Danger in a Fur Coat (The Fur Coat Society Book 4) (6 page)

Juno swore under her breath as she looked over the calculations and formulas on the screen in front of her. She was getting so close to a cure she could feel it, but she couldn’t concentrate this morning. She kept thinking about Wyatt, and how good his lips had felt on her lips. Last night, she had almost wished she hadn’t pulled away. But she had made the right decision. Look at how distracted she was from one kiss. If they had made out the whole night, she would be positively unable to get any work done today. Of course, Wyatt wasn’t the only worry weighing on her mind. As time inched forward, Juno was acutely aware that every minute that passed was one less minute she had until Grant and Jack figured out how to get to Chicago. Juno felt like she was failing miserably at getting a cure done quickly. They would probably find a way to get to the city before she could finish her work. What an idiot she had been, thinking she could sneak in here and take care of everything before they had a chance to stop her. Maybe Wyatt was right. Maybe she should have let them decide for themselves what risks they were willing to take.

Juno swore again as she dropped a test tube full of liquid. If she was honest with herself, part of the problem was also that she wanted to do something to prove that she was worthy. She had spent her whole life feeling like she lived in everyone else’s shadow. She hadn’t come from a big clan, since nearly all of the panda shifters had died before she was born. And even when she was a star student during her quest for a PhD, she always felt like she was too quiet. Like she was overshadowed by the louder, more talkative ones. Maybe trying to do this cure on her own was her way of proving to the world that she had something to bring to the table.

“No,” Juno said out loud. “It’s not about that at all. It’s just about keeping Grant and Jack safe.”

Moments later, Wyatt stuck his head into the lab. “Did you say something?” he asked.

Startled, Juno jumped, and hoped that he hadn’t overheard her.

“No, I was just talking to myself,” she said, smiling in what she hoped was a convincing way. “You know, mad scientist and all that jazz.”

Wyatt laughed. “How is the project coming along?”

“I think I’m getting really close,” Juno said. “I’ve got one more thing to figure out, and then I think I’ll have the medicine ready. The only problem is that I need to test it, and I can’t test it on animal subjects since animals don’t catch the bear flu. I have to test it on humans, but that’s obviously a problem.”

Juno rubbed her forehead. This whole thing felt out of control and so much bigger than her. She desperately wanted to make a difference and save the world, but she was beginning to realize that she had bit off more than she could chew.

“Why is it a problem?” Wyatt asked. Juno wanted to roll her eyes. Wyatt was so matter-of-fact.

“It’s a problem because you can’t just use medicine on humans without their permission. How are we going to get someone to let us inject them with an unproven medicine?” Juno asked. She watched as Wyatt crossed his arms and sat down across from her.

“Juno, I know that under normal circumstances you don’t want to do something without having someone’s permission. But, look, humanity is on the brink of extinction. Something has to change, and right now it seems like you’re the best hope for that.”

Juno frowned. “I don’t know. It’s still not right. And what are you going to do? Hold someone down while I stick a needle in them?”

Wyatt chuckled. “No, I don’t think that will be necessary. There are a lot of sick people around. I’ll find someone in the later stages of the flu to bring in, so that they’re pretty much weak and delirious, anyway. They won’t even know what you’re doing, so it’s not like you’re causing them mental anguish.”

“But still, that’s not right,” Juno said. Her stomach was tied up in knots. She had spent so much time learning about the ethics of research in school, and injecting someone with medicine without their knowledge or permission set off red flags in her head. But Wyatt was insistent.

“Look, Juno. I know you don’t like the idea. But look at it this way: if the medicine doesn’t work they’re going to die. If they have a reaction from it, they’re going to die. But what’s the alternative?

“They’re gonna die,” Juno mumbled reluctantly.

“Exactly,” Wyatt said. Either way, they’re going to die. Unless the medicine you give them works, in which case they’ll live. And then I don’t think they’ll be too mad at you for trying it out on them.”

“I guess you’re right,” Juno said, her shoulders slumping. It still feels wrong, though.”

“Sometimes you have to push the envelope a little to bring change,” Wyatt said,standing and walking over to put his hand on Juno’s shoulder. “If it makes you feel better, then tell me what to do and I’ll be the one to actually stick the needle in them.”

Juno sighed and then looked up at Wyatt with tears threatening her eyelids. “No, I’ll do it. It should be me. I don’t want to put that on you. It’s just that this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

Juno stared down at her feet, unwilling to meet Wyatt’s eyes. His hand on her shoulder felt so warm and comforting. She wished that she could just collapse into his arms. But, of course, she had already told him that she didn’t want a relationship,so why would he put his arms around her? Juno let out a small, bitter laugh. Here she was trying to save the world, and she was denying herself the one source of comfort that was right in front of her.

