That Girl is Poison

by Milly Taiden

  Xeon sensed Mara close to them. He looked back at Kyro and knew he felt it too. Mara was here, no doubt in his mind. The mate pull drew him in like a magnet. Either their closeness, or Mara’s bond getting stronger, called to them. Xeon had never heard of a shifter finding their mate so soon after the transition. Would her skills be immediate, or would they need to grow to hear them?

  “There are lights and movement upstairs,” Raul whispered. “Just give the word.”

  “I have been ready. Let’s go,” Xeon replied and raced to the front of the manor.

  Everyone else filed in behind him and made their way to the front entrance. Xeon paused, listening for the sounds of anyone coming. Being sure no one waited on the other side of the door, he tried the knob. It wasn’t locked, good. The door creaked when Xeon opened it. Once opened halfway, everyone eased inside.

  Raul pointed up the stairs, but the pull didn’t come from there. Xeon knew Mara had to be somewhere underneath them, maybe in a basement or a wine cellar. He motioned for Raul and Jonah to go upstairs, and he would go with Kyro downstairs. Everyone nodded their agreement, and they went their separate ways.

  Xeon led the way down the hall. He placed his feet close to the baseboards so the floors wouldn’t creak like the door did. Unfortunately, in an old place like this, the floors were bound to squeak a little. He paused after each squeak and listened for someone to come running. Once he was satisfied, he eased down the passage some more. Mara’s pull guided him to where he needed to be. Doors lined the hall. Xeon wasn’t interested in any of them other than the one at the end.

  Kyro eased the door open a crack. A set of stairs led down into darkness. It was either be good or bad for them. They walked down the steps quietly. A light on the steps came on when the motion detector caught their movements. Luckily for them, no one was in the room at the foot of the stairs. Only two doors were in the small room. One to the right of the stairs and one to the left. Xeon let the pull take him to the one on the left.

  Xeon turned the doorknob. He assumed that if the bastard had many prisoners held here, he would want to keep them under lock and key. No one screamed out when he eased the door open. The only light in the darkroom came from a few fixtures on the wall that gave off a dim glow.

  Their eyes adjusted quickly, thanks to their wolves. Cages lined each side of the room. Some of them had shifters lying in them. Mara hunched over in the back corner of a cage with someone in the cage next to her. Xeon wanted to call out to her, but he couldn’t risk the other shifters making loud noises.

  Suddenly, arms wrapped around them both. Xeon was so distracted by the mere sight of Mara that he hadn’t sensed danger already in the room with them. The lights flicked on, and the room flooded in bright fluorescent lights. The sudden lights temporarily blinded them. Xeon blinked a few times to get his bearings. Mara glanced back at them briefly. Blood dripped from her lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Suddenly conscious of what she’d done, she bowed her head.

  “I need more.” Mara’s voice was barely recognizable, and she went back to her blood dinner. “I’m sorry Trina. Are you okay?”

  Xeon barely recognized his sister leaning against the bars. Trina was Mara’s bloody meal. Suddenly, he felt a sharp jab in his left arm. He threw his arm out, knocking the hypodermic needle out of Dr. Phenix’s hand. He recognized the scent of the man who held him. It was Sheriff Langley.

  “Glad you could make it,” Xeon told Langley through gritted teeth.

  “Bastard!” Kyro hollered out. He kicked his foot at the doctor’s assistant. The assistant stumbled backward, the needle still in his hand.

  “Hold them still,” the doctor called out when he grabbed the needle off the floor.

  Shots rang out upstairs. Hopefully, Raul would be able to take out one or two of the guards. Xeon felt the effects of the drugs they gave him. At least, he didn’t get a full dose, and he could still function. He head-butted the Sheriff causing him to stumble back. Kyro kicked the assistant in the chest. With a thud, the man fell hard on his ass.

  When the doctor came at Xeon again with the needle, he kicked the needle from his hand. It flew into the air and down into one of the cages with the hyena shifter. The hyena laughed with a chattering voice. Xeon spun around and punched the Sheriff. The force of the blow hadn’t been as hard as he had expected. The drugs had taken hold, not enough to knock him out, but enough to make him sway on his feet.

