Minka nodded, even though she already knew what Zarina was going to do. But if it put off getting stuck for a few more minutes, she was okay with it.
Zarina explained the process of drawing blood in a soft voice as she slowly poked the small needle into Angelo's muscular arm.
"See?" Angelo grinned at her as he rolled down his sleeve afterward. "Nothing to it."
Minka didn't think it had been nothing. She grabbed on to Angelo with her hand, squeezing Boris as Zarina tied something rubbery tightly around her upper arm. She tried to watch as the Russian doctor moved the needle toward her arm, then decided against it. Instead, she turned and looked at Angelo. He was much more pleasing to focus on.
Angelo was looking down at her arm, a grim expression on his face. For a moment, Minka thought Zarina was doing something improper, but when she looked down at her arm, she realized he wasn't focused on the needle, which Zarina had put into her arm without Minka even feeling it. Instead, Angelo's gaze was locked on the series of parallel scars running sideways across the inside of her forearm.
When Zarina pulled out the needle, there wasn't any blood. A moment later, Minka couldn't even see where the needle had gone in. She was about to pull her arm back, but Angelo stopped her, gently rubbing his long fingers across the scars.
"Zarina, I thought hybrids healed as fast as shifters. Were these scars from before Minka was changed?"
Minka almost pulled her arm away in embarrassment, not wanting Angelo to see the ugly scars, but he placed a single finger gently on her wrist.
Zarina studied the scars. "No, these are relatively fresh." She lifted her eyes to Minka's. "How badly did they cut you?"
Minka swallowed hard. She didn't want to think about it. "Very badly," she whispered. "They gave me something so I couldn't move, then strapped me down to a table and cut my arm open to the bone. They took out so much flesh, I thought they were trying to remove my arm, but I found out later they just wanted to see how severe of a wound I could recover from."
Minka heard Angelo swear, but she didn't look at him. She didn't want to see the pity she knew would be there. But she couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes as she remembered the pain and the terror she'd experienced. She had been so sure she would die, but the beast inside wouldn't allow that. It had healed itself, albeit more slowly than usual. In time, Minka was sure even the ugly scars would be gone.
She kept her head down, so Angelo and Zarina wouldn't see the tears. But Angelo slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. She saw no pity there. Only anger so intense it turned his normally soft eyes to stone.
"Minka, I promise that nothing like that will ever happen to you again," he said hoarsely. "And if I get the opportunity to someday kill the men who did this to you, I will."
Minka nodded, cherishing the way he gently wiped away her tears with his thumb more than the promise of revenge. While she truly hated the doctors who had experimented on her, she couldn't imagine wanting another human dead on her account. Not even them.
The beast inside, however, growled in approval at Angelo's plan. It was more than willing to let Angelo kill those doctors, and even happier to help.
Minka had just wiped the last of her tears away when Angelo's friend Landon appeared in the doorway along with the man who had sent the rat-faced man away in the lab.
He walked in and extended his hand with a smile. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before. I'm John Loughlin, the director here."
She reached out and hesitantly took his hand with her right, then placed the other-the one with Boris in it-over her heart and bowed her head slightly in the custom of her country. "Minka Pajari."
John glanced at Zarina. "Everything check out?"
Zarina smiled. "Minka did very well. She even let me draw some blood."
"Excellent," John said. "I'm sure she could use a shower, something to eat, and a comfortable bed after what she's been through. I know that Angelo has some concerns about her staying on the complex. In your opinion, is Minka stable enough to stay somewhere else, Doctor?"
Zarina didn't answer right away, and the longer she hesitated, the more nervous Minka became. Angelo must have sensed her fear because he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"I think that would be fine," Zarina finally said. "As long as Angelo can stay with her."
Minka turned to look at him. She wanted to think she knew what his answer would be, but then realized she didn't know.
He smiled. "Of course I'll stay with her."
She sagged with relief. She knew Angelo couldn't stay with her forever, but for right now, at least, he would, and she was grateful.
John nodded. "In that case, Landon has volunteered to let both of you stay at his apartment. It only has one bedroom but a big couch from what he tells me, so the two of you should be able to make it work. And you'll have the place to yourselves since he's going to stay with a friend."
The director gave Landon a pointed look that Minka was sure carried some significance, although she didn't know what. But it was none of her concern. All she cared about was being with Angelo.
Minka was about to thank Landon for offering to let them stay at his apartment, and John for allowing it, when a man's voice interrupted her.
"Have you all lost your minds?"
Minka jerked around to see the rat-faced man standing in the doorway. A growl vibrated in her throat as the beast tried to claw its way out. It might have succeeded too, but Angelo got a firmer grip on her hand and tugged her closer. The beast wasn't happy, but it behaved.
"There is absolutely no way that hybrid is leaving this complex," Rat Face said. "I want her confined."
John turned to face the man, positioning himself slightly in front of Angelo. "That hybrid has a name, Dick. It's Minka Pajari. And Dr. Sokolov has determined she's stable enough to leave the complex as long as she stays in Sergeant Rios's care."
"That hybrid is dangerous, and she belongs to us."
Angelo was the one who growled this time. "No, asshole, I'm the one who's dangerous. Minka is cute and cuddly compared to me." He nudged her behind him. "And she sure as hell doesn't belong to you. She doesn't belong to anyone but herself. Got it?"
The rat-faced man-Dick-turned red, and for a moment, she thought he might try to fight Angelo, but instead, he directed his anger toward John. "If this goes sideways, you're the one taking the fall."
"That responsibility comes with the title of director," John said.
Dick muttered something under his breath that sounded like "not for long," then turned and stomped off.
John sighed. "I'm sorry about that. Dick can be somewhat irritating." He gave her and Angelo a smile. "I think Landon can take it from here. I'll see the two of you tomorrow."
Landon looked at Zarina. "Anything else you need right now, or can Angelo and Minka get out of here?"
"We're done." She smiled at Minka. "Get some rest and I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
Minka nodded and would have turned to leave when she suddenly remembered she still had Boris. She held him out to the Russian doctor. "Thank you for letting me hug him."
Zarina's smile widened. "Why don't you keep him for a little while?"
Minka looked from Zarina to Boris and back again. "Are you sure? I don't know Tanner, but he must be special to you if he brought this back all the way from Central America. I wouldn't feel right about taking something he gave you."
"Tanner won't mind if you borrow him," Zarina said. "Besides, Boris has been wanting to get out of the lab and see the sights."
Minka caressed the sloth's fur. She wasn't sure why hugging the plush toy helped keep her calm, but it did, and she was relieved to be able to take him with her. "Okay. If you're sure."
"I am," Zarina said.
Landon led her and Angelo back through the maze of hallways and offices, and outside to his pickup truck. Landon's scent permeated the interior, which wasn't surprising since it was his truck. But she also smelled the beautiful, dark-haired woman who was with him earlier. They must spend a lot of time together.
Landon took them on the same roads they had arrived by but in the opposite direction. The scenery was just as intriguing now as it had been then, and she could not resist asking what things were as they drove. Fortunately, Landon didn't drive as fast as the man who'd taken them to the complex, so she was able to see a lot more. This country was so full of new and exciting things, and she had the urge to experience all of them.