“It’s nearly completely healed,” he murmured as his fingers ran over the flesh.

  “I told you.” The words came out breathlessly because at the same moment, Cain pressed his lips to the skin where the healing bite mark was located.

  She sucked in a breath and bit the inside of her cheek. Cain had become increasingly more affectionate, and Alice hadn’t done anything to discourage his advances. He’d become her safe place. But even with him, there was still an undercurrent of some otherness flowing through her veins, something not quite human. She hoped it, too, like the bite mark would fade in time. But that wasn’t the only weird thing. Alice’s sense of reality was also off kilter, sometimes she felt like she was losing gaps of time, like she was somehow going through the motions in a dream, instead of living her completely messed up life.

  One afternoon Cain found her standing at the window in his room, looking out at the stark beauty of the desert landscape. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. It was no longer weird to have him touch her so casually. In fact, she’d come to crave his touch and found herself holding her breath when he was near, waiting with anticipation for the feel of his skin against hers. She leaned back into him, taking comfort in his closeness. Part of her felt like she was betraying Lizzy and Finn. She hadn’t even brought herself to check on them other than to ask the guards about them. Alice couldn’t shake the feeling she was siding with the enemy. Yet when Cain looked at her as if the sun rose and set in her eyes, she couldn’t see him as her enemy. I must convince him to let the couple go. And then everyone else he had captured. Surely, I can talk some sense into him. They’ve come so far in their relationship, she’d been more open with Cain than she had been with anyone in her life.

  “You’ve been quiet today,” he murmured against her hair. “Talk to me. What’s on your mind?”

  She considered brushing it off, saying she was fine. But if she couldn’t be honest with him, who could she be honest with?

  “I need to ask you some tough questions, and I’m worried how you will react,” she said, holding her breath as she waited.

  “You can ask me anything, Alice,” Cain told her. “Don’t ever be afraid. Please.”

  She blew out the breath and then turned in his arms so she could look at him. “It’s about Lizzy and Finn.” She waited to see if he would respond, but he simply stared back at her, his features holding interest. “I want you to let them go. Please. Lizzy is practically still a kid. And Finn just found her, his true mate. Think of how you want to protect me.” She took his hand and placed his palm against her cheek. “Consider how he must feel, unable to do anything to keep Lizzy safe.” Her voice broke as emotions for the couple welled up inside of her. Alice knew they had been building, but not to this extent.

  He continued to stare at her, his face giving nothing away. “There’s more,” he said softly. “Get it all off your chest, and then I will address everything. Hopefully, I can relieve you of your worries.”

  “I’m scared,” she finally admitted softly, dropping her head. The tremble in her voice made her want to punch something. Her emotions were all over the place.

  Cain placed a finger under her chin and tilted it up. “Scared of what?”

  “Of becoming something I don’t want to be. Of losing who I am.” She hesitated. “Of caring for you, of losing you. I’m scared of what will happen to Lizzy and Finn and all the other dormants in this place. I’m just—” She shook her head. “I’m a mess. And I hate it. I hate feeling unsure. And…”

  “And what?”

  “And I don’t want to like you or care for you. You’re a man.”

  “Thank you for reminding me,” he said dryly. “I’d almost forgotten.”

  “I haven’t had the best luck with men, and I don’t mean in just a romantic sense. You’ve met my father. He’s a grade A ass,” she continued. “So, yeah, I’m worried that you’ll get bored and jump ship, and where will that leave me?” she didn’t give him time to answer, she was on a roll. “I’ll tell you.”

  “By all means,” he said.

  “It leaves me alone for however long I might live, which brings me to my next fear. If I’m a vampire, I will live for hundreds of years. I don’t want to start that life with a broken heart. And then there’s the whole blood sucking and sating some unquenchable hunger thing. That doesn’t sound appealing at all.

  Tenderness filled Cain’s eyes, something she now knew he reserved only for her. “Have you had the urge for blood?” His voice was calm.

