needs.”
I wasn’t ready for that. “Not on the first date,” I protested, tugging more firmly until he released my arm.
“This is hardly our first date.”
“Yes, but we’re starting new, remember?” I edged towards the end of the booth, putting needed space between us. I’d been too preoccupied with getting ready for the date to think much about eating first, but he was right, I could feel the telltale signs. I needed to hunt. “Maybe we should get out of here. I do need to eat, and it probably shouldn’t be around your favorite watering hole.”
“That hardly signifies.” His arm shot out and Jakob grabbed a passing waitress, pulling her into his lap. “The staff here are very obliging, aren’t you?” he smiled encouragingly, earning him a vacant nod from the girl.
I pictured us both feeding in the curtained booth, and the corresponding rush of heat had me bolting to my feet. “I think I need some fresh air. You um, go ahead. I’ll meet you outside.”
Jakob appeared by my side mere seconds after I emerged into the night air, falling into step beside me. “You’re right, best not to muddy the local waters. Where would you like to go?”
“You want to go hunting with me?”
“It’s hardly a hunt, but yes. If you will not take my blood, you must eat soon, petal.” He brushed a tendril of hair away from my neck. “I would not have you suffer the pangs of hunger.”
“ To tell the truth, I haven’t had too much time to set up a usual hunting ground in these parts. I’m always worried I’ll end up poaching someone else’s feeder.” True it was easy enough to ask, and I’d worked hard to instill that courtesy in Ellie when she fed, but it always felt awkward to me.
“Such notions… where do you get these ideas?” His head shook slowly in amusement.
“It’s not considered polite to eat someone else’s human.”
“We have no need for such pleasantries . We have the right to take what we wish.”
So he hadn’t changed all that much, had he? “Still, I’m open to suggestions if there’s a place you want to go.”
“Very well, I’ll show you where I prefer to seek my prey, shall I?” Leaving the car behind, Jakob wrapped an arm around my waist, zooming me through the darkened streets, much like he had the day he’d come to Hanna’s rescue. When my head cleared from the rush of dizziness at finding myself on my own two feet again, I recognized that he’d brought me to Hunters Point, appropriately enough.
I vaguely knew where we were, but that was about it, the neighborhood was too rough for my tastes, especially at night. Not that we had anything to worry about, being the two strongest things on the block, and it was liberating to check out a hidden part of the city with Jakob by my side. He led me to a dive bar with a painted sign outside that merely said Tavern , the actual name having long ago faded into obscurity.
Inside, we took a scarred booth, the seats more duct tape and epoxy than the original cushioned vinyl. Jakob held up two fingers, and two steins of beer appeared with a slosh of froth from the harried bartender, his sharp eyes more focused on the folded bills Jakob held out than anything else.
“Nice place,” I ventured, taking a sip from the tall mug before wishing I hadn’t. “Do you come here often?”
“I do,” Jakob admitted with an easy grin, his large frame filling the booth. “When I’m in the mood for something bracing.” He raised the mug to me, downing the vile contents as though it was the finest nectar of the gods.
“And here I thought you’d prefer stalking something more refined,” I replied, my gaze skimming over the crowd. There were far more men than women in the bar, and those women appeared to be of the working variety.
“You don’t approve?” he asked mildly.
“No, it’s fine. It just doesn’t leave me with a whole lot of choices.”
I wasn’t ready for that. “Not on the first date,” I protested, tugging more firmly until he released my arm.
“This is hardly our first date.”
“Yes, but we’re starting new, remember?” I edged towards the end of the booth, putting needed space between us. I’d been too preoccupied with getting ready for the date to think much about eating first, but he was right, I could feel the telltale signs. I needed to hunt. “Maybe we should get out of here. I do need to eat, and it probably shouldn’t be around your favorite watering hole.”
“That hardly signifies.” His arm shot out and Jakob grabbed a passing waitress, pulling her into his lap. “The staff here are very obliging, aren’t you?” he smiled encouragingly, earning him a vacant nod from the girl.
I pictured us both feeding in the curtained booth, and the corresponding rush of heat had me bolting to my feet. “I think I need some fresh air. You um, go ahead. I’ll meet you outside.”
Jakob appeared by my side mere seconds after I emerged into the night air, falling into step beside me. “You’re right, best not to muddy the local waters. Where would you like to go?”
“You want to go hunting with me?”
“It’s hardly a hunt, but yes. If you will not take my blood, you must eat soon, petal.” He brushed a tendril of hair away from my neck. “I would not have you suffer the pangs of hunger.”
“ To tell the truth, I haven’t had too much time to set up a usual hunting ground in these parts. I’m always worried I’ll end up poaching someone else’s feeder.” True it was easy enough to ask, and I’d worked hard to instill that courtesy in Ellie when she fed, but it always felt awkward to me.
“Such notions… where do you get these ideas?” His head shook slowly in amusement.
“It’s not considered polite to eat someone else’s human.”
“We have no need for such pleasantries . We have the right to take what we wish.”
So he hadn’t changed all that much, had he? “Still, I’m open to suggestions if there’s a place you want to go.”
“Very well, I’ll show you where I prefer to seek my prey, shall I?” Leaving the car behind, Jakob wrapped an arm around my waist, zooming me through the darkened streets, much like he had the day he’d come to Hanna’s rescue. When my head cleared from the rush of dizziness at finding myself on my own two feet again, I recognized that he’d brought me to Hunters Point, appropriately enough.
I vaguely knew where we were, but that was about it, the neighborhood was too rough for my tastes, especially at night. Not that we had anything to worry about, being the two strongest things on the block, and it was liberating to check out a hidden part of the city with Jakob by my side. He led me to a dive bar with a painted sign outside that merely said Tavern , the actual name having long ago faded into obscurity.
Inside, we took a scarred booth, the seats more duct tape and epoxy than the original cushioned vinyl. Jakob held up two fingers, and two steins of beer appeared with a slosh of froth from the harried bartender, his sharp eyes more focused on the folded bills Jakob held out than anything else.
“Nice place,” I ventured, taking a sip from the tall mug before wishing I hadn’t. “Do you come here often?”
“I do,” Jakob admitted with an easy grin, his large frame filling the booth. “When I’m in the mood for something bracing.” He raised the mug to me, downing the vile contents as though it was the finest nectar of the gods.
“And here I thought you’d prefer stalking something more refined,” I replied, my gaze skimming over the crowd. There were far more men than women in the bar, and those women appeared to be of the working variety.
“You don’t approve?” he asked mildly.
“No, it’s fine. It just doesn’t leave me with a whole lot of choices.”
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