by Paige Tyler
Moore snorted. “Shit, she barely weighs a buck twenty. What the hell is she going to do to us?”
Minka tried to take another step back, but there was nowhere to go. They were going to do something to her that she wasn’t going to like. She could see it in their evil, hate-filled eyes. But even so, there was still a part of her that didn’t want to hurt them.
But that part was rapidly disappearing.
Dick walked over to the built-in cabinets along the wall and opened the top drawer. A moment later, he closed it and opened the one underneath. Mouth twisting, he took out a syringe like the one Zarina had used to take some blood the other day.
“If I remember correctly, you have an issue with needles, don’t you?” he said in a conversational tone as he closed the drawer. “Let’s see how good your control is when faced with something you hate.”
He came toward her, his eyes filled with what almost looked like amusement. The sharp tip of the syringe caught the light, glinting dangerously.
Minka’s fangs came out so far she tasted blood.
“Angelo!” she screamed.
She didn’t know how he could possibly hear her in the next building over, but she had to try. She would never be able to contain the beast without his help.
Her claws extended, making her fingers spasm and turning her hands into weapons that yearned to tear the men apart. Then her vision took on that extra-sharp definition, and she knew her eyes must be glowing red. Every muscle in her body tightened as the beast prepared to attack.
Please don’t hurt them! she screamed in her head. But Minka’s wants and desires were shoved roughly to the side, no matter how hard she fought to retain control. The beast reveled in the look of terror that crossed the men’s faces, feeding on it and wanting more.
Powell and Moore lifted their weapons, but it was too late for that. The beast was free. There was no way to stop it now.
* * *
Angelo glanced at his watch as he headed over to the building where Zarina’s office was. He hadn’t wanted to make Minka nervous while she was taking the cognitive test Zarina had given her, so after making sure she was okay with him stepping out for a little bit, he’d spent the last hour with Landon and John in the director’s office, talking about things that had left him conflicted and more than a little worried.
“I’d like you to stay until Minka gets a little more settled in and starts feeling comfortable on her own,” John had told him.
Angelo certainly didn’t mind staying to help, but he wasn’t quite sure Special Operations Command would be pleased.
“Don’t worry,” John said as if reading his mind. “I’ve already cleared it with SOCOM and the 5th Special Forces Group. As far as they’re concerned, you’ve been temporarily attached to the Department of Homeland Security for a classified project. They’re completely on board with it. I’ve also made sure your records will be marked in a manner that will indicate impressive performance without actually saying what you’re doing. It should only be for a few weeks.”
Angelo wasn’t thrilled with the director of the DCO mucking around in his personnel records. The guy had yanked Landon out of a Special Forces A-team commander position last year like it was nothing, and now he was temporarily attaching Angelo to the DHS without even bothering to consult him first. And that was on top of adding his name and security clearance information to the DCO’s database months ago. People didn’t casually make entries into the performance records of Special Forces soldiers. Angelo was all about helping Minka, but it was scary as hell being on the DCO’s radar. John could end his military career as fast as he’d ended Landon’s.
That wasn’t a very comforting thought.
As Angelo crossed the well-tended courtyard between the buildings, a cold wind kicked up, and he stuck his hands in the pocket of the lightweight jacket he’d borrowed from Landon’s closet.
While John might think Minka was making amazing strides when it came to controlling her hybrid nature, Angelo wasn’t so sure. She seemed fine now, but that was because he was the only thing keeping her from crashing and burning completely. He didn’t like to think about how bad and how far she was going to fall when he got yanked out from under her. Even if things worked out and he stayed longer than even John wanted him to, at some point, he’d go back to Special Forces. He was terrified at the thought of how Minka would handle that.
A herd of office drones were wandering out of Zarina’s building when Angelo got there. As he waited for them to file past him, he was struck by how closely his relationship with Minka was beginning to mirror that of his mom and dad’s in some ways. He and Minka weren’t married, but there was a strong connection between them he didn’t quite understand.
The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him. He’d spent his whole adult life avoiding getting involved with a woman who might come to depend on him. Now, he’d stumbled across one in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly he was hip deep in the very situation he’d been trying to avoid. He only prayed his relationship with Minka—whatever it was—wouldn’t end the way his parents’ had.
God, anything but that.
He blinked back tears as he entered the building, telling himself it was the wind. As he weaved through the maze of hallways, he forced himself to think of something less depressing. Like how much fun he and Minka had had last night.
He’d let Minka shower first, then sat outside the door, chatting with her about the movie. He’d tried his best not to look, but the lure of Minka being so close, knowing she was naked and wet on the other side of the shower curtain, was hard to resist.
He’d only taken a quick peek, or so he told himself. When he saw her silhouette against the wet curtain, it was stunning—all curves and high peaks—and if Minka hadn’t suddenly bent to turn off the water, he wasn’t sure he could have stopped himself from joining her. Forcing himself to look away from that rounded bottom was one of the more difficult things he’d ever attempted. Even through the shower curtain, he could see her ass was spectacular.
Minka had eyed him curiously when she’d walked out of the bathroom brushing her long hair. Probably because she could hear his heart thumping like a runaway elephant. But she hadn’t commented on it.
