In the end, she went with a solution that made her laugh aloud. She made a tent with the mattress and box-spring, using the large heating and cooling unit in front of the window as a support. The mattress was flat on the floor, with the box-spring serving as an angled roof. The triangle shape cut into her sleeping room a bit, but it provided all the darkness she needed.
She was a teenage vampire that had built a childhood fort to survive.
"Victoria would be so proud."
Zoey was ready to turn in for the day when something caught her eye through the window. Across the street from the hotel were cookie-cutter single family homes, each with their own fence and yard. One house was in the middle of a party. A small crowd of people not much older than her laughed and drank on the lawn, while others moved in and out through the door. With her keen eyes, she could see dancing through the window.
When she was mortal, she would have been the first one to dance through the crowd and flirt with a cute boy. She would have dragged Kylie along, because Kylie would insist on not going. Zoey would pretend to drink, to fit in. A fact she was not proud of. Kylie wouldn't dance, at first, until Zoey worked on her for a while. Then she'd loosen up, and the mismatched best friends would be the talk of school the next day.
Now, as she watched the young crowd, all she could think of was something Victoria said.
Never pass up easy blood.
She sighed as emotions wrestled. As an out-of-town traveler, blood would never get any easier than a house party. She could slip in, find a tasty mortal and a dark corner, and slip out. Victoria could feed in a crowded club. Certainly a house party with young people drinking and stumbling about would be easier.
The problem was Zoey was not Victoria. She had never once successfully drank from a human without hurting them.
Turning in place, she stared at her bag, still sitting in the chair. She could visualize the two bottles of blood sitting inside. Would they be enough for the rest of the trip? She honestly didn't know how much longer the rest of the trip was. Stretching out the blood wasn't a problem, but she didn't want to go back to starving, like she did in her hometown.
She knew she was delaying the inevitable. There was absolutely no reason not to drink from a human, except her own fears. Like Victoria said, there wouldn't always be bottles of blood waiting for her. It was possible Victoria herself had washed her hands from the troublesome teen.
Zoey steeled herself. There would never be a better opportunity. Eventually she would have to conquer her issues.
"Okay," she said. "Let's go."
Before leaving the room she gave herself a quick glance in the dresser mirror. There were no bags under her eyes. She practiced a quick, flirty smile, and was satisfied with the results. Her figure never looked better, enhanced even further by Victoria's fashion choices. If she couldn't find a guy to give her a second look and reel him in, then she deserved to go thirsty for a few days.
She left the hotel and circled the building to cross the street, but stopped when she hit the sidewalk. It would not be smart to simply go straight for the house, and then straight back to the hotel. She walked around the block first, used the crosswalk, and then headed for the house.
Zoey closed her eyes as she approached. She inhaled deeply, treasuring every scent, and listened intently. Victoria had always told her to use all of her senses, take everything in. The sensations reminded her that although she looked like the young crowd around her, she was not one of them. She could hear laughter deep in the house, smell the beer and marijuana. Two young women consoled another as she complained about her boyfriend cheating on her. A man tried to show another how to take a hit from a bong. An argument brewed, fueled by alcohol, as two men argued over the affections of a woman they were both interested in.
Not long ago, Zoey would have fit in perfectly. Now it almost felt like an alien world. She actually longed for the smell of brewing tea in Victoria's kitchen.
Cutting across the lawn, she flashed a smile to the group of young men drinking outside. She didn't need her eyes to know they gawked at her as she passed by. The quickening heartbeats, the whispered compliments, the scent of what could only be arousal in the air. She sensed it all.
Someone handed her a beer on the way inside. She tried to calm her nerves as she surveyed the party scene in a way she never did before. She wasn't searching for a cute guy to talk to, or a fun song to dance along with, or gossip to spread. She was looking for a man or woman not too drunk so she could drink their blood.
