Page 89 of Pretty Little Prey
Thump, thump.
She frowned at the sound. A low, rhythmic thrum.
“No problem, miss,” the server replied. His smile stretched his attractive face, brightening a beautiful set of hazel eyes. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, thank you, I—” She had begun chewing on a french fry only to choke and spit it out. “Oh Gods, gross.” She wiped at her mouth.
The worker frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” She waved it off. “I’m sure it was just a bad fry or something. I’m fine.” She nibbled on another, but it tasted like pure ash. Dust. She spat it out onto the napkin. Maybe a bad potato?
“Should I ask the chef to make a new batch?” the worker asked.
She shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure the rest of it is good.” She grabbed the milkshake and slurped down some of the thick, cold liquid.So thirsty. But the ice cream soured in her mouth. Why did everything taste so bad?
Thump, thump.
And what was that damnsound? She looked over at the TV—off.
Thump, thump.
“Um, do you hear that?” she asked the worker as he turned to leave.
“Hear what, ma’am?”
Thump, thump.
“That sound.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
Thump, thump.
Was she going crazy? “It’s low and it’s like a…like a…heartbeat.”
Her gaze fell to his neck. To his pulse point. Somehow, she could see the skin there pulse with thethump, thumpof his blood.
Oh my Gods.
She swallowed in horror as the desire to bite into the man’s neck overwhelmed her senses. What was happening?
She stood deep in the living room, the worker at the door—but, suddenly, she appeared right in front of him. He let out a sound of surprise at how fast she moved.Like a blur. Like a predator.
“I—I’m so thirsty,” she moaned out in pain, her throat on fire.
Thump, thump, thump. The sound became irregular.He is nervous. I am scaring him.
She bit her lip, not knowing what to do or say. Trying to hold back the impulse to wrap her arms around his neck and sink her fangs into his neck—Oh gods, she hadfangs!
Her tongue slid over them. Her mouth fell open in a gasp. Theythrobbedin her mouth.
Pain. So much pain. So. Thirsty.
“Ma’am?”
“I—I’m so sorry,” she whispered before sinking her teeth into his neck.
Chapter 35
