Mating Call (18 page)

With SE out on duty, Ana began her usual routine. She gathered her research, turned on her laptop, and plunked down on the bed. Deep down she knew Adriana probably had some very good reasons for asking her not to research Bane any further. But what if she was really on to something, like important Intel that could help them win the war? She was suddenly startled out of her thoughts when a certain
nagual
passed through the door.

“Ajtil pakanach ‘ek’ih?”

Too bad he couldn’t actually answer her question and tell her where he’d been. She raised an eyebrow and he landed weightlessly on her shoulder. Once she had logged in and brought up the mini cam, she started to go through her notes. Out of nowhere little
ts’unu’un
hopped to her keyboard and went nuts.

“Now what’s your problem, I wonder?” She looked at the screen for a moment.
Hmm.
She brought the memory back a bit and watched as Victrixa worked on her laptop. Then, all of a sudden she vanished into nowhere.

“What the hell?”

She watched it again. Was it just a blip in the memory? She doubted it. Bastian had used only the best of everything. She wondered if her psychotic bitch of a mother had advanced her spell work somehow. What else could it possibly be? Only New Breeds could gleam. She dropped her pen.
Fuck.
Just when she felt like she was starting to get a handle on some of this shit, that ratchet shifter pulled another fast one.
I will get her, Bastian. If for nothing else, I’ll get that bitch for what she did to you.

Reyn pulled the duvet up around Akina’s shoulders. “Are you warm enough?”

She nodded then brushed the hair out of his eyes. “Your eyes are such a bright blue. I have never seen eyes like yours. Why do you hide them under all this dark hair?”

He smiled mischievously. “Tell you what. If you add more time in between visits, I’ll let you shave it.”

Her sea green eyes widened and she bit her bottom lip. “All of it?”

“Not bald, but pretty close.”

She grinned. “That would be beautiful. You have such an amazing widow’s peak.”

“Only if you put more time between visits though.” Her eyes looked so sad he was immediately sorry he’d said it. “What is it?”

“I cannot put more time between visits. I…”

He ran his hand down her long neck. “Kina, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“It is just…have I ever told you that I can only recreate my body while in your presence?”

A tear fell from her cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb. “No. I didn’t know that.”

“It is partly because of the strength I have when I’m with you. The strength your love gives to me. But there is something else.”

She was trembling slightly. Whatever it was, it frightened her. He wanted to say something to reassure her. Man, he sucked at this and it was sure as hell too late to call Dr. Phil for advice. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. You can tell me anything. You know that.”

She looked up into his face and he could see the reflection from his glowing eyes on her perfect skin.

“I…I love you.”

“What?” Smooth, dude. Real smooth.

“I am in love with you. I know I should have told you. It was very unfair of me, knowing that you were mated to me. I was just so…afraid.”

He brushed her cheek. “Why?”

“It is just more for you to undertake. More worry. When we were first together, you were this adventurous, carefree male. That was partly why I was so drawn to you. But now, I check in on you and you are so tired and worried all the time. I cannot help feeling that I caused this. I am the one who forced you to change who you were.”

“Aw, come on now. You know how long I’d been dreaming of having a desk job.”

She smiled a little.

“That’s my girl. Look, this may have forced me to grow up a little, but it’s also given me a lot.”

“Has it?”

“You, for one. And my brothers. You know, I never would have thought, but fighting for something I believe in has really changed the way I look at things. I used to be such a loner, you know? But now I look at all the amazing shifters around me and I feel like I’m really lucky. I’m privileged to be part of this.”

“Truthfully?”

“Come here.” He pulled her tight against his chest and she sighed. He’d been mated to her for months now. God knew being her first lover had been a lot of fun. Her first kiss—her first everything. But he had never expected her to return his love for her. She was a goddess, for Chrissakes, even if she was the Goddess of Love. But she had. Somehow in the crazy miracle that had brought her into his life, she had fallen in love with him, too. He suddenly felt tears come to his eyes, which was about as out of character for him as it got.

