by Sarah Noffke
“I don’t know how I feel about that,” she said across the short distance that separated them, but not for long. Connor leaned down with the grace of the wolf, closing the space between them. He pressed his mouth to hers, breathing her in. Adelaide didn’t pull away. Didn’t want to. Instead she kissed him back, engrossed by the softness of his lips, of the taste of his mouth, at the thoughts that only spoke of how much he accepted her. Of how much he wanted her. Of how much he’d always wanted her. Since the beginning. The pair folded their arms around each other, kissing each other harder. And then a crash sounded from a row over which sounded much like a large volume falling to the ground.
Adelaide pulled back, but only a few inches. Connor still had his arms wrapped around her waist. She held her chin in the air and directed her words in the air. “Lucy? You all right?” she said.
“Yip,” she heard on the other side of the shelf.
She smiled at Connor and separated from him completely. “Looks like I better go parent,” she said, instantly wishing she could stay in that moment. Live in it.
Chapter Forty-Four
“Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey.”
- Lord Byron
Fingers wrapped around the magnesium alloy bars and pulled. Rio grunted when the prison bars didn’t give way to his super strength.
“Knowing you’d be returned to me, I had this cell built just for you,” Mika said. “That’s the strongest metal in the world, and even you won’t be able to pry your way out of this cell. I don’t encourage you to try, since I need you in peak condition.”
Rio whipped around, his gaze frantically roaming over the metal walls, floor, and ceiling. There was no way of escaping this cell. The only option was through the barred door, which Mika didn’t plan to open anytime soon. Rio needed time to lose his mind. Once he’d done that then Mika could make his mind anew. The brainwashing was always easier when the prisoner was at his lowest.
“Do let us know when you get hungry,” Mika said, a smirking tone to his voice.
“The Lucidites are coming after me. They’re going to get me out of here,” Rio said, rushing to the bars, sticking his thick face through them. The metal framed his face, pinching his cheeks.
“The Lucidites,” Mika laughed; it was a cold, dry sound. “Those imbeciles don’t stand a chance, especially now that I have you. You’re the strongest man in the world and soon you’ll do everything that I say.”
Spit flew from Rio’s mouth and landed on Mika’s face. He didn’t flinch, but instead calmly pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped it across his face.
“I won’t ever answer to you, asshole,” Rio said.
“Oh, ever is a long time. I think you’ll change your mind in a few days when the hunger sets in. And if that doesn’t work, then I’ll figure out a way of obtaining your submission.” Mika turned and eyed the lab counter in the middle of the room.
Most of the cells were empty, but that wasn’t going to last for long. Malcolm stared at Mika from his cell, lined with plexiglass. He had been easy to train and had proven to be a good asset. Rio would be more difficult, but only because he’d been conditioned by the Lucidites. One day Mika was going to make them pay.
After he had Zephyr and the other werewolves returned to him then he’d go after the Lucidites. Rox Spear would pay for her involvement by spending her final hours confined in a coffin. And Adelaide and the other Lucidites would meet their end. Mika liked the idea of inheriting the Institute. From what he’d heard about it, the facility would be perfect for conducting experiments. It was apparently filled with revolutionary technology, but only used for good. Why an organization would waste their time with saving the world when people were already doomed was beyond Mika. He had Parantaa Research, which synthesized life-saving drugs, but it only made patients dependent on it. Parantaa Research didn’t create cures. That was forbidden.
Mika revolved in the center of the lab, finally feeling victorious. It had been a long time coming, but he knew it would happen. He had two werewolves back and the investors were off his back. Now he owned the missing information on how teleporting worked. Soon he would master it and then he’d be unstoppable. And his new project… it fueled his core with a brand new excitement. When he’d taken in the lab he turned his gaze on Drake, who had dutifully been waiting by the exit. With a curt nod he marched forward, Drake following behind him.
“Welcome back, Rio,” Mika said, no warmth in his voice as he left.
The white hallway stretched out in front of the two men. Doors lined both walls, but Mika had his eye on only one at the far end.
“You said you had good news,” Mika said to the chief scientist.
“Yes, I dare say, this is great news. I’ve made fast progress and think I’ve synthesized the first sample for Project Vampyyri,” Drake said, a rare eagerness in his voice. He was like Mika and enjoyed the work. Maybe he’d never admit it, but Drake relished creating the impossible. Making creatures that seemed like fiction. Olento, like the experiments, had been named appropriately. In Finnish, Olento meant “creature,” and creating the things of nightmares and comic books was exactly what it did. Now Mika was excited to create something more from a horror movie than a superhero film.
Mika halted, facing Drake, whom he stood a head taller than. “The virus? You’ve already created one from the Arcturian? You said that it would take you several weeks,” he said.
“And it’s only the first sample. It very well could take me many months to construct the right virus, but I have one that I’d like to test. This is a brand new process and I think, if you’re willing, that I’d like to have a large test group,” Drake said.
