The Hunter Brothers Complete Box Set

by Parker, M. S.

  Apparently, my grammar skills were sorely lacking. While this wasn’t exactly news to me, I hadn’t realized that my colleagues didn’t know it. I supposed that was a good thing. The methods I’d perfected in high school and the first few years of college worked as well now as they had then. Spelling and grammar check first, then hiring someone to read through things. Freelance sites made it easier at least.

  I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. I had a headache, and as little as I wanted to admit it, Pansy was a big part of it. I’d give her the rest of the week – today and tomorrow was all that was left at least – and if she was still being problematic, I’d talk to her.

  Except I didn’t know how to talk to her about this. Or anything really. I didn’t know how to talk to people in general. I did better with my viruses and gene sequences.

  Less complicated.

  The moment I opened my eyes, I caught a flash of that fiery color that had my pulse picking up, but Addison didn’t come into the lab. Before I could go find out where she’d gone off to, the door to my lab opened. I felt a moment of annoyance, but that vanished when I saw it wasn’t Pansy.

  It was Dr. Fenster. My boss.

  If he was in my lab, something was up. I pushed all other thoughts from my mind, and as soon as he started to speak, I was glad because I needed to focus.

  “There’s an outbreak in Texas.”

  Twelve

  Addison

  Maybe it was juvenile, but when I woke up Saturday morning, the first thought that had come into my mind was that I wasn’t a virgin anymore. It hadn’t been some big emotional revelation or me staring at the ceiling with stars in my eyes, the sorts of things that I supposed I would’ve felt if I’d been in a relationship, or if, at the very least, I’d known the man I’d had sex with.

  No, it was more the acknowledgment of the ache between my legs, the sensitivity of my nipples, and the knowledge of how I’d gotten to feel that way. And that was how I’d ended up with an entire weekend of I lost my virginity to a stranger at a sex club running through my head.

  I hadn’t wanted to talk to Dorly or Codie about it either. I didn’t regret what I’d done, but I was afraid that if I tried to talk to either of them, they’d think I was upset with them for suggesting it. Or, worse, they’d feel like they pushed me into it. They didn’t yet know me well enough to know that no one could ever force me to do something I didn’t want to do.

  I supposed I was still freaking out a little when I got to work Monday morning, because as soon as I walked into the lab, I started talking and couldn’t quit.

  Cai didn’t seem to mind, at least, and he didn’t mind when I did it again on Tuesday. And Wednesday.

  I couldn’t stop babbling.

  When I walked into the lab on Thursday morning, I’d promised myself that I was going to be quiet and let Cai get his work done. But then, he turned and smiled at me, and all my good intentions flew right out the window.

  It seemed that even the smoking hot Dominant who’d been filling my dreams couldn’t change the way Cai Hunter could turn my brain into mush, and my mouth into a non-stop embarrassment.

  “Do you have any other papers you need me to look over?” I asked. “You said Dr. Edison approved the work I did.”

  “He did,” Cai said, “but no one else has asked me for any input. I appreciate you doing that for me.”

  “No problem,” I said with what I hoped was a normal-looking smile and not something from Pennywise the Dancing Clown. “I used to proof my brothers’ papers, even Simon’s. He’s three years older than me, but because I graduated early, I was only one grade behind him in school. I was better at math and science, obviously, so we actually had a few of those classes together.”

  “Are you getting homesick yet?” he asked, leaning back against his desk as if he had nothing more important to do today than to talk to me.

  I shook my head. “No. I’m actually enjoying being able to hang out with my roommate and her girlfriend, make my own schedule that isn’t dependent on whether or not I have to babysit or start dinner. Did you have to babysit a lot?”

  He shook his head. “We had a nanny.”

  More evidence that we’d had very different childhoods.

  “I have some math I’d like you to review,” he said, surprising me.

  “Me?”

  “I like to have another person go over my information rather than only relying on a computer. The work we do here is too important to risk human or machine error.”

  He was right. I was here to work, not to get close to him.

  * * *

  I was still adjusting to life in the South, but I wasn’t even close to regretting my decision to move. I was loving work, even with Pansy Kemyss being a pain in my ass. There was always at least one in every workplace, right? Even if you were doing your dream job. That obnoxious co-worker who kept things from being too good.

  I would say that I didn’t know what her problem was, but I was pretty sure I did know. It was completely misguided, of course, but it also wasn’t anything under my control, so all I could do was wait it out until she realized that there was nothing going on between Cai and me. It could’ve been some sort of professional jealousy, since even though I was technically an intern, I was able to do more of the work than she could, but I saw the way she changed every time she looked at Cai. She had it bad, and I doubted he even noticed. If she hadn’t been so petty with me, I would’ve felt bad for her.

  It was only Thursday afternoon, but I was already looking forward to the weekend. Part of me was even considering talking Codie and Dorly into taking me back to the club, but I knew that would just end badly. I’d either find the same guy, and he wouldn’t want to be with me again, or I’d find another guy, and he’d be a disappointment. Better to just be happy with what I had and focus on work.

