Shifter Fated Mates: Boxed Set

by Mandy M. Roth

  “It was eight years ago and I remember because I glanced at the book while I was picking it up. If I read it, I tend to retain it.” She tapped one long finger on her forearm. “Whenever I have a problem sleeping, I read. If I run out of books at home, I take to my computer. I’ve spent many a night curled up with a laptop. With my clearance, I get all the good data. The NHD is a favorite of mine.”

  His eyes widened. “I’ll call my office in the morning and let my secretary know that she clearly forgot to include all the paperwork you needed prior to your trip.”

  She nodded. “Thank you. That’s so sweet of you. I know how busy you are. Oh, how does Becca like her new place? She’s engaged now, right?”

  Adjusting his tie, he nodded. “Umm, yes. I take it you saw it in the paper. We’re very proud. Joseph is a fine young man.”

  “I’m sure he is. But no, I didn’t read it in the paper. I read it in an email Becca sent me. I’m sure you know that she has trouble sleeping, too. It’s hard slaying those inner demons, Senator.” Deryn put a lot of emphasis on the word slaying. She knew Becca was a slayer and that it was kept hidden from her--as it had been hidden from Deryn once, too.

  The senator jolted, sending paperwork scattering about. “Dr. Murray, it’s so good to know that the two of you keep in touch. She never mentioned that.”

  “Like you never bothered to tell her she’s a slayer?”

  He glanced around the room and shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Rebecca isn’t a....” He paused and then nodded. “I suppose I owe you a thank you. I take it that you’re the reason she walked away from what she did her freshman year. We didn’t mean to keep that from her. Really. We adopted her and didn’t know what was going on until....”

  Deryn sat on the edge of the table next to the senator. “Until she started displaying advanced skills at an early age. She was stronger and faster than other little girls. She excelled in gymnastics, dance, any sort of game requiring strategy, was able to focus on a task for extraordinary lengths of time while still retaining information taking place around her. Started having nightmares at random stages of her life that would coincide with when something evil was near, stalking, hunting her because it smelled what she was--and wanted to be the next big thing to take down a slayer. It was easier to keep her tucked away, hidden and safe than to let her roam free. The minute you did, she was attacked.”

  “Did she tell you all of that?” he asked, his face pale.

  Deryn shook her head. “No. Becca still has no clue what she is, Senator. I was just telling you how my childhood was. I imagined hers was similar. Though, I had the added advantage of having an uncle,” she nodded towards her uncle, “and two extremely close friends that are supernatural. Becca’s only exposure to the supernatural came in the form of her security guards--your hired guns.”

  Laughing, Deryn rubbed her neck. “Do you know what Becca said to me the first time I ordered the guards out of my classroom and away from my area of the university?”

  “No.”

  “She said, thank you. They hate me. I know they do.” Deryn teared up. “Did you know that she tried making them things when she was younger? Pictures and other things to show them how much she admired them--how much she knew they were helping to keep her parents safe and to try to make them like her more because she could sense how much they couldn’t stomach her. She had no idea why. Like I had no idea why.”

  He shook his head. “I never knew. They never harmed her. They protected her.”

  “Of course they did. It was their job. Like it or not, they did it. Just like Joseph proposed to her because you told him to. He has been in your employment for some time now.”

  “He can keep her safe.” He gasped. “Wait, does Rebecca know?”

  “She is the one who told me he’s gay so I’m assuming so. She didn’t want to worry you by telling you that things weren’t as happy as you thought. But mostly, she doesn’t want to give up the freedom of living without men who hate her controlling her every move. Joseph may not love her like a husband should, but the man does care for her. He and Dr. Harris have had words and he understands that Becca’s safety is his first priority--her happiness second.”

  “You’ve talked to Joseph. He’s gay?”

  Ondrea snickered. “Umm, I had the same reaction. It’s always the sexy ones. Doesn’t matter, he’s prepared to marry her anyway just so he knows she’s safe but he agrees with Deryn and I that someone won’t always be there for her. She needs to know how to protect herself.” Ondrea grinned. “Hey, Deryn, didn’t you mention you had an opening on your staff? A need for a research assistant?”

