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I was eager for all these lessons That we hunted together was a h that Marius had been clumsy in the murders he had committed for me to witness before I'd been transformed I knew then, as perhaps I've made plain in this story, that he wanted me to feel pity for these victims; he wanted me to experience horror He wanted me to see death as an abomination But due to my youth, my devotion to him and the violence done me in my short mortal life, I had not responded as he hoped

Whatever the case, he was now a ether, I drinking from the throat of our captive, while he fed fro the victihtly for me while I drank all of the blood

Being neas thirsty every night I could have lived for three or , yes, and so myself-this was put to the test-I was too weak to rise frous So what this meant was that, when and if I were ever on ht

My first few , one before Theabout in me such a state of arousal that I becae or restraint When I opened my eyes in the cold stony darkness, I envisioned human flesh I could feel it in ht could have no other events for me until I had laid my powerful hands on that one which would be the sacrifice to my need

For long moments after the kill, sweet th

robbing sensations passed through rant blood found all the corners of nificent heat into my face

This, and this alone, was enough to absorbas I was

But Marius had no intention of lettingpredator, with no other thought but to glut hiht

"You in to learn history and philosophy and the law in earnest," he told me "You are not destined for the University of Padua now You are destined to endure "

So after our stealthy missions were completed, and we returned to the warmth of the palazzo, he forced me to my books He wanted some distance between me and Riccardo and the others anyway, lest they becoe that had occurred

In fact, he told e whether they realized it or not Their bodies knew that I was no longer huht take their minds some time to accept the fact

"Show theence, but keep your distance," Marius told me "By the time they realize the unthinkable is the fact, you will have assured them that you are no enemy to them, that you are indeed Ah you have been changed, you yourself have not changed towards them "

I understood this At once I felt a greater love for Riccardo I felt it for all of the boys

"But Master," I asked, "don't you ever become impatient with them, that they think more slowly, that they are so clumsy? I love theht even than I do "

"A to die " His face was charged with grief