Grayson's Gamble

Chapter Seven

When Ali returned after verifying the absence of her tracks, she quickly reached for the rug hiding the trapdoor with an eagerness that baffled her. The sex had been fantastic with Bas, no doubt. And she had to admit, watching him choke out his partner, as if he were on her side, had been thrilling. She’d never had anyone stand up for her before, aside from her grandfather. So to have Bas, a man who’d made her body come alive and emotions rush to the fore, defend her? She’d been in heaven.

But she didn’t trust it. She had a bad feeling her pheromones still controlled him. On the one hand, it meant she had command over the powerful Circ. On the other, it made her question Bas’s trustworthiness, especially if she went away for any length of time. Then too, he might not be on her side. He could be acting, pretending to help her while planning something with his buddy.

Gray.

That sexy, wild Circ who made her nipples hard with a look. Holy hell, but where did they grow men like these? First Bas, with his warmth, good looks, and amazing scent. A dick that never quit, and the wherewithal to please her throughout the night. Then his friend Gray. Mean, a true predator, with a raw edge that appealed to the beast and mutant part of her nature. She wouldn’t worry about hurting Gray, not the way she might inadvertently harm Bas. Gray wouldn’t let her.

She stared down at her hand on the loop holding open the door in the floor. Bas had mentioned Gray was “hell on wheels in the sack.” She knew Circs had needs. She’d seen enough of them fucking in the forest, male to male, without issue. But the image of Bas and Gray going at it appealed to her like crazy. She didn’t enjoy watching other people have sex. For the most part, Ali considered herself a normal woman when it came to breeding. She didn’t like men, and she didn’t want them around her, let alone inside her, unless she wanted kids. Which she’d never planned to have, not like this.

Unable to explain why she’d been so attracted to Bas, she chalked him up as an anomaly. And then she’d seen Gray, smelled him, and knew he was that other scent she’d caught lingering over Bas.

The two were lovers. Oh my God.

Needing to see them both again, she wandered downstairs and smelled sex. Bas must have woken and mounted his partner. Instead of preparing herself to deal with an angry Bas after shooting him, her beast rushed her into the room to see if she might witness them fucking some more.

“There you are,” Bas said sleepily, lying half over Gray. Both were naked, their bodies muscular, masculine, and perfect. She had to work hard to swallow.

Gray opened his eyes, yawned, and looked over at her. Brilliant irises, green around a thin ring of brown, regarded her with lazy amusement. “About time you got back. I have to take a piss.”

Bas nudged him in the gut, and Gray let out an oomph.

“Sorry.” Gray cleared his throat. “You think you could let me out of the restraints to use the facilities?”

She looked from him to Bas and tried to collect her thoughts. “Ah, bathroom. Right.” She didn’t move, bothered by something. “You.” She pointed to Bas. “You escaped the restraints before. Why didn’t you let him out?”

Bas rose from the table, his belly sticky with cum. She did her best to ignore the large organ growing between his legs.

“I was waiting for you.” He smiled, and she melted inside.

I’m stronger than this. Buck up, dammit. She had to force a scowl. “Well, then, let him out and come upstairs. You can wash that mess off you.”

She left before she said something else stupid. Like, why don’t you two try me on for size? A few years ago, she’d seen one of the breeding female Circs being taken by several males at once. The sight had both fascinated and repelled her. The men’s urgency intrigued her beast, but she could never quite tell if the female really wanted them or was at the mercy of her hormones. The thought of her being used against her will had turned Ali’s stomach.

But now, with Bas and Gray, she’d be more than willing. Her beast had picked a fine time to act the whore. After climbing the steps and pacing in the living space, she chided herself. “Relax, will you?”

“Sure thing, honey. Just show me where to clean up first.”

She jumped when Bas’s voice intruded and could have kicked herself for not hearing him. “Through there. Only door in the place other than the exit.”

He nodded and entered the lavatory. He didn’t close the door behind him. Then Gray stepped out from the stairwell into the living room, carrying his torn trousers.

“I don’t suppose you have any clothes that might fit me?”

She did. “I sometimes take things I need from those sent to bring me back.” She pointed to a tall armoire. “See what you can find in there.”

She tried not to but told herself she had every right to keep an eye on a potential threat in her own home. Gray’s tight ass flexed as he walked. His total disregard for his nudity brought another level of beauty to the man with a flawless build. He had a few scars, what must have been nearly mortal wounds to remain on Circ skin, but they only made him that much more attractive.

