ARC: Cracked Read Free Page A

straightens and tugs his suit smooth.
    Yes – I, the girl with the ridiculous haircut and blood-splashed nightgown – am the one who doesn’t belong in the insane asylum.
    “Have you been reassigned?” he continues. “Why wasn’t I made aware of this?”
    Um. I straighten out of my own crouch.
    “Did zi-Ben send you?” Hawkish asks.
    Who?
    “Is this some kind of joke?” demands Puffy.
    That zi-Ben – he’s such a kidder.
    “And what on earth have you been doing?” demands the one in the middle.
    Better not answer that, though they’ll probably notice soon enough. No way to hide it. I eye the three of them, considering. They’ll need a lesson in discretion before I go . Not a lethal lesson. Mom wouldn’t like that.
    But, if there’s a fight… accidents happen . The Hunger hums.
    The leader’s still ranting. “I don’t know where you’ve come from, but we’re near the Templars here. You tripped every alarm we set – if they have any of their own…”
    Right, the Templars… who? Not that it matters.
    “I told zi-Ben we could handle it,” he continues, shaking his head. “Even while helping in The Search… I mean we have Skype – this isn’t the dark ages any more. The asylum practically runs itself, anyway. We don’t need some junior associate in here screwing things up!” He waves at me.
    Do I look corporate? Maybe they belong here more than I thought.
    Puffy swipes a finger through a blood smear I left on the wall and licks it.
    Holy crap. Maybe they do belong here.
    At the taste of the blood, a shocked look comes over his face – mirroring the shock on mine no doubt. But I’m trying to hide my confusion, so maybe he doesn’t notice. He’s been largely quiet, but now he explodes.
    “This is… this is – did you eat Samson?” Puffy ends in a bellow. “I’ve been working on him for months. I almost had his soul, I was this friggin’ close!” Pinched fingers, red face. “All these easy vics around and you eat Samson! Unbelievable! Not to mention, who am I going to get to work the damn midnight shift?”
    I’ve never been caught “eating” people before, but somehow I imagined a different reaction. For the barest moment the world sharpens and something tingles in my mind, a worry trying to work its way through the cotton.
    But worries are for people who can’t pull grown men apart with their bare hands.
    Puffy storms forward and I drop back down and hiss again. He draws up short and they share meaningful glances.
    “What did you say your name was?” The leader again, his eyes narrowed.
    Should I lie? But what would be the point? Even if I leave them alive ( I will, Mom, really! ), they would be foolish to follow me once they know what I can do.
    “Meda,” I say and they exchange glances again.
    “Zi-Meda or hal-Meda?” the middle one asks slowly.
    Hmmm… fifty-fifty chance to get this one right. “Zi,” I say. Judging by the way they all just bared their teeth, that was the wrong answer. I’m pretty sure they just figured out zi-Ben didn’t send me. It looks like we are going to fight after all. Sorry, Mom, I tried .
    Did you? Her voice drifts across my mind.
    Yes! I can almost see her arms cross and hear her foot begin to tap. I can’t see her expression. Time has washed it away. Fine, no.
    I really wish she was still alive. I can’t lie to a memory.
    “Zi-Ben didn’t send you, did he?” Suspicion confirmed. “Who did you say you are?”
    Your death, strange human. I mean, your injury. No murder, just a little maiming. So I can leave. Maiming’s not so bad.
    They crouch themselves, mimicking my stance, spreading out across the narrow hallway. They creep forward in smooth, slithery steps. That’s fine, I like my food delivered – especially when I don’t need to tip the driver.
    Not food, foe. I’m not going to kill them. Really.
    Here piggy, piggy, piggy .
    They come closer. I could attack them from here, but they can’t reach me yet. Not with little human