Gone with the Monster

by Lila Dubois

  “Oh God, thank you,” Margo gushed as they approached. “My boyfriend’s hurt.”

  “Let us help you.”

  Margo stood back, and they flanked Runako. She saw him tense, and held her breath. The men made a cradle of their arms, then lifted and carried Runako with ease. She was worried he wouldn’t be able to stand them touching him, but he didn’t move as they picked him up. They carried Runako into the building, and Margo followed, babbling about how scared she was and how nice they were to help.

  It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dark interior of the building. There was a third man in the little room they’d been led into. He squatted beside Runako’s leg, then said, “Take him to medical.”

  He stood, his gaze, cold and assessing, swept over Margo. She turned to follow the men who carried Runako, and the cold-eyed man closed the exterior door, locking it with a key he then put in his pocket. They were locked in the building with the solders.

  A shiver passed over Margo.

  People were going to die today. Runako would kill some of these men, they would attempt to kill him. Some would be caught in the crossfire. Maybe some would die who knew nothing about what had happened.

  Death would lie thick upon this place by sundown.

  Margo hoped she would live to see tomorrow.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Runako blinked and shook his head. He’d never felt this bad. His stomach rolled, his vision was tinted with grey and his ears were ringing.

  He hadn’t realized how much an injury would affect a human body. He’d never been seriously injured in this form, and after this experience he hoped never to do it again. He ached with the need to change forms, which would instantly neutralize the poison swimming through him.

  The men carried him down a long hall. There were doors every five paces. He tried to take additional notes, to remember the path traveled, but he couldn’t.

  Is this what it had been like for his sister? As a monster injury and pain should have been easier to handle, but if she’d been more severely injured than even she realized…

  I’m sorry, Kalona.

  Margo darted in front of him to open a door the soldier had gestured to with his head. The men carried him into a large chamber and deposited him on a paper-covered bed positioned between two curtains. Runako wobbled from side to side and would have fallen if Margo hadn’t rushed to him.

  She wrapped his arm over her shoulders, holding him upright.

  Perhaps he’d been mistaken to use one of his own darts, Runako thought. He felt far worse than he’d planned, and the poison was acting faster than he’d expected.

  It was his last thought before he lost consciousness.

  Runako went limp. Margo yelped and braced herself, trying to keep him from sliding off the hospital bed. She tugged, and Runako fell backwards.

  A middle-aged woman in a lab coat bustled up to them.

  “What happened?” she demanded. She lifted Runako’s legs, pulled an extension out of the bottom of the table and started pulling the torn pants away from Runako’s injury.

  “He, he fell.” Margo stammered. “We were trying to mountain climb, and he fell and cut his leg, and then, then he was lying on these rocks, and he, um, yelled that something had bit him. I think maybe a snake bit him, but I couldn’t tell.”

  The snake was improv, but now that she could see the full extent of Runako’s injury Margo knew a bad fall wouldn’t be enough to explain what was going on.

  “How long ago?”

  “Uh, half an hour maybe.”

  “So you weren’t far from here when it happened?”

  Crap. If she said yes and there were no rock climbing areas near here they’d know something was up. She couldn’t say they’d been walking for hours—Runako wouldn’t have survived that long.

  “Not very far, and when we’d been hiking along a, uh, ridge, I’d seen the roof of this place, so when he got hurt we came right here. Will he be okay?”

  “He’s developed a fever from the venom. Keith, get me the anti-venom.” A young man dressed in scrubs hurried away from the bed. Margo hadn’t even known he was there.

  This was a terrible plan. A terrible, stupid plan. If there’d been an abort button she would have pressed it. Runako was sick, really sick. He needed to change forms and heal himself, but once he did that they were going to have to fight their way out.

  Runako shuddered. Margo put her hand on his chest and his bones shifted under her palm. Margo bit her lip to keep herself from giving anything away. Runako’s body was trying to change.

