— From the Journals of Aster Ardennes
Aster lay on her belly in the big king-sized bed going over all the material she had on Special-T Pharmaceuticals. The company seemed to have very little legitimate business, producing mainly illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Steroids and the like. Probably why they were so keen on small, disposable labs. Multiple locations probably helped with distribution too.
She looked up from her laptop as Dean stepped out of the bathroom. Wearing only a towel. It was a good look for him, the white emphasizing the golden glow of his skin. He must have just shaved because his face was back to his usual boyishly handsome, instead of dusted with the stubble that had shadowed it this morning when they woke. Which had also been a good look on him.
Dean settled on the bed next to her and Aster suppressed a sigh. The man looked good in pretty much any configuration, but she was not going to be caught mooning.
“Find anything?”
“From what I can tell, their main headquarters is just outside of Syracuse. They seem to administer the labs from there. In addition to their more questionable inventory, it looks like they have four main legal product lines, mostly steroids, but one branch produces the drugs they use for in-vitro fertility treatments. The hormone injections, etcetera.”
“Hormones.” Dean nodded, glancing at her laptop over her shoulder. “That makes sense.”
“Yeah. It’s an odd mix, with the steroids, but the company is owned by two different partners and each one heads a division.” She turned her head and gave Dean a significant look. “And guess who used to work there? Our own Dr. Evans. Or at least, a Dr. N.J. Evans started working with them about three years ago. In the fertility division.”
“N.J. Evans? That’s the doctor who worked at the free clinic I told you about. The one Marten and his loners went to. But that was farther north. Pulaski, I think.” He pulled his computer over from the bedside table and started poking keys.
Aster pulled up a map. The clinic was about an hour’s drive from Syracuse. “The one thing I don’t get is why a doctor who works with people at a free clinic would suddenly join a pharmaceutical company— of questionable ethics, no less. It just doesn’t fit.”
“Money?” But Dean didn’t sound convinced either. “Wait a minute. It looks like he continued to work at the clinic even after joining Special-T. At least for a period of time. The clinic thing was part time.”
“Hmmm.” Aster thought about what she’d seen of Dr. Evans’ set up. “Maybe he didn’t suddenly change his principles. Maybe he just wanted funding for his research.”
Dean nodded. “That makes sense. Getting access to a top-quality lab is key. Take it from me. I’ve done all kinds of grunt-work lab assistant jobs just to get access to the equipment.”
Aster smirked. “Don’t remind me. How many hours did I spend in that lab in Binghamton?”
Dean smiled back, his eyes crinkling in that sexy way they did when he was teasing. “You loved every minute of it.”
“Right.” Aster rolled her eyes. “How could I forget?”
“You know you did.” Dean leaned in closer. “Lab techs are so totally hot.”
Aster laughed. She couldn’t help it.
Dean trailed a hand down her back. “So. How many labs do you think we’re looking at?”
“Well, that depends. If we have to take out both divisions… I’m hoping it’s just the one that Dr. Evans is connected with. But I think we’ll have to make a little visit to the headquarters in question and make sure.”
“Good idea. We can head over there tonight. But I think we might need to take a little nap first, to ensure we’re in top form when we get there.”
Aster raised her eyebrows. They’d already taken one ‘nap’ today— right after the completely decadent breakfast room service had delivered. There had even been some sleep involved.
Dean’s hand traveled lower, skating over the swell of her behind to reach the hem of her nightshirt. He sat up, the towel pooling around his waist.
“Did I ever tell you about one of my very favorite places?” Lifting her shirt to expose bare flesh, his fingers trailed along the bottom curve of her ass. He bent down and kissed the back of her thigh, just below it.
Delicate tingles traveled out from the spot where his warm lips brushed against her skin. It was innocuous, and yet so very close to her most secret places that sudden awareness flooded through her.
“This is an area that doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves,” Dean murmured in a low voice, placing soft, whispering kisses along the very top of her thigh.
Aster had to bite back a soft moan.
** *
Lucas bent over the pool table and lined up his shot. Jeff had been practicing. The kid was almost decent competition these days. He sliced the two-ball into the side pocket with a satisfying click and watched the cue ball roll into position for his next shot. Unfortunately, his phone vibrated in his back pocket. This was the second call in five minutes. He glanced at the display.
Boaz. Just as well. He’d been planning to call him as soon as he finished this game.
“I need to take this call, Jeffrey. We’ll have to finish this game later.”
“Sure thing,” the kid replied, his voice easy, but his scent took on a note of anxiety.
“It’s just a report, kid. Nothing to worry about.”
Jeffrey nodded. Lucas hoped he was actually telling the truth. He pressed the connect button and started talking as he headed up the stairs.
“Oui?”
“They’re leaving. Marten and his new mate. She seems to have packed for a trip. They just carried four suitcases and two boxes down to Marten’s car. They headed back upstairs, so I’m guessing they’re getting more stuff.”
