Heart's Prisoner (Dark World Mates Book 1) Read online

  "Lana!"

  Jacob's booming voice made her jump slightly. Her eyes shot over to the far end of the room, by a pool table, where a few other men congregated. Jacob's smiling face broke from them to greet her.

  "Jacob." Lana grinned and met him in the middle to accept his embrace. Jacob hugged her tightly, practically lifting her off the ground. He swung her around and released her.

  "I'm so glad you could make it. Let me get you a drink."

  Before Lana could protest, Jacob went over to the bar and came back with martinis for them both. Lana took it but didn't taste. Jacob drank half of his before saying another word.

  "So tell me how everything is going, I've been dying to hear." Jacob directed her over to a free space on the couch and they sat down.

  Lana looked around as she situated herself and Jacob must have seen her hesitance because then he said, "Don't worry about anyone hearing anything. In truth, most have some idea of what's going on down in twelve, just not anything in detail."

  "Well the devil is in the details," Lana said, laughing softly. When Jacob looked at her a little confused she shook her head. "Nevermind. Everything has been...good actually. Better now."

  Jacob raised his brows. "Oh, yea? Well, that's great, Lana, really. You know I would have gotten a hold of you sooner to see how you were settling in but with tours and work..."

  "It's totally fine, I get it. I've been really busy too."

  Jacob nodded his head and took another swig of his drink, placing the glass on a table next to him. "It's been almost a month now and you haven't run. So that's a really good sign."

  Lana smiled. "It was a rocky start for sure. But guess that was to be expected."

  Jacob's face moved closer to hers. "And the asset. He hasn't scared you too bad? Given you any trouble?"

  Lana looked down at her drink, fingering the edge of the glass. "He did...and sometimes still does scare me when he's in his bad moods. As for trouble," Lana took one sip of her drink. She put her glass next to Jacob's and let slip a little laugh, shaking her head as she thought about Xerus' silly favors and his way of playing with her when he was in a good mood. "Yea...he gives me plenty of trouble."

  Jacob's dark eyes assessed her curiously. "You two are getting along?"

  Lana shrugged. "He tolerates me much more than he did the others now that's for sure." Lana frowned. "Let's just hope he doesn't become bored with me too quickly."

  Jacob nodded. He didn't speak for a long moment as if considering his thoughts. "You should know," he said finally. "I've read the reports and spoken with Dr. Cole Kingsley. He says you've been making clear progress but that your methods are unusual."

  Lana's eyes caught his. "Unusual?"

  "He's concerned that you are exposing yourself too much to the asset."

  "That's absurd," Lana said. She felt the heat of anger simmer in her belly. "He doesn't understand. If I am to get close to Xerus I have to...to show he can trust me."

  "Yea, I totally get that, Lana. But you have to remember what you are dealing with."

  Lana's eyes widened. "This is my job. You brought me here in hopes of gaining Asset X's cooperation and bring his kind into our society. If I am to do that..."

  Jacob put up his hands. "Hey, I know. But I'm just saying I wouldn't get too friendly. I mean I hear you have to perform favors for him now? And you've been giving him things?"

  Lana opened her mouth then closed it. "I just want him to experience what the human race has to offer."

  "Cole said you tried to give him books the other day and they had to stop you."

  Lana's face heated. She was still recovering from that fight. Who would've thought books would have been too dangerous to give the alien. She certainly didn't. But Cole seemed to think otherwise. Their argument started off professional enough until Torrence got involved.

  "What the hell does it need books for. It can't read them," the security guard had said at his usual seat by the desk, chewing on his gum. "He'd sooner eat them and make a mess in the cell and we sure as shit ain't gonna clean it up."

  "I was hoping that I could start having him learn how to read and write English," Lana had countered.

  Torrence had laughed. "You think that thing wants to learn anything from us."

  Lana put up her hands in defeat. "Then why am I even here?"

  "Beats the hell out of me."

