“You and your team kept this from the American people?”

  “We had to. We had no choice. I assure you that one of the scientists couldn’t handle the work any longer. He talked. He disappeared. That’s the way of things today. That’s how I know my partner was taken and killed.” Yasmine took a deep breath. “Our work continued trying completely different concepts. We had significant success almost immediately, but we were pushed to go to human trials again. The people involved changed, the new regime demanding more out of us. I stumbled on something just before the trials began, but not a single scientist believed me other than the one who’s missing. I knew their tests would fail. Markus and I ran our own experiments while the trials were ongoing. What we discovered was remarkable.”

  “What happened to those involved in the trial?”

  She turned to face me, tears slipping past her eyes. “The trials were labeled a success. The subjects resisted the diseases and began to thrive.”

  “But?”

  Her laugh was bitter. “But the effects were short-lived. The majority perished.”

  “Now you’re ready for another phase.” The situation was getting more disgusting by the minute.

  “Yes.”

  “What about your discovery?”

  “Markus and I kept the experiments we were doing private, at least to a point. Through various divisions of the DNA, compounds used, we were able to find what I think is the perfect vaccination. Through Markus’ contacts, we were able to get a small team together, preparing to fight all the red tape in order to bring it to the president. That was a couple of years ago. Then we ran into additional roadblocks, a possible shutdown that we knew would mean the termination of the program.”

  My skin began to crawl. “A couple of years. You needed humans in order to prove your work.”

  “Yes. Of course. Even one success would possibly allow us to introduce our work.”

  “You injected me. You used me. Hell, the school where I teach is in on this. Right? Principal Givens is part of this team? Do you have other doctors involved in this scheme?” When she refused to look me in the eyes, I continued. “Every single fucking teacher there has been given this inoculation, lured into working there in order to keep us close. Did Joseph get wind of your operation? Is that why he sent his son to the school, to try and gather evidence?” Or had she agreed to work with the man? My God. The ramifications were more horrific than I originally believed.

  All she could do was nod, tears sliding down her face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I knew it would work or I never would have given it to you. I swear to God. The principal believed what we were doing was a good thing. She helped recruit the best candidates.”

  The best candidates. No wonder all the freaking tests we’d been forced to endure.

  The undertaking was significant. The project had far too many layers for a small team to handle. She was still keeping the full truth from me. My hackles remained raised.

  I stormed toward her, lifting my hand to slap her then thinking otherwise. “You fucked with my life. My. Life. My God. My friends’ lives. How many? Twenty? Did some of them have adverse effects, succumbing to this mutation?”

  Yasmine began to shake, her breathing ragged.

  “What the hell happened to you, Yasmine? Were you sucked in by money, the promise of an opulent life? The first series of inoculations? What?”

  “I felt I had no choice. None!”

  I moved out of the kitchen and toward the door, my thinking impaired. I knew if I remained it would cause permanent and unrepairable damage to our relationship.

  “Listen. Please listen,” Yasmine pleaded.

  “What? I don’t want to see you right now. You sicken me.”

  “You really are in danger. There was a raid on our department a couple of days ago, information taken for some investigation. Then Markus disappeared. I took the day off to try and figure out what to do. The building is in lockdown because two officers were killed last night at the laboratory.”

  “By whom? The great government?”

  She bit her lip, shaking her head. “One was strangled, clawed.”

  A Breed.

  My thoughts shifted to Akuma.

  “Joseph Sampson will find out what Markus and I were doing. They will make me disappear and likely every teacher involved in the project.”

  “And none of the teachers know, do they?”

  She shook her head several times. “I don’t care about me any longer, but I love you. You’re my sister. I did this. I knew what I did was wrong, but I was brainwashed into believing what I was doing was important. And it’s working, but only with one subject. Still, it’s so promising. So very promising.”

  “Get to the fucking point,” I demanded.

  “There is only one way that the disease can be curtailed or that human life can be extended.”

  “Which is?”

  “Splicing together human DNA with…”

  I shifted until I was able to see her. She didn’t need to finish her sentence. I already knew. She’d spliced the DNA with a Breed.

  And I was her great success.

  Chapter 9

  Akuma

  Gunshots.

  Several of them.

  Again.

  Rage flowed into my system, keeping me on edge.

  The shots rang out over the canopy of trees, although their source remained several miles away. Unfortunately, humans were hunting again. Finding the lion was significant, more so given they were considered kings, unstoppable. From what had been mentioned in the news, the men who’d carried out the horrific act were some yokels who hungered for a taste of lion meat, no affiliation to the dissident groups.

  Of course I knew otherwise.

  There was no doubt the hunt continued.

  I was only one beast, one tiger. I would need to be careful until I returned to the Streak. At least for today, the stench of humans didn’t permeate the air around me. However, the final plans would need to be made to leave town whether Nicolina wanted to or not. There’d been no official reports I’d seen of the soldiers I’d disposed of, which meant the assholes were purposely trying to keep it quiet.

