KISS OF THE VAMPIRE

A shudder passed through Iliana’s soft slender body, and she pulled her thick fur-laced cloak tighter around herself. The chill wind seemed to cut straight through the cloth, through her flesh, straight down to her bones. Usually the cold never bothered her. Usually, she was bothered by very little of anything.

These were not usual times.

She stood atop the roof of the five story building, deeply hidden in the shadows, staring down at the streets below. Her exceptional eyes cut through the dark of the moonless night, giving her a clear view of the people scurrying to and fro. It was three a.m. but there were still people traveling the busy Branford city streets. Iliana spied one person in particular, a young blonde woman, huddled tightly in a dark brown overcoat, as she turned off the main street, taking a left through the dimly lit alleyway between the buildings. Iliana smiled, softly, thanking the stars up above. After all her careful and patient waiting, someone had been foolish enough to slip into the darkness, alone and unprotected.

Iliana was very, very hungry. It had been nearly three weeks since her last feeding.

Gathering the hems of her cloak, Iliana leaped from the rooftops, gliding down softly to the ground below, landing as silently and gracefully as a gymnast. The blonde woman, startled by the sudden appearance, took a step back, her eyes wide with fear. Iliana smiled wider, showing her fangs. Nothing excited her more than the look of shock and pure terror on the faces of her prey just before she took them. The girl opened her mouth to scream, but Iliana was already moving, covering the several yard distance in a fraction of a second, wrapping a hand tightly around the frightened girl’s mouth.

“Scream, and I’ll rip out your throat,” Ana hissed softly, licking the girl’s earlobe. “You know what I am, and what I want,” she continued. “I don’t intend to kill you, just refresh myself a bit. Behave, and you’ll live to see another day. Do you understand?” The blonde nodded stiffly in terror. Iliana felt a curious throb between her thighs at the intoxicating sense of power she had over this girl. It had been much too long since she’d felt this way, not since the last time she’d topped her Master Garr—

She pushed the thought away, burying it completely, focusing back on the present. Slowly removing her hand from the girl’s mouth, she slipped around in front of her, locking her gaze to the girl’s. Iliana’s hands had slipped to the girl’s shoulders now, so she felt her stiffen the very instant her clear blue eyes locked onto Ana’s own slate gray orbs. A soft chuckle escaped Ana’s blood red lips as she seized control of the girl’s mind, invading her deepest innermost thoughts, as her hands ran rampant along the stunned woman’s body. Ana had been denied sex nearly as long as the blood she now eagerly sought, and the blonde had a killer body, so young and ripe, so utterly sexy… Thoughts of sex and lust brought her Master to mind, and she quickly banished the thoughts again before the could overwhelm her.

I need to stop dwelling on the past, Iliana thought furiously, as she tilted the girl’s head to the side, exposing her white vulnerable neck. For now, I have to worry about the present, the here and now. I’ll deal with the rest when I am able.

A soft deep sigh escaped the entranced girl’s mouth, a tender deep moan of pleasure, as Ana’s fangs pierced her white pale flesh. The vampiress kept a tight reign on the girl’s mind as she fed, decreasing her fear, increasing the sensual pleasure she felt, distorting the poor girl’s perceptions until she groaned loudly, pressing herself deeper against Iliana’s sucking lips, eager to feed her, as if each pulse of blood flowing through her pierced jugular were mirrored in the young woman’s throbbing clit. Not wanting to drain the girl to death, Iliana had to fight with her in the end, pulling herself away from the girl’s frantic grasp, desperate to feel the warm hungry mouth against her throat for only a little longer.

Licking her lips, Iliana took out a small bandage from her pocket, placing it carefully over the girl’s bite marks. Staring straight into the girl’s eyes again, she spoke, as much into her brain as into her ears: Now, my dear, head home and get some sleep. You’ll be very very tired tomorrow, and should wake up early enough to call in sick from work. I want you to stay at home all day, eating and drinking, maybe watching TV, but nothing else. Your strength will return in a day or two. You will not remember running into me tonight, or what happened in this alley.

The girl swayed slightly in place, absorbing Iliana’s words. She looked so vulnerable, so utterly delicious, that Ana decided to add a little twist to her usual suggestion. You will NOT remember me,she said, huskily, running a hand gently along the wet crotch of the girl’s jeans, BUT, you will dream of me… dream of the beautiful, sexy, auburn haired beauty, the one girl in all the world that could give you pleasures not dreamed of in your deepest imagination. You will fantasize about me, and should you ever see me again on the street somewhere, you’ll find yourself enamored with me, strangely drawn, though you will not know why. She continued to rub the girl’s crotch as she spoke, sending shivers of pleasure through the mesmerized girl’s body. When she finally withdrew her touch, the blonde beauty shuddered, eyes clenched tightly, as she felt the release her body had burned for wash through her.

Iliana was already away and aloft before the girl recovered her senses. She felt better now, strong and energetic again. Her body throbbed with life, and the chill she’d felt all over had vanished. It was a pity that few feedings went as smoothly as this one; most times, people traveled in pairs or in groups, rarely alone. Her last attempt, she’d managed to isolate a young dark haired man, and had just begun to feed, when his friend entered the alleyway, shouting his fool head off. She’d managed to escape without resorting to violence, but she’d been denied the blood she so desperately needed. She’d been forced to go home hungry that day.

“It’s almost a good thing Garret isn’t here,” she said softly to the wind as she glided along towards the harbor. “Master would no doubt have laughed himself silly over last night’s little fiasco.”

