Bloody Beginnings

  Chapter 1-1

  Persephone’s POV

  The night had fallen on Manchester, as darkness wrapped across its streets like an inky bnket, a light rain began to fall removing the pressure the balmy summer day prior had left in its wake. This far from the city centre the buildings began to shift into residential estates knitted together by secluded paths and alleyways, unreached by the numerous street lights, or the passing public. The settled silence in the area was quickly disturbed by my heavy footfall. Sprinting down the street it was all I could do to keep finger hair out of my face as I painted for breath. Turning onto a new residential street at the end I see my goal, the gates of Heston park, picking up my pace slightly to avoid being caught I practically dive across the street dodging a passing taxi and coming to stop just beyond the gates, my clunky boots digging into the gravel past as I tried to pant harder. I scanned the park for movement and looked beyond the gate to see if I had lost my pursuer, I felt her start stalking me just outside of the old general pub and nothing I did could shake her.

  Being out this te, even on a summer's day, carried risks for any human. Since the Reveal lifted the veil and exposed the existence of numerous supernatural creatures, certain activities and ventures suddenly became far more dangerous. The most noticeable was being caught alone at night. Of all the creatures that had been revealed, one of the most unsettling were the undead. Beings who had found a pce on earth beyond the mortal coil, and while some were seemingly harmless, most fueled their undeath by the theft of human life, the Vampire being the most prominent and deadly of them all.

  I’d locked eyes with the woman when I left the pub, and as our eyes met, one of us became prey. With no crowd to hide amongst, and with people being more wary of strangers on their doorstep since the Reveal, I had no choice but to make a beeline for the park, hoping to hide at the hall, where any vampire would need an invite to enter. I hoped it would work. As I made my way along the path to the hall I felt the heel of my boots scuffing the dirt path in my wake, I kept my eyes peeled, watching for any movement, for anyone who could be watching or ready to help.

  The world had mostly adjusted following the reveal, humanity rioted at first but settled once their governments had been given suitable motivation to step in, and after this life adjusted. At first capitalism swept in to help the new members of society fit in, suddenly super markets carried all manner of items for the supernatural, it became common pce to find aisles in supermarkets dedicated to them, grooming products for animals made rger for weres, materials and herbs, humans believed magical based on popur media for the witches, a selection of fine raw meats for the undead amongst other things. The item that caused the biggest stir when it hit the market was however blood. Bagged and bottled animal, and soon after human blood began to line fridge shelves. The company that had started this trend came out of London and within the year had products lining shelves across the UK. This however brought specution of how the product was obtained and the morality of selling human blood in a supermarket to be ingested.

  After the financial crash people began to look for anyone and everyone to bme and this spawned the first political extremists targeting supernatural groups for their own profit. As their rhetoric spread, so did ignorance and hatred borne of fear. Sadly politicians reacted in kind. While the West had begun as a retive bastian for the supernatural who wished to exist in the open, the tide quickly changed as new rules and ws followed years of constant debate.

  For once though, none of this concerned me. As I made my way to the end of the path, the dirt turning to stone as it stretched out before the rge hall, I hoped that the owners were as scared of sunset as most humans. Taking one st gnce around and seeing nothing obvious, I pulled my bck leather jacket tight around her body and made for the door. Hoping up the stairs I braced myself as my hunter made her presence known and in an instant she was on me. In a frantic struggle, we both fought for dominance, she had the clear advantage based on the strength of her grip and catching me from behind made my escape all but impossible. Soon I found myself pressed against the door, ginger hair cascading in front of my face and each of my limbs entrapped by the body pressed behind me. Everytike I fidgeted she pushed harder against me until I had no room left to move. I had been caught by the stalker, feeling her lean closer behind me, I almost flinched as her cool breath snaked along the skin of my neck, a voice broke the silence that left me bewitched, as it usually did whispering into my pointed ear.

  “Tut tut tut, I’ll admit you almost got away from me back near Holyrood, taking the back gardens to avoid me. Almost seems a waste though, no one would have seen you in there would they?” She whispered in a mocking tone. One that almost made me scoff.

