~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shiver stepped inside his cell with a smile on her heart-shaped face, glanced at the camera before coming inside, schooling her features. The kit in her hand indicated why she’d come. They took many vials of blood after forcing drugs into his body.
“Hi,” she whispered. “I’m sorry about this.” Shiver placed the kit on the table and his chains activated, pulling him tight against the wall. She wasn’t the one to do it so that meant a guard outside the door watched their movements. “I’ll make it quick.”
She donned gloves as she uncapped a needle and inched closer with the syringe. A small alcohol packet was held between her fingers as she invaded his space. Her head didn’t even reach the top of his shoulder when she stopped mere inches away. She used her teeth to rip the tip off one finger of the glove, then also tore open the packet and swabbed his arm near his inner elbow. She lifted her head and studied his face, paying careful attention to his jaw.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
She referred to the bruising there. He didn’t answer, rarely did.
Her warm fingers gripped his arm so gently he almost missed the soft way she stroked his skin with that single bare fingertip. She had told him once that tearing away the latex made it easier to feel his veins but they were very prominent. Sometimes he pretended it might be possible that she just wanted to be able to touch him, skin to skin. Her body blocked the camera so he was the only one aware of her actions. The needle was inserted into his arm so carefully that he barely felt it. Others just stabbed him roughly, seeming to enjoy inflicting pain.
“I brought you pain pills. They are safe to take,” she whispered. She released his arm and reached down the front of her shirt. He couldn’t look away as the neck of it dipped lower to reveal her creamy, white skin and the top curve of her breasts as she removed something hidden there. She reached down and slid a small plastic packet against his palm. He closed his fingers around the object.
She withdrew the needle and capped it, shoving it inside her front pocket. She pressed a small gauze square to the puncture site. Shiver glanced up then, holding his gaze.
“Those pills are mine—from a dental appointment. I smuggled them in. Just take one at a time with some water, two if you are really sore. They’ll help take away some of the discomfort.” Her gaze drifted to his swollen jaw again then to his bruised ribs. Tears surfaced in her eyes but she blinked them back. “Don’t give up, 710. I promise this won’t last forever. Just keep calm and don’t cause fights.”
Her meaning was confusing. He always healed. The pain would fade until the guards inflicted more damage. Nothing in his life changed, especially the suffering the guards routinely inflicted upon him. He glanced down his body to study his chest, certain he’d experienced worse bruising than the dark ones now marring his skin. She shouldn’t be alarmed enough by their appearance to worry that he’d do something that would provoke a deadly response from the guards while he was helplessly chained. His life wasn’t a happy existence but he would only attack if he had a chance of winning a fight.
Realization dawned that she stood too close to his body. He could strike out and cause damage. His muscles tensed while he mentally reviewed her weaknesses. One downward arc and he could shatter her nose with his chin or cause facial injuries. She was even near enough to bite. Her tender flesh was vulnerable. He resisted, unable to hurt Shiver. He didn’t want to spill her blood or hear her screams. It made his chest ache, imagining seeing terror in her gaze when she looked at him instead of the warmth he always glimpsed.
She backed away and he watched her safely leave with her kit. The chains loosened and he limped to the sink. The camera remained at his back when he studied the white pills inside the tiny clear bag. He removed two, hesitated before shoving them into his mouth. He bent and sipped water from the sink to wash them down.
It was a risk to take her drugs but he trusted Shiver for some unknown reason. He hid the bag in his fist, making his way to the sleeping mat. He lay down, curling onto his side. He shoved the bag under the mat where it would remain hidden since they never moved it. Everything hurt but as time passed the pain eased. She hadn’t lied to him. Why did she care if he suffered? Why had she risked giving him her pills? He was sure the guards hadn’t known about it. She’d been careful to keep the exchange hidden.
He’d once witnessed firsthand that she wasn’t on friendly terms with the guards. It had been that time they’d purposely kept him chained to the wall for days while beating him for injuring one of them in self-defense. He hung there, helpless to retaliate.
She’d entered his room, seen his condition and yelled at the guard near the door to get a doctor. When he refused, she’d shoved the male and yanked the radio from his belt, demanding one come to the cell. The guard had pushed her roughly into the hallway before the door closed. A doctor had come and—
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“You have to see this.” Paul’s voice tore True from his memories as the nurse returned with the doctor.
True turned to glance at both males. He should leave but he wanted to hear what Harris had to say. The doctor approached the bed, drew back the sheet and lifted the gauze pad.
“Wow. At this rate she should be fully healed within a few days. It’s a real breakthrough we can use to our advantage.”
“That’s what I was saying.” Paul grinned. “Do you know what this means?”
“We keep a lid on it,” Dr. Harris snapped, shooting a glare at Paul. “Mercile created it and any hint that they came up with a miracle drug would have them ranting about how what they did to New Species was beneficial to mankind. That isn’t happening.”
“They destroyed their records to hide evidence of what they’d done to New Species. Won’t this drug formula be lost to them? They can’t claim ownership if they don’t have proof it was created in their labs. We didn’t exactly share the information that we recovered the formula from those bastards.”
“Who knows what backup files they hid? I’m not willing to risk it. I’ll send some samples to a trusted friend at the FDA if this continues to go well. They can test it in human trials and take credit for its creation at that point. Nobody wins a fight with the FDA.”
“How is she?” True didn’t care about the drug, only her prognosis.
Harris pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and shrugged. “She’s doing great so far. She hasn’t stroked out or had a heart attack. I half expected one of those two scenarios to happen by now but it’s only been twelve hours. It’s a powerful drug.”
Alarm shot through him. “Stop giving it to her. She’s no longer in danger of dying, correct?”
Harris frowned. “This could help humans, True. We’ll learn a lot if we keep her on it.”
“Her life is more important than a test.”
“She works for Mercile.”
True growled, his temper flaring. “So?”
“I won’t lose any sleep over this test. They didn’t give a shit if they killed New Species. The least she can do is help us find out if it’s possible to fully heal on the same dosage of the drug that they used on you guys. It could be used on mates if they are injured.”
“Take her off the drug.”
“I’ll discuss it with Justice.” Harris shook his head, turning away. “I’m sure he’ll see it my way. It’s worth the risks.”
True lunged, blocking the doctor from exiting the room. “Take her off the drug.” He growled. “She isn’t a test subject. Her life isn’t yours to gamble with.”
“She belongs to the NSO now. I don’t know why you’re so upset about this. They used you for testing so who gives a damn if we turn the tables? Did Mercile ever ask your permission to inject you with drugs? She would be dead already if it wasn’t for what we’ve done so far.”
“We’re not them. Stop giving her the drug, Harris.” He clenched his fists, ready to strike the male if he refused.