Dawn Endeavor 2: Hayashi's Hero

by Marie Harte

  Kisho frowned. “I remember the scorn, the jeers, the hatred in my grandfather's eyes whenever he'd see me on a street corner. But the day-to-day details are now just a blur. I was smart, even then. I knew who to watch out for, who to trust. And I loved books. I lost myself in the volumes of text a very kind woman loaned me. I had flashes of foresight when I hit puberty, and it helped reinforce the notion that education would be my key to escape.”

  “What about your dad?”

  “My father never knew he'd gotten my mother pregnant. My grandfather made her stop seeing him. The Hayashi family turned my dad away whenever he'd visit, until he stopped trying to see her and was transferred back to the States. Not until years later, when his mother told him to look, did he find me. My grandmother had visions, same as I do. I get the psychic crap from my dad's side of the family.”

  Morgan ran his hand over Kisho's chest, marveling at the inner strength there. “Your abilities from your father, your name from your mother?”

  “I kept Hayashi just to piss off my grandfather, so he couldn't pretend I didn't exist.” Kisho sighed. “My dad was a good man. He'd have taken me with him if he'd known about me. It always hurt him that I'd spent my childhood on the streets. Paul Leads was a Master Chief in the U.S. Navy, a fair man, but one that didn't tolerate failure or differences well.”

  “Funny, coming from a guy with a psychic background.” Morgan couldn't help it. He had to kiss Kisho again, to convince himself that what they shared was not a dream, but real.

  They parted from the kiss, and Kisho ran a hand over Morgan's shoulder. “Yeah, funny.” Kisho grew silent. “Morgan, I want you to know. When I told the others you were nothing to me, it wasn't true. You were never just a fuck. I love you.” Morgan's heart stuttered. He'd hoped for affection, for at least a hint of trust while they built their relationship stronger. He hadn't thought to hear those incredibly moving three words.

  He didn't speak, afraid to ruin the moment.

  “I've been taught, for so long, that different is wrong. First it was for being half white.

  Then it was for being gay. Christ, my dad would have had a coronary if he knew his only son was a, and I quote, 'fucking pole smoker.'”

  “A damned good pole smoker,” Morgan teased in a gentle voice, and Kisho chuckled.

  “I could never tell him the truth. I couldn't chance that he'd kick me out, and I didn't want to lose him, too. And then I joined the navy. Don't ask, don't tell.”

  “Yeah, but the guys—”

  “Are my family. We fuck each other, I know. It seems stupid to be weird about being gay with them. But it's the Circ stuff that makes us do it. The other guys are straight. And I was afraid…”

  “That if you came out, they'd turn you away?”

  “I feel like an idiot. But yeah.”

  Morgan stroked Kisho's cheeks and lips. “Baby, I won't turn you away.”

  “Fallon called me an asshole for the way I treated you. Said you loved me.” There was a question there.

  “What do you think?” Morgan felt tears under his fingers, and he wiped them away.

  “Kitsu?”

  “I think any man who would take on three Circs, who would accept a pole-smoking monster, and who read my poetry and said he liked it, I think that man might love me.”

  “Don't forget the roses.”

  Kisho smiled, and the sight of that joy made Morgan's entire world feel right.

  Morgan tugged Kisho closer and rolled onto his back, pulling Kisho on top of him. “No might about it. I love you, baby. I love the sensitive poet, the man who listens to Mozart, the kick-ass SEAL, and the sexy-as-hell beast under your skin. I've been waiting for you since I was sixteen years old.” He kissed Kisho tenderly, sharing the love he felt inside. “Ever since Alicia gave me that figurine, I knew you belonged to me.”

  Kisho froze. “Wait a minute. You said your aunt gave you that.” Morgan groaned. “You have to swear this to silence.”

  “I swear.”

  “She is going to shit a brick if she knows I told you.” He looked into Kisho's eyes and groaned again. “Fuck. She probably already knows. Well, Alicia, she's kind of an aunt several times removed. We may not look much alike, but she's family.” Kisho's beautiful eyes widened. “Are you kidding?”