  I held my retort and remembered my role in this, pushing back against her I let out a ragged scream. “HELP, PLEASE HELP.” The sound had barely left my mouth before I felt myself be spun around in her grasp, a pale hand covering my mouth as a smirk grew on hers. Still pinned to the hall I was forced to look up into her face. The vampire stood taller than me, having to look down to maintain eye contact, her long chocote brown hair joined with my own windswept locks creating a private shroud stealing us from view of the world. Her eyes shone with a familiar crimson light and ivory fangs caught a slight glean in the low light of the hall's exterior.

  She smiled down, mischief and malice present in one expression. “Now that wasn’t really necessary, we both know they’re already here, darling.”

  As she finished talking, the sound of two sets of footsteps became noticeable, one falling heavier than the other. Both of us turned to my right and saw one of the pair of men charging from the side of the building stake in hand and seemingly coming to my protection. His heavy jacket was very out of pce for the heat still present as the night began, thick combat boots, and a bck bandana wrapped around his lower face, completed his get up.

  A typical look for the reactionary “supernatural defence force”, a far right militia that had been founded in 2015 as a reaction to all supernaturals being encoded as a protected css in the UK. The group was founded to “protect” the human natives of Engnd, but mostly seemed to just harass the supernatural ones.

  Behind the man charging towards the pair, stood another member stuck around in simir garb, though his was slightly more ill fitting. He held a crossbow aimed at my hunter, and quickly loosened a bolt, narrowly missing the man still in his pursuit towards them . The bolt would have struck the vampire centre mass, had she not caught the quarrel snapping it in two. As the man with the steak began to lunge forward into her vampire's chest, she suddenly shifted, disappearing from his view and me in an instance. The man had little time to react as I got up from the wall, finally able to stop pretending to be the prey and reached out and caught his arm in a steel grip. His breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat as I spun him around his arm bending at an unnatural angle as I forced it against his back. The stake dropped from his hand as he was restrained and I made sure he could see the man who had formerly been holding the crossbow in a simir situation, being walked closer to him. Neither could escape their vampiric captors.

  As the brunette vampire came to a stop holding the rger of the two men a cruel smile sat on her face as she talked over the two thrashing men. “That was far easier than you had been making out, dear. I was expecting some challenge.”

  Before I could respond, the man I was holding continued to struggle in my grasp, even through the pain in his arm as I continued to bend it back further and further.

  “GET THE FUCK OFF ME YOU DEAD WHORES, I swear I-”

  The rough and loud voice was quickly cut off. I rolled my eyes, before snapping the arm I was holding, making it jolt from the socket as the man let loose a bloodcurdling scream.

  “Isa, you mind gettin this one to be nice?” I nodded my head towards the man screaming in my arms.

  Isabel just continued to smile. “Of course my love.” Her gaze moved down to the man struggling between sobs in the red haired woman's arms, once their gaze caught fear overtook his face as she began to speak. “ Stop moving, only speak when spoken to, understood?”

  The man in my arms suddenly went sck, the pain radiating through his shoulder forgotten, he quickly nodded, saying nothing further. The rger man in the brunette's hold began to breathe quicker and shallower breaths, fear seeping from his pores.

  “No , no , no. Please , I swear I didn’t wanna hurt no one, I just thought, I thought I could spend more time with my friends, yeah? Please I’ll stop, I’ll never do this again, I promise.”

  We both just maintained eye contact disregarding the man who continued to babble nonsense pleas of innocence.

  Shaking my head, I let go of the man in my grasp. “Sit on the stairs of the hall. Don’t move otherwise.”

  Under Isabel's compulsion the man obeyed my words like gospel and sat down as ordered, unaware of the arm flopping loose at his side.

  “Persephone, mind repaying the favour?” Isa stood, her grasp on the man having to tighten as he continued to struggle. “ I’d really rather let go of him soon, he's growing damp.”

  I turned with a ugh. “Yes, Isa humans tend to do that when you frighten them.”

