Now you’re standing here.” He pointed at me as if I was going to disappear. “Did he throw that knife? Claire did not mention this. You’re bleeding a lot. Like a lot a lot.” He never could stand the sight of blood.
Rocky pulled the knife out, and I watched as the wound sealed shut in record time. Normally, I’d be freaking the fuck out about it, but there was no pain. Immortality was sucking awesome! “Impressive speed, though. I’ll have to log it in the talents section. It’s important to know what advanced skills you have. Rare that a fledgling has any skills. Usually it’s reserved for natural borns. Doesn’t King Diego have super speed as well?” Graham asked Rocky.
My dutiful guard didn’t reply.
“Right. I’ll try this again.” Graham walked over to Ryan and picked up his arm.
“Please don’t hurt him,” I whimpered as his fangs descended.
“Oh, Drew. It isn’t me you should worry about. Let’s test your restraint, yes? I hope you had the good sense to eat before arriving.”
My stomach growled, echoing the damning fact that I hadn’t had blood since lunch. Yesterday. An alarming craving overwhelmed me at the mere suggestion of food. Rocky cursed under his breath. Ryan started crying. “I did not sign up for this!” my best friend howled. No. He certainly did not.
Graham lifted Ryan’s trembling arm and sunk his teeth into the skin. I watched as he took a single gulp of my best friend, and when he pulled away, he tore open the wound a bit more, making a river of blood spill from the puncture.
“Why did that feel so good? This dude isn’t even that cute, and I want more,” Ryan slurred. At least he wasn’t in pain. “Oh wow. This is better than that time I hooked up with a German skier while on Molly.”
Shit. A floral scent engulfed me. Potent. Delicious. My fangs ached. My eyes rolled back. Holy shit, I was hungry.
“Six points deducted for teeth reveal. If you happen upon blood in public, then you cannot show your teeth and risk unveiling our society to the humans.”
I snapped my mouth shut, and Rocky pulled out his cell phone to type a message. Need pulled at me. I wanted to feed. I felt weak. I felt overwhelmed. Was this what addicts felt like? I looked at Ryan, sitting in the chair and bleeding from the puncture holes. He was completely oblivious to what was happening, completely helpless. I was the only protection he had, and I hadn’t been able to control myself.
If I couldn’t control my fangs and bloodlust around Ryan, my best friend, what would stop me from murdering people in the streets and exposing the entire society? Guilt took over, making me realize that if Graham hadn’t stopped me, I didn’t know that I would have stopped. I couldn’t do this. I wasn’t ready for this test, and I shouldn’t be here. I lost myself in thoughts of what could have happened to Ryan.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur and a glimmer of light. Graham had taken the blade of his knife and swiped it along Ryan’s arm. His flesh sliced opened and blood spilled freely from the wound. I felt the now-familiar sensation of my fangs sliding into place.
This time, Graham didn’t stop me, and I couldn’t stop myself. One moment I was standing, the next I was on the floor, and I didn’t know how I got there. I was flashing in and out of consciousness, and I no longer had any control of my body. My fangs were deep inside the exposed veins in Ryan’s arm, and I was drinking, feeding like a starving animal. It felt so good, my stomach filling with life-giving and life-ending blood.
I only stopped when I was yanked to my feet. I fought hard against Rocky’s arms restraining me. I wasn’t done. I needed to keep feeding. Didn’t they understand that? I kicked at him and thrashed wildly in his arms.
“Drew,” Graham said in a sinister tone. “Look at him. Look at what you’ve done.”
I stopped my frenzied fighting long enough to see Ryan on the yellowing tile floor, blood pooling around him. Terrified I had killed my best friend, I stared at him intently, looking for any signs of life. Relief washed over me as I saw his chest rise and fall with weak but steady breaths.
Rocky released his hold on me, and I crept slowly over to Ryan, not wanting