Burn For Me

CHAPTER TWO

Eve slipped silently down the corridor that led to Subject Thirteen’s holding room. The facility was dead quiet—nearly everyone had retired for the night and the place was on lockdown.

She’d pretended to retire, too. Gone inside the staff dorms and made a big show of shutting down for the night. Then at 2:00 A.M., she’d known it was time to make her move.

Staff dorms—all the research personnel were given rooms at the facility. Once you took the job, you didn’t leave.

And how creepy was that?

Wyatt had said the lodging requirement was to keep his research protected. That all personnel would be well compensated for the time they spent at Genesis. But …

But she’d found a hidden camera in her dorm. Since when was it okay to video employees in their private rooms?

She crept around the corner. Thirteen’s room was just a few feet away. No guard at the door. Perfect. She’d go in, not get too close—didn’t want to burn, after all—and get his side of the story.

Then she’d see about getting them both out of there before anyone else knew what was happening.

They’d shot him. Actually freaking shot the guy. Why? Just to watch him die?

Wyatt was a twisted jerk, and she was getting this story to the press as fast as she could.

Her fingers trembled as she hurriedly punched in Wyatt’s security code. She’d always been good at memorization. One of her little quirks.

The lock slid open with a soft hiss. Fingers trembling, Eve pushed open the heavy metal door. The interior of Thirteen’s room was pitch black. The place reminded her of a tomb—she hated tombs.

No sound from inside reached her, and her breathing seemed far too ragged in that thick silence. But Eve tiptoed inside and made sure to seal the door behind her.

“Ah … hello?” she whispered as she crept into the room. “Can you—”

Rough hands grabbed her—one locking tight around her waist, one circling her throat—as she was hauled back against a rock-hard body.

A body that wasn’t still chained to the back wall.

She grabbed at the hand around her throat, struggling to suck in the breath he’d taken from her. “P-please …”

“Candy.” His growl. In the next instant, he’d spun her around and shoved her against a wall. Her eyes fought to adjust to the darkness, and, finally, she saw the dark image of Thirteen appear before her. A big, thick shadow that seemed to surround her as his arms caged her to the wall.

Wait, he was still chained. Only the chains stretched much longer now. Long enough for the guy to be strolling around the room and grabbing good Samaritans who were only trying to help him.

And he still had his hand around her throat. But he wasn’t trying to strangle her anymore. His fingers seemed to almost be … caressing her.

“L-let me go.” Better he not touch her at all. When a guy could do a serious flame-on, those hands of his needed to stay away from her person.

But he didn’t let her go. Crap. Eve held herself perfectly still and said, “Please. I’m here to help you.”

“If you’re one of them …” His voice was a grating whisper, such a threat in the dark, “then you’re just here for the latest game of torture.”

Eve shook her head. Wait. He could see that, couldn’t he? He’d seen through the two-way mirror. Surely he could see in the darkness.

“I … tried to stop them.” She had. Like it had done much good. But her words sounded weak. Should have tried harder.

He grunted. Okay, she could understand him not being grateful, particularly since he’d gotten shot in the heart and her help had done zero good.

“What are you?” The question slipped out. She couldn’t help it. Curiosity had always been a weakness for her—and one of the reasons she was a reporter.

Thirteen let his hand fall away. The chain slipped over his skin and rattled softly. “I’m someone you don’t want to piss off.”

Check. She got that. She’d actually gotten that part the minute the guy had burst into flames. “You said … you said you weren’t here willingly.”

He took a step back, distancing his body from hers. “Do they know you’re in here with me?”

“No.” Though she wasn’t sure how much longer that would last, so they needed to cut through some of the chitchat. “By the time they do, we’ll both be gone.”

He laughed then, a rough bark of sound.

Being alone with him in the dark was too intimate. Her senses were hyperaware of every move that he made. Every time the chain rattled, her body tensed.

“Just where do you think we’re going?” Thirteen wanted to know. “In case you didn’t notice, they’ve got me on a fucking leash.”

