Think, Avrell.
There are answers and you’re close.
Before I can stop myself, I yank at the latch on my mask. I pull it away from my face and drop it onto the desk beside the scattered papers where I’ve scrawled out many notes. The air smells…fresh and sweet. Like something I’ve never scented before. Unique. Mine.
Blood rushes to my cock as realization washes over me. The scent belongs to Zoe. I know it with every fiber of my being. It’s quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever smelled. It overpowers the overcooked sabrevipe, traveling into my lungs and lingering there.
If I die from exposure, at least I got to smell her.
I rip off my gloves, stretching out my fingers and letting the cool air kiss them. After being trapped in my gear most of each solar, I’m nearly giddy to be freed.
Quickly, I chew down the meat. It’s charred beyond belief. It’s our way. To cook out any possible radiation or disease.
Something niggles at my brain as my eyes drift to the cold cabinet where we store the blood samples.
What would happen if I did as Zoe did?
She injected a sick one.
What if I did both?
A sick one…and her.
I’m out of my seat in the next instant, making a beeline over to the cabinet. I’ll do both. Her blood is clearly potent and strong. What would happen? I have to know. I feel like the answer is in blood—I just haven’t seen it yet.
It’ll come to me.
It has to.
I find one of the vials marked with her name. Then, I take out Julie’s vial. She’s been incredibly sick. At one point, she stopped breathing, but we forced oxygen into her, bringing her dying body back to life. Since then, I wouldn’t say she’s improved, but she’s certainly stable.
Before I can overthink it, I grab a syringe and press it into Julie’s vial. I suck out the blood and then set the syringe down. Quickly, I peel up the arm of my minnasuit, revealing my dark veins that are visible beneath my pale flesh.
This is quite possibly my worst idea to date.
Or it could be my best.
Time will tell.
I pick up the syringe before pressing the sharp point into my flesh. It’s cool as it surges into my vein as I depress it. My heart rate speeds up with a mixture of excitement at the prospect of finding answers and all out terror of my possible impending death.
Once I discard the empty vial, I do the same with Zoe’s vial. I send her blood chasing after Julie’s infected blood, hoping beyond all hopes it’ll do something.
The answer is in the blood.
I just know it is.
“I thought I told you to…” A sharp gasp and then, “Oh my fucking God. What did you do?”
Turning, I face off with her.
Zoe.
The one who maddens me to no end.
Beautiful, stormy Zoe.
Prowling her way, I suck in deep breaths, inhaling her sweet scent right from the source. She cries out in shock when I grab a handful of her wavy brown hair and fist it in my hand.
It’s the single silkiest and softest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of touching. I lower my nog to the top of hers, sucking in her scent. Reveling in how wonderfully intoxicating it is.
“Avrell,” Zoe chokes out, rare emotion in her voice. “What did you do?”
Reluctantly, I release her hair and take a step back. “What was necessary.”
“Exposing yourself wasn’t necessary,” she hisses, her voice growing angrier by each passing second. “Put your mask back on. You’re probably fine in this office but—”
“I injected Julie’s blood into my system.” I meet her horrified stare with mine. “This is no different than when you did the same many, many solars ago.”
“You idiot,” she whispers. “You fucking idiot.”
“I also injected your blood into my system.”
She smacks me across the cheek. “How dare you.”
“I assure you—”
“You can’t assure shit, Avrell, because you don’t know!” she shrieks. “We were close, right? This wasn’t necessary!”
“We weren’t close, and you know it,” I growl, rubbing at my cheek that stings from her slap. “We’re too far away. But know what is close? Death. For your people. For mine. For the mortlings. It’s imperative we find answers and quickly.”
“You reckless fucking man!” she bellows. “Just wait until Hadrian and Lyric find out. They’re going to be livid.”
She storms out of the office. I stalk after her, my own fury swelling up higher than the mountains around us. I’m right behind her by the time she shoves through a door into the comms room where Theron, Hadrian, Lyric, and Willow are all standing. Each of their nogs whip our way, slowly contorting from friendly greeting to worry.
“He ruined everything!” Zoe yells, pointing a finger in my face. “Look at him!”
I grip her thin wrist, capturing it in my hold, and pull it away from my face. I don’t let go despite her furious wiggling.