“If you’ll all return to the awaiting transportation outside, I’ll see you at dinner.”

  They were dismissed, and a Therian guard led them back upstairs through the building and outside to the waiting busses. Dex noticed that Ramos and Kenley stayed behind. What the hell was Ramos up to? Not that Dex could do anything about it. Lingering to spy on Ramos would draw suspicion.

  No one seemed worried about leaving their Therians with Vaughan. None of them seemed overly concerned about the injuries their Therians had sustained. Some of them talked about the fight as if they’d watched a football game, while others discussed what they’d have for dinner. What was wrong with these people? How could someone have so little regard for another life?

  The bus waited for twenty minutes until Ramos returned. Without Kenley.

  Ramos walked past Dex, a sneer curling his lips, and Dex’s eyes dropped to Ramos’s hand. His knuckles were bloodied. Rage flared through Dex. Bloodied knuckles and no Kenley. Fucking bastard. The more time Dex spent around Ramos, the harder it was to keep from making the son of a bitch bleed the same way he made Kenley bleed. Dex met Ramos’s gaze for a heartbeat. You’re at the top of my list, pal. I’m going to fucking bury you.

  Dex declined a couple of invitations for drinks, stating he wanted to enjoy his private hot tub for a while. As soon as he got back to his room, he scanned the place for bugs. When he’d deemed it clear, he took a seat at the end of the bed and tapped his earpiece.

  “Tell me you’ve found the lab.”

  “We found the facility. It’s bigger than we thought,” Keane replied. “The surveillance Ro placed on the mountain confirms what we suspected. A concealed security panel inside the rock surface opens the hidden door. It requires three forms of identification—handprint, retina scan, and voice recognition. We believe there may be a connecting corridor between the arena and the facility. Seb has already acquired the necessary credentials from one of the guards, also a tiger Therian. We’re ready.”

  “You okay?” Seb asked Dex.

  “No, but it’ll be worth it to see each and every one of those assholes behind bars.”

  “Agreed. It’s all up to Sloane now.”

  Dex’s insides were in turmoil at being separated from his mate and knowing he was in danger. What did Vaughan have planned for Sloane? How many more tests would his husband be subjected to in his life? Dex needed to keep busy, or he’d drive himself nuts with worry. An idea struck him.

  “Is Vaughan still off-property?”

  “Yes,” Seb replied. “My guess is he’s going to hang around while they offer ‘medical assistance’ to the Therians.”

  “Great. I’m going to search his room. He’s been close to Cory. Maybe I can find something that’ll point to where Cory’s being held.”

  “Accessing the resort’s security feeds now,” Keane said.

  “Thanks.” Dex quickly changed into leisure shorts, flip-flops, and a linen button-down. He grabbed his straw Panama hat and sunglasses, then left his room and headed for the spa, which was on the other side of the master suite where Vaughan was staying. With all the cameras and security, he had to make sure not to arouse any suspicion. Thankfully, no one would question his heading to the spa in search of a massage.

  “What’s security looking like outside of Vaughan’s suite?” Dex murmured as he headed down the scenic walkway, lush palms, greenery, and trees to his left and the mountains to his right.

  “Two guards posted outside his door,” Keane replied. “Ro is working on that now. She’ll be in position in four… three… two…”

  “I’m here,” Ro replied. “I’ll draw the guards away. You’ll have ten minutes at most.”

  “Copy that.” Dex slowed his pace as he neared Vaughan’s suite. It was a single building to the left of the walkway with the spa only a few yards away. Dex doubted Vaughan kept anything confidential in his suite, especially on the property and so close to guests, but he’d check anyway. The guy was cocky. If there was any trace of Cory in that room, Dex would find it.

  “I’ve taken over the feed and guards are investigating Ro’s scent,” Keane hissed. “Go now.”

  Dex hurried to Vaughan’s suite, scanning the area, making sure no one else was on their way to the spa. He slipped into the trees next to Vaughan’s room and went around the back through the private deck.

