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“Why am I chained?” Leah lifted her arm. “Wasn’t exactly the homecoming I’d expected.”
“Insurance.” Dmitri sauntered over and sat next to her. His perfume, a strong woodsy scent, pervaded her senses. “You were quite upset when we brought you back.”
Stay still. Relax.
Ah, yes, she remembered helping Julian in the car. Narrowing her eyes, she spat, “Of course I was. I was confused and scared.” She jabbed a finger into his chest with righteous anger. “You controlled me.”
If she had a sharp object, she would stab him in the heart or somewhere else that hurt. Not only had he inserted a modified chip into her brain without her knowledge or consent, that chip apparently also allowed him control over her body.
A scream welled up that she had to fight down. If she was fast enough, she could strangle him with the chains.
Don’t lose it. Not now.
“I had to be sure.” Dmitri brushed back her hair, something like tenderness swirling in his emerald gaze. She stayed still, swallowing down bile. “You’re Blackmore’s mate. You’re under his control.”
“I’m not.” Leah yanked the chains hard and growled. The two Hunters took a step forward and stopped when Dmitri raised a hand. “Let me go. I don’t deserve this. I almost killed Blackmore.” She glared at Dmitri. “If you hadn’t been so impatient, I would’ve succeeded.”
Something dark flashed in his eyes that had her insides quivering. “He touched you. I did what I had to do.”
Was he jealous? No, that was impossible. He’d ordered her to sleep with Julian.
“What can I do to prove my loyalty? It’s not my fault I’m that bastard’s mate. I’d rather kill him than be tied to him forever,” she said, putting as much vehemence behind her words as she could muster, praying Dmitri wouldn’t see through her lies.
A slow smile stretched across his lips. “There’s my Leah.” He stood up and ordered the Hunters to unlock her bonds. “I have a present for you.”
It was tempting to run once she was freed from the shackles, but she stopped herself from doing something so stupid. She didn’t know where she was, the size or the layout of the facility. Not to mention, she couldn’t outrun the two Hunters. No, she’d follow along until she had a better chance of escape.
They left her room for a long, whitewashed hallway lined with similar doors. Though the walls and doors muffled the sounds, she heard screams and struggles from inside. They weren’t at the Compound, which had cells for wayward teens like herself, but nothing like this.
“Where are we?”
“One of our research facilities.”
Leah jumped when something crashed into the door they passed, and Dmitri put an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’re safe.”
What kind of research facility needed such heavy security? The hallway ended at a metal gate. Thick steel bars blocked the way. Dmitri placed his hand over the palm reader, which flashed green before the bars retracted. There was another door six feet ahead, this one solid steel, also secured with a palm reader.
Yeah, good thing she hadn’t tried to escape. She wouldn’t have made it past the hallway.
They entered a new area that smelled of ammonia and cleaning solution, lit up with harsh fluorescent lighting. It looked like the high-tech research labs from TV shows. White, gleaming walls, glass windows looked into workstations occupied by lab-coated researchers and shiny gray floors. People nodded when they passed Dmitri, but no one stopped to chat.
Leah noted the security cameras on the ceiling and the numerous Hunters they’d passed. The tight knot in her stomach transformed into heavy stones. It wouldn’t be an easy escape.
They made three turns, passed through two more security checkpoints, and entered a quieter corridor. Two Hunters, standing guard next to the door, straightened to attention when they arrived.
Leah felt almost sick by the time they halted. A formidable presence occupied her mind, and she didn’t want to believe what it meant.
“Open it,” Dmitri ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
The door opened after the Hunter punched in the code.
Dmitri entered first, Leah behind him, followed by the two Hunters into a sizable room with gleaming metal walls. A table stood on one side, with a standard issue Hunter crossbow atop it. The door hissed shut behind them.
“What’re we doing here?” Though she could only see Dmitri’s back, the terrible feeling intensified.
Dmitri stepped off to the side, his grin diabolical. “Do you like your present?”
