Project Servile : Defect [Book #1] ✔ Complete!

➽ T w e l v e : One Step Forward

"The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing."
- Blaise Pascal

The grinding of heavy steel invaded my dreams in a disturbing way. Metal monsters were ambushing me, their cold arms reaching for me. I shuttered awake to find my face stuck to my pillow in a puddle of drool. The source of the sound was coming from the window shutters being opened to the star speckled night sky.

Being requested to take a couple days off felt weird. Commander demanded I take off after last night, to rejuvenate and reflect on my heroic actions, as he put it. I think he just wanted to prevent some kind of shock aftermath from the amount of brutality I've been displaying recently. Either way, I had an entire night stretched out in front of me and for some reason, loneliness crept on me like a veiled ghost. I quickly jumped out of bed. In the spirit of a "rejuvenating" day off, I stayed in my silk pajamas, stopping only to pull on clean underpants and a sports bra to seem decent.

My feet wandered their way to the kitchens. I found myself longing to still be assigned to Evan, to have a somewhat normal life. To be just human. I pushed the doors open. The dining hall was packed with sleepy-eyed vampires, all just waking up to start their nights. I wondered what they did. What kind of life did a vampire lead? I filed that away as something to ask Becca. The smell of perfectly cooked eggs enveloped my nose and made my mouth water.

"Maddie!" Suddenly a solid figure grabbed me into a tight hug. "I missed you. I feel like you could have been one of the best assistants."

Evan all but dragged me to the kitchens where every delicious smell mingled into a saliva dripping fragrance. As soon as the door closed, a huge plate of food was thrust into my hands and I was still being dragged to the table where all the workers ate on their breaks.

I grinned hugely before stuffing my face and talking with my mouth full. "So 'hat 're 'ou workin' on?"

Evan gave me a small disapproving look, directed to the food spilling out of my mouth. "Ever since you unlocked those secret genes, you've been a pig."

I smiled as wide as I could and flopped my tongue out, even more half chewed food falling from my mouth and a coating displayed on my tongue. Evan groaned.

"I'm experimenting with chocolate and berries. Trying to make something sweet and sour. So far, it's okay. But there have been a few, uhm..." he trailed off as his eyes traveled over my shoulders.

Still grinning with food shoved in my mouth I turned around hoping to see Becca coming in for her midnight snack. However, the eyes that roamed over me sent guilt flooding through my veins. Jaxon only glanced at me before shifting his attention to another vampire in the room.

I gulped my food down and half of it felt stuck in my throat. I looked at Evan and sighed. "I need to stop moping. I know. I'll see you around." His pitying smile lingered in my vision as I stood up.