*
During the night, Alex woke in pain. She was sleeping between Jaklin and Mikhail. Her entire body ached as if filled with infection. The problem was her need for blood. However, she felt new affection for her cross. It seemed more than just a symbol she wore to ward off vampires. It seemed to bolster her emotional well-being and fend off bad dreams.
She cuddled up close to Jaklin. She'd discovered that she liked to sleep with her arm around her, but when she nuzzled up close, Alex now had an urge to bite her. She rolled over and cuddled up next to Mikhail. She liked to put her hand on his chest while she slept, but the urge to bite him was also overpowering. She rolled to her back and looked up at the dark ceiling. She felt sick all over.
Alex slipped out of bed, bundled her clothes and shoes in her arms and slipped into the bathroom where she quickly dressed in the dark. She slipped out the door, down the stairs, and walked out into the cold night air.
Alex knew what she had to do, not only to ease her pain and deteriorating physical condition, but also for Jaklin's and Mikhail's safety. She had to do it quickly and return, before they missed her.
Once on the street, in addition to physical discomfort, Alex felt condescension and arrogance, a great desire for violence. She felt a moral authority above civilized behavior.
She had to get a grip.
The main street was still full of tourists going from bar to bar. Coffee shops were still packed. It was the beginning of summer tourist season. She had an idea. This might not be as difficult as she first thought.
Alex ducked into an alley and walked down a back street. She spotted several drunks staggering in and out of pubs. She could easily get blood from any of them, but protecting her identity could be a problem.
One man stumbled down the street and off onto an even darker side street, and she followed. He walked into a residential area and was obviously going home. She followed at a safe distance until he made the turn up a dark walkway into a yard, and she made her move.
Alex came up behind the drunk, grabbed him around the neck from behind and sank her teeth into him in one fluid motion. He was young and struggled against her, but Alex found that she was strong beyond all reckoning. He started to scream, so she put her hand over his mouth. The man's fear, outright panic when she grabbed him from behind, fueled her desire. She tried to suppress the feeling of invincibility that had taken her over. She sucked as long as she dared, and then shoved him away. But just as she thought she had her hand off of his mouth, he bit her. And it hurt.
After this act of violence and physical violation, and with her craving now sated, the reality of her attack hit home. She licked her lips and savored the remaining traces of blood mixing with her saliva. It had been more satisfying than a meal when starving, and for just a moment, she couldn't wait for the craving to return.
Alex tried to retrace her footsteps, but found that she was staggering and weaving a crooked path home. It was the man's blood-alcohol level. She was tipsy.
Quickly, she walked back to the flat, snuck inside the door, removed her clothes, donned her night gown and slipped back into bed between Jaklin and Mikhail. Her finger still hurt, but at least he didn't break the skin. She'd have to be more careful. She could have turned him.