Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 02:19:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: closethecellardoor@yahoo.com
Subject: Evil is a Man: Blood In Blood Out  chapter 4

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Most of your questions will be answered in this chapter.

Send comments or suggestions to "closethecellardoor@yahoo.com."

Enjoy.


CHAPTER 4

When I awoke again, I was lying on the couch.  I felt my throat.  No wound.
I sat up.

Viktor was gone.  There was no remnant of his ever being here, as far as I
could tell.  Not even blood left on the floor.

Syd was in the kitchen cleaning dishes, his back turned.  He was still
shirtless, but he had cleaned himself up.  The table was set for one with a
large plate of food on it.

Without turning around, he said, "I made you some dinner."  I was shocked
he could hear I was awake.

"I'm not hungry."

He turned around to face me.  "It doesn't matter, you need to eat."

"What did you do to me?"

"I bit you and then I stunned you.  It's a great little trick us vampires
can do.  I could have just immobilized you, but I chose to put you to sleep
so that I could take care of business."

"Is that what you did to Victor?  Immobilize him?"

He smiled.  "Yes, only not enough, I'm afraid.  He recovered and pulled
away from me, spilling blood everywhere.  The second time I hit him
harder."

"You killed him so easily, didn't you?  How many others have you killed?"

"Stop being so righteously melodramatic.  No, actually, it's a rare
occasion when I kill.  I may drink every night, but I can take my fill
without killing my victim, and I can stun them in such a way so that they
will forget the whole incident.  And as you've experienced first hand, I
can heal human wounds with my saliva if I choose to do so.  Although many
other vampires kill nightly for the pleasure of it, I do so only on special
occasions, like when an insane, vindictive acquaintance of my human lover
comes over planning violence, after already drugging and violating said
lover.  Now come over here and eat or I'll force it down your throat."

I stood up and walked towards the table apprehensively, and sat down.  He
had grilled me a steak, veggies, and a potato.  "Aren't you going to have
any?" I asked.

"No, vampires don't need to eat.  If I avoid food, my digestive system
shuts down, which is fine with me."

I tentatively took a bite.

He laughed at me.  "Go ahead, I didn't poison you."

"Forgive me for not trusting you anymore," I said.

I can't try to explain what feelings were going through me at that time.
Here I was, accepting the impossible after just witnessing a murder.
Vampires.  I didn't even believe in Santa when I was a kid.  And worse, I
was now the prisoner of one.  I couldn't imagine what my upcoming fate
would be, but it couldn't be good.

And yet, as mind-boggling as all that was, there was something worse still.
I thought I knew Syd, I thought I was in love with him.  My time with him
had been the happiest time of my life.  I felt secure with him.  Now all
that was shattered.  I didn't know this man at all, so I couldn't love him.
And I certainly wasn't secure with him.  How did my dream get twisted into
a ghoulish nightmare?  I wanted out.

As I ate, Syd picked up the phone and dialed.  "It's Syd.  The subject has
found out about me.  It was a mistake on my part... Don't give me that shit,
we were going to have to tell him soon anyway... Alright, I'll leave first
thing in the morning.  Goodbye."  He hung up.  So he had an accomplice.

"Who was that?" I asked.  "Satan?"

He laughed.  "Just about.  The man in charge."

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

He sat down across from me.  "I'm not really supposed to say.  Let's just
say that you are... gifted."

"How do you mean?"

"You have a very important gene that almost no one else in the entire human
species possesses.  A gene that can only be passed down through males."
The only unique gene I could think of was the gene that made my earlobes
attached to my neck.  He folded his hands.  "It's because of this that
we've taken an interest to you."

"Who is this we?"

"The vampires across the world are organized into a sort of bureaucracy.
Our scholars were able to trace the gene to your family through your dad's
father."

"He died years ago."

"That's right.  One of our operatives was sent to ascertain that he had the
gene when he was still young.  Once that was confirmed, I was sent to watch
over your father.  There was some suspicion that your father was not the
blood son of your grandfather.  Your grandmother had been unfaithful at
times, and your father seemed not to bear much resemblance to your
grandfather."

"I never heard about that."

"I tried to ascertain your father's heritage.  I failed."

"So you entered into Dad's life, got a job with him, and became his best
friend just so you could figure out if he had this gene?"  It seemed so
excessive.

"That's right.  When he died, my assignment switched to you and your
brother.  It was necessary to insert myself as a trusted member of the
family.  Once I had myself thus established, I moved on, but I was always
sure to keep in contact with you and your brother."

I stood up.  "What have you done with Jerry?  Did you hurt him?  Is he in
danger?"

"Don't worry.  They're not interested in Jerry, he's irrelevant.  They want
you.  Sit down."

I sat back down.

He resumed.  "Because of certain world events, I was ordered to initiate
contact with you once again.  I bought a house here in Tahoe and invited
you to stay with me.  I never even got a job here."

"All those times you were at work..."

"Appointments, meetings with others of my kind.  Or I was out feeding."

"And so everything between us, it was invented?  If you wanted me, why not
just take me?"

"My first assignment was to ascertain that you had the gift, to the best of
my abilities."

"To prove that my father was in fact the son of my supposed grandfather," I
said.

"Yes, exactly.  Once I had ascertained that, my goals shifted.  I was to
bring you to Vegas for New Years Eve, and turn you over to my superiors at
that point.  I had hoped to take you there without you ever knowing about
all of this."

"Wait, how did you ascertain that I had this gene?"

"You gave me a good hint the first day you were here.  You complained about
nightmares."

"What does that have to do--?"

"And then," he said, cutting me off, "there's one trait that always remains
in all of the men with your gene.  They have some sexual disposition
towards men.  They are either gay or bisexual.  So all I had to do was to
prove beyond a doubt that you were gay." He smiled at me, that same goddamn
comforting smile that before meant so much to me.

"So that means, if I had the gene, then my dad had it to.  So he was really
gay?"

"Bisexual, I'm sure," said Syd.  "But he was so conditioned to be
homophobic that he must have had it buried deep inside him underneath many
layers of self-hatred.  I tried to seduce him, but he never took my bait.
And so I failed my assignment.  With you, I was going to vindicate myself.
I was tactical and took it slow."

"Why not just ask me?"

"You would not have been honest with me if I had.  No, I had to make you
want me so bad that you would willingly engage.  I knew you were amazingly
self-disciplined and so I had to break you down with desire a little bit at
a time.  I have to admit it was fun to do.  Every time I undressed, every
time I touched you, I knew I was making progress.  But I wasn't positive
you were gay until last night.  Now I know, you are the one."

I felt extremely hurt.  Used and lied to by someone I thought I knew and
loved.  But I didn't let my emotions show.  "And that night you came home
drunk?"

He laughed.  "Vampires, unfortunately, cannot get drunk.  It was all an
act, an excuse to get you to touch me.  Of course, I didn't plan
everything.  The snowstorm was just what I needed to push you over the
edge."

"How could you manipulate me like that?"  My voice trembled with anger.

He laughed.  "Oh, come on, kiddo.  You couldn't have thought all of that
was genuine.  I played the perfect role.  The kind and unimposing role
model for the kid who was too weak to face his sexuality on his own.
Things like that don't happen in reality.  You were fooling yourself just
as much as I was fooling you."

