Page 39 of Prey

“A little of this, a little of that. Good, right?”

Tessa laughed, a lightness pushing through the heaviness we’d both experienced the last few days. It helped me relax and I leaned against the far wall, taking turns looking between her and Boyd, who were now at opposite ends.

“I like it. Kind of fruity with a slight twinge of…” Her head shook. “I can’t put my finger on it.

“Blood?” Marie’s voice had my spine stiffening and me and Tessa both suddenly feeling sick. “Kidding,” she said, laughing. “Although, I bet you really could go for some right now. I know I could.”

“Why is that?” Even as Tessa asked, I watched her lick her lips. The bond was getting to her, too. And badly.

Marie’s shoulders swayed to the music and she glanced toward the dance floor before turning back to Tessa. “It’ll always be a craving of yours now. You’ve tasted power. Marko’s blood has corrupted your own and it wants to take over. The withdrawals for more will always be there, but what you have going for you is us. We’re your support system. Human, vamp, it won’t matter who you consume. If you don’t want to be bonded, your best bet is human, but ties to close friends are good, too. The world is at your fingertips, all you have to do is choose and enjoy the ride.”

Seriousness came over Tessa’s features, but Marie didn’t let her dwell on it.

“Drink up. Soon, we dance.”

Tessa’s eyes scanned the area constantly. I noticed the more she sipped on the straw, the more she began to rock and sway with the songs. What the hell was in that drink? She didn’t consume alcohol often. I’d seen it in her memories. But she seemed to get a little too relaxed, a little too fast. Was I overreacting?

I headed to the bar, watching as the vampire behind the counter looked up at me nervously. Guilt? It wasn’t that. It was my presence. He’d know my status just from the vibrations I threw off.

“Do you put blood in The Shaker?”

His lips parted and he quickly shook his head. “No. We’re not allowed to do that. Not since humans come here now, anyway. Just liquor and juice.”

I nodded, staring back to Tessa. “You know Marie. You made those drinks for Denton, correct?” My finger pointed and he looked in the direction of Tessa.

“Yes…sir.”

“And you’re telling me it was just juice and alcohol you placed in those glasses?”

His hands shot up. “I swear it. Nothing else.”

“Thanks.” I headed back to the middle of the room, watching each sway of Tessa’s body. Her hair rocked back and forth to the side, teasing over the exposed cleavage of her breasts. Her lids were heavier, giving her a dreamy appearance while she stared at the dance floor. No way was she feeling that good on three-quarters of a glass. Did humans have that low of a tolerance? I hated not knowing, and I wouldn’t unless I got closer. If I did…there’d be no going back. My skin itched to have a taste. To feel her pulse against my fangs.

Marie took Tessa’s empty glass and grabbed her hand, laughing and pulling her to the dance floor. There was no hesitation on my prey’s part. Her happiness radiated from her like a net, entrancing and trapping me completely. I could feel the lust thicken within. It caressed my skin with need. Left me breathless as I moved in closer. Fuck, I’d never seen her like this. So carefree. So…full of life. Even in her memories, she’d never been without some form of burden. Even if it was her own anxieties, which she had a lot of. Now, she suddenly didn’t.

Marie came to a stop in the middle of the dance floor, pulling Tessa in close. The sway of her body had Tessa’s moving in tune almost automatically. I stepped quickly to the side as I tried to get a better view. Fingers pushed Tessa’s hair back as Marie kept her focus on my prey’s face. Her eyes…she wanted so badly to trap Tessa within her stare. My prey was smarter than that. It made me feel happy. Safer, for her being here.

Words came from Marie’s mouth that I didn’t catch it. I’d been so fixated on the sway of Tessa’s body that I barely noticed her lips had moved from my peripheral vision.

A laugh poured from Tessa’s mouth and she spun around, giving Marie her back as the vampire pulled her in close. I saw the change sweep through Marie’s expression and rumbling vibrated my chest as warnings exploded out from my body. The fight to give in was there, written all over her fixated eyes, but I didn’t trust her not to succumb to the temptation. She would at some point if she kept torturing herself this way.

Tessa’s arms shot up as a new song came on. One she appeared to know. Her hair swung out as she turned back to face Marie. The vampire genuinely laughed at my prey’s excitement and I felt the threat lessen. It was a back and forth battle for us all, apparently. Me, Boyd, Marie…and I was in the middle. The cause of it all.

My heart was racing and I tried to calm myself. Having Tessa so exposed in this atmosphere left me wanting to protect her more than kill her. The realization was like a weight lifting. As long as I stayed far enough away from her, she was okay.

More songs came and went, and hours past as I watched. Content as I could be while continuously scanning the crowded two-level room. The night was ending without incident and I was glad for it.

The third glass was taken from Tessa’s hand from Kevin. He and the other men were close by Marie’s side, which put them close to Tessa. But I didn’t feel a need to worry about them. It was Boyd who was also on the dance floor with one of the blondes that kept my attention. The constant swallow was a sign I knew too well. It was getting time for him to feed, and with him being new, the urges came a lot sooner than mine. He’d be edgy. Not in control of what he needed.

I took in Tessa on one side and Boyd on the other. I wondered if I could get to him without my prey spotting me. If I waited much longer, it might put me too close.

A group of four had taken residence next to me and I walked around them, moving along the length of the elevated floor to the end. Boyd didn’t know I was monitoring him, but he soon would.

Five males in his clique stayed close and I tapped one’s shoulder, signaling to Boyd. His arm instantly drew back from my touch, as if he feared it. And he should.

“B,” he yelled.

Agitated eyes snapped over and I knew the aggression was because it had broken his attention from what he wanted.

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