  Isabel rolled her eyes now. “Well regardless, do you mind?”

  Without responding, I approached the man casually, in response he closed his eyes and kept them scrunched closed trying to avoid the inevitable, mumbling apologies as I grew closer. Reaching out I pinched one eye open and as eye contact was made he grew sck slowly, his other eye falling open.

  I began my command. “Sit on the step, don't fight, and keep quiet unless we ask you something. Move.”

  The man nodded, stepping from Isabel's grasp and going to sit next to his friend, both equally oblivious under the command of the two vampires, weapons forgotten in the mud.

  “I’ll go pull the car round, are you going to be bringing both of them?” Isabel stopped at the edge of the entryway, her heels resting gently on the gravel.

  “I don’t think so, only one scent was found on his remains and neither of these seem like a match, probably take one for questioning and drain the other, want me to save him for you, I’m feeling a mite peckish myself?”

  Isabel's face scrunched up at the question. “Not a chance, both of them smell vile. If you partake, wash your mouth out before you come near me, okay?” With that, Isabel began to take a few light steps onto the dirt path and I watched as shadows slivered along the floor in her wake and suddenly moved to consume her, disappearing from sight.

  I took one second longer watching the shadows move and fold around my love as she made a speedy exit from the park. Turning on my heel to the two would-be hunters sitting on the stairs I began her interrogation.

  “So boys, I have a few questions reted to your extracurricurs, you’re going to answer them, then if you’ve been good I’ll let you piss off, understood?”

  Both men just nodded numbly, the smaller of the two men, whose hair hung limp down his face, almost covering a faded scar on his cheek seemed to grow slightly lucid as Isabel's hold waned with distance, it would hold long enough until she returned though, I was sure.

  “So question one, nod your head if you have killed a vampire before.”

  In response both remained still.

  “Well that makes this easy, did you have anything to do with male vampire here six days ago?” I said, csping her hands together before her.

  Both men shook their heads, denying the question.

  “Okay, did you see a tall bck male vampire recently anywhere?”

  Both men denied the question again, only causing me to grow inpatient and slightly annoyed that neither were involved. “Okay are you operating with anyone and if so where.”

  “Hulme Hippodrome, we take all the supernaturals there. ” The smaller man's ft voice responded.

  The answer surprised me, the SDF had been operating underground for four years now throughout the UK, most sects seemed to be based out of the South and simply travelled north, but to have potential confirmation that they are setting up shop in the area was some cause for concern. I asked the next obvious question.

  “Is that an SDF headquarters for the area?”

  The man hesitated before responding. “For Lancashire and Manchester, but we pn to set up more. Protect the, protect the whole country.”

  The man seemed to be slipping from Isabel's grasp, not having evidence of his involvement in Rowan's death angered me slightly wanting to wrap up his case but we would need to know more about the SDFs activities and the headquarters they have settled in. I’d have to let the Justiciars men question him further. Turning to the heavy man who had so far sat silent, I asked a few quick rapid questions.

  “Have you killed any supernatural beings?”

  “No.”

  “Have you assaulted any supernatural beings?”

  “Yes.”

  “If I let you go will you try to attack any of us again?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, then I suppose it would be a piss poor decision to let you go.” Walking towards the man, I made sure to note the security cameras, still broken from the hunters' own work covering their attacks on vampires feeding in the area. Gripping the man under his rge heavy chin I held his jaw quickly spinning it snapping the man's neck in a quick harsh crunch. Letting his body release and flop onto the stairs I knelt in front of the long haired man, taking his gaze, as the haze from Isabel’s compulsion began to lift he soon fell into my own, remaining motionless. I fixed the man with a harsh gre.

  “Once my partner arrives, we’re going to go for a drive. You will say nothing, you will do nothing. Breath and that is all. We’re going to take you to court where you can tell us exactly what you and the rest of your little rats have been up too.”

