by Susan Bliler
Distancing herself. He thought on it a moment. She honestly thought she was a Megalya, even though his nose told him otherwise.
“Put your clothes back on, Princess. I don’t fuck Skin Walker enemies.”
“Aww,” she pouted, her lips out in a mock moue of sadness. “Such a shame. I was so hoping to compare monsters.” Her tone had gone cold though, and when Bellis’ eyes dipped to the mounds of her breasts, she reached up and pulled her suit off her shoulders, exposing impressively full breasts the color of cream with pink-tipped nipples.
Bellis felt his gut clench as his balls drew up. Sam shimmied her shoulders, her breasts jiggling with the action. “Last chance.”
It took all his strength to turn and stalk to the door of her cell. “OPEN THE CELL DOOR!” Lower, he growled, “Like I said, don’t fuck my enemies. Put your clothes back on.”
“You sure?” She threw at his back. “I won’t make the offer again.”
When the door buzzed, he jerked it open and slammed it just as quickly behind him. The sound of Sam’s laughter echoed after him.
Chapter 18
Standing in the infirmary of the North Fortress, Bellis stared at Jenny. “I think she’s working with Monroe.” There it was, he’d finally put voice to his suspicion. Now, he just needed to gauge Jenny’s reaction.
Her hands stilled in their task of mixing two vials of some concoction as she frowned up at him. “She can’t be. Monroe wouldn’t send her away if that were the case.” Her attention went back to her task.
“He didn’t know.”
That had Jenny’s head jerking back up. “What do you mean, he didn’t know?”
“When I went back to StoneCrow, he was unaware that King had sent her to Fatal and his Keepers here. King thought he was doing Monroe a favor, getting Sam out of the Dominant’s hair.”
Jenny set down her vials and turned to fully face him, crossing her arms over her chest. “What was Monroe’s reaction?”
“He wants Sam back at StoneCrow.”
Jenny’s eyes rounded and her brows hit her hair line. “Well, shit!”
“Yeah,” Bellis repeated. “Well, shit.”
“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything.” She dropped her arms. “Maybe he just wants to kill her himself.”
“No one’s killing her, Jen.”
One of her brows quirked. “Oh yeah? Growing a sudden fondness for our little traitor? That’s a dangerous game, Bellis.”
“If she’s working with Monroe…”
“Then we need to protect her,” Jenny finished, brows furrowing. “But how do we know? Have you scented deceit?”
“Of course I’ve scented deceit! She’s been living with the Megalya for who knows how long. Deceit is bred into them.”
“But she’s not a Megalya. I’ve run the tests.”
At her admission, Bellis straightened from where he was leaned against the wall. “What is she?”
“Don’t know,” Jenny gave a slow shake of her head. “She needs blood to sustain herself, so I’d label her as a vampire, except I don’t know enough about them. I’ve never met one, but from what I hear they aren’t supposed to have a pulse. Not sure if they’re supposed to like sunlight either, and if not, then neither of those pertain to Sam. She’s just…different. The BlackBird Alpha in Glacier knows another Alpha in a neighboring state who is friends with a vampire. He’s getting me contact info. Perhaps he’ll be able to help us out, or lead us in the right direction. In the meantime, it’d be great if you could get Sam to agree to more testing.”
“And why do you think she’d listen to anything I have to say?”
Jenny’s lips pursed. “She can only drink from you, Bellis. That means something. When I was taking samples, she told me about her typical feedings. They’re just like eating for anyone else. She feeds, and then goes on about her business. The fact that since drinking from you she can only drink from you, coupled with the fact that your blood puts her out, is telling me that some visceral part of her trusts you. She’s never passed out after feeding until now. Do you get that it means that, whatever monster is in her middle feels comfortable enough in your presence to show throat as the wolves call it?”
“She doesn’t trust me, Jen.”
“The hell she doesn’t. She might not say it, Bellis, but she doesn’t have to. It’s like when an Angel is gifted her halo and it renders her unconscious. That happens because there is ultimate trust that the male gifting it would die before ever letting any harm come to that Angel’s unconscious form. It’s the same for Sam. It has to be.”