A leash that they obviously lengthened when they weren’t getting ready to shoot him. Interesting. She figured the chain must be able to lengthen or shorten from its feed in the wall. Eve exhaled slowly and tried to calm her heartbeat. No dice. “Wyatt is planning to … to drown you tomorrow.” Just saying the words had her stomach clenching.

He grunted. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Uh, okay. “How about I’m damn good at picking locks?” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her penlight. She flashed it on, and the light hit his chest. A bare chest. Rippling with muscles. Whoever—whatever—Thirteen was, the guy was seriously built.

She lowered the light to the chain that connected to his right wrist. “I can get you out of those.”

Silence.

“Don’t you want to get out?” Eve pressed because it wasn’t exactly the reaction she’d been expecting. “Or am I wrong? You said you didn’t volunteer—”

“I was sold into the program.”

That gave her pause. “Sold? What do you—”

“A soon-to-be-dead shifter named Jimmy Vance is making deals with Wyatt. Setting up paranormals for the bastard to collect and cashing in when we get caged.”

Her heart raced faster. “You’re saying there are others who aren’t here voluntarily, too?” That was what she’d suspected—why she’d risked so much to get inside Genesis.

“I’m saying the real experiments, the ones that Wyatt won’t let the world see … they’re all performed on those of us who are being kept prisoners.” He yanked on the chains and the metal groaned. “Tell me, do I really look like I’m here fucking voluntarily?”

“You’re so strong …” She wasn’t just talking about the he-man muscles. That fire-light show had been impressive. “Why can’t you just break out?”

“Fireproof.” He growled the words. “The walls are reinforced with steel and titanium and some damn other mix he created, and Wyatt made sure my own private hell could withstand any heat I sent at it.”

From what she’d seen, he could send plenty of heat.

She inched toward him and eased her lock-picking set from her pocket. Eve knew how to be prepared—though she’d never been a Girl Scout. More of a juvenile delinquent. “I want your promise that you won’t hurt me.” This was a risk, she knew that. Trusting him could be insanity.

But I’m not going to let Wyatt drown the guy. No way. They were getting out now, long before Wyatt had a chance to hurt this man again.

Thirteen’s hand reached for her. She almost flinched away. Almost.

But Eve had learned it was best to face the monsters in the dark with a brave face. She wasn’t new to the monster world. Sure, most folks had been shocked ten years ago when the first vamps appeared, but she hadn’t been surprised. She’d known about monsters since before she could even walk.

His fingers weren’t rough against her skin. Eve had expected them to be. The gentleness made her feel… strange. He touched her cheek. Her lips. “Would you trust what I say?” he asked, voice quiet.

Did she have much choice? “Tell me your name,” she breathed the words against his hand.

Her light cast darker shadows on his face. “Cain.” He touched her lips again, then pulled his hand back. “Cain O’Connor.”

I’m hungry. Why, oh, why, did she have to remember those particular words right then?

Her heart double-timed inside her chest. “Cain, I think we have to trust each other here.” She dropped to her knees beside him and shined the light on the links of metal that circled his wrists. There was a locking mechanism there. Her fingers brushed over the soft fabric of his jogging pants. Well, at least the guy wasn’t naked anymore.

But he’d sure stiffened at her touch.

“It will only take a few moments,” Eve told him as she began to position her tools. “It will—”

“We don’t have a few moments.”

That was the only warning she got. In the next instant, the lights flooded on in Cain’s room. He grabbed her, yanked her to her feet, and put her body right in front of his as they faced the two-way mirror.

“Dr. Bradley …” Wyatt’s drawling voice floated to them. “I don’t remember giving you permission to visit Subject Thirteen tonight.”

Shit, shit, shit.

And, um, why was Cain’s hand around her throat again? “I-I was worried about him.” True. “After what happened …” She let the words trail off and tried to look suitably pitiful and lost. Not overly hard at that exact moment. “I just wanted to … check on him.”

She’d already shoved her lock pick back into her pocket. Her penlight had fallen to the floor.

