Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

FLYNN

I might have had to get myself off a few times before I went to bed last night after spending all that quality time around Talulla. Do I have a death wish? Because every time I think about the sight of her doing her thing, I can't help but want her to touch me like that. I'd take anything she gives me.

The rental I'm staying at is right in front of the university campus. In the beginning, I thought it would be a good idea to keep my facade in place for a couple of days, but now? Now I know that I have a certain vampire hunter very close to me, and there's no way I'm changing anything about it. I'm staying right here. The reality is that I really should not want to do what I want to do to her. I never felt this predator need to learn about my prey. Yet here I am, making sure I can spend time with her to do just that. Maybe she'll stake me for real if I ask her nicely. She has no idea how old and strong I am, but I know that I would do just about anything to feel her skin against mine once more. No matter in what way. So I come up with an excuse to get close to Talulla and find the detective witch with the hope of seeing my new world with her.

Cassandra is sitting on a bench. As the fall breeze starts to arrive, she seems to be the only person wanting to study outside and not at the library. I sit beside her, not saying a word and waiting to see how long it takes for her to notice.

"Are you going to stay there and say nothing for long, or do you actually want something?"

"You don't like me much, do you?"

"I don't know you, it's different." Her eyebrow rises, and then a slight smirk appears on her face.

"I just wanted to thank you for the information you provided. Evanora was very helpful."

The witch crosses her arms over her chest. "Are you going to tell me why you needed her?"

"It's… private." I click my tongue in the hope she'll drop the interrogation.

She narrows her eyes on me. "Sure, it is."

"Did you kill anyone else after I left last night?"

"No. You two made such a mess we ended up having to use like five potions to clean all that bloo—" Cassandra stops talking, and I turn, noticing her eyes widening.

"You okay there?"

She looks up at me with the same wide eyes. "Listen, I know this sounds weird, but I gotta go. Can you do me a favor?"

I raise an eyebrow at her, curious. "Depends."

"I don't know how long I'll be, and Talulla has a fight later tonight. I don't like her being alone."

"And you trust me, a vampire, with her?"

"I don't know if I can trust you yet, but I trust my brother's judgment."

"Set is a good man. Same place as last time?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me what's up?"

"I just—I need to check something. I think we missed something about those bodies, and I need to be sure."

"Way to be cryptic."

"Just make sure Talulla isn't alone in there. I know she can handle herself and literally told me she doesn't need us there, but I have a weird feeling about all of this, and—"

"She won't be alone."

"I know it sounds overprotective and all that, especially when you saw exactly what she's capable of doing, but I really—"

"I'll be there," I cut her off before she begins to hyperventilate.

She exhales. "Thank you. I'll see you around."

Well, I did want an excuse to see Talulla, and Cassandra just gave me a very good one.

After the detective witch leaves, I sit on the nearest bench and contemplate what I could do before the event of tonight.

Stalking Talulla could be an option, but I should probably get a refill of blood for my fridge before I do something like that.

I can literally smell her essence everywhere on campus. I could find her in a matter of minutes and then go on with my day. And then what? Do I just watch her as she goes about her day? Keeping my distance is getting hard very quickly, and I don't like what I could become if she wasn't already a constant presence in my new existence.

"Mr. Lancaster," a familiar voice says from behind me. I don't even have to turn or do anything to confirm my suspicions. I would recognize his repugnant smell anywhere I go.

"Professor Wagner," I say, slightly turning my head since Eric finds it acceptable to sit right beside me. If he only knew he was sitting beside the most dangerous predator in existence, he might be more eager to keep some fucking distance.

"Did we have an appointment?"

"No, we did not." My tone is cold and detached. Maybe he'll get a hint if I show him a nice, full smile. Fangs and all.

"Then, may I ask what you're doing here?"

No, you can't, but now I have to reply to you mostly because, for some reason, Talulla seems to be okay spending time around you, and I can't commit murder in public. I mean, I could, but the cleanup and the compulsion wouldn't be worth it. But if I lure him to that opening right there, into that dark alley between the main building and the library, maybe, just maybe, I'd have fewer people to worry about. My throat starts itching the more I think about how I could easily suck him dry and still be able to get my five minutes of stalking in before I go to the blood bank and buy some groceries. "I like admiring the architecture around here. It reminds me of London."

"Minus the gloomy weather and constant cold."

I snort. "Yes, minus those things." I turn to look at him and realize he's looking straight ahead, at nothing, really. "It's nice to get the change of scenery when everything looks the same in this country."

