Page 5

Ished my coat, folding it over one arm, and headed to the bar. I ordered something expensive, though I had no intention of drinking, and scanned the room. The music thumped in my chest, and energy radiated from the dancers on the floor. But it wasn’t those feelings that excited me. It was what crawled up my nose and into my brain. Beneath the scents of alcohol, perfume, and recycled air, the scent of humans was more intoxicating than any liquor, and I drank it in deeply.

The crowded club offered a multitude of choices to my liking, and I scanned the prospects earnestly. I was searching for the rich and spoiled, the pampered and entitled. Whether it stemmed from narcissism or self-loathing, I was unsure, but that was my preferred meal.

My eyes snagged on a young woman in a simple black dress and heels. She’d pulled her hair back to showcase the expensive jewelry she wore and the long column of her neck. She stood chatting with friends at a table on the edge of the dance floor, but her eyes kept scanning the nearby young men. I collected my whiskey and made my way over, wading through the crowd and dodging spilled drinks.

The group of women welcomed me warmly. I’d turned on my charm, and few could resist my movie-star good looks, tight-lipped smile, and perfect manners. I introduced myself, and when asked what I did for a living, I gave my usual lie about investment banking. I’d invested quite well over a century earlier and hadn’t had to worry about money for decades, so in a way it was true. The woman in the black dress smiled broadly, giving me her full attention, and I felt the line tighten. All that was left was to reel her in.

“My name is Madison,” she said when introductions went around.

“A pleasure,” I replied, shaking her hand. It still felt strange to shake a woman’s hand instead of bending to kiss the back of it. However, times had changed. I enjoyed much of the modern world, but some of the old habits died hard.

I watched Madison closely as we talked. She focused mainly on my lips and eyes. I tucked my dark waves behind one ear, and her attention flicked to my Rolex, her brows rising ever so slightly. A moment later, I tugged at the edge of my thin cashmere sweater as if to adjust the fit. Her gaze traveled across my muscular chest, her pupils dilating. This was almost too easy.

We chatted for a few minutes, and an unspoken message passed between Madison and her friends. The other two women left, giving Madison and me some time alone. After all, Madison was on the hunt, too. If her friends only knew what they were leaving her alone with, and what I intended to do to her. But who would suspect that the man their friend was flirting with was an inhuman predator, there only to feed?

Deep down, I suspected I deliberately chose the privileged and entitled, selecting them in public because someone would be more likely to notice if they disappeared and come looking. It was a way to keep myself in check—insurance that I wouldn’t go too far. It allowed me to remain part of society and kept me from becoming its destroyer.

I sighed. No, instead of vanishing, the woman gazing up into my eyes would enjoy herself and wake up the next day feeling tired but no worse for wear, while I would leave the club fed but not satisfied. I might even get her number and call her to meet up again sometime. It was indeed a strange new age.

I pretended to sip my whiskey, enjoying the liquor’s aroma but careful not to swallow any of it. Madison’s drink was getting low, so with practiced ease, I swapped my full glass for an empty one from a nearby table when she wasn’t looking. The props were important. Leading us to the bar, I ordered another round and then steered her toward the back of the club for the privacy I needed.

We had barely sat down when Madison grabbed my face and seized my mouth with her own. I let the kiss deepen just enough. When she slipped her warm tongue into my mouth, I was thankful she’d been drinking. Not because she might be disoriented, but because vampire saliva numbed sensation, something any sober person would easily detect. It took the sting out of the bite but made kissing awkward. Madison didn’t seem to notice.

I moved back and tilted her head, pressing my lips to her smooth throat. She let out a soft sigh. I kissed her neck, running my tongue over the skin. I waited, letting the numbness take full effect. The anticipation built, and my fangs lengthened, ready to feed. But I still held back. Running a hand up the inside of her thigh and under the hem of her little black dress, I found her center bare and smiled to myself. It was all too easy. She arched into my touch. I worked my fingers in a practiced motion, ensuring she was properly distracted before I opened my mouth wider and slid my fangs into her bared throat, sealing my lips to her warm skin.

