Blood [#Wattys2016]

Section 4 : Old Dynasties and New Friends

I don't know what to think. At first I'm scared, then furious, then terrified, and then...

I spit blood all over the carpet as I start to laugh. I turn from person to person, meeting pitying smiles and amused smirks. Some of them are even laughing right along with me. Maybe it's the booze, but the whole thing seems just so ridiculous... or is it? I fight through my drunken haze to realize that otherwise there is no other explanation for why Ivanna bit my lip. Maybe she's just into that?

"You should've stuck with the absinthe, Jason." Ivanna says disappointedly, "That's one of the few things we don't poison."

"And the one thing we can't poison." Milo adds, "You see, something in the absinthe neutralizes the poison. I'm not sure of the chemistry and big words aren't exactly my strong suite."

"Says the lawyer." another vampire mocks. This is all going over my head, which is spinning right now by the way.

"Do you know what this poison does, Jason?" it takes a second to register that Milo is addressing me.

"Makes people pass out?" is as intelligent an answer as I can muster. They all chuckle except Eliazyrn; I can't even imagine him smiling.

"Well, yes." says David still sounding rather arrogant, "It also makes your blood taste richer and sweeter for when we drink it." I look around and find some of the vampires licking their lips. "Aw, what's wrong lady's man? Is the sight of your own blood making you sick?" Actually, my stomach is getting upset, but I'm not sure it's the sight of the blood. "How does he taste, Ivanna?" David asks.

"Amazing, actually." Ivanna says, savoring the taste of my blood, "Maybe the best I've had in awhile, but..." she looks off thoughtfully.

"But what?" David asks impatiently.

"Nothing," she says, "it's just that it seems like there's another taste, too..."

"High blood-iron content?" purposes one man, "Is he a diabetic?" asks another.

"It's just the absinthe!" says Persi eagerly, "Come on! Can we eat now? I've been waiting all day and there's a chick upstairs that I've had my eye on for hours!"

"I think I'll go first, being royalty and what not." says David. His remark is met by a chorus of scoffs and 'screw you's' . He steps closer, whispering "Sorry, Jason. Looks like you drew the short stick!" I try to step back, but I hit the wall behind me. "Don't worry," he says, "you won't die, we're more civilized than that. In fact you won't remember any of this; the only clue will be the headache in the morning!" Suddenly, he grabs me by the back of my neck and sinks his teeth into my throat. It stings at first, then my entire neck goes numb. I struggle, but it quickly becomes clear that it's futile. I'm starting to have trouble breathing, I can't feel the tips of my toes anymore and my stomach feels like it's ready to expunge everything I've eaten in the last year, but now... it feels like all of the alcohol is draining from my system. Suddenly David pulls away, a dazed look on his face.

"What's wrong, David?" a vampire in the crowd asks.

David stumbles away from me, "How long ago did you bite him, Ivanna?" he asks, almost as if he's going to pass out.

"About two minutes ago," she says thoughtfully, "why?"

"Twelve minutes," he says confused, "right?" He looks about the room, as if for confirmation, and is met by a dozen nodding heads. Some of the vampires slink out of the room, others start watching me very intensely. David stares at the ground for a long while, his hand shifting to my throat to hold me in place. "Aqua silentii, incapable of transforming one into a vampire, acts only to hide our presence." He mutters to himself as if reciting from a textbook.