Chapter 5 #3
She ignored me again. Fuck her.
I could swear the lot of them were sneering in agreement. My skin crawled as their chests heaved. Fog oozed against the glass forming ringlets. I was mesmerized by their actions, their muscles flexing. They were issuing a collective statement. Fuck…
“And when will they be ready to work?” I managed to ask, uncertain if I’d said anything.
I heard one of them growl.
“Just a few weeks. We are very pleased with their progress even with all the concerns. They are going to be spectacular specimens, exactly as we hoped.”
“Are there more? I know you said many of them died, but I can’t believe this is all the samples you’ve…
created.” When she didn’t respond, I pointed to the other chambers.
“Rowena, I am trying to work with you and with Kevin on this fabulous project. Are or were there additional samples at some point?”
Rowena sighed. “As I said earlier, two died and… Well, it’s just very sad.”
Two died, at least that she would admit to. Just like two of the scientists, their deaths suspicious in my mind. She was under extreme duress, the perspiration staining her lab jacket.
A slight tapping on the glass drew my attention. The giant alien was smiling. No, he was leering at me, even undressing me with his eyes. I would grill Shane in order to find out what he knew about the aliens living on this planet. My guess was he knew more than anyone realized.
She turned in my direction, walking closer. “You don’t look well, Doctor. I will tell you that I was concerned about some of your levels on the tests, especially since you were attacked. Maybe you should rest.”
“I wasn’t attacked by anyone. What are you talking about?” I rubbed my forehead, the headache more painful than ever.
Another growl came from one of the cages, the sound sliding through every cell and every pore in my body. I noticed the look of terror returning on her face. Even her hands were shaking.
She was petrified of them.
They were definitely more aggressive toward her.
While I was drawn to them, my needs increasing.
“Why are they so angry?” The question was rhetorical. The poor bastards were locked away, unable to interact with anyone with the exception of being tested.
“They have their reasons. We should leave. They are becoming agitated.” Rowena barely whispered the words, already moving around me and heading toward the door. “Please don’t fight this. Please.”
I took three steps then stopped. Every one of the creatures had walked to the glass and within a few seconds, there was a collective howl, the throaty sound resonating in wave after wave, filling the corridor with intense base notes.
But there was more.
I heard them. I felt them, their fingers brushing along my skin and face, touching. Caressing.
Owning.
You will be ours…
One of them took a defiant whiff, as if he gathered a scent of sex. He cocked his head, dragging his tongue across his lips. There was a rebellious look in his eyes, not exactly anger but aggravation.
“I’m staying,” I told her. “I want to spend some time alone. Can they communicate?”
“You can’t do that!” Rowena insisted. “I don’t think they’re ready.”
“Can. They. Communicate?” I asked again, whipping my head in her direction.
She hesitated. “Yes, they can. Unfortunately, they don’t do so very often. The transformation is painful and after that, they just… Well, they seem to forget who and what they are.”
I just bet they did or maybe they were fooling the horrible scientists.
“Perfect. I am staying. They can’t hurt me.
They’re caged animals, for fuck’s sake. Leave me alone if you need to.
I’ll be just fine and I’ll simply perform my duties as given on the parameters for this mission.
” I might as well start being political myself.
Rowena huffed, her hand positioned near the panel. “If I leave you in here, there’s no way out from this side until you are released. Do you understand that?”
“Fine by me. They won’t hurt me.”
“You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
I heard her gruff exclamation as she walked out, and the click of the door made me jump.
I was in way over my head with this, but the draw to the creatures was extraordinary.
I stood in the line of sight of all three.
I purposely looked into each of their eyes, trying to make a connection.
They were more than curious, remaining close to the glass.
“I’m Dr. Bloom, but you can call me Cassia.” My voice echoed. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to get to know you.”
The blond hissed, jerking his head up as he clenched his hands. Every muscle strained, veins in his neck popping. Issuing a keening howl, he slammed his fist against the glass.
“Shit! Don’t do that.” To my credit, I didn’t budge but my heart was racing, thumping into my ears. “I said, I’m not going to hurt you. Are you one of the volunteers I’ve heard about?”
The blond opened his mouth, ready to answer when the obvious leader growled, shutting him down.
“O-kay. It’s going to work like that, huh?
” I turned to the second. His skin was like burnished glass, light copper.
The eyes themselves were entirely different than those of humans, having what appeared to be two sets of irises, the color the most vivid blue flecked with green and gold, purple and silver.
He seemed to be more defiant than the other two, his gaze having never left me.
The third was even more powerful in stature, his eyes almost iridescent in color.
His hair was shorter, but the long beard and mustache hid the majority of his face.
What I could see were marks, stripes covering his arms and legs.
A whip. The poor creature had been whipped.
“Are you in charge of your species?”
The leader cocked his head, studying me, his gaze piercing.
“Look, I am sorry about the fact you were lied to, taken away from your home, and used as a guinea pig. I will help you in any way I can. That is my solemn promise to you. No one will ever hurt you again.”
There was no reason for me to be so drawn to them, but I was, my heart breaking for the abuse they must have endured.
“Damn it. I wish you’d talk to me. I have a terrible feeling they’re going to shut me down.” I groaned and paced the floor.
My heart raced. What if the creatures outside had been instructed to kill us? Jesus.
Another tapping sound, obviously trying to draw my attention. I looked from one to the others, hoping for any kind of response.
Nothing.
What surprised me the most was a calmness that seemed to filter across the beasts. All three had even breathing, but there was absolute recognition. I could swear by it.
I inched closer until I stood in front of the leader’s cage. There was no reason for them to trust me, just as I’d learned I couldn’t trust the doctors in this place. I placed my hand on the glass, spreading my fingers.
The leader continued to study my actions, curling his upper lip as his gaze shifted down to my breasts then back to look me directly in the eyes. Very slowly he lifted his arm, planting his palm on the other side of the glass.
The connection was surreal, electricity surging, the rush the most incredible series of sensations. Whatever scientific experiments had gone on, I knew in my heart that these poor creatures understood but there was more.
They would exact revenge.
“What have they done? What are humans capable of?” I knew the wretched answer. We were all doomed to face the same horrors as before.
Only this time, and if we lost, we would become extinct.
I knew what I had to do, no matter if I lost my life. I had to find someone I could trust and break open this story before it was too late.
For a brief second, I closed my eyes, able to see images from his mind but nothing that made any sense. There was such power in this man, a brutal level of anger.
Then I knew without question.
These creatures would consume everything, take what they wanted.
And they were very hungry.