Page 68 of Soul Bound

“Originally, they would just dispose of the child—mind you, this was over twenty-five years ago before I ever worked for Sterling. But twenty-two years ago, Sterling realized it was a waste of money to do that, there was money to be made with babies. With the babies that turned out mostly human, it was a no-brainer to sell them off to human parents, no one could tell the difference since their supernatural side was so minuscule. Rich people who struggle to conceive children will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a baby, and if they can choose the baby, select characteristics that will make the child look like they’re biologically theirs, they’ll pay even more. Sterling started auctioning the babies off to those kinds of people. The money that’s paid to him for the infants is what pays for the research.”

Research. He says the word like they’re dissecting frogs in biology class or some shit. Not kidnapping women and forcibly impregnating them with modified embryos. Over and over again. Like they’re not selling infants on the black market.

The more I find out about Sterling’s ‘organization’ the more I feel the ball of anger that has been building in my stomach for months grow. It’s a living, breathing thing at this point. The only time I feel the burn of anger subside is when I have those moments of peace, my little witch. She shines a light on those dark, shadowy parts of me. But right now, I feel the slim control I had over it starting to snap. This Adam guy may not be the mastermind behind this shit show, but he’s played a big part in it and for that, my wolf and me, want him to pay.

He better start talking fast because I’m going to gut him.

The part of me that doesn’t want to do something like that in front of Winnie is buried by the anger that is like fire in my veins right now. I know I will care when it’s over, when I see those big ol’ eyes of hers look at me with fear, but I just can’t bring myself to think of anything else. I want this guy to bleed out alone, just like he left Thalia to do.

For the first time since we got here, I see Winslow’s eyes slightly flare at this new information. I hear her heart rate spike as well. “Is there any way to track where they took the baby? You guys must have some form of records.”

Adam starts to shake his head, but the bite of my claws stops him. “We have a database, but I can’t show you. If Sterling found out, he would kill me. Slowly and painfully. He’s not…normal. He’s a brilliant man, but he likes to make people suffer. He enjoys seeing people in pain.”

No shit.

This isn’t new information. Anyone willing to do this to innocent people is all kinds of fucked-up in the head.

Winslow cocks her head. “What gave you the impressionweweren’t going to kill you?”

He chuckles, but it sounds anything but amused. “You don’t have it in you. I can tell—you’renot a killer.”

“You’re right, I’m not, but I am a little crazy and a lot pissed off.” A wicked smile appears on her face. “Want to risk it?”

He swallows hard. “No.”

Winslow nods her head. “That’s what I thought. Here’s the deal, show us the database, tell us where the baby is, and I won’t let you suffer when he kills you.”

My wolf isn’t thrilled about the deal she’s making. He’s yearning to know what his blood tastes like, he wants to feel the life slip away from his body.

“There isn’t an option where I make it out of this alive?” Adam asks, his voice shaky.

“You think you deserve to live after what you’ve done?” Winslow frowns. “I saw the facility in Vancouver, every single one of you who worked there deserves to burn. But I do have to ask, why do what you did? Why be part of something so vile?”

“Simple.” Adam shrugs. “The money was too hard to pass up.”

“That’s always what it comes down to, right?Money.” Winslow’s voice sounds unimpressed.

I look around his fancy house, with the tall ceilings and nice furnishings. “I hope you enjoyed the nice house and paying a thousand dollars for a bottle scotch. I hope you think it was worth it.” I bite. “The greed for money is ultimately what killed you.”

“Everyone dies kid, you just have to enjoy the hell out of the ride before you do. And I did.” He says. Winslow’s eyes narrow at his words. I can’t see his face from where I stand behind him, but I get this sick sense he’s smiling.

“Enough of this. The database. How do we access it?” Winslow stands from her chair; her arms tightly crossed at her chest.

“The laptop on my desk.”

With my free hand, I pull at the collar of his shirt. “Stand up.” My voice is rough, my emotions clear when I speak.

We move to the desk across the room.

Winslow sits on the edge of the desk and I stay behind him, my claws deep in his throat while he types away at the keyboard—a little awkwardly due to his broken index finger. I try to follow what he’s doing, making sure he’s not activating a panic button or alerting his colleagues he’s in trouble.

He eventually pulls up a secure page and pauses at the search bar at the top of the page. “What was the mother’s name?”

“Thalia,” Winslow tells him. “She was a witch.”

Adam types it into the computer and a picture pops up of Thalia standing in front of a white wall, her scared, dark eyes are full of unshed tears as she stares back at the camera. “That’s her.” Winslow peers at the screen. “I’ve never seen her look…alive. Wow.”

Adam looks at Winslow. “What do you mean?” he asks, confused about her statement.

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