Page 281 of Shadowblood Souls
She lays the bag down on the grass between us, spreading the opening wide so we have easy access to the several slabs of chewy chocolate stacked inside. I pick one up with instinctive wariness, but it smells and feels like perfect fudgy goodness.
When I take a small bite, it tastes like that too, chocolate heaven melting in my mouth. Normally I’m more of a sour-flavors gal, but I can go for sweets when they’re this delicious.
But as I chew, a pang shoots through my chest.
Dominic would love these. Has he gotten to have one?
I can sense that he’s somewhere within the mountain facility right now, but nothing about how he’s feeling or what he’s doing. I guess he can’t be in too much distress, because I seem to pick up a trace of particularly strong emotions, but that’s not a huge comfort.
It’d be awfully nice if these marks operated like walkie talkies.
As Tegan hums happily over her own brownie, two other teens who look around Nadia’s age amble toward us. The guy, whose tan skin and spiky blond hair make him look like he’s walked out of a surfer movie, tsks his tongue in mock-offense.
“You didn’t think to tellmeyou had the goods?”
Nadia scrambles up in a much more awkward motion than I’ve seen before, her cheeks reddening as she sweeps up the bag. “Of course you can have one. And you too, Celine.”
She nods to the girl who’s trailed behind him. From her features, I’d guess she’s got a lot of Chinese or Vietnamese in her genetics.
The guardians seem to have liked to experiment with a variety of human ethnic heritages. I suspect Nadia is mostly Native American in background—as much as you can call it a background when we were constructed in a lab rather than out in the real world.
Celine smiles widely with a swish of her long ponytail, the red flecks in her black hair catching the sunlight. “Thanks so much!”
Something about her tone jars me. Like the chipper inflection should remind me of Pearl’s bubbly personality, but it doesn’t hold as much warmth as I’d expect.
But then, who could blame her if she’s a little on edge in this place? It might be nice compared to other facilities, but we are still technically captives.
Nadia is mainly focused on the guy anyway, her gaze lingering on his face as he raises the brownie to his full lips.
I might not be the most socially experienced person ever, but soap operas have more than prepared me to recognize a crush. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I’m looking at right now.
Did they train together like I did with my guys? Nadia isn’t acting like they have quite the same level of closeness already.
“Nice,” he says after swallowing the first bite, and lifts his hand to me in greeting. “And nice to meet you, Firstie. I’m Booker.”
“Riva,” I reply.Firstie?Is that what they’re all going to be calling us now?
Celine aims her smile more directly at me. “I’m glad you’re all back with us, safe and sound.”
Tegan, who’s gotten up too, bobs on her feet. “Celine was out with the guardians trying to help you get away from the monsters.”
Oh. My lips part, but my words have dried up.
Should I say thank you when I didn’t really want to be “helped”?
Celine laughs as if it’s no big deal, but her eyelids flicker down for just a second. I think I catch a flash of discomfort, maybe even sadness, before she’s smiling fully again.
What did the guardians put her through during their hunt? It’s no wonder she’d be struggling, even if she’s doing her best to put on a cheerful front.
Before I can figure out how to talk to her, a twinge at my collarbone brings my gaze jerking to the facility entrance. My heart leaps.
Two figures are just walking out onto the ridge in front of the entrance, over the broad stone staircase that winds around to the valley floor. It only takes one glimpse for me to recognize them.
It’s probably horrendously rude of me, but I can’t stop my feet from bounding forward. I sprint across the field and up the steps as the two men who stepped out hurry down to meet me.
“Drey!” I throw my arms around the leaner guy the second he’s within reach, knowing he’ll welcome the hug.
Andreas sucks in a hitch of breath and squeezes me hard. He smells like he always has, warm and a little spicy, like cinnamon.
