Originally started: 12-08-2012

Last updated: 07-07-2013

Summary: Now mates, Tony and Ziva have to deal with the humans intent on capturing them for study and . . . therapy? Let's see how long that is going to last.


The Night's Agents

Book Two

Heat in the Night


Chapter Four

Tony and Ziva had been tracking the Jane Doe's scent for hours and had yet to find her. It was growing dark, and although the trail had gotten a bit stronger, both Shifters knew they still had a long way to go.

Ziva slowed from a steady trot into a walk and studied her surroundings. «I think we're near one of our lairs.» In addition to having secret lairs all over Washington, D.C. in case of emergency, there were also several natural-made ones throughout Rock Creek Park and Shenandoah National Park.

«And it's almost dark,» Tony noted. «Should we keep searching or tuck in for the night?»

«"Tuck in"?» Ziva said, puzzled. «I've never heard you use that expression before.»

«Guess I've been watching too many Harry Potter movies. I think it means go to bed.»

Even in wolf form Ziva managed to look incredulous. «You actually know British slang?»

«Hey, you're still struggling with American idioms, so you shouldn't be talking. Besides, I don't want to confuse you.»

«It's too late for that.»

He shrugged and padded past her, whacking her on the snout with his tail and kicking up pawfuls of fallen leaves for good measure. Ziva sneezed violently, ducking her head and pawing at her muzzle. «Tony, you're going to pay for that!»

«I'm terrified,»he deadpanned. «And how, may I ask, are you going to repay me?»

«Use your imagination,»Ziva retorted, approaching the entrance to the lair—a tunnel leading into the side of a hill. The two wolves padded down the dark corridor, fur prickling with claustrophobia. Their hackles lay flat when it opened up into a large underground cavern lit by a natural skylight a foot in diameter. The setting sun turned the warm rich browns of the earth to the red and orange of flame. Another tunnel led off to a tiny underground pool. Crates full of clothes, blankets, canned food, and bottled water were stacked along the walls, with expiration dates in the far-off future. After all, it wouldn't do to have spoiled food in a place set up for emergencies. Tony supposed it could be thought of as a Shifter safe house—except for the fact none of their lairs were actually houses.

He shook his head to clear it, padded over to one of the clothing crates, shifted forms, dressed in gray cotton sweats, and turned back to Ziva. Once the backpack was off her, she shifted as well and also pulled on the loose cotton clothing. Then she began rummaging through a few crates. "You want anything?"

"What have you found?" Tony countered, looking over her shoulder at the contents of the nearest crate. This one looked like it contained bottled water and a few boxes of granola bars. Ziva grabbed two of each and tossed him a water and granola bar. "There you go."

"Thanks," Tony said, already tearing into the wrapping surrounding the bar. They'd eaten a few hours ago, but he suddenly realized he was still hungry. Their bodies had a constant workout, what with all the shifting, and the countless number of times they'd have to chase after suspects on a case—in human form, of course.

Beside him, Ziva was busy taking large bites out of her own granola bar. She washed it down with a swig of bottled water, then made a face at the plastic bottle. "I've never liked the way this tastes," she commented.

Tony took his own swallow of water, sat down on the surprisingly warm earthen floor, and set the bottle on the floor beside him. "Yeah, me neither. It's one of the biggest scams in American business—and I'm not saying anything more than that. Otherwise I'll start sounding like Ducky."

He felt rather than saw her smile. The next thing he knew, a rolled-up sleeping bag had hit him in the back of the head.

"Oi!" he yelped, turning around to face the culprit. Ziva looked back at him with an innocent expression for about two seconds; then she grinned and chuckled warmly. A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he looked at her.

She needs to do that more often, he thought while his fingers busied themselves with unrolling the sleeping bag. He unzipped it so that it lay flat and glanced up at Ziva. "Toss me two more, will you?"

