The Vampire and the Scorpion (Blood and Venom Saga #1)

19. Nineteen

Nineteen

G reg had rearranged his bedroom furniture, so despite the hours I’d spent there, it felt like I was stepping into a parallel world. The only sign that we’d been friends was a group photograph of the theatre society he’d pinned to his corkboard. My cheerful face looked back at me, full of life and hope. Perhaps a trick of the light, my skin looked peachier and cheeks fuller. I scanned the corkboard, admiring the doodles, flyers, and photos of his friends; some from the society, others from his course, or from home. I smiled at one of him holding a fat, little baby, his sister beside him, beaming with pride.

“One sugar?” Greg poked his head around the door frame.

“Two please.” At least he remembered I took sugar at all.

Greg ducked into the kitchen while I dumped my bag on the office chair sitting out of place in the centre of the room, then wheeled it under his desk. Best to keep it to hand, but out of sight. I picked up a pair of socks and crumpled jeans from the floor and dumped them into a pile of dirty clothes at the foot of his bed. Old habits die hard.

“What are you doing?”

I whirled around. Greg stood in the doorway, a mug in each hand.

“Just tidying up. You haven’t changed at all.”

“You have.” He handed me the mug of tea before seating himself on his bed and patting the space beside him, indicating for me to sit. I perched next to him, recognising the navy-blue bedsheets his mum had bought him.

“I guess I have. A lot has happened recently.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” He blinked at me, sincerity etched on his face, an expression I’d forgotten he was capable of.

“I’m just focusing on my studies. It’s my last year, after all.”

I sipped my tea. It was still too hot, but I persevered, giving myself the excuse to drop the subject. Greg set his own mug down without trying it and watched me, waiting. I avoided making eye contact, but his eyes burned into me.

“I know you’re keeping something from me. After all we’ve been through, I’m not surprised you want to keep secrets. But if you need someone to talk to, I am here.”

I squinted at him over the rim of my mug. If only you’d showed me this kindness a fortnight ago. Perhaps I’d never have danced with Austin... “A lot has changed for me. It’s put things into perspective.”

“I bumped into your housemate, Charlie, yesterday. He said you’ve still not gone back to your house.”

My insides fizzed. “It didn’t feel safe. I’ll go back when I’m ready.”

“Would you like to stay here tonight?”

“Cheers. I can kip on the sofa.”

“You don’t have to sleep on the sofa.” His blue eyes lit up, shining with warmth.

I laughed through my nose. Once, I’d longed for him to look at me this way. Now it left me deflated.

He lay back on his bed, an arm spread out, inviting me to join him.

“You’re drunk,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“We can just cuddle.”

I bit my lip. “Alright, but no funny business. Just sleeping.”

I set my mug down and lay beside him. He wrapped his arm around me, his hand on my waist. Once this would have lit a fire inside me. Not anymore. I laid my head down upon his chest and returned the embrace, as if by holding him, I’d hold on to my humanity, too. His body was warm, yet it felt like I was holding a dead man; the ghost of boyfriends past.

I lay as still as possible, eyes wide open, terrified that I would fall asleep, but I needn’t have worried. The adrenaline coursing through me would ensure that wouldn’t happen. After one of the longest hours of my life, snores erupted from Greg, but I waited until I was confident I could untangle myself from his grip without disturbing him.

I watched him for a second, his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath, expression peaceful. I’d imagined this moment multiple times: a dark satisfaction as I drew his blood, the feeling of justice. But the reality was very different. Instead, there was just an emptiness inside my heart as I readied my equipment. I attached the tourniquet and a fat, blue vein bulged outwards. The needle hovered, ready to pierce him.

I swallowed, my thoughts consuming me. Austin’s final moments flashed before my eyes. Do it, Ava. Just do it.

I pictured Ivan’s sadistic grin as he crushed Austin—no—as he crushed me for not fulfilling my duty. Latisha’s and Billy’s crestfallen expressions. Madigan’s disappointment.