His shower had been much shorter—and colder—than Minka’s. He didn’t even want to imagine how embarrassed they’d both be if she curled up on top of him to sleep only to find a hard-on in place of the comfy human mattress she expected.
Even so, Minka had crawled around on him for a few minutes, kneading his chest with her slender fingers until she found a position she liked. Then she’d gracefully coiled herself alongside him, her left leg bent and resting casually across his cock, which was barely contained by his boxer briefs. Her tank-top-covered breasts—without the confines of a bra like earlier in the day—had pressed lovingly against his abs, her cheek and flower-scented hair resting on his chest right below his chin.
His cock had hardened of its own accord, but Minka only nuzzled even closer to him, pressing her thigh against his erection and dropping off to sleep. He, on the other hand, hadn’t fallen asleep for a long time, but he wasn’t complaining.
Angelo was so immersed in his erotic daydream he didn’t realize he was lost until he almost walked into a women’s restroom. Swearing softly, he turned around to retrace his steps, hoping to find something that looked familiar. He was just about to break down and ask somebody for directions to Zarina’s office when he heard Minka scream his name.
Chapter 8
If the sound of Minka shouting his name hadn’t propelled Angelo into instant combat mode, the feral growl that immediately followed sure as hell did. He took off running. Shit. That growl meant Minka had completely shifted into her hybrid form, and if he didn’t get to her fast, she was going to get hurt or hurt someone else. He didn’t want either to happen.
Angelo mentally kicked himself in the ass for being so stupid. He should never have left her alone. It was too soon for that.
&nb
sp; As he sped down the hallway toward Zarina’s office, he spotted Minka disappearing around the far corner, a man he didn’t recognize chasing her. Another man stood outside Zarina’s office, a pistol in his hand. Angelo didn’t even hesitate. He didn’t care if the guy was packing a freaking M4, he wasn’t keeping Angelo away from Minka. But the barrel of the pistol was too round and too thin to be a normal gun. It was a tranquilizer gun. And Angelo had a pretty good idea what it was for.
How the hell had this guy gotten here before him?
Then Angelo saw Coleman step out of Zarina’s office, his face a little pale, the front of his suit jacket shredded. Coleman must have somehow gotten Minka alone and done something to scare the hell out of her. Angelo didn’t know what Coleman had been up to, but since the man was an asshole, it was probably something worth kicking his ass over. Angelo sorely wanted to stop and beat the shit out of the man right then, but he didn’t have time. He had to catch up to Minka before she got out of the building—or someone shot her.
At Angelo’s approach, the man with the dart gun turned and lifted his hand in the universal symbol for “back off.” The three parallel scratches across the guy’s face weren’t serious, but they were deep enough to show that he’d tried to get in Minka’s way.
“Stand down,” the guy ordered. “We have this under control.”
Angelo lowered his shoulder and put it right in the middle of the man’s chest, sending him flying. The guy hit the linoleum floor, thumping his head so hard he was probably out cold before he finished sliding down the hall. The dart gun went flying, bouncing and skipping along until it came to a stop in a corner.
Coleman shouted something, but Angelo only slowed enough to turn down the hallway where Minka and the guy chasing her had gone; then he put on speed, frantic to catch up to her.
While he couldn’t see either of them, it wasn’t hard to figure out which direction they’d gone. Minka’s growls and snarls, mixed with shouting as workers realized there was a hybrid loose in the building, was better than a tracking beacon.
The corridor he was running down abruptly opened into a wide-open office space filled to the max with those fabric-covered cubicle dividers. He scanned the area, trying to find Minka.
A blur of movement to the right caught his attention, and he raced in that direction, passing several members of the DCO’s security team herding people out of the building. Beyond them, the guy who’d been chasing Minka was sneaking around the cubicle walls, a tranquilizer gun in his hand. Angelo had no idea what was in those darts, but he had no intention of letting that jackass put one in Minka.
Angelo caught up with the guy just as he entered a small, open area. The man must have sensed him coming because he spun, trying to get the dart gun up and pointed in his direction. Angelo blocked his arm, intending to strip the weapon out of his hands and end the altercation quickly, but the other guy was faster than he expected. He immediately disengaged and shoved Angelo back with a palm strike to the chest, then brought the weapon up to shoot him. Angelo jerked aside just as the gun released a hiss of pressurized air and sent a dart zipping over his shoulder.
Fuck.
When the guy brought the weapon up this time, Angelo grabbed his wrist and twisted. Knowing the man would almost certainly go for another strike to the chest with his other hand, Angelo braced for it. The blow hurt, but more importantly, the dirtbag had left himself open to a counterattack. Angelo threw a good, old-fashioned haymaker, aiming for the sweet spot on the left side of the guy’s jaw, then ripped the dart gun from his hand, tossing it aside and driving his fist solidly into the man’s gut. To make sure the guy wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon, Angelo lifted him and heaved him over the nearest cubicle-dividing wall. The asshole landed with a crash that probably meant someone was going to need a visit from IT.
Angelo spun around, searching for Minka.