  "That's enough," Cole had said. He looked to Lana then, his stare grave. "I'm sorry, Dr. Hart, but for security purposes, we can't allow those in his cell. If you want to teach him something that is what the ISpad is for."

  "He hates when I use the images," Lana had murmured.

  "Well, he will just have to get used to it."

  Lana had been speechless then. How could something so innocent as a book be considered a risk? She had sat in her room for some time trying to figure it out and the only conclusion she could come up with is that they didn't want Xerus to know certain things.

  They didn't trust him, that was obvious. But they wanted information from him. They needed someone who could find a way to open him up, not necessarily teach him anything.

  And Xerus was no fool. He knew this from the start. Hell, even she had to admit some of the ways she tried to gain his trust had also been to find out his secrets. The games had been one clear way. But she suspected it wasn't just any random piece of information they wanted. They were seeking something specific. Something they hoped she would be able to make him reveal.

  This thought had put her in a dark mood but she was determined not to let it keep her from her own personal goal.

  "Your'e right, some of those things were careless," Lana said, not meeting Jacob's eyes. "Maybe I am getting too close."

  Jacob put his hand on her knee. "We, of course, want his cooperation and that is what you are here for. But trust takes time and we need to know more about him and his kind first. You did well revealing his identity. And this war he spoke of definitely sounds like something to be looked into further."

  Lana nodded, her throat tightening.

  "Look, I'm gonna tell you now before they mention it down at twelve. In a month's time, other top generals and myself will be coming together to assess the projects and work of each level. If you can gain Asset X's trust enough in that time and show he is capable of being trusted by us, we will be able to talk over the next phase. Which could be to give him more freedom."

  "You'd let him out of the cell?" Lana barely breathed.

  Jacob shrugged. "Maybe give him some time out of it. Or maybe even move him out of twelve altogether, into something more accommodating. It all depends on how convinced the others and myself are. And that will be up to you to decide."

  Lana's dark mood finally began to lift.

  "But that still means you need to be careful. He's still considered hostile. But if he starts cooperating, we can try to reward him for good behavior, you understand what I'm saying?"

  "Yes, of course, you got it." Lana took up her drink and offered it to him. "Thank you, Jacob."

  Jacob gave her a quick little smirk, took the glass, and drank it down.

  Chapter Eight

  The room was red again. Lana stood rigid in the center, her chair and table gone. She couldn't remember changing the lights.

  The glass window loomed before her, it seemed oddly larger than usual. Oddly unnerving. With the pool of blood rippling over it like water. Then, like a shark drifting closer to the surface, a giant shadow of a monster appeared.

  Lana lifted the screen and came face to face with...

  "Xerus," Lana spoke the name but it sounded muffled, like an echo.

  The alien looked down at her with a cold, unfeeling stare. His face dark, his eyes like fire being sucked into a black hole. There was darkness there. So much darkness.

  "Seefri rishak iridis."

  Lana shook her head, not understanding him. Xerus growled low, baring his sharp teeth at her. His spiked tail curled and weaved behind him. He tilted his head.
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  "Drifa xeris refadi nimadin."

  Lana shook her head again.

  "Why are you here?"

  The voice and tone made Lana's heart turn cold. It was her father's. Why, why did he speak like him?

  "Why are you here?" Xerus repeated.

  Lana let out a soft whimper. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. She began to cry.

  "I don't know...I don't." Lana couldn't think why.

  Another growl ripped through the room and Lana winced.

  "Run."

  Lana's eyes shot up and terror welled in her as she watched the glass melt away. Xerus bent his head low and stepped out of the cell. Unable to even scream, Lana turned and fled for the door.

  It wouldn't open. She banged her fists and cried but it was sealed.

  She felt Xerus' breath on her neck and her terror turned wild.

  She turned and his hellfire eyes met hers.

  "Xe lathari Nikara," He hissed. He raised his sharp hand toward her and Lana trembled so bad she bit her lip, tasting blood. Xerus' taloned finger grazed her cheek. It felt like a blade brushing against her skin.

