by Anna Hackett
Preliminary scans had shown it was an excellent semiconductor. They might be able to use it, integrate it into the base’s energy system and boost the supply.
Girding herself, Natalya made herself pick the glass up.
Up close, she saw tiny black striations running through it. They were irregular and looked almost like veins.
She picked up her hand-held analyzer and ran it over the glass. She studied the results, her eyes narrowing as she pondered the implications. Maybe, just maybe, they could splice thin layers of it into the photovoltaic cells. But she needed to run a lot of tests on it first. And needed to make sure this alien tech wasn’t…alive and able to do damage.
The comp lab door opened and she looked over her shoulder.
Reed. She stilled, a slight tremble running though her.
He was still wearing the bottom half of his black carbon-fiber armor, but he’d removed the chest plates, leaving him in a tight, white T-shirt that stretched over wide shoulders and left muscled, tanned arms bare. His tousled brown hair was streaked with gold. He radiated life and vitality, and the scent of him made her think of the sea.
His face was bold, with strong lines, and he had eyes the color of polished gold. A lion’s eyes. That’s exactly what she thought of every time she saw Reed MacKinnon—a healthy lion on the prowl for a sunny spot to lie in. Or prey to hunt.
Oh, and she’d do anything to be that prey. She was pretty sure the sexy soldier would be shocked to know the secret, X-rated fantasies she’d had about him.
“Hey, Natalya.”
She managed a nod. “Reed.”
“How are you doing?” he asked in his lazy drawl.
“Fine.” She barely controlled the snap in her voice. He always asked her that, watching her with that patient gaze. She suspected all he saw when he looked at her was a damaged, fragile woman. He’d been the one to carry her out of that raptor lab when Hell Squad had gone in to rescue survivors. He’d been the one she’d clung to. He’d been the one to sit by her bed in the infirmary for days as she’d recovered. And he’d been the one who’d witnessed a few of her bad moments in the weeks that followed her rescue.
She wasn’t damaged, dammit. She took a deep breath. “You’re back from the mission?” Oh, brilliant, Natalya, of course he was back from the mission.
He tilted his head, watching her. “Yeah. Rescued some humans the raptors were dragging off.”
To another lab, probably. Natalya swallowed the lump in her throat. But, she reminded herself that Reed had blown up the alien’s secret Genesis Facility where they’d been turning humans into aliens.
“I found this.” He held up a black cube. It pulsed with a red light.
Oh. She jumped up and snatched it from him. “It’s an energy source. I studied one that was damaged, but this…it looks like it’s in perfect working order.” She looked up and found Reed staring at her. “What?”
“Never seen you look so…covetous of anything before.”
She felt heat in her cheeks. “You haven’t seen me about to get in a hot shower.”
Something flashed in his eyes and Natalya did a mental groan. God, had that really come out of her mouth? She’d never been this silly around a man before. She turned her back on him, knowing her cheeks were flaming now.
She set the cube on her desk and ran a hand through her short hair. Another thing she could thank the aliens for. She’d loved the long dark hair she’d once sported, but the aliens had shorn it off. At least it had grown back enough, and with a decent cut, the short style didn’t look half bad.
Reed edged closer, his big body lightly brushing against hers. “So, you think the aliens use this cube as a power source? Like a battery?”
At that one tiny, accidental touch, she felt a spark of electricity skate through her. She tried to ignore his effect on her and focus on his words. “I don’t know anything for certain. I need to study it more, but I’m hoping it could be an energy source we can use or…”
“Or?”
Their eyes clashed. “Something we can use against them.”
His gaze sharpened. “Really?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know yet.” Her jaw tightened. “But if we can, then I’ll make it happen.”
Chapter Two
Reed let Natalya’s presence wash over him.
Her short, pixie-style hair accented her long, slender neck. All that creamy skin looked so soft. His hands flexed by his sides. Her brown eyes were large in her face, accented by her glasses, and her eyelashes were long and inky-black. God, he’d never noticed a woman’s eyelashes before.