He turned with a bunch of clothes in hand and saw her studying him. His expression remained neutral. A tough Circ, a warrior she’d have to remain on guard around.

“What?”

“Why are you here?” she asked him.

“There are rogues in the area. A high concentration of them that concerned us. So we came to see what was what.”

“You’ve seen. What now?”

“Now we clean up the rogues and mutants in the area.”

He didn’t bother trying to hide his hard-on. How he could think of anything but sex with that big thing waving around was anyone’s guess. To her horror, her beast wanted her on her knees, waiting and willing to lick him clean.

She told herself she was disgusted by the idea. But she wasn’t. “Count me out of your cleanup,” she warned.

He walked right into her personal space, and her stupid beast let him. “Sweetheart, I’ll do what I damn well please. I know my job.” He shocked her by lifting a finger to caress her cheek. “You’re safe enough. For the moment.” A flash of elongated pupils let her know his beast truly saw her. And he appeared to like what he saw.

He turned and joined Bas in the bathroom and closed the door behind him. The shower stall was big enough to fit two grown Circs, and she wondered if they’d shower together. Would they fuck in the stall?

Her pussy clenched, and she cursed herself for being ruled by her own hormones. And why the hell had her beast not challenged him when he’d walked right up to her like he owned her?

Snarling under her breath, she tried to think of how to handle the men. Bas she had covered. But Gray… She needed leverage on him. He’d reacted to her pheromones before. She’d have to use that to her advantage. One way or another, as pleasant a diversion as she found them, the Circs would have to leave. She had to find Trenton and kill him. She couldn’t do that with these two underfoot.

That they were in her safe zone didn’t bother her, and she didn’t know why. The house had become her refuge, her sanctuary against the enemy. She’d never brought another Circ or person here before, and she still berated herself for bringing Bas at all. She should have dumped him in the nearby cave. The area belowground was for emergencies only. And now it was no longer a secret.

Damn it.

Bas exited the bathroom wearing a towel too small for him. His hair had been toweled dry, but a few drops of water lovingly trailed down his torso. So biteable. She shushed her beast and waited for Bas to speak.

He did like to talk.

“Hey, honey. Can you point me to the clothes? Gray mentioned you had a few that might fit me.”

“You’re bigger than most of the rogues I’ve met, but look for yourself.” She pointed to the wall. “They’re in there.”

He walked to the armoire and found clothing. Then he dropped his towel and dressed right in front of her. Man, he has a fine ass.

“Like what you see?” he asked with a wink.

“You wish.”

“I sure do. I want inside you again.”

She took the leer he gave her as a compliment. “Really? ’Cause I’m thinking you were just inside Gray.”

“I was.” His broad grin woke the butterflies in her stomach. “But he’s Gray, and you’re you. I like you, Ali.”

Had anyone ever said that to her before and meant it? She didn’t know how to handle Bas. “Great. Now why don’t you and loverboy hit the road? I have things to do, and you’re in the way.”

“Loverboy.” He rubbed his chin. “Yeah, Gray will get a kick of out of that. I call him hero or Mr. Perfect. Drives him nuts.”

She tried not to smile. “Yeah? What does he call you?”

Gray yelled from inside the shower, “Junior.”

“Big ears,” Bas muttered. “He’s just jealous because I’m younger and sexier than he is. Don’t worry, Ali. You’ll like him in you just as much.”

She frowned. “Not in his wildest dreams. I’m still not sure why I bedded you. But I’m not riding the lust train anymore, and I—”

Bas burst into laughter. “Lust train? That’s classic.”

Gray exited the bathroom dressed in pants. He toweled off his hair. “And now you see why I find him so annoying. He never takes anything seriously.”

“Not true. Just because I have a sense of humor and people like me doesn’t mean I’m a fool. I like to live life to its fullest, that’s all.” The laugh lines around his mouth and eyes said as much.

Ali found Bas’s attitude refreshing. She’d never before met a Circ with a lightheartedness about him. Most of them wanted to fuck or kill, and not necessarily in that order.

“Yeah, well, I think it’s time we can the jocularity and find out all Ali knows about Caleb Trenton. I’d dearly love to see him again.”

“So would I.” Ali’s beast was in tune with Gray.

“Jocularity?” Bas looked pained. “Look, I’m with you two on gutting the guy. But Gray, could you use smaller words? You don’t need to speak all fancy-like to impress Ali. And you know I’m easy. Then again, I’m a little nobody. I wasn’t born a big bad Circ, like you.”