  I felt my fangs having descended into my mouth and knew that my eyes flew with a simir crimson glow to Isabel’s own right now. Rising from the man, I quickly walked over to collect both weapons that still y in the mud, throwing them onto the rger man's body. Turning back to the park I kept a watch over the dark as I allowed my own control of the shadows to seep out. Dark tendrils of night began to snake along the ground around me, inky mist rising from them forming a dark barrier wrapping around the entrance of the hall. Within a few minutes the entire entrance was dark with night, anyone outside of the shadows would see nothing through the haze, even the beams from a torchlight would struggle to pierce the veil I had left behind. With shadows settled I walked back through the darkness to the steps and took a seat next to the dead hunter awaiting Isabel's return.

  Within about ten minutes I heard the car pull up the path towards the hall, headlights showing little through the shadows. I lifted the fog, shadows moving back into the night around them to fall naturally once more. Isabel stepped out of the car taking stock of the two men on the steps before smiling to me once more.

  “You didn’t feed from either of them. Don’t worry I’ll treat you to something sweeter when we’re done with court.” With a wink, she walked past me and head turned to follow her as she passed.

  “We could always just kill the other one, dump them and head out now? Ebbe would understand I’m sure.” Even as I joked I made my way to the rge dead man and hoisted him over my shoulders, the smell of sweat seeping through his coat.

  Isabel, holding the arm of the living hunter to guide him into the back seat of the bck Range Rover, looked over with a pyful smirk. “Yes, I’m sure she would be oh so pleased you let the hunter get away with a quick death, after all the trouble the st attack caused. He is the killer I assume?”

  As the man sat in the back seat Isabel closed the door and Persephone dropped the heavy body into the trunk pulling it closed.

  “‘No he’s not, but they have a HQ in the old hippodrome off Princess road.” This made Isabel pause looking at me with a concerned gnce.

  “A head quarters, for those incompetent SDF evolutionsbremse? What are they doing up here?

  I reached forward, taking one of Isabel's hands and intercing our fingers. “I didn’t ask much, we will have to get more out of him when we reach the court. We can work out when they’re gonna meet, then just burn it down, or attack them. It’ll be fine.”

  We both stood still, Isabel remained concerned. “Just be careful, they’re idiots and they’re not a brotherhood sect but they can get lucky in numbers. Even if they are just guessing at what works.”

  Before I could respond Isabel raised their hands ying a gentle kiss on the back of my hand.

  I just smiled. “I’ll be fine, I’m not going to pretend what's happened with Rowan hasn’t royally pissed me off, but I’m not an idiot I’m not about to run off without a pn. Anyway, when have I ever run into anything guns bzing, that's just not me.” My attempt to lighten the mood had some success judging by the small smile on Isabel's face.

  “Just be safe.” Isabel spoke imploringly as she let go of my hand.

  “Of course, meet me at the dread club in about four hours? We can go find something to eat when I’ve dropped this one off.”

  Isabel grew a sultry smile shaking off the previous tension as she began to back away from the car. “It's a date, and don’t you dare ruin your appetite at court. If you show up with rosy cheeks I’m going to punish you for ruining my evening, especially after making me grapple these arseholes.”

  I stepped forward ughing, opening the driver seat door as Isabel walked backwards towards the path.

  I smiled as I got in the car. “Somehow Isa, you always make disobeying you sound so tempting.”

  Isa shouted out one st response before disappearing into the shadows. “Don’t try me, cowgirl.”

  My ughter slipped easily as I fell into the seat of the car, shutting the door. I looked to the rear view mirror seeing the sck hunter, sitting awaiting his fate.

  A cruel look passed my face. “Well no more time to waste, we are going to have a very fun evening, you and me.”

  Starting the engine the car pulled away leaving the park beyond, silent in the wake of the events.

  —

  The country roads were practically endless, the route to Ebba’s Court always seemed to grow further and further from civilization, even if it was only twenty minutes outside of York. The car ride had been uneventful, what little traffic was done at night by humans was reserved mostly to motorways and A roads, leaving the backroads I frequented in my work dormant. The mortal withdrawal from the night had initially made feeding harder for vampires, but we had found new ways to sustain ourselves. Mostly through willing donors and thralls, but I did miss a good hunt. Thankfully the growing presence of inexperienced and mostly useless ‘hunters’ had filled the void suitably.

