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Why she had taken a leaf from Elinor’s book, Juliette couldn’t say.
She had betrayed her sister and brought a scrutiny upon her family which could threaten their position amongst the Legacies. Worse, if their position wasn’t threatened, Juliette might very well have to become the new Keeper-in-Waiting; a role she had decidedly never wanted.
Yet, for all she had thrown her sister to the proverbial wolves, Juliette now emulated her in a bitter attempt to distract herself from heartbreak. What human would believe vampires could be heartbroken? The Guild certainly never could; preaching to those they trained that vampires were incapable of love.
Fuck. Juliette wished that was true. If feeling the touch of love and loss, heartfelt and heartbreak, were beyond the capabilities of a vampire, she would have never felt this awful.
And she would have never found herself back here, at the same bar where Elinor had unveiled the delight of blood tainted by human vices, and how their alcohol and drugs would only heighten the intoxication of blood-lust.
Juliette ordered shots until her nerves faded and the internal whispering about how this was a terrible idea was silenced. Without Elinor’s abilities or charm, Juliette could only hope the temptation of mystery was enough as she approached a young woman she had seen taking something in a dark corners of the bar, and tilted her head towards the door.
On this occasion, mystery was enough, and the woman followed without hesitation, out into the night and to a secluded alleyway.
In her tipsy state, Juliette convinced herself it was only right to kiss the woman before sinking her teeth into her neck. As if she were fumbling through the etiquette of consuming blood with feeble justifications.
The kisses felt perfunctory and abrasive; clumsy compared to the ease at which Calliope’s lips had fit with Juliette’s. Not that Juliette’s companion seemed to notice.
Nor did she notice how Juliette hesitated, teeth at her neck, willing herself to sink them into the flesh beneath. It felt like a betrayal – she knew that was ridiculous — as though the bite she had given Cal was special somehow. That when she had bitten Cook or that man at the bar, it had been different. So different.
Fuck.
Juliette bit down and brought a panicked gasp from the woman she had pinned between herself and the wall; drinking deeply, she let the intoxicating blood wash over her blood lust. Then Juliette pulled back and pressed a searing kiss to the woman’s mouth, leaving the woman’s own blood on her lips.
As the woman struggled to make sense of the metallic taste that had accompanied their kiss, Juliette returned her attention to the woman’s neck, running her tongue over the blood, cleaning it from her skin. The desire to take another bite nearly overwhelmed her as the high took hold.
“What are you doing?” the woman clasped at her neck.
The high, which had been so exhilarating and new before, felt heavy and unwanted within moments. Juliette stifled the frustration in her throat and pulled away.
What had she expected, really, in trying to follow in her sister’s footsteps? Even through the haze, Juliette already knew she would find no solace this way.
“I’ll make sure you get a cab home,” Juliette said.
“You’re so sweet.” The woman pressed a clumsy kiss to Juliette’s cheek.
Juliette struggled not to wipe at her cheek, to remove the feeling of the kiss which she did not deserve. This woman had no idea how much danger she had been in, following a stranger into the dark.