Chapter 25 · Predator's Grin

"Hold him down. Now!"

Vera’s voice cracked like a whip, but she was the one shaking. Her boots slid on the blood-slicked floor as she slammed Kael’s shoulder against the metal operating table. The impact knocked the wind out of him, but he didn't fight it. Not yet. He just stared up at her, eyes wide, a manic edge to his grin that made her flinch.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Vera hissed, her fingers digging into his collar. Her breath was hot against his skin, smelling of ozone and adrenaline. She wasn't just holding him; she was trembling.

Kael let out a wet, jagged laugh. "What’s the matter, Vera? Scared I might actually like the feeling of a blade in my chest?"

"Shut up," she snapped, though she didn't pull away. Her face was inches from his, the distance dangerous and suffocating. He could see the tiny tremor in her eyelids, the way her gaze kept flicking from his eyes to the jagged, glowing chip embedded in his wrist.

"The overclock is killing you," she whispered, her voice losing its edge, turning into something that sounded almost like grief.