Know Thine Enemy (17 page)

He
'd stroked her like he feared she'd break, and had he been anyone else, she would have. It was hard thinking about where she was while drowning in his eyes.

As her body came down and the fog in her head faded, she
'd realized it was over. Ryker was gone, leaving her alone with sweat clinging to her body and an ache she didn't understand between her legs. What he'd given her had been unlike anything she'd experienced, and she needed more. Anything to escape the walls of their prison. Anything to forget where they were.

Anything to forget Dr. Briggs and the cold manner with which he regarded her.

The sound of her cell door opening penetrated the cushion she'd set around her mind. Izzie looked up sharply, her veins hardening with anger as Briggs strode back into the room. He steadied a lunchroom tray in his hands, topped with a bowl of something, a small bottle of water, and a carton of chocolate milk. He didn't trouble himself by looking at her, instead placing the tray on the table.

"
Chicken noodle soup," he said, still not looking at her. "Hope it's to your liking."

Izzie didn
't move.

"
I should also advise you," Briggs continued, "I wouldn't try anything. Not only would you be unsuccessful, but your vampire friend would be transferred to a different study . . . that is, if we decided not to dispose of him. It seems the two of you got along today and I'd hate to break up the group dynamic."

She hadn
't even realized he'd entered without a bodyguard. It didn't matter, though. Right now her captors knew to anticipate an escape attempt and she wouldn't give them reason to beat her down or punish her. No, she wouldn't make a move until the time felt right.

U
ntil the odds were in her favor.

"
You don't have any known allergies, do you?"

Izzie slowly wobbled to her feet and shook her head.
"Not to food."

"
Good. Peter wondered if you might enjoy a peanut butter sandwich tomorrow.

Her stomach growled when the soup
's aroma reached her nose. "Okay."

Dr. Briggs glanced
at the T-shirt in her grasp and clucked his tongue. "We will provide a blanket tonight, as well as one pillow. We don't want you to freeze. However, Subject 061's clothing should not be in your possession. Give it here."

Izzie frowned and handed it over, fighting instinct to not shield her nudity. Harrison had instilled shame in her at a young age
—shame for her existence, shame for being a girl, shame at her nakedness which, as he said, made sinners out of puritans and drove the righteous man to lust. It was what had happened to him with her mother. Despite his being a man of God, Harrison had succumbed to temptation at the hand of Satan's servant.
Thou art of woman, and therefore of sin
. Somehow the years had managed to unravel her father's conditioning, and though she didn't enjoy showing off her tits for some perverted scientist, she didn't recoil when his gaze roamed her body.

It made her want to kick in his teeth.

There seemed little sense in remaining ladylike. Izzie marched intently toward the table and lifted the bowl to her lips. Hot broth splashed against her bare skin, but she didn't care—not with her stomach whining and her taste buds rejoicing. While she knew it couldn't be the best soup she'd had, at the moment it tasted better than anything she'd ever put in her mouth.

"
Oh God," Izzie whimpered, wiping her damp chin with her wrist.

"
Hungry?"

She nodded and raised the bowl again. In seconds, the soup was gone, and her attention shifted to the milk carton. When that was empty, she uncapped the water bottle and swallowed a couple mouthfuls before forcing herself to stop.

"There now," cooed Briggs. "Isn't that better?"

Izzie licked her lips and favored him with a glare.

"If you're finished, it's time to wash up." From his back pocket, he procured a set of handcuffs. "Turn around, please."

She hesitated but did as instructed, doing her best not to flinch when his fingers brushed her skin. With her hands locked behind her she couldn
't defend herself; if Briggs intended to do something terrible the time was now.

He didn
't. Instead, he sighed and took hold of her arm and steered her toward the door.

Izzie had seen and experienced many things
—things she hadn't thought unusual until integrating into regular society, and even then she'd lived in the shadows. Yet no matter how many alleys she'd haunted, how many demons she'd fought, how many seedy clubs she'd searched, or how many scenarios she'd envisioned, she'd never once seen herself walking naked through a maze of halls. The experience was humbling. Though she seemed to be the only one who thought it odd—those people she passed regarded her apathetically, if they even bothered to glance up. Not that she wanted to complain. The fewer people who witnessed her humiliation, the better.

Briggs led her into a small room equipped with a shower and toilet. It also had a mirror, but Izzie wasn
't eager to catch her reflection.

"
I will stand outside," Briggs told her as he unlocked the cuffs. "You have fifteen minutes to clean and use the facilities. I will knock three times when you have ninety seconds left."

Then he stalked out and she was again alone.

Izzie sprang for the shower. It had been a long time since she felt as filthy as she did now. She scrubbed her skin raw, rinsed, and scrubbed again. Then she took to her hair and massaged shampoo into her scalp until soapsuds stung her eyes.

Once she felt sufficiently clean, she selected a razor from the shelf and tended to her underarms and legs for no reason other than her vanity. When she did see Ryker again she wanted her body to be open and inviting
—she wanted him to know she regretted nothing and she was ready, desperate even, for more sensual escape.

Right now he was the best shot she had at avoiding reality, and she was determined to enjoy what little time they had together, no matter the reasons the researchers gave, or the cost.
She might be viewed as a science project while with Ryker, but she only had eyes for her vampire.

Izzie emerged from the shower with enough time to make use of the toilet and, by courtesy of the brush next to the sink, untangle her hair. She washed her hands, wrapped herself in a towel, and relaxed in the final moments she had alone.

