Savage Hunger

The man who vows to protect her may be her biggest threat. Savage, Book 1 Being the daughter of a world-renowned scientist, Sienna Peters has struggled to carve out her own career in the field. But her world is sent spinning when she discovers a secret species being held in the lab where she works, and the horrible things being done to them. Compelled to do more than hand off an information-packed jump drive to her father, she sets out to free the creatures. The minute his team enters the compound, federal agent Warrick Donovan knows their mission will have more trouble than they bargained on. Unfortunately, trouble comes in the form of Sienna Peters, the younger sister of his close friend. Now not only does he need to save her pretty ass, he needs to discover just how involved she is with the imprisonment of the shifters. Sienna knows she should trust no one—not even the man she might still love. But as the danger escalates and past passion ignites, her heart has other ideas. Even when the shroud of mystery is ripped off more than one stunning truth… Warning: Must love alpha males, be intrigued by federal agents who may or may not shift into wolves, and most importantly be prepared for intense action of the dangerous and sexual kind.

eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B Cincinnati OH 45249 Savage Hunger Copyright © 2012 by Shelli Stevens ISBN: 978-1-60928-590-6 Edited by Tera Kleinfelter Cover by Kanaxa All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: April 2012 www.samhainpublishing.com

Savage Hunger Shelli Stevens

Dedication

A huge thanks, and lots of chocolate, goes out to my plotting group, the Cherry Plotters, who gave invaluable advice and thoughts on this story. To Cherry Adair for your critique and quote! Thanks to my editor, Tera. To my niece, Megan, for being another set of eyes. To all my betas, you know who you are! And a big thanks to Jocelyn for your patience in having your name in a book for the Seattle Choral Company Auction! And finally, thank you to all my readers. You’re the BEST!

Chapter One

Screams ripped through the hallway of the deserted lab. The not-quitehuman sounds bounced off the walls of the dark corridor, reverberating through Sienna Peters’s skull and all the way down to her high-heeled toes. Stop. God, she just wanted them to stop. But the feral screams continued, shaking her resolve almost as much as they did the building. The raw, guttural cries implied something primitive. Something filled with rage. Frozen in place, her heart pounded a furious tempo as she pressed her palm against the wall to orient herself, struggling to control her erratic breathing. She glanced around the building she was in. It was unmarked, far from the rest of the structures on the institute’s property, and strictly off limits. The outside of the lab had been littered with Keep Out and Private Property signs, the inside dusty enough to tickle her nose, while cobwebs stretched across darkened corners to increase the creepiness of the place. The few ceiling lights that still worked flickered and wheezed with the effort to stay lit. From its appearance, the building owned by Feloray Laboratories hadn’t been used in years, but anyone who could get close enough could plainly hear otherwise. Or, if they got inside, they’d spot the sparkling state-of-the-art computers and digital cameras mounted to the walls that recorded every move. Those cameras weren’t recording right now though, she’d personally seen to it. Sienna’s hand trembled as she bunched the blue chiffon of her floor-length evening gown up her leg, baring her thigh. She pulled the knife from the sheath

Savage Hunger

hidden beneath the elegant gown, then let the fabric drop back to the floor in a billowing drift of silk. She’d chosen her attire for tonight’s charity gala carefully, so she’d be prepared when she finally got the chance to slip away from the formal occasion. The full skirt of her dress hid the weapon in case she was discovered, because getting caught would be epically bad. Resolutely she continued down the hallway. With the screams echoing around her it was all too tempting to turn and head to the safety of her car a mile away. The logical side of her brain demanded she do so. But something inside her was fiercely determined and wouldn’t let her turn tail. There was no option but to help these creatures, especially since, despite all her years studying to be a biochemist, she couldn’t help them in the way they needed. Until this afternoon she hadn’t even known of their existence. Logic and science should’ve ruled out the possibility. Even now, had it not been for the ungodly screams from the room down the hall, she might not have believed it. The cries died out again, leaving a sudden silence that felt every bit as alarming and frightening as the cacophony of screams had been. “Keep moving,” she whispered steadfastly to herself. “You will do this.” Sienna wiped a trickle of sweat off her forehead; the lab was sweltering without air-conditioning in the midsummer heat. Another howl pierced the air. Lingering. The anguish in the owner’s voice made tears of empathy prick at her eyes. She really had no choice. Sienna drew in an unsteady breath and moved down the darkened hallway toward the screams, the knife clutched in one sweaty hand.

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“Donovan, can you confirm hostage location?” “Affirmative.” Warrick Donovan touched the button on his earpiece while one hand rested on his weapon. He stared down the dim passage of the building and took in another lungful of musty air. Keeping his voice quiet, he replied, “Seven hostages, secured in one large holding cell.” “Taking down all cameras in five,” Nathan Larson, the commander of the op, said through his headset. “Stand by and avoid surveillance in section four—it isn’t networked and won’t go off-line with the others.” The communication device in his ear went silent as the agent on the other end hacked into the Feloray computer system. Warrick stroked the butt of his Glock as adrenaline rushed through his blood. Stand by? Easier said than done. Especially with the screams of pain that continued to shake the walls of this run-down, mildew-infested hellhole. This building was the secret bastard child of Feloray Laboratories. Damn it. Let’s do this already. Another agonized shriek split the air. The sound sent a frisson of unease down Warrick’s spine and made the hair on the back of his neck raise. God only knew what the hell was being done to the guys locked up in the cell. But whatever it was, it stopped tonight. Anger brewed, making his blood pound and his jaw clench as he waited for the go signal. Though nobody would ever claim Warrick to be a patient guy. “We’ve got a problem.” Besides the obvious? He didn’t say the words, knew they had to keep chatter at a minimum. Instead he waited for Larson to continue. “Someone already disabled all the cameras. I think we’ve got a tango in the building.”

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Well, shit. Warrick glanced down both directions of the hallway, his eyes narrowing with interest. The new reason to be alert. “They can’t be our guys,” Larson continued. “The P.I.A. only authorized the four of us. And Rafferty and Hilliard are waiting with the vans.” There was a pause. “I’m calling Rafferty in to help with the rescue. I need you to find the tango.” “Will do.” Warrick pulled the Glock from his holster, not the least bit disappointed in the change of plans. If anything, the thought of confronting someone who might be a part of his comrades’ imprisonment brought a ruthless smile to his face. He moved forward stealthily, watching and listening for any sign of movement. Come out, come out, wherever you are. And you might just get your head blown off. A faint clicking noise made him still. He cocked his head, trying to place the sound. There it was again, a soft but rhythmic clicking. Something familiar about the noise prickled in the back of his mind. Almost like…high heels? His brows drew together and he drew in a slow breath. Oh, yeah, their tango was a woman. He crept forward, his lips quirking in amusement as he finally spotted her. And a regular Cinde-fucking-rella by the looks of it. Her blonde hair was in some fancy knot on the top of her head, leaving the smooth, alabaster skin of her neck to gleam in the dim lighting. She looked as if she was on her way to the damn ball, wearing a floor-length, completely out of place evening gown. He almost missed the knife in her hand when his attention got snagged by the pair of small, perky breasts. You’re not here to appreciate the female anatomy, buddy. He turned his attention back to the little KA-BAR folding knife she clutched. Was she using it for protection, or with the intent to cause harm? He made a

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small grunt in the back of his throat. Either way, she should’ve picked a bigger knife. Warrick pressed himself against the wall and took another step toward her. He had to move fast. The woman, though still a good distance away, kept pausing and glancing around. And though he didn’t doubt for a moment he could easily take the petite gal, the fact that she appeared jumpy and wielded a knife made her unpredictable. For a moment he thought she saw him—she stared down the hall where he stood in a dark shadow and seemed to hesitate—but then she turned and continued toward the hostages. He kept his breathing shallow. The likelihood that she could see him was slim. He was covered in black from head to toe, with just his face exposed, and he was standing in a corner of the lab where the lighting was out, blending easily with the shadows. Another ear-splitting scream ripped through the building and the woman jerked, sending the knife skittering across the floor. It was the only opening he needed. Warrick reholstered the Glock, lunged away from the wall and went for her. The woman didn’t even see him coming. She was leaning down to grab the knife when his arms locked around her waist and he knocked them both to the floor. His palm slipped over her mouth, smothering the scream that erupted past her lips. She bucked beneath him, the soft curve of her bottom grinding into his hips as her muffled cries of fear left hot puffs of air on his hand. Jesus, she needed to stay the hell still. Warrick ground his teeth together, trying not to think about the softness of her body as he let his full weight pin her to the ground, making any movement on her part impossible.

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He used his free hand to touch the communication button near his ear. “Tango apprehended.” Lowering his head so that his mouth was just above the pale curve of her ear, he muttered, “Any more weapons on you, Cinderella?” Another warm puff of air caressed his hand as she replied with what sounded like some kind of expletive. His lips curved into a humorless smile as he moved his hand down her side, searching for more weapons. Who was she? And more importantly, why was she here? “I think you came to the wrong party, princess.” He patted down her side, pressing firmly against the smooth fabric of her gown to check for more weapons. It became difficult to breathe as he slid his hand down her tiny waist and inward. Warrick eased his weight off her just enough to maneuver his hand up her front, shutting his brain off from anything but finding more hidden weapons. The woman began to struggle again, her muffled cries outraged when she realized where his hand was traveling. “Just need to make sure you’re not armed.” This time his lips brushed the soft curve of her ear. An electric current ran through him and his eyelids narrowed as he breathed in the perfume she wore. Some kind of spicy vanilla scent. Sweet, sexy…and somewhat familiar. A memory tingled in the back of his head, but before he could acknowledge it pain rocketed through his hand. “Shit!” He pulled at his hand, but her teeth followed, piercing the skin until he felt the wet trickle of blood. “The hell you bite me,” he snarled. Warrick flexed his hips against her, grinding her lower body hard to hold her still against the concrete floor, and used his free hand to grab the back of her hair.

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His fingers wrapped in the knot on top of her head, grabbing her hair and jerking her head backward. She eased her bite, opening her mouth and unclamping her teeth, before finally crying out in frustration and pain. Her furious scream pierced the air of the hallway, echoing in the building and setting off the hostages, their enraged howls starting up once more. Warrick cursed and clamped his palm across her mouth again. “Bite me again and I swear to fucking God you’ll regret it.” “Donovan, is that the tango? You need backup?” Warrick’s lips tightened at the amusement in Larson’s tone as his voice came through the earpiece. He pressed the button to reply. “Under control.” Larson gave a soft laugh. “Take all the time you need, buddy. I’m good here.” All the time he needed? Bullshit. He’d have this bitch contained in seconds. Warrick eased his weight off the woman and—without removing his hand from her mouth—grabbed her hip and flipped her onto her back. He caught her flailing hands and pinned her wrists above her head with his free hand. “Now listen up, lady. I need you to…fuck me!” He blinked and shook his head against the roaring in his ears. “Sienna?” Oh my fucking God. Sienna stared up at the man above her, her eyes rounded in disbelief. She probably would’ve recognized the voice earlier if she hadn’t been so damn terrified. The only part of him visible was his head and face, but it was a face she had never forgotten.

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Her heart slammed in her chest like a caged bird and a sound of disbelief erupted from her throat, again to be caught against the calloused palm of the man above her. But not any man. Warrick Donovan. She’d gone from getting felt up by some kinky burglar in black, to discovering that the man on top of her was no stranger. This wasn’t happening. This had to be some kind of weird, messed-up dream. Maybe she’d fallen and hit her head. She blinked, then blinked again. But he still didn’t disappear. Okay, not a weird dream. “Sienna?” he repeated again, harder this time. She gave a jerky nod. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” he muttered and looked up toward the ceiling before turning his frustrated gaze down to her again. “I don’t believe this.” Yeah, well, that made two of them. She stared up into familiar gray-blue eyes that were narrowed with incredulity and something else. Something so hot it sent a shiver of awareness through her body. That look…she’d seen it before. Though that had been a long time ago. He lowered his head a bit, so their faces were just inches apart. “Okay, I’m going to remove my hand. But you need to promise me you won’t scream.” She nodded again. He slid his palm off her mouth and she gulped in air. Her throat was so damned tight she probably couldn’t have screamed if she wanted to. “Okay, now will you please tell me what in the hell you’re doing here?” he bit out harshly. “Did your father send you here?” “My father?” she repeated in dismay, shocked by his anger. “Why in the hell would my father send me? I work here. Maybe we should talk about what you’re doing here?”

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His mouth tightened and his gaze narrowed again. “You work here? Not exactly the answer I wanted to hear, kid.” Her emotions, already running on a pretty short fuse, exploded. She made a choked cry of anger, her body bucking beneath him as she tried to free herself. Kid? Six years had gone by, but nothing had changed. Nothing. She was still just Daniel’s little sister to him. Unfortunately she realized her mistake in trying to get free of him, when her movements brought the apex of her thighs into hard contact with a certain part of Warrick she was trying very hard to ignore right now. “Sienna,” Warrick hissed in warning, his mouth tightening almost as if he was in pain. She stilled, acutely aware of his tall, heated and muscled body trapping hers against the cold concrete floor of the building. Heat sizzled through her body and it became harder to drag in a breath. “I’m not a damn kid.” Her cheeks heated as she realized the adolescent protest made a mockery of her words. Warrick gave a harsh laugh as his gaze slid to the swell of her breasts above the strapless blue gown. “No, of course you’re not.” The unusual gleam in his gaze had her eyes widening. “What you are is a shitload of trouble,” he muttered, his head lowering slightly. In that moment she felt it. The memory of what his mouth would feel like on hers. The firmness of his lips. How he’d taste again. But Warrick didn’t kiss her. Instead, his sensual mouth, just inches from hers, twisted into a scowl and the muscles in his shoulders coiled. “I’m here.”

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Sienna blinked, arousal and confusion slowing her ability to think as she glanced around but saw no one. Her brows drew together. “What—” Warrick lifted his hand to silence her, and angled his head so she saw his finger touching his ear. “Everything’s fine. Just had a bit of a…distraction.” His lips curled into a grimace. “Shut it, Larson. I’ll bring her out in a minute.” Seriously? How had she not noticed the tiny little microphone running along his jaw? How much had the people listening on the other end heard? Ah crap, probably way too much. “Get off me,” she whispered. She’d had a purpose tonight. Dammit, while her teenage crush had been groping her on the floor, the creatures locked in the cell continued to suffer. And she was doing absolutely nothing to help them now. What in the hell was Warrick even doing here? Though a tiny part of her—and she hated to acknowledge it—welcomed his sudden presence. Knowing that she wasn’t in this building alone with those things. Because, truth be told, the unknown scared the living hell out of her. And those creatures were about as unknown as it got. “I said get off me,” she repeated with more force, pushing her hands against his chest. Warrick moved off her, his jaw flexing and his gaze not quite meeting hers as he grabbed her hand to haul her to her feet beside him. He seemed taller and broader than he’d been years ago and another shiver of awareness slid through her. Sienna moved away from him and smoothed her dress back into place, a wave of unease running through her as she discreetly confirmed the items in her

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bodice were still there. Before she could take two steps away from Warrick, strong arms wrapped around her waist. “Sorry, kid.” Sienna shrieked as the hallway tilted and the ceiling swung into view. The air whooshed from her lungs as her stomach slammed into his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. His hand slapped down against her bottom to hold her still. The floor of the hallway wavered beneath her stunned gaze as he started jogging as if she weighed nothing at all. “Warrick! Put me down!” She clutched the bodice of her dress with one hand so the phone and jump drive she had hidden didn’t fall out, and used her other fist to beat against his back. Her pulse raced with panic and confusion. “What are you doing?” “We need to talk.” “No. We absolutely do not—” Her words died out as he turned a corner and the holding cell swung into view, even as he moved away from it. Holy crap! Her jaw nearly hit the floor as she watched two more men dressed in black break open the cell door and rush inside. But that wasn’t what had her insides twisting with horror. She blinked, unable to connect what she’d discovered on the jump drive earlier with the reality in front of her.

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Chapter Two

The creatures inside the cell continued to howl and scream as their bodies contorted. Fingers splayed out at awkward angles, stretching longer and longer, while joints grew thick and gnarled. Hair poked through the human skin covering the—oh God, it was a wolf. The smell in the hall was rancid with sweat and human waste…animal waste. Her heart stuttered at the sickening scene, and she wasn’t even aware that she’d stopped fighting Warrick, but was now clutching his shirt in fear. Unable to close her eyes, Sienna watched as another creature appeared to shift back into human form, the fur on its body retracting as smooth, dark skin appeared. And the change kept happening to all the creatures. Obviously uncontrollable, inexorable and agonizing. They were human, and yet they were animal. Her gaze landed on one of the creatures—a woman—inside the cell, and the glaze of pain in her stare had everything inside her clenching with compassion and helplessness. “I’m taking the tango outside to the van,” Warrick said. Her body jerked as he kicked open a door, his shoulder digging into her stomach. Then the door swung shut and the inside of the lab disappeared. But what she’d seen had been burned into her mind—she couldn’t get rid of the image.

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Warrick’s grip on her tightened as he lowered her back over his shoulder and to the ground. Before she could get her balance or take note of their surroundings, she was forced up against the side of the building. She welcomed the rough brick surface against her bare shoulders. It jarred her back to reality a bit. The slight chill in the night air would’ve added to the goose bumps that already covered her, but the proximity of Warrick’s hard body radiated a heat that reminded her this whole situation was entirely too real. What she’d seen was real. She swallowed against the nausea that now threatened. Warrick’s arms came down on each side of her head and his face closed in on hers, his expression fierce, any trace of softness from earlier long gone. She blinked, trying to familiarize herself with her surroundings, to calm down, to form a clear thought. “Tell me, Sienna. What the hell are you doing here tonight?” Her heart couldn’t seem to slow from its erratic pace. In a daze, she shook her head, trying to breathe. “It’s not possible… Things like that just can’t exist.” He laughed mockingly, even as something hard—frightening—flickered in his eyes. “To the rest of the world, they don’t.” “I…oh my God, Warrick, I don’t feel so well.” Her body started to tremble and she shook her head. “I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here! Warrick, let me—” “Hey.” Warrick caught her chin in gentle hands and forced her to look at him. “Look at me, Sienna. Come on, look at me. There’s a good girl. You’re all right.” She stared into his eyes, almost hypnotized at the intensity and firm conviction in his gaze. The reassurance and calm that Warrick had always been so good at giving. He stroked his thumb in a gentle caress down her cheek.

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“You’re all right, Sienna. Okay, sweetheart? Take a couple deep breaths. You’re fine.” And suddenly she was. His familiar, gentle voice and reassuring words sucked the fear and anxiety right out of her. It was the closest she’d been to a panic attack in years. Her muscles lost the tension she’d been holding and with each slow breath she dragged in she became more aware of everything. The smell of freshly cut grass and the scent of Warrick’s soap. The sound of the suffering creatures inside, mostly muted by the thick brick walls of the building. “Better?” Sienna gave a heavy nod to Warrick’s soft question. “How did you find out about them, Warrick? Those creatures? Are your friends going to hurt them?” “Are my friends going to hurt them?” The gentleness in his expression vanished, replaced instead with disbelief as he leaned his face closer to hers. “My friends are on a damn rescue mission from whatever the hell kind of evil your employer was behind.” A flush of guilt stole up her neck and she averted her gaze. She couldn’t exactly deny his accusation. But what did Warrick mean by rescue mission? And who were the other guys he was communicating with? Feeling much calmer now and a little more in control, she asked, “How did you know they were here, Warrick?” Warrick stared at her, his gaze narrowed with consideration. The intensity of his stare had her squirming and her gaze shifting away from his. “You didn’t answer my question, Sienna.” “I’m here for the same reason you and those men are. To set them free.” Her admission was met with silence. A sliver of unease moved through her and she turned her head to glance back at Warrick. If his gaze had been intense

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before, it was downright intimidating now. Even though they’d grown up together, and she knew instinctively he’d never hurt her, a shiver of fear ran down her spine. “You don’t want to lie to me, Sienna.” The low threat rumbled from his throat. Was failure to disclose the jump drive between her breasts lying? Her throat dried up. “I’m not lying.” “Aren’t you?” Yes. She probably was. The unease inside her tripled. “This is ridiculous. You know what? I’m just going to leave. Nice seeing you again, Warrick. Or not.” She moved to slip beneath his arm but he wouldn’t let her. “What now?” Warrick tilted his head and arched an eyebrow. “Say you really were trying to set them free. Then what?” She stared at him. Was this a trick question? “What do you mean?” “What did you plan to do after you set them free? How were you going to get them off the property?” “Well, they’d be free,” she blustered, then saw where he was going with this line of questioning. Shoot. “Okay, I admit that I…hadn’t exactly planned that far.” His mouth opened, but he didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at her. “Jesus Christ.” He shook his head. “You’re serious. You could’ve been killed.” She glared at him, feeling more than a little insulted at his genuine shock. She’d been trying to help. “I would’ve been fine, Warrick.” His hands slipped to her shoulders, his strong fingers biting into her flesh as he glowered down at her. “No, you wouldn’t have. What the hell were you thinking? You’re so damn impulsive. God help you if your brother knew what you were up to.”

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Even as her flesh burned where his fingers touched her, it was anger that heated her belly now. “You know, if those things are friends of yours, you could try being a little grateful that I was attempting to help them.” “Grateful?” he repeated. “Have you seen the state they’re in?” “They’re a little…” “They’re damn near feral, Sienna. They have no control over themselves right now. You have no idea what they even are, do you? Never mind what you were getting into.” Oh, she had a decent clue what they were after reading the files earlier today. Accepting it came a little slower. But now having seen them… “I could’ve handled it,” she muttered defiantly. He gave a harsh laugh. “The hell you could have. And when we find out what’s been done to them…” His grip tightened on her shoulders and his expression darkened. “Hold on a minute. You know what’s been going on, don’t you?” Her pulse quickened and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth. For a moment, she wanted to tell him everything. Explain the jump drive and everything she’d seen on it. Because this was Warrick, the only one she’d trusted to put a bandage on her scraped knee when she was a child. And right now, more than anything, she wanted Warrick to step in and fix things again. Tell her everything would be okay. But then she remembered the words Leo whispered as he’d folded the jump drive into her palm this morning. I’ve done a terrible thing, but it can be made right. Give the information on this file to your father. Don’t trust anyone with this. You may run into someone who thinks they are friends of these creatures—but all is not as it seems. You can only trust your father. He is the key to saving them.

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And it was just a little too coincidental that Warrick would show up tonight. What reason did she have to trust him? He’d broken her trust six years ago. How could she really be sure that Warrick wasn’t here to hurt the creatures? What if his only intent was for him and his friends to free the things and then have them terminated? How did she know he wasn’t just as sick and secretive as her employer? “Sienna?” Trust no one but my father, she repeated the mantra in her head. Forcing her expression to become blank, she gave a small shrug and lied outright. “I don’t have a clue what’s been going on.” Warrick swore quietly and glanced beyond his shoulder off into the darkness. A moment later he turned back to look at her. “The hell you don’t. I’m sorry, Sienna.” “For what?” He took a step forward. “For this.” Warrick palmed her mouth again, knowing Sienna would scream the place down once she realized his intent. Disbelief flashed in her eyes just before he lifted her off the ground and carried her across the field to where two passenger vans sat waiting in the darkness. She was lying. He knew her well enough to recognize her signals. The way she’d nibble on her bottom lip and avert her gaze. He just hoped she wouldn’t have another panic attack. He’d been damn lucky he’d been able to ease her out of the first one. He knew the signals. Remembered how she’d had a couple when she’d been a teen.

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When they got close enough for her to spot the van Sienna went wild. Kicking his shins and screaming against his palm. He reached the van and fortunately Hilliard was already waiting for him with the door open. “She the tango?” The agent’s eyebrows rose as he stepped back so Warrick could bring her in the van. “Unfortunately.” Hilliard’s smile widened. “Nice. Can I watch her?” Warrick snarled and cast the agent a glare. “Go help Rafferty and Larson load up the hostages. It’s a fucking mess in there.” Agent Hilliard’s smile faded and he gave a somber nod. “You need cuffs for her?” Warrick pulled Sienna into the front seat and, even knowing he’d catch hell for it, gave a swift nod. Sienna screamed in protest against his hand and gripped his wrist, trying to pry him away. Hilliard pulled the cuffs that were hanging from his belt loop and winced. “Better get ’em on her quick. I’ll be back soon.” In less than ten seconds Warrick had one cuff around her wrist and the other secured to the handle above the door. He pulled his hand from her mouth and waited for the scream. Surprisingly, it didn’t come. “Are you going to read me my rights now too?” she asked instead, her tone frigid. “Just who the hell are you guys? The feds?” No point in lying. She’d figure it out soon enough. “P.I.A. Preternatural Investigation Agency.” He sat down across from her in the driver’s seat. “We’re a special investigative unit that works unofficially under the feds.” “Oh my God…” Disbelief flickered in her eyes. “You’re serious? The government knows about those things in there?”

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Knew and barely tolerated. Which was why they kept as few humans as possible involved with the agency. His mouth slashed into a grim line at her use of the word things. “I’ll explain later.” She stared at him hard, before she glanced away. “Don’t bother. Look, you really need to let me go, Warrick.” “I can’t do that.” “Like hell you can’t.” Frustration snapped in her voice. Warrick’s gaze was instantly drawn to her chest. In her anger, her breasts rose and fell rapidly beneath the bodice of the dress. A hot current slid through his blood and he forced in a slow breath. Six years ago, Sienna had just barely been a woman, only eighteen. The memory he’d never managed to forget forged through his head. A night when she’d almost pushed him over the threshold of temptation. She’d been so young then. And so damn naïve. He’d wanted her that night. Had wanted her with a ferocity that had shaken him to his core. But he’d forced himself to refuse what she’d so innocently offered. And now he could see that she still resented him for it. But God, she’d have hated him if he’d accepted. She couldn’t have handled the aftermath of what would happen once they had sex. Sienna didn’t really know him. She hadn’t six years ago, and she sure as hell didn’t now. The memory of how he’d let himself for the briefest moment consider taking her—taking her innocence—that night still had the ability to rattle him. He’d always been very careful with his relationships—or lack thereof. Oh, he enjoyed having sex with women. Loved the power of knowing he could sleep with them and walk away. Especially when in some cases he had no option but to walk away. Not that he’d ever been tempted in the slightest otherwise.

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But he’d known Sienna would be different. Had known walking away from her wouldn’t be quite as easy. So he’d turned her down. Warrick scrubbed a hand down his jaw as he eyed her. The nearly full moon outside cast a small amount of light into the car, showed her twisting her hand in the cuff as she glared at him. He bit back the regret that slid through him. “Dammit, Warrick, talk to me.” He jerked his thoughts back to the present and blinked. What the hell were they even talking about? Realization came back, reminding him what could’ve happened to her and dousing his memories like a bucket of ice water. Shifting the concern to her. Shit. Sienna didn’t even realize what she’d done yet, did she? Just how over her head she was. “You betrayed your employer tonight. They’re not going to be thrilled.” “Come on, Warrick, you know me better than that. Do you honestly think I’d be that stupid?” she scoffed and her expression took on a hint of smugness. “They won’t have had any idea I was the one who released them. I disabled all the cameras.” No, Sienna wasn’t stupid. Shit, she’d done pretty well for an amateur, but pretty well wasn’t going to cut it in this case. “Not all of them, kid.” Her body tensed, even as her gaze flashed with skepticism. “Look, I know I took all the cameras off-line before you tackled me like I was some skeevy shoplifter.” “Yes, you took all the cameras off-line. But there’s one camera that’s not online,” he informed her quietly, taking no pleasure in the soft cry she made. The realization that sank in. “There’s one camera maybe they don’t want their employees to know about. Hidden in the corner. Not hooked up to any computers.”

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She shook her head back and forth. “No.” “Yes, Sienna. They may not be aware of what’s going on now, but you can bet your ass they’ll be reviewing that tape later when they realize the cell is empty.” She stared at him for a long moment. Then her full, succulent lower lip began to tremble. Her icy blue gaze turned glossy with shock and drifted away to stare out the windshield. Finally she slumped back against the seat and closed her eyes. “Oh, no. I totally screwed up,” she whispered. “They’ll fire me.” He grunted softly, not quite convinced she would get off that easy. Feloray Laboratories had no reason to have shifters locked up in their lab. Only a handful of people even knew about the existence of shifters—with the government being most of that handful. The lab had some sinister motives for what had been happening in that run-down, piece-of-shit building, and Sienna was going to be one helluva liability to them now. Unless he could find a way to get the video footage… The idea died in his head before it could take root. Even if the video was on-site, they were already behind with getting the shifters out of here. The clock was ticking on keeping all of them from discovery. “I can’t stay here now,” she pleaded, urgency in her eyes now. “Look, you’re doing a way better job of doing what I came here to do. Let me go and I’ll just…figure out something.” He gave a harsh laugh. “I can’t do that.” Both because of what she knew and what she’d seen. Not to mention, if he was foolish enough to let her go, her brother and father would kill him for putting Sienna’s life in danger. He might not have brought her to this point, but they’d sure as hell consider him responsible for her safety from now on out.

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Sienna was a liability now, personally and to the shifter community. “Well, you can’t just keep me.” A hint of panic entered her voice. He arched a brow in response. Amusement kicked in his gut, but he knew better than to smile as he glanced at her cuffed hand. No good would come from getting Sienna all riled up again. “Warrick.” She jerked at her cuffed hand and shook her head. “Seriously, you don’t understand. You need to let me go.” “Seriously, Sienna. You’re not going anywhere. Sorry.” “No.” She jerked at her hand, her eyes widening. “No. Warrick, I’m going to freaking kill you! At least uncuff me.” Good. This was good. Anger was much better than panic attacks. “Can’t do that either. That’s as much for your own safety as it is mine.” He didn’t stop the lopsided grin this time. “My safety?” Rabid screams sliced through the air and they both turned to see the shifters and three agents approach. The shifters were all hooked together with rope, eyes wild with pain and drugs, bodies straining as some continued to shift. One man’s hand morphed into a wolf’s paw, claws shooting out from his nail beds. He let out a savage scream and began tearing at the rope. Warrick’s gut clenched as the somberness of the situation was resurrected. “I’ll be back,” he said quietly. He moved out of the seat and hopped down from the van, seeing right away the agents needed assistance. “Grab the fucking tranquilizers,” Larson yelled, trying to restrain a shifter who was baring his teeth and screaming as his body went through the agonizing change. The poor guy was half-shifted and seemed to be transforming back to human at that very moment.

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“I’m on it.” Warrick ran around to the back of the van and dug in the black case for the loaded tranquilizer guns they hadn’t expected to need. Whatever was going on with the rescued hostages, the shifters were now in a completely feral state. And with seven shifters to the four agents, they were definitely outnumbered. He rushed back around front where Hilliard had just forced a shifter into the back of one of the vans. Lifting the gun, he took aim at another shifter who was baring his teeth at Rafferty. Warrick pulled the trigger and watched the shifter fall back with a roar as the tranquilizer dart pierced his thigh. He stumbled, before falling to the ground a second later, twitching several times and finally going still. “Shit, try and get them in the van first, Donovan,” Rafferty cursed. “Don’t wanna throw out my back lifting these damn guys.” Warrick’s lips twitched as he took aim at another shifter and pulled the trigger. Then focused on another. “Easy with her,” Hilliard snapped. Warrick nodded, knowing she worked for the agency. How the hell she’d ended up here was anybody’s guess. He fired a shot into the shoulder of the female shifter and she let out a whimper before collapsing near the door of the van. A scream pierced the air, but it wasn’t animal. He spun, ice rushing through his blood as he saw one of the more lucid shifters break free from the rope and leap in the van. He was heading straight toward Sienna.

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Chapter Three

“Fuck.” Warrick pushed past the other shifters and agents, trying to rip her door open, but it was locked. The shifter inside was almost completely human again. “Bitch!” Sienna turned her upper body to look behind her. Her eyes widened and she screamed when she saw the rapid approach of the shifter. The man slapped her across the face, sending her head whipping to the left. “You knew what they were doing to us!” Warrick jumped into the back of the van, forcing back a dangerous rage as he took aim and pulled the trigger before the shifter’s fist could connect with Sienna’s head again. The man roared—the sound a mix of wolf and human— before he stumbled back and fell to the ground with a gasp. A second later he was out. Wanting nothing more than to check on Sienna, Warrick resisted the instinctive urge and turned away to tranquilize the rest of the shifters. But each shot he took resonated in his head that he’d just failed her in a big fucking way to let the shifter get that close. He’d cuffed her thinking she’d be safe and out of the way from the shifters; instead he’d made her a sitting duck for the attack. The sound of her scream, sharp with terror, still resounded in his head. His stomach clenched and bile rose in his throat as he shot another shifter.

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A few minutes passed before the final two hostages were tranquilized, then loaded and secured in the van. Only after that was completed did he turn and approach Sienna. Her eyes were squinted, a red handprint marred her cheek and she hadn’t wiped away a trickle of blood from her bottom lip. “Sienna.” He touched her cheek with a gentle hand, but she flinched and pulled away. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” Larson muttered and climbed behind the wheel, casting a narrowed glance at Sienna. “She all right?” No. Warrick’s jaw hardened. Physically she would survive and that’s all that Larson was asking right now. “Yeah. She’s all right,” he muttered gruffly and reached up to unlock the cuff that he’d attached to the van. Sienna’s hand fell limply to her side and she made no effort to open her eyes or look at him. With a silent curse, Warrick removed the cuff from her wrist and then lifted her onto his lap, not trusting her in the back in case the tranquilizers wore off early. Her head fell against his chest, and she sucked in a shuddering breath that cut straight to his heart. Catching her jaw in a light grasp, he muttered, “Let me see.” He turned her head so he could get a good look. She didn’t resist, and he noted her eyes were wide and glossy with shock. Her skin felt cold as he used his thumb to brush away the small drop of blood near her lip. Anger flared in his gut, but this time it was as much directed at himself as it was the shifter who’d decked her. “Sorry, kid,” he said quietly and adjusted her on his lap, pulling her upper body back against his chest.

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She stiffened, but after a moment her head fell to his shoulder and she let out a small whimper. A familiar surge of protectiveness slammed into him, the same one he’d felt since they were kids and that had only seemed to intensify as years went by. Warrick glanced over the seats to check on the unconscious occupants they had in their van. Behind them, in the second van, Agents Hilliard and Rafferty were settling in with the other half of the load. “I’m going to need a drink the minute we get to the safe house,” Larson muttered, pulling away from the building, lights out on the van. Warrick grunted. “How far is it?” “Couple hours at least. And I’ve got a feeling it won’t be a damn picnic when those guys wake up.” No kidding. Warrick pushed a strand of hair off Sienna’s forehead and resisted the urge to brush his lips against her furrowed brow. Once it had been common for him to hug her, or give her a reassuring kiss on the forehead. But back then it had been a brotherly gesture, and he hadn’t had to think twice about it. Then the day had come when he realized his feelings for Sienna weren’t quite of the sibling variety. That’s about when he’d run like hell. He hadn’t spoken to her brother for at least a year, since Daniel had deployed to Afghanistan. Their only contact had been through scattered e-mails, occasional phone calls, and even then, talk about Sienna had been minimal. They’d always tried to keep Sienna out of trouble when they were kids, because she was notorious for finding it. And tonight proved to be no exception. When had she discovered the existence of the shifters? And how long had she known what was going on in that run-down lab? Worse yet, how deeply was she involved?

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He closed his eyes and shook his head, unable to shake the frustration and unease in his gut. Two hours later, close to midnight, they traveled on a small highway in central Oregon. Warrick glanced down at Sienna, who’d pulled away from him shortly after they’d set off, now sitting rigidly on his lap. Her eyes were open as she stared out the window of the van, but he got the impression she wasn’t really interested in the darkened landscape. She must’ve sensed his gaze on her. “Where are we going?” The less she knew the better. “To a safe house.” She stiffened and he knew she fought for control of her temper. “Yes, I heard that part earlier. Can you tell me where?” “That’s on a need-to-know basis.” “Great,” she said sarcastically. “I need to know.” From the driver’s seat, Larson laughed, then smothered it with a cough. Sienna narrowed her eyes at the other man and tried to lean forward, but Warrick kept his arm around her rib cage, not letting her move too far. He didn’t think she’d do anything crazy like jump from a moving van, but why take that chance? “Please, you look like a reasonable guy. Can’t you just drop me off somewhere?” she pleaded to the commander of the op. Larson turned his gaze away from the road and stared at Sienna, his gaze calculating, cold. “She say anything yet?” Still on his lap, Sienna’s body went rigid, and Warrick could almost smell the fear rippling through her blood. “Not yet,” he murmured and touched a strand of hair that he’d pulled loose earlier from the twist atop her head. Yeah. Sienna was hiding something. “But she will.”

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She inhaled sharply and her breast brushed the curve of his arm. The muscles of Warrick’s stomach clenched as his gaze unconsciously lowered to the pale curve of her cleavage above the dress. Shit. It took everything in his power not to slide his hand up to touch her. Get some control, buddy. She’s off limits. Just as much now as she was six years ago. Sienna didn’t back down from questioning Larson. “Don’t you realize what you’re doing right now is kidnapping?” “We’d never be charged.” Larson’s confidence was merited. “Tonight you were somewhere you obviously shouldn’t have been, lady. You’ve got some explaining to do. Questions to answer.” “Is that why you’re forcing me along for this little joyride across the state? I already told Warrick that I don’t know anything.” Larson gave a sharp laugh. “Right. And I’m the fucking president of the United States.” Sienna made a noise of frustration and twisted her body in Warrick’s lap to face away from Larson. Her ass brushed against his dick and he exhaled on a hiss. “Dammit, Sienna, can you try and sit still?” She blinked in surprise, her gaze flickering with hurt, before she pressed her lips together and looked through the passenger-side window. Shit. Warrick flexed his jaw and bit back a sigh. Could he have come across as more of an asshole? But with Sienna this close to him, it was like having his hand in the candy jar then being told no. Larson cleared his throat. “We’ll be arriving at the safe house in a few minutes.” Warrick nodded. “The shifters will probably be out for at least another few hours. Have we thought of where we’ll put them?”

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“The safe house is on a ranch and we’ll have access to a barn. We’ll keep them in there until we can, shit, I don’t know, figure out what the hell is wrong with them.” Warrick grunted in agreement. The shifters had been given something potent, something unlike anything any of them was familiar with. Something they couldn’t even begin to fight until they figured out what it was. They’d gotten them away from whatever was being put in their system, but who knew how lasting the effects would be? The van turned off the main road, and the only light came from their headlights bouncing on the dirt road and the full moon above. Sienna folded her arms across her chest and shivered. “So where are we? The middle of nowhere?” Warrick smiled grimly and murmured an uninformative, “Basically.” The van slowed down and a few minutes later came to a stop in front of a large, old-fashioned-looking farmhouse. Warrick unbuckled them, and then reached around Sienna and pulled the handle on the door, pushing it open. A rush of cold air chilled him through his clothing. “About time.” Sienna slid off his lap and onto the ground. She shivered in her party dress and rubbed her bare arms as she walked quickly toward the front door. Warrick’s lips quirked with relief to see some of her spirit returning. He followed her out of the van and was met by a choir of crickets singing. The smell of an earlier rain filled the air, along with cow manure and hay. The general smell of the country. The stars and moon cast shadows around the ranch, but Warrick still got a pretty good idea of the layout. In the beam of the headlights, Warrick watched Sienna walk toward the house and raise her arms above her head and stretch. With her hair tousled and

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her fancy dress wrinkled, she looked surreal in the moonlight. Dangerously beautiful and almost mystical. His throat closed at the sensual image she made. Larson handed Warrick a bag and the keys to the house. “Take the girl inside. Me and the other guys will start dealing with the shifters, and you come out and join us when you’re done.” “All right. What’s the floor plan? Is it possible… I would like to talk to Sienna somewhere with a little bit of privacy.” Larson snorted, glancing over Warrick’s shoulder to where Sienna stood near the door to the house, but was too far away to overhear their conversation. “Yeah, I just bet you do.” Warrick’s jaw flexed and his nostrils flared. “It’s not like that, Larson. You know I don’t want to screw up in the eyes of the P.I.A.” “I know that.” Larson’s expression sobered. “You’re a good agent, Donovan. You need to let that shit go. You’re not your father.” Warrick gave a slight nod, acknowledging the comment without emotion, even as everything inside him went taut and screamed with frustration. No. He wasn’t his father. And thank God for that. Bitterness rose in his throat and he swallowed it, blocking out the sudden memory of his father and the stigma Warrick had been left to fight. A stigma he continued to fight. The need to prove himself was constant, his ability not to fuck up, something he prided himself on. He couldn’t—wouldn’t start now. Larson had always been a close friend, they’d known each other even before either of them had enrolled in the agency. Their friendship had only grown tighter as they’d worked together. Warrick respected Larson’s opinion and the authority that he held inside and outside the agency. Larson shook his head. “I’m not sure we should’ve brought her with us.”

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“We couldn’t leave her. You know that. Not with what she’s seen.” Warrick paused. “Or who she is. She’s Kevin Peters’s daughter.” Larson’s eyes flickered with understanding and a bit of calculation. “Interesting. What was she doing there?” “She’s an employee of Feloray Laboratories.” “Hmm. That’s a definite strike against her.” Warrick’s mouth tightened. “My thoughts exactly.” “Think she’s involved?” “I fucking hope not,” he muttered grimly, every muscle in his body tightening with the possibility. “Warrick?” Sienna stepped toward them, impatience on her face. “I’m freezing my ass off out here.” Larson jerked his head to the left. “Get her settled. We can learn more in the morning. In the back of the house there’s a room that’s a bit more isolated—you can both share it. It’s the best I can do unless you want to sleep in the barn with the ferals.” “Yeah, gonna pass on the barn. Thanks, Larson.” Larson thrust a hand through his hair and shook his head. “No problem. Just get back out here soon.” “I’ll only need a few minutes.” Warrick crossed the lawn to where Sienna waited. She looked exhausted now, and still a little uneasy. He moved to unlock the door and his thigh brushed her hip, which sent her jerking away. His jaw hardened as he pushed open the door and stepped inside, hitting the light switch. The interior flooded with light and he gestured for Sienna to enter first.

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The house was simple. Polished hardwood floors. A living room with a couch, a few modern recliners and a flat-screen television. Off to the right was the kitchen with a big oak table in it. Then there were two hallways that he assumed led to the bedrooms. “Let’s get you settled.” He turned down the hall. “Follow me.” The soft click of her heels on the wood floor proved she’d obeyed. Though she called out, “Are you always this bossy?” “You oughta know.” She just grunted, but didn’t answer. He continued down the hallway, barely taking in the generic, schlocky wall art. These places were like hotels. Enough comfort and familiarity to put you at ease, but they never really made you feel at home. When they reached the bedroom, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Damn, Larson had really given him the hookup. Warrick had pretty much resigned himself to sleeping on the floor if there was just a twin bed. This room not only had a queen bed, but boasted a small bathroom en suite. A fireplace was in the far corner with a large area rug in front. His gaze returned to the bed, easily big enough for the two of them. But something told him the temptation that would represent was dangerous. Lying next to her, feeling her, smelling her…shit, maybe he should just take the floor. Sienna stepped into the room and glanced around with a critical eye. “This is my room?” He opened his mouth to inform her they’d be sharing, but changed his mind. She’d figure it out soon enough. Besides, better not get her all pissed off and then leave, who knew what he’d come back to?

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Crossing the room to the dresser, he pulled out one of the drawers. “Go ahead and get yourself settled in. Here’s a T-shirt you can throw on for bed. Unless you want to sleep in that dress.” She made no effort to catch the shirt he tossed at her. “You have clothes here?” she asked skeptically. “Not mine personally. All our safe houses are stocked with them. We need to be prepared to stay for awhile.” He shut the drawer. “There are also some packages of underwear in there. Not exactly the silk and lace type of stuff, but I bet you can pull it off.” Sienna’s face reddened and the glare she turned on him should’ve had the effect of a cold shower. Instead he found himself getting hard. Dammit, what was it about her that turned him on? She could be scrubbing toilets and he’d find it sexy. And this is why you’ve stayed away from her for the past six years. “When are you going to tell me more about you guys?” she asked as she tucked back a strand of hair that had fallen free. Before he could answer, his gaze caught on the flash of silver. He stepped forward and pulled her hand forward, circling her wrist with his fingers and touching the thin bracelet that lay there. His chest tightened and he frowned, lifting his gaze to hers again. “You still have this?” A pretty flush filled Sienna’s cheeks and her mouth tightened. “It went with the dress.” She tugged her wrist away and cleared her throat. “You didn’t answer my question.” All thoughts of the bracelet and what it symbolized abandoned his mind and he bit back a sigh. “No, I didn’t and I don’t have time now. We’ll talk later.” “Wow, that sounds a bit like déjà vu,” she mocked, her fists clenching and her mouth tightening. “How much later? I’ve been dragged to a safe house by

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men dressed up like G.I. Joe on crack. I mean, come on already, Warrick. I think I deserve an explanation.” “You’ll get an explanation later, Sienna. And then I’ll get mine,” he warned her but felt no triumph when her face lost color at his warning. Turning he headed toward the door. “Because you will explain to me just how the hell you’re involved with this goddamned mess.”

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Chapter Four

The door closed shut with a firm thud, the sound making her flinch as it sealed her fate. Sienna licked her lips, her heart still pounding from everything that had happened in the last few hours. It was almost too much to take in. She shouldn’t be here—couldn’t. Dammit, there was a ticking clock! She’d planned to pay cash for a flight to Boston in the next few hours, not be stranded in some random safe house with a bunch of federal agents who worked for the shifters. If Warrick had been telling the truth and that’s really who they were… A shiver ran through her body and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, letting her gaze drift around the room. God, she couldn’t have predicted this yesterday. Any of it. The crazy existence of beings that could shift between wolf and human, or that Warrick would be back in her life and just as enticing as before. He still made her knees weak and her pulse go wacky. She had to try and escape, but even if she broke the only window in the room and hopped through it, where the heck would she go? They were literally in the middle of nowhere. She wasn’t even quite sure what city they were nearest to, only that it smelled like cows and country. Not to mention the fact that she would be lucky to get a quarter of a mile before Warrick caught up with her again. The guy had always seemed to be one step ahead of her, even when they were kids. Playing tag had always been a big

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joke—she’d be lucky to get a few inches ahead. And he’d always found her during hide and seek, swearing he could smell the cookies on her breath a mile away. Sienna sighed and walked to the small bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. A gurgle of disbelief fled her throat at her reflection. “My God.” Scowling, she washed her face clean of smudged eyeliner and mascara, then the rest of her makeup. She plucked the few remaining pins from her hair and shook free the few tendrils that still lingered in the chignon. Then she finger combed the strands and scowled, almost wishing for her brush. But then that would look like she was trying and, dammit all, she did not want to give Warrick the impression that she was trying to look good for him. And she’d actually thought he’d been about to kiss her? Ha! Then again, six years ago she’d probably looked worse than this and it certainly hadn’t deterred Warrick that night… The image in the mirror morphed into a younger, eighteen-year-old version of herself. So naïve and so completely in love with her older brother’s best friend. She gripped the counter as pain stabbed her chest, and bit her lip to control the memory that threatened. No. No, she couldn’t think about that night. Images flitted through her head. One after another in rapid-fire succession. Desperately she tried to block them, think of something else, but it was already too late…

“Prom was invented by the devil,” Sienna muttered, clutching the edge of her fluffy pink prom dress as she stumbled down the darkened road in high heels.

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Her tears had long since dried up, leaving what she was sure were unflattering streaks of mascara down her face. She knew she should still be afraid—out walking the highway alone after midnight—but right now, she was just a little too pissed off and shaken. When she’d asked Dayle to go to prom, she couldn’t have predicted this. But then maybe she should have, seeing as what had just happened in his car fifteen minutes ago. Headlights bounced on the road up ahead and she stiffened, hoping it wasn’t Dayle coming back to pick her up. When she’d climbed out of his car, she’d been pretty sure he’d gotten the message about her removing his genitals with pliers if he tried to follow her. The car slowed and she muttered a curse when it swerved to the side of the road in front of her, spraying gravel just inches from her feet. The fear from earlier resurfaced, tightening her throat as she stumbled backward. He had come back. A door slammed and a tall figure strode swiftly toward her. “Sienna?” a male voice said sharply. Relief rocketed through her so swiftly that her limbs went weak and tears filled her eyes. No. Definitely not her groping bastard of a date. “Warrick,” she choked out, as her older brother’s best friend reached for her. “How did you find me?” “Sheer luck.” Warrick’s arms went around her, pulling her head against his chest and her into a snug, warm embrace. The fear slipped away, leaving an absolute certainty that she was safe now. She was always safe with Warrick. “Jesus, are you okay, Sienna? What’s going on? Why the hell are you out walking alone on a deserted road? It’s almost one in the morning.”

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Tears spilled down her cheek as she shook her head. “I am so not okay. And I’m out walking alone because my date had his own perverted version of a postprom party.” A savage growl erupted from Warrick’s throat, and Sienna blinked, her pulse quickening as she unconsciously pulled away from the fury in his gaze. Warrick tightened his arms around her, demanding, “Did he touch you? Hurt you?” “N-not really. But you’re kind of scaring me, Warrick.” In the beam of his car’s headlights, his eyes took on a dangerous glint. “Shit. I’m sorry, Sienna,” he muttered. “Come on, let’s get you into my truck.” She stumbled to keep up with him as he rushed her back to his waiting vehicle. He helped her inside and then shut the door, walking around to his side. Though it was almost June, the night walk had chilled her and Sienna flipped on the heat, letting the hot air and the Foo Fighters song that was playing distract her from her dark thoughts. Warrick climbed in the driver’s side and shut the door, but made no move to drive. “Were you drinking?” Guilt sent a flush to her face, but because she trusted him enough to keep it to himself, she admitted the truth. “I had a couple beers earlier.” His jaw clenched, then unclenched. She could tell he wasn’t pleased. “You’re underage,” he reminded her, sounding like her father instead of a friend. “Everyone was drinking, Warrick. Chill.” She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He caught her wrist suddenly and frowned. “You’re wearing it.”

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Her heart thumped harder as she stared down at the delicate silver bracelet with the tiny moon charm that he’d given her for her sixteenth birthday. Funny he’d spotted the bracelet in the darkness of the truck. “I love it, Warrick,” she finally said. “I rarely take it off.” A faint smile flickered across his mouth, before it tightened into a slash. “Tell me what happened at the prom, Sienna.” She swallowed hard and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.” He shifted in his seat, stretching his arm over the back of the bench seat. She felt the heat of his hand near her bare shoulder. “Like hell it doesn’t. Now talk.” She glanced up at him through her lashes. When had she stopped thinking of him as her brother’s best friend, and instead as the hot guy who came by the house? It had to be close to a year now. And each time he’d come by, she’d prayed her new crush wasn’t blatantly obvious. She didn’t want to admit to him the humiliating details of what had happened tonight. She wanted to seem mature and confident, not a naïve little high schooler. Warrick was almost out of college now, a grown man. How was she going to convince him they could be perfect together if he just saw her as an annoying teenager? “Sienna?” his tone sharpened. “My prom date figured since he paid for dinner I should put out.” Her cheeks burned with humiliation as she finally made the confession. “I told him no. He didn’t seem to like my answer…so I left.” Warrick’s jaw flexed. “What happened between him not liking your answer and you leaving?” Sienna unconsciously rubbed her bare shoulder and shrugged. “Nothing. I got up and left.”

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Warrick’s gaze followed the movement of her hands, and he flicked on the overhead light. She bit her lip, realizing her mistake as he pulled her hand away to observe bruises left behind from Dayle’s fingers. “That’s nothing?” Warrick ground out violently and reached to start the engine. “I’ll kill the bastard.” “Stop, Warrick!” she pleaded, fresh tears flooding her eyes as she grabbed his wrist. “It’s partly my fault. I knew he had a reputation and I asked him to be my date anyway.” He turned off the car and moved to face her again. “Why would you ask someone like that to prom, Sienna?” “Because I knew you’d turn me down.” Shit. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud. Sienna held her breath, waiting for him to laugh or a majorly awkward silence to ensue. But it didn’t come. Her pulse tripped as she watched his gaze darken and his nostrils flare slightly. “Don’t say things like that, Sienna.” His words came low and unsteady. Whoa, maybe this little attraction thing wasn’t one sided. Encouraged, she sidled across the seat of the truck, closing the distance between them as she moved her hand up his arm to touch his bicep. “Why can’t I say it?” she asked softly. “Is it so wrong to admit I’ve been wanting to kiss you since New Year’s Eve? That when I watched you kissing Rachel Wilson, I wanted it to be me? That every time I see you with a different girl—and there are a lot of them—it makes my stomach hurt.” “Stop, Sienna,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You’re Daniel’s little sister.”