Mika lowered his eyes, deliberating. Test subjects. They’d go through many for this experiment. He knew that this was going to be a true trial and error project. Still, covering up the disappearance of several men who didn’t survive the experiment got exponentially tricky.
“Let’s start with a round of subjects from the homeless shelters, but as you get closer to the right formula then I want you recruiting from the universities,” Mika said. Broke college students would submit themselves for research purposes for a nominal amount of money. And he thought that a young, bright college man would be the perfect final subject for Project Vampyyri.
“Get started right away,” Mika said, walking past Drake in the direction of his office. “I want an update in forty-eight hours.”
“It shouldn’t take that long to see if the host can fight the virus or not,” Drake said at Mika’s back. He turned, a wicked grin on his face.
“Then give me a report as soon as you have it,” Mika said. Things just kept getting better and better. Yes, many men would die in strange ways, but it would be worth it. When Drake perfected the virus he synthesized from the alien, then they would create a real match for the werewolves. Zephyr wouldn’t stand a chance against the man Mika made into a vampire.
Chapter Forty-Five
“A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.”
- Betrand de Jouvenel
Kris knew she was risking everything by yet again sneaking around Olento Research in her invisible form. She also didn’t care. What did she have to lose? Morgan, her twin brother, was dead. When she thought about his death, it didn’t feel real. Kris was sure that one day he’d walk through the door of her house with an easy grin spread across his face. Mostly when she thought about Morgan, her core burned with an incredible fire.
The Lucidites weren’t the ones responsible for her brother’s death. Even the guy who did it, Connor, wasn’t to blame. They were only defending themselves, as anyone would do if they’d been abducted and then mutated into werewolves. How had she deluded herself into thinking this was okay? The money had been a factor. And then Mika had started small, only asking her to break into places. Later she graduated to breaking into the Pentagon to steal records. It wasn’t until he asked her and Morgan to abduct men that the uneas
iness began to twitch her insides. But she’d pressed away the guilt, which was impossible to do now. It had swallowed her completely.
At first, Kris firmly believed Olento Research’s main goal was to create experiments that transformed the world. And although Mika’s scientists did create incredible projects, like making women invisible and little girls clairvoyant, they also had no respect for human life. That was because of the CEO of Olento Research. She couldn’t believe that she used to look at Mika Lenna and see a handsome businessman. He was in actuality a demon. The most corrupted person to ever live. And she may not have been strong enough to take him down, but as an invisible woman, she could sabotage some of his success.
That morning Kris snuck into the surveillance room. Having stalked Olento Research for so long in her invisible form, she knew everyone’s schedule. For instance, she knew that Bob, the guard who watched the monitors, always took a pee break at eleven in the morning. He was only ever gone from his station for roughly ninety seconds, but it was enough time for Kris to deactivate the infrared feature on the monitors. They’d figure it out by the end of the day, but that was all Kris needed. It gave her the opportunity to sneak around Olento Research undetected.
Shaking, she pulled the desk drawer back. After the first breakout, Mika had all the keys for the cells kept in his office. He wasn’t taking any more chances with his werewolves escaping again. A row of keys on pegs stared back at Kris. They were numbered and her brain, cramped by panic, was having a hard time remembering which one she needed. Then she noticed one of the keys was a dissimilar color from the rest, like it was made of a different material. She plucked the key from its spot and slipped it into her pocket just as the door to Mika’s office flew open.
Kris sucked in a gasp, covering her mouth as she did. He could probably hear her heart beating wildly, since she knew he had enhanced senses. She inhaled a long breath, letting it out with a four count. He can’t see you. That’s all that matters, Kris told herself.
“And Drake,” Mika said, pausing beside the open door.
“Sir?” she heard the German man say, a bit far off, like he was down the hallway.
“Have Haiku come and see me,” Mika said. Kris stepped as carefully as she could, making it soundlessly across the Persian rug. It wasn’t Drake’s job to fetch employees for Mika. The scientist had a bucket load of PhDs. However, Mika demeaned the poor scientist by overloading his schedule and also giving him menial tasks. Kris was all too aware of how Mika maintained control of his employees. It had once worked on her.
“Yes, sir,” Drake said, sounding less than enthusiastic.
“And do it right away. I need him to take out that woman protesting werewolves. She’s creating too much trouble for us,” Mika said, stepping back away from the door. Then he launched it shut just as Kris slipped through the space, her lean frame making it easy for her to slide between Mika and the door. He was always bolting doors open and slamming them shut. Real anger management problems in that crazy mastermind.
“And do it right away,” Drake said, mocking Mika, his head toggling back and forth and his face creased with annoyance. The things Drake said about Mika when he thought he was alone were hilarious. More importantly, Kris was convinced that the old man was close to breaking because the muttering under his breath about his boss had increased lately. When Drake had entered one of the other lab rooms, Kris sped to the door at the far side of the hallway. She didn’t know how much time she had or if she could even get away with this.
