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I keep a close eye on Endy. That means I’m watching as he clenches his fists, his arm lifting slightly before he yanks it back into place. I can see the nervousness written on his face. The tremor in his hand reminds me of a cokehead itching for a fix.
“We don’t feel it. I feel nothing,” I tell Endy. Everyone but Endy and Jacob nod in agreement.
“I don’t feel anything, either. If I were to feel anything I would’ve reacted to Oracle’s blood since I still ingest it,” Sean adds.
“You’re still letting him poison you?” Endy asks as he and Jacob stare in shock. “Why would you do that? That’s why we’re no longer living here. You’re foolish and your choices will ultimately lead to your doom—”
Endy stops ranting as the blood begins to gather much like Oracle’s did. “What’s going on? Is Scar here?” Endy asks, glancing around in a panic, before his eyes are pulled back to the ball of blood. “What are you doing?” he accuses, glaring at Oracle.
“I’m doing nothing. This is just the natural reaction of the blood.”
“Scar’s blood is so powerful it connects to all of us?” Endy questions, obviously still in denial.
Oracle shakes his head. “I told you. You were fed only Draven’s and mine.”
Endy shakes his head as Jacob speaks up. “We’re not doing that. All our blood is in a secured area at the pack’s clinic.”
Endy’s still shaking his head in disbelief as the blood divides into two smaller drops, inching its way closer to him and Jacob. It ends up with a drop right in front of Endy and one across from Jacob. Oracle reaches out quickly, drying the blood with a paper towel before it has a chance to jump off the table onto them.
At least it wouldn’t have surprised me if it did that. Hell, it probably would have bounced into their mouths. It was like one of those creepy science fiction movies that Sean likes. Then again, my whole life is one of those, I guess. I’m thoroughly freaked out. I can see the same fear mirrored on Ettie’s features as she covers her mouth with her hand. Leo is backed up from the table, putting his arm in front of his mate as if the offending drop might jump off the paper towel toward him. Sean’s eyes are wide as he tries to process what he just witnessed. He stands rigid next to me.
“It appears your supply has been compromised. For the blood to react that strongly, I would guess you’ve been feeding from Scar for a while. You’re dangerously close to the blood doll stage. You can’t be trusted,” Oracle says pointedly.
“You’re wrong!” Endy snaps.
Oracle laughs. “The color in your face and the energy surrounding you tell me you ingested blood before you came here.”
“Hold up,” Leo turns to face Ends and Jacob. “Here’s what I don’t understand. I thought you two were camp blood free!” he barks.
Endy and Jacob glance at each other before looking at Leo. “We only use one bag a week and we split that between all the shifters in the camp. It keeps us stronger. We need that until Scar is no longer a threat.”
Leo laughs sarcastically as he shakes his head. “Fucking hypocrites.”
“We only use the reserve supply at our clinic,” he defends. “We never digest blood from live donors.”
“It appears your clinic isn’t safe,” I mock, not an ounce of humor in the disaster that is in front of us.
“We will scrub the clinic of blood and start over. We’ll beef up security. It won’t be an issue,” Endy says through gritted teeth.
“That won’t work,” Oracle says. “The bond is too strong. If Scar realizes you’ve been discovered, he will command you to drink more. He will have you doing his bidding. You’re too addicted to stop it.”
“Why wasn’t this an issue when you fed us?” Endy asks. He still doesn’t look as if he believes what Oracle is saying. We’ve all seen the proof. He’s just too stubborn to accept it.
“I never wanted to control you. When you followed my command, part of the reason you capitulated was that you truly wanted to do it. You didn’t try to resist. That and you had been drinking from me more recently than Draven. Be that as it may, I gave you my blood sparingly, watered down even. I wanted just enough to pull you away from Draven, not to entrap you.”
“This is a trap,” Endy seethes. “You’re just trying to get us to drink from you again.”
“That won’t help you. You’re hooked on his blood. There’s not enough time to negate its power.”
“So…there’s nothing we can do? Our camp is…lost?” Jacob asks, dejectedly.
“I’m sorry,” Oracle says as he turns to walk away.
“That’s not true,” Ettie says softly.
Oracle stops, turning to look at her. “What you are thinking is very risky, Little One.”
