Hale

Chapter Four

Hale devoured her. Ignoring the chill in the air, he focused on the heat in front of him. Paige's height made his reach easy, and he found her breasts underneath her shirt, encased in a lacy bra. Pulling down the material, he pinched her nipples and deepened the kiss. Yes. Yes! This is what I need.

She moaned into his mouth, her scent magnified with desire.

Hale pulled away from the kiss to run his mouth over her neck and back to her ear. He nipped her earlobe, then snaked his tongue into the canal.

She trembled and arched into him, pushing her tight nipples into his greedy fingers. “Oh my God. What are you doing to me?” She squirmed, then wrapped her hands around his neck to pull his head closer.

Hale returned to her mouth, wanting to consume her. Her skin felt as soft as he'd imagined, but it was her taste that floored him. The more he sampled, the more he wanted. Never before had he desired anyone on this level. As if she'd injected him with some drug, he was addicted to her.

He continued to fondle her breasts with one hand as he trailed the other down her belly. Beyond any thought of stopping, his beast demanded he take what was his. Hale unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans. He slid his hand beneath her panties, through the soft curls of her mound and between those full, pouting lips protecting her sex. Stunned at the heat he found, he broke from the kiss and stared down at the angel in his arms.

“Oh, fuck. You are so damned wet,” he breathed. “Paige, I have to… I don't think I can stop.” He did his best to warn her, aching to the point of pain in his need.

To his immense satisfaction, she was as gone as he was. “Don't stop.” She ground her clit against his palm as he thrust another finger inside her, widening her tight channel. Paige gasped and closed her eyes, moaning his name.

Too far gone to think about what he was doing, Hale released her to free himself from his pants. He hurriedly removed her jeans and underwear. Lifting her ass in his palms, he prodded her pussy with his dick and inched inside.

“Yes,” she cried as he seated himself balls deep.

“Christ.” He couldn't catch his breath as the need built. Burning from the inside out, he fucked her without mercy. Rough and thorough, he pumped inside her past her orgasm. His beast recognized the female's surrender and still wanted more. He sealed her mouth with his, licking into her wet cavern as he pistoned his hips, wanting to fill every inch of her with his cum. He could easily see her bent over, dripping with his seed from her pussy, her ass. Her mouth wide open as he shot between her lips.

“More,” she growled, her voice lower, more sensual, more… Circ.

He swelled inside her, swallowed by her warmth. She was so slick, so perfectly tight around him. Then she clawed him, painfully digging into his neck with her growing nails.

“Paige,” he breathed as his balls drew tight. He groaned as he spewed inside her.

He couldn't stop coming and pumped as hard as he could. She bounced over him with each thrust, taking more and more until she cried out again, squeezing him even tighter.

Hale closed his eyes, nuzzling her neck as bursts of scent drenched him in ecstasy.

Though finally done, he continued to stroke inside her, the urgency gone, but not the need.

“Again,” she demanded.

He opened his eyes to see hers completely changed. She was so damned beautiful, so raw and primal. He kissed her, licking past her lips and tongue as he claimed her once more. His next orgasm was less intense than the last, but it exploded from him just the same. Filling her, he remained joined, unable to move away from her.

As he pulsed, she ground against his pelvis and climaxed. Every ripple of her vaginal walls milked him dry, until he was spent, exhausted, and too worn-out to care that he'd just come inside a woman he'd just met.

“I've been dreaming about this,” she breathed, her eyes once again human, her voice an echo of the beast that had just before demanded his all.

Hale blinked down at her, caught in the haze of drugging pleasure that obliterated all else. Yet as he stared, he realized a hard truth.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

McKinley didn't like the fact he'd had to send Paige with Rogers, but he instinctively knew the man would keep her safe. As much as McKinley pretended to know little about Circe's Recruits, he actually knew quite a bit.

He raced away from the PPA combing through the park. Wondering just who the bastards were really after, and how they'd found them, McKinley made sure not to be followed as he returned to his car. He did a thorough sweep of his vehicle. Convinced he wouldn't be tracked, he drove back to Pearson Labs, where he needed to check on a few things.

Four months ago, someone, or some thing, had killed Elliot Pearl. At the time, he'd thought Paige might have done it. She had no love for the man who'd made her life hell. Five years ago when he'd first met her, she'd been out of her mind. In pain, wounded, alone. They'd connected, bringing him back from the black hole of depression he'd settled into. Being different had weighed hard on him for years, forcing him into a bleak life on the fringes of society. But Paige gave him a new direction—a goal in life and a chance to right the wrong done to him long ago.

