The Genesis Project (6 page)

“Hey good looking,” this came from Nimziri James. He was one of the nicest males at the Academy, and in his third rotation and on his way to special services branch of the Galactic Military. No one dared to get on
Nimziri's
bad side, and she never understood why, he'd been nothing but nice to her since she'd arrived. He was taller than most of the males, with broad shoulders and a very fit body. Gen had started to notice more and more things about every male in the Academy. It bothered her, and when she'd conferenced with Vaggo on the vid screen last week, he said it was normal behavior for all females, and she should just try and ignore them.
Easier said, but hardly done.
Gen tried and tried, and failed miserably. It wasn't all males she had this problem with, but two. It was becoming an obsession of hers and quite literally it made her feel weak. She wasn't fickle in nature like most of the females here at Academy, but found herself at the oddest times wondering about Adam and Xander.

Nimziri had more of a familial
connection
with her. He made her feel more at easy and relaxed. He was also obsessed with anything that had to do with the twenty-first century, which leaked into Gens vocabulary and living quarters as well. Nim had outfitted her suite with vids from that time period. Originally called Blue-Ray discs. He'd converted a stash his great, great grand-sire had and stored them into vids. Instead of reading in her spare time she was now engrossed in vids. Movies like, 300, Immortals, and other discs from that time era. She particularly enjoyed watching the epic battle ridden movies and was set to watch a movie called Arthur based on what humans had called Knights of the Round Table. It was all educational really, well, that's what she tried to tell herself. But she couldn't find it in her heart to feel bad. Her time watching the movies hadn't interfered in her work-study, and she found she
enjoyed
the company.

“Hello Nim. Did you complete your assignment?” Nimziri was in her sensuality class and they'd all been charged with writing something sensually pleasing about the opposite gender. At first she'd been petrified. What if her emotions got away with her? What if her classmates were able to tell who it was she speaking to. Would her body show signs of perspiration, nervousness, or would she shut down all together? It was her first presentation and Gen still didn't know what the proper action was associated with this type of classroom structure.

“Sure, but I'm not going to tell you Blackmore. You'll have to wait like everyone else. Are you hitting the nutrient bar today?”

The dreaded nutrient bar. People
were
starting to notice she never gathered in the lunch hall. She couldn't. Was allergic to anything that wasn't hydro-grown. Her father had kept to his word, and was sending her packages on a regular basis.

“No and stop asking me,” Gen tried to hide her annoyance with a playful smile, and failed.

The nutrient bar was blood from the source. She couldn't partake in any of it. Everyone over the course of the last few days had asked her to join them, including Xander Treegold. She visibly shook at the thought. Her fangs didn't descend naturally out of thirst, but they did ache. There wasn't anything wrong with that, her father said she had a natural aversion to blood due to her allergies. The lunchroom was always filled with noises she'd never heard before. Like
in
the movies she'd been watching when a male and female lay together and connected their body's in order to perform a sexual act. She wasn't comfortable with that. She knew some of the older recruits would end up in darken alcoves, doing things she'd only read about, and up until recently seen on the vid screen.

“Oh come on, there isn't a tasting until Luna. Are you scared you'll be matched?” Nim asked playfully pulling on one her curls.

She wasn't afraid of being matched, but she was weary about the tasting. Everyone would know she wasn't pure. They'd taste her blood and immediately know she was an imposter. She had the exact same genetic makeup as they did, only her blood left no signature. Vaggo wasn't able to reproduce the effect of the
family
lineage. He never saw it as an issue. Now it was an issue, a big issue. Pars all had blood signatures. They were family imprints or tasting lines as they were called sometimes. Tasting lines were a way of tracing back centuries to one's sire and making sure that new lines were being formed. It also provided a pair with the knowledge of a true tasting. This was something that many Pars fantasized about.

