She opened another beer and took a drink, wishing for some lime. Among the papers and pictures, she found a yellow legal pad scribbled with notes. She recognized the hen scratch.
“What’s this? Field hold capability?” She tossed the question to the room. Jeremiah’s distinctive chuckle sounded in the kitchen. She looked up to see him heading toward her, his confident gait as sexy as ever. Ari raised her brow at him, determined not to let him see how he still affected her.
When Jeremiah veered around the table to sit across from her, Karia looked toward the kitchen and Joshua. His shoulders were tense, and she watched fascinated as he rolled them, muscles flexing and loosening. When he turned toward them, she quickly looked down at the note pad.
“Yeah, field hold. In other words, how long can a projected illusion last.” Dean grabbed a beer.
“These numbers look all wrong. Three minutes, variant visual. What were you testing?”
“He was trying to give me a human appearance.”
“Okay.” Ari wasn’t exactly sure what else to say, or why Joshua’s appearance had any bearing whatsoever.
“I can’t go out in public like this, especially during daylight hours. But in order to do proper recon, I need to be able to get out into the city during the day. Dean can only do so much.”
Karia sent a sidelong glance at Jeremiah when Joshua used his nickname. The blond hunk swallowed a little harder than normal and the black of his irises expanded outward into the white of his eyes, a sure sign of his arousal. She wasn’t shocked; after all, a being of Jeremiah’s age had definitely tasted the fruits of every tree. No, in truth, part of her was quite pleased. Thoughts of the two men locked in carnal battle sent her pulse pounding.
Great. Just great. Concentrate on what’s going on, now, Karia, before you embarrass yourself beyond belief. “Why? I mean, your natural magic should be adaptable as a battery, for lack of a better term, maintaining whatever illusion Dean sets in place.” Nice. Way to stay in the game. Her conscience mocked her calm, trying to turn her thoughts to more licentious things.
“In theory that works, but we’ve only ever tried that on other incubic mages.” Jeremiah produced a bag of tortilla chips from thin air, popping a few into his mouth.
“Aren’t you a metamorph?”
“Well, based on the failure of Dean’s illusions, I’d have to say the magic doesn’t think so.” Joshua’s large indigo hand wrapped around his bottle, the obsidian claws at his fingertips clinking against the glass.
Ari took a minute to really look at the male sitting next to her. Until she’d seen him from the back in the kitchen, Karia hadn’t realized how long his hair was. It easily hung past his ass, the front and sides pulled into a sleek plait. Up close, something about Joshua made her want to lean in and smell his skin. Made her want to curl up in his embrace, where she knew she’d be safe. Jeremiah was a big man for a one-time human, his Viking heritage apparent in his features and breadth, but even he looked small sitting across from Joshua. Ari moved her gaze over Black’s shoulders and down his arms, marveling at his complexion.
His flesh was indeed the complete-absence-of-light black, but it seemed to shine. Even though she saw no brightness, her brain couldn’t help but tell her his skin was really a swirling shade of jet and darkest sapphire, that with the right situation, Joshua would glow with blue fire. His eyes, they rivaled the deepest ruby in shade. His red irises were perfect rings around a small black pupil, each color distinct. Even the cranial ridges, slight though they were, only enhanced her attraction to him.
He smiled at her slightly, sharp white teeth flashing. Ari reacted with a surprised lift of her brows and the grin vanished. It was only then that she truly noticed the scar bisecting his upper lip and his left eyebrow. He also had scarring toward the bottom of his neck and over his forearms.
Damn, terrific, make him feel like a freak why don’t ya. She wanted to see him smile again, she wanted to tell him she didn’t think he was ugly or monstrous, but looking into Joshua’s face, she saw cool professionalism. Knowing she couldn’t do anything to fix the faux pas, Ari reached for the chips, and avoided looking at either man.
“Okay, so why would your magic and Jeremiah’s misalign? That’s the question we need to answer.”
“Actually, Black and I think we’ve already figured that out.”
“Okay. What did you figure?” Ari pursed her lips at Dean. He grinned in return.
