Embracing Carly

by Tianna Xander

  Leaning down, she picked up a book they’d provided to help her pass the time from the stand next to the bed and threw it at the glass. It didn’t do more than make a muffled thud against the clear partition before it fell harmlessly to the floor. Hell, she didn’t even feel any better.

  Since there was nothing much to do, Carly picked up her bed, noticing that it didn’t seem to weigh as much as it seemed it should. Did this werewolf thing strengthen her? If it did, that could come in handy if Robert ever showed his ugly face again. It was something she would have to check out when she got out of here. If she ever got out of here.

  After making the bed, she sat on the edge of the mattress and stared through the glass, wondering at the implications of what she saw.

  Had Kyle and Sasha brought help? Were they more than they seemed, after all? She wondered if they were outside this facility fighting to get to them even now. Would they have to fight, or would just the fact that they had the law on their side be enough? The police would love to know about these people and their kidnapping practices.

  She bit her lip. How could she tell anyone what had happened here? If she went to the authorities, they would want her to have a physical. What would her bloodwork look like now?

  Refusing to think about it, Carly returned her thoughts to the missing personnel puzzle before her. Perhaps everyone had left because there was a rescue team outside coming to get them all. God, she hoped so. What would she give to see Bastien’s face again, or any friendly face?

  The implications of what had happened to her sank in. She was no longer normal. She wasn’t fully human anymore. Any dreams she harbored about a relationship with Bastien were no longer possible. Tears slid down her face as the repercussions of the last few days made themselves clear.

  How could she get married and have children now? Could she even have children, or would she have puppies? “Oh, my God!” She fell to her knees at the thought.

  After the way Robert had treated her, it surprised Carly that it was even an issue now. She had a long time to think here, and a long time to come to terms with what she wanted from life. Now she knew she wanted Bastien. And now she could never have him.

  A movement through the glass caught her attention. She brought her head up and stared through the window at several men and women dressed totally in black with large guns held to their shoulders.

  They moved slowly and, she guessed, silently through the compound, giving hand signals to one another as they checked the outer rooms of the facility.

  Apparently, they had found the area clear and, using someone’s keycard, they opened the doors to the cells. “Are you alright, Ma’am?” a soldier asked as he entered her room. “I’m looking for a Ms. Charlene McGowen. Would that be you?”

  Carly nodded, “Yes, I’m Charlene McGowen. How did you know I was here?”

  The man just smiled and shook his head. “Ma’am, remind me not to get you riled at me. You have some pretty influential friends.”

  “Carly!”

  Carly almost collapsed when she heard Bastien’s voice. The relief she felt when he walked through the door was almost overwhelming. She fell into his open arms, sobbing into the crook of his neck.

  “You won’t believe the things happening in this place, Bastien,” she sobbed, her words muffled against his throat. You won’t believe the things they’ve done to me! Carly screamed the words to herself. How could she tell him what had happened? She couldn’t bear to see the revulsion on his face when he found out she wasn’t totally human anymore.

  Bastien turned to the soldier who had first entered her room. “Get everyone out of here, Luke, and then blow this Godforsaken place straight to hell.”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Sinclair,” Luke said, saluting Bastien with an air of sarcasm. He made an abrupt about face and barked orders at the others.

  Turning his attention back to her, Bastien removed his jacket and wrapped it around her. The poorly fitting hospital gown Carly wore did little to cover her backside.

  The madmen who ran this place hadn’t even seen fit to give her underwear to protect her modesty. At least the coat fell almost to her knees.

  Bastien looked out through the glass partition, staring at the computer banks with a scowl. “Who is behind this operation and how high in the government does it go?” His eyes raked the equipment. “At least half of this equipment is Government Issue. I know that, because my company designed at least fifty percent of these electronics specifically for government applications. Someone has a lot of explaining to do.”

  Bastien wrapped his arm around Carly, and fitting her under his shoulder, he led her from the bunker.

  Carly pulled Bastien’s jacket firmly around herself, settling into the comfortable warmth. Why hadn’t she noticed how good he smelled before? It was a cross between pine and citrus, mixed with his own unique scent. Was she noticing it now because of her new abilities?

  She refused to call herself a werewolf. She didn’t run around like a mad dog, ripping things apart uncontrollably after she changed.

  It had been a shock to realize she felt more like a regular dog than anything else. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. It didn’t matter what those lunatics shot her up with. She was a human being, dammit, not some candidate for a throw rug!

  Bastien’s hand tightened on her shoulder and he turned to study her face. “Are you okay?”

  She pressed her lips together and nodded.

  “There’s nothing you want to talk about?”

  He wore a worried expression that nearly undid her. She wanted to scream out the atrocities she’d witnessed here. The horrible events those monsters had forced her to be a part of, yet she couldn’t. How could she when she knew that whatever she said would end her relationship with Bastien? He was the epitome of normal and she... she was just plain weird.

