by Sarah Noffke
“Can I at least be there when she’s questioned? I’ll go invisible. She won’t even know,” Kris said.
“No. And if you think you’re getting more information on these cases, then you’ll find yourself in a body bag very soon. I don’t want you or your brother snooping and if I find out you’ve breached confidential records then you’ll both go missing,” Mika said. Kris and Morgan had been perfect for the Invisibility Project. He’d lost over a dozen subjects before them. But these two fit the physical requirements and having twins made it more cost effective. Unfortunately, they had both proven to be too rebellious and overflowing with curiosity. He didn’t trust them. Well, he never trusted anyone, but they were two people he was keeping a closer eye on.
“Sir, can I please have the privilege of questioning the woman who was attacked?” Grant said.
Mika spun around, having forgotten the nuisance was still present. He appraised the man who always stood tall, but with his eyes low. Whereas Drake, Morgan, and Kris were disobedient, Grant was loyal.
“Don’t screw it up or you’re fired,” Mika said, knowing that was one of Grant’s worst fears.
“Thank you, sir. I promise to obtain as much information about the attacker as possible,” Grant said, his voice rising a bit.
The attack had happened the night before in the woman’s home. Her husband had been away on business. A neighbor said he heard screaming, grabbed his gun, and ran over to her house. The door was busted in and a wolfish man was crouched over the woman, a Mrs. Lacy Gibbons. Seeing the neighbor, the werewolf bolted for a door on the far side of the house. The woman was unconscious and suffering from multiple broken bones. The werewolf hadn’t gotten around to biting her, unlike in the other cases in LA where the woman was attacked in the parking lot or the one that happened in a woman’s front yard. However, there was something that all the cases shared. In all instances the werewolf had beaten their victims. Specifically in the recent one, based on the scene in the living room, he had thrown her up against walls and across the room. That told Mika one extremely important detail. For this particular werewolf, attacking these women was personal.
Chapter Forty-Three
“The greatest mission of Olento Research Corp is to prove that anything God does can be replicated through science.”
- Olento Research Employee Manual
Kaleb rubbed his eyes with his fists. “This is almost too much to believe,” he said to the room full of people. The conference room of the strategic department included all the head officials, as well as Adelaide and Rox.
“I get that, son, but Adelaide and Rox are going to help fill in the missing gaps until all this makes more sense,” Trey said from his place at the head of the conference table. “For now we’re just glad that you’re safe.”
“Yeah,” Kaleb said, running his eyes over the Head Official, whose silver hair hung loose on his forehead.
Trey turned to Rox, who was leaning against one of the glass walls, one high heel kicked up behind her. “Good work out there and in here,” he said, referring to bringing Kaleb in and protecting Adelaide. Guilt-ridden, Connor had been in his room ever since they released him from confinement. He hadn’t said a word to Adelaide, hadn’t even looked at her.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice dripping with sugar.
“Okay, Adelaide, the next phase in this case is up to you,” Trent said, breaking into the conversation. He was only a couple of years older than her, but looked like his years had somehow been harder, engraving premature wrinkles in his cocoa-colored skin.
“Oh, don’t you worry, I know exactly what we’re doing next,” she said, and because no one was a human lie detector like her, they didn’t know she was lying.
“Well, maybe before the next step can we have the guys stop by my lab? I want to do some testing,” Aiden said, standing from the table. He came around behind Trey’s wheelchair and rested his palms on the handles. “I really want the opportunity to run a few tests. See what Olento Research did exactly.”
“I’ll take them for a walk later,” Adelaide said as the three officials headed for the exit.
She spun around and evaluated the newbie. Kaleb looked like he’d just seen a three-headed dog and was about to lose the contents of his stomach over the image.
“So you’re in charge of this case?” Kaleb said to her, his tone oozing with doubt.
“Yes, and I’m also your new owner. I’ll probably answer some of your questions, but you’ve pretty much got the gist of what’s going on here at the Lucidite Institute after that orientation. Read the book and let me know what questions you have,” she said, indicating the Dream Traveler Codex resting on the table.
He nodded. Swallowed. Then shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on. I haven’t for a while,” Kaleb said.
“Gods, it’s getting tiresome having to give each of you werewolves your orientation,” Adelaide said, which produced a laugh from Rox.
“Did you just say ‘gods’?” he said, quirking his head to the side.
“I did,” she chirped.
“You realize there’s only one,” Kaleb said, a new confidence springing to his face.
“You realize you’re a bloody idiot who has no idea about God, gods, or who fucking created you,” Adelaide said, remembering that Kaleb had been brought up in an ultra-conservative religious home.
“And you do?” he said, his dark brown eyes narrowing.
“I have a source,” she said, thinking of her father’s book which contained knowledge on all aspects of the universe that most people didn’t know. Then Adelaide remembered the detail from Rox’s account of rescuing Kaleb that she’d been trying to forget. It sparked a pain for her she couldn’t deal with right then, maybe ever.
