by Eve Langlais
It also made relationships complicated. For those who were single at any rate. Oliver couldn’t blame Emma for not being interested in Jacob. The guy was a dick. But even if he wasn’t, Oliver wouldn’t want them hooking up. He was old enough to recognize the jealousy at the idea of Emma being with someone else.
Thing was he wasn’t sure they should get together either. He liked her, and he no longer feared some kind of viral mutation if they were in close contact. But there was more than just sex to worry about. How would they live as a couple? It wasn’t as if he could take her to the movies or out to dinner. Living with her in the open could never happen. Could he truly stay at this hotel, or some other protected place, for the rest of his life just to be with her?
What of his family? His mother would look for him. Knowing her, she wouldn’t give up until he was found.
Then there was Cerberus, still a prisoner at the pharmaceutical lab. Without Oliver’s exposé, would that company go ahead mass producing a cure they couldn’t predict or control? Even Adrian Chimera himself admitted there were more failures than successes. Sure, the treatment was worth using on those who had no hope because at least they had a chance. But he doubted the pharmaceutical company would stop at healing only the direst cases.
Society couldn’t handle too many of the lake octopus or the vampire blob. Hell, look at Cerberus himself, a man who not only looked like the devil but began talking like one, too. He still remembered the man’s last words: “The end of times is coming, Oliver. And I shall be the one to lead the legion that rises.”
Someone should stop him. Which was why that evening Oliver knocked on Adrian Chimera’s door.
The man answered, shirtless and flushed, which might have had to do with the heat pouring out of his room. “Is something wrong, Oliver?”
“Can we talk?”
“I assume it’s important.”
At Oliver’s nod, Adrian pulled the door wide and beckoned him inside. Upon entering, Oliver noted Jane sat on a chair, looking prim in a robe and, at the same time, sassy with her smirk.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he stuttered, cluing in to why Adrian looked unkempt.
“It’s fine. Jane and I were just talking.”
The claim made Jane snicker.
Oliver had spoken with her recently. Her story was one of the more tragic ones, given she was asleep for two decades before the cure worked. But she was also one of the grandest successes—and secretive ones. He’d yet to find out what side effect she, and Adrian for that matter, suffered. She appeared perfect if you ignored her swirling, multi-colored eyes.
“You look so serious, Ollie,” Jane stated, fixing him with her strange gaze.
“We need to talk about Cerberus.”
“What about him??” Adrian asked, taking a seat on the couch. Jane joined him, leaving Oliver to stand or take the seat she’d vacated.
He chose to pace. “Remember how you asked me how I knew about you and the clinic?” He didn’t wait for a reply. “I had an informant. Someone close to you.”
“I thought we already ascertained you’d spoken to Cerberus.”
“I did. But when you asked me where he was, I lied.” Oliver had told them Cerberus disappeared.
Adrian exploded off the couch. “You know where he is and are only now telling me? You know he’s dangerous.”
“Yeah, I know.” Oliver scrubbed a hand through his hair. “He’s not running around if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s actually worse than that. Last time I saw him wasn’t at that bar like I told you. He is being held by Leyghas Labs.”
“What do you mean, held? Explain.” Adrian folded his arms and glared.
“According to his story, Cerberus was approached by Leyghas Labs after that news conference of his. A recruiting team of lawyers drew him in by saying they wanted to hire him. Offered him a huge contract if he’d drop out of sight and work with them exclusively.”
“But?” Adrian asked more quietly.
“Leyghas isn’t exactly an up-and-up kind of place. The owner is cutthroat. When Cerberus arrived for the meeting to sign the papers, he was sedated and placed in a secure location inside one of their labs.”
“That was dumb,” Adrian declared. “Cerberus is dangerous.”
“So they learned. Apparently, they weren’t the first human outfit to try and use him.”
“He massacred the first group and escaped,” Adrian confirmed. “Which is why I’m surprised this lab managed to contain him.”
