Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
My heart seems to do a double thump, my breath stolen away for a moment. “What? Why not?”
“Think of it like a trade secret.”
She could’ve backhanded me, and I’d be less surprised. “Do you have any idea how insane you sound right now? I’m not leaving here until I have—”
“For now.” She speaks over me. “Just for now, Georgia. Once the election is over, you’ll have access to so much more. I swear to you. You’ll be the first one to take a crack at the cure from this new species of blood. But not now.”
“I don’t understand.” I shake my head. “Your life isn’t a fucking trade secret. You could be infected right now. I need to know exactly what happened up on that stage.”
“What you saw is what happened. I cut myself. Valen’s blood healed the wound.”
“How?”
“That’s what half a dozen heads of state and counting want to know. And they will know after I’m in the White House.” She has the nerve to look triumphant.
I step back from her. “If what I saw was real, then—”
“It was, Georgia. I wouldn’t lie to you—”
“If it was—” Now I’m speaking over her. “Then this could save lives just like you said, but you’re holding it hostage until you win your election?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“In point of fact, I’m the one holding it hostage.” Valen stands and casually buttons his suit coat, his long pale fingers making quick work of it. “We won’t provide anything until the governor has earned her seat in Washington.”
I sidestep Juno and glare up at him. “So, I’m supposed to just take on faith you’re some magical unicorn with healing blood?”
He simply stares back at me, face impassive, though I could swear derision or amusement shimmers in his eyes. I fist my hands, my face flushing.
Juno turns and looks at him over her shoulder. “She won’t take any blood. You have my word.”
Valen strides to the door. “Keep to your word, Governor. You know the consequences if you don’t.”
Vince bristles and follows him into the hallway.
“Did he just threaten you?” I dart past Juno and run to the door.
“Stop!” Juno grabs my shoulder and yanks me back. “Georgia!” She spins me to her, and for the first time in a long time, I see fear in her eyes. “You can’t do anything to him. You can’t stop this. I’ve asked you to trust me. I need you to trust me, for all our sakes.”
“Trust what?” I yell. “You haven’t told me anything! I can’t keep believing you when you shut me out. What the fuck is going on? Tell me the truth!”
She grips my wrist hard, her fingers digging in. “You cannot go after Valen or any of them, you understand me? They are dangerous, Georgia. All right? They’ll hurt you. Promise me you won’t.”
I’m dumbstruck by the way she’s looking at me, by the tremor in her voice. That’s when I realize she’s terrified of Valen, of the people she just warmly praised in her press conference.
“I mean it!” She tries for stern but comes off more unhinged than anything else. I’ve never seen her like this, rattled so badly her self-control is gone. “Promise me!”
“Jesus, Juno. What is this? What’s happening?” I take her hands in mine. “Who are they?”
“You wouldn’t believe me.” She takes a deep breath.
“Try me.”
“To us, they’re …” She squeezes my hands as if worried I’ll bolt. “They’re a different species. Like you know how other types of humans died out forever ago so that our species remained? Their line didn’t. They’re superhuman.”
My mouth drops open. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I try to yank free from her grip, anger growing right along with my worry. “After all this, and you still lie to me?”
“It’s not a lie!” She pulls me away from the door with a rough yank. “I’m serious.”
A harsh laugh croaks from my throat. “Bullshit. There’s no way a completely separate line of humans has been existing right along with Homo Sapiens. We would know. It’s simply not possible. Unless you’re going to tell me they’ve established an Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean somewhere? Is that what you’re going to tell me next? Or maybe they live in space? Like the Little Prince on their own planet?”
“Georgia.” Her face goes stern. “How else do you explain this?” She holds out her arm. “You saw it yourself!”
“I saw something. What I didn’t see was the Missing Link! Or Sasquatch. Or vampires or werewolves or a fucking mermaid! My god, Juno, does Vince know about this shit?”
“That they’re superhuman?”
“That you think they’re superhuman, yes.”
“He knows. He’s seen.” Her face pales. “He’s seen it firsthand.”
“Seen what?”
“What they’re capable of.” She swallows hard. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me, Georgia. I don’t care. I really don’t. But what I do care about is you. So promise me right fucking now that you won’t do anything to antagonize them.”