Page 11 of A Sip of Sin

“You’re a vampire,” said Hollen, relaxing back and giving in to the overpowering cold. He was surprised George hadn’t just come out and told him. He let out a laugh, curling his fingers against the table. “Wow, I can’t believe I missed that. I am such an idiot. George, I get it now. You win.”

George, you bastard. You could have said something.He couldn’t budge, his limbs sealed to the table with a glue that seemed like it would never wear thin.

Rhys took a half-step back with his forehead furrowed, a frown etched on his lips, seemingly like a touch of fear mixed with the hunger.

The first day George had settled into his brain and had spoken to him was also the day that Hollen had asked him what George had deemed to be ‘too many questions.’ But hell, if demons existed, then that meant that other things did too, like vampires, werewolves, and Santa Claus. George had told him all about the former, only scoffing when Hollen had insisted he wanted to know more about Santa Claus.

If George had been seeking fear and silence in Hollen, then he hadn’t found it, having to deal with every ridiculous theory that Hollen sent his way.Are vampires related to bats, or is that just a myth? But what about silver— They really aren’t allergic?

Still, Hollen hadn’t been convinced. Seeing was believing, George had told him before retreating into silence that day. And maybe that was easy to say for a hitchhiker, but Hollen had explored most parts of the city and had come up with nothing more than a few drug deals and one very questionable guy who’d thought bathing was just cleansing his body for Satan.

Hollen laughed, the sudden warmth in his chest breaking the hold on his limbs. He rolled off the table, landing on the floor near Kail with a thud. Kail didn’t move, not even as a few whispers broke out.

The one Rhys had called Corby lunged for him, grasping him by the soaked front of his shirt. The laugh died on his lips.

“You are astoundingly human,” said Corby, tightening his grip. “Fickle, useless with the fruitless existences of sixty years or so. How did a tiny speck like you come across something you have no business in knowing?”

“Corby.” Kail reached out, placing a hand on Corby’s shoulder. “He was obviously bluffing.”

Corby snarled, shrugging off the touch. “You’re too young to understand what’s at stake here. The others may pretend to be in the dark, but we all know about your own human lover, Kail. Even if you try to hide him away in your home, how many people hashetold?”

Corby turned his dark eyes back to Hollen. “Tell me, or I’ll end you. All it would take is a squeeze.” He twisted his hand, tightening the collar of Hollen’s shirt until it strained against his throat.

“Um.” Hollen bit his lip, grasping at his shirt and trying to tug the collar wider. It was no use. The material too thick totear. “George told me.” He choked it out, Corby releasing him a moment later.

A gasp pushed through his lips as he was thrown back onto the table, the cold clutching him instantly. His head bounced against the hard rock, his ears ringing.

“This is what I’m talking about,” said Corby, curling his hand into a fist and slamming it down on the table. Even through the solid rock, Hollen felt the tremble of the blow. It only lasted a moment before Corby snatched his hand back, shaking out his fingers.

“I thought vampires were supposed to be fun,” said Hollen, flinching as Rhys circled the table and reached for him. Everything slowed, the room wavering. “Like sparkly and fast and stuff.”

He’d never watched the movies himself, but he’d heard the reviews and the whispers of his past female coworkers. Apparently, the bloodsucking beasts of the past were pure myth conceived by terrified villagers with no Wi-Fi. George had even told him vampires could go out into the daylight with no problem and snack on garlic if they so chose.

Corby hissed, his sharp teeth on display along with narrowed eyes. He was a true predator that Hollen was poking with a stick.

“Bleed him dry,” said Corby, scratching his nails over the surface of the table, keeping the pads of his fingers away from the stone. “I want him dead.”

Oh dear.Hollen wrapped his arms around his legs, shuddering against the impenetrable cold. He could barely keep his eyes open, his ears ringing as mumbled voices broke out around him.

“I knew this would happen with that bastard as our leader,” said Corby, curling his lips so every tooth was on display. He growled, slapping his hand against his thigh. “Mingling with other groups—fucking humans and encouraging us to turnthem.” He glared across the room at a woman who snarled back. “It’s bad enough trying to keep our existence off the internet, but now he’s throwing us out there. He wants us to be known.”

There were murmurs from a few, some nodding along.

Can I go now?Hollen swallowed down the question. No matter how hard he hugged his legs, the cold seeped deeper, leaving his muscles stiff and fragile. His heart, that had been racing, slowed to steady beats, then slower until he could scarcely feel it, leaving his head swimming.

“Corby,” said Rhys, the tie of his robe nearly all the way undone. He shifted, glancing to the door, then back to the assembly, glaring at Hollen, who was just out of reach. No one seemed to want to simply climb on the table to retrieve him.

“Silence,” said Corby, turning on Rhys. “The only reason you are here is because you don’t know when to close your legs.”

Rhys flinched, grasping the edges of his robe and drawing them tighter.

“Once I rip this one’s throat out, you’ll be next…then ourpreciousCovi,” said Corby, swiping at Hollen. Hollen flinched, shrinking into himself as much as he could. They were all around him, his escape dwindling away.

“Is there a problem?”

Munro’s voice cut through the commotion with the force of a meteor, wiping the sneer from Corby’s face. His gaze flickered over the others, then to Hollen, lingering for only a moment. That look was long enough to fill Hollen with a tiny bit of warmth to fight against whatever was gripping him.

“I-I.” Corby started, taking a step back. “This human knows about us. We have to kill him.” He stuttered, retreating until he could slip behind Kail. Kail raised a clearly unimpressed brow.

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