Page 4 of Thirsty
It was like putting on his glasses and having everything suddenly click into a new degree of sharpness. His pale skin. His stiff manner. HisEuropean accent—oh Christ, he was an idiot.
The guy was getting coffee in the middle of the night. Withiron flakes.
Charlie’s eyes darted up and down Lorenzo’s frame, the truth now blindingly obvious.
Lorenzo was nonplussed, though his eyes narrowed after a moment. “Ah, I see,” he said. “You told her to break up with me because I am a vampire?”
Now that he was looking for it, the flash of his canines when Lorenzo spokedidlook extra sharp. Charlie was distracted forone strange, confusing moment wondering exactly how sharp they were. How hard did he have to bite to break human skin?
Then he blinked and found Lorenzo staring at him, unimpressed. “Uh, what?” he said, refocusing. “No. I had no idea you were a vampire. Were you a vampire five years ago?”
Lorenzo rolled his eyes. “Yes,” he said, theyou idiotpart clear from his tone. “I have been a vampire since 1809. But you humans are so oblivious, you didn’t even notice we exist until we made a big fuss about it.”
“Whoa,” Charlie said. His friend had dated a vampire. That was weird. He was talking to a vampire, right now. That was weird too.
(Was it bigoted to feel so weird about it? Probably.)
“Yes. Whoa,” Lorenzo said scathingly, and turned to leave.
As he reached the door of the coffee shop, Charlie was gripped with another, far more important realization. The letters. The clicks.COLUMN DUE.“Wait!” he cried, and Lorenzo turned back to look at him. “Can you help me with something?”
If looks could drain blood, Charlie would have dropped dead. “Unbelievable,” Lorenzo pronounced, and stormed out of the shop.
The coffee shop was tucked onto a small, tree-lined street that sloped gently downhill, twinkle lights wrapped around the trees and a large, abstract mural painted onto the brick wall opposite them. Charlie ruined the ambiance by flapping down the street after Lorenzo with no semblance of dignity. “Look, I’m really sorry about all that stuff with Olivia,” he said, while Lorenzo kept walking and didn’t look at him. “But I’m working on this project right now, and I really reallyreallyneed a vampire to talk to me.”
Lorenzo stopped, giving Charlie a chance to catch his breath. “Do you?” he said. “That is wonderful.”
“It is?”
“Yes, because now I have the chance to finally wreak my vengeance upon you.” He leaned forward. “No. Good day.”
“Fuck,” Charlie said, running after him as he once again tried to leave. “Listen, I’m trying to learn about, y’know—uh, relationships between vampires and humans—between humans and, and all supernatural beings. You’re the perfect person for me to talk to!”
“Yes,” Lorenzo said, still walking, “but I have already taken my revenge on you by denying your request.”
“Please?” Charlie asked. “I can’t get any other vampires to talk to me, and you’re...I mean, you hate me, but you’re still talking to me.”
“No, I am ignoring you.”
“Look,” Charlie said, jumping in front of Lorenzo and planting himself there, which at least got him to stop walking. “I’ll do anything.”
Lorenzo pinned him with a look of pure disdain. “Please,” he said. “Pathetic human. You think I would sleep with you after your betrayal?”
Charlie blinked. “Sleep with me?”
“No,” Lorenzo said immediately.
“No!” Charlie shouted, his voice echoing along the quiet street. He glanced around self-consciously and lowered his voice. “I don’t want you to sleep with me, I just—I want to ask you questions about your life. About what it’s like to be a vampire.”
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes. “You said you wanted to learn about the love between vampire and human.”
“Yes, but—not by—engaging in it,” Charlie sputtered.
“Hm,” Lorenzo sniffed. “Well, it is still more gratifying for me to deny you, whatever the nature of your request. Even if you are making it less gratifying every second you continue to bother me.”
“Come on, please,” Charlie begged. “I really need this. I’ll seriously do anything. I—” He broke off. He couldn’t afford to pay Lorenzo. What else did he have to offer?
A few steps away was the street corner, where a row of businesses sat quiet and dark—a small clothing store, a diner, and a bank. Charlie smiled as inspiration struck. “I could run errands for you during the daylight!”
