by Dena Christy
“I’m Gerard and I will be working with you.” Gerard turned on his heel and walked back toward the building. Nick followed, taking in as much information as he could about the exterior of the building. It didn’t look like much from the outside, but after working in Order headquarters for the past four years, he knew that appearances were deceiving.
“So what will I be doing here?” Nick asked as he drew abreast of Gerard. They stopped in front of a locked door, which had a key pad beside it. Despite Gerard’s attempts to hide what he punched in, Nick was able to see the code he entered. He noticed that Gerard didn’t volunteer to share the code with him, and he figured he was on probation for the time being. Smart thinking really, since they couldn’t know for sure what his real purpose was here.
“We need someone to take care of the medical needs of some of our subjects. You’ll be seeing to their care in your capacity as a doctor.”
“This would be the women the Order is looking for?” Nick made his tone as casual as possible.
“No, the women are housed at a different location, and you don’t need to concern yourself with them. The wolves who’ve taken the Dark Wolf formula are housed here, and it is your job to make sure they are fit to do what we need them to do.” Gerard hit a switch on the wall, and florescent lights hummed on over head. They walked down an institutional looking hallway, and Gerard took the first right down another hall. Several doors lined the corridor, and after passing the third one on the left, Gerard withdrew a key out of his pocket and opened the door. Inside looked like an infirmary, with several beds with curtain partitions, and medical equipment at each station.
“This is where you will be doing most of your work. You can familiarize yourself with the facilities tomorrow. For now I’ll take you to your quarters, where you can get settled in.”
They left the office, went to a stairwell, and walked up to the third floor. “So what exactly are you doing here? What is the purpose behind it all.”
“You seem rather curious about our operation,” Gerard said, and for a moment Nick thought perhaps he’d tipped his hand. “When you need to know what our operation entails you will be informed.”
Nick figured it would be better to bluster his way through this, and hope that he pissed Gerard off enough to tell him more about what was going on. “Look, I betrayed the Order, who’ve been like a family to me, to come here. I think I deserve to know what I’m getting involved with.”
“I haven’t been told to inform you of anything that you haven’t been told already. Once we’re sure that you’ve really betrayed your Order, I’m sure you will learn what it is you think you need to know.”
Gerard opened a door and swept his arm. “These are your accommodations. Until we are sure of you, your movements will be restricted to the infirmary and here. You may have to go down to the holding facilities to look at a patient, but you will be escorted there until we are certain that you are on our side. Enjoy your stay and if there is anything you need please let us know. And I’ll need you to hand over your cell phone please.”
Nick reached into his pocket for his phone. Since Cadric had instructed him to have no contact until he was sure where the women were housed, he knew he had no need of it. “I trust I’ll get that back at some point. I’m really into Candy Crush,” Nick said as he gave the phone to Gerard.
“You won’t have much time for games, but once we know we can trust you, you’ll get it back.” And with that, Gerard pocketed the phone.
Nick walked into his room, and opened his mouth to speak to Gerard, who had already closed the door, leaving Nick alone in his room. He looked around the rather sparse room he was to be house in, and figure it could be a lot worse. There wasn’t much in the way of furniture, save a single bed, a bedside table and a battered desk and chair. There was a door on the side of the room, and upon opening it Nick discovered that at least he would have his own bathroom. Feeling rather like he’d gone back in time to his university days, Nick sat on the edge of the bed. At least now he couldn’t call Hadria and beg her forgiveness, possibly blowing this whole mission in the process.
Chapter Fourteen
Hadria opened her eyes, sunshine greeting her from the window of Nick’s bedroom. She snuggled back under the covers, sweeping her hand out to touch Nick. Cold sheets greeted her questing fingers. Slowly sitting up, she looked around. There was no sign of him in the bedroom, and no sound came from the bathroom. Getting out of bed, she slid on her robe and walked down the stairs.
The silence of the house damned her as doubts drifted under the surface of her mind.
“Nick,” she called as her bare feet sounded against the tile floor in the kitchen. Maybe he went out for a run. Hadria went outside and braced herself for the magic to take her over. Once she was in wolf form, she sniffed the air but could find no traces of Nick.
With her heart pounding in her chest she ran through the wood, yipping and howling. No matter where she ran or how fast she went, she could not find him. She wheeled around and raced back to the house, hoping she’d just missed him and he was waiting for her.
Her breath came in labored gasps once she changed back to her human form. She pulled her robe tightly around her as she walked to the front of the house. Her car sat alone in the driveway.
She went back to the kitchen and picked up the phone. She dialed Nick’s cell number, but it went straight to voice mail. She hung up and punched in Samara’s number. Eric answered on the third ring.
“Eric, is Nick there?” she asked, trying to keep the frantic worry that was crawling around inside her from coming out in her voice.
“No, I haven’t seen him. Is everything alright Hadria?”
“Everything is—” Hadria gripped the phone tightly as a sob built inside her. Her mind raced over the possibilities of where he was, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe the lies. Nick wasn’t here, and it wasn’t like him not to tell her where he was going.
“Hadria! Are you still there?”
