Page 18 of Caller of Crows

"You're a different kind of vampire," Sven said. "It's different when you drink from me."

"You don't know what you're saying." Altair looked at the needle instead of Sven. He wiped Sven's arm with an alcohol-soaked piece of cotton.

"Your hands are warm now," Sven noted.

"That's the effect of your blood," Altair reminded him.

"Do you feel warm?"

Altair didn't respond, and Sven's breath hitched when he saw Altair draw the needle near his arm. He couldn't take his eyes away. "Just get it over with," he muttered.

Altair looked at him then, and for a brief moment, Sven thought the vampire was going to take his hand in his and promise that it wasn't going to hurt. But of course, Altair wasn't the type of man to make promises like that, and he didn't give Sven's hand a comforting squeeze either.

The needle went in smoothly.

Sven had been worried it would be painful, but it wasn't. Not really. It just felt strange. He looked away as he felt his blood leave his body and move into the tube attached to the needle.

"Why is your bite different from the other vampire?"

"Every vampire is different," Altair said in a way that sounded like he wasn't up for answering any more questions, but Sven wasn't in any mood to care about what the vampire wanted. He had questions and he wanted answers.

"Did you like the way I taste?" Sven asked, and when he looked at the vampire, Altair was giving him an appraising look, as if he was trying to figure out if Sven was being serious.

Sven wished he knew what was going on in Altair's head.

"You're going to give me a lot of trouble, aren't you?" Altair asked, and Sven nodded once—because yes. He wasn't sure what his future in the coven held in store for him, but trouble was definitely part of it.

It might have been a trick of the light, or the vampire venom making Sven see things that weren't there, but for a second, he could have sworn he saw Altair smile.

He never answered Sven's question, though. He only watched the blood flow from Sven's arm into the tube, and when it was done, he carefully pulled the needle out and applied a bandage over the wound.

"That should do it," he said, and his voice was softer than usual. Sven moved his arm, feeling lightheaded and weird. "Who are you going to sell my blood to?"

"That's not your concern," Altair said as he gathered up the used medical supplies and put them in a biohazard bag.

"Yeah, sure. It's only my blood." Sven sat up. Too quickly maybe, because spots danced before his eyes. "Oh shit."

Altair was at his side in an instant. "Easy there," he said, steadying Sven with one hand on his shoulder. His touch was surprisingly gentle. "Take it slow."

Sven looked at him, and their eyes locked, and for a second he thought he saw something in the vampire's gaze that he couldn't quite name. It was gone a moment later, and Altair stepped away as if he hadn't just been touching Sven like he was precious.

Or maybe it was only Sven's blood that was precious.

Sven blew out a breath.

"Lie back down," Altair instructed. "I will get you some food." Sven didn't have the strength to protest, so he did as he was told. He watched as Altair left the room, and though he had every intention of staying awake, he closed his eyes for a moment.

He was asleep before the vampire returned.

ChapterSeven

Sven dreamed again that night. Except this time he was not in the forest, and he wasn't being attacked. Well, he was kind of being attacked. He could feel the sharp edge of Altair's fangs on his neck, and the sensation made his cock stiffen and dig into the mattress under him.

Altair's hands moved across his body, teasing and exploring. His mouth followed his hands, and soon enough, he was tasting and licking every inch of Sven's skin.

Sven moaned and writhed under the vampire's touch, feeling pleasure he'd never been able to find before. His heart raced and his breathing grew ragged as Altair's lips moved down his body.

When Altair finally reached his groin, Sven gasped, his whole body trembling with anticipation. The vampire moved his lips in a slow, languid kiss, and Sven could only moan in pleasure as he felt the vampire's tongue swirl around his cock.