TherianPromise (5 page)

“I’m bored with these games.” She kept her tone even and
carefully erased any hint of emotion from her expression before she pivoted on
her stool and faced him. “We were both curious and now our curiosity has been
sated. I think it’s best if we move on. No hard feelings. No regrets.”

He pushed to his feet and stalked toward her, his tall, lean
body moving with inherent grace. A shiver of excitement raced down her spine.
Oh yeah, she had his attention now. He claimed to have a daughter in her
mid-twenties, so he had to be pushing fifty. Yet not a speck of gray marred his
dark hair and his skin was unlined, somehow ageless.

He grabbed her knees and forced her legs apart, or as far
apart as her narrow skirt allowed. “Is that really what you want?” He grabbed
the back of her hair and tilted her head until their gazes locked. His dark
brown eyes were filled with lust and just a hint of cruelty. “I’ve been gentle
with you so far. Humans tend to be fragile. Perhaps that was a mistake. Shall
we see if you can take—”

The lab door banged open and General Milliner stormed into
the lab. Carly had no idea which army employed him or if general was an
honorary title. It didn’t really matter. His authority was unquestionable and
most people simply called him “sir”. One third of the mysterious backers,
General Milliner had appeared numerous times on video screens, but this was the
first time Carly had been in the same room with him. He was dressed in jeans
and a long-sleeved pullover shirt, but casual clothes couldn’t hide the
autocratic tilt of his head or the unrelenting strength in his posture. With
buzzed gray hair and cold blue eyes, he appeared to be in his late fifties.

Osric stepped back and let her slide off the stool. She
quickly straightened her skirt, but the general’s upraised brow assured her
that he’d noticed the intimate position.

“General,” Osric greeted in a calm, cool tone.

Ignoring him entirely, General Milliner looked at her. “Have
you made the appropriate adjustments to the formula?”

“Of course, sir.” She took a step away from Osric before
adding, “But I was hoping for a new test subject. The results will be more
accurate if the test subject hasn’t been exposed to any of the earlier
combinations.”

Milliner’s expression didn’t change. He stared at her with
steely expectation. “I am nothing if not efficient. Delivering three new test
subjects is what brought me here today. Two are younger than I prefer, but the
Therians are taking every precaution, which makes test subjects harder and
harder to acquire.” Before her brain could fully register the repugnance of his
casual statement, he moved on. “Osric lost one of the twins, so the compound is
now our top priority.”

“What are you talking about?” Osric put himself back in
Milliner’s line of vision.

“According to my contact, a total of six males from various
shifter clans gathered at the cat sanctuary two nights ago.” He turned toward
Osric, his gaze expressing the displeasure his casual tone concealed. “Rebel activities
can be orchestrated using video conferencing and email. There’s only one reason
they all needed to be there in person.”

Osric shook his head, clearly in denial. “They would never
attempt the ritual this soon. There’s no way Carissa would allow it. She grew
up believing she was human.”

Carly didn’t know what ritual Osric meant, but he sounded
traumatized by the development.

“If what you’ve told us is true, she didn’t need to be a
willing participant.” Milliner sounded almost bored. “Didn’t you force this
awakening on her mother?”

“We did and our attempt failed.” Osric shook his head. “Why
would they have acted so quickly?”

Milliner laughed, the sound harsh and caustic. “To protect
her from you. From us. Even if the ritual failed, her animal nature is
doubtlessly established. Carissa is no use to us now.”

“But Ava is still a possibility.” Osric straightened his
shoulders and glared at Milliner. “Ava is my daughter. I’m not giving up. I
know we can create a true Therian.”

Waving away Osric’s conviction, Milliner said, “I don’t
honestly care if we have one person who can shift into ten animals, or ten who
can each shift into one. I’m interested in the transformation itself and the
abilities each shifter develops once their animal nature is mature.”

“But you’ve never seen a true Therian. You have no idea—”

“We’ve decided to focus on known abilities, rather than
dreaming about some mythic super-shifter who might or might not exist.” The
proverbial “we” meant the three backers, and the pronouncement took the wind
out of Osric’s sails. He fidgeted, rebellion still burning in his dark eyes,
but he could find no adequate argument.

