Samantha woke with a start, disoriented in the unfamiliar darkness of her room. For a moment, she thought she was still in the blood storage room, but then memories of the test and Marcus carrying her back flooded in.
She sat up slowly, surprised to find her strength returning. The hunger that had tormented her during the test was still there, but it felt manageable now. Like a dull ache instead of a raging inferno.
A soft knock on the door made her jump.
"Come in," she called, smoothing down her hair self-consciously.
Marcus entered, carrying a tray with a steaming mug. The scent hit Samantha immediately - blood, but mixed with something herbal and soothing.
