The Change: Episode one (32 page)

“
He cares about us and
rebuilding the world. We stayed with Baker’s dad because it was
safe and there was nowhere better to go. With Baker, we stay
because he’s our leader.”

I was still having a very hard time placing
the convict at this level of caring. Maybe there was something I
wasn’t seeing, and I turned my attention back to the
conversation.

“
So what happens when you
get them out? You head for the Borderlands and get trapped between
the two Networks?”

“
We wage a final war for
our freedom.”

I heard it then, the tone of command that
made me stand up straighter. The hulk at my side knew.

“
He’ll give us what he
promises… if he can get enough help.”

I turned back. “What do you want from
me?”

Hulk laughed
good-naturedly. “Not you,
her
. She’ll train his
army.”

“
He’ll help,
too.”

This came from a tall, slim man with a
purple streak down the side of his hair that only came when you
were the top prize during the Animal Games. He wore the same
clothes as the others, but I sensed a wildness about him that gave
me hope Baker’s little group of rebels might be more competent than
their jumpiness implied.

“
You’ll help repopulate the
earth. As one of the twelve, your success is just as
important.”

It was a lot to take in, and I stored
another chunk of information, trying to act like I had known all
along. So, I had two sons. Pride filled me… and behind it, pain.
“I’ll do my part.”

Both of the males ran hungry eyes over
Candice in appreciation.

“
Bet you will!”

“
With that to work on, I
might, too!”

I couldn’t help but grin at their teasing.
They didn’t mean any harm, and I happened to agree. Making babies…
sons, I amended, with Candice would be a dream come true.

C

I watched him joke with the
former bachelors like he’d known them as friends.
The bigger of the two was staring at me with shy
eyes that said he would be like Daniel and eventually overcome his
fear. The purple-haired male on the other side, however, hated
women, and I doubted that would ever change.

I turned to the abused shell on Baker’s
right. “How do they train you to please us?”

Eric flushed, eyes dipping to my chest, and
I felt Daniel’s growl more than heard it. He was keeping track of
me, like he was jealous. That was attractive.

“
Drugs mostly. When you
swallow those pills, it’s very easy to get… aroused.”

“
Once you’re trained,
you’re rented?”

“
Half of each bachelor cell
is donated to the renter breeding program, but the babies are
always female. They only give a male child when it’s part of the
Immortality program.”

“
And then they come and
take them back…” My mind went to Daniel’s sale. The Network had
been planning to take him back all along, just like with every male
child in his family.

“
Why are the Malins on that
special list?”

Baker took over again, and I was glad. The
sound of Greg’s voice was wearing down my control.

“
Their bloodline. The
females in that family have no signs of the Change. They are
naturally immune.”

It all fit. That was why we never fought
with them. Except for having no emotions towards their children,
they were free of the infection and the Network had been using that
miracle as a breeding tool to keep a careful number of unique male
births to supply their experiments.

I looked up. “Why are they still
experimenting if they have the cure?”

“
Immortality.”

I frowned. “Say that again.”

“”
The children are special.
They don’t get sick, and they heal
faster
.”

Eric had clearly been the… partner of
someone high up, to have such detailed information.

“
They’re trying to give
that to themselves?”

Eric nodded. “They want to rule forever.
With our kids, it might be possible.”

Stronger kids, a real future, a Network
cover-up to rival that of the War we still didn’t know the cause.
So many thoughts, so many possible directions to go in. My mind
went to Daniel first, and I took a quick look to verify his safety
before turning back.

“
Pruetts have been around
since the Network was formed,” I stated.

“
And always stayed on the
same side,” Baker confirmed, watching me. “Until now,
maybe…”

Except we’d never been as loyal as we
appeared, had we?

“
Tell me about being a
bachelor. Run down an average day. Maybe I can spot a weakness
where you might be able to slip someone in.”

D

“
What did this place used
to be?” I had been wondering it since we came in.

“
Another arena for those
who liked to watch death,” Animal-winner answered with a hateful
tone.

“
We’re not sure where it
came from. It’s old, from before the War even, but we couldn’t find
any records on it,” Hulk said. “It was already rigged for manual
electricity and these tunnels were solid long before we took
over.”

“
What relics did you
find?”

“
Not one. Only empty
benches set up for people who no longer exist.”

Candice took another of those quick looks to
verify where I was, and I felt my pulse increase when she
stared.

“
She’s very protective…
possessive.” Animal-man directed the conversation back to a more
important subject.

I nodded. “I like it.”

“
Why?”

The wild man didn’t understand, but the Hulk
did.

“
I might, too. She’s so…
controlled.”

“
The Change is hard on
them,” I stated quietly. “I think many of them honestly don’t want
to hurt us.”

“
They’re
beasts!”

Animal-man insisted, and again, I let my
acceptance show. “So were men, before. The War flipped everything
around. It’s not their fault, either.”

They had questions, I could feel it, and I
leaned back against the stone wall and gave a short nod I thought
Candice would have liked. “What do you want to know?”

“
How do you… make them
gentle?”

“
How do you get them to not
attack you?”

My mind went to the moments with Candice,
and I flushed. “I don’t know. I like that, too.”

They were staring at me
like I was crazy, and I gave them the truth I doubted they were
brave enough to accept. “Changelings don’t want cowards.
They
need
men and
they like courage. Accept their embrace, willingly, and they just…
change.”