  A growl erupted from my throat as I raced through the trees, my claws sinking into the damp earth. Sun shimmered in through the trees although the area was laden with humidity. My senses were on high alert, every cell in my body more alive than it had been in months, maybe years.

  Freedom.

  The freedom of running through the woods, the rush as the air swept through my fur was one of the most incredible feelings. For years the Breeds had been forbidden to hunt and feed. Humans didn’t understand our anatomy or our dark needs.

  Whether with nourishment or with more carnal desires.

  Today, I felt free of the hindrance placed on our kind more so than I had during the past few months.

  All because of mating with the human.

  But it would be forced to be short-lived.

  The irony was difficult to bear in my mind, but my body spoke volumes about how amazing the release truly was. Tonight we would spend together. Tomorrow we would leave the darkness of the city limits.

  After that?

  I would be forced to take my kind away from the only place so many of them had known.

  I dragged my tongue around my canines, still able to taste her. Next time, I would feast on her sweet pussy before driving my cock into her mouth. The images floating through my mind were vivid, more so than the ones great beasts usually experienced. A portion of my human side remained lingering just under the surface.

  As I raced through the forest, already having gone several miles away from the area where I’d taken her, I was suddenly struck by a new scent.

  Tigers.

  Slowing down, I took a deep whiff, holding the air in my lungs. Members of my Streak had found me, no doubt finding it necessary to do so.

  I moved toward them, my hackles raised as to why they’d left the encampment.

  When the two tigers moved into the light, I issued a series of low growls in a greeting.

  “Why have you come here?” I demanded, our communication without words one method of our protection. While I’d been expecting Mika at some point, the fact Lars and Tomas had been sent in his place did nothing but piss me off. The man I knew had betrayed the Streak had likely assumed control, determined to become the alpha. Perhaps he believed the soldiers would be able to hunt me down. That wasn’t going to happen.

  “We were sent to find you,” Lars said as he padded closer.

  “Who sent you?” I asked before snarling, taking another whiff to determine if there were other tigers scouring the countryside. It would appear they’d been sent alone.

  “Our senior leaders,” Tomas answered, although I could tell he was holding back.

  “You mean Mika. Do you not?” I sat back on my haunches, grooming my paw.

  Both tigers moved forward and I sensed a certain amount of fear in both of them. Something had occurred while I was gone.

  “Tell me,” I commanded.

  “Mika did ask that we find you.”

  I tipped my head back and roared from Lars’ statement. “Bullshit. He’s taken over as leader. He was determined to make a play while I was gone.”

  “That’s because you told no one about your departure or why, Akuma. For all we knew, you abandoned your people again,” Tomas stated.

  When he closed the distance, I let out the kind of snarl that indicated he should back the fuck off. I was in no mood to be challenged. “I am the alpha and not required to provide my itinerary.”

  “Bullshit. The fact you are alpha doesn’t allow you the right to avoid questions, Akuma.” Tomas answered with a roar of his own.

  My swipe across his face was instantaneous, leaving a string of blood in its wake. “You will not disrespect my authority, Tomas, or you will face my wrath.” I sensed not only concern in both tigers, but a level of fear I wasn’t used to. Danger was all around us. The encampment would suffer if I didn’t return quickly.

  Lars lunged between us, darting his head from one direction to the other as he snarled. “Your leadership was sorely missed, Akuma. Your people need you now more than ever. But you already know that. There is constant fear of another attack, rumors swarming throughout the encampment.”

  He didn’t have to convey his concerns. “Yes, there will be another battle we must prepare for.”

  “What aren’t you telling us?” Lars asked, trying to keep his anger in check.

  I looked from one to the other, rage filling my system. I wanted nothing more than to destroy every single human. “The dissidents are growing in number. The next attack will be to the death.”

  “Fuck,” Lars said quietly. “There is something else.”

  “Tell me,” I growled.

  “Several within the Streak battling the disease have gotten worse since you left. Mika made his own decisions on what to do with them.” Tomas was grief-stricken, his own brother one of the Streak who’d succumbed to the horrible illness.

  “What has happened to them? What the fuck did that asshole do?” I demanded. When the two of them looked at each other, my rage increased. “Tell me.”

  “Some had to be eliminated. They were becoming… unhinged, threatening our own. It all happened so fast, within hours of your disappearance.” Lars was angry as well as devastated.

  “By whose orders? Mika?”

  All Lars could do was nod, his eyes glowing from the pain he felt inside. I bared my canines, sending vile thoughts in Mika’s direction. While it was likely the decision I would have made, his ability to toss some of our people away was disconcerting as fuck. The man seemed to have no soul. I also wondered whether he was culling the herd, making it easier for the damn dissidents to eradicate the rest. I kept my thoughts as protected as I was able.

  “In addition, we must protect you at all costs,” Lars continued.

