Forbidden Hybrid, page 16
“Could that be a result?”
Violet drew her attention back to the screen with a pointed look. Files and links were mounting in the left corner of the monitor, piggybacking one another before Maeve could study the IP’s or convert the machine-readable text. Hastily setting her coffee aside she tapped the keyboard, directing everything to be saved within a secure storage catalogue, which from the looks of things, was already filling fast.
Vi examined the files as they were siphoned from the universe onto her computer. “I used this to laptop to pirate movies and type my resume, but now it looks like you just downloaded the entire contents of the internet.”
Maeve laughed, surprised by how good that small action could make her feel. “Don’t fib,” she warned her friend. “You used this laptop to watch Three Musketeer porn – lots of it! I’ve seen your search history, remember?”
“What happens on the internet, stays on the internet …”
“Not today it doesn’t.”
“No kidding. What the heck is all that anyway?”
“That’s the payload.” Eyes wide, Maeve watched as Bot completed his impressive string of virtual break and enters and shut down. Locking eyes with Violet, Maeve said, “If I can’t find answers here, then they don’t exist.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Where the fuck is she?!” Bishop demanded, lethally sharp claws extending past his fingertips.
Lucian sighed but didn’t bother trying to calm the man down. When they had all crawled out of their respective hiding places, they had discovered a very quiet and empty townhouse. It had taken him all of two seconds to open his senses up and realise the three of them were now the only occupants. He had felt that initial rush of panic along with Gabe and Bishop but a few moments of rational thinking reminded him that Maeve was smart. She wouldn’t put herself in danger. What’s more, she wouldn’t put them in danger by exposing herself. No doubt, she had merely left to get some time alone. He couldn’t blame her after the intensity of their last chat.
“Where would she go?” Bishop literally growled this time as he paced back and forth.
“Her place?” Gabe suggested.
Bishop yanked on his hair, pulling the long strands free of their tie. “Why the hell would she leave like that?”
Lucian snorted, “You’re kidding, right? We just told the poor woman that we want to share her. It’s not something you hear every day. And oh yeah, there could be a gang of notorious vampires responsible for her death.” Lucian left it at that, not touching on the last thing Maeve had said before they had all fled.
“She told us she trusted us. She said she would stay here,” Bishop pointed out, mind still too stuck in protective mode to be thinking like the cop he was.
“Things change. Give the woman a break. I think she’s handled herself impeccably this past week. So she’s finally cracked. So what? Think. Where would you go if you were emotionally overwhelmed?” Lucian asked, hoping rational heads would prevail and Gabe and Bishop would arrive at the same conclusion he already had.
Bishop shrugged, still looking mightily pissed off. “I’d go to you or Gabe. So what?”
“Violet,” Gabe said. “She’s gone to Violet’s.”
“Her best friend?” Bishop questioned.
Lucian nodded. “Of course. Violet is her best friend, her family. Maeve is feeling overwhelmed, confused, scared, paranoid, and insecure. Of course she would want the comfort of her friend.”
Gabe raised his eyebrows, “That’s a lot to be feeling …”
“Yeah. And that’s not the half of it,” he muttered.
“What?”
“What?” Lucian asked Gabe, still half lost in his own thoughts now that they had been prodded.
“You said ‘that’s not the half of it’. What do you mean?”
Lucian scrubbed a hand down his face, eyeing his friends critically. Should he tell them? It wasn’t really his information to share, and he felt like he was overstepping his boundaries by discussing it. But then again, they had never kept anything from each other before and they worked better as a unit than apart. Maybe it would help them be a little more patient and sensitive. Lucian felt his lips twitch; maybe it would help Bishop, anyway. Gabe had patience in spades and was compassionate to a fault. It’s what made him such a wonderful paramedic. Bishop on the other hand … well, his growly nature and take-no-prisoners attitude made him an incredible police officer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that conducive to being Mr Sensitive. Lucian decided to be honest with them, and taking a deep breath, he stated;
“Maeve’s a little bit in love.”
