by Jade Farhill
Trent began to twirl her.
Abby laughed, seeing the colours, geometric shapes and fractals collide and explode.
They swayed to the music, the heat radiating off Trent’s body making her own radiate in tune with his. She pressed closer to him, feeling his chest against her own, his breath tickling her face. She felt the weight of his gaze on her lips.
“Abby,” he whispered, and the syllables were pearlescent bubbles floating up to the ceiling.
She stared at them and Trent sighed. “I can’t kiss you now, my dear. It doesn’t feel right. You’re not with it—you’re not really here.”
“Thank god for that,” muttered Nina.
Trent winced, his hand flying up to his forehead.
“Headache?” Abby asked.
At his nod, she bit into her arm and offered it to him, blood dribbling down and splashing on the floor. “Have some of my blood, Trent. It’ll cure the headache.”
“Okay, something’s definitely wrong with the vampire,” Elliot said, looming menacingly. “We’ve all heard you complain of headaches before and not once has she offered you her blood.”
“You needed her to offer me blood before you figured out something was wrong? The music and the dancing didn’t give it away?” asked Trent.
“Oh, I knew it all along,” Elliot replied.
“Trent, your face is a diamond and your body is a rectangle,” giggled Abby. “I was dancing with a rectangle!”
“Right, Abby. I need you to sit down over here.” Trent pulled Abby to a chair.
Abby marvelled at his touch, seeing warm, white imprints of every place he touched her. “It’s amazing that a rectangle can feel so much like a human. I like human touch—it’s warm and comforting and reminds me of when I was human.”
“Is that so?” He gently pushed her down into a chair.
“Yes! The first human to touch me since I became a vampire was Jen. The second human to touch me was you, Trent.”
“And did you touch any humans in the time that you were a vampire?” asked Nina, black and prickly orbs emanating from her mouth.
Abby glowered and said, “No. I didn’t go near humans unless absolutely necessary. I even stayed away from my parents.”
“Surely you’ve asked her this before,” Trent said.
“We have. But this time is different. We’ve never questioned her when she’s been … like this. Vampires are very truthful and unpredictable when this happens. They fluctuate between compliant and belligerent.”
“When they’re ‘like this’? What does that mean?” asked Lynn.
Nina ignored the question. “Vampire, did you feed on any humans before you came here?”
“No! Unless you count blood bank blood.”
“How did you realise that you could survive on non-human blood?” asked Elliot.
Abby frowned—all the good vibes had disappeared from her lab. “Although I crave human blood, it’s too rich for me. I only had a tenth of the dose my sister used to have before I couldn’t have any more. My body rejects human blood after about three mouthfuls. But my nose doesn’t realise that, so every time I smell humans I lust after their blood, knowing full well that it won’t satisfy me like animal blood will.”
“If you could drink human blood, would you be more likely to attack a human?” Lynn asked.
“The smell is what lures me most. The taste doesn’t really compare. It would never be as satisfying as the smell. And even if the taste was as good, I wouldn’t attack a human.” Abby reached up and gently stroked the side of Trent’s fractal covered face with her fingers. “Because I know that human blood should stay inside humans.”
Trent tilted his head and leaned his cheek into the palm of her hand. Energy rippled between them.
“Don’t be fooled, Trent. To her, it’s like touching her lunch,” said the little hunter, standing in the doorway like an ogre in teen form.
“Oh, look, it’s the little hunter. Have you come to cut yourself and torment me further?” said Abby.
“What’s wrong with her?” asked the little hunter.
“Something,” muttered Elliot.
“He’s the one who cuts himself?” Trent asked. “You made it out that everyone does it.”
“Check their hands.” Abby held up her palm. “If you see white and red lines that speak of hatred, they’re guilty.”
“White and red lines?” Lynn asked. “As in open wounds and scars?”
“Show me your palms,” Trent demanded of the hunters.
