by C J Singh
“There she is! We weren’t sure if you were going to make it this morning.” Zane gave Scott a poignant look. Scott kept his eyes on the ground, avoiding Zane’s stare.
“My apologies.” I gave my best smile. “I had to have my breakfast. I don’t do much before I eat, sadly.”
Laughing, he clapped his hands together and it echoed in the large room. “Well, my apologies for interrupting your breakfast. I’ll have to be more thoughtful next time.” He walked over to the line of guards. “So, these are my finest fighters. I would love for them to train you.”
Before I spoke, I shoved my arms at Scott so he could unlock my cuffs. He gave Zane a quick look, and when he nodded, Scott unlocked them. I rubbed my wrists, strode over to Zane, pushed my feet into the mat hard, and jumped a little to get a feel of the give and take. “You sure you want them to train me? I bet I can train them.”
A large man in the middle snickered, so I slowly moved to face him. Tension in the room rose as my face stopped an inch from his, and I gazed into his green eyes. His heart beat rapidly, and he gulped at my close inspection of him. I showed my fangs before putting my nose right to his throat. I sniffed. “Ahhh fresh.”
“Excuse me?” His voice cracked.
Backing up, I smiled. “You smell fresh.” I linked my hands behind my back. “What is it you would show me?”
He nervously licked his lips, looking to Zane, who nodded. “Well, uh how to disarm your opponent and kick their feet out from under them.”
“Perfect! Show me!” I took a few steps back.
Everyone else moved off the mats to circle us, and he cleared his throat obviously unsure about teaching me. “All right, you grab your opponent here, pull forward, and swipe his feet from back to forward.” He motioned to his wrist, pulling it toward himself, and then demonstrated swiping the feet.
“All right,” I said, pretending I’ve never done this before, but all of Brian’s and Old Bob’s lessons came back to me quickly. I gently grabbed the man’s wrist, pulled him forward with a quick hard yank that pulled a grunt from him, then swiped my leg out, hitting his back to front. He landed hard. I flipped him, and I pulled his arm to his back to keep control.
“Like that?” I whispered in his ear.
He coughed, trying to catch a breath. “Yeah.”
Clapping echoed through the room as I pushed off the guard and stood. Zane headed toward me, face glowing with pride. “Wow! That was amazing!”
“Thank you.”
“Can you do more?”
“Of course.”
The next hour was spent with me taking down every one of the guards in every manner that Brian and Old Bob taught me. They all tried to outmaneuver me, but with my fast reflexes, strength, and heightened senses, I was not an equal match for any of them. Zane even had three of them fight me at one time. I still won and didn’t break a sweat.
When all eight guards sat on the mat panting with exhaustion, I turned to Zane. “I think they’ve had enough. Maybe we try again tomorrow?”
He watched me with wide amazement. “Tomorrow, yes, but you won’t be fighting them. I think we have established who’s the best fighter in this situation.”
After studying him a moment, I turned back to Scott and LaRae. “Sure. Whatever.” I kept my tone unimpressed, not wanting to let on I was a little curious what he had up his sleeve. Plus, I liked feeling my new body and seeing what it could do. Rolling my shoulders, I reveled in the fresh feeling of working my muscles.
As Scott put the cuffs back on my wrists, he shook from fear and I smiled at him.
“Tomorrow then!” I hollered at them all as I follow Scott and LaRae back to my cage.
Chapter 60
Jace
I sat on the side of my cot extending and bending my leg. I had been walking on it for a week now and it felt good. I was able to walk and work the thigh muscle, but it still ached after a good workout. I didn’t mind the pain, though; it reminded me I was alive.
I heard the pitter-patter of Dr. Hahn as he rushed down the hall to my cell in a frenzy. “Get up! We have to go!”
He hurried to unlock the door, motioning me from the ground where I was doing push-ups. My first thought was something happened to Eden and my throat constricted, but when he started mumbling about being late and Zane’s punishment, I stopped at the door of my cell.
