My mouth felt dry. It couldn’t be Bree. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched her move, unable to take my eyes away. She pressed the employee badge against the card reader. Therewas a tiny beep, and then she dragged the door open and slipped inside, closing it behind her.
Her back pressed against the door as she looked at me across the room. My eyes trailed down her hair, my breath catching. Then I looked at her face, obscured by the oxygen mask. It wasn’t Bree. Of course it wasn’t.
I clicked my tongue then grabbed the game, picking up where I’d left off.
“Get out,” I told her. I heard one of the chairs scrape the floor and sighed. I tossed the game back down and saw her trying to right herself after bumping into the furniture.
I shot the camera a glance. The red lights weren’t on. What a fucking headache. Did they really think I’d buy this shit? That,what? An employee who resembled Bree just happened to steal one of the few key cards that got her in here and managed to turn off all the cameras? And this was all conveniently after I’d said time and again that I wouldn’t offer them any samples or shows of mysexual capabilities. Ugh, just saying the term made me shudder.
I had little doubt that despite the red lights being off, the cameras were indeed still rolling, waiting for my porn star debut.
It was entertaining that they thought I couldn’t connect the dots. I’d grown up in a criminal asylum of all places. Which meant I didn’t learn advanced algebra, I learned to be naturally suspicious.
“You aren’t supposed to be in here,” I told the woman.
“I know,” she whispered, blindly walking closer to the bed. Her hands were out in front of her, trying to navigate in the dark.
“So why are you in here?” I asked. As she drew closer, I saw she was shaking.
“I’m one of your monitors,” she said. When I shifted to the side of the bed, her voice broke.
“Sure you don’t want to leave?” I asked with a smile. She swallowed.
“I watch on the camera. I watch you, I mean. Back there.” She waved at the wall. My eyes slid to the hall. I had wondered if the scientists were on this level with me or if I had the whole place to myself. I leaned back, resting on my hands.
“So why are you inside my cage?” I asked. Her eyes dragged up my body, stopping at my neck. Guess her vision was finally adjusting. She also knew enough to not look me in the eyes.
“Um, I—” She fumbled over her words. I stood up suddenly. As I approached her, she staggered away. Her back hit the wall as I crowded her space. My palms settled against the wall, trapping her with nowhere to go unless she wanted to touch me and die. Her face flushed as she looked up at my mouth.
“Who told you to come in here?” I whispered.
“No one,” she rasped.
“Come on now, it’s just you and me.” I reached up, twirling a lock of her red hair around my fingers.
“No one,” she said again. Her hands flattened against the wall behind her, spreading her fingers out as if afraid she’d touch me. I dropped her hair and flicked her oxygen mask. She squeaked.
“That sounds like a load of bullshit.”
“I swear. I … I’ve been watching you all week. They had me running double shifts. They had to fire another monitor, so I was covering. Tonight I found the key card, my boss—” I cut her off with an annoyed groan.
Of course, Damien wouldn’t just tell someone to come in here. He’d manipulated the situation. It was what he did. He was far too clever for his own good. I almost had to admire it. He not only hired someone who vaguely resembled Bree, but also made her run multiple shifts, watching me constantly. No doubt,he’d been microdosing her with venom all week, too. It was something in the air that affected people.
“You’re a pawn,” I sighed. “Get out.”
“But…”
“But what?” I asked, leaning away so she could leave.
“I could make you more comfortable,” she said with a flushed face. Her words made me irrationally angry. I got in her face, so close we’d have touched if she hadn’t frantically jerked away.
“I told you to leave,” I hissed. Her eyes widened in fear as they darted away from me. Reaching up, I gripped her oxygen mask.
“No!”
“Better hurry.” I ripped the mask off. Without a second to lose, she covered her mouth and ran. Her body came to an abrupt stop at the door, realizing there was no card reader.
“Oh, what a shame,” I said, walking calmly across the room. Her fists beat the wall as she kept holding her breath. She looked over her shoulder and whimpered when she saw me coming. My fangs slid out, and I tasted the heat of venom on my tongue. Before the serum, killing had been inconsequential to me. I didn’t get any thrill. It was just something that happened. But things were different now.