I didn't answer him.  Of course, he was completely right.  "Does this mean
that Jerry is gay?"

"Or bisexual, yes."

I was shocked at that.  "And tomorrow you're to bring me to Vegas."

"That's right."

"What would happen if I refused to go?"

"Then you would ride there unconscious."

"And if I tried to fight you?  Maybe stab a wooden stake through your
heart?"

He laughed.  "You'd never even get close.  If you did, I would survive,
believe me.  But if you try anything violent, I'll put you to sleep again."

"What will they do to me in Vegas?"

"I'm not sure.  But they won't hurt you, I can promise you that."

"How do you know?"

"Because hurting you would defeat the entire purpose of my mission.  If all
goes well, Jakey, you'll live a long, healthy life."

"What am I?  What do I have that is so important?"

He shook his head.  "I can't tell you that.  You'll find out soon enough, I
presume."  He yawned.  "Unfortunately, vampires still need sleep.  It's
late now, and we have to get an early start, so I suggest that we get some
shut-eye."

"Oh, I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight," I said.

"Oh, I think you will.  Give me your hand."

"What?  No!"

"I can't have you trying to escape while I'm asleep.  Come on, or I'll have
to force you."

Knowing it was futile to fight, I reached my hand slowly over the table.
He grabbed my hand, and upturned my wrist.

"You might not want to look," he said.

I looked anyway.  I felt fangs sinking into the flesh of my wrist.  Again
the searing pain, again the euphoria, and again the sleep.

******

"Wake up."

I opened my eyes.  I was in Syd's bed, naked under the covers.  Standing by
the bathroom door was Syd, toweling off his beautiful, vampire body.

"What am I doing in your bed?  Where are my clothes?"

"Don't fuss.  I put you where I thought you'd be most comfortable.  Unlike
your boyfriend, I have no interest in molesting you in your sleep.  Get up
and get in the shower before we go."  He pulled his jeans up, again without
underwear.

"And if I refuse, I suppose you'll force me into the shower and wash me
yourself?"

"No, I won't.  Never shower again for all I care."  He put on his boots and
his hat and went into the living room.

Alone, I got up.  I did feel like a shower.  After I was done and dressed,
Syd came back into the bedroom.

"I made you some eggs for breakfast.  I'm going to pack.  You should too.
Take everything, you won't be coming back."

In a half hour we were in his truck driving away from the house.  I looked
back on it, trying to understand the meaning it had upon my life.

When we got onto the main road, the bright sunshine hit my eyes.  I looked
over at Syd.  He had his cowboy hat and sunglasses on, looking very cool.

"Sun sure is bright today," I said.

"Yep," he said.

"Are you sure you're not going to burst into flames or anything?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

A bit later he pulled into a gas station.  "I'm trusting you not to make a
scene or to try and run, got that?  If you do, you'll be asleep for the
rest of the trip."

"There's people here.  I could have them call the police."

He shook his head.  "If you did that I'd have to kill them, and I really
don't want to do that.  So behave yourself."

With that threat over my head there was nothing else to do.  I reclined my
seat as Syd refueled the truck.

"Good," he said as he got back in and drove us back onto the road.

We drove in silence almost the entire trip.  We got to Vegas at sunset.  I
had never seen it before, and as we drove along the strip I took all the
flashing lights and themed buildings in.

"Vegas is the current location for the headquarters of the North American
Vampire Organization.  It used to be New York, but when Griffith took over
as the elected head, he moved it here."

"Fitting that the vampire headquarters is in the city of sin."

"I guess so.  Personally I prefer lakes and mountains the city.  And Vegas
is one of my least favorite major cities in the country.  It has no soul."

"What about you, Syd?  Do you have a soul?"

"Ha!  I don't know.  Where should I look for it?"

We drove in to one of the more prominent hotels, and drove into the parking
garage.  Syd entered a pass code to get in, and we parked near an elevator.

"We're here," he said.  "Griffith owns this whole casino.  Vampires make
good businessmen."

We got into the elevator and Syd swiped a keycard on the number pad,
pressing the top floor button.  The hall we entered when the elevator doors
opened looked like corporate offices and was decorated with in stylish
dark.  Behind a large desk was a silver sign that said cryptically NAVO,
and a handsome looking secretary.

"Hi, Syd," said the secretary as we walked in.  "Griffith is expecting
you."

"Thanks, Don," said Syd.

Syd led me down a long hallway to double doors, and knocked.  One of the
doors opened, and a man stuck his head out, looked at us, and motioned us
inside.  The room was large and flashy, with a lot of pricey corporate art
adorning the place.  There were men on either side of the door, both of
them good looking and in expensive suits.  In the center of the room stood
a long desk.  Sitting in front of the desk was a striking Japanese (I
guessed) man in a dark suit and sunglasses, looking equally as stoic as the
two security men by the doors.  Behind the desk was the only man not in a
suit.  He was well-built, average height, and Caucasian, with a handsome,
pale face and black, rock star hair.  Seemed to be around thirty.  He wore
a torn up pair of tight jeans and a tight red T-shirt.  He stood up,
smiling.

"Welcome, gentlemen.  Syd, this is him?"

"That's right.  His name's Jake," answered Syd.

"Magnificent.  Hold him."

The two guards came up behind me and grabbed me by each arm.  Affronted, I
struggled to get loose but could not budge.  Of course, I thought, these
weren't human guards.

"What are you doing?" asked Syd.

"I need to be sure," answered the man in red.

He came up to me then, and put his right hand behind my head and his left
hand around my back, cradling me.  I tensed up as I saw him bare fangs.  He
bit into my throat then, and it was painful at first, but then waves of
relaxing pleasure passed over me.  I realized for once that I wasn't being
stunned.  I don't know how much blood he took, but after a moment he licked
my throat, closing the wound, and released me.

He looked at me sternly for a moment with his hand on his chin.  Then he
smiled.  "Yes, you're the one."

"How can you tell?" asked Syd.  "I tasted him, and--"

"I can feel the latent power inside him that only one as old as me could
detect.  He's the genuine artifact.  Let him go."

The men behind me took their hands off of me and backed away.  The man in
red extended his hand to me.

"Jake, my name is Griffith.  I'm in charge here."

I shook his hand reluctantly.

"I hope for us to become friends."

"If you're my friend you'll let me go," I said.

He laughed.  Behind him the Japanese man cracked a smile.  "I'm afraid I
can't do that, Jake.  But while you're here, you're my guest.  Anything you
need, just ask.  In the mean time, I'm going to ask Syd here to look after
you.  He's a good man."  Griffith walked to his desk and punched an
intercom button.  "Could you please show Jake to his room?"

"Yes, sir."

Three more men in suits came into the room, motioning for me to come with
them.

"Wait," I said.  "Aren't you going to tell me why you want me?  What I am?"

"All in due time," said Griffith.  "Go and relax for now.  Syd, could you
stay behind, please?"

"Of course," he said.

The three men led me through hallways and doors until we got to the room
that was assigned to me.  It was incredible.  Huge, lavish, and with an
amazing top-floor view of the strip.

"Is this satisfactory?" asked one of the stooges.

"It's great," I said.

They shut the door, and I heard it lock behind them.  I investigated; the
door locked from the outside.  I tried the knob, but could not budge it.

