gone. Anything I did was only temporary.” He sighed. “Sad to say I lost the hours of work I’d put into hypnotizing Paul.”
I was right, I’d been hypnotized. That was it. I’d had enough. “I’m done. We’re getting out of here.”
Dominic snorted. “And where do you think you’re going? Back home, Paul? No one there will take you back. I can place you at the attack sites. The cops will pick you up before you make it that far.”
A tingle of worry raced down my back. I lifted my chin and pumped my voice full of bravado – more for me than for him. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Humans are inferior, Dominic. You’ve proved your own preaching.” But he was right, just not in the way he said. I couldn’t go home. If my family smelled half as sweet as Heather, they’d be infected before the night was out. If they’d even allow me back. I would do anything to protect them from this. “Can animals get it?”
“ No. I would have tested it on them first, if they could. I’m not a complete monster, you know.” Dominic frowned, vulnerability breaking through his “fearless” exterior. He looked at the burning building and then back at me. “Are you coming back?”
I met his eyes. “I don’t know. I haven’t eaten in a while – thanks to you – and I don’t know how far I’d make it without eating her .”
Heather drew in a sharp breath. She needed to know. It sucked I had to be so blunt, but it was just the beginning. She’d be able to handle being around me, if she knew the truth.
“ You can’t take her. She’ll tell the police.” Dominic’s arms dropped to his sides. “I’ll be thrown in jail. You’ll be thrown in jail.”
“ You should be! I probably should be. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? This is unbelievable. There are people running around out there with this virus in them and they have no idea what’s wrong. They’re attacking others, making more.” I stomped my foot, unable to hold the rage in my starving limbs. “And yes, I’m taking her. I need to get her home. Of course she’s gonna tell, but we’ve hurt enough people. You better run, so that by the time we get her home, when she does report us, you’ll be long gone.”
Heather moved to the door, but didn’t pass the threshold. I turned to join her, stopping when Dominic yanked on my shirt. “I can fix this, Paul. It’s my virus. I’m sure with enough time and without interference, I can fix this. I just need to reassign the replication process.”
“ How did you design it?” If I could find out some details, I wouldn’t need him so much. I could find another scientist – maybe even Dr. Duncan. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas was known for its science research. If Dominic could give me something to start with, I could take myself in and get some answers and help find a cure. I was the ultimate test subject.
Dr. Duncan’s significance swelled in my chest. He’d be my first target.
Twelve weeks wasn’t nearly long enough. For accurate testing or my life. Ten was worse.
Dominic hung his head. A moment passed.
I hated that the possibility of returning to a human state was so appealing. They were inferior. I hadn’t been consumed by capitalism since I’d changed. The only thing that drove me was my hunger for justice… and other things. But maybe I didn’t have to be human again. Maybe I could sustain my power and superiority with enough protein. I used to drink shakes filled with the stuff. I looked at Dominic, my eyes wide. The lull of immortality was great, but was it possible? “Do you really think you can figure it out?”
“ I’m not sure,” he jerked his head, “but I didn’t think I could make the dead walk either.”
Bastard had a point.
“ She needs to go back, Dominic. She can’t stay here.” I couldn’t function with Heather there. Her honey scent was too damn distracting.
He considered her.
Heather watched us, her brows knit together.
His voice
I was right, I’d been hypnotized. That was it. I’d had enough. “I’m done. We’re getting out of here.”
Dominic snorted. “And where do you think you’re going? Back home, Paul? No one there will take you back. I can place you at the attack sites. The cops will pick you up before you make it that far.”
A tingle of worry raced down my back. I lifted my chin and pumped my voice full of bravado – more for me than for him. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Humans are inferior, Dominic. You’ve proved your own preaching.” But he was right, just not in the way he said. I couldn’t go home. If my family smelled half as sweet as Heather, they’d be infected before the night was out. If they’d even allow me back. I would do anything to protect them from this. “Can animals get it?”
“ No. I would have tested it on them first, if they could. I’m not a complete monster, you know.” Dominic frowned, vulnerability breaking through his “fearless” exterior. He looked at the burning building and then back at me. “Are you coming back?”
I met his eyes. “I don’t know. I haven’t eaten in a while – thanks to you – and I don’t know how far I’d make it without eating her .”
Heather drew in a sharp breath. She needed to know. It sucked I had to be so blunt, but it was just the beginning. She’d be able to handle being around me, if she knew the truth.
“ You can’t take her. She’ll tell the police.” Dominic’s arms dropped to his sides. “I’ll be thrown in jail. You’ll be thrown in jail.”
“ You should be! I probably should be. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? This is unbelievable. There are people running around out there with this virus in them and they have no idea what’s wrong. They’re attacking others, making more.” I stomped my foot, unable to hold the rage in my starving limbs. “And yes, I’m taking her. I need to get her home. Of course she’s gonna tell, but we’ve hurt enough people. You better run, so that by the time we get her home, when she does report us, you’ll be long gone.”
Heather moved to the door, but didn’t pass the threshold. I turned to join her, stopping when Dominic yanked on my shirt. “I can fix this, Paul. It’s my virus. I’m sure with enough time and without interference, I can fix this. I just need to reassign the replication process.”
“ How did you design it?” If I could find out some details, I wouldn’t need him so much. I could find another scientist – maybe even Dr. Duncan. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas was known for its science research. If Dominic could give me something to start with, I could take myself in and get some answers and help find a cure. I was the ultimate test subject.
Dr. Duncan’s significance swelled in my chest. He’d be my first target.
Twelve weeks wasn’t nearly long enough. For accurate testing or my life. Ten was worse.
Dominic hung his head. A moment passed.
I hated that the possibility of returning to a human state was so appealing. They were inferior. I hadn’t been consumed by capitalism since I’d changed. The only thing that drove me was my hunger for justice… and other things. But maybe I didn’t have to be human again. Maybe I could sustain my power and superiority with enough protein. I used to drink shakes filled with the stuff. I looked at Dominic, my eyes wide. The lull of immortality was great, but was it possible? “Do you really think you can figure it out?”
“ I’m not sure,” he jerked his head, “but I didn’t think I could make the dead walk either.”
Bastard had a point.
“ She needs to go back, Dominic. She can’t stay here.” I couldn’t function with Heather there. Her honey scent was too damn distracting.
He considered her.
Heather watched us, her brows knit together.
His voice
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