Page 101 of The Cute Psycho

"Failure?" I repeat out loud, frowning at his choice of words.

"He wants to know why his experiments failed," Patrick explains.

"What experiments?"

"I can't..." he says, moving wildly in Vlad's arms. He's becoming even more anxious the more Vlad probes about Miles.

Out of nowhere, he pushes his feet on a bed, briefly escaping Vlad's hold. Instead of running, though, he reaches for the instruments, taking a scalpel and holding it to his neck.

"My family..." He shakes his head, taking a few steps back until he hits a counter. One hand on the scalpel, the other searches under the table for something. "I'm sorry," he mouths right before plunging the scalpel into his own neck, blood gushing freely, his eyes blank and lifeless as he hits the floor.

At the same time, an alarm sounds in the building, accompanied by a robotic voice doing a countdown.

Vlad's eyes widen and he immediately reaches for me, taking me in his arms as he starts running.

"Hold tight," he whispers in my hair as he runs for the tunnel, barely reaching it before a huge explosion propels us both forward.

Cradling me to his chest, he tries to take the brunt of the fall, but somehow I feel a pain in my temple before everything fades away.

23

VLAD

"Sisi," I groan as I roll over, taking her with me in my arms.

Fucking Patrick. I hadn't pegged him for a loyal one. In fact, I'd have thought he would be the weakest link between the two. I certainly hadn't thought the lab would have a self-destruct mode either. And now that makes me even more curious about what they're hiding.

I get into a sitting position, annoyed at the destruction around us.

At least we got out in time.

"Sisi." I shake her, but she's not reacting.

Frowning, I drag her to my lap, using my hands to check her body for wounds.

"Sisi, it's not funny," I add, just in case she thought to prank me.

Just then, my hand brushes across her forehead, and a small rivulet of blood starts flowing down her temple, coating my fingers in the process.

My eyes become fixated on the shade of red, of her blood, my lids flutter closed as I bring my fingers to my mouth, tasting it.

Fuck.

I already feel myself slipping, the allure of the blood almost too much.

More...

My hands ball into fists as I try to resist, focusing instead on the still breathing human in my arms.

Focus.

"Sisi?" My voice trembles as I shake her, trying to get her to react.

Because if I lose it, she's the only one who can bring me back... the only one.

I attempt to regulate my breath, all the while feeling her body for more injuries. A head wound could prove dangerous. Information filters into my brain, and I focus on that. Facts are safe, science is safe.

Another deep breath.

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