The door opened and there were the three stooges.  "Is there something we
can do for you?" one of them asked.

"No, that's okay," I said.

He shut and locked the door again.  Three vampire bodyguards just for me.
Was I really in that much danger?

They brought up my luggage a bit later and left me to my own devices.  If I
wanted food, I could order from the hotel's food service.  I could order
any pay-per-view movie on TV that I wanted.  But it wasn't long before I
was out of my mind with boredom.  I mostly just read and watched the people
walk the strip many stories below.

Nobody came to see me until after dark the next day.  I was eating my
room-service dinner on the small table when I heard the door unlock.  The
door opened, and Syd came in.  He was still in his cowboy stuff.  The door
was shut and locked behind him.

"Hey there kiddo," he said.  Hearing him talk like that made my heart wince
a little.

"Oh, I expected you'd be wearing a suit like these other goons," I said.

"I have a lot more seniority than most of the guys around here.  I mostly
do what I please.  How's dinner?"  He sat down at the table with me.

"Alright.  Syd, how many of these guys are vampires?"

"All of em.  Even the receptionist."

"I thought so.  All of you look similar in a way."

"We do?"

I nodded.  "You all look to be around thirty.  You're all muscular.  And
you're all good looking."

"Some of the perks of being a vampire."

"Syd, how come I haven't seen any girls?"

"Girl vampires?  They don't exist.  You can't turn a girl, she'll die if
you try."

"Why?"

"There's myths that explain things like this, but I don't believe them.  I
don't know why, honestly."

"Syd, I'm bored to death in here," I said.  I felt myself trusting him
again out of habit, even though I knew it was unwise.

"I know.  I'm sorry I haven't been by till now.  I've been through video
conferences with all of the Continental Leaders.  The others like Griffith,
there's seven in total."

"They're questioning you about me?"

"That's right.  You don't have much longer here."

"I'd like to go out and explore the city a bit while I'm here."

"I don't see how that would be possible.  I can't have you in big crowds."

I thought about it for a second.  "How about just driving around to all the
big casinos?  I won't ever have to leave the car."

He laughed.  "You're really desperate.  Let's go ask Griffith.  If you ask
him in person, I think he'll be more likely to listen."

We left the room then and went to Griffith's office.  He was dressed in a
different, hip outfit, but the other three vampires were still there in the
same suits.  I gave my plea to Griffith.

He shook his head.  "I'm afraid not, buddy."  I wondered when I had become
his `buddy.'  "Even with Syd there it just isn't safe for you.  The wolves
could get you."

"What do you mean?"  I assumed he was speaking metaphorically.

"The wolves.  The werewolves."

"Are you kidding me?" I asked.

"No, I'm completely serious.  They could be anywhere, and they'll be able
to smell you.  They'll kill you if they could.  Syd's a strong ally, but if
there were enough wolves, Syd would surely be killed."

With that we were sent out of the office.  When we were back in my room, I
started Syd on a new line of questioning.

"What did he mean that the wolves could smell me?"

He sat on my bed and flipped through TV channels.  "They can smell the
difference between the human and the... other.  They can smell us vampires
as well."

"How many of them are there?"  I stretched out on the bed beside him.

"Many.  Many more than us, nowadays.  They constantly try to exterminate
us."

"Why?"

"Because they are evil-minded bastards and they can use their noses to pick
us out of the crowd.  We, on the other hand, have no way of identifying
them.  It makes us extremely vulnerable.  That guy who attacked you in the
Christmas tree lot?  He was a wolf."

"That guy would have killed me if you hadn't come along."

"That's right.  I thought I had cleared Tahoe of any wolves, but that one
slipped through my fingers.  If you had been killed then, I would have been
in serious shit."

"So basically it's not even safe for me to go outside, ever?"

"You'll be safe as long as you're with me.  I'm old and I'm stronger than
most any wolf.  Sure, if they organize some attack we'd be in trouble, but
that's not really in their nature.  They're stupid and mostly just use
random violence against us."

"Shit," I said, not really sure what else to say.  "I really hate being
cooped up in here."

"Well, I can stay.  We could just hang out."

I shot him an angry look.  "Yeah, just hang out like before?  Don't you
realize that after what you did to me, it makes me sick just to look at
you?"

"Hey, I'm sorry I hurt you, but it was my job."

I didn't find that at all comforting.  "You're lying.  That's not all it
was.  I saw the look of pride on your face when you unveiled your brilliant
plan to seduce me.  You enjoyed yourself."

He sighed.  "That's true.  I did enjoy manipulating you.  Making you fall
for me.  But the part where I hurt you, the part where you learned the
truth, that wasn't any fun."

I didn't budge.

"Look, you have two choices.  I can leave now, and you can be miserable and
alone here in this room.  Or, I can stay with you to reduce your boredom,
and you can pretend to like my company.  I know I'd rather hang out with
you than any of the other vampires."

I stared at him.  "Alright, you can stay.  But just because I'm putting up
with you, doesn't mean I trust you again."

"Fine by me."

That night Syd and I watched a bunch of movies as we both lay in bed.  It
was like old times, only now there was no touching, no partial nudity.

We stayed up until around five before I started to fall asleep.  Syd got up
off the bed.

"I'd better get back down to my room," he said.  "I haven't fed tonight, so
I need to sleep through the day hours.  Your room is practically one big
window.  Not the best for me."

I stirred, sleepy.  "Syd, what did you do when we were sleeping in the same
house?  You never went out at night, and yet you always were fine during
the days."

"I'd sneak out during the night to drink," he said.  "You never heard me
go."

"Without the car?"

"That's right.  I'm a fast runner."

I though about that.  "What about those nights when I slept in your bed?"
It was almost embarrassing to mention.  "You were with me the whole time."

He laughed.  "You're going to be pissed off.  No, I never left your arms."
He went towards the door.

I realized what he must have done.  "You're an asshole, Syd," I said as he
opened the door.

"Goodnight," he said, and shut it behind him.

No wonder I had felt so exhausted when I had woken up on those days!  I was
suffering from blood loss.

*****

Syd didn't come back into my room again until the next evening.  When he
did I was happy to see him, no matter how much I wished I wasn't.

"Happy New Years Eve," he said.  "Are you ready to go?"

"To where?  I'm willing to go anywhere as long as it's out of this room."

"To Cape Town."

"Cape Town?" I asked.

"South Africa."

"I know where Cape Town is.  Why are we going there?"

"It's the headquarters of the African VO, and the permanent meeting place
for the elected World Council.  They're all meeting there to meet you.  The
African stronghold is the most secure and secret base we have."

"How are we getting there?" I asked.

"Private jet."

An hour later Syd was leading me into a helicopter from the roof of the
hotel.  I had never been in one before.  The noise was deafening.

Inside the helicopter was Griffith, who smiled at me as I came in, and his
Japanese friend, who did not.

We flew over to the airport and boarded Griffith's luxurious jet.  There
were a few other vampires in suits who came along with us, although I was
never introduced to any of them.  Griffith put a movie on for me on the
huge plasma TV as the others seemed to talk business.

A few hours into the trip, Griffth approached me.

"Daylight will break soon," he said.  "Not all of us here have fed
recently.  We can't have you opening the window screens on us.  So you have
a choice.  Either we stun you until night falls again, or we lock you in
the back bedroom.  There's a TV and bathroom included in the room."

