Therian Prize(41)
“What do you need to do to take your father out of the equation?”
She handed him her empty glass as a sad smile parted her lips. “Other than hiring a hit man?”
“I’m willing to leave that option on the table, but I don’t think you could live with the guilt.” Rather than setting the glass aside as she’d expected, he refilled it and passed it back to her.
“I was kidding.” Little by little the subject was eroding her physical longing.
“I know,” he assured, but the lethal gleam in his eyes made her shiver.
They hadn’t had sex last night because she was upset and her future was still undecided. Was that why Jake was keeping his distance? Did he want a concrete plan in place before they indulged their passion? The possibility gave her hope, so she focused on the topic.
“If I want Dad to leave me alone, I have to choose a mate.” Suddenly the idea wasn’t nearly as demoralizing as it used to be. If she could find someone like Jake to… No, she didn’t want to find someone like Jake, she was imagining a future with Jake and that was dangerous. They might be attracted to each other but any sort of long-term relationship would be impossible.
“That’s a permanent decision,” he reminded.
“I’ve been thinking about that. If a Therian couple is genetically compatible their bodies synchronize.”
His gaze focused on her mouth as he grinned. “I’m aware.”
She knew about the various links Therian couples could form but she’d never experienced any of them. She’d only been with Carlos once and her sexual encounters with David had been sporadic at best. “The synchronization lasts three months and the couple becomes disinterested in anyone except their synchronized partner. Correct?”
“Basically. It’s more intense than disinterest. If a female is in sync, she often becomes combative with other males.”
“Is the male combative with other females?”
“Sometimes it hits one partner harder or faster than the other, but eventually they’ll both be affected by the link.”
“How different does synchronization feel from a mating bond? Would it be possible to pass one off as the other?”
He looked off into the distance, his expression thoughtful, eyes narrowed. “It would depend on the person you were trying to fool.” She was starting to wonder if he realized where this was leading then his gaze shifted back to her. “How sensitive is your father?”
“His sense of smell is unbelievable, but his psychic abilities are average.”
“You would rather link yourself to a man for three months than find out more about Devon’s elixir?”
She finger-combed her hair back from her face as her mind replayed all the things Devon had told her. If the formula worked the way Devon said, Heather would not only be defined, she would absorb multiple animal natures. How was that possible? She’d never met anyone who could manifest as more than one animal. Well, Devon claimed she could, but Heather had been too surprised to ask for a demonstration.
“If the formula came from Therians, I wouldn’t hesitate,” she told him. “But this came from the backers. How can I possibly trust something that came from those amoral bastards?”
“I understand your hesitation. I don’t trust them either. But I do trust Devon. Not only has the formula been in her system for weeks, not days, but she’s being monitored by the Garrans every step of the way. If she’s felt no side effects—other than an increased libido—then the formula is safe.”
“It’s only been two weeks since she was injected. It’s too soon to determine whether it’s safe or not.”
“So we’re back to synchronization?” His tone grew low and rough. He came up off the bench and caught her wrist. “Do you have someone in mind?” Slowly he drew her across the spa as he sat back down.
She stood in front of him, wet shirt clinging to her breasts, breathless and achy. “You know I do.”
He moved his legs apart and pulled her closer. “Say it. Tell me what you want.”
“I want…” Desire curled through her body, lodging between her thighs with enough intensity to steal her breath. She wanted so many things and most of them involved Jake. She tried to look away but he stood and took her face between his hands.
“Your father is pissed with you now, but your entire pack, maybe your entire network, will hate you if we become lovers. Are you ready for that?”
He voiced the question with just enough challenge to unleash her resolve. “My pack has never done anything to assist or protect me. I’ve been treated like a commodity by my family and my pack.” Suddenly realization dashed the momentary heat. “We need to do something about Lexxie.”