  “No. My family is really powerful when it comes to the psychic stuff. Alicia has always been on the fringe of normal anyway. But her abilities are seriously scary. She gave me that damned fox when I turned sixteen, and she told me it had a twin. Then she left.” Lost in thought, Morgan stroked Kisho's back. “I knew as soon as I held it that whoever owned that twin belonged to me. Can't explain it. I just knew.”

  Kisho gave him a look.

  “What?”

  “My grandmother called it her little kitsu, what she used to call me. She said the jade fox belonged to my mother and had brought her great luck. That my father wasn't the curse my grandfather called him, not if he'd given my mother such a fine son.” He paused. “Hell, she might have been a bit psychic herself, because she told me to find its mate. But maybe she meant I'd find my mate.” Kisho smiled at the memory. “I've been dreaming about you for years. You saved me when I was pushed from that building.”

  Morgan tightened his hold. “Yeah. Scared the shit out of me to find you like that.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “Had a feeling. My gift is pretty selfish, kitsu. It's all about making my life better.

  Whatever I want, I usually seem to get without a lot of effort. I was a real prick for a lot of years.”

  “No,” Kisho teased.

  “Yeah. Came from life coming too easily. Then I had a visit from Alicia a few years after she gave me that fox. She showed me a picture of you. And I knew. I had to clean myself up, become a man you could be proud of. I became a better fighter, a mercenary with ties to places you could use.”

  “Are you telling me you became a mercenary so you could one day help me?”

  “Yeah, but it taught me a lot, too. Right and wrong are pretty much shades of gray.

  Delancey's bad. Montaña's bad. But so is a government that tries to kill its own. If I'd known the hell you were in at Pearson Labs, I'd have come for you sooner. But Alicia never told me about that. Said it wasn't my time to find you.”

  “Wait. Are you saying she knew about us Circs back then? How long has she known?”

  Morgan silently cursed. “Kisho, do me a favor. Pretend I never said anything about Mrs.

  Sharpe, that I'm not related to her at all, and that you know nothing.”

  “But—”

  “The only thing you need to know is that I love you. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Kisho relaxed. “Really?”

  “Really.” Morgan stroked his lover's face. “And as soon as this operation ends, I'm going to show you how to properly beg forgiveness after breaking your mate's heart. Letting your team leader fuck me up the ass is not how you say you're sorry.” Kisho snickered, and the sound sent waves of happiness through Morgan. “Yeah, but you weren't sorry when you came down my throat, were you?”

  “You're going to need a lot of discipline in the future. I can tell.” Kisho kissed him. “Morgan, are you really okay with everything? We're mated. For me, there's no going back.”

  “I know that.”

  “I don't want anyone else the way I want you. But sometimes, the mating heat, it makes it—”

  “Kitsu, I understand. We'll take it one step at a time. You're Circ, and by nature of being yours, I kind of am too. I can satisfy the need, baby.”

  “You do. You really do.”

  “This is still so new. I don't know if I like sharing you. It won't be easy watching you with anyone else, but I know Circs are different. Hell, I just took it from you and Jules. I'll adjust. Just give me some time to have you all to myself, okay?”

  Kisho agreed. “I don't want to share you either. I was jealous when Jules touched you, and then it felt right.
Your bonding to Jules changed our dynamic. You belong now. Sex among the team increases our ties. Our beasts need it.”

  “So do I need to get with the other guys to—”

  “No,” Kisho growled. He cleared his throat. “Um, no. Olivia bonded with the others but not with me. Yet my beast knows she's one of us. Jules is the glue that holds us together. So long as he accepts you, the others will. Probably.”

  “Tersch.” Morgan didn't need to be a mind reader to know that another problem would be convincing the Viking he belonged.

  “He might be an issue. But we can handle him.”

  “We. I like that. Well, just so long as I don't have to take it from the Viking. I have a feeling he's a real pain in the ass.”

  Kisho started laughing. “Spot-on description. And you really don't want to get on Ava's bad side.”

  “Does she have a good one?” Morgan joked and joined in his kitsu's mirth.

  They didn't stop laughing for a long time.

  Chapter Ten

  “Hey, ladies, let's go.”

  Jules's gruff voice through the door made Kisho groan. Reality intruded.