Then Briggs's knock came, and the next ninety seconds rolled by mercilessly.

"
Time's up," he said.

Izzie opened the door and turned around, presenting her wrists. He snapped the restraints into place and guided her back to her cell. For whatever reason, he did not ask her to remove the towel.

She found the promised pillow and blanket waiting for her on the table.

"
We'll begin again tomorrow," Briggs said as he unlocked the cuffs once more. "Subject 061 will undoubtedly be eager to see you."

He clearly looked to rouse a response and she did not give it. Instead, Izzie headed for the table and seized her bedding before making her way back toward the corner.

"Good night, Subject Beta."

"
Up yours, dickhead."

Briggs smiled.
"Charming."

Then he closed the door and switched off the light.

No one disturbed her again until morning.

Chapter Ten

When she opened her eyes, she saw a mattress in the room.

Izzie wasn
't sure how much of the night she'd actually slept. Strange dreams had followed her around every bend, and, when she wasn't plagued by the unknown phantoms of her psyche, she twisted and jerked awake only to remember where she was and why she was here. There was no escape—not from the ghostly sight of Harrison in her head nor her new unsettling reality.

The mattress was at least an improvement, though she had no doubt today
's tests would up yesterday's ante. Her insides twisted, but her mind remained focused. More tests meant more interludes with Ryker. It meant being not alone, and right now she hated alone.

Briggs entered the room a few minutes after she stirred, a plate of toast in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. He flashed her a wide smile.

"Good morning, Subject Beta. Did you sleep well?"

Izzie pulled the blanket they
'd given her over her shoulders, flinching when her stomach growled. She didn't want him to know how hungry she was, or how little last night's soup had sustained her. Whatever he gave her was tainted and she'd only take what she needed in order to survive. Anything else was a luxury.

"
I suggest you eat up," Briggs said, placing her breakfast on the table. "The next test commences in an hour."

Izzie waited until he was gone before leaping to her feet. She knew eating fast wouldn
't make matters better, but, damn, she was hungry and nothing could stop her from cramming the bread down her throat. She paused only to breathe, then downed the glass of milk in a single gulp.

There was a fat steak with her name on it once she was free. And a huge side order of fries and a vanilla shake.

When she was done picking at crumbs, Izzie retreated to the mattress. Her tired muscles sighed in relief against the cushioning. Hopefully Briggs would let her keep it beyond today's session. There seemed little point in making the human test subject as uncomfortable as possible, but, with her lack of clothes and nothing but the floor to sleep on, he had succeeded in ensuring every nook in her body whined and ached with movement. Sleeping on a mattress would be a godsend.

Time moved neither fast nor slowly, though when her thoughts turned to Ryker her heart skipped a little. Izzie sat under the false security of her blanket until the buzzing outside her room again climbed to a crescendo. She waited for someone to strap her to the table as they had previously, but no one came. Lights flickered inside the observation panel and muffled voices sounded on the other side of the door. She heard Briggs talking, and her skin grew hot once she realized he had to be addressing Ryker.

Then the door opened and her vampire was ushered inside.

He looked much like he had the day before. His dark hair was ruffled, his complexion pale, his chest missing a shirt
, and his eyes gobbling her up as though they'd been separated much longer than a night. He seemed guarded but didn't say a word. Rather, he studied her with such intent it left her shaking with anticipation.

Izzie pursed her lips but didn
't say anything. Somehow, at once, she felt more naked with her coverlet than she had yesterday.

"
Good morning," came over the intercom. Izzie turned her attention to the observation panel, where Briggs sat with his two assistants. "This marks day two of our trial study. You will note Subject Beta is not tied up today. After yesterday's performance, we didn't think the restraints were necessary. Please do not abuse this privilege or we will be forced to rescind it."

"
How thoughtful," Ryker mused, not looking away from her face.

"
061, please approach Subject Beta and prepare her the way you did yesterday."

The vampire tossed an angry glare to the observation panel.
"Do I get her permission today?"

"
If it pleases you, ask away. It won't change anything."

He
flexed his hands into fists. "Figured as much."

"
Please," Izzie said softly, startled by the sound of her voice but choosing not to question it.

Ryker went to such lengths to avoid hurting her, be it by word or action, and he had to know by now she couldn
't do this with anyone else. Especially after yesterday—after seeing his face and witnessing his torment in doing what they asked, knowing it wasn't what she wanted but having little choice in the matter. Whatever bond they'd forged would outlast these walls, and she wouldn't risk it. Not now. He was the only ally she had.

Ryker shot her a cautious, uncertain glance.
"What?"

"
If it's not you it'll be someone else," she said. "They've told you that."

"
Yes," Briggs agreed cheerfully. "We have."

Izzie nodded, swallowing hard.
"Don't leave me alone in here. Please, Ryker."

"
I don't want to hurt you," he replied, his voice hoarse.

"
You won't." She released a trembling breath and cast off her blanket, laying back on the mattress and lifting her hips in offering. "Please."

"
Please?"

She nodded again, her heart thundering.
"It has to be you."

Ryker took a hesitant step forward, then another. A few seconds passed before the mattress dipped under his weight
. He sat perched between her open legs, his wide eyes roaming her naked body with interest he couldn't fake. He raised a hand and placed it on her belly, right above the scar Harrison had given her, tenderly stroking her skin with his thumb. For the first time in her life, Izzie felt more than aware of her skin's imperfection, and wondered if he viewed the mark as ugly as she did.