Thirst by Claire Farrell Read Free Book Online Page A

that,
the cross worked. I could already tell it was exactly what I
needed. I could feel it: the magic working its way into my veins,
quenching the thirst, and soothing that raw hunger in my gut. For
the first time in years, I relaxed and knew what it meant to feel
human. Maybe Carl could survive his visit with me after all. That
thought alone brought a lump to my throat, and I realised just how
tense my adult life had been.
    “And look Ava.
See the cross? Four tips plus the body make five. Safe. Touch it
when you need strength.”
    His smile was
kind, but I blushed anyway at the thought of him knowing about my
little quirk. I could only figure my grandmother had told him. My
number obsession had bothered her almost as much as my vampire-like
tendencies.
    “Don’t forget,
you’re heading to vampire territory now. It won’t be safe for you.
You have to be on your guard. Aware. There isn’t much time; they
know you’re around, and the cross won’t work for long. So be
careful. And trust Peter. He’s a bit gruff, but that’s to be
expected after what happened to his family. He can be narrow-minded
sometimes, but he’s a solid one.”
    I touched my
bruised face self-consciously. Eddie tutted.
    “That was
unfortunate alright. I have just the thing.” He took a tub out of a
cupboard and wiped some of the contents on my face. It felt slick
and oily, but my face tingled nicely, the freshness of the pain
dissipating.
    “Didn’t Carl help
you?”
    I nodded. “He
offers himself to me too. How do I make him stop?”
    “It can’t be
helped, I’m afraid. Part of the thrall is to give you what you
need, whatever that might be. Go on now, little one. It’ll be dark
soon. Visit the bar tomorrow in daylight. Get information before
you go again at night. Be wise.”
    He pressed a
piece of paper into my hands, directions to the bar. I glanced at
the name but had never heard of it before. I thanked him again,
less in fear of him but still wary. He didn’t accompany me to the
door, but the strange presence did. I pushed the door open and
stepped outside, my stomach turning a little at the drastic change
in atmosphere once I was away from Eddie’s magic.
    Outside, Peter
and Carl stood together. They stopped talking as soon as I
approached. I fidgeted awkwardly, knowing Peter wanted to leave.
For the first time I was able to stand next to Carl without wanting
to feed on him, but all I could think about was making Peter
stay.
    “Uh, thanks for
bringing me here,” I said to Peter, fidgeting under his
gaze.
    “Did he give you
the address?”
    “Yeah, it’s some
place called the Black Rose. I don’t know it, but his directions
are pretty clear.”
    “I know it,”
Peter said. “I’ll pick you two up tomorrow, okay?”
    “Oh,” I said,
surprised. “You’re going?”
    “I said I’d help.
I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
    “Early,” I called
after him, hoping he’d hear me. He raised an arm in answer and kept
on walking away. I admired his behind for a few seconds before I
remembered Carl, who was still standing there aimlessly.
    Carl and I walked
back to my place. For once, I was thankful for his silence because
I had so much to think about. At least now I had a purpose and a
chance to help him.
    That evening, the
cross worked its magic. Somehow, it seemed to mask Carl’s scent or
at least dampened my reaction to it, even when he offered his wrist
to me. I was able to shrug off my instincts with little effort. I
couldn’t believe how relaxing it was. It made me feel almost
human.
    An undercurrent
of need remained, but, for the most part, the temptation was easy
to control. I was still bothered by Carl’s behaviour, though. He
was compelled to do it, but it irritated me that he wasn’t even
trying to survive. As soon as he dozed off that night, I rang my
grandmother.
    “What’s the deal
with Eddie Brogan?” I barely let her say hello.
    “What? Ava? You
know Eddie?” Her voice was thick with sleep.
    “The man