Charming the Beast (Purgatory #3)(30)
Author: Cynthia Eden

They hadn’t been.

Now Keegan needed his men back. He wanted them out of Purgatory, and the only way that would happen…I need those Para Agents to release them.

One way or another, he’d be getting his werewolves.

Even if he had to take a little trip to Purgatory in order to make that happen.

Chapter Nine

“Unwish it.”

Chloe’s shaking voice broke Connor’s heart.

“I-I shouldn’t be like this. No one should die and come back.” Chloe’s face was far too pale as she stared at Olivia. “Just unwish it. Put me back the way I was before.”

Connor already knew that couldn’t happen, even before Olivia shook her head.

“Please,” Chloe said.

“She can’t,” Connor said as he wrapped his arm around Chloe. He needed to get her alone. She was so close to breaking, he could see it. And he didn’t want her around everyone else when she was hurting so much. He wanted to take her out of there and just hold her. “Olivia isn’t a djinn anymore. Shane changed her. She’s a vamp.”

And after that change, Eric had seemed confident—fairly so, anyway—that her djinn powers were gone. A good thing because, otherwise, Eric would have needed to permanently contain Olivia. A being who could kill just with a thought? There would have been no way the government could have allowed her to run around loose. She would have been far too dangerous.

“Look, everybody…” Duncan’s loud voice caught his attention. “This isn’t such a bad thing. We’ve got an indestructible woman. There are plenty of people out there who wish they could bounce back from any injury.” Duncan slanted a glance at Eric. “I’m betting you could use a few others folks like her on your team.”

Eric didn’t reply.

Knowing the sneaky SOB, yeah, he probably did want more folks like Chloe. And all those tests that Holly had been running…Connor would bet that Eric was hoping Holly would find something in Chloe’s blood work or in her DNA that would let the doctor replicate the condition on some federal volunteers.

“I need to go check on Harris,” Eric said, giving them all a curt nod. “Connor, I trust you’ll make sure that Chloe doesn’t leave the facility?”

“But—” Chloe began.

“Under the circumstances, I’m sure you’ll agree that you’re far safer here with us,” Eric said smoothly. “After all, it seems there’s a pack out there that wants you dead. Since you keep rising, how many times do you think they’d kill you before they got the clue that you weren’t exactly the type to stay in a grave?”

She blanched.

“Exactly. Connor, keep her here. Holly, please let me know immediately if you find out anything in her blood work and Olivia…”

Olivia glanced over at him.

“To play things safe, let’s keep up your current order protocol, shall we? Don’t make any wishes, don’t even think them. I don’t want to tempt fate.” He inclined his head toward Duncan. “Follow me for a briefing.” His gaze cut to Shane. “You, too.”

Shane’s brows lifted. “You know I don’t really work for you anymore.”

“Hell, you never did. But I need a favor, and if you can help, I’ll owe you.”

Now Shane looked intrigued.

But Connor just felt worried. He knew Eric was already cooking up some new plan, and whatever that plan was—it wouldn’t be good and it wouldn’t be safe. Eric’s plans never were.

“I need to go outside,” Chloe said as she tugged him toward the door. “I can’t breathe in here.”

Like he was going to deny her anything. “I know a place.” There was a small, enclosed courtyard in the middle of the facility. Eric actually used that courtyard when he was interrogating vampires. A little sunlight could go a long way.

But it was night then, and the darkness…the glittering stars…they could be just what Chloe needed.

He was at the door when Eric spoke again. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Connor glanced back at him.

“This thing isn’t over,” Eric told him quietly. “Those wolves aren’t stopping, not until we stop them.”

“More for Purgatory?” Connor hated that place. Mostly because he’d nearly died there.

“Purgatory isn’t the answer,” Eric muttered. “It’s the damn problem.”

***

Eric braced himself before he went into the next exam room. Harris Grey was strapped to the table, and a glowing silver collar was locked around his neck.

When he heard Eric’s approaching footsteps, Harris’s head snapped to the left and he locked his gaze on his boss.

There was desperation in Harris’s stare. Fear. Fury.

“Kill me,” Harris said.

Eric shook his head. “You’re not the first agent who’s been bit. Death isn’t the solution.”

Sweat soaked Harris’s body. “If I…don’t change…I’ll die anyway.”

A most painful death.

“You have the DNA that will allow you to change. You can survive this.” He’d learned a lot since taking over the Para Unit. Some good things, some bad.

The door opened behind him. He didn’t look back. He knew it was Duncan McGuire. After all, he’d ordered the man to come in. Duncan had always been a good agent.

A better man.

That’s why I let the lucky bastard stay with my sister. I knew he’d die for her.

Especially after what had gone down in Purgatory…yes, Duncan was a man worthy of Holly.

“I don’t want…to hurt anyone…” Harris whispered. “Saw what…wolves do…”

Eric shook his head. “You saw what some wolves do. They aren’t all like that. Werewolves are just like humans.” A lesson he’d learned. “Some are good, some are evil.” He stared into Harris’s eyes, needing the guy to understand this message. “You aren’t evil. You never have been, and I don’t think you ever will be.”

Harris’s body shuddered. “I’m…scared.”

Duncan stepped to Eric’s side. “You should be. I won’t lie to you, this isn’t going to be easy and it sure won’t be pretty, but you can survive it. You will survive it.”

“The first full moon will be the hardest,” Eric said. Unfortunately, the full moon would be coming soon. “Get through that, and you’re good.”