  If he was really that sick, so sick he wasn’t in control of himself, Margo had a bad feeling he was going to change forms, no matter what.

  If that happened, and if he was still out of it when he did, they were both dead.

  “What about the cut,” she asked, “will it heal? Will he lose his leg?”

  “Lose his leg?” the middle-aged doctor barked out a laugh. “Even in combat medicine we don’t amputate anymore. He needs anti-venom and fluids. The cut clotted nicely so I’ll let the swelling go down before we proceed.”

  Keith returned with a tiny bottle, bag of clear fluid and tubing. With an apologetic smile at her he nudged her out of the way and inserted an IV into Runako’s forearm. He hooked up a bottle of clear fluid. The doctor took his place and pushed a syringe full of anti-venom into the IV.

  “Doctor, doctor!” A young woman ran to the bed. She was also in scrubs, but hers were covered with dark smears and her hair was a tangled mess. She held her right arm cradled to her belly with her left. “He’s awake. It didn’t work.”

  “Keith. Ice packs on the leg, watch the fever,” the doctor said as she darted away. Trying to be subtle, Margo leaned to her right to look around the curtain. The girl and doctor disappeared through a silver door at the back of the mini emergency room.

  Keith pulled open a drawer and took out two chemical packs. He took the first and cracked it in the middle. Margo picked up the second, imitating him. The pack grew instantly cold. She handed it to Keith, who placed it on Runako’s leg.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  “I’m the one who needs to say thank you. If this place hadn’t been here…” Margo took a deep breath that shuddered with tears she refused to shed. She didn’t have to act freaked out and scared—she was freaked out and scared. “I don’t know what we would have done.”

  “Snake bite and a fall,” he said. “You’re boyfriend has some crappy luck. I didn’t even think we had poisonous snakes up this high.”

  Margo sucked in her breath. That never occurred to her.

  “I don’t know if it was a snake,” she said slowly, watching him from under her lashes. “I heard him yell that he’d been bit, but I was trying to climb down and couldn’t hear him very well. I didn’t look around to see what had gotten him, I was more concerned by the big cut.”

  “The cut is long, but shallow. It should heal fine. It’s the poison we need to be worried about.”

  “How long before the medicine works?”

  “It depends,” Keith said. “Here, have a seat,” he pushed a stool over for Margo. She took a seat. Threading her hand through the bars of the bed Margo held Runako’s hand. His skin was cooler to the touch. The frown line of pain was gone from between his brows.

  Runako seemed to be getting better, and he wasn’t turning into a monster. If she could get them to air lift him out of here they might survive.

  Much to her surprise Keith pulled up a stool to the other side of the bed, positioned it near Runako’s leg and took a seat.

  “My name’s Keith. And you are?”

  “Marie,” Margo answered. “Nice to meet you Doctor Keith.”

  “Not Doctor, not yet.”

  “Oh, you’re an intern?” He nodded. “I’ve heard that’s really hard.”

  “It is. Especially here.”

  Bingo. “I bet you get a lot of people like us, way up here in the mountains and all.”

&nbs
p; “Uh, no. I mean, well, we don’t get too many outsiders.”

  Margo tilted her head to the side. “I thought it was like, a forest clinic, or something. You know, park rangers.” Margo waved her hand vaguely.

  “No, this is actually a private hospital.”

  “Oh no, really? I don’t think my boyfriend has insurance.” Margo opened her eyes wide and tried to look helpless.

  “I wouldn’t worry about it. This place has tons of money. Tons.”

  “So what is it? This place I mean.” Margo kept her attention on Runako as she asked the question, trying to project the impression that she didn’t care one way or the other.

  “It’s a, uh, research facility. The staff live onsite. We have to live here if we want to work here.”

  Margo looked at Keith. He was slender and pale. He wore glasses, and his hair hung in front of his eyes. “Are all the other staff like those two who brought Run—my boyfriend in? They were total jar heads.”

  Keith smiled. “Yeah, pretty much everyone here except me and a few of the other head researchers are ex-military.”

