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So I had to be perfect. I had to be everything they needed in a test subject so it wouldn’t be Dusk.
“They want the weakest.” Dr. Wren’s voice was low, just for me, as he drew a vial of blood. “Wounded and frail. They’re testing alpha healing capacity.”
I shut my eyes, nodding.
Weak…
I could do that.
Reality buzzed in my ears, a faint radio station. I flickered in and out, and then something warm brought me back. I looked down to see Shatter’s hand in mine. Dusk had dropped his arm from her shoulder.
“You alright?” Flynn Lincoln asked. He lifted a hand, as if he thought he might need to catch me, but froze as I flinched. I didn’t step away. It took the lastof my power not to, but every instinct screamed at me to leave, a distant storm, warning that there was something wrong…
Kill him.
Butthatinstinct, that was a given, a resident in every moment, as impossible as it was persistent.
With all my self control, I levelled my expression.
For Dusk.
Do it for Dusk.
Forher. The sooner this was over, the sooner we could get her away from this academy.
“Yeh,” I forced out, finding there was already a brittle smile on my face. “Just a bit under the weather. Think I ate something bad.”
Flynn nodded, seemingly satisfied.
No payments.
Not out here. I’d prepared for this.
I rolled my shoulder, feeling the ache of the ten payments I’d made last night. I’d never paid ahead of time before, but the principle was the same, wasn’t it?
They ached, reminding me of my pain.
But… Shit.
Shatter was holding my hand, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy, threatening to neutralise it all. Damn. With that comfort, what cost one, now cost three, so I tugged my hand from hers.
Flynn, luckily, had already moved on.
“…I assume you don’t want it back…” he was saying, lifting the pen.
There was a long pause.
Dusk, who was a bit off balance through the bond, clearly trying to figure me out, didn’t get there before Shatter. She swiped it from his grip so fast I barely even saw it. “I should take it,” she said, looking up at Dusk. “Just to prove I can be respectful and… and well behaved.” Those rich brown eyes were startlingly devilish. They were better golden, without the contacts, but still beautiful all the same.
I chuckled, and all of Dusk’s tension vanished. There was a bite to his smile as he nodded. “Maybe you should, Gem.”
When we returned to the booth there was a strange silence, in which both Shatter and Dusk watched me oddly for a long moment. I nodded. “I’m good.”
Shatter reached out for me, then withdrew, shrinking down on herself a little. I’d rejected her, I realised.
Shit.
Was she upset?
