to avoid her lips, instead offering her my cheek.
She almost looked offended for a second, but another wink and she was back to having stars in her eyes. “You’ll call me, right?”
“Si. Ciao, bella.”
I shut the door before she could utter another word. Did she sound that annoying at the gym? I wasn’t trying to be an asshole and I was always respectful to their faces, but no matter how nice they were, I had no desire to get to know any of them.
Once I was sure she was gone, I exited the guest cottage and trekked back to the main house. I tugged at the collar of my shirt. Coming always made thirsty. It made me crave blood. Drinking blood was an enhanced kind of pleasure. More intimate. But the world was a different place now. I couldn’t just go around drinking from the vein. Not unless I finished the job. I was a monster in many ways, but I wasn’t a murderer. Not anymore.
I jogged down to the cellar and quickly emptied a blood bag into a crystal goblet. The taste of the room temperature blood had been hard to get used to. There was something so informal and empty about drinking it that way. Nothing compared to the taste of flesh, the warm blood pumping from the vein into my mouth. The scent of fear and excitement as they would writhe underneath me. They enjoyed it too once they got past the initial bite. The penetration, the exchange of blood and sex, it was the greatest pleasure on earth. But I didn’t really enjoy either these days. The parties were just another distraction. A way to make the nights go by faster in an endless eternity of existence.
After a quick change of clothes, I headed up to the landing pad on my roof. The helicopter was already geared up for my trip into the city. My penthouse residence in Manhattan was the best place to entertain. And it was close to my restaurant, Dolce Sale, so the staff could be at my place to set up within thirty minutes. My parties always started late and continued through the night on most occasions. Last week, I’d found myself in an orgy with two supermodels and a ballet dancer. And it hadn’t even been my idea. Most women were chomping at the bit to get a piece of me and I was happy to oblige. As long as they didn’t want anything more.
A real relationship with a woman was not an option. The magnitude of what I was could never be comprehended by a human. I learned that lesson a long time ago. They might fantasize about it through books and movies, but the reality of a vampire in the flesh was too much for them to handle.
In just thirty minutes, we arrived at JFK airport and I climbed into the sleek black town car that was waiting for me in front. I gazed out the tinted windows as we pushed through the traffic. I loved this city at night. All the buildings lit up like stars. I sometimes wondered about the people behind those windows. I imagined them falling in love and fucking and drunk off each other. I imagined all the sinful pleasures they were enjoying and hated them for it because it was all still new and exciting to them. I envied them and their naked, quivering bodies. And I hated their humanity.
My phone beeped and a text message from my assistant, Charlie, came through.
Everything is set up as you like it. And there’s a little gift waiting for you.
A smile curved on my lips. Charlie was a good man. He knew what I liked and never failed to deliver.
The town car pulled up to my building and I was quickly greeted by the doorman. He grabbed my bags and followed me inside to the elevator. I swiped my card key before the elevator started climbing. I had the entire thirtieth floor and only few people had access—Enzo, Charlie, and myself. The doorman dropped my bags inside and gave me a nod as I slipped a hundred-dollar bill into his gloved hand.
I let out a deep breath. The views from up here got to me every time. The floor to ceiling windows led out to a terrace that was the size of a small football field. I could see the whole city from up here. But the view standing in front of it got me even