Faetality |✓|

Chapter Seventeen, Part Three - Love and Hate

"Not good enough," was his firm reply. "I'm taking her in. Let The Society figure out what to do with her."

            "Listen, you can't do that. I know how they work. For god's sake - I'm a liability now. They'll kill me anyway."

            "Sorry lady. Not. My. Problem."

            The counselor looked between the two of us one last time before giving a noisy exhale in defeat.

            "Alright, fine. But if I'm to die now, I'd like to hurry up and get it over with if you don't mind."

            She gave Riley an expectant look, to which he replied by looking extremely relieved.

            "Good, I'll make the call. Now let's go."

            She started forward, walking towards Riley with a calm collectiveness. Once I realized how strange it seemed that she should be giving up her life so easily, it was already too late. As soon as the Scavenger reached Riley, she seized his arm with both of hers.

            "You're disgusting, you're a failure. Everyone hates you and to top it off you think you have an incurable STD."

             At the final sounding of her words, I watched Riley collapse to the ground, sobbing like a tortured baby.

            "Besides feeding from emotion, I can also implant them. It comes in handy at times."

            "Obviously," I said, casting a last glance at the fallen, weeping seventeen year old.

            "So, aren't you going to try and stop me too?"

            "No," I said. "What for? It's like you said - you didn't kill anyone. And even though you poisoned me, you knew I was High Fae and that I wouldn't die. That counts for something at least."

            Plus, now that I knew what The Society was capable of it, it went against my nature to hand her over to them. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had.

            "Perfect. No hard feelings then?"

            "Oh the feelings are definitely still hard," I assured her. "Which is probably why it would be a good idea to never call me to your office again and stop telling my Dad you think I need counseling. I'm not gonna be your personal Burger King anymore."

            "Well, if it's any consolation, I couldn't feed from you - much as I tried to it just wouldn't work." She shrugged. "Anyhow, good luck finding the real killer... and handling that one." She paused to throw a knowing look in Riley's direction. "Looks like I've got a plane to catch. Can't very well stick around this place. I was never really "club material" anyhow."