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His eyes aren’t just black at that moment, they’re hellish black. “Maybe I’ll keep one of these babies for myself.” The wolves in the distance howl as if joining in on the joke.
Caleb hits his limit. “Put the fucking canister down, brother, or it’s me you’ll be fighting.”
Julian laughs. “Whatever, Caleb. You were always melodramatic.” He returns the canister to the crate and seals the lid. “I claim the honor of taking these to the brave and honorable General Lawrence.” He hoists the crate against his body and disappears.
Caleb curses and cuts me a stare. “I’ll handle him. You have my word.” He disappears.
I feel no compulsion to follow. Caleb is a good man who will check Julian, but he’s not as strong as his twin anymore. He’s not going to be able to control him for much longer. I glance down at the bloody puddle at my feet, the blood of the young boy, and have one thought. I’ll have to handle Julian. Because he’s right. I’m not like Caleb. I’m not human anymore. But that’s a good thing, because it’ll take every bit of my power to destroy him. The kind of power no one really quite knows I possess, not even Julian. Because I don’t want them to know. Because I don’t know what I’m becoming. And I hope like hell it’s really not him.
There can’t be two of us to contend with. He has to die. Maybe killing is what I’m here for now. The only reason. More gunfire rings out followed by voices, and I fade into the wind. And fuck me, without making the clear decision to do so, and for reasons I can’t explain, I am standing in Addie’s driveway.
Chapter Eleven
Addie
It’s nearly nine on a Friday night, and my big plans include me dressed for bed early, in my bedroom, and settling cozily in my new overstuffed chair, with a glass of wine and my MacBook. I’ve promised myself I’ll go to bed early, aware that the fourteen-hour workdays are wearing on me. I just can’t stop my obsession with the X2 research, but I need data to arm myself to battle on their behalf with my father.
There’s also a cool breeze fluttering through my open patio door, compliments of a hit-and-run August storm, which is sweet relief to the Nevada heat and my crappy air conditioner. For some reason it drives my thoughts to Creed, as so many things have so many times over the weeks that he’s been gone. I’m not one to obsess over a man, and I tell myself that it’s because of my work, because he is a part of that work. But deep down, there is more to this and I know it.
The reality here is that I have never even kissed Creed, and yet there is a near-clawing sensation in me at his absence. It’s not normal, and I can’t help but believe my research can tell me why. I also have to hypothesize that my initial thought, that the same bond we might have as humans is magnified with the changes in him.
I could be, and this is a long shot, his nature mate, a woman he might marry, which could also mean I’m one of the women who will get that circle on my neck if I have sex with him.
Or not.
Maybe it’s just some kind of pheromone he puts off that is literally like a drug to me. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be the only one to react this way to him. In truth, if the latter is true, he could become a weapon in so many unusual ways. They all could be, if they’re like him.
Unbidden, my mind goes to that fight between my parents the night before my mother’s accident, as I have a million times before.
“All this grant does is delay Project Zodius. We need to talk to Addie tonight and tell her neither of you are accepting that grant with NASA.”
“You’re trying to rush the research. You can’t do that safely,” my mother pushes back. “The work Addie and I will do with this grant is a necessary step. You have to see that. We’ll get there. Just don’t create a problem to fix a problem.”
“Bullshit,” my father says. “We’re not going to Houston. The work is focused here in Groom Lake. We need to be here. I’ll get you a private investor. I’m close.”
My mother knew about Project Zodius, but she wasn’t willing to move forward with it. She called it dangerous and yet it happened right after her accident. Almost as if, without her, my father had no restraint. Or he needed to complete the project she was somehow involved. And I can’t seem to get a straight answer from him on who pulled the trigger. He offers me no admission or denial but rather deflection. Per him, those involved have been dealt with. I want to believe he really didn't get behind Project Zodius, and the deception of the soldiers.
