Page 139 of Such Sharp Teeth

“How do you know?”

“It’s cramps,” I lie.

“I don’t miss cramps,” she says. “But wait until you get hot flashes.”

“Happily. I’ll happily wait.”

“Scarlett’s really in for it,” she tells me. “I remember my labor with you two. Hellish. Hellish, hellish, hellish.”

“Yeah, would keep that to yourself for the time being.”

“We’ll see how she does,” she says. “It’s worth it, of course. Don’t be discouraged by what you see in the delivery room. Maybe don’t look.”

“Good tip. I’m going to get some rest. Thanks for the sandwich.”

“Come down when you’re ready. Guy wants to say hello. So soon! So soon we’ll get to meet the baby!”

She closes the door, leaving me alone to stew in the realization that, yes, any day now a baby will live in this house. A tiny, fragile being.

I wait until it’s exactly twenty-four hours since my last dose, then force myself into the bathroom to put another drop of tonic under my tongue.

I tell myself maybe it won’t be quite so bad this time.

But it’s worse.

—

Scarlett comes into my room in the middle of the night and shakes me awake.

“Is it happening?” I ask her.

“No,” she whispers. “Couldn’t sleep, so I figured I’d check on you. Uh, you’re wet!”

“It’s sweat.”

I went downstairs briefly this afternoon in search of food and to say hello to Guy, who generously cooked me a hamburger. Scarlett was napping on the couch. We haven’t actually seen each other since I took the tonic.

“You look awful.”

“People keep telling me that like it’s useful information.”

“Yeah, well, try being pregnant. People say the wildest shit to you.”

I scooch back so she can sit.

“Is the stuff that bad?” she asks.

“Honestly, it almost nets even with the transformations because it lasts longer, and I have to do it multiple days.”

“Mm,” she says, frowning.

“It’s like when you watch one of those medication commercials and they’re like ‘Side effects may include heartburn, nausea, bleeding out of your asshole, and demonic possession.’ It’s like ‘Is it really worth it?’ I don’t know. Most lore either points to this or silver. I kind of wonder . . .”

“What?”

“The guy at the occult shop said something like there’s truth in all lore but it’s not what it seems. And just . . . I feel like maybe with the silver—”

“Quick reminder. You put on a bracelet and were unconscious for three days.”