ShiftinDirty-ElizaGayle (10 page)

“He does. It was his suggestion that it was likely Blackwoods. They’ve been the most vocal about their dissent with the councils. And just because we’re talking about two wolf packs doesn’t automatically mean they see eye to eye. These days a lot of the clans only want to do their own thing. We aren’t the only ones who are tired of the archaic and outdated rule of the councils. And it’s steps like these that might help change things though. If we do them right and work together.”

Gage hated putting his faith in anyone outside his own family and that only included the people in this house. Everyone else was a gamble.

“What if she gets pregnant?”
 

Bhric swallowed another whiskey shot. “There are so many unknowns here that make this situation complicated at every turn. I think the first thing we need to do is get you two over to Simon. Let him run some tests or whatever the hell he does over there. While you do that I will continue to work on the alpha leaders. The more we present a united front to the council, the better chance we have of a positive outcome.”

Gage picked up his second shot of whiskey. “My mate isn’t just some bargaining chip to be used for political game. Maybe you could talk about her like it’s not some chore to do so.”
 

Bhric sighed. “I mean no disrespect, but the more pragmatic we are the better. What does she say about all this? Is she ready to become your mate yet?”

All the men snorted at Bhric’s question, especially Calder. “Dude, when have you ever seen a female willing to jump into the mating process? I’d bet dollars to donuts she’s going to come out here and say she can’t mate him yet because of the lack of emotions or some nonsense. Women are driven by those damned things.”
 

Gage glared at him. “As opposed to what? We’re only driven by lust?”

“Who’s driven by lust?” Nikki came into the room carrying baskets of something sweet that smelled out of this world with Sienna right before her with a huge tray covered with bowls and plates filled to capacity.

“Calder, be a doll and get the plates and silverware we left by the door. Any hurry before these guys pounce on this amazing food.”

The bear nodded and walked to the kitchen.

“What is this—” Gage started to ask about the food when Nikki set the first basket in front of him and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the assortment in front of him.

“Sienna made homemade donuts.”

“What?” All the men in the room asked in unison.

“Pumpkin, Maple Bacon and Cherry Blossom. They’re my favorites. Hope that’s okay.”

“Okay? Move over Gage, Sienna is going to be my mate.”

“No mine.” The two brothers practically dove into the baskets to get the first two donuts.
 

Gage growled at Dean and Bhric even though he knew both were kidding. Dean was totally in love with Nikki and Bhric was even more of a bachelor than he’d been.

“Don’t listen to these two.” He warned Sienna. “We’re doughnut fiends and willing to do just about anything for them.”

“So what were you discussing when we walked up? Have you plotted your way to taking over the shifter community yet?”

Dean wagged his finger at his mate. “Hey, we can’t all be high octane kick ass assassins. Some of us have to use our brains.”

For a second the room died in silence before everyone broke out in laughter. Except for Sienna who looked thoroughly confused by it all.

“Whatever.” Nikki said as she plucked one of the pumpkin doughnuts from Dean’s fingers. “You’re all just jealous.”

Bhric nodded. “That we are.”

Gage patted his knee, hoping Sienna would take a seat on his lap. Instead she shook her head and pulled a chair next to his. “Glad to see you got to make your treats this time, babe. They’re amazing.” He’d already crammed one of each in his mouth and was about to try a fourth.

“Looks like I’ve found the perfect subjects for all my kitchen experiments.”

“Hell yeah.” Calder whooped.
 

“Although you might enjoy them more if you ate them instead of inhaling them.”

Everyone laughed again. The rest of breakfast continued the same way despite the underlying tension still festering in the room. Things were far from settled. When every last crumb was consumed and they were all sitting around rubbing their stomachs, Nikki nodded toward Gage and Sienna.
 

“How long you going to make her sleep sitting in a chair? What’d you do, keep her up all night?”
 

Everyone started snickering like they were a bunch of teens sitting around after a long night of partying and getting drunk, making Gage roll his eyes.
 

Instead of chastising them all for being children, he shifted his gorgeous mate into his arms and pulled her to his chest.

“What’s going on?” She asked groggily.

“I’m taking you to bed, darling.”

More incorrigible snickering came from the peanut gallery.

“Don’t wanna,” she mumbled. “Not tired.”

“Uh huh.” Ignoring her feeble protest, Gage walked her up the stairs and into his bedroom. There he laid her out on the bed and removed what clothing he dared.
 

“Gage?”

“Mmmhmm?” After pulling off her shoes and socks, he unfastened her jeans and tugged them down her long legs. At the sight of her soft thighs he wondered if he’d made a mistake. How was he supposed to get any sleep with all that silky flesh rubbing up against him?

“I like your family,” she whispered.

“I’m glad. I kind of like them too.”

“Even the scary one...”

Gage stifled a laugh as he removed his clothes and slid under the covers next to his mate, pulling her tight against him. Bhric could be scary, but he was a great leader and obsessively protective of those he called family. He had confidence that when they made it to the other side of this crisis, Sienna would fit right in.
 

If he could keep her alive that long…

Chapter Ten

Sienna frowned as another gorgeous man approached her, this one in a white lab coat, with yet another empty vial to fill with her blood.
 

After being awakened by Gage with a promising kiss and both his hands up her shirt, she’d been pulled from the warmth of his big bed and drug here. To some secret shifter lab from the looks of it. They called it their doctor’s office.
 