Master. Dr. Garret Roberts, once a very accomplished surgeon, a man of ethics and honor, until their fateful meeting more than two hundred years ago. She’d been his patient then, the victim of amnesia, unable to remember who or what she was. She’d been pulled from the wreckage of a collapsed building during a bombing, the sole survivor. Naturally, she’d been weak and pale, very anemic from the loss, or rather lack, of blood. Garret had nursed her back to health, taken care of her, and eventually fallen in love with her. One night, they’d lain together in bed, back in his old apartment, when the hunger had taken her. In the midst of her passion, she’d reacted instinctively, sinking her fangs into his neck, draining him to the point of death. Terrified, not wanting this man, her newfound love, to die, she again reacted without thinking, slashing her own throat, pressing the seeping fountain to his lips, bidding him to drink. That night, his life ended, only to begin anew, a vampire like herself.

Her memory returned shortly thereafter. Garret found himself undeniably linked to her now, by blood as well as love. Alone, amnesiac, she had depended on him, had turned to him for guidance, and for support, but once her memory returned, her normal personality and demeanor emerged. She had been proud, haughty, and very independent, since she herself had been turned, thousands of years ago. Garret chafed, finding himself placed in a subservient role, being dominated by the girl that had, only a day before, been so sweet and submissive to him. He knew little of the ways of the vampire, but he knew much of being a man; in the end it came to a contest of wills, of strength of character. To Iliana’s great surprise, she had found herself the loser, though she had come to think much later that she had actually won. In submitting to Garret, she discovered a whole new side of herself, a part to her psyche she had never even known existed. In time, she came to enjoy serving him, though her proud, haughty nature still made its presence known from time to time. All in all, life together with her Master had been glorious, wonderful, exquisite in every way.

Until now. Until three weeks past, when Garret suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Damn him! Iliana thought angrily, her hands clenching into fists. Fucking stupid arrogant know-it-all sonofabitch bastard! Never listens to me. I’m only older than he by a fifteen hundred years… but no, he knows EVERYTHING! Why listen to me, I’m just his fucking slave girl, his pretty little ‘Ana’.

If only he had waited for her.

A week before his disappearance, they’d been watching the nightly news together, shocked by the headlining story. In Branford, Connecticut, seven police officials had died at the hands of a single unarmed individual, a young man later identified as Jeremy Webster, before he was taken down by police gunfire. Sources on the scene spoke of Jeremy as a ‘strange, gaunt man, pale, inhumanly strong and quick, like something out of a Steven King movie.’ As the man was being loaded into the back of the county morgue’s van, he suddenly revived, attacking and killing several more officers, before succumbing once again police, armed this time with automatic weapons. Taking no chances, the officer in charge fired two final shots, one in the heart, and one in the brain. Speculation was widespread, and the word ‘vampire’ was mentioned more than once.

Garret had switched off the television, fuming silently. He’d known of Jeremy, known the vamp that had turned him, had supposedly been training the boy in how to survive in the human world as a vampire. The only thing a modern day vampire feared more than direct sunlight was discovery. If the general public ever found out the truth, that vampires walked among them, feeding secretly among the population, then all hell would break loose. They would be hunted down, one by one, like rabid animals. Iliana, having lived through the early days of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts, knew only too well. Garret had spoke of going to Connecticut personally, to see how he could defuse the situation.

“If I got there and disposed of Jeremy’s body, maybe disputed the medical findings of the coroner,” he said thoughtfully, “perhaps it would turn public opinion against the idea that vampires exist.”

Iliana was against the idea. “I don’t think so, Master,” she argued. “It’s not our problem. When Vancouver gets targeted for such a thing, then we’ll act. Connecticut is your friend Lauren’s problem. She was the kid’s guardian, and trainer. She was his Mistress. She was supposed to look after him. If anyone should risk their life trying to clean up this mess, she should.”

“But she’s not too much older than I am,” he protested. “She’s as flighty as Jeremy was. I thought it was a mistake to let her turn someone anyway, but I was outvoted in the council meeting.” He sighed deeply. “I doubt the council will let her attempt to deal with such a serious situation after blunder. They’ll also likely spend the next several months debating on what steps to take rather than doing something now, while there’s still time.” He sighed. “I think I need to do this, Ana.”

She’d heard the soft resignation in his voice, the quiet but firm resolve of his decision, but she refused to accept it. “No,” she said stubbornly, shaking her head. “You’re not going. Nope. Uh uh. No way.”

He’d looked at her, his head tilted slightly to the side, an eyebrow raised. “Iliana,” he’d began, only to be cut off forcibly.

“I said, NO, Garret!” she yelled loudly, planting her fists tightly against her hips. Her tummy tingled slightly; she’d never raised her voice, never asserted herself, since that fateful night when she’d fought him for dominance… fought and lost to him. They’d argued before, fought before, but always with a manner of respect even then. Now, in this matter, she was asserting herself once more, defying him. Her insides felt strange and heavy, and she thought she might be sick later.

“You’re not going to Connecticut,” she continued, standing her ground, even as she quailed inside. Garret’s eyebrow dropped as his eyes narrowed, his easy smile slipping into a frown. His displeasure cut her to the quick, and her heart thudded heavily against her rib cage, increasing her discomfort. Still, she charged ahead, bravely, determined to say her piece.

“This is not our fight! I know Lauren was your friend, and that you knew this Jeremy person, but that doesn’t make you his keeper! It’s too dangerous for you to go there now, with all this speculation on vampires. Everyone there will be on guard, suspicious of strangers, noting every little detail in everything you do. If they find out what you are, they’ll crucify you, and burn you at the stake! They’ll—”

“ENOUGH!” Garret roared, glaring down at her, his eyes blazing scarlet in his anger. She feared him in that moment, feared him as she had never feared him before. She felt he might strike her, which he had never done, other than the playful spankings and swats on her bottom during sex. She shrank back from him then, afraid, and seeing the fear in her eyes, he sighed deeply, and looked away, the red fire burning in his eyes dimming slightly.

