by Sarah Noffke
“No, we can’t. Entry is through the submarine and it’s heavily guarded. Only the right security clearance can pass without question or without being blindfolded. However, that wouldn’t pose such an obstacle to someone who is invisible,” Drake said.
Mika popped his chin up, the new idea making his eyes go wide. “Kris. You think that Kris can infiltrate the Institute?”
“I do. She is your best thief and what we need is to steal information, although I’m not quite certain where to look. She might have to hang out there for a while and study the place,” Drake said.
“If Kris can get into the Institute while invisible then why didn’t you propose this before so that we could recover the three werewolves being housed there?” Mika said.
“Because the thought only recently occurred to me when I met dead ends with Project Teleportaatio,” Drake said. “However, I think that Kris would be ineffective at helping us to recover the werewolves. She’s not strong enough to capture them. And her brother, Morgan, is still recovering so he wouldn’t be of much help either. I don’t think that creating trouble for the Lucidites on their turf is advisable. However, spying on them could provide a plethora of information for our research.” Drake took a deep breath when finished with his speech.
Mika stroked the black goatee that he kept evenly trimmed. “I agree that the twins, even with their invisibility, are insufficient to catch the werewolves. That’s why I have a new project for you.”
Drake blew out another breath, his hand absentmindedly finding his forehead. By the look in his tired eyes, he wasn’t delighted to be assigned another project. The older man looked like he needed sleep or soon he’d pass out from exhaustion. “Can we discuss it tomorrow, sir?”
“No, I’m free now,” Mika said, standing squarely in front of Drake. “I want you to heighten the power of the werewolf component for Project Canis Lupus. The next subject we test this on, I want them to be stronger, faster, and larger than those in the last batch.”
“Do you mean you want a stronger mutation so the subject transforms all over?” Drake said, scratching his head of wiry white hair.
“Yes, not just the face, arms, and hands. I want this subject to burst out of his clothes, like the lore dictates. I want to create something that’s nightmarish,” Mika said.
“I can probably do this, but it will be suicide for the subject. I don’t think they’d survive very long, which is why we were conservative with the men who are currently werewolves. Dramatic changes increase heart speed and blood pressure,” Drake said.
“That’s fine. I also want you to implement a tracking method in the subject’s DNA. Something that increases the wolf’s natural ability to track down members of its species,” Mika said.
“Yes, it would have been good to put a GPS chip into the first batch of werewolves,” Drake said and then his eyes widened with silent alarm. “Which was my oversight and I apologize.” It must have been difficult for the old German to behave, but Mika was teaching him and soon he wouldn’t have to give him looks of disapproval every time he mouthed off.
“So you’ve given up on finding your Canis Lupus protégées and are going bigger, are you?” Drake said, combing his knobby fingers through his tangled beard.
Mika’s eyes flew upward as he marched away. “Alexander,” he said, calling him by the name he knew he hated, his first one, his God-given one. “I’ve never given up. Not once.” Then Mika turned at the exit to the archery range and faced Drake from several feet away. “I just know why Zephyr has found two of my werewolves and I have failed. It’s because it takes a wolf to find another one.”
Chapter Two
“The first wolf attack was reported in Fairbanks, Alaska. Thirteen wolves were found dead in an open field with their blood withdrawn.”
- Lucidite Institute, Werewolf Project File
“So what’s the goal here?” Kaleb said, watching the silver ballpoint pen as Adelaide had ordered.
“I’m trying to make you pass out,” she said, spinning the pen over her thumb and catching it in her fingers. It was a gesture her father had taught her. A seemingly simple movement, but employing the right focus, it could cause hypnosis. However, Adelaide didn’t know how to practice her mind control using this method. She had only been successful when pairing it with words, not movements.
“Oh, is that all?” Kaleb said with an undeterred laugh. He’d merely resided at the Institute for a couple of days, but already his easy attitude and casual nature made him seem like a Lucidite.
“Would you shut your bloody mouth and concentrate?” Adelaide said, knowing that was actually not how this attempt at hypnosis should work. Ren’s book of secrets had said that a successful hypnotic gesture should catch the attention of a distracted person and hold it. This was only Adelaide’s first attempt, though, and she’d work on perfecting it later.
“So what happens after I pass out? You write on my face and take pictures?” Kaleb said, not having heeded Adelaide’s request to be quiet.
“Actually, before you pass out, you’ll be subject to any of my requests. With a simple demand I can make you do a whole list of horrid things. I’ll also have access to your memories, thoughts, and pretty much whatever other rubbish resides in your tiny brain,” she said, spinning the pen around and around, knowing the more fluid the motion, the more compelling it was to the observer.
“Are all British people as insulting as you?” Kaleb said, blinking his eyes from the act of watching the pen.
“No, I take insults to an exemplary level. But British people aren’t as fake as Americans,” she said, hearing the interruption at her back. Someone had just entered the strategic department conference space. Two somebodies, by the sound of their footsteps.
Adelaide turned to find her two least favorite people. “Oh good, the meatheads are here,” she said as Zephyr and Rox entered the space.
