by Bianca D’Arc
They intrigued her on every level. Her inner bear had sat up and taken careful note of both of them, which was odd. As far as she could tell, neither one was magical, though they did have an odd feel about them at certain times. Nothing unpleasant, but definitely something she’d never encountered before.
As for their scents… They were…alluring. Captivating. Each man in his own way. She didn’t understand it. They were human. Big men. Athletes who took care of themselves and their bodies. They were handsome and attractive on a physical level, but something about them—both of them—made her want to know more.
They smelled special. Almost… No. She was being ridiculous. They were human, and there was no way she could be scenting a potential mate in a non-magical man. No way. It just didn’t work like that. And definitely not both of them at the same time.
Yet each man’s scent captivated her in some way. She had no idea what it all meant, but she was powerless to resist getting to know more about them. It was her job, after all.
She had until sunset every day of this trip to learn all she could to report back to Hiram. After the sun went down and he really went to work, she’d be his arm-candy. She would attend the poker games and stay near his side as his date. She’d agreed to that, though right now, with two handsome men on offer, she almost regretted it.
Still, nothing could come of her attraction to Jeff or Marlon. They weren’t her targets here. They were human. Nothing special. Even if they did smell like she wanted to know their every last secret…
When Maya came down the grand staircase in her evening duds, Marlon had to catch his breath. She’d been stunning in her conservative bathing suit, but she was even more breathtaking dressed up to the nines in a silk gown of soft pearly gray that shimmered and clung to her luscious curves. The silvery sheen of the silk brought out the golden highlights of her long hair.
“Whoa, momma,” Jeff commented under his breath. Marlon noted the little smile that came to her lips, almost as if she’d heard what his partner had said and was amused by it. She could probably readily see the tongues hanging out of their heads as they watched her approach.
Marlon stepped forward, offering his arm. “You look radiant, Maya,” he murmured, wishing he had the right to drop a kiss on her cheek…or her lips.
But, no. She was here with Abernathy. That had to mean something was going on between them. Either that, or she was some sort of corporate spy. Either way, he and Jeff had to tread carefully.
Maya put her hand on his arm, and he felt that peculiar tingle where they touched. He tried not to let it get to him, but there was definitely something special about this woman. She pushed every last one of his buttons in the most delightful way.
After exchanging greetings, Marlon escorted her into the dining room, Jeff following behind. They’d made reservations, and the maitre d’ ushered them to a square table with four chairs where one of the place settings had been removed. Marlon seated Maya politely then took his place on her left. Jeff was on her right.
“Did you see the way she nodded to Pepard and Kinkaid as we walked in?” Jeff asked Marlon telepathically.
“Missed it. Prior acquaintance, you think?”
“More like knowing nods. Respectful. Not lascivious. Pepard is sitting with his new bride, and Kinkaid has a little brunette with him,” Jeff reported.
Even though they hadn’t actually met all the guests at this thing, the pre-mission briefing had included background files and photos of those likely to be present. Marlon looked around and made note of several familiar faces he’d studied in those photos.
“Pepard’s got Nick Balam at his table, and that actress he married. I’ve actually met Nick a few times. Possible contact there to get to Pepard,” Marlon told Jeff.
“Quite the turnout, don’t you think?” Jeff asked Maya casually, making conversation. “Do you know all these people?”
Maya chuckled lightly. “Hardly. I’ve met one or two of them, here and there, but I don’t usually run in these sorts of circles. I’m hoping to get a little exposure for my designs, though.” She touched the elaborate necklace that perfectly complemented the gray silk she was wearing. It was an organic assembly of gold and gray pearls in varying shades, with matching drop earrings. “That’s what I do. I’m a jewelry designer. I have a little shop in Washington state, but I want to open up a mail order business for elite clients.”
“Aiming high,” Marlon commented, nodding with respect.
