by Tia Didmon
Jane rubbed her hands on her jeans. A nervous habit she hadn’t done in years. “May I speak with Racheal alone?”
Hunter glanced at Brock before inclining his head. He went over and whispered in Racheal’s ear.
Racheal looked up with a surprised look. “They’re here already?”
Hunter kissed her cheek. “You lost track of time, honey.”
Racheal looked exasperated. “As usual.” She smiled at Jane. “Hunter said you had some questions for me?”
Jane glanced at the men. “May we speak alone? I know I don’t warrant your trust but they’re personal.”
Both men left. The heavy door clicked loudly as it closed.
Jane watched them in surprise. “I didn’t expect Hunter to leave you so easily.”
Racheal laughed. “I know he can come off as overbearing but never to family, Jane.”
Jane looked at her in bafflement. “But I’m not family.”
Racheal’s eyes went up. “We both know that isn’t true. You’re in the middle of your transition.”
Jane tramped down the emotion. She had to focus. “How do you know that?”
Racheal glanced down. “No woman wants to hear this but we smell different during and after transition.”
Jane folded her arms. “I stink.”
Racheal laughed. “According to the men, we smell alluring.”
Jane dropped her arms in alarm “Hunter doesn’t think that...”
Racheal raised hers quickly. “No. The mated males are completely unaffected. And family sees you as just that. You already smell like family to us.”
Jane forced the tears not to fall. This woman had despised her when they had met. Now because Brock chose her, she would accept her. Do anything to help her. Had she forgotten love like this existed? Or did she pretend it didn’t so she could accomplish her goal? “I have a twin.”
Racheal nodded. “Hunter told me. I’m sorry I misunderstood. I should have suspected Kevin had something or someone to use against you. It’s what he does.”
Jane nodded. “Yes, and I helped him.”
Racheal squeezed her arm. “So did I.”
Jane looked into the eyes of the beautiful scientist before her. Did she trust Racheal with her life? With Carla’s? “If I’m going through the transition does that mean Carla will too? Or will she still need to be exposed to a mate?”
Racheal picked up a file she had on the steel table. “Kevin has never been able to create a female shifter but...”
Jane stepped forward. “What?’
“Your DNA is identical. If there’s a way to induce shifting without a mate, this would be it.” She rubbed her forehead. “The chances of Kevin finding twins with the shifter gene were astronomically low. I’m surprised he didn’t experiment on you sooner?”
“He didn’t know...” Jane let the memory of her and Carla having blood tests at the clinic play through her mind. If he wanted us, he wouldn’t have risked us being killed in the accident.
Racheal frowned. “Jane what is it?”
This was it. “Do you know what Kevin does to people who betray him?”
Racheal looked down ashamed. “Yes, I know.”
Jane closed her eyes tightly. “I’m about to do just that.”
Chapter 7
Jane watched the road blur by. She was thankful Brock hadn’t inundated her with questions. She needed time to process her conversation with Racheal and decide what she should do. “We need to start searching the property as soon as we return. I wasted time we didn’t have.”
Brock grabbed her hand and put it on his thigh. “If you got the answers you needed then it wasn’t a waste, besides, Liam and Luca have already done a cursory sweep. They have found four areas that we will need to take a closer look at with sonar.”
Jane tried to ignore the sensation of his hand over hers. “How did they cover that much ground so quickly?”
Brock smiled. “They didn’t do it in human form.”
Jane blinked rapidly. “Oh, of course. What about the sonar, isn’t that used primarily in the water?”
Brock nodded. “It is, but it’s an effective tool for locating underground mines so that is the equipment we will be using.”
“That’s brilliant, actually.”
Brock winked at her. “I’m not just a pretty face.”
Jane pursed her lips to refrain from laughing. She couldn’t remember the last time someone teased her.
Her phone chimed. She frowned when she saw the number.
Brock tipped his chin. “Who is it?”
Jane took a slow breath. “Victor.”
“Take it,” Brock said.
Jane accepted the call. “Hello Victor.”
“Where the fuck, are you?” he snapped.
“I’m doing my job. I’m returning to the ranch now.”
“Why did you leave?” he asked rudely.
“To talk to Racheal. That’s the reason we’re here.”
“Cascade is with you.” Danov said quietly.
“Yes.”
“Kevin wishes you to check in with him... immediately.”
“I’ll be back in my room in ten minutes. I’ll call him then.” She hung up before he could say anything else.
They pulled into the roundabout at the ranch a few minutes later. She was out the door, sprinting to her room before Brock could exit the vehicle.
Kevin picked up on the first ring. “Have you found it?”
Jane closed her eyes, focusing on the keeping her voice even. “No, but we have a lead. We believe it is on the property and are set to start our search shortly.”
“Good.”
“Victor is hindering my assignment. I’m not in any danger. Tell him too back off,” she said calmly.
Kevin’s tone dropped. “Are you telling me what to do Jane?”
Jane knew she made a mistake. “No, but you know how important this assignment is to me.”
“Hmm. Yes, it is but Mr. Danov has a vested interest in your... survival.”
