Free Blood & Dust by Jason Nahrung

containing a dark, steaming liquid. He gobbled down the pizza, relishing the bite of pepperoni.
His stomach made a gurgle of disagreement. He reached for the coffee but somehow picked up the other
mug; sniffed it, and cautiously probed the liquid with his tongue. It made his stomach growl, the
saliva flow.
    He almost dropped the mug as a woman spoke up behind him. 'Newborn, eh?'
    He turned, embarrassment warming his face. It didn't help that the stranger was gorgeous, her
skin shiny black, her face framed in dreads.
    'I didn't hear you,' he stammered. 'I'm Kev. Kevin. I'm with Kala.'
    'Good for her.' The woman leaned back against the fridge, dislodging a magnet shaped like a
pineapple. She caught it in one hand and put it back in a fluid move so quick Kevin barely tracked
it. There was a finger painting on the fridge: four stick figures besides a house under a yellow sun
with long rays. 'The mechanic from the garage, eh?' the woman asked, as though nothing had happened.
    'Yeah, that's me.'
    She looked him up, down, up again. 'I'm Acacia.' She stood as tall as Kevin and was as wide in
the shoulder. The sleeves had been torn from her denim shirt, revealing muscled arms. Several
necklaces of beads circled her neck. She smiled broadly, her teeth white, eyes lit with humour, as
she pointed to the mug in his hand. 'Don't let me put you off, mate. Most important meal of the day
'n' that.'
    'You guys keep calling this breakfast but-'
    'We work the night shift,' she said with a wink.
    He nodded, and turned away from her to hunch over the mug of blood. It looked like tomato juice
gone wrong. His gut churned. With his eyes closed, willing himself to stop smelling it, he sipped.
Sipped and groaned in delight. It warmed him all the way to his toes. Numbed his forehead like a
generous shot of OP rum. Before he knew it, he was lapping the last traces from the lip of the mug.
An uneasy peace wrapped around him, as though he had just finished a huge meal and was ready for a
nap. But he couldn't imagine sleeping any time soon. Not after all the weird shit he'd just been
through.
    'That all right?' Kala asked, a hand on his shoulder. Her fingers smelled of soap.
    'Yeah, thanks.' He licked his lips and put the mug down on the sink, pushed it away from him.
    'Rinse it,' she said. 'It stains.'
    He felt his face flush again. He washed the mug and tipped it upside down on the draining rack.
Vampires still had to wash up - bloody typical.
    'Quite the neat freak, our Kala,' Acacia said.
    Kala hugged Acacia and apologised for waking her. Acacia brushed it away with a wave of her hand,
then yawned. 'I was awake. Just wanted to see what was on the stove. He'll need more. A lot more.'
    Kala nodded. 'There's not a lot left. I'm hoping Tai will-'
    'He shoulda fed him already. The boy's barely standing.'
    'He was in a mood.'
    'Really?' She rolled her eyes, then added, 'I guess getting staked out by your own sister will do
that.' She sighed. 'I'm sure he'll get around to feeding the pup. Anyway, I'm gonna stretch my legs.
See if that storm's still building. Shout if you need anything.' She glanced at Kevin with what he
took to be either suspicion or amusement, maybe both, then added, serious, 'Budgie's out the front.'
    'Why don't I just jump in the car and leave? Get out of your hair?' Kevin asked.
    'I don't think that's a good idea,' Kala said. 'Remember the girl at the house - your
girlfriend?'
    He stared at her, fuming, helpless, confused. Was surprised to see sympathy in her face.
    'Stay till tomorrow night,' Kala said. 'When Tai comes back and everyone's, well, calmed down,
then he can give you what you need.'
    'And what's that? Another bullet?'
    'More blood.'
    He collapsed into the sofa. 'Was that what I just drank?' he asked, wiping his mouth.
    'Decant. Stored blood. It'll keep the hunger at bay. For now.' She sat near him in a stuffed
armchair.
    'What the hell has happened? Who is Taipan, and why were those guys after him?'
    'Until Tai gives the word,