Blood Lust

Chapter Two

My knowledge of paranormal species ends with movies, with television, Halloween costumes. Witches are evil beings with crooked noses, or surrounded by light and pungent herbs. Werewolves are men usually, who transform at the rise of a full moon.

And vampires...well vampires are seducers who lure women to their deaths, who drink bodies dry of their blood. There are many myths that accompany them. Repelling garlic is one I've heard of. Sleeping in a coffin, turning into bats is another.

As the man, who until now I'd thought was mediocre, steps through my threshold only after I've allowed it, I recall that was another of the myths in the movies. Instinctively, I back away from the looming figure at the door while he shuts it before the others can reach us in time.

"They won't be able to get in right?"

"No, not through the door. The windows are another story entirely."

He reaches into his coat, slamming down an array of things, packaged together with a blue ribbon. At the impact, some of the items slide down onto the table. At first glance, I see letters. I see books. I see money... not American dollars.

"What is this?"

"I need you to do exactly as I say. I need there to be no unnecessary questions. I am trying to save your life." He takes my silence as agreement, unraveling the ribbon. "Your birth certificate says you were abandoned, found in a trashcan at the age of one, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"You believe your parents are somewhere in this world?"

"I imagined so."

"They are dead."

Dead.

That revelation should chill me to the bone. I should expect tears; to hear my heart break. I can only stare at him, one question worth asking. "Did they abandon me?"

"They did what they had to do. Dropping you into the system as an unknown was the safest thing they could think of to do most likely. It threw them off your scent."

They didn't drop me off in the system. They dropped me off in a fucking trash can. "Who is them? Who are you?"

"I am what you think I am, what you saw. Moroi, Nosferatu...to humans, vampires." He ignores the suspension of disbelief on my features. "The others...they are the same. I have care for you. They do not. They want you dead."

Vampires. Fucking vampires. "Why me?"

"There's a reason you have always been an outsider, a reason why you've never fit in anywhere. You aren't like mere humans. You have gifts."

He clearly doesn't know me. "No, I don't."

"You haven't come into them yet. They are inside of you, and very easily, if one of us with ill intent got ahold of you, they could get the information they seek. You are in extreme danger. As soon as I finally located you, discovered who you were, you were already working in that café. I've been watching you ever since, ensuring your safety."

"This...this is impossible," I breathe, as he spreads out the items.

"Listen to me. These are rubles. Russian currency."

"Why do I need these?"

"Because you are going there."

I choke on an explicit, shaking my head. "N-no."

"I'm not arguing with you, Cassandra. You are going."

"To Russia? Are you fucking kidding me?"