Volume 4

DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult content.

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The Vampire Emporio

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            I remembered how Carter used to act before storms. He would always pace. It was almost like he felt as though the storm would bring about something more then it would. It thought lightning was gunshots. He felt like the gunshots in Harlem would destroy all both of us one day. It scared him.

            I had to tell him...man...it's just lightning.

            I followed Arie. He was unsettled. He was pacing around the hallways. His eyes were unfocused. It was the very meaning of being unsettled and I knew it. David and I were watching him. Decadence had retreated to her chambers to "prepare" and Roxanne was charged to making a last attempt to track Giovanni down before Caesarion returned.

            "They are going to come hard I assume. You think they are older than us David?"

            "I'm certain," David replied.

            He laughed a little bit in the midst of all of that awkwardly then turned to me. I could tell he was uncomfortable with me being there. He wasn't pacing like Arie but I could tell he was nervous as well. He had this whole aura of "I told you so" written all over his face. And they knew it. They could read it just as well as I could. Even though he didn't say it, he was almost screaming that everyone was wrong and he was right.

            "Well. We are used to killing together. We are a pack. Plus we know this warehouse. You see, David, this is our domain. We make the rules here. We can't just let them come in and take Adam away."

            "Oh...we can't?"

            "No. I see you looking at me like that David. Don't do that. What were we supposed to do? Adam is a part of us now, you know."

            "Oh...he is?"

            "Damn it David. What makes you so sure they won't settle there? They want Giovanni as well. That is the main purpose behind this. They want Giovanni. Will you just let them take Giovanni? No...I am sure you wouldn't. Adam is the same...isn't he?"

            David got up and stretched.

            I could hear the bones cracking in his back as he did it. They were hard sounding almost like pieces of metal hitting one another. It was an eerie feeling.

            "Arie, who are you trying to convince? Yourself...or me?"

            Adam looked at me as David said that. I could see the doubt even in his eyes. It was scary. I could feel him slipping away from me a little bit. But suddenly he broke his gaze as though feeling some type of motivation.

            "Regardless it's too late," he stated, "We have to prepare. We killed a member of the Furious Five. Vampires have died for worse. We are on the same level as the Sacrilege and all the other vampires that went up against the dark church."

            "And what happened to the Sacrilege?" David asked shaking his head, "Or maybe we should track my lover down and ask him. He'd know better. At least they had somewhat of a cause. What is our cause? Stupidity? Manic insanity?"

            "Shut up, David. We do have a cause. Adam is special."

            "To who? I don't see anything special. I see a punk new vampire who just listens. Don't you have an opinion boy? Don't you have a say in any of this?"

            They both looked at me.

            I just stared back at them. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know anything about what they were talking about. Who was the Sacrilege? Who was the dark church? Who was the furious five? All the terms just floated right past me. I was out of place here. I knew Harlem. I knew music. I knew Carter. These strange people and their way were so new to me that all I could do was sit and observe.

            Instead of explaining myself I simply shook my head, "Maybe I should leave. Maybe it's best that I should leave."

            Footsteps appeared through the darkness as a soft, "No" floated into the room.

            We turned to see Roxanne. She was the only one who had footsteps that were loud enough that it sounded like a normal human. At times I felt like she did this on purpose. Later I would find out for sure she did it on purpose. It was a way for her to pretend to be human. She could hide her footsteps like the rest of them. She could float around as silently as Giovanni if she wanted to. But she just chose not to. I know you wouldn't understand. It is a vampire thing. I didn't understand it much too but I find myself doing things now myself trying to be more...human.

            "If they want him, it is for a reason," Roxanne stated, "Aren't you all curious to see what it is about this boy that causes him to smell like that? If anything isn't curiosity worth it. What makes Caesarion, the arch vicar, the church more worthy to solve the mystery then we are? Arie, he called for you. By saving him you claimed him. He is yours and so is his mystery."

            "This is bullshit," David said picking up the whiskey from the table, "I can't believe this bullshit I'm hearing."

            He put the bottle to his lips and sucked. It wasn't his first drink. I could tell he was already intoxicated by the way he moved around. It was obvious liquor had the same tendencies to the undead as they did to humans.

            All of a sudden I could hear something. It was a soft thump. There was no way of knowing exactly where it came from but I knew it was out of place. Then it was followed by another thump. It was frightening especially in the darkness. The hairs on my skin stood up.

