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Kim seemed to hold her breath, understanding dawning. “We need to find Dr. Robbins.”
Ellen nodded. Not that Kim would be searching alone. Her wolf didn’t approve, reminding her of how in tune Cyrus was with her. He would scent her. She shuddered, the image of his lips stained with her blood flashing through her brain.
Kim glanced. “It’s one thirty. Something’s wrong?”
“Yes,” Ellen said, her stomach churning. Her wolf whimpered, frustrated and anxious. She couldn’t lose Hollis. She couldn’t lose this baby. She couldn’t be distracted, worrying over Kim and her safety. “You should stay here,” she said to Kim.
“No,” Kim argued. “What if you need help?”
If the woman hadn’t been so serious Ellen would have laughed. But Kim was truly concerned for her well-being. The woman was hardly five feet tall and so thin Ellen could pick her up with one hand. A wolf could snap her in two with one swipe of the paw.
“It’s not a good idea,” Ellen assured her.
“Neither is charging into an unknown situation.” Kim straightened. “Wait! Dr. Robbins has access to the security camera feeds in his office,” Kim said, already brushing past Ellen and into the hallway. “We should check that before you do anything.”
“Fine,” Ellen agreed. It was smart. She’d no idea of the building’s overall layout. Wandering into Cyrus or an Other, without knowing a way out, would end things before they got started. Still, her anxiety only increased as Kim led her down the hallway and into Hollis’s office. A quick glance around the cavernous gray, chrome, and modern space gave no insight into her mate or the man she so loved. It was sterile as the lab—all modern design and sharp edges. Cold, cool, and impersonal without a single photo or evidence of Hollis’s existence. And his absence was overwhelming.
Where are you? It hurt to breathe then, her mind instantly dragging up all the horrors the Others were capable of. But the Others weren’t here. Cyrus wasn’t here.
Kim clicked away on the computer keyboard, glancing at the wall of monitors opposite them. “He still hasn’t updated the password for the new software they installed last week.” She sighed, shaking her head.
Ellen smiled. “How long have you worked for him.”
“Almost eight years,” Kim said, hitting two more keys and sitting back.
The monitors came to life, the sudden burst of light and color sending her wolf into a tail spin. No sign of Hollis. Nothing. No movement. Empty halls.
“The custodial crew should be here,” Kim said, clicking through a series of rooms. All empty.
“The front desk?” Ellen asked, hovering over Kim’s shoulder. “There’s a security guard stationed at all times?”
“Two,” Kim agreed. “They take turns patrolling.” With the stroke of a few keys, the desk appeared. “There’s no one at the desk.”
Ellen stood. “You have to have a key card to access this floor?” She glanced at the glass door, her skin twitching.
“Yes. Three floors require a key card and access code to be entered. The basement, where Dr. Robbins went, houses all our weapons research. Then the top two floors.”
“What are the doors made of?” she asked.
“The doors?” Kim frowned. “Why does it matter—”
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p; “Because we’re strong, Kim. Strong enough to go through sheet rock walls and metal doors.” She pressed the key Kim had used, scrolling through the rooms again. “But I know Hollis. And I’m counting on him to have taken all the over-the-top precautions that would prevent the Others—Cyrus—from getting in.” She paused, a shadow moving across the corner of the screen. “What room?” she asked, tapping the screen.
“The warehouse,” Kim murmured, glancing at her watch. “We get overnight pharmaceutical deliveries. It requires less security and signatures—just one from the overnight tech.”
“Meaning you have employees working now?” Ellen asked. “Where are they?”
“A handful of techs work on the manufacturing floor to monitor production and the machinery.” Kim twisted her hair until it formed a bun, then she stabbed a pencil through it. “But there’s no sign of them, either.” Ellen could hear the increase in Kim’s heart rate and the waver in her breathing. She was scared. “When is help supposed to arrive?”
“Soon, I hope,” Ellen answered, watching as Kim flipped through the screens again.
She moved closer, freezing where she stood when Cyrus appeared. He was waiting, staring at the camera with a smile on his face.
“Oh my God.” Kim’s voice broke. “Is that…that him?”
“Yes,” Ellen said. “Where is this?”
