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Irritated at her for being right, I inwardly grimace. So she helped me with this one thing that doesn’t erase what happened before.
“Okay,” He says, no longer blushing, no longer shy. He is merely willing to do as I ask. Taking him by the hand, I lead him to the back where Charlee smiles and winks at me.
“Want me to come with you?” A knowing look in her eyes tells me she thinks I have a handle on this. I am inclined to agree.
“I think I’m okay, but keep an ear out?” Biting my lower lip, I’m not sure this will work easily, but I am hopeful for the first time in days.
“Absolutely,” She says before nuzzling her face back into Danielle’s neck, I can hear a distinct slurping sound..
I lead Luke out the side door to the alley and press him against the wall. He is pliant, trusting, and unafraid. Had fear set me off the last time? He seems almost empty. It must be the way I compelled him. Charlee’s humans are beguiled in a way that they lust for her attention. I’m not interested in a fake romance with a human. I just want him to survive this.
Stepping forward, I lean into Luke and take a deep breath. That sweet smell clings to him, and my mouth begins to water. So far, so good. Pulling back slightly, I look into his eyes, feeling that tether to me that is already present and tugging on it again. “I am going to bite you,” I tell him. “It will not hurt, you will not be afraid, and you will not remember anything about tonight.”
“I’m not afraid, and I won’t remember,” he agrees, his voice strangely devoid of emotion.
Luke is hollow.
Unnerved by the strangeness, I try to tell if my other self is stirring. She seems docile for the moment, not drawn out by the prospect of feeding. Score one for eating beforehand.
Relieved that she is absent, I line my teeth up to Luke’s neck, feeling the pulse coming off of him, teasing me like a freshly baked pie that has to cool before cutting. I moan at the deliciousness of his scent as the wind blows. My hair is a fluttering curtain around us. The smell of cigarette smoke and hops fills the air, and I step back from Luke.
My focus snaps toward the alley opening, where a man is walking. He has a pharmacy bag in one hand, an arm in a sling, and he is talking on his phone to someone.
“Luke,” I command my friend from the bar. “Wait here for ten minutes and then go inside and forget all about me.” I can’t wait to hear his agreement. Instead, I creep to the alley entrance with the stealth of a cat. My body is moving on instinct. I am hunting.
Waiting until he is a fair ways ahead of me, I follow on the sidewalk, about thirty feet behind him, my eyes locked on his back.
Mine.
The other Wren is stirring. The thrill of the hunt pleases her. I shove her to the back of my mind, ignoring her persistence. I imagine the stances Chandra and I have been working through. I imagine controlling every inch of myself, including my mind.
While following the human for five minutes, I receive stares and appreciative glances from people as I pass them. A few attempt to make conversation, but I am oblivious to their existence. My hair spills out behind me in waves like a cape, catching on the night breeze that brings me his scent again and again.
He smells delicious.
I feel powerful.
I feel like the predator I am.
The other Wren is in there, commenting, but she hasn’t tried to make a play for control or even hint at it. I am running the show and she’s enjoying watching it. My confidence is through the roof.
Turning into a parking lot, I watch my prey climb a staircase and unlock the door to apartment L7. Mere seconds later, I am in front of the same door, my forehead pressing against the cool metal as I breathe in the human’s lingering scent. It is rich and savory, and I give in to temptation.
Has he locked it?
The knob twists easily in my grasp, and I grin as I push the door open. Slipping into the apartment is easy and quiet. I can hear him on the phone, deeper within. The sound is coming from around the corner. I shut the door behind me and lock it quietly.
He ends his call and walks past me, turning into the kitchen. Entirely ignorant of my presence. I move quickly and silently, standing directly behind him now, my body responding to every move he makes.
My human turns, fear in his eyes as he met mine. Instead of screaming, I feel his body relax as he takes me in. He submits to my will, and his eyes give me all of him, fear slipping away instantly. “Sit on the couch,” I tell him and he complies.
I follow behind him as he takes his place. I nibble on my lower lip and place one knee on either side of him, memories of my last attempt at feeding play through my mind, and I push them away. This won’t be the same. I am in total control.
My human’s hand goes to my waist, I haven’t instructed it, but I assume it is a natural reaction. I place my head into the crook of his neck, breathing deeply. He smells like food. There is no more fear, but I can smell guilt. Pain. Sadness.
I like the smell of his misery.
Teeth grazing his neck, I hear his breath hitch as he holds me closer. It doesn’t take much for my brain to shut off. I sink my fangs into him and pull his blood into me.
