Prey

Chapter 36

Xander's POV:

I took the long way back, not quite ready yet to go back to my room.

To Doe.

Layla and her new pet had parted ways with me on the first floor, and here I was slowly taking the stairs. All 22 flights of them.

Just to get my thoughts together... and figure out what the hell my body was trying to tell me right now.

The savage parts of us sometimes like to have opinions that differed from our domesticated sides.

And since that side of us is the more powerful one, it never fails in making itself known whenever it gets the chance.

Some vampires never learn how to differentiate the two, and thus often act rashly.

Nico and I were lucky enough to have a mother who taught us at a very young age what the difference was.

Usually, the message came as subtle changes within our bodies.

One that usually gave our brains a slight clue on what the problem is.

A chill, an ache, random soreness, goosebumps even.

This one just felt heavy.

Like a brick had been dropped and was now just sitting in my ribcage.

It was exhausting.

God, I was so tired... not even in a physical sense.

Or maybe it was physical, but that's not what my body was trying to get across.

I closed my eyes to try to concentrate on it, only being met with the words that started this whole thing through the deep, loud rumbling within my ears.

'Get your brother to attend that ball and give me what I'm owed and I will be more than happy to be considered yours that night.'

Usually, such a phrase would have caused that jealousy I was oh so familiar with to spark to life.

Which it did... it definitely did.

I could distinguish that part of it at least, but that's only because I had experienced it so many times before.

This time it just brought so much more with it.

I fought to keep my claws contained at my wave of frustration.

I didn't even receive any sort of... elation or joy from the possibility of her going with me.

I didn't have time to before everything else showed up and left me fighting to keep a smile for her until she left.

Getting Nico to go wasn't the problem, I'm sure that I could manage that. In one way or another.

I'll have to ask him soon though... later today.

Maybe solidifying my date with her will make some of this onslaught within my body

The stupid feral vampirism in me must have found that thought amusing since the weight got so much heavier after it passed.

Enough so to cause my steps to stagger, grasping the railing for support.

My other hand clutched the fabric over where it ached, a sharp groan tearing from my throat.

This whole thing was getting irritating.

A feeling that was honestly not very well known to me, and thus the reason my claws sprung free and I could feel that my pupils were no longer rounded.