  “As a matter a fact, I do.”

  The senator closed his eyes and nodded. “Margie told me to come to you, Dr. Murray. I didn’t know where to begin so I went to your uncle instead. That’s why I have such a keen interest in this project. I need to know that Rebecca has somewhere to go in the event the others come.”

  “Others?”

  He checked his watch. “I have to go. Your uncle has my permission to divulge all aspects of this project to those of you in this room, if I have your guarantee that if a time comes that Rebecca needs protection, guidance, she will be permitted to come under your wing.”

  “If,” Deryn said. “I have your word that you will not shut this project down and leave those men and women stranded. That, should the need arise to seal off the portal, they will be evacuated back to Earth first. Otherwise, I’ll make a few calls and let the media know that I’m a slayer. They’ll look into my history, every bit, examine those close to me and try to make me into a celebrity--Becca’s name will show up. Word will spread and the rumors will start to fly. If that’s not good enough, I’ve also got a tape of your daughter making a glass beaker spin in mid-air using nothing but her mind.”

  His eyes widened. “You’d be killing her.”

  “And you’d be killing hundreds if you seal that portal.” Deryn bent down and smiled sweetly. “We understand each other, right?”

  “Yes,” the senator said, standing slowly. “I’m running out of options, Dr. Murray. New threats have come to light. They’re bigger than anything we’ve ever faced before. She’s at an age that she wants to have children.” He shook his head. “I won’t let my grandchildren be hunted. You not only have my word that I won’t trap anyone there, you have my lifetime allegiance if you can get Becca brought on, too.”

  “Done.”

  He nodded and shook her hand before pulling her into a hug. “Thanks, Dr. Murray.”

  Deryn watched as he left. Her uncle put his hand out. “Deryn, if you would remain behind a minute I’d appreciate it.”

  Alejandro and Kane exchanged knowing looks before heading towards the door. Neither so much as glanced Deryn’s direction. That was odd. Apparently, Ondrea thought so too because she cast Deryn a questioning look as she followed them out. When the room had cleared, her uncle came to her.

  “Deryn, it sounds as though you’ve enjoyed the experience of getting to go.”

  Her gut clenched. “And that sounds like the start of you telling me that my experience is over.”

  He tipped his head to the side. “Colonel Vargas and Captain Soto have brought it to my attention that the effect of the two suns on you is severe and they’re concerned for your safety.” Sighing, he patted her shoulder as if it would make it all better. “I’m not saying you can’t visit there again. I know how thrilled you must have been to get to work there but as far as you remaining there, I’m going to have to say no.”

  It felt as though someone had kicked her in the gut but Deryn maintained her composure. “I had some issues my first morning there but that was it. It was a matter of me getting acclimated to it. That’s all.”

  “Ah, Deryn, you know as well as I do that if I allow you to go back with the knowledge that you’re at risk there, your grandmother would string me up by my toes.” He gave her a serious look. “If I’m lucky.”

  “B
ut....”

  He shook his head. “My decision is final. Why don’t you take some time to say good-bye to Soto and Dr. Harris before they head back? I can call you with frequent updates on their progress and you know that you’re always welcome here to observe from our end. The senator trusts your judgment on this project as do I.”

  Knowing her uncle and that he wouldn’t change his mind, Deryn nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

  She walked towards the door at a normal pace when all she really wanted to do was run. The minute she hit the hallway, she increased her steps as she headed towards the labs. She entered the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

  Ondrea jumped. “Deryn? You scared the shit out of me. Come help me gather what we’ll need to tweak your serum. Kane is ignoring me when I ask him to lend a hand.”

  Deryn’s gaze went across the room and landed on Kane. He drew his lips in and nodded. “I take it that your uncle told you.”

  “Told her what?” Ondrea asked.

  “Apparently, Kane and the colonel told my uncle that the suns there are too damaging to me so I’m not allowed to go back with you.” It took all she had not to lash out, yell, cry, do anything other than stand there.

