Chapter 2

Kelly's girlfriend circles around me like a vulture. She lifts my arm, flipping it over to inspect my wrist. Her eyes scour over the smooth, fang-free skin. Her voluptuous red hair catches the light and spills over her shoulders.

"You don't seem to be any worse for the wear," she comments.

Bogdan got one sniff of my blood and fled the scene. Am I really so repulsive? I should be relieved if this is the case, but I'm not.

"And he just left?" Kelly asks again.

He's sprawled across the dilapidated couch and thrums a few strings on his guitar. That couch has seen better days, but Kelly firmly believes those decaying fibers hold the source of his creativity. And who am I to say otherwise? The guy is pretty well-known in town for all of his musical masterpieces, so maybe it's true.

When his Momma threatened to throw it out a few years ago, he all but begged her to keep it. The two went round and round until she agreed, but only if it was kept on the back patio. Eyesores like that shouldn't be seen by company, she tried to explain. But her words went unheard; Kelly was already halfway out the door to save his prized possession from the greedy talons of the garbage truck.

He plucks a random string, loud enough to pull me back to his question. My shoulders slump.

"Yea," I answer, defeated. "He just left. No feeding, no asking me to drop off my blood to him later. Nothing."

Kelly pauses his music and then taps his foot to the beat of a new song. Fiona tuts at his lack of response and goes back to studying my wrist.

"It's not like you don't have good veins," she says. "These things are juicy!"

I pull my wrist out of her grasp. "You're so gross."

Fiona nudges me with a dazzling smile. "He'll come around, Finn. Don't sweat it."

Kelly rolls his eyes at the entire conversation. While my odd encounter with my vampire puzzles him, he thinks I should be happy with this turn of events. Most humans would be jumping at the gift of being released early from their role of being a consort.

Honestly, if my vampire was anyone but Bogdan, I might do the same. But there's something about that immortal man that makes me want to do well in my role, regardless of how carnivorous and demeaning it is.

Fiona sweeps her backpack off the floor of the patio and slides into onto her shoulders. She smacks Kelly's foot, a little too hard to be affectionate.

"Let's go," she demands in a warning tone. "We're going to be late to class."

She gives him a look, and he rolls his eyes again before setting his guitar to the side. "Yes, Finn, don't worry. He'll come around."

His voice is so monotone that I have to laugh. Kelly glances up at Fiona, his expression silently asking if that's enough. She returns with an icy stare. He trumps the look by jutting out his bottom lip, pouting and wrapping his arms around her legs. When she still doesn't budge he lifts her from the ground, swinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

She squeals and beats her fists on his back. "Put me down! Oh my gosh, Kelly. I am a grown ass woman. Put. Me. Down!"

Kelly grins and throws her onto the couch. He's on top of her a moment later, tickling her sides and pressing playful kisses along the side of her neck. This time it's me rolling my eyes. If I don't get out of here soon, I'll be privy to a front row viewing to some rather intimate moments between my two best friends.

I scoop up my backpack and skip out the patio door. The smell of summer is in full swing. Someone in Kelly's subdivision is having a cookout, and my mouth waters when I breathe in the various foods being cooked on the grill. I pat down my pockets in search for my car keys, but the buzzing of my phone snags my attention. I pull it out and check for a text. Nothing.

Then my eyes catch on the small number next to my email app. My mind races with curiosity. I don't want to open it in fear of what it has to say, but my fingers tap it anyway.

From: Bogdan Emanuel
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2137 02:37:28 PM
To: Finn Weston
Subject: Explanation

I will be requesting a new consort at which time your services will no longer be needed. In the interim, I have blood in stock from my previous consort.

Bog

The phone feels like it weighs ten pounds as I read through it a second time. Is he even allowed to do that? Request for a new consort? I've never heard of a vampire requesting for a new consort, and that makes this even more humiliating.

What could I have possibly done wrong during our meeting that's making him do this?

I wrench open my car door and throw in my backpack. When I plop into the driver's seat, my anger encourages me to send him a response. Even though I know this man has the strength and power to break me in half, I can't help but be offended.

