by Ophelia Bell
“Yes, but not even Champions can deny their true natures. They’ve just learned to control their animals better than the rest of us. But I am curious about your research, now that you’ve brought it up,” Gerri said. “It means a great deal to you, doesn’t it? Tell me more about it.”
That was the magic question to get Val talking, and he didn’t stop for at least an hour. Gerri stood and made another pot of tea, then served him a slice of delicious-looking cake while he continued to rattle on about EG-Alpha and all its myriad benefits. Gerri listened and nodded politely. When he reached the part about the potential side effects he was working on eliminating, she had a bite of cake poised before her lips and stopped short.
“Did you say a toxic by-product?” she asked, setting her fork back down without taking the bite. “How toxic?”
“Well we don’t test on live subjects, but in simulations, the toxin could potentially be fatal. It presents in the saliva and claws when a subject shifts, so if they were to, say, attack someone else and break the skin, they could effectively poison their victim. Naturally this is not a desirable side effect, but trust me, the drug will not go to market if this is a possibility.”
“And this toxin would be strongest if the drug were to be used by pure-blooded shifters. Nova Aurora shifters, correct?”
“Correct. Human subjects and most Earth shifters have a weaker metabolism, so the drug doesn’t undergo the same transformation in their systems. It remains weak or even benign, does what it’s supposed to, basically. But we can’t risk putting it out there as long as there’s a possibility of it being used for other purposes. In addition to awakening a human’s latent shifter, it can work as a performance enhancer for shifter athletes, since it magnifies their innate abilities. And the toxin may even go as far as severing a shifter’s link to its animal, making healing even more difficult. In simulations, anything more than a simple scratch could be fatal.”
Gerri’s forehead creased and she nodded. “Yes, that would be bad. I’m glad you’re being so diligent about your research. Thank you.”
He settled back with a relieved exhale. “So you understand why it’s crucial that I get back to my lab. This drug could help so many people. I can’t in good conscience stop my research. My dad’s request is of course well-founded—he cares about our bottom line—but he’s missing the point. The best place for me is in that lab, not wooing a woman in an effort to carry on the family name.”
“I completely agree,” Gerri said. “But there may come a time when you change your mind. The search for a mate is rarely a fast one and can often take months. If I tell your father I’m looking, it won’t be a lie, and it will give you a reprieve, but I’d still like the opportunity to do what I was hired to do. Will you at least humor me and tell me what you look for in a mate?”
It was the least Val could do after bending her ear for so long about his life’s work. “Well, if I’m being honest, I don’t think I’d be happy with just a woman or just a man. As long as we’re still speaking in hypotheticals . . .” He raised an inquisitive brow.
Gerri waved him on. “Don’t hold back. Tell me all your dirty secrets.”
“I want both,” he said, his tone turning serious, despite the fact that he felt decadent even admitting this small desire of his. “Triads aren’t unheard of in our world. If Jason had suggested I join him and his fiancée, I’d have jumped at the chance. But that isn’t the kind of thing you push on someone, especially not a human who isn’t as open to how shifters might do things.”
“And we are talking about your potential mates here, after all,” Gerri added.
“Right,” Val said, swallowing. “I want a woman who is forward, maybe a little dominant.”
“Do you enjoy being dominated?” she asked with an arched brow.
He barked a laugh. “No. I say that because I prefer topping other men and I don’t enjoy topping submissives, if that makes sense. So for a woman to please me, she has to be a challenge. And likewise, a man has to be secretly all right with being topped. God, it’s been so long since I’ve even thought about sex.”
“That is a shame,” Gerri said with a twinkle. “You would make many shifter women very happy, and a fair share of men too. I will keep it in mind.”
She stood and brushed the creases out of her skirt. Val stood as well, giving her a hopeful look. “So you’ll be sure to tell my dad you’re on it, but drag your feet a little?”
“Consider it done,” she said. “After all, it does take time to find the perfect match for someone as high-profile as you. Not any woman will do.” She winked at him and then sauntered toward the door.
Val hesitated at the threshold, suddenly knotted up with emotion. The entire afternoon had been nothing short of cathartic for him, and he wasn’t sure how to properly show Gerri how grateful he was that she’d simply listened. It reminded him of his mother and all he’d loved about her.
“May I hug you, Mrs. Wilder?” he blurted out. He clenched his fists, waiting for her reply.
But she merely held her arms out to him and he stepped into them.
“Thank you,” he murmured against the top of her head.
“You’re very welcome, Val. And please call me Gerri.”
5
Javin
Javin tossed the tablet onto the lab table and collapsed onto a stool, dropping his head into his hands. He’d had to take a walk after his conversation with Astra, yet even with the breather he was still frustrated by her inability to see reason.
“That bad, huh?” Simina said without glancing up from the screen she’d been scrutinizing when he walked in.
“She’s so fucking stubborn.” It had always been a challenge not to punch something whenever he spent time with her. His wolf was still agitated after their encounter, and it hadn’t helped that he’d scented beyond the toxin to that raw female dragon aroma that had always been so alluring to him. But she was Talon’s sister, so “off-limits” was an understatement.
