Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“We’re looking for someone,” Devon said.
The bouncer’s stance became wide-legged and suspicious. In the bluish light of the torch, his eyes shone in his face like two halogen lamps. “Who sent you?”
“No one. We’re on our own agenda here,” I told him, growing tired of his interrogation. “We’re no threat to you. Why do you ask so many questions?”
Bouncer-guy’s white eyes locked on mine but I didn’t feel anything. I was sure he couldn’t access my mind. He just wanted to intimidate me with the creepiness of his stare. “First your blood.”
The muscles in Devon’s arms tensed and he took a step forward.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“Your blood. To make sure you are what you claim to be.” Bouncer-guy nodded toward Devon, one side of his mouth curled up in a nasty smile. “Especially him. No Normals allowed.”
Normals? I didn’t even want to know what would happen if Devon or I were found to be Normals.
“What are you going to do with it? Send it to a laboratory for tests?” Devon said in a challenging tone, crossing his arms. The air was practically crackling with tension.
I gripped his biceps to shut him up, but without turning away from bouncer-guy. Bouncer-guy glared at Devon over my shoulder.
“It’ll take only a minute,” he said, finally turning his attention back to me. He positioned himself beside the girl on the barstool. His shoes scratched over the rough concrete. He wore black and white wingtips, like an old-time movie gangster. Maybe he thought it gave him a more dangerous look.
“Finja,” he said in a soft voice.
He hadn’t once used a civil tone with us, but around her, his face shifted into something kind, devoid of menace. The girl didn’t react at first. She seemed to be in a deep meditative state, her chest rising and falling; if not for that, I’d have thought she was dead. He shook her slightly and slowly she unfurled, her head rising, eyes peeling open almost in slow motion. She had an elegant long neck and her collarbones jutted out of her creamy white skin. The black of her flimsy dress stood in stark contrast to her paleness. I couldn’t make out the color of her eyes but they were very dark. I had a feeling that everything about that girl was dark, inside and out. She tilted her head like a baby bird, her long lashes fluttering as she peered at bouncer-guy who carried an almost tender expression.
“I need you,” he said.
It took her longer than it should have to process the words, then she turned her head toward Devon and me.
“Bring them to me,” she said in a voice like smoke.
The hairs at the nape of my neck stood on end.
Bouncer-guy waved us closer. Though my body bristled, I moved into the alcove. It wasn’t big. There was only a second stool in it, probably the perch for bouncer-guy, and a small table with a radio that played soft classical music. It mingled with the beats coming through the heavy door leading into the bar.
From close up, I could see how young the girl was, maybe fifteen or sixteen. Her eyes hovered above my head, though she had to crane her neck for that. Before I had time to react, bouncer-guy took something from the table. I saw the blade gleam blue before he gripped my hand in a crushing grip and pierced the skin of my thumb. I released a harsh breath as the pain unfurled in my finger.
“What the hell are you doing?” Devon snarled, lurching forward, but I put a hand against his chest to stop him from doing anything rash.
“It’s okay,” I told him. Then I held out my thumb. “What now?”
Bouncer-guy used a small plastic square to catch the droplet of blood from my wound and held it out to Finja. For a long moment, she stared at it. It reminded me of a time when I’d seen a zookeeper feed a snake. He’d put the mouse into the terrarium right in front of the snake, but for a long time it had silently watched its prey before suddenly darting forward to deliver the deadly blow. Finja’s expression wasn’t unlike that of the snake. She lifted a spindly arm and took the plastic square with bony fingers. I noticed that her pinkie stuck out at an unnatural angle as if it had been broken and had grown back together without tending to it. My attention was torn from her fingers when she brought the square to her lips and her tongue darted out, instantaneously licking my blood off of it. I let out a sound of disgust and stumbled back into Devon’s hard chest.
“Fuck,” he breathed out. I didn’t think it was because I’d hurt him. My breath was lodged in my lungs.
The girl closed her eyes and hummed. Then she made a strange sound deep in her throat. I wasn’t sure if it was a growl or a moan. Her eyes snapped open, still unfocused, and she released her breath very slowly. Then she nodded without looking at any of us.