“Why we do these things to ourselves?” she asked out loud, finally looking up at Wyatt.

“Do what things?” Wyatt asked.

“You know. Play by all these rules that society gives us. I mean, sometimes rules are helpful, but it’s like we can’t let rules go, even when we’d be better off if we did.”

Wyatt’s face was filled with compassion as he spoke. “I know it’s hard to break the rules sometimes. Especially when they’re deeply ingrained in us. But this is for a much greater good,” he said. “If you find a cure, you’ll save so many lives. And, like I said, this guy’s gonna die anyway.  We might as well take a chance at saving him.”

“You’re right,” Juno said. “But I wasn’t just talking about the medicine.”

“What were you talking about?” Wyatt asked, furrowing his brow.

Juno took a deep breath. Her body felt warm and tense, and she felt like she was about to jump over a big cliff into the unknown. Her mind screamed at her to stop, but her heart was running away with her.

“I was talking about you,” Juno said. “About us. I know it’s a bad time for relationship. I’ve been sitting here trying to convince myself of that all morning. And yet, something within me is drawn to you.”

“Juno,” Wyatt said, softly stepping toward her. “I don’t want to pressure you, but…”

He trailed off, and then took her hand in his. A fresh jolt of heat shot through Juno’s being. She looked up at him, unsure of what to say. Should they really do this? Juno had always imagined she would end up with a shifter instead of a human, but she’d never imagined it would be a dragon. Of course, how could she have, when she hadn’t even known until yesterday that dragons existed. Still, something about this felt so right. He was a distraction from her work, yes. But not all distractions were bad, right?

“Juno,” he said again. Then he leaned down and kissed her. This time, Juno kissed him back fervently. She didn’t push him away after a minute, and she didn’t try to resist the strength of his body pressing against hers. She forgot where she was. She forgot about the fact that half the world was dying. She forgot that her favorite city was in ruins. She forgot that her clan was probably pissed off at her. She forgot about the weight of worry pressing down on her every time she wondered what would happen if she couldn’t come up with a cure.

For the first time in months, Juno was genuinely in the moment. All she could think about was how strong and warm Wyatt’s body felt against hers. His strong hands ran down her back and landed on her ass, squeezing tightly as his tongue danced with her tongue. They were together. Connected. She could feel his erection pushing against her through his sweatpants, and that’s when she fell completely over the edge. Her heart catapulted her to the point of no return. She needed him. She wanted him. She was going to have him.

He pushed her backwards across the lab until they reached one of the walls. He pinned her there, holding her hands above her head with his hands. He continued to kiss her for several long, heavenly minutes. Then he reached down and started unbuttoning the lab coat she was wearing.

“Let’s get this off of you,” he said in a husky voice. She didn’t fight him, and she shrugged out of the coat as soon as he was done unbuttoning it. She reached to pull off his shirt, struggling to get it over his head. She saw the same sculpted abdomen she had seen yesterday in the front lobby of the Hook Labs building. That felt like a lifetime ago already. But Juno wasn’t complaining. Right now, she couldn’t think of anything she’d want more in a lifetime than to spend it with a dragon like Wyatt.

“Let’s get your shirt off, too,” he growled, his voice low and intense. She raised her arms above her head so that he could pull her t-shirt off. Then he reached behind her back and unclasped her bra, sliding it off and tossing it aside. His hands reached for her breasts, massaging them firmly. He took her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, twisting and teasing them until she was shrieking out in delight. She could feel herself growing wet between her legs, her body begging for him. She lost all sense of time as he dipped his head down so that it was even with her breasts, then began using his tongue and teeth to pleasure her nipples. A growing sense of urgency seemed to fill him. With another roar, he pulled her pants down, tugging them off of her, but catching them on her shoe as he tried to get them off. He growled again, pulling off her shoes and then her pants after them. He grabbed her underwear next, making quick work of tugging it down and off her legs.

“You’re damn beautiful,” he said, stepping back for a moment to admire her naked body. Juno trembled, unable to speak. She was overcome with the desire and ecstasy of the moment. Wyatt narrowed his eyes as he pushed his own sweatpants and boxers down, and Juno let out a whimper when she saw his erection spring free. He was huge, and solid as a rock. He was clearly ready for her.

“Are you sure you want this?” he asked softly. “I don’t want you to regret anything.”

