Leo looked to her with the gaze of a little sister, and Sarah realized that her feelings toward this kid were changing. She squeezed Leo’s hand, trying to reassure her. “You’re going to be perfect. The hard part is the incision, and I’m doing that.” “It’s quiet,” Leo said, looking toward the closed door of Miriam’s bedroom.

“He’s sleeping.”

“But she isn’t?”

“No.”

Miri only slept after she fed. Since she hadn’t, she would be completely conscious the whole time.

“You stay at the door, Leo. Come in at my signal.”

Sarah went into the bedroom, her fleam concealed in her blouse. Paul was as comatose as a mouse-stuffed snake. Miri was cuddled up to him like a schoolgirl with her first lover.

She looked so happy, eyes closed, face blissful. She was nuzzling his chest hair.

When Miri saw Sarah, she gave her a secret, delighted smile. Sarah went to her and stroked her hair, which was twice as full as it had been even a few hours ago. The Keeper body was astonishing in its ability to regenerate and restore itself. Sarah had been fascinated to find out how it all worked. Some nature somewhere had evolved this wonderfully regenerative organism, but it had not been earthly nature. Miriam had never told Sarah where they had come from, only that it was the stars. Why they had appeared here, as colonists or refugees, or—as Sarah suspected—on some far more exotic mission involving the evolution of species, she would not discuss, and perhaps did not know.

Sarah went around the far side of the bed from Miri. She hated so to hurt her, but this had to be done, and there was no time to waste. Poor Miri could be foolish in love. It was her one failing. Sarah had been the victim of some of that foolishness, but also the beneficiary of its indulgence, for which she was profoundly grateful. Miri’s love also lasted. In the past twenty years, she had probably spent ten million dollars on Sarah’s scientific efforts, even indulging her struggle to see if she could remove the Keeper blood that Miri herself had put in her veins.

Sarah slipped into the bed. Paul’s back was to her, his form concealing her from Miri’s vision. She stretched out against him.

“Isn’t he wonderful?” Miri whispered.

“He’s certainly big.”

Sarah brought out the fleam, then drew the narrow silver blade with the hooked end out of its ivory sheath. Using the delicate tips of her surgeon’s fingers, she found his jugular.

The pulse was excellent. He was going to be an extraordinary first meal for Leo. In fact, there’d be plenty for Sarah, too. She could top off that weak old woman and maybe get a month more time before she needed to feed again.