Randall’s words echoed in my ears. ‘ Becoming a vampire will be the best thing to happen to you... Even Len might change his mind...’

I inserted the needle and connected the vial, watching as his blood pissed into the small plastic tube. It was only when a metallic flavour coated the tip of my tongue I realised I’d been chewing my lip.

I cleared my equipment away and gave the vial of blood one last examination before putting it in my bag. As silently as possible, I crept from the room, not wanting to disturb Greg’s housemates, which could lead to unwanted questions. I left by the front door, closing it behind me with a soft click , applying minimal pressure. It wouldn’t lock automatically, and the guilt that weighed on me grew heavier.

Stepping out onto the empty street, I inhaled the frosty night air, eyes closed, then sighed, clearing my mind. Thank fuck that’s over...

“Ava,” a voice whispered in my ear. I spun on the spot and found myself nose to nose with a pale, pointed face.

“Dominic!” I said, plastering a smile on my face, though my voice almost disappeared inside my throat. “How did you get there?” Though I tried to sound casual, the wicked glint in his eyes suggested he knew he’d caught me doing something I shouldn’t have been.

“Didn’t you hear me? Humans have such ineffective ears. I was just checking up on our newest addition to the coven.” His unblinking gaze made his wide smile even creepier, reminding me of the night he had first tracked me down.

“I am doing great, thanks.”

“Just harvested?” he asked.

“Yes, actually. I’m getting pretty good at it if I say so myse—”

“From a friend of yours?” His smile widened even further.

“Not a friend, no.” I coerced the words out, though my mouth had gone dry. “Just someone I met tonight.”

“Is that right? Well, in that case, perhaps I’ll feed from them, too.”

“Go ahead. You just need a mouthful. Right? That’s what Madigan said.”

“I’m not sure about that. I get ever so thirsty.”

He grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me towards the front door, forcing my hand onto the handle. I’d almost forgotten his impossible strength. “I think it is about time you saw how a real vampire feeds.” He closed a white hand over mine and pressed the door handle downward. The door clicked open and squeaked on its hinges as it swung open. “Not even locked. Tut tut. Students are so careless.”

How does he know Greg’s a student? My muscles tensed and stomach tightened, but I focused on my breathing to remain calm, knowing he would sense my fear if I let it overpower me.

“After you,” he said, as he nudged me over the threshold. “Lead the way.”

For a moment, I considered taking him to a different room, but he would smell the blood that had leaked during harvesting. He knew which room to go to; this was all part of his game. I opened Greg’s door and found him still sleeping on his bed, blissfully unaware of what was going on.

Dominic pushed me inside and followed behind.

“You have to pity students,” he said, taking in the drab surroundings. “Such high rents for such tiny rooms.”

“What makes you think he is a student?”

“Well, there is this.” He pointed towards the corkboard. My heart skipped a beat, thinking that he was gesturing towards the group photograph, but then noticed his long, bony finger was pressed to a flyer that read, ‘ Join Kinwich University’s Student Union’ .

“Oh, yeah, I hadn’t noticed that,” I said, stifling a sigh of relief. “Well, if he is a student, he will probably have housemates. We should be quick.”

“I will be, don’t worry.” He wet his lips, placing a hand in his pocket and withdrawing a small pocketknife, flicking it open. “Let’s hope he isn’t a screamer, eh? Keeping him quiet is your job.”

“What?!” Before I could protest, Dominic had seized my ex-boyfriend, jerking him into a seated position.

Greg’s head lolled forward and his eyes snapped open. “What the—Get off me!”

Dominic dragged him away from the bed with one hand without breaking a sweat. “Don’t worry,” he hissed against Greg’s ear. “It will all be over soon.” He flashed the blade in front of Greg’s pale, clammy face.

Greg’s wide eyes were glued to the knife, his lips trembling. “W-what are you going to do? Please let me go. I won’t tell anyone you were here!” His eyes darted from the blade, to me . “Ava, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you! Stop this! Please!”