“That his werewolf ancestry is having difficulty dealing with my vampirism.”
Joshua snorted with disgust.
“Huh? Sorry, guys, but I’m lost.”
“You’re too young to remember any of this, but at one time vamps used werewolves as guardians. That everyone knows. What most of you don’t know is that werewolves are immune to vampire magics. We were created to be companions to each other, not to work against each other. Toss in Joshie’s other genetics, namely goblins and trolls which are true magic creatures and not mutations, and you get an Ascendant vampire who can’t hold an illusion for more than a few minutes around him.”
A low growl made Karia’s hair stand on end. She shot a wild look at Joshua.
“Do not call me Joshie, either. Joshua, or Black, you blood-sucking bastard.”
To his credit, Jeremiah didn’t look a bit fazed. He shot his most charming, most flirtatious smile at Joshua. “Touché.”
Chapter 6
Karia watched from beneath her lashes, wondering how Joshua would respond to Dean’s body language. She was surprised to see him grow tense, but without the agitation one might expect from a male uninterested in another male. It was more like he was a little embarrassed, even shy, at the attention.
Well, that’s interesting. Ari’s inner nymphet was doing cartwheels, while the calm ambassador attempted to hide her sudden rapid breathing. Focus, for god’s sake. Just because they’re attracted to each other doesn’t mean you’re going to be invited to the party. If there is one.
“Fellas, let’s focus. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the glitch in the magic is the big reason for my being here.”
“That and --”
The ring of a cell phone startled Karia. Something about the ring tone niggled at her memory.
“Excuse me a minute.” Jeremiah flipped open the phone and got up from the table.
Joshua looked at Ari and she returned his stare. “So, werewolf, goblin, troll. That’s quite an eclectic family tree. General Rubenesso said something about a mound outside of Citronelle. Were you visiting family?”
“Yes, my mother and her people.” He hesitated.
Karia knew the Marshalls had taken Joshua in as a child. Noelle had found Joshua somewhere in New Orleans when he was young. There were rumors as to how he came to be abandoned, but Karia didn’t know the truth, nor would she pry. Thankfully, Joshua had been reunited with his mother several years after coming to live with the Marshalls.
“I’m sure she was glad to see you.” She smiled softly, pleased when Joshua relaxed. “So, how’d you find Dean?”
“I ran into Dean at a preternatural club downtown, here. He told me about his conversation with the M.E. and I told him about the information I received in Russia. We realized we both had information about the same operation.”
“Ah, so what exactly is going on?” Ari exchanged the notepad for a fresh beer.
“Have you eaten? Maybe you should slow down on the alcohol.” Joshua’s tone wasn’t disapproving. He actually sounded concerned. Ari liked him even more in that moment.
“No worries, Joshua. All my genetic tests say I’m human, but sometimes I wonder. I wouldn’t do anything so ill-advised as getting trashed in front of two high ranking military officials on the first night of a mission.” She smiled fully at him, laughing softly as she steadily emptied her third bottle.
“I don’t doubt for a moment your dedication or your professionalism, Ari.” Joshua leaned back in his chair. Her body tingled, the sound of her name on his lips e
xciting her blood and her libido. “May I ask you a question?” Joshua’s voice was very soft.
“Sure.”
“You’re a Master Transmorphose Mage. Why were you in the Incubic Class and not the Metamorphic? I remember Colonel Mulholland expressing regret that you opted for Dean’s class and not her own.”
Karia swallowed hard and tried to think of something quick to say. Her reasons for joining Dean’s group weren’t something she shared. “Uh, well…” She fought not to fidget.
“It’s not really important. At least, I hope it isn’t. I was curious. You don’t have to answer.” She knew he sensed her agitation. Trying to appear collected, Ari raised her hand to the open buttons of her blouse. She flushed, realizing the movement had drawn Joshua’s gaze.
She felt him looking at her, his stare as potent as touch as it roamed over the exposed skin, and then down over her body. For a moment, she thought about flashing him a little more flesh, to distract him from her avoidance of his question. But after his reaction to her startled response to his teeth, Karia pretended she didn’t notice him looking.
