Read Online The Darkest Pleasure by Jenika Snow - Free Book Online Page B

so white. He lifted the platter and revealed a roast with vegetables laid around it. It smelled delicious, and until then I hadn't realised how hungry I was. He left and when he emerged again, he had another platter. He did this several times, but even when Kerian and I both offered to help, he scoffed at the idea. When he brought out the last platter, the table, or at least our end of it, was packed. He lifted lids to reveal soups, salads, and side dishes. When he started to serve us, Kerian gently pushed him to the side and started to do it himself.
    "Please, won't you join us?” I asked. “There's so much food, and you went to so much trouble to prepare it, you might as well enjoy the fruits of your labour."
    "Oh, you're a sweet girl, but alas, no, my dear. I've already eaten and must be on my way. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I hope to see you again soon.” He and Kerian exchanged a look I couldn't decipher, and he disappeared through another door and didn't return.
    We ate and talked about ourselves. It was strange how alike we were, and how much we had in common. After dinner, I stood to take my plate into the kitchen. After telling Kerian I was more than capable of cleaning up my own mess, he reluctantly agreed. I pushed the door open and wasn't surprised how modern the kitchen was. Stainless steel appliances were placed strategically around the room. There were dark cherry cupboards, black marble counter tops, and the same hardwood floor I'd seen throughout the house. I rinsed off my plate and searched for the dishwasher. I saw a stainless steel box-like appliance, which I thought might be it. I noticed it opened from the top instead of from the front, like most dishwashers. I lifted the top, and white frosty air puffed into my face. The chill from the deep freezer—which I now realised this appliance was—had me shaking as I peered inside. I saw bags—hundreds of them, it seemed— with deep red, almost black liquid inside each one. I set my dishes down and grabbed one of the bags, hissing as the coldness of the plastic bag stung my hand. The bag was unmarked, but it was an IV bag, that much I could tell. I wasn't a moron and knew what I was looking at was blood. Maybe Kerian was anaemic, or had a rare blood disease. I felt a little spooked, holding a bag of blood, so I put it back where it belonged, located the dishwasher, and placed my dishes inside it. I washed my hands and walked back out to the dining room. Kerian was nowhere to be seen, so I tried the sitting room.
    The fire was still going strong, the flames licking at the crackling logs. I had noticed there were no pictures of other family members, just pictures of that one man, but taken in different time periods. I thought that was strange. I continued down the shelves and when the pictures ended, I came upon stacks upon stacks of books. Most had old, leather-bound spines. Some looked like they had seen a lot of hard use, but others were in such mint condition, I wondered if they were originals or just replicas. A lot of them were in foreign titles I couldn't even begin to pronounce.
    "Do you like to read?"
    I jumped, startled. Kerian was right behind me and I hadn't even heard him come into the room. I spun around, my heart beating a fast rhythm in my chest. “I did in school, but not so much now.” I looked at the books again. “Do you understand all these languages?” I turned back to him and noticed he was staring at the books as well.
    "I do. You find things to accomplish when you have so much time on your hands."
    I didn't know what he meant by that. He couldn't be much older then his mid-thirties, and even though I didn't know much about a doctor's schedule, I assumed they were quite busy. I didn't know where he could have learned so many languages—we really hadn't talked much about our pasts, which I was thankful for because my past was certainly not one I cared to delve into.
    He took my hand and led me to a door off the sitting