Page 85 of The Donor’s Dilemma

Theo set the shopping bag on the side and rummaged through the contents, far more than just butter.

“If I want to come home,” she said, “he’ll probably insist on driving me anyway.”

True. There was no way Verity was travelling on the bus, not after last night. If one of those protesters recognised her, if she were alone… not happening.

“Well, you call me anyway. And text your mum back.”

She sighed and Theo could almost hear her eyes rolling. “Will do, love you.”

“I love you too.”

He hated that her parents were worried about her, that the situation warranted it. Would they worry more or less if they knew where she was? Who she was with?

More, he thought, definitely more.

Verity hung up before joining Theo, striding through the living area to take a seat at the island and examining the list.

“You’re done?” she asked.

“All done. What’s this?” He held up a green… fruit? Vegetable? Whatever it was it had a thick bumpy skin and didn’t look particularly appetising.

“You’ve never had avocado?” She jumped down and pushed him out of the way with a pop of her hip. “Sit, I’m making you some too.”

He wanted to argue, wanted to grab her chin and tell her not to boss him about. But if he did that, he’d lean into her, he’d press his body to hers, stealing her warmth, her breaths. He’d try to wring another moan from her, that sound on her lips last night, when his teeth had threatened to mar that perfect neck.

It had been a struggle to hold back, and Phoenar save him, he wished she’d stop asking him to bite her neck. He ached for it. To sink his fangs in deep, her sweetness on his tongue, as his hands roamed every inch, every curve.

“I said sit,” she said again, herding him back to his seat.

He wanted to argue, but in truth he kind of liked her bossing him about.

So, he sat, watching as she fried eggs and cut open the avocado, removing the huge stone and scooping the flesh into a bowl as if she'd done it a thousand times before.

“You said that Harris wanted to lower the age of donation?” Verity asked as she cooked.

“Yeah, and get rid of the upper limit.”

She hummed. “I don’t think it would look good, asking pensioners to donate.”

“And you think asking children to donate would look better?”

“Well, no,” she said, pulling toast from the grill. “But lowering the age from twenty-one to twenty could make a difference.”

“I don’t think it would be enough. We need hundreds to make up the numbers, there just aren’t enough residents that age.”

“Then don’t go after residents,” she said, pushing a plate in front of him and taking the stool at his side. Theo had never been one for breakfast, but the toast piled with avocado and eggs did look good.

“And how do you suppose we get non-residents to join the Ashhaven Exchange?” he asked.

“Easy. Advertise at the uni.”

Theo thought for a moment. The university wasn’t the most esteemed in Havenshire, nor was it the biggest, but with around nine thousand students if just a fraction were willing to donate, they would be saved. Other than the fact their parents would go crazy, accusing them of exploiting their children, it wasn’t a bad idea.

“What about safeguarding the donors?” he asked. “I worry about people donating that young at the best of times, but in light of recent events…”

The list sat watching from his laptop. People missing, taken advantage of.

He’d seen it over and over, humans being sold a fairytale. Seduced and used until they had no more left to give and were cast aside. Forgotten. Only in the moment of abandonment do humans truly realise how vulnerable they are. Just because there weren’t more missing people, didn’t mean there weren’t more victims.