Bellis’ expression darkened. “She’s not my Angel.”
“Not right now. You know it’s been delayed for most other Walkers. It could hit you like a ton of bricks the next time you see her.”
His stomach flexed at the spark of hope her words brought to life.
“It could also happen in five years. I’m not saying I know for certain, all I’m saying is that our inner beasts don’t leave us defenseless in the hands of those who want to harm us. Whatever her inner beast is, it trusts you, and now it needs you. Until I can get this mess figured out, she can only feed from you, Bellis, which means you’re staying here.”
“Not here. We’re heading back to StoneCrow as soon as I talk to Fatal.”
A spark lit in Jenny’s eyes, and a slow grin broke her lips.
“What?”
“I’ve got an idea.” She turned and started rifling through a drawer, pulling out a new syringe that was still in the package. “I think we can force Sam to tell us, right now, if she’s with us or against us.” She peeked up at him, “You in?”
He swallowed hard, looking at the syringe. “I can’t let you drug her.”
“I won’t.” Her smile turned devilish. “She’s going to do it herself.”
***
Sam zipped up her suit and turned to face the cell doors. After drinking from Bellis, she’d healed fully, and no longer needed the stitches Jenny had sewn into her. It’d been irritating having to rip each one out, but the little dots of blood where her skin had ripped had healed quickly.
Hearing the hall door open, she plopped onto her cot and waited. Her heart gave an involuntary start as hope that Bellis was back washed through her. She’d enjoyed their repartee, and was looking forward to frustrating the Walker further.
Her hopes were dashed though, when Doc Jenny entered followed by…Fatal?
Okay, now her nerves were on edge. She stood from her cot and frowned at them both, her eyes dipping to the syringe in Jenny’s hand. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, and she knew before either of them spoke what was happening.
“I wanna speak with Monroe,” she demanded.
Fatal’s expression was blank, and he didn’t even blink when he responded with a simple, “No.”
Behind him, Jenny sounded repentant when she offered, “I’m sorry, Sam. This isn’t how we do things back at StoneCrow, but you’re a Keeper prisoner, and Fatal is in charge.”
Her gaze shifted between the two of them as panic threatened to choke her. Eyes darting quickly around her cell for a weapon or means of escape, she panicked when Fatal ordered, “OPEN THE CELL!”
“WAIT!” She backed up until her shoulders hit the wall. “Wait!”
Fatal turned to look at her, and Jenny shook her head sadly before lowering her eyes.
Gripping the door, Fatal pulled it open and turned to Jenny, who silently entered. Slowly she approached, holding up both hands as if trying to calm a wild creature. “It won’t hurt, Sam. I promise. It’ll be quick. Painless.”
The fuck it will! Fatal took a beat too long to get through the door, and Sam made her move. She couldn’t make a break for it, because the big scary bastard was blocking her in, but she did lift her foot and kick the door shut right in his cruel face. At the same instant, she reached out and grabbed Jenny, twisting her and hauling her body back against her chest. One of Sam’s hands ripped the syringe from Jenny’s fingers, and she was eithe
r strengthened by the adrenaline rush or Skin Walker women were nowhere near as physically strong as their male counterparts, because taking the needle from Jenny had been easy.
Ripping the cap off the syringe with her teeth, she shoved it near Jenny’s throat, not touching skin, but close enough that she could plunge it in and end the Skin Walker doctor if her demands weren’t met.
“I want. To speak. To Monroe!”
On the other side of the cell Fatal opened his mouth wide, flashing wicked incisors as he roared at her.
“Easy, Sam.” One of Jenny’s hands lifted to grip her forearm. “You don’t want to do this.”
She screamed, “AM I SPEAKING FUCKING FRENCH? I wanna speak to Monroe StoneCrow. RIGHT FUCKING NOW!”
Fatal’s head jerked to the side, and Sam looked to where the side door opened. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she prayed that Monroe was walking into the room. When Bellis came into view, the look of shock, and then disappointment on his face had Sam clenching her jaw seconds before she released Jenny, shoved her forward, and placed the syringe against her own neck. This was it. Her time was up, and the truth had to come out, because right now it was the only thing that could save her.
