Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“Never.” His lips formed a hard line. “I am far too jealous a man for that.”
It wasn’t funny, but I grinned a little. “So, what’s my other option?”
“Bedside manner.”
“Like with doctors?”
He nodded. “They will get scared; it is their nature. To avoid that, tell them what it is you are about to do and where. Once you find a human you like, they will soon become accustomed to your preferences, and you will no longer need to do so. There are other methods, as well.”
“Other methods?”
“In time, you shall see. It is best you start here.” He turned to the door just as there was a knock.
If my heart could sink, it would have done so right here.
“Enter.”
In came an olive-skinned woman with short bangs, dressed in white. She looked between us and just nodded. Pelopia helped her inside and closed the door behind her. She didn’t say anything—just waited. Theseus looked at me, and I looked at him. For some reason, he appeared amused. This wasn’t funny. What was I supposed to do? Say, hi, my name is Druella. I’d like to drink your blood, preferably from your wrist.
“So young.” Theseus whispered and came behind me, placing his hand on my shoulders with a speed I hadn’t thought was too fast but made the human woman’s eyes widen. Her heart raced quickly, and the smell of the blood flowing through her tickled my nose. She did her best to calm down, though.
Theseus didn’t seem to care or notice. Instead, he stood behind me and whispered into my ear. “Humans who agree to this sort of work are fully aware of the dangers. They secretly wish to feel the pleasure. But most of them are in it for the money. It is nothing more than a transaction. Food for us, money for them. Worry less about them and more about you. Tell them what you want.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Yes, but where would you like to bite?” he whispered. “She is a bit thin, but there is fat on her thighs, that would be sweet. She is good at staying calm, so her neck would be relaxing.”
“I was just thinking her wrist.”
He made it seem like he was cow shopping. “Ah, the ulnar artery, the main blood vessel with oxygenated blood. Good choice. It is very rich and heavy.” He pushed me forward. “Go on.”
The woman lifted her wrist to me. Taking it, I looked into her green eyes. “Why do you need the money so badly?”
She smiled. No grinned from ear to ear. “I’m getting married in a month. We spent so much on the wedding and paying off loans and getting a place. I want to surprise my fiancé with a dream vacation. He really wants to go back to visit his family in Melbourne. They can’t make the wedding. This will be so amazing—”
I bit into her wrist because I felt she’d keep going if I didn’t stop her. When the blood rushed into my mouth, my whole body relaxed. I didn’t taste or see anything, just colors. She was really, really happy. I could taste that, and the more I drank, the happier I felt for her. Feeling a hand on my back, I shifted to shrug it off when Theseus spoke.
“You drink anymore and she will not make it to the wedding.”
Stopping immediately, I glanced up at her to see how pale she’d suddenly become. I hadn’t realized I’d taken so much. “Sorry,” I said quickly.
With a tired smile, she waved me off. “No problem. I get paid by the pint.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that, but I didn’t have to say anything because Pelopia was in to collect the woman and out before I even opened my mouth to speak again.
“You did well.” Theseus smiled, wiping the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “The fact that you have made it so long as a vampire is proof you were made for me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’d say that about anything.”
“I’m glad you know.” He said. “Now that you are fed, you should bathe. My family will demand your attention, so they can be entertained soon.”
“Entertained?”
The door burst opened. Ulrik was dressed in a black leather jacket, V-neck shirt, and jeans. “Theseus? Why didn’t you say she was awake?”
I could swear Theseus’s eye twitched. “How is learning to knock a difficulty which has plagued you for centuries, brother?”
“Easily, by not accepting the necessity for it,” he stated and looked at me, his head shifting to the side with a grin on his face. “Hello, sister. How was breakfast? Was it different after being hungover? Wait, were you hungover?”
“She is not an experiment for your amusement, Ulrik.”
“Only yours, brother?” Ulrik grinned, his blue eyes back on me. He seemed to be looking everywhere but my face. It made me wonder if I was giving him another light show.