Ca.s.sie Larson was a cute girl, not beautiful, but cute. Blonde hair with big brown eyes, freckles across her nose, and braces on her teeth. Despite being only 17 years old, someone in her family decided it was a good idea to let her go on spring break, unchaperoned, to Cabo San Lucas with a bunch of friends. Jacks couldn't help but wonder, do these people not pay attention to the news? Well, s.h.i.t, lesson learned in the worst possible way.

Ca.s.sie Larson had been missing without a trace for three weeks. That was another thing that bothered him. Why had his boss waited so long to bring someone in to find her?

"This is taking too long. We should have a substantial lead by now," Jacks said. All of the guys stopped fooling around and looked to Jacks when he spoke, "Anyone have any ideas, leads, sc.u.mbags you can roll? s.h.i.t, at this point how about a psychic, clairvoyant? Anything?"

His colleagues remained silent. This case was testing them all. "Something needs to give, and it isn't going to come from this paperwork," Jacks said, pushing the offending paperwork away from him. "We have been looking at the same d.a.m.n files for three days. There isn't anything here," Jacks fumed.

Milo, a member of the team, broke the silence leaning back in his chair. "s.h.i.t man, I am game for anything. We have to find something, not only for the victim's sake, but for our own. Senior is going to be p.i.s.sed if we keep on chasing our tails." Milo looked as frustrated as Jacks felt.

f.u.c.k, no one wanted to p.i.s.s Senior off. Declan Quinn was not a man to mess with. He was more Alpha than the rest of them. Life experience had hardened his soul.

Senior staffed his team with the best of the best. All the men of NAC had been trained by Uncle Sam himself. They were all Special Forces. They had something else in common. They were all Shifters. Their Shifter genes made them stronger physically. They healed more quickly. They were also excellent trackers. Their CO, or rather their boss now, equipped them with the latest technology, which they put to good use.

The NAC was effective. They flew under the radar and bypa.s.sed the red tape. They left no stone unturned. They worked around the clock. They solved cases. They prevailed when everyone else failed because they were willing to take risks and make the hard calls.

They were not living up to their reputation today. The conference room held the Alphas. All of them from every team. Each man represented the six NAC teams. Alpha wasn't just a t.i.tle it was a calling. A Shifter deemed worthy by the G.o.ds to lead. Their dominance and leadership controlled and enhanced their teammates. But they were also given something extra, not that any of the team's men were lacking, but the Alpha's were more.

Looking around the table Jacks noted the Alpha's he had served with and come to think of as brothers: Kayden Walker (Bravo), Liam Lucan (Charlie), Carter Shadow (Delta), Milo Stern (Echo) and Dane Whalen (Zulu). He trusted them as much as the men on his own team who were currently cooling their heels back at the base.

None of this made any sense. His men had skills that would be helpful. If he didn't get some answers soon, he would be forced to confront their fearless leader. Jacks could not get a read on why Senior was isolating the team leaders and excluding their extensive resources.

Throwing the pen, he had been holding down on the desk he said, "I have a s.h.i.tload of new cases waiting on my desk. Why not involve all the teams on this? s.h.i.t, my guys Frost and Green could have hacked the hotel's security system and been through the all the video by now." He continued, "We have exceeded the crucial 48-hour window. Jeezus, we don't even have boots on the ground. I can't help but question Senior's plan on this one."

Just then the air in the room changed, and Jacks knew that Declan, "Senior," Quinn had entered the room. Jacks wasn't afraid of much, but Declan Quinn was a force to be reckoned with. He had his men's backs at all times, but he wasn't afraid to also show them their place in the pecking order. It took a lot to turn a bunch of hardened sailors and soldier's pasty white, but that was the effect he had on all of them. The air was thick with his presence.

Turning slowly in his seat, Jacks was met by the disapproving glare of his fearless leader. "Listen, Jacks, if you have somewhere better to be..." Senior growled raising a disapproving eyebrow, "you know where the door is. But make sure you keep on going because NAC doesn't employ quitters or whiners."

"No, s.h.i.t. I am sorry. It's not that," Jacks fumbled, but couldn't continue because to the right of Senior stood the most beautiful woman Jacks had ever laid eyes on. She was small with curves in all the right places. He usually went for leggy blonds, but the little redhead in front of him held an unexpected appeal. Maybe it was just her perky t.i.ts. He was definitely a breast man.

