Gunnar's Game

Chapter Nine

At eleven thirty the next day as he sat in the conference room, Tersch still couldn't wipe the grin from his face, no matter how hard Jules and Fallon laughed at him. The future he'd been afraid of having with Ava no longer seemed unattainable. He'd made love to his mate, and she'd screamed out her satisfaction.

Nothing but orgasms, some playful pain, and a lot of loving. He could do it; he could commit to her without fear of killing her. Just so long as they kept a ready supply of that suppressant on hand to keep his berserker at bay.

When he'd questioned her about it late last night, she'd shushed him and forced him into the shower. His little mate had control issues, but he liked letting her think she was in charge. He knew she expected him to kowtow to her. And he did, but only because he wanted to make her happy, not because she was really in charge.

“How the mighty have fallen,” Fallon said with mock sadness. He leaned closer, glanced around for Ava, and seeing her not present, whispered, “Pussy.”

“Fuck off.”

Jules laughed. “What happened to not needing a mate, a girlfriend, or a woman? I would love to say I told you so, but Sheridan said I have to be nice while she's gone.”

Fallon gave Jules a wounded look. “Then why have you been such a dick to me?”

“She didn't say anything about being nice to you.” Tersch leaned back in his chair and linked his hands behind his head. “Yep.

Once they've had a taste of me, everyone else pales by comparison.”

He nearly fell out of his chair when Ava shoved him forward.

She scowled. “For God's sake. Don't start comparing penis sizes.” Fallon laughed until she glared him into silence. Good to know Tersch wasn't the only one she bullied.

“Er, ah, hi, Ava.” Fallon smiled, putting his all into that polished charm that worked on anything female.

Apparently it worked on her as well, because she gave him a grudging smile.

“Hi yourself. Jules, you know what to do?”

Jules nodded. “I like it, Ava. You hold London here until Jack comes in. Then we'll circle around and lock him down tight. You sure you'll be okay by yourself with the admiral?”

“She'll be fine. The woman's lethal. Don't let the dimple fool you.” Tersch warned with pride. She had knocked him on his ass, no easy feat. For that alone he might have been enamored. But this plan of hers was so tricky and devious, he wanted to make love to her all over again.

The gleam in her eyes showed her pleasure.

“Ahem.” Jules waited until Tersch returned his attention. “If we could think with our big heads, guys?”

“Amen,” Ava muttered.

Jules frowned. “I'm not at all comfortable with having Jack Keiser running around the mansion. I still don't know what he's capable of. And he's a threat until I get the answers I want.”

“I can handle him,” Tersch promised. He wouldn't be taken unaware by Jack Keiser again. If he had to gut the asshole, he would.

“Now see, that's a problem.” Fallon sighed. “Tersch, you can't kill Keiser because he lied. We need to know what he knows about Melissa and this bigwig in DC. Please don't kill him until we have that at least.”

Ava groaned. “Don't kill him, period. Come on, Gunnar. You know what Grayson said. We need him to pull this off.”

“Your brother has a screw loose. How can we trust anything he said? He's being held prisoner and is probably drugged to the gills.” Ava's eyes narrowed. “You have a screw loose if you mess with my plan.” He rose and stood over her, looming like the predator he knew himself to be.

To his enjoyment, the argument felt a lot like foreplay.

Fallon coughed. “And on that note, let's go.” He tugged Tersch with him, preceding Jules out the door. “Come on, man. You can get busy with Ava later.”

“Quit reading my mind.”

“Sorry, is that erection in your pants for me?” Fallon asked politely.

“Dick.”

“You're broadcasting all over the place. I'm glad you finally came to your senses and claimed the woman, but you need to focus here. We can't mess this up. A lot depends on us grabbing London and Keiser.”

Tersch hated when they talked down to him. His berserker had rage issues.

The man had a temper, but he could reason just fine. “I know that.”

“Good.” Jules shoved him forward. “Now quit gabbing like little girls and get into position.”

Fallon shook his head. “I'm telling Sheridan you said that.”

“You and your feminist bullshit. Oh, shut up.” Jules scowled. “And if you tell my mate I said that, I'll let Tersch tear into you the way he's been wanting to. I still remember what you said about Ava the first time we saw her.” Fallon glanced from Jules to Tersch and hurried forward. “Fine, fine. I heard nothing.”

