Page 26 of Bite
Now, my feet are aching in my cheap flats as I trudge up the stairs to my crappy little apartment after yet another failed job search. My resume folder is creased from being shoved in and out of my bag so many times, and the pit in my stomach is even heavier than when I left this morning, dragging my mood down with it.
Every manager I spoke with wore the same brittle smile, delivering the same polite line that promised they’d ‘be in touch’. They definitelywon’tbe, but it’s fine. Rent’s paid– the overdue balance, plus next month’s– and I’ve still got time to find a job that doesn’t involve fangs and blood. There must be some employer in this city desperate enough to take a chance on me, so I’ll just have to keep at it until I find them.
By the time I fumble with all three locks and shove my apartment door open, I’ve almost talked myself into believing that the perfect opportunity is still out there waiting. The kitten trots out to greet me with an excited meow, tail high and golden eyes wide. He’s tiny, unassuming, and yet his presence issomehow so damn grounding; a much-needed anchor amid the chaos of my life.
“No luck, buddy,” I sigh as I scoop him up, pressing my face into his warm fur before sidestepping to drop my bag on the futon. My shoulders slump as I sink down beside it, prepared to wallow in my latest failure for at least ten minutes before I’ll have to suck it up and start brainstorming my next move.
My phone buzzes violently in my pocket, rudely interrupting the self-pity spiral I’ve just started down. I curse under my breath as I yank it out, glancing at the screen.
My spine goes rigid when I read the name displayed on the caller ID, stomach instantly knotting. It’s Steele Holdings calling– a.k.a. Bite’s downtown office.
I hesitate a second too long, pulse picking up speed. My fingers tremble as I click the button to answer, bringing the phone to my ear with a choked, “Hello?”
“Miss Holt,” Francesca’s voice greets, tone smooth and crisp as always. “Are you available to come in today? There’s a matter I’d like to discuss with you in person.”
“Um, yeah,” I manage, heart pounding harder. “Now?”
“The sooner, the better,” she replies coolly.
“Okay, sure,” I breathe, shifting the kitten off my lap and plopping him down on the futon beside me. “I can be ready in… twenty minutes or so?”
“I’ll send a car.”
The line disconnects and I lower my phone in a daze, mind racing a mile a minute.
Am I in trouble? Did I do something wrong last night?
James seemed perfectly satisfied when I left, but the rules of this whole blood business are still a little hazy to me. It’s entirely possible that I violated some unspoken donor etiquette by getting littletoointo it when he bit me– which would be mortifying, but not the end of the world.
Or maybe it was something I did at the gala. A few vamps propositioned me for feedings after James, but I wasn’t in the right headspace to get bitten again. Perhaps they perceived my refusal as an insult, or maybe I was expected to fulfill more than one request throughout the evening.
Why do I feel like I’m being called into the principal’s office?
Opening up my messages, I fire off a text to Bex.
Just got called in by Fran. If I don’t make it back, please feed my cat.
Bex
You got a cat?
I snap a quick photo of the tiny black furball, sending it on.
He still needs a name. Open to suggestions.
A slew of messages floods in immediately, name suggestions piling up faster than I can read them.
Thor
Onyx
Salem
Black Panther
The absurdity makes me chuckle despite the knot of nerves forming in my stomach.It’s easier to laugh than to admit I’m already rattled.My phone continues vibrating against the coffee table long after I toss it down onto the wooden surface, the constant hum becoming the world’s most annoying soundtrack while I rush to get ready.
I manage to change my clothes, sweep my hair up into a neat ponytail, and swipe on some lip balm before meeting the blackcar at the curb in front of my apartment. When I slide into the back seat, my heart’s beating a riot in my chest, hands already fidgeting in my lap as we start toward downtown.