The choice was easy.  "I'll take the bedroom."

Griffith seemed pleased.  "Good.  Syd, perhaps you'd like to accompany our
guest to make sure he behaves?"

I didn't know what sort of trouble I could cause locked in a bedroom, but
didn't bother arguing.  One of the vampires in suits showed us to the room.
It was small, with just a twin bed and not much standing room.

"If you need any food, you can knock on the door or use the intercom," said
the suit as he locked us in there.

"Great," I said.  "Locked in another bedroom.  And they seem to be
decreasing in size."

"Flying across the world is tedious no matter where you spend the flight,"
said Syd.

I noticed that all the windows had screens pulled down.  "What's to keep me
from opening those screens when day comes?" I asked.

"Go ahead," he answered.  "I've already fed tonight."

"Oh yeah?  Who was it?  A nun?  A young child?"

"Not this time.  It was a woman who was sloppy drunk and looking for
action.  I gave it to her.  She had gorgeous breasts."

"That's great."  I slunk onto the bed.  I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt,
fine sleeping clothes.

He was taking off his boots.  "I didn't kill her, Jake," he said.  He was
unbuttoning his shirt now.

"Oh, she should be thankful," I said sarcastically as I got under the
covers.

He pulled down his jeans.  He didn't have any underwear on, and his dick
bobbed around as he removed his pants.  It pissed me off that I was getting
turned on again.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm not sleeping in my jeans," he said.  He jumped onto the bed sort of to
the left of me, but also sort of on top of me.

"You're not sleeping here," I said, squirming to my side of the bed.

"Where do you suggest I sleep?"

"In the shower."

He laughed.  "I'm sleeping right here.  Try and move me if you can."

I knew I couldn't, so I didn't try.  He got under the covers with me, his
right side pressed firmly against my left.

"You can touch me if you want to, Jakey.  I know how attractive my body is
to you.  I don't mind."

How I desperately wanted to.  "No thanks, Uncle Syd.  If Syd's even your
real name."

I turned on my side, my back to him.

"It is," he said.

I fell asleep as the window shades started to glow from the sunlight.

*****

After we had landed, two limos picked us up on the runway.  Syd, Griffith,
the Japanese guy (who Griffith addressed as Tetsuo), and I rode in one limo
while the other vampires in suits rode in the other.

"Have you ever been to Africa, Jake?" asked Griffith.

"No," I said.

"Well, you haven't missed out on anything.  It's a land scarred by poverty
and pestilence.  In my opinion they should kill everyone off and start
over."  He laughed then, as if it was obvious he was only kidding.

I wanted desperately to see out, but the window was tinted and the night
was dark.

After an interminably long ride, we came upon a huge compound surrounded by
a tall stone fence.  I thought we were outside a prison.  The limo pulled
into the gate where there were several armed guards, and the guards waved
us inside.  We entered a beautiful courtyard with many fountains and
decorative pools.  Ahead of us was a huge estate, looking to be very old,
but very magnificent.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Griffith.

I didn't answer.  Men opened our doors for us and we stepped out.  Standing
near the front door was a tall African man.  I knew right away by his
handsomeness and his stature that he was a vampire.  His eyes roamed over
me inquisitively.

Griffith went to shake his hand.  "Ahmad.  This is the one."

"He's just a child," he said in perfect English.  "You're the last to
arrive.  I'll call the council in a half hour.  Your room's made up and
ready."  He looked at the rest of us.  "All of you can find empty rooms in
the east wing."  Then he turned around and walked inside.

Griffith turned to me as the other vampires started walking inside.  "I
need to change.  You're safe here, so feel free to explore.  But be at the
council room in a half hour."

"Where's that?"

"I'll show him," said Syd.

Syd gave me a tour of the beautiful estate.  Whenever we crossed the path
of another vampire, they would always stare at me.  I knew that I was
unwanted.

We came to a huge banquet room in the center of the estate.

"This is the Great Hall," said Syd.

"Oh my god."

All along the walls was a huge glass structure that was filled with red
liquid.  It covered every wall and went up the forty feet or so towards the
ceiling.  It effectively gave the appearance that the room was carved from
blood.

"Macabre, isn't it?" said Syd.

"Is it real?"

"Yep.  Two Olympic-size swimming pools worth of human blood.  It's been
here for almost a century."

"Do you drink it?"

"We could.  Nothing less appetizing than cold blood, though.  No, it really
just serves as a monument.  Many see it as a reminder of our power, our
destiny to rule.  To me it reminds us how many lives we've taken, and how
many of us we've lost."  He motioned towards stairs carved from stone
leading downwards from the hall.  "I'll show you the crypt downstairs."

I followed him down many stairs into what seemed like a huge labyrinth in
which stone coffin after stone coffin lined the floor.

"There must be hundreds of these coffins," I said.

"More than that.  There are two more levels under this one."

"Are there bodies in them?"

"Oh yes," he said.  "But they're not entirely dead.  They're all vampires.
They've been locked away and starved for so long that they've slipped into
a permanent sleep."

"Why?  For punishment?"

"No, they've done it by choice.  They've earned the right to be where they
are.  Here they can sleep away the years knowing they will always be
guarded."

"Why would they want to waste their lives like that?"

"What does it mean to waste an immortal life?  The only waste is to die.
Life is unpleasant for a vampire.  Most of us are killed within our first
five years."

"By the wolves?" I asked.

"Them or something else.  Even if one is as lucky as me to have survived
this long, it's not a good life.  It's a life of paranoia and worry.  Or of
sadness.  Every vampire I have ever loved is long dead, long ago murdered.
Some of these vampires have been asleep since the dark ages.  I myself
dream of earning the right to join them."

"How do you accomplish that?"

"The council must give you clearance.  Usually it is after many years of
hard service to the Organization."

"What is the point of the organization?  Why don't you all just hibernate
underground if that's what you want to do?"

He sighed.  "The Organization strives to rid the world of those that would
threaten our kind.  They seek to make a utopia for our kind, one in which
vampires either have complete autonomy or are completely secure over man.
When that `Day of Peace' finally comes, all of the sleeping vampires will
be awakened to share their accomplishment."

"Wow.  Do you really believe in this `Day of Peace" stuff?"

"I believe in its potential.  But things are not going well.  Our numbers
are fewer than ever before."  He looked at his watch.  "We'd better get to
the council room."

I left that crypt with a newfound respect for Syd.  His life was so much
more complex than my own.

The council room was in the highest part of a small tower which reached up
from the center for the compound.  It was a dark, circular room that had
high ceilings but no windows.

In the center of the room was a large wooden table.  Seven men sat around
it, including Ahmad, the man who greeted us at the entrance, and Griffith,
who was now in a dark suit.  I realized that these men were the seven
council members who seemed to have complete control over this Organization.
Other men stood around the wall of the room, including Tetsuo.  When Syd
and I went in, they were already talking, and nobody seemed to take notice
of us although I'm sure they were all aware of our arrival.  The two of us
were the only ones not wearing suits.

The man at the head of the table was speaking.  He was a strikingly
beautiful Hispanic man with big eyes, short, curly hair, a cut jaw line,
and dimples.  "... he's served us for almost eighty years.  He's fought many
battles, and always survived.  And now he's brought us the young one that
is the key to our future.  I motion to have him approved for hibernation.
Griffith, as one of your men, would you like to say anything on his
behalf?"