Tersch narrowed his eyes. “No, what did he say?” Fallon darted around the corner without another word.

“I'll tell you later,” Jules said in a quiet voice. “Now change and get ready.”

The three of them waited in an alcove up the stairs, out of sight. Tersch smelled Admiral London the minute Ava welcomed him into the foyer. The scent of sandalwood and the sea. Clean, pure. He didn't smell dirty.

“He isn’t thinking about anything other than how much he’s missed Mrs.

Sharpe,” Fallon broadcasted to them both. “Ava’s thinking that Tersch had better keep to the plan or no sex for him later. Man, she’s cruel.”

“She’s mine.” Tersch sent him.

“Couldn’t have said that better myself. What else, Fallon?” Jules asked.

Fallon continued. “London’s nervous. Something doesn’t feel right. He wants to get Ava alone, to ask her if she’s all right and to see what’s up. He doesn’t protest when she takes him into the conference room and locks them inside. But they aren’t alone. Jack’s in with them.”

That wasn't the plan. Tersch tensed, angry, worried, and trying hard to control his temper.

Fallon added, “Dammit. Ava’s loudly telling me she knew where he’d be all along and to leave her well enough alone until she tells us to come in.” Fear crept over Tersch's body like walking fingers of dread. “I’m going to spank her silly.”

“She wanted us out of the way so she could get them where she wanted them.

Now she wants us to listen in, but not to enter the conference room. Not yet.” Fallon sent them a burst of humor. “You have to respect a female who can manage three Circs without breaking a sweat.”

“Oh, she’s gonna break a sweat later. Trust me.” Ava knew this would be a problem, but she needed to talk to Jack and Lonnie freely. She kept her mind open, sharing her vision and her thoughts with Jesse, so he could share them with the others. She'd let them know when to join the party.

Lonnie looked tired but healthy. Jack appeared like a dark, hulking shadow of his former self. His unkempt, shaggy hair brushed over his eyes, hiding his expression. His lips seemed firmer, his body leaner. Yet as she stared, he seemed to shimmer. He wore a pair of jeans and a dark T-shirt, showcasing arms a heck of a lot bigger than they'd been two weeks ago. Hell, everything about Jack now looked meaner and larger than he had in all the time he'd lived and worked there.

“Oh man.” She understood. “You're a chameleon. Wow, I should have guessed.” Jack nodded tersely.

Lonnie blinked. “How do you know that term?”

“Come on, Lonnie. I've been around the scene.” The psychic scene. “I've known others like Jack. Pyros like Foreman and kinetics like Price aren't as unique as you might think. You should know, considering that the PWP is yours. Like Jack, your secret spy.”

“Son of a bitch.” Jesse's anger intruded, and she warned him to stay silent so she could think.

She said to Lonnie, “Want to tell me why you never told us about Jack?” Lonnie sank into a chair and motioned for Jack to do the same, but Jack continued to glance around him, no doubt wondering about the others.

“Don't worry, Jack. I have them preoccupied so we can talk about Lonnie's betrayal, and yours, without interruption.”

“Betrayal? For stashing my eyes and ears in the mansion?” Lonnie swore.

“Hell, Ava, your grandmother could out-stubborn a mule. The woman wouldn't listen when I told her she wasn't safe, but she wouldn't let me install any security here. So I used Jack instead.”

“And then Melissa used me,” Jack said in a gravelly voice. “You want my neck in a rope? Go ahead. But not until I repay that bitch for everything she and her precious Lonnie did to me for over a year.”

Ava felt Jesse and the others tense through his psychic link.

“What?” Lonnie turned to Jack. “What are you talking about? I never ordered Melissa to shoot Morgan or spy for our enemy.”

“Not you, Sir. Lonnie. Robert Leonard Anderson. That Lonnie.” Ava swore. “Shit.”

A changed Gunnar burst through the door, followed by Jules and Jesse. So much for asking them to wait. But at least Jack had spilled some vital information before Gunnar choked him to death.

“Ava, you okay?” Her mate looked her over from top to bottom, then glared at Jack and Admiral London.

Jack glanced from Ava to Gunnar and smiled. “About time you two hooked up.

We had bets on it.”