“It’s the only way. I’m a gold smith, and I make everything by hand. With the price of materials and the labor involved, my retail pricing has to be kind of high,” she said, cringing a little. “I have to go where the people can afford to pay for that kind of thing.”
“I wasn’t criticizing, merely applauding your ambition,” Marlon clarified. The last thing he wanted to do was insult her.
She sent him a somewhat relieved smile. “Sorry. I’m a little touchy about the whole thing because I really came here to accompany Hiram, but he’s fine with me trying to get my own business off the ground at the same time. I just feel guilty. As if I’m double-dipping, somehow.”
That sounded odd to Marlon, but he let it pass. How could she be double-dipping… Unless… Was Hiram paying her for her time? No way. She didn’t look like a call girl. Didn’t act like one, either.
“I think we’re going to have to get some outside intel on this woman, if at all possible,” Marlon sent to Jeff. “Something about her just doesn’t add up.”
“Give us a chance, buddy. I’m sure we can figure her out on our own. Let’s not call in the big guns unless we have to. There’s a lot more surveillance here than we expected. Going outside to call for information could expose us.”
Marlon didn’t like it, but he knew his partner was right. He gave Jeff an imperceptible nod as they kept the small talk going with Maya. She was telling them about her ambitions for her mail order business when someone came over to their table. They all looked up at the newcomer. It was Nick Balam, Mark Pepard’s long-time associate. The two men were thick as thieves and were often seen together.
“I thought that was you, Parkhurst,” he said, holding out his beefy hand for a quick shake.
Marlon stood and exchanged polite greetings, then turned to introduce the others. “This is Maya Marshall,” he said, indicating Maya, who nodded at the other man, “and my long-time friend and rival, Jeff Shera, out of Oklahoma.”
“Ah.” Nick nodded knowingly. Of all the men present tonight, Nick was the only one Marlon feared might know more about his background than was good for the mission. Nick looked at Jeff for a moment, his gaze narrowing a bit before he turned to Maya. “Do you have a brother named John?” he asked rather bluntly. “Big bear of a man, recently retired from the military?”
Maya nodded. “That, I do,” she agreed readily.
Marlon’s head was spinning. John Marshall was her brother? Now, there could easily be more than one John Marshall who had just retired from the military, but the odds were against it.
“Maya is Big John’s sister?” Marlon asked Jeff.
“Guess so.” Jeff didn’t shrug, but Marlon heard the tone in his thoughts. “That puts a slightly different perspective on everything, doesn’t it?”
“Well, I hope you’ll join us for a drink after dinner,” Nick concluded, issuing just the sort of invitation Marlon and his partner were here to intercept.
“I’d be delighted,” Maya answered first, “but it depends on what time. I have to meet Hiram at sunset.”
Nick’s gaze sharpened. “You’re here with Abernathy?” he asked. Maya nodded, and Nick tilted his head, seeming to consider the new information. “Bring him along. I know Mark was looking forward to making his acquaintance.”
Maya beamed. “I’ll tell him. Shall we say…eight o’clock? He should be finished with business by then. We could all meet in the library.” She included Jeff and Marlon in her invitation, though the complexion of the proposed gathering had just c
hanged markedly, with the addition of the wildcard—the reclusive Hiram Abernathy.
Marlon and Jeff nodded their agreement. “Poker starts at nine,” Jeff reminded them. “Marlon and I are down for the first round.”
“So are Mark and I,” Nick replied easily.
The men exchanged handshakes again, as Nick said farewell and went back to his table. Jeff sat back down, but watched him go. “Now, that was interesting,” he commented, turning his attention to Maya. “Your brother must be famous.” It was a rather obvious attempt to elicit information, but Maya didn’t seem to take it amiss.
She sipped her water and nodded. “In certain military circles, I guess he is. But he’s always just been my stinker of a brother, you know?” She smiled, and they grinned in return.
“Should we tell her?” Jeff asked Marlon privately.
