Author: J.D. Tyler

"You're in an awful big hurry. Guess I don't have to ask why."

He looked up to see Nick in his path, stopped and gave his boss a sheepish grin. "Guess not."

"How're things going with you two?"

"Fine. As long as we avoid the subject of mating," he said with a grimace. "I was always the one who was downright against creating a forever kind of bond with any woman-even Beryl-and now that I've found my Bondmate she won't even discuss it with me. She shies from the subject when I bring it up. Ironic, huh?"

"Give her time. She'll come around."

"Nicky, in spite of what I told Kira, I don't have much time," he confessed, then wished he'd kept his mouth shut.

"You hurting bad?"

He nearly lied. It was on the tip of his tongue to say he was A-okay, no problems. But holding the man's gaze, he couldn't do it. Besides, he knew he looked terrible and couldn't fool his boss. "Yeah. Pretty fucking bad. You don't know how much this sucks."

"I have some idea." Nick sighed. "Listen, you're not going to want to hear this, but-"

"Then don't say it. I'm not staying here tonight, especially when Kira's going to be with you guys. In danger."

"You're in no shape to travel, much less fight if the need arises. I want you to stay here."

"Is that an order?"

"Would you follow it?"

"Not if Kira's going. Surely you can understand where I'm coming from."

"You know I do." The older man pushed a hand through his dark hair. "And you know damned well I'm forbidden to keep mates apart. Even if they haven't made the union official."

Actually, he hadn't known because it wasn't as if there were tons of mated pairs around, but the rule made sense. And as a born shifter, Nick would know more than the rest of them in some areas. "I'll pull my weight, watch my back and theirs. No worries."

"Why don't I feel better?" he grumbled. "Be at the hangar in three hours."

"With bells on."

Nick left him to his own devices and Jax continued in the direction he'd been headed. Now he had an excuse to find Kira, not that he needed one. It was enough to long to see her sweet face, hear her laugh at something that stupid gremlin did, or chatter away with Sariel, Mac, or any number of the friends she seemed to have so easily made here. The sight of her settling in, happy, made his heart clench with joy and also fear that she'd never belong to him.

God, he was such a sap.

Block R was quiet as he entered the corridor. Raven was mercifully asleep, curled up with his bushy black tail over his nose, the only time the poor bastard ever knew any peace. Belial, on the other hand, had chosen to be in human form today, and was dressed in simple jeans and a T-shirt, pacing his cell like the caged beast he was. Jax felt bad for the basilisk, but they couldn't yet trust a lethal snake shifter loose in the compound.

Even Kira's honest charm was no match for the sneaky wiles of that one.

When he reached Chup-Chup's cell, it was empty, the door standing open. Alarmed, he glanced in each cell again and then headed out of Block R. Where could they be? If that little shit had bitten her again, he'd tear its head off and eat it for a midnight snack.

Growing more concerned with every step, he diverted his course to the clinic. Mac was leaning over the front desk talking to the receptionist when he stomped in.

"Where's Kira and that little demon? I'm going to rip his teeth out if-"

"Hold on, Cujo." Mac straightened, eyes sparkling with humor. "Last I saw them, she was taking Chup outside for some fresh air. They were getting along fine, so get your boxers out of a knot."

"Fresh air? What if he runs off? Attacks a hiker or something? Jesus H., that woman is going to be the death of me!" With an effort, he willed himself to calm down. "Where'd they go, exactly?"

"I'm not telling if you're going to approach them like this," she informed him. "You'll scare poor Chup to death and put Kira back at square one."

Damn it. She was right.

"I'll be the perfect gentleman. Promise." He smiled for effect, earning him the evil eye from the good-natured doc.

After a few seconds of debate, she relented. "They're out on the lawn, on the side by the rec area."

"Thanks, Mac."

"Don't mention it," she called to his departing back.

All the way across the building, he couldn't help but worry. As he crossed the rec room, Aric glanced up from the war game he and Zan were playing on the Wii.

"Better get out there before the furball steals your girl," he said, going back to the game.

Not bothering to answer, he ducked down the hallway on the other side of the room, made a turn, and pushed out the side door leading to the area where their pool, tennis court, and covered barbecue/outdoor kitchen area was located. There, just beyond the covered patio, lying flat on her back on a quilt in the sunshine, was his woman.

And sprawled on her stomach, tiny, furry legs hanging on each side of her like a cat sunning on a branch, was Chup-Chup. Unnoticed by either of them, he stopped and stared. Her little friend was making a sort of whirring, hiccupy noise nobody could mistake as anything but sheer bliss. His round body, which almost resembled a baby koala bear's, rose and fell with each breath as he dozed.

The pair was so fucking cute, he couldn't really form the words to describe what the sight did to him. All he knew was it tightened his chest with an emotion he wasn't ready to name. To see this creature, formerly scared and snapping at everyone, lying there so trusting and content, was a measure of her goodness. The bright light that no one was able to resist.

Including himself.

Turning her head, she spotted him standing on the porch and waved him over. "You can come closer. Just don't make any sudden moves."

