“You also didn’t tell her there was a bounty on your head,” he said slowly. No way would his sister put a friend in danger. Nor would she send a hunted woman into Bear’s territory without at least warning him first.
“No,” Nessa whispered. “I figured it’d take a while for them to find me.”
None of this was adding up very neatly. “Lady, I’ve had it with the half-truths.” Bear needed to figure the guy out. Flanders had to have some serious clout to go after Nessa like this. “Do you want to get mated to avoid this whole issue with George?”
“It would be convenient,” she said. “However, I was considering an arranged mating for the very reason I gave to you. I want the ability to create and throw fire. This world is just too dangerous not to have that.”
“It’s dangerous because you left the safety of your home and job,” Bear shot back. “I can’t believe the Enforcers let you leave.”
“The Enforcers work for the Council,” she said helpfully. “They protect the council members and also go on missions.”
Why the hell was she giving him a civics lesson? “Your point?”
Exasperation filled her exhaled breath. “I’m not on the Council. Even when I do their work, I have protection from the Guard. They’re the police force for our people.”
The facts turned over until they made sense. His temper roared right awake. “The Guard doesn’t know you have a bounty on your head.” There was no way the Guard would have let her go, with her vast knowledge of the Council, if there was a known threat. He sighed. “You crazy-assed spoiled brat.”
She reared back. “Watch your mouth, shifter. I might not be able to throw fire, but I can fight.”
That quickly, at the derisive tone of her voice, he lost the control he’d kept on himself. He reached her in one stride, grabbing her arms and lifting her straight up. “Can you, now? Let’s see.”
She moved fast, her knee hitting him square in the gut. Air shot out of his lungs, but before he could regroup, she slammed both hands down on his shoulders in knife-blade formation. Pain ripped through his neck and arms as his nerves vibrated from the impact, and he released her.
The woman landed on her feet, pivoted, and kicked him square in the knee. He dropped fast.
She’d forgotten he was part animal. He grabbed her on the way down, flipping her onto her stomach in one smooth motion. She countered with an impressive somersault, ending up on her feet.
She kicked him in the cheek, and he rolled over onto his back with the woman standing up by his head.
He saw stars. Manacling her ankles, he pulled so hard she flew forward. Then he yanked her down.
She landed on him, and he spread his legs to keep her face from smashing into his knees. She landed on her hands and knees, her butt toward his face. Without any thought, he let instinct take over, shooting an arm between her legs to flatten on her abdomen. He shoved up and rolled, effectively forcing her onto her back next to him. Then he rolled on top of her.
Swearing an impressive litany of insults, she bucked and squirmed beneath him. Her nails raked his neck.
Pain lanced through his skin. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. With all the fighting, her sweats had ended up by her ankles. He kicked them out of the way, leaving her only in the thick sweatshirt and what looked like wild pink panties.
The woman didn’t give up. She kicked and squirmed, her eyes ablaze.
He settled more comfortably against her, letting her fight it out. The more she struggled, the calmer he became. God, she was something. Finally, she stopped moving, glaring at him. “I’m stronger,” he said mildly.
She blew a piece of hair out of her eyes, fury spinning a glorious red across her cheekbones. “At the moment, only. I’m exhausted.”
So was he. Yet he was suddenly appreciating their positions.
Her eyes widened. “You’re aroused.”
“Yep.” He shifted to the left and put his raging cock right where it wanted to be. Or rather, close to where it wanted to be. His jeans and those panties kept him out of pure heat. “So are you.”
The uptight little accountant had a few layers to her. He liked that, damn it.
She opened her mouth to deny it, to lie, and he just gave in. He took her mouth like the animal he was, hard and fierce, letting the hunger ripping through his veins free. The fight she’d just given him, the scratches on his neck, were all foreplay in his world. An invitation to take and tame.
White-hot lust coursed through him. He pushed her wrists up more, stretching her out, forcing her breasts against his chest.