She stood 5 foot and change. That could be a challenge for his six foot six plus frame, but then again everything evened up when you got horizontal. With a muttered curse, he adjusted himself to avoid the strangulation of his favorite body part.

Peaches and cream a.s.saulted his senses, which made his bear growl and his little problem under the table expand. What she was wearing didn't help either; a tight black skirt, white blouse and heels that made all his boss secretary fantasies explode. She probably thought the get-up was understated. He imagined her bending her over a desk, pulling up that tight little skirt, and having her from behind.

He appreciated the fact that she didn't wear heavy make-up or a fussy hairdo. She didn't need it. Besides, it would only get messed up after he was done with her. He was surprised at how much he liked her hair. He wasn't a man that paid attention to copper highlights or how a chick's skin glowed. As long as her hair was long enough to grab hold he was a happy man. But he wanted to run his fingers through this woman's silky locks. His eyes took another detour of her body, and d.a.m.n, he was impressed. But what really got him were her eyes. They were a shade of green that he had never seen before in a human. More of a Kelly Green with a brightness unique to his kind. He guessed she was in her early to mid-twenties. The set of her shoulders suggested the strength and confidence of someone much older. His bear perked wanting his prey.

She was standing at Senior's side. He could see by the white-knuckled grip of her hands that she didn't feel comfortable in the situation. Jacks was a sucker for a strong woman, but he would take a meek one as long as she knew how to play. It freaked him the f.u.c.k out.

Clearing his throat, "s.h.i.t, sorry, but I am not being particularly helpful at the moment. You know my strengths are on the ground, not in the office. There is no money trail, no record of phone calls, no eye witnesses. Nothing has turned up on social media. We have checked every lead you provided, and they have all led nowhere. We don't even have a starting point beyond the fact that the girl is missing. h.e.l.l, for all we know she could be off with a local having a little too much fun to contact her family."

Senior's voice snapped him out of his reverie, "Ca.s.sie Larson was taken from her hotel room on June 10th around midnight. Two unidentified men accosted her roommate Jenny Clark. They a.s.saulted her, took the room key, and left her to die in a storage closet at the hotel she and Ca.s.sie had been staying at."

"How did you get this information? We couldn't even get her roommate's name." Jacks wanted to get up from the table and pace, but his nature was being cowed by Seniors presence. The man was in defensive mode and he needed to tread lightly. A protective Shifter was bad news, but a protective Alpha Shifter was napalm. "And who is she?" he asked, pointing in Ryleigh's direction.

Senior interrupted, "Remember your place boy. You won't disrespect the lady again if you know what's good for you. Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to Ryleigh Quinn, the founder of the Holly Group. She also happens to be my daughter. Ryleigh, these sorry excuses are the best of the best, or so I thought until a few seconds ago. These are the team leaders of NAC."

Jacks tried to hide the gut punch he felt. f.u.c.k, he had just been l.u.s.ting after Senior's daughter. That was wrong on so many levels. Senior was like a second father to him. He could feel the blood leaving his face. Unfortunately, he could also feel all that blood going somewhere else.

Jacks was lost in his body's reaction. He was a grown man. He hadn't popped a b.o.n.e.r like this since he was 14 years old. Sweat was starting to drip off his brow. This woman had him in an instant state of want and need and it was freaking him the f.u.c.k out.

Being in the presence of the men he respected most didn't help the situation either. He was on the f.u.c.king job. Never before had his body just taken over. He was reliving p.u.b.erty. It was embarra.s.sing. If the guys caught a whiff of his dilemma he would be toast.

He was a dead man if Senior ever got wind of what his was thinking. Yep, he would end up as one crispy fried critter. f.u.c.k, he didn't even know that Senior had a kid let alone a daughter. It figured. Jacks had always had a bit of a death wish.

Chapter 7.

When his brain finally caught up with the conversation going around the room, what Senior had said fully registered. Wait a minute, he thought. This woman was the founder of The Holly Group? d.a.m.n, things just got real.

Thank the Lord above for Milo. He could be a pain in the a.s.s because his mouth ran continuously. But at least he wasn't sitting in his chair fighting a hard-on. "Senior, sorry ma'am, you said the Holly Group?" Milo interrupted.

"Yes, that is what I said," Senior grumbled.

