chapter thirty-five

“So you won’t take me with you out hunting?” Vanessa inquired, her face etched with disappointment.

“I’m sorry, love,” I responded, attempting to mitigate her distress. “It’s not like I don’t want to; it’s just that it’s illegal the way I do it, and I don’t want to risk you getting caught up in it.”

Vanessa’s face contorted into a pout, but she still nodded in understanding. “Okay.” She sighed. “Can you at least tell me about it? Like, what do you do?”

“Well, I usually go to bars or clubs and look for people with attractive energy signatures,” I explained. “I can always tell when someone has that special something: a vibrancy, a glow that makes them taste all the better.”

Vanessa’s eyes shone with a captivating mixture of fascination and exhilaration, revealing her genuine interest in what I had to say. Ever since I came out with my identity hours ago, she hadn’t stopped asking me questions. She loved hearing about the details of my world, and I loved sharing them with her.

“Once I’ve found my target, I’ll strike up a conversation, offer them a drink, or flirt with them,” I continued. “I usually focus on men or women in their late 20s to early 40s, people who are still full of life and energy.”

Vanessa nodded along intently, her eyes eagerly soaking in every word.

“If they’re receptive, I’ll take them back to my place or to a secluded location,” I said. “I need to maintain my secrecy, so I can’t just feed in public.”

I paused for a moment, trying to gauge Vanessa’s reaction. The way she leaned forward, her eyes wide and a smile playing on her lips, made it clear that she was eagerly anticipating what was to come.

“And then?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

For added theatricality, I hesitated once again, drawing out the suspense. “Then,” I said, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone, “I feed on them.”

Vanessa’s eyes rolled as she hit my arm. “Obviously! But that’s it?”

I nodded. “Their blood is the essence of their life, the very core of their being. It’s intoxicating and addictive. There’s nothing quite like it.”

Vanessa’s heated gaze lingered. “I can agree,” she whispered.

A wide grin spread across my face. “I know it’s not something most humans can understand. I’m glad I met you.”

“Well, I think it’s amazing,” Vanessa said, the heat in her expression relaxed as a playful grin took its place. “You’re a real-life vampire!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “A real-life vampire?” I said. “I suppose you could say that.”

Vanessa leaned forward, her mischievous smile lighting up her eyes. “So, since you won’t take me hunting, can you at least tell me what it’s like? What does it feel like to sink your teeth into someone’s neck?”

I gazed at Vanessa, her beauty amplified by the moonlight streaming through the window. I had never wanted to kiss anyone as much as I wanted to kiss her.

“It’s exhilarating,” I whispered. “It’s like all the stars in the universe explode in your mouth. It’s power, it’s control, it’s the ultimate rush.”

Vanessa’s breath hitched in her throat. The sight of her trembling body and the desire in her glazed eyes left me unable to look away.

“I wish I could experience it,” she said, her voice soft and seductive. “Just once.”

I looked at Vanessa for a long moment, my heart pounding in my chest. She was so beautiful, so tempting, and so full of life.

I leaned forward and gently kissed her. As our lips met, I felt an overwhelming surge of desire pulsating through my body. Vanessa tasted even sweeter than I had imagined.

“Maybe I will show you,” I whispered, my breath puffing against her lips. “If you can keep it a secret.”

Her answering kiss said everything.

 

I watched Vanessa from across the dim, throbbing nightclub, a sly smile playing on my lips. She’d been craving a taste of the hunt, eager to witness my beast in action. I found my prey easily. A doe-eyed brunette stumbling around the dance floor and heading towards the door, her inhibitions washed away by cheap alcohol.

“Let’s go,” I murmured to Vanessa as her curious gaze locked with mine.

We slipped through the sweaty bodies, making our way to the shadowy alleyway behind the club. As I leaned against a cold brick wall, I could feel her anticipation coursing through her veins. The girl swayed in front of me, her flushed face and erratic breathing intoxicating. With a wink, I beckoned her close, my voice a velvet whisper.

“You’re so beautiful,” I purred.

Her green eyes flickered with longing as she stepped closer, her lips parting in invitation. I lowered my head, my fangs descending into her delicate skin. A gasp escaped her, but it quickly transformed into a moan as the venom coursed through her body. Her eyes rolled back in ecstasy, her body trembling with pleasure.

But it wasn’t her I craved. Vanessa watched from the shadows, her eyes a liquid fire and her body tense with jealousy.

I pulled away from the limp girl who was high off my venom, my gaze meeting Vanessa’s. A low growl escaped me as I stalked towards her, my predatory instincts screaming to claim her.

“You’re mine,” I hissed.

She met my challenge with equal ferocity, her chin lifting defiantly. “I want to see more,” she whispered.

I obliged, my fangs extending again. But this time, my target was the girl still moaning on the alley floor. I turned to her, my hunger returning in full force. Vanessa watched, mesmerized, as I sank my fangs into the girl’s neck, tearing into the flesh.

A guttural sound escaped Vanessa, a mix of awe and desire. With renewed confidence, I walked towards her, my intentions clear.

Her breath hitched, her green eyes shimmering in the darkness. “Do it,” she whispered.

I closed the distance between us, my lips meeting hers. Her tongue met mine, exploring the bloody cavern of my mouth. She tasted like vanilla and musk, intoxicating and irresistible. As our tongues danced in unholy union, my instincts flared, and I knew I could not resist her any longer.

I pulled her close, crushing her against me, my body aching to possess her. The smell of fresh blood permeated the air, a heady aphrodisiac that inflamed my senses. I could feel her heartbeat against mine, her pulse throbbing in time with my own.

Vanessa’s body arched against mine, her lips still locked with mine. A raw hunger coursed through me, a desire to not only quench my thirst but to consume every inch of her. The taste of blood had ignited something primal within me, an irresistible urge to assert my claim on her.

“Orpheus,” she breathed against my lips.

My name was a promise, an invitation. And I was determined to fulfill her every craving. With a low growl, I tore my mouth from hers and moved to reclaim my stake on the fallen girl. Vanessa followed, her eyes trained on me, her body trembling with need. As I sank my fangs into the girl’s flesh, Vanessa’s eyes widened, her breathing growing ragged.

She reached out, her fingers tracing the bloody gash on my neck. “Don’t stop,” she whispered.

I could feel her arousal radiating from her body, mingling with the scent of freshly spilled blood. The hunger that had been gnawing at me since I first set eyes on her flared, and I gave myself over to the primal need to satisfy both our desires. I tore into the girl’s flesh, reveling in the sweet nectar that flowed from her veins. I was long since full, but I would do anything Vanessa asked of me.

Vanessa moaned softly, her hands reaching for me as she watched life leave the girl’s eyes. I pulled away from my snack, my fangs still stained with blood. Vanessa’s eyes burned into me, a fiery mix of hunger and desire. I could feel her impatience and her need for me to make her mine.

How could I deny her anything?