“Iliana,” he said, his voice strained, conflicting emotions thickening it as always, “I know why you don’t want me to go. I know it will be dangerous, very dangerous. I know that you worry about my safety, that something will happen and you’ll never see me again. I know and understand that. But,” he said in a low deep voice, “YOU must understand that I have decided to do this. You say this isn’t our fight, that this has nothing to do with us. I say it does. If this one incident is allowed to go unchecked, then the next time a vamp gets caught at something, the next time an incident like this is made public, people won’t be so quick to dismiss it. People will start taking notice of what’s going on around them. They’ll notice the little bandaged bite marks on their necks, from wounds they don’t even recall having. They’ll realize that we exists, and they’ll come after us. And then, it’ll be too late!”

She opened her mouth to argue, but his finger was against her lip, silencing her, the contact sending shivers of pure bliss through her heated body. “You’ll not fight me on this one,” he said softly, whispering softly into her ear, licking the rim gently with his tongue. “You’ll not fight me, slave,” he added, deliberately, increasing the shivers of pleasure in her hot, sweet body. Iliana’s eyes closed, and a gasp left her lips, only to open them moments later, finding herself lying atop their bed, completely naked. Her eyes narrowed, and she glared up at him, knowing the tactic he would use to silence her protests, hating him for it as much as he loved him. His words echoed softly, teasingly, in her mind, and she knew he had bewitched her, The man was young, not nearly as strong and powerful as she, but what powers he had, he used them with the skill and precision of a surgeon… which in actuality, he was.

She peered into his eyes then, trying to exert her will, to press into his mind with the force of her own, but his fingers, so dexterous and refined, caressed a patch of smooth skin along her side, making her breath catch and her eyes flutter. You’ll not fight me, slave, his voice seemed to echo inside her mind once more, as the pleasure of his touch drove all other thoughts out of existence. Her chest heaved mightily, nipples pointed up towards the ceiling, begging for his touch, with which he consented to grace them. The small rapidly diminishing part of her that was still in control struggled mightily, trying to pull away from his grasp, trying to summon the willpower to fight his insidious pleasure, to regain control of the situation. The thought of Garret, tightly bound, lashed to a burning post, in the middle of a bonfire, gave her strength, and again she pushed back against his mind with her own.

You’ll not fight me… slave…

The thought thrummed inside the walls of Ana’s mind, like the ringing of a huge bell, shaking all other thoughts into pieces before they were even half formed. She could hear her Master’s soft, melodic voice, feel his touch stroking the length of her hot, naked body, sense his gaze upon her, hungry and waiting, and her resolve crumbled to ash, to nothingness, then less than nothing, as his lips met hers.

Yyyoouu’lllll… nnnoootttt… fffiiighhhhttt…. mmmeeee… slaaaaavvveeee…

Iliana found herself incapable of fighting anything as Garret’s lips claimed hers, the nip of his fangs along the inside of his mouth feeding her the sublime nectar that was her Master’s blood, the sweetest of all juices. Her own body exploded in a powerful orgasm no human mortal was capable of withstanding. Iliana’s chasm clenched tight, then spasm-ed wildly, as she drank deeply of her Master’s blood, piercing deep with her fangs, drawing more and more of his spicy, salty life essence into her hungry mouth. Moments later, her second, lower mouth was filled, and her pleasure doubled, riding her powerful dominant Master, feeding of the inhuman pleasure his body was gracing her with. Sweat rolled from her body in rivets, as her gushing pussy juices ran freely down her thighs, and calves, soaking the bed. Only one word remained in her bliss-filled cranium now, a single word that encompassed her entire existence.

Slave.

He was gone when she awoke the next night. Iliana felt torn in her emotions, concern for Garret’s safety, anger at having her protests disregarded so easily, anticipation for his quick return, fear at the thought of never seeing him again. She told herself that her worries were unfounded, that Garret was highly intelligent, perfectly capable of taking care of himself. No one could kill him unless they knew he was in truth a vampire and acted accordingly, removing his heart, and destroying his brain. He knew better than to expose himself in the daytime, and even if he was somehow discovered, he had the speed, the strength, and the power of will to take care of anyone who dared to stand against him.

She’d known he was perfectly safe, but she worried about him nonetheless.

Three weeks later, when he had still not returned, her worry had turned to full-fledged panic.

She watched the news religiously, seeking news of any pertinent incidents in the northeastern United States. If anything had gone wrong in Garret’s plan to infiltrate the city morgue and remove the evidence, it hadn’t been broadcast on the news. Her worry and panic turned to dread, then to resolve, as she made up her mind to go after him. Connecticut was a small state land-wise, but the city of Branford contained more than twenty-three thousand people. It wouldn’t be a needle-in-a-haystack situation, but pretty damn close.

High above the dark Connecticut skyline, Iliana considered her options. She was freshly fed now, and felt strong enough to deal with whatever she might run into if she decided to go to the city police station. But perhaps it would be best to try and locate Lauren Meadows, the vampire at the center of the whole mess. Garret would have contacted her first before attempting infiltration, and if anyone knew what had happened to her Master, it would be Lauren. She had the feeling that time was quickly running out for Garret, and that she had to act now. After a moment of decision, she turned to the left, towards the Branford City Police building.

Landing softly several yards away, she studied the area. The building and the surrounding parking lot was brightly illuminated, and the number of people going to and fro, plus the numerous security cameras posted made her stomach clench. This would not be easy.

What do I do now? she thought furiously. Just walk in casually, and ask if they’re holding Garret Roberts, and ask for a visitor’s pass? I have to be subtle, and sneaky. I need to know what’s going on in there, and find out exactly where he’s being held before I make a move. To her left, she saw a patrol car driving up, heading through towards a parking spot. AH! That’s what I need. Someone with the inside scoop!

