Circe's Recruits 4: Hale by Marie Harte Read Free Book Online

alone. They'd connected, bringing him back from the black hole of depression he'd settled into. Being different had weighed hard on him for years, forcing him into a bleak life on the fringes of society. But Paige gave him a new direction—a goal in life and a chance to right the wrong done to him long ago.
    He'd suffered because of Elliot Pearl. He'd lost his family, his life, hell, his face.
    McKinley stroked his cheeks, still unsure as to how he'd survived the car wreck that had killed his parents. By all rights, he should have died. Instead, he'd woken up alone, in the woods, with a different face, body, and inhuman abilities. His eyes had never returned to their natural green, but at least he didn't have to go through the change so many other Circs did.
    He used to think of the odd genetic enhancements as monstrous, but after seeing Circe's Recruits in their altered states, McKinley had changed his mind. To his shock, his instincts recognized Hale Rogers the same way they recognized Paige. And he wanted , a bad, bad thing for a beast like McKinley.
    He viewed sex as a necessity, another hunger to be fed. Except his needs were dark, depraved. He worked hard to hide his sickness from Paige. So good, she lit up his life, taking him away from the daily drudgery of his existence. As long as he sated himself regularly, he could tolerate Paige's nearness. He loved the woman so much it hurt, and not sharing that love physically took its toll. But he refused to harm her.
    Leaving her tonight had been his only recourse. If the PPA ever got their hands on her again, she'd wish for death.
    He mulled over thoughts of the PPA as he drove back to the place where the nightmare continued—Pearson Labs. Pulling into the underground parking lot, he left his SUV and accessed the private elevators leading to the top floor of the building.
    A place very few had access to, the fourth floor housed those at the top of the organization. Now that McKinley knew who was really pulling the strings around here, he could plan the labs' destruction. He rode the elevator to the top and exited, only to run into Simon Dunn. On the surface, the man looked like he had it all. Charm, good looks, a fat bank account. But something was missing inside Dunn. The man had been born without a conscience.
    “McKinley.” Dunn nodded, guarded yet excited. McKinley could smell it on him.
    “We've been looking for you. The big man wants to see you. He's not happy.”
    Dunn's slow smile warned McKinley to tread warily. He said nothing, just stared at Dunn until the man walked away.
    McKinley shored himself and strode down the hall. He passed a few promoted scientists, men who tried but could never match Elliot Pearl's genius. For all that Elliot had done wrong, few could match his ability to understand and manipulate genetics.
    With the recent failure to control the mutant rogues, McKinley had a feeling the big boss wanted a replacement.
    Elliot's death had not been planned. McKinley still didn't know who'd ultimately killed the man. At first, he'd thought the killer had been Circ. Elliot's eyes had been plucked out of his head, after all. But the notion didn't fit. He didn't know how he knew, but McKinley sensed Elliot's killer had intentionally staged his death to look as if Circs had done it.
    “McKinley, come in,” a deep voice called out with authority. The CEO's office door stood slightly ajar.
    Opening it, McKinley walked through, stunned to see General Harold Kohl and Senator Richard Kuntz huddled together over something on the large desk. Kuntz had become a regular at the lab. But this was the first time Kohl allowed anyone else to see him in charge. For years he'd been the man behind the curtain.
    Months ago, when McKinley had first learned that Elliot's major detractors were in fact behind the funding for the new and improved Project Dawn, he'd been baffled.
    But now he understood.
    Greed motivated even those with the best of intentions.
    “Ah, McKinley,