Hawkins_McCullough’s Jamboree_Erotic Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance Read online

  Lauren was suddenly on the ceiling. Not harmed, but just hanging there like she had stepped up to the ceiling to see what was up there. Jamie rose to be at eye level with her, but didn’t touch Lauren. No one said a word.

  “You should know that there is no way that you can beat me at protecting. And you aren’t in a position to ever kick my ass or any other part of me.” Lauren laughed. “Also, and I’m sure that you realize this all on your own, I could destroy you, immortal or not.”

  Lauren laughed again. It was loud and contagious. After they were both on the floor once more, Bea let out a long breath before she thought that she could take a step. Lauren asking if she could hug Jamie was comical too. Jamie stepped back and asked her if she understood what she’d just said to her.

  “Oh yes. And I know now that you could. I’ve been doing some research on you. You were known as Test Subject Number one, weren’t you?”

  When Jamie nodded, Bea was confused. That was until she realized that Jamie had been in that dreadful lab with Jon. That, she thought, explained a great deal. But it also opened up as many questions as it did answers.

  Bea called dinner, and as they sat down, she realized that no one cared about what Jamie had done. Least of all Lauren. This was getting stranger and stranger.

  ~*~

  Hawk was washing the pots used to make dinner when Reese came into the kitchen with a large cake. And it was beautifully decorated too. But he had no idea who Phillip was, nor why they had his cake.

  “His mom ordered it two weeks ago and said that she’d be in yesterday to pick it up. When she was a no-show, I called to ask if she was coming. She told me that she’d gone with someone else that was cheaper.” Hawk asked her what she’d done about that. “Oh, I took a picture of this cake and sent it to her. She sent one of the cake she had gotten cheaper back to me. Here, have a look.”

  The cake was beyond ugly. Okay, he thought, perhaps it was because Reese’s had been so beautiful. There were cars on the top of the other cake, while Reese had put trucks and cars on hers. The piping around the cake was blue and was set off with small signs, like stop and yield. The other cake had a handful of roses on the top and three or four around the bottom. That was not a cake made for a little boy.

  “She begged me not to ban her from coming to my place. I told her that I didn’t work that way, and really wished that she’d given me notice that she’d gotten a cheaper cake. The woman said she got just what she paid for and would never do that again. Want a piece of it?”

  As she cut up the cake, the rest of them came into the kitchen. Ice cream was pulled out of the freezer and plates passed around to everyone. He noticed that Jamie declined a slice in favor of just ice cream. She said that she’d never cared for sweets.

  Jon stood beside him as he ate his piece of the marble cake. “They would trick her into taking meds by wrapping it in sweets.”

  He looked at the younger man and asked him what else they’d done to her in the name of science?

  “Kept her locked away from sunshine. Wouldn’t feed her until she allowed them to do some experiment on her. Things that had I known about them back then, I would have taken her with me. Hawkins, you’re going to have to jump through hoops for her. She has no trust for anyone. She’ll help you and the family, but she doesn’t trust any of you.”

  Instead of being angry at her for that, all Hawkins could think of was that it was sad. She was kept no better than an animal would have been—probably worse.

  He went to her when she had herself plastered against the wall so no one would touch her. His cell phone rang just as he was going to ask her if she wanted to go home. It was his business phone, so he had no choice but to take the call. The first thing Jarvis, the president, said to him was congratulations.

  “Thanks. What do you have for me?” Taking Jamie’s hand in his, he made his way out to the back deck. It was quieter than the house, and a lot more private. “I’m assuming it has to do with the arms deals.”

  “Yes. I don’t know how you figured it out, but I thank you for it. I’m to understand that your mate is a bit of a wizard herself. I’m assuming that she had a bit to do with it. Burcher—err, Lauren said that she was the one that found it.” He told him that she had. “I’m going to owe her something for this. But for now, I need for you to come back for a few days. I’ve had your home cleaned, and it’s been stocked too. Had I known that a mate was coming, I wouldn’t have asked you to help me. Bring the mate with you, and maybe I’ll get to meet her. You never know, I might impress her a little.”