“Fuck off, Keiser. You don't speak here unless asked to open your mouth.” Gunnar frowned. “And how the hell did you get so buff in a few weeks?” Lonnie sighed. “Would all of you sit down? You can kill us after we talk, all right?”

Jules rolled his eyes. “Tersch, man the door. The rest of us can handle this.” The Circs remained in their beastlike forms, intimidating to say the least. Ava was proud of the team. They made one hell of an intimidating presence.

Jack looked suitably wary.

“Fine. They try to leave, they're mine.” Gunnar stood by the door, his claws exposed, his entire body one vibrating mass of fury. Until Ava caught his eye and winked at him.

He subtly relaxed and winked back, then glared at Jack and flashed a fang at him.

“This was never about hurting any of you,” Jack explained in a tired voice.

“When I signed on to a special government project two years ago, it was to help serve my country with the gifts I'd been born with, gifts soon enhanced courtesy of what you now know as the Psychic Warfare Program, the PWP.”

“Like the Dawn Endeavor project,” Lonnie said to Ava and the Circs. “You know what that's like.”

“Yeah, and?” Jules prodded Jack.

“Admiral London wasn't happy with Mrs. Sharpe's idea of protection, which was using herself to defend against all threats.”

“That doesn't make much sense,” Jules agreed. “I always wondered why we didn't have more around-the-clock protection, especially considering half of us were always gone at one time or another.”

“Welcome to my world,” Lonnie muttered. “I asked Jack to work for me, undercover, to protect Alicia and the rest of you. When I got wind of threats headed your way, I used my PWP teams and Jack to cut them off. When you Circs spent a lot of your time away, Alicia was vulnerable, though she still refuses to admit it. I wanted Jack as a nearby backup.”

“So how did Melissa shooting Morgan and nearly kidnapping Sheridan play into this?” Gunnar drawled.

Jack shot him a look of pure venom. “Fuck off, Tersch. I didn't see you ripping through her disguise, did I?”

“No, but I didn't marry her.”

“Neither did I.” Jack swore. “Fuck. Melissa's precious Lonnie, Robert Leonard Anderson, is a powerful psychic big into mind control. All he needs is physical contact. He and I met weekly, supposedly on behalf of the admiral, when he'd actually reinforce his influence. The cocksucker had me believing I'd married Melissa and that we were working to help protect you guys. When she turned information over to her 'source,' I never batted an eye. I thought it was for Admiral London.

“When those rogues shot me, it broke his hold over me. Melissa escaped, Morgan was shot, and I started to understand I'd been played for a fool.”

“Why not explain the situation to us?” Jules asked.

“Mrs. Sharpe wasn't happy, and when she's not happy, she's scary. The woman planned on isolating me until she pulled the whole truth of my presence here. But I couldn't wait.” Jack turned to Ava. “Grayson contacted me a while back. He helped me avoid Mrs. Sharpe long enough to learn a few things. Together, we've been working to uncover Anderson's involvement in it all.”

“Grayson's been captured.” Gunnar tossed the information out.

“Shit. You sure?” Jack rubbed his hand over his eyes. “More mess we don't need.”

Ava felt bad for him. “He'll be okay. Grayson told me they're holding him in a place Melissa knows about. A place she thinks of as her personal fortress away from home that she calls her playhouse. If you can find her, we'll get him out. I called Anderson a few days ago looking for Grayson, so he knows we know my brother is missing.

“According to the information Grayson sent me, Anderson is using the psychic shielders of the PWP on a special project, so our attempts at astral projection and remote viewing to find Grayson haven't turned up squat. The PWP guys think they're holding the bad guy at bay, but they're actually working for the bad guy.” Jack lit up with a fierce energy that put Ava and the Circs on guard. Weird shadows flickered over his skin, like stripes almost. Then they vanished as if they'd never been. “I know where she is.”

Admiral London nodded. “If anyone can do it, Jack can. He was gifted before he joined the PWP. I'm sorry my people are being used against us right now, but they're actually quite a boon to our government. Folks like Jack have been around for a while, working for me.”

“Like Keegan Price?” Gunnar wanted to know, his gaze hard on Ava.

She forced herself to pretend a calm she didn't feel. Oh boy. She hadn't wanted to explain her past in detail just yet.