Detective Mike Ross and his partner Andrea Bradley were just exiting their vehicle when a young, beautiful auburn haired girl crept out of the shadows, approaching them. Mike noticed her at once, the soft warm twinkle in her strange gray eyes, the pale gentle gleam of her face, glowing in the bright white glare of the street lights. Her body was clad entirely in black, from the long thigh high leather boots covering her feet, to the low cut black leather skirt, revealing more flesh than it covered, to the tight, black leather bodice she wore, barely restraining her large lovely melons. The hood of the fur-lined cloak she wore had slipped away, revealing her long, thick hair, which, if allowed, would flow unimpeded down the small of her back.

Mike stared at her, struck through the heart, and several inches lower, watching slack-jawed as she approached him. The word hooker fluttered in his mind, then vanished abruptly. No, this girl was nothing as simple as a prostitute, nothing so common or petty. She seemed too refined, to regal, more like a Goddess, descended from the heavens. He felt drawn to her in a way he had never felt before in his life, and when she finally reached him, and smiled, he felt the blood rush to his face, and his nether region, leaving his brain completely null and void.

“Excuse me, Officer,” Iliana said sweetly, maintaining eye contact with the man, cementing her spell over him. “I’m sorry to bother you. I had a problem, and I thought maybe you might be able to help me.”

Andrea, frowning at her partner’s google-eyed response, stepped forward. “Well, Miss,” she said crisply, “my partner and I are just returning from a very big case, and need to see our superiors right now. I’m quite sure than the officers inside the precinct will be more than happy to assist you.”

Ana frowned, moving in front of Detective Bradley, forcing eye contact, insinuating herself into the redhead’s thoughts. “Oh, but surely you can spare just a minute or two,” she purred softly, pleadingly. “It’ll only take a moment or two. I promise. You can spare a minute or two, can’t you?”

Andrea stood wide-eyed, shocked to the core of her being. Her heart beat like a kettledrum, and her mouth felt like the Mohave desert. The girl standing before her was simply the most incredibly beautiful thing she’d even seen in her entire life! She felt hypnotized by the auburn beauty’s thick red lips, unable to look away as they pursed and stretched, moving with each soft syllable she spoke. She wanted nothing more than to feel those lips, to taste them with her own, glide her tongue sensuously against them, and against the woman that possessed them. Her thighs felt wet and slick, and her breathing began to quicken.

It never crossed her mind for a moment that she was only attracted to men.

Iliana slid a single finger along the female officer’s chin, noting the shudder of pleasure as it passed through the entranced girl’s body. “Thank you, my sweet,” she said with a grin before turning back to the male detective again. “Now then… Mike, is it? I want you to go inside and do a little checking around for me. I’m looking for someone, a tall, dark haired man, named Garret. He’s very important to me. Go see your boss, and attend to your duties, then check on this for me. I’ll be outside, waiting for you to return.”

Mike blinked, a silly smile frozen on his lips. He would do anything for the gorgeous creature standing before him, swim through broken glass, walk through fire, anything! He turned and headed towards the station, eager to do her bidding.

“Oh, one more thing.”

Mike stopped, glancing back at his Goddess. “If anyone asks,” she said with a smirk, tracing a line along Andrea’s chest, “your partner here is busy… taking care of another case. She won’t be in for a while, but you’ll be glad to handle anything that comes up, won’t you, Michael?”

Mike’s grin grew wider. “Oh, yeah, sure, of course! It would be my pleasure.” He turned back towards the station once again and walked inside.

Ana sighed softly, focusing her attention back at the enthralled redhead. “And now for you, Officer Bradley,” she purred softly. “It’s really a pity that I’m in such a rush. I’ve gone with the pleasures of the flesh for three weeks now, and while I’ve been able to satisfy one lust already, the other is beginning to drive me crazy.” She unbuttoned the officer’s shirt, exposing her bra covered breasts to the cool night air. The nipples, which were already hard, grew even longer, and a soft whimper escaped the entranced woman’s lips. Iliana felt her own pulse quicken slightly at the sight; she had been trained and taught to be a wanton, stimulating, seductive little sex slut for her Master, and it had been so damn long…

With a deep sigh of regret, Iliana turned away. “Perhaps later, when all this is over,” she said, as Andrea rebuttoned her shirt. “For now, my dear, I want you to go to the Hyatt Regency, the penthouse suite, where I am staying, and wait for me. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll probably be bringing a friend… and we’ll both be in the mood for pleasure. If you’re a very good girl, a very hot, very wetgirl, we’ll be sure to include you in on the fun.” Iliana smirked evilly, leaning in close to the officer. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you… Andrea?”

Swallowing deeply, the petite woman answered. “Y-y-yes, ma’am. I certainly would.”

“Good girl,” Iliana said brightly, patting the police woman on her ass. “Now then, be a good little girl and hurry along. I’ve got work to do.” Sighing in pleasure, Andrea Bradley slipped into her patrol car, started the engine, and sped away, leaving Iliana once again alone in the parking lot.

Mike returned an hour later carrying a manila folder under his arm. Glancing around, careful not to be seen, he walked over to Iliana. “Here’s everything we have on your friend, Garret Roberts. He was here about two weeks ago, caught tampering with evidence. We held him here for two days, then turned him over to the Feds.”

Iliana frowned. “The Feds?”

“Well, not the FBI, or anything,” Mike amended, handing her the file. “It was some federal investigator, some research specialist. He wanted this Roberts guy for study, to find out what makes him tick. They transported him over to the big government medical facility, just on the outskirts of town. Whether he’s still there or not, I couldn’t tell you, though.”

Iliana nodded softly. She hadn’t found him yet, but at least the trail was still fresh. She had a destination. “Thanks, Officer Mike,” she replied, slipping the file into the pocket inside her cloak. “I appreciate your help. I better go now, and you should head back inside before anyone gets suspicious.”

“Wait!” Mike called just before she turned to leave. “Please… I don’t even know your name! There’s so much I want to ask you, so many things I want to tell you…”

Ana bit back a smile. The poor man was completely enamored with her, and though he would forget about her completely if she commanded it, she felt sorry for him. The least I can do is to reward him for his help, Ana mused. Sliding a hand around the man’s back, she looked deep into his eyes.

