My hands were beginning to tremble.
I gripped the edge of my seat.
I didn’t know exactly how much time had passed since leaving The Shade.
I deliberately hadn’t been looking at the time.
It only made the hours pass all the more slowly, the situation more unbearable.
I left the control cabin and stumbled along the passageway into the vessel’s galley.
I opened one of the cupboards and scanned the shelves—long-life milk and packaged foods mostly.
I ripped open a carton of milk and, without thinking, began to chug it down.
At this point, I’d drink anything to fill the void in my stomach.
I held my nose as I drank, trying not to taste the milk, since I was well aware that human food tasted foul to vampires.
At first I thought that it might have even worked.
As the liquid settled in my stomach, it at least felt less hollow, even if it didn’t relieve the burning.
But then I doubled over and retched it all up.
I tore open a packet of biscuits and began stuffing them into my mouth, chewing forcefully, as if willing my body to accept them.
No chance.
Soon the floor was covered in a blood-traced soup of milk and biscuits.
I slammed my fist against the side of the door, denting the metal.
Cursing beneath my breath, I staggered to the bathroom and gripped the edges of the sink, breathing deeply and staring at myself in the mirror.
I looked paler than I’d ever seen myself before.
My green eyes looked darker somehow.
I was used to vampires’ eyes being brighter and sharper in color.
Not mine.
If anything, they had dulled.
It was as if a haze had misted them.
I was frightening myself with my own reflection.
I ducked my head over the sink and splashed cold water onto my face before drying myself with a towel.
I’ll feel better if I can just hold out a few days.
Maybe this is something to do with my mixed blood, and I just need more time to adjust than others.
I repeated this hope to myself in my head over and over as I resumed my seat in the control room.
A flashing on the navigation board caught my eye.