn’t like Helen to be late. Or to stand just inside the doorway and stare at her like a deer caught in headlights.
What the hell?

“Hi. Am I early, Helen? I can come back.”

“No, no, you’re not early. I’m actually running a few minutes late. I’m sorry. I should have called upstairs.”

“No worries.”

Adriana cocked her head as her friend walked slowly toward her. She looked like a prowling cat of some kind. Which was pretty damn odd, especially considering the shifter’s second form was a freaking gazelle. And then she picked up the scent. It took her a moment.

“Helen!”

“Shh!”

The female practically sprinted the rest of the way. She took Adriana into her office and pulled the privacy curtain that hung in the doorway.

Adriana grinned. “You’re mated.”

Helen nodded.

“Diesel?”

She nodded again.

“I knew it! Wait, why do you look like you’re about to pass out?”

“I think I might.”

“Oh, God. Sit down, honey.”

Helen sat in her desk chair and Adriana pulled the physician’s stool up close.

“Are you okay? You two are such good friends. I mean, isn’t this a good thing?”

“Yeah, it’s good. It’s great. I’m just a little overwhelmed, I guess. Is that awful?”

Adriana shook her head. “Actually, that makes a lot of sense.”

Her friend looked relieved. “It does?”

“You’ve had so many changes to your life and so quickly, Helen. When did it happen, yesterday?”

“Yeah. We went out on his bike and we had an accident. I went flying off and he wrapped himself around me like a glove and took the whole impact. There we were, lying on the side of the road in the snow, you know? And I looked into his face and his eyes were glowing like crazy.”

“The protective instinct.”

“What?”

“That’s why you were mated when you were. It would have happened anyway with time, but I’m sure that’s what triggered it. I’ve heard of that happening. You being in danger like that, especially with a New Breed who cares about you as much as he does, major trigger.”

“Wow. I hadn’t even thought about it.”

Adriana giggled. “Like you’ve had time.”

“Good point.”

The female’s color was coming back. That was a good sign. God, they were going to be a great couple. Helen froze for a minute and at first Adriana thought something was wrong.

“Hey, Doc?” Diesel called.

Helen flushed. “Yeah?”

“Do you want the old stethoscope or can I chuck it?”

The female hid her eyes and shook her head. It was the sweetest thing Adriana had ever seen. She covered her own mouth so she wouldn’t laugh.

“Not unless you want it.”

“Nope. Both new ones came in.”

“Toss it then.”

Adriana exhaled as she heard him leave. “I am so happy for you. He’s amazing.”

Helen smiled. “Thanks. He really is. And so ridiculously hot. Where have I been?”

Adriana laughed. “Oh, my God. I have no idea, but if you two have offspring, I’m moving to Canada.”

Diesel pushed his eggs around on his plate and rolled his eyes. “Totally trashed the fucking thing.”

Dimitri sipped his coffee. “Straight up? Jesus. Well, you know, more than a fair trade-off, bro.”

Diesel rolled his eyes again. Yup, the mating comments were going to be endless.
Dumbass.
“Stow your crap. You up for picking out a new one, Pax?”

He yawned. “Yeah, man, let’s go next week. Unless you’re busy.”

Diesel kicked the male under the table with his boot. “While we’re on the seemingly inescapable subject, do me a solid Dimitri, and take my duty tonight.”

“No problem. You two kiddies have fun mauling each other.”

Diesel stood up and grabbed his plate. “I’ll be thinking of you the whole time, my brother.”

“Great.”

He buzzed by the kitchen down in the compound, to make coffee and headed toward the lab. He wasn’t six steps down the hall when he picked up her scent. He walked faster, because that’s what you did when it would get you to your female that much quicker. Yeah, it was.

When he stepped into the lab, she turned around and smiled.
Holy. Fuck.
“I come bearing coffee.”

“Hallelujah. What kind?”

He grinned and sat down. “Dark Magic Extra Bold.”

“Thank you, my male.”

He leaned closer. “Say that again.”

“Thank you.”

He closed his eyes and gave his head a little shake.

“My male.”

“That’s the one.” He slid his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into a kiss. There it was again.

That taste.

His mouth watered for it. His body responded instantly, his cock pushing against his jeans. She was gonna kill him. If he let her deepen the kiss, he was going to end up taking her right then and there. He kissed her forehead, stood up, and started to walk to the back of the lab.

“Freeze.”

He stopped and turned around just in time to see her slide a pill along the table.
Ouch. Shoulda seen that one coming.
“What is it?”

She trained her eyes on him. “You said you didn’t want to know. No bottle, see?”

“I did say that, didn’t I?”

She nodded and pushed the pill toward him expectantly.

Diesel picked up the pill, tossed it into his mouth, and took a swig of her coffee to wash it down.

“I had no clue what dosage to start you on. It may not work at all. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

He started back toward the boxes. “Done deal. Where do you want these filing cabinets when I unpack them?”

“Filing cabinets? I have filing cabinets?”

“Tell me you’re not about to pass out right now.”

She turned back toward the mess of files on the table. “Going, gone.”