I realized that he was talking about Syd.  I looked at him, and could tell
he was watching the proceedings intently.

Griffith turned and smiled at him.  "Syd has served me faithfully for only
a few years, since I took over the position.  He's amazingly adept at
accomplishing his tasks.  By all means I'd love to see him be put
underground tonight, but my vote tonight will be a selfish one.  He's too
valuable to lose.  I need him by my side at this time.  Perhaps in a year
or so I will--"

The Hispanic man interrupted him.  "In all my time as the head of this
committee I have never once heard a committee member vote against his own
man.  Well, this will still be put to a vote.  All in favor of Syd's
approval?"

He raised his own hand.  Ahmad's hand was up too, as was the Asian
councilman.  The European councilman tentatively raised his hand as well.

"Then it's settled.  Congratulations, Syd," said the Hispanic man.

Ahmad raised his hand.  "Excuse me, Marquez."

The Hispanic man (Marquez) nodded.

Ahmad continued.  "Syd, should we make preparations for you to enter your
tomb this evening?"

Syd looked at me, then back at the table.  "After hearing Griffith's
flatterning remarks," he said, "I've decided to wait for now, and enter the
crypt upon a further date of my choosing.  I wish to see through to the
resolution of my latest project."

"That's very commendable of you, sir," said Ahmad.  "The crypt will be
waiting here for you when you are ready."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Onto the next subject," said Marquez, "the council would like to extend
the sincerest gratitude to Tetsuo Tanaka for his recent feat of great
measures.  You have all heard of this, I am sure.  Certainly Tetsuo is one
of the greatest fighters among us."

Tetsuo nodded.

"I have been asked to give you a motion for hibernation as well, Tetsuo,"
said Marquez.  "I would have liked to, but unfortunately you've caused some
controversy recently with the Asian VO ever since you left it to join the
NAVO.  And considering that your new supervisor has only had you for a few
weeks, I'm afraid I've decided to decline the motion at this time."

There was no reaction from Tetsuo, although the Asian councilman, a
handsome Chinese man, looked quite pleased at this decision.

"And finally, we come to the main reason why all of us have been summoned
here.  The boy.  We all know what he is.  Now comes the decision about what
to do with him.  We've all heard Griffith's unique suggestion.  Are there
any other suggestions to be made?"

Ahmad raised his hand.  "I suggest we keep him here in the fortress
indefinitely.  I can assure his safety here.  Undoubtedly it is the safest
place in the world for him."

I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but I was certain that I did
not want to stay locked inside this old estate for the rest of my life.  I
was about to say something, but Syd beat me to it.

"I have a suggestion of my own for the council.  The boy would go crazy
here, I think, if he were to be locked up.  Who knows how safe it would be
to antagonize him in this way.  Instead, I volunteer to take him as my
stead.  To stay by his side as his protector."

"For how long are you offering your services?" asked Marquez.

"For as long as it takes," answered Syd.

Griffith chimed in.  "He would never be safe."

"We'd move around, and stay as isolated as possible," said Syd.  "I promise
the council that this would succeed, and it's really the only humane
solution."

"Alright, enough," said Marquez.  "We'll vote now.  All in favor of this
suggestion?"  Marquez seemed to spit out the question.

Only two raised their hands, Ahmad and the Asian councilman.

"Declined," said Marquez.

I couldn't take it anymore.  I had to talk.  "Does anybody care about what
I have to say?"

Marquez looked at me with fury.  "This is a vampire council meeting.  Your
presence has been permitted, boy, but your insolence will not be.  Remove
him."

Syd frowned at me.  That's when two large vampires in suits grabbed me and
pulled me down the stairs and out of the room.  I sat down in a chair, and
waited.

It was almost an hour before they came out.  Griffith and Tetsuo were the
first to leave, almost storming through the doors.

"Idiotic, that's what it is," said Griffith to Tetsuo as they passed me.
They didn't look my way.  "I'll tell you what, though.  He'll fail."

More vampires came out.  Ahmad looked at me, shook his head, and walked on.

Syd came out.  He looked at me, opening his eyes wide, and mouthed,
"careful."  He then walked on.  I jumped up to follow him.

Marquez came out of the room.  "There you are, young man," he said.  I
froze as he approached me.  "I wanted to get to know you.  I'm Marquez, by
the way.  Can I call you Jake?"

I nodded.  I couldn't understand why he was being so nice to me all of the
sudden.

"Good," he said.

"What has the council decided?" I asked.

"They've decided to stick around for a few weeks until things are resolved.
During that time, I'll be overseeing your visit.  You'll be staying with
me."

"Do I have any choice in the matter?" I asked.

He smiled.  "I'm afraid not."

"Then whatever."

He looked away from me.  "It's getting late. Are you hungry?"

"Actually, yes."

"Come with me."

Marquez took me to the kitchen.  There was a meal prepared for me there.
Chicken and rice, nothing fancy.

"It's unusual that this room is stocked, but I made sure that there would
be food for our human visitor."

I sat down at the kitchen table to eat.  The food had spices that I wasn't
used to, but that I liked.  While I ate, Marquez stood behind my chair.  He
started rubbing his hand through my hair.  I felt uncomfortable, but I
didn't protest.

"Do you know who I am?  What position I hold?"

I didn't want him to start bragging.  "You're the head of the world
organization, or whatever it is."

"I was elected head councilman two decades ago and will serve in that post
until I choose to retire and enter hibernation."

"What if you die?" I asked.

He stopped rubbing my hair for a second.  Then he resumed.  "Then the
members of the South American VO would have to come up with a new leader to
serve as councilman, and the council would have to vote on a new head.  But
that wouldn't happen, don't worry.  I'm the most powerful vampire in
existence.  And even though I must oversee the business of the whole world,
right now you are by far the most important thing to me.  Do you understand
that?"

"No, honestly, I don't understand that at all.  Nobody has explained what
makes me so special.  They say I have a `gift,' but what sort of gift is
it?"

He leaned down close to my ear.  "The gift you have, Jake, the gift you
have inside you..." He moved to my other ear.  "...is that you have the
potential to become the most powerful being in the world.  But for now,
your powers are locked up, inaccessible."

I was starting to be enticed.  "How do I unlock them?"

"You become a vampire."

After the discussion with Syd, that was the last thing on my mind.  "No
way.  I don't want any part of it.  It sounds like a living hell."

"Not for you it wouldn't be.  You'd be so powerful you'd have nothing to
fear.  You would rule if you wanted to."

I didn't say anything.  As attractive as his words sounded, I wasn't a
power hungry individual.

"You don't have to make your decision now.  Think over it."

After I finished my meal Marquez led me to his room, which was in the
nicest part of the house and was probably the biggest, most attractive
room.  A huge four-post bed was in the center, with orange curtains hanging
all around.  There was a nice sitting area, a beautiful balcony, and a
large bathroom with a shower that was big enough for ten.  It even had a
large, private sauna with glass doors.  If there was any doubt before, this
room really spelled out Marquez's authority.

I noticed my suitcase on one of the chairs.

"I thought as the two most important individuals here, we could share the
most lavish room.  The bed is king sized."