            "Do you hear that?"

            "Fuck, are you talking about?" David asked.

            "No...listen more closely," Roxanne stated, "I can hear something now. We are no longer alone..."

            They all listened in. The thumps were becoming louder. Closing in. I wasn't sure exactly what it was. Then I just realized it must have been someone trying to break open the warehouse latch door. You couldn't see the front door from where we were. Hell, the warehouse was so dark and gloomy that you could probably miss the front door standing right in front of it.

            "How come he heard before us?" David asked.

            "No time for your bullshit David!" Arie stated, "DECADENCE!"

            Immediately I could feel the energy around us. I felt Arie come close to me. He grabbed me by my arm and held me tightly. He was so close that I could feel his heart beating. It was beating fast. He was just as nervous as I was.

            "Will they kill us?" I asked him.

            "Shut up," he replied, "DECADENCE!"

            Suddenly something came out of the darkness quickly. It flew at us. I let out a piercing scream not expecting it at all. I could see the claws as they grabbed at my neck. It was a large man. He had come so quickly that none of us expected it.

            He was choking me. Arie had reached out and bit the man in the arm but the man's grip around my neck didn't change regardless of Arie sucking into his arm.

            I didn't notice much.

            My eyes started to roll in the back of my head. I had escaped death once before but I wondered if I could do it again. Vampires are not dead. They are a mutation really. The fears of what happens to a creature that isn't a human worried me. We were taught humans went to heaven or hell. What happened to vampires?

            And then he cried out almost as soon as he touched me. I turned to my right to see that Decadence had appeared. And as she appeared, she had a knife. The knife ran right across the man's throat. He laid on the ground bleeding now. His blood was thick, just like the other vampire that had come. He laid on the floor struggling to breath, kicking...dying very slowly...

            "The shouting is letting out your location. There are several others. I am not sure how many Caesarion has brought but we have to be careful," she stated silently, "And regardless of what you do, if you any of you see Caesarion run. We stand no chance against him. You hear me? Run."

Arie looked over at me, "Adam feed on his blood and regain strength."

Decadence grabbed me away from Arie, "We don't have time. Roxanne, take Adam and hide in the cellars. We will distract them and give you enough time to escape."

"I'm not hiding," I stated.

            Decadence looked at me quickly. I could see she wasn't used to be people disobeying her. She seemed like she wanted to scold me or something, but it was also clear to her and I that we didn't have time for all of that.

            "To the back," she stated.

            We started to move. Arie and David were in front and Roxanne followed from behind. They completely surrounded Decadence and I. Decadence was clutching onto my wrist. It was different from when Arie did it. Arie did it firmly but gently. Decadence was clutching me as though you would do a bad child. It was even worse actually. Her fingers seemed to cut into my wrists.

            "Where is Giovanni?" David asked, "Where the hell is he?"

            "He abandoned us," Decadence stated.

            She said it in such a calm way as though she had expected it all along and wasn't surprised. David did seem surprised though. No, he seemed outraged. He was alongside Arie but he wasn't moving carefully as Arie was.

            We made our way down the hallway, almost like ghosts in the darkness and all of a sudden we saw two figures appear.

            David went heading towards the two figures quickly.

            They called behind him, "Wait!"

            It was pointless though. He just disappeared into the darkness silently and the two silent figures seemed to engulf him completely.

            Decadence stood there calmly as usual. I would have paid at the time to see her use some type of emotion. It felt alarming that she was so calm. It would have made this feel less disarming if she showed a slight panic. It would have made it real if she showed anything!

            Arie was however. He looked out into the darkness, "David! David! What the fuck? Where is he? They took him!"

            "Yes. I assume they did, didn't they?" Decadence stated her eyes piercing through, "Roxanne...after them."

            Roxanne didn't hesitate when she heard what Decadence said. And Roxanne, being the strange vampire she was, got on all fours almost like a dog. You wouldn't believe how she began to gallop on all FOURS. She leaped into the darkness behind where the two figures had disappeared with David.

            "Oh shit, we should go after them!" Arie stated, "David!"

            "Is Roxanne going to be ok?" I asked.

            "This way," Decadence stated turning back from where we came from, "It seems like they are all coming from back. I hear others that way."

            "Decadence, I should go after them. I should help Roxanne. Roxanne and I can take them. We have to get David back."

            "No," I stated.

            "Go ..." Decadence replied.