Jane didn’t like the way he emphasized the last word. “I’m not in danger.” From Brock.
“You did not call your sister as I requested,” he said.
“We were searching Brian’s office. I couldn’t excuse myself at the time.”
“Your commitment to your task is admirable. Tell me how you gained Brock’s trust so quickly?”
Jane was glad Kevin couldn’t see her. “The same way I always do. With the impression we will have a long-term relationship.”
“Don’t get any ideas Jane. You are important to me.”
Jane heard the lie in his voice. The oily feeling skated over her skin, making her shiver. “I will find the information and deliver it to you.”
“I know you will. Your sister’s life depends on it.” He hung up.
Jane’s chest squeezed. It was the first time he had openly threatened Carla. She had expected it. Prepared for it. Yet she still felt the betrayal.
Danov banged on her door. “Jane!”
She wanted to pretend she wasn’t there, but she was sure Kevin had already texted him.
She opened the door. “What do you want Victor?”
Victor strode in with anger pouring off of him.
She closed the door, turning and bumping his chest. She felt his agitation. Anger. She looked down, realizing her cat’s displeasure. “Back off, Victor.”
“You are to keep in contact with me at all times,” he snapped.
She took a calming breath, putting her hands behind her back so he wouldn’t see the ripple of fur that travelled down her arm. Her eyesight wavered before she brought herself under control. “It isn’t your concern.”
He grabbed her chin, looking at her eyes. “You let him touch you.”
She stood her ground forcing steel in her voice. “I have a job to do by any means necessary.”
Victor’s eyes flashed orange. “He will pay.”
“He is not your assignment,” she said coolly.
He ran his hand down her arm. “He isn’t but you are.”
Her body recoiled from his touch but she didn’t flinch. “Then focus on my protection not Brock Cascade’s libido. He isn’t the only shifter here.”
Victor dropped his hand. “I am aware the twin brothers are here. I will take care of them if necessary.”
“Did you have an altercation with them while I was gone? Are you alright?” She forced concern into her voice.
She wasn’t sure Victor believed her act.
Victor squinted, searching her face. “I have not been in contact with them.”
“How did you know they were here?” she asked.
“Kevin has someone on the inside.”
She faked surprise. “Who?”
“No one you have come in contact with,” he said.
She knew he wouldn’t answer further, and she didn’t want to push her luck. “Be careful around them. They never work alone.”
“I am fully aware of the Cascade Enforcer Code.”
“I’m not, what is that?”
He stepped forward his eyes flashed. “You shouldn’t have fucked him.”
She slapped him.
He grabbed her, turning to press her against the door. She felt his erection pressing into her back. “You never had sex with your previous marks. You kissed them, touched them but you didn’t fuck them.”
Jane forced her body to go limp in his arms. “Kevin will be disappointed when he learns you are interfering with my assignment,” she said in an emotionless tone.
Victor leaned down to place his mouth against her ear. “If you only knew the truth.”
“Why don’t you enlighten me.”
Victor stepped back releasing her. “Not yet. You’re right. You need to complete this mission... but Jane, when this is over, you’re mine.”
She moved aside soundlessly as he opened the door and walked out. She stood for a long time before the sharp rap at her door startled her. “Yes.”
Her relief was paramount as Brock walked in. “Everything okay? I saw Danov downstairs he looked pissed.”
“A minor complication. I’ll take care of it.” I hope.
Jane and Brock met the twins at the sight of the burned down old house. She looked at the odd contraptions in the back of the twin’s truck. “Are those the sonar units?”
Luca nodded. “Yes, we rented them from a mining company.”
She looked into the box of the truck, inspecting the equipment. “They look like large lawnmowers.”
Luca shrugged. “Pretty much. You run them over the ground and they send the pictures to the tablet.”
Jane surveyed the surrounding forest. “How are you going to roll them over the uneven ground?”
Luca followed her gaze to a fallen tree. “We are going to have to pick up and place for several areas of this job.”
Jane nodded. “Hence two people per unit.”
“Yep. Liam and I will take the interior forest areas while you and Brock survey the areas close to the ruin.”
Jane looked at the burnt remains. “I really thought it would be here. Is there any chance it was destroyed? Maybe it no longer exists.”
Brock followed her gaze. “It’s possible but either way, we find what’s left.”
Jane looked back toward the main house. She couldn’t see it through the trees but she knew the general direction. “Why have a bunker that is hard to access in an emergency?”
Brock turned to her. “You think it’s attached to the main house?”
“Unless he was planning on spending most of his time here, yeah. You would need electrical systems to power the Bunker, so this house or the main one would make the most sense.”
Brock turned to his brothers. “Go check the ground surrounding the main house first. Look for electrical lines leading away from the house and follow them. Text me if you find anything.”
Liam and Luca nodded then left.
Jane and Brock ran the sonar machine over the ground for hours. They didn’t find anything that could be a bunker.” Let’s stop and go over the pictures we have taken so far.”
