The shock of her answer to my thoughts didn’t stop me from pushing me to know more. “So, in theory, you could feed from multiple people, like taking sips, and not kill anyone?”
“In theory, yes. But the reality is, those you feed from will know what you are. There is no way to erase the memory of you drinking their blood. You run a real risk of exposing us to mortals and the Acta Sanctorum by trying to make that your nightly feeding routine. However, a situation like tonight might have been okay because of that man’s level of inebriation.”
Jessie turned around from the front seat to look at me. “Man, you really are new at this, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
She gave me a toothy smile. “You’ll toughen up soon. First few kills are awkward.”
“Yeah… thanks.” I didn’t need her advice. Jessie, it seemed, had no problem with killing, innocents or not. I knew she wouldn’t really understand. There was no use trying to explain it to her.
The remainder of the ride home I sat quietly, watching the streetlights and buildings pass by. I tried to avoid thinking about the guilt and shame of killing an innocent, but images of Erick’s face kept flashing into my mind.
He was not supposed to die
.
We arrived home just before sunrise, and I was grateful for that. I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in the sheets of Lysander’s bed and pretend this night had never happened.
CHAPTER 15
* * * * *
I spent a few nights in solitude, mourning the death of Erick, before Crystal managed to convince me to go out again.
Avid travelers, the Peregrinus never stayed in one place for very long. They took advantage of the time they did have by enjoying all the amenities each city had to offer.
All of us—everyone except Jessie, who had left early that night—decided to explore the Strip. The boys wanted to try their hand at gambling and the girls wanted to see the changes to the Strip since their last visit. Since I was a native, I offered to act as their tour guide.
I’d done this plenty of times before, playing tour guide, when members of my family or old friends came to visit. It’s a tradition for Las Vegas locals and usually the only time we make it to the Strip ourselves.
All eyes were wide, mouths hung open, and mumbles of “wow,” came from the clan as we drove down Las Vegas Boulevard.
“The Peregrinus have not been to Vegas in well over thirty years,” said Rozaline as she eyed the large buildings we passed.
“The city has changed quite a bit in the last few years. I doubt you will even recognize the Strip anymore,” I said, trying to sound knowledgeable.
It was true. In the last thirty years the Strip had grown and reinvented itself more than once. Many of the old casinos that lined Las Vegas Boulevard had been imploded and rebuilt.
Towering structures and neon lined the famous boulevard; multicolored replicas of the New York skyline, a Camelot castle, a great black pyramid, exploding volcanoes, and pirate ships amazed the clan as we took our slow drive down the Strip.
Drew and Crystal were delighted by the whimsical Camelot castle, as well as the golden lion on the great pedestal at another casino. Each hotel we passed was a treat to their eyes.
“Ah, this is wonderful,” exclaimed Crystal, watching a rollercoaster zooming around the front of another casino. “Things have certainly changed.”
“Yes. This was all probably a dirt lot the last time you were here,” I responded, still trying to show off my knowledge.
As is the custom in Vegas, the Strip was always expanding. New casinos popped up every few years, each one bigger and flashier than the ones prior.
“Amazing,” Rozaline said, as a small replica of a volcano began its explosive show. It sent watery blasts, colored with orange lights, shooting up to the sky. The effect resembled boiling lava.
“If you think that’s cool, you should check out the pirate ship battle next door.” I chuckled at their astonishment. Just like any other tourist, they pointed while they oooh-ed and ahhh-ed at each casino. It was a refreshing sight to see, and a reminder that even though I was a vampire now, I could still enjoy some of the simple pleasures of being alive. Monster or not, everyone loves to be entertained—and Vegas was never short on that. I made a mental note to come back to the Strip more often and really allow myself to take it all in with my fresh, new eyes.
A longstanding Vegas tourist tradition is to see the Strip on foot. I would have been a horrible tour guide if I denied them that wonderful opportunity, so I made the suggestion. “Let’s park and go see some sights.”
No tour is complete without the crowds of people, the smut peddlers, and the chance for photos in front of the various attractions.
We parked and made our way into a casino.
