by Tijan
You need to sleep, and you need to eat.
I nestled into my pillow, my whole body feeling like it was melting. Night, Rakon.
Night, Micaela.
I could feel his wish to merge with my creature, and she stirred. A blast of exhaustion came right after.
You’re doing this to me, aren’t you?
Kieran didn’t respond to that. He said softly in my head, “You need to eat tomorrow.”
Yeah…
I was asleep.
16
Fucking Brad
A week later.
“Since our Halloween sucked, I think we should have a re-do.”
Nikki announced that when I got back from classes, and as she was teleporting back and forth from her kitchen to her bedroom. She was getting dressed for a shift at Bass again.
“What?”
She teleported to the bedroom.
Came back, her leather corset outfit on. “I know you don’t like Brad, but hear me out.”
I growled.
I’d been more forthcoming with them since I noted how Rakon and Kieran liked to do the same.
“Hold on.” Poof. She was gone.
“So as I was saying.” She was back, braiding her hair in her usual work-style. “You’ve not said much about Jay, but we were supposed to get drunk that night.” Poof, gone. Poof, she was back and she was spraying some red glitter into her hair. “If it hadn’t been Dissension Night, we would’ve done that. And Brad’s on this thing where he’s wondering if we should try at a relationship or not. I say no, but he’s got something up his butt about it. He’s having a small gathering tonight. After my shift, we could go over and check it out? What do you think?”
“I have school tomorrow.”
She gave me a knowing look, though there was a flash of concern there too. “You and I both know you won’t be sleeping. You haven’t been since…”
Yeah. Since Halloween, except for the night when Kieran used his power on me.
I changed the subject. Nikki hadn’t pushed, but she knew I wasn’t sharing something.
“Sure. Why not. Fucking Brad, huh?”
She grimaced. “I mean, I’m the one fucking Brad.”
That got a laugh from me. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” There was that concern again. It was all front and center, and she crossed the room to stand in front of me. “If you need to talk, I’m here. You know that, right?”
“I do.” I smiled, feeling it, because she was there for me. “You should’ve told me Jay was cheating on me, and you know it.”
“I know, but that’s not why you were with him, you know.”
I looked up, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“You hide from so much. I know your kind does that, but you spent five out of seven nights here anyways. It’s why you only had to grab a third of your possessions. The rest was already here.”
That was true.
“I’ll tell you next time, I promise. He was kissing two girls one night in front of you. You saw, and you never said a word. I figured you really didn’t want to deal with it.”
That was all true too. “Still tell me.”
“Okay. I will.” She reached forward, giving me a hug. “Okay. I’m off.”
I gave her a nod and a wave as she left, then I considered my night.
I did have class tomorrow, but I was restless.
I didn’t want to study. I didn’t want to do homework. I didn’t want to eat. I didn’t want to take a bath. I didn’t want to watch a movie. I didn’t want to go for a run. I didn’t want to do anything.
I knew what I wanted to do and I couldn’t do that.
You need to eat.
Are you monitoring my thoughts?
I felt your energy. It was pulling to me. What’s wrong?
I sighed. I don’t know.
I do. You need to eat.
Yeah, well, I snapped back at him. You’re not here.
He was silent again, until, Do you want me to be?
Yes.
Wait. Still me.
Shit. Also me.
Damn stupid thoughts. I was on a roll.
Still going. Are you already in the area?
I could feel him grinning. Micaela. I’ll never ‘just’ be in the area if you need to eat me.
That sounds so wrong when you say it like that.
I’m aware I’m delicious. You don’t have to hide that you want to eat me.
Stop talking.
He laughed.
Stop laughing. Me.
I can come to you, if you’d like? I’m not in the ‘area,’ but I can be.
He’d do that for me?
Rakon will not shut up if I don’t.
I forgot you can hear everything.
He was silent, again.
Then, I’m letting you decide.
Right. I heaved a deep breath. Yes.
And I closed my eyes so tight, because for some reason, that made me feel vulnerable and I didn’t know why.
I’ll find you.
Okay.
Micaela.
What?
I wasn’t busy the way you thought I was busy. I was in a meeting.
Oh—but he was gone. I felt the connection end on his side, and why did that leave me feeling bereft again?
Stupid dragon. Stupid Kieran. Stupid ‘needing to eat.’ Just stupid, all of it stupid.
I couldn’t wait.
17
Post-Halloween Party
“Hey Nadeem, how’s it hanging?”
Nikki’s hand was on my arm and tightened as Brad came over to us. We’d just arrived, and Cary, one of Brad’s friends, was handing over our drinks. All of us paused at Brad’s arrival. His hair was messed up. His shirt was half-ripped and hanging off him. He was wearing red shorts, and he was all sweaty.
He had a sneer when he greeted me, but the sneer turned to a leer as he gave Nikki a once-over. He opened his mouth—
I beat him to the punch. “Thanks for the party invite, Uncle Cream.”
