Nate didn’t take the bait. It was an old argument—a very old and tiring one. “How did you get in here, Sheena?”
“Same way I get in wherever I want to go,” Sheena replied. “I’ve gotten quite adept at breaking and entering—better than Bri even.”
“Berg will eventually find you missing, you know.”
Sheena laughed. “So what? None of your guards are dumb enough to take on my boys, but don’t worry, I won’t let hurt them your precious aliens. I’ll be back before Berg has a chance to miss me.”
Nate walked over to her. “You need to go back now. I can’t tell you what you want to know.”
Not meeting his gaze, because that would just make this harder, Sheena took his hand in hers. She walked Nate back to the sofa and tugged him down beside her. “You look tired, Nathaniel Tiberius. You need to go to bed and get some genuine rest. I don’t know how you deal with this much stress without having a major meltdown. I take a sedative when I get as wrung out as you are.”
“The only thing wrong with me is a bad bout of sexual frustration. Are you trying to get me in bed?” he asked, not trusting Sheena’s sudden change of heart.
“Yes, I am,” Sheena said, chuckling at her own answer. “Not for sex though. You really do need to rest.”
“All I need is you and about twelve uninterrupted hours in bed,” Nate shot back.
He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Sheena’s. Her lips moved hotly under his at the same time her mouth opened to let his tongue slip inside. One his hands cupped the back of her head as her hand slid to the side of his neck. Her fingernails scratched him as they gripped, but Nate didn’t care. Arousal moved through him again as he kissed her hungrily.
When he pulled away, Nate leaned back into the sofa, suddenly weary to the bones. Sheena was right. He needed rest—real rest. “My relief that you’re not still mad at me has worn me out. I thought you’d never want to kiss me again after we were interrupted today.”
“I wish I didn’t want to, but that’s not the case,” Sheena said softly, her hand coming out to cup his jaw. “You look very tired, Nathaniel. I really think you need to sleep now.”
“Maybe I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes.” And Nate did just that. “Will you stay?”
“I’ll definitely stay until you fall asleep,” Sheena promised, because that had been her plan all along.
When Nate’s breathing became even, his fingers unwound from the grip he’d had on her hand. Sheena slipped away and went to the door. Bringing in one of her boys, she had him carry Nate to his bed—the bed she hadn’t gotten to share with him. Sadly, his bedroom looked exactly like it had when she left him all those years ago. Did none of the other women he’d married ever care about the starkness of their sleeping space?
“Query, Number Five. Is it possible to erase all evidence of me being in this suite?”
“Affirmative. Access to privacy logs is confirmed. Time tables can be amended.”
“Good. I’ll be out in twenty. Start the privacy protocol while you wait. After we leave, just remove our arrival and flash the log forward.”
“Affirmative. Preparations are being made. Approximate completion time is about twenty minutes.”
When her droid was gone once more, Sheena crawled onto the bed beside a softly sleeping Nate. “Hi, Handsome. Can you hear me?”
“Of course. I love your voice. It makes me hard,” a sleeping Nate answered.
Sheena smiled at his loss of filters. “I like your voice too. What are the new versions of Angus and Erin? Are they clones? I need to know the truth.”
Nate thrashed a little, struggling against the question, then settled down once his unconscious mind made peace. The truth serum was infallible for the most part, but a person’s mind could resist some of it. When Nate woke, his recollection would be like recalling a bad dream. No one would ever know how she’d found out the truth. In the end, it would hopefully save the precious job he loved more than her.
“They’re alternates from Universe 6.”
Sheena gasped. “What?”
“The alien portal allows time jumps of a specific, yet limited nature. However, there are complications. Getting the matchmakers was deemed worth the risks. No one knows it works. Highly confidential. My mother can’t even know.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” Sheena whispered, patting Nate’s shoulder. Her dad must have known. This must have been his idea. He’d spent three hundred years studying time travel and mirror universes.
“What kind of problems did you encounter in getting them here?”
