“Let it go already.” Ava glared at him. “So I lied. At least I'm honest about other things.” Like how much I want you.
He glanced at her finger tapping on the chair arm, the same finger she'd used to plunge inside herself yesterday, and took a deep breath he slowly let out. Though Ava couldn't read his thoughts, she could read his body language. And the flare of his nostrils, the tension in his frame, and the darkening of his blue eyes signified Gunnar's arousal.
“But how are you Circ?” Jesse wanted to know. “We were all given the Circe serum, like the Circs up north. It basically changed our DNA, allowing us to shift.
But all of us had some kind of psychic ability before we were dosed. The other Circs we've met aren't psychic, though.” He glanced at Alicia. “We've all known from the get go that Mrs. Sharpe is more than she seems. You were a surprise. But not a surprise to all of us.” He narrowed his gaze on Morgan.
Kisho sighed. “Tell them,” he said to Morgan.
Finally, the attention leaped to someone else. Ava eased into her seat, ignoring Gunnar, who had yet to look away from her.
“Hell. Throw me into the fire, why don't you?” Morgan muttered. “Fine. I've known Ava since she was five. My family is a lot like hers. There's a rumor we're somehow related.”
“You are. Distantly, but it's there,” Mrs. Sharpe added.
“Yeah, well. The point is, the Belle and Reynolds families are different.
Psychic, more in tune with nature and our animal ancestors. But Aunt Alicia is way different. And I mean that in a nice way.”
“Aunt Alicia?” Gunnar snorted.
Alicia smiled at Morgan. “I know, dear.”
Morgan continued, “Shape-shifting isn't all that weird, not where I come from.
Deep in the heart of the Amazon, you see things. Medicine men, shamans. Witches and priestesses are a lot more common than you'd think.” Sheridan spoke up. “Medically speaking, the Amazon jungle has untapped potential. If we could get the developers and poachers to leave well enough alone, we'd have a real bevy of discoveries to tap into. My Sheridan Rose, that special flower I was researching before I got involved with you all? It has healing properties. You wouldn't believe what I found when I cut into the stem and separated—”
“That's right. I said shaman,” Morgan said loudly as if Sheridan hadn't spoken.
When she glared at him, he shrugged an apology. “Sorry, honey, but you're losing Tersch already. Too many big words, I'm afraid.” Gunnar grunted. “Kiss my ass, Morgan.”
“My point is, what many people regard as myths or improbabilities are actually real. We were born this way, and the next generation of Circs will be as well.”
Alicia nodded. “What he said is true. I've seen a lot in my lifetime. Some good, some bad. I have a touch of Kisho's ability to see into the future. Not as clearly, and some things are meant to be, no matter how much you struggle to change them.” She deliberately glanced from Gunnar to Ava.
Thanks, Grandma. Make the guy hate me, why don’t you.
“You're all here for a reason. There's so much good you've already done and so much more you have to do. But you can't do it alone.”
“We're not exactly alone.” Jules gestured to everyone around him.
“No, you're not, are you? And yet some of you are.” The cryptic response did little more than aggravate the Circs. Just as Alicia no doubt intended. “Suffice it to say we need everyone present in this room if we're going to nip our current problem in the bud.” The strain on her face worried Ava. “It's come to my attention that though Melissa and Jack Keiser were the informants giving our information to the enemy, we actually have a threat much closer to home.” Jules groaned. “Mrs. Sharpe, not now.”
Ava had spoken briefly with her grandmother earlier and absolutely refused to believe Lonnie might have been in on anything that would hurt them. Grandma wasn't supposed to say anything yet, not until they'd talked to Lonnie first, face-to-face. But the woman had been acting weird. “Grandma, I don't think—”
“It's Admiral London. He's been against us from the beginning. Honestly, I'm not sure how I didn't see it. Perhaps because Lonnie's always had a special place in my heart. But regardless, he's been the one pulling Melissa's strings, giving Montaña insider information as well as details about us we wouldn't want him to know.” The stare she aimed at Olivia's and then Sheridan's flat stomachs unnerved everyone.
Rogues getting their hands on Circ babies would not be good. At all.
The heavy silence in the room felt oppressive.
“No way.” Morgan shook his head. “Admiral London's a good guy. He'd never stoop to something so low.”
Jesse looked unsure. “We've been down this road before with Elliot Pearl and William Delancey. I'd hate to think it, but what if Admiral London really isn't on our side?”
“You can't believe that.” Kisho frowned.
“I told you, Mrs. Sharpe—” Jules began before she cut him off.
“Lonnie is the special name I call him in private. You know that, Jules; you've heard me say it. When Gunnar told me what Raul had said about Melissa's contact, I didn't want to believe it either, but it explains a lot. How our enemy was able to work around me and the team. The things he knew, timing events to always miss being picked up by the navy and his own psychics. It makes sense, unfortunately.”
“Maybe.” Ava wasn't convinced. One thing Admiral Geoffrey “Lonnie” London wasn't was stupid. No way he'd slip up so easily by using the exact same nickname with Melissa that her grandmother and she used. The man was smart enough to cover every base. It made no sense. Yet her grandmother seemed certain, wounded, and angry. A terrible combination all around.
Alicia continued. “The admiral is due to visit in a few days for an informal briefing on the status of a drug shipment gone missing. His men are guarding us around the clock. We'll have to remove them without being too obvious. I'll order the lot back to Quantico as a protection detail for Olivia and Sheridan. Doc's there anyway, and I'd like our expecting Circs to see him.”
“I've already done some workups, Mrs. Sharpe,” Sheridan said. “Olivia and I are healthy.” With a touch, she could verify sickness and heal it. If Sheridan thought they were okay, they most likely were.
“I understand, but it gives us an excuse to get you two out of here, and for you to meet Doc, finally.”
Dr. Evan Dennis had been with the Circ project from the beginning. A steadfast and loyal man, he worked with the Circs up north and had thus far delivered two Circ babies into the world. It made sense for Alicia to send them.
“Okay.” Sheridan grudgingly accepted.
Olivia nodded.
Gunnar had to add his two cents. “Keegan Price and James Foreman will be a problem. They're supposed to stick to you like glue, and they have authority issues.”
“Pot calling kettle, hel-lo,” Morgan said. He returned the finger Gunnar shot him. “Leave Price and Foreman to us.” He nodded to Kisho.
“Fine,” Jules agreed. “But I don't want Olivia and Sheridan to leave our small sanctuary alone, and right now I need to be here for a few things. We need a handle on Grayson.”
Kisho shared a sad glance with her grandmother. Now what was that all about?
He turned back to Jules, his eyes narrowed in thought. “Why don't Morgan and I convince Price and Foreman to follow the ladies to Quantico, per Mrs.
Sharpe's special orders? I'll make up something about a classified liaison with Admiral London and draw them away from here on one pretext or another.” Morgan offered, “Hell, tell them you already saw them accompanying us.
Pretend it was a vision.”