"Jax?"
"Hmm?"
Kira trailed a finger over the broad expanse of his chest, hoping he didn't close off when she pried. But she had to know more about the man at her side. "Tell me about Afghanistan. When you were changed."
He went so still for a few moments, she wasn't even sure he was breathing. When he finally began to speak, his voice was so low, bleeding with remembered pain, that she held him tighter.
"What's to tell? We ventured into the mountains on a routine patrol, and encountered creatures out of our worst nightmares. Then some of us awoke to realize the lucky ones were dead, and the rest had to live with the fact that we'd become freaks at best, enemies of the human race at worst."
She hugged him tight. "Obviously neither was true. You guys were put in the unique position of protecting the world from creatures most people don't even know exist. Have you ever stopped to think about all the lives that would've been affected if you hadn't been changed? How many would be lost by now?"
After a moment, he admitted, "It's crossed my mind. But it's hard to get that through my head when the personal cost has been so damned high. Call me selfish, but that's how it is."
"That's not selfish, just human." She cursed herself for her blunder. "You know what I mean."
He kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, I do."
"You're not a freak."
"And yet you don't know if you can embrace both sides of me."
Rising up, she propped herself on his chest and looked him right in the eye. "Get it through your head, that's not true the way you mean it. I'll admit I was a little unnerved by the shifting at first. But the only problem I have is with the biology of the mating thing not giving us a choice. It's like we're not in charge of our destinies."
"Everyone has a choice." He arched a dark brow. "You're here, for instance, and nobody forced you to get down and dirty with me. Twice. Three times if you want to get technical."
"You've got me there." She couldn't help but smile at his self-satisfied expression. "You're a hard man to resist."
"Just hard, period." He leered at her.
"You have a point," she teased, wiggling against the hardness in question.
The chirp of his iPhone interrupted them. With a putupon sigh, he grabbed it off the nightstand and peered at the display. "Text message from Nick. We're meeting in one hour, and he wants you there."
"Me?" She frowned. "Must have to do with my old employer."
"My guess is he's ready to plan the recon on the NewLife building. We can obtain the floor plans, but you might have other information we can use."
"I don't know. I've told you everything."
"We'll see. In the meantime we need another shower."
"Without the messing around, or we'll be late."
His grin made her pulse leap. "Punctuality is overrated."
They were almost ten minutes late. Holding her hand, Jax pulled her into the room where the rest of the team was already assembled and talking among themselves, waiting for Nick to start. All eyes swung their way and a couple of the guys snickered. Nick gave them a knowing stare, appearing curious. And if she wasn't mistaken . . . was that a wave of sympathy, maybe laced with a touch of sadness, she felt from the boss as he studied them? What was that about?
Embarrassment colored Kira's cheeks at the others guys' razzing, but she kept her head high as she and Jax found seats. She was grateful when Nick began the meeting without any remarks about their tardiness. He hadn't struck her as that kind of man, but the lack of censure was still a relief.
"First off, I invited Kalen to join us so he can get a feel for how we work," Nick said. "Does anyone have an objection?"
"Not as long as he keeps his wand pointed in the other direction," Aric cracked. The others laughed, except for Nick and Jax.
Kalen accepted the challenge. "I wouldn't point my wand at you if you were the last ugly, one-eyed, threelegged shifter on earth." One corner of his mouth quirked up. "Not that I use one, 'cause those are so last century. Just sayin'."
"You're all right, man." Aric slapped him on the back, and a couple of the others did the same, as though he'd passed some sort of male test.
Kira slid a glance to the young Sorcerer, who was unusual to say the least, even among present company. She'd never seen someone who seemed so alone in a roomful of people, though he appeared okay with the group's good-natured ribbing. If he planned to stick around, he'd have to get used to that.
"Since there are no protests, let's move on," Nick said, gaining their attention once more. "I checked on the NewLife facilities, and the closest one is in fact the Las Vegas location. As most of you are aware, our newest staff member, Kira, used to work at that building and fled from there with some tissue samples and a suspicion that her bosses are involved in altering human DNA and gene strands. Based on study of the four bodies provided courtesy of the sheriff's department and coroner, Melina and her lab assistants have concluded that these same changes were being forced on these men at the time of their deaths."
"And your team heard the corpse, Henry Ward, tell me about one of the bastards who killed him wearing a polo with the NewLife logo on it," Kalen put in.
"This guy is powerful shit," Jax whispered in her ear, referring to the Sorcerer.
She glanced at her lover. "No kidding."
Nick acknowledged Kalen's statement with a nod. "And that's why we're sending a team into the Vegas building in forty-eight hours. You're going to do a search, see what you can find. Which brings us to why I asked Kira to come." He turned to her. "Tell us what you can about the level of security there."
