by Jarica James
"Fuck this," one of them yelled, throwing a blast of ice our way as another shifted into a wolf. Before he could lunge, the others stopped him. "They're on the no harm list. She's Project M."
"Don't fucking touch us," I warned, throwing shadows around us and yanking my guys away from the van, hoping we could make it to safety. A large blast of wind blew into my shadows, revealing our location within seconds. "Son of a bitch!" I yelled in frustration, defeat slowly sinking in. I didn't know if I could, but I channeled Lachlan's strength and Evander's speed, trying to pick up the others and run with them. It seemed like a ridiculous idea, but I was beyond desperate. I didn't make it more than five feet, both of the guys protesting the entire time before I gave up. "Suggestions, guys?" I said, not bothering to glance at them, instead, keeping my eyes trained on our remaining attackers.
"Go, baby. Run," Aeson begged as he and Tristan tried to step in front of me.
"No, I won't leave you! Especially not defenseless," I growled, shooting lightning bolts at our kidnappers as they approached. Unfortunately, they were clearly strong supernaturals, and my hits didn’t faze them like it did the others. I tried different variations before they got too close, making it dangerous to shoot out fire and lightning.
Before we could react further, a sharp prick flared in my neck. My hand shot up instinctively, touching the feathery end of a tranquilizer dart. What the fuck?! The men in front of us all slowed down, sinister smiles in place as they watched us collapse, the fight over before it truly began.
I flinched as I blinked my eyes open, the stark white of the room a harsh contrast to the darkness I had awoken from. The room was exactly as I saw in the premonition, down to the small table. Though this time no crayons were in sight... or the little girl. Looking down, I noticed I was wearing only a white nightgown, my bra and panties missing. Feeling cold and vulnerable, I fought once more against a wave of tears.
The worst part was that I was alone, my men not in sight. I should have let the guys go when I had the chance, but instead we fought. They’re so damn stubborn. They shouldn’t refuse to leave me when it’s honestly the best plan for all of us.
The room had to be soundproofed, since there was not a single sound of any other living thing except me. After hours of pacing, I was an anxious mess, and my body was getting tired. My mind, however, was running through all of the possibilities of what could be happening on the other side of that door, each idea making me more uneasy than the last.
The door finally creaked open after a round of beeping, revealing a man in a white lab coat. I recognized him as the same man that had tried to take me that day on the beach, though this time he looked completely in his element. I glared at him as I backed into a corner, not bothering to mask my hate.
"You should cooperate," he warned, coming over and leaning against the desk so he could face me. I raised an eyebrow, not bothering to dignify that with any other answer. "I have ways of gaining your cooperation. In fact, two strong boys are going to make the perfect motivation for our little project, I'm sure."
"You won't touch them. If any harm comes to them, I will take you down, along with this whole building and everyone in it," I threatened, my voice feral as I put every ounce of confidence and anger I could into my words.
"I will if you don't allow us to see how far you've come, little mimic," he said, his voice calm and sure. He fully believed that I would cooperate, and fuck if he wasn't right. I would do anything to protect my men, but I would also plot and plan for ways to escape while I bided my time. Fucking asshole.
"First, we want to do some blood tests to get a baseline. Then we have some tests for you. This has been a long time coming, Subject 1 of Project M," he said, turning and walking to the door. When he opened it, a nurse ambled in, a tray in her hand full of needles and empty blood vials. I held back my curses, knowing he'd hurt Tristan and Aeson if I put up a fight. He seemed like a man of his word, even if his words were full of darkness.
"Just to prove that cooperation is necessary," he said in a cheerful voice, before barking an order into a comm. As soon as it left his mouth, a loud, wailing scream echoed down the hall. The sound of Tristan's broken yells shattered my heart, a sob escaping before I could stop it. Why wasn’t he using his powers? What the hell is this ‘project and subject’ shit?! I’ve never met them before!
"I’m going to cooperate, you fucking monster!" I yelled, flipping the table in front of me in my anger and utter helplessness to stop this.
