Page 109 of The Last Vampire
“This world has changed so much,” she says after a long drink. “You can probably feel that more than the rest of us, being so fresh here.”
“It is overwhelming,” he admits.
“Do you know why I prefer humans to vampires?” she asks, and it is only now that William realizes she has been subtly edging her chair closer. “Because they’re vibrant, while immortals are stale.”
She drains her entire glass in a single swallow.
“The only time I find vampires interesting,” she says, her eyes overly bright, “is when they first awaken. For a moment, it’s like you’re new to the world again.”
“Why are we meeting here instead of your office?” asks William as her intentions dawn on him.
“I thought it would be obvious,” she says with the hint of a smile.
The hunger that comes over her gaze has nothing to do with blood, because she is looking at William likeheis the meal. He feels something like a flash of warmth, as if he has just gulped down half the wine bottle.
“I am flattered,” he says, “but I would rather not betray Nate’s trust after everything he has done for me.”
The way she looks at him makes William feel more like a teenager than he ever did while playing the part at Huntington. “You are so young,” she murmurs. “I believe I am envious of that.”
William refills her glass.
“So fresh, and yet already keeping secrets.” She ignores the drink, her fullattention on his face. “We can tell you’re hiding something, you know. Whatever it is, it’s making the rest of us anxious.”
“You speak for Nate?”
“I speak for all of us.”
“And yet, to me,” says William, “it feels like the rest of you are the ones keeping secrets.”
Anne drains her glass in one gulp again. “Come on,” she says, rising to her feet.
They slip out through the slit in the crimson curtains. The hostess says nothing as they walk out, and William assumes Anne must have some sort of financial arrangement with them.
As soon as they are both in the elevator, she takes William’s hand and pulls him closer. “Spend the night with me,” she whispers invitingly into his mouth.
Then she leans in, and her cold lips part his.
His eyes close as she pins him against the elevator wall, their tongues crashing together. A rush of desire overwhelms him, and one of his hands grasps a fistful of her dress’s delicate fabric, while the other one reaches for hercurls—
The fantasy cuts out when he realizes it is not Anne he is kissing.
“What is it?” she asks as the doors open. “My kisses are usually met with more enthusiasm.”
William finds he cannot hold her gaze or come up with anything to say. He has no idea what just happened, why thathumaninterrupted his thoughts.
“Oh,” says Anne, as if something has just clicked for her. “I see.”
“See what?”
“What haunts you,” she murmurs, pressing an impeccably painted red nail to his chest and marking it with an invisibleX.
“Your heart. It’s broken.”
CHAPTER 32lorena
Huntington looks a lot like it did on the first day, except that winter is nearly here, so the sun is setting earlier. Its final red rays are barely visible through the trees as I cart my suitcase up the driveway.
One of the double doors is propped open, and upon entering the foyer, I see Director Minaro striding toward me.