Lonnie glanced from Gunnar to her and back. “Keegan Price is one of my best men. He worked with Ava a while back, but that information is classified. Sorry, Gunnar.”

“Me too. Because I'm not buying any of this shit.”

“It's true.” Jesse sighed. “All of it. He and Jack might be trying to bullshit us, but they can't hide their thoughts for long. As it is, the admiral is starting to worry that he hasn't found Mrs. Sharpe yet. Jack can't stop thinking about wrapping his hands around Melissa's neck and squeezing.”

Everyone studied Jack.

“I was married to her for a year, except I wasn't. Can you blame me for wanting payback?”

Jules grunted. “Not really. She fucked with the wrong woman when she messed with Sheridan.”

“Try being forced to acknowledge a tie to a woman you know you don't love.

You don't understand why you can't leave. You don't want her, but you can't help yourself. And she's sick. Really, really twisted in ways you can't imagine.” Jack's harsh whisper disturbed her. What had Melissa done to him?

Jesse frowned. “But why stay? Was her hold on you that strong?”

“You're not listening to what he said.” Lonnie shook his head. “It wasn't Melissa. She's a shielder as well as a telekinetic with advanced ability. But it's her Lonnie—Robert Anderson—who's the master at work. As I understand it, when he met with Jack weekly, he took bits of old memory while shoving new memories down his throat. After a while, he burned out Jack's ability to protect himself.”

“Wow, Jack. I'm sorry.” Ava commiserated. “I can see why you want to get even.”

“Not get even, get justice. Anderson and Melissa hurt a lot of people.” His eyes darkened. “She especially deserves what's coming to her.”

Gunnar nodded. “Yeah. Because of her, Montaña hurt Ava and nearly killed Jules.”

“No. She had little to do with Montaña. That was Anderson's doing,” Jack explained. “He used Montaña to manufacture that drug to take out the PWP

because they were starting to detect a traitor in their midst. Him.” Jack's eyes flashed. “But then he realized the drug had potential. It wouldn't hurt the Circs, and it made some of them psychic. He's been farming out rogue Circs to foreign countries since the projects started.”

“Where's he getting them?” Jules asked.

“From a lot of different places. Delancey and Montaña were just two of his sources. There are more. But now that we know who he is, we just need to know where to strike next to take him down. I'm going after Melissa. I'll send Grayson back in one piece.”

“Jack,” the admiral tried.

“I'll do it. No one else needs to die for my stupidity.” Ava thought he was being a bit hard on himself. But then another problem presented itself.

A hard female voice yelled from just beyond the conference room. “Ava!” She paled. “Oh shit. Grandma's back. And she's pissed! We need to get Lonnie out of here, ASAP.”

Before anyone could move, the door to the conference room burst open, knocking Gunnar back a step. Instead of her petite grandmother, a raging beast with snout, snarl, and fangs hurled herself inside like the Big Bad Wolf.

“He's innocent, Grandma.” Ava made the mistake of stepping between her grandmother and Lonnie.

The eight-feet-tall monster that used to be a tiny woman slapped her across the face and into a nearby wall.

Gunnar roared, his voice deepened, and chaos reigned as everyone tried to calm a transforming berserker and Ava's furry, clawed grandmother.

“Down, Tersch,” Jules commanded. “I'll handle this.” Fallon attempted to soothe Alicia. “Easy, Mrs. Sharpe. Let's talk about this.

Lonnie's innocent.”

“Lies,” her grandmother rasped. Talk about a berserker. Her grandmother, when changed, normally appeared like Ava's beast. A slightly larger version of herself with claws, fangs, and incredibly enhanced agility and strength that appeared like a hazy film of savagery over her human frame. But unlike Ava, Alicia had another level of beast, an angrier, deadlier version that rarely appeared. Her grandmother's angry intensity rivaled Gunnar's berserker.

Ava blinked, and as the room came back into focus, she saw Gunnar in front of her. No longer a beast, now the berserker had come to play. Hell. His black, white, and blue striated eyes fixed on her grandmother, who had yet to look away from Lonnie.

Lonnie, to Ava's surprise, didn't back down. He yelled back at Alicia, “How could you think I'd turn against you? After everything we've been through? You could honestly think I'd try to hurt you?”

