Zeno snorted loudly, and she jumped when the door slammed shut behind her. It wasn’t doing her any favors to have him mad at her when she’d just gotten him on her side. Sort of. But what was she supposed to do? She needed to talk to Rem, and there wasn’t time to deal with Zeno’s petty issues. He was just going to have to deal.
Rachel pulled her stethoscope from around her neck and stared at Rem. He leaned casually against the wall. The men had given him a fresh set of clothes but not much else. Neither Rem or Justus looked like they had shaved in days. At least the room had the convenience of a bathroom connected to it.
“So beautiful,” Rem said before flashing a grin full of beautiful straight white teeth. “What can we do for you?”
She glanced over to the dark brooding man in the corner. His deep brown skin almost had him disappearing into the shadows of the room. Justus looked her way and frowned. He hadn’t talked much since he’d been brought in, not that she could blame him. Being imprisoned like they’d been, it was a wonder Rem talked at all. Which, of course, only made the Luna hybrids more suspicious of him.
Rachel turned her attention back to the strange hybrid.
“I need your vitals,” she said firmly and stepped forward.
When she plugged the instrument in her ears, she was surprised to hear him whisper softly.
“I’m sure you do,” he said and looked down.
She stared into his eyes and nearly jumped back when they flashed an odd green.
“What—” Her words were silenced by a finger over her mouth.
“Breathe it out,” he said softly.
It was then she realized the only way she was able to hear was because of the stethoscope. Even with Zeno and Servius in the other room, they'd likely overhear any normal conversation. In the end, Rem really was as crafty as Titus believed. She only hoped that he could help with their problem. She slowly breathed out her words.
“What are you?” she asked.
The inquiry seemed liked a simple question, but she knew it wasn’t. Rem smiled. The lines around his eyes crinkled into fine lines, and she wondered how often he did that. For someone who seemed so smart and connected to someone so evil, he appeared relatively happy. It just seemed wrong, or maybe it was all just a farce. A way to hide what was really going on. After all, Titus could be entirely right not to trust the man.
Rem shrugged and nodded at Justus. “I’m the next model,” Rem said. The smile lines deepened on his face, and Rachel found it hard not to return the smile.
She shook her head. “Another time then,” she said quietly.
He gave a slow nod, but the cold that sank in his eyes told her that wouldn’t be happening. Whatever horrors the Luna hybrids had seen, this man had suffered similar, if not worse. Even if he had not knowingly given himself to darkness, his experiences might have carved his soul in a way that darkness was an inevitable path.
She started to move away, almost afraid what he might do but froze when his hand fell on her forearm.
“Ask me your question,” he said.
Justus stilled against the wall. Rachel couldn’t tell if it was concern over her safety or something more general. She glanced to the door.
“We don’t have much time,” he whispered. “Ask before your boyfriend gets here.”
Rachel opened her mouth and then closed it and frowned. Boyfriend?
She could hear harsh words just outside the door and jumped when Rem swept his hand down. Not even thinking, she placed the cold metal to his chest and was glad to hear the steady thump of his heart.
The door swung wide and banged against the wall. Rachel spun around. Her dark hair whipped behind her. Marius stood, dark and brooding, in the doorway. His amber eyes sought hers, and under their weight, she shifted uncomfortably. He followed her hand to Rem’s chest and a loud rumble filled the room.
“What the fuck is going on?” he said slowly, as if she might not understand what he was saying.
Rachel stepped away from Rem, and the tension in the room seemed to ease a little.
“I was checking in on my patients,” she said with ease.
She’d never needed to lie before. Actually, before living with the hybrids, she’d never even thought she’d need to in order to treat a patient, but there she was. A ball of dread wadded in her stomach. She hated this.
“That’s right, Numbers,” Rem said from behind her. He stepped a little closer, and Marius moved into the room from the door. Rachel watched his strides into the room and remembered seeing him earlier in the day.
“Marius,” he replied. He now stood just in front of her. She could feel Rem step up to her back, and Rachel was starting to wonder if being in the middle of these two was really the place she wanted to be.
“Rachel is just going to finish up her very thorough examination,” Rem said. He pulled her back a little, and she gasped, more from surprise than fear.
Marius’s hand shot out and pulled her hard against his chest. She teetered for a moment as she tried to regain her balance.
“Like hell she is,” Marius said. “This examination is over.”
Not waiting for her to say one way or the other, he picked her up and moved to the door. She blinked several times, not even beginning to know what to say in the situation. Once in the doorframe, he turned to Rem.
“And it’s Doctor Miller to you, fucknut.”
The door slammed shut so hard the frame rattled around it.
“I can—” she began.
“No,” Marius said sharply.
Zeno and Servius watched them, their faces impassive.
Rachel held her tongue and let him carry her to her office. With ease he opened the door and walked in. Once inside, he placed her on the floor in front of him.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” he shouted.
Rachel stared at him in shock. It hadn’t really been what she thought he was going to say.
“What?” she said, blinking.
