Page 19 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

“Do you recognise what this building is?”

“No.”

“Has something strange ever happened to you?”

“Aside from being kidnapped by two gorillas, you mean?” She regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. Why couldn’t she have just said “No”?

Mikhail moved so fast, she didn’t see him coming. One moment he was a distance away, the next, his face was inches away from hers, his tall frame towering over her. “I’m no gorilla.”

Amelia fought the urge to step back. Then he did the weirdest thing. He leaned in and… sniffed her? His own smell of masculinity and rain-bathed mountains reached her nostrils.

He backed away. “I cannot let you go before I find out what your connection to the Oracle is.”

She straightened up. “I don’t know this Oracle person! I’m not the one you’re looking for!”

“What have you heard about 1744?”

“Nothing!”

“You don’t have any idea what happened then?”

“No!”

“How about what caused the Changes to the immortal world?”

“Immortal what now?”

“The world of immortals. I don’t believe for a second you haven’t heard of it.”

Immortal world… Dear Lord! The guy was a total nut job.

All right, so she’d have to employ her diplomacy skills. Otherwise, she risked forever being a madman’s prisoner.

“Listen…” She raised her palms in a sign of surrender. “As I told you, my name is Amelia Dragova and I don’t know anything about your world or your… Oracle person. Believe me, I’m of absolutely no use to you. I don’t have family or friends that could pay a ransom, either.”

Mikhail headed for one of the windows and stared through it with such focus that she might as well not have spoken. That did not deter Amelia in the slightest.

“I’m an ordinary human. My parents died three years ago.” She was blabbering, applying the talk-about-yourself technique in hopes it would spark some measure of mercy within him. “I live in a pathetic dump, which I barely manage to pay rent for, and I’m a medical student. I’ve always dreamed of being a surgeon…”

Amelia inspected his profile. He wasn’t older than thirty-five, but the tension in his face hinted he carried a burden far greater than his age alone could bring.

Just as she was bracing herself for another attempt at diplomacy, Mikhail started for the door.

Amelia couldn’t let him go without further persuading him to free her. “I believe you’re a good person! You saved me the other day from the moron with the Mercedes. Please, don’t keep me here against my will.”

Mikhail faced her. “You’re wrong. I’m not good. And I’m no person, either.” His voice was low and heavy. “Let me set things straight. Any attempt at an escape would be fruitless. The Oracle sent me to you and until I discover the reason behind that, you’re staying here.”

The drowsiness attempted to overcome her again. Then a ring interrupted the silence.

Mikhail took a small phone out of the front pocket of his jeans and declined the call, then settled his gaze on her once more. “Don’t fuck with me, Amelia. If you know something, you better speak now, so we save ourselves some time. When I say you’ll be thoroughly compensated for your assistance, I’m not exaggerating.”

“I don’t know anything, I swear.”

The ringing started again, but Mikhail turned it off once more. “I don’t believe that you’ve had anything to do with the Changes to our world, but if it turns out you have… I guarantee you’ll wish you were never even born.”

Exasperation filled her chest and overpowered her fear. Who the hell did this guy think he was, threatening her like that, without even knowing her?

“I hope you don’t mistake me for some brainless bloodsucker you can fuck around with,” he said.

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