by Sarah Noffke
“I think she’s saying we’re awesome,” Rox said, slapping Zephyr’s bicep.
“You have a faulty understanding of the English language. No shocker there, American idiot,” Adelaide said. “You got the job done. That’s all. You didn’t exceed standards. You don’t get a raise. Actually, you just get to stick around until an STD disables you.”
“I think we proved that working together is the key,” Zephyr said, turning and facing Rio. “You were great in the field. And without Connor’s input, we might have worn ourselves out or gotten seriously hurt before we realized Wolf X’s weakness.”
“What about me and my amazingness?” Rox said.
“I didn’t even notice you were there,” Zephyr said with a slight smile and a wink. Adelaide knew from the debriefing that Rox had been useful at getting the werewolves into the airport, keeping them under control, and then also getting Connor out. She was like an adopted member of the pack and unfortunately that was exactly what Adelaide needed from her.
“All right, you three rest up. I’m going to go use my brain to determine our next steps,” Adelaide said, rising from her seat. “I realize that none of you know what a brain is or how to bloody use it, but I’ll be working with Aiden to see about inventing something to make you all less daft.”
“I think she secretly likes us,” Zephyr said, when Adelaide left the room.
Rio slapped him on the shoulder on his way out of the room. “I think she’s soulless, but I also kind of think she’s cute, like a menacing little leprechaun girl,” he said.
“So thanks for getting Connor out of there so efficiently,” Zephyr said, turning toward Rox.
“It appears my job is mostly to drag werewolves out of places so you can kick ass,” Rox said, her tone serious. She hadn’t felt the same since returning to the Institute, but didn’t really know why. Something had shifted in her when at the airport.
“Your job is to have my back, which you’ve done each time we’ve been out there,” Zephyr said, pointing at the wall, but meaning the world.
Was he being nice to her? He always seemed more endeared to her immediately after a battle, but otherwise he was mostly ambivalent to her presence. Maybe that’s what had Rox down. She knew that she and Zephyr were a good match, but was getting tired of playing his game. He was so distant and yet, his looks at her seemed to be begging for attention. She pulled her gaze down to her paisley fingernails, freshly covered in a wrap.
“My job is working for the Institute,” she said. “Don’t confuse this as a buddy operation.”
He tilted his chin to the side. “I wouldn’t call you my buddy.”
“No, we’re not fuck buddies?” she said, saying the question that had been plaguing her. And what did she care if they were? Why did it matter? She was an FBI agent who would return to her role when this werewolf case was over. Everything would go back to how it was. She’d return to one-night stands and building her savings accounts so she could buy her cottage on the top of a mountain in Southern California, or maybe it would be some place more remote like Oregon.
“I don’t really like that term. I think that what we have going on deserves to be referred to more respectfully,” Zephyr said.
“When have you ever showed me much respect?” Rox said, pushing to a standing position. “Just let me do my job and I’ll leave you alone going forward.”
Zephyr reached out, using a speed that he owned due to the wolf. His fingers wrapped around Rox’s waist and he pulled her toward him. The smell unique to him swathed Rox and she knew she was a goner. It was always this way with Zephyr. It was the reason she was trying to push him away, to guard herself. His other hand came around her neck, encouraging her down, and he didn’t have to work hard. Automatically her mouth sank into his and she kissed him, hard at first, before the act turned into slow presses of her lips against his. Then his tongue caressed her bottom lip and she moaned softly against his mouth. It was then she realized that if this relationship progressed further, she’d be powerless to him. Her heart would finally be owned and that was absolutely the most horrendous thing she could consider and also the one thing she’d longed for all her life.
Chapter Forty-Two
“Clay Morris – Age: Thirty. Height: Five foot, nine inches. Weight: One hundred sixty-five pounds. Hair: Brown. Eyes: Green. Ethnicity: White. Employment: Government contractor. Skill: Unclassified. Rank: Unknown.”
- Lucidite Institute, Werewolf Project File
Adelaide was tired of this shit. Most of the time that she visited, Connor was in the infirmary. He was either starving, recovering from an overdose, or healing after a surgery. He probably should be grateful that the Lucidite medical staff were the best in the world and had easily saved his life and repaired his organs damaged from the attack by Wolf X. He should hope that he was still sedated by drugs so he didn’t have to deal with her. However, she knew from talking to Dr. Parker that Connor was sitting up and taking liquids, even though it had only been a day since his surgery. He’d have scars, but that was something that Connor should be used to.
He pulled his head up with a slow grace, away from the book he’d been reading, when she entered. She’d had a bundle of books delivered to keep him company. Most would have seen that as a considerate act, but those idiots would be wrong.
“Oh look, it’s the girl who thoughtfully had every religious textbook delivered for my reading enjoyment,” he said, a smile in his voice. Connor picked up the book next to his legs covered in blankets. “The Koran, great choice.” Then he pointed to the stack beside his bed. “The Bible, Bhagavad Gita, and Tanakh. I never took you as the religious type.”
“I thought I’d offer you ways to save your soul,” Adelaide said, looking Connor over. He was full of color, probably due to the many vitamin boosts the healers had offered him. The Lucidites had medicines and supplements that could do astonishing things.
