But when he spoke, the man’s head swiveled rapidly back, his eyes narrowing as if Jasper shouldn’t dare speak.
Fear hit him. He’d never been so afraid in his life. He’d never felt anything like this, and he sank to his knees, too shaken to remain standing.
The man strode over and grabbed the front of his shirt. Jasper wanted to scream, to beg, but he couldn’t even speak. He felt himself being slammed against the wall, and then to his shock, the man pressed in closer and bit him on the throat.
No . . . more than bit him. Jasper felt teeth tearing into skin, puncturing deeper, and this time he did try to scream, but nothing came out. He bucked and fought and pushed, but the man was as solid as a moving statue, and he was drinking Jasper’s blood.
After a few minutes, Jasper couldn’t struggle anymore, and he could hear his heartbeat growing slower and slower, until it barely beat. The man let go of him, letting him fall to the floor. Was it over?
To his horror, the man knelt down, ripped the veins of his own wrist open, and shoved the bleeding wound into Jasper’s mouth. He started choking, and the man ordered, “Drink.”
Again, the voice filled him with fear, but the blood flowing down his throat tasted good. He obeyed and started drinking.
Then the world went black.
Julian waited in the shabby apartment for several hours. He still had time before dawn and didn’t want to be seen carrying an unconscious body.
Finally, Jasper’s eyelids fluttered and opened.
“Get up,” Julian ordered.
Jasper saw him and cried out, crab-stepping backward to press against the wall.
“Just get up,” Julian repeated coldly.
Jasper put his hand to this throat, which was nearly healed. “What did you do?” he whispered.
“I gave you a gift.” Julian motioned to the dingy living room. “You’re going to leave this place with me and never come back. You will have all the money you could ever want . . . anything wealth can buy. Your body is much stronger now, and you will never grow old. But you can’t go into the sunlight, and you’ll drink blood to live.”
He let the words sink in. Most mortals would be horrified at a statement like this, but not Jasper. His eyes shifted back and forth as he absorbed Julian’s words.
“I can hear every car outside,” he said softly. “I can hear the people walking in the street.” He touched his throat. “Vampire?” He rushed to the bathroom. “No, I can see myself in the mirror!”
Julian wanted to sneer. “Of course you can,” he answered.
Had he made a mistake? He would only settle for a servant he could completely control, but this one seemed even more vapid than Mary.
“So, what do I have to do?” Jasper said, turning from the mirror. “For all that stuff you said . . . about money?”
Maybe he wasn’t so stupid. But as of yet, he had no true idea what had just happened to him, and he was already trying to hedge an advantage. This creature had desires. He could be worked upon—and controlled.
Julian was pleased. “You just need to pass a test . . . when I tell you.”
chapter 9
The following night, Eleisha sat at the kitchen table watching Wade as he got the water boiling and then scrambled a few eggs. Philip was in the shower, and Rose was packing—although Eleisha suspected she was so anxious over the impending journey that she just needed some time alone in her room. So far, Seamus had not appeared tonight.
“What time does our train leave?” Wade asked, placing a tea bag into a mug.
“Just past midnight, from Jack London Square.”
“Did you tell Philip not to hog all the hot water?” he asked, bringing her some tea.
She looked up at him, and he stopped with the mug in midair.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Why do you think Philip is being so cavalier about Robert now, and he’s so hostile about Rose? You’d think it would be the other way around.”
Wade dropped into the chair beside her. “Because neither one of us seems to like Robert.”
“What?”
“Think about it. You threatened Philip back in Seattle. You told him you wouldn’t forgive him if he stopped you from finding Rose. Then you got me interested in helping her, too. You exchanged letters with her, and you want her company. He sees Rose as a threat to your time and affection—maybe even to mine.”