Dawn Endeavor 4: Gunnar's Game

by Marie Harte

  “That is some fucking weird-ass shit.” Raul gasped and clutched at his throat, where Tersch's fingerprints were slowly fading.

  Jules crossed his arms over his broad chest. His bright gray eyes shone with hard purpose. “Raul, let's not play games. You helped Sheridan escape from Montaña's compound two months ago. You pretended to work for him then. But who have you really been working for?”

  “Myself.” Raul sneered at them.

  Jesse Fallon shook his head. A telepath, he could be relied upon to dig information from sources who didn't want to share. His talents came in handy, especially on cases like these. “He's telling the truth, but not all of it. Raul's in it for himself. He worked for Montaña because it was the easiest way to gain information on the asshole. He spied for someone else. And he doesn't know who he's really working for, except that he goes through Melissa. But Melissa knows the boss. Some guy she calls Lonnie.”

  Jules blinked but said nothing. Yet a stillness overcame him, and Tersch didn't like his leader's sudden worry.

  He took an automatic step closer to Jules, the ingrained need to protect overwhelming.

  When Jules noticed, he bared his teeth in a growl. “Stand your fucking ground, Tersch. We've been over this.”

  Unhappy but not willing to annoy Jules more than he already had, Tersch obeyed and stepped back. The last time he'd tried to smother Jules with protection, he'd paid for it with his ass.

  “So Melissa knows who she's working for.” Jules paused in thought. He stared hard at Raul. “What about Jack?”

  “Who?”

  “Jack Keiser, her husband,” Hayashi clarified.

  Raul shrugged. “Never heard of him or saw him till we set fire to their house.

  Melissa's the only one I had contact with. She's psychic, but you already knew that.

  One powerful, money-hungry bitch. You can smell it on her.”

  “He's telling the truth,” Fallon agreed. He frowned, but by then it was too late.

  Tersch had already moved. He'd seen the way Raul's body tensed in the moment before the rogue sprang at Jules.

  Already in front of his team leader, Tersch intercepted the claws meant for Jules and took the stabbing blow into his own chest. As he did, he caught Raul's head in his hands and twisted.

  The rogue dropped like a stone, and his claws left Tersch's chest in a sucking sound.

  The pain was intense, but the gaping wound healed quickly. He glanced at Raul staring sightlessly from the ground, his head twisted at an odd angle, his neck broken.

  “Nice move.” Morgan nodded to Tersch. “I guess I'll put out some feelers on Melissa Ramirez. I wouldn't have minded some time to dig for more answers from this one, but they never learn.” The ex-mercenary might be a pain the ass, but he was a helluva guy when it came to learning information. Between Morgan's contacts and interrogation techniques, he'd become handy to have around.

  Tersch agreed, considering the dead rogue.

  “I thought I told you to stand your ground,” Jules said in a soft voice, one that sent chills down Tersch's spine.

  Shit. Tersch slowly turned around. “Sorry, Jules. It was instinctive.” Jules glared. “Bullshit. I told you I don't need you fighting my battles anymore.”

  “Oh, this is gonna be good,” Morgan muttered to Hayashi as he crossed to stand next to his mate.

  “Jules, he was just trying to help,” Fallon offered but quickly shut up when Jules shot him a hard look. To Tersch, Fallon mentally sent, “I tried, buddy. I have a feeling you’re in for it.”

  “I know,” Tersch sent back. Though not telepathic, he replied on the wavelength Fallon had used.

  “Come here.” Jules tugged Tersch by a belt loop on his trousers, closing the distance between them. “Need some discipline, Gunnar?” Fuck, he would have to do this now. Thoughts of Ava continued to crowd his mind, the need for sex and blood and violence an ever-present source of desire, especially after he'd walked in the footsteps of his berserker. It didn't feel as if a mating heat pressed, just the good clean scent of lust and Circ pheromones invading the space around them.

  “Shit. I'm going to tie up our surviving rogue,” Morgan mumbled and quickly moved to the one on the ground still breathing. “I'll keep watch while you four…

  Hell.” He rubbed his own erection through his trousers. “Too bad we can't film this so I could watch it later.”

  Hayashi grinned at him. “Don't worry. I'll give you a blow-by-blow tonight.”