Barns, the head of security, tapped on the open door,
drawing their attention. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“What’s the matter?” Osric asked even though Milliner was
actually in charge.

“Something tripped one of the perimeter sensors. We don’t
have cameras out that far, so I dispatched a team to check it out. I doubt it’s
anything serious, but I thought I’d make you aware.”

“Could the sensor have malfunctioned?” Milliner asked.

“It’s possible,” Barns admitted. “But it’s more likely an
animal triggered the alarm. Just wanted to keep you in the loop.”

Osric nodded. “If you learn anything conclusive, let me
know.”

“Of course.” After nodding to the general, Barns left.

“Does that happen often?” Milliner’s gaze remained sharp and
suspicious.

“We’re in the middle of a protected wilderness. It’s a
wonderful deterrent for humans, but the wildlife creates its own challenges.”

Milliner’s gaze shifted to Carly as he motioned Osric toward
the door. “Go supervise the follow-up. Any possible threat is too important to
leave to an underling.”

No one was fooled by the comment. Osric had been dismissed
so Milliner could speak with Carly alone. Osric shot Carly a warning glare but
kept his mouth shut as he stalked from the room.

“Have you learned anything new?” Milliner waited until
Osric’s footfalls had faded before he asked the question.

She glanced pointedly at the surveillance camera. “Is it
safe to talk?”

“I took the system offline shortly after I arrived. I’ll
restore it before I leave the complex.”

Accepting his explanation with a stiff nod, she said, “I’m
not sure there’s anything new to learn.” She fiddled with one of the buttons on
her lab coat as she composed her expression enough to meet his penetrating
stare. “You apparently know more about what’s going on than Osric does.”

“The setback with Carissa is bound to make him reckless.
It’s more important than ever that you find a way to make him trust you. We’re
certain he’s hiding something important, but we haven’t been able to determine
what it is.”

“I understand. I’m just not sure he’ll ever tell me what
you’re hoping to learn. To be blunt, sir, I’m human. To his way of thinking
that makes me insignificant and suspect.”

He moved closer, hands clasped behind his back. “We
understand the challenges. That’s why we’ve decided to up the ante. If you
succeed in learning his endgame, we’ll lift the restrictions listed in your
contract. You’ll be able to come and go as you please, which will enable you to
enjoy the monetary rewards we’ve already promised you.”

Dread twisted her stomach into a formidable knot. He made it
sound so simple, so attainable. She knew it was far more complicated than he
realized, but being able to leave the complex was a serious temptation. Money
didn’t mean much while she had no way to spend it.

Perhaps she’d given in too easily. Osric was a predator. He
thrived on the chase and she’d fallen into his arms like fast-food. She needed
to tease and tempt, surrender a bit and then pull away. “He has access to every
room in the facility. I have nowhere to escape him, no way to refuse his
advances.”

“And predators enjoy the hunt as much as the feast,” the
general mused.

“Exactly.”

“I’ll have the codes to your living quarters and your office
changed immediately. Is there anything else you need to make this work?”

“If I think of something, I’ll let you know.”

He nodded, cool blue eyes stark and assessing. “This is
extremely important to us.”

“I’m aware.” She smiled as she began formulating a new
strategy. “I’ll do my best, sir.”

“That’s all we ask.”

* * * * *

Ava just stared at Kyle, unable to pluck one thought out of
the whirlwind assailing her mind and form a coherent sentence. Osric had been
forced on her mother and now he intended to force a mate on her. This wasn’t
the Middle Ages. How did he expect to get away with rape and coercion? Her gut
clenched and bile rose into the back of her throat. “Carissa wasn’t forced to…”

“No. She has been defined, but she participated in the
ritual willingly.”

Her vision confirmed his claim. Carissa hadn’t just been
willing, she’d reveled in the savage ritual.

Needing a distraction from the overwhelming dread, Ava
focused on a random detail. “What sort of shifter is Carissa now?” Ava was
reluctant to believe any of it, but the evidence was mounting. “The man I saw
in the vision was really tall, with sharp features and strange gold eyes.”

