Fury Page 6

  “No.” She shook her head. She had been too afraid to tell her handler that she’d interfered, certain he’d be angry since she’d gone against direct orders to do nothing to make anyone at Mercile suspicious. Killing a technician to protect a New Species would have definitely done that. His words sank in. Suffered?

  “Were you too ashamed of what you’d done?”

  She hesitated. “You have no idea how much so. I―”

  “You told the guards I killed him,” he snarled, cutting her off. “You smeared his blood on my hands. Don’t bother denying it.”

  Hot tears of regret threatened to spill but she rapidly blinked them back. “I―” She swallowed. “I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t think they’d kill you or I never would have implied you’d been the one to kill Jacob. You have to bel−”

  “Believe you?” His dark gaze narrowed and a dangerous sound emanated from deep within the back of his throat. “It turned you on to see me suffering, to know what kind of cruelty you would cause me.”

  How does he know I was turned on? She didn’t dare ask but she wasn’t about to lie to him, considering she owed him far too much to do that. Her lips sealed. She was unsure how to explain to him why she’d responded so strongly to him because she couldn’t justify it. Her body’s response to him as a man under those circumstances had just been wrong.

  “It wasn’t because you suffered or that I planned to jab you with that needle. I had to make it look as if he’d died while trying to inject you to make the story believable. I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m surprised you aren’t attempting to lie.”

  Ellie lifted her chin to meet his angry glower. “You’re right. My body did respond to being that close to you. I have no excuse. All I can do is apologize. I know it was immoral and I feel really guilty. You are…” She hesitated, about to tell him how attractive she found him. “You were naked and I couldn’t help but notice despite the horrific circumstances. I’m sorry.”

  Fury’s jaw tensed. She could see his features clearly now that only a few feet separated them. “You were working for Mercile Industries. Did you drag your feet on finding incriminating evidence? Did you enjoy what that technician did to me?” He snarled at her, flashed sharp teeth, and inched closer. “Did it turn you on that he harmed me and planned to rape me? Did you earn the trust of other Species males when you walked into their cells until they didn’t growl at you either? Did you lure them into a sense of being nonthreatening? Did you allow them to be blamed for things you did?” His nostril’s flared and he growled deep in his chest. “Who else did you betray?”

  Ellie reeled back at his vicious accusations, as if he’d physically struck her. “No! You were the only one I ever had to do that to. I tried to find enough proof for a judge to issue a warrant. How dare you! I collected samples, wrote reports, but I wasn’t given access to any of the older files that showed anything that would prove you existed down there. Every day they strip-searched us before we were allowed to leave. I couldn’t smuggle in a camera to prove what the hell they were doing to any of you or that you weren’t just a rumor. You have no idea how terrifying it was for me to go through the main door to that elevator every single shift. I always wondered if I’d ever see daylight again if they figured out I spied for the police. They would have killed me. The other employees talked and warned me what happened if Mercile even suspected anyone would turn against them. They cautioned that I’d just disappear and my body would never be found.”

  “If they stripped you then how did you smuggle evidence out?”

  Heat bloomed on her cheeks. “You really want to know?”

  “I do.” He snarled.

  “I swallowed it.”

  His features blanked for a second and then he frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “I had to make friends with a few of the doctors and that took time. I didn’t have access to anything vital but they did. I carefully gained their trust, became very close to a doctor who looked similar to me, and I switched lab coats with her during lunch. I stole her keycard, started wearing my hair the way she did, I tucked my head when I passed the security cameras and when I marched into her office. I’d seen her punch in her code a few times and remembered it to gain access to her office. I had a tiny computer data drive my handler had given me to copy files. I swallowed it. So many things could have gone wrong.”

  He stared at her, frowning.