A true tasting happened when two Pars were compatible, physically, emotionally, and mentally. The chancellor himself was bred from a true tasting. Both his sire and mother were bonded. As a result Chancellor Reynard had been born with certain gifts. Pars gave birth like every other species in the known universes, and were closely related to humans so the females would not become fertile until
after
their first menarche. But if a matched pair was truly bonded, fertility would follow the cycle of the first blood moon, making the child special. Blood Moons were only visible every twelve rotations. There wasn't another one due until next rotation.

There hadn't been a true bonding since the Chancellors birth. More than two hundred rotations ago. Some speculated it was due to disease and the eradication of their blood source, other's said it was the Goddess punishing them for leaving their home planet. Now that her father had discovered a way of replicating the source, the Council assumed a true tasting would eventually happen. The blood source her father created didn't walk around like humans of the past. They were farmed and left brain dead. They were stored in a climate
controlled
freezer where their blood and plasma was drained. After the draining process, they would then be stored in a fertilizing bath that would regenerate their red and white blood cells. It was a never-ending cycle and the only way to keep their species alive. In some ways she was glad she never had to worry about being part of the tasting. She couldn't drink from the source either. This was all okay with Gen, well partly, half of her body was okay with that concept. The smart half. The other half was left wanting something she could never attain… companionship. She knew this was due to the way her body was responding towards physical and mental stimulation from those around her. At times she'd wake in the night, her body covered in a fine sheen of sweat, after dreaming of all the different ways her body had responded to the stimuli.

“
See you in class Nim.” Gen walked in the direction of her Bio-Genetics class and let her thoughts stream. Today they were studying Lycanus blood. Had to love your garden variety of Lycans. She was looking forward to the distraction. If one more male asked her to go to the nutrient bar she was going to shut herself away in her quarters and only come out for class.

####

The lab room was empty as Gen entered. All the desks were neatly prepared for today's lecture. She took advantage of her alone time and quickly pulled her supplement pack out. Grabbing the pen she lifted the sleeve of her dress and pressed firmly into her skin. The liquid was fire in her veins as it raced through her system, feeding her cells and strengthening her
senses.
This would safely see her well into the next week. She'd only need the natural grown food in her system then. Her father had made sure that her pens had all the enzymes and nutrients she would need in order to thrive. She quickly pulled her sleeve back over her arm and faced the front of the class discreetly putting the pen back in her pack.

“The showing of your skin would lead me to believe that I had permission to partake in the invitation that you are offering Miss Blackmore.”

Startled Gen looked up into the brilliant ice blue eyes of Xander Treegold. There was a reason this was her favorite class, and it was because he wasn't in it. The one class she had with him, he made her question everything about herself. She never questioned herself prior to meeting the
sociopathic,
narcissistic, megalomaniac currently standing in front of her desk. He exuded too much confidence and his brashness knew no bounds. The females at the academy flocked to him like the lemmings she'd read about that hurtled to their death by running head first into the ocean. Only Xander wasn't water, he was solid rock. Built for battle. She knew had he been an ancient one, he'd have been on the war riddled fields wielding his sword high above his head, while striking true fear in the hearts of his enemies.

“Why are you here?”

“I refuse to answer that question honestly, but here,” Xander dropped an elegant crème colored card with equally elegant blood red writing, down on the table. Gen looked at the card and then held it up between the
two
of them.

“What's this?” She'd read the writing. Could see it was an invitation to a tasting, but why would Xander invite her to a private tasting?

“It's an invite to a private tasting. Don't worry, you don't have to taste, or be tasted. It's a tradition for us seniors.”

Xander leaned forward placing both arms on the front of her desk and slowly bent forward and eyed Gen. His electric blue eyes pierced the fabric covering her breast. Her skin reacted immediately and her heart raced in overtime. This was not normal behavior for her. She was disciplined. Her body however was traitorous. What else could it be? It wasn't like she was willing herself to react to him this strongly. She wasn't a silly female who followed a male around. She was
a
leader.

“I don't think it's a good idea.” Gen whispered, gripping the card tighter in her hand. She was not going to let her body rule her thoughts.
Keep it together Blackmore.

“Oh, yes it is.” His warm, lightly scented breath fanned over her face like a gentle breeze. She tried to move away from him. She always did, but Xander would always reposition himself, making sure they always remained close. Gently he took her chin in his long fingers and smiled.