“She’s what?” Gabe gaped.
“With who?” Bishop asked simultaneously.
Deciding there was never really a time when fucking with his roomies wasn’t appropriate, he plastered a serious look on his face, “With me.”
Gabe’s Adam apple bobbed, “Just you?”
Lucian nodded, trying heroically not to laugh.
Bishop scowled. “Bullshit! As if she’d love your ugly mug and not mine.”
“I’m just telling you what my empath abilities revealed to me.” He shrugged, helplessly. “Maeve loves me. Sorry boys.”
Gabe’s dark gaze moved back and forth between Bishop, who snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, and back to Lucian. Obviously, he was wondering who he should believe. Poor Gabe. So naïve even after all these years, Lucian thought – but not without affection. Something in his face or demeanour must have given something away because suddenly Gabe strode over to him and thumped him on the bicep.
“You dick! That’s not funny. I almost had a heart attack!”
Lucian gave up all pretences and laughed out loud, “I had you.”
“No you didn’t,” Gabe muttered, scowling fiercely.
“Did too,” he retorted, maturely.
“You didn’t have me. I can smell that woman’s desire. She wants us – all of us.” Bishop assured them.
Lucian stopped laughing, making eye contact with his two friends. “I’m not talking about desire, Bishop. Maeve’s feelings go deeper than that. She has genuine feelings for each of us. Hearing we wanted to have a serious relationship with her, even after all this craziness is resolved, made her truly happy. Whatever initial spark or connection she felt when she first woke up and agreed to place her trust in us, has morphed into something much more. I, for one, am beyond grateful because it’s the same for me. But I bet it isn’t easy for her. She’s struggling, fighting with herself. But she can’t help how she feels anymore than we can help how we feel.”
Bishop and Gabe listened quietly, before Gabe offered, “I didn’t realise your empath abilities worked that way. I had no idea you could feel those types of things so clearly.”
Gabe looked worried and Bishop uncomfortable. Lucian realised he had possibly made a grave mistake. He had practically outed himself and now the other two were wondering just how much he knew about their own feelings. They didn’t need to worry too much. It was something he had very deliberately steered away from with them. He was too cowardly to know the answer to his most cherished question. But even if he wasn’t a coward, he really did try hard to respect people’s privacy. He didn’t make a habit of looking into people’s minds or emotions. These were extenuating circumstances though and he had needed a little something from the fiery hybrid. For some reason, she had him feeling insecure.
Nobody had been more surprised than him when he had taken a peek that morning and seen the fledgling feelings of love. They were still new and untried, like a sapling pushing its way through newly turned earth, hesitantly reaching for the sun. But the seed was well and truly planted – if only they wished to nurture it. And he knew they did – all of them. He also knew this relationship would be like none of the others they had shared. This would not be about mutual pleasure and satisfaction. No, it would be about something more. That odd connection they had all felt upon first seeing her, was now binding them together as surely and as securely as chains.
“Well? Are we going to stand around here all day in contemplative silence? Or are we going to go find our woman?” Bishop was already striding to the door, confident they would follow.
Lucian raised his eyebrows at Gabe, the other man sighing in resignation as they followed dutifully behind their werewolf cop.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Wait,” Lucian grabbed Bishop’s meaty fist in his own before he could pound the door down.
Bishop sent him a disbelieving look, “She’s in the there.”
“I know that.” Lucian could smell her and he knew Bishop could too. “I just think you need to reach for some calm.”
“Reach for some calm?” Bishop’s voice was incredulous.
Gabe gave an unhelpful snicker before clearing his throat, “Luci is right. We found her, and given you guys aren’t charging through the door, she smells and sounds fine. No point going in like Xander Cage and getting her panties in a twist. She’s got a little too much feminism in her.”
“Xander Cage?” Bishop asked.
“Feminism in her?” Lucian choked on a laugh.