Marius started to pace the office. “You know what I’m talking about,” he said and shot her a look.
Rachel’s heart kicked up.
“You go in there, and you let someone like him put his hands all over you,” Marius spit out and leaned against her desk. “You know how dangerous he is.”
Rachel let out a sigh. He hadn’t guessed her plan. “Wait, what?”
Marius turned. His hands clenched in irritation. He could smell that fuck on her from over here, and it pissed him off. That lousy bastard had done it on purpose. Rem was trying to mark what he wanted. Well, he couldn’t have her. No one could. Rachel wasn’t for any of them, but least of all someone like that freak Rem.
“You need to stay away from him,” he said.
Rachel twisted, and the animal in him roared in anger. She was going to pick the prick over him, and he wasn’t even going to put up a fight.
“I can’t,” she said finally.
A piece of him broke inside. She did want to see Rem.
“He’s bad news,” Marius said. He could hear the pleading in his voice but couldn’t stop himself.
“Marius.” She stepped forward, but he moved out of her reach. “It’s not like that. I’m just seeing after my patients.”
He snorted loudly. “Is that what they’re calling it?” She moved to him, but he was too fast. Before she could even speak, he was at the door. “Just don’t pull us down in your shit, Rachel, and do your fucking job.”
Marius stormed out of the room, making certain not to look back, even if it killed him.
“Do my job?” she said and paced her office. It hadn’t even been two minutes, and she thought she might wear a hole in the carpet. “What the hell does he mean do my job? I'll tell him what, I will do my job.”
Rachel stopped mid-walk and stepped out into the hall. The two guards looked at her with surprise.
“Out of the way,” she said firmly. “That asshole isn’t going to stop me from doing my job.”
Zeno gave a smile, but
she ignored it and passed through the door and shut it hard behind her. This time she wasn’t playing games.
Rem watched her as she stomped across the room and slammed the stethoscope into place. He raised a brow in anticipation.
“My friend is sick,” she said and let out the breath she was holding. It came out shaky, and she tried to steady her nerves. “Hannah is sick.”
Rem frowned. Rachel watched as a range of emotions flickered across his face. Despite his cool demeanor and standoffish ways, this was not a man that didn’t have sympathy for the people around him. He’d spent time with Hannah, and it was clear that her illness wasn’t something that he expected.
“What are her symptoms?” he asked. His brow wrinkled with concern.
Rachel leaned forward, worried the men outside would hear and really think she was a traitor as well. It didn't seem to take much to lock people up around here, and there was no telling what they would do with her. It was clear they didn't like her. She could be in serious trouble.
"Fever, chills, dipped heart rate, and one by one, her organs seem to be shutting down," Rachel rushed to get out via her breathing.
Something brushed against the door, and she jumped. Rem placed a hand on her arm to steady her nerves.
"I don't understand," he said quietly. "She's Lucius's mate. This shouldn't be happening. They wouldn't go after her. The Group needs successes like that."
Rachel nodded. It was as they had suspected. There was no way the Horatius Group would put a healthy Vestal at risk. Not like that for no real reward.
"What about Vanessa?" she asked the question that had been burning in all of them.
Rem snorted, and they both stilled.
"It tickles when you look in my ears," he said loudly. Rem placed a finger over his lips to warn of listening men.
Rachel busied herself with actual medical work in case they entered. She stilled when Rem placed a hand on her shoulder.
"All clear," he said softly. "Vanessa was a risk. One they were hoping would end with a twisted hybrid child they could use for their own purposes. It didn't pan out."
Rachel frowned. She opened her mouth but stopped when Rem nodded to the door. They were talking, and she knew their time was running out.
“I don’t know what is making her sick,” Rem said. His eyes trained on the door, never wavering from the chance that they might be interrupted by the guards in the hall. “But I don’t think it’s the group doing this.” He glanced to her briefly. “Get ready.”
Rachel nodded. That’s all she needed to know. If it wasn’t the Group, she could deal with the problem, as it likely did not involve any sort of genetically engineered agent or peculiar lab-created toxin. She just needed to figure out the actual problem.
She scribbled a few things down on the chart she held in front of her but stopped when movement caught her eye. Justus stood in front of her. His dark face was still shrouded in the constant frown she had become so used to seeing.
“Take care of Hannah,” he said gruffly.
Rachel raised her brows in surprise as she watched the large man settle back on his cot in the corner. Despite his moody ways, he still cared about her poor little friend.
“I will,” she whispered.
The door opened, and she busied herself with gathering her materials.
“I think that about does it,” she said and smiled at Rem, who was giving her an odd look. “We’ll need another exam in a few days…” She trailed off as she turned and followed his line of vision.
“Shit.”
Titus glowered at her from the door, Marius not far behind.
“I think you’ve got some explaining to do.”
Chapter Seven
“Well, I thought you didn’t want to talk to me,” Rem said from the back of the room.
Marius frowned at the prick. If it weren’t for him, Marius would be at home sleeping by now.
Titus lifted his arm and pointed a finger at Rem. “That’s enough out of you.”