"Now, now. You don't want me to have to call it again. That was just to show you that I'm a man who demands full cooperation. I've waited too many years to play games with you," he said, walking out of the room. Play games...like I’m a toy and not a person.
The nurse didn't speak or make eye contact with me as she fixed the table and directed me to sit with a wave of her hand. I sat down and extended my arm for her. She quickly prepped the needle before sticking it in my arm, and filling the five vials with my blood. She finished up by handing me a cotton ball to place on the puncture wound, and then scurrying out of the room like a mouse avoiding a predator.
I was once again left alone, but this time I was more angry than worried. I didn’t even want to imagine what was happening to my guys, and no matter how hard I tried to communicate with Tristan, nothing seemed to be reaching him. No food or water was offered to me, but that was probably another one of his sick tests.
Finally, when I was ready to collapse with exhaustion, the door opened again. This time the man was flanked by two huge bodyguards, both in black tactical gear with assault rifles on their shoulders. I didn't bother to worry, he didn’t want me dead. That thought alone let some of my tension melt away. I had to focus if I wanted to find a way out, and I had every intention of making it out of here alive, and with Tristan and Aeson.
The guards grabbed me roughly, pulling me down the hall with them. I complied, my eyes scanning the corridors for an escape as my magic danced along my skin. I tried to keep it contained, but from the random grunts and tighter holds from the guards, I was doing a shit job of it. Why can I use mine, but Tristan can’t?
‘Tristan?!’ I tried, begging him internally to answer.
‘Don’t, Kitten,’ he said, before the link slammed shut. His answer hurt, but I knew he wouldn't say it without reason.
We stopped at another door, and this time my guys were in there. Anger flared even higher when I saw they were both in what looked like electric chairs. How fucking dare they? My vicious glare turned back to the head of this house of horrors, but he didn't look in the least bit worried about me.
"Doc, you want us over there?" one of his goons asked, hitching a thumb over his shoulder at Tristan and Aeson. Their mouths were taped over, but their eyes were matching pools of terror. Doc… wait, wasn’t the bounty from a Doc? I couldn’t remember his name when I recounted the story to the guys, but now that he said it, I knew it was the same one.
"Yes, it will keep our subject in line. She's a bit stronger than our usual batch," he said casually, taking my arm from them and roughly dragging me to the nearby table. After squirting some sort of gel in his hand, he slicked back my hair with it, the sterile smelling goo making me gag. He looked down at me in annoyance and a hint of warning, like I could control my body's reactions. I stared back at him with dead eyes, watching every move he made. Something in his face was familiar to me, more so than just remembering him from his recent attempt at abducting me on the beach.
"Now, come to this chair. I even moved it to give your friends a show," he said with a dark chuckle. Wanting to push his buttons even more, I couldn't stop myself from blurting a response.
"Boyfriends. We aren't just friends," I countered, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
"All the more fun, then. It must run in the family," he mumbled, but he looked more pleased than I was comfortable with as he shoved me in the chair and tightened the bindings around me. Not wanting my guys to see, I mouthed an apology before moving the sha
dows to only surround them, hoping the guards didn't notice. Currently their beady, greedy eyes were focused on me, the promise of pain too enticing for them to look away.
"Let's see how strong your body is. Just a bit of poison," Doc said casually, pulling out a needle full of a bright yellow liquid. Fuck that! As soon as I fought hard against the needle, trying to scoot away despite my restraints, the guys let out heartbreaking screams, calming my fight. I stopped in my chair, sitting still and waiting for my fate, a small tear slipping down my cheek.
"You're despicable," I hissed before falling silent. My teeth clenched in my jaw, refusing to show him any further bursts of emotion. If I even make it far enough for that to be an issue.
"Oh, that hurts," he laughed, plunging the liquid into my veins. A whimper escaped, despite my best efforts, and the poison coursed through my veins like he’d injected liquid ice. I started to shake and sweat at the same time, nausea overtaking me, until I started vomiting all over myself. As my body started to convulse, my ability to hold the shadows waned, giving the guys a full view of my torture. Not exactly the view you want to give your new boyfriends.
