Chapter Twelve
IT WAS the last interview, for which Hashtag was profoundly grateful. His brain was screaming at him that it was well and truly done for the day. He’d spent a whole week in a small room at the Chicago barracks, seated on what had to be the most uncomfortable chair ever made, with the worst coffee he’d ever tasted.
I’ve gotta tell H and Dellan about that. They have to do something.
So far he and Saul had seen about sixty potential recruits, with a lot more to come. About half had been shifters, not that Hashtag was surprised anymore to learn the military was peppered with them. Horvan was the prime example, after all. So there were obviously mechanisms—and people—in place to protect shifters who wanted to serve. Most of the ones he and Saul had interviewed so far had made the grade.
One most definitely had not, and that had been down to Saul’s instincts. Hashtag had been prepared for possible infiltrators, but to have one show up was confirmation that the enemy was following their business way too closely for comfort. Saul had gone through the motions, asking the usual questions and revealing nothing, and when he was done, he thanked the candidate— what was his name? Simon something —and told him they had more people to see. Once the door closed, Saul had let out a loud snort.
“They must think we’re fucking stupid.”
Hashtag peered at the file on the table. “On paper he looked perfect.”
“Yeah, too fucking perfect. And he said all the right things.” Saul regarded Hashtag with interest. “What did your senses tell you?”
“Honestly?” Hashtag grimaced. “He gave me the creeps. Couldn’t put my finger on why, exactly. I only know I didn’t trust him.” He cocked his head. “He was one of the Gerans who wanted to join the cause , right?” He got why Duke didn’t want to share that piece of information with them, in case it prejudiced them. It makes us rely on our instincts.
Thank fuck their instincts were shit hot.
One more to see, and then it would be back to the house, ready to chill for the weekend. Hashtag kept thinking about diving into the cool waters of the lake and stretching out on Dellan’s patio with a cold beer—once he’d taken his allergy meds.
Fucking pollen.
The door opened, and Crank came in. “You not done yet?”
Saul laughed. “I thought you were waiting for me at the house. You said something about being ready….”
Crank snickered. “I figured I’d show up here so we could get the party started early. I’m sure we can find a flat surface somewhere.”
Saul snorted. “Since when did you ever require a flat surface?”
“Good point,” Crank acknowledged. “So I’ll sit back here and wait. I promise, I’ll be quiet as a mouse.”
Saul grinned. “Quiet is not in your vocabulary. That’s part of the reason Vic brought up getting a ball gag for you.”
Crank glared at him. “Sure, share all my secrets, why dontcha?”
Hashtag burst out laughing. “You think that’s a secret? Aw, how cute.”
Saul waited until Crank was seated before pressing the intercom button. “Send in the last candidate, please. Then you can call it a day.”
“Yes, sir.”
Saul glanced at the list. “Eve Duncan. Shifter. She’s yet another one who looks great on paper.”
Hashtag glanced up as Eve entered the room. “Whoa. Not only on paper.”
Saul chuckled. “Stop thinking with your dick,” he whispered.
He’d nailed it. Hashtag was totally thinking with his dick.
“That’s okay, it’s how most men do their thinking,” Eve said as she walked toward them.
What the—
“Their single brain cell can’t handle more than one thing at a time.” She grinned smugly. “And for the record, I can recommend some great ball gags. I have a catalog at home, plus a drawer full of them, all tried and tested.”
Hashtag’s jaw dropped.
“Shifter hearing is better than a human’s,” she informed him with a sweet smile. “So are our other senses. And so we’re clear, I’m here to do a job, not looking for a barely adequate roll in the hay.”
“I… I… I’m sorry,” Hashtag sputtered.
“That you said it, or that you got caught?” Her eyes sparkled. “Or are you apologizing for your… equipment?”
His cheeks burned. Goddammit . No woman had ever taken him to task—and done it so expertly. So why did he find it so fucking hot? There was a trace of an accent, and dammit if that wasn’t hot too.
He couldn’t help but stare at her. Eve was tall, maybe five eleven, her dark brown hair pinned up at the back. There was an Italian air about her. He liked the confident way she crossed the floor to them, the line and breadth of her shoulders, the straightness of her back. As she drew nearer, he took in her dark brown eyes, her sun-kissed complexion, her chin that she raised as she gazed at them. The kind of woman who’d look amazing whether she was on the catwalk or carrying an M-16.