“Last one I promise.” He wrapped the tourniquet around her arm and pressed the needle to her bulging vein. “I just want to make sure I have everything I need so I don’t have to ask you to do this again.”

“Why do I get the feeling that’s a little unrealistic?”

He smiled down at her, his eyes lighting up. “Too smart for your own good.
 

 
“What are you going to do with all this blood anyway?” Gage interrupted the exchange between her and the doc.
 

“I have to run a series of tests in the hopes of determining whether your DNA is compatible with your mates.

“I really wish everyone would quit calling me his mate. I have a name. And I haven’t come close to deciding on what I think of this mate nonsense.”

Simon smiled and continued. “Compatible with Sienna.”

“What makes you so sure that this is even possible?”

The doctor pressed a band aid to her arm and placed the last test tube in the rack near the door. “I’ve been studying genetics for decades. It’s kind of a hobby of mine. In more recent years I’ve been trying to use that knowledge to come up with a solution for shifter fertility issues.”

“Let me guess. You think mixing non shifter DNA with shifter DNA may give you what you’re looking for.”

He nodded. “It’s possible. Not many babies have been born in decades and most of those have come from cross breeding shifters.”

Gage touched her arm. “Something the ruling councils take a hard line against. But that’s a story for another time.”

“You still haven’t told me why you think this will work with humans,” she said.

“That’s because I don’t think you’re the first human to breed with a shifter.”

“Whoa.” she held up her hands. “First everyone insists on calling me his mate and now we’re talking about breeding. I’m a human woman with needs and desires, not some brooding mare to be used in experiments.”

“That wasn’t what I was thinking at all. But I am here in a professional capacity and my job is to find something that will make the council think twice about their position on all humans.”

She shoved her arms into the denim jacket Nikki had let her borrow before they left this morning and hopped down from the table.

“Look, Sienna. I can’t make you any promises, but I think we’ve got a real chance at a break through here. Some early results have shown that when human DNA mixes with shifter DNA, the shifter DNA not only retains viability, it becomes dominant. So this not only becomes a win for any future human/shifter relations, but it means that we might be able to end shifter fertility issues. I just need a little more evidence to make my case.”

“Why can so many shifter women not carry babies?”

“Environmental evolution. Over the centuries, female shifters have evolved and almost all now sport a higher metabolism than is suitable for carrying babies.”
 

“And a human woman can be a compatible host for a shifter baby?”

“Some may require drug therapy to get there. While certain human women on the other hand show signs of having the physiological fortitude necessary to birth shifters.”

Sienna stared at the doctor and then turned to Gage. “Is this a joke? Did he really imply that because I’m not a skinny chick I could potentially have your babies?”

Her head was about to explode.
 

Simon opened his mouth to say something and Gage stopped him.

“I think that’s enough for one day. I’m taking Sienna home now. If you need us for anything further, call Bhric and he’ll make the call on what we should all do next.”

At that, Gage grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. They made a beeline for the exit and outside he climbed on his bike and then helped her on the back.
 

“What now?” she asked.
 

“Somewhere I think no one will bother us. I think we both need some fresh air and a break from this insanity.”

“You got that right.”

He smiled. “Hang on, babe.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. This felt so much better. She just wanted to revel in the man without all the drama. Was that too much to ask for?

* * *

Simon stared through the microscope lens at the blood cells on the slide. The potential mate of Robert Gage had been quite a specimen indeed. With her body structure and temperament she showed obvious signs of being the perfect—

“Where is she? I can smell her.”

Simon spun around at the voice to find a tall, gruff shifter standing in his doorway.
 

“This area is off limits. If you’d like to—”

The man entered the room and paced toward him.

“I said where is she?”

Simon had a lot of patience for something, but not much for interruptions. He stood up, stretching to his full height before glaring down at the rude shifter. “I said this area is off limits. Since I have no idea who you are or what you’re looking for I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

The stranger growled. Despite never having met, he guessed this was Luke Blackwood, the tracker in charge of hunting down Sienna. What no one really understood was why. Yes, she’d seen him shift, but she was already in the custody of shifters. Her ability to reveal what she saw was currently suspended.
 

“What do you want with the human?”

Luke chuckled. “So you do know who I’m talking about.”

“I’m not in the mood to play games, tracker. But she’s no longer here.”

“Then why is her scent so strong? I smell her as if she is still in the room.” He scented around the room until his gaze zeroed in on the microscope.

“You’re testing her blood. Why?”

“For the shifter whose mate claimed her.”

The tracker’s head jerked around, anger contorting his face. His lips curled back from his teeth as he snarled. “You have got to be kidding me.” The words came out broken and harsh as the man walked back to him. “My pack saw her first. This is bullshit.”

Simon shrugged. “I guess she rejected you. The man she was in here with on the other hand, she was all over him.”

The other man’s snarl turned into a growl. “We needed her.”

We not I. Curious.
 

“Needed her for what? She’s a human. What good are they?” He had to play this up. He’d already scented several other wolves outside the room and while he was confident he could best this one, he doubted he’d fare well against the whole group.

Suddenly the wolf’s features softened as the animal inside him began to recede. “Don’t bullshit me doctor. If you’re testing her blood then you too are looking for the correlation between shifter and human mating.”