Hemlock Clan: What I Am

~ LIX ~

Cameron

"Block out the traffic," Blake instructed as he held my head in his hands, his face just inches from mine. "Don't listen to the music. Ignore the chatter." He leaned in closer and I rested my hands on his waist, gripping on to his t-shirt. "Just listen out for the humans, for their bodies. Pay attention to the sounds their bodies make. You'll soon see what I mean."

Stepping back, he dropped his hands from my face and smiled. I cocked my head to the side, letting my eyes wander over the busy city street, trying to do as he said.

Drinking from a blood bag was helping with my thirst but it wasn't quite fill me up completely ... I felt like I wanted more, but didn't quite understand what it was I wanted.

Blake knew straight away, and brought me into the city. He believed that I had the urge to bite a human, to taste fresh warm blood, not the cold blood out of bags kept in the freezer at the mansion.

Standing on the busy walkway, I stared at Blake, trying to use my ears to filter out the roar of the traffic, the buzz of the nearby bar, the laughter of the humans, and instead try to concentrate on ... what?

What exactly was I listening for?

What other noises did humans make?

Scrunching my nose, I tried to think what noises I had made when I was human. Belch? Fart? Was that what I was listening out for? I had no fucking idea.

Blake rolled his eyes and nudged my shoulder. "Just concentrate on a human. Any human." He swept his arms in front of him. "There's plenty of them about tonight."

That was true. The streets were teaming with hot and sweaty humans, laughing, chatting, strolling ... all of them enjoying the last days of the summer. Autumn was coming, and the nights were no longer as warm and as stifling, but still hot enough to cause me to brush sweat from my forehead.

I glanced around me. A group of young women were shouting and singing as they tumbled out of the bar near to where we were standing. The smell of alcohol hit my nose as the door to the bar remained open, music pumping into the air.

Squinting my eyes, I watched the group as they giggled and chatted, completely oblivious to the two vampires standing only a few feet away from them.

My ears strained as they latched on the sounds coming from the group ... the clatter of heels against the concrete walkway, the sharp intake of breath in between talking, the piercing shrill of laughter. The group walked away from us, wrapped up in their friendship, stumbling along the walkway, enjoying the warm evening.

Glancing the other way, I noticed two guys walking towards us, swaying a little, hands in pockets. Taking a deep breath, I caught the scent of pasta and tomatoes, cognac and vodka. The two men stepped around me and Blake, deep in conversation with each other, their shoes making softer noises as they went.

I could feel Blake's eyes on me as I swept my gaze over the busy street, taking note of the humans strolling past us, the cars crawling along the road, the music of the bars punching the air.

Taking a deep breath, I was hit with the pungent smell of gasoline, the sweet aroma of pizza, the bitter scent of alcohol.

Blinking, the street seemed to tip on its side as I started to feel lightheaded. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed up against a hard body.

"Breathe, baby," Blake whispered into my ear. "Just breathe."

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and just concentrated on breathing.

In.

Out.

I felt the warm air being sucked into my throat, forcing its way into my lungs. The sounds faded away as I listened to my lungs working.