"There's a fine line, Merc," she said. "They merely thought there might be a problem. I checked it out and now I've taken the required blood, se**n and hormonal samples. I'll let you know what I find once I find it."
"There is no fine line," he gritted out. "No means no. Dammit, Ely." He forcibly pulled back the anger eating inside him now. He could feel it building, welling in his head until a tide of red edged at the corner of his vision.
"As I said, it was merely a suggestion." His gaze flashed down as a needle punctured his vein again and blood washed into the attached vial.
Icy rage stole over him. His eyes lifted, and he was only barely aware of the growl that rumbled from his throat and had Ely pausing to stare up at him in surprise.
"I forgot the last tube I needed." She slid the needle from his arm and efficiently disconnected the sealed tube of blood from the needle.
He clenched his fists, the need to jerk it from her grip nearly overwhelming him. He needed that blood back. He couldn't risk it . . . He reached for it, his hand quickly covering her wrist as she stared back at him in shock.
"Mercury."
"You don't need that blood." He felt as though he were staring out at her from someone else's eyes, feeling someone else's rage. He couldn't allow her to keep that blood.
But he had no reason for it. No reason for the anger, no reason not to trust her, other than the fact that something warned him that he couldn't trust anyone. And why he felt that way was confusing as hell.
He released her hands slowly, staring at the vial of blood in her fist.
"You're lying to me, Ely," he stated, watching her closely, inhaling deeply. He swore and he had never smelled emotions as other Breeds sometimes could but he swore he could smell her deceit.
She swallowed tightly. "You're not acting yourself, Mercury," she whispered. "Are you certain there isn't anything wrong?"
"Are you?" He had to get away from her; every word that passed his lips was a growl. He held his hand out. "Give me the vial."
"I can't run the tests without it." Did she pale? Was that fear flickering in her eyes?
"You have enough. Make due."
As he spoke, the lab door opened and Kane, Sanctuary's head of security, and Callan Lyons stepped into the room.
Mercury looked up at the all-seeing eye of the camera. Like the labs. Always someone watching. How could he have forgotten that? Always the suspicion, always the eyes tracking and second-guessing.
He turned back to Ely. "I asked nicely," he reminded her.
"Merc, what's going on here?" Kane's voice was questioning, but Mercury could feel his pride leader watching, tracking, smelling the danger in the room.
"He doesn't like giving blood suddenly," Ely said nervously, moving to turn away.
Merc didn't touch her this time as he stepped in front of her. "Make sure you get everything you need from that vial of blood, Dr. Morrey," he said softly. "Because you'll get no more."
"You were ordered . . ."
His growl surprised him. It rumbled, fierce and threatening in his chest.
"I'm not Jonas's gigolo, or his puppet. Tell him to get screwed if that's what he thinks." He flicked a glance to the other two men.
Kane was watching him worriedly; Callan's expression was thoughtful. Mercury had had enough. He brushed past the other two and jerked the door open as he moved through the narrow corridors of what had once been a Council lab. The cameras followed him; he could feel them now, and he never had before. Like a brand against his back, they burned into his flesh and sent a surge of anger pulsing through him.
He moved to the first floor, turned down the hall and stepped back into Ria's office, where she lifted her head, surprise showing on her face.
"Merc?" she asked warily as he moved to the corner of the room, lifted his arm and jerked the camera from the wall, before turning to her.
Ria stared at him in shock. His eyes, once a perfect golden amber, were highlighted with tiny blue sparks. She swore they glittered like blue stars against a pure gold backdrop.
As large as he was, he suddenly appeared larger, his muscles harder, his shoulders broader. His fingers clenched around the camera in his hand.
"Was I raping you?" he snarled back at her, his canines flashing and something more than rage flickering in his eyes.