  “The doctor said something about combat…”

  “Yeah, she’s military too.”

  “Oh my gosh, are we on, like, a nuclear testing sight? Are we going to die of radiation?”

  “Oh no, it’s nothing like that. We do, um, sort of medical research.” Margo frowned and shrugged. Keith checked the swelling at Runako’s leg. “We do research to help soldiers heal faster, and to help them be faster and smarter and stuff.”

  “Like the six million dollar man?”

  Keith laughed, “Sort of. There’s a team that does that, but I didn’t get assigned there,” his face drooped, “I’m here in the clinic, and sometimes I work on performance enhancement.”

  “You mean like steroids?”

  “More like Gatorade.”

  Margo smiled. “You should just lie and say that you work in like, genetic experimentation creating super humans. Much sexier.”

  He jerked tellingly when she said super humans but then smiled. He lifted the ice packs again, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. “His leg looks really good. I think we’re almost ready to clean and stitch it.”

  There was a loud beep, and then the doctor’s voice. “All hands to Containment Unit B. All hands.”

  The suddenness of the announcement combined with the panic in the doctor’s voice shocked Margo. Keith looked as shocked as she. He looked at her, almost as if he was asking what to do.

  “Should you go?” Margo prompted.

  “Yeah, I’ll—I’ll go. Don’t worry I’ll stitch up his leg if, uh, when I come back.”

  Keith stood and ran to the door the doctor had gone through. Margo rolled her stool so she could watch him leave. She didn’t see him swipe a badge or punch in a code. The door was unsecured. Margo stood.

  “Are you going to follow him?”

  Margo screamed. She slapped her hand over her mouth and turned to face Runako. He was propped up on his elbows, one brow raised in question.

  “You’re okay,” Margo said, rushing to his side. The ball of anxiety she’d been ignoring loosened. Runako was alive. She hadn’t lost him. He was awake. She wasn’t alone in this frightening place anymore.

  “You’re shaking.”

  “I was scared.”

  “I’m sorry.” He cupped her cheek. “I made myself more ill than I’d planned.”

  “I was worried you were going to die. I mean I figured we would probably both end up dead, but watching you die…” Margo felt tears well in her eyes, and she tried to turn away. Runako caught her chin with his hand. Margo blinked and a fat, salty tear rolled down her left cheek.

  “I would not die—”

  “I know, I know, you would have changed into a Monster and healed yourself—”

  “No.” he squeezed her chin. “I would not have died and left you alone. I will protect you, above all.”

  “Runako…”

  “I will. This place is dangerous, as much as we thought. I am still confident that we will conquer these pathetic humans and triumph, but I can smell your fear. If you are afraid then we will leave. If we continue this charade they will have to let us go, yes?”

  Margo nodded.

  “If you truly fear we will die here, then we will go.”

  “But your sister…”

  “She is gone. You are…you are more important.”

  The statement hung between them, heavy and powerful. Margo blinked and more tears fell. “I would have died doing this. How stupid is that? I came here half expecting to die, but I was willing to do it.”

  “Why?”

  “Don’t be stupid. You know why.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Because I love you, okay? You great stupid brute. I love you, and I shouldn’t, and it’s like…the stupidest thing ever, but I do. I came here to help you, I came up with this dippy plan, and would have gotten myself turned into Swiss cheese, all because I could see how much your sister’s death was hurting you, and if this is what you needed for closure, then I was willing to do it.”

  Runako sat up and cupped her cheek. His eyes were soft.

  He was going to tell her he loved her too. Yay!

  He was going to say thanks but no thanks. Boo.

  The intercom beeped, and the sound of screams and static filled the room. Margo jumped, and Runako slid off the bed.

  “Are you sure you should be up?” Margo yelled over the din. The intercom shut off, and the silence was deafening. Things were not going well in Containment Unit B.

