The Genesis Project (11 page)

She'd been grown as well, and although her outcome was different for the others, Gen felt a pain behind her chest. What if they could be given life and some sort of an agreement could
be
formed. If she were like them, she wouldn't mind donating her blood once a month. That had been how it started in the beginning, before humans had become extinct. They'd donated their blood. Why couldn't it be like that again? There were even some humans who enjoyed being fed from, and would go into a seclusion contract with a Par. She was sure there would be others. In her studies and from her father's own mouth, he told her that some humans found it euphoric to be fed from. There had even been some matched unions out of the deal. Her father had been in such a union. But those questions had all been shot down by her father. The Federated Council would not allow humans to live among Pars on New Earth. Not now, not ever.

As the hour drew late, Gen threw herself into her work in her father's lab. Her previous questions forgotten,
she
began logging in the information that her father would need to present to the council. Project Harvest was being unveiled in only a day and tomorrow was Xander's private tasting. She shouldn't go, but wanted to for the curiosity of it all. She knew the rituals and the traditions of the tasting, knew that everyone wouldn't participate, and she'd even seen a reenactment in a vid feed. But to see it in person would better suit her curiosity. Tastings had a way of being erotic. That much she knew from the books she'd read on the subject. Males and females would gather around, conversations would ensure they were a least a little compatible prior to the tasting. The males would present themselves to the females or other males if that was their particular liking. It was all very formal. Everyone would be in their finest suits and gowns. Spiced blood and mating induced drugs would be
used
in order to ensure the tastings success. What scared her most was the open showing of flesh. If you went to a tasting and you revealed your throat or a male revealed his wrists, it was an open invitation for all to taste. Everyone. There were private ceremonies, but those only happened with the elitist of their society. She'd once read somewhere there were mixings. These happened with the South and North joined together in order to keep from diluting the bloodline. Inbreeding wasn't unheard of, but it was best to avoid. There were hundreds of families that lived on New Earth, but back when times had been particularly rough, matches were made regardless of a Pars lineage in order to ensure survival.

A tasting would let the other know the complete lineage of their chosen partner. Their line of heritage was told
through
the blood. Not only their lineage but it would also let another know whether or not they were compatible. She wouldn't be compatible with any of them. Her blood didn't display a lineage, nor would it be a match for any male there in the room. Especially Xander. Her thoughts were colliding with her feelings and she knew what she should do. She shouldn't go to the tasting. Two parts of her brain warred with the other. Something that never happened. Gen knew the rules, followed them closely, but she also knew this was her one and only chance to see a tasting live and in person. She wasn't going to invite any male to taste her flesh. Xander promised that she could observe and nothing more if that was what she wanted.

“Dr. Blackmore, I've ran the figures and I am now sure, Project
Harvest
will have a success rate of one hundred percent.” A.I. said releasing Gen from her thoughts.

The lab was dark, with the exception of the recessed lighting overhead. Both Gen and her father turned and murmured their approvals to the computer. After she'd turned in her numbers to her father, she'd started working on an idea that had sprung to life while at the Academy. She wanted her nutrients to be less obvious. She didn't want the others to know she had to inject herself. It made her stand out, and she was already hindered by her physical abnormalities. She wanted to be more socially acceptable to her classmates, even if it meant taking her nutrients another way.

Maybe if she could inject herself with the proper enzymes her body could act as a filter breaking down the
blood
her body ingested and insured she only got the nutrients. She could at least feed in her feeding classes. If she could actually partake in feedings she'd fit in, have a chance at a semi-normal life.

“Genesis, you've been quiet.”

“Sorry father, is there something you need?”

Gen turned from her work to stare at her father. Vaggo Blackmore was tall and looked as young as she did now. But her father didn't always look so healthy. Once, his skin was pasty and paper thin, she'd seen pictures of him and his mate. But after her birth and his research, he didn't look a day over thirty. His fangs were pearly white and rested against his bottom lip. There was a gleam in his eye now. He was more predator than man, and today she'd noticed more changes from him
when
he'd first greeted her on her return home. Apprehension coursed through her veins. He was staring at her and not just at her, but at her throat.

“Nothing I can't get for myself,” he hesitated and she could hear the frantic beats of his heart. “I need to eat. When I come back, we'll talk some more, yes?”

“Yes, father.”

But he never returned.

# # #

The next morning, Gen woke to the sound of her vid screen alerting her to an incoming call. Who would be calling her and how did they get her site address? She flipped the vid screen to open to receive the call. It was Xander and he looked different, more relaxed and calm. His hair was
unbraided
and behind him was a woman was massaging his shoulders. He's posture as usual was arrogant and Gen swore she could smell his fire through the screen.

“Genesis Blackmore, do you know how hard it was to find your site address?”

Yeah, she knew how hard it was because her father was unlisted. How Xander got the address she could only assume his father's rank in the genetics council allowed for such information to be acquired so easily. The fingers massaging Xander's shoulder stilled as the face of said hand came into view on the screen. It was Yasira and she was smiling as she came into view. Surprised didn't begin to describe what Genesis was feeling. Raw, unchecked anger boiled beneath her skin. Heat rose to her cheeks and her
eyes
misted over with unshed tears. She wasn't going to cry and she wasn't going to show her agitation. She knew Xander took advantage of females. Knew he had a reputation for being outlandish and crude. In your face one moment and out of it the next. Xander kissing her was another form of coercion. He was goading her into these emotions and she wasn't going to let it get the best of her.

“Yes I'm aware. Why are you calling?” Her voice felt blocked by the rage clogged in her throat. But she managed the words easy enough.

“That's easy. I'm making sure you show up tonight. Scion will be there promptly at sun down to escort you.”

Well, Scion would be waiting for the rest of his life if she had anything to say about it. Did he really think she'd come now? When he has Yasira there,
massaging
his damn shoulders!