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She thought he was about to push her away as he reached a hand toward her, but then his strong fingers closed around the back of her neck and her skin tingled to life. Running her tongue over her bottom lip, she threw caution to the wind and risked everything. Including her heart. “Make me, Warrick.” Conflicting emotions flickered in his gaze. Hot wanting and reluctance. But it was clear which one won out when he dragged her forward with a thick, “Damn you.” His mouth crushed down on hers, hard and demanding, with no schoolboy hesitancy. Her lips parted on a whimper to accept the dominating sweep of his tongue, and she had her first thought that maybe she was playing with fire. Everything around her spun and her world narrowed to just the two of them. She didn’t care that she was in over her head. This was Warrick and the moment she’d been dreaming of. She kissed him back, learning from the sensual rasp of his tongue against hers. Heat sizzled through her blood, spreading to hidden areas of her body and making her want to do things she’d never before wanted. Emboldened, she arched into him with a moan. Warrick groaned against her lips and slid a hand between them to cup one sensitive breast, kneaded her flesh. She cried out from the unfamiliar, incredible sensation. But then, before she could even imagine the pleasures of what would come next, he jerked his hand away again. He let out a ragged groan against her mouth, before his head lifted a second later. “I can’t do this.” Sienna’s eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him, her mind scrambling to figure out what had happened. “Why?” she whispered. “I want you.”

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He shook his head, turning away from her to thrust a hand through his hair. “You’re just a kid, Sienna. You don’t know what you want.” “I turned eighteen last month.” “You’re still a virgin.” She bit her lip, mortification sweeping through her at his bitter statement. She couldn’t deny what had almost been an accusation, but what did that have to do with anything? “Maybe I want you to be my first.” And my only. “Enough, Sienna. What just happened was a mistake. I shouldn’t have touched you.” Her heart sank. “A mistake?” Warrick was quiet for a moment, avoiding her questioning gaze. Finally he turned and she bit her lip, hoping he’d realize what had happened between them wasn’t a bad thing. But his hard gaze was unreadable when he looked at her. “Yes, a mistake, Sienna. And to be honest, you’re not…my type. Though if you were anyone besides Daniel’s little sister, I might’ve taken you up on what you’re so quick to offer.” So quick to offer? He acted like she was a whore he’d picked up walking the streets. “Go to hell,” she whispered, feeling the color leach from her face. Her stomach roiled and for a moment she thought she might get sick. Who was this guy sitting across from her? It wasn’t the Warrick she’d grown up with. This man was a cruel, brutal bastard. For a moment she thought she saw remorse flash in his eyes, but then it was gone when he turned away and started the engine. “It’s time to take you home,” he said tonelessly.

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She didn’t say a word the entire drive back to her house and when he pulled into the driveway, she reached for the door handle, ready to jump out. The strong fingers that circled her wrist halted her. She ground her teeth together, hoping he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. “What?” she choked out. “You need to be a little more careful, Sienna,” he said instead. “With the guys you’re choosing.” “Including you, obviously. Whatever, Warrick. Unsolicited advice duly noted,” she replied with a bitter laugh, before jerking free and fleeing into the safety of her house.

When her reflection in the mirror became blurry, Sienna quickly blinked away the tears and reached for a tissue. God, the memory of that night six years ago still had the ability to make her sick with mortification. Maybe even more so now, because the scab of loving Warrick had been ripped off again when he’d come back into her life tonight. He’d left town shortly after that incident, and she hadn’t spoken to him since. Not that she’d wanted to after learning he’d told her brother and dad that she’d been drinking illegally and had gotten herself into trouble that night. The betrayal of trust had been shockingly painful, but at least he’d skipped telling her family the details of how she’d thrown herself at him. God, that would’ve just completed her humiliation. Tossing the tissue in the wastebasket, she turned and left the bathroom, pressing a hand against her chest. She felt the slight bump of the phone there, and her eyes widened and she bit back a curse.

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She’d forgotten all about it! She should’ve called her dad the minute Warrick left the room. This is what he did to her—had always done to her—made her a frazzled mess. Jerking the small cell phone free from the hidden spot between her breasts, Sienna dialed with trembling fingers. Shooting a nervous glance at the door, she knew she had to do this quickly. At first there was silence, and she prayed to the reception gods there would be a cell tower nearby. There was! “Sienna, honey?” her father’s voice came through the line after two rings, the surprise in his tone evident. “What are you doing awake? I was just getting up to make some coffee.” “Dad, I can’t talk long.” Her hands clenched around the phone and she glanced toward the door again. “I need your help.” “Sienna, what’s going on?” His tone sharpened and she could visualize him pacing the small kitchen in his house back in Boston. “Really horrific stuff with the lab I was working for.” God, he was going to think she was nuts. She drew in a deep breath and blurted, “There are things out there, Dad. Strange, unbelievable things…like something that can morph between human and animal.” The silence on the other end had her stomach sinking. Yup. He was definitely thinking she’d drunk the Kool-Aid. “Look,” she plunged on, knowing she had to convince him. Couldn’t afford to let him not believe. “I know it sounds crazy—” “I know all about the shapeshifter species, Sienna.” Sienna blinked, the air stranded in her lungs as she reached out to grab the dresser. He knew? Her dad knew about shifters? How? “Sienna?”

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“How?” she finally croaked. “How did you know? How long have you known?” “For…awhile,” he said carefully. “The question is, how exactly did you find out, my dear?” Trying to recover from the shock that her father was aware of the existence of these creatures, she gave a feeble shrug. “The lab I work for was holding some of them…” She shook her head and gave a frustrated sigh. “Seriously, you knew?” “Sienna, this is a conversation best had in person. Right now, why don’t you elaborate on the situation that requires my help?” Footsteps sounded in the house and fear rocketed through her, chilling her blood. “I need to go, Dad. Warrick’s back. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Just wait to hear from me.” “You’re with Warrick? As in Warrick Donovan?” “Yes. Look, I’ll call you as soon as I can.” “Sienna, wait. If you’re with—” She turned off her phone, quickly erased the call history just in case, and rushed to replace it between her breasts. Crap, she was really going to have to find a better place to hide her stuff. Heavy footsteps fell outside the door. Spinning around she faced the door, her heart almost stopping as she saw the handle turn. The door eased open and Sienna watched one black-leather shoe step inside. Her gaze traveled upward as the rest of Warrick’s body appeared. His muscles rippled beneath his black shirt as he stepped confidently into the room, looking every bit the federal agent he’d claimed to be. God. He really was insanely hot. Even more so now as a fully grown man.

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Her mouth dried and she ran her tongue over her lips. Warrick’s gaze homed in on the movement as he shut the door firmly behind him. “You haven’t changed out of your dress.” His low, sensual voice sent her senses spinning and she had to focus on what he’d just said. Her dress. Right. “I…there’s a zipper in the back that I can’t quite reach.” She knew it was the wrong thing to say when his gaze narrowed with heat like she’d just thrown down the gauntlet of seduction. But really, it was the first thing that had popped into her head. She couldn’t exactly confess to calling her father. “Is that so?” he murmured softly, taking a step toward her. “Turn around.”

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Her pulse tripped at the rough command, but Sienna moved to obey, knowing she’d walked right into this one. She’d have to be very careful not to expose the goods she was hiding in the bodice. His footsteps sounded on the wood floor as he closed the distance between them. The heat of his hard body registered before his hip brushed the curve of her bottom. The familiar, sexy smell of him teased her senses and tingles raced through her blood. She silently let out the breath she’d been holding, repeating the mantra he doesn’t affect me, he doesn’t affect me in her head. Warrick caught the length of her hair and pushed it forward over her shoulder. His long, rough fingers brushed against her bare skin and she trembled, letting her eyes drift shut, knowing her mantra was crap. He found the tab of her zipper and slowly tugged it down; the sound of the teeth separating seemed extraordinarily loud in the room. Cool air greeted her naked back with each inch he exposed. “No bra?” Her cheeks warmed with color at his husky question. She didn’t really need a bra with the way the bodice was cut, and her breasts weren’t overly big anyway. Clutching the dress at her breasts so it didn’t fall down or drop the hidden items, she muttered, “You know, you could try to act like a gentleman and not point these kinds of things out.”

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He paused in his movement of unzipping, each breath he exhaled teasingly hot on her neck. “There was a time when you wouldn’t have wanted me to.” Her heart clenched at the reminder of how foolish she’d been six years ago. “Times have changed, Warrick.” He was silent for a moment, then muttered a terse, “Good.” It was almost like he’d kicked her in the stomach. Sienna jerked away from him, glad her back was to him so he wouldn’t see the hurt in her eyes. “I can handle it from here, thanks.” “Don’t forget this.” She reluctantly turned, blinking her expression into disdain as she accepted the shirt she’d dropped on the floor earlier. Warrick’s mouth tightened. “And we still need to talk.” “No, we need to go to bed. I believe you said that talking can wait until the morning. It’s at least past three.” “You’re right.” Warrick thrust a hand through his short hair, before nodding. “Okay. We’ll call it a night.” Relief slid through her and she gave a short nod. Well, he’d certainly backed off that easily enough. He was probably just as exhausted as she was. Stifling a sigh, she headed toward the bathroom. The dress and T-shirt bunched in front of her to conceal the phone and thumb drive. “Thank you. I’ll see you in the morning.” Once in the bathroom, she closed the door and leaned her head against the cool wood. God. She needed to get out of this house. Get away from Warrick and the other guys, and get to her father as soon as possible. But how? First things first. She had to find a place to hide the jump drive and phone. She plucked open the drawers in the bathroom, trying to figure out where the hell Warrick wouldn’t look.

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Her lips quirked when she spotted the box of feminine products. Bingo. These types of things tended to make men break out in hives. Since the box was already open and missing a few items, she squeezed the phone and jump drive in easily, and closed the drawer back up, her nerves still jumping. With an uneasy sigh, she slid out of her dress completely and folded it neatly, then set it on the counter. Next she pulled on the T-shirt, which thankfully hit almost midthigh. Using the rest of the unopened toiletries in the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. They really stocked these safe houses. What was the name of that agency he’d said he worked for? P.A.I? Something like that? The idea of Warrick being some kind of federal agent had her stomach clenching. Sure, she hadn’t seen him in years, but she’d figured he’d just gone off traveling the world like Daniel had said. He’d always seemed to have a bit of a restless spirit. Especially after his mom had left… After preparing herself as much as was allowed for bed, Sienna turned off the light, then opened the door to the bathroom and froze. Shock ripped through her and she blinked, almost hoping, if she closed her eyes and opened them enough, he would be gone. That Warrick wouldn’t be lying on the floor, his naked chest exposed above the blanket, and his arms folded above his head on a pillow. The way his mouth quirked up on the side clearly indicated he found her stunned reaction amusing. His gaze slid over her body, lingering on her naked thighs and legs. His lips tightened and his chest rose and fell sharply. Her mouth flapped as she tried to form words; finally she croaked out a simple, “No.” “No?” He arched an eyebrow. “No, you’re not tired anymore and you’d like to be questioned?”

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“No to you being in my room. And no to the questioning as well.” She lifted a trembling arm and pointed to the door. “Get out.” He shook his head. “Sorry, Sienna, but I’m not leaving our room. So you’d just better get over it.” “Our room? Our room? You couldn’t have told me this earlier?” Her eyes widened and her mouth grew tight. “Warrick, you’ve kidnapped me and forced me to some damn safe house in the country so you can ask me questions I can’t answer. That alone is pretty messed up. But, I am not sharing a room with you.” His eyes narrowed. “Can’t or won’t answer the questions?” Her heart tripped. She slid her gaze from his and gave what she hoped was a casual shrug. “Fine. If you won’t leave, I will. I’ll sleep on the living room couch.” Turning, she headed toward the door. “Couch is taken by Rafferty. But you’re welcome to share a bed with Hilliard or Larson. I’m sure they’d love to have you.” With her hand on the doorknob, she froze and closed her eyes. What were the chances he was bluffing? And did she really want to walk around the house half-dressed to find out? “Go to bed, Sienna. You’re lucky I’m willing to take the floor. If you go elsewhere you’ll be squeezing into a twin bed with one of the guys.” He sighed. “Besides, at least you know me.” Her heart twisted and an ache bloomed in her chest. Her mind flickered back again to her prom night, when she’d pushed down the walls of friendship, exposing her vulnerability and her feelings, and had gotten her heart trampled because of it. That night, though so brief, had meant everything to her—and to him…nothing.

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She swallowed hard and twisted the knob on the door almost subconsciously. Not sure what pushed her to say it, she muttered, “Yeah, well I know lots of guys, Warrick. And I’ll get to know Larson.” The snarl Warrick emitted reached her ears about the same time he reached the door. She blinked in shock at how fast he’d gotten to her as he slammed the door closed again and spun her around to face him. Awareness sizzled through her blood at his near nakedness—thank God he at least wore boxer shorts. The muscles in his shoulders strained as he leaned closer to her. Uncomfortable with the naked man-flesh in front of her, Sienna lifted her gaze to meet his savage expression and her stomach twisted with the realization she’d gone too far. She tried to step backward, but there was nowhere to go. “You’ll get to know Larson?” he demanded icily. Irritation and something close to possessiveness raged in his eyes. “I don’t think so, Sienna. Larson’s not the type to trip over himself the moment you decide to bat your eyelashes at him.” Fury exploded inside her, blurring her vision and making a snarl of anger escape past her lips. She balled her hand into a fist and pummeled it toward his stomach, but his palm intersected it before she could blink. He curled his fingers around her fist and used the leverage to jerk her forward. She gasped. “You’re the one who made the suggestion to go sleep with someone else.” “Don’t push me, Sienna. Get into bed, or I’ll carry you there.” The tone of his voice and the barely restrained ferocity in his face guaranteed he would make good on his threat. She jerked her hand free and moved past him, her body shaking with anger and fatigue. Screw this. The very minute she got the chance, she was getting out

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of here. Who cares how far she had to hike. If she didn’t go, she’d probably end up killing the bastard. Sienna stalked to the bed and jerked back the comforter, sliding beneath the sheets as she cast him another furious glare. “You know, Warrick, my life was a hell of a lot less complicated before you walked back into it.” “Thanks for the update, Sienna. Now go to sleep.” She closed her eyes and ignored the prickle of guilt. Of course Warrick wasn’t the only complication to her life right now. It had been complicated the minute Leo had handed her the jump drive barely twenty-four hours ago. What she’d thought was just another data entry task had turned into so much more. Sienna bit her lip and shook her head. Who was she kidding? This was all her fault. If she’d followed Leo’s instructions she’d be sitting in Boston right now, not locked up in some safe house under the watch of some bizarre federal agency. Leo had never asked her to try and free the shifters. No, that had been her own not-so-brilliant, half-baked idea. And now she was screwed. Clenching her fingers around the blanket, she considered the plan zipping through her head. But could she risk sneaking out when Warrick fell asleep? She gave a tiny shake of her head. She couldn’t afford not to. The worst that could happen was she failed and got dragged back. The best thing…she made it to Boston. Trying to relax, she closed her eyes and waited.

“I’m afraid it’s the shifters…they’ve been freed.”

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Jocelyn removed her diamond stud earrings and set them on the antique bureau of her lush bedroom, silently repeating the information she’d just been told. The shifters had been freed? There were guards. Cameras. Alarms. How in the hell could the shifters possibly have gotten out? An obscene amount of money had gone into this project. And now they were gone…trotting out of the lab like the savage animals they were. Her pulse jerked and her mouth tightened, if only just the tiniest bit. She reached for her champagne flute, her steady hands not betraying the rage that brewed just beneath the surface. She took a sip, before she turned and stared at the man standing in her doorway. “The shifters are gone?” she finally murmured, arching a brow. Robert, her lover for the past year and a half, swallowed hard and gave a stiff nod. “Yes. I’ve sent all my men to find out who is responsible—we suspect an employee of the lab—and to recover the shifters. I’m certain they won’t get far. I promise, none of this will be leaked.” What a fool he was. A smile played on her mouth now as she strode slowly toward him, her bare feet caressed by soft carpeting. The silk of her robe clung to her toned body with each step she took. “You’re certain?” His appreciative gaze slid over her, his eagerness for the seductive evening she’d promised him apparent in the way he licked his lips. “Yes, my love. Please, don’t concern yourself with anything. It’s being taken care of.” She came to a stop in front of him, and reached out to stroke the smooth lapels of his tux he had yet to change out of. Relief flashed in his eyes as he slid his hands to her hips, his head dipping as he leaned in to kiss her. Jocelyn moved her knee from the confines of her robe and drove it between his legs, finally allowing her face to twist into a cold mask of fury.

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Robert dropped like a stone, gasping in agony as his eyes watered. “Don’t concern myself?” she repeated lightly and took another sip of the sweet champagne, savoring the bite on her tongue. “Do I look like a fucking idiot to you, Robert? Which employee is responsible?” Writhing on the floor, he choked out, “Sienna Peters.” She turned away, mentally pulled up an image of the petite blonde lab rat. A quiet woman who appeared to be entirely both too smart and too stupid for her own good. But Sienna hadn’t been alone in this, she wouldn’t have even known about the shifters’ captivity. Someone else must’ve tipped her off, and she had a pretty good idea who that person was. Her mind calculated the possibilities of what needed to be done. After a moment, she turned around and approached her lover once more. “I don’t really trust that you or your men know how to fix this, Robert,” she murmured. “Now listen carefully to what I want you to do…”

Son of a bitch. The clenching of his jaw was the only movement Warrick allowed himself as Sienna moved from the bathroom toward the bedroom door. It hadn’t even been a half hour since he’d told her to go to sleep. Did she honestly think he was that stupid? Dammit, he’d hoped he could trust her. Had decided to not force her to share a bed with him, because he’d told himself he could trust her. Well he should’ve known better. Should’ve damn well remembered that Sienna had never exactly been the agreeable type. And if he’d learned one thing over the years, it was that you couldn’t trust some women farther than you could

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spit. And he’d be sure to thank Sienna for the reminder when he put a stop to whatever harebrained idea she’d talked herself into. Where the hell did she think she was going? They were miles from a main road, and that main road wouldn’t be seeing much traffic this time of night anyway. He could’ve grabbed her before she’d left the bedroom, but he was going to give her a little rope to hang herself with first, see just exactly what she thought she was going to do. He waited, eyes closed and ears alert, until he heard the faint click of the front door opening and shutting. Then he was on his feet, moving swiftly and silently through the house after her. In the darkness he kept his movements stealthy and stuck to the shadows. A few minutes later he shook his head in dismay as he watched her start jogging—in her dress and heels, no less—toward the main road. His lips quirked in amusement and he was tempted to let her make it all the way there. The blisters might just be punishment enough. But Sienna slowed down a moment later and he fell back, brows drawing together. Until he saw a familiar glow and heard the beeping of buttons on a cell phone. The hell she did. Done with the little game of cat and mouse, Warrick sprinted forward and grabbed her, covering her mouth before she could scream. He snatched the phone from her grasp and disconnected the call before someone on the other end answered, then tossed it to the ground. “Dammit, Sienna, what the hell were you thinking?” She stopped struggling and the tension eased from her body. A sob of frustration spilled past her lips to caress his hand.

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“You don’t know how much I wanted to trust you.” He turned her around, uncovering her mouth and catching her wrists in one of his hands. She groaned and shook her head. “You don’t understand, Warrick. I can’t stay here, you’ve got to listen to me.” “I don’t recall giving you a choice.” He ran his thumb over the inside of her wrist, felt the blood thundering through her veins. “What’s so important that you’d try to hike all the way to a highway? And where the hell were you even hiding that phone?” He’d searched her back at the lab, hadn’t he? Or maybe he hadn’t. His gaze slid to the top of her dress where it hugged her breasts as realization clicked into place. The phone wasn’t overly big and it was entirely possible she’d hid it in the bodice of her dress. The one place he hadn’t searched, because she’d bit him. Coincidence? Hardly. His gaze narrowed and he slid his palm up her back, holding her tighter. “Just what else are you hiding? If I searched you right now, Sienna, would I find anything else in that pretty little gown of yours?” The muscles beneath his hand bunched with tension and he could almost smell her panic. “What do you mean? No, of course not, Warrick. I just like to keep my phone on me.” Bullshit. Dammit, there was something else. “Really? Well you don’t mind if I check for myself?” he muttered. He lowered his head so that their faces were just inches apart in the darkness. Her perfume, faded now, and the hint of sweat off her skin formed a scent that was seductively feminine.

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Initially in the lab it had thrown him, he hadn’t expected to find Sienna there. But now he could place the vanilla perfume as the same one she’d worn for years. Whatever it was didn’t smell expensive or overpowering, but it was what he’d always associated with Sienna…and that made it sexy as hell. The blood in his veins quickened as every inch of him became aware of the softness of her breasts pressed against his chest. Need crashed through him, distorting his thoughts and his original plan to try and search her. But that mouth, it tempted him…so lush and sweet…so damn close. All he had to do was— “Donovan.” The harsh voice cracked through the night and Warrick cursed, stepping back from Sienna but not releasing her. Nathan Larson stood a few feet away wearing a pair of swim shorts, his arms folded across his chest. “I thought I told you to handle her.” Warrick’s jaw flexed and he bit back a sharp reply. “I’m taking her back inside now.” Larson didn’t reply, but stepped closer. Warrick wasn’t surprised to feel the anger radiating off the other man, but Sienna must have picked up on it too as she suddenly clutched his arm and maneuvered herself behind him. Smart girl. Coming to a halt in front of them, Larson narrowed his gaze in the moon’s light. “If this is going to be a problem, Donovan—” “It’s not going to be a goddamned problem!” Shit. Warrick fell back a step when Larson tilted his head to the side and simply stared at him. Warrick clenched his fists and blinked, forcing his tone to be more subservient. “I apologize. I simply meant she’s under my watch, sir, and I won’t let it happen again.”

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He felt Sienna’s questioning glance on him, before her hand tightened around his arm. Just stay quiet, he silently willed her. Don’t say a— “I’m sorry. It’s Agent Larson, right?” Sienna asked sweetly. Oh for fuck’s sake. “This was all my fault. I just… I needed air. I probably should’ve told Warrick first, but I thought it would be rude to wake him.” Warrick closed his eyes and bit back a groan. Thanks for trying to cover my ass, baby, but it ain’t gonna fly. “Really.” Larson turned and looked at her, his smile hard and humorless. “At four in the morning?” “Oh, is that the time? I honestly didn’t even notice—” “Miss Peters, I’m sure you get through life quite nicely by charming the boys with that pretty face of yours, but let me save you some time. I’m allergic to bullshit.” Warrick’s lips twitched at Sienna’s choked gasp. Her nails dug into his arm as she clung tighter to him. He’d warned her. It was Sienna’s fault for not listening. Nathan Larson made no pretense of being anything but brutally straightforward and it worked for him. Sliding his arm around Sienna’s waist, Warrick gave her a small smile. “I’ll take her back inside.” “Do that. And when you’re done, meet me in the front room. We need to talk.” Now didn’t that just sound ominous. Sienna struggled to keep up as he rushed her away from Larson. She glanced over her shoulder at the agent and muttered something under her breath.

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“Just don’t say anything until you’re back in the room,” Warrick bit out tersely before she could say anything more damaging. “Why? It’s not like he can hear me anymore.” His lips twisted and he grunted in response. Larson showing up had been piss-poor timing. And Warrick couldn’t be more grateful. Maybe he didn’t appreciate getting his ass handed to him on a platter, but it beat the hell out of what could’ve happened. What would’ve happened if he’d kissed Sienna. Warrick’s gut clenched and he led her into the house. Once they were back in the bedroom, he shut the door firmly and turned to face her. Sienna, apparently, was ready for a verbal showdown. Standing in front of the bed, she leveled a furious glare at him. “You’re treating me like I’ve committed a crime.” “I’m not sure that you haven’t, Sienna.” Which made it even more depraved that all he could think about was what she’d feel like naked beneath him. “I’m going to go out there to talk to Agent Larson, so don’t even think about leaving this room, do you understand me?” “I’m not promising—” “Dammit. Do not push me, Sienna.” He advanced on her and gripped her arms. “Get your butt in bed. I don’t care if you sleep or just sit there with your eyes closed. You move a muscle and so help me God I will tie you down.” Her eyes widened and a flush of pink stained her cheeks. Oh hell. He tried to stop them, but his mind flickered with all kinds of images that were nowhere near appropriate. The pads of his fingers seemed to tingle where he touched her skin. He glanced down in dismay, thought he saw a glow between them, and jerked his hands away. What the fuck? Dammit, he needed to get some sleep. “Go to bed,” he rasped and turned toward the door.

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“What’s with you, Warrick?” she called after him, her voice not quite steady either. “Agent Larson says ‘jump’ and you say ‘how high?’” His lips twitched. “Something like that. He’s…the commander of this op, Sienna. There’s hierarchy everywhere in life, you should know that.” Reaching the door, he hesitated when she asked, “What was he even doing outside this time of night?” “I don’t really know and it’s not my business anyway. So drop it.” He glanced back at her, staring her down hard until she looked away. “No more problems, Sienna.” Warrick turned and left. Out in the living room he muttered a curse when he saw not only Larson waiting for him, but Agents Hilliard and Rafferty as well. “Sorry, guys. We wake you up?” He sighed and leaned against the wall near the entryway. “Kind of hard to sleep with you two carrying on.” Hilliard yawned and scrubbed a hand down his face. “You get her under control?” Hardly. “She’s back in bed now.” Rafferty chuckled from where he sat on the couch. “Well, good to know someone is. But no worries, sleep is overrated.” “She forgot this outside.” Warrick glanced up, then whipped his hand out to intercept the black cell phone that Larson had thrown toward his face. Larson crossed the room to look out the window. “Just how much does she know, Donovan?” “I don’t think she knows much. She knows about the P.I.A.,” Warrick admitted after a moment’s hesitation. “There was really no way to keep that from her after we intercepted her at the lab.”

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“No. I don’t suppose there was.” Larson turned and stared at him. “I want you to question her in the morning. Extensively. Find out how she learned of the shifters’ existence and just how involved she is with the ones that are out in the barn.” “I intend to.” Larson nodded and turned to look at the other agents. “There’s not long until dawn and I’m sure the shifters in the barn are going to be waking up soon. I’ll stay up the rest of the night with Hilliard. Rafferty and Donovan can try and get some sleep. We’ll have to take shifts.” Warrick bristled, but didn’t protest. Damn. Sleep was just about the last thing on his mind. The idea of trying to go back to bed after the past few hours was not settling well, but he knew better than to argue. Couldn’t really argue, because Larson was right. With their sleep schedules all out of whack, it was definitely going to be a catch-a-few-hours-when-you-can situation. He turned to head back to his room, when Larson called out, “Before you do, Donovan. We need to have that talk. Alone. Outside.” With a short nod, Warrick moved past Larson and out the front door again. Standing on the wood porch in the night air, he inhaled slowly and looked out at the shadows of the trees surrounding them. It was still pretty warm for this late in the evening—or early morning, really. But then the temperature wasn’t surprising with the heat wave that had been rocking the state for the past couple of days. The door opened behind him, then closed with a soft click. He listened to the soft creak of the porch under Larson’s footsteps as the other man came to stand beside him. “How you holding up, Donovan?” “Just fine.” Cut the small talk, Larson, I know you way too well for that.

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“So you and Sienna,” Larson began. “You kind of grew up together, didn’t you?” The muscles in Warrick’s shoulders bunched as he attempted a casual shrug. Damn, maybe small talk would’ve been better. He could see pretty clearly where this was going to head. “We were neighbors growing up. Her brother’s one of my closest friends…and you know who her father is.” “Yes. I do know that.” Larson nodded and thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans he’d obviously changed into. “What I don’t know is if this is going to emotionally compromise you.” No. He definitely didn’t want to have this conversation. “It won’t. Sienna is nothing but an old friend to me.” Larson strode to the end of the porch and leaned his arm on the railing. Silent for a moment. Then, “Even the friend part worries me. Already she’s a candidate for having her—” “Memory wiped?” Warrick snarled and moved to stand next to his friend. “You think I haven’t thought about that from the moment we picked her up?” “We had no choice but to take her. She was there with the shifters. Whether you like the fact or not, she’s involved somehow.” She was. He knew she was. And it made his gut twist around like a damned pretzel. He could only protect Sienna so much. If she was a part of what was being done to those shifters— “They may not wipe her,” Larson added gruffly. “Because of who her father is. Have you contacted him about any of this?” “I haven’t had a chance.” But that wasn’t a bad idea. “You will tomorrow though.” It wasn’t a request. “Of course.”

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“All right.” Larson nodded. “You’re a damn good agent, Donovan. Just make sure your priorities stay in place. Your first concern is for those guys in the barn, not some chick you want to tag.” Hot anger simmered in Warrick’s gut. His fingers curled into his palms, the nails digging into his flesh. He gave himself a few seconds to calm himself. Even that wasn’t enough to keep him from grating out, “I’ve never put a woman above my job. It’s kind of fucked up that you’d imply otherwise.” “I’m not implying anything and you know it. We already had this conversation, Warrick. My comment was a reminder that you’d better damn well heed. I’m not stupid. I see the way you look at her.” Was he that fucking obvious? Dammit. Warrick forced a small nod, knowing he’d gotten off easy with Larson’s terse response. Had they been around the other agents he’d have gotten an ass reaming for his blatant insubordination. But they were alone, and he knew this conversation wasn’t meant as a dressing-down by his superior. It was Larson talking to him as a friend, reminding him not to screw up. “Go to bed.” Larson gripped his shoulder and gave a hard squeeze, before turning back toward the house. “We’ll figure out the rest of the shit in the morning. You’re going to need some sleep.” The porch creaked again as Larson left. A moment later, Warrick turned and slipped silently back into the house as well.

Those birds need to shut the hell up. Sienna groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. Every muscle ached and her head was pounding something fierce. Sleep tugged at her consciousness

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trying to suck her back into oblivion and away from the light pouring through her curtains. She needed to get up and make coffee. That always helped wake her—shit. Bolting upright, Sienna gripped the sheet and made a gurgle of dismay. Reality had hit her with all the grace of a sumo wrestler doing ballet. A quick glance beside her showed she was alone in bed. Where was Warrick? Biting her lip, she scooted out from the sheets and tugged the T-shirt she was wearing farther down her legs. On her hands and knees, she crawled as quietly as possible toward the end of the bed to peek over the edge. “Morning.” Crap! Scurrying backward and away from Warrick’s amused gaze, she grabbed the sheet and wrapped it over her naked legs. Oh God. How on earth had she forgotten everything that had happened last night? She closed her eyes, but it was all there. All the little details from the moment she’d snuck away from the gala, to the point where Warrick had banished her back to the bedroom like she was a toddler. “You hungry?” His question wasn’t exactly sexy, but something about the hint of sleepiness in Warrick’s slow drawl, combined with that deep timber, sent a shiver of awareness through her. “I’m…a little I suppose.” What time was it? There wasn’t a clock anywhere nearby, so she glanced toward the window and found it bright and sunny beyond the lace curtains. “We probably should get up. Got a busy day ahead of us.”

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There was shuffling on the ground before his tall frame unfurled from the floor at the end of the bed. She swallowed hard at the sight of his naked torso— the way the muscles in his shoulders bunched when he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. She had the ridiculous urge to shuffle to the end of the bed and rise on her knees, wrap her arms around his waist and bury her face against his chest. Press her cheek to those ripped pectoral muscles and breathe in the scent of him. Of Warrick. She knew exactly how he’d smell. That spicy soap he used…or cologne. Whichever it was, Warrick was a creature of habit. He’d been wearing the same scent last night when he’d tackled her that he’d worn the night of her prom. She’d never forgotten the way Warrick smelled. Or how it felt to be in his arms… “Sienna?” She blinked, her cheeks warming as she realized he’d said something. “I’m sorry, what?” “I offered you the first shower.” “Oh. Right.” A shower sounded pretty fantastic. “That would be great, thanks.” She hesitated, her pride making her want to avoid asking for anything from him or the other agents. But there was no getting around it. “I don’t suppose you could round up some coffee?” Warrick let loose a low laugh as he rubbed a hand across his chest. “Sienna, these boys practically keep that stuff on an IV drip. When you’re ready, there’ll be coffee strong enough to make your toes curl.” Hmm. Her toes were already curling of their own accord beneath the sheet. Being this close to a half-naked Warrick was doing ridiculous things to her brain…to her body.

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“I’ll just, uh, go grab that shower.” God, she wished her voice didn’t sound so husky. Sliding out of bed, she winced and resisted the urge to drag the sheet off the bed and wrap it around her waist. The shirt revealed a lot more leg than it hid. Warrick’s gaze slid over her, his eyes narrowing and his nostrils flaring. She watched his chest expand before he jerked his gaze away from her and turned toward the door. “Let me know when you’re done. I’ll go check out what we’ve got to eat around here.” When he disappeared, the door clicking shut behind him, she drew in a shaky breath and thrust her hands through her hair. In the light of day, things were even more screwed up. Warrick had taken her phone last night. How in the hell was she going to get into contact with her dad now? God, it was hard to think when she was this tired. No one would ever make the mistake of calling her a morning person. First things first. She headed toward the bathroom. Not only to grab that shower, but to ensure the jump drive she’d hidden was still safe in her spot.

A quick shower made her feel almost human again. Sienna glanced in the bathroom mirror and scowled at her appearance. No makeup and wearing just sweats and a T-shirt. Yeah, she was definitely not winning any beauty awards. Though she could appreciate the change in clothes, and thank God they’d had a stash of those built-in-bra tank tops or she’d be swinging free. Not seeing Warrick in the bedroom, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway. The sound of men’s voices and smell of brewed coffee led her to the kitchen.

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It was like a convention of testosterone, with their hard, muscled bodies leaning against the counter or by the fridge. These were men’s men. Hardened. Raw. Trained agents who probably didn’t have much time for female antics. How much of a kink had she thrown in their schedule last night? She’d barely entered the room before all conversation died and four pairs of eyes swung her way. Unfortunately she was mostly aware of Warrick’s intense gaze. “Good morning.” She cleared her throat and forced a small smile. It wouldn’t kill her to be civil, right? Get them to trust her a little before she tried to break out of this safe house again. The men all murmured a greeting in reply, but it came out even less enthusiastic than hers. She slid her gaze to Warrick and her heart skipped a beat. His mouth was drawn tight and his brows furrowed in a scowl, but there was unease in his eyes. Something had happened. She knew it, was surprised she hadn’t picked up on it immediately when she’d entered the kitchen. There was certainly enough tension in the room. “What is it?” she asked, stepping toward the group. “Is it the shifters? Are they—” “The shifters are fine.” The one she recognized as Larson—the one in charge—answered her question. She swung her attention to him, saw the grim expression on his face as well. Oh no. She looked at the other men. They all had it. That somber air about them and strained expressions. Her pulse quickened and she ran her tongue over her lips. If not the shifters, then what? Whatever it was, she knew it wasn’t going to be good. And whatever it was…she’d bet it had to do with her.

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“Is someone going to fill me in on what’s going on?” Damn her voice for shaking. “Why don’t you sit down, Sienna.” Warrick straightened and went to one of the cupboards, reaching in to grab a mug. “Let me get you some coffee.” She didn’t want the damn coffee anymore, she wanted to know what the hell was going on. Okay, that wasn’t quite true. She did want the coffee, but being let in on whatever little kernel of information they were withholding was definitely her first priority. Still, if it would help them spill the beans faster, she’d sit. The wood chair legs screeched against the floor as Sienna tugged a seat out from the table. Plopping down, she folded her hands on the wood surface and stared up at them expectantly. Come on, boys, start talking. But no one said a word. Not one damn word as Warrick handed her a mug of steaming coffee and set a blueberry muffin in front of her. “I’m not hungry,” she said tersely, but reached for the coffee. “What’s going on? You guys are starting to freak me out.” “You should be freaked out.” This came from another of the agents. He was dark-skinned and had the tall, muscled build of a basketball player. With coffee-colored eyes, a shaved head and the hint of a goatee he had to be popular with the women. “Hilliard, shut the fuck up,” Warrick snapped. You should be freaked out. Sienna lifted the mug to her lips with trembling hands and blew on the steaming coffee. Okay, so whatever it was definitely involved her and it was probably bad news. The knot in her stomach grew and suddenly she wasn’t so eager to have them tell her.

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“Ms. Peters,” Larson began in that familiar, quietly authoritative tone she now associated with him. “There was a fire last night in the building the shifters were being held in.” “A fire?” she repeated tonelessly, her stomach clenching. “Yeah. Everything inside the place was destroyed,” Warrick added and pulled out the chair next to her to sit down. “Oh my God…” She shook her head as her mind spun. How had it happened? When? Just after they’d all left? “So tell us, darlin’,” another of the agents, stocky and blond, drawled. “Have you been playing with matches?” Sienna blinked, then stared at him. Did he think this was some kind of joke? Had she been playing with matches? Her brows drew together and she glared at him. “This isn’t funny.” Stocky guy sighed and cracked his knuckles. “Guess it depends on your sense of humor.” “Rafferty, back off.” Larson cast him a warning glance before turning his attention back to Sienna. “Ms. Peters, nobody’s trying to make light of this situation, but we need you to be up front with us if you know anything about the fire.” Her stomach sank and she pushed away the coffee. They thought she was involved with the fire? “You can’t be serious.” She shook her head and pushed the coffee away. “You can’t possibly think I had something to do with it.” “No, we don’t.” Warrick sent a hard glare in the agent’s direction. “You were in our custody long before that fire started. We’re trying to figure out if you might have an idea of who would be behind it.”

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“How could I?” she cried, tears of frustration burning her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening.” No one said anything, there was just the steady drip-drip from the kitchen faucet that wasn’t quite turned off. “Sienna, someone was found dead inside the building.” Her heart squeezed, almost seemed to stop at Warrick’s bald statement. Who? The lab had been empty. Only her and the shifters until the P.I.A. had arrived. Was there someone else in there? Someone who’d gotten trapped in the fire? “D-did they say who?” “No.” Larson shook his head. “All they’re saying is the victim was an employee of Feloray Laboratories. They’ll probably wait to release his name until the next of kin can be notified.” Her gut clenched and a premonition stabbed sharply. Sienna shoved back from the table and came unsteadily to her feet. Oh God. The lab had burned down and now someone was dead. She moved past the men and out of the kitchen. Warrick tried to grab her arm, but she brushed him off and wandered into the living room where she found the television on. She stared at the screen and the image being displayed. And there it was. The lab she’d snuck into last night, only it was a shell of itself. The red brick building was now black from soot, with smoke still pouring out of it. Firemen wandered in the background, as the reporter who stood in front spoke to the camera. But she didn’t hear his words and it took her a few minutes to realize the volume had been muted. A hand curled around her shoulder. Warrick.

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“It’s been all over the news, Sienna. The local media’s been covering the fire all night long apparently. I only learned about it when I came out here this morning and the guys filled me in.” “It doesn’t make any sense. Are they sure it wasn’t an accident?” Her voice rose with the hope in her tone. “They’ve already said it’s likely arson. Look, maybe you’d better not watch this right now,” Warrick’s voice sharpened and he tried to turn her away from the screen, but she resisted as the image changed. Sienna struggled to breathe as she stared at the photo on the screen and the words Wanted for Questioning just below it. The image was her latest employee head-shot.

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Sienna’s vision narrowed and her world seemed to shrink as the air she desperately needed refused to enter her lungs. “Christ, somebody get her some water.” Warrick’s words barely registered. She couldn’t look away from the television, and her shock increased as the footage switched to a body being wheeled out on a gurney. Her heart pounded faster and she wheezed in the smallest breath. “Come on, Sienna, you’re fine.” Warrick’s arm slipped around her, offering the strength she didn’t have right now. He jerked her away from the television, snapping her direct line of vision to the chaos and horror that now surrounded her life. The cushions of the couch pressed into the backs of her knees before she sank down. Warrick’s fingers brushed against her cheek as he turned her face toward him. His gaze locked on hers, intent and calming. “Let yourself breathe, Sienna. Can you do that?” It should’ve been easy enough. The concern that flickered briefly in his eyes made her wonder if she was turning blue. She willed the muscles in her throat to relax. Let the air in the room suck into her deprived lungs. She took another breath. Repeating the process and holding Warrick’s gaze until she felt her heart decrease from its wild gallop. “I don’t understand how anyone could possibly think I did this,” she whispered.

Shelli Stevens

His gaze darkened, flickered with unease. But she didn’t need him to reply. She’d seen the answer as clearly as if she’d looked into his head. “The camera.” It was the camera, the one Warrick had pointed out she hadn’t disabled. They’d seen her in there, assumed she’d burned the lab down. “Oh my God. Of course they think I did. You warned me, Warrick. You warned me this would happen and I’d be in trouble. But I didn’t burn down the building. I swear to God I—” “I know you didn’t.” Warrick’s brows drew together and he curled his fingers around her shoulders and drew her forward into his arms, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. “You couldn’t possibly have. When someone set this fire you were an hour out of Portland with us.” She leaned into him, wanting to feel the usual relief and safety that should’ve come. But even being in Warrick’s arms did little to stop the pounding of her heart or ease the fear that chilled her blood. “Someone else definitely set that fire, Ms. Peters,” Larson said quietly as he entered the living room. “And they wanted to make sure you took the blame.” Sienna pulled away from Warrick and accepted the glass of water Larson held out to her. She lifted the glass to her lips, her hands unsteady as she took a sip. The cool water slid over her tongue and down her dry throat. “Thank you.” Her fingers clenched around the drink. “I don’t understand why they would go so far as to burn down the lab? If they saw the video and knew it was me, why not just go after me?” Larson and Warrick exchanged glances, but both their expressions were unreadable to her. Frustration gnawed in her gut, and she hoped like hell they’d share whatever they were both thinking. She turned back to face him. “Warrick?”

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He didn’t look at her right away, but stared at Larson, seemed to seek approval to speak before giving a slight nod. “Our guess? Whoever is behind the shifters’ confinement and torture doesn’t want any evidence hanging around. Especially now that the shifters have been freed. With your picture all over the place, wanted for questioning, it’s easy to pick you up and bring you in. Have you cornered, essentially.” Oh God, she really didn’t like the sound of that. But surely there was more evidence than just the shifters. The files Leo had given her must’ve come from somewhere. Probably the computers in the lab… Her stomach cramped. Oh right. Computers that had just been destroyed in the fire. And if the unidentified body was who she suspected it was… That meant it was entirely possible that, besides the people behind everything, she was the only one with actual physical proof of what had been done to the shifters. Of course the shifters were witnesses too, but if by some chance they didn’t survive… Strong fingers curled around hers and she glanced up to meet Warrick’s questioning stare. “Sienna?” Tell me. She could almost hear his silent request and her tongue went thick in her mouth with the need to explain everything. “Larson, I’d like permission to take Sienna outside for a bit,” Warrick requested, his gaze not leaving hers. “You’ve got it. Rafferty and Hilliard are going to be sleeping for a few hours, so stay close in case I need you.” “Will do.” Warrick stood from the couch and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come on, kid. We’re going to take a walk.”

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Sienna’s pulse jumped. He was taking her out alone so he could question her, just as he’d threatened to do since he’d discovered her in the lab last night. And it was going to be so hard not to confess about the jump drive. They stepped outside onto the wood porch, the boards creaking beneath their footsteps. As they moved down the stairs and away from the house, she glanced around at her surroundings for the first time in daylight. Her steps faltered and a silent gasp slid past her lips. The beauty around them momentarily distracted her from the nightmare that had become her life. The landscape was a lush embodiment of green trees, bushes and grass that scattered around and beyond the property. In the distance, thrusting sharply in a vision of white-tipped glory, was Mt. Hood. “Come with me.” Warrick strode past her, catching her hand in the process and pulling her after him. Sienna tried not to focus on the fact that his touch sent tingles of awareness up her arm and struggled to keep pace with him. They were heading down the same road she’d tried to escape on last night. Her lips twitched, but she wasn’t really amused. Before Warrick had taken her phone away, she’d been trying to put her ridiculously overpriced smartphone to use and locate where the hell she was on the GPS. But the signal had been too weak, and before anything had come through Warrick had shown up. She really shouldn’t have been so naïve as to think he wouldn’t notice her trying to slip out. Now she was missing a phone and still had very little idea where they actually were. She glanced around again at their surroundings. Somewhere in central Oregon, that much she could surmise. Warrick veered off the road and led them into a cluster of trees before stopping beneath a pine.

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“How long have you been working for Feloray Laboratories, Sienna?” And let the questioning begin. Biting back a sigh, she tugged her hand away and moved to lean back against the trunk of the tree. Warrick touching her, even as innocently as holding her hand, was far too distracting. And she wanted to confess. Right now, more than anything, she wanted someone she could trust. But as much as she ached to, she couldn’t tell him everything. It was too risky. “Two years. I want to get some experience in the field before I go back to get my master’s degree.” Warrick paced between the trees, reaching up to grab a branch. “And what exactly do you do there?” Sienna inhaled the refreshingly clean air, let it fill her lungs and calm her as she tried to keep her mind sharp. “Well I went to school to be a biochemist, but right now, there are not a lot of jobs out there, so I’m a grunt. With a promise to be promoted to lab technician soon. Or there was the promise.” Her mouth tightened. “As a grunt I do what they tell me to do. A lot of data entry. A lot of cleaning up of someone else’s mess.” “And what about the shifters?” He snapped the small, thin branch from the tree and twirled it between his fingers. “Were they just another mess for you to clean up, Sienna?” Her lips parted and a noise of indignation slipped out. Why was he always so quick to assume the worst? There’d been a time when she could do no wrong in Warrick’s eyes. So much had changed since that time though…he’d changed. “No. I told you that I wasn’t even aware the shifters existed until yesterday.” Though she couldn’t tell him everything, at least that much was the truth.

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“Ah, Sienna. I’m just not quite sure I believe you, kid.” Warrick sighed and glanced away. “You’re hiding something.” Of course she was, and they both knew it. But he should also be smart enough to realize she wasn’t going to bend on this. She stared at his profile, the strong line of his jaw and the curl of his mouth expressing his displeasure. The sun shone behind him, silhouetting Warrick’s muscled, beautiful body like he was Adonis. She’d always done that. Cast Warrick in some deity-like glow that set him above all other men. Made him seem beyond extraordinary. Her stomach fluttered with awareness. And a heat that had nothing to do with the sun beating down on them slid through her blood. The silence between them stretched on, seeming louder than the birds chirping happily around them. For one insane moment, she was tempted to tell him everything. To go grab the jump drive from the bathroom, and unload the emotional burden of keeping this secret. But again Leo’s warning gave her pause. He hadn’t thrown that in there just for the hell of it, he’d completely believed there to be some kind of threat from a supposed ally to the shifters. And for creatures that shouldn’t have even existed, the P.I.A. was probably their biggest—if not only—ally. “You trust me, Sienna. I know you do.” “Look, Warrick, I’ve told you everything I know,” she said softly and sank her teeth into her bottom lip to avoid saying anything else. He turned on his heel and was next to her before she could blink. His arms slammed against the tree on either side of her.

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“Dammit, this isn’t one of your little games, Sienna. There’s a lot at risk here.” His gaze slid over her face and his voice gentled. “So much you can’t even begin to understand.” With his body pressed just inches from hers, Sienna stilled. Hot awareness slid through her as she stared at the tic in his clenched jaw. Warrick had always had that unrestrained air about him, but the black stubble peppering his jaw made him seem even more dangerous and fierce. “How did you find out about the shifters?” His voice took on a hypnotic note and she found her gaze unwillingly lifting to meet his. Everything around them faded as her attention locked onto the gray-blue depths of his eyes. Her breathing slowed as she watched his pupils dilate. A calm settled over her. Warrick moved his arm and a moment later he traced two fingers lightly down her cheek. “Tell me, Sienna.” She exhaled softly. “I was told about them.” “Good girl.” His thumb brushed over her lower lip. “Who told you about them?” Can’t tell him that. Don’t tell him that. His head dipped, his lips so close to hers she could feel the hot breaths of air over her mouth. Almost of its own violation, her body leaned into his. Her eyelids fluttered closed. Warrick’s lips grazed the corner of her mouth. “Who told you, Sienna?” Her lips parted on a sigh. The name ready to roll off her tongue. “Warrick.”

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The harsh male voice snapped her from the daze. The heaviness that had taken over her mind and body dissipated and she blinked her eyes open in dismay. Shit. Warrick stared down at her, his gaze clouded with frustration and a burning heat that turned her bones to liquid. “What’s up?” he called back, without moving away from her. Larson answered a second later. “I need you to help me with something in here.” Sienna slipped beneath his arm and stumbled away from him. Her ankle hit a protruding root, but she caught herself before she could fall. Her body trembled from the blood rushing through her veins and she shook her head. Dammit. How had he gotten her to almost spill her guts? What kind of crazy spell— “We need to get back inside.” His terse command snapped between them before he turned away and walked back toward the safe house. Obviously he expected her to follow, and really, what choice did she have? Run and get two feet away? Sienna started after him and tried again to figure out what the hell had just happened.

Immaculate, gold-tipped nails flew across the keys on the keyboard, the rapid succession of clicking noises the only sound in the isolated office. Jocelyn’s chest tightened as she searched for another key word that might pull up the file on her office computer.

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From the corner of her eye she could see Robert pacing in front of the desk. His hands laced in front of him and his head moving back and forth in denial. He cleared his throat. “We’ve tried everything, my love. The files disappeared with the—” “Did I ask you to talk? Shut the fuck up.” Merciful silence returned and she bit back another savage curse as her latest search indicated that no matching file was found. Her head started to pound and she pulled her hands from the keys to press her fingertips to her temples. Christ almighty. How in the hell could this have happened? Years. She’d spent years planning this. And now it was gone. Everything. The shifters. The data on what the shifters had been given. “Surely somebody backed this information up?” she said tightly. “Didn’t you send it to me?” “You requested the only place the data be stored was on the computer in the labs and the jump drive.” And they’d burned down the lab after discovering the jump drive was now missing. Taken by that little lab rat, no doubt. And the one man who could’ve recreated the data had been killed in the fire at the lab. The pounding in her head grew stronger and a bitter smile twisted her lips. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so quick to issue his death sentence. “You wanted as little information as possible that could be traced back to you,” Robert reminded her delicately. “I remember what I ordered.” Her terse response had her lover flinching and stepping back. “I didn’t count on the man we hired to help growing a goddamned conscience.” And steal the jump drive and hand it off to some unremarkable grad student…

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“Has there been any update on Sienna Peters?” she demanded. “Have the police found her yet?” She had insiders within the police department. If Sienna were to be arrested it would be all too simple to retrieve the jump drive and make the woman simply disappear. Or perhaps arrange another accident. “No. She’s managed to avoid police detection. Her apartment hasn’t been accessed and her car is still in the parking lot at Feloray Laboratories where she was last spotted attending the gala.” Jocelyn issued a harsh laugh. “Her face is all over the news. The police are after her. How is it possible no one has seen her?” There was another bout of silence and when she glanced up at Robert something about his fidgety demeanor sent alarm bells off in her head. “What is it you’re not telling me?” He scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat. “I was waiting to say something until I could confirm—” “Spit it out already.” “It’s possible Sienna is having help and being hidden.” Stilling, Jocelyn cocked her head. “Just who do you think is helping her?” “The P.I.A.” The blood rushed to her head and Jocelyn let out a strangled noise of denial. “How is this possible? We have someone on the inside with them.” “We do. And that someone is avoiding any of my attempts at contacting him. The number we were given has been disconnected.” She leaned back in her chair, lips parted in dismay, and turned to stare out the window. Was it possible? That the agent they’d carefully recruited and groomed for this job had turned against them? Had he told the rest of the P.I.A. who was behind the shifters’ imprisonment?

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No. If so there would have been agents at her doorstep by now. Jocelyn steepled her hands and tapped the trembling tips against her mouth. Christ almighty. Which meant that it was more than likely the agent had taken the payment she’d doled out, had managed to free the shifters and now hoped to make a clean break. Except nobody had foreseen Sienna Peters getting mixed up in the equation. “I do have some other news that might be of interest to you.” “Robert, any news you have is of interest to me. Dammit, stop holding things back from me and spill it.” “Sienna Peters is the daughter of Kevin Peters. In case you’re not aware, he’s—” “I know exactly who Kevin Peters is.” Her pulse quickened and excitement zinged through her. Perhaps everything was not lost after all. “We need to locate Miss Peters. Preferably alive.” Her mind spun with possibilities. “She could be the key to this. If we can find her, we can use her. And perhaps find our inside agent.” She would be the perfect bait in gaining Kevin Peters’s assistance as well. If they failed at retrieving the jump drive, then Kevin Peters’s brilliant mind could be an even better plan. Robert’s head nodded eagerly. “I’m going to see if she’s made any calls on her cell phone lately. They can trace that, right? See what tower her call bounced off of?” “Yes. I like that idea.” She nodded absently. With a dismissive wave of her hand she turned back to her computer, murmuring, “But before you do that, make yourself useful and bring me a vodka tonic.”