Lucas headed through the great room and out onto the porch, thinking. He’d like to know where Marten was going, but chances were good he’d be heading back up to Mont-Tremblant territory. Jesse and Boaz only had one vehicle between them, and he needed Boaz to follow Dean and Aster out to Syracuse tonight. At the very least, Boaz could act as a lookout. And step in if things went south.
There was no way he was sending Jesse out for that. Still…
“Call Jesse and have him meet you there with the truck. I want him to follow them. I need to know where they’re headed. Tell him not to be spotted.” Lucas rubbed the back of his neck, wishing there was time for Aster and Dean to have a proper seclusion. Wondering if it was time to break into Aaron’s private time with Lyla.
No. It was only seven more days until the full moon. He should be able to hold out until then. What kind of Alpha couldn’t grant his best friend the traditional two weeks alone with his new mate?
“I’m going to need you to rent a car, Boaz. I just got off the phone with Dean. He and Aster are heading over to Syracuse tonight to check out another facility. I want you to provide backup. From a distance. Clear?”
“Clear.” There was a short pause. “What about the other female?”
Lucas exhaled a slow breath. “Leave her for now. These other things are more important.”
“Maybe I should watch her until we leave for Syracuse? After I rent the car, I can swing over there and wait.”
“Dean said they’re planning to leave around eight.” Lucas glanced down at the time on his phone. “That gives you a little over two hours. If you can get a car and get back there before then, fine. Otherwise, you can check on her tomorrow.”
There was something in Boaz’s voice that Lucas didn’t like. Something like suppressed tension. Or was that dissent? Boaz hadn’t joined the pack officially yet. Technically, he didn’t have to follow Lucas’s orders, so he let it go. He needed the Masters brothers.
“Good,” Lucas said, putting as much authority in the word as he could. “Let me know if there are any developments.”
He clicked off the call. What did it mean that Marten was p
acking up his new mate? Was he really using that serum to lure humans— and then forcing the bond? Lucas didn’t think that was against the Law, precisely. But he couldn’t be sure. He’d have to ask his new Lore Master. Lucas smiled briefly, feeling slightly guilty about the sense of satisfaction settling in his chest.
With his sister mated, one big problem had slipped right off his shoulders. He’d feel better when she was firmly here on pack territory, but this was a big step in the right direction. She was no longer vulnerable to a forced bond, and she wouldn’t bring increased danger to the pack when she did join them. And Dean was now a confirmed member of his pack.
Lucas’s lips twisted into a wry half-smile. Two birds with one stone.
A Lore Master of Dean’s caliber was a huge asset to any pack. With the current situation at the labs, Dean’s knowledge was essential. Dean and Aster working together? His smile broadened into an almost grin. Yeah. That was good. Very good. Things might actually be shifting in his favor for once.
And Boaz had just confirmed that Marten was also safely mated. He drummed his fingers on the porch railing, trying to puzzle out the implications. Forcing the bond with humans… No, he didn’t think there was anything in the Law about that. It was forbidden to attack them, forbidden to harm them in any way, unless the safety of the pack was threatened. But when that happened, killing was almost always required. Or mating. Which was not prohibited. Thank the Maiden. But actually luring them with artificial serums for that purpose? At the very least it wasn’t honorable.
Lucas glanced through the porch windows at the kitchen along the far wall of the great room. Mari and Elizabeth were there together, preparing dinner for the pack. Their movements were so familiar, so in sync with each other, they took on elements of a dance. Mari’s hair was longer now, reaching just past her shoulders. The late afternoon sun streaming through the kitchen windows glistened on pale gold highlights. He watched her for a moment, entranced. She moved like a fey creature— a little lost fairy inexplicably gracing the mortal realm.
Lucas sighed and turned away. She was becoming more comfortable around the pack, but he still had to be careful. Too much intensity would shatter her fragile trust. And that was one thing Lucas would never do. But he couldn’t help wondering sometimes if she would ever be able to accept him. He glanced out at the green expanse of the meadow, burnished in the late afternoon sun. Perhaps this was why human mates were so rare among the People. It was just too big a leap of faith.
Lucas wrapped his hands around the railing of the porch, leaning on them as he stared out at the Rabbit River. He had other things to worry about. Like what Dean and Aster would find at this headquarters tonight. Like when he would finally get his sister here, safely on pack grounds.
He had a sudden flash of Dean’s trailer, his disreputable patio furniture, and winced. Aster wasn’t quite the princess everyone assumed. She was just strong-willed. And smart as whip. Not the kind of person to suffer fools gladly. And okay, because of their mother’s influence, she expected a certain level of refinement around her.
And Moman’s most precious furniture is in Mari’s room. Her favorite dresser. Her corner cabinet…
He wasn’t sure how that was going to go over. Up until now, Lucas had managed to avoid thinking about how Aster would view Mari. He suppressed a grimace. He made a mental note to address the issue. Some kind of upgrade on Dean’s premises was definitely in order.
Chapter 19
A battery occurs when two pieces that move similarly line up to create an attack. It is a tactic often used to remove the protection of the opposing King over a series of moves. Or it can be used simply to gain the advantage in an exchange.
