by Lexi C. Foss
Was that what Stas could do?
A pang rattled her chest. They never had a chance to discuss it, or anything, and the option to do so had been stolen from them by a bullet. To the head.
She sniffled into her glass of water.
If only Lizzie had agreed to return to Hydria, to talk to Stas… But no, she couldn’t regret that decision, either. Not without regretting her time with Jayson, and she wouldn’t give up those moments for anything in the world.
Valerie cleared her throat. “We should get started.” She had a clipboard in her hand.
Lizzie swallowed and set down her drink. “Uh, with what?”
“I’ve already reviewed your records from intake, but I prefer to do my own exams.” She gestured to the bed. “Over there, if you wouldn’t mind.” The hesitancy in her voice surprised Lizzie. She gathered from her reaction to Osiris that she might not want to be here, either, but the way her hazel eyes drifted from side to side confirmed it.
“Okay,” she agreed, only because she suspected something unpleasant would happen to them both if she didn’t.
The mattress creased beneath her weight as she settled against the headboard. Valerie’s hands shook as she turned the page of the file to read the next page. Lizzie shifted subtly to see the top of the sheet.
Asset File: 4-7
Genotype: Nonhuman Project Name: Rebirth
She frowned. “What is that?”
“A high-level summary of your progress,” Valerie replied. “Have you ovulated this month?”
Lizzie blinked. “No, but—”
“Yes or no is sufficient.” She wrote something down. “Do you know the date of your last cycle?”
“Yes.” She didn’t elaborate since she was told not to before.
Valerie met her gaze. “Date, please.”
“No.”
She arched a brown brow. “No?”
“No.” If anyone was going to answer questions, it would be this woman. “Tell me what the file says.”
“It’s classified.”
Lizzie couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of her. “Look, I can tell you want to be here about as much as I do. How about we work together so we both survive?” Or better yet, perhaps they could help each other escape.
Unlikely, but worth a try. Maybe.
Valerie studied her for a long moment, then went back to reviewing her paperwork.
Lizzie blew a raspberry in frustration.
Okay, so that wouldn’t work. She’d probably misjudged the doctor’s reaction to Osiris. He did mention borrowing her from John’s research team, which implied she worked for the CRF by choice.
So she was back to being on her own without a solid plan. The door locked from the outside, something she already confirmed, and her windows didn’t open. They also appeared to be thicker than usual, not that she considered breaking them to be an option. Jumping from this height would result in injury and capture, thereby ruining that idea altogether.
Lizzie could—
“Asset 4-7 is the first successful attempt of birthing a child of Seraphim genetics from a mortal womb. All forty-six trials before this one failed or were exterminated due to unacceptable abnormalities at birth.” Valerie looked up from the file. “Would you like me to continue?”
Lizzie processed the words but didn’t comprehend them. “A Seraphim,” she repeated. “As in the highest order of angels? The ones with the fiery wings?”
“Most people are not well versed in theology.” Valerie flipped through a few pages and nodded. “Oh. I see Osiris designed your education curriculum. That explains it.” She met Lizzie’s gaze. “Yes. Seraphim are powerful immortal beings who are commonly worshiped in a variety of religions. And their wings are said to glow, though none of us can see them unless they take corporeal form.”
Lizzie blinked. “Right.” Why not? After everything else she learned, why couldn’t angels exist too? Maybe they were friends with Ichorians and Hydraians. She suppressed a hysterical laugh and instead asked, “And you’re saying I’m part Seraphim?”
“According to your records, you are a Seraphim.” She read a few more lines and shuffled the papers around. “It seems our International Affairs Chief, George Watkins, agreed to use his wife as a host in exchange for a higher-ranking position with the CRF. Considering all forty-six prior hosts died during the process, I’d wager to say he doesn’t care much for the woman.”
She seemed to be musing idly to herself more than talking to Lizzie, but the information seemed accurate. George and Lillian were certainly not a love match.