She moaned deep, and her tongue swept against his as she kissed him back. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. She was the only thing in the world. The only thing he wanted. When she lifted her knees to the sides of his hips, he rocked against her.
“God,” she gasped against his lips, arching up into him.
A brisk knock on the door shocked him into awareness. Fuck. He’d totally forgotten where they were. Who they were. He jumped to his feet and took her with him.
She sagged against him for a moment and then pushed him away. “Room service.” She started toward the door, staggering a little.
He stopped her by hooking the back of her panties. The second his fingers slid past the waistband and brushed her smooth skin, he nearly came in his pants. “You’re not wearing enough. Go to your bedroom, get some clothes that’ll stay on, and I’ll open the door.” He twisted his wrist and nudged her toward the bedroom. “We’ll eat something and talk.” His body, even on fire for her, suddenly felt a thousand years old.
She obeyed him. This once. “I’ll be right back.”
Yeah. Then they really had to talk.
Chapter 9
Morning light cascaded into her sprawling bedroom, highlighting the antique oak furniture. The hotel really had put some time into perfecting the feng shui. Nessa hustled to dress casually in a pink pencil skirt with a ruffled blouse. Her earrings were small and gold, her lipstick muted, and her hair up and out of the way. After she and Bear had eaten the previous night, or rather in the morning, they’d been too tired to fight.
But after five hours of sleep, she was raring to go. If he wanted another round, she’d give it to him.
This time she’d win.
First, she had work to do. Opening her laptop, she quickly typed in a series of codes. Then she initiated a string of fail-safes that sent out signals from her computer so nobody could listen in—especially not the nosy shifter with super hearing in the other room. Soon, a handsome face came into view.
She smiled. “Morning, Jasper.”
Jasper Marks took shape on the screen from Guard headquarters. Brown hair, green eyes, hard jaw. “Nessa. I was about to send out a search party.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m fine and still in Seattle.”
“News?” the Guard lieutenant asked quietly.
“None yet.” She made the decision on the spot to keep silent about George Flanders and the kidnapping bounty he’d put on her head. This was a mission, and she didn’t need any more complications. She could handle George. “There were at least two deaths from the Apollo drug last night, and distribution seems to be flowing again.”
Jasper sighed. “Human deaths, I assume?”
“If they had been witch deaths, I would’ve already called,” she muttered.
He straightened. “Of course. I’m sorry.”
“No worries.” She straightened her posture. “I’ve infiltrated the Grizzly Motorcycle Club compound, and two of the deaths occurred there. Another human female overdosed, but I was able to save her.”
He reared back. “We’d wondered.”
“Aye.” Nessa swallowed. “Turns out I can assist humans with Apollo because of the PK.”
Jasper’s eyebrows drew down like they did when a junior officer screwed up. “You took too great a risk in finding out.”
“It was worth it.” She leaned toward the computer screen. “The Gr
izzly MC is definitely in the middle of the new Apollo trafficking, but they’re covering their tracks well. Has anything happened at home?”
“Not yet, but we’re keeping a close eye on Dublin. Sources say Apollo darts are set to arrive soon, but we haven’t been able to track down a date.” His eyes sizzled. “All intel points to Seattle as the location of the manufacturer still. I think you should have backup there.”
She shook her head. “No. I barely got into the Grizzly compound. If I add another witch, it’ll jeopardize the entire investigation.”
“The dossier on Bear McDunphy says that he strongly dislikes witches. Except his sister,” Jasper said.
Nessa nodded. Bear hadn’t seemed to dislike her too badly when he’d been kissing her senseless the night before. “I know. He’s a wild card. He’s back in human form now.”
“Tell me you haven’t tried to heal him.”
Nessa widened her eyes. “I promised Simone I would. So I am.”
Jasper glanced over his shoulder and then back. “I guess that would inspire his trust.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “From all indications, if Bear discovers you work for the Guard, he might try to kill you.”
“Good thing I can fight,” she returned. “If you remember.”
