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“And many other things,” he adds.
“And you swear this is safe?” I ask, nodding back towards the blood.
“Yes, I swear it.” He chuckles slightly.
Maybe it’s odd for me to trust him, but I find my hand closing around the goblet without me even meaning it to.
I’m almost in a trance as I lift the goblet to my lips. The first touch of blood on my tongue is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. It suddenly makes sense how some vampires can get addicted.
I gulp it down, the sweet taste lingering on my tongue. But it isn’t just the taste. It’s how it’s making me feel. Everything sharpens around me. My hearing and eyesight sharpen. I imagine my sense of smell does too, but it’s less noticeable as that’s still taking in the sweet smell of blood. More than that, aches disappear that I didn’t know I had.
“Whoa, slow down,” Dimitri says, snatching the goblet from me. I let out an involuntary groan of disappointment. Why has he stopped me from drinking? I lick my lips and stare at the cup. I’m one step away from making a grabby motion to get it again.
“You said it was okay,” I protest, pouting and trying to give him the best puppy eyes I can come up with. Which isn’t to say they’re good. They’re really not. I’m a hunter not a flirter. Though maybe with men like these around, I can change that. Nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting every now and again.
“To drink, not inhale. Inhaling is bad for you no matter what you’re drinking, and we don’t need you getting blood high.”
Huh. That’s a thing? I suppose it makes sense. If you drink alcohol too quickly, you get drunk faster. Blood working the same isn’t too much of a stretch.
“I think we need to send her to Eric in the morning,” Remus suggests.
“You might be right. I’d hoped not to, but...” They both look at me, nodding their heads and looking satisfied with themselves.
“Who’s Eric?” I ask. But neither of them answers. Bloody men.
“Did you have a nice time, this morning?”
I frown at Remus’ question, until I realise it’s nearly six am and we’ve just finished dinner. Nocturnal living is going to take some getting used to, that’s for sure.
“Yes,” I answer, screwing up my face in confusion. I can’t say I expected that, but he and Dimitri are good company, and other than the blood incident, they easily had me forgetting they’re vampires. That I’m a vampire.
This day has been as weird as they come. I’m really not sure how it happened. Well other than by vampire bite. I’m clear on that bit at least.
“I’m glad.” He leans against my bedroom door, almost like one of those men from a rom com. The ones that always get the girl, and always manage to look suave doing it. Except, he’s not looking at me like one of those men would. The way he’s looking can only be described as soft. There’s emotion there. Not that emotion. But there is a little bit of caring there. And a lot of protectiveness.
I’m really not sure how to process the last one. I’m not the kind of girl who wants or needs protecting. Hell, I can do the protecting of others too if I need to. But there is a small part of me that likes it. Probably the part that’s linked to the little girl l used to be. The one who did dream of being protected. Until she realised that’s not how the world works.
That realisation is still with me to this day. Except now some of the facts are being turned on their head. Vampires are an open secret. Humans vary from interacting with them willingly, to just being aware of their existence. But no one seems to know how internal vampire structure works. Which is a little odd, come to think of it. There’s no reason for people not to know. Especially with some of the government making no secret of the fact they’re vampires. The one thing I’d always secretly admired about them was that they didn’t try and force through any legislation that would repress humans. As far as I’m aware, they haven’t even tried to pass any through that just benefitted vamps either.
In hindsight, maybe that should have tipped me off that everything isn’t like the guild claims it is. Clearly vampires really aren’t that bad. I frown again, before coming back to myself and meeting Remus’ confused gaze.
“You alright there, Ashryn?” he asks.
“Sorry, got lost in thought.” And here I go again, realising that no one has tried to shorten my name. Dimitri’s either. If I had to, I’d respond to Ryn, but never, ever, to Ash. The name just isn’t me.
“Anything interesting?” He seems genuinely curious, but I’m not quite ready to share my observations on society in general. That can wait for when we know each other better. There I go again, making assumptions we will. No one should assume. It makes an ass out of u and me. I can’t remember where I first heard that, but its stuck with me ever since.
“Not really.” I smile as sweetly as possible, and he returns it. I’m already barely noticing the scars. They’re just a part of him. And while I am still curious, I don’t want to push my luck by asking. It’s something he’ll tell me about when he’s good and ready. If he ever does. As far as I’m aware, he’s clueless about my powers, and has no idea I know.
I hope he is anyway. Though if he does know, surely he wouldn’t be looking at me the way he is?
“You’ll be expected with Eric at nightbreak. I’m sure Dimitri will send someone to show you the way.”
“Not you?” I ask without meaning to, sounding far more disappointed than I should. I really need to pull myself together.
“I can, but it isn’t the best idea. Eric and I don’t get on.” He pulls a face that really tells me all I need to know. Whatever happened between them can’t have been pretty, but it’s another thing to add to the things-to-find-out-later pile. I don’t think I’ll get more out of Remus tonight at all, never mind on sensitive subjects. But there is one pressing question still burning its way through my mind.
“Who is Eric?’”
