“Arena Dogs are rarely ill. We are often injured but don’t often contract human illnesses.”
She smiled sadly. “That’s your amazing genetics. Our families have that in common. Genetic engineering.”
His heart slowed painfully. What was she saying?
“There’s a difference in the level of engineering it took to craft Arena Dogs. That takes genius level engineering.” She looked down at her hands. “Genius like my great aunt had. Genius like Jenny has.”
He didn’t like this conversation and her scent told him she didn’t like it either, but he needed her truth. He needed there to be no secrets between them. “So, Jenny is special because she’s genius.”
“No. I mean, she is. But that’s not why she’s special to me.”
He huffed. “You’re confusing me, Butterfly. It’s still very early in the morning.”
She laughed and looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Let me tell it my way. I’ll get there, I promise.”
He turned and maneuvered into a more comfortable position sitting face to face with her if she would only look at him. “I’m listening.”
She nodded, but she didn’t return his gaze. “So,youare genius level engineering. My family, my siblings, we’re ordinary human genetic tampering. My parents did it themselves. They’re good, but not perfect. All my siblings got a genetic advantage, higher intelligence, a healthy constitution, even attractiveness. All but me.”
He wanted to tell her he could not imagine her more beautiful, but he didn’t think she’d appreciate the interruption.
She looked up to face him. Tears filling her eyes and clinging to her lashes. “They messed up with me, Creek. I’m flawed. That’s not just poor self-esteem. I got the short end of the genetic DNA stick.”
This, he realized, was a big part of her fear; fear of all the things she couldn’t do. He wanted to understand and to help if he could. He reached for her hand and squeezed gently. “Maybe you do not have the same advantages as your siblings, but there is nothing wrong with you.” For him she was perfect.
She didn’t laugh or even smile. “I have genetic defects that cause me to be frailer than the average person. Among other things, I have Batten disease. It’s a fatal disease, but my parents could afford amazing medical care. When I was an infant, the doctors were sure I’d die. When I was a child, they still didn’t think I’d live.”
A moment of terror struck him. Could she still die from this disease? But no. If she was still ill, he should be able to smell it.
“Most of my siblings were afraid to spend time with me. Jenny not only visited my sick room, she played with me, talked to me like a regular kid about all the things out in the wide world. She brought normalcy to my life, one visit at a time.”
“This is why she’s special.”
This time she took a deep breath and nodded. “Very special. She also went into genetic engineering to try to understand what went wrong with me. She started digging around in my aunt’s lab notes on the Arena Dogs, trying to find some way to fix me. So, you see…I’m the reason she’s in trouble now. It’s all because of me.”
Creek frowned. “You take on too much responsibility. We all make decisions every day that affect the future in ways we cannot predict. Your sister made her own choices, and I’m sure more weighed into them than you know. You didn’t choose to be sick. You’re not to blame.”
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. Warm, soft and centimeters from his own. A rush of desire seared through him. He fought it down and spoke instead. Her scent was changing. The worry leaving her.
He focused on her brilliant blue eyes and breathed in her healthy scent. “There’s one thing I still don’t understand. You don’t seem sick now.”
“I’m a lot better. That amazing medical care I mentioned. It still does catch up with me sometimes. When I’m run down, tired, don’t eat right…I get weaker, can’t think clearly, and sometimes I repeat myself without realizing.”
“Fatigue does this to all of us sometimes but now that I know this is more of a problem for you, I can help you stay strong.”
She grinned. “You really think I can be strong?”
“Yes. I think youarestrong.” He traced the back of his fingers along her jawline.
She leaned toward him and her eyes were clear of tears. “Great. Then maybe it’s time for my first lesson.”
She didn’t want to go back to her dreams where fear stalked her. Fair enough. He would help her find her own strength.
***
“Lights on,” Grace said as she stepped into theAbundance’s gym.
At such an early hour it was no surprise to find it abandoned when they arrived for the lesson Creek had promised her.