Page 1 of Kingly Bitten
1
Calina
Thirty-six hours until self-destruct.Please make the appropriate preparations, and thank you for your service.
The message blared overhead, startling me out of my sleep. Lilith’s voice reverberated through my mind, demanding my attention.
35:59:59.
35:59:58.
35:59:57.
I gaped at the image on my wall, reading the numbers as the countdown initiated. The same numbers appeared on my wristwatch, the vibrating mechanism demanding I wake up as it alerted me to what was about to happen.
“Shit,” I breathed, running my fingers through my hair. “Shit.”
This was the doomsday protocol, which meant something had happened to Lilith. It was now my job to send all research through the appropriate channels before the evidence destroyed itself.
I also needed to make sure there was nothing left behind for unauthorized personnel to find.
Lilith expected me to kill everyone. Including myself.
This could all very well be a loyalty test of sorts, set to prove my integrity and willingness to follow the requisite procedures.
Or it could really be happening.
Which would mean my superior was dead.
I tried to search for her through the mental links, but all the programming and tests had dulled our connection so long ago that I couldn’t trust the emptiness I sensed through my bond with her.
I was also still alive, which suggested she might be, too.
Or at least one of my connections still remained. I felt fine. Immortal. Healthy.
Because of Lilith or my ties to…?
The ticking on the wall distracted me from my thoughts, providing an improved conception of reality. My bonds didn’t matter, only my duty did.
Unless she’s really dead.
I shook my head. It didn’t matter. I had certain steps to follow.
Send the files. Kill them all.
A tremble worked down my spine. No amount of practicality or reasoning could prepare me for the latter task. These subjects had become my friends. They were… they werefamily… and they provided the few meager ties I had left with humanity.
Focus, I told myself.Maybe this is all just a test to see how I’ll react. Go through the motions. Pretend to be ready.
Clenching my jaw, I nodded and forced myself to engage in my morning routine. Part of the process was not to panic. There was more than enough time to complete my tasks without hurrying.
Shower.
Dry my hair. Assemble the long blonde strands into a tight bun.
Dress in the traditional blue scrubs and add a lab coat.
After finishing my to-do list, I glanced in the mirror to check my irises. The hazel rings were blue today, suggesting the links to my maternal side were stronger than normal. That meant the contained animal within me desired dominance.