The boy ran out of the room and the geometric hunters didn’t move. Abby realised the little hunter didn’t get far—the scent of his blood wafted over to her in unrelenting red waves.
“Your silence proves your guilt,” Lynn commented.
“This is ridiculous! All of you do it? Even her guards?”
Trent’s words shot at the hunters like arrows, but the hunters’ glares deflected the onslaught.
“And you bloody wonder why she’s been on edge?” Trent shouted, poking his finger at Elliot. The hunter stood his ground. “Do you even want the cure? Do you even want the vaccine? Then stop tormenting the very person who’ll find it! She was fine last year! She didn’t hurt anyone when she went into a blood rage! You still talk about how you’ve never seen anything like it and probably think it’s a fluke! What the hell is wrong with you all?”
Abby couldn’t stop smiling. Trent was wonderful! She stood and put her hands on his face, turning him to look at her. “I love you, Trent.”
The menacing shapes of the hunters waved evil silver objects her way, but she didn’t care.
Trent’s arm slipped around her waist again and he pulled her closer.
“Something’s different about her!” shouted Elliot. “You don’t think she’s in control of herself right now, do you? You don’t think the moment she smells blood, she’ll lash out and drain you?”
Abby glanced over at the kid. “The little hunter is bleeding,” she said lightly. “He’s clearly already decided to test if I’m in control.”
“You’re what?” shouted Trent, turning on the boy. “Did you run out to cut yourself then come back in? Get out and stay out!”
The little hunter stayed where he was.
Why couldn’t everyone just go away and leave her alone with Trent? Her eyes slid to Lynn, who was standing behind the hunters. Maybe she could stay too—she hadn’t unleashed any arrows on Abby.
Abby reached out and took Trent’s hand, feeling the warmth of his fingers flow through hers. She looked down, a smile on her lips, and rubbed his hand against her cheek.
Vivid brown hair drifted across her vision. It thrummed with energy. But it wasn’t the grey energy of her own skin—it was the white energy of the humans around her.
It was alive.
And it was whispering to her, in a voice so quiet it had been drowned out until now. “I’m the cure,” it murmured.
The cure?
“Cut me off and use me for the cure.”
Wait a second. Abby pulled back from Trent, went over to a draw and grabbed a scalpel.
“What’s she doing?” asked the little hunter.
But it was too late: she’d already cut her hair off.
“Abby,” Trent said as he stepped towards her, his voice careful. “What are you doing?”
“I told you she was erratic!” yelled Nina.
“It’s the hair. The hair!” She brought the precious strands closer to inspect them. If they were the cure, then she would be cured! And then she could kiss Trent all she liked!
She shoved a lock in her mouth and started eating it.
“Abby, no!” Trent pulled the ends of the strands out of her mouth. “These are going in the incinerator.”
“No!” Abby shouted. “You can’t! Please, Trent, you can’t!”
The hunters surrounded her.
“She’s not going to attack me!” Trent barked at them.
“She was eating her own hair! She’s not rig
ht in the head!”
“Yeah, and you know why but won’t tell us!” cried Lynn.
“Precisely!” Trent agreed. “Which means if anyone’s not right in the head, it’s you! And cutting yourselves? Why? For fun? Oh, yes, let’s torment a scientist who’s dedicated her life to a cure, who got Turned for a cure!”
“Trent, please. Don’t destroy the hair. You can’t, please don’t.” Abby fell to her knees and reached out to hold Trent’s shirt. “Please!” If he destroyed her hair, he destroyed the cure.
Trent released a breath. “All right, Abby. I won’t destroy it.”
Abby held back tears of relief. The cure was safe. Her hair was safe.
“I’ll put your hair in this cupboard over here. When you’re feeling better, you can get it.”
“I will tell you what you need to do,” the hair still on her head whispered to her. “But you need to write it down.”
She stood. “I need to work.” She went and sat at her computer and started typing as her hair dictated to her.
“Is it really a good idea for you to write in that state?” Elliot asked.
