task force.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Blame your crime shows. It made my people curious about humans and those are the reactions you’ll mostly get from them. They’ll want you to explain why humans are so fucked-up. Good luck with that.”
“You’re human too—mostly.”
He took a step closer and she backed up, finding a wall there. He lifted his arms and rested his open palms on each side of her, pinning her in place. “We’re nothing like you. Never forget that. Do you know how we were created?”
“Mercile Industries.”
“They vetted human donors for targeted physical and mental attributes, used them to create embryos and then let a geneticist splice away with specific animal DNA, manipulating it to create traits they desired. They culled all the bad shit or killed any infants born with defects or flaws they hadn’t aimed for. We were birthed by surrogate mothers. They just carried the fetuses to term and didn’t give a damn about anything except the money they were paid. Our childhoods were spent chained to walls while they shoved drugs into our veins or down our throats to benefit your world. We didn’t have parents or people who gave a shit about us unless it was one of the doctors who depended on us to gain whatever results they wanted. In those situations they protected us against death or severe abuse but only until the study was over. Hell, having an actual bed and the ability to see daylight is treasured by us. We’re nothing like you.”
Her heart ached for him and the others. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant you are physically like us, for the most part.”
He leaned down, getting in her face, and opened his mouth. “Really?”
The show of fangs didn’t scare her that time. She could tell he was angry and wanted to defuse the situation. “I realize you’re different too.”
“I can bench press five hundred pounds without really straining,” he rasped. “I can endure pain that would leave one of your kind screaming and probably fainting. Look to your left. See that ten-foot ledge? I can reach it without the use of a ladder. You have no idea what we can do because we don’t publicize it. Your kind is already afraid of us.” He sniffed at her. “My senses aren’t as good as a canine’s but they are far better than your average human. I can tell what shampoo, conditioner and body wash you used this morning. I can even identify what kind of laundry soap you buy. Your toothpaste.”
He tilted his head and nudged hers aside. “Stop wearing perfume. It’s not pleasant to us. You dabbed some of it at the back of your neck.” He lifted his head. “I can smell some of your emotions if they are strong. Fear. Desire. Hell, even anger. Can you do any of that?”
Kat stared into his eyes. “No.”
“Then stop saying we’re anything alike.”
“You are part human though. A genetically enhanced version but—”
He moved so fast that she gasped when he gripped her hips and yanked her off her feet. She found herself dangling a foot above the floor until they were face level. Her hands automatically gripped the tops of his shoulders.
“We’re not the same. Here’s a lesson, teacher.”
He growled and his chest vibrated against hers. The low, dangerous sound sent chills down her spine and the color of his eyes seemed to darken. It might have been a play of the dim light since they were far from the windows but he looked terrifying. Her heart rate quickened and she wondered if he planned to hurt her.
“Try to fight me,” he snarled.
“I won’t.” She knew he was attempting to provoke her but she wasn’t dense. His body felt as hard and solid as the wall at her back. It wouldn’t be a fight she could win.
“Exactly.” The growling stopped and the vibrations ceased. His tone lowered to a harsh whisper. “Never believe we’re amenable creatures who could conform to your way of life. We have an entire section at Reservation that is full of failed examples of
“Then why am I here?”
“Blame your crime shows. It made my people curious about humans and those are the reactions you’ll mostly get from them. They’ll want you to explain why humans are so fucked-up. Good luck with that.”
“You’re human too—mostly.”
He took a step closer and she backed up, finding a wall there. He lifted his arms and rested his open palms on each side of her, pinning her in place. “We’re nothing like you. Never forget that. Do you know how we were created?”
“Mercile Industries.”
“They vetted human donors for targeted physical and mental attributes, used them to create embryos and then let a geneticist splice away with specific animal DNA, manipulating it to create traits they desired. They culled all the bad shit or killed any infants born with defects or flaws they hadn’t aimed for. We were birthed by surrogate mothers. They just carried the fetuses to term and didn’t give a damn about anything except the money they were paid. Our childhoods were spent chained to walls while they shoved drugs into our veins or down our throats to benefit your world. We didn’t have parents or people who gave a shit about us unless it was one of the doctors who depended on us to gain whatever results they wanted. In those situations they protected us against death or severe abuse but only until the study was over. Hell, having an actual bed and the ability to see daylight is treasured by us. We’re nothing like you.”
Her heart ached for him and the others. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant you are physically like us, for the most part.”
He leaned down, getting in her face, and opened his mouth. “Really?”
The show of fangs didn’t scare her that time. She could tell he was angry and wanted to defuse the situation. “I realize you’re different too.”
“I can bench press five hundred pounds without really straining,” he rasped. “I can endure pain that would leave one of your kind screaming and probably fainting. Look to your left. See that ten-foot ledge? I can reach it without the use of a ladder. You have no idea what we can do because we don’t publicize it. Your kind is already afraid of us.” He sniffed at her. “My senses aren’t as good as a canine’s but they are far better than your average human. I can tell what shampoo, conditioner and body wash you used this morning. I can even identify what kind of laundry soap you buy. Your toothpaste.”
He tilted his head and nudged hers aside. “Stop wearing perfume. It’s not pleasant to us. You dabbed some of it at the back of your neck.” He lifted his head. “I can smell some of your emotions if they are strong. Fear. Desire. Hell, even anger. Can you do any of that?”
Kat stared into his eyes. “No.”
“Then stop saying we’re anything alike.”
“You are part human though. A genetically enhanced version but—”
He moved so fast that she gasped when he gripped her hips and yanked her off her feet. She found herself dangling a foot above the floor until they were face level. Her hands automatically gripped the tops of his shoulders.
“We’re not the same. Here’s a lesson, teacher.”
He growled and his chest vibrated against hers. The low, dangerous sound sent chills down her spine and the color of his eyes seemed to darken. It might have been a play of the dim light since they were far from the windows but he looked terrifying. Her heart rate quickened and she wondered if he planned to hurt her.
“Try to fight me,” he snarled.
“I won’t.” She knew he was attempting to provoke her but she wasn’t dense. His body felt as hard and solid as the wall at her back. It wouldn’t be a fight she could win.
“Exactly.” The growling stopped and the vibrations ceased. His tone lowered to a harsh whisper. “Never believe we’re amenable creatures who could conform to your way of life. We have an entire section at Reservation that is full of failed examples of
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