Page 34 of Starve
“Fern?”The voice that comes from the shower makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and I nearly choke on air. It’s a strange mix of many voices and nothing all at once, just like that night.
“They’re starving, Fern.”Hattie’s voice echoes in the shower, and I give a full-body shudder and bolt to my feet on the floor.
“How are you?—”
“Any allergies?”It takes a few seconds for me to remember the voice of the cook in the staff kitchen.
“Stop.”
“We’re all sort of unwell here. I’ll need a little more than that to know who you mean.”I have no idea how he’s mimicking my conversation with Sam so perfectly, or how he heard it, but my heart races in response.
“I saidstop!”I all but yell. Every part of me is on edge, but thankfully, Cairo doesn’t do it again. The shower door opens, hitting me with a face full of steam. Before I can go anywhere at all, Cairo is in front of me and his hands come up to cradle my face as he drips onto the bathmat below us.
“I’m a monster, Fern,” he purrs, in a voice that’s barely human. “No matter how you want to look at me and differentiate me from the others that night, I’m still just as much of a monster as them.”
“But you look?—”
“Mostly human?” He strokes his thumb over my lower lip, and my brain unhelpfully reminds me that he’s naked, and all I’m wearing is my sleep shorts and thin t-shirt. “Don’t you think that’s the point? It’s much easier to get close to you like this, to get close to any human, when we don’t look like monsters.”
I have so many questions, but the only one that comes out of my mouth is the one I didn’t want to ask.
“Why did you save me?”
We stand there, with his hands on my face and my fingers coming up to grip his wrists, though I’m not pulling him away. My heart rushes in my chest, protesting and trying to get free from the monster in front of us, who has the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. Especially in the dark, when they catch and reflect little bits of light.
“I don’t know,” Cairo admits finally, and there’s a raw honesty in his words I can’t help but believe. “I don’t think I’ve decided yet. But you should be more careful, little bird.” The nickname makes my stomach twist, and I tell myself it’s from fear, even as he pushes me a step back so I’m pressed against my bathroom counter and Cairo is only inches from me.
“Why?”
“Because I haven’t decided if I’m willing to save you again…or if next time, I’ll be the one coming to kill you.” Without warning, he lunges forward in a smooth and graceful motion that’s too fast for me to even register, and his lips press against mine. It’s sweet for all of a second until I feel the prick of his teeth on my bottom lip.
Cairo takes advantage of my small, surprised sound, by licking his tongue into my mouth like he’s trying to taste me. The realization thathe is,sends a shiver through me, and I grip his wrists tighter until my nails are digging into his skin—not that he seems to mind.
When he pulls away, it seems to be difficult for him, and he gives a little sound that’s not entirely human while running a hand through his hair. “Go away, Fern,” Cairo sighs, eyes flashing as he looks at me sidelong. “Let me get dressed and leave before I do something I’ll probably regret.”
“Like what?” I can’t keep the words from coming out of my mouth, and his strangled scoff is half exasperation, half amusement.
“Like eat you.”
The following click of his teeth is enough to send me walking out of the bathroom, though I do, at least, manage not to run as I stride past Moro with a quick, nervous touch to her fur. Then I head back to the living room, as if distance will protect me from the creature in my bathroom and his taste that lingers on my lips longer than it should.
Chapter 14
Being wokenup by my cellphone vibrating with a vendetta under my face is not pleasant, and I groan at the feeling, trying to ignore it. “Let me sleep,” I groan when it goes off again. “Please, for the love of God…” I grab my phone and sit up, noticing the unfamiliar but local number before I answer.
“Hello?” All traces of irritation are gone, though most of my drowsiness remains. According to my phone, it’s ten am, which is way later than I normally sleep, but today is a bit of a special occasion.
I wasn’t able to fall asleep for hours after Cairo left silently, without a word to me, as he slipped out at some point while I was recovering on the couch and staring at the ceiling with the television on.
“Hello, Fern? Sorry to bother you. I didn’t think you’d still be asleep.”I feel like I should know the voice, but my brain isn’t connecting the dots.
“Umm…good morning?” It comes out as a question, and I’m still frantically trying to figure out who it is. “Sorry, but may I ask who’s calling? You sound familiar, but?—”
“Oh! I’m so sorry. This is Dr. Radley.”The relief at no longer being confused is quickly followed by a sinking, unhappy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Oh, hi!” I throw as much false positivity into my voice as I can, and Moro flops over onto her back on the bed, worming her way into my warm spot as I watch her do it. At least one of us is sure I’m actually getting up for the day. Then again, what does she really have to do other than look cute, eat, and not shit on my floor?
Maybe she thinks she put in a full night’s work by finding Cairo.
