The Frenzy Series (Book 2): Frantic by Casey L. Bond

meat. The meat, muscle and sinew, so fresh. “Can I have a bite?” I asked tentatively. I didn’t want to tear it away from him, but my fingers twitched toward the swinging carcass.
    “It’s not cooked,” he said in horror, stepping back from the animal and holding the knife down. I heard his fingers tighten on the hilt.
    “I won’t hurt you, Ford.”
    “How can you be sure? Does Tage know you’re out?”
    “Tage is not my keeper,” I growled back at him. I have no keeper .
    “No, but you were the one who said it was safer. You know what? Never mind. Eat some if you want it.”
    I wasted no time. My fingers shredded the meat from the bone of the thigh and my teeth sank into it. I chewed, swallowed, groaned. It was so good. When that piece was finished, I tore more away, ate it, and then licked my fingers clean.
    Ford stood back, wearing a bewildered, terrified, wide-eyed look that I hated to see on his face. I hated it because I knew I’d scared him. I scared my brother. “I’m so sorry, Ford.” When I reached out to him, he flinched.
    “I know you wouldn’t hurt me, Porsch, but that was insane. You just ate a raw cow.”
    “Not all of it,” I mumbled sheepishly, looking down at my shoes. I felt like I could eat all of it, but thought better of it. Someone would definitely notice a missing cow or two from the small herd the Colony had. Ford had already taken enough chickens to get his hind end kicked out of this place. No need to stir the pot.
    “Thanks, Ford. I’ll go back to Roman’s now.”
    He nodded, easing his grip on the knife. “If you can hold it down, let me know.”
    “How’d you know I was having trouble eating?”
    “I’m your brother.”
    I smiled. “And I’m still your sister.”
    He laughed. “Always will be.”
    I hoped he was right. On an unrelated note, sunlight was a real bitch. I decided I needed to only walk around at night, because this was for the birds. I shielded my eyes and ran back to Roman’s house as fast as I could go. On the porch stood Roman and Tage with their arms crossed over their chests.
    “Where have you been?” Roman demanded.
    I wanted to tell him that I’d eaten and so far my stomach wasn’t forcing the food out of my body. That was a call for celebration all on its own, but something—or someone—was missing. “Where is Dara?”
    My eyes narrowed and I sniffed the air. She wasn’t there. She wasn’t inside. I couldn’t hear her.
    “Where is she?” Tage looked away pointedly, toward town.
    Roman just stared at me like he didn’t owe me an explanation. Molten fire coursed through my veins. “She better not be sniffing around Saul,” I growled, clenching my fists.
    Roman was in front of me in a split second. “She is assisting the carpenters in the forest. They need wood. She isn’t making a play for your human pet.”
    “He is not a pet.”
    “But he is human. You are not.”
    It was like a knife to the chest. “I know that.”
    He shook his head. “But I don’t think you’ve accepted it.”
    I didn’t, although my body did feel different. My senses were on overload all the time, but I didn’t feel like I was a new person. I was still me. My personality, the worries I had before changing, they were the same.
    Pushing past Roman, I made my way up the steps and walked past Tage. “I ate. Just so you know.”
    Roman grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, his warm breath fanning my cheek. “Who did you drain?” His fingers dug painfully into my skin.
    “I…I didn’t drain anyone! I ate a cow.”
    “You ate a cow ?”
    “Yeah. A dead one.”
    “Its blood?”
    “Nope. Its meat.”
    Tage huffed out a laugh. “You ate a dead cow? In a field, or…?”
    I nodded as much as Roman’s death grip would allow. “Ford was slaughtering a cow and I ate part of it. It was delicious.” I sighed in relief. “It’s been over half an hour and I haven’t puked, so…”
    “What the hell?” Roman breathed.
    “Exactly.”
    “How did