by D McEntire
Getting closer to Pearson and winning his trust became all the more important when the man spoke of his meeting with Roster and Frazier. Pearson voiced disapproval of those men’s apparent fascination with vampires, and even stated they were not the type of people he needed on his side to help him eliminate the creatures.
“So, Dr. Pearson, where are you conducting your research? Do you reside here in Colorado?”
Pearson took a sip of his coffee, then shook his head. “No, no. It’s funny you mentioned your run-in with vampires in Louisville, because I happen to live there. I have put my research on hold for a couple of weeks and am here for a well-deserved vacation.”
“Ah, I see,” Olivia replied. “So, I take it you currently have a lab of your own?”
“Yes. I have a lab in Louisville. My first lab was actually destroyed by vampires. It was a good thing I had a second, secret location. It’s not as extensive as the first one had been, but it serves its purpose.”
Olivia hid his surprise and concern. He knew about the destruction of the first lab. He needed to get the man to divulge the location of the second.
“Yes, it was a good thing you had a second lab. Was it close by with back-up documentation to keep you going?” Dr. Olivia pretended he was only asking these questions to ascertain the man’s capabilities in handling the operation of a large lab, and Pearson did not seem to question his motives.
“Well, it so happens there is another lab on the same site. One the vampires missed. Ironic, isn’t it the second lab was right under their noses? I guess their enhanced abilities are not as great as we thought.”
Dr. Olivia wanted to wipe the smile off the man’s face with his bare hands, but remained in character.
“Have you had the chance to study any blood or tissue samples?”
Pearson smiled, and an eerie twinkle shone in his eyes. “Yes. Yes, I have. I recently came upon a skirmish among several of the creatures. One had single-handedly killed three of them, but had been injured in the process. I managed to get a sample of his spilled blood after he left the area.”
Dr. Olivia was a good reader of body language, and Pearson’s all but screamed the man wasn’t being straightforward with his tale. Olivia had no doubt the man did possess the sample, but Pearson’s face revealed there was more to the story.
“Interesting. My lab has samples as well. It would be interesting to compare notes. Tell me, Dr. Pearson, are you looking for something bigger, more advanced for your studies?”
Dr. Olivia began laying the bait, hoping Pearson would snatch it up. He could see Pearson’s mind working by the gleam in the man’s eyes. Before Pearson could speak, Olivia trudged ahead.
“You have a marvelous gift of staying ahead of the game, and I admire that trait. From our conversations, I have found you to be a very astute scientist. You plan ahead for obstacles, and you stay on track, no matter what. You also seem to be very focused, unwavering in your conviction.”
Dr. Pearson beamed like an adoring puppy at the praise, playing right into Olivia’s hands.
“I would like to make a proposal. As I said, I have a team working on the same subject, but I feel we could use someone with your drive and expertise. What would you say to managing one of my labs to continue your research? Anything we have will be at your disposal, and anything further you need would be provided. I agree with what you are trying to do and would like for us to work together on this.”
A bright smile spread cross Dr. Pearson’s face. He sprang to his feet, then reached out to shake Olivia’s hand in acceptance.
“Sounds wonderful, Dr. Olivia, and I thank you for this opportunity. Our working together will go far in finding out more about these creatures and a solution on how to deal with them.”
Dr. Olivia also stood and accepted the handshake. The deal had been made. Pearson had fallen hook, line and sinker. The human had given a good idea of the location of his second lab and admitted to having extensive information on vampires, including a blood sample.
Another thought nagged at Olivia. Kern had gone missing while on patrol in Louisville. The possibility Pearson was using the Watcher as his research specimen almost made him growl.
Dr. Olivia had to tread carefully. He decided not to notify Tank, the Cell leader in downtown Louisville, to check out the lab for any signs of Kern, then destroy it along with Pearson’s research. If Pearson returned and found his second lab destroyed, he would discover the deception right away. If Kern was not there and the doctor disappeared, it might not be easy to find him again. No, he would follow Pearson to Louisville and personally handle both the lab and the man.
The meeting over, Olivia escorted the man out of his suite, promising to get in touch with him in a few days with more details. He told Pearson they would need to meet to complete paperwork for employment as one of Olivia Laboratories’ lead scientists. Dr. Olivia almost smiled when Pearson agreed to the suggestion to meet in Louisville.
Dr. Pearson stood in front of his window in his guest room at the lodge, rubbing his hands together. His goal was now as good as accomplished with the use of a technologically advanced lab and a team of skilled technicians to assist him. He planned to acquire another test subject, a female this time, for further exploration.
Instincts had told him not to mention his current test subject. He was sure had he, Dr. Olivia would have wanted the creature taken to his own lab, which would not do. Pearson wanted fresh subjects to study.
The vampire had been in his lab now for eight months, much longer than had been planned. Its strength and endurance had been put to the test so many times there probably was not much left of him to study. It would be best to rid himself of the creature and the lab, and start anew. The idea of how to take care of the problem popped into his head.
