Now, in her time of need, there was no one to go to. No one would realize she was gone. If her mother and sister were still alive she wouldn’t be so alone. She had tried going to the police. Evelyn had been parked right outside of the police station in Seattle, building up her courage to go inside.
Then, she had seen the man she was running from coming out of the building. Not only that, he was escorted out by the Captain. The two had seemed pretty friendly chatting and shaking hands. If she went inside the station and told her story, not only would they think she was totally insane, she would probably be delivered right back to the enemy. Then, she’d be dead. So, Evelyn had done the next best thing. She had run like the hounds of hell were on her heels—or, driven was more like it.
Evelyn wasn’t sure where she was going. She only knew she had to keep driving as far away from Seattle as she could get. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered how she had gotten herself into a danger she didn’t even fully comprehend.
Evelyn had spent a normal day at work. She considered herself lucky, working for LeeCorp, a company that specialized in creating pharmaceuticals for rare blood disorders. They had chosen her out of hundreds to work for them just six months ago. The salary was incredible. She would have saved up to buy a much better car and her own house in no time. Plus, the environment at LeeCorp was exactly what she preferred. She was left alone in a lab for eight hours a day and then she went home.
There was no one around to force her through the awkward process of making small talk. The few other staff who she encountered were just like her. Worse even. They were focused on work and didn’t bother to socialize. Not a healthy way to live, but it worked for her. Evelyn never quite fit in anywhere. She just never felt like she belonged among normal people.
Her peers were freaked out by the fact that she could sometimes read them, tap into their feelings. She’d thought it was normal up until she was about ten. Then, she had come to the realization that she wasn’t quite normal. So, people avoided her like the plague, and she avoided them.
Yes, LeeCorp was perfect for her. Until earlier in the evening when she reached the apartment she had been given on the company’s compound, and realized she had left her cell phone at the lab. She had left work hours before and it was dark, but it was just a five-minute walk back to the lab, so she decided to go back and fetch her phone.
Evelyn had never been in the lab after four pm. All day staff were ordered to clear the building by four thirty. She never questioned the strange rule. And she had only gotten glimpses of the evening and night staff. She was sure it wouldn’t be a problem to run back in and get her phone, though. She would be in and out in two minutes, tops.
Evelyn went through the rigorous security clearance and headed to her office. She often wondered why they needed such top notch security. Did collecting and testing blood specimens, and researching blood disorders really require such tight security measures? She had quickly shrugged off the question. Her boss Bolin Lee was a mysterious character. All she knew about him was—well, his name. Maybe he was just a stickler for security. A lot of the filthy rich were eccentric like that.
She’d retrieved her cell phone and was walking out of her office when she heard a strange noise. It had stopped her in her tracks. In her six months working in the building, it had always been quiet. What sounded like a piercing scream caused the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. “What the heck was that?”
Her feet, of their own volition, had taken off in the direction of the sound. Somehow she had ended up two floors down, facing an authorized personnel only sign. “They have unauthorized areas in the building?” Her brows furrowed. What was so secretive about a few blood samples?
Evelyn sighed and turned around. She would go no further. Then, she heard it again. A cry, one filled with agony. It sounded almost like a wounded animal. Her heart thumped in her chest. Tapping into the unknown person’s emotions, she could feel the swirl of pain, fear and anger coming from him or her. It could be one of the workers, she thought.
Evenly pushed the heavy double doors open, entering a corridor. There was another door up ahead. She hesitantly walked toward it. This door was locked, as she found out when she tried the handle. She glanced up seeing a small window cut out in the metal door. Standing on tippy toes, she peered into the room. If the injured person was in there she would run back upstairs to get help.
What she saw robbed her of breath. In the spacious, sterile, all-white room, a man stood chained to the wall. He pulled at his restraints, baring his teeth at a small group of people standing in a semi-circle in front of him. He was huge, muscular.