And Cain was still caging her against him.

“Unlock the chains!” Cain called out. His voice was a lethal snarl. “Or I’ll kill her.”

Wow. Wait, that hadn’t been part of the deal. Eve yanked against him. He didn’t budge. But his left hand skimmed lightly down her side. Like he was trying to soothe her.

Since he’d just threatened to kill her, Eve didn’t feel particularly soothed.

“Unlock the chains!” Cain demanded. “Or watch her die.”

When there was no response, his next words cut like a knife. “I can guarantee you, Wyatt, she won’t come back.”

No, she wouldn’t.

“She can be replaced,” was Wyatt’s calm-as-you please response. “You can’t.”

Eve kicked back, knocking right into Cain’s shins. The guy didn’t so much as grunt.

“Unlock the chains.” Cain’s fingers tightened around her throat.

So much for trust. So much for it being them against Wyatt. So much for—

A faint hiss began to fill the room.

“Fuck,” Cain growled.

She looked up, trying to track that hiss. There were small vents near the top of the ceiling. Was—was air coming in? No, not air, gas.

“You remember our second experiment, don’t you?” Wyatt’s voice asked. So mellow. So … emotionless as his words drifted over the intercom. “I wanted to see if you could revive from poisonous gas.”

Eve began to choke. She shoved her fingers into her pocket, pulled them back out, and began to claw at the hand around her throat—and that tight lock that surrounded Cain’s wrist.

“The longer you hold her, the more you ensure she dies,” Wyatt promised. “Because you’re the one who’s making her inhale the poison.”

Cain spun her around. She kept clawing at the chain. Only … she wasn’t really clawing. She was doing her damnedest to pick the lock without Wyatt realizing what she was up to.

Unfortunately, she was starting to lose control of her fingers. They were fumbling, the coordination slipping from her as the poison filled her lungs. She was trying not to breathe, but …

Her knees began to buckle.

Cain caught her. Lifted her into his arms.

“Do you want her to die?” Wyatt asked.

Cain stared down at her. Such a hard face. She’d wanted to help him. Needed to.

There were more than enough sins on her soul. One good deed. One person saved. It wouldn’t have tipped the scales, but it would have counted for something.

Cain kissed her.

It was the last thing Eve expected, but his lips, warm, firm, came down on hers, and—he blew lightly into her mouth. Just a small breath of air, but it seemed to push back the growing cobwebs in her mind.

Her fingers started to work faster on that lock.

He kept kissing her. Lightly moving his mouth against hers. Sharing his breath with her.

She felt the give in the lock. One wrist would be free. One …

The hissing grew louder.

More gas.

Cain lifted his head. “I knew that I’d like the way you taste.”

She was only upright because of his grip on her body.

His eyes narrowed. “I’ll want more.”

His fingers caught hers. It looked like he was holding her. But … he was taking the lock pick from her.

Then he lifted her up against his chest. One arm looped under her knees. One slipped under her head.

“Don’t die on me.” His order. So soft she might have imagined it. He got as close as he could to the door. The chain stretched behind him, stopping him from taking any more steps. “Get her out!”

The door didn’t open.

“Get. Her. Out!”

Her lungs were burning, her whole body aching.

“Now I think we understand each other better …” Wyatt said, and even with her thoughts getting hazy, there was no missing the guy’s smug satisfaction.

The door slid open. Hands reached for Eve. Yanked her out. She glanced back and managed to lock her eyes on Cain.

She saw the rage on his face. The wild fury.

Then the door closed.

Eve tried to suck in air as quickly and deeply as she could. Her mind seemed foggy, her movements too slow, but she had to say … “T-turn off … gas …” They’d left it running. There was no need now, no …

Wyatt crouched before her. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.” The faint smirk on his lips belied the false sorrow. “Once the system activates, there’s no way to stop the gas.”

No way—she grabbed him and smashed his perfect white shirt in her fists. “Help … him …” She choked a bit as she fought to drag in clear oxygen.

Two guards pulled her off him.

