Chapter 39: Fangs in the Dark

We continued walking through the quiet Paris streets, the group chatting and laughing as if nothing unusual had happened tonight. Conversations overlapped with the music fading behind us, the faint echo of the carnival still lingering in the distance.

Maria, walking slightly ahead of the others, seemed particularly fixated on me. “So… what do you do back in Nigeria?” she asked, tilting her head with curiosity. “Do you work, or… are you studying?”

I gave a casual shrug. “A bit of both, I guess. I like to keep myself busy.”

She leaned closer, her blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “What about hobbies? Do you play sports, video games, anything?”

I smiled faintly, trying to seem relaxed. “I like exploring, traveling… seeing new places. That’s about it for now.”

Her curiosity didn’t stop. “And, uh… are you single? You travel with a bunch of cousins?”

Before I could answer, my attention was drawn elsewhere. Olivier was leaning slightly toward Ayara, talking quietly and gesturing with his hands. The way he looked at her, the subtle body language—it piqued my curiosity. I strained to listen using my enhanced vampire hearing, but the laughter, the chatter of the group, and the distant music from the carnival all blended together, making it impossible to catch anything coherent.

I let it go, deciding to observe rather than pry.

Eventually, we arrived at the house. Its lights glowed warmly in the night, standing in stark contrast to the cold Paris streets around it. We opened the door and invited the girls in.

Their reactions were immediate. Every mouth opened in silent astonishment, eyes wide as they stepped inside.

“Wow,” one of them whispered.

Maria’s gaze darted around the living room, lingering on the furniture, the polished floor, the subtle décor. “I can’t believe it… we’ve been living next door to Pierre for years, and we never knew his house was like this,” she said, her voice tinged with awe.

Juliet chuckled beside me, and Ayara’s mouth hung open as she took in every detail of the clean entrance. I felt a mix of pride and satisfaction, though my attention still kept drifting to Olivier and Ayara, wondering what their hushed conversation had been about.

The house smelled faintly of polish and the faint lingering metallic scent from earlier, but it only added to the surreal feeling—it was a normal, human home now, but tonight it had been the epicenter of chaos.

Everyone moved further inside, their voices still low, their excitement palpable, while I silently marked each detail, ready for what the night—and our nine guests—might bring next.We stepped into a side room, closing the door quietly behind us. I ran a hand over my face, my thoughts racing. We just invited nine people into a house where the owner is still lying lifeless in the garage… is this really a good idea? The thought made my stomach tighten.

Timi leaned against the wall, calm as ever. “Relax,” he said, giving me that steady look that always managed to ground me. “They’re not here to investigate. They’re just here to have fun. You worry too much.”

Juliet crossed her arms, nodding slightly. “He’s right. We can handle this. Besides, Ayara needs to feed. This gives her the perfect opportunity.”

Ayara, brushing her hair from her face, gave a small shrug and said, “I can’t ignore it forever. It’s been hours, and… well, I need this. We’ll keep it controlled.”

I exhaled slowly, knowing they were right, but still feeling uneasy. “Alright… just… keep it under control.”

We made our way back into the living room. The sight that met us was… chaotic. The girls had already gotten into a haze of experimentation—lines, smoke, pills—mixing with laughter and music blaring faintly from someone’s phone. It was like stepping into another world entirely.

I glanced at Timi and Juliet, their expressions amused but alert, and then at Ayara, who looked equally torn between her curiosity and her need. I knew we’d have to keep a close eye on things tonight, but there was no denying it: the energy in the room was intoxicating.

This was going to be an interesting night.

We decided to join them, sliding onto the couches where the music, smoke, and laughter mingled in a dizzying haze. They immediately offered us some of what they were indulging in. At first, I hesitated, but curiosity—and the thrill of the night—won over. I took it from them, inhaled, and almost instantly felt a warm, euphoric rush flood through my body. Timi, Juliet, Ayara, and I all shared a look and couldn’t help but laugh as the intoxication hit us in full force. The room became a blur of colors, sounds, and laughter as we partied alongside our guests, losing ourselves in the chaos.