Ali watched the byplay, intrigued because Gray, for all his brashness, seemed suddenly unsure as he turned to Bas.

“Would you let it go already? Christ, I’m sorry. Okay? You’re just as good as I am, in every way.” The sensual curl of his lips made her shiver.

“Just wanted to make sure you didn’t forget how sorry you are.”

Ali liked how Bas took the dangerous Circ down a peg. How odd. The men acted like true friends. Like lovers who loved. A strange hollow feeling hit her hard. She’d never had that. Not in a romantic sense, anyway. And with her grandfather gone, she had no one left. Not that it mattered, she reminded herself. Soon as Trenton was gone, so was she.

Gray swung his head to hers and pierced her with his stare. His eyes looked more green than brown, his gaze like jade daggers, biting and knowing.

She frowned. “What?” She crossed her arms over her chest, more than aware of the weight of the tranq gun pressed against her back. She’d tucked it into the back of her jeans under her flannel shirt, easy access should she need to take out Gray or Bas in a hurry. Curiously, neither her beast nor the mutant inside her wanted to kill either male, even should she be forced to. And she didn’t know why.

“Let’s talk about Trenton.” Gray motioned to her kitchen table.

She let them sit but continued to stand, itchy and unsure. “Dr. Caleb Trenton has been around for at least twenty-one years. I met him when I was five. My father worked for him for years until he died. I don’t know what my dad did, only that it had to do with Circ research.”

“Rogue research,” Gray corrected. “Real Circs don’t kill for the hell of it, or because they want to. We live with our beasts. We’re not at their mercy. You’re talking rogues.” His gaze lingered on the black streaks on her forearms. “And mutants.”

“Well, bully for you. But as far as I’m concerned, we’re all the same.” She ignored Bas’s scowl. “Point is, Trenton experimented on me when I was a kid. Lots of shots that made me feel weird.”

“How?” Bas asked.

“Increased my senses, my physical abilities. I can hold my breath under water for more than an hour. Can see and hear things a normal person can’t. And when I want to, I…” She stopped herself before revealing everything, not sure why she felt she could trust these men she’d just met.

“Let me guess. You can release a scent that draws men closer? Circs and humans, I’d imagine,” Gray said quietly. “Some of the female Circs we’ve encountered can do the same.”

She felt better, knowing she wasn’t the only freak out there. “I can mask it too. If I don’t want to be found, I won’t be.” She directed that to Gray, trying to show the male she wouldn’t be caged. Bas already knew she could take control, as she had when she’d bound him. But Gray might not realize she didn’t need Bas to confine him.

Her beast urged her to show him in a more carnal way, to ride him the way she had Bas. To own the stronger male, to dominate.

She cleared her throat when Gray’s eyes narrowed, and hastily continued. “So Trenton, the man you thought you killed, is obviously alive. He’s holed up in a secret lab on Whidbey Island in Washington. I know where it is. He also has a warehouse he uses sometimes in Portland, because it’s closer to these mountains. I think he’s planning to capture me and a few other females, then set up a compound somewhere in the Cascades. It’s perfect, really. Not too many people out here in the deep mountains during the winter. They cluster around the ski slopes. There’s plenty of space to remain undetected while growing a Circ army.”

“A rogue army,” Gray said absently.

“That sucks. We’re going to need a lot more backup on this.” Bas strummed his fingers on the table. “Ali, when exactly did you first change?”

“As in, turn into a she-beast?” she mocked.

“No. I mean when did your eyes turn red? Your skin black? You seem like you’re in midtransformation, from Circ to mutant. But you’re rational. Too human for that.”

“That puzzles me too.” Gray moved as if to stand, but when she tensed, he sat back in his seat. “I’m not going to hurt you, Ali.”

Yeah, right.

“I can see you don’t believe me, and with what you’ve been through, I can understand.”

Incensed at his patronizing tone, she let the angry beast inside her break free a bit, to see how the mighty Gray would take it. A flash of heat entered her vision, the telling red in her eyes no doubt flashing. “You have no idea what I’ve been through. I was a normal kid, and then I wasn’t. I had urges no sane person should have and no one to help me understand but an old man I loved dearly, until Trenton and his fuckers killed him. I was handled and touched in places no young virgin should be. And then I was nearly raped by a Circ. By one of you. I killed him while he was inside me. And you know what? I liked it,” she growled, wishing he could feel the hurt, the anger, and the humiliation she’d endured. “So don’t tell me you understand. Because you have no fucking clue,” she spat, aching to rake her claws down his face and mark him.

