Chapter
One
Charlie was two hours into his shift at the convenience store when his hunger caught up with him and his eyes fixed on the small basket of ketchup packets. His stomach twisted with a familiar gnawing emptiness.
Three weeks as a vampire, and this was what his unlife had become: he was salivating over condiments at 11:47 PM.
Charlie swallowed hard. It was a stupid idea. It was always a stupid idea. Ketchup wasn’t blood, no matter how much his stomach growled and his brain tried to bargain. But it wasred, and it wasthick, and if he swallowed before the taste could really hit his tongue, maybe he could pretend.
Maybe it would take the edge off just enough to get through his shift without doing something worse.
He glanced toward the back of the store where the office door stood half-open.
No sign of Mr. Denton, the night manager.
The store was empty, and the coast was clear.
Charlie grabbed a packet and tore it open with his teeth, squeezing its contents onto his tongue before shoving the evidence into his pants pocket.
The regret hit him instantly.
The ketchup tasted like sadness and preservatives. Charlie grimaced, forcing himself to keep the sugary substance down. His stomach lurched, but the gnawing hunger receded just a little.
He sighed.
Vampires were supposed to be mysterious. Powerful. Maybe even a little sexy, if the movies were to be believed.
Charlie's life was nothing like a movie.
He was stuck working graveyard shifts at a 24-hour convenience store because his landlord didn't care if he was undead or fully dead—rent was still due on the same day.
Charlie wiped his fingers on the hem of his hoodie and slumped against the counter. Another five hours and seventeen minutes until sunrise. He could feel it in his bones. His one new 'superpower' he was actually good at: knowing when the sun would rise.
How useless was that?
A simple Google search could have given him the same information.
Behind him, the office door creaked.
Mr. Denton appeared, clipboard in hand, his usual scowl firmly in place. "I'm gonna be a little longer on those order forms," hesaid, thumbing over his shoulder. "You’re on your own. Try not to screw anything up."
Charlie offered a thumbs-up. "Got it, boss."
Mr. Denton gave him a long, weary look, like he wanted to say more but decided Charlie wasn’t worth the effort. With a grunt, he disappeared into the back room, leaving Charlie alone.
For a blessed few minutes, all was quiet, the only sound to be heard was the humming of the freezers.
If the rest of the night passed like this, it wouldn't be so bad.
Maybe he could even sneak another ketchup packet or two. Maybe?—
Ding-ding.
The door chime echoed through the store.
Then again.
And again.