“I don’t think you mean that. You’re not actually happy to see us,” Rox said, walking into the room like a trucker, wearing her cowboy boots and a short jean skirt.
“The façade is broken,” Adelaide said, scooping up her book and standing. She turned to Kaleb. “We’ll try practicing this again later.”
“Practicing what?” Rox said, hitching up her hip and placing her hand on it.
“Stomaching you,” Adelaide said and then paused. The look on Zephyr’s face said something. It said there was something wrong. “What is it, Zeppy? What’s wrong? Did you lose your bone?”
Zephyr shook his head. “It’s Connor,” he said, gnawing on the inside of his cheek, worry covering his features.
“Did he kill himself?” Adelaide said, her voice hopeful. “One less werewolf would make my job easier. Actually, why don’t you all just off yourself and make this place more peaceful without the threat of your mutation.”
“Hey, Little Red,” Kaleb said with a laugh, “you’re so good with solutions. That’s why you’re a secret agent, huh?”
“Shut up, Dog Bone, and go eat some arsenal,” Adelaide said, turning her attention back to Zephyr. “Actually, Alpha, you can’t off yourself until you’ve found the other werewolves, but quickly after that I think you should.”
“Connor has gone missing,” Zephyr said, his face now impassive, no amusement present.
“We’ve searched the entire Institute and the head of transport said he left on the submarine yesterday,” Rox said, smacking her gum.
Adelaide pressed both her index fingers into the bridge of her nose, taking a deep inhale. “That little piece of shit,” she said under her breath.
“I’d counseled him after he attacked you, and Connor was obviously still dealing with guilt,” Zephyr said, his voice automatically going into “captain” mode. “He admitted that he couldn’t control the wolf, even when not changed.”
“Wait, the wolf has effects on you when you’re not changed?” Adelaide said, taking a seat back at the conference table, next to Kaleb. Zephyr remained standing, but Rox took this a
s an opportunity to hoist herself up and sit perched on the surface of the table, legs crossed and cowboy boot bouncing. It was astonishing to Adelaide that Rox could appear so much like a prostitute and a FBI agent at the same time. That took skill.
“We hear the wolf in our head, its desires, its instinct. These things are always present, about like the speed, agility, and heightened senses it gives us,” Zephyr said.
“That’s bizarre. I thought the desire for meat was only present when you all were changed,” Rox said. “But that does explain so much.” Her eyes turned mischievous as she stared off, a delighted smile on her face.
Ignoring the obvious attempt at flirting which was going to get Rox killed and Adelaide in loads of trouble, the redhead said to Zephyr, “Are you sure this is accurate for all the werewolves? Maybe it’s just you.”
“Silver Streak is right,” Kaleb said. “Usually I just ignore the wolf in my head, but I always hear him. And it has impulses, ones that are hard to control.”
“Name-Caller, do you want to elaborate on these impulses?” Adelaide said, suddenly tensing. Maybe these guys weren’t safe to be around, even when not changed. Maybe they were putting the Institute in more danger than she realized.
Kaleb shrugged. “That’s my thing. I like to make up names for people. You’ll get used to it and find it endearing.”
“I doubt that,” Adelaide said, waving him forward. “Impulses. Elaborate.”
Now Kaleb didn’t look as confident. He bowed his head, shame writing itself on his face. “It’s nothing. Just heightened emotions, about like the senses.”
“Since the crappy American education system obviously failed you, I’m going to define exactly what elaborate means. I need you to be extremely specific about these impulses,” Adelaide said, and her own confidence surprised her. It had grown so much since the case started. And now she almost felt in charge.
“He means primal urges. Sex, violence, hunger,” Zephyr said, causing Kaleb to look up with wide eyes. “All of those urges are stronger for us now. They are controllable, but it’s about like we’re teenage boys again.”
“But in the body of a man,” Rox said, clicking her tongue three times with a satisfied look.
“And you can control it,” Adelaide said, as a statement to Zephyr. Then she turned to Kaleb. “Can you?”
“Yes. I mean mostly. I mean, sometimes I can’t,” Kaleb said.
“The guy at the convenience store. The one you threw across the place. Was that a result of this impulse?” Rox said.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to hurt him. I felt awful afterwards, but something just came over me,” Kaleb said.
The group of four grew silent for a moment, Adelaide’s eyes scanning the surface of the table in front of her. “Okay,” she finally said, drawing out the word. “I think we’re all right for now. I want you both having regular psychiatric evaluation. I’m guessing unless you’re provoked then these impulses won’t be triggered. You freaked at the store because you were in trouble. Inside the Institute the Lucidites are too nice for you all to go off on them.”
“I think that’s a fair assessment,” Zephyr said, nodding his head in approval.
“Now as for Connor…” Adelaide said, her voice trailing off as her fists clenched in her lap. She couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. How could he have run off after they had just rescued him? He was a huge threat out in society and he was likely to get picked up by Olento Research. She knew he’d do something rebellious and get himself caught. Her notes from his file told her as much.