— From the Journals of Aster Ardennes
Aster watched Dean and Boaz crouching in the dim light of the alley beside Special-T’s headquarters. The building was part of a large fenced-in corporate complex complete with gate and guard booth. Getting in hadn’t been a problem though. The two men just went right over the fence. It wasn’t like it was electrified or anything. It wasn’t even that high. It seemed to be there more for show than anything else.
Aster sat in Dean’s Jeep parked conveniently on the side street next to the facility watching through the fence. She had a clear line of sight across the parking lot. They were hunched over Dean’s laptop trying to circumvent the building’s security. Sitting there doing nothing was making Aster crazy. Really, it should be her working with Boaz, but no. She couldn’t go anywhere near him without Dean losing his mind. It was bad enough she was within sight of them, sitting in the car. But he didn’t want her out of his sight either, so…
Yeah. No wonder she’d avoided the bond for so long. She sighed. That wasn’t really fair. She could feel Dean’s anxiety at the situation, and her frustration wasn’t making things better. At least they had Aaron looped in to the laptop remotely since neither one of them had the vaguest idea of what they were doing. Well, maybe Boaz did. Dean was hopeless with a computer. Okay. The man was a whiz with a spreadsheet, but he couldn’t code worth a damn.
Aster pulled in a slow breath through her nose and blew it out again. They had been trying to disable the security for over an hour. She could feel the time slipping away. She needed to get inside and get her hands on those computers. The files wouldn’t be easy to access; she would need time to breach their protocols and access the data without leaving a footprint.
She drummed her fingers against the dash, a reluctant smile curving her lips. At least the trip here had been fun. She’d felt like a college kid on a road trip, driving into to the setting sun with the music blasting, both of them singing along. Charlie Worsham’s Could It Be came on, and Dean had smiled at her with such tenderness, her stomach did an actual flip. It was still hard to believe this was real.
Aster grinned as she got out of the Jeep and slipped over the fence. She landed lightly on the other side and let her hand drift to her lock pick set. This was going to be fun. Dean had never seen her use this particular set of skills. She didn’t even have to rush it. Boaz would keep an eye on the front entrance to the facility and the security guard. Not that she had any plans of wasting time, but it was a nice luxury knowing she didn’t have to worry.
The security cameras would be showing a loop of the unmolested entrance recorded over the last half hour, and the alarm would be off-line. All she had to do was jiggle the lock.
Two hours later, Aster finally managed to finesse the last piece of security code without tripping any intrusion detectors. And she was in. The entire private network spread out before her. They had all the data stored on a dedicated server, which was not hooked up to the internet. That meant it couldn’t be hacked from outside. And the security software had been a beautiful piece of code. Aster wondered who they had on staff.
They had to be paying top dollar for that kind of quality. That meant there was probably something pretty special they were hiding. Well, she’d already known they were dealing in illegal steroids, but the security had been just as tight on the fertility division. It was possible they were only protecting proprietary information; drug companies were notorious for that. But Aster didn’t think so. With the way they had all those disposable labs set up, she figured there had to be something illegal about the fertility stuff too.
She inserted a thumb drive and started copying everything she could get her hands on. “Okay, Dean, we’re in. Let me set you up on this station and you can take a look at the data.” She almost laughed at the excited gleam in his eye. He’d been practically salivating over the equipment housed in the labs that ran alongside the administrative portion of the building.
He settled into the chair she indicated. “If we end up t
orching this place, I’m taking that microplate vortexer,” he said, as if she had any idea what that was. “And that freeze dry system.”
“Sure thing, honey,” she said sweetly, and he gave her a wry smile.
“They’re important. And expensive.”
“Whatever you say.” But she couldn’t keep the smile from her voice.
And then she completely lost him to the intricacies of the research data. But she was used to that. She found herself humming idly as she worked and realized it was that Worsham song, Could It Be. She smiled. It did have a catchy melody.
“Look at this. They are researching pheromone-based aphrodisiacs. And from what I can see, not following any of the protocols when it comes to testing them.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. The first lab I checked out was working with pheromones. Do you remember?”
“Yeah. That’s right…” Dean’s voice trailed off, and she knew she’d lost him again.
It didn’t matter. She could feel his intense focus. It was a nice feeling. Aster concentrated on tracking down the various subsidiary labs. So far she’d discovered another four, possibly five labs, in addition to the Syracuse headquarters and the two in Albany. Most of them seemed to be connected with the steroid production, but still. That was eight different locations. And then there were the warehouses in Brooklyn and Scranton. If they had to take them all out at once…
“Aster.”
The hair on the back of her neck stood up— just from his tone.
“What?”
“Come over here and look at this.”
She was almost afraid to, but she went around the desk to stand behind him and peer over his shoulder at the meaningless gibberish on the screen. Code she could read. That? Um, no. “What is it?”
“It’s a collection of DNA strands. Isolating those portions they are using to create the breeding-scent hormone.”