Pheromonal: One Night With the Alpha novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88: A Shield?

"Such potential," she murmurs, her eyes gleaming with an almost feverish light. "Such raw, untapped power. Oh, the things we’re going to discover together."

My heart pounds in my chest. Cold sweat breaks out across my skin. There’s madness in her gaze, a fanatical fervor that terrifies me more than any physical threat.

No, she’s not going to eat me—I think.

Instead, she’s giving off all the mad scientist vibes. Am I her personal Frankenstein project? That would be awful.

"Please, just tell me what’s going on." The pleading in my voice makes my soul depressed, but I’m not above begging in this situation. I’m pretty sure her sadistic streak spans the globe. No point upsetting her.

Something tells me my life with Jim around is infinitely preferable to even ten minutes in this strange woman’s presence.

Eliana pulls back, clasping her hands together with childlike glee, and I swear her eyes flicker to gold for a moment. Definitely a supernatural, but what kind? She’s not hitting shifter vibes.

"Oh, but that would spoil all the fun! Don’t worry, my dear. All will be revealed in time. For now, just know that you’re part of something much, much bigger than yourself."

I shift uncomfortably on the hard bed, my wrists straining against the restraints.

Eliana sits next to me, her hip nudging mine as she makes herself comfortable. The casual intimacy of the gesture has me shuddering. There’s something deeply wrong about her proximity. Every hair on my body is trying to jump off my skin and run away.

"Scoot over, darling," she coos, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Let’s get cozy, shall we?"

I try to inch further away, but there’s nowhere to go. The bed isn’t large, and the restraints limit my movement. As the strange red-headed doctor settles in beside me, an unnatural chill seeps through my clothes, seeming to penetrate straight to my bones.

It doesn’t make sense. Her body radiates warmth like any normal person’s would. I can feel the heat from her hip pressed against mine. And yet, there’s an aura of cold emanating from her that defies explanation. It’s as if winter itself clings to her, an invisible cloak of frost that reaches out to touch everything in its vicinity.

Eliana’s hand brushes my arm, and I flinch. Her fingers are warm, almost feverishly so, but the moment they leave my skin, it’s like she’s left behind a trail of ice. Goosebumps erupt across my flesh, and I can’t suppress a shudder.

"Oh, don’t be like that," Eliana chides, noticing my reaction. "We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Best get used to it."

Her eyes roam over me, probing and analytical. It’s as if she’s trying to peer inside me. As if she’s unraveling my very essence with her gaze.

A strange tingling sensation starts at the base of my skull, spreading outward like tendrils of electricity. It’s not painful, exactly, but deeply unsettling. My skin prickles, and the hair on my arms stands even further on end. Didn’t know that was possible.

"Fascinating," Eliana murmurs, leaning in closer. Her breath ghosts across my cheek, and I have to fight the urge to recoil. "You can feel it, can’t you? The magic stirring within you?"

Of course I can feel it, but it’s not mine. It’s foreign and strange. Why does she think it’s mine?

I keep my mouth shut.

Eliana’s fingers trace a pattern on my arm, and the tingling intensifies. It’s as if she’s drawing something out of me, coaxing forth an energy I didn’t even know I possessed.

"There it is," she breathes, her eyes alight with an almost manic glee. "Oh, you’re going to be such a delightful subject to study."

I want to ask what she means, to demand answers about what’s happening to me. But my voice is stuck in my throat, and my body feels stiff under the effects of a strange energy that is definitely not mine.

"Such beautiful black hair," she muses, twirling a lock around her finger. "It’s a shame, really."

Her eyes take on a faraway look, but her hand continues its rhythmic petting. Like I’m her dog. "Colors are so fascinating, don’t you think? The way they dance and blend, each hue telling its own story. Take red, for instance. The color of passion, of life itself. Beautiful and rich."

Is she trying to unsettle me further? Because it’s working. Red is also the color of blood, and I’m pretty sure that’s what she’s talking about.

"And blue," she continues, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. "So calming, so pure. Like gazing into the depths of an endless ocean." Her fingers tighten in my hair for a moment before relaxing. "Green is the color of growth, of new beginnings."

My mind races, trying to make sense of this bizarre monologue. Is there a hidden meaning behind her words, or is this just another facet of her apparent madness?

"But black," Eliana sighs. "Black absorbs everything, doesn’t it? It’s the absence of color, the void that swallows light." Her eyes lock onto mine, and she smiles. "Well. It’s just hair, I suppose."

Her hand moves to pat my cheek. "There, there," she coos, as if sensing my distress. "No need to worry your pretty little head about it now."

Standing, she smooths out her pristine lab coat. "Have a good night, sweetness," she says, her voice dripping with affection that makes my skin cringe. "Pleasant dreams."

As she turns to leave, I catch a glimpse of her face. The mask of warmth slips, revealing something cold and calculating beneath. She opens the door, and I strain to see beyond it, hoping for some clue about where I am. But there’s nothing visible except white walls.

"Keep her safe. We can’t afford any mishaps."

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