And totally Hashtag’s type.
Yeah, maybe I’d better let Saul lead on this one. Hashtag would have signed her up on the spot, but for all the wrong reasons. I’m only here for balance anyway . It wasn’t exactly a good-cop/bad-cop scenario—his role was to ask questions designed to help them gain insights into each candidate while Saul sifted through their resume and asked about their military experience.
Saul gestured to the chair facing them. “Please, take a seat.”
“Thanks. And thank you for the compliment. I’d better make sure my performance is as perfect as my resume.”
Saul arched his eyebrows.
Okay, that was funny.
Hashtag gave her a nod, and she returned it. Eve sniffed a couple of times, her nose wrinkling, before giving Saul her attention. Hashtag leaned back and listened as Saul did his thing.
Well— half listened. He was far too busy trying not to stare at her and her insanely adorable twitching nose.
Talk about distracted. Hashtag put that down to his libido. It had been months since he’d gotten any, with no one—male or female—catching either his eye or the attention of his cock.
Eve had his undivided attention from the minute she walked into the room, and Hashtag’s boner was showing no signs it planned on subsiding anytime soon.
True to his word, Crank remained silent the whole time, his attention focused on the proceedings.
“Anything you want to ask?”
Hashtag flushed when he caught Saul’s amused stare. Busted . “You’re doing fine,” he mumbled.
Saul chuckled. To Hashtag’s surprise, he closed the file in front of him and leaned forward, hands clasped on the table, his gaze fixed on Eve.
“Okay. On paper you look good—except you already know that, don’t you? You make all the right noises too.”
She raised her eyebrows at that but said nothing.
“Now let’s talk about what’s not in here.” He tapped the folder with his forefinger.
Eve blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I can see you started your military career in 2005, aged eighteen. It’s also obvious you were on track to make rank. But then there’s a gap, from 2015 to the present to be exact. Now while it doesn’t go against you, I can think of a number of reasons why that might be. Except… you list yourself as single, you have no dependents….” Saul folded his arms. “You weren’t working for the US military, were you? And you definitely weren’t working with the Fridans. I checked.”
Hashtag froze. She’s a Geran? Obviously her appearance had fouled up his senses, because he really hadn’t seen that coming. Damn .
“No, I wasn’t. I served with the Geran military until a few months ago.” Eve looked Saul in the eye, her gaze unflinching. “And I was going to tell you, by the way. I wouldn’t hide something like that.”
He nodded. “Now tell me the whole story.” Saul spoke in a low, even voice, and Hashtag admired his capacity to keep cool.
Eve relaxed a little. “My parents are Gerans, as is my brother. He also serves in their military. He was the one who persuaded me to enlist.”
Saul huffed. “I bet that went down well.” Hashtag gave him a puzzled glance, and Saul shook his head. “I’ve met a few women over the years who served in the Geran military. Let’s just say the potential for rising through the ranks is pretty nonexistent.”
Eve snorted. “You can say that again. When he first suggested it, my brother made out that it was exactly like the human military. It didn’t matter if you were male or female— all ranks were on the table.” She shrugged. “He was my brother. He wouldn’t lie to me, would he? So I applied.”
Saul stroked his finger along his bearded jaw. “What happened? Because I’m guessing your brother lied his ass off.”
“He lied like a cheap rug.” She gave another snort. “It wasn’t so much a glass ceiling as a concrete one. My superiors seemed less concerned about my military prowess and more concerned about what they could gain if they had me join their breeding program.”
“What are you?” Hashtag blurted. His nose itched, and he rubbed it.
“I’m a gorilla.”
He let out a snort. “Well, I don’t have to ask why they wanted to do that, do I?”
“So they reneged on their side of the deal,” Saul continued. He frowned. “But you still stayed put for six years.”
Eve stared at him in silence before letting out a sigh. “You’re right. Because I believed what they told me. I was helping—in my own small way—to prepare for what was to come.”
“And what was that?” Hashtag sniffed, and Saul passed him a box of tissues.
“It was common knowledge. We were increasing our numbers, ready for the day when shifters would take their rightful place.”