“I want you there Miss Blackmore.” He moved into her personal space. Her eyes widened in alarm and she stopped breathing. His mouth was scant centimeters from hers. What in the name of the Goddess was he trying to do to her? Gen tried to pull
back,
but Xander moved with her, firmly holding her chin in his hand. She was in serious trouble. Her heart rate picked up its speed. She could not only hear the force of her breath as it rushed from her lips, but she felt her body move from the force of each inhale and exhale. Xander kept penetrating eyes on her as she tried for another way to escape his attention. Maybe if she looked down the connection would break, but she couldn't. Ensnared, she'd never noticed how blue his eyes were. Sapphires so dark, their depth limitless. Gen didn't blink for fear she'd miss the vibrancy the color gave off. This only happened when they were both caught in an intense atmospheric storm where they were the only ones affected. His body reacted just as quickly as hers. Any other time, his eyes were ice. Frozen over with arrogance and playfulness that rendered all females brainless. Was
she
now one of them?

“There is something so incredibly-…” he paused for a moment and then dragged the tip of his nose along her jaw, a barely there touch, Gen felt all the way to her toes. Muscles she didn't know existed trembled in response to his touch. “Intriguing about you Miss Blackmore.” His words brushed her lips, sent an intense pleasurable heat to the pit of her stomach. The sound of his voice was filled with arousal. Deep and hollow, but the sound was anything but empty.

“Be there okay?” Xander reiterated softly.

She could only nod her head in response.
Lemming.
She wasn't really going to go, even if he melted her body. Gen's brain tried to process what she was feeling. She wasn't
really
going to go to the private tasting, she told herself again. She wasn't going to make a fool of herself. Even if Xander had a way of getting what he wanted from the other females. Genesis Blackmore wasn't going to be one of
those
females. She didn't need the distraction. Someone cleared their throat interrupting her addled thoughts. Adam Reynard. Had he been there the entire time? More importantly, how had she missed his intrusion?
He did you a favor Blackmore.

“Now there's a picture.” Adam said while Xander straightened and turned to leave. Genesis ignored them both as other recruits started to enter.

“Reynard,” Xander nodded in his direction in way of greeting and then quietly slipped through the classroom doors.

Adam
looked over at Gen and she wondered for a moment what he was thinking, and quickly decided she didn't need to know. The lecture on Lycanus would begin soon, and Gen made sure her tablet was on and ready to take notes. Adam rounded her table and stood next to her for a moment before pulling out the empty chair. The sound of the seat being pulled back to allow him to sit made her spine stiffen. He always made her nervous and he always smelled of chocolate. It made her throat dry.

“Can't you sit somewhere else?” Gen asked politely. She was going for nonchalant, but her voice sounded all wrong, throaty and deep.

“I can sit where I want Blackmore.” Adam replied angrily. She wasn't going to get sucked into his dark energy. There was
something
wrong with Adam Reynard. Something about the two of them in the same breathing space was all wrong. Her mind was conflicted and her body rigid. Some days she thought he was trustworthy. Other days she knew he wasn't. Gen remained defensively on alert for the remainder of the class.

Mr. Ipswich entered the class all flourish and grace, bowing as he sat his case on the table. He flipped a button and what little light there was in the class dimmed, making the room darker. The wall in the front of the class instantly became a vid feed, and soon Gen was engrossed in the history and mythology of Lycanus. As the filmed neared the end, she chanced a look in Adam's direction and found that he was staring at her. Angrily. When their eyes connected he continued to stare until Gen became painfully uncomfortable. She hadn't
done
a damn thing to him. She was respectful, always. Even when he ignored her in front of his friends. Once she'd bumped into him alone in the walkway and he'd asked her how her classes were going. He seemed genuinely interested. But when two senior recruits began to make their way towards them, he'd quickly left her alone. She'd known then that he wasn't what he seemed. Adam Reynard was an enigma. Hot one minute, cold the next, and she didn't want to be bothered with either of his personas.