  “You'd better.” Morgan gave him a stern look, then turned and dragged the sole unconscious Circ away.

  Hayashi said to Jules, “Morgan knows what we need, and he's good with it. We haven't done this in a while. It's time, I think.” Jules flashed his fangs. “Glad you approve.” He turned back to Tersch. “But my intent isn't only to strengthen our team. Seems Tersch here still wants to play by his own rules. He doesn't seem to remember that he's part of the pack and that he's not the alpha. I am.”

  Chapter Two

  “Jules,” Tersch growled, but he couldn't ignore his own excitement. Now mated to Sheridan, a beautiful redheaded healer with a temper to match her fiery hair, Jules had been distracted of late. Though he'd used sex to bond Tersch to his female, Jules hadn't bonded with the whole team for a while now. Added to that, he was going to become a father, and Tersch understood why his team leader had been preoccupied.

  Yet Tersch needed the belonging. Hell, they all did. Sex not only served to procreate their new species; it tied them all together, closer than family. Circs had a pack mentality, and belonging was a necessary part of it.

  Sheridan, Morgan, and Fallon's mate, Olivia, knew and understood what their Circ mates needed from one another—a desire to keep each other close, sane, and safe.

  Tersch knew he was the biggest threat to the others, and it shamed him. But he could only do so much to contain his berserker. As it was, the monster wanted to come back out and take part in their play. But Tersch couldn't afford to let him.

  Sometimes he wanted too much pain, and the creature scared him with its appetite.

  His beast, on the other hand, he could fully control. Mostly.

  “Come here, Gunnar.” Jules slowly stripped out of his clothes, as did the others. Changed, their muscles bulged and expanded. Their cocks were long, thick, and slick with the natural oils their Circ bodies secreted, natural lubrication to ease the mating act and increase the probability of conception. When Tersch made a move to release his own trousers, Jules shook his head.

  “What?”

  “Pull them down but don't take them off. Stop when they're at midthigh, then get down on your hands and knees.”

  “Come on, Jules.” Tersch was so hard, he wanted to explode. He lowered his trousers but remained standing, needing to be disciplined. Needing to be loved.

  “Lesson number one. I own you. Lesson number two, I don't want to hear you.” Jules glanced at Fallon, who smiled widely. The bastards were speaking in their heads, and it didn't look good for Tersch.

  Jules shoved Tersch forward. Off balance because of his pants, he landed hard on his hands and knees.

  Fallon followed him, rounding to his front as he dropped to his knees. “Perfect.

  Don't talk. Just open your mouth.”

  Centered on the hard, shiny cock waiting on him, Tersch leaned forward and took it in his mouth.

  Fallon's sigh and the faint scent of mint, Fallon's telltale sign of arousal, increased his own. He moaned and took Fallon's huge shaft to the back of his throat, loving the musky scent of his need.

  “Oh man, I'm not gonna last,” Fallon said on a breath and began fucking Tersch's mouth.

  Then a light scent of cinnamon teased, and large hands cupped his ass while someone knelt behind him. Hayashi. “A nice, tight ass. I like his legs bound together by the pants.” Hayashi's cock prodded his anus, pushing and teasing, before he slid his thick shaft inside Tersch with ease. Hayashi clenched Tersch's hips tight and shuddered. “God, I love this
.”

  Full, Tersch allowed himself to be taken, glorying in the sense of communion as his friends strove to find fulfillment.

  Jules stood next to him and murmured, “That's right. They come, but you don't.” His team leader gripped his long hair tight. Normally Tersch's blond hair barely reached his shoulders, but when he changed, it lightened almost to white and came to the small of his back.

  “Oh fuck, I'm coming,” Fallon said on a breath.

  “Fill him up,” Jules murmured.

  Fallon groaned and spewed, the rush of seed hitting the back of Tersch's throat and filling his mouth. Tasting his fellow Circ, taking the essence of his teammates into his body, sated Tersch's strong need for acceptance.

  Fallon pulled away before he'd finished coming, and Jules milked the rest of Fallon's cum from his shaft.

  “So good,” Hayashi moaned and fucked him harder, the burn of his fat cock even better.

