Love Bites

Chapter 8

Aimlessly wandering around the corridors, I attempt to find the room that the receptionist told me to go to. She wasn’t exactly very forthcoming with information, and this place is a maze, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m going in the wrong direction. I pause as I come to the end of the corridor and am faced with the decision of going left or right. I swear I’ve already been this way. All the white walls look the same, and my sense of direction has always been horrible.

“Emmy!”

Hearing my name, I glance over my shoulder to see Merrin, the vampire I met in class yesterday, walking towards me.

It’s a new day, and I was promised that I would be able to feed—if I can find my way to the room, that is. It’s early, the sun is only just starting to peek above the horizon, so most of the denizens here are still in their rooms. Seeing Merrin brings a sense of relief. I may not be friends with the male, but he has been helpful to me so far, so I have no reason not to trust him. One of the things I like about him is that he keeps to himself, not falling into any of the groups or cliques around the centre.

“Where are you going? The donors from the centre have arrived,” he calls and waits for me to hurry over to him, smiling quizzically. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” I wring my hands nervously as I fall into step beside him. “I don’t really know what I’m doing. The only time I did this, I lost control and killed my boyfriend,” I confess quietly, attempting to take note of the corridors we take.

“It’s pretty simple,” he says with a shrug, keeping his gaze off me and on the route ahead. “It’s staying in control that’s the most difficult part, especially for new vampires.”

That is exactly what worries me. My dreams were plagued with images of me draining the whole town dry and going on a blood-fuelled rampage. Why I was twenty feet tall and stomping around like Godzilla, I don’t know, but it’s a fear nonetheless. All of this is new to me, so who am I to know what’s real or not?

“How do I stop myself from draining my donor?”

While I think it’s a perfectly acceptable question to ask, it seems to shock him, so much so that he stumbles to a stop and looks at me with a frown. He glances around the corridor as if he’s expecting someone to jump out at him at any moment, and he looks paler than usual, even for a vampire. “Isn’t your mentor here to guide you?”

As if summoned by the mention of him, a familiar, rich voice floats down the hallway. “Emmy.” His voice sets off some sort of a reaction in me, like a gentle caress down the length of my spine. I’ve only known him for a matter of days, yet my body responds like he’s a cherished lover.

“Zane.” I want to say more, but all that comes from my mouth is his name on a breathy sigh.

Smooth, Emmy, real smooth. I sound like a lovestruck teenager, which I am most definitely not. That has me thinking, though, just how old ishe? From what I’ve learned, vampires can live for centuries, meaning that I could be fantasising about an old man right now. I must look like a child to him. His satisfied smirk shakes me out of my stupor, and I roll my eyes at him. He knows I’m thinking about him, but I bet he doesn’t know I’m actually wondering how old he is.

“Happy to see me, jailbird?” His long legs eat up the space between us, and I shake some of my hair forward in an attempt to hide the blush on my cheeks at his new nickname for me.

“In your dreams, Grandad,” I retort with a smile of my own, attempting to look welcoming but not swooning.

A choking noise pulls my attention to Merrin, who looks as though he’s about to have a heart attack. His eyes are wide as he stares at Zane as though he’s expecting him to react poorly.

“I’ll leave you with…” Merrin mumbles as he backs away, cutting himself off completely when he gets a certain distance from us and flees the hall completely.

Shocked, I watch the male disappear out of sight. What was that all about? He looked terrified, but he was fine when it was just the two of us, so it must have been Zane’s arrival that changed everything.

“You scared off my guide,” I say accusingly, turning to glare up at him and placing my hands on my hips.

He just snorts and walks past me. “I’ll take you to the feeding room, don’t worry about him.”

Oh no, he’s not getting away with it that easily. Jogging to catch up with him, I poke him in the arm until he looks down at me with exasperation. “Are you going to tell me what that was all about?”

Humouring me, he shrugs his shoulders slightly. “I have a bit of a reputation, but you don’t need to worry about that.”

Is that why Merrin would barely look at me when we were alone, because he was afraid of my mentor’s reputation?

I’m about to tell him that I can make my own damn decisions about what I do or don’t worry about, but Gabriel chooses that moment to enter the building. You might ask how I knew it was him before I even saw him, and I wouldn’t be able to answer you other than to say I just knew. Something in me recognised his presence, much like it did when Zane appeared—not to mention Officer Hart as well. Well, whatever part of me it is, she needs to calm the fuck down.

When I glance at the side door that leads to the small garden space, he practically fills the whole doorway, although it doesn’t stop me from wincing against the bright light of the sun. The second my eyes adjust, I realise he’s topless.

Holy moly.

