Layla couldn’t tell if Mei looked pale because of the unflattering hotel lights or her nerves. She sat on a velvet chair in an empty room upstairs, legs swinging back and forth. In the few minutes that they had been waiting for Stephen Wayne and Tobias Saint to ready the cure after leaving the rest of their clan in the lobby, none of them had said much.
Mei let out a shaky breath, and she pulled her knees up to her chest. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’ve dreamed of this for years.” She sighed sadly. “That and seeing my family again were the only two things I ever wanted.”
A gentle warmth filled Layla’s heart. But it was quickly dashed by the overwhelming apprehension she had been feeling in deciding to trust the Saints. She stood, moving closer to Mei. “You’ll be okay.”
“Do you really believe that?” Mei asked. When her voice trembled, Layla couldn’t take it. She lifted her wrist to her mouth and sank her teeth into her vein. Layla offered her blood to Mei, who took it without hesitation. She drank until she no longer trembled, Layla’s blood granting her soothing effects immediately.
Layla sighed as Mei released her and leaned her face into Layla’s palm. Her eyes glazed over with a subdued look, dull and unfocused while she exhaled. After a few moments, Mei finally looked up at Layla, eyes slightly teary. “Thank you for being mine when I had no one else,” she whispered.
Something in Layla’s chest squeezed. She stroked her thumb over Mei’s cheek. “Of course.”
Finally, the men returned; Stephen Wayne carried with him a syringe and vial of the cure. Layla moved back to give them some space, but Mei kept a firm grasp on her hand.
Tobias Saint stared down at their intertwined hands with the ghost of a smile gracing his lips. “Imagine if you were afraid of needles. That would be rather ironic,” he said, chuckling.
Layla’s hand tightened around Mei’s, and she glared at the white man while he plunged the needle into the vial.
“How odd that your clan leader is not here to witness such a momentous occasion,” Tobias Saint said softly.
Layla averted her eyes. Mei shrugged. No one knew where Valeriya was. She had left without a word before Layla returned.
Mr. Wayne gestured to Mei with his free hand. “I will need to inject you in the throat. If you do not mind moving your hair back.”
Mei trembled. She pulled her hand back from Layla and moved her hair behind her shoulder so her neck was exposed.
Cool air hit Layla’s hand and she closed her fist around emptiness. Watching Mei bare herself to this man stirred more than just discomfort. Chills covered her own neck and she began to wonder whether Elise had been right—if Layla had been wrong to be so trusting of something that had to be beyond her wildest dreams.
“Wait,” Layla said quickly. Everyone looked up at her with expectant eyes. She swallowed, lips pursing. “Will it hurt her?”
Stephen Wayne lifted a brow. “As much as it hurt when she first turned.” Without another hesitation, he sank the needle into Mei’s throat. Layla watched, waiting to sense any immediate change in her clanmate. But besides the slight twitch of her eyes and sharp intake of breath, Mei wasn’t yet showing a reaction to the shot. Stephen Wayne moved away from her and faced Tobias Saint, mouth opening like he wanted to say something. But then another Saint member stepped into the foyer.
“Sir. You have a call outside. Both of you are needed,” he said to the men.
Mr. Wayne nodded. “The cure will take a few minutes to start working,” he announced to the room.
Mr. Saint stole a final glance at Layla, then followed Stephen Wayne out of the room.
Layla dropped her hand to Mei’s shoulder and said gently, “How are you feeling?”
Mei shrugged. “I feel fine…I feel…normal.” She sounded disappointed. “What if this is all just a hoax?” she asked.
“Then we expose the Saints and Stephen Wayne for being dirty liars and bring their empire down,” Layla muttered fiercely.
An amused laugh bubbled out of Mei and a tentative smile returned to her face. “I’ve always loved your ambition.” Layla was about to return the smile, but Mei stopped suddenly, her hand going to her chest while she gasped.
“What is it?” Layla demanded as Mei slipped from the chair and crumpled to the floor. She was paler now, her face so white, she looked translucent. Her veins bulged blue beneath her skin and her eyes bled. Mei gasped for air, fingers clawing at her throat.
“Mei—” Layla tried to steady Mei’s writhing, but the girl was too far gone. She let her go and sank her teeth into her wrist, determined to shove her blood down Mei’s throat if she needed to. But by the time Layla reached forward to open Mei’s mouth, Mei had gone still. Blood dripped down Layla’s hand, but she ignored it, leaning closer to Mei as she assessed her.
Mei heaved a deep breath and sat up so fast, she almost knocked Layla over. She felt her face, which had brightened, her paleness diminished. A rosy color painted her cheeks, and her eyes no longer contained the unnatural reaper glow. “Oh my God,” Mei whispered. Her body convulsed and for a moment, Layla thought she would start panicking again. But she didn’t. Mei laughed with delight. Wonder pierced her tone as she beheld her brand-new liveliness, examining her hands first, then feeling her face again, and when she gave Layla a full smile, Layla finally saw the depths of her humanity. No enlarged fangs sat in her mouth. Layla even sensed the steady rush of a normal human pulse. She had seen this before. Her heart jolted with the memory of Nellie, that unlucky reaper turned human who had died beneath the weight of the chandelier so many nights ago.
“It worked,” Mei gasped. She erupted into joyful laughter as she stood up. “Layla, it worked!” Mei pulled her into a tight hug. The glorious humanity was overpowering, but Layla accepted her embrace, burying her face in Mei’s neck while she cried. The scent of her human blood stuck in her throat, making Layla’s eyes sting with tears of envy and her muscles tense with restraint. She rubbed the other girl’s back and held her until her tears stopped. “I never thought I would feel this way ever again.” Mei pulled back, wiping at her eyes.
A twinge of jealousy struck Layla. For so long, she had dreamed of waking up in her human body, but never once had she believed it was possible. Until now. Layla squeezed Mei’s hand and smiled tightly. “You’re glowing.” She pushed Mei toward the mirror by the double doors so she could look at herself.
“Wow.” Mei cupped her chin. Her smile never wavered while she took in her new human features.
Layla watched her for a moment. Envy bit at her so hard, she clenched her jaw to keep a neutral face and swallowed past the bitter taste in her mouth. “Too bad Valeriya isn’t here to see this,” she muttered.
Mei shuddered. At first Layla thought it was because of the mention of their absent clan leader. But then she saw Mei frowning at her own reflection. A bright red drop of blood trickled from her nose. Without thinking, Layla reached forward and wiped the blood from her friend’s face. The scent was one thing, but the feeling of the fresh human blood on her own skin made Layla’s nerves spark with fire. She trembled slightly, her hands growing blurry while her cravings rose to the surface and crowded her vision with the urge to devour blood.
“Layla.” Mei’s voice was sharp.
“Mei…” Layla said slowly. Something was wrong. A new scent filled the air, souring all of Mei’s beautiful humanity from before. Now, an acrid scent of decay arose and it spilled from Mei. Layla’s fangs emerged and her shoulders went rigid. With each breath, her consciousness slipped further and further away from her. Black and red spots covered her vision and blood rushed in her ears until Mei was barely a shadow before her, her voice a futile echo of terror.
Then she pitched forward and fell into an abyss of darkness.