by Eve Langlais
That shot his eyes open, and he cursed. “Power failure.”
“Not a big deal. We’ve got glow strips lining all the floors.” She pointed, and he noted the yellow dotted line with an arrow showing the way out.
“I’m not worried about getting out. I’m worried about them.”
“You mean the other patients?” She glanced at him then the door. “The doors are still locked in the event of a power outage.”
“Are you sure about that?” He no sooner spoke than there was a clanking, as of a lock opening. Then a creak.
Followed by, “Uh-oh, kitty. I think we have company.”
Which didn’t worry him so much. Surely anything escaping would ignore others in this place in their quest for freedom.
He’d be wrong.
Clank. Click. The sound of doors being unlocked proved unnaturally loud. Louder still Jayda’s voice. “Well, that doesn’t sound good.”
Someone had freed all the monsters.
Worried about Jayda, Marcus headed for the door, determined to be the wall against attack. Only he’d not even reached the threshold when a sinuous, long shape darted in and wound itself around his torso!
Yanked into the hall and dangled upside down, it took Marcus a moment to realize he was held by a snake. Of sorts. The tail definitely appeared anaconda like, wrapped around his midsection in coils, but by the dim light of the strips on the floor, he could see the serpentine body led to a man. His chest started past his navel. He had two arms still and a head, but his nose had flattened into simply nostrils. His cold eyes were slitted, their expression quite mad.
Which meant Marcus was somewhat braced when the tail slammed him into a wall. Bang. Ouch. Damn. He was airborne again, only to quickly hit the opposite wall.
“Hold on, kitty. I’m coming.”
He wanted to tell Jayda to run away instead, only the coils squeezed tighter, expelling all breath. In the strange strip light, he could see her darting toward him, only to be waylaid as a misshapen creature, loping on all fours, attacked her, leaping with its jaw wide open.
It never connected.
With a dip to the side, Jayda hit it first with a hooked fist to the head. Then she grabbed it around the neck and yanked down, wrenching it while driving her knee up and connecting hard. The body—with all its wrong angles and odd face—hit the floor.
But that was only the start. More of the monsters attacked, the next one Yeti related. Jayda didn’t run away from the fight. She took one step forward before ducking as a shaggy arm, the hair on it hanging in matted clumps, aimed to knock her out. She slid under and punched upward, causing the Yeti thing to squeal.
Flipping to her feet, she grabbed something on the wall, and then she was by Marcus’s side, fist clenched around a new needle. She jabbed it into the tail of the snake, and that was enough to get him whipped back and forth a few times. He left his stomach behind and would need a whiplash neck brace. The thrashing stopped suddenly, and he was dropped to the floor.
His numb body and non-responsive hands were not fast enough to break his fall. The jarring pain to his face did much to snap him out of it. Circulation returned with streaks of pain in his body, and he made sense of the noise.
Thunk. Thunk. Squaw. Scree.
A shift of his head and he caught the action. Jayda danced in the hall, another needle in hand, facing off against a bird woman. And it wasn’t just the cawing lady whose eyes glowed. Jayda’s lit up too.
Another monster went down. And quiet resumed.
Marcus rose to his feet and noticed Jayda’s chest heaving, her skin flushed.
He was also flushed.
And hard.
So very hard.
“You can fight.” A statement that held much admiration.
“I hold my own.” A nonchalant shrug.
It only served to fire his lust.
He strode toward her, hungry. Needing…
Marcus swept her into his arms and devoured her mouth. She met his hungry kiss with the hot clash of teeth and the sinuous slide of tongue. Aroused, he pushed her against the wall, grinding against her as their lips dueled. Need pulsed in his body.
Ached for release.
“Kitty.” She moaned as she dry humped him.
The fabric in his way annoyed. He snarled as he tugged at it, and she cooed, “Slow down, kitty, we’re about to have company.”
“Kill ‘em,” he grumbled, frustrated by the pants blocking him.