  “I was sure they’d catch me and that guards would storm the office and kill me. You have no idea how terrified I felt walking out of there and praying I could switch coats back without her figuring it out. It was that day too, you know.” She paused. “The last thing I wanted to do was draw attention with that damn thing sitting inside my stomach, knowing how important it was to get to my handler, but I still tried to save you regardless of the risk to myself or the evidence. Do you want to hear how painful it is to throw up something the size of a mini thumb drive? It made it seem easy to swallow it in the first place. I was willing to allow them to operate on me to retrieve it if puking didn’t work. They were afraid my stomach acids would damage the thing if much time elapsed.”

  He continued to frown as seconds ticked by. “You deceived me as well. That’s what you do.” His mouth pressed into a firm line. “You lie to people and then betray them. You’re no better than those monsters who created and enslaved my people.”

  Pain lanced through her chest at his harsh words, followed quickly by all-consuming anger. She’d killed someone for him and risked her life to free his people. Damn him.

  “I didn’t want to hurt you in any way.” She paused. “But I’ll tell you one thing. I saved your ass, Fury. You are still alive because of what I did. You would be dead if I hadn’t walked into your cell and stopped that asshole. You’d have died chained to a floor being abused by that son of a bitch just mere days before you would have been set free. If that’s unforgivable to you then too damn bad. Keeping you alive became my main priority.”

  “You said you hated me. You called me a worthless bastard and you wanted me to know that. I never forgot what you said.”

  Ellie gaped at him. “No.”

  “I lay there on my back helpless and you moved away from me to take blood from the technician to smear on my knuckles. You hissed those hated words at me.”

  Understanding dawned and she knew the color drained from her face. “I wasn’t talking to you. I was saying it to Jacob! I hated him and he was a bastard for what he’d done to you.”

  “The male was dead. Don’t lie to me. You spoke those hated words to me.”

  “No.” She frantically shook her head, her gaze locked with his. “I swear, I was talking to him. I hoped that if he could hear me in hell—I’m sure that’s where he went for all his evil deeds—that he’d know how I felt about him.”

  Fury frowned, studied her features, and remained silent.

  “That’s the truth.”

  “Do you want to know the worst part when you walked into my cell?” His deep voice turned ice cold. His entire body tensed visibly.

  She just shook her head and her fear returned. Rage emanated from his eyes. They looked darker than she remembered but it was dimmer in the park than it had been inside the conference room weeks before.

  “I can still feel your touch on me. You soothed me at first. You saved me and I believed you wouldn’t cause me any harm. I actually welcomed your hands on my body. I close my eyes and the memory of you is burned there.” He took another step. “I remember you running away after what you’d done, leaving me confused and in pain. The needle you shoved it into my skin hurt less than the pain that pierced my heart.”

  “I’m so sorry. Not a day goes by when it doesn’t haunt me.” She paused. “I did it to save your life. You know what Jacob planned to do to you but I stopped him. I had to find a way to smuggle that evidence out. I’m so sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you more. I didn’t want to frame you for his murder or jab you with that needle but I
had to make it look convincing enough for them to let me walk out of there.”

  He took another step. “None of it matters,” he growled. “All I remember is what you did. It’s all I hold on to. I swore if I saw you again I’d kill you with my bare hands.” He nearly touched her as he stopped inches away. “You should run if you have a brain in your head. I’m fighting to keep in control and have no idea which side of me will win. Never forget that I’m part animal.”

  Fury hoped she would take his advice. He could see Ellie’s fear on her expressive, delicate features. He hated noticing the little lines by her mouth that revealed she smiled often. He wondered what it would be like to hear her laughter. He’d never had a reason to smile until he’d gained his freedom. Her lower lip pouted out slightly with worry, fuller than her top one, and the urge to suck on it struck him.

  Her hair drew his attention next. It was so unlike his, with its near-white appearance and unruly curls. It appeared to have a soft texture, smelled of strawberries, and framed her face, making her bone structure seem fragile.

