The Hybrid Rule

“She’s not from my world. I don’t know if she will ever fully understand what it means to be true mates and how it affects me. Can she feel for me what I feel for her? Will she want me the way I want her? I don’t know. And the possible answers terrify me. Nothing in this life has ever truly scared me, but the idea that she could walk away evokes a fear I can’t even describe.” ~Finn Cain looked at the two figures standing before him: a fae and a vampire that both appeared as if they had barely escaped a war. Their clothes were torn, and abrasions and deep gashes covered their skin. Half of the fae’s head was bald and blackened, and some of his scalp appeared to have been burned off. The vampire had managed to keep his scalp, though his hair was caked in blood. Cain wondered why the fae’s injuries hadn’t healed by now and why the vampire hadn’t stopped to drain a human simply to obtain the blood to heal himself. “Were there any other survivors?” “None as far as we know,” the vampire answered. Cain narrowed his eyes at the male. “What’s your name?” “Sam.” Cain frowned. “Sam? Really?” The vampire king fought the urge to roll his eyes. He looked at the fae. “And yours?” “Raylion.” The vampire king chuckled. “Of course it is. I get vamps like Sam and Ralph. The high fae gets Raylion.” The vamp snorted. “His name rhymes with alien. How is thatbetter than Sam?” Raylion’s eyes snapped to the vampire’s. “Yourname rhymes with ham. Would you rather your name rhyme with a food or a potentially badass species from outer space?” “Damn it all.” Cain ran a hand down his face, then looked at the two supernaturals currently glaring at one another. “Sam, you have obviously been here before or you wouldn’t have known where to have Raylion bring you. Correct?” Sam met Cain’s gaze. “I was one of the firstborn in your new army.” The fledgling vampire’s voice was thick with disdain. Apparently, he didn’t appreciate the giftthe vampire king had bestowed upon him. “And I was brought to this compound a little over a month ago.” He also sounded offended that Cain didn’t remember him. “You sent a hundred vamps from here to that mountain that just got blown to hell. So, yes. I’ve been here before.” Cain took a step toward Sam. “I have a thousand vampires under my rule, if not more, justin the United States—” “More like eight hundred or so,” Sam interrupted. “Unless two hundred other vamps had the wherewithal to grab a fae’s arm at just the right moment and flash the hell out of Dodge.” Cain waved his hand. “Neither here nor there. The point is, it is impossible for me to keep up with every single one of them, especially when they have names like Sam. Be a Thadrick, Perizada, or even an Alston, if you want me to remember your name.” Cain pulled his shoulders back and lifted his chin. “Speaking of the high fae, was Alston at the mountain when this happened?” The vampire king knew Alston wasn’t supposedto be at the mountain. Cain had laid the bait for the high fae to be elsewhere—meeting with Thadrick at the veil of the fae. If Cain was lucky, Alston would have already been killed by the goody, goody, gumdrop djinn. But Cain had yet to receive confirmation of the high fae’s demise. Cain’s contact, the fae Zeek, had yet to report in. Cain had promised Zeek he would send some of his more unhinged vamps— the vamps that weren’t good as humans and even worse as bloodsuckers—to rip the fae apart if he didn’t report promptly. The new king personally didn’t like turning those types because they were unpredictable, but his predecessor had been a tad insane, and he thought having insane vamps was an asset. Perhaps that was why the fool was dead. “Two days have passed since the mountain’s destruction.” Raylion shifted from foot to foot. His left hand tapped against his thigh. Cain raised an eyebrow at the fae’s odd behavior. Their kind didn’t typically fidget. “We barely made it out alive. That’s why it has taken us so long to get here. I flashed Sam and myself about twenty miles from the mountain when I realized we didn’t have a chance in hell.” Raylion side-eyed the vampire. “I didn’t bring him along by choice. I want that noted. But he seems to have an acute sense of self-preservation.” Sam glared at the fae. “It doesn’t take a genius to know you should make for higher ground when that amount of power starts gathering. I haven’t been a supernatural long, and even I recognized that something bad was about to happen. Anyone who died there must have been dumb enough to think they could take on an army consisting of multiple types of supernaturals. All we had were vamps and fae.” Raylion shrugged. “He’s not wrong. When I tried to flash again, I couldn’t. Whatever magic was used, it drained my own like a siphon. I’ve never felt magic that powerful before.” His brow dipped low, and his lips drew taunt across his face. “I’ve never notbeen able to flash. That must be what being a human is like… I don’t know how they stand it.” Cain looked out over the desert. The sun had long since set, and silver stars dotted the dark sky. They stood just outside the gates of the Area 51 compound where Raylion and Sam had appeared. “So, you don’t know if Alston was at the mountain when you were attacked?” “I doubt it,” Raylion clenched his jaw. “If he had been there, I would have felt his power. I know his signature. And though there was magical residue left over from spells he had cast, I didn’t feel any of his active power.” The vampire king clenched his jaw and forced himself to relax his fisted hands. He didn’t see how Alston could survive Thadrick, and if Perizada was alive, she surely would have taken the opportunity to destroy her nemesis. Cain looked at Raylion. “I want you to go to the fae veil and see if you detect any recent magic use there.” The fae frowned. “There have already been reports of fae armies coming through the veil. The forest all around the mountain has spoken of it.” Sam scrunched his brow and looked at Raylion. “The forest spokeof it? What, is this a J.R.R. Tolkien novel now?” Raylion’s voice dripped with disdain. “I know you are a newbie, but surely you aren’t stupid enough to believe you understand how our world works. Do you refuse to believe there are creatures in the forest that wouldn’t speak to my kind? Creatures you wouldn’t even be able to fathom with that tiny, newly turned brain of yours? You are still barely more than a human.” Sam seemed unable to answer the disgusted fae. Cain watched as the baby vampire appeared to come to some sort of internal conclusion. He turned to look at Cain and shook his head. “I didn’t ask for this. One of your