Read Online Thirst No. 4 by Christopher Pike - Free Book Online Page A

comes up. Sandy wants to know how I happen to know where her husband lives. I’m sitting across from her when she asks and I catch her gaze and let my power flow through my eyes.
    “Bill gave me your address,” I say softly. “He told me tocontact him if I remembered anything about the missing young man.”
    Sandy stares back without blinking, and I know I have her to some extent. Yet it is all a question of degrees. I need to start with small orders and lies and work my way up.
    “Bill is puzzled about the missing boy,” Sandy whispers.
    “The case is puzzling. But I’m here to help Bill.”
    Sandy smiles faintly. “That’s good you can help.”
    “I want to help because I’m a good person.” Although I channel the energy through my eyes, I experience its source as a magnetism that radiates from my forehead. It projects out from me like an invisible hand. My grip on Sandy is not nearly as firm as it would have been in my old body, but I’m pleased that she’s repeating what I feed her.
    “You are a good person,” she says. “Can I get you something to eat? To drink?”
    “Soon. Tell me, when will Bill come home?”
    Sandy blinks and frowns, not a good sign. “He’ll be home soon. But he’ll wonder why you’re here.”
    “I’m here because Bill invited me here.”
    “Oh.”
    “When you say he’ll be here soon, how soon do you mean?”
    “I’m not sure. In a half hour.”
    “Good, that’s good. Now close your eyes, Sandy.” She immediately shuts her eyes as I continue. “Listen to the sound of my voice. My voice is all you hear. Do you understand?”
    “Yes.”
    “You work at Springfield Hospital. You’re a surgeon there. In fact, you’re the head of the surgery department.”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you have access to the blood bank at your hospital?”
    The woman frowns again and I fear I’ve made my question more complicated than it needs to be. Of course, as a surgeon, she would not get the blood herself.
    I’m not used to taking so much time to hypnotize a victim. Usually I just say a word or two and people do what I want. I feel my hold on Sandy wavering. However, I know if I weaken her physically—and I can think of the perfect way to do that—she’ll respond to my commands more readily.
    “The blood is there,” she says. “The nurses bring it when we need it.”
    “Good. If I drive you to the hospital, will you be able to get me in the blood bank?”
    “Yes.”
    “In the evening, how many people work in that department?”
    “Usually there is one person on duty. Sometimes two.”
    “Good, we’ll drive there soon. You want to drive to the hospital. You want to go with me.”
    “I do.”
    I get up and stand above her. “Before we leave I want you to relax in your chair. Just relax and go to sleep for a few minutes.You won’t awaken until I tell you to. All right? Now sleep, Sandy. Sleep deeply.”
    The woman doesn’t speak but her breathing grows heavy and I know she’s out cold. Ideally, I would have waited until after I had her out of the house to drink her blood. The threat of her husband coming home cannot be taken lightly. Yet my thirst clouds my judgment. I figure if I can just drink a pint or two, and take the edge off my discomfort, I’ll be better equipped to handle the situation at the hospital.
    Sitting beside Sandy, I tilt her head back and expose her jugular. Her skin is thin and pale—I can see the pulse of the vein through her flesh. I’m hungry but I’m in control. I’m not going to make the same mistake I did with Ken. That’s why I turn away from her neck and reach for her right wrist instead, twisting the back of it upward, toward my mouth.
    I don’t possess the fangs the popular vampires always seem to be flashing but Teri’s teeth are sharp and as I bite down a delicious flood of red fluid fills my mouth. Like Ken, Sandy must take care of herself—her blood is intoxicating. I’ve opened the vein most depressed people slit when they try to