Christy - Loving a Mercenary (Project Zeus - Olympia Book 3)

    The waves lapped at her heels, erasing her prints as if she were never there. There was nothing Christy Montez loved more than running the shorelines of Nunavut Island just as the sun rose over the horizon. She had to admit that even though the island had become a prison for her, it was a beautiful one. The sand was crisp and white, the waves a blue so brilliant that it hurt the eyes to look at it. She was grateful for the island because it was the one safe haven that she and her family had. She and her siblings had been born in a lab, bred to kill. Their DNA alone was worth millions on the open market, and the scientists that they’d initially escaped from were in hot pursuit of them. Even now, her oldest brother, Cullen Nightshade, was back at the estate, healing from wounds he received nearly a week ago, from an ambitious and ruthless man by the name of Donovan Tal. Donovan had been one of their teachers in the deadly arts, and even though his DNA was one hundred percent human, he had less humanity than any of them.             As Christy neared her stride at fifteen miles, all of her thoughts came grinding to a halt. She nearly swallowed her tongue as Russian hitman, Vladimir Brimkov, came jogging towards her, a light sheen of sweat glistening on his golden skin. His wild blue eyes sparkled mischievously at her. His blond hair was tied back with a black bandana and darkened at the tips from sweat. He looked delicious.             “Good morning.” He shot her a dimpled grin, sending lust shooting through her.             “Morning.” She acknowledged tightly, her pupils expanding with desire. If she didn’t take her medicine soon, she would do something to embarrass herself.             “Are you alright?” Vlad came closer, bringing his enticing scent with him. She could practically feel her mouth water.             “No!” She bit out, her stomach clenching as she silently cursed the scientists that created her and her screwed up DNA. She took a cautious step back, trying to figure out how to explain it all to him; the rage, the pills, the uncontrollable urge to make love to him. She gritted her teeth as he took another step closer. One more and she was going to loose control.             “Get back, Vlad.” Chris sighed in relief as she heard the voice of her sister, Alexia St. James. Allie would know exactly what she was experiencing, because she was a product of Olympia as well. When Allie handed her a handful of pills, Chris nearly wept in relief.             “Thanks.” She muttered, crunching eagerly into the pills. She could feel Vlad’s eyes searching her face, questioningly, but she didn’t know what to say to him, so she avoided eye contact and shot past the two of them.               Vlad watched in concern as Christy darted off into the trees before he turned and faced his dear friend, Alexia St. James.             “Is she ok?” He knew a little about their unique condition from the dossier that Alex had given him months ago, but it didn’t prepare him for the look of intense pain he saw on Chris’s face. Did being around him really cause her physical pain?             “She’ll be fine, Vlad.” Alex assured him before jogging off into the direction that Christy had taken. He shot one more concerned look towards the trees before giving a helpless shrug and continuing on his run. If Alex said that Chris would be fine, he would believe her. He had known his Ptichka, his little bird, since she was just a little babe, since he’d saved her from the Russian KGB. Vlad shook his head in wonder. Who would have thought that the little five-year-old spitfire was a genetically enhanced soldier bred in a lab?             When she had first told him about the nature of her birth, he had been inclined to disbelieve, but disbelief instantly turned to amazement as he began working with them, helping them. He had seen her and her siblings do some fantastical things. He even witnessed the ruthless pursuit of them, first hand. Vlad made his way back towards the estate, glancing up at the miniature castle in awe. The structure where they took refuge was beautiful, with its towers and turrets. It was like a medieval castle that got transplanted to modern times. He entered the estate and headed towards the kitchen for a bottle of water.             “Is she ok?” He instantly tensed, ready to defend himself, even as recognition dawned. Cullen Nightshade.             “Alex says she’s fine.” He wouldn’t ask who, or even how the man knew, because he knew that these siblings had a bond beyond anything he’d ever seen.             “And I am, so stop grilling Vlad.” Christy called in exasperation from behind him. Unlike her brother, her presence did not surprise him. He knew she was there, even before she spoke. Something in her called to him on an elemental level.             “But I felt you from all the way in here.” Cullen’s comment had her rolling her eyes.             “That’s only because you and Allie are together again. You just have to readjust to it.” At her flippant comment, Vlad began to mentally flip through his information on them. He recalled a conversation he had with Alex long ago, about how her connection with Cullen worked. Somehow, the two of them together could locate their other siblings from anywhere in the world.             “In any case, you should be using those amazing talents of yours to find Ava.” She was continuing on as she moved passed and pulled the refrigerator open, grabbing a bottle of water and tossing it to him, before grabbing one for herself. Vlad’s brow rose in amazement as he caught the water. How had she known that he was going for a water? Before he could ask any questions, Alex was entering the kitchen.             “Chris!” There was a warning in her voice that Christy ignored.             “What? I’m just saying that he should be focused on finding our baby sister.” She continued on, unperturbed as she opened her bottle and took a sip. Without another word, Cullen turned and left the kitchen.             “Why didn’t you just leave it alone?” Alex asked in exasperation. At her sister’s words, Chris felt Cullen’s regret twist in her stomach. Oops.             “I’m so sorry, Allie.” She muttered and sent a silent apology to her brother as well. She knew that they were doing everything in their power to locate Ava, and she only taunted her brother because she was feeling pissy and out of sorts due to her reaction to the man standing silently across from her, looking at her out of turbulent blue eyes.             “It’s ok.” Alex crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. “Just lay off of him. He’s been through a lot.” With a quick kiss to her cheek, Alex left the room. Chris’s brow crinkled in frustration at her sister’s words. She didn’t need to be reminded of the devastation Donovan Tal brought down on them. She scowled as she thought of the heartless mercenary with the movie star looks that taught them to kill swiftly, efficiently, and artfully.             “Dorogaya, remember that my invitation to talk is still open.” Vlad’s warm voice cut through her bitter thoughts and drew her attention upward. She remembered the first time he called her that. She had no ideal what it meant, but it sounded exotic and endearing, so she looked it up and found out she was right. My love. He said it so casually that he made her believe it. Made her believe that she could be normal, be his love. But she wasn’t normal, nowhere near it, so she answered him on a sigh.             “I’m not ready to talk yet, but thank you.” With that she turned and left the kitchen and ran into Ethan.             “Hey, what’s got Cullen so torqued?” Sleepy chocolate brown eyes landed on her face, waiting for an explanation.             “Me.” She bit out tersely. “It’s always me.” She shook her head in disgust.             “Hey, meet me in the workout room for a go around?” She called to Ethan’s back. Their hostess, Siam Shenobi, had made a room just for them where they could blow off steam.             “Sorry sis, but Siam is taking me around so that I can get a feel for the island.”             “Fine.” Chris scowled bitterly. She knew from a strategic standpoint, they would want Ethan familiar with the island. Once he caught the scent of the natives, and the island in general, he’d be able to discern any change in the atmosphere. When they created him, the scientists had wanted to created a tracker like the world had never known, and they succeeded. The multiple canine DNA mixed with the experimental psychosis allowed Ethan to pick up the faintest of scents. Along with that scent came flashes of the person or item he was tracking. It was how he’d found Kiara Kane, Cullen’s fiancé, less than a week ago.             “I’ll work out with you.” Vladimir’s offer pulled her out of her thoughts and had her focusing on him. He may not have been genetically enhanced like them, but she knew that Vladimir could handle himself in a fight.             “Ok, thanks.” She accepted. “I’ll see you down there.”               Vlad felt the blood thicken and stir in his veins as Christy left the room. What was it about her that gripped at him? He had felt s****l attraction before, but nothing like what he felt with her. He couldn’t explain it, and he sure as hell couldn’t control it.             “Man, you might want to tamp down on some of that s****l frustration. It’s smothering me.” Ethan’s tone was teasing as he exited the kitchen, leaving Vlad alone to wrestle with his emotions. If only he could tamp down on his s****l frustrations. He’d be better off. With a shake of his head and a sigh, Vlad proceeded to the workout room.             “Don’t hold back, ok.” Her husky voice had lust gripping at his throat as he looked up at her. She still had on the short form-fitting track shorts and the sports bra that she donned for her early morning run. Long, lean muscles tightened in her thighs as she crouched down into a fighting stance and he damn near swallowed his tongue.             “I won’t.” He muttered, mimicking her stance. She immediately attacked, throwing a few punches to check his defenses. Vlad blocked them, easily, even as he prepared himself for a more aggressive attack. As she aimed a roundhouse kick to his head, he thought, ah, there’s the aggression, even as he shifted his stance slightly to avoid the contact. Surprise colored his features as she turned the roundhouse into an aerial flip, and gripped his ankles, pulling his legs out from under him.             “That’ll teach you to hold out on me.” Christy smirked at the surprised expression on his face. Then her heart did a slow roll in her chest as amusement lit his wild blue eyes and he shot her a devilish grin.             “I’m just softening you up, Dorogaya.” With that, he rolled backwards and sprang nimbly to his feet.             “Let’s play then.” Excitement flooded her senses, sending a delicious shiver down her spine as her pupils expanded. Vlad rushed her, throwing a straight-arm jab. Anticipating him, she sidestepped the punch, gripping his arm and pulling him forward so that she could be at his back. Then she dipped low, sweeping her leg out to trip him. To her surprise, he did a standing roundhouse flip, dodging her sweeping leg and landing in a fighting stance, facing her.             “Maybe you should stop holding back.”             “If I don’t hold back, I could kill you.” She responded to his taunt with a roll of her eyes.             “Try me.” He challenged, offering her another of those cocky, infuriating smirks.             “Your choice there, Gorgeous.” She gave a little shrug as she upped her tempo slightly, promising herself that she wouldn’t do any permanent damage, just knock his ego down a couple of notches, but instead she found herself impressed with his speed, skill, and agility. After twenty minutes of matching her, his breathing intensified and sweat dampened his brow. She had to admit, they boy had stamina.             “We can stop if you’re tired.” She offered him a sugary grin that had him emitting a low growl.             “I’m not tired.” He huffed out.             “Whatever you say.” She kept her tone placating as she made her next move and realized her mistake a second too late. His foot landed solidly in her stomach, knocking the wind out of her as it sent her sliding across the floor. With the pain, Chris felt her rage stir, and with the rage, lust. It spiraled up inside of her, mingling together, creating an urge to inflict pain, to incite pleasure. She felt the juices of her s*x stir as Vlad stepped towards her, bringing with him the scent of sweat and man.             “Are you alright?” The concern in his voice was drowned out under the buzzing thrum of desire. Her pupils expanded as her control slipped. As he got closer, she sprung, taking him to the floor.             “No, but I will be.” She drawled her voice husky and seductive as she pressed her mouth to his stunned one.               The atmosphere suddenly charged and sizzled around them as she assaulted his senses. Her lush frame straddled him, rousing his desire as she pressed her mouth hungrily to his. Heat flooded through him at the taste of her, the feel, and soon he was no longer a victim to her desires, but an active participant. As she bit down on his lip, he accepted the pain as part of the pleasure and his blood thickened more.             “Mmm, delicious.” She purred. As she sat up he noticed that her pupils had expanded to a point where all he could see was a sliver of the midnight blue. Lust had clouded his senses so much that he had all but forgotten about her unique condition.             “Chris, you have to stop now.” He tried for reason as he gently pushed her away.             “If you don’t want to give in on your own, I can always take it by force.” Her aggressive words had him hardening, but he knew that no matter how much he wanted the bout of sweaty s*x that she was promising, he would not allow her to do something she would later regret.             “Chris, snap out of it.” He shoved her away and pushed to his feet. She gave him a quick grin and then in a lightening quick move, she was on hers as well.             “Well, since we can’t have s*x, I can make you bleed. Either way will be fun.” She gave a careless shrug before crouching down into a fighting stance. Vlad felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention as Christy began to circle around him. Something told him that this fight wasn’t going to be like the previous one. No, this time he would be fighting for his life. Seconds later he was proved right as she attacked him at a breathtaking speed. It was only by sheer luck that he was able to block the attack and counter her move.             Christy’s blood thickened as lust and rage pulled through her. She felt her grip on the rage slip further and silently called to her siblings for help, because as exciting as the fight was with Vlad, she didn’t want to accidentally kill him. Seconds after her silent call, she felt her sister Allie and her mate enter the workout room. Before she could move another step she heard a tiny pop and felt a slight sting as a dart embedded itself into her body and released tranquillizer into her system. She slid weakly to the floor and looked up at her sister with grateful eyes. Allie held the syringe with their medication in liquid form, but she hesitated in approaching her.             “Do it.” Chris muttered weakly. The medicine in liquid form was like injecting acid into the veins but she knew that it had to be done. Allie looked at her with regret in her eyes before pushing the needle home. Pain coursed instantly in her veins as the rage and the medication warred inside of her. She couldn’t hold back the scream as her body shook with it. Vlad was on his feet instantly.             “Chris, are you ok?” Concern was in his eyes as he stepped forward and reached towards her. His scent reached her and the pain that had been intolerable became excruciating.             “Get back. Please.” She groaned, scooting away from him. Confusion and pain moved across his features, but he did as she requested, making her sigh in relief. She hated hurting him, and wished that she could explain it all to him, but she couldn’t get the words out around the ball of pain clawing inside of her. In fact, it took all that she had to remain conscious.             “It’s ok, Chris. Let go.” Her sister read her thoughts and whispered in understanding. They were the last words she heard before darkness claimed her.