damn vampires attacked me, and the next thing I know, I’m craving blood and doing whatever I’m told.” He glanced at Raylion. “And I don’t know what to believe. I’m living in a nightmare. You speak of humans as if they’re disgusting and beneath you”—then he looked back at Cain—"and youuse them as if they’re little more than cattle or stupid sheep. Is thatjust a supernatural thing, or is it because of your longevity? Those who know their time is short do not treat their lives so carelessly.” Raylion didn’t bother to respond. He simply shrugged and then turned to Cain. “So, I’m to go to the fae veil and then report back to you?” Cain appreciated the fae’s lack of emotion. Thatwas what he needed. Not bleeding-heart fledglings like Sam. “Yes.” Raylion vanished without another word. Cain looked at Sam and narrowed his eyes at the male. “Who turned you?” Sam attempted to brush off his unsalvageable clothes. “Some pompous a*s named Claude.” Cain chuckled. Sam’s description of the French vampire was spot on. Claude waspompous. But he was also efficient, cunning, and loyal. Speaking of Claude, I haven’t heard from the pompous a*s in some time. That wasn’t a good sign. Cain had been so focused on the hybrid testing that he hadn’t even realized it had been days, if not more, since Claude had checked in. Cain tried to focus on his sire bond with Claude but felt nothing. He pushed the thought aside and turned his attention back to Sam. “Do you want to continue this existence, or would you like me to end it for you?” The male’s eyes widened, and he took a step back from Cain. His jaw ticked from side to side. His gaze seemed to become unfocused, as if deep in thought. “You haven’t considered that you didn’t have to remaina vampire?” Cain slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks, and his shoulders relaxed as he watched Sam. “What if I told you I will help you control those urges? I could make you walk in the day again. I can make you morethan a vampire. I can even make the putrid smell that happens to our kind in-between feedings go away.” The other male’s head slanted to the side, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I don’t want to kill people. I wasn’t a bad person as a human, and I won’t be a murderer as a vampire… or more than a vampire, whatever that means.” “What did you do as a human?” “I was a lawyer.” Cain’s brow rose. “Hmm. What type of practice?” “Criminal defense.” Cain couldn’t stop the bark of laughter. “Wait.” He held up a hand. “Let me get this straight. You”—he pointed a finger at Sam—“have a problem being a vampire, even though you represented and defendedhumans who had the same killer instincts as one of mine?” “Not all people accused of crimes are guilty, and they deserve to be represented. There is something called a presumption of innocence.” The man’s voice was full of conviction, but Cain saw the doubt in his eyes. It was clear the lawyer knew that not all of his clients were innocent. “Of course. Innocent until proven guilty. But for how many guiltypeople did you help secure a not guiltyverdict? Are you per chance responsible for putting a dangerous human back into the population?” Cain found himself genuinely curious. The morals of humans were sometimes interesting. He was also beginning to plan a use for the new vampire, one that would keep the “good man” from having to kill, but also provide Cain with a beneficial tool. Having legal representation against the human government might come in handy after he created his hybrids. Cain had begun to envision himself as the king of more than just a supernatural race. He imagined himself as the head of a great nation of vampires, one that was sovereign and governed itself. If he could set that up, then the US government wouldn’t be able to control them. As a matter of fact, they would be beholden to him. After all, Cain would control an army no nation on earth could stand against, an army of hybrids. AndCain could earn a fortune by leasing his creation to the highest bidders. Cain’s exports would make OPEC’s profits look like child’s play. Yes, legal representation would be vital. Sam’s shoulders tensed. “That wasn’t my job. I didn’t determine their guilt. That’s between them and their maker.” “How quaint. And did that little platitude appease your conscience for the ones you were pretty damn sure wereguilty?” His arms dropped, and the lawyer seemed deflated. “Why do you want to know this?” “Because I believe I can give you a job that doesn’t require the shedding of blood. And teach you to feed without killing your food.” “Can’t I just drink from an animal or a bag?” Sam sounded disgusted. No doubt the vampire part of him was not in agreement with his still-present human conscience. “Animals will make you weak. Bagged blood has a risk of being useless if it has lost its ability to transport oxygen, which is why we need fresh blood. The virus that lives in us causes our own blood to use up our own blood’s oxygen much faster than a human’s. Our hearts beat slower, if you hadn’t noticed. Therefore, we don’t carry the oxygen through our bodies very quickly. The virus is constantly working to kill us. It’s one of the reasons we begin to smell like decaying flesh. That’s why notfeeding will eventually cause your death. It’s not like in the movies where a vampire just dries up until more blood is given to them and, boom, they can come back to life. We are only immortal as long as we feed, and as long as we don’t get our heads cut off or our hearts ripped out. Blood, just like it is for humans, is our life force. So, see? We’re really not that different from them.” “Yet you see them as less than yourself?” “Do you consider your food your equal? Are you not greater than a cow or a pig?” The words were barely out of Cain’s mouth when Raylion reappeared. And he wasn’t empty-handed. “There was a magical signature, or rather several, at the veil. And this.” Raylion held up a bowling-ball sized amalgamation of flesh and hair. “Let me guess,” Sam inclined his head. “That’s Alston.” “Well, his head, anyway.” Cain’s voice might have sounded bored, but inside he was grinning like a fool. “There’s a note attached.” Raylion pointed to a piece of paper hanging from a string threaded through a hole in the high fae’s earlobe. Cain reached down and tugged on the paper. Alston’s ear extended toward him, and Cain half expected it to come off. But the paper finally ripped free of the string, and the ear flopped back against the fae’s head. Cain’s eyes ran across the page. I love to play games, and I’ve been playing them for a long time. Keep them coming, vampire king. This won’t