Circe's Recruits: Gideon: A Multiple Partner Shifter Book Read online

  Gideon watched the blond and Roane with caution. “You do realize I haven’t done more than try to give him back, right?” He cupped the boy’s bottom for support, not wanting the kid to fall.

  Roane fought a smile and rubbed his mouth, the big guy done in by a baby. “He’s stubborn. Like his mother.”

  “Oh please. That annoying tendency to only hear what he wants to is clearly all you. Jacob, you come here right now. And change back.” The pretty blond who looked stressed wore Roane’s scent without question. Definitely his mother.

  “You know, this is pretty funny,” Hale teased. “Your kid just claimed a Circ as his own. A mini alpha. So cute.” Hale chuckled. “And you call Kelly’s kids monsters? Wait until she hears about this.”

  “Her kids are monsters,” Roane said in a low voice as Jacob released his thumb in favor of Gideon’s shoulder, ignoring his mother. “They’re always fighting with each other and they’re barely two.”

  Gideon didn’t try to shake the tiny creature now gnawing at on his biceps. Truth be told, the kid was cute. “How old is this one?”

  The woman sighed. “Jacob is fourteen months. I’m Caitlyn, by the way.”

  “Gideon. This is Alex.”

  “We’ve met,” Alex said with a smile. So charming, and so unlike the sociopathic guard who’d watched him get tortured without batting an eyelash. Gideon still had a bone to pick with him about that.

  Seeing the distress in Caitlyn’s face, he maneuvered the baby Circ into his mother’s arms without a fuss.

  “Wow. That’s impressive.” Caitlyn’s eyes widened. “He’s been known to cling like a burr.”

  “I’m a man of many talents,” Gideon said drily. “And I need coffee.”

  “Come on.” Roane gave him a strange look and continued to lead them to the house. Caitlyn brought up the rear, her baby—now looking like a normal kid—in tow.

  She tugged Roane to a half for a kiss, then waved goodbye. “Nice meeting you, Gideon. I’m going to take Jacob for a playdate. He’s squirmy.” The boy continued to reach for Gideon, muttering what sounded like, “Mine.” “See you later.” She headed toward a larger home next door instead of joining them.

  Hale laughed openly. Roane glowered at Gideon, as if the kid liking him was his fault, then stalked once more toward the house.

  “So, ah, how big is this property? Do you guys own it all?” Alex asked.

  Hale answered, “This is all Doc’s. Over a hundred acres of privacy. We have our own helo pad, gym, housing, and labs. We’re privately funded, but we occasionally take jobs for Uncle Sam.”

  “Nice.”

  “It’s a good set up.”

  “For you, maybe.” Gideon had hives just thinking about having some federal agent breathing down his neck. “We aren’t all that fond of the legal system.”

  “Yeah, I sensed that,” Roane said. “In there.”

  They entered the home and found Doc and another man in the kitchen. The other man looked to be Doc’s age. Not a bad looking guy, he had a swarthy complexion and a wiry frame. He moved as if he knew how to deal with danger, and though the kitchen towel over his shoulder and pan of sweet rolls in his mitts hinted he might be the cook, Gideon had a feeling the guy did a lot more than bake.

  “Gentlemen. Can I get you some coffee and sweets?”

  “Hell, yeah.” Gideon inhaled the aroma of freshly ground beans.

  Doc smiled. “This is Diego, our cook.”

  Diego nodded in greeting, then set out the sticky rolls and coffee.

  “Thanks, Diego.” Alex had perfect manners.

  Gideon studied him while he sipped his coffee, aware he and Alex had been worlds apart before becoming Circ. Which reminded him. He had a few more questions about Alex he wanted answered. Like how Alex had become Circ. And why his irises might be a bright gray, but his pupils remained normal.

  “Not that the coffee and rolls aren’t good, but what’s up that you wanted us here?” Gideon asked after he’d wolfed down the sweets.

  Doc answered, “We had some intelligence come in that you need to hear.”

  “Okay.”

  Doc paused. “This might come as a shock, but you aren’t the first psychic Circs we’ve dealt with. The military spearheaded the Circ project years ago. Roane and his crew of Marines turned out to be a success. There were others. One such group had mental abilities before turning Circ. At least, we think they had the abilities. The jury’s still out on whether the serum advanced them or jumpstarted them into being.

