Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 3

It's creepy how much in tune Seymour is with my needs.

The moment I start feeling the call of fresh blood, he seems to be able to sense it, to anticipate it. Honestly, it's annoying to think that I might be so predictable and even more irritating to think that maybe he can anticipate my needs so well because we were intimate ages ago.

After all, we did spend more time than I would like to admit, in a relationship. We were very close, or at least as close as two vampires who do not possess healer blood can be. That, in turn, means that we got the chance to learn about each other.

At the time, I knew Seymour inside and out, or at least I thought I did until he turned his back on me and became just another bad memory.

It's terrifying to think that I've changed so little that he is still able to accurately predict my needs. Tobias would probably be disappointed in me if he knew the truth, if he knew how weak I could be when it came to that intoxicating liquid.

"Shall we get a bite to eat?" Seymour asks while I fight a losing battle with my demons.

He chuckles, and I think how satisfying it would be to rip his head off with that smile still attached to his attractive face. I would love to see him try grinning without his head.

I know that although I am furious at Seymour for what he did to me, a lot of what I am feeling is projected anger. Mostly, I am angry at myself for not being better at this.

It has been so long since I became a vampire, shouldn't it be easier by now? Shouldn't I have better self-control?

What's most infuriating about it all is the fact that Seymour, one of the most vicious vampires I ever knew, seems to have better control of his thirst than I do, although I have tried so hard for years.

Before any of this is over, before I stop using him, I need to find out what his secret is. Although he still seems to enjoy the taste of blood and the thrill of the hunt, not once have I seen him slip up, take more blood than he should, and yet I have been close multiple times.

Even more annoying than that is the fact that his firm hand on my shoulder was what stopped me, which made me stop feeding on the poor human just in time, just before I murdered her.

"That would be lovely," I reply sarcastically.

We are in a rural area, but that is good for our purpose, less chance of anyone realizing what is happening. Usually, they blame it on hard work, or anemia so we are in the clear. Still, we try to be as careful as possible.

Honestly, I am not afraid of humans finding out, they would never believe such stories, I am afraid of Tobias and Cecilia hearing the stories, they would easily figure out what was happening. That's why we always hunt far from home and in scarcely populated areas.

This area is perfect, there is a small farmhouse with only one family. They are already asleep which makes it less fun, less exhilarating, but more practical, having in mind that we want to finish our trip quickly so as not to raise any suspicions. I don't want Tobias and Cecilia to find out the truth too soon.

Our sneaking around the peaceful house is synchronized so perfectly that I can hear Seymour sucking the woman's blood as I am sinking my teeth into the man's neck, and I don't like it. It makes me feel as if we are more similar than I care to admit.

The two humans stir slightly but don't wake up, as usual. It's strange what humans can sleep through and what they can rationalize away when they wake up with two puncture wounds on their bodies.

It makes our feeding so much easier, maybe too easy. I am not sure if it is the main reason why I allow myself the midnight snack; because it's so easy to get one.

As I finish drinking as much as I can without killing or incapacitating the human, I raise my head to check on Seymour even before I retract my fangs since I want to make sure he is done, and we can leave as soon as possible.

When I look at him, I realize that he has been looking at me for a while with a strange expression on his face. It's as if he had seen the most fascinating thing ever and I have no idea why he looks like that. It's quite an average house with an ordinary family.

"What?" I whisper.

I start licking my lips self-consciously, thinking I might have some blood dripping down my face, or something like that, something out of place that would attract his attention.

His eyes glow even brighter shade of red, and I can feel that he is fixated on my lips.

"I just forgot how magnificent and powerful you are when you feed. That's what I missed most about you, the enthusiasm with which you do everything." He says, coming closer to me.

He is insane! We are in a human house, drinking their blood, not on a romantic picnic drinking wine, and he dares tell me something like that! The nerve of some people!

I move towards the exit in an instant, knowing that he will follow, and I don't stop until we are far away from the human house. Then, I stop abruptly and turn towards him.

"How dare you!? What gives you the right to tell me that you missed anything about me!? You are the one who walked away, remember? You left me behind, so don't you dare play the martyr!" I snap at him.

"I am sorry. I truly am. It's just that it feels so good to be back to how we were before I messed everything up. You and I, together against the world. It just feels right." Seymour says.

And it's more than I can stand. I can't keep pretending that I forgave him, because somehow in that twisted mind of his that means that we are back together, that I would just agree to be with the man who shattered my heart even after knowing my full story.

He is the one to whom I opened my heart when it was recovering from betrayal only for him to betray me again. If he thinks that I would just forgive that so easily than he doesn't know me very well.

"WE ARE NOT BACK TOGETHER!! We never will be. I let you stay because I need your help, not because I want you as my lover!" I blurt out.

I am not sure what sets me off, whether it is surprise on his face or the fact that he starts moving towards me as if to hug me, but something shifts in me, and I can no longer be rational. I attack.

I try to sink my fangs into him, but he moves aside. Still, I am fast enough to give him a solid punch before he can move aside. Honestly, it feels so good to let out all this pent up anger, to hurt someone who has hurt me, that I lose all my ability to think rationally.

I am so enthralled by rage, that I don't hear the approach of second vampire until his hands encircle me. My tribe would have been ashamed had they seen me, the Great Huntress being surprised by anyone or anything.

"Easy there, I don't think you truly want to hurt him although he can be such an..." The man starts to say.

"Alarcos, what are you doing here?" Seymour interrupts.

"Just passing by," Alarcos answers unconvincingly.

"Let her go, please. We are fine, just a misunderstanding." Seymour says while I fume in anger.

"Lovers spat, huh? I know about those rather well." Alarcos says as he lets go of me and winks.

I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, but I don't care. All I know is that I need to cool down and stop thinking about what Seymour did to me.

"And who is this?" I ask to change the subject.

"Helen, this is my friend Alarcos. Alarcos, this is Helen." Seymour answers.

"Well, I would say we were more than friends, wouldn't you? Or do you spend passionate nights with all your friends?" Alarcos asks teasingly.