  Ondrea didn’t bother practicing reserve. She pointed at Kane and narrowed her gaze. “This is because you’re jealous! I knew the second you smelled the colonel’s mark on her that you’d do something stupid. I didn’t know it would be this.”

  Alejandro appeared from the adjacent lab. He crossed his arms over his expansive chest and gave Ondrea a hard stare. “Actually, it was my decision. Soto tried to talk me out of it, even with the knowledge of what had transpired.”

  “You?” Ondrea shook her head. “You of all people should want her close to you.”

  Deryn touched Ondrea’s shoulder. “Leave it be. It’s fine.”

  “Fine? Deryn he’s your....”

  Not wanting to discuss it further, Deryn arched a brow and brought out her inner bitch. It was that or bawl at Alejandro’s feet. That was something she refused to do. “He’s nothing to me.”

  “Deryn,” Ondrea said, softly. “Don’t do this. Talk to him, make him change his mind.”

  She snorted. “And do what? Beg him to let me come with him? I don’t think so. Not my style. I’ve shed more tears in the last three days than I have in my entire life. I’m done. In fact,” she leveled her gaze on Alejandro, “I expected him to betray me in some way. This really isn’t that big of a shock. At least Dean had the courtesy to ask me to marry him. He didn’t just do it before he turned on me.”

  “Leave him alone, Deryn,” Kane said, defensively. “He doesn’t want anything to happen to you there. Those things are coming after you full force and they won’t stop until you’re dead or seriously injured.”

  “Right and I suppose they’ll just stop coming after anyone and go back to watching from the sidelines. Yeah.” Deryn rolled her eyes and stared at Kane. “You know, I never in a million years thought you’d betray me, too. Never.”

  He made a move to come to her and she took a large step backwards. He shook his head. “Deryn, no, it’s not like that. I want you safe, too. Alex is right. It’s too dangerous for you there.”

  “Deryn is the only one of us qualified to be going up against these things and you two know it,” Ondrea said, heading straight for them.

  Deryn caught her by the arm and held her in place. “No. It’s fine. There’s something I’ve wanted to do for years and now that I have some free time from the university, I can do it.”

  The look on Ondrea’s face was one of pure terror. “Fight this, Deryn. Please. Go to your uncle. Make him understand. Go to your grandma. She’ll make your uncle let you back in!” The minute Ondrea began to cry Deryn pulled her into her arms. Ondrea hugged her tight. “Don’t give up. Please.”

  “Ondrea?” Kane asked, concern etched on his face. “You never cry in front of anyone. What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

  “What do you care?” She practically spat at Kane and it took a lot of Deryn’s strength to hold her in place. “You’ve washed your hands of her just like you did on the night of her prom.”

  The room fell silent. Deryn closed her eyes and put her cheek against the top of Ondrea’s head as she held her friend. “I better get going. Be careful.”

  She gasped. “Call Cecelia. Call Nava. Don’t go home alone. No. I’ll stay. Kane, I’m staying.”

  Deryn forced a smile to her face. “Onnie, you live for the chance to explore ruins like they have there. You go but promise me that you’ll stay close to Fulk. He may not understand what’s happened to him but he carries power similar to mine now. I thought it would dissipate. It’s getting stronger in him.”

  “Deryn, no, I’m coming with you.”

  Kane stepped forward. “Ondrea, why in the hell are you acting this way? Why would you want her to call her grandmother? And why in the hell is Deryn taking this so well? With that temper of hers she should have already tried to gut me with something.”

  Ondrea ignored Kane and focused on Deryn. “Don’t you dare do it.”

  “Onnie, really, you’re being very dramatic. They don’t want me back there and I’ve accepted that. Take care of yourself and be sure to hug Issac and Fulk for me.” Deciding it was best to get while the getting was good, Deryn released her hold on Ondrea and headed for the lab door.

  “Tell them why it is you memorized the NHD database, Deryn! Tell them!” Ondrea screamed out, not seeming to care that others might hear.