  Alice shook her head. “No, but something is wrong with me. Something inside of me doesn’t feel like me. It’s like there’s just something else here.” She pressed her palm to her forehead. “Like I’m not alone inside. I don’t like it. I’ve always been alone. But at the same time, it’s so good to not be alone anymore.”

  Cain cupped her face in his hands, his grey eyes boring into hers. “First, I won’t let any harm come to Finn or Lizzy. For you, and you alone, I can make that promise. I can make that promise, Alice, because I love you. Those are words I never thought I’d say to anyone, but then you came along and turned my world upside down.”

  Alice’s eyes widened as she stared at him. “You love me?” she stuttered out. Super smooth. “But how? I mean… I’m–”

  He placed his finger over her lips and shook his head. “I don’t need you to say it back. Not until you can say it without a wavering voice. Understand?”

  She nodded because words still eluded her.

  “As for the dormants,” Cain continued, dropping his finger from her lips, “I can’t give them up. I’m too close to having what all vampires crave, but not all have: the ability to walk in the daylight, to step out of the shadows where we’ve been forced to live. I need you to trust me. We’ll figure this out together.”

  He sounded so sure, and she wanted desperately to believe him. He’d said that he loved her. If he loved her, then she should be able to trust him. That was one of the foundations of love. Alice’s heart swelled in her chest as she felt emotions flooding her. Some she couldn’t put a name to and others she wasn’t ready to voice. So instead of speaking, she stood on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. It wasn’t the first time they’d kissed, but it was the first time she had initiated it. Cain responded immediately, pulling her close, kissing her back with fervor. In the shelter of his embrace, her doubts faded away.

  But the reprieve couldn’t last forever. Two days later, a meeting was called. By whom, Alice didn't know. But in attendance were Cain, the military leaders, and all the government officials involved in this little scheme, which wasn’t so little at all. Alice didn’t want to be there because she knew her father would be present. She had absolutely no desire to see the man who so often made her life a living hell. It was his fault she was even in her current situation. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d noticed that something was different about her. Did she want him knowing that she was with Cain? Am I with Cain?

  “Damn, I need a vacation,” Alice muttered under her breath as she followed the vampire in question.

  “Don’t we all,” Cain said softly, only for her ears. “But the time for decisions has arrived, which means any vacations will have to wait.” He leaned down then, his mouth right next to her ear. “I’m sure we can find some time after the meeting to have a reprieve from all the business. Perhaps a massage for my lady?”

  Alice forced herself not to react to his words, even though she was now thinking of the times they’d laid in the dark and he’d tended to her weak muscles. At the end of the day, they were always burning in pain, as if she’d done an intense workout instead of simply walking from one place to another. Cain gave good massages. Rustling and voices pulled her from her thoughts and back to the present.

  They gathered in a conference room around a large metal table. Alice held herself ramrod straight in her chair, hands resting on the table. She placed them in her lap when she noticed them trembling. She heard her father’s voice, and her stomach twisted unpleasantly. Colonel Mark Douglas had a distinctive, deep baritone voice, and he was also almost always berating or otherwise giving his very disapproving opinion to some poor soul when he was speaking.

  Another man, disheveled and obviously in a hurry, came scurrying in with a stack of papers before her father made an appearance.

  “Sorry I’m late.” He took the only empty chair.

  Cain gave a slight nod of his head. “Just glad you could make it, Sam.” Cain looked at the others in the room. “Sam is our legal representative to you, the American government.”

  Rumblings of disapproval echoed around the room. Alice tensed as her father strode into the conference room, his uniform crisp and posture board-straight as always. Colonel Douglas surveyed the room with a piercing gaze before his eyes landed on her. Alice lifted her chin and resisted the urge to shrink under that stare. She wished that she could reach and hold Cain’s hand, like an anchor in a tumultuous ocean, he steadied her.

  “Colonel Douglas,” Cain said coolly. “I wasn’t aware you were still … involved in this project.”

