Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2011 21:35:30 -0800 (PST) From: Nate House Subject: Abandoned Blood 15 I would like to take this time to explain what took so long to get this chapter out. As most of you know, I've been having a lot of personal issues. Those issues reached a pivotal point when I put a loaded gun in my mouth. Ultimately, I decided not to pull the trigger (obviously), but since then my life has been at a standstill. I hardly eat or sleep for days at a time, then binge out on both; my days blur together like a continuous stream of images with breaks at random intervals. Visions and "voices" haunt me whether I'm awake or asleep, they argue with me to do or think things I wouldn't normally consider. So today (Monday, March 6th) I'll be attending my first "therapy" session. I have no idea what to expect or think, so I'm not doing either--I know I'll be disappointed with either choice. Now that that's over with, time for the usual legal bullshit. Though inspired by true event, this story is completely borne of my own imagination. Any characters bearing any resemblance to any person either real or made-up, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No actual event is depicted. This story contains graphic sexual encounters between two female characters, if that sort of thing offends you, please log off this site now. This story also contains graphic depictions of violence including but not limited to rape, murder, and torture of both the mind and body. If this sort of thing offends you, then you need to go live in the real world for a while and toughen your delicate sensibilities. For those who have stuck with since the beginning, or if you're just joining the family, welcome back. Now sit down, relax (hopefully with your partner), and enjoy part 15 of Abandoned Blood.******************** Chapter 15 Bitter ashes. That would be a good phrase for what I'm feeling like. In one day my entire world burned down and left me lying on a hospital bed with nothing but the knowledge that it will only get worse from here. I watched someone kill my parents without a second thought, and when she needed me most I thought just as much about helping her. So many emotions went through my head that I didn't actually feel anything. I think I was angry, not because Nadia killed them, but because they lied to me my whole life. As much of an asshole my dad may have been, I always loved him as my father; we resembled each other so closely I had no reason to think otherwise. But now... I don't know. Now every one of those moments that "reminded her of my father" comes to mind, I'm left to wonder who my mother was referring to. That's the question that's been running around in my otherwise busy mind. Jumbled memories that were not mine--at least I didn't think they were--flashed over my mind's eye like a mix-tape of home movies. Unknown noises and faces, unrecognizable laughter, happy times from places I've never been, none of it added up. I saw a masquerade ball from what looked like the seventeen-hundreds, or was it a very fancy costume party? I have no way of knowing, but at least that band can hit some very high notes. A chorus of voices rang out over my ears. Bells echoed off the walls as a draft floated over me. A man was barking orders about getting some paddles, a cold-then-very-hot sensation traveled through my veins. It felt like Mike Tyson just sucker-punched me in the chest. With a hard gasp, I lurched forward almost falling off the bed. I sucked in all the air I could as if I was tasting it for the first time. I inhaled more with my next breath. I fell back to my pillow with a relieved sigh. "Put'em back, George," the doctor standing over me said over his shoulder. "She's back." I took a few more breaths, but with some effort I managed to get out, "What the hell was that?" "Your heart stopped, Charlie." Good, I like a blunt doctor. The ones who sugar-coat shit always seem to be afraid. "Welcome back." I coughed. "Good to be back." Damn, my throat still hurt. I looked around the room and decided this wasn't the same one Nadia was in. The trim around the walls in here were red instead of green, and the TV was hanging in the near corner rather than resting on a pinewood stand. That, and there was only one bed. "Where am I?" "We had to move you to intensive care when your girlfriend left," said Dr. Anderson, according to his tag. "How are you feeling?" "Nadia left!" I asked, not believing it. I met his professional stare with a hard one of my own. "Where did she go?" "Charlie, I'm not in the habit of asking people where they go after they check out of here, and I'm not going to call her four days after the fact." Four days? I've been unconscious for four fucking days? "You are my patient, not her, so I will do what I can to help you." Yeah I bet. The good doc took a step back and looked me over again. "Your skin has color again, finally. You've got enough strength to argue with me, that's a good sign. Is there anything I get for you?" "Yeah, you can get me either my girlfriend, or a phone," I almost yelled, pointing. "And then you can me some fucking food." My stomach started doing flips at the thought of putting anything in it. I felt myself pale. Lurching forward, I wrapped my arms around my middle. "I don't feel so good." Dr. Anderson sat down next to me, his strong hand rubbing my back. "You should be lucky to feel anything at