  “In any event, one of the men can foresee the future. He’s never wrong about what he sees, though he’ll be the first to tell you the future isn’t set in stone.”

  Gideon frowned. “We’ve seen some freaky shit. A foreseer isn’t that big a leap. What did he predict?”

  “You need to find a woman named Bailey Duncan before Lang’s people do. And you need to bring her here. She’s already on her way, but Smith and Lang have men on course to intercept her. She’s carrying files we need. Files you need.” Doc looked anxious. “And another thing. Hayashi thinks she might be Circ.”

  “Wait. Bailey Duncan.” Alex frowned. “That name sounds familiar. I think she worked on the main floor at U-Ground.”

  “Main floor? Then how’s she Circ? I thought Lang only pooled from the poor saps on the lower levels. The main floor was a front for the logistics company U-Ground is supposed to be.” Gideon frowned. A female Circ? He didn’t like the sound of this. He’d just started to feel tighter with the guys. A female in the mix would only make waves.

  “I’m not sure, but she’s important to you.” Doc nodded. “We can have you suited up and ready to go. Hayashi suggested you don’t wait too long. BlackLight Motel, Toledo, Ohio. Oh, and Alex, she knew your sister.”

  Alex shoved his cup away. “Let’s go.”

  Gideon finished his coffee and set the cup down. “Well, at least we’ll get a break from the compound. Too many Feds around, you know?”

  Roane shrugged. “Not my idea to have them here. Our top client wants them, we cater to him.”

  “Him?”

  Roane grinned. “Uncle Sam. He’s a tough bastard to please, so we do our best.”

  Hale nodded. “Yeah. Come on. I’ll show you the car and get your supplies.”

  “Not that the sweats aren’t great,” Gideon said, “But other clothes might help us blend.”

  “You’re huge. You’ll stand out no matter what you guys wear.” Hale snorted. “But at least you blend better than we do when changed.” He motioned for them to follow.

  Gideon looked back before they left, saw Doc and Diego hug, and realized Diego did do more than cook. He did Doc.

  Talk about some service with a smile.

  Chapter Eight

  Bailey had done her best. She’d driven hard, taking minimal breaks and staying away from people in general. She’d reached Ohio, nearly into Pennsylvania, when she felt as if she were being followed.

  Silly to think that, but she couldn’t shake a sixth sense that they’d found her. The proverbial they belonging to U-Ground. She’d been fortunate to bury the alternate personality that seemed to get all fangy at the hint of trouble. And she’d been making good time. Another nine and a half hours without break and she’d be there. She figured to give herself a few hours to sleep before arriving, but she’d definitely get there by Friday.

  Someone on her tail changed things.

  After passing Toledo, she found a cheap but decent motel a few miles off the freeway and booked a room. After relaxing enough to get the sleep she desperately needed, she fell into some pretty intense dreams.

  Four men she’d seen before having loads of sex. They were brutal, beautiful, and fierce. And they had claws, fangs, and weird eyes that classified them as Circ.

  “We’re coming for you,” one of them said. He had black hair, bright green eyes, and a square jaw that begged to be kissed—or smacked. The masculine arrogance in that particular Circ provoked a challenging r
eaction she couldn’t refuse. His muscular frame promised pleasure if she had the courage to reach for him. He’d never be an easy lover, but God, would he be thorough.

  “Oh yeah. I can lick you in all the best places,” another male said, this one tattooed all over both arms, his dark eyes seeming to see inside her. He looked and felt dangerous, but his sinful smile hit her squarely in the heart.

  The large blond with them could have broken her in half. But when he kissed the other giant, the one with the bulging muscles and sad gray eyes, she felt his heart in his kiss. So much passion, such kindness, all wrapped in a body that had killed without hesitation.

  She grew wet watching them, wanting to be a part of that closeness. But that togetherness didn’t come without a cost. Because the rough, passionate taking demanded so much more of the men than sex. She sensed emotions flashing, pain and pleasure intermingling, a sharing of the past and the present, leading to her future…

  She woke, shaking and flushed and so damn horny she wanted to climb the next man to walk through her door. But instead of her four sexy Circs, a nightmare from her past burst through the locks. Nightfall and a full moon silhouetted Myers’s entrance.