“Therian eyes all turn gold as our true nature surges.”

That was a deflection if she’d ever heard one. “Who defined
my sister and why are you so reluctant to talk about him?”

Kyle sighed, but the tension in his features remained. “It’s
likely you saw Ian Douglas, he’s the Therian raptor I mentioned before. He’s
old and powerful and—”

“This man wasn’t old, thirty-five, maybe forty at the very
most.”

“We don’t age the same way humans age. We mature slower and
decline faster. A Therian remains in his or her prime for at least a hundred
years. Some have lived much longer. Your sister’s definition was special,
unique. I honestly think it’s best if she explains what happened and the
decisions she’s made because of all she’s learned.”

It was as close to a straight answer as he’d given her, but
she couldn’t help feeling he was still evading something important.

The stillness of the forest mocked her anxiety. She needed
to think, analyze what he’d told her once her emotions had stabilized. “I’m
giving you twenty-four hours. If we haven’t made it out of this wilderness by
then, you tell me everything that’s happened to Carissa.”

“Ava.”

She looked at him and grimaced. His skin looked pale and
distinct creases now framed his mouth. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.”

He shrugged off the backpack and stalked toward her, golden
veins shooting through his green eyes. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but
I can’t wait any longer.”

Matching him step for step, she backed up until her hips hit
a rock formation. “You can’t wait for what?”

“Energy.” His arms shot out and pulled her toward him. “I
need you now.”

She shoved against his chest and twisted her face away. “Let
go!”

He wrapped one arm around her waist and tangled his other
hand in her hair. “Look at me.”

“No.” His fingers tightened and he slowly pulled her head
back around. She shut her eyes, refusing to be mesmerized by his gold-threaded
gaze.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” His mouth brushed against hers,
his breath warm and moist against her lips. “Don’t fight me, sunshine. I can’t
be gentle if you make this a battle.”

She tried to turn her head, but his hand held firm. “Why do
you need to kiss me to…refuel?”

“You’re still latent, so your instincts will resist. It will
be almost impossible for me to access what I need unless you’re very
distracted.”

Before she could reply, his mouth covered hers. He tilted
her head back and slid his lips over and against hers. Her arms were trapped
against his chest, maintaining some distance between their bodies. Still, she
was surrounded by his warmth and controlled by his strength. The combination
stirred something deep inside her, something dark and primitive.

His tongue traced the seam of her lips, his intention
obvious. She clenched her teeth and pressed her lips together. If she
surrendered to his kiss, how much more would he expect? She hadn’t asked him to
heal her.
But healing you is what left him weak.

Damning her conscience for a meddlesome bitch, she slowly
opened her eyes. “Will you stop with just a kiss?” He hadn’t pulled back and
her lips brushed against his with each word.

“I’ll try.” The shimmering gold had taken over his gaze, as
if a mountain lion looked out from his human face. “But I need to touch you.
Energy can’t transfer through clothes.”

He’d had to touch bare skin before he could heal her. It
stood to reason that this would be the same. Besides, he’d already seen her in
her bra, so what difference did it make. “If this doesn’t fill your tank,
you’re out of luck. I’m not having sex with you.”

His only response was to nip her lower lip and reluctantly
let go. He took off his coat and spread it over the rock behind her then did
the same with his shirt. She watched the muscles in his chest flex and his
abdomen ripple. Damn. Fully dressed he’d looked athletic, but his torso was
utterly ripped. She settled back against the leather-padded rock and enjoyed
the view.

“Now you.” His voice sounded gruff and dry, reminding her
that their undressing had a higher purpose. She raised her arms and he pulled
her t-shirt off over her head then let it fall to the rock behind her. “The
more you enjoy this, the easier it will be for me to access what I need.” He
wrapped his arms around her and eased his knee between her legs.

She placed her hands on his thick upper arms and heat
cascaded through her body. He wasn’t bulky like a bodybuilder. Every inch of
his physique was sculpted and lean. His head descended slowly, eyes glowing,
lips parted.