"We have been led to believe that The Holly Group functions as a ghost team. Why the spotlight all of a sudden? Again, sorry ma'am, but if you already have this information on Ca.s.sie Larson and are working the case, what are we doing here?" Milo inquired.

Ryleigh had been taking in the room while her Dad talked. Why the h.e.l.l didn't he hire ugly men? How about even average men? These men were anything but average. All of them were gorgeous, as in GQ model gorgeous. All big, some more bulky than others, but large all the same. They also all seemed to have that authoritative nature about them. The one that makes a person want to listen and do as commanded or told. Shaking that thought away all Ryleigh could think was, what the h.e.l.l, again. She had been in meetings with men in power of all shapes and sizes and never once had this reaction. She had even encountered a few good-looking men in her life but again none of them even came close to the guys in this room, and it looked like she had every variety: businessman, surfer dude, hardcore soldier, cowboy. Anything but average Joe and biker. Yum.

Businessman bada.s.s was dressed in a very expense suit, clean-shaven, and he had perfectly styled hair. Ryleigh idly wondered how long it took the man to look so put together. She could barely put her look together with the help of beautician, stylist, and personal shopper. He was large but not the largest. From his seated position, she couldn't get a gauge on his height but was sure it was over six and a half feet. His eyes though were otherworldly because they were turquoise. Not as in regular blue with some green, but turquoise.

Surfer Dude bada.s.s was the exact opposite of businessman bada.s.s. He wasn't put together at all. Holey jeans, ripped t-shirt, and flip flops made up his attire. Ryleigh wondered if he realized that his tears and holes were in all the right spots. She could see a glimpse of his six-pack from the tear on his shirt. Ryleigh was pretty sure there should be a rule against seeing a guy's happy trail, at least until that had been introduced. But the holes in his pants told a different story. One of the holes was precariously close to exposing his dangly bits. Yeah, she looked. How she could not? Not that Ryleigh wanted to see them, but dang. His hair was a sandy light brown color and messed up in that way that made a person wonder exactly what had he been doing before coming to this meeting. His were blue and again not a traditional blue but a cornflower blue with a really dark navy ring. Hot.

Cowboy bada.s.s wore exactly what you would expect. Jeans, b.u.t.ton up shirt, and a large belt buckle that drew the eye. Yeah, this guy knew what he was doing with that shiny thing. And of course, cowboy boots. His skin was tan, his eyes were a melty chocolate color, and his hair was a rich mahogany. Beautiful just like the others, but he was the only one that seemed to catch on to what Ryleigh was doing. Lifting his eyebrow as if to ask, "do you like what you see?" Ryleigh was intrigued but put off. She also didn't like getting caught. Waiting for him to turn away, she continued her bada.s.s review.

The Boy-next-door bada.s.s guy was anything but average. He wore jeans and a tight t-shirt that exposed his huge biceps and shoulders. For some weird reason, Ryleigh always liked a man with muscles. She especially liked the veins that would bulge because of said muscles. He had that coffee and cream complexion and, d.a.m.n, his eyes were just as good as the others. They were like a feline green and absolutely stunning. Looking around the room, he was probably the smallest if you could actually call a man well over six foot and probably around 230 lbs. small. He was also calm. Eerily so, like nothing bothers him or ever would. Maybe detached. Ryleigh wasn't sure and she doubted she would ever find out.

Now biker bada.s.s, well, he was typical without being typical, big, bad, and tattooed. The man had prettier art on his arms than Ryleigh had in her apartment. The black leather, chains, and studs completed his attire, but what blew him out of the water were his eyes. They were a stunning purple. If Ryleigh didn't know he was a Shifter, then she would have been looking for contacts. She was pretty sure he covered them while in the human population, but d.a.m.n, she was happy that she got just one look. Amazing. But those eyes also signified something else. This was Kayden Walker, Bravo team; the man she was going hurt deeply in just a few minutes.

Hardcore soldier bada.s.s was the one that really caught Ryleigh's eye. She kept on looking at him and then averting her eyes. It was as if she was some giddy school girl, but she couldn't resist the draw. His features were striking, but that wasn't what was really getting to her. She had this urge to just go to him, wrap herself around him, and let his essence seep into her ports. How corny, but the man was beyond hot and way out of her league. He wore a tight black t-shirt and fatigues. The outfit should have taken away from his looks, but it didn't. This man was trouble with a capital T.