“One of the Erin alternates died, unable to adapt. She was depressed and homesick and wouldn’t eat. Others we couldn’t find in their worlds in time to keep them from their fated history, no matter how precisely we set the parameters. The damn Universe 6 versions arrived fine, but...”
Sheena chuckled softly as Nate’s revelation faded off. Yes, she knew exactly why he stopped his story. Angus and Erin were not conforming to the stagnation that gripped New Earth worse than the alien plague had five hundred years ago. Admiral Tiberius of the AAS airship hated nothing more than he did people who thrived on change and wouldn’t follow the rules like he did.
“What did I ever see in you?” Sheena whispered.
“I have a big dick and love you madly. Just really suck at showing it,” Nate said, rolling to his side.
“You also have a colossal ego, despite what you think you know about yourself,” Sheena added for good measure. She leaned down and laid her cheek against his back. She stayed that way until Nate rolled over and blinked his eyes open.
“Sorry. I fell asleep on you,” he said.
Sheena nodded. “Yes, and sadly, I have to go back to my own room now.”
“Or you could just stay with me,” he whispered, his lips sweetly brushing her forehead.
Sheena tilted her face up to look at him. Nate was handsome as ever and as appealing as the first time she laid eyes on him in college. She brushed a hand through his close-cropped hair and ran her fingertips over his smooth jaw.
“You are my only real weakness, Nate. You always have been. I could give two shits about most people, including the other men I’ve been with, but I’ve always, always cared about you. If you’d ever learned to put me first, I’d probably still be with you.”
“I never stopped loving you,” Nate sleepily confessed.
“I knew that the moment I saw you again,” Sheena replied. She patted his cheek, then rolled away until her feet could hit the floor. “I’ve always loved you too. But love can’t thrive in a relationship where we disagree so much over politics. You think you know everything, but you don’t, Nate. There are fathoms of things you don’t know. Your mother, and the rest of your family, have gone to great lengths to make sure you stayed isolated. Angus and Erin are the best thing to happen to you in years. Knowing them might actually save you from yourself.”
“Are you leaving me again?” he asked, his half-lidded gaze watching her walk to the door.
“Tomorrow you won’t even remember I came to see you, so you won’t understand that I left. This is for the best, Nate. I’d feel guilty for doing this to you, except it was certainly a lot better than all the pointless arguing we’ve been doing.”
“You used to like me, Sheena. I want us to like each other again. I don’t want to fight with you anymore.”
Sheena nodded. “I don’t want to fight either. Sleep now.”
Obeying her orders for once, Nate nodded and rolled to his side again.
Sighing at the appealing picture he made lying there, Sheena left before she gave in and climbed back into the bed. She was just as frustrated as Nate was, but he had no one to blame but himself for his problem. Another two minutes earlier today and Captain Cock-Blocker would have walked in on them both naked.
Sure, she’d figured out the emergency had been Carleton and Elsa’s arrival, but the captain could have handled meeting the shuttle. What a wimp. Nate n
eeded to get someone with a real pair of testicles to be his second. No… what he needed was a woman. A woman would have reported in and gone on to get it done.
He’d married a strong woman like that—at least the first time. He’d been raised by a strong woman too. In fact, thoughts of Nate’s mother and what she would do to her if she ever found out Sheena had drugged her precious son kept her feet moving forward until she was out the door.
Chapter Nine
Toorg was on duty when she returned. He gave her droids a strange look, lifted a blond eyebrow, but opened the door to Bri’s suite without commenting.
Sheena nodded to him before turning to her droids. She gave the order for them to return to the shuttle bay, proud as hell when they both looked at Toorg and nodded before leaving. The grin on her face lasted until she walked inside the room.
“Hey sweetheart. Where have you been?”
“Scott? What are you doing here?” Sheena asked.
“I think that’s the question I should be asking you. You’ve been gone for days now and never checked in. I got worried.”
Sheena’s mind went blank as he walked to her. Bri exited the kitchen with a couple bottles of water, saw her with Scott’s arms around her, and narrowed her gaze on the man.
