I woke up, startled by the feel of something heavy across my chest. The momentary worry disappeared when I realized it was Mason. I’d forgotten he was with me again, and the realization he was near brought me momentary comfort even if I didn’t want it to.

“You okay?” Mason whispered. His head was tucked right beside mine on the firm pillow.

I rolled my neck trying to get out a crick. “Have you been awake all night?”

“Not all night. I slept a little.” He looked away as he spoke.

“Be honest.”

“I did. I tried to stay up, but I fell asleep. I think the relief at finding you tuckered me out.”

“Tuckered you out?” I smiled. “That sounds my words, not yours.”

“Do we have different words?” He ran his fingers over my shoulder and down my arm. So much of my skin was exposed by the thin hospital gown. I didn’t mind with Mason, but I did with everyone else.

“We did. Maybe we don’t anymore.”

“Maybe not.” He kissed my neck.

“So what now?” We were inside Central, but there was so much else to do.

“Right now this minute, or what’s next?”

“I have no idea what time it is.” I looked toward the wall. “The no windows thing is difficult.”

“There were no windows in the bedroom at the Club.” He wrapped me up in his arms.

“And it threw me. You are supposed to be woken up by sunlight.” No matter how nice that room at the club was, I was grateful to be where we were. I was so much closer to Quinn and Bailey here.

“I’ve experienced that a few times now.” He smiled, as if remembering something pleasant.

I was pretty sure I knew exactly what he was picturing. Despite our precarious situation, it was impossible to ignore the passion that ignited when I was with Mason. My body warmed remembering the sunsets I watched while tucked in his arms. “And it’s nice, isn’t it? More natural?”

“The best part was waking up next to you, but I understand the appeal of the sun too.”

I was right about the images in his mind. “One day we will have a home with large windows.” It was a fantasy, the type Quinn would spin to entertain us both.

“Yes we will.” He kissed me, and his stubble tickled my face. He had shaved sometime after I left. Based on our time in the woods, he would be close to a beard again very quickly.

I enjoyed the kiss for a few moments before snapping back to reality. “But first we have to get out of here with Quinn and Bailey.”

“And,” He pressed his lips against my ear. “Addison.”

I forced down my reaction. He was telling me carefully for a reason. What if we were being observed? “Oh.” What I wanted to say was why is she here? How could he let her step into so much danger?

“Sometimes we can’t stop someone from making a decision they want to make.” His eyes were saying so many different things at once.

“Yes. I can relate to that.” I wasn’t entirely sure if he was referring to Addison or me. Maybe he meant both of us.

“I’m starting to.” He pulled me tightly against him. “At least I’m trying.”

The door burst open, and we both startled. We were so close I could hear his heart beat.

“Good morning.” Dr. Tardale walked in. He was dressed identically to what he’d been wearing the last time I saw him, but there were no wrinkles in the fabric suggesting he must have owned multiple versions of the same things.

“Can we help you?” Mason sat up, effectively blocking me from the doctor’s view.

“Yes, you can. It seems Kayla’s blood work was contaminated.”

“Contaminated?” I sputtered out “How is that possible?”

“Most likely the result of sloppy work by a lab tech. We will need to take another sample.” His voice was cold and emotionless. It made sense, he wasn’t the one giving the blood, and he could care less about my comfort.

“Another?” A blood draw wasn’t a huge procedure, but they’d taken so much the last time I had nearly passed out. I never wanted to feel so weak again.

“Yes. I apologize, but it must be done.” There was no apology in his voice. He didn’t care what he did to me, but for some reason he wanted Mason to think he did.

“Absolutely not.” Mason’s whole body shook and his muscles tensed. “She doesn’t have to undergo more tests. You said you needed to wait for the results. It’s not our fault your staff is incompetent.”

“She cannot leave without us having time to adequately analyze her potential for breeding.” Dr. Tardale walked further into the room, around the bed, so he was in my line of sight. His eyes were hard, and I knew further argument would be futile.

"I will consent to more blood." I hung my head. I didn't want another needle in my arm but fighting wouldn't help our cause.

"I don't want her in unnecessary pain. What's to say it won't get contaminated again?" Mason wasn’t backing down as easily as I was.

"I will have Dr. Morton run it himself."

I touched Mason’s back, hoping he understood we couldn’t fight this. We couldn’t leave without Quinn and Bailey.

"This is the last time." Mason put his larger hand over mine that was balled in a fist on the bed.

"I understand." Dr. Tardale left the room closing the door behind him.

"You don't have to go through this." Mason starred at the door long after it closed.

"I can handle it. There are worse things." Like what they had been doing to Bailey. She was too young to be subjected to such horrible experiences. We’d promised her a better life, and I would do anything to honor my word. In here we were nothing more than lab rats, and she deserved so much more than that.

"I know." He turned to me. “I know all too well.”

We fell into silence and my mind went to the future. How was I going to get to Quinn? How was I going to get them out? And where would we go after? There were too many variables, too many ways things could go wrong even if I had a plan. Which I didn't. The first step was getting through more blood work. In the scheme of things, that was the easy part.