Her Fierce Warrior (X-Ops #4)(22)

"Like me." Minka bit her lip. "DNA … Zarina mentioned that when we were in her office earlier. I am not familiar with that word."

He gave her a rueful smile. "I'm not sure I know much more than you do  about the subject-school wasn't really my thing-but I'll try to explain  it. DNA is the stuff inside you that makes you who you are. It decides  things like what color your eyes and hair are going to be, how tall you  are, what your voice sounds like, things like that."

She nibbled thoughtfully on a fry while she considered that. "And they took Ivy's blood to get hers?"

"Among other things, yeah. They tortured her pretty bad."

She was silent for a moment. "So I have parts of Ivy in me now that make me like her?"

He nodded.

Minka's shoulders sagged. "Now I understand why she doesn't like me. I remind her of what those sadistic doctors did to her."

"Ivy'll come around. You just gotta give her some time." Angelo put his  arm around Minka, barely stopping himself from pressing a kiss to her  silky hair. "The next showing of the movie is starting in thirty  minutes. Do you want to go see it again?"

She smiled. "I would rather go back to the apartment and relax with you. Would that be okay?"

See an animated movie or lay around on a couch with a beautiful woman?  Angelo sure as hell didn't have a problem deciding which one he'd rather  do. "That'd definitely be okay."

He paid the bill as soon as the waitress brought it over; then they left  the restaurant, Minka carrying Ted protectively in one hand while  holding Angelo's with the other. He hadn't held a girl's hand this much  since high school, but damn, it felt nice.

When they reached the truck, she introduced Ted to Boris, then gave  Angelo a serious look. "I will give Boris back to Zarina tomorrow, but  for tonight, would it be okay if both of them sleep on the couch with  us?"

Angelo's mouth twitched. So much for any thought that Minka might  actually sleep in the bed tonight. But then again, was he really  complaining? He'd sure as hell enjoyed having her plastered to his chest  last night, that was for sure, and if she wanted to do it again-even  with Boris and Ted-no way was he going to stop her.





Chapter 7


Minka could feel Zarina watching her. Pencil in hand, Minka looked up  from the strange test Zarina had asked her to take to see the Russian  eyeing her thoughtfully.

"Am I doing something wrong?" Minka asked.

"No!" Zarina said quickly. "You're fine. I didn't have time for  breakfast this morning, and I was thinking about running over to the  cafeteria to get something, but … "

"But you're not sure if you should leave me alone," Minka finished.

She didn't blame Zarina for worrying that she'd get upset and lose  control. But Angelo was just in the next building with Landon and John,  so she wasn't worried about the beast making an appearance.

"Go get something to eat," Minka said. "I'll be fine. Angelo is close by, and Boris is here if I need him."

Zarina glanced at the plush sloth back in his little nook on the shelf,  then looked at Minka again. "Okay. But I promise I'll be quick. Do you  want anything?"

Minka shook her head. Angelo had made a big breakfast, complete with  eggs, pancakes, and bacon. While the eggs and pancakes were good, the  bacon was the best part. She'd eaten it only once, when she and her  parents had visited her father's native Russia, but she didn't remember  it tasting quite so delicious. Angelo made the best bacon.

After Zarina left, Minka turned back to the piece of paper on the table  in front of her. The test mostly involved comparing several images and  marking which ones were related somehow. Minka didn't understand the  purpose of the test, but Zarina said it was something she needed to  complete before meeting with Layla and Tanner this afternoon.

Minka was eager to finally have a chance to talk to the female shifter  and the other hybrid. Finding Angelo had been nothing short of a  miracle. But even with him near, the beast had almost slipped out a few  times. She had to get better at controlling the animal those doctors put  inside her if she wanted to ever have a normal life again.                       
       
           



       

She finished up the test, then sat back. Almost immediately, her mind  turned to Angelo and all the fun they'd had yesterday. Between the  movie, dinner, and the stuffed buffalo Angelo had bought her, she was  having a hard time deciding what had been her favorite part of the date.  She blushed. Angelo had never used the word date, but it had felt like  one to her, so she was going to think of it like that.

Minka picked up the pencil again and doodled on the extra piece of paper  Zarina had given her, drawing a sketch of Ted. Now that she thought  about it, her favorite part had not been the movie, the dinner, or when  Angelo had given her Ted. It was when he had told her she was exotic and  beautiful. No one had ever said anything like that to her before, and  when Angelo had complimented her, she'd thought she might float right  out of her seat.

She was so distracted with thoughts of Angelo-and when he might take her  back to see the movie again like he promised-she didn't realize the  door to the office had opened until she picked up an unpleasant scent.

She put down the pencil, got to her feet, and spun around. Dick was  standing there with two men. She didn't recognize either of them, but  she immediately knew she didn't like them. She was well acquainted with  their type. They were bullies, like the guards who had beaten her over  and over again when she was in captivity. Both were average height with  short, brown hair and cold eyes.

Dick moved closer while the two other men stayed near the door,  essentially trapping her in Zarina's small office. The feeling of being  held prisoner again immediately made the beast inside Minka uncurl  itself from where it had been sleeping and prowl around inside her head.  The fact that she could feel Angelo nearby was the only thing keeping  the creature at bay at that moment. Even so, she could feel her fingers  tingle, like her claws were trying to come out. She squeezed her hands  into fists, praying it would make them stop.

She took an involuntary step backward. "Dr. Sokolov isn't here right now, but she will be back soon."

Minka hoped the warning would make Dick think twice about whatever he  was there to do, but he took another step closer, his mouth twisting  into a nasty smile that reminded her of the younger of the two doctors  who had tortured her-the one who liked to laugh when he hurt her.

"That's okay," Dick said. "I came here to see you anyway."

She tensed when he reached his hand inside his suit jacket, afraid he  was going for a weapon. If he did, she wouldn't be able to stop the  beast from coming out. As much as she disliked the man, she didn't want  to hurt him. But it really wasn't up to her. The beast would take over  and decide for both of them.

Minka took another step back but was brought up short by the lab counter  behind her. She darted a glance at the door, wondering if she could  make it between the two men standing there before they could catch her.  In front of her, Dick slowly took his hand out of his jacket and held up  two photos.

"Are these the men who kidnapped and experimented on you?" he asked.

The question caught Minka by surprise. She looked more closely at the  photos and immediately recognized both of the men pictured. She nodded  even as she wondered if she should be admitting anything to this man.  Zarina had said he couldn't be trusted, and every instinct in Minka  screamed that the doctor was right.

"Did you ever hear either man's name?" Dick asked.

"No," Minka said.

Hopefully that would be the end of his questions and he would leave.

"This is Johan Klaus," Dick said, holding up the picture of the older  man. Then he held up the image of the younger man-the really mean one.  "And this is Jean Renard."

Dick came closer, stopping only a few inches away and trapping her  against the counter. His scent was so strong and cloying that Minka had a  hard time breathing. Her control over the beast started to slip even  more. She wished Angelo were there.

"When did they kidnap you, Minka?" Dick asked. "How long have you been a hybrid?"

Minka was sure she shouldn't answer that. Zarina had specifically said  it wouldn't be good for Dick to know too many details about what had  happened to her.

"I don't remember," she said softly. "I was drugged most of the time."

That part was true at least.

But Dick didn't like her answer and began peppering her with one  question after another. What had Klaus and Renard done to her? Had they  injected her with something or administered the serum another way? What  had it felt like when she'd turned into a hybrid? When had she started  gaining control over her abilities? How many more hybrids like her were  there? Where had they kept her prisoner?