Free To Hell and Back (Hellcat Series Book 4) by Sharon Hannaford

that Savannah wanted to meet Razor. If you think he’d enjoy
the outing, bring him along.”

CHAPTER 6
     
     
    The ‘lab’ was nothing like Gabi was expecting. Perhaps the
memory of Jason King’s macabre laboratory, set up to clone the
Lycanthropy virus, was still too fresh in her mind. While the
exterior of this one looked something along the lines of a rural
barn, the interior was more like what she’d expect to find in a
world-class medical research lab. All white tiles, glass and
stainless steel. Meticulously clean and illuminated by bright,
modern lighting. The large central area of the lab was big enough
to accommodate half a dozen cars, and did at that moment have two,
sans doors and some other body panels, standing off to one
side.
    Along one side were smaller, glass-walled cubicles. Gabi
counted six in total, each one with an array of microscopes,
computers, Petri dishes, glass tubes, various jars of what Gabi
assumed were chemicals, and dozens of electronic instruments that
Gabi couldn’t put names to. Two of the cubicles were occupied by
women; one was a Vampire and the other was a Shifter if Gabi’s
Vamp-sense was on target. One was jotting notes onto an electronic
tablet, and the other was studying something under a microscope. To
one side stairs led to a mezzanine level, which appeared to be
storage of some kind. A bank of insulated and, in some cases,
refrigerated shipping containers lined the upper floor. Gauges and
blinking lights adorned most of them, and a mechanical hoist, big
enough to move an entire car, stood motionless against the far
wall.
    “ Wow,” was all Gabi could force out of her mouth as she tried
to take it all in. Though she didn’t glance at him, she knew Julius
had an amused smile on his face.
    “ Julius,” Savannah’s effusive voice came from their right,
“and Gabi. May I call you Gabi, my dear?” The grey-haired woman was
suddenly in front of them, moving with that unnerving speed that
Vampires unaccustomed to being around humans often
displayed.
    “ Yes, of course,” Gabi agreed quickly, still a little
shell-shocked.
    “ Oh, and you brought the cat,” Savannah enthused, dropping to
her haunches to study Razor.
    Razor didn’t puff up and growl at her, which was unusual
enough for Gabi to send out a questioning thread towards his mind.
He had no fear of the bubbly woman, only curiosity, Gabi
discovered, relieved she wouldn’t need to defuse the situation.
Taking him out with her more regularly was certainly teaching him
better social etiquette. He still didn’t take to Werewolves very
well, but others he treated with indifference until they proved
either friend or foe.
    Savannah reached out to him. “Would he allow me to stroke him,
do you think?” she asked, her gaze so intense on Razor that she
could’ve been measuring him up with her eyes.
    Gabi didn’t know whether to be alarmed by her scrutiny.
Julius’s mind brushed hers softly, a gentle touch of reassurance;
he trusted Savannah implicitly. It also served as a reminder to
Gabi that Savannah was a mind reader; she quickly bolstered her
mental defences.
    “ Uh, just put your hand out. Let him come to you,” Gabi
suggested, sending Razor a mild ‘be nice’ thought.
    He glanced up at her, blinking slowly; then he moved forward a
few steps and butted his head against Savannah’s steady,
outstretched hand. He moved closer and rubbed against her white lab
coat.
    “ You can pet him now if you like,” Gabi offered, a little
surprised by Razor’s easy acceptance of the Vampire. Savannah did,
at first stroking his head and then progressing around his
shoulders and down his back.
    “ Hmm,” Savannah said with a thoughtful air. “I shall have to
make some adjustments for his size. He’s bigger than I would’ve
thought possible. The odds of exactly the right combination of
DNA…” She trailed off, giving Razor a final pat before rising.
“Come along. I have so much to show you.” It was clear she was