That night, Noelle wrapped herself around Marc’s back. She spooned him like she was the bigger dragon. Perhaps her dragon was larger, but her human form was not. Her form was a warm spot on his back as she clung to him.

Marc shifted in her arms so that he could look her in the eye. She tried not to meet his gaze, instead keeping her eyes on his bronze chest. It wasn’t until he tucked his fingers beneath her chin and pulled her face up that she dared meet his eyes. There as worry and fear dancing in her dark eyes. It made him pull her closer, wrapping her in his arms so that she might feel safer.

It might not have been what Noelle needed in that moment, but it comforted Marc and his mate seemed to release a small amount of tension she’d been holding.

They’d both had a long day, working their first jobs ever while treading ground on enemy territory. Marc’s day had been surprisingly boring. He’d managed to map out a small section of the large facility. His hours would soon change, making it so that he was no longer there while Noelle was working. The thought troubled him, but he tried to ignore it, push past it and put his faith in her.

“What is bothering you?”

Noelle sucked in a breath and held it, like she wanted to answer, but could not find a way to voice her worry. It took her a long moment, where Marc anxiously awaited the worst, before Noelle found her voice again.

“I’m going into the lower levels tomorrow.”

His heart stopped. “You can’t be sneaking around this soon. I don’t know what I’d do if Patterson found you.” They’d talked at length about the man Noelle worked for earlier. Neither of them liked him much and knew what threat he posed.

Noelle shook her head. Her eyes lifted to meet his again. “I’m not sneaking. Patterson has a meeting scheduled with one of the doctors that works down there. Apparently, she has a project she’s supposed to be reporting on and hasn’t returned to him with information. Dr. Rutkowski’s assistant demanded Patterson meet her down there so he could see first-hand.”

Marc swallowed past the rock that formed in his throat. It was heavy and he felt it hit his stomach. He couldn’t bear the thought of Noelle going below the first floor. His mind was filled with images of her strapped to the metal tables. It filled him with a kind of fear he’d never known before.

How could his brother bring a life into this world when Marc, himself, was terrified with every step they took forward? It was a good thing she was able to go below ground because Marc did not have the same ability. His job kept him trapped in the upper levels of the facility.

“I think I know how you’re feeling,” Noelle said into his chest. “I could see whatever it is they’re doing to your mother while I’m down there.”

No, that was not his first thought. Marc did not know if that was a good or a bad thing. All he knew was that he wanted to hold Noelle so that she might never wander away from the bed they shared in that moment. He hadn’t been prepared for the fear he felt when he watched her wander off behind the head of the facility. It’d gripped him and made his stomach churn like winds over a rough sea.

He knew he should have more faith in Noelle, but everything about this mission scared him now. His father, no matter what kind of man he was, had returned and his mate, the fiery dragon woman in his arms, might very well be his once and for all. Now, Marc stood on a shaky precipice and one gust of wind could send it all over the edge.

Marc dragged in a shaky breath and tucked his head into her shoulder. Everything was going according to plan. That was what he had to tell himself. Nothing had gone wrong. By all means, everyone they’d met in the facility had been open and welcoming, save Patterson, but that was to be expected of him if what they said was true.

 

***

Marc was still asleep when Noelle rolled out of bed that morning. It’d hurt her to have to leave the comfort of his warmth, but she knew where she was going would be worth it. Duty called.

Patterson appeared, unruffled despite the early hour of the morning and his lack of caffeine. Noelle spared a moment to wonder if the man ran solely on his stuffy expectations of the world, but the moment was cut short because Patterson wasted no time in spouting commands at Noelle and making her scurry to catch up. To her surprise, one of those commands had been for coffee.

The minutes ticked by one by one. The knowledge that she’d be heading into the lower levels in only a matter of moments gave Noelle a new sensation. She was all at once afraid and confident. This was what they’d needed. Marc confessed the night before that his job might not lead him into the lower levels. It was a mere happenstance that worked in their favor Noelle would be visiting the lower levels.

She wondered how often she would be forced to walk underground. It made her skin crawl, but she told herself if it was her only chance she had to be on alert. She had to keep her eyes open and try her best to memorize the layout. It would not be easy, if her attempt to learn the layout of the upper levels taught her anything.

The coffee warmed her hands, its steaming temperatures nothing compared to the heat she dealt with on a daily basis. Her shoes made no sound when she entered Patterson’s office unnoticed, having switched from the heels to a pair of flats that were far more comfortable.

Only moments after setting the mug on his desk, she heard a shout from within the office. Twisting in her seat, she peered through the glass he watched her through. Patterson had leapt out of his chair, holding the back of his hand to his mouth as he glared down at something on his desk.