  He and Morgan had spent the last two hours loving and talking. So much about his mate he hadn't known. Morgan's family intrigued him, especially since Morgan insisted that Kisho would understand everything when he met them. Morgan refused to go into detail about their similarities just yet. According to him, Mrs. Sharpe would indeed kill him if he spilled all the beans so soon.

  It just made Kisho that much more curious. He wanted to meet the enigmatic Reynolds family. So many strong psychics in one bloodline. It startled him to realize Morgan was every bit as powerful as he was, but in a different way.

  Good mate. Strong. Potent.

  His beast was in love with Morgan as much as Kisho was in love with Morgan.

  “Don't get your panties in a twist, Mary. We'll be right there,” Morgan yelled back. He muttered to Kisho, “Asshole better not try any of that power-play crap. He's not my boss.”

  “Morgan.” Kisho sighed. Well, he knew it would take more than words to soothe the inevitable tensions between two men used to being in charge. Though he was no pushover, Kisho had no problems taking orders. Especially if they came from Morgan. In bed.

  “Damn. That is really temping.” Morgan gripped Kisho's erection and squeezed. “But if I take you the way I want to, we'll never leave this room. Besides, I can't have you waving an ass filled with my cum at Jules. He might be too distracted to work if he scents the two of us too strongly.”

  Kisho moaned and pressed into Morgan's palm. “Come on. A quick one won't hurt.”

  Morgan shook his head, a teasing glint in his dark green eyes. “You sorely need discipline.” He let go and left the bed. “I can't wait till we get home. I have some toys in my closet you're going to love.”

  Kisho's cock throbbed at the thought. “Jerk.” Morgan's laughter made him grin.

  Half an hour later, they joined Jules in the next room.

  “About damned time. Hell, after all the noise I heard, I'm amazed you two can walk straight.”

  Kisho flushed, and Jules laughed.

  “Leave him alone, Hawkins.” Morgan grinned. “He's adjusting to that open door in his closet.”

  “Talk about the proverbial elephant in the room. Kisho, how could we not know you were gay? You never fucked women.”

  Kisho frowned. “I like my privacy.”

  Morgan snorted. “Yeah, but come on. Guys know things. And since you Circs seem like a pack of dogs, all over each other all the time, they would have noticed.”

  “Thanks, I think,” Jules said. “And call me Jules. You want to dick around with Tersch's mind, call him whatever you want. Me, you call Jules.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Now tell me what the hell is going on.” Jules pointed to one of the monitors. “There's been a lot of activity down there today. They pulled the damn yacht in, right there at the tip of Biscayne by the national park. Delancey is up in arms about some asshole named Pablo.” Morgan tensed. “Pablo Ribeiro?” When Jules nodded, he swore. “Pablo is my inside source. There's no way they could know about him.”

  “Well, he did something Delancey's having a hissy over. Look.” Morgan and Kisho watched as a dark-haired man, tied to a chair, sat under a vicious tongue-lashing from a large, brutal-looking man dressed in khakis.

  “That's Montaña. See the scar? The sadist is a real problem.” Morgan scowled. “I have to help Pablo. We need to move now. The minute they learn Pablo's not really working for them, we lose them.”

  “Fuck. Grab the shit, Hayashi. Let's go.”

  Kisho raced back to the other room and grabbed both duffels. He tossed one to Jules.

  “What do you plan to do?”

  Morgan added, “The yacht has a dozen armed men on board. Mercs with training, not to mention the other dozen or so crewmen. I don't know what experience they have. And then there are the rogue Circs and rumored mutants in the belowdecks.”

  “Not a problem,” Jules said. “Most of the crew is gone. Delancey got rid of all but two of them an hour ago, when they stopped by land to grab a handful of women. I counted seven guards. Not sure how many rogues they might have, but I saw three of them and what could have been the mutants, caged and carried off the yacht, get off when the women boarded.”

  “A little too inviting,” Morgan murmured.

  “What?”

  Kisho hefted the duffel over his shoulder and faced his mate. “What are you saying?”

  “I'm saying this doesn't feel right.”

  Jules shrugged. “We're not going to get a better chance at this. I want Delancey dead.”

  “Jules,” Kisho cautioned. “Mrs. Sharpe wants Delancey alive for questioning.” Jules snorted. “She can have Montaña. Delancey's a dead man. He just doesn't know it yet.”

