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“I can’t—Ryx, I can’t use my mastery!”
Levi has the audacity to look sympathetic. “It’s time we have that discussion, Novamon. I have a feeling you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”
***
While it might seem a bit overkill, I beg to differ.
Levi isn’t inherently bad, but he is extreme. Far more so than any other resistance leader I’ve come across. So, yes. Saren is in my fucking lap. It started as a show of dominance while I pumped out as much scent as I could, but now it’s more to soothe me than anything else.
I can’t protect Saren like I want to, so this will have to do.
Levi watches us curiously, his goons on guard outside the shack. Saren nibbles on a piece of bread, and I haven’t touched the offered food. I know this hybrid’s tricks. He wants my blood so he can make more elixir.
“This is how it’s going to go,” Levi starts after too long a silence. “I’m going to accompany you to Briar Peak.”
“What?” Saren blurts, his bread falling to the floor.
“Absolutely not,” I tack on. “You think I’ll just feign ignorance after everything you’ve done?”
“Of course not,” he says easily, tucking his long golden locks behind his ears. “You’re useless to me now anyway. Already the infection is clearing up.”
Frowning, I tighten my hold around Saren’s waist. “You want Salem.”
He smiles, popping his dimples and tapping the tip of his nose.
“No. Salem is too weak, and besides, his blood never worked.”
“I don’t want his blood.”
“Oh, just spit it out, you cunt,” Saren barks, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t laugh.
Levi beams, enamored with Saren’s spark. “I like you.”
“I hate you.”
“Only because I had him first.”
Saren lunges, arms outstretched like he’s going to squash Levi’s skull, but I hold him back—barely.
“Cut the shit. Why do you want Salem?”
Sobering significantly, Levi starts to pace. “You weren’t the first stray Salem picked up over his life. A few showed promise, but failed to perform or were too far gone to save. You’ve probably put down most of them.”
Something…sickly swirls in my gut. “Once you change, you’re no longer sentient.”
“Says who?”
No.
No.
No.
Because if that’s true…if Nightpulse are not what we’ve been led to believe…then I’ve been complacent to my species’ genocide.
“Salem has probably the longest track record of staving off the toll. But his time is almost up. It has been for years. He’ll change soon, and when that happens, I’ll convince him to come with me.”
“You can’t possibly think that’ll work. Nightpulse don’t have bodies, let alone blood, to extract!”
