Page 116 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

“Too late, sunshine.” She pushed him to the ground and dragged him across the hall.

“I didn’t do anything wrong!” He fought to free himself, to no avail. She wrapped her forearm around his neck, locking his back to her chest, and squeezed.

Now that pompous ass Mikhail Korovin wouldn’t have a choice. He’d be coerced to get rid of his pet. His pathological need to be the hero would force him to comply.

She tossed the boy’s body to the side and turned him over until he faced her. She removed one of her gloves, revealing a feminine hand. The neatly filed nails darkened and elongated. Without wasting any more time, she tore the boy’s shirt open.

His chest would be her canvas. A beautiful piece of art. A last warning. Job well done. Exquisite, but without unnecessary marks. She must be careful not to leave marks.

She pressed her nail to his skin and he gave out a strangled scream.

“You’re still alive, sunshine? Well, I wanted to save you the pain, but I guess it won’t happen that way…”

“Please…” the boy whispered.

Her fingers moved to his neck.

She held him up with her gloved hand. “Don’t beg, little bastard,” she hissed and squeezed him once more. This time, she would finish the job, and then carve out ‘Release her’ in his chest. Korovin would certainly get the message.

Footsteps crept down the hall. Damn it! There wasn’t supposed to be anybody here.

She whipped her head. Someone was coming. The ding of the lift announced their arrival. If there was someone inside, she’d say that she found the boy like that. He hadn’t seen her face.

Putting on her other glove, she removed the hood of her cloak.

The lift doors opened. Empty. She hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the boy’s body, tossed it in the lift, and headed in the opposite direction of the approaching voices.

Amelia jerked awake, panting. Terror filled her as she replayed what she had seen. She leapt up and rushed to Mikhail’s room, but he wasn’t there. Today marked the second day she hadn’t seen him.

Then she tried the lift, but her efforts were in vain. She had no chip.

Defeated, she ran down the corridor. The door there was locked as well. She slammed her fists against it until she couldn’t feel them anymore. She screamed as loud as she could, threatening to deafen the walls, yet there was nobody to hear her.

What could she do?!

The boy from her dream was Dave.

38

Viktor needed someone to remind him why he had taken an oath never to transform again. Depriving an immortal creature of one of its basic needs was akin to setting a wingless bird free. Cold-hearted. A mockery.

Every time he allowed himself to taste freedom just for a second, Alex would spring up out of nowhere, clutching her new book. ‘Vik, listen to this!’ And ‘Vik, you will never believe that!’ Or ‘Vik, are you feeling all right?’ Sometimes he could have sworn the little parasite was stalking him.

He focused on Mikhail, who had gathered them around the table for yet another pointless meeting that dragged on for hours. Could he quit the Council? Or force Mikhail to kick him out?

He glanced to his right, his gaze roaming over Platinum’s long legs. The miniskirt and fishnet tights gave them an especially tempting appearance. Someone’s begging for it…Without thinking, Viktor’s hand traced her thigh under the table.

Her head spun towards him faster than lightning. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He pulled his hand away. Oops.

“Is there a problem?” Mikhail gave them a slight frown.

“No, brother.” Viktor smiled while Platinum glared daggers at him.

So what? Misreading the signs could happen to anyone. He scanned the other women around the table. Everyone was staring at Mikhail, as if he was saying something important.

Oh, but Vik knew the manticore well. He always made it seem like he was the saviour of everyone and everything… When in fact, he was no better than Vik himself.

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