Page 73 of The Cannibal

I left the lab one step in the right direction, two steps back.

The only difference between my blood and theirs is volume and elevated white cell count. All that told me was what I already knew—something was wrong. It made me wonder if it’s possible to catch illnesses between human and Vipera. Their immune systems were much more fortified, as well as having higher regeneration abilities of all tissue types.

I wasn’t sure what I thought I’d find. Maybe I was just hoping for a diagnosis that could be fixed, that I wasn’t fundamentally flawed or wandering in the dark.

I fiddled with the keys. There was one for the lab, one for the front door, and one for my bedroom. Identical keys. I tried each one, it always ended up being the last one I tried with my luck. But finally, one slid into the keyhole.

A shadow cast over me from the hallway window.

Slowly, I turned the key, a click fitting the lock into place.

The shadow shrank, slinking against the grooves of the door before it was sharp, close by.

I couldn’t even take a step back before hitting a body.

A gloved hand leaned against the door beside my head.

“A little late for donations.” I turned around, leaning back against the door.

Silas didn’t even blink. “You look pale,” he said.

“Haven’t had much to eat.”

“The newspaper said otherwise.” He tipped his head. I could see the wheels turning. The incessant need to interrogate and torture whenever he wanted to have a conversation.

“I didn’t eat, even then.” I squinted at him. “Are you jealous?”

A smirk played on his lips, as if I asked something silly. But his acting was terrible, unable to control his tone.

“Next time bring me with you,” he insisted.

“What? So you can catch and feed me like a bird, bringing me live prey so I feel less like an apex failure?”

“You said it, not me.” He shrugged slightly. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Not really.”

“So what do I get after that generous donation?” He leaned in, the smell of his cologne stronger now that every sense of mine was heightened.

“Donations are voluntary, I owe you nothing.” I smiled sweetly. “It’s not like I could give you blood anymore.”

“Who told you that?” He looked like he wanted to laugh. “It still would only take a moment to bleed you dry, sweet shadow.”

“Don’t you have another Host you can pester?” I bit my inner cheek the minute I stopped talking.

His eyes narrowed.

Too late to take it back.

Silas leaned closer, even leaning down to meet me eye to eye. He took a deep breath before letting it go in a rather controlled exhale. “You’re looking rather green now.”

“It’s just a question.” I crossed my arms. “Don’t avoid it.”

My throat stung with a persistent disdain the longer he withheld his answer.

“Would it make you jealous if I did?” He played with a piece of my hair. “Would you blame me if I had to?”

I thought my ears could touch my shoulders with the way my body wanted to curl up and duck under his arm.