"I don't get it." I say, looking to Aster for help with what Banks said, but he's avoiding eye contact.
"Didn't you wonder what we did with your human blood?" Banks asked, crashing back into his chair. I glare at him a little.
"I'm sorry, did you just make me drink my own blood?" I sneer at him. He roars with laughter. "Why did it taste like that? Did you put something in it?" I glance at his cup again. I had licked cuts to stop them from bleeding before and my blood had definitely never tasted like that before.
"Drinking human blood is the closest we can get to being drunk." Jaskier whispers from behind me.
"I see." I cross my arms across my chest, glaring at Banks as he downs his glass of blood.
"If it makes you feel any better, we only get to drink it when we make a new Reaper. None of us drink human blood on the regular."
"Right." I hear Nico mutter his breath. I glance at him, and then to Aster who is glaring daggers in his direction. But Nico is staring off in the opposite direction, his hand still playing with whatever metal thing was in his pocket.
I'll remember that, for sure.
"Do you want some more?" Banks draws my attention back to him. He's standing again. "I'm getting another cup."
"Vito will strangle you if you don't save some for him." Aster warns.
"Let that hot headed little bastard try!" He roars as he disappears down the hallway where I'd had my surgery.
"I'm done." I blink, glancing at Jaskier, who was now in front of me. I had kind of forgotten he was even cutting my hair.
"Do you have a mirror?" I ask. I can see his eyes moving all over my hair. I hope he didn't fuck it up.
He reaches behind me and grabs a hand mirror off the table, handing it to me.
I bring it to my face, letting out a sigh of relief when I see he did a really good job. I mess with it a little, bringing it to the center of my forehead more, and then hold the mirror back so I can get a good look at myself.
I don't know why, but I think I liked the way I looked more now.
I still wasn't ugly, but I bet looking this way would keep all those annoying sheep away from me. They didn't trust things that were different.
I grin at myself in the mirror, my eyes lingering on my four razor sharp teeth. I wonder if I'd ever have to get them resharpened.
I stop when I feel eyes on me, and I bring the mirror down. Everyone is staring at me.
"You look like a satanic man whore." Nico teases from his spot.
"Look who's talking." I retort, leaning back to set the mirror on the table. I straighten out, then remember Jaskier.
He's standing behind me again, gathering up his hair cutting supplies. I lean my head back to look at him.
"Thank you, Jaskier. It looks good." He looks very embarrassed, but nods.
"You're welcome. I'll touch it up for you whenever you want." I grin, and he shakes his head.
"Here!" I snap back up to Banks standing in front of me, holding a cup out. I raise a brow at him.
"You really expect me to sit here and drink my own blood?" I plant my hands on my thighs and stare him in the eye.
He nods. "I promise you won't regret it. You might not get another chance until we have to replace a Reaper. Besides, if you don't keep drinking, the effects don't last long."
I sigh, and chew on my lip. "Fuck it." I grab the glass, staring into it for a second.
"Why didn't you bring me any?" York whines from behind us.
"You know where it is." Banks waves his hand and sips from his cup.
"You're so rude." York complains. I shake my head a little before bringing my own cup to my lips. I can't believe I was doing this. I don't even know why I was, but something in me was telling me to. It was telling me to experience something different with new friends.
I hum happily at the sweet taste, and for a second, I totally forget I'm drinking my own blood.
My insides feel warm as the blood flows down my throat slowly.
It feels like my veins are glowing, which is so dumb sounding, but it's the only way I can describe it. I can feel the blood flowing all the way down to my toes. I know that's not how the digestive tract works, but it's one hundred percent how it feels.
I let out an "ah" noise when I finish the cup and pull it away from my lips.