off. “You’re in luck.” She waved the broken syringe. “Defective needle.”
His expression grew cryptic and distant. “Yeah, there are a lot of those going around today.”
The locket she wore around her neck—a gift from Cassie for her sixteenth birthday—swung forward, and he clasped it between his fingers. “I can feel your energy vibrating in the gold,” he purred. “It’s warm and shiny, like you.”
Something inside her unraveled, then gathered in a tight knot. She pulled away from him and hastened to the door. “I’ll send one of the nurses to take another blood sample. And maintenance to mop up this mess.”
“Just don’t send that freaky brunette.”
“What freaky brunette?”
“The one who just left my room. Didn’t you cross her on your way in?”
Lia shook her head. “There was nobody here but you.”
Turning toward the open window, his gaze grew vacant again. “Forget I said anything. Probably just another one of my delusions.”
She studied him, convinced if she concentrated hard enough she would grasp his thoughts. But the sensation died as quickly as it was born.
Her body screamed with hunger, so Diane made her way to the cardiac wing, where over half a dozen patients waited for the grim reaper to pay them a visit. Nobody would be the wiser if one were to pass away a little sooner than expected. That was the beauty of working in a hospital.
Her attack on Jace Cutler had depleted her, especially since she’d missed the feeding last night. She needed to replenish her energy if she was to successfully complete her assignment. There was no time to wait for a patient to die of natural causes. She had to forcefully remove someone’s soul, right here, right now, something Athanatos strictly forbade. Only Rogues traipsed around, willfully stripping people of their souls with no thought to the consequences.
But Diane wasn’t going rogue. This was necessity, not avarice, she reasoned. Rogues didn’t bother to conceal their attacks. She would cover her tracks, make sure no one suspected a thing.
There was one particular patient who never got any visitors—an old man, brittle and withered, who suffered from congestive heart failure. Diane entered his room, careful not to be seen. As usual, the shades were drawn, and she reveled in the concealing cloak of darkness. With each step she took, the man’s essence sang to her. Everything inside her shivered with need. His body was frail, but his life-force was strong.
And soon it would belong to her.
Outside, a sparrow serenaded the waning day. In the distance, a motor roared. The world kept on turning. Each newborn second fueled life, and humanity persisted and endured. But for this decrepit, old man, everything was about to stop. He’d reached the end of his journey, in more ways than one.
Diane leaned over him. Her anticipation was painful. He stank of old age and medicine, of sickness and decay. Before she could administer the kiss, his lids sprang open. Rheumy, cataract-ravaged eyes latched on to hers.
“Agnes, is that you?” His gruff voice scraped the air like sandpaper.
Diane lovingly stroked his cheek. “No.”
Disappointment clouded his faded gray irises as awareness trickled in to crowd out the lingering haze of a dream. “Is it time for my medicine already?”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
The emptiness inside her pulsed. “You’ve got something I need.”
He watched her, surprisingly at peace. “Then take it.”
She bent over, touched her mouth to his. One breath and his essence filled her, a liquid heat that shimmered through her veins and chased the numbness away. His last thought before darkness claimed him was that he would see his wife and children again soon.
Diane didn’t bother to disillusion him.
The school cafeteria chimed with laughter and conversation. Everywhere she looked, kids sat in cozy groups, happy to be together, thrilled at the sense of
His expression grew cryptic and distant. “Yeah, there are a lot of those going around today.”
The locket she wore around her neck—a gift from Cassie for her sixteenth birthday—swung forward, and he clasped it between his fingers. “I can feel your energy vibrating in the gold,” he purred. “It’s warm and shiny, like you.”
Something inside her unraveled, then gathered in a tight knot. She pulled away from him and hastened to the door. “I’ll send one of the nurses to take another blood sample. And maintenance to mop up this mess.”
“Just don’t send that freaky brunette.”
“What freaky brunette?”
“The one who just left my room. Didn’t you cross her on your way in?”
Lia shook her head. “There was nobody here but you.”
Turning toward the open window, his gaze grew vacant again. “Forget I said anything. Probably just another one of my delusions.”
She studied him, convinced if she concentrated hard enough she would grasp his thoughts. But the sensation died as quickly as it was born.
Her body screamed with hunger, so Diane made her way to the cardiac wing, where over half a dozen patients waited for the grim reaper to pay them a visit. Nobody would be the wiser if one were to pass away a little sooner than expected. That was the beauty of working in a hospital.
Her attack on Jace Cutler had depleted her, especially since she’d missed the feeding last night. She needed to replenish her energy if she was to successfully complete her assignment. There was no time to wait for a patient to die of natural causes. She had to forcefully remove someone’s soul, right here, right now, something Athanatos strictly forbade. Only Rogues traipsed around, willfully stripping people of their souls with no thought to the consequences.
But Diane wasn’t going rogue. This was necessity, not avarice, she reasoned. Rogues didn’t bother to conceal their attacks. She would cover her tracks, make sure no one suspected a thing.
There was one particular patient who never got any visitors—an old man, brittle and withered, who suffered from congestive heart failure. Diane entered his room, careful not to be seen. As usual, the shades were drawn, and she reveled in the concealing cloak of darkness. With each step she took, the man’s essence sang to her. Everything inside her shivered with need. His body was frail, but his life-force was strong.
And soon it would belong to her.
Outside, a sparrow serenaded the waning day. In the distance, a motor roared. The world kept on turning. Each newborn second fueled life, and humanity persisted and endured. But for this decrepit, old man, everything was about to stop. He’d reached the end of his journey, in more ways than one.
Diane leaned over him. Her anticipation was painful. He stank of old age and medicine, of sickness and decay. Before she could administer the kiss, his lids sprang open. Rheumy, cataract-ravaged eyes latched on to hers.
“Agnes, is that you?” His gruff voice scraped the air like sandpaper.
Diane lovingly stroked his cheek. “No.”
Disappointment clouded his faded gray irises as awareness trickled in to crowd out the lingering haze of a dream. “Is it time for my medicine already?”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
The emptiness inside her pulsed. “You’ve got something I need.”
He watched her, surprisingly at peace. “Then take it.”
She bent over, touched her mouth to his. One breath and his essence filled her, a liquid heat that shimmered through her veins and chased the numbness away. His last thought before darkness claimed him was that he would see his wife and children again soon.
Diane didn’t bother to disillusion him.
The school cafeteria chimed with laughter and conversation. Everywhere she looked, kids sat in cozy groups, happy to be together, thrilled at the sense of
Similar Books
Bound to the Wolf Prince
Marguerite Kaye
Angels Don't Die (Madeleine Toche Series Book 2)
Soren Petrek
Sweet Return
Anna Jeffrey
Marked
Norah McClintock
Unveiling the Bridesmaid
Jessica Gilmore
Isaac's Army
Matthew Brzezinski
Murder at the Movies
A.E. Eddenden
A Basket Brigade Christmas
Judith Mccoy Miller
Watson's Choice
Gladys Mitchell