  Still, not having to put up with Pansy for two wonderful days was reason enough to look forward to the weekend. Even if it also meant I didn’t get to see Cai.

  Speaking of Dr. Hunter…

  His expression was serious as he came into the break room. “Are you in the middle of something?”

  I shook my head. “Just getting something to drink. Do you want anything?”

  Idiot. He was standing right here. If he wanted something, he’d get it himself. He wasn’t one of those people who thought they had to be waited on hand and foot because they were so much smarter than everyone else.

  “Dr. Fenster just came to see me.”

  Dr. Fenster? The head of the CDC? Shit. Had I done something that wrong that the head of the center was here to fire me? Or was I reading too much into this and it wasn’t about me at all?

  “There’s an outbreak in Pecan Grove, Texas. You have an hour to go home, pack what you’ll need for a few days, and then get back here.”

  I had to have misunderstood him. He couldn’t have meant I was going with him. “What?”

  “Dr. Fenster told me to pick a couple people to bring with me as part of my team. There’s a possible chemical aspect, so Pansy’s going, but I want you coming as my number two. We’re flying out in ninety minutes, so we can begin the initial investigation. The rest of the team is in Massachusetts and will be flying down later this evening.”

  Without another word, he turned around and walked out, leaving me staring after him, speechless.

  The paralysis lasted nearly a full thirty seconds before my brain kicked in, and I went for my purse. In theory, I’d known this was possible. I was an intern, true, but I was almost a doctor myself, and I’d been assigned to a specific scientist, and if he was called to the field, then I could be expected to go with him.

  I just hadn’t expected it within my first two weeks.

  My mind was racing as I hurried outside, the thoughts chasing each other. I should’ve had a go-bag already prepared. What should I put in a go-bag? The basics were obvious. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. I should’ve kept travel sizes on hand. Dorly might have
some, but if she didn’t, I could take a risk and hope the hotel would have them. Except, I didn’t know if we’d be in a hotel. Texas wasn’t a third-world country, but I wasn’t deluded about the conditions we might encounter. There was a high probability that I could end up sleeping on chairs or a cot; if I slept at all.

  Still. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. Those would work just as well in a public bathroom as it would in a hotel. I didn’t know how many days we’d be gone, but I could wash clothes in a sink if necessary, so one pair to wear, one to change into.

  I was still making my mental list when I arrived at the apartment.

  “Is something wrong?” Dorly asked, concern on her face. “You’re back early.”

  I shook my head, rushing past her into my bedroom. I shouted over my shoulder, “I’ve got to pack!”

  “Pack?” Codie appeared in the doorway. “Where are you going?”

  “Texas.” I pulled my suitcase out of my closet and set it on my bed.

  “Slow down, Addison.” Dorly came inside. “What are you doing?”

  I stopped, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She was right. I needed to slow down. If I kept going at this rate, I’d end up packing six pairs of shoes and my deodorant but forgetting everything else.

  Deodorant.

  That had to be on my go-bag list for the future.

  I needed to make a list.

  Not now though. Now, I needed to pack because I didn’t have much time before I needed to get back.

  “There’s a possible epidemic in Texas,” I said. “The CDC is sending out a team, and I’m going.”

  Dorly’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “They’re sending an intern with two weeks of experience into the field to handle an epidemic?”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like they’re sending me out to the deepest darkest jungle with a first-aid kit and a flashlight. There’s three of us going out in about an hour. I’ll only be helping with initial investigation before the remainder of the team gets there.”

  “Would your hot doctor be one of the ones going?” Codie asked with a smile.

  I glared at her as I stuffed a couple pairs of panties and bras into my bag. “I don’t have a hot doctor, Codie. But if you’re asking if Dr. Hunter is going to Texas, yes, he is. That’s why I’m going.” I pointed at her before she could speak. “Because he’s my supervisor. That’s all.”

  And that was what I reminded myself as I finished packing a few more necessities. This was a business trip. Nothing else.

  Thirteen

  Cai

  I was impressed with how quickly Addison returned, and how frugally she’d packed. Most of us, on our first time out, tended to over-pack, preparing for any contingency.

  “Dammit!” A harsh curse came from the front door, and I looked over to see Pansy struggling with a massive suitcase as well as a shoulder bag that was almost the same size as mine.

  “Did I under-pack?” Addison asked from behind me. “I wasn’t sure if there was anything outside the basics I should bring. I can go get my laptop from the lab. Files, books, anything else you think we might need.”

  I held up a hand before she could start babbling again. “A laptop is a good idea, since you’ll want to be able to take notes about anything we find. But we usually encourage whoever is first on site to pack light since they never know what they’re getting into. If you’ve forgotten something, we let the incoming doctors know, and they’ll bring it.”

  She nodded, eyes wide. She didn’t look nervous though. At least, that didn’t appear to be the primary emotion she was feeling. She looked…excited.

  “Will this be your first time in Texas?”

  Why couldn’t I stop talking to her?

  “I’ve never been anywhere except Minnesota and here,” she said. “And not much more than around Minneapolis.”

