The vampire frowned, locking the door behind him and zipping to Snod’s side. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re hurt, I can smell blood,” the vampire insisted, checking Snod over to look for new
injuries. “What happened?”
“I was cleansing myself,” Snod said stubbornly. “It’s nothing for you—” He grunted when the
vampire turned him around, pushing his shirt up and revealing all the angry welts.
“Obe,” the vampire sighed in sympathy, “why did you do this?”
“Because I had to cleanse myself,” Snod replied as if it were obvious. “The mortification of the flesh
purifies my body of its sin.”
“The Order made you do this?” he accused.
“I did this willingly!” Snod argued, trying to pull away, but the vampire held him in place. “What is
it? The smell of blood tempting you to tear me apart?”
“Tempting me to commit you,” the vampire grumbled. “What happened? Did they kick you out?”
“Yes,” Snod replied, unable to keep the sadness out of his voice. “I’ve been... kicked out, as you so
eloquently put it.”
“How else should I say it?”
“That my life is over! Everything I know, everyone I care about, my entire world! It’s all gone!” Snod
roared, whirling around to shove the vampire away.
The vampire didn’t budge, his hands pressing against Snod’s chest. “Oh, Obe. Don’t you get it? Your
life is just beginning.”
Snod scoffed, shaking his head in protest. “I no longer have a purpose.”
“Your purpose is whatever you want it to be. You’re free,” the vampire insisted. “Think of all the
incredible things you can do now.”
“Like what?” Snod asked softly, laying his hands over top of the vampire’s and scanning over his lips.
He told himself this was for his new mission to get close to the vampire, ignoring how it made him
ache inside to touch him again.
“Like... getting drunk!” the vampire laughed, pulling away with a grin. “I’ll even drink with you!
We’re celebrating, right?”
“Vampires can’t get drunk.”
“Where there’s a will and a highly sophisticated laboratory, there’s a way,” the vampire chuckled.
