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Merinus watched her brother and the slender Feline female, Sherra, with wary concern.
“He takes some getting used to,” Taber told Roni as she glanced over at the tall, eagle-eyed man holding several reports in his hand as he poured his own coffee.
Kane was dangerous. There was no other word for it. His eyes were deep pools of blue ice, suspicious and surging with an inner energy that made Roni nervous. Evidently, it made Sherra nervous as well. She shifted in her seat, casting the man a look of simmering anger.
“Merinus, keep your ass in the house. Period. You and Ms. Andrews. I don’t know how the hell those snipers got into the compound but the one left living doesn’t want to play with us yet and give the information out.” A cruel slash of a smile curved his lips as he leaned back against the counter, lifting the coffee cup for a tentative sip. It assured those watching that soon, the sniper left alive would be more than happy to play whatever game Kane suggested. She would have shivered at the thought if the situation weren’t so dangerous.
“So what have you managed to find out?” Callan asked quietly as he leaned back in his chair at the head of the table and watched the other man intently. “Other than the fact that our new friend is temporarily anti-social.”
Kane grunted, scratching his cheek absently with the hand that still held several wrinkled pages of paper.
“There’s a possibility this isn’t a Council job.” His voice turned decidedly more dangerous. “I’m not sure who is behind it yet, but we’re getting close. From what I’ve managed to gather, it’s leaning closer to a small, select group who believes the world is better off without your particular brand of genetics mixing into the soup pot.”
Roni glanced at the expressions of the Breeds gathered around the large kitchen table. Their expressions varied between contempt and anger.
“Hmm, wonder if they have nice accessible daughters.” Roni’s eyes widened as she looked down the table to Tanner. The sexual threat inherent in his voice had surprised her.
He was a Bengal Breed, Taber had told her, and he looked it.
His thick, long black hair was lit with several shades of gold and framed his dark, intent face. He looked like a fallen angel, oozing sex appeal and lusty excesses. His amber gaze glittered angrily beneath his long sooty lashes as his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Roni had known Tanner as long as she had Taber, and the young man, though friendly and flirtatious, had always held that cutting edge of perilous intent. As though he saw into the soul and often judged it harshly.
“Tanner.” Callan grumbled a hard-edged warning.
“Come on, Cal, I could mix the soup up for them right good,” the younger man snorted. “I won’t hurt anyone.”
“We don’t have time for cat fights,” Kane snapped.
He was rewarded by more than one growl and several animalistic snarls in response. The grin that crossed his lips was amused and easy, despite the threats that lay thick and unvoiced in the sound.
“Get to the point, Kane,” Callan told him softly, but the very silkiness of his warning told Roni much more. The older Feline Breed was growing tired of the little digs Merinus’ brother was directing their way.
The sniping didn’t make sense. The easy familiarity she had seen him display with the Breeds on other occasions had suggested he both respected and cared for the members of Callan’s pride. Yet his actions now hinted at a deeper tension.
“Point is,” Kane set his coffee down and glanced down at the papers he held, “several radical members of previous race groups have decided to band together. They call themselves Liberators. Their main agenda is the death of any and all genetically altered humans. They don’t have a lot of money backing them, but they have firepower and several ex-military members. Looks like it’s hunting season, boys and girls. And guess who’s the catch of the day?”
Silence reigned for long, tension-filled moments.
“We expected this.” Despite his words, Callan’s voice was weary, saddened. “How close are we to finishing the security measures?”
“Close.” Kane shrugged. “But no system is perfect, Callan. We have a lot of ground to cover and our perimeters are being tested from every angle. They’re quiet for the most part, not tipping their hands, but they’re watching. And rumor has it they’re attempting to put a spy in place.” Roni stiffened, her fists clenching in her lap as she fought to deny her own suspicions now.
“So catch him,” Sherra snapped as she glanced over at Kane. “What are you here for anyway? You socialize in the house more than you actually get any work done.”
“At least I’m willing to be sociable.” His smile was tight, hard. “Unlike some of us in this house, I can actually manage to remain civil for more than five minutes at a time.”
“Oh, really?” she drawled sarcastically. “Funny, I hadn’t noticed amid all the little snipes and half-veiled insults. Forgive me, Kane. I’m certain you’re doing your best.” His eyes narrowed. The scene playing out before Roni’s fascinated gaze was better than any soap opera ever invented.
“Keep pushing me, Sherra, and you might not like the consequences.” Undercurrents of emotion thickened between the two of them.
“I don’t like you…period.” She rose to her feet, glancing at Callan. “When you have real answers, Cal, let me know. All he has is his damned conspiracy theories and I’ve grown tired of them.” She swept out of the room, her head held high, a mane of long, incredibly thick blonde hair swaying past her shoulders and catching the light as she passed through the doorway.
“One of these days…” Kane muttered.
“Leave her alone, Kane.” Merinus’ voice was flat and hard now. “You’re pushing too hard.” Her brother shot her a surprised look.
“I’ll push harder before it’s over with,” he snapped. “And you can watch it or you can tell me what the hell the deal is. Your choice, Merri. Either way, I’ll get the answers I want.”
