I blinked. "You drink plasma?"

"Modern science calls it blood serum."

Well, it was stealing either way.

I lifted my chin (finally!) to meet his indulgent gaze. "How much do I get paid per donation? Is it tax-deductible? I want to sign a contract, and it had better line up with my insurance plan." 

At the lack of reply, I kept going. "Also, this needs to be done before tomorrow, since my job does not allow for time off. So I'll need to borrow your car and get my keys back from Damian. If that's inconvenient, I can find someone on a driving app. Although I think Damian has my phone." I frowned. I hadn't seen it since I'd zipped it into an inner jacket pocket last night, and it certainly wasn't there now. I'd have to lock it remotely and file a report.

Hopefully none of my clients had tried to call me since last night. I needed that future income.

Gerard's chest began to shake. Then he started to laugh, almost hysterically. His grip loosened.

I slipped backwards until I bumped into a wall. Running out of his office wouldn't help me. Besides, that cherry floor . . . or was it mahogany. . . .

His office desk and cabinets were gorgeous, too, a smooth hickory or walnut with a dark, reddish stain that matched and accented the floorboards. I could die in this room.

Uh. Ahem.

The rest of the room (paintings, tan walls) didn't interest me as much as the arboreal eye candy. My eyes kept darting back to Gerard, though. There were tears in his eyes. Not tears of blood—hardly a surprise when he had saliva—but he was wiping away real tears. When he finished, those arresting eyes were focused on me again. He coughed to hide another wave of laughter.

"You're precious, darling. Who do you think I am? You're a feeder now. My feeder, which will come with status and, you will be happy to hear, quite generous accommodations. I treat my feeders well."

I stood my ground as true fear wormed through my system. "Tomorrow, you'll find that over eighty people will begin to consistently individually contact me. They will search for me. Some of them are quite influential." This wasn't an exaggeration. Many of my clients hailed from the rich side of town. I could name several that would actively seek me out. I used to consider that kind of stressful. Not any more.

The vampire smiled amiably. 

"I'm afraid that I stopped minding threats over five hundred years ago. It's a rather childish habit." Right, like he hadn't threatened me at all. "Now, I will call one of my servants and you will follow him to the quarters that have been prepared for you without complaint. Is that clear?"

You have to open your mouth, some of my thoughts insisted. But you'll regret it! the rest countered.

"Gerard Burke." I exhaled with practiced calmness that I didn't feel. "You are comfortable with your life, yes? You matter a great deal to your subordinates and the infrastructure of your vampire world. You're very powerful. I'm not."

He let me speak. His patience, I sensed, was coming to a close. I guess the laughter had ruffled him.

"I matter a great deal to my students," I said quietly, convincingly. "I can see that you are a man of good taste. Let me teach them and they will better your world."

His face closed off. "You know nothing of taste, girl. Your world is me, now. Learn your place or I will teach it to you."

Yeah, right he—

"Have you ever been with a man before?" My face lit on fire. "I didn't think so. You were terrified. Are terrified." His face twisted into a wanton smirk. "Take a right when you leave and go to the end of the hallway."

Indecision tore at me.

The smirk turned into a look of promise. "Or I could—"

I fled.