“I understand. Elliot could be devious to get what he wanted.” Understatement of the year.
“How did you escape?”
“I had help. A friend of mine made sure guards looked the other way when I left.
A lot of computer files disappeared, but enough apparently remained if you knew about Subject 31. I've managed to stay off the labs' radar for nearly a year. All in all, it's not a great life. But I'm free.”
“Unless the PPA finds you and brings you back,” he guessed.
“There is that.” She wondered if he'd suggest she stay here. Or if she should take part in his own experiments with Circe's Recruits. A part of her wanted him to offer her the choice, while another knew it would only make him seem more like Elliot. Using Paige to further science. The story of her life.
“Paige, I want you to know how sorry I am I didn't save you myself.” She hadn't expected that. “How could you? You didn't even know about me.”
“I knew your mother was in some kind of trouble. I should have paid better attention.” He smiled, and in that moment, she could readily believe that he cared about her. Amazing. “Paige, I know we don't know each other, but you're my niece. Whatever I have is yours, no strings attached. If I can help you in any way, just name it. I'm not like your father. Everyone who's here, right now, on this compound, is here because they want to be. I won't practice medicine on the unwilling, and I don't play God with people's lives.”
She watched him, captivated by the commanding tone of his voice that hadn't been there before.
“The people here are my family. But you, Paige, are blood. I can help you deal with the Circ side, if you want me to, and only if you want me to. You can live here or anywhere else I have a home, and I have several. We can protect you from Pearson Labs until we finally bring them down. It's been slow going, but I have no doubt what the end result will be.”
“So you're trying to destroy Pearson Labs?”
“When I left them years ago, I pledged myself to help the men affected by the Circe serum. My men are good people. We've taken care of many of Elliot's mistakes, and we've been trying like hell to bring Pearson Labs down. They have contacts that are difficult to uncover. Sabrina brought us some files that have been instrumental in helping us. But there are a few mystery people in the organization who might give us trouble.”
“Like who?” She wanted to help Evan destroy the labs. Hell, it was her sole mission in life.
“Do you know who's in charge? I've been hearing that it's a top government official, but security there is incredibly tight.”
“That I don't know. But I've seen Senator Kuntz at the labs. I know he and Elliot never got along, so I thought it odd that a United States senator had anything to do with Pearson Labs after Project Dawn disbanded years ago.” Evan started. “Senator Richard Kuntz?”
“He's the only bigwig I know.”
“Kuntz,” Evan said again. “Well, well.” He studied her with a smile. “I can tell this is going to be a productive day.”
“I think so.” She wouldn't trust him completely, not just yet. But she'd definitely thawed in her attitude toward her uncle. “So, um, would it be okay if I called you Evan?
Uncle Evan seems a little childish. Or do you prefer Doc?” He smiled. “Either is fine. I'm just happy to have you here to call me anything.” He crossed to her and waited while she stood. Then he shocked her by stepping into her personal space. He moved slowly, giving her every opportunity to rebuff him, but she didn't. He pulled her close. She was a few inches taller than the slight man, but the powerful comfort in his hug brought tears to her eyes. “I'm so glad you're okay, Paige.
So very, very glad.” He quickly stepped back, his eyes glassy and his cheeks flushed.
“Now tell me. What would you like for breakfast, Niece? I don't know about you, but I'm positively starving.”
McKinley waited and watched. It was late afternoon, and still no sign of Paige.
Several of Circe's Recruits had come and gone. Roane Weston and Derrick Packard had just left in a dark SUV. A pregnant Kelly Malloy walked between her mates into a smaller house behind the main one. Caitlyn Chase, Hale Rogers, and Doc remained unaccounted for. Now might be the ideal time to check the main house. He could handle two Circs and one older scientist without too much trouble.
Just as he rose from his crouch in the woods surrounding the small compound, Paige walked out of the main house with Doc by her side. Relieved, he hid himself again. Paige grinned at something Doc said. Evan Dennis glowed. He looked as if he'd just been handed a gift, and with the introduction to his niece, he had.
At least Paige seemed safe and happy. Doc guided her toward another smaller home next to the one Kelly and her mates had disappeared into. They walked onto a covered porch. The door opened, and Paige spoke softly to someone inside. He listened hard. The name Caitlyn rang a belclass="underline" Roane's mate. As soon as he thought about the picture he'd once seen of her, a splitting headache assailed him. Immediately, he centered himself and focused on breathing.
Shit. He hadn't had one of these attacks in years. Standing on enemy soil left him vulnerable in more ways than one. He didn't need to lose his faculties now. Swearing to himself, McKinley decided to make good use of his time.
He shook off his headache and quickly loped in the direction of the main house.
Having earlier disabled Doc's piss-poor security system, he moved along the grounds and entered the house without setting off any audible alarms. He wasn't sure about the whole of the interior, however, so he had to move fast.
A quick study of the house showed him an open floor plan. A large kitchen overlooked a family room on one side and a dining area on the other. A doorway to the left led to a hallway, which he entered. There, he cautiously allowed himself to open his senses.
The scent of Hale Rogers stood out, and he followed it, unable to help himself.
When the corridor branched off into another hallway, he stayed the course. Down the hallway and up the steps, past a second floor to the third. The damned house was huge, and this level had three doors.
He smelled traces of Packard and Sabrina at one doorway. Past that, he noted a bathroom, and then another closed door that smelled like vanilla and made him instantly hard. He twisted the knob quietly, tense because he knew what he'd find.
Opening the door, he took in the dim room before him with Circ eyes, narrowing on the unmoving figure in the middle of a king-size bed.
Closing and locking the door behind him, McKinley moved on autopilot. His beast quickly seized control as he stared at Hale Rogers, soundly sleeping. His dick hardened to the point of pain, and McKinley studied the male, wondering what to do next. His beast wanted to fuck Rogers, to take what it thought it owned. McKinley fought for control, clenching his fists tight as his claws lengthened and bit into his palms.
Where the hell was this hunger coming from? Apparently, his forays into rough sex the night before had been for naught. His balls ached, his shaft twitched, and it was all he could do not to flip Rogers over and mount him like a dog in heat.
Sweating, McKinley wiped his forehead and took advantage of Rogers's state of unconsciousness. A blanket covered him from his waist to his feet, exposing a broad, muscular chest and meaty arms. Though smaller in size and build than McKinley, Rogers still would tower over most humans. And he’d fit Paige just right. Confused that instead of the jealousy he should have felt, his desire increased, McKinley tried to step back, but his beast wouldn't let him.