  Runako pulled off the one shoe he was still wearing and yanked out his IV. He walked into the center of the room and changed. Margo sucked in a breath and began scanning the ceiling for cameras. There were three. If anyone was watching…

  Runako had already changed back into human. He’d shredded his clothes, hulk-style, so Margo rooted around in drawers until she came up with a pair of scrubs.

  “Thanks,” Runako said, slipping them on. His leg was completely healed.

  “There are cameras, if anyone was watching…” Margo handed him his boots, but he shook his head.

  “If I need to change the boots might restrict me. I think no one saw—the staff are in the place with the screaming.”

  “We should search the place now, while they’re distracted by whatever’s going on,” Margo said with a sigh.

  Runako cupped her arms. “No. If you wish we will leave. It is up to you.”

  Margo touched his face. “Promise me we’ll survive.”

  “We will.”

  “That’s a stupid thing to promise.”

  “I know.”

  “Promise me you won’t kill Keith.”

  “The floppy-haired boy?”

  “Yeah. He’s an innocent bystander.”

  Runako frowned, but then nodded in agreement. “Fine. Floppy hair lives. The choice is yours, Margo.”

  With a sigh Margo darted to one of the drawers she’d opened while looking for scrubs. The deep drawer opened with a clank, revealing what looked like a SWAT tool kit. She pulled out two automatic pistols, checked them, and then stuffed one into each jacket pocket. She filled the inner pockets of the coat with cartridges, stripped off the jacket and strapped on a bulletproof vest.

  Slipping the jacked on she turned back to Runako. “Not one word about the guns.”

  “I really want to fuck you right now,” Runako said adoringly, looking her up and down.

  “Time and place, buddy. Let’s go.”

  Runako in the lead, they headed into certain death.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Runako was acutely aware of Margo as they edged down the hallway. The caution seemed unnecessary, as the hallway was wide and brightly lit. The door they’d entered through was at one end of the hall, leaving them with only one way to go.

  The hall was silent, disturbingly so.

  Runako did his best to keep his attention on the dangerous situation they were in, but h
e couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d said.

  Margo loved him. She loved him. Translated into his terms she wished to be his mate—his companion, lover, friend. It was a commitment not lightly entered into among his people, whereas marriages seemed to be temporary things for humans. But he did not think Margo was like that. She would be a good mate, true and strong.

  She was like his people, as he’d first believed. She’d been willing to risk her life to see justice done and his sister avenged. That wasn’t exactly what she’d said, but that was what he’d heard.

  He could ask for no better mate. Women were scarce among his Clan, and there had never been a female who drew him, not as Margo did.

  He would die for her. He would kill for her. He would die if she left him.

  Runako had a funny feeling this was love.

  He loved her, now what? He was not like the others, willing to live in a skin that was not his and pretend to be something he wasn’t. He was Monster, and had no wish to become human.

  He loved her, but he would not be the creature she said she loved if he had to give up everything he was to be with her.

  He loved her, but could not live with her. Where did that leave them?

  “Watch it,” Margo hissed, hand on his arm pulling him back. They’d come to an intersection in the hallway. He’d been so consumed by his musings he hadn’t noticed. His first priority was to get her out of here alive.

  Perhaps it was foolish arrogance, but Runako did not doubt that he would successfully get both himself and Margo out of here, while also extracting his revenge. Come to think of it, he was rather insulted that Margo had agreed to participate in this venture while thinking it was a suicide mission. They would have to discuss this. When she was his mate she would not be allowed to take chances with her life. If she thought she was in danger she would do the smart thing—retreat and get assistance.

  Or in Margo’s case, get a gun. He looked over his shoulder to see that Margo had one gun drawn. She held it in both hands, her arms tucked into her chest, as he’d seen humans do on TV.

  But with Margo…it was not disgusting and cowardly. It was hot. Maybe that’s why human men liked guns. Perhaps at night they got their mates to pose with them. Margo’s hair had come loose from the braid she’d worn to confine it and the curling dark mass draped over her shoulders and brushed her cheeks.