Gunnar's Game

Chapter Eleven

Alicia stared at the men invading her study. Sitting with Lonnie, sharing a cup of tea and old times, made everything that had passed the last few weeks feel like a bad dream. Yet once again, Robert Anderson tried to come between her and those she loved.

Jules, Jesse, and Kisho preceded four rogue Circs into the office. Jules looked less than pleased. Kisho's face wore no expression.

“Sorry, Mrs. Sharpe. They’re holding Morgan, Keegan, and James hostage so we’ll cooperate. Jules warned us not to do anything until we talked to you.” Jesse announced on a Dawn Endeavor broadcast. Even Lonnie heard the news, but like the others, he didn't react.

“Ava and Gunnar?” she asked.

“Together in the gym. With Anderson.”

She had a bad feeling about that.

“So this is the bitch,” one of the rogues muttered. “Doesn't look so shit-hot powerful to me.”

“Smells powerful, though,” another said.

The rogues were clad in a dark black material that looked formidable.

“The new Kevlar weave, hmm?” Lonnie said. “I just outfitted my team with those.”

The obnoxious rogue nodded.

“Where are the others?” she asked, knowing this team would have knowledge of all the occupants in residence.

“Anderson's got your precious granddaughter. Don't you worry. The psychics are out of it. And Reynolds is bleeding out as we speak. You do what we tell you, and everyone will live.”

Kisho growled, and his claws appeared.

“Morgan is fine.” Jesse frowned. “But he said to hurry up, or he’s going to drain more energy than his kitsu had planned to give up tonight. Oh hell, is that love talk for sex?”

Kisho coughed and flushed, but Alicia could see the relief he tried to hide.

Obviously Morgan was well enough to heal himself once Kisho found him again. The pair could exchange energy in a way she still found amazing, after all she had seen in this world.

“It's okay, Kisho.” Alicia had finally accepted that their vision would come to pass. And now that it had, she felt much better about the possible outcome. She and Lonnie had shared truths yesterday, and she understood how fortunate she was to have someone so trusting and loving in her corner. “Jules, Kisho, Jesse, I want you to be calm and do everything they tell you to.”

“No shit, lady. We’re the ones with the guns and the claws.” As one the rogues held up one the new Circ 1000s. With them, Circs could be taken down in one shot, since the specially crafted rounds penetrated deeper into Circ skin than the other weapons they'd used.

“How nice for you.” She smiled and secretly handed Lonnie her own version of the gun she'd had hidden in her desk drawer for just this occasion, though hers was filled with tranquilizers. Mentally, she warned the others, “Get ready, men.” The Circs tensed, and the rogues responded.

“Now!”

In seconds, Jules, Kisho, and Jesse had disarmed three of the four rogues.

Lonnie shot the fourth, then continued shooting the others until all the rogues were down.

“I'll check on the others.” Kisho and Jesse left in a rush.

Jules stood with Lonnie. They exchanged a long glance, and Alicia smiled.

“Go ahead, Lonnie. I'd try to talk you out of this, but I know you won't be budged.”

He shrugged. “Sorry, Alicia. But it's for your own good. If I didn't, you'd make a mess of Anderson. You're too close to this.”

“I could promise I'd stay right here.”

Jules and the admiral exchanged another glance.

“Shoot her,” Jules said. The traitor. “Sorry, Mrs. Sharpe. But even you can't expect us to believe you'd sit tight while we take care of Anderson.” She didn't plan to let them shoot her. But before she could move, Lonnie pulled the trigger. Jules caught her as she fell and gently laid her on the couch.

“Don't worry. You'll be just fine, honey,” she heard Lonnie whisper. He kissed her gently on the cheek.

“T-traitor.”

Jules chuckled. “Yep. You can thank us later.”

Tersch glared at Anderson, trying to decide if he should rip the man's head off or just break his neck. He didn't want to dirty the floor mats, but they'd scrubbed blood out of them before. He refused to let his fear for Ava get the better of him. He knew what she was capable of, and he trusted her to stay out of harm's way while he handled Anderson.

“You, Tersch. Come here.”

Ava's eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. “No, stay here.” The woman worried for him? His beast liked his mate's concern but felt it unnecessary.

