Chapter 1
Cassidy rubbed her neck for the thousandth time as she eyed the microscope skeptically. Could this really be it? Had she solved the rubik's cube of terminal illness at long last? She sighed once, steeled her resolve and reached for the syringe. She eyed the tired, disease riddled mouse with pity.
" Sorry little buddy but I can't do this without you."
She injected the unfortunate rodent with her serum and watched with bated breath as the little mouse twitched ..once.. twice... then started growing...bulkier! The bad ass python in the glass case was singing a different tune five minutes later when Super Mouse squeaked at him. Cassidy was grinning like a loon. The mouse had improved in muscle mass and without even testing she could see that it was healthier. Its coat was shiny, his eyes clear and indicative of good health . Cassidy was still on cloud nine when she called her sponsor.
" Sir, it's ready."
She did not get another word in edge wise as the Colonel asked her question after question.
" Sir, the mouse had stage 3 cancer and it stalked and eventually evaded the python."
" I'm on my way."
Cassidy was on another plane of existence when she got to her apartment. She thanked the nurse for her hard work, paid and let her out the door before walking over to where her mom sat looking out the window.
" I did it, mom!"
Her mom continued to stare outside and her heart broke yet again.
" I will make you better, mom."
The next couple of days flew by as Colonel Ferguson brought in his human test subjects. She'd had a really bad feeling when she was not given access to them but she ignored her misgivings and told herself of the greater good. She had just talked herself down from one such feeling when a blast of white hot lust lashed her voluptuous frame, making her gasp.
" What the..."
She stumbled, her back hitting the wall as she tried in vain to calm her racing heart. Sweat slicked her face and neck as she stumbled out of her lab. She felt like an invisible chain was round her neck, her ghostly owner leading her down corridor after corridor in search of something or someone.
CORRIDOR 13:NO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL
The sign brought her up short. This was her show, her research, so why had she never been privy to these corridors before now and what in hell was drawing her down here tonight? She swiped her keycard, shocked when it buzzed green and allowed her access. The sensation was back again and stronger than ever. Whatever was calling her, was down here.
Cassidy crept stealthily inside the room and stifled a gasp. A lion was caged next to a pacing tiger whose neighbor was a wolf who she was certain was feigning sleep. She watched in fascinated horror as it raised its large black head, sniffed the air and went berserk.
" Shit! Call the Colonel, tell him Tristan's gone apeshit again, we need to put him down!"
Tristan? Why would they name these animals? More importantly, why was she unaware of this corridor? Something did not feel right. Something also told her not to allow these guys in lab coats, who were clearly not members of her team, to see her. She was about to make a run for it when the wolf looked at her once more before closing its eyes. White hot pain lanced her head as images flooded her brain. As carefully as she could, Cassidy half walked, half stumbled her way back to her lab.
The images wouldn't stop. She saw everything, knew everything. The Colonel was using her serum and the side effect was that he had created some kind of shifter menage, most of whom could not change back to human form. Cassidy felt nauseous, chilled as a cold sweat washed her tormented face in rivulets. What had she done? What the hell was she going to do? What was her connection to the wolf, whom she now knew was the one sending her the images? Who the hell was Tristan?
The answer came with less force but was just as insidious, as it curled itself around her conscious mind.
MATE...
What did that even mean? Mate? Whose mate, she asked inwardly, trying to make sense of it all.
MINE!
Cassidy clutched her head as blood trickled from her nose. She could scarcely believe this was happening to her. How the hell was she going to convince anyone else! She'd been so stupid, the perfect patsy, driven by her need to save her Mom, she had doomed so many people. Colonel Ferguson had bastardized her research to serve his own agenda. She was beyond pissed off right now! Then there was the matter of the sexy Marine turned wolf in her head. Cassidy sighed, her life had descended into the realms of the Twilight Zone.
She heard him chuckle in her head and found her first smile. Ok, she thought, telepathy works both ways so I should be able to talk to him too, right? She got up, closed the blinds, closed her office door and sat resolutely behind her desk.
" Hello, Marine, can you hear me?"
She was pretty sure she had lost her mind. What was she even doing right now?
Tristan snapped at his captor, once his friend, now forever his enemy. He was snarling like the beast they had created until he heard her beautiful voice whisper in his head.
" Hello, Marine, can you hear me?"
He was instantly aroused, the wolf and the man both desiring to be with her...their mate. Her name was Cassidy and she was a doctor or scientist. The very scientist who had developed the serum that could repair dying cells in a matter of days. At least, he was pretty sure that had been her goal before Pierce Ferguson got wind of it. He calmed down immediately, closing his eyes as his guards sighed their relief, thinking him asleep.
" Yes, I can hear you," he answered.
Cassidy felt like dancing a Cancan or an Irish jig at the very least. She had done it! Calming herself once more, she concentrated on the voice in her head.
How are you able to do this? How are we doing this? Why are you down there? What happened to you?
The wolf chuffed as she asked question after question. His mate. Might be the only good thing that had come from his Twilight Zone episode, he thought wryly. She even sounded sexy in his mind.
We have a physic connection, linked by our mate bond. The Lycan blood in the serum is responsible. As to how I ended up here..The Colonel turned my bestfriend into a tiger and he couldn't shift back like all the others. I was trying to find some evidence so I could expose him but the very friend I was trying to save betrayed me when Ferguson fixed him. They captured me and the rest as they say is history...
Cassidy chuckled without humor, she still couldn't believe that bastard was using her work this way.
What's your name? I'm Cassidy, Dr. Cassidy Martin and I know you must hate me but I swear on my mother I had no idea he would do this. Um, also, what do you mean by your mate?
Tristan chuckled again, trying to picture her face. From what he saw of her face last time, he could tell she was beautiful but even if she wasn't, she was his mate and from what he had learned Lycans mated for life. He had so much to learn about this new gift or curse, he hadn't quite decided which it was yet.
Lieutenant Tristan Storm, Doc and that serum was mostly Lycan and Lycan's mate for life. Our souls recognized each other and connected which is how we can communicate telepathically. I'm not sure...
Cassidy felt his uncertainty and could surely understand his hesitance. Betrayed by a friend you were trying to save, why wouldn't he be skeptical of the woman who had created the serum that had ruined his life.
Tristan, I get it, trust me, I will never betray your trust and I fully intend to earn it so until then let's just try to figure all this out.
She understood, he thought happily. Was she feeling what he was, he wondered.
I trust you, Doc. I don't know why but I do. I'm not sure how but I can connect with all the creatures here not just the wolves. I-I can shift back, was about to escape that night you found us too but then I sensed you and the plan changed.
Cassidy sighed, unbelievably accepting his words. Her fingers flew over the keyboard of her computer. It had all been there all this time, she just hadn't paid attention. She absorbed the information gaining a new appreciation for all things Lycan. Tristan, Tristan Storm, even his name was sexy, she thought, slapping her forehead while a blush covered her entire face.
Um, Tristan, can you hear all my thoughts or just the ones I send to you?
Tristan grinned, both wolf and man amused, wondering what naughty thoughts the Doc was having. Were they about him? He just figured they were but what if they weren't what if she had a lover? A husband? The growl was menacing and feral and he couldn't seem to help it.
Only the ones you send me, Doc, what's wrong trying to picture me naked?
Cassidy felt her face heat and sighed. She wanted to know everything bout him but who could she trust? She sighed again, wondering what she was going to do. One thing for certain, she had to release Tristan and the others down in Corridor 13.
