Heather awoke to the sound of the shower running again. Every muscle in her body ached pleasantly from sex in more positions than she could have dreamed. She stretched. They hadn’t slept more than a few hours, making love until nearly dawn.
The water shut off, and she rolled onto her side to watch as her mate appeared in the doorway.
He smiled. “I tried not to wake you.”
“Why?” She forced herself to push to a sitting position and swing her legs over the side of the bed. “It’s not like you were going to leave without me.” She stood, but when he hesitated, she narrowed her gaze at him. “Right?”
He exhaled. “I wish I could. I hate taking you back over to my parents.”
“But you have to. What time are we leaving?” She padded past him, aiming for the shower herself.
“My dad texted me several times last night to make sure we were there by ten. Apparently my grandfather is flying in this morning. I think I’m meant to be honored by the man’s concern and willingness to give me such a wonderful opportunity.” Sarcasm oozed from Marcus as he reached for a comb and pushed it through his hair roughly.
Heather wrapped her arms around him from behind after she flipped the water back on. She wanted to say everything would be fine, but she didn’t feel it. She was scared shitless. And she knew he would never admit it out loud, but he was too. Instead, she trailed kisses across his shoulder blades and reluctantly released him to get in the shower.
Marcus turned around. She could feel his gaze on her as she let the water fall over her head. “We sure take a lot of showers.” She peered through the glass door at him.
He leaned against the vanity, legs crossed at the ankles, hands gripping the countertop on both sides of his narrow waist.
Heather fought to stay in the shower and not attack him. He was that sexy. She closed her eyes as she washed, trying to forget he stared at her. It would do no good to insist he leave.
When she finished, he handed her a towel. “Do you know how badly I want to take you back to bed?” His gaze roamed down her body, drawing out a flush in its wake.
“Yes.” Her voice was hoarse. She dried quickly as Marcus rounded behind her.
“Stand still, baby.”
She didn’t know what he had in mind, but was pleasantly surprised to find he held her comb and proceeded to work through her tangled locks as she watched in the mirror. His gentle hands took their time, and she tried not to fidget as she stood there, a slight chill making her nipples pucker.
He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head as he finished.
She spun around to face him, set her hands on his chest, and held his gaze. “You’re so strong. I’m so proud of you.”
He swallowed as he wrapped his arms around her. “And I of you, baby.”
Reluctantly she released him. They dressed quickly and checked out of the hotel before nine, intent on grabbing some breakfast on the way back to his parents’.
“Did you tell NAR what our plans are for this morning?”
“Yeah. I texted them earlier before you were up. They’ll be on watch.”
At ten sharp they pulled up outside the small house, noting the extra car in the driveway.
Marcus gripped the steering wheel and took a deep breath. “The man is nothing if not punctual. This is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m not an actor.”
“You can do it. You have to. And I’ll be right next to you.”
He turned toward her. “Until you aren’t.” He took her hand. “Please make sure you’re always with someone from NAR when this goes down. I’m assuming I’ll go with my grandfather, and you’ll take this rental as though leaving to visit your parents. Alex will meet you someplace nearby.”
“I know. I’ve got it memorized.” They’d discussed this a dozen times in the last two days. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Concentrate on keeping
you
alive. Please.” She pleaded with him. “I—”
Before she could say anything, Marcus kissed her and then closed her mouth with a hand on her chin. “Don’t say it.” He climbed out of the car.
Heather stepped out on her side and rounded the hood to take his hand.
The front door opened before they reached the steps. Carl stepped out. He looked relieved. His shoulders fell as he motioned for them to enter. “I was worried about you two.”
Heather doubted that. But she waited for the reason.
“Why?” Marcus asked. “We said we’d be here at ten. It’s ten now.”
“Where did you go last night? You weren’t at your house,” Carl asked.
Heather tried to hide the tremble creeping up her neck. Marcus had been right. The man had followed them, or at least driven over to make sure they were actually home. Thank God they hadn’t stayed there. The creepiness factor alone made her cringe again.
“Oh. That,” Marcus began in his totally calm rehearsed voice. “I decided the place needed a good cleaning before it would be habitable.” He chuckled, though Heather knew he didn’t feel one bit of humor. “We got a hotel.”
