The work occupied my mind. Instead of thinking about his hazel eyes filled with compassion I rarely saw in humans, let alone the monsters, I thought about my screwdriver and fastening the bolts holding the brake pads. Instead of tasting his lips, I tasted blood from chewing on my lips. Instead of feeling guilt over his death, I forced myself to think of my dad and what it would be like if he found me here.
He’d take me back home to the mountains. We’d go fishing.
My dad was coming. I wanted him to come and rescue me from this hell. Until then, I’d manage to survive. Momma Jo would let me stay in the human wing. Hasel would never know.
A hand on my shoulder awoke me. I peeled open an eyelid and rubbed my eyes. Under my fingertips, they felt swollen. Light streamed from the wide open door. Someone broke inside.
“Been looking everywhere for you,” Cole said, curt and to the point. He was still upset with me. “Hasel wants to see you.” He hooked a hand under my armpit and jerked.
I twisted out of his grip. “Hey, cut it out.”
“Don’t make me drag you.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what she wants.”
“Why do you always ask me what people want?”
“So that I know beforehand.”
“You can’t lie your way out of this one. You’re in trouble. Big-time.” Cole glanced over his shoulder. He bent to whisper in my ear, “Did you put something in Torrent’s food?”
My breath hitched. “No.”
“He’s been sick as hell all night. Hasel went in this morning, and, man, was she pissed. Puke all over his sheets, bed, floors, everywhere. Had to clean his ass up, move him into another room.”
“Oh my God.” Oh my God!
“Your Holy Mother, Father, and Spirit. Call up your saints too, ’cause you gonna need the entire crew.”
“Tell her…” I looked back at my finished motorbike with the desire to ride out of there. I didn’t have any gas. I could pedal really fast, though.
“You fed him something.”
“Only bacon and eggs.”
“Beasts don’t get sick from bacon and eggs.”
“He could’ve eaten something out there and gotten sick a few days later. It’s not unheard of, and we don’t know beasts enough to tell what all things on Earth they might or might not be able to digest. Maybe it was the paprika sprinkled over the eggs. Allergies to nuts from yesterday. But not me.”
Cole shrugged. “Torrent got Mayhem’s big room. For two.”
“Why?”
“He proclaimed you’re his pair.”
My life couldn’t get worse. “I am not.”
“You will be.” He smiled, and I shivered. Something about Cole had changed. He seemed…bitter. But I couldn’t worry about him. Damn it. I should’ve run.
Chapter Twelve
Torrent
Back on Tineya, many traveled around our system to watch the beasts and other species compete in the blood games. Games of survival. The fittest survived, the losers died in dishonor, their property awarded to the winner. Winner took it all. Sienna had mentioned there were games played in this community. I didn’t know the rules, but I knew I appeared unfit to play. She’d tried to kill me.
A loud rap came on the door. I peeled open my heavy eyelids, lifted my cheek from the soft fur I’d slept on, and said, “Come in.”
Zarik walked inside and set a tray with tchai on the floor. The smell of chicken soup made my stomach roll. “What time is it?” I asked him as he sat across from me on the floor. He handed me a new set of dressings for my leg. “Seventeen thirty.”
The light beige curtains obscured the window, but I could see the sun making its descent. “What are you doing here?” I hated not being able to look for my mate. At that thought, I pinched the bridge of my nose. Useless motherfucker. I vaguely remember vomiting for the better part of last night, and Hasel coming in the early morning, right before I passed out again.
Zarik began unwrapping my dressing, but I jerked away, sensing something amiss. “Where is Sienna?”
“We put her away.”
“What?” I sat up straight.
He pulled up a knee and rested his elbow on it. “Caged. Hasel suspects she tried poisoning you.”
“She did not. I ate something bad.”
Zarik raised an eyebrow. “We all ate the same thing. None of us are sick.”
“She’s done nothing.”
“She recognized you.”
“She did not and has no reason to poison me. We had a pleasant bath.”
“Sienna’s here and separated from her dad. She resents you a whole lot, so we believe she has every reason to poison you.”