Alpha Hunter

“How long did this one survive?” Sevrin Keire swiped the control panel inset in her desktop, deactivating the
holodisplay. There was no reason to watch the entire recording. This was the third mutation in as many days. She was well acquainted with the writhing and moaning, the twisted features and shrieks of pain. Each time one of the human females rejected the genetic transfer, Sevrin’s dreams slipped a little further away. Still, she would not give up. She’d come too far and invested too much to abandon her ultimate goal. Possessing Mystic abilities had become her purpose in life, her obsession.

Dr.
Lynell Porffer shifted her weight from one foot to the other as a flicker of regret escaped from behind her emotionless mask. “Forty-three hours, which is eleven hours longer than her predecessor.”

A harsh, humorless laugh escaped Sevrin. “Am I supposed to be encouraged by the progress? We’ve made four significant adjustments to the
transfer protocol and the women are still dying in agony.”

Porffer’s chin came up and her features froze. “I’m aware of the failures, mistress. I
witnessed each one.”

“Relax.” She motioned for Porffer to sit, but the doctor ignored the gesture
, choosing instead to remain standing behind the two chairs arranged in front of Sevrin’s desk. Did the barrier make her feel safe, protected from Sevrin’s disapproval? Failure was dealt with swiftly and harshly. Porffer had reason to be afraid. “I don’t blame you for the mutations. The fault is as much mine as it is yours.” Sevrin sighed, frustrated by the situation more than her companion’s obstinacy. Sevrin had originally chosen Porffer for this project because of her unflappable demeanor. After months working shoulder to shoulder with the woman, Sevrin understood that the good doctor used her calm façade to hide insecurity. “We’re both in over our heads and I think it’s time we admitted it.”

“Anyone would be
in over their heads. What we’re attempting has never been done before.”

It was a valid point, but it was also an excuse and Sevrin hated excuses. “
You’ve never resequenced DNA before? That’s not what your record indicated.”

“That’s not what I meant, mistress.” Porffer glanced into Sevrin’s eyes then quickly lowered her gaze. “Of course I’ve
resequenced DNA. Genetic modification is common on Rodymia. But this is not Rodymia and the changes we’re trying to make are…unusual.”

They were attempting to transfer Mystic abilities into
those born without them or, in some cases, those with no control over dormant abilities. Either way, the outcome would be unprecedented. Still, the concept was fully realized. It really wasn’t any more complicated than ridding a person of a hereditary illness or the predisposition for a particular disease. Genetic code was genetic code. As long as they had correctly identified the chromosome controlling each ability, they should be able to manipulate the information at will. So why were proven techniques failing at every turn?

Muffled voices and the muted thud of boots on the entry tiles drew Sevrin’s attention toward the front of the house.
As well as her private residence, this large house in the suburbs of Las Vegas was operation headquarters for her project. Still, it was well past midnight, far too late for visitors. The voices grew louder and a sharp cry separated itself from the muddle.

Without explaining herself to Porffer, Sevrin pushed back from the desk and rose. She hurried across the office and threw open the door. “What’s going on out there?”

“Nazerel and Zacharous to see you, mistress.” Marat’s deep voice boomed down the hallway though he remained out of sight. “And they’re not alone.”

If the situation weren’t safe, her head of security would have warned her to stay
back. She strode down the corridor, curious yet annoyed. Nazerel and Zacharous were alpha hunters, each responsible for his own team of Shadow Assassins. Why were they together and why barge in at such an inappropriate hour?

Her steps faltered as she reached the foyer. Marat stood on the far side
of the entryway, a pulse pistol in hand yet not aimed at the intruders. Nazerel and Zacharous had one of the Team North hunters on his knees between them. She didn’t remember the captive’s name, but he struggled against some invisible force obviously being generated by the two alphas. The man’s face was bruised and swollen. He’d not given in without a fight.

“What
’s this about?” She looked at Nazerel. He was the strongest of the four alphas, leader of Team South. These men were what had brought her to Earth. Their power and savagery fascinated and aroused her, yet their abilities made them extremely volatile, unpredictable and hard to control.