Connor released a small laugh, pressing his hand to his side as he did, probably to guard his injury. “That was kind of you, but I’m guessing that book of yours has more ways to save myself than any of these books,” he said, flicking his hand at the religious texts.
“You’re probably right. If my hunch is correct, my father died and figured out how to save his soul at the same time,” Adelaide said, biting down on her lip, her eyes suddenly distant.
“What is it?” Connor said.
Adelaide didn’t look at him, didn’t much think she could. “What do you mean?”
“You got this look on your face just now,” he said.
“Oh, do most people smile when they speak about their dead father?” she said, wishing the conversation didn’t always turn like this with Connor. He constantly seemed to have her talking about Ren or things that were too personal, like her own addictions and shortcomings.
“No, but most also don’t look as removed about the whole thing like you. It’s like it didn’t happen to you. Like you’re recalling someone else’s memory,” he said.
“That’s ridiculous and doesn’t sound as poetic as you’re trying to make it,” she said.
“But it sounds a little poetic,” he teased.
“You’re in high spirits for someone who was attacked by a super werewolf,” she said. “I told them you shouldn’t get any painkillers or sedatives.”
“That was thoughtful of you. The pain after surgery was pretty horrific, but I’m pretending you did it out of love and the hope that I didn’t regress into addiction again,” he said.
“I did it because I wanted you to suffer,” Adelaide said. She paused, staring straight at him, angry and also strangely endeared to the guy before her. And she was only mad because he’d left when he said he wouldn’t. “You promised,” she said and then nothing else. He would know what she was referring to.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Connor said, leaning back, covering his forehead with the back of his arm. Now without the usual garment obscuring his neck she noticed the tat
too that was always hidden. It was a flower. A hibiscus. Red and green and quite beautiful. “I had to leave. I just had to do something. I needed to be a part of the change.”
“So you went and got yourself speared by a werewolf. Good call. Way to be a real change agent,” she said. But she understood. It was hard sitting on the sidelines. And she’d noticed that Connor had taken a more prideful stance since he returned from his drug vacation.
“I thought that since I didn’t have anything to lose, that I stood the best chance of taking Wolf X down. Even if I died doing it, what did it really matter?” he said, no pity in his voice.
She’d felt that way before too. However, Connor misunderstood his purpose. Again, her father was right. He’d said in his book that loners were in the best position to do something great, not having the responsibility to lead. That’s what Ren had done. He’d left this world in order to find immortality and was able to do that because he was a loner, with no obligation to anyone, much like Connor. She hadn’t connected this before and resented slightly that the guy before her was what triggered the revelation.
“Well, do me a favor and stop pissing me off by running away from the Institute. If you keep pulling shit like this then I’m going to seriously hurt you,” Adelaide said.
“Don’t worry. I won’t. I know my promises mean nothing to you. But making you pissed does hurt me,” he said.
She pulled her eyes to the far side of the infirmary, as far from Connor as possible. “Yeah, well,” she said and then nothing else.
“So, I’d much rather read your book than any of this garbage,” Connor said, indicating the religious textbooks.
“Those are ancient texts that hold a great deal of culture and knowledge. They don’t have to be true or right for us to appreciate them,” she said, looking at him with offense.
“I thought that statement might get your attention back on me,” he said, with a sly smile.
She shook her head, trying to dismiss his playfulness. People didn’t play with Adelaide. Usually they kept interactions brief and skirted her gaze. “And unfortunately I can’t let you read my book since it’s gone,” she said and felt a strange hiccup in her words. It was the first time she’d admitted this to anyone and the admission made her throat ache.
“What? Where did it go?” he said.
Adelaide shrugged, thinking the gesture might be accompanied by tears. That would be the most awful possible thing in the world. To cry in front of Connor. “It just disappeared. I have no idea. But it was the only thing my father left to me. He said that he trusted it to no one but me and I’ve lost it, like a bloody loser,” she said.
“Fuck, that sucks,” Connor said, cupping the side of his neck with his hand, covering his tattoo. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re destroyed over this.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty much the worst thing ever,” she said, her voice dead. “Especially since I’m pretty certain the way to find him is in that book, I just haven’t worked it out yet.”
“No, really? So he’s not dead? I kept thinking that was a joke,” Connor said.
“He’s neither dead nor alive, I believe. If what I’ve read in the book is true, then he’s in the in-between,” Adelaide said, realizing that would make no sense to most.
“Hmmm,” Connor mused. “So he’s like living in the dreamscape, the place we go when we dream travel?”
She snapped her head up and stared at him. “Yeah, that’s exactly where I think he is. However, he figured out a way to stay there permanently without a body in the physical realm.”
“If anyone could do that, it would be Ren Lewis, based on what I’ve read in the Dream Traveler Codex,” Connor said and then added, “Well, or his daughter.”
Heat rose and blossomed on Adelaide’s face. She’d meant to berate him. To criticize him. To tell Connor that she wished Wolf X had killed him. Instead, she was blushing like a fucking idiot. “Yeah, well, I can’t find him without the bloody book, so whatever,” she said and turned and walked for the exit.
