Feral Hunger (2010) (3 page)

Jaelyn awoke to the gentle light of dusk leaking around the edges of the dark drapery. She stretched languidly against the soft cotton sheets. Her hand touched a second set of pillows. She jerked her hand back. Her narrow bed at home only had one pillow. Where was she?

The events of the previous night came crashing back. The bar ... the man in black ... waking up in a strange man's apartment ... a man who insisted he was a vampire. He'd bitten her...

She leapt from the bed, crouching on the floor of the unfamiliar bedroom. It didn't look like a vampire's room. The contemporary bed with its high-end cotton sheets looked like it came from a decorator's magazine. Muted shades of brown and gray covered the wall. The coordinating duvet probably cost five hundred dollars at least.

It took a moment to realize that she'd leapt from the bed at record speed. Jaelyn straightened from her crouch. To test her new reflexes, she tensed and sprang again, landing lightly on the bed. Well, she couldn't have done that before. She moved to sit on the side of the bed and felt hesitantly in her mouth.

Her finger connected with an impossibly sharp incisor, drawing blood. She hissed at the sudden pain. Instinctively, she sucked on her finger and then froze. What was she doing?

She pulled her finger from her mouth and watched in fascination as the tiny wound healed itself. She licked the last drop from the tip. The skin beneath was flawless. Now that was new. It wasn't a nightmare then. She was in a strange man's apartment. And she really was a vampire.

Jaelyn rolled her shoulders, flexing her new muscles. No amount of time at the gym had ever given her a physique like this. Though she tried to eat well and work out, she'd never been particularly strong or healthy. She had suffered from asthma. Testing this new body, she drew air deep down into her lungs. No cough, no hitching of her breath. Apparently, she wasn't asthmatic any longer. Vitality sang through every vein. Maybe being a vampire wouldn't be so bad. She looked down at the tip of her finger. Except for the drinking blood part.

A loud hammering brought her head up sharply.

She ventured down the hall, looking for the source of the noise. She gazed down the loft's spiral staircase at the floor below. The living room was empty, the curtains still drawn. The couch cushions lay askew where she'd wrestled with her vampire host last night.

Still, the noise didn't stop. She listened intently, realizing that her hearing seemed much more acute than it had before. She could hear the gears turning in the elevator shaft. A television blared in a suite across the hall. The hammering was coming from inside the apartment. Her head turned in its direction.

As if pulled by an invisible string, she turned back toward the bedrooms. The door to the master bedroom was closed tight. She pressed her ear to the door. The noise was definitely coming from inside. The door wasn't locked. The knob turned under her hand. She pushed it open.

To find a giant shiny black coffin taking up the center of the room.

Besides that striking feature there were no other furnishings. Blackout curtains covered the windows, just like they had in the bedroom she'd slept in. Carpet a shade lighter than the curtains covered the floor. There were no dressers, not even a closet. Only the coffin.

As she drew toward it, the hammering ceased.

Jaelyn? came a muffled voice from inside.

You in there, Vlad? she asked, then, Leslie?

Please don't call me that. I have no idea why I told you my real name.

Maybe because it's your real name.

From the inside of the coffin, she heard a snort. I need you to lift the lid. The mechanism's jammed. She choked back a peal of laughter. You're kidding me, right? Despite her attempt to be serious, amusement leaked into her tone.

Wish I was. He sounded pissed.

Okay, okay. She fit her fingers to the groove in the lid and heaved. To her astonishment, the wood around the latch splintered. Whoa!

What's happening?

I can't budge the mechanism, but the wood broke.

Great. He was silent for a moment. She heard some irritated rustling from inside. Try it again. I'll push from the bottom.

Jaelyn put her palms against the lid and heaved again. She watched in amazement as her arm muscles bunched muscles she didn't know she had. Wood buckled as Vlad shoved from inside. A loud crack shot through the room as the top half of the lid broke.

Shoving the splintered wood aside, Vlad sat up. He'd obviously been twisting and turning inside for some time, because his dark curls were mussed and he wore an expression of supreme annoyance. Wonderful, he snapped, looking at the ruins of his coffin.

Her patience evaporated. I can't believe you sleep in that thing!

I don't sleep in this thing. He braced his hands against the bottom of the coffin and levered himself

free.

So, why do you have it then?

He glared at her, like it was her fault he'd locked himself in his own coffin. To pick up women, if you must know.

And that works for you?

Well, it used to, he said petulantly with a pointed glance in her direction. Besides, you were in my bed, what else was I supposed to do?

She didn't have an answer to that. She settled for, Thanks for being a gentleman.

He gave her a curt bow. With his dark eyes and tousled curls, he did look kind of adorable. If she overlooked the coffin thing.

Vlad brushed the last slivers of wood from his black shirt and jeans. You seem to be doing okay. How are you feeling?

How indeed? She'd tossed fitfully all day, but as evening drew near, her strength had improved. Now she felt good. Better than good. Her body hummed with energy. She noted she could see Vlad clearly even though the drapes were still closed tightly. She'd wrenched the lid off that coffin with little effort. Um, okay, I guess.

His eyes narrowed as if he could see through her lie. So, there are, er, a few things I should tell you. About being a vampire, I mean. And then you're free to be on your way.

On my way?

Surely you weren't intending to stay here? He looked horrified at the thought. You must have a life, after all.

I did. I mean I do. At least I did until someone attacked me in a club.

Yes, well, it wasn't me.

Fine, tell that to the police.

Alarm crossed his face. Oh no, you can't go to the police.

Why? Someone hurt me.