            I looked at Arie. What the fuck was he doing? He was leaving me. I wanted to hit him. He couldn't leave me at a time like this. I didn't even know how to feel about Decadence. She was too weird to get a good reading on.

            "Take care of him, please..." Arie whispered so lightly that it seemed like he didn't completely believe she would himself, but then turned and chased behind Roxanne.

            We stood in the darkness.

            Decadence and I. We were just standing there. She seemed uncertain. She wasn't looking at me. She wasn't focused on any one thing in particular as she usually was. Her eyes drifted a little bit as though she was chasing a rat from corner to corner with them.

            "What's the point of fighting?" I asked her finally, "Why not just give me in? Did you really think we would win?"

            She didn't answer my question. It was ridiculous. What if they killed Arie? What the fuck would she do then? All of a sudden I found myself feeling so much. I was worried about him. Hell, I was worried about all of them...including David.

            "Follow me."

            She walked down the other way we were going. She wasn't running or even walking fast. We were strolling as though we were taking a walk into the park.

            Just then I realized what the others couldn't see. It was inevitable and Decadence knew it. Maybe they had gotten so lost in their own abilities to see. I was on the outside though. I could sense they were outmanned.

            Decadence didn't look over at me as we walked, "Who made you?"

            "I don't know. I told you this before? Decadence what are we doing? Let's go find the others and run. Let's go back."

            "We can't run. I have Caesarion's bloodline. He will track me down. Surely you have to know this of course. You probably feel your master tracking you down. Who made you? I lived longer then the rest of them. You can fool them, but you can't fool me with your...innocence. You are no new vampire..."

            I stopped.

            She turned back realizing that she had hit a cord with me. She looked at me with these suspicious eyes.

            "Decadence what is this?"

"Your blood is too rich to be a vampire. Vampires don't eat food. Our blood doesn't contain the same nutrients. Yet your body has this rich smell. It isn't like a vampire, but really isn't human. Who made you? You do remember..."

"I can't tell you."

She nodded, "They want you for a reason. Please let me help you. Tell me and we can go find them. I have a back escape route I didn't tell you about. We will find Arie. I know how you feel about him. I can see it. We will find him and...escape...just tell me...who made you?"

The way she said it was almost like an addict looking for drugs. She was almost begging. It was obvious she had manipulated this situation. All this just to get her question answered. Did she feel like I wouldn't answer it if I didn't feel threatened?
            Yet even now all I could do was think about Arie. He cared about me. I could tell he cared about me. It was such a rare thing. It reminded me about how Carter cared about me...

"Lilith."

She spat. It was instinctual spit. As she raised her eyes I could see death in them. She was completely anxious. She took several steps toward me.

My heart raced.

            I knew I shouldn't have said the name, but I still hadn't fully comprehended how the name changed the vampires. Or maybe it didn't change the vampire at all. Maybe the name just gave them an excuse. Either way I could feel her eyes chasing me before her body did. I could feel myself my eyes narrowing in on her hand.

            Then she came at me. I could remember now even what she was wearing. She was wearing a lace shirt and black tights. Her boots were what struck me as they hit the hard wood planks behind me.

            "Enough!"

            All of a sudden the lights seemed to come on in the warehouse. It was as though it all came on at the same time. It was the first time I saw the warehouse illuminated. The light burned my eyes really. I covered them.

            I was scared to pull my hands away from my eyes. I sat there, breathing in Decadence's perfume. She wasn't touching me, but I could feel her around me. It was a heavy presence. I removed my arm slowly one arm at a time.

            They were all there.

            "Run Adam!"

            It was Arie. He was in chains. He was on his knees in silver chains with Roxanne and David. They were lined up against a wall guarded by several other men. On the other side of the room I could see that Decadence had slowly glided over and picked up her candle stick. She didn't need it any longer. The warehouse had never been so light.

            I looked over at these men. They were all dressed similar. They all wore a golden color. It was a very rich fabric as well. It didn't seem cheap at all. These men didn't seem like hitmen. Then again, these weren't humans. They looked calm as well, despite Arie's frantic calls.

            "He must die," Decadence stated, firmly as though knowing she was all of a sudden in the spotlight.

            "Enough, Decadence," a voice stated. It was familiar. We turned to see Caesarion against the walls. He had his eyes set on us as well.

            "Deca!" Arie stated, "You said..."

            "He must die. This is my territory Caesarion."