"Americans do tend to make a lot of the same things," he agrees, and then he turns his neck toward me, the action making his jugular vein even more visible. The dark blue line almost pulsing as I continue to stare at it. I need to go before I rip his head off his neck.

"Well, it was a pleasure seeing you, Mr. Wagner, but I do have somewhere to be."

He checks his watch before replying, "And I have a meeting with my assistant that I'm already late for. Goodbye, Mr. Lancaster."

I growl as he starts pacing toward his department building. Tardiness is something I really do not like, especially when the one waiting is her.

I wait until he walks inside before following his scent, my tongue pushing on my fangs and making me bleed. I haven't fed from a human neck in a very long time, and yet, here I am, ready to drain him right in front of a vampire hunter just because he was late to their appointment.

Well, I could lie to myself and say that's the only reason, but it isn't. It certainly isn't as I stare at Talulla waiting, arms crossed over her chest and leaning against the office door. She's wearing a tight band T-shirt, and I almost run to her as I realize she's wearing a lacy bra with no padding underneath. Yes, because I can clearly imagine her nipples as they slightly peak through the fabric. Goddammit, Talulla, why do you have to wear something like that when you look like a fucking goddess? Who am I? Where did the composed control freak go? Gone. So very gone because Eric just showed up, and his eyes go right where they don't belong.

I need to feed.

Badly.

I quickly stalk out of the building and make my way to my car. The blood bank I've been using is about half an hour away from Bear Creek, so I need to find a way to calm down before I go back in there and rip a man to shreds.

After putting on some music, I start the drive. My hands clench so hard I can feel the steering wheel bending as I leave the parking lot. As I get farther from the bane of my existence, I finally relax, feeling the knot in my throat softening. What an ironic turn of events.

After parking my car, I make my way to the blood bank's entrance, sensing something behind me. I inhale and realize a werewolf is close by. I turn and see a guy who resembles Kaden, the alpha from last night.

I should probably pretend I haven't seen him, but after the little massacre game I had to play last night, I want to make sure the dumbass doesn't get himself killed. The Drususes could easily track me here, and it would be harder to explain if I was seen in the vicinity of another dead werewolf.

After seeing him walk into an alleyway, I mince toward the closest building and wait to see his next move. He knocks on the back door of a bar, and a woman comes out right after. I make a mental note of the name of the bar, Boozy Business. Ah, clever.

"You have the cash?" the woman asks. As I look at her, I realize she's a witch. The crystals around her neck give it away.

The werewolf hands her an envelope. "Here," he says, scratching the back of his head. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"It has never failed before," she simply replies, handing him a paper bag. "Have them drink it as soon as you can. You don't want it to go bad."

"Will do. Thank you." The werewolf nods and starts walking my way.

I quickly jog back and finally enter the blood bank, knowing I'll have to share this little detail with the detective witch later. It might be something important to the case. He might be the person behind it all.

"Welcome back, Mr. Lancaster," a joyful voice greets me at the counter.

"Good afternoon, Laura. I hope your day is going well," I reply, trying to keep my polite face on. The middle-aged lady continues to beam at me.

"It is now that you're here, Mr. Lancaster. You bring the sunshine inside."

"Can't say I've heard that one before." I chuckle at the irony of her words, tapping my fingers on the countertop.

"The usual?"

"Yes, please," I say, handing her a freezer bag.

"I'll be right back." She walks to the back and takes her time to fill it up. It takes her about five minutes to return with my bag nice and full.

I get my refills of O positive, and Laura gets her envelope of cash. Simple as that. Would I thrive to get something rarer? Yes, but it's harder to hide when one is so much more common than the other.

We have a pretty good deal. She can't afford to send her daughter to university, so I basically pay for her tuition with the cash I bring her, and well, probably much more than that. It's a quick ten-minute business exchange, and then I'm out of here, and she goes back to her job. No questions asked. And I like it that way.

On my drive back to my apartment, I make a quick phone call to the local museum where I decided to donate some artwork. They told me I could visit any time I wanted, and I have a pretty good idea of who I want to bring with me when I do that.

It's the perfect excuse to spend some time with my little hunter outside her everyday life.

I go back to my place to change, and then, when it's time, I drive to the warehouse and enjoy the show. I stay in the back, not giving too much attention to the people around me. The only thing I'm looking at is my beautiful Talulla. As she steps into the ring, she turns, and for a moment, our eyes lock and I forget everything else. In a room full of men, in pure chaos, she was still able to find me. Her stare keeps me locked in place, yet I am ready to jump into that ring and claim her mouth. An invisible thread pulls at my heart directly toward her. I'm her new lifeline. And she is my North Star.