  “Well, well. Smells tasty in here.” He looked terrible. Bloodshot eyes, pale features, and big hands clenching and unclenching by his sides told her he’d been through hell.

  She couldn’t bring herself to feel bad about it though.

  Next to him, Yates muscled through. “Damn. I’m smelling a bitch in heat.”

  Myers chuckled. “Looks like we made it in time.” He glanced over his shoulder, then shut the door. “Let’s handle this before we get back with Sheer and Caldane. Be nice to sample the goods before she’s broken.”

  Yates ran a hand over his crotch and smiled. “Yeah.” Like Myers, he didn’t look civilized. But he seemed healthier, better rested, at least. “I’d say you need a piece. After dealing with Caldane last night, you earned it.”

  She shivered, not liking how vulnerable she felt. Man, if Myers and Yates thought this Caldane character was bad, he had to be awful.

  Hurtful, bad, yes. The energy emanating from the pair reeked of that other one. The evil one. Must get away. Regroup. Challenge when chances of winning are better.

  The presence inside her erupted. She let it consume her, no longer battling her need to be in charge. If they did rape her, she wanted no part in remembering what happened. A blackout would be more than welcome. But she had a feeling the animal inside her wouldn’t succumb. It would tear the men apart the way it had those guys in Nebraska.

  This time, she didn’t fade away, not entirely. Bailey felt present, yet distant, as if watching a movie. The men drew closer, and her fangs and claws sprouted.

  “Perfect. A piece of Circ ass.” Yates stripped off his shirt. “I’ve been dying to pound into a woman who won’t buckle under some rough handling.”

  Myers agreed and toed off his shoes before removing the rest of his clothes. His erection disgusted her. And his rotten scent and negative energy repulsed her. Not a fitting mate. Neither male.

  They might not be fitting, but they were strong. And in greater number. She subtly sniffed and scented more Circ nearby. Bailey knew she’d have a problem if she waited for their friends to arrive.

  She flew into Myers and dug her fingers into his crotch.

  He swore and tried to get her off him, while Yates laughed. She ducked a blow to the face and retaliated by going for his eyes. He’d heal soon enough, but she’d take out at least one of his senses for a short time. She hurt him, then turned to Yates before he decided to help his friend. But Yates had been ready for her. He caught her mid-leap and redirected her into the into the mirror above the dresser.

  She hit hard, and it shattered, but she felt no pain.

  Bailey picked up a shard and shoved it deep in his neck. Blood spurted—a lethal wound. But Yates only smiled and slowly pulled it out. “I like ‘em feisty. Come here, baby. Let’s continue that kiss from before.”

  She had one shot. Dodging his grab, she darted into the bathroom, locked the door behind her, then dove through the small window next to the sink, one too small for the men chasing her, but big enough that she could squeeze through.

  She fell and righted herself, only to see a man even more muscled than Myers leaning against the wooden railing surrounding the motel. She could see him clearly in the moonlight. He had dirty-blond hair and blazing, bright red eyes. He saw her and smiled, showing serrated fangs.

  Good Lord.

  Totally not someone she wanted to get to know better.

  Bailey ran, vaulting the four foot fence with ease, glad she’d seen fit to sleep in her clothes and shoes, prepared for a quick getaway should the need arise. Unfortunately, she needed to be quicker, because she heard the red-eyed man following. No doubt Myers and Yates would join in as well. A chase, something guaranteed to excite the predators after her.

  Running deeper into the woods, away from the main road, would be suicide. But what choice did she have? They’d cut her off from the motel. She could hear them flanking her, guiding her away from any source of help.

  Yet…maybe she could lead them around in circles. Go into the woods, hide, then double back? She’d left Katie’s precious files in her hotel room, and she refused to go anywhere else without it. She’d already learned so much about the Circs, Dr. Lang and his research. Which, if she were honest with herself, she had a feeling she’d need to know. Because somehow, they’d turned her into a Circ.