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“They released the name of the man killed in the fire.” Warrick’s ears perked up at Larson’s casual statement. In fact, all the agents who’d been trying to relax around the table looked a little more alert now. They’d spent a good part of the day keeping the shifters tranquilized and on the phone with headquarters and were finally enjoying a bit of downtime. “Who was he?” Warrick asked. Larson leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Leonard Perkins. The name mean anything to you?” “No. But I suspect it will to Sienna.” “I don’t doubt it. Keep a tight rein on her. Don’t want to catch her sneaking out again, all right?” Warrick nodded at the warning and scrubbed a hand down his face. God, he hated the reminder of his little fuckup. Just one of many lately. “It won’t happen again,” he finally replied. “I saw the blankets on the floor, Donovan.” A slow smile spread across Hilliard’s face as he leaned back in his chair. “She kick you out of bed?” Warrick scowled, his fingers clenching into a fist. “I never got in it.” “Maybe you should reconsider that plan tonight.” Larson’s advice had Warrick’s head snapping up and his eyes narrowing. To say that sleeping in the same bed with Sienna was a bad idea would be an understatement. Not that Larson wasn’t right to suggest otherwise. Sienna made it no secret she wanted to bolt. And at this rate the only way any of them were going to sleep easily was if they tied her up at night or one of them slept next to her. Larson knew Warrick’s history with her, or he suspected the commander would have been recruiting other volunteers. “It won’t be a problem,” he said flatly. “I’ll crash with her if necessary.”

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“Hell, don’t sound so depressed about it, Donovan.” Rafferty grinned, cracked his knuckles, before reaching for a handful of almonds from a can on the table. “If you’d like, I’d be more than happy to fill in for you.” Like hell. Warrick’s nostrils flared and his nails bit into the palms of his hands. The image flashed through his head. Rafferty in the same bed with Sienna, their bodies just inches apart. Something hot and ugly bubbled inside his stomach and Warrick’s jaw flexed. “I’d shut the fuck up if I were you, Rafferty,” Hilliard advised with a biting laugh. “Don’t think Donovan much appreciates your offer. He’s kind of got that same feral glaze in his eyes the shifters out in the barn are sporting.” Did he really? Warrick winced internally and forced himself to take a deep breath. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d worked with these men since he’d joined the agency years ago. Crude talk and giving each other shit was just part of the job. They were always on missions together. Sometimes literally buried up to their elbows in mud or some other filth. They knew the stink of each other’s sweat and how many push-ups it took before they started puking. These men were his brothers. He trusted his life in any one of their hands and knew they felt the same. So where the hell was this urge coming from to rip out the throat of anyone who made a move on Sienna? “Donovan, you do whatever you need to.” Larson stood from the table and went to refill his water. “But I think everyone should get their ass to bed soon. I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be another short night.” It was a couple hours until midnight and how much sleep they’d be getting was anybody’s guess. The moon was full, which could play havoc with the shifters in the barn. They were all hoping the tranquilizers held. “Yeah, that’s my cue to catch a few hours,” Rafferty agreed and stood.

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Warrick grunted and followed suit. Walking down the hall, his throat tightened as he thought of Sienna waiting in the bedroom for him. Probably in bed. Hopefully asleep. He pushed open the bedroom door a moment later and let his gaze swing to the bed. Sure enough, she lay on her back, the sheet around her waist. Her eyes were shut and her body still. Too still. Damn. He didn’t have a doubt in his mind that Sienna was wide-awake. He shut the door with a deliberate click and then pulled off his T-shirt. Next he unsnapped the fly on his jeans, before the sound of his zipper going down filled the room. Even though her eyes were still closed, he could see Sienna flinch and her fingers gripping the sheet turn white. Only in his boxers now, he crossed the room toward her and stopped on the opposite side of the bed. Then reached for the sheet. Sienna’s eyes snapped open and she jerked upright. “Oh no. Oh hell no. You’re not sleeping in this bed with me.” “Wrong. I am sleeping in the bed with you and you’re just going to have to deal with it,” he said curtly. “I gave you way too much freedom last night and you abused it.” “Oh, damn you, Warrick! You can sleep on top of the sheets,” she muttered and tugged the sheet back up to her chin. “If I even feel your leg touch mine—” “Go to sleep, Sienna,” Warrick snapped. He shoved a hand through his hair, regretting the sharpness of his tone. “I won’t touch you.” And, even though he was forcing them to share a bed, he damn well meant it. Bedding Sienna was never going to happen. Not six years ago, and not any time in the future. No matter that whenever he got within feet of her everything

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inside him itched to drag her into his arms and crush her pretty mouth beneath his. Which is why sleeping in bed with her is a really shitty idea, moron. Still, he tugged the sheet back on his side of the bed to prepare climbing in. It was probably a good thing his muscles ached and he could barely keep his eyes open. Sienna’s eyes widened with fury, and if looks alone could wither his balls off, he’d be a eunuch. He climbed into bed and Sienna made a soft noise of anger and began to sit up, but he caught her arm and pulled her back down, muttering a tired, “Relax, kid.” “I said not to—” “I heard what you said, and I’m ignoring it.” He reached above him and grabbed his pillow, fluffing it a few times, before lying back down and folding his arms beneath his head. He closed his eyes and breathed in a calming breath. Then immediately regretted it. The soft feminine smell of Sienna’s skin assailed his senses. It had nothing to do with her perfume this time—she’d washed that off in the shower— but was the subtle underlying scent of her that mingled with the standard Ivory soap the house provided. Even with his eyelids shut, he could see the way she’d looked this afternoon. The ribbed white tank top that clung to her breasts and the sexy smattering of freckles on her chest and shoulders. Since that evening she’d come on to him at her prom, he’d spent endless nights fantasizing about counting all those freckles as he anointed them with his mouth. Get off this road, buddy, it’s taking you nowhere.

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Forcing his mind on to a more somber path, he asked, “Who is Leonard Perkins?” She seemed to stop breathing and he could feel the tension radiating off her. “Why?” It was barely a whisper. “He was identified as the man killed in the fire.” Her anguished sob was quickly cut off and a moment later he felt the trembling of her body next to him. So she knew this Leonard guy, but how? A friend? A lover? His gut clenched at the latter thought. “Oh God,” she whispered. “I’ll never forgive myself.” “We’ll get whoever did this, Sienna,” he promised, pushing the stab of unwanted jealousy aside. “Retribution after the fact? It won’t bring Leo back.” Leo. Again his gut kicked. Definite possibility they’d been close. “I’m sorry.” She didn’t answer for awhile. Leaving him alone with his own dark thoughts. “You say ‘we’. Why is this your fight, Warrick?” she finally asked, her voice laden with fatigue now. “This whole shifter thing. Why are you involved? You don’t have a horse in the race, so to speak.” He opened his eyes and stared at the dark swirls in the wood boards of the ceiling, chewing over how to answer that. “The shifter community can’t exist, Sienna.” “Only they do.” “Yes. But the people in today’s world aren’t ready to accept such a controversial and extraordinary race of species.” He sighed. “The P.I.A. is an

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organization that regulates how many humans can know of their existence. We also help keep order over the shifters and their community.” “Okay. I guess that makes sense.” She rolled onto her side and placed her hand between her cheek and the pillow. “The whole regulating-humansknowing-about-them thing, I mean. It would be like telling someone the monsters they grew up fearing really do exist.” Monsters. Warrick’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. “They don’t scare you at all?” she asked skeptically. “No,” he replied without emotion. “They don’t scare me.” She made a soft harrumph. “No. Of course they don’t. You’re Warrick Donovan. How foolish of me to even ask. I doubt you’re afraid of anything.” Warrick grunted at the cynicism in her comment. “Fear is a useless emotion that debilitates. So no, I try not to indulge in it.” “Right, because being afraid is a choice?” She snorted. “I swear, Warrick, you’ve got some kind of superhero complex or something.” “The last thing I’m trying to do is save the world, Sienna.” “Just the shifters,” she finished on a sigh. He turned his head to glance at her and found her brows drawn together, her gaze pensive. It was kind of nice, having a normal—well, as normal as circumstances allowed—conversation with her. It dropped a few years off their history, almost put him mentally back to a time when things were more easygoing and carefree. Though that wasn’t quite true. Even on a good day, there’d been a dark current running through his life. An anger toward his father that continued to haunt him every damn time he woke up to a new day. But being with Sienna had always been a bit of a balm to his soul. She was like a bloody therapist with her expressive blue gaze and her ability to listen without judgment.

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He watched her tongue dart over her lips and his attention slid down to the fullness of her mouth. The blood pounded faster in his veins and he drew in an unsteady breath. God, he’d swear she did that shit on purpose. That sexy little lip-licking thing. Maybe it was a flirting technique she’d mastered on the boys back in college. It was seductive as hell— “You said you regulate how many humans are allowed to know about shifter existence.” “Mmm hmm.” “How so?” If you discover them we make sure you never remember it. Shit. How did he explain to Sienna the very thing that was under consideration for her future? Sienna gave a nervous laugh. “That bad?” He could lie, or hedge around the question, but this was Sienna and she wasn’t stupid. He probably shouldn’t have let that part slip, but now that he had she deserved to know. To understand what could happen to her. “If a human discovers the existence of shifters,” he hesitated, clenched his jaw, then plunged on. “Their memories are wiped.” Dead silence for a moment. Then Sienna let out a high-pitched laugh. “Seriously, Warrick, I know you’ve always been a sci-fi fan, but come on. That kind of stuff isn’t possible.” “Just like people who shift from human to wolf aren’t possible, right, Sienna?” “But, I would’ve heard about something like that,” she argued, her tone uneasy now. “There’s no way the government would let you—” Warrick gave a harsh laugh. “You don’t even want to know half the shit the government authorizes, Sienna.”

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More silence and he chanced another glance at her. Her face was drawn taut and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “They’re going to wipe my memory.” It wasn’t a question. His gut clenched with regret and he wished like hell he had more control over her fate. But there was a hierarchy in the P.I.A. and in the big picture he was a pretty small fish. “I can’t answer that,” he finally said honestly. “Nothing is certain.” It was a tricky situation. Sienna hadn’t yet given them the information she was withholding, which was probably the only reason the specialist hadn’t been summoned to wipe her. Though Warrick was realistic enough to acknowledge that the minute she opened up there’d be no reason not to wipe her memory. And now she likely knew that as well. “That’s horrible,” she whispered angrily. He made a silent laugh and shook his head. It was merciful compared to what the old procedure was when a human discovered a shifter. “But they didn’t wipe you when you found out. Or my f—” she broke off from what she’d been about to say. “Why? Why are some humans allowed to know and not others?” This conversation was definitely leading into dangerous waters. “It’s late, Sienna. Go to sleep.” “How can I sleep?” she choked out. “How can I possibly sleep after hearing that?” She started to climb out of bed and he moved swiftly, throwing an arm around her waist and hauling her back. “You’ll just have to try.”

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Sienna’s body went rigid and he heard the air hiss out between her teeth. “Really? You’re going to enforce my sleep schedule now? Fine, I’ll try. But you need to let me go.” “I don’t think so, kid.” She tried to throw his arm free, but he tightened his grip around her waist and gave one little tug, sliding her slender body directly back against his. She made a noise of frustration. “Is this really necessary?” “Yes. I need sleep tonight and this is the only way I’m going to get it.” That and he liked the feel of her ass against his dick. Shit. That last thought had not just gone through his head. He should’ve taken the floor again. Only who knew if he would’ve woken up after getting his head bashed in. Especially now that she had a pretty good idea what her future held. Sienna didn’t reply and if anything the tension within her body grew. Warrick waited her out, half dozing himself, but keenly aware of every move she made, aware of her fight to not sleep. He knew the exact moment she lost her fight, though. Her body softened against him and soon her breathing evened out, her stomach rising and falling gently against his hand. He let his fingers trace over the softness of her abdomen and breathed in the scent of her. Balanced on the edge of sleep and wakefulness, he couldn’t deny how damn good it felt to hold Sienna in his arms.

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Chapter Seven

Warrick’s eyes snapped open. Something was different. The room was still dark but holding a hint of light from the full moon outside. He tried to shake the disorientation, but realization came slowly. Sienna had rolled over so they faced each other, her soft curves now pressed against his body. One leg was thrown over his thigh, her breasts were crushed against his chest, and her head rested against his shoulder… And she was breathing very unsteadily. Her muscles taut. Son of a bitch, he’d wager she was wide the hell awake too. Put her aside. Fucking put her aside and get the hell out of this bed. The blood stirred in his groin and his jaw clenched. Get up, Warrick. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about the hard press of her nipples against his bare chest. Dammit, go! All he had to do was release her, then slide out of bed and use the bathroom. Get water. Anything to put some space between them for a few minutes until his body calmed down. The hairs on his body lifted and tension slid through his body, his nerves strung tight with need and awareness. So soft, lush…Sienna. So forbidden. Get away from her. He ground his teeth together and eased toward the edge of the bed.

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Her lips brushed against the curve of his neck. “Don’t leave.” Her husky plea snapped Warrick’s resilient control like a twig. Pure animal instinct took over, sucking away the little resistance he had left. The arm he held curved around her waist jerked her tighter against him, and then his mouth crushed down on hers as savage hunger roared through his blood. Have to have her. Have to just taste her once after all these years. With a low growl rumbling in his throat, he plunged his tongue past her lips, seeking the heat and sweetness inside that he knew he’d find. Sienna’s startled cry slipped into a low moan, as her tongue grazed over his in a bold caress that set his blood further on fire. So sweet. Their reunion kiss was just as seductively addictive and forbidden as she had been all those years ago. More. He needed more. His mind was a near-empty slate, filled only with his desire and need for Sienna. Gathering her tank top in his hand, he pushed it up, sliding his palm beneath it to touch bare skin. A shudder of appreciation rocketed through him at first contact. Silky. Hot. So soft and feminine. He stroked his thumb over the indention of her navel, before moving his palm slowly up her middle toward the slope of her breast. She whimpered against his mouth, her body arching into his touch. Finally he reached his destination. The small weight of her fit easily into his hand, the nipple firming against the center of his palm. Warrick couldn’t breathe, didn’t dare do anything that might break the absolute sensuality and relevance of this moment. He deepened the kiss and caught the tip between his fingers, and gave an approving growl as she cried out.

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His blood rushed faster when she curled her tongue around his and sucked. With each frantic moan she made, his control slipped away little by little. The need for her consuming him and taking over any ability to think. Only the need to take her remained. Her arousal reached his nostrils, a hedonistic call of her own passion and need. His fingers itched to touch her. To slip into the hot slickness he knew waited between her legs. It took a moment for Warrick to realize that the guttural groan he heard wasn’t coming from Sienna anymore, and it pulled at his consciousness, tugging him back to reality. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds beyond Sienna’s pleasure. Goddammit. The shifters were awake. “All agents outside! Now!” Larson screamed from the other end of the house. Warrick blinked hard and clenched his jaw, pulling abruptly away from Sienna. He tried to ignore her cry of disappointment, refusing to acknowledge the regret that screamed through every muscle in his body. It was a damn sign that the shifters had awakened. If they hadn’t, he would’ve been screwing her silly within minutes. And God help him, but he’d never have forgiven himself afterward. The noise from the barn grew louder as he climbed out of bed and grabbed his jeans. Sienna sat up hesitantly, clutching the sheet to her breasts. “Where are you…?” Understanding replaced the glaze of arousal in her eyes as her head tilted and she listened to the sounds of the shifters outside. “They’re awake.” “Yeah.” Warrick grunted. “They’re awake and from the sounds of it, not in a very good mood. Stay put, you’re safer inside.”

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“Didn’t you say that the other night?” she asked warily, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her face. “Yeah, and I take full responsibility for what happened. But this time you’ll be safe. I mean it, Sienna. Promise me you won’t go outside.” “Okay. I promise.” She gave a small nod and tugged the sheet higher over her chest. Don’t think of how sexy she looks, with her cheeks flushed and her swollen lips. His heart slammed against his chest and he swallowed hard, trying to get his ability to think straight back. He was going to need to be quick on his feet the minute he left the house. “Will you return?” she asked softly. Warrick bit back a curse, knowing what she was asking even if she didn’t say it outright. “Come on, Sienna. You know this can’t happen.” He shook his head and continued roughly, “We both just woke up hot and bothered—not completely surprising when you’re sharing a bed with someone of the opposite sex.” She flinched. “Right. So you’re saying if it had been Larson I would’ve been all over him like fleas on a dog as well?” That was not the fucking image he wanted in his head. Warrick damn near ripped his shirt by tugging it on so fiercely. He growled low in his throat, anger spiking his blood pressure as he headed toward the door. “I don’t have time for this now, Sienna. Let’s just write this off as another goddamned mistake.” “I always seem to be that to you. A mistake,” she said, the rare vulnerability in her voice sliding through his heart like a knife.

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He was so damn tempted to come back later, slip into bed, and make love to her. But the scene afterward—when she realized there could never be a future between them—flashed in his head. It wasn’t worth it. Hurting Sienna a little now was far preferable than the kind of hurt she’d have if they slept together. How the hell did he come so close to losing every shred of control when he was with her? Every time. Every goddamned time he got near her he had this crazy reaction to take her. To have her writhing beneath him and crying out his name. He’d thought he would be okay—he’d made it this long without touching her. But then he’d woken up and in a moment of weakness he’d given in. Had tasted her again. Touched her. Opened that door to temptation. Which meant that he was going to have to keep his distance from this point on, as much as this damn op allowed. “I’m sorry, Sienna. This is my fault,” he muttered and turned for the door, his chest tight. “When I return I’ll take the floor again.” Sienna flinched as the door clicked shut. Her fingers gripped the sheet so hard that her knuckles turned white. Her shoulders started to shake from being so taut with tension, and her throat had gone thick with tears she absolutely refused to cry. She’d cried over Warrick once, when she was barely a woman. And like hell she’d do it again. But God, what had they done? Sometime in the night she must’ve stopped fighting to get free of his imprisoning grasp. Because she’d woken to find herself crawling all over him like a bitch in heat.

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She should’ve been shocked to realize that she’d nearly wrapped her body around his. Instead she’d grown flushed with awareness, every inch of her body tingling with the need for more. The need for Warrick. And once again, just like that night six years ago, he’d rejected her as if she were a wine he’d sampled then decided it wasn’t to his liking. Though neither of them could deny he was attracted to her, all right. He couldn’t quite hide the fact. It was the moments after they had an intimate encounter that he’d turn all wacko. That he acted like she’d sprouted a second head or something. She saw what had happened between them as an emotional doorway that led to so many wonderful possibilities, but in Warrick’s eyes that door needed to be shut. Wait, no. Shut, nailed and boarded up. It’s better this way, she told herself. She shouldn’t be thinking about getting it on with Warrick anyway; she should be thinking about getting the hell away from him. From all these testosterone-laden P.I.A. agents. Which, now—with all the agents out of the house—seemed like just about the best opportunity she’d probably have. With her arousal fading and her thought process becoming a little more rational, she remembered the other reason she needed to get out of here. Now that she knew it was Leo who’d been killed in the lab, it upped the stakes. She’d suspected it, but the confirmation from Warrick’s mouth had felt like a physical kick in the stomach. It was clear somebody at the lab—whoever was behind the experiments on the shifters—didn’t want any evidence left behind. Including anyone who was aware of the situation. Had they discovered Leo had told her? Would they be coming after her next? And if Leo’s warning was true about someone working both sides from within the P.I.A., then she was essentially a sitting duck.

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The realization sparked her blind fear to run. To hide. To get to Boston. Swallowing her fear and frustration, Sienna thrust the sheet aside and scrambled out of bed, rushing to the dresser and pulling open a drawer. You promised him you’d stay inside. Forcing back the hint of guilt that she was going to break that promise, Sienna began pulling on clothes. Her stomach churned at the thought and her throat grew tight with the urge to cry out in frustration. Fear. She’d get to Boston and everything would be fine. She’d give her father the information on the jump drive and he could start figuring out what the shifters had been given and end their suffering. Discover a permanent cure and not some temporary fix with tranquilizers. If you were as smart as your dad, you’d have the solution figured out by now yourself. She shoved aside the belittling voice in her head that loved to remind her she’d never be the same brilliant mind that Kevin Peters was. There just wasn’t time to indulge in the familiar self-bashing. Her fingers shook as she finished getting dressed. Again she wondered who the bad agent could be. Larson wasn’t exactly giving off the trust-me vibe. But, God, it could be anyone in the agency. Even Warrick. Her stomach revolted at the idea, and she shook it off before it could take root. No, she thought, her lips curling into a scowl. Warrick might be an insensitive jerk at times, but he wouldn’t turn against his comrades. He had far too much integrity for that. But someone had. It could even be one of the agents here. And every moment she stayed in this house, the more at risk she put the information on the jump drive. Maybe even her own life… Don’t trust anybody.

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Her resolve hardening, she went to retrieve the jump drive from the bathroom, her heels clicking on the wood floor. The sweatpants and sweatshirt would work, but unfortunately she had no idea where she’d left the flip-flops Warrick had given her yesterday to wear. Which meant she’d have to put on the heels again. She shook her head and after retrieving the jump drive, headed toward the door. Her next task, and hopefully not an impossible one, was to find the keys to one of the vans. As she’d hoped, the house was empty and she quickly started scavenging for the keys. But after the minutes ticked by and she couldn’t find them, frustration gnawed at her gut. She bit her lip and glanced around, listening for the sound of the men returning. Nothing. Her gaze fell on the fridge and she frowned. Hmm. It was a long shot, but worth a try. She hurried to the fridge, and stepped on her tiptoes, running her fingers over the top of the fridge. Her pulse quickened when the brush of metal against her skin coincided with the familiar jangle. Holy shit. She’d done it. She curled her fingers around the keys, jerked them down, then turned and sprinted toward the door. The shaking and noise coming from the barn had Warrick’s gut-clenching guilt over Sienna fading some. Instead it was replaced with unease for the current situation. It was a good thing the safe house was miles from another building or someone would be calling the local authorities by now. And that was a situation they never enjoyed.

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His outlook turned grim as he entered the building. Shit. The full moon had fucked them up, and good. The shifters strained against the chains that held them, their howls of rage and pain filled the wood building. Claws swiped at the wood stalls, sending wood shavings flying into the air. Right away he spotted Hilliard struggling to control the rabid wolf that had attacked Sienna earlier. The shifter’s face contorted between animal and human, but both sides showed the blatant agony the man experienced. “Donovan,” Hilliard yelled, having spotted him. “Get your ass over here and help me tranquilize this one.” Warrick sprang forward and into the stall, managing to push the shifter back before it could maul the other agent’s face off. Hilliard stumbled back, wiping the sweat off his forehead before grabbing the tranquilizer gun. A soft hiss rang out as the half-shifted wolf roared with anger, swiping at Warrick one last time, before he stumbled back and fell to the ground. “Shit.” Warrick shook his head. “We’ve got to find a way to communicate with them somehow. Before we drug them up.” Rafferty walked out of a nearby stall and gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, when you figure that out let me know, buddy. Because I’m not about to risk my life trying to have a nice little chat with a shifter doped up on some crazy shit.” Warrick touched his fingertips to his temples and shook his head. No. They’d just risk the lives of the suffering shifters. “Where’s Larson?” The bitterness slid from Rafferty’s expression, leaving a quiet somberness in its place as he jerked his head to the right. “Back-corner stall. It’s not looking good for the female.”

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Warrick’s gut tightened and he bit back a sigh. He strode silently down the pathway of the barn, his footsteps crunching the straw on the ground, as he glanced in the stalls at the now-unconscious shifters. The screams were once again silenced, but soft whimpers lifted from the end stall that he approached. When he arrived, Larson lifted his head from where he sat on the floor. Grace, their fellow agent, lay in human form next to him, curled in fetal position and sweat glistening on her trembling body. Her eyes were glazed and it was clear she was completely out of it and unaware of either of the men in the stall with her. “How bad is it?” Warrick asked quietly as he knelt beside her. Larson gave a small shake of his head. “It’s bad. She’s got a fever that I’m not sure meds or even her were side can fight. What kind of drug is doing this to them?” Warrick shook his head and pressed the back of his hand to the woman’s forehead, wincing at the heat he found there. “Sienna knows something. And she’ll talk,” he spoke roughly. “I’ll personally see to it if I have to damn well string her up by her toes.” A roar ripped through the air, followed by Rafferty’s cry of pain. Warrick jumped to his feet, running toward the front of the barn. “Goddammit, I thought you just tranquilized him!” Rafferty clutched a bloody shoulder as he stumbled out of a stall near the front of the barn. “Fuck, man, we did. The doses don’t seem to be enough tonight. He ran outside.” Scooping up the tranquilizer gun, Warrick shook his head and moved to the door. “I’ll get him.”

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He jogged out into the night air, at ease with the knowledge that the shifter wouldn’t get far. But his calm immediately vanished. No. He blinked in disbelief at the sight before him. His blood chilled, and for a moment he went numb. Sienna ran toward the van, and the wolf that was slowly stalking her was just seconds from an attack. With the state that wolf was in, she’d be dead in seconds. The image of her bloodied and lifeless body flashed through his head, stabbing terror into his heart and adrenaline into his blood. Warrick dropped the gun and sprinted forward. A fucking tranquilizer sure as hell wouldn’t save her now. Sienna swallowed the fear in her throat as she closed in on the van, glancing around but seeing nothing in the early dawn. They hadn’t spotted her yet. And in a moment she’d be inside and speeding off to the airport. She reached the van door, fumbling to get the key in the lock with her hands trembling so badly. The keys slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground in a loud jangle. “Shoot!” she muttered, her pulse quickening as she reached to retrieve them. She stood again and choked on a gasp. The wolf stood just feet away. Foam dripping from its mouth as it watched her. In its eyes was the promise to kill and a snarl vibrated deep in its throat. She lost the ability to breathe, her whole body went cold and the keys slid from her limp fingers once more. “Sienna!”

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Warrick. Her head jerked up, her pulse quickening with hope, even as she knew he’d never get to her in time. The moon’s light showed that he was only halfway between the barn and the van. She couldn’t move. Fear paralyzed every muscle in her body, and she had the feeling that Warrick’s face would probably be the last thing she saw before the wolf attacked…before she died. Would it be horribly painful? Or would it be over quickly? The possibilities flashed through her head, horrifically gruesome, and she prayed for the latter. Time seemed to slow, even as it appeared Warrick sped up. His body became a blur and his muscles contorted almost impossibly as he charged across the grass. Another savage roar ripped through the air. But it wasn’t from the wolf. It was from Warrick. She blinked, convinced she was seeing things. When her wide gaze fell where Warrick had been a moment before, he was gone. In his place was a large black wolf, eyes glowing gray as he streaked forward. Or maybe she wasn’t seeing things. But… The blood drained from Sienna’s head and she stumbled back against the van, trying to deny what she was staring at. How…? The world around her spun, faster and faster. Warrick. A wolf. Her stomach roiled and her knees buckled. Not human… She struggled to hold on to the van as the staggering realization sank in. Warrick didn’t just work with the shifters. He was one of them.

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The feral wolf in front of her sprang forward with a hideous growl, its teeth flashing and claws flexed. Burning pain seared her arm, so intense the contents of her stomach pitched violently. Fight or die. Sienna struggled to free herself from the wolf’s grasp on her flesh. She punched at him, kicked, but his teeth sank deeper. Fiery, sharp agony rocketed through her and her mind went white with pain. Die. Shit, so not the option she’d been hoping for. Her legs buckled and she fell into the darkness that rushed up with greedy claws to drag her under.

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Warrick unlocked his jaws from the dead wolf’s neck and let him drop to the ground. His stomach twisted as he shifted back into human form. It was hard not to glance down at the carcass of the wolf, see the wildness in its yellow eyes or the foam that still dripped from its mouth. Foam that was red from Sienna’s blood. His vision narrowed and his pulse thundered with a combination of rage and fear. He turned and approached where Sienna had crumpled into a heap on the ground. “Holy shit.” Footsteps sounded across the grass. Hilliard arrived to kneel down by the dead shifter. “You fucking killed him.” Warrick didn’t respond, just slid his arms beneath Sienna’s limp form and lifted her gently from the ground. Blood spilled from the vicious bite on her arm, the cotton of her sweatshirt and some of her skin ripped to shreds. “You killed a wolf?” Rafferty asked, out of breath, as he rushed to join them. “Damn man, this is going to be a mess.” Right now he didn’t give a fuck about what killing one of his own entailed. He knew it was bad. That thought had slipped through his head for about half a second before he’d thrust it aside and made the decision to save Sienna. He strode quickly toward the house, his chest tight as he stared down at her pallid face. She didn’t move in his arms, didn’t even make a whimper of pain. But he could hear her heart, even if it had slowed and was unsteady, pumping the lifeblood through her veins.

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Inside the house he made his way back to their room, kicking open the halfclosed door. When he laid her on the mattress, her brows furrowed and her face tightened with pain. Grabbing the neck of the shirt, he ripped the cotton down her arm and carefully peeled it away from the wound. Blood and skin clung to the fabric and she whimpered, her eyelids flickering as he removed the shirt. Blood, dark and ominous, pumped violently from the two puncture wounds in her arm. Both holes were jagged from her struggle. His gut clenched with dread and sweat broke out on the back of his neck. Dammit. The wound was bleeding too heavily. The wolf had hit one of Sienna’s arteries. He had to act now. No time for hesitation, Warrick brought her arm to his mouth and drew his tongue over the wound. Stroking the punctures again and again, ignoring the coppery taste that filled his mouth. Even knowing his saliva would save her life did little to ease the ball of fear sitting heavy in his stomach. This was happening to Sienna. She was too pale and too still now. Only when the blood stopped seeping from her did the tension ease from his muscles. Did the debilitating clutch of fear subside. When the skin around the punctures began to crinkle and turn pink, he stopped licking and lifted his head. Moving his fingers to her wrist, he let out a seething breath filled with relief at the steady pulse he found. She was healing—surprisingly faster than he’d thought possible, even with his saliva. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth to remove any trace of blood there. Sienna’s eyelids flickered before her lashes swept up. Her gaze was disoriented, but held no pain now. As she looked into his eyes recognition flickered.

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“Warrick,” she whispered. “Just rest, kid,” he said huskily. He smoothed his thumb over her wrist, his chest still a hell of a lot tighter than he wanted it to be. “You’re going to be a little weak for a bit.” She shook her head. “No, I feel…” Lifting her arm, she glanced down at the almost-healed wound and her brows knitted. “Oh my God. I feel fine. How is this possible? I was attacked, right? That wolf…oh please tell me I’m not crazy. I did not imagine nearly getting my arm ripped off.” “No. You didn’t,” he replied quietly, not wanting that image placed back in his head. Not wanting to think about the moment of sheer panic and terror he’d experienced when seeing the shifter attack her. Her gaze slid from her arm back to him. “I’ve always been a quick healer, but not like this. This is miraculous.” “I healed you.” “You healed me?” she repeated and struggled to sit up. “With the way that wolf attacked me, I’m pretty sure a bandage and some antibiotic ointment wasn’t going to cut it.” “Don’t worry about how I saved you, and just be thankful I did, Sienna,” he bit out. Dammit, she had no clue how much he’d just sacrificed for her. How he’d just placed his ass on the line. He shoved aside the possible consequences of his actions and focused on the situation at hand. “I’m sorry. Of course I’m grateful, Warrick,” she said softly, but then her gaze filled with something close to horror. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” So much for hoping she wouldn’t remember seeing him shift. A chill slid through him, but Warrick nodded his head.

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It had only taken seconds for him to reveal the secret he’d always kept hidden from her. Kept from most of the world. Seconds for him to risk everything to save her life at the expense of his standing within the shifter community. But along with the unease about his future, there was a sense of relief that Sienna finally knew. Though it was anybody’s guess how long she would retain that knowledge. The possibility that she’d have her memory wiped was looking likelier by the day. “You are. All these years…you hid who you were. What you were,” she whispered. “You never once let on what kind of creatures are out there. And, my God, that you’re one of them.” Heat stole up the back of his neck and Warrick’s jaw flexed. “I couldn’t tell you, Sienna. You or your brother. My kind aren’t supposed to exist.” “You not only exist, you coexist with humans. And none of us have a clue.” “I’ve already told you that some humans are aware of the existence of shifters.” He hesitated, wondering if it was his place to tell her. But it was likely she’d discover it fairly soon anyway. “Your father is one of those humans.” Sienna’s mouth tightened and her lashes swept down and then back up in a slow blink. “How long has he known? And why hasn’t his memory been wiped?” Her lack of surprise sent a prickle of suspicion through Warrick. Was it possible that her father was the one who’d informed Sienna of their existence? “Kevin Peters has been working for the P.I.A. since before you or I were even born, Sienna. His genius IQ and reputation within the scientific community led to the government’s recruitment of him.” Now the shock came. Tension had Sienna’s body rigid, even as her eyes rounded and her mouth fell open.

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“He worked with you guys? That’s impossible,” she croaked. “I would have known. Daniel would’ve known.” “Of course you wouldn’t have. It wasn’t possible for him to tell either of you.” Her head swung back and forth in denial. “Did my mother know?” Sienna’s mother had been dead for almost ten years now. And an airtight contract should’ve made it clear Kevin Peters must keep his mouth shut. But he wouldn’t have been the first human who worked for the shifters to secretly confide in his spouse. Even though the consequences were severe and the spouse’s memory would be immediately wiped if it were discovered. “She shouldn’t have known,” he finally said. Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit her lip, looking away. Something inside Warrick twisted with guilt. His fingers curled, itching to reach for her and pull her into his arms. To do something to erase the confusion and pain in her gaze. “Donovan.” Warrick’s muscles went taut and he flexed his jaw as he stood from the bed and turned to face Larson. The alpha and leader of their unit stood in the doorway, his mouth drawn tight and his eyes narrowed with fury. “Get your ass outside. Now.” Without glancing back at Sienna, Warrick muttered, “I’ll clean up the blood when I get back.” And then walked from the room, following Larson out of the house. The acrid smell of burning flesh greeted his nostrils before he spotted the rest of his unit surrounding the burning body out near the barn. His gut kicked with guilt and he closed his eyes for a moment.

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“It’s procedure.” Larson came up silently from behind. “But then you know that. To burn the body of a deceased shifter to avoid discovery.” Warrick nodded, but he hardly needed the reminder. The shifter was dead because of him. And without even having to think about it, he knew he’d make the choice to save Sienna again in a heartbeat. “I’m not sure I even need to tell you how badly you’ve fucked up, Donovan.” “No, sir. You don’t.” “You chose a goddamned human over one of your kind,” Larson shouted anyway. “Already our numbers are dwindling and our existence is endangered. It’s forbidden to kill a shifter. You just don’t fucking do it, Warrick.” Warrick drew in a slow breath, trying to hold back his temper and the wolf that was coming to rise inside him again. “He was feral. He would’ve killed her.” “Then you should’ve let him.” “The hell I should’ve,” Warrick snarled and spun around, fists clenched so he wouldn’t punch the alpha. “Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same.” “Perhaps if the woman was my mate,” Larson admitted just as fiercely, shoving Warrick against the wall. “Sienna’s a human. She is not, and never will be, your mate. Got it? Never. Not if you have half a brain, that is.” A slow tic started in Warrick’s jaw as he wanted to argue, wanted to smash his fist into the alpha’s snarling face. Fuck, he was already in enough trouble. What the hell was wrong with him? He scrambled for a way to justify his actions. Anything that would prove to Larson—and himself—that there was no emotional attachment to Sienna. “Kevin Peters would’ve never forgiven us if we had let something happen to her. He’s a huge part of this organization—regardless of the fact that he’s human. We protect our own, Larson.”

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“Sienna isn’t one of us.” Warrick shook free from his grip. “Yeah, well, her father pretty much is.” “Let’s just hope that reasoning flies with the elders.” Larson flashed a hard smile and stepped away. “They’re sending Quinton out in the morning.” A chill of foreboding slid down Warrick’s spine at the name, but he was careful not to show any reaction. Instead he replied flatly, “Good. Perhaps he can be a voice of reason with this.” Larson scrubbed a hand down his face, but not before Warrick spotted the wary bitterness. “We’re finished here, Donovan. What’s done is done. We’ll figure out the consequences in the morning.”

Sienna sat in bed, once again dressed in an oversized T-shirt and knowing she should try and get some sleep. But also realizing how futile it was. Silence lingered in the house now. Ominous in its presence, but also a welcome relief from the angry male voices Sienna had listened to not long ago, raising and falling in a heated exchange. Fighting over something. Over her? Over what had just happened outside? Her stomach churned furiously and she swallowed hard. God, she missed her old, uncomplicated life. Her cute little apartment, somewhat adequate social life, and nine-to-five mundane job that she was way overqualified for. Where the most drama in her life had been worrying about whether or not she was going to get into her top pick for grad school. Of course it all seemed pretentious now. A flimsy shield of a life that hid the darkness and deception that really existed in the world. It was almost too much to take in. What Warrick was. The P.I.A. and the fact that her father had worked for them since before she was born. And what had happened not even an hour ago outside.

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A shiver racked her body as she replayed those horrific moments in her head. The look in the feral wolf’s eyes before it had launched itself at her. The fiery pain of its teeth ripping her flesh. She shook her head. Whatever had happened between getting attacked and waking up in the bedroom was mostly a blur. Though if she closed her eyes, images would zip through her head. Images of Warrick fighting the wolf…of being carried in his arms…his mouth on her flesh. The visions were so fuzzy and surreal she could almost convince herself they were a dream. Lifting her arm she looked at the nearly healed wound. But this was no dream. Warrick hadn’t lied. He’d literally healed her. Warrick’s ominous parting remark about the blood in the room had freaked her out, and she’d immediately found towels to wipe it up. She turned her arm slightly and narrowed her gaze. The puckered puncture marks were right above the artery in her arm. Another icy shiver slid down her spine and nausea slid through her. How close to death had she actually been? There’d been a lot of blood. Her throat tightened and she wrapped her arms around her chest, glancing toward the closed door. Where was Warrick now? Any of the men? It was far too quiet. She closed her eyes and wondered if she was conjuring up the sound of footsteps in the house. But then they approached the door and her eyelashes fluttered up just in time to see it swing open. Sienna’s pulse tripled and her heart did small flips at the sight of Warrick in the doorway. His face was drawn tight, the lines around his mouth indicating the stress of the night and lingering fatigue. But when his gaze slid to hers the disturbing hardness in his eyes disappeared and concern replaced it.

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“How are you?” he asked quietly, closing the door before approaching the bed. The automatic reply of “I’m fine” was on the tip of her tongue, but then it fizzled out. She wasn’t fine, and how the hell could it help pretending she was? “I don’t know,” she finally admitted, hating the way her voice cracked. “Warrick…you killed him, didn’t you? That shifter?” The mattress dipped under his weight as Warrick came to sit beside her. He pushed a strand of hair off her forehead, his gaze searching hers. “He would’ve killed you, Sienna.” So that would be a yes. Hearing the confirmation put a lump that felt about the size of a golf ball in her throat. Warrick had killed for her. He’d killed another shifter. The staggering realization mixed with the ache of the senseless loss. Somehow she knew the shifter never would’ve hurt her if he hadn’t been feral. He’d been out of his mind from whatever drug had been pumped into his system. “How much trouble are you in?” she asked quietly. His jaw flexed, before he gave a short shake of his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll face it when the time comes.” No. Oh, God, no. He was in trouble. None of this would’ve happened if she were a better scientist. Or if she’d gone straight to her father. Or if she hadn’t tried to escape… The last thought sent a wave of guilt and horror through her that sucked away her ability to breathe. “Stop it,” Warrick muttered fiercely. “I know what you’re thinking, Sienna, and you need to stop.” “But I promised you I wouldn’t leave the house.” She shook her head, angry tears filling her eyes. A shifter was dead because she was an impulsive, stupid—

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Strong hands pulled her across the bed and her mind immediately abandoned its dark path as she found herself dragged up against Warrick’s hard chest. His arms curled around her to keep her cocooned against his warmth and his lips grazed her forehead. “Dammit, Sienna, I couldn’t watch you die,” the words seemed ripped from him almost as if he hated himself for saying them. “I was willing to risk whatever punishment the elders would pass down on me.” Whatever punishment the elders would pass down? His words tightened her throat and sent stabs of fear through her. Oh, please no. How had she not considered that Warrick could be in far more trouble than just a slap on the wrist? “You shouldn’t have to,” she whispered. “This is my fault. It’s always my fault. I shouldn’t have run. I should never have—” Warrick’s lips covered hers, smothering her frantic words. Her eyes widened before slipping shut, and a sigh of dismay parted her lips. His tongue plunged inside, claiming her mouth and calming her. Fracturing her guilt and fear into a million tiny pieces, sending her instead to a place of molten heat and need. Sienna slid her hands up his back, clinging to him and kissing him fervently. Her heart jackhammered in her chest and her muscles turned to jelly with each delicious stroke of his tongue against hers. Her head spun with only the thought of them and this kiss. This connection that she never wanted to end. Warrick’s hands, so large and rough from life, moved to cup her face. She felt his possessive groan rumble from his chest against her breasts. Arousal sifted through her blood, stirring all the soft and hidden parts of her into awareness. She slid fully onto his lap so that she faced him and could wrap her naked legs around his waist. Her T-shirt bunched up around her middle and the thin

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fabric of her panties was little shield from his erection that strained against her through his jeans. A throbbing ache blossomed between her legs. Scalding lava seemed to have replaced the blood in her veins, bubbling and spreading a fire through her body as her arousal grew. Sienna rocked against him and his hips jerked upward, grinding into her so she felt the thick curl of his need. She moaned low in her throat, wanting so much more as her nipples tightened and panties dampened. Warrick’s kiss gentled and her heart clenched, because she knew he was going to lift his head in a moment. But he didn’t right away. Seemed just as reluctant to break the kiss as she was. His lips trailed to the corner of her mouth, his tongue flicking and his teeth nibbling while his hips ground against hers. He groaned again, before his head lifted and his lips feathered across her forehead. And then, then he was gone. The coolness of the air brushed against her skin and Sienna bit her swollen lip, not wanting to open her eyes and face the reality that he’d just ended another sensual moment. That it would go no farther than a heated, passionate kiss. “Sienna,” he said gently. “Look at me.” Part of her wanted to deny him like a stubborn child. Keep her eyes closed and stay locked in a moment that had taken her to an alternate reality. The strong fingers that lifted her chin took the choice from her and her lashes fluttered open unwillingly. His eyes, more gray now than blue, swirled with need and yet a control that clearly spoke he had no intention of acting on his desire. “If you say that shouldn’t have happened again, I swear I’ll drive my elbow in to your ribs,” she threatened unsteadily.

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His lips twitched into what was almost a sad smile. “I’m not going to say that shouldn’t have happened, Sienna. I wanted to kiss you. Had to kiss you and feel you alive and clinging to me. Dammit, when I thought I almost lost you—” “You can have me, Warrick,” she cut in, her voice husky with desire. She reached for him again, sliding a hand up his jaw and feeling the prickle of stubble there scrape her palm. “All of me. I want you so much right now it’s a physical ache. How can you not see that? Feel that?” Something close to pain flickered across Warrick’s face as he caught her wrist and pushed it gently away. “You have no idea how much I want you,” he said raggedly. “But I can’t have you, Sienna—” “Why?” Her stomach clenched. “Is this some self-imposed torturous rule?” “No, it’s not my rule. It’s shifter law. We can only mate with other shifters. If we take a human mate we’re banished from the community.”

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Chapter Nine

That knocked the hope right out of her. Sienna’s heart felt like a towel being wrung out as she stared at him. The only man she’d ever wanted. The only man who could make her stomach feel like there was a butterfly rave going on inside. And he’d just told her they could never be together. “You can’t ever be with a human?” she repeated unsteadily. His hesitation was long enough to put doubt in her mind and she latched on to it. “All the women I saw you with over the years. They couldn’t possibly all have been shifters, Warrick.” His jaw flexed. “Sienna.” “Answer me.” “No, they weren’t all shifters.” “But you slept with them?” Again silence. This time she caught his face between her hands and forced him to look at her. “Warrick?” “Some of them. Yes.” Her heart went from a slow thud to a gallop as she licked her lips. And she didn’t miss the way his gaze followed the movement or the strangled groan he made. “So when you say shifter law says you can’t mate with a human, you don’t mean sex, but…”

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“Take a permanent mate. Life partner. Marriage. However the hell you want it spelled out.” “But you can fuck whomever strikes your fancy in the meantime. Human, shifter, or whatever else might be out there,” she replied bluntly. Crudely. And felt his reaction as his erection jerked against her panties. “Dammit, Sienna—” “So, why not me?” she demanded and drew her nails down his naked chest. “Why not take me like we both know you want to.” His fingers curled around her upper arms and the lines around his mouth tightened, even as his nostrils flared and potent desire shone in his gaze. “Because my wanting you and my caring about you is already a perilous combination. If we sleep together—” “I won’t get attached,” she promised with a carelessness she knew was bullcrap. She’d dated other men over the years, had even fooled around with some, but unfortunately that virginity status that had bugged Warrick when she was eighteen was still going to be a problem. And if Warrick knew she was still a virgin, he’d kick her to the curb faster than last week’s garbage. She moved on instinct against his erection, wanting to ease the ache. Knowing it was a huge risk to her heart to try and sleep with him and walk away afterward. But she wanted him. God, she wanted at least one night. “I’ll understand if it can never be more than sex. Please, Warrick. I just want one time. We never have to do it again if you don’t like it, I promise.” Was she trying to fucking kill him? Goddammit. Warrick’s hands slid to her waist and he knew he had to lift her off him. Put Sienna as far away as he could before he did something completely stupid.

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The wolf inside him, every primal fiber in his being, was screaming to come out and just take her. Because God he wanted her. Wanted her like he’d never wanted a woman before in his life. And there was no reason he couldn’t do exactly as she offered. Fuck her and walk away. Because to claim her as his mate would mean he’d have to bite her during sex. Mark her as his. And he’d never lost his head with a woman enough to do that. Sex was always sex. But even though Sienna had obviously gained some experience along the way—damn, how had she ever learned to tease a man like this?—she was still too innocent. And she already drove him precariously close to the edge. Right now, he could barely think. Barely function with the way she rubbed herself like a damn cat in heat against his cock. Jesus. He could smell her arousal, already imagine what it would taste like. Feel like on his fingers. On his cock. But if he took her, buried himself deep inside the sheath he knew would be heaven, he’d be a fucking goner for sure. Grinding his teeth together, Warrick curled his fingers around her tiny waist to lift her away. But then he made the fatal mistake of meeting her gaze once more. The plea and hunger in her eyes was so potently raw, painful, almost every shred of his willpower snapped. He might not be able to take her the way he did other women, but he could sure as hell make sure he took care of her needs. And get a little taste of nirvana while he was at it. Instead of lifting her off him, he pushed her back onto the mattress and followed with his body. Her eyes widened and a gasp of surprise spilled from her lips. “I won’t take you the way we both want,” he vowed thickly. “Please don’t ask me to, Sienna. But let me do this.”

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Sienna only made a small whimper of acceptance and stretched her arms above her head as her legs fell open. Warrick’s gaze slid down her body. Over the swell of her small breasts beneath the T-shirt to the flat of her belly just barely exposed where the shirt still rode high. His gaze slid lower to white cotton panties that shouldn’t have been sexy on her. But the shadow of curls, flare of hips and long, pale thighs made them damn near erotic. He moved his palm to cup the mound of her sex and growled low in his throat when he felt the heated flesh through damp fabric. The blood raged to his cock, tightening his flesh almost painfully as the need to possess this woman completely pounded in his veins. Must keep control became his mantra as Warrick maneuvered his thumbs beneath the edge of her panties and slowly tugged them down. Each delicious naked inch of her lower body he exposed had his muscles tightening with desire. The golden curls that shielded her sex glistened with juices. Already the pink lips were swollen and slightly parted by her position, giving a glimpse of the cream between. Sienna. God, how many nights had he lain awake fantasizing about this? Stroking himself to release with her image in his mind. How many women had he taken to his bed wishing it were her? And now here she was in the flesh. Under the most fucked-up circumstances imaginable and still just as forbidden as always. Damn she was so sexy. Her pale blonde hair spread out on the pillow, the Tshirt clinging to the swell of her breasts, and her lower body completely naked for him to do whatever he wanted. She was so vulnerable. But there was no fear in her gaze. Only that heady arousal and trust he didn’t deserve. Not when the wolf inside him clawed dangerously close to the surface, trying to conquer the

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human, logical side of him. The wolf that only focused on the scent of her arousal and the knowledge that right now she was his. She’d always been his—if he’d wanted to take her. “Warrick.” His name, breathy, on her lips brought his human side back to dominance. Her pleasure tonight would be enough. It had to be enough. With a growl low in his throat, he slid his hands on a path up her thighs, his breath catching at her softness and curves. His palms cupped the roundness of her bottom and he squeezed the fleshy globes and lifted her off the mattress, burying his face between her legs. A choked gasp passed Sienna’s lips and her hands moved to his shoulders. But she made no effort to push him away and he wouldn’t have allowed her to anyway, not now that he’d had his first taste of her. Oh damn. The slickness of her arousal was like goddamned ambrosia on his tongue. The sharpness of her cries and the way her nails pierced his skin hurled him down a river of need and loss of control he’d never faced before. But he held on by a shred. Letting his head spin with the intoxicating taste of her, while ignoring the persistent throb of his cock. This was all for Sienna. He moved his tongue to find the hard little nub, buried between her swollen folds, and teased it mercilessly. Sucking, flicking and using the way she moved and her sobs of ecstasy to guide him. It didn’t take long before she let out a sharp scream, her trembling thighs clenching around his head and her ass lifted from his hands. He gentled his touch, kissing her inner thighs as her body quaked through the climax. Until she went limp on the mattress with a long gasp of air.

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Warrick eased from between her thighs, placing a kiss on her trembling stomach before moving up her body. A wave of doubt slid through him when he saw her bright, glazed eyes and the tears that shimmered in them. “Sienna, baby,” he muttered raggedly. “Are you okay?” She bit her lip and closed her eyes, shaking her head, but then turning it into a nod. “It’s just I’ve never…I never thought it would be so incredible.” Pleasure and possessiveness rocketed through him, and a low growl built in his throat as he cupped the back of her neck and crushed his mouth down on hers. Claiming her and making her taste herself. She didn’t push away, but clung to him, kissing him back vehemently. Curling her tongue around his and sucking in a way that promised she wasn’t as innocent as she’d once been. Warrick’s cock stirred and the dark need rose once more inside him. No. Ripping his mouth from hers, he set her away from him once more and struggled to breathe. “I can’t. No more, baby.” He shook his head and stared down at her closed eyes and swollen lips, stunned at the ferocity with which he was driven to take her. Her lashes fluttered up to reveal a crystal blue gaze that glittered with passion. “And what if I asked you again to make love to me?” Then he’d have a hell of time stopping himself from spreading her thighs again and entering her like the fucking animal he was. Dammit, it was incredible how close she pushed him to the brink. His body was rigid from the control he fought to hold on to. Cupping her cheek he muttered, “You know that I can’t, Sienna. Don’t tempt me any more than you already have.”

