Dawn Endeavor 3: Julian's Jeopardy (8 page)

He rubbed his chest and felt something hard brush him. The ring. Damned if he could place it.

Hayashi shook his head. “I'm sorry, buddy. No woman. It's just you, me, and Morgan.”

Morgan joined them. “The team can't wait to have you back. Even Mrs.

Sharpe's ready to throw a party.”

Jules frowned and tried to focus on the here and now, but his mind was still muzzy from whatever he'd been drugged with. “What was it you said about Tersch?” Hayashi sighed. “He's been having a really hard time without you, Jules.

Going berserker on us. Nearly hit Ava—a total accident, mind you—and ever since, he's been like a ghost. He won't talk, barely eats. Like he's wasting away.” Jules swore under his breath. While he'd been gone, his team had been hurting, maybe as much as he had. The mystery of where he'd been and who had taken him would have to wait. “Let's go.”

“Good. I'll make sure the way is clear. Don't move till I tell you,” Morgan ordered. He kissed his lover, then darted out the door.

Jules raised a brow, relieved to see that at least Hayashi seemed okay.

He flushed when he saw Jules watching him. “What?”

“He's a little bossy, hmm? Since I've been away, seems someone's forgotten his place in our hierarchy.”

Hayashi grinned, and Jules never tired of seeing it. His once somber teammate now looked content. The same violet aura, the color of love, still surrounded him and Morgan. And it made Jules happy to see it.

“Tell you what, team leader. Soon as we're back on State soil, remind Morgan who belongs to whom. I look forward to watching you ream him. Hard.” Jules smiled. When Hayashi turned away, his smile faded. Inside, his beast roared at him to find
her
—a woman who might or might not exist.

Two months later, North Carolina

Two
changed
Circs battled for control in a messy bedroom cluttered with wrinkled clothes, skin magazines, and Tastykake wrappers. After a particularly hard hit, Jules fisted his hands in Tersch's hair and dragged the stubborn bastard to his knees. “I don't need you mothering me, you dumb shit.” Tersch growled and tried to jerk away, but since the idiot refused to call on his enhanced strength anymore, Jules took advantage. He shoved Tersch down onto his hands and knees and quickly got into position on his own knees between the male's legs. Then he shoved his cock home. Tersch groaned but didn't protest as Jules fucked the fight right out of him.

The slick glide of Jules's cock through Tersch's tight ass felt good, but not as good as it had felt…before. Damn. He still couldn't stop having hazy dreams of the perfect woman two months later. A sexy nightmare that drove him crazy with frustrated desire. And he really didn't need the added aggravation.

Jules focused instead on the Circ in front of him, the wounded creature who was now living a half life, his only purpose, apparently, to martyr himself for the team and Jules in particular.

Tersch panted as Jules gripped his hips, Jules's claws digging into flesh to find purchase as he continued to slam into the blond troublemaker.

“How's that, Viking? You like that, hmm? Like to be taken, owned?” Jules panted.

Tersch grunted, shaking as his big body neared climax.

Jules could scent his readiness, could feel the taut desire building to a crescendo in the powerful male that responded to Jules's own need. While the others on their team saw to the mating heat in private, Jules and Tersch were now the odd men out. Not mated, they turned to each other to ease the buildup of Circ lust.

Though the others always welcomed them, joining them felt like an intrusion to Jules.

Tersch tensed and shifted his hips to prevent his own impending orgasm. The bastard had been in a masochistic frame of mind lately. As if they needed Tersch in a worse mood. Adding sexual frustration to the mix was like adding gasoline to an inferno.

Jules slowed down.

“No, more. Harder,” Tersch demanded.

“Why? So I can come and you can suffer? No way. You're going to blow, you big bastard.” Knowing what his friend liked, Jules leaned closer over Tersch's back.

“You think I don't know how you like it? How a bit of pain doesn't make it good for you?”

He breathed over the curve of Tersch's vulnerable neck, pleased when the berserker shivered. “That's right. Some pain makes everything better, doesn't it?” He bit down on Tersch's neck and grabbed the man's cock, jerking him off while he remained inside his ass.

“Oh fuck. Jules,” Tersch moaned.

Jules understood Tersch well enough to know that the Circ was getting off on the pain and, surprisingly, the submission.