  She had freakin’ claws. And fangs. All her senses were enhanced. She could see in the dark as well as she could during the day. Her ability to identify by scent was off-the-charts accurate. She sniffed.

  Bunny, squirrel, psychotic Circ, owl…

  After looping around the forest, masking her scent, then putting on bursts of speed that shocked her, she circled back to the motel, her sense of direction unerring. Out front, next to her tiny car, sat a large black SUV and a blue muscle car. No one sat with either vehicle, but she knew those cars belonged to the men after her. She’d seen only one small Hyundai parked near hers before hitting the sheets.

  What were the odds all the men with Myers and Yates would have followed her into the woods? Someone had to have stayed behind, waiting in case she showed back up.

  She had to take that chance. Creeping close to the wall of the building, she neared her room.

  In her adrenaline-buzzed state, something odd happened. The woman and creature inside her melded, bringing intellect and instinct together. She stopped in place and took in the sights, sounds, and smells around her, then formulated a plan.

  Bailey smiled, then rushed toward that SUV…

  Myers growled low in his throat, wincing at the large scratch down his eye. After his nightmare of a fuckfest last night, all he’d wanted was something easy to go down, something fun—like a less-than-willing female. And all the better to have the Circ they’d been promised months ago.

  The perfect female created just for his team.

  He frowned, wondering if he and Yates could get away with disposing of Caldane. Sheer was bad enough, a bastard and a freaky perv. But he could be contained. Caldane, on the other hand…

  Fucking Amelia Norton. Smith and Lang bowed to every damn thing the woman wanted. Dr. Lang had complained that Caldane had grown unmanageable and would be better put to use as a research tool. In other words, as an organ donor. But Smith had sucked up to the bitch, who was determined to keep the guy around. He’d convinced Lang that he’d handle Caldane. Lang, with too much else on his plate, had agreed and gone on to new pursuits. No matter how little sense it made to keep Caldane around, Smith would do it because Amelia Norton found the monster “fascinating.”

  The woman was as bad as Caldane.

  Myers cringed, remembering how the fiend had torn into him with an unhealthy lust. The creature, more beast than man, slaked his hungers with a ferociousness that kept everyone else back once he fixated on a victim. Into blo
od and pain, he’d done more than rip into Myers’s body. The psychopath had also psychically raped Myers’s mind.

  The sheer horror of having no control over his body or mind, no place to retreat into while Caldane savaged him, had him reliving the torment in detail. Fortunately, that brought on a rage he needed to keep from going insane. The anger simmered, grew.

  Bailey Duncan. The woman should have been safely in their custody. He could have been impregnating the little witch instead of getting brutalized by a monster. She’d screwed with the wrong guy, and she’d pay, dearly. He rejoined Yates and tracked Bailey’s scent, away from the darker interior of the forest behind the motel.

  “Think she doubled back?”

  “Yeah.”

  Yates frowned. “Sheer’s in the room.”

  “At least Caldane’s ahead of us.” But Sheer was little better. “Shit. Hurry up. If Sheer gets to her first, he’ll kill her before we can have any fun.”

  They turned and ran back the way they’d come. As they drew closer, they heard a car crash. Flames lit the night sky. They ran faster.

  ***

  Alex frowned and gripped the steering wheel. Gideon had seriously taken charge, to the extent even Elijah listened to him. He had no idea why, but he too felt the need to follow Gideon. Even his aching need for revenge didn’t outweigh supporting Gideon’s actions.

  They’d all taken turns driving the large SUV without stopping. All day and into the night. They’d nearly arrived at their destination. “This Hayashi guy was pretty specific.” Alex didn’t trust the information.

  “You think it’s a trap of some kind?” Carter rumbled. He sat in the back next to Elijah while Gideon napped beside Alex.

  “Could be.” Alex saw Carter shake his head in the rearview.

  “No way. If they’d wanted to off us, they’d have done it on their private property. No one would have known. This is about something else.” He paused. “Bailey Duncan. You know her, Alex?”

  Alex had been thinking about her since Doc had mentioned the woman. “I did a little digging into one of Katie’s documents.” He’d copied her files, keeping the information on the sly while turning “all of it over to the government.” Yeah, right. “She had a few email chats with Bailey. They were friends.”