“Not yet. And not here. There’s surveillance everywhere in this room. I doubt it’s possible to have a private conversation anywhere on the first floor of this building. We might have better luck in the library, if we take a few precautions. But we can give her the general information that everyone knows about us. That wouldn’t hurt.”
“You know, both Marlon and I served,” Jeff told her. She didn’t seem all that surprised.
She nodded at them. “You have the look,” she replied. “Johnny retired a few years ago, but he’d built a sort of band of brothers around himself, and they all retired around the same time. They made this crazy plan to buy property in the same area and form a little community where they could putter around and pursue common interests away from what they call civilians.” She chuckled in that warm way of hers, inviting them to do the same.
“I think I’ve heard about this. Washington state, you said?” Marlon pretended to think. “It can’t be that group of vets who started a little community called Grizzly Cove, can it? Your brother is that John Marshall?”
Maya nodded. “One and the same,” she agreed. “I live there now, too. It’s become quite the little community, full of galleries and shops. It’s actually an artists’ colony, of sorts, and some of the men have earned quite a reputation for their creations.”
Maya sounded justifiably proud of the town, Marlon thought. But she probably didn’t realize that many in the Spec Ops community were keeping an eye on her brother and the special operators he’d gathered around him. The town of Grizzly Cove was well known as a potential hot spot. A place where the supposedly retired soldiers might go active again, at any time. Or so the brass feared.
The waiter arrived with the meals they had ordered earlier, and conversation was put on hold for the moment. Once they had been served, the talk turned to lighter topics. The men complimented Maya’s eye for design, and though they tried to elicit more information about Hiram Abernathy, she managed to fob them off at every turn. Eventually, they subsided with their questions, lest they start to look suspicious. They would meet him after dinner, after all. They could make their own observations of the man then.
They parted after the early seating, and the men went to prowl around the common rooms some more while Maya went to rendezvous with Abernathy. Marlon wasn’t pleased to see her leave to go to the other man, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He had no right to even think about doing anything about it. And that’s just the way it was.
Maya enjoyed dining with the two men. Jeff and Marlon intrigued her on many levels. What she felt for them, as she got to know them, confused her in many ways, but on the most basic level, she couldn’t deny that she was attracted to them. Her inner bear wanted to roll around in their scents. Both of them. It didn’t make sense.
Jeff, slightly taller and leaner than Marlon, had sandy hair and intense blue eyes. Marlon, the bulkier of the two, was massive, but also moved like a stalking panther. If she didn’t know he was one hundred percent human, she might’ve thought he belonged to Pepard’s jaguar Clan. He had brown hair, which he kept short, with natural gold highlights just peeking through here and there, and the warmest brown eyes she’d ever seen outside of her own species.
But she was here to do a job, not lust after human men. She’d already made the first contact Hiram had wanted, without even having to make an effort. Hiram would be pleased by the opportunity to meet two powerful and reclusive jaguar shifters. The jaguar people had gone through hard times as their main habitats all over South America were overrun by humans—drug traffickers, farmers growing drug crops for the big cartels, and plain old civil unrest. The wild places the jaguars favored had dwindled, and the independent cats had often tried to defend their land, and their way of life, to their detriment. So many had been killed before Pepard became Alpha of the somewhat scattered Clan.
Pepard was changing everything. He had purchased a tropical island that, if rumors were to be believed, he was turning into a fortress. A place where the jaguar people could live in freedom and privacy, and begin to recoup their losses.
Maya contemplated the idea as she walked, alone, up the stairs. She’d left her dinner companions behind. It was time to get to work.
When she entered the suite where Hiram had been sleeping most of the day, it was dark, but she could hear activity in the connecting rooms. Hiram had a large section of the top floor of the mansion. The modifications Hiram had asked for in the oversized suite had been made while he slept the day away, she saw. Hiram and his entourage had brought things with them—cleverly hidden in their suitcases—to block out all sunlight and secure the entire penthouse against eavesdropping from above, below, inside the mansion, or outside via drones or what have you. They’d come prepared for every contingency.