  The hunter in the back of the car had not moved an inch since sitting down, my compulsion holding strong over the mortal. I was grateful to see the Court appear on the horizon, and as we grew closer to the gate, I caught the mortal's gaze in the rear mirror and spoke.

  “Once I cut the engine, you will follow me and only speak when spoken to, understood?.”

  The mortal nodded once and continued staring bnkly ahead which satisfied me. Stopping at the gate I only had to wait a moment before a mechanical buzz sounded and both iron gates began to open, continuing on slowly I eventually stopped outside of the main doors to the building.

  Ebba’s court was built into the side of her own home and from the outside continued the structures georgian appearance, the only evidence of the building being used almost exclusively by vampires was the darkened windows, the gss only built into the structure for show with brick lining the inside of them letting no natural light into any part of the building. As I left the car the hunter followed me as I got the other body from the trunk and entered the building.

  Inside the building the walls differed from the external immensely, the private section of the property that was reserved for Ebba and her bloodline was apparently in keeping with the modern aesthetic, but the court had been completely modelled after a viking longhouse. The walls were lined with pine and accented with birch, the floor simple oak, forgoing the pounded earth that had been covered some time in the eighties. All the light inside was provided from sconces lining the odd stone pilrs and kept the corridor leading to the main hall of the court dim and pleasant to a vampire's heightened sight. Thankfully the mortal behind me didn’t seem to be having any issues following along.

  Not many people were moving about the halls tonight, especially at this time, monthly meetings for vampires in the area were held on the first of each month and being in the middle of the night, anyone who needed to report anything would have usually done so as dusk broke. One younger vampire passed Persephone giving an odd look to the mortal following her, the vampire didn’t react much but the fact he was still breathing gave away the fact he couldn’t be more than five years dead. He looked ready to ask a question but as eyes met my gre he stopped himself and scurried along on his path.

  Coming to a set of dark wooden doors, I rang the iron knocker on the door twice and waited to be allowed to enter, thankfully I didn’t have to wait long hearing a soft knock come from within the room signalling my permission to enter.

  Opening the doors I entered the rge hall, the bottom floor empty save for three vampires sat on the raised dias and one stood in front talking amongst themselves. The wooden benches that usually filled the lower level of the hall were pushed up against the walls leaving a rge open space with both fire pits in the centre unlit. Walking into the room, the conversation stopped as the vampires paused looking at me and my captive.

  “Persephone, we didn’t expect to see you again so soon. Who's the new friend?” Ebba called out.

  Ebba was a vampire who I knew had been intimidating even in life, the tall blonde woman had been a shield maiden in life, dying as part of the great heathen army. Her body was littered in tattoos and scars, markings I had regretfully lost upon my own rebirth.

  “Our new friend here has some interesting news, Justiciar. We found him with this one waiting to attack vampires in Manchester, but he wasn’t involved in Rond’s death. The interesting part is that they cim the SDF have a headquarters in Manchester out of the Hulme hippodrome” I said, dropping the rge body at the foot of the dais to emphasise My point.

  Jehan and Dina, Ebbas right and left hand respectively looked between the corpse and the hunter, Jehan gave a sneer but Dina remained as impassive as ever.

  Ebba turned to the final Vampire in the room, a smaller man dressed in a near pristine suit. “Take him to the cells and interrogate him, find out everyone who he’s working with, for and their goals.”

  The vampire nodded a little too eagerly, turning to the Hunter. “Follow me.” The male vampire made a beeline out of the room not noticing until he was off the Dias and halfway across the hall that the Hunter was not following him.

  “You can’t compel a human that’s already under another vampire's compulsion, or at least one stronger than you, Samual. Persephone please release him.” Ebba said in a measured tone.

  I snapped my fingers causing the Hunter to blink awareness flooding back to him before Samuel sped back over.

