There were notes of different types and gages of needles. They tried needles made of every type of metal you can think of to pierce her skin to get some blood. They wrote that most of these attempts ended with the metal snapping, but sometimes it ended with bent needles. The log of attempts was endless.
I put the file off to the side to study what the others contain. Grabbing the next file, I accidentally press the space bar on the keyboard lying underneath the folder I was picking up. With a ding, the computer screens wake up. I guess with all the doors I needed a keycard to enter this deep into the bunker, they felt a password wasn’t needed.Good news for me, bad news for them. I think with a chuckle to myself. Not that it would have mattered. I could’ve hacked it even if there was a password. Relieved I don’t have to waste precious time hacking, I happily read over the filenames on the desktop.
I click on a file labeled “Testing Notes” and once it’s open, I double-click the first file listed. A video pops up on the screen and automatically starts playing, showing an elderly gentleman in a doctor’s coat on the screen. One of my hobbies is knowing anything and everything about movies, including the history of filming. It appears this video was recorded a long time ago. The quality is pretty low, and it’s in black and white. There’s black specs popping up now and again like it was transferred to digital from a 35mm filmstrip. I’d estimate it was filmed at least ninety years ago.
I watch the screen while still keeping an ear focused on my surroundings. My leg bounces up and down with pent-up energy. I want to find out what’s on this computer, but I also want to continue exploring the bunker. The doctor introduces himself and states the current date, I’m not surprised the year was nineteen-thirty.I was so right with my estimation.He proceeds to give a list of talking points, starting with the discovery of their test subject, then moving on to the various experiments attempted since they found the subject, up until they filmed his accounting of records. The video often cuts out to static, showing its age and poor quality.
He starts talking about how they acquired the subject, and my mind only hears blah blah blah. I fast forward the video in hopes it gets more interesting. I hit play after a few seconds, and the doctor’s monotone voice continues. “The initiative the scientific team had been focused on since Test Subject One was found was directed toward awakening the subject. There had been no forward progress made to accomplish this, so the team was at a standstill for an extended period while an agreement could be reached on a new testing direction.”
I fast forward one more time. “...tunately we have had long periods of time where we weren’t able to do any testing due to lack of knowledge or waiting for the development of advanced technology. Although it’s still the case to this day, we hope to find something that will work someday soon.”
I glance down at the time stamp and am shocked to find the video is several hours long.Ain’t nobody got time for this.Clicking the video closed, I’m brought back to the main file folder. I read the labels of the videos as I scroll through them. Some of the titles that catch my eye are named Oxygen Deprivation, Incinerator, Lasers, Chainsaw, Bullets, and Gas Mask. Some of these titles are file folders with a subset of identifiers. I click on one of them, and it has more videos breaking down the assortment of metals they melted down into bullets to test on the subject.
I scroll through trying to find the end and discover hundreds and hundreds of videos. I guess it would make sense, seeing as the first one was around a hundred years ago. Finally, I make it to the bottom of the list and click on the most recent one. I also take note of a file titled “Future Ideas.” Man, if those were all the ideas they’ve already tried, I hate to think of what the future plans entail.
The man who I saw climbing out of the hatch is sitting on a stool with a medical lab displayed in the background. “This is Dr. Wilks, reporting on the pre-testing procedures we plan to do on Test Subject One later this evening. Recently we have begun to make minute advances in our testing results. The subject received a minor burn to the skin that took several days to heal. We have also been able to insert a needle a few millimeters. We were unable to obtain any blood from the surface of the puncture, however, we are confident these instances show discoveries are imminent. Over here, you can see the test subject remains in a constant state of suspended animation.” At this point, he gets off the stool and walks over to the camera and turns it. The camera swings around and settles on a young woman lying on a medical bed with crisp white sheets pulled up to her neck. I momentarily pause the video to make sure I take everything in.
Once I lay my eyes on her face, my breath catches in my throat, and my heart starts pounding in my chest. The tug in my chest pulls harder in the direction of the door behind me. I try to ignore it so I can study her a little longer. She appears to be sleeping, her eyes closed and a peaceful expression on her face. Her platinum blonde hair is splayed out around her, flowing over the sides of the pillow. Her lips look soft and have a rosy color to them, and her eyelashes are resting on her cheekbones. She’s dreadfully pale, which makes sense if she’s been down here for Fates only knows how long.
The words in the video suddenly snap into place in my mind. Holy shit, this woman is the test subject they’ve already done a shit ton of fucked-up stuff to, and she appears unbelievably perfect. There’s no way she could have survived all of those video titles I saw. I can’t let her stay and be subjected to the monstrous bullshit happening here. My heart is beating a mile a minute, and my palms are sweaty as desperation to save this woman overwhelms me.
No longer ignoring the pull in my chest, I jump up from my seat and run for the door that’s several feet behind me. I frantically try to grasp the keycard I shoved in my back pocket and drop the stupid thing once it’s free. Letting out a frustrated groan, I bend to pick it up and finally bring it up to the reader. I swipe the card and the door opens in front of me.
