Page 32 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“There is no more. We’re struggling for donors as it is. We drink enough to stave off starvation, but never enough to feel satisfied.”

Stave off starvation? That was his life? Always hungry, never sated.

“Unless the donor drinks your blood,” she added.

Theo nodded. “A couple of drops, and a donor could give pints in one sitting.”

“That… doesn’t seem so bad,” Verity said, waiting for the penny to drop.

“Apart from the fact that it’s highly addictive,” Theo said. “Doing it a couple of times, or rarely, isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s the greatest high you can ever achieve, and humans will do anything to find it again. To build on it and maintain it.”

Verity thought about the donors, about Georgie and Adam, loud and wild. So full of life. So… high.

“And if they do it too much?” she asked.

“For one thing, the effects lessen every time. It would still replace the lost blood, but the high is harder to achieve and… people fight harder for it. They get reckless and fall in with the wrong crowds.”

“And put themselves in danger,” Verity said.

“It never ends well.”

“And now I know about it.”

“Now you know.” He sighed. “Verity, this is already a problem. If this were all then we would still be sat here, making a plan to ensure everyone believes that you’re in, that you want to be there and you can be trusted. And we would most likely still do that by faking a relationship.”

Verity tried not to recoil at the idea of faking a relationship.

“But we have another issue.”

“Abraham?” she asked.

“We have to make this believable, Verity. We need to convince everyone.”

“Or what? He’ll take me?” she asked; the idea felt laughable until Theo spoke.

“Yes.”

“Theo… he can’t just…”

“He will do whatever he wants, will take whatever and whomever he wants, and Viv will let him. I’m trying to find out why he’s here, but if he sees even the slightest chink in our armour… he might take you.”

“No,” she murmured, chest tightening, lip shaking as fear gripped her. This couldn’t be happening. “Why me? Who is he?”

“I’m guessing you stood up to him. He has a thing for strong women.” She didn’t feel very strong. Her breaths turned thick in her throat, blood pounding in her ears. Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut?

“What is he?” she asked, voice barely a whisper.

Theo was silent a moment, then his hand slipped over hers, squeezing gently. “I swear Verity, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

“I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m sorry, Theo, please…”

“I know, me too,” he said, stroking soothing fingers over the hands she had fisted in her skirt. “Let’s just promise to be honest with each other from now on.”

Verity nodded.

“Have you heard of a place called Salvation?”

She shook her head.