“
Does she?”

I smiled toward my loving owner. “Even when
she flips, she remembers who I am.”

“
She hasn’t hurt
you?’

I shook my head. Nail marks were not
injuries where I came from. “No.” I dropped my voice even lower. “I
don’t think she can.”

“
What’s it like… belonging
to her?”

“
I grinned, letting them
see how happy I was. “Amazing.”

“
Not the sex, the
relationship!”

I joined in the laughter without correcting
their impressions and felt the last of my worry over our first
mating fade into anticipation. I wasn’t one of these trembling
bachelors. I belonged to Candice Pruett, winner of a Games
challenge. When she wanted me, I was ready.

C

“
What then?”

I pushed harder, not caring for the sudden
worry of those who were listening. If the conversation sent my need
into a danger zone, the man I wanted to put out the flames was in
reach.

Baker grinned at my questioning, probably
thinking I wanted the information to duplicate it, but the bachelor
on his right seemed to sense it was more. Eric gave me the details
I wanted with a generous smile that I felt in my gut.

“
They bring in level three
and four Changelings who no longer have a mate and tell us what to
do. If we follow the instructions and films exactly, we’re
rewarded.”

That was it, how we got in, but I didn’t
tell Baker yet. I wanted to know one more thing first. “And when
you fail to please?”

Eric’s head went up, and
his face transformed into that beauty he seemed to be very aware
of. “
I
wouldn’t
know.”

It was a subtle advertisement of his skill,
an offer if I wanted to see it that way, and I felt Daniel’s anger
from across the room.

Testing it, I gave Eric a smile I usually
reserved. What would my timid mate do? Anything? I doubted it, but
here, in this nest of single males, was more likely to draw out
that primal spark than back at home. “What if I wanted proof of
that before I buy?”

Now there was complete silence around us,
and I felt their desires, those carefully caged male instincts
lurking behind their uneasy faces. Baker might not be able to bring
that out in them, but I could.

The man-for-rent stood up eagerly. “I have a
bed across the hall, but leave him here. I’ll kill your mate if he
interferes.”

I didn’t see the reaction coming.

One minute, I was opening my mouth to deny
the claim, and the next, Daniel was jerking Eric around and drawing
his blood.

D

I watched her flirt without showing a
response to the pain of it. If she made the move, it was her
choice, but to hear that ignorant little speck threaten my place
was more than I was willing to take. These males would see right
now that she was mine!

My hands clenched into tight fists, and when
I shoved away from the wall, the hulk and Animal-man both moved out
of my way. So busy trying to secure a higher place, Eric didn’t see
me coming, and to my surprise, neither did Candice.

His nose crunched under my
first blow, but I didn’t stop. For a change, it was
me
drawing blood,
me
wanting more of
it.

When they finally pulled me away, the little
speck wasn’t even conscious, and I had crimson running down my
fists.

“
Kill that!” I sneered,
jerking away from their loose grips.

I moved toward our rooms with no fear of
being punished, only full of an anger I couldn’t really place. Was
it because these men were free? She’d give that to me if I wanted
it. Did I? I was full of confusion.

I knew when Candice followed me inside and
closed the door behind us, but I didn’t turn. What did I want?

I’d seen the titanium cuffs welded to the
wall when we were brought in, and I stared at them now. That was
the answer, wasn’t it? I wanted to be hers, and there were
ways…

C

Daniel was thinking of doing something I
wouldn’t like.

I knew, but the sight of blood on his fists
had me watching him with open lust. I had never seen two males
fight. I only wished Eric had been a bit more sporting. The rush
from it was incredible!

He tore off the cloak,
wiping his hands on it, and surprised me again when he tossed it
into the corner.
Daniel was mad!
My need growled.

I hadn’t understood how the
women of the old world had let their men get so out of control, but
with Daniel storming around the room, sending out waves of anger, I
was helpless…
hungry
.

His boots went sailing against the stone
wall, socks following, and he moved toward the wash-cave curtains
without asking my permission. Sexy!

I spun to block the way, not about to leave
him alone and let that delicious rage cool. “What?”

He stopped, mouth opening.

Come on
, I rooted,
don’t stop
now!

“
I don’t like it, what you
did.”

I couldn’t stop the laugh of pleasure at his
tone, and the reaction it drew shattered my control.

His face darkened and those big hands came
up to jerk me against his hard body. “I’m not kidding, Candice.
I... I don’t want you to do it again!”

Daniel glared without flinching, and I gaped
back, unable to believe it was my timid mouse sending out these
piercing waves of authority.

His eyes saw my body respond, how my chest
was suddenly pointed and my eyes had turned pink. “I mean it,
Candy.”

I inhaled of the lust in
the air, feeling the
Change
sweeping through me.

“
If you do it again, I… I
won’t please you anymore.”

Did he know what that sounded like to me?
The challenge was sizzling meat hot from the pan, and I gave him my
Games grin.

As soon as he opened his mouth to argue, I
lunged.

We rolled as we landed, and
I hissed in need when his body pushed me against the floor with his
weight. I wrapped my long legs around his and jerked him down to
meet my eager lips.
Mine!

D

Clearly, I’d been goading
her, but I hadn’t expected it to work so well. She liked it that I
was demanding her fidelity, and I allowed her to claim my mouth
while I chose the next move. Unless she got totally out of control,
I wasn’t stopping.
I’d
fixed this match.