He knew. He knew she was sick, and he was still going to use her.
I was unable to support a single pound of my own weight and had to be carted back to the cage. I wanted to assure Kat and Reeve I was okay, but the moment the guards dumped me on the floor, darkness swallowed me.
* * *
“—so sorry,” a male was saying. I recognized his voice. It made me angry. Angry enough to force myself out of my deep sleep, the only thing preventing me from feeling the pain still lingering in my body.
I blinked, looked through eyes glassy from the strain they’d endured. Ethan stood at the bars of our cage, pleading with Reeve to forgive him for the part he’d played in our capture.
The anger magnified, giving me strength. Snarling like the very animal I might be becoming, I launched myself at the bars. I reached for Ethan, intending to choke the life out of him—and laugh while doing it.
He reared backward, out of reach.
Two of the lab coats rushed toward him, to protect and shield him, most likely, but he held up his hand and they stopped, quickly returning to their stations. He tugged at the collar of his sweater, keeping enough distance between us to prevent a repeat of what had just happened.
“You did this,” I shouted, surprised at the sound of my voice. I’d shouted, but only a whisper could be heard. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you so dead.”
“Let me explain,” he said, expression as tormented as his tone. “Please.”
“Save your words. There’s no explanation good enough.”
His gaze slid to Reeve for a second, as if seeking some kind of softness. “The man who runs this place is my father. He’s worked for Anima for two decades and was finally promoted to one of the top positions.”
A family legacy. How sweet. “I’m going to cut out your eyes, stop you from ever doing this again! You were the one in the forest that night, spying on Trina and Lucas.”
Ethan’s head dropped. With shame? He nodded. “My dad and I can’t afford failure, not if my sister is going to survive. So we wanted all the bases covered. That’s why he sent me to Reeve and why I agreed. That’s why he sent Justin to the slayers.”
“You used me,” Reeve said quietly. “And you expect me to forgive and forget?”
Reminded of her presence, I turned to her. I waited for the scent of her to hit me, to unnerve and obsess me, but encountered only a soft waft of the expensive perfume probably embedded in her skin. The darker urges were at bay.
I squeezed her hand in reassurance, and she offered me a small smile of thanks.
“I didn’t use you,” Ethan said with a shake of his head. “I mean, at first, yes, I did, but even then I was attracted to you. The more time I spent with you, the harder I fell. You were never supposed to get hurt.”
“With your dad, everyone is expendable,” I said hotly. “You should have known that.”
Ethan popped his jaw. Ignoring me, he said, “I love you, Reeve. I never lied about that.”
She raised her chin, and I knew her stubborn side was about to kick in. “I never said those three little words back to you because I never felt the same. I still don’t.”
He closed his eyes, released a heavy breath. “I don’t care. I think I love you enough for both of us. I won’t let them do anything else to you.”
“Like you’ll be able to stop them. They’re already starving us. And one day, when I’ve outgrown my use—” or died “—your dad will kill her and you know it.” I knew I was scaring her, but I considered the results worth it. If Ethan feared for her life, he might aid in our escape. And with his aid, food was of little consequence. “She knows too much, has seen too much.”
“No,” he said, again shaking his head.
“Oh, yes.”
“I’ll talk to my father.”
“And you’ll believe whatever he says? You’ll believe the man who’s already betrayed you and locked up the girl you love?”
Ethan’s mouth opened and closed, and I knew he was searching for a response. When he found none, he turned on his heel and marched out of the laboratory.
“Good riddance,” Kat muttered.
I turned and found her in the spot she’d occupied for the past several hours. Her skin was pale—too pale—and her body shaky. Her eyes were glazed, as if she were in tremendous pain.
“Kat,” Reeve said, concerned.
“I look terrible, I know. I got myself a set of bad kidneys. Sorry I never told you.”
“What?” Reeve rushed to her side.
“What can I do?” I asked.
“I’m okay,” she assured me. “Really. I’m just so hungry I’m considering having Paula Deen tattooed on my stomach when this is all over. She makes these scallop sliders I’d stab my dad to have.”
She needed dialysis, like, now, and I knew it. From this point on, she was only going to get worse. And with kidneys, there was no recovering from the damage. I’d checked.
“This is my fault,” Reeve said with a trembling chin. “I never should have trusted Ethan.”
“We all made mistakes,” Kat said, and with a confident smile added, “But Frosty will come. He’ll save the day. He won’t let anything happen to me. Or us. Mostly me.”
Reeve played along, saying, “Maybe he’ll bring Bronx and I can beg for his forgiveness.”
“Beg while naked,” Kat suggested. “He’ll agree to anything then.”
I patted Kat’s hand. It was limp, cold. I couldn’t wait for Ethan to grow a conscience or a pair of balls. Couldn’t wait for the boys to find us, or food to strengthen me. I had to act now.
How?
I moved to Jaclyn’s side of the cage and studied the lab, searching for things I might have missed. Anyone coming or going had to flash an ID badge over the box on the door. There was a glass case on the far wall with several tranq guns inside. I’d seen the lab coats use those weapons on the collared zombies.
The guards had the keys to the cells. Maybe the lab coats did, maybe they didn’t, but I couldn’t see evidence either way. The guards were the sure thing.
I needed to steal a key the next time they came for me.
“What are you thinking?” Jaclyn asked.
“Probably the same thing you are.”
“Yeah. Blueberry pancakes would be awesome.”
I almost grinned. “No. I’m thinking it’s time to go.”