The low sound of Jeremiah’s conversation buzzed in the background. When Ari couldn’t stand Joshua’s attention any longer, she cleared her throat, and changed subjects. “Rubenesso suggested a mafia turf war was the reason behind this mission. Is that what’s up?”
“Hmm, sort of. The Heteroclites have several ports along the gulf coast. They’re small ports, not as much security as the major entry harbors. Robert Marshall pretty much deals with preternaturals exclusively, though he’ll transport and/or receive cargo for humans if the price is right.”
“That was Simone. She has three bodies, all of them metamorphs. She can’t keep the lid on this much longer. We have to get to Robert.” Jeremiah slid back into his chair and laid the cell phone down.
“Who’s Simone?” Karia could have kicked herself for the jealous undercurrent to her words. She shouldn’t give two shits who, or what, Dean did in his private life.
“She’s the medical examiner and she’s People. She contacted me last week and told me bodies were piling up and not all of them were human. I came to Mobile to look into the matter, ran into Black here, and we put two and two together.”
“And what does four equal, exactly?” Ari tried to put the few pieces she had together, but she couldn’t see the whole picture.
“A human mafia leader, we suspect out of New York, has decided he wants the Jaconyte port here. So he’s sent down some men to help Robert decide to sell.” Dean grabbed a handful of chips and nodded to Joshua.
“The problem is the humans have no idea what they’re up against. And there’s no way Robert Marshall is giving up what’s his. So, every new set of enforcers who shows up goes back in body bags. The other snag in the deal is that none of these thugs sent by the mob has any real idea who’s calling the shots.” Joshua finished his beer and crossed his huge arms over his chest.
“Okay, but logically, if the humans keep dying, then their leaders should realize it’s a lost cause and let it go, right?”
“Ah, no, babe. The next step is a larger show of force. Now, we know the Heteroclites fear exposure to the human world. That’s part of why the Marshall brothers became estranged. Robert felt humanity was a threat best left alone unless unavoidable and William believes eventually mankind will be able to accept those of us who aren’t human, and that we should help them and protect them.”
“But if the violence escalates, surely the media will really start to give it coverage.” She frowned, wondering how in the hell she could smooth a snafu like that over.
Ari reached for the chips and her hand slid over Jeremiah’s knuckles. Electricity danced over her skin and she quickly pulled back. She looked into his eyes, feeling the heat in them low in her body. His lids dropped and his nostrils flared. She looked away from the hunger in his face and into the interested eyes of Joshua.
“Exactly. That’s why we have to talk to Robert. Our dilemma is that he doesn’t trust the Corps any more than he does humans. And he’ll recognize Dean and I on sight. You he won’t. But we have to get close enough for you to get an audience with him. We need to intervene a little, keep the humans off the Heteroclites so you have an opportunity to visit Robert. That’s where you and your illusionary abilities come in.”
“Okay. I think I get it.” She looked over at Dean, his tiny phone catching her eye. Oh my god, I know that ring tone. She chuckled and Jeremiah tilted his head.
“What’s funny?”
“‘Pearl Necklace,’ huh?” Ari motioned the phone. “You are such a sleaze.”
“What? Oh, the phone. Hey, it’s a catchy tune.” His voice dropped about half an octave and sensuality oozed from every pore on his body.
A wave of fatigue swamped her. Suddenly, Ari was tired beyond reason. She was tense and aroused and the jet lag was catching up. She shook her head at Dean, before looking up at Joshua. “Now that I know what’s going on, I need to get some sleep. I’ve been awake since six a.m. Johannesburg time yesterday.”
“I apologize, Ari. It was thoughtless of me. Please, your room is the door at the end of the hall, upstairs.”
Karia smiled at Joshua. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Black and I are gonna meet up with Simone. We’ll wake you when we get back.”
She walked back to the door and grabbed her carry-on, her back on fire from the intensity of the two males watching her every step. She managed to get to her room without looking back. Once inside, she leaned against the door, closed her eyes, and exhaled loudly.