When her dad nudged her shoulder to pay attention, Ryleigh was embarra.s.sed. Thank G.o.d Dragon's couldn't read minds.

The eye-catching woman, Ryleigh, spoke for the first time and her sultry, smoky voice did nothing to help Jacks condition. "No problem. Dad is sometimes a bit dramatic," she joked patting Senior on the chest.

Wow, that got a look from the ever-stoic man. Holy c.r.a.p, this woman was insane, Jacks thought. She just laughed and called the most dangerous man in the room dramatic. He looked around the room and the rest of the guys had the same puzzled looks on their faces as well.

What next? Maybe she wasn't as meek or nervous as he initially thought. All Jacks could do was stare at the woman. He thought she might disappear at any moment. No way could she be real. Hot, sa.s.sy, and stacked; that was Jacks' lethal combination.

Milo had already saved Jacks from partic.i.p.ating once with his questions and he did so a second time. "Ma'am, Senior, could you please elaborate on the situation here?" Milo asked. "As it stands, I don't think I'm alone in wondering why we're working a case that is well on its way to being solved." Milo said indicating the dry erase board. Then looking directly at Senior, he added, "and once you're done addressing that question, you can also explain why you're pairing up the NAC and the Holly Group now. Has the Holly Group helped NAC in other ventures? Is the NAC really a front for The Holly Group? Should we be looking for other jobs?" Milo laughed without the humor reaching his eyes, "Maybe we are the ghost group."

The Boy Next Door Bada.s.s got up from his seat and walked over to the coffee maker and said, "I agree with Milo. Why keep any of this from us? We would have welcomed the help. We all have the same goal. Why keep us in the dark? More importantly, why waste our time with paperwork when we could have been back with our teams working other cases?" he said, turning around and leaning against the coffee station. "This isn't what I signed up for, you guaranteed full disclosure, and now we are getting all of this?" He gestured to Ryleigh. "What is the game here exactly?"

"Watch yourself, Carter," Senior snapped.

Ah, so this was Carter Shadow, Ryleigh thought. She wished she could tell what his Shifter animal was. If she had to guess, this man was a feline of some sort. He moved with a grace that reminded her of a cat, but he could very well be a wombat. She really should have discussed this with her Dad more. Speaking of her Dad, his booming voice quickly brought her out of her flight of fancy.

"I run this agency and you better not forget it, or you will find yourself on that unemployment line Milo was talking about. Get me!" Senior said in his best CO's voice.

Dang-it, Ryleigh thought she needed to get her c.r.a.p together and move this along. She had only been in the room for five minutes and the situation was already unraveling. She knew the men would have questions, and she was prepared to answer them. However, she wasn't prepared for the heat her Dad was getting barely five minutes in. What the h.e.l.l were these guys going to do when they got to the awful stuff?

"No, it's okay. I understand where Milo and Carter are coming from." Ryleigh said, placing her hand on her dad's forearm. She added a little squeeze, hoping to calm him. She needed to get to know these men without alienating them. If what she and her Dad planned was going to work, they all needed to work together. Her Dad had their respect and loyalty. Ryleigh was going to have to earn it. She needed to play this close to the vest. She wouldn't be happy in their position either, but she also wouldn't allow her dad to play the fall guy in this either.

Ryleigh was still standing at the door and she really wanted to sit down, but wasn't it supposed to be chivalrous to offer a lady a seat? Guess not when you're in a room filled with p.i.s.sed off Shifters. "I realize that you all have questions. I'm here to share what I know. I know that I don't need to remind any of you..." Ryleigh said, briefly looking at all the men, "but these proceedings are subject to the confidentiality agreement you signed with NAC." She jumped when a few of the guys growled loudly at her statement.

"Who do you think you are?" Businessman Bada.s.s asked.

Ryleigh was just going to refer to the man as BB because the other was just too much of a mouthful. The previously reclined man was now sitting up straight as an arrow in is chair.

"We have been working with Senior and NAC in some form for years. All of us at this table." Pointing at Ryleigh BB said, "you are the unknown here. We have proven our loyalty through blood, sweat, and f.u.c.king tears, little girl, what have you done? What gives her the right to come in here and demand we follow the confidentiality agreement?" BB wasn't looking at her but rather at Senior.