Deciding to end his vacation earlier than planned, he picked up the phone and called Jonathan, a man he had known since college. His old friend had always had a rather disturbing fascination with explosives. As Dr. Pearson waited for Jonathan to answer the phone, he exhaled with relief. His plans were coming together better than ever expected.
When Kern checked on the woman she was curled up on the floor. He walked in and noticed the glass of water, almost full, sitting in the corner. Why was he doing this?
Because she is the enemy.
Thoughts of revenge swam through his head, warring with the part of him that was appalled at his actions against a female—this female. Something about her kept him off balance. He could not get out of his head how much she resembled the woman who had come to him in his dreams.
Because she works in the lab. You saw the coat. She has been here all this time.
A headache formed behind his eyes. He was confused and aggravated. Where was the doctor? Why had he never seen the woman or any assistant before?
The woman breathed evenly, which told him she was asleep. He had no doubt she was weak from the blood loss and needed rest. He had kept her in constant fear for the last couple of hours and it was most likely wearing on her. The realization of his actions made his stomach knot, but he pushed the feeling away. He would not succumb to his doubts. Doing so would not gain him the answers he sought.
Kern went down on one knee beside her and inhaled her scent. She smelled like fresh air and snow.
Snow. Where exactly was he? Was it already winter?
Kern decided to let her sleep. He would begin questioning her later. She had better be cooperative, he told himself. Her life depended on it.
Feeling his own need to rest, Kern walked to the doorway of the room and lowered himself to the floor. He braced his back against the wall. She wasn’t going anywhere, so he allowed his eyes to close and drifted off to sleep.
The dreams came, images of what he’d suffered at the hands of the doctor.
Kern felt the cold, hard table underneath his body. Although he couldn’t move or open his eyes, he was aware of everything around him, even the presence of the doctor at his side.
Metal
clanked. There was a faint rustle of material as the doctor moved about. The human seemed to be speaking, but Kern was unable to make out what he was saying. His head felt fuzzy and unfocused. He only wished his sense of touch and pain was also distant as he was still suffering from the doctor’s last experiment.
His wrist was grasped in a tight hold, then raised. Within the next moment, a blinding, sharp pain shot through his pinky, then his hand, and continued up his arm where it reverberated through his body.
Kern was unable to cry out his pain, unable to release his anguish. The burning and throbbing sensation seemed unending until finally, he felt nothing. Blackness had claimed him.
Marie heard a moan, bringing her out of sleep. The moan seemed louder as she became more awake and focused. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. The man who had chained her ankle was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. The moans she heard were long and full of agony, and they were coming from him.
He was asleep, caught up in a dream. His head moved slowly from side to side. His eyebrows were drawn tight. The sheen of sweat coated his face and dampened his hair.
Marie could not stand to see the pain etched on his face as he breathed heavily and trembled in his sleep, lost in the throes of some horrible dream. She could only guess which nightmare he was reliving.
She sat up and swung her body around to reach him, but was brought up short by the manacle on her ankle. She pulled at it a few times, knowing it was useless.
With her arm outstretched, Marie reached for him, her fingers lengthening as far as they could possible go, until she was able to brush the tips against his knee.
Suddenly, he whipped out his hand like a striking snake and grabbed her fingers harshly, squeezing them together until she cried out.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
Marie tried desperately to get her squished fingers loose from his grasp. “You were dreaming. I was trying to wake you,” she croaked, her mouth screwed up in pain.
With one last yank, Kern quickly released her hand and stared at her as she brought it to her chest and attempted to rub out the ache.
After a few moments, he muttered, “sorry,” then stood and walked out of the door.
He was gone, again. Every time she gathered the courage to speak he lashed out at her, then left the room. She needed to talk to him, to reason with him. Would she get that chance before he killed her?
Chapter Eleven
Kern’s anger seemed to rise every time he was near the woman, which did not bode well for her, he thought grimly. Visions of his dream flashed through his mind, and he realized he had been having a nightmare. She had been telling the truth.
Scowling to himself, he walked to a room he had come across earlier during his investigation of the surroundings. Two cots with blankets and pillows sat along the wall. Obviously this was where the doctor slept when he stayed in the lab, he told himself.
Kern could smell the stench of the man on one of the cots. With a growl he picked it up and threw it against the wall. Looking at the second cot, he wondered if it belonged to the woman in the other room. He sniffed, but got nothing, then told himself it didn’t mean anything, especially since he had caught her scent in the lab.
She could be the doctor’s lover.
He hissed at the thought. For some reason he couldn’t think of her intimately involved with that sick bastard.
Kern’s mood was getting worse by the minute. His anger boiled under his skin. He left the room and returned to the lab. Noticing a jacket, hat and gloves sitting on a table by the door, Kern picked up the jacket and looked it over before bringing it closer to his face. It smelled like crisp winter air, like her.