  “Doubtful. Lauren is upset that Jamie isn’t afraid of her, nor does she pay her any respect the way she thinks that Jamie should.” He laughed again and watched Jamie as she walked the length of the deck and back. Not casing the joint as he might have thought, but just taking a stroll. “I’m thinking that she might be able to help me with whatever you have going on there.”

  “So do I.” That statement alone made him stressed. “There is some shit going on here that I’m not in the loop about. Not that I’m worried about myself, but there are a great many people that work here. I don’t want anyone hurt.”

  “I understand. I can be there in an hour. I have my family around me, and if I just take off, they’ll wonder. And that’s not good for any of them.” Jarvis told him that he understood. “All right, we’ll be there soon. I’ll meet you in the normal place.”

  He closed his phone and watched Jamie come back to where he was standing. When she didn’t say anything he just enjoyed looking at her. She was wearing a pretty blue top and a pair of jeans that he’d love to see torn from her and on the floor.

  “Is sex all you ever think about?” He told her normally not, but with her, it was all he could think about. “This man you were talking to, he’s a good man?”

  “Yes, the best.” She nodded and turned her back to him. “Did you get something from him that I need to know about? Whatever my opinion of the man is, if he’s a fuck up, then he’s toast.”

  Coming up behind her, he touched her arms then wrapped his around her. She was warm, and when she leaned back against him, Hawk could’ve shouted his joy to the world. But he only held her.

  “The trouble that he has, do you know what it is?” He said he thought it was the arms being sold. “No. He’s met a woman, and he wants you to watch her for a few days. Not that he’s in love with her or anything, but he would like to be.”

  “What’s her name, do you know?” When she pulled away from him, he didn’t pout like he wanted to. Christ, he was a sap. “Jamie, if you know something, I’d like you to tell me.”

  “I need to speak to your family.” He nodded and waited for her to continue. “The woman is someone I can touch because he’s touched her. But what do I tell him if this woman is a double agent or something? I mean, you do know who this man is, don’t you? I mean, he’s the fucking president.”

  “I’m well aware of who he is. We’re good friends, believe it or not.” The door to the deck opened and he told his dad that they’d be right in. When he went back inside, Hawk turned to Jamie again. “Is that how it works for you? You have to have some sort of connection before you can tell anyone what’s going on?”

  “Sort of. If I can touch a person that has had some contact with someone, I can go and trace them backwards. But I can only get what the other person is thinking at the time. There isn’t anything I can search for. Unless, and this is tricky, the person that I’m touching has had a great deal of contact with the other person.” He stood up from the railing on the deck that he’d sat on, so he wouldn’t go beg her to let him touch her. “I’m afraid that your family is not going to like me. Not that I give a fuck, but you will be upset with them should they voice it. And unless you want me to—I don’t know, kick them in the ass like I think you need on occasion, I’m worried.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen, love. They already like you. And please don’t kick my ass where my brothers, and for God’s sake Lau
ren, can see you do it.” She told him she’d think about it, then asked him how he knew that his family would like her. “My mom is the type of woman that will tell you straight up if she doesn’t like you or something that you’ve done. And if that had been the case, you wouldn’t have sat at the table with us but been standing on the outside. She likes you, so that means they all do. Not that she’d make them, but Mom has a good sense for a person and their worth.”

  When she moved toward the door, he followed her. Hawk was close enough to her that he could have touched her if he wanted. So, when she turned around and kissed him, he was so surprised by it that he didn’t kiss her back. Jamie reached for the door handle, but he pulled her back and against his body. Christ, he wanted her with a passion he’d never felt before for anything.

  Pressing her against the wall didn’t give him any relief, nor did it when she wrapped her legs high up on his hips. Hawkins wanted to tear her clothing off and take her right there. He knew deep in his heart that she’d never leave him after that. Or so he hoped with all his heart. But they were right outside his parents’ living room, and they’d hear them. Because he had no doubt that he was going to roar when he filled her.