James stood in the gym facing an exact replica of himself. Jesus, that wasn’t disconcerting.

Much. Pax’s gift to replicate others was amazing to see, but like he wasn’t nervous enough before. “Why am I fighting myself again?” he asked Pax.

“This way, our bodies are perfectly matched in strength. It’s taken out of the equation. You don’t need to worry about it, and I don’t want you to. What we want to focus on right now is form and skill.”

And that’s when the huge, honking ass, bread slicer came out. James’ heart sped up as he stared at the blade. Knives? They were using knives? On the first day?
Holy slice and dice, Batman.

“The first thing I want to go over is knife grips. There are forward grips and reverse grips. Generally, they both have advantages and disadvantages. The forward grip is easier to master, and you don’t need to be as close to your opponent to use it. So we’ll start with those. There are six forward grips. You’ll learn them all, as well as when to use each one. Hey, don’t look so worried. We’ll be practicing with daggers that have been dulled down.”

Thank God for small favors.

An hour later, they were actually working on correct attack positions.

“Okay, hang on, bro. Don’t just check me after cutting my forearm. If I’m stronger than you, I could still carry forward and go for your jugular. Do a redirect using your knife hand, afterward. Good. All the way up until I’m locked. Nice.”

Diesel walked into the gym. He popped some gum in his mouth. “Hey, ladies, how’s it going?”

“Hey, Dies. James, Diesel and I are going to do a sparring demonstration for you using knives only.”

Pax phased back into his first form and James watched as the two males fought. Holy fuck. They were so
fast
. And there was nothing dull about the daggers they were using. Suddenly, Diesel gave a holler.

“Son of a!”

“Whoa, sorry Dies!”

“Sorry my ass!”

Diesel jumped on Pax and the two of them wrestled each other. James couldn’t help but laugh.

Troy walked by on his way to work out. “Trouble in paradise?”

He quickly ducked into the workout room as the two brothers headed straight for him.

Diesel sat in bed with his female leaning back against his chest. He dropped a kiss on her temple. “Watching movies naked is definitely an improvement.”

“I’ll say. We can’t invite Pax though.”

He barked a laugh. “I’m sure we’ll watch a movie fully clothed at some point.”

“Ya think?”

“Okay, maybe not.”

She looked up at him and smiled. His heart literally skipped a beat.

“Anyway, he’s banned after what he did to your arm,” she said.

“Aw, it’s nothing. It’s almost healed already. See?”

She turned around. “That reminds me. I’ve been thinking. Maybe we should train another brother, to assist with basic procedures and even some surgery. What if you’re out fighting and can’t get back here?”

“That’s not a bad idea, actually.”

“Who would be your first choice?”

“I think X would be a solid first choice. He’s incredibly intelligent, and he has nerves to rival yours. Did you know he graduated MIT?”

“Wow. Would you ask him?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll check with him tomorrow.”

“Thanks.”

Diesel shifted Helen’s position so she was sitting across his lap. “How are ya, Doc?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“Just wondered how you’re adjusting to life here in the circus.”

“It’s actually…really different than my old life. But now I have my research, new friends, some surgery.”

Diesel cleared his throat.

“Oh, and you! I have you, my male.” She stroked his scruffy cheek.

He sighed and shook his head. “Always last.”

She kissed his nose. “I saved the best for last. Hey, is that gum I smell?”

“Yep. My parents got me hooked on it while I was overseas.”

“What kind?”

“Bubblicious. Cotton Candy, I think.”

“Oh, my God. Hand it over.”

He looked into the drawer of his bedside table. No dice. He pulled a piece off of his own and she took it from his finger.

With her mouth.

He licked his finger and closed his eyes. There it was.

“I haven’t had gum in years.”

“Hey, what about your parents, Doc? Do you miss them? You must miss your family.”

“I don’t have any parents, Dies.”

“I’m sorry. When did you lose them?”

“Well, I never knew my mother and my father died when I was thirteen.”

He smoothed her hair away from her face. “I’m so sorry.”

She shrugged. “It was a long time ago. My grandparents raised me and they were really amazing people.”

He rubbed the back of his hand along her soft cheek. “They must’ve been. Is that why you decided to become a doctor? After your Dad?”

Silence.

Shit.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s just…my father killed himself.”

“Oh, my God.”

“I told you he was a fighter pilot.”

He nodded. “I noticed you were wearing his G-1 jacket on the bike. So he was elite.”

She smiled a little. “Yeah. They used to call him an ACM god, because he was that good in a dogfight. Well, there was an incident. The plane was out of control. He couldn’t get it back. He managed to punch out and he made it safely. His co-pilot couldn’t eject and was killed. He blamed himself, I guess.”

Diesel wrapped his arms around his female and pulled her to his chest. “I love you, Doc.”

And he meant it. More than he’d ever meant anything in his life. Even as he said it, he knew it wasn’t going to fix everything. He wanted to be there for her so badly. But what would she say when she found out who he really was? When she knew about the drinking? The females? His face flushed with shame. He rubbed his eyes. They were wet.