be the last head I send back to you. Happy hunting… to me. ~Cyn. Cain crumpled the paper in his fist and couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips. “Well, that’s one problem out of the way.” Cain pointed to Alston’s head. “Would you be so kind as to get rid of that?” Raylion dropped the head and then opened his palm, sending out a ball of light. The head went up in flames. In a matter of seconds, it was nothing but ash. “Excellent.” Cain made a show of wiping his hands against each other as if he had somehow gotten them dirty reading the note and barking orders. “If you two gentlemen would follow me. I’ve got some work to get done, and so do each of you. Raylion, I’ll explain what’s on the agenda, and then I need you to head out and find the fae loyal to the cause.” Cain didn’t mention that once the cause was accomplished, he’d be wiping out the fae right along with the rest of the other supernaturals that weren’t necessary to his rule, which was everyone but his hybrids, of course. “Sam, I think you’ll appreciate the job I have for you. It will keep your hands clean, and most of your conscience, not to mention you’ll get to continue using that fancy degree of yours. No need to let that go to waste just because you are no longer human.” Cain didn’t hear any arguments as he walked back through the gate of the compound and headed toward the laboratory. They followed, and he began explaining to the pair what he had in store. The dominoes were falling into place. His major rivals were dead: Ludcarab, the elf king, Alston, the high fae, and, thanks to Peri’s cold fire, many other Order members. Hell, for all Cain knew, all the other Order members were dead. His vampires were still gathering dormants, which meant he would have plenty of test subjects. And now that he had successfully bound the vampire virus to the Canis lupusblood, these wouldn’t simply be failed experiments. They would be actual hybrids. The vamp king picked up his steps as his eagerness to get back to the matter at hand consumed his thoughts. “How is your plan any different from that of the Order’s?” Raylion asked as they passed through the outer doors of the compound. Cain pulled out a security badge and held it up to the scanner. “I have no intention of destroying or subjugating humans. I intend to work with them. In fact, I already am.” He motioned to the space around them as they passed through another set of security doors. “By the time I’m done, the humans will be singing our praises, begging for our help.” Once they were past the final security doors, Cain marched toward an office area where the administrative details of the base were handled. He found an empty office and gestured to the lawyer. “Sam, you can set up shop here. I’ll send another vampire to assist you. Tell him everything you require in order to do your job.” Sam walked into the office and flipped on the light switch. He stared at the empty desk. With a sigh, the fledgling’s shoulders seemed to drop in resignation. “Okay, I guess I’ll get settled in.” He walked to the chair behind the desk and took a seat. “Great things to come, Sam.” Cain tapped his knuckle on the metal door frame. “Great things.” He and Raylion continued on their way, leaving the dejected lawyer alone with his thoughts. After they’d gone a few paces, Cain turned to the fae. “Are you with me or not, Raylion? I need you to tell me now.” Raylion was quiet for half a minute before he answered. “I cannot remain on the sidelines. Seeing a former high fae’s decapitated head given as a gift from your enemies tells me that a war’s on. Apparently, I will have to choose sides.” “Not entirely true. You could flee to the fae realm. If you return there and swear a blood oath to never leave, I won’t bother with you.” Out of the corner of his eye, Cain saw the male fae stiffen. He didn’t seem to like the idea of being trapped in his own realm. No doubt he wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms after having been in league with the Order. “I suppose I will have to take my chances with you and… put my neck out there, so to speak.” Cain gave a single nod of acknowledgement. “Good choice. You will be an asset to our cause. Now, if you please, go round up any fae left loyal to the Order and bring them here. Flash into this room.” He pointed to a large open space that had once been used as a gym, judging by the exercise equipment pushed against the walls. “I don’t want attention drawn to us by having fae flash outside of the compound.” “As you wish.” Raylion disappeared. Cain blew out a breath when he reached the door that would lead him to the lab, a place he considered the most important room in the compound. He closed his eyes for a moment and tamped down his nerves. It was time to see if their discovery would actually work in reality, and not just on a glass slide under a microscope. * * * The vampire kingwatched Willis prepare the tools he would need to infuse Lizzy Fairchild with Cain and Alice’s blood. The scientist was a bundle of energy, and he seemed to Cain both anxious and excited, like a child about to ride a bike for the first time, hungry for freedom but scared of the pain that would result if he fell. Cain could relate. The vampire was a hard person to surprise. Watching hundreds of years pass had a tendency to remove the novelty of everyday experiences. But now that he was on the verge of finally bringing his improbable plan to fruition, Cain realized he was actually experiencing emotions that hadn’t reared their heads in years. There was nervousness, stress, and—unbelievably—fear. He was surprised to find he missed the feeling. The roller coaster of emotions was something that humans took for granted. “What if it kills her?” Cain almost growled at the scientist. This was the thing Cain feared the most, but he hadn’t wanted to give voice to his concerns. Call him superstitious. “Then we will figure out what went wrong and try again,” Cain snapped. He stared out at the dozens upon dozens of sleeping dormants in the warehouse. “We have plenty of test subjects, and my vampires are finding more daily.” While this was true, the vampire king was growing weary of failure. It made him cranky. And when he got cranky, he got bitey. Willis looked up from his work, and his brow rose. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. How are your vampires able to tell which human is a dormant? Do they have to just go around biting random people to see how they taste?” Cain rolled his eyes. “Thankfully no. Something tells me that would cause quite a stir with the humans.” He got a mental image of his soldiers biting human after human and then tossing them aside like rotten food, one after the other, as they discarded those that weren’t dormants. “Vampires have a keen sense of smell, even better than wolves when it comes to blood. And all supernaturals possess a unique scent. We can smell the otherness in the dormants. Some of them smell stronger than others. But occasionally, we dohave to taste them to confirm it, especially if their bloodline is very watered down.” Willis seemed to consider this before speaking again. “So instead of biting, they wander around sniffing?” Cain chuckled. “Pretty much. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover just how many dormants there actually are. The wolves like to brag that they don’t go around copulating with those that aren’t their true mates. Well, it seems the Canis lupusaren’t quite as chaste as they make out. Somebody, somewhere, has been evidencing a clear lack of self-control.” The king glanced down at his watch and wondered what was taking Alice so long to retrieve the girl when the door opened behind him. He turned to find Alice and four of his vampires. Two of them held Lizzy by the arms. The woman stood between them, looking bored with her hands tied behind her back. Cain smirked. “Did she give you problems?” “Nothing we couldn’t handle.” Lochlan, one of the males holding Lizzy, released her arm, as did Nathan, who was holding the other side. “That will be all.” Cain motioned for the males to leave. “What if she doesn’t cooperate?” Lochlan’s eyes dropped to Lizzy. Cain noted the hungry look in the vampire’s eyes and let out a low growl. “If you’re hungry, Lochlan, then I suggest you go hunting outside of this building.” Cain stepped closer to the male. “If I find out you’ve fed on any of the humans or dormants in this facility, I will end you myself. Am I clear?” Cain didn’t have time for vampires that couldn’t control their urges. He needed people working in the facility to feel safe so they could do their jobs, or at least as safe as a human could feel when around a superior species that could kill them in the blink of an eye. “Yes,” the male bit out through clenched teeth. “If you are in control of your hunger, then you can wait in the hall with the others,” Cain instructed. “If not, then go feed and come back when you’re sated. And make yourself useful and bring some dormants back with you while you’re at it.” The four vampires left without another word, closing the door behind them. Cain relaxed his shoulders and looked Lizzy over. “Speaking of hunger, I hear you’ve not been eating.” Lizzy gave a bark of laughter that made her sound unhinged. Her eyes bounced all over the room, and Cain noticed a distinct wildness in them, like an animal with its leg caught in a trap. “Well, let’s see. I’ve recently discovered vampires are real, been imprisoned by those vampires, been placed into a coma, and been woken by a voice in my head. You think I should eat the food offered to me by these vampires? I may be a little thick at times, but I’m not thatstupid.” “You weren’t scared when I told you what I was, Lizzy.” Cain leaned his hip against one of the lab tables and attempted to appear harmless. “In fact, your words to me were something along the lines of ‘anything is better than living like this, sleeping with one eye open and constantly waiting for a knife in the back.’” “Guess what, vampy? I’ve since learned that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Better a knife in the back than fangs in the neck.” Lizzy’s gaze moved from Cain to Willis. Her eyes widened when she saw the syringes arrayed out in front of him. “You’re too young to be so jaded,” Cain flicked his hand at her. She seemed to have her panic under control, though her eyes still looked a bit too big for her face, or at least she was hiding it better. “If you’d lived the life I have, then you wouldn’t think that.” Cain noticed Alice wince from the corner of his eye. His little scientist was a bleeding heart. He hoped that wouldn’t become an issue once they started running their experiment. “Well, as I told you before, this is an opportunity to improve your life. You won’t be vulnerable anymore. You’ll be able to fight back against anyone who would want to take advantage of you. Isn’t that why you agreed to come with me when I found you?” Lizzy pursed her lips. “Are we doing this or what?” “You’re not even going to fight a little?” Alice frowned. “And how would you have me fight back, scientist lady?” Lizzy’s head swiveled around to take in Alice. “Should I scream like a girl? Is that somehow going to sway this guy?” She motioned her head toward Cain. “He doesn’t mind k********g innocent people to accomplish whatever twisted plan he has. I’m betting very few of those sleeping beauties out there came of their own free will like I did. Is he going to suddenly find it in his undead heart to let me go?” “I would like it noted that ‘undead’ doesn’t make any sense if you are trying to imply that I am not alive,” Cain said dryly. “And as I still have a heartbeat, I am still alive.” Lizzy rolled her eyes at him. “Nobody cares.” Then she looked back at Alice. “So, after all that I just pointed out, should I fight?” Alice shrugged. “I just expected you to because you seem like a fighter. And you survived living on the streets.” Cain’s eyes snapped to Alice. “Why are you trying to talk her out of this?” “If a person volunteers for this procedure of their own free will, then I’m completely fine with it.” Alice raised her chin at him. “But if this is being forced on anyone, then I don’t agree with it, and I think they should fight back.” Cain walked over to Alice and gripped her chin in his hand. “Are you going to fight me?” Lizzy made a gagging sound in her throat. “It looks like Mom and Dad need some adult time.” Willis laughed and tried to cover it with a cough when Cain glared in his direction. The vampire dropped his hand from Alice and then motioned to the chair where Finn had been strapped down a few days prior. “If you please. This will be relatively painless. Just a couple of sticks.” Alice picked up a pair of scissors and cut the cable ties to free the girl’s hands. “Oh?” Lizzy sidled over to the chair and dropped into it, rubbing her wrists as she did. “I’m sure this is a completely routine procedure. I suppose you get the blood of a supernatural being shoved into your veins all the time. No? Of course not. So how the hell would you know if this is relatively painless?” “I think I liked you better when you were desperate to get off the street,” he muttered and looked at Willis. “Do it.” Alice walked over and