“Apparently, Cerberus had difficulties blending in with the public. Hence why he tried to come out. When that backfired, he took the offer of a safe place to hide. Once they got him where they wanted him, he couldn’t escape.”
“What was your role in this? How did you meet him and find all this out?”
Oliver squirmed under the scrutiny. “The owner of the lab knows me and requested me to write a book about the Chimaeram Clinic.”
“How is a book condemning the cure supposed to benefit them?”
“Because it wasn’t supposed to be a book on the negative aspects. They wanted me to promote the good. The fact it could cure just about anything. They wanted me to make them seem like the saviors of the medical world. But after meeting Cerberus, and hearing him…” Oliver paused and looked at his feet, unable to look Adrian in the eye. “I couldn’t do it. “
“And now?”
Oliver sighed. “I still can’t do it, but not for the reason you might think. It has become clear that the treatment can do a lot of good.”
“But it can also be bad. It’s not something that should be mass manufactured and administered willy-nilly. On that we agree.”
“Question is, what will we do about Cerberus?” It was Jane who asked the most important question.
“The good news is Cerberus only knows part of the technique used to create the various serums.” Adrian offered a tight smile. “Many scientists are paranoid about having their work stolen, so we tend to keep something back. While he knows most the mechanics, he doesn’t have the know-how to actually create the serum.”
“Which is probably why Leyghas was acquiring all the ex-Chimera patients it could find.”
“They’re trying to reverse-engineer the cure,” Adrian muttered, taking over from Oliver when it came to pacing. “Which will fail.”
“And when they realize they can’t recreate it, they’ll come after you again,” Jane remarked. She fixed her strange gaze on Adrian.
“First they have to find us. Jayda won’t be making the same mistake with her father again. No one knows we’re here.”
“The place is too easily accessible, though,” Oliver remarked. “Someone is bound to remark on your presence eventually.”
“And not all of us can hide in plain sight,” Adrian said with a sigh. “Which means Emma might not have a choice.”
“Choice about what?”
“Her horn. It is the thing that most stands out. Xiu and my dear Jane can wear glasses or contacts to hide their eyes. The twins can bathe inside. But unless we restrict Emma to her room…” Adrian shrugged.
“You can’t make her a prisoner.”
“Then the horn must go.”
“She says it always grows back.”
“Which means she’ll require almost daily amputation.”
The word made him wince. Funny how when Oliver had first met her, he’d offered to find her a doctor to do just that. Now, telling Emma she had to remove it felt all kinds of wrong.
“Will it hurt her?”
“A bit. But not for long. We’ve shorn it down before while she was sedated. She wakes with no ill effect. Although I forbade it after the second time it was done. It didn’t seem right to keep removing it.”
“Then why do it in the first place?”
“Would you believe Aloysius, the man you know as Dr. Cerberus, had this strange notion that it might have healing properties? I told him he’d read too many fairy tales.”
“I take it there was nothing magical about it.”
Adrian shrugged. “Not that I was ever told, but apparently, Aloysius had more secrets than I realized.”
“When are you going to tell Emma it’s got to be cut?” Oliver asked, only to shake his head. “You know what, let me tell her. That is, if it’s okay I tell her about Cerberus and stuff.”
“Go ahead. Perhaps understanding why we’re asking will make it easier for her.”
Except, when he went to her room and knocked, there was no answer. Probably already in bed. He went to move away when he heard voices. As he moved in the direction of the pool, the voices grew louder.
“What part of not interested do you not grasp?” he heard Emma say, her exasperation clear.
“Not like you can be choosy. Or are you going to claim you’re a lesbian? Is that blind chick more your style?” That was Jacob, being an ass as usual.
“Just because I’m not interested in you doesn’t mean I don’t like men. I just don’t like you.”
“You know what, I really don’t give a flying fuck. I’m tired of jerking off in the shower,” Jacob said crudely.