  New Species women are drastically different from my small human. He froze, realizing he’d just called her his. Outrage poured through him. He knew better than to trust any human. They inflicted pain every chance they were given. Especially her. She’d just admitted to being a skilled liar. For all he knew, everything she’d just said could be false to gain his sympathy.

  He’d be damned if he gave her a chance to betray him again. And yet the idea of her being his did confusing things to him. His gut tightened, his fingers itched to touch her and he had the crazy urge to say something to alleviate her fear of him. Hell, he realized with disgust, I want to make her laugh just to see her smile. It was insane and wrong. His conflicting thoughts and emotions when it came to her made his rage burn hotter. Ellie, it seemed, had become a master manipulator and he didn’t ever want to be on the receiving end of it again.

  Fury tried to focus on the present. He had his enemy within his sights and he had the opportunity to finally give some payback to at least one person who’d harmed him. So far he hadn’t been given a single occasion to even up the score. The worst offenders hadn’t been arrested to face punishment for what they’d done while others had fled into hiding. That left the woman before him as his only outlet.

  His heart hammered erratically and an image filled his mind of the last time she’d run from him after she’d betrayed him. Memory returned so strongly that he staggered back a foot from the blow of emotions washing through him. She’d been so rushed that she’d missed the door and smacked into the wall in her haste to see him punished for what she’d done.

  The animal inside him howled out for him to grab her. Chains no longer restrained him and drugs didn’t hold his body immobile. He tensed, every muscle rigid, and he saw her move back a step. He inhaled sharply—her fear was so strong he could taste it. It made his instincts scream to cover her, to protect her, even though it enraged him that she had that effect on him. He snarled as conflicting emotions battled.

  She was the enemy yet he desperately wanted to touch her. The second she spun around and sprinted away, he lunged forward, charging after the woman he wanted more than anything else he’d ever desired in his life. There wasn’t a thing he could do to stop his animal from taking over.

  Once again he’d totally lost all control.

  Ellie felt the blood drain from her face as she watched raw emotions play over Fury’s features. The good intentions that held her in place scattered when she saw his feral look, heard his pained, animalistic snarl. She spun and sprinted away in panic. Fury closed the distance between them. Terror urged her to run faster. Her MP3 player slipped from her terrified fingers to crash onto the sidewalk a second before he grabbed her from behind.

  Ellie opened her mouth to scream but slammed into the grass before she could get it out. His heavy body knocked the air from her lungs. He tore her headphones away. The weight on top of her shifted. Ellie sucked in air before he grabbed her again and his weight returned when Fury rolled her onto her back.

  His large body pinned hers tightly against the damp grass. She attempted to shove him off but he didn’t budge. Her palms futilely pushed against his steely chest. She moaned in fear as she met his furious dark rage. Canine teeth flashed inches above her face in the dim light.

  His hands gentled when they gripped her arms, jerked them quickly above her head, and he enclosed her wrists within one of his hands. He clenched his teeth, still showing fang-like canine teeth, and growled deep inside his chest. He vibrated against her body with the very terrifying sound he made.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she panted.

  His chest shifted off her slightly, enough to let her breathe. Ellie gasped in more air. His eyes searched hers for something and she wondered what he wanted to see. Whatever he discovered made him softly curse. He released her wrists and rolled away suddenly to leap to his feet. Ellie remained sprawled on the grass staring up at him in shock that he’d let her go. She ached from his rough treatment and her heart raced.

  “Get up,” he ordered harshly.

  Ellie had to fight to stand. It wasn’t graceful, to be sure, but she rose to her feet. She wanted to flee again but didn’t have the strength.

  “I told you that I’m sorry. What more do you want from me?” She inched closer to peer into his narrowed gaze. “Whatever it takes to make this up to you, just say the words. I’d do it. I’ll do anything to make things right between us. Name it.”