Hadria couldn’t answer when she spied a plain white sheet of paper, propped against the flowers Nick has gotten for her last night. With the phone still clutched to her ears, she vaguely heard muffled sounds on the other end of the phone, but she could not speak when she heard her daughter’s voice.
“Hadria. What’s wrong? I know you’re there, please answer me.”
The note sat there on the table, and as she got closer she could see her name written on the front. The phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. The sound of Samara’s voice became an annoying buzz as her trembling hand reached out to pick up the note. She swallowed hard as she unfolded it, the words blurring in front of her. Blinking rapidly, she focused on what he’d written there.
I’m sorry.
She stared at his words until her eyes burned and the note fluttered out of her hand. Pressing her fist against her chest, she tried to hold in the pain that threatened to consume her. She’d been betrayed before. This time was no different. Gripping the edge of the table, she tried to make herself believe the lie. Pain seared in her finger tips, and she looked down to see her nails digging into the wood.
The weight of her body dragged her down to the floor. A scream, like that of a wounded animal, ripped out of her throat. Her cheek pressed against the floor, it’s coldness seeping into her skin as the heat of her pain burned her from the inside out.
“No, no, no... not you Nick. Please not you Nick.” The words came out in a whispered sob. Her legs curled up toward her chest as she lay on her side. The hot tracks of her tears ran from her eyes and dripped on the floor as she sobbed. Her mind went blank, and all she could see, hear and feel was the pain tearing out from inside her.
A long while later she pulled herself up and sat at the kitchen table, the note crumpled in the palm of her hand. How long had she lain on the floor? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.
Someone banged on the front door. Just go away. Maybe if she closed her eyes they would leave. Le
ave like Nick had. Nick, she couldn’t think about him. It hurt too much. She didn’t want to hurt, didn’t want to feel. She wanted to be empty, to feel nothing. Nothing was safer.
The banging continued. Why won’t they go away? The front door opened, and footsteps sounded in the hall, growing louder the closer they came to the kitchen. She kept her eyes closed.
“Hadria?”
Samara’s voice sounded in front of her and she felt the warm clasp of her hands. How had Samara known something had happened? She heard the faint busy signal from the phone. She’d called Samara, hadn’t she? Looking for Nick. They didn’t know where Nick was, but she knew. He was gone. Gone because of her, because she loved him.
“Hadria, what happened? What’s wrong?”
She finally opened her eyes. She could see the faint lines between her daughter’s eyebrows. She always did that when she worried. She shouldn’t worry.
“I thought I was prepared.” The voice coming out of her sounded so strange, so calm. It didn’t sound broken at all.
“Prepared for what? Where’s Nick?” Eric spoke from her left, his tone as worried as her daughter’s face.
Hadria turned her head to look at him. She hadn’t noticed him there but of course he was there. He never left Samara’s side if he could help it. He wanted to talk about Nick, but she couldn’t. If she talked about him it would be real. He wouldn't be walking in the door any second now. Can’t they see he’s gone? Why did I have to say it?
“Honey, tell us what happened to Nick?” Samara knelt in front of her, letting go of her hands to reach for her face. Hadria drew back. She couldn’t let her touch her. The threads holding her together would unravel if her daughter touched her. The broken pieces inside wouldn’t go back together if she fell apart again.
“I should have known somehow. The secrets, the lies. I should’ve had a clue.” Was there a way she could have guessed? Could she have seen through his actions last night to have seen this coming?
The warmth of Samara’s presence left her as Eric drew her aside. “Do you know what she’s on about?” She could see Eric looking at her as if she’d come unhinged, and maybe she had. Maybe after all these years she finally hit the end of her rope, a rope that was worn out, and now that he was gone it snapped.
“Why don’t you leave us alone for a minute?” Samara moved away from Eric and came back. A chair scraped across the floor when she pulled it out from the table and moved it directly across from her. “You need to talk to me. I’m afraid for you. I can feel your emptiness. Did something happen to Nick?”
Hadria sighed. They wouldn’t stop until she said it, until she admitted it to them what happened. Her humiliation would be complete. To know in her heart what he had done was one thing, but to say the words out loud. Once it was said, it would become truth.
“He’s gone. Never coming back. Betrayal always comes in the end, at least for me.” She thought this time would be different, he promised it would be different. Why did he have to promise? The pain started up again, and she folded her arms across her stomach to keep it inside, to stop it from howling out of her mouth and into the open air.
“Nick wouldn’t betray you. He loves you.” Samara reached out to take her hand, to pull it away from her body. Hadria tightened her grip around her middle, and Samara’s hand fell away.
“I know.” She rocked on the floor, hugging herself. “I loved him too. That’s why he did it. He left me this.” She handed Samara the note, and heard the crinkling of the paper as her daughter smoothed it out on the table. He said he was sorry. If he was sorry he wouldn’t have gone. Why did he make love to her last night when he was planning to do this today? Was that what he was sorry for? How could he be so cruel?
Eric walked over and pulled the note from Samara’s hand. He frowned at it before tossing it on the table. “Something else is going on. Nick wouldn’t do this to you. I know my brother and this isn’t like him.”