“Where are we going?”
“Th-the gym. Come! Come! They are waiting for you!” He tugged my arm, but I easily pulled it out of his grip.
“I’m sorry, buddy, but I’m going to need some more information than that.”
He pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose and took a deep, calming breath. “Zane is requesting you to the gym. You are to fight.”
“Fight?” I stepped back.
“Yes, relax, not like that. No, no, not like that.” He shook his head and wiped a hand over his frustrated face. “You are to spar. Train. With Eden. Yes, Eden.”
“Train? With Eden?” I studied him skeptically. “Is this a trick? Because if it is, I will kill you.” The thought of seeing Eden filled me with excitement. I could touch her, even if it was during a spar. My skin could still graze hers; I could be close enough to smell her lavender scent.
His head shook wildly. “No, no. I promise it’s not a trick, but please. We need to go. They are waiting! Waiting!”
“All right. All right. Relax.” I let him lead me out of the room and down the long, dark concrete hallway. We walked up five flights of stairs that led to another long hallway. As he led me toward two large glass doors, I glanced into the labs we passed. Not many faces turned to see us, but I saw subjects in the small rooms within, withered and weak. I turned back to Dr. Hahn’s white hair bouncing before me as he nervously shuffled us into the large open room behind the glass doors.
Fresh air and lavender hit me before I saw her standing in the middle of the blue mats. Her apricot hair glowed in the bright light from the skylights that trailed along the ceiling. She held her cuffed hands in front of her body, but that’s not what made me pause. She stood tall, back straight, and chin high. She smiled at me and the tips of fangs peaked out. Despite her confidence, her eyes were worried. Worried what I would think of her. I let a smile light up my face.
Jace!
Her voice danced through my head, and I closed my eyes to relish the sound. Continuing toward her, I put my hands on her cheeks when I reached her, resting my forehead on hers. “Eden,” I whispered. “I have missed you so much.”
She rubbed her head along mine and gave my cheek a little lick. I jerked back a tad at the sentiment but relaxed when I realized I didn’t mind it, but rather... liked it. It was an act of claiming, and I wanted to be hers.
“I missed you too.” She moved back, smiling big at me. Glancing down, I saw her fangs closer, longer, and sharper.
Scared?
Nothing about you scares me.
She flushed, and I rubbed my thumb along the pinkness of her cheek, fighting the urge to kiss her smooth skin.
“Well, isn’t this sweet.” My body tensed at Zane’s sticky voice, and I glared over at him. “So, I brought you two here to fight, so I can see who’s stronger.”
Moving my eyes to him, I sidestepped between him and Eden. Working hard not to limp, I said, “What if I don’t fight?”
Smirking, he looked me up and down before snapping his finger at a guard in the corner. The guard pointed the gun at me. “Then you die. Your choice.”
Eden’s cuffed hands moved to my arm pulling me back to her. “It’s all right.”
Looking down at the metal cuffs, I growled low. “Who’s the lucky one that gets to unlock her?” I looked behind Eden to LaRae and the man that had slapped her. I let the growl grow as he took a hesitant step forward.
“No funny business or... ”
“Let
me guess, you have a tranquilizer gun?”
He froze and Eden and I roared with laughter.
I wiped my eyes. “What’s your name?”
“Sss-cott.” He watched us with fear dripping from him, arousing my more feral side. I took a step toward him, my eyes narrowed on his throat, and I saw him swallow hard.
“ENOUGH!” Zane bellowed, giving the man an impatient look. “Just unlock her, will you?”
I stepped aside and Scott moved quickly to unlock her cuffs. I smiled at his shaking hands, not giving him room to relax.
Once her hands were free, she gently rubbed her wrists. The red rings around them made my lip curl, but the mischievous look in her eyes kept me focused.
They don’t know we can communicate.
Our eyes stayed locked as we circled each other, everyone else moved away to watch.
One request. Go easy on the leg. It’s still healing.
I made a quick motion like I was going in for an attack that startled her, and we both laughed. This may be fun.