slipped on a pair of latex gloves. “Let me.” She took the tourniquet and bags of blood hooked to the IV tubing. Cain and Alice had already given their blood earlier that day, so it would be ready to go once Lizzy was prepped. “Is this women’s solidarity?” Lizzy watched Alice bring the items over to her chair. Alice hung both bags of blood on a pole above the chair and then set the rest of her supplies on a tray table. “This is me owning my part in this.” Alice looked over the inside of Lizzy’s arms, tapping them in different places. When she found a vein she liked, she tied the tourniquet over Lizzy’s biceps and then prepped the area to be stuck. Alice paused and looked up at Cain. “My blood type isn’t the universal donor.” She clenched her jaw. They’d argued many times over the past twenty-four hours until Alice had finally realized that she had no say in the matter. Alice was there to work for him and the US government, and she woulddo her job, or she would suffer the consequences. Cain had yet to decide what those consequences might be. The discovery that Alice was a gypsy healer had certainly changed things. Okay, it had drasticallychanged things. “And?” Cain stared at her blandly. Alice’s eyes narrowed on him. “It means my blood could kill her if we’re not a match. Why not find one”—she motioned to the other dormants—“that is a match?” Cain shook his head. “She has the highest amount of dormant blood compared to all the others I’ve tested and is therefore the most likely to be a success. Regardless, her supernatural blood will intervene with that issue. It’s not the same for us as it is with humans. Do your job, Alice. I will worry about the details.” “I amdoing my job,” she snapped back. “And as a scientist, even the smallest detail can mean the difference in success and failure.” Cain glared at her. “The only failure youneed to be concerned about is yours. And the only way you can fail is by refusing to do what I ask when I ask.” Alice looked at Lizzy, and Cain followed her gaze. He was surprised to see the girl’s head was relaxed back, and her eyes were closed. She looked like she was about to get a massage instead of undergoing a procedure that could not only potentially kill her but change her life completely if it was successful. Humans were so strange. “Lizzy, are you ready?” Alice’s brow rose. “I’m in my happy place.” She sounded drowsy. “Do your worst.” She held up the hand that didn’t have a tourniquet on it. “Wait. Actually do your absolute best. I have no idea why ‘do your worst’ is even a saying. It’s ridiculous.” She lowered her hand, her eyes never having opened. “Okay, I’m done. Carry on.” Lizzy hated needles.And the fact that she was about to get stabbed with one was freaking her out. Okay, maybe that was a little irrational, considering what was about to go down. Perhaps Lizzy should have been a little more worried over having vampire blood shoved into her veins. Not to mention the scientist’s. Who the hell knew what that woman was. What if Alice is a siren? Were sirens even a thing? If vampires and werewolves were a thing, then there most definitely had to be sirens. Right? But if she was a siren, wouldn’t she be able to make Lizzy wantto do what Alice wanted? Wasn’t that a siren sort of talent? Regardless of what she is, Lizzy mentally shrugged, she wasn’t excited about sharing any bodily fluids with the scientist, either. But Lizzy had watched so many addicts shoot up over the years that she had developed a fear that was, admittedly, a tad irrational. Yet seeing the junkies ruin their minds and bodies for a tiny ounce of liquid in a syringe left a lasting effect. In her mind, needles represented the ugliness that drugs brought out in people. They were the method in which people chose to slowly kill themselves, or, sometimes, quickly killed themselves, with. She wanted no part of the needle. But what could she do? She was a nineteen-year-old girl up against an ancient vampire. Maybe she should have watched more Buffy the Vampire Slayerepisodes when she’d been in foster care. Perhaps then she’d be able to have a chance in hell of getting herself out of this situation. Okay, that was a lie. It didn’t matter how many times she watched Buffy kick a vampire’s a*s, Lizzy was SOL. The way the other four vampires had easily subdued her proved that. And this guy was the king. She could only assume he would be even more powerful. She could feel Finn pushing at the walls in her mind, and Lizzy wanted so badly to drop them and let him in—to find comfort in his presence through the bond. The absolute rightnessshe had experienced communicating with him over the past several days had changed Lizzy. Now that she had experienced the connection with Finn, Lizzy felt more alone than ever when she blocked him. She needed him. She didn’t want to, but she did. Lizzy didn’t want to need Finn because she knew that needing him meant that he could hurt her. Or that she might be hurt becauseof him. After all she’d endured in her brief life, Lizzy knew better than to make herself vulnerable. She also didn’t like the idea of Finn being hurt, which was surprising. She had been concerned for the welfare of others at one time, but that had been a long time ago. Lizzy knew it would hurt Finn if he knew what was going on. From what he had described about the bond, true mates could actually experience the powerful emotions of each other. So he would be required to go through this experience with her, and he wouldn’t be able to do anything to help her. In the short time she’d gotten to talk to Finn, Lizzy had realized without a doubt that he was a good man. Maybe he was a little skewed in his worldview, considering he’d come of his own free will to help the vampire. But hey, who was she to judge? She had also hopped her happy a*s onto the team vampire train with a wink and a smile. “Lizzy!”His voice barreled into her mind at the exact moment she felt the prick of a needle in her arm. She gasped and squeezed her eyes tightly closed. Seconds went by, and Lizzy drew in several deep breaths, trying to shove her fear and anxiety back into the box from which it had just exploded. “Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy.”Finn’s voice repeated in her head. She was surprised at how much it helped her calm herself. “Okay, try not to freak out,”she told him when she was finally able to gather herself. “That’s not really the way you start a conversation when you don’t want someone to freak out,”he growled. She felt waves of frustration and anger flood through her but also an oversized measure of his comfort. She took several more deep