Though Jules knew Tersch to be a dominant personality, by submitting to Jules, Tersch belonged. He fit into the team, into a family that wouldn't turn on him, the way so many others had in the past. Jules knew exactly what was wrong with Tersch, but with so much other shit going on, he hadn't paid the big guy the attention he should have.

He eased off the big man's neck and licked the blood flow that soon stopped.

“That's it. Come for me. You need it.” Jules gripped Tersch's cock harder, squeezing, and tunneled deeper into Tersch's ass.

With a low groan, Tersch came over his fingers, his thick cream a rich scent that layered over Jules's arousal.

“Oh yeah, that's it. Now put your hand there and work out the rest.” Tersch slid his hand over Jules's, replacing him, and continued to jerk himself off while Jules finished. Jules pumped a few more times and came, no longer having to hold back. The sheer relief, letting go of the tension, was a balm to the rage still smoldering in his beast. The stupid creature hadn't been the same since his time in Brazil, but damned if Jules could sate him.

Tired of the nagging urge to find his—what, mate?—he'd actually looked for the woman who haunted his dreams. No one had seen a glimpse of anyone resembling her description, not in Trindade or anywhere near where he'd been found. But reports had surfaced about Montaña. Jules had that much intel, at least.

Though he couldn't recall much about his time away, some of the torture he endured lingered in his nightmares. As if his suffering hadn't been bad enough, knowing that Montaña had been so close, yet now remained as elusive as ever, was like a thorn in his side. Jules had no idea where they'd been holding him, and none of the team's contacts could verify the location of Montaña and his men, other than the fact that they'd caught occasional glimpses of them in Trindade.

Jules wanted nothing more than to gut the asshole. He just had to find him first.

He pulled out of Tersch and stood, glancing at the ring he refused to remove from his hand. Instinct told him to wear it, that it held some importance he'd come to learn in time. He'd been sure to have the ring tested before bringing it home. The thing didn't transmit or receive data, and it harbored no biohazard or other malady that could be detected. It looked like what it was: a man's ring with a large sapphire embedded in the antique gold. But who the hell had given it to him? The Circ who'd dropped him off at the hotel?

Jules snorted. Yeah, right.

“Thanks,” Tersch mumbled and stood. He didn't look at Jules, and Jules had had enough.

“
That’s it
. Enough of your moping. You're acting like a goddamn pussy. Now admit the problem.”

The anger that flared on Tersch's face warmed him. For too long Tersch had been acting easygoing, even compliant. Definitely not his personality.

“I'm fine.”

“You're pissing Ava off. You avoid her all the time. You barely look at Olivia, and you've actually been civil to Mrs. Sharpe. When's the last time you called her Alicia to her face? Or flipped Morgan off? Or hell, flirted with Ava?”

“I've never flirted with Ava,” Tersch grumbled. “What the hell's wrong with me being polite?”

Jules needed a drink. Dealing with rogue Circs and avoiding bullets didn't give the headaches this emoting crap did. Olivia should have been doing this. As the team empath, she could siphon off bad emotions when needed. But Tersch refused to let her touch him. It was like the bastard
wanted
to hold on to his pain.

“You're not being
you
. Granted, not being a problem for Mrs. Sharpe is a nice change, but even
she’s
tired of your behavior.” Jules decided to take off the kid gloves. “I know what this is about, and you need to stop it.” Tersch glanced away.

“You're not your father. You would never have intentionally hit Ava. You were pissed.”

“I should have controlled myself.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Jules agreed and read the surprise on Tersch's face.

And that was half the problem. In trying to help him, the team had been too nice.

Tersch needed a foot up his ass to keep him in line. “So next time, keep it under control.”

“Jules, man, I tried.” Tersch ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair. “It's like there's this festering rage inside me. When you were gone, I knew I could help.

I wanted to help, but no one would let me because Hayashi had one of his damned visions.” Tersch scowled. “Instead, he and
Morgan
went. That fuckhead.” Jules grinned. “Come on, he's not that annoying.” Tersch stared at him.

“Okay, he is. But he makes Hayashi happy.”

“I know. Why do you think I haven't broken him in two yet? With as much shit as he's been giving me, I should have killed him by now. Asshole thinks he can order me around. And he's way too familiar with Ava,” Tersch muttered then sighed. “It's just hard, you know? For so long, it was just the four of us. Now Fallon's got Olivia, and Hayashi has Morgan.” He flushed, as if embarrassed to admit he was lonely. “I don't… I just… Hell, I don't know.”

