Chapter 45 · The Forbidden Cure: Finale

"Get your fucking hands off him!"

Sloane’s nails dug into my wrist, hard enough to break skin. She yanked me back, but the shadow only rippled, like it was laughing at her.

"Sloane, let go," I snapped.

"No!" She slammed her palm against my chest, shoving me behind her. She was shaking, but she didn't budge. "You don't get to play hero. You don't get to trade yourself for me!"

The black door was wide open. The thing inside wasn't pretending to be a wall anymore.

It breathed.

"Julian," it said. Not a voice. A pressure vibrating right behind my teeth. "You wanted a final session. Here it is."

The shadow peeled off the floor and stood. It took my shape. My face. Even my shitty therapist coat. Only its eyes were wrong. Hollow. Starving.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Choose," it said with my mouth. "Kill the monster or cure the man. You can't do both."

Sloane stepped in front of me, blade up. Her arm was trembling. "Don't listen to it. It's lying. That's what it does."

"Am I?" My double smiled. "Look at her, Doctor. Look at what she really is when she's scared.