And her body…he was grateful his armor was hiding his body’s response. Her plain white shirt was buttoned over her full breasts and tucked into a black skirt that skimmed over her recently-regained curves. Hell, those tight skirts and sensible shirts…not to mention the glasses, the whole package just made him want to lay her out and strip her naked.
He’d never had a secret librarian fetish before…but now he did.
He wasn’t sure why she affected him like this, but she had, from the moment in the Hawk during her rescue when she’d clung to him. She’d looked up at him with such trust in her eyes, and in that chocolate brown, he’d seen a fierce will to survive.
She was smart. Way smarter than a grunt like him. And he liked that, too.
But Reed also knew she’d been through a nightmare. She needed time to recover and finish finding her strength again. He knew loud noises still startled her, she hated going to the infirmary, and sometimes she had trouble sleeping.
His gaze fell on the angry red scar just visible over the top of her shirt. His jaw tightened. It made him want to head back out and find some raptors to take down.
He cleared his throat. “So, you’ll keep us posted on what you find out about this energy cube?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“You’re wearing perfume,” he said.
She blinked and touched the side of her neck. “Yes. Emerson gave it to me.”
“I like it.” He smiled. “Although, I like how you smell without it as well.”
“I…smell without it?”
“Like cinnamon.”
Her lush mouth dropped open and she stared at him. He thought he saw a flicker of awareness move through her chocolate eyes. He felt a corresponding surge of desire.
Dammit, what part of taking it slowly didn’t he understand? “Natalya, I thought—”
The comp lab door slammed open hard enough to rattle the hinges.
“Lord save me from stubborn women.” Noah Kim, head of the tech team, stomped inside and over to his desk.
With a genius-level IQ and hands that were magic with computers and electronics, Noah considered the lab his private domain. He sank into his chair and pushed his shoulder-length, black hair back. His Korean heritage was obvious in his lean, hawkish face. He reached back and snatched up two of the dice lined up on the shelf behind his desk. He guarded his little collection like they were treasure and now he rolled the dice between his fingers.
Natalya shot the man a small smile. “I take it you’ve been down in the detention area fixing the comp system again.”
Noah crossed his arms over his chest. For a geek, he kept in good shape. Reed had seen him in the gym a fair bit.
“That dragon down there suspects we’re all alien spies. God, and talk about workaholic, don’t even think about taking a break or she’ll ride you into the ground.”
Reed swallowed a smile. “I take it we’re talking about Captain Bladon?”
“Taskmaster Bladon, yeah.” Noah tapped on his computer screen.
“You aren’t going to mess with the ventilation in her quarters or something are you?” Natalya asked with just enough concern in her voice that Reed guessed it wouldn’t be the first time Noah had taken revenge on someone.
Noah snorted. “She’d know it was me and come and make my life hell. I do not want her coming my way again.” His gaze sharpened on the energy cube. �
��What do we have here?”
“An alien energy cube.” Natalya held it up. “An operational one.”
“Excellent,” Noah said. “We should run some analysis tests on it, then hook it up to a power meter and see what it can do.”
Brown eyes met Reed’s. “Thanks for bringing it in, Reed.”
“No problem.” God, he wanted to touch her, but he clasped his hands behind his back.
“I might catch you at dinner later?” she said.
“Sure.” Reed backed out of there. Before he did something crazy, like grabbing her and carrying her back to his quarters.
She needed time and he would give it to her…even if it killed him.
***
Natalya hovered in the tunnel outside the infirmary.
The new survivors were in there. Being cared for. Being assessed. And probably poked and prodded. Emerson seemed to enjoy doing that.
Natalya wasn’t sure why she was here. These people had never been in a lab or experimented on like her. She pressed a palm to the smooth concrete wall. For some strange reason, she’d felt pulled here. So here she was, watching like a spy, her heart beating just a little too fast.