  Kyro head-butted the security guard, but the guard didn’t go too far. They were both comparable in size. By the smell of him, the guard was also a shifter. Why would a shifter help the doctor experiment on other shifters? Kyro broke free when the guard went for his gun. His beta grabbed hold of the guard’s wrist and smacked it against the iron bars of a cage. A shot rang out, and a bullet ricocheted off the bars.

  Mara slowly stood from her spot in the corner of the room. Xeon couldn’t take his eyes off her. He heard her scream in his head, but nothing came from her mouth. She was pissed. Her eyes no longer glowed amber. Instead, they were pure black. Her fingers elongated, her nails razor sharp. She slowly made her way to the cage door. Black tendrils of darkness wrapped around her arms, completely covering them. The stringy tar-like substance framed her face. With a quick swipe of her nails, the hospital gown she wore fell to the ground.

  The blackness didn’t stop its migration over her body. It slowly covered her legs, like, skin-tight leather thigh-high boots. It caressed her body like fine lingerie, leaving nothing to the imagination. It cupped her breasts as he’d done not long ago. Mara stared at them. With a quick shove at the cage door, the door flew off easily, hitting the cage across from her. A bullet whizzed by her from the guard’s gun. She didn’t flinch.

  The doctor’s assistant scrambled around on the ground for the needle he’d dropped. When he stood, he was in Mara’s direct path. His eyes widened when she reached back and backhanded him across the room. He hit the wall with enough force to crack his skull, causing blood to immediately pool around his head.

  While everyone’s eyes were on her, the Sheriff pulled out his gun and fired at Mara. The bullet barely missed her. Xeon didn’t know it would do any damage even if it did hit her. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her black eyes at the Sheriff. Xeon hit the gun out of the Sheriff’s hand, so there was no chance he could shoot her.

  Langley tried to fight to get to his gun. Xeon punched him hard. His aim being spot on this time. The Sheriff spun around into Mara’s path. She grinned at the Sheriff, and with a quick movement, she extended her hand. Her nails pierced his chest. The Sheriff gasped for air when she twisted her hand and ripped his beating heart free of his body.

  “Now, you really are a heartless bastard.” Her voice deepened with her mood. His lifeless body dropped to the ground in a heap. Everyone froze and stared at her in amazement.

  “Beautiful,” Dr. Phenix said in awe. “Look at you. I did that. Isn’t it remarkable? You’re my most exquisite creation.”

  “I should thank you, shouldn’t I?” She grinned at the doctor.

  The guard stepped back along with Xeon and Kyro. Xeon didn’t know what she was going to do next, but he knew it wouldn’t be good. She needed this. She needed her revenge and justice for the others. Xeon wouldn’t stand in her way.

  “Have at him, sweetheart,” Xeon told her in his mind.

  This time there was no static. It was a clear channel between them. Mara smiled at Xeon. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Even if she was a badass demon at the moment.

  “I should showcase you. We could make millions.” The doctor’s charming smile wouldn’t get him anywhere with Mara.

  “I have a better idea. I just need some blood.” Mara stared at the doctor’s neck.

  “I have plenty of blood upstairs. I have the DNA of several shifter species. We can make you a goddess,” Dr. Phenix said with an excited look on his face. He quickly took a large step back, watching Mara move toward him.


  “I know where to get the blood.” She held her hand up and looked at her bloody fingers. She licked the blood from her index finger, keeping her eyes on the man in front of her.

  “Where?” Dr. Phenix gulped.

  “Right here.” She smiled and swiped her long, pointed nails across his throat.

  Her talon-like nails sliced into his neck, cutting the artery in half. Blood sprayed from his neck in forceful bursts. Dr. Phenix grabbed his neck and fell backward. His skin paled while the blood pumped from his body. She glared down at his lifeless form. Xeon heard her in his head. Well, that felt good, her other beings said together.

  “How’s that for blood work?” Mara kicked his lifeless body when she walked past him. She cocked her head to the side and turned her attention to the guard. “Now, what to do with you.”