“Lillian’s pregnancy progressed at an accelerated rate that nearly took her life, but she survived your birth and was paid handsomely as a result.” Valerie’s eyebrows shot up as she said that last part, no doubt at whatever figure Lizzie’s “parents” received for their sacrifice. That explained the family’s wealth and her father’s, or rather, George’s, obsession with the CRF.
This is surreal.
And yet, it felt right.
All those brunches and parties and parading around in high society like a puppet; it always left her feeling empty inside. And Lillian’s constant hatred toward her didn’t help. But now Lizzie understood why.
Because I almost killed her.
Not that it was Lizzie’s fault or that she ever had a choice in the matter.
She wiped her clammy palms against her white pants.
“Does it say who my real parents are?” Lizzie wondered out loud.
Valerie pulled a paper from the stack and read it with widening eyes. “There are no names listed, but it says you were created from a variety of biological samples, all based on Seraphim genetics.” Her hazel irises flared as she met Lizzie’s gaze. “And Osiris is the one who provided the live Seraphim subjects for testing.”
“Why?” Lizzie asked. “Why did he create me?”
“To produce more Seraphim.” Valerie looked at Lizzie’s stomach. “You were genetically engineered to birth a new race of angelic beings, and if the child you are carrying turns out as Osiris anticipates, then the final phase will be for you to birth him a new son.”
23
Move Your Ass
The seer has informed the benefactor that it is time to collect the subject. Sentinel Unit notified that the destination for retrieval is French Polynesia.
—Entry Log 124.11.4-7
Jayson. The cool, unwelcome voice penetrated the darkness.
Fuck off.
I wish I could. Now wake the fuck up.
Oh, when Jayson opened his eyes, he would kick the telepathic bastard’s ass. He enjoyed his peace and quiet, as it rarely occurred. Alik knew that better than anyone.
Seriously, I’m going to toss you in the fucking ocean if you don’t start moving.
You’ll be the one going for a swim, jackass.
I doubt that.
Jayson stretched his arms and rolled his neck as he stirred from the deep slumber. His body ached in a way it shouldn’t after sleeping so soundly. And he had one hell of a headache.
He winced at the sunlight spilling over him and groaned.
“Alik,” he growled, furious at the disturbance. But his voice didn’t sound right. Too scratchy, like he’d just woken from death.
He sat up with a start and regretted it as the room spun around him.
“Shit.” He fell back into the mattress. It felt like a cement truck had run over his skull.
“Good work, Lara,” Luc praised. “We’ll take it from here.”
“Of course,” she replied.
Why is a Hydraian healer here?
“Because you were shot in the head,” Balthazar replied, irritated. “As was Stas, but she’s not ready to wake up.”
“We pulled you out early because we need to know what the hell happened, and you’re the only one strong enough to handle it,” Luc explained. “Start talking.”
He would if he could, but his addled brain refused to commit to anything specific.
“Someone shot you with a glass bullet,” Balthazar prompted. “Stas, too.”
Jayson shook his head. “Where’s Red?”
“Excellent question,” Luc replied. “We’re hoping you know the answer to that.”
He tried sitting again, this time slowly, and eyed his familiar surroundings. They were in his room in Hydria, which meant Jacque had teleported him here. Without Lizzie.
Jayson massaged his temples as he fought to remember what happened while striving not to panic. He went to pick up some fruit and other items from town and had been considering how to broach the topic of returning to Hydria as a couple. When he arrived…
“Stark and Jonathan,” he said as fury clouded his vision. The image of a ceramic knife to Lizzie’s throat, followed by the acceptance of the collar—he touched his neck to find it missing—then forcing her to choose between him and Stas. “They were incendiary bullets.”
“No, they were hollow glass,” Luc corrected.
Jayson shook his head. “Jonathan said they were glass incendiary bullets, but maybe the new technology malfunctioned?”