“Do you know what I am, Michael?” she said softly, pursing her lips, captivating him with their luscious redness. Intellectually, he knew what she was, or at least suspected, but face to face with her overwhelming beauty, he couldn’t have cared any less if she were the devil’s own kin. She read this in his eyes, in his mind, and laughed. “I’m a vampire,” she whispered in his ear, “not the devil, though in your case the difference is negligible.”

She brought her face up to his, until they stood less than an inch apart. “Have you ever heard of the Vampire’s Kiss?” she asked, licking her own sweet supple lips with the tip of her tongue. “Vampires are very sexual creatures, beings of sensual pleasure. People know all about the thirst, the bloodlust we feel, the overwhelming need for sustenance, for blood. But few people know about the hunger, otherlust we feel, the equally strong need for sex, for passion, for pleasure. A vampire’s mouth, the tool that feeds the bloodlust, is also the most erotic, sensual, potently sexual part of a vampire’s body.”

She brushed her lower lip against his, briefly, but the contact struck him like a thunderbolt. Mike’s back arched, his head slamming back, his hands clenching into fists, as a blast of pleasure pulsed through his body. His cock, semi-hard moments before, sprang instantly to life, harder and thicken than ever before. The muscles in his body clenched tightly for an instant, and spasmed as he came, hard, flooding his crotch with the liquid release of his ecstasy. His heart beat rapid fire against his chest, and his eyes stared sightlessly ahead, seeing only a pale white light.

Iliana’s words came to him again, filling the pleasure induced void in his mind. “A vampire’s kiss transmits all the passion, all the pleasure, all of the pure lustful need the vampire feels at that moment, into that whom she kisses. In another vampire, it excites and arouses, generally leading to the fulfilling of that deep-seated need in both. A normal human would find himself utterly crushed, so overwhelmed by bliss, that most would simply die from the pleasure.” She smiled again, her beautiful red lips stretching, seeming to pulse with a soft red glow. “But you, Mike,” she purred, “you seem like a strong man to me. I think you can handle a little kiss.” She pressed her lips fully against his, for a moment, kissing the police detective, a soft, wet kiss.

It was a moment Mike would remember for the rest of his life, though the details would forever escape him. His entire body became his cock, stiff and hard, exploding at the moment of release, filled to overflowing with sheer blissful abandon. His entire nervous system seemed hardwired from his lips to his cock, the sensations overlapping, crossing over, until he saw, smelled, heard, and tasted the pleasure his passion-saturated flesh was feeling.

He would finally regained his senses, hours later, near early dawn. The rising sun would be just peeking over the edge of the horizon. Mike would find himself lying flat on his back at the side of the police station, his body cool from the morning air, yet damp, nearly soaked with sweat. His pants would, of course, be soaked as well, especially the crotch, but not just from sweat. The night would be a major blur for him, but for some reason he would feel no worry or concern about his situation, only a calm, serene joy, and a feeling of utter satisfaction. Wearily, he would limp over to his car and drove home, grabbing a hot shower before slipping under the covers of his bed. The incredible night of pleasure would replay itself in his dreams, but his waking mind would recall only a kiss, and a soft pair of ruby red lips.

Meanwhile, Iliana was aloft again, glancing back at the sleeping detective, wishing that she had the time and inclination to grant the handsome man more than a simple kiss. She clenched her thighs, forcing her mind on her present search, landing moments later in a more serious state of mind. The building stood before her, seemingly unguarded; Ana, however, knew that appearances were often deceiving. With the nature of the captive they were holding, security would be very tight.

Ah, hell, this is what I came here for, she told herself after a moment. No need to get cold feet now. I’ve never been afraid to simply charge straight in, to take the direct route. It’s the last thing they’d probably expect.

Taking a deep breath, gathering her courage as well as her power, Iliana took a step forward, preparing to rush the front entrance. Out of nowhere, a hand reached out and grabbed Iliana, gripping her shoulder from behind, stopping her in her tracks.

“Hold it! I can’t let you do this,” a voice said softly from the shadows.

A hand reached out and grabbed her, gripping her shoulder from behind, stopping Iliana in her tracks.

“Hold it! I can’t let you do this,” a voice said softly from the shadows.

Iliana whirled, fangs extended, hands curled into claws, ready to attack, when she spotted the woman holding her shoulder. “YOU?!?” she yelled, relaxing slightly, but not dropping her offensive stance. She jerked herself from the girl’s grasp, glaring at her angrily.

“Lauren? What the FUCK are YOU doing here?”

Lauren brushed a strand of her curly golden hair away a face, sighing softly. Her ice blue eyes gazed down at the ground below, unable to meet Iliana’s gaze. She was dressed similar to Iliana, except she had chosen a dark navy blue wool instead of black leather. Her beautiful, angelic face, normally bearing a smile or grin, a face seemingly created for smiling, now carried a frown. Her lips, as deep and luscious a red as Ana’s own, trembled slightly, as if the girl was fighting to suppress the urge to sob.

“I’m sorry, Ana,” she said softly, shaking her head. “I know how you must feel, but you can’t just charge in there—”

“You know how I feel?” Iliana glared at her, incredulously. “Bullshit! You have NO idea whatsoever what I’m feeling right now! This is all your fault! You should be locked up in there, not Garret!”

“Damn you, I know that!” Lauren shouted back, angrily. “I know it! I wish I were the one locked up in there instead of him. I wish I had listened to him in the beginning. I wish… I just wish…” The fire went out of her then, and she seemed to sag inwards.

“To hell with your wishes,” Iliana snarled. “I’m going in there and break Garret out!”

“No, you can’t!” Lauren said, blocking Ana’s path. “You don’t know what’s been happening. Rush in there like a mad bull and you’ll get cut to pieces. You need to know what you’re up against before you make a move.”

