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“So tell me more.” I bat my lashes at him. “I want in on the Queen B project. Please.”

I’m not above begging. Not for this. Because access to those files, case studies, and labs will be what helps me succeed.

“You have no idea what you’re asking to be part of,” Daniel says, voice hoarse as he adjusts his glasses before taking a step back, continuing to hesitate.

Tilting my head slightly, I study the nervous man before me. “Try me.”

“Try you.”

He chuckles, but it’s not amusement hidden in his tone, it’s fear. He looks at the ant farm,pointing at the small infected hosts–they twitch.

But some are frozen in time.

Dead.

Consumed.

“One of my students submitted a thesis at the beginning of the semester,” he murmurs, more to himself than to me. “Brilliant boy with a temper but brilliant nonetheless.” Clearing his throat, “He created a substrate out of cordyceps biomass.”

Ahh…

This sounds awfully familiar… which could only mean…

My grins spread as I process his sudden admission.

“And this student, did he plan on using crushed fruiting bodies to mix into the protein rich compost?”

Daniel startles at the words that come from my mouth. “Well yes, how do—“

I cut him off.

“So the student wants a bio-neural network, like a fungi communication grid.”

He nods, and I go still.

Realizing the missing link.

“It’s dangerous,” he adds, but that only fuels my curiosity.

Did they work on his thesis without informing him what they discovered? “How so?”

“The samples responded to pheromones, even light.”

My eyes widened further–I couldn’t hide my excitement even if I tried. But the words that follow cause a wave of disappointment and disgust to wash over me.

“I shelved it. Told him it wasn’t viable for field use.”

What? No.

I wanted to scream but only the words.

“Why?”escapes.

Daniel drags a hand down his face.

“Because the fungus didn’t just respond,” letting out a throaty chuckle, “It adapted. Anticipated.”

All words that make me understand even less as to why he would discard such a marvelous creation.

“It started growing toward human contact before it was even touched.”

My mouth drops from the revelation. “And you canned this?”

He shakes his head. “Yes.”

“Where is the student now?”

Daniel doesn’t answer. He just looks back at the glass. “Some things should stay buried.”

Yeah, but not today, Daniel. Not today.

“I still want in. If anything this only makes me want the spot even more.”

He sighs.

“Cordelia, it’s not that simple. We are not talking about a college club or an internship.”

My eyes widen, a sultry smile stretching across my features as I saunter closer.

One–no–two steps.

Neither worth my time.

“Then give me something real, Daniel. You know I deserve it.”

My words do little to convince Daniel, but maybe my mouth can.

“You scare me sometimes, Cordelia.” I smile. “Why do you want this project? What about the internship?”

“It wouldn’t matter, not when I will be part of something greater.”

My excitement almost gives me away, but before he can process my words, my hands move to his pants, and just as he’s about to protest, my lips crash into his.

“Please, Daniel,” I whisper against his lips. “We can do great things together.”

Daniel groans, undoing his belt and guiding my hand beneath the fabric of his pants.

The warmth of his cock burns into my palm.

It’s not that the greenhouse is cold, but this particular part of it is.

I have it controlled to see how the parasites adapt.

We all know they thrive in tropical weather, but I want to see the hive function during the cold.

My small hand wraps around his erect, uncircumcised cock, and I must say, I prefer it this way.

It helps with friction, and is just, overall, a much better experience if you ask me.

The tip of his cock is already leaking with ease.

His foreskin slips back with each stroke.

Our tongues dance with one another, and he groans into my mouth.

“I–” he begins, “have class in twenty minutes.” He groans as my thumb brushes over the head of his weeping length.

“Can’t.”

“But I can,” I whisper back, falling to my knees and placing his cock into my waiting mouth. It’s like a routine–his hand fists my hair, yanking it up into a ponytail as I take him further into my mouth. But in my mind it’s no longer Daniel’s hands but theirs that I feel.

“Look at me, Cordelia.”

And I do, as much as I don’t want to .

Because despite what people say, sex does fucking sell.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he moans, gripping my hair tighter when I start playing softly with his balls. “No promises.”

His hips begin to buck with urgency, and my throat relaxes as he fucks it harder, chasing his release. Good thing I have no gag reflex. It makes this a better experience for me too.

I hate choking on things.

“Touch yourself, Cordelia. Please.”

With my eyes still on him, I release his balls, and instead, push my lace panties to the side and use my finger to part my wet lips and moan.

“Fuck,” he moans. I close my eyes, and when I open them again, it’s not Daniel that I see.

But them.

My fingers move quicker inside me as my thumb circles my clit, as he fucks my mouth, my saliva dripping down my chin.

His cock jerks in my mouth and I know he’s close, but if I open my eyes now, the moment will be gone, and I’m so ready for an orgasm.

But before I can find release, ropes of cum hit my tongue, and I suck, twirling my tongue around his shaft until the sound of something crashing catches our attention.

Daniel immediately flinches, pulling out.

His cum-slick cock slaps the side of my cheek.

Spit and mess drip into my lap.

But I don’t move.

Smiling, as the mice scurry to get away.

In the dark shelf below, the hidden colony begins to stir. Slower. Less aggressive. But moving… together.

Toward the tank. Toward me.

It shouldn’t be possible.

But it moves.