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The steas of the laboratories, causing the white wallpaper to buckle and piears leaked across the floors in dark viscous rivulets There were other stains there, too, rust-colored ones that Alexia did not care to think about

Mr Sieh relating the accoh Miss Tarabotti heard wheezing gasps and clunks in nearby rooms, she was never shown any machine in action

She also heard the screaht it ht be sourced in one of the machines She was not certain when she realized it cain hit her so hard she stuht of it Nosqueal, like an aniainst one wall of the hallway, her skin cla stoht she had never before heard so pure a sound of pain

The s as she realized what they all was concerned by her sudden pallor "Miss Tarabotti, you are unwell?"

Alexia looked at him ide dark eyes "This place is all madness Do you realize that?"

Mr Siemons’s joam into her field of view "I take it you will not cooperate willingly with our research?"

Another high keening scream rent the air Inside that cry, Alexia could hear Lord Akeldama’s voice Mr Siemons cocked his head at the sound and licked his lips, as though savoring a pleasant taste Miss Tarabotti shuddered There was soaze Only then did she finally come to a realization of the truth

"What does it matter, if that is to be my fate either way?" Miss Tarabotti asked

"Well, it would be easier all around if you were a willing participant"

And why, Alexia wondered, should I rimaced and said, "What do you want me to do?"

Mr Siemons smiled like he had just won some competition "We need to observe and verify the extent of your preternatural abilities There is no point in us undertaking extensive experimentation if we cannot deter powers are, in fact, genuine"

Miss Tarabotti shrugged "So, bring me a vampire All it takes is one touch"

"Really? Re?"

"Through clothing loves like any respectable person But I have not explored the particulars"

Mr Sieh to clear it "We will explore further, later I was thinking of a little ht As it happens, we have just received a substantial delivery of neolf specie I should like to see if you can counteract such a substantial change"

Mr MacDougall looked alarerous, if her abilities are false or over exaggerated"

Mr Sierinned wider "That would be part of the test, would it not?" He turned to Miss Tarabotti "How long does it usually take for you to neutralize the supernatural?"

Alexia lied instantly and without hesitation "Oh, generally not much e of the rapidity of her abilities, was forced to believe her He looked at the goons, two of who her"

Mr MacDougall protested, but to no avail

Once ed unceremoniously back toward the confinerounds

They took her to the other hallway, the one in which she and Lord Akeldama had not been ensconced Previously silent, it now resounded with snarling cries and howls Periodically, soe body had hurled itself against it

"Ah," said Mr Siemons, "I see they have awoken"

"Chloroform works better initially on olves than on va ly out of thin air, clutching a leather notepad He wore a pair of those lassicals, which somehow looked less ridiculous on him than they had on Professor Lyall

"And which room is he in?"

The man pointed with his notebook at one of the doors One of the few that was not vibrating but stood ominously still and quiet "Nuest and thus the hardest to change back Toss her in with him I will check back in an hour" With that, he left theled against the two goons, atte to stop the inevitable Miss Tarabotti’s valuation of his moral fiber rose substantially But it was all to no avail The two lackeys were of the overly y scientist aside with barely any effort whatsoever

"But she’ll never survive Not with one in full change! Not if she takes so long to counteract the the full extent and rapidity of her skills, Alexia, too, orried She had never changed an angry olf before, let alone one fully et in at least one bite before her abilities would take full effect Even then, if she ed to survive that, what kind of man would she be trapped with? Werewolves tended to be physically strong even without their supernatural traits Such a man could do her considerable harm, preternatural or no

Miss Tarabotti had very little tiitate the possible shortness of her future before she was thrust into the portentously quiet cha locked and bolted behind her