Page 146 of Claim Me
Drax clenches his jaw, looking away, his hands curling into fists.
"What kind of experiments?" he asks, his tone edged with distrust.
Blue shrugs slightly. "I can’t promise they won’t be painful. But none of them will result in permanent damage. You can expect tissue extraction from glands, possibly bone marrow samples. You will definitely receive various compounds to stimulate pheromone production and similar processes. Some procedures may be unpleasant, and the medication may have side effects, but as I said, it’s only a year. After that, you’ll be able to live wherever you choose."
"And all of this is free? With an ankle monitor, I won’t be able to work anyway. And I’m not exactly the kind of person who can just get a job at a grocery store, not with this face, not with my Allure scent…" He gestures toward the red half of his face.
Blue narrows his eyes slightly. "Because you were, in a sense, harmed by the Beta Activation program, I can arrange a state pension for you. It won’t be giant, but it will allow you to live with dignity."
Drax visibly calms at that.
He turns away, staring at the wall for a moment, his eyes narrowed as if he’s thinking deeply.
Earlier I tried not to study him too closely, but now I take the opportunity to analyze his face. Without that red, flame-like pattern, he wouldn’t even be unattractive. His features are sharp, distinctly masculine, and he seems fairly young, maybe twenty-six or twenty-seven. But with that appearance, there’s no way he could walk down the street without drawing frightened looks or laughter from people thinking it’s some kind of Halloween makeup.
And then…
"Deal," Drax says suddenly, extending his big hand toward Blue, but I cut in immediately.
"No touching."
Drax smirks. "Alright, alright, dog. You don’t need to be pissing all over your territory like that…"
"?????? ???? ?????? ???, ???????? ??????."[15]
"??? ????????, ??????! ???????, ?????? ?????????? ???? ??-??????? ? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ? ??????!"[16]
Then he glances at Blue and adds, "By the way, it’s funny. Bringing this guy here? As if you thought I wouldn’t be able to break the shackles, the cuffs, and… overpower him."
"I think you wouldn’t be able to," Blue says calmly.
I freeze.
Drax tilts his head, studying me with visible skepticism, clearly pushing against Blue’s confidence.
"You have unusual abilities. You should realize that there are others like you in this world."
Understanding flashes suddenly in Drax’s eyes, and he looks at me differently now.
"Okay, that makes sense. Blue Lowen wouldn’t keep some random kid as a bodyguard. There has to be more to him, even if he looks like a runt."
I remain silent, but it costs me a lot. I’m not about to let him provoke me further.
Drax winks at me but says nothing more, turning his attention back to Blue.
"So it’s a deal. When do we start?"
"I need to initiate the procedures. It may take some time. But when I say something will happen, it happens," Blue says, standing up.
The mutant nods. Then he subtly inhales, and suddenly he says to me,
"Do you maybe have an omega brother?"
"And what’s it to you, idiot? "
Drax makes a low, rough sound. "Your family bloodline is highly compatible with mine. High percentage of alien blood. If your brother is single, send him my way," and he chortles.
"?? ?? ??????? ???[17]!"