            "It doesn't matter," Caesarion stated promptly, "No there is something so different about him. Aren't you intrigued Decadence?"

            "You are old enough to know what difference brings. You didn't hear what he just claimed."

            Arie and I exchanged looks. There was a soft silence all of a sudden. I knew he was upset with me for telling her. I shouldn't have told her. But looking in Arie's eyes I could see that he was somewhat anxious. He was afraid and I knew it was for me more than himself. Why was I here now worried about Decadence instead of the people that had initially come to get me?

            "Run Adam," he mouthed off to me.

            Just at that moment I could see what he meant. I could feel the her only when she jumped onto me. Her teeth raced into my neck. She had done it so fast. Decadence was always graceful but was never so fast. I didn't expect it. I couldn't describe the pain I had. It was vicious to have someone biting into you, sucking your life force from you. And she had done it on my vein. The blood spilled from me like rainwater. All I could hear was Arie's voice and then silence. Decadence had meant to kill me. That was exactly what she had meant to do. After all that, she had turned on me and she had tried to kill me. But for what? What about me threatened her so much?

            I felt like I was dying for a moment. I could see Caesarion coming fast after Decadence. He began to bash her. I felt bad for her for a moment, seeing how slapped her around from side to side. Seeing how his sharp nails were like claws into her skin gave me this sense of pity. But it wasn't like I could help.

            I just kept hearing Arie in my mind, "Run Adam."

            I should have listened to him. But then all of a sudden, I could feel myself giving into the darkness all around me. And it was darkness. And then I found myself floating...like an angel.

            My feet just gave out from under me. It felt like I was going to heaven. Yes the white light was above me. Heaven. I should have met you heaven a long time ago. I could see the bright light above me and I really felt at peace. It was indescribable.

            But then the white light disappeared and turned into black and that was all I saw...

            Run Adam.

 

 

            I could hear voices. I could hear voices even though I couldn't pick up my eyes to see where the voices came from. All I knew was that the voices were loud and they were serious and they were most of all vampiric.

            "It couldn't have been what we thought we saw."

            "It is what we thought we saw."

            The voices were going back and forth. I didn't recognize either of them. Why couldn't I open my eyes? I felt so damn weak. I could hear us moving though. I was definitely moving. If anything, I was moving.

            "New vampires don't fly."

            "Old vampires don't fly like he did. Only the oldest. Maybe Emporio..."

            "You are comparing this young child to Emporio?"

            "All I'm saying is what if the lady was right? You saw the way she was looking at him. She harbored him this whole time. Why would she just want to kill him all of a sudden?"

            "Ask her."

            "She won't speak. Not even to Caesarion. None of them will. All I'm saying is what if the lady was right? What if the lady was right?"

            What if the lady was right...

 

 

            I woke up in a bed, it was soft. I had been asleep for a long time. Probably too long. I could see the figure above me. He was a beautiful boy. He didn't have any clothes on but underwear. He was over me. He had such perfect skin. He was muscular man. His underwear were tight, straddling his body and his perfect dick line.

            He smelled different...he smelled...human...

            "You're up, the master will be pleased," he said and then laid his hand down, "Here...you can feed off me and regain your strength."

            He wasn't the only one in the room. There were other boys, just as muscular as him. They were just as toned and beautiful as he was. They all couldn't have been a day older than 25. Where the hell did all these boys come from?"

            "Get away from me," I told him, pushing his arm away.

            In the distance I could see the curtains closed. They were long vibrant curtains but rather thick ones. I jumped down to the floor to feel how cold it was. It was smooth marble floor. I looked around. The room was beautiful. Elaborate statues were everywhere. Huge marble statues were everywhere. The bed that I was laying on was just as elaborate as the room.

            I couldn't even take looking at these beautiful boys.

            "Sir you should lay back down. You had a much older vampire attack you from what we've been told. She sucked your blood. You should be dead by now...but somehow you survived. You've been asleep...for many...nights as vampires do in order to recover."
            "How many nights?"

            "Many nights sir...the vampire who bit you was very old and she meant to kill."

            "How many nights?"

            He looked at the other boys. There were a total of about 6 of them. They all looked a little lost but still rather intrigued by me waking up.

            "2 years."

            I started to breath heavy. What the fuck? Two years. I had been asleep for two years. I sat back onto the bed. All of a sudden I did feel dizzy.

