Red Zone (Red Zone 1)

“What are you doing?” Sandi snapped at him. “Are you trying to get her killed? I thought the whole point of this was to keep her alive.”

Confusion and indecision flitted across Friday’s face.

“The snake likes her,” he told his teammate. “It won’t attack. I’d bet my life on it.”

“But you aren’t,” Sandi snapped. “You’re betting hers.”

“Bébé.” He took a step toward Friday. He didn’t know why, but he felt it was of the utmost importance that she believed him. That she trusted him. That she accepted the diamondback the way she’d accepted the man. “I promise you. The snake won’t harm you.”

“Damn it!” Sandi threw up her hands. “What the hell, she’s already dying, right? What’s the difference if it happens now, or in a couple of days’ time?”

Friday looked up at him, those brilliant blue eyes of hers seeing past everything that was irrelevant. Seeing to the core of the man.

“I promise,” he whispered.

She swallowed hard and turned back to the snake, which had inched across the table toward her. Slowly, she reached out to touch the diamondback. The team held their breath. Her fingers trembled. As usual, she didn’t let her fear stop her, closing the distance between herself and the deadly predator. Striker felt the moment she made contact. The touch vibrated down his back, in the spot where the reptile normally lay.

Deep in his mind, he felt a smug preening. The snake was proud and showing off for Friday. It wanted her to like him. If the damn thing had been a cat it would have rolled to its back and offered its belly for a rub. Instead, it brushed against her hand, making her caress the length of it. Striker shivered at each touch as though she were caressing him.

The diamondback wriggled forward and wrapped itself around Friday’s arm. Slowly it worked its way up to her shoulder. She froze in place, her eyes wide with fear and wonder. Striker felt a giddy delight deep inside and knew it was the snake. It curled around her shoulders, snuggled its head into the crook of her neck and closed its eyes. Striker could have sworn he heard the damn thing sigh with contentment.

“What the hell?” Mace muttered.

Friday let out a nervous giggle. She was adorable, still frozen in place and trembling, yet delighted with that damn reptile.

“It likes you.” As did Striker, and those feelings were growing by the minute. Seemed that neither the man nor the beast could resist this woman.

Deep inside him he heard a whisper of a word. Mine. His eyes shot to Friday and watched as she stroked the long length of the snake. Another word whispered through his mind. Keep. His jaw dropped as he realized what he was watching. His reptile half had claimed her.

“What just happened?” Sandi said.

“Snake whisperer.” Gray was leaning against the cabinet, eating an apple and studying them. “An affinity for the creatures.”

“Maybe.” Doc stepped closer to Friday, earning a warning hiss from the diamondback. “Maybe the snake is picking up on signals from the man and doesn’t see her as a threat.”

“Or food,” Mace added helpfully.

“It’s warm,” Friday said in wonder, petting the reptile. “Look at its beautiful colors. It’s actually more vibrant when it’s off your body. Your dark skin tone dulls the colors somewhat. It’s so pretty.”

Inside his mind the damn reptile gloated. He could have sworn it was telling him that Friday liked the snake more than she liked the man. His life was getting weirder than usual. He was used to an instinctive connection with the reptile. One that meant they could communicate without words, but this was stronger, clearer. It was almost as though his connection with the snake was growing.

Which brought him right back to the reason he’d made his deal with the little scientist. Somebody needed to get to the bottom of their mutated DNA. Somebody had to give them some answers. Otherwise, they were walking into their new futures blind.

“How long can you two stay separate?” Friday asked, her hand still on the diamondback.

“Twelve, fourteen hours, at most, then the urge to merge is painful. I don’t know what would happen if we couldn’t get back together.” But he feared it would be the end of him and the reptile.

“Do you talk to each other? Telepathically?”

An inexplicable surge of pride went through him at her question. She was so damn smart. “We communicate instinctually, but recently”—very recently—“I’ve started to pick up words and emotion.”

/> There were gasps from his team. He looked over at them, wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar. There was silence, and he knew they didn’t trust Friday enough to share their secrets in front of her. He was the only one willing to take the risk, and he did it because his team needed the scientist. And, if he were honest, partly because something about the woman pulled at him. He wanted her to know about all of him. To accept all of him.

“Who’s in charge in your partnership? You or the snake?” She nuzzled her cheek against the snake’s head, and he could practically feel the damn thing purr.

“Me. Definitely me.”

“Is it aware when it’s on your skin?”