He grasped her gently by the shoulders. She objected to being seized and shrugged out of his grasp. Jaelyn. He dropped his hands and ran one through his hair, tousling his curls further. You have no idea how the police treat our kind.

Our kind?

Vampires.

But you're we're citizens, aren't we?

Technically. But 'justice for all' takes on a whole different meaning where vampires are concerned. A lot of people still consider us monsters. They aren't too keen to have us living among them, even though we always have.

But there are vampire police officers, aren't there?

Well, yes, not many, but

But what?

A long sigh escaped his lips. It sounded more like a hiss. The head of the vampire liaison division... there's something not quite right about him.

She was getting tired of these half answers. Not quite right, how?

He ran another hand through his hair, betraying a nervous tic. I don't know ... he's a vampire, but not like any other I've ever met. It's like he's something... else.

So I'm supposed to what? Forget about being attacked? Go on with my what ... unlife?

No. But I'd advise against going to the police. Like it or not, you're a vampire now. I hate to put it to you this way, but people are going to treat you differently.

The implications of that were just starting to sink in. What on earth was she going to do with her day job? Find a night job instead? What would she tell her parents, her friends?

She could call in sick for a few days. That might give her enough time to figure out what she needed to know. And then what?

There was too much to think about all at once. First she needed to decide what to do about what had happened to her.

Fine, she said, coming to a decision. But I want to find out what happened to me and why. And I want you to help me.

What I can do? I was having a completely uneventful evening until you appeared on my doorstep. I don't know anyone who would have done such a thing. He raised his arm to run his hand through his hair again and then seemed to realize what he was doing and dropped it abruptly. His hair already stuck out in unruly tufts. She had to admit the overall effect was kind of cute. It made him look like a little boy. A very grown-up and dangerous little boy. She yanked her traitorous thoughts away from the darkly handsome man before her. Must be the blood, Jaelyn thought. She was not going to fall for Mr. Full-Of-Himself who kept a coffin to seduce women.

She brooded on that for a moment until suddenly the answer became clear. We'll start at the source. At The Pit.

I'm not going to The Pit with you, Vlad said.

Jaelyn gave him her most fetching stare. The one that had always worked for her. Of course you are. She looked around the bedroom, her eyes stopping at the ruined remains of the coffin. I don't suppose you have an evening dress handy.

A wha He paused, considering. Actually I might.

Chapter
Four

The evening dress belonged to Michaela, an ex-girlfriend another vampire. One of the few relationships he'd had that had lasted more than a couple of dates. They'd been a couple for almost a year, a record in his dating history. It hadn't ended well she'd caught him in the big coffin with one of his donors. But he'd always held out hope that given enough time, she might forgive him and they could give it another go. She hadn't forgiven him yet. She hadn't come back to pick up her belongings either. That left the slinky black dress sitting in his closet. If she knew he'd loaned it to another woman there definitely wouldn't be any reconciliation, but what else could he do? Jaelyn was intent on going to The Pit. And for some indeterminable reason he felt compelled to go with her.

He studied that unfamiliar feeling for a moment. No one not even his former vampire flame had made him feel protective. Must be the blood bond. Hopefully it would wear off.

Come on then. He nodded in the direction of the other bedroom.

She trailed him down the hall to the room she'd vacated. The sight of the unmade bed brought vivid images to his mind. His gums tingled in anticipation and his body tightened at his traitorous thoughts. He pictured holding her in his arms until the day-sleep claimed them both. He imagined awakening at dusk to make love and feed from each other again.

Blood bond, he reminded himself. A mere accident of vampire biology, nothing more.

He strode past her to the giant walk-in closet and ventured inside. He could feel her waiting outside, her body vibrating with withheld laughter at the neat rows of mostly black shirts and pants. Shoes lined the floor. Lighted drawers held his ties and accessories. He passed the suit jackets and the rest of his formal wear and reached for the dress he knew without looking hung at the back of his closet. He emerged and held it out to her. Here.

She took the dress and held it up beside him. Somehow I can't picture you in this.

Funny, he snapped, shocked at how much her attempt at humor stung. It reminded him of missed opportunities and regrets, something he rarely indulged in. It wouldn't nearly fit me. It belongs to an old girlfriend.

Jaelyn ran her hand over the slinky material. It's nice. Expensive, I think.

Oh, I'm sure it is. She had good taste. In far more ways than one, but he kept that to himself. He motioned to the en suite bathroom at the far end of the room. If you insist on playing detective and going to The Pit, you can get ready in there.

You coming with me then? For a moment she looked unsure.

Guess so. Vlad disappeared back into his closet to find something to wear.

Jaelyn contorted her body trying to wiggle into the dress. Its former owner had obviously been slightly taller and much thinner than she was. She wrestled with the zipper no way was she going out there half-zipped and submitting herself to Vlad's mercy if she didn't have to. Standing back to admire herself in the mirror, she had to admit the effect was striking. The supple material highlighted every one of her curves. Something in her new vampire blood made her eyes shine and her skin glow. No amount of makeup had ever given her such luminance. Another apparent advantage of her transformation to offset the blood-drinking and skulking around in the darkness.

She studied her reflection again. Wait a minute mirror?

She opened the door to find Vlad standing there waiting for her and nearly gasped in appreciation. He'd tamed his unruly curls and dressed in a loose black silk shirt. A pair of black pants that left nothing to the imagination and freshly buffed shoes completed the outfit. He looked sexy and... stunning. His eyes moved slowly from her head to her toes, which were bare since he hadn't offered her any shoes. For a moment he merely gazed at her with adoration plain in his eyes. No man had ever looked at her with such blatant hunger and longing.