“I watched as Lara removed the pieces from your head,” Luc replied. “They were definitely empty bullets, with no chemicals to stir up a fire upon entry.”
“A ploy?” The note of disbelief in Jayson’s voice conveyed his thoughts on that guess. Jonathan loved his games, but to miss an opportunity to kill an Elder? No. He wouldn’t do that. “How soon did you arrive after Stas?”
“Within five minutes,” Alik replied. “Your bodies were still warm when Jacque and I arrived.”
Meaning Jonathan and Stark hadn’t stuck around to confirm that their new technology worked—not that it would have been easy to tell. The incendiary bullets lit the blood on fire, killing an immortal instantly, but the corpse remained fine on the outside, minus the point of entry for the bullet. Impressive little things.
“Did you remove the device from my neck?” Jayson asked.
Alik frowned. “What device?”
“If you don’t know, then they removed it before you arrived and took it with them.” Because it was an expensive piece of hardware. He understood that, but the rest of it… Jayson scratched his jaw. “Something isn’t adding up.” Jonathan would have tested his tech before using it, but obviously, the bullet hadn’t worked as intended. Why?
“You’re thinking too hard,” a cultured voice informed from the shadows. Ezekiel stepped out of his cloak, hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. “We all know my coming here is a huge risk to my person, so I suggest you hear me out before attempting to kill me.”
Balthazar studied him. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.” He smirked. “Upset that you can’t access my mind, old friend? Shall we focus on that or the relevance of my appearance?”
“He’s immune,” Alik murmured. “That’s new.”
“Yes, I imagine you are quite displeased by that development,” Ezekiel taunted. “Now, can we get to the point, or would you all prefer to continue wasting precious time?”
“Start talking,” Jayson demanded.
“Brilliant.” Ezekiel kicked back onto Jayson’s chaise lounge, hands tucked behind his head, and crossed his boot-clad ankles.
“As to your discussion, they were indeed empty bullets, though Jonathan believed them to be of the incendiary variety. I would take credit for that parlor trick, but that would be deceitful and untrue. But that should not be the focal point for this discussion. As you all are apparently unable to determine Elizabeth Watkins’s purpose—despite all the clues we have hand-delivered to you—I’m here to educate.”
“We?” Luc repeated.
Ezekiel smiled. “Yes. But as I was saying, Elizabeth is the key. She was created by Jonathan as a token of appreciation for the CRF’s benefactor.” He glanced around. “Seriously? None of you know? Fuck, this is going to take longer than I expected.”
“Keep talking,” Jayson urged. “Preferably before I stick a knife in you.”
Ezekiel tsked. “Tone down the threats and listen. You all must know Jonathan didn’t create the CRF on his own, and you have to wonder why Osiris would allow an organization who enjoys slaughtering immortals to thrive in the heart of Ichorian territory.”
“Because he’s the benefactor,” Luc translated, his omniscient ability gluing all the puzzle pieces together before everyone else. “I’ve suspected their partnership before but never knew what Osiris could gain from it. From what you’re implying, Elizabeth is his prize.”
“Partially, yes. At least that’s the item I’ve come here to discuss.”
“Meaning there’s more,” Luc interpreted.
Ezekiel merely shrugged. “Isn’t there always?”
Cryptic bastard. Jayson needed Ezekiel to start talking faster.
The assassin grinned, as if sensing the impatience in the room and enjoying it. “I assume you ran a few tests on her blood?”
“Enough to infer her purpose,” Luc replied. “The serum Stark so politely donated to our cause was a mix of hormones meant to encourage pregnancy.”
“Politely donated,” Ezekiel repeated, amused. “He’ll enjoy that classification. As for Elizabeth, she is a being beyond labels, but mostly a Seraphim without any of the abilities. Her aging has slowed, indicating she’ll be immortal very soon, and yes, she was created for the sole purpose of breeding.”
Jayson’s blood heated, cooled, then heated again as his emotions warred. Breeding. “With whom?”