Ten minutes passed as she weaved her way in and out of the crowd. She took a small tour of the house, to get a layout of her surroundings. People slowly started to trickle out the door, the night nearly coming to an end. Zoey knew she had to hurry, or else she'd miss her opportunity.
Her eyes fell on a young man, maybe a year older than her, sitting on the couch. A smile crossed her face, as the sight reminded her of Kylie. He stared into his smartphone, and not in a good way. There was an art to using a smartphone at a party, one that the young man obviously hadn't mastered. A quick check for messages and missed calls was all it took. But there were the ones that struggled socially. The phones helped them pass the time, instead of engaging with the fun around them. Kylie had the same problem.
Zoey sidled up next to him. Their shoulders touched, which was her intent. He was cute. She leaned her head toward him and glanced at his phone.
"What are you checking out?"
He was so absorbed in the world of mobile Internet that he jumped. He blanked his phone and put it away, almost embarrassed.
"You know, just guy stuff," he said.
"Ah," Zoey said, smiling. "Porn."
"No. Fantasy football."
"Almost as bad." She extended her hand. "I'm…Kylie."
He returned her smile and shook her hand. "Travis."
That was it. Ten seconds passed. It was obvious Zoey would be the one to carry the conversation.
"So, you're not much into…." She frowned as she watched the others around them. Three women took turns kissing and groping while two men recorded them with their phones. Zoey might have laughed before, but since becoming a vampire and spending time with Victoria, she saw everything in a new light. All she could think about was exposure, and how vampires were supposed to live in the shadows. "Beer and…whatever else is going on here."
His smile was warm, catching her by surprise. It didn't go with the already shy impression she had of him.
"Every party needs one, right?" he said. "That guy who comes, but doesn't do anything and looks like an idiot. My sister always drags me to these things." He searched around them. "She's around here somewhere."
"You don't look like an idiot. Actually, you look like the only smart one here."
"If I was smart, I'd be home sleeping. I have to go to work in five hours."
"Oh, wow. You really like challenging yourself, don't you?"
They laughed together. She drank up his scent. It was very pleasant, not an ounce of beer on him.
A drunk woman with an unsteady gait stumbled past and bumped into the couch, sending her beer flying. Travis barely missed being doused, and that was only because of Zoey's speed. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him against her. The beer soaked into the cushion, drawing laughter from most and ire from one particular woman, who either owned the house or whose parents did.
"Damn," Travis said. "Thanks."
"That would not have been a good end to your night. Do you want to go somewhere?"
The shy side, the one that would rather stare into a smartphone, came out quickly.
"Uh, where?"
"Anywhere. Out back. For a walk. It doesn't matter."
"Sure."
They made their way through the house, pushed through the crowded kitchen, and into the backyard. A simple seat hung from two pieces of rope from a tree. Zoey sat down first, patting the spot next to her. Travis was adorably awkward, unlike any other guy she'd met. It made what she intended to do t
hat much more difficult, but she'd be careful.
She would never hurt anyone else ever again.
They talked and laughed for ten minutes as the party went on behind them. It was much more relaxing and quiet outside, away from the scents and sounds. Zoey flirted, only a little, and Travis responded in kind. She was very aware that she was stalling. She was not supposed to be getting to know Travis. Ultimately, even his name was unimportant. The only thing that mattered was the nectar in his veins.
With each passing second, the window of opportunity was closing. It would not get easier. Even the tree above cast them in shadow. They couldn't be seen from the house.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, sensing her mood. They sat so close their legs touched.
"Oh, yeah. Just a lot on my mind."
"Listen. I…uh, don't really want to go. But I have to. I really do have to work in a few hours." Zoey smiled as his scent changed. It was amazing how emotions could sometimes affect smell. He stared at the ground as he stuttered. "This might be a long shot, but can I get your number? Or…maybe you can get mine. Whichever one works."
"I'm so sorry, Travis, but I can't."
"Ah," he said, nodding. "You have a boyfriend."