Wyatt straightened his shirt. “Don’t worry. We already know the gas only kills Thirteen for a little while.”

She jerked against the guards. Her mind was clearing, her body growing strong again, but the hands holding her just tightened. They led her back to the observation area. Back to that damn two-way mirror.

More gas pumped in. More. Cain stood in the middle of the room, shoulders back, and his eyes—his eyes were focused only on her.

I’m sorry. This time, she was the one to silently offer the words. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged.

A muscle jerked in his jaw.

“He’s withstanding the gas for a longer period of time. He should have been on his knees by this point.” Wyatt sounded so damn clinical.

“You’re a … sick asshole …” she managed. Her body wasn’t back to normal, not yet, and talking required some serious effort.

He smiled. “And you’re not who you claim to be, Dr. Bradley.”

Screw him. Like she had to explain herself to him.

“But I knew you weren’t the real deal from the first moment you stepped into the facility.”

How had he known that? Her cover should have been perfect. She’d sweat blood making that cover.

Eve pulled her gaze off Cain and glared at the doctor. “Then why … let me stay? Why show … me—”

“Subject Thirteen?”

“His name’s … Cain!” Not just a number, dammit.

“Because I knew once you came to Genesis, you wouldn’t be leaving.” He inclined his head toward the guards. “And I’d hoped to be able to use you.”

Use her?

“It looks like you’ll be more beneficial than I ever hoped.”

The guards began to pull her away from the observation mirror.

She dug in her heels, fighting. Cain—he was dropping to his knees. His head sagging.

“I’m surprised he didn’t kill you.” The psychotic doc appeared puzzled. “Especially so soon after a change.”

Cain’s body hit the floor.

No.

She didn’t realize she’d screamed until Wyatt heaved out a sigh. “Don’t be so dramatic. I told you … the gas won’t kill him for long.”

But it had killed him.

The guards dragged her away and her scream seemed to bounce off the walls of her new hell.

The fire consumed his flesh, burning him from the inside out. Cain sucked in a breath and tasted the ash on his tongue. The changes were coming faster now, harder, hotter, and with each change …

He felt the darkness inside him growing.

Kill. Destroy.

The whispers were there—coming from the beast he’d tried hard to keep locked away for so many years.

Death brought the darkness closer. Made him lose more of the man he’d once been.

Turned him into the beast that destiny had designed him to become.

He put his hands on the floor. Pushed up. Saw the fire slide across the hard stone of his room, then die away.

Rising, he sucked in more breaths. He didn’t want the taste of ash on his tongue, he wanted her. Eve.

The beast snarled, and the flames flared higher. He stared through the window. They were watching. Always watching.

They didn’t realize what they’d unleashed. Their fucking games. Each death only made him stronger. More dangerous.

As the man faded and the beast quickened within him … more fucking dangerous.

The echo of the woman’s screams pierced his ears. She’d tried to help him.

Why?

“The woman is secure.” That damn voice. Driving him insane. “Don’t worry,” the voice continued, “we’ll take good care of her.”

The flames began to die away. He had to swallow back the fire, again and again, before he could manage speech. “I don’t give a shit what you do to her.”

Soft laughter. “Yes, you do.”

He didn’t move. He knew his eyes would still be burning with fire, and he wanted one of those assholes to come inside. To just come close enough to touch …

“You still remember her.” The voice—Wyatt—sounded pleased. “You remember who you are … after our fifth experiment, you couldn’t remember anything, not for days.”

Because the beast had taken over. Too much darkness. Wyatt and his army of lab coats didn’t get it. They weren’t just playing with fire when it came to him. They were playing with hell.

When the beast broke free—can’t hold him back much longer—there would be no stopping him. He’d destroy everyone and everything around him.

Even her.

Sometimes, the risings were harder than others. Sometimes, he lost hold of what little humanity he had because he wanted that darkness and fire. He wanted to kill and destroy.

This time … this time, it had been different. He’d held on… .

Why?

For … her?

