I was getting too worked up.
Focus. Time to hunt.
I sucked the last bit of life out of my cigarette, stamping it out in the dirt.
A few stray commoners bustled about their early work routines. There was a dark-haired girl who dumped a bucket of questionable substances in the street over by the tavern.
Snatching her was quick. Her body was light like a feather. My hand clamped over her mouth as I dragged her into the alleyway.
Trembling with anticipation, I finally sank my teeth into her. The heat flooded my mouth, and I was overcome by greed, biting harder to satiate the impulse. She cried as the first long set of fangs punctured her throat. When the second set dug into her flesh, the venom relaxed her muscles, and blood ran faster from her feeble body.
It tastedbland, like bread made with no salt. Boiled meat with no herbs. Stale biscuits left in the open air overnight. The dull liquid drained until it ran dry in my mouth.
I forced myself to finish, trying to imagine that it was my dear shadow from earlier tonight. When I closed my eyes, I envisioned that sweet spice that would flood my senses, her thick black hair tangled around my fingers, those blue eyes wide with terror. . . .
My stomach twisted, and I winced in pain. My meal was not agreeing with me, even when I tried hard to entice my appetite. I clenched my jaws harder, pulling a mouthful of flesh in frustration as the body fell.
When released, my prey folded like a sack of flour, a blunt thud on the ground.
I expelled the freshly extracted blood from my stomach, only to watch as it was absorbed into the gravel.
Another wasted meal, just like the other three.
It was like the thought of Alina made everything taste bland, leaching all flavor and sustenance from anything I tried to consume. This must be how Tantalus felt—just slightly too far from his fruit.
She has cursed me, vile witch!
No matter how much I told myself she was only a meal, I knew I was lying. These changes were too sudden, catalyzed by my obsession.
For now, sustenance was needed. I would be trying all night long if that was what it took. I just needed more time.
10
THE POISONER
My body ached like I’d slept on gravel.
I inspected red and purple bruising as I sat up in bed. There was a mixture of those caused by the chase and those caused by his filthy mouth. Aside from the marks, large scrapes crosshatched from my shoulder down to my lower back from the altercation. Even the fabric of my bedsheets brushing against them produced an unpleasant sting.
“What a prick,” I huffed, swinging my legs off the edge. As I put pressure on my ankle, I realized that it would be added to the list of damage he caused, as it must have twisted unfavorably during my struggle. Inconvenient, but nothing I could not walk off.
Placed on the nightstand, there was a single nightshade stem.
Why does he insist on leaving gifts?
Placed next to the bloom was a handkerchief. The white fabric bled red from one of the sides. When unraveled, a brittle, disembodied finger was placed neatly in the silk.
My nose creased atthe smell. I was sure there would be a story in the paper about the owner of the appendage in question. No matter, I did not have time for puzzles today. The finger was disposed of discreetly in the toilet.
It reminded me of a cat I once had who liked bringing me dead critters every morning.
As amusing as it was, there was no time to deliberate about the Creature’s less than savory habits. I had things to do today.
Phoebe and I were supposed to shop for dresses for her garden party, though I believed she threw it together only to make me feel better.
I pressed on the bruise on my sternum, and memories of the weight of his boot resurfaced. The smell of leather was still fresh in my nose. The marks scattered up my neck, my breasts, my ribs.
However, I could feel my face get hot when I remembered how I reacted to that encounter—I still could not believe I prodded around in his mouth.How embarrassing.Sometimes I wished I could turn that annoyingly impulsive side of my brain off. But I could not blame myself entirely for my motives. How often did anyone get so close to a brand-new species? I had to know.
