Page 191 of The Alpha

Lida turned to him with that all-too-familiar wicked smile. “He is mine!” She stormed toward the door, swiping him across the ribs with a clawed hand as she did. His clothes ripped, as didthe flesh beneath. “Find him. Capture him. And bring him to me, or I’ll be forced to take care of this myself!”

Dr. Charles put a hand to his ribs and sank to his knees. No sooner than he did, a guard ran into the room. “Sir! Are you okay?”

“Do I look bloody okay?! Get a medic!”

The guard made to leave.

“Wait!”

“Sir?”

“Hand me the brandy!”

“Oh, yes sir, your wounds!” He grabbed the decanter, pulled the stopper off, and splashed some on to the claw marks on his face.

“Gahhhhhhhhh!”

“Shall I put some on your ribs, sir?”

“GET OUT!”

The guard blanched. “Do you still wish me to get a medic, sir?”

“Gah! I’m surrounded by imbeciles!”

The guard paled this time and started for the door.

“Leave the decanter!” Dr. Charles snapped.

The guard handed it to him and ran from the room.

Dr. Charles took a fortifying swig. “I’m going to kill that scaled witch!” He shook with rage. “I never should have gotten in league with her in the first place.” He shook his head, disgusted with himself. “Mine, what does she mean, mine? What is she going to do with my prize?” His eyes widened. “Oh my…” He took another swig of brandy. “Oh my, my, my!” He laughed, which soon turned into a cackle. “So, she fancies him for herself. Then that means…”

He climbed to his feet, set the decanter down, and pulled up his shirt to check his wounds. “Oh, that’s nasty.” He eyedthe brandy and heaved a sigh. Who knew where her hands had been?

Dr. Charles reached for the booze, sucked in a breath, and doused the deep claw marks with the amber liquid. He set his jaw and hissed in pain, crying out once. Several medics ran into the room and began to tend him. He let them do their job and smiled to himself. Lida was Muiraran. She had to be. Yet, she said the Muirarans had no portal technology. So where didsheget it? Who gave it to her? And why was she so… changed? She didn’t look anything like a Muiraran. Was she a hybrid of some kind?

Dr. Charles frowned. He could be wrong, and her claim that she was a scout for her kind was true. She’d told him terrible tales of her so-called race and the damage they could inflict. He didn’t want to find out firsthand. It was hard enough trying to save the human race. Now he had to protect it from hers and eradicate the Muiraran threat as well. Which was also why he was playing nice. He wasn’t about to let anyone get their hands on Lida’s portal technology. But this new revelation changed things.

“I’ll get what I want then kill her. That’s simple enough.”

“What was that, Dr. Charles?” one of the medics asked, followed by, “Can you make it to the medical center? If not, I can have a stretcher brought.”

“I can walk.” He got to his feet and winced, his mind whirring with ideas. “I need to find all the portals first.”

“Dr. Charles?”

“I’m talking to myself, don’t mind me. Let’s go.” They headed for the medical center, or in this case, room. All the while he plotted how to recapture his prize and use him as leverage to get what he wanted out of his associate. Then he could continue with his work and all would be well again.

He smiled as he and the medics entered the room, and he plopped onto one of the examination tables. His meeting didn’t go so badly after all, and he’d have a few battle scars to show off later.

“Tell me, is Mr. Vance still in the bunker?” he asked no one in particular.

“Yes, sir,” the head medic said.

“Fetch him. We have some plans to make.” He winced again. “And someone bring me a pot of tea!” It was a safer drink by far.

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