Page 9 of Always Eros

“Nothing.” I shift in my chair, facing him again. “Just a strange feeling, but it’s gone.”

Yves nods, continuing to focus on my face. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.” I sniff the air, catching the faint scent of flowers. “You felt nothing?”

“No.”

“Bowie?” I ask. He’s still the most sensitive amongst us.

“Nothing but very loud music and jumbled voices.”

I nod, sipping my drink again. “I’m sure it was nothing.”

I stretch my neck, glancing around the club, waiting, hoping for someone to grab my attention. Thorn is right. I do need to have some fun, and it wouldn’t kill me to have it be the carnal variety, but I haven’t felt the urge in a while. My bloodlust has been more than satiated by cocktails and killing.

Do you need to talk?

Yves’s offer reaches me through the noisy club.

I shake my head, offering a slight smile. “I’m fine, but thank you.”

“I’m here if you need me.”

“I know.”

I stand, carrying my cocktail and moving through the throng of bodies. All around me are vampires feeding, fucking, dancing, and having fun. Thorn already has a pretty man pressed against a column as they writhe together on the dance floor. His desire and arousal wafts off of him in waves, reaching me easily.

I stumble for a moment, overtaken by the pheromones surrounding me, but still not aroused. Will I ever meet someone who ignites the fire inside me that once burned bright?

All the gods, I pray I do.

Chapter Two

JUSTICE

Pausing on a darkened street, I strain to see the paper I’ve clutched for the last two hours. It has to be around here somewhere, but this doesn’t seem right. There’s nothing on this street. No buildings. Just trees.

I sit on the curb, exhausted and scared. I need to find the safe house before anyone from the compound finds me. Not that they’re looking for me. I mean, probably not. Those were just threats. I hope so, anyway.

A car passing by slows in front of me, the passenger window rolling down. Maybe they know where the house is.

“You lost, pretty boy?” the man yells from the window.

I was already on my way to walk over, but something in his tone sets warning bells off in my head. “No. My friend is coming.”

“Way out here?” he asks, his eyes roaming over me like I’m prey.

I catch a glimpse of the driver, and he looks just as threatening as the passenger, both of them in white tanks that show off muscles and tattoos. They could easily overpower me and throw me in the car if they wanted to. We were always warned that people who get tattoos are communing with the demon world.

“You want to wait with us in the car?” he asks.

I might be sheltered, but I’m not an idiot. “No, thanks. I’m good.”

Unfortunately, that doesn’t work and he opens his car door, so I take off running, letting my instinct carry me. I dash into the trees along a gravel path but smack straight into something I can’t even see. As my butt hits the dirt, I pull my head back, staring into the darkness, but the sound of tires on gravel snaps me back into action, and I get on my feet, running into the night.

There’s no way they can follow me through the woods, so once I’m sure I’m not being followed on foot, I lean against a tree to catch my breath.

“Are you alright?”