Bane of My Existence

Chapter 21

Now, she didn't know what to think, only that she couldn't shake the feeling something bigger, sinister, was happening and Kinsey was helping.

Not a good start to her career.

Sighing, seeing she had imputed nothing into her computer for hours, Kinsey stood and crossed the hallway for Carlisle's office. He was buried in his work, completely oblivious to her presence. She leaned on the doorframe and knocked.

He finished his notes then lifted a pair of bushy eyebrows to her. He squinted before realizing he didn't have his glasses on and hastily secured them to his nose. "What?"

"What is our research being used for?"

Carlisle was doing exactly what she had been asked to do but throughout the city. With all the developments around town, the wildlife had few habitats to call home and even fewer food sources--so they had turned to the city for food and shelter. That's what she was told anyway, but she suspected he was tracking shifters like she was.

Why?

Carlisle set his pen down and looked at her levelly. "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to."

"I want to know."

"No, you don't," he said firmly. His gaze took on a hard edge and reminded Kinsey of her father when he was mad at her for wanting to do something different from Carissa. "Go back to your desk and do what you're paid to do. Don't ask questions."

He was afraid.

"You don't know, do you?"

"I have an idea," he spat bitterly. "That's enough for me. Trust me, you don't even want an idea. Be happy you're getting paid and be done with it, Kinsey." With that, he picked up his pen and went back to work, pretending she wasn't standing in his doorway demanding answers.

Withholding a groan, she went back to her desk and tried to get some work done. She tried until her head hurt. It just wasn't happening. Her mind ran in circles, images of that poor boy flashing in front of her over and over again. Seeing Damon so distraught over one of his packmate's disappearance. His frustration when he defended her and was told he wasn't doing his job, because he was with her.

She tried to tell him she wasn't worth it. Tried to end things to make it easier for him. He wouldn't hear it. He might think there was nothing she could do, but there had to be something. She wasn't useless, despite what some people may think of her.

A shadow filled her doorway. She tore her gaze away from the empty document on her computer to find Echo standing there with his arms crossed and a hard set in his features.

Her stomach felt like it took a nose dive off an airplane. Had he come to beat her up for puking all over his shoes yesterday? "Can I help you?"

He glowered, eyes unfathomably dark and as endless as space. "Victor wants a word with you."

Her heart sped up. She had no idea why he would want to speak with her, but it didn't fit in with her 'do not disturb' plan she had promised Damon. "Um. Okay. Let me finish up with my notes--" and stall for time "--then I can meet him in a few minutes."

His features remained impassive, yet the air around them seemed to grow thick and heavy, making it hard for Kinsey to breathe. "He wants to see you now." 

Her body automatically responded to his sharp command and leapt out of her seat in sheer terror. "Okay. Okay." She collected her purse because there was only an hour left to her shift and she had no intention of returning to her office after her meeting with Victor, then followed Echo down the hall to the elevator.