Chapter 1 Change is either a curse or a blessing

Dr. Emma Rockford rode in the back of the uber

heading to the Denver airport. She watched the scenery of the Rocky mountains pass by. Her driver wasn't very talkative and she didn't mind in the least. She was too caught up with her thoughts to engage in meaningless chit-chat with a stranger. She'd recently been hired by the United States military due to her extensive knowledge in genetics and blood studies. Emma pulled out the laminated identification card they had sent her through FedEx and her blue eyes scanned over the information. Her Helvetica bold name followed by her numerous PhDs were listed along with her high-security clearance. Getting hired one month after her husband's death had been a Godsend. She hadn't coped with the loss well of losing her high school sweetheart to a heart attack. Needless to say, she took the offered position immediately without a second thought. Dr. Emma Rockford was to be in charge of a new study involving the taxonomies and genetics of secret security risks. It sounded easy enough and it was a way to deal with avoiding her other daily woes. Emma was assigned to a facility of sorts located somewhere in the Nevada desert. A new place of residence or personal bunker situated within the top-secret facility is also known to the average person as area 51 or Groom Lake. Emma was informed that the chromosomes were abnormal in the subjects she was to run tests on. She hadn't been briefed on any of this information regarding her subjects and was only told they had a very unique blood type. So rare it was almost unheard of, Rhnull, the rarest blood type in the entire world, aka golden blood. The government wanted the unique blood proteins to create their powerful soldiers, something she would have been strongly against having she known. She was well-known for being more concerned about her moral standards than the paycheck she was receiving. Her reputation for her caring nature had followed her throughout her career and is one she felt strongly about.

Once the uber stopped on the desolate area of concrete she'd been told to arrive precisely at 2:40 p.m. She thanked the driver and exited the vehicle to see two young soldiers approaching her. They both grabbed her bags and escorted her to a helicopter that she nervously climbed inside.

Emma sat back with her bags beside her as the helicopter rose into the late afternoon sky and headed to her secret destination. She had all of her documents ready along with her work badge and key card that gave her entrance to her very own offices and facilities. Emma was excited about working with Dr. Jordan Bryce and their good friend Dr. Abby Morris who was also going to be her roommate. At thirty-five years of age, she was looking forward to a change of pace. Secret things had always intrigued her and she was fluent in Italian, Spanish, and Latin. "Are you nervous Mrs. Rockford," the soldier named Brian had asked through the headset? Grace shook her head with a push of her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. Her long chestnut hair was up in a conservative ponytail and she wore only mascara and no other makeup. She didn't look her age and was a robust woman with plentiful breasts and a body that needed to be toned. She enjoyed food, both cooking, and eating. Emma had a fantastic personality and got compliments on it so often that she never thought anything about the flirting that men did with her. She just wasn't interested and wouldn't ever be since her one true love had died from a massive heart attack leaving her a widow at what she considered a young age.

Emma reached the facility and met her work assignments

The young soldier, Brian, insisted on carrying one of my suitcases as he escorted me from the helicopter. I nodded at the numerous military officials mingling around the high clearance area. I was taken into a secure concrete building and taken to an elevator. I gripped my suitcase handle tightly with my damp palms.

"Dr. Byrce is currently engaged with one of the subjects that are participating in this project. I will take you to the cells once I show you to your room," Brian said kindly. I nodded my thanks and inhaled deeply to settle my nerves. He informed me that my key card would need to be around my neck at all times as it was my form of entry into all of my study areas. I thanked him as I followed after him into a plain white sterile housing room with two sides separated by a wall. He explained that I had a bed, dresser, file cabinet, mini-fridge, and desk for my work. I shared a bathroom with my roommate Abby who was assisting Dr. Bryce at the moment.

"I must remove any devices that you own, Miss Rockford. At this facility, no personal cell phones or computers are allowed. You will be given a government-issued one in a few days," the soldier named Thomas said firmly and I explained that I didn't bring any communication device and if I had I was certain that the metal detector we had walked through would have alerted him. He cleared his throat and looked away giving me a quick nod. This wasn't my first rodeo with the government. "If you don your lab coat I can take you to the cells, doctor. Are you ready to meet your subjects?" I tucked my bags off to the side near the dresser I was assigned and grabbed the white lab coat with my name badge clipped to it. I quickly put it on and told Brian I was ready to see Dr. Bryce, Abby, and my subjects. He grinned slightly and said, "Alright doc, follow me and watch what I do to enter each section. You'll have to do it on your own after this." I exhaled harshly and headed after him, being sure to watch closely which halls he traveled down. I jotted down notes on the small pad in the lab coat pocket and created a crudely drawn map. Finally, we reached an area where several cells were lined up down a narrow hall and visible through thick glass.

