Page 45 of Thirsty

“We”—were about to leave, had been what Lorenzo was going to say, but Charlie jumped in again.

“Actually, I’m a grad student,” he said. He’d drawn himself up, polished and charming, though the vampires still stared athim with open contempt. “I’m studying supernatural creatures, and I heard Mr. St. Tour de Sang was throwing a party, so I thought it might be a good chance to introduce myself and ask him some questions.”

One of the vampires snorted in disdain. “He’s not here.”

“He’s not?” Charlie asked.

“It’s Cannes,” said the first one, as if it were sort of embarrassing that they’d forgotten. “Where do you think he is?”

“He has houses all over the world,” another added. “He doesn’t actuallylivein Brookville.”

“That would be pathetic,” said the third, as they all stared at Lorenzo.

“Doyouguys live here?” Charlie asked.

“We’re just lair-sitting,” the first one said. “And, y’know, drinking people, and taking some meetings about start-up ideas.”

“Could I talk to you for my paper?” Charlie asked, polite and undeterred. “Or, maybe set up a time that I could meet with Mr. St. Tour de Sang when he’s back?”

“Um, no,” the first one said.

“I’ll pass,” said another.

“Lorenzo, your human is annoying,” the last one said. “You should take care of that.”

Lorenzo didn’t like the look in their eyes as they stared at Charlie—not hungry, just frighteningly bored. “We were just going,” he said, hustling Charlie backward with an arm around his waist. “Goodbye.”

Cruel laughter followed them down a small alley alongside Sebastian’s house. As soon as he was confident they were out of the vampires’ earshot, Lorenzo whipped Charlie around to face him. “What was that?”

Charlie seemed entirely unbothered by the encounter,straightening his shirt where Lorenzo had mussed it. “Well, those guys were dicks,” he said, “but I figured I could still get something out of it, or try to.”

“You’re lucky your throat is still connected to the rest of your neck,” Lorenzo hissed.

“So those are the vampire cool kids, huh?” Charlie mused. “Y’know what’s pathetic? Being however many centuries old they are and still acting like you’re in high school.”

Lorenzo felt some of his churning unease melt away. “I suppose.”

“Hey, look at that,” Charlie said, gesturing to the side of the house. It was mostly covered in ivy, and the alley was dark, but just where Charlie was pointing, he could make out a sliver of light and a strain of music.

“It looks like a back entrance,” Charlie said, stepping closer. “A kitchen or something.”

“So what?”

“So, let’s sneak in!” Charlie said, grinning excitedly.

“What?” Lorenzo demanded.

“It’s a big party, they won’t notice us!” he said. “We can drink their booze, and, I don’t know—sneak into Sebastian’s room and, like, rub garlic on his sheets or something.”

“That’s...we’re not actually allergic to garlic,” Lorenzo said.

“Then we can steal something. Or break something. C’mon,” Charlie said, taking a step closer to Lorenzo and looking up at him with laughter and challenge in his eyes. “Those guys want to act like high schoolers—fine. Let’s prank them!”

This was the wonderful inverse of what Lorenzo often thought of as Charlie’s Mean Girl tendencies; he may have been sly and cutting, but Lorenzo did not mind having Charlie’s ruthlessness at his disposal.

Lorenzo stared back down at Charlie. He was intoxicating like this, fizzing over with warmth and excitement. The way their eyes met felt just like a hand slipping into his, conspiratorial and warm. He wondered what would happen if they actually touched.

Lorenzo wasn’t sure how to keep him at bay.