“You’re not angry with me?”

He held her tighter. “Of course not.”

She kissed his shoulder. “I love you, Reyn.”

He flipped them over and she laughed. As he let himself get lost in her sea green eyes, he let everything leave his head. The Order. The war. For the few precious hours they had together, he wanted to hold her as much as possible before leaving their destiny once again in the hands of fate.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Diesel unpaused
Rosemary’s Baby
when he heard his mate come back into their suite with more popcorn.

“You know, what we could really use in here is a microwave, Dies.”

The perfect female.
“Legit.”

She popped a few kernels into that sexy, full mouth of hers. “Can I ask you something? You’ve seemed preoccupied the past few days. Are you stressed about going back on duty?”

“Nah. Not at all, actually. It’s Pax. He’s really struggling. He’s just such an amazing male, you know? But he just judges himself so harshly. No mercy. This thing with James has him out of his mind and he’s convinced he’s going to
ruin another male.
Can you imagine him saying that?"

She shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

“He knows exactly what James is going through. He was the perfect choice to be James’s
camzah.
Hell, he was thrown out of his own house twice. Once for being gay and then for being a shifter.”

“Oh, my God.”

He lightly stroked her jaw with his thumb. “Yeah.”

“He’s in love with him, isn’t he? With James?”

“Probably, but he won’t admit it to himself. I just can’t see how a male like that could see himself as being dirty. I know some of it’s cultural shit, but I think the only thing that’s truly going to help is finding out if he’s HIV positive or not.”

She raised an eyebrow the way she always did when she was deep in thought. “And he won’t take the test?”

“No. Of course not. That would mean finding out for sure. I think he’s afraid of it either way, you know? If he’s positive, his fear that he killed Luis will be realized. If not, he has to let him go. I dunno which freaks him out more.”

“Maybe there’s a way we can help him, Dies.”

“Ya think?”

She settled back against the pillows. “Let me think about it awhile.”

He smiled and kissed her temple. “I love you.”

“I love you too, my male.”

“So I bet you’ve been sitting here watching Mia Farrow and wondering if I noticed that new satin nightgown of yours.”

“Maybe.”

Diesel put the popcorn on the night table. Then he took her by the hips and slid her to him. “Oh, I noticed. But that’s not what makes you sexy. Now come here, Doc, and let me give you some proper love.”

Victrixa walked down the hallway and the high heels of her boots clacked on the linoleum. She took the long way around, choosing to skip the tour of cells filled with teenage shifters transforming into
hellions
. There was no reason she should be forced to breathe their stench. She ran her hand along her cheek until it found the hideous scar that was now as familiar to her as the rest of her features. She would have her revenge for that, and for much more, before she was through. She smiled as much as she could manage at the thought. After all, Toltec thought she was playing their game while they were really playing hers. Now if she could just get that pathetic human scientist to finish the job he was hired for, she could move forward with her plan.

She shoved the key to the laboratory into the lock and opened the door, letting it slam behind her. “Ah, Cerberus. I see you’re already here for once.”

She looked over at her head scientist who appeared to be working at a faster pace for a change. Well, didn’t that just prove her theory? She’d been far too lax with the little parasite.

She opened the door. “Do you mind if I have a word with you in the hall?”

He followed her out and closed the door. “What is it? I was just about to teach the human that it’s possible to write with only two fingers.”

She pointed her own finger not more than an inch from his face. “If you harm one hair on that scientist before I get what I want, I’ll turn you into demon briquettes.”

He chortled. “I’d like to see you try.”

“I’d like to get a little message to our mutual friend.”

“I may be under orders to work with you here, but not to be your messenger boy. That is not what I am paid to do.”

“It most certainly is, you miserable, pathetic little dwarf. Now, you listen to me. Tell him that when he tried to summon me I was in my office—the one with the hidden camera. As it stands, he is not yet powerful enough to complete the summoning. In the meantime, I suggest he be more careful. If our relationship is discovered, we stand to lose everything.”

“Fine. Any new orders in regard to the trained monkey in there?”