“Shh,” Abby said, turning in her chair, locking gazes with Elliot and put her index finger over her lips. “My hair is talking and telling me its secrets.”
“It’s official, she’s gone insane,” Elliot replied.
Abby shushed him again and he mouth Fine!
She smiled and went back to recording her hair’s words.
***
The next day, Abby snapped out of that episode and discovered herself typing on the computer. Why was she typing? And for that matter, what was she typing?
She frowned and leaned forward, scrolling up to the top of the document open on her screen. As she read, she put her hand to her hair, realising how much shorter it was—and uneven. She must look a fright, but she quickly forgot this as she got further into the document.
In amidst the stream-of-consciousness outpouring were nuggets of gold. Her hair, the only human part of her, held the key to the cure. It might have all the genes that described which parts of the genome to activate and which parts to turn off.
“Hair!” Abby cried out.
“I thought it had worn off,” muttered Elliot. “And then she says that.”
Trent strode into the lab at that moment. “What wore off?”
Elliot held his gaze and said nothing.
Abby jumped up and ran over to him. “A breakthrough. My hair, it’s a breakthrough!”
“Yes,” Elliot drawled in the background. “you’ve been going on about it since yesterday.”
“Elliot,” Lynn chastised.
“What?” he asked.
“Let her speak.”
He rolled his eyes and shared a look of disgust with Nina.
Abby ignored all this and led Trent over to the computer to show him the document. The hunters followed, and she explained what she’d discovered, highlighting the important parts.
After a few minutes of reading, Trent looked up at her and grinned. “It really could work.”
Then he hugged her, lifting her off the ground, and Abby laughed loudly. His heart beat excitedly as he spun her around.
“She’s not laughing because she’s happy,” said the little hunter. “She’s laughing because you’ve let your guard down and she can strike at any moment.”
Trent put Abby down and turned to glare at the little hunter. “I don’t care what you think. Get out of here—it’s a laboratory, not a playground.”
The little hunter stood his ground, then turned his gaze on Abby. “You look better—” his eyes went up to her hair “—and worse than yesterday.”
Abby crossed her arms over her chest. “Thanks?”
“Don’t interact with him—it’ll only encourage him. Out.” Trent pointed to the door.
The little hunter shot Trent a defiant look and turned to leave.
Only to step outside, peek around the door, meet Abby’s eyes once more and cut himself.
Abby gritted her teeth. How would the hunters respond if she compelled the kid to leave her alone?
Probably not well.
Abby broke eye contact and returned to her conversation with Trent.
Lynn had come over to read the document, and her smile was now as bright and excited as Trent’s. “This is amazing!”
“Yes,” Elliot said sarcastically, “whoever would have thought that hair could be so knowledgeable.”
Trent stomped over to the empty milkshake container Abby had drunk from yesterday before … actually, she couldn’t remember what had happened after that. Trent brandished the container at Elliot. “You might refuse to tell me what her drink was spiked with yesterday—”
Abby gasped.
“—but you can’t stop me from figuring it out myself.”
Elliot shot Nina an alarmed look.
She was about to speak when Abby said, “Where’s the rest of my hair?”
“Over here.” Lynn led her to a cupboard, and the hunters reluctantly followed.
Lynn handed her the hair just as the rest of the scientists arrived, Jen not far behind.
Elliot swore quietly at seeing the lawyer. “And there goes any chance of stopping Trent.”
Abby couldn’t stop herself from smirking at Elliot—a victory at last!
A muscle jumped in his jaw, but he didn’t say anything, as Jen was now within earshot.
“Okay,” Abby said to her scientific team. “New information came to light last night.” She handed out locks of her hair, telling them to analyse it.
“Why isn’t Trent helping?” Jen asked.
“He probably knows more about what happened than I do,” Abby replied. “It might be best to ask him.”
Jen frowned then went over to him.
After a moment, Jen shouted, “What? Why didn’t you come to me? I’m really sorry that happened.”
