I wake up strapped to a gurney. There’s an IV attached to my arm leading to what looks like a bag of blood. I look around the room and there’s lab equipment scattered around on metal tables. Standing next to one of the tables is a man. I try to suppress my panic when I notice the black hair. As if sensing my eyes on him he looks up at me.
“Awake already?” he sneers as he walks towards me. Black eyes rake over me. I struggle against the straps but they don’t give even a little bit. He touches my face and I jerk away.
“Don’t be rude now,” he purrs as he checks the bag attached to my IV.
“What are you giving me?” I demand.
“Alex’s blood.” He leans over me and smiles.
“Why?”
“I’m sure Alex wants to explain it to you.” He leans down to sniff my hair. “Mmm, you smell like sunshine.”
I try and turn away but he grabs my chin. His fingers dig painfully into my skin.
“I wonder how much of you Alex really needs,” he whispers in my ear. He lets go of my face and brings his face in front of mine. “After all, I deserve a reward for all my hard work.”
My head being the only thing I can move, I slam my forehead into his nose as hard as I can. It hurts like hell but the howl of pain from him makes it worth it.
“Dammit,” he yells. Blood pours from between his fingers as he holds his nose. Laughter draws my attention to the doorway.
“I can see why Orion likes you so much,” Alex walks into the room and stands next to me. “Don’t feel bad Jack. She got one of the guys last night too.” He looks down at me. “What’s with you and noses?”
“Wanna find out?” I challenge him.
“Break my nose and I’ll let Jack show you how he got his name.” He laughs darkly. “Ailey, meet Jack the Ripper.”
My face must have betrayed my surprise because he laughs again.
“A mystery of history solved for ya. His actions were what got him a permanent membership to the Black Hole club.” He looks over at Jack. “Is she done?”
“Yeah,” he replies while holding a towel to his nose.
“Good.” Alex takes the IV out of my arm.
“Why are you giving me your blood?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.”
He undoes the straps on my wrists and ankles. He offers me his hand and I reluctantly take it since I’m still feeling dizzy from whatever it is they gave me in the van. He helps me off the gurney and I follow him out of the room.
We walk down a hallway lined with rooms. All the rooms have locks on the outside with little windows looking in. I look into one of them but it’s empty.
“Where are we?” I ask Alex.
“A mental hospital. You’ll see why.” He smiles over his shoulder at me.
I know there’s no way I can outrun him so I decide to follow him. He takes me down another hallway and up a flight of stairs. About halfway down this hallway he stops in front of a door. He motions for me to come closer. Cautiously I move to stand next to him and look into the room. Unlike the other room, this one has furniture. It isn’t in very good shape though. The mattress is halfway off the bed and the nightstand is smashed in the corner.
I start to ask what this is supposed to mean when a face appears in the window. I scream and jump back. The person in the room slams their hands against the door. I slowly move closer and see it’s a man but his eyes look crazed. He continues to pound on the door.
“What is this?” I ask, staring at the man in the window. Alex motions to the next door and I look through the window. This one is neat but the walls are covered in red writing. There’s a woman frantically writing on the floor. Her hands are covered in red paint. She stands up and I notice cuts going up her arm and I realize it isn’t paint at all.
“I don’t understand,” I whisper as I continue to watch in horror as the woman writes in her own blood.
“These are some of my experiments. These humans received blood transfusions from me. The same blood that now runs through your veins. Drove them a bit batty I’m afraid.”
“Why?” I continue to whisper.
“I’ll spare you the long explanation but it has to do with the state of my soul. Humans have always been afraid of the dark and I’m a Black Hole, as dark as you can get. What do you think happens when that darkness starts coursing through your brain?”
“So I’m going to be like them?” I don’t know what would be worse, death at the hands of Jack or this.
“Eventually. Thought it would pay to have some insurance incase things don’t go the way I want them to. If Orion escapes with you, well, you won’t be you for very long.”
“What is it you want?” I turn and yell at him.
“At this moment? Orion’s powers.” He smiles innocently and I’m tempted to hit him.
“Don’t you already have those?”
“Who on earth told you that?” He laughs. I glare and refuse to answer.
“I see the all mighty Elite still have no clue what is going on,” he leans down, putting his face in front of mine, “since it doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you. The black veins I put into Orion are actually absorbing his soul. When I call them back I will have his soul and in effect his powers.”
“That’s impossible. Constellations’ and Singulars’ souls aren’t in their bodies.” Orion had told me and I believed him more than this lunatic in front of me.
“Tell that to the nine Singulars who’s souls I’ve already absorbed.” He smiles and I can see joy in his black eyes. The joy of a child who got exactly what they wanted for Christmas. “Did Orion tell you about the tiny soul fragment that each Star has to connect them with their souls? Well, I take it, and when I do I take their connection to their souls and their powers, allowing me to harvest as many powers as I want. Pretty neat, huh?”
“Not the word I’d use to describe it.”
“Well, some can’t appreciate it like I do. Maybe you’d feel different if the soul I was about to steal was someone else’s.”
“No matter whose soul it is, if it isn’t yours, you have no right to it.”
“Agree to disagree,” he says with a shrug. “Any who, we’ll soon see what happens. I have a feeling things will play out within the next few days.”
“How do you know he’ll even find me? I assume you didn’t just call him up and invite him over.”
“Oh, he’ll find you. Despite my blood muddying your soul, he’ll come. He is Orion the Hunter after all, and you my dear, make excellent prey.”