"Okay," I said.  I had no idea what his intentions were with me.  Was he
really just being nice, or was he interested in me sexually?  The idea
certainly excited me, considering he was gorgeous, but I barely knew him
and certainly didn't trust him.  "I really need a shower," I said.

"Go right ahead," he said.  "There's are robes in the bathroom you can
change into."

I went into the bathroom.  It was covered with beautiful mosaic tile. It
wasn't separated from the bedroom by a door, just a wall partition that you
had to walk through.  I stripped off my clothes and got into the shower.
The showerhead was huge, and let out a torrent of water above me.  It was
definitely the best shower I had ever experienced.

After I was clean, I grabbed a gold silk robe from one of the hooks, and
wrapped it around me.  I walked back into the bedroom.  Marquez had changed
into green silk boxers and was shutting the drapes.  I took the opportunity
to check out his body.  He was muscular and cut.  His skin was olive
colored, and his nipples were dark.  He seemed to be hairless.

I got on one side of the bed.  The sheets were satin, and the mattress was
soft under my body.  Marquez got onto the bed next to me.  He turned on his
side and looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I haven't fed tonight, and this room gets a lot of light in the morning."

With that explanation, he rolled on top of me.  Before I could react his
fangs were out and in my throat.  Ecstasy poured over my body as great as
any orgasm.  He licked at my throat then, closing the wound, but the
euphoria was still with me.  He crept down to my feet, and put his hands on
my right foot.  He slid them up my calf, over my knee, and past my robe.
He got to my upper thigh, one hand right below my hip, and the other at the
top of my inner thigh, pressed against my balls.

He opened my robe.  He lowered his face towards my leg and bit into my
upper, inner thigh.  The pleasure was greater than before.  I tilted my
head to look at his beautiful face sucking on my thigh, and I started to
get hard.  As my dick rose, it hit his cheek, his ear, and then landed
against the side of his head.

With a lick, Marquez finished and pulled away.  He was smiling devilishly,
and I was completely spent.  My robe still open, I fell asleep immediately.

*****

When I woke up sunlight and a gentle breeze were streaming into the room.
I was still in my robe, but my robe was open, and my dick was uncovered.  I
sat up.

Marquez was sitting on the balcony reading the paper.  I stood up and tied
my robe before going outside.  On the balcony table, a full brunch was
waiting.

"Welcome," he said.  He was wearing a pair of chinos and a white button-up
shirt that was completely open, exposing his tan, chiseled chest and abs.
"I didn't know what you liked so I had them bring up a variety," he said.

I sat down, starting to eat some fresh fruit.

"Have you thought about your decision, Jake?"

I looked into his eyes.  "There's something I don't understand," I said.
"You're telling me that if I become a vampire, I'll be the biggest bad ass
ever, right?  Well, why do you care what I do?"

"Because that is your path.  It's what you were born to become.  The last
thing I want to see is wasted potential."

I didn't believe him.  "I hope that's true, because if I did become a
vampire, I certainly wouldn't start taking orders from you, if that's what
you're thinking."

"Young man, if you become a vampire, I'll be taking orders from you."

After brunch, Marquez wanted to take me out of the compound on horseback to
explore the countryside.  I couldn't have thought of a better activity, I
was in Africa and I wanted to explore.

As we walked out to the stables, I realized how hot it was.  I was in
shorts and a T-shirt, but I was still roasting.  Luckily, I had put
sunscreen on before we came outside.

The guy at the stable, a hot African vampire (I assumed) with his shirt
off, brought us the biggest horse I had ever seen.

"This stallion was meant for two riders," said Marquez.

They put a blanket over the horse's back, but didn't put a saddle on.
Marquez jumped onto the horse with superhuman agility, a sight that
surprised me even though I knew what he was.  But with no saddle and no
stirrups, I didn't think I'd be able to get on.

"Stand over here, Jake, I'll pull you up."

He grabbed me around my chest and pulled me up onto the horse easily.  I
was sitting in front of him on the blanket, and he was holding the reigns.
As the horse started to move, I felt uneasy and off balance.  I wanted
something to hold onto.

"I won't let you fall," said Marquez.  He wrapped his right arm around my
waist and held the reigns with his left.

With that we were off.  We went past the perimeter wall, and the golden
hills beyond seemed to stretch out for miles.  We must have been a long way
from civilization out here, which would explain the long limo ride the
night before.

The ride was beautiful but hot.  I was sweating like crazy.  Marquez's body
tight against mine was creating a sexual energy between us, although I
wouldn't let myself submit to it.  I had learned my lesson with Syd.

After a while we came to a large stream and a shady grove of trees.

"The horse needs water," said Marquez.

He steered towards the stream, and surprised me when he took the horse
straight into it until the water started hitting our shoes.  As the horse
craned its neck down to drink, I looked into the cool water beneath us.

"I feel like jumping in," I said.

"Exactly what I had in mind."

He grabbed onto me and slid to the right, taking me off the horse with me,
stunned.  I hit the water and was soon under it, Marquez still holding onto
me.  He let me go and I came up for air.  He was laughing at me.

"Jerk," I said, and pushed him.  Of course, he was immobile.

I sat back down in the water, enjoying myself.  The water wasn't cool, but
it was much cooler than the air.

Marquez walked over to the horse and pulled the blanket off of him as he
got out of the stream.  He spread it out on the grass, and then walked over
to a tree.  He took off his wet, white shirt, and hung it over a branch.  I
scoped out his body.  He had large arms and large pecs, crowned by his dark
nipples.  His abs were substantial but not as cut as Syd'd.  He pulled his
pants off, and hung them up, exposing his massive, hairless thighs, and
just a pair of wet boxers.

Those came off too, and I got a great look at his package.  His balls were
good sized, and darker than the rest of his skin.  His dick was dark and
long, very wrinkly and veiny.  He was circumcised, and his head was the
same olive as his skin, no sign of pink.

He walked over to the blanket and stretched out.  Then he waved his hand to
me.  "Hurry up and dry off so we can get going," he said.

I didn't trust him.  This whole little interlude of nudity seemed
completely staged.  But knowing that I didn't have any real choice in the
matter, I decided to go along where he took me and enjoy myself while I
could.

I walked out of the lake, and put my clothes on tree branches, stripping to
the nude.  I noticed he was watching me as I did so.  I walked over to the
blanket, and sat down on the corner opposite of him.

"Are you having fun so far?" he asked.  He sat up on his elbows, but he had
his legs open, facing me.  His dick was laying on his right thigh.

"I like new experiences," I said.

"If you became like us, your experiences would never be old," he said.  "Of
course, your other option is to stay a human, reject your potential, and
stay locked away forever.  For your own safety.  In that scenario, I'm
afraid, there would be no room for new experiences."

"It's obvious what your opinion is on the matter.  But your asking me to
make a weighty decision here.  It could take me weeks to decide.  And all
of this, whatever you're trying to do, it really won't make a difference."

"I'm not trying to do anything.  Fine, take your time.  Meanwhile, we shall
enjoy each other's company."

After we had dried, Marquez wanted to get back on our ride.

"Our clothes haven't dried," I said.

"Leave them here.  I'll send someone out for them."  Why was I not
surprised?