“Lor and his Mystic Militia raided Team North’s house.” Nazerel kept his gaze focused on his captive. All the Shadow Assassins could teleport
, though their ranges varied greatly. Restraining one couldn’t be easy. “They captured everyone but this fool.”

She barely suppressed a gasp. That meant— “They got Allenton?”

Nazerel smirked, but still didn’t shift his focus. “Sorry, princess. Your pet is back on Ontariese having his brain strip-mined.”

Teeth clenched and hands fisted,
Sevrin slowly circled the kneeling man. His hands were bound behind his back and one eye was nearly swollen shut. “How did Lor find your house?”

“I don’t know, mistress.”
The fool dared to look at her.

Desperately needing an outlet for her anger, she slammed her fist against the side of his face. Pain exploded in her hand and shot up her arm
. The impulse had probably hurt her more than it hurt him. Still, she welcomed the release. Allenton had proved more entertaining than she’d first imagined. She wasn’t finished playing with him yet. Blood trailed from the hunter’s nose and rebellion flashed in his eyes. She raised her fist again and he wisely lowered his gaze. He might be a little slow, but even dogs could be taught obedience.

“If
your team was under attack, why did you run?” Nazerel demanded. He stood on one side of the kneeling man and Zacharous on the other. They were obviously infuriated by the man’s cowardice.

“I thought it was more important to warn you.” The fool bowed his head, sounding hoarse and despondent.
Rebellion hadn’t worked, so now he was going to try to seem pathetic? Did he really expect pity from any of them?

“Warn us of what?” Sevrin stopped in front of the last member of Team North as she tried to think of a reason
not to kill him. “Can you tell us anything we don’t know already? If they have Allenton, we are royally screwed.”

“I’ll make it up to you,
mistress. I promise I will not fail you again.”

Sevrin
glanced at Dr. Porffer. Not only had she followed Sevrin into the foyer, the doctor held a syringe in one hand, obviously ready for action. Pleased by Porffer’s preparedness, Sevrin motioned her forward. The alpha hunters increased the intensity of their containment field, immobilizing their captive. Porffer injected the coward then quickly stepped back. It took massive doses of powerful sedatives, but Shadow Assassins could be chemically incapacitated. The man struggled against the drug’s creeping effect and the hold of the alpha hunters, but the futile battle only lasted a few moments. He collapsed on the hard tile floor silent and still.

“Take him
to the warehouse and keep him sedated. If he rouses, even for a moment, he’ll escape.”

“I understand
,” the doctor assured as Marat scooped the unconscious man up in his arms. He’d have to send someone with her to the warehouse. She couldn’t lift the hunter on her own and Marat would never leave Sevrin. His life had been pledged to her protection at the moment of her birth.

After the two had departed, Sevrin turned to the alpha hunters, unable to completely conceal her frustration. “This is a disaster.”

“Yeah, we get that,” Nazerel muttered. “Everything Allenton knew will be stripped from his mind. Everywhere he went must be abandoned and every procedure he utilized changed.”

“How did you realize
North was under attack?”

“The coward cried out telepathically,” Nazerel told her. “We flashed
over, expecting a fight, but all we saw was a bunch of humans pawing through the house.”

“And th
at sniveling coward hiding in the bushes,” Zacharous added with a sneer.

“Did you run off the humans?”

Nazerel shook his head. “We didn’t see the point in engaging them. Team North is a total loss and there is nothing in the house they can’t learn from Allenton.”

“This is your fault.” Sevrin poked the middle of Nazerel’s chest with her index finger. “You convinced me to trust him.”

Nazerel grabbed her wrist and moved her hand away from his chest. “I didn’t convince you to fuck him. Allenton got you wet and you started sharing secrets he had no reason to know. If you hadn’t—”

“We don’t have time for this,” Zacharous
snapped. “The Mystic Militia will act immediately on whatever they learn. We have to be gone by the time Lor returns from Ontariese.”