Page 59 of Monster. Me.

He snorts.

"Interesting. You only responded to that one part of what I said. But I suppose if I asked whether you are that kind of creature, and whether your magic can’t simply be replicated because it’s an inherent part of your nature as a magical being, you wouldn’t answer that question either. Right?"

"I have nothing to add, Dr. Lee. I’ve told you the truth and nothing but the truth. I simply don’t know how to translate the language of magic into the language of science. I think that’s your field, not mine."

"The problem is that I’m a scientist, not a mage, and this situation may require exactly that."

The sarcasm in his voice is unmistakable. He heads for the door, but just before leaving, he pauses and glances back at me.

"If you told me the truth right now, perhaps I could influence Dr. Lomax and convince him to release you. You’d leave with no money, of course, and you’d probably still have to serve some time in prison, but at least you’d have peace of mind. The question is whether you really want to spend the next two and a half months here. I ask because some of the things Dr. Lomax has planned may not be to your liking."

Then he walks out of my room.

A shiver runs through me.

Should I tell Dr. Lee that he’s far smarter and more perceptive than he realizes?

Should I tell them, Gentlemen, this program is never going to work. You’re not going to figure it out.

But the contract is simply too good to walk away from. I’m getting two million dollars, and I won’t have to spend a single extra day in detention.

Breaking the agreement would mean going back to prison, possibly even facing my original sentence. Ten years. If a judge decided I had knowingly deceived Welrun while fully aware their research would lead nowhere, I’d be finished.

Am I too greedy?

Anxiety settles heavily in my chest, but part of me resists sabotaging these final weeks. I can only hope whatever Dr. Lee was referring to isn’t something I’ll end up regretting.

My gaze drifts back to the bed where Marlow had been only minutes earlier. I hurry into the bathroom, but it’s already empty. The vent cover lies on top of the toilet tank.

I never got to tell him everything I wanted to say.

A knot of fear tightens inside me at the thought that the coming weeks may be far less stable and peaceful than I’d hoped.

My eyes move to the small schedule displayed in the corner of the room on a wall panel.

Soon is my day off. I need to get out of here. My head is so full of worries, and unease that it feels as though an entire beehive has taken up residence inside my skull.

MARLOW

I head back to the room with caution, expecting to run into Rupert in the common area. Fortunately, he’s in the shower.

I use the opportunity to quickly shift back into my human form, use a strong anti-pheromonal deodorant, and put on my own clothes, the ones I’d stuffed beneath the bedspread earlier.

By the time he finishes showering, I’m already sitting calmly in front of the TV.

What should I do?

I could bring it up right now. I could start the conversation about what I saw in that little storage room behind the club. The question is, do I actually want to have that conversation yet?

Or do I want more time to figure out this thing between me and Drax?

Because I can’t deny it, something deep inside me wants to explore it. Part of me finds the whole thing strangely exciting.

Is this just the subtle effect of his pheromones? But they don’t seem to work on me. So what is it?

As I stare at the television, I see a happy couple sitting on the steps of a small white house, surrounded by beds of colorful flowers… and my mind immediately starts pushing back.

What happens if I strip away all the fantasy air surrounding this?