Tohrment, son of Hharm, looked up from the computer. “Oh, hey, Selena. Surprise.”
As her heart rate regulated, she put her hand to her chest. “I didn’t expect to see anyone herein.”
The Brother refocused on the blue glow of the screen. “Yeah, I’m back to work. We’re going to open things up again.”
“Open what?”
“The training center.” Tohr leaned back in the ugliest green leather chair she had ever seen. And as he spoke, he stroked the arm as if it were a precious work of art. “Back before the raids, we had a good program set up here. But then so many members of the glymera were killed during the attacks, and those who did survive left Caldwell. Now, people are returning, and God knows we need the help. The Lessening Society is ramping up like rats to a warehouse.”
“I wondered what all these facilities were for.”
“You’re going to see it firsthand.”
“Maybe,” she said. But only if they moved fast—
“Are you all right?” the Brother asked, jumping up.
With an abrupt spin, the world tilted around her, twirling her head on her spine—or was that the room itself? Either way, Tohrment caught her before she hit the floor, scooping her up in his arms.
“I’m okay, I’m all right … I’m fine,” she said.
At least, she thought she spoke those words out loud. She wasn’t sure, because Tohr’s lips were moving and his eyes were locked on hers like he was talking to her, but she couldn’t hear his voice. Her own. Anything.
Next thing she knew, she was in one of the examination rooms and Vishous’s shellan, Doc Jane, was peering down at her, all dark green eyes, short blond hair and roaring concern.
The chandelier overhead was too bright, and Selena raised her palm to cover her face. “Please—this is unnecessary—”
All of a sudden, she realized she could hear herself, and the world, once dulled and diluted, came back in sharp detail.
“Honestly, I am fine.”
Doc Jane put her hands on her hips and just stood there, as if she were a barometer making some kind of a reading.
For a moment, Selena was struck with fear. She didn’t want them to know that—
“Did you just feed someone?” the Brotherhood’s physician asked.
“About an hour ago. And I didn’t eat. I forgot to eat.” Which was not a lie.
“Do you have any medical conditions I need to know about?”
“No.” Which was a lie. “I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Here,” Tohr said, pressing something cold into her hand. “Drink this.”
She did as she was told and discovered it was Coke, in a red can that said, “Share with Buddy,” on the side.
And actually, the stuff did revive her. “This is good.”
“Your coloring is getting better.” Doc Jane crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against one of the stainless-steel cabinets. “Keep drinking. And maybe you should consider calling someone else in for—”
“No,” she said sharply. “I will complete my duty.”
The importance of coming here, and making her vein available to the Brothers and others who were not able to feed from their mates, was the only thing keeping her going. It was the connection to normal life, the grounding of a job that was of significance, the metronome of nights and days without which she would consume herself with a bad destiny over which she had no control.
The reality was that her time was running out—and she was never sure when her last moment was going to come, when the last time she did anything was going to happen. And that made being here in service absolutely critical.
As she continued to nurse the soda, many things were said, questions asked on the physician’s part, answers given on hers. The vocabulary didn’t matter—she would utter anything, any lie, partial truth, or false construction to get free of this tiled room and continue on to her last visit of the night.
“I shall complete my duty.” She forced a casual smile onto her face. “And then I shall rest. Promise.”
After a moment, Doc Jane nodded—and the skirmish, at last, was won.
The war, however, was a different beast entirely.
“I’m just fine,” Selena said, hopping off the table. “Really and truly.”
“Come and see me if it happens again, okay?”
“Absolutely.” She smiled at the two of them. “I promise.”
As she left the exam room, she supposed that the lie should have bothered her. But she didn’t have the luxury of conscience anymore.
She was in a sprint against death, and nothing, not even the people she valued … or the male she loved … could get in her way.