We only put our shoes back on.  He put the blanket back on the horse, and
leapt on, giving me a great view of his flexed olive ass.  Then he motioned
for me to come to him.  He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me up
again, placing me in front of him like before.  As the horse started to
ride, he put his right arm around my chest, pulling his body into mine.
Hid chest touched my back, his thighs were lodged against mine, and his
dick was touching my ass.  All the contact was extremely erotic, especially
since I hadn't gotten off in days.

After riding for a bit longer, he leaned forward and kissed my neck.  The
feel of his soft lips on my shin sent shivers through me.  Then I felt the
needle prick of his fangs against my neck, sending me a shot of pleasure,
and then quickly licked my wound away.  His bite made me feel relaxed and
uninhibited.  Made me forget my self control a little.

As we bumped up and down, I felt his long dick get hard under me.  Now I
was sitting on it, and it was pressed into my crack.  I felt his pubes
tickle my tailbone.

I started to get hard as well.  He reached down and grabbed my dick with
his right hand.

"You like that?" he asked.

I didn't respond, but he started stroking me slowly, moving to the rhythm
of the horse's strides.  He bit into me again.

Just when I thought I was about to come, he stopped.

"We're back," he said.

So we were.  The stable guy didn't even flinch at our nudity or our
erections as we dismounted.

We went back to the room and got dressed again.  Then he took me down to
the kitchen for some dinner.  Again he stroked my hair while I was eating.

Later, back in his room, he announced he was going to take a shower.  I
turned on his TV and tried to find something decent.  Luckily he seemed to
have satellite cable.  I turned on CNN.  I used to watch it every night
before bed.  It was my connection to the outside world, no matter how busy
things got.  But now, I didn't follow any of the news they were talking
about.  I was out of touch.  It was like I was living in a bubble.

The shower turned off and Marquez came into the room with just a red towel
around his waist.  He looked best, I decided, wet and with little clothing
as possible, as he was now.  His black hair hung down his forehead, and
water dripped down his beautiful skin.  It made him seem simple and
harmless, adjectives I knew that were only deceptive.

He smiled at me.  "I'm going into the sauna if you want to join me."

I'm sure it wasn't really a request.  "Okay, I'll take a shower and then
I'll meet you in there."

In a couple minutes I was under the showerhead, feeling like I was under a
tropical waterfall.  I could get used to this shower, I thought.

When I finished, I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed towards the
steam room.

Through the glass wall all I could see was the gray of the steam.  When I
opened the door and walked in, that didn't change.

"Sit down," I heard him say commandingly.

I turned towards the direction of his voice, and thought I saw a dark
figure through the steam.  I walked over to a bench across the room from
where he sat.  From here I could make him out better.  His towel was off
and lying on the floor.  He was leaning back onto the bench behind him, and
his arms were spread wide.  He had his left leg over his right knee.

"Lose the towel," he said.  He put his left foot on the floor and opened
his knees.  I could see his black pubes and the outline of his dick through
the blur.

I opened my towel, and sat on top of it.  The steam was sticking to my
skin.  I felt so hot.

"Let me see you touch yourself," he said.

I started rubbing my dick in between my fingers.

"Good.  Get hard for me."

Hearing his sensual, whispery voice talking to me was enough to get me
hard.  Breathing in the steam was getting me a little dizzy.

"Real nice," he said.  "Why don't you come over here and give me a hand
with my own member?"

I got up off the bench and walked towards him.  With each step, his
beautiful form became more detailed as I passed through the steam.  He
opened his legs more, showing me his gorgeous dick which was now elongated
and glistening from the hot steam.

"Kneel down," he said, and I was on my knees in front of him in an instant.

I reached my hand towards his dick.

"No hands," he said.  "Do it with your mouth.  Start with my foot."

He stuck his right foot in my face.  With his big toe, he parted my lips
and entered my mouth.  I sucked on it, closing my lips around it's base.

"Lick up my leg," he said.

I left his toe, licking up the arch of his foot, passed the ankle, and to
his calf.  He flexed his calf muscle as my tongue drifted up.  I kissed his
knee, then licked up his inner thigh.  When I got to his dick, I stopped,
just holding my cheek against it.

I turned my head until the base of his dick was on my lips.  I kissed it.
Then I licked down the veiny shaft until I came to his glistening, olive
head.  I stuck my tongue in his slit and wiggles it around.  Then, finally,
I wrapped my lips around his dick head.

He began to moan, and his dick started to throb inside my mouth.  I wasn't
sure I would be able to hold it in when he got hard, but I did.  When he
was fully aroused, I started massaging the underside of his dickhead with
my tongue.

I got the urge to touch his balls, so I stuck my hand under him and started
to stroke them.

"That feels good," he said.  "But I can do better.  Stand up."

I pulled off his dick and stood up, my erection waving in front of his
face.  He flicked the tip of it with his tongue, sending electricity
through my shaft and into my balls. Then, in one sudden movement, he
engulfed my dick down to my pubes.  The wet warmth of his mouth set me on
fire.  He started moving up and down slowly on it, and I thought I was in
heaven.

He wrapped his arms around me and grabbed onto my ass with his hands,
pulling me back and forth with his motion.  I looked down at him, and he
was looking up at me.  It was my first blowjob, and it blew away all my
expectations.  Only, it wasn't supposed to be with him.  Looking at his
face, into those sinister eyes, I wished it was Syd there looking back at
me.

After a while, I started to get close.  He must have felt me tense up,
because he pulled off me.

"Not yet baby," he said.  "Let's go to the bed."

He took my hand and dragged me naked into the bedroom.  Both our dicks were
sticking out in front of our bodies.

He lay me on my back on his bed, and straddled me.  Our dicks rubbed
together as he kissed me, probing my mouth with his tongue.  But there was
no real feeling behind the kiss.  It felt completely calculated.

Just then there was a knock on the bedroom door.

Marquez sat up, annoyed.  "We're quite busy," he said.

"Sir, there is a critical phone call from home," said a voice through the
door.

"Take a message!"

"Sir, they say it is an emergency and they must speak to you at once!"

"Ugh!" said Marquez, jumping off the bed.  He grabbed his pants, and
started shoving his legs into them.  "You, stay right there."

He left the room.  I lay alone on the bed, my dick pointing towards the
ceiling.  What was I getting myself into?

I heard a tapping on the balcony door, and looked over.  Syd was standing
on the balcony, smiling at me.  I stood up and wrapped my gold robe around
myself before walking over and unlocking the door.

He put his finger to his lips as he stepped inside silently and locked the
door behind him.

"I needed to talk to you," he said as he shut the drapes.  "I couldn't with
Marquez never leaving your side."

"There was an emergency or something.  He's on a phone call."

"The emergency was invented as a distraction for Marquez.  Griffith
orchestrated it for me.  He's concerned that you wouldn't survive the
night.  What has Marquez told you?"

I sat down on the bed.  "He told me about my gift.  That if I became a
vampire, I would be the most powerful being in the world.  And if not, I
would be locked away for the rest of my life.  That's not an easy choice.
I told him it would take me a while to decide."

"He's lying," Syd said.  "Everyone's been lying to you.  I'm going to tell
you the truth, right now, but you can't tell Marquez about this.  If you
do, they'll kill me.  Promise me."

"Why should I trust you over anyone else?" I asked.  "Weren't you the one
who's been lying to me for years?"

"Look, kiddo, I know there's no use trying to convince you that I'm being
honest now.  But I am.  Just listen to me."