His mouth snapped shut, and he glowered at me.
Nikki coughed, clearing her throat. “Okay. We’re already off to a great start.”
Brad was looking at our outfits.
Nikki came straight from Bass, so she looked hot.
Me, I was wearing a white dress that had a tie behind my neck. I paired that with thigh-high suede hooker boots. I wasn’t normally a hooker boots kind of energist, but Kieran was coming and sue me. The girl inside of me wanted to look nice.
We’d be having creature-spirit energy sex, so yeah… Hooker boots felt appropriate. The suede classed them up so they were high-end hooker boots. Also, I wanted an excuse to wear them. Nikki was right.
That last year, Jay and I had only been roommates. The year before, we were barely friends. The beginning two years were good, but it’d been a dying relationship long ago. I never wanted to wear these for Jay.
He never earned that privilege.
“It’s a Halloween party. You guys were supposed to dress up.”
Nikki smiled at Brad, her hand running down his chest as she moved closer to him. “I did dress up, for you.”
She had her head tipped up. His was tipped down.
They’d normally be a cute couple if one wasn’t nicknamed Uncle Cream.
“What’s wrong, Nadeem? All this for Jay? Don’t know if you can compete with his new vamp.”
“What?” I frowned.
No. I glared.
Nikki stiffened at Brad’s words and pushed backwards, giving them space. “What?”
“Them?” I asked Nikki, not glaring at her.
She was glaring too, at Brad. “What are you talking about?”
“Them. He’s here. With her.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “Why you all pissy about it? Chill. I didn’t invite them. The vamp bitch is friends with someone here, and Jay came in with them. I haven’t talked to them either, but
he was all over her. Figured that meant they were together.”
Nikki cursed at him before giving him her back and looking at me. “You okay?”
Kieran.
I hadn’t meant to reach out to him, but it was there.
He didn’t answer.
Nice.
Are you okay?
This was dumb. I shouldn’t have called out to him.
Yeah. I’m fine. Just hungry.
He was quiet again, and there was the connection.
I could feel him inside of me, and he was searching me.
What vampire is with him?
I felt his alarm. It was piqued, but he was keeping it at bay.
How was I feeling his feelings so easily now?
I don’t know her name, but it’s the same one he cheated on me with. Brad wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t true.
There’s other vampires there?
I don’t know. Why are you getting alarmed?
He was quiet, again.
Then, a roar from his end. That was Rakon.
Kieran?!
It’s fine. Leave the party, just in case. I’m almost to you.
Almost? What?
My internal voice was hitching up in my own panic. It was clouding all around me now.
Leave the party? Man. I didn’t know about that. Nikki wanted to come for me, but also for her too. She was studying me, and she reached out. “What do you want to do? You want to leave?”
“What?” Brad groaned behind her. His hands went up to his hair, raking through both sides. “Come on. Deal with it. That relationship was a shitshow for the last two years—”
“Shut up!” Nikki whipped around to him, her hand on her hip.
He did, but it was taking effort.
Cary was still standing with us, holding onto his own drink. He gave me a pitying look, before nodding to Nikki and Brad. “I need to check the kitchen for more cups. Wanna come help?”
“Gladly.”
Kieran’s warning echoed in my head, but I would leave. In a few.
I glanced back over my shoulder as I was following Cary to the kitchen. Nikki was watching and she mouthed to me, Are you okay?
I nodded, giving her a thumbs-up. I mouthed back, I’ll be fine.
She frowned at that.
I gave her a second thumbs-up, switching my drink to my free hand.
She rolled her eyes, but grinned.
Brad moved in, his arm going around her from the front and he pulled her back to him. He tipped his head to see her, and hers moved to look up at him. He was tugging her backwards when we rounded the corner into the kitchen.
That’s when I saw Jay and her.
He had his arm around her shoulder, and seeing me, he dropped it real quick.
Real. Quick.
He straightened up from the counter he’d been leaning back against. “Hey, Cale. I never thought I’d see you here.” His eyes trailed behind me. “You and Brad are friends?”
Jay was cute.
He’d always been cute. He had a baby-type face with soft brown eyes, and he’d been tall and lanky. He was popular, athletic, and he had an affectionate smile. He was kind. That’s what made me fall for him. He hung out with the popular assholes, but not him. They were mean to someone and he told them to shut up. They never turned on him. They respected him.
Jay was the exception to so many of our rules. He was human, and he knew all about us.
Like I said, he’d been the exception.
We began dating, and I was proud to have him as my boyfriend in college.
He held my hand, walked me to my dorm room.
He met me on campus. We ate together.
He used to have his arm around my shoulder too.
But seeing him now, he wasn’t the guy I was thinking of.
That told me everything.
So, instead, I turned to her. “You got your orders from Quesadilla to stay with him too?”
Her mouth dropped, and before she could stop herself, her fangs were out.
Now!