“Can’t kill them yet. We’ll finish this later,” she whispered.
He didn’t realize her intent until the syringe sank into him and cold swept his body.
He sank to his knees, losing grip on her nubile frame. Stared at her with incomprehension, frustration, and a bit of anger.
“Betrayed. Me.”
“More like saved you. Again. Night, kitty.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jayda’s father paced and ranted in Adrian’s office. Whereas she sat in a chair, legs dangling over the arm, and waited.
When he finally drew a breath, she jumped in. “Don’t be such a drama llama. Your precious failures are fine. I didn’t kill any.” Just used the needles she planted ahead of time to give them a nap. “Not only did they come through intact, Marcus is unharmed, and I don’t have a scratch to show for it.” Only a few bruises that she didn’t mention. She wasn’t a whiny bitch.
The success of her experiment didn’t reduce the intensity of the glare one bit
“What were you thinking?” Snapped by her father. His moods were becoming more volatile of late. Signs he wasn’t as in control, as he liked to claim.
“She was being a good researcher,” Adrian offered. “Let’s be honest, you were thinking of having her visit some of the patients to see if she had the same effect as she does on Marcus. I think she adequately proved she doesn’t.”
“By being dumb,” her father huffed.
“Hey, things wouldn’t have gone to shit if the power hadn’t gone out. And even then, how was I to know the bat-man was faking it?” Turned out the little shit snuck out while she was occupied and had been the one to rip out the power line for that section and then let everyone loose.
“You would have known if you weren’t busy sucking face with Marcus!”
And there it was. The real reason for her father’s anger. “I thought we clarified the day after I lost my virginity that you have no say in what I do with my body.”
“Well, I have a say in what you do to his.” The very daddy-ish retort.
“Not in this you don’t. Marcus is my concern now. You seem to forget, I don’t take orders from you, right, boss?” She tossed Adrian into the fight with her father.
“Sleeping with him probably isn’t a good idea, actually,” Adrian said, stabbing her in the back.
She glared. “Don’t you start, too. Marcus is fine.”
“Fine when you’re around,” her father corrected.
“I wonder if he’d stay sane if we gave him something with her scent,” Adrian mused aloud.
“Want me to toss him a used pair of panties?” she joked.
“That might be better than a shirt,” Adrian remarked.
“Gross. And no. Jesus, did it ever occur to you that it’s not my smell that is the reason why he acts that way with me?”
“He desires you,” Adrian said, ignoring her father’s growl.
“Yes. He does. He’s a man who wants a woman. And as many other cocky peacocks, displays himself at his best around me.”
“There’s preening and primping, and then there’s grunting and wordy discussions. You are grasping at straws. He needs you to function.”
Her lips compressed. The idea of being needed flattered and frightened at once. She didn’t want someone depending on her to exist.
“I’m sure there’s a logical explanation.”
“He’s your mate.” Adrian was the one who dared to say it, and in its wake deep silence, then protests.
“Like fuck,” she sn
apped.
“The mate thing, it’s a myth,” her father argued.
Adrian, having tossed the bomb, shrugged. “Then how else would you explain it? From the moment she appeared, he’s acted different. And look at you.” Adrian jabbed a finger. “Doing everything you can to free him. Employing your feminine wiles.”
“Don’t you put this on me. You were the one who told me to do anything to snap him out of his funk,” she countered.
“The Jayda we know would have told us to fuck off and left days ago.”
It was hard to refute the truth in those words. “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you thought. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I want to see him fight back the monster because it’s proof it can be done?” She glanced at her father.
“Don’t look at me. I’m fine.”
“For now. But it’s early stages yet, Daddy.”
“I’m not crazy,” her father reiterated.
“You were eating peanut butter this morning.”
“And? It’s a great protein.”
“Out of the jar, with your fingers.” She arched a brow. “A loss of civility can be the first sign.”