  Carly blinked back her tears and shook her head again. She didn’t trust herself to speak. What if she just spat out the whole sordid ordeal? What would he do?

  It was more than likely that he would run from her, screaming. Frankly, she wouldn’t blame him if he did. Lord knows, she would have done the same a week ago. Logic told her he would find out eventually because she had no control over when she changed. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him. Not yet.

  Hell, she didn’t even know what had brought the change on. What if her genetically altered body turned into a wolf in front of him? She bit back a hysterical giggle. What if she shifted at the grocery store while doing her weekly shopping? She could hear it now.

  Cleanup, aisle three, dog drool near the donuts.

  They brought Malcolm from a room and he trotted up to Carly as fast as his injury would allow. His tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth and he pushed his head under her hand for a pat. You cannot hide what you are forever, daughter. Eventually the truth will have to come out.

  Carly shot him a sharp look. Daughter? That’s the second time you’ve called me that. Why? Her eyes narrowed. Did you know what they had planned all along? Did you help them with it?

  Malcolm looked her in the eyes. I believe it was my blood they used to change you. I apologize for not being strong enough to stop them.

  She was near hysterics. Her eyes darted around, and she almost broke down. I have gone mad. I’ve bought into some insane mass hallucination!

  Taking a deep breath, Carly calmed herself before she had a nervous breakdown. She allowed Bastien to lead her from the facility as she was still dressed in nothing more than a too big hospital gown and his jacket.

  Tucked beneath his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her, she felt safe. Safer than she had ever felt in her adult life. Somehow, she knew Bastien would never hurt her. In fact, his actions today proved he wouldn’t allow anyone else to hurt her either. Not if he could help it. When had their relationship turned into something other than the employer, employee relationship that it was supposed to be?

  Did it matter? She thought back to when Bastien had arri
ved in the facility. Everyone had shown him the respect usually reserved for very influential people. Who was he, really? He wasn’t the veterinarian she had originally thought him. Who was he that his business sold equipment to the government and why did he wear the mantle of power so well?

  Carly gave a mental shrug. It didn’t matter. What really mattered was that he had come for her after she had given up hope for herself. Bastien had cared enough to come for her. That knowledge touched her in a place deep inside that she previously thought invulnerable to a man’s lure. She stumbled when they reached the outer edges of the compound as sharp stones cut into her feet.

  “Let me carry you,” Bastien said, and easily swung her up into his arms. “I’m sorry for not realizing you weren’t wearing anything on your feet. I was too intent on getting you out of that damned place.”

  Carly remained silent. She was having trouble keeping her horror at bay and was afraid if she said much, the screams might come, and she would never make them stop. Resting her head on Bastien’s shoulder, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She nestled her face into the crook of his neck and inhaled the spicy scent she would forever associate with him.

  “I’m going to set you down for a minute,” he told her gently, setting her on her feet. He reached around and opened the door of a black sport utility that she had never seen before.

  He helped her climb into the SUV and fastened the seatbelt around her. “There you go, let’s get you home, now.”

  “Home.” Tears filled Carly’s eyes and she turned to stare out through the window.

  Would she ever truly have a home again? She couldn’t stay with Bastien at his house anymore. That crazy doctor would know where to find her. Nothing could convince her those lunatics wouldn’t try to recover their test subjects. She was worth too much to them now that they’d given her their serum.

  Bastien made a face. “Unfortunately, it won’t be the home you’re accustomed to. They would know where to find you again.”

  Her teeth chattered as shock set in. She stared through the windshield while Bastien backed from the clearing, only mildly surprised to see there was no building in sight. She had paid no attention to where he was taking her.

  As Bastien steered the truck down a narrow dirt track, a muscle jumped in his jaw when the sound of a large explosion rent the air behind them.

  Carly leaned down to peer through the side mirror. Dirt and debris floated on the air and smoke filled the surrounding area.

  “They can never take you back there, baby. You never have to worry about going back to that place.”

  Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. No, she didn’t have to worry about going back to that place. She wondered how many more labs those people had. They liked to think of themselves as scientists, but to Carly, they were the monsters.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Thank you.”

  Bastien glanced over at Carly. “For what?”

  “For—” She cleared her throat. “Thank you for coming for me and for caring enough to get me out of there.”

  Taking his right hand from the wheel, he reached over to squeeze her hand. “I did it because I think—” He stopped talking, turned from her to peer through the driver’s window, then swallowed thickly. “I think I should get you home.” Bastien shook his head and cursed to himself.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “What are you sorry about?” he asked absently as he turned right onto the deserted highway.

  “I’m sorry you had to come get me. I didn’t mean for you to have to come to my rescue.”

  He sighed. “Stop apologizing for everything, Carly. I am not like Robert. Nor will I ever be. I do not need someone to take the blame for my shortcomings. I lay blame where the true fault lies, even if the fault lies with me. You are not now, nor will you ever be my scapegoat.”

  Carly swiped at her tears.

