The Genesis Project (10 page)

“Thanks. I hope this means you will stop by during Luna. We'd love to have you over for dinner.”

“I'll try. But if I can't make it, it's because my father has me working in the lab.”

Nim leaned forward on the stairs and smiled.

“I'm sure Dr. Blackmore will let you have some free time to hang out with friends.” He didn't know her father and she wasn't going to explain. Once Gen was home she'd be inundated with work that her father would need her to take care of. They were a team and she missed the time they spent together in the lab.

“
I'll see what can be done.”

Behind Nim stood Xander. He was watching their conversation, interest in his gaze. Gen felt a little faint just looking at him.

“Xander.”

“The one and only. You ready to jump?”

Gen nodded and said goodbye to Nim who reluctantly let her pass. As they passed other recruits on the way to the jump station, Xander smiled. He had hold of her hand and waved as males and females both stopped to watch them pass.

Jumping with Xander was not what she expected. Adam didn't hold her hand or press her closer. Xander on the other hand stood behind her. Wrapped both arms around her waist and placed
a
kiss on her cheek. His closeness made her shiver. Normally she would protest, but she couldn't find her voice and if she was honest with herself, she enjoyed his attention. Not that the jump would allow her to say something anyway. He'd paid for both their trips with his credits, and then they were off. Her eyes closed tight, Xander's arms tightly wound around her body in a grip that had her insides melting. All took quickly, the jump was over.

“That wasn't so bad was it?” Xander asked.

“No, it wasn't.”

Her body was on a slow burn. Simmering towards something she couldn't name. When he'd spoken against the curve of her neck, she'd melted. She'd been fine tuned to him since he first kissed her. Programmed to want whatever it was he was
willing
to give. Xander made her feel things. He made her want things. Things she could never have. If she were to tell him the truth he wouldn't be interested in her at all. She was born in a lab. Biologically engineered to further her father's race. Her people. Although her father had long stopped using her as a science project, there was still the matter of her parentage. There were definite differences between herself and every other female of his kind. Besides the obvious physical abnormalities, she was different on the inside. Faster, stronger, and her senses were heightened beyond any of Xander's kind. Tiny microscopic antigens that calculated and hypothesized on the best way to keep her in top condition. The Nuero-technology her father had injected her with had morphed into something neither of them could imagine. Rapid cell deterioration along with rapid
growth
kept her in prime physical condition. At this point in time, it was unsure if she could even be killed, let alone age any further.

Now Gen understood why her father kept her home and away from everyone else.

“I have a car waiting.”

“Okay.” She stepped off the jump platform and walked with Xander towards a waiting vehicle.

Xander took her packs from her and ushered her towards a sleek black car with a tall gentlemen waiting with the passenger car door open.

“Scion, this is Genesis Blackmore.” Xander gestured towards the gentlemen dressed in white robes. He was bald, pale skin like all the others around her. He didn't seem
surprised
to see her. There were other species that lived on New Earth. Some of them indentured to work for a short time before they became true citizens, others were here on passes to work for a period of time before going back to their home planet. But Scion was Strigoi, like Xander and her father.

“Miss Blackmore,” he acknowledged her as she bent to get inside the car.

Xander followed her inside and Gen shifted closer to the other side to allow him room. He closed the distance between them leaving no space.

“Help me understand something Xander.”

“What's there to understand?”

His face was serious as he stared
back
at her. Their bodies close together, inside the car, making things more intimate. Blue eyes pierced hers and Gen found herself slowly swaying closer. It was dreamlike and surreal as she realized her lips were only a word away from touching his. All she had to do was speak and her bottom lip would stroke his. They stayed that way for what felt like forever. When she moved, Xander followed. She placed her hand on his chest to stay him and he froze. She needed to get her wits about her in order to get the words out. If he kissed her. She would be lost in his arms. Unable to recover from his form of persuasion.

“After,” she swallowed, because it felt like her throat was closing. “After that day …um…the day that you kissed me, why did you stay away?” He had become distant, throwing her into a state of confusion that caused her chest
to
hurt.

Xander smiled, the blue in his eyes darkened as he removed her hand from his chest and brought it to his lips. He looked up from beneath his lashes and smiled wider, showing his fangs.

“I felt I'd rushed things,” he said sincerely. “I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me.”

Too late, Gen thought to herself. Xander did make her feel uncomfortable, but not in a bad way.

“Were you looking for my attentions Miss Blackmore?”

How to answer that question and not sound needy?

“I only…” she faltered. Her thoughts were muddled and the unmistakable scent that rose from
Xander
only clouded her mind further. She was unable to string a few words together and damn if his mouth wasn't now close to hers once again. Somewhere between his question and her trying to find an adequate answer, he'd moved closer. One lift of her head and one nod from him would have them locked in heated bliss.

“Miss Blackmore,” Xander whispered. His words caressed her lips, coaxed them open. Her entire body was plugged into the energy he was giving off. “We're here.”

Here, where? Her thoughts were so lost, she hadn't realized the car had moved or that they arrived at her home. Ashamed, she backed away and reached for the door handle to the car. Xander's hand was there. He intertwined their fingers and pressed a lingering kiss on the back of her neck
just
below her collar. She felt his fangs drag across her skin before she could pull away.

“I'll see you at the tasting. Don't disappoint me.” He whispered against her skin.

“Okay,” Gen pulled the latch to the door and this time he let her. She really didn't want to go to the private tasting. What she truly wanted was to be tasted and Goddess help her she wanted to be tasted by Xander.

Chapter
8

Gen was relieved to see her father. He welcomed her with a huge bear hug, lifting her off her feet and half spinning her around. It made her laugh when he finally sat her on down. Her father was never over emotional.