  “Follow me, please.”

  The Hunter did so this time as Samuel left the hall, but his head never stopped spinning, taking in as much of the hall as he could.

  As the door shut behind the pair Ebba let out a low sigh. “He won’t stop pushing for more responsibilities, he’s barely been reborn two years and can’t control his hunger but he expects to be running round pying diplomat.”

  Jehan returned to his seat on the Dias at Ebbas' side. “He’ll grow into the role, none of us would have been fit for politics when we had just arisen.”

  I snorted. “Speak for yourself. Lying, stealing and killing were all I cared about before being turned, when I was reborn I was ready to be the next vampiric George Washington.”

  Dinah spoke as she continued to inspect the dead Hunter, the roll of her eyes hidden behind a curtain of dark hair. “And how lucky we are to have you with us now.”

  The comment caused a sly smirk to appear on Ebbas face breaking her consternation. “Yes, sadly for poor Samuel, a diplomatic role has appeared but he’s not ready.”

  “Which is?” I asked, concerned about the answer.

  Dinah responded from behind her, leaving the corpse to make it to her own seat.

  “The humans are opening a new SAD office in Leeds to cover the North East. Being entirely within our purview they have requested a member of the supernatural community aid their detectives and help show them the ropes of our community.”

  “So why are we discussing this? Who’s looking for a supernatural tour guide that only goes out at night?” I asked, crossing my arms.

  “Some political genius, they want a vampire as they believe we are the most likely to interfere, we want this role because it’ll be easier for us to interfere. Any questions?” Ebba asked as the three ancient vampires stared me down.

  “Is the assumption that I will be filling this role?”

  “It’s not an assumption, this position gives us control over narratives, we can filter what information they get and warn those deserving of it.” Ebba responded confidently.

  “And they will know that we are doing exactly that, they won’t just take our word for everything or they’d be piss poor detectives.” I countered.

  “Do you think you can’t outsmart a couple of humans? Here I thought better of our vampiric George Washington.” Jehan responded with a huff.

  “I don’t exactly have the best retionship with the police either.”

  “Then don’t tell them to Google 'America's greatest cop killers and bank robbers Circa 1870’ and I’m sure you’ll be fine. This isn’t optional Persephone, your first meeting is tomorrow at 11, offer your assistance, show them what they need to know, and let me know what we need to know. Understood?” Ebba commanded.

  I gave a stiff bow while biting my tongue. “How often will I be expected to meet them?”

  “Be flexible. This will count for your family’s court contributions, Persephone. We’re not unreasonable.”

  I nodded. “If that’s all?”

  Ebba waved her off and the three vampires sat in silence as they watched me leave, only restarting their own conversation after the thick wooden doors were firmly shut.

  ——-

  “It’s a joke, is what it is. You turn some bloody PPE student for this sort of thing, then over indulge him and turn around confused when two years ter he can’t control his blood lust.” I compined leaning back into my chair, the club's music and lowlights engulfing me.

  “You were hardly running around with perfect control two years in yourself, dear.” Isa responded, taking a small sip of the lukewarm blood in front of her.

  “Two years in, me and Alexander were in New York and I was helping him manage our investments there.”

  Isabel openly ughed, causing a few of the other patrons to turn to the pair before quickly looking away at my gre.

  “Persephone, darling, you killed a family of seven your first day in New York.”

  “Six and an elf, actually, and Alexander took half of them, that was business though.” I responded as I turned to watch the dance floor. It was mostly humans dancing amongst themselves with the odd vampire amongst them, most supernaturals like myself and Isabel where perched at tables around the edge of the dance floor, watching.

  “Regardless, I don’t think this is the end of the world. Ebba wants someone to be her eyes and ears when it comes to investigations in the Supe community, there's nothing saying you can’t do the same for us. We never have to worry if she's withholding information from us if you’re the one collecting it right?”

  I shrugged far from happy with the arrangement but rising from her table regardless. “Suppose not, you want to dance?” I asked, my eyes never leaving the pair of lithe dancers towards the middle of the floor.

