by Haley Weir
“Then I lie and say that I overacted about what happened in Washington. He gets to keep bragging rights, but we put the feud behind us.”
“I wish you would have told me that our date was based on a bet you made with one of my friends,” Dr. McKinney snapped. Sapphire laughed bitterly and poked him in the center of his chest, trying to ignore the energy that crackled between them.
“I wish you would have told me that you were a bear and that I was your mate! I wish you would have told me what really happened the night I fell and that you spent Christmas Eve taking care of me, that you’ve taken care of me ever since it happened.”
“It…was complicated.”
“Why? Because of the feud?” Sapphire inquired. “Because if that’s the reason you’ve been avoiding me and lying to me since I came to Haden Springs, then it isn’t worth it. I like you, Dr. McKinney. But if me nearly being trampled to death by an angry group of protesters is too much for you to handle, then—”
“Whoa! Slow down. What are you talking about? What protest?”
“He didn’t tell you?” she snorted. “Of course he didn’t. The reason Michael Adair despises me is because I had the audacity to walk across the street. He wasn’t paying attention to the protest outside the White House and he ran me down without a care of who he could have hurt. If Brock hadn’t been there to pull me up, I would have been trampled. When I confronted him, he belittled me and made light of the situation.”
“That can’t be the entire story.”
“You can ask Brock if you don’t believe me,” Sapphire said with a shrug. “When he realized that he couldn’t write a check and make it all go away, he started antagonizing me until I hated the sight of him. It nearly ended my friendship with Brock.”
“No, I believe you. It’s just hard to associate the Michael I know now with the man he was back then,” Dr. McKinney said in awe.
“All I ever asked for was an apology.” She pointed to the bag beside the door. “Shall we? Or do you have something else you want to talk about?” Sapphire liked that she had bared everything to him. There were no secrets left aside from ones from her past that were too painful to speak of.
“I…ugh…my plan was to put on the gloves and do some sparring. Brock said you could fight, so I thought you might be interested in something like that.”
“Here I thought you were trying to get me skinny,” she chuckled. “Yeah, my stepfather was a police officer when I was growing up, so he made sure that I knew how.”
“I box for sport, but I’m not really a violent person.”
Sapphire didn’t mention the shadows that lingered in his eyes. She knew what a person looked like when they relived the horrors of their past in the back of their mind. Her smile returned, forced though it might have been, and she reached for the gloves offered to her. “Is that a hobby you just picked up randomly?”
“You might think it’s cheesy, but I was a big fan of the Rocky movies.”
“It’s not cheesy,” she insisted. They strapped on their headgear and gloves. Sapphire bounced like the boxers she had seen in the movies and Dr. McKinney finally smiled. Sapphire had to look down at the mats to keep from blushing and drooling all over herself. “Yeah, let’s…see what you’ve got.”
***
Anders didn’t know how someone so clumsy just walking a straight line could be graceful in a fight. Sapphire was a very skilled fighter and matched him on every level aside from those enhanced by his unique abilities. There were times when he stopped fighting just to watch her move. Anders took a cheap shot and floored Sapphire. They grappled on the ground, but he smelled something that made his body hyper aware of the woman beneath him. “Are you…aroused?”
Her cheeks flamed and she shoved the center of his chest. “No.”
Anders’ lips curled upwards into a cocky grin. “You are.”
Sapphire crawled out from under him and removed her gloves and headgear. Sweat dampened her hair and dripped down the bridge of her nose. “Why do you have to look like that? It isn’t fair that you get to look like a model even after getting a workout in. I should have known you weren’t entirely human. No human could be that perfect.” She threw the gear onto the mat and used a towel to wipe away the sweat.
“You aren’t the only one affected by this,” he mentioned. Anders looked down at his body and saw the telltale sign of his arousal. Sapphire’s blush deepened as she forced her gaze away. He turned his back so they both get their bodies under control.
“Why are you attracted to me?”
“What?” Anders asked, looking over his shoulder at his date. “I thought it would be obvious. It’s clear that you are a very beautiful woman and…” His words trailed off as he caught sight of her midriff. Sapphire lifted her shirt to feel the cool breeze from the oscillating fan on her skin, giving him a tantalizing view.
Sapphire caught him looking and gripped the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head. Anders bit down on his tongue to keep from moaning. She adjusted the straps of her sports bra and bent over at the waist to stretch. Her hands hit the floor effortlessly and he coughed raggedly into the crook of his elbow. “Yoga,” she said as if it explained everything. The brief statement only added to the fantasies that already existed of her in his mind. Sapphire straightened up and then lowered herself into a perfect split.
He knew her intentions were to goad him, but he fell into the trap willingly. “Yoga? That’s what you’ve been doing for physical therapy to build your strength back up, right? I can see that it’s…doing wonderful things for your flexibility.”
Her smile was infectious. “I’m plus sized because I love food, not because I’m inactive. Maybe I can show you some of my exercises.”
Flirting with Sapphire White was dangerous and laced with suggestive challenges. But Anders didn’t want to be cautious anymore. If Sapphire was his key to letting go of his past and living a new adventure, then he would let her take him there. “I’m sure I can come up with a few ways to help you work up a sweat. It’s good to get the more sensitive muscles fired up as well.”