“Yes. Make sure he has adequate food and water. Without that, he won’t be able to solve a crossword puzzle.”

The creep stared at her vacantly. He’d obviously never read the New York Times. There was a surprise. “Just do it.”

Troy was reading with Evy curled up against him, manning the TV remote. She slid her hand under his shirt and lightly ran her fingertips along his bare skin. He closed his eyes so he could feel every sensation. When it tickled a bit he smiled. Hard to believe just a few days ago he would’ve broken someone’s hand for doin’ this. Well, he pretty much still would. But Evy…her hands belonged there.

“Crap, Troy.
The Walking Dead
isn’t on.”

He looked up. “Is the DVR set to record?”

“Yeah, but it’s not coming up. It’s a repeat. Damn. I’m gonna grab my book.”

His mate started to get up, then froze.

“Ev? What is it?”

She turned and bolted from the room without even answering him.
What the..?
He took off after her. His long powerful legs allowed him to catch up to her easily. He followed her as she ran down the hall staircase, toward the drawing room. But she didn’t stop there. Where the hell was she going? “Ev!”

Reyn sat on the bed leaning against the headboard. Akina dozed with her head in his lap. He instantly regretted the long hello they’d had. She looked so exhausted. That bunch of dicks in the Otherworld so had it coming.

His mate turned her face and looked up at him. “I fell asleep? I’m sorry.”

“You’re exhausted, Kina. You need to rest.”

She stretched her strong, graceful arms up around his neck. “I missed you so much.”

He leaned down and gently rubbed his lips along hers. “I know.”

All of a sudden, she sat up. “I believe we have company coming.”

“Shit. You get dressed and I’ll get the bed.”

She slipped into her white gown while he threw the duvet over the bed. He pulled on his jeans and t-shirt just as there was a knock at the door. He opened it and barely had time to register that it was Evy before she was flying past him.

The Seer stopped in front of the Goddess and began to kneel.

“No, my sister. You kneel before no one.” She took Evy’s hand and guided her into an embrace. “I am so glad that you are well. I was so afraid for you last night. Did I hurt you?”

“No, my Goddess. I’m alright.”

“You must never go there again, Evelyn. Promise me.”

Evy nodded. “I promise.”

Akina looked past Reyn at Troy who was still standing in the doorway. “Come, Troy. Let me see the two of you together at last.”

She placed her hands on their foreheads and closed her eyes for a moment. “Troy, you bore the scars of a warrior so young in life. So brave. So very brave. I knew you were perfect for my Evelyn. Keep her safe.”

“Always, my Goddess.”

“Evelyn. Your gift is the most powerful I can bestow. But it is also the most difficult to bear. You have learned to use it well, even without my help.” She smiled. “I have great faith in you both.”

Troy looked back at Reyn. “We’ll, um, just let you two have some privacy. It’s late.”

“Do me a favor and keep her presence here to yourselves for now.” He closed the door after them and sat down beside his mate. “Pretty amazing, huh?”

She smiled, but it faded quickly. “Yes, they have an incredibly strong connection. Somehow I sense they will play a far greater role in this war than they realize.”

He wiped away a tear as it fell down her face. “They’re strong, Kina. You wouldn’t have chosen them otherwise.”

She nodded. “No matter what manner of being you are, it is always difficult to send the ones you love into battle.”

X was working at his desk. Well, maybe working wasn’t quite the right word. Cyber stalking was probably closer to the truth. He looked at Rose’s image on the screen and finally admitted to himself that his photographic memory wasn’t the problem. He knew what it was now. He was being led to her. Man, he was starting to understand how his boy Troy felt, which was So. Not. Good. He opened up a new tab in the browser and Harvard’s Extension School came up. Slowly, he scrolled down to a course called
Japan in Asia and the World
taught by Professor R. Sato and checked availability. He circled the enroll button with his mouse. Hell, even if he did sign up it didn’t mean he had to go, right? He could always bail.

Xavier took a deep breath and hit enroll.