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A few years ago, she went through an intense true crime investigation phase that made her do a course in criminology. Now, she had her own sleuthing to do, and she would finally get to put all those skills to the test.
12
Unfortunately, Zori's window of opportunity didn't arrive until late afternoon. She spent the morning with the personal trainer who weighed and measured her. It was always embarrassing no matter how big or small she was.
What use would Maxim have for that data anyway? She was starting to feel like an idiot for never questioning things more.
Zori had learned it was easier to just go with the flow. She grew up never wanting Maxim to be mad at her, so she didn't fight for independence. She should have. She just didn't know anything else was waiting for her out there.
Now, she had a grandmother, and Vladik was… She didn't know how to classify him just yet. Friend with telepathic sex benefits? Protector and flirt? Gargoyle with the epic dick? She knew she would have to wait for clarity until after she was out of the tower.
As Vladik had promised, he'd given Zori's burner phone number to Irina. Her grandmother had sent a short text:I'm looking forward to meeting you, Zoria. Rub aloe vera on the feathers to stop them from itching. Try not to scratch or it will tear them free before they are ready.
Zori thanked her and left it at that. She didn't want to push her luck or try and build a rapport with Irina before they met. It didn't feel right, no matter what Vladik said about her.
Zori walked down the hall to Maxim's side of the penthouse as casually as possible. As if she was meant to be there, about to violate his privacy.
She shouldn't be giving a shit about it, not after finding the cape. It was still hard to fight the conditioning she'd had her entire life. Never touch Maxim's stuff was a number one rule.
Zori slipped into his office and shut the door. Nerves clenched her stomach, but she forced herself to go to his wall of black leather notebooks. It wasn't just about her anymore. Or Alisa. It was about Misha and the other swan wives that still could be out there.
Or locked somewhere else in the tower. It was a troublesome thought.
The notebooks were arranged in date order. Zori had never seen Maxim without one, as if he was always keeping notes on every aspect of his life. He was a brilliant scientist, and his mind never stopped. He'd always said that the notebooks helped keep his thoughts in order. He'd never bothered to hide them either. He had trained Zori to respect his privacy to the point she feared to touch anything that was his.
Zori ran her finger along the notebooks and decided to start with the most recent one. She flipped through the pages of Maxim's barely legible scrawl. A photo of a man caught her attention. He looked like he'd had the shit beaten out of him. There was a note underneath the photo:Subject four still refuses to shift into his gargoyle form. The moment he does, he will be harvested, and he knows it. I should kill him, but I have learned patience over the years. I want all of him in his natural and most magical form. If we are to ever find a bioweapon solution for these monsters, it will be held in their own bodies.
"Oh, my God." Zori put the notebook down and started taking photos. She would collect shots, as many as she could, before she sent them to Vladik. She shut the book and began searching back the dates to when her mother was alive.
Zori found the book covering the time of Alisa's suicide. She scanned the dates until she found what she was looking for. There was no photo, only a note:Subject two has killed herself. The swan wives have a much more delicate disposition to treatment than gargoyles. Perhaps she was too old, and her mind couldn't take being cut off from her magic? It doesn't matter. There was enough of her left to harvest and prove useful. The daughter shows a lot more promise. Perhaps her young age will make her malleable and easier to treat. She can be trained, and she can't miss what she has never had.
Zori took photos, her eyes blurring with tears. Her chest was too tight. This was a terrible mistake. Maybe she had been better off not knowing any of this? Vladik had tried to warn her what she would find. A part of her had wanted him to be wrong.
She found pages of strange symbols and signals and took photos of them too. She had no idea what any of it meant, but Vladik or Irina might.
Zori, can you hear me?Vladik's voice filled her mind, sounding panicked.
I'm here. What's wrong?
You're about to have company. I didn't want to risk calling you in case they heard it. Anton is heading your way. Get out of there!
Zori quickly shut the book and stuffed it back into the bookshelf. Someone opened the penthouse door. There was no time to get away, so she dived under Maxim's desk and pulled the chair in as much as she could.
"Yes, boss, I'm checking now. Don't worry, she won't be escaping again," Anton said.
"She better not," Maxim replied, the volume on the phone loud enough for Zori to hear. "I don't want to have to remind you what's at stake here. She is the best subject we still have, and her blood is the gift that keeps on giving. I saw Viktor's pet while I've been here, and she's had another suicide attempt. She is high maintenance and so dramatic. Thank the dark god I trained mine better. We need to keep Zoria happy and pampered."
"I understand, Maxim. She snuck out because she is lonely, I think. Spend some time with her, and she'll stay loyal. Even with her adventures outside, she knows where her home is," Anton replied. He turned the light in the office off and shut the door.
"I'm telling you, Anton. The younger the better. That's the answer," Maxim's voice grew more distant. "I'll be coming home early. I don't like being away from the tower for so long…"
Zori covered her mouth to stop herself from breathing too heavily. Tears were running down her cheeks. She had to move.
Zori? Anton has gone into the gym. Now's your chance to run,Vladik said, his voice lighting a fire under her. Zori scrambled from under the desk and out of the office. She opened the main penthouse door and checked the hall. She could hear Anton still in the gym and sauna area, so she bolted back to her rooms.
He's coming, Zori!
Okay, get out of my head! I have an idea.She felt him leave without question. She was never going to get used to that. She went into her bedroom, rumpled the blankets and her hair.