            "We've been feeding you our blood for the 2 years in order to keep you alive," he stated, "Here."
            He offered me his wrist. I looked at it. It had a slit in it. At first I felt like going for it. I wanted to go for it, but I decided not to. I didn't like it. I didn't like what I did to that cab driver. It was inhumane.

            "We'll have to kill ourselves," one man stated, "He may just be a bit nervous."

            That was when something happened that was more bizarre then I'd ever seen before. These vampires were bizarre creatures but this was coming from a human. I watched this beautiful, perfect looking man grab at his neck. And he twisted his own neck. He broke his own neck right there in front of me!

            My heart started breathing as I let out a scream.

            I couldn't stop screaming either. The shock of how easily he did it and how ordinary those other boys were looking at him as he did it was crazy.

            The footsteps appeared and I could see Caesarion enter the room. He opened the doors quickly and looked over at us.

            "Adam! You are awake..."

            "He just...oh my god!" I stated, "He just killed himself! Oh my god. Like I swear to god, I didn't do anything."

            "I'm so happy you are awake. It's been so long. The others will be so excited. We have so many questions..."

            "He's dead!"

            "He's human," Caesarion stated, "Why are you so upset? They are Emporio's servants. You know old vampires like him can control the humans with their minds. Emporio can control even animals. It's amazing really. You should see him do it."

            "They are slaves?"

            "Why are you so concerned about humans?"

            He seemed confused. I could tell he was much older. Hell to have lived as a beast for as long as he was, I would have lost all attachment to my humanity as well. He probably saw them as nothing but food.

            "I'm leaving. Where is Carter...I mean...Arie?"

            "Who is Carter?"        

            He seemed interested. How did I let it slip up? How come I was confusing Carter for Arie? They were two different people. Why was I such an idiot?

            "No one. Where is Arie?"

            I felt removed again. I hated the feeling. It was all happening again. Waking up in a strange place. Only now it was 2 years later. This was horrible. I could feel my eyes getting watery as though I wanted to cry. I was sensitive to things like this. I liked Arie...no my feelings for him seemed a little deeper then even that.
            "You can't leave. You understand? And you certainly cannot see Arie?"
            "Is he...dead?"

            "No he's in the prisons. He was sentenced as well as the others with evasion of arrest by the Dark Church. You should feed? Aren't you weak."

            "I'm fine."

            "It's amazing. You don't have to feed as often as the young vampires. Why is that? It is so amazing."
            "Please let me see Arie?"

            "I'm sorry. You are beautiful. Maybe you can have sex with one of these boys. Choose whichever one you wish. Maybe that'll make you feel better about Arie."

            "Don't fucking mock me."

            I stared at him hard. I didn't care how old he was. He found me staring back at him to be amusing by the way he started laughing all of a sudden. Was I some sort of joke to him or something? I looked over at the boys. They laughed as well. They were like fucking puppets.

            "Show him."

            One of the boys immediately dropped the underwear till it hugged his ankles. He had darker features then the rest. He seemed to be maybe Italian or perhaps even some type of Middle Eastern. His manhood was long. His dick hung down almost 10 inches. In a matter of seconds he was hard and his dick was now 12 inches. It pointed directly at me and a smile came across his face. Caesarion walked over to him and began to stroke the young boys shaft with his fingers. I watched as the young boy began to moan in ecstacy.

            "He can make you feel better."

            "Where's Arie?" I repeated, turning away from the naked man and the other boys. They were so tempting that it was ridiculous. I wanted to go take that boy. I wanted to replace Caesarion and stroke his hand.

            "How dreary..." he laughed, "Please him. And then bring him down to the hangers. This is our guest of honor. I must alert the others. The oldest of vampires are awakening for this moment. We must have a banquet. Yes, that's exactly what we have to do."

            Just as he said that I could see the boys surrounding me.

            They didn't care what I thought about. The one with the 12 inches looked hard at me. He kept his eyes on me . He moved over to where I was sitting and I watched as Caesarion disappeared out of the room, leaving me with these men.

            They all gathered around me. Two rubbed my feet immediately. They showered me with these soft oils and then began to rub my feet with the oils. It felt so good.

            I laid there and closed my eyes as I could feel a tongue enter the sides of my ears and lick softly and gently. The feeling rose all over me and made me feel immediately warm. I could feel them licking me, tongues on every part of my body. They seemed to consumed me. Several years ago, I would have begged for some sort of attention like this. Hell, I would have begged for someone...anyone to even acknowledge me.

