Page 297 of Mayhem and Minnie

I force a smile.

“Have I told you how beautiful you are today?” I whisper as I stare at her. “You’re so beautiful. And I’m so lucky to be with you.”

“It’s the delirium speaking,” she mumbles.

I shake my head as I slowly munch on the sandwich. I don’t have much of an appetite, but this might help me regain some strength.

“It’s not. I’m serious. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I tell her sincerely.

“Am I?” She bites her lip. “Because if it hadn’t been for me, we wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

“You heard my mother. I was sick long before I ever met you. This isn’t your fault.”

“But if we hadn’t come here, Katrina wouldn’t have made you sick again,” she whispers.

I squeeze her hand.

“The more important question is why she cured me in the first place? Why contain the illness only to release it twenty-five years later.”

“It must have something to do with your blood and what happened to those demons. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out what might be the cause. You’re not a deity. You’re not a demon. So what are you?”

“If you don’t know, then how could I know?”

“Can I… Can I try something?” she asks in a small voice.

I nod.

Creating a small pin out of ice, she grabs my black arm and sticks the sharp tip into my skin.

“Does this hurt?”

I shake my head.

“What about this?”

She pulls the pin downward, creating a small gash.

I shake my head again.

Blood pools to the surface, but it’s not red.

It’s black. Tar black.

Minnie’s eyes widen.

“Marlowe…” Her voice trembles.

“What is it? Why is it like that?”

She gently swipes her finger over my wound, gathering some of the blood and bringing it to her lips for a taste.

She chokes and bends over, heaving as she tries to spit it out.

“Minnie?”

“I… Give me a moment…”

She takes big gulps of air. Tears coat her lashes as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

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