by Piper Stone
“Lions,” he said, the single word almost inaudible. The way he stared at me was more terrifying than what he’d just admitted.
Wait a minute. What the fuck? That wasn’t possible.
“Lions,” I repeated. “No. You’re wrong. You have to be wrong. Lions are extinct, completely wiped out. Their DNA structure was unable to handle the chemical reactions they faced, every single member of the various prides dying off within two years of exposure. The few creatures who managed to hang on were horribly disfigured, suffering the most horrific deaths.” I’d seen the pictures as provided by Dr. Porter. I’d learned what the lions had endured, the horrors inflicted on their bodies, the torment ungodly.
He glared at me for a full thirty seconds, his eyes penetrating into my very soul. I’d never felt so vulnerable or stupid in my life.
“As I said, you are very well educated, recruit. Unfortunately, the lion species were not forced into extinction, although their kind was damaged severely, altering their DNA in an entirely different manner than that of other Breeds. That is why they are so enraged, prepared to annihilate any and all humans.”
He stopped, as if I couldn’t understand any of what he was trying to say. I bit back a retort, narrowing my eyes until he continued.
“They are very dangerous. They laid in wait, building their numbers and improving their strength and abilities. Now, they have come back with a vengeance. I can only imagine when the other Breeds will follow, realizing that together, they could destroy the human race. As you might imagine, that is... disconcerting.”
“I don’t understand.” Oh, but I was beginning to. He was afraid of the Breeds retaliating after all these years. Were they preparing for an attack? Could it be true that the lions had survived extinction? A rush of excitement poured through me, a trickling of desire that was so completely inappropriate, heat sliding along my jawline. I found it difficult not to shift to events from the night before.
They weren’t real. The crazy sexual event never happened.
But I could still see the creature’s burning eyes in the forefront of my mind, could feel desire tearing through me. And I wore the beast’s marks as proof.
“What’s there to understand, recruit?” he snapped. “Are you questioning someone of my authority? Are you daring to challenge me? If that’s the case, I’ll make certain that your work is confined to very tight spaces, a location akin to purgatory.”
The threat was abrupt, but the anger wasn’t. I’d touched on more than just a nerve. “Of course not, Commander.”
He shifted his head back and forth, as if the tension was too much to bear, a sneer remaining on his face.
Tick. Tock.
“Make no mistake, recruit. I’ll repeat. They are vicious animals and nothing more. Your job will be to identify their weaknesses and attempt to glean what they might be planning. That way we can destroy the lions if necessary in order to continue with our work. You are not to sympathize with them on any level. After all, you are human.”
The words were haunting.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Commander.” My hackles remained raised, uncertainty about the entire program filtering into my mind. I was shaken by the news, an overwhelming sadness gripping my emotions. Franklin Porter had been one of the kindest souls I’d ever met. If a Breed of any kind had actually killed him, then something was desperately wrong. Still, I found it difficult to believe that if lions were no longer extinct that their existence had been kept under wraps. “I will be happy to perform my duties as required. I am an officer of the laws of our country and as such, I pledge an oath to the continuation of the human race, no matter the cost.”
I had to find out what the hell was going on, even if it meant lying to the commander. The asshole’s eyes glistened as if I’d spouted off all the right words. I held my breath as another ten seconds ticked by.
“Excellent, Officer Bastille.” He tossed the plexi-drive in my direction and I could tell he was dismissing me.
He was also questioning his original decision.
“You will find what you need to get up to speed on the situation on the drive. Again, you are not to speak of it to anyone. You are also not to speak to anyone regarding your assignment. And I do mean anyone. A single compromise will mean your termination.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I will have all the appropriate paperwork sent to your Netscape directory. Congratulations on your promotion.” Commander Martin turned back toward his desk then shifted toward me once more. “Oh, and you will be working with a seasoned officer over the course of a few days before being transferred to the science ward where you will remain until further notice.”
“Will I be allowed to talk to the Breeds soon?”
The commander hesitated once again. “I’ll make certain you have an early opportunity; however, you will follow the lieutenant’s orders. Is that clear, recruit?”
“Yes, sir.” I rose to my feet, sliding the plexi-drive into my pocket, eager to find out what was on it. “If I may ask. Who is the lieutenant?”
“Lieutenant Robert Swift. I believe you’ve... worked with him before?” His grin was laced with evil.
Oh. My. God. The bastard. All of this had been planned, including my assignment. Robert was a horrible asshole, a womanizing abuser who enjoyed taking out his anger issues on just about everyone.
Including me.
And my guess is that he’d enjoy taking out his anger on the Breeds.
I would be forced to swallow my pride in a manner I’d never done before. There was a purpose to my assignment and one I was going to get to the bottom of.
This wasn’t about lions turning on the humans. I just couldn’t buy it. What I did believe is that if the scientists made the discovery, they could potentially reverse course, altering the Breeds once again.
