by Devyn Quinn
“Calm down, Agent Whitten,” Roger Reinke warned quietly. “This isn’t torture. It’s the way we handle them. A few days of solitary and he’ll change his mind about how he wants to be treated.”
Anger rising like a hot flash of red inside her skull, Callie’s eyes narrowed. “It’s wrong. It’s degrading. You’re collaring him like an animal and chaining him to a wall. If that isn’t a clear violation of basic rights, human or not, I don’t know what is. No wonder they consider us at war against their species.”
Roger Reinke refused to be baited. “Drop it, Whitten. Insubordination won’t be tolerated.”
She didn’t have much choice, it seemed. Close to putting her ass on a very narrow line, she fought to rein in her fury. Hard to do, but necessary.
Professor Forque stepped between them. “Don’t you think right now he’d tear your throat out if given the chance? At the base level, they are no more than animals, and we must treat them as such.”
Feeling like dirt, Callie lobbed a nasty scowl. “No. I don’t think he’d tear my throat out.” Her breath rushed out and her knees felt wobbly. “He’s had plenty of chances and didn’t. He could have killed me tonight, and he didn’t.”
Forque offered a thin smile. “Given your level of intimacy with the subject, I can understand your emotional attachment, Agent Whitten. Let me assure you we’re taking that into consideration. In fact, we’re expecting you to act as a liaison toward convincing him to cooperate with us during his testing.”
Callie’s first reaction was to refuse. Then she rethought her strategy. Agreeing to cooperate would keep her near Iollan. She silently cursed herself for showing her anger. Getting pissed off would get her kicked behind a desk again.
Not a good strategy at all. She didn’t trust Yuan or Forque a bit. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, she counseled herself.
She nodded stiffly. Given the government she worked for, she didn’t have many choices. “Of course. Having come this far, I’d expect nothing less.”
Forque nodded. “I want to assure you, Agent Whitten, we intend to treat this specimen very carefully. Though we’ve caught others of the species, this is the first time we’ve gotten hold of a sire. That will make all the difference in our research. The rest have been drones, and fairly useless in the area and reproduction of the species.”
The floor opened up under her feet. “Sire?” The single word tripped stupidly off her tongue.
Forque referred the answer back to Doctor Yuan.
“We’ve determined the Niviane Idesha have a very structured reproductive cycle,” Yuan explained. “Most symbionts are asexual, unable to replicate themselves. However, like a hive has a queen bee, this species has a hermaphroditic symbiont capable of reproduction. When another sire is birthed, it in turn branches out in a new area to begin its own clan. Drake is a sire.”
Callie’s guts turned to liquid ice. She glanced at Iollan and blanched. Reproduction of the species? Oh shit. Speaking of reproduction. She counted back, searching her mind. The first time they’d made love, he’d been very careful to use a condom. But the second time, no, he’d taken her without one. Though she’d also been with Cadyn and Toryn, they hadn’t taken her vaginally. The third time she’d been with Iollan, again no condom.
She imagined slapping her hand to her forehead, something she’d soon be doing in private. Since she’d gone undercover she hadn’t been regular in taking her birth control pills either. Talk about stupid. She bit back a groan, trying not to remember how beautifully their bodies fit together and how incredible sex between them had been. When he’d entered her, she’d welcomed him. And when he’d climaxed, her womb had retained his ejaculate. Alien sperm.
Oh, God, what if I’m…No! An automatic refusal rose in her mind. Remembering her bouts with a queasy stomach, she swallowed, trying not to choke over the lump simultaneously rising in her throat. If she were carrying a baby, the pregnancy could be ended with no one the wiser except herself and her doctor.
Some protective female instinct kicked in. She realized the idea of carrying Iollan’s child wasn’t exactly repulsive. Handsome, charming, and alluring, he was an easy man to fall in love with. She didn’t have to examine her heart to know she was already halfway there.
Standing there, Callie suddenly felt so alone. Shivering, she considered Forque and Yuan. If they found out, there’d be no way she’d be allowed to abort. She couldn’t imagine any child of hers chained up like a dog because it wasn’t…human. She was a fool to have walked herself straight into an unplanned pregnancy.