  Bastien glanced over to her. She looked so dejected, as if she didn’t have a friend in the world. Perhaps that was what she thought, but he knew better, and he would prove it to her. Reaching into his left jacket pocket, he pulled out a small package of tissues. Since he’d brought them for her, she might as well use them.

  “Here, take these.” He glanced toward her and smiled. “In case you need them.”

  Carly took them, removed one from the package and blew her nose. “In case I need them? I think I’m going to need a few more packages. How many did you bring?”

  He chuckled, “Just the one. We can stop and get more if you really need them.”

  “I—I can’t stay with you anymore, Bastien. I don’t want to put you in any danger.”

  He pulled off the highway onto an exit, keeping his eyes on the road, not daring to look at her. If he wasn’t careful, he would blurt out his feelings for her and she’d run from him.

  Because, when he finally admitted his feelings for her, he was also going to tell her his secret. He could not, in good conscience, have a relationship with her and not tell her what he was. He respected her too much for that.

  “Let me worry about what’s best for me, Carly. Right now, I want to worry about what’s best for you.” He looked at her and shook his head. “And right now, what’s best for you isn’t leaving me because you’re afraid of what may or may not happen.” He drove into a hotel parking lot. Parking in front of the office, he got out to register.

  Bastien couldn’t stop looking out through the glass door while he registered. He needed to get Carly into a room before she lost it. It was obvious she was in shock. It was only a matter of time before the dam broke.

  Registered and key in hand, he practically ran back out to the car. She jumped when he opened the door and reached in to release her seatbelt.

  “The room is right here, in front of the truck, baby. Let’s get you inside.”

  Carly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Turning in the seat, she placed her bare feet on the ground and Bastien frowned.

  “Let me carry you.”

  She didn’t argue when he reached in and picked her up. Her feet were probably sore, and she didn’t look as though she had enough energy to stand up on her own, let alone walk the distance to the motel room.

  Bastien carried her through the door and set her on the king-sized bed.

  “It was the only thing available, Carly. I can sleep on the floor, but I won’t leave you alone until I’m sure you’re safe.” He looked back toward the door. “I’m just going to get our things from the truck. I’ll be right back.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead before he left.

  He needed to call Luke and he didn’t want her to overhear any of what he had to say. She’d been through enough already.

  Bastien stood next to the SUV, holding his phone to his ear. “I don’t give a shit what you found in the records, Luke. Destroy them.”

  Luke sighed on the other end of the line. “You’re going to want to hear this, Cuz.”

  “I doubt it. There isn’t a damn thing in those records that could tell me anything I don’t already know about our species. I just want them destroyed. We can’t allow anyone to find evidence that our kind really exists.”

  “Dammit, Bastien, listen to me! Those so-called scientists experimented on her.”

  Bastien’s eyes widened, his hand tightening on the phone. “They did what?”

  “Those assholes made a serum from another were’s blood and injected her with it. Then they used her as a fucking Guinea pig. By what the records say, they were trying to turn her.”

  “Did they—” Bastien took a deep breath and raked his fingers through his hair. “Did they succeed?” He closed his eyes, remembering her terrified inner screams. Did he really want to know?

  “They weren’t certain,” Luke said, chuckling. “She ripped her bed apart and crawled under the sheet. Apparently, she used it as a tent until they left. No one saw her change. However, they suspected that she did.” He got quiet for a minute before he continued. “Bastien,” his voice had g
rown softer. “The bastards recorded her screams. At one point, her pain, her discomfort, became so horrible for her she begged them to shoot her.”

  “Sonofabitch!” Bastien fisted his hand and drove it into the side of the truck, leaving a good-sized dent above the left rear tire. “I thought she smelled different. But I just attributed it to her exposure to the others.”

  Luke cleared his throat. “You know, she could be one of us now.”

  “Damn, you’re right. I had better get back into the room. I’ve left her alone in there for about ten minutes now.”

  Bastien disconnected and stuck his phone back into his pocket. Opening the truck’s back door, he reached in and grabbed their luggage.

  No wonder she had been so horrified. Had she already changed? Was that why she was so frightened? She wouldn’t know how to control it. When his kind first entered the changing cycles, it was nearly impossible to control when or how often they shifted.

  One minute you were human, the next you were whatever your animal self was, whether it was a wolf, lion or bear. Hell, a few of them with mixed blood could turn into almost anything. He carried their bags into the room. Carly was nowhere in sight. He saw the bathroom door closed, which was a good sign. Maybe she was taking a bath.

  Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses. They still were nowhere near as good as they should be, yet they were improving now that he had been shifting more often.

  She was upset and her soft cries were ripping his heart out. He should have gone for her sooner, and he never should have left her alone in the room.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Bastien sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands when Carly finally left the bathroom. She bit her lip. Were his shoulders really shaking or was it her imagination? He couldn’t be that upset. No one cared enough to cry over someone’s poor treatment of her.

  She quelled the thought that they had subjected her to something much worse than poor treatment. Still, he had no way of knowing that.