“That's not possible. I have other things I need to do here in my father's lab. You have plenty of,” she eyed Yasira who was now caressing Xander's shoulder. “Toys to keep you interested.”

Gen could hear the hurt in her voice and hoped Xander was not able to detect her distress. A small part of her burned with envy at the familiarity that he and Yasira shared. He didn't seem too interested in what Yasira was doing, nor did he seem annoyed. He was calm and unemotional about the entire ordeal. Was this all some game to him? Just because she was different didn't mean she didn't have feelings. She felt more than the average Par and not because she was more than the average, but because she took the time to identify each new feeling that burned
through
her. She knew she was emotionally immature for her age. That couldn't be helped, but now that she'd experienced what these new feelings meant. She didn't take them for granted. Even the ones she didn't want to feel she cherished. Each feeling gave her knowledge, gave her strength, and reminded her on a daily basis that she was truly alive. How could Xander be so callous as to think he could kiss her one day and then have Yasira tend to him the next?

He leaned closer to the screen blocking Yasira from her view making him appear larger. He really didn't see his error as his blue eyes sparkled with mischief and the grin she'd become accustomed to at Academy appeared on his face.

“Don't do this to me Gen. I need you here, with me. Say you'll be
ready,”
his voice dropped lower with every word. Dropped his voice to a pitch that settled low in her belly. He mesmerized her. Hypnotized by his words, she had to shake her head loose of the thoughts he was putting there. “Be ready, Gen.” And then the screen went black.

Dammit! She couldn't be at the tasting. There was no desire to be there, especially now. She didn't know how to play this game. Had seen it dozens of times while at Academy, and still didn't understand the rules. Gen let out a frustrating groan while banging her head on her desk. She turned to her closet and tried to find something decent to wear. Not to go to the tasting, but to greet Scion at the door to tell him to return without her. She wasn't going and that was final. He could taste Yasira, Goddess be damned he could taste an entire
battalion
of females and she wouldn't be there to see it! Refused to be there to see it.

Chapter
9

For hours Gen fidgeted. She couldn't concentrate in the lab and her father had dismissed her some time ago claiming that she needed rest. She'd thought of a hundred different scenarios on how to tell Scion he'd come all this way for nothing, but failed miserably. She was a horrible liar. She'd tried to get Xander back on the vid screen, but he'd ignored all her calls. Sun down came too quickly and frantically she searched for something to wear. She decided to go with causal and of course a collar. She didn't want to upset Scion. His wrists had also been covered and she didn't know how he would react to seeing her without her collar.

The
knock at the door both scared and relieved her. Finally she could get this over with. Her father would be in the lab until the mid-phase of the moon and she knew he'd ignore the caller at the door.

“Yes.”

“Miss Blackmore, I'm here to escort you to Xander's home.”

“Scion,” Gens said through the door. “I've much work to do in my father's lab.”

“Then I shall wait.”

“Wait…. wait?” She sputtered. Why would he do that?

“Who's at the door?” Her father emerged from the lab, black gloves on his hands. His skin was vibrant and she noticed again, he appeared to be
younger
than he had the day before.

“I've been invited out for the evening father.” Vaggo didn't respond for several long moments. She still hadn't opened the door for Scion, who appeared to be perfectly happy with standing there on the other side.

“That actually sounds like a good idea. Just don't forget to grab your nutrient pack on the way out. I have plenty to keep me busy. I'm still testing the final sample. You don't need to be here for that.”

That didn't seem right. Her father always wanted her around during the last minute details of anything he was working on. There were plenty of times he'd needed her assistance. He couldn't do everything by himself. It wasn't like he had an actual assistant.
A.I. is there.
She reasoned. The computer was there to assist her father,
but
darn it! She was looking for an excuse not to leave. Instead her father was pushing her out.

Already dressed to go out, Gen reluctantly opened the door and allowed Scion to escort her to the car, while her father looked on. The drive was too quiet and normally that didn't bother her, but now it did. Having been in a room all the time with recruits in classrooms, the silence seemed unnatural.

“Scion, you must be tired from picking up all the guests for this evening's tasting.”

“No, you were the only one Xander sent me to pick up.” She was the only one? Did he think she couldn't grab an air taxi? She wasn't completely without options, had she wanted to arrive in the first place. Dressed in a
violet
tank top and loose fitting jeans, she moved closer to her door, peering out the window. She watched the buildings glide by in a blur. Absently wondered what went on in the now closed shops during the day. When they finally arrived, Gen took in the night sky. A black backdrop decorated with a dusting of stars nestled deep into their places. Cosmic dust streaked across in colors of red, bright orange and even green. There was no breeze, but the trees still seemed to sway to the beat of the night. Gen loved the night sky and its inhabitants. As a girl she would watch from her perch on the window seal in her room and wonder if she would ever get to travel to distant planets and pass black holes and witness the birth of a super nova. All that seemed silly now, but still it comforted her.

There were no lights on outside of
Xander's
home, but Gen could see the details clearly. It was simple, yet elegant. Strong lines gave the house a traditional look. Large bay windows, with drapes now open to receive what light came from the open sky, were dressed with swaths of gauzy fabric. A wide door frame with side windows opened as she reached the top step.

“What's she doing here Scion?”

“Xander's request.” As if that was enough answer. Holding the door frame was Bianca Treegold. She was wearing a pure pink silk gown that showed her pale skin beneath. Gen hadn't dressed for something so fancy or risqué. Not that she would, but she wasn't going to judge Bianca's appearance. Scions large form blocked Bianca, allowing Gen to pass. She was expecting to see a lot of people gathered, half of the senior class was
there.
But what she wasn't expecting was to see them all in different states of undress and rubbing against one another in a sensual dance.