  Pulling away from her was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Even more so than the first time he’d had to do this. Resting his forehead on hers, he laughed a little. Jamie jerked his head up.

  “Ow, what was that for?” She glared at him harder. “Please tell me so that I won’t be bald forever.”

  “You laughed at me. You fucking cock sucker, you aren’t—”

  To be able to explain to her, he kissed her, hungrily.

  “I was laughing because of the predicament that we’re in. We have started this twice now and had to pull back for one reason or the other. Actually, you left me before. Just poof and you were gone.” She watched his eyes, no doubt seeing if he was lying to her. “This time we’re outside my parents’ home, and I’m sure as shit thinking they’ll feel the house move when I take you against it.”

  “You’re very strange. And have quite a high opinion of yourself. Why is that, I wonder?” He kissed her again and sat her down on the deck. “I want you. I don’t know why, but I can’t think beyond you taking me.”

  “Tell them what you need to tell them, and I’ll take you to our house and ravage you several times before I think I’ll be partially satisfied.” She rolled her eyes at him again. “You’re going to have to come up with another way of finding me full of shit. Rolling your eyes at me is not at all scary.”

  “Then how is this?” He didn’t know whether to cry or laugh when she picked him up by his balls. Christ, he’d been hard before she’d touched him, and now all he wanted was for her to strip him naked and take him. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  “I am. Very much so. Why don’t we get this over with inside, and I promise you, I’ll live up to the high opinion I have of myself.” She went into the house, but Hawkins stood on the deck for several minutes, smiling. He was sure that he’d not done enough of that either, smiling. Hawkins wondered whether after sex he’d be purring too.

  Going inside, he noticed that everyone was in the living room. This was going to be scary, he just knew it.

  Chapter 4

  Jamie waited for Hawk to sit down. He was making her nervous the way he kept bouncing up and down. Finally she’d had enough.

  “Sit the fuck down before I put you down. And that’s exactly what I mean. Why are you forever moving around?” He told her that he’d been Army for too long. “Well, you won’t be anything else if you don’t sit your ass down and behave.”

  Glancing around the room, she wondered what they’d think of her when she told them some of the things she’d done to survive. Or even when she’d not been as good with the power as she was now. She looked at Bea, and she gave her a thumbs up. Jamie only hoped she’d feel that way when this was done.

  “I’m a weapon. That’s why the people are searching for me. And I’m controlled with it.” Lauren asked her to show them. “All right, but don’t touch the heat. Nor move too close to me when I’m hot. I don’t want you burned.”

  Closing her eyes against the brightness of what she was doing, she knew the exact moment when they figured out what she was. A monster of epic proportions. When she looked at them through the haze of heat, she focused on Hawk. Jamie didn’t want to see the faces of the rest of them yet.

  “I can pinpoint where I want the flame to go.” For an example of that, she reached out to the wood in the fireplace and set it to flame. “And when I’m done with whatever I do like this, there would be no trace of a fire, nor would anything be scorched. Not even the carpet or ground where I’m at.”

  “How long did it take you to learn that thing?” She looked at Rich, and was surprised that he was smiling at her. “Go on now, we’re not worried about you making flaming steaks out of us.”

  Taking the flame back, she shifted into a cannon and dropped a ball from it. Then she became a tank, next she morphed into Rich, then Bea, all within minutes. Becoming herself again, she stood there and waited for them to tell her to get out.

  “The tank, can you move like a real one or just hide that way?” She told Lauren that she could move, but since she’d never had the occasion to see one move, she didn’t know how. “I’ll take care of that for you if you want. I’d rather see you as a tank than in someone’s lab.”

  Rich asked her if she could speak like him. Without shifting, she repeated his question in his own voice.