He'd suffered because of Elliot Pearl. He'd lost his family, his life, hell, his face.

McKinley stroked his cheeks, still unsure as to how he'd survived the car wreck that had killed his parents. By all rights, he should have died. Instead, he'd woken up alone, in the woods, with a different face, body, and inhuman abilities. His eyes had never returned to their natural green, but at least he didn't have to go through the change so many other Circs did.

He used to think of the odd genetic enhancements as monstrous, but after seeing Circe's Recruits in their altered states, McKinley had changed his mind. To his shock, his instincts recognized Hale Rogers the same way they recognized Paige. And he wanted, a bad, bad thing for a beast like McKinley.

He viewed sex as a necessity, another hunger to be fed. Except his needs were dark, depraved. He worked hard to hide his sickness from Paige. So good, she lit up his life, taking him away from the daily drudgery of his existence. As long as he sated himself regularly, he could tolerate Paige's nearness. He loved the woman so much it hurt, and not sharing that love physically took its toll. But he refused to harm her.

Leaving her tonight had been his only recourse. If the PPA ever got their hands on her again, she'd wish for death.

He mulled over thoughts of the PPA as he drove back to the place where the nightmare continued—Pearson Labs. Pulling into the underground parking lot, he left his SUV and accessed the private elevators leading to the top floor of the building.

A place very few had access to, the fourth floor housed those at the top of the organization. Now that McKinley knew who was really pulling the strings around here, he could plan the labs' destruction. He rode the elevator to the top and exited, only to run into Simon Dunn. On the surface, the man looked like he had it all. Charm, good looks, a fat bank account. But something was missing inside Dunn. The man had been born without a conscience.

“McKinley.” Dunn nodded, guarded yet excited. McKinley could smell it on him.

“We've been looking for you. The big man wants to see you. He's not happy.”

Dunn's slow smile warned McKinley to tread warily. He said nothing, just stared at Dunn until the man walked away.

McKinley shored himself and strode down the hall. He passed a few promoted scientists, men who tried but could never match Elliot Pearl's genius. For all that Elliot had done wrong, few could match his ability to understand and manipulate genetics.

With the recent failure to control the mutant rogues, McKinley had a feeling the big boss wanted a replacement.

Elliot's death had not been planned. McKinley still didn't know who'd ultimately killed the man. At first, he'd thought the killer had been Circ. Elliot's eyes had been plucked out of his head, after all. But the notion didn't fit. He didn't know how he knew, but McKinley sensed Elliot's killer had intentionally staged his death to look as if Circs had done it.

“McKinley, come in,” a deep voice called out with authority. The CEO's office door stood slightly ajar.

Opening it, McKinley walked through, stunned to see General Harold Kohl and Senator Richard Kuntz huddled together over something on the large desk. Kuntz had become a regular at the lab. But this was the first time Kohl allowed anyone else to see him in charge. For years he'd been the man behind the curtain.

Months ago, when McKinley had first learned that Elliot's major detractors were in fact behind the funding for the new and improved Project Dawn, he'd been baffled.

But now he understood.

Greed motivated even those with the best of intentions.

“Ah, McKinley, come in.” Senator Kuntz smiled and straightened. “Have a seat.” McKinley remained standing, satisfied when he scented fear wafting from Kuntz's pores.

“Or stand, if it pleases you,” Kuntz murmured, as if trying to prove his command of the situation. But they both knew who ruled Pearson Labs. The stern man sitting behind the desk.

General Kohl fixed his hard gray eyes on him. “Report.”

“There's still no sign of Paige Masters, though I think it's evident she's the woman Elliot called Subject 31. The rogues sniffed her out once again.” Nothing the assholes didn’t already know.

“Interesting that they can find her, but you can't.” Kohl watched McKinley over steepled fingers. “What would you suggest we do next?”

“Keep an eye on her house. I doubt she's had time to clear out the way she left the last three places. We can find something there to track her. Worst case, find a recently turned mutant, drug it to control it, and let it sniff her out.” Kohl tapped the desk. “Elliot attributed the mutants' odd connection to the woman as a result of their common genetics. He manufactured this last bunch using Paige Masters's DNA, correct, Richard?”

McKinley forced himself to remain stoic. They talked about Paige as if she were no more than a name on a piece of paper. He wanted to rip Kohl's throat out and hand Kuntz his intestines on a platter. But he didn't bat an eye.

