Serpent's Blood

2 – What

the signs that said "Private Property" like they meant something. Isaac moved fast, hood up, heart still thudding lik

his boots, tiny flecks that would

eached that part of the night. Right now, he was

ng off graffiti-covered walls, a couple arguing under a broken streetlamp

rusted stairs to the second floor of a brick building that had been condemned five years ago. Maya's a

ocked

n before his knuck

and socks that didn't match. She looked at him f

saac, if you got i

he said au

her eyes. "Yo

m n

iterally

fingers trembled slightly, like they were stil

gently gripping his w

uth. Closed it.

n't k

or a long second. "

id quietly.

curry and cinnamon and safety. A sitcom played on mute in the backgrou

on knees, hands clasp

gh my window. It wasn't human. It-" He sto

interrupt. S

don't know. Sharp teeth. Fas

hy

side me-something burned. I moved faster than it did. I hit harder

le

e kitchen, and returned with

inked. "

ibly traumatized. You ea

a bite before he rea

. "Okay," she said. "So something attacked you

at his hands again. "Som

been dormant. You ever get weird headache

c st

" she said. "That time you blacked

wly. "You sai

as broken. I didn't tell you b

his has happ

it's been

ing. Watching. Coiled like a snake in his c

Maya... what if

"You're Isaac. That

ut

soft but firm. "We figure thi

eyes, the stubborn set of her jaw.

elf. Pulled down a worn leather j

" she said. "Old ones. Legends,

brow. "You think I'

open, turning pages quickly. "There were stories about people with serpent blood. Ancient bloo

wed. "Fea

olled. Energy. Emotion. Memory. The old texts said they we

f the night his mother died.

ned to them

Erased. Their blo

up his spine.

pells. For power. For binding ancient cre

ally have t

she said quietly. "A