After some time, I noticed Olivier leaning close to Ayara, whispering something into her ear. Without a word, they both stood up and disappeared into the corridor. My eyes drifted to Collette; she was already asleep, sprawled comfortably on the couch. Maria, clearly more intoxicated now, started rambling nonsense at me, half-giggling, half-serious. I smiled politely and told her I needed the bathroom.

Curiosity drew me down the corridor, and that’s when I caught sight of Ayara and Olivier in the bathroom. Ayara’s fangs were sunk gently into his neck, and Olivier’s expression was a mix of pleasure and dazed surrender. The moment she saw me, she froze briefly, then continued as if I weren’t there. I quietly shut the door and retreated, letting them have their privacy.

Minutes later, Ayara and Olivier returned. He looked slightly dazed, but the way Ayara moved and touched him suggested she had done her work thoroughly, erasing any traces of what had just happened. The party continued, and soon, Juliet and Laurent started making out across the room. A twinge of jealousy shot through me, but I reminded myself we weren’t dating. My attention turned back to Maria, who was still giggling and swaying slightly on the couch. I leaned closer, and we started kissing.

After a while, I noticed Juliet and Laurent had vanished from the living room, along with Timi and Valentine. They must have slipped off to feed on some of our guests, just as Ayara had. Soon enough, all four returned, looking spaced out and dazed, their hunger sated.

It was finally my turn. I took Maria by the hand and led her toward the bathroom. As soon as we were inside, she placed her hands on my neck, kissing me eagerly. I pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes, my voice low and deliberate.

“You’re beautiful,” I said, letting the words hang in the air, letting her feel each syllable sink into her mind. “Absolutely perfect…” I circled her gaze with my own, reinforcing her focus entirely on me. Slowly, her movements stilled, her resistance melting away as the subtle pull of my words wrapped around her mind.

When she was completely under my influence, I whispered firmly but gently, “Don’t scream. Trust me.” Her eyes blinked once, then softened, pliant to my will. And then, carefully, I leaned in and sank my fangs into her neck.

Maria’s body tensed slightly at first, but the moment my fangs pierced her skin, the tension melted away. Her grip on my shoulders loosened and her breathing slowed into something soft and distant. I held her carefully, one arm around her waist to keep her from collapsing while I fed.

The taste of warm blood filled my mouth, rich and intoxicating. It surged through me like fire in my veins, sharpening every sense. The distant sounds of music and laughter from the living room suddenly became clearer, each heartbeat in Maria’s chest echoing softly in my ears.

I forced myself to stay in control.

Too much and she wouldn’t wake up.

Too little and the hunger would remain.

After a few long seconds, I pulled away slowly. A thin line of blood ran down her neck, but the wound was already beginning to close. Maria swayed slightly, her eyes glassy and unfocused.

I gently lifted her chin and met her gaze again.

“You’re okay,” I said quietly, letting the hypnotic tone return to my voice. “You just got a little dizzy. You needed some air. You came to the bathroom, washed your face, and now you’re going back to the party. You’ll remember having fun tonight… nothing else.”

Her expression softened immediately as the suggestion settled into her mind.

“Okay…” she murmured faintly.

I turned on the tap and splashed a little water onto her face to make it believable. She blinked a few times, steadying herself on the sink.

“Better?” I asked.

She nodded slowly.

“Yeah… I think so.”

I wiped the small trace of blood from her neck and brushed a strand of hair over the spot so it wouldn’t be obvious.

Then I opened the bathroom door and guided her back down the corridor.

The living room was still alive with music and laughter. Juliet was lounging lazily against the couch, watching the room with half-lidded eyes. Timi stood near the window talking to Alexandre, who looked equally dazed but cheerful. Ayara was sitting quietly on the arm of a chair, her posture relaxed now that she had fed.

Maria slipped back beside the others as if nothing had happened, immediately getting pulled back into the noise and chaos of the party.

For a moment, I stood there watching all of them.

Nine humans.

All laughing.

All unaware.

And in the middle of it all, the four of us—moving through the room like shadows pretending to be people.