Fractured (Deep In Your Veins, #5)(91)
And then Sebastian was gone, and I was alone. Alone because each and every one of the fifteen vampires looked at me like I was a leper when I joined the line. There were sniggers, and snorts, and whispers, and gasps of amusement. I ignored it all and stood still, calming my irritated self and trying to anticipate what the test might be. Probably duelling, I decided.
The only advice that Sebastian had given me was to wear something that would promote flexibility ? hence why I was dressed in my black sweatpants, a white t-shirt with a white sports bra underneath, and my cross trainers. I’d tied my long, dark hair back in a high ponytail to keep it from falling around my face.
While I tried to get my head in the right place, another four blokes entered. They joined in on the ‘laugh at the girl’ crap. All in all, there were now twenty of us. And I was the smallest. And the only female. And the only Sventé. Oh joy. Five were Kejas, the rest were Pagoris.
After a further ten minutes or so, three male vampires strolled in ? all carrying an air of authority and power, and everyone immediately went silent. The assessors, I guessed.
The first was a Keja, extremely tall and bald with dark skin that had paled slightly due to the vampirism; he was all elegance and composure. The second was a well-built Pagori with a studious gaze and tousled auburn hair. At total variance to the first vampire, he was casually dressed in jeans and a ‘Life Sucks Then You Become a Vamp’ t-shirt. The third was also a Pagori...and the sexist sod from earlier. He spotted me and smirked evilly. Ah, bollocks. If the final decision came down to him, I was definitely going back home.
But I refused to be intimidated or made to feel unsure of myself, so I straightened my posture and arched a sardonic brow at him. He didn’t like that; he looked away, sniggering.
Folding his arms, he began pacing in front of the line of potential recruits as he spoke in a clear, authoritative voice. “All right, everyone, listen up. I’m Commander Jared Michaels. Beside me are Commander Will Norton,” – he gestured to the casually dressed Pagori who nodded, wearing a half-smile – “and Commander Lou Sherman.” The Keja also nodded.
Jared the Bigot continued, “As has already been explained to you, our Grand High Master wishes to replace his squad of ten that was recently annihilated. I will be commanding that squad.” He looked hard at me with those words. It turned out that he was just as appealing dressed as semi-naked. He was made even more alluring by that black, knee-length, Matrix-style leather jacket he was wearing. Why couldn’t he be ugly? Then maybe need wouldn’t be tugging at me. Now that his hair was dry, I could see that it was a lovely shade of chestnut. I’d love to yank every strand of it out.
“There have been four other try-outs before this one,” he told us, “and I now have three spaces left to fill. Hopefully three of you will meet the criteria for the squad.” He halted in front of me as his gaze flicked over each vampire in the line except for me. “You’ve all been selected for one reason or another. Maybe it’s your strength, maybe it’s your fighting skills, or maybe it’s your gift. But if you can’t control your bloodlust, all of that means nothing to me.”
He signalled to someone sat above the spectators’ box and then suddenly gas began pouring out of hoses that were protruding from the roof. No…not gas. Worse. Various scents of blood now circulated around us, shooting up my nostrils and making my head swirl. And now, even though I usually didn’t have an overpowering bloodlust, I was incredibly thirsty.
“In any kind of battle, blood will be spilled,” said Jared. “This is what it will feel like to be on a battlefield, varying blood scents will be swirling around you. It is important that you can still be focused, alert, and controlled, and that you can resist your bloodlust.”
I didn’t glance along the line of vampires, but I could feel the nervousness and anxiety among them ? feelings that amplified as Jared brought over a human. I didn’t even see where he came from. He had thin lines of blood slowly dripping down from a bite mark on his neck, heading toward his bare chest.
“You,” called Jared, signalling to one of the blokes in the line. He ushered him over and had him stand in front of the human. It was apparent that the Pagori was mesmerized by the sight, but he did nothing other than tremble a little. After about thirty seconds, Jared nodded at him to move away. The Pagori exhaled heavily as he went. Jared then selected another from the line, then another, and another.
I, unsurprisingly, was left till last.
By the time Jared called me forward to stand before the human, the blood was dripping down his legs. A year ago, I would have been as mesmerised as some of the others had been. I might even have stepped toward the human for a quick taste, just like two of the other vampires had. Needless to say they were now on their way home. But with Victor as your Sire, life was gory. You got used to it or you went insane.
Jared didn’t look pleased by my perfect composure ? I wasn’t trembling, or swallowing hard, or squeezing my eyes closed, or trying to hold my breath like some of the others had. A mischievous smirk surfaced on his face as he used his forefinger to collect a little blood from one of the ribbons trailing down the human. He tried teasing my nostrils; wafting his finger right under my nose. The teasing didn’t work, which clearly irritated him. He brought the finger toward my lips, hoping to tempt me to at least try to lick it off. But I didn’t. Even though my body was curious and thirsty, I gave no reaction to Jared’s teasing. Instead, I held his gorgeous hazel eyes with a defiant stare. At last he dropped his hand, sighing loudly.