Bile rose in my throat, my hackles raising as high as my level of rage. What I refused to do was allow him to see that I’d been riled. I did all I could to act nonchalant, including plastering yet another smile on my face. “Absolutely, Commander. A fine specimen. I’ll be happy to follow his lead.” I’d chosen the words on purpose, enjoying the hint of discord on the man’s face. “Thank you again for such a wonderful opportunity. I won’t let you down. Sir.”
Turning on my heel, I walked toward the exit, making certain there was a spring to my step. I was forced to wait another full minute before he opened the door, allowing me to escape.
“Officer Bastille. There’s just one more thing. A warning. Once the beasts know that you’ve been assigned to report on them, I wouldn’t be surprised if you face certain... dangers.” He seemed to enjoy the threat far too much. “I suggest you keep your weapon close and remember, shoot to kill the first time. If you are marked, that will change your life forever. After that, the beast will own you. And I can’t imagine the horrors you will face.”
Marked.
Owned.
As I walked out, a cold shiver skittered down my spine.
Chapter Five
Luca
A growl pushed up from my throat, every synapse on fire.
The taste of her lingered on my tongue and in my throat, desire keeping my body humming, vibrations filtering into every muscle within my body. I’d found it difficult not to capture her, taking her to my Pride where she now belonged.
To claim her.
Fuck her.
Mate her.
Detecting her presence had initially been a surprise, her luxurious scent wafting over almost twenty miles of forest and hills. My keen sense of smell had picked it up easily, as well as the odd connection we shared. I’d never believed I would find a mate, let alone a freaking human. While I was no stranger to being attracted to the females of their kind, my kingdom could only survive by the reproduction of our species. Although the effect of the catastrophic drugs from years before had all but prevented us from doing so.
I was the eldest within the Pride, having survived the wretched period of time, the blood wit
hin me that of our ancestors. More powerful than any creature on Earth, it was my right to take over, the call one I couldn’t refuse.
Even if that meant killing hundreds if not thousands of humans in the process. However, the deed would not be easy, nor was it advisable. No one wanted blood raining in the streets. Many had come to terms with being shifters, even enjoying the offerings only allowed to humans.
Including fucking.
The woman was... far too enticing, pulling me out of my lair. By all rights, I should simply take her, breed her.
But our kind needed her help first and foremost. My instincts had told me that I was right, even though I remained guarded as to why. She was entirely human after all. Or was she, now that I’d taken her?
I took a deep breath, wiping sweat from my face as a group of women approached, casually walking down the sidewalk and gawking in my direction.
A growl threated to erupt, their scents giving them away. They were just as hungry as I was, only they had no idea what I could do to them.
“Look at the sexy beast. Yum. Yum. Baby, what I could do to you. I bet you have one big, fat cock.” The woman’s irritating voice was followed by the others laughing as they passed, yet I sensed all of them were starving for a taste.
“Imagine having his cock inside you,” another purred.
“Riding you good and hard, Marla,” the third chided, all three of them laughing.
Every female human longed to fuck a Breed, to have our big cocks shoved deep inside their tight little pussies. I allowed a single low growl to slip past my lips as I glared at them.
The fact they’d been able to gather my scent meant my testosterone was high, emitting too many pheromones. That only happened during extreme physical exertion or when I was ready to mate.
Either way, I would need to be careful. At least they had no clue what Breed I was.
Or that I was alpha.
The chemicals forever altering our bodies had provided an interesting gift to our kind. The ability to mask our scents when necessary. To anyone who asked, I was tiger. Given the numbers of tigers that existed, neither humans nor the Breed would know the damn difference.
I took a deep whiff as I straightened to my full height, enjoying their feminine scents, although the various perfumes were far too sweet. I preferred musky fragrances, exotic and tempting, keeping my cock fully engorged. Still, my beast rose to the surface, my hunger more extreme than usual. I turned my head, watching the female and her friends as they passed by, all four of them leering at me, as if I were a feast on a platter.
They had no idea what would happen if the tables were turned and I was able to chomp into them without any chance of retaliation. A part of me wanted to break the rules, capturing and keeping all four as my pets.
After all, that’s what the beasts had been turned into.
Partially human monsters who were nothing but savages.
My thoughts drifted to the beautiful woman from before, my cock twitching. Clarise.
I snarled under my breath, narrowing my eyes as I studied them before turning my attention toward the brutal afternoon sun. On purpose, I grabbed a jug of water, tipping my head back until the cool liquid streamed down my sweaty body. I’d stripped away the shirt several hours before, no longer caring if the brutal work scarred my body.
I was impervious to pain.
The women stopped walking, watching me intently as I shook out my hair and flexed my muscles on purpose. What the fuck did I care if they got a little show? That’s what they wanted, along with my tongue shoved inside their pretty pink pussies.
“I don’t know how you put up with that shit,” Drake said as he flanked my side.
Sneering, I shifted my gaze briefly in his direction. Drake Banyon was one of the few full humans I could tolerate, his ridiculous jokes at least keeping me entertained. He was also one of the few who knew a damn thing about me. I kept to myself on purpose, the way I liked it. “I’m used to it.” I took another gulp of water before closing up the jug. There was still another hour to go before the shitass job was completed for the day.