  Tugging on a pair of black gloves he’d stuffed into his pockets before leaving his room, he pulled out a small digital device, then placed it over the lock on the sliding glass door. Pressing the green button, the lock on the sliding glass door clicked, unlocking. Dex slipped inside the room, smiling to himself. How he did love Keane’s little toys.

  The place was immaculate and huge, with a bedroom and living room area decorated in rich brown and red hues, a mix of wood and leather. Dex made sure to stay away from the windows as he swiftly searched every inch of the room, starting with the bedroom. He scanned for bugs and found it clean. Sniffing the air in every room yielded nothing. Not even a hint of Cory’s scent.

  Checking the closet, beneath the bed, the desk, and cabinets revealed only clothing, shoes, and toiletries. Dex even checked beneath the sofa cushions. He scanned the furniture for any hidden compartments that might be concealing something.

  “Nothing,” Dex said, tapping his earpiece. “Not even a laptop.” Damn it. He’d hoped to find something, anything that might give him a clue to where Cory might be. “I’m heading back out.”

  “Hurry up,” Ro said. “Guards are on their way back.”

  Dex made sure everything was exactly where he’d found it, then darted to the sliding glass door, leaving the way he’d come, making sure to lock the door behind him. He pulled off his gloves, shoved them in his pocket, then exited on the other side of the suite onto the walkway leading to the spa. He hoped Sloane had better luck finding something useful. If he could get away from Vaughan and his people long enough. Who knew what they had in store for Sloane?

  “Mr. Delacruz!”

  Dex stopped. Shit. had someone seen him? He turned to find Mrs. Ramos hurrying toward him.

  “On your way to the spa?” she asked, smiling widely.

  “I thought I’d treat myself to a massage after today’s excitement.”

  Mrs. Ramos looped her arm in his. “My sentiments exactly. I abhor violence, but I must admit that was a rather thrilling display, wasn’t it? Of course, I’m sure you weren’t too worried. Brodie is quite the specimen.”

  “He is,” Dex replied with a smile.

  “I wanted to thank you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. If you and Brodie hadn’t interfered, I probably would have lost Kenley. My husband might think it’s time for a new Therian, but I spent so long breaking this one in.”

  Like a pair of shoes.

  “I’d prefer to keep him for a few more years.” Her eyes twinkled wickedly. “At least until it’s time to trade him in for a newer model.” She laughed at her own joke and swatted at his arm teasingly. “But look who I’m talking to. You prefer a mature Therian.”

  “There’s something to be said for experience,” Dex replied. He leaned in, his voice low and husky. “And power.”

  “Oof.” Mrs. Ramos fanned herself. “I bet. You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.”

  Dex chuckled. How about never gonna fucking happen. Good luck finding a younger model. In prison.

  CHAPTER NINE

  [Location: Redacted, Underground Facility, Morocco]

  If it were up to Sloane, he’d take a bite out of Vaughan, but that wasn’t part of the plan, so he remained quiet and still as two Therian security guards wheeled his cage down a very long corridor made of red mudbrick. His cage was the last in a long line, with the younger Therians wheeled ahead of him. Every few feet they’d pass a closed steel door with no window. What was Vaughan hiding in there? Could that be where he kept the Therians he was experimenting on?

  Sloane discreetly opened his mouth, hoping to catch any new scents around him. If Cory was anywhere nearby or had been moved recently, Sloane should be able to pick up his scent. The chances of Vaughan having more than one cheetah Therian in his possession right now were slim. Sloane picked up the scent of several Therians, but it was hard to tell where they were coming from, and unless they were injured or under duress, there was no telling whether the scents were from friend or foe.

  They finally reached a set of huge steel doors at the end of the corridor, and when the doors opened, Sloane discovered just how big Vaughan’s secret operation was. The cages were wheeled into an expansive gray room that resembled a hospital wing with its curtained-off sections, hospital beds, and various pieces of medical equipment.

  Vaughan’s facility was a lot bigger than they’d expected. The underground fight ring connected to the lab in the mountain through the corridor they’d come through. How many more of these underground facilities did the guy have around the world? No wonder he’d never been caught.

