Page 6 of Because the Night

“We can’t shapeshift, and nor can we control animals,” he says in a truly testy voice. “I should have beat the shit out of Stoker when I had the chance. Same goes for Polidori and Le Fanu for breaking confidences and spinning such fantastical fallacies about our kind.”

“Wait a minute. Are you talking about Bram Stoker? The guy who wroteDracula? You actually knew him?”

“No,” he answers eventually. “He was a friend of…never mind.”

The Thorn Group owns an old, six-story building. Though what counts as old is debatable, given my current company. Imagine having beef with someone dating back centuries.

A security guard watches as I carefully swipe my card, and the glass doors slide open. He has white skin and military-short hair. And the bulk of his attention is on the man behind me in the vintage suit. The one who is staring at the sliding doors with an awestruck expression. Guess he hasn’t seen those before either.

It can’t really have only been a few hours ago that I walked out these doors. I wince at all of the bright lights. No wonder Lucas sticks to candles. It’s your standard lobby, with a security desk and couple of elevators at the back. There’s a couple of potted plants and a piece of modern art to give the space character. Keeping with tonight’s theme, the artwork largely consists of red splashes of paint.

A delicious scent hits me as soon as I step foot inside, and my mouth begins to water. I can smell the man’s blood, warm and fragrant. I can hear the way it whooshes through his veins and the steady beat of his heart. It calls to me like nothing I have ever known.

Lucas stands with his hand wrapped around the security guard’s neck. I didn’t even see him move. Then he stares into the man’s eyes and asks, “Who owns this place?”

“Miss Cole,” the security guard answers mechanically. He’s not even struggling. Lucas has put him under some sort of compulsion. “She’s working late tonight. Her office is on the top floor.”

“Thank you.” Lucas gestures me closer. “Come here, Skye. You need to feed.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“It wasn’t a question.”

“You don’t understand. Even if I could do that, there are security cameras watching us.”

“Security cameras?”

“Yes.” Then I remind myself he’s ancient. “Like motion picture film cameras. But smaller. And they’re pretty much everywhere when it comes to public spaces.”

“What a horrifying development.” He frowns and gazes around the room. “Can the cameras be turned off?”

“Yes, sir.” The security guard nods. “Or the recording can be deleted. I’d be happy to do it for you.”

“I appreciate that. Come here, Skye. Don’t make me ask again.”

My whole body is shaking with need.

“If you don’t feed, you’ll die,” says Lucas. “That’s certainly a choice you could make. But you need to know it won’t happen straight away. Desiccation takes a while, even for a newborn. First the hunger will take control of you. We’re standing in the middle of a city. Can you imagine the carnage you would cause?”

“You’d let that happen?”

He just sighs. “The last thing I need is attention from the human press or authorities. Doing it now, with me here, is your best chance of not killing anyone. I’m stronger than you, I can overpower you if necessary. Or just compel you to behave.”

“Promise me you won’t let me kill anyone.”

After a moment, he nods. “Walk slowly over here.”

The elevator chimes and a beautiful Black woman in a suit rushes out. “Wait! Don’t hurt him. I have bags of donated blood.”

“You look just like your grandmother,” says Lucas with a smile.

“Mister Thorn. What a surprise.”

“Apparently not.”

He releases the security guard and takes a bag of blood from her. His nose wrinkles in distaste. “Donated blood, did you say?” He bites the end of the attached tube and sucks some down. “That’s disgusting. It’s cold and you can taste the plastic.”

I’ve met Helena Cole on numerous occasions. Christmas parties and such. She’s tall with natural hair, and her wardrobe is to die for. All of the best designers and shoes I would kill for. But all I can see and hear and smell right now is her blood. All I can focus on is how fast her heart is beating, and the vein raised just so in the side of her neck.

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