all. I'll be honest with you Charlie, I've never seen anyone lose six-and-a-half pints of blood and survive. It's nothing short of a miracle that you're awake after such a small amount of time for your body to replace it." I closed my eyes and said, "Just get Nadia in here." I heard his neck tense as he nodded. "Very well." He put a glass of pink water on my lap. "A friend of yours left me with this and said it will help." I knew what it was just from the stench drifting up from it. I had to will my own hand into picking it up. My doctor got up and took two symbolic steps towards the door. "I should thank whoever made that stuff; I've never seen anything like it." I swallowed a few sips. A serious, bitter expression replaced my nasty-taste face. "And you won't ever again if you thank him. That man is evil incarnate. This was his only gift to society in his entire, rat-shit life." "I see." He opened the door, saying something to the nurse's station about getting him a phone. I finished off my gross but needed beverage and turned on the TV. According to the weather channel it was two in the afternoon on Tuesday, October the twentieth. Damn already? A soft rain beat against my window in an effort to sooth my shaking nerves. I thought back to that night at my parent's house, or, more specifically, the expression on Nadia's face when she attacked my dad. It was twisted in a way that it almost made it look demonic. Her blackened eyes and crimson mouth made her look like Adriel on a normal day. Just the idea of her becoming like him was sickening--the man was truly insane. Anyone looking like him on one of his good days would be like saying that's you beyond your worst. However true that may be the man was always a man to me, out first meeting aside of course. Even so, I will always remember him chasing me down that hallway with a knife rambling that strange banter. He never hurt me. Hell, he's protected my ass almost as much as Nadia. A singular thought came to me. It's the same question that's been stirring in my head since all this shit started: Why? It didn't seem to matter how deep the research took us, nothing that either me, Nadia, Amber, and now Sylvia, has found has been useful in answering that. Yes, I know a few secrets about Father Darien, but it still doesn't tell me a fucking thing about why he's been after me for almost two months. Damn, has it been that long already? I've been raped, bitten, beaten, attacked. And survived, and according to Nadia and Amber that's no easy task. Have I survived just because Father Darien willed it so he can continue his sick little games? Or was it because I'm lucky enough to have been born different? Is that why he had this large of a hard-on for me, because I was born different? Well, so was he. That's what I thought was weird about vampires. None of them are "turned" by a bite, they're all born with some kind of DNA-based virus that forces the change as the hormone levels reach a fever pitch. That's why it happens around puberty. I don't understand all the scientific crap, but that's the gist of it. It happened to Nadia and it happened to Amber. Hell, it even happened to Harold. But that's not what happened to me. My pubescent years went by just like any other girl's I suppose. But after what my mom blurted out a few days ago just before she died has me rethinking everything I thought I knew. And then there was Sylvia. I've known that girl for over two years and she just now comes out of the closet about what she is--no pun intended. What the hell is a canicula? And how does it figure into to all of this? I mean, seriously, why would a guy like Father Darien ask someone like Sylvia to translate a bunch of arcane texts and then NOT bite her? What would be the point? The man's been alive for a long time, couldn't he do that himself? God damn I'm asking a lot of questions lately. "Charlie?" I turned my head to my door. Speak of the devil, and she appears. "Hey, Sylvia," I groaned, going back to the meteorologist's fascinating rundown about isobars. "How are you feeling?" My brother's girlfriend sat down on the chair beside my bed and leaned forward. I could smell sex all over her. I guess my brother and his band are back in town. "Like crap," I snorted. "Look at me." She did, then grimaced. "My doctor just got done telling me I shouldn't even be alive right now. It's not the first time I heard some medical professional tell me that, either, and quite frankly I'm getting tired of hearing it." Sylvia nodded and put a hand on the edge of my bed. "Nadia's on her way up here." A sense of joy spiked then fell. She didn't sound happy to tell me that. "Do you want me to leave when she gets here?" "Why would you leave? I'm sure everything she has to tell me you need to hear too." I turned my head back to the TV. Oh goodie, we're in for some rain. "How's Sven doing? Has he heard the news yet?" "What news?" I shot my attention back to her, my head protesting. That was conspicuously inconspicuous. "What does that mean?" The canicula sighed. "Charlie, I want you to understand that I love you and your brother with all my heart, but there are some things at work here that he'd be better off not knowing. Ever. He thinks they've gone away on a couples' retreat to work on their marriage. So do the police." That last word sent a chill down my spine. So they did look into it. "Everything has been taken care of, Charlie." My face