Nope.Anash male entered the room then, carrying a long tray which he placed gentlyinto the center of the table. He proceeded to lift the very heavy lookingsilver-inlaid cover, and beneath was a veritable feast.
I sucked in deeply, thescents of seafood and pasta wafting toward me. My stomach roared to life and Ihad to restrain myself from actually launching across to fill my mouth withthat goodness.
Lucas chuckled. “I do somiss that love for food. I pretty much just have blood now.”
I knew vampires couldstill eat food, but they didn’t need to, and they didn’t particularly enjoy it.Another ash entered then, and in his hands was a bottle of red wine. He showedthe label to Lucas and the vampire nodded. The ash popped the cork with a whooshof release, and the wine was allowed to breathe. Lucas filled both of ourglasses; the scent hit me immediately. It was all red grapes, sweet apples, oakbarrels and … blood. I straightened. Holy shit. They had alcohol with blood init? Why the hell hadn’t I known this before now?
He talked as he poured. “Thisis a special blend that my company is manufacturing. It’s new to the market. Iwas hoping we could be the testers tonight.” The silver in his eyes flashed atme as he lifted his head and lowered the bottle to the table again.
I was intrigued. Lucasnot only was a Quorum member, which was a fulltime job on its own, he also hada company that made cool things. Like blood alcohol. I reached for my glass,the wine swishing against the sides a little as I brought it closer to my face.My eyelids fluttered closed as the deeper tones of the scent hit me. I allowedmyself moments to breathe it in. Blood had such a tantalizing smell for me now,that copper filled with spice and heat and life. Team that with rich grapes, thejuicy sweetness of red apples, and aged wine and, well, shit, I was pretty sureLucas had a winner here.
The first sip was a blastof flavor. Every single one of my taste buds jumped to attention and startedscreaming for more.
“What do you think?” Myeyelids flew open to find Lucas watching me closely.
“Un-freaking-believable.”I almost moaned as I took another small sip. “I’ll take ten bottles.”
He laughed, flashing allthose white teeth, the slightest tip of fang visible. “You survive the cullingand you can have ten crates.”
Incentive enough for me.
The rest of dinner was relaxed. Lucaschatted to me about the general life and rules of the Hive while I devouredbasically everything that wasn’t tied down. We finished the first bottle ofblood merlot before opening a second. This one was less fruity, and spicier, butequally delicious. It was even giving me a little buzz and I wondered if maybethe blood worked with the alcohol to give more impact to vampires and ash.
“So tell me about yourlife before you were a vampire. How did you get infected?”
As my artlessly wordedquestions left my mouth, the animation fell from Lucas’ face and I realizedthat I might have pressed on a sore spot for him. The conversation before hadbeen light and impersonal, and I’d just gone straight for personal. I opened mymouth to apologize and change the subject, but then he started to talk.
“I was infected in thelate 1800s – I’m not even sure of the exact date any longer. Back then the batshad been culled, but the Originals had started to mass a decent number in theirclans. But they weren’t always successful at keeping control. Newly turnedvampires were driven to attack, like a bad case of rabies that can never be cured.”He swirled the liquid in his glass; my eyes remained locked on him. “I was afarmer, just a simple farmer. We grew wheat. My wife, Regina, she would stay athome and raise our two sons while I worked from daylight to dusk. It was a hardlife, but it was perfect.”
God, this was harder tohear than I expected, especially considering it had been a very long time ago.But I could tell that for Lucas it was not long at all.
“One night I was out withthe plow. There had been storms that season and it was imperative I finishedthe field that night. Generally, we did not stay out after dark. Everyone wasaware of the problem sweeping the human race, and caution after dark was alwaysadvised.” He broke off then, ghosts of the past swirling in those captivatingeyes.
“You were bitten?” Iprompted.
He nodded a few times,his motions jagged. “Yes, a female, she came out of nowhere, attacking me. Imanaged to fight her off and in the struggle my horse took off dragging theplow over her, removing the head and covering my bite marks with her blood,infecting me. That was the only reason I survived. Well, sort of. I knew thateverything I loved and worked so hard to provide for was gone. I could never gohome to my family, I would kill them when the change happened and the bloodlusthit. So I ran. I ran for the city, to the humans who locked me and others likeme away like science experiments. Luckily, technology was pretty sparse backthen, so after I grew strong enough to control myself, I escaped and finallyended up in the Hive of those days, which was secreted away from humans.”
“You never saw yourfamily again?” I asked breathlessly.
He dropped the wine glassonto the table. A few drops spilled, marring the brilliant white of histablecloth. “I did visit them one time, just to make sure they were doing okay.The farmhouse was empty, deserted, and it had clearly been looted.” The depthof his anguish and anger filled his low tones. “I should have known that they’dbe targeted, a single woman with two small children. I basically signed theirdeath warrants when I deserted them.”
Either way, his familyhad been doomed.
“I salvaged her hutch anda few other pieces before burning the house to the ground. I never found mywife or sons. I still do not know what happened to them, and it haunts my everysingle waking moment.”
Gods, and I thought mystory was horrible. I at least still had seen my mom and Tessa.
“That’s why you allowed Momto come and see me.”
Lucas swallowed, hismovements exaggerated as he worked to control his emotions. “You actuallyremind me a little of my wife. She was as tough and beautiful as you are. I … Iknew you wanted to have a final goodbye with your mother, and it was within mypower to grant that.”
I reminded him of hiswife – it was all starting to make sense now. Lucas was a good guy, a good guywho’d had plenty of horrible things happen. Even now, with the cold ache of thevampire virus filling his veins, he was still being a good guy.
I reached across thetable and took his free hand. “Thank you. I will never forget everything you’vedone for me.”
He returned my squeezeonce before letting go. “Do not die in the culling, Charlie. I will be veryunhappy, and I’d hate to have to start hurting the ash who hurt you.”
He would do it too. Icould see it in his eyes. He was not happy about me going into this battle. Buttradition was tradition, and not even a Quorum member could save me now. I wasgoing to have to save myself.