Possible pregnancy, she reminded herself. Nothing’s solid yet. Just to be sure, she’d be making a trip to the drugstore as soon as time allowed. She didn’t know how long a woman was supposed to wait before testing, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She wanted to know ASAP.
Callie slipped on a blank expression. No time to think about herself. Looking at Iollan, she saw his breathing appeared to be uneven and his movements, limited as they were, seemed restless. His sharp teeth gnashed in pain. The effects of the silver were beginning to fully manifest in his system.
Enough of this. Callie started to rush toward him.
Roger Reinke caught her arm. “Leave him alone, Callie. You don’t know what you’re doing.”
Refusing to be deterred, Callie shook off his hand. “He needs help.” Going to Iollan’s side, she dropped to her knees beside him. Her gaze sought his. “Calm down,” she whispered. “I’m here. I want to help you.”
Iollan shook his head as if to warn her away. A wry smile twisted his lips. “I need no help from your kind.”
Stung by his words, Callie blinked back tears. Just being close to him, seeing him in such torment set her on edge. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean for them to do this to you. I swear I didn’t know it’d be like this.”
Iollan’s pale gaze slid toward his captors. Seeing them, his entire body tensed in recognition. A low growl rose in his throat. “As Tacitus said of Rome, ‘They made a desert and call it peace.’” An ironic laugh escaped him. His pained expression grew worse. “These humans slaughter my kind and call us hostile.”
Professor Forque laughed outright. “Please, spare us the history lesson. You’re alien. Your kind doesn’t even belong on planet Earth. Exterminating you to keep humans safe isn’t genocide. It’s self-preservation.”
Iollan closed his eyes and grimaced. He turned his head as much as the collar would allow. His fangs retracted, shrinking back into the shape of normal teeth in the blink of an eye. “We came in peace and only to survive,” he gasped. “No one is taken without consent.”
Yuan hurried to break in. “We want to understand your kind. Work with us so we can know the species better.”
Iollan slowly shook his head. “Your science is slaughter.”
Callie froze. One hand strayed to her stomach. She pressed a hand against the flat plane of her belly as though she’d been kicked in the gut. The memory of the mutilated thing floating in a jar of formaldehyde caused her teeth to grit in frustration and pain.
Iollan’s words were too true and she knew it. The only ones who’d benefit from these so-called explorations were humans. Once science had extracted the traits they wanted, the source would most likely be exterminated.
Completely.
Callie silently determined that wasn’t going to happen, come hell or high water.
For the rest of the people listening, Iollan Drake’s words didn’t go over well at all.
Doctor Yuan crossed to her captive. Kneeling to his level, she gave him a narrow look. Dark almond eyes sparked. Her smooth hair had broken free of its bun, falling like the wings of a raven around her face. She looked like an insane little ninja, something no one wanted to mess with.
“We do what’s necessary to get the answers we need,” Yuan warned. “If I have to take your kind apart layer by layer, I will. You want to live, cooperate. If not, I’ll put you on my table and dissect you alive and a
wake.”
Iollan braced himself against her onslaught, visibly forcing himself to remain alert. He bared his teeth, no threat to anyone right now. “Watch your back, dangerous lady. Lose sight of me once and you’ll never see me coming.”
Yuan frowned, clucking her tongue. “Guess we’re going to be doing things the hard way.”
Close to stepping in with her own threat, Callie was relieved when one of Doctor Yuan’s assistants rolled a small cart into the cell.
Yuan stood up, looking over the cart. “Not that he deserves to eat.” She picked up a unit of blood. “You going to drink this or do I have to put an IV in you?” She was obviously more accustomed to working with corpses; her bedside manner left a lot to be desired.
Iollan blanched. “It’s dead.”
Yuan looked like she wanted to smack Iollan upside the head with the bag. “It’s blood. Food, you idiot. You’re a vampire. It’s what you eat.”