“Let go of me.”
Oliver drew near enough to see Jacob holding Emma by the arm roughly. Yanking on her. Drawing a sharp cry of pain.
It roused the hero in him. “Hey, asshole, you heard the lady. She’s not interested.”
He drew Jacob’s attention and sneer. “Fuck off, meat sack. This doesn’t concern you, so walk away.”
Except Oliver wasn’t about to walk away. “Emma is my concern, and you’re hurting her. Let her go.”
“Or what? Do you really want to go toe to toe with me?” Jacob shoved at Emma and sent her stumbling. He strutted up to Oliver, chest puffed out, his eyes glowing a sickly yellow.
“I am not going to let you hurt her.” While acutely aware he didn’t have a weapon, Oliver didn’t back down.
“But I am going to hurt you.” Jacob lunged, his fist catching Oliver in the gut, driving the breath out of him.
He managed to suck in a lungful of air and duck the next swing before tossing a jab, the blow blocked by Jacob, who wore a cruel smile.
“I am going to enjoy grinding your face in the dirt and forcing you to listen while I make pony girl scream.”
The idea Jacob would hurt Emma adrenalized him. Oliver rushed Jacob, slamming into the other guy, exchanging blows. Problem was, while he felt each and every shot, it didn’t look like anything he landed was slowing the other guy down.
On the contrary, the more Oliver hit him, the more energized Jacob became. Bigger, too. The man not only bulked up but his teeth became more pronounced. Oliver sucked in a breath when a rapid swing he couldn’t avoid scored a line of fire across his chest. Somehow, Jacob now sported claws that sliced.
“Leave him alone,” Emma yelled, running at Jacob, her eyes glowing with a silvery purple hue, kind of like her horn, in the scant starlight outside.
“Don’t worry, pony girl. Your turn is next.”
“Like fuck,” said a new addition to their party. Jett arrived wearing his habitual glower. “You.” He jabbed a finger at Jacob. “Get your ass back to your room before I shove your head so far up it you’ll see what you ate for lunch last week.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” Jacob yelled, spittle flying around the guttural words. “I’ll fuck you up, too, and then show your wife what a real man feels like—”
Wham. Jett moved so fast even Jacob never saw the fist coming. The asshole hit the ground and tried to roll to his knees to rise. Jett showed no mercy and kicked him. Hard.
Jacob coughed. “Motherfucker. You can’t do this. You’re not even one of us.”
“And yet take a guess who Chimera would keep?” Jett grabbed him by the hair and yanked Jacob to his feet.
“Only because you’re fucking the mermaid.”
Thump. Jacob’s head snapped back as Jett hissed. “Mention my wife again and I’ll kill you.”
“You can’t kill me. Chimera promised me safety.”
“I don’t care what Adrian promised. I think you’re a piece of shit. The world would be a better place without you in it.” Jett shoved Jacob from him and watched as he hit the ground hard on his hands and knees. “Get to your fucking room. Now!” he barked.
Jacob shot a belligerent look over his shoulder before scurrying off.
Oliver sighed. “That won’t turn out well. You know he’s going to retaliate.”
“His type always does,” Jett remarked with a sneer. “Hopefully we won’t have to deal with him much longer. You all right?” Jett asked Emma, not Oliver, the one getting beaten.
“I’m fine. Oliver came to my rescue.” She sounded quite bemused by that fact.
“I doubt Jacob will come back, but just in case, I’ll walk you to your room,” Jett offered.
“No, you have rounds to do. Oliver can escort me.” She cast a shy glance at him, and despite his swelling lip, he smiled.
“Whatever. If Jacob bothers you again, let me know. I could use an excuse to beat on his ass.” Jett sauntered off, just another shadow in the night, keeping them safe.
Emma stepped close and raised her hand to Oliver’s cheek. “I can’t believe you came to my rescue.”
“I wasn’t about to let him hurt you,” he hotly declared.
