Sunset to Sunrise (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7.5)(8)

Either way, one of us might end up dead.

Chapter Three

Killing the man out for a run in my neighborhood hadn’t been a conscious decision. It just kind of happened, as it occasionally did. I could smell him a block away when I left the house for the evening. Slipping down the back alley behind the house, I stepped out between two houses and jerked him off his feet.

I dragged him into the shadows, muffling his startled cry with a hand. He struggled, which only heightened my enjoyment. My bite was swift and deep, meant to kill. It all happened very fast.

Who needed rest? I’d happily binge my way through each night. I left him there in the brush between two houses, his throat a mess that would never be identified as vampire by anyone other than possibly the FPA. Fuck ’em.

When I reached The Wicked Kiss, I had to do a double take. The line to get in spilled out of the lobby into the parking lot. The club was always busy, but it was rarely overflowing. Apparently word had spread that the king and queen were out of town. Everyone wanted to come out and play while the power players were away.

I shoved my way inside, ignoring protests and rude remarks from those thinking I was jumping the line. If they didn’t know who I was, then they must be newbies. I paused in the entry to gape at the jam-packed club.

“Don’t go over capacity,” I instructed Justin, one of the few vampires Alexa and I both trusted to man the door. “Double check IDs. I don’t want any minors sneaking in.”

“You got it,” the big man replied, suddenly swarmed by a group of drunken, giggling women.

I left him to fend them off as they caressed his muscular arms and cooed words of wasted endearment. Poor bastard.

I didn’t generally enjoy it this busy. However, I wasn’t about to complain about the improvement in selection. Tonight would be a donor night. No kill. One was enough. I ignored the contemptuous laughter that echoed in my conscience. It had ceased shaming me long ago. Now it merely mocked.

The scent of human blood was thick. As more of them piled through the front door, I found myself itching to sample them all. There was no aroma like that of blood still within the vein, pumping through the heart, ready to be spilled at just the right moment.

I almost forgot to look for Scar and his buddy amidst the crowd. In a sea of potential victims, I was like a starving man at an all you can eat buffet. Except for the starving part. No matter. I was always hungry for a little nip.

“Your eyes are absolutely stunning.” A petite blonde gazed up at me in wonder. Clutched in her hand was a glass of whiskey. “I bet you hear that a lot.”

“Thank you.” The reasons why I didn’t want her were many. Being blonde was enough to squash any interest I might have had in her. I just couldn’t do it. I tried for a smile and a polite nod before moving on.

The little minx intercepted me, placing herself firmly in my path. “I know who you are, the things they say about you. I’ve got to say, it’s intriguing.”

This was amusing. “And just what is it that they are saying?”

“It’s just…” She sipped her drink and gave a nervous laugh. The smell of whiskey turned my stomach. Good Lord why did she have to be drinking Alexa’s drink? “My friend Lauren said that nobody has been able to make her feel the way you did. I thought that maybe if you didn’t already have someone for tonight…I mean, I’m available.” An embarrassed blush reddened her cheeks. Her courage was both admirable and stupid. She had no idea what she was asking for.

“Well, tell Lauren that I appreciate her positive review. I’m afraid tonight isn’t good for me, but I guarantee you there is somebody here who would happily take you to their room. Have a nice night.”

I moved to go around her and again she tried to block me. My patience was wearing thin. If she was so insistent on tempting death in my bed, she might get more than she was looking for.

“Please, Kale,” she said, going so far as to lay a hand on my leather clad arm. “It’s my first time here. I’d love for it to be you.”

With more force than intended, I gave her a shove out of my personal space. Her desperation stank, and I had no hunger for what she was offering. Not in the way she hoped I would.

“Listen, sweetheart,” I snarled. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. The women that come to my bed don’t always leave alive. Now find somebody else. Tell Lauren she’s lucky to be alive. I don’t make such a good playmate these days.”

I didn’t look back, not even when she called me a f*cking *. Needing an escape from the growing crowd, I found a place in the shadows near the back hall entry where I could survey the room.

For a brief moment, I regretted killing the brunette from the previous night. She was shy, until she wasn’t. Then she was a willing slave, all too happy to get on her knees for me. Ah well. Too late now.

At first glance, The Wicked Kiss made it seem like every vampire in town was present. Far from it. In a city and surrounding area of about a million people, a few hundred vampires blended in easily. It was not at all common for them to congregate in the same place. It was a surprisingly rare few that made a habit of killing nightly, even fewer that threatened exposure. Less than half of the city’s vampire population frequented the nightclub, though from the looks of it, more of them would if Alexa wasn’t always lurking about.