“You’re late,” a voice came from somewhere. I turned and saw Professor Wolfe leaning against a stone column. Wolfe was an older-looking vampire, his skin wrinkled and powdery, blue prominent veins in his hands. I didn’t respond to his comment. Being late was part of the act. I was much too pompous to arrive on time.
“Come with me,” he said, eyes darting around quickly. I shrugged and followed him to a room. He rubbed at his mouth almost nervously as he went to his desk and sat down.
Wolfe was my sponsor for Sanguine Society. He was the one that had made contact with me and began slipping details about his “club”. The vampiric professor bothered me on multiple levels. He kept worming into my mind, an annoying villain looming around.
I flopped into the lounger. Wolfe’s eyes dragged over my body salaciously and I tried not to look disgusted. It was obvious he was interested in me in more ways than one. My family name and money, of course, but his looks lingered too long.
“You look tired,” he stated.
“A little,” I admitted with a bored sigh. I was exhausted actually. Every singlebloodynight this week that dream grasped me. Which is why I had bags under my eyes that looked like bruises.
Thick drapes hung up on the stone, covering the walls. It made the room feel smaller and more insular. However, the cloistered feeling was offset by rich textures and high-quality colors. Chartreuse, mulberry, and garnet littered the room in his tasteful collection of decor. My tongue swirled in my mouth and my fingers brushed the crushed velvet armrest.
“Today is the day. You should be excited,” he said, attempting to smile. I gave an apathetic hum. “I want to prepare you.”
“For what exactly? Where are the others?” I asked. I hoped I could get everything I needed in one visit. The more often I came down here, the more at risk I would be. Tate couldn’t have his eyes on me here. I was at the mercy of vampires while underground.
Wolfe stood up from his chair and rounded the desk. I didn’t like Wolfe, not at all. To be honest, I didn’t think I could leave this campus comfortably without making sure he was dead first.
“Others… yes they will be here but I wanted to spend some time together, just you and me.” Wolfe was acting suspicious and it was putting me on edge. My heart thudded in my chest and sweat began to dampen my hairline. He was causing a physiological response that didn’t make sense.
The first time I met Wolfe was mundane. I felt calm and relaxed, trusting Sanguine Society had a process and attacking me wasn’t part of it. This week I’d started to almost fear seeing him though. My brain kept screaming for me to run.
The dreams were getting to me.
“Just us. Why?” I asked. I put on an apathetic face as my heart galloped in my chest.
“It’s a big night tonight. Your entire life will change,” he offered. Wolfe leaned against his desk and looked at me with his intense gaze. I tried not to squirm under his dead eyes.
“They’ve picked someone else to be your guide,” he said, his pale eyes boring into me. I looked at the door, hoping someone was about to interrupt whatever this was. I didn’t like it.
“Even thoughI’mthe one that’s been your advisor in this process. The one who suggested you be a candidate.” His words were laced with anger.Shit.
“Well, there must be a reason,” I said slowly, watching his reaction. He remained silent for a while, his eyes digging into me.
“Politics is why they chose someone else,” he finally said, his seriousness fading into a small smile. Professor Wolfe loomed close, smelling of old books and rot. My back pressed into his lounger as I attempted to put more distance between us. That feeling of dread was clawing up my throat now, choking me.
Tate was right. I shouldn’t have come.
“They’re not going to like I’m doing this but you’re mine,” he said, bending down suddenly, his hands wrapping around my arms tightly.
“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to pull from his hold. His strength was immense. He held me tightly as I looked into his pinprick pupils. My head swam and tiredness swept through me.
“Calm down,” he murmured and I felt myself begin to fall asleep.
I woke up to the feeling of Professor Wolfe’s mouth at my neck like an animal with single-minded hunger, desperate to take what it needed.
What was going on? The questions came and went, fluttering on some invisible breeze. I couldn’t make sense of what was happening and couldn’t form thoughts long enough to figure it out.
My eyes slid around the room–an office with the cool air of underground. Clarity began to seep in.
“Get off,” I rasped, my voice more gravelly than usual. I shoved at his chest. He laughed and then pulled back, getting up and retrieving a cloth napkin to dab at his mouth with. The white fabric came away red.
My hand went to my neck and came away bloody. The thick scent of iron surrounded the room. I mumbled a curse and lifted from the couch. My head swam and the room spun. I fell back to the couch, my vision going black.
“The dreams,” I rasped, pressing my hand to my neck. Some magic had kept the truth locked inside but it had been released. I hadn’t been dreaming. Wolfe had mental powers. That could only mean that he was a master. They were rare, legends of old that half of hunters dismissed as made-up stories.
“Yes, the dreams,” he said, a smile playing across his mouth. What was so damn entertaining to him? At least this explained my reaction of fear to him. It was because somewhere inside me I knew he visited me in the night, drinking from me, chasing me,terrorizingme.
