"If I'm going to train you as my…" he pauses. "As my Adept, you have to learn toobey."
I'm a modern woman. I'm a daughter of several generations of feminists. I must be my own woman but with vampires, it's impossible to avoid. Unless you're like me and immune tocompulsion.
"Train me? What do you mean,obey?"
He makes a funny throat noiseagain.
We drive on for a moment in silence. "Obey as in you take orders from me." He looks over at me once we're on the road and up to speed. "You're a hunter, you know, despite the pretty face. I just need to bring out those gifts that are hiddenaway."
"Whatgifts?"
He shifts down as we come to alight.
"You never noticed how fast you can run? How well you can see at night? Those are all traits of hunters. But you," he says and shakes his head. "You're special. You're what we call Adept. This ability to connect minds? That'sunique."
"I never knew about the mind thing," I say, frowning. "How come I never felt itbefore?"
"This connection is unique between vampires and Adepts. It's touch telepathy. All vampires have it, but it's one way. We use it to read our prey's minds, to control your brain chemicals, make you struggle less when we feed. We use it to make you obey and forget things – or at least, most of you. For some reason, you're immune to compulsion and having your memoryerased."
"My mother never told me about any psychicabilities."
"She didn't want this life for you," he says as we drive off once the light changes. "She and your father wanted you in the arts. Dance ormusic."
"You knew mymother?"
"Only through Julien." We drive on in silence for a moment, and he's frowning as if in thought. Finally, he turns tome.
"Eve, Adepts were meant to be trained from an early age. Your parents wanted to train you as a musician or dancer instead, which I'm sure violated the terms of theircontract."
"Contract?"
He turns and glances at me,frowning.
"One thing at a time. Let's get you home and get your hands fixed. Now, please, no more questions. I have to think thingsthrough."
I want to ask what he means about my parent's contract and what things he has to think through but I keep quiet, watching the scenery pass by. I do see well at night and when I glance at him in the darkened car interior, I can see him as if it was the middle of a cloudy day, his skin gray like in a black and white image. I was always a fast runner but my parents said no to track because I had to dance and practice piano instead. They finally took me out of regular school in fourth grade and homeschooled me, giving me dance and music lessons and hiring privatetutors.
We drive up to my apartment building. "How did you know where Ilive?"
He looks at me and taps histemple.
"Think of using telepathy as a short-cut. We don't always have to use words. Neurons and neurochemicals are so much faster. And, of course, if you were my blood slave, we could even communicate at adistance."
Blood slave? Oh, that doesn't soundgood.
"What's a blood slave? Do you mean telepathy at adistance?"
"Yes," he says. "There'd be no need to touch. Blood slaves are addicted to vampire blood. Vampire blood causes high levels of neurotransmitters to circulate in your brain and gives a heroin-like high. People try to steal it, sell it on the black market because of its drug-like effects and temporary healing properties. If you drink too much, you get addicted, like any other drug. Whatever you do, don't ever let a vampire feed you his blood in large quantity." Then he turns to me and smiles that lopsided smile. "Unless the idea of being a slave appeals to you, that is… And, if I read you correctly, itdoes."
I make a face at him and turn away. He can touch me and find out things? Personal things, private things? And until I figure out how to block him, he can do it at will. All he has to do is touch me skin onskin.
He opens my door after we park on the street and stands too close to me, like he enjoys making me feel uncomfortable. I sidle by him and start up the stairs to my building, opening the door. He follows me in and I stop andfrown.
"How can you come in? I haven't invitedyou."
"I've been in Boston for a long time, Eve. I've been invited in this buildingbefore."
He follows me up the stairs to the third floor where my apartment is but I stop at the door, my key inhand.