  “Minneapolis? Who in the world would want to go to Minneapolis?” Pansy said breathlessly as she plopped her bags down next to Addison.

  I intervened before Addison could respond, or Pansy could say something worse. “The pilot called a few minutes ago to say that they were almost done refueling. The car to the airfield will be here soon.”

  “Where, exactly, are we going in Texas?” Pansy asked. “Austin? Dallas?”

  “Pecan Grove,” Addison answered.

  At least one of them had been listening.

  “How long are we going to be there?” Pansy put her hand on my arm, and I turned to look at her. “I’m just asking because I remember when we were in Seattle two years ago, we thought we were only going for three days, but we had to stay for five days, and my pet-sitter charged me overtime.”

  “You know that we won’t know anything until we actually get on site.” I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice, but it wasn’t easy. Pansy had been here for as long as I had. She’d been at half a dozen sites herself, and we never knew anything for certain until we could assess the scene ourselves.

  I remembered the case that she was talking about, as well as her behavior when she realized we’d be staying longer than she’d anticipated. She’d been furious, ranting at anyone who would listen that she couldn’t stay in Seattle because she had to get home. She had plans and responsibilities. And I was the one she’d come to about all of it, even though I hadn’t been running point on it.

  I’d been ready to send her back just to get her away from me.

  I really hoped this wouldn’t be a repeat.

  * * *

  Three people were waiting outside the Texas hospital when we got there. A short, harried-looking woman in a business suit, an African-American man in scrubs, and a pretty, tired-looking woman. Their expressions when we came toward them told me that they were the ones who’d been dealing with the patients so far. Their faces lit up with the sort of hope that always made me a little anxious. It reminded me too much of the way Slade and Blake had looked at me when we were little, and before our parents died.

  Like I could do anything.

  That changed after the accident. I didn’t know if it was because my brothers no longer believed in me, or because I no longer believed.

  “Hi, I’m Dr. Hunter.” I held out my hand, and the woman in the suit shook it.

  “I’m Isis Bairstow, head of St. Mary’s. This is Dr. Neilsen Hoskins. He’s been working on this since the beginning.” She gestured to the other woman. “And Nurse Diaz was here when the first patients were brought in.”

  “This is Addison Kilar and Pansy Kemyss, two members of my assessment team.” I gestured to both women. “Why don’t you get us up to speed and show us where we can set up?”

  “Very well,” Ms. Bairstow said. “Follow me. We’ll talk as we walk.”

  Efficient. I liked that.

  “Dr. Hoskins, do you want to explain?”

  “Go ahead,” the doctor said. “I’ll speak up if I think you’ve missed anything.”

  “Three days ago, four men came into the ER with ulcers on their hands and wrists, as well as irritated, inflamed eyes and swollen lymph nodes. They were admitted for observation. The next morning, three women and two children came in with sore throats, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis, and swollen lymph nodes, as well as a cough. When we discovered that the five new patients were related to the original four, we suspected something transmittable and quarantined them together. Three of the patients began having breathing issues by that night.”

  “We did blood work, but we’re still waiting for results for anything more exotic than the basics,” Dr. Hoskins said.

  I raised an eyebrow. “After four days?”

  “Our lab’s had some issues as of late, and it takes forever to get anything back,” Nurse Diaz put in.

  “Last night is when things started to get bad,” Ms. Bairstow said. “A group of six kids were brought in with coughs, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. One of the boys happened to be related to the families in quarantine, which made us believe that all the cases are related. The men w
ith the ulcers have been having issues breathing today.”

  “I don’t think they have much time left,” Dr. Hoskins said.

  Ms. Bairstow pointed. “We’re going to the top floor.”

  As we crowded into the elevator, Pansy took the silence as an opportunity to start asking the questions that had apparently been forefront in her mind.

  “Where are we going to put our luggage? I don’t want anything to get lost or stolen. That reminds me, who’s going to be taking our things to the hotel? I want to get a name so if anything’s missing, I’ll know who to talk to. And I need a ground floor room with a handicapped bathroom. I can’t handle those little ones.”

  “Pansy.” I didn’t yell, but my voice was sharper than usual. “Let’s focus on the patients rather than our suitcases.”

  She gave me the same look she gave whenever I was forced to reprimand her. On the surface, she appeared hurt, but I could see something…meaner underneath. Something I’d begun recognizing a lot more since Addison had joined the CDC.

  “This is our floor,” Ms. Bairstow said. She stepped out first and waited for the rest of us to join her before starting down the corridor at a brisk pace. When we neared the end, she stopped and pushed open a door to the right. “You can use this as your lab. We don’t really have equipment, but there’s space in here.”

  “We have our own,” I said. “We’ll need all of the charts, x-rays, results of any tests you’ve run.”

  “Already ahead of you,” Dr. Hoskins said. “They’re lined up in the order we saw the patients.”

  I set down my bag next to one of the chairs and saw Addison do the same. Pansy claimed the couch but didn’t say anything. None of us did because before anyone could, Nurse Diaz collapsed.

  Fourteen