Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9

dreamed he'd ever see one in his lifetime, much less own one. All his years of research, of chasing the elusive genetic formula which allowed some creatures to shape-shift and not others, literally fell out of the sky and into his research lab.
    As the brilliant creature rested, Von and his two men closed in. He ordered one of his men to approach the Dychiiop and ordered the other man to come in from behind, tranquilizing it. The resting Dychiiop sensed their approach, and when it saw the humans, it mimicked their form.
    What Von saw took his breath away. It could pass as human.
    The most perfect of specimens.
    Von watched as the creature lifted its hand in a peaceable gesture, then watched as the tranquilizer dart stuck in its back and watched as the beautiful being fell to the ground.
    Restrained and sedated, Von looked over his new acquisition. He traced his hand along the newly formed humanoid face—the cheekbones, the eyelids, the full lips. With dark, almond-shaped eyes and jet black hair with a shock of white above his forehead, Von marveled at this creature's beauty.
    And for the hundreds of aliens, creatures and beings Von had conducted experiments on over the years, he'd only given them identification numbers. But this one, this most prized of all his specimens, wasn't worthy of a number.
    It needed a name.
    A remarkable name. A name that personified this creature, a name when spoken would incarnate what Von saw in him.
    Von smiled. He would call him Sin.
    ****
    "Keep him suspended in human form," Von ordered. "And restrained at all times. This one is to be allowed no reprieve. There's no telling what form he's capable of."
    Rhys looked at the scientist, trying to keep the disdain from his face. The man positively disgusted him, and the joy he took from this Dychiiop's pain was sickening.
    But Rhys Denali Delacroix was a professional. One of the best agents the TradeCap had. Which was why he was chosen for this particular job. Which was why he wanted to do it. TradeCap was an elite organization that rescued and protected shifters of all kinds, and it had taken a lot of maneuvering, a lot of pay-offs, but TradeCap finally had four moles in Von's facility.
    There were eight staff members altogether, not including Von; four of his regular staff, and four undercover agents, strategically selected and placed, whose sole purpose was to bring Von down.
    Von was a human. A human who had been conducting experiments on shape-shifters in the furthest realms of the universe. He made his incredible wealth by trading and selling genetically-modified shifters on the black market.
    Slaves.
    The man was a trafficker. What Von's clients did with their purchases was not his concern. And those shape-shifters rendered useless or incompetent after being genetically completed, were simply harvested and their bi-products sold, usually as toxins, enhancers or aphrodisiacs.
    But Von's primary purpose, his one true desire, was to find the DNA coding, the genetic link, or chemical response that would allow him to change form. He'd dedicated his life to it. He'd sacrificed countless innocent shape-shifters in the name of research, and just as many innocent non-shifting alien beings as incubators or petri-dishes.
    And Rhys and his team were there to stop him.
    Rhys had been at the compound for three months gathering evidence; physical proof to ensure the psychotic scientist spent eternity paying for his crimes. They needed indisputable proof of any and all of Von's breaches of universal rights so no matter how much currency added weight to his defense, it would never be enough.
    But everything changed when Sin arrived.
    Rhys had changed. He felt it in his bones.
    In his soul.
    Rhys had followed a very excited Von into a containment room, and that's where he saw him. Sin, Von had called him, and Rhys could see why.
    He was beautiful. He wore leather pants and forearm shields, and he was restrained with high-voltage electrical cuffs to his wrists and ankles, his head hung forward. He was heavily sedated, unconscious, but Rhys knew, he just knew , he was destined to be with this man.
    This creature.
    This creature, who would no doubt be subjected to a fate worse than death by the twisted mind of Von.
    Rhys wanted to touch him, he wanted to feel him under his touch, but he didn't dare. Despite the pounding of his heart, the warming of his blood, the magnetism he felt to the newly acquired Sin; Rhys remained outwardly calm.
    "Keep him