"So it's over," she said. "I'm back in."
"You're leader," Morgead said sourly. "Enjoy it, because I'm going to be right behind you every step, just waiting for my chance."
"I wouldn't expect anything else," Jez said. Then she blinked. "What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" His face set, his eyes on the far wall, Morgead was tugging his shirt away from his neck, and leaning his head back.
"I have no idea-" Then Jez realized. She went cold to the tips of her fingers.
I didn't think. I should have remembered, but I didn't, and I didn't plan for this....
"Blood in, blood out," Morgead said shortly.
Why didn't I remember? Panic was stirring inside Jez. She couldn't see any way to get out of it.
For human gangs "blood in, blood out" meant you got beat up when you were jumped in, and you didn't leave until you were dead. But for vampire gangs...
I can't bite him.
The most frightening thing was that something inside her wanted to do it. Her entire skin was tingling, and it suddenly seemed as if it was only yesterday that she'd had her last blood meal. She could remember exactly how it felt, sinking her teeth into smooth skin, piercing it easily, feeling the warm flow start.
And Morgead's blood would be dark and sweet and powerful. Vampire blood wasn't life-sustaining like human blood, but it was rich with the hidden promise of the Night World. And Morgead was one of the strongest vampires she'd ever met. His blood would be full of the mastery of that new attack, full of raw, vital young energy.
But I don't drink blood. I'm not a vampire! Not anymore.
Jez was trembling in shock. In the entire year since she'd stopped drinking blood, she'd never been so tempted. She had no idea why it had come on like this now, but it was almost out of her control. She pressed her tongue against one sharpening canine, trying to restrain it, trying to get some relief from the stress. Her upper and lower jaws were aching fiercely.
I can't. It's unthinkable. If I do it once, I'll never be able to stop. I'll become-what I was back then.
I'll be lost I can't-but I have to. I need to get back in the gang.
Morgead was staring at her. "Now what's wrong with you?"
"I. . ." Jez was dizzy with fear and longing and the sense of danger. She couldn't see any way out....
And then she saw it.
"Here," she said, unbuttoning the collar of her shirt. "You bite me."
"What?"
'It satisfies the requirement. Blood has to be spilled. And it's the leader who does it"
'You're the leader, idiot."
"Not until I'm back in the gang. And I'm not back in the gang until blood is spilled."
He was staring at her, his eyes hard and demanding and not amused at all. "Jez... that's ridiculous.
Why?"
He was too smart. She didn't dare let him keep thinking about it. "Because I think it's the proper procedure. And because-I overfed last night. I don't want anymore." She stared straight into his eyes, not allowing a muscle to quiver. Trying to force her version of the truth into his brain.
Morgead blinked and looked away.
Jez allowed herself to relax minutely. She had one advantage over Morgead; there was no way he could even imagine her real motives. She just hoped he wouldn't discern the human flavor to her blood.
'If you won't tell me, I give up." He shrugged. "So, fine. If that's the way you want it..."
"It is."
"Whatever." He turned back to her and reached for her shoulders.
A new shock rocked Jez. Morgead never hesitated once he made up his mind, but this was a little unnerving. His grip was a bit too firm and authoritative;
Jez felt out of control.
And how am I going to shield myself? she thought wildly, clamping down on a new wave of fear. He's already a powerful telepath and sharing blood increases rapport How am I supposed to block that-?
Everything was happening too fast; she didn't have time to plan or think. All she could do was try not to panic as Morgead drew her close.
Jerk... he's had too much experience at this, part of her thought furiously. At subduing any kind of prey. At gentling scared girls-human girls.
He was holding her lightly and precisely; he was tilting her chin back. Jez shut her eyes and tried to blank
her mind.
And now she could feel the warmth of his face near her skin; she could feel his breath on her throat. She knew his canine teeth were extending, lengthening, thinning to needle points. She tried to control her breathing.
She felt a swathe of warmth as he licked her throat once, and then a pain that made her own teeth ache.
His teeth had pierced her skin, sharp as obsidian.
Then the release of blood flowing. Her life, spilling out The instinctive twinge of fear Jez felt had nothing to do with him invading her mind.
No vampire liked to make this kind of submission. Letting someone drink your blood meant you were weaker, it meant you were willingly making yourself prey. Everything inside Jez protested at just relaxing and letting Morgead do this.
And maybe that was the answer, she thought suddenly. A wall of turmoil to cover her thoughts. Pretend to be too agitated to let him make contact. ...
But his lips were surprisingly soft on her throat, and the pain was gone, and he was holding her more like a lover than like a predator. She could feel his mind all around her, strong, demanding.
He wasn't trying to hurt her. He was trying to make it not-terrible for her.
But I want it to be terrible. I don't want to feel like this....
It didn't matter. She felt as if she were being pulled by a swift current, dragged and tumbled into some place she had never been before. Sparkling lights danced behind her closed eyelids. Electricity crackled through her body.
And then she felt his mouth moving gently on her throat, and the world fell away....
Chapter 9
No. This can't be happening.
Jez had never felt anything like this before, but she knew instinctively that it was dangerous. She was being pulled into Morgead's mind. She could feel it surrounding her, enfolding her, a touch that was light but almost irresistible, that was trying to draw out the most secret part of herself.
And the most frightening thing was that Morgead wasn't doing it It was something outside both of them, something that was trying to mix them together like two pools of water being stirred. Jez could feel that Morgead was as startled and astonished as she was. The only difference was that he didn't seem to be resisting the force. He didn't seem terrified and unhappy about it, as Jez was. He seemed... exhilarated and wondering, like somebody skydiving for the first time.