I run into the room and desperately glance around to find the medical bed holding the woman I need to save. I now know with every fiber of my being that’s why I've been led here. To the left is a counter with several machines; I have absolutely no idea what they are used for. There are several computer stations set up between them. To my right is more of the same. In the middle of the room is an island with beakers and test tubes of all different sizes arranged in some order that makes sense to the scientists who work in this lab. Underneath the countertops spanning both sides of the room, not to mention the center, are cabinets. Against the back wall are cooling units used to store blood samples, chemicals, and testing materials that require a lower storage temperature from what I observe through the glass doors. But I don’t see the damn bed!
The pulling sensation in my chest suddenly intensifies, and I focus my attention on it. Its nudging is directing me to the rear of the room, though more to the right than straight back. Focusing on the tug, I realize there's still another room beyond this one. The knowledge calms the panic washing over me at not finding the bed. Facing the direction where I’m being led, I see a door obstructed from view by one of the refrigeration units.
I run to the door in the back of the room and use the keycard still in my hand, already pushing on the door before the locks are even released. I put so much force into opening the door, it bangs against the wall, which is quite the feat seeing as it’s heavy solid metal.
Right in front of me and slightly to the left is the medical bed jutting out from the wall. I vaguely make note of a camera standing on a tripod and the stool the doctor had been sitting on at the beginning of the video. Truth be told, nothing could’ve pulled my attention away from the beauty laying in front of me.
Now that I’m closer, I catch sight of some cords running from under the white blanket covering her. The wires lead to a heart rate monitor and a few other machines all gathered around the head of her bed. I gently nudge her side with my hand on top of the blanket to wake her.
“Hey there, beautiful. I need you to wake up so we can get out of here,” I whisper, a bit of pleading in my voice. I’m not sure why I’m whispering this deep in the compound when there have been no signs of anyone else being here. She doesn’t even twitch an eye at my words. Groaning because I seriously don’t want to be a creeper and just pull off her blanket, I shake her. I hear the rustling sound of movement that must be from me jostling her, although... the way the blanket is laying on top of her doesn’t exactly hold the same shape as before. I swear her feet seem like they grew. She still doesn’t show any signs of movement. That's when I remember the video and all the tests they performed trying to wake her up.
I know with my entire soul she’s mine, and I literally can’t fathom the idea of leaving her here. Just thinking about it instantly makes me nauseous, and my heart clenches in pain. With no other option, I pull down the blanket so I can see where these cords lead and gently start removing them from her body. I begin with the cords connected to circular discs visibly showing on her chest through her low cut top, then move on to the ones attached to her temples. There’s a sensor clipped to her index finger on her left hand that I gently pull off.
As soon as the sensor loses contact, the heart rate monitor goes crazy and lets out a nerve fraying wailing sound. However, I ignore it in favor of freeing my golden beauty. I only see one more cord with one of the circular discs stuck behind her neck. I reach behind her head to lift it up and peel off the sensor. Once I've removed it, I lay her head back down gently on the pillow. “What have they been doing to you, my Sleeping Snow?” I whisper while gazing at her face. Until now, I’ve held back from making any kind of skin-to-skin contact, yet I can’t help but run my finger lightly across her cheek.
The moment my finger touches her, I hear Marcus’ voice in my mind,“Seriously… what is this shady guy doing? Who hauls assintothe woods at the sound of an alarm?”I gasp and jerk my hand back from her face in shock, like I was pricked by a thorn.What the hell just happened?I’ve never heard one of the guys in my head like that, but I’m confident I know why Dr. Wilks started hauling ass back here.
Without a moment to lose, I rip the blanket from her body and sweep her up off the bed. Her head settles in the crook of my neck, and my arms hold her close to my body; one wrapped around her back and the other under her knees. With my firm hold, I race back toward the entrance so we can make our escape.
Chapter 7
Cecily
Five Hundred Years Ago
Usually when I travel anywhere, it takes forever. There is a procession full of guards, household staff, and advisors traveling with us. We also stop by every shifter village we pass, even if we have to travel a bit out of our way. It’s exhausting.
I had every expectation this trip was going to progress along the same lines as my other trips. I mentally prepared myself to be paraded around every pack village we passed, announcing the North Alpha’s heir is the mate to the crown heir. Two noble houses being united by the Fates and all. But much to my surprise, it only took us a few days to travel to my mate’s residence in the north. Lord Silas didn’t even try to hide the fact he was taking the most direct route to arrive at our destination, only detouring when it would result in us bypassing a pack. I’m not sure what motivates his actions, but I have an inkling it’s nothing good.
Our people have always been ruled by an Alpha Queen, and to say Lord Silas has looked down on me, the crown heir, and presumed I would be a spoiled brat of a princess would be an understatement. His blatant disregard for females is clear. He seems like the type of male who believes women are only good for warming his bed, and should be seen not heard. At least, that's how he's been treating me. He underestimates my intelligence by thinking I wouldn’t realize the consent insults he keeps throwing my way.
To keep from acting short with Silas and his actions, I remind myself that I'll be rid of him as soon as we arrive at the North Alpha’s castle, as that is my mate’s familial residence. He should still be there training for when he takes his place as Alpha, as all Royal Heirs do to prepare for the transition since birth. Surprisingly, I’m wrong as we are presently arriving at Lord Silas' residence.
My guards, Baxter and Frances, are traveling behind me a short distance, allowing me space to be with my thoughts. They know me well enough to avoid my moods when I’m anxious about something. Unable to continue giving me space, they join me on either side, returning to their human forms.