Hashtag guffawed. “That would be with your foot on the necks of all humans, right? And you know we’re both human, don’t you? I’m sure those excellent shifter senses of yours told you that the second you walked into the room.”
Eve fell silent again, except for several sniffs.
“You got allergies too, huh? They suck.” Hashtag pushed the box of tissues toward her. “I think your need is greater.”
“Let’s get back to the interview, shall we?” Saul focused his attention on her. “You’re here, so something clearly changed your mind.”
She bit her lip. “Events took place this year that challenged my beliefs.”
Saul cocked his head. “The raids on the schools?” Hashtag could understand that. According to what Aelryn had told Horvan, it seemed to have shaken a lot of people’s beliefs.
Eve nodded. “I think they tried to suppress the facts, but word got out.” She shivered. “Those poor kids…. What they did was horrific, both the teachers and the parents. And then I heard about the camps, how they’d left shifters to their fate, how they’d told them the Fridans would kill them all.” Her face tightened. “That wasn’t right.”
“But you still think humans are inferior,” Hashtag pressed. For some reason, knowing Eve’s stance was important.
I want to believe she’s different. He was clueless as to why it should matter to him.
Eve studied her clasped hands. “I have to be honest. All those years of indoctrination tell me yes, but what if the stories I’ve been hearing are true? What if humans are our ancestors? How could they be inferior to us if we came from them?”
Fuck, it was so tempting to put aside his doubts.
Then Hashtag thought about his friends—hell, his family —who might be at risk if they let her in.
He stood and walked around the table to where she sat. “Let’s cut to the chase. Why should we trust you? What’s to say you’re not still working with them ?”
Eve gazed up at him and sniffed, her brow furrowing,
“Answer the question, please,” Saul said in a firm tone.
She locked gazes with him. “It’s true, I’ve done things I’m not proud of. Things no one should be made to do. But I did them because I believed in what they were saying—until I found out what they were doing in the shadows. Suddenly everything I’d thought was good and right became dark and sinister. So I resigned. Told them some crap about wanting to start a family. They weren’t happy about it, but I wasn’t going to change my mind.” Eve bowed her head. “It’s okay, I get it. You’d have me on your team because I’m a damn good fighter, and you need as many of those as you can get, but—and it’s a big but—you’d never trust me. And there’s nothing I can do about that.”
The anguish in her voice cut through Hashtag like a scalpel. He laid his hand on her shoulder, unable to refrain from doing so. “Hey….”
Eve gave another sniff, and her eyes widened. “Who are you?”
He chuckled. “You got amnesia or something? I’m one of the guys who’s been asking you questions for the last half hour.”
At the rear of the room, Crank chuckled too.
She shook her head. “No, I mean, who are you to me ? There’s this strange smell about you, that—”
“He has a smell?” Saul interjected. He blinked. “Kinda spicy and sweet, all at the same time?”
She gaped at him. “How did you know that?”
Hashtag turned to stare at Saul. “What she said. Because you lost me. What does the way I smell have anything to do with this?”
Saul grinned. “Oh, Hashtag, my friend. Your life is about to get really interesting.” He glanced at Eve. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“You didn’t answer my question.” Eve didn’t break eye contact. “Tell me how you know that.”
Saul leaned back. “Because I smell that same smell—every time I’m around my mates.”
Crank jerked his head up, his eyes round.
Eve’s mouth fell open. “Mates?”
“Before you say mates are a myth, I should point out that he has two,” Hashtag volunteered. “One human, one shifter. And he’s not the only one. I know of at least two more….” He frowned. “What do you call it? A throuple? A triad?” The interview had taken a weird turn, and he was struggling to keep up.
“Mates?” Eve repeated, her brown eyes huge. She lurched to her feet. “No. No. This can’t be real.”
Hashtag threw his hands in the air. “Will one of you tell me what’s going on?”
Saul stood. “How does she smell, Hashtag?”
“How does she—what the fuck kinda question is that?”
Saul pointed to Eve. “Go on. Take a good sniff.” When Hashtag didn’t move, Saul gave him a mock glare. “Consider it an order from a superior, soldier.”
Hashtag rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He turned to Eve. “Ma’am? Do you mind if…? I mean, is it okay if…? Aw fuck.”
She chuckled. “I do like a man who understands consent.” She tilted her head. “Yes, go ahead.”