He didn’t have to look far. She stood on the far side of the open area, her eyes glowing bright red, claws and fangs out, looking pissed off as all hell. Had the sounds of fighting attracted her, or had she smelled him and come running? Angelo hoped it was the latter.
“Hey, Minka,” he said softly. “Remember me?”
She tilted her head sideways, like she didn’t even recognize him. That worried him. Had Coleman pushed Minka so far that she couldn’t find her way back? The stab of pain that came with that thought almost brought him to his knees. He’d pull her back, no matter how far gone she was.
“Minka, I’m going to walk around the table now, okay?” he said. “Just relax. I’m here now. Everything is going to be okay.”
Moving slowly, he stepped around the side of the table and cautiously made his way toward her. Around them, the building was quiet. DCO security must have gotten everyone out.
Minka growled as he got closer, her body tensing and her hands coming up, those sharp, curved claws ready to rip into him.
He stopped and held his hands up in a placating gesture. “I’m just going to stand here and talk to you, okay?”
She let out another growl.
“It’s me. Angelo. I know you’re in there, Minka, and I know you can hear me. I need you to fight for control. You don’t want to hurt anyone. I know you don’t.”
The red glow in her eyes dimmed, and for a moment, he thought the Minka he knew had gained control of the animal. But a split second later, her eyes blazed bright, and she leaped at him.
Angelo’s self-preservation instinct shouted at him to jump to the side or lunge forward and take her down before she could do some major damage. But he resisted the urge just like he had in Tajikistan and braced for her attack.
But instead of trying to claw him to shreds or sinking her fangs into him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life, her face buried in his shoulder. Her claws had retracted, and so had her fangs.
Angelo put his arms around her, smoothing her silky hair with his hand as he made gentle shushing sounds he hoped would calm her. That seemed to work, but then she started crying. He didn’t know what the hell to do after that. So he simply stood there and held her as she sobbed against his shoulder. His eyes burned. Hearing her cry tore him apart. He’d rather shoot himself a dozen times over than hear her sobs.
Movement behind Minka startled him, and he looked up to see Zarina standing there with a look of anguish on her face. Behind her stood several guards, including Jaxson, the head of the security team who’d escorted them into the DCO the other day. They looked uncomfortable, like they were interrupting something.
Jaxson gave Angelo a nod, then signaled the other guards to leave. They turned and walked out, hesitating only long enough to stop and pick up the asshole passed out in the next cubicle.
“Let’s get her back to my office,” Zarina said softly.
Angelo nodded. Yeah, that would be a good idea. And then he needed to find Coleman and make sure the man was crystal clear on the fact that this was never, ever going to happen again.
He didn’t have to wait long to confront the deputy director. The jackass was waiting for them in the hallway outside the cubicle area, four men, including the one Angelo had laid out near Zarina’s office, with him as backup. Angelo would have preferred to stay with Minka, but he was so pissed, he couldn’t stop himself.
He paused, then slipped his arm from around her, gently turning her to face him. “Minka, will you be okay with Zarina for a few minutes? I need to take care of something.”
Minka gave Coleman a nervous glance. Her eyes filled with tears again, but she nodded. Angelo had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and just walk the hell right out of the DCO and never look back. But he knew he couldn’t. She needed help that only the people here could give her—if they would stop fucking around long enough to do it.
He nodded at Zarina, watching as the Russian doctor put an arm around Minka’s shoulders and led her down the hallway. The moment they were out of sight, Angelo turned and strode over to Coleman.
“What t
he fuck did you do to her?” he demanded, ignoring the four men who moved to get in his way. If they thought they could stop him, they were dead wrong.
He expected Coleman to go on the offensive, saying he wanted Minka locked up—or worse. But instead, the deputy director held up his hands in surrender.
“Sergeant Rios, you have every right to be angry,” Coleman said. “What happened was all my fault. I thought Minka would be able to tell us where Klaus and Renard were hiding, and I must have pushed too hard. I hope you’ll accept my apologies and let her know how terribly sorry I am.”
Angelo snorted. He didn’t buy that crap for a second. “Coleman, you’re so full of shit, it’s coming out your ears. I don’t know what the fuck you did to her, but if you or any of your men ever come within twenty feet of Minka again, you won’t have to worry about her ripping you apart because I will.”
Turning on his heel, Angelo jogged the rest of the way to Zarina’s office, desperate to make sure Minka was okay.
When he got there, he found Minka sitting at the table with the Russian doctor, Boris on the table in front of her. He pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he pulled her close.
“Hey,” he said. “You doing okay?”
She sniffed and reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek. “I’ve been working so hard to keep the beast away, but then Dick threatened me with that needle, and it came out anyway. It always comes out. It always wins.”
Angelo had never heard Minka refer to the animal inside her as if it were a separate entity. It practically tore out his heart to hear her say that it would always be in charge. He wished there were something he could do—someone or something he could fight for her—but in this battle, he was little more than a spectator. The fact was, he had no idea how to help get her hybrid nature under control.
He couldn’t believe how much that hurt him. He’d met her less than a week ago, and he already cared about her more than he’d ever cared for anyone in his life. Whatever he was starting to feel for her scared the hell out of him.
