Primal Love

By Maxine Rivers

One year ago her boyfriend Michael, a highly decorated Marine, was declared MIA. Not believing the government’s feeble justifications, Aridane Donovan digs up more than she bargained for.

Behind TAURUS and Project Minotaur, she finds her lost love. But how much of Mike is left in the monster she uncovers?

Yet when he touches her and claims her as his own, she knows that her Mike is still present. Now, she only has to reach him while also fight for their freedom. Even when Mike, his insatiable libido and both their fertility throw a few wrenches into her plans.

But freedom and love are worth everything.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maxine Rivers
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781370739783

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Experiment Minotaur Mate

Test Subject O-5249X78-MS

Name: Michael Sanders

Age: 35

Occupation: Marine, Rank Master Sergeant

Marital Status: girl friend Ariadne Donovan (see test subject O-68794Y96-AD)

Health: excellent, see attached report for details

Fertile: Yes, further studies necessary within the new parameters

Notes:

- Status stable

- Changes within expected parameters, further tests suggested

- Experiment PHEROMONES suggested

Test Subject O-68794Y96-AD

Name: Ariadne Donovan

Age: 28

Occupation: Accountant

Marital Status: boyfriend Michael Sanders (test subject O-5249X78-MS)

Health: excellent, see attached reports for details

Fertile: Yes

Notes:

- Contraceptives exchanged with placebos. Subject seems to be neglectful in filing her prescription. Impregnation highly likely.

- Suitable candidate for experiment PHEROMONES combined with test subject O-5249X78-MS

- Currently attempting to infiltrate secure location of TAURUS lab IV

CHAPTER 2

The corridor looked as if it was endless and Ariadne Donovan regretted that she’d picked the classic black high heels as part of her disguise. She’d tried for a combination of bland office drone with a hint of distracting sexiness. Hence the gray pencil skirt that drew attention to the curves of her hips and her spectacular ass. The blouse was plain white. Not a color that really suited her pale complexion. but it was a bit tight in the chest area which made it perfect for her purpose. The buttons were clearly struggling to contain her large breasts. The bra underneath was black lace and in the right light a black shadow was visible underneath the thin white fabric. Something that served her purpose perfectly.

Same with the shoes. Conservative in shape but with killer heels. While they did look very sexy, they weren’t the best shoes for walking any distance and even less suitable to walk after a man with long legs hurrying down the corridor and not caring if others were able to match his speed and keep up with him.

Usually, Ari wore her long, reddish brown hair open and let it flow over her shoulders and down her back. But today she’d pulled it up into a tight bun so that it was not distracting her or getting in her way. It felt odd and the way she’d pulled her hair back was giving her a headache. It made dealing with one Dr. Norris Baker even more stressful.

Ari gritted her teeth and slowly counted to ten. She had spend too much time setting everything up and getting access to the TAURUS lab to blow it now just because the lead scientist on project Minotaur was an arrogant ass and a misogynistic prick.

Cautiously, she looked around and tried to take in every detail although there wasn’t much to see. The corridor was completely bland and very utilitarian. The gray color of the walls and the steel doors added to the cold and oppressive feeling. Ari tried hard not to shiver. The only thing that stood out where the bright red numbers painted next to the doors, but they held no meaning for her. Still, she tried to commit them to memory. Maybe later she could try and dig into the files to see if they were connected to some of the experiments that TAURUS was conducting. The answer had to be here somewhere. Maybe Mike was even behind one of those doors?

One year ago she wouldn’t have believed that one day she would turn into a decent hacker and hack her way into classified files to find her missing boyfriend. But everything changed after Mike was pronounced MIA, presumed dead. The reports Mike’s mother had received from the Navy had not added up and when they’d tried to find out more, they’d been stonewalled at every junction. Even questions about what was being done to find Mike had been blocked or led to some round-about where she was sent from one officer to the other with none of them able to answer her questions. She hadn’t even been able to find out where exactly Mike had been stationed. It was all considered classified. And it wasn’t just Mike. His whole squad was gone and the other families received similar treatment. The lack of information was infuriating and devastating at the same time.

After several months a few bodies were supposedly recovered, but the Navy insisted on closed casket burials or cremations. Mike though wasn’t among the dead and somehow Ari’s suspicion grew with every new body that was being returned. Something was off about the whole thing. So she’d started to really dig into everything and her digging had led her not to the Middle East where everyone assumed the squad had gone missing, but instead it had lead to TAURUS Lab IV in the middle of Idaho of all places. Something was going on here and she was determined to find out. Maybe Mike was really dead, but if he was, she would find out and let the world know just what TAURUS and the Navy were doing to their Marines. That was something she owed his memory.

Ari nearly stumbled into Dr. Baker when he suddenly stopped in front of one of the closed doors. X-7i, her mind noted while she offered Dr. Baker a vapid smile. His scoff was clearly audible and the way his eyes ran up and down her body showed what he thought of her. Ari bit back a scathing remark. Her cover identity didn’t allow for sarcasm or any kind of push back. She was a mindless bureaucratic office drone here to do a pointless, boring job. Bland, unassuming and not very bright. Not the type to ask the wrong kinds of questions.

Dr. Baker used his access card to unlock the door and opened it. He marched inside and again didn’t bother to wait for her. His disdain for her was impossible to miss. Ari wondered if it was because she was a woman or because she supposedly worked for the company and was here to evaluate his projects. He probably didn’t like some paper-pusher looking at his expenses and having to justify where all the money went. She’d met his type before in her job. They wanted the money but hated having to justify their spending.

Meekly, Ari followed Dr. Baker down yet another corridor until they stepped into something that looked like an observation room. He pushed a button and parts of one wall slowly started to rise up, revealing a window that allowed them to look into the next room.

Ari stepped closer but the low light made it difficult for her to see what was in the room. Dr. Baker pushed another button, and the lights increased until Ari was able to make out a big form crouched in one corner. Aside from the huddled form and a ratty blanket, the whole room was bare and devoid of even basic amenities.

Slowly the form uncurled and rose to its feet.

Her breath stocked at the sight. Whatever this was, it wasn’t human. Or no longer human? It still looked humanoid but more like a caricature of a human. Easily almost seven feet tall. Much too