probes.
Breathing in deeply, I finally steal a glance over my shoulder. I was wrong. He doesn’t have his weapon pointed at me. With his head down, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black pants and his lips drawn into a thin line, Declan looks deep in thought. I don’t want to care what he’s thinking about, don’t want to waste my time and energy letting his pensive expression bother me, but I can’t help it. Because even though he works for the people responsible for so many others’ personal hells, he’s the first person I’ve met in at least three years with life in his eyes and the ability to speak for himself.
So what is it he’s not saying to me?
Does he congratulate himself for scaring me into submission? Wonder what I’m thinking about at this exact moment? Ask himself if I’ll make a hasty, stupid decision and try to attack him again?
“Claudia.” His voice is questioning as it interrupts my thoughts. I whip my head around to see he’s no longer staring at the ground. Now his dark gray eyes are focused on me. “How long have you been sentient?”
Don’t tell him, a warning voice screams in my head.
My sudden dry mouth has nothing to do with the fact that I’ve been conservative with the little water I have left. I flick my tongue over my lips, tasting fear. “As in?”
“Self-aware.”
Three years. I’ve been partially self-aware for just over 150 weeks and completely cognizant for the past few. And it’s all thanks to you.
I could tell him the truth, but I don’t think honesty will ensure my safety. Not when the person questioning me is a game moderator. And I don’t think being sentient in this game is a good thing, at least not from the outside looking in.
“Virtue?” Declan releases a deep sigh. When I choose to ignore him, he narrows his eyes at me. “You could at least give me a straight answer. After all, I’m the only person who can help you find your way out of this game.”
Coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road, I spin to face him. He looks slightly stunned when I stalk toward him, so close I can see the tiny scar just above his lip, can count the three freckles that are nearly invisible on the bridge of his sunburned nose.
“A straight answer?” I ask. “You threaten to shock me to death, bullied me into helping you do your job and now you’re demanding answers from me?” I jab the center of his chest with my knuckles, and he winces. He grabs my wrist in a quick motion that’s not forceful, not harsh, but, nevertheless, it steals the breath from me.
“Look, all I care about is—”
“It should be doing your job so we can get out of this game. You shouldn’t care how long I’ve been awake, just that I’m that way right now,” I whisper.
His gray eyes harden. Standing there red-faced and strained, Declan seems to grow a few more inches. I refuse to let him get to me. Inside, I’m trembling and my head screams for me to back down, but I stare directly into his eyes, thrust my shoulders back and cross my arms over my chest.
“Trust me, I care about a lot more than just getting my job done.” He twists me back around and nudges me forward. I stumble but quickly catch myself. “You, Claudia Virtue, are no good to me if you can’t hold your own, if you have no idea what you’re doing and I end up guarding your ass at every corner.”
“You guarding my ass? How’s your stomach feel?” I look back just in time to witness him cringe and drop his gaze to where I’d kicked him in the gut more than an hour ago.
“Maybe I stand corrected.” Smirking, he jerks his head forward. “Let’s go.”
This time I walk beside him. The quietness is back, although I don’t feel as though he’ll shoot me now. Every few moments, he casts a sideways glance at me. And it makes me uncomfortable.
“Your reason for needing my help is kind of...ridiculous.” I rub the back of my hand across my cheeks and forehead. My skin is so hot to the
Breathing in deeply, I finally steal a glance over my shoulder. I was wrong. He doesn’t have his weapon pointed at me. With his head down, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black pants and his lips drawn into a thin line, Declan looks deep in thought. I don’t want to care what he’s thinking about, don’t want to waste my time and energy letting his pensive expression bother me, but I can’t help it. Because even though he works for the people responsible for so many others’ personal hells, he’s the first person I’ve met in at least three years with life in his eyes and the ability to speak for himself.
So what is it he’s not saying to me?
Does he congratulate himself for scaring me into submission? Wonder what I’m thinking about at this exact moment? Ask himself if I’ll make a hasty, stupid decision and try to attack him again?
“Claudia.” His voice is questioning as it interrupts my thoughts. I whip my head around to see he’s no longer staring at the ground. Now his dark gray eyes are focused on me. “How long have you been sentient?”
Don’t tell him, a warning voice screams in my head.
My sudden dry mouth has nothing to do with the fact that I’ve been conservative with the little water I have left. I flick my tongue over my lips, tasting fear. “As in?”
“Self-aware.”
Three years. I’ve been partially self-aware for just over 150 weeks and completely cognizant for the past few. And it’s all thanks to you.
I could tell him the truth, but I don’t think honesty will ensure my safety. Not when the person questioning me is a game moderator. And I don’t think being sentient in this game is a good thing, at least not from the outside looking in.
“Virtue?” Declan releases a deep sigh. When I choose to ignore him, he narrows his eyes at me. “You could at least give me a straight answer. After all, I’m the only person who can help you find your way out of this game.”
Coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road, I spin to face him. He looks slightly stunned when I stalk toward him, so close I can see the tiny scar just above his lip, can count the three freckles that are nearly invisible on the bridge of his sunburned nose.
“A straight answer?” I ask. “You threaten to shock me to death, bullied me into helping you do your job and now you’re demanding answers from me?” I jab the center of his chest with my knuckles, and he winces. He grabs my wrist in a quick motion that’s not forceful, not harsh, but, nevertheless, it steals the breath from me.
“Look, all I care about is—”
“It should be doing your job so we can get out of this game. You shouldn’t care how long I’ve been awake, just that I’m that way right now,” I whisper.
His gray eyes harden. Standing there red-faced and strained, Declan seems to grow a few more inches. I refuse to let him get to me. Inside, I’m trembling and my head screams for me to back down, but I stare directly into his eyes, thrust my shoulders back and cross my arms over my chest.
“Trust me, I care about a lot more than just getting my job done.” He twists me back around and nudges me forward. I stumble but quickly catch myself. “You, Claudia Virtue, are no good to me if you can’t hold your own, if you have no idea what you’re doing and I end up guarding your ass at every corner.”
“You guarding my ass? How’s your stomach feel?” I look back just in time to witness him cringe and drop his gaze to where I’d kicked him in the gut more than an hour ago.
“Maybe I stand corrected.” Smirking, he jerks his head forward. “Let’s go.”
This time I walk beside him. The quietness is back, although I don’t feel as though he’ll shoot me now. Every few moments, he casts a sideways glance at me. And it makes me uncomfortable.
“Your reason for needing my help is kind of...ridiculous.” I rub the back of my hand across my cheeks and forehead. My skin is so hot to the
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