Zoey couldn't hide the sadness in her voice. She wouldn't have a boyfriend for a long time.
"No, it's not that. It's just…."
She couldn't finish her thought, so she leaned forward and kissed him. Travis let out a startled sound, but it didn't take long for him to kiss her back. For a shy guy, he was certainly a great kisser. Zoey had the feeling she wouldn't be kissing all of her victims.
She wished she could spend more time with Travis. If only. In a different life. These were snippets of thoughts she was sure would follow her for the rest of her life.
Zoey pulled away, but didn't drift too far. She could hear both their heartbeats, quick and excited. She kissed Travis on the cheek, and let her lips hover near his ear. His hand rested on the back of her neck, a wonderful feeling.
"I promise I won't hurt you," she whispered, as much for herself as for Travis.
"What—?"
She sank her fangs into his neck, more forcefully than she meant to. Travis cried out and resisted for a moment. A tear ran down her cheek as she held tight, wrapping her fingers in his hair. She wondered if those first few seconds would ever get easier, if she would ever not feel like a monster.
It didn't take long for Travis to stop struggling as his body tensed. His hand fell on her thigh, sending tingly shocks all throughout her body. He did everything in his limited power to draw her in closer, nearly pulling her on top of him in the swinging seat. Zoey didn't resist, and sat in his lap. The beautiful crimson oozed down her throat, and she could sense Travis begging her to continue. She closed her eyes as the backyard, the tree, the swing, all faded away. It was only Zoey and Travis. Erotic thoughts invaded. She imagined taking Travis back to her hotel room and having their way with each other.
Her eyes shot open as an image of Steven assaulting her popped in her mind. After that was the memory of Shawn's face, nearly dead in his minivan. A vampire had nearly killed her, and she responded by nearly killing someone else.
Her willpower returned, violently shoving aside every pleasure. One day, maybe willpower and pleasure could exist together.
Zoey withdrew her fangs and quickly licked at the puncture wounds, drawing the skin together. The sensation made Travis shiver. She could only assume she was doing it correctly, but he did stop bleeding. He held on as tight as he could, and she made no effort to move from his lap. She wanted to stay with him all day, but knew that was impossible.
"Oh, shit," he whispered. "What did you do to me?"
"Are you okay?"
He wiggled in place, fighting the erection Zoey felt underneath her.
"Yeah, I'm definitely okay. Could you do it again?" he joked.
They laughed together, and Zoey felt infinitely better than the last time she tried to feed. Travis suddenly couldn't keep his eyes open, and his hands fell from Zoey's body.
"I'm so tired," he said. "Did I drink something? I don't remember drinking anything."
Zoey was alarmed for a moment, but realized exhaustion was settling in, as well as a vampire stealing a bit of blood. His head fell forward, which she caught on her shoulder. She gently lowered him onto the seat, wishing she could nap with him. His heartbeat was still steady and strong. She felt great herself, like she could lift a car over her head.
"I'm Zoey," she whispered in his ear. He wouldn't remember, but she felt she owed him an ounce of truth. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Kylie. Or Zoey. You're beautiful."
Travis drifted off into a deep sleep. Zoey kissed him one more time, gently on the lips. She'd make an announcement to the party, for Travis' sister, that he was asleep in the backyard, so he wouldn't be late for work.
Zoey didn't know how she felt. Excited, relieved, apprehensive, empowered, terrified. For the first time, she'd successfully drank from a mortal without harming them.
Maybe, if she ever talked to Victoria again, she'd be proud of her.
CHAPTER 15
The neighborhood surrounding the address Greg gave Victoria was a rough one. The mortals on the streets eyed her Porsche like it was candy as she wound through the streets. The parking garage had been abandoned for some time. Graffiti lined the structure, and tattered police tape served as a crime scene long forgotten. Victoria drove through the tape and headed down.
It was dark, but only for a moment. The sounds and scents flowed into her senses. Music, laughter, food, drugs, sex, fire. At first she only saw shapes and shadows, moving ahead of her. She parked the car, even taking the time to stay in between the faded lines, and approached the gathering.
