Page 70 of Land of Shadow

“Hey, she said ‘outside the box.’” Gretchen holds up her hands.

“She didn’t say ‘violate every code known to every scientist the world over.’” Aang gives her a disapproving look.

“No human trials,” I say quickly. My run-in with Valen is still playing at the forefront of my mind.

Gretchen is crestfallen.

“But don’t think it isn’t a good idea. It is,” I add, her face brightening a little. “We just can’t go off halfcocked. Especially not with live subjects. This blood, even though we’ve analyzed it six ways from Sunday, is still an unknown quantity.”

“Yeah, no Frankenstein shit. We aren’t that desperate yet.” Aang goes back to typing his email.

I nod, at least agreeing with Aang in theory. But he’s wrong. Iamthat desperate. Time is ticking away. Juno gave us a year to solve this. Gregor whittled that down to only months, and half my time is already gone.

I have to rely on my team to find a cure for the plague and myself to find the vampires’ weakness. It’s the only way to keep Juno—and me, and all of us—alive.

* * *

“Not my favorite.”Candice wipes her palms together, crumbs falling from them to her plate. “I think it would’ve been better as a red velvet.”

I glance down at the chocolate chip cookies. “Harsh. This is my first ever baking attempt.”

“You asked for my opinion.” She eyes the misshapen, oddly flat treats. “And that’s it.”

“Fine. I’ll try again.”

“You think you deserve a second chance?” Her tone goes sharp.

“What?”

She leans across the table, her eyes taking on a hard glint. “I asked you if you think you deserve a second chance.”

“At making cookies? I’m not following.”

“Oh, Professor.” She clucks her tongue. “There’s plenty you aren’t following. You’re in a mess. You don’t have time to play a guessing game.” She points at my plate.

This time when I look down, it’s swimming with blood. I yell and shove back from the table, the lights in the governor’s mansion flickering around us. “What is this?”

She stands, her skirt suit turning black along the collar, then lower.

“What—” I stare, horror creeping through me on clawed feet.

“You don’t get another chance.” Her voice goes hoarse as her throat tears open, black blood running from the gaping wound. “You’re done, Professor. You’re dead. Just like me.” Her eyes go white, and her mouth opens. She lets out a bloodcurdling scream. It goes on and on, piercing through every layer of me, right down to my soul.

“Georgia!” She’s got her hands on me now, shaking me as she screeches into my face, her skin going papery and black.

I fight her, trying to shove her away as the power fails, and the entire room goes dark.

“Georgia!” Her voice changes, melts into something else. “Georgia, wake up!”

I gasp, my lungs burning.

“Georgia!”

My eyes open, and I’m in the dark. A figure looms over me. Hands on my arms where Candice’s were.

“It’s just a dream.” A low voice, almost soothing. “Let it go.”

I blink several times, and that’s when I see the feline glow of his eyes, smell his familiar scent. “Valen.”

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