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no way to resist the blood that passes you by. Young, old, healthy, sick… You’d drink from them all. Until you find your taste, that is.”
    “Taste?”
    “Like any other food. For example—Pepsi or Coke?”
    “What?”
    “Sorry, it’s the best analogy I can think of right now. So, what will it be? Pepsi or Coke?”
    “Coke, I guess?” She shrugged.
    “Their tastes are very similar, and yet we still prefer one over the other. Blood works the same way. Depending on what a human has in their bloodstream at any given time, they can taste sweet, sour or bitter. Things such as narcotics, drugs, alcohol and caffeine enhance these effects even more. Same thing goes for drinking live, drinking from a donor or drinking blood that’s been stored. Blood from blood banks will seem stale because it isn’t fresh.” I smirked when she wrinkled her nose. “You didn’t even notice the taste last night, did you?”
    “Not that I can remember. It’s kind of a blur.”
    I inclined my head. “You were high as soon as you took your first sip. I wouldn’t expect you to. But now that you’re sober, you’ll get to experience the different tastes first-hand. If I may offer a word of advice—savour them. Treat the blood like a fine wine. Swirl it around in your mouth to get acquainted before going to town on your donor. It truly is an experience you’ll want to see for yourself.”
    She stared down at her lap. “What happens if I don’t like the taste?”
    “Then we try another.”
    “After that?”
    “Like it or not, eventually you’ll have to eat. The longer you wait, the hungrier and less picky you’ll become. But don’t you worry—we’ll find what you like, and once we do, you won’t have to taste test so much.” I roused myself from the bed and hit a small button beside the donor’s door. “This button will let the donor know we’re ready, but there’s something you should know first. Donors are the junk food in a world of vampires. It’s a quick fix, but it won’t last for long. The reason for this is because of how little we’re allowed to drink from each donor. But, again, this keeps everyone healthy and safe.”
    “Which explains the five donors a day.”
    “Exactly. Now, most donors are female.”
    “Most vampires are male.”
    “Ahh, you’re catching on. Good. So, don’t be surprised by your donor’s gender. It won’t change how they taste or how well they submit to your bite.”
    “And the bed’s for…?”
    “Relaxing. It’s akin to sitting on the couch with a cold beer. Or so I’ve been told. It keeps you both comfortable and focused on each other rather than having to stand on shaky legs.”
    Jingling on the other side of the door caught my attention, and I quickly backed away. My stomach turned with anticipation, and I bit my bottom lip. This donor was all Kassy’s. I’d get my drink later, after I’d made sure she didn’t kill this one first.
    “And before I forget,” I said, clearing my throat. “You don’t ever want to chase a human down.”
    “Why is that?” Kassy asked. “Are we not fast enough?”
    “Oh, we are. But in the time it takes for a human to recognise what you are and for you to reach them, the adrenaline will already be in their system.” I winced at the remembered flavour. “Adrenaline makes the blood bitter. Unusable. That’s why, when I bit you for the very first time, I made sure you were calm. That is the same reason why some vampires compel their prey to remain still. The mood can ruin the meal, unless it’s tended to. Carefully.”
    More noise on the other side of the wall. We both froze. I inhaled and closed my eyes, able to recognise the sweet scent anywhere. Zee.
    I hadn’t even bothered to check the door or where I was walking before we’d come in, but if I had, I would’ve realised how observant the clerk back at the desk was. On nights when I wasn’t with Kassy, I could be found here. And more often than not, my first long drink of