  Project. Alice almost rolled her eyes. As if they were building bridges or developing new weapons instead of meddling with the very nature of life and death. Alice met her father’s gaze evenly.

  “Why would my status change? I believe I have brought much to the table to help make this endeavor successful.” His eyes stayed on Alice, as if making the point that he’d brought her to the table.

  “Perhaps you’ve brought all that was required of you.” Cain’s voice was whip sharp. “You gave us the very best scientist in the nation, if not the world. Do we really need to ask more of you?” The sarcasm was so thick in the vampire king’s voice it was a wonder anyone could still breathe.

  The colonel’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t challenge Cain. He simply shrugged and finally looked away from Alice. “I’m here until my superiors say otherwise.” Taking his seat, he turned his gaze to Cain. “Let’s get down to business. The joint chiefs are eager to see results from our investment here.”

  Cain leaned back in his chair casually, but Alice sensed his focus sharpening like a blade. “Eager though they may be, progress takes time, as I’m sure you understand, Colonel.”

  “A reasonable amount of time,” Mark Douglas bit out. “The Defense Department provided significant funding for this facility. There’s increasing pressure to show a return on that investment.”

  Another man at the table, Admiral Prescott, leaned in. He furrowed his dark brows. “Specifically, we need to know if you’ve successfully created any of these … hybrid soldiers you promised.”

  All eyes shifted to Cain, awaiting his response. Alice’s stomach knotted. They couldn’t reveal Lizzy. She wouldn’t turn her friend over to the government, her father more precisely, to be treated like an asset and nothing more.

  Cain met her pleading gaze briefly before addressing the room. “We’ve made strides, but successfully generating viable hybrid subjects takes great care.”

  The military men exchanged disgruntled looks. General Brock’s assistant, Francis, piped up. “We need more than vague progress reports. Do you actually have functional hybrid prototypes or not?”

  Alice saw her father’s shrewd gaze flick to her again. Sweat beaded along her spine. Cain spread his hands diplomatically. “As I said, this scientific process is extremely complex, with many variables at play. We must proceed with diligence to ensure stable outcomes.”

  Colonel Douglas scowled. “Cut the bullshit, Cain. If you have a successful hybrid specimen, I expect you to disclose it now.”

  Alice’s breath stopped in her throat. The room seemed to tilt around her. Then Cain was speaking again, smooth as silk.

  “You have my word that I will inform you immediately when we achieve substantive results. At this stage, all I can report is steady progress toward that end goal.”

  The colonel still looked suspicious, but Cain remained unruffled, the picture of reason. After a taut moment, Mark Douglas gave a curt nod. “Very well. But my superiors will want hard evidence soon. This project is nearing a critical juncture.”

  “Of course.” Cain’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “We all want the same outcome here.”

  Alice slowly released a shaky breath. Crisis averted, for now. But the scrutiny would only increase. They were running out of time.

  The rest of the meeting passed in a tense discussion of budgets, timetables, and contingencies. Alice kept her eyes down and her mouth shut. She could feel her father’s gaze boring into her periodically, as if trying to see into her mind and root out the truth.

  At last, the officials seemed satisfied … or at least placated. As they filed out, her father paused beside her chair.

  “I expect to hear from you very soon.” His tone brooked no argument.

  Alice’s guts twisted, but she nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  Once the room cleared, she practically collapsed into Cain’s waiting arms. “That was too close.”

  Cain stroked her hair soothingly. “I’m going to have to make another hybrid. I told you I’d keep Lizzy safe, and I will keep my word. But they won’t stay off my back for much longer.”

  She peered up at him in dismay. “You mean I’m going to have to make another hybrid? It takes my blood.”

  His jaw ticked. “Yes. Making successful hybrids is how we keep Lizzy safe. And I need your blood for that. And soon you’ll need to make a choice.”

  Alice pulled back, eyes widening. “A choice? Between what?”