Carl nodded as though he didn’t really care what the answer was as long as they were there now.
The first thing Heather noticed as she entered the house was how small Melvin Cunningham was. She’d expected a giant, towering, muscular man, considering what he’d orchestrated to the detriment of the entire shifter population.
Instead she found herself staring at an ailing man who appeared more frail than fit. His expression was stern, his brow furrowed. And he notably didn’t stand from where he sat in an armchair in the Cunningham living room.
“Marcus.” He nodded as they entered.
“Grandfather.” Marcus took a seat on the couch, the same place he’d sat yesterday, keeping a tight grip on Heather.
Her hand hurt, but she wasn’t about to deflect his attention. If it grounded him and gave him comfort, she would do anything.
“So, Dad tells me you have a business proposition.”
“I do indeed. Though I do wish you hadn’t disappeared for a month.” He narrowed his gaze in admonishment.
Heather flinched, surprised at the audacity of the man to reprimand his grandson before tossing him to the lions.
Marcus grinned, as though he hadn’t noticed the castigation, and looked down at Heather. “I’m sure you’ve heard the reason for my disappearing act. This is Heather. My mate.”
“Nice to meet you,” Heather managed through the lump in her throat threatening to choke her to death.
Melvin merely nodded toward her as though she were hardly more than a blip on his radar. Heather held her breath, praying he didn’t recognize her. Did the man have a pile of photos of the twelve women he’d arranged to have kidnapped and drugged?
At last Cunningham resumed his perusal of Marcus. He cleared his throat and continued. “As I’m sure your parents mentioned, I own a facility in Minnesota, and since you’re my only descendant, I want to bring you into the fold.”
Heather exhaled long and slow as he redirected his attention to Marcus, not showing any sign of knowing who she was. She noted how the man carefully didn’t mention what sort of facility his business was. She’d been briefed on the place. NAR had gathered information from a few sources, both helpful and reluctant. Daniel Spencer’s mate had spent some time at the facility also. Granted, she’d been in a drug-induced haze most of the time, but she did know enough to verify it was a medical facility of sorts.
The head elder, Ralph Jerard, was certain the facility was the location responsible for the conversion of dozens of shifters into superwolves through DNA alteration.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem it was going to take any convincing to get Melvin-the-Asswipe to lead Marcus straight to the location. As long as Marcus arrived at the facility, NAR would be hot on his heels in pursuit. That part was easy. With the tracking device, Marcus didn’t even need to call with coordinates.
Beating the Romulus at their own game by implanting a GPS tracker in Marcus in the same way the Romulus had tracked several of the kidnapped women would have been comical if it weren’t so risky.
Heather dug her nails into Marcus’s hand.
“That’s what I’ve heard.” Marcus nodded. “Good timing. I lost my job when I fled town with my mate. I could use a relocation. What sort of work do you have in mind? Do you need some construction?”
Melvin shook his head. “No. Nothing like that. It’s a research facility. You’ll be learning the business so that eventually you can take over for me.”
Marcus gasped, feigning shock. “Take over? But I don’t even know what you do.”
“You’ll learn. You’re a bright young man.” Melvin turned to glance at Heather, giving her the creeps. “I’m sure your new mate would appreciate the steady work.”
Marcus turned to look at Heather also. “I think Heather would like me to get a job ASAP.” He chuckled and nudged her playfully. “She likes nice things, and I’ve been negligent since we met.”
She fought to avoid rolling her eyes, hoping he hadn’t laid it on too thick.
Nice things, my ass
. She wouldn’t care if she never had anything but enough to eat and drink for the rest of her life as long as she had Marcus. Even a roof was overrated. They could always shift in the woods if they needed. She tried not to smile at the idea.
Melvin narrowed his gaze again. “She needs to stay here for the time being. I’m afraid the accommodations aren’t up to par yet. You’ll be living inside the compound at first. It’s no place for a woman.”
That Heather didn’t jump from the couch and tell Melvin where the fuck to go and take his antiquated ideas about women was a testament to her ability as said woman to hold her calm. Besides, what he meant was the facility was no place for a woman who wasn’t part of his experiment. The main hitch in this entire plan had been the concern Melvin might suggest Heather come also. In that case, Marcus insisted he would have bailed entirely. No way would he take her into the place blind. He’d made that clear on more than one occasion.