  The guard threw his hand into the air, signaling his surrender.

  “I swear, I wasn’t involved in this,” the guard pleaded.

  Mara arched her brow. Xeon couldn’t wait to hear his reasoning on this one. He was here and helped the doctor, so how could he not be involved.

  “I happened to be one of Dr. Phenix’s first test subjects. He promised me freedom if I became a guard in exchange for what he did to me.”

  “What did he do to you?” Kyro asked from behind him.

  “I used to be a hyena shifter. I didn’t like being a hyena. I went out drinking one night and got to talking with the doctor. He asked if I could be anything, what would I be. I always had a thing about gorillas. They’re massive and strong. I thought we were talking hypothetically. The next day I got pulled over by the Sheriff and ended up on a hospital bed.”

  “How long ago was that?” Xeon asked him.

  “Three months.”

  “What’s your name?” Mara asked.

  “Channing Hawthorne.” The man swallowed hard.

  “The only reason you’re still alive is because he trapped you into this. I’ll keep tabs on you, Channing Hawthorne. If I find you have been trying to duplicate the bad doctor’s work, I’ll hunt you down and finish you without a word.” Mara narrowed her eyes at him.

  “I promise, I won’t try any of that crazy shit,” Channing assured her.

  “Good, now where does the doctor keep his records and notes?” she asked, stepping closer to Channing.

  “Everything of his, is in an office upstairs on the right. There are more people upstairs,” Channing told them.

  Mara jerked her head around to look at Xeon. “Raveena.”

  “It’s okay. Raul is up there now. By the lack of people running down here, I can only assume he finished his job. Are you okay?” Xeon took a step closer to her.

  “I am now. Let’s get everyone out of here and go home,” Mara said. It sounded like the perfect idea to him.

  Xeon pulled Mara to him and pressed his lips against hers. He wrapped his arms around her, glad to have her back where she belonged. Kyro came up next to them. Xeon released Mara so she could go to her other mate. With her in his arms, he was willing to share her with Kyro. He knew now that she would be too much for just one man to handle.

  While Kyro comforted Mara, Xeon walked past the cages. Trina lay in the cage next to Mara’s. She’d been the one to offer her blood to his mate. She still lay on the ground at the back of the cage.

  “Trina, are you okay?”

  “I haven’t missed the Halloween bash have I?” She smiled at her big brother. “I’ll be fine.” Her voice broke. “Did she do it? I tried to make her strong enough.”

  “Oh yeah. She’s strong all right.” Xeon looked back at Mara. “I’m so proud of you sis, you did help, a lot, apparently.” He paused. “She’s something to behold.” Pride coursed through him, thinking of what Mara and Trina had to overcome, how they did whatever they had to.

  “Man, I didn’t want to miss it. I couldn’t help it, though. She needed more blood.” Trina’s disappointment was etched on her face.

  “Thank you for helping her. I wish it didn’t come at such a cost to you.” Xeon could see how weak she was.

  “I need a hot bubble bath and a good, thick, juicy, rare steak. That should make it all better.” Trina smiled. “Now, please get me the hell out of this cage.”

  “I need to find the keys. Give me a minute.” Xeon walked over to the doctor’s body.

  If anyone had a key, it would be him. By the time he found the keys in the doctor’s bloody pocket, a loud crash sounded behind him, causing him to jump. Mara had gone to Trina’s cage and ripped the door off. Mara looked around the room.

  “Hey, Channing, you want some karma points?” Mara called out.

  “What do you need?” he asked, still not stepping close to her.

  “I need some bags of blood. Dr. Phenix must have had some around here somewhere.”

  “Sure, I think there’s some in a refrigerator in his office.” Channing turned toward the door to leave.

  “I need at least three,” she said before he walked out.

  “I think you’ve had enough blood for now,” Xeon commented. If she drank more, she would probably tear the whole manor down.

  “It’s not for me.” She broke the doors free on all the cages except for the one in the back.

