Chapter 18
THE CREATURE
Just that single interaction was enough to fuel me, rekindle the excitement of what I came for in the first place.
The way her lungs struggled in the cage of her corset, her skin radiating that palpable heat, the delicious scent of her panic. Who knew what I needed was just a bit of fun?
Everything was so good. I couldn’t really describe it better than euphoria.
As I lay in bed the next morning, the sheets were softer, the floral scent of the room was stronger . . . I even dreamed in full color that night.
The only thing I regretted from the night was the fact that I did not taste her.
The bartender made for poor-quality fare, a bit flat for my tastes.
A familiar lurch in my stomach festered now that she was back in my life.
It had taken the better half of a year to be able to hold down blood that was not hers.
I craved it like opium straight from the pipe.
I could feel the need settling in again, though hopefully this time I would not need to feed on anyone else for long.
As I rolled over, something hard poked against my cheek. I mumbled under my breath, but I soon forgot my irritation when I picked up the hard piece. As I held it between my fingers, my heart stumbled strangely.
A tooth.
A fang, to be specific.
There was a tinge of inky blood at the root, insinuating it was fresh from someone’s mouth.
My tongue ran across the roof of my mouth to check if it were mine, but it was not.
I sat up, unable to pull my attention from the tooth before I noticed the glass cup on the nightstand contained more teeth. I would have thought it was a vision, borne of being hungover from some type of nightmare.
I went to put the tooth in the glass with the rest of them but then felt a granular rustling on top of my sheets.
This has to be a joke.
Scattered across my bed were hundreds, possibly thousands, of teeth. They clicked and clattered against each other like beads as I rustled.
I kicked the sheets off, scattering them over the floor.
The adrenaline made my room spin in the best of ways, like a carousel bent on overstimulating a bairn. I pulled on my shirt and kicked one leg at a time through my trousers. I barely remembered to tuck my shirt in before my shoes were already on my feet.
I made my way to the front desk, adjusting my pace to contain my excitement.
“You. Who did you let into my room this morning?” I demanded once I reached the reception, the fang hidden away in my balled-up fist.
“Room number?” The man behind the desk peered at me over the rim of his thin glasses.
“One seventy-three.”
The carefully groomed man glanced down at the logbook, licking his thumb before turning the page, “Ah . . . that would be Mrs. Forbes, sir.”
“Mrs. Forbes,” I repeated slowly.
Cheeky play, Alina.
My heart could burst just thinking about her being in my room, watching me.
I wonder if she had brought a knife or held it to my skin in my sleep.
Could she have saved some of her sweet poison for me?
I am sure the urge to cut my throat was unbearable for her.
Instead, she decided to leave me a gift.
She had never done such a thing for me. I say it was about time she returned the favor.
“Did she give you the message?” The man interrupted my thoughts.
“Pardon?”
“She said she had a message for you,” he repeated.
“Ah, yes, it was received loud and clear.” I couldn’t help a grin.