Hunted Predators✔️

CHAPTER SIX

"So this is where the magic happens," Darko says. "And by magic, I mean your gruesome murders." Katherine glares at Darko, then shrugs. "No," Katherine says, glancing at the other passengers on the subway. A smile plays on her lips. "I tend to favor young people. Like, age five and below."

"Why? The fresh taste?"

"Yup."

Darko stares at Katherine, who is now completely straight faced. In the background, a passenger within hearing range takes a step away from Katherine and Darko.

As they exit the subway and enter the city block, Katherine goes on about her murder plans, giving more gruesome details everytime she provokes even the slightest reaction from Darko. Then she comes to a sudden stop, her arm jutting out in front of Darko.

She takes her arm and points it at a club a few feet away. "Club Red?" Darko reads from the flashing neon sign above the club.

"Subtlety is key," Katherine says.

Darko smirks. "I can really see why you chose this place, Katherine. I know a club is the first place I'd go to find kids."

"Come on," Katherine says, grabbing his hand. Darko looks at her hand in his, raising his eyebrows. Dropping his hand, Katherine turns around so he can't see her face, walking ahead to the bouncer.

"Who's he?" the bouncer says.

"A..." Katherine glances at Darko, biting her lip. "He's a... yeah." She ducks her head and steps past the bouncer, stepping into the club. "I'm a yeah?" Darko says, shouting to be heard over the music. "Shut up," Katherine replies, making her way through the dance floor, to the table in the back occupied with five young men.

Katherine slides in next to the teenage boy on the far right with as much ease as if she was at home. "Jam," Katherine says to the boy, gesturing at Darko. "This is Jessie."

Jam nods at Darko. Then he turns back to Katherine. "Usual?"

She nods, handing him a handful of watted up bills. He tucks them into his jacket then hands her a bag of blood labeled with a messy black scrawl. Jam turns to Darko. "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything."

Jam looks at Katherine. "Why the hell wouldn't he want any? He's not a human, is he? You know that's against the-"

"I don't want anything cheap," Darko says. Jam's scowl slowly turns up into a smile, showing off the gold he has installed in his teeth. "Then you came to the right place, my friend. I've got clean O pos, O neg, the works. Any type, any way you like it."

"How much?"

"On average, three thousand per gallon."

Darko blinks. "What?"

"Do you know how hard it is to get your hands on clean blood? Hospitals aren't easy to rob."

Katherine crosses her arms over her chest, fixing Jam with a glare. "Meaning he can overcharge however much he wants."

Jam shoots her a toothy grin. "Don't hate the player, baby."

"What else do you offer?" Darko says.

"Well you can roll the dice with untested blood, for 250 a gallon. Who knows, maybe you'll get a great deal."

"Or herpes," Katherine adds.

"And the last option, animal blood-"

"What about vampire blood?" Darko says.

Jam snorts. "How new is this kid?"

"You can't drink vampire blood," Katherine says. "It'll give you energy and health, but the effects last for a short period of time."

"Back to animal blood," Jam says. "Fifty a gallon, but I wouldn't recommend, not for you, big shot. A diet of animal blood strips away all of a vampire's natural powers. No super strength, healing, speed. And with human blood, you can drink a cup and be satisfied for a week, but drink double that in animal blood, and you're barely satisfied for a day. You'll always be crawling back for more." Jam smirks, nodding at Katherine. She turns away, her cheeks tinged hot. "She would know."

"Screw you," she says.

"Exactly how you could get more." Jam reaches for Katherine, but Darko catches his fingers an inch away from Katherine's cheek. "I'll get the animal blood," Darko snaps. Both are quiet as they walk out the club.