“Or maybe I couldn’t find a spoon.”
“Sorry to interrupt what is obviously a father-daughter bonding moment, but if you’re done, we have another problem we need to address.” Adrian laced his fingers as he drew their attention. “Our surveillance footage shows someone sent a drone into the valley this afternoon.”
“What?” She straightened, boots hitting the floor as she leaned forward.
“Our rooftop sniper took it down, but not before I’m sure it sent back some footage.”
“Have the tech geeks figured out who it belonged to?” she asked, because that would be the first step.
Adrian rolled his shoulders. “Yes and no. The signal fed back to a resort in Banff. No idea which of the guests was spying.”
“Could be innocent,” her father espoused.
“Doubtful,” she snorted. “We are not on the beaten path. Not to mention a drone capable of going a hundred or more miles away from its operator? You know what this means, right?” She directed her question at Adrian.
“Someone is on to us. We’ll have to shift the more obvious part of our operations to another base until the scrutiny lessens,” Adrian stated.
“Moving patients will draw attention. Especially the ones on level six.” Her father shook his head.
“It would be a waste of resources to worry about them. There’s a simpler solution,” Jayda suggested.
Her father pressed his mouth into a flat line. “We haven’t spent all that time studying them so that we can execute them.”
“How about we call it scientific inquiry?” Jayda couldn’t help but be a brat, knowing it would get that tic going in her father’s cheek.
Adrian came to his rescue. “Before we start executing people and wiping computers, let’s ensure we’re not having a knee-jerk reaction. One drone means nothing.”
“True. So why not double down on security for the next little bit. Also, make sure the tech guys are watching the web for conspiracy stories in the media.” She’d handle peeking at the dark web to see if there was anyone asking questions they shouldn’t.
“Given they might try to infiltrate other ways, I’ll tell Lowry we’re on a hiring freeze as well,” Adrian added.
“Speaking of freezing,” her father interjected, “I was supposed to head to Calgary this afternoon then Russia tomorrow. But given circumstances—”
“Don’t even think of cancelling.” Adrian slashed his hand. “I need you there to woo those investors.” Because Daddy had just enough distinction and smooth talking to convince the rich to part with their wealth.
Her father left soon after, still grumbling, but Jayda remained behind.
“I can see your brain moving a mile a minute. Spit it out,” Adrian demanded.
“Contrary to what Daddy thinks, Marcus isn’t a threat. He could have let those projects tear me apart today. Could have hurt me or tried to escape. Instead, he came to my aid.”
“And then you dropped his ass. Again.” Adrian shook his head.
“He’ll be pissed,” she agreed. “But I’m going to wager he doesn’t harm me.”
“Wager with your life?” Adrian’s brow lifted. “You know what your father would say.”
“Daddy’s not here. I am. And if I’m right, you’re going to let me take him outside.”
“Out of the question.” He rapidly shook his head. “We just got him back. It’s too soon. How about you take him to the aquarium instead?” Adrian’s secret room with a view of the underwater world in the lake. “Or go for a daily jog around level six. At least then we can keep him contained.”
“A prisoner,” she corrected. “Which is where you’ve gone wrong with him this entire time. Marcus isn’t crazy or homicidal. He’s depressed.” She held up a hand to forestall his rebuttal. “Before you say anything, I’m going to add his depression isn’t a chemical imbalance. It’s societal in nature.”
“I’m going to have to sound like your father for a second and say you’re not a psychologist, so you can’t exactly give a diagnosis.”
“Maybe not, but I understand him. Unlike you guys, I listened. He thinks he’s got nothing to live for. That existing in a cell, bored, without even a glimpse of the sun, is the best his life can get. Can you imagine how soul crushing that is?”
“We gave him a second chance.”
“But he feels like he’s being punished. Hence why he acts out.”
Adrian drummed his fingers on his desk. “Taking him outside is risky.”
“Only if I’m wrong.”