Gabe crossed his arms, causing his biceps to flex. “Vin Diesel is da bomb and you know it. I’m just reminding you that Maeve has shown some female independence in the past and might not react well if we go barging in, muscles flexing, and grabbing crotches.”
Gabe had a point, and it was exactly why Lucian had forestalled Bishop in the first place. But still … “Since when does Xander Cage grab his crotch? I think you were watching a different move with three x’s on the cover.”
Gabe rolled his eyes and Bishop huffed out a laugh, his shoulders finally relaxing a fraction. “Okay. I’m calm. Can I knock now?”
Lucian nodded, realising he still held Bish’s hand, he quickly let go and allowed him to raise it to the pretty, stained wooden door. A beautiful blonde woman answered the door instantly, eyeing them up and down appreciatively. The smirk titling her lovely lips made Lucian wonder what exactly Maeve had already shared with her.
“Woman! What the hell do you think you were doing, leaving like that?”
Lucian cringed, he had allowed Violet’s perusal to distract him from the territorial, possessive werewolf next to him. Hadn’t they just talked about this? Lucian thought, shaking his head in defeat. Bishop was never going to change. And Lucian secretly hoped he never would. He loved the alpha in the werewolf. Luckily, Maeve didn’t react to Bishop’s highhandedness by ripping his scrotum from his body. In fact, she didn’t even look up from what she was doing. She was expecting us, Lucian realised. He barely refrained from hitting his head against the doorframe. She had no doubt been able to hear their every word through the walls. At least he hadn’t said anything too bad. Dumb and Dumber on the other hand? They might soon find themselves in some hurt.
“Your boys I assume?” Violet asked, presently, arching an eyebrow at the woman seated on the floor.
Maeve flapped a hand, still staring at the laptop in front of her. “That’d be them.”
Lucian felt Bishop and Gabe practically vibrating next to him with the need to go to Maeve, but luckily, their manners held. “Hi,” Lucian smiled widely. “I’m Lucian. This is Bishop and Gabe. May we come in?”
Violet smiled in return, opening the door wider and gesturing with her arm, “I’m Violet. Please, come in.”
There were a few seconds of embarrassment as all three of them tried to get through the door at the same. Grunts and curses followed, Lucian noting the two female snorts in the background. Finally, Lucian slipped through, leaving the two broader men to fight their way through the entryway. One more ripe curse from Bishop and then the three of them were staring down at what Lucian fully believed was their hybrid. To her credit, Maeve’s fingers kept flying over the keyboard as if possessed, completely at ease with three dominant predators hovering over the top of her.
“Woman –”
“I suggest you start your sentence in a different way,” Violet said, closing the door and making her way over to them. “If you want her to answer you, that is.” She grinned, showing a healthy dose of humour that Lucian could appreciate.
Bishop sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a second before opening his mouth again, “Maeve …”
Maeve’s head lifted immediately. “Yes, Bishop?” she fluttered her lashes at him.
“You scared us,” he said softly, surprising Lucian with the comment.
Maeve blinked, her face clearing of concentration, and really looked at them for the first time. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I just needed to get out, get some downtime. I needed … I needed Violet.” Her blue eyes watered a little as she looked at her friend, and Violet gripped her shoulder in comfort.
Gabe sighed, “We can understand that, truly. But I thought we agreed we were keeping you a secret until we could find some answers.”
“But that’s just it,” Maeve stood up, placing the open computer on the coffee table in front of her. “You haven’t found anything. The only thing we know is that I drink blood and I turn into a wolf now. Hybrid status confirmed. But that’s it. Oh, and Gabe’s old gang leader apparently still has a hard on for him and could be the prick who gave me these.” She pushed back her hair, showing them the bite mark, now healed and silvered like a scar.
“We’re working on it,” Bishop sounded offended.
Maeve’s eyes softened and she rested a hand on his arm, “I know you are. I didn’t mean that to sound like a criticism. The very fact that you need to keep me hidden and secret is a hinderance. But there’s a way to get around that. As the wise one, Violet, reminded me.” She threw a grin at her friend.