Not just something, the coffee.

His eyes shot up, met hers, and he motioned for her to enter, and not in a very nice way. Noelle tried to school her expression. No one wanted to be treated like a dog, but she guessed if he treated human beings like this it explained why he thought he could treat dragons the way he did.

“What can I help you—”

“What made you think you could scald my damned mouth, girl?” His voice rose so loud people outside the office were turning to peer at them.

Noelle didn’t flinch. She was a dragon. She could bite his head off in one clean sweep. Her jaws might have easily fit his whole body, allowing her to swallow him in one gulp. He would surely give her indigestion, she decided.

Also, all of GOE would appear to rain hell down on her head and neither she nor Marc needed that. Lucia was their first concern.

“My apologies,” she whispered, playing the part of the meek secretary. Maybe she should have flinched, she thought. It would have added to her act.

He eyed her, taking her in from head to toe. She had the sense of mind to lower her eyes as she clasped her hands before her. She looked well and truly ashamed for what she’d done. The cup had not been warm in her hands, but she recalled thinking about how it didn’t measure against her own fire. That didn’t mean a human could handle the heat of the mug she’d prepared.

Noelle would have to be more careful next time.

If there was a next time.

The way he looked at her now made her stomach clench with fear. Could he see through her to the truth? Patterson looked like the kind of man who might be smart enough to put the pieces of her lies together. She had to act fast.

“I’m so sorry,” she cried out, breaking down to the verge of tears. Fake tears, of course. “I was just so nervous. I wanted to make sure you got the coffee right away because I don’t want to make you angry. I wasn’t thinking about how hot it was when I carried it over. All I could think was how I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

She blathered on, more and more a child by the moment. Her act might get her fired, she thought, and pulled back. Patterson sighed, heavy and irritated from the sounds of it. He glared at her for a long moment, making her heart beat faster and faster by the second, until he jerked his chin toward the door.

“Get ready for my meeting with Dr. Rutkowski. The blasted woman won’t climb a set of stairs to see me so we have to go to her today. Bring your badge as you will have to scan it at the door.”

Noelle nodded quickly, over and over, as she scampered toward the door. She wanted nothing more than to release her beast and devour the head of the facility on one bite. She wanted to tear through the walls and level the building to the ground.

At her desk, Noelle paused and pulled a breath in through her nose. She had to temper her anger. If she didn’t, the heat rising from her skin would give her away for sure. So, Noelle gripped her desk and thought of her mate. She thought of his smile and the way his hands felt on her skin. Noelle found herself sinking into a pool of calm and happy that she’d never experienced before.

She was kicking herself for not acting on the bond sooner.

“Miss Liu, could you please try to act like you’re qualified for this job?” Patterson snapped from beside her.

Noelle’s head shot up and her eyes landed on the man. She was surprised when no anger rose, no heat wrapped around her. She only offered a tight-lipped smile, still trying to cling to her ruse. Patterson sighed once more and turned to stride down the hall. There was a new tablet on her desk, a new advancement the facility was trying to use. It saved her a lot of time writing notes by hand, but there was a bit of a learning curve for someone as old as she was.

She snatched it up and darted after Patterson. He made no sound indicating whether or not he’d noticed how far behind she’d lagged. He didn’t have to like her, she reminded herself. Noelle only needed to be here long enough to find Lucia.

Patterson led her through the maze of halls until Noelle could see the entry lobby from the end of the hall. There was a security guard standing beside a windowless, white door with no indication of where it might lead other than the guard standing beside it. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and watched the guard reach to open the door for Patterson.

He’d claimed they would need their badges to get into the lower levels, yet there was no scanner as she followed the man down the stairs. Noelle was confused until the stairs opened into another small lobby. A man sat behind a desk, casually rotating back and forth on his stool. He glanced up at Patterson without a hint of fear in his eyes.

Did Patterson treat women differently? Or, was he not in charge of what happened below ground? The man slapped at the keyboard with his fingertips, the expression of casual boredom still on his face.

“Could we hurry this up?” Patterson snapped while waving his hand in the air.

The man behind the desk looked up, expression unchanged, and slowed his typing. Noelle had to hide her smile by pressing her lips tight. She was starting to think Patterson had no influence below ground. He probably acted as though he ruled everything, but the truth of the matter was that he was only one man.

Noelle’s gaze slid toward the door in the corner. It was solid, made from a dark metal that stood out from the cold, white walls. Beside it was a card reader. She toyed with the badge currently pinned above her breast. She would need it every time she accessed the door, which meant when they went to get Lucia, Noelle’s badge would still have to be on the approved list. There was no room for error.