Conflicted emotions ran through her as she took in the setting. There was somewhere around fifty people. It was close to an even split between vampires and mortals, and they were coexisting like she'd never seen before. Dancing, singing, kissing, talking. There were empty drums full of burning wood for light, which the vampires stayed away from. The music was even at an acceptable level, out of respect for the vampires' sensitive hearing.
However, she couldn't approve of all the behavior.
A couple was having sex against the concrete wall. A male vampire fed from a mortal woman, easily holding her up while she wrapped her legs around his hips. A group of mortals snorted lines of cocaine off each other. A newborn vampire joined in, wanting to see how it affected her. The vampires and mortals both gave Victoria an awkward glare as she passed through. She was so obviously out of place.
Seeing the sights around her only made her want to call Jack. She wanted Zoey home as fast as possible.
She didn't see Thomas, but could smell him. Trying to find the center of the party, she stood next to a couple making out in a sleeping bag on the ground. She was ready to call out when a familiar voice beat her to it.
"Who let that bitch in here?"
The party quieted down as Thomas pushed his way forward. He passed a woman feeding from a man, and Victoria had the displeasure of watching him climax as his knees buckled.
"Thomas," she said, trying to keep her tone polite and even. "A word, please."
"Oh, you want to talk to me? You hear that, everybody? The hot little redhead suddenly thinks she gets to talk to me. Look around. You don't exactly belong here."
"Please, this is important—"
"Fuck! Did you hear that? Did I hear a please in there?"
"Listen—"
"No, you listen." He spoke with the power of someone surrounded by their fellow kin. It was a shame it was an illusion. "One word, and my people here will tear you apart. This is your only warning. None of us have anything to say to you. Get the fuck out."
Victoria resisted the urge to issue her own warning. She didn't come to the parking garage to fight. Her own kind was dying, and she didn't want to play a part in hurting anyone else.
"Don't be a fool—"
"I can't believe this." Thomas glared at several of his friends, and slowly a circle of bodies formed around Victoria. They each tried to look menacing, opening and closing their fists. "They say we have good hearing, but you could have fooled the fuck out of me. She can't hear worth shit."
Thomas had interrupted her three times. She wasn't sure if she could take a fourth. She didn't have Jack's ability for perception, but it wasn't a problem to break down who was a vampire and who wasn't. She'd need to be careful in the upcoming fight. The appropriate strength and skill needed to be applied.
"I'm trying to help—"
"Whoa! You hear that? She's only trying to—"
It was Victoria's turn to interrupt. She charged forward and sliced Thomas across the face, and the battle was on.
It was a shame Jack wasn't with her. It wasn't that she needed his help. He simply would have enjoyed himself.
Victoria could handle herself very well.
Thomas and his friends attacked, slowly and without precision. One of the nearby vampires occasionally managed to land a lucky strike here and there, but they barely slowed her down. She shifted her hands constantly, from claw to hand and back again, depending on the target. Most of the party-goers only wanted to do just that, to party. But a few of Thomas' mortal friends decided they'd test Victoria with a weapon, and shoved broken brooms and mops into the nearby drums of fire.
That only further enraged her.
One wielded the fiery weapon. Victoria expertly snatched it from his grasp and slammed the broken end into the chest of a vampire attempting to sneak up behind her.
In between beatings, Thomas tried to slip in to strike at Victoria. He failed each time, with every encounter ending with another lacerated body part.
The fight ended when a mortal tried to attack her from behind, only to be tossed into a drum of fire. The drum spilled over, catching several old mattresses on fire. Vampires and mortals alike backed away in fear.
Victoria surveyed the chaos around her. Several mortals with broken bones lay about. Bleeding vampires limped away to lick their wounds. Victoria herself was a mess. Her stomach had five equally deep gashes, and her calf was cut as well.
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