I burst out into the cool, sunny day, autumn in full glory all around me, and caught a blustery breeze. It wasn’t as bad as what I’d left behind, that much was certain, and it took me only a moment to get my bearings before I hurried down the street, hoping no one would follow me, or that if they did, I could lose them. There wasn’t much of a crowd; it was the afternoon, and some stands were set up to my right to vend fruit and newspapers. I ignored the smell of citrus as I went by, though I realized I suddenly wanted a drink of it, of orange juice.
Can’t handle the pressure, Bjorn said, and he shook that flat face of his.
Can’t shoulder the weight of responsibility, Eve said.
Little Doll, Wolfe said with a wicked grin.
You’re falling apart, Gavrikov whispered.
I hurried on, taking the turn when I saw the street I was looking for. Russell Square’s greenery stared back at me from the opposite corner. I ran up a block as fast as I could, without thinking. I felt myself breaking into a sweat. I didn’t know what was wrong with me but it was dire, urgent, and I needed to get away from public eyes. I heard the honk of a horn as I started to step out into the street and I saw a car coming toward me without stopping. I didn’t even think, just pivoted into a spin and brought my leg around into the air, then down like an axe in a straight line. My heel landed on the hood of the car and I heard the bumper hit the pavement as I completely arrested the forward momentum of the vehicle. There was a sharp sound of the engine falling out, along with the transmission and several other vital parts, and I stood there in my ready fighting stance, breathing heavily, sweating uncontrollably. The driver stared at me from behind a deployed airbag with eyes as wide as any I’d ever seen.
Well done, Little Doll.
Not as weak as I thought—
Strong—
Run, Sienna.
She has a fire in her, Gavrikov said.
Run—
Getting better, Bjorn grudgingly admitted. Like that—
RUN, SIENNA! Zack’s words lit an alarm in me, and I took off down the way, hugging my bag to my side as I tore up a street, dodging down the next avenue at a speed I usually didn’t exhibit in public. I saw the sign for my hotel and slowed, ducking into the entrance. I stalked across the lobby to the front desk, wiping the heavy perspiration off my face, off my hands.
The girl behind the front desk was young, maybe only a year or two younger than me. “May I help you?” she asked softly, in a thick Russian accent.
Like Klementina—
A Little Doll, she should be played with—
I shook the thoughts that weren’t even mine out of my head. “I have room reserved for Sienna Clarke.”
The Russian girl looked at me with her delicate features and bright blue eyes. “Can you spell that, please?” I did, and she fumbled with her computer. “I have you here for … indefinite stay?” She blinked and looked up at me as though to confirm.
“For now,” I said, almost gasping. I needed to get out of sight. Needed to do something to cool down my overheating skin, to stop this panic attack or heart attack or whatever attack I was having.
“May I see your passport?” She reached out a hand out to take it from me and I offered it over to her. She took forever, typing things into the computer.
She’d be such a sweet taste, Bjorn cackled.
Could taste her for hours, Wolfe said.
You’re disgusting, Eve pronounced.
“If you could hurry, that would be great,” I said, catching the clerk’s eye.
“You have free breakfast—” she started.
“Don’t care,” I said. “Room key?”
She blinked at me again and wordlessly handed me a little card that would unlock my door. “Room 7015.” She handed me a small piece of paper. “Present this if you want the breakfast—”
“Thanks,” I said, and snatched the key card and my passport out of her hand. She pointed wordlessly to a hallway behind me and I walked toward it before she got another word out. I saw elevators as I rounded the corner.
She’d be a sweet meal, Bjorn said. Could enjoy her for a day or so before she was all done.
Little more than an appetizer, Wolfe said with a grin that made me ill(er). You would need something heartier afterward, to get the taste off your tongue. Something like—
“Oh, God, you people are appalling,” I gasped as the elevator door dinged and opened to discharge a few people. I got in and hit the close button repeatedly before anyone else could get on.
Little Dolls are the sweetest meat of all, Wolfe seeped into my head. Little girls, they’re like—
“Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up—”
Don’t be so crass, Wolfe, Bjorn said with a grin of his own. The girls should feel special, privileged to be chosen out of the whole world of humans, to be consort to gods—