One man in a long white lab coat scribbled on a clipboard. Another man who she identified as the elusive Doctor Bolin Lee, owner of LeeCorp, stood with his hands in his pockets. He studied the chained up man with interest.
What in the hell is going on? Evelyn strained to stay on the tip of her toes. Her eyes widened when Dr. Lee picked up a scalpel, stepped forward and sliced the man’s chest. Evelyn’s hands flew to her mouth. What she saw after that nearly made her pass out. The huge man in captivity snarled again. His face elongated, taking on a serpentine shape. Green scales replaced bronzed skin from the neck down.
A yelp escaped Evelyn’s lips. Everyone in the room turned, seeing her through the narrow window. “Who the hell is that?” Dr. Lee barked. “Get her now! Call security.”
Instinct kicked in. She knew if she was caught, it wouldn’t turn out well for her. So, she ran, making it back through the double doors. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She would be caught by security if she went back the way she had come.
Panic welled up in her chest. There was no escape. Mr. Lee and his men were on their way through the doors behind her, and security was coming down the stairs. Her eyes swiveled around, looking for another way out. She spotted a door and dashed toward it. Thankfully, it was open. Someone had been careless and left it unlocked. She went in and locked the door, praying no one look for her in there.
As Evelyn leaned against the wall, heart in her mouth, she heard Dr. Lee’s voice. “Was that one of the day staff? None of them are to be on the compound at this time. How many times do I have to say it?”
“It’s Miss Evelyn Peters, sir. She checked in earlier, said she left her phone in her office. She was supposed to get it and leave,” Mr. Cranston explained. Evelyn was familiar with him. He was the security guard at the main entrance to the building.
“Well, what is she doing down here?” Dr. Lee sounded livid.
“I-I don’t know sir.”
“Incompetent fools, all of you. Find her. When you do, eliminate her and make it look like an accident. I can’t have her running around and blabbing about what she saw. Such a pity, the woman is a brilliant hematologist.”
Evelyn’s knees quivered. Eliminate her? Her breathing quickened and she had to clamp her hands over her mouth. Miraculously, no one checked the room she had slid into. She waited for what felt like forever before peeking outside. Everyone had left to hunt her down. She ran back to her apartment, grabbed her purse and car key and immediately left. It wouldn’t be long before they showed up at her apartment.
When she made it to the police station, she sat in her car, mind racing. What would happen if she went inside and told the police what she saw? They would think she was a crazy woman. People didn’t change into other creatures. She didn’t even believe what she had seen. But, she had to report the kidnapping and torture of that man. Maybe she could omit the part about him changing into…a—a reptile?
Just when she garnered the courage to get out of the car, the door to the precinct opened. To her horror, Dr. Lee had beaten her to the station. He was smiling with the Captain, who she had seen on television many times. Being able to read people, she’d never gotten a good vibe from the man even through the TV screen. He was corrupt, money hungry. Of course, no one else realized what a dirt bag the man really was. And he and Dr. Lee were friends.
Evelyn hadn’
t graduated high school early and become a doctor because she was stupid. She was one of the sharpest tools in the shed. She knew that if she went to the police, she would be a dead woman.
Now, as she steered her tiny car through the winding roads, the tears she had tried so hard to keep at bay began to fall. “What have I gotten myself into?” She could never go back to her life. Not with people hunting her down. Dr. Lee’s words echoed in her head. Eliminate her.
Evelyn sniffed loudly, her tears blinding her. By the time her vision cleared, she had driven off the road. Out of nowhere, something dropped from the sky. She swerved in order to avoid hitting whatever it was. Before she hit the tree looming in front of her, she caught a glimpse of a person running toward her car. Then, everything went black.
*****
Michael let out a curse, wincing when the little black car hit the tree. It was a good thing the woman wasn’t driving fast. He knew it was a woman because he had gotten a glimpse of delicate features and long blonde hair when she swerved away from him. He had been circling the sky in his dragon form when he saw the vehicle swaying below.