Jasper rubbed the area above his right eye where she’d clocked him during their last training session. “Aye. I remember.” He stared directly into the camera. How many times had they communicated this way over the years? Too many. “It goes against all the regulations for you to be on assignment without backup. With only the two of us knowing about it.”
Apollo was that deadly. “If the drug gets to Dublin, and those darts are used in any setting, we’ll lose witches. A lot of them.” She appreciated her friend worrying about her, but national security trumped safety. “This is too important, Jasper.” They’d been buddies who had covered each other’s backs many times through the years, and she trusted him. “If I need backup, I’ll let you know.”
He typed for a moment. “There’s chatter, Nessa. Operatives are checking in all over the world having observed coded chatter. Odd movements of enemies and mercenaries.”
She straightened. “You think there’s a worldwide campaign commencing?”
“Aye,” Jasper said.
Bollocks. They’d always known there was an endgame to the Apollo drug and that it involved harming a lot of witches. Possible targets would be anybody in government, medical research, or politics. Probably private citizens as well. “Get coverage on anybody we think might be a target, and no group assembling for the time being. Is there any intel we can pursue right now?” she asked.
“No, but the clock is counting down. The attack is imminent. We need to find the manufacturer, and now.” Jasper leaned even closer to the screen. “Is Bear McDunphy behind the distribution?”
“I don’t want to think so, considering his sister is a witch,” she said slowly. Of course, her opinion might be clouded by his hot body and drugging kisses. “He’s lying about not shifting for the last three months. His body would be a little better healed if he’d stayed in bear form for an entire season.”
Jasper’s eyebrows lifted. “When did he shift?”
She was doing her best to be logical, but her stomach ached at the thought that Bear might be trying to kill her people. “I don’t know. It seemed like his crew didn’t know he’d shifted back. They acted as if they hadn’t seen him in a long time.”
“Did anybody expressly say it had been three months?” Jasper asked.
Nessa thought back to the party. “No. I don’t think so.”
“Perhaps it had just been a month. Or even a couple of weeks. They still might be glad to see him.” Jasper’s gaze darkened. “Step very carefully, Nessa. Besides the council job, you haven’t been undercover in a long time. The entire motorcycle club might be organized around the Apollo drug, and you’re over there all alone.”
She shivered. “I know, but it doesn’t make sense. Why would Bear want to harm witches, especially when his sister is one?”
“I don’t know,” Jasper said. “Witches and dragons have never gotten along very well, and he is part dragon. Plus, whoever is selling Apollo in the States is making millions. Humans are loving the drug. Well, those who don’t overdose.”
Aye. The drug made them feel godlike for a few hours. “Bear doesn’t seem to care much about money,” Nessa said. Darn it. She needed to think logically and not let her hormones get in the way. “If he’s behind the manufacture and new distribution of the drug, it’d be about something else. Revenge, maybe.” She needed to dig deeper with him.
“Revenge?” Jasper asked.
“Yeah, but for what? I mean, his dad died when he was a teenager, and he moved to the States by himself.” She tried to remember the facts from the information compiled about him. “I think Vivienne Northcutt forced him out of Dublin and away from her daughter—his sister.”
“Trauma in his teen years would certainly give him motivation,” Jasper mused. “But he would’ve had to amass a fortune in order to mine the PK in Russia, ship it to the States, and then create Apollo with it. Does he seem smart enough to do that?”
“Definitely,” Nessa said. “He’s incredibly intelligent.” But would he use his energy that way? “I’m uncertain he’d want to spend years planning a terrorist campaign. He’s more of a rip-your-head-off kind of guy.” The planning this took would have required great patience.
“Keep alert, and if you need anything, call,” Jasper said.
“I will. Before we sign off, have you seen my uncle?”
Jasper grinned. “Aye. He took part in the field exercises the other day. First he kicked everyone’s ass, and then he healed any bones he broke.”
Nessa chuckled. “He still thinks I’m on vacation after the council job?”
