Page 25 of Savage Mates (Ruthless Instinct #2)

The little human became uncomfortable, the possibilities against her usual scientific ideals.

“From the stories told, Blackwell and his team accidentally discovered these lifeforms, but the portal they created malfunctioned, causing several to escape. The scientists had no understanding how intelligent or adaptable the lifeforms were. Just like what you said, these lifeforms learned about our world from humans yet created life from animals who were being used as bait. Maybe once upon a time they believed experimenting on animals wasn’t an atrocity. ”

She’d put it more succinctly than I thought possible. Easy to understand. “And in doing so, they created a new form of life,” I added. “Both good and evil.”

Her nod was jerky, her pulse even higher than before.

She was only beginning to come to terms with the horror.

She pressed her hand over her lips, a single sob pushing up from her throat.

“Yes. Maybe. They tortured animals for what reason? So they could prove some stupid theory?” Now her emotional state was clouding everything else.

“They just didn’t care about what we suffered.” Titus’ voice was quieter than usual.

“It was believed the animals who’d suffered had been destroyed.

” Now she was looking away, remembering something she’d read while piecing together the rest. “But there were more hybrid animals than anyone knew about.” She snapped her head toward us, taking gasping breaths.

“The mutant lions from yesterday. The experiments failed.”

“Or their experiments weren’t allowed to be completed,” Thor said far too casually for my liking. He was taking it all into stride while my anger was surfacing all over again.

Raw and powerful.

“Why are these mutants here?” she asked innocently enough, now searching our eyes for answers she honestly didn’t want.

“To kill us.” I didn’t mind sharing the reason. Why shouldn’t I? “Or to test their abilities against ours, using a scientific control mechanism.”

“Interesting and disheartening,” she whispered. “But possible.”

Another drag of her tongue across her bottom lip and my mind was having difficulty controlling my body’s reaction to her. The need was eating me alive.

“The remaining scientists and investors in the project involved are afraid if the lions get off this island, they’ll tell the world the truth. Those horrible men I saw with whips can control them through a pain and reward system.” Her voice was shaking.

She was still unable to accept who or what we were.

“Not them, Lauren. Us.” My voice was little more than a rumble.

“The female lions I saw this morning…” She didn’t finish her sentence. “They aren’t altered. Are they?”

“No,” Thor gritted out. “They were dropped here when we were. Maybe they were hoping we’d mate with them.”

“But they’d try it with a human. The production of life naturally through sex. Just like…” She was remembering something she’d been told. Her lower lip quivered. “My God. That’s not possible. I just can’t believe it.”

Titus nodded as an answer. Very slowly. Deliberately. Never allowing his eyes to leave her face.

She darted her gaze to our thick erections, a flush of embarrassment cresting across her jaw. The human was as attracted to us as we were to her.

“If what you’re saying is true, that means there could be others. Shifters. Different species. Different locations. Imagine if they could… breed.”

Yes, imagine.

“The cub I saw last night. Is that…”

“Your assumptions are correct. A shifter and a female lion that has not been altered. Their tests proved positive. As far as a human with a shifter, that we do not know.”

She stared into my eyes, taking gasping breaths. “Do you know what that means? Do you understand the possibilities? And the very reason the scientists from Blackwell are terrified.”

I took a deep breath. The information was almost too much for the woman who adored animals. Which I did believe. I’d seen her with the lions. I couldn’t deny her need to protect them much like our innate need to protect her.

Well, shit. It would seem everything Thor had assumed could be true. Not yet. I refused to buy it just yet.

“There must be more to this. Marcus Blackwell’s body was never found. He could still be alive.”

“Are you hopeful?” I asked her.

Her laugh was laced with bitterness. “Are you kidding me? If I saw him, I’d put a bullet between his eyes without hesitation.”

Thor laughed, but I was only slightly amused. Although I did believe what she said. “What else do you know?”

“Not much. I wasn’t involved in the project in any way.

I read everything I could a couple years ago, writing a paper.

