Authors: Eve Langlais
Waking up in Viktor’s arms was a treat, even if he immediately rolled away once she chirped good morning. Leaving just after breakfast with him tightlipped and silent, to meet some doctor for some tests, ruined some of her elation. The idea of letting someone poke her, and do things to her like the scientists from the old lab made her tummy churn. Determined not to show too much fear – because she knew it bothered Viktor – she instead let her mind replay the events of the night before.
The dream, more vivid than any of her previous ones, elated her. Even she didn’t have the imagination to conjure up the kidnapping, the French, or the clues to her past, evidence she belonged to someone.
I have a family.
And she wasn’t alone in believing it. As they got ready to leave, she heard Viktor on the phone with Jessie, sharing what little nuggets Renee revealed. When she asked him what the chances were they’d find her missing mother, he wouldn’t promise her anything, but she knew he’d do his darnedest to find answers.
Almost as exciting as the thought of finding her family was what happened when she woke from her nightmare. Viktor kissed her! Oh, the beautiful heat of it. Just remembering made her body tingle. She’d come so close to discovering the pleasure everyone hinted about. A pleasure she’d know before the end of the day. No matter what Viktor thought, she was going to have sex with him, even if she had to tie him down, stomp on his phone and figure it out herself.
Maybe then he’d stop trying to keep her away. Not that he did a great job in the first place. He never pushed her away when she used him as a shield against the things that scared her. Didn’t dump her out of his lap when she climbed in to her spot as the car that picked them up eased out into the bright sunlight. Heck, he tucked her under his arm without urging when they exited the vehicle at their destination.
Walking into the plain brown building, only three stories made ugly by the bars on its windows, trepidation turned her happy thoughts into somber ones. She’d thought herself done with tests. Done with places designed to keep shifters locked
A giggle escaped her. “And if I cry?” she asked peering up at him.
The slit in his eyes narrowed and his lips went taut. “Then he dies.”
Heart lightening, she didn’t doubt his claim for a minute.
A tall male dressed in slacks and a blue shirt approached them. With his golden mane of hair, bright blue eyes and wide smile, he appeared nice.
“Viktor, I presume. I’m Dr. Manners,” he said, holding out his hand.
Just went to show, appearances could be deceiving. Renee smooshed herself closer to Viktor’s side. His arm tightened around her shoulders.
“Doctor. I’ve brought Renee as requested. But keep in mind, hurt her and I’ll hurt you. She’s been through enough.”
“I’ll be gentle. Promise. If you’ll come with me, Renee, this won’t take too long.”
If the doctor thought it strange Viktor followed, he didn’t say a word. Nor did he say anything when her croc stationed himself at the foot of the examination bed, glaring. To his credit, other than the occasional shake of his head and twitch of his lips, the doctor ignored her protector. Dr. Manners also kept his word. He palpated her body over her clothing, ignoring the low rumbling growl that came from Viktor.
Bending and extending her limbs in a variety of exercises, the doctor explained what he was doing before he did it, and her initial nervousness eased. It came back lightning quick though when he rolled out a trolley with needles and vials for blood.
Viktor immediately comforted her, standing at her back and sliding his arms around her middle. He let his mouth almost touch the lobe of her ear when he said, “Almost done. Once he gets some blood, I’m going to show you my cabin. And if you’re a really good fox, I’ll show you my beast.”
“Really?” She tilted her head to the side to see if he was serious. His lips tilted into a smile and he nodded his head. Excited by the idea of meeting his animal, she barely noticed the pinch of the needle and next thing she knew, the doctor stepped away and declared, “We’re finished here.”
“That’s it?” she asked, surprised.
“As I told Viktor last night, I just needed a sample of your blood and DNA, as well as a record of your current physical status. Something I could use for comparison with the other victims, and in case we run into something in the future.”
“So she’s alright?” Viktor asked.
Dr. Manners shrugged. “As far as I can tell. But, should anything change, even something minor like her temperature, skin color or smell, bring her right back.”
