Free IM01 - Carpe Noctem by Katie Salidas

too much to handle. Each scent was a little different. Some were sweet, some spicy, some pungent, all working together to create an enchanting and enticing aroma that threatened to unleash the monster inside of me.
    Lysander must have recognized the sensory overload. He put an arm around me and held me tight against his body as he guided me towards the front doors of the casino.
    I absently licked at my fangs. My mouth watered. Instinct urged me to reach out and grab one of these sweet-smelling people.
    This newfound anger and bloodlust had a strange control over my mind. Gone were thoughts of if or how I could do it. The monster crying for blood had entrapped my consciousness. My thoughts jumped from person to person, trying to pinpoint the one who would satisfy me best.
    The packed casino, swarming with hundreds of people, had become the buffet line I’d suggested it was earlier.
    Lysander urged me forward, towards the doors. “Breathe through your mouth, young one, it will make this easier. And stop licking your fangs. You need to learn to control those instincts.”
    I’m sure if I hadn’t been in the throes of bloodlust, I would have been embarrassed by Lysander’s comment. Instead, I was thankful for the advice. I needed to get my head straight and gain some control. I took a deep breath through my mouth, as instructed. It weakened the scent, though I still tasted small hints of it.
    We passed an elderly man in a wheelchair playing at one of the nickel slot machines. His wrinkled skin sagged against his cheekbones. He wheezed as he put a cigarette to his lips. I noticed a particularly pungent odor from him, drastically different than the wonderful perfumes surrounding me. It momentarily broke me from my craving.
    “What is that smell?” I commented, reaching to cover my nose.
    “Disease,” Lysander said matter-of-factly. “That man is probably dying of emphysema.”
    We exited the casino. Relief washed through me as the fresh breeze blew though my hair. The sweet fragrances still hung all around, tempting me, but they seemed to be dampened by the lack of recirculated air. It was easier now to discern the directions to which each scent belonged. The monster inside of me still begged for blood, but out here, in the fresh air, I managed to regain a little mental control.
    We walked a block away from the Stratosphere. Lysander’s arm was still draped around me, keeping me restrained as he escorted me down the street, while preventing me from acting out of thirst in the crowds that passed us. Awkward as it was, I was thankful to have him there, with me.
    He led me to an empty side street. “This is where we go our separate ways, for now,” he said.
    “What! Wait. How am I supposed to…” I panicked. I needed him. I needed the confidence he gave me. I needed him to stop me from doing something stupid.
    “Don’t worry,” Lysander said with a hint of amusement. “I will not be too far. But I can’t be seen walking with you if you are to attract your prey.” He gave me a wicked smile. His eyes seemed to roam across my body as if sizing me up. Apparently I passed whatever inspection he was giving. He gave a small nod and continued. “Just walk around and take a few back alleyways, and I am sure you will catch something. Hold back your urges until you are out of sight. Remember to be discreet and to breathe through your mouth. Don’t sniff at the air unless you are sure you are ready.”
    I needed that reminder. Breathing through my nose threatened to drive me insane. The sweet honeyed smell of blood was too enticing. Just the thought of it had me flicking my tongue against my teeth in anticipation.
    “Quit licking your fangs,” Lysander said sternly. “People will notice that.”
    He reached out, brushing the side of my face with his hand. “You can do this. I will be close by, in case you need help.”
    Before I could say anything, he turned and walked away. In a superhuman blur of motion, he vanished,