chapter fifty
THE POISONER
T he routine was so rigid that it made it hard to tell the days apart.
Was it a week later or a few days? The only distinguishing part was the menu. Everything else was wash, rinse, repeat.
They still limited me to the second floor. Sometimes I would hear people downstairs. Sounds of celebration, storytelling, drinking, eating, dancing, music, everything.
This must be how bears felt in hibernation. Every day was bland and covered in white, with nothing to tell the days apart. The only thing to do was sleep.
They did not allow me any objects. Nothing to comfort me. I was just waiting for my next guest, though it was rare that I had visitors. It was like a lethal game of chance. Would I get Phoebe, the maids, or one of the two creatures that tortured me?
As I lay curled in the middle of the bed, the night was like any other.
Quiet, drifting through my thoughts and dreams until they bled into one another.
Every once in a while, I would have dreams that I’d escaped, running across that elongated field, the wind whipping my hair against my face and my legs taking over for me as I fled to freedom.
Then I awoke, cried, and slept again. This happened many nights.
Amid my slumber, the bed dipped on one side, then the other.
Hands, one set—no, two.
As I lay on my side, two bodies pressed me between them.
I could feel lips against mine, soft and familiar. I kissed him lightly, knowing that it would be Silas. He was so real, so warm against me. His fingertips left hot trails across my skin that made me shiver.
The body behind me could be none other than Luka. The soft curls of his hair tickled my neck as he left kisses across my skin, letting his bottom lip drag as he moved to my shoulder. Could this be a dream? Or was I just hoping it was?
Silas moved from my lips down to my breasts, gently taking my nipple between his teeth before wrapping his lips around it. Electricity shot through me when he nipped at me.
Luka’s hands wrapped around my waist, holding my hips closer as he sucked on my neck. His hand reached down, touching between my legs. In that moment, Silas hissed at Luka.
My eyes snapped open. This was no dream.
Their touches were becoming rougher and more possessive as the moments passed. It was like they were both playing a game of territory, and I was stuck in the middle, their hands marking what was theirs.
“Stop—” I barely got the word out in a whisper before Luka sank his fangs into my shoulder.
The pain was like no other. It was like he did not possess the venom necessary for numbing or did not care to use it. Knowing the sadist he was, it was most likely the latter.
I blinked away the blur of my vision, staring at Silas.
How could you let this happen?
“I’m sorry.” Silas cupped my face, a pitiful expression plaguing his features. Then, his needlelike teeth pierced the other shoulder, granting me some relief from Luka’s bite.
The sound that came from me was pitiful, a whine like some injured kitten as the ravens plucked at its wounds. To feel utterly helpless and at the mercy of not one but two animals was enough to bring tears to my eyes. My situation just kept getting worse and worse the more days that went by.
“Get off me,” I cried, though I had no more tears. I had cried for days alone in my prison cell of a chamber. I tried to sit up.
Luka’s jaws clamped down harder as his arms wrapped around me.
They let me sit up, one to my front and one to my back, but they did not relieve me of their deadly grasp. I swallowed and stared up at the ceiling. The cracks and indents were subtle against the eggshell color of the paint that attempted to cover them.
My arms covered my bare chest and whatever I could.
Nothing was mine anymore. Not my body, not my words. I tried to curl up, but they wouldn’t let me become any smaller than I already was.
Luka’s hand ventured too close to Silas. He pulled away only to bear those bloody, twitching fangs at Luka as he hissed. Luka let go of my neck to hiss back, making me flinch between the two.
Their greedy hands grabbed me and held me between them as they drained me. I started to see stars against the ceiling, my vision narrowing until all I could see was blackness, but I could still hear the sounds of them consuming me, their teeth in me, their hands on me.
I awoke in that small room while the maids buzzed about cleaning me up and putting me back together that morning.
This fussing over the Host bodies made more sense to me as I thought about how sick or injured livestock would harm the consumer’s health.
I realized now that they were indispensable, which meant I might have leverage on those two animals.
From what I could tell about the dynamic, feeding was a privilege, not a right, in this Nest. Which was why they had no issue keeping me from the others. Who were they saving me for?
Why did everyone look so panicked? They were shocked I was awake. When I tried to sit up, the maids all jumped at the action and insisted I stay still.
I brought my hand to my shoulder and flinched. Both of them were so tender.
What happened the night before came rushing back to me. I could feel my face grow hot with anger and embarrassment. Those selfish animals.
The creak of the door brought my attention back down to earth.
“I am not interrupting, am I?” An older man entered the room, tall and lanky like a scarecrow.
I wanted to cry.
“Dr. Hayes?” I whispered.
“Ah, Alina, I wish I could say it’s a pleasure to see you again.” An awkward smile tightened across his face. “Leave us be,” he instructed the maids, and they filed out one by one.
“You knew,” I snapped. “You knew this whole time, and you did not tell me.”
“Please get a grasp on your emotions. I know it’s an adjustment for you.” He pulled over a stool and sat at my bedside. “I heard that you had a rough night.”
I ignored him. “Why wouldn’t you warn me? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried to run you off your train of thought, but you were too stubborn,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“I even tried contaminating your little experiment. You are the reason that you’re here.
You chose to poke around.” He glared before moving my hair to check my neck. “I see that you got quite the welcome.”
“You’re just as bad as them.” I pushed his hand away. “You willingly work for them.”
“They pay me to make sure their food source isn’t in pain, won’t be injured, and is in the best health possible,” he explained, ignoring my protests and checking the other side of my neck. “I am curious to see what you define as cruel.”
“They kidnapped me.”
“You’re the only one, Alina.” He sighed, sitting forward and placing the buds of his stethoscope in his ears.
“These Hosts are here because they chose to be,” he explained, placing the cold piece of his instrument on my chest. “You should have stopped poisoning people when Luka nailed the madam to your door,” he continued. “Now breathe in and out,” he droned on.
I complied with his request.
“Alina?” a small voice piped from the doorway. “Oh, apologies. I didn’t realize the exam was still going,” the red-haired nymph bumbled.
“No need for apologies. We are done.” Dr. Hayes plucked the stethoscope from his ears and wrapped it up, sticking it in the black medical tote. “Keep her within eyeshot. Solitude wouldn’t be wise in case she receives any more visitors. Best have a maid sit with her.” He rose from his seat.
“No need. I will do it.” Phoebe smiled awkwardly at him as he left, closing the door behind him.
“Did you find it?” I cleared my aching throat, rubbing my face in frustration.
“Yes,” she whispered, coming up beside me and placing a small vial in my hand.
“Where are the rest?”
“I have them hidden. I figured you should keep one in here just in case.” She held my hand. “What do we do next?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? What do you mean you ‘don’t know’? I thought you had a plan?” she pressed, squeezing my hand anxiously.
“I didn’t think that far. All I know is I am going to have to use it.
You’ll know when I do.” I looked from the tincture to the hand she was squeezing.
“It won’t be safe for either of us. We will only have a small window of opportunity to flee.
I say draw up the route. You’re the one who’s good at planning things. ”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“Figure it out. If you can plan elaborate balls and galas, you can plan an escape route for us. Pick anywhere, far away from this place.”
“All right,” she said softly. That worried look on her face made me nauseous. Could I pull this off? I just hoped she could put together a good plan for when the time came.