“No, I don’t care. Silence is fine, if you want. I just wanted to see if you’d go through with it.”
The screen went black and Darius set down the remote.
“I never asked. Do vampires eat?” I cut off a morselof the steak and placed it delicately on my tongue. When Darius cooked, the first bite should always be savored, because it always surprised and delighted, no matter how much you had expected to enjoy the decadent meal. “This is unbelievable, Darius, as always.”
“We can eat food, if we must. Otherwise we couldn’t exist in human society. It isn’t enjoyable, however. It reminds us of the real sustenance we crave. It is a battle of wills to eat food amongst humans, one that only middle- or higher-level vampires can sustain.”
“Do you miss it?” I indicated my plate.
“At times I do. Food was one of my loves, many lifetimes ago. Eating pales in comparison to taking blood, however. To the taste, and to the connection and intimacy.”
“Do certain people really taste better than others?”
“Taste and feel, yes.”
“What do you mean, feel?”
“Some resist the pleasure they are feeling when I am drawing on their vein and often moving within them. They either tense or reserve themselves. It makes for a less enjoyable transfer for all parties.”
“You prefer willingness, then.”
“Of course, but more than that. Complete surrender of both parties. I’ve explained this to you before.”
“Right, yes.” I prevented myself from wiping my brow.Why is it so hot in here?“How’d you get turnedinto a vampire? You’d said once that you were ambushed. Was that when?”
He rose gracefully. “That is a story for another day. Would you like more wine? The whole bottle, perhaps?”
“If you could hold as much alcohol as I can, you’d suck this wine down just as quickly, don’t tell me you wouldn’t. It is delicious.”
“Bottle, then?”
“Well, if you’re offering…”
Chapter Seven
The next day I marched into the MLE office with a surly attitude and balled fists. If I was going to be fired, I’d do it with my usual gusto. And maybe I’d kick down a door for kicks. I’d rather kick Garret, but that wouldn’t fly. People would think I was ungrateful—or more ungrateful, since I’d already punched him. The last thing I needed, in addition to everyone thinking he’d saved my life, was for them to think he was nicer than me. So far the split on who liked whom better was tied in the office. I needed to keep it that way for the sake of dignity.
“Oh look, there she is.” Garret stood and rested his elbow on the corner of his cube wall. A gloating grin slid up his face. “Does the air smell sweeter today? Do the colors look brighter and the food taste better? I’ve heard that’s what happens when people have a near-death experience.”
I flexed my arms to keep them at my sides. I absolutely could not punch him again. I could not.
“I never did hear a thank-you for saving your life,”Garret continued as I drew closer. Other people popped up out of their cubes, watching.
“Sure you did,” I said through a tight jaw. I didn’t, but the others didn’t know that. “Last night. I wasn’t aware that heroes stooped to the level of gloating.”
The smile slipped from his face. Clarissa, in the cube across from him, nodded slightly.
Ha! Point to me.
“But anyway, thanks.” I patted his shoulder as I passed, making him jump. “Good work out there. It’s good you had my back after I stabbed that thing.”
He’d gotten the credit, deserved or not, so the only way to make him still look like a douche was to admit it. Oh well, there were worse things in life. Tomorrow I’d figure out what those were.
“He in there?” I asked the unimpressed secretary outside of the captain’s office.
“Yeah. He’s waiting for you.” She waved me through without looking up. That was probably bad news. Usually she told me to make an appointment on the intranet and get away from her desk.
I knocked. The captain had installed a reinforced metal door to his office after the last time I’d kicked it down. I’d have to find another door to kick in. Why let go of my favorite act of violence just because I’d been outsmarted?
