“Sorry,” she said, not sounding sorry at all.“ButifI’mgoing to cook for you two,Ineed to know whatI’mworking with.”
“Cook for us?”Sevfrowned at her.“Inever said you had to cook for us.Ididn’t take you in just to perform domestic labor forRavikand myself.”
“I like to make myself useful,” she said honestly.“Becauseif you find me useful, you’re more likely to keep me and not throw me back out into theDeadZone.”
Sev opened his mouth to promise he wouldn’t throw her out…and found he couldn’t do it.Ifhe was unable to cure her and she went fullInfected, he wouldhaveto put her out.However, the way her blood didn’t seem to be succumbing to the virus gave him hope.Hewould need to study it though.Itcould be that theHungerVirussimply took longer to multiply in human blood.He’donly studied its effects onVisskousblood andKindredblood so far.Soif it?—
“I notice you’re not promising to keep me no matter what,”Cassandrasaid, breaking his train of thought, which had veered off into theoretical territory, as it so often did when faced with an emotional choice.
Sev felt immediately defensive.
“I can’t promise anything,” he said, frowning.“IwishIcould.Myinstinct is to tell you thatRavikandIwill protect you and keep you with us no matter what.Butif you?—”
“IfIturn into anInfected, you’ll have to make some hard choices.Iunderstand.”Shenodded calmly.“Butplease promise me something—ifIturn, don’t just put me out in theDeadZoneto wander around like a soulless zombie.Promiseyou’ll put a bullet or a laser blast through my brain and kill me.”
Sev was taken aback by her response—she was so cold, talking about her own possible death.Butthen he looked into her big brown eyes and understood that she wasn’t cool and calm and collected at all—not inside.Sheprobably wanted to cry or rage against what had happened to her, but she felt she couldn’t because it would upset him.
He had seen this with human women living aboard theMotherShip.Somewere afraid to express their emotions because they thought it would make the male they were dealing with upset in some way.
It didn’t make sense to him until he found out more about the social structure between human men and women.Becausehuman men didn’t consider their females to be their equals and often hurt or abused them—something aKindredwould never do—the women often feared their men and felt the need to placate them and keep them from getting angry.
“Don’t say that,” he said quietly.“Don’tspeak of your own death so lightly.”
“Why?BecauseI’ma ‘MatureElite?’Whateverthatmeans,” she scoffed.
“No—because you’re worthy of respect.Sorespect yourself—respect your life.Don’tthrow it away,”Sevsaid, frowning.
She frowned in return.
“I just don’t want to be one of the mindless zombies.I’drather be dead.”Asshe spoke, a single tear rolled down one flushed cheek.ItmadeSev’sheart ache to see it.
He had the sudden urge to touch her—to comfort her.She’dbeen thought a hell of a lot today.Beforehe could stop himself, he reached out and cupped her cheek in one hand.Withhis thumb, he brushed the tear away.
“I feel the same way,” he said simply.“Butdon’t give up too soon.Letme work with your blood and see ifIcan develop an anti-viral for you.Afterall, the last oneImade forRavikis working andKindredandHumansaren’t so far apart biologically.It’sone reason we’re able to mate with you and call brides from your kind.”
A blush rose on her cheeks but at last, she nodded.
“All right.I’lltry to stay hopeful.Butin the meantime,I’dlike to keep busy by cooking supper.”Sheraised an eyebrow.“Unlessyou’ve already eaten?”
He dropped his hand, even though he didn’t want to stop touching her.
“No,Ihaven’t and neither hasRavik.Henever eats anything outside the bunker to avoid further contamination—that was one orderIwas able to get through to him.”
“Good.That’s…good.”Shewas still blushing as she looked away.Herfingers crept to her cheek, whereSevhad been touching her but he didn’t think she realized what she was doing.
“Well…have a look around and make supper if you want,” he said lamely.“Ineed to go to the lab and check a few things.”
“Thanks.I’lldo that,” she murmured.Thenshe turned away and opened a cupboard, pointedly ending their conversation.
Sev left the food prep area with a strange reluctance.Whatwas it about the curvy little human?Whydid she get under his skin?Andwhat spell had she cast overRavik?
He had no idea but as he walked down the corridor to the place where he kept his equipment, he couldn’t get her out of his mind.
11
CASSIE
I’m blushing—why amIblushing?Cassieasked herself as she stared, unseeing, at the contents of the cabinet.Shedidn’t knowwhatto think anymore…which was becoming an alarmingly common theme in her life lately.
