The truck’s door swung open, and Charlotte emerged. She walked directly to Henry and stopped at his side. Folding her hands at her waist, she bowed her head.
He ignored her.
Anger pumped hot in my veins. But I couldn’t afford such a volatile emotion. I needed to think. I needed to wait for my brothers, and then I’d?—
A hand clamped on my shoulder.
I tried to twist away, but the grip was iron. A whiff of cheap aftershave teased my nose as a man forced me around. Pale and blond, he surveyed me with glowing, red-rimmed eyes. Close to my height, his shoulders strained the seams of his black tactical jacket. His scent was almost gone. He was on the cusp of turning.
But he wasn’t quite there yet.
My bear surged to the surface, and I jerked against the man’s grip.
“You can fight,” he said, “or you can watch Charlotte die. Your choice.”
I stilled.
The man smiled. “Good choice.” Tightening his grip, he hauled me toward the clearing. My anger blistered into rage, but I clenched my jaw against the urge to attack. Fighting meant risking Charlotte, so I let the human prey manhandle me across the snow like an errant child.
Dr. Henry looked up as we approached. “Ah, Mr. Antonovich. It’s a pleasure seeing you again. I knew Charlotte would lead you here.”
Charlotte stood frozen at his side, her brown eyes glazed and larger than usual without her glasses. But her forehead was furrowed, as if she struggled against invisible bonds.
“Let her go,” I said.
Henry smiled at me. “I’vehadher this whole time, Antonovich. I found her when she was a child. I shaped her mind and guided her schooling. How many fourteen year olds choose to study wildlife conservation? Charlotte is my creation, not yours. She still belongs to me.”
Charlotte’s lips moved. “No…” The word was barely above a whisper.
Henry continued ignoring her. “I sensed something interesting about her from the very beginning. Imagine my shock when I tested her blood and discovered she’s the most compatible bear shifter mate ever born.”
My heart slammed against my ribs. “You can’t know that.”
Henry gave me a patient look. “I’ve walked the earth for more than two thousand years, Mr. Antonovich. I can slip in and out of a lab without anyone noticing. Surveillance cameras can’t track me.” He gestured to the equipment around us. “I’ve known about Dr. Laskin’s genetic isolation research almost since its inception.”
Fuck. Images of Everett’s lab formed in my head. Had Henry seen it? My skin crawled at the thought of the vampire entering Everett’s home without anyone knowing.
“I was a physician in another era,” Henry continued. “When you live a long time, you get weary. Many among my kind can’t withstand the weight of time. To thrive, we must find new pursuits to busy our minds. I devoted myself to solving my species’ reproduction problem. Vampires are the only members of the supernatural community who can’t produce children. Instead, we must rely on prey to further our line. It’s an imperfect system.”
The blood in my veins turned to ice. The humans around Henry stood utterly still, compliant and deadly as they awaited his command. Behind me, the clan crept forward. My brothers moved into position, ready to respond to my call. They’d strike if I ordered it.
But I couldn’t. Not yet. If the other humans were as strong as the man who’d led me to the clearing, there was no guarantee my fighters would emerge victorious. Worse, Henry might have additional prey stationed around the woods. My father had taught me that most people couldn’t resist talking about themselves. Until I knew his strengths and weaknesses, I had to keep Henry talking.
“What are you planning?” I asked. “Whatever it is, it won’t work.”
Henry’s smile was indulgent. “Forgive me for saying so, but my grasp on science is much better than yours.”
My pulse pounded in my ears. “I won’t let you hurt Charlotte.”
“Oh, I’m not interested in Charlotte,” Henry said. He glanced at the metal table. “Although, her cubs will undoubtedly prove useful.”
Every part of me tensed. Nausea sloshed in my gut, the thought of Henry anywhere near my child threatening to turn my stomach inside out.
“No,” he continued, seemingly oblivious to my struggle, “my interest has always been you.” He looked toward the treeline over my shoulder. “Along with the other members of your community.”
I swallowed the saliva that had pooled in my mouth. “What do you mean?”
“Charlotte is a lure, nothing more. You’d follow her anywhere, yes? Do anything to keep her safe from harm?” He waited for an answer. When I stayed silent, he shrugged. “I’msaving my species. Or maybe I should say I’m elevating it. Our inability to have children has always prevented us from leading the supernatural community as we should.” He gestured to a large machine I didn’t recognize. “But shifter blood combined with CRISPR technology can change that. You can probably imagine how difficult it is to get blood from the werewolves. But your kind are vulnerable, your numbers so limited that you’re not a threat. And now that you have three females you’re desperate to protect, you’re more likely to be willing participants in my experiments.”