"Sure." Ziva did as he requested, then went poking around in more crates. A minute later there was a triumphant cry of "A-ha!" and she turned back to Tony with a pillow in each hand. She tossed him one, which he caught easily, then set the other on the makeshift bed. The third sleeping bag would serve as a duvet.

Ziva crawled into the sleeping bags first; Tony wasn't far behind. He had to force himself to stay on his side of the sleeping bag mattress, because his body didn't want to. It wanted to curled around his mate—and okay, yeah, a large part of his brain wanted that too. His wolf, of course, was all for it. Snatches of lyrics to Duran Duran song played in his mind: In touch with the ground, I'm on the hunt, I'm after you. Smell like the sound, I'm lost in a crowd, and I'm hungry like the wolf. Strut on a line, discord and rhyme, I'm on the hunt I'm after you. Mouth is alive with juices like wine, and I'm hungry like the wolf. Stalked in the forest, too close to hide. I'll be upon you by the moonlight side. . . .

"Do you think we'll find her, Tony?" Ziva asked quietly, snapping him out of his fevered thoughts.

"Yeah. We'll find her," he assured her, thankful to have a conversation that would distract him. Given that they were on a case, what he'd been thinking was completely inappropriate. But then . . . "I see your eyes, that animal emotion. You don't have to set your tender trap. It's in those eyes, it's gonna happen anyway." He frowned mentally. Where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah, Def Leppard, Adrenalize, released in '92. I don't even know if I still have that record. What's the name of the song—"Tonight"? Yes, that's it. "Tonight—give me love with no disguise. Tonight—I see the fire in your eyes. Tonight—I wanna win the greatest prize. Tonight—so right, this night could it be dynamite? Wait and see. If it pleases you it pleases me."

Tony suddenly realized that he had rolled onto his side and was running one hand over the bare flesh of Ziva's hip. Rather than tense and fight, she was relaxing under his touch, even moving closer as if she needed the contact as much as he did.

Ziva turned so she was facing him and nestled into the crook of Tony's neck, one arm draped over his body. He heard her inhale, felt her warm breath ghost over his skin as she exhaled. His wolf pounced and raged inside his mind, howling in frustration. She was his mate, and right now, all his wolf wanted was Ziva. Truth be told, his human side had noticed her from the moment she'd walked into the bullpen and introduced herself as Ari's control officer. He hadn't acted on it, of course—she would have had him on the floor with one knee at his throat before he could blink. Or maybe not, considering she'd been flirting with him and they'd both been playing a game of cat-and-mouse ever since they'd met. Now that he thought about it, maybe that instant connection was when he'd figured her for a Shifter. She hadn't found out about him until weeks after she'd started at NCIS as the Mossad liaison officer.

Tony lost all thought-processing ability as Ziva licked the hollow of his throat. So his wolf wasn't the only one; she felt it, too.

«Hold me,» she said in his mind, pressing her curves to his angular lines. Desire ran burning hot through his veins, and Tony struggled to hold it back until he was sure of what she wanted.

In the end, though, it didn't matter. Nothing did in the heat of the night.

-oOo-

Miles away, their Jane Doe, torn and bloody, collapsed near a fairly-new building. She wasn't sure how long she'd been running—hours for certain, possibly a few days—but she knew she had to keep going. Otherwise she would end up like poor Josh Walker. Trouble was, her body just did not want to go any further.

Voices sounded from ahead. Blurry shapes melted out of the building and came toward her. The only thing she could make out was that one was a blonde male, the other a brunette female.

Then her blurred vision dimmed and everything went black.


REVIEWS

Guest chapter 4 . Nov 7, 2014

Update soon please

98SE chapter 4 . Apr 3, 2014

Wow a movie reference from Ziva and she got it right. There's hope her yet!

Ghostwriter chapter 4 . Jul 7, 2013

Oh wow. Very exciting at the end. I'm loving it. Only you goofed a little here: "Do you think we'll find her, Tony?" Siva asked quietly." You put an S an instead of a Z. LOL. Catch ya on the flip side.