Simina sighed and reached over to pat him on the back. “She’s a Garrick. It’s in her genes. Though I need to ask, is there something else that’s got you upset?”
“I’m not upset. Just frustrated that she won’t see reason. She loves the arena. Losing that would be the same as you or I losing this lab or our patients. Life would be meaningless. I gave her the answer, but she’s not interested.”
“You suggested she find a mate?”
“Yeah. There’s clear evidence that a strong mating bond can heal the worst maladies, restore a shifter’s bond to their animal if they’ve lost it. Without that, she’s in for a long, hard recovery.”
Simina held up her hands. “You don’t need to convince me. I’m already sold. But have you—I don’t know—admitted your own feelings?”
Javin shot her a withering look, and she rocked back. “My feelings are that she’s Talon’s little sister and she needs our help. That’s it.”
Simina narrowed her eyes. “Denial never served anyone. I love you both like you’re my family and I’d have to be blind not to see how you two look at each other when you think the other isn’t paying attention. You’re being as much of a stubborn ass as she is if you’re unwilling to see past your misplaced sense of honor to what she needs.”
What she needed was a mate, and if Astra wasn’t willing to be proactive about it herself, he’d have to do what Simina suggested and give her what she needed. He reached for his tablet again.
“You know what? You’re right. I know what I need to do.” Tapping the screen, he brought up his contacts list, which included the number Simina had given him after her return from her Earth vacation the year before.
A moment later, a tinny woman’s voice answered, “Paranormal Dating Agency. May I help you?”
Simina’s eyes widened but he pressed on. “Yes, I’d like to speak with Mrs. Wilder please. I’d like to hire her.”
“That’s wonderful! Unfortunately, Gerri is with a client at the moment. Please give me your
info and I will pass it on to her.”
Keeping a wary gaze on Simina, he said, “I’m hiring her for my friend. Astra Garrick would be the client.”
“From Nova Aurora, based on your prefix, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“And who am I speaking to please?”
Simina crossed her arms and Javin knew he was in for it when he hung up. “Dr. Javin Traore. My colleague Simina Taji referred me.”
“Oh, Ms. Taji! I will let Gerri know as soon as her meeting is over. You should hear from her soon. Thanks for your call!”
When the call disconnected he held up his hands to forestall Simina’s lecture. “You and I both know Gerri’s the best option.”
“Yes, I do. That’s not what I’m objecting to. But if you’re going to do this, can I make one request?”
He caught a wily glint in his friend’s eyes, but nodded. “Okay, what?”
“Don’t just do this for Astra. Let Gerri find someone for you too. I can’t help but feel like you’re channeling your frustration in unhealthy ways right now and I’d rather you find real happiness than what you’ve been doing in your off hours.”
His skin prickled. “What do you mean?” he asked, standing and heading toward the cooler in the corner of the lab. He had a house call to make later to one of the other patients affected by this bloody toxin. She couldn’t be referring to that as an extracurricular, could she?
He rifled through the racks of vials, looking for the serum he needed, but came up empty. Where the fuck was it?
“Javin,” Simina said from close behind him. He turned and looked down at the vial she held in her hand. “Looking for this?”
His face heated, which was not the reaction he needed to show under the circumstances. There was no way he could brush it off as a professional house call when he was so agitated.
Simina held his gaze. “You’ve been helping Simon with his addiction to the drug, haven’t you? That’s the only reason you would need this. What I don’t understand is why he’s still dependent.”
“Because he was a fucking idiot and kept a stash of the stuff hidden. The counteragent doesn’t prevent relapses, unfortunately. It’s a small blessing he’s been barred from competing. But if there was ever a time for me to see him, it’s now. He’s the only link I have to the source of the drug. If I can finally get him to agree to face his old arena partner, maybe we can get a lead on the maker and find out why the fuck another champion has been poisoned.”
Simina relinquished her hold on the vial and nodded. “Are you sure that’s the only reason you keep visiting him?”
“Yes. I want to get to the fucking bottom of this. Astra is the last champion who will fall victim to this vile shit. I promise you that.”
He strode to the doorway, shed his lab coat, donned his leather jacket, and stowed the vial in the inner pocket.
“Just be careful, all right? Fallen champions are not the most predictable people, especially when their link to their animals is weak. Simon’s still vulnerable.”
He snorted. Simon was maybe a little desperate, but Javin wouldn’t call him vulnerable. The male gave as good as he got. But Javin offered Simina a slight nod, then leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek. “Duly noted,” he said in a gruff voice. “Look in on Astra before you leave, all right?”
“I will. See you tomorrow.”
6
Simon
Simon’s neck prickled with unease when the doorbell rang. He should have felt relieved at his weekly visit from Dr. Traore. The other man had been his lifeline for months, ever since his withdrawal symptoms had returned, leaving him feeling like he was being burned up from the inside out.
Taking the drug in the first place hadn’t even been his idea, but the pressure to excel in the duo bracket of the arena league, to have a shot at even ranking second after the Hot Wings team, had been too tempting to resist once his partner had finally worn him down.
And now here he was, hanging on by a thread every week until the good doctor showed up with his relief. Or he would be if he hadn’t slipped. He hurriedly checked that his stash was out of sight before answering the door.