“I'll be fine.”

“Like Alicia was fine?” she said, obviously hinting at something he didn't understand. He was having a hard enough time reining in his beast and berserker.

Both of them wanted to emerge and torture Anderson for putting his mate in harm's way.

“I said come here.” Anderson shot a hole into the wall a few feet above Ava's head. “I'm fast, and I never miss.”

Tersch grit his teeth, held on to his beast, and approached Anderson.

“That's far enough.”

Not for what Tersch had planned. He knocked Anderson's gun away and started choking the fucker. “You don't threaten my mate and live,” he growled.

Anderson clutched at Tersch's hands, but instead of trying to break free, he stroked along the outside of Tersch's knuckles. And in that moment, Tersch understood why Ava hadn't wanted him in reach of their enemy.

Unable to help himself, Tersch looked into Anderson's eyes.

The dark blue swirled, a mirror of himself, and he allowed his own rage to pour through. Yes, he was angry that the woman constantly tried to manipulate him. The lies, the deceit. Sharpe and her smart-mouthed granddaughter. Trying to trick him, to control him.

He shook his head, aware he'd dropped Anderson and was growing. Stronger, taller. More powerful than he'd ever been. He ripped through his clothes as the berserker came out to play.

“That's right. Good. You lead, I follow,” Anderson murmured. “Now you wanted to get rid of the woman first. You said something about fucking her to death. A secret fantasy of yours. I'll stand watch right here, at your command.”

“My command.” Tersch liked that, but the rest didn't sound right.

“Look at her, Gunnar. She's your enemy. She lied to you. She wants to control you. See how she teases, wearing hardly anything at all? The sight of her nipples, her dark flesh so temping to anyone male?”

Tersch shook his head. That didn't seem right. But he couldn't argue the fact that a gorgeous woman wore nothing more than a T-shirt in front of him and his faithful guard.

“Do it,” Anderson whispered, and Tersch's head pounded.

He stepped toward the woman, and his headache increased. His course had been set for him. He had a plan, a need to fulfill his obligations and take down this seductress before she tempted other men down a path of ruin.

Like his goddamn mother. Bitch. Always telling me what to do! Tricked me into marriage, all because of you! He could see his father yelling and pointing at him. The slaps, the rages…

An echo of violence sent shivers down his spine. He hastened his step, prepared to do anything to stop history from repeating itself. No more innocents left to suffer, no more deaths at the hands of deceitful affection.

He stared at the woman, bemused by her extraordinary allure. So beautiful, so treacherous. Her heat signature flared, full of power and mystery.

He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anything, and it scared him.

She scared him.

“That's right. End her before she ends you. Take what's yours, Gunnar.” The distant voice encouraged him.

“I don't need you telling me what to fucking do,” he roared at his father. “I'm not yours anymore.”

“I'm sorry,” the distant voice apologized.

Sorry, sorry. Always sorry, Frederik. You little piece of shit.

Tersch tackled the woman to the ground, waiting for her pleas of mercy, her tears of terror.

Instead, she cupped his cheek. “I love you, Gunnar. No matter what.” The soft words pierced the fog of his mind.

“She's using you. Do it.”

Snap her neck. Break it. You know you can.

He leaned up to straddle her slim form. Tersch wrapped his hands around her neck, hands the same size as his father's. Behind him, he heard a gunshot, then nothing more. The sounds of the other males made little sense.

His gaze was glued to the woman under him. She closed her eyes and turned her head, offering him her submission. Giving. He couldn't take what had been willingly given.

“Mine,” he snarled and squeezed.

“Tersch, no!” Male voices. Shouts at him to stop.

Something pricked his shoulder. Strong hands tried to pry him away, and he batted them back. He left the woman and made short work of the two males trying to shoot him with an ineffectual gun. Once he'd knocked both of them unconscious and verified that the other male who smelled wrong lay unmoving, he returned to her.

She lay as he'd left her. Waiting for him.

“I love you.” Her hazel eyes were large, the loving expression in them pure, devoted. “I love you, mate.”

He knelt over her again, a knee on either side of her hips. And as he placed his hands over her throat, as he'd done before, another image replaced this one. One of the magnificent woman on her knees, of her generous smile as she made love with him. Her joy as he took her in every way.