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She sighed and nipped at his finger. “You’ve gotten me all warmed up now, Warrick. That was like an appetizer to the main course. You started this, I sure as hell wish you’d finish it.” His body heated further and he bit back a growl of need. He dipped his finger along the soft crease of her mouth, teasing the dampness inside. “You’re right. I did start it. I couldn’t stop myself. It seems to be a recurring problem with you.” She rolled her eyes. “Way to go, blaming the victim. It’s like when you and Daniel used to pass the blame on to me as kids.” Her comment had likely been a joke, but if he needed another reason why he should be keeping his hands off her, she’d just reminded him of it. Dammit, she was Daniel’s little sister. Beyond the complications of her being human, there was also an unspoken friend code. Maybe if he could’ve seriously entertained a relationship with Sienna—if they could have more than just a fling, things would be different. Pulling his finger away from the temptation of her teasing mouth, he shook his head. “We need to get some sleep, Sienna. The sun will be up in a few hours. You should try to sleep now.” “Yes, I know. You’re probably right.” She stared at him, as if hoping he’d change his mind, then finally gave a sigh of defeat and turned to lie down. She tugged the sheet up over her waist and placed her hand beneath her cheek on the pillow. Looking drowsy and less irritable. And all too innocent. Not at all like someone who’d just about screamed the house down with her orgasm. His gut kicked briefly as he realized that the other agents in the house had likely heard her. Knew what had happened—but they’d be wrong. They would assume Warrick had fucked Sienna until she couldn’t see straight. They wouldn’t

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have the slightest clue how damn hard it was to not take her completely. To essentially walk away with a dick like granite. “Are you going back to sleep too?” she asked softly. He hesitated. Long enough for relief to flicker in her gaze and for her to pull back the sheet and gesture to the empty space next to her. “Please, Warrick. Just hold me until the sun comes up. It’s been a horrible night and I think the only way I’ll get any sleep is in the knowledge that you’re next to me. Holding me.” Her words were honest and without pride. The vulnerability and exhaustion in her gaze were what made him capitulate and slide down next to her. Warrick pulled her into his arms and she immediately curled her body into his, burying her face against his chest. His throat tightened at the wave of tenderness that rose inside him. The need to possess faded as the subtle need to protect replaced it. He ran his palm down her back, tracing the gentle ridge of her spine as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Warrick tried to ignore the thoughts of tomorrow, and the feeling of impending trouble. Sienna had thought tonight was horrible, but she had no idea the man she would be facing tomorrow. Unfortunately, Warrick did.

“Rise and shine!” Shit. Warrick’s muscles went taut at the harsh drawl, but he kept his eyes closed, giving himself a moment before he faced the man at the end of the bed. Silently he cursed a blue streak that the shifter had entered the room without Warrick immediately waking up. He never slept that heavily.

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But apparently last night he had. Sleeping like the dead with Sienna in his arms. Not even stirring once until the agent who now stood above them had spoken. But he was awake now. And so was Sienna if he judged by the sudden tension in her body. Warrick finally opened his eyes, making sure there was no trace of sleep in his gaze. “Quinton,” he greeted with a slow drawl. “You should’ve called first, I would’ve had breakfast ready.” “Cute, Donovan.” Any amusement—if there’d been any—disappeared from Quinton’s gaze as he slid it over them. His icy blue gaze narrowed on Sienna, before his mouth thinned. “So this is the piece of ass who’s causing so much trouble?” Any question on whether Sienna was asleep disappeared as she sat up in bed. “Piece of ass? Who the hell do you—” “Sienna,” Warrick cut in, placing a warning hand on her thigh before she could rip the older agent a new one. “This is Quinton. A senior agent with the P.I.A.” Quinton was an icon. No one really knew if Quinton was his first name or last, but it’s all he went by. Who he was known as. He’d been with the agency for thirty years and was highly respected within the shifter community. He was cold and ruthless and hardcore. You didn’t fuck with him. Even Warrick’s crack about breakfast had probably been pushing it, but hell, he’d hoped to diffuse the tension. Warrick had always looked up to the older agent, who’d always put career and community first, who’d helped train Warrick, and who’d never settled down with a family and shown no desire to do so. Quinton had always been the man

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Warrick strived to become. Quinton had been everything Warrick’s father hadn’t been. And now, by the hard gleam of anger and disappointment in the agent’s gaze, Warrick knew he’d just taken a huge step back in holding the other man’s respect. Fortunately, after Sienna’s initial burst of anger, she seemed to pick up the warning that she needed to back the hell down where Quinton was concerned. Quinton hadn’t taken his gaze from Sienna, and if anything he seemed to be analyzing her more closely. “You’ve caused a helluva mess from what I’ve heard,” he finally said. “What’s your name?” Come on, Sienna, open your mouth and reply. Warrick silently urged her to be acquiescent, or at least borderline polite. And for a moment he was convinced she wasn’t going to answer, but then she lifted her chin and replied calmly. “Sienna. Sienna Peters.” Quinton’s head tilted and shock flashed quickly in his hard gaze, before it was gone again. “Peters, you say?” “Yes,” Warrick answered before she could. “As in the daughter of Kevin Peters who works in the lab.” Quinton was silent for another moment, his expression now completely unreadable, before his mouth tightened into a hard smile. “Isn’t that nice. Well, I don’t care who the hell she is. She’s going to start talking. Now. Out of bed, princess.” Sienna’s heart thumped around in her chest like a Ping-Pong ball during a match. Who was this man? She knew instinctively she should be afraid of him.

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Not only from Warrick’s fingers that squeezed a warning on her leg, but also from the harsh, no-bullshit coldness that radiated off the man. Quinton was older, probably late fifties, with hair that might’ve been blond at one point, but now seemed whiter. Tanned, weathered skin only emphasized pale blue eyes that held no warmth. He wasn’t necessarily a tall man, but his muscles were big, and his surly personality guaranteed he wasn’t someone you wanted to tangle with. But for some reason, her mind rebelled against being rational and her emotions turned toward irritation instead of fear. Besides, there were some things you just didn’t compromise on. “Sorry, that’s not really going to work for me. I need to shower. How about we say a half hour.” Quinton made a grunting noise, but one corner of his mouth twitched. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes. Then I’m having one of the boys drag your skinny ass out of there—I don’t give a shit if you’ve still got soap in your hair.” He spun on his heel and retreated, shutting the door firmly behind him. Sudden silence echoed in the room, making her forget about the man who’d just left and become hyperaware of the one in bed next to her. She’d woken up completely besieged by the presence of Agent Quinton. But now with him gone, the combo of Warrick’s thigh against hers and memories of last night had a hot flush, rushed through her. Oh sweet heavens, what Warrick had done to her… “You’ve got about thirteen minutes, Sienna,” Warrick said brusquely, tossing back the sheets and sliding out of bed. “Or Quinton will drag you out, ass naked or not.”

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Obviously last night wasn’t at the forefront of Warrick’s mind. Sienna’s stomach twisted with a disappointment she didn’t care to acknowledge. She nodded and slid out of bed, heading toward the bathroom. “I don’t like him.” “You don’t know him. He’s a good agent.” “I know enough to realize the guy probably wouldn’t win any personality awards.” She cast a final glance back at Warrick and promptly wished she hadn’t. He was nearly naked save for the pair of navy boxer shorts and her gaze slipped over his broad shoulders and muscled chest. She gripped the doorjamb, her mouth drying out as she completely forgot what she was supposed to be doing. She watched him move closer and her pulse fluttered as he came to a stop in front of her. Arching an eyebrow, he murmured, “That shower?” “Right. Right, yes, I’m going.” God, she looked like an idiot! Turning around she went into the bathroom and shut the door. But it didn’t close. Warrick’s palm pushed it back open as he followed her into the bathroom. Her eyes widened as she took a quick step backward. “What are you doing?” “We’ve got about ten minutes now, Sienna. I could stand to wash the grime off as well, so I hope you don’t mind co-showering.” Co-showering? As in together? Her heart nearly stopped and she couldn’t even blink. Warrick, naked beside her in a tiny shower stall? Really, not the best idea when she had to psyche herself up for what was about to come. But he didn’t seem to expect an answer, because he’d already strode past her and turned on the shower. When he dropped his boxers her face burned scarlet.

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He reached in to check the temperature and glanced over at her with a nefarious grin. “Oh come on. You can’t possibly be shy after last night.” Oh dammit, now he was ready to bring that up? Sienna tore her gaze from his body, especially from the very male part of him that seemed all too awake. She weighed the idea of skipping the shower, because getting in there with him— “Nothing’s going to happen, Sienna,” he promised and stepped into the stall and under the water. “I’ll keep my hands and eyes to myself. There’s not time for anything but a quick shower anyway.” With a soft curse, Sienna stripped off her T-shirt and stepped into the shower with him. The warm water sluiced over her body as she made the pathetic attempt to not allow any part of her to touch Warrick. But they barely fit into the stall and more often than not parts of her would brush against hard, manly parts, sending warmth through her body that had nothing to do with the water temperature. Warrick seemed completely unbothered on the other hand, she thought irritably. She may as well have been a coatrack thrown into the shower with him, for all it affected him. “You need to be straight with Quinton.” Finally! The slight crack in his voice was the only indication he wasn’t nearly as unfazed by their showering together as he’d have her believe. “Sienna.” “I heard you.” She reached past him for the shampoo and made quick time lathering up. This needed to be a lightning-quick shower. For more reasons than one.

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As for being straight with Quinton. Not freaking likely. She didn’t trust the guy. Anyone really. Well, maybe Warrick. But anything she told Warrick would probably just get repeated to Larson. Or back to the ominous Quinton. Warrick reached past her for the shampoo she’d set down on the ledge, and his knuckles brushed the curve of her breast. A soft gasp ripped from her throat and her body went taut. “Son of a bitch, this was a bad idea,” he muttered savagely and stepped as far away as the small stall would allow. She barely bit back a snort of disbelief, and a pithy “I told you so”. Instead she finished conditioning her hair and soaping her body. Then she was out of the shower and bundling into a towel before he could catch a glimpse of her hardened nipples and flushed cheeks. Sienna had just pulled on a T-shirt and pair of shorts when the door to the room swung open. Sweet Jesus, Quinton had been dead serious about pulling her out. His gaze narrowed on her. “Fifteen minutes is up. Go sit your butt down in the kitchen and I’ll be out there in a few minutes.” Placing a hand on her hip, Sienna arched a brow. “A few minutes? With those extra few minutes I could’ve blown dry my hair.” The older agent was silent for a moment, his gaze so cold a slither of fear rippled down Sienna’s spine. Okay, so maybe she should’ve kept her mouth shut on that last one. But then Quinton let out a soft laugh laced with genuine amusement. “Sorry to disappoint you.” His gaze slid beyond her to where Warrick had come out of the bathroom, towel around his waist. “Tell you what. With those extra three minutes why don’t you make good on your boyfriend here’s comment about breakfast. I haven’t eaten. Go whip me something up.”

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Whip him up something? Hot fury built in her belly and Sienna’s eyes flashed her loathing at him. Then she remembered Warrick’s warning about how important this man was. And knowing she was only doing this for Warrick and his career, she bit her tongue before she could give him a verbal lashing to bring his ego down a peg, then stormed out of the bedroom.

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Chapter Ten

“I’m surprised,” Quinton said softly after Sienna left, “that you’d let a little human pussy mess with your head this much, Agent Donovan.” Goddamn the man. Warrick’s hands flexed and the beast in him roared with anger, itching to come out and fight. But starting one with Quinton would be equivalent to career suicide. He took a deep breath and murmured, “With all due respect, sir, Sienna Peters is nothing but a family friend.” “Sure. And I spoon with all my friends in the morning too, son.” Quinton nodded, his smile derisive. “You’re a better agent than this, Donovan. You’re heading toward the top. You don’t want to fuck it up now.” Like your father did. The words hung unsaid between them in the air. Everyone knew about Warrick’s father. That he’d been a damn good P.I.A. agent, his career on the fast track to greatness. Until he’d started hitting the bottle a little too hard after a botched mission. Got sloppy, and fucked a human reporter, spilling all his secrets one night while drunk off his ass. Since memory wiping had still been a couple years off back then, the woman’s life had been quietly terminated. His father, a total disgrace, had been banished from the P.I.A. as well as the shifter community. Warrick had only been two years old at the time and had been raised by a mother who’d been left to deal with her husband’s infidelity and betrayal of the community. He didn’t remember his father, and had only seen him once after the banishment. And that was when he’d accompanied his mother to identify his

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body when his dad had overdosed on painkillers. But Warrick had lived with the stigma of who his father had been. Had fought to make his own path and not follow in his father’s infamous footsteps. Every day had been a struggle, an upward climb against the elements to prove he wasn’t his father. And nothing—not a bottle of vodka or a human woman—was going to take that from him. “I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am,” Warrick said fiercely, his expression hard. “You can be assured I have no intention of fucking it up.” “You already have. You killed one of your kind, Warrick. Or have you forgotten already?” Quinton shook his head, his hard gaze full of accusation. “Larry Millett, forty-two years old, father of two. Dead now. By your jaws.” Quinton’s words hit heavy, like toxic darts, into Warrick’s conscience. But Warrick drew in a slow breath and closed his eyes, visualizing the scene from last night. The wolf, unprovoked, as it attacked Sienna. “Yes, unfortunately I was forced to kill him,” Warrick admitted flatly. “Do you think I wanted to kill one of my kind? The wolf was feral and he damn near killed Sienna. I won’t apologize for stopping him. Or for healing Sienna before she could die in my arms.” Quinton’s leathered skin almost seemed to pale, but his eyes showed no emotion and his mouth tightened as he asked, “Do you have witnesses to the wolf’s attack?” “Hilliard and Rafferty should’ve seen it.” “They will need to be interviewed.” “Of course.” “And you’ll need to stand trial before the elders.” “I expected nothing less.”

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Quinton stared at him for a moment longer, then shook his head. “You don’t want to involve yourself with a human, Donovan. It’s none of my business, but— ” “You’re right. What’s between Sienna and me is none of your business.” Warrick took a step toward the older man, done being complacent. Having had nothing but respect for him in the past, the resentment brewing in his gut now was sharp and untried. “And you should probably try to remember that.” Quinton’s expression darkened and he looked like he wanted to say something, but then his mouth snapped shut and he gave a terse nod. “Time to interview Miss Peters. HQ wants a report by ten hundred.” Good luck getting anything out of her. Warrick waited for the other man to leave before getting dressed and making his way to the kitchen. The sight that greeted him sent a wave of amusement through him. Quinton stood scowling down at the bowl of Fruit Loops on the table, while Sienna stood behind him looking pleased as all get out. “What?” she asked innocently, her pale blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “You said fix you breakfast. This should do.” Quinton picked up the bowl and dumped it in the garbage. “Maybe if I was a damn squirrel.” “Hmm. No, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to guess you’re a wolf.” Sienna murmured in a sarcastic, saccharine tone. Her gaze slid around the room to all the agents who stood by watching in amusement. “Just like every last one of you in this room.” Warrick watched her in fascination. She wasn’t afraid of them. Seemed almost defiant and irritated. She hadn’t had a panic attack since watching the news coverage about the fire, which was surprising with the multiple incidents that should’ve easily set her off.

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She was so damn beautiful. And he’d wager every man in that room knew it too. Her blonde hair was still wet, falling in unbrushed waves around her shoulders. The gray T-shirt she wore hid her small breasts, but the cotton shorts showed off too much pale, shapely leg. She looked younger than she was, vulnerable, and yet with a surprising strength that no one seemed to have expected. “You’re right, Miss Peters,” Quinton finally replied with a casual shrug. “Myself and all the agents before you are wolves. It’s a requirement to be an agent for the P.I.A.” “But not to work for them apparently. My father is human and seems pretty damn enfolded in your little community.” There was a hint of bitterness in her voice now. “Yes. Your father is and always has been a valuable asset to our organization.” Quinton glanced away, toward the door. “Let’s take a walk, Miss Peters.” Warrick stepped forward, but Quinton shook his head and held out his hand to halt his advance. “I would like this time alone with Sienna. We will be back within the hour.” Dammit. Tension coiled through Warrick’s muscles as he watched the unease flare in Sienna’s eyes. She turned her gaze to him and there was a blatant plea that he insist on coming with her. That he not allow Quinton to take her off alone. His jaw flexed and he bit his tongue to resist the immediate protest that rose to his lips. Quinton wouldn’t hurt her. Warrick was 100 percent confident of that fact. He had absolutely no right to protest the man’s decision. Quinton pulled rank on everyone in this room. Including the alpha.

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You’ll be all right, Sienna. He tried to silently convey the message in his gaze and gave her a reassuring semblance of a smile and brief nod. Her mouth tightened and frustration flickered in her eyes, before she reluctantly took the arm that Quinton held out for her. Warrick watched them leave the safe house, the tension inside him only increasing. She would be fine. He knew it. But it sure as hell didn’t give him any peace of mind.

How in the hell could Warrick send her off alone with this jerk? As she allowed Agent Quinton to lead her outside, Sienna’s shoulders were so stiff that tension radiated up her neck and began a slow pounding in her head. With her free hand, she pressed her fingers against her temples and briefly closed her eyes. “Are you feeling all right, Miss Peters?” “I’m fine,” she said tersely, snapping her eyes open once more and staring ahead at the path they now followed. “But let me just be up-front and say I don’t want any bullshit chitchat. Just ask me outright what you want to know.” Quinton laughed softly and released her arm. “I’m enjoying your directness. Will you be as forthcoming with your answers?” “I’ll let you take a wild guess on that one,” she muttered and stepped a few inches away from him. Why the hell she felt so rebellious, God only knew. This man was only doing his job, and Warrick apparently respected the man quite a bit. But she didn’t particularly care for the harsh, bullish attitude he put on. If she’d hoped to throw him with her response, she was out of luck. His laughter just grew, seeming even more genuine now.

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“You have more than just appearance in common with your mother, it would seem.” Sienna stumbled on the trail as her pulse quickened. She shot Quinton a quick glance. “You knew my mother?” “Yes. I met her when she first moved to Boston with your father. I was sorry to hear of her death.” Even though his expression remained passive, something flickered in his eyes. Sienna felt a familiar tension slide through her muscles, the same tension that came when someone brought up her mother. “It was ten years ago. I barely think about her anymore.” And it was true, though when she did, it always left a sadness that weighed heavily on her heart. “Really?” “Well, most of my memories of her weren’t exactly white-picket-fence material. She and Dad were always fighting, and I know she struggled with depression.” And why the hell did I just tell him that? Sienna blinked in dismay, shaking her head as she quickened her stride. “Anyway, you didn’t come out here to question me about my mother, I’m sure. I know you have questions for me.” “Yes. I do,” he murmured, and shook his head, as if gathering his thoughts once more. “But hang on a minute. First, I have one for you that I’d like you to answer honestly.” Quinton glanced at her, his gaze wary. “Can’t make any promises.” Of course he couldn’t, but he expected honesty from her? Sienna bit back a harsh laugh and stared ahead up the trail. The sound of rushing water hit her ears about the same time she saw the glimmer of a river. “What kind of punishment will Warrick face for killing that shifter?”

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“You want the truth? I don’t know.” “How can you not know?” she demanded sharply, digging her heels in and coming to a stop. “I hear you’re like a god within the damn shifter community.” “A god, hmm?” His lips quirked and he folded his arms, staring down at her analytically. “I’m no god. I’ve just been around awhile. Some of the agents look up to me, but I’m nothing to write home about.” “Warrick considers you a damn icon.” “Does he now? Well, maybe I am. But what I’m not is an elder. And the elders are who Warrick is going to have to face once we get this mess straightened out.” “Me being the mess?” “You and the feral shifters.” Sienna gave a small nod and drew in a deep breath of the forest and river beyond, letting the peace of the environment calm her nerves a bit. Give her courage. “What kind of punishment could the elders pass down to him?” Quinton made a slight shrug. “He could lose his position with the P.I.A. There’s always banishment from the shifter community. Possibly death, but I don’t think it would go that far.” Death? The world around her tilted and bile rose sharply in her throat. She wasn’t aware of her knees giving out until Quinton grabbed her with a curse and halted her ungraceful advance to the ground. “Dammit, girl, get ahold of yourself. I said I didn’t think it would go that far.” “But it is a possibility,” she pointed out. Her stomach roiled and she moved away from Quinton again, plunging through the trees toward the river.

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Images flickered through her head. Horrifying ones she couldn’t even begin to emotionally handle. When she reached the water’s edge she knelt down to cup the cool liquid in her hands. Splash it across her face. The crunching of footsteps on the rocks behind her warned of Quinton’s approach. “Warrick says the shifter would’ve killed you. The elders will take that into consideration when they put him on trial.” He placed a hand on her shoulder, his tone softening. “You have to understand that we must value shifter life above human life. There are too few of us left not to.” Sienna closed her eyes and shook her head, which had begun to pound. “If they kill him there’ll be one less shifter.” “Which is why I said I don’t think a death punishment will be handed down.” Quinton hauled Sienna to her feet and spun her around. His hard gaze was devoid of sympathy or any gentle emotion. She must’ve imagined the kindness in his tone a moment ago, and her throat tightened with wariness. “Now, Miss Peters, I’ve answered your questions. It’s time you start answering mine. What is your relationship with Feloray Laboratories?” She would answer until she couldn’t any longer. “I’m an employee there.” “And what was your reason for being in the lab the other night?” Sienna continued almost on auto. “I was going to free the shifters.” God, this conversation sounded familiar. It was practically a cookie cutter of the one she’d had with Warrick. Quinton tilted his head. “So you were aware of what was happening to the shifters?”

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“No!” She avoided his gaze, bit her lip, and clenched and unclenched her hands. “Okay, yes, but not until the day I went to free them. Once I realized that they were being held and what was being done—” “How did you realize, Miss Peters? From what it would seem, the shifters experiment was not common knowledge at the laboratory. It was being conducted in an abandoned building on Feloray Laboratories property.” “Does that automatically mean the lab was the one responsible for it?” she asked to stall him, and turned away to face the river again, her mind scrambling about how to answer his last question. Could he tell she was hiding things? God, she was trying not to be totally obvious. The sound and sight of the blue water rushing over itself momentarily entranced her and for a moment she was tempted to take the last few steps to the river’s edge and jump in. Let the current drag her downstream and away from all the harshness of her new reality. “How did you learn about the shifters, Sienna?” Leo was dead now. Would it really hurt if she gave Quinton the name of the man who’d handed over the information? But then he’d want to know more. He’d keep digging, discovering things she had no intention of sharing. Like the jump drive. She still didn’t really know Quinton and couldn’t trust that he wasn’t the one Leo had warned her about. Which meant, God, she hoped like hell she was a convincing liar. “I stumbled across them.” Silence met her statement. Her pulse quickened and her palms dampened as she waited for his reply.

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“Hmm. Well did you also happen to stumble across whoever it was at Feloray Laboratories that authorized the experiments?” His biting tone clearly indicated he didn’t buy her response. “No. I haven’t got a clue. Like I just said, how can we even be certain it was even them?” That much was true. Nowhere in Leo’s information had there been any mention of who was behind it. But Quinton was right. The general employee population had been completely unaware of what had been going on within the lab. Except for Leo. Somehow he’d been caught up in what was happening. Had maybe been involved. Her stomach clenched and a wave of sadness and frustration washed over her. Unfortunately there’d be no more answers coming from him. The back of her neck prickled and her breath hitched. Unless…unless he’d left some kind of clue she hadn’t been able to decipher on the jump drive. She’d only had a few minutes to scan it—when she’d tried to e-mail it to her dad, but the file was too large. Which was why she’d planned to fly across the country to deliver it in person. “You’ll understand if I don’t believe you, Sienna. Someone told you about the shifters, didn’t they?” Quinton asked as he approached her once more. “Was it Leonard Perkins?” She couldn’t stop the tension that seized her muscles and knew immediately he’d picked up on it by the knowing grunt he made. She swore softly and fisted her hands. “It was deduction, kid. I pretty much figured it anyway. You’ve got a dead body turning up in an empty lab after the agents combed that place and found it empty. Meaning Leonard ended up there after.”

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“Stop,” Sienna choked out, tears burning her eyes. Her stomach clenched at the thought of what Leo’s last few minutes must’ve been like. The terror and pain he’d gone through. “I can’t…I can’t go there right now.” “You don’t have a choice, Sienna.” “You’re wrong,” she shouted and turned to face him. “You know what? I don’t have to answer any of your questions, Agent Quinton. I don’t care if you’re the end-all be-all of agents within the P.I.A. If you think I’m guilty of something, than say it outright. Arrest me. Have me subpoenaed. Do whatever it is you need to do, but we’re done here. I’ve told you everything I can.” Quinton’s eyes were like hard chips of blue ice. Lacking any warmth and full of accusation. “I could turn you over to the local police. You’re wanted for questioning by them. But with local law enforcement you won’t be offered the same protection the P.I.A. can offer.” “Protection?” she repeated in disbelief and shoved a strand of hair off her face. “I’ve been abducted, harassed and nearly killed—how the hell can you call this protection?” Quinton stepped closer, almost nose to nose with her now. “You’re alive because of us, Sienna. And you’d do well to remember that. If I turn you over to the humans you may as well kiss your ass good-bye.” A trickle of fear rolled down her spine, even as her anger at the agent in front of her pricked deeply. What if he was right? What if whoever had killed Leo wanted her dead too? It wasn’t completely farfetched. She couldn’t trust humans. Couldn’t trust shifters. My God, she was literally on her own here. “But you’re right about one thing, Ms. Peters. We’re done here. For now. Get your butt back to the safe house and think real hard about all the things you’re

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not telling me.” Quinton stepped back, unblocking her escape on the path back to the house. “Because next time we talk, I’m not going to be so nice.” This was nice? And no way was he letting her go just like that. She eyed him suspiciously, before glancing down the path again. For someone who was supposed to be the Big Bad Agent within the P.I.A. who evoked terror, he seemed to be letting her off way too easily. There’d only been a handful of questions at most, and she’d only given hints of truth. Of course he’d promised a next time, but hopefully she’ll have gotten the hell out of Dodge before next time came. When he made no attempt to block her retreat, she lifted her chin and stepped past him. One step. And another. When she was a few feet past him she started to relax. “Oh, but I do have one word of advice.” Of course he did. Damn. She’d known it had been too easy. She didn’t bother to turn around. “And what might that be?” “Don’t get involved with Warrick Donovan. Or any shifter for that matter. Our kind can’t—” “Mate with humans? Save me the info dump.” Her lips twisted at the painful reminder. Dammit, she was done having this flung in her face. That she would never measure up. “I know all about the archaic little rule within your society, Quinton. And you have nothing to worry about. I don’t want to be Warrick’s mate. I just want to fuck him.” If her intent had been to shock him, it seemed to have worked, because a heavy silence met her response. She couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder anyway to steal a peek at his face. But there were no wide eyes or open mouth. Instead there was that hint of amusement again and maybe—though she probably was imagining it—a glimmer of respect.

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The latter possibility robbed Sienna of her smugness and again put her on unfamiliar ground. Turning away, she continued up the path and away from Quinton.

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Chapter Eleven

Warrick paced the front porch, his hands fisting and unfisting at his sides. His whole body was taut with worry for Sienna. For the intensity of questioning Quinton no doubt was bestowing on her right now. Shit, she would probably be a freaking mess when she came back. He wanted to be there with her, to shield her from the brunt of the verbal attack she was no doubt undergoing. But dammit, it needed to be done. She wouldn’t confess to him, but she’d crack under Quinton’s scrutiny. They all did eventually. “Shit.” Casting another glance into the woods, he shook his head when she showed no sign of appearing. He needed to do something. Distract himself. His muscles itched and the wolf within him screamed to run free. His brows drew together and he grunted. Now there was an idea. A good run would calm him down a bit and appease the wolf. Wiping another bead of sweat off his forehead, he cursed the damn humidity and heat. Maybe a run and then a swim. Decision made, Warrick pulled off his T-shirt, dropping it onto the porch and then shucked his shorts a moment later. With a low growl, he jumped from the porch and tore off into the woods, heading toward the river. The transition happened rapidly. His muscles and bones twisting in a mild burn that was so chronic to shifting he barely noticed it anymore. Black fur

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covered his skin and a moment later the shift was complete. He fell onto all four legs, howling his frustration as he tore through the trees. Even though it was still early in the day, the summer sun showed its heat. With the tension in his body easing from exertion, Warrick followed the sound of the river. He broke from the trees and made his way out onto the rock-laden river’s edge. The rushing water slowed at this location, making it not nearly as dangerous to cross or swim. The curve of the river and isolation from other property made it almost a secluded bath. One he intended to indulge in, being that it was so damn hot. He padded slowly into the shallows, letting the coolness bathe his paws and his legs. He’d just lowered his head for a drink, when the sound of a twig snapping stilled him. Warrick slowly lifted his head again and scanned the forest, a growl of warning building low in his throat. There was no one at first glance, but someone was there. He inhaled deeply to pick up the scent and the fight left him. Sienna was nearby. Watching. It was amazing he hadn’t picked up her presence moments ago. But he’d been blinded by frustration and the need to run. Warrick padded from the water, swim forgotten, and allowed himself to transform back to human. “You can come out, Sienna. I know you’re there.” Another twig snapped, before she stepped from the trees. Eyes wide and hands clenched in front of her, her gaze swept over him. He felt no embarrassment or shame in his nudity, but instead a surge of confidence at the feminine awareness in her eyes.

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“It’s such a beautiful thing,” she said softly. “When you shift. You’re beautiful, Warrick.” Was she referring to him in wolf form? Or human? Either way, beautiful was an interesting word choice. His lips twitched and he allowed himself the equal opportunity to run his gaze over her. She didn’t look the least bit traumatized or ruffled by her interview with Quinton. If anything she looked mildly irritated, and once more entirely too sexy. He should ask her how the questioning went. Or escort her back to the house. Instead he walked slowly toward her, until their bodies almost touched, and slid a hand up to tangle in the softness of her hair. Her lips parted on a sigh and her gaze—full of trust and desire—sought his. Sienna was the only female in a safe house full of men. And by the way the other agents had been watching her this morning, Warrick knew they had to be feeling the strain of it. The way she looked at him now, combined with what had happened last night, sent a rush of pleasure and possessiveness through him. Need her. With a tug of the silken strands, he pulled her head back, angling her mouth up toward his, before crushing his lips down on hers. Want her. She molded herself against him, making a soft moan of pleasure as he teased her and tasted her. Sliding his tongue against hers in a slow rub that had his blood pounding and his cock rising. Oh God how he wanted her. Wanted to ease her to the ground and take her. Hear the sound of her pleasure echoing in the forest. But he couldn’t. Dammit, he couldn’t. He needed to remember what jacked-up circumstances had brought Sienna back into his life in the first place.

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With one last seductive nibble on her bottom lip, he lifted his head with a sigh. Her eyes remained closed, lips parted and moist, and her face was flushed with pleasure. “Don’t stop this time,” she pleaded huskily. Brushing his thumb over her lips, he muttered, “I have to, Sienna.” “No. You really don’t.” Before he realized what she was doing, Sienna had pulled off her shirt and shucked her shorts and panties. Oh shit. His cock lurched as he ran his gaze over her slender, naked body. The small curves of her breasts, gentle flare of hips, and cleft covered in golden curls between soft-looking thighs. “You don’t know what you’re asking, Sienna,” he muttered thickly, even as he reached for her, drawing her flush against him. He ground his hips into hers, letting her feel his arousal. Let her realize just how hard she made him. But she didn’t run, instead Sienna rubbed herself back against him. Heat flared in her eyes, smoldering in intensity as her breathing hitched. “Of course I know what I’m asking, Warrick.” She leaned forward and kissed him this time. Catching his bottom lip between her teeth and nibbling. “I’m not a damn child. And neither are you, so man-up and let’s do this already.” Warrick bit back a groan, his hands sliding to her hips to hold her still. But the touch of her silky skin against his fingertips only heightened his need. Dammit, she made it sound so damn easy. Maybe he was overthinking this. Maybe she could handle one time. And it would certainly clear the must-fuck-Sienna haze from his mind a bit.

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“You know you want to.” She slid her hands into his hair and sighed, her head falling back and the pale curve of her neck exposed. “You know I want to.” Warrick’s gaze slid to the fast beating pulse in her neck, and it became almost hypnotic. The quick throbbing. No. Still, his head lowered, his lips seeking the pulse that was a dead giveaway of her excitement. Sienna squirmed against him, her plea for more a whisper in the air. Warrick exhaled in a rush of air, his last coherent thought being that he was utterly screwed. Yes. Oh God yes. Sienna almost purred when he closed his lips over the curve between her neck and shoulder. An arrow of pleasure shot straight down her body to between her legs. Warrick’s hand moved in a sweeping caress down her body. Setting her on fire with each place his fingertips brushed. A cry of disappointment ripped from her throat as he pulled away abruptly. But then the world tilted as he swept her up into his arms and moved them toward the river. He didn’t stop at the river’s edge, but waded into the water she’d just discovered him in moments ago. She hadn’t lied. Warrick was achingly beautiful in wolf form. But as a human, he was ruggedly handsome, and equally dangerous. “I need to cool us off a bit, or I’ll take you in three seconds flat,” he muttered. He carried her toward the middle of the slow-moving river and set her down. The water hit about waist high, sluicing over her heated body. She only

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blamed part of her state on the sun and humidity, the rest was due to Warrick and his sensual assault on her senses. His lips covered hers again. His tongue pressed deeply to tease and arouse. She kissed him back feverishly, the ache between her legs growing and her nipples hardened. More. She wanted more. When his hands moved up her waist, agonizingly slowly toward her breasts, she couldn’t breathe. He stopped at her rib cage, before his fingers traced the sensitive undersides of the small swells. “Please,” she whispered against his lips, and was rewarded when his thumbs swept up over the taut peaks. Sienna let out a ragged groan and weaved her fingers into his short hair, arching her body into his. He cupped her fully, kneading her breasts and lightly pinching her nipples. Her mind spun and her knees weakened. It became hard to tell up from down, let alone try to find a reason why she shouldn’t be doing this. And no matter how much she wanted this, there were reasons. But right now they didn’t matter. They’d ceased to matter since Warrick had made love to her with his mouth last night. It seemed as if Warrick had surrendered to the inevitable as well. He groaned and arched her body over his arm, thrusting her breasts closer to her face, and a moment later his mouth replaced his fingers. Each wet rasp of his tongue over her nipple had her crying out. Pleasure swirled through her, quicker than the river rushing past them. Her knees must’ve given out, because she was suddenly out of the water as Warrick lifted her up into his arms again. He waded them toward the riverbank, before gently laying her down on a patch of grass just past it.

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He knelt between her legs, his face in shadows. His silhouette blocked out the warm summer sun, making him seem larger and more intense. Tingles of sensation slid through her body and she struggled to breathe. “I’ve wanted to see you like this for so long,” Warrick confessed huskily as he slid one large hand over her lower belly. “Naked and hungering for my touch.” Her throat tightened with emotion. “If you stop this time—” “I can’t fucking stop.” He slid down so he was almost lying between her thighs. His lips brushed her hip. “I’d just as soon cut off my balls, Sienna.” The sharpness of her relief mingled with amusement, and her stomach bounced with a silent laugh. “Well now, that would just ruin everything.” “My thoughts exactly.” He exhaled in a huge rush of air against her lower abdomen. The momentary lightness in the atmosphere faded as Warrick slipped a hand between her legs. “Sienna, baby,” he muttered thickly. “Oh God, you’re so warm. So soft.” She couldn’t answer, dared not move, just waited for him to touch her deeper. Her sex clenched with the need and her breath came out in short little puffs. He traced her folds, dipping into her crease just enough to drive her mad. He teased and tortured with his featherlight touch, until she whimpered and uttered the husky pleas she’d tried not to let escape. He let out a low growl of triumph as he slid a finger deeper inside her. Sienna came almost immediately. Her body clenched around him and a sob of pleasure fled her lips as she trembled through the small, yet significant release.

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Amazing. Sienna’s head still spun and pleasure continued to rock through her body. But he wasn’t done. The brush of his lips between her legs had her hips rising from the ground and a startled cry fleeing her lips. “Warrick…” “I need to taste you again, baby,” he murmured, before sliding his tongue past the folds of her sex. Her fingers dug into the grass, squeezing fistfuls and ripping them from the earth as she gave herself over to the exquisiteness of the moment. Last night when he’d done this to her, the pleasure had been so intense she’d nearly shattered into a billion miniscule pieces. And now he was going to do it again. She writhed against the wet friction of his tongue sliding over her. Into her. And then he homed in her sweet spot. Sucking and licking it endlessly, until she felt the rush of another orgasm climbing. When she finally peaked, her sob of pleasure was carried away with the sounds of the river. Tears from the intensity of her climax continued to spill down her cheeks as she reached blindly for him, wanting to touch him the same way he’d touched her. But he stilled her hands, pressing them back down into the grass. “I can’t wait anymore, Sienna,” he rasped. “I need you. Now.” He moved to brace himself above her, settling between her thighs. The hard brush of his thick cock against her sex had every muscle in her body tightening with anticipation. He caught her lips again in a deep, searing kiss as he eased inside her. Her heart swelled with emotion and the ache to join with him grew. She was ready. Sienna closed her eyes and waited, anticipating the moment she’d dreamt of for years.

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But then he thrust deep and she was reminded, though her heart was ready, her body was a little behind the game. Warrick froze. The shocking tightness of Sienna’s body combined with her stifled cry of pain registering at once. It couldn’t be possible. He tore his mouth from hers. “Sienna. Are you…?” Her face was tight with discomfort, but was beginning to turn pink with embarrassment. “Please don’t stop, Warrick.” A virgin. A thousand thoughts slammed into his head at once. All the things she’d said to him. Taunts of her experience with men. How sex could be casual. How she could sleep with any man she wanted. Sienna had still been a virgin. “Warrick,” she pleaded, her thighs tightening around his hips. “Please, I’m not going to break. I didn’t want you to know.” “Didn’t want me to know?” he muttered thickly. Even as the slick walls of her channel gripped his dick like a silky, gloved fist, he struggled to believe that he was the first man to be inside her body. Jesus. The mind-blowing discovery had his chest expanding with dismay. She was just as innocent today as she had been at eighteen. Or she had been until he’d taken that innocence just moments ago. Braced above her, he stared down into her vulnerable expression. Beyond the passion, there was steadfast trust there and a silent plea that he not stop. “Please, Warrick,” she said softly and reached up to cup his cheek. “I want this. I’ve always wanted this.” Her words erased any doubts that were surfacing.

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Mine. He tried to fight it, tried to go slowly to let her adjust to him. But the intensity of the pleasure shoved at his dismay and guilt, bringing to the forefront only his need to drive into her and find release of his own. Calling his primal side dangerously close to the surface. She moved her hands to his shoulders and began to move, bringing him deeper. So tight. Hot. Grinding his teeth together, he shook his head. “Sienna, slow down, baby. I don’t want to hurt you.” Though it was probably way too fucking late for that. “I don’t want to slow down. Just take me. However you want,” she gasped. “The way we both want.” Yes, take her. She’s yours. The animal inside him clawed toward the surface. Demanding he claim his woman. Fast. Hard. His control snapped. With a savage groan, he gripped her hips and plunged into her again. Sinking deep into her tight, silky sheath. Her nails dug into his back and her inner muscles gripped him. The sharp cries of pleasure she made were like a symphony to his senses as he moved inside her. Driving him, and carrying him on a wave of sensation and need. The desire to find his release and bring her to hers. And to claim Sienna completely. Shit. His canines slid down, piercing against the lip he immediately curled to hide them. This had never happened during sex, and it was only by some miracle he managed to keep a small shred of sanity and not lower his head and bury the teeth into Sienna’s neck. Marking her as his in a move that would’ve bound her to him forever. Fortunately she didn’t notice the wolf struggling to come out in him. She was so ensconced in her own pleasure. Her head was thrown back and her eyes

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closed as she matched his rhythm. Their bodies moving together as they moved toward their nirvana. He thrust to the hilt and brought them both there. Hurtling past the threshold of passion and trembling in an aftermath of their release. It seemed like minutes passed before he dragged in a needed breath and became aware of the world around them. The sound of birds off in the distance, the river running beside them, and the cool grass his hands were buried in to hold himself up. With a low groan, he lowered his body onto Sienna’s, needing to feel them flush together for just a moment. She made a sigh of contentment and traced her fingers up and down his spine. Warrick closed his eyes as another shudder of pleasure rocketed through him. Damn, but it felt good to be with Sienna like this. With the softness of her subtle curves beneath him and his cock still inside her. Not to mention the uneven, ragged breaths she kept sucking in as she recovered from her climax. “That was so much better than I ever fantasized it would be.” Warrick flinched at her words. At the reminder of how inexperienced she’d been. He gave a small shake of his head. Dammit, he hadn’t even thought it a possibility. After all her little taunting comments. The way she flirted and kissed him so skillfully. It didn’t even seem fathomable. “Why didn’t you tell me, Sienna?”

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Chapter Twelve

“Tell you what?” His lips curled into a derisive smile. He didn’t buy the innocent response even a little bit. And he let his silence show that. Staring down into her pale blue gaze, he saw the guilt flicker there before she glanced away. “I just…I thought you might not make love to me if you knew, Warrick. Not that I didn’t like what you did last night, but I wanted more. I didn’t think you’d ever give me more.” “You’d have been right.” It would’ve given him another reason to stay the fuck away from Sienna Peters. Sister of one of his good friends and his colleague’s daughter. Shit. A momentary lapse in sanity and he’d made love to the one girl he’d told himself he could never have. And worse, he’d been stupid enough to think she’d be all right with it being just a one-time thing. A virgin. She’d been a virgin. He’d been her first. An unwanted, blinding thrill of pleasure—of possessiveness swept through him. He wanted to deny it, but it was there and it was fierce. “You’re way overthinking this, Warrick.” Her words held an edge to them. A warning. “Am I really?” He gave a harsh laugh and lifted himself off her. “Do you want to tell me what else you’ve been lying about?”

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“Look, I never lied to you about being a virgin, Warrick,” she said with exasperation now. “Maybe I didn’t tell you, but so what?” She stood and brushed a few strands of grass from her legs. “It shouldn’t make one bit of a difference whether you were my first of fiftieth, Warrick. It’s just sex. Really, penetration, if we’re going to be technical.” Didn’t make a difference? A snarl of incredulity rose in his throat. Was she fucking delusional? “Oh, now that’s where you’re wrong, baby.” It made all the difference. It meant he couldn’t look at her without knowing he’d been the only man inside her sweet body. Without suspecting he was the only man who’d made her come so hard that she’d had tears in her eyes. Without remembering the breathy way his name spilled from her lips when he’d been riding her and she’d been begging for more. He felt himself harden again and swore. He’d thought one time would be enough. Had been stupid enough to take her—without precautions—on the riverbank, he’d been so mindless with desire. “I’m not wrong,” she argued and retrieved her clothes, tugging them back on. “And while we’re on the subject, let me just say this. You don’t need to worry that I have expectations, Warrick. From the beginning I knew the rules.” “And what rules were those?” He arched a brow, trying not to focus on all the delectable parts of her that she was busy covering up again. “I knew this was going to be a one-time thing.” She pulled a rubber band off her wrist and fixed her hair into a ponytail. “I suppose I should even thank you. Now I don’t have to worry about the next guy I sleep with going all weird because I’d never gotten laid before.” Warrick’s vision reddened and a roar that was all wolf rose in his throat. “The next guy you sleep with?” Her words and the image they evoked were not settling well. “So that’s it? One time is good for you? What the hell, Sienna? Have

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you just been holding out for me to break you in since that night back in high school when you tried to seduce me?” Sienna’s choked gasp hit his ears about the same time her palm did his cheek. It probably hurt her more than him, because she winced and immediately clutched her wrist. “Break me in?” she seethed, shaking her head. “You’re a real bastard sometimes, you know that, Warrick?” Warrick slowly rotated his jaw and counted to ten to ease his temper. He knew he’d deserved the slap—it was completely out of line for him to say something so crass and cutting—but it did little to erase the need to jerk her back into his arms and show her how quickly he could have her begging for him to take her again. He slid his gaze over her slender, trembling form. Her face was taut and pale, her arms folded defensively across her chest now. He’d hurt her with his comment, and regret slid through him. But he couldn’t seem to force out an apology. “Of course I didn’t hold out in hopes you’d be my first. God, where the hell does your ego end?” She gave him a dirty look that clearly showed she was still pissed. “I’ve messed around with other guys. I almost had sex with one, but it just didn’t feel right so I stopped. You know I’m not one to do anything halfassed. That includes sex.” “But it felt right with me,” he said gruffly, not sure why the idea both pleased and terrified him. She didn’t reply, just looked away with another scowl. “I didn’t use protection. What if you get pregnant?” he voiced the fear that’d been running in the back of his mind since he’d come to his senses.

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Still holding her wounded hand, her expression turned skeptical. “Is it even possible for a human to get pregnant with a shifter’s child?” “Of course it is. The process of conception doesn’t change with us, Sienna. The child is just born with dormant genes. Though they’re part shifter, have some characteristics, they don’t have the ability to shift.” And they tended to be treated like the redheaded stepchild of the community. Looked on with derision and occasional pity. It was unfortunate, and needed to change, but for now, that’s the way it was. Concern flickered in Sienna’s eyes, and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, before looking away. “I had my period last week. So it really shouldn’t be an issue.” Warrick grunted in response, still not completely at ease or convinced she was even telling the truth. He could easily imagine her fudging the dates a bit to put him more at ease. “I’d like to head back to the house now,” she said quietly. Biting back another round of curses, Warrick gave a terse nod and gestured for her to start walking. He almost wished he’d gone first when she turned around and left him, because then he wouldn’t have to stare at the sweet curve of her ass in those tiny shorts or the pale, shapely legs that ate up the trail with her furious strides. He followed after her, scowling at the ground as he tried to figure out how his precious control was getting snapped so easily lately. The sound of Sienna’s startled cry had Warrick’s attention snapping back up. He was at her side in an instant. Found her staring wide-eyed and pale at the police officer on the trail in front of them. Son of a bitch. This was just the last damn thing they needed.

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The officer was probably pushing fifty, had a receding hairline and a gut that stretched the buttons on his uniform. His hand rested pretty damn close to his gun, which meant he was already a bit weary of the situation. Even though his stress increased tenfold, Warrick forced an easygoing grin and slid an arm around Sienna’s waist. “Good afternoon, Officer.” The police officer’s brows shot up, his mouth flapping. His gaze didn’t move from Warrick’s face, in an obvious effort to avoid looking at Warrick naked. Thank God Sienna had put her clothes back on. “You got something against clothing, son?” He’d shifted and run to the river to swim. Usually nudity wasn’t a problem around the community—and dammit, it wouldn’t have been if a cop hadn’t showed up. Why the hell was he here? “Not at all, Officer. My girlfriend and I are just coming back from a swim.” The officer’s gaze shifted to Sienna and his eyes narrowed. “Right. Does your girlfriend happen to have some ID on her?” Sienna stiffened and leaned into his embrace. He could sense her fear and Warrick knew it was warranted. The officer already suspected who she was. Warrick’s blood chilled a degree as he gave a casual shrug and gestured up the trail. “Should be inside the house, right, sweet pea?” She hesitated much too long before nodding. “It should. Yeah. I mean somewhere.” “Is there a problem, Officer?” Warrick kept his tone curious instead of accusatory. “Well, the sheriff’s department got a tip that a suspect in an arson over in Portland was spotted in the area. I was nearby and thought I’d check it out.”

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Alarm shot through Warrick and his jaw clenched. Who the hell could’ve spotted Sienna? They hadn’t left the isolated property except to go down by the river or walk in the forest. Still, the P.I.A. owned this land and the land next to it. Nobody should’ve spotted them. Which meant— “An arson?” Sienna’s voice was too high pitched. “And you…you want to see my ID?” The officer unfolded the piece of paper in his hand, glanced at it, then at her. “Well, you do look a bit like this lady.” His lips pursed and he grunted. “But if I could see that ID, we can straighten this out.” This wasn’t going to end well, Warrick realized grimly. He made sure not to slide his gaze to the man who moved stealthily in the shadows behind the officer, and instead turned and headed for the house. Sienna followed him, gripping his arm tightly. A soft groan sounded, then the thump of a body hitting the ground. Sienna glanced over her shoulder and gasped. “Warrick—” He tightened his arm around her and stopped walking. “Go into the house, Sienna. Don’t talk to anyone or say anything. Just go to the room and don’t come out until I say to.” “But—” “Just do it!” he grated harshly. She paled even more and gave a jerky nod before turning and fleeing up the rest of the trail and toward the house. Once he was sure she was safe, he turned to face Quinton. His gaze slid over the crumpled body of the officer on the ground and he shook his head. There was no blood, and the man’s chest still moved in an indication that he was alive. So whatever Quinton had done to the man to knock him out hadn’t killed him.

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“What happens next?” Warrick retraced his steps and crouched down by the officer, checking for a pulse anyway. Quinton gave him a look of disgust. “What the hell do you think happens? We wipe him and send him on his merry way. The schmuck won’t remember a thing.” That’s pretty much what he’d figured would happen. Still, what a goddamned mess. “Grab his legs and help me carry him inside,” Quinton ordered. Biting back a terse reply, Warrick moved to obey. Quinton obviously had a burr up his ass and it didn’t take a wild guess to know what it was about. “You would’ve realized the cop was here if you hadn’t been busy getting your rocks off.” Quinton adjusted his grip under the officer’s arms as they moved him toward the house. “Don’t know why you couldn’t just go into town and pick up some easy chick at a bar.” Ignoring Quinton’s gibe about sleeping with Sienna, Warrick replied, “The officer was nowhere near me. I would have sensed him.” “You didn’t sense him until he was a foot from your damn face.” Quinton was right. And the realization stirred up the frustration and anger brewing in Warrick’s gut. Anger at himself though. He’d completely screwed up again. Shot himself in the foot because of Sienna. “You shouldn’t have touched her.” The almost volatile fury coming from Quinton slammed into Warrick in waves. It was so potent it made his chest tighten. Warrick got the impression that the man’s emotional state had less to do with the surprise arrival of an officer. But why? Why the hell was Quinton so concerned with what happened between him and Sienna?

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“It’s a little late to discuss what I should’ve and shouldn’t have been doing.” Warrick grunted as they climbed the stairs into the house. “And like I said earlier, not much of your business anyway.” Quinton muttered something harsh, and Warrick was pretty glad he couldn’t hear it. The other agents came rushing toward them, voices rising with anger and shock as they realized what was going on. Biting back a bitter sigh, Warrick let Quinton do the answering, and was offered a small bit of relief that Sienna wouldn’t see what happened next. What on earth was going on in the other room? Sienna paced the bedroom, her stomach tied up like a pretzel. She wrapped her arms around her middle and swallowed the lump in her throat as she listened to the sounds of movement and raised voices. Where had he come from? That officer had seemed to come out of nowhere. Well, really he had, because they were out in the middle of nowhere. How had he found them? Had someone tipped off the local sheriff’s office? Her chest tightened and a chill raced through her. Maybe that was exactly it. Maybe someone had tipped them off. Someone in the house. Quinton’s face wavered in the back of her mind and she bit her lip. Was it him? Really? He’d threatened to call them. Or maybe it wasn’t Quinton, but someone else entirely. Maybe Leo had been hinting that there were a couple of the agents—God! How could she know? How could she trust any of them? “What the hell are you doing to me?” Sienna froze and her heart started a slow, heavy, foreboding thump. The shrill scream had come from the officer, which meant he was awake. Alive.

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Thank God they hadn’t killed him. “I’ll have you arrested. Every last one of you!” the man threatened, but the way his words wavered showed his terror. Sienna stared at the closed door. As if maybe this time she could see through it to observe whatever horrible thing was being done. What was being done to the man? Would they hurt him? God, they wouldn’t kill him would they? No, if that had been their intention they would’ve killed him on the trail. So, dammit, what was going on? Sienna strode to the door—ignoring Warrick’s warning to stay in there until he came to get her. She twisted the knob and silently opened the door. When she didn’t see anyone guarding outside her door, she let out a silent sigh of relief. Whatever was going on, she needed to see it. Tiptoeing down the hallway, the sound of movement and the officer’s angry, fearful threats grew louder. But no one else said anything. It was just the cop and his panicked words. Sienna reached the end of the hallway and gripped the wall, peeking her head around to glance into the living room. The air in her lungs caught as she watched the scene unfolding. The officer had been strapped into a chair, with some kind of headphone type thing slipped over his head. He thrashed wildly, his eyes wide with panic, fear, and anger. The agents around him, for the most part ignored him. “Please,” the officer begged now, seeming to lose any remaining pride. “I have a wife. Grandkids.” Sienna shoved her fist into her mouth to keep from crying out to stop them. Her stomach churned and nausea assailed her.

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“It’ll be over in a moment, Officer.” Quinton lifted some kind of remote device and pressed down on a button. Sienna gasped as the man in the chair went still, his eyes widening. He shook his head and tried to lift his hands, but they were tied down to the chair handles. “What are you doing to me?” the officer choked out. “You’ll spend the rest of your lives in a jail cell for this. You’ll never get away with this…” He trailed off and then winced, almost as if in pain. His eyes closed for a moment. When they reopened, his gaze was disorientated with just flicks of recognition every now and then. His lashes fluttered closed once more, but this time stayed closed. “And we’re done,” Quinton said quietly. “Get him onto the sofa. We’ve only got a few minutes before he comes around.” When the agents moved forward, Sienna ducked her head back and out of view. She let it fall against the wall and closed her eyes. Oh God. Oh God, what had just happened? Had that been the memory wipe in action? The process Warrick had told her about? What else could it have been? Quinton had said the officer would come around. So he wasn’t dead. Thankfully. The man had been innocent, just out doing his job, and now this. She swallowed the lump in her throat and willed the racing of her heart to slow. “I’ve got this, boys,” Quinton continued. “Let me do all the talking. In fact, everybody can just disappear for a little bit, all right? It would be better if I’m the only one around when he comes to.” There was a murmur of agreement before the front door opened and she heard the agents disappear. Sienna held her breath and then peeked her head to look around the wall again.

