Aleksighed. “On social media, the footage from the barn, Kai says, ‘Kill all thevampires’ and you say, ‘No, they aren’t all bad.’ Well, Layla didn’t appreciatethat. She took out all of our blood banks. But I can control myself withoutblood. The kid can’t.” He motioned to the teen.
“Shit!I’m so sorry,” I told him. I had only been trying to help.
Kaihad his poker face on. I could tell he was deciding whether or not to trusthim. “Where’s your wife?” Kai quizzed him. Alek’s wife was human.
“Safe.I had her go into hiding as soon as the first blood bank went down a month ago.I don’t want her getting hurt from anyone, especially me.”
“Whywould you hurt your own wife?” Max asked him.
Aleksighed. “Because she’s human. I have no source of food and I don’t want to doanything in a blood craze.”
“What’sa blood craze?” I asked, aware that we were pretty much interrogating him atthis point and I felt pretty shitty about it.
“Ablood craze is when a vampire becomes so thirsty they will feed off of anddrain the life from any living thing in their vicinity. Rats, goats, humans … itdoesn’t matter,” Alexa said from behind me.
Iwas so enthralled in his story, I didn’t smell her approach.
Aleklooked at her with curiosity.
“That’sright,” he confirmed. “But I can control it. I’ve done it before. I didn’t comehere for blood.”
Havingworked for RAIDOS, Alexa knew a lot about the supernatural community. I knewasking her to come would be a smart idea. RAIDOS was now our enemy and sheshould be brought up to speed on all new developments.
“Canyou control it?” Max looked at him skeptically.
Alekraised his hands. “You caught me. I’m here to drain all of your blood. I walkedinto your hundred-strong den with a heroin junkie teenager. That’s my big plan,”he said, sarcastically.
“Look,we’re just trying to understand why you’re here,” I told him, trying to hide mysmile at the way he shot down Max.
Alekshook his head. “I’m sorry, this has all gotten derailed. I’m not thinkingclearly. I haven’t fed in three days. Look, we came to give you informationabout the queen. The kid knows stuff. He was turned two days ago and he heardthings. I thought we had a common goal, but if you don’t want our help, we canleave.” Alek grabbed the kid by the shirt collar and turned to leave. The queenwas Alek’s word for Layla. I wondered why he wouldn’t say her name.
“Holdon,” Kai told him and Alek stopped, turning to face us.
Theteenager scratched his arms. “But I’m not telling nothing unless you give mesome blood.” He fixed Kai with a glare.
God,he must have been sixteen years old. Some mother was probably roaming thestreets looking for this kid.
“Fairenough,” Kai said and the kid’s face relaxed. “Let’s all go to the barn.” Kailed them away from the check point.
Maxgrabbed Kai’s arm. “I don’t like this. Since when do we supply vampires withblood?”
Kaigrabbed Max’s shoulders. “Since now. Times have changed and we need to adapt tosurvive.” Then he walked away and we all followed.
Blood
Kaimade a clean cut on his wrist and positioned it over a small glass. It began tofill with blood. Frowning, I decided I was never using that glass again. Ick.
Theteenager’s nostrils flared and he tried to launch across the table, but Alekpulled him by the back of the neck mid-air and slammed him down hard on thetable top. The teenager was breathing in through his nose and hyperventilating.Jesus.
“Bepatient, child! Our host’s generosity will run out if you attack him,” Alektold him through gritted teeth.
Thekid whimpered.
Afterfilling the cup, Kai bandaged his wrist and handed the glass to the kid. “Isthat enough?” Kai asked as the teen greedily gulped the blood.
Alekfrowned slightly and swallowed hard. “Yes, that will be enough for now. Thankyou.”
“Whatabout you? I need you clear-headed and well fed if you’re staying on my landaround my females,” Kai told him and went to cut his other wrist.
