The Beast Without by Baines Christian

Author:Baines, Christian [Baines, Christian]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: werewolves, gay sex, Australian fiction, vampires
ISBN: 9781922120441
Publisher: IP (Interactive Publications)
Published: 2013-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

9

“NICE PLACE. YOU LIVE BY YOURSELF?”

“Thank you,” I said gruffly as Jorgas surveyed my lounge room. I suddenly found myself wondering which of my belongings were too bulky to steal. “I own the building, but I’ve a tenant upstairs”

“Oh? Who?”

“A retired Polish widow, whose cooking can clog a man’s arteries at ten paces. You’re not to go up there for any reason. Are we clear?”

“That for her safety or mine?”

“Both.”

Jorgas’ smirk gave way to an impertinent grin I didn’t care for. “Bit risky, isn’t it? I thought you’d be more private than that.”

Dorotha respected my privacy just fine – though Jorgas was starting to push his luck.

“That’s another thing you need to learn,” I said. “How to approximate a human lifestyle. Human behaviour.”

“I’ve been doing that for twenty-two years.”

“Yes. I suppose you have. But it’s easier for Blood Shades. The reason ‘vampires’ have grabbed human imagination and culture like no other species is that we’re not really all that different. We look like them. We hold similar values. They think they understand us, even if they don’t believe, and we’ve encouraged them in that delusion.”

Jorgas challenged me with a sarcastic glare. “Except for the whole drinking blood, no sunlight, crosses, garlic, running water, can’t enter a home without—”

“Lies. Our lies, in fact. Apart from the blood and sunlight.”

“Wait, your lies?”

“Try to understand. Humans use myth, storytelling and culture to help them process reality. For us, that presents an opportunity. Over the centuries, there have been inevitable breaches of the cloak protecting Blood Shades from human eyes. So, we propagate myths so preposterous that humans safely dismiss our existence as impossible, to the point they don’t even look for rational explanations. Mythology protects us, and others, like yourself. We hide, right in front of their eyes.”

“But you feed on them! There’s no hiding that.”

“Hypnosis,” I explained. “If I may demonstrate?”

“You better not!” He backed away with a low growl.

I couldn’t resist a smile. The boy still had so much to learn. But it would wait for another night – and for a tutor more patient than I. “Lounge… bathroom… try not to fight the cat for the litter box.”

“Yeah, you’re not funny.”

“Oh, and let me say this once. If you eat Demetrius, I eat you.”

Jorgas winced. “You think I’m going to eat your cat?”

“True. You don’t strike me as the kind to eat pussy.”

“Oh hah bloody hah. For your information, I like both. Guys and girls.”

“How very multicultural for you. I don’t care. Though I thought you didn’t like ‘fags’.”

“I don’t like a lot of people.”

“The kitchen,” I continued. “I assume you know your way around?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Just checking.”

I bit my tongue. Subtle, Reylan. Subtle. Still, there was every chance that antagonising him could get me answers – or get me killed. I was getting used to the balancing act.

“You still think I did it, don’t you? That I cut up your mate?” Jorgas snapped.

“If I thought that, I’d have killed you in the street.” I led him to the bedroom.

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