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Yet both Zoe and I had unheard of abilities. Suddenly, the assumption they were inherited felt silly.

But the idea Dad had used his own family as lab rats…it was like losing the Dad I loved and trusted all over again, and I couldn’t handle it.

“Where is he?” she demanded, grabbing my braid and yanking me away from the puddle of vomit. “Do you think you matter? If I find him, I can make a thousand more of you. An army of them. But if you cooperate, you can be part of a greater future.”

I didn’t care that I was crying. I would never tell her where he was. Even if he deserved it. He’d told me about the vampire mafia connection, but how was he mixed up with MorningStar?

“Who are you?” I asked, looking her in the eyes. It felt good for the anger swirling inside of me to have a focus.

“My name is Major Marcia Honeywell. That’s a name you’ll soon learn to fear. I’m sure you already know who I work for, since you came for Tabby here. The truth is”—she leaned into my face and smiled—“there was no new psychic. Too bad you couldn’t figure that out, seeing as we supplied no details about them. It seems SHADE planted a mole in our project, you see, and we needed to weed them out. You showing up through the portal? That was just a bonus, Sweetcheeks.”

I launched myself at her, but the vampire wrenched my hands behind my back in a flash, not careful about his strength. The pain in my wrist blinded me as he crushed it in his grip, and I fell to my knees with a cry.

“Inject her with GodKiller,” the major ordered, stepping back. “Then feed her to the vamp to kill him. We can turn her later tonight. I have a feeling she’ll be a bit more pliable than our friend.”

GodKiller? No. That was the street name for the drug I’d accidentally created when trying to find a cure. It reverted vampires to their human state, which ended up killing them since they no longer had the virus to keep them undead. But I thought we’d eliminated all of it when we found Mordock’s stash after taking him and his cartel down. How… If they knew about and were after my father’s research, then the MorningStar program was connected to the vampire mafia.

All of this became blindingly clear as the shifter approached, knelt before me, and plunged a syringe into my shoulder. It stung going in but wouldn’t hurt me. It would kill the vampire who was about to kill me, then I’d be turned into one, too, and probably killed again the same way.

The vamp behind me dragged me to my feet, and they marched me out of the cell and down the glowing green hall to another door the shifter opened. I was tossed inside with so much force I faceplanted on the stone and had to scramble to my feet as the heavy iron swung closed.

“Lunch,” the shifter laughed as their footsteps retreated down the hall.

I crouched on the floor, cradling my wrist and searching the dark corners of the cell for what I knew was in here with me. He was seated, back against the far wall, his face sallow, sunken crimson eyes, and torn clothing that were little more than rags hanging askew on his perfect body.

It was a body I’d recognize anywhere. Seeing him so ruined—so damaged, every fiber of animosity I’d planned to unleash on him melted into shock.

“Julian, what have they done to you?” I sobbed, crawling one-handed toward him.

It was only when the dark veins in his neck protruded and his fangs elongated that I realized I didn’t look like Charlotte to him. I was a stranger.

I was…lunch.

Chapter Eleven

Double Agent

I froze like a rabbit in a coyote’s sights. My abilities were suppressed by the drug they’d stuck me with. There was no way I could fight off his strength and speed, even starved as he was. Nor could I bear to hurt him if I were able.

Seconds passed. My heart pounded far too loudly. Yet he remained still, staring at me. I couldn’t stay on my knees with a broken wrist forever. I’d have to do something and soon.

“No,” he whispered, the fangs he couldn’t hold back made it sound like he had a mouthful of pebbles.

Did…did he recognize me? I licked my lips. “Julian?”

Then he moved. Lightning fast, I was in his lap as he nuzzled my neck, holding my head to the side with a bit too much force. His tongue darted out and ran over my skin.

“Julian, no!” I yelled, beating against his chest. If he drank from me, he’d die.

He pulled back with a hiss, banging his head back into the stone behind him so hard the surface cracked. I flinched.

“Charlotte.” My name was pure pain from his lips. “You can’t be here.”

Taking his face in my good hand, I tilted it toward me gently, but he kept his eyes squinted closed. I stroked the dark veins crawling up his face with my thumb as my tears fell.

“Well, I am,” I said, and we both let out strained laughter. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop making decisions for me and trying to protect me?”

“If they leave you here, I won’t be able to stop myself. You’re already bleeding,” he said, taking my face in hand and blinking open sea-blue eyes rimmed in red. The dark lines began to fade, and his fangs shrunk to a smaller, more manageable size.