His body is hard and chiselled like one of those Greek statues, and his skin glistens in a way that makes me want to touch it. Is it as hard as it looks, or soft and subtle? The gorgeous, golden-brown feathers that make up his wings seem to shimmer with their own luminescence thanks to the way the rising sun shines down on him.

My fangs slide from between my lips, breaking whatever spell he has on me and alerting the two males to the fact that my lady parts are doing the cancan at being in their presence right now.

Smirking at my obvious flustered state, Gabriel steps farther into the hall, the doors closing behind him and blocking out the sun. Zane stiffens behind me, and the two males seem to size each other up. I should say something to stop their ridiculous posturing, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying practically being sandwiched between them. It’s not every day something like this happens, so I shamelessly make the most of it.

“Zane, I’m surprised they managed to convince you to agree to be a mentor. I suppose when it’s that or more jail time, then this is the better option.” Gabriel’s smooth, accented voice rolls over me, and I enjoy listening to it so much that I almost don’t catch what he said.

More jail time, meaning Zane has been imprisoned before. This doesn’t actually surprise me much, and if anything, it only intrigues me more. What is it about a bad boy that makes me so hot under the collar? Gabriel is clearly trying to get a rise out of Zane, but I don’t understand why.

The feathered male’s eyes flit over to me, a seductive smile lighting up his whole face. “Although, if I had been partnered with a sweet thing like this, then I would have jumped at the chance too.”

“Gabriel,” Zane bites out, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “It comes as no surprise that you’re locked up again.”

“The two of you know each other.” I’m stating the obvious, but I feel nosy as hell and don’t want to ask outright, hoping that one of them will fill me in.

“Oh yes, Zane and I go way back.” Gabriel’s smile becomes feline as he pins his intense stare on the other male. “Isn’t that right, old friend?”

Fangs flashing, Zane takes a step forward, placing himself in front of me as he faces down his apparent rival. “Stay away from Emmy. She doesn’t want to get dragged into any of your shady business.”

There is no way in hell that I would ever disagree with anything Zane said to me in that voice, the anger in it making the hair on my arms stand on end. I knew he was dangerous before, but now I know with every fibre of my being that this male could rip me limb from limb before I could even scream for help.

It appears that Gabriel doesn’t have those instincts though, or perhaps he has a death wish, because he simply mirrors the movement, stepping closer until the two of them are almost chest to chest.

“I think that our little vampire is perfectly capable of making up her own mind.” Gabriel cocks his head. “Right, Emmy?”

Everything in me does somersaults at him calling me “our little vampire” and conjures images of me pressed between the two of them. Taking a deep breath, I use every ounce of willpower I possess and push those images from my mind so I can deal with this before the two of them get out of hand.

“Look, I have no idea what’s going on between you, but I won’t be dragged into your pissing match.” My frustration makes me bold, and I point my finger first at Zane, then Gabriel, my expression full of warning. “Getting out of here and trying to live a normal life is my top priority, and if either of you get in the way of that, then I will plant man-eating plants around your houses and laugh as you get eaten.”

Both of them look at me with surprised amusement. I mean the threat, yet they seem to find it funny, causing my anger to boil.

When I’m about to lose my temper, Gabriel whistles. “Bloodthirsty. I like it.”

Just like that, I’m blushing again, his words a compliment. Zane sighs and shakes his head, his expression weary as he gestures down the hall.

“You’re going to miss the chance to feed if we wait any longer. The centre won’t wait around for you.” He clearly doesn’t want to be around Gabriel anymore, but I don’t want to risk losing my chance to eat. As if in agreement, my stomach rumbles loudly.

“Enjoy your meal, little one,” Gabriel says with a half smile, turning away and stalking down the hallway. Darkness seems to follow in his wake.

I’m so stunned by his sudden disappearance that for a moment, I just stare at where he had been. When am I ever going to get used to the speed that most paranormals seem to possess? Thankfully, Zane doesn’t rush me, and I am able to focus once more.

Walking side by side, we continue through the maze of corridors. For a while, we stay in companionable silence, our thoughts busy spinning in our minds. All of a sudden, I spot a sign on the wall pointing to a long hallway on our right, marked “Feeding Room.” It’s one of the only signs I have seen, so I’m a little surprised to see it. This corridor is different to the others, as one wall is made up almost entirely of windows—tinted of course—and they show off the beautiful garden in the morning light.

A pang of sadness goes through me. I miss my job, and I miss my flowers. I was so proud of myself when I managed to land my dream job as a florist, and my plants are my babies. Nessie, the owner of the shop—You had me at Aloe—will take good care of them while I’m away, but will the job still be waiting for me when I finally return home? Tina will do her best to look after my plants, but she has the unfortunate talent of killing almost every plant she touches. My orchids are going to be dead for sure.

