Eternal Shadows by Kate Martin Page A

off with one hand, like an expert. I supposed he was.
    “Well, it’s true,” I said, curled up in my father’s favorite chair, a good ten feet from where Warren sat. Things were a bit blurry for me on what had happened after Millie had punctured Warren’s wrist with the strange little blade. I remembered the taste of his blood, warm and strangely delicious. He tasted almost like fresh berries. Not that his blood was fruity, not at all, he just had that same sort of natural, fresh from the ground taste. A good taste. I hadn’t decided if that was a good thing or not yet.
    But aside from the taste, all I really remembered was Rhys coaxing me away and sitting me in this chair. I hadn’t moved since. I’d drawn my knees up to my chin and refused to budge until I was certain everything was back under control. At least I wasn’t thirsty anymore. Warren’s lovely scent didn’t even bother me at the moment. Which was a good thing, because Rhys and Millie had decided to leave us alone so we could get to know one another. I’d agreed only after Rhys promised he would be within running distance should I spontaneously lose my mind.
    “It bothered me in the beginning,” Warren said, answering my previously uncouthly formed question. “But I’m used to it now.”
    “I think Rhys saved your life back there. I’m sorry I lost control.”
    “Nah.” He tossed aside the leftover supplies. “You were fine. I’ve seen worse.”
    “Oh. That makes me feel loads better.”
    “The more often you feed, the easier it will get.”
    “I guess you know a lot about this stuff, huh?”
    He chuckled. “You have to when in my position.”
    “I guess.” I picked at the stitching on the old broken-in leather chair. “So, how did you end up in this position? You can tell me to shut up and mind my own business if you don’t want to say.”
    “That’s okay. I don’t mind. You’re actually the first consumer I’ve had who’s even asked.”
    “Really?” I forgot about the stitching and focused solely on him. “No one ever wanted to know?”
    “Well, not no one.” He stood up and walked across the room to where my father’s collection of old portraits lined the wall. “Millie and Rhys and the rest of their family know, but none of them have ever been my consumer.”
    “Oh.” I watched his back for signs of discomfort, but he seemed totally relaxed. I could hear his heartbeat, even at this distance, and it was calm and even. As long as he stayed that way, I’d let him tell his story.
    “I’ve been a feeder since I was fifteen, so for three years now. The war didn’t really affect my family and town in a direct way so for all intents and purposes I had a normal life. But then the vampires showed up though, of course, no one knew that’s what they were. They were associated with a group who call themselves the Freedom Organization. Vampires who believe they should stop hiding. They got bored or hungry or both and you can probably imagine what happened from there on. My entire family was killed. All but me.”
    I knew exactly how that felt. “I’m sorry, Warren.”
    He turned to face me, still calm. How, I had no idea. “Thanks. But don’t be. You had nothing to do with it. When the Alliance came by to clean up, Millie found me. Since I had seen everything, knew what they really were, I only had two choices. Serve or die.”
    “That’s it? They couldn’t just let you go?”
    He shrugged. “Couldn’t risk the exposure.”
    I shrank down further into the chair. It explained a lot. Like where the household staff had gotten to. I tried not to wonder how many had taken the same route as Warren and how many had refused. As for which was the better option, I had no idea. “So why did you choose this?”
    “I figured I could accomplish a lot more if I was still alive.”
    And here I had spent days wishing for death. But Warren wasn’t a vampire. “Why not ask to be turned?” I didn’t want to be a vampire, but there