“Dr. Rutkowski will see you in Examination room 245. She is currently busy, but she should have five minutes for you in between subjects.”

“Five. Minutes?” Patterson said from between his clenched teeth.

“Dr. Rutkowski is a very busy woman. She is held in the highest esteem in her field and can work anywhere she wants. You’re lucky she chose to work here.” The secretary’s voice was deadpan, like it was a series of lines he’d fed to Patterson a number of times before.

Patterson sucked in a breath and straightened his spine. “Fine. It will have to do. I would like to see our latest subject first hand anyway.”

As if summoned by their finished conversation, the door in the corner opened. A man with broad shoulders and a mean look on his face entered the room.

“Meet Oliver,” Patterson said, his voice monotonous. “Oliver will be your escort while we are in the lower levels. Should you need to use the restroom, Oliver will escort you. Should you lag behind me, Oliver will urge you forward. Should you have any inclination to look where your eyes do not belong, Oliver will remind you of your job.”

Noelle looked up to find a massive dragon man standing beside her. His eyes were piercing in the harsh light of the basement, electric in comparison to his dark skin and scruff around his jaw. If she’d been a human, Noelle was sure the imposing figure of the dragon man would have been intimidating. As it was, Noelle felt nothing but worry as she looked up at him.

 

***

 

Marc had a mid-day shift, one designed to simply keep up with the constant activity in the facility. It was odd to roll his cart into the agents’ offices and find some of the desks occupied when they’d last been empty. Men and women lazed around. One guy even had his chair leaning back on the back two legs. Marc waited for the man to fall, even wanted to conjure a small gust of wind to push him off balance, but held back.

Marc went about the routine the older janitor had taught him. He washed windows and dusted vents while the agents blathered on about their day. It amazed him the things they said while he was present. Of course, in their minds, Marc was simply another human. They didn’t suspect him to be the dragon he was.

Of course, he still wouldn’t have wanted to say any of the things they said in front of anyone else.

“You should have seen him, so frail and pathetic after I slapped the silver cuffs on him. Damned monster nearly took out half the farmer’s cattle just to feed himself. So, I threw the monster into the back of the truck and made sure I took all the corners a bit too fast, if you catch my meaning.”

Marc paused. The agent was surely talking about a raiding dragon, one that didn’t belong to Dane’s family. Still, the way he accused the raiding dragon of wanting to feed himself was akin to the way people mentioned dirty things behind closed doors. With feigned disgust. Marc’s hand tightened on the towel in his hand.

“I hear you,” a female agent responded, her ass leaning on the adjacent desk. “These monsters think they can take whatever they want in this world from us. We aren’t about to sit back and let them have it. I had this one monster who tried to beg. She begged, can you believe it? I didn’t for one minute. I knew the minute I showed hesitation, she’d eat me alive so I shot her. Just in the leg, you know? To keep her from being able to change shapes while I brought her in.”

Marc trembled with his anger. He was ready to wrap the towel in his hands around their throats, but that would have made him no better than them. He sucked in a breath and held it, slowly letting it out through his nose while he sought the center of calm inside of him. He tucked away the information he was learning for later.

Yet, the agents went on until a superior officer appeared and sent them all off with various missions. It amazed him. Not once during their conversations or the process of handing out assignments had anyone taken notice of him. Marc was, for all intents and purposes, invisible. It gave him a renewed sense of purpose.

What could he accomplish whole the people around him ignored him? What could he do once they left for the evening and not even the security guards glanced at him? Marc pushed his cleaning cart through the maze of agent desks and into the next room, his mind reeling with the possibilities. His eyes scanned the world around him, taking in the halls and the doorways.

The world was at his fingertips, but there was still a part of the facility he could not access. His eyes gravitated toward his feet and the floor beyond. He knew beneath that tile there was another world, painted in white and dripping with agony. His own mother was hidden somewhere beneath his feet and he was trapped above ground.

People passed him by, not bothering to say a word to the man glaring at his feet. They didn’t care he was there. They didn’t want to associate with the cleaning guy. Marc looked up, scratching the new scruff on his chin. He couldn’t wait to shave it off again. Only when his mother was free, when this mission was over, could he get rid of it.

How were they going to get to Lucia Avila? He tapped his toes on the floor, wishing he could simply break through the tile and into the floors below. It was a foolish thought, one that would likely get both him and his mate caught in GOE’s snares. Dane would never forgive him if either of them were caught. He couldn’t bear the thought of the disappointment in Dane’s eyes.

The mission would succeed and they would all be free, one way or another.