"Are these prisoners? I can't believe the military would treat civilians like this," I mumbled softly and Brian laughed like I'd made a joke.

"Let me brief you quickly, nothing down here is human except you, the two other doctors, and I," he replied staunchly. I was shocked momentarily but my curiosity was piqued so I followed after Brian when he unlocked the thick steel door using his key card. Overhead industrial lights flickered on and low groans, cursing, and growls sounded from behind the row of cells. Brian took his baton and hit it against the metal bars of the first cell and told them all to quiet down and listen to his announcement.

"This is the new doctor in charge of all of you. Her name is Dr. Emma Rockford and I suggest you treat her like you would your mother, except for you Darya since you ate yours," he yelled and I started to see the eyes then faces of a couple of the individuals behind the bars. I started towards the first cell and felt bad looking at the emaciated corpse-colored boy with a muzzle on his face. I could see what appeared to be fangs. His bright eyes were following me suspiciously as he inhaled deeply.

"That's Enzo Parisi, don't get too close to him, he likes to bite. He is inflicted with a certain um, disorder that you'll discover once reading his file. He will also go into rants speaking Italian, but he refuses to speak when we get the interpreter." I grinned slightly wondering if they knew I could speak it.

"Do you even feed him? He looks starved," I mumbled sourly and stared at the poor child.

"sei una belladonna," a deep male voice said and my cheeks turned pink as I looked up into Enzo's reflective eyes. He had said I was beautiful like my late husband used to tell me.

"puoi comunicare con me?" I grinned slightly at him asking if I could answer. I glanced over at Brian who was further down the hall.

"Can you, Bella," he asked me in English.

"Sì capisco e parlo Italiano ma gli altri non dovrebbero saperlo," I replied quickly, and Enzo's long corpse-like fingers wrapped around the metal bars.

"I will help you with the other creatures if you bring me extra food. They starve me saying that it makes the plasma they collect from me more potent, we will speak more about this later," he sighed and backed away from the bars. Brian had made his way back and rolled his eyes at the apparent vampire.

"Come along doctor, there are four other subjects you will be working directly with. The Hunters are looking for more," he said happily and I held my opinions to myself. I didn't feel like expressing my thoughts to him would change anything so I fell quiet as he took me to the next cage and a red wolf sat on its haunches next to a pile of clothing giving me low growls.

"That's Tristan and don't let the furry exterior fool you. He can change himself into a perfectly normal-looking man. He's the beta of some moon pack and our hunters are trying to capture the Alpha," Brian informed me and my eyes took pity on the poor wolf. He looked well-fed so at least they were taking care of him in that sense. My next subject was a female named Darya and she had reptile skin and a large jagged teeth-filled mouth.

"Do you believe in God, doctor?" she asked me pointedly.

"I'm a woman of science and believe in what I can see with my own two eyes. Are you being treated well here, Miss Darya?" I asked curiously. Her strange slit eyes darted to Brian then back to me.

"It isn't home," was all she would say before turning and walking back to her cot. My heart hurt for her even after Brian mumbled that I shouldn't be so friendly. The next cell held another female, a lovely Navajo woman, and her name was Malia Hatahle. Her cell had electricity running through the bars and I was pulled back from being electrocuted by my escort.

"She's an actual skinwalker and the current keeps her from shifting. Be very careful around the voltage," he scolded and I nodded, eyeing the laughing woman. My almost death was humorous to her. I had made it to the final occupied cell and could only see a form curled up on a large pet bed.

"Wake up Scotty and meet your new doctor," Brian said bitterly with a knock of his baton against the bars. My mouth fell open as a man's face and upper torso came towards us on four furry dog legs. He was wearing jogging shorts and was the oddest looking thing I'd ever seen. He was also the happiest and had me smiling as I watched him tilt his human head and make faces at Brian.

"Scotty is an Adlet and was caught stealing chickens from a farm in Nebraska," Brian informed me and I nodded.

"You shouldn't steal chickens," I mumbled softly and Scotty looked at me and said, "I was hungry." I smiled and he tilted his head again before turning himself three times and laying back on the large pet bed.

"Well, those were all your subjects for now. Dr. Bryce and Abby are probably in the lab doing tests on the blood they have drawn. Today you may have a break since it's your first day. I suggest taking each of their files, located in your file cabinet, and reading up on each individual so you know what you're dealing with," he said condescendingly. I nodded and slowly followed after him. I glanced back at Enzo before leaving the room and the cheeky vampire winked at me.