Chapter 5
Chapter Five
“You brought the body here?” Cillian couldn’t have sounded more surprised if he tried.
“Where else would I take it?”
“How about outside the city where you could have left it for the wild scavengers in the woods? Dumped in the river? Placed inside their home and set on fire? Tossed from the top of a building, one high enough to destroy any evidence of biting?”
As he named off all kinds of scenarios to get away with murder, I couldn’t help but blurt, “And this is why I came to you. You’re obviously an expert in getting rid of bodies.”
He sighed and rubbed his jaw. “A knowledge that wouldn’t have been necessary if you’d not run off.”
“At the time, I was having trouble believing you.”
“And now?”
“I’m a vampire.” My lips turned down.
“You are. Now that you’re willing to listen, we’ll discuss what that means, but first, let’s get rid of your passenger. Car keys.” He held out his hand.
I handed the jingling set over. “What are you going to do?”
“Have my assistant handle the problem.”
“You have an assistant?” Duh. Probably the same woman who came to my door.
“Several, actually. Although, they prefer the term bodyguard.”
“If they’re supposed to be protecting your ass then how come I never saw them when I was here?”
“Because I don’t like them hovering over me when I’m at home. But trust me, they were close by. Had you tried anything untoward, they would have acted.”
“Are they vampires too?”
“No. Given our vulnerability during the day, it’s best to have staff who aren’t affected by sunlight.”
“Do they know what you are?”
“Of course, and I will add that it is important to build a bond of trust with one’s servants since your life might depend on them.”
“You have a lot of enemies?” I asked.
“I’m a vampire. That goes without saying.” Cillian stood aside and gestured to his open front door. “Let’s get you inside before you decide to eat one of my neighbors.”
“I’ll have you know, I’m not hungry anymore,” was my tart reply as I swept past him.
“I should hope not, if you drained a person dry.”
“How much was I supposed to drink?” I retorted.
“Enough to curb the hunger while leaving your choice of dinner alive.”
I whirled on him with a dropped jaw. “Wait, a second, are you saying we’re not supposed to kill the people we bite?”
“Can you imagine the number of missing people if we did?” Cillian scoffed. “Being a vampire means being discreet, hence why we don’t drink to kill. Nor do we feed on people with any association to us, and most importantly, never bring your dinner home.”
“AKA don’t shit where you sleep,” I murmured.
“Crass, but accurate.”
The door shut and, despite Cillian not saying a word, a man suddenly appeared in an archway beyond which I saw a tile floor and cupboards.
“What is it, boss?” The square-jawed and very thick dude asked. I couldn’t help but be impressed he found a shirt that fit his ridiculously wide shoulders.
“There’s a body in the jalopy parked in the driveway. Please take care of it.” Cillian held out my keys.
“No problem, boss. I’ll send Gwen a poke to let her know she’s on duty.”
“Thank you, Randy.”
As the big man left, I asked, “Where’s he going to take it?”
“The river I imagine. It’s the best place to get rid of unwanted vehicles.”
“Wait, you’re trashing my car?” I squeaked.
“There was no other choice.”
“You can’t do that. I need it.”
Cillian fixed me with a stern gaze. “Did you know the person you killed?”
I nodded.
“Did you act in or around your domicile?”
“Yeah, but—”
Cillian cut me off. “You foolishly fed on someone that could be traced to you. If the cops execute a warrant, they will find DNA evidence in your trunk and you will be arrested, which, in turn, will lead to people discovering your vampire secret, which would expose me.”
“Can’t we just bleach the trunk?”
“Getting rid of the vehicle is the only safe option.”
“I can’t afford to replace it, though. How will I get to work and buy groceries and stuff?”
“Seeing as you won’t be returning to your place of employment and you no longer have to purchase food, your argument is moot.”
“Excuse me, but not all of us are rich. I need a job to pay my bills,” I pointed out.
“And how will you work if you can only begin after dark?” he pointed out. “I will provide for you.”
“You’re going to pay my rent?” I meant to sound sarcastic but ended up lilting ore in surprise.
“No. You will vacate your apartment and live here.”
“With you?”
“It is my house,” his dry reply.
My lips pursed. “I don’t know if I like that idea. I’m used to having my own space.”
“I’d be surprised if your current abode is any bigger than the bedroom suite you’ve been assigned. You might not have noticed the last time you were here, but the blue suite has a comfortable sitting area with a television.”
Okay, that didn’t sound half bad, however… “Living together is a pretty big deal. I don’t even know you.”
“Do you know your current landlord?”
“No, but that’s different.”
“Are you always this argumentative?” he asked pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Not usually, but then again, I’ve never been a vampire before. Speaking of which, why did you bite me and make me into one?”
“Insanity?”
I stared at him and he sighed.
“I honestly don’t know what possessed me. I overheard you confronting that male in the parking lot and thought you brave, if foolish. And then when you faced the repercussions of confronting someone with no actual conscience, I felt sorry for you.”
“You pitied me.” My lips turned down. I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, I wasn’t a gorgeous young maiden that would have men clamoring to be heroes.
“Trust me, I regret my weakness. You’re my first fledgling in over a hundred years.”
I blinked. “You’ve been alive a hundred years?”
“Three actually.”
“So you’re immortal.”
“Of sorts. I don’t age, but I can be killed. As can you. Although, the older you get, the hardier you become.”
“How come you haven’t made a baby vampire in a century?”
He grimaced. “Because they ask too many questions, for one.”
“Well excuse me for wanting to know what the fuck I should expect,” was my sassy retort.
“In the beginning, you should expect to be hungry quite often. You will be tired when dawn hits, as young vampires are very much affected by circadian rhythms. Avoid sunlight. Even overcast days that are too bright will burn your skin and the ensuing blistering will hurt. You will discover you’re more sensitive to sound and smell and your vision will become more acute.
As you age, you’ll see as well in the dark as light. ”
“Will I ever love pizza and other foods again? I tried eating, but nothing tasted right.”
“The changes to your physiology adjusted your palate. While you can imbibe pretty much anything, it won’t actually nourish you properly or appeal.”
“Meaning I’m now permanently on a blood diet and will have to find someone every night to suck on.”
“Not necessarily. I keep a fridge stocked with bagged plasma. For the times when you do crave something fresh, I know where to find willing volunteers.”
“There are people who want to be chomped on?” I shouldn’t have been surprised. People had all kinds of fetishes these days. Being gnawed on by someone with pointy teeth wasn’t the strangest, actually.
“They are more than willing and come in every flavor you can imagine.”
My mouth opened but before I could ask another question, he shook his head. “That is enough for now. I have other matters to attend to.”
“Your turn to munch on someone?”
“No. I drank when I rose. There is blood in the fridge if you get hungry. Just remember this time to put it in a pot for heating to remove the chill. No microwave. And try to not make a mess.”
“Yes, daddy.” I rolled my eyes.
A second later I found myself pressed against a wall, held up by the throat with Cillian glaring at me.
“I’ve been more than patient because your creation was a lapse on my part, but the insolence ends now.
I made you and can just as easily end you.
Remember that the next time you want to speak to me disparagingly. Do you understand?”
I croaked. “Yes.”
“Good.” He released me and turned away. “Be sure to feed once more before dawn and as soon as you wake.”
“When will I see you again?” I meekly asked.
“When I’m in the mood.”
Which turned out to not be at all for the next week.