            As they touched me, soothing away all my stress with soft kisses...touching my manhood, sucking it and then kissing, I realized that things had changed. I was getting attention for the first time in my life. For the first time I felt like I was someone.

 

           

            They pleased me and spoke to me softly throughout the night until morning. For a week I stayed in this same passion, making lover to these boys over and over. Some nights, it was a passionate and personal encounter. Other nights it was full out orgies. All of their penises were large, all of their asses were round and their lips were full.

They told me their names but I didn't really remember. They were beautiful. The hypnotized boys dressed me in red velvet and soft shoes.

            They told me things.

            I was in Boston. I was in the palace of the Dark Pope Emporio. Emporio was supposedly the leader of the vampires of this world. He was the oldest vampire known. Age meant everything among vampires. The longer you lived the more power you had. Emporio made laws from this dark palace and they were followed by every existing vampire. How many vampires really existed though? They didn't know. Even though Emporio treated them kindly, they weren't allowed to know too much about the dark world. Some of them were given the dark gift but most of them were used for food. Emporio had brothels of boys similar to them. He didn't keep females around him. Most of the older vampires preferred their own sex. It was just vampire nature after many years of living. They stated it is as though the older they got, the more they learned about sexuality and the opposite sex just could no longer please them the same.

            And me?
            Why was I here?

            What did they want with me?

            Was I a prisoner...or a guest?

            They didn't know. Their masters wouldn't tell them.

            Caesarion rarely came, but on this special night he did come. It was the very end of my first week. Caesarion walked in and the boys scattered. It was clear by how quiet they got when he showed up in the room that they were afraid of him.

            "May I see Arie now?" I asked him, as soon as he walked into the room, "It's been a week. Am I a prisoner here."
            "No. Remember he is in prison. No one is above Emporio's law."

            I watched how Caesarion's face got hard when I mentioned Arie. It was clear that he didn't even like the concept of Arie. I watched as Caesarion walked over to me and smiled. He didn't say much...he just smiled.

            "Then may I leave?"

            "No...it's not safe for vampires like you. Older vampires are very territorial. They don't welcome strange faces."

            "I'll manage."

            He looked at me and laughed. I didn't understand. I looked over at the door he had just entered. I wondered if I could run out of it. I doubted it though. Caesarion was older. He'd stop me before I even got half way. He was strong too. I saw how he had just thrown Decadence around like a lapdog.

            His eyes crossed onto mine as though he knew what I was thinking. His smile disappeared from his face and he crossed his legs immediately.

            "You can manage fine here as well," he stated, "As an honored guest of course. Get dressed. Emporio wants to meet you."

            "What if I don't want to meet him?"

            He continued to laugh.

            "You for some reason think you have an option. I can tell you are young. You still have that same human mind. This isn't a free world, understand. Emporio is here to help you of course."

            "Not without Arie."

            "You are very persistent aren't you?"

            "I just want to know that he's ok. I don't believe he's alive. I believe you killed him. I believe you killed all of them."

            He nodded, "I understand your concern. But they are alive."

            "Show me."

            "Ok, fine. In time I'll show you. But now you meet the Dark Pope."

            He watched me get dressed. He was comfortable with all of it. It didn't bother him even a little bit to see me naked. I couldn't hide from him either. I couldn't tell him to stop watching me or stop burning his eyes into my skin. I couldn't tell him because I knew he wouldn't listen. He wouldn't give a damn.

            "You love him?" he asked me.

            "Who?"

            "Arie, of course."

            "I care about him a lot."

            I found myself wearing clothing that they had brought me. It was older looking clothing. Obviously not modern. It was obvious it was style from another time. I couldn't tell what time it was from. It had to be old European of some type. The cloth was thick with a lot of sequins. I looked over at Caesarion. He seemed satisfied with it.

            We started to walk and he walked close to me. He kept looking at me, just like the others did. It was as though he was trying to dig into me to reveal something hidden.

            "What is it?"

            "It's not you. It's Arie. It is just so strange to me that he allowed himself to become so connected with you in such a short time. He's lived for a very long time. It isn't easy for vampires to fall in love you know?"

            "I never said he was in love with me."

            "No...I suppose you didn't. Neither did he of course. No, he denied it as well. But then why did Decadence try to kill you?"

