IN AN HOUR, ORTIZ AND I ARE SITTING IN HIS LIVING room. His girlfriend, Brooke, is a petite brunette who is looking at me with open curiosity on her pert, co ed's face. I guess she's never met any female vamps.

She couldn't be more than twenty. She's barefoot, dressed in a hoodie and a pair of sweats. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail. Isn't she a little young? I ask Ortiz.

He puts an arm across her shoulders and she snuggles against his chest like a contented kitten. Not for me.

I'm seeing a side of Ortiz I wouldn't have believed an hour ago. He's always displayed an air of chivalry toward me. To see him on his home turf acting more macho than gallant surprises me. I realize at this moment, though, that I don't know anything about Ortiz-even how long he's been a vampire or how old he was when he was turned. Maybe he's younger than I think. Maybe Brooke is older.

And Brooke certainly seems to be enjoying the attention.

I look around the room. I followed Ortiz in my own car from the cottage so I could take off right after -doing what I need to do. He and Brooke live in a new housing development in Chula Vista. The homes are upper middle class, two story, fifteen hundred square feet of yuppie suburban delight. This room is decorated in Pottery Barn essentials. I expect a dog and a couple of kids to materialize out of the woodwork.

Hard to imagine why Ortiz, who will never be able to produce those kids, would choose to live here.

The moment I think that, the hypocrisy rises up to thump me on the head. Look at my lifestyle. Aren't I trying to do the same thing? Live a "normal" life?

Brooke is still rubbing her cheek against Ortiz' chest like she can't get close enough. He takes her chin in his hand, turns her face up and kisses her. There's no self-consciousness in the act, no embarrassment that I'm sitting right here with them.

Sharing intimate moments with strangers may be the norm for these two.

I'm relieved when the doorbell rings.

Ortiz extricates himself from Brooke's grasp and goes to answer it. The way Brooke is staring at me sparks the uneasy feeling that I may have asked the wrong vampire for a favor. It intensifies when Ortiz returns with a blonde in a raincoat.

"Anna," Ortiz says, "This is Edie."

Edie looks at me, head tilted, eyes shining with curious intensity. "Hi, Anna," she says. She unbuttons the raincoat and lets it slide off her shoulders.

She's naked.

Ortiz and Brooke are both standing beside her now. Ortiz cups her left breast while Brooke cups the right.

Edie crooks a finger at me. "Let the games begin."

I'm stunned into speechlessness. I know a lot of vamps go for the group thing. I never expected Ortiz was one of them. Just as I never expected his girlfriend to be willing to share him. Color floods my face. I should have been more explicit in what I wanted.

I'm not a prude. I've had my share of one-night stands both before and after becoming a vamp. This, however, is too much.

Sitting in Ortiz' catalog-perfect living room and realizing what the three strangers staring at me expect puts me over the edge.

I swallow back humiliation and embarrassment and spear Ortiz with a look. Not going to happen, Ortiz.

Ortiz responds with a puzzled look. What's wrong? You said you wanted a host. He smiles at Edie. I got you a host.

For me. Alone. Not this-

He snorts. Come on, Anna. Williams told me about you. You're no innocent. You've had plenty of human lovers.

Embarrassment gives way to anger. One at a time. In private.

Ortiz is staring at me, as if he can't believe the direction this is going. The worst part is I do need to feed. The hunger is eating away at me. I refuse, though, to do it with an audience. I take a mental step back, breathe out a long sigh.

Look, Ortiz. I'm sorry if I made you think I wanted more than blood. I can't do this. If Edie is willing to let me feed from her, I'll pay her. Do you want to ask her or shall I?

Ortiz frowns. He looks seriously put out that I won't. You offered me sex once. His tone hums with protest.

And you turned me down. Because of your girlfriend, if I remember correctly. I thought you didn't want to be unfaithful. I didn't realize it was because she wasn't there to participate.

He starts to say something and Brooke interrupts.

"What's going on?" she asks. "Mario, you told me she wanted to play. You promised."

Mario? I didn't even know Ortiz' first name. We both turn to look at Brooke.

She's frowning at us like a petulant child. Suddenly, I get the feeling this kitten has claws. I look at Ortiz. What did you promise?

His mind snaps closed and anger tightens his jaw. He takes Brooke's arm. "Anna has changed her mind. She wants to be alone with Edie."

I changed my mind? I open my mouth to snarl a reply but Edie distracts me. She 's picked up the raincoat and drapes it over an arm.

"No problem. Let's go." She pulls a small penknife from the pocket of the coat and runs the blade over her tongue. She runs her tongue over her lips, smearing them with blood. "I'm ready."

When she smiles, my insides start to quake.

I'm ready, too.

Brooke stomps off to another part of the house. A slamming door makes me think if Ortiz expects to get anything from Brooke in the near future, sex or blood, he's going to have to do some serious groveling.

Ortiz recovers enough to offer Edie and me the use of a guest room. He escorts us down a hallway, opens the door, and leaves us to, I assume, begin the groveling.

As soon as the bedroom door closes behind us, Edie tosses the raincoat onto a chair and lays down. She stretches her hands over her head and grabs onto the headboard. Her body is long and lush. She licks her lips again, the blood is bright red and shines like liquid rubies.

I find myself licking my own lips.

I take off my jacket and lay it over her coat on the chair.

It's all I take off.

I perch myself on the side of the bed, suddenly feeling foolish and uncertain what to do next.

My throat tightens when I try to speak. I make a ridiculous croaking sound.

Edie laughs. "Are you nervous? I can't believe it. You don't have to be, you know. I've done this before-with men and women."

She waits for me to say something. I don't know what to say. I've fed from women before at Beso de la Muerte, but there it 's a controlled situation and neither of us is naked.

She props herself up, leaning back on her elbows, and studies my face. "You've never had sex with a woman, have you?"

And I don't intend to now. I swallow a few times to make sure what comes out of my mouth won 't be another undignified croak and say, "Edie, I don't think this is going to work. I can't give you what you want."

She tilts her head. The bloody tip of her tongue flicks toward me like an invitation. "But I can give you what you want. Why don't we give it a try?"

She turns on her side and lifts her hair, offering me her neck. The smell of her, pheromones, blood, a hint of lavender, melts my resolve. I lay down and fit my body against hers.

The vampire in me is ready, responding with a snarl and a sharp intake of breath. I hold her, one hand at her neck, one around her waist.

She pushes back against me, rubbing her body against mine. I feel her shudder, feel her excitement through my clothes.

I nuzzle her neck, find her pulse point with my tongue. All my senses throb with anticipation. When I open her neck and begin to drink, she moans. She takes my hand and pushes it down, between her legs, holding it there with her own. I 'm lost in my own passion; I don't fight her. A kaleidoscope of exploding sensations turns my world bloodred with heat and pleasure.

I drink.

It's all there is in the world. Hunger to be sated. The blood, her blood, warms me, fills me, completes me.

I'm sorry when it's time to stop.

Reluctantly, though, I drag myself back, withdraw my teeth from her neck, use my tongue to close the wounds.

All the while, she's writhing against me, moaning, her hands manipulating mine. When my fingers slip inside her, she cries out. She 's hot and wet and feels like silk. Her orgasm builds, powerful, pulsing. I feel it. A new sensation for me. Not entirely unpleasant. I finger her until she comes. I'm no longer reluctant and no longer afraid. It seems the least I can do-give her sex.

Didn't she just give me life?

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