Love Never Dies..Or Does It?

Dearly Departed We Are Gathered Here Today...

The room looked like it was designed by pet owners with severe OCD. All surfaces that could get blood on them were to be covered. It was the job of the familiars who stood by watching making sure their masters don't go overboard. Sometimes blood donation turned into a living sacrifice, but we weren't about that anymore. We have evolved. Only taking what we need for the willing, the wanting. A sometimes, just sometimes we want them back.

My eyes were still on the door lit up in green. The first of us strode through its threshold and stalking commenced. Favros carefully watched the flock of ripe humans. His wide yellow eyes rolling over the contents of the room. His regular feeder was situated to the back of the cluster. Their eyes met and he dove in like a vulture grappling a fresh kill. He cornered her in the lounge chair, its old fabric covered in plastic wrap...And I had to remind myself that they wanted to be here, completely of their own volition. The moment he takes a bite, that's my cue. As soon as the red blooms...

Ding ding ding.

I smelt it, an iron and coppery blend. Time to pick, time to feed... My feet shifted inward, I might have been dragging them, I didn't know. Nervousness picked at my empty stomach. I didn't want this, but I needed it. Hunger was insatiable no matter how hard one of our kind tries to avoid the simple fact that we needed whats beneath human flesh...Blood, the life source of all living things, coursing, funneling, dripping through the veins of...

Her.

My eyes snapped in her direction. Dark hair, light spearmint colored eyes...There she sat, Third to the left of the buffet lineup. The dim light caressing her at every angle, sleeves rolled up. Ready to play the cord that my insides craved. I walked closer, she placed her hair behind her ear. Her smell wafted towards me in a huff of pheromones unlike anything else in the room. We locked eyes, she nervously bit her lip. I had made my choice. I studied her facial expression. Was it fear? No, something deeper. I looked down at my soon to be meal name tag, it was stuck across her sweater, a badge of false identity.

" Venice."

It read. in black sharpie. There was ample reason for the rule of humans never using their true name. For once a vampire knew a feeders real name, it became easier to control their minds, syncing in with their brain waves and removing their free will just like a leech. Down to the bloodsucking. She twirled her thumbs in seemly eager anticipation. My mouth salivated. This part was never formal.

    " Hi, um how.. " I sounded like an idiot. I shook it off. Her eyes traced the outline of my neck. " How much are you donating today." The question every sensible vampire needed to ask before taking the first bite.

    " Anything you throw at me, I can handle it. " A shaky hand passed once more through her hair, setting my senses ablaze. Her aroma was like if candy and cigarettes had a love child. Her demeanor changed just then. In anticipation? Nevertheless, she still didn't answer my question, Venice tailed me, matching my shiftiness and reluctance to sit down. It was like she was looking through me not at me. But I had to make a move, the rest of the nest was waiting for my cue. Nervously I ushered in the next vampire in line, I couldn't uphold the feeding line. I finally caved, I parked myself right next to her in a crowded love-seat. Our knees touched, my eyes traced her veins on her wrist. I couldn't trust myself with her neck this time, it was too dangerous with how long I've gone without food. I lifted her arm with my fingertips, the slightest touch fizzled through me like carbonation through a steady stream. My mouth watered, my fangs shot straight out of my gums, almost piercing my lower lip.

I rolled up her thick sweater sleeve. She watched as I gazed into her veins. Blue and purple. Full of sustenance, hot wet and full of life. Just I needed, and from the looks of it, just what she craved.

"Let's just settle for a pint.," She spoke so only I could hear her. Her voice whispering through the air between us as it thinned. My grip on her tightened. I began the dive.