  Fury watched her as he stepped closer but he remained silent and guarded. His hand shot out suddenly and wrapped slowly around her throat. Confusion turned to panic as Ellie realized that while his grip didn’t cause pain, something weird was happening to her. Both of her hands grasped frantically at his wrist. He used his free hand to tear her fingertips away from his skin.

  Ellie’s knees collapsed under her but Fury didn’t allow her to fall, instead he held her up with his grip on her throat. She tried to scream but nothing came out. She stared into his eyes while she silently begged him to stop. Something in his gaze flickered and he suddenly released her fingers to wrap his arm around her waist instead. He tugged her tightly against his taller frame and cradled her as his head lowered to her ear.

  “Don’t fight it,” he rasped.

  Don’t fight? her mind screamed in terror. She knew she had to be turning blue. Her vision became spotty and his voice sounded far away. Ellie jerked inside his hold but Fury never looked away from her frightened eyes. Blackness threatened to overtake her but she fought it, wanting to live.

  He swore he’d kill me and he is. I really didn’t believe he’d actually do it.

  Fury released her throat the second Ellie’s body crumpled against him and pulled her tighter against his body. Now that he had stopped restricting the blood supply to her brain, she relaxed against him, unconscious and breathing easily. He had chosen the safest, quickest method to subdue her. She would have struggled harder and longer if he’d done anything else. This way, she was not harmed, just sleeping peacefully against him. He inhaled deeply, brushed his nose against her throat, and groaned. She smelled so good he wanted to strip them both bare and rub skin to skin against her.

  A dog barked in the distance and Fury jerked his head up. His gaze darted around the park, instincts on instant alert. Guard patrols would be along soon. He knew their routine since he kept a close eye on the humans who thought they were in total control of Homeland. They had no idea that Fury and Justice secretly plotted to speed up the process of taking command of their own lives by training their people to do the human’s jobs. The humans thought they’d need a lot more time to learn how to be independent but they were wrong.

  He stared down at the top of Ellie’s head, her face pressed against his chest, and then he lifted her gently into the cradle of his arms, backing up into the darkness to hide. It would be a challenge to get her to his house undetected but he was stealthy enough to pull it off.

  He may
as well be an assassin. Mercile Industries had trained them to fight but they’d never been able to control them. Species refused to harm other Species males regardless of the orders they’d been given. Mercile wanted recorded proof of their enhanced skills as evidence of what their blood drugs could do. If given the opportunity to attack their male guard captors, they did kill them, though they weren’t supposed to. The guards had been vicious, brutal, and Fury had taken a few of them out when they’d been lax enough to make a mistake.

  Mercile Industries had spliced animal DNA into their genes and given them countless drugs, changing more than their appearances. His sense of smell heightened as he aged, he’d grown stronger, his reflexes faster than a typical male, and his instincts sometimes ruled his mind.

  It had been difficult to manage the rage he sometimes experienced but he’d learned patience over the years. He’d learned control—for the most part. He glanced down at Ellie and frowned. He’d watched and listened to every word spoken between the doctors and staff while they’d run tests on him. Everything he’d heard had taught him the differences between humans and New Species.

  Humans didn’t have the senses Species possessed. They couldn’t see in the dark or smell him if he was upwind of them. They also didn’t have his exceptional hearing. Humans didn’t possess their speed or strength, either, unless they were given drugs. Species’ alterations were permanent, but Mercile’s drugs couldn’t maintain the same effects in humans, long-term. Sometimes the drugs killed the human volunteers. They’d accidentally made New Species superior but had treated them as inferior.

  Fury shifted Ellie’s unconscious body in his arms and carried her gently as he stalked through the shadows. He had no idea what to do with her once he reached home but his animal seemed content now that he possessed her. The man inside him plotted revenge. She’d offered to make it up to him and possibilities raced through his thoughts. He wouldn’t really harm her, wasn’t capable of that, but she could at least learn a lesson or two about what he’d suffered for her crime. A small part of him hoped some time alone with Ellie would cure him of the obsession she’d become.