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ASH

AN AIR-RAID SIREN wails in the distance, alerting Black City citizens to lock their doors and turn out the lights They don’t want to be out in the dark alone Theylike e and wait for the girl, taking a packet of Sentry-regulation s up The nicotine courses throughthem throb with adrenaline; the sensation is almost like a pulseale, and a short girl with straggly black hair appears froht black trousers and a tailcoat aze up into e to lookcard with two hearts on it, one red, one black It’scard It see her after all, an illusion of love I slip it into the pocket of reen military jacket

"You’re late," I say "Last thing I need is to be caught out here after curfew by a Tracker They’re just begging for a reason to throw me in jail"

"Sorry, they’ve put up extra checkpoints, stopping everyone There’s tanks everywhere!" she babbles "I guess they can’t be too careful with the Sentry Eotiations with the Legion and--"

"You paid Beetle?" I interrupt

The girl nods

"Terms and conditions," I say "No refunds You don’t enjoy it, you puke, you freak--not ain

"You pregnant?" She blushes furiously "I’ll take that as a no It may cause drowsiness, so don’t drive or operate any heavy rin They always like that "And no repeats for at least teeks, all right? IStrictly business, okay?"

She seems a little disappointed by this, but I don’t like to mix business with pleasure She shyly unbuttons the collar of her coat, revealing her sliht

"What do I do?" she asks

"Lean back," I say

She obeys like a good girl I place a hand against the wall and slip s apart Touching her doesn’t turnshe’ll enjoy that They all do, even the guys--it’s why they come to hs so we’re face-to-face Her shallow breaths are warainst my cool skin

"Relax, okay? It’s more enjoyable if you relax"

"My heart’s pounding a h

"Can’t say I kno that feels," I adainst my chest, and her eyes widen "So it’s true, then? You don’t have a heart?"

"I have a heart," I growl, shoving her hard against the wall It just doesn’t beat

A s

"Sshhh, it’s okay, sweetheart I didn’t ive me?"

She nods, then tilts her head to one side, exposing the ss sith venom

Focus, Ash Don’t blow your load

I lean toward her, pressing ainst the soft flesh on her neck, just below her ear Her pulse flutters under in to nibble on the flesh, tickling the tiny hairs on her neck withthem ith my saliva

"Do it," she whispers

So ular Hot blood spills overmy taste buds burst with its sticky sweetness Man, I love the newbies; they always taste the best She sighs as my venom enters her bloodstream I wait for the Haze to take effect before I start to drink froh froed blood It’s in

A sour, bitter flavor suddenly floodsback

"What the--" I spit up blood

The girl stares atdown from the two puncture wounds in her neck

"Everything’s sparkling," she says dreamily

"Didn’t Beetle tell you I don’t take clients on rab her before she falls into the water

"I love you," she slurs, trying to kiss ainst the wall and slides to the ground Her eyes roll back into her head, and she begins to spas out the corners of her mouth

"No, no, no! Wake up" I kneel down and shake her, panic rushing throughblack scuff ! This is why I don’t take clients onto react to the Haze I shrug off my jacket and place it under her head

A Sentry tank rolls over the bridge, and I shut h the war is officially over, I still get chills at that sound Wherever they went, Death followed I had a few close scrapes during the war During those days, the fact that I was a legal citizen and half human didn’t mean much to them If you weren’t 100 percent huht for survival Not much has improved since then; I’m still the ene in me The tank turns down Bleak Street toward the Sentry Eroans It’s too dangerous here; I have to go I could just leave herNo, that’s not an option, but I can’t take her to the hospital I’d get in so much trouble

Beetle!

I peer down the canal A yellow barge is hts are off Where is he? He’s e in the first place Can this get any wor--

An explosion of pain bursts inside my chest, and I clutch a hand over my lifeless heart I sense soirl stands by the entranceway, lit by the headlights of a passing truck In the fleeting light, I catch a gli between aze finally fixes on me

I fall back, struck down, as the pain in h le point in my chest There’s a spark of electricity and then:

A flutter

2

NATALIE

"I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING, okay? I’ in me