I don’t want to disappoint, so maybe go easy on me?
I have a feeling that won’t be difficult.
Come at me, I won’t hurt you too much.
She winked, and I charged. Plowing into her belly with my shoulder, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She fell back but used the momentum to keep us rolling until she landed on top. My leg throbbed from my attack but feeling her was worth it. I could have grabbed her upper body with my legs, but being the gentleman I am, I let her grab my arm and twist me into submission.
Zane clapped, and by the smile on his face, he bought the whole charade. “Fantastic! Keep going!”
So, are you going to take me down every time or do I get to win at least once?
Her lack of response and wink told me she didn’t plan on letting me win. I laughed when she charged me. Ducking, I tried to swipe under her feet, but she jumped over my leg with a flip, landing behind me, then swiped my feet out from under me before I could even turn around. If I wasn’t trying to breathe, my jaw would have been on the floor.
“What the. . . ” I coughed. “That’s new.”
She offered me a hand and pulled me up. “There are many things that are new about me.” She swiped a claw along my cheek sweetly before pulling me forward to twist my arm behind me, then she pushed me down. “Yield?” she whispered in my ear.
A shiver went up my spine, and I nodded. “Yeah.”
Releasing me, she backed up and continued to circle me.
“How does it feel to be beat by a girl?” a guard called from the back, nudging the guard next to him as they laughed.
Snapping my eyes at him, I opened my mouth to respond when Eden’s musical voice filled the room. “I think I remember you from yesterday. Yeah, you were my first flip, right? Knocked the wind right out of you. How did that feel?” His face flushed red that quickly changed to purple as anger overflowed him. He cursed under his breath at her and I snarled, lunging forward.
Jace!
Eden’s voice warned me, but I continued to stalk toward him anyway. Baring my teeth, I set my shoulders.
“Jace!”
Ignoring Zane’s voice, I kept my eyes set on the cocky guard.
Jace, please!
“Guard!” Zane hollered behind me.
I heard the cock of a gun, then a tussle and grunt.
“Eden!” LaRae’s voice pulled me from my rage, and I whipped around to see Eden across the room with a guard disarmed and on the ground.
“All guards! Take aim!” Zane yelled.
I froze as the doors opened and guards filed in, lining the walls of the room and taking aim at Eden and me. The tension in the room was so thick I’m sure Eden could cut it with her claws.
Jace, don’t make any fast movements.
Same with you.
“Both of you will come back to the middle of the mat or you will meet your end here and now.” Zane pointed his finger at the ground like he was lecturing a child.
I raised my hands slowly in surrender. “All right. Relax.” I moved slowly back to the middle of the mat where Eden joined me. Glancing over her shoulder, I saw the guard lying on the ground with blood dripping from his face.
Dead?
He’ll wish he was.
Zane positioned himself in front of us with his hands clasped behind his back. “Now, both of you will come here daily to train. If anything” – he narrowed his eyes at us – “I mean anything happens like this again. I will not hesitate to shoot you both down... dead.”
“Wow, his words are so inspirational,” I mumbled at her and she snickered, but with the way Zane’s eyes stabbed into mine, I realized he would kill me without hesitation. “All right. Understood.”
He turned to Eden who also agreed with a nod. “Good. Now, say your goodbyes.” He turned and walked toward the door. We stood alone in the middle of the mat.
Stepping toward her, I took her hands. She looked into my eyes and smiled. “I miss you,” she whispered, and I pulled her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her. Holding her as close as I could felt like home.
“I miss you too.”
She pushed away to look me in the eye, but this time her smile was gone.
“What’s wrong?”
“They don’t believe me. I have told them, but they think I’m lying.”
I studied her face. “Really? You told them?”
“Yes, but either he doesn’t want to listen or he doesn’t believe me.”
“Zane!” I called to him, not taking my eyes from hers.
“Yes?” He stepped back toward us.