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As requested, it was just Quinton and the officer now. The officer sat slumped on the sofa, looking like he’d had a few too many to drink or maybe had just fallen asleep for a nap. Sure enough, he began to stir a few minutes later. Quinton approached the man, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Are you all right, Officer?” The officer’s eyes blinked opened and he glanced around in confusion. “What…?” “I went to grab you that glass of water you asked for and when I came back you were dozing.” Quinton grinned and handed the man a glass. “Few too many late nights, maybe?” “I…right.” The officer grabbed the water, unease and confusion on his face as he took an unsteady sip. Sienna watched as Quinton set down the piece of paper that had her picture on it next to the officer. “I glanced it over, but I can’t say that I’ve seen her or anyone who looks like her.” Quinton scratched his head. “Just came out here with some of my buddies to do some fishing and relaxing for the week.” “Right.” The officer nodded, relief flickering across his face as he grabbed the paper and folded it back into a square. He slipped it back into his pocket a moment later. “Thank you for your time. I’m sorry I dozed off. I never do that. You’re right about those late nights.” Having seen enough, Sienna jerked her head back and tiptoed rapidly back to the bedroom. She shut the door silently and headed straight for the bathroom. Jesus. That had been real. Quinton had wiped the man’s memory in an instant. The officer hadn’t had a clue about what had happened. Had woken up,

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and though he seemed a little rattled that he’d dozed off, had easily accepted that he’d been talking alone to Quinton. Her hands trembled as she turned on the sink faucet. She slid her hands underneath the water, letting the chilly stream ease some of the shock from her. It was real. Memory wiping was real. Not that she’d ever doubted it after that initial conversation with Warrick, but to see it happen. To watch a man forget that he’d found his suspect. And to know that it was possible the same damn thing might happen to her at some point. The realization sent nausea rushing through her and she ran to the toilet and stood over it, certain she was going to be sick. Hot and cold rushed through her and she shook her head. She had to become invaluable to them. To the agents. She had to make sure they had a reason not to wipe her. The door to the bedroom opened and then shut, signaling someone’s arrival, and she moved away from the toilet. Before she reached the doorway, Warrick filled the frame. “I told you to stay in the room.”

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Chapter Thirteen

“As if I could,” Sienna said vehemently, not even trying to deny what she’d seen. “I heard you guys. Heard him yelling. My God. I thought you were actually killing him.” Warrick’s frown deepened. “Of course we wouldn’t kill him. We’d be stupid to do that. Then we’d really have people asking questions.” That was their biggest worry? More questions? Disgust swept through her. “No, you didn’t kill him. You just wiped away his memory.” “Only the last fifteen minutes.” Fifteen minutes. Five minutes. Did it really matter? It meant the potential was there to wipe out so much more. That realization had her stomach cramping. “How much can it erase?” Warrick leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms across his chest. “What do you mean?” “How much of someone’s memory can that crime-against-nature, little machine erase?” she bit out. He stared at her for a moment, as if weighing whether to be honest or not. “Everything. We just plug in the date or time we want the memory wiped back to. If the process is done wrong, someone could technically be left in the state of a newborn.” “You guys make me sick.” She closed her eyes as a tremble racked her body. “It’s not right. How does the P.I.A. get off playing God like that?” “Out of necessity. The alternative is to kill them.”

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Her eyes snapped open again and she turned off the sink with shaking fingers. “You can’t be serious. Both are absolutely unacceptable. Why don’t you just stop hiding what you are?” Warrick’s derisive, harsh laugh made her flush with realization. “Right. Tell the entire human population that the boogeyman is real. That’ll go over well.” His mock amusement faded. “Before you could blink we’d be locked up and experimented on like the freaking rats your employer uses, Sienna. You know it as well as I do.” He was right. It had already happened with the shifters that she’d discovered at Feloray Laboratories. Which was the sharp reminder that someone out there did know about the shifters. Had done awful things to them. And now would kill, it seemed, to keep it a secret. “You’re right,” she agreed reluctantly, the fight draining out of her. “But I still don’t have to like that awful little machine. It goes against nature. That poor man—” “Is better for not knowing. And so are you, Sienna. Had we let him keep his memories, you would’ve been taken into custody. Do you realize that?” He straightened from the doorframe and crossed the small bathroom to where she stood by the sink. “We wouldn’t have been able to protect you.” His sudden proximity, and familiar smell, encompassed her and dulled her ability to think. She found herself leaning toward him, wanting nothing more than to be wrapped in his arms. For him to promise the horror that she’d just witnessed would never happen to her. So much had happened in the past few hours. After all these years she’d slept with Warrick—given him her virginity. And clearly, he hadn’t wanted it. Not that she’d held on to it to wait for him like he’d accused her of. The reminder

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of his harsh words made her swallow the sudden lump in her throat and blink back tears. But she hadn’t even had time to think about what had happened, or to reflect on how amazing the lovemaking had been. Maybe it was a blessing this way. The way things kept happening at the speed of light. Because the last thing she wanted was the time to think about whether she should regret what had happened between them. She shoved back the memory of their lovemaking by the river, and focused instead on the problem at hand. “Someone doesn’t want me protected. Have you thought about that, Warrick? How did a local sheriff’s deputy know I was out here?” He gave a small, but stoic nod. “Yes. I have thought about that. And the answer is I don’t know.” “That answer isn’t good enough. Not for me. Not with everything going on.” She went to brush past him, but Warrick caught her hand. “I’ll look into it.” He stepped closer. “But first, you never did tell me how the questioning went with Quinton.” Sienna gave a humorless laugh and dropped her gaze. “You didn’t exactly give me the chance to.” No. Instead, they’d gone at it like bunnies. He must’ve been thinking something similar, because his gaze darkened with heat. “So tell me now.” He brushed his thumb over the inside of her palm and a tremble of pleasure swept through her. Running her tongue over her bottom lip, she shrugged. “It didn’t go as well as he’d have liked, I’m sure.” “Did you tell him anything that you haven’t told me?” “Not much more. He guessed some things.”

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“Some things? Such as?” Sienna hesitated. She’d already told Quinton, so it was a given the other agents would know soon. If they didn’t already. “Such as the fact that Leo was the one who told me about the shifters.” Warrick’s mouth thinned and his fingers tightened around hers. “This Leo guy. Just what was he to you anyway?” Her brows drew together. “I don’t understand your question. What was he to me?” “Did you date him? Did he want to be your lover?” Sienna choked on a noise of disbelief. “What? No. Leo was a friend. A coworker. He was probably old enough to be my father.” Warrick grunted, but didn’t seem convinced. “I’d ask where this is coming from, but it really doesn’t matter. What does matter is the fact that I don’t trust you guys. Any of you P.I.A. agents.” He arched a brow. “Including me?” “God, I don’t even know anymore…” Sienna pulled free of him, her stomach churning as she walked back into the bedroom. “How the hell can you say such a thing? Can you doubt me, Sienna?” She heard the barely restrained fury in his voice as he followed after her and knew she’d answered wrongly. “We grew up together. I’ve saved your neck on more than one occasion. How the hell are you going to tell me that you don’t trust the man you gave your virginity to this afternoon?” Spinning around she jammed her finger into his chest. And nearly bent it with how damn solid he was. Wincing, she muttered, “I’ll say it before you do this time. Sleeping with you was probably a mistake.”

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A warning tic started in his jaw, sending a frisson of alarm through her. “A mistake?” “Yes. You totally freaked out at my lack of experience, destroying the possibility of its being a casual, one-time thing. Well, forgive me and my vagina for not being a revolving door to the male population!” Warrick growled low in his throat, and backed her up until the back of Sienna’s knees bumped into the bed. “You’re saying all you ever wanted was casual sex with me?” No. Everything inside her wanted to scream the word aloud. But there was too much at stake. This went so far beyond her and Warrick. And she knew the sooner they put behind them what had happened at the river, the better. “We both know that’s all it can ever be,” she finally answered softly. “There’s no point in pretending otherwise.” “Doesn’t matter what the hell we both know. I still want you.” Her heart slammed into her rib cage at his admission and her mouth went dry. Stay focused. Think of what just happened to that poor officer out there. Before she could hold her ground, his expression twisted and he gave a selfdeprecating laugh. He turned away from her and strode to the window to look outside. “But you’re right. It probably was a mistake.” Good thing I said it first. White-hot pain sliced through her at his abrupt, emotional backpedaling. She sat down on the edge of the bed and bit her lip to keep tears from filling her eyes. It’s what she’d wanted, though, right? “You need to tell me why you can’t trust me,” Warrick said flatly, and stared out the window at the trees and land beyond, as he tried to get ahold of his emotions. Tried not to think about what he’d had with Sienna this afternoon, and what he should probably never have again.

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“Because I know you,” she answered eventually. “And so I know that you’ll put your career first. Whatever I tell you, Warrick, will immediately get relayed to the other agents.” Dismay robbed him of an immediate response. But finally he replied, “Of course it will. These men are my brothers, Sienna. This is my job, we share intel.” “Even after you just admitted something’s not right? That maybe one of them is working for the wrong side? We both know it couldn’t have been a coincidence that an officer would show up today because of a reported sighting of me.” “Hell, maybe someone did see us,” he said tersely, but didn’t really believe it for a second. “You know they didn’t, Warrick.” Her footsteps fell softly as she approached from behind. Her hand closed over his forearm, and she stood so close that he could not only smell the generic safe house shampoo she’d used, but the scent of Sienna. Fresh. Feminine. Like pheromones that were designed specifically to drive him mad. “I need you to do something for me,” she pleaded, her voice catching. “I need you to take me to my dad.” Her words had him forgetting about the delicate fingers that grazed his bicep. The images they evoked. “Your dad?” “My dad might be able to help the shifters.” Was she out of her ever-loving mind? He didn’t try to keep the disbelief off his expression as he turned to face her. “Your dad is in Boston.” “I know very well where he lives, Warrick.” She lifted her chin. “Let’s say hypothetically that I had a way to help these shifters. Then I would need my dad’s help.”

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Hypothetically, my ass. She didn’t have a clue at how close he was to shooting her stubborn butt up with some sodium pentothal and getting the truth out of her that way. As it was, that wasn’t completely off the table if she didn’t start talking. “Boston is across the country, Sienna. We can’t travel with the shifters in the state they’re in. Hell, we barely made it from Portland to here.” “Then bring my dad to the safe house,” she urged. “Please, Warrick. Trust me on this. I know he can help. He’s probably the only one who can help.” Warrick glanced away and shook his head. Damn her. Damn her for not having enough trust in him to tell him whatever she was hiding. But what if she was on to something here? Maybe bringing her father across the country would help the shifters. It wasn’t guilt over taking her virginity that was making him agree, he told himself. Because he had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. Yeah fucking right. He turned back to her and said gruffly, “I’ll request the P.I.A. call him. See if they can arrange for his flight out here.” And quite possibly Kevin Peters could be in Oregon by morning. Relief flashed across her face, and she threw herself against him, her arms slipping around his waist and squeezing. A wave of protectiveness swept through him. And relief at being able to hold her again, if even just for a minute. “Thank you. You know he’s the one capable of helping them. You’re doing the right thing.” He was acting like a damn fool. If he weren’t thinking with his heart and with his dick, he’d have interrogated the hell out of her by now. Have whatever secrets she was hiding laid out on the table like a Thanksgiving feast. But where Sienna was concerned he was soft and too emotional. If he were smart he’d pull himself from the operation right now. Especially now that they’d

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slept together. It was too risky being as emotionally involved as he was. But he couldn’t do it. Couldn’t leave her alone with a group of operatives, especially when she was convinced one of them was out to get her. He pulled back and brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. His gut clenched at the gratitude and hope he saw in her eyes. “In the meantime Quinton will take blood samples from the shifters and have them sent out to the P.I.A. lab,” he said. “Which, might I add, they ultimately would’ve ended up with your father anyway.” She shook her head. “It won’t be enough.” “How can you possibly know that?” “I…” Her eyes squeezed shut. “I have no idea, actually. But I just feel it in my gut.” Feel it in her gut? Really? And that was supposed to be good enough for him? God, how could he want to throttle a woman and kiss the hell out of her simultaneously? He wanted to be able to promise Sienna he wouldn’t tell the other agents, but that would be a lie. He had to. Was required to. To do otherwise would be to risk his position within the P.I.A. “Well we’ll just have to see. I want to go make sure the officer made it back to his patrol car and didn’t report anything that’ll get us in trouble.” Sienna’s eyes widened. “Do you think he would’ve?” “No. He should’ve reported exactly what Quinton told him to. That nobody’s seen a pretty little blonde like the girl in the picture.” “Pretty huh?” She flushed and looked down. Right, as if Sienna didn’t know how gorgeous she was. Warrick bit back another short laugh and stepped back from her.

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“Try not to get into trouble, Sienna. If you really don’t trust anyone, then stay in the room.” “So you do agree then—” “I’m not agreeing to anything. But if you’re worried, that’s my advice.” She gave a brisk nod and slid her gaze around the room. “I can try.” Warrick bit back a sigh. Unfortunately, try wasn’t good enough. But then with Sienna, he’d take what he could get for the moment.

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Chapter Fourteen

It was too damn quiet. Sienna brought her nails to her mouth and almost started to nibble, before thrusting them back into her pockets and resuming her pacing of the living room. Most of the agents—besides Hilliard, who’d stayed inside to watch her— were out tending to the shifters. Rumor had it the female might not live to see the morning. Her stomach clenched and she cast another glance at the clock on the wall. Almost seven. Time was running short. Why hadn’t her dad answered the phone? Quinton had placed numerous calls to her father since yesterday afternoon when Warrick had promised he’d try. Unease stirred inside her and she bit back a groan. Her dad wasn’t the biggest gadget guy, hated being at the beck and call of a cell phone, but generally he remembered to carry it with him. If she hadn’t been standing nearby when Quinton had made the calls, she may not have believed he’d actually done it. There was something off about the guy. It wouldn’t have surprised her in the least if he hadn’t followed through on his promise to call. Her thoughts shifted to Warrick and she groaned at the immediate warmth that filled her cheeks. The only time she’d seen him was when they’d slept in the room together last night. He’d taken the floor again—obviously didn’t want to be anywhere near her in the bed. It had stung. That he could so easily forget what had happened between them. Seemed to have no interest in touching her again. Apparently, for him, it

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had just been an itch. But then she shouldn’t have been surprised. She knew some men were like that, losing interest in a girl just after they got them into bed. She was determined not to let Warrick see just how much that moment at the river had affected her. Changed her. She couldn’t look at him without remembering what it felt like to have his mouth on her. His hands pleasuring her. And the weight of his body on top of hers. So not the memories I need right now. “You’re going to pace a hole in that rug,” Agent Hilliard drawled softly. “Maybe you should sit down for a bit.” Sienna jumped, her sensual thoughts rapidly disappearing. She felt the blush in her cheeks deepen as she shook her head and cast a glance to where the agent stood near the window, arms folded as he stared outside. “I’m too antsy to sit.” “Why don’t you go lie down? Try and get some sleep.” “It’s barely seven. We just ate dinner. I can’t go to sleep now.” Sienna shook her head. “Jesus, I swear you guys just eat and sleep around here.” His gaze narrowed. “And try to save the lives of a group of feral shifters.” Guilt stabbed and she winced. “You’re right. God, I’m sorry, that was crass of me. Maybe I am a little tired. And stressed. But I still don’t think I can sleep.” “Would you like to take a walk?” Sienna blinked, surprised by the offer. Her options seemed to be staying locked in the house all day or walking chaperoned outside. And with Warrick and Quinton—both walks had been with the intent of interrogation. Just the idea of being grilled again exhausted her and if those were Agent Hilliard’s intentions she’d rather just sit her butt inside. “If we do, I’m not going to answer any of your questions.”

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Agent Hilliard grinned and waved his hand in dismissal. “Nah, I figure they’ve pretty much drained you in that department. I’ll leave the questioning to Quinton. If you want to go out and stretch your legs, I’ll take you for a walk. No pressure.” You can’t trust anyone. The voice inside her shrilled to life a sharp, paranoid reminder, but the idea of getting out of the house was so damn tempting. She hadn’t been outside since yesterday when she’d been down at the river with Warrick. She narrowed her gaze at him and bit her lip, trying to decide if she could trust him. Then again, she’d been alone with agent Hilliard for the last three hours. If he’d intended her harm he probably would’ve done so by now. Or maybe he’s taking you out into the woods to off you. Oh God, she was way too paranoid. Maybe if they walked nearby…close enough for people to hear them if he tried anything. “Come on. It’ll do you good.” Shit. Was there a weapon around here she could grab? Some mace? A butter knife? Okay, maybe she’d just have to grab a rock on the trail. “Oh, well…are you sure you don’t mind?” “Hell, I could always use some time to stretch my legs. We’re active creatures, Sienna. Like to keep moving.” She really did want to go outside. She’d just be ready to scream bloody murder if he made any suspicious movements. “All right.” She gave a quick nod and stopped her pacing. “Getting outside would be nice.” Hilliard straightened from the window and grinned. “There ya go. After you.”

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Sienna debated grabbing a sweater—or that butter knife in the kitchen—but the way Hilliard seemed to be watching her every move, she knew he might get suspicious. So instead she just headed out the front door with the agent right behind her. They stepped off the porch together and her gaze immediately sought out the barn. Inside she could make out the other agents working and hear their shouts as they struggled with the shifters. Her throat tightened with a longing to go help. To see how the feral shifters were faring and if maybe there was something she could do. Dammit, she felt so helpless. Everyone told her to stay out of the way and that this was beyond her. “There’s a trail this way I ran on earlier.” The river was probably a few minutes into the woods. A little farther than she’d hoped, but close enough still that if she got into trouble… “Sure.” She gave a swift nod and followed him onto the path. “So how long have you been with the P.I.A.?” Her attempt at small talk was greeted with another soft laugh, but he shrugged good-naturedly. “Ten years about. Been here longer than some, not as long as most.” “That’s a decade. Not too shabby, I’d say.” She glanced one last time at the barn and bit her lip. Agent Hilliard followed her gaze and grimaced. “No use worrying about it, honey. The other agents have things under control. Well, as much as they can right now.” “Do you know them? The feral shifters?” He gave a slight nod and his forehead crinkled with worry. “One of them— the female—is an agent. The others I recognize from the community.”

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“The female is an agent?” The realization sucked the breath right from her chest. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that any of the ferals could’ve been Warrick’s fellow agents. It completely changed everything. Shed a new light on why everyone seemed so frantic and pissed off. “Yeah. Grace. She’s still pretty green. Only been with the P.I.A. for a few months. Sweet girl, really. Ambitious.” He shook his head. “Everyone’s blaming themselves, trying to figure out how the hell she got into such a dangerous situation.” Oh God. Sienna’s stomach clenched and she bit her lip. Maybe she should’ve told Warrick everything she knew from the get-go. But she’d been so terrified. And now the agents knew almost everything. Except for the jump drive. That was the one secret that was just too risky to share. Besides, it wasn’t as if the agents would have any clue what to do with the information on the drive anyway. She was a damn biochemist, the daughter of one of the sharpest scientific minds in the world, and even she couldn’t figure out the solution to helping the feral shifters. But her dad could. And once he was out here things would turn around pretty quickly. “Are the tranquilizers at least giving them some peace?” she asked. “They’re keeping’m drugged. Can’t say whether that’s peace or not.” The guilt increased and she couldn’t help murmuring a husky, “I’m so sorry.” “Well, if you’ve got no part in it, then why you apologizing?” He glanced at her, his gaze shrewd. “Unless there’s something you wanna confess to me?” “I had nothing to do with their imprisonment. I’d swear it on my mother’s grave.”

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He gave a sage nod and sighed. “I believe you. Not sure everyone else does, but I’m pretty sure you’re not jerking our chain.” To hear even just one of the agents believed in her innocence sent such a big rush of relief through her. Lifted a weight from her chest. Warrick believed her to an extent, but he knew she was hiding something still. And he kept pushing. Which made her respect him and resent him all at the same time. “Are you mated, Agent Hilliard?” His dark gaze jumped to hers again, only this time his eyes were wide with amusement. “Are you coming on to me, Miss Peters?” “No!” Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “I’m just curious as to how it all works. I mean, Warrick explained how shifters need to mate with other shifters. I was just wondering if you’ve settled down with one.” “I have not. No. Working for the P.I.A. kind of puts a kink in a guy’s dating life.” He gave a small grin, but she noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “All you need is the right girl, I suppose.” “Right girl? You mean right shifter?” He sobered and cleared his throat. “Exactly. We…our kind can’t be serious with humans. Not for the long run anyway. Not sure if Warrick told you.” “He did.” Hilliard nodded and thrust his hands into his pockets. “But you guys still have a thing for each other.” It wasn’t a question, and Sienna hated that everyone in the damn house seemed to know there was something between her and Warrick. But then again how could they not know it? Warrick nearly growled at any man who came near her, had risked his career to save her life, and she guessed they could all probably tell Warrick had slept with her.

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Her cheeks burned red just thinking about it and she cringed. Agent Hilliard glanced over at her and she knew he could probably figure out every thought running through her head right now. Or at least could make a good guess. Still, it didn’t mean she had to admit to anything. Especially now that the sex stuff was over. They’d done it. And that door was closed. Was definitely not going to open again, so why bring it into the mix? “Warrick and I have known each other since we were kids. We’re just good friends.” “Hmm. That’s some kind of friendship.” The trail narrowed, making it too narrow for them to walk side by side. He gestured for her to go first. Not having to look at him, it was easier to mutter, “It’s really none of your business anyway.” “No, don’t suppose it is. I’ve just never seen Warrick like this. On the edge all the time. Looking like he could tear down a tree with his bare hands. It’s gotten worse over the last couple of days.” “Well, you guys are dealing with a high-stress situation with the feral shifters.” Sienna scowled and stepped over a tree root that protruded in the middle of the trail. “Doesn’t matter. Warrick’s one of the best agents in the P.I.A. He’s cool as a cucumber on missions—doesn’t matter how tense things get. This is different.” Hilliard sighed. “You’re different. You’ve gotten into his head and big time.” “I’m sure it has nothing to do with me.” Still, her heart quickened at the possibility that maybe Warrick wasn’t so immune. That maybe he’d been thinking about their moment at the river as much as she had been. “You can open up to me, Sienna. I’m the guy everyone confides in. Like a big therapeutic teddy bear. Great for advice. Trust me.”

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She glanced over her shoulder in disbelief. His gaze danced with amusement and the sun that broke through the treetops cast shadows on his closely shaved dark head. Therapeutic teddy bear? The guy looked like he should be playing for the NBA, not hunting bad guys in a government agency. “Yeah well, you’ll forgive me if I don’t want to treat you like my new BFF.” “I figure you guys have slept together or are damn close to doing it,” Agent Hilliard prodded anyway. “But he’s backing off. Let me guess. Does he think you’ll get hurt?” Well, crap, this guy was pretty perceptive. “Something like that.” “And would you?” She already had been. “It doesn’t matter.” “Sure it does. Nobody wants to see you hurt, Sienna.” “Are you kidding me? Nobody gives a rat’s ass about me,” she said with a disbelieving laugh. “I’m just the means to an end. If you guys didn’t believe I was hoarding information, you’d have wiped my memory by now.” “I’m not going to lie. You’re probably right.” Hilliard sobered and shook his head. “But Warrick does care for you. I’ve known the guy long enough to be able to see it.” Sienna swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and was horrified to feel tears welling in her eyes. “Look, it doesn’t matter. Obviously the possibility of a future between us is zilch.” And why had she just said that? Man, he must really be working his big therapeutic teddy-bear mojo. “Ah shit. I made you cry.” There was a crunching of footsteps, before she felt Agent Hilliard slip an arm around her shoulder.

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“I’m fine.” She shook her head and brushed away the tears. “Really, I am. I understand perfectly why your community has the rules it does. I get it. You need to keep the shifter blood strong. Whatever is going on with Warrick and me is fleeting, and I’m fine with that.” Right. Like I’d be fine with a lobotomy. She forced a tremulous smile and hoped he couldn’t read the lie in her eyes. Agent Hilliard sighed and squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Sienna. We’re a hard group to get involved with. Most humans have no idea what we are. If we do get sexually involved with your kind, we just end up looking like commitment-phobic bastards.” Your kind. It was so odd to hear it phrased that way. But she could understand what he was saying. In fact it’s exactly the impression Warrick had left on her. Not so much the bastard part—well, until lately—but definitely a commitment-phobe who’d seemed to go through his share of women. “Shit, Donovan’s gonna kill me if he finds out we had this talk,” Hilliard muttered with a shake of his head. “I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut.” “No. I appreciate the talk. Actually, it was a good reminder that I need to keep my feet firmly grounded.” She knew she wasn’t supposed to trust anyone really, but every one of her instincts screamed that Agent Hilliard wasn’t anything but a nice guy and a dedicated agent. She glanced up at him curiously. “What’s your first name, Agent Hilliard?” The agent grinned, flashing white teeth against his dark skin. “Darrius.” “Well,” she forced a tremulous smile and stood on her tiptoes to brush a kiss across his cheek, “Thank you for the pep talk, Darrius. I really did appreciate it.”

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Warrick stood from where he crouched by one of the drugged shifters and shoved a hand through his hair. His gaze darted back to the house for what must’ve been the tenth time in the last hour. Sienna was in there. Alone with Hilliard, and had been for most of the day. The thought of the two of them spending so much time together sent a restlessness through him that put him on edge. Made his skin itch and his muscles tense. He didn’t much care for the idea of Sienna alone with any guy this long. But it was worse knowing she was with Hilliard—a born-and-bred flirt. He paced down to the end of the barn where Quinton was just finishing up collecting blood samples. “You seen Larson around?” “Took off for town about an hour ago with Rafferty,” Quinton muttered, setting the vials into some kind of lunch-box-looking thing. “Why, what’s going on?” “I was thinking maybe I should go back to the house and relieve Hilliard for a bit. He could probably use a break.” Quinton grunted and shook his head. “I’m sure Hilliard is doing just fine.” Irritation pricked and Warrick’s mouth tightened. “Either way, I think I should go up there to replace him.” Placing the last vial of blood into the box, Quinton zipped it up and stood. “You know what I think, Donovan? That you should stop letting a slip of a human girl lead you around by your dick.” A low growl built in Warrick’s throat and his gaze narrowed with anger. “Don’t get all pissy with me. You know damn well it’s true,” Quinton continued. “She’s twisting you up into knots until you can’t think straight. So you forget to ask all the important questions. She’s a pretty girl, Donovan. But pretty girls are a dime a dozen.”

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“I’m thinking just fine.” “Are you? Then why am I here now? The agency sent me out because you guys haven’t gotten shit out of her yet.” Warrick snarled. “And you have? How’d that questioning go for you this morning?” “We’re off to a decent start.” “My ass. You’re hitting a wall like the rest of us.” “Then we up the stakes. Let’s bring out the sodium pentothal. Threaten her a little. You’re treating her like a fucking porcelain doll. She’s a suspect, Donovan. You don’t give a suspect the gold-star treatment. And you sure as hell don’t jump into bed with them.” “Fuck this shit,” Warrick muttered and turned away, striding away from him. “She’s hiding something,” Quinton yelled after him. “Something big. And she’s using you, Donovan. Did she suck your dick to get you to agree to fly her daddy out here? You know the first thing Kevin Peters will do is demand her release.” The vein on Warrick’s forehead throbbed and he had to force back the beast inside him that itched to come out. Quinton was poking and prodding, looking for a fight. And he was damn close to getting one. “He isn’t even answering his phone,” Quinton yelled. “She’s stalling, goddammit. You mark my words. She’s going to run the first opportunity she gets.” Warrick’s feet dug into the ground at the entrance to the barn. Every instinct demanded he turn and fight. Defend Sienna and explain her fear of not trusting them. Quinton leapt on his hesitation.

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“You think you’re so fucking special? That girl will sleep with anyone she thinks will help her.” Quinton’s voice followed after him even as Warrick stepped out of the barn. “It’s the power of being a woman. They know men think with their dicks. You’re above this, Donovan. I know you are.” Quinton didn’t have a clue what kind of woman Sienna was. The bastard actually had the nerve to— “But in case you can’t pull your head out of your ass, I’m taking over all questioning and control of this op. When Larson gets back from my little errand I sent him on we’ll start with the sodium pentothal.” Warrick growled low in his throat and thrust away from the doorway, running back to the house. Anything to put distance between him and the man he was close to decking. “Hilliard!” He reached the house and pounded up the stairs. “Get your ass on outside and switch with me for a bit.” There was no reply as he strode in the opened door of the house. Glancing around, he came up empty. Where the hell were they? He paused and breathed in slowly through his nostrils but couldn’t catch anything besides their fading scents. Scents which led outside. Dammit. Hilliard must’ve taken her out for a walk. Again, the idea of the two of them alone had something ugly building inside him, but he tried to push it aside. He turned to go back out and find them, but paused. She’s hiding something. Quinton’s words taunted him. A reminder that the older agent was right. Sienna was hiding something. And if Warrick didn’t find out what it was soon, she’d be getting a nice shot of sodium pentothal.

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He’d almost forgotten that night she’d tried to slip out of the house and he’d found the cell phone she’d somehow managed to keep hidden. When he’d asked her what else she was hiding, there’d been fear in her eyes. So whatever it was, she either had it on her right now, or it was somewhere in the house. And it had to be small, because she’d obviously hidden it in her dress the night they’d taken her from the lab. With everyone out of the house, now was probably the time to try and find it. Warrick moved slowly back into the house, down the hallway and toward the room they shared. His gaze slid around the room. Now all he had to do was try to think like a woman and figure out where the hell she would’ve hidden it. First off. The bedroom. He started with searching drawers, beneath the bed and mattress, the windowsill. And came up with nothing. Once he was fairly certain it wasn’t in the actual bedroom, he turned his attention to the master bathroom. The shower—not like he’d expected to find much in there—yielded nothing but soap, shampoo and conditioner. He moved to the counter, checking all the little nooks and crannies above and below. Nothing. On to the drawers. And if he didn’t find anything in there, chances were she still had it on her. He opened the first drawer, spotted the box of bandages and rummaged through it. Nothing but the bandages. He repeated the process, searching any and all containers, until he came to one. Warrick stilled and the back of his neck prickled with intuition. It was in there. His nose wrinkled and he slowly shook his head. Box of feminine products? If it was anywhere in this room this is where it was. Sienna would’ve assumed he’d be too grossed out to check.

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Turning the box upside down, he emptied the contents. A bunch of tampons hit the counter, before the thunk of something hard hitting the linoleum. Warrick’s pulse jumped as he searched through the pile. A moment later he plucked free a small black jump drive. He curled his fingers around it and shook his head. Son of a bitch. How much information was on here? And why—for fuck’s sake, why—had she kept this hidden from him. From him. He’d saved her life. His blood pounded a bit faster and his throat tightened. But not enough to stop the low, raw growl that ripped from his throat, filled with anger and frustration. With the jump drive clenched in his hand, he turned and left the bathroom, heading into the living room where the desk with the computer sat. Three minutes later he stared in growing dismay and rage at the screen before him. At what appeared to be a detailed description of exactly what the shifters had been given, some kind of scientific jargon and breakdown that may as well have been in hieroglyphics. Not only that, but there were details on when the drugs had been administered, and the purpose behind the experiments. To find “a cure” for shifting. To forever stop a shifter’s ability to change. And there were pictures. Lots of pictures of the shifters before the injections and after. There were still shots of all the shifters, including of Agent Grace Masterson, curled up on her side and naked, her thighs red and bruised, likely from injections. Warrick’s rage grew. There were a few videos, but Warrick knew he didn’t have time to watch them all. Some were over thirty minutes.

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Son of a bitch. It was right here. Everything they’d needed to know was right here. Sienna had deliberately withheld this information from them. He shoved back the chair he’d sat in, not bothering to pick it up as it clattered to the ground. “What’s going on?” Quinton’s sharp voice cut through the silence and Warrick turned to face him. “You were right. She was hiding something. And it’s all there on the screen. I found a jump drive.” “The hell you say,” Quinton muttered and crossed the floor in a blur of motion, leaning forward to read the screen. “I do believe we hit gold. Where is Sienna?” “With Hilliard. I’ll get them.” And God help Sienna when he found her. He’d killed a shifter—a shifter they potentially could’ve saved days ago had he known about this information. Quinton waved his hand distractedly, not removing his gaze from the screen. “Do that. I’ll call Larson and Rafferty to let them know.” Warrick was already out the door. Shedding his clothes in record time, before leaping from the porch, shifting midair. He tore off into the woods. Each slap of his paws against the earth heightened his fury. The beast was out and it was pissed. Sienna’s betrayal swirled in his head in rapid fire, making his gaze red as he followed her and Hilliard’s scent. It led deeper into the woods, until the trail was almost dark from the canopy of trees. He heard them before he saw them. Talking softly, amusement in their tones.

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They came into view. Sienna’s back was to Warrick and Hilliard had his arm around her. All thoughts of the jump drive slipped to the background of his mind. What the hell was going on here? Warrick slowed his pace, a low growl of warning building in his throat. The hairs on his body stood up as he made his approach. Tension coiled through every one of Warrick’s muscles and he froze in disbelief. Get the hell away from her, you bastard. He knew Hilliard could sense him. And sure enough, the other man glanced back just as Sienna kissed him on the cheek. Warrick didn’t hesitate. Didn’t even begin to question his actions. His next thoughts were just to kill. With a savage roar, he attacked. Sienna shoved Hilliard off her—scared shitless by the savagery of the wolf that had come out of nowhere. Oh dear God in heaven. It was Warrick. She stumbled back from the tree, tripping over the uneven ground and falling onto her butt. Her fingers clawed into the hard dirt as she tried to scramble farther away. But he wasn’t after her. Hilliard had somehow shifted in record time into a gray wolf, his clothes in shredded fragments on the ground. And he met Warrick head on. They circled each other, growling, jaws snapping. Sienna had seen Warrick shift this afternoon, but he hadn’t been this savage. This terrifying. Every hair on his body stood up, his blue eyes screaming the need to destroy. His jaws were open wide as he snarled, flashing two long canines that looked all too capable of tearing Hilliard to pieces.

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Her heart slammed against her rib cage and a shrill scream ripped from her throat as they suddenly lunged at each other. Fur flew and the snarls escalated. Oh God, they were going to kill each other! Sienna shoved herself upright and moved toward them. Not stupid enough to get into the fray, but needing to get their attention. “Stop!” she shrieked. “Warrick, stop it!” They ignored her or maybe just didn’t hear her. But they continued to slash and bite, rolling around trying to prove dominance. No, no, no. She had to stop this. Now. A sob escaped her lips as she searched for some kind of weapon. She found a small branch that had fallen from the tree and grabbed it. Hoisting it above her head she turned and moved closer to the wolves. With a grunt she swung it downward close to them—not hitting them, but near enough to make them jump apart in surprise. “Enough,” she screamed frantically. “Shift back to human. Talk this shit out.” Both the wolves stared at her, the wildness still in their eyes. Or no, Hilliard didn’t look nearly as crazed as Warrick. If anything he looked damned amused. But amazingly enough, Hilliard shifted. And Sienna’s face flamed as she averted her eyes from his naked body. She turned her attention back to Warrick, but found him still in wolf form, still staring at Hilliard as if he were ready to kill him. “Warrick,” she pleaded. For a moment there was no response. Then Warrick let out another growl that morphed into a human snarl as he shifted. Sienna’s knees almost collapsed as relief seared through her. “Thank you—” “Get the fuck out of here.”

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She reared back in shock, until she realized Warrick’s harsh words hadn’t been intended for her. His attention was only on Agent Hilliard. “Well, don’t mind if I do. I could use a break,” Hilliard drawled and picked up his shredded clothes from the ground. With a wide smile he strode past them and back up the trail. The silence that swallowed up the space between them made the hairs on the back of her neck lift and her heart quicken to double time. She cleared her throat in an attempt to calm her nerves. “Thank you—” The trunk of the tree hitting her back cut off her words and sucked the air from her lungs. Warrick’s palms slammed down above her head and his face hovered just above hers. Fury darkened his eyes to a stormy grey. “You let him touch you.” “W-what?” “His arm was around you,” he accused, his voice holding a tinge of the wildness of the wolf he’d just shifted from. “You kissed him.” “What?” She shook her head and swallowed hard. “No. It was a kiss on the cheek, I didn’t—” “You shouldn’t have touched him!” His roar echoed in the woods and sent birds scattering. Sienna’s heart was going so fast she had no doubt he could hear it. That he could sense her fear and maybe was even feeding on it. Which was wrong. So completely wrong. Her wall of fear and unease began to crack, making enough space to let in a bit of anger and frustration of her own. “Why not? Why shouldn’t I kiss him, Warrick?” she challenged recklessly. “You’ve flat-out told me we can never be mated. So you have no right—no damn right—to say another man can’t touch me.” Gaining more indignation and confidence, she ignored the warning glint that flared in Warrick’s eyes and

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slapped her hand against his bare chest. “I can kiss, or even sleep with, anybody I choose. And there’s not a damn thing you can say or do about it. Got it?” “What I got, baby, is you,” he muttered with savage intensity and caught her wrists, pinning them above her head against the tree. “And you are mine.” His lips crushed down on hers, splintering her indignation into a thousand little pieces and bombarding her senses with hot need. But she managed to hold on to the tiniest shred of sanity and struggled against his hold—determined to call him on his hypocrisy. How dare he go all kinds of possessive on her? After telling her they could never be together, suddenly he wanted to stake his claim? But he didn’t let her go. Warrick’s grip on her wrists tightened and his naked body ground into her, keeping her firmly wedged between his body and the tree. No. No way. Not like this. Sienna tried to turn her head, but his mouth followed. Her muffled cry of frustration was swallowed by his kiss. His tongue made a swift invasion into her mouth, seeking to conquer and demand her submission. The thick length of his arousal pressed into her stomach, a hard and sensual reminder of his desire for her. And as much as she wanted to fight it, Sienna’s body stirred in response. She softened against him, her bones turning to liquid as a heavy ache bloomed between her legs. She tried to shake her head, to mutter a protest against his mouth, but it came out as a husky moan and instead her lips moved against his in a fervent response. Warrick’s growl of triumph didn’t escape her, but she was too far gone to care. She wanted him. Wanted this.

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His free hand was everywhere and nowhere at once. Skimming down her rib cage, the dent of her waist and over the flare of her hip, before making a torturous journey back up. The trail of his fingers left tingles and heat in its path. Sienna curled her tongue around his, sucking and teasing, addicted to the taste of him and the mindless pleasure being with him like this evoked. The possessive growl he made vibrated in the kiss and his hand that pinned her wrists above her head tightened. Oh God, she needed him. Needed him touching her with his hands and mouth. Everywhere. The urge was a fever in her blood that couldn’t be tamed. Warrick’s mouth slid from hers and down to her neck, his tongue flicking over the rapidly beating pulse. Sienna squirmed against him, a plea for more, flirting on her lips, but she held back. Refusing to go so far as to beg. When he closed his lips over the curve between her neck and shoulder an arrow of pleasure shot straight down her body to between her legs. She moved her feet restlessly, her flip-flops digging into the hard dirt as she moved to her tiptoes. Warrick moved his hand in a return trip back down to her hip, but didn’t stop there. He moved farther, down her thigh and to the edge of the gray cotton shorts she wore. Her pulse jumped when he slipped his fingers beneath the hem of the leg, before moving upward with a purpose. “Oh God,” she choked out as he brushed the core of her through her panties. He exhaled in a huge rush of air against her neck and grazed her flesh with his teeth, before working his fingers under her panties to find her bare flesh. “Who do you belong to, Sienna?” His harsh question had her shaking her head in confusion. “No one. I belong to no one.”

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“Wrong answer.” He traced her folds, dipping into the crease of her just enough to drive her mad. He teased and tortured with his featherlight touch, until she whimpered. “Please,” she whispered. Warrick laughed huskily as he slid a finger deeper inside her. Sienna came apart immediately. Her body already strung so tight and on the edge. She clenched around him and a sob of pleasure fled her lips as she trembled through the powerful release. “Who do you belong to, Sienna?” You. It would always be Warrick. Her eyes filled with tears as she stopped trying to fight the inevitable. Even as she hated him for making her admit it aloud. “You,” she whispered. “I’m yours, Warrick.” Triumph slammed through Warrick as he buried his mouth against Sienna’s neck. He penetrated her faster, harder. His cock jerked, hardening further at the way her body squeezed his finger like she wanted to break it off. She was his. Maybe he didn’t deserve to hear the words but, dammit, he needed them. The blood pounded through his veins in a rhythm of need and desire. So fierce it consumed his every thought and left no room for rationale. Warrick tightened his fingers around her wrists. It wasn’t that he thought she’d fight him again—the cream on his finger and the husky cries coming from her throat proved otherwise. But he liked seeing her like this. Spread out like a feast for him alone, submissive and begging. Mine.

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He slid his finger up through the warm, moist folds of her sex until he found the tiny kernel of flesh he was looking for. When he rubbed her clit Sienna jerked against him and let out a hoarse cry. He teased and pinched, listening to her mounting pleasure and waiting for her to come again. His hips ground against hers. He would take her soon. Before he lost it and came all over her stomach. A rational part of his brain managed to sneak in a thought that maybe it would be better that way. But he pushed it aside. No. He wanted everything. To be balls-deep in Sienna and hear her scream his name. Feel her nails dragging down his back. He rubbed her clit faster, felt her body growing creamier in response, and knew she was close. Closing his fingers around the tiny, hard flesh, he squeezed, and was rewarded when she again flew over the edge. With her body still trembling, and moans of pleasure spilling into the air, he tugged the shorts and panties from her body. He released her wrists so he could grab her ass and lift her. Sienna’s legs wrapped around his waist and her hands plunged into his hair. There was no hesitation this time. With another roar of possessiveness, Warrick flexed his hips and surged up into her body. “You belong to me, Sienna.” With a roar that lifted into the canopy of trees, Warrick let go of his restraint and pounded up into her. Moving harder and faster in a rhythm that grew closer to appeasing the animal within him. He buried his face against her neck again. Mine. Mine. Mine. The chant echoed in his head with each thrust. Coincided with her gasps of pleasure and the way she met each hard thrust. Her scent, the feel of her body, consumed him. Until nothing mattered but claiming her in the physical and literal sense.

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This time when his canines slid down, he didn’t try to hide them. He let the sharpness of his teeth scrape against her silky flesh and heard her whimper of surprise. His pleasure grew, expanding in his head, narrowing his line of vision until his thighs tightened and he knew he was about to come. Mine. He didn’t hesitate, but closed his teeth over her skin. Biting. Marking. Claiming. Sienna screamed, her nails raking down his back as the walls of her sex hugged his cock and spasmed as she came. He was right there with her, releasing himself again and again inside her, until he was physically and emotionally spent. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers, waiting for the frantic beating of his heart to slow and the ability to form a thought to return. And when it did reality slammed into him like a semi. Warrick opened his eyes and stared beyond her into the forest—seeing nothing but his career, his life within the shifter community, coming to an end.

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Chapter Fifteen

Sienna pulled back and glanced at him, making a sweet little nervous laugh that had his gut clenching. “Wow. That was…intense,” she murmured and touched her neck. “But…I liked it.” He dropped his gaze to the red marks on her neck. The bite wasn’t deep enough to draw blood, and it would soon fade. But its connotation wouldn’t. He’d just claimed Sienna as his mate. And she didn’t even have a clue. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Warrick lowered Sienna back to the ground and stepped away from her, not trusting himself to say anything. He didn’t want to think about why he’d done it or if there’d be regrets later. Right now it was just easier to be a little numb. “Warrick? What’s wrong?” He shook his head and thrust an unsteady hand through his hair. Not ready to answer her yet. He needed a distraction. To think about something else besides his life going down the drain. There’d been a reason he’d come out here in the first place. Before he’d seen her with Agent Hilliard and gone blind with jealousy. Of course… “The jump drive,” he accused. “Why didn’t you tell me about it?” The concern fled from her face, replaced quickly with shock. Then fear. Her head moved from side to side in denial, before she turned away from him and fumbled around for her clothes.

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“You found it? When?” She tugged on her shirt and spun to face him, her mouth trembling. “Where is it now?” Unable to tear his gaze away from the red marks on her neck, he replied flatly, “Quinton has it.” “Oh my God. You didn’t. You didn’t! This can’t be happening.” Spinning away again she found her panties and shorts, offering him a seductive glance at her naked ass before she tugged those on too. Then she spun around, stormed toward him, and slammed her palm against his chest. “Are you absolutely insane?” Warrick blinked, some of the numbness fading as the big picture swam back into focus. Something that had nothing to do with his claiming Sienna as his mate, and everything to do with the lives at risk. Her rage flew at him in waves, making his own vat of hot anger simmer hot and volatile inside him. “I can’t believe you would do this, Warrick. After I told you I didn’t trust him.” When she went to slap his chest again, he caught her wrist and jerked her against him. “You can’t believe what I’ve done? Dammit, Sienna. You lied. Again.” “I couldn’t tell you about the jump drive—you know that.” “The hell you couldn’t.” Why the hell had he even bothered to protect her? She’d dug herself a nice, deep grave. And he knew what would happen next. They’d go back to the safe house and the agents would discuss doing a memory wipe on Sienna. Who knew if they would actually do it. The chances seemed slim, being that she was Kevin Peters’s daughter. Warrick’s throat tightened and a chill swept through him at his next thought. Maybe it might be a good thing for them both if she was wiped. It would be like

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his claiming her had never even happened. The marks would fade. Only he would know. You’re a fucking bastard for even thinking this. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He’d be able to keep his career and stay in the community, which was all he’d ever wanted, right? He’d never planned to take a mate. Had never needed a woman longer than a few nights. Until in one moment of jealousy—because that’s the only way he could rationalize what he’d done— he’d claimed Sienna. Had taken her innocence and claimed her as his own. He wouldn’t push for her memory to be wiped. But if the final decision was to do it, then he wouldn’t fight it either. Sienna shook her head, her eyes narrowing, and for one second he was sure she could read his thoughts and his stomach heaved. “I’m going to go back to the house, take a shower, and then I’m out of here,” she said warily. “You have the jump drive, there’s no reason to keep me anymore, Warrick.” “Hang on a minute. Answer me something first. You had all the information on that drive all this time. Right down to the chemical components that they’d been given. Why didn’t you try to develop an antidote?” She shook her head and tried to pull away, but he tightened his arm. “Don’t walk away from me, dammit! You went to school for this, Sienna, you’re a biochemist. Why didn’t you help them?” “Because I’m not my father!” she shouted, frustration and humiliation in her eyes now. “This is way above me. If I could’ve helped them, for God’s sake, don’t you think I would have? I went to school to follow in my dad’s footsteps, because I’m fascinated by what he does. And everybody expects me to be the same fucking brilliant chemist, because I’m his daughter. Well I’m not. I’m just an average mind who could barely make the Dean’s list.”

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Sympathy pricked in his gut, because he knew she was comparing herself to her father and coming up short. And Sienna was a damned smart woman— barely made the Dean’s list, his ass. But she was right. She wasn’t her dad. Her father was the kind of brilliant scientist whose name got flung around with other heavy hitters in the scientific field—some who were long since dead. “You’re not stupid, Sienna.” “Well, I’m not smart enough to crack this, Warrick. I didn’t have much time, but I tried. Molecular biology was never my strong suit.” “Then you should have been honest with us, Sienna.” He shook his head and released her wrist. “You shouldn’t have hidden this. This is bigger than some little irrational fear you have.” “That irrational fear was what got Leo killed,” she argued and made a great show of rubbing her arm. “So congratulations. You’ve likely just put that jump drive into the hands of someone who will betray your kind.” “Quinton would never do that.” “How can you even be so sure? And maybe it’s not Quinton. It could even be you, Warrick.” The hell she made such an asinine statement. This was the second time she’d implied she didn’t trust him. He wanted to grab her again, kiss the hell out of her until she took it back. She was his mate now, surely something inside her should sense it. But he knew he needed to keep his emotions under control. He was a fucking P.I.A. agent and it was time he started acting like it. Pushing all emotion from his voice, he replied, “You don’t believe that for a minute.”

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Sienna stared at him, wanting to deny it. Wanting to hurl more accusations at him. But he was right. She didn’t believe it. This man was almost a part of her. He’d had no more a part of what had been done to those shifters than she had. “It doesn’t matter anymore.” The fight left her in a rush and her energy level plummeted. Already she was emotionally and physically exhausted from making love. Though she wondered if it could even be called that. It had been so rough and passionate, overwhelming her senses and inhibitions. Not that she’d had too many inhibitions to begin with. And afterward she’d been so full of amazement—her heart swollen with happiness. All she’d wanted was stay in Warrick’s arms. To be held and kissed. Not to mention ask him what had made him bite her. Maybe it was some seductive thing the shifters did. It had only hurt for a second before pleasure and light had radiated through her body. Warming her and swelling her heart with an emotion so close to love it scared the hell out of her. She hadn’t expected Warrick to shut down emotionally and slip right back into hard-ass-agent mode. But then, his intent in coming into the woods hadn’t been to make love to her anyway—obviously he’d been ready to confront her about the jump drive. Until he’d seen her with Agent Hilliard. He’d been so out of line. Why did he care so much if she got involved with someone else? Jeez, she’d only given the agent a grateful kiss on the cheek, it wasn’t like she’d been giving him a blowjob. Warrick had been so completely out of line. Out of his mind! Still, a part of her thrilled at the possessive, passionate response he’d had to seeing her with another man. Which was ridiculous. She didn’t want to feel like someone’s possession. She didn’t want to belong to anyone. Or don’t you?

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Sienna glanced up at Warrick through her lashes, trying to reconcile the hardened man staring down at her with the hot-blooded male who’d made love to her so passionately moments ago. He was so far buried beneath a cold, methodical exterior it was hard to believe they were one and the same. “What happens now?” she asked, trying to force her mind back to where it needed to be. “Have you been able to contact my father?” “Our attempts at reaching him have proven unsuccessful,” he replied flatly. “Really?” No. Dammit, where was he? Fear swelled in her belly and she shook her head. “This doesn’t make any sense. He’d never leave his phone this long.” “We’re bringing in other P.I.A. scientists to try and create an antidote—” “It’s not going to help.” “We have no choice but to try.” His harsh words rang out in the forest. “What would you have us do, Sienna? Let those shifters die? They’re already on the brink.” The lump of emotion thickened in her throat and she bit her lip. They could try, but they would probably hit the same wall she had. But it was useless to try and tell him that again. They’d discover it on their own. “And what happens with me? I can go, right?” Warrick pulled back. Physically and, she could sense, emotionally. His gaze was briefly troubled before it became unreadable. She knew that look by now. It wasn’t good news. “I can’t say for sure. But it’s time we head back to the house.” He turned away from her and started up the trail. The jerk just expected her to follow. Didn’t even consider the possibility that she’d run off back into the woods and try to escape the grimness of her future. She was of no use to them anymore. They’d already found the jump drive and

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there wasn’t much more she could tell them or that they hadn’t already discovered. She glanced back into the forest. She could run from Warrick, but what would be the point? He’d catch her. She knew that now. He was a shifter with heightened senses and abnormal abilities. She didn’t stand a chance in hell. Swallowing her resentment, she started after him. She tried really, really hard not to think about what happened next. Maybe she could still prove she was useful. Or maybe her dad would finally see his messages and call them back. “Keep up with me, Sienna.” Warrick’s sharp command cut through her thoughts. “I’m coming already,” she muttered and quickened her stride. Because no matter how much she dragged her feet, it wouldn’t stop the inevitable.

Back in the bedroom. Naturally. Sienna paced the hardwood floor, hands curled into fists so she wouldn’t tug off the bedspread or start throwing things. Right now grabbing the lamp and hurling it at the wall sounded pretty damn good. The agents had been conjoined in the other room for about an hour now. Beyond discussing the contents of the jump drive, no doubt they were talking about her. Oh God. She may as well have just finished running a marathon with the way her pulse was pounding. Her throat hurt from holding back tears of frustration. For the last couple of hours she’d tried to think of something—anything—that would make her useful to them again.