Ice and fire continued to battle within my body, making me weaker and sicker by the minute. All I knew was agony as the torture drove on and on, my consciousness going in and out before they finally grew bored.
"It'll wear off in twenty more minutes, and then we'll be back for round two. Mimics are supposed to be stronger than the average supernatural creature, so we’ll see how strong you are when I come back," Doc said, sounding annoyed like I was being a nuisance on purpose. The moment the doors closed, the guys started fighting against their restraints, their voices trying to keep me awake.
‘Kitten, don't fall asleep. Stay with us, we're coming,’ Tristan pleaded through gritted teeth, pushing and pulling against the chains securing him to the chair.
‘I'm getting us out of here, Baby, I promise,’ Aeson said as he tried to use his power against the restraints. The fire danced along the metal, but it refused to give way. As the time ticked on, the poison faded, but another round of nausea hit me, making me vomit again. Man, I just want a shower and to be safe. Please, let us get out of here.
The men came back in just as Aeson's chain snapped with an audible clink. Thankfully, it was behind him, so they didn't even glance over. The guards and Doc converged on me as one, releasing me and forcing me over to a covered table. As soon as pulled the covering off, I noticed it wasn't a table at all, but an aquarium of sorts, with a water tap hooked up to the lid. They opened the top of the tank before shoving me in unceremoniously. The weird nightgown I woke up in floated around me, and my eyes narrowed as I shoved it down, refusing to give these assholes the pleasure of seeing my nakedness. Fucking, creeps!
My gills formed faster than they had the last time, and I let myself slip into the sensation of using them instead of fighting it. If I don’t fight, at least I can keep this sicko from the joy of seeing me in pain. The acrid water worked through my lungs as I breathed in and out, settling on the bottom of the tank to sit and wait. What is this? Something tastes off about this water. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, wondering what they did to the water, and what they had planned for me. My scales formed along my skin as I stared at Doc and his men, my siren side growing stronger with each lungful of water. A weird sensation moved up my legs, but looking down I noticed nothing was different yet, except the scales there were slightly thicker. The doctor moved forward, a device in his hand and a sinister smile in place. Is this what the little girl had to live through, day after day? The thought settled like a weight on my chest as I imagined shoving them in here, then saving everyone else. I was sure if they had her, and they had me, that there were plenty more imprisoned here as well.
Please let us get out of here alive.
May ?
Unknown
Lennox
When the lightning arced through the water, I felt like this truly was my personal hell. They had taken away the safety I felt in water by turning it into a siren torture chamber. As the white, hot electricity pierced through me, I let out an unrestrained scream, the noise garbled in the water around me. As the scream left me, the water swirled away like I'd let out a cyclone with my yell, the area around it wavering like a mirage. Apparently that pleased them, but I saw it as my chance to escape. They all talked excitedly and took notes for a moment before turning another wave of electricity on, a cruel excited gleam in their eyes that fueled my anger and steeled my resolve. This time, with my scream, I pushed out power, not willing to let them torture me or my guys any more. Fuck this. I'm no victim, and today they are gonna learn.
When the cyclone of power touched the glass, it instantly shattered, flying into my torturers and knocking them down. I didn't hesitate, knowing this was my only shot at freedom. I punched, channeling shifter strength as I heaved my fist into Doc's face, before turning to the others. I felt nothing in that moment, except invincible. The power and adrenaline were a strong drug, and the whole scene felt like an out of body experience, like I was simply an onlooker in a twisted movie. I couldn't move around well, but I didn’t have time to assess that right now, so I chose to fight instead. Thankfully, they fell into a cluster, clearly trying to protect Doc.
Warm blood coated my hands as I fought the last man who was clinging to consciousness. His fist connected with my jaw before I covered his eyes in shadows and landed one final blow to his temple, his face going slack immediately. I stared down at the mess I'd made, unable to look away. Glass glittered in the industrial lighting overhead, covering every available surface. The floor was coated in rivulets of blood that ranged from deep red to watery pink as it mixed with the contents of my exploded tank. Internally, I was panicking.