went crestfallen. I didn't know how to respond to that. A million thoughts and emotions flashed through my mind; so many things came at once that I chose not to feel anything. Numbness was better than pain and confusion right now. Losing not just your family, but knowing that everything you thought you knew is thrown to the wayside like a piece of discarded trash has a way of forcing that. No wonder Nadia always seems so down and depressed. A tear trickled down my cheek in spite of it all. Why does so much bad shit happen to good people. I was a good person, right? I've never so much as got a traffic ticket. I did my homework and helped around the house. I was even in the girl scouts for a few years. And now this? "Sylvia. Please tell me what you mean by that." She took a steadying breath. At least I wasn't the only one feeling like shit. "That means just that. You have nothing to worry about from the police or your brother." "Half brother," I snapped. Sylvia gave me a confused look. "You mean that asshole cleaned up the mess just to find a new way to torture me, don't you?" She looked positively affronted. "That's not what I said. And what do you mean by half brother?" I tossed my hands up. "You didn't hear?" She shook her head. "The night they died my dad kept going on about how we weren't his kids and that my mom tricked him into caring for us." "How does that equate to him not being your real brother?" "Think about it. We were born nearly five years apart. Then Father Darien has absolutely no interest in using him in his little games. My mother gave off this strange aura when my dad shouted that out. And on top of all that he doesn't look a thing like me." By the look on the banker's face, I think she got the message. "I just never thought anything about it until recently." "But he is still your brother, Charlie," Sylvia intoned. "Yeah, from that lying whore mom of ours." I heard my friend gasp. Why did that feel good? Sylvia gave me a look like she didn't know what else to say. Good 'cause neither did I; her silence said it all. She knew all along and never bothered to tell me. Seriously is there like some secret organization of people that know more about me than I do? "I don't know what good it'll do right now, but I heard that the price on your head has been lifted." She was right; it didn't do much good right now. Maybe if I wasn't laid up in a hospital bed I would care, but not right now. I'll wait until I'm back at Nadia's house to feel relieved about that. An uneasy silence fell over the room. Even the TV seemed to be muted. A look of hurt washed over my guest's face. Or, more precisely, a look of guilt. I was curious to know if it was from knowing and not telling me, or if there was something else going on. Her aura and body language gave no sign either way. She just sat there, unmoving. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. My aura expanded and touched hers. Images of memories long surpressed played out before my eyes. She gave them to me freely, she wanted me to know. I saw her first meeting with Father Darien, the first time she met my brother--and the sex two hours later--and the true feelings she had for him; everything I could passably want to know was right there. I don't know how long I kept at it, but when I opened my eyes again the only word that came out of my mouth was, "Bitch." "Who's a bitch?" Nadia asked from the door. It would have scared me if I wasn't so pissed off. I glared back at Sylvia before muttering, "No one. Just venting." I looked over to the vampire and just had to smile. Not because I needed the distraction but because she was absolutely glowing. Her eyes were as lively as I've ever seen them. Her skin was radiant and her aura just exhumed happiness. She actually had on make-up, mascara and a little eyeliner which only made her look even more beautiful. "What's the occasion?" "What?" she asked innocently. "What do you mean what?" I retorted. "You look beautiful." She had on one of those shirts that I was drooling over in her closet a few days ago. The trim work and soft materials pulled a smile the first time I touched it. Her black jeans accented her legs in a way I've never seen before. "And I look like shit." She ran her hand down my cheek. "No you don't," she smiled. "You're beautiful." I didn't want to argue. If Nadia said I looked good, then damn it I looked good. I let out a little huff and tried not to think too much; my head hurt too much to do much of anything. I heard Sylvia shuffle over to the door then stop. Her pulse quickened. I heard a gasp as if she saw something she shouldn't have. Then threw the bolt. Great. Now what? Nadia heard it too. She took a possessive hold on my shoulders as my brother's girlfriend turned the handle. The air in the room shifted, it made my head throb. "What is it?" I asked through a wince. "Father Darien." Shit. "What the fuck does he want?" Sylvia turned back towards me. "How should I know?" she asked in a hurry. No sooner had those words left her mouth that the door swung open. A large chunk of the doorframe skidded across the floor, winding up somewhere under my bed. Father Darien, in all of his charming, beautiful, disgusting glory stood just inside the threshold with a gleam in his eye and smile on his lips. He was dressed to kill--and probably has already. He looked between the three of us as if discerning which one was the most tasty. He