Shit. That’s why I was brought here. The person who sponsored this trip financially must have read the paper.

Maybe they believed I could somehow control you.

There are other not so pleasant alternatives. ”

The quick blip of her mind captured my attention.

Or she could be used as bait for mating.

“Which was why the man you walked into the jungle with wanted you incapacitated. Or easy to be controlled.”

My statement brought a hint of fear. “Maybe.”

“You were already worried about why you were brought here. Weren’t you?” I crouched down, placing one hand on the rock and leaning over so I could study her beauty. Her scent blew me away.

My balls were suddenly heavy.

My blood pressure rising.

And a heavy fog passed in front of my eyes.

If she sensed our hunger growing, she was purposely ignoring it.

“Yes,” she admitted. “I applied for a grant to study lions. They are my passion. They are dying at record rate because of human-borne diseases, so much so I fear possible extinction for several species in the next ten years. Much like what happened with the Cape lion.” She turned her head toward Thor and the three of us were slightly rattled.

“What did you hope to accomplish, little human?”

“I found proof lions exist on this island, including sightings of the Cape lion. Fuck. I bet you the man who allowed me to come here baited me by sending the initial information you existed, including sightings of Thor. If that was true, in my mind I needed to study the Cape lion, to take samples and in doing so, maybe I could find out what happened to stop the extinction from occurring in other species. Just like what I told you. Plus, I was fascinated by the possibilities of some scientist bringing back an extinct species. I’m a scientist. I grew up with lions.

They were my friends. They meant the world to me. ”

I glanced back at the other two. We were even more curious about her than before. Yet we knew very little about humans and trust wasn’t possible. Not after everything we’d been through.

Yet…

With my balls aching to the point of pain, I was having just as much difficulty concentrating as the other two.

“What do you know about these scientists you came with?” Thor asked.

“Not much except one man owns a corporation studying molecular genetics, which is my field, so I didn’t think anything of him backing my grant.

At least not like this. The long and short of it is that my grant wasn’t approved, but a Cornell benefactor offered to fund the trip.

Goddamn it. I should have followed my instincts. ”

“Meaning what?” Titus asked through gritted teeth.

She was becoming more exasperated. Even her body was shaking.

“I’ve begun to suspect the company owned by my benefactor had something to do with Blackwell and hid it well.

Maybe they still do. Last night I started thinking maybe Abbott and Douglas came here to experiment on the mutant lions.

But… Everything you mentioned could be true. If you’re who you say you are. Still…”

Her faraway look couldn’t hide what she was thinking. She was stretching the truth in her mind, seeking answers that she already had a grasp of, but refused to believe.

“Finish your sentence, little human,” I directed.

“It’s crazy what I’m thinking. I mean… the mutants can’t shift. Right?”

We didn’t bother answering.

“No, they can’t, but Abbott and Douglas are going to try and finish the process.

Oh, my God. I don’t know how because a piece of equipment has been hidden from me, but I have no doubt that’s their intention.

The lions who can shift are what they truly want to study.

” I felt the array of emotions rushing through her. So did Thor and Titus.

Our breathing remained labored from anger and the need for revenge.

She’d pieced it altogether in her mind. Yet, a single piece of disbelief remained.

“But you need proof that what we’re telling you is real. Yes?” I rose to my full height, taking a step back.

“That would be helpful. For scientific purposes, of course.” Her gaze dropped to our groins once again and mine twitched in response.

If she licked her lips again, I would no longer be able to control my needs.

“You do realize that our transition could be terrifying,” Thor told her.

“I don’t care. I need to see. I need to experience it. There is no logical way for me to understand without seeing what they’ve done to you. I know you can’t trust me. You shouldn’t after what has been done, but I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Laughing, I grinned at her, allowing the desire I felt to fuel my beast. He was already right below the surface, eager to be released. “You obviously underestimate the possible danger you’re in or the power we possess.”

“And you just might be underestimating my power,” she countered.

“Then we will allow you to see what the monsters tried to strip away but failed. We are kings of the jungle.”