“Apparently you have a sponsor now,” Zane comments, bringing my attention back to him. “We’ll be meeting with them later to go over our plan for your assessment tomorrow.”

Excitement flips inside me like a thousand butterflies at the thought of seeing Jack later. I also can’t deny that I’m relieved to hear that Zane seems happy to be working with him. Jack already knew that Zane was my mentor, so I knew he accepted that fact, but I worried that my vampire mentor would refuse to work with the police officer.

“I’m glad you’re okay working with Officer Hart. When I met with him, I hadn’t realised that you would be involved in the meetings too. This makes it much easier though,” I prattle on, smiling through my nerves.

“Wait.” All signs of humour and positivity flee his face as his expression becomes harsh. “Jack Hart is your sponsor?”

Uh-oh. My big mouth has done it again.

Wincing, I clear my throat, a cold chill travelling through my body. “Yes, didn’t you—”

“No, I didn’t.” His jaw tenses as he clenches his mouth together. Biting down on my lower lip, I try to think of something to say but come up with nothing. He presses his fingers to his temples in frustration. “I think the universe is playing a joke on me.”

“I’m sorry, I—”

He waves off my apology. “No, don’t worry, I won’t let our dispute get in the way of making sure you have a fair assessment.” Rolling his shoulders back, he flashes me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Come on, you must be hungry.”

I’m bloody starving, pun intended, but I just nod slowly and follow him.

At the end of the corridor is a set of double doors. They are closed, but a delicious, tangy smell reaches me that has my mouth watering and gums aching—blood. My fangs are still extended from before, and a pull in my stomach threatens to drag me forward, but I dig my feet into the lino and breathe through my mouth in an attempt to stop myself from smelling the blood on the other side of that door.

“Emmy.” Zane’s hand lands on the small of my back, trying to guide me forward, yet he quickly stops when he realises that I’m frozen. “Are you okay? What’s happening?”

I look stupid, a vampire frozen in place and unable to go into a room containing blood, yet I can’t shake the fear that’s creeping through me, gripping onto me like a vice.

“What if I can’t stop?” I ask in a hushed whisper, my stare locked on the double doors. “What if I kill someone else?”

From the corner of my eyes, I see understanding flash across his face, and he steps into my line of sight so I’m staring at his chest. “You didn’t know what you were doing then or what you were. Knowledge is power, and you are strong,” he reassures me, putting a finger on my chin and lifting it so our eyes meet. “Besides, I’ll be at your side the whole time and won’t let anything bad happen.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course,” he promises, his expression completely serious.

Taking a deep breath, I nod and ease away my fears, his hand on my back offering comfort as we walk into the room. It’s surprisingly large, considering there are only five cubicles. Large lounge chairs are positioned equally along the back wall, with a small side table and stool next to each. Hanging curtains like they use in hospitals create makeshift walls between the chairs to give a sense of privacy.

Guards stand by the entrance, one for each cubicle where they can keep an eye on what’s happening. I suppose when they have human volunteers coming here, they have to make sure they are safe. One cubicle far from the entrance is in use, the curtains closed enough that I can’t see who is in there. Merrin is using the one next to that, and I catch a glimpse of him biting his donor’s neck.

Just in front of me, away from the two used cubicles, is a woman who I assume is my donor. I feel the blood run from my face.

“I can’t do this.” I’m like a bloody yo-yo today, stepping forward only to be pulled back by something. Most of this is because of my own fears and insecurities, but this is a huge deal to me. I’m about to bite someone and drink their blood, which is insane on its own before you even take into consideration who is waiting to donate to me.

“What are you talking about?” Zane’s frown gives away his frustration, and I feel a little guilty—just not as guilty as I would feel if I were to feed on the female sitting in my cubicle.

“She’s a little old lady! I’m not going to eat her!” I hiss, pulling a face at him that makes it clear I think he’s stupid for even questioning me.

Huffing in annoyance, he rolls his eyes again, something he seems to do a lot of. “You’re not eating her, you’re taking some of her blood. She’s a donor, she’s here because she wants to be, plus she’s being paid for it.” Placing a hand on my shoulder, he gives me a gentle push, guiding me towards the cubicle. “I’ve drunk from Phyllis before. She’s tasty.”

Phyllis. Of course her name is Phyllis. Not only am I a blood sucking vampire, but I’m about to feed on a little old lady. His comment makes me grimace. Describing a little old lady as tasty doesn’t sit right with me. Even so, I find myself walking forward until I’m standing just inside the cubicle. I see that she’s been keeping herself busy with knitting while she was waiting. Knitting.

Fuck me, I’m going to hell for this.