Brock parked the machine then grabbed them both a bottle of water. They sat down on a nearby log to review the sonar photos. They scrolled through a few that showed nothing. Jane stopped on one that depicted an electrical line. “Is there anyway to tell if the line is active or not?”
Brock glanced at the photo. “This line is on the plans for the house that burned down. It runs to the main road but there is no way to tell from the sonar if it’s being utilized.”
Jane started scrolling back on the tablet. “What about water lines?”
Brock stopped her on a photo of a cylindrical pipe. “You can’t tell if the water is being utilized but look here. “He pointed to a dark area on the photo. “I think that pipe is leaking and has been for a long time.”
Jane enlarged the photo. “Should that line still have water in it?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Where does it run?” she asked.
“Leads away from the ruins but I don’t know where it goes. It isn’t on the house plans but Brian did renovate this house after he purchased it.”
“Did Liam and Luca check out the ruins thoroughly?”
“Yes, they went down into the burned cellar but found nothing,” Brock said.
“There could be a hidden door. Let’s check out the side of the cellar that this line is located on.”
Brock looked down. “That’s the west side of the building. Let’s go.”
They followed the old cement stepped down into the burned cellar. Jane noticed the cougar print in the black ash. “Which one of them is that?”
Brock stared at the print. “No idea. They’re identical in their cat form.”
“I’d like to see that.”
Brock smiled. “You will. Come on.”
They looked around the burnt cellar. Other than burned shelving and what looked like it might have been a table, there was nothing.
Jane eyes darted around the charred room. “Let’s go back up to the pipe and follow it to its source.”
They exited the ruins and followed the pipe a kilometer away to a natural stream. Brock waded in, sinking down into fast flow, feeling around beneath the water.
“The pipe is here. There are rocks and a metal mesh covering it.”
“Can you tell if the water flow is incoming or outgoing?”
“Hold on.”
He held still a few minutes before he answered. “Just sucked some water up. Wasn’t a lot.”
Jane looked back in the direction of the ruin. “Replacing the leaking water... we’re missing something.”
Brock felt they were close but the bunker still eluded them. Brian Marksman had been a bastard, but he was a brilliant one. They had his properties and his private files from the last forty years and they were still struggling to find what they were looking for.
Brock exited the stream. Let’s follow the pipe back to the ruins. It has to branch off or go somewhere else.
They were in the woods when Jane doubled over.
“Jane!” Brock shouted.
Jane was bent over with her hands on her knees. “Pain just sliced through my stomach. It’s going away now.”
Brock looked, letting his cat senses flare out, confirming they were alone.
Jane straightened her stance, looking at Brock with glowing amber eyes. “I feel...” Her eyes roamed his body before she stepped into him, rubbing her chin against his.
His body hardened. He spoke through clenched teeth. “Jane listen, this shouldn’t be happening this fast.”
She kissed his neck. “I can’t stop.”
Brock groaned as her hand massaged his cock through his jeans, “I know honey, but we have to be careful not to accelerate the transformation.”
She stilled. “Am I in danger?”
“You’ll be okay but it means you were injected with a large dose of the mating hormone.”
She looked at him. Her eyes flaming with lust. Her body had to be on fire yet she stopped herself to access the danger. “The only injection I had was for my tracker.”
Brock’s cat roared “You have a fucking tracker?”
Jane’s eyes returned to their natural green. “Yes, all Kallan employees have one. They have an expiration and mine needed to be swapped out.”
“Does it have an explosive on it?”
She looked startled. “What?”
“Racheal’s tracker exploded out of her chest. Her transformation barely saved her.”
Jane’s face hardened. “Fuck.”
“I share your disgust.”
Jane’s anger rolled off her. “My sister has one too. Kevin said it was in case she wandered off.”
He could practically see her mind working. “Can I survive the explosion if my transformation is complete?”
Brock hated this. “Yes, but it will hurt like a bitch. It’s no joke.”
Jane eyes flickered. “Pain I can handle. My sister’s life is in Kevin Kallan’s hands. That I cannot.”
Brock nodded. “Garrett can block the signal as soon as we have her. It’s how Racheal and Hunter were able to break into Cortez’s labs.”
Jane looked surprised. “You were the ones who breached her security?”
“Yes.”
Jane looked at him, amber flickered in her eyes. “Good.” She kissed him. “We turn me into a cat. Get my sister and blow that tracker.” She kissed him again forcefully.
He pushed her back while he still had the will to do so. “I hate that plan. Specifically, the blowing your tracker part.”
“Can you get it out?”
“Not without setting off the explosive but Garrett has set up a dampening field around our lair. Once on site you and Carla are safe.”
“Then there’s nothing else we can do.” She grabbed his head and pulled him to her.
Brock felt her cat close to the surface. He couldn’t stop her. He wouldn’t have wanted to if he could. His cat reveled in her hands grasping at him. Her lust. Her Need.
She pulled his shirt from his jeans and undid the button. His cock was in her hands before he could take breath. He loved this side of her. Outgoing. Demanding. She was aggressive as she pumped his cock while sticking her tongue down his throat. He let her keep control for a few more moments before his cats instinct to reclaim its control overrode his will to please his mate.