  His hand slipped lower and gripped her jaw, tilting her head up to him. His face edged closer to hers and Lana caught the smell of dark coffee.

  "Erradis xi nilla," Xera whispered as his thumb grazed her bottom lip. In her terror, Lana felt a spark light deep within her, warming her. He released her jaw and brought his hand away and Lana saw her blood smeared on his thumb. He brought it to his mouth and licked the blood away.

  "So sweet. Just like I imagined." Xerus' hand slipped back down, this time to encircle her throat. "You will be perfect...my prey."

  He bared his black fangs at her in a grim smile and his face shot down towards her.

  Lana screamed.

  Everything was dark and all she could hear was the huff of someone gasping for air. It took her several seconds to realize that someone was her. She blinked several times and found she was sitting up in her bed, her blankets and sheets drenched. Shivering, Lana wiped at her face, brushing away damp hair. She sat for a long moment trying to catch her breath and when she was finally able to calm down she leaped from her bed and went straight for the bathroom.

  Going to the sink, Lana washed her face, letting the icy water wake her. As she became more alert, she realized she could still feel pangs of terror washing through her. It was like her intuition had kicked into overdrive and was setting off an alarm.

  Something was wrong.

  She tapped at the mirror and an LED display appeared. A digital clock on the surface read 4 AM.

  Washing up quickly, Lana threw on her uniform and took up her keycard. Not bothering to even bring her workpad, she slid out the door and raced down the hall.

  ***

  As soon as the elevator doors opened, Lana was faced with at least twelve security guards all standing by the door as if barricading it. They all had semi-automatics in their hands and were talking quietly, some looking tense.

  Lana stepped out into the hall and, without hesitating, made for the door.

  "Hey, Lana, hold up," came a voice to her right. Lana looked over and saw Ben, one of the engineers, standing off to the side. She had been so focused on getting to the door, she somehow missed him. He nodded his head to her and Lana paused, thinking whether to ignore him and keep going or stop.

  He gestured to her and Lana frowned, approaching him. When she got closer, she noticed the e-cigarette he hid in one hand.

  "What's happening?" she asked quickly.

  Ben shook his head. "A big fuck up. You'd better brace yourself."

  Lana's heart felt like it might jump out of her chest. "Did he...did one of the assets get out?"

  When Ben shook his head, Lana had to stifle a deep sigh. He laughed. "You think any of us would be out here in the open if they did? I sure as hell wouldn't be. Nah. No escape, thank Christ. But you'd better be careful." Ben took a hit from his cigarette. Lana noticed his hand shaking. "I got here at three and saw... shit, you'll see. Everything was recorded. I told them I'd be back but..." He shook his head again.

  Lana thanked him for the warning and turned away. She headed to the security window and asked David to let her in. He gave her one of his icy stares.

  "The level is in lockdown, Doctor," he said. "You will have to get permission from the head."

  She cursed silently. "Please tell Dr. Kingsley then."

  David made the call and Lana was forced to wait nearly fifteen minutes before she was allowed to enter.

  When the doors finally opened, the guards stepped aside to let her pass. Inside, the facility was under low yellow lights which meant they were in a code yellow lockdown. As she approached the central lab, Lana instinctively glanced up at the monitors, seeking unit three's. She saw Xerus inside, lying in the center of his cell, motionless. Not even his tail flicked from side to side. For a clear instant, panic shot through her chest as she thought he might be dead. But, to her relief, she saw next to the feed his vital signs moving, albeit dangerously low.

  When Lana's eyes shot back down, she froze and her stomach dropped. On one of the equipment tables, a Scibot was laid out. Its neck was crushed, it's head almost separate from its body, one arm was ripped to shreds, wires spilling out, the hand gone. The computer on its chest was cracked. It was completely dismantled, its body a jumbled pile of metal. Next to it was a piece of bone, cracked on one side.

  Lana stared at the table for a long moment before she heard someone call her name. She blinked as if coming out of a trance and turned her head toward the sound.

  Cole, along with Dahlia and another biologist, Dr. Yanlin, huddled around a set of computers. Cole waved her over and Lana approached like a sleepwalker.

