Blood & Honey #1

*Chapter Four*

The overbearing scent of Kinley Shea Rylan, the object and human of my current, unquenchable bloodlust wafts directly into my awaiting lungs as I step over the threshold of a top floor condo with an ocean view.

"I'll take it from here. Now, forget you saw me." I turn and face the building's onsite maintenance man who I compelled to let me in. I had planned on going through the sliding door on the balcony but, what do you know, it was locked.

Sure, I could have broken the lock or shattered the glass, but that would ruin the fun I have planned.

In the bathroom of the coffee shop, I needed to rush. Here, in the privacy behind closed doors and surrounded by walls stuffed with noise reduction insulation, there is no need to hurry. I'm free to take my time, and I plan on taking lots of time. For when will I get another chance to toy with a human who already knows what I am?

The answer to that rhetorical question is never.

Humans haven't known about the existence of our kind since the Prince of Darkness's reign. I don't see that changing anytime soon despite Alekos's worry.

Little does our leader know, if I had accepted his bid to be paired with his daughter, I would be on the side that wants to see the truth brought out of the dark and into the light. I like the sound of my kind no longer living in the shadows of a species that is far beneath us. There would be blood flowing in the streets and mayhem everywhere. The churches of the humans would be packed full as they preach about how the end times are upon them.

I'd love to see the humans' faces when they realize their creator does not hold dominion over this living rock—we do and will continue to do so for the many millenniums to come.

The maintenance man nods, his eyes glazed over from me imposing my commands deep into his subconscious. He leaves without a word, going back to finish watching whatever TV show had him glued to the television when I came in through a window.

The biggest advantage to having the maintenance man let me in is that I got to pick his brain about the person who lives in unit A301 of this pricey condo complex.

Drumroll...that person isn't Kinley.

My dear, sweet unfortunate Kinley is house-sitting for some corporate executive spending the next six months abroad for business.

Poor little Kinley has no friends or family from what I gathered. She moved here specifically to take this housesitting job. She is a month into her six-months stay. Meanwhile, I am only ten seconds into my exploration of her temporary lodging arrangements.

The condo is decorated with smooth clean lines. The furnishings appear to only come in two choices, white or glass. Everything looks staged and sterile.

I head toward the aqua glow coming from further inside. On the far wall of the living room sits an aquatic tank filled with exotic fish. The fish tank is the only light source to be found in this condo's open floor plan besides the light coming from a lamp I can see through a cracked bedroom door.

The spicy tang of Kinley's scent as I approach the room she must sleep in crafts the sensation of ants networking their tunnels through the black veins under my eyes.

Hell's mercy, she smells delectable.

The ants begin their march toward my esophagus as the bitter taste of venom saturates my mouth. I can hear the sounds of running water and an electric toothbrush humming as the bristles brush against teeth. I tune in my hearing until I can make out the individual squeezes within the chambers of Kinley's heart.

I close my eyes, letting the sound fill every inch of me. It's such a beautiful sound, yet I am looking forward to making it speed up.

The vibrating of the toothbrush stops, followed by the sounds of spitting, swishing, gurgling, and spitting again.