“I’m…” She licked her lips, shifting her weight from foot to foot as her eyes locked on Bellis. “I’m working with Monroe. Have been, for a very long time.”
“Lies,” Fatal sneered, and she shot him a dark look.
“It’s not a lie!”
“Why wait until now?” Jenny asked. “Why not say something as soon as you were secured at StoneCrow?”
Sam’s glowing blue eyes shot to the doctor. “Because there is a traitor at StoneCrow, but it isn’t me! Someone told the Megalya when I’d be moved.” Her gaze moved back to Bellis. “Someone higher up, who knew what was happening. Or…” She swallowed hard. “Someone on the transport team.”
Bellis’ brows snapped down, and where seconds ago his face had shown only disappointment, now he was glaring at her with pure fury. “You accusing me, Princess?”
“No! Yes! I don’t know!”
“She’s just trying to save herself by throwing someone else under the bus.” Jenny crossed her arms. “And you holding that syringe to your throat doesn’t do shit for us. We came in here to put you down, remember? You’re simply doing us a favor.”
“I have information the Dominant wants! I know the location of the Megalya main facility, and I can lead him to the Hive.”
Jenny uncrossed her arms and looked at Bellis.
“Somebody call him! Right now! Call him and verify that I’m working with him. He’ll confirm it!”
Fatal stepped forward. “If you’re working with him, why do you have information he doesn’t?”
“Because nobody let me talk to him,” she sneered.
“And if he doesn’t?” Jenny countered. “If he denies your claim?”
Sam turned dead eyes on her. “Then I’ll inject this fucking poison into myself, and let you all watch me die.”
Without a word, Bellis turned and exited the room. Shocked, Sam asked, “Where’s he going? What’s he doing?”
“He’s going to call Monroe.”
“Why not use the mist?” Sam asked, and grinned when Jenny’s mouth fell open. “I told you, I’ve been working for you people for years, so yeah, I know about the mist.”
***
In the corridor, Bellis stopped, taking a deep breath. He couldn’t believe Jenny’s plan actually worked. Inside, his heart was pounding. Sam is good! He had to repeat it a few times, because he was having trouble making the idea stick. Fisting his hands at the elation tearing through him he turned, losing all expression as he walked back into the room. Sam’s eyes locked on him, as his own dipped to the needle pressing into the skin at her throat. The injection wouldn’t kill her; Jenny made sure of that, but still he didn’t like the scent of her distress or the way her pupils had blown out as she tried to keep an eye on all three of them at once.
“Well?” she barked.
It gutted him to do it, but he had to know. This was it, Sam’s final test. She was either a woman of her word or she wasn’t, and either way, it was going to break him to find out.
Fatal turned pure black eyes on him as Jenny turned to face him as well. With a slow shake of his head, he kept his eyes pinned on Sam, feeling his gut clench when realization hit her features a second before the most vulnerable sadness claimed her. She didn’t even try to mask it, and that made it all the harder to watch as tears flooded her crystalline eyes.
Sam dropped to her knees, a high-pitched whine ripping from the back of her throat. That sound nearly doubled him over.
Looking up at him, she whispered, “I tried to be good.” Her thumb jabbed the syringe into her neck as the full contents injected into her with her final act. She tore her eyes from his, lowering her head in bitter defeat, and he couldn’t stop the roar that tore from him. She believed she was dying, and she believed she was doing so alone. Enough! Enough of the fucking games. Sam was an ally, and that was all the information he needed to pull her under his protection.
Storming to the cell door, Fatal backed up with an amused expression as Bellis fisted the bars and ripped the damn thing off. Still Sam didn’t look up, and as he made his way to her, her body swayed once, then she was falling to her side. He caught her before she hit the floor, then she was in his arms, safe. From here on out, nothing happened to her, no one fucked with her, and Monroe StoneCrow was sure as fuck coming clean about her to the rest of the Walkers. Because if they kept treating her like the traitor she wasn’t, Bellis was going to kill some motherfuckers.