  “I would rather feed, but whatever pretence you want to put on.” Isa said as she rose, taking my offered hand.

  “Shut up. You love dancing with me.” I said offhandedly as I led us towards the centre of the dance floor.

  “Yes, dancing, like in a ballroom, something choreographed. Not whatever this is meant to be.” Isabel gestured to a pair of humans grinding against each other to emphasise her point.

  I turned, stopping them feet from the pair of humans I had spotted before. “Aww, is someone growing out of touch?”

  Isabel just rolled her eyes, beginning to sway with me, she soon caught sight of the pair I had pced us next to. One was just shorter than myself, with long straight blonde hair and a trim figure. The guy she was dancing with was taller and thin, the crop of shaggy brown hair on his head hiding part of his youthful face from them.

  “I’m having the girl.” Isabel whispered into my ear, leaning forward.

  “Not a chance, either take him or find your own.”

  Isabel pulled back so her mock pout was on full dispy. “Shouldn’t you respect your elders?”

  I ughed as she pulled away. “That would be first.” As I turned I saw their pair both looking towards me and as I offered my hand to the blonde human I saw the split second of hesitation, of doubt cross her mind before she turned to her partner who seemed to nod in confirmation. Turning back to me with an enthusiastic smile she took my hand.

  As I guided us away from our taller partners, I watched my new nervous partner begin to dance.

  “My name's Georgia, you?” The blonde asked, an easy smile on her face.

  “Persephone. ”

  “Do you come here often?” Georgia asked, pushing closer to the vampire.

  “When I’m hungry, you?” I turned as I awaited her response watching Isabel guide the man from the dance floor as she spoke. I barely managed to catch the slight blush growing on my human partner's cheeks.

  “It’s my first time, I’ve never done this before. Rory, comes here but I’ve never...” Georgia's voice trailed off as I turned back to her, a slight crimson hue bleeding over the greens of my eyes.

  “Understood, well nothing happens that you don’t want to happen, Georgia.” I said, giving Georgia my full attention. Focusing on the woman as we continued to dance I could sense her heart rate spiking, beating faster as the blood rushed through her veins. She truly was nervous. I leaned forward whispering into the woman’s ear. “What do you want, Georgia?”

  The blond's breath hitched as I grew closer to her. “I’m just here celebrating, I got a promotion recently so my friend brought me, it’s more his scene I suppose.”

  I smirked knowing my fangs would be pushing against her lower lip. “And to celebrate you followed him into a vampire bar, and not a mainstream one either. Well I don’t have any champagne flutes but I may have the next best thing.”

  “Will it, does it hurt?” Georgia asked as her head darted to the side looking for reassurance from her friend. Instead she saw Rory’s head tipped back in apparent bliss as Isabel tched onto his neck.

  “Only if you want it to.” I whispered into Georgia's ear, my cool breath teasing her neck and causing the hairs to stand on end. “We have a venom that we can use that makes the-“ I pause, taking an unneeded breath. “Recipient feel euphoric, like your friend over there.”

  Georgia turned back to me and I tried to ignore the way her heart jumped at our closeness once again. “It doesn't, like turn me into a vampire right?”

  I ughed unexpectedly, taking Georgia's hand, my cool grip sending a chill up Georgia's body as I dragged her to a red booth at the side. “There's a few extra steps involved when being made, rest assured you’ll feel good for maybe ten minutes after and then it’ll fade until you’re back to normal, no extra strings or fangs attached.” As I gestured for Georgia to enter the booth first she did easily, sliding into the booth and subsequently being trapped between the wall and the myself. “Or you can go without, and just feel my fangs-“ I reached out letting my fingers trace along the vein in Georgia's neck. “In your soft neck. Some prefer a more personal experience.”

  Georgia's voice caught in her throat as my cold hand continued to dance along her colrbone. “Without. I, I don’t want to be impaired for work tomorrow, it’s important.”