“I have to go out and find him,” Zephyr said.
“Yes, but where are you going to look, is the question,” Adelaide said, still off in thought.
“That I don’t know,” he said, his voice also distant and eyes staring off.
“Portland is his hometown,” Rox offered.
“We need more than that,” Adelaide said. “What we need—”
Her words stopped abruptly. Rox, Zephyr, and Adelaide both shot their heads to the corner of the room where one of the conference room chairs had suddenly appeared. It seemed to pop up out of nowhere.
“Was that just there?” Rox said, pointing at the chair.
“It was not,” Kaleb said, a hint of a laugh in his voice.
“Where did it come from?” Zephyr said.
“Beats me,” Kaleb said, covering his mouth.
Adelaide turned to Kaleb. “Did you do that?”
He didn’t answer, but just laughed. Then he disappeared and reappeared at the other end of the table.
“For fuck sake! Did you just teleport?” Adelaide said, bolting to a standing position.
“Nope,” he said, now overcome with laughter. The moving of the chair and him changing positions appeared like telekinesis or teleportation. However, one can change a lot of things about the physical world when one can stop time, if only for a brief moment.
“All right, Dog Bone. Pony up, what’s going on?” Adelaide said.
Kaleb only shook his head with a wide grin. Adelaide was about to reprimand him when Trent shot into the conference room, his focus on the redhead. “Hey! She’s back in action! We’ve got eyes on the future again,” he said, his voice vibrating with excitement.
A huge and rare smile sprung to Adelaide’s mouth. “Great! And just in time,” she said, making for the exit.
“Who are you talking about? What does that all mean?” Rox said, her head to the side and confusion creasing her forehead.
“It means that I now know how we’re going to find Connor and the rest of the pack. We’ve got our best news reporter back,” Adelaide said, following Trent out of the room at once.
Lone Wolf, book two in the Olento Research series releases June 15th. Preorder here: http://amzn.to/2pKqQP0
Preorder book three, Rabid Wolf here.
Acknowledgments
I never thought I’d ever write a werewolf series, but if I’m honest, I never thought I’d write fifteen books. And the only reason that I’ve done any of it is because of the people in my life who continue to support me even though I’m a pain in the ass.
The first thank you goes to First Chair, Leen. You really put up with my fretful attitude and I’m forever grateful that you sat beside me at that movie the one time and then we became fast friends. Honestly, none of this would have been possible without your help. If you don’t believe me then just dream travel back in time and don’t befriend me. You’ll see.
A tremendous thank you to Jess for your help with Zephyr. I really wouldn’t have taken on the intimidating job of writing about a Special Forces agent without your consult. Thank you for beta reading and just keeping me in line in general.
Thank you to my editor, Christine LePorte. I gave you a huge job with this one, but you took all of my concerns and really gave them extra attention. I was a little intimidated by your notes, but let’s not talk about that anymore.
Thank you to Andrei Bat for the cover work. What did it take you like half a minute to do this cover? Have you and I gotten so efficient at knocking out covers? You really spoil me.
Thank you to the awesome dream team for reading, reviewing, supporting and keeping me sane. Thanks to Stephanie, Dominic, Anne, Kris, Tommi, Carole, April, Misty, Katy, Jennifer, Shelah, Wendy, Anna, Kelly, Heidi, Patricia, Mary, Jenn, Kimberly, Kacey, Kit, Melinda, and so many more who constantly help me in so many different ways. Seriously thank you!
Thank you to my friends and family. You all may not read my books, but you still pat me on the head and sing my praises. And really, it only matters that your love keeps me going.
Thank you to BOD, my marathon group, Facebook fans, the Goodreads fan group, my newsletter subscribers, and to all of the people who every day make me feel like what I do matters.
Thank you to the numerous authors who helped to promote this book. This was a huge push and I really couldn’t have done it without all of your help. I have so many awesome authors who teach me so much and inspire me on a dail
y basis. Thank you to the author groups on Facebook where I learn a ton and find great support. Thank you to Julie and Carole for what you do for the indie community. Thank you to Andrew for sharing your knowledge with me. Thank you to Steve for sharing my books with your students. Thank you to Sarah and Charles for allowing me in your promotions. Thank you to Jeff for brainstorming with me. Thank you to Obama for endorsing this book and writing an editorial review… wait, that’s still in the works.
And the final thank you hasn’t changed. My heart. My soul. My passion belongs to Lydia. You’re my muse. The reason I write. So often the reason I find the magic in life. You, my dear, are what I’m most grateful for. I love you.
About the Author:
Sarah is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Vagabond Circus, Ren and Olento Research series. She’s been everything from a corporate manager to a hippie. Her taste for adventure has taken her all over the world. If you can’t find her at the gym, then she’s probably at the frozen yogurt shop. If you can’t find her there then she probably doesn’t want to be found. She is a self-proclaimed hermit, with spontaneous urges to socialize during full moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. Sarah lives in Southern California with her family. To learn more about Sarah please visit: http://www.sarahnoffke.com
