Page 3 of Club Blood

“He’s donated at least 100ml, we should probably take him off soon.” My brows furrowed as a woman next to him ran her fingers through his hair. I had forgotten she was there—something like jealousy made me snap my teeth together. The boy smiled though, his head tilting backwards to look up at her.

“He’s consented, I can take as much as he lets me.” I snapped. I bared my teeth and watched as she shrunk back in submission.Good.

“Dannnncee with me,” the boy said again.

“Mercy, we can’t do this again, we were too cavalier with Wade, I don’t think the club can afford another investigation so soon.”

She was right and I knew it, and if I hadn’t just taken her to bed last week I might have let her have it. As it was, I couldn’t let Cissa talk to me like that, it would set a bad precedent.

“He stays on the bag.” I said with finality. Cissa shut her mouth, frowning in disapproval but said nothing more, instead nodding and switching out the boy’s bag with a fresh, empty one. My hand waved Cissa away, and I listened as she gathered her things. There was no distinctclinkof the door shutting, so I knew she hadn’t left, but just the feeling of dead silence was preferable to the noise that came out of her mouth.

I couldn’t help but let my gaze drift towards the crowd below once more. I watched as Wade prowled behind the bar, the fluidity of his movements and the arrogance in his charm had amplified since he died a month ago. I smiled at the memory.

Humans came into this place wanting danger, to live life on the edge. Why else would they knowingly come into our cave, well regarded as one of the best vampire owned businesses this side of the strip? Arrogant creatures they were, though they could probably say the same about us.

He should count himself lucky; I didn’t want him to die, not really. So many walked through these doors wanting the chance at immortal life, only to find themselves ending theironlylife. It’s what was bound to happen when you caught yourself up with vampires. Wade got the better end of that deal.

It was his fault really. He came wanting danger, and that was what he got.

And so, when I drank too much—his blood was too sweet to resist—and he begged for me to end it, I refused. I brought him back. Call itmercy.

It’s always a hard transition at first, but he did alright. Only a handful of redbloods drained in his first few weeks as part of the Known, it could have been worse. Wade was a natural. Handsome and disarming, he charmed his prey with nothing more than eye contact and a kiss to the hand. I’d have to keep an eye on him. He was still a fledgling, and truthfully I was sick of cleaning up everyone else’s messes. Hopefully he could keep his thirst in check.

I reached out my hand and snapped my fingers. There was a low, almost inaudible hiss, and Cissa placed the boy’s filled bag delicately in my palms.Blood is so beautiful, I thought. My eyes wandered to hers as I pursed my lips and sucked gently from the tip of the bag. I could tell she was enjoying it, the way her legs crossed and the need flooded her eyes. It was thick and fulfilling, traveling down my throat slowly and satiating the burn. I could see Cissa take a hesitant step towards me, but was interrupted by a knock on the glass door.

“Come in,” I said, just loud enough to be heard over the music. Cissa turned her back to me and stood with her hands crossed behind her back, head bowed. I was sure the need stayed with her anyway. I couldn’t imagine she wasn’t hungry for me.

“Mr. Tusker is requesting an audience with you, Ms. Petrova,” a feeble voice squeaked from the entrance. I looked her up and down, taking in a large breath. Her scent hovered in my nostrils, and I tried not to sneer. Human.

“Send him in,” I ordered. Cissa frowned, but I was done caring about her increasing disapproval of my choices.Iwas the highlady in this place, not her. The small girl in the doorway nodded quickly and scuttered away. She was one of the smart ones, then. The fearful ones always were.

“Mercy…” Cissa said, worry filling her tone. I snapped my teeth.

“Do I need to remind you of your place, Narcissa?”

Her eyes blazed a bright ruby red before she thought better of it, as if she might say something that would damn her. As she calmed, however, they returned to their purple, blood stained hue. Her body was tightly wound with tension, stiff as a board.

“No.” The word was short and clipped, just how I liked it.

“Good,” I said, a smile crawling towards the corners of my lips. I sucked the rest of the bag dry and threw it in her direction, not bothering to observe her reaction. The thirst was nothing but a dull ache now, my belly was full of the boy’s blood. It sloshed uncomfortably as I shifted my weight.

I looked towards him and smiled—he’d passed out and was snoring softly.

“Get the boy out of here before Tusker comes in,” I said to Narcissa. She was slow to move but nodded curtly. “I don’t need him making a mess in my office with my dinner.”

I turned my back to find my desk, a deep black, ornate thing. It suited me, I thought.

“Oh, and Cissa,” I said, sitting down and facing her for the last time. I couldn’t help but notice the hope that flooded her face at the nickname.

“Tell Mr. Tusker that I'm ready for him now.”

Disappointment replaced the hope as she wheeled the boy out of my sight and onto the catwalk.

3

CECELIA

I grimacedas the tequila slid down my throat, burning a path through my insides. Somehow, margaritas had changed very quickly into two—maybe three? I had lost track—rounds of shots and I could feel my brain getting muddy from the buzz.

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