Phyllis just looks up at me with a bright smile and shining eyes. She looks just like how I would expect a grandmother to look, with white curly hair, blue eyes, and a hideous, lumpy blue cardigan.

“Hello, dear, you must be Emmy,” she greets, her voice warm and relaxed. “I’m ready when you are.”

I can’t do this, no matter how much I want to. Can I?

“Sit down,” Zane whispers in my ear, directing me as he senses I’m about to bolt.

Taking a seat on the stool beside Phyllis, I glance at her neck and notice a mass of silvery scars that are obviously from vampire bites over the years. This certainly isn’t the first time she’s been bitten. Putting her knitting down, she automatically turns her head to one side and extends her neck, giving me full access. The urge to leap forward and take what I want pulses through me, so much so that I ball my hands into fists.

I feel Zane move in behind me, his body brushing against mine as he pulls another stool over. His hands glide over my arms, helping me focus my thoughts and taking the feral edge from my need. He leans over and presses his lips to my ear.

“Lean in and locate her pulse.”

Ignoring the fact that this feels like a moment from Ghost, I do as instructed. I find her fluttering pulse easily, like a little butterfly trapped beneath her skin, begging to be free. My fangs seem to get even longer, and my whole mouth aches with need.

“That’s it,” he coos, his praise awakening my arousal and shooting a wave of desire straight to my core.

“Now bite.”

He doesn’t need to tell me twice.

I strike out like a viper, my bite messy as I lock my lips around the wound, not wanting to let any of that precious blood escape. Phyllis jerks underneath me at the force but quickly starts to moan as I suck on her neck. I thought I’d be turned off if the old woman beneath me began moaning with pleasure, but now that her blood is on my tongue, there is no way in hell I’m letting go. A little part of me feels guilty for biting her so hard, but the larger, hungry part of my mind tells me I can apologise later and focus fully on feeding.

“Easy. Slow down your pulls,” Zane murmurs behind me, his voice deeper than before. Everywhere he touches is hot, a trail of tingles left in his wake, and my back hums from his warmth pressed against me. “There’s no hurry. Savour the feeling,” he continues, and he’s right, my entire body feels alive, and I never want the feeling to end.

A long, low groan fills the room, and I realise it’s mine. Not caring that I sound like a hooker, I writhe in my seat. I allow the blood to run over my tongue, savouring the flavour.

I’m not sure how it happened, but at some point, I must have shifted my weight, because I’m leaning forward to rub my ass against Zane, who is still behind me, muttering words of encouragement. From the erection I feel through his jeans, I know he’s enjoying this.

All too soon, his hands grip my arms gently, giving me a slight pull to get my attention. “That’s it, you’ve taken enough.”

What? No, there is still more blood, I can feel it. She’s still alive, and I’m suddenly ravenous. I need more, my body aching and needing both blood and physical touch. “No, I need more,” I whine, leaning in to catch the drops of blood that leak from the wound now that I’ve detached from Phyllis’s neck. It feels like I’ll die if I stop now, the need coursing through me so strongly that I cling on like a limpet on a rock.

“I know, jailbird.” His voice is understanding but firm, his hand resting on the back of my neck, squeezing gently, and I know if he feels he needs to, he will drag me off this woman. “But trust me on this, if you keep going, you will kill her.”

It’s like a bucket of cold water, and he doesn’t need to worry about manhandling me as I climb off the woman like she’s on fire. My fangs still ache, and need pounds through me. Right now, I’m not sure if it’s for sex or blood. My desires are so mixed up that it’s difficult to tell what’s what. Eyes wide, I look at Zane who is watching me with a frown.

His brow soon smooths out, and he offers me his hand. “Come with me.”

I want to, I want to get the hell away from here before I do something stupid and drain someone, but I glance over at the lady I just fed from. She’s passed out and sprawled across the chair with a blissed out expression.

“Don’t worry, they will help Phyllis,” he assures me, and sure enough, one of the guards walks over and straightens the woman in her chair, taking her pulse and placing a bottle of water on the table beside her.

I slam my hand into his, and the look on my face must give away how much I’m struggling as we leave the room in a hurry, only to step into a room just down the corridor. No, not a room, a cupboard. Shutting the door, Zane presses me against the wall, his arousal hard against me. I expect him to kiss me, but instead, he looks straight into my eyes.

“Bite me,” he orders, sounding just as desperate as I feel.

Frowning, I try to remember what he told me about vampires rarely feeding from each other. “But you said—”

He growls low in his throat, his eyes darkening as his fangs extend from his mouth. “Just fucking bite me.”

I don’t need to be told twice.

Lunging forward, I sink my teeth into his neck.