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She’d toyed with the idea of lying and telling the agents that she knew who was behind the shifters’ captivity. But could she lie convincingly? Warrick would probably see right through her. Her gaze slid to the bed and the simple striped burgundy bedspread that covered it. Memories slammed through her head—images of Warrick and her. Of the first time he’d brought her pleasure and how she’d slept in his arms. The peace she’d found there. The completeness. She clung to the memories, mentally digging claws into them and clinging possessively. Frantic at the idea that they could be stripped from her mind against her will. The sudden silence struck her immediately and she held her breath, her gaze sliding to the door. They were done talking? Sure enough, footsteps sounded in the hall a moment later. Each step made her flinch and she still didn’t draw in a breath as she waited. Her chest tightened and she grew light-headed as she watched the door handle turn and the door open slowly. Warrick stepped in. She knew it was him without looking at his face. His physique she could recognize blindfolded and by touch alone. But the broad shoulders, ripped chest and tapered waist were easily distinguishable beneath his black T-shirt. She lifted her gaze slowly, up his neck, then lingering on a mouth that could be so patient and exquisitely torturous in giving pleasure. Her own mouth trembled as she finally lifted her gaze all the way up to meet his. A ragged sob ripped from her throat, part a gasp for air, but mostly a denial to the blatant shock and remorse that was in his eyes. An expression that told her all she needed to know. “I’m sorry, Sienna.”

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“No.” Her head whipped from side to side, the word no spilling from her lips again and again in a furious mantra. She wasn’t aware of retreating until the backs of her knees hit the bed. Warrick’s mouth tightened and he strode across the room toward her. Panic and terror assailed her at once and she shrieked, climbing onto the bed in an effort to escape. Even though there really was no escape, but every part of her fought the obvious. Because she had to fight back. Or everything— everything—that had happened recently would be wiped from her mind. Including making love to Warrick. More agents rushed into the room, ready to restrain her, and Sienna’s screams turned shrill. Someone grabbed her around the waist, jerking her down from the bed. Oh God, and it was going to happen now. Now! Not even a few hours to get used to the idea. To have one last talk with Warrick. She kicked and hit, blind in her need to free herself and stop the inevitable. The agent who held her around the waist pinned her arms to her side while another agent grabbed her legs. She tried to fight, but was rendered almost immobile by their grip as they moved her toward the door. Her stomach roiled so hard she thought for a moment she might vomit. She twisted her head, searching out Warrick. “Don’t do this! Please, don’t let them do this!” His lips compressed together, almost trembling as guilt and pain swept across his face. “Sienna…” “Please!” she screamed, tears rolling down her face, hysteria taking over. “I don’t want to forget. I don’t want to forget!” The agents carried her out of the room and she screamed louder. The sounds guttural, almost animal-like, and raw. The metallic taste of blood flitted across

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her tongue—shocking her a bit out of hysteria and sharply reminding her that she needed to try and manipulate her way out of this. “Please,” she begged hoarsely, tilting her head back to stare up at the agent who held her arms. Quinton. “I can tell you more. I do know who was holding the shifters.” His gaze narrowed, but there was no mistaking the pity there. “We both know you don’t, Sienna. It’s too late now.” “No. It can’t be. Oh God, please!” But it was. A wood chair had been placed in the middle of the living room, with what looked like Velcro straps hanging from it. It looked like some primitive, backwoods version of an electric chair. An icy shiver skated down her spine and the contents of her stomach ricocheted around like crazy. “Come on, Sienna,” the voice of the man holding her legs cajoled. She recognized him after a moment as Rafferty. “Don’t go out this way. Some things are better not remembering. Just think of it like being at a frat party where you drank too much and blacked out.” “I’ve never been drunk, asshole!” “Shut it, Rafferty,” Hilliard said tersely. “That was a piss-poor attempt at humor.” He stood across the room next to Warrick, watching in silence until now. His arms were folded across his massive chest, but his gaze held sympathy. Disappointment. She could see the apology plainly in his eyes. Hilliard felt sorry for her, but he wouldn’t stop it. None of the agents would. Not even the man she suspected she was in love with. Quinton and Rafferty forced her into the chair, igniting another round of absolute panic. She thrashed and kicked at the two men, but was no match as they deftly strapped her into the chair.

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The headphones she’d seen on the police officer were slipped over her head, with cold metal triangles that pressed against her temples. It was going to happen. Oh dear God in heaven, it was really going to happen. Her whole body started to tingle, feel light. Tears burned behind her eyes and her throat tightened. Rafferty stepped away to stand next to Warrick, and soon it was just Quinton who held the remote that would activate her memory wipe. “Quinton, please.” She knew it was hopeless, but the words slipped out anyway. Resigned, weary as she met his gaze solidly. Quinton opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. His gaze slid down to her neck, before jumping back up to her eyes. He stared at her long and hard, but she got the feeling it wasn’t her he was seeing. The color slowly leached from his face and his hands that gripped the remote began to tremble. Suddenly he shook his head and thrust the remote into Rafferty’s hands, before stepping back. “You get to do this one,” he muttered, his gaze averted from the other agents. Rafferty stepped forward, no longer smirking with amusement, but suitably somber now. Resignation took over, killing any shred of hope that remained, and leaving a heaviness that invaded every muscle in her body. The ache in her heart grew, consumed her. Sienna’s gaze slid to Warrick and she saw the frustration and pain flickering in his eyes. I’ll never forget what happened between us. What you mean to me. It was a promise she had no control over. A vow that she knew had basically no chance of being kept.

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Even though she hadn’t said the words aloud, Warrick seemed to hear them. His face suddenly contorted and he lurched forward with a roar. But the agents flanking him must have expected it, because they grabbed his arms and hauled him back. Restrained him from reaching her. “Dammit, let her go,” Warrick shouted fiercely, struggling against the two agents. “She won’t breathe a word about what’s happened or the shifters. I’ll make sure of it.” “And so will we.” Rafferty gave a soft sigh and shook his head. “I guess we should just get this over with.” Memories raced through her head at light speed, slamming into her in a blur of color and action. The discovery of the shifters. The last few days in the safe house. Making love to Warrick. And they would all be gone in seconds. “And here we go,” Rafferty muttered. “For the record, it was nice getting to know you, Sienna.” She couldn’t even muster a bitter laugh in response. She was too frozen with a mix of horror and helplessness. Sienna watched in slow motion as Rafferty’s finger descended toward the black button on the remote. A small humming began and a tingle started at her temples where the triangles touched. One last time, Sienna jerked her gaze back to Warrick. Her last conscious thought would be of him. It was the only thing she could control right now. Their gazes locked. Held. His face twisted again with rage and his muscles flexed. “Goddammit, no!” Warrick roared, flinging Quinton and Hilliard off him and to the ground as if they were rag dolls. Sienna watched him charge toward her, heart in her throat. Everything grew fuzzy. Her mind seemed to be swirling into some kind of vertical funnel cloud toward a black abyss.

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If it hadn’t been for the sharp, sudden pain slicing through her cheek, she might not have noticed the window behind the agents exploding in a hail of glass and gunfire.

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Shit! Warrick launched himself the last few feet, tackling the chair Sienna was strapped to and knocking them both to the ground. The headpiece slipped from her head as he spun her away from the window, making sure her body wasn’t exposed to whomever outside was attacking them. “What the fuck is going on?” Rafferty screamed, reaching for his weapon. “The hell if I know.” Quinton already had his gun out and was crouched against the wall next to the blown-out window. “Return fire, agents. Donovan, get Sienna the hell out of here.” As if he needed fucking permission, Warrick thought savagely as he ripped the straps free from Sienna’s body. Bullets pinged around them, shattering lamps and making deceptively safesounding, muffled noises as they pierced the cushions on the couch. Sienna fell free from the chair, her body almost a dead weight and her eyes half closed. Son of a bitch, had the memory wipe gone through? Blood trickled down her cheek where it looked like a piece of glass from the window was still embedded. Grinding his teeth together, knowing there wasn’t time to consider the possibility, he slid his hands beneath her armpits and, staying low, dragged her across the living room floor and into the hallway. The sound of gunfire was still prominent, but the immediate danger seemed to be diminished. He sat down on the floor and pulled Sienna’s head into his lap.

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He removed the tiny shrapnel from her cheek and immediately blood spilled heavier from the wound. Gathering his T-shirt hem, he pressed it against her skin to stop the blood flow. “Sienna, baby, look at me.” Her lashes fluttered and all he saw was the whites of her eyes for a moment. But then she made a murmur of pain, before she seemed to slip into alertness. “Warrick?” Her brows drew together, shock flaring in her gaze as if she were just seeing him for the first time in years. His gut twisted and sharp pain knifed through his heart. No. Oh God. He’d been too late. Everything that had happened between them was gone now. She’d never remember the shifters. What he was. Remember how he’d made love to her—taken her innocence. Everything from the past few days was gone. The memory wipe had taken. “I can’t believe it.” She shook her head and lurched upward, flinging her arms around his neck. “Thank God. Oh thank God! I was so scared they’d make me forget you.” Dismay rushed through him, followed swiftly by relief. She remembered. Warrick inhaled raggedly as he wrapped his arms around her. Oh thank God she remembered! He could feel and hear the furious beating of her heart as she clung to him. She hadn’t been wiped. By the grace of God—and an unplanned assault—he’d somehow gotten to her in time. “Did I see that right? Is someone shooting at us?” Her voice trembled. “You saw it right.” He brushed the trickle of blood from her cheek and his mouth tightened. “We’re under attack.” “By whom? Why?”

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“Damn good question. But I’ll bet the answer has to do with your former employer,” he muttered thickly. And if any of the agents ended up dead from this little attack, someone was going to pay fucking dearly. “I need to go out there and help the other agents, baby. Will you be okay?” Sienna bit her lip, fear momentarily flashing in her eyes, before she gave a small nod. “I’ll be fine. Go.” Torn between wanting to stay and protect her and the need to kick some serious ass, Warrick gave a swift nod. He set her aside gently and reached for the gun that was strapped to his ankle. “Stay in the hall. Don’t move a muscle until I tell you to come out. And you scream bloody murder if anyone comes in through a window.” Her eyes widened but again she gave a small nod. Warrick started down the hall, then stilled. Turning around, he strode over to her and crouched down. Cupping her face, he crushed his lips against hers in a hard, searing kiss. When he lifted his head a moment later, her eyes were closed as she was breathing heavily. “I couldn’t let you forget, Sienna. I refused to let you.” Then he straightened and jogged back out to the living room. The gunfire hadn’t lessened, and Hilliard was returning fire from his spot near the window. Rafferty was nowhere to be seen, and Larson apparently hadn’t come back since this morning when Quinton had sent him out on an errand. “Where’s Sienna at?” Quinton asked as Warrick crouched down beside him behind an overturned table. “In the hallway. Told her to stay there and scream if anyone comes her way.”

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“Good. She should be safe there.” Quinton nodded and slapped a reloaded magazine clip into his Glock. “Rafferty shifted and took off outside to hunt down the shooters. This mess should be over in a few minutes.” Warrick nodded and hardened his jaw. “I won’t let you wipe her memory, Quinton.” Quinton stilled, a ghost of a smile flitting across his face. “When the smoke clears, I want you to get Sienna the hell out of here.” Warrick’s pulse jumped and he drew in a sharp breath. “So you agree with me?” “I didn’t say I agreed with you, Agent Donovan. I said get her the hell out of here.” Interesting. Not really an answer to his question. Warrick narrowed his eyes, but wasn’t about to argue. “You got some place in mind where you want me to take her?” “Head to Boston. Find her dad. She was right, he’s the only man capable of breaking this damn drug they’ve been given.” Quinton glanced over his shoulder toward the window where the gunfire had ceased. “I’ve got samples of the ferals’ blood in the fridge. Bring it on ice. Take the jump drive with you.” “Any chance we can get a P.I.A. plane to fly us out?” “I’ll arrange it.” “I think we’re clear,” Hilliard called out cheerfully. “Rafferty must’ve caught up with the bastards. Hope he ripped their fucking hearts out while he was at it.” Warrick waited a few minutes, his training too engraved to jump up and throw himself into the line of fire before it was guaranteed to be safe. The front door burst open and all agents swung the barrels of their guns at the figure who then strode in.

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“Easy, boys.” Rafferty raised his hands in surrender and grinned. “We’re good. They’re gone, whoever they were.” “They’re gone?” Quinton snarled, holstering his gun and rising to his feet. “How the hell did they escape?” “There were three of them. They started shooting at me when they realized I was there. But they didn’t get away unscathed. I took out a good chunk of one guy’s calf.” “Did you recognize anyone?” Hilliard asked, lowering his gun. Rafferty shoved his hand into pants that he’d obviously put back on outside and shrugged. “I don’t have a damn clue who those ass-clowns were.” “Was anyone hurt?” Warrick cursed and glanced—along with everyone else—at Sienna, who stood at the end of the hallway. “Doesn’t look like it,” Agent Hilliard replied. “Looks like you got cut one helluva break, missy.” Rafferty looked sharply at Quinton. “The memory wipe didn’t take?” “Apparently not,” he drawled. “Want me to hook her back up? We should still follow through with the orders from HQ.” Sienna was across the floor in an instant, sidling up to Warrick and gripping his arm. He knew she was thinking of what he’d said in the hallway. And he still meant it. He would go down fighting before he let them try a memory wipe again. She was his mate, and he’d spent so long worrying about what that meant, that he’d almost lost her. When he’d marked her he’d made a choice, conscious or not, and he would live with the result. Sienna was his to protect. And dammit, from this point out he’d do a helluva better job.

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“We’re going to hold off on any memory wipe for now.” Quinton averted his gaze from the agents as he picked up large fragments of a broken lamp. “In case you haven’t realized it, boys, our safe house has been compromised. We probably should’ve relocated yesterday after that officer wandered onto the property.” No shit. Warrick slid an arm protectively around Sienna’s waist and she leaned into him immediately. “Looks like that officer showing up here was no coincidence and someone likely sent him,” Quinton continued. “The same someone who just shot up the house.” “I’d like to know who in the hell blew our location,” Agent Hilliard muttered, joining Quinton in his cleanup. So did Warrick. An officer showing up had the slight chance of being a coincidence, but an ambush couldn’t be as easily dismissed. Quinton shook his head. “Doesn’t matter now, boys. What matters is that we get the hell out of here within the next hour, before they come back with help to finish what they started. Sun’s gone down and pretty soon we’ll have the cover of darkness to aid in our escape.” “Where’s our rendezvous point?” Hilliard asked. Quinton glanced at Warrick. “Boston.” Warrick stilled, but was careful not to show his surprise. So Quinton wasn’t just sending him and Sienna alone, but all the agents as well. “What the hell’s in Boston?” Rafferty muttered. Hilliard grunted. “We going to the P.I.A. office there?” “My father?” Sienna asked hopefully. There was a moment’s silence as Quinton looked at Sienna. “Yeah. Your father.”

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Warrick could sense her relief by the hot puff of air she exhaled against his neck, and the way her body seemed to go weak against his. “I’m going to contact HQ and have them set up a direct flight tomorrow morning,” Quinton began. “But for tonight, there’s another safe house not far from the airfield. We need to move everyone, including the ferals, over there. It’s not going to be as nice a place, and there’s going to be a helluva lot less room.” He turned to Rafferty. “Call Larson, he’s off following up on the officer we wiped, and let him know what’s up.” “I’m on it.” Rafferty plucked his cell from his black jeans and strode out of the room. Quinton turned back to Sienna and Warrick. “Get ready. We’re leaving within the hour.”

“The hit on the safe house failed.” Robert ducked just in time to avoid getting hit by the marble paperweight. Instead it crashed into the wall of her office behind him, leaving a sizeable dent. Damn. Jocelyn swallowed her bitter disappointment that the object hadn’t hit him in the head. Was it possible to find a less capable man? “We tried, my love,” he sputtered, folding his hands in front of his face as he scrambled toward the door, likely fearing another attack. “How could you fail!” she seethed, striding after him. “I wanted everyone dead except her. But there’s no one dead. Not one. How could you screw this up? We knew exactly where they were—even had the element of surprise.” Robert shook his head quickly. “These men—shifters—they move so much faster than us. They’re always one step ahead.”

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“First the police officer we tipped off came out saying they weren’t there— how the hell the P.I.A. pulled that off I’d love to know! And now this. You’re worthless! You and your little lackeys.” She fisted her hands and unfisted them, turning away from him to pace the floor. But not before she’d seen the flicker of hurt in her lover’s face. Irritation had her biting back a snarl. Robert knew better than to look at her to be a lover that coddled him. In the bedroom she often let him take charge, but when it came to business there was no question about who wore the pants. And he’d known exactly whom he’d taken into his bed three years ago when they’d jumped from business associates to lovers. And she wasn’t about to start playing nice right now—especially with what was at stake. Everything was spiraling out of control. Far too quickly. “Did you discover anything about our man inside the agency?” she asked tightly. “Did you see him at the safe house?” “At one point, yes, and he seems quite allied with the P.I.A.” Robert sighed. “Trust me, if we’d had a clear shot I would’ve taken him out myself.” “See that you do. I’m done with his bullshit. The bastard thinks he can take my money and run with the shifters. Let him die with the rest of his friends.” Footsteps sounded, before Robert’s hands descended onto her shoulders, attempting to rub the tension out of her tight muscles. Her thoughts slid away, back to the idea she’d had earlier. The one she knew was their biggest chance. It all centered around who Sienna’s father was, and just exactly how he might be of use in Jocelyn’s planned destruction of the shifters. God she hated them. Hated what they’d done so many years ago. It was said time healed all wounds, but time had only made hers fester. Bubble with a bitterness and desire for revenge. And she was so close. So very close. “We will find Sienna and hopefully even the jump drive,” Robert soothed.

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Any attempt at relaxing slipped away and her teeth smashed together. Jocelyn slid away from his impromptu massage and turned to face him. “You’re damn right we’ll find her. But we’re going to have to change plans. Again.”

Sienna swallowed the unshakeable sense of unease as she strode across the tarmac toward the small jet. The roaring of the engines made conversation impossible between her and the agents who flanked her. The tension between Warrick and Agent Hilliard wasn’t what it was yesterday, but it hadn’t completely disappeared. Which was ridiculous. So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours that it made their little fight in the woods seem like two little boys throwing a tantrum. She’d been hoping to have some alone time last night with Warrick, but once they’d arrived at the new safe house she’d been sent off to her own room. At first it had stung, but then she’d accepted that it was probably for the best because once her head had hit the mattress she’d passed out early and slept hard through the night. She’d woken to find that half the men had never even gone to sleep—and the other half were on their way to the airport. “Let me make sure it’s clear,” Hilliard yelled from in front of her, and climbed the stairs to board the jet. Sienna glanced through her lashes over at Warrick. His attention wasn’t on her though, but instead skated around the area as if seeking out any unseen dangers. Did they really think someone was hiding in the cabin of the plane or nearby, ready to attack? Though after yesterday, it seemed entirely possible.

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“All clear.” At Hilliard’s words she gripped the handle and started up the steps. She felt Warrick close behind her, and when her foot slipped his arm went around her waist to steady her. Her stomach did little somersaults and her pulse quickened. “You okay?” His concerned question caressed her ear with warm breath. “Fine. I’m fine.” She gave a jerky nod and continued up the rest of the steps. Agent Hilliard stood at the front of the plane and gestured for her to go inside. She gave him a brief smile as she stepped past him. She chose a seat in the first row, fastening herself in before glancing around. The seats were wide and spacious, with only a couple dozen rows or so on a plane that could’ve held a few times that many. It seemed almost ostentatious that the P.I.A. owned and operated a private jet. But then they likely invested in a plane for practicality more than lavishness. And the ability to keep the kind of organization that the P.I.A. was quiet probably took major money. Warrick sat down in the seat next to her and fastened himself in. “Sorry we didn’t have the chance to grab breakfast this morning. There should be something to snack on during the flight.” “I’m not hungry,” she murmured. Food was the last thing on her mind. Even though she’d slept well, the time she’d spent awake had been used to fret over why her dad wasn’t answering the phone and why Warrick hadn’t shared a room with her. Warrick sighed. “You need to eat something, Sienna. Jesus, I don’t think we even fed you dinner last night.” “She’s a grown woman, Donovan.” Hilliard grinned as he walked by them, down the aisle toward the back of the plane. “If she says she’s not hungry, let her be.”

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Oh shit. Sienna held her breath when Warrick’s fists clenched and his expression darkened. Those two really needed to call a truce. “How long do you think the flight will be?” she asked, hoping to distract him. Warrick grunted. “Five hours, maybe? I’m sure the pilot will give us the details soon enough.” She glanced out the window and over the runway, trying to figure out where they were exactly. It had to be a smaller airfield in Oregon, because this obviously wasn’t Portland International. “Where’s everybody else?” she asked. “The ferals are being loaded into the cargo area. Other agents will be boarding soon.” She nodded, twisting her fingers together. “You haven’t heard anything from my father yet, have you?” “Oh, damn. Yes.” Warrick grimaced. “Shit, Sienna. I meant to tell you this morning, but got caught up with things. He called us early this morning, before you were awake.” He’d called? Her father was fine? Relief slammed through her and Sienna collapsed back against the seat, letting out a shaky sigh. She hadn’t realized just how worried she was until Warrick had uttered those words. “Thank God. He’s okay then?” she whispered. “He’s doing good. Said he lost his cell phone for a couple of days.” Warrick shifted in his seat to glance at her. “He wants us to meet him at his house and then he’ll look at the information on the jump drive.” Sienna’s fingernails bit into the leather armrests. “So then you told him I have the jump drive?”

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“Of course. He’s caught up to speed on what’s going on.” Warrick’s mouth tightened. “But apparently he already spoke to you. You seemed to forget to mention the fact that you snuck in a phone call to him the night we arrived at the safe house.” Her cheeks flushed with guilt and she gave a small nod. “You’re right. I didn’t tell you. I didn’t know whom to trust, and I knew I needed his help…” “I wish you’d known you can always trust me, Sienna.” He caught her hand and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “Now more than ever.” Now more than ever? What exactly did he mean by that? Did he mean because they’d slept together? “And I suspect that the phone call you made to your dad,” he continued before she could ask what he’d meant, “is how whoever is looking for you figured out where you were. Where we all were. If they have your cell phone number and know someone who can get access to your records, they can trace the last tower your call bounced off of.” Sienna’s stomach clenched and she felt the blood drain from her face. She’d led them right to her and because of it they’d been attacked. Someone could’ve easily been killed. “I didn’t even think. I’m sorry…” She shook her head and groaned. “Who are these people?” “We’ve been digging around, seeing if it could be someone outside the laboratory. But all signs point to someone within.” Sienna frowned, the knot in her stomach growing bigger. “But it was so secretive. That building by all signs should’ve been abandoned. And Feloray Laboratories has a stellar reputation.”

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Warrick’s fingers brushed the tops of her knuckles in a soothing gesture. “It could be a rogue employee who discovered our existence. Knew about the abandoned building on the premises and decided to use it.” “Maybe.” But something still felt off about it. Sienna fidgeted with the moon charm on her bracelet and tried to think of who else could possibly have been behind the captivity of the shifters. “I’m amazed you still have that. That you wear it,” he said softly, and caught the moon charm between two long, calloused fingers. Her pulse skipped and she ran her tongue over her lip as she stared down at him holding the delicate charm. Now, knowing what Warrick was, she had to wonder if it had been his way of telling her what he was when he’d given it to her. Not that he was an outright werewolf—God, did those exist too?—but still, wolves often got associated with a full moon. Or did they? Maybe she was just looking for any reason to believe that in his own way Warrick had tried to tell her over the years. “Sienna,” he said softly. She lifted her gaze to his, but found his attention on her neck. To the place where he’d bitten her so erotically yesterday. The heat in his eyes mixed with a somberness that had her breath catching. The marks seemed to heat and throb under his scrutiny. Reaching out, he caught a handful of her hair in his hand and wove his fingers through the strands. Then, almost as if he were trying to cover the marks, he arranged it so her hair fell over her shoulder and curved just above her breasts.

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“Sienna,” he continued, his voice husky now. “There’s something you need to—” “All right, people.” Quinton jogged up the steps and stepped into the cabin. “We’re taking off in ten minutes. Shut up, buckle up, and enjoy the flight.” Damn the man and his timing. Sienna glared at Quinton, before trying to catch Warrick’s attention again, but he’d jerked away from her and stared straight ahead at the cockpit. When everyone had taken a seat and the plane taxied down the runway, she asked softly, “What were you going to tell me?” He gave a terse shake of his head. “Not right now.” She leaned back in the seat and gave a quiet sigh, disappointment sifting through her. Not likely later either.

The two black P.I.A.-issued vans moved down Interstate 93, staying close together as they made their way into Boston during rush hour. Warrick glanced up from the wheel of the van he drove, and checked his rearview to see the other one. Soon the van behind them would turn off the interstate and head toward a new safe house. And their van wouldn’t be far behind them, but first they had to pick up Sienna’s dad. His attention slipped from the road once more to cast another glance at Sienna. Even though the van was mostly empty, she sat in the far back, head leaning against the window. She’d finally fallen asleep. Which was a bit of a relief to him.

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She’d been quiet on the flight to the East Coast, and he knew she probably was itching to talk about a half dozen things at least. And he kept putting her off. Quinton was the only other rider with them in the van, so a quaint little heart-toheart wasn’t possible. Warrick’s jaw flexed as he forced his focus back to the road and the red glow of taillights in front of him. He’d made sure that last night they hadn’t slept together, had put her alone in a room and stayed the hell away. Mostly to let her get the rest she needed after such an emotional day, but also because he couldn’t trust himself with her now. Not that it really mattered anymore. A bitter laugh of disbelief built in his chest. Life as he knew it was gone. His career was done. His connection with the P.I.A. would be severed. All because he’d marked Sienna. He’d chosen her as a mate. Chosen being the key word. No one had forced him to. But there wasn’t enough time to reflect on his choice right now. Right now he needed to be tunnel-visioned on picking up Sienna’s father and getting the shifters the help they needed ASAP. “Does she know what you’ve done to her?” Warrick’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel at Quinton’s sudden, all-too-casual question. “She being Sienna? What exactly are you even referring to, Quinton?” “You know damn well what I’m referring to.” The edge that appeared in Quinton’s voice erased any doubt that the agent had seen the marks on Sienna’s neck. Shit. Sweat beaded cool on the back of Warrick’s neck as he cast another glance in the rearview. She hadn’t moved and her face was still relaxed from a deep sleep.

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“No.” Warrick finally shook his head. “She doesn’t know. And I don’t intend to tell her.” “Don’t you think she has the right to know?” “I think she has enough on her mind right now. Why throw something that heavy on her?” “Because it’s her future,” Quinton replied succinctly. “And letting the dust settle before I tell her won’t change that one bit.” “Unless you decide to push for her memory to be wiped.” The anger that exploded in Warrick clouded his vision in a haze of red, making him grip the wheel hard enough to nearly snap it in half. “I tried to stop the first one, why the hell would I let you do it again.” Quinton shrugged. “I can’t answer that. Only theorize that maybe now you’ve had time to really think about what’s on the line. Your career. Your place in the community. Maybe you’re having doubts.” “Now that’d make me a king-sized asshole, wouldn’t it?” Warrick snarled. But Quinton’s words coiled around him inside, gripping and holding on. Screaming there was a grain of truth to it. “Maybe. But it’d also make you human,” Quinton said quietly. “I’ll never be human.” He laughed bitterly and tried to shrug off the chill that slinked down his spine. Dammit. He couldn’t still be harboring thoughts of having Sienna wiped. Could he? “It’s all irrelevant.” He shook his head. “Just, please, don’t say anything to Sienna.” “A little late for that.”

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Warrick’s gaze snapped up to the rearview and his stomach dropped. Sienna still rested her head against the window, her body relaxed, but her eyes were wide and sparkling with fury. “And somebody better fill in all those gigantic potholes in your locker room conversation.” Her tone scalded as she finally lifted her head from the window. “What exactly did you do to me and how does it involve my future.” Next to him in the passenger seat, Quinton let out a hissing breath and cursed softly. “I’ll explain later, Sienna,” Warrick muttered, curling and uncurling his hands around the steering wheel. “No, dammit, you’ll explain now.” Her voice rose and he heard the telltale click of her seat belt coming undone. “Oh damn,” Quinton glanced over his shoulder. “Sienna, sit down. Warrick—” Warrick glanced in the rearview. Jesus, she was climbing toward the front of the van. He looked back at the road in time to see the red glare of taillights as the car in front of them slammed on the brakes. “Son of a bitch!” Warrick slammed his foot down on the brake and the van lurched to a stop. Sienna pitched forward, slamming into the back of Quinton’s seat with a groan. Hell, was she trying to kill herself? Warrick pulled the van to the side of the road, put it in Park and turned off the engine. His jaw clenched and his fury warred with concern as he saw Sienna rub her forehead. “Are you all right?” he asked, keeping his tone tempered. “Fine,” she muttered, and ran her tongue over her lip, frowning. Probably checking for blood.

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The second van that had been behind them slowed down as it passed, and Warrick waved them by irritably and shook his head. “Get back in your seat, Sienna,” Warrick ordered. “Or so help me God I will climb back there and—” “Shut it, Warrick. I’m not sitting down until I have answers. You.” Sienna grabbed Quinton’s shoulder and forced him to turn and look at her. “What’s Warrick not telling me?” Quinton didn’t say anything, but Warrick saw his gaze slip to Sienna’s neck. Shit. Sienna must’ve seen it too, because her hand fluttered up to the marks there. “This? It has something to do with where Warrick bit me, doesn’t it?” “Don’t answer that,” Warrick snarled. “Tell me, Quinton. It’s not just a harmless little love bite, is it?” Quinton shrugged her hand off and turned to meet Warrick’s gaze. Warrick’s gut clenched and he held his breath. Something flickered in the older agent’s eyes. Understanding. Sympathy. Warrick’s chest expanded with the hope that Quinton would keep his mouth shut. “No. They’re not just love bites,” he said instead. “Warrick claimed you as his mate.”

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His mate? Sienna reared back from Quinton and fell into the seat behind them. She shook her head numbly. When he’d bitten her, he’d claimed her? Made her his mate? “But that’s not possible,” she mumbled, her gaze sliding to Warrick. But his back was to her, and he was entirely too still. “You can only mate with another shifter.” “Shifters can mate with whomever the hell they want.” Quinton’s tone had bite. “But to mate with a human means he gives it all up. His career. His acceptance within the shifter community.” Sienna’s stomach roiled and nausea swept through her. She shook her head faster. “No. He wouldn’t do that. Warrick’s career means everything to him.” Quinton laughed, a harsh, grating sound, and stared at her neck again. “Obviously he did do that.” Oh God. Oh God, how had this happened? She stared at the back of Warrick’s head, silently begging him to say something. But he remained silent and eerily still. Warrick had given up everything for her? She was his mate. “It was an accident,” she blurted. “A heat-of-the-moment thing. I’m sure he didn’t realize.” “I am right here,” Warrick ground out. “You don’t need to talk as if I’m not.”

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“Usually happens that way, kid.” Quinton went on with a shrug, as if Warrick hadn’t spoken. “But a shifter doesn’t bite a woman unless he truly…wants to claim her as his own.” If she hadn’t been so distraught by being told Warrick was mated with her, she might’ve tried to figure out why Quinton’s voice had faltered on that last statement. Warrick had claimed her. The idea sent a rush of pleasure and rightness through her, but a frisson of dread too. Because although she was fairly certain she was in love with him, she knew Warrick didn’t want this. Didn’t reciprocate her feelings. He’d told her from the beginning they could never be mated. “And what if I don’t want to be mated to him?” she asked desperately, searching for some kind of loophole. “It’s not your choice,” Warrick finally spoke, his voice flat with resignation. “When you went to bed with a shifter you took that risk. The male always picks his mate.” Disbelief robbed her of the ability to respond right away. What a sexist, ridiculous rule. Sienna leaned back against the bench seat and glanced out the window, watching the late afternoon traffic crawling by them. “And the women just accept it? I don’t believe that for a moment,” she muttered. “That I have no choice in this. I could just walk away and—” “You would never do that. You’re emotionally and chemically bonded to him now, Sienna,” Quinton explained as if he were talking to a child. “What passed between you both when he marked you is like twenty times more potent than being in love. You’ll always need him. Want him. Love him. He’s your mate.”

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I don’t love him! She wanted to scream the words. They were on the tip of her tongue. But her mouth went dry and tears burned behind her lids. Her heart wouldn’t let her utter them. “Unless you wipe me?” she asked, the idea darting through her head and taking root. “Would I forget then?” “Yes.” “You don’t know that,” Warrick said, casting Quinton a sharp look. “Actually, I do.” His tone turned frigid and even though Sienna could only see his profile, she saw the emotion slip from his face and his mouth tighten in a clear indication that he wouldn’t be elaborating. “We don’t have time for this now.” Warrick sighed and started the engine again. “Please buckle up, Sienna. We need to get to your dad.” What was the point of resisting? Warrick had already pulled the van back into traffic, and she really didn’t want to risk her life by riding unbuckled in rush hour. “I’m not done discussing this,” she warned resolutely, while fastening her seat belt once more. Warrick grunted. “There’s nothing to discuss.” “Like hell there isn’t. Like you both said, this is my future too. And I don’t particularly take well to having it decided for me.” She slid her attention to Quinton, but found him quiet and seemingly off in his own little world as he stared out the windshield. Insensitive idiots. Both of them. Talking about her and her future, blithely assuming she was asleep and wouldn’t hear a damn word they said. But she’d heard. Heard exactly how little she meant to Warrick—even if by biting her that night he’d made her his mate. His mate!

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Smothering a hysterical laugh as the impact really began to sink in, Sienna pressed her fingers to her temples. Did she want to be Warrick’s mate? God, yes. It wasn’t even a question that needed pondering. The vision flashed through her head of how it would be. Waking every morning in Warrick’s arms, making love to him, having his protection and love. Love? She shook her head. No. Warrick didn’t love her. Strong lust and a history of friendship didn’t equal love by any means. And beyond that, she could never be so selfish as to let this mating stand. Not if it resulted in the sacrifices he would have to make. And besides, it wasn’t as if he’d consciously made the choice. Obviously he was as staggered as she was. He’d been caught up in the moment. There had to be a way around it. Because what an absolute mess. How could he have done it? How could he have lost control like that? She knew Warrick would never have consciously made the decision to claim her. Sienna was so caught up in her distressed thoughts, she didn’t even notice when they pulled up in front of her dad’s house. It took the van turning off for her to snap out of it. Warrick turned around and gave her a searching glance. His expression tightened and he sighed. “Maybe you should wait in the van, Sienna. Give me a minute to talk with— ” “Like hell. There’s nothing you need to say to my father that I can’t be there for.” She unfastened her seat belt and had the door open in seconds. The Boston humidity hit her hard, and Sienna lifted her hair off the back of her neck as she inhaled the warm air. She was halfway to the front step when Warrick caught up to her.

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“I was going to tell you when the time was right.” Ah, so he was jumping right back on to the topic he’d wanted to avoid. With a grim shake of her head she didn’t even bother to look at him. “I’m not so sure I believe that, Warrick. Where’s Quinton?” “He’s going to watch the van.” Sienna made a soft harrumph. “I needed at least a minute to talk to you alone, Sienna.” “I’m sorry, but didn’t you just say there was nothing to discuss?” She offered him a saccharine smile, before glancing away. “We don’t have the time right now, and I’m not really in the mood anyway.” “You are so damn difficult,” he muttered and strode past her to knock on the door before she could reach it. “I think you’ve got that backwards, buddy. At least I’ve never been anything but open with you.” She glared at him while waiting for the door to open. “Do I even need to call ‘bullshit’?” He arched a brow in dismay. “Just like you were so damn open about the jump drive?” Damn. She’d forgotten about that. One little thing. She opened her mouth to spit out another sharp retort, but then glanced at the door with a frown. “Why isn’t he answering?” she muttered and pounded on the wood frame. Harder this time. Warrick pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans and hit a couple buttons. She didn’t have to ask to figure out who he was calling. If she’d had her keys, she’d just let herself in. Because what were the chances her dad had left the door unlocked? Sienna reached for the handle to give it a try and was amazed to find it turn easily in her grip. She pushed the door open and stared into the darkened interior.

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Warrick closed his cell phone and grabbed her shoulder before she could step foot inside. “Hang on, Sienna.” He shook his head. “Something’s off here. I want to wave Quinton over before—” “Sienna? Is that you, honey?” They both stilled and glanced back into the open doorway. It was her father’s voice coming from the back of the house. Distracted. Maybe a little tired, but definitely her dad. The tension fled from Sienna’s muscles and she exhaled shakily. It had been months since she’d seen him, and suddenly nothing mattered more than being in his arms, having him tell her everything was going to be okay. Tears stung at the back of her eyes and her throat tightened with emotion. “Yes, it’s me,” she called, her voice breaking as she stepped in the doorway. Warrick followed her in and shut the door behind her. “I’m in the sitting room.” Her feet stumbled. Something felt off. Sitting room? He never referred to the lounge as the sitting room. And why hadn’t he come out to greet them? She saw the shadow of a man at the end of the hall just as Warrick grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him. The move was so aggressive she slammed into the wall. Stars spun in her head as she struggled to stay upright. Warrick’s growl filled her ears and she turned just in time to see him stride toward the unfamiliar man. Where the hell was her father? “I’ve been waiting for both you little bitches.” The man lifted some kind of gun and leveled it at Warrick. “Warrick, watch out!”

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“Get the hell out of here, Sienna,” he snarled before he leapt forward and his body morphed into wolf. Whatever the man shot at him pinged against the wall, missing Warrick as he dove at the man. The man dropped the gun and plucked a knife from his belt, just as Warrick landed on him. No! Sienna’s feet were frozen. Her mind screamed to run and get Quinton, but she was terrified to turn her back on Warrick as he fought with the man on the floor. Then Warrick let out a sharp whine of pain and released his hold on the man. Blood seeped through his fur from a gaping stab wound at his side and he fell to the ground. Oh God! Any thoughts of going for help fled, and Sienna blindly ran toward him. The stranger quickly retrieved the gun and leveled it at Warrick again. She was closer now, and it quickly registered that this wasn’t any ordinary gun. It held a small dart, and she didn’t have to be a genius to guess what was loaded into it. If that dart hit Warrick, he’d be just as sick and deadly as the ferals. She couldn’t let him take that shot. Her mind moved at lightning speed, making a decision she wasn’t even aware of considering. Her feet flew across the carpeted rug faster than should’ve been possible. The sound of the gun discharging echoed in the room as her body went airborne. The dart entered her shoulder with enough force to throw her back and send spikes of pain through her body. She hit the ground hard and rolled away from the stranger. Reaching for the dart to pluck it free, she realized it was too late as the chilly slide of the drug entered her system. Her fingers fell away, numb and useless. Curled on her side, she watched as squeaky, white sneakers entered her vision.

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“You stupid bitch, that wasn’t meant for you,” the man raged from above her. “I don’t have a fucking clue what that’ll do to a human.” From the corner of her eyes she saw Warrick struggling to his feet, just as the front door splintered open. The stranger cursed and retreated from the hallway, his footsteps softened by the carpet, until they disappeared completely. Warrick shifted back to human and rushed over to her, one hand cupping his rib cage that seeped blood. “You’re hurt,” she whispered, wishing like hell the spinning in her head would stop. “I’m hurt? Baby, you know how quickly I heal,” he choked out, falling to his knees beside her. “Jesus, Sienna, what were you thinking?” Quinton appeared beyond Warrick, striding down the hall, his face pinched with fury. “Wait in the van? I should kick your ass for talking me into that, Donovan. Are you guys okay?” “He’s bleeding,” she muttered a bit drunkenly. “You should probably clean that wound before it gets infected.” “My wound is already healed,” Warrick said tersely as he glanced over at Quinton. “She jumped in front of a drug dart that was meant for me.” Shaking his head, Quinton muttered, “Fuck me, you both sure know how to find trouble. I’m calling for backup and an incident response team for cleanup.” “Where’s my dad?” she whispered, trying to gaze around the kitchen. But it was hard to see. There were glittery tracers. “I heard him…he’s got to be here somewhere.” Warrick touched her forehead and sighed. “I don’t think that was him you heard, Sienna. More like a recording.”

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Her stomach clenched, then heaved. Maybe it was the drugs, but suddenly she felt like she was about to get sick. “Warrick—” “Don’t think about it right now, Sienna. We’ll find him.” She struggled to sit up, but fell back to the floor. Warrick slid his arm beneath her and pulled her onto his lap, holding her head as his worried gaze slid over her face. “You’re going to be all right.” But was her father? If his voice had just been a recording, then it must mean they had him. Whoever they were. Warrick took her hand and she squeezed it with as much energy as she could muster. There was a comfort in his arms. Then again there always was. She closed her eyes, lulled into a sense of peace as his fingers traced over her cheek. Then they moved down her body to where the dart was still embedded in her shoulder, probing gently, but not removing. Off in the distance she could hear Quinton rapid-firing instructions into his cell phone. “Ah, God, Sienna,” Warrick whispered hoarsely. “Stay with me. Open your eyes.” If only she could, but her eyelids felt as if there were forty-pound weights on each of them. “If anything happens to you…” He broke off and swore under his breath. “Why’d you do it?” Because I love you. She didn’t have the energy to say the words, and wasn’t sure she would’ve said them aloud even if she could. Instead she squeezed his hand tighter, just before she turned her head away from him and threw up her lunch.

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The air conditioning kicked on in the room at the Marriott, the constant blast of cool air filling the silence as Warrick strode back to the window. He thrust aside the lacy cream curtain and stared out over the marina and the array of boats on the water. He didn’t see the glistening blue water or the heat of the sun that reflected off it. Couldn’t appreciate the sight of the city outside. No, the anxiety that had hit him back at Sienna’s house still continued to fester in his gut. Turning, he glanced back at the bed where she sat propped up with pillows, a sullen frown creasing her forehead as a P.I.A. doctor checked her vitals. The poisoned dart had been removed, and a bandage now covered the wound. She didn’t seem to be in much pain, but that was likely from the cocktail of meds the doc had given her. “Really, is all this necessary? I feel fine.” Warrick’s lips twitched slightly at Sienna’s obvious exasperation, though fortunately she didn’t make an effort to pull away from the doctor. “I’m sure you are, Miss Peters,” the older man murmured, placating her, “but if you’ll indulge me—and your boyfriend here—I’ll just make sure myself.” Warrick could feel the flush steal up his neck and knew it matched the stain in Sienna’s cheeks. Her gaze slid to him and all irritation faded from her eyes. Instead there was softness and a regret—for what, he couldn’t be sure—but what caught him the most was the flicker of need. Heat slid through his body, awakening his desire for her. And damn he was a bastard, because why did he always want to have Sienna flat on her back when she was sick or recovering?

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Shit, when she’d taken the shot intended for him this morning, his whole world had stopped. He hadn’t known what had been in that gun, had only seen Sienna jump in front of him and then go down hard. He and Quinton both suspected the dart was full of the same drug the ferals had been given. And the fact that the drug was now in Sienna’s system scared the shit out of him. They knew what the drug did to a shifter, but what about to a human? It was anybody’s guess. Dammit, it could’ve killed her. Even now, he couldn’t begin to comprehend why she’d place her life at risk so blatantly. “Well, my dear. You do indeed appear to be just fine.” The doctor pulled the stethoscope from his ears and draped it around his neck again. “Blood pressure’s normal, pulse is fine, temperature is a little warm, but it’s hotter than blazes in here. I’m just going to draw a blood sample and have it analyzed to be safe though.” Sienna nodded and tore her gaze away from Warrick. It’d been a long day and her fatigue was obvious from the dark circles gathering under her eyes. She didn’t even flinch when the doctor inserted the beveled needle into her arm to withdraw blood, though after a moment her eyes fluttered closed. “And we’re all done.” The snapping of latex gloves sounded as the doctor plucked them from his hands and tossed them in the trash. “My advice for now would be to just get some rest and try not to stress yourself…” Not stress herself out? Warrick’s jaw flexed and he bit back a harsh laugh. Apparently the good doc realized his request might be a little on the asinine side because his ears turned red and he cleared his throat. “Well, at least try to force her to rest,” he pleaded to Warrick and grabbed his medical bag off the floor. “I’m going to head back to headquarters. You know where to reach me if you need anything.”

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“Of course. Thank you, Doc.” Warrick shook the doctor’s hand and then escorted him to the door. A moment later he closed it again and made sure it was double-locked, before turning to face Sienna. “How are you?” he asked softly. “You heard the doc. Just fine.” Her flat tone had his insides clenching. “I’m not asking about physically, Sienna. Obviously the side effects of the drug aren’t hitting you. I mean emotionally. How are you holding up?” Sienna’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head. “Seriously, Warrick? Seriously?” Her harsh sarcasm was a welcome break from her bleak demeanor, until she went on. “First I’m told that we’re mated, and I apparently have no say in it. Then my father goes missing and I end up with a poisoned dart in my shoulder. And now I’m bedridden and sweating like a pig. I’m doing fucking great.” Warrick tried not to growl at her verbal attack, as her voice escalated with anger. But it was the fear behind her words that made sympathy claw through him and swell until he literally had to will himself not to cross the floor and drag her into his arms. The need to hold her, to encourage her tears, was so damn overwhelming. But he knew that right now she wouldn’t appreciate it. Probably didn’t want anything to do with him actually. Which was just too damn bad. They were holed up in the Marriott under a fake name until the P.I.A. gave them instructions on what to do next. There’d been no ransom note for her father, no indication really that he’d even been kidnapped. Maybe he’d disappeared on his own. Though Warrick wasn’t really sold on that idea.

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“If I hadn’t been getting my gut sliced open with a butcher knife, I never would’ve let you take that dart for me, Sienna.” The fight seemed to leave her in a rush. Her shoulders crumpled and she sighed, shaking her head. “Oh God, I know. I’m sorry. It was my choice, Warrick, and I don’t regret it. We need you, and if that dart had hit you and you’d gone feral…” “And that’s the only reason?” He didn’t breathe as he waited for her to answer. She lifted her head, surprise flickering in her gaze, then uncertainty. There was something beneath it, something that gave him hope and made everything primal within him flare with need. But then she looked down at her laced fingers and shrugged. “Should there be another reason?” Disappointment crushed through his chest, burning his lungs and twisting his stomach. No. Of course there wouldn’t be another reason. Instead of answering her question, he strode toward the desk, grabbing the folder off it that had the room service menu. “What do you want to eat?” he asked brusquely. She was silent for a moment, then, “Nothing. I’m not hungry.” “I let you get away with that this morning, Sienna, but you haven’t eaten more than a light lunch in probably over twelve hours. And you threw that up at your dad’s house. You’ll eat if I have to damn well feed you.” “You are so bossy. Fine, just order me a little side salad.” He reached for the phone and dialed room service. “And actually, maybe some chicken strips and fries too. Oh, and if they have chocolate cake, I could probably go for a slice.” From not hungry to a three-course meal? Warrick’s brows shot up and he smothered the sudden urge to laugh.

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“What? You said food and I started to realize that, yeah I am a little hungry,” she grumbled and climbed out of bed. “I also need a shower.” He was about to reply when someone answered the line. Turning his back to her he placed their food order. By the time he’d finished and turned back around, Sienna had already disappeared into the shower and he immediately tried to block the image of her naked beneath the stream of water. His hands curled into fists and he drew in a slow breath. He really hadn’t touched her since that moment when he’d taken her in the forest, and even then it had been hard and fast. He had been claiming her in every sense of the word. A knock on the hotel room door had his blood quickening and him reaching for the gun at his waist. Room service was fast in this hotel, but it wasn’t that fast. Warrick crossed the room, ready to draw his weapon at the slightest threat. A quick glance into the peephole showed Agent Larson standing out in the hallway. Pulling back, he swore quietly. How in the hell had Larson discovered where he and Sienna were? Quinton had set up the reservation and the alias, promising no one—not even other agents—would be told of their location. He opened the door and offered a hard, humorless smile. “You mind telling me how you figured out we were here?” “I told him.” Quinton stepped into view and gave a slight shrug. “He is your alpha, Donovan. He has every right to know where you both are.” “Really?” Warrick nodded and arched a brow. All Sienna’s fears about someone within the P.I.A. being in on it were beginning to sound a little more plausible. “Last night, when the safe house was getting shot up. Where the hell were you, Larson?”

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“Donovan, let’s take this inside,” Quinton warned, his low tone taking on an edge. Larson’s lips curled downward and his gaze turned flinty. “Now I know you’re not stupid enough to accuse me of what I think you are.” “And what if I am?” Quinton muscled himself farther into the doorway. “I said let’s take this inside, boys. Now.” Warrick reluctantly stepped back and let the two men into the room, but didn’t remove his hand from his gun. He’d never had a reason not to trust Larson, but too many things had gone wrong where Sienna was concerned. “Besides, I come bearing gifts.” Quinton strode into the hotel room and tossed the Walmart bag on the bed. “It’s for your woman. Speaking of whom, where is she?” “Shower.” Warrick grabbed the bag and glanced inside, then dropped it back on the bed once he spotted the clothes and toiletries. “His woman?” Larson asked sharply, and turned from where he stood at the window. “I hope he’s speaking figuratively.” Warrick’s teeth snapped together. “My relationship with Sienna shouldn’t concern you.” Larson’s head snapped back, his eyes wide. “Fuck me. You actually marked her. Didn’t you? You’d throw away every—” “I repeat, not your fucking concern.” Warrick balled his fists so he wouldn’t reach out and grab the alpha by his shirt and throw him across the room. “Look, this isn’t why we came here.” Quinton stepped between the two men and shot a warning glance at them both, before turning back to Warrick. “We have news about Sienna’s father.” The shower turned off and all three gazes swung toward the bathroom.

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Warrick shook his head and lowered his voice. “Tell me. Now, before she gets out here. How bad is it?” Quinton kept his voice low as well. “He’s alive.” “Why’d they take him?” “They’re using him as leverage. They want to make an exchange.” Warrick’s gut clenched and a premonition swept through him, leaving a trail of sweat on the back of his neck. “And what’s the exchange?” “They want Sienna to deliver the jump drive. Only then will they return her father.” His stomach hit the ground. “No. Absolutely not. I don’t want Sienna anywhere near those bastards.” The bathroom door had clicked open, but Warrick hadn’t look away from Quinton as he’d said the quiet, vehement words. “Oh my God!” Sienna gasped and slammed the bathroom door again, yelling, “Warrick, next time a little warning that we’re not alone before you let me walk out in a towel, okay?” Larson made a noise that was a cross between a snort and a laugh as Warrick grabbed the bag off the bed and walked it to the bathroom door. He dropped it on the ground and called out, “Clothes are outside the door, Sienna. We won’t look while you grab it.” The door cracked open again and her arm shot out, snatching the bag and jerking it inside, before the door slammed shut again. “I mean it,” Warrick repeated harshly when he returned to Quinton. “No deal. I’ll hand over the fucking jump drive myself, but I will not place her in danger tomorrow. Dammit, who the hell are these people? Do we have any clue yet?”

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Quinton sighed. “We don’t know yet. A typed note was left on one of the vans. HQ did a check for fingerprints but it came up clean.” “Of course it did.” Hell. “How do we know her dad’s still alive?” “We don’t.” This time it was Larson who spoke up. “But we’ll demand proof of life before she meets up with them to make the exchange.” “She’s not making the exchange,” Warrick snarled. “What choice do we have, Warrick?” Quinton asked calmly. “We need her father if we want to give the ferals any chance of survival. We’ll keep Sienna safe—you know this. If it was any other woman you wouldn’t be protesting.” He wanted to deny it, but the words evaporated in his mouth. “On top of that, they’ll never see the jump drive,” Quinton continued. “Or at least not the one with the information.” Warrick stilled, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean? Are you saying you—” “We’ve already switched it out for an identical blank one.” Right. And the bastards would just fall for that? Warrick shook his head. “Whoever these people are, they’re not that stupid.” “I don’t know. They were stupid enough to kidnap and torture shifters,” Larson replied with a light tone that showed a thread of steel beneath. “And they were stupid enough to demand the jump drive for her father. Of course they’ll figure it out, but by then we’ll have Kevin Peters. And we’ll have our men there, hidden, if shit hits the fan.” Warrick started to reply, but closed his mouth and glanced at the bathroom door as it opened again and Sienna stepped out. Steam curled out into the hotel room and the scent of shampoo followed her as she made her way over to them.