Kuntz answered, “Well, that's what I read in his files. It's too bad he's not here to report his findings himself. Then again, most of what we know of the Masters girl, we obtained after his death. Elliot liked to keep secrets, didn't he?”

“Yes, he did,” Kohl murmured, not taking his eyes from McKinley. After a terse moment of silence, Kohl nodded at the paperwork in front of him. “It's unfortunate that Elliot died before he could see this, but I think you'll be happy to learn we've finally done it, McKinley.”

“Done what, sir?”

“We've given birth to the first viable rogue. Though it will take years before the young are grown enough to be useful, I'm sure that given time, our scientists will find a way to speed the maturation process. In the meantime, we'll continue to use our Circs.

They now last well past six months. I believe Dr. Eckles has managed to give them a good year before their minds rot. So we no longer need to use the control drug.” Kohl paused. “We've decided to scrap the current mutant project. You will, of course, consent to testing.”

“Sir?” Testing?

“You didn't know?” Kohl smiled. “The control drug is what actually creates the mutants; it turns our Circs into inhuman creatures. Only a select few of us knew the truth. I'm surprised Elliot never mentioned it to you. Granted, the Circs coming from Pearson Labs don't last very long, but while they're Circ, they retain all their faculties and then some. The mutants, as we all know, are nothing but monsters. Elliot thought the mutants, with their incredibly enhanced senses, were the next step in Circ evolution.

He wanted very badly to use Doc's men for testing. But I wouldn't let him. Not a good idea, to ruin the only real successes Project Dawn has ever had. Not until that group starts producing offspring, at least.”

Kuntz agreed. “We considered Elliot's data. The general doesn't see much of a need for the mutants beyond attrition. And I agree.” McKinley tried to understand all of it but couldn't think beyond the fact that they wanted to use him in some kind of experiment. Kohl didn't make it sound as if he was asking for consent, either. Did they know about McKinley's false loyalties or didn't they? “General, why are you telling me this?”

“I see everything, boy, whether I'm here or not. Consider it a payment for loyalty rendered.” Kohl showed his teeth in more of a snarl than a smile. Fuck. “This information will haunt you, the more you think about it. Dr. Eckles thinks he might be on to something. And given your obvious differences from the rest of our Circs, who knows? You might be the one to break our cursed luck with the drug.” The breeding program was bad enough. He thought he'd ruined enough data that they'd never get that particular program to work. That he hadn't known the truth about the control drug bothered the hell out of him. How had Elliot kept him out of the loop for so long? Suspicious bastard.

“It's funny,” Kohl continued. “Eckles found and read all of Elliot's notes. Did you know he created the control drug using your blood in the first place? He had planned to use it on you again at a later date. And then he wound up dead. Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say?”

McKinley's world was spiraling out of control. Fury and a keen sense that warned him disaster loomed near forced him to maintain a facade of calm. He was too close to have to pull out now, but it seemed his cover would no longer hold him. He had to share what he'd just learned, but he had to be careful. There was no telling where Kohl's and Kuntz's influence stopped. Could he afford to trust Diego Santana—his only contact to stopping this mess?

Remain calm. Don’t let them see your worry. Paige needs you. Don’t forget about Paige.

Kohl picked up the phone and called for security, then hung up. “I never questioned your loyalty, McKinley. Not until I learned that after almost four long years with Project Dawn, you still hadn't given the labs one usable blood sample. That, of course, led to other inquiries.”

The head man in charge of Pearson Labs should have been occupied by the bigger picture, not with one of his lowly guard's blood work. Who the hell had shared that information? Not Kuntz. Senator Kuntz thought of McKinley as his boy, so to speak.

Despite McKinley's refusal to obey petty orders, he did whatever else Kuntz asked, especially because he could smell dissension in the ranks. Dr. Eckles was too new to the upper echelon to be much of a threat. Diego had nothing to do with the labs; he'd been McKinley's source at Doc's compound. And most of the other rogues were too new or too scared to pose any danger to him. Which left just one possibility.

The newly promoted Simon Dunn.

Tamping down his fury, McKinley did his best to sound puzzled. “General, I think you're mistaken. Dr. Pearl never had a problem with my samples.”

“You're telling me Pearl worked with you, and none of us knew about it?”

“Torrence regularly took samples of blood, hair, and skin.” McKinley shrugged. “I don't know what she and Dr. Pearl did with them. I'd assume they're still in his lab.” With the other blood that asshole stole from me to control Circs, turning them into freaks.

