Page 90 of Inhuman Nature

“We ought to stick together until Lawrence isn’t out there plotting our deaths,” Kit said mildly. “Safety in numbers and all that.”

“I’ve had one of my creations stationed outside their flat.” Lynette checked the phone for the time. “She’ll be there now that it’s sundown.”

“It’s night. I’m going to them,” Shaun said.

“I’ll tell her to bring them both here instead,” Lynette said in a tone that brooked no argument. Unlike when she’d been on the phone with Richard, she moved to take the call outside the room, Boris and Steve following her out.

Every fibre of Shaun’s being urged him to protest not being allowed to leave, but he capitulated to Lynette’s will.

He glanced sideways at Kit, who was chewing on his bottom lip. “Why did you say—” Before Shaun could ask why Kit had lied about Shaun’s claim over Rake and DJ, Kit ran up to him and put his hand over his mouth.

“Be quiet, you idiot. They’ll be listening,” Kit whispered into his ear, barely audible even at that tiny distance.

Shaun propelled Kit backwards. “They’re going to bring them here.”

Kit waved a dismissive hand. “It’ll be fine.”

“I get that you’re only here to get revenge on Lawrence, but you could’ve done so without fucking me over,” Shaun said, prodding a finger right in the centre of Kit’s chest.

Kit looked down at the offending finger, batting it away with the back of his hand. “You’re the one who got yourself into this situation. It’s notmyproblem.”

Shaun stood nose to nose with Kit. It struck him just how much of a type Lawrence had. Whilst Kit had dyed dark hair, and eyes that appeared so blue they were almost violet, he and Shaun were of the same height and stature. Both small, and slight, and young-looking.

Shaun laughed.

Kit reared back. “Have you lost it?” he asked. “Were the few days you spent in here enough to send you over the edge?” He spoke slowly, as if speaking to someone who was particularly dim-witted.

Shaun shook his head, smiling. “No. I just realised we look related.”

“If you squinted, maybe.”

“It’s just—” Shaun started, but then whipped his head around when Lynette burst back into the room.

“I have some news,” she said. “My creation heard a disturbance at Rake and DJ’s flat, but it was over before she was able to do anything about it. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but it seems Lawrence was inside the dwelling.”

It was like Shaun’s head had been pushed underwater. Lynette’s lips moved, but her words were no longer audible.

Shaun had heard enough, however. He sped towards the door past Lynette, faster than he’d ever run before. He was aware of a presence beside him as he ran, but his only focus was on getting to Rake and DJ as soon as possible.

The street was, as usual, quiet. Shaun registered a vampire waiting on the front step, but he didn’t stop. He sprintedupstairs and straight into the flat through the open door.

The smell of blood was so potent he felt like he was choking on it. He rushed into the living room, stopping short at the sight of Rake, bound to a chair, head bowed. The limpness of his limbs had Shaun frozen in horror.

Shaun couldn’t sense any other presence in the flat. There was nobody there but Rake.

Someone shouted his name from the stairwell, but Shaun didn’t respond.

Dried blood coated Rake’s torn-open neck, staining his skin red. He didn’t move. Not at all.

“Shaun! They’re alive!” This time, Shaun tuned in to Kit, the words penetrating his fugue state. “I can’t get into the flat,” Kit said. “That means whoever is in there, they’re not dead. Listen to their pulse, Shaun.”

Shaun took a few stumbling steps towards Rake, closing his eyes and listening.

Thud-thud. Thud-thud. Thud-thud.

Faint, but present. Shaun opened his eyes. Rake was still unmoving, but it didn’t matter. Whatever had happened to him, he wasalive. Shaun could save him.

He reached out, touching Rake’s face, lifting his head. It was a dead weight. Shaun ripped through the ties holding Rake to the chair and pulled the cloth gag from his mouth. With care, he lifted Rake and moved him into the hallway.