by Cecilia Lane
She’d dealt with the thinly veiled disapproval from the moment she’d spilled what her job would entail. Oh, her mother was glad she would help with the ‘shifter thing’ but she meant it in the ‘make them all disappear’ sort of way. Anything strange and different didn’t have a place in Nancy West’s world.
“There are other jobs, Liv. Places closer to home. Closer to your family.” Her mother picked up a stuffed bear, a relic from Liv’s childhood, and sat it on her lap. Her perfectly done up lips frowned and her voice took on a higher, babyish pitch. “Don’t you want a family, Livvy?”
“Yes, Mom. One day,” Liv answered. “I’m busy working on myself right now.”
The talk wasn’t unexpected. Frankly, Liv was impressed she’d avoided it for so long. Her mother had kept her shit together during the weeks of transition, but now it was time.
Liv hated being forced back under her parents’ roof. The soft pink walls and floral comforter were meant for a girl still with her innocence and a whole heart. She’d broken out of the shelter her parents tried to keep her in on the day she left for college. Not once in all the years since had she looked back.
But with needing to give up her apartment lease and a delayed start date at her new job, she’d stared down the barrel of either a temporary rental or her childhood bedroom. One cost a fortune in real money, but the other demanded a different currency.
“Your brothers were married by your age.”
And there it was. The crux of their issues. Her mother was a homemaker longing for a time when women went to school for their MRS degree and daughters didn’t move further than the next block over. That Liv had gotten her Ph.D. instead was a foreign idea. Her brothers, good country boys both, went into business together doing construction work. At the appropriate age, they found wives and popped out a couple kids each.
She loved her brothers and their partners and the nieces and nephews that seemed to sprout several inches every time she saw them, but that life wasn’t for her. Not anymore.
“I know. I was there.” What was the saying? Always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Yeah, that was her future.
“Luke, he was a nice boy. You had fun with him,” her mother continued. “And Nicholas. Oh, Nicholas was such a sweetheart last Christmas. What happened to him?”
Liv kept her focus on the laundry pile. “He moved back to the other coast.”
“And what was wrong with him? You could have gone with him.”
Liv imagined a stone under running water. Smooth, unbothered by anything above the surface. She needed to be that stone, or the interrogation wouldn’t ever end. “We just weren’t that compatible.”
“You don’t give them a chance,” Nancy scoffed with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I just think you put too much of yourself into school and work. Where’s the fun in that, Livvy? You have to stop and smell the roses sometimes.”
“I had fun, Mom. Remember when you had to send me bail money after getting caught with booze in the dorm?” she reminded. Oh, undergrad had some days of drinking and partying. She just left those a little early and hit the books, or made sure she fit in the fun between classes.
“What was that boy’s name?”
Liv froze. Fuck. She shouldn’t have touched on those years.
“Alex. Yes, that’s it.” Her mother’s eyes brightened as the light bulb went off. “Alex was the troublemaker who got you arrested. What a wicked little punk. I was glad when he showed his true colors and gave you a chance to move on.”
Alex. Fucking Alex. Just the mention of his name drove a knife through her heart. She wanted to be furious with him, but he only brought her pain.
Well, not just her. All the men who came after him, too. Those nice boys, the sweet boys, the pleasant talkers. The ones her mother approved of. They were nothing compared to Alex. They didn’t have his fire. They were safe.
Which was why they never lasted long.
Asshole. That was Alex. The asshole who up and left her while she was away at a conference, then rubbed her face in it whenever their paths crossed those last weeks on campus. She was grateful he didn’t tear their group of friends apart, but that was because he dropped them, too.
“We’re not discussing this anymore,” Liv snapped. She didn’t bother folding the rest of her clothes and dumped them into her suitcase. The rips of the zipper cut off the rest of her mother’s arguments.
She put up with comparisons to her brothers and their perfect families. She could deal with reminders of failed relationships. But Alex was a subject Liv couldn’t rehash.
She just wanted acceptance and a hint of understanding. She thought she had it. Once. Many years and miles of heartbreak ago. She didn’t need to feel those same nauseating disappointments stemming from her own mother.
“Livvy,” her mother pouted.
“I really need to get going. Daylight’s wasting,” she said. The suitcase hit the carpet with a dull thunk and she dragged it out the door.
Her mother followed her down the steps. “There’s still time to change your mind. You can stay here as long as you like. Your brothers miss you. You’ve hardly spent time with their kids.”
“Mom, I’m doing this,” Liv said firmly.
She glanced around the foyer one last time. She’d desperately wanted out of the house as a teen. That same scratching urge to leave had clung to her when she moved back in for a few short weeks. But now that the final moment had arrived, sadness for the life she could have had welled in her stomach.
No home to call her own. No partner to meet her exasperated look when her mother did something overbearing for the thousandth time. No kids stomping up and down the stairs.
Alex took so much when he left.
Quiet buzzed in the room and Liv turned to find her mother watching her with big, sad eyes.
They were the only ones in the house. The big family gathering and gauntlet of goodbyes had been the night before.
One more hug, then she could get on the road.