She should be back in the comp lab studying the energy cube some more. But she was running some tests and waiting for the results, so there wasn’t much else she could do until they were ready.
She tugged at her skirt, and frowned. Since she’d gained weight back so quickly, the skirt was getting a bit snug. She’d have to visit the clothing store and see if she had enough clothing credits to get something in the next size. Luckily the business-style skirts and shirts she liked weren’t popular in the base, so she didn’t need too many credits. Most people wanted trousers, cargo pants, T-shirts—proper clothes for an apocalypse. She just wanted to feel a sense of normalcy in the craziness, and wearing clothes similar to what she wore before helped.
She heard footsteps and tried to look like she was waiting for somebody. Gabe Jackson, one of the members of Hell Squad, strode toward the infirmary. The big man seemed to fill the entire tunnel. He was about six and a half feet, with dark skin, a shaved head and a glowering expression. He scared most people.
But not Dr. Emerson Green.
The infirmary door opened and Emerson waved to someone back inside before her gaze zeroed in on Gabe. Her smile was brilliant as she launched herself at him. “Hey, big guy.”
His reply was to snatch her up in his arms and kiss her.
Natalya watched them, feeling like a voyeur. Wow, the way Gabe held the doctor…and the way Emerson gripped his arms. Natalya was surprised she didn’t see steam rising off them.
“Come on, you can buy me dinner.” Emerson linked her arm through his. “And I have a few ideas about dessert.”
Gabe smiled. An honest-to-God smile that made Natalya blink. She’d never, ever seen him do that before.
Emerson suddenly noticed her. “Hey, Natalya. Were you wanting to see me?”
“No…I…no. I was just wondering how the new people were doing.”
“Fine. Shaken up, but they’re all right. My team’s still checking them over, but apart from some malnutrition, they all appear to be healthy.”
The infirmary door opened again, and a small group of tired-looking people were ushered out by a short, round nurse with skin the color of black coffee.
Emerson waved at them and watched them disappear around a corner. “Norah’s taking them to have their quarters assigned. They’ll just need a bit of time to settle in.”
Natalya nodded. “Right.” She stared after the retreating group. Her pulse tripped. Looking at them made her feel…nervous. “I’d better get back to the comp lab.”
“Have a good evening.” Emerson turned back to Gabe.
Natalya stood there a bit longer. Again, she felt that strange pull, an odd compulsion to follow the group of people. She fought it, telling herself to get back to her work. Then with a quiet curse, she started down the hall. After the group.
She followed slowly and at a crossways in the tunnel, she saw the group turn left. Norah’s voice echoed in the tunnel as she acted as tour guide.
Except one man didn’t follow. He watched the group for a few seconds, then turned right.
Natalya frowned. He was slinking along like he didn’t want to get noticed. Without thinking, she trailed along behind the man. He was slim, with dark hair, his clothes not much more than tattered rags. Where the hell was he going?
He rounded a corner. She followed.
The tunnel was empty.
Natalya spun in a slow circle. He’d been right ahead of her. How could she have lost him? All the doors off the tunnel were closed. She frowned, and absently rubbed a hand between her breasts. Her scar was aching.
“Natalya?”
Reed’s voice made her jump. He strode down the tunnel toward her, all easy, male grace. He moved like an athlete, in complete control of his body. His hands were stuck in the pockets of his jeans and he wore a long-sleeved, navy-blue shirt that was just tight enough to show the ridges of his rock-hard abdomen through the fabric.
She licked her lips. A part of her really, really wanted to see him without the shirt. To have the right to skim her fingers over that stomach.
“Natalya? You okay?” He stopped in front of her.
“What?” She shook her head. “Yes, I’m fine. I was…” following some new arrival for some unknown reason. “I saw the group of new survivors heading to be assigned quarters. I think one of them wandered off this way.”
Reed frowned and eyed the empty tunnel. “I didn’t see anyone.”
