Page 82 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“Fake donors? I don’t know, a hundred. Missing donors? I’ve found eight, nine including your friend.”

Nine. Nine people lost, maybe dead. Nine families not knowing the truth.

Was it any wonder people were mad?

“And that’s just what I’ve found. There’s likely more,” he added.

“If the Exchange is down a hundred donors, is that enough to work?”

“No,” he said, simple and harsh.

Her chest tightened. What happens if there aren’t enough donors? If vampires aren’t fed?

“Why would someone lie about that?” she asked. “We’ll have to get more donors from another city. Stonehaven. They’re big and not too far, they can share, while we find more people to donate. You can ask…”

He shook his head, unable to meet her eye. “Stonehaven already knows. The cover up… it’s coming from there. They aren’t going to help.”

But if Stonehaven knew how close to breaking point, they were… if they were hiding it from the very people, it affected…

“Theo, what happens if the Exchange fails?”

Back and forth, that thumb brushed over her knuckles, his unseeing stare following the motion. Back and forth. Back and forth.

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “I… I’ll…” His hand tightened. “I’ll always take care of you. I need you to know that. And your parents and… and Cora…”

“What do you mean you’ll take care of me?” Verity asked, unable to keep the edge of panic from her voice.

“I just want you to know that I’ll keep you safe.”

She snatched her hand back. “Keep me safe?” she demanded. “Like Abe says he’ll keep me safe in Salvation?”

“He what?” Theo jumped from his seat, following as Verity tried to walk away. She needed space, needed to think. If the Exchange failed that meant… if Stonehaven, if the Roses, were allowing it to fail…

“We’d be like Salvation, wouldn’t we?” she asked. “That’s what Abe said, that they protect the humans who…”

“No. No, Verity, that is not what I’m saying.”

“But that’s what would happen? We’d be like Salvation or the Henbrants.”

Verity paced, chest heaving, thoughts spiralling as she marched a path between the sofa and coffee table. Salvation might be some big secret, but the Boy King Henbrant was well known for his mistreatment of humans.

Humans aren’t cattle that protester had shouted. Was that all they were? All they’d become?

“I won’t let that happen,” Theo said.

“Well, you let this happen,” she snapped.

The look on his face, the way he flinched at the sharpness of her tongue.

“Theo…” she started, but he turned away before she could take the words back.

“I know.” He moved back to the counter, leaning on the surface, needing the support. Shoulders slumped, head hanging. “I let this happen…”

“No…” she tried, but he wasn’t listening.

“I will fix it, Verity, I promise you that. Just as I promise that I’ll take care of you and those dear to you, no matter what.”

“No matter what?” Verity asked. She didn’t like the sound of that.