Page 34 of Light the Fire
My mouth was dry.
“Do you know more of how Hellcats are made?” I asked, pinning my eyes on Jorik. “Like I know our mother was a Lambda—they all are—but like, who is my father? How do Hellcats come to be?”
Jorik’s head bobbed slowly and he scratched his broad chest again. “So you know that Lamdbas are the only fertile strain of females left in existence right?”
It was my turn to nod now. “Are we all made the same way? Hellcats and Verians?”
“Essentially, yeah. Obviously, since more of the female population was wiped out, they’re trying to restore the balance of the sexes. So they impregnate Lambdas with female embryos that contain all the strains. All four are injected with the hope that one takes. They’ve tried selecting one strain, but it doesn’t take. The female baby is usually born with one strain, or none, therefore they are an Amlin.”
“But if a Lambda experiences six female embryo miscarriages, they’re deemed “second-tier” and then implanted with a male embryo from then on,” Rix added.
My lips curled up into a snarl and both guys noticed.
“We’re right there with you, Angel,” Jorik said. “It’s a fucked up system for sure.”
“But the revolution is going to fix it,” Rix said happily, his shiny optimism and genuine smile easing the flames of rage that were flickering in my belly.
“If a boy baby is born, right out of the womb, that baby is injected with a small dose of the super-soldier serum. Some babies survived and were then dosed again. Others died. And then there were those that didn’t die but also didn’t show any signs of enhancement.”
“Verians and Amlins,” I replied. “You three are Verians.”
They nodded.
Jorik’s hand was back scratching his chest. “And of course, I’m sure you know that a large percentage of Sigmas and Kappas are born with slightly atrophied ventromedial prefrontal cortexes and smaller than average amygdalae—”
“Ah yes, Moord was very upset that I didn’t turn out to be one of his prized psychos,” I said blandly. “And he made sure to convey his disappointment in my ability to empathize daily.”
“I mean, their fearlessness and lack of empathy are part of the reason why Kappas are such kick-ass assassins, and Sigmas have no problem conducting the tests they do on us,” Rix said with a shrug. “Their moral compass differs from the rest of ours.”
I let out a weighted sigh and sunk down deeper into the water. “Can you imagine being used as nothing more than an incubator for your entire life?” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “Here I thought my life was hell, but I’m sure Lambda’s have it way worse. Forced to grow baby after baby that you don’t even get to raise as your own, until your body just gives out from the stress and you die.”
“Average life span of a Lambda is forty,” Jorik said with a sad nod. “And if they live past that, their pregnancies rarely go to term and then they’re forced into servitude.”
“Though, a lot of them apparently go a little crazy and are done away with,” Rix added. “Having to have babies from the time of your first bleed at twelve or thirteen then for twenty plus years—for some that’s a baby a year or more if there are twins—that’s enough to make anyone lose their mind.”
A tear slid down my cheek and I stared into the clear water. I wriggled my toes on the smooth round rocks below. “Things have to change,” I whispered, lifting my gaze to theirs. “This can’t continue, it just can’t.” A hard lump formed in the back of my throat and I struggled to swallow around it.
Rix stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close until my cheek rested against his hard chest. “It sucks, Wildcat, I know. I’m grateful that you weren’t born a Lambda, even if you were kept in a tower like a princess your entire life. At least you weren’t used like a broodmare, then driven to madness.” His fingers made soothing paths along my bare back and my body relaxed, melting into his. My breathing slowed down and I allowed the gentlethump thumpof his heart next to my ear bring me back to the present.
I needed to use my anger constructively. Allow it to propel me forward, to make the changes this country, and world needed. My anger was fuel, but I couldn’t let it blind me.
After a moment, I peeled myself away from Rix and glanced up at him. “Thank you.”
His smile was small and sweet and a pink flush entered his cheeks as he took a couple of steps back. “Anytime, Cat.”
Something moved near his thighs in the water. “Is that a fish?”
Rix snorted and Jorik made a sound like he’d choked on a chicken bone.
“Uh, no,” Rix said.
My brows furrowed for a moment, then my eyes went wide when I realized what it was. Histhingbetween his legs was long and hard again like it had been before, not soft and squishy. I glanced at Jorik who had remained quiet during my hug with Rix. “Ummm …” I hummed. “What doesfemalearousal feel like? I don’t have thatthing—”
“It’s called a cock,” Rix said softly yet firmly.
“Or a dick. Or a penis if we’re using the technical term,” Jorik added, still staring at me.
I nodded. “Okay. I like the wordcockbest. Can I use that?”