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Hair damp, the simple cotton clothes Quinton had bought still clinging to her damp body. The sight of her was a punch to his stomach, taking his breath away and calling forth the possessive, protective side within Warrick. Send Sienna directly into the line of fire? Like hell.

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Chapter Eighteen

“Thanks for the clothes.” Sienna tugged the neckline up on the cotton, thinstrapped dress and forced a slight smile, feeling ridiculously self-conscious in front of the men. Especially when all eyes went to the marks on her neck. She knew what they were looking at now. Exactly what the connotations were. Was Larson as angry with Warrick as Quinton had been for what he’d done? “How was the shower?” Warrick asked gruffly, as if to interrupt the thoughts of all the men in the room. “Fine. It was a shower.” She cleared her throat and laced her fingers together. “Sorry I yelled at you a moment ago, but I didn’t realize you all were here. I heard voices for a minute, but assumed it was room service.” “No problem. They’ll be leaving now anyway.” Warrick’s curt words had her mouth opening in surprise. She looked at all three men, and became acutely aware of the tension in the room she’d missed when she first came out. Her smile faded and a heaviness gathered in her stomach. “What’s going on, boys?” “Nothing, they were just dropping by clothes.” She didn’t believe Warrick for a second. She’d been around these men too much lately to not know when they were holding back. “Warrick, she needs to be told.”

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Fortunately Larson seemed to be on her side. And once again, she knew that whatever Warrick was reluctant to tell her wasn’t good. Even with the hard set of his jaw, there was worry beneath the anger in his eyes. “I do need to be told,” she agreed, her muscles tightening and her blood pounding with frustration. “And if someone doesn’t spit it out soon, I swear to God I’m going to start throwing things.” The men were all silent for a moment, but then Quinton was the one who finally spoke. “Your dad’s been taken by the same people who were keeping the shifters prisoner.” Her heart clenched and her stomach seemed to hit the floor, but it was nothing more than she’d expected. Still, her voice cracked as she asked, “And what do they want?” “They want you to deliver the jump drive,” Larson answered without emotion. “Son of a bitch, I told you not to tell her.” Why me? A noise of alarm rose in her throat, but Sienna smothered it. Her first instinct of fear quickly faded away and was replaced with a flat, steadfast determination. No matter what kind of fear the idea of being the one to personally hand over the jump drive instilled, it was nothing compared to what her dad must be experiencing. He was probably going out of his mind with terror. What if they were hurting him, or torturing him for some reason? Did they know the magnitude of intelligence they now had in their custody? She bit back a bitter laugh. Of course they did. “Sienna, we’re not going to send you in there,” Warrick appeared at her side, catching her chin between gentle fingers and turning her head to look at him.

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The fierce determination in his eyes sent her heart skipping and warmth spreading from where his fingers touched her. Even now he seemed determined to protect her. Her brows drew together and she pursed her lips. “Of course you will. They’ve requested I make the trade, and I want my dad safe. I’ll do whatever that entails.” “I like the way this girl thinks,” Larson muttered. “Sienna. You don’t know what you’re saying.” “Of course I do and don’t treat me like I’m dim-witted,” she replied sharply. “Look, I wish I were capable of creating the antidote that will save the feral shifters, but unfortunately I’m not. We all know this. But we also know where my father is. We need him back, and I’ll do anything it takes to ensure his freedom.” “Look, the P.I.A. is still formulating a plan.” Quinton’s pale blue gaze flickered with a hint of respect. “Hashing out the final details. Why don’t you both get some sleep tonight and we’ll call you tomorrow bright and early with the plan. Though maybe the less you know, the better.” Sienna nodded and turned away from the men, walking to the window to stare outside. A numbness settled over her as she watched the boats moving in and out of the harbor in the setting sun. Behind her the men were still talking in hushed but urgent tones. She caught the occasional word but wasn’t fully listening. What did it matter? She would be their puppet tomorrow. Go hand off the jump drive to people who probably wanted her dead. Why else would they be asking for her to make the trade? She knew the P.I.A. would vow to protect her, but it was a huge risk. It didn’t matter, though. Getting her father back so he could help the feral shifters mattered.

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Footsteps sounded and she vaguely heard either Quinton or Larson mutter good-bye to her. The door to the hotel room opened and shut a moment later, leaving silence in their absence. Even as Warrick returned to her, his steps were silent. But she knew he was approaching. Could sense his gaze on her with the way the hairs on the back of her neck lifted. When his arms slipped around her waist, her heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped bird and her knees became a little unsteady. “Sienna.” Her name was a rush of warm, moist air against her ear. She let her lashes flutter closed and she leaned back into the welcoming, solid embrace of Warrick’s arms. The comfort it automatically gave. “I don’t want you anywhere near that trade tomorrow,” he muttered thickly. “We don’t have a choice. You need my dad back, Warrick. And I know you’ll protect me.” Her throat caught. Or he could try. Still, she didn’t voice her doubts, but added instead, “You always do.” His arms tightened around her waist and his chest lifted with the deep breath he drew in. “I swear to you nothing will happen tomorrow,” he vowed, his lips brushing the nape of her neck. “But I hate, absolutely hate the possibility that something could happen. I don’t trust this.” Sienna’s pulse quickened with images and a fear she would never admit aloud to Warrick. The idea of possibly ending up in the hands of the people who’d killed Leo scared the hell out of her. But there was no choice. She shoved the uncertainties and dread of tomorrow to the back of her mind and focused on the man holding her. It wasn’t too hard, already her body had softened with awareness, molding into his warm, protective embrace.

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His lips brushed the curve of her neck and shoulder and a tremble rocked her body. Her lips parted and a breathy sigh fled her lips. “Make love to me, Warrick,” she whispered. “Please. I need you right now.” Warrick made a low groan, the sound reverberating in his chest and against her spine. Then he spun her around and lifted her, carrying her toward the bed before gently laying her down on the mattress. He followed her body, lying down next to her and lowering his head to take her lips in a slow, deep kiss. Sienna responded with everything inside her, stroking her tongue against his in a slow, poignant dance that said so much that neither of them seemed able to say aloud. Need slid through her blood, scorching every nerve ending and awakening every one of her senses. When Warrick teased a hand lightly down her body, her bottom clenched and her toes curled. A soft moan of pleasure built in her throat. He broke the kiss, lifting his head slowly to stare down at her. There was hot, potent desire in his gaze, but it was the tenderness in his eyes that had her breath catching and tears pricking behind her eyes. How long had she been in love with him? As a teenager, she’d always assumed it was a crush. But maybe it had always been more. There was no denying it now—whether he knew it or not—Warrick held her heart firmly in his hands. It was exhilarating, it was soul gripping, and it was so frighteningly dangerous. Because she knew it would be all too easy—and likely—that he would crush her heart. All the thoughts in her head must’ve been reflected in her eyes like a mirror, because Warrick’s nostrils flared and his gaze heated with possessiveness. His gaze slid lower, to the marks on her neck and his mouth curved softly. “Mine,” he murmured and lowered his head, brushing his lips against the marks on her neck. “You’re mine, Sienna.”

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Of course she was. And probably always had been. Her stomach twisted and she closed her eyes on a ragged breath. But would he always regret marking her? Claiming her as his mate? Regret everything he was going to inevitably have to give up? “Do you regret it?” she asked, before she could stop herself. Warrick froze, before slowly lifting his head. “Why would you ask that, Sienna? I made the choice to make you my mate.” “I know you did. But that wasn’t what I asked. I asked if you regretted it.” His gaze darkened and he shook his head “It’s a foolish question.” Then why won’t you answer it? “We belong together, Sienna. You know this as much as I do.” His kiss moved downward, to the neckline of her dress, and her thoughts scattered quickly, like startled crows in a park. Only her growing need for him and the consuming fire in her blood remained. Warrick’s lips traced her body through the thin cotton dress, and then he found a nipple and sucked through the fabric. Her body arched off the mattress and she cried out, delving her fingers into his hair and drowning in a whirlpool of sensation. He tugged the thin strap off her shoulder, pulling the dress down just enough to bare her breasts. She’d forgone the bra and was thankful for it now as his mouth covered bare skin. If it had been pleasure before, now it was nirvana. Cries of pleasure spilled from her lips and she writhed on the mattress, her hips lifting off the bed as the ache between her legs grew. Maybe it was because she knew they were mated now, but her senses seemed even more heightened than usual. Her breasts more sensitive. Every breath she drew in filled her nostrils with the smell of the soap on his skin and the natural, musky male scent of his body.

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The stubble on his chin scraped against her breast as he suckled her nipple, wreaking havoc on her body and raising her to a higher state of arousal. Warrick lifted his head and stared down at her. “You’re so beautiful, Sienna. So responsive to my touch.” As if to demonstrate, he eased his hand down her body, gathering the fabric of her dress in his hand and bunching it up above her waist. He moved his fingers beneath the silky panties, and caressed the cleft of her sex. She cried out sharply, before holding her breath as he slowly sank into her channel. “I love that I’m the only one who’s made love to you, baby,” he murmured and lowered his head to kiss her low on her stomach. “I love that you belong to me.” But do you love me? They were just words, and everything he did and said showed how much she meant to him, but there was a part of her that desperately needed to hear him say it. To say that he’d marked her consciously. “Warrick…” “Let me love you, Sienna.” For now, it would have to be enough. She let out a whimper of surrender and gave herself over to the moment. He began a slow penetration with his fingers, while his lips trailed lower and closer to the sweet spot that ached so wonderfully. Finally his mouth was there, finding her clitoris and tormenting it. Making love to it. Slowly, tenderly. Keening moans spilled past her lips and her hips rose and fell with the pressure of his mouth. When she climaxed into ecstasy, tears spilled down her cheeks and she made no move to stop them or wipe them away. Warrick did that for her, moving up her body and kissing away the dampness as he gently stroked her cheek.

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“You’re my world now, Sienna.” He kissed her forehead and then her lips once more, in a soul-searing kiss that once again had her heart jackhammering. You’re my world now. She should’ve been elated by the words. But one word was a harsh reminder that held her joy in check. Now. He was giving up everything to be with her. She tried not to think about that as he lifted his head and moved away from her. But it was only to shed his clothes, then to remove her dress completely, tossing it to the side, before pulling her panties free from her body. It built inside her, slowly but then gaining momentum. The need to claim him as much as he’d claimed her. The desire to bring him pleasure and see him lose control. When Warrick moved to touch her again, she shook her head and pressed her palms against his chest. “It’s my turn,” she said huskily. Warrick’s heart kick-started at the intent in her eyes, and he didn’t try to stop her as she eased him back onto the bed. He knew what she was going to do, and his body rejoiced in the idea. She crawled over him to straddle him, almost feline as she lowered her mouth to his neck with a purr of pleasure. Her teeth scraped over the pulse beating like crazy, before she stroked the warm moistness of her tongue to soothe the same spot. His body responded, the blood shooting south to his groin and lifting his cock against the softness of her buttocks. He bit back a growl of need, resisting the urge to grab her waist and lift her up and back just enough so she’d sink onto his erection. But there was something so sensual—so intimate about her

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exploring his body. He didn’t want to miss a moment of the experience. And he was pretty damn sure she’d never explored another man like this. She sighed softly as her lips shifted from his neck to his collarbone, working a path down his chest. “I love the way you feel,” she murmured. “So hard. So…male.” Which was why they worked well together. A soft chuckle built in his throat, but died when her tongue flicked over his nipple. “Sienna…” he rasped. “Please. You’ve given me so much pleasure, Warrick. Let me try to do the same.” Try. As if there was any doubt. He groaned at the image her words evoked. “Oh, God, you do, baby. Every time I touch you. Taste you. Am inside you.” A visible tremor ran through her body and she lifted her head to look down at him. Hot need burned in her eyes, along with trust and something dangerously close to love. The realization sent a shard of ice through his blood, cooling his feverish need just a bit as he thought about what that meant. The implications of having a love that he didn’t deserve. He pushed a strand of pale blonde hair from her face and the vulnerability in her blue gaze melted something inside him, vanquishing the unease. Whether he deserved it or not, he wanted her love. She’d taken off the bandage in the shower and he could see now that the red mark on her shoulder had faded, but still his gut clenched. The sacrifice she’d made had the ability to make his throat burn with emotion. It swelled his chest with pride at her strength and courage. And it drove the fear of God into him at what could have happened. Thankfully there seemed to be no effects though. Her humanity was her saving grace.

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Warrick’s gaze slid to her neck, to the marks he’d left by claiming her, that were barely visible now. Clarity smashed into him like a two-by-four, stealing his breath and leaving him stunned. It was so clear. He would give up everything to be with her. He would walk away from the shifter community, from the P.I.A., without regret. Because nothing—nothing—was more important than Sienna. Loving her and building a life with her. Maybe he didn’t deserve her love but, dammit, he’d take it. He’d told her a moment ago they belonged together, but it wasn’t until this moment that he believed it with every fiber of his being. “You look awfully serious,” she whispered with a small, nervous laugh. “Am I really bad at this or something?” “You’re perfect, Sienna.” In every way. He’d fought this for years. Had told himself he could never touch the younger sister of his good friend. And that it wasn’t normal to be so possessive, protective, and physically drawn to a human woman. It went against everything in his very nature. But he’d been a fool. A fool to push her away. A fool to deny to himself how he felt about her. “Sienna,” he murmured, his throat tight. “I’m so sorry.” Skepticism flickered in her eyes and her brows drew together. “Sorry? What on earth are you apologizing for now?” Instead of answering her question, he slid his palm that rested on her hip inward, to the flatness of her belly. He closed his eyes and was slammed with the images of a baby inside her womb. Their baby. How perfect Sienna would be as the mother of his children someday. What if she was carrying his child now? It was entirely possible. They hadn’t used protection, and he sure as hell didn’t plan on starting now. She was his

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mate. A child was a foregone conclusion. He liked the idea of her being pregnant with his child. Probably a little too much. “Warrick, are you all right?” When she tried to move off him, he cupped her hips again and held her still, opening his eyes to meet her gaze. “I’m fine. I just—” realized you’re my everything. “I need you, Sienna. Just don’t stop.” Relief flickered in her eyes and she tossed her hair, before giving him a smile that was pure seduction and intent. “I have no intention of stopping. I’m enjoying myself far too much.” She licked her lips, before lowering her head again. The silky strands of her hair brushed across his chest, just before her tongue rasped over his nipple again. He reached a hand up to catch a few loose strands, running them through his fingers as he closed his eyes and gave himself over to Sienna’s exploration. She moved down his body, her hot mouth exploring every little defined muscle and ridge along the way. When she was just inches away from his cock, he didn’t breathe. His lungs burned as he waited for her mouth to envelop him. Waited to see if she’d be that bold. The air exploded from his throat when her tongue flicked over the head of his shaft. “Oh God,” he muttered, tightening his hand in her hair. His hips ground upward of their own accord toward her warm lips. “Sienna, please.” She didn’t laugh this time, but instead let out a throaty moan that indicated she was just as affected by what was happening as he was. Her head dipped again, and there was no hesitation before she took him fully in her mouth. Warrick’s reality became her and this moment. The silky, warm wetness of her

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mouth moving on him. He lost all track of time, but finally came back from the brink when he realized he was close to release. He gripped her around the waist as a low growl rose up in his throat. He lifted her up and pulled her forward, adjusting her body so she straddled him again. Her thighs spread wide over his hips as his shaft prodded the warm, damp entrance to her body. “I need you,” she said raggedly and sank down, bringing him slowly into her body. Warrick groaned as he sank inch by inch into her tight, exquisite sheath. His fingers tightened on her hips and he let out a primal roar as he buried himself to the hilt inside her. Sienna cried out, her inner muscles clenching around him as she leaned forward, her palms sliding on his chest. The angle pulled him out just a bit, and he adjusted his arm around her waist, holding her still as he began a slow penetration up into her. She rode him, rocking up and down to meet each thrust he made, her cries growing more urgent, her nails digging deeper into his skin to the point where his pleasure mixed with a hint of pain. It brought the wolf inside him closer to the surface. Their raw, fevered joining was almost primal. He tightened his arm around her waist, roaring as he plunged up into her. Harder. Faster. Until her mindless sobs of pleasure drove them both toward a hard, explosive climax. After it took them, Sienna fell onto his chest, her body trembling just as much as his was. Warrick blinked in dismay, trying to ground himself again. To get his breath back. It had never been this powerful. So explosive and soul gripping. It went beyond sex. Beyond making love. Tonight had bound them in a way that even the night he’d marked her had failed to do.

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She’d seemed almost as primal as he was in their joining. Uninhibited and wild with abandon and pleasure. He stroked a hand through Sienna’s silky hair and down her damp spine. Another tremble rocked her body and she moaned softly. The hotel phone rang, jarring his senses and dragging him up from the thick, sensual fog that encompassed them. He frowned and reached over to grab it, muttering an absent greeting. He hung up a moment later and shook his head. “Who was it?” she asked, still sounding as dazed as he felt. “Room service. They knocked on our door a few minutes ago. Odd, I didn’t even hear it,” he said absently. They’d been so caught up in the moment, neither of them had heard the knock on the door? Thank God it had just been room service. “They’re bringing it back in a few minutes.” “Mmm. I didn’t hear it either.” Sienna lifted herself off his chest and stared down at him. Her crystal blue gaze was almost glassy with pleasure and exhaustion. “Though I’m not really hungr—holy crap!” Warrick stilled. “What is it?” “Your chest.” She pressed trembling fingers against her mouth as her eyes widened in shock. “You’re bleeding, Warrick. I—oh my God, I think I really cut you. With my nails.” He glanced down, his brows drawing together. Sure enough, there were thin, bloody slashes that were already healing on his chest. The hairs on the back of his neck lifted and he shook his head to push away a sudden sense of disquiet. “It was pretty intense this time.” He tried to ease her shock by tugging on a strand of hair and offering a slow smile. “Don’t worry about it, baby. It’s almost healed. And besides, I promise I liked it.” Her cheeks stained with color and she bit her lip. “You’re too forgiving. I tore you up like I was some cat at a scratching post.”

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A laugh spilled from his chest and he brushed his thumb over her stillswollen lips. “Just promise you’ll do it again.” “You’re a sadist.” She rolled her eyes and glanced down at his chest again. “But, wow, you were right. Look at that. Healed already.” He didn’t need to glance down again to believe her. And the knock on the door had him sliding out of bed anyway. “Room service,” he murmured and glanced back at her with a wink. “And after that little lovemaking session, I think you’ve definitely built up an appetite.” He settled a plate of food on her lap a few minutes later, then grabbed his cell phone and disappeared into the bathroom to make a few phone calls. He had to at least try again to do everything in his power to keep Sienna from being at that exchange.

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Chapter Nineteen

Warrick wasn’t pleased. But then, she’d discovered that last night after he’d come back from the bathroom with his cell phone clutched in his hand. Sienna still wasn’t quite sure what the phone calls had been about, or even to whom, but she had a pretty good guess. He’d been doing everything in his power to try and make sure she wasn’t involved with the meeting that was about to happen. That she wouldn’t be the one to exchange the jump drive. But if that was the case, he hadn’t gotten his way. She drew in a slow, steadying breath and glanced around the dim interior of the building. It had the appearance of some kind of old bait or fishing shop. With nets and poles hanging on the walls, covered in dust and spiderwebs. This place was creepy. Almost creepier than the abandoned lab the shifters had been locked up in. Even though it was midnineties and humid as hell, the abandoned building on the pier somehow managed to be almost chilly. A shiver skated down her spine and she swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around her waist. She’d never let the carefully hidden agents see it, but her nerves were strung tight like the damned violin she used to play in fifth grade. Despite their promise to her father’s abductors, the agents were once again all together. Here in this abandoned building. Hilliard, Larson, Rafferty, Warrick and Quinton.

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Hilliard had tried to tease her on the way over, keep things light, but her stomach was too tied in knots to think about anything beyond what was about to happen. Though, if she believed the agents’ promise, nothing would happen. They’d sworn to her she wouldn’t be hurt. Warrick had made the same vow this morning, and there’d been a gentle determination in his gaze. Her mind drifted back to the conversation they’d had just nights ago, when she’d accused him of being afraid of nothing and he hadn’t really denied it. But there was fear in his gaze now. Subtle and almost hidden, but she’d seen it. Warrick was afraid. For her. Which meant she had no choice but to get out of this freaking mess alive, one way or another. Despite her hesitation to trust the P.I.A., she was beginning to. Or, no, she did. Oh, she still suspected there was one bad apple, and it was damn frustrating that she couldn’t quite figure out who. But she was beginning to suspect he wasn’t in this small group of agents. And as long as Warrick was nearby, she trusted him to keep her safe. She lifted her wrist and squinted down at her watch, trying to make out the time. One sixteen. Whoever was supposed to meet her was running late. Or were they? How did these sting things usually go down? They’d wanted her to come alone, but surely the people who had her father would assume the agents would be nearby? Or maybe both sides knew and were just screwing with each other’s heads? God, it was so confusing. Way over her head. She would be a terrible apprentice in this whole cloak-and-dagger world of secret federal agents. “You’re doing fine, Sienna. Just keep calm.”

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Warrick’s voice filtered from the earpiece hidden in her ear, and she bit her lip to keep from replying. He’d been sending her words of encouragement for the past fifteen minutes, and it definitely helped hearing him. Knowing he was close by with the other agents. She pressed a hand to her forehead as a wave of pain flashed through. Dammit. These weird headaches needed to stop. Ever since last night she’d been having them, and unfortunately they only seemed to get worse. The headaches and the nausea. She’d meant to ask Warrick if he had any pain meds, but had forgotten. Though the last thing she’d wanted to do was stress him out in any way by telling him her head was hurting and she might puke at any second. “Have you come alone?” And just like that, any hope of relaxing vanished. Her stomach clenched as a wave of fear rose inside her. She tightened her fingers around the jump drive and turned to where the voice had rung out. “Yes.” Amazingly enough, her reply was steady. Confident even. “I want proof that my father is here.” There was a shuffle of footsteps in the shadows, then her father’s voice rang out weakly, “Sienna.” Her pulse quickened, but she wasn’t stupid enough to fall for that again. Who’s to say it wasn’t another recording? “I want to see him.” A pause, before more footsteps sounded. Through the light of the dirty glass window near the end of the building, she saw her father’s silhouette. “I’m all right, Sienna,” he said warily. “You shouldn’t be here. You—” He broke off on a gasp of pain, as if someone had hit him, and Sienna’s relief was severed as panic and fear swept through her.

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“Don’t hurt him!” She took a step forward. “Please, I have the jump drive.” “Place it on the floor, Sienna,” Warrick ordered gently in her ear. “Tell him you’re placing it on the floor and then start backing away.” Swallowing hard, Sienna nodded and knelt down, dropping the small object on the floor. “I’m placing the jump drive on the floor, okay?” “Good. Now step away from the jump drive, Ms. Peters,” the abductor murmured. “I am. I’m walking away. Please. Let my father go.” She took two steps backward, trying to think if she recognized the scratchy voice of the man, but nothing was familiar. Her father stepped farther into the light, the figure behind him was still in shadows though. Hope sprang inside her and she couldn’t breathe. “Good job, Sienna. Stay calm and keep backing away.” Warrick’s voice was almost hypnotic, as if he were talking to a child. Full of praise and comfort. “We’ve got you covered, and we’re ready to grab your d—what the fuck.” From the earpiece she heard ominous thumping sounds and men’s voices rising in alarm and anger. “Warrick?” She realized her mistake immediately, that she’d said his name aloud. Pounding footfalls rushed toward her. Sienna stumbled back, but it was too late. The man in shadows was now directly in front of her and had a gun pressed against her temple. “What do you want?” she asked, the blood draining from her face at a rate that left her woozy. “The jump drive is on the floor.” “We’re not here for the jump drive, Sienna. We’re here for you.”

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They were here for her? The terrifying thought barely took root, before she registered the other comment. We. Meaning there were more than one of them. The other one had probably snuck up on the agents and—no! “Warrick!” “Come on, Ms. Peters, it’s time to leave.” “No!” She struggled against the man’s grip as he dragged her toward the back door of the building. “They’re dead now, Ms. Peters. All of them.” Fear clogged in her throat. No. They couldn’t be dead. They couldn’t! She dragged her heels, twisting her head to look behind her to the shadows where the agents had been hiding. But her earpiece had gone ominously quiet. Oh God. What if something had happened to them? No. She’d know if Warrick was dead. Would feel it in her soul. He had to be all right. She couldn’t think about it now, but it didn’t stop the blind terror that took over. That had her lashing out at the person holding her as her screams reverberated in the empty building. “Shut the hell up, or you’ll wish you had, Ms. Peters.” If she didn’t get away from him, she’d be dead anyway. It was a certainty she didn’t doubt for a minute. The smell of his stale body odor assaulted her nose as the man grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground, rushing her toward the door. She smashed her head back against her abductor, but besides another furious curse, he didn’t react much. “No, please,” her dad’s voice rose with panic from somewhere in the building, “you promised to let her go!”

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The man’s nasty laugh had her stomach sinking. “But if we have your daughter, Mr. Peters, you’ll be a little more cooperative in helping us recreate the antishifting drug. Or should I say perfect it, seeing as the one we were using before wasn’t quite working the way we expected.” “Who are you people?” she choked out. “How can you be so inhumane?” “Those creatures aren’t human, Sienna. You more than anyone should know this.” Where was Warrick? Her heart hurt at the idea he might be wounded. She couldn’t even consider the possibility that he was anything but unconscious right now. The door to the building loomed closer and she saw her future changing. Saw herself and her father locked in a small room, her father forced to create a drug that could destroy the shifter species. Her vision grew hazy, redder. The fear inside her began to shift to anger, expanding, clawing to get out. A snarl built low in her throat and she dug her nails into her captor’s wrist, trying to get him to release her. A savage roar behind them was the only warning she and the man carrying her received before they were sent sprawling to the floor. Sienna scrambled to her feet, quickly distancing herself from the flash of fur and fangs on human flesh. The gray wolf wasn’t Warrick, but he was one of the agents. “Wait!” the man who’d been trying to take her screamed, terror in his voice. “What are you—” The rest of his words ended in a gurgle of pain. Of death. Sienna rolled away from her captor, her stomach roiling.

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Another man’s scream tore through the air. High pitched and laced with terror. Then snarls and the sound of teeth snapping. There was another wolf off in the shadows, fighting someone else. “Sienna!” She spun to her left and with a sob launched herself into her dad’s arms. Tears filled her eyes as she clung to him. “You’re okay. How did you—” “Shh, I’m just fine, honey.” Kevin Peters wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. “Warrick arrived to assist me just in time. I do believe at this moment he’s severing my captor’s head from his shoulders.” Warrick! Oh God, Warrick was alive. Relief slammed through her so hard her legs buckled and she fell weakly into her father’s embrace with a sob. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Relief spilled through her at having her dad back and at the fact that the man she loved wasn’t dead. The emotion was strong enough to block the carnage around them from her mind. And just as quickly as chaos had filled the building, it went shockingly silent again. It was enough to bring her back to the present and the situation at hand. Sienna pulled away and glanced around the dim building. The wolf who’d attacked her captor padded toward her, then shifted back into human form. Rafferty. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Not a problem. Are you okay?” he asked gruffly, his face etched with concern. “I’m fine. Are they—” “Dead. Both of them.” Nausea rolled through her, but Sienna nodded and bit her lip. “It’s no more than they deserve, Sienna.”

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“I know. I just don’t understand.” She watched as her dad walked back toward the dead bodies of their captors. “I thought they just wanted the jump drive.” “They wanted you,” Warrick said tersely from her right. Hearing his voice, knowing he was human again, she turned with a gasp and flung herself into his arms. “They always wanted you,” he muttered, holding her tight and stroking a hand down her back. “I knew it was too fucking easy.” “I thought you were…oh God. I didn’t want to believe it. I refused to believe it.” Sienna swallowed against the large lump in her throat. “But what about the other agents? Are they okay?” “Just knocked out it looks like,” Rafferty grunted. “They’ll come around.” Warrick pulled back from her and glanced around the building, his scowl deepening. “We need cleanup on this. ASAP, because I’m going to be shocked as all hell if no one called the local police, with all the ruckus we made.” Rafferty nodded. “Agreed. I’ll call for a cleanup crew. It’s a bloody mess in here. Excuse the pun.” Sienna wasn’t even tempted to crack a smile, she was still too far on edge and couldn’t find the slightest bit of humor in the situation. Of course, this kind of scenario could very well be commonplace to these agents by now. Maybe they used humor to diffuse the tension and horror they sometimes dealt with. Her gaze drifted around the darkness and she half expected more bad guys to come flying out of the shadows. Like a video game where they just keep flinging more monsters in front of your path. Warrick caught her hand, his gaze searching hers. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

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Her head moved back and forth in a jerky denial, and for a moment she was morbidly tempted to slide her gaze to the motionless body of the man who’d tried to drag her out of the building. But she knew the sight would probably bring up the contents of her stomach. Thank God Rafferty had killed him before the man could take her. If the men had captured her and her father, good Lord, she didn’t even want to imagine the horror that could have resulted. It all made sense now. Her father would never have helped them, even with his own life threatened. But threaten his daughter’s… A shudder ran through her and she swallowed with difficulty. Her stomach clenched, this time almost with pain. “We don’t have much time,” Warrick murmured, his fingers tightening. “I need you to go outside with your dad, take one of the vans and head straight back to the hotel. Can you do that for me, baby?” She gave a stiff nod, and regretted it when her head began to pound again. More than anything she wanted to curl into his arms again, feel the safety in his embrace. Absorb his strength and replenish her own. But that would be pretty damn selfish of her. Warrick pressed the keys into her hand, but didn’t let go immediately. His gaze softened and she saw hesitation in his gaze. “Donovan,” Rafferty’s voice cut sharply through the quiet. “Hilliard’s not coming around. I’m going to need help getting him out of here.” He wanted to stay and comfort her. Sienna could see the internal conflict in his eyes, knew that he was torn between staying with her and helping his fellow agents. And the realization stole her breath away.

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Her heart pinched as she realized fully just how much Warrick had done for her. Time and time again. The sacrifices he’d made since rescuing her in the lab, and would continue to make if she didn’t stop him. Sienna pulled her hand free and stepped back from Warrick. She glanced over at her dad, who still stood in the shadows, staring at the dead captors. “Go,” she said, a bit numb now, and turned away. “We’ll be fine.” “Sienna.” She froze, but didn’t look over her shoulder. “Be careful.” Tears burned her eyes, but she gave another short nod before striding off to find her father. She knew where they needed to go, and it wasn’t the hotel.

Warrick’s glance slid over the empty waterfront building and satisfaction slid through him as the last of the P.I.A. cleanup crew departed into the thick shadows of night. “Looks pretty damn good.” Hilliard, his wounds apparently healed, approached him from behind and gave a small sigh. “Don’t think anyone would realize there was a bloodbath that went down in here an hour ago.” No, they wouldn’t. The interior of the building looked just as abandoned and insipid as it had hours ago. The only incongruity being a floor that nearly sparkled from being cleaned. But there were no body parts, pieces of flesh or bloodstains anywhere. Gruesome stuff. But, occasionally, a reality in their line of work. “I need to head back to the hotel to see Sienna,” he said warily, turning to glance at the other agent. “How are the others?”

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Hilliard shrugged and pursed his lips. “Fully recovered. Quinton and Larson are heading back to check on the ferals, and Rafferty is going to take the jump drive over to Sienna and her father so they can start working on a cure.” “Good. The ferals need all help they can get and I have no doubt that Kevin Peters will be able to give it to them.” Warrick glanced over at Hilliard, his gaze narrowed. “I’m surprised you’re still here. What’s up?” Warrick had volunteered to be the last one out, making sure everything was pretty much the way they had found it. He’d thought he was alone until Hilliard had appeared behind him. “This isn’t easy for me, Donovan.” Hilliard shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed, his gaze sliding away to a corner in the building. “I’ve been asked to bring you in to talk to the elders.” “The elders want to see me?” Jesus. He hadn’t seen this coming. Not so soon anyway. Warrick struggled not to show any reaction, but figured the blood that slowly seeped from his face betrayed him. “Yeah, the call came in about twenty minutes ago. It’s why I’ve been hanging out waiting for you.” Hilliard sighed again. “Damn, I am so sorry, man.” “There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Warrick knew he’d made his choices— everyone knew. And now he would face the consequences of them. “We all knew this was coming,” he added flatly, wanting to ease some of his fellow agent’s discomfort. Yes, they’d known it was coming, but just not so soon. Then again, he shouldn’t have been surprised. The immediate threat to Sienna and her father had just been carried off in chunks in big black trash bags. And Kevin Peters was safely back in P.I.A. custody, ready to develop the desperately needed cure for the ferals.

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“Shit, Donovan, I didn’t think they’d be all over you this fast.” Hilliard reached out and gripped his shoulder. “You’re a damn good agent. I hate that they’re going to force you out.” They wouldn’t just force him out of the agency, they’d force him out of the community. But he couldn’t bring himself to remind Hilliard of that fact. Or maybe his friend knew and just wasn’t voicing it aloud. Soon enough actions would speak for themselves. “Pisses me the hell off,” Hilliard continued to mutter. “I personally have no problem whom you mate with, but unfortunately I’m not an elder.” No, he wasn’t. “We should go,” Warrick said, pushing aside the heaviness in his chest. “No sense in putting it off.” Hilliard nodded and they both made their way to the door. Warrick wouldn’t regret his choices. He’d meant it when he’d told Sienna that she was his future. Whatever punishment the elders passed down on him, he would accept. The only way he’d abandon Sienna now was if he were dead. And if that’s the punishment the elders wanted to pass down, then they’d better expect one helluva fight from him.

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Chapter Twenty

It had been years since he’d been in the elder’s chamber. Any time a new shifter was inducted into the P.I.A., the elders held a private ceremony and bestowed their blessing. Warrick hadn’t been in here since that day and certainly couldn’t have foreseen his return under these circumstances. He paused outside the room, taking a moment to draw in a slow breath and try to gather his thoughts. Exhaustion coated his entire body like he’d been double-dipped in the stuff. Every muscle within him ached and his eyelids felt like they needed to be stapled to his forehead to stay up. But his mind was on heightened alert as he braced for what was sure to come. He knocked on the large solid-oak door of the chamber and waited for it to open. His nerves grew more and more taut with every passing second. When it finally swung open, a female servant in a black, loose dress and a nonjudging gaze greeted him. “Mr. Donovan,” she murmured in a smooth, detached voice. “We’ve been expecting you. Please do come in.” Warrick gave a slight nod and stepped into the chambers. People who had never been inside imagined all kinds of wealth and luxury. But the elders didn’t glorify their position or crave extravagance. They were simple beings, sage and wise with their years. Elected by the members of the shifter community and held in the highest regard by the tribe.

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Their evenings were spent in modest homes, and their days in this old wood building with the high roof, where comfort and convenience were most important. Except for tonight, when it seemed they’d met for a late-night assembly. Seven elders sat behind a long oak desk, files in front of them and their gazes resting upon him. “Please have a seat,” a shaky voice of one of the members called from the middle of the table. Warrick sat down in the high-backed, wood chair in front of the table and forced himself to breathe normally. “Do you know why you have been summoned here today, Mr. Donovan?” One of the two female elders asked quietly. Tension commanded his muscles, but Warrick kept his tone even. “Yes, Madam Sovereign, I do.” The woman, hair white and thinning, adjusted her glasses and flipped open her file. “These past few days you have acted both questionably, and admirably. Your behavior has been under review by the committee of elders.” “As I expected it to be.” Warrick braced himself for what was to come. “It is noted that several days ago you killed a fellow shifter.” He might know his fate, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t defend himself to the elders. “The shifter was feral, Madam Sovereign. It grieves me to know I took his life. But he was just moments away from taking the life of the woman I lo—” he broke off, struggling with the word. “Of a woman who is a friend, and daughter to a close ally of the shifter community.”

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“We’re aware of who Sienna Peters is,” a male elder murmured, pushing up the sleeves on his gray robe as he glanced back down at the file. “And that you have chosen her as your mate.” Of course they were aware. The elders knew everything. “It does not change the fact that you killed a fellow shifter to save a human. You realize the punishment that can follow such an act.” At yet another elder’s disapproving words, Warrick’s fingers tightened into fists in his lap. He kept his expression emotionless, even as a small tic began in his jaw. “However, we will not condemn you to death, of course. You are far too important as one of our own.” He had known the possibility of death was small, but still it sent a shudder of relief through him. “Thank you.” “But when you marked Miss Peters as your mate, you forced our hands in other areas.” No death. But banishment. Not for one moment had he deluded himself into believing there would be another outcome. “I accept whatever decision the elders have made about my future.” He blurred his gaze as he stared at them. It didn’t matter who spoke. Male. Female. The elders were equals, all speaking when they had a thought to contribute. All ready to cast him aside as easily as last week’s trash. “You are an asset to the shifter community, Mr. Donovan. And an agent of impressive skills, dedication and integrity. We don’t want to lose you.” Warrick’s breath locked in his lungs. Just what were they saying? “I don’t understand,” he said carefully.

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“Miss Peters contacted us this evening.” Sienna did what? He went still, ready to ask the question aloud, before they continued. “She has volunteered to have her memory wiped. To willingly absolve you of any mating commitment.” “What?” His heart pounded and he blinked hard. He’d heard that wrong. Absolutely must have. “The memory wipe would ensure that she remembers nothing,” a male elder continued thoughtfully. “The past few days would cease to exist for her, and it would be as if the mating had never happened.” “No,” he snarled. “I refuse to allow it.” A murmur of shock rose among the elders. “Mr. Donovan, think about what you’re saying,” the woman elder in the middle cautioned sharply. “I know exactly what I’m saying. Sienna is my mate.” “She is human.” “I’m aware of what she is. It doesn’t matter.” He pushed the chair back, the wood legs of his chair scraping on the floorboard. “I made the decision to mate with her, and I will accept yours to banish me from the P.I.A. and the community.” He turned to leave, but froze at the next words. “I’m afraid the decision is no longer your own.” The hell they say. Of course the decision was his. And how dare they threaten him otherwise. Warrick swiveled to face them again. Never being one to turn on his own kind—especially the elders who demanded respect—he knew he was dangerously close to doing so now.

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His anger grew rapidly, expanding inside him like a dry sponge that had been tossed in a bucket of water. Until his skin itched and he shook with restraint. “You have no right—” “Sienna has made the choice for you and is at this very moment being escorted over to P.I.A. headquarters to have the process done.” The words knocked the breath from his chest like a two-by-four had smashed into him. “Agent Donovan!” He barely heard their concerned protests, was already running to the doorway. He jerked open the door to leave and found Quinton on the other side, his brows drawn together. “Where are you—” “Did you know she was going to do it?” Warrick snarled, striding past him. “Who? What the hell are you talking about?” Quinton asked tersely, turning and following after him. His long strides matched Warrick’s. “Did you know that Sienna was going to have her memory wiped?” Warrick pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Sienna’s number. “No.” Quinton’s tone turned flat. “Is that where she is now?” “Yes. Dammit, why isn’t she answering? I gave Sienna her cell back.” He disconnected the call and let out a snarl of frustration. “Maybe it’s better this way, Warrick.” “You have no idea what’s better,” he shouted. He stopped at the edge of the street and glanced around. He debated shifting and racing across town, but the chances of being seen were too risky and he’d probably make it quicker in the van. “I have more of an idea than you might think. Do you love her?”

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Warrick stilled, his chest tightening. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?” “It has everything to do with it.” Something about the older man’s tone made Warrick glance over at him. The pain in Quinton’s eyes shocked the denial right off Warrick’s tongue. He gave a small nod, his throat tight with emotion. “Yes. I love her. I think I’ve always loved her.” Quinton’s mouth tightened and he nodded. “Then we need to stop her. Get in the van and drive us there. I’ll make some calls.”

“You’re a brave, selfless woman, Sienna,” Agent Rafferty murmured, glancing at her over his shoulder with a somber expression. “You have my respect for doing this.” Sienna couldn’t respond or give even a small nod as she continued down the hallway of the sterile, bright building. Each footstep that echoed on the linoleum floor made her realize how close they were to the machine. To her forgetting everything. And how close she was to throwing up. “Are you sure you want to do this, Sienna?” Her father’s soft question came from her left. She’d approached him with the idea of memory wiping just an hour ago in the car ride back from the waterfront. At first he’d refused to contact the elders, refused to consider the idea. Until she’d pleaded her case and he must’ve seen her absolute resolve. “I’m sure,” she whispered. “You don’t need to be here, Dad. You should be working on an antidote.” “And I will. This will hardly take long, Sienna,” he said with a grim sigh. “I want to be here with you when you do it.”

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Her stomach pitched violently and she barely suppressed gagging. The idea of going through with it was literally making her emotionally and physically sick. The pounding in her head had doubled since Rafferty had picked her up to drive her to the P.I.A. headquarters. He sighed and shook his head. “I wish you’d reconsider.” “It’s not even a week out of my life. And just like everyone told me—I won’t even realize I’m missing it.” And it’ll be so much better that way. Because living beside the man she loved, knowing he regretted a choice he’d made in a moment’s passion, would destroy her. Warrick was too proud and honorable to leave her now, or ask her to have her memory wiped. But though his emotions were admirable, they weren’t love. And more than anything, that’s what she needed from him. So she’d made it easy and taken the decision from his hands. “How long does it take?” she asked, a bit numbly. “About ten minutes,” her dad answered with obvious reluctance. “And when I wake?” “You’ll probably be confused, but I’ll be prepared for that. Any questions you have I’ll have set answers to that will help ease your turmoil.” Of course he would. They’d done this before. Maybe he’d even participated in wiping a person’s memory. The idea only increased her nausea. Rafferty gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “The room’s just up ahead.” A wave of hot pain swept through her body and she stumbled, crying out as she grabbed the wall for support Her dad caught her elbow. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t feel so good,” she finally admitted. Her vision blurred in and out of focus. “But I’m sure I’ll be fine.” “Sienna!”

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Warrick’s voice resonated in her head. Where had that come from? A memory? “I won’t let you go through with it, Sienna.” Not a memory, because it was echoing in the hallway. He arrived at her side and she stared up at him, trying to bring him into focus. “Jesus, baby, what’s going on?” He lifted her into his arms right before her knees buckled. “I begged her not to go through with it, Warrick. I must say I’m relieved you got here in time.” Her dad reached over and placed a hand on her forehead. “Oh my, she’s burning up.” “Dammit, Sienna. How long have you been feeling like this?” “Since I was shot,” she admitted, too weak to even lie now. “It was barely noticeable then. But it’s gotten worse. Progressively. I thought I was just nervous about having my memory wiped, but…” “What’s going on?” Quinton entered the room just as another round of pain ripped through her, so intense she dug her nails into Warrick’s arm—felt her nails pierce through skin. “What in the…?” Quinton’s face hovered into view, the shock on his face penetrating through her pain. She shifted her focus, but found the same shock and horror on everyone’s face. Her dad’s. Warrick’s. Why were they looking at her like that? Her unease vanished as more pain rocketed through her. Something fierce and primal, deep inside her, seemed to be clawing toward the surface. Leaving her claustrophobic in her own skin.

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Her dad’s head shook back and forth, so fast it made her dizzy. “How is this possible?” “Maybe from the dart?” Warrick rasped. “How old is she?” How old? Quinton’s question was extra-odd, and it pulled her to the surface of reality a bit. “Why does her age matter?” Warrick stroked his fingers gently over her forehead. “Stay with me, Sienna. Rafferty’s going to get you a doctor.” His touch eased some of the pain, kept her somewhat grounded from the darkness that wanted to take over. “How fucking old is she?” If she hadn’t felt like her insides were going to explode, Sienna would’ve screamed how ridiculous Quinton was being. “She’s twenty-four,” her dad finally answered tersely. “Twenty-five in November. Why?” “Oh my God.” From her peripheral vision she watched Quinton stumble away, gripping his head in his hands. A chill swept down the back of her neck and her gut twisted. “What’s—” Her words ended on a gasp as another wave of pain racked her body. She arched against Warrick’s grasp and let out a scream that resonated throughout the hallway. “Where the hell is the doctor? She’s dying here!” Warrick shouted. “Sienna’s not dying.” Quinton returned to stand in front of her. Her agony was diffused for a moment as she stared up into his pale blue gaze. Whatever Quinton had realized, might still be a mystery to her, but she instinctively knew the pain and comprehension in his eyes would threaten everything she’d ever believed.

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“Warrick,” she choked out, “what’s happening to me?” It wasn’t her mate who answered, but Quinton. “You’re not dying,” he repeated raggedly. “Your body is trying to shift.”

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Chapter Twenty-One

Warrick turned off the water and strode back into Sienna’s old bedroom in her dad’s house. Only he wasn’t her biological dad. He set the glass on the table, his stomach clenching at the sight of her fast asleep. She looked at peace. Finally. The tranquilizer almost hadn’t even been needed after hours of fighting physical pain, and the emotional earthquake that had destroyed the foundation of her life. “I never knew,” Quinton said tonelessly. He sat in a chair in the corner of her room, staring at Sienna. “Her mother never knew.” “Because you had her mind wiped after the affair.” If Quinton expected an ounce of sympathy from him, he would never get it. Quinton’s eyes closed, but not before Warrick saw the anguish in them. “I loved her.” “Then why the hell did you erase her memory? All to save your career? Your status within the community?” The exact same thing he’d briefly considered with Sienna. “I won’t lie. That was part of the reason.” Quinton hesitated. “But she was never mine to love.” No, she hadn’t been. According to Quinton’s revelation earlier, Anita and Kevin had only been married a few years when her affair with Quinton began. Just after Daniel, Sienna’s brother, was born.

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“We were always drawn to each other. Neither of us planned the affair. I knew she loved me. One day I marked her. Claimed her as my mate.” Quinton’s shoulders crumpled and he let out a ragged breath. “But she already had a family. A beautiful son. A good husband…” A good husband. Warrick bit back a harsh laugh at the irony of the statement. Kevin Peters’s reaction to the news this afternoon had been fairly good considering. There’d been no tears. No violence. He’d just grown pale and tiredlooking, appearing much older than his fifty-something years. His main concern had been tending to Sienna, who’d emotionally imploded at the news the father she’d always known wasn’t her biological dad. “Anita begged me not to do it. To wipe her.” Quinton’s voice cracked and he slid his hands into his white hair, shaking his head. “She was crying. Sobbing, actually. Hysterical. Sienna looked just like her mother in the safe house, when we tried to wipe her.” No wonder Quinton had handed the remote off to Rafferty and had hesitated to do it himself. “Anita was one of the first humans to be wiped,” Quinton said brokenly. “And she fought me until the process was complete.” Ice crystals slid through Warrick’s blood at the similarities to what had happened with him and Sienna. He didn’t respond. Sensed the older agent needed to purge this secret that had no doubt haunted and tormented him for decades. “I left the country for a few years after the affair. I couldn’t see her and live with what I’d done. When I returned and Anita had another child…I just assumed she was Kevin’s.”

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But she hadn’t been. She’d been Quinton’s. Sienna was—always had been— half shifter. And they might not have ever known if Sienna hadn’t taken that dart yesterday for him. Kevin Peters had gone into the lab immediately with a sample of her blood. Running various tests to discover that it was the drug she’d been shot with—the same one the ferals had in their blood—that had awakened her dormant shifter genes. Causing her body to try to shift. If he’d been thinking clearer, Warrick might’ve seen it last night when she’d clawed up his chest during sex. The wounds had not been from a human fingernail. But he’d been too distracted by the passionate moment, and he’d healed too fast for him to really analyze them. Warrick’s gaze slipped to Sienna once more and his chest tightened with emotion. She looked so damn young. Vulnerable. Curled up beneath a purple comforter, even though it was an almost eighty degrees outside. One palm was tucked beneath a tear-stained cheek, the other clutched the empty space beside her. Everything within him wanted to crawl into the twin bed next to her and pull Sienna into his arms. Comfort her and reassure himself she was still here. He’d come so damn close to losing her again. “I always thought she took after her mother in appearance,” Warrick said quietly. “She has your eyes.” He glanced back at Quinton. Found the man staring at the daughter he’d never realized he had. There was a torment in his gaze that Warrick couldn’t begin to imagine. “When I was interviewing Sienna out in the woods that day,” Quinton began raggedly, his expression haunted, “she told me her mother had struggled with

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depression until the day she died. I keep thinking…dammit. Did Anita remember me? Remember us? Subconsciously?” Warrick’s brows drew together as he struggled to reply. “I don’t think that’s possible. All research has shown those who were wiped retain zero memories of the time we erased from them.” Quinton nodded and for a moment Warrick thought he spotted the sheen of tears in his eyes. Clearly the older agent wasn’t convinced. But then neither was Warrick. His gut twisted and his throat tightened. Anita Peters had always seemed so sad. When Warrick would come over as a kid to hang out with Daniel, he’d find his friend’s mom sitting in silence, staring off into space, or out a window. Always seeming so forlorn. So deep in thought. Lost. He’d always thought she seemed kind of lost. A shiver jetted down his spine and he swallowed hard. Jesus. What if they’d been wrong? What if there were some things that couldn’t be erased? Like something so simple, and so complicated, as love. He blinked rapidly, needing to dispel the repercussions of what that would mean. Right now they had enough on their plate. “Kevin said he should have the antidote for the ferals by morning,” Warrick muttered. “Yes.” Quinton’s expression lightened some, as if the distraction was needed for him as well. “We’re checking the numbers in the cell phones of the dead men. See if we can trace whom they were working for.” Warrick’s cell vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it free and answered the call from Larson. He hung up a moment later. “I need to drive down and assist in the relocating of the ferals to the lab.” His gaze slid uneasily back to Sienna. “Could you—”

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“I’ll stay with her.” Quinton hesitated. “I’d like to talk with her when she wakes anyway.” Warrick’s jaw tightened. He hated to leave Sienna, but knew she would be out for at least another hour or two anyway. And even with all the shit that had hit the fan, he still trusted Quinton with a bone-deep intensity. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, brushing his knuckles across the softness of her cheek. The slight frown on her face eased and she sighed. “Did you regret it?” Warrick asked before he could stop himself. Quinton didn’t even ask for clarification, seemed to know exactly what Warrick meant. Whether Quinton had regretted wiping Anita Peters’s memory. “Every day of my life. She was—always will be—my mate. There’s never been anyone else.” Quinton paused. “When I learned that she’d died in a car wreck, I wanted to die. Knowing she was alive and happy had always kept me going. But knowing she was dead…” And that she’d never been happy. Warrick didn’t need to say it aloud, and despite his determination not to, his stomach twisted with sympathy. “If she wakes tell her I’ll be back soon.” Warrick leaned down and brushed a kiss across Sienna’s forehead, and then left. Sienna squeezed her eyes closed, trying not to let the tears leak out. Not wanting to open them and face her new reality. The tranquilizer must’ve faded from her system quicker than anyone had thought, because she’d surfaced to consciousness probably fifteen minutes ago. But she hadn’t given any indication of that fact. Once again, she’d “played dead” to listen in on Warrick’s conversation with Quinton.

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My biological father. Her stomach churned and she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain. But it wasn’t the excruciating physical stuff she’d dealt with last tonight. Instead, it was emotional. And almost more debilitating. Everything she’d known was an illusion. Not a lie, because nobody had known. Not even Quinton. But he could’ve. If he hadn’t wiped her mother’s memory. “How much did you hear?” The muscles in her body went rigid, and Sienna blinked her eyes open. She’d hoped he’d just leave, but apparently he’d been waiting to talk. She’d avoided any one-on-one discussion this far, and had no intention of having it now. “I heard enough.” She sat up, shoving the blankets off her and climbing out of bed, avoiding his gaze. “Where’s my dad?” She saw him flinch from the corner of her eye. Too bad for him. Quinton might share her blood, but she’d never think of him as her father. He stood up and moved toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Sienna—” “What you did to my mother was deplorable.” She rounded on him, her fragile composure snapping. “You stole her memory against her will. And you know what? I think you were right. She did remember deep down, even if she couldn’t quite put a finger on it. But she knew something was missing.” Anguish flashed across Quinton’s hard face and reflected in his blue eyes. Eyes that were mirrors of her own. Bile rose in her throat and her head began to pound. This man was a stranger. A stranger who was responsible for her life. It was insane. She needed to get away. Put as much distance between herself and Quinton as possible.

