“It’s thought that her type kills the most humans a year.”
“What the hell has she got against us?”
Thomas snorted. “Maybe she’s wise, knows us human are responsible for a lot of the world’s problems. Lucy’s kill count stands at eight.”
“What?”
“Years ago, a man contacted me needing Lucy’s venom to make antivenom. I used to collect it from her, then send it off. I had no idea he was using it as a means to kill people.” Thomas glanced Scott’s way. “I was unwillingly working with an assassin.”
“You’re shitting me.”
Thomas chuckled. “I’m not. They called him The Viper.”
“You’ve…you’ve got antivenom, right?”
Thomas didn’t answer.
“Right?” Scott repeated.
“Right.”
“And she was there the whole time? You know…when I first moved in.”
Thomas made a noncommittal noise.
“Thomas…”
Thomas laughed, glancing in Scott’s direction. “She was there the whole time.”
Scott wasn’t sure he believed him, especially when he saw Thomas wink at Lucy in the reflection of her tank.
Lucy, being much smaller than the other snakes, didn’t need rats or chickens. She sank her fangs into a mouse, coiling around it in her excitement. It left Scott feeling nauseous, and he clutched his rumbling belly.
Thomas closed Lucy’s tank.
“It’s nice, you know…” Scott whispered.
“What is?” Thomas asked.
“Adopting animals that have nowhere else to go.”
Thomas snorted. “Apparently I adopt humans too, although you didn’t look human earlier, with how you were spider-crawling on the bed –”
“Okay, okay.” Scott smiled. “Janice told me you wanted to be a vet once.”
Thomas stiffened. “Janice should keep her mouth shut.” He slumped. “Yes, a long time ago, but life turned out differently. I doubt you dreamed of blowing men down back alleys for twenty pounds a time.”
“No,” Scott admitted. “Fifty, more like.”
Thomas screwed up his face.
“I didn’t put much thought into what I wanted to be if I’m honest.” Scott lowered his gaze. “This kind of just happened.”
“How can it just ‘happen’?” Thomas sneered.
“A guy offered me money to perform oral on him –”
“And you said yes to some stranger?”