It didn’t take much to figure out he’d been sent to see what was going on. Bri knew it and she knew it.
They’d both been in the game too long to think he’d come to the AAS airship voluntarily. No one did that.
Scott’s passionate kiss caught her off-guard, and left her totally un-aroused. Damn Nate anyway. One taste of him again and she was back to not feeling anything for other men.
The next kiss was a little more pressing, and more surprising than the first, given her sister was in the room too. It wasn’t like Scott to be so demonstrative. If she hadn’t already suspected he’d been ordered there, she would have after his tongue had danced in her mouth. When he pulled away this time, she looked up into his clear green gaze. He was hiding something. What was he hiding?
Putting her hand on his neck, she raked her fingernails gently down his skin, hoping it hid the scrape of her ring as it released what was left of the serum she’d used on Nate.
“Miss me much?” she asked wryly, working to bring up a smile as she waited to see if the serum was going to work.
“You have no idea how much,” Scott whispered, tugging her close and pressing her against him.
She leaned back and laughed. “You look tired, Scott. What did you do? Dump your wife and kids and come tearing off to AAS to rescue me?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I did,” Scott said, releasing her body to take her hand.
Sheena smiled and squeezed his fingers. She let him lead her to the sofa.
“Suddenly, I am really tired,” Scott said, pressing his very fit body into the seat. “Guess I was more worried than I realized. People don’t usually come to the AAS airship to visit, especially women. It’s usually a one-way trip, isn’t it?”
“I came because my sister is here. She’s joined the AAS program. She’s waiting to be abducted.”
“What? Are you serious?”
Scott’s gaze took in Brianna as she finished her walk back to the sitting area. Bri handed a bottle of water to Scott.
“Thanks,” he said, setting it on the table without opening it. “Why are you in the program?”
Bri smirked at the man and Sheena slightly shook her head. Bri brought her gaze back to her sister’s lover. “New Earth men don’t do it for me. I figured I’d try an alien or two.”
Scott blinked at Bri’s answer, obviously not sure if she was joking or not. His head fell back, eyes rolling. Sheena squeezed his hand again. “Scott, can you hear me?”
“Yes, but I’m very tired. It’s hard to talk.”
“I know. I have just a few questions though. Were you sent to spy on me?”
“I was sent for all of you. Novus Prime is worried. The new matchmakers are a problem. Can’t make a new pact with aliens so long as the old one goes on.”
Sheena avoided the questions in Bri’s widening gaze. “New pact? What is Novus Prime wanting?”
Scott blinked, closed his eyes again, and shrugged. “Weapons the Guardians can’t control. It’s time for change. I’m to make sure they aren’t your real family before arranging their deaths. If they’re clones, Novus Prime will wait for them to die organically. Looks less bad that way and you’d be less likely to leave the organization. If they’re aliens made to look like the old matchmakers, they can’t be left alive. That level of alien interference will not be tolerated.”
Sheena sighed and stared at the ceiling. “Right. No secret invasions allowed. Did you sincerely like me when you first asked me out, or was I just a target for you?”
Scott laughed. “I was asked to get close when it became clear you were interested in me as a man. You’re as good as my wife in bed. It’s been no hardship for me to have two women in my life.”
Bri covered her mouth, smothering her laugh. Sheena frowned, but held up a finger to her lips. It was important Bri not make a sound now. It might break the hold she had on Scott’s unconscious mind.
“Scott?”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to tell you all I know and confess why I’m here. Angus and Erin are sophisticated clones. The aliens helped us mend the DNA the Guardians took from my parents. Despite the strange anomalies of ancient speech and their lack of current knowledge, all my tests indicate they are clones who will live approximately one hundred and twenty years before their cellular structure fails. Tell Novus Prime I’m staying on to do extensive tests because I’m so distraught about the Guardians doing this without my permission. I’m burdened with grief, Scott.”
“Yes. Grief. I can tell that. You’re acting strangely. Your kiss was not right.”