  My grin grew revealing clearly the two elongated canines as I leaned closer to Georgia. My other hand rose to cup Georgia's cheek tilting her head slightly as the other rose from Georgia's colrbone, pushing her hair back over her shoulder. My eyes bored into Georgias as I whispered a command, “rex for me.”

  I saw Georgia rex the tension and nerves uncoiling from her shoulders leaving only anticipation as I closed in on her neck.

  I managed to y a single closed mouth kiss in Georgia's neck feeling the vein under her skin jump as blood rushed through it. Before I could bite though a muffled vibration sounded from the table shaking Georgia from her spell.

  “I’m sorry I need to check that.”

  I felt Georgia's warm hand pushing against my chest and sitting back up I allowed us to be parted, watching as Georgia fumbled through the bag withdrawing the offending phone. I watched Georgia's eyes dart back and forth across the screen, her expression widening with excitement.

  “I’m sorry I need to go, work called. I’ve got my first investigation.” Georgia said with a smile looking expectantly at me as she waited to exit the booth.

  I didn’t allow anything but a small smile to slip onto my face as my eyes faded from red to green, my fangs receding as I realised I had missed my opportunity. Sliding for the booth I watched as Georgia pulled herself out, quickly pulling her loose hair into a low ponytail, the human turned to mea with a smile.

  “I’m sorry, this is really important so I can’t really wait. Can I get your number though, maybe we could-“

  I held up her hand stopping Georgia. “If we meet again, we shall see.”

  Georgia just nodded before looking back to where Rory had been and finding him sitting leaning against the table, his head in his hands as Isabel remained next to him tapping away on her phone.

  “I, this is probably really dumb, but could you make sure my friend gets home safe please? He's over there with your…” Georgia's word died off unsure what term would be appropriate.

  “Isabel, what’s his address? I'll put him in a taxi as soon as his head is cleared.” I responded leaning against the table. Georgia read me the address and I dutifully confirmed it back to her, I didn’t allow any of the disappointment or hunger to bleed through.

  With a nod Georgia took one st look at Rory before shrugging her shoulders clearly deciding to trust me. Spinning on her feet Georgia turned back to me and surprised me as she leaned forward giving me a quick peck on my cheek. “Sorry again, hopefully we meet again and I can make it up to you.”

  I stood surprised for a second before huffing a ugh. “Maybe, but you should leave before I change my mind on letting you go.”

  Georgia didn’t respond, just smiling and heading straight for the cloakroom.

  I made my way back to Isabel who lowered her phone letting me see the smirk on her face.

  “You're looking paler than usual dear, no luck with your human?”

  I rolled my eyes at her smug grin and took a seat across from Isa looking at the human whose head rested on the table.

  “I let her go actually, some work commitment. She seemed so excited I hardly wanted to make her te.”

  Isabel nodded along her smirk, never leaving her face. “ Well I had a lovely time with our Robbie here, can talk for Engnd this one, isn’t that right.” Isabel nudged the human at her side who just responded with a whimper.

  “I have his address. Can you book him a taxi while I go find someone else to feed from?” I asked, hoping Isabel would just agree.

  “Can he not be trusted to do that on his own? Seems rather irresponsible for his friend to leave him here in this den of monsters if he’s so in need of help.” Isabel responded, maintaining her smile at the situation.

  “Please?”

  Isabel rolled her eyes. “Fine hand over the address.” As I did Isabel pulled out her phone booking a taxi for the almost unconscious human at her side. “Right done, go find some other small girl to snack on so we can go home. I need to speak to Alexander before sunrise.”

  I nodded and as I rose leaned over the table stealing a kiss from Isabel which soon turned more passionate as I tasted the sweet copper blood in her mouth. I savoured the moment before Isabel parted us, her smirk having fallen into a kind smile.

  “Go feed. You don’t know if you’ll get the chance tomorrow.” Isabel said as I straightened myself out.

  Nodding I turned back to the club, quickly catching the eye of a slightly taller man who was dancing alone. Making my way over, I made sure not to waste as much time on pleasantries.