“My precious, it's been too long.” Her father stood back and she knew he was inspecting her for any changes in appearance.

“I'm fine father. I promise.”

“I was worried. Adam came by and said you jumped with that philandering Xander Treegold.”

“Adam came by?” That was a shock. Did he have to keep up the
appearance
of being cordial? It wasn't like he wanted to jump with her anyway. He'd made no attempts to talk to her at academy, unless of course they were alone. Whatever game he was playing at, she didn't want to play a part in it.

“Yes, of course, he's still here. Come and get settled.”

Why would Adam be here? He didn't have to stay and wait for her. Delivering the message to her father was more than enough.

“Do we have enough water for a shower father?” Water was another rationed commodity on New Earth, and most times she used her stasis bed to take care of her biological needs. But as of late, things were out of the norm for her, and she felt a shower was warranted.

“
Yes, of course. Since you started the Academy, Chancellor Reynard has given us extra. Go and wash up. We'll be here when you're finished.”

Gen went straight to her quarters and stripped out of her travelling clothes. She was happy to be home. Looked forward to the time her and her father would spend in the lab. She noticed her father looked vibrant. Stronger than when she left him. Maybe he was getting enough nourishment. Normally she would have to remind her father about his feeding times. Vaggo Blackmore never had time to eat unless Gen made sure of it.

After her shower, Gen walked into her father's sitting area where her father and Adam both stood at her arrival and sat back down, turning their attention to the vid screen. The feed had to do with the launch of Project
Harvest.
It was a project her father spearheaded for the Genetics Council.

“I'm sure this made my father very happy, Dr. Blackmore.” Her father nodded without voicing his answer. He seemed quite happy with his accomplishments and Gen was happy too. Her father had worked real hard on helping find an answer to their races problems.

“Father, I'm glad to see Project Harvest is ready for deployment. This will make for an excellent Luna celebration.

“Yes, my dear it will. Come and sit, tell me about the Academy.” Vaggo reached out a hand and Gen reluctantly grabbed it. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about the Academy. It was because Adam was there, staring at her, expectantly. As if he too wanted to know how she was getting on at the
Academy.
His eyes were glued to her the entire time. It made her feel jumpy, off center.

“Why are you here?”

Her father raised an eyebrow at her tone with Adam and Gen ignored it. She wanted to know why Adam had even bothered showing up to her home in the first place. She watched as he cleared his throat and prepared to answer her question.

“I only wanted to make sure you got home safely,” was his reply. Home? Safely? As if she had anything to fear from Xander Treegold. He was dangerous to her body, but not in the way Adam obviously thought.

“Why was my safety even an issue? I was with Xander. No harm would have come to me.”

“
I promised your father I would bring you home and I felt it was my responsibility to make sure that you made it home. Even if that meant coming here to see it for myself.” The words were laced with a scent she was becoming quite familiar with. At the Academy people lied to Gen all the time. Told her things that were simply not true. Adam was doing it now. There was another reason he was here.

“I noticed you aren't wearing you're collar Gen.” Adam cleared his throat.

She hadn't put her collar back on after the shower. She was home and her father never made her wear them. Out of necessity she reached up and collared her throat with her hand. Adam followed the movement with his eyes. They were dilated and focused in on her fingers. Why was he acting so
strange?
The entire situation was making her nervous. His actions made him more predator than male. Almost animal like as his eyes tracked her.

“A formality Adam. Gen has no need for a collar while at home. She has no need of such things. Period.” Vaggo squeezed Gens arm and she offered her father a smile.

“Understood, sir.” Adam adjusted himself in the seat by shifting until he seemed comfortable. He appeared relaxed, but she could hear the rapid beating of his heart and accelerated breathing. Something was happening to him.

“Genesis, my father extends an invitation to dinner.”

“Why? I'm sure the Chancellor has other guests he'd like to entertain. Gen has work in the lab.” Her father
interrupted.

Gen relaxed when her father took charge of the conversation. There was no reason for her to go the Chancellor's for dinner. But she also didn't want to openly have her father reject the Chancellor's request either. So she tried to make amends.

“Maybe another time Adam,” Gen said by way of ending the conversation. She really wasn't having dinner with Adam's family. That would be too weird for even a person like her. Not many people got invited to dine with Chancellor Reynard. He was always entertaining other political figures from other verses. He wouldn't have time for someone like her. Adam had to be making small talk, using filler words in order to fill the time he was there with her and her father. After long moments of silence, he stood and
politely
excused himself, promising to come by and call on her again. He was making his escape. He had no intention of stopping by. Her father stood with Adam and saw him to the door. Gen let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Now that she was home, she'd expected things to be less complicated. Not more so.

Her father returned and they both agreed there was work that needed to be done in the lab. She greeted A.I when she entered and was greeted with a cheery, “Welcome back Genesis.” Gen smiled to herself and responded in kind. She washed her hands and walked over to where the subjects slumbered. Encased in clear liquid bubbles made out of acrylic, reinforced by an impenetrable barrier of cellophane. They were special tubes that were outside of the incubators that administered growth hormones as well
as
the cells needed to produce the subject's blood and blood plasma. They were all in permanent stasis. No brain activity to give them life. Each subject had distinct characteristics. Some were males, others females. Biologically grown in her father's laboratory then transferred to incubators where later, their blood could be farmed and then packaged to be given to Pars. The harvest room was dark and a nice mist cascaded over the incubators to keep the temperature at top condition for each subject. The amniotic fluid her father had perfected had to be at a constant twenty degrees, otherwise the bodies would deteriorate.