Sighing, Iliana relented. “Fine. I’ll listen. Explain what went wrong, and why my Master is locked away in this godforsaken place.”

Lauren nodded, squatting down along the edge of the sidewalk, Iliana sitting down next to her. Taking a deep breath, the blonde beauty began.

“It was three weeks ago… which, doubtless you know from the news. The night before the incident, I had brought Jeremy out with me, to a hunt. It was his first, actually. Before then, I’d always brought someone back home with me for him to feed on, and he’d gotten a pretty good handle on the basics, learning how to drink without draining a person to death, how to pierce the skin subtly, without rending the flesh… you know, the basics.”

Iliana nodded impatiently. “Yes, yes, I know the basics. Get on with it. What happened that night?”

“It was… my fault, I suppose,” Lauren admitted. “I’d taken Jeremy with me, as I’d said, to show him firsthand the proper way of hunting for prey out in the open, in the busy streets, and with my guidance, we’d hunted in tandem, remarkably well, I might add. Well, the following night I was supposed to go to a council meeting, so I told Jeremy to stay inside, and that I’d bring someone back with me afterwards. He’d argued, saying that he’d gotten a taste of hunting, and that he was ready to fly solo. I told him no, that he needed more training, more practice. He sulked, but he promised to stay inside and wait for my return.”

Iliana shook her head. “Let me guess. He changed his mind about staying put.”

Lauren nodded. “That damn little fool… just full of piss and vinegar, ready to try and do everything now, now, now, and not willing to wait for anyone. Sigh. I suppose I can’t really blame him too much, though. I was the same way when I was his age. I was just lucky enough to have a stern Mentor, one who wouldn’t put up with my shit.” She smiled for a moment. “Anyway,” she continued, “I had just returned home from the meeting, clicking on the TV, when I saw the news. The kids had made the mistake of trying to drain his victim outside, in an alleyway, instead of taking the entranced girl inside, away from prying eyes. Someone saw, and raised an alarm. Panicked, the kid charged, tried to fight his way out. The rest, you know from the news footage.

“I was completely stunned,” Lauren said after a long moment. “I mean, one day, he was my pupil, my bright little protege, rowdy, yes, but still a good kid. The next, he’s dead, lying in the county morgue, being studied and analyzed. I knew I should do something, knew that I needed to sneak in and do something to stop their investigation, but… I know, I know, it was my mess, and up to me to clean it up, but I loved that kid, Ana. I couldn’t get over the shock of it all. So when Garret showed up a few days later, offering to take charge, I let him.”

Lauren looked up at the older vampiress entreatingly, for understanding, but she received none. Iliana, filled with worry and dread at for her own problems, had no time or energy to spend on another. “Go on,” she prompted coldly, arms crossed. “Tell me what happened to my Master.”

Sagging a little more, the blonde girl continued her tale. “Garret sent me out to run an errand for him, a little drug run. I got what he needed, then joined him outside the Branford City Police Department. His idea was to slip down to the morgue, using his knowledge as a doctor and his hypnotic talents, to taint the research samples with trace amounts of PCP, switch bodies with another in storage, and alter the examiner’s medical records, to support the idea that Jeremy was simply a boy hopped-up on drugs. I thought the plan was brilliant, but I worried that he might get caught. I told him it was my mess, that I should be the one to sneak in and make the switch, but he insisted.” She shivered slightly, her eyes glinting with a faraway look. “You know how… persuasive… he can be when he wants to,” she added softly.

Iliana stiffened. Any ill feelings she felt towards Lauren increased dramatically, though she knew she was reacting irrationally. Vampires, by their very nature, are voracious, and passionate, creatures, beings of many powerful lusts and hungers. It was not uncommon for vampires to have sex with one another, despite the relationships they may have formed. A chaste vampire was virtually unheard of, and a celibate one, an impossibility. Ana knew that her jealousy was irrational; she herself had barely resisted the urge to descend into passion with her prey twice tonight, the need for speed in ascertaining her Master’s whereabouts being the only deterrent. Had she the time to spare, she would have sated her sexual frustrations on them both and thought nothing of it. Yet, the idea that her Master might have dallied with the lovely blonde vampiress filled her with anger.

Vampires, though free-loving, sensual, sexual creatures, are also extremely territorial.

“He’d made it to the morgue without incident,” Lauren continued, oblivious to Ana’s distress, “and signaled me mentally that everything was going well. He’d hoped to be able to burn Jeremy’s corpse in the incinerator, getting rid of the evidence at once, but the furnace wasn’t in the morgue, and while he could explain his way into the morgue, alone, he knew he couldn’t easily explain him leaving with a dead body. Approaching a window, he lifted the body up and out, handing Jeremy to me, bidding me to get rid of it while he finished covering his tracks. I left with Jeremy, taking him out of sight, and hurried back to the station… but I arrived too late to help him.

“It was the worst luck possible,” she said dismally. “The medical examiner had been completely at a loss by Jeremy’s remains, and had apparently called the state medical examiner with his findings, but he’d been unable to make heads or tails of it either. They decided to consult federal aid, contacting the FBI’s medical research facility. It figured that they would arrive at the station,” she said with a trace of bitter irony, “all ready to transport the body to their facility just as Garret was leaving. I don’t know what happened in the few minutes before I arrived, but Garret was being lead out to an armed transport vehicle, surrounded on all sides by armed guards. I started to rush in, but he warned me away, telepathically, insisting that I not interfere. That was three weeks ago.”

“And he’s been locked up in there all this time?” Iliana exclaimed. “You… you… stupid little bitch! You coward! Why didn’t you break him out of there once you found out where he was being held? Why am I even wasting time with you now, when I could be braking Garret out of that place?” She stood up, turning to leave, when Lauren’s hand grabbed hold of her shoulder once more.

