From Slate to Crimson Read Online Free PDF Page B

what you’re feeling right now.”
    “I don’t feel anything,” Amelia said, lying. She was still high on the effects of the drink even now.
    “It won’t do any good to lie to me,” I said. “I can sense your thoughts.”
    “You mean you…” Amelia’s jaw went slack, and then her expression changed into a pout, as she looked away from me in embarrassment. “Damn.”
    “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” I said, laughing at her chagrin. “What is happening to you happens to all humans in our care.” I then hesitated, somewhat upset at the lack of a better description that I would have to use. “This is a rather unfortunate analogy,” I began, “but when we feed from you, and leave you alive afterwards, our saliva is...well...like crack. It gives a sense of euphoria, and then addicts you. As you inferred, you feel what we feel when we feed from you. To us, it’s better than even sex.”
    She shifted uncomfortably, looking around the room, desperate for a change of subject. “You have a bed, and a coffin?” She glanced towards the white, varnished wooden box on the far side of my room.
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Why? You’re a…a vampire…aren’t you?” She sounded almost afraid to say it. Our kind had gone by many names; “vampire” was only the most current moniker. “Isn’t a coffin all you need?”
    “That’s a common misconception,” I said. “A coffin is safer for us because it protects us from sunlight during the day. We have sun shutters on the windows, but the little bit of extra protection a coffin provides is good in case something fails. We can sleep in beds, just like you.” I laughed softly. “And sometimes a bed is necessary.”
    “Necessary for what?” She gave me a curious stare.
    “Well, a coffin would be difficult to share with someone else, don’t you think?” I was amused at her naïveté.
    “You…do that too?”
    “We can.”
    “Oh! Sorry. God, I must sound like an idiot!”
    “No, you don’t,” I said, trying to soothe her. I withheld her fear with my powers, but not her embarrassment. “You’re learning. You didn’t know, and now you do.”
    “Well, it’s good to meet a guy who doesn’t make fun of me for a change.” She finished eating, pushed the tray and cart away, and sprawled herself out upon my bed, but with some difficulty because of her weakness. I was surprised that she could do even these things, but my surprise gave way to other emotions. I could not help but admire her figure in this position. Her legs were quite lovely; she had taken her shoes off, exposing small, perfect toes sheathed in flesh-toned stockings; her hair framed her face perfectly, and her white blouse draped loosely over her breasts, which were surprisingly large upon her otherwise slender figure. “It’s too bad he had to be a vampire.”
    “And that’s a bad thing why?” I asked playfully.
    “Well, you’ve been kind of showing me that the legends aren’t true,” Amelia admitted, “or you’re just a really good liar. Thing is you’re the first guy who’s been really nice to me, and I’ve had boyfriends before—not that I mean you’re my boyfriend or anything. I guess I’m just saying that I find you so easy to like, and that surprises me.”
    “So you’re saying that you shouldn’t like me?”
    “Maybe what I feel is just the result of you feeding from me.”
    “Part of it is,” I said, “but it doesn’t cloud your judgment as badly as you might think…although you will need to be fed from at least once every three days. If not, it won’t be good for you.”
    “Withdrawal?”
    “You’d survive at this point if I never fed from you again; everyone who hasn't been bonded to us for long usually does,” I said. “And it wouldn’t be all that bad. You’d be sick for a few days; that’s all. But the longer you wait, the worse the withdrawal will get. Let’s say it’s been about three or four weeks. If you decide to leave and never be fed from