From: Finn Weston
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2137 02:45:18 PM
To: Bogdan Emanuel
Subject: RE: Explanation

Sounds good. I think I want a different vampire anyway; the thought of giving you my blood is repulsive.

Finn

I chew on my lip before hitting send. The content of my message is dangerously sarcastic, poking fun at Bog's initial request to find a different consort. As I said before, communication between vampires and their consorts is considered taboo. I can only imagine what people would say if they read my reply.

My finger hovers over the send button for just another split second before I close my eyes and seal my fate. There's nothing I can do now.

Nothing but wait.

________________

Professor Adams pulls me aside after class. The last few students trickle out, talking amongst themselves with tired, Monday expressions. If it was a normal Monday, I might be doing the same thing. But nothing about today is normal. Not a damn thing.

He turns towards me when we're finally alone and frowns with concern. Then his gaze flickers to the door, and he walks over to shut it before speaking. He's not ashamed of the fact that he's gay, but the most sought after professor sleeping with one of his students isn't exactly something that can be shouted from the rooftops.

"I didn't hear from you," he whispers. "How did it go?"

He leans against his desk and nods. A handsome bit of stubble runs along the edge of his jaw. His dark hair is brushed to the side, and his blue eyes study me with a gentle kindness. It's no wonder Fiona always jokes with Kelly that she'd be willing to leave him for Professor Adams. He's a male unicorn – angelically beautiful with a personality that keeps you wanting more.

I approach the desk and sit beside him. My frayed jeans look out of place next to his blue dress pants, but he doesn't seem to notice. Instead he reaches over and rests his hand on my knee, giving it an encouraging squeeze.

"It didn't go," I explain. "We met at some place in the woods. He walked in, walked out, and that was it."

"He didn't feed?"

"Nope."

I pop the 'p.' It's a trait I picked up from Fiona over the years – over enunciating some consonants to show my irritation about the subject matter. I decide against mentioning the most recent emails exchanged between Bog and me. 

As understanding as Leo is, this might push his buttons. He's a history professor, and much of what he teaches allows him to speak on the mistreatment of humans over the decades from our vampire predecessors.

Leo removes his hand from my knee. His soft touch caresses the inside of my wrists, validating my words for himself. His gentle touch sends a shiver down my spine. The development between Leo and I is still pretty new. We've only fucked twice, and each time has been in his office.

Hot, I know, but not exactly a recipe for an ideal relationship. At least he gave me his number the last time I left his office with my asshole pulsing with pleasure. We've only texted a handful of times over the weekend, but hey. It's progress, right?

"I'd like to tell you congratulations," Professor Adams mutters under his breath. "But those blood-sucking leeches can't live without us."

"I dunno. He seemed pretty disinterested."

Leo raises a brow. "He?"

"Yea. Bogdan."

When I say his name aloud, I can feel my cheeks flush. Saying it aloud makes it feel more real. Leo stands from the desk and comes to stand in front of me.

"Not many consorts know their vampires by name."

I want to tell Professor Adams that it doesn't matter; Bogdan will be finding a new consort soon, anyway. But I just shrug and try to get off the subject matter. If Leo is getting this worked up over my first meeting with Bogdan, he'd have a heyday if he read the emails.

"Can we maybe talk about something else?"

Leo's eyes are lit with a passion I've seen many times before during his lectures. He wants to dive into an hour long anti-vampire speech, and I just don't want to hear it. He closes his mouth and his jaw flexes while he composes his features.

After a moment the look fades away. In its place a lustful hunger begins to form. I stand from the desk, my groin already twitching in anticipation.

"Agreed," Leo says. "We should be making better use of our time together."

I smirk. "What'd you have in mind?"

He opens his arms to me, and I readily walk into them. His hold tightens around me, and my breath gets caught in my throat. Leo drops his lips to my ear, his stubble rubbing against my cheek.

"Why tell you?" he whispers. "When I could show you?"