  Kisho wondered if he should tell Jules that Delancey did know it. The last vision he'd had had shown Delancey in the grip of a prophetic dream of his own death—at Jules's hands. But if Kisho told, would he affect the outcome in a negative way? Would he help end Delancey's life or further complicate the mess? Either way, he needed to come to a decision, fast.

  “Hey, oh great leader,” Morgan drawled, sarcasm evident in his tone. “The last time I ignored a bad feeling, I was nearly blown up. You sure you want to just barge in there beating your chest because you're a tough-ass Circ with a grudge against your old commander?” Jules glared. “Asshole. Okay. Fine then. What do you suggest?” Morgan glanced from the monitor to Jules, then Kisho.

  “Whoa. You're really bright right now.” Jules blinked.

  “You can see his aura?” Kisho wanted to know.

  “Yeah. Guess his shields are down. A lot of purple.”

  Which Kisho knew was the color of love. He wanted to purr with satisfaction.

  “And some bright white. Your boy is glowing, which usually signifies using a lot of psychic energy. But what the fuck is he doing?”

  “I'm thinking,” Morgan answered in a huff. “So if you'd kindly shut your big mouth, maybe I… Oh yeah. That might work.”

  “What?” Jules and Kisho asked at the same time.

  “Well, if we combine what I know about Montaña with what I know about you two, there's a chance we can slip on board, save Pablo, and grab your ex-captain. You willing to hear me out?” he asked Jules, a challenge in his gaze.

  “I'm always open to suggestion, Morgan. But I make the final call.” Morgan nodded. “Okay. So we try it this way…”

  Jules wondered for the fifth time since leaving the hotel if he'd lost his fucking mind.

  Morgan wanted them to dart on and off the yacht without anyone knowing. Then Hayashi had added that Delancey knew Jules planned to kill him. The fucker could foretell his own damned future, thanks to that stupid drug. Great. Now how the hell were they going to get to Delancey if he already knew everything?

  He really didn't like this whole prognostication thing.

&
nbsp; But he did like Morgan. Much as the asshole irritated him, he'd fit in nicely with the team.

  Jules could feel it. And he made Hayashi happy. The two of them projected the same neon purple auras, so full of that rich love Fallon and Olivia shared. Which made it vital Jules not risk Morgan's sorry ass while grabbing Delancey.

  Morgan leaned close and whispered, “Is he going to blow up the boat?”

  “Yeah, now shut up,” Jules growled.

  They watched Hayashi steer the small johnboat closer to the yacht. As anticipated, the sound of the motor cut through the quiet of the early morning dark and drew the attention of four gunmen.

  “I only see four. The other three must be inside,” Morgan stated.

  Morgan's other contacts managed to confirm the number of mercenaries on board. To Jules's surprise, Montaña and a few more of his men had also departed the ship. Which left Delancey, seven mercs, and two crew members on board.

  It seemed obvious Delancey was waiting for him. He'd hate to disappoint his captain.

  “Right. Follow me.” Jules changed; then he and Morgan crept along the woodline and sneaked across an exposed stretch of ground for the yacht. Instead of walking up the gangplank, though, they entered the water a short distance from the ship and swam around to the back of the boat, away from Hayashi.

  “Wait for it,” Jules rumbled and flexed his claws.

  The minute the johnboat blew, Jules jabbed his claws into the side of the yacht and pulled his way up. He landed on the empty deck, quickly tied a rope to the rail, and tossed it over the side. According to the plan, he would then wait for Morgan, and they'd move together to wipe through the mercs to get to Pablo and Delancey.

  Jules called on his ancillary ability, the one that enabled him to camouflage his skin. It felt like a warm tingle all over his body. The technical jargon Doc had thrown at him involved Jules's skin cells, negative light refraction, and a bunch of other crap that gave him a headache. Jules knew how to blend into the woodwork, but he didn't know how he knew. He'd never heard of any other Circ with a talent to go invisible, and he'd never shown the labs what he could do, worried they'd cut him up to see how the ability worked. The only drawback to using his gift was that invisibility sucked a lot of energy, so he didn't call on it often. But to get to Delancey, he'd use every weapon at his disposal.