The Amulet Read Free Page B

as thick as her legs. She had the distinct feeling that he was all meat and no brain, but he was good-looking enough. She let the scent fill her, focused on her hunger. She felt his heart beating. She wasn't sure how, but it was strong, and so steady. Something in her screamed, now! And before she had a chance to think about what she was doing, she had sprung the short distance between them. She over-powered him easily. He was caught off-guard and she was stronger, much stronger than he was.
    She bent towards his thick neck, finding her mark. Her teeth scored the flesh and the reward was the rich flow of fire. She felt the power flooding into her once more, nothing like when she tasted Nevar's blood, but it satisfied the hunger. She drank deeply of the rich liquid, receiving life.
    Something told her she should stop. She was no longer hungry. She hadn ’t noticed that he had stopped struggling. Was he feeling the euphoria that she remembered? She released him, licking the last few drops from his neck. As she did, the wound knitted itself back together leaving no trace that it had ever been there.
    Nevar stepped over to her and helped her up. She could not take her eyes off the young man lying in the grass with his eyes closed. He was very still, but his chest still rose and fell and his heart was as steady as ever. With renewed strength, she was able to bring the walls back up around her mind. "Will he be okay?"
    "Yes, he'll be fine. You did well. You restrained without injuring him and stopped yourself in good time. You will need about a pint a night to sustain your strength, which is a safe amount for them to lose on a limited basis. However, being so new, you will need more to compensate for the change. You will require less as time goes by, barring injury or prolonged exertion."
    He studied the man for a moment with concentrated eyes. "I altered his memory. He will remember nothing and instead assume that he fainted. They usually suffer no ill effects. He will be no worse for wear."
    "You altered his memory? Can I do that, too?"
    "In time, you will be able to, but until you learn, it is best that I do it for you. You may alter more than you mean to before you perfect the technique."
    "Wait, if you can do that to him, that means you could alter anyone's mind, right?"
    "It is hardly common practice, Alyssa. Some vampires have erased entire lives by mistake. Amnesia is a convenient alibi, but again, it is difficult to perfect the technique and very few vampires ever succeed."
    "’Vampires’?" Hearing the word threw her for a loop. "I'm... I'm a... vampire? Part of me was hoping this was all a dream, but it's not, is it?"
    "No. I am truly sorry. I was afraid that you were taking this all entirely too well. I thought it would be best to satisfy your hunger before I explained everything, but we should find somewhere else to talk. I would suggest my place. It is safe there. We should hurry, before he recovers enough to wake up."
    She knew he was right. It was hard enough for her to believe what was happening to what used to be a normal world where vampires were something you only saw in movies. The last thing she wanted was to offer up an explanation to a complete stranger about why she had just knocked him out and forced him to donate a pint.
    You're right. I'll go wherever you want as long as you explain this to me when we get there. And I want my animals, if it isn't too much trouble?
    I can arrange that. Your cat, is she okay around dogs? Besides your own, I mean to say?
    She can hold her own. Why?
    He smiled at her before taking her into his arms . It would be easier to show you than to try to explain. I just have to call a friend.
    His smile and his proximity unnerved her. He was too close, too hard against her. He was steel wrapped in satin and she was unable to move even slightly away from his hold on her. Part of her never wanted to.
    You will soon love traveling this way. It really is the safest way to fly. Before he