Natalya rubbed her scar again. “Strange. I—” Her words choked off as an ominous feeling rose up inside her. She felt a shiver snake through her, her muscles stretching tight.
“Natalya?” Concern threaded his deep voice.
“Something’s…wrong.” A lump formed in her throat. She could sense something, a threat, danger, hovering like a storm cloud.
Reed shifted closer…just as something fell from the ceiling and landed on them.
They smacked into the floor, the air rushing from Natalya’s lungs with an oof. Reed’s big body bumped into hers and he was cursing.
She raised her head. And looked directly into the glowing red eyes of the man she’d been following.
He hissed and swiped out with his hand. His nails were long and sharp, like claws, and they slashed her arm.
She cried out, scooting backward.
“Jesus.” Reed bounded to his feet and shifted into a stance that made him look like a boxer about to head into a fight.
The man, raptor—no hybrid, that’s what he was—snarled at Reed. Reed struck out with a fist, but the hybrid was fast. Really fast.
He dodged. Spun. And came straight at Natalya.
She didn’t have time to scream. All she could do was raise her hands. He slammed into her, one wiry arm wrapping around her throat.
He dragged her backward, his arm tight enough to cut off her air. She coughed and kicked, her feet dragging on the concrete floor.
Reed followed, his big body tense and his face a mask of savage concentration. His golden eyes were glued to hers, urging her to stay calm.
Panic was rising, like hot bubbles in her blood. She’d been at the raptors’ mercy for months. Now here was another one making her a hostage. She kept her gaze on Reed, trying to focus, trying to keep the wave of terror at bay.
Reed was here. He’d help her.
She tightened her grip on the hybrid’s arm, trying to yank it away. A flash of anger stormed through her. No, she wasn’t going to be a victim again. This time, she was going to fight back.
The hybrid dragged her through a doorway and into a darkened room. It smelled like dust and old things. In the shadows, she could make out rows of shelves, filled with neatly stacked items. A storage room.
“Let her go.” Reed kept his voice calm but Natalya heard the dangerous edge in it.
Reed was always so easygoing, but
at the same time, he was also a soldier on the deadliest command squad in the base. She knew he had to be lethal when he needed to be.
The hybrid hissed again but kept moving deeper into the darkness, dragging her with him.
She watched as Reed followed them, but then all of a sudden, the hybrid moved in a sharp jerking motion. He shoved her forward, hard. She smacked into Reed and as he caught her, they slammed into a shelf. Various items rained down on top of them and Reed covered her body with his.
All Natalya could do was hold on tight. He was so hard and big. Safe.
Finally, things stopped falling. They both looked up…just as the hybrid slammed the door closed.
“Dammit!” Reed released her and bounded forward. He slammed a fist against the metal door. Through a tiny window of glass, they saw the hybrid on the other side, smiling wickedly at them. His teeth were a little longer than a regular human’s and jagged. Natalya shivered.
Then the hybrid smashed the door’s electronic lock on the outside.
On the corresponding internal lock panel, the lights blinked off.
“No!” Reed pressed his palm against the pad. Nothing happened. “Fuck!” He kicked the door, making it rattle.
The hybrid grinned again, and then, while they watched, he climbed up the wall like a spider and scuttled off down the hall.
Natalya shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “We have to warn people. He could…” The hybrid could hurt people, or do damage to the base.
Reed ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t have my communicator on me. I’m off-duty. You?”
She shook her head. It was sitting on her desk in the comp lab. “Is there an emergency alarm button? We have one in the comp lab.”
Reed’s jaw tightened and he shook his head. “They were fitted to the main areas and private quarters, but not in the storage rooms.” He banged a palm against the door and yelled.
Natalya joined him. “Help! Somebody.”
After a few minutes, Reed cursed. “We’re too far from the main areas. No one will hear us down here.” He ran a hand through his hair. “We don’t have a lot of options.”
She scanned the dark room. “There might be something we can use to break out of here. We should check.”
