They want what? My blood?” She shook her head. Six
months ago she’d seen exactly what they’d had in mind for a world where
Ascendants ruled. “I won’t let that happen.”
Martin looked up at her. “Forgive me for saying
this, but you’re no longer a virgin, am I correct?”
Josie almost rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-six.”
“Your blood is useless to them if you’re not a
virgin.”
“But I wasn’t a virgin when my mother was making
plans for DNA conversion. I’d just started having visions…”
“I didn’t know. Your mother didn’t tell me.”
She shook her head. “She didn’t know I’d had sex,
but I told her about my vision.”
“She didn’t know the significance of your
virginity, only that you were in danger.”
“Who? Do you know? Who killed my family?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Could it be the same person who came after the
journal?” she said, but she was talking more to herself than to him.
Martin gave her a confused smile. “I’m sorry,
dear. What journal?”
Josie ignored him as ideas clicked into place in
her mind. “That’s why they didn’t come after me,” she said. “I was reading the
journal and didn’t understand why they didn’t come for me after the murders.
But if they knew I wasn’t a virgin…” She trailed off, feeling the weight lift
off her shoulders. She lifted her gaze and locked it with the doctor’s. “I
don’t have to do it,” she whispered.
Martin smiled. “No, dear, you don’t have to do
anything but live your life.”
Could he have known how much she needed to hear
those words?
Standing, Martin clapped his hands together. “Now
there’s also the little matter of what you were doing in my lab.”
Heat flamed in Josie’s cheeks. “I was looking for
answers.”
“And what did you find?”
Josie narrowed her eyes—had he seen them take
Tanner’s file?—but the man’s genial face roused no further suspicion. “I found
you.”
“Indeed, you did.” He turned to the door then paused.
“Listen, I was in the position to help your parents ten years ago, and I wanted
to, but there are people who would have done anything to stop me.”
“And it appears they did.”
“Yes, I’m so sorry.” He fidgeted with his tie,
then said, “I’ve never gotten over that feeling I was being watched, and I
don’t know how those people would respond if they knew I came here today.” He
attempted a smile. “If you see me again, could you…”
“I’ll act as if we’ve never met.”
His shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank you.”
She saw him to the door and shut it behind him. You don’t have to do anything but live your life.
He was wrong, of course. There were still so many
unanswered questions, and she couldn’t stop searching. But not going through
with the DNA conversion meant she could continue to live as herself—meant she
didn’t have to risk her own life in the dangerous procedure.
Tanner materialized before her and she jumped.
“Jesus, Tanner, don’t do that!”
His face split into a grin. “You’d think you’d be
used to it by now.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
“I’m sorry I had to go.” Tanner lowered himself
into a chair. He studied her, concern furrowing his brow. “How are you
feeling?”
“It’s just been an odd week.” Understatement of
the century.
He looked at his hands. “Listen, Josie, we need to
talk.”
She was ready to talk. Ready to tell Tanner all
she knew. “My mother’s journal held encrypted messages about their plans to
escape,” she blurted, and Tanner straightened. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her
to open up without some coaxing, but she saw no reason to hide this from him.
Not now. “I just discovered the code this weekend and had only cracked the
first twenty pages when it was stolen.”
He leaned forward, elbows on thighs. “What did it
say?”
Her throat felt thick and swollen, but she was
determined to tell it
months ago she’d seen exactly what they’d had in mind for a world where
Ascendants ruled. “I won’t let that happen.”
Martin looked up at her. “Forgive me for saying
this, but you’re no longer a virgin, am I correct?”
Josie almost rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-six.”
“Your blood is useless to them if you’re not a
virgin.”
“But I wasn’t a virgin when my mother was making
plans for DNA conversion. I’d just started having visions…”
“I didn’t know. Your mother didn’t tell me.”
She shook her head. “She didn’t know I’d had sex,
but I told her about my vision.”
“She didn’t know the significance of your
virginity, only that you were in danger.”
“Who? Do you know? Who killed my family?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Could it be the same person who came after the
journal?” she said, but she was talking more to herself than to him.
Martin gave her a confused smile. “I’m sorry,
dear. What journal?”
Josie ignored him as ideas clicked into place in
her mind. “That’s why they didn’t come after me,” she said. “I was reading the
journal and didn’t understand why they didn’t come for me after the murders.
But if they knew I wasn’t a virgin…” She trailed off, feeling the weight lift
off her shoulders. She lifted her gaze and locked it with the doctor’s. “I
don’t have to do it,” she whispered.
Martin smiled. “No, dear, you don’t have to do
anything but live your life.”
Could he have known how much she needed to hear
those words?
Standing, Martin clapped his hands together. “Now
there’s also the little matter of what you were doing in my lab.”
Heat flamed in Josie’s cheeks. “I was looking for
answers.”
“And what did you find?”
Josie narrowed her eyes—had he seen them take
Tanner’s file?—but the man’s genial face roused no further suspicion. “I found
you.”
“Indeed, you did.” He turned to the door then paused.
“Listen, I was in the position to help your parents ten years ago, and I wanted
to, but there are people who would have done anything to stop me.”
“And it appears they did.”
“Yes, I’m so sorry.” He fidgeted with his tie,
then said, “I’ve never gotten over that feeling I was being watched, and I
don’t know how those people would respond if they knew I came here today.” He
attempted a smile. “If you see me again, could you…”
“I’ll act as if we’ve never met.”
His shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank you.”
She saw him to the door and shut it behind him. You don’t have to do anything but live your life.
He was wrong, of course. There were still so many
unanswered questions, and she couldn’t stop searching. But not going through
with the DNA conversion meant she could continue to live as herself—meant she
didn’t have to risk her own life in the dangerous procedure.
Tanner materialized before her and she jumped.
“Jesus, Tanner, don’t do that!”
His face split into a grin. “You’d think you’d be
used to it by now.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
“I’m sorry I had to go.” Tanner lowered himself
into a chair. He studied her, concern furrowing his brow. “How are you
feeling?”
“It’s just been an odd week.” Understatement of
the century.
He looked at his hands. “Listen, Josie, we need to
talk.”
She was ready to talk. Ready to tell Tanner all
she knew. “My mother’s journal held encrypted messages about their plans to
escape,” she blurted, and Tanner straightened. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her
to open up without some coaxing, but she saw no reason to hide this from him.
Not now. “I just discovered the code this weekend and had only cracked the
first twenty pages when it was stolen.”
He leaned forward, elbows on thighs. “What did it
say?”
Her throat felt thick and swollen, but she was
determined to tell it
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