“Nick’s changed, he’s not the same man anymore. My curse does that. It’s ruined his life, like it has the lives of so many others. I’m the one who should be sorry. I knew this would happen and I was selfish.”
Samara came over and pulled her from the floor. Hadria stood there, her head hanging down. “This is not your fault. Nick is not Alex or any of the others. We’ll get to the bottom of this, but I think it would be best if you came to our house.”
Hadria looked around the kitchen, and felt the walls closing in on her. Samara was right. She needed to get out of there. She turned and walked out of the kitchen, while Samara and Eric followed closely behind. Hadria concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, as the couple behind her talked in quiet voices.
“Once we get her home, I’m going to look for Nick. I’ll find out what the hell is going on.”
Hadria had no doubt that if anyone could find Nick it would be Eric. A part of her didn’t want Nick to be found. That way she could pretend that none of this had happened. She knew in her heart that she was doomed to disappointment, and that she would see Nick again. And once the truth was confirmed, there would be nothing left of her but a shallow husk.
***
Nick stirred in bed, reaching out to his side to pull Hadria closer. His hand met the edge and his eyes flew open. He looked around, remembering that he left her last night, and she most likely thought the worst of him now. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. There was no point in regretting what he’d done. It was too late to go back. All he wanted now was to get this mission over with, to make something good come out of an intolerable situation.
Rolling over to sit on the side of the bed, he ran his hand over the rasp of whiskers on his jaw. The side of his face felt tender, and he got up and walked to the bathroom to find out why. He looked in the mirror and saw the broken circle. Cadric had come through like he said he would, to provide indisputable proof that he’d betrayed the Order. Hadria must surely believe that he’d stabbed her in the back by now.
Stroking his hand down his cheek, he decided not to shave. His beard would cover the circle, and once those he now worked for saw it, there was no reason for him to show it all the time.
He quickly got ready to go to work, and left his room. The walk down the hall was short, and there were more people moving about than there had been last night. He got to the infirmary and stopped dead when he saw her. The mole from the Order was standing off to the side, and he kicked himself for not realizing sooner who it was. Rachel Elliot stood there, her pouty lips curled in a smile as she stared at him from across the room.
“I knew you’d come through for me, Nick.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip as she sashayed over to where Nick stood. She reached up and ran her finger over the mark on his face. Steeling himself, he stood there and let her do it, hoping she wouldn’t be able to smell the disgust rolling off him in waves.
“Rachel, you are the last person I expected to see here. I see Cadric doesn’t know about your double life yet,’ he said, indicating the unblemished skin on her face.
“And he won’t either. Of course I’m sure the whole Order is talking about you,” she purred as she ran her hands down his face, traveling down his throat to his chest. She flexed her fingers, digging her nails into his pecs. Even if he wasn’t in love with Hadria, this woman would have left him cold. He didn’t like aggressive, predatory women. He disengaged her hands and took a step back.
“This is hardly the place for this. How long have you worked here?’
“For a while. Good nurses, especially wolf ones, are in short supply. Even harder still are finding ones that believe whole heartedly in what we are doing here. The money’s good too,” she said as she turned, walking toward one of the beds with her hips swaying in a rhythm that could only be described as hypnotic.
“What exactly are they doing here that you believe so strongly in?” Nick pulled up a stool on wheels, sitting directly across from her. Rachel was so intent on her seduction routine, that she wouldn’t realize he was inte
rrogating her. What better way to find out what he needed to know than by pandering to her attraction to him.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet? We’re building up our race.” She ran her index finger along the neckline of her blouse. Nick pretended to watch the movement of her finger.
“And how exactly are we doing that.” Nick scooted his stool a little closer to her.
“The wolves who’ve agree to take part in the Dark Wolf project are recruiting women for turning.”
“By recruiting you mean attacking,” Nick said dryly. Rachel’s smile slipped for a second before she ran her hand over his leg. It was all Nick could do to sit there and endure her touch.
“If you want to call it that, I suppose that’s what they’re doing. You can’t really go up to a human female and ask her if she wants to be a werewolf.”
“You’re right. No woman in her right mind would want to go through the change with little chance of surviving. How are we trying to overcome that little obstacle?”
Rachel paused for a moment, a look of panic crossing her face, as if she realized that he hadn’t been informed of what’s going on and that she had probably said too much at this point. The sound of footsteps coming into the room halted their conversation, and Nick almost cursed out loud when he saw Gerard come into the infirmary. He stood in the doorway of the infirmary with one eyebrow elevated. Nick moved away from Rachel, noting the sour look she sent the other man.
The corner of Gerard’s mouth kicked up as he looked at the mark on Nick’s face. Nick hoped it meant that he would finally be trusted enough to learn more about what they were doing here.
Rachel was obviously the mole, but he needed more than that if he was going to take any useful information back to Cadric.
“Good, I see you’re ready to start your rounds. Rachel will take you down to the holding area where you can examine our subjects. I’ll let the two of you get on with it.” Gerard nodded to Rachel, and turned on his heel and left the room.