Page 51 of The Unraveling

I swallow and only offer a heavy-lidded blink in response.

Dr. Todd continues like he wasn’t expecting me to reply in his pause. “You weren’t the only terminal candidate contacted this round, just the first one willing to hear me out. My colleague and I share from a list, curated from others⁠—”

I can’t stop my interruption. “Did you steal files from my oncologist’s office?”

His hands splay out to show his palms as he shrugs. “Not personally, no. There are actors with their own agendas; I merely make my requests at a cost since they’ve got their hands in those files anyway. They select potential volunteers based on my criteria.”

My gaze falls to my lap. “Dying?”

Dr. Todd’s chair creaks as he leans closer. “Yes, and thus perfect for truly living.”

My eyes flit up to his, the brown of them so bright for someone who’s dead.

“Why are you so honest about all this?”

He sighs. “I’m unable to uphold a variety of legal policies, of course, but regardless, I believe the most important one is simply honesty.”

A strangled laugh escapes me. “Is there a catch, Dr. Todd? I have trouble believing you’d do all this for nothing.”

Dr. Todd licks his lips and adjusts in his chair. After clearing his throat, he carefully says, “Practical considerations, of course. The treatment requires that I feed from you, but I would continue after you’re cured, as well.”

My blinks slow as I try to work through his meaning. “Still drink from me . . . after I’m a vampire?”

His words come carefully. “It is my preference, I admit. Human blood is . . .” He blows out a breath. “There aren’t words to describe the euphoria of it. But mortals are ill in so many different ways, and the . . . anxiety of such knowledge is immense.”

“But you can’t get sick?” I challenge him delicately.

He chuckles. “I cannot.” With serious eyes holding mine, he continues. “Understand, Isla, it’s different drinking from a patient than from an anonymous donor. With you, I would have the relief of knowing I’m healing you, even as I taste the cancer in your blood. But each flavor I cannot change with my treatment is harder to enjoy. One could say I was reborn with a . . . stronger, more precise pallet than most other vampires.”

“Oh.”

“I wouldn’t burden you, of course. I have a small circle of willing, immortal donors to keep me satiated, and I happily cope with human blood when I must. As I said, it’s merely preference.”

“They’re previous patients?” I prod.

Dr. Todd’s eyes search mine. “Yes.”

I bite my lip in thought, then whisper, “At least that means this has worked before?”

His nod is eager. “Yes, I assure you. You are far from my first patient. I healed my own colleague—could taste the tuberculosis on his breath as he worked beside me, long before he was symptomatic. He relented and let me treat him the moment he began coughing.”

My eyes widen. “Wow.”

“I would request only that you remain in a reasonable radius. Not to mean that you cannot travel the world, but merely are available to visit periodically.”

I blow out my breath. “Considering my current condition means I’m not doing any traveling for fun, I think that would be a small price to pay.”

He grins. “It is indeed.”

Studying him for a long moment, I can’t help but ask, “What if I don’t agree? If I just . . . want to return home?”

Would he let me leave, now that I know this about him? That he’s a vampire? It can’t be good practice to divulge such secrets to humans then let them walk away.

“Then . . . I would have to call my hypnotist, and you would forget we ever met.” He purses his lips as he mulls me over, and the sparkle in his eyes makes my cheeks warm. “But why wouldn’t you agree . . . right?”

That dark future I’ve been mourning brightens, sprawling further and further beyond comprehension. A smile creeps across my face, and I bite my lip.

“What do you say?” he murmurs.