Once Bitten

I passed the first couple of people and was consumed in the throng. With people pressed all around me, I felt heartbeats against my skin. Scents so close and strong overpowered me. More than sweat and beer, it was like I could smell them dying little by little around me. A smell like decaying garbage reached my nose. I recognized it as disease, but with so many people so close together, there was no telling to whom it belonged. My head spun with the sensory overload. I shouldered my way back out of the crowd and leaned against the wall Nathanial had originally chosen for our little talk. Maybe he'd had a reason he wanted me to wait.

He emerged a moment later, precariously balancing six tumblers. “Here, take these,” he said, and I grabbed two of the glasses “Remember, only pretend to drink."

"Don't you think they'll notice?"

He smiled. “You would be surprised."

When we reached the table, he set a bright blue, fruity smelling drink in front of Candice. “Miss me?"

She gushed and thanked him, flirting with her eyes all the while.

I smiled through gritted teeth and put down the drinks I was carrying before I decided to dump them on him. I was pretty sure I'd never seen Firth's clan leaders flirt their way through politics. I plopped into my chair and focused on making noncommittal noises at the right moments and holding my smile. Conversation flowed around me until Candice pushed back her chair and announced she needed to go to the ladies’ room.

"Walk with me?” she asked, looking at me.

I was inclined to say “No,” but the look on Nathanial's face urged me to go.

As soon as the bathroom door closed behind us, Candice rounded on me. “Listen, are you dating Nathanial? I don't want to flirt with your man if you are, even if he's flirting back"

I gaped at her. “No. Nothing like that."

"Are you sure? You're acting really offish. I don't want to trod, you know.” She turned to the mirror and ran a hand through her blond curls. When I didn't answer she flicked her eyes over to me through the mirror. “What's your relationship with him?"

Well you see, he rescued me, turned me into a blood-sucking monster, and then kidnapped me. Now I'm living with him while I try to track an insane killer so I don't get eaten by demons. Truth, but nothing she would believe. “We're just friends."

"Is he seeing anyone?"

I blinked at her. I honestly didn't know. “Not that I know of."

"How'd you meet?"

"Uh...” I searched my mind for something more plausible than the truth. I didn't have a lot to work with. What had he said last night? “He teaches this class at the university..."

"Yeah, he mentioned something about that. Some kind of paranormal research involving old myths and stuff.” She squished her face in thought. I was happy to see it wasn't a cute look. “He doesn't actually believe in that stuff, does he? I mean, it's just a job, right?"

I shrugged.

She pulled out a tube of gloss, and there was a blessed moment of peace while she swiped the goopy wand over her lips. Then her eyes darted to me through the mirror again.

"I'm glad you lost the hat. I really was serious the other night about liking your hair. I want to get streaks done, but I'm scared I'll mess it up. I have this.” She pulled what looked like a giant tube of mascara from her purse. Grabbing a paper towel, she slid the paper under her bangs and then swiped the bristled wand over her hair. It left streaks of red in its wake. “It washes out, but cool, huh? I want to do something permanent. Could you give me pointers on how to do your streaks?"

No, was at the tip of my tongue, but I bit it back. “Maybe a little later, our drinks are probably getting warm."

She nodded, like that was a reasonable excuse. With a hand hovering over the door handle, she paused. “So we're cool right? No hard feelings if I go after Nathanial?"

"Are you asking my permission?"

"No, but if we started something, I'd want to be able to get along with his friends."

I gave her a forced smile and she let out a sigh as if I'd blessed her and the children such a relationship would produce. Could a vampire have children? I added that to my list of questions to ask if I lived past tomorrow night.

* * * *

I drew swirls in the condensation on my drink glass, feeling every minute tick by. My glass appeared to have only a sip or two left, despite the fact I hadn't lifted it once. Nathanial's drink was similarly disappearing. I could only guess it was another illusion; something similar to how he'd changed our appearances. Judging by the rate the liquid had been vanishing, the glasses would be empty in another three minutes. I was counting on leaving once that happened. If Nathanial insisted on a second drink, politics and I were going to have a rather rude falling out.

Candice was laying the flirting on thick, and I found my teeth gritting as Nathanial encouraged it. My reaction pissed me off. I didn't care, really I didn't. I wiped away a sharp-edged condensation drawing.

