Bloodlust

Bloodlust by Deborah O'Toole (aka Deidre Dalton) is Book #2 in the Bloodline Trilogy.

Noel and Pim's daughter Kate Grady has unusual powers which allow her to bend people to her will. At first she uses her gifts wisely, but then goes astray after falling in love with Kirk Lester. She finds herself honing her special powers to keep her place in Kirk's heart, no matter how evil or depraved life with him becomes.

From Chapter Three

THE CAFETERIA AT English High School was bright and airy, with large skylights overhead and leafy greenery winding its way around square columns and clinging to walls. Black-surfaced round tables filled most of the white floor space, although a roped-off buffet line and salad bar encompassed one corner. Other spots held soda and snack machines, along with a massive corkboard tacked with notices about school activities, extracurricular opportunities and tutoring offers.

Kate and Kirk stood in the buffet line together. She was very aware of his physical presence slightly behind her, the aroma of his Grey Flannel cologne filling her senses. She steeled herself to appear unaffected, showing great interest in the various food choices. She eyed the platter of individual pizza slices, opting for pepperoni with a side of green salad. Kirk chose a pre-made ham sandwich, setting their plates on a dark brown tray at the end of the line. His elbow brushed against her arm as he drew his wallet from his back pocket.

She felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her by the inadvertent contact. "I can pay for my own lunch," she murmured in protest.

"Please, allow me." His tone was polite but firm.

She shrugged, allowing him to act the gentleman. Who ever heard of such a thing, especially nowadays? Suddenly, she didn't have the temerity to deny him lest she reveal her own weakness brought upon by his nearness. Her inner thoughts and reactions were no longer making sense, even to her.

They sat at a table near one of the columns, where they had a semblance of privacy. Kate glanced around briefly and noticed other students casting curious, but quick, stares at them.

"I seem to draw attention no matter where I go," Kirk said wryly. "I'm not sure why."

Kate ignored his remark, looking down at her plate. "Where is your friend?" She wanted to know, for lack of anything better to say.

"He's cutting school, although you didn't hear me say that."

"Of course not," she replied, looking up to meet his eyes. She swallowed, feeling the dryness in her throat. "By the way, who is he? I've never him before, not until the other day."

"Really, Kate? You want to talk about my friend?" He sounded surprised, but took her question in stride.

"Sure. Why not?"

Kirk took a healthy bite of his ham sandwich, chewing as he watched her. After a few seconds, he said: "I met him a few years ago at Burke High. Despite what you may think, he's a good guy."

Kate felt a stab of annoyance. "I don't recall stating my opinion about your friend, one way or another."

"Touché." He cocked his head slightly. "Calm down, Katie. I can feel your hackles rising from here. Most people, fellow students included, assume my friend is a criminal illiterate, that he belongs to a gang. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Kate took a quick bite of her pizza slice. "I'm listening."

"Riccio,'" he said bluntly. "His name is Ando Riccio."

"Ando?" she asked, curious.

"Yes. Ando is short for Antonio."

"Close-knit Italian," she observed casually. "Like I said, I've never seen or heard of him before the other day."

"Stands to reason, doesn't it?" Kirk said lightly. "You never heard of me before, either. Not until a few days ago." He paused. "And yes, Ando comes from a close-knit Italian family."

She blushed slightly. "I don't mean to be so nosy," she told him with some hesitation. "I'm just trying to get to know you."

"No problem," he replied shortly, his dark eyes unreadable.

"Why did you transfer to English High?" she queried, watching him as she chewed another bite of pizza.

"My father rented a new house in the area," he said, his tone of voice suddenly turning cold. "He was hired as a community organizer for Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development."

"Impressive," Kate noted. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore. My mother and little sister Kelly died in a car accident about five years ago."

She was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry, Kirk. I didn't mean to pry so deep."

He stared at her for a long moment, and then said softly: "That's the first time you said my name aloud."

She was startled. "Well, yes, I suppose you're right."

"I like it."

His words flustered her, but she didn't know what to say in return. She looked down at her food again.

"What about you?" he continued.

She glanced back at him, his regard giving her stomach an electric jolt. "Me?"

"What's your story?" he asked as he took another bite of his sandwich. His tone had lightened considerably, the coldness now gone.

She took a stab at her salad with her fork, lowering her eyes as she moved the lettuce around the bowl. "There's nothing unusual about my story. I'm an only child, Chloe Benedict is my best friend and unlike most kids my age, I get along very well with my parents." She gathered the courage to raise her eyes again. "I've lived in the same house on South Street my entire life. But then you knew that, didn't you?"

Kirk returned her stare without flinching. "I'm not going to apologize for standing in front of your house last night. I know you saw me."

"Why were you there?"

"Out of curiosity," he replied nonchalantly. "I wanted to see where you lived."

"But how did you know where I live?" she persisted.

He smiled at her, giving the barest wink. "You do realize Jamaica Plain issues phone books every year, right? It wasn't hard to guess which Grady family you belonged to."

"Oh," she said faintly, unable to ignore the slight alarm going off in her head. Why would he go to such lengths just to see where she lived?

"I'm not stalking you, if that's what you're thinking."

"Then why go to all the trouble?" Her voice trailed off as she met his eyes.

"I told you – I was curious." He pushed his plate away, the half-eaten ham sandwich ignored. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as he continued. "Let's not play games, Katie. I liked you the minute I saw you in the hallway a few days ago. I had a sense you felt the same way, so I wanted to find a way to get to know you. Does it really matter how I went about getting your attention?"

She felt lighter of spirit at once. A smile crept its way onto her lips. "Fair enough." She set her fork on the table. "What do you like to do for fun?"

He returned her smile. "I have a variety of hobbies, actually, but I'm not sure you'd be interested in any of them."

"Try me," she urged.

"Music," he offered. "I like listening to music, all sorts of music. I like writing poetry. I play basketball with Ando on weekends."

"You write poetry?"

"Sometimes, but it's not flowery or pretty."

"I'd like to read it."

Kirk laughed. She was mesmerized by the whiteness of his teeth, the beauty of his lips. "I can quote you one now, if you'd like."

She brightened. "Please do."

"It's called A Brief Moment," he told her. Then he began the poem, his tone low and his eyes never leaving her face:

So you see.

This is me!

Free! Free!

They are.

Let it be

and they will

see.

A breath of

fresh air.

After the dark

holes.

Inhale all of this

and pray for their

souls.

Kate regarded Kirk across the table. "You're right," she admitted frankly. "It's not flowery or pretty, but it's good just the same. I'd love to hear more."

He grinned. "Thank you for that opening, Katie. How would you like to go out tonight? I can bring along my poems and let you read them."

"That was clever."

"I know."

"Where can we go to read poems?"

"The Ten Tables Restaurant on Centre Street," Kirk replied quickly. "We can have dinner and you can read my poems."

"I can't stay out too late," she warned him.

"No problem. I'll pick you up around six o'clock."

Kate smirked. "You do realize you'll have to meet my parents, don't you?"

He crossed his heart with his forefinger. "Don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."

Kate wondered fleetingly what her parents would think about Kirk's dagger earring. Noel and Pim Grady were accustomed to their daughter's taste in clothes and accessories, so perhaps Kirk's unusual piece of jewelry wouldn't be too much of a jolt.

The five-minute warning bell sounded. Kirk and Kate stared at one another for a brief moment, both of them attempting to veil their inner thoughts – and they both knew it.

They rose from the table simultaneously, gathering their plates.

"See you tonight, then?" he asked softly.

"See you tonight."