The berserker leaned closer and nuzzled her ear, taken with the scent of them both. His and hers, together. He lessened his hold around her neck and released her, planting kisses in place of his fingerprints. She made him so hard. He wanted her right now, under him. The shirt she wore rode high on her hips, and he scooted back to glance down at her pretty little pussy.

“Mine,” he said again, his voice thick but not as deep. The need for her submission faded, replaced with the need for her pleasure, and he slowly decreased in size, his berserker sinking back inside him, at peace. His beast wanted to protect, to satisfy her wants. But the man wanted to feel her under him, surrounding him, as he made love with his mate once more.

Gunnar felt himself change back into a man's form but couldn't concentrate on anything but Ava. He didn't give her a chance to protest. He shrugged out of his tattered clothes, lifted her to him, and pushed through her wet folds deep into her pussy.

“God, I love you,” he sighed as he kissed his mate.

Their loving was passionate, hurried, and thorough. He thrust hard and fast, grinding against Ava's clit until she clenched him tight, coming hard around him.

She squeezed him into an all-consuming orgasm, making him tremble as she milked him of his seed.

He finally felt normal again when he heard Jules groan.

Shocked, Gunnar stared into his mate's sated expression. He hurriedly withdrew and carried her out of the gym and back to her bedroom. Though he heard the others near, they didn't pass anyone along the way, for which he was profoundly grateful. Once back in her bedroom, Tersch let out a loud breath.

“I was worried for you,” Ava said in a thick voice. Her eyes shimmered with happy tears. “But I knew you would protect me. You, your beast, your berserker. You really do love me, don't you?”

He hugged her close. “More than life itself, baby. You have no idea.” They sat for a few minutes on her bed, closer than they'd ever been.

Then Ava stirred. “Much as I hate to cut this short, I think you need to dress and rejoin the others. Jules and Lonnie thought you were going to kill me. We wouldn't want to give them the wrong impression.” Tersch chuckled and stood. “I'll get dressed if you will. Because if Keegan sees you wearing that shirt and nothing else again, I'll rip his eyes out.”

“You're so hot when you're threatening.” She sighed. “Have I told you how much I love your growl?”

He snorted. “Save the love talk for later.”

“Might as well. After all, you owe me a few orgasms, at the least, for believing in you.”

Knowing her strengths, how fast she could truly move, Gunnar knew she could have prevented that scene in the gym when he'd been choking her. Instead, she'd lain under him, her faith complete.

“We really are made for each other, aren't we?” He smiled as she dressed.

“I've been telling you that for months. Game, set, match, honey. I told you we'd be mates some day. I win.”

“No, we both win.” He hurried to her side to kiss her once more. “Now promise you won't tell anyone we did it in the gym. A guy's gotta have standards, and sex where you work out is just wrong. No matter how hot your woman is.” Not to mention how much shit he'd given Morgan and Hayashi when they'd done it on those same mats months ago.

“Flatterer.” She batted his groping hands away. “Now get out of here so we can pretend you didn't just ravish me on the floor in front of an unconscious Lonnie and Jules. And Anderson was in there too. Ew.”

He saluted and left, careful to pass no one on his way to his room. But once there, he had to stop and wonder. Could his life possibly get any better?

Could his life possibly get any worse? Nearly a week after “The Incident,” and the guys wouldn't stop ragging him for fucking in the gym. It wasn't so much that he'd done Ava on the floor, but that he'd taken her with Admiral London present, a guy most of them thought of as a surrogate father.

“Considering all the shit you gave me, you can't possibly think you're not going to hear about this for years to come?” Morgan murmured as they stood on the back patio barbecuing their dinner.

“Morgan, he was fucking passed out. He and Jules were oblivious.”

“Ah, hate to burst your bubble,” Jules said. “But I caught an eyeful. You were pretty intense, huh, big guy?”

“Shut it,” he growled, then smiled as Ava, Sheridan, and Olivia passed by with trays of drinks. “At least my mate knows I believe in women's rights.” Jules frowned when Sheridan glared at him over her shoulder.

Hayashi snorted. “That's just because she can kick your ass as easily as you can kick Fallon's.”

