Page 79 of Kidnapped By the Beast

“Yeah, I never sent that message. Dr. Brandt basically decided to take me with him, whether I wanted to go or not.”

Natalie’s brown eyes grew wide.

“Oh my God, Lexi—are you saying he kidnapped you?”

“I guess you could say that.” Her jagged laugh came out sounding like a sob. “It seems like a million years ago now, though.”

“But what did he do? I mean, what happened? Tell me,” Natalie urged. “I need details!”

Lexi drew a ragged breath.

That first day when I went to interview for the job you set up with Dr. Brandt, he, uh, tested me and said I was exactly who he was looking for. But he never gave me a choice. He said he needed me for his research, and then—then he took me away. He didn’t even let me say goodbye! That message you got saying I was fine? That wasn’t me. He sent it.”

Natalie’s eyes went wide, her mouth falling open.

“Lexi! I knew that message felt wrong. I told V’rin it sounded fake—but I thought maybe I was just being paranoid. Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I never should have told you about that job. I just thought—you know, since he’s a Kindred scientist, he’d be safe.”

Lexi shook her head quickly.

“It’s not your fault. He took me to another planet—to Bio-Terius Centra. Then he offered to pay me a lot to stay and cooperate. I agreed at first because I thought it was just a research position. But then—” She swallowed hard, her cheeks heating even as more tears slipped down her face. “Then he infected me.”

Natalie’s brows shot up. “He what?”

“With Bacillus Aurum. It’s this bacteria—it makes my breasts produce nectar. Golden nectar.” Lexi’s voice shook with embarrassment. “He…he used me to create it. For cancer research.”

Natalie reared back slightly, her hand pressed to her chest.

“Lexi, that’s…horrifying. You have to report him.”

“No!” Lexi clutched Natalie’s arm. “Don’t you understand? It’s for cancer. He said this could be the cure. You know I lost Grandma to breast cancer. He lost his wife too. That’s why—” She broke off.

Natalie’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s why what?”

Lexi bit her lip, but she couldn’t hold it in.

“That’s why he says he can’t be with me.”

“Wait—what? I thought you said he kidnapped you!”

“He did. But then I fell in love with him. He made me fall in love with him!” Lexi stated crying again. “And I thought he was falling for me too. But then he told me about his wife. After she died, he took a sacred vow and now he can never Bond another woman to him ever again.”

Natalie snorted, her expression fierce.

“That sounds like a load of horseshit to me.”

Before Lexi could answer, the door to the suite slid open. V’rin, Natalie’s Blood Kindred husband, walked in, filling the doorway with his tall, muscular frame. His pale blonde hair gleamed like spun silver in the firelight, and his ice-blue eyes swept the room, sharp and predatory. His fangs flashed white as he bent to kiss Natalie, his big hands cupping her face.

Lexi looked away, feeling like an intruder, until V’rin finally noticed her.

“Oh—my apologies,” he said formally. “I didn’t realize we had company.”

“It’s just Lexi,” Natalie said. “Listen, is it true that a warrior who loses his wife has to take a vow to the Goddess never to have another?”

V’rin’s expression sobered instantly.

“Not all warriors take such a vow. But many do—if they even survive the loss.”