Ryleigh didn't give her Dad a chance to reply. "Listen, I get where you are coming from, but please just hear me out," she said, lifting her hands in a placating movement. "You're right, I don't have your history, but my team and I do have the same goals and aspirations. You have to understand my position here. I don't know you any better than you know me, but I am trusting Senior, my Dad, and his a.s.sertions that you are all good and honorable men. I would hope that you would do the same for me. Yes, I am his daughter, but I am also a colleague. Please understand the information I'm about to give is personal as well as professional. I don't think any of you would respect me or what I have to say if I just blindly blurted it out."

Ryleigh didn't expect the world, but when BB just put his hands up in the air like he was saying I give up still not making eye contact with her, she was starting to get mad. She didn't owe these people anything and if they couldn't even muster enough respect to treat her as a colleague or even a person then what the h.e.l.l were they going to do when she got to the really tough stuff?

Chapter 8.

Deciding to be the bigger person and continue as if her treatment meant nothing she continued, "You have heard of the Holly Group, that much has already been determined. We, just like you all, are committed to helping woman and children out of dangerous situations. One of the many things you don't know is the reason. Every member of my team has suffered some of the same atrocities as the people that we have vowed to protect. Another thing that is unique about The Holly Group is that we are all female. For safety, we keep that information and our whereabouts secret. I hope you can see that is why I must insist the confidentiality agreement is upheld. I am letting you in, telling you our secrets."

Several of the men grumbled and growled. Ryleigh was even pretty sure she heard a hiss in there somewhere. How weird. Jacks knew the others didn't like what they heard any more than he did. In their culture, females were cherished, even coveted. Thinking of a group of women putting themselves in danger didn't sit well with him, and the fact that Senior allowed it with his daughter didn't jive. Shifters considered it the male's obligation to protect. The female's role was to hearth and home. Even he knew that idea was antiquated, but it was what he had been raised to believe. The idea that these women were putting themselves in harm's way was distasteful.

Ryleigh continued, "Our track record speaks for itself. We have never once suffered a casualty. We have also been trained in the same fashion as many of you." Ryleigh had felt the Alpha vibes before, but she just hadn't known what they really were. Being in a room with seven Alpha's was like putting your head in a vise and squeezing tight. If she didn't get a seat soon, she would probably fall to her knees, but she couldn't resist a slight jab. "And before you get your panties in a twist, only a few of us go out in the field. We are not stupid, gentlemen, just motivated." Her frankness made the men uneasy but she no longer cared. Walking forward she took a seat finally. If they weren't going to offer, she was just going to take it. To her relief, none of them seemed to mind, and her Dad followed suit taking the seat at the head of the table.

"When past missions have required a more physical touch we called on the talents of more aggressive agencies. We are not trying to prove any feminist points here, gentleman. We are keenly aware of our skill sets and work within those perimeters. We don't have the military training NAC has and don't strive to be a paramilitary force either. Mainly, those missions have gone to NAC. Bravo team supported one of our cases last month. I want to thank you personally, Kayden." Ryleigh looked around the room. Kayden was one of the men she actually knew a particular physical attribute for, purple eyes and there he was, Biker Bada.s.s. "Your team handled that mission quickly, professionally, and discreetly." Ryleigh looked to the man she hoped was Kayden Walker. Her Dad had given her a brief description of the men in the room before the meeting started. "I appreciate your efforts. Those men were legitimate monsters."

"Just doing our job Ma'am," Kayden replied. "I knew there was something different about that mission. Everything was laid out for us. All we had to do was recover the victims and apprehend the perps. I don't think we have ever had a case go so smoothly."

"I will let Mia know you appreciated her preparation and planning." Ryleigh chuckled.

"Mia, huh? Well, Bravo was happy to be of service," Kayden added.

Yeah, Ryleigh thought Biker Bada.s.s was a bit c.o.c.ky and a little smug, but she got the sense that he was a kind man, well, Shifter.

"Well, that is one of the reasons we are here today." Ryleigh continued. "I realize that none of you has a reason to trust my group or me, but know that my Senior has vetted everything I'm about to tell you. As he said previously, Ca.s.sie Larson was taken from her hotel room on June 10th around midnight. The perps obtained the key to her hotel room from her friend Jenny, who was beaten and s.e.xually a.s.saulted, then left to die in a custodial closet at the hotel."

"Jenny was discovered by the hotel staff the early the next morning. Although she was still conscious, a broken jaw prevented her from successfully communicating with the staff or paramedics. A search for her ident.i.ty and room was launched immediately. She had been stripped of all identification and personal belongings."