breaths and let them out slowly. The needle sliding into her arm almost sent her back into a tailspin. But the emotions Finn was hitting her with like a hurricane won her attention, distracting her from the cold, thin steel entering her body. “I’m in the vein, Lizzy,” Alice patted her hand. “No more sticks.” “Fabulous,” Lizzy said dryly. “Knowing I might be dead in a few minutes is so much easier to handle now that I don’t have to worry about being stuck again.” “What the hell does that mean?” Finn snapped. Lizzy heard panic in his voice. She sighed. “Again, you’re going to have to tone that crap down, dude. I can’t handle your stress while I’m trying to figure out if this blood is killing me. Let me focus.” “You want me to let you focus on whether you are about to die? How can I… I can’t…” Lizzy mentally rolled her eyes at him. “I’m sorry, Finn. I can’t really explain all this right now. A little too much is going on. I appreciate your concern over me, but I’m a bit… preoccupied right now.” She felt a hand on her face and knew it was Finn using their bond. “I forbid you to die.” A burst of laughter bubbled out of her. “Is she okay?” She ignored Willis. “Not exactly what I was expecting,”she told Finn. “But I am so glad to know that you can totally keep me from dying by simply forbidding it. And to think, I’ve been worried about this vampire killing me for weeks. All this time, you could have just prevented me from dying.” “I just found you, mate.”His voice was filled with vulnerability that she would bet he wasn’t used to feeling. “How can I lose you now?” The emotions coming from Finn through the bond made her body tremble. This man wantedher. And not because of what she could give him, or that she could satisfy some physical desire. Because of the mystical bond, she actually knew why he cared for her because she could read his thoughts. And honestly, it terrified her. Lizzy’s palms were sweaty, and her stomach roiled. But other than the physical effects Finn’s emotions were causing her, she didn’t feel like she was dying. Sadly, at nineteen years old, she was pretty certain she knew what it felt like to die, or at least to wishshe would die. Living without protection as a teen in an unforgiving world and managing to keep from being r***d, stabbed, or kidn*pped wasn’t exactly an easy feat. She’d been beaten to within an inch of her life but still hadn’t died. She’d coughed up blood before and felt the gurgling in her lungs. None of that was happening. Thank goodness. Though she also knew that death could be silent and still. She’d seen druggies simply drift away, looking as if they had just fallen asleep. At times, she had been envious of the peace they finally had. But none of the things she’d experienced or seen were happening. She just sat there, her heart beating a little faster than usual. “My Lizzy.”Finn called to her, and the hand she’d felt on her face seemed to nudge her a bit“Your thoughts are killing me. Please tell me you are well.” He seemed slightly calmer than he was a minute ago, although she could feel his pain and anger over what he’d no doubt just learned about her life before Cain and her current situation. “I’m pretty sure I’m not dying. So that’s good.” “Can you show me your surroundings? Who is with you?” Apparently they weren’t going to address all of the crap she’d just unleashed from her memories… which was probably a good thing. She didn’t want to open her eyes. Lizzy was afraid that if she looked at the faces of the three people in the room, she’d lose her s**t. Not just because she was angry at them for being selfish pricks, but because she was mad at herself. She’d managed to stay alive, though not unscathed, for quite a while on her own, and yet she’d marched right into the lion's den, or actually vampire's den to be more accurate. Looking at their faces was a reminder of how stupid she had been to trust Cain. Lizzy had allowed herself to get into this situation in the first place. She should have just stayed on the street. Eventually she would have figured out a way off it. Or she would have died. It was really a toss-up every single day. But at least that kept things from being boring, right? “That’s no way to live,”Finn said. “I should have been there to protect you. Everything I’ve seen in your mind is abhorrent to me and my wolf. You should never have had to endure that.” “You can’t blame yourself for my past, Finn. There’s a reason I came into this life as I did and a reason that I had to grow up the way I did. I don’t know what the reasons are, at least not yet, but I don’t believe I went through it all for nothing. I’m not going to say it doesn’t suck. But I can’t change it, and dwelling on it won’t do any good.” “Lizzy.” She felt Alice’s hand on her arm. “How are you feeling?” “Like a vampire.” She shifted in her seat but kept her eyes closed. “Really?” Willis’s voice was giddy. “No, you overgrown man-child.” She huffed. “How the hell should I know how it feels to be a vampire? I mean, seriously, what do you think being a vampire feels like?” “Thirsty?” “Okay, in that case, yes. I amthirsty.” “Do you think it matters which blood type you drink?” She could hear Willis shuffling next to her. Bloody hell,this guy can’t really be a scientist. Lizzy pressed her head back into the seat. “I’m thirsty for a cola, not B negative.” “Smart ass.” The sulkiness in his tone made Lizzy smile. It brought her joy to annoy anyone who cared so little for hurting others. Cain folded his arms across his chest and rested his chin on his fist. “You feel nothing different?” “How exactlyam I supposed to feel?” “Well, irritated, grumpy, thirsty, and hungry.” He listed the things off like he was checking off items on a grocery list. “Um, so like I always feel?” Alice chuckled. “She’s not wrong. That’s pretty much any chick’s emotional checklist.” Lizzy didn’t like agreeing with the woman. She didn’t want to feel any comradery with the female who, like the other scientist, was so easily willing to cause another person harm. “Do you still feel like you’re not dying?”Finn interrupted her focus on the ridiculousness going on around her. “I’m annoyed. I want to bite someone, but I can’t tell if it’s because I’m part wolf, possibly part vampire, or simply an irritated woman.” She felt a flash of humor through the bond, which was a breath of fresh air from all the turmoil that had been coming down the line. But it faded quickly with worry “Lizzy, open your eyes,” Cain commanded. Her jaw clenched when she felt the sudden urge to do as he told her. Oh, hell no. There is no way I am going to be controlled by this walking blood bag “Lizzy.” Cain said her name again, and she felt something that she could only describe as a compulsive push against her own will. It wasn’t the same thing she felt through the mate bond. This felt invasive and unwanted. “I don’t want to… and you can’t make me.” Lizzy almost laughed at how childlike she sounded. Cain chuckled, and Lizzy didn’t like that sound at all. “That’s where you’re wrong, Lizzy Fairchild. You have my blood running through your veins. I am the one who has sired you, and that makes you mine. You’ll have no choice but to do as you’re told.” “And you, sir, have just underestimated my level of stubbornness.” Despite her words, a trickle of fear flooded her mind. She didn’t want to be controlled. Not by a mate bond, not a vampire bond, not by any kind of supernatural bond. Lizzy had fought her whole life to keep from being controlled by anyone, though there had been many times that she’d had no choice. One of the wonderful perks of being an orphan child is not having a choice in who controls you. “I will not be controlled, commanded, or otherwise bossed by an egotistical, self-serving, arrogant, entitled person of any race—supernatural or otherwise.” “I don’t want to control you.” Finn sounded horrified that she would think such a thing. Lizzy didn’t have time to address him. Her body was suddenly on fire. It felt as if a flame licked all over her flesh causing her blood to heat inside her veins. “Okay, that is not cool… literally,” she bit out through clenched teeth. “You didn’t mention being set on fire.” “What are you feeling?” Cain asked, as if he didn’t know. Maybe he didn’t. Lizzy leaned forward. She fought the roll of nausea that grew even stronger. She hated vomiting. “Like I’m being burned, and my blood is boiling. When you were turned into a blood-sucking parasite, did you feel this way? I’m pretty sure it’s cooking my organs.” She groaned and gagged but managed to swallow a mouthful of bile before it could spew from her lips. Ugh, that was disgusting.Stomach bile was not designed to be introduced to the taste buds. If it was, it would taste like chocolate. “Do you smell burning flesh?” She coughed. “Because I’m pretty sure I smell burning flesh.” “No to both.” Lizzy thought she detected worry in Cain’s tone. “It shouldn’t hurt at all.” Alice's face was etched with worry as she spoke. “I'm sure it's a little more uncomfortable for her. You're mashing together our genetic material, three distinct and separate sources of DNA, and forcing them to adapt. It must be agony.” “And you didn’t freaking think about telling me this beforehand?” Lizzy snapped as she opened her eyes and narrowed them on the woman. Alice looked slightly remorseful. “I didn’t want to add to your anxiety.” Lizzy snorted. “Right. Because you’re so concerned with my well-being. Good one, Doctor Evil.” The scientist raised her eyebrows. “Believe it or not, I don’t wantto hurt you.” “Too late.” Lizzy tried to suck in air, but her lungs wouldn’t expand. She was suffocating while her blood boiled. “Finn!”She called out to her mate. She didn’t know what else to do. Although she didn’twantto needhim, she did. She needed him more than she could have ever realized. “LIZZY!” His voice was the last thing she heard before darkness took her under. * * * Finn threwhimself at the door over and over, calling on every ounce of his wolf’s strength. He had to get to his mate. He had to save her. People had been letting her down her whole life. He wouldn’t be one of those people. Finn hadn’t been able to be there when she needed him most, when she’d been a vulnerable child and should have been protected above all else. Now, he was stuck in a damn cage while she suffered at the hands of a madman. Finn's wolf wanted to reach out to his beta through their pack bond, but Finn quickly held the beast back. He had been taking precautions to keep the bond closed until he was certain that what he was doing would be of benefit to the entire pack before exposing them to the situation. Think about this,he told his beast. Our pack is small. We don’t have the numbers to take on Cain and calling them now would be a death sentence or, at best, lead to their capture, as well. The wolf inside him raged. It loathed feeling powerless. Finn was no better, but they had to be wise. They couldn't act recklessly. When Finn thought back to why he’d even really felt compelled to agree to Cain’s offer, Finn had to admit that it was partly because of what the vampire had said. Finn didn’t want to bow to another. He was dominant, an alpha, and the idea of being beholden to another didn’t sit well with his wolf or the man. He wondered now if it had been his true mate’s pull, perhaps her soul calling to his, that actually made him so willing to go without asking additional questions, not to mention without giving his pack more information about his departure. No, he could not bring his pack into his mess. He was going to have to ask for help from someone who might have a chance at rescuing him and his mate without getting themselves killed. Finn hoped he was making the right decision as he accessed the powerful bond he and all wolves had with the alpha of his kind. A bond he had resented in the past but now found himself in desperate need of. He silently prayed his request wouldn’t be denied. Finn's mind was filled with a commanding, deep voice that asked, "Who are you?" He could feel the authority in the words and instinctively knew that the speaker could only be Fane Lupei.He’d never felt such tremendous power in any wolf before. “My name is Finn. I’m a rogue wolf, and I need your help.” “I don’t remember you. You obviously didn’t fight me.” Fane didn’t sound angry, just curious, if not a little wary. “I didn’t fight you, nor did I join the wolves that converged on your home. Me and mine remained in hiding. I’ll not deny the fact that I didn’t want to submit to your rule. I’m an alpha, and the idea of bending my knee to another doesn’t sit well with my beast.” “I don’t fault you for that,”Fane said. “But if that’s the case, then why are you asking for my help now?” Finn hit the door again, feeling the metal dent, taking on the shape of his shoulder.“The vampire, Cain, has my mate. She’s a dormant, and he’s just injected her with vampire and gypsy healer blood.” Immediately rage filled the strange bond that connected Finn to the alpha of alphas. “How the hell does Cain have a gypsy healer?” “No offense, Fane Lupei, but that’s not really my biggest concern at the moment. My mate is dying, or at least I think she is. All I know is that they have her, and Cain is attempting to—” “Turn her into a hybrid,” Fane finished. “Yes, but I don’t think it’s working.” “Where are you?” Finn growled as his wolf fought to take over. But Finn needed the man to stay in control so he could think clearly.