You're a monster.
What if you killed them?
You're no better than they are.
How could your guys want you now?
Tears streamed down my face as I stood there in a trance, my vision blurring slightly as my heart pounded far too quickly in my chest. My breath came out in panicked, quick pants as I tried to pull myself out of it. A banging noise caught my attention, pulling me a small fraction out of my panic. Glancing over to my side, the sight of my guys' fearful expressions pulled me out the rest of the way. Quickly searching the unconscious attackers, I grabbed any keys and weapons I could find, a far bigger task than I’d anticipated. Using the combat knife I pulled from one of the beefy guard’s boots, I tried to hurry over and cut their ankles and wrists free from their zip tied prisons, but tripped as my legs seemed to be fused together… what the fuck?! Slowly as the air hit my body, my scales started to disappear slowly and my oddly fused legs started to separate back to normal. I tried to tuck that away for later, not wanting to deal with yet another new development. Instead, I lunged for my guys to free them.
As soon as their mouths were uncovered, I expected to get a million questions, but they both pulled me in for a group hug.There were tears in everyone's eyes, but then Tristan took charge. He grabbed my clothes from a nearby table and threw them over to me, taking what weapons I'd found and distributing them between us, then waiting long enough for me to put on my clothes before hurrying us out of the room. Thank god my clothes were still here.
"We have to find a way out. Let's go," he ordered in a hard tone, starting down the hallway and kicking in doors. But my mind was focused on the other victims that I knew were hidden away in here somewhere.
"We have to find the little girl," I begged, my voice hoarse from yelling. "I can't leave her here."
"Kitten, we have to. We can't help anyone if we're captured again. We have to get help, but we won't leave without sending someone in after her. Let's go before they wake," Tristan begged as Aeson tugged my arm gently, pleading with his eyes. Seeing them so determined and desperate coaxed me to give in. Sighing in defeat, I nodded and followed, all of us now actively searching for a way out. Movement from the direction we’d just come from had us working faster, an
d eventually we found a stairwell and slipped quietly inside. Aeson clicked the lock in place and pulled us down, motioning for us to be silent. Nodding my understanding, I tiptoed down the staircase, gagging at the smell as soon as we hit the bottom. The room was some kind of dump, and piles of trash, bloody rags, and medical equipment were stacked everywhere. I spied the incinerator and couldn’t stop the wave of disgust that ran through me, acid stirring in my stomach at the sight. I guess we know how they take care of any evidence. Who are these monsters? More importantly... why?
"Baby... there's a window. I want you to climb out and go find help. Call the others, call anyone you know, just get help. We won't fit, so this is our only chance. We’ll hide and wait for help," Aeson said, his voice cracking. I turned and stared into his eyes, the cellar’s dim lights just bright enough to show the defeat on his face. He had no hope that we'd make it out of this, but if I didn't go, then I’d failed them.
"I'll go, but know that I will come back for you, and I'll come back with help. Protect yourselves and each other. I love you," I whispered, kissing him fiercely before pulling Tristan in too. "Believe in me, I won't let you down." Sure, the words sounded cheesy, but if ever there was ever a moment that I wanted to make them smile... this was definitely it.
"Love you, Kitten. When you get out of here, don't use mind speak until you're further away... we don't know what they are," Tristan said, tears freely flowing as he hurried over and pulled open the tiny basement window. Grabbing the ledge he pulled himself up, sticking his head out as his shoulders caught on the frame around it. "Coast is clear, be careful."
"I love you, Baby. Thank you for doing this, I know you can make it," Aeson said, though I knew he meant that I'd at least be safe. For now, there was no more time to argue or fuss about it. I need to get help. The footsteps upstairs grew louder as they boosted me up. I dug my fingers into the soft dirt of the ground, using it as leverage to pull myself out. I took exactly five seconds to look around, memorizing every building I could see in the dark night, then boosted my running speed to fly across the well-traveled road. On the exterior, I was calm, collected, and determined as I ran. Inside, I was screaming for my guys, hoping that the powers I'd shared with Tristan would be enough to reach them.
