Page 11 of The Jaguar's Flower

Something niggled at her mind while she ate and continued to bother her as she lay in bed afterward. She felt like she missed an important detail in the conversation with William.

When she realized that no sleep would come to her, no matter how mentally exhausted she felt, she pushed herself up in bed. Her earlier conversations with Draven and 007 played on repeat in her mind.

Both men held little hope their situation could change. “Since I can’t sleep, I can figure out a way to help them,” she murmured as she reached for her glasses. Her eyes burned too much to use her contacts.

As soon as her glasses were in place, she slipped her feet into her red and black checkered slippers and grabbed the pen and notepad off of her nightstand. Her black sweatpants hung low on her hips while her gray tank top lay draped over her torso.

At home or in the lab, she preferred comfort over any attempt at a fashion sense. With the coffee set to brew, she sat down at the small kitchen bar and took in her surroundings. The apartment came as part of the package. It was barely a step up from the dorm room she vacated.

The only real benefit of the apartment over her dorm room was that she didn’t have to share any space with anyone. Like her dorm room, the apartment came furnished with the essentials plus a few extras since they could only leave the grounds once a month.

Once the aroma of French brew filled the air, Violet picked up her pen. She preferred to keep her notes electronically. She didn't trust that someone wouldn't search or hack her phone or laptop. Handwritten notes could be burned, while anything done electronically left footprints.

After meeting Renfield, she became a little paranoid about her safety. However, she was more concerned about the shifters under Renfield’s supervision.

By the time her coffee finished, she had drawn several doodles on the page while she discarded ideas as quickly as they formed. Annoyed, she prepared her coffee and took a sip.

In the past, she went to her study group if a problem perplexed her. She didn’t trust any of her colleagues with a pen, which meant that avenue was unavailable to her.

Before her arrival, she attempted an internet search of the facility that yielded no results. Given what she knew about government funds, everything held a paper trail. She needed to look deeper. Since the Department of Defense contracted her, she wanted to start there. Once she returned to her seat, the ideas poured from her mind onto the paper. A knock on her door jerked her out of her head.

Chapter seven

PanicthreatenedtoconsumeViolet until she heard Draven’s voice through the door. “Dr. Morris, your escort has arrived.”

A squeak left her lips when she realized she lost track of time, so she wasn’t ready for work. Still in her pajamas, she rushed to the door and threw it open. “I’m so sorry. I lost track of time, and I’m not ready yet. Please, come in, Draven.” When he continued to stand there, she groaned and reached for her bag. “Fine, I’m coming.”

As he stepped forward, his head shook. “No, I will wait until you’ve made the necessary preparations.” If she arrived in her lab in such a state, Renfield would blame him.

A wide smile split her face. “Thank you. Make yourself comfortable. There’s coffee in the kitchen.” She dashed toward her room and called over her shoulder. “Five minutes, I promise.”

As the door slammed, her slippers went flying. Given the time limitations, she wouldn’t be able to do much with her hair or put her contacts in. It also didn’t provide an opportunity to debate her clothing choice. She ended up in a pair of jeans with a simple t-shirt paired with her favorite sneakers. Yesterday, she appeared at least somewhat polished. Today she looked more like a hot mess. She rushed into the bathroom and ran a brush through her hair, then threw it up into a simple ponytail.

“Just need my lab coat and bag, then I’m ready.” She froze in place when she realized Draven hadn’t moved. “You know, you could have gotten a drink or sat down.”

“No, ma’am. That’s against protocol.”

She handed him a wrapped butterscotch candy. “We’re friends, Draven. I’m not going to tell on you for wanting to sit down or get a drink or snack.” When he took the candy from her, she smiled. “See, it’s not that hard. I know you’ve been trained to act a certain way, but this isn’t some sort of trap.”

As he unwrapped the butterscotch, he grunted in reply. Violet couldn’t tell if she convinced him or not, but she chose to believe that he would eventually trust her. “Would you like a cup of coffee before we go to the lab?”

“Yes, ma’am.” His lips twitched when her smile grew wider with his acceptance.

She poured coffee into two travel mugs with sugar and creamer. Since he never had candy before, she assumed he only had black coffee if he drank any. As she passed him the mug, she questioned him. “When is the earliest I can return to the soldier area this morning?”

Between her question and the sweetness of the coffee, he nearly choked. “As soon as you have checked into the lab, I can take you over. If that’s what you want.”

She read the suspicion in his eyes and laid a gentle hand on his arm. “I told 007 that I would return for a blood sample today. Part of gaining trust is keeping my word, so I don’t want to break it when it comes to any of you.”

He seemed to relax at her words. “After I ensure I don’t have any other duties, I will return to escort you back to the training area.

Renfield’s words repeated in Mac’s head. After debriefing with Avel, the jaguar absorbed the information about Dr. Morris. It seemed odd that she wouldn’t accept a blood sample from his brother without full consent. Either the woman wanted a target on her back for her genuine care, or this was a twisted game to gain the soldier’s trust.

He strapped his vest, then holstered his gun to his hip. The jaguar needed to conduct himself as 007 before his meeting with the doctor. He made his way to the door when a reflective glint caught his attention.

He spotted a small mirror in his room. His own reflection caught him off guard. It didn’t matter how many times he removed the mirror. Another mysteriously took its place. He suspected Renfield, but the jaguar’s mission took precedence. He ignored it for now.

The training area was a short walk from the dorm. Mac caught the small line against the wall by the staff’s office. He approached them, but none of the soldiers spoke after they acknowledged his presence.

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