He leaned in closer to Eve and sniffed.
Holy fuck.
Her scent made him shiver and sent all the blood rushing south. He ached to touch her, kiss her.
Protect her.
He swallowed. “What the fuck is happening to me?”
Eve’s eyes glistened. “Then it’s true.”
“ What’s true?” he demanded.
She smiled. “You’re my mate.”
What in the holiest fuck of fucks was she—
Then he froze as her words sank in, something unfurling deep in his belly, sending heat racing through him, along with a voice that was yelling one word over and over again.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Hashtag forced himself to breathe deeply, portraying a calm exterior.
Inside, he was torn between doubt, denial, shock—and exhilaration.
“If you say so.” How he kept his voice from trembling, he would never know.
Eve seemed to have recovered her self-control. “I do.” She stood tall, her eyes level with his. “So let me put all my cards on the table right now, because I don’t want there to be any misconceptions.”
“Me neither.” That voice in Hashtag’s head was telling him to stop talking and kiss her, for fuck’s sake.
“I’m not one to defer to anyone , do I make myself clear? I’ve lived my life by my rules, taken care of myself, and I refuse to allow anyone to think they can control me.”
Lord, she was magnificent when she was determined. Even her voice was a turn-on.
Hashtag smirked. “I have no problem whatsoever with you controlling me.” What shocked him was how quickly his mind assimilated this new situation.
I have a mate.
Then he reconsidered. Just the one? Oh dear Lord.
She erupted into a coughing fit. When it stopped, she glared at him. “I’m not talking about sex.”
He smiled. “Neither am I.”
Eve widened her eyes. “You’re not serious.”
“I certainly am.” Hashtag grinned. “And if we have another mate out there? I hope it’s a guy.”
“You what?” Crank hollered.
Hashtag twisted to look at him. “I’m bi, baby.”
Crank’s jaw hit the floor. “Since when?”
“Since… well, pretty much forever.”
“But I thought you were straight. Hell, we all did.”
Hashtag shrugged. “Have you ever known me talk about my conquests? Hmm? I can tell you the answer. No, you haven’t, because I keep my sex life to myself. Except for Horvan blabbing about the whole tongue thing.” He grinned. “But now my secret’s out, I can reveal the truth. I love taking it up the ass.”
“You never told me that.”
“Because knowing you , you’d think you’d be man enough to give it to me.”
Crank snickered. “I would have thought exactly that.”
Hashtag guffawed. “Yeah, no. It takes a real man to make me submit. You’re too much of a bottom.”
Crank glared at Saul, who held up his hands. “Hey, I never said a word.”
“I hate to interrupt all this masculine banter,” Eve said loudly, “but can we get back to the part where I discovered I have a mate? Because having even one mate is absolutely huge.”
“I wouldn’t call it huge,” Crank said with a chuckle. “But it is pretty impressive, if I—”
“Crank.” Saul’s voice had an edge of steel to it. “A word of advice? Do not describe another man’s… equipment in my presence, okay?”
Crank’s cheeks pinked. “Oh. Yeah. Right.”
Hashtag couldn’t take his eyes off Eve. “You’re right. This is huge.” He smiled. “Not to mention exciting as hell.”
Part of him was yelling Are you fucking kidding me? You’re gonna roll over and accept all this?
Another part couldn’t wait to see where this would lead.
Saul sighed. “I think you’d better come with us,” he told Eve. “We obviously have a lot to talk about.” His phone buzzed. “I might as well take this. We’re done here anyway.”
“We are so done.” Hashtag grinned. “And she is so in.”
“I am?” Eve beamed.
“Fine, she’s in. Besides, you’d kill me if I said no, right?” Saul clicked on Answer. “You’re okay, we’re done. What’s up?” He listened, and Hashtag took advantage of the moment to take Eve’s hand in his.
“Does that work for you? Coming with us, I mean.”
She chuckled. “You think I’m letting you out of my sight? Besides, I have, like, fifty-million questions to ask.”
“You and me both.”
“And top of the list is… what tongue thing?”
Hashtag merely grinned.
“We’re all going home,” Saul announced as he finished his call. “That was Brick. Apparently we’re about to receive a visitor.” He paused. “And he’s a Geran.”