by Ramy Vance
This is his language she’s speaking, and he nods fast. “Definitely a snoop.”
“Did you follow her?”
“Into the hallway.”
“And?”
“She ducked into the nearest bathroom and came out in clothes that fit her.”
“Then?”
“She left the building and ran into the crowd.”
Perfect. “Tell me we’ve got video, Kilby.”
That familiar look of pleasure crosses Stein’s face—he knows he has what I desire. He can make me happy. “We’ve got video.”
She sits forward, both elbows touching the desk as she stares up at him. “No, Kilby. We don’t.”
His pleasure vanishes, a tortured uncertainty replacing it. When did she begin to love these small manipulations? “We don’t have video.”
“That’s right,” Serena says. “You know it’s policy to erase all the data after twenty-four hours. The university would be very angry with us for violating that part of our agreement.”
Now he understands. He nods, and because the silence weighs too heavily, he turns to go.
“But,” she says, “you’ll send me what you saw.”
He’s already partly opened the door, and now he turns toward her, the low-level lab assistant once more. And even as she knows he’s wearing those hi-tech contacts, it’s hard to believe; he squints like a mole in the sun.
He taps one finger beside his left eye. “Yes, Dr. Russo.” He pauses. “The trainee is waiting outside.”
“Send him in, Kilby.”
Then he’s gone, and Serena is alone once more with Isabella Ramirez’s file. She opens it, pens a note next to her species. Encantado illusion fooled Kilby. Extremely powerful. Worthwhile female candidate for testing.
Half a minute later, a knock sounds at her door.
“Come in,” she says, closing the file as he steps inside. That’s the first thing she notices about him now: the way he walks. He’s deft, quiet. His physicality is twice what it was.
“Dr. Russo,” Justin says, and she smiles as she meets those grateful blue eyes. Serena wonders if that’s how he looks at the encantado; she can understand how he draws women in. “Thank you for seeing me.”
“It’s not me who deserves thanks.” She gestures for him to sit in the chair across my desk. “I heard what you did in the forest.”
He sits. “The other cadets were there, too.”
“Of course. Tell me, how have you been feeling?”
“Since last night?”
“That, and since the procedure.” She lifts a notepad and pen. “Like I said, we want to know exactly how it’s affecting you—for better and worse.”
He sits back in the chair, his forearms flexing as he grips the armrests. “Well, it’s mostly been for the better.”
“But?”
“Well …” He hesitates. “There have been a few side effects.”
Serena lifts her pen. “Tell me,” she says. And because Justin Truly trusts her, he tells her everything she wants to know.
Join The Clan!
To get a FREE COPY of the CURIOUS CASE OF THE BONE FLUTE TROLL (a novella set in the same universe as Mortality Bites), swag, news updates, book release alerts and other exclusive bonus content …
Sign up for my NEWSLETTER
https://www.subscribepage.com/F-MORTALITY-BITES
And…
Join Ramy Vance’s House of the GoneGod Damned!
I respond to all messages, so if you have any comments, thoughts, love or ire, be sure to reach out.
About the Author
Author Bio:
R.E. Vance lives in Edinburgh with his wife, demonic toddler and imaginary dog where he enjoys a beautiful city, whisky and long walks.
Connect with me -
Email: [email protected]
Good Reads: readerlinks.com/l/219182