Violet smiled and saluted, “That would be me.”
“What are you talking about?” Lucian asked.
Maeve shrugged, “My job.”
Gabe cocked his head to the side, “Cyber security?”
Maeve pursed her lips, “Sure. Let’s go with that.”
Bishop was frowning, “What did you find?”
“Nothing. Yet. All I’ve done is gather data. I’ll need hours, perhaps even days, to go through it.”
Maeve rolled her shoulders and Lucian wanted to offer her a shoulder rub but wasn’t sure what his reception would be. It’s not like Maeve had given them an answer as to whether or not she was willing to pursue a relationship with all of them. Despite what he had revealed to Gabe and Bish, Maeve could still decide against dating them. Just because she was emotionally invested, it didn’t guarantee a willingness or an acceptance in her mind. She could completely disregard her feelings, ignoring them and switching them off. After all, he had become a pro at it. Casting his eyes to his left and right, he knew he wasn’t the only one. It didn’t escape his notice that they had yet to address the bombshell Maeve had dropped. Her innocent question had been the catalyst to the last few hours of drama.
He could admit, Maeve being missing had been very convenient for them and had allowed the focus to shift from the three of them with their stunted emotional hang-ups, to tracking down Maeve instead. But Lucian had a feeling their reprieve would be a short one this time. He was quietly confident that Maeve did in fact wish to pursue a relationship with all of them. But he thought she had some specifications of her own before she agreed to it. He wondered if the fluttering in his stomach was the result of happy butterflies or nervous dread.
“Well,” Lucian began, “do you want to do that back at our place? Or do you want to stay here with Violet?” He ignored the incredulous looks from Gabe and Bishop, and instead focused on the look of thanks from Maeve.
“Thank you, Luci. I think I’m ready to go. We’ll see each other really soon, right?” Maeve looked suddenly anxious once again and before he could wrap her in his arms, Violet did so.
“You bet your hybrid butt we will. I still need to see that pretty new wolfy of yours, as well as your new dental rig. And we only just began to touch the surface on your harem.” Violet hugged Maeve and kissed her on the cheek.
“Harem?” Gabe squeaked.
Violet chuckled and Maeve’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “That’s what you are, isn’t it? Or have you all changed your mind?” Violet challenged.
“That’s us,” Lucian confirmed. “And we haven’t changed our mind. We just weren’t sure how the lovely Maeve felt about it.”
“Hmm. Well, the lovely Maeve is favourable to it. Right, tiger?” Violet gave Maeve a healthy slap on the arse.
Maeve yipped, scowling at her friend and brandishing her new ‘dental rig’. Her fangs were sexy as hell and Lucian couldn’t wait to feel them digging into his flesh again. There was one piece of flesh in particular that he was dying for her to try …
“Lucian?”
Maeve was staring at him quizzically and he realised he had become lost in his fantasies. Bishop shook his head at him, no doubt able to smell his arousal. He simply shrugged back. As far as he was concerned, Maeve was responsible for his near-perpetual state of horniness. She was the beautiful, sexy, heaven-smelling creature – not him.
“Did she happen to mention who her favourite was by any chance?” he inquired of their host.
Violet tapped her chin, ignoring her friend’s growls. “You know, she did.”
“You can tell us, we can handle the truth. It’s me, isn’t it? I’m the favourite,” Lucian asked innocently, counting on another vampire to have his back.
Violet’s eyes rounded in mock astonishment, “How did you guess?”
Lucian chuckled; he really liked Maeve’s friend.
“As entertaining as you two vampires are,” Bishop said, drily. “We really should be getting back.”
Maeve nodded, picking up the laptop. “Mind if I borrow this? It’s kind of Pandora’s Box at the moment,” she told Violet, who immediately nodded. “Thanks. I promise I won’t delete your porn stash.”
“Porn?” Bishop and Gabe repeated at the same time, voices pathetically hopeful. Lucian merely raised both arms and gave them each a healthy slap to the back of their heads.