“Damn you, Iliana!” the blonde woman snarled, eyes bright red in her anger. “Don’t you think I would have done so if I could have? Do you think I WANT him in there?” Iliana jerked away from her grasp, but Lauren wouldn’t be turned aside. “Listen, Ana,” she said in a low voice, “I know how angry and scared you are. I know you want to charge in there and free him, but that is the last thing Garret wants! When he was first brought here, I told him I was outside, ready to free him, but he cautioned me, telling me to stay away. The doctor in charge of the facility was a highly intelligent man, who knew exactly what he was dealing with. The interior of the facility is like a fortress, and filled with cameras and hidden alarms. He make me promise to stay away, that he would escape on his own, and to keep you away, when and if you showed up.”

Iliana smirked, despite herself. “Damn him. He knew I would come after him, then.”

Lauren cracked a smile. “He was sure of it. From what he had told me of you, and the little I knew of you myself, I figured he was right, so I kept an eye on this place, keeping a lookout for you.” Her smile faded. “I also hoped that Garret would have made good his promise to escape by now, long before now… but he’s still inside.”

“Yeah,” Ana replied, thinking. Her Master had made clear his wishes: that she remain out of it and leave it in his hands. Yet, she couldn’t sit by and let him suffer whatever ungodly things the scientists and researchers were doing to him. If it were possible to escape on his own, he would have done so before now. He needed help.

“Okay,” Iliana said forcefully. “The building is heavily guarded, and the hallways monitored. A frontal assault would get us nowhere, and sneaking in wouldn’t work with all the high tech security they have. Fine. But those aren’t our only options. The best way to infiltrate this place is by proxy, by subverting the will of someone already on the inside. We take one of the men inside, and we’ll have information on what’s going on, and someone inside the perimeter to help us get past security.”

“Sounds good,” Lauren nodded slowly, “except that first we need to find someone, which means he have to get one of them in there to come out here. Also, my mind talents aren’t very strong. I can hear the thoughts of others fairly well, but I cannot easily force my will on another from afar like Garret.”

“Me neither,” Iliana frowned, “not unless I have direct eye contact with them. Still, I think we can do it, if we combine our talents. What other choice do we have?”

Deep inside the research facility, Garret Roberts stifled a deep groan of pain, not wanting to give his tormentor the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. Tormentor. That is how he thought of Dr. Benjamin Simon: his tormentor. The dark haired scientist glanced at him from time to time from the safety of his control room window, his face strangely devoid of any human emotion, reminding Garret very much of several undead he knew. Dr. Simon seemed much less human than he, yet he was the one chained in place, stripped naked, lying atop an examination table.

“You have remarkable stamina,” the doctor’s placid voice echoed through the speakers. “By all accounts, it had been close to three weeks since your last known feeding. My studies show that your body is at its threshold, near to the point where your system begins to cannibalize itself.” He tapped a series of keys on his console, moving the mobile high frequency light array slightly, bringing the beam of black light in a sweeping arc across Garret’s left thigh. The skin swelled, turning bright red, then black, as the beam of ultraviolet light swept past, and finally Garret DID cry out, voicing his pain. The faintest hint of a smile fluttered across Dr. Simon’s lips.

“Interesting,” he said, his voice still calm and steady. “That latest mark is not healing nearly as fast as the previous ones. I think we have nearly reached your limit. Another day of testing should be all that is required, I think.”

Garret, struggling for breath, more a reflex than a necessity, turned his gaze up to the window. “You know,” he said in a civil, non-threatening voice, “I’m a doctor by trade. If you wanted to know… about me, about my physiological data… all you had to do was ask.”

“The subject,” Dr. Simon spoke aloud, “seems to be in a very weakened state now. Despite its amazing strength, stamina, and uncharted regeneration potential, it remains listless and demoralized, choosing to attempt trickery and deception to obtain its freedom, where once it ha shouted and raged, struggling fruitlessly against its bonds. Very curious.”

Garret ignored the jibe. “You know, you might consider turning off the microphone when you make your observations about me,” he quipped. “My ears are burning with all your clever little words. If you’re going to treat me like a lab specimen, the least you can do is to talk about me behind my back, instead of in front of my face. Common decency, and all.”

“The subject,” Dr. Simon continued, unaffected, “is highly intelligent. It possessed human level intelligence, as well as form, making it easy for the subject to blend in with normal humanity, despite its true monstrous nature. Contrary to folklore and popular belief, the subject is NOT affected by religious icons, has exhibited no adverse reactions to silver, and only a mild allergic reaction to garlic. Its primary source of food is human blood, which its body metabolizes slowly, giving it its powers. It is, however, extremely vulnerable to ultraviolet rays, found in sunlight. Prolonged exposure results in complete disintegration of cellular tissue.”

Garret growled softly, struggling in vain with his chains. He knew it was no use, that the specially forged steel was beyond his strength when he was at his best. He was far from it now, his body half-starved, wracked with pain, weeping blood from several hundred sores, cuts, and scorch marks from Dr. Simon’s experimentation. Only two things had kept Garret going throughout the ordeal, the knowledge that Iliana was away from this, safe and sound, and out of danger, and the delicious thought of paying Dr. Simon back tenfold the pain and misery he had given him.

Simon was a careful and cautious man, however. It had seemed the right choice to surrender to him and his men, when they’d caught him leaving the morgue, the evidence against Jeremy having been destroyed. He had thought it a simple matter to go with them to their facility, bide his time, then escape, taking with him any research data they’d managed to gather on him in the process, but he had underestimated Dr. Simon’s thoroughness. Thinking himself a modern day Van Helsing, Simon had long studied vampire lore and, anticipating Garret’s plans of escape, had acted accordingly. Garret was kept bound tightly in unbreakable chains, limited in contact with research personnel, denied life-sustaining blood, and kept shielded in the solitary room with electronic controlled probes, and a PA system for communication, to keep him from using his mental powers. Three weeks later, Garret found himself much the worse for wear, no closer to escape, and running dangerously low on energy and stamina.