And he had better not say “Osiris,” or Jayson would lose it. His grip on his temper was already waning; it would not take much to send him over the edge.
“Ah, the debate of who would be first wasn’t settled until very recently.” Ezekiel smiled. “When Osiris learned of your interest in his prized possession, he decided to let it play out. Your talents are extraordinary, and he’s curious to see how her genetics bind with yours. It also served as a way to test her compatibility with Hydraians, which I gather was successful.”
Jayson’s heart stopped.
As did his breathing.
He couldn’t mean…
“I believe congratulations are in order, Jedrick. You’re going to be a father.” Ezekiel brushed a piece of lint off his leather jacket.
“How do you know all of this?” Luc asked as if those words hadn’t shattered Jayson’s entire being.
I’m going to be a dad?
And Lizzie… Oh, hell… Lizzie…
“Where is she?” he demanded, not caring at all that Ezekiel had been in the middle of responding to Luc.
“As I was saying,” Ezekiel murmured, “I know all this because I’ve been involved in her project from the very beginning. Not by choice, but that’s a conversation for another time. What matters here, however, is that I’ve tasted her blood. Which, as you all know, means I can track her.”
“You’re the reason they found her in Bora Bora and Italy,” Luc mused. “Clever.”
Ezekiel shrugged. “As I said, it’s not a project of my choice.”
“Which is why you’re helping us?” Balthazar guessed, speaking up for the first time.
“My reasons are my own,” he replied. “But I’m happy to give you her location.”
“Do that,” Jayson urged. “Now.”
Ezekiel gave him a disapproving stare. “You really will need to learn more patience, Jedrick. I hear children can be quite troublesome little beings.”
Jayson wanted to introduce Ezekiel’s face to the wall but refrained. Not only was the woman he cared about in jeopardy, but so was his supposed child. Assuming Ezekiel spoke the truth.
It could all be a deceptive con meant to trap them, though his comments regarding the bullets added up. Jayson had seen the excitement in Jonathan’s eyes when he pulled the trigger. He truly believed they were destined to kill.
And Lizzie’s monthly hormone supplement did seem appropriate for a woman meant to conceive. If she was designed to breed with
immortal beings, then her being pregnant now was a definite possibility. Especially after all the hours they spent in bed together.
He grimaced as pain touched his chest.
My Red.
She had to be so scared and alone.
And worse, she thought he was dead. That no one would be coming for her.
But he would. Even if it meant storming the CRF alone, he would cross the gates of hell for her.
Mine.
No one touched his heart.
Balthazar clapped a hand on his shoulder and nodded, as if to say, I’m with you to the end.
He returned the gesture and met Luc’s patient gaze. “I want her back,” Jayson said. “Osiris can kiss my ass.”
“It may instigate a war,” Luc cautioned. “Which I’m guessing is Osiris’s goal.”
“She’s one of ours,” Balthazar countered. “We don’t leave ours behind.”
“Is she?” Luc asked. “From what Ezekiel has implied, she’s more Seraphim than Hydraian.”
“She’s carrying my child.” Jayson let that statement settle before adding, “And even if she wasn’t, she’s still mine to protect.”
“He’ll go with or without us,” Balthazar pointed out. “This bond they’ve formed supersedes logic.”
“Alik?” Luc asked.
“Are you asking if I want to kill some Ichorians? Because I think we all know the answer to that already.” He pushed off the wall. “Can I start with the one on the chaise?”
“And I believe that is my cue to depart,” Ezekiel murmured. “I shall text you the address, Jedrick. But be advised that it’s Osiris’s home estate, and he’s surrounded by some of the most powerful Ichorians in the world, including a clairvoyant.”
He started to shift into his shadow form but reappeared to add, “Lucian, I am very sorry about what happened to Owen. He served a greater purpose in befriending Astasiya, and I am forever in his debt for his service. And I sincerely miss his company in my plight.”