  Tersch needed relief from his own aching sex, but he couldn't get there, not yet. Not enough pain, no push to shove his libido further over the crest into climax.

  Hayashi shoved hard once more and came, sighing as he unloaded.

  “Good.” Jules approved, and he let go of Fallon to embrace Hayashi. The sound of a kiss made Tersch clench that cock tight in his ass.

  Hayashi hissed and raked Tersch's ass with his claws.

  “Oh yeah,” Tersch rumbled, almost purring with delight.

  “No, pull out, Kisho. I have a treat for our boy.” Jules's deep voice was husky with desire. “Stay close, you two,” he said to Fallon and Hayashi. “He's going to need more.”

  Tersch didn't see if Fallon and Hayashi took his advice, because he was suddenly shoved over onto his back, his legs still captured by his trousers.

  “That's nice.” Jules straddled his face, his hairless cock huge and flushed, his balls tight. “Now you're going to suck me until you gag, Viking. But first, you're going to apologize for disobeying orders.”

  Tersch got off on the submission. They both knew he could defeat Jules in a hand-to-hand fight. But Jules's dominance was unquestioned. Tersch bowed to him, to the commander and savvy hunter who led Dawn Endeavor. Jules knew just how much pain he needed to be free of his cravings.

  “I'm waiting,” Jules growled.

  “I'm sorry, Jules. I won't do it again.” Not so obviously, at least.

  “Open up.” Jules didn't treat him gently. He rammed his cock between Tersch's lips, literally gagging him as he fucked his mouth. Unlike Fallon, who'd slid in and out with a gradual rhythm, Jules pummeled hard, the hurt oh so good.

  Tersch moaned around that cock, so needy, so painfully hard. Yet Jules didn't stop. He shoved down hard with his pelvis, nearly cutting off Tersch's airway as he sought release. Then claws, Hayashi's or Fallon's, gouged one of Tersch's shoulders, holding him down. The bite of pain was more than welcome.

  Tersch felt a small spurt at his cock and knew he wouldn't last much longer.

  One touch on his dick and he'd lose it.

  “That's it. Take my cock to the back of that strong throat. Good boy.” Jules leaned back and ran his claws over the bloodied streaks in Tersch's shoulder. Then he let go to wrap his fingers in Tersch's hair. “Like gold. Like I'm fucking gold,” Jules growled as he shoved his cock deeper.

  Tersch choked and grasped the back of Jules's ass for more. And then he felt a hot mouth around his own cock. Felt the press of fangs and a tongue over his shaft.

  Thick fingers suddenly pressed at his already slick hole, and he fought to hold on.

  “I come first,” Jules whispered and dug into his wounded shoulder, a satin promise of pain should Tersch disobey.

  Tersch struggled to hold on while his entire body screamed at him to release.

  A strangled groan, and Jules was coming into his mouth. The cum ran over Tersch's lips as he swallowed as fast as he was able.

  “That's it,” Jules whispered and shafted his mouth a few more time. “Come for me, Gunnar. Now.”

  Suction increased around Tersch's cock, and a third finger stretched his hole.

  Fangs scraped his shaft, and he couldn't breathe, his mouth still hugging Jules's flesh before Jules pulled out and stood.

  The explosion hit him, and he let out a hoarse yell.

  His orgasm struck hard, and he came and came, writhing in ecstasy as one of them swallowed his cream. He felt jets of warm sperm hit his legs, his belly, and he blinked up to see Jules unloading more cum onto his chest while Fallon jacked off as well.

  He could barely catch his breath as satisfaction consumed him.

  Hayashi licked the last bit of seed from his cock and stood, his hand around his own erection that flagged, slick with moisture.

  Tersch's eyes suddenly burned, a well of emotion drowning him from out of nowhere. So much pleasure, and all centered on him. He blinked rapidly to halt mortifying tears. “Thanks,” he said gruffly, too spent to move.

  Jules leaned down and kissed him, the affectionate caress more than needed.

  “You're mine.” He straightened. “All of you. Don't forget it.” Jules's low voice sounded threatening, but each of them smiled.

  “Hard to forget with you ordering us around all the time,” Fallon teased.