But hope was not lost. Of the many words that describe a vampire’s nature, tenacious is perhaps the most apt. As Dr. Simon experimented on him, learning all he could of Garret’s physiology, Garret, in turn, learned about the doctor. He was a cold man, devoid of human kindness and compassion, as Garret’s many aches and pains attested to. Dr. Simon was smart, extremely cautious, utterly confident, and supremely self-assured. He approached each new situation carefully, weighing all the pros and cons, considering every angle, but once he felt comfortable in a situation, he strode forth with an arrogance brought about by the knowledge that he was in complete control.

Garret took heart in this, even as he fought to stifle the screams of pain caused by Simon’s relentless probing. As the days turned to weeks, the doctor grew more confident and bold with his new charge, and while he never let himself be alone with Garret for any length of time, and never in the same room, he somewhat relaxed procedure with his research staff. With each brief contact Garret took advantage, snatching thoughts and images from the researchers in passing, planting an idea here or there, seeds that he hoped would sprout and form a bountiful harvest when he made good his escape. His moment was coming; all he had to do was endure, to survive long enough to take action when the opportunity arose.

“Excuse me, Dr. Simon,” a sentry, dressed in the standard green uniform worn by the facility guards, spoke. “We’ve received word from HQ. The transport will arrive tomorrow to take the subject back to—”

“Hold on a moment,” Dr. Simon said, turning back to the window. He depressed a switch, and the microphone went dead, leaving Garret in silence. A smile crossed his slack, bloodless lips, however, as he stared unbidden at the window, focusing his gaze upon the two men talking. Simon, knowing his words were being overheard, had quickly switched off the sound, trying to keep him in the dark. Garret, however, had learned much in his two hundred years of un-death, one such thing being the art of reading lips. He softly mouthed the words as he read them, musing to himself.

They’re transporting me to the main research facility in DC tomorrow… by armored transport. Hmmm. Seems the government big wigs are interested in his research, in getting undeniable proof that vampires exist. I see… Dr. Simon, arrogant little prick that he is, has only given them the most basic and general of information, keeping the meat of his findings to himself… probably planning on making a grand presentation to the joint chiefs in person. Garret smirked, a plan forming in his mind. This will definitely work to my advantage, he thought. Looks like the time has finally come to break out of here.

A dark figure emerged soundlessly from the shadows, startling both girls. With a gasp, Ana watched as a tall, slender man with jet black hair stepped forward, the pale whiteness of his face contrasted greatly by the vibrant scarlet red of the ascot around his neck. His clothing consisted of an overcoat of solid black, black pants, black leather boots, and a black bowler hat. He carried a small black umbrella under his arm as well, though the skies over Connecticut had been dry for several weeks. He tipped his hat slightly to both women, nodding, then returned it to his head.

“Evening, ladies,” he said, his voice cold and harsh sounding, despite the warm words. “I come bearing a message from the council.”

Lauren and Iliana glanced at one another, frowning. An official messenger meant trouble more times than not.

“The council,” the man continued, “has reached a decision concerning the recent events in this town, concerning the discovery of our kind. The situation had grown dire. We cannot sit back any longer and let proof of our existence be known. Therefore, all such proof must be destroyed. Tomorrow night, the director of this facility plans to transport his subject and his findings by armored transport to its headquarters in Washington, DC. We will attack the convey in route, and destroy it completely, leaving behind no trace of evidence.”

Iliana gasped. “No trace? But what about my Master? What about Garret? How will you make sure he’s safe from your attack?”

The man shook his head. “I said, there will be NO evidence left. Garret Roberts will die alongside the others. There is no rescue plan; this will be a simple direct strike maneuver. We are sorry for your loss, of course, but the situation is too urgent to be concerned with the life of one person—”

“Like hell it is!” Iliana shot back angrily. “I don’t give a damn about your plans, or about how serious this situation is! Garret is the only thing I care about! I’m not going to let you people write him off without lifting a finger to save him!”

“Garret risked everything to clean up this mess!” Lauren added vehemently. “While you stupid bunch of assholes were sitting by, discussing the issue, he stepped in and did something! If not for him, the government might already have the evidence it needs to prove we exist! Where do you get off abandoning him now, leaving him to die, when—”

“ENOUGH!” the man growled, silencing both women with a gesture. Wide-eyed, they stood, immobile, unable to move a muscle, unable to utter a word. He held them both with his power, while he settled himself. “Your anger is misplaced, ladies,” he said after a moment. “I am but a messenger, delivering the words handed down to me from the Grand Council. Personally, I feel as you do, that Garret Roberts acted bravely, and selflessly, doing what the council should have done when news of the incident first reached us. However, as I said, the council has decided. My wishes… and yours,mean nothing at this point. I am here only to caution you not to interfere, and not to attempt to rescue him yourself. The attack will go on as planned, regardless of any innocent vampires caught in the crossfire.”

He gestured again, and Lauren and Iliana were able to move. Doffing his hat, the man in black turned away. “Once again, ladies, I am sorry. Would that your friend could somehow escape unharmed from this situation… but I fear at this point that it is not possible.” He sighed softly, the first indication other than his cold emotionless words, that he indeed felt something. Moving soundlessly, he slipped back into the dark shadows from whence he had appeared, and vanished.

“Well, that’s that,” Lauren said, defeated. “The council has spoken. So… what do we do now?”

Iliana thought feverishly. A desperate idea came to mind. “Come back with me to my hotel room. It’s nearly dawn, and we need to take shelter from the rising sun. There’s someone there that I want you to meet, someone who might be of some use to us tomorrow night.”

“Then, we’re going to try and free Garret after all?”

Iliana shook her head. “No, we’re not going to try, Lauren. We’re damn well going to do it.”

Part 3.

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