Blood And Guitars

Chapter 1

Blood And Guitars is the first book in a series. I will be posting the first fifteen or so chapters of this book. For information on how to read the rest of the story, the book trailer, extras and more, visit www.heatherjensen.info.

Chapter 1

I needed blood….

That was the only thing on my mind as I walked the streets in the dark. The hour was fast approaching. I could feel it in my bones. The moon hung high, her pale silver glow illuminating the city below, radiating as far as the eye could see.

It was almost midnight now, and my Brood would soon be meeting in the top of an abandoned warehouse six blocks down. The night air was crisp but comfortable as I moved down the street. This month’s meeting place was within walking distance and I was going to take advantage of it, but first I needed a drink. I took a deep breath, letting the dark fill my senses, enveloping me as I walked.

One block.

Two.

I smelled the human male before I caught sight of him. I followed his scent, capturing the taste of it on my tongue. It led me around the back of a building and into a parking lot. The unsuspecting man turned when he saw me approaching. I could see the relief on his face when he found a harmless-looking young woman in heels behind him and not some maniac thug. I was counting on him to make that mistake.

“Excuse me,” I said, calling out to him.

His footsteps paused and he turned around to face me. “Can I help you?”

“I hope so,” I said innocently. “I parked my car on this street a few hours ago and now that it’s dark I can’t tell where I’m at. I seem to have lost my car.” I feigned embarrassment and reached into his mind, finding almost no resistance there.

“You really should be more careful,” he said kindly. “It’s probably not the best idea for a young lady like you to wander about in the dark.”

His guard down, I quickly made my move. I pulled him toward me so fast that he couldn’t react before I gently but deliberately sank my teeth into his neck. He tensed only for a second, and then his muscles relaxed as the venom in my bite numbed his senses and he enjoyed the relaxing images as I projected them into his mind. The rich life-giving liquid burned down my throat. My heart began to race as my already heightened senses shifted into overdrive, a welcomed effect of ingesting the blood. I sent soothing images to his mind as I drank my fill, which took less than a minute. Satiated, I ran my tongue across the two tiny puncture wounds my teeth had left on the skin of his throat, and they disappeared almost instantly. I stepped back, licking any trace of blood from my lips as I straightened my jacket and gazed at the man expectantly. He shook his head and then his eyes came back into focus and he gazed at me with questioning eyes.

“I think you’re right,” I said, continuing with my earlier act. “The next parking lot down does look familiar. I’m sure that’s where my car is. Thanks a lot for your help.”

“Uh … yeah. No problem.” He rubbed his neck instinctively, although he had no memory of what had just happened.

I smiled sweetly before I walked past him. Wanting to make sure I hadn’t completely befuddled him, I glanced over my shoulder to see the man shaking his head again before he unlocked his vehicle and slipped inside, no worse for the wear.

I walked away feeling like a teenager who had just gotten backstage at a rock concert. The fresh blood would not only sustain me for the rest of the week, it had revitalized me, burning life into me from the inside out. My senses were sharper than they’d been in days, and my spirits lifted as a direct result. It made the idea of being around some of my Brood a little more bearable as I set off in the direction of the abandoned warehouse.