Friends and Foes Ch. 08

"How long has he worked for you?"

"Ten years. Since I took over."

Adam's reply came to their ears, but he'd not heard her question that way. Even Jake seemed surprised that he had heard the thought, but Adam didn't appear to have noticed either that she was thinking to him, or that the others were now watching him more intently. He was too busy cutting up and eating his breakfast in between his replies.

"He doesn't know what Jake is, does he?" Tilly asked, slightly concerned.

"No. We never told him, and he doesn't know who he is either, beyond my partner. The Arcan name has never been mentioned."

"Adam..."

"Yep."

"Do you realise I haven't said a word for the last few minutes? I was trying to see if you could hear me just like you hear Jake."

Adam's eyes had shot up only partway through what she was saying, so he saw clearly that she wasn't speaking aloud. He looked at her and then Jake in surprise, and then pretty much stared back at her as he tried to respond.

"Can you hear me?"

Not only Tilly, but Dill and Tom too, nodded at him in confirmation. He glanced around the table, wondering how this was happening.

"I thought I could only do this with Jake. Mind you, I've never met anyone else I could try it with, but still, I thought it was a mate thing."

"It works between all of us, anyone you know well enough. Depending on how close a bond you have either as mates or friends or family, it works over increasing distance."

Adam and Jake looked slightly embarrassed before he replied, both of them recalling the sex they had had using their mind connection.

"I knew I could contact Jake over distance, we've done it plenty of times since we first discovered it was possible. But you, and the others, how is that working?"

"You shouldn't be able to do it. It's not the first time that a Were has chosen a human to be with, but it isn't supposed to work like this even if they are mates. When a Were and human have children they aren't able to change, but sometimes there are things that linger, usually heightened senses or speed of recovery from injury. I've been doing some research but I haven't found any record of the psychic link remaining."

"So how come I have it? Jake said it was unusual, but it works and I didn't even have to try the first time."

"We need to have a look at your family, particularly the women as the genes stay stronger in the female line. Chances are you are not the first one to find a Were to be with, and if we're lucky they are still alive. I still can't explain how even if you have Were blood somewhere you have retained the trait, but maybe if we can find the person we can find something to work it out."

"You'll help me with this?" Adam asked her, both pleased and surprised that she was offering.

"Yes, of course."

"Why?"

"You are my brother's mate. It makes you family. Plus, I would love to know how this happened. You are unique as far as I can make out, and that intrigues me. I know you feel that you can't totally be one with Jake if you can't change, but you are more like us than you realise, and as much one with each other as any mates here."

Both Adam and Jake grinned at her, pleased with what she was saying. She could feel their elation at her words and her offer and it made her glad that she could help, even if she did have her own reasons as well as wanting to help them. She still wanted to know where he had come from and how this had happened, and what little she knew of his family so far definitely did not explain it.

* * * * * *

Once they had all eaten, Jake and Adam were left to clear up, and Sam sent a thought through to Tilly that they needed to talk. She wasn't surprised at that after her enquiries over breakfast, and she doubted it was much to do with finding out that Adam was telepathic. His question once the four of them were in his office with the door firmly shut confirmed it.

"So, would you like to enlighten Tom and I over the twenty questions about Simon?"

"Dill and I were talking about it last night. Something about that man bothers me, and it isn't what he did. Well, not exactly. Let me show you."

She found the file on the computer and moved away so Sam and Tom could watch it clearly, not really needing to see it again so soon.

"Concentrate on Simon, the way he moves."

She watched their faces as they did as she had asked, seeing the same reaction to the film that she and Dill had, although less stressed at the scene unfolding. She still saw Tom in particular flinch as some of the damage done to Dill was revealed, and she realised that neither of them had watched this before either.

There was a moment of silence once it finished, Sam just staring at the screen for a while, obviously gathering his thoughts before he spoke, but Tom got there first.

"He's supposed to be a businessman. He sure doesn't fight like it."