            He asked me as though I knew her. I had no idea what these vampires were or why they acted the way that they acted. I was lost in their world. They had all the control in the world and I had none.

            "Decadence is crazy."

            "Vampires are talking. The older ones are of course. Decadence is well liked mostly due for here demeanor. She's always been loyal to the church, despite Giovanni's...foolery. It's a mystery. What would make a woman want to behave in such a way? Jealousy...even in a woman s old as she is?"

            "Nothing is going on between Arie and I."

            "Of course not."

            He didn't sound too convinced but he didn't seem to want to argue either. He just smiled again and continued to walk with me like I was some sort of child that had said something extremely bizarre.

            We found ourselves in a long dark hallway. Caesarion walked me into the room first. Lights came on as we walked into the room. We weren't alone.

            There were vampires. They were talking, socially. They didn't seem too political to the eye, but I realized how they whispered to one another. They were all gossiping. It didn't matter about who they were gossiping about. They could have been talking about each other. They could have even been talking about me.

            They were classy looking. Most of them looked modern. They wore labels that I had seen before. They wore elegant gowns as though this was some big event, but I had a feeling this was ordinary for them. They all looked young...they all looked beautiful. They all had a different smell to them. The smell wasn't like Arie's smell. It wasn't even like Giovanni's smell. They had a smell similar to Decadence and Caesarion. It was older, more rustic. It reminded me of the oil called Egyptian musk.

            Then I saw him. I just knew he had to be Emporio, the Dark Pope. He had on his robe twisted to the side to match an even more twisted smile. He had danger written all over him. He smelled old. He turned to me when he saw us approaching with an old grandeur. His fingers were bedazzled with all type of jewelry. He protruded elegance and this crafty charm through every single pore. I could smell his authority, which is what amazed me the most.

He actually looked a little like Arie actually, but his human appearance seemed even younger. Even though I knew the outer appearance was just a hoax.

"Ah...look at his neck," Emporio stated, pointing at the golden fang around my neck, "Amazing. Mali, Anita, take a look at his neck."

Two females walked over to me. They were older vampires as well, with a similar smell to Emporio. I couldn't tell who they were, but they were dressed richly as well. Caesarion stepped aside as they approached which made me think they were I a high position. The other vampires who weren't all engulfed in their own separate conversations had turned to see what Emporio had stated.

There were several who came took a look at me, took a deep engulfing smell, gave me a weird look and just walked off again. Others took the smell of me in and stood there as though wondering that their nosiness would lead to answers about me.

One of the females turned to the other, "Anita, it's amazing. Could it be his fang?"
"No...it couldn't be."

"Why not? Surely it may be his fang."

Emporio interrupted them with a booming voice, "Is it Belial's fang or not?"

"We can take it to Belial. We can compare..."

"No one is taking my fang away from me," I stated, holding tightly onto it, "This

necklace is mine."

            It was the only thing I had left from being human. It was the last thing that Carter gave to me. I wouldn't just let them take it. It amazed me how far these vampires went with their curiosity. It was as though the entire world should fold over because they wanted to know more about something.

            Emporio shook his head, "Do you know who you are addressing...young man."

            Caesarion stepped forward, "Emporio, he doesn't..."

            "Do you let any young vampire speak to you like that, husband?" a voice called out from the sofa.

            Slowly a woman walked out from a sofa. She had been lost in the conversation of several other female vampires but seemed to have noticed me addressing Emporio all the while. She was beautiful. I had caught a glimpse of her beauty as I walked in. She wasn't as youthful looking as the others, but still none-the-less had a older beauty. She must have turned when she was about 40 in human years, maybe a little younger or maybe a little older.

            Her hair was the most beautiful brown color and it was cut into a bob. She had a chocker on that seemed to be worth a million dollars. It reflected every glimpse of light in the room.

            "Meeka, this doesn't concern you," Emporio stated.

            "No, yes it does. People listen. Punish him."

            Caesarion shook his head, "Lady Meeka, that won't necessary by any means. He is a very young and immature vampire."

            "Any fool can walk into here and talk to the pope in that manner, you know what would happen? We'd have no order. The humans would figure us out. They'd start hunting us down again. They no longer just have us outnumbered and now religion isn't their only weapon. Now they have their technologies!"

            She seemed nervous, almost paranoid. She looked at me with anger. Why did so many women seem to have such a problem with me? Even in the afterlife, I was always such a threat.

