Prima

Chapter Eighteen

Abandoning Sugar in the garden with Clementine for company left Daedalus feeling hollow. The echo of his boots followed him out the front door. He had called his nest home. Soon she would have more company then two crotchety old Nosferatu and a somewhat-damaged vampire female.

Pallas sat in the driver’s seat of Daedalus’s car.

“Hell no.” Daedalus pulled the door open and yanked him out.

“How will I learn to drive if you don’t teach me?” Pallas grinned and ran a possessive hand over the roof of the car.

“They have schools for that.” He slapped Pallas’s hand off. “Go buy your own.” Daedalus slid behind the wheel and caressed it, wiping away any trace of Pallas.

His brother plopped onto the passenger seat. “I wonder which you love more, your car or your woman.”

“You should ask which I enjoy riding more.” He laughed at Pallas’s debased grin.

“I don’t have to ask. I know your answer. Both at the same time.”

The car started with its usual purr. He peeled out of the driveway toward the gates.

Pallas closed his eyes and reclined the chair back. “Where are we going?”

“Hunting.” He aimed for downtown, on the east side of the city, close to the train yard. If memory served him right, this was where most of the drug dealers and pimps did business. “Blonde or brunette?”

Pallas snorted audibly. “What kind of hunting are you talking about? I had my fill of pussy yesterday. I want to kill something.”

As Daedalus had suspected.

“Don’t frown like that. The council schooled me on modern laws and forbade me from old habits. I’ll be good.” He lifted his head to meet Daedalus's disbelieving gaze with wide eyes. “I promise.”

“You should start thinking about your future.” Daedalus gave him a year before he was on some slayer’s most-wanted list.

“Like go to college, Dad?” Pallas had returned to mimicking sleep.

“No.” What a nightmare that would be. He should limit the amount of time Pallas was sitting in front of the television. “You work for me.”

“Running security detail?” “I think not.”

Daedalus's head throbbed. “Will you talk out loud? You’re giving me a fucking migraine switching back and forth like that.” He parked behind an abandoned restaurant. “I have better uses of your skills than security. I’d be too worried you’d eat my customers anyway.”

They exited the car, scoping out the area. Visually it appeared dead, but mentally he could sense business as usual a few blocks over. “Can you hear them?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s stop pretending that you’re not going to break the law.” He faced Pallas. “Our kind isn’t matched for this age, but there are smart ways to find satisfaction in the hunt. You have to pick your prey wisely.”

“No more screaming women running through the forest?” Pallas actually looked forlorn for a moment. It took all Daedalus's self-control not to smack the expression off his face.

“You can pay for shit like that, as long as you don’t kill.” Daedalus grabbed his brother by the collar and pulled him close enough to smell the soap on his skin. “Stop fucking around. I’m trying to help you.”

Pallas shoved away. “Fine.”

“It’s best to go after murderers. They’re most likely not to be missed by the police. The less of a trail you leave, the better. No witnesses.”

Pallas stared at him.

“What are you waiting for? Go.” He waved him in the direction of the evildoers.

“You’re not coming?”

“I’m saving my appetite for later. I’m taking Sugar out. There are a few nice places in town that cater to our kind. I want to introduce her to my favorite one tonight.” He raised his eyebrow. “Would you rather I take you there instead?” He could only hope.

Pallas shook his head.

“Very well, I’ll wait here for you. Try not to take all night.” He got back behind the wheel and turned on the radio. When he looked outside, Pallas was gone. “Good hunting, brother.”

“I like approaching from behind.” Clementine leaned over the kitchen table, mini watermelon between her hands. “There’s less body contact that way.” She glanced up at Sugar. “Unless you’d rather more—”

Grimacing, Sugar shook her head. She wanted to learn the simplest and easiest technique. She’d bitten Daedalus during sex, but it hadn’t been for feeding. A human stranger would need more finesse.

“Very well. I support the donor's head and tilt it to the side for better access.” She slanted the watermelon. “Then aim.” Opening her mouth, she pointed her more developed fangs at the green flesh. The strike made Sugar jump as Clementine moved quick like a snake. She released her bite and pointed at the two clean puncture wounds. Clear juice trickled out.

Sugar's stomach turned.

“Once you puncture the vessel, you have to pull your fangs out so the blood will flow into your mouth.” She bent once more to suck on the melon then held it out to her. “You try now.”

A nervous giggle bubbled from between Sugar's lips. “This is surreal.”