Checking her back, she confirmed the hallway was empty when she pulled back the door to the Canis Lupus lab room. Neither one of the prisoners noticed the door being opened by an invisible figure. Rio lay across his cot, making the bed look tiny in comparison to his large frame.
“Hey,” Kris said in a whisper through his bars.
He jerked up his head, his black curls falling to the side as he did. “Who said that?” he said, sitting up at once.
“Remember the invisible girl you escorted out of the Institute?” Kris said, pulling the key from her pocket.
“What do want?” Rio said, rolling his eyes and lying back against the wall.
“I want you to get me back into the Institute,” she said, peering over her shoulder as Malcolm rose to a standing position. He had heard them and was under Mika’s control. That werewolf just might call out for guards at any moment.
“If you hadn’t noticed, sweetie, I’m a prisoner of Olento Research yet again,” Rio said.
“And I’m an invisible woman who is a master at stealing things,” she said, holding up the key, but then remembering he couldn’t see it since she was touching the object.
Rio popped into a standing position. “You’re going to let me out,” he said, too loudly. Kris checked the entrance again, knowing at any minute one of the scientists could enter or worse, Mika could have found the key missing.
“I’ll let you out on one condition,” she said and paused.
“You want me to get you back into the Institute. Yeah, yeah, for sure,” Rio said, nodding his head, looking impatient.
“That was easy,” Kris said, sliding the key into the lock and turning it until she felt the click. Rio burst through the opening, slamming the door back with a loud clang as he did and nearly toppling Kris over.
“Watch it,” she said, moving to the side.
“I can’t see you, if you remember,” Rio said.
“Right,” she said, and then doom crashed down on her. She’d been too reactive, just wanting to get revenge on Mika. Well, and more than anything, she wanted back into the Institute. She wanted to use her powers for good. However, Kris hadn’t thought this through and now she didn’t know how she was going to get this giant out of Olento Research. This lab room was at the back of the building and they’d encounter loads of guards and employees on just the way to the side entrance, which was the closest.
“Open this cage,” Rio said, stomping over to the cell where Malcolm stood, appraising Rio like he was the monkey in the cage.
“I can’t. I don’t have the key and I also don’t think he’ll go willingly. He’s been brainwashed to work for Mika,” she said, bitterness coating her words. That used to be her.
“Sorry, man,” Rio said through the bars to the other werewolf, who increasingly looked about to erupt with calls. “I’ll come back for you. I promise.”
“Rio, we have to get you out of here before someone comes,” Kris said.
“How do we do that? Can I plow through these walls, like I did before?” he said, indicating the white plaster walls.
“Probably, but let’s try something else,” Kris said and reached out and wrapped her hand around Rio’s giant hand.
He startled from the sudden touch of her cold fingers. Kris’s hands were always freezing. “Hey there, little lady. We need to escape, not get frisky,” he said.
“Shut it, brute,” she said. “I’m not sure, but I think—” And she didn’t have to finish her sentence because the proof stood before her. Rio’s form flickered and then he disappeared. “As long as you are touching me, you’ll stay invisible.”
“What? No way,” he said, astonishment in his voice.
“Well, an invisible woman has the power to make anything she touches disappear. Mika made me into the ultimate thief, he just never suspected I’d steal from him,” she said, tugging Rio toward the exit. “Now be quiet and try not to knock into anyone we pass. Let’s get out of this hellhole.”
Epilogue
This can’t be happening, Adelaide thought, head down and fingers gripping the roots of her hair. She kissed a werewolf. Actually, he kissed her. And now she was in a shitload of trouble. If anyone found out, she’d be guilty of mixing business and pleasure. Trey Underwood wouldn’t care. Trent, her boss, wouldn’t care. But she cared. It made her look sloppy. More than anything, it made her look like a hypocrite. It was final. She had to kill Rox. That was the only way to avoid the blonde bimbo finding out and rubbing the hypo
crisy in her face. Or better yet, maybe she should murder Connor. He was the real problem here anyway. How dare he use his intellect and wit to make her tolerate him? Adelaide didn’t like people. She prided herself on that fact. But Connor was obnoxiously different and it was driving Adelaide insane.
“Addy,” a familiar voice said. She pulled her head up, realizing that her strands of hair had fallen into her salad, which she had no intention of eating.
“What?” she said to Aiden as he approached. The main hall was mostly empty and the residents of the Institute usually left Adelaide alone at her back table. However, Aiden didn’t really get cues and so was always trying to be friendly to the girl.
“I’ve got incredibly, brilliant news for you,” he said, sliding into the seat next to her.
“You’re going to take a course on boundaries and learn that people have personal space and not to invade it?” she said, sliding a napkin over her red strands, sopping up the olive oil from the salad dressing.
“Your father and I used to play this game,” he said, with an obnoxious smile. “You have no idea how many times he told me to off myself.”
“You should have listened to him,” she said.
“Well, good thing I didn’t, because I made a breakthrough on the werewolf reversal conversion project,” Aiden said.