Kuntz scowled. “You see, Harold? This is why I told you we needed to keep a close eye on Elliot. He wasn't a team player. Who knows what he did with McKinley's workups? And if he had that Torrence bitch working on them, Evan Dennis might even now have that information.”

“Maybe it's time I contacted my good friend Doc again.” Kohl paused. “Eckles is good, but he's no Elliot. Only one man comes close to that kind of genius.” Hell. Were they planning to kidnap Doc now?

Someone knocked at the door, and Kohl bid them enter. Several unarmed rogues filed inside, and McKinley had a moment of hope. Until he noted the last rogue to enter.

Hawkins. Shit. And he carried a stunner.

Kohl stood. “McKinley, your escort is here. Once Dr. Frasier is finished with you, you'll report to Simon Dunn, your new squad leader. You'll take all orders from him from now on. You no longer have any clearance within the building, so escape is impossible. I highly recommend you don't try anything. I'd hate to have to kill you before we see just how 'special' you really are.” Kohl sneered. “Hawkins, take him to Dr. Frasier. If he tries anything, do what you have to.” Two of the rogues grabbed his arms and pushed him toward the door. Hawkins and the other followed him.

McKinley could have taken out his closest captors. Hawkins, however, was a wild card. Instinct told him the man just might be able to give him a real challenge. From what little McKinley knew of him, Hawkins had been a Navy SEAL before volunteering for the new and improved Project Dawn. Tough to put down as a civilian, even harder as a rogue Circ. In other circumstances, McKinley wouldn't have minded sparring with the man. Having him here now, however, absolutely sucked.

“Move it, McKinley.” Hawkins shoved him, and he turned to glare at the bastard.

The message in Hawkins's eyes was clear— don’t make me do this the hard way.

McKinley glanced at Kohl and forced himself to remain cool. “You're going to regret this, Kohl.”

“I already do.” Kohl swore. “And that's General Kohl. Get the hell out of my office, you traitor.”

McKinley ignored Kuntz and walked with the men holding him through the door.

He moved on autopilot while planning a means of escape. Without an access code, he'd have to resort to brute strength to push past several secured doorways, and he needed to conserve himself for the battle ahead, once he escaped this fucked-up situation.

The guards with him remained oddly silent, not prodding and taunting him the way most of the rogues often did with those who'd turned against the program.

McKinley took a closer look at the men and realized all of them were new transfers. All US Navy men, if he remembered correctly.

All too soon, they arrived at the basement level. Just down the corridor sat Dr.

Frasier's lab. McKinley tensed, ready to put his half-assed plan to escape into motion—to disable communications and take out these rogues before the fight drew attention to him. Yeah, right.

To his shock, Hawkins and the others backed away. Hawkins nodded at the others, who left without question.

“They'll buy us some time with a distraction. Don't fuck around. You have to make this look good.” Hawkins grimaced and handed McKinley his stunner.

“Why?” What the hell was Hawkins up to?

“You know why. I didn't sign on for this.” Hawkins swore. “Just find us an antidote. Torrence seems to be evening out, right?”“How the hell do you know that?”

Hawkins grinned, fangs extending as McKinley watched. “I hear things. And I owe my team. They only signed on for this because I was so damned sure it would work. Captain Delancey has a lot to answer for.” McKinley had never heard of Delancey, but he didn't have time to play around.

He tightened his hand around the stunner. “You sure about this? I could just as easily beat the shit out of you.”

“Thanks, but no,” Hawkins said dryly. “We're counting on you to help us out. The way you helped Torrence.” Hawkins handed him his ID badge. “Once they sound the alarm, you'll have no more than five minutes before everything goes completely lockdown.”

“I know.” McKinley stared hard at the large man placing himself at risk, wondering how he knew so much. “Give me a way to contact you.” Hawkins rattled off a number. “Now hurry the fuck up. My beast doesn't like this.” McKinley watched a ripple snake under Hawkin's forearms. “It's going against instinct to wait for an attack.”

“I owe you.”

At the words, Hawkins relaxed slightly, and McKinley struck. As one hundred and thirty-three milliamps of power surged through Hawkins's body, he automatically changed into a beast that nearly rivaled McKinley for sheer size. McKinley kept the stunner glued to Hawkins long enough to kill a normal human being, but just enough to knock the rogue out cold.

“I'll be back when I can,” he murmured and raced toward the stairwell, his mission now more vital than ever. Paige was counting on him. Hawkins was counting on him. And McKinley, dammit, refused to allow any more injustice to continue. The time had finally come. Now, to put the rest of the pieces into play to exact his revenge and complete his mission…