Nate's Fated Mate(3)

Sheena glared when she finally spotted him, and that look blasted his sentimental wishful thinking all to hell. The similarity to the glares he often got from Erin struck him hard. It was all he could do not to laugh at the irony. Now he'd have two strong willed women chewing his ass at every opportunity.

"Dr. McNamara," Nate said softly, letting her title fall from his tongue for the first time in a century.

"Admiral Tiberius," Sheena replied. "You're looking very well. I see the effects of the rejuvenation serum have lasted. Another fifty years and I can probably make it available to the masses."

Nate snorted softly and tried to hide his distaste of her hello. "I see it's lasted on you as well. There are no visible signs that you've aged a day, much less a hundred years."

Sheena nodded. "That's a good way to phrase it, but trust me, there have been changes. My hair has gone from light red to a variegated blonde in the interim. If you'd like, I'd be happy to send you my reports about what I've noticed."

Nate felt an eyebrow raise. "Well, I do have the clearance now to see the data, but why … " He paused, not sure how to ask what he wanted to know.

"Why am I being so friendly to a man I still detest?" Sheena asked finally.

Nate nodded, a little afraid to speak. She detested him? After all this time? "Yes. Detesting does not go well with that friendliness you were touting moments ago."

Sheena smirked. "It matches my honesty though, which is one of those changes I mentioned. You should know I came because I can fix Brianna's tracker problem. As for the other-her being in danger-my organization can protect her once she comes to work for us."



       
         
       
        

"Ah yes …  the infamous organization. Why don't you just call it Novus Prime? I think we both know that's who funds you."

Sheena lifted her chin. "I intend to take Bri with me when I leave, Nate. You can fight me if you want, but it will be a waste of energy-I promise you. The Guardians owe me several favors. I won't hesitate to use one of them to remove her from this floating black hole of death."

Nate whistled. "Wow …  black hole of death. As a scientist, I thought you'd be a little more original in your insults. Black holes were proven to be myth about a hundred and fifty years ago."

Sheena waved a hand. "That's shit and we both know it. It's a convenient lie so we don't have to explain wormholes and portal travel to the masses. You're not going to distract me by changing the subject. Now where's Brianna? I need to see her and get this whole farce over with."

Nate snorted. "Why? Did you leave a bunch of mutant superheroes cooking back at the lab?"

"Are you going to take me to Brianna, or should I have my guards find her? I can't promise what will happen to your precious aliens while they look."

Sighing, Nate motioned with a hand. "Come with me, Dr. Bad Ass. Let me escort you to see your family."

"Don't patronize me, Nathaniel. My parents are dead. The impostors, whatever vat they were cooked in, are not my family," Sheena said tightly. She looked sideways and gave him a hard stare. "I came only for Brianna. I don't want to see the Frankenstein monsters your gene hacking created out of whatever fallible McNamara DNA you've been hoarding."

"Sheena, stop," Nate ordered. He physically halted their forward motion with his hand on her arm, which forced her to stop beside him. He met her glare. "The rejuvenated matchmakers are not monsters and I didn't create them. They're merely another version of your parents-one I'm unable to explain at the moment-but I swear this particular Angus and Erin are as individually unique as any other human on this planet. If you want to see their DNA profiles, I'll share them so you can see they're not clones, at least not in the typical sense. And when we find Brianna, chances are good that you're going to have to deal with them. Your sister practically lives in their quarters."

"Using Bri's grief to support your agenda is just another good reason for me to be angry with you," Sheena declared. "Brianna was devastated when our parents both died …  and yes, despite your wish for the entire world to believe otherwise, we both know they really did die. Now take me to my sister."

Nodding, Nate turned and started walking. He chastised himself for the knot of anguish in his gut. What had he expected? Their disagreements were a century old and yet not even a tiny bit lessened in intensity. All that passion once had a much healthier expression between them.