471  Sour Puss

~ SASHA ~

“Zev! No!” Sasha almost ran from the Gateway, almost leaped towards Zev who lay on the ground, gaping like a fish out of water, his hands flailing, head lolling. His eyes kept catching on hers, then rolling away as his body became less and less coordinated. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?” she screamed at Nick. “YOU—”

“Relax, he’s just tranquilized,” Nathan drawled.

Sasha whipped her head back to look at Nathan. “You bastard. You fucking bastard.”

Nathan rolled his eyes, then shook his head. “Make sure he doesn’t wake up,” he muttered to Nick who had darted to Zev’s side and was examining the spot where she could now see a dart protruding from his shoulder. Nick nodded to Nathan without looking at Sasha.

“You asshole, you fucking asshole—”

“Be thankful the asshole is here, Sasha. Without him, you’d be dead already. He convinced me that containing you both was more advantageous than killing you, though you both deserve it—you especially, you lying little bitch.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck what you think of me,” Sasha hissed at him. “You are a fucking psychopath.”

“Sociopath, actually. I was made, not born,” he said with a sarcastic smile that fell off his face immediately. His eyes grew intense and he took one step towards her. “Now, no more hysterics, please. Zev is still alive, and will be back to normal in an hour or so. At least, he will be if you step out of that Gateway and allow it to close. If you do not, I’m going to shoot Zev dead first, then your son, then you. And before you consider it: Studies have shown it’s definitely worse to go after watching others die, so… spare yourself. Honestly. I’m a sociopath, not a sadist.”

Sasha gaped as Nathan stared at her calmly.

He was still standing in the wide doorway between the two rooms. The bundle in his arms made a tiny noise and Sasha froze.

“Do I need to repeat the only circumstances under which I will not kill them both, Sasha? Because, I do not make empty threats. And I find I have no patience.”

Sasha looked down at Zev, who had stopped moving. His eyes were on her, but hooded. She was uncertain he could hear anything anymore, but just in case, she whispered in his head, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.

Then she stepped out of the Gateway and into the room, stumbling towards him. But before she could make it to his side, that tiny noise—a peep, the smallest of cries—sounded again and drew her to a halt like someone had yanked her chain. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ Novᴇl ꜰirᴇ.nᴇt

She didn’t look at Nathan’s empty, soulless eyes. She looked at the bundle in his arms. Her son. She would have bet money that was her son.

“What are you doing to him?” she whispered.

“He’s just had his bottle and I was about to put him to bed when you two arrived. Would you like to hold him?”

Sasha felt those words in her belly.

between her teeth and she was shaking.

09:44

Nathan nodded. “Yes, he is. Unfortunately.”

Would she like to? Like to?

“He’s my son!” her voice should have been stronger, not so breathless, but she’d spewed the words between her teeth and she was shaking.

Nathan nodded. “Yes, he is. Unfortunately.”

Sasha blinked, then frowned. “What does that mean?”

“He’s your son, Sasha. Entirely yours. As human as you and I. Do you have any idea how disappointing that is?” His voice was thin, tightly reined fury.

Sasha frowned. “I don’t care what he is. He’s mine. Give him to me.”

“Come get him.”

Sasha knew it had to be a trap. With a glance down at Zev that forced her to also see Nick—she bared her teeth at him—she took a step forward. Nathan was going to use this against her, she knew. But if she couldn’t save Zev, and she couldn’t save her son, she could hold him. She could let him know what love felt like.

So she walked towards Nathan down the aisle of the larger lab room, waiting for the trap. For the mock. For… whatever it was he was going to do. But when she reached him, he only tilted his head. “Hold your arms out. You know you need to support his head, correct?”

The gentle way this monster of a man held her son, so familiar, as if he’d done it a thousand times…. The way he gave her instruction, as if she needed to be told how to do it…

She wanted him dead. She wanted him skinned alive, castrated, then dead.

Instead, she held out her arms the way he’d indicated and bit her lip as her son was placed in her arms.

For a moment, Sasha only stared. A soft, beige blanket had been tucked around his tiny body like he was a little human burrito. His face, angelic in sleep, was completely peaceful, his button nose turned up and eyes closed. His lashes were dark blonde, barely visible in the dim light of the laboratory—why weren’t there more lights in here? Presumably because it doubled as a nursery, Sasha thought. But that was as far as she made it, because she was too busy staring at this perfect little bundle… and wondering why she didn’t feel something.

She swallowed and took in his perfect skin—darker than hers. His tiny lips, slightly open. The one ear that she could see peeking out from the blanket, so perfectly formed it looked as if it had been molded by the hand of God Himself.

“Zan,” she breathed. “His name is Zan.” She wasn’t sure where it came from. They hadn’t talked about names. But something told her—

A cold, hard click sounded right next to her ear and Sasha froze.

“Fucking idiot,” Nick muttered behind her.

Sasha would have turned to tell him exactly what she thought of him, and only in the most colorful of terms, but she was too busy staring down the barrel of the pistol Nathan held to her temple.