A Shield?

"Such potential," she murmurs, her eyes gleaming with an almost feverish light. "Such raw, untapped power. Oh, the things we're going to discover together."

My heart pounds in my chest. Cold sweat breaks out across my skin. There's madness in her gaze, a fanatical fervor that terrifies me more than any physical threat.

No, she's not going to eat me—I think.

Instead, she's giving off all the mad scientist vibes. Am I her personal Frankenstein project? That would be awful.

"Please, just tell me what's going on." The pleading in my voice makes my soul depressed, but I'm not above begging in this situation. I'm pretty sure her sadistic streak spans the globe. No point upsetting her.

Something tells me my life with Jim around is infinitely preferable to even ten minutes in this strange woman's presence.