Broken Bonds Read online

  Broken Bonds

  Jade Alters

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. Samantha

  2. Aleixo

  3. Samantha

  4. Aleixo

  5. Aleixo

  6. Samantha

  7. Aleixo

  8. Samantha

  9. Aleixo

  10. Samantha

  11. Aleixo

  12. Samantha

  13. Samantha

  14. Aleixo

  15. Samantha

  Epilogue

  SPECIAL FORCES BEAR SHIFTER MATE

  1. Julie

  2. Jace

  Also by Jade Alters

  Prologue

  Aleixo

  Antartica - 2012

  The cold is more intense than I was anticipating. I knew it would be freezing, but I hadn’t expected to be this bothered by it. The cold doesn’t usually faze me, since my regular body temperature is quite a bit more…intense than that of a regular human.

  As I step out of the helicopter and gaze around at the snowy expanse that is Antarctica, however, I can’t help but shiver at the bite of the wind against my cheeks. That’s about the only exposed part of my body there is, as the rest of me is bundled in thick winter gear that had no business being as expensive as it was. My guide, who’s dressed just as snuggly as I am, noticeably shivers as he ducks his head to hurry out from under the helicopter’s propellers. I duck my head as well and follow him.

  Once we’re clear, he stops and turns to me.

  “Are you absolutely sure about this?” He practically has to shout to be heard over the din of the helicopter. “You’ll be completely isolated here. There are plenty of research facilities across the continent that have other people stationed in them. You could find a spot in any of them, I’m sure.”

  I narrow my eyes, though I doubt he can see the gesture through my protective goggles. We’ve had this conversation countless times already, and my response is always the same.

  “I prefer to be alone. I don’t want anyone disturbing my work.”

  My guide…I think his name is Charlie or Charles, though I rarely bother to remember other people’s names, shakes his head. “What if you get sick, Dr. Pyrrhos? Or hurt? What if you can’t radio for help?”

  I shrug, his worries understandable but inconsequential. “I’m not worried about that. I’m made of tougher stuff than the average person.”

  “Everyone thinks that, until they spend enough time out here,” he tells me, his frustration clearly coming through in his tone.

  I don’t really feel like explaining myself, because it’s really none of his business, so I change the subject. “Can you show me the facility please?”

  The man stares at me for a long moment. He’s half a head shorter than I am and has to tilt his face up to look at me. In truth, though, most people have to look up at me. He’s actually very average in his height, for a human.

  I am neither human, nor average, but Charlie or Corey or whatever his name is doesn’t need to know that.

  Finally, his shoulders droop and I can tell he’s given up trying to talk sense into me.

  “Very well. Follow me, doctor.”

  He turns and hurries toward the large iron entrance to the research facility that will be my new home for the foreseeable future. It’s not a large structure by any means, as it was only built to house a few people at a time, but it was designed to blend into the terrain and so it resembles several rounded mounds of snow or ice placed neatly next to each other in a square. Each mound has an arched, covered pathway connecting them together, like hallways made of glass so anyone walking through them can see outside.

  I follow Charles inside once he opens the heavy door. The interior is sparse and industrial looking, which isn’t surprising for a facility of this nature. Especially one that hasn’t had any residents for some time.

  Charles shuts the door behind us and throws back his faux-fur hood and removes his goggles. His cheeks are bright red from the cold and wind outside, and he reminds me of a gnome as he blinks up at me with wide, dark eyes.

  “Well, this is it,” he declares, waving his hand around the entryway. “I’m afraid it’s really not overly impressive, but we’ve kept the maintenance up on it, so everything should be in working order. Would you like a tour?”

  I nod. “Yes, thank you.”

  Charles turns and leads me down a short hallway into the central hub of the facility. I throw back my own hood and shed my goggles as I gaze around. The ceiling is domed and has bright lights hanging from it to illuminate the space. Gazing around, I see several doors leading through those passageways I saw when we were outside, connecting us to the other parts of the facility.

  “Well, it’s pretty straight forward,” Charles tells me as we make our way through one of the passages. “There’s a kitchen, small but very workable. A greenhouse connected to the dome toward the back of the facility, which we planted a few things in for you once we heard of your arrival. There’s two main laboratories, an insulated shed where snowmobiles and other vehicles and outdoor equipment is kept, and of course the living quarters, which you’ll have your pick of.”

  I nod as he walks me past the kitchen, which is small, and through another passage to the dormitories. They’re simple and small, with built-in ledges for cots and a small desk in the corner of each room. There’s one bathroom with the bare necessities needed to keep a person clean and hygienic. Once I’ve gotten a good look around, he proceeds to show me the other areas he had listed. The greenhouse is steamy, and the laboratories sanitized.

  “This will suit my needs perfectly, thank you,” I tell him once we’re back by the main entrance and he’s shown me all the major parts of the facility.

