Almost…loved.
God, if this kept up, she'd convince herself it really was love. Nothing like danger to increase the air of intimacy between them. Even knowing the warmth Jesse continually projected toward her couldn't be real, she snuggled closer.
Jules growled, “Not now, you two. We have some distance to close. About a day's worth.
Good work getting Gatito to open up to you, Olivia.”
How Jules knew north when surrounded by huge-ass trees and green as far as the eye could see, Olivia had no idea. But she had no problems following his direction. He radiated leadership and surety. They might as well have been walking through hell; she'd wade through the flames if he said so.
His approval soothed her because it made Jesse happy. Except the need to make Jesse happy should have irked her.
To add to her emotional dilemma concerning the man, his smothering overprotectiveness didn't feel all that bad anymore. Neither did his desire to see to her every need. Man, I could so get used to this.
He kissed her before putting some space between them, not bothering to hide his thick erection. His excitement made her feel both better and worse.
She sensed his feelings, and she knew that Jesse liked seeing her in this stronger form. Her perceived power eased his anxiety.
Unfortunately hers grew.
Olivia felt more than powerful; she felt deadly. That small voice ever growing inside her could and would kill if pressed. She had no doubt that her new instinctive needs would soon triumph over rational thought. And the imagined loss of control bothered the hell out of her.
What if while stroking Jesse's cheek during a passionate encounter, she accidentally clawed his face? What if she hurt one of her friends while trying to help them? And what if, when encountering the enemy, she killed someone?
It was all well and good to wish the enemy gone, but to take a life? This wasn't a game, and Olivia was way out of her league.
I'm an intelligence instructor, a linguist at best, but not a Special Forces expert! Oh wait.
That's right. I'm not even that anymore. Now I'm Circ. The pleasure at that thought further unnerved her, because it was, and it wasn't, her own.
The animalistic sentience inside her continued to grow. Her beast didn't like being ignored, especially when she felt as if she belonged out here, her presence clearly visible for the entire world to see.
She stroked her large forearms, bemused at the golden brown flesh there. And so tough.
Olivia dragged a sharp, one-inch nail, as strong as steel, down her skin, expecting to see blood.
Instead her skin deflected the piercing. Upon closer inspection, she swore she saw subtle lines like tiny scales fitted together to make a strong, armored suit of skin.
“It gets easier the more you wear it,” Gunnar rasped right next to her, and she jumped.
For such a large male, he moved with astonishing silence.
So close, his scent overwhelmed her. Familiar, but not…right. She instinctively opened her mouth and tasted him on the air. A hint of cedar, but not the mint she wanted. Stepping away from him, she followed in Jesse's footsteps.
Gunnar chuckled. “Fallon, man, she's into you, big-time.” She turned to glare at the hulking Circ.
“Easy, princess. I just think it's funny the way you keep trying to stay away from him. But you can't help yourself. Circ genes, baby. They trump everything human about you.”
“Whatever.” She licked a large fang, wondering how funny he'd think her if she bit him.
As if he could read her mind, he took a step back and said to Kisho, “Damn, I think she's just as mean as Fallon. Talk about a perfect pair.”
Kisho didn't respond, frozen in place.
Everyone stopped.
“What—” she started.
Jules shook his head. “Hayashi?”
“They're scattering like mice. Everyone's gone. All is lost, except for one box he forgot.
One small cardboard box containing tomorrow's answers.” Kisho's hollow voice and blank expression unnerved her. Her beast didn't like it, and she would have moved away from him if Jesse hadn't latched onto her arms and held her fast.
“Easy. He's seeing what we need to know,” he murmured.
“There's one vial they left behind, though. Not the box, what Dr. Nunes invented to destroy London's new project. He's afraid Montaña will kill him and his daughter if he refuses to help the big boss. But I can't”—Kisho cocked his head, as if trying to hear more—“I can't understand.
The language barrier won't give. Not this time.”
Not this time?
“Gunshots. The girl. Blood all over her silky black hair. Such a waste, now Nunes won't cooperate. Have to kill him too…” He choked on a cry and stopped speaking, his breathing loud in the sudden silence.
Olivia could only imagine what he'd seen.
Kisho blinked, and life returned to his face. “What happened?” Jules grimaced. “We need to find that lab. Double-time now.” Kisho's expression darkened, and Olivia felt his regret as memory of his foresight slowly returned. “Right.”
The group took off running. The beast within Olivia roared to life. Her questions would have to keep, because she started losing herself in the physical exertions her beast demanded.
She ran through the jungle, through twilight, midnight, and into the dawn, and finally began to tire.
The men showed no signs of stopping.
“Jesse, I need to rest.”
Just ahead of her, he slowed. Behind her, Gunnar stopped.
Not winded whatsoever, Jesse called to the others. “Jules, Hayashi, why don't you two go on up ahead and scout? We have to be close. I could use a break, and I'm sure Olivia could as well.”
Jules nodded. “Good idea. You three stay here while we check ahead. If Hayashi's right, there shouldn't be much of a threat left.”
Gunnar growled, “You're not going in without us?”
“No. But I want a look at their security. If we can't tag Montaña or his men, we can at least see what they're working with. And again, whatever's left in the lab will help us track the bastards.”
Gunnar grunted. His idea of a yes, Olivia supposed. In his beastlike form, he towered over her and made Jesse look small. Sexy yet threatening. She liked the combination, but not more than her beast liked the look of her dark-haired, dark-skinned mate.
Jesse's eyes glowed as he studied her, and his body responded.
Gunnar's did as well.
“Ah, I have to… I need privacy.”
Jesse nodded to his left. “I don't hear anything threatening. We'll wait here.”
“Yeah.” Gunnar agreed. “Hear that? A small waterfall about three hundred meters south.
I'll find it. Meet you there.”
After Olivia took care of her needs, she returned and followed Jesse to Gunnar. A waterfall spilled over several large rocks and into a pool of water, where they found Gunnar standing waist-deep.
“Check it out. A bath, and I found some fruit. We're in luck.” He nodded to the bank, where a large cluster of bananas sat.
Olivia glanced with suspicion at the fruit. “Be careful. The banana spider is one of the most venomous in the world. They hide in the dark places of the plant.” Jesse bent down to inspect the fruit and stood with his palm out. “Like this one?”
“Don't move!”
“Relax. He couldn't bite me if he wanted to. Remember, honey, toughened skin.” He put the spider back down.
She watched it scuttle under some leaves and relaxed, and Gunnar grinned.
“Come on, Olivia. Why not get wet?” he asked, the smirk on his face making the question more suggestive than it should have been.
“Back off,” Jesse rumbled, deep in his throat, and Gunnar's smile faded. “My mate, my female.”