Chapter 3

The night was stormy and the city strangely even more quiet than the day before. Humans are fickle in crying over not having perfect weather and disappearing inside. As for myself, I had left my apartment after realizing if I stayed I would end up hurting Helga. I may be a phantom but did not find pleasure in harming those that I was meant to hunt.

So I had walked the city, talking on my phone and preparing the merger with another high powered brokerage firm. In reality my company would absorb them eventually. My assets were higher than the other and within a year Berkawitz would be under my thumb. He was an arrogant man and would probably be very tasty and give me a boost in energy.

Shaking my head, I put that aside, knowing my hunger was talking more than my head. The sun was setting. Even behind the clouds phantoms of the night know when the last sliver of the sun's rays disappear from view. I had gone to the library after spending so much time walking among the throngs of humanity. I had stayed among groups so as not to hunt. It was terrible to know I could smell blood from those hurt or bleeding and sense the pulse of veins.

I wasn't human anymore but found comfort among them. It was as if a slight shadow of what I had been remained and at the library I searched from the remaining branch of my house.

It was hard to believe, but I still had family out in the wide world who still carried the Coleville name. Every few years I checked obituaries for family names. I had very distant cousins and direct descendants, though not from myself. As for what remained of my family name sake, they lived in the US, under the name Clayton, a bygone name taken by the only daughter of the first generation to move to the US. I would have loved children. However, humans and vampires could not procreate and only two vampires could, though it was rare. It is why so few Purebloods and existing birthed vampire exist.

Last night had been like a white buck galloping across your path, such as in King Arthur's sages of adventure. Two Purebloods meant something very important was taking place and I knew I needed to prepare. If I had to liquidate and run I would.

The smell of old blood wrinkled my nose and the smell of decay came. I was close to the morgue. The stairs were slick as the rain came down and I step inside. The sound of soft music played as I walked in. Dr. Fallon was over a body and the smell of blood almost made me hit the ground in delight.

Dr. Fallon pulled down his mask, his face pale as he said, 'Nina, I wasn't expecting you till later.'

'I decided to come early in case someone else decided to steal what I need.'

He nods and steps away from the body saying, 'Come over here. I do have some blood but not the best quality.'

I nod and follow him over to a small fridge. Opening it, the overwhelming smell of blood made me stiffen but stay calm as he says, 'I have the medical records on the blood.'

He hands over the paperwork and I take a look saying, 'Its not diseased which is a plus in it's favor. Male, died of an overdose. What of?'

'Most likely a overdose of meth.'

'It says he was also intoxicated at the time of death. A .21 on the scale, almost sounds like a suicide.'

David shakes his head and says as I puts the glass liter bottle on the counter, 'No just some lowlife. Will it do?'

'It will have to.' I murmur with a nod. When you are hungry enough you will eat anything. It was the same with blood, though unappetizing it would quiet the hunger in my gut.

'That's true, you haven't been here in almost a month. Strange for you.'

David Fallon was studying me and I look at him, putting on a placid smile as I say, 'Testing my limits.'

'Don't tell me you are trying to go Ghoul on me,' he says nervously, his face blanching paler than before.

David knew more about the vampire world than most. Few humans did. He had probably seen his fair share of the worse. Most vampires didn't care for humankind, seeing them as slaves and cattle. He was more fortunate and could exploit his position to provide blood, like he did for me. Shaking my head, I reassure him, 'I'm still in my right mind, if I wasn't you would be on that table right now.'

He takes a quick glance to the open body and gives a nervous laugh, sweat forming on his forehead as he says, 'Th-there is something else.'

His heart rate increase, his breathing too, and then I smelt his fear. It was an acrid stench and one I hadn't smell on him since the day I came to him. My face goes placid as I ask evenly, 'What might that be?'

His fear I could taste on my tongue now, paste like and stale as he says jerkily, 'I-I can't sell blood to you anymore.'

I stop as I'm reaching into my purse and look back at him. He flinches and I realize my sudden fury is flashing, one of my pheremones leaking from me. Tamping down what had leaked out, I ask softly, trying to give off a calming aura, 'What do you mean?'

'I've been coming under suspicion by my director and I don't want to lose my job.'

I knew he was lying, but I don't call him on it as I pull out the money to pay for my food source, feeling a little hollow knowing I would have to hunt for a new source. He takes it and I say calmly, 'I'm surprised you are coming under suspicion, seeing as after you have finished an autopsy, the blood is dumped.'

He stops cold, looking at me with worried eyes. Taking the blood, I raise a brow. He closes his eyes and murmurs, 'Nina, I can't say more.'

'David, I have been coming to you for twenty seven years and without fail paid for my food from you. I need an explanation beyond a flimsy excuse.'

His jaw hardens and he turns away saying sarcastically, 'I can't please everyone! Take your disgusting meal and go!'

Something inside me broke as I grabbed the blood, turned, and I let out my power, my mind focusing to short circuit his and growl out, 'David, I will not ask again.'

Slowly I step up to him and he slowly sits, his face petrified as I continue, my pheremones of death eeking out like crude oil, 'Tell me all.'

The fear seemed to permeate the room, overpowering the smell of decay, and old blood. David started to shiver and then almost as quickly his eyes seemed to glaze over as my psychi took hold, his body went limp and he murmured, 'They told me not to.'

'Who?'

In a monotone he continues, 'The Elrics Clan, they come to me for blood like you. They are trying to clamp down on rouge vampire, clanless.'

This chilled me and feel my breathing become a little erratic as he continues, 'There are only three clanless, you are one of them.'

'Why?' I ask, feeling a deep fear run through me, survival instincts taking over.

'They want to starve you out, make you join them for War.'

This jerks me away, my concentration slipping any hold on his mind disappearing, my pheremones sliding away lile a gentle fog

He blinks away the haze over his eyes and he cries, 'You, you glamoured me!'

I didn't excuse myself as I say, 'Yes, I did.'

'Why?'

'Survival,' I say, placing the liter of blood in my bag, turn to him with a bow of my head, 'I know you are being pressured by powerful vampires, but remember they are not your friend, like I have been.'

'How can you be a friend when you do that to me?!' He yells, his hands shaking from the after effects of glamouring.

Pulling a card from my coat pocket I put it on the table, uninterested in answering a mundane question he could answer himself, as I say, 'This is my card, my primary number is on it, not my office. If you need a way out of this mess, call me.'

With that I sweep from the room, hunger propelling me from this place of decay and remaining stale fear. The rain poured as I disappear down the darkened street away from the man I would consider a friend.