Charming the Beast (Purgatory 3)

“To cross-over,” Chloe finished.

“Maybe that’s why your father wanted so many powerful vamps and werewolves sent to Purgatory. Not to keep the streets safer for humans, but so that he could see if they could cross-over. Fuck, he could have set up the prison just to make his own damned army!”

An unstoppable army.

He offered his hand to Chloe. “Come on, we need to find Eric, right now.”

***

“Are you going to kill him if his wolf takes over?”

Eric had known that Duncan would ask that question, sooner or later. The guy had obviously opted for sooner.

They were in the hall, right outside of Harris’s room. The agent was still strapped down and collared. He shouldn’t be a threat to anyone then.

Shouldn’t.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to make that decision.” Because he was going to bet on Harris. The man could prove himself to be a fighter.

Before Duncan could say anything else, Eric heard the rapid pound of approaching footsteps. He looked up and saw Connor and Chloe heading toward him.

The expression on Connor’s face told him this wasn’t going to be a friendly little chat.

“Did she die again already?” Eric asked, shaking his head. “Hell, man, I told you to keep her safe—”

Connor’s low, lethal growl cut through his words. “You knew what they wanted from Purgatory, didn’t you?”

Careful now, Eric said, “A war? Yes, I’ve told you for a while now that forces are working to stir up the paranormals, to—”

“You were against Purgatory. You told me before that you thought it was dangerous.”

“Putting all the most powerful paranormals together in one place is a recipe for disaster.” He kept the emotion out of his voice and he shrugged. “But I was out voted originally.” His gaze slid to Chloe. “Other, more powerful voices held sway with the government. My job was to follow their orders.”

“The senator’s voice,” Connor charged.

Eric nodded. “His was the loudest at the time. He told everyone that putting the paranormals in prison was far more humane than outright killing them. And he convinced the powers that be that we needed one prison for a test run.”

“They’re trying to cross-over, aren’t they?” Connor demanded.

“I hope the f**k not,” Duncan muttered.

Chloe just watched them argue. He saw her gaze dart between them all.

“Crossing-over isn’t that easy. If it was, the ground would already be thick with other bastards like you two.” Eric waved his hand toward them. “I have security in charge at the prison. The werewolves are separated from the vampires at all times. They don’t have the chance to try and power up each other. Fuck, why would the vamps want to do that? If they bit the werewolves, if they actually found an alpha who could survive being near death and then getting a surge of vampire blood…well, they’d just be making a super beast that could kill them.”

But Connor just glared at him, and Eric realized the guy wasn’t buying the story. Yes, join the freaking club. Not like I buy it either. “I pushed for separate prisons, it didn’t happen.” Because you’re right…the senator did want to make cross-overs, but it’s not that easy of a task. It’s a one in a million shot.

Connor had survived and so had his brother Duncan. There had been others that the government had experimented on…other alpha werewolves.

They hadn’t transitioned. They’d died—horrible, painful deaths.

So while the others thought it was just about being an alpha, Eric knew the truth. More was at work…and that was why he had his scientists studying Connor and Duncan’s DNA. They were brothers, and with both of them being cross-overs…the key has to be within them.

He hadn’t told Holly about his research yet. Mostly because he didn’t want her to freak out when she realized he was studying her lover, but soon, he’d have to pull her in. She was the best in the field of paranormal genetics, and he needed her help.

“You’re worrying for no reason,” he told Connor with another shrug. “You and Duncan are the only two who have managed—”

“Keegan is just like us.”

Eric didn’t let his surprise show. “That’s not possible.” It had better not be possible.

“It is…I saw him with my own eyes. Silver didn’t burn him. He had fangs! He was just like us.” Connor glared at him. “And if he can transform, others out there can, too. Purgatory is a powder keg, and if we don’t do something soon, it will explode.”

Didn’t the guy think he was working on that shit? “I have guards there. They are making absolutely certain that the prisoners are contained at all times. The vampires are separate from the werewolves. And, again, they can’t cross-over, even if they broke out into all-out brawls.”

“Then explain Keegan to us.”

“I can’t, not yet.” He thrust back his shoulders. “So that means getting that guy into custody is our number one priority. The sooner we have him on Holly’s exam table, the sooner we can figure out just what the hell is going on.”

His gaze slid to Chloe. She looked so fragile, and there was no missing the worry in her eyes. Hell, the woman had died that day, and while he’d played his part before when they’d been in the lab, sympathy did push through him as he gazed at her. Others might think he didn’t have a heart, but it was there.

Just buried deep.

“You should get some rest,” he said to Chloe. Because, unfortunately, in order to get Keegan, they’d be using her. “Dawn will come all too soon.”

He inclined his head to Connor and Duncan. “Gentlemen, we’ll plan to meet again at 0800.” He turned from them.

Headed down the hallway.

He wasn’t particularly surprised to hear footsteps following him. Connor’s hand flew out and grabbed his arm right before Eric went into his office.

“Do you think I don’t know?” Connor said, his voice low and rasping.

Tread carefully. Eric let his brows climb as he looked at Connor. “Know?”

“You were bitten at Eclipse. I saw it happen, man.” And the guy sounded as if he cared. How touching. “What can we do? Does Holly know? Does—”

He stepped back, sliding away from Connor’s hold. “You’re mistaken. Sure, that wolf was coming at me with fangs bared, but he never bit me. I broke his jaw.” He shrugged as he walked toward his desk. “End of story.”