The fury made sense, but the transposition of anger to lust unnerved her. She took a quick step back and put a hand on the gun behind her when he stood and kicked the chair away.

“I understand more than you think.” His quiet words were voiced with so much contained rage that he scared her. “I’ve seen women and children mauled by monsters. Girls raped and innocent men killed because they trusted assholes like Trenton. He’s going to die, this time by my two hands while I squeeze the life out of him.” He neared her so fast she didn’t have time to draw her weapon.

Gray’s arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. Helpless and in pain, she struggled. His lips pressed against her temple, and she froze.

“I swear. He’ll never hurt you again. None of them will. I promise.”

Bas suddenly stood at her side and put his arm around her back. “We promise.” He nuzzled her hair. “No one will hurt you while we live, Ali. No one.”

His beast peered out of somber eyes, and she didn’t know what to think.

These men didn’t owe her a thing. She didn’t know them, had no idea why she’d poured her heart out to them. But the venom that accompanied such thoughts, that pushed her into killing or hurting something after reliving her torment, didn’t come.

Shaken yet relieved, she stood there while they stroked her back and her hair, whispering words of comfort. Nothing sexual or twisted about the way they held her. And she blinked back the tears she should have been too numb to feel.

Bas watched Gray handle Ali with kid gloves. For all that Gray could be a complete jerk, when it came to protecting the innocent, he was in his element. To think Ali had been tortured and used like that made his skin crawl. He wanted to find Trenton and skin him alive. Then find the rest of the shitheads who’d hurt her and make them scream out in pain while he broke bones and slit throats.

His beast warmed to the idea as he figured the best way to get information to the admiral. They needed to flush out Trenton before he could escape and start fresh. Bomb the hell out of his labs and rescue any unwilling test subjects the bastard no doubt caged like animals.

Some of what Ali had said reminded him of his time with the PWP, when the scientists had tried to break him, to make him the rogue they wanted, an animal they could control. But he hadn’t broken, and neither had Ali. His beast warmed to the woman even more, glad he’d let her take him, because she felt comfort in their shared exploration. And he sensed she wanted more. He’d seen her looking at him when he’d dressed, had felt her sexual need and gloried in it even more now. Because after all she’d suffered, she hadn’t refused his touch.

“I need you to pass the info on to Keiser while I stay with her. I don’t want Ali left alone,” Gray sent him.

“I agree. But shouldn’t you talk to Keiser? He’s your guy. Ali’s not sure of you.” To his surprise, Bas didn’t feel a hint of jealousy at the thought of leaving Ali with Gray. He just wanted to make sure his mates would feel comfortable with one another.

“She needs to know me. And you need to know you can handle the PWP in any of its forms.”

Gray’s mild rebuke annoyed him. “I don’t need therapy, you jackass.”

“And I don’t need to be sensing your fear anytime we have to deal with psychics. Deal with it, Bas. Ali needs us now, and she needs us strong. Trenton won’t be easy to kill, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has more rogues out in the forest. You need to watch your ass out there.”

Gray’s poorly concealed worry both pleased and annoyed him. “I’m glad you care, but I’m good. I can handle that fuckwad Keiser.”

“Then prove it.”

Bas scowled but took a step back from their group hug. “Ali, I’ll be back. I need to pass on some info. I’ll be fine. And I swear, I’ll cover my tracks. Don’t let Gray boss you around.”

Her brown eyes no longer flashed with red. The woman had yet to shed one of the tears pooling in her beautiful eyes. Trying to be so damn strong. He ached to hold her again but knew Gray was right. Gray had to earn her trust. And his senses were keener than Bas’s. He’d hear a threat before they attacked, no problem.

“Nobody bosses me around.” She huffed at Gray and put a measure of distance between them, reestablishing control.

Bas wondered how his mate, the ultimate control freak, would respond. Especially because Gray would do nothing to hurt Ali, which meant not scaring her with anything too rough. Bas wanted to be around to watch, but this wasn’t the time.

“Yeah, so take your laughing ass out of here. And like I said, keep your mind open to me. I mean it.” The snarl in Gray’s command amused him.

He left with a wave and a grin.

The moment Bas left, Ali felt the whole of Gray’s formidable presence. Without Bas’s easy nature to lighten the mood, Gray’s essence filled the room with intensity.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said softly.