"While in route to the hospital, she repeatedly tried to communicate with the paramedics using sign language. One of the paramedics recognized what she was trying to do and called ahead for an interpreter to be waiting upon arrival. Before being rushed into surgery, she was able to tell the interpreter about herself and what happened to Ca.s.sie. Unfortunately, Jenny did not survive her injuries." G.o.d, Ryleigh felt for both girls. Jenny had been through so much but stilled tried her hardest to help her friend. She wished that she could have saved the girl and hoped she would be able to save Ca.s.sie.

"Police were dispatched immediately to Ca.s.sie's hotel room, but they found nothing," she continued. "There were no signs of forced entry because, as we now know, the perps had the room key. But what is puzzling is the fact that Ca.s.sie disappeared after midnight and the room appeared to be untouched. The bed was made. There was no sign of a struggle. Hotel security tapes were inconveniently down for maintenance between midnight and 4 am."

Senior addressed the group "As you've noticed, we're not following standard protocol in this case. Normally we would have boots on the group, a logistics team set up and or hackers going at it, but this case is different. Ca.s.sie Larson has something in common on the genetic level with everyone standing in this room. She has shifter DNA."

You could hear a pin drop. All six men looked stunned and they were apparently speechless, at least it appeared that way for all of thirty seconds. The first thing Ryleigh noticed was the neon glow in all of their eyes. The next was their skin seemed to be stretching becoming tighter almost like it was unable to contain the person beneath it. The quiet was eerie and the air was thick, triggering her fight or flight instinct. She desperately wanted to run from the room. Placing her hands on the conference room table, Ryleigh was prepared to push her chair back and do just that, but her Dad put his over hers, silently asking her to wait.

Solider bada.s.s broke the silence, "Wait a minute! Males alone carry the shifter trait. Shifters are incapable of producing female offspring. That has been the case for generations." He looked around the room as if asking the others if they knew differently. For one thing, except for a few well-placed military leaders, they thought the existence of Shifters was unknown by the outside world. For the other, so far as they all knew, female Shifters did not exist. When no one spoke, he turned his chair to face Senior, "What the f.u.c.k, man? Who else knows about us? Since when is it f.u.c.king A-Okay to let an outsider know what we are, let alone a whole f.u.c.king group on them. If just one of her people f.u.c.ks up, we're screwed," Jacks hissed.

Solider Bada.s.s was maintaining himself barely. His tone was hostile, but he stayed seated, although stiffly. His hands were clutching the armrest of his chair so tightly that Ryleigh was pretty sure they would break off soon. He was also breathing really hard, almost like he was forcing his body to act unnaturally.

Her dad didn't fare as well. He vaulted from his chair and pointed at Solider Bada.s.s, "You'd better check yourself, Jacks! Ryleigh is my daughter, not an outsider," he stated vehemently. "She has just as much at risk and at stake as any of us. And she has paid a higher price than you for that knowledge, a.s.shole!" Senior exploded.

So, Solider Bada.s.s was Jackson Thorp. Good to know, Ryleigh thought. She just wished that she had thought to ask which alpha went to which team. This dude didn't seem feline or even wolf-like; he seemed bigger and badder. She knew he wasn't a dragon. He also didn't seem like he had feathers or scales, at least that was what she was a.s.suming. She really couldn't put the finger on his animal, but something in her really wanted to know. There was something about him. Something that drew her like an invisible thread that made her want to protect him, but that didn't make any sense. This man didn't need anyone to defend him. He wasn't helpless; he was formidable. So why did she have these feelings? Why did she know that without a shadow of a doubt she would place herself in front of him if he were in danger? Even if that threat came from her Dad. It just didn't make sense. She wanted, no needed, him to be safe.

Ryleigh interrupted, "Listen, I know this is all coming out of left field, but please, if you let me continue it will all become a little clearer." She pleaded with Jackson, hoping that without saying anything that he got what she was trying to do. Another thing that puzzled her was that she couldn't seem to make direct eye contact with the man, like it was too much too soon or she would get sucked in. She focused most of her attention on his nose or forehead when he was looking at her, but when he turned away her eyes were instantly drawn to him. She needed to see his reactions. When he nodded to her slightly, like he was encouraged her to continue, she wanted to preen. She had never wanted to preen before in her life. This man, no, Shifter, was affecting her as she had never encountered before. When he graced her with his full attention, good or bad, her heart would flutter and her palms would become sweaty. She also felt other things she wasn't quite ready to examine. Jackson Thorp mattered to her.

