“You can’t do anything to me. I know I’m stronger than you,” Lauren said, readying herself for another charge.
“Yes, it is rather an annoying thing about newborns. I have been on this earth for centuries and you, being a week old could slay one such as me without much effort. Oh woe to me.”
Another leap from Lauren resulted in the same cloud of smoke, which again disappeared after a few seconds. Julian had resumed his original placing. “Of course, I don’t need to fight just to defeat you. I can keep this up all night. You on the other hand, will need more blood after all this effort.”
As if Julian willed it, after two more failed attempts, Lauren could feel a wave of oncoming nausea and exhaustion. She slumped to one knee. “What the hell?” she muttered, bringing a chuckle from Julian.
“Ah yes, you didn’t fill yourself up. Strong yes but not energy efficient, The younger we are, the more we need.”
Lauren ignored his gleeful remark, instead focussing on the place where she could get more blood: Matt.
“Oh no,” Julian said, sticking his foot out and flipping her on to her back. “Can’t have that. If you feed again, you’ll kill him. I need that one. It seems you’re in quite a pickle. You can’t walk in to any other home and I can comfortably stop you from going inside here, where you are invited.”
Julian knelt down over Lauren, slowly running a hand an inch above her body. “Oh yes…” he breathed. “I can feel your hunger. It burns you from the inside. You need more don’t you?”
Lauren could barely answer, her body was convulsing. Her very image of him was shaking. She felt her head being lifted. “I can help you,” Julian said. “If you’ll help me.”
Lauren opened her mouth several times, managing to get out the first word, “What…”
“Simple. Stay away from your friends for two nights. They must feel things are as normal as possible. Feed but make sure no one notices you. In two nights, Delavega will be gone and you will have your chance at revenge on your flatmate, or whatever you’re after,” Julian said with an uncaring wave. “Agreed?”
Lauren hoped she gave what could be constituted as an agreement, as he disappeared yet again, leaving a dark cloud residue. However he was back about a minute later, tossing a body down to her.
“The homeless are just too easy,” Julian muttered.
Chapter Sixteen
What’s The Story, Morning Glory?
Dawn light was pouring through the living room window. Alex sat with her knees to her chin and a blanket wrapped around her. She had gotten home at just after midnight but could not remember having had a more restless night’s sleep and called in sick for the first time in over a year.
She could feel the raw dryness of her eyeballs, drained from hours of tears the night before. For what she’d seen, what she’d experienced. Also for what that monster would have done to her if Dante hadn’t…done whatever he did. She didn’t really want to think about what Dante had done. Just saying his name made her shudder like a screwdriver poking her spine.
Those eyes, those teeth. He looked demonic. Evil. Primal.
However many words there were, they did not accurately convey how much he had terrified her. Yet she remembered the man she’d met before any of this. How sweet and kind he was towards her, a gentleman. Even in the street last night. Was it all an act?
Her head jerked around as her mobile rang. Michelle was calling, and Alex remembered guiltily that she hadn’t even bothered asking Dante how she was. But then again, she was probably a…one of those too.
She let the phone ring out and it immediately started up again. Alex pressed the answer button wearily.
“Don’t hang up,” Michelle said, a slight strain in her voice.
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“Can we talk?”
“I don’t really—”
“I’m human, Alex. Just so you know. Please just shut up and listen to me.”
Alex sighed. “Fine. Okay. What do you want to say?”
“Not on the phone. In person. I’m hoping you’ll say yes, ‘coz I am right outside your door.”
Alex inhaled a sharp burst of air and looked at the door as if trying to see through it.
“Alex, come on. Have you seen what time of day it is? Day? It really sucks having to come up three flights of stairs with a bruised rib, by the way.”
Alex hung up and walked over to the door. She took a deep breath and opened it. Michelle stood before her with two plastic bags of groceries and what looked like a laptop bag slung over her shoulder.
“What’s all this?”
“You have had a rough night, I thought you could use some lunch. This-” she said, indicating with her head towards her shoulder, “Is research I’ve got for all your questions.”
Alex leant against the door and tapped her fingers against it absent-mindedly. “So you know?”
“You mean…” Michelle used two fingers from her free hand to form fangs in front of her own bared teeth. “Yeah, I may know a thing or two.”
Alex couldn’t help but soften her stance as she let Michelle pass. Alex watched Michelle for a few minutes, putting on a pot of water to boil and pulling some fresh pasta and chicken out of her grocery bag.
“Is he really a vampire?”
Michelle did not stop chopping the chicken. “Yes.”
“I just can’t bring myself to believe that.”
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to bring yourself to anything. Deep down you know it’s true. What’s more, you have probably met a few of them without even knowing,” she said, running her hands under the cold tap. “Anytime the sun goes down.”
“How many have you met?”
“Too many,” Michelle replied.