At least I was making money, saving as much as possible, able to provide some sustenance to my Pride. We lived in secret, staying under the radar. It was necessary in order to survive.
Every one of us had targets on our backs.
“Yeah, women. Can’t live with them. Can’t kill them,” Drake said, laughing. When I merely turned my head, giving him a heated look, he cleared his throat. “So, um, some of the guys and me, well, we’re gonna go out tonight for some drinks. Thought you might like to come.”
After grabbing a towel, wiping sweat from my face, I moved away from the supply stand, heading back to work.
He trailed behind me like a good lapdog, always trying to figure out why I never took him up on his offers.
“Hey, I know you don’t like humans and all. Hell, I don’t either. They’re annoying as fuck, but I have a good bunch of friends. Not like these jerkoffs we work with.”
I kept walking, taking long strides, my heavy gait pounding into the dirt. At least with Drake’s long legs, he was able to keep up with me. “Not interested,” I huffed finally as I stared up at the steel girders, yanking gloves out of my back pocket. The construction site was a freaking nightmare, the assholes who ran the thing clueless about how dangerous their working conditions were.
They didn’t give a shit about anything but money.
But it was one of the few places where no one asked any questions, simply using my size as an attribute.
“If you’re worried about the curfew, trust me, this bar we go to doesn’t give a rat’s ass about whether you’re a human or a beast, hell, a damn vampire,” he continued. “And they sure as shit don’t care about what the damn government tells us to do.”
“Not interested.”
“You might enjoy it.”
Curfew. Our kind were prohibited on the streets at night, prevented from enjoying the spoils of life that humans took for granted. We were nothing but animals to the majority, the bastards shunning us as if we were disgusting creatures.
Beasts that they’d created from their greed and hunger for power.
Beasts that they’d infected with their diseases.
Beasts that they were determined to eradicate.
What they didn’t understand is that I was the beast king. It was time to take back my kingdom.
His continued badgering prompted me to stop, turning my full attention to him, allowing my eyes to glow just enough to make him realize I was damn serious. “I ain’t your friend, Drake. In fact, I’m one fucking dangerous beast. I suggest you remember that.”
While he shrank back a few inches, rubbing his jaw, he seemed nonplussed. “Nice try, dude. You’re one giant pussy cat.” His raucous laughter followed me as I climbed onto the girders, ignoring the basic protocol. “Ah, come on,” he yelled. “One drink won’t hurt.”
He had no idea what plans I had for the night. The scent of her still covered my skin, the taste of her remaining in my mouth. I’d taken what belonged to me.
And I would do it again.
I’d marked her, even though she was yet to be aware of the significance. She would be my queen, the bearer of my cubs.
After all, Clarise belonged to me.
* * *
I stood in the shower, allowing the limited hot water to cascade over my shoulders as I palmed the tile wall. I rubbed my finger over where she’d cut me, snickering as I felt the slender ridge. The wound would be gone within hours.
Opening my mouth, I gargled the water for a few seconds. I had only minutes left before the spray would turn ice cold. This was the only pleasure I allowed myself on a regular basis, other than my favorite bottle of scotch, the case of liquor given as a gift for a side job I’d performed.
I thought about what I was facing, the number of my own rules I’d be breaking by mating with her. In truth, I really didn’t give a shit, except I was required to take care of the Pri
de. We’d suffered for long enough, our cubs dying from the wretched effects of the chemicals. It had taken decades to heal and even then, we’d almost been shoved into extinction. That meant keeping a low profile in my efforts to free several of our own from the prison they’d been forced into. All in the name of experimentation.
How in the hell had they been caught? Likely in a lion trap of some kind, much like the humans caught the other Breeds who’d gone rogue. Some of our people had been careless even though they’d been warned.
They’d also been curious, hungry to experience life outside of our Pride. By all rights, they should bear whatever punishment they’d been forced to endure by the hands of the scientists.
While I was a monster, I couldn’t live with myself if I allowed them to suffer.
Or die.
As the water circled the drain, I allowed my thoughts to drift to Clarise. Members of the Pride had heard through various sources that a behavioral specialist had been assigned to the scientific ward. A new face meant damning additional challenges as well as dangers.
Something we couldn’t afford.
Not if we wanted to save the lives of those we cared about.
I’d learned exactly who’d been determined to handle the job, the very beauty I’d taken. However, she had no idea how far in over her head she was, incapable of handling what she was about to face.
I’d have to protect her from members of our own Pride as well as the very humans who were hell bent on destroying us. At least that’s what my instincts had told me. While the other Breeds might believe humans were our friends, they were merely biding time by allowing us into their lives.
Something drastic was about to happen.
Yet, she was very powerful, only she had no idea how or why. Then again, neither did I. The fact remained furrowing into my mind, keeping me awake at night.
However, my loyalty remained to the Pride first and foremost. My duty was to protect them at all costs.
Our entire world had changed and none of it for the better. The rules that I’d imposed, the secrecy required of our very existence had been the only things keeping us alive.
