Page 3 of Kidnapped By the Beast
“You’ll be given the details of the assignment if and only if you qualify for the position,” he had rumbled in a deep voice. “Which is highly doubtful—so far none of the human females I have tested have the capacity for production which I need in a test subject.”
“A test subject?” Lexi had exclaimed. “What kind of tests are you running?”
Dr. Brandt had simply given her a look.
“Please remain here in the waiting room,” he told her. “I’ll be able to ascertain very shortly if you’re an acceptable candidate or not.”
Lexi sat and fidgeted for what seemed like an hour but was probably closer to twenty minutes. She was already thinking that she wasn’t going to get the job. After all, if every other applicant had already failed to qualify, what were the odds that she would be the one person the huge Beast Kindred was looking for?
“Slim to none,” those are the odds, she had muttered to herself. She had just decided that there was no way she was getting the job and she ought to just leave and spend a little more time with Natalie before she had to go back to Earth, when the inner door of Dr. Brandt’s office opened and he came out again.
This time instead of being cool and composed, he had an excited look on his face. His golden eyes, when he stared at her, were intense.
“Ms. Tatum—I can hardly believe it after testing so many candidates, all of whom failed miserably—but you have passed the first of the trials! I think you might actually be suited to be a test subject!”
“But…what are you testing?” Lexi asked uncertainly. The big Beast Kindred’s look of intensity was almost scary. Before, it was as though he was staring right through her, barely even seeing her—now he was focused on her with a laser-like interest that made her feel almost naked.
“Come in and I’ll explain everything. Come in!” He motioned for her to follow him through the back door to his office, so Lexi did, though she still felt uncertain about the whole thing.
“Be seated, please.” Dr. Brandt motioned to a chair across from his desk. But instead of going to sit on the other side of it once she was seated, he leaned against the front of the broad metal desk so that they were scarcely three feet apart. And that was when he said,
“Let me see your breasts.”
“Excuse me?” Lexi stared at him in disbelief. “Did you just ask to see my breasts?” she demanded.
“Yes, of course.” He frowned at her as though she was being unnecessarily difficult. “You have the necessary chemistry to perform in the way I need you to, but I must see if your equipment is adequately functional.”
“My equipment? You’re calling my breasts my ‘equipment?’” Lexi stared at him with her eyebrows raised. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious.” He frowned at her impatiently. “I’m very close to a break-through here—why wouldn’t I be serious?”
“But a break-through in what? And whatever it is, why would you need to see my breasts?” Lexi shook her head. “You know what? Forget it. I think you’re just some kind of creepy perv who’s luring women up here with the promise of a high-paying job so you can get them to take off their tops for you. I’m leaving.”
She got up, intending to leave the office at once, but Dr. Brandt was suddenly in front of her, blocking the door.
“No, wait—I said that the wrong way,” he said, frowning. “You human females are so temperamental! Please, just let me explain and I promise you’ll find my proposal worth your time.”
“I’ve heard all I want to,” Lexi said coolly. “Thanks, but no thanks. Now could you please step aside?”
“But you’re the first female I’ve found with the necessary chemistry!” he growled, sounding extremely frustrated. “Look, just listen for a moment!”
Lexi was already brushing past him. She might need money, but she didn’t need it badly enough to take off her top and let him perv on her! She had standards, damn it!
She was almost out the door when he called after her.
“As you said, this position does pay extremely well.”
That stopped Lexi in her tracks.
“How well?” she asked, turning her head to look back at him.
“I’ll pay you a thousand Earth dollar-credits just to stay and listen to my proposal.” His deep voice sounded desperate.
Lexi turned around.
“A thousand dollars just to listen?” she asked skeptically.
“Yes.” Dr. Brandt nodded.