Initially, he thought the driver was drunk or falling asleep. So he had swooped down to somehow try and stop the imminent accident. He had only served to make it worse. The driver had swung right into a tree to avoid hitting him. He ran toward the car, snow crunching under his feet.
He prayed the driver was still alive. Yanking the door open, he found the woman slumped over the steering wheel. A smear of red across her forehead marred the smooth, creamy pale skin. He checked her pulse, letting out a breath when he felt it was strong and steady beneath his fingertips.
Moving with caution, so as not to cause any further damage to the woman, he lifted her from the vehicle. Deep in the Cascades, there were no hospitals nearby. The next logical thing to do was bring the woman home and tend to her wound.
Michael looked down at the small boned woman in his arms. He felt a punch in his gut. She was beautiful, even with her skin drained of color. Impossibly long lashes fanned across high cheekbones. Her full, pillowy lips were slightly parted, as if in invitation for his kiss. Michael blinked. What was the matter with him? The woman needed help and here he was thinking about kissing her. Muttering a curse, he took off deeper into the woods in the direction of his small community. The others would be wary of their human guest so he would try to keep her presence hidden for as long as he could. At least, until the woman was well enough to be on her way.
There was one person who he couldn’t hide the beautiful stranger from, his twin brother, Victor. Considering that they shared a home, Victor would know there was a strange human present the instant he stepped into their cabin.
Michael couldn’t worry about his brother now. He needed to get the human warm and take care of her wound. Deciding that flying was the better mode of transportation, he shifted. A blue dragon took off skyward, clutching a human in its hands.
Michael’s powerful wings took him through the air effortlessly. He hoped the woman didn’t wake up until he landed. There would be hell if she woke up and found herself airborne in the clutches of a dragon.
He landed on the large balcony of his and Victor’s cabin minutes later. Luckily, it was night. Most of the shifters and their mates residing in the community were indoors, taking shelter from the freezing weather and accompanying snow. Not that dragon shifters were affected by the cold weather. But, those with human mates preferred to stay inside. If he had a mate he probably wouldn’t leave his cabin much either. Having a warm female body in one’s bed was motivation to remain inside.
A mate. The thought hadn’t crossed his mind in years. Both he and his brother had given up on finding the women created for them. Several centuries of searching to no avail was enough to make a shifter lose hope.
A small moan caught his attention. He glanced down at the woman still in his arms. He had reached his bedroom, but he still hadn’t put her down. Holding the stranger felt so right. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, giving him a glimpse of the most gorgeous, richest, mocha colored eyes he had ever seen. Michael sucked in a sharp breath feeling another punch to the gut. Her eyes closed again, forcing him into action. He went to retrieve the first aid kit he and Victor kept on hand.
He couldn’t help wondering about the feeling that hit him every time he looked at her. It was like he had been dead until he got a glance of the stranger. Now he felt alive, like his life suddenly had new meaning. Was it possible that she was his mate?
He shook his head. No, it couldn’t be. It had to be normal attraction. She was a pretty woman, after all. And he had a libido that hadn’t seen any action in a while. He was sexually attracted to the woman. That’s all it was.
Victor inhaled as he landed in front of the two story cabin he shared with his brother. He was tired and miserable after a useless night of searching. Where the hell was Alexander? It was like the man had disappeared off the face of the earth. Two weeks and not a trace of him. Their small clan was starting to worry.
Rumors of humans kidnapping shifters from other clans had reached them, and Alexander, one of their strongest and most trusted had been sent out to investigate. He hadn’t returned. He and his twin, Michael, Princes of their people had tried their best to ease everyone’s worry. But, now he was starting to worry. He had a bad feeling about Alexander’s disappearance.
Releasing a sigh, he pushed the front door open. He would go out again tomorrow night to continue his search. As he stepped inside, Victor stilled. There was a human inside their home. A woman.
Victor snarled. Damn Michael, the reckless fool. He had probably picked up some woman and brought her home for a bit of fun. He was going to kick Michael’s ass for being so careless.