I kept trying to fade into the background, but, unfortunately, Candice was determined to pull me into conversation, mostly with questions I couldn't answer.

What did I do for a living? Well I used to pimp myself out as a house pet, but I was recently demoted to sucking the blood of the living. Nope, couldn't tell her that.

Candice swirled her drink. “So where did you go to school, Kita?"

"Uh, I was home schooled.” Which was almost the truth. “No university."

She frowned. “Didn't you meet Nathanial in his class?"

Crap, I'd forgotten I told her that.

Nathanial lifted an eyebrow but came to my rescue. “She dropped out mid-semester,” he said, then whispered loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, “It is a touchy subject. She does not like talking about it."

"Oh. Sorry.” Candice gave me a meek smile. For the first time, silence at the table went unfilled, and of course, it was too good to last. She looked between Nathanial and me and said, “You guys need a new drink. Want me to run over to the bar and order for you?"

"Actually we will need to leave soon,” Nathanial said, and Candice looked miffed.

"Yeah,” Jace said, pushing back his chair. “It's been real, but I've gotta fly."

"Before you go, would you tell us about local raves coming up soon?” Nathanial asked smoothly, before I had the chance to blunder the same question.

Jace smoothed his goatee into a point. “Right, right, I forgot. I'll be spinning again two months from now. Date and location not set yet, but just check back with Candi. She'll let you know.” He turned to leave.

I was on my feet in a heartbeat. “How about any parties with other DJs? Sooner, preferably?"

"Now why would you want to hear anyone but me? I'm hurt.” He pressed his hand over his heart, but smiled. “All right, let's see ... local, you're looking at the middle of next month. Surrounding area, next week, a field party in a little town about two hours south of here. No big names spinning there. Well, I'm out.” He turned and disappeared around the wall.

Any pretense of a smile I'd managed thus far sputtered and died. Our lead was officially at a standstill. I blinked, the room suddenly appearing darker, the smoky air heavy. I sank into my chair. Now what?

"Hey, you okay?” Candice reached across the table to touch my hand.

The muscles in my arm tightened, but I didn't jerk away. Flashing teeth was the best I could do as I said, “Yeah, I'm just ... tired."

Nathanial nodded. “We do need to head out. Early day tomorrow."

"Awww, are you sure you can't stay for one more drink?” Candice made a hideously adorable pouting face, but she stood, grabbing her purse. She pulled out her lip liner and wrote something on a cocktail napkin. “My cell. Give me a call sometime.” She held it out to Nathanial, but nodded to the rest of us. “Share it."

Nathanial took the napkin and folded it into equal quarters before tucking it into his shirt pocket.

When he looked back at her, Candice blushed but asked, “So can I get your number?"

He took her hand and brushed a quick kiss over her knuckles. “Next time,” he said, and then turned and strolled away.

Her eyes were bright, her smile nearly breaking her face as she watched him go. I waved, but I doubted she noticed any of the rest of us leave.

I stared a hole into the back of Nathanial's head as I followed him out. I seriously didn't want him to follow through on his ‘next time’ promise, and the sinking feeling when I thought about that possibility irritated the hell out of me.

* * * *

I stared at the sky, searching for stars as my thoughts settled.

What now?

The night was cloudy and reflected the city lights in a sickly orange glow. That didn't help my mood.

"Should we go to the next crime scene?” Gil asked as she stepped out of the club.

I sighed. Was this how I was going to spend my last nights of life? Breaking into cleaned crime scenes and chasing my own damn tail?

"Why bother?” It was pointless. It had been from the beginning.

Nathanial wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “We will find him,” he whispered, low enough that the words were only for me.

The weight of Nathanial's arm was real, tangible, and so unlike the weight of the sky pressing down on me or time beating against me. Who was I kidding, thinking I could track down a rogue? Two days ago I would have walked past a tagged city-shifter on the street and never thought anything other than he was a strange-smelling human. What else didn't I know? Who else was I endangering?

I shrugged out from under Nathanial's arm and turned to Bobby. “How much authority will a dead Dyre wield?"

Tight lines etched themselves across his face, but he didn't answer. A bitter laugh lifted in my chest, but it caught in my throat like a sob, burning me. I swallowed it back down.

"Take me to the hunters."