Fallon turned from ogling his wife's ass. “Hey. Get off me. You know, you used to be a lot nicer before you mated Morgan. He's a bad influence.” Morgan grinned.

Ava joined them. Gunnar's misery grew in leaps and bounds. Dammit, he needed more time to do this right. The fucking ring in his pocket was giving him hives, but Alicia had helped him pick it out. With glee, I might add.

“Everyone, please have a seat.” Mrs. Sharpe nodded to the large table and chairs.

Admiral London manned the grill while the rest of them took their seats.

Gunnar grabbed Ava's hand in his and refused to let go.

She glanced at their hands and mouthed, I win. The smug smile she gave him made him hard.

“There are a few things I'd like to clear up before we enjoy this fine meal, courtesy of my Lonnie.”

The older man flushed and glared when Tersch snickered. “Keep it up, Gunnar. Your days are already numbered. That one,” he said pointing at Ava, “is a chip off her block.” He pointed at Alicia.

“Poor bastard,” Jules muttered.

“I heard that, Jules.” Alicia frowned at him, then smiled. “Grayson is doing well. He plans to visit next week. He heard from Jack. It's been confirmed Robert Anderson killed Melissa. Jack did his part by freeing Grayson, and he's now the admiral's problem.”

“Bastard refuses to come back in.” London frowned. “But I'll deal with him on my own. This team has done more than its part with all this. I can't thank you enough.”

“You could give us a raise,” Tersch muttered, considering the rock he'd forked an arm and a leg over for.

Ava raised a brow at him, and he quieted.

“As I was saying,” Alicia continued. “Anderson is now in federal custody, in the hands of a special task force assigned to deal with such individuals. He's also volunteered to test more of those harmful drugs that hurt so many of our psychics.” Tersch eyed Alicia with appreciation. A fitting end to Anderson. Those drugs had a bad habit of killing psychics. And the latest batch had stripped several psychics' powers altogether.

“We've found another cache of rogue Circs. You'll be dealing with them in another month or so, after a well-deserved, all-expense-paid vacation to a tropical island we've arranged.”

“Not that's what I call good news,” Olivia said with a laugh. She sat in Fallon's lap, her mate's hand over her belly.

“Now, for the truth you've all been so interested in knowing.” Everyone grew silent, the sizzle of steaks and a few chirping birds the only sounds to be heard.

“I was born a Circ, raised to know my path. I was destined to find you all, to ensure a new future for our kind. Someday another woman will take my place, one who'll live for a very long time and do wondrous things for humanity.”

Tersch frowned. “So how old are you?”

“Gunnar,” Ava chided.

Alicia held up her hand. “A legitimate question. Not terribly polite, but since it's Gunnar asking, I'll tell you. I'm Ava's great-great-grandmother. I'm well over a hundred years old.”

Everyone sat in astonishment.

“No shit.” Jules whistled.

Morgan grinned. “The family has good genes. You're lucky to have me, kitsu,” he said to Hayashi.

“The Circs are meant to better mankind. Though you've been created by science, science had help.” Alicia smiled at them all. “Years ago I met an extraordinary young man. Elliot Pearl was his name, and he had a head for science.

We discussed gene splicing, recombinant DNA, and a variety of other things. But I hadn't realized how much our talk had meant until I ran into him years later.”

“You're telling us you gave Elliot Pearl the idea for the Circe serum? The drug that made the first Circ?” Sheridan asked, agog.

“Well, not the first Circ, dear. The first manmade Circ, yes.” London added, “As well as a sample of her blood. Pearl was a genius, but even he wouldn't have discovered how to manage things without Alicia's blood as an example. Might have taken decades longer to come up with the Circe serum.” Tersch couldn't believe it. “You made us?”

“In a fashion. You see, Ava has a destiny she's just coming into. You and she will give birth to my successor. I needed a strong replacement. One with your strength of character and Ava's talents. She'll need the right guidance, and I fully trust in all of you to give birth to the next generation of Circs. Sheridan's baby will be a real treasure, as will Olivia's child. And Kisho and Morgan don't know it yet, but they'll raise my great-great-great-granddaughter with Gunnar and Ava as if the child were their own. You're all very important to the future at large, you know.”