“You want to kick my ass?” Michael snorted. “Good luck with that.” Victor whipped around as Michael entered the living room.
Right, they were tuned in to each other’s thoughts and emotions. Victor glared at the mirror image of himself. It amazed him that they were identical twins, yet they were as different as night and day. “You brought a stranger into our home? A human no less. Have you lost your mind?” he growled. “What if this human discovers our secret? You’re willing to put our people at risk for a roll in the sack?”
Michael stared at his brother, his lips twitching with amusement. “Are you finished?”
“Not even close, you idiot.”
“Well, shut up and let me explain. “I didn’t bring the woman back here to sleep with her. She was in an acci—”
“I don’t give a damn why she’s here. She has to go now.” Victor pushed past his brother and followed the female scent. Michael sighed and followed. Reaching his brother’s bedroom door, Victor grunted. “You didn’t bring her here to sleep with her, yet she’s in your bedroom.”
“If you would just let me explain—”
Victor delivered another murderous glare. “Just get rid of her. Better yet, I’ll get rid of her.” He pushed the door open and stepped into his brother’s room with purpose.
He saw a woman lying on his brother’s bed, her body covered with a blanket. Victor stopped in his tracks. Her eyes were closed, her face pale. He saw the bandage on the right side of her forehead. Clearly, the woman wasn’t well.
Michael stepped in. “Look, you should get out before she wakes up. If she opens her eyes and sees your ugly face, she’ll be terrified.”
“We have the same face.”
“Yeah, but I’m much more pleasant. Your attitude makes you unattractive.”
Victor gritted his teeth, choosing not to respond. He knew he was the complete opposite of his friendly, charming twin. “What’s wrong with her?”
Michael’s lips twisted. “As I was trying to tell you, she drove into a tree. I brought her back here to tend to her wound. She opened her eyes several times. Her pupils weren’t dilated or anything so I figured she would be fine until morning.”
“Alright then, doctor Michael,” Victor murmured.
Michael shrugged. “I read. You should really get out of here. If the woman wakes and sees two huge, strange men standing over her, she’s sure to be alarmed. We don’t want to scare her to death.”
“Oh, so you get to stay and play nurse?” Victor’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Michael. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get rid of me so you can make googly eyes at the pretty blonde?” As Victor muttered the words, he couldn’t resist staring at the woman in his brother’s bed. One look at her and his anger had dissipated. His heart had jumped in his chest, surprising the hell out of him. Sure, he enjoyed sex and women, but he wasn’t the emotional type. He had felt something different when he saw this woman for the first time. Only God knew what he had felt. Lust? Attraction? No, it was stronger than that. He just couldn’t figure out what.
Michael folded his arms and gave his brother a knowing grin. “You mean the same googly eyes you’re making?”
Victor cleared his throat lightly, putting back in place his gruff demeanor. “As soon as she’s well enough to leave, she’s out of here. Got it?”
Michael’s lips twitched. “Yeah, sure.”
*****
Evelyn rolled over, burrowing deeper under the covers. She let out a content sigh. Who knew sleeping in her car would be so comfortable and warm? Wait, where did the thick blanket come from? She hadn’t taken anything but her purse and the clothes on her back when she ran. The only thing she’d had stashed in the back seat of her car was an old coat that wasn’t that warm. When had she even fallen asleep?
The last thing she remembered was driving and being on the verge of a breakdown, and then she had seen something. Or rather, something had dropped from the sky in front of her. She had hit something hard. She closed her eyes briefly. She had run right into a tree. Just before that she had seen someone running toward her car. She wasn’t sure if it had been a man or woman, but it had to be one of Lee’s employees, sent to take her out.
Evelyn bolted up, her eyes flying open. She paused, realizing that she wasn’t in her car. She was in a massive bed in a strange bedroom. The first thing that came to her mind was that Bolin Lee had caught her and she was being held captive in his home. Her heart began to pound, along with her head. She lifted a hand to her forehead, coming in contact with what felt like gauze. She had been injured?
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