Suzanne McLeod - The Sweet Scent of Blood

The voice grew fainter as the girl distracted me. She sidled in next to me. ‘I saw you looking,’ she murmured. Blue streaks layered the brown of her hair. ‘Thought I’d come over.’

‘Shit, that’s all old news, man,’ Zigzag said scornfully. ‘You know who else was sniffing round the girlfriend? Old Red Eyes himself, Malik al-Khan. Maybe he killed her.’

I tipped back the vodka, letting the alcohol sear my throat.

Corset Girl pulled a length of hair from her loosely piled topknot and draped it down her cleavage. ‘You’re not one of the Blue Heart vamps, are you?’

‘No.’ I gazed at her. She glowed rosy with heat, the blood flowing fast beneath her skin.

‘ ... Malik and the Earl were arguing about it, loud enough that I could hear ... ’

‘I saw you talking to Darius earlier.’ She gave a sideways glance towards the jukebox where Darius was still standing, forehead creased in a deep frown. ‘Good job you blew him out. He’s a nice guy, but he’s Rio’s latest toy.’ Her leg nudged against mine. ‘None of the regular vamps’ll touch him.’

I took a couple of non-breaths, tried to ignore her.

‘ ... and the Earl told him to get lost, well not exactly, but he said he didn’t need him here ... ’

‘Rio gets really possessive about her toys.’ Corset Girl picked up my glass, sniffed. ‘Is this the new blueberry one?’

I shook my head.

She sipped at the dregs anyway. ‘The last toy, before Darius, got something going with this other vamp, y’know?’

I tried to concentrate on Zigzag’s voice.

‘ ... told him to stop playing at Machiavelli ... ’

‘... then Rio issued a Challenge to the other vamp, and killed him.’ Corset Girl leaned in, slid her hand under my jacket. ‘Said she was making a promise to anyone else who even thought about touching her property.’

‘ ... then he said, death happens all the time. That the traditions we live by were more important ... ’

Hot fingers slid round my waist. ‘Your skin’s really pale, y’know, like cream.’ Tilting her head, she offered her throat. A half-moon of four tiny fang marks, the bite swollen hot with venom, marked her neck.

‘ ... that the status quo had to be maintained ... ’

Hunger cramped my stomach. Her heated, sweet scent pulled me in and I licked over the hot bite, scraped my fangs over her flesh. Liquorice taste and copper filled my mouth.

She shivered under my lips.

Swallowing hard, I recalled the bartender’s rules and looked up, searching for an empty booth.

Gazza strolled past, arm wrapped around—

I blinked. My eyes refused to focus, skating onto Darius instead, now lounging on one of the fake leather benches.

‘’ eads up, mates.’ Cherub Cheeks’ words intruded. ‘ Bleedin’ take-away time, innit. ’

Corset Girl’s hand stroked up my spine. ‘We could get a room.’ Pressing closer, she murmured, ‘I’ve never been with a female vamp before.’

My head thundered with her pulse, the ache in my jaw intensified and frustration burned in my chest.

Mr June followed the others out of the pub.

Fuck it.

Gazza had found himself a fang-gang.

Ifound the fang-gang in a narrow passage way behind The Leech. Standing in the shadows, I peered down the alley. There was just enough moonlight to boost my vampire sight. Cherub Cheeks, Zigzag and Mr June were gathered in a semi-circle facing Gazza and another vamp with long platinum-blond hair wearing a red poet’s shirt. He had his arm slung over Gazza’s shoulder. He’d been the one my eyes kept sliding away from in the pub. Was it just a neat vampire trick I hadn’t come across before, or some sort of magic?

They’d picked their site well: escape routes at either end, no windows above to shed any light and the half dozen large bottle-skips parked along the alley’s brick wall to give them some privacy. Only another vamp might notice them, and depending on their inclination, they’d either ignore what was happening or join in. It was the Beater goblins and their silver-foil covered bats the fang-gang wanted to avoid.

I clenched my fists. I knew what was coming next, and I couldn’t stop it, not yet—four against one meant the odds were definitely not in my favour. I could alert the Beaters myself, but Gazza didn’t have that much time on his side and all it would gain him would be months of treatment at HOPE and a lifetime popping G-Zav pills.

If he even survived.

So I watched, frustration and hunger eating away like acid at my insides.

Red Poet vamp wrapped his forearm round Gazza’s neck. ‘Party time,’ he crooned.

‘What—?’ Gazza’s startled cry fizzled out as his windpipe and vocal chords were almost crushed.

‘Shhh.’ Red Poet stroked Gazza’s cheek, then shoved his head back at an awkward angle. ‘C’mon boys,’ he said to the other vamps, ‘time to play.’

Gazza’s arms flailed, fingers clutching at the empty air.

‘My turn now, man.’ Zigzag grabbed the edges of Gazza’s PVC coat and wrenched it down, trapping his arms against his body.

Gazza’s boots scuffed along the gravel.

I dug in my pocket, removed the Union Jack badges.

‘Gotta bleedin’ luv it, mates.’ Cherub Cheeks gave a low whooping laugh as he yanked Gazza’s PVC trousers to his knees, effectively hog-tying his legs.

Gazza’s lower body jerked, hip bones sticking out like chicken wings above tiny red satin briefs.

I shrugged out of my own jacket and spread it out on the cobbles at the end of the alley. Hiding the badges under it, I flicked on their switches.

Mr June fisted his hands in Gazza’s T-shirt and hissed as he tore it apart, exposing Gazza’s thin, safety-pin-decorated chest. He ripped a pin out of Gazza’s left nipple, held it up to check it, then tossed it over his shoulder. ‘We’re okay, chaps, its stainless steel.’

Gazza’s ribs heaved with each frightened breath.

Red Poet reared back, all four fangs glistening in the moonlight.

I hugged myself, pressed my lips hard together, trying to ignore the excitement frothing through my own veins.

A high, thin squeal, like a pig having its throat cut, pierced the night, sharp scents of blood and venom tainted the air and harsh wet sucking noises permeated the darkness.

I scrunched my eyes tight and leaned back against the brick wall, listening ...

Muffled whimpers, the low hum one of the vamps made as he fed, the rapid beat of Gazza’s heart as fear and venom-induced adrenalin pumped his virgin blood faster and faster ...

I wanted to blank out the sounds of the attack, but that was too dangerous. If I was to save Gazza, I had to get it right. Shit. This part of Sucker Town was supposed to be safer. I was going to have to extend my own hunting territory in future. After a while I opened my eyes and stared up at the stars blinking wearily through London’s light pollution, waiting.

‘Bleedin’ fantastic, mates.’

The voice made me jump. I took a cautious look down the alley.

‘Takes the taste of troll tits right outta yer mouth.’ Cherub Cheeks smacked his lips.

Showtime.

I snatched up my jacket, shoved it on. The three badges were still bravely flashing their little batteries out.

‘Beaters,’ I called in a loud whisper, keeping to the shadows. ‘Beaters are coming!’

‘Bloody hell!’ Zigzag’s head shot up and he looked towards me.

Cherub Cheeks slapped Mr June and Red Poet on their shoulders. ‘Oi, up, mates, git a bleedin’ move-on. I can see their bleedin’ trainers!’

All four rose as one and almost silently sprinted away in a rush of disturbed air, disappearing out the other end of the alley.