I pulled gently at her vein, her blood filling my mouth, sliding down my throat, and pooling warm in my stomach. Her scent flooded my senses, and I groaned inwardly. This was bliss. I could taste her desire, the vodka she’d consumed—which didn’t do much for me—and the cumin she’d eaten with her dinner—which I found quite pleasant. Yet best of all was the blood itself. It carried this woman’s essence deep into my very core. This was what life was about for a vampire.

It was only fair that I tried to give back, to make the experience pleasurable for her as well. I worked her to the edge as I drank. She let out a low moan as I felt her inner muscles clench rhythmically around my fingers, and I knew she was satisfied. It was a small payment for what I took in return.

I broke off feeding and, still kissing her neck, tended to the wound. I nicked the thumb of my free hand with a fang and rubbed the welling blood into the punctures. They closed flawlessly, leaving only smooth skin. She would never know she’d been someone’s meal. I licked her neck once more to wash away the remaining blood, then released my prey. I’d fed up to the point I knew she might start to miss what I’d taken. After all, I wanted her to be able to walk out of the club on her own—I wasn’t completely unevolved.

Madison reclined against the soft blue velvet of the booth, breathless, and gazed up at me with a dreamy look. “We could do more of this at my place,” she suggested with a smile.

I smiled back, lifting one of her hands to my lips. I kissed it, then shook my head. “I’m afraid not. Unfortunately, I have somewhere else to be tonight,” I said. I brushed my fingers lightly over the spot where I’d fed. “I’m sorry if I got a little carried away. You might have a bruise in the morning.”

She laughed softly. “I don’t mind. It was worth it. Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do for you before you leave?” She pulled her hand from my grasp and ran it down my chest, dipping lower. I caught her hand and brought it to my lips to kiss it again.

“You have done more than you know,” I said softly before standing to leave.

She offered no further protest, and we parted on good terms. I picked up my coat as I left and checked my watch. Although less than an hour had passed, it had been time well spent. Sated for the moment, I left the bar with the woman’s blood coursing through my system and her number tucked in the pocket of my black slacks.

I stepped into the crisp December evening, taking deep breaths and savoring how the air sang in my nose and chilled my lungs. It made me feel alive, even though I didn’t need oxygen. Some things simply felt good, and breathing was one of them. I adjusted my long wool coat, smoothing it over my shoulders, then turned and headed toward my next appointment.

Arriving at Patrick’s a few minutes later, I ducked inside. The place was small, and the decor was typical of an Irish bar, though somewhat elevated. The green-and-gold interior, with touches of brass and plenty of leather, gave it an authentically retro feel with a hint of old-world elegance.

I made my way to the back. Most of the tables were filled with humans, and the small dance floor was crowded. Only two groups of vampires were at the bar that night, and I quickly spotted my friends. I slid into the booth next to Jonathan, a handsome vampire with short, curly hair, a dancer’s build, and a wide smile that effortlessly drew in both humans and vampires. On Jonathan’s right, Anna greeted me with a polite nod. She was tall, almost six feet, with a short crop of blonde hair. Absently, she toyed with the straw in a fruity drink topped with a little umbrella. Anna’s youthful appearance and slim build masked her true age and strength.

Across from them sat Mateo, a younger vampire with a jagged scar that ran down one side of his face—acquired in his human life. He had his arm around an unfamiliar young human with blazing red hair and a wild look in her eyes.

I glanced again at the woman with Mateo and realized my mistake. Because of the lingering scent of humanity about her, I had assumed she was human, but on closer inspection, I recognized the look of someone adjusting to a vastly different reality.

“Really, Mateo?” I said over the loud music. “Another one?”

“What?” Mateo replied. “I was lonely, and Sadie is so lovely. Isn’t she?” He stroked her long hair, and she flinched at the sudden movement of his hand.

“Lovely,” I agreed. “But she doesn’t seem ready for all this just yet,” I said, spreading my hands to gesture toward the club in general and the crowd of humans in particular. “A new vampire is quite unpredictable. And Patrick wouldn’t appreciate it if you let her commit mass murder on the dance floor, dear Mateo.”

Jonathan stifled a laugh, likely at my unintentional musical reference. I scowled back. “You’re not helping,” I said, though I let a hint of humor color my voice.