  Every shifter came out of their cages. Each one stayed in animal form. The hyena came over and stood in front of Xeon. Trina explained to them that the hyena was their pack mate, Benny. She went through the other shifters, explaining who they were then and now.

  “Why haven’t they shifted back like you?” Kyro asked her.

  “They will, it just takes time. The medicine affects us all differently.”

  “Hey, look who I found.” Raul came into the basement with Raveena right behind him. “Alex is upstairs. Said he didn’t want to come down in the basement again.”

  “I don’t blame him,” Trina said.

  “Kyro, will you take all the shifters outside? I think the cool air will do them good.” Mara turned to Xeon.

  Channing came back in with three bags of blood. Xeon watched Mara take the blood to the man lying on the floor of the last cage. Xeon immediately knew the man had to be a vampire. He’d been deprived of blood in order to keep him weak and under control. He thanked Mara for the blood and took all three packets. Once he’d downed a bag and a half, Mara pulled the door of the cage. It took her two tries to get the door off. Her strength must’ve been dwindling.

  “Here, let me help you up.” Xeon held his hand out for the weakened vampire.

  They escorted the vamp out. Mara whispered to Xeon that she still needed to do something inside the manor. She kissed his cheek and ran back inside. Xeon waited for her in the front yard.

  “What’s she doing?” Kyro asked, and clapped Xeon on the shoulder.

  “I’m not sure. If I had to guess, I would say she’s going through the doctor’s office. How’s everyone else doing?” he asked Kyro.

  “We have the alphas coming from each pack. For the time being, everyone is going home to their original packs. Later they can decide what’s best for them, whether it be a new pack or staying with their original ones,” Kyro said.

  Five minutes later, they heard crackling noises. Flames rose from the second story. Smoke drifted from every crack near the ground. When the flames grew in the first story, Xeon panicked.

  “Should we go get her?” Kyro asked.

  Getting nervous, they headed for the mansion. They took only a couple of steps when Mara walked out the front door, a stack of file folders in her arms. Flames behind her silhouetted her body, a picture to behold. She had a determined attitude, which Xeon admired. He admired everything about her. The fact that she could take charge in a time that should have broken her impressed them both. She proved she had the strength and worth of a leader. She was his equal.

  “What do you have there?” Kyro asked when she drew near.

  “Patient records,” she said. “These people deserve to know what that son of a bitch did to them. It will also help the
ir packs medical teams understand what is going on with them.”

  “And the fire?” Xeon asked then cocked one of his eyebrows.

  “I wanted to destroy every bit of his work. No one should be able to duplicate that dangerous serum. I’ll keep an eye on Channing to make sure he stays on the straight and narrow.” She pulled the folders close to her chest and crossed her arms.

  “I don’t think you will have any trouble out of him. Are you ready to go home?” Xeon wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

  “I’m more than ready.” She nodded.

  “The others are waiting for their rides by the SUV,” Kyro informed them.

  “Thank you for finding us.” Mara looked back and forth between them. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “You say that, but it looked like you had everything covered just fine,” Xeon admitted with a smile. He loved a strong woman that could take care of herself.

  “I’m ready to go home. Your nice soft bed is calling my name.” Mara gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

  There had been nothing he wanted more than to get Mara in his bed again. If Kyro could be nice, he may even let him stay too. Mara sleeping between them would fulfill him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  On the walk to the SUV, Mara’s demonic side settled. The demonic tendrils unraveled from her body. Her anger lightened the more the blackness absorbed into her. Xeon and Kyro stopped her and looked her over, taking in every inch of her naked body.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Xeon asked her.

  “I’m fine. Still on a little blood high.” She giggled then continued on the walk to the SUV. Kyro pulled his shirt off and slipped it over her head. Xeon held the patient files while she put her arms in the sleeves.

  “How did you come about drinking from my sister?” Xeon asked her.

  “Yeah, sorry about that. In my defense, Trina did insist on it. I wasn’t strong enough to get out. My vampire needed blood. I told Trina what they were saying in my head. If there had been even the slightest chance that we could have escaped, then we were going to take it,” Mara explained.