“She told you. She told you how I was made, but you don’t believe her. Why?” I turned to face him but kept Eden’s hand tight in mine.
He looked between us, trying to be one step ahead and figure out what I was up to. “Yes. Because we have tried that and it doesn’t work.” Dr. Hahn’s confession comes to me, and I remember him saying he has been trying the animal blood for years, but what he creates are the scourges. So, Zane isn’t lying, but neither is Eden. “All right. I don’t have time for more of this.”
I opened my mouth to speak but the pinprick in my arm caused me to freeze. Turning to Eden, I saw she had a dart in her neck as well. I gave her hand one last squeeze before we both fell.
Chapter 61
Tristan
The morning started out like any other. I woke, checked on Eden, who was still in her den, did a workout, showered, and waited patiently for Scott to bring me my breakfast. Scott came in but didn’t have any food. He went right to Eden’s room and started yelling for her. She ignored him until LaRae brought her food. When Eden was done, they cuffed her and walked her out of the lab. No one, not even Eden glanced at me. A few minutes after they left, a man stopped by with a bowl of oatmeal. My stomach was too hungry to complain, so I scarfed it down, then lay back down to wait for Eden to return.
I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, Eden, Scott, and LaRae were back where they usually were, and a plate of food was sitting on my floor, cold. I turned my head and had to swallow back down the oatmeal to keep it from coming back up. The room spun and my head throbbed. I managed to turn and look over to Eden’s room. She was half out of her den, watching me. Finally, someone noticed me.
I focused hard to lift my arm and wave at her, but it felt like it had been belted down to the cot. Turning my eyes down, I saw that it wasn’t, so why couldn’t I move it? Eden stood, moving to her window watching me. Her eyes widened and she banged on the glass. LaRae and Scott looked at her then at me when she pointed. Scott ran to my door, but LaRae grabbed his arm just before he unlocked it. The only sound in my room was my own ragged breaths as they worked to pull in and let out air.
LaRae and Scott moved away and returned a few minutes later wearing suits that
covered their entire bodies. I managed to turn my head and saw Eden still at the glass watching attentively. Worry written in her furrowed brow as she chewed her lip with her fangs.
The door clicked and Scott and LaRae walked in. “What’s wrong, Tristan?” LaRae’s voice sounded muffled through her suit.
I opened my dry mouth, but a cough escaped instead of words.
“Crap,” Scott said.
LaRae came to my side and swiped a small handheld machine over my head. “102.7. How did this happen?”
It was the oatmeal, had to be the oatmeal. Since my voice didn’t work, I lifted my thirty-pound finger and pointed toward the empty bowl.
LaRae’s eyes followed my finger and she asked, “Did you bring him breakfast?”
“I thought you did!”
“Why would I? He’s your responsibility!”
“Man,” I managed to whisper out through the dryness of my mouth, but immediately coughed after.
“Get him water.” LaRae motioned to the cup on the small table. Scott grabbed it and brought it to my mouth. I drank some, but most of it spilled down my chin. The passage of my throat to my stomach seemed constricted, only letting tiny amounts down. “I’ll start an IV. We need to keep him hydrated.”
“Maybe he’ll survive. He is from the woods,” Scott said.
LaRae’s eyes moved over my clammy face. “Maybe.”
I tried not to let them know how much my body hurt as they worked to make me comfortable. If my memory remembered anything, this was just the beginning. I didn’t know if I could survive this again. Eden crouched next to her window, watching the whole time. I took comfort in the fact that she was here with me, here with me at my end.
Chapter 62
Eden
My nose touched the glass as I watched LaRae and Scott poke needles into Tristan and hang bags on metal stands next to him. I hadn’t noticed anything wrong earlier when I saw him sleeping upon my return from my sparing session with Jace. I took a nap, but the smell of sweat whiffed through my den. Assuming Tristan was doing one of his many daily workouts, I was surprised when I saw him still sleeping. I knew something was wrong. He was pale, glossy, and his breaths were slow. He had tried to move but was unable to, except for one finger.