So, while Melvin’s words cut to the quick and degraded women in general, Heather was relieved to hear he didn’t intend for her to join them.
Marcus frowned. “I’m not ready to separate from my mate yet. I’m sure you can understand that. And you haven’t told me what your compound is for. What kind of research?”
Heather bit her lip. As much as she knew Marcus hated to harp on the question, it would seem too convenient if he didn’t inquire. Marcus hadn’t been known for his easy acquiescence in things in the past. He added to his statement with the planned explanation for his willingness.
“Medical research.” Melvin fidgeted as he explained. “We’re working on improving the life-expectancy of our species.” He beamed.
Heather cringed.
Life expectancy. Right
. That’s what he thought was the best explanation for his secret compound where wolves were undergoing DNA transformation in order to become super fighting machines? She wondered, not for the first time, if anyone at the “compound” was there of their own free will.
Marcus paused a moment, pretending to consider his grandfather’s proposal. “Heather needs to go to Oregon and visit her parents. She’s been gone for a while. Right, honey?” He turned toward her.
“Aren’t you going to come with me?” She pouted enough to be believable.
Melvin interrupted. “I’m afraid I’ll need you rather urgently, my boy. There’s no time for dawdling on vacation. You’ll have to forgo the trip to Oregon and head straight with me to Minnesota to assume the position.”
Marcus blew out a breath and stared down at Heather. “Will you be okay without me for a bit? I promise I’ll accompany you to Oregon as soon as I can break away from my job. This sounds like an opportunity we shouldn’t pass up.”
Feigning reluctance, she nodded. “Soon, I hope.” She let her shoulders fall. “My mother will be so disappointed.” She turned toward Lora, who hadn’t spoken a single syllable since they’d arrived. “You know how mothers feel about their kids growing up and mating.” She rolled her eyes.
Lora gave a faint smile and nodded.
Carl, who remained standing and was the only one in the room pacing the floor, spoke again. “Mated or not, you can’t pass up this opportunity, Marcus. Heather will have to wait for you to get settled and then come out and join you when you’ve found appropriate housing.”
Heather wondered briefly if Marcus’s parents knew the extent of what was happening at the compound in Minnesota. Were they so oblivious they believed Heather would actually be permitted to reunite with her mate in a few weeks? God, how she wanted that to be the case. The alternative was so unimaginable she couldn’t face it head on.
What parents would be in favor of donating their only child to some strange science experiment, knowing he would be forever altered or killed in the process? A chill shook her frame.
Marcus pretended to consider the proposition some more, setting his free hand on his chin and stroking it. “When would you need me?”
“Right now, son. Today. A month ago.” Carl leaned forward, setting his hands on the back of a vacant chair.
Marcus furrowed his brow. He sighed. “Honey?”
Heather easily conjured up a few tears to glisten her eyes. “I guess it’s for the best. I’ll go see my parents and catch up with you as soon as possible.”
Marcus turned back to face Melvin. “I’d need to pack some things.”
“Do you always have to be so disagreeable, Marcus?” Carl stood once more, his voice lifting as he paced.
Heather startled at his outburst. She gripped Marcus’s arm, wondering who was the most deranged, Melvin or Carl.
Melvin held up a hand. For a frail man, he could certainly put Carl in his place fast. Heather almost chuckled. “I’ll escort the boy to his home to gather his things. Let’s not be unreasonable, Carl. He needs clothing, after all.”
Heather doubted Marcus needed any clothing for whatever Melvin had in mind.
Carl headed for the front door and opened it. “Well, let’s go. Time’s a wasting.”
“Will we be flying?” Marcus asked.
Melvin shook his head. “No. We can drive from here. You can manage, right? I don’t drive as often as I used to at my age.”
“Of course.” Marcus’s pulse steadied at the news. Heather squeezed his hand. Neither of them wanted Marcus to fly anywhere. It would cause them to lose track of him for a while in the air. On the ground, members of NAR could stay on his heels the entire trip.