  “From what?” I huffed. While the fear of her discovery remained fresh on my mind, I couldn’t imagine the information had been relayed to the Streak unless Mika had a connection to a member of the dissidents. My rage had increased tenfold.

  “Mika received a Netscape call. From what he said, there is a significant price tag on your head.” Tomas’ words were followed by the tiger lifting his head and roaring.

  “The unrest you mentioned is increasing up and down the East Coast,” Lars added. “At least according to Luca.”

  “Luca called again?” I asked almost too casually.

  “Looking for you, but of course you were nowhere to be found,” Tomas smirked.

  I sucked in my breath, issuing a single snarl after a few seconds. Time was running out.

  Both beasts turned their heads in my direction, sniffing then baring their canines.

  “You’ve killed a human,” Tomas hissed.

  “More than one. The kills were a necessity,” I answered.

  Lars shook his head. “Humans will now be hunting for our alpha more than ever. We must prepare.”

  “And we will. The dissidents will be hunting all of us. Every Breed. Every village and encampment within the United States.” I would wait to explain my actions after I returned.

  “What? What have you learned?” Tomas reared back.

  “We will discuss when I return tomorrow.”

  “You’re remaining here? That’s not wise.” Lars bristled.

  “Only for another day. It is necessary.”

  Growling, I took a deep whiff of the air, able to detect a hint of gasoline. It was likely the hunters had burned the area where they were hunting, perhaps exterminating dozens of Breeds living in close quarters. My rage continued to boil, the longing to track down the assholes increasing. However, that was likely what the hunters wanted. Just another attempt at rounding up every Breed they could get their hands on.

  Including an alpha.

  “You have the stench of a human,” Tomas said, the look in his eyes one of admonishment. “That’s the reason you are staying.”

  Lars turned to face me, taking a deep whiff, shaking his head. “You’ve mated.” His thought wasn’t said with reverence, merely shock as well as apprehension for what that could mean.

  Tomas padded closer, his nostrils flaring. “Why would you do that to your people?”

  “I’ve done nothing to our kind, Tomas. We don’t choose our mates. You know that from everything our leaders have told us, including my father. You are also aware this could heal our Streak. Luca is the best example of that. Finding her was unexpected but it might be our salvation.”

  “Salvation?” Tomas repeated. “You’re buying into the legend. No wonder there is a price on your head.”

  “A legend that saved the lion Prides,” I countered. “Don’t forget that, Tomas. That’s exactly what we want for our Streak and I seriously doubt that mankind is going to allow that option.”

  “Maybe this is a blessing for our people, a possible eradication of the disease. Perhaps that will enable our Streak to follow in the footsteps of the other Breeds.” Lars was always the voice of reason within our group, although his normal timid actions had kept him as a lower level soldier. The fact Mika had sent him with Tomas had been an interesting choice.

  “That remains to be seen.” While the pull to return was stronger than before, I wasn’t going to leave without her. Convincing Nicolina to come with me would be difficult if not impossible. “As I said, I will return tomorrow.”

  “You’re going to see her again in order to bring her with you,” Tomas said, as if he believed I had a choice.

  I gazed into his eyes, allowing him to see my anger and frustration. “She is mine. My mate. My responsibility. This is something I have to do.”

  “What aren’t you telling us?” Tomas demanded.

  After shifting my gaze from one to the other, I realized they had a right to know. “There is confirmation that the dissidents have organized, even taking over a good portion of Savannah. We will need to vacate the area.”

  “Fuck. That’s why you left,” Lars huffed. “Luca sent you. Didn’t he?”

  “Yes. And why it’s necessary to capture my mate. Whether or not you believe in our coupling no longer matters. Fate had intervened. As I said, I will leave with her tomorrow.”

  “You’re taking a significant risk,” Tomas stated.

  “I am well aware.” I shifted my gaze toward the river.

  Lars issued a snarl of his own. “Then we will wait until you are ready to leave. You will need protection. And whether or not you disagree doesn’t fucking matter. We are your soldiers. You are the alpha.” He turned a hateful gaze in Tomas’ direction.

  I had a feeling that backup might be needed.

  “Fine. We wait. I just hope you know what the fuck you are doing,” Tomas snarked.

  While by all rights I should challenge him further, reminding him in no uncertain terms that he was required to follow my command, it was obvious the concept of leadership had changed in my limited absence. My people were terrified given the attack. I couldn’t blame them for that, nor for the fact they likely had distrust in my leadership.

  I moved as close to him as possible, allowing him to see the rage encapsulated by my eyes. “When we return to the encampment, you and I will have further discussion.”

  To his credit, he didn’t attempt to rile me any further.

  “We found an abandoned house not far from here,” Lars offered. “It should be safe, at least for a single night.”

  “Then I will find you when I’m ready. Be careful. Hunters are searching for rogue Breeds.”

  “You’re the one who should be careful, Akuma. Given there’s already a price on your head, if it’s known you’ve found a mate and one that is human, the price will increase significantly. Your safety will depend on your soldiers.”