drinks while Jo stood, captivated by all the people. There was so much blood. He looked around, trying to choose. His throat was so dry, every particle of his body longed to grab the nearest blood source, rip its neck aside and glug that warm sweet liquid. He struggled not to let his teeth extend, feeling Sebastian’s eyes on him. Then he was back, passing Jo a tumbler filled with liquor. ‘It will help keep you under control, until you find what you want.’
Jo necked it. Feeling the alcohol seep into his veins. It didn’t stop his hunger, but it allowed his mind to see through it.
‘Now watch me. When I take someone outside, follow, but keep to the shadows.’ Sebastian said.
Jo pushed through the crowd, fighting temptation. He leant against a doorframe to steady himself, his veins were aching for blood. He watched Sebastian, dark and tall, moving through the crowd, into the dancing throng.
Sebastian moved to the music, dark trances. If it hadn’t been so dim his height would have made him stand out, but his dark clothes and fluid movement let him blend. He moved through the room to a girl dancing alone. She looked like Sarah, with her long flowing hair and a thin frame. He saw Sebastian smile at her, moving closer, seducing her. He watched as he looked into her eyes, influencing her, then he took her hand and she followed him towards the door.
This is it, he thought, and moved through the crowd, finding it easy to copy Sebastian’s fluid movements, one of the advantages of being a vampire. He would never have danced as a human, preferring to drink and watch.
As he stepped out of the bar into the cool night, rain pummeled him and he pulled his jacket up to keep himself dry. He saw Sebastian disappearing around a corner with the girl. He quickly walked behind them, peering around into the alley.
There he saw Sebastian, up ahead, pushing the girl against the wall. She was giggling, looking up at him. He supposed Sebastian was actually quite good looking, tall and dark and muscular. He probably didn’t have much difficulty getting girls to leave with him, even without influencing them. Especially when they were intoxicated with alcohol. Jo entered the alley and leant against a wall, watching.
Sebastian leant down, smiling at the girl and picked her up so her face was at his level. She looked entranced with him, happy with herself for being out here, in an alleyway, with an unknown man. He leant in, Jo expecting him to go straight ahead with the feed. But instead he kissed her and pushed himself against her, feeling her all over. Jo felt impatient. He wanted to watch the feed, wanted to feed himself. He wanted to rip that girl out of Sebastian’s arms and feed on her. Drink her blood. Or go inside, choose his victim. But if Sebastian wanted him to watch, he would watch.
Once the girl was putty, completely succumbed to Sebastian’s charms, that was when his kisses reached her neck, Jo imagined his teeth extending then he heard the bite, heard her whimper as the twin fangs sank into her neck. He could hear Sebastian gulping her blood. Still pushing himself against her, into her. As her heart began to slow Sebastian withdrew his teeth from her neck leaving her just alive, eyes half closed leaning back against the wall, still supported by Sebastian. Instead of stepping back be bit his own wrist and pushed it against her mouth. She started to gulp at his blood, sucking it inside, her wounds healing. Then he snapped her neck, stepped back and let her fall to the ground. Jo watched, not quite believing what Sebastian had done, his control not to kill the girl, his enjoyment in the feed, beyond the pull of the blood, his decision to turn her.
Sebastian straightened his clothes and turned to face Jo, wiping all traces of blood from his mouth. He looked wild, smug, ready for more.
‘What did you do? Why did you turn her?’ asked Jo.
‘All part of the plan, it would take a long time to destroy the town just the two of us. I might get bored. Now, it’s your turn. I will watch.’
Yes, this is it. And Jo hurried back to the bar, into the crowd.
He moved smoothly onto the dance floor, entranced by the rhythms, the throng of hearts. He saw two girls ahead of him, and approached one