In the end, Adrian agreed, and as planned, her father departed on his trip.
The helicopter hadn’t even left the ground before Jayda was on level six, opening Marcus’s door and frowning because he still lay on his bed. Slack jawed and snoring.
Damned tranquilizers. She wondered how long they’d take to wear off. Pacing around him, she catalogued his injuries, his chest left bare to better treat him. The round discs with their wires mottled his skin in sharp contrast to the yellowing bruises. As if it had been days since the fight this morning instead of hours.
She leaned over and peeled back an eyelid. No response. She began ripping discs off his body, tearing away hair.
He didn’t flinch.
It annoyed her that he slept.
She straddled him on the bed and seated her mound atop his groin. Found him hard.
Interesting. His underpants kept it tucked flat to his body, which meant she’d not seen it before climbing on top.
But why did he have a hard-on?
She leaned down, the palms of her hands flat on the mattress, framing his head. She stared at him and held herself barely a hairsbreadth from his lips. Her warm breath hit his skin. The core of her pressed hotly against him.
He grew harder.
“You faker,” she whispered against his lips.
He said nothing, but now she knew.
He ignored her!
As if he’d win that game.
She rotated her hips, pushing herself against him, rolling and rubbing, giving herself a delightful friction against is hardness.
Ignoring his mouth, she chose to nibble his jaw. It was a nice jaw. Irresistible really. Furry, too. She alternated nips with rubs of her cheek.
Still rocking on him, she dug her nails into his shoulder before tackling the lobe of his ear. Suck. Bite. Tug. All while her hips moved.
Her breath quickened. Not the easiest way to come, but just being near him gave her that extra edge of excitement.
“Stop it,” he suddenly muttered and then caught her by surprise when he grabbed her, rolled them, somehow not falling off the bed, and lay atop her, eyes blazing.
“Stop what?” she asked with false innocence.
“You don’t get to use me. Not after what you did.”
Legs wrapped around his hips, enc
ouraging his weight, she gave him a lazy smile. “Don’t be mad, kitty. I did it for your own good.” Because the guards would have arrived, seen him lip locked with her, and shot him.
“Yeah, because God forbid, you fuck a monster.”
“Is that why you think I drugged you?” She laughed. “Oh kitty, how little you know. I would love to fuck you, but there are those in the clinic who are against it.”
“Who? I’ll kill them.”
His vehemence pleased. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan to pay them any mind.” She wiggled under him.
“Teasing again? Is this another test? See how blue my balls can get before I lose them?” he growled, and yet, despite his annoyance, he thrust against her, the damned fabric in the way.
“No test, kitty.” She ran her fingers through his blond mane. “And no one is watching. I turned off the camera.” Because she didn’t want anyone to see she might be falling for the lionman.
“Not a bright idea telling me that,” he growled. “I could kill you.”
“You could, but that would be such a waste since I’m here to take you for a walk.”
He froze above her. “So I’m to be executed.”
At his worst-case scenario, she laughed. “Don’t be so doom and gloom. No one is gonna kill you. This is a present because of what you did this morning.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
She patted his cheek. “You are so cute when you lie. We both know you’ve got the hots for me.”
“And if I do?” He thrust against her, a few times in quick succession, and her fingers dug into his shoulders as he applied just the right amount of pressure.
“Don’t stop,” she pled.
“I already told you, no using me.” Abruptly, he rolled off her, and she was left without his weight, and a throbbing crotch.
“Do you really think I need you to please myself?” She caught his gaze, smirked, and then stuck a hand down her pants. The athletic wear stretchy enough to accommodate.
His gaze smoldered. His features turned into granite.
Sexiest thing ever to masturbate to.
She let her finger rub, her hips wiggling on the bed, her hand moving in her pants, drawing his notice.
His nostrils flared, and he heaved in deep breaths. His lips parted, and he exhaled hotly. All of him trembled.