“I will. Call me if there are any more incidents.”
“Incidents?” Renee whispered. “What happened?”
“One of your cellmates died last night.”
“Who?” she asked.
“The guy with one arm.”
“Oh no.” Dismay laced her words. Was it an accident? Had his body finally given up the fight? Or was something more sinister at work? Did the mastermind look to eradicate its mistakes?
Am I next?
She didn’t mention her fears to Viktor. Couldn’t. She didn’t want him to think she looked for reasons to scare herself, however, she couldn’t stop the worry from gnawing at her. And even as they drove to the cabin, Viktor in the driver’s seat and her forced to sit in the passenger, her previous elation didn’t
became stronger than ever.
If the mastermind is out there, looking to capture or destroy us, then I need to step up and take what I want. I refuse to die or return to my prison without having a taste of rapture first.
What’s this? Project X081 survived!
Tucked around the corner, disbelief almost toppled the miniature force of evil. Mastermind had wondered what happened to the prize in the collection, thought Project had died actually, given she did not appear in the safe house with the other prisoners.
But she lived and seemed to have acquired a personal bodyguard in the form of one astute FUC agent. Eavesdropping, while risky, proved a gold mine of information. So, Project planned a getaway with her croc. How perfect, and the timing couldn’t have worked out better. The passcode to the computer system was cracked the night before when the safe house was in an uproar over a death. It seemed the formula to success needed a little more fine tuning. Tonight, the mastermind would try
a coffee, little fingers typed a command on the liberated computer. Moreau industries, while the finest of establishments, wasn’t the last bastion by any means. More minions awaited orders. With a transfer of some cash here, the revelation of a cache of weapons there, along with directions to a certain cabin’s location and a missive to capture, Mastermind once again took control. Plotted the demise of enemies.
And even better, used FUC’s own computer and resources to do so.
Muah-ha, oops, the guard woke. Time to leave and spy some more while waiting for nightfall and the next round of experiments.
Renee quite enjoyed the drive out to Viktor’s cottage, the greenery lining the road, much more pleasing to the eye than endless tall buildings, flashing signs, concrete, and noise. While the conversation began stilted, fear quelling her tongue, as Viktor, jaw tense, drove, eventually, as the miles passed, they relaxed. To her surprise, Viktor didn’t avoid answering her numerous questions, even the personal ones.
“Do you have a family?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me about them.” She really had to coax him to give
her even the tiniest crumb.
“My mother is Anastasia. My father is Brian. I have three
brothers, older than me. And one bratty sister. Happy?” “Very.” So it went. She queried. He gave her the basics.
She bugged for more. He gave her a long suffering sigh, then
spilled. It was great.
“So you actually celebrate birthdays?” she asked, when
he mentioned his most embarrassing moment was when he
accidentally knocked over the cake his mother baked for his
brother onto his grandmother, who, slightly senile, flipped into
her crocodile self and went after him to teach him a lesson on
being careful.
“Not so much anymore. But when I was a kid, my
mother made a big deal about them.”
“I don’t remember having a birthday. Actually, I don’t
recall ever having cake.”
The car swerved. “What? But you’ve had dessert, right?” “We got the occasional sweets over the years, usually snuck in by one of the guards or nurses who felt sorry for us. I
had vanilla pudding once. It was yummy.”
“I wished you’d told me that before,” he grumbled. “I
don’t keep that kind of stuff at my place because it’s not
healthy. But I would have bought some for you, if I’d known.” Renee smiled. “I don’t mind. Food is food. Actually,”
she revised. “It’s not. Your food is marvelous compared to the
goo they fed us. I can’t imagine anything tasting better than
comfortable, even if she shocked him a few more times with her lack of experience in certain matters, and too much experience in others.
He made one stop in a small town, mostly because she just had to go! Emerging from the washroom, that was a far cry from the pristine one at Viktor’s house, she caught him slamming the trunk of the car shut.
“Just a few extra supplies. Nothing for you to worry about. Let’s go. We’re almost there.”