Alicia lifted him by his throat and shoved him up against a wall.

“Do it, then. Cut me in half,” he dared her, shaken, distressed. “There's nothing for me without you, Alicia.”

Her grandmother paused and loosened her hand, dropping Lonnie to the ground.

Gunnar charged.

“No, stop!” Ava stumbled to her feet and changed. She noticed Jack slip out the door and watched as Jesse and Jules rescued Lonnie. Jesse raced outside with the admiral, taking him to safety.

Jules turned to confront Gunnar, but Ava held him back.

“Just go. Let me handle this, okay? For Gunnar's sake, please don't.” Jules looked from her to Gunnar. Then he nodded. “I'll stay out of the way, but I'm not leaving.” He posted himself at the door.

“All that talk about patience and trust,” Gunnar's berserker roared at her grandmother. “You tell me to trust you. To trust my gut, that my past doesn't matter. Love wins in the end. And you slap your own granddaughter away like a fly on the wall?”

Nimble and fast, Alicia slashed at his gut and darted away from his instinctive return blow. “Stay out of this.”

“No.” Before Gunnar could launch himself at her grandmother, Ava inserted herself between them. To Alicia she warned, “Leave my mate alone.” Alicia paused. “Mate?”

“He's mine.”

“She's mine,” Gunnar parroted.

Her grandmother cocked her head and sniffed. “Not yet.” Gunnar raged. “She's mine!”

“Then why haven't you claimed her?” Alicia snorted. “Pitiful. At least I marked the man I loved. Had the sense to make sure everyone knew he was mine.” Her grandmother raged again, and red points of fury dotted her eyes. “Until he turned on me!”

“Shit,” Ava murmured and gripped Tersch's large hand behind her. She was more concerned with her grandmother than with the berserker. Something wasn't right. Alicia Sharpe knew better than to condemn a man without undue proof, despite the vision she and Kisho had seen. What else did the woman know that they didn't? Ava opened her mouth to ask when her grandmother flew into action.

Alicia struck out. But before Ava could move on her own, Gunnar jerked her back and planted his body in her grandmother's way. Her claws bounced off Gunnar's hardened skin. He didn't backhand her or slap her away. Instead he stood still, waiting.

Alicia swung again and again. Gunnar remained, buffering Ava from harm while refusing to strike back. Blood trailed down his flesh, his wounds inflicted by Alicia's lethal claws.

“Enough,” he snapped when she geared up to attack again. “You nearly killed Admiral London, and you strike out at me? I thought you loved him. All that bullshit about resolving conflict and keeping a level head I've had to listen to for a fucking year. I was finally starting to believe you. And now this? What the fuck are you doing, Alicia? This isn't you.”

Ava stared at Gunnar in shock. He sounded unbelievably rational, considering he'd transformed into his wildest and most uncontrollable state.

Her grandmother trembled and blinked rapidly.

Jules approached, looking small next to Alicia and Gunnar. He frowned and murmured, “Her aura isn't right. She's dimmer than she normally is.” In a louder voice, he said, “Anderson is the guilty party. Jack and Fallon confirmed it just before you arrived. Apparently Anderson's been pulling the strings from DC, and he's psychic.”

“With mad skills,” Ava added, suddenly understanding a bit more. “Just his touch convinced Jack that he'd married Melissa. I bet Anderson's been tainting you every time you've met.”

Alicia stilled. Her eyes flashed, but less with rage than comprehension.

Jules nodded. “That would explain her aura. I don't always look with my inner sense, so it would have been easy to miss her fluctuations before.” He turned back to Alicia. “Anderson's full name is Robert Leonard Anderson.”

“I know that,” Alicia snapped, though she sounded more together than she'd been before. “I thoroughly investigate everyone I work with.” Almost to herself, she added, “But a psychic? I never realized.”

As the team watched, she began to shrink. “Lonnie could be short for Leonard, I suppose.” She continued to grow smaller and less hairy. A haze of light made it hard to see her, and then, in the blink of an eye, she was once again dressed in a business suit, her pearls just so, her hair perfectly in place. Yet the air of sorrow around her couldn't be missed. “Anderson's been manipulating me the whole time, hasn't he? Him and his wealth of psychics. Whenever I'd get too close to discovering the truth, he'd announce the need for an unscheduled visit, a fiscal issue, manpower problems, some concocted reason to see me in person.” Ava and Jules shared a glance. “Yes.”