“It’s fine, Jen. We’ve made a breakthrough because of it.”
“No, it’s not fine. Once Trent’s finished his analysis of the blood, I’m taking this up with the president.”
The hunters flinched.
Abby got to work, confident Trent would find an answer. She went back to the document and started sifting through the parts that didn’t make sense until something occurred to her. Were the ramblings a code?
“I’m going to have to decipher this,” she announced. “Anyone know anything about code-breaking?”
“The hunters should know,” Lynn said.
“And that’s all you’ll know about it, because we won’t assist you,” Nina replied.
Abby huffed and researched how to decipher codes.
***
A few hours later, Trent approached her with Jen in tow and handed her a copy of the results. “They spiked your drink with garlic.”
“Great, now she knows,” muttered Elliot.
Abby was confused. “But isn’t it deadly?”
“And that’s exactly what I’m going to say to the president,” Jen announced.
“Wait,” Elliot said, looking at Nina as if for permission. The lead hunter gave a tight nod. Elliot continued. “It’s not deadly. It’s just used as a sort of … truth serum. The only side effects are erratic behaviour, which I’m pretty sure we saw last night.”
“You wouldn’t have told me this if Trent hadn’t discovered what it was?” Jen asked, genuine hurt in her voice.
Elliot grimaced. “There are some secrets hunters are bound to protect—this is one of them.”
“Don’t blame him,” Nina added. “He was just doing his duty.”
“His duty to not interfere when a vampire is drugged?” Trent demanded.
“But I don’t understand why,” Abby interjected. “I mean, was I interrogated last night?”
The hunters all averted their eyes.
“Yeah, by them,” Trent said, motioning to her guards.
“I also asked you a question,” Lynn piped up. She met Abby’s gaze. “Sorry.”
“She only asked about how safe you really are,” Trent supplied.
Abby relaxed her shoulders—she could easily forgive her, Lynn was in a vulnerable position. Of course she’d want to know she was … safe.
Abby had been attacked before with the silver. And now garlic, designed to make her behave erratically, maybe even dangerously. Maybe, whoever spiked her drink, hoped that she’d attack Lynn.
Abby turned to Trent. “Y-DNA.”
Trent’s eyes widened. “Come on, Jen—I’ll tell you what we think happened.”
“Where’s the code-breakers when you need them,” grumbled Elliot.
Jen sent him a stern look. “I’m legally and duty bound not to divulge any of this to you.” Then she followed Trent out of the lab.
Lynn hesitated at the door, then looked over her shoulder at Elliot. “So … how is your relationship with her going?”
“Don’t you have a secret conversation to get to?” Elliot retorted.
“Enough,” snapped Nina. “We’re not here to chat.”
Yeah, they were here to make sure Abby didn’t kill anyone.
CHAPTER 23
Two weeks later, Abby was still deciphering her document when the atmosphere changed again.
The hunters in the day guard shift were more hostile than usual. The number of hunters who passed the lab and cut themselves increased.
Jen looked both smug and disturbed as she entered the lab. “Abby,” she said loudly, “the investigation is complete! We discovered a web of corruption in the top ranks of the hunter organisation.”
Lynn was concentrating fiercely on Jen, hands on her swollen belly.
“They’re all receiving disciplinary action, losing their ranks and being sent to different hunter organisations around the country. And they’ll be watched to ensure they never do something like this again.” At this, Jen met Lynn’s eyes.
Lynn relaxed.
Jen then listed the names of the perpetrators; Lynn’s father was among them.
Lynn covered her face and took in a choked breath.
“Do you see what you’ve done?” Elliot snapped at Jen. “You’re breaking up families!”
Abby stood between them. “Don’t yell at my solicitor for doing her job.”
“Abby, it’s fine,” Jen said, and Abby stepped back. Jen met Elliot’s eyes. “Your organisation is now safer because of my actions. If you don’t see it, then you don’t realise how corrupt it was in the first place.” She turned her back on him and went to talk to Trent.