  “Yeah. Especially when you remind us like this.” Hayashi grinned, his gaze joyous. “And thanks. This is going to make Morgan nuts later. You wouldn't believe how creative he can get in bed if he thinks he's missed out on something with the team.”

  Jules smiled. “I'll visit you two tomorrow night, after we get back. Wouldn't want your boy to feel left out.”

  “I heard that,” Morgan yelled from the woods. “Cocksuckers.” Tersch snickered. Replete, exhausted, and finally able to tamp down all his aggression, he slowly made his way to his feet and pulled up his trousers. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help wondering what Ava would think of this, and how she'd feel under him.

  His good mood left him, because he knew he'd never find out.

  * * *

  Ava Belle grimaced at the woman she'd spent a lifetime trying to please. Alicia Sharpe, currently known as an all-around ball breaker, had recently returned from a meeting in Washington and was smiling at something Olivia said. Don’t do it, Olivia. Don’t get suckered in by those soft brown eyes and feminine charm. That woman is a shark.

  Her grandmother turned to wink at her, and Ava gritted her teeth.

  Grandmother was an affectionate term for the woman several generations her senior. Hell, Ava's mother had called Alicia grandmother. None of the family really knew how old she was, only that she'd been around for a long time. Nothing about Alicia was normal; then again, Ava couldn't claim to be average on a good day.

  She liked to think of her small frame as petite with curves, though her ass seemed to get more than its share of attention. Gunnar especially liked looking at it…when he wasn't avoiding her. She scowled, needing to unload her frustrations on the actual source of her bad mood.

  If she believed half the things both men and women said to her, Ava had a breathtaking beauty, a figure that put swimsuit models to shame, and an astonishing capacity to render the male of the species speechless with a smile.

  Funny, but none of her positive attributes seemed to make an impact on her absent, stubborn-as-hell mate.

  She stomped from the kitchen, where Olivia and Sheridan, Jules's new mate, soon-to-be bride, and expectant mother, were laughing at something her grandmother said. Sure, the younger women could afford to be happy. They were mated, pregnant, and looking forward to their men returning today.

  Lately, Ava had only to meet Gunnar's gaze to send the man racing away in a panic. “Tough guy, my ass,” she muttered as she strode down the hall toward her own office.

  “Yo, Ava, wait up.” Keegan Price, one of the dozen psychics now assigned to the protection detail working the house, called out to her.

  Ava swore under her breath as she slowed down and turned. Keegan wasn't a bad guy. Hell, a few years ag
o, they'd even dated once or twice. It wasn't his fault he reminded her too much of the man currently avoiding her. Keegan had height, brawn, intelligence, and the psychic wherewithal to tear a body apart with nothing more than his mind. Her grandmother's new favorite secret weapon. Ava thought Alicia might like Keegan almost as much as she liked the Circs. What that really meant, she had no idea, nor did she want to know.

  She sighed. “Yes?”

  “Now, honey, don't be like that.” Keegan grinned, and she imagined him tipping up a cowboy hat if he'd been allowed to wear one in the house. Regulations stipulated that the guards all wear a standard uniform of black boots, trousers, and black shirts. As if Ava or the others would have a hard time distinguishing their new bodyguards from the Circs that lived in the mansion.

  “What do you want, Keegan? I have things to do.” His good-old-boy grin faded. “You okay?”

  She wished he would stop being nice. Ava didn't do well with nice, which was probably why she and Mr. Avoidance complemented each other so well. “No, I'm not.

  I have to deal with the fallout from the Keisers. Remember them? The husband-and-wife handyman and housekeeper who tried to kill Morgan over two weeks ago?”

  “Yeah, about that—”

  “I have several meetings between Mrs. Sharpe, Mr. Anderson, and a few House Committee lackeys in DC to coordinate.”

  “Right, but—”

  “And the Circs are due home today, so we need someone to cook, clean up around here, and make sense of all this housekeeping shit.” She glared when his eyes narrowed. “So if you're here to whine about the new tasks set before your team, don't bother.”

  He opened his mouth and closed it with a snap. “Fuck.” He swore more under his breath as he turned on his heel and walked away. In his wake, a vase on a nearby table shattered, dribbling water, flowers, and pottery shards to the floor.