"Exactly. I was trying to see if there was something in his background that explained it, but country pub and business school doesn't normally train you in self-defence, let alone those kind of moves."

"It might just be a hobby," Sam said quietly.

"It might," Tilly agreed, "or he might have learned all of that somewhere else, that Adam doesn't know about. I'm not saying he is definitely involved, I'm just thinking that something doesn't add up. Plus, aside from that film, we know now he can pretty much run the business single-handed. That would certainly help in setting up a company to manage the research without Adam's knowledge, and putting him in the frame for it."

Sam looked up at her in question. "Are you completely discounting Adam being involved? I agree with you about Simon, and I think we should let Mark know about this and get some eyes put on him, but I'm not ready to conclude that Adam is as clueless as he says."

"I'm not saying we should totally rule that out, no. But if you ask me, I think he's being played here and they've been trying to do the same to us. You can see how he is with Jake, and he's at least partly Were. I don't believe he would have got involved in the research if he knew exactly what it involved. Simon, however, seemed not only unsurprised at the presence of Weres there, but also quite willing to contain one by force."

"A lot of force," Tom continued. "It is a really good lead. I can't believe none of us thought of watching this before."

Sam growled. "I can. I can't quite believe the first ones to watch it were you two though," he said, looking at Tilly and Dill. "That can't have been easy. It's just shocked us. Well fought though, both of you."

It was Dill laughing that broke the tension a little. "I think we can safely say it wasn't my fighting that won the day! At least now I know that there was a good reason a human got the better of me."

"That human will shortly be under surveillance. Meanwhile Tilly, you had better find out about this other thing."

Tilly smiled at her brother and his dismissal of the 'other thing'. "You mean how come Adam is part Were? I would have thought that was very interesting."

"It's not relevant to our enquiries, but if it helps Jake then I guess we have to do our best," he replied, grudgingly. He did want to know about it as well, but he didn't really want to be seen to be helping Adam out when he still wasn't happy about that situation. Even if Adam was being played as Tilly thought, he still wouldn't be Sam's choice of a brother-in-law. He had no choice in the matter, but he didn't have to like it.

* * * * * *

While Sam and Tom spoke to Mark and explained about the situation with Simon, Tilly spoke to Adam and he quickly came up with the perfect opportunity to meet most of his family in the hope she could find a lead.

"It's my uncle's 60th birthday this coming weekend. Huge party, obviously, and at my parents house so my mother can play hostess. Show off, that means to everyone else, but she's pretending it's all about him."

"That will work brilliantly. How do we get me in there though? She'll know who I am."

"Well, she is always after me to find a woman. Perhaps I should take you as my date!"

Dill hissed slightly even though he knew the man was joking. It didn't stop a momentary shudder of nerves from Adam though.

"You know she really isn't my type. It will be safe for her there, I promise."

"I'm sure it will. Especially as I will be there too."

Tilly's eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "Dill, you can't go everywhere with me you know. I'll be fine."

"It's not up for negotiation. You might trust him, I don't. If you can believe his story about him knowing nothing about any of the research it reassures me a little, but not enough to let you go off with him by yourself."

Adam was acutely aware they were having a private conversation, and it didn't take a genius to work out the gist of what Dill was saying. He had relaxed enough around the family that he felt able to make a joke about it.

"We'll need a driver. I have one, but you could do it so you're just outside if needed. Plus I bet Tilly would love to see you in uniform!"

The couple stared at him in slight surprise that he was making jokes like that, but the smiles that followed when they recovered indicated that it was all agreed.

* * * * * *

Three days later when he was getting ready for his role Dill didn't think it was such a good idea any more. He didn't do suits, and this was definitely a uniform rather than just smart clothes, which made it worse. He glared at the hat in disgust, wondering how Adam's regular driver coped with wearing the thing. The salary would make it worthwhile he guessed, and he was just going to have to do it to make sure he could protect his mate. She'd saved his life, the least he could do was be uncomfortable and embarrass himself.

