Page 19 of Grave Throbbing
"Ready."
Key took Harley's left hand and bit down on the knuckle of his pinkie finger. Tiny drops of blood pooled when Key released his fangs. They dried immediately and healed before Harley said, "No effect."
Key grinned. "Good. Next, I'll give you the paralyzing bite. I'll try to keep it minimal, but you shouldn't be able to move for about thirty seconds."
"I'll time," Greed said.
Once the stopwatch application was ready, Key bit down on his ring finger this time, leaving the same tiny fang marks in his skin. Harley only knew that because he watched Key remove his fangs, helpless to do anything about it, even blink. This was different than the first bite Key had given him, which had been full of both euphoria and fear. This bite had transferred no emotion, only paralyzing toxin.
The moment he could move his lips, he croaked, "It's over."
"Twenty-eight seconds," Greed said. "That's close."
"You've been practicing this on other vampires?" Harley asked.
"No. I've been practicing on myself." Key shrugged. "Greed's immune, and Empress Marcella said she would kill me if she ever heard I was running around biting other vampires."
Harley shivered. He had no way to keep Empress Marcella from knowing about these experiments. Key knew what he was doing, Harley tried to reassure himself. Still, he worried the empress would use his memories against Key.
"Next is the fear," Greed said to break the prolonged silence.
Harley swallowed hard, trying to tamp down his very real, non-bite-inspired fear.
"This time, the fear and paralysis last two minutes, or so he says." Greed shrugged. "Don't wet yourself, okay?"
"I'll be fine." Harley tried to sound confident and failed. "This is what you did to me in New York."
Key didn't meet Harley's gaze. "Not quite."
Harley remembered what Key had said before. He hadn't used his full force in New York. He'd wanted Harley to remember him.
Key bit his middle finger this time. Harley sensed his throat was dry, but he couldn't move a muscle to swallow. The walls seemed to close in on him as they sat. He couldn't move his head to see either sibling, but he was certain if he did, their sinister gazes would show they were plotting to end his life. He could no longer feel Key's touch on his hand, and he wondered if Key had disappeared into his apartment to search for a silver weapon. There were several in his office, hidden among the bookcases. He'd attached his favorite rapier to the bottom of his desk with Velcro. If Key found it and removed it from its sheath, Harley would be dead within seconds.
Finally, Harley could move his toes. He swallowed. "Time."
Greed nodded. "Just under two minutes. You didn't account for his age."
"You're older than Dobbins?" Key asked.
"Only by a decade or so."
"Why aren't you leading the council?" Greed leaned over the table with a dark scowl.
"Head Councilor Chloe is far older than I am, and my power lends itself to support, not leadership." He shrugged. "I'm Empress Marcella's liaison to the world council. That's enough for me."
"Dobbins isn't doing the tri-state area any favors with his side hustle," Key said.
"The empress found evidence he's deleted more than your witness statement," Harley shared. "I wish I'd heard more than rumors. I may not be the best person to protect you when the time comes, since I didn't know more about it."
"We'll tell her the truth," Key said, bringing Harley's hand to his chest and rubbing life back into the finger he bit. "That's all we can do." Harley jumped as Key's foot nudged his. "What do you remember about the bite?"
Harley tried to swallow the panic rising in his throat. He remembered Key's fangs sinking into his middle finger and the overwhelming sense of fear, but then, "Nothing." A feeling of dread washed over him. "I remember every moment I've been a vampire," he whispered. "How can you make me forget almost two minutes?"
"It gives us time to run away," Key said.
Harley couldn't shake the disconcerting feeling. He should remember everything.
"Don't you have one more bite?" Greed asked.