“I’m at Area 51, the human military base. That’s where Cain is doing his little project.” “Did he capture you?” Finn didn’t want to chat. He wanted action. “Well, sort of.” He heard the unease in his voice and felt it in his gut.“I am his prisoner.” “Finn, you’re going to have to level with me.”Fane snarled.“Now is not the time to try to cover your a*s. What am I dealing with?” “Dammit,”Finn yelled out loud. “I agreed to do this damn hybrid thing he’s doing because he told me it would break the connection I have with you. I didn’t want to be duty-bound to you. I had no intention of fighting you. I just wanted to be the leader of my own pack.” He could feel Fane’s frustration, but not because he cared that Finn didn’t want to bow to him. Fane was irritated because he didn’t like the fact that Finn hadn’t trusted him not to a***e the power that had been given to him by the Great Luna. “We can deal with that later. I don’t know if we can get you out. I’ve had one of the packs looking into what’s going on there, but the place is heavily guarded, not just by human military but by vampires, lots of vampires, and a few fae.” “I can get myself out if you’ll just give me some of that power you’ve got coursing through your veins. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but—” Fane stopped him. “You have every right to ask, Finn. I have no desire to lord my status over anyone. I realize it’s hard for many alphas and dominants to trust me. But all I want to do is the Great Luna’s will. I want to live out what she has called me to do, and believe it or not, that is not only to lead you but to serve you, as well. I just need the chance to prove that to you, and if this is what it takes, then I will do that.” Finn choked on the emotion that rose inside of him at the alpha’s words, not just because of what they meant but because he could feel how genuine Fane was. The alpha truly wanted to help. He expected nothing in return other than loyalty to their cause—a cause that didn’t include having any race bow at his feet. How could Finn have been so foolish?Pride.He growled at himself. It was the downfall of even the greatest of men and wolves alike. “You’re going to have to give me some time, but I’ll give you what I can. Just don’t get yourself killed.” “Why do you care?” Fane’s concern flowed through the pack bond. “I care because you are the Great Luna’s child, and she has put you under my care. I’ve claimed all Canis lupus as my own. And I don’t leave my pack hanging out to dry. I will do what I can to help you and your mate.” A massive flood of power filled Finn’s body. This time, when he rammed his shoulder into the door, he heard the bolts creak. He looked and saw that they’d begun to bend. A few more hits like that and they would snap like cheap plastic. “Do you have a plan of any kind?” “Nope,” Finn admitted. He ran at the door again. Fane sighed. “Apparently, you’re just like the rest of my pack. Excellent.” Finn’s lips turned up in a feral grin. “You know that bonded males aren’t exactly rational when it comes to their females.” Fane chuckled. “I understand that more than you know. Can you still feel…” He paused, and Finn felt the alpha searching for his mate’s name. “Lizzy,” Finn supplied. “Her name is Lizzy Fairchild, soon to be St. James.” “Can you still feel Lizzy through your bond?” Finn paused and reached out. He could see the cord that connected them, still bright and strong. “Yes, but she’s unconscious and in a lot of pain.” “I know you want to get out. I understand. But what happens if you get free? It’s you against hundreds of vampires. Have you completed the Blood Rites?” Finn wanted to growl, but he bit it back. “No.” “If they kill you, then you will leave your mate to live a half-life—a life without the other half of her soul. Don’t do that to her.” He knew the alpha was right, but it went against everything inside of him to just sit there while his female suffered. “You don’t know what you’re asking of me.”A sudden flood of images filled Finn’s mind. There was a redheaded female in the hands of a male that was obviously not Fane, and she was being tortured. The turmoil that came with the images almost brought Finn to his knees. “Stop, please.” He breathed out. “I know exactly what I’m asking of you, Finn St. James.”Fane snarled. “My own mate has been tortured, hurt far more than anyone should have to suffer. I know exactly what it is to feel helpless while she endures horrific things. But you will do her no good dead. Wait for us. We will figure this out. I give you my word.” Finn’s wolf wanted to argue. He wanted to tell the alpha to go jump off a bridge, but the man knew Fane was right. If Finn got free, he wouldn’t make it ten feet before he was subdued again. If not by sheer strength of the numbers of vampires, then by the guns of the humans. He could heal fast, but not from dozens and dozens of bullet wounds. That would kill even a werewolf. “Fine.” He forced his feet to stand still.He glared at the door as if the inanimate object was his enemy. In a sense, it was. That door was the first thing keeping him from Lizzy. “I’ll wait. But please”—his voice broke, even in his mind—“hurry.” “We will,” Fane promised, his voice full of urgency.“Trust us, Finn. We may not know each other, but I care more than you understand, and I will show you that. I will prove that I am not your enemy.” “I want to believe that. I won’t lie and pretend that it’s going to be easy to trust you. But I don’t have a choice at this point.” “Sometimes that’s the best place to be—forced to rely on others so that you can realize you’re not alone. We’ve got you, Finn. You’re a part of my pack, as is your mate, and we will do everything we can to help you.” “We?”He moved away from the door until his back was against a wall. He slid down until he sat on the floor, his body humming with pent-up energy but exhausted at the same time. “Me, my mate, and my closest trusted pack members. They have stood with me against impossible odds. They have faced loss and continued to fight the good fight. We don’t walk away simply because things are scary, hard, or seem insurmountable. We run into danger, not from it. We fight for those who can’t fight for themselves or find themselves in impossible situations. That’s what pack does, Finn. And you are pack.” Finn clenched his jaw when emotions welled up inside of him. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay.”