Instead of backing down from his shameless teasing, Sapphire met him head on. “Those sensitive muscles might be inexperienced, but they’ve been warmed up enough to handle whatever exercises you have in mind.” Her victorious wink caused his heart to skip a beat. Knowing he had been thoroughly trumped in the art of banter, Anders chose to take a more physical approach to the flirting.
He moved close enough so that she could catch his scent and watched her pupils dilate. Anders followed Sapphire’s lead and removed his shirt. The satisfied smirk that appeared on his face was amplified by the sound of her breath catching. He bent down and surprised her by lifting her luscious body into his arms. Feeling her bare skin against his abdomen was enough to make goosebumps appear on his flesh.
Sapphire rose to the challenge and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her lips ghosted against his until he felt breathless. “We aren’t very good at this…”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “This feels very good.”
“I mean taking things slow..”
Anders gripped Sapphire’s bottom with both of his large hands and licked her lips, trying to tempt her into kissing him. “We’ve taken things slow enough. I’ve denied my attraction to you for years. I’m tired of running from it. Traditional courtship has no place in the space we exist because you were created for me.”
Sapphire closed the gap between them finally and Anders was sure she had tasted the desperation on his lips. He spun and pushed her back against the wall. Nails lightly scraped down his spine and Anders kissed down Sapphire’s neck and throat. She moaned quietly and caressed the muscles of his arms. Even when he tried to pull away, she tugged him closer and stole the air he tried to breathe.
He had expected Sapphire to show more hesitation or to fumble, but there was something animalistic about the surge in her desire. She clung to him like ivy as her hands continued to roam his body. “Wait…wai
t,” he gasped weakly. “We have reservations for dinner. Let’s…oh god.”
“I don’t know what to do,” she replied. “I’ve never felt like this before. It’s like you’ve awakened a part of me I never knew existed.”
“If you get any better at this, I’m afraid I’ll spontaneously combust.” He grasped her hips to still her movement and tried to catch his breath. “I want us to do this the right way. You might not even want to take this step with me and I would hate for you to regret anything that happens between us.”
CHAPTER TEN
Michael Adair stared out the window of his office looking down upon the town of Haden Springs, Wyoming with sadness lingering in his heart. If his plan to thwart the hunters’ progress failed, everything he had built here would crumble to the ground. The survival of his friends and their newfound mates depended on his success. He tossed back the rest of the bourbon in his glass and strolled over to the desk.
Lori’s voice came over the speaker. “Mr. Adair, you’re twelve o’clock is here.”
“Send him in,” he said impassively. Michael watched the light on the elevator until the doors opened to reveal the man who had tormented Haden Springs for the past two years. He stepped around the desk and offered his hand. “Corey Reed, thank you for reaching out. We have quite a lot to discuss.”
“I’m not an uncultured poacher. I can be civil when I want to be.” They shook hands and took their seats, but there was an unmistakable animosity in the air. Michael offered Corey a drink, but the soldier turned it down before reaching into his belt and retrieving a flask. “Distrust sort of comes with the territory.”
“Let’s get down to it, then. What I disclose here will be nothing but the truth and I ask for your candor in return,” Michael proposed. “As you know, it was my brother, Brock, that contacted the conspiracy channel. He provided photos and videos of himself shifting. Now, what I don’t understand is how you convinced him to disclose our location. Was it money? Promise of protection from the government?”
“It’s not as simple as money or protection. In fact, he asked for something only my employer can promise.”
“Hydra.” Michael watched Corey for a reaction, but he gave nothing away. The super soldier didn’t confirm nor deny the information that Michael had found through his network of connections. “This employer, whomever they may be: what can they provide that my brother needed to go through you to get?”
“The only thing your brother asked for was answers. My employer has studied abominations like you for a long time. He knows exactly what you are and where your kind originated,” Corey responded. “You aren’t the only ones. There are shifters and skin-walkers all over this country.”
“You’re talking about Sector A, right? The facility that conducted barbaric experiments in Nevada?” Michael once again kept his eyes thoroughly trained on Corey Reed. This time, however, there was a flash of something in his gaze.
“The facility was rebuilt not long after Anders McKinney decimated the entire site. My employer was the one who funded the project along with many upgrades. The study of abnormal human-animal amalgamations is just as prosperous as ever, thanks to his efforts. But I’m sure you and your friends will be patients there soon enough.”
“Why collect them for experimentation if they are—if we are—so dangerous? Why not just exterminate every last one?” Michael asked.
“If it were my choice, that is exactly what would happen. However, you freaks are harder to track down than you might think. Bears and jaguars are the toughest. They’re less likely to roam in packs and tend to dwell in remote areas like this.” Corey looked at Michael curiously. “You don’t seem as ignorant about these things as the others are. Perhaps I underestimated you.”
“My friends like to think of themselves as men who can turn into beasts. I guess I agree with you in the sense that I, for one, consider myself a beast that wears the face of a man. We are freaks, abominations, and hiccups in the natural order. There’s no doubt about that,” he said. “I made peace with it long ago. And if you think that this suit or this building would keep me contained if you laid one finger on my brother, then you are sorely mistaken. Brock is off limits.”