Her mother wrapped her up tight. After a stiff second, Liv melted into the embrace.
“I feel like I’m dropping you off at college all over again,” Nancy murmured thickly. She dabbed at her eyes when she pulled away. “Maybe you’ll meet someone there who will make you happy.”
Moment ruined.
“Sure, Mom. There’s always hope.” Liv kept the sarcasm out of her voice.
Alex taught her a valuable lesson.
Better to be alone than to hurt.
Chapter 3
Liv drove through the small town of Bearden, balancing her fresh cup of coffee with the meandering bends in the road. The main strip disappeared in her rearview and left her with the bright greens and crisp scent of spring in the mountains as she drove toward the Bearden Research Facility.
Nerves piled up in her stomach and churned with her second injection of caffeine that morning. The first had been needed to wake her up from a restless night of new job jitters. The second was her morning routine and an easy way to scope out the early morning happenings of Bearden.
The town moved slowly, which was a change of pace. One she appreciated after years of living and working in a big city. The people were friendlier, too, and willing to offer greetings instead of ducking their eyes during shared commutes.
One day in the town, and she was already enamored. The food choices left a lot to be desired with the simple lack of variety, but the barbecue and coffee places—her only samples so far—made up for it with delicious food and treats.
And of course, there was that ‘shifter thing.’
Her mother had texted her at least eight dozen times since Liv arrived at the rental set aside for research workers. She’d wanted to know the moment Liv first encountered one of those dangerous creatures, but Liv disappointed her when she described a quick check-in and food delivery.
Truth be told, she was a little disappointed herself. Her mother’s griping almost had her expecting wilderness and wild animals roam
ing the streets. Not a single shifter or vampire knocked at her door.
The final test of seeing if she could cut it in Bearden was stepping into her new position.
Liv flicked on the blinker and made the turn into the facility parking lot.
She frowned at the small crowd in front of the building. She’d been warned about them, but didn’t put much thought into their existence until then. Protesters from both sides of the aisle glared at one another and hoisted signs in the air. The human contingent of about ten men and women expressed their displeasure at other humans sullying themselves by working on the supernatural problem. The supernatural side was made up of six shifters angry—and no doubt afraid—that any research into them would bring about their destruction.
Liv pushed out of her car and shouldered her purse. Barricades kept the protestors from blocking the entrance, but they did nothing to mask the dark and sullen looks lobbed from one side to the other. The bored guard standing at the door looked even less useful.
She took a deep breath. No use waiting around. She strode through the parking lot and straight for the front doors of the Bearden Research Facility.
Murmurs greeted her ears once both groups realized where she headed. “Traitor!” someone shouted.
Liv turned to the voice and blinked at the sudden flash of a camera.
“This way, ma’am,” the guard said before she could react. He stepped aside and held open the door to the lobby.
Another guard stood next to a metal detector and a table with small trays for personal items. Liv calmly jotted down her name since she still needed to be issued proper identification and passed through the machine. No unwanted beeps or alarms sounded, but she looked back over her shoulder. Two guards and some flimsy barricades didn’t seem like much protection if those outside wanted to get in.
Then the guard touched fingers to his hat and slid her purse to her. Under the brim, his eyes glowed.
Shifter.
She definitely wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
A petite blonde woman practically bounced on her toes on the other side of the security station. As soon as Liv picked up her purse, the woman rushed forward with her hand outstretched. “Dr. Olivia West? It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”
“Liv, please,” she said, shaking her hand. “Olivia was my grandmother.”
“Oh, and I’m Rylee. Strathorn.” A wide smile graced her lips before she shut it down for a more professional demeanor. “Director of the facility here.”
Liv pointed over her shoulder. “Are they supposed to take pictures?”
“Oh, them.” Rylee frowned. “Happens to all the newbies. Because a little photo shoot is supposed to be scarier than waking up to a one-ton bear shifter on your front porch. Ignore them, and welcome to Bearden. Our monsters beat up their monsters.”
Before Liv could respond, Rylee bustled into another ramble. “Not that we’re monsters, of course! We have teams working on every facet of knowledge to be gained here in Bearden. We want to understand just how the supernatural citizens came to be here and if there really is a veil between our world and their original one. Historical, anthropological, and linguistic teams are studying the various creation myths connected to the enclaves. There’s great interest in the study of the Broken, too, and just how their magic can power a barrier to hide the entire enclave.
“You’ll be working on the serum team, of course. Those labs are on the second floor.” Rylee adjusted her glasses. “They’re near and dear to my own heart, so you get the tour from me. Aren’t you lucky.”
Liv chuckled. The woman was a delight after so many years under stuffy scientists without an ounce of social grace. She already felt at ease. “Lead the way.”
Rylee shot off toward the elevators and jabbed a button to summon one. “It’s mostly sample collection at this point. We have a couple experiments running, but nothing close to the results we’re looking for. To be expected, of course. It took Dr. Edward Jenner years of work and research before the smallpox vaccine procedure was truly understood. Then a couple hundred more to perfect the current form. Our research is really in its infancy, but that’s why I’m collecting the most brilliant minds to work for me.”