  “Well, I’ll be shoved into a keyhole. That’s just wonderful. And if you can take out the trash when like me, I’ll be beholden to you forever.” Jamie looked at Hawkins, sure that he’d tell them that this wasn’t normal nor anything to be happy about. “You know, I can see now why they’d want you. Not that they’re ever going to touch you, but I can see it now. You don’t want to be a weapon for them. Good for you.”

  “You’re not seeing this right, damn it. I’m not only able to make a flame dance in the fireplace, but I can pull a person to me and incinerate them without anyone ever knowing.” They all nodded their heads, and Mackenzie raised her hand. “This isn’t a class room. You can yell out whatever you want.”

  “What does it do to your physical self to change into flames? Or anyone for that matter. Will we need to have an extra supply of juice or something on hand?” Jamie tried again to tell them they weren’t getting it. Mackenzie smiled at her. “Oh, we’re getting it just fine. I think it’s you that doesn’t get it. You think what? That we’d toss you out on your ass because of what you do? Not going to happen, I’m afraid. We’re a family that works together and stays together. And when you ever need to become something else, then I for one would like to be prepared for what you need when it’s done.”

  “I told you that they’d not care.” Hawk stood up and came toward her. “Something that she failed to tell you about is that if you come at her with anger or the wish to keep her someplace that she doesn’t want to be, that’s when you get hurt, as does she. Like an imprint of the touch is on her. Touching her because you want to show her how much you love her is just fine.”

  “I’ve killed people.” Hawk said that he had as well. Lauren said that she’d done it too. “I did it in order to survive. Stole things that would feed me. Don’t you find any of this appalling?”

  “No, my dear, we do not.” Bea hugged her and smiled at her. “I’m so happy that you had the means to keep yourself safe and your belly filled. Otherwise you’d have not been here to make my son happy. And he is. For the first time in more years than I want to think about, he laughs and smiles more.”

  “You think that’s because of me?” Bea nodded and said that he loved her. “No, you can’t want him to be in love with me. I’m not human.”

  “Oh, my dear, neither are we.” She started to tell her that she was a lot more than just not human, she was a monster. But Bea put her hand over her mouth. “I want you to say to me and the rest of us tha
t you’ll not just protect us, but help us any way that you can. But most importantly, I want you to love my son the way that he does you. Because as surely as I’m standing here, he’d do anything in the world to have you by his side.”

  She looked around the room, and Jamie could see that they were all in with what Bea had said. When Hawkins came to stand behind her, she knew that she’d lost. Or maybe she hadn’t, she thought with the next breath. Having a family was an experience that she’d never had before. And she wasn’t even sure how to have one.

  Giving up, she repeated the words back to them all, except for the thing about Hawkins loving her. She was sure that Bea had it wrong.

  “We’re going home. Don’t text me, message me, or call.” Hawkins wrapped his arms around her and continued. “If any of you show up at my house before Friday, I will hurt you. Or have Jamie do it. Stay away.”

  She was in his bedroom before she could say how embarrassed she was at what he’d said. But before she could get pissed off at him and call him a few choice names, he pulled her to his body and kissed her.

  Her clothing was torn from her body. The sound of it tearing and the way that Hawkins was breathing hard made her want him more. She tore at his clothing; finding him armed didn’t faze her or slow her down one bit. Jamie just dropped them to the floor as she found them.

  The bed behind her seemed to reach up and catch her. Hawkins was tasting her skin, nibbling at her flesh. When she could no longer stand the torture he was giving her, Jamie pulled him up by his hair again.

  “I would love to hear you say my name rather than pull my scalp off.” Hawkins grinned at her and she got to see his chest. Running her hand over the smooth area of him, she felt her mouth water to taste him herself. “You’re making it harder and harder to take you slowly like I’d love to do.”

  “I thought that you’d be furred.” He sat up on the side of the bed and she climbed on his lap. She told herself it was to get a better look at him, but his cock was heavenly, and she had to distract herself or come before he did. “You have well defined muscles, but no scars to speak of. I would have thought you’d been hurt some in the service.”