Where Dark Things Wait: Night Creatures Book One

Chapter Fourteen - Thirsty

"When a vampire hunts, they use an innate seductive allure to draw in prey," Isemay explained. "If we're injured and desperate, we can use that to force humans to surrender to us. The briefest touch - the brush of fingers against the back of a hand, or the slightest bump as you pass in the street - if done with intent, with an aim to garner complete compliance, it can have a mortal baring their throat regardless of their own will. Then, after we feed, we can use a psychic push to eradicate ourselves from the minds of our donors, so they never even know we were there. Humans are more susceptible to that, and many supernaturals have immunity, or perhaps vampires just evolved to focus their skills on humans because they are our best food source, whilst also being our most dangerous foe.

"We aren't outside or desperate, though, and the club has rules. The mortals who get in here are already part of our world, which likely means they have contacts with people whose toes we don't want to step on. Out of respect for our mortal allies and their supernatural sponsors, the club bans such complete overriding of a donors will. By all means, you can use seductive charm. A sexy dance and short skirt can seduce a man without removing his ability to control himself, regardless what conservative chauvinists imply. Similarly, your allure can seduce a mortal without bypassing their ability to choose for themselves what they want to offer. You just aren't permitted to override their will with yours. Don't intend to get such compliance when you touch them. Make sure any contact that is meant to seduce only does that; seduce, not control."

"I don't have fangs," Kalyna answered, not that she felt inclined to let that stop her.

In truth, she felt drunk, despite only having one drink. The drum beat of pounding hearts and pulses created a rhythm all of its own, against a background of roaring music. The sound washed over her, through her, moving her body like a puppets beholden to some unseen manipulator. Her hips rotated, her hands slid down her own body in and overt gesture that had several men, both supernatural and not, eying her with desire. Their interest only fed into the out of control feeling that had descended over her. She wanted to dance, to seduce, and to feed. She felt ravenous, and so many of those around her seemed like prey.

"Not everything that feeds on blood does. You'll still find some willing to be bitten," Isemay promised, although a slight frown puckered her brow. "Just tell them you don't have fangs and let them decide. Or I can bite for you, and then you can feed from the wounds I make."

The vampire paused, studying Kalyna as if searching for something, even as she asked, "Are you sure you're OK? You leapt away, and now you're..."

"I decided to bite the bullet. I'm here now, so I might as well learn what I am," she said, because she truly didn't want to stop. All her reasons for denying her cravings seemed to slide beyond reach, stalking the periphery of her mind but too shrouded in fog to heed.

Her body felt alive in a way it never hand before; tingling with need, thrumming with a confidence that she had never dared believe she possessed. She felt connected to everything, to the music that had her body vibrating, and the heat she felt radiating from the people around her, and to the song of pulses and heartbeats echoing in her ears. At the same time she felt so far beyond any of it, in a bubble where her own immediate wants and needs seemed more real than anyone else's. She didn't recognised the danger in that. She didn't have the capacity to remember it. Not anymore.

When her gaze found the man who'd bared his throat again, she noted that his eyes still followed every move she made, and a sultry smile tipped her lips as she crooked her finger at him. He took a step forward before he had chance to consider his submission, yet he remained perfectly aware as he closed the distance between them and tipped his head to bear his throat again.

She leaned up, not quite touching him, her lips at his ear as she warned, "I'm dhampir. I don't have fangs. If I use my teeth, it'll sting more. Or my friend can open your vein for me."