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He had to stay active in order to keep from aging. Slayers can retire if they want, but when they do, they begin to age. They look down at us for living on the blood of humans, but I’d seen into his head enough to understand taking the lives of supernaturals feeds them somehow, to keep them from aging. Slayers have to kill to live, too. They don’t hunger for it, as we do human blood, but they thrive on taking our lives. Not just vampires — any magical creature.
What would slayer blood taste like?
I shook my head. It would probably be poison. I doubted I’d ever find out.
I had permission to telepathically knock to get Marco’s attention instead of needing to text first. He responded quickly, and I told him, I need to speak with you when you have the time.
I’m downstairs. Come to me.
I had the impression he was speaking to someone and had answered me without interrupting them, so I didn’t respond, but I went inside and down the steps.
He was speaking with the vampires in the common area, but he stood when I stepped into the room. I followed him into his suite, and he closed the door behind us. His bedroom is mostly soundproof, but I turned the shower on, to be certain. I would’ve been just as happy to handle this through telepathy to be certain we weren’t overheard, but Marco prefers to speak for important conversations.
“You’re troubled?”
I shook my head. “I think this is more of a heads up, so you won’t be blindsided if it comes up, but I don’t expect it to. I overreacted, thinking the Slayer was attacking, and I took him over with my gaze. He was afraid, and I tried to take his fear away, and...” I rubbed my arms, realized I was, and relaxed them at my side. “You know it’s possible for me to drink someone’s fear in as they experience it, which means they don’t feel it as much, if any. I tried to do this with Ryan, but it was as if I took his energy. He went cold as ice and was nearly comatose.”
He lifted his brows. “I assume you revived him, since you don’t seem to think there will be blowback.”
“I did. He isn’t pleased, but I think we reached... if not a truce, then an understanding. He scared me, I overreacted. We’ll both try to do better.”
“You’ll let me know if this turns into a problem. Meanwhile, the top local Eagle’s name is Evan. I need one of my people to seduce him. He isn’t at all interested in those I’ve made. He’s afraid of those with powers involving lust.”
“So you want me to give it a try.” I didn’t ask it as a question because I immediately understood what he wanted.
“TBC is offering free drinks to our guards Tuesday night from six to ten in the disco room. Closed party, so we don’t get in trouble with the liquor board. You’ve had a vampire driver thus far, so neither he nor any of his people have seen a dossier on you, so no one’s seen your picture. Everyone who’s been assigned to guard you or drive you will be elsewhere, but you’ll still want to scan everyone’s mind he’s with, to make sure none will recognize you and alert him to who you are.”
“Do you have a file on Evan?”
“I’ll have Patience get it to you. I’m in the process of purchasing another home. Once I move in, I’ll bring a few of the flock with me.”
I shook my head at him. “You’re going to be at Homewood a good portion of the time, once you get us all settled.”
He shrugged, noncommittal, but I knew I was right. I was happy for him, but I wasn’t going to let him turn me into the de facto leader because he was in love. I didn’t think he intended to do so, but I knew I’d be in charge while he was out of town, and that would already be a good portion of the time, at least to start.
“We’re going to need a bigger flock, since so many chose to stay in New York,” I noted, but I didn’t point out that if he was going to split them up between houses, we’d need even more.
“We’re recruiting. We own a bar in the University district, and I put some of my people to work there who’ll be able to bring them in like moths to a porchlight.” I’d only met Jasper once, but I knew he’d be one of the males put in place to draw them in. The vampire had been sixteen when turned, and he was ridiculously handsome, no matter the century. The aura of youth on a body that had matured early, and a mind that had obtained doctorate degrees since colleges had begun to offer them. He couldn’t actually be a psychologist because he couldn’t do the intern work, but he had the education for it. He had a few philosophy degrees as well. He’s an expert manipulator, and I’d immediately known I needed to stay far, far away from him.
“What do you need from me with Evan? A short fling so you know his biggest fears, or something longer term?”
“It would be nice if he had ties to us other than the contract and blood-oath.”
Longer term, then.
Marco sat back in his chair. “He knows when I’m in his head. I don’t know how, but he does. I don’t know if it’s the lust thing, or just an ability to sense when a vampire is fucking with him — even one with a thread into his willpower.”
“So I should stay out while I seduce him.”
“You can sense fears without going in through the established connections.”
“Usually.”
He gave me a cold, unbelieving look. “Tell me you didn’t try to sense the slayer’s fears.”
I shrugged. “You get pissy when you think I’m lying to you.”
“Did you get anything?”