“You’re too controlled to rampage. I’ve never met a shifter like you, one that can blur the lines so delicately. I saw you in the forest. You had all of the strength of your bear...the claws, the fury, and the instinct. But you were present. Michael Adair was still in control of the animal,” Corey uttered. “Miraculous. And something I’m sure my employer will be very happy to hear.”
“What do you get out of this? Money?”
“What I get for doing my job isn’t important,” the super soldier said dismissively. “What I want in compensation for the death of one of my people is what I came here for.”
“You mean the madwoman who burned down a house while she was still inside? Sorry to break it to you, Commander Reed, but there’s some forms of stupid even I
can’t make disappear. Her death was no one's fault but her own.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
“How so?” Michael scuffed.
“She might have gotten carried away, but Vanessa was driven by fear.”
Michael stood up and refilled his glass. “I asked for your candor. If you insist on playing this tedious game, then I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“Vanessa worked for Sector A. She was there the same time Anders McKinney was held at the facility. Before she died, Vanessa told me that she saw everything and chose not to act.” Corey stood up to match Michael’s impressive height. “It wasn’t until a few days ago that I learned that she was the one who locked Nora Burk out of the emergency bunker.”
“And this is a woman you mourn?” Michael growled.
“I didn’t say that I mourned Vanessa. I only said that I want compensation for her death.” A sly smile formed on the mouth of Commander Corey Reed. “When I capture one of your people, no matter who it is…you cannot save them.”
“Or what?”
“Or this entire town gets obliterated,” the man said simply. “I will trigger the rampage in all of your little friends until they slaughter the people of Haden Springs just like Anders McKinney did to the doctors and the soldiers at the facility.”
***
Candlelight danced in the reflection of his eyes. Anders became animated as he told her the story of his first crush. Sapphire listened intently, but the scent of his soap was distracting. The corner of his mouth twitched and Sapphire knew she had been caught staring. She reached for her glass and took a sip of the chilled white wine. “I’m sorry. You smell really nice,” Sapphire muttered, her tongue a loosened a bit by the drink in her hand.
“Don’t apologize. I like knowing that you find me desirable.”
“Are you kidding?” she blurted. “Everyone around here talks about how Dorian has movie star looks, but they’re insane. Clearly, you body-snatched a Greek God or something. I can barely keep my eyes off of you.”
Anders’ laughter was quiet but his shoulders shook with mirth. “You are a rare find, Sapphire White. And I’m the one who should apologize. After all, I let something stupid get in the way of us being happy.”
“So, what happens next?”
“I’m going to tell Michael that you were my date that night and that you’re my mate...though I think part of him already suspected as much. Brock might take some time to come around to the idea of the two of us together, but we already have the support of Dorian and Jenny.”
Sapphire blushed at the mention of a relationship. She took another sip and changed the subject. “Did Dorian and Jenny ever discuss the audio file that the hunters sent Michael? It sounded pretty bad on her end. I feel so bad for Dor, having to hear it.”
“I’m not sure, but I’ve been meaning to ask Dorian about it. He says it doesn’t change how he feels about her, that Jenny said those things to stay alive and to get information out of Corey.” Anders leaned forward and sw
iped a drop of wine from her bottom lip before sucking it off his finger. “At least we know there are mines all over the forest. It’ll be hard to keep an eye on their movement.”
“And what about Jenny? She’s the only one who knows how to navigate the path. Could we send her in and use her as a double agent?” Sapphire suggested. Anders’ eyes widened dramatically.
“You want to use her as bait?”
“No, I want to use her as a spy,” she said around a bite of chicken. “Wasn’t that what you, Michael, and Brock were suggesting in the first place?”
“It is. Which is why I don’t think Dorian has spoken to her about it yet. Jenny might volunteer to go if he says anything and he’s scared of losing her.”
Sapphire nibbled on a piece of broccoli stuck on the end of her fork. “What about me? I remember what I saw when I was up on that ridge. I know where their camp is hidden in the mountains. If I went instead of Jenny, she wouldn’t have to worry Dorian by putting her life in danger.”
Anders gripped his knife so hard she feared the handle would break. He let it clatter onto the table and took a moment to compose himself. “Now I understand what he meant by saying we would see his perspective when we find our mates…”
“Are you trying to say that you would worry about me if I went along with the plan rather than Jenny?” Sapphire asked. “If so, it’s unnecessary. I’m not Jenny. You’ve seen me fight. I’m probably the best shot in this town, even if I despise guns. I’m more than capable of handling myself.”
“I don’t doubt your skills, Sapphire. I doubt the men on the other end of this fight. They won’t back down or show mercy if you anger them.”
“They’ve hurt people,” she snapped. Heads turned to stare at them and she lowered her tone. “It might not even come down to violence. But they attacked first, Anders. We have to open a line of communication.”
“Did Jenny tell you that Corey Reed has a fascination with you?” Anders said the name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth. “He’s a fan of your writing. Even quoted one of your pieces.”