Nodding back, Ryleigh continued her story without a single stutter. She was so unnerved that she was amazed that she was able to keep some type of professionalism. "I was created in a test tube 28 years ago, by a man by the name of Dr. Albright Franklin of the Pandora Group. My biological donors..." Ryleigh shook her head, "I call them the Incubators are rich, eccentric people. They collect stuff: artwork, antiques, trophies, ... you name it. When the Pandora group approached them about creating a child who could Shift, the Incubators jumped at the chance. They used their wealth and influence to secure first rights. A Shifter child would be the crown jewel of their many collections. But you have to understand, I am not the only made-to-order child."

"What the ever-loving f.u.c.k!" This time Solider Bada.s.s didn't stay in his seat. He vaulted out and started to pace. Ryleigh wanted to go to him but knew it was a bad idea he needed to get himself under control. It wasn't her job.

Senior stated, "Jacks?" But Solider Bada.s.s just waved him off. Ryleigh expected more talk, but Senior motioned her on. Maybe that one word and gesture was guy speak for something. She had no idea.

Ryleigh continued. "The Pandora Group and Dr. Franklin allowed my Incubators to order me up like a good steak dinner. My hair and eye color, complexion, stature, and gender were pre-determined. They discussed at length what animal I should become. I was supposed to be the first boutique, made-to-order baby/pet, if you like."

Ryleigh hated thinking about her past. The Incubators never wanted a child, they wanted a trophy to display when convenient to do so. The thought choked her up. She turned her head so the men in the room would not see her in a moment of weakness. Thankfully, her Dad noticed and took over.

"As some of you know, I caught wind of Ryleigh's situation while still in service. I had heard that she was a math prodigy and that they were using her for those abilities. Her living conditions were deplorable and needed to be changed. I had also heard the rumors about designer babies with animal DNA. It was determined that I needed to check the situation out. At the time, I was not aware of the experiments or Pandora and Dr. Franklin's involvement in the case. My mission was a fact-finding one, but as you can see it became much more. When Ryleigh came to live with me, she did not show any signs of Shifter abilities or traits. I couldn't get her tested at the time and over the years deemed it unnecessary." Declan didn't like the bitter taste those words left in his mouth.

Ryleigh had been watching Solider Bada.s.s, no, Jacks, out of the corner of her eye and was happy to see that he had stopped his pacing and returned to his seat. He still looked stiff and uncomfortable, but the pacing seemed to have helped in some small way. She had the urge to sooth him, her hand even moved on the table towards his direction, but she quickly stopped the movement.

"Thanks," Ryleigh said to her father after she composed herself. "Just to give you a little background, the Incubators got a little more and a little less than what they expected. I had the physical attributes that they chose and as an extra bonus, I soon began earning my keep. I was able to talk by the age of five months. By one, I was reading and writing. By the age of two, I was tracking advanced patterns. One of the scientists decided to check my skills with card games, betting pools, and then eventually the stock market. However, I could not shift. They didn't want a daughter - they already had a son who was being raised by nannies. What they really wanted out of the deal was a glamor pet something no one else had."

Ryleigh had to stop for a minute. At the time, she didn't know that her circ.u.mstance was wrong or different. It was the way she had always lived. She remembered how pleased doctors and scientists were when they discovered her abilities. Like any child, she wanted to please. She could remember thinking, if finding the patterns made all these people happy then she would do her best to keep them that way.

She had always been confined, but before her talents came to light, she was permitted to leave the lab on occasion. An a.s.sistant would take her to play in the yard when the weather was favorable. When the weather was bad she was allowed to hang out in a day room. There were comfy couches, books, and a few toys. She cherished those small indulgences.

But once she became useful, the Incubators kept her locked up regularly. The Incubators wanted the people in their circle to attribute their newfound success in the stock market to their own ingenuity and intelligence. They took no chances with letting their little secret out of the bag.

Yeah, there was no way she was going to tell these people how bad things had gotten after that. Ryleigh was sugar-coating her story. No one needed to hear all the details and she definitely didn't want to talk about them, this was bad enough. She didn't even talk to her Dad about those things.

Chapter 9.