mlady_rebecca's Reviews > Prey

** spoiler alert ** Zach Monson & Katrina.

It’s two years after Seth’s book. [Read them in order.] Zach is 28 and a junior in college, studying to be a mechanical engineer.

Despite Seth’s in-the-midst-of-a-crisis discovery, Zach has yet to be able to replicate his older brother’s ability to shift into an eagle. Seth reported hearing his dead mother’s voice when he first shifted, telling him he could now shift because he found the girl that was now his fiancée, Jules Morgan.

Since Zach has no time for traditional dating between his studies & work as a residential assistant, he’s taken to speed dating. And what a colossal failure that is.

So the last place he would expect to find a woman to peek his interest would be the job fair where he was interviewing for potential internships. But there is something about the girl at the MutiGen booth that captures every bit of his attention.

MutiGen is a bioengineering firm, so despite the fact that they are looking for engineers, his engineering background is only a loose fit. He’s studying mechanical engineering “with an emphasis in structural engineering. More skyscrapers and bridges than... biomechanics.”

But truly, he approached her booth more to flirt than in the hopes of an internship. He got his date, and later an invitation to interview after all. Though that invitation was more a ploy to get him in their facility. Because someone saw Seth shift and they want to find out what makes Zach tick.

(view spoiler)[So after a walk-on-the-wild-side Friday night date, that has them breaking into an abandoned property to enjoy the view of the lake, her boss calls Katrina in on a Saturday. Living up to her worst suspicions, she is there to keep Zach compliant.

Zach is drugged during an interview with Katrina’s boss, leaving him suggestible & compliant. Zach is a tad loopy while Katrina takes him on a tour, but when Pete comes in with two goons saying he’s there to take over, alarm bells are going off in Katrina’s head.

Katrina finds Zach strapped to a gurney in the cold storage section of the basement. She pulls a MacGyver, setting a fire and helping Zach escape. He’s too drugged to be alarmed, his addled state leaving him a bit over-the-top flirtatious as Katrina drags him out of the building and off to an anonymous motel room where they can regroup.

Despite another “good girl working for the bad guys” situation (just like Seth found himself in), Zach feels no ill will towards Karina, only seeing her as the girl he wants … badly.

“I’m really sorry about all this,” she finally said.

“You already apologized,” Zach said.

“I knew he was up to something, but I thought he was just going to get your DNA from a strand of hair or something,” she said. Her big blue eyes began to fill with tears, but she wiped them away angrily. “And I know that’s wrong, but he also told me that if I told you what was going on, I’d never work as an engineer again.”

“Katrina,” he said. He put a hand her shoulder. “You’re not the one who drugged me and put me in the basement.”

“But if I’d been braver that wouldn’t have happened,” she whispered.

“You came back and got me,” Zach said. “That was brave as hell.”

Katrina just shook her head.

“I just wish I’d done the right thing earlier,” she said.

Zach sat on the table and leaned down to her.

“If you’d done the right thing earlier, we wouldn’t be here in this crappy motel,” he said. “We’d both be in our own beds, and I wouldn’t see you until tonight. And, honestly, I’m not sure I’d have made it that long.”

Katrina half-laughed.

“Don’t start,” she said.

“Seriously,” he said. “I’m the one who got drugged and kidnapped. I get to decide how sorry you should be.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” she said.

“Sure it is,” Zach said. “And I’ve had great sex twice in the past twelve house, so I’m not inclined to think you should be very sorry at all.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

Like Seth, Zach’s eagle comes out in a time of crisis, him running to Katrina’s aide after the bad guys catch up to them. And this time, Zach must rescue Katrina. She’s simply bait, and they both know it. But nothing will keep Zach from his girl.

***

Love Katrina protecting Zach in his drug addled state. And, believe me, he wouldn’t have minded a bit if she’d taken advantage of him.

Love the epilogue. The first thing brothers Seth & Zach do when their eagles meet … play fight. (hide spoiler)]