"A few more minutes, and I'll be on my way. This lab is rigged with explosives, though. So you'll want to get out quick."
Ice sluices through my veins. "What? No," I gasp. "You're bluffing."
"I don't bluff."
I grip the back of a chair to keep upright, the tidal wave in my stomach making me dizzy. "Why are you doing this? This research could save lives." My brain spins, working on how to get my data out of the place before it blows.
"Is that what they told you to get you to work here?" He has an eerie calm about him. A quiet intelligence that keeps me from writing him off as a lunatic.
How could I have mistaken him for a security guard? When he turns his eyes on me, I see I was wrong-they aren't blue. They glow a weird yellow color. Or maybe it's a trick of the light.
"They lied."
"No, it's the truth. I should know. I've been working on this project half my life. And I'm so close to a breakthrough." I can't stop myself from turning to the printer and grabbing the reams of paper printout. "Please, my findings will mean so much to people. People with no hope-" my breath catches on a sob. I don't usually wear my heart on my sleeve. Guess having my life threatened brings it out.
He takes a soft step forward and studies my face a moment. "What did you find?"
"The cells I'm working on-they're resistant to disease. Not only that, they regenerate. I'm almost done extracting their DNA sequence. Once I do that, I'll be able to replicate it."
Something flickers in his expression, but I can't quite read it. "And then what?"
"Then… I'll use it to help people. People who are sick. People who have debilitating, life-threatening diseases, and no other options. This can help so many." I stop as the lights flicker again.
They come back on, pause, as if holding their breath. Then cut off for good and we're plunged into darkness. I can only see by the green gleam of the exit sign over the door. The young guard hasn't moved, and I realize-this is part of his plan. His handsome face is almost weary in the low light of the computer screens.
"I'm sorry," he says.
Something in me snaps. I run toward the door. He's on me in a flash, arms banding around me from behind. I open my mouth to scream and he clamps a hand over my mouth. It occurs to me he didn't use the gun. Why not?
"Calm down." He carries me backwards. I'm smaller than him, and he's also freakishly strong. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to know more about Dr. Smyth.
Where is he now? In the facility?" He smells like pine trees and warm earth. Maybe it's a sign that I've been cooped up alone here too long, but his arms feel nice around me-as if he's giving me a hug, not restraining me. And I'm not as freaked out as I probably should be. Still, I can't have him ruining my research. He slowly peels his fingers from over my mouth.
"I don't know anything. Please. I was just hired a few months ago!"
"But you saw him today?"
I nod.
"Was he with anyone?"
"An old man-a donor. Don Santiago. He had lots of bodyguards," I add. "Like ten of them. Men with guns. Militia." I don't know if I tell him that part to scare him or because I need to share it with someone because I found it so bizarre.
The young man turns me so I face him. He holds both my forearms in a firm but not bruising grip. Something about his closeness brings my body to life, my nipples tingly and hot, heat pooling between my legs. But it's insane to be attracted to a criminal.
"Are they in the building?"
I shake my head. "No, I think they left."
"Where did they go? Does Smyth have an office here?"
"Please…"
"Answer me!" he snaps.
"No! I don't know where he works. We usually conference by phone or video." I peer up at him in the darkness. His eyes are ancient in his youthful face. He's lived a hard life, whoever he is.
"What's your name?"
"Dr. Zhao. Layne." I add my first name, hoping he'll see me as a person, not some faceless lab rat. I lick my lips. Briefly, his gaze falls to them. Indecision plays over his face.
"All right, Layne." He rotates me to pin both my wrists behind my back. "You're coming with me."
~.~
Sam
LAYNE'S frightened breathing haunts me as I propel her in front of me, one hand caging her wrists. After standing up to me to make an impassioned speech, I half expect her to try to make a run for it. But she keeps her head down and does what I order. Maybe she's in shock. Or biding her time. She's obviously smart.
Dr. Layne Zhao. Layne. Her name jingles through my head like a melody. She smells sweet, like jasmine. Apparently it's been too long since I've hooked up with a female, because my wolf went nuts when I grabbed her, flooding my mind with images of dragging her down to her hands and knees and taking her hard from behind.
Christ. I'm losing control. I can't let the moon madness take me again. I can't. If I want to shut this operation down, I need to maintain my humanity. I can't let the darkness take over.
I hustle her down the hall, swiping her badge and using it to open the door. She angles her face to the camera above it and mouths the word, help.
Too bad for her a simple hack on site has them looping the same recording over and over. Besides, I already tranquilized the two guys monitoring the entrance. Security is tight, but no system is impenetrable. It'll be tricky to get out with a hostage, but so far so good.