Words failed me as acid rose into my throat.

Dominic laughed, a sinister cackle that penetrated my soul. One-handed, he lifted Greg by the neck into the air, before slamming him down into the floor with a sickening crunch. I clasped my hands to my mouth, momentarily paralysed. With one last flourish of the blade, he slowly slid it a few inches into Greg’s neck before clamping his mouth over the wound and drank. Greg let out a shriek that cut right through me.

My body acted on its own. I grabbed the socks I’d dumped on the pile of clothes and jammed it into his mouth. I summoned my strength, pressing his lower jaw upwards, silencing him. But his pleading, hurt eyes remained focused on mine. Tears soaked my face as I wrestled with him, keeping him quiet. Soon, the light behind his eyes started fading.

I chanced a glimpse of Dominic. I couldn’t see his face. He was bent over the struggling boy, his lips sealed tightly over the wound, a disgusting gulping sound emanating low in his throat.

Greg’s resistance slackened and muffled screams died down.

“That’s better.” Dominic tilted his head back, taking in a gasp of air, crimson blood dribbling down his chin and onto his chest. Greg was still awake, but his eyes were unfocused and breathing was shallow.

“Are you finished?” I asked, but Dominic laughed in response.

“I think not.” He flashed me a horrible smile, resembling a monster more than ever. His canines were sharper, ears pointed, and white skin now shiny, leathery. His irises had turned a pearly-white, pupils two tiny pin pricks. He opened his mouth wider than was humanly possible, like a python about to swallow its prey, before clamping his jaws down onto Greg’s neck once more.

No longer needing to keep Greg quiet, I stood, stepping back, wishing I could run away. Greg’s eyes were glassy, but they remained on me. Betrayed.

I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry... I repeated the words inside my head, hoping that somehow Greg would hear them. Though they’d be of no comfort.

Dominic came back up for air again. A long, red tongue snaked out of his mouth, licking his lips clean. Getting to his feet, he pulled Greg’s now limp body into a standing position.

“Watch this,” he said with a snigger, before letting go. Greg’s corpse slumped face first, smashing into the bed frame before landing in a heap on the floor. “You look a little upset?”

I wiped my sodden face with both hands. “I... I...” My useless brain refused to function, unable to string words together.

“Never assisted in the murder of one of your friends before?” Dominic asked, the glee in his voice unmistakable.

“I didn’t! I wouldn’t!”

“You did. You assisted in the murder of your friend,” he repeated.

“He’s not my friend,” I croaked. Dominic laughed a cold, cruel cackle that cut me to my core. He suddenly sprang forward, pouncing on top of me, pinning me to the floor as he’d done with Greg. One of his burning hands on my neck.

“Do not lie to me!” His lips brushed my cheek, his foul breath filling my nostrils. “Do you think after your miraculous first harvest, Master Ivan wouldn’t ask me to tail you?”

My blood turned to ice. Ivan scolded him in front of me after I’d passed my trial. How had I forgotten? My mouth opened and closed as I wracked my brain for some sort of explanation, but none came. “He is not my friend.” My voice was barely audible, the hand on my throat restricting my airway.

“Stupid girl. Don’t you remember? The night you ran away, you came knocking here. I know, because you left a nice bloody mark on their front door before dripping blood all the way home.”

All I could do was stare at his monstrous face. I couldn’t lie my way out of this one...

“What’s wrong? Nothing to say?” His lips twisted into a smirk, getting up and pulling me to my feet with ease. “I can’t wait to see how Master Ivan deals with you. Perhaps he might even let me...” His long tongue darted out of his mouth and traced from the bottom of my chin and up my face, the unmistakable scent of blood on his putrid breath. “And don’t worry, I won’t make it quick, like I did for your little friend here. I will take it slow, so that you can feel each drop drained from you until you are too weak to move before finishing you off. Assuming Master Ivan doesn’t play with you first, of course.”