"Blood is life, Dorothy. It tethers what's within, keeps it from flyin' away. The soul's the shiny prize, but without the red stuff that flows from the heart, that sparkle fades in a hurry."

Ruben was studying the girl now, having already lost interest in the corpse. He thought he heard his stomach contents slosh when he stepped towards her, but that might have been an illusion. He crouched down close to her, his features shifting back to normal. His eyes were bright, like an overly curious bird.

"What are you?"