Juno wanted to make a joke about the fact that there wasn’t much to regret when the world was ending, but her voice caught in her throat. All she could manage was a whimper. She was too overcome with passion to do anything except nod her head yes. Yes, she wanted him to know she wouldn’t regret this. This moment felt like everything she had waited for her whole life. With a final growl, Wyatt pushed her up against the wall again, then slammed into her. True to his blunt dragon fashion, there was no preamble and no announcement. There was no slow sliding-in of his dick to announce that he was on his way in. He just took her hard and fast, and she let out a moan as he filled her. She had never felt anything like this. The intensity took her breath away. He was huge, filling her completely and hitting every sensitive, hungry nerve ending. He thrust in and out of her, the motion building a hot pressure within her. Somewhere to her left, a glass beaker crashed off the table and shattered onto the floor. But Juno hardly noticed. All she could think about was how overcome her body was with heat and pressure. It built and built until she could hold it in no more. With a long loud scream, she let it go. Her release came over her in intense waves, and she screamed as her muscles spasmed and clenched around Wyatt.

But didn’t slow down. He thrust harder and growled louder, until moments later he let out his own long moan before stiffening and shooting into her a hot passionate stream of himself. Juno panted, unable to say or do anything except breathe in and out, in and out. When she finally started to regain control, she looked up at Wyatt and smiled. He smiled back at her, then leaned down and kissed her nose.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” he said. Juno blushed, but still didn’t say anything. Wyatt looked at her, his eyes full of admiration.

“How did I get so lucky?” he asked. “That the girl who’s gonna save the world is interested in me?”

Juno smiled and shrugged as Wyatt kissed her nose again.

“ I’m just doing my part to be a good citizen,” she said.”

“Well , then,” Wyatt said, laughing and pulling her away from the wall. “You better get back to it.”

He gave her a push toward the lab table where she had been working, and slapped her ass. Juno giggled.

“All right, all right. Let me put my lab coat on and I’ll get back to saving the world. But you have to stop distracting me, Mister.”

Wyatt laughed and winked at her.

“No promises,” he said. He bent down to gather up her clothes into a big ball, then tossed them in her direction. He hit her squarely in the face, and Juno couldn’t help but laugh.

“We all need a good distraction now and then, right?” she asked. Wyatt winked at her, and she laughed again. Saving the world just became a whole lot more fun.

Twenty-four hours later, Wyatt sat in the outer lab on pins and needles. He was waiting for news from Juno on whether the medicine she’d created had worked. Juno was sitting in what they had dubbed the “sick bay” of Hook Labs with a man Wyatt had brought in to serve as a test subject. The man had been practically comatose by the time Wyatt found him, which made him perfect for Juno’s experiment. He was definitely going to die anyway, and he definitely wasn’t aware that she was injecting him with medicine. Wyatt was nervous about how well this would work, mostly because he knew how much Juno was going to beat herself up if things didn’t go right. It’s funny how quickly you got to know someone when you really cared about them. Wyatt had only known Juno a few days, but he already felt like he had known her forever. It hadn’t taken long for him to pick up on the fact that she was one of those people who blamed herself for everything, and expected nothing less than perfection from herself. Wyatt had started the day sitting with her, trying to comfort her as they waited to see if the man improved. But Juno was so tense that everything he said seemed to make her more upset, and finally she told him to leave.

“Just go,” she’d said. “If you stay I’m just going to end up snapping at you and saying something I’ll regret. It’s not you. It’s just this is a lot of stress for me to handle.”

Wyatt had tried to protest, but she wouldn’t hear of it, so he left. That had been several hours ago, and he still hadn’t heard anything. He wasn’t sure how long medicine like this would usually take to work. Shouldn’t she know something by now?

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. The last few days had been so strange. He’d spent so much time waiting around feeling useless, and yet he knew he had been helpful when he needed to be. After all, he’d let Juno into the lab, and found her a test subject. He’d provided her with a good hideout—much better than the one she had before. And at least he’d given her some food besides meal replacement bars. Still, he wanted to do something more. He wasn’t sure how else he could help, but he hated sitting here feeling idle and helpless.

Wyatt closed his eyes and allowed himself to imagine a world where the war on shifters had ended and the bear flu had been eradicated. Maybe he could buy Juno a little house somewhere, wherever she wanted. They could have a few babies together and enjoy life instead of always looking over their shoulder wondering what catastrophe was going to befall them next. Wyatt smiled at the thought of a little bear dragon. He wondered what it would look like. Probably adorable. For one thing, Juno was so beautiful that any baby of hers was bound to be breathtaking. But besides that, babies that were a mixture of two shifters types were always the cutest. Something about mixing features from different animals just made for a gorgeous little one.