Rachel crossed her arms, and Marius could see it from across the room, the storm that was brewing. The last thing Marius wanted to do was be anywhere near this when it hit. Yet here he was. The sound of the door closing behind him only reinforced how involved he now was.
“Actually,” she said and punctuated the word by stepping forward. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if you’d actually done your job and talked to him from the start. Hell, even if you just had done your whole military interrogation thing.”
The room went silent as they waited for what Titus would say. Marius couldn’t say he really disagreed with her, but Titus was his leader, and that did mean certain things.
“What exactly are you saying?” Titus asked quietly.
“I’m saying,” Rachel said, her voice a bit quieter and in more control than he would have expected in such a situation, “I’ve got a woman in a bed sick with God knows what, and it didn’t even occur to you that we might need to question the only person who would have key information on the Horatius Group and their attacks. Maybe instead of locking him away, you could be using him to make this place more secure.”
Titus rushed forward, and, without thought, Marius raced to protect her. He stopped short when Rem wedged himself in front of Rachel, and something rolled inside him. This was wrong. Justus looked between Titus and Rem, a thin frown on his face. Marius realized he was in a ready stance. It was unclear whether the stance was preparation for an escape attempt or for protecting Rachel.
“You going after Vestals now?” Rem said and stood tall.
Titus frowned. “No,” he said firmly and glared at Rachel. “Unless they betray us.”
“Doesn’t seem like that’s the case,” Rem said and held up his hands.
“What are you doing here? Why did he send you?” Titus clenched his fists in rage, and Marius wondered if they were two alpha leaders competing for the same space.
Rem backed up and shrugged. “I’m here to betray you,” he said and smiled.
Titus let out a long laugh and cracked his knuckles. “You know I’d like to snap your neck, right?”
Rem gave a broad smile. “I think I’d like it better if we went into Rachel’s office, and you let me explain.”
Titus sighed, and Marius could see that the two were coming to some sort of resolution. Tension left Justus's body. Titus went to the door and rapped it to signal the guards to open the door. Marius watched as Rem and then Titus walked out of the room. He turned and found Rachel staring at the floor.
He walked over and nudged her arm.
“You coming?”
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and face slightly pale.
“I’m a Vestal,” she whispered.
He swallowed and nodded. They hadn’t really tried to hide the fact, but it wasn’t really something you just told someone.
“How am I a Vestal?” She leaned into him and gripped his arm. “What do I do?”
Marius cleared his throat. He’d never really thought about it.
“I don’t think there’s anything to do,” he said. “It's just what you are.”
“I've taken the birth control shot,” she blurted out. Her eyes shot to his, wild with embarrassment. Her face reddened, and she turned from him. “I mean… ” She fumbled to find the right words. “Not that I…” She trailed off, and her face turned a shade of crimson Marius had never seen on her before.
He opened his mouth to say something, anything to make her feel at least a little better, but she was already moving away from him.
“I think I better go check on Hannah,” she said, looking anywhere but at him.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “We’ll talk to Rem. We might get some information.”
She shook her head, and he was relieved when her eyes met his again. “He doesn’t know how to help Hannah, but he might be able to help you all.”
Marius nodded. In the end, she was right. They needed to exhaust all options. If something happened to Hannah, Lucius
would be beside himself, and they needed all the mated pairs they could get if they were going to make it.
Still blushing, Rachel hurried from the room and down the hall. He followed her and watched as she retreated into the patient wing. Zeno frowned at him as he made his way to the office, and Marius fought the urge to toss a punch as he walked by and wondered where the aggression came from. It wasn’t as if he didn’t get angry, but it was just a tad out of character for him, but then everything concerning Rachel was a tad out of character for him.
He opened the door and was surprised to find Titus and Rem deep in conversation. He stopped.
“Should I come back?” Marius said at the door.
Titus waved a hand. “We’re finished,” he said.
“So,” Marius said and looked between the two men. It wasn’t often he spent much time with Titus, and now, he knew why. Titus was a hard man to know and be comfortable around. Seeing Titus there with Rem was like being in a room with two of him. “Did we come to any conclusions?” he asked and stepped into the room. Marius leaned casually against the wall near the door.
“You mean other than that we barely trust each other and know very little about one another?” Rem gave a broad smile and sank into the couch near the desk. Titus leaned against Rachel’s large desk, and a sliver of irritation crept up Marius. It shouldn’t bother him that they were here in her office, and yet having them in her space was pissing him off more than he expected.
“Now then,” Titus said, apparently unaware of the growing irritation Marius was feeling. “Let’s start with the Horatius Group and Romulus.”
His irritation vanished as he took in a shallow breath. This was what they had been waiting for. They knew so little about their roots. It had always been taught that the less they knew the better, but Rem was a chance for more. A chance for real knowledge. Besides, given all the attacks, it only made sense that they could improve their defenses against the Group if they knew more about them.
Rem frowned and sat up a little more straight. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”
Titus crossed his feet and frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Marius (Luna Lodge, #4) Page 6