Pretty Baby(34)

Philip Spencer was involved in some pretty shady stuff, but even Elliot  wasn't sure they had reached the bottom of the shithole the man was  involved in. Elliot just knew he suddenly didn't want to be connected to  Philip Spencer in any way, shape, or form.

"Tommy?"

"Yeah, pretty baby?"

"This mate thing, it's for life, right?"

"Of course, I thought you understood that." Elliot pressed his head  against Tommy's shoulder when the man's arms tightened around him. "This  is for eternity, Elliot."

"Then can I take your last name? I don't want to be a Spencer anymore."

Tommy stilled. "You want to take my last name?"

Elliot shrugged, suddenly afraid that Tommy would tell him no. They  might be mated, but it wasn't like they were married or anything. Elliot  just didn't know how this thing worked. Maybe Tommy didn't want that  kind of commitment.

"You wouldn't rather change your name to Morgan?"

"I'd rather have your name."

Tommy's arms tightened even more, until Elliot could barely breathe. "Tommy," he gasped. "Can't breathe."

"My father is the town mayor. I'll bet he can rush the papers through  for us." Tommy said as he loosened his arms a bit then placed a small  kiss on the top of Elliot's head. "Elliot Nash has a nice ring to it."

"Thank you, Tommy," Elliot whispered silently, nuzzling his head against Tommy's shoulder.

"Thank you, pretty baby."

"Damn!" Joe exclaimed, bringing Elliot's attention back to the conversation. "Do you know what you're saying, Tommy?"

"It's just a thought. I figured with Philip Spencer being knee-deep in  this, and owning an investment company, that maybe he knew or was  involved with the Teacher. It just kind of made sense to me."

"That means Nate and all the other students that the Teacher had aren't  safe. Philip Spencer might know exactly where each of them are located."  Joe's face paled. "And if he does-"

"Then he can try to take them back," Tommy finished for his brother.

"Fuck, we have to call Reece and let him know," Donovan said.

"I need to call Taylor and Justin, make sure they stay safe."

"Send them to Devlin," Donovan said. "If anyone can keep them safe while  we deal with this situation, it's that damn vampire coven of his."

Chase nodded as he jumped to his feet. He was already dialing his cell  phone as he walked into the kitchen. Elliot glanced around the room,  trying to figure out what in the hell was going on because he didn't  have a clue.

"Tommy, what-"

"When Nate came to us, we rescued him and a bunch of other guys from  this man they called the Teacher," Tommy explained. "He was keeping them  held captive, forcing him to do what he wanted. He'd had them for  years. Joe killed the Teacher when the man came back for Nate."                       
       
           



       

"And if Philip Spencer was involved with the Teacher," Donovan went on, "then all of the men we rescued could be in danger."

"So, why don't we just go stop him?" Elliot asked.

"It's not that simple, Elliot," Andre said. "They have Summer and our  daughter. Sophia is still back at the house waiting for us to return. If  I hadn't seen the boys leaving with Flynn and hidden away in their car,  I never would have been able to leave. As it is, Sophia is going to be  pissed when she discovers Flynn is gone. She thinks he is her last  chance."

"Last chance at what?" Elliot was getting more confused by the minute.

"Chase, Devlin, and Donovan have all found their mates, male mates.  Flynn is unmated. There's a fifty percent chance that his mate will be  female, therefore, he can produce more subjects for her bosses. It's the  same reason they want to keep Summer and Tereza in their clutches."

"I don't understand," Elliot said. "I just found Tommy a few days ago.  If I'm a shifter, then why didn't they keep me locked up like everyone  else?"

"Because you never shifted, Elliot."

Elliot looked up at Tommy. "I was defective?"

"You, pretty baby," Tommy said as he tapped his finger on the tip of Elliot's nose, "are perfect."

Elliot felt his face flush with pleasure at Tommy's words and buried it  in the man's shirt. He could hear the soft laughter of those around him  and figured his embarrassment had been worth it if it lessened the  tension in the room.

"Remember, we talked about this, Elliot. I think your wolf knew  something was wrong and refused to allow the shift. It was the wolf's  way of protecting you both. That's why you got so sick when you were  fifteen years old."

"You were sick?" Andre asked. "I never learned of this."

"How would you?" Elliot asked.

"Your mother was kept appraised of your development." Andre grimaced.  "When they would bring you in for your monthly checkups, they would put  you to sleep, allowing your mother and sister to see you for a few  minutes. Your mother lives for those times."

"They told me she was dead."

Andre shook his head. "No, she wasn't dead. She is just kept under close  guard. They move her and Tereza around a lot, from facility to  facility. I never know exactly where they are going to be until Sophia  tells me."

"But they are brought in to see me when I have my monthly exams?"

Andre nodded. "Yes."

"Then I know exactly where they are going to be next week."

"How?"

Andre, and everyone else, looked so interested that Elliot couldn't help but smile. "Because I know where I will be."

* * * *

"Elliot, I'm not sure I like this idea." Elliot glanced over his  shoulder at his mate as he rinsed off the last of the dinner dishes. He  wasn't in the least surprised to see Tommy's arms crossed over his chest  or the little glare in the man's eyes. Elliot sighed deeply as he  walked over to lean against Tommy. "I don't like it either, but can you  see any other way to do this?" "Does it have to be you?"

"Yes." Elliot chuckled. "I don't think we could get away with

sneaking someone else in. The doctors know my face."

"I still don't like it," Tommy grumbled. "It's like sending you

right back into the lion's den."

"Tommy-"

"Elliot, what if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing is going to go wrong."

"You can't know that!" Tommy snapped. "Anything could

happen, and if Philip Spencer gets his hands on you again, there's no

telling what he could do. I might never see you again."

"Tommy." Elliot gripped a handful of Tommy's shirt and gave his

mate a little shake. "You've got to stop this. I need you on my side

right now. I'm scared enough for the both of us."

Tommy's head fell back. Elliot didn't know if his eyes were

closed or if he was counting the ceiling tiles, but he could feel the

tension in the hard body pressed against him. Elliot leaned forward

and rested his head against Tommy's chest.

"I have to do this, Tommy, please understand."

"I do understand, Elliot," Tommy said as his arms wrapped

around Elliot. "I just don't like it. If I were to lose you … " "That will never happen," Elliot whispered, "no matter what

happens. I will always belong to you."                       
       
           



       

"I know, pretty baby. I just don't like this plan. It puts you into too

much danger."

"He's right, Elliot."

Elliot turned to see Daniel Nash standing in the doorway of the

kitchen. "Do you have a better plan? Because if you do, I'd like to

hear it."

"Let us go in and get your mother and sister out."

"It's not enough." Elliot turned in Tommy's arms and leaned back

against his mate. "We can't just rescue my mother and sister. We have to  destroy anything that says shifters even exist. We can't let

him continue to be a threat to us."

"I agree, but how do you plan to do that?" Daniel asked. "There

has to be more than one place that this information is kept. Spence

Corp has a lot of different research facilities. How can we destroy it

all?"

"We have enough people," Tommy said. "If Elliot could give us

each of the locations then we could plan simultaneous strikes. Destroy

everything all at once."

"We'd have to hit Philip's office at the same time, and maybe his

home office." Elliot liked this idea much better than the one they had

before. "He keeps a lot of things on his computers at work and there's

a vault of disks in his home office. That's where I usually go for my

exams."

"It would have to be quick and very coordinated." Daniel rubbed