Cain shook his head, lost, body aching, beast clawing him from the inside. “Wyatt, this is your last chance …” Because he was done holding back. His control wasn’t strong enough to last through another death. He couldn’t do it. There just wasn’t enough power left within him. Can’t hold back the beast. “Let me go or watch everyone here burn.”

The doctor stepped back from the mirror. Because he was afraid. Hiding behind his experiments, acting like he didn’t get off on causing pain to others.

Eve. Her name whispered through Cain’s mind.

Wyatt’s chin lifted. “You burn us, then you burn her.”

Arrogant dick. “I don’t care about her.” Cain had just met her. Why should he—

“Then you would have let her die in the gas. You would have snapped her neck.” Satisfaction all but purred in Wyatt’s voice. “But you let her live.”

Mistake. The doctor always watched him too closely. He should have known … Eve was just another experiment.

“Yeah, well,” Cain turned away from that two-way mirror. “Maybe I just wanted a fuck and she was the first good-looking woman I’d seen since you threw my ass in here.” How long ago? He couldn’t even remember.

If he’d been imprisoned by normal steel, he would have escaped easily.

There was nothing normal about his imprisonment. The chains that bound him were made of some experimental metal that even his enhanced strength couldn’t break. But Eve had loosened one lock for him.

He glanced down. The fire had incinerated the pick set.

But one lock was open …

He could work with that.

Cain smiled and knew that the doctor didn’t see his grin. Good … better for Wyatt to be surprised when hell came for him.

Would the prick still be smiling when the flames began to eat his flesh?

It was twelve hours before Cain’s cell door opened again. A few moments before the door opened, the length of his chains had retracted, the way they usually did right before a guard came inside.

They pulled back the leash so he wouldn’t attack.

He expected a guard to come in first. Maybe Wyatt.

But Eve entered the room.

She was pale, paler than before, and still wearing the tight jeans and loose top she’d had on during the night. Her gaze swept over him, lingering a moment on the locks near his wrists.

Wyatt gave her a push, and she stepped fully into the room. “I’ve brought a present,” he announced.

Eve’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not a damn present.”

Wyatt just laughed. Why didn’t his superiors see that the guy was a nut job? Or did they just not care? As long as he got the job done, maybe it didn’t matter how ass-crazy he was.

Wyatt was doing one killer job of breaking the supernaturals. Of experimenting on them, slicing them up. Finding out just what made them tick.

So he could try to splice their genetics and make a whole new breed of monsters. Unstoppable soldiers who truly fed on fear and blood. Cain had been held captive long enough to figure out exactly what was going on in that place. And it wasn’t like Wyatt had tried to keep things secret from him. Hell, at first, he’d even thought that Cain should appreciate the damn genius of his plans.

Genius?

Insanity.

Wyatt’s laughter faded as his gaze swept back to Eve. “What you are, Ms. Bradley, is a reporter, which is something altogether … annoying.”

A reporter? Hell. Cain kept his expression blank as he waited to see what game the doc would play next.

But Eve straightened her shoulders. “Damn straight I’m a reporter, and that means I can’t just vanish. People know I’m here. They’ll be looking for me.”

“There might not be anything left for them to find,” Wyatt told her, shrugging, and not appearing the slightest bit concerned. “Wouldn’t that be a crying shame?”

“Fuck off,” Eve snapped.

That was when Cain noticed the gun. The guard—Barnes again, that jerk just loved being Wyatt’s lackey—had his weapon trained right on Eve.

Wyatt laughed. “Actually, my dear, that’s why you’re here.”

Eve blinked.

“I think Subject Thirteen—”

“Cain,” Eve spat the name at him. She was a feisty one. Cain rather liked that. “The guy has a name. It’s Cain. Try using it.”

Wyatt waved his hand. “I think Subject Thirteen wants to fuck you.”

Her jaw dropped.

Cain didn’t move. I do. But he had his control. He had—

“Anger rouses his fire.” Wyatt was walking around the room. Studying Cain with his head tilted to the side and his fingers drumming against his chin. “So I’m curious to see if passion will do the same.”