  "What did he do?" Lana asked.

  Cole straightened, placing his hands in his lab coat pockets. He swept his eyes around the room before he locked on to her. "Asset X attacked the Scibot that was distributing his meal."

  Lana shook her head in disbelief. "How...how is that possible?"

  "The bot went to put in his food and found the transfer box jammed. It put its hand in to fix it and Xerus...he got to it. The engineers were able to shut the bot down remotely but Xerus had the bot crushed against the box for three minutes, who knows what information he got." Cole shook his head.

  Lana raised her brows. "Are you honestly telling me he was somehow able to hack it?"

  "See for yourself," said Dahlia beside them. Lana went over to the monitor as Dahlia brought up the footage.

  Xerus was pacing as usual. It was rare they ever caught him sleeping and it usually looked more like meditation than sleep. The Scibot entered the room carrying a boxed tray. It set the tray down on the table and took up a plate of cooked meat and sliced mango, carrying it over to the transfer box. Xerus watched it intently, creeping beside the glass. When the bot opened the box, it slid out halfway but no more. The bot pulled at it several times in a repetitive movement but the box was stuck and would neither open more or close. Pausing to think over the issue, the bot placed the plate down then went back to the box and, without hesitation, slipped its hand inside. Xerus moved closer to the box as the Scibot rifled through it, reminding Lana of a cat stalking its prey. She watched in horrified fascination as Xerus slipped his tail through the slim opening made by the jam and whipped his tail out to encircle it around the bot's throat. Quick as a snake, Xerus wrenched his tail back and the bot slammed into the wall, being crushed instantly against the box. It struggled pitifully, not programmed to react quickly to such an attack.

  Xerus moved swiftly then. Lifting the bot up, he twisted his arm through the opening and, though the bot blocked their view to see it, Lana could tell he was playing with the computer on the bot's chest, his head bent low into the box so he could see. For three whole minutes she watched the bot shaking and seizing, like a fly entrapped by a spider. Sparks flew and the bot went limp. Just as Xerus wrenched his hand out and released the bot, six armored soldiers
with guns entered the room. There was some yelling and one soldier dragged the bot away. They tried to order Xerus back against the wall and he hissed at them, mocking them. Torrence was there giving commands. He took out a device that looked similar to Lana's ISpad. He went through several controls and the window began to brighten. Electric currents rippled and danced along the glass and the lights flickered. Xerus stood in the center of his cell and moved back a step as the current struck him. He roared but didn't move away. He hardly moved at all.

  A soldier was ordered to fix the box. He moved toward it, his eyes never leaving the alien. He fumbled through it and took out the bot's dismembered hand. Working fast, he rifled through it some more until a piece of bone was discovered. Xerus lunged at the box and Torrence immediately amped up the electrical defense to its max, causing Xerus to stumble and freeze. Xerus bared his fangs and the soldier by the box jumped and nearly fell back at the alien's closeness. Xerus' tail whipped around, slamming against the glass. The electricity hit him continuously but, as painful as it must have been, he didn't yield.

  The lights went out completely and the only light was the electric currents in Xerus' cell. Like lightning, they flashed and struck everywhere until they eventually stopped and the lights came back on to reveal an unconscious alien on the cell floor.

  Soldiers moved around, one carrying the bot, the others assessing the damage. Only Torrence stared down at the alien, not so much to make sure he was okay Lana was sure, but that he was out for real. When he deemed it safe, he ordered the others to leave. The video ended there.

  Lana watched it all in stunned silence. When the video stopped, her eyes scanned back over to the table with the Scibot and the shard of bone.

  "Where did he get it? The bone?" Lana asked softly.

  "Where do you think?" Dr. Yanlin replied, crossing his arms, his face red. "It was in his food. A cooked ribeye. Someone didn't think to check it." His eyes purposefully looked to her but she ignored his criticizing gaze.

  "Do we know what data he might have gotten from the bot?" Lana asked.