“I can take care of myself.”
“You shouldn’t have to.”
She ducked her head as she whispered, “Thank you.”
When she turned from him, rather than let her move away, he captured her hand. “I told Jett I’d walk you to your room.”
The feel of her slim fingers laced with his brought a welcome warmth to his chest. “Why were you outside?” he asked when the silence stretched.
“Enjoying the night air. I didn’t get out much today.”
“Why not?”
“Because I was almost seen by a lost tourist after we chatted this morning. I’m going to have to be more careful about my excursions outdoors.”
Since she gave him the opening, he dove in. “You need to cut your horn.”
She stiffened, and he almost groaned as he realized he’d blurted it out without giving context. “Don’t freak. Because I’m not saying to do it because it’s ugly or something. But because you’re in danger.”
She uttered a dainty snort. “I’m always in danger. Story of my life. Even before the horn, my life sucked.”
The quiet despair tugged at him. “I wish things were different for you.”
“Wish I didn’t have a horn, hunh? Can’t say as I blame you.”
“What? Wait, that’s not what I meant. Listen.” He turned her so she faced him, chin tilted, horn held high. “I think you’re beautiful. Horn and all.”
“Then why tell me I need to cut it?” She couldn’t quite stem the hurt in the words.
“Because I want to protect you. But it was a bad idea. I’ll find a way to keep you safe. There’s got to be something I can do.”
She cupped his cheek. “You don’t have to be my hero.”
“What if I want to be your hero?” And then because the darkness emboldened him, “What if I want to be more than that?”
“Like what?”
“Your lover.”
For a moment, the silence between them stretched, and he wanted to punch himself in the face. She must think him stupid. Or maybe the attraction was one-sided. Or—
Her lips smashed against his and gave him an answer.
Chapter Fourteen
It was crazy, spontaneous, possibly foolish, and yet the moment Oliver said he wanted to be her lover, she gave up on reining in her heart—and her libido.
Maybe she was making a mistake again. She didn’t really care because there was something about this man who’d had the courage to admit he was wrong and change his point of view, who stood up for her when no one else ever did, that made her want any happiness he could give.
This interlude might only last one night or
a few days. She wasn’t naïve enough to think he’d want to remain with a girl like her forever, but she’d take what she could get.
And enjoy every minute of it.
“We shouldn’t be doing this outside,” he murmured against her mouth.
He was right. She had a perfectly good bed not far. She dragged him over to her door, keeping their lips locked, afraid he’d change his mind. Yet he stumbled into her room and kicked the door shut, his mouth latched to hers. His breath hot. His hands everywhere.
He wasn’t alone in touching.
It had been so long since she’d desired anyone. She’d almost resigned herself to never enjoying intimacy with someone again.
But what she felt with Oliver was more than simple carnal need. He enflamed her. His presence. His kiss. The touch of his fingers as they slid under her shirt.
All of her ached for more, which was why she began tearing at his clothes.
“Let me turn on a light,” he said.
The light would bare her to him. She wasn’t ready for that. “We don’t need light when we can use our touch.” She tugged on his shirt, pulling it up and over his chest. A chest she still remembered dripping wet when he’d bathed in the lake.
She kissed his pectorals as he tugged the shirt over his head. Played with the hard nipples, raked her nails down the firm flesh, drawing a groan from him.
She shoved at him. The backs of his knees hit the bed, and he sat down hard. She knelt between his legs, the shadows in the room deep because of the drawn curtains, but she could still see. See his shaft jutting from his groin, eager for her touch.
It required her being careful with the angle of her head. Wouldn’t want to gore him by accident. She wrapped her fingers around him and stroked up and down, feeling the hardness of him, the arousal.
“Emma.” He murmured her name, and it brought a shiver to her skin. He knew who touched him.
Wanted her to caress him.
She squeezed her hand tight, and a groan escaped him. A peek showed him with his head tilted back. A man enjoying himself.