Page 153 of Taken By the Fae

The guy steps into the room and closes the door. He opens a panel in the wall, tapping on the screen a few times, and the alarm stops. When he turns to face me again, I take him in. He’s eerily attractive. Dark brown hair is swept across his forehead, just short of covering his matching brown eyes. My gaze drops, and I frown. He isn’t wearing a lab coat like Dr. Collins, or scrubs like Marisa. Instead, he looks casual, comfortable in dark jeans and a black V-neck.

He clears his throat. “Aurora.”

My eyes fly up to his face.

He smiles. “I need you to put the knife down for me.”

I narrow my eyes. “Who the hell are you?”

“I can be your friend so long as you do as I ask. I want to make sure you’re safe.”

An angry laugh bubbles past my lips. “You’re one ofthem. Keeping me here against—”

“I’d like to help you,” he cuts me off, leaning against the closed door.

“I don’t want your help.”All I want is to get the hell out of here.

He tips his head back, making the hair fall away from his face. “Ah, but you need it.”

I lift my arm, pointing the scalpel at him. “You want to help? Great. Let me out of here.”

He purses his lips. “I can’t do that.”

With great effort, I shove the panic crowding my chest down and force a shrug. “Then you can’t help me.”

He slides his hands into his pockets. The move makes my pulse tick faster. This guy isn’t even concerned that I’m pointing a surgical knife at him.

“I won’t let you experiment on me,” I announce.

“You’ve spoken to Richelle.”

“I was locked in a room and strapped to a bed while she told me about the Experiment,” I correct in a bitter tone. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“You should get used to that,” he says mildly.

My jaw clenches so tight I can’t speak for several seconds. “If they sent you to talk me down, you’re not doing a great job.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “They sent me to intervene, yes. It’s my job to keep you here, by whatever means necessary.” His eyes move across my face. “It’s up to you to decide what that means for you.”

I lower my arm, dropping my gaze. “Why are you doing this?”

He pushes away from the door, approaching me at an easy pace. “This is a good thing. You’ll see that soon—trust me.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, blinking away the dampness in my eyes before lifting my gaze to meet his. He’s standing two feet away from me now. “I don’t even know who you are, and you’re asking me to trust you?”

He looks at me thoughtfully. “You don’t remember me?”

My brows pinch closer. “Should I?”

He laughs as he plucks the scalpel out of my hand swiftly. He can’t be faster than me; I must be in shock. “I suppose not.” He slides the knife into his back pocket, blade down. “Nikolai stole the show the day we met. He doesn’t know hownotto be a spectacle.”

As much as I want to agree with that statement, it makes my eyes widen. “You…” I trail off, my head spinning. “The fae that attacked me in the parking lot. That wasyou?” This guy looks different from the fae I remember—his hair color has changed—but taking a closer look, I recognize him now.

His cheeks flush a light pink. “Wasme,” he says. “I’m not that person anymore. I apologize for the pain I caused you.” He offers a small smile. “My name is Carter.”

My hands tighten into fists at my sides, a painful reminder I no longer have a weapon. “The Experiment has fae working for them? That’s fucking hypocritical.”

“No, they don’t. That would go against everything they stand for.”

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