Iollan’s brows drew together and his lips firmed. His piercing glare turned to amusement. “Apparently your knowledge of the Niviane Idesha is lacking when it comes to our care and feeding,” he said sarcastically. “I need blood. Directly from its source.” He eyed the bag in Yuan’s hand. “If you’ve mainlined others with that shit, you’ve fed them the equivalent of a diet soda.”
All faces in the room looked thunderstruck.
“We are psi-sangre,” Iollan said. “We need living blood.” He paused and took a deep breath. “The blood has to be energized,” he finished. “Sexually charged.”
Professor Forque’s face lit up as if he’d been handed the secrets to the Holy Grail. “So that’s one of the keys we’ve been missing. My God, how simple—and how logical. Of course they’d need blood from a living source. They are an energy-driven species.”
“That makes us no more than a Duracell battery,” Doctor Yuan commented sourly. “So how do you propose feeding him, Terrence?”
Callie stood up. “I’ll do it. He’s accustomed to me, has tasted me.”
Roger Reinke stepped in. “That part of your assignment is over, Agent. Too dangerous.”
Pinning her ex-lover under a glare, she gave a bitter half smile. “It wasn’t too dangerous when I didn’t know what he was, Roger. It’s my neck—and my ass—on the line. I think I’ll make the decision when to stick them out from now on.”
Roger glared. “I don’t like the idea of you continuing intimate contact with this—” He pointed in frustration toward Iollan Drake. His face took on the cast of hot pink neon. The idea of consensual sexual activity between a human and vampire clearly disturbed him. “This thing…It’s not even human. It’s disgusting you’d even want to save it. All of them should be marked for termination.”
The depth of his hatred rippled over Callie’s skin like a bad rash. She ignored his last words as if he hadn’t said them.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Roger.” Rubbing her arms with her hands, Callie broke eye contact and turned away from Reinke. To see him so deeply prejudiced against another being—human or not—disturbed her.
“Mandatory quarantine for twenty-four hours,” Yuan snapped crisply. “He’ll have to stay here.”
“And cuffed,” Roger Reinke put in. “I don’t want those restraints removed.”
Callie gritted her teeth. “That’s fine. I’ll make do. Tomorrow, though, I’d like to see him in more comfortable surroundings. A lot more comfortable.”
Forque stepped into the fray. “It’ll be done. However, I agree that he’ll have to remain bound.”
“I also want someone posted outside this door,” Roger Reinke said. His tone brooked no argument. “If you have problems, someone will be nearby.”
More gritting. “Fine.”
“Anything else you need, Agent Whitten?” Doctor Yuan asked.
Callie started to negate that, then thought better of it. She’d made a lot of demands. Best to give these Nazis a little leeway if she wanted to keep them cooperating. She glanced toward the door. Solid steel, there was a narrow mesh window of thick glass. Not exactly privacy, but enough for now.
“I want you people to get the hell out.”
20
The cell emptied, leaving only herself and Iollan Drake. Thank God, they were alone.
Callie glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough a cadre of anxious eyes peered through the glass window. Gawking like kids looking for a peek at the sideshow freak. Sad. In their eyes, the Niviane Idesha weren’t human and therefore didn’t deserve the simple human consideration of decent treatment.
Or privacy.
Oh, well. Given his position and predicament, there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot Iollan Drake could contribute to the situation. Pumped full of poison, he probably wasn’t going to be that damn responsive. She’d have to do all the work.
Not exactly an unpleasant idea. Everything she needed to do, she could manage without shedding one stitch of clothing. The only thing anyone would see was her back.
Callie walked over to him. Her gaze slid to his powerful thighs, bringing her more intimate knowledge of him vividly to mind. She remembered how he’d touched her, lead her into the sexual act with an exhilarating power that would leave her breathless and trembling. She wanted him, no holds barred.
Stepping over his outstretched legs, she dropped to her knees. Her body straddled his. Settled against his lean body, she felt him stiffen.
Iollan made a move to unseat her, but she stayed firmly planted. He made a face, gently shaking his head as if to warn her away. “Don’t do this to me, Calista.”