Chapter 19
Aware first of the simple act of breathing, a great sadness settled in Sam’s chest like a heavy stone. Bellis had allowed her to inject whatever the fuck was in the needle into her neck.
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, light temporarily blinding her as she blinked against the stark intrusion. Either I’m in hell and it closely resembles a house, or I’m still alive.
She attempted to sit up, but the effort made her head throb and her mouth suddenly go dry as her stomach heaved violently. She moaned and rolled slowly to her side. Where is he?
She heard movement in another room, but couldn’t do more than simply lie on the bed and listen. Placebo? Jenny had clearly filled the syringe with something other than the toxin she’d led Sam to believe she held, but why? She was shocked to discover that they’d let her live.
When Bellis suddenly filled the doorway, her angry eyes met his amused gaze. He’d let her attempt to take her own life, and now had the audacity to grin about it.
“Get out!” The words came out harsh from her too-dry throat, and her cheeks singed in fury as his too-cocky grin only broadened at her command.
“It’s my house. I’m not leaving, and I’d thought you’d be a little more appreciative of your life.”
His house, huh? She glanced around quickly before her pink tongue darted out to lick her parched lips. It didn’t help. “Get! Out!”
His grin vanished as he strode toward her, moving with a predatory grace that quickly reminded her that he wasn’t just any other man. He dropped to his haunches, leveling his face with hers. “Monroe says you’ve been working with him.” He tilted his head to the side, gauging her. “You’ve been working with the Walkers to track down Megalya?”
Obviously! She ground her teeth together and muttered, “Finally.” More loudly she asked, “If Monroe confirms, why bother asking?”
He ignored her question. “Monroe sends his apologies, Sam. He didn’t know you’d been taken from the Estate. It wasn’t what he wanted.” Quietly he studied her then asked, “Why? Why help us?”
“Because I’m not some heartless bitch,” she ground out accusatorily. She knew it was what he thought of her. It’s what they all thought of her, what she had made them think of her.
“So, you’re not a heartless bitch. You’re not a Keeper either…or a Walker for that matter
. You risk your life with your actions. What do you get in return?”
After all she’d sacrificed, after all she’d done on their behalf, here was a Skin Walker questioning her motives. The insinuation that she’d acted for some personal gain almost hurt more than the fact that he’d been willing to let her kill herself to prove her loyalty. Almost.
Still too weak from whatever drug he’d let her inject into herself; she couldn’t do more than roll to her back and stare up at the ceiling. It took long minutes before she was strong enough to muster enough strength to roll onto her side facing away from him. “Leave.”
A fierce growl was the only warning she got before rough hands gripped her shoulders, and then her body was pinned under the solid mass of Bellis’ frame. Piercing dark eyes sparked with rage as he snarled at her, his face so close to hers that their noses actually touched. “I want to know why you would risk your life for Walkers!”
His hold on her shoulders was crushing, and Sam could only lay helpless under the assault even as her own anger sparked. “I’m sorry if it offends you that I’d risk my life for your kind,” she spat from between clenched teeth. “If it’s any consolation, I wouldn’t extend the same courtesy to you.”
He threw back his head and roared. The sound was deafening, and quickly extinguished Sam’s bravado. She knew better than to taunt a Walker. Still, she couldn’t help it. Something about Bellis goaded her to confront him.
When he dropped his head to scowl at her, the gleaming pinpoints of neon-blue in his eyes had grown to fill his eyes as they sparked with fury. His nose touched hers again and he snarled, “Why such hatred of me?”
Swallowing hard, Sam held his gaze. “It’s not hatred of you. It’s an aversion to men.”
Her words clearly shocked him. Some of the ferocity left his features and his grip on her shoulders loosened by a fraction. “Why would you hate men?”
Regret and anguish flashed in her features before she steeled her face to a mask of indifference as she remembered the misery of her loss. It took her a moment to ensure that her voice wouldn’t waiver. Taking a deep breath, she spoke with upmost conviction. “Men. Use. Women.”