Jasper sobered. “Which is a very bad idea. Tell him the truth.”
“He’s retired.” The man was over two thousand years old and deserved a break. Oh, he’d be back to work at some point, but for now he was mentally recharging. If Nessa told him about her mission, he’d be in Seattle in a heartbeat. “He stays out of this one, Jasper.”
“Your decision. Check in as soon as you can.”
“Aye.” She clicked off the call and stood, smoothing her hair into place. She’d been undercover before, but even when pretending to be part of a group, she knew she was alone. Aside from her uncle, she’d always been on her own. Nothing new. Drawing her courage around her, she slipped into muted beige heels and finally exited her bedroom.
Bear was at the table, eating what looked like several platters of food. “Mornin’.” He was in the same faded jeans and dark T-shirt, and he’d pulled his hair back at the nape. Scruff still covered his angled jaw, and his bourbon-colored eyes were clear, but dark circles slashed beneath them.
She paused and then continued toward him. “Hungry?”
“Yeah. I’ll pay you back.” He gestured toward a chair. “You?”
“A little.” She took a piece of toast and ate it. “You look tired. Are you hurting?”
He finished his eggs. “No.”
“Liar,” she said softly, a part of her needing to ease his pain. It came with healing. “How about I heal you a little?”
He leaned back, studying her. “You up to it?”
She tilted her head toward the settee. “Let’s find out, shall we?”
* * *
Bear took in her pink skirt. While it was probably meant to be businesslike, it hugged her ass perfectly. He followed her to the sofa, enjoying the distraction from the pain thrumming through his chest. He’d overdone it the day before, and he was paying for it.
She paused, her lips pursing. “Hmmm.”
“What?” he asked, his fingers itching to yank out her hair clip.
“I’m not sure how to do this.” She looked around the room. “It’d be easiest if we sat across from each other, but I’d have to lean the whole time, and I need to concentrat
e just on you.”
“Easily solved.” He sat on the couch and pulled her onto his lap to straddle him.
“Wait—” she started, her hands flattening on his chest.
He pushed her skirt up her smooth legs and pulled her closer. “There.”
Her mouth slightly opened, and she barely shook her head. “What are you doing?”
With her legs on either side of his, with her core so damn close, what he was doing was losing his fuckin’ mind. “Solving the problem.” He glanced pointedly at her hands on his chest. “See? You’re in position and you don’t have to lean.”
One of her shoes dropped to the carpet. Her mouth tightened. “This is not appropriate.”
The woman should know by now that there was nothing appropriate about him. He’d thought about it all night, and fixing her up with his brother made sense. She’d be better off with a full dragon mate who had lots of fire and money and lived on a safe invisible island in the middle of nowhere.
But his gut had ached the whole time. For the moment, she was in his hands. Temporarily. Ah hell, why not? He gave in and grasped her hair clip, opening it and tossing it across the room. All of that glorious hair flew around. The smell of roses heated through him and settled.
“Bear,” she protested.
He landed his hands at her waist. He was a rough bear shifter and not a smooth dragon shifter—so be it. “I thought I heard you talking to somebody in your room.” But then when he tried to really listen, all he got was silence. Was he imagining things now?
“Sometimes I mumble to myself when I’m planning my day.” She spread her fingers over his chest. “Close your eyes.”
“Wait. Will this hurt you?” While he wanted to be whole again, he wouldn’t use her to do it. Not if it caused her pain.
She rolled her eyes. “No. Stop worrying and shut your eyes.”
Man, she was bossy sometimes. “All right, but if it starts to hurt, you stop.”
“Of course.”
He shut his eyes. His chest warmed and heated, and then the solid flow of energy moved inside him, going deep and massaging. He groaned and let his head roll back on the sofa. For the moment, he forgot about the sexy woman on his lap and just felt the healing balm going deep inside him. The feeling was nearly indescribable. His body relaxed, taken away. All pain disappeared, and tension soon flowed down his arms and out his fingertips.
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