            Emporio nodded, "Hm...I suppose."

            She shook her head, "You can't just suppose. I demand his blood."

            Emporio shook his head, "What does that mean to me? Caesarion, kill your guest. Suck him dry."

            The two female vampires gathered around me, "Can we take his necklace first? It must be Belial's missing tooth. I wonder how a new vampire can get it."

            Emporio nodded, "Yes, kill him first."

            "No!" Caesarion stated, "He is our guest, Pope."

            "Good...then suck him...slowly."

            The other female vampires that were around this Meeka character began to laugh and cheer as though expressing their excitement that the Pope was giving his wife what she wanted. Emporio seemed very dismissive.

            My heart all the while had stopped. Caesarion had lied. He made it seem like I was so welcomed. He made it seem like I was so important.

            Caesarion quickly spat out, "He flies."

            Emporio looked over at me, "Yeah right. That little thing? Flies? That is impossible. He is far too young."

            "That is why I brought him. Don't you smell him?"

            "So what? He's not the first, Belial smells like that."

            "Exactly."

            Emporio stopped talking. He looked over at me questioning. Meeka had gotten up seeming eager to see me get ripped into shreds. She made me so nervous how she paced about. I kept thinking about Decadence. What if she was like Decadence and took it upon herself to attack me. I got stiff as a board.

            "He does have a strange smell. Caesarion, what is it?"

            "I don't know. But doesn't it interest you, we can't just kill him."

            "WELL WHY NOT!" Meeka screamed out from the top of her lungs.

            "Meeka, quiet," Emporio stated immediately.

            She got quiet, but she was much like a little child when she stomped her foot and returned to her laid back position on the couch with her maidens all around her. Her fangs were visible and they seemed aimed towards me. I felt so nervous as if any minute she would blow her husband's words and fly at me.

            She seemed...off...

            "He flies, lord, I assure you. I've seen it for myself. He may not be able to do it on command, but when he felt threatened. He flew."

            "I did?" I asked.

            I didn't remember.

            "Yes, you got off the ground and you flew," Caesarion stated, "I implore you, Dark Pope. Give him another chance. You'll see. He is different."

            Emporio nodded, "Mali, take his fang to the depths of the dungeons and check to see if he matches Belial. If it is Belial's fang the I will keep your guest alive. If not, I will have him killed. Mali, go."

            The one girl ripped the fang off my neck before I had the chance to object. I looked at her as she walked off quickly, disappearing out of the doors.

            Meeka laughed and taunted, "You have 10 minutes to live."

            The other vampires around her began to laugh. They found it amusing. Who the hell was Belial? How the hell did I get his fang? Was it even his fang? So many questions rose up in my head. I just didn't understand the connection. They continued to speak around me, forgetting to explain anything to me. The mystery just kept building up.

            And now once again my life was in danger.

            Once again my heart was racing.

            "We will see just how SPECIAL he is Caesarion," Emporio stated, "If not, we'll add his head to the collection, just like we will with his friends."

            "My friends?'

            Meeka laughed, "Oh he doesn't know. Caesarion, you didn't tell your pet what we were doing to Decadence and her brood. Ha ha. Husband, let me say it, let me say it..."

            She was a mad woman. She seemed completely out of her mind. She was jumping up clapping and shaking her head madly about. It was like someone had just escaped a lunatic asylum or something. And she seemed to think her husband was God. The way she looked at him was more like a spoiled little girl who thought her father was the most powerful force in the world.

            "Caesarion, what the hell are they talking about?" I asked, "You said Arie and the others were in jail."

            Caesarion didn't answer. He put his head down. They had the same blood line as him. Shouldn't he have been ashamed. Shouldn't he had cared what happened to them.

            Emporio instead nodded to his wife, "Do whatever you want baby..."

            He spoiled her. It was clear.

            Meeka smiled up over to us and giggled this hard, crazed giggle that made a shiver crawl up my spine and shoot out to each ligament of my body.

            Meeka pointed to a man who was standing on the side. He was human, I could smell the human in him, "Let him say it. He sounded good when he said it. He made my pussy rain when he said it. Oh my pussy rained!"

            The man stepped forward and announced.

            "The vampire Arie states that they are responsible for the death of the Furious Edgar. For this reason, the high Dark Pope has punished them with death. The vampires Roxanne, Arie, Decadence and David will be tied to poles and ripped apart by wolves."