Sylas twirled her slowly on the spot, and then he vanished. Cassandra blinked, looking left and right for her sire, but couldn’t see him. She was in the middle of a throng of dancing people. All of whom were oblivious to the predators prowling amongst them. Where did he go? 

“Behind you.” She heard his voice like a whisper and spun around to look for him, but he wasn’t there. She was just starting to get a few curious glances since she was standing in the middle of the dance floor and not dancing, when she spotted Sylas again. He was leaning against the bar and talking to Zaff, who was suggestively pushing his thumb into the corner of his lips and into his mouth. He sucked on his thumb and winked over at Cassandra, so he knew she was looking. Sylas spoke to one of the bar tenders, and Zaff mouthed ‘dance’ at her, so Cassandra awkwardly tried to dance on her own. Without Sylas all over me, I’m not feeling frisky anymore. Unfortunately, her hunger for blood was just as intense. She swayed to the music and tried not to claw at her own skin for how on edge she felt. Her gums ached where her fangs would extend, and everyone around her started to smell really, really good. It was getting harder to concentrate on where Sylas was, as the man beside her turned away from his friend to give her an attentive look. For a split second, she feared that she would be discovered if anyone looked too closely at her pale skin. At how dilated her pupils were, and how red they had turned. Her fangs were hidden behind her lips, and her ears seemed to phase out the Seven Sirens and the beat of the music. Instead, she heard this man’s heart beat louder than anything else. She even heard the strain of his black leather trousers as he turned to face her. He had black tape X’s over each of his nipples, and a tattoo on his right arm of a surfboard riding a wave. 

“Well, someone’s been partying hard tonight?” He laughed and turned completely to face her. He had a messy lob of brown hair, brown eyes, a sun-kissed tan, and the confidence of an adonis as he closed the distance between them. “What’s your name, babe?”

“…” Cassandra heard white noise, with the throb of his heart beat cutting into her senses. I can hear his heart beating. I can smell his blood. Oh God, I’m so hungry, and he’s right there. Cassandra lifted her hands and placed them on his chest. 

“Oh? You want to play?” He chuckled and held her elbows to keep her close. “I’m game. I’m Will.” Totally unaware of how Cassandra was battling the urge to take hold of his shoulders and pull his neck into her mouth, he grinned in victory. When she licked his lips in hunger, he thought he was getting lucky. “And you are?” So fucking hungry…and afraid. Cassandra wanted to turn her head and look for Sylas to come and save her. To save ‘Will’ from being ripped apart by her. Not only couldn’t she find the strength to search for her sire, but she also cared less and less by the second. Her vampire nature whispered delicious promises of how good it would feel to sink her fangs gum deep into Will’s neck. The wet sound it would make. The warmth of it trickling down her lips and chin as she gorged herself. How he would taste as she gulped down his blood. “…delicious.” 

“Delicious, huh?” Will chuckled and brought her closer to bump and grind with. “Taking the hooker-themed night seriously? Alright. You’re delicious, and I’ll be your pimp for the night. Does that sound good?” Her wafer thin resistance shattered and she smirked, leaning up on her tiptoes to reach his neck. Her lips ghosted over his jugular, parting and preparing to bite, when someone shoved into Will. Cassandra was still on her tiptoes and nearly fell over from the push. Had Will not held onto her, she would have fallen to the floor. “Hey?! Watch it!” He tried to both hold Cassandra close to protect her, and snap over his shoulder at whoever pushed into his back. 

“Ssso sowy.” Cassandra’s eyes opened, seeing Sylas stumbling and slurring like he’d had ten too many. His arm was around the shoulders of a woman with blonde pigtails, and a pink mesh catsuit over a black bikini. “Juz leavin’ for a quick bite.” Sylas spluttered with laughter, and the woman half supporting his weight, half grabbing his arse, giggled with him. 

“Yeah. Move it, lanky-fuck.” She cackled and stumbled forward with Sylas. 

“Yeah. Move it.” Sylas fired at Cassandra, and his red stare held a moment of intensity so brief, mortal eyes wouldn’t have picked it up. But Cassie did, and her sire’s command was clear. She needed to calm down, and follow his lead. As quick as that, and Sylas resumed his flawless drunken routine. I need to go outside. She turned her head and watched Sylas and his clueless prey stumble towards the back door. He’s going to teach me how to feed without killing. That’s what that woman is for. Fuck, I nearly jumped this guy and bit him in the middle of a nightclub, surrounded by people. 

“Are you alright?” Cassandra held her biceps and wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Not to Will, or to herself. Within a minute of being away from her sire, she nearly killed someone. In public. I have so little control over myself when hungry…I’m a literal bloodthirsty monster. Her previous hope of learning how to feed and then running for freedom just went up in smoke. I’m not foolish enough to think I can learn in one night how to control that beast lurking inside me. I can’t believe how quickly I lost control like that. Just because I’m hungry. “Hey, don’t worry. You’re okay.” Will turned her shoulders so she stopped staring at the back door and smiled at her. “Forget that drunk idiot. You’re here with me. I’ll take care of you. Can I get you a drink?” 

“Erm.” She glanced back over her shoulder through her frizzy hair at the back door. “Actually? I could use some fresh air.” Sylas was outside, and right now, she felt so insecure about herself, that only he would do. Not only will he help her feed safely, but she didn’t trust herself without him present. Every second without her sire, was another second she risked losing control again and ripping into Will. Or the next unlucky thing with a pulse that got too close. 

“Sure. I could use a smoke break anyway.” Will kept a hand on her shoulder and walked her to the fire exit. He opened the door first and held it open for her like a regular gentleman. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if letting Will come with her was a bad idea. 

“Come to me.” She gasped, hearing Sylas’s voice whispering in her ear again. This time she knew her sire was outside, so she didn’t turn to look for him. Instead, she nodded with a meek smile at Will, and led him out into the alleyway.