Put on the spot, she fumbled for a few seconds. "Well, I'd say security is what you'd expect for a company of that size and reputation. It's not Fort Knox, but an outsider would have a difficult time breaching their perimeter."
Ryon smirked. "They didn't count on us."
Kira doubted most of the population would be a match for Alpha Pack.
Nick ignored the comment. "Give us the rundown of what they've got-how many guards and so forth."
"There's a security guard on each level of the building at all hours, and they work in three shifts-day, evening, and deep nights. There are cameras on every floor . . . except in the basement," she recalled, sitting up straight. Why had she never realized that before?
"I'm guessing the basement is where you found the tissue samples," Jax said.
"Yes, in the restricted lab area down there. And when I was escaping that night, it's also where I could have sworn I heard a male voice begging for help." She shivered at the memory. "It was brief, but terrible. I thought I was just frightened, imagining things."
"But you don't think so now?" Nick asked.
"No. With everything that's come to light, I believe it's highly possible I heard someone in need of assistance. Or at least got an impression of pain and desperation."
"An impression?"
She nodded. "I get feelings from people, pick up their emotions. It's gotten much stronger since I've been here. Actually, it wasn't until I got here that I really was sure of it. I'd say that sounds crazy, but among this group . . ."
Nick's tough veneer cracked some, his eyes warming. "You're an Empath. It's an occupational hazard."
Silence fell and she became aware of the others staring at her. She'd thought it possible, but to hear Nick announce it in a room full of guys with unrivaled special abilities made her more than a bit self-conscious. What good was one puny Empath in comparison?
"That may be, but it's hardly a useful talent," she demurred. "Anyway, I have a friend inside who I'm pretty sure will help us. His name is A. J. Stone and he's a security guard."
Nick welcomed the news with caution. "What makes you think he'll be willing to place himself at risk? He could lose his job over this, or worse, if anyone suspects him."
"I wasn't the only one who thought something weird was going on at NewLife. A.J. believed it, too, and we talked about it in private more than once. That night, though, I didn't tell him what I was doing. He'd called in sick, which was just as well. I didn't want to get him in trouble."
A pang of guilt went through her. A.J. was probably worried and thought something bad had happened to her. If it hadn't been for Jax, something terrible would have.
"Can you-all of us-trust him?" Nick asked.
She didn't even hesitate. "Absolutely. He has a good soul. It shines from him like a beacon."
Jax winked at her. "And you thought your talent wasn't useful."
"I'm not convinced it's anything but plain old intuition," she said, flushing. "But I believe in A.J. If you want, I can give him a call and explain what's up, and then let Nick talk to him so they can discuss the details of getting you all in and out."
"That sounds fine." Their boss let out a deep breath. "I just know that whatever we do, we have to take action fast. There's something a lot more important than lab samples waiting for us in that hellhole, and time is running out."
The guys were grim now, none of them participating in the usual joking around. To see them so serious, knowing Nick's visions were nothing to take lightly, formed a ball of ice in her stomach.
"Are we taking the jet?" Jax asked.
Nick shook his head. "Not enough room, and we'll need plenty of space on our way home. We'll take two Hueys and a doc to ride in each. Once we get to Vegas, we'll land at our usual hangar and take a van and the SUV. Any questions?"
Jax had one. "What about Kira and Kalen?"
"They'll ride along, but they won't participate. Maybe next time for Kalen."
The Sorcerer nodded his agreement.
"I think Kira should stay here," her lover protested with a scowl.
"We need her there, just in case. Anything else?" Subject closed. Nobody spoke. "Then we'll go wheels up in forty-eight. Get your rest; you're all going to need the energy."
As the meeting broke up, Kira playfully punched Jax in the arm. "Come on, don't get pissy. Nick wouldn't have let me come if it wasn't safe."
"He can't interfere in free will-you know that," he said in a low, unhappy voice. "If something bad was going to go down, he couldn't change the fact. Besides, I just don't want you anywhere near that building."
"I'll be fine. I promise to stay out of the way, like he ordered."
"You'd better or I'll put you over my knee." He made the threat sound like fun, and followed it with a half smile.
"Haven't I told you not to threaten me with a good time if you don't intend to follow through?"
"Hey, it's not a threat-it's a sure thing."
"We'll see about that, big guy."
"Oh, yes. We will."
His grin sent a sizzle to her nipples, fingers, and toes. And everywhere in between.
She couldn't wait.
Chapter Twelve
Jaxon went in search of his wayward woman, though he had little doubt where to find her.
When they weren't testing the durability of his mattress and bed frame, she could be found in Block R working with Chup-Chup, as she'd named the mischievous little gremlin critter for the sound it made, socializing it and teaching it all kinds of stuff. First and foremost, to go outside to do his business and not to bite the hand that fed him. He had to admit, she'd already begun to make good progress.
With the aid of a sturdy pair of gloves to protect her from nips and scratches.