“I won’t let you,” she replied, tired of feeling out of sorts. She didn’t like her vulnerability around these men. Bas had at least proven a measure of trust. Knowing he could have escaped before but that he’d allowed her to set the pace of their pleasure satisfied her beast. He was an amazing lover, a skilled yet tender partner. She had every intention of having sex with him again.

Gray would be a problem. He seemed too sure of himself. Too in command of the situation. She didn’t like that. Time to show him where he belonged in the grand scheme of things. And the sooner the better, because her blood seethed with a new need for violence. The urge to see and taste Gray’s blood continued to grow.

She kept the distance between them, conscious of the gun at her back. If she intended to use it, she’d have to be fast, because as quick as he’d moved, he’d be on her before she could fire if she wasn’t careful.

“About Trenton,” she began, keeping the kitchen table between herself and Gray. “If you want to help me kill him, I’ll show you where to go. It’s easy enough to avoid the Circs—”

“Rogues.”

She rolled her eyes. “Rogues out in the woods. But Trenton is mine to deal with.”

“And the rogues who hurt you?”

He seemed fixated on what she’d told him. Her beast couldn’t have been more pleased. The woman in Ali was mortified. She’d never wanted anyone to know what they’d done to her. “It was just one guy. I killed him, remember? Forget I mentioned it. I don’t like thinking about it,” she said gruffly.

He nodded. “Fine. But I won’t forget.” The dangerous gleam in his gaze tempted her to take a step closer. Her beast liked nothing more than a challenge.

She stood firm. “Look. I’m tired. You can sit out here and read or something. I need a break.”

She took two steps toward the door in the floor when Gray spoke.

“Does sex bother you?”

She stopped and turned to face him. “What?”

“Sex. Your beast craves it. Perpetuation of the species is a natural requirement of our kind. It’s also built into Circ programming. But the human part of you. Does it dislike sex?”

She blushed, not used to talking about it. Annoyed to have let him embarrass her, she answered in a growl. “No. It’s just fine. I fuck when I feel the need. Men are good for something at least. Other than that, I hate ’em. Is that okay?”

He smiled, showing a good deal of fang. “Works for me, so long as Bas and I aren’t in that category. We’re not men, though, are we?”

He moved like lightning, but she’d been prepared. She released a waft of pheromones when he reached her, and he slowed considerably, enough for her to put her hand on her pistol.

But Gray jerked it away from her and tossed it across the room. “No need for that. Not when I have some good, satisfying sexual therapy in mind.”

“Fuck you. I don’t need therapy.” She squirmed, alarmed to feel his thick cock through his pants against her belly.

He pushed her up against the wall. “Yeah, you do. But problem is, sweetheart, you don’t realize yet where you fit in.” He sniffed her neck and pushed her hair out of the way, using only one hand and his body weight to hold her in place. “Tell me to leave you alone, and I will. But the truth is, you want this. You need this.” Then he licked her.

She felt the fire all the way to her toes. “I’m fine by myself,” she shouted and yanked her head away when he moved to kiss her on the mouth. But she couldn’t make herself give him the words to let her go.

“Tell me no, baby. Just one little word, and I’m gone.” Gray nibbled his way along her neck. “I’ll never hurt you, not unless you need it. I’ll protect you, baby. I swear. But soft won’t work for you. I can feel it.”

Unlike in the past, when she’d been held down, Gray’s forcefulness didn’t imply anything more than rough, needed sex. He smelled so good, and his beast tangled with hers. Not hurting, not raping, but dominating with her traitorous beast’s consent.

He sucked hard on her neck and bit her, then licked her blood.

“Yes.” She arched into him, so lost in sexual need, she couldn’t see straight. Finally. Here was a strong, worthy male she could submit to. A male to whom she might yield all and find pleasure and satisfaction in the release. But she wouldn’t make it easy for him. She yanked her head back when his fangs slid out of her neck, and head-butted him right in the face.

His nose cracked, but he didn’t let go of her. With one hand, he pressed his nose back into place, and she watched as the swelling eased and the fracture healed right in front of her. Then his eyes changed, his round pupils becoming slits. His skin darkened; his hair lengthened. He hadn’t yet put on a shirt, and his chest stretched and grew into hard-packed muscle.

Gray ripped open the tab of his pants and let them drop to his feet. He stepped out of them and pressed his body against hers.