  “Ondrea?” Kane asked. “What are you going on about? Deryn’s been doing that for years. She started with it during her recovery after the...” He drew in a sharp breath. “Oh, fuck, she’s been looking for the vampires who got away.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Deryn continued towards the door, doing her best to keep it together.

  Ondrea seized hold of her arm and spun her around. “Bullshit,” she shook her head, “I heard you on the phone with Cecelia. I heard you trying to deny what you’d been planning on doing but she knew. Somehow she knew and she was worried. You forget, Deryn, I have supernatural hearing. I heard everything she said to you every time she called and I was there.”

  “What did my mother say?” Alejandro asked.

  Deryn couldn’t help but laugh as she glanced over her shoulder at him. “She said you were an amazing man. Since she was clearly wrong about that, the rest of what she had to say is suspect.”

  His gaze went to Ondrea. “What did she say?”

  “This is pointless. I need to head out now. I still can’t remember if I left my coffeepot on.” Deryn smiled but it was anything but friendly. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and it will catch fire. The fire department hasn’t been out recently and I have to admit to missing certain aspects of that.”

  Alejandro growled. “Deryn.”

  She glared at him. “I don’t appreciate being used and lied to. I have no idea what prompted you to go to the extreme of claiming me and I frankly don’t care. I do find it rather funny that someone who is well known for his sexual exploits would do that. Especially since, from what Onnie’s told me about shifters, they mate for life.”

  The muscles in his neck tightened to the point that cords began to pop out. He was as pissed as Deryn suspected he would be. She smiled. “Thankfully, this is one situation where it doesn’t go both ways. See, as you’ve pointed out before, I’m not like you. I can do as I please. Enjoy yourself. I know I will.”

  The growl that came from Alejandro was the loudest one he’d done yet. It actually made Deryn jump slightly. He was on her in an instant, pressing her against the wall with his face close to hers. His eyes swirled with shades of green. “You will not touch another man.”

  She smiled. “You know, you’ve got a good point. Men do seem to enjoy the ‘no hands approach’ to going down on them.” She winked. “Thanks for the tip. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to make flight arrangements.”

  He gritted his t
eeth. “Soto, inform the general that we’ve seen the error of our ways and are sure we can accommodate the doctor’s special needs. She’s coming back with us.”

  “No,” Deryn didn’t back down an ounce, “I’m not.”

  Alejandro’s nostrils flared as his breathing grew shallow. “You win. It was wrong of me to go behind your back on this. Now, get ready to go. You’re coming back with us. I can’t believe you’d even consider being with another man.”

  “Alex, we agreed that it’s too dangerous for her with us,” Kane said, his voice low. “You said it yourself, you couldn’t survive if something happened to her. Allowing her to come back is like signing her death warrant. You can’t let her use other men against you. I mean, you had to have thought about the fact that we might not walk away from this. Deryn will move on without you. She’ll just be doing it sooner that’s all.”

  The snarl that ripped through Alejandro made Deryn nervous enough to press her back to the wall. He turned his head and stared at Kane. “Tell me that a piece of you isn’t loving this ... loving the fact that even though I did the one thing you couldn’t--claim her, that I don’t get her either. Tell me that you aren’t happy to know that she won’t be with me.”

  “She’s not a prize to be won or lost, Alex.” Kane squared his shoulders, an action that always meant he was planning on fighting. “I want what’s best for Deryn. It’s not safe for her there and you know it.”

  “It’s not safe for her here either, Kane,” Ondrea said, followed close by a choked sob. “You know Deryn and you know that she’ll do it, she’ll go after the vampires that survived.”

  “Ondrea,” Kane exhaled deeply, “Deryn is an excellent slayer. She’ll kill them and then she’ll be fine. Not to mention safe from the tomb guards and whatever the hell else is after her.”

  “You’re wrong, Kane. She won’t win against them. Psychologically, they have the advantage. They’ll mess with her mind and one slip could cost Deryn her life. She’s an asset to us. She’ll help keep anything from breaking into this realm.”