Prologue
Dr. Cecelia Gregory — Patient Session — Subject Two — Initial Meeting
Subject Two stalked into her office, moving with a lethal grace. His eyes—the most unusual shade of gold that she’d ever seen—locked on Dr. Cecelia Gregory’s face.
She stood, locking her knees and hoping that he couldn’t tell her body was trembling. She was supposed to be the one in control. The one there to help him. Instead, she was absolutely terrified.
What have I gotten myself into? She was deep in the bowels of the Arizona Lazarus research facility, and she was in way, way over her head. Project Lazarus was absolutely top secret, and she’d been handpicked by the powers-that-be in the U.S. government to take this position. The test subjects at Lazarus were super soldiers. They’d been enhanced, become stronger, faster, and far deadlier than normal men. And now those subjects, they were her new clients.
The door clicked closed behind Subject Two. From the corner of the room, a video camera watched them. They would always be watched, she knew that. The surveillance was a security measure. Supposedly to keep her safe. She always had someone watching her. She also had a tranq gun in her top drawer. Again, another measure to keep her safe because the subjects here—dangerous doesn’t even begin to describe them.
Cecelia forced a smile. She moved from behind her desk and offered her hand to the man she knew as Subject Two. “Hello. My name is Dr. Cecelia Gregory, and I’m here to help you.”
He didn’t even blink. Just stared at her with that battered gold stare of his. Subject Two was tall, easily over six foot, and built along powerful, muscled lines. He was a soldier, she knew that. She’d been given the briefest of background information on him. Before coming to Lazarus, he’d been a Navy SEAL. After taking the Lazarus formula, though, his old life had ended. All of his memories were gone. He didn’t know how to function normally any longer. That’s why I am here. The test subjects were given so many strengths as a result of Project Lazarus, but they’d had to pay a heavy price for their new powers.
“How are you going to help me?” His voice was low and rough, and a little shiver slid over her as Two’s words seemed to sink right into Cecelia.
She still had her hand up, outstretched to him. She’d wanted to start things on a positive note, but Two didn’t exactly look welcoming. He looked like he might pounce on her at any moment. She cleared her throat and opted to proceed cautiously. “I know the program here can be…difficult.”
He laughed. The sound held no humor. Not a real laugh. What would his real laugh sound like?
“You’re dealing with a lot,” she continued determinedly. She wasn’t one to give up easily. She’d interviewed and counseled plenty of dangerous individuals before. Arsonists, robbers, serial killers. She hadn’t been intimidated then, and she wouldn’t be now. “I can—”
“I have no past. I woke up in a cell, trapped like some kind of animal.”
She started to lower her hand.
But his hand flew up, and his fingers curled around hers. He felt warm, almost hot, and a primitive spark of awareness burned through her whole body when they touched.
Holding her hand and staring deeply into her eyes, Two rasped, “I was told that I volunteered for this program. Told that I gave up everything I was so that I could help good old Uncle Sam and become some sort of super soldier. Losing my past was the price I willingly agreed to pay.”
She licked her lips. His gaze immediately fell to her mouth and lingered. His hold tightened on her. Cecelia cleared her throat. The sound seemed a little too loud. “Y-you did volunteer. I saw the video myself.”
His lips—sensual lips, full—slid into the faintest of half-smiles. The smile never reached his eyes. “I saw the video, too. Short and sweet. Me, saying I volunteered for Project Lazarus.”
She tugged at her hand. At first, he didn’t let her go.
Her heartbeat picked up, racing faster as a sliver of fear cracked open inside of her. She didn’t let the fear show, though. She never did. Some of her patients liked fear too much.
Subject Two frowned, and he immediately released her. Cecelia stepped back. She wanted to jump across the room and put a whole lot more space between them, but she didn’t. She knew exposing weakness to this man would be a mistake.
“I’ve been employed to be the psychiatrist for the Lazarus test subjects.” Her voice was crisp and unemotional, and she was rather proud of that fact. If only her heart would stop racing. “There were quite a few unforeseen side effects because of your participation in Project Lazarus, and I’ve been hired by Wyman Wright to assist you with the transition that’s occurring.” Wyman Wright was a powerful force in D.C. She’d heard whispers about him over the years, but the day he’d appeared on her doorstep, she’d nearly fallen over in shock. She hadn’t realized she’d worked her way up to his radar, not until he’d made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Mostly because…no one refused Wyman Wright.
Two’s gaze swept slowly down her body, from the top of her pale blue shirt—blue was supposed to be welcoming, so she’d worn it deliberately—down to her black, pencil skirt and to her chunky, black heels.
“My transition…” He rolled back his shoulders and crossed his hands over his chest as his gaze rose to pin hers once more. “Exactly how will you help with that? You think me coming in here and talking with you is supposed to do something special for me?”
Heat stained her cheeks. “I know about the increased aggression you’ve been feeling.”
Tension thickened the air. It seemed to press against her. Don’t show your fear. Hold it in. But the problem was…the men in Lazarus scared her. A lot. They scared her more than the serial killers she’d interviewed. Because those serial killers? They were just men. Ordinary men and women. But the Lazarus subjects…they are a whole new breed. “Aggression is my specialty. I can help you to get better control. To master the darker emotions that seem to be rising as a result of the formula.”
He advanced toward her. She absolutely refused to retreat. He was trying to invade her space, and she recognized the movement for exactly what it was—a power play. Dominance. She wasn’t going to let him get away with that shit.
He was the patient.
She was the shrink. And she could play games, too. Mind games were her forte.
“What would a pretty lady like you…” Two was right in front of her. Tall, strong, sexy…and scary. “Know about aggression?”
Now Cecelia smiled at him. A real smile. “Soon enough, you’ll find out.” Because she had a particular specialty in her practice. There was a reason why she’d been hand-picked for the job by Wyman Wright.
Killers were her business. She knew monsters, and she would stop the Lazarus men from becoming monsters…
Two just had to trust her.