Thirst No. 3 Read Free Page B

skeleton. Eventually even that will dissolve, and it will be like you never existed, Danny Boy.”
    He trembles with fear. He has tears in his eyes. My voice, my words—the power in them shakes him to the core. His own voice cracks as he tries to convince himself he’s not going to die.
    “But you’re just a chick. You can’t hurt me.”
    “Then why are you so scared?”
    “Because of that knife. Put that knife away and we can talk.”
    “Where exactly would you like me to put it?”
    “I don’t know, just put it—”
    He suddenly stops talking, because I’ve shifted into high speed and thrown the knife so hard and fast it’s sunk up to its hilt in the center of his right thigh. He gazes down at it in horror as a thin line of blood trickles over his sweats. In the blink of an eye I’m standing beside him. I pat him on the back in a poor imitation of comforting him.
    “You don’t want to pull it out,” I warn. “There’s a large artery that runs through each leg, and I’m afraid I just severed one with my knife. Pull out my knife and your blood will gush all over the place. You’ll be dead in two minutes, maybe less.”
    He’s suddenly sad. “Can you help me?”
    “I’m not a doctor.”
    His whole body trembles as he points to his car. “Alisa, please, drive me to a hospital. My family has money. They’ll pay you. They’ll pay you whatever you want.”
    “I already have money. Besides, that’s not what I want.”
    He is heartbroken. “No?”
    “No. But I’ll help you back to the car and I’ll tell you what I do want.”
    He limps weakly as I assist him to his car. He doesn’t protest as I shove him into the passenger side. A part of him still thinks I’m lying, and that in the end I’m going to save him.
    I climb in the driver’s side, close the door, and cuff his left wrist to the steering wheel. I do it so fast the deed is done before he realizes it, and his face is suddenly filled with the awe I have been waiting for. Yet his fear is greater.
    “You’re not human,” he whispers.
    “True. I’m not.”
    “Are you an alien?”
    I smile. “You know, over the years people have called me all kinds of things, but that’s a first. You should be proud of yourself, Danny Boy.”
    He stares down at the knife impaled in his leg. Moving him to the car has caused the blood to flow faster, and his sweats are soaked red. He puts his hand on the hilt of the blade.
    “You don’t want to do that,” I say.
    “It hurts.”
    I stop smiling. “Rape hurts. Did you stop and think of that when you hurt all those women?”
    He shakes his head as tears roll over his cheeks. “Please, you’re making a big mistake. You have the wrong guy.”
    “Two minutes ago you pointed a gun at me and ordered me to strip. Why would you do that if you weren’t going to rape me?”
    He sobs. “All right, I did it, I’m guilty. I’ll tell the police I did it. I swear. Just please take me to the hospital.”
    I reach over and stroke his hair. “I’m sorry, you have to stay here with all the women you wanted so badly.”
    “No! God, no! I can’t die!”
    “Shh. Calm down, you won’t suffer long. And to make sure you don’t, there’s something I’m going to do for you before I say good-bye.”
    He gazes at me with sudden hope. “What?”
    “Oh, just have a little drink is all.” Before he can react, I reach over and remove the knife and press my mouth to the gushing blood. He must eat a healthy diet—his blood tastes particularly good. Or maybe it’s because I have gone a long time without feasting. Ever since my maker, Yaksha, and my daughter Kalika gave me their powerful blood, I have discovered that I don’t need to feed on humans to survive.
    Yet old pleasures die hard. Danny Boy is white as a ghost before I’m through with him, and I can hear how his heart struggles with so little liquid to keep it beating. As an act ofkindness, I slip the knife back in his leg and close off the leaking