He looked the outfit over in the full-length mirror and sighed, then turned to head out to meet the others. Tilly had beaten him to getting ready and came through the door before he could leave the room. He let out a gasp at the sight of her and let his eyes travel down her body taking in the way the dusky pink silk dress clung to her curves, her dark hair falling in soft curls around her face and onto her shoulders. She usually took his breath away, but he'd never seen her dressed up like that before.

"Do we really have to go out?" he rumbled, letting his hands reach out to slide down her side into her waist and out across her hips.

Tilly thought to move away from his hand, but she was appreciating what she saw as well. It seemed Adam hadn't been that far out with his crack about a man in uniform. It was more that it was her man in uniform though, and she wouldn't have minded stopping to strip him out of it, or better still, getting him to strip for her. She realised that would have to wait, and she took a step to the side to get his hand off her, because even that soft caress was starting to have an effect.

"Yes we do. But, when we get back, I promise you can do all the things you are thinking about right now."

"How do you know what I'm thinking!"

Tilly smiled at him. "It's what you're always thinking!"

"Not quite. You look so beautiful tonight, and I always think you are beautiful. This is a whole other level. Why haven't you ever worn that dress before?"

"I don't often have any need to dress up. It's hardly appropriate for work, is it? But if you like this, I will dress up for you now and again, on one condition."

He looked at her intently. "Anything."

Tilly grinned and winked at him. "You keep that uniform."

Dill laughed, seeing the desire in her eyes now that he was concentrating more on her face than the lines of her gorgeous body.

"Are you having some Lady Chatterley style fantasies my love?!"

"Wrong job. But I would quite like my chauffeur for the evening to corrupt me later!"

"Your wish is my command my lady," he agreed, lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it, rather than grab her and try corrupting her right then which he knew she wouldn't agree to. He let her lead the way outside, keeping his eyes glued to her ass and her hips swaying as she walked. By the time they got to the car he was semi-erect just from watching and thinking about what he would do with her when they got home.

* * * * * *

The party was already in full swing when Adam and Tilly arrived. She was on alert immediately but beyond a sense that she was not the only Were in the house no-one particularly drew her attention. There were nigh on two hundred people there though, friends and family, and it would be difficult to notice one person in the busy environment. Adam took her to meet his parents, which was interesting in that his mother was the most stuck-up person she had ever met, and she hadn't really wanted to do it again. It might be that the Were was in the female line, but it certainly wasn't her. It was clear that his mother was not impressed at seeing her either, and was pleased to hear that she was not Adam's girlfriend. Tilly was amused at the thought that the woman had no idea who in their family her beloved son had been involved with.

Tilly mingled for a while with Adam, but not finding any likely candidates, decided to do what everyone else was up to and filled her plate from the buffet table. She had her back to the room but was still on high alert in case anyone with Were blood passed close. She nearly dropped her plate in surprise when she heard a woman's voice in her head.

"What are you doing here pussycat?"

Tilly calmed her expression and carried on loading her plate as though nothing was happening. She couldn't afford to scare off their one lead. "Right now, eating. After that I'll be looking for the Werewolf living amongst all these humans. Got any ideas who that might be?"

"I think you should go. I have no desire to leave my family."

"You don't have to. I just need to talk to you."

"Are you from Council?"

"No. I do work for them, but this is a personal matter. Besides which, there are no rules against living as human if you want to, haven't been for over 60 years."

"I'm a little out of the loop on that one."

Tilly heard the chuckle and hoped she was making progress. "It's not against the rules to find a human mate or have children either, although I will admit Council prefer to know about it. It saves us suddenly finding humans with a few lingering traits."

"Adam?"

Tilly didn't want to confirm that just yet. "I'm speaking generally. I would really prefer to do this face to face."

She didn't get an answer to that, just more questions. "Does he know what you are?"

"He knows I'm Were. Does he know what you are?"

"No. Why did you tell him? He's not your mate, I can smell another cat on you."

"I didn't tell him. There are still rules about that. Can I please talk to you properly."