  Cain cupped her cheek gently. “Between revealing what you are to your father, which will allow you to stay here, or returning to your human life.”

  Leaving? Her father? Then the truth dawned on her. When Colonel Douglas found out what she was–a gypsy healer, a supernatural being–he’d want to run experiments on her. He’d want to know how she could be of service to the government’s cause.

  And Cain was giving her the opportunity to return to her human life? Was that even still an option? The idea sank like a stone in Alice’s gut. She realized this place had become her home, and Cain had become … everything. Could she really just abandon it all?

  Cain seemed to read the turmoil in her eyes. He drew her close again, lips brushing her hair. “There’s time yet to decide. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together.”

  Some of Alice’s anxiety eased. No matter what happened, she wouldn’t be alone. She had Cain, Lizzy, and Finn. And for now, that was enough.

  Over the next few days, Alice wrestled constantly with the choice looming before her. On this particular day, as she roamed the corridors aimlessly, she realized it was time to talk to Lizzy. She could put it off no longer.

  Two guards stood on either side of the door to the hybrid female’s room. Alice ignored them and knocked.

  “You don’t have to knock.” Lizzy’s voice carried through the barrier. “Do you think this is a five-star hotel and I’m some kind of guest that can choose when and to whom I open my door? I’m locked inside this hellhole. I’m not exactly locking people out.”

  One guard snorted a laugh but quickly smoothed his features.

  Alice pushed the door open, then closed it behind her. Lizzy was lying on her stomach on the bed. When she saw Alice, she jumped up and hurried to her. “Holy hell, woman.” Lizzy wrapped her in a tight hug. “Are you okay? Cain wouldn’t tell us crap because he’s an ass, and I’ve been worried about you. That doesn’t mean I’m not pissed as hell at you because you helped make me a hybrid. But chick solidarity has to be elevated above ‘you made a dick move by turning me into a hybrid -wolf-vampire.’ You know what I mean?” She said all of this while still continuing to hug Alice. “And besides Finn, you’re my only friend in this Frankenstein existence, so naturally I was worried sick that Claude had killed you, or maybe bloodlust got the best of Cain and he accidentally offed you, which totally would have sucked because you’re growing on me … like a fungus.”

  “Good grief, Lizzy.” Alice chuckled. “You’re going to pass out if you don’t stop talking long enough to take a breath.”

  Lizzy released her and stepped back. She gave Alice a quick once over, her eyes landing on the spot on her neck that was nearly healed. “So, you’re not dead. But are you undead?” Lizzy narrowed her eyes.

  Alice made a motion to a chair. “Can we sit for this talk?”

  Lizzy’s eyes widened. “There’s a talk? Not just an answer? ‘Yep, I’m a vampire-gypsy-healer’ or ‘Nope, that shit failed. Thank goodness’.”

  Alice walked over to the chair and took a seat. “There’s a talk. If I’ve learned anything in my time here, it’s that there are no simple answers in Area 51.”

  Lizzy took the other seat and curled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them as she rested her chin on her knee. “Okay. This is obviously something that’s stressing you out on a whole new level because you’re usually as cool as a cucumber. And the chick I see before me isn’t as cool as a cucumber, carrot, tomato, eggplant, spinach, or any other vegetable you might keep in the refrigerator. So, take a breath and then just let it out.”

  Alice chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to formulate the words. She’d already gone over how this conversation would go in her head a million times, but now that she was in Lizzy’s presence, everything she’d rehearsed had disappeared from her mind. Alice had thought she would just rip the bandage off as quickly as possible. Now, she was hesitating. Suck it up, buttercup. “Okay, here goes nothing,” she whispered, and then looked at Lizzy. “To start, I’m not drinking blood … yet. I mean, I’m not craving it or anything. But there’s something definitely different about me. I can feel it inside.” Alice pressed a hand just below her collarbone. “It does feel like I’m … changing, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Whether that means I’m going to wake up one day as a blood-sucking monster, I have no idea.”