Wyatt let his mind wander further, back to the moment that he had made love to Juno in the middle of the lab. He still couldn’t believe that she let him do that. After she pushed him away when he kissed her, he thought that he wouldn’t have a chance with her. She’d seemed so stubborn and sure. Yet something had changed in her when she got back to the lab. Something about being around all the test tubes, beakers, charts and research notes seemed to make her realize that nothing in life is guaranteed. Whatever it was that had changed her mind, Wyatt was thankful beyond belief. He knew for sure now that she was his lifemate. She hadn’t said anything, but he was pretty sure she knew it too. Their hearts were tied together. They were inseparable. Bonded. Wyatt’s smiled deepened. He hadn’t thought it was possible for a coldhearted dragon like himself to find a lifemate. But something about Juno had warmed him to his very core, and here he was—head over heels for his beautiful, perfect panda shifter.

The door to the room slammed open so quickly that it banged against the wall behind it. Wyatt started, and looked up to see Juno storming in. She looked upset, and Wyatt immediately jumped to his feet.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“He died,” she said flatly. “He died because I messed up the medicine. It’s all my fault.”

“Hey. Hey there,” Wyatt said, his voice filling with concern. “He was going to die, anyway, remember? It’s not your fault. You’re trying.”

“No, it is my fault. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. It’s so obvious now.”

“What’s obvious?” Wyatt asked.

“I used the wrong ratio of shifter antibodies to carrier molecules,” Juno said, then trailed off into a long rant of scientific jargon that Wyatt didn’t understand. But he did understand the fact that Juno’s arms both had several bandages on them.

“Juno did you get more blood from yourself?” he asked, his voice sounding accusatory.

She paused in the middle of her rant and looked at him like he was insane.

“Of course. I needed it for the medicine tweak,” she said.

“Juno, you can’t keep taking so much blood from yourself. We can find you other shifters. Or you can have some of my blood.”

“I don’t know if your blood will work. You’re a dragon. You’re a weird shifter.”

Wyatt sighed. “Okay, well, I think you’re wrong. But whatever, you’re the scientist. My point is that there are plenty of other shifters in the city. We can find people to donate blood. You don’t have to take it all from yourself, and you need to keep your strength up and think clearly. How much blood did you draw from yourself?

“I don’t know. Enough. It’s fine,” Juno said. “It doesn’t matter. The point is that I screwed up the medicine and killed this guy, and now I think I fixed it but it’s too late. Our patient is dead.” She crossed her arms and looked up at him with an angry, defiant look. Then moments later she burst into tears.

“Hey, hey,” Wyatt said, crossing the room in two giant strides and pulling her into his arms. “It’s okay he was going to die, anyway. You tried. And you said you think you fixed the medicine?”

“Yeah,” sniffed Juno, her voice muffled by his shirt. “But it’s too late for him. I let him down.”

“Maybe it’s too late for him,” Wyatt said gently. “But there are a lot of humans out there who it’s not too late for yet.”

“I guess you’re right. I just feel so defeated, though. I’ve been working so hard on this and I messed it up. And I’m honestly shocked that my clan members haven’t caught up with me by now. I just feel like I fucked everything up.”

Wyatt sighed. He didn’t know Juno’s clan members, but from what she told him of them they weren’t going to be pleased with her little escape stunt. There were nine other members in her clan—eight shifters and one human, and they were all bound to be worried sick about her and furious that she left them with no easy way to get to Chicago. But focusing on that wasn’t going to help the current situation.

“I’ll go get you a new test subject,” Wyatt said “You just stay here and work on getting anything ready that you need to get ready. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Juno sniffed and nodded, slowly regaining her composure. Wyatt could tell she was trying to trying to put up a brave front. She was frustrated with herself. She was tired and overworked, and it probably didn’t help that she’d taken god only knows how much blood from her own veins for this project. But he knew she wasn’t going to back down until she was done.

“Go on,” he said giving her a gentle push back toward the virus lab. Go get the medicine ready. I’ll get you a patient.”

Juno nodded and did as she was told, and Wyatt didn’t waste any time in running out of Hook Labs. He stepped out onto the cold, snowy street, then breathed in deeply. He was sniffing around for the telltale smell of dying that followed the bear flu victims around, and he immediately caught the scent of a nearby girl. She was probably about three blocks away. He started running in that direction, following the scent as it grew stronger and stronger. He finally made it to a rundown apartment building and stormed inside. In the corner of one of the first floor apartments, a girl who looked like she was about in her mid-twenties was slumped in the corner, feverish and moaning. She looked up at Wyatt when he entered the room, but it didn’t seem to really register with her that he was there. Her blonde hair was matted and a complete mess, and her body was a skeleton, like she hadn’t eaten in weeks.

“Come on,” Wyatt said, scooping her up. “Let’s get you out of here.” The girl looked up at him in a daze, and Wyatt started running back towards the lab.

“Let’s see if we can’t save your life,” he said. Then he took off toward the lab at a full speed run.