"Come to my room. Give me a few minutes."

Tilly saw the route in her mind, shot to her by the mystery woman. "Okay."

The voice left her mind and she scanned the room to see where Adam was. He was happily talking to some of the other people there. It seemed best to leave him to it, in case the woman didn't want him to know about her. Any information Tilly could gather might be compromised if she pushed the woman too far too soon. She kept eating for a few minutes as requested, and then slipped out of the room, making sure that Adam did not see her leave. There were lots of people around so it would be a while before he would notice she was gone.

She entered the room cautiously, but it only took a moment to see the only person present was an older woman, small in stature with greying hair and green eyes. Probably a lot older than she looks, thought Tilly to herself.

"So, are you going to explain yourself then?"

"You'd prefer to keep this in our heads?"

"You never know who might be listening."

Tilly nodded her consent. "Okay. Who are you?"

"Dora Chambers. Adam's maternal grandmother."

"I guessed I was looking for a woman. Female line is much better at holding the genes."

"Is that what this is about? Council found out Adam has some tendencies?"

"I said this isn't about Council. Adam has mated with one of my Pack." Tilly left out that it was with her brother.

"Pack? There's wolf and cat smell on you." The woman suddenly became more cautious.

"Long story, but I was raised as Pack. The wolves are my family. As you know, I and my mate are panther."

"I don't get the problem though. You said it wasn't against the rules to choose a human, so why are you investigating Adam?"

"It's not a question of investigating him. He wants to understand us better, and perhaps himself at the same time. Would you be prepared to discuss this with him here?"

She didn't look happy at the idea, and Tilly pushed it. "He already knows it's likely one of his female ancestors is a Were. We just didn't know who, or whether they were still alive."

"Okay. Go get him, I'll wait here."

"I have a simpler idea." Tilly widened her thought, including Dora in her conversation with Adam. "Adam, can you get away?"

"Have you found something?" he replied. Tilly saw Dora's eyes widen and just smiled at her.

"I've found her. Can you come upstairs."

"Who?"

"Come upstairs sweetheart. I think we both have some explaining to do." Dora replied.

"Grandma?" the response was incredulous. "I'm coming."

Dora just stared at Tilly for a moment afterwards. She was so surprised she forgot to think her next comment. "He shouldn't be able to do that."

"I know. That's why we wanted to find out where it came from."

Dora's expression turned from shock to amusement. "I guess your brother got one hell of a surprise the first time he did."

It was Tilly's turn to look surprised, and Dora just laughed. "I may be getting on a bit, but I'm nowhere near as dense as Adam's mother. I am right about the brother part? I guess he could be a more distant relation."

"No, you're right. My brother Jake and he have been together for several years. I'm only guessing, but it might be finding his mate that brought this trait out in Adam. He says he couldn't do it before Jake, but now he seems able to communicate with most of us. Not my other brother, but I suspect that's more because they don't like each other and don't want to try."

"Didn't like Jake taking up with a human, or with a man?"

Tilly wasn't quite sure how much to share, but figured that the more she said the more Dora would trust her. "I'm afraid it's Adam himself rather than what he is. Sam's mate is also male, and although he's Were, he's not wolf."

"Things have got far more progressive while I've been away!"

Their conversation was interrupted by Adam knocking at the door. Dora called him in, and he just rushed over to hug her tight. Tilly watched the reunion, pleased to know that Adam loved his grandmother and to feel his emotions were happiness and relief. However, she was aware that she couldn't feel any emotion from Dora. There had been a brief moment of shock when Adam spoke to her mentally, but aside from that she had strong walls up. Living as human for so long and keeping her secret, it was not surprising.

Adam had thought he would be full of questions if he managed to meet the Were in his family, but now that he was faced with her he had no idea what to say. He understood what it was to be that way, having lived with Jake for so long, and seen even more being with Jake's family, and he didn't know what she could tell him. He even knew from what he had been told that it had not been acceptable to mate with a human so he understood why she had never mentioned what she was. There was only one thing left.