She reached out, brushing strands of dark hair off his pale forehead. “I want to help you.”
She saw his throat work. “Kill me then,” he muttered through his teeth. “Take your weapon and kill me.”
Callie shot him a look of profound disbelief. Without thinking, she glanced down at the gun holstered under her left arm. A few minutes ago she’d been tempted to use it on the humans. Now Iollan had asked her to use it on him. “I won’t,” she started to say.
Iollan persisted, his voice a harsh whisper. “A headshot will kill. Once the brain is damaged, the symbiont inside will also die. They won’t keep me for breeding.”
“Don’t ask me that.” She shook her head. “I can’t. I won’t.”
His jaw tightened. “You are just like the rest of them. Taking everything, giving nothing.”
His words hit like a knife to the heart, sharp and cutting to the quick. “That’s not true,” she said, voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ve seen the man beneath the vampire. I know you’re more human than they are. I want that man, the man I fell in love with.”
Iollan sighed with obvious frustration. “It’s too late for love, Calista. It’s too late for us—”
Her guts clenched painfully. Not wanting to hear anymore, Callie decided to shut him up. Capturing his face between her hands, she kissed him.
Iollan’s lips parted under the sweep of her invading tongue.
Callie pressed deeper. Their kiss intensified, each drawing from the other. She moved her pelvis against his, fitting her body to his in a move guaranteed to raise even the deadest of men. Following the length of his outstretched arms, her hands found his. Their fingers linked.
The need for air forced her to pull back.
Callie tightened her hold on his hands. “I’ll get you out of here,” she breathed. “Somehow, I will. Just don’t give up on me.”
A slow smoldering fire came to light in the depths of his eyes. “You have something in mind to get me out of here?” The curve of his lips made her feel as though the room was doing a half spin.
She shook her head. “Not yet. But I’ll think of something. Just give me a little time.”
“They won’t let me go alive,” he warned. “Granted by your hand, death would be a mercy.”
A faint alarm sounded in her mind. “I’m not going to kill you.”
Iollan’s lips stretched into a sad smile. “If I don’t feed, it’ll only take a few da
ys for my symbiont to turn on me.” He grimaced. “A painful way to die, but preferable to what your people have in mind for me.”
Callie stared at his face, not really seeing it. “You’re not going to kill yourself, either,” she said, her voice steady with resolution. She reflected on how easily she’d fallen in love, so quickly that she hadn’t realized her heart had been stolen until after the lock on the strongbox had been broken. “If you love me, I’m just asking you to trust me.”
Iollan watched her closely, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes creasing slightly. “Are you, Callie?” he asked, very soft and very low.
Her mind suddenly blanked. “What?”
“In love with me?”
A shuddering breath rushed out. “Yes.”
Hands still pressed together, his strong fingers tightened around hers. “Good. That is enough then.”
Her hands trailed down the sides of his face, settling on his broad shoulders. She’d totally lost control of her good sense, and didn’t care. “God, you’re making me so crazy.”
A slow smile turned up one corner of his mouth. He shifted his hips beneath her weight, reminding her how closely their bodies were pressed together. “If I could get my damn hands on you, I’d do that and more, love.”
Callie was suddenly conscious that her legs were spread apart over him. “We’ll just have to improvise.” She tugged at the front of his shirt, working the material out of his jeans. Unbuttoning his shirt, she slipped her hands around his waist, enjoying the feel of solid muscle under her palms.
A shudder of need went through him as her hands explored the planes of his broad chest, fingers circling his dusky male nipples. “You are the only woman I’ve desired in a long time,” he marveled in a low murmur. “I wanted you the day I saw you.”
Callie leaned forward, pressing her lips to the corner of his full mouth. “Less talk, more action.” Her mouth claimed his in a fervent kiss, deeper and more intense than the first. She’d have sworn she felt his heart beating against her breasts, or perhaps it was her own. She couldn’t really be sure; their bodies suddenly felt melded together. She reached down and deftly undid the top buttons of his jeans.