  Several Humans in white coats stood to one side, talking, with charts or tablets in their hands. A small group murmured quietly as they darted glances at Sloane. One nodded and tapped away at their tablet. Would Vaughan try to take Sloane in the middle of the retreat, or would he wait? He would wait. Vaughan was far too smart to try anything before the auction at the very least, certainly not with Sloane. Not when he had an idea of the kind of man Dash Delacruz was.

  One of the doctors spoke quietly with Vaughan. He nodded and walked off toward one of the doors at the far end of the room currently guarded by two lion Therians. The female Human doctor made her way over to Sloane. “Hello, Brodie. It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dr. Olivia Reuter, and I’ll be taking care of you.”

  Reuter? Shit. Vaughan’s lead scientist. This was the woman experimenting on Therians. The one trying to force Human evolution using a virus responsible for killing millions.

  “Mr. Vaughan has informed me you’re a very special guest, and he insists we do everything we can to make sure you’re comfortable. We’re going to wheel you into one of our private rooms so I can take a look at those wounds, check your vitals, and have you shift so we can speed up the healing process, okay?”

  Sloane huffed. Special guest, my ass. She had something up her sleeve. Regardless, he lay there submissive while they pushed his cage through another set of doors that led into a plain white hall. It reminded him too much of the facility where he and Ash had spent so much of their childhood.

  Funny how something could feel like both a lifetime ago and only yesterday. He kept his ears up and alert, listening for any sound that might hint to where they had Cory or any of the other Therians. So far Sloane hadn’t picked up any cheetah Therian scents. Cory had to be here somewhere.

  The private room was expansive, bigger than any hospital room he’d ever been in. It also contained far more equipment than any normal hospital room. It reminded Sloane a bit of Hudson’s lab back when he’d been the chief medical examiner at the THIRDS.

  They wheeled Sloane’s cage over to the center of the room, where Dr. Reuter waited, smiling at him. Sloane resisted the urge to hiss and claw at her. If it were up to his feral half, he’d take a bite out of her too. What kind of person experimented on others without remorse, killing in the name of “Human evolution”?

  “I’m going to open the door now,” she informed him.

  Dr. Reuter didn’t sound too sure of herself, but she did it anyway. What was her incentive for working with Vaughan? Was it about the money? It couldn’t be for prestige, because no one could know what she did or what she was working on. Was it simply the opportunity to do whatever she wanted without having to face any of the moral and legal ramifications?

  If a Therian died under Dr. Reuter’s care, Vaughan would likely simply get rid of them. There was no one to answer to except another megalomaniac. How many Therians had they already kidnapped and murdered? How many more were they willing to sacrifice? As far as Sloane was concerned, one was one too many.

  Sloane growled as he hurried out of the cage, pleased with himself when Reuter jumped back. She might act confident, but she was clearly intimidated by him, as she should be. Clearing her throat, she motioned toward the steel table.

  “I’d like to inspect your wounds.”

  The doors opened, and the small group of Humans in lab coats he’d seen earlier entered. They stood to one side, observing. Sloane did as Reuter asked, jumping up onto the steel table and lying down, tail swinging, letting them know he was alert and aware of them. He could sense them, smell them, and it made his hackles rise on instinct.

  Reuter approached and handed her tablet over to one of the others, her eyes not moving from Sloane.

  “I’m approaching,” Reuter told Sloane as she slowly made her way over, her hands up in front of her. Smart doctor.

  Sloane lay still as Reuter examined him, inspecting his injuries, pointing out his already healing wounds. As a Therian he healed quicker than Humans. None of his injuries were life-threatening, and several looked worse than they were. The bleeding had stopped, for the most part. Tanner might have gotten in some good hits, but they’d been mostly gashes and puncture wounds. He’d been careful not to let Tanner take a chunk out of his flesh.

  “Brodie, would you please shift?”

  With a grumble, Sloane started his shift, hissing, and roaring at the pain as he forced his body to change. He did his best to ignore the many sets of eyes staring at him intently, treating him like some lab experiment. He’d had enough of that in his life. One Human got too close, and Sloane swiped at him with his claws, tearing a hole through the guy’s white coat as the man scrambled away.