Marie was startled by a crash from somewhere outside of the little room. She tried to calm her quick breathing in order to hear what was happening. For several minutes, the place remained quiet. She laid her head on her arm. Her body felt like lead, and her mind refused to think anymore. She was mentally and physically exhausted. Marie prayed this was all a bad dream. One she would wake from and laugh at her imagination.
She wasn’t so lucky. Marie awoke with her neck stiff as she lifted her head. She turned her body so she lay on her back.
“Grandma. Where are you?”
Holding in a sob, Marie threw her arm over her eyes and tried to pull herself together. Falling apart wouldn’t help her. She had to focus if she was ever going to get herself out of here alive, and away from the gorgeous madman who had her chained to the wall.
Gorgeous?
How could she possibly see the man as anything other than completely insane? She could not hold that opinion of him. Her dreams had seen to that. Anger, pain and fear were most likely all he had known. At least since April, the month indicated on the recording.
Marie sat up, feeling every muscle ache in her body from having lain on the hard floor. Finally, she managed to stand and shook her legs a little to ease the stiffness.
In an effort to discern where the man could be, Marie strained her ears to listen. Her immediate dilemma was her desperate need to use the toilet, but she didn’t want him to walk in on her as she sat there.
Marie pranced around for several minutes doing the pee-pee dance until she couldn’t hold it any longer. She danced toward the door and let out a small cry of anguish when she discovered it was out of reach.
Straining against the chain around her ankle, she kept trying to reach the door to close it until the man suddenly appeared in front of her, startling her so badly she almost wet herself.
“What are you doing?” he said in a low, gravelly voice.
Marie was in torment. She tried locking her legs together to keep her bladder from exploding. “I have to use the bathroom, and I want the door closed.”
She watched him inhale, his nostrils flaring. Without warning, he bent and grabbed her leg. Not knowing what he was going to do, Marie gasped. She had been startled a second time, almost making her bathroom issue disappear.
The man unlocked the manacle. When he stood, she glanced away, not daring to look him in the eye.
“There’s a bathroom down the hall. You need to bathe.”
Marie almost lifted her arms to smell herself. Was he saying she stank?
The man stepped aside, and she hesitated a moment, afraid to move. There was no attempt to grab her again. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked out the door.
Marie could feel his looming presence mere feet behind her as he followed, no doubt making sure she did exactly as she was told. As soon as she was inside the bathroom, she closed the door. After a glance at the doorknob, she felt her chest tighten. There was no lock.
Kern followed the woman as she made her way to the bathroom. When he had returned to the small room, he immediately knew she’d been sick from the blood he had made her drink.
As soon as the woman closed the bathroom door, he stepped into the kitchen, then grabbed another bag of blood from the refrigerator. After closing the door, Kern noticed a small magnetic calendar. The page on top, staring him in the face, said December. Had he been here that long?
Kern tried to calm the churning emotions inside. Eight months of his life—gone. Eight months and no one had found him. Maybe they had stopped looking, a voice whispered in his head.
He thought about Mac, the Watcher who had taken him under his wing until he had been old enough to become a Watcher officially. The warrior had been there for him, but where was he now?
Kern placed the pouch of blood in the microwave, heated it, then poured it into a tall glass. His strength was still not up to par. The doctor had done a lot to his body over the past eight months, and it would take some time and a good amount of blood to recover fully.
The kitchen cabinets contained various canned goods Kern discovered as he opened each door. He figured the woman would be hungry, so he pulled out a can of soup and set it on the counter, telling himself his only concern was to keep her alive.
Even through the hum of
the microwave in front of him and the running water in the bathroom he heard her soft sobs. The sound made the blood sit in his stomach like lead. Kern felt as though he was living a bad dream that kept on going. Where would it end?
The water stopped, and he heard splashes. Images began floating around his head. Ones he couldn’t push aside. He could see her stepping into the tub—one long, smooth leg lowering in the water, then the other. She stood a moment, then eased down, settling into the warmth. Water lapped at her breasts, leaving droplets in their wake.
Kern pictured himself leaning over the tub, lifting the soap and rubbing it into a washrag before placing the slippery piece into its holder.
With slow, easy strokes he started at one foot, running the soapy rag around her ankle and between her toes, ignoring her jerk and giggle from ticklish spots.
Grasping her leg, he rested it on the edge of the tub and eased the rag up her calf, slid it behind her knee, then over her kneecap.
Her thigh was next, and he took his time, reaching her hip, then sliding down the inside of her leg. The sigh which passed her lips urged him on.
Beeeeeep.
Kern jumped from the sound of the microwave timer. The images in his head popped like a bubble. He removed the soup and placed it on the counter. Steam rose from the top.
The bathroom door was closed. Kern found his feet moving forward, his brain making an excuse to check on the girl. Easing the door open, he found her soaking in the water, eyes closed and head leaning against the wall.
His feet moved him forward again, stopping beside the tub.
Kern gazed over her body, mostly covered by sudsy water, though her shoulders and the tops of her breasts were in clear view. As he had envisioned, the water lapped against her skin.