Here Be Sexist Vampires(20)

I’d think on that a little more at dusk. For now, as much as I was curious to know if I also had internet access and satellite channels, I was way too tired for that or anything else. Without undressing I plonked myself on the bed and immediately entered dreamland and slept like, well, the dead...until about fifteen minutes after dusk had settled.

I dug out the last of my clothes from the duffel bag – a pair of black denim, slim-fitting jeans and a white long sleeved top that hung loosely over one shoulder – and dressed with vampire speed. Then I enjoyed three NSTs (greedy, I know, but I’d burnt off a lot of calories yesterday and I’d have a busy evening tonight) before heading out my door.

As I descended the final set of stairs I saw a blonde bloke coming my way that I’d never met, but who at the same time found familiar. It wasn’t his tallness that was familiar, or his athletic yet slim build, or his cocky strut which I really liked. I’d remember someone that appealing. But there was something about his smile and his eyes...hazel eyes.

“You must be Commander Parker,” he said in a friendly, chirpy tone.

“Sam.”

“Commander Michaels – the other one – but just call me Evan.”

I took the hand that he offered. He had a firm handshake. “You’re...Jared’s brother?” I hadn’t known he had one.

“We’re twins. Both got Turned into vamps at the same time. I heard you’re a Feeder.”

“Yep.”

“And you use an energy whip...?” His smile turned a little roguish.

“Not in a Dominatrix kind of way.” What was it with blokes and whips?

“Shame.” His eyes ran over me, but not in a slimy way, as he continued passed me. “See you at the meeting.”

The meeting was being held in the mansion in one of Antonio’s many conference rooms. Inside there was a long table that seated thirty people. Only Jared and a few other blokes were in there when I arrived. I was fifteen minutes early.

“Evening Commander Parker,” said Jared with a smirk as I sat opposite him near the head of the table. We’d be the nearest to Antonio, by the looks of things. Jared was wearing that same expression that he wore when he proposed his little bet. A bet that I was having a hard time not thinking about.

“Stop calling me that, you know it does my head in.”

“Does your head in?” Unfamiliar with the terminology, it would seem.

“It annoys me,” I amended.

“Sam, this is Commander Dawson.” Jared gestured to the bloke beside him who had quite a gangly look and buck teeth.

“Hi,” I said. I wasn’t much of a conversationalist after just waking up.

“Heard about your performance at the tryout.” Dawson’s voice was gruff, making him sound aggravated, which perfectly suited a Pagori vampire. “Controlling the elements is a hard thing to do.”

“And this is Commander Marsh,” said Jared as he pointed to the vampire beside Dawson. Marsh flashed me a smile that was obscured by a badly-in-need-of-a-trim moustache. Both his moustache and his hair were bushy and silver.

“And I’m Donnie,” said a wide-eyed, incredibly cute vampire in a flirtatious voice. “Or Commander Rodney.”

Just then more vampires piled into the room, laughing and joking amongst themselves. I recognised two of them as the blokes who judged at the tryout with Jared. If I remembered rightly, the dark-skinned Keja was Commander Lou Sherman and the auburn Pagori was Commander Will Norton. Both nodded at me, looking a little awkward.

I knew it was childish that I didn’t nod back, but both of them should have done the fair thing and told Jared not to be so biased against women and give me the place I’d earned in the tryout. Well, here I am sitting in a meeting with them as their equal so who’s laughing now?#p#分页标题#e#

Jared introduced me to three more commanders: McGowan (a German tall, miserable-looking Pagori), Baker (a dark Pagori who laughed like a hyena) and Rowan (another Pagori who turned out to be a whistler).

“And, of course, there’s me,” said a familiar voice. I turned to find Evan doing his cocky strut into the room. “Hello again,” he said to me before turning to the bloke beside me, Commander Baker. “Move along, Laugh-a-lot.” After a short game of musical chairs, Evan was seated next to me.

“I see you two have met.” If I didn’t know any better I’d think Jared sounder sour about it.

“I tell ya something, bro, that consort of yours – Joyce, or whatever her name is – is weird. She’s just pulled me aside and asked me to keep you away from Sam.”