Read Online Welcome to the Darkness (Darkness Trilogy) by L. M. Justus - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: L. M. Justus
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remained silent, waiting to hear Nathaniel’s reply.
“I doubt that,” he answered. “Firstly, the transformation could destroy her ability, and secondly, it is as likely as not that she would survive the transition. A great many do not, especially women.”
The door opened at the top of the stairs and they turned in unison to look. The vampire guards had returned carrying two capped bottles and a small paper bag. Dominic typed in the code to open the door to Nathaniel’s cell, and the other vampire handed him one of the bottles. After r esealing his cell door, they repeated the procedure with the second cell, passing Reed the second bottle and the bag to Sarah. Then the vampire guards left. Dinner was served.
Reed observed his bottle with a grimace of distaste while Sarah peeked inside the paper bag. Then Reed leaned over to look at the contents of the bag as well.
“Nathaniel?” Reed said. “Do I really have to drink this? Why can’t I eat normal food? I mean, that sandwich,” he pointed, indicating the paper bag, “looks way more appetizing than this.” He eyed the bottle again with disgust.
“You must consume blood every day, or you will lose control of your thirst. Your body is no longer capable of i ngesting regular food.”
“But . . . what would happen if I tried to eat something? If I took a bite out of a sandwich and chewed it up and swa llowed it, seriously, what’s gonna happen?”
“I do not think you would manage swallowing such fare, however, if you did manage to choke it down, you would most certainly vomit it back up immediately.”
“Guys,” Sarah said, cutting into the conversation. “Please. Do you have to talk about throwing up right before eating?”
Reed looked at her and continued. “But food still smells good . I don’t understand. Why does it still smell good if I can’t eat it?”
Nathaniel sighed and shook his bottle and opened it. “Think of a vanilla-scented candle, Reed. It smells good . . . good enough to eat, correct? However, you would not eat a candle without extreme difficulty.” He sat on the floor, preparing to lie down for his death after dinner. Without further ado, he tipped the bottle back and drank the entire contents at once.
“Well, that’s a bummer,” was all Reed had left to say.
Nathaniel sat up, and Sarah emit ted a startled squeak of surprise.
“Sorry, you moved so suddenly you scared me for a second there,” Sarah apologized with an embarrassed half-grin. “I think I was starting to nod off.”
Nathaniel was uncertain if he should reply, and he was not one for making small talk.
Reed lay dead on the floor. Apparently, he had succumbed to his thirst and drank his bottled blood. “Will he wake up soon?” Sarah asked.
“He should regain consciousness approximately one hour after he finished drinking his meal,” he replied. He settled into a more comfortable position against the back wall of his cell, preparing to relax in silence until the guards returned to release them.
“Do you guys dream when you’re . . . um . . .?”
“Dead?” he finished for her.
She nodded.
“No,” he answered.
Perhaps he should offer an explanation or ask her a question in return. Even this stilted conversation was more interesting than sitting quietly hour after hour.
She saved him from having to conjure up a question by continuing with her own. “Do you always, uh . . . die for an hour?” She said the word “die” as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. “It didn’t seem like you were out that long.”
“The younger the vampire, the longer the period of death they require after each feeding,” he answered. “I am over two hundred years old, therefore I require closer to three quarters of an hour myself,” he added.
“Two . . . hundred? My God,” she gaped at him in awe. “You’re older than any human on earth. That’s incredible! Have you been in California the whole time?”
“No, I moved here somewhat recently,
“I doubt that,” he answered. “Firstly, the transformation could destroy her ability, and secondly, it is as likely as not that she would survive the transition. A great many do not, especially women.”
The door opened at the top of the stairs and they turned in unison to look. The vampire guards had returned carrying two capped bottles and a small paper bag. Dominic typed in the code to open the door to Nathaniel’s cell, and the other vampire handed him one of the bottles. After r esealing his cell door, they repeated the procedure with the second cell, passing Reed the second bottle and the bag to Sarah. Then the vampire guards left. Dinner was served.
Reed observed his bottle with a grimace of distaste while Sarah peeked inside the paper bag. Then Reed leaned over to look at the contents of the bag as well.
“Nathaniel?” Reed said. “Do I really have to drink this? Why can’t I eat normal food? I mean, that sandwich,” he pointed, indicating the paper bag, “looks way more appetizing than this.” He eyed the bottle again with disgust.
“You must consume blood every day, or you will lose control of your thirst. Your body is no longer capable of i ngesting regular food.”
“But . . . what would happen if I tried to eat something? If I took a bite out of a sandwich and chewed it up and swa llowed it, seriously, what’s gonna happen?”
“I do not think you would manage swallowing such fare, however, if you did manage to choke it down, you would most certainly vomit it back up immediately.”
“Guys,” Sarah said, cutting into the conversation. “Please. Do you have to talk about throwing up right before eating?”
Reed looked at her and continued. “But food still smells good . I don’t understand. Why does it still smell good if I can’t eat it?”
Nathaniel sighed and shook his bottle and opened it. “Think of a vanilla-scented candle, Reed. It smells good . . . good enough to eat, correct? However, you would not eat a candle without extreme difficulty.” He sat on the floor, preparing to lie down for his death after dinner. Without further ado, he tipped the bottle back and drank the entire contents at once.
“Well, that’s a bummer,” was all Reed had left to say.
Nathaniel sat up, and Sarah emit ted a startled squeak of surprise.
“Sorry, you moved so suddenly you scared me for a second there,” Sarah apologized with an embarrassed half-grin. “I think I was starting to nod off.”
Nathaniel was uncertain if he should reply, and he was not one for making small talk.
Reed lay dead on the floor. Apparently, he had succumbed to his thirst and drank his bottled blood. “Will he wake up soon?” Sarah asked.
“He should regain consciousness approximately one hour after he finished drinking his meal,” he replied. He settled into a more comfortable position against the back wall of his cell, preparing to relax in silence until the guards returned to release them.
“Do you guys dream when you’re . . . um . . .?”
“Dead?” he finished for her.
She nodded.
“No,” he answered.
Perhaps he should offer an explanation or ask her a question in return. Even this stilted conversation was more interesting than sitting quietly hour after hour.
She saved him from having to conjure up a question by continuing with her own. “Do you always, uh . . . die for an hour?” She said the word “die” as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. “It didn’t seem like you were out that long.”
“The younger the vampire, the longer the period of death they require after each feeding,” he answered. “I am over two hundred years old, therefore I require closer to three quarters of an hour myself,” he added.
“Two . . . hundred? My God,” she gaped at him in awe. “You’re older than any human on earth. That’s incredible! Have you been in California the whole time?”
“No, I moved here somewhat recently,
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