Page 79 of Virgin Sacrifice

I decided to check the refrigerator first for some bottled water. I opened the door and was immediately inundated by the sight and smell of rotting food sitting in half-opened take-out containers. I closed it as quickly and quietly as I could, trying to suppress my gagging, not wanting to attract Aaron’s attention.

Disgusting.

The mini fridge was my last hope. I wasn’t optimistic.

I shook my head in one last attempt to get the scent of the refrigerator out of it and headed for the pantry. Kneeling down to open the small appliance, I prepared myself for the worst again.

It wasn’t at all what I expected.

Compared to the rest of the apartment, the inside was practically spotless and nearly empty, save for a couple of bottles of Gatorade and a lone beer. It was all very anticlimactic.

Except, as I took another deeper look into it, I saw what I had missed at first glance.

Very interesting.

Hidden behind the Gatorades were a dozen small, clear glass vials. Now what were those?

My attention darted back to where Aaron remained, and I strained to listen. It took me a moment, but sure enough, I could still hear the telltale murmur of his voice coming from behind the door.

I slid one of the Gatorades to the side and gingerly picked up one of the vials. It was about thirty milliliters, full of a clear liquid, and topped with a black plastic lid, which I carefully unscrewed before cautiously taking a sniff.

No scent.

Humming to myself, my brain started to run through the possibilities. In terms of poisons, thallium was colorless, odorless, and tasteless, and it was used in medical imaging, so it wasn’t impossible for Aaron to have gotten some.

But it also could be a street drug. Or something totally harmless.

Or not . . .

My mind jumped back to Autumn’s unexpected illness on Halloween.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have forever to figure it out as I heard the sound of someone moving around behind the door where Aaron had gone.

Mind made up, I grabbed a couple of vials and slipped them into my coat pocket. Then I repositioned the Gatorade before closing up the mini fridge and heading back to the counter to fill my glass up with water after all.

I had just sat back down at the table when the door opened up and Aaron made his way back out, looking flustered and sweaty again.

“Sorry about that,” he said, wiping at his face with both hands.

“It’s okay. Although you’re looking a bit pale.”

“Call took longer than I thought it would,” he mumbled, “and I’m starting to feel like shit again.”

I clucked like a concerned mother hen. “You should probably lie down.”

“Shit, yeah, you’re right,” he replied as he wiped his brow. “Raincheck?”

“Of course,” I said sweetly, standing up to make my way to the door, trying to hide my eagerness to get out. “You just take care of yourself.”

“Right, yeah,” Aaron muttered, looking already half asleep.

I was just about to shut the door behind me when he suddenly called out again.

“Luz?”

I turned around, plastering a placidly curious look on my face. “Yes?”

“Stay safe out there. Like I said, there are psychos everywhere.”

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