Setting her hand on her hip, Clementine darted a stern look at her. “Would you practice on people first?”

“Is this how you were taught?” She set the melon on the table and found a clear spot. After Daedalus left, she had sought out Clementine and asked her to teach her how to bite a person. She knew he would want to do it, but she was tired of looking like a fool in front of him. For once, she’d like to surprise him.

Clementine's expression went flat. “Sort of. We didn’t have any watermelons, so we used pumpkins. Watermelons have a better pop to them, like humans.”

“That’s disturbing.” Sugar bent over the melon and angled her head.

“Tilt the fruit, not your head. It’s a cleaner strike if you keep your head straight.”

Sugar repositioned her body, mimicking tilting the victim's head, then she aimed her fangs. “Like this?”

“Lean your head back more so there’s more force. The cleaner the strike, the less painful for your donor.”

Doing as told, she no longer could see the melon. “Better?”

Clementine moved behind her. “I think so. Try it.”

She struck. The melon crashed against her lips as her fangs slid into its cold flesh. She grunted at the impact. That had gone better then she’d expected. Part of her had thought she’d chip a tooth on the first try.

“Good. Now retract from the bite and suck the juice.” Clementine leaned forward coming to eye level with the watermelon.

Sugar retreated, but the weight of her prey still hung on her teeth. Using her hands, she yanked on the round fruit. “It’s stuck.” Her words came out muffled with her mouth full of melon.

“What?”

“I’m. Stuck.” She stood and pulled, trying to free her fangs.

Clementine eyes went wide as she struggled with a grin. “I’ll pull the melon, and you try to get free.” A small laugh escaped her. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, so am I.” But it came out more like Yeb, O M I.

They got into position.

“Wow.” The exclamation came from behind her and sounded very much like Pallas.

Sugar closed her eyes. Flaming heat burned a path right up to the tips of her ears.

“Shut up.” Clementine’s command shocked Sugar's eyes open. Had this meek vampire goddess just given an order to the Nosferatu jerk? Clementine yanked on the watermelon.

Sharp pain zinged over Sugar’s fangs, and she yelped. The melon remained attached.

Daedalus appeared before her, frowning with his brow furrowed. “Should I even ask?” He peeled her lips back. “This has got to be the silliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

A growl rolled in her chest, something she’d heard everyone else do, but something she’d been incapable of doing until now. She dug her nails into the watermelon flesh.

Clementine set her delicate hands over hers. “Master, many of us used this technique to learn.” She gave him a pointed stare. “It is not silly.”

His gaze traveled from her to Sugar, then he shrugged. “I’ve never heard of it.” A huge smile spread across his face, and amusement danced in his eyes. “Can I take a picture?”

She snarled and kicked him in the shins. “Bat-turd.”

He winced as her foot made contact but didn’t stop smiling. With gentle fingers, he eased each fang loose, then handed her the melon. “Want to try again?”

“No thanks.” She set it on the table.

“Please.” Pallas leaned against the door, blocking her escape. “I’ve never heard of this technique. I think this could be educational.”

“I doubt you need to learn more about biting people.” She glared at Daedalus. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“Obviously, since you’re not ready.” His gaze traveled to her casual clothes. “Pallas is a fast eater.”

“I was starved.” The Nosferatu gave her a low bow. “Prima, that image will forever be engraved in my memory. Thank you.” He rose and twisted with unnatural grace, leaving her gaping like a suffocating fish.

“That male could try the patience of a saint.” Clementine straightened her blouse. “Sugar, we can continue this in private if you want.” She spoke to her, but her eyes were on Daedalus as if telling him to get the fuck out of the kitchen. Sugar could have hugged her. It would have been terrible being trapped in this house with the Nosferatu twins for teachers.

“I’m done for now.” She tongued her aching fangs.

Daedalus went to the freezer and returned with a bag of ice. He set it against her jaw. “Trust me. It helps. You’re not the only one who’s had their fangs stuck in something.”

She looked up at him under her eyelashes. “Yeah?”

“A tree trunk. Not as tasty as a melon.” He made a face. “I was tossed against it during battle. That night, I learned to keep my mouth firmly closed while fighting.”

She chuckled. “You’ll have to tell me more one day—uh, night.” Who would have guessed there was a learning curve to being a vampire?

He guided her out of the kitchen. “Go get dressed. I’ll teach you how to feed tonight.” He tossed a glance at Clementine. “You can take care of the watermelon.”