Two hours later, after everyone had been taken into custody and the laboratory shut down, the Dawn Endeavor team left South America. “Sheridan’s going to die” replayed in Jules's mind over and over as the flight dragged on. Jules couldn't wait to see his mate again, to touch her and stroke her hair, kiss her lips, brand her as his. Though Hayashi promised she'd be there waiting, Jules didn't trust his good fortune. He'd been so lost after he'd come back from that hell in the jungle the first time. And now that he finally had Sheridan back, he didn't want to lose her again.
Ever.
Nine hours later, after flying into the New River Air Station, Jules and the others headed home. This time, they had to pass not only the electronic gate and secured lock, but two psychic guards, courtesy of Admiral London.
“Great. Strange men at the house,” he muttered.
“Can't be any stranger than you bastards,” Morgan added under his breath. He sucked in a breath when Tersch's fist made contact with his arm. “Asshole.”
Fallon laughed.
Tersch grunted. “I'm telling you, Hayashi. You scraped the bottom of the barrel with this one. You should have gotten a better dude. Someone hotter maybe,” Tersch said with a critical frown. “And one with less mouth.” Hayashi answered in a calm voice, “I like his mouth just fine.” Which had Morgan snickering and Jules loosening up. He hadn't realized how tense he'd been, waiting to see Sheridan again.
“And speaking of mouths…” Tersch continued. “Jules, what's with this new female? She's kind of snarky, which I like. But she's connected to Montaña, which can't be good. So you keeping her or what? Because after what I saw her doing to you, I have to wonder. Your scent is all over her. And I don't know if I like that.” The others exchanged glances.
“You don't know if you like that?” What the hell did it matter what Tersch thought? Granted, he loved the guy like family, but Jules led the team.
“Oh boy,” Fallon murmured. “Here we go.”
“She might not be good for you, is all.” Tersch clenched his jaw tight and didn't look away when Jules glared at him.
The SUV finally pulled into the large stone circular drive. “We're going to continue this later. First I have to go see my mate,” Jules said with a low growl of promise and hurried to the front door.
“Mate?” Morgan shouted. “No shit.”
Jules heard the others talking excitedly behind him as he moved through the front door, past the guard inside who sized him up and nodded in welcome. None of the team should have been surprised by his admission. Though Jules hadn't openly stated his claim, his scent marked Sheridan better than words. But it still wasn't enough. He needed to solidify his position with his mate, so that she couldn't question where she belonged.
He hadn't been lying when he'd told her he wanted them to get to know each other. Unfortunately, he'd spent most of his time during the past few days out of the country. He lifted his head and tried to scent her.
Immediately, the sweet floral beacon drew him downstairs. He passed the few psychics Olivia, Fallon, and Mrs. Sharpe had okayed to be in the house while the team had been gone. Jules nodded to them, and they kept well out of his way.
“She's downstairs,” one of the braver telekinetics mentioned.
“Thanks.” Apparently everyone else knew he'd staked his claim. His beast growled in approval at the thought.
In the downstairs corridor, he nearly ran into Ava and a large male.
Ava smiled. “Welcome back, Jules. She's in the lab.” The big guy next to Ava didn't say much. He kept his gaze averted and nodded a hello.
Probably as attuned to Jules's alpha tendencies as the others. The psychic team reacted oddly to the Circs. Most of them kept a wary distance, which satisfied Jules. Because being around the fuckers made him want to beat on his chest and prove his dominance to the unfamiliar men. Strangely, his beast sensed like warriors in the dozen or so men attached to the security force. But the one with Ava had to be new. Jules hadn't seen him before.
Something about the male tugged at him, but before he could investigate, the scent of Sheridan hit him hard.
Ignoring Ava and the male, Jules picked up his pace and found his mate in the larger office she'd turned into her personal lab. She sat on her stool staring at the wall. Baffled, cute, and so sexy, he wanted to take her hard up against the wall she watched. No foreplay, just a hard, deep fuck. His beast snarled its agreement, and Jules took a long, deep breath to calm himself.
“Hey, baby.”
She squealed in fright and nearly fell off the stool.
He caught her, expecting a sarcastic setdown.
“God, you scared me.” Instead of yelling at him, she plastered her mouth to his.
He couldn't catch his breath as the whirlwind in his arms gave him the hard-on from hell.
“Oh, man, going at it already.” Tersch groaned from the doorway. “Come on, lovebirds. Mrs. Sharpe wants everyone upstairs. Emergency meeting, right now.” Jules didn't want to stop, but he managed to tear his mouth from Sheridan's and panted, “Fuck. Right now?”
“Sorry. You and your mate will have to take up after.” The mean look Tersch directed at Sheridan snapped the hold Jules had on his control.
He gently set Sheridan down, turned, and flew at Tersch. Slamming the stupid berserker against the wall, Jules pulled back his fist, ready to remind Tersch about the current hierarchy in leadership. Mates ranked right up there with team leaders.
“Jules! What are you doing?”
“Teaching Tersch when to learn to shut his fucking mouth,” Jules growled, sensing the frustration and the hurt in his Circ. Since his friend responded best to pain, Jules though he'd use it to enforce his point.
“Don't hit him.” Sheridan sounded worried.
“I don't need you to fight my battles for me, red,” Tersch sneered.
She nudged Jules aside and poked Tersch in the chest. “My name is Sheridan, you big jerk.”
Her aggression startled both men into silence.
“And it's my lab, so I'll say whatever the hell I want to say. You two want to fight, take it upstairs. Now,” she added in a mean voice when neither Jules nor Tersch moved.
Tersch must have seen something in Sheridan's eyes, because he stopped bracing himself for Jules and leaned closer. “Tell me I did not just see that.” He licked his lips, and to Jules's unease, Sheridan stared at his mouth.
“See what?” she growled in a tone much rougher than the one she normally used.
Jules glanced at her hand and saw the shimmer of her sharpening claws.
“Have you shifted at all since we've been gone?” he asked quietly.
She blinked and pulled back from Tersch. “Ah, shifted?”
“Yeah, changed into your beast? That sexy creature that took me so lovingly just a few night ago?” He wanted her again, right now. He wanted Tersch to watch, so that the male would know exactly who Sheridan belonged to.
“Jules, shush.” Sheridan's face heated, and he turned her head to plant a kiss on her lips.
Tersch's eyes were huge. “The mating heat is strong. She's Circ? When were you going to tell us?”
“Asshole, I told you I mated her.”
“I'm not Circ.” Sheridan shook her head.
“No?” Tersch sniffed. “Smells like Circ to me. Nice, flowery, wild. But you smell like him too. And I don't know, but…”
Sheridan frowned. “But what?” Before Tersch could answer, she swore under her breath. “I don't belong to anyone. I'm a woman, unattached, who's thinking about having a civilized relationship with Julian Hawkins. I've been thinking, Jules.”