"Alright."

He sat down in one of the chairs.  "I told you before that you inherited a
very special gene that very few men have.  Usually this gene is completely
recessive.  The only mark it makes on its carrier is to create in them a
sexual desire towards men.  That's it; otherwise it does nothing and is
completely untraceable."

He pointed at me.

"But something happens to the oldest man on earth who possesses this gene,
and nobody knows why.  It starts to activate all sorts of physical and
mental changes.  In many ways, this man gains many of the strengths of a
vampire.  He has our speed.  He has our strength.  He does not age.  But he
doesn't have our negatives.  The sun does not affect him.  He does not need
to feed on blood.  This is what it means to have `the gift.'

"This man, `the gifted,' has some psychic powers, we know.  He can
psychically distinguish between a human and a vampire, or wolf for that
matter.  Now, throughout history, those who had the gift lived for one
reason and one alone.  Can you guess what that reason is?"

"To kill all vampires?" I asked.

"Exactly.  And, because he can hide from us but not us from him, we have
always been sitting ducks.  The last one with the gift, known to us simply
as `The Red,' lived for a century and a half and killed thousands of our
kind.  Even beyond werewolves, this man was so powerful and so well
organized that he was undoubtedly our greatest enemy.

"Just a few weeks ago, a troupe of vampires led by Tetsuo tracked him down
in Siam and killed him.  It was a great day for all of us.

"And that's where you come in.  `The Red' was the oldest male alive with
the gene.  Now that he is dead, you have that dubious honor."

I thought that this was where he was going, although I was nonetheless
unbelieving.  "Me?  But I don't have any of those powers you mentioned.
I'm just an ordinary person.  There must be someone older than me, I'm only
nineteen!"

He shook his head.  "As you know, our scholars have traced your family
line.  As far as we know, it's the last vestige of your gene.  In reality,
we are sure that there are others out there who have the gene as well, but
they are few and you must be the oldest.  Your dad is dead, as is your
grandfather.  And you've already shown signs."

"What signs?"  I asked.

"You told me the first night in Tahoe that you recently had a vivid
nightmare where you were killed by monsters.  Do you remember that still?"

"Yeah.  I was running through the woods at night, when they surrounded me
and stabbed my in the chest."

"That is precisely how `The Red' died.  It is said that when the old gifted
one dies, the new gifted one dreams of his death as his gene become
active."

"That could have been coincidental," I said.

"But there's more.  That incident with the werewolf in the tree lot.  He
was after you for a reason.  He said he could smell you.  Wolves can't
smell the difference between a normal man and one who has the dormant gene.
But they can smell one who has the gift."

"Well, if that's true, how come I don't have any of these other powers?"

He shook his head.  "I don't know.  Nobody has ever been around someone who
has recently gotten the gift.  Some of us think that you will slowly
discover your powers over time, perhaps over many years.  Others think that
there is come secret society out there who somehow seeks to find and teach
you how to learn your powers."

"So that's why all of you are so interested in me.  You've never had your
hands on one like me before, and you want to make sure that I don't do any
damage."

He nodded.  "And that's why the council voted against just letting you live
under supervision.  There's the fear that you will learn to kill on your
own, and destroy us from the inside."

"Well, what did they vote to do to me?"

"They want to turn you into a vampire."

"How would that help matters?" I asked.

"Because if they turned you into a vampire, you'd be just like us, with all
our weaknesses.  You wouldn't be any stronger than us, therefore you'd be
manageable.  And the best part of that plan is that if you were a vampire
under our control, you'd never die.  You'd probably be denied blood and set
to sleep under this house like the rest of them for eternity.  There would
never be another man with the gift again.  It would be a major step towards
vampire utopia."

"If that's true, then why are you helping me?"

He sighed.  "I don't know.  Because I owe it to you to make sure they don't
do you wrong.  Because I think most of us are evil men who don't deserve to
lose our enemies."

"Why doesn't Marquez just force me to become a vampire?"

He shook his head.  "You can't force anyone, they'll always have the
choice.  Or else he would have done it by now, no doubt about it."

"He's been coming on strong with me.  Real strong."

"He's trying to seduce you, just like I did."

"He's not as good as you were," I said.

He laughed.  "That's good to hear.  Making a vampire is an act of passion,
Jake.  He's trying to break you with desire, so that if he tried to turn
you, you'd let your dick make your mind up instead of your head.  Whatever
you do, don't give in!  It'll be the end of you."

"I'm strong," I said.

"I know you are."  He looked towards the hallway.  "He's on his way back.
Lock the window behind me."

He flew out of the room without a sound.  As I was locking the window back
up, the door opened behind me.

"Out of bed?" asked Marquez.

"I wanted to open the window," I said.

I opened it up.

"The emergency was just a bit of total incompetence with my agents in
Brazil.  Very annoying.  All I could think about was being back up here,
having your body all over this room.  Why don't you take off the robe and
come back to bed?"

He slid his chinos down and off his ankles, his long dick dangling around
like a chain.  Then he stood back up, naked, tan, and completely alluring.
My dick sprang to attention.

I removed my robe as we both climbed onto the bed.  He grabbed me, pulled
me against him, and kissed me, his tongue tasting my teeth.  I ran my hand
down his back and held onto his tight ass, pulling his hard dick towards
me.  He pushed me down on my back and fell on top of me, our lips never
separating.  He reached down with his hand and started stroking my dick.

"Make sure to tell me if you're close," he said.  "I want this to last
forever."

I knew I could do this all night.  I felt myself starting to lose control
of myself.  I had to cool things off.

"Look," I said, rolling him off of me.  "I'm kinda tired.  Maybe you should
just finish me off."

He stopped stroking and looked at me.  "You're kinda tired?  Are you
serious?  After all this you just want to get off and go to bed?"

I nodded.  "Yeah.  I mean, we've been at it all day.  It's getting sort of
boring.  Hey, don't worry about it, I'll get you off too, man."

He seemed enraged.  "Do you really think I'm here just to blow my load, you
little cocksucker?  I could have anyone, male or female, in this bed with
me.  You should be relishing it."

"Oh, and I've decided.  I don't want to become a vampire."

"What?  You mean you want to rot for the rest of your life in this
godforsaken house?"

"Yeah, I know, I'll be bored.  I guess I'll just have to, I don't know, sit
around and meditate all day.  You know, try and find my inner strength.
Strength of character, I'm speaking about."

He looked at me, fire in his eyes.  Then he grabbed me by my hair, and
pulled me back towards the pillow.

"We do this my way, you understand?  Now I'll give you one last chance to
be nice."  He pulled my head towards his hard, long dick, and touched the
head to my lips.  "We both know you want this.  Take it, and I'll forgive
you."

I opened my mouth, and he slid his tip into it.  I started licking the
underside of the head.

"That's a boy," he said, still holding my hair.

With all my strength, I bit down.  He screamed, and pulled his dick out.
With his vampire skin, I knew I didn't do any damage.  But it sure must
have been painful.  He was rubbing it, and it quickly softened in his hand.

"That's it, you little fuck," he said.

He punched me in the cheek, knocking me back in pain.  As soon as I got my
bearings, he was on top of me, his fangs cutting into my neck.  He stunned
me quick, and I was out.

TO BE CONTINUED