“I’m sorry about your father,” Adelaide said, her voice kinder now. “If you want counseling then the Lucidites have a team of therapists. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea based on everything you’ve been through.”
Kaleb had briefly shared with the group that he’d been homeless for the last few weeks. That when he was at the soup kitchen, men had come after him. It was impressive to Adelaide that he’d managed not to get caught after several attempts by Olento Research to track him down.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice a whisper.
It was too early. The death hadn’t sunk in yet. Kaleb was in shock, Adelaide realized.
“That was a senseless thing for that invisible guy to do, Kaleb,” Rox said, her voice compassionate.
He merely nodded.
“During your time out there over the last few weeks, have you noticed a skill that you possess? Like a superpower? Maybe a psychic power that you didn’t have before?” Adelaide asked, sensing Kaleb needed the subject changed.
“Are you joking?” Kaleb said, his face screwing up with offense. “I’m a werewolf now. I’m faster than humanly possible. I can scale a building and—”
“No, no,” Adelaide said, cutting him off. “That’s not what I mean. That’s your power as a werewolf, but as we explained, you’re also a Dream Traveler now. Each of us,” she indicated to Rox and herself, “is gifted with one or more special power. That’s a perk of the race.”
“You mean like reading minds or something? That’s not a real thing,” Kaleb said.
Adelaide nearly laughed. “You’ve had your race changed and been turned into a werewolf and you think that having a psychic power is unbelievable? Welcome to Oz, Toto, we’re all freaks here,” she said.
“Oh, well… no, I don’t have any strange power besides what I’ve already told you,” he said.
“Maybe you’re a dud,” Adelaide said with a shrug. “Read the bo—”
Thunderous steps stole everyone’s attention. Zephyr stormed into the strategic department, his eyes burning with intensity. Not until he laid his eyes on Rox did he soften. “Oh thank God, you made it back,” he said to her.
“And in time to stop Connor from destroying all of the Lucidites,” she sai
d, a satisfied smile on her face.
“That’s what I feared,” he said, his shoulders dropping a degree.
“What happened?” Adelaide said, capturing Zephyr’s attention.
“I attacked the invisible man and then ran from a firing squad,” Zephyr said.
“That sounds fairly boring,” Adelaide said. “But at least you got away and you didn’t bite any innocent people.” She then stopped and regarded him with a calculated stare. “You didn’t attack any innocent people, right?”
He shook his head. “Just a loose dog.”
“Oh, that’s even worse. You’re a sick animal abuser,” Adelaide said. She waved at Kaleb. “Come on, runt, I’ll show you to your dog house.”
Zephyr extended a hand to Kaleb as he stood from the table. “I’m glad you’re safe, man. I’m Zephyr.”
“Kaleb,” he said, a bit shyly. He was so much smaller in build compared to Zephyr; well, compared to anyone. “And thanks for—”
Zephyr clapped him on the shoulder. “Go rest. You need it,” he said.
Rox pushed off the wall when Adelaide and Kaleb left. She ran her eyes over Zephyr, looking for an injury. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” he said through a long exhale. “And you? How’d you stop Connor?”
“With my total awesomeness,” she said, tucking her pointer fingers in the pockets of her jeans. “You should have seen the werewolf’s face when he tried to take a bite out of me and met total defeat.”
“Wow,” Zephyr said, his voice flat. “I would have liked to see that.”
“You werewolves are strong, I’ll admit that, but take away your bite and you’re all bark,” Rox said.
Zephyr turned and faced her directly, a new respect on his face. More and more there was something about the girl that irked him in a good way. It’s like he wanted to look at her longer. Understand her deeper. Allow himself to laugh at her jokes. But that wasn’t right. He never really allowed himself that, especially with a girl like Rox. She was all wrong for him and yet, she seemed to be a strange match.
“I think you might be the first person who can handle us,” he said, and then slammed his mouth shut. How had he allowed such an admission to fall out of his mouth? And it had sounded sensitive, overly friendly. Was it the recent battle that had his defenses down?
“You mean you. I might be the first person who can handle you,” Rox said, taking a step in his direction.
“Don’t tell me what I mean,” he said, trying to sound insulted.
“Also I know I am the only one who can handle you, Mr. Alpha Wolf, and I think I might entertain the idea of doing so,” she said, slipping her hands from her pocket and daring to lay one on his chest. Her blonde hair was corralled back behind her ear on one side and her long bangs flopped over her eye on the other side.
He eyed the pink fingernails resting on his chest. “Are you hitting on me?” Zephyr said. It was the only thing he could think of saying since all of this was dropping down on him so fast. Rox was being bold and he was surprised that he liked it. How had things changed so much between them? Was it the battle? He’d thought of her constantly since changing back into a man, worried that she didn’t make it back or something happened.
“We work pretty well together,” Rox said.