I’d forgotten how strong the scent of the people around me would be. I was getting much better at controlling my urges and the monster within. Still, being surrounded by so many people, I was briefly startled by the aroma as we entered the recirculated air of the casino.
The flood of smells rushed toward me. My mouth watered with anticipation as I filtered through the scents in the air, finding one in particular that enticed me. I found myself slowing down as we passed a pair of ladies sitting at a blackjack table. I slowly breathed in their perfume as my eyes fixed on the exposed neck of a blonde woman.
Citrus with a hint of vanilla: her scent was tantalizing. My mouth watered as my tongue traced the edges of one of my sharp fangs.
Lysander must have caught my interest. “Discretion, Alyssa,” he cautioned, grabbing my arm while pushing me forward.
It was the first time we had spoken since our fight a few evenings ago.
I bit my lip and snapped to attention, wishing I had taken time to hunt before allowing myself to be surrounded by so many people. I didn’t need another repeat of the club incident. Breathing slowly through my mouth, I tried not to smell the air.
The memory of Erick and the guilt that followed his death helped me push the monster down.
I was still angry at Lysander for the harsh words during our fight, but I was thankful for his presence. Though annoying at times, he did prevent me from making mistakes. Being surrounded by tons of humans, I knew I’d need his guidance tonight.
He escorted me through the casino as we tried to catch up to the rest of the clan. They must not have noticed my pause. They swiftly maneuvered through the crowds, heading to the front door that led to the Strip.
Outside the casino was a sea of people. The pirate show in the front always drew a huge crowd. Swarms of people packed themselves onto the small replica of a pier, between two battling ships. There was no way to make it through the crowd. We were stuck until the show ended. I didn’t mind that much. It had been years since I’d seen the pirates.
I settled in to watch the battle when a familiar sensation struck me.
I was being watched.
The skin on the back of my neck prickled and my hair stood on end. There were so many people around that I couldn’t tell from which direction the odd sensation was coming. I did know one thing, though. The source was another immortal nearby.
In the short time I’d been a vampire, this sensation was the only telltale sign of another immortal’s presence. I’d gotten used to the feeling as the clan came and went during their stay at Lysander’s home.
I turned my head, looking left and right, hoping to spot the person who was causing this paranoid feeling. The rest of the clan was out of sight, so I assumed it wasn’t one of them I was sensing.
The crowd of people was so tightly packed it was almost impossible to move. The loud shouts of pirates and the
boom
of fake cannons sounded to the left and right. A flash of light accompanied a cannon blast. The flames from the cannon fire illuminated the cause of my worry.
I saw him on one of the rocks; the unmistakable face of Edmond. He stared intently at me from the top of the fake cliffs decorating the entrance to the hotel.
Oh, shit!
Lysander’s grip tightened on my arm.
“Did you just see…”
“Yes,” he said curtly.
I looked back to the rock cliff. Edmond had vanished.
“Are we in danger?”
“No. We are probably just in his hunting area.”
“Are they hunting us already?” My heart sped. My mind buzzed with images of other vampires with demonic faces. I felt the false rock walls closing in on me. I remembered the warning given in Lysander’s book. I was a bastard fledgling, turned without permission, and sentenced to death. Lysander and I would be hunted down and our blood used to strengthen Kallisto’s coven.
“He won’t attack us in public. Not now.” Lysander remained calm as ever. His face unnerved me; there was so much at stake.
My voice cracked as I spoke. “But how can you be sure?”
“He may be an arrogant ass, but he does have respect for the rules of engagement. He gave us thirty nights. He will not act until that time has expired. We still have time.”
The pirate show ended, and the sea of people dissipated. We made our way out on to the street and found the clan heading inside another casino.
“You’re sure he won’t attack us?” I asked, giving Lysander a worried look.
“Yes, Alyssa, I’m sure. I know Edmond, better than I wish to. He will not act out of turn.”
Man, I hope he’s right about this
.
We caught up with the clan inside. I noticed that Nicholas had stopped by a cave-like room filled with tables. He watched intently as men sat stoically, playing with cards and colorful ceramic chips. Damon walked over to Nicholas, and he too took an interest in the game.