Controlled rage replaced the look of sorrow in Alicia's dark brown eyes. “Well then, someone has a date with the devil, I think.” She drew in a deep breath and faced Ava and Gunnar once more. “I apologize for striking out, Ava. I would never intentionally hurt you, dear. I lost myself a bit there. And I don't like when that happens.”

“It's okay, Grandma.” Ava watched her grandmother carefully as the older woman approached. Gunnar stood stiff, but he allowed Alicia to hug Ava tight.

Already Ava's bruises healed, courtesy of Circ genes.

Alicia faced Gunnar. “Gunnar, honestly, if you want to hold on to Ava, you're going to have to fully claim her, and don't pretend you don't know what I mean.” His berserker would have to claim her—Ava and he both knew it.

Gunnar growled low in his throat. “I won't hurt her.” Jules sighed. “No, you won't. We've been telling you that for months.” But Alicia wasn't done. “Otherwise, Keegan might think he still has a chance.

They dated briefly a few years ago, you know.”

Ava gritted her teeth. Blasted woman! The growling behind her grew louder.

Great.

Jules raised his brows. “Well, on that note, I think I'll join you, Mrs. Sharpe.

You and the admiral have some talking to do, and we seem to have lost Jack again.

I'll get with Fallon and find him.”

Alicia tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, the way Ava had walked with Gunnar just a few days ago. “Good, good. We need to get back to normal. This is all so embarrassing.”

“Love usually is,” he answered.

Alicia smiled, looking much more like her typical, vivacious self. “Did I frighten you when I changed?”

“About wet myself, thanks.”

She laughed, and Ava breathed a sigh of relief. Gunnar's growls grew louder.

“Keegan fucking Price?” Gunnar's whisper simultaneously scared and aroused Ava. Because his voice didn't sound human at all. She'd been waiting for him, but until now, she'd been the one doing the chasing. She'd been in charge. If she truly accepted Gunnar, she'd have to relinquish control and trust him.

When Jules and Alicia reached the doorway, Jules stopped. “Maybe I should stay.” He cast a wary eye at Gunnar, who was practically frothing at the mouth as he stalked Ava.

Alicia chuckled. “You trust him, Jules. Remember that. My, I haven't changed in months. That felt more than good. Gunnar, not too rough. Remember, she'll be the mother of your children some day.”

“Sooner than later.” Gunnar tossed several chairs aside. He threw one so hard, it hit the wall and crumpled in on itself. “Payback's a bitch, Ava.”

“They'll be fine, dear.” Alicia tugged Jules with her. “Trust me. Trust Gunnar.” Jules stared at Ava's grandmother for a moment. “You're back, golden all over.” He looked over at Ava and Gunnar and sighed. “Be gentle with him, Ava,” he teased and shut the door behind him when he and Alicia left.

Ava tried to think of a way to ease her mate's temper and found herself pinned to the wall instead. He towered over her, a giant in his berserker's form. Oh boy.

Then he leaned closer, and his hot breath warmed her cheek. A fang scraped her neck, drawing a line of blood.

She shivered, and her thighs slid, moist from her growing need.

His fist punched a hole in the wall a few inches from her face, and she jumped.

“Nice. Your pussy is so wet for me. I think you like the fear.” Gunnar ripped her clothes off, scratching her in places.

And it felt so good she moaned out loud, no longer able to pretend she didn't want him just the way he was. Listening to instincts ingrained into her since birth, she slowly shifted into her beast, needing the enjoyment of all her senses in the open.

Gunnar grunted and tore his pants off, leaving him gloriously naked. “About time you stopped hiding from me.”

“Not me hiding,” she rasped, on fire from the heat of his body bleeding into her. Though her tough skin repelled threats easily enough, it was sensitive to her mate in ways she'd never realized. She could almost feel him inside her, a part of her, as he leaned closer, rubbing against her like a large cat.

His thick voice deepened. “Time to play, Ava. Just like you played with Price,” he ended in a snarl and bit her shoulder hard.

She gasped from the pain, as well as the erotic temptation of her mate in a rage. He was wild, naked, and hard as hell.

Finally. It was time.