“I never thought about that,” Snod said quietly. “Is that why you keep all this old furniture? Something
familiar?”
“Exactly,” Frankie chuckled. “I tried to get my actual desk back from when I was alive, but it’s in a
museum in Philadelphia now.”
“Would that happen to be the Benjamin Franklin Museum?”
“You are just full of questions today!” Frankie laughed, stirring at the pan with a coy smile.
Snod felt caught, blushing as he struggled to regroup. Damn, he couldn’t stop himself from treating
this like an interrogation. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Frankie soothed. “Why don’t you tell me about you? Hmm?”
“There isn’t much to tell,” Snod said, glancing down at the table. “I was born in the Order, raised by
them, served them until now.” He felt a wave of anguish, guilt gnawing at his stomach.
It was so easy to forget what a sinner he was when he was in Frankie’s sweet embrace. He had never
been so happy, but he knew this was wrong. He would certainly have to repent for all of this if he
returned to the Order.
No,whenhe returned.
“Well, I can start working on your new identity today,” Frankie said, plating the food and offering it to
him. “You’ll need some clothes, I’m sure. Toiletries of your own. Oh, we need groceries. I’m afraid I
never keep very much here.”
The guilt was becoming almost painful, making Snod’s insides clench. “You don’t have to do all of
that for me. I’ll find a way to manage.”
“Let me help you,” Frankie pushed. “When you’re on your own, you can pay me back if you’d like.
For now, consider it a loan if you’re so put off by receiving charity.”
“I suppose I can find some way to make it up to you,” Snod said, lightly stirring his eggs around his
plate. He tilted his head, admiring the sight of Frankie bent over the sink cleaning up the pan. “Mmm,
it would probably be considered prostitution if I offered my body to you as a form of payment?”
“Definitely,” Frankie snorted with a sly smile. He hesitated before adding, “Which... that’s something
we need to talk about.”
“What?” Snod asked after a small bite of egg.
“I don’t think we should have any more sex,” Frankie said carefully. “It’s going to be hard, especially
with all the blood we’ve shared, but I don’t feel right.”