That was me, yelling in my head, because I hadn’t known I was going to do this, but I did now.
And. It. Was. Awesome.
I felt my creature pushing to let loose, and just as Jay’s vamp girlfriend sprang toward me, her two other vampire friends coming to help her, there was an energy explosion in the room.
They didn’t see it.
I did.
And I was smiling the whole time because I flung my arms out, my drink went in the air, and I let her loose.
She spread through my body in a flash and this time, we were one. I saw through her eyes. I felt her hunger, but I felt her thirst for power. We went into their energy, and we yanked hard. We didn’t eat it, but we could harness it, and as we touched their energy, their bodies started seizing.
You have no energy, you have nothing.
This was my superpower.
I was hungry, so hungry.
I was starving.
They weren’t enough.
I needed more—I began looking behind me for more vampires. Anyone who would want to fight me. I took one step, their energy vibrating around me. I was almost levitating, but I felt fangs slice through my skin.
I screamed, the pain and invasion coursing through me.
I reached back, but the vampire was stronger than me.
I tried yanking her energy, but she was draining me too fast.
She. Her.
I recognized her energy, and as I couldn’t hold onto my own, the energy slipped from my control. They returned back to the vampires, and as I turned, falling to the ground, my eyes locked with hers.
She was standing there, my blood dripping from her mouth and she wiped at it with the back of her hand. She considered it, then stuck a finger back into her mouth and sucked my blood clean.
She smiled down at me. “Remember me?”
Jay’s vamp was moving in fast. Her foot was in the air.
It was coming down on me.
I had one second to think.
Quesadilla is alive!
18
Quesadilla Bitch
I woke to a headache and a thought. This was the second Halloween night she ruined.
Bitch.
My second thought, I hurt like a bitch.
I couldn’t move, not even an inch.
“Tsk, tsk. She wakes.”
I recognized that voice, and growled. Or wanted to growl.
I would’ve growled if I had the energy, and speaking of irony.
“You took my energy.”
“I did.” She sounded so smug, coming to stand above me.
I was becoming more oriented.
She had me strapped to a table, my legs and arms tied down and something over my neck to hold me in place. I felt something warm and sticky all over my body, and judging by the blood on her face, I was guessing it wasn’t her blood.
“I drained you dry, and you were so sweet.” She closed her eyes, looking almost blissful. “An energist’s blood is like honey from heaven. Now I’m going to do what I do to all my other energy bunnies.” She moved, reached out of eyesight, and came back with a syringe. “I drained you, now I’m going to drug you so I can do it all over again. Wouldn’t want you to be able to drain my energy, now would we?”
A moan came from somewhere in the room.
“Who’s that?”
“Cale.” That whimper was Nikki.
I struggled against my restraints. I had enough energy for that. “Let me out!”
“I have your whole group here.”
A punching sound, and another groan. This one was deeper.
“Fucking whore,” was spat out.
That was Brad.
“They all fought for you.”
Brad did?
Quesadilla went on. “It was a valiant effort, but they were outnumbered.”
“Cale, I’m so sorry.”
Slap!
That’d been Jay.
Ques
adilla was looking back down on me. She must’ve seen my confusion. “Even the ex fought for you.” She knelt down, her nail drawing a line down my arm, blood seeping from it.
It wasn’t painful. That’s how far gone I was.
“You and Dragon Lord screwed up. You drained me. He beheaded me. You burned my body, but I wasn’t dead. You missed about fifty other vampires I have.”
I narrowed my eyes.
I was trying to summon some fight in me, but I had none. I’d used it all up fighting against my restraints when I heard Nikki’s whimper.
“Are they all here now?”
Some of the cockiness faded. Some. Not all. “Why do you want to know that?” She was raising her head up, a hungry look coming over her face. Her tongue cleaned one of her fangs, and she was eyeing the fleshy part of my arm that she just cut.
I felt the earth rumbling.
Was I the only one?
It didn’t matter.
I felt him coming.
No, no.
I felt them coming.
I was rumbling.
The table I was on was rumbling.
The room was rumbling.
Quesadilla lowered her head, her fangs sinking into my arm. She was oblivious.
I heard things rattling in the room.
Something shattered.
There were curses.
“What the hell?”
A pounding of feet. A door was slammed open. “We have incoming.”
Quesadilla moaned, grasping my arm and holding me tighter to her mouth. She was sucking me dry.
Where are you?
Kieran was Rakon. They were one, and chills went through me.
Quesadilla was going to die tonight.
I felt Kieran’s darkness.
I could see it in the air. It was filling the room, being sent ahead of him. He was looking for me, and once he found me, that energy filled the entire room up. It was coming over me, covering me.
It was moving over my body.
I felt it licking my body, like a dog would lick a hurt paw.
He was trying to heal me, or his energy was.
Another ferocious roar sounded in my head, but I heard it too. It shook the entire room. There was more stampeding happening.
A door crashed open again. “We have to go. Now!”