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 somethingiswrong with me. Something inside of me doesn’t feel likeme. 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. Foryou, 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 solittleat 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 waswithCain?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 …involvedin 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 broughtherto 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 soldiersyou 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.”