Maya had helped Spencer sniff out the electronic surveillance, and had also checked the place over using her magical senses. As a bear shifter, she was more attuned to magic than most other shifters. She hadn’t been able to sense anything in the mansion, or on the grounds. This place seemed to be a wholly human endeavor. No magic—rogue or otherwise—involved.
Maya made herself comfortable in the main room, knowing Hiram would come out of the safe room—his bedroom—when he was ready. She kicked off her shoes and sat on one of the comfy couches, observing the changes Hiram’s people had made since she’d left the suite earlier in the day. There was a complete office set up in one corner. The small dining table that could seat six people now bloomed with electronics. A printer-copier-fax machine, plus several monitors and computer keyboards sat side-by-side. A smaller table held paper and hardcopy print outs. Someone had clearly been busy at work while Hiram had slept.
He had good people overseeing his affairs. People he trusted. Families that had been with him for generations, who guarded his secret. He took care of his own, and they respected—even loved—him for it. Maya knew no one could buy the kind of loyalty Hiram seemed to inspire in those he allowed into his inner circle.
Hiram knew, as well, that although Maya was working for him, right now, she would be reporting what she had learned about him back to her brother in Grizzly Cove. They were allies, though the alliance was still new. Maya figured, at this point, she had nothing but good impressions to relate to Johnny.
The inner door opened, and the man himself appeared. “Ah, Maya, you look radiant in that gray silk. As you can see, I’m wearing the matching ensemble the brilliant Maximilian chose to complement it. I’d truly be lost without him, sometimes.”
Hiram was old school. His flowery manners were from another time. Old fashioned, but charming, just like the man himself. She didn’t quite know exactly how old he was, but Johnny and his friends speculated that Hiram was downright ancient. She couldn’t ask, of course. That would be rude in the extreme, and she liked the guy. She didn’t want to insult him.
CHAPTER FOUR
“It’s very handsome,” she complimented him. “I think you’ll be pleased with my progress. Nick Balam approached me at dinner. Mark Pepard and his mate, Shelly, plus Nick and his mate, the movie star, Sullivan Lane, want to meet with you over drinks at eight in the library.”
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“Excellent,” Hiram approved. “I knew having you along would make this so much easier. Thank you, my dear.”
“I should warn you,” she went on, “there will also be two human men present. They were my dinner companions, and when Nick issued the invitation, there was no polite way to exclude them. However, I believe them to be discreet, and I can always monopolize their attention while you meet with the others.”
Hiram looked pensive. “Who are these two men, exactly?”
“Jeff Shera, from Oklahoma. His family is in cattle and has been for several generations. They own a lot of land in the panhandle and are invested in multiple aspects related to cattle and meat production. Have you ever heard of Shera’s Meats?”
“I’ve seen that name on some contracts recently. For Flambeau’s restaurant in Grizzly Cove, if I’m not mistaken,” Hiram said, tilting his head as if trying to remember.
“Exactly,” Maya said, smiling. “They supply Zak Flambeau with beef and bison, among other things. Top quality stuff.”
Hiram nodded. “And the other man?”
“Jeff’s friend, a Texan named Marlon Parkhurst. His family is in the oil and gas business. Both men served in the military—and might still be active. I could call Johnny and ask, but they both had heard of my brother. They’d even heard about Grizzly Cove, which kind of surprised me. As far as I know, only other guys in Special Forces knew or cared what happened to my brother and his unit after they retired. Also, I met Jeff in the pool this afternoon, and he referred to me as his swim buddy. I think that’s what Navy SEALs call their partners in training.”
“So, you’re thinking they’re also Special Forces?” Hiram asked. He was no fool. He hadn’t gotten to be an ancient by missing obvious clues to what could prove to be a threat to his safety.