The car left civilization behind and wound up a road bordered by the tallest trees imaginable. The asphalt turned to gravel, and the vehicle bounced to her giggling delight. When they emerged at last from the canopy of foliage, she clapped her hands in delight at the sight of the cabin. With a frame comprised of logs, a shingle roof and a wide porch, it appeared
“Functional,” he corrected.
“Pretty,” she stubbornly reiterated. A tree in the front yard with a tire hanging from a rope caught her attention. “What’s that for?”
falter at the open sky overhead. Big, and blue, it made her heart race.
I really need to get over this fear.
No one else hesitated at the sight of all that vast space. She’d not noticed anything falling from it to hit people on the head. She needed to fight this terror.
Viktor stood a few feet away, patiently waiting, hand outstretched.
Biting her lip, and ignoring the looming sky, that could suck her into space should gravity decide to fail, she trotted over
spoke for him. Clasping her hand, he led her to the tire contraption, and with hand gestures and words, explained how it worked. Seated on the sun warmed black rubber, hands holding onto the rope, she let out a squeal when he pushed her. She soared up. Then down. He shoved her again and she laughed.
“Look at me. I’m flying!”
*
Look at her indeed. Cheeks flushed, eyes brimming with delight and her open mouth spilling laughter, Viktor stared, completely and utterly entranced. A bomb could have exploded and he might still have stood there, slack jawed and drooling at the enticing sight.
Damn.
Why did that keep happening?
Leaving her to spin like a mad top, he kept an eye on her
as he carted the boxes of food and luggage into the cabin. He doubted danger would court them so quickly after their arrival, and given the way he ensure nothing followed them, but he left nothing to chance.
On his last trip for supplies, he exited the house only to see the swing empty, and not a fox in sight.
An unfamiliar sensation, one almost of panic, suffused him. “Renee!”
A warm body tackled him from the side and instinct kicked in. Before he knew it, he’d pinned the attacker to the ground, but he reined in his strength as he realized who played games with him.
“What have I told you about surprising me?” he growled.
“If you don’t want me to do it, then stop making it so fun,” she replied with a smirk. She squirmed under him, not to get away, he noted. His cock approved of her methods.
“Bad fox.”
“Shouldn’t you be impressed I got the drop on you?”
He couldn’t help but smile at that. “Fine. I’ll give you that. You sneak really well. While we’re up here, maybe I’ll give you some defense moves to go with that skill.”
“Yay!”
“But not right yet,” he said, unable to stop himself from kissing the tip of her nose. “First, we need to get settled in and get some food in our bellies. You’ll need your strength for tonight.”
“Ooh, I like the sound of that,” she exclaimed.
“Remember that later.” Later when he got her to strip and tried to get her to change into her animal. And no, it wasn’t an excuse to get her naked. He really wanted to see if her alter ego truly was stuck.
As Renee explored the cabin, Viktor prepared them a simple dinner on the barbecue; steaks with a mesquite seasoning, corn on the cob dripping with butter, and a crusty French bread he’d grabbed in town, along with his other surprise.
Renee dug in with gusto, a trait he admired. Too many women obsessed about their weight and made themselves miserable eating like birds. Renee though… She treated each meal like a trip to ecstasy, groaning her delight, eating every last bit, rubbing her belly and sighing with content.
If food gave her that reaction, just how intense was she during sex? The temptation to find out was an agony worse than the knife wound he’d received in the back from a botched military maneuver.
Dinner finished, dishes washed, and night falling, he finally brought out his surprise. Renee eyed the white box.
“What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
Flipping up the lid, she gasped. Then cried. Shit.
“It’s a cake. For me,” she whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Nestled in the box, was a chocolate cake iced in mocha, decorated with pink frosting flowers and with the words, ‘Happy Birthday, Renee!’
Viktor pulled out the candles he’d also bought and placed them on top before lighting them. He then – thanking the swamp gods that no one watched – sang the birthday song while