Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Cameron was beyond the age of wielding an ax, yet my half preferred her not to, which meant she was only allowed to participate in the activity with me when he was not home. The two of them were at our cabin, reading comic books—the literature Otis preferred when not reading about beings from this side of The Fog—when the assault occurred.” Palpable pain glosses over her gaze. “Eliminating a company of elves would’ve been an effortless feat with Blood Rage—almost even enjoyable—but midbattle I was shown a squad ascending on my home with the choice to have my half brutally murdered in front of our daughter or me taken.” Her lips momentarily press together to still her shaky voice. “Shifters die when their mate dies, but some other creatures—like orcs—do not. Orcs develop something called Soul Sickness. It significantly weakens our capabilities as we are truthfully creatures who pull our strength from love as much as rage. So, I…,” the word she prepares to spew must be vile given the way her mouth contorts, “surrendered.” Her cheeks momentarily puff in nauseousness. “Upon my forced relocating, experiments instantly began. When none of them would take, they sent me into Blood Rage by promising to capture my offspring. Rape her. Torture her while I watched. Blood Rage put my body in a more chemically vulnerable state, which allowed for their drugging tactics to take hold and eventually, their brainwashing as well.”
Hiding the horror and hatred that’s been provoked is impossible.
“Magitek insured me that my family would remain protected during my service to them.” Her hand motions itself my direction. “They did not lie.” Worry swiftly washes itself onto her face. “And I dread, dragonborn, if you do not return me like they are insisting, my half will be next for the taking.”
“We will not let that happen.”
Dai doesn’t bother appearing impressed or interested in my promise.
“Do you know what Magitek’s endgame is?”
“Yes.”
When she doesn’t instantly continue, I tip my chin her direction to encourage it.
“They are planning to eradicate all shifters.”
“All?!”
“The entirety of those that fall underneath that umbrella of The Great Ones creations.”
“I know what the word all means, Dai.”
“Then why did you question it, dragonborn?”
Reminded once more of why I do not miss dealing with full orcs has me shutting my eyes for a brief moment before asking, “Why do they want to end all shifter life?”
“I do not have that answer.”
“Is that their only objective?”
“No. It is just their main objective. Other profitable opportunities are taken at their leisure.”
“And who is in charge of this project to end shifters?”
“Projects.”
Outrage propels itself up the back of my throat. “There’s more than one?”
“That is why I corrected you, yes.”
Internal grumbling at her response is ignored to investigate, “How many different projects do they have going at this time?”
“Four. Each located in different territories around the country, and each focused on a particular area—goods, drugs, weapons, counterintelligence—for infiltrating your essence to kill or enslave until your inevitable death.”
“What’s Project Moonlight’s main goal?”
“They have several; however, counterintelligence—which includes but is not limited to safeguarding the other projects—and abduction—obtaining participants for the experiments—are the primary two. Abducting you was my mission prior to being taken hostage.”
Destroy.
Absolutely, Platinum. That is still our Draak endgame.
“And exactly who is running these operations? Magitek is a corporate company that answers to a board similarly to DL & Co.; however, I highly doubt the investors are supporting this murderous bullshit.”
“I do not have that answer, dragonborn.” She releases a heavy sigh at the same time she rises to her feet. “And we do not have time for any more conversation. You have had your request regarding information on your adversary fulfilled. What do you plan to do with it? What strategy do you plan to execute that does not require me surrendering a second time?”
For a brief moment, I don’t respond.
I know what they want.
I also know that they don’t plan to actually give me back my mate.
This is a bait mission, one that they know I’m obligated to take because they know shifters. They know we can’t ignore the instinct to tend to those Fate gave us. What they really want is me.
She just said it.
They want me taken out of the equation.
Me to experiment on.
Me in a position for all four divisions to milk me for their ultimate genocide benefit.
Reciprocate.
Platinum’s one word suggestion immediately inspires a more detailed idea.
That’s exactly what we’ll do.
They want to exterminate shifters, so we’ll beat them to the punch by exterminating them one branch at a time.
For this one, Dai will be our bait.
And unleashing her will be the bloody distraction that begins to save us all.
Cameron
Fuck, my head hurts.
I haven’t drunk this much since Kyla was banging that cyber security guy.
Or…now that I think back on it with an undrugged brain, was it cyber security or cyborg security?