  The room filled with murmurs, but no one said anything to Sloane, who continued his shift. As soon as he was back to Human form, he sat on the edge of the steel table, his head in his hands as his Human body trembled, his limbs feeling heavy. Familiar exhaustion flooded him, his muscles like lead, his body weak from the shift. He hated being vulnerable in front of these monsters. The team of doctors came around the steel table to stand to his right.

  “As you can see, the Therian is left in a weakened state after a shift,” Dr. Reuter said. “Yohan, please bring the syringe.”

  Sloane jerked, and Reuter put a hand on his shoulder.

  “It’s all right, Brodie. It’s simply a formula that provides you with all the nutrients your Therian metabolism needs to recover from Post-shift without the need to eat a Therian-sized meal.”

  Wait, Reuter had developed an injection that bypassed the need for huge amounts of protein after a shift? Why the fuck didn’t the world know about this? If the injection did what Reuter claimed it did, it could be a game-changer for Therians, for the THIRDS, for TIN. Or was Reuter lying, planning to inject him with who the fuck knew what?

  “How?” Sloane asked as Reuter turned his arm over and pressed a finger down over his vein. She swiped the area with alcohol before administering the injection.

  “I’ve been studying Therians for a long time, Brodie. This is merely one of my many recent successes, thanks to Mr. Vaughan’s support and… resources.”

  The virus.

  “Side effects?” Sloane asked, eyeing her.

  “None,” Reuter declared, too proud to be lying. She injected him with the serum, then nodded to one of the other doctors, who handed Sloane his boxer briefs. Sloane arched an eyebrow at Reuter.

  “Only while I examine you. We’ll return the rest of your clothes promptly after.”

  Sloane nodded and got up, astounded by how quickly the serum worked. He flexed his fingers and rolled his shoulders. It was like he hadn’t even shifted. How was this possible? And how could Reuter keep something like this to herself? She had to know what this serum could mean to Therians around the world, how many lives it could save.

  What the hell was he thinking? Sloane resisted the urge to shake his head at himself. Of course Reuter knew; she simply didn’t care. What the hell did Vaughan plan to do with it? Did he hope to sell it on the black market? Did he plan to sell it to someone else who would? Whatever their plan, Sloane was pretty sure whoever benefited from it wouldn’t be Therians.

  Reuter motioned toward the hospital bed across the room. “Let’s get you a little more comfortable. Your clothes are on the chair beside the bed there. You can get dressed once we’re done.”

  Sloane headed for the bed, aware of the Therian security guards posted at both sets of doors watching him. They’d come in through the doors behind him, which meant the other set had to lead somewhere else. He lay back, reclined, his fingers laced on his stomach. Reuter clearly had plans for Sloane, and they had little to do with his injuries. He remained still as she cleaned what was left of his wounds, placing the bloody pads in a small metal container that she handed to one of the other doctors. The doctor walked off, leaving the room and returning soon after with an empty container that they placed on the tray beside Reuter.

  “I’d like to run a few tests.”

  “What kinds of tests?” Sloane didn’t like the sound of that one bit.

  “Standard analysis. Make sure there’s no blood in your urine, nothing worrisome in your bloodwork. I’d like to keep you a little longer for observation.”

  “Observation of what?”

  “You have some spots that look a little tender,” she replied, gently pressing a couple of fingers to one of the bruises on his abdomen. “I’d like to make sure there’s no internal bleeding.”

  They both knew he didn’t have any internal bleeding, but Sloane continued to play dumb. Brodie didn’t know what Sloane knew. He didn’t have any kind of medical knowledge. Sloane might not be a doctor, but he had decades of field agent experience. He shrugged. “Fine. Whatever.”

  As far as Brodie was concerned, he had no reason to be suspicious, even if everything in Sloane screamed to get the hell out of there. This was part of the job. Taking down Vaughan and his whole operation was more important than his aversion to being someone’s lab rat. Again.