Book Eight: Chapter 164

“I remember the old days.” Victoria looked wistful. “So many different things to eat. We were free to play with our food, to indulge our many vices. I once kept a man locked in a barrel for two years, just to see if his blood would taste different. Toward the end, he begged me for death.” She sighed. “I wonder how the world has changed in our absence.”

Decima gurgled something, clearly wanting to add to the conversation. Her jaw pieces clacked instead, the head stuck in her throat.

“Our guest is the key to the future. I just haven’t deduced what sort of future that will be.” Vincentius moved to the edge of the room and turned to face them. “Now that I have had a proper meal, I can think more clearly and shall--”

The tall man paused, his eyes locking on Mike’s through the pinhole. Gasping, Mike took a step back from the wall, only for it to explode around him. Pain lanced through his entire body, and he looked down in shock to see that Vincentius had punched a ho