  Charles frowns up at me, clearly hesitant to leave me here on my own. It would be so much easier to just tell him the truth. That even if I’m hurt, my body will simply regenerate itself and heal me. Even aging doesn’t affect me the same way it does him. My body is constantly working to rebuild itself as its strongest version.

  That’s the blessing of phoenix shifters…or, curse, depending on how you want to look at it.

  “Dr. Pyrrhos, can I ask, what is it you’re down here to study? And why do you insist on doing so completely alone?”

  It’s a fair question, if not a tricky one. How to give him a suitable answer without divulging the whole, strange truth?

  “Well, as I said in my request for the facility, I wish to study the Phoenix Cluster,” I say, wondering if that’s possibly enough for him.

  It’s not, because of course it’s not.

  The man’s frown deepened, though I’m not sure how that’s possible.

  “Yes, I recall that,” he nods. “However, that still doesn’t explain your desire for isolation. You could easily study the Cluster at any of the other facilities.”

  The man is persistent, I’ll give him that. Luckily, I have several lifetimes worth of practice when it comes to warding off nosey humans.

  “I’m not a social being, by any means,” I answer, although that’s not completely honest. I just prefer socializing with fellow phoenix shifters, but the work I’m undertaking is more important. Plus, it’s not like we’re going to run out of time to see each other; we’re essentially immortal. “And my research is of a rather…delicate nature. It’s just easier that I’m alone.”

  “What could be so delicate about a galaxy cluster?”

  I just keep from rolling my eyes and growling out loud in irritation. Can this man not take a hint? I want to be left alone!

  “I’m afraid I can’t divulge that information,” I reply, making my voice as serious and authoritative as I can. “Classified. You understand.”

  His eyes widen as if with sudden
realization. Damn. I should’ve led with the classified bit.

  “Oh, I see,” he murmurs, glancing around. Afraid the place is bugged? If he is, he might not worry so much about me living here alone. “You’re working under a…commission of sorts.”

  I nearly laugh at his rather clever use of commission to describe my apparent top-secret enterprises, but I manage to hold myself together. I’ve finally got him convinced of a greater purpose for my being alone, and I don’t wish to ruin that progress.

  “You could say that,” I reply. “While I obviously can’t go into details, I hope that makes it easier to understand my need for a certain amount of isolation.”

  Charlie nods quickly; that’s right, I distinctly remember him saying he prefers to go by Charlie although the paperwork I was given says Charles. “Yes, of course. My apologies, doctor, for pushing the matter. It’s none of my business, clearly.”

  It wasn’t any of his business when he didn’t believe I was being funded by a powerful entity, but I’ve learned in my long years that some people just need that extra push to know to keep their noses of out other’s business.

  “Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time,” he says, suddenly all too eager to leave me be. “If you need anything, radio us. We’ll make a supply drop every couple of months.”

  I nod. “That works perfectly. Thank you.”

  He continues to gaze up at me for several long moments, unmoving, and it becomes painfully obvious that he doesn’t actually know how to bring this awkward exchange to an end. I almost feel sorry for the man. When was the last time he was around anyone who wasn’t a scientist, living on the icy tundra of Antarctica?

  “Well…goodbye,” he blurts at last. Turning, he scurries toward the door, pulling on his hood and goggles before opening it and stepping out into the frozen wilderness.

  I cross to the door and make sure it’s shut firmly behind him. The moment I know I’m totally alone, I release a deep breath and feel my shoulders sag in relief. The urge to transform hits me, but I resist for the time being. There will no doubt be countless opportunities to let my wings out, but for the moment, I need to get everything set up so I can begin my work.

  I pick up the large bag I’d brought in with me from the helicopter from its resting place by the door, and trudge through the facility toward the dormitories. They’re all the same sizes with the same accommodations, so it doesn’t matter which one I choose. Crossing the threshold into my new room, I immediately begin shedding the thick layers covering me from head-to-toe. They were admittedly helpful when I was outside, but now they’re growing stifling. Once I’m free, I grab my bag back up and trudge toward one of the labs he showed me.

  My blood is humming with excitement as I go about setting up my equipment. Years ago, I set up a Google alert to send me automated updates every time a news article appeared with the keyword phoenix. Most of the time, it returned junk; Chinese astrology, movies or comic-con conventions but as soon as I saw the subject of this news alert, I knew it would change the course of my work forever. I can’t help but imagine the endless possibilities that lay before me as I learn about the Phoenix Cluster and the way it uses energy. If I can understand that, then I can better understand the differences in how phoenix’s consume energy versus humans. I can better understand my kind, and the forces that bind us to our animalistic instincts and desires.

  * * *

  I’ve already managed to find a way to break the mating bond our instincts force on us but the potion I concocted was more like a sledgehammer than a surgeon’s scalpel. It sought to obliterate any memory or connection a phoenix had to their mate, and in my limited knowledge, it did its job well. Now, with this new research, I’ll be able to give all phoenixes the ability to minutely control those drives and impulses that would otherwise control us. We will no longer be mythical beasts, reduced in legend to simply our animal characteristics. Instead, we’ll be gods among men, capable of wielding our phoenix abilities without losing our reason and logic.

