Page 16 of Caller of Crows

Sven stopped pacing and took a deep breath. "Your escape plan?" he asked. "I think I'm fine without it." He didn't at all know if he was making the right call, but he wasn't going to run at the first sign of difficulty either.

He had a plan. He only needed to make it work.

Keegan shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Suit yourself. But you know where to find me if you change your mind. Alt should be around in a little bit."

With that, Keegan turned around and left the room, leaving Sven alone with his thoughts and his growing tension.

His fingers twitched with the need to take action, and he wished he could just walk out of the room and do… something. He wasn't sure what, though, or where to go.

Altair would be with him soon, and Sven had to prepare for that.

How did he go about actively seducing a vampire?

The truth was that he had no clue.

Maybe he was thinking too hard about this.

Maybe it would be better to let his instincts guide him.

Except if he let his instincts take over his mind… Involuntarily, Sven thought back to the feeling of Altair's lips on his, and the way his body had responded. If he let himself get carried away, would he even remember his mission?

When the door to his room opened again, he jerked back, surprised at the sudden entrance.

"You look agitated," Altair said, closing the door behind himself.

Sven's eyes narrowed at the stupidly handsome vampire. "I'm trapped in a vampire coven and you're about to steal my blood from me. How am I supposed to feel?" Sven snapped at Altair before he could stop himself.

So much for his plans to seduce the vampire.

He was off to a great start.

"I can hardly steal something I already own," Altair said as if he was stating a simple fact. He was so nonchalant about owning Sven that it made Sven's blood boil.

"I'm not your property," Sven spat back, his anger giving him a sudden burst of courage. "I'm a human being, not a source of food."

Altair raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "You're in a vampire coven, Sven. What did you expect?"

"I expected to be treated with a little bit of respect," Sven said through gritted teeth. "But I guess that's too much to ask for."

Altair took a step closer, his eyes darkening. Sven held his ground, refusing to back down.

"You're mortal, Sven," Altair said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're food. Nothing more, nothing less."

Sven felt a shiver run down his spine at the intensity of Altair's gaze. He knew he was in over his head, but he refused to let himself be intimidated.

"Is that what you tell yourself to justify what you do?" Sven asked, his tone challenging. "That we're nothing more than juice boxes for you to sink your straw into?"

Altair's eyes narrowed, his fangs showing slightly. Sven could feel the energy in the room shifting, the tension rising to a dangerous level. But he refused to back down.

"I don't need to justify anything," Altair said, voice deceptively calm. "I am a vampire, and you are human. Our roles are clear. You exist to sustain us. That is the way of things. You knew that when you came here."

"I came here to negotiate with you," Sven corrected. "That doesn't mean I'm going to let you treat me like a piece of meat."

"Oh?" The vampire raised an eyebrow at him. "You won't let me?"

Sven squared his shoulders.

"No, I won't." His heart beat faster as Altair took another step towards him, their bodies almost touching. The scent of blood and sweat filled Sven's nostrils, making him dizzy with desire and adrenaline. Altair's eyes were fixed on him, a predatory glint in them that made Sven's knees weak.