Dr. Armani was exhausted. There were darker shadows beneath her chocolate brown eyes, and for once, her long, silky mane of black hair was tied into a ponytail rather than braided into all those tiny braids that normally covered her head. She was a beautiful woman. Like many of the Breed specialists still living, she wasn’t very old and was incredibly intelligent, with an above-genius ability in genetic engineering. The Council had spent years trying to blackmail her or force her into their ranks. She had spent just as many years in hiding, trying to escape them. “Shots ready,” Armani said quickly as she prepared the injection. “The hormone to prevent conception isn’t complicated and it works quickly. I just need to take a few tests to make certain you haven’t conceived.” “I don’t need the test, Nikki,” she said quietly. “I need to talk to you.” Nikki swung around, her brow wrinkling in a frown. “Is there a problem? Have you been experiencing any other symptoms that we didn’t discuss?”