They both looked entranced, standing still as the dealer placed cards on the oval felt-covered table. The men sitting around the table each took turns, deciding what they wanted to do with their cards and chips.
The poker boom had hit only a few years ago, after some Internet player won a few million dollars in a big tournament. Suddenly, every casino was putting in rooms dedicated specifically to this game.
Hold’em…Texas Hold’em, to be precise. I wasn’t a grinder, but I had dabbled a bit here and there. I knew the basics of this game and could scratch a small profit if I concentrated on good strategy. I found it funny and ironic that vampires would be so interested in the vices of humans. But, then again, maybe we really weren’t all that different.
Feeling a little cocky, I walked over to the boys. “Ever played?” I asked with a sly smile.
“You shitting me? Everyone knows Hold’em,” Damon immediately responded. “You play, Lyss?”
I liked Damon. He wasn’t a man of many words, but he was a friendly and easygoing kind of guy.
I inclined my head towards the tables. “Yeah, once in a while. You guys want to get in on a game?”
“This is not the poker I remember,” Nicholas said. A puzzled look crossed his face. We all watched as one of the men at the table pushed a huge stack of red, ceramic chips into the center of the table.
“I’m all in, boys,” the gentleman exclaimed loudly, and stood up.
“Call,” came a calm, quiet voice from the opposite side of the table.
The boisterous gentleman clapped his hands together and rubbed them vigorously. “C’mon, dealer. One time!” A huge grin covered his face.
We all watched as the dealer, dealt out a single card onto the table. The loud gentleman’s reaction was instantaneous. The smile faded. He wiped his brow. A slight quiver played at the corner of his lips. After a millisecond of silence, the loud man cursed and slammed the table. The dealer didn’t seem to care. He pushed the huge pile of chips to a silent man wearing huge headphones and sunglasses sitting opposite of him.
I laughed inside, watching the scene play out before my eyes. I shouldn’t revel in others’ misery, but it was nice to see it happen to someone other than me. I’d been in that position so many times. So sure of myself. So sure of my hand, and then…fate deals you out. Nice to know it happens to us all.
A wicked grin spread across Nicholas’s face. “I think I want to play,” he said. His eyes remained locked on the table. “How do I get into this game?”
I pointed Nicholas to the counter to get a seat for the game and some chips. The casino representative asked Nicholas what game he wanted to play. For a moment, he stood silent, looking lost, as if he didn’t know how to respond.
“I want to play that ‘all-in’ game you have, over there, at that table.” He pointed to the table we had just been watching.
The casino employee, an older, balding man, snickered “All in,” under his breath, as he prepared a rack of chips for Nicholas. “That’s two hundred, sir, for one two no-limit, table twelve.”
Damon and I purchased racks of chips, too, and asked to take seats at the same table. We took our places on either side of Nicholas at the long, oval table.
“You wanna post now or wait till the blinds?” the dealer, a rail-thin man, asked.
Nicholas’ brow furrowed. He looked to his chips and then at the dealer. “Post? Post what? Ante?”
“We’ll wait for the blinds,” I answered.
The dealer nodded as Nicholas shot me a puzzled look.
Damon leaned in, speaking to Nicholas’s ear. “The blinds are how you get the pot started, man. Check this, seats one and two after the dealer button have to put money in the middle to get the betting going.”
Glad to see one of the clan was versed in the game, I smiled at Damon and nodded my approval of his instruction.
“Ah, yes, that makes sense,” said Nicholas.
I leaned into Nicholas’s other ear. “Just watch the order in which everyone bets and try not to go out of turn.”
I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the hungry look on some of the other players’ faces. Nicholas was clearly a newbie. All of the wannabe sharks at this table were readying themselves to take all of Nicholas’s chips.
“You’re going to get two cards to play with, and the dealer will deal out five more cards, face up, on the table at different intervals.” I continued with my quick lesson. “Three cards on the flop, one card on the turn, and one card on the river. These are community cards. Each time a new set of cards is dealt, you get a chance to bet. There is no limit to how much you can raise. You want to make the best five-card hand out of your two cards and the five cards that will be dealt.”