"You can't be serious," Benjamin said. "I mean, I know—I know—there are inexplicable things going on at the moment, but we're in a government facility with doctors. There is an obvious scientific explanation for everything going on—they called it a disease."

"What is vampirism if not a disease? Your body was infected, your DNA altered as it multiplied—it kills most, but you survived. In every folk tale and story there is an element of truth—and while your palms are not hairy and you won't burn in sunlight; you are faster, stronger, and you do feed on human flesh and blood."

Benjamin went pale.

Rory shook his head and stood up. He gave Benjamin an earnest stare. "It doesn't matter what it's called. We're different now, and you know it. We've known since we woke up, and we knew what we... what we were eating." He swallowed hard at his own admission and ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes darted to the guards and then shamefully away.

Benjamin shook his head, "I... I can't..."

Emer observed them silently; her ability to stand perfectly still unnerving Rory. He waited for signs of life, waited for her to blink or for the simple rise and fall of her chest, but she was frozen in place. It was as if she was a memory or a photograph, and not really there.

When she finally spoke, it startled him. "I've requested that you join me in the debriefing room. You will listen, but not speak. If General Thompson asks you a question, you may answer him—but that is all. Stay on topic. It's possible that at the end of the meeting, he will allow you some questions regarding the facility or your roles here, but if he does not specify, wait till we are together again, and I will answer your questions."

"When will we get to see our families?" Benjamin asked softly, though his tone implied he knew the answer.

"We won't," Rory replied. They both knew they were prisoners, but maybe Benjamin just needed to hear it out loud.

"We won't? Like ever? We're... What'll we..." Benjamin looked down, distressed. "I thought if we just went along with our examinations that we'd be able to go home eventually... What about school? What about our lives?" He asked, looking back up.

"We'll kill them, won't we? I mean, not right away, but something will happen—some mistake—and we'll kill someone we care about, won't we?" Rory asked.

Emer's eyes passed over him. "Yes."

A silence fell on the room. Neither they nor their guards spoke or moved.

"I would never kill anyone. I would never," Benjamin told them. He looked at Rory for confirmation, but Rory didn't respond. He recalled the rage and power he'd felt over the last week, the warm spray of blood in his dreams... Rory wasn't sure who he was anymore.

"Oh, but you can and you will, my sweet. There will be a right place and a right time," Emer purred. Her stance became feline and seductive. It awoke something in Rory, and he suddenly didn't care about leaving.

He felt himself become more fluid and predatory in response to her change. He knew the others felt it too, he even heard shuffling as hands moved to collect their guns.

Emer smirked at him.

"Later," she whispered. "It's time to go."

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