“You’ll find him. I’ll help you, since I’m not going anywhere,” Connor sang to her back, a lightness in his voice.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Malcom Edwards – Age: Twenty-seven. Height: Six foot, three inches. Weight: One hundred eighty-five pounds. Hair: Black. Eyes: Green. Ethnicity: African American. Employment: Gambler. Skill: Unclassified. Rank: Unknown.”
- Olento Research, Canis Lupus Project File
Kris followed Adelaide through the exit to the infirmary. Before, she didn’t know why she was hanging around the Institute. Now, she knew and it was like a puzzle needed to be pieced together, but not until all the pieces were recovered. However, the puzzle wasn’t about the Lucidites or their strange Institute. The puzzle was inside the invisible girl and now she understood what she’d been missing. She understood what her mission was. She understood why she hadn’t left and what she was going to do now.
“Hey,” she said at Adelaide’s back.
The redhead turned, a confused look on her freckled face. She scanned the corridor and then spun and observed the space at her back. Slowly the girl revolved until she was facing Kris, but didn’t know it.
“Who is there?” Adelaide said to what appeared like an empty hallway that stretched on forever. Kris loved that the Institute never seemed to end. She’d explored it for days, always finding new rooms and floors, like it had the same magic of the book in her bag. Ren’s book went on for what seemed like forever and always opened to a new page.
“I want to reveal myself to you, but if I do, I want your help… I want you to make me a Lucidite,” Kris said and the words actually all sounded natural. This was what she wanted. Morgan had convinced her to do the invisibility project. Her own rebellious nature had kept her working for Mika, and also a strange and morbid attraction to the billionaire. However, now that she’d seen the Lucidites, she realized that she really wanted to be a part of their society, which was purely good.
“Who are you?” Adelaide said, her eyes seeming to be blind as she searched the hallway, not seeing anything. “Are you a ghost?”
Kris laughed. Ren had actually detailed a chapter about ghosts in his book, which was fascinating. Adelaide had probably read that chapter. She could only imagine the affection the girl before her had for the man who wrote this book. He was brilliant and she was so much like him. And what she’d told Connor in the infirmary had been Kris’s undoing. How could she keep a book that would unlock so much for someone, bring Ren back to her world? But she could only turn it over for a price. One that would cost Adelaide nothing and mean everything to Kris.
“No, I’m not a ghost. I’m the one who broke into the Pentagon and helped to abduct the men for Project Canis Lupus,” Kris said and then pressed the mental switch, her body flickering and then becoming visible for Adelaide. The girl didn’t register her surprise. Instead, she narrowed her green eyes at Kris, her gaze sharp.
“You work for Mika Lenna,” she said.
“I worked for Mika. I’m hoping to work for the Lucidites,” Kris said.
“Why would we take a traitor? This is obviously the dumbest set up trap in the world,” Adelaide said.
“It’s true. But I’ve got nothing to lose. I was sent to infiltrate the Institute,” Kris said.
“To figure out how to get the werewolves back?” Adelaide said.
Kris shook her head. “Mika doesn’t want my help with Project Canis Lupus. He wanted me to steal secrets from the Lucidites. Specifically he wanted information on how teleporting works,” she said.
“And why are you revealing yourself to me?” Adelaide said.
“Two reasons. The first is that after working for Mika and now seeing the Institute, I know I’ve been in the wrong place all along. I don’t want to work on cases that promote evil or take advantage of innocent people. I want to use my invisibility for good, like the Lucidites do with Kaleb and the other werewolves,” Kris said.
>
“But you wanted to work on those evil projects before,” Adelaide said, conviction in her voice.
“It’s true, but when you know better, you do better,” Kris said.
“Did Mika make you invisible?”
“Yes,” Kris said. “I’m not a Dream Traveler, but I can help you. I know all sorts of things about Olento Research. I’ve been sneaking around that place when he didn’t know it. I can take you there. I can tell you about his experiments. I can even act as a double agent. My brother can help too. I bet he will,” Kris said, her voice growing with excitement.
“Your brother? The one who shot a tranquilizer at Kaleb? The one who tried to kill Zephyr?” Adelaide said.
“He was only trying to capture them. It was on Mika’s orders,” Kris said.
“You want me to bring you on board when you’ve snuck into the Institute and your past is full of lies and deceit working with our enemies?” Adelaide said, just as Rio exited a room down the hallway. Adelaide snapped in his direction. “Here, boy, I have a job for you.”
Desperation leapt in Kris’s chest. She couldn’t fail at this. Plunging her hand into the bag across her chest, she withdrew the leather-bound book. “Look, I was sent to steal something on teleportation and I took this from you. But since I’m returning it hopefully you see that you can trust me.”
Adelaide shot forward, ripping the book out of the girl’s hands. “You fucking bitch,” she said, pulling the book to her chest, looking simultaneously relieved and furious.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. But when I heard what you told Connor—”
“You eavesdropping little witch. You’re out of your mind if you think we’d allow an invisible traitor to stick around here,” Adelaide said, just as Rio sidled up next to her.
“But I can help you. I can tell you where Olento Research is,” Kris said, her voice pleading.