“My less than passionate kiss was because my ex-husband is Admiral Tiberius—the man who runs the AAS airship. I’ve discovered I’m still in love with him, Scott. That’s why I’m breaking up with you, but not before we have the best night of our lives together. This is what you’ll remember tomorrow. I did all the things you really like. Our last night together was great.”
“Yes. It’s always great between us.”
Sheena snorted. “I hear that from lots of men. Now sleep, Scott. Your mission to check on me is complete. Novus Prime needs to accept I’m staying to watch over the new clones until I’m sure they’re not going to be a problem. They’re my DNA property by New Earth law, and therefore my responsibility. That makes a lot of sense, right?”
“Absolutely. They’re your property,” Scott replied.
Sheena lifted her finger again to her lips for Bri’s sake as they waited. When Scott fell deeper asleep and slumped onto the edge of the couch, Sheena finally stood and started to the door.
“Where are you going now?” Bri asked.
“To get a big, strong alien guard to carry my lying lover’s ass to my bed. Then I guess I’m undressing the bastard so he’ll believe my story tomorrow.”
“You don’t need a guard for that,” Bri said, rolling her eyes. She stood and pulled a sleeping Scott up by his arm. Working him over one shoulder, she noticed her sister’s mouth drop open when she took the man’s full weight. “We’ve got crazy scientists at my organization too. One gave me a strength serum the first year out of academy. Ten of us took it, but only two of us got the full benefit. Thankfully I was one of two. What do you think has kept me alive so long?”
Sheena sighed. “Okay. Well, take Scott into my bedroom and dump him. No need standing around with him draped over you.”
“So tell me… how good does a Novus Prime general look naked?”
Sheena giggled at the hopeful expression on her sister’s face. “Scott looks great for a lying bastard.”
“Great. I’ll undress him for you. I haven’t seen a fully naked man in years.”
“Okay,” Sheena said, “but no touching. I don’t want you going wher
e I’ve gone. That’s just too big an ick factor.”
“Okay. Lookie—no touchy. Got it. Damn, it’s hard for a woman to get any thrills around here. I can’t wait until I start getting some alien stick on the regular. I’m so horny—I may go through my whole folder.”
Bri walked off with Scott over her shoulder while Sheena shook her head and stared at her sister’s back.
While Bri was taking care of Scott, Sheena went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of Angus’s famous tea, except she added a double packet to her mug. She needed all the help she could get staying alert tonight. She might have to share a bed with Scott, but she was planning to use the time to do some research. Bri was back in the sitting area waiting on her when she returned.
“I put his clothes in the bathroom and a bath towel on the chair next to the bed. That makes your story more believable. And yes… I’ve done this before.”
Sheena groaned softly and put her face in both hands. “Stupid. I’m so stupid. Novus Prime made Scott sleep with me. How could I not know something like that was happening?”
“Don’t go there, Sheena. This is not on you. I got orders all the time to sleep with men so I could gain their trust. Sometimes, like Scott, I even followed those orders. It’s not criminal to have physical needs. Sounds like Scott didn’t have to have his arm twisted very hard to follow his orders about you.”
“No, it’s not criminal to need a little comfort now and again, but I was only an assignment to him. He wasn’t one to me. I genuinely liked the man. He’s a good husband and father—well, except for the whole open marriage thing.”
Bri shrugged. “Since you can’t change reality, let’s at least change the subject. Did you have your little talk with Nate?”
Sheena nodded. “Yes.”
“And…?”
Sheena shook her head. “The first thing I did when I came here was have the droids sweep your room. Everything you, Angus, and Erin said was being recorded and passed on to the Admiral—if not the Director of AAS. My boys scrambled the microphones but left them in place. I had them do the same to some of the other equipment in about a third of the rooms on the ship. The engineers think they’re experiencing random tech failures, which they are, but I’m causing them every day.”
Nate's Fated Mate: Aliens In Kilts, Abduction 2 Page 9