“Whose enemy?” I say. “The Vampires of Las Vegas?”
He licks his bottom lip and winces. “Pleasestop using that word. And none of that nonsense about ‘reclaiming’ it—it draws attention.”
“Whose enemy?” I ask again. More quietly.
“Ours,” he says. “Our entire brotherhood, here and everywhere.”
“Lamb. I don’t understand.…”
He narrows his eyes. “I’m beginning to think you really don’t. You’re lying to me about—aboutnearly everything—but you really don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Things are different in England, we’re cut off—I thought you understood.”
“I do.”
We’re interrupted then. A waiter has brought our first dish, some sort of crispy pork, still sizzling.
It happens immediately, and I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting it (pork is theworst,sometimes I’d have to leave the Watford dining hall on days they served bacon)—my fangs slide down into place.
Lamb is spooning some of the pork onto a dish for me. “The Next Blood,” he says. “They callthemselvesthat, by the way—” He glances up at me and stops speaking. His face falls. “Baz.”
He’s noticed, of course he’s noticed. I keep my mouth closed. (Haven’thisfangs popped? Are they about to?) He looks shocked. And concerned.
“Take a deep breath,” he says softly.
I do. That makes it worse. My sinuses are burning, and my mouth is full of saliva. It’s all I can do not to bare my teeth.
Lamb moves the dish away from me, casually, like he’s making room between us.
“Look at me.” His voice is low.
I look at him. I lock my eyes on his.
“Breathe,” he says.
I do.
“This is an animal response,” Lamb says. “And you are not an animal.”
He hasn’t blinked. I nod.
“You are a man, Baz.Youare in control, not the thirst. You don’t just take what you want when you want it. I’ve seen that—you weren’t even tempted last night.”
A waiter sets another dish between us. Chicken. Coconut milk. Curry.
“How do you control yourself?” Lamb asks. “When you’re thirsty, and there’s a beating heart laid before you?”
“I—”
“Donotopen your mouth.”
I close my mouth tight.
“Think about it.…” he says. “Think of that control.”
I nod.
“Nowtakecontrol, Baz. You know how they feel when they break through your gums.”