“In the field?” Zephyr asked.
She only arched a challenging eyebrow at him, a hidden meaning in her blue eyes.
“Yes, it was a relief that you pulled Kaleb away, not looking back. That’s remarkable training,” he said, remembering how the girl had dragged a grown man, making it look easy. She was strong, so unlike the other girls from his past.
“Well, in battle, you keep emotions out of it and do what has to be done,” she said and those words crumbled a part of Zephyr’s resolve. He’d always been with women who didn’t understand him, didn’t understand his training and survival mentality. But Rox wasn’t like any girl he’d ever met. She was a soldier like him, and it compelled him in a way he hadn’t expected. That’s why, using his super speed, Zephyr grabbed her hand on his chest and pulled her into him, his mouth seeking hers. Instantly, his lips covered Rox’s and he found his hand in her hair, another around her waist. An animal instinct ripped through him and he pushed her back until she was flush against the glass wall, his mouth never leaving hers. Kissing her was better than fulfilling his desire for meat. Drinking her in fulfilled a yearning he hadn’t even realized he had. Again and again his mouth explored hers, until she pushed him back slightly, pulling her lips from his. Zephyr stared down at the blonde with a heated look, one that he couldn’t control. Rox stared up, a Cheshire smile on her face. She wiped the edges of her mouth with her fingertips, and then reached out and wiped his.
“That was fun. Let’s do it again, but tell no one. You’re going to be my little secret,” she said and then nudged him farther back and walked away.
Chapter Forty-Four
“Time travel isn’t a part of our DNA that we should abuse. Time is linear for a reason. Messing with it can have serious repercussions.”
- Lucidite Employee Manual
Adelaide was intentionally late for her meeting in Aiden’s lab. When she entered she was grateful that the three werewolf guys were already there. Kaleb had his shirt rolled up and was about to have his blood drawn by Aiden.
“You’re going to feel a little pinch,” Aiden said to him.
“I think he can handle it after all the pinches at the lab,” Zephyr said. The alpha wolf appeared almost happy. There was something that had changed in him and Adelaide guessed it was having the companionship of the other werewolves. As each one was added to the pack, she suspected that Zephyr would grow more content.
Adelaide’s eyes stayed a careful distance from Connor, who sat on the stool between the other two guys. However, she could feel his stare on her, like he was begging her with his gaze to look at him, to see him. And although she knew he couldn’t control himself when he turned into a werewolf, she still didn’t know how she felt about being vulnerable when in his presence. Nevertheless, this had sparked the need for a plan and she as the lead agent had to take the leash on this one.
“Okay, you three change every seven-ish days, is that right?” Adelaide said.
“That’s mostly accurate. Usually it’s at night, but as you recently learned we aren’t exactly on a fixed schedule,” Zephyr said.
“And how much warning do you get before it happens?” she said, trying to sound clinical.
“Usually five to ten minutes,” Zephyr offered.
“Sometimes none,” Connor said, his voice hollow.
Adelaide brought her attention to Aiden. “Anything you can offer on this? We can’t have these three turning when we’re not prepared,” she said.
“I could study their biorhythms and see if I can find any correlations. Tracking is our best bet,” Aiden said, moving on to withdraw a sample from Connor, which luckily meant he was partially blocked from her view.
“Okay, until then I want you three in the safe room on the eve of the seventh day. From there we will be able to keep you under observation and monitor the change. I don’t care if you don’t change into a werewolf on that day or the next. You’ll stay in there until you do. It’s probably best that we have your bedrooms locked at night on the other days until we have a tracking model,” she said.
“You’re locking us up?” Zephyr said, standing as he rolled down his shirt sleeve.
“Yes. I can’t risk endangering the lives of the Lucidites,” she said, no emotion in her voice.
“But we were already imprisoned once. You said the Lucidites were different. That you all were going to help us,” Zephyr said, a sudden tightness to his voice.
“And I can’t help you if you slaughter me and my people,” she said, her fists balled by her sides and the image of Connor bearing over her flashing into her mind.
Aiden stood from his place in front of Connor, holding a vial of cherry-colored blood. “Hopefully my
research presents some answers. Maybe I can synthesize something to reverse or suppress the werewolf mutation. I’m going to need time to study all the samples first though,” he said, his voice calm and his demeanor light and seeking to subdue Zephyr.
“Okay, fine. But I don’t like the idea of being locked up at night,” he said, directing it at Adelaide.
“Your dumb preference has been cataloged away and I promise to give it every consideration moving forward,” she said, aloofness in her tone.
“This isn’t going to work unless you start treating us like people,” Zephyr said, his mouth tight.
“Well, then this isn’t going to work. Would you like me to drop you off somewhere so Olento Research can track you down and put you behind real bars?” she said, standing up taller and trying to look challenging when she really only felt small.
Zephyr’s face hardened, something seeming to come loose inside him. “You don’t have to be derogatory to us,” he said.