She laughed softly to herself before uttering her favorite military acronym. “Fubar. I hope I get totally fubarred.”
Chapter 7
Joshua took a careful, calming breath. It didn’t help. The masculine, arousing scent of Jeremiah bombarded him every time he was near the vampire. Now, he had the equally fiery feminine perfume of Karia in his lungs as well.
He’d been careful not to show his interest in Jeremiah, though he wasn’t naïve enough to think the man didn’t notice. It wasn’t that he disliked men. His family had raised him to see beyond the flesh. The body of one’s lover made no difference. No, his intense attraction made him cautious.
He didn’t have the best of luck picking partners, and Joshua was tired of being used, whether as an oddity to brag about or because of his monstrous reputation. But now, with Karia here, he felt overwhelmed. It was poor form to fuck one’s colleagues, but Joshua had a feeling if he spent too much time with these two, the only form he’d be caring about would be sexual positions.
“You are coming, right?” Dean’s voice interrupted Joshua’s line of thought. Which might have been good except for the libidinous bastard’s emphasis on coming.
“Not right now.” The sexy quirk of Jeremiah’s eyebrow almost made Joshua smile. “I think you can handle the M.E. I need to make a couple of calls and make sure my second doesn’t have anything pressing to report.”
“Colonel Hand strikes me as the kind to call you if he needed something.” Dean stood and headed for the door. Joshua watched the slow saunter, appreciating a perfect ass when he saw one.
“You don’t know Derek very well. He’d only call if he’d exhausted every other option.” Joshua pushed away from the table, clearing up empty bottles and heading to the kitchen.
“I have one like that too.” Jeremiah’s laughter sent blood rushing for Joshua’s cock. Damn, the man was potent.
He gave him a cocky salute and left. Thank god he’s gone. Joshua dumped the trash and leaned against the counter. He rubbed his palms over his eyes in frustration.
Trying to get close to Robert Marshall was going to be difficult. Dealing with the human mafia would take skill and caution. But Joshua knew the hardest part of this situation wasn’t the external conflicts, but those that were falling into place between the three of them. He knew Jeremiah and Karia had history. Their body language alone gave them away. However, he’d heard their conv
ersation earlier, which certainly confirmed they’d once been close. Jeremiah was interested in rekindling what they’d had, and Karia was as well, though she was obviously fighting it.
Joshua sighed. Both of them were also interested in him and he reciprocated. But he was tired of trying to decipher what his potential bedmates wanted more: him or the “honor” of saying they’d fucked the War Wolf. It was so much easier finding partners among his mother’s people.
Goblins and trolls were deceitful and often power hungry, but when it came to sex, they didn’t play games. To them, it was a bonus to gain power or status from a partner.
He’d found out the hard way that humans and human offshoot preternaturals didn’t necessarily approach sex the same way. Moreover, his intensity in the bedroom had scared many of his sexual partners away. He sensed Dean would appreciate his darker urges, but Joshua wasn’t sure exactly what Dean wanted. Did he see him as a novelty, a toy, or perhaps, was he interested in something more?
Karia was a whole other ball of wax. She was beautiful. Her long, dark auburn hair provided a fiery backdrop for pale, flawless skin and intelligent eyes. She was muscled without being unfeminine, her breasts were just more than a handful, and she had a great ass too. She was powerful, a bit mysterious without being unapproachable, and talented. Joshua wanted her the moment she’d entered the building and he’d smelled her unique pheromones.
Breathing deeply, Joshua relaxed his control and let his arousal grow. His cock filled with blood, pressing against the front of his jeans. The coarse fabric bit into his skin and he muffled a groan of pleasure. Such a small amount of pain and he was ready to come.
He’d fantasized about Dean. Thoughts of the vampire’s sharp teeth scraping along his cock made him uncomfortably aroused. Now, he imagined biting tender feminine nipples while Jeremiah sucked his cock. Pressing his hand against the fly of his jeans, Joshua ground himself against the rough fabric. It felt so good he growled his pleasure.
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