That seemed to be true of the woman as well as Chup. Wisely, he didn't say so. "Okay. Walking slowly." He made his way over to where they lay and crouched. The creature hadn't moved. "Now what?"

"Nothing. He'll notice you soon enough and we'll see what happens."

"That's reassuring." He eyed Chup warily.

"Don't tell me the big bad werewolf is afraid of this little guy," she teased.

"Shifter, not werewolf. A werewolf is that half-man thing from a B horror movie. And that 'little guy' can chew my face off. Have you seen those teeth?"

"Pardon me, shifter. And he won't bite unless you startle him." She looked entirely too amused by his trepidation.

"Then I'll have to be sure not to startle him again, won't I? Remember, he got me once before." He frowned at her hands, which bore red scratches and a few bite marks. "You aren't wearing your gloves."

"I don't need them anymore."

"I'm not so sure."

"Trust me."

Oddly, he did. After Beryl, he thought he'd never willingly trust anything out of a woman's mouth again, but Kira was not Beryl. The two women couldn't be more different. "I do trust you."

That made her smile, and his groin tightened. Damn, he couldn't get enough of her.

"When do we leave?" she asked, interrupting his lustful thoughts.

"Three hours. We're supposed to meet the team at the hangar." That awful, strange emotion rose up again to nearly strangle him. He wanted to order her to stay here, but knew how well that would go over. "I wish you weren't going tonight, baby. Please reconsider."

"And miss the chance to give my old boss the finger?" When he didn't laugh, she sobered. "Seriously, if there's the slightest possibility that I might be able to help, I have to go. But I promise to try and stay out of the action."

"I don't like it, but I guess I have no choice," he said, taking her hand. The odd feeling in his chest persisted. Was this love? He'd never been in love before, only thought he had been. Whatever he was feeling, he now understood that what he'd known was a pale imitation of the real deal.

For some reason, he wanted to tell her all of it. The whole sordid truth about his relationship with Beryl and what it had cost him. What it had cost the entire team.

Just then, a low growl of warning stalled his confession. Chup was awake, eyeing their linked hands and leaning out to sniff him in suspicion. Recalling his last tango with the imp a few days before Kira came to the compound, he kept still and let the creature check him out.

Sitting up carefully, Kira took the gremlin and set him on the grass between them. "Chup-Chup, Jax is a friend. He won't hurt you." Gently, she stroked the fur between his batlike ears. "See? Friend."

Chup wasn't convinced. On his hind legs, he toddled closer to Jax, nose working, still not getting too close. The growling stopped, but neither did he make the content chupping noise Jax wanted to hear.

Letting go of Kira's hand, Jax held his out to the creature, hoping he didn't lose a chunk of flesh for his trouble. "Good boy," he crooned. "Aren't you cute? Remember me? I'm not so scary, honest. I only eat bad little gremlins who bite, and only when I'm really hungry. Friends?"

Chup looked back at Kira as though seeking reassurance, so she made encouraging noises, urging him forward without pushing too much. Emboldened, the small critter turned his attention back to Jax and closed the remaining distance, sniffing all over his hand. The stubby whiskers tickled but he didn't dare jerk away.

Then, to his amazement, Chup began to rub his head against Jax's fingers like a cat wanting a good scratch. He complied, lavishing attention on both ears, the broad face, under the chin. And there it was-the noise of happy contentment. Chup crawled right up into his lap and closed his big brown eyes in obvious ecstasy as Jax continued to scratch.

"Well! Looks like you've got a new friend," Kira declared with a grin. "He won't let you out of his sight now."

"That might make it hard to leave for the op. Think I can use 'I have to babysit the gremlin' as an excuse not to go?" he joked.

"Hmm, somehow I doubt Nick will accept that." Reaching out, she stroked Chup's fur. "I'll have to ask Mac if she'll watch him while we're gone. I hate the thought of putting him back in that cell."

"Me, too. It could undermine the trust you've worked to gain, especially since he hates being locked in there." He paused. "What about Belial? Have you made any headway with him?"

"I'm not sure," she said thoughtfully. "He's really hard to read, so full of bullshit I don't know if even he is capable of separating the truth from the lies. It just seems to be his nature to deflect questions and kindness with blatant attempts at seduction, but things aren't always what they appear."

"True. So what's your gut feeling as an Empath-can he be trusted? Will he be able to fit in here?"

She bit her lip, uncertainty clouding her blue eyes. "Eventually, yes, I believe he'll get there. I sense a basic goodness in him that's well hidden underneath the layers of self-hatred and anger, and I don't buy his 'Look at me-I'm such a manwhore' act for a second."

He nodded. "Okay. I trust your judgment. But whether it's an act or not, I don't pretend not to hate the hell out of knowing he puts the moves on you every time you get close. It makes me want to rip his heart out. Just so you know."

"I'll keep that in mind." Eyes twinkling again, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "You're so sexy when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous! Well, I am, but you'll have to admit I'm handling it. I'm here, for example, rather than busting down the snake's cell door and chopping off his smarmy head."