  A slow, excited smile spreads across my lips.

  It’s time to get to work.

  Samantha

  Present Day

  It’s stunning. Whenever I thought of Antarctica growing up, I only ever thought of bone-chilling cold and penguins. Now, as I gaze out the window of the helicopter transporting me over the icy terrain, I’m breathless with wonder. I would never have expected the vast tundra to seem so…full of life.

  I know, though, that as beautiful as it is, there’s danger down there hidden in all that ice and snow. Just like a thorny rose, or a gremlin that’s fed after midnight, something so seemingly peaceful and serene poises life-threatening obstacles to anyone not part of its habitat.

  And humans definitely are not part of Antarctica’s habitat.

  My stomach twists with a nauseating mix of excitement and nerves, and I still can’t believe I’m here. That I’m actually doing this.

  “How long are you planning on staying?” Charlie, my guide, asks me with a raised voice so I can hear him over the noise of the helicopter.

  I turn to look at him. He’s sitting across from me, watching me with a curious expression.

  I offer him a smile. “The summer.”

  He nods. “That’s fairly typical. What’s not so typical is the location. Why did you want to work out of this outpost in particular?”

  I grin, excited by the opportunity to talk about my research to someone.

  Leaning forward in my seat, I say, “Well, you see, a new species, a large version of the hoatzin, was recently discovered. It’s a fascinating animal, as it appears to have the regenerative properties of the axolotl, a reptile that is unique in its ability to regenerate even its brain and heart.”

  Charlie blinks at me. “That’s indeed fascinating, but what does any of that have to do with this outpost? You were so insistent that this be the one you conducted your research at.”

  I nod. “Well, as it turns out, there’s a rather large nesting area for these birds near this particular outpost. I want to be able to be as close to them as possible so I can study them in their natural habitat.”

  “I see.” Except, it doesn’t seem like he does. He doesn’t look satisfied with my answer. In fact, he only looks more concerned.

  “Is there something wrong?” I ask with a frown.

  He blinks at me, clearly caught off guard by my addressing him so directly.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” he quickly says. “I was just thinking…I really do hope you can make it through the whole summer…you would be the first not to be driven off.” The last words he says in a mumble and I almost miss them.

  “What was that?” I ask. “Driven off? How would I be driven off?”

  He blinks again. The man reminds me a bit of an owl with his large, surprised eyes.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. It really has nothing to do with you or your commitment to your work, so please don’t think that. There’s just another scientist currently living at the facility who’s a bit…let’s say, anti-social.”

  I blink. I knew there was another scientist staying at the facility, but I hadn’t had any idea that he was such a pain, he ran people off.

  “How long has he been stationed at the outpost?” I ask. Then, I add, “And why does he drive people off?”

  Charlie shrugged. “I can’t really tell you why he drives people away. When he first took up residence at this place, he emphasized how much he wanted to be left alone, and we were able to do just that for some time, but eventually…well, our organization simply can’t keep turning away people who are willing to pay the commission to use our various facilities. It got to the point where we started offering up the space, and Dr. Pyrrhos was, shall we say, less than thrilled with that choice.”

  I frown. “What does it matter? Can’t you rotate more people in once he’s gone, and let him have it to himself if he returns?”

  “That’s the thing,” Charlie leans forward so he can drop
his voice, no doubt for dramatic effect, “he doesn’t leave.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The man has been in that outpost since 2012.”

  I can feel my eyes bugging out of my head in shock. No way. That’s simply not possible. Most people who study in Antarctica do so during the summer months, when it’s still crazy cold, but not White-Walker cold. A few might stay through the winter, but that’s twelve to fifteen months tops, typically.

  I’ve never heard of someone staying in a site for years. Especially when they’re alone most of the time. How has this Pyrrhos guy not gone completely insane?

  Why am I assuming he’s sane?

  It’s much more likely he’s not sane at all.

  “How does he do it?” I ask, unable to keep the pure fascination from shining in my voice. “How is he able to stay here for that long? The isolation alone would eventually make me crack.”

  Charlie shrugs, looking at a loss. “I honestly have no idea. I’ve only ever seen the guy when I’m dropping off new people to stay in the outposts or supplies. He seems…completely fine. Well, as fine as a man like him can be.”

  “What’s that mean?” I ask. My curiosity is growing rapidly, and I’m not sure how or if I can control it.

  “He’s an odd one,” Charlie shrugs. “It’s almost as if he was made for isolation. It makes him a very difficult individual to live with.”

  “Is there anyone living there with him now?”

  “Nope.” Charlie shakes his head. “To be honest, most people don’t make it to their fully contracted time. He scares them off long before then…so, take that as a warning, I suppose.”