“So we ask around?” she said. “Maybe someone here will know, right? Didn’t they all defect from The Coven in the first place?”
“Yeah, but the Cleaners are an exclusive group. The average vampire wouldn’t know where they’re located any more than the average human knows what’s inside Area 51.”
“Aliens,” Sylvie said with a straight face. “And the anal probes the government pervs use on unsuspecting farmers to get their jollies off.”
I stared. “Is that a joke?”
“You wouldn’t think so if it was your butt they were probing.”
I sighed. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, at least.”
“I am,” she said, smile widening. “And it still hasn’t sunk in that I could go hug every stranger out there and not get sick. Or go visit a museum. Or go bowling. I’ve always wanted to bowl, but those finger holes are cesspits.”
“You know you can bring your own ball.”
“Also poor,” she said.
“Right,” I chuckled. “I was thinking you could talk to Kyla, if you wanted. We spoke some while you were sleeping last night. She’s willing to talk you through the transition some, if you think that would help.”
“I know you talked. I was pretending to sleep. Then somebody started cutting onions right next to my pillow.”
“What?” I asked.
“Just an expression,” Sylvie said, shaking her head. “I’d like that. And for the record, I was really proud of you. I don’t have any idea how hard all of this has been for you, but I know it isn’t easy. I want you to know how much I appreciate it. All of it,” she added.
I slid my hand around the back of her neck, kissing her. It felt damn good, and even though it hadn’t been that long, it felt like ages since we’d slept together.
She looked a little surprised when we pulled back from the kiss.
“What?” I asked.
“I wasn’t sure if you were still going to like me. Like that, I mean. After…”
I tilted her chin up, forcing her eyes from the floor to mine. “You thought I wouldn’t be attracted to a vampire?”
“Shocker. Right?”
I kissed her neck. “If we get through this, you may end up turning me into someone I don’t recognize.”
“If?” she asked with the shadow of a smile.
“If it’s possible, we’ll do it. I’m just not sure it’s possible.”
“That’s comforting. And, uh. This is going to sound weird. But I could really go for some blood right about now.”
I tried to suppress the little wave of nausea that made me feel. “Okay. I’ll go get one of the vamps. Vampires,” I said, correcting myself.
“Riggs,” she said. “Are you sure it’s okay for us to take our time like this? I keep thinking about Maisey. Wherever they have her. What if she thinks we’re not coming?”
“If we rush into trying to rescue them before you’re ready, we’ll fail. I don’t like waiting either, but it’s the only way.”
She nodded.
“I’ll be back. With a woman. I don’t want you feeding on any men. Understand?”
Sylvie smirked. “Jealous, much?”
“Yes. Deal with it.”
36
Sylvie
The rebels arranged for Kyla to act as my concierge to all things vampire. It was strange meeting Riggs’ sister, especially after hearing their story. I’d pictured someone fragile and small. Instead, the woman was nearly six feet tall, quiet, but brimming with a silent sort of confidence.
Riggs loomed in the corner of the room while Kyla guided me through the process of my first feeding. She’d apparently used some sort of mental trick to make the middle-aged man sitting at the table fall into a comatose state.
Kyla had dirty blonde hair and didn’t look like she was related to Riggs at first glance. But I could see some of him in the way her mouth moved or the way they both tended to arch one eyebrow when they were making sure I understood what they were saying.
“I asked for a woman,” Riggs complained.
“And we aren’t here to cater to your fragile ego,” Kyla snapped. “There’s a rotation. The goal is to keep each human away from their life for as short a time as possible. This man was next up, and that’s all there is to it.”
Riggs folded his arms, seething in the corner of the room.
I guiltily enjoyed the fact that he was so concerned about me biting some older man’s neck. I wasn’t the type to do things to make him jealous intentionally, but it admittedly felt good to see how much he was concerned about it. He wanted me all to himself, and I wanted to be all his.
Kyla sat across from me, blue eyes deadly serious as she explained what I was about to do. “It’s important that you understand you can’t drink as much as you’ll want. That can kill him. It’ll feel like you get thirstier the more you drink. You count to five, then stop. That’s the rule, okay?”