The doctor’s lanky frame filled the doorway, his gaze sharp and cold. The clever greeting Simon had on the tip of his tongue fizzled and he stepped back with only a “hi there” and gestured for Javin to enter. The other man could be intense at times, but Simon had never seen him so agitated.
Javin went straight to the dining table and sat, removing the mechanical injector from one pocket and a small vial from the other.
“Hard day?” Simon asked, pulling out the seat catty-corner to the doctor and sticking out his arm. This was the standard routine, which was frankly becoming tiresome.
Javin cleaned his inner elbow with a disinfectant wipe, jabbed the injector in, and hit the button at the top. With a faint hiss the drug was sent into Simon’s vein and that was that. Now for the part he usually looked forward to but today was more worried about.
He was reaching for Javin’s hand when the other man stood abruptly and pushed his chair in. Gripping the chairback hard enough for his knuckles to whiten, he said, “I need you to visit your partner. Tonight.”
Simon stared at him in shock. “What? No fucking way. That bastard ruined my life. The league has the counteragent now so the issue is moot anyway.”
“Not anymore. There was another victim today. Midnight Star was injured. The toxin’s even more effective than before somehow. The counteragent’s stopped working.”
An icy chill shot down Simon’s spine. Not another one. He shook his head. “Astra Garrick was hurt?” His voice was barely a whisper. Of all the solo champions whose careers he followed, he’d latched on to hers the closest. There was something about how she fought, her ferocity, her utter fearlessness. She had all her brother’s skills plus something more. Where the Ebon Claw had been cold and ruthless, a technically perfect fighter on all counts, Midnight Star had taken that talent and set it on fire.
He was too dazed by the news to react when Javin grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out of his seat. “Did you fucking hear me? We need to go tonight!”
Simon stared into Javin’s eyes, recognized the mirror of his own fear, and suddenly Javin’s rage made sense. “You love her too.”
“What the fuck? She’s Talon’s sister.”
“No, no, don’t pull that with me. You love her and that’s why you didn’t put the moves on me like you usually do. I see it in your eyes. You’re fucking raw. Trust me, I get it. I feel it too.”
Javin snarled, his canines lengthening in a way that only someone with training could accomplish without shifting entirely. This was new. Did the good doctor have champion training too? Most shifters couldn’t control their animal well enough to manifest only partial shifts.
“You don’t get to feel shit for Astra, you filthy fucking hyena. You’re part of the problem.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Simon shot, smacking Javin’s hands away and pushing back against him. He was bigger than Javin and could easily take him in a fight, but he played the submissive because he had no status to leverage anyway. “I didn’t ask to be a fucking drug addict. It was supposed to be one match. Now look at me! Everyone on the goddamn planet knows my face. They all look at me the way you’re looking at me right now, like I’m no better than something you’d scrape off your shoe. Watching Midnight Star fight was the one joy I got out of the fucking league anymore. If you think you’re any better than I am, you’re fucking delusional.”
“I told you, she’s Talon’s sister. He was my best friend. There’s nothing between us.”
“Are you sure about that?” Simon taunted. “Because you sure as shit seem emotional about what happened right now. How do you like feeling helpless for a change? Like the entire world has flown right off the rails and you have no fucking hope of getting it back under control.”
He was deflating now, but Javin looked as pissed as ever.
“Control is overrated anyway,” Simon scoffed and turned to walk away. A big hand clamped down on the back of his neck and shoved him down onto the tabletop. His nose cracked against the wood, pain lancing through his face, and his teeth dug into his lip. The coppery taste of blood flooded his tongue, but the sensation was nothing compared to the feel of sharp teeth digging into the back of his neck where Javin’s hand had been.
Simon groaned, his dick stiffening.
“I’ll show you control, you son of a bitch,” Javin said.
“I bet you will,” Simon said over his shoulder, his chuckle fading into a hiss when Javin yanked his sweats down past his ass and the clank of a belt echoed behind him.
Simon’s erection pressed hard against the cold wood. He shifted his hips to find a more comfortable position that didn’t have the edge of the table digging right into his balls. Javin smacked him and he yelped in surprise.
“Fucking hell, I had no idea you were that bad off.”
“Hands over your head. Grip the edge of the table and don’t fucking move.”
Simon cast a surprised glance back as he obliged, hooking his fingertips over the far side of the table. Javin was unbuttoning his shirt, then tearing it off to reveal his dark, sculpted torso. Champion training had seriously rubbed off on this guy in a good way. Was half the reason they kept winding up in this position because they had no hope of experiencing actual sex with a champion?
Javin’s wolf eyes blazed with need, darting up to meet Simon’s gaze. “Where’s your lube?” he asked.
Simon’s mouth fell open. Then he said, “Bathroom cabinet.” Javin had departed at a swift walk when Simon realized his mistake. “Wait! Bedside table,” he called. He didn’t need to take any fucking chances that Javin would find his stash.
“Don’t move!” Javin called back.
“Now way I’m letting you chicken out of this,” Simon muttered to himself. He turned his head to face the hallway Javin had disappeared down, hands still obediently gripping the table edge and his bare ass fully on display.