“I’m honored to be here,” Liv said.
No lie, either. Meeting Dr. Rylee Strathorn herself was an honor, let alone to be welcomed into the facility. Liv had been glued to the television during the public hearings when shifters and other supernaturals like vampires and fae were first revealed to the world. Rylee fought hard for the town of Bearden and her vision of future research. Quiet, sometimes rambling, she had a firm manner when needed. Liv was excited to get a personal introduction from the woman.
“Good. Very good. I expect hard work out of everyone.” The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside. “Have you had much contact with shifters before this?”
“None,” Liv answered. The doors shuttered away the lobby and started to move. “Though I’m sure I’ve met some and just didn’t know it.”
“Rule of thumb around town is to assume you’re not dealing with a human. We’re the minority here. Sharp ears and sharp eyes, remember that.”
The elevator dinged open and they stepped into a long hallway with many doors, most guarded by a keypad and card reader. Rylee paused at a set of doors near the end of the hall and swiped her card in the lock. She swung the door wide open with a grand gesture. “Here we are.”
Liv stepped through and felt exactly like Belle finding the Beast’s library. Lab stations ran around the room. Microscopes and centrifuges rested between computers and other equipment. Large refrigerators no doubt held all the samples collected and used for the experiments currently running.
“State of the art everything,” Rylee said as she led her through the lab. “We fight hard for our budget. And right through here will be your desk.”
Through another set of doors was an open office. Desks were grouped together facing each other and lined up in rows with walking space between each set. Small dividers separated each space, but not enough to give any true sense of privacy. They were expected to collaborate, Liv knew. The team had no room for egos.
A few of the desks were occupied, and those seated shot her warm smiles as Rylee led her to one at the very end.
“I know you’ve probably already heard the spiel about our end goals here, but I’ll add my own,” Rylee started. “Some of the cases we’ve come across—volunteers or thrown our way by the Supernatural Enforcement Agency—would break your heart. I’ve helped place a father bitten on a camping trip with the pack in Wolfden, but prior to this, he’d have been completely on his own. He’s still dealing with the lifestyle changes, of course. Lots of rare steaks and walking on the furry side in his future.
“He’s one of the lucky ones. He has a solid support system around him. The ones I really want to help are the poor souls who wouldn’t have a chance of survival.” Her face fell and she shook her head. “For whatever reason, some just reject the changes to their makeup. I’ve tried gathering numbers, but secret societies weren’t exactly big on record keeping. What I can conclude is women tend to have better odds than men, but turning into a shifter still risks death. Those are the people I want to give a chance. That’s why we’re trying to find a way to reverse the changes.”
Rylee’s passion was exactly what drew Liv to the program. When the first recruiter approached her about confidential work, she’d assumed something involving the military. Her second interview laid the groundwork for dealing with the supernatural.
Confronted with her own desk and the actual lab, the nerves that plagued her before slipped into nothing. She was happy to have made it through the hoops to wind up in the lab. “So where do I begin?”
Rylee fished in her pocket and pulled out a set of keys. She bent and unlocked the file cabinet nestled at the end of a desk row. The drawer rolled out and revealed a number of charts inside.
“Here. We have several program volunteers living i
n Bearden. They come in monthly, we ask our questions, they give us their samples, and we make an appointment for the next month. Others here are coordinating with satellite offices in other enclaves, but you’ll be working directly with our Bearden residents. Familiarize yourself with their files. I’m sure once Dr. Franco, our lab manager, returns from a satellite office, he’ll shadow you for the initial follow-ups. Some of our volunteers can be a bit testy about changes. Once you’re settled, he’ll walk you through the trials. Welcome to the team, Liv.”
When Rylee left, the rest of the lab assistants swarmed. Liv tried to remember all the names. Jenny Barnes was her desk partner, so she was easy to remember. Barry O’Shea, Chuck Wilson, Leela Biswas, Robbie Peters, Matt Simmons… The frantic meet-and-greet ended with lots of handshakes, directions to the coffee machine, and promises to let them show her around town.
When the room settled back into routine, Liv pulled charts from the first three letters of the alphabet. Of the A through Cs, there were about fifteen charts to go through. Liv took a seat at her desk and opened the first one.
Photos were stapled to the front of the paperwork. Digging into the details, Liv saw most were changed by shifters they knew. The timing was varied, too, with some no earlier than a few weeks to those who’d spent decades with an animal under their skin. Blood, hair, and saliva samples were collected and dates noted. The final document asked for consent for potential future trials to reverse the changes, but only one in the B group had checked the box.
Liv opened the second file in the C pile and gasped. Her stomach tightened with a sick, oily sensation of upset and loss.
Alex looked back at her.
Liv stared, hard, then looked over her shoulder. No one else in the room paid her any attention. No practical jokers took an initiation much, much too far.
Six years, and all the unresolved hurt came rushing back.
There had been a time when she thought they would marry and have the pack of grandchildren her mother wanted. In fact, Liv was certain the camping trip he planned to take while she was away at a conference was him and his friends having one last hoorah before he proposed.