Come closer, bastard. Just a little closer …

One touch, and this could all be over.

Wyatt pointed at Cain. “I’m figuring you out.”

Doubtful.

“I think I even know what you are.”

Was he supposed to be worried?

“All that power …” Wyatt shook his head and his hand fell to his side. “We’re going to change the world.”

Screw that. “When I break out of here, I’m killing you.” A promise.

Eve tried to edge back toward the door. The guard stopped her.

“You’re not leaving us, Ms. Bradley. You’re the one who begged me to postpone the drowning experiment for the day.” Wyatt straightened his lab coat. Like the thing hadn’t already been straight. The guy and his control—he was always so perfectly controlled. “Because I’m feeling charitable, I’ll defer to your wishes this time.”

Lying jerk. This was all part of his plan, one of his sick games.

Wyatt continued, “Since I can’t enjoy that particular experiment, I’ll just have to substitute it for another.”

“I’m human,” she gritted out. “I’m not part of any experiment that you—”

“Today, you are the experiment.”

Cain would enjoy frying him.

Wyatt sent him an assessing stare. “I told you, I really did come offering a present today.” He paused. “You wanted her. She’s yours … for the next hour.”

“What?” Eve’s shriek. “Uh, yeah, I’m not some kind of—”

“Stay with him … or you can spend the next hour in the cell with the vampire I haven’t fed for six weeks.”

Cain saw her flinch.

A starving vampire? Her delicate neck? Hell, no.

Eve cleared her throat. “I think—I think I’ll just be choosing option A, if you don’t mind. Vamps and me—we don’t exactly get along.”

She shouldn’t have told that to the doctor. Wyatt would just use that information against her later on. He loved to know what his experiments feared and what they craved.

The doctor turned and began to brush by Eve.

She stumbled into him, hard enough that they both nearly fell to the ground. “Don’t,” Eve said, voice high. “Don’t leave me with him. You know what he can do. He’ll burn me!”

Cain didn’t move.

The guard and Wyatt pried her hands loose. When she tried to hold on, Barnes shoved the butt of his gun into her side.

Cain snarled.

Barnes froze, then turned his head very slowly and looked at Cain.

You’re dead.

Eve was on the floor. Not begging anymore. Not moving.

Wyatt smiled. “Have fun.” Then he left. Barnes followed him and pulled the door shut. Cain heard the click of the lock sliding into place as the cell was secured. Eve remained crouched on the floor, one arm curled protectively over her body.

Her scent began to fill the air. The woman truly did smell like candy … and he’d so enjoyed the treat. He could still feel her mouth on his.

He could also feel the other eyes on them. Wyatt. Watching. Enjoying another insane experiment.

“I-I have a boyfriend.” Eve sounded scared. Probably because she had to be fucking terrified. “So, um, whatever you think is going to happen here”—she glanced back at the two-way mirror—“it’s not. My cop boyfriend is going to hunt me down and kick your asses!”

Ah, now she wasn’t sounding afraid. The bite in her words almost made him want to smile.

“Be more accommodating …” Wyatt’s voice ordered as the intercom crackled on. “Or you’ll be feeding the vampire.”

She rose to her feet. Her arm still curved over her body. “Whoring me out … nice touch, Doctor Wyatt. Classy.”

Cain didn’t move. Just watched her. Waited. Wyatt had read him well. He did want her, but he had to be careful.

He didn’t want to hurt her.

But she was coming closer to him. Bringing her sweet scent and staring at him with—with no fear in her eyes. Her back was to the mirror now, and a faint smile curved her lips.

This woman didn’t look scared. Didn’t look angry. She looked damned pleased with herself.

“But I guess …” she said, voice carrying, “if there’s no choice …”

Her arms wrapped around him. Slightly cool, her touch nonetheless blazed right through him. “If there’s no choice,” she said again, voice softer for just him, “then I guess we have to do whatever’s necessary to survive.”

She pressed her lips to his.