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She wanted her dad. Her real dad—Kevin Peters. The man who’d raised her, loved her, and embodied everything a father should be. Jesus, what he must be going through right now? “I can’t deal with you,” she muttered and backed away. “You’ve destroyed my life—my father’s life—in one night.” “I never meant to hurt you, Sienna. I never even suspected who you were until back at HQ when you started showing symptoms.” “It doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s all just a side effect of the drug. I’m not believing a thing until I see a blood test that proves it.” “I know it’s a little easier to deny who I am, Sienna. What you are.” It was a lot easier. She gripped her head in her hands, trying to ease the throbbing and strode from the room to put distance between them. Quinton’s footsteps sounded behind her and she cursed, breaking into a run. She spotted the keys to her dad’s car on the kitchen table and scooped them up, and bolted out the door. “Sienna, stop!” Before Quinton could reach her, she’d gotten in the car and locked the door. She ignored his thumps on the window and strained pleas for her to get out, claiming it wasn’t safe. Bullshit. Sienna turned on the engine and slid the gear into Reverse. The car eased out of the driveway and into the darkened street. What a horrible man. She hated him. Hated him in a way that couldn’t be healthy. And there was no way in hell she trusted him. If he— “Shit!” She slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt in front of the man who’d suddenly appeared in her headlights.

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Rafferty. Relief slid through her, but still she only cracked her window a bit, frowning. “What are you doing out here?” He stepped up to the window and grinned. “Warrick asked me to take you to him.” Sienna glanced in her rearview, half convinced Quinton would show up any minute. She wasn’t really sure where the ferals were being held, but still she hesitated to let Rafferty in. Which was silly after he’d saved her life earlier tonight. “How’d you know where I was?” “I was heading over to pick you up when I saw you leave.” A perfectly acceptable answer, but she didn’t really like the way his gaze hardened. In fact, it sent the first shiver of unease through her. “You know, I’m just going to give Warrick a call. See if he can meet me—” Glass flew everywhere as Rafferty’s elbow smashed into the window. Sienna shrieked, twisting her head to avoid the flying slices. Rafferty. He was the one working on the inside. God, she was blind. She fumbled to hold the lock down, fear igniting inside her, but he’d already reached through and unlocked it. “Warrick!” Instinct had her screaming her mate’s name, even knowing he was miles away. The door wrenched open and Rafferty grabbed her shirt, dragging her from the vehicle. Her back slammed into the side of the door, bruising her spine and knocking the air from her lungs. The flash of a blade at her neck had her stilling, even as the fear inside her quadrupled. “You stupid—”

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Rafferty’s words ended on a groan as a shadow hurled into him, knocking him to the ground. Quinton shifted back to human, struggling with the younger man as he screamed, “Get the hell out of here, Sienna.” Her throat tightened and she moved automatically to obey, but her steps faltered as Rafferty gained the upper hand and pinned Quinton to the ground. The knife arced in the headlights, a quick flash of silver that coincided with her scream. The sound of the blade entering flesh seemed unnaturally loud and devastating and Quinton’s body twisted with the impact. “No!” Her eyes burned with immediate tears of horror. Instinct had her moving toward Quinton instead of away, and she knelt down beside the dying man. “No,” she whispered again. The knife was still embedded in his chest, right above where his heart should be. Had it pierced it? Should she try to remove the knife? She pulled off her T-shirt, not caring that she only wore a bra now, and pressed it around the wound. “Hang on, Quinton.” Quinton’s hand covered hers and he winced, his eyes glassing over. “I’m so sorry, Sienna. Please…at least know that.” Tears poured down her cheek as his eyes closed. She hadn’t wanted to care for this man. How could she go from hate to this? It felt like her damn heart was shredding. “You bastard,” she raged at Rafferty through her tears. “You didn’t have to do this.” “Time to go, princess.” Rafferty grabbed her by the hair, jerking her back from Quinton and toward the car.

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“Please,” she begged, struggling to free herself. “We need to help him.” “The jerk’s already dead.” “But shifters heal fast—” “Sorry to break it to you, but a knife in the heart is pretty much a deathblow whether you’re human or shifter.” Rafferty shoved her into the back of the car and slammed the door. Sienna reached to open it, ready to flee, but it didn’t budge. Damn, he’d put on the child lock! Rafferty climbed in and turned the wheel, swerving around Quinton’s body as if he were nothing more than roadkill. “Why are you doing this?” she asked hoarsely. “I couldn’t take the risk of your remembering.” “Remembering what? Please, let me help Quinton.” “You can’t help him, Sienna. He’s dead.” Rafferty gave a harsh laugh. Her stomach heaved and she closed her eyes. “Which is how you’d prefer I be too?” “Don’t worry, it’s not your night to die, Sienna. A memory wipe is much cleaner. Besides, you were going to have me do it earlier tonight.” “I’ve changed my mind!” “You’re so damn against having your memory wiped, Sienna.” He shook his head and tsked, turning the car off the back road and onto a main street. “And you don’t have a fucking clue that I’ve already done it to you once.” Her heart nearly stopped. Done what to her once? “What did you say?” “You heard me. It’s wonderful to know our technology works so well. Yes, you dumb bitch.” He lifted his gaze to the rearview to look at her. “Last week you stumbled upon the feral shifters and Leonard and me working in the lab. Fortunately I was able to wipe all that from your mind.”

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No. He had to be lying. Her hands began to tremble and bile rose in her throat. Was it possible? Had she already been wiped once? “Unfortunately,” he continued, “Leonard Perkins had a change of heart and decided he didn’t like being the bad guy anymore. That the money wasn’t worth it. After he gave you that jump drive and got you involved, again, I knew he had to die.” Oh God. She didn’t want to believe him, but it was becoming harder not to. It all made too much sense. Why Leo had come to her with the jump drive. It sounded like he’d been involved initially with the ferals’ imprisonment, then had changed his mind. Hoping she’d be able to get her father’s help. Shit. “I kept hoping you’d die naturally,” Rafferty said, almost conversationally. “I sent that feral wolf after you, and then fucking Warrick just had to go and kill it.” “I didn’t remember. Why are you telling me this now? Just to wipe me again?” “Because I can’t take the chance that someday it’ll all come back to you.” “And how is that different if you wipe me now?” she argued. “Isn’t there chance I could still remember all this someday?” He was quiet for too long, and Sienna realized maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to point that out. Oh God. He’d already killed once tonight, how hard would it be to do it again? When he pulled off the highway, she knew she was in trouble. More trouble than she had been in a minute ago.

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“Actually, a memory wipe wouldn’t be so bad,” she muttered, trying the handle again, hoping she’d been wrong about the child lock and that the door might open this time. No such luck. “You’re right, Sienna. A memory wipe probably won’t be enough.” Rafferty sighed and shook his head. “I guess it is your night to die.”

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She was awake. Angry. And frustrated. Warrick stilled from where he knelt beside Grace, the feral female agent. His palm rested against her forehead as he checked her temperature. But the emotions he was channeling weren’t from the shifter he touched. They were from Sienna. Ever since he’d marked her, he’d started to sense her emotions and had been gaining the ability to read her—no matter the distance. The ability had only increased since the poisoned dart had shot her yesterday. She was at home still, with Quinton, and she must’ve woken. He could feel her anger. Her pain. Damn, he should go back and be with her. He hadn’t expected her to wake from the tranquilizer this early. But then, they probably hadn’t given her enough. They seemed to keep underestimating how much of the shifter gene was in her system. “It’s done.” Warrick glanced up in surprise as Kevin entered the room. He pushed aside his mental connection with Sienna, knowing her anger at Quinton was something best dealt with alone. “You found the antidote? Already?” For the past hour Kevin had been working on finding a way to help the shifters. Warrick hadn’t for a moment let himself hope for a cure in less than a few days. But then he should’ve, because Kevin wasn’t your average scientist.

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“I’ll admit it was more difficult than I originally thought,” the older man admitted, and glanced at the glass vile full of a clear liquid in his hand. “Took far longer than I expected, and I can see why Sienna struggled. The ferals will be given the antidote in the next half hour by one of my assistants. After that, it shouldn’t be long.” “You’re a brilliant man.” Relief slid through Warrick and he stood from the shifter to move toward Kevin. “How are you holding up?” Kevin gave a slight smile, but there was exhaustion in his eyes. And a heavy sadness that reflected in his every step. “As well as can be expected, I suppose.” He shook his head, looking a little lost. “All these years, I suspected something wasn’t right.” “How so?” “Our marriage was not a happy one. I always assumed I was the problem. Never being home—working too many hours at the lab. Keeping too many secrets from her about the shifters and my life with them. And we never had that chemistry so many people seem to believe in. I never believed in it. Never felt it was needed. We’d always been compatible and good friends. This is as much my fault…” “You couldn’t have known,” Warrick said quietly, his gut clenching with sympathy. “I should’ve. We’ve memory wiped enough people, maybe I should’ve picked up on the signs.” “There are no signs.” “Aren’t there?” Kevin challenged. He let out a resigned sigh. “It doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that I have a chance to speak with Sienna. She needs me.”

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“Yes, she does.” Warrick hesitated to tell him she was at Kevin’s house with Quinton watching over her. Terror slammed into him. Stark. Sudden. All coming from Sienna again. “What the fuck?” “What’s wrong?” Kevin asked. “It’s Sienna,” he muttered, moving toward the exit to the building. “Where is she? Something’s happening.” “She’ll be here soon.” Warrick froze, turning back around to face Kevin. “What do you mean? She’s coming here?” “Yes. Didn’t you request that she be brought down here?” No. Ice slid through his blood. “Who went to pick her up?” he rasped. Fear and realization swept across Kevin’s face. “Oh dear God. Agent Rafferty has her.” Fuck. “I need to find her.” Terror slid through him, but this time it wasn’t hers, but his own. He closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his temple, struggling to make that connection with Sienna again. He called out to her in his mind, not for one second imagining she could hear him. Warrick. With crystal-clear clarity, he heard her scream his name. Saw what she saw. Rafferty. Dragging her from Kevin Peters’s car. “Do you have a connection with her?” Kevin asked anxiously at his side.

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The distraction almost snapped the delicate link Warrick had somehow established. He forced a nod out, but didn’t open his eyes, fearing the connection would sever. “Hold on to it, Warrick. We’ll find her.” Kevin grabbed his elbow, ushering him toward the door. “All shifters have this ability with their mates, but many don’t take time to develop and hone the skill.” “I’ve got her.” And he did. Seeing everything she saw, feeling the terror that she felt. Helpless. He was so damn hel—Quinton! “Quinton just showed up,” Warrick muttered, some of the tension easing from his muscles as he and Kevin climbed inside the van outside of headquarters. “He may be able to stop this jackass in his tracks.” “Let’s hope so.” The worry in Kevin’s tone hadn’t eased. He started the van and pulled away from the curb. “Do you have a sense of where they are?” “Not far from your house. A few blocks.” “All right.” The van surged forward. Thank God. Quinton had stalled Rafferty, and Sienna was fleeing back to the car. But, shit—no. Warrick’s stomach clenched as if a fist had surged into it. He gripped the door handle and squinted his eyes closed, momentarily letting the connection slip. “Quinton’s down. Stab wound to the chest. Rafferty’s got Sienna.” “Oh no. Please, no.” Kevin’s voice dropped. “Don’t lose the connection. I’ll place a call for someone to retrieve Quinton. Do you think he’s…?” “I would be surprised if he survived.” Warrick opened his eyes again, staring blindly out the window, and sought to reconnect with Sienna.

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It was like trying to get an old television with a bent antenna to focus. The link with her would flash in and then fizzle out. He focused harder. Silently calling her name and trying to lock on to her thoughts. Bam! And there it was. “Something’s changed.” His gut kicked. “Rafferty was going to try and wipe her, but now he just wants her dead.” Kevin let out a string of curse words that he’d probably never before used in his life. “Where are they now, Warrick?” “Trees. I see—they’re heading toward the Fells.” “All right. Perfect. We’ll get to her in time. We have to.” Warrick tried to keep his breathing steady, trying not to think what the consequences would be if they didn’t.

The Fells. Sienna knew this place like the back of her hand. Had hiked here with her dad and brother lots of times growing up. Maybe, just maybe, if she got out of the car first she could have an advantage. “I didn’t want to have to kill you, Sienna,” Rafferty muttered. She could hear the scowl in his voice. “It’s so much messier this way and going to make it hard as hell to cover my ass.” “They’ll know it’s you. It’s not too late to—” “It is too late, dammit! I should’ve killed you the first time, Sienna.” Fear clogged the air in her throat and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper. Dammit. She couldn’t die like this. Not now. She’d fight. She’d fight with every last bit of strength she had.

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Hang in there, Sienna. She bit back a hysterical giggle. Great, now she was deluding herself into thinking she heard Warrick. Still, delusion offered a little bit of comfort. Strength. “Besides, I’ll pin it on Quinton. I came across him attacking you in the woods. I tried to save you, but sadly wasn’t able to.” He gave a quiet laugh. “And when I followed Quinton back to the city, we struggled and I came up with the knife first. Presto. Quinton ended up dead. Two for one. I really should’ve thought of this earlier.” “That makes absolutely no sense and has more holes than Swiss cheese, you sick bastard,” she screamed. “They will know it’s you!” “Well, I’ll take my chances anyway.” “Of course you will. Why did you do it? Lock up your own kind? Experiment on them in ways that was basically torture.” “For money, Sienna. It’s always about money. Someone approached me with a wonderful offer, an amount of money that could hardly compare with the P.I.A.’s salary and pittance of a pension. In the end I didn’t really want to work with them. I kept the money, and will allow them to keep the blame. I made sure the trail of the shifters’ imprisonment would lead back to them.” Sick. So absolutely sick and wrong. But then why should she have expected anything else from him at this rate? “And who paid you? Who’s the other person you’re betraying.” Answer. Dammit, if she was going to die, she was going to know who was pulling the strings on this damn experiment. “Jocelyn Feloray.” Sienna’s stomach sank and her mouth dried out. The owner of Feloray Laboratories? This really went all the way to the top? She’d assumed maybe some rogue employees, if it was even anyone at the company. But not the

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woman who was responsible for the lab’s creation. They’d always been credited for saving lives, not taking them. “What does she have against shifters?” she whispered. “I didn’t really ask. It’s better that way.” “You’re just plain evil. Turning against your own kind.” “Your kind too, Sienna. Or have you forgotten already?” He slowed the car to a stop on a dark, deserted road at the edge of the forest, and then turned to face her. “But then you’ll never really be like us. You’re just a half-breed. Can’t even shift. The runt of the fucking litter who is never quite good enough. Trust me, you’re better off dead than living the existence you’d be forced to have.” The pain that had been in her stomach earlier today returned with a vengeance, and the headache grew more vicious than ever. Images of Quinton, bloody and dying, flickered through her head and she gripped her knees, sucking in deep breaths. That raw, primal feeling inside her grew, and her vision sharpened. As she stared down at her hands, she saw her nails lengthening. Sharpening. Rafferty slid out of the car and jerked open her door. “Get out.” Sienna slid out of the car, her body trembling. “Now,” Rafferty brought the knife up between them. It was still shiny with Quinton’s blood. “I suppose it’s too much to ask that you make this easy on me?” “Yeah.” Fight or die. She’d been here before. Just days ago. Only this time she knew Warrick wasn’t going to save her. She’d have to do it herself. “That’s way too much to ask, asshole.” His mouth twisted into a humorless smile. He pressed the knife against her chest, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to indicate a warning. “Turn around and walk into the woods.”

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She could either get stabbed right now, here on the side of the road, or try and make a run for it in a few seconds. Uh, no brainer. Sienna turned and stepped off the road into the trees. There wasn’t a clear path, but she narrowed her eyes, amazed at how much she could actually see. Part of it had to be because of the moon, but more so, she suspected it had to do with the drug having wakened her shifter genes. “Any last words you’d like me to pass on to Warrick?” Rafferty smothered a laugh and cleared his throat. The bastard thought this was hilarious. A tingling swept through her body, and it was almost as if she floated up, staring down at herself as something else seemed to take over. “No? Well then. I’ll think of something creative.” Red swept through her vision and something exploded inside her, even as she heard the blade slicing through the air. Instinct took over and she lunged forward and away from him. Running. Harder. Faster than she ever had in her life. A thick, heavy fog filled her head. Threatening her as her legs carried her between trees and deeper into the woods. Pushing at her ability to think, threatening to take over. Until it finally did.

“There’s my car.” Kevin had barely put the van in Park before Warrick was out the door, shifting and tearing into the woods. He didn’t need the telepathic connection anymore. He was wolf and was all over Rafferty and Sienna’s scents like white on rice.

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His paws tore over the earth as he followed their trail. Dimly, he noted the bloody knife on the ground, but ignored it as he sprinted on. The urge to kill filled him. Already he craved the tang of Rafferty’s blood in his mouth. Wanted to stare into the listless eyes of the man who’d tried to kill Sienna multiple times already. Fuck. He should’ve seen it coming. Should’ve realized who was the traitor among them. The sound of snarls and fighting came from up ahead and his heart twisted with the sharp terror that he was too late. That Rafferty had shifted and was tearing the life from Sienna. He crested a hill and froze, the moon above illuminating the sight below. There was a break in the trees and in the clearing not one, but two wolves struggled to the death. Was it possible? The thought barely flickered through his head before he tore down the hill, ready to defend his mate. Kill for her. When he reached the clearing, though, one of the wolves had already delivered a fatal blow. He stumbled, almost numb with dread at the possibility that Sienna was the crumpled animal in the shadows. But then he saw her, shifting slowly back to human and collapsing naked and pale to the ground. Jesus Christ. What everyone had thought impossible had just happened. Sienna, someone who was only half shifter, had just morphed into wolf. Warrick shifted quickly back to human, closing the distance between them and kneeling down. Relief sagged his muscles, had a gasp fleeing his lips. “Thank you, God,” he muttered raggedly. “Thank you.”

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She was out for the count, her breathing shallow and her body too still. But not as still as Rafferty’s. The treacherous shifter was dead, his throat ripped out by Sienna. Or Sienna in wolf form. The thought boggled his mind, was almost too much to comprehend right now. “Is she all right?” Kevin crested the hill, before he began to scale downward, slowly and carefully. “She’s fine,” Warrick murmured, lifting her into his arms, reassured at the feel of her weight and curves in his grasp. “We need to get her out of here and call in the cleanup crew.” “How…?” Kevin’s gaze and the flashlight he held slipped over to Rafferty. “Did you do that?” “Sienna did.” “What? She…?” “Shifted,” Warrick acknowledged, adjusting his grip on her. “Absolutely remarkable. I’ll head back to the van to call for help.” Kevin scurried back up the hill, leaving Warrick alone in the darkness. Sienna stirred in his arms, her lashes fluttering open. “What are you doing here?” A soft laugh built in his chest. “Baby, I came to save your ass. Turns out you did a pretty good job saving your own.” “I did?” Her brows drew together. “What happened? I remember Rafferty forcing me into the woods and then…nothing. But oh my God, my body hurts.” “You shifted into wolf.” She made a strangled noise and her eyes rounded. “The hell I did.” “Shifted. Fought Rafferty. Ripped his throat out.”

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Disgust swept across her face and she struggled in his grip. He lowered her to the ground but didn’t let her go. Her gaze scanned the area, before landing on Rafferty’s crumpled form. “I really shifted?” she whispered. Warrick kept an arm around her waist, sensing she could collapse at any moment. “Sure did.” “Wow.” She winced. “Maybe that’s why I feel like I just visited the chiropractor from hell.” Amusement pricked, but it was quickly swallowed up by another emotion that swelled his chest and filled every inch of his body. Warrick turned her to face him, catching her chin gently in his hands. “I thought I’d lost you. You have no idea what that did to me, Sienna.” A tremble rocked her body and she lowered her gaze. “How did you find me?” “You’re my mate, Sienna. I connected telepathically with you.” She tensed, before trying to pull away, but he tightened his grip. “That can’t be possible.” “Haven’t you realized that phrase is overrated by now? We’re bonded, Sienna. And that bond will only grow. I heard you calling for me. I saw what you saw. Ask yourself how else I could have logically found you in the middle of the Fells?” She was quiet for a moment, then, “It doesn’t really matter anymore.” Warrick stilled, tension racing up his neck. “What the hell are you saying, Sienna?” “I’m saying I release you from the bond,” she whispered, avoiding his gaze. “I’m pretty sure a memory wipe is useless at this point, but—”

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“You release me?” he repeated, barely containing his savage reaction. “Like hell.” “Warrick, please—” “You love me, Sienna. I heard your thoughts.” She flinched, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. “You’re right. I do. Which is why I can’t let you give up everything to be with me.” Shock slammed into him, then relief. He gathered her close, burying his lips against her neck and kissing a path up to her mouth. She resisted at first, before surrendering with a soft moan and responding to his claiming kiss. When he lifted his head, he found her eyes closed and her breathing unsteady. “Sienna, you’re shifter.” He pressed another light kiss against her lips, murmuring, “I can now keep you as my mate without repercussions from the elders.” “But…I’m only half shifter.” “It doesn’t matter, baby. Shifter blood is shifter blood.” He lifted his head enough to press his forehead to hers. “And for the record, even if you weren’t shifter, Sienna, I would still keep you as my mate.” She shook her head. “Warrick…” “You mean everything to me. My existence would be meaningless without waking every day and being allowed to love you.” Sienna’s breath caught. “You love me?” “Did you ever think otherwise?” “I didn’t want to. But I know what an amazing man you are. How you might’ve felt honor bound to stay with me.” “I would never have marked you if you weren’t my future. My heart.” He kissed her again. “My soul,” he finally whispered.

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Sienna choked on a sob and wrapped her arms around him, clinging. “I love you so much. I never wanted to lose you.” Warrick closed his eyes against the surprising wetness that filled them. “You never will,” he whispered. “Never.”

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Chapter Twenty-Three

The church overflowed with shifters from end to end. Men women and children of various ages reminiscing, mingling and mourning. Sienna stood alone in a corner of the room and stared down at the picture of Quinton Meyers. She tried to figure out why her heart felt a bit pinched, why she could be affected by a man who’d ruined her mother’s life. Had turned hers upside down. So much had happened in a week. So many changes and adjustments. The feral shifters had all recovered within days of being given the antidote. They all seemed to be physically healthy, some remembered almost everything that had happened, but some remembered nearly nothing. Sienna glanced over at Grace, the lone female who’d been feral. She stood away from her fellow P.I.A. agents and kept a haunted gaze on Quinton’s casket. Sienna suspected Grace remembered more than she wanted to. But at least some good had risen from the awful situation. Her father was exploring the use of the original drug developed by Feloray Laboratories. Testing it on the members of the community who were only half shifter. Those like her. It seemed that the drug, delivered just once, awakened the dormant genes and gave them nearly the same powers of the full-blooded shifters. Acknowledging who she was came a little slower. Her new reality still felt surreal, but each day she struggled a little less to accept it. And true to Warrick’s words, the shifter community had welcomed her into its fold. A gesture that both warmed her heart and made it ache a little.

Shelli Stevens

The ache was for her father. Even if his blood didn’t run in her veins, Kevin would always be her father. And she’d worried how he would adjust to the discovery. But to her surprise, he’d taken it relatively well, looking at it logically and without resentment. Had even blamed her mother’s infidelity on the fact they’d married too young and without the love that could sustain them. He hadn’t come to Quinton’s memorial tonight, but she suspected it had more to do with wanting to avoid gossip than resenting the man. Everyone knew the story now. Knew why Sienna had been embraced into the community’s folds so immediately. “Despite how it seems, Quinton was a good man.” Warrick’s words tickled warmly against her ear as he sidled up behind her. He slid a reassuring arm around her waist and she leaned back against him. Taking a moment to absorb his strength. His love. “I know he was,” she said, her throat tightening. “All these people wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t. The community loved him.” “And he loved your mother. Probably as much as I love you, Sienna.” “He didn’t love her enough. What he did—” “Was terrible. Nobody is disputing that. Not even he did. And he had to live with that decision the rest of his life.” Which had ended last week when he’d saved hers. Again her heart pinched and she closed her eyes, fighting back tears she didn’t want to feel. Part of her wondered, maybe even hoped, he was in the afterlife with her mom. That they’d been reunited. And both had finally found the peace they’d never had on earth because of his choice. Wanting to change the subject, Sienna sighed and turned in his arms, sliding her arms around his waist. “Has the P.I.A. had a response from Jocelyn Feloray?”

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Savage Hunger

Warrick’s gaze clouded over and his jaw hardened; she could see the response would not be what she’d been hoping for. “Let’s walk outside for a minute.” Sienna nodded and allowed him to escort her through the throng of people and out into the summer sunshine where it was much quieter. Warrick turned to her and jammed his hands into the pockets of his black suit. “I wanted to discuss this later, but yes. We have. All shifters who were present in the lab were there of their own accord.” Sienna’s lips parted in dismay. “What? That’s impossible.” “Unfortunately it’s true. We’ve interviewed them. They were paid quite well to participate in a ‘study’ and even signed contracts.” “Have we had our lawyers look at it?” “It’s iron tight.” “It’s incredible she even knows about shifters. How is this possible? And what does she have against them?” “I believe the government has allowed her access, or we would have wiped her memory long ago. As to what she has against us…” Warrick shrugged. “That’s anybody’s guess.” Sienna swallowed hard. “I hate that she gets to walk from this.” “She does this time. But we’re watching her. And she will fuck up at some point, and when she does…” He trailed off as he stepped forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Enough dismal talk though. You look beautiful.” “I’m at a memorial wearing black. No makeup.” “You could be wearing a burlap sack and I’d still find you sexy as hell.” Her lips twisted even as her pulse skipped a beat. When he looked at her like that, everything inside her melted a bit. God, she loved this man.

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Shelli Stevens

“But you would look amazing in white too.” He caught her wrist, his long fingers teasing the moon charm on the bracelet he’d given her years ago. “Come on, Sienna. Why won’t you agree to a big, huge wedding and a fluffy-ass wedding dress?” “Fluffy-ass?” She arched a brow and laughed. “Thank you, but no. I already told you, Warrick, I don’t really want a big wedding. I want something small.” “Mmm? Like on a beach in Hawaii type of thing?” Warrick murmured. Her breath caught at the image and she let out a wistful sigh. “Hawaii would be lovely.” “With your father there? Maybe your brother?” “Daniel could probably never get leave. And I’m not sure Dad would be comfortable with such a long flight.” Warrick leaned down, so his lips hovered just above hers. “They’re already there.” What? Sienna blinked in dismay. “I pulled some strings, made arrangements. We fly out tonight, and have a small ceremony on the beach on Tuesday.” Her eyes filled with tears and her throat tightened. “How on earth…?” Warrick released her hand and reached into his pocket, pulling out a sparkling diamond ring and sliding it on her finger. “All you need to do is say yes. Marry me, Sienna.” They’d talked about making it official, but having Warrick slide a ring on her finger, seeing the love in his eyes…and he’d already planned everything, including making sure her family was there. “Sienna?” he prodded gently, lifting her hand and brushing the inside of her wrist with his lips.

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“Oh, God, Warrick—” she choked out through her tears, and couldn’t resist teasing, “—it’s Hawaii.” Warrick laughed softly, his gaze softening and his hand tightening around hers. “And it’s me, right?” “Well, you’re a pretty big part of the enticement as well,” she murmured. “I love you so much, Warrick.” “I love you too, baby.” He lowered his head, brushing a kiss across her lips that never failed to make her knees weak. When he lifted his head, his eyes glittered with tenderness and love. “So then…that wedding-on-the-beach plan is a yes?” Sienna’s heart swelled with love and she nodded. “Let me just say, sand between my toes has never sounded so good.” “Mmm. With all those beaches, and being that our wedding and honeymoon will be combined, we might need to be careful. Or, you know, we could end up with some sand in other places,” he murmured slyly. “Well, let me just say I’m looking forward to it.” She smiled and pulled his mouth back down to hers.

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About the Author

Shelli is a New York Times Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother’s bookshelf at the age of eleven. One taste and she was forever hooked. It wasn’t until many years later that she decided to pursue writing stories of her own. By then she’d acknowledged the voices in her head didn’t make her crazy, they made her a writer. Shelli currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her daughter. She writes various genres of romance, is a compulsive volunteer, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song. You can visit her at www.shellistevens.com and join her newsletter at www.shellistevens.com/contact/

Look for these titles by Shelli Stevens

Now Available: Trust and Dare Theirs to Capture Four Play Foreign Affair Savage Savage Betrayal Seattle Steam Dangerous Grounds Tempting Adam Seducing Allie Chances Are Anybody but Justin Luck be Delanie Protecting Phoebe Holding out for a Hero Going Down Command and Control

He’s going to show this wedding crasher just how dirty the outdoors can be.

Seducing Allie

© 2011 Shelli Stevens Seattle Steam, Book 3 Allison Siegel is out to stop a wedding. With one of her best childhood friends about to marry a gold-digger, who wouldn’t at least try to stage an intervention? Apparently, her other childhood bestie, Clint. The minute Allie grew out of her sneakers and into her curves, Clint’s hormones went ballistic. But she had eyes only for Ken, so Clint made himself scarce, even after the relationship fizzled. Now she’s back, looking better than ever—and hell-bent on sabotaging Ken’s wedding. So Clint knows he needs to do whatever it takes to head her off at the pass. Kidnapped! Allison can't believe it. Now she’s stuck in the Montana backwoods fending off nature’s friends, and fighting a losing battle to resist Clint—the sexiest forest ranger on the planet. Clint has big plans for Allie. Not only will he convince a city girl that she needs to embrace her inner nature freak, but he's going to prove there's sparks flying in more places than just the campfire. Warning: This book contains a city girl out of her element, a forest ranger determined to keep her there, and a campfire seduction hot enough to melt more than just marshmallows. Enjoy the following excerpt for Seducing Allie: Allison climbed out of her car and faced the front of Burnham’s Seafood restaurant, her pulse quickening. Maybe she shouldn’t be here…should’ve taken the hint when she’d tried to call Kenneth and his number had been changed.

Or maybe the fact you weren’t even invited to his wedding. But damn it this was wrong. They were friends. What was going on with Kenneth? She lifted her chin and hurried up the steps, holding her head high as the doorman opened the door for her. “Thank you,” she murmured and stepped past him into the air-conditioned building, smoothing the skirt of her red dress down. The interior of the upscale dining spot was dark with hardwood floors and mahogany tables spread about. She scanned the room until she found what she was looking for. The private room in the back. Fortunately there were windows, and she could see the small party gathered inside. Fifteen, maybe twenty people. Most likely just friends and family of the Williams. “Excuse me, ma’am, do you have a reservation?” Allison jerked her gaze back to the waif-like-model in front of her. Hmm. Maybe it would be good to get a table first, then find the perfect moment to launch the meeting. “Actually, I don’t. My fiancé suggested meeting here for dinner tonight,” she lied, tilting her head to give a hesitant smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have a table available, would you?” “Hmm.” The hostess glanced down at the podium in front of her. “I think we can accommodate that. A table for two?” “That would be wonderful. Thank you.” “Did you want to wait for your fiancé, or—?” “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll wait at the table. He’s notorious for being late.”

“All right,” the hostess nodded and stepped away from the podium. “Follow me.” The hostess led her to a small table where a floating candle lay flickering in the middle. Allison sat down and took the menu she was handed. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. Your waiter will be with you shortly.” Once the hostess disappeared, Allison raised the menu in front of her just high enough to cover all of her face except her eyes. Peering over the leather folder, she scanned the room only feet away from her now. They were all there. The Williams family and a few of Kenneth’s close friends she recognized. Shrill, high-pitched laughter drifted through the glass window just as a flash of bright red hair appeared from the corner of the room. All eyes were on the bride-to-be, who wore a floral sundress with a crown on her head. Allison narrowed her gaze and made an inaudible harrumph. A crown? Really? And Kenneth’s parents were beaming like he actually was marrying royalty. Maybe they were just happy he was settling down. She shook her head. Had she stepped into the Twilight Zone? This was all just too weird. “Hello there.” With a startled gasp, she turned her head and looked up at a male server who’d appeared next to the table. “I’m Jordan, and I’ll be your server today. Can I get you something to drink while you wait for the other half of your party?” “Mmm. I think just water for now.” The server gave a brief nod, and she didn’t miss the male appreciation in his gaze as he gave her a brief smile.

“Very good. I’ll return shortly.” Generally she would have been flattered by his attention—she’d grown used to male interest over the years. Ever since the day she’d decided to drop the tomboy image and embrace all things girly. Makeup, dresses, manicures. Since she’d gone from being invisible, to being somewhat sexy by today’s standards. The server disappeared and she jerked her gaze back to the room, watching the people inside like they were some kind of exhibit in a zoo. Kenneth, Kenneth, Kenneth. Where was the guy? She skimmed the room. Lord, look at all the pretty men. It looked like a freaking Ralph Lauren convention. Maybe he’d—there. She narrowed her eyes as he appeared from behind a group of people and slipped his arms around Ashley, who giggled even louder. “How did you do it, Ashley?” she muttered. “Your water.” Allison resurrected her smile and took the glass of water from the server, wondering if he’d heard her comment. “Would you like to order something to start with? Our calamari is a very popular choice. Or we have—” “I’m fine.” She winced at the edge in her voice. Easy girl. She glanced up at the server through her lashes and murmured in her best husky voice, “Thank you, Jordan. I’ll signal you if I need anything else.” A flush stole up his neck and he gave a brisk nod before scurrying away. Good. Hopefully he’d let her be for a bit. She turned her gaze back to the room, just in time to see the bride-to-be plant a wet kiss on Kenneth’s mouth. And he allowed that? Kenneth hated PDAs. Allison scowled, but her frown died as Kenneth stood to leave the room. This was her chance for an intervention.

Lowering her menu, she waited until he’d passed by her on the way to the bathroom, then stood to follow after him. Before she’d taken two steps, strong fingers wrapped around her arm, halting her progress. “Long time no see,” Clint murmured. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t protest as her old friend tugged her through the restaurant. In an empty hallway, out of view of the diners, he came to an abrupt halt and she bumped into him. “Clint?” His name fell from her lips in dismay. She still couldn’t quite believe he was here, but then why wouldn’t he be? He’d been Kenneth’s best friend when they were kids. Just seeing Clint again robbed her of the ability to speak. It had to have been at least a year since they’d seen each other. She ran her gaze over him. Black hair just a bit too long, piercing blue eyes, and a tall—at least several inches over six feet—muscled body. Apparently being a forest ranger agreed with him. He hadn’t looked this good last time, had he? Or maybe he had and she just hadn’t been looking? The realization that he still held her arm blinked her back to reality and her thoughts dissipated into annoyance. Why had he dragged her across the restaurant like she’d been ready to shoot it up? “What are you doing?” she asked. He arched a brow and smiled, but the gesture didn’t seem to hold much humor. “I was just going to ask you the same thing, Allie. Last I checked you weren’t invited to this dinner.” Allison’s cheeks burned with the reminder. So it was like that, was it? At one time she, Kenneth and Clint had been thick as thieves. She’d grown up just

houses away from Kenneth and Clint—who was originally from Montana—had always spent the summers with his grandma who lived next door to Kenneth’s family. Even after college Clint had still come out. It was a habit he hadn’t broken. It was only when she and Kenneth had started dating that Clint had stopped making the trip to Washington state. Hadn’t really replied to any of her emails either, just a short reply. Not unfriendly, but definitely not what they’d once had. It had saddened her, made her wonder if he just felt like the third wheel and didn’t want to hang out? But that was months ago now. Why was he acting like such a dick now? She gave Clint a slight shrug and said, “What dinner? I have no idea what you’re even talking about. Now if you’ll excuse me, I was just on my way out.” “But you haven’t yet eaten.” Now how did he know that? Oh. She drew in a slow breath. He’d been watching her. Watching her watch them. She should’ve known better. Clint had always been perceptive as all hell. He laughed, and the sound came out low and a bit sexy, sending little shivers down her spine. “You can’t expect me to believe that you showing up during Ken and Ashley’s dinner is purely coincidence.” He cut right to the quick, didn’t he? Deciding on a different technique, and wanting to erase any of his suspicions, she relaxed and let her mouth curl into a smile. “Actually, yes.” “All right. Well, since you were on your way out, let me walk you.” Had he always been this bossy? Her smile disappeared and she glanced back in the private room. Maybe if she— “Allison.” This time her name was a silky warning on his lips.

As she watched, Kenneth left the bathroom and returned to the private room, never seeing her or Clint at the other end of the hallway. Well, shit. Annoyance flickered through her and she scowled. Thanks, Clint, for screwing up my plans. Who knew when she’d get a chance to meet with Kenneth alone now? Frustrated with Clint blocking her efforts and not wanting to make a scene, she gave a sharp nod and allowed Clint to lead her out the entrance of the restaurant. Once in the parking lot she tugged her arm away. “There, you walked me outside. I hope it was good for you.” She rummaged in her purse for her keys. “As much as I’d like to catch up with you and chat, I should be on my way now.” Two hands came to rest on either side of her and she drew in a startled breath. Clint stepped forward, boxing her in between his body and her Toyota. “Let me just make one thing clear, Allie.” His words brushed hot across her face, and a tremble ran through her. God, was it his cologne or aftershave that smelled so good? Whatever it was, was rich and masculine, teasing her senses and slowing her thoughts. Clint, this is Clint. Not some hot guy you’re hitting on at a bar. How weird she was having this reaction to him. Maybe because it had been a year and she hadn’t realized how much she missed him. Though right now she was kind of just wishing he’d go away again. “Make what clear?” she finally asked, shaking her head so she could think straight again. “It took Ken a long time to get over you, but he’s clearly moved on.” His gaze locked with hers, no amusement, just sober determination. “What?” Her mouth gaped. “Are you serious? Kenneth never—”

“Look. Just take my advice. Stay away from him now. Whatever you’re thinking, just stop it. He’s getting married to someone else.” She quirked an eyebrow before folding her arms across her chest. “What is wrong with you? I thought we were all friends. Why are you acting like I’m some crazy party crasher?” “Times have changed, Allison. We’ve all changed. And if you were still such a good friend he would’ve invited you to the wedding and tonight’s dinner.” Times have changed. Why did hearing him utter those words make her heart twist a little? When had everything gotten so complicated? Unfortunately now wasn’t the time to bring that up. Now was the time to try and save Kenneth’s ass from a crappy future. Deciding to drop any pretense of not knowing about the dinner, she said, “And I’m sure he would’ve invited me tonight, if Ashley hadn’t told him not to.” Skepticism flashed in Clint’s eyes. “Why on earth would she do that?” “Because she knows I don’t like her.” “And why don’t you like her?” Maybe it would be better to tell him, possibly gain an ally. At this point what could it hurt trying to explain her rationale? “Why? Because she’s a trashy gold digger, Clint. I have a feeling she’s faking a pregnancy to get him to marry her.” Clint stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Hope sparked inside her and she held her breath. “Really?” he finally said deadpan. “That’s the best you got?” Allison let out a growl of frustration and glared at him. “Oh, I shouldn’t have said anything to you. I don’t know why you don’t trust me anymore.” “I just don’t trust your motives.” “Don’t you have a dinner to go to?”

“Yes. I do.” He smiled, seeming amused by her loss of temper now. “Then why don’t you go.” “I will.” He dipped his head, until those lips just about brushed her ear. “Just remember what I said, Allie.” Her pulse jerked and heat spread through her body. Shocked at her reaction, she raised her hand to push him back, but before she could touch him he’d pulled his arms away and released her. “Good to see you again, Allison. We should do lunch and catch up.”

When magic takes hold, there's no bluffing the heart.

Betting the Moon © 2012 Beverly Rae

Cannon Pack, Book 4 Mari Thornton, professional gambler, prides herself on playing high-stakes poker the old-fashioned way: with skill, charm and luck, and without using her magic. She’s determined to win the Las Vegas Poker Extravaganza’s gold bracelet and million-dollar prize, but Tucker Manning’s raw, sexual appeal is throwing her concentration off. Way off. An up-and-coming poker whiz, Tucker plans to enjoy every second of this tournament, especially when he feels Mari’s magic brush up against his werewolf power. With luck, he’ll win and win big, taking both the tournament and the green-eyed beauty whose magic oozes out of her hot body like honey. Proving that last year’s winner is a cheat will make the victory all that much sweeter. When she senses Bryson Bascomb’s dark, supernatural influence over his opponents, Mari agrees to Tucker’s proposal to help expose the vampire’s trickery. But Bascomb isn’t going down without a fight. And the fallout leaves Mari wondering if she can trust Tucker with her life. Or if in the end, he’ll throw in his hand…and throw her under the bus. Warning: Mix in hot glamour, wild fangs and sexy incantations, and you get a noholds ride of sex and winner-take-all thrills. And maybe, if you’re lucky…true love. Enjoy the following excerpt for Betting the Moon: Tucker took Mari’s arm and led her to a corner of the room. “We have to talk.”

She shook off his hold, then needing support, rested her back against the wall. He stepped closer, glanced around at the crowd and tucked his head next to hers. “We have to talk.” “You said that.” Her nerves were raw, and she wondered if she could handle any more surprises. “So talk.” Tucker met her gaze. “You have magic.” He tilted his head as though daring her to lie. “You’re a witch, right?” Fear whipped through her as she wondered whether to admit the truth. Could she trust him not to expose her? But she couldn’t deny it any more than he could deny the powerful energy she sensed coming from him. “I am. But what about you?” He looked away for a moment, then back at her. Did he think he wouldn’t have to answer? “I don’t have magic.” “Okay, maybe not magic. But you have power. An energy. I can feel it.” He glanced around, checking for anyone who might overhear. “Have you ever heard of the Cannons of Colorado?” “No. Should I have? Besides, what do they have to do with—” she waved her hand outward, “—this craziness?” “The Cannons are a group of people who all have the same, uh, condition.” She blew out a breath, then ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t understand. What kind of condition?” He studied her as though deciding what he could or could not say. At last, he took a long, slow breath and released it. “Lycanthropy.” Her mind blocked out the noises around them. “Lycanthropy? Wait. Are you talking about werewolves?”

“Yeah, werewolves. I’m a member of the Cannon pack.” His blue eyes twinkled. Was he kidding? Irritation burned in her gut. Enough was enough. “You’re telling me you’re a werewolf?” He shushed her, putting a finger on her lips. “I don’t want everyone to hear. Do you?” His touch ignited the low embers that had started the day they’d met. Unable to control her urge, she darted her tongue just past her lips to wet the tip of his finger. Tucker looked at the dampness glistening on his skin, then with his blue eyes flecked with bits of amber, he licked the tip of his finger and moaned. “Damn, if only we had time right now.” Mari swallowed, wanting the same thing he did, but she resisted—for now. “Don’t lie to me, Tucker. Werewolves don’t exist.” The image of his mouth, long teeth sticking over his lips, his eyes changing from blue to amber flashed across her mind. Could he be telling her the truth? She’d heard stories, but they were only stories, right? Tucker snorted, then pushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. “You witches always amaze me at how little you know. Werewolves do exist. Trust me on this one.” She accepted his answer with an imperceptible nod, her gut telling her what she’d seen was real, but she still couldn’t ignore the lingering doubt stiffening her spine. He was different, all right. But a werewolf? She closed her eyes, letting the impression she received from him soak into her. The dark energy she’d felt earlier floated beneath the surface. It wasn’t black like Bascom’s darkness, and it was pushed down, layered with the light of a purer energy on top. She just hoped Tucker had more light than dark inside him. “Have you used your powers here?” If so, how had she missed it?

The corners of his mouth twitched upward. “Other than changing into a werewolf, I don’t have magical powers like you. Besides, I could ask you the same thing.” “You could.” She bit her lower lip, her nerves still frayed. “No. I never use magic in poker. I prefer to use my natural skills. It’s not fair to the humans.” “I agree.” He reached out to touch the spot he’d touched before, and once again, an overwhelming urge to suck on his finger trembled through her. “For your sake, you should stop biting your lip. It’s a major tell that you’re nervous.” He darted his hungry gaze between her eyes and her mouth. “But it’s one hell of a turn-on, too, so if it’s up to me, I hope you keep doing it.” “I guess it depends on whether I want to play poker or play with you.” Kiss me, damn it. She closed her eyes, willing her pulse to slow down. Keep your mind on the game. She sensed that he’d edged closer and she opened her eyes. His face was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “You know what, Mari Thornton?” “What?” Her breathless question floated in the air between them. “If a hundred or so people weren’t hanging out around us, I’d throw you on top of the table and fuck you like you’ve never been fucked.” Her first thought was to act offended. But that would’ve been an act. She inhaled, drawing in his scent, and decided to take a risk. “You know what, Tucker Manning?” “Yeah?” “I’d let you.”

He should push her away…but he’d rather have his wicked way with her.

Getting Familiar With Your Demon © 2012 Jodi Redford

That Old Black Magic, Book 4 After too many years learning death from the inside out as the familiar of a voodoo queen, soul collector Samael Gorasola betrayed his boss, which landed him on demon death row. He should have known not even his punishment would come easy, but the deal he’s offered to escape his fate stinks. Become the indentured servant to his despised enemy? No thanks, he’d rather be six feet under. With that in mind, he picks a deadly fight with two demon hunters, only to be rescued by one misguided, deliciously innocent white witch. Marabella hasn’t a clue what possessed her to help Sam, particularly since he’s not the least bit grateful. She blames it on her overwhelming attraction to the dark, dangerous demon, and her exasperating quest to rid herself of the stubborn curse that guards her virginity. If the guild finds out, though, she can kiss her white-witch status goodbye. A kiss is exactly what she gets, followed by a consuming hunger that breaks down all heavenly and earthly barriers…and leaves Sam saddled with the one thing he never wanted, a conscience, and a connection to Marabella that puts her soul on the line. Warning: This book contains torturous use of disco music, one sinfully sexy demon who revels in being bad, a virgin witch whose innocence runs more than skin deep, and plenty of wicked, forbidden sex with explosive side effects—literally. Enjoy the following excerpt for Getting Familiar With Your Demon:

I can’t believe I’m going through with this. Even if she really wasn’t. But in the end, she still had to endure an evening with a demon who possessed a caveman mentality and a one-track mind. A demon she just happened to have a raging case of horniness for. Yeah, this couldn’t end badly. Not at all. Dragging in a shaky breath, Marabella pulled into the parking garage down from Bella’s Boutique and cut the engine. She removed the keys from the ignition and prayed Sam wouldn’t comment on the constant jingling the keys made as they dangled from her trembling fingers. He joined her outside the vehicle, and after crossing the deserted boulevard, they walked the short distance to her storefront. She attempted to jam the key into the lock, but her overworked nerves made the task impossible. Without saying a word, Sam gently nudged her aside and freed the bolt. She didn’t fail to notice the sardonic tilt of his mouth as she muttered a “Thanks” and pushed past him. The tumblers clicked, announcing Sam had secured the lock. She reached for the light switch, but he took her hand and led her away from the door. Her heart beating a chaotic mambo, she trailed along, trying not to focus on the fact he seemed to have a definite destination in mind. They pulled to a stop in the entry leading to the French Bohemian bedroom tableau, and her pulse ratcheted up several notches. She stared at the daybed before jerking her gaze to Sam. Immense heat simmered in his sin-filled eyes. She blurted the first thing that popped into her mind. Unfortunately, it wasn’t one of her more intelligent responses. “The bed is only for display.” Another flash of sardonic humor flickered across Sam’s face. “What kind of saleswoman would you be if you didn’t test out the merchandise?”

“I…” Ah damn. Her tongue-tied state increased a thousandfold when Sam’s hands planted on either side of her head, effectively boxing her against the wall. The way he was looking at her—as if he were mentally devouring her—caused her pulse to stutter. Sure, there’d been plenty of men who’d gazed at her with lust before the curse ultimately knocked them on their asses. Even so, those occasions didn’t hold a candle to the barely restrained hunger riding Sam’s gorgeous features. She licked her lips and watched his pupils dilate as he tracked the motion of her tongue. “I—I don’t know.” She winced at her breathless stammer, feeling worse than a gawky moron. Sam’s head descended until they were practically nose to nose. She stared into his eyes, mesmerized by the intensity in their depths. His irises were so dark, she’d at first assumed they were completely black, but up close, she saw they were actually a deep midnight blue. “We can’t have you selling a bed you haven’t stamped a personal testimony on. What if the springs squeak?” His whiskey-smooth voice held an unmistakable hint of tease. Before her brain produced a not entirely idiotic response, Sam’s mouth claimed hers. The same electric jolt of desire and apprehension she’d experienced in the ballroom slammed into her with renewed force. A moan slipped free before she could cage it. The sound must have encouraged Sam, because he reangled his approach, his tongue delving past her lips as if it had every right to do so. She truly wished with every fiber in her being that it didn’t, but the heady pleasure Sam was delivering told a different story. As if her arms possessed a will of their own, they circled his neck, her fingers threading through the thick softness of his hair. A part of her screamed in warning, reminding her she wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this. It was one

thing to convince Sam she wanted to rip his clothes off and have her wicked way with him. She wasn’t supposed to actually want to do it. It proved nearly impossible to keep that thought on track as Sam’s tongue glided along hers. Retreating slightly, he explored the edges of her teeth before he sucked on her bottom lip and started his lush oral treatment all over again. By the time he pulled back, her mouth felt swollen and thoroughly ravished. Her breath puffed in shallow, staccato bursts, and the soaked crotch of her panties clung to her throbbing flesh in damning proof of her insatiable desire for him. Passion and fear warred inside her. She wanted—no, craved—the wet, slick rasp of Sam’s tongue on her everywhere. Her mouth, her breasts and painfully hard nipples. Her pussy. Oh goddess. She especially hungered to feel him there. And that was wrong. So very, very wrong. Sam’s mouth abandoned hers and slid to the slope of her neck. His beard scruff tickled her skin, inciting a host of goose bumps. He scored his teeth along the pulse point beneath her ear before sucking the tender spot. A responding beat echoed in her clit, and she whimpered. Without warning he swept her into his arms. She clung to him, as much startled by the action as his obvious strength. Before she even thought to protest, Sam strode the short distance to the daybed and tossed her into the middle of it. Decorative throw pillows tumbled to the ground as he stretched over her. Their bodies aligned in the most delicious way. She struggled to ignore that reality, but Sam seemed determined to prove exactly how traitorous her body could be. He cupped her breasts through the flimsy fabric of her Greek goddess gown, and she arched into him, her nipples obediently pebbling under his touch. His husky chuckle mocked her. Swirling his tongue in the sensitive hollow beneath her ear, he rolled his fingertips over her nipples. She nearly shot out of her skin.

“You’re incredibly responsive considering I haven’t even gotten you naked yet.” There was no mistaking the intent in his voice. Giving a low, sexy growl, he bunched the skirt of her costume in his hands and whisked it upward. Before she’d snapped to her senses, he’d tugged the dress completely off her, leaving her with only a skimpy G-string and matching bra to hide her from his hot, hungry gaze. Milky moonlight poured through the window, revealing Sam’s unabashed stare as it roved her body, lingering everywhere, but especially on the faint shadow of her pubic hair beneath the sheer white mesh of her panties. Her hands automatically moved to cover her groin, and he used the opportunity to free the front clasp of her bra with a deft flick of his wrist. He separated the nylon cups and stared at her breasts. Her heart hammered, making her dizzy. She’d never been this naked with a man. The realization was both exciting and scary. She attempted to shield her exposed flesh again, but Sam gripped her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. Straddling her thighs, he lifted onto his knees and reached for something overhead. She craned her neck to see what he was up to and frowned when he snagged one of the tasseled curtain tiebacks draped over the folding silk screen tucked behind the daybed. Recalling the imprisoned state of her wrists, her eyes widened. No. He wouldn’t. The wicked sparkle in his eyes quickly shot a hole in that pathetic theory. She jerked against his hold, earning his devilish chuckle. He braced her hands on the daybed’s brass rail and looped the tieback’s velvet cord around her joined wrists, securing them to the cold metal bar as easily as if she’d been a steer at a roping contest. Not exactly the most flattering way to picture herself, to be sure. “S-Sam, let me out of this, damn it.”

“No.” “Please?” Soon as she was free, she’d kick his ass for making her beg. “I’m not spending all night fielding your coy hiding games. For shit’s sake, you act like you’re a damn virgin or something.” She glared at him. “Maybe I am.” “Yeah, likely story, baby.” She opened her mouth in order to correct him of his misassumption, but the words dried in her throat as Sam stripped out of his shirt. She’d seen him barechested before. It made absolutely no sense why her nipples should still tingle at the close-up view of the sleek, sculpted contours of his muscular torso and chiseled six-pack. Swallowing with great difficulty, she watched his hand trail in a lazy fashion down his washboard abs, following the thin peppering of silky hair that arrowed toward the waistband of his jeans. He released the buckle on his belt and withdrew the leather strap from the loops. His motions deliberate and slightly menacing, he anchored the belt around the top rail of the daybed. Catching her wary look, he offered a smile that’d make a crocodile nervous. “Might need it later.” What the hell have I agreed to?