Free Cronin's Key II by N.R. Walker Page B

other man by the hair and violently tilted his head back, almost snapping his neck. He sunk his teeth into his throat, feeling the hot blood soothe his throat as he drank the life out of this man.
    And when the first man was drained and lifeless, he let him fall to the ground like the garbage he was. Then, like he hadn’t fed in weeks, Cronin picked up the second man and fed from him too.
    But it didn’t taste right. It wasn’t rich enough, it wasn’t sweet enough, it wasn’t sustaining enough.
    It wasn’t Alec.
    Alec.
    And just like an answered prayer, Cronin heard him.
    It’s okay, Cronin. The doctor’s nearly done. I’ll see you soon.
    Relief, coupled with shame, swept through him. Cronin picked up the two dead men by their throats and leapt.
    Disposing of bodies was dependent on where it was still night somewhere around the world. Tonight’s choice was one of his favorites.
    Sunlight was almost breaking across the Serengeti, highlighting the plains of Tanzania in a spectacular mix of beauty and wild. He let the two bodies fall to the ground and stepped forward, smelling the air around him. His old friends were here, if that’s what he could call them. He’d never brought anyone here, he’d never shared this secret with anyone. He knew he’d bring Alec here one day, though not while he was human. He wouldn’t risk it. But yes, when Alec became a vampire, they would come here and they could marvel at it together.
    Sometimes he’d discard of bodies in an ocean, or a ravine, or in the vast frozen lands of the arctic. Though the polar bears didn’t appreciate the takeout like the lions of Tanzania did.
    Cronin let his head fall back and he snapped out a roar. It was his calling card. He’d made that call for hundreds of years, and the pride knew his voice. As clear as someone chiming the dinner bell, the largest male lion appeared first.
    What made cats attracted to vampires, Cronin could only guess. But a large lion thundered in to see him, nudging his hip before he sniffed out the closest body. Cronin ran his hand along the fine animal, feeling its coarse fur, feeling its strength as it walked, padding its huge feet in the dirt. As the light of the new day threatened to break over the horizon, the rest of the pride came in for the second body, and Cronin smiled with satisfaction as he leapt back to Kole’s house.
    He arrived in the kitchen and found Alec and Kole in the small living room. The doctor was, thankfully, gone. Alec stood up quickly and put his hand to the side of Cronin’s face. “Are you okay?”
    Cronin couldn’t help it. He pulled Alec against him and breathed in his scent. “I am,” he said. After a long moment, he turned to look at Alec’s father. “I apologize for my behavior. I’ve not acted like that before.”
    “Like what?” Alec said. He pulled away but not too far. He looked worried. “Tell me what bothered you.”
    Cronin glanced at Kole and said, “Maybe it is a discussion best left for another time.”
    “Dad’s okay with everything,” Alec said. “He gets it, Cronin. He does.”
    Cronin sighed. “My whole body objected to someone else taking your blood. I could barely contain it. I wanted to kill him.”
    “But you didn’t,” Kole said. “And that’s all that matters.”
    Alec looked concerned, but he tried to smile. “So where did you go?”
    “To feed the lions of Tanzania,” Cronin replied.
    Kole laughed as if Cronin had made a joke, but Alec eyed him curiously. Before he could say anything, Cronin said, “I heard you again.”
    “Did you?” Alec asked. “I wondered if you would. I think Doctor Benavides thinks I’m crazy. I spoke to you like you were right there, but I’d hoped you’d hear me.”
    “It was grounding and most appreciated, thank you.” Cronin didn’t think Alec knew just how much he needed to hear his voice in that particular moment. “What else did the doctor say?”
    “We’ll have results in forty-eight hours.” Alec