Page 131 of The Poisoner

“That is a much better attitude.” He leered, believing he had won some sick victory. I knew that his focus was on Silas though. I could assume that the pain he was inflicting on him was a bigger turn-on than the body in his lap.

Predictable.

I clenched my teeth around the glass, making it shatter in my mouth with a crack.

“What was that?—”

I sank my teeth into his neck, letting the glass and poison mix with the fresh wound I was creating as I clenched my jaw harder, his blood filling my mouth as I held on.

A purely animalistic shriek came from him as he shoved me onto the floor, a patch of skin being taken as he did so.

The wind was knocked from my lungs as I tried to regain my breath, spitting out the glass pieces and flesh while black blood dripped from my lips.

Luka let out a harrowing yell. It did not sound even remotely human. He charged at me before Silas’s body crashed into him, both of them baring their teeth and tearing at each other violently.

The burning in my mouth told me I did not have much time. My throat was closing, and my breathing was becoming more labored as I tried to focus and steady my spinning head.

In the commotion, other patrons clamored around us, mainly crowding around the two animals in the middle of the room.

The last thing I saw as I was dragged across the floor was the two figures slashing at each other. Luka’s face was burning. Hiseyes filled with blood as it came in tears down his face, the skin around my bite dying and turning red as it spread across his face. I had never wondered what burning flesh smelled like, but I remembered it from that night.

I was not sure if it was the lack of air in my brain, the lingering venom, or the satisfaction of my poison working, but I took comfort in that scalding monstrosity possibly beingmy last masterpiece.

53

THE POISONER

Who knew what became of the two creatures? It mattered little to me now. They would just be one of many things I left behind. If luck would have it, both men would have perished.

The tip of my cigarette cherried with each breath as I watched the boat push away from the dock. The wrinkled paper with my new destination was clutched in my hands.

WHITE STAR LINE

from Liverpool to New York

New York. A fresh start.

Well, as fresh as it could get from here. I had a new purpose now. Not only did I have new subjects to play with, I had a new poison to perfect.

For Silas’s sake, I hoped he would assume medead. It was best for both of us. Would he feel betrayed if he knew I was alive?Betrayal.I wondered if he was capable of feeling even that after all this time.

“Are you coming inside?” Phoebe asked, pulling her wool shawl closer around her as she approached me at the back of the deck.

I sighed and tilted my head back, letting the smoke push through my nose, watching it disappear into the gray sky, giving me snowflakes on my lashes in return.

“Yeah.” I sighed, flicking the cigarette overboard. “Let us go.”

The land behind me slowly turned into an endless horizon of water, disappearing with the memory of my old life.

It was good to disappear for a while.

I was heading west.