“You think I don't feel the same? I can literally see all that love in their auras, that violet energy that surrounds them. It's so beautiful; you have no idea.” Jules wanted that kind of togetherness for himself, so much so, he could taste it. His beast shoved a vision of dark red hair and bright blue eyes at him, demanding the return of his mate, and Jules shook it away.
Christ, one problem at a time.

“So what's stopping you from getting hitched?” Tersch asked and grabbed a rag to clean himself. He sank down onto his bed. “You're fairly normal. Women seem to like you well enough.”

“You mean, until I have to admit I fuck men who turn into beasts and that I'm not human anymore?” Jules asked drily. “Sometimes a monster cock isn't a good thing, man.”

Tersch sighed. “Well, there is that. Finding a mate is complicated. But it's not for me. I don't want a mate, a girlfriend, or God forbid, a wife. No ties. Just me and my team.”

Yet Tersch didn't sound convinced.

“Yeah, well, I'm not here to talk you into jumping on board the love train. But interceding the way you did yesterday, throwing yourself between me and those gunrunners in Florida? Not good. You need to stop throwing yourself between me and danger. I can handle myself. No matter what the others have been saying, I'm fine, back to normal, and prepared to kick your ass if you don't quit babying me.”

“Don't you mean fuck my ass?” Tersch griped and shifted on the bed. “Hell, Jules. You pounded me good.”

“You complaining? Because that was an awful lot of cum that splashed over my fingers while I reamed you.”

Tersch flushed. “Whatever.”

Jules looked closer at his teammate, using his psychic skills, and was relieved to see that the gray and blackened streaks through Tersch's aura were finally starting to fade into a warmer red, the color of health.

“Look, I'm not a matchmaker. I could give two shits if you settle down and have a passel of kids.” Which in Jules's opinion was exactly what Tersch needed—some sense of normalcy. “But we work as a unit, and the women are a part of that.

Just turn back into the arrogant asshole that annoys the crap out of them. Because if you don't, I'm turning Sharpe loose on you. She's been dying to have a few one-on-ones. I've been keeping her off your ass.”

Tersch sighed. “Okay, already. Understood. I owe you one.”

“More than one.”

“Damn.”

“And stop avoiding Ava. She's more than pissed. She's hurt you won't talk to her.”

“Thought she didn't want me aggravating her. Thought I was doing her a favor by staying away,” Tersch grumbled.

“Well, you're not. And every time she or Mrs. Sharpe is upset with you,
I
have to hear about it. So cut it the fuck out. I don't care if you have to pretend. Just go back to acting like a dick.”

Tersch's slow smile showed a hint of fang. “Aye, aye, Lieutenant Hawkins. You want me to be a dick, will do.”

“Terrific,” Jules muttered. Nude, he strode over to the door and opened it. He mentally called out,
“Fallon, bring Olivia. I want you two to be all over Tersch. He’s
better now, but he could use more help. Make him feel like part of the team. And
make him interact with Olivia. Show him he won’t hurt her. We know he won’t, but
he’s not convinced.”

Though Jules wasn't telepathic, Fallon was. By projecting hard along the pathway Fallon had created for him, Jules could reach Fallon almost anywhere.

“Sure thing, boss.”

Fallon appeared moments later with Olivia behind him. The sexy woman wore a skimpy little negligee that would have had Jules joining them if another woman's bright blue gaze didn't constantly crop up in his mind's eye. And
that
he couldn't admit without everyone thinking he'd lost his mind. He shielded his thoughts, concerned Fallon or Olivia might pick up something he didn't want them to.

“Oh hell. Jules, you didn't.” Tersch groaned, especially when Olivia snickered, raced past Jules, and jumped on Tersch on the bed.

Fallon entered. “No,
I
did. Olivia's missed playing with you, idiot.” Fallon grinned and dropped his shorts. “Now, big guy, how about you give my woman some lovin'?”

Jules left the sound of feminine laughter behind him and shut the door, assured that Tersch would recover. He wasn't yet a hundred percent, but his progression back into the Circ they all knew and loved would come around.

Reentering his own room, he headed straight for the bathroom. In a shower stall big enough to accommodate
changed
Circs, he washed off the remnants of sex he'd been needing as well. The mating heats had yet to relent. He wondered why Mrs. Sharpe continued to refuse them the shots that usually subdued their carnal needs.