Chapter 17: Instinct

*VICKY* The rest of the party went off without a hitch. So much so, even Osip eventually made a grand re-entrance, telling everyone that it was just a slight misunderstanding and she didn't mean anything she said. Honestly, after a while, I forgot that I was intermingling with people way out of my league—until someone screamed over wine spilt by a server on their new luxury heels. I hadn't heard of so many brands listed off at once since I was CEO. I watched the guests communicate with each other as Leon stood beside me, talking to an elderly-looking couple who had approached us. Suddenly, my head began to swirl, and I began to see doubles of the guests in the room. I couldn't focus and immediately knew what I needed. Thank god I had stashed some in my coat pocket in the kitchen. I excused myself from the conversation Leon had been having and headed toward the kitchen, weaving around the tables and reaching for the tranquiliser. I looked around the empty space to make sure that no one was around to see me, and cut open the bag before ingesting it. Only mere seconds later, my vision returned to normal, and my canines retreated. I sighed, thankful I was prepared and made my way out of the kitchen, immediately walking into a familiar, thick body. I looked up to see Leon, whose hands had quickly placed themselves under my elbows for support. "Everything okay?" "Oh–uh, yeah. I just had to grab something from my coat," I answered, but something in Leon's gaze told me he didn't quite believe me. "What's up?" "I want to introduce you to someone. Come with me." Before I could protest, he reached down and took a hold of my hand, making the whooshing sensation take over my brain once more. I followed Leon and walked through the hall to the front room, where people were toasting and discussing trivial matters, like who was going to the Met Gala and what Cindy Crawford was wearing last week. I couldn't help but sigh internally. We reached a group of guests, and suddenly, I smelt something familiar in contrast to Leon's Blood Perfume. "Gentlemen, this is the lady I've been telling you about. Vicky is one of the chefs at Kingsland Hotel and very quickly has made a name for herself there." The men turned and smiled at me, all with champagne in their hands. My brain carefully scanned internally for memories of these faces. I didn't recognize any of them—but the smell grew stronger like it had when I chased down the Blood Hunter the other day. "Vicky, this Ethan, owner of Whitby's downtown." "Oh, wow," I found myself saying out loud. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Whitby's, next to Chez Local and Kingsland Hotel, was one of the most luxurious locations in all of New York City. This guy single handedly invented the most iconic dish—the scrambler. Scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms and peppers, creating a new, deconstructed version of an omelet. "Hello, Vicky," Ethan said, stretching out his arm to shake my hand. "The pleasure's all mine. Leon talks about your dishes non-stop. I'd say he's finally met his match." I looked at Leon with a small, surprised smile, and he casually pulled his gaze away before turning to the men again. "And this," Leon began. "Is my business partner, Aden, and his partner, Jonathan." Aden, a tall, skinny man in a black tuxedo, also stretched his hand out for me to shake and smiled. "Vicky, I've heard so much about you from Leon and the rest of the staff, and now I know why. Your cooking tonight was amazing." "Thank you, sir," I started. "I'm really flattered. Truly." This moment was all I had ever dreamed of; cooking for high clientele, and then praising my food. I should be ecstatic, but all I could focus on was the smell. The smell of a Blood Hunter. I focused on using my senses, listening to every single word coming from around me as Leon continued to speak to the men about work-related activities. Everything was heightened—from my vision to my hearing, after drinking a tranquiliser, I was that much more vigilant, and the scent I was getting was definitely from another Kindred. I clenched my fists together, hoping to focus my energy on blocking out anything unnecessary and letting myself fully feel the air surrounding me… A nudge from an elbow slightly pushed me over, and I darted my eyes toward Leon who was staring at me expectantly along with the other men. Shit. They were talking to me. "Oh, uh—" "...Ethan was asking where you learned your skills," Leon coaxed. He must've heard my panic. "Yes, please share," Ethan continued. "My wife has been looking for a good culinary school for ages. All of the ones in the City aren't really for beginners. Do you mind?" "Oh, of course not," I said, my mind half narrowed in on the conversation, while the other half was focused on the smell. "It's just that the institution is a little far away…in Poris..." It was growing weaker. Whoever they were, they were on the move. "Oh, Poris!" Ethan beamed. "I love it there. Such a quaint town. I'll take Marian there on the weekend to scope out some places…" His voice trailed out as the scent entirely disappeared. I needed to catch it before it was too late—otherwise, it was more than me and Leon that were in trouble. Once again, I excused myself from the crowd, making an excuse that I needed a bit of fresh air, and headed out of the main room onto the balcony attached to the adjoining gardens. The crisp, cool night air struck my face as I stepped outdoors. I stopped on the circular base of the balcony and searched the acres of cobblestone pathways with my eyes for anything unusual. I watched as people made their way down the stairs into the gardens below and a drunk couple made out on one of the stone benches. Stretching as far as I could see was a maze constructed of tall, neatly trimmed hedges. I could still pick up the remnants of the Blood Hunter scent and followed it down the steps, past the guests and into the maze. The sounds of the party grew quieter the further in I went, and eventually, all I heard was the sound of crickets playing in the grass nearby. My body tensed as I slowly walked around, trying to find my way while simultaneously not making a sound. Kindred were quiet beings by design, so when two were hunting one another, it was damn near impossible—which is why we had a scent. And theirs was close. I could feel my hair standing up on my back with each step I took. Slow. I needed to go slow. Or else, I'd risk scaring him off. I slinked around each corner, preparing to run into someone—anyone. Except for each time I rounded it, no one was there. But the smell was, and it was the only thing telling me that I was on the right path. Then a rustle snapped me into reality. There was no one else in here; it had to be them. I readied myself, letting my fangs reveal themselves, and moved slyly through the night. I was ready to pounce when a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.