Tersch tried to understand. “You're telling me you set us up so I'd make a baby with Ava?” The woman didn't make any sense.

“Of course not. I'm not a glorified matchmaker.” Her sly grin took Tersch's breath away. Damn, she had set him up. “But I will admit I picked the right woman for Jesse. I knew Kisho and Morgan would suit. And Sheridan had my help when it came to getting her a job here, to be closer to Julian. I hesitate to take credit for it all, as that sounds conceited even to my ears. You can't force love.”

“But you can give it a helping hand,” Ava added. She winked at Tersch and gripped his hand tighter.

“But the experiments, Pearson Labs, the mutants…” Jules scowled.

“Now, now. I only put in play what was meant to be, Jules,” Alicia said softly.

“I don't countenance forcing choices, only making them. No one coerced any of you into the Circ project. You volunteered because you wanted to make a difference. And you have.”

She paused. “I see some things very clearly, yet others remain clouded from my mind's eye. I do the best I can, guided by my ancestors and the spirit world as I see it. Much of your travail to become who you are now was closed to me. But even if I could go back and change it, I don't know if I would. Your troubles and successes have made you who you are today.”

Tersch thought about what his life had been and what it was now. He had friends. He had family. He looked at the petite brown hand clasped in his.

He had Ava.

Tersch cleared his throat. “Now that Mrs. Matchmaker has had her say, I have something to add.”

“Here we go,” Morgan muttered.

“Gunnar.” Ava flushed. “Do you have to make fun?”

“Shush, Ava. Let him.” Alicia's eyes sparkled. The blasted woman knew he was about to make a fool of himself, and of course, she encouraged it.

Jules smiled. “Man, you are so purple.” Meaning Tersch's aura was violet, the color of love.

“Shut up.” He stood. He wiped his hands on his jeans, wishing he'd thought to do this in private. But he wanted everyone to know how much Ava meant to him.

He turned to his mate and took the small box from his pocket, pleased when her eyes narrowed on the box, then widened. “I've loved Ava from the moment I first saw her. Those big hazel eyes, that beautiful face, that rockin' body.”

“Amen,” Fallon murmured and had Olivia socking him in the gut with her elbow.

“Shh.”

Tersch watched his mate's eyes soften and tear up. Her great big green eyes.

The woman was a sucker for romance. Something he'd keep in mind. Encouraged, he opened the box and held it to her. “You've made my life complete, Ava. I love you more than life itself.” He glanced at Kisho, who mouthed his next line. Thank God they had a poet in residence. “Without you, I'm less than nothing. But with you, I'm right. Will you marry me?”

Ava wiped her eyes. “You were supposed to say, 'But with you, I'm right where I need to be.' Then the 'will you marry me' part.” The woman must have seen his crib sheet. Shit.

“Well? Yes or no, woman?” he growled.

She smiled, her expression so brilliant, it was like looking into the sun. “I love you right back, you big Viking berserker. And I'm pregnant, so you have to marry me. Now tell me again you love me and put this ring on.” Everyone cheered. Champagne corks suddenly burst, and laughter abounded.

Tersch had eyes only for his mate. “Baby?” he croaked.

“Yeah. I think she's going to be a handful.” Ava put his hand on her stomach.

“God, I love you. And before you say a thing, I won our little game.”

“Oh?” She stretched out her finger for the full-carat marquise diamond he put on her finger. A perfect fit.

“Yeah. Knocked up and engaged, and I didn't even have to beg.” She gave him a mock frown, which she ruined when she smiled. “We aren't married yet.” She tugged him closer and whispered, “And until I see a little man-on-man action, I'm not using the cuffs.”

He blushed; he could feel it. Especially when Morgan smiled at him from across the table with a sly look. He whispered back, “Ava. Come on, baby. Not him.”

“Four on one. That includes him. And then maybe I'll consider some girl-on-girl.”

“Really?” Hope filled him. Hope for the future, for his new family, and for the happiness he could feel filling him, his beast, and his crazy berserker.

“Girl-on-girl porn, that is.” She snickered and fell into his arms.

And Frederik Gunnar Tersch conceded. Ava had won her little game. And by God, he'd play with her for the rest of their blessed lives.