walked with an unnervingly slow cadence, like a predator on the prowl. He opened his arms in that signature grand gesture and said, "Well, let's not all welcome me at once." No one said anything. If anything his fond mood only added to the tension. He softened his gaze when he looked at Nadia again, only to harden it once he found Sylvia practically crawling up the wall. "No, no, no, no, this simply will not do," he uttered with a tsk, shaking his head. "I'm disappointed in you three." "Just tell me what you want now," I said with a sigh, my contempt failing to mask my fear. "I'm not feeling very good, so can we make this quick?" "Certainly," he beamed. "I just came by to check in on my sweet little morsel. I heard about your unfortunate incident with your parents. Such a shame you had to witness that." If I was a fool, I would have bought that act. "And then watching Nadia-" "Just shut up!" I interrupted. "I'm asking nicely: please leave me alone." Ire burned behind those beautiful eyes. "Is that anyway to talk to your master?" I put on my best teenager-duh-look. "Very well. Your contempt and foolish insolence is wasted on me, Charlene." Ah shit. It's never a good thing when he calls me by my first name. "Especially since I was the one who ordered that mess cleaned up." Nadia's grip was beginning to cut off my circulation. I knew she was close to vamping out; I could smell the pheromones from both of them. "Why did you?" "There are things in life that we are best to leave alone, Charlene." My eyes narrowed. "Why. Did. You?" A satisfied smile spread on his lips. "Defiant to the last. I like it, but it will not save you from the things that wish to do you harm." "Things like you?" The master vampire appeared in my face before I could blink again. Nadia hit the wall on the far side of the room a second later, the impact leaving a dent. "Perhaps. If I wish to." His breath smelled like death. I swallowed back the bile that threatened to spew out. He smiled again, his perfect teeth glistened even in the dim light. "But you're just too much fun." Holding my breath, I searched his face. His usual, unreadable face. "Is that why you're here? You needed another bit of fun from your favorite toy?" "Don't flatter yourself, Charlene," he taunted, inching closer. "You'd be dead right now if it weren't for me." "Yeah, you've said that before. Twice in fact. Oh, and I understand that the price on my head has been lifted." I tried to challenge him with a look. I hoped he would crack and show me some emotion I could use. Nothing. "Am I supposed to thank you for that?" "A thank you from the likes of you would mean less than shit." He reared back a little, reminding me of Adriel when he feeds, and took a shallow breath. "But from Tiffany, it would mean the world to me." I felt my heart flutter at the sound of her name. So did he. "Look, whatever you're wanting me to do by saying her name, it won't work." Nadia moaned and propped herself up. He smiled. "It already has." Frustrated, I grit my teeth. "Why are you here? I don't believe you crawled out of your little shit hole just to piss me off." "No? You think too much of me then." I rolled my eyes. "Can you not smell it on me?" "What?" I asked through an exasperated sigh. "I told you why I'm here. To make sure you're being taken care of, but I don't see why I can't have a little fun in the process." His old accent made that last part sound really creepy. "Well, I'm fine. Now can you please leave?" God, I hate it when he does this shit. I don't think I'll ever understand that man. He nodded. "Very well." He backed off and headed for the door, stepping over Nadia along the way. He spun around, causing his coat tails to furl. "Oh, I almost forgot. I must congratulate the two of you for keeping each other alive like you did. Marvelously well done. Such love and devotion." He started applauding. "Absolutely splendid work. Both of you." I rubbed my forehead. "Just leave already." "You rest easy now, little morsel. Nadia, I expect you to see to it that she makes a speedy recovery." She nodded, not knowing what else to do. "And Sylvia, if you would, be a dear and have those translations ready for me by this weekend." "Y-yes. Of course." It felt so wrong to watch both of these strong, independent women cower before this man. It made my heart sink. Without saying another word he was gone. Suddenly, the air in the room relaxed, the tension on my chest slackened and my heart monitor turned back on. When the hell did it turn off? I flopped back against my bed, failing to ignore Sylvia's troubled gaze. "What!" I finally said after another moment. "How'd you do that?" I didn't like her shaking breath. "Do what?" I turned back to towards her. Why was she crying? "You didn't feel the aura he was pulling in here?" I shook my head. "Should I have?" My brother's girlfriend covered her mouth. Surprise replaced trepidation. "Then it IS true." I just shot her a questioning look. "I heard that you were a dhampir, but I didn't believe it." A slight maniacal giggle escaped her open mouth. "I don't freaking believe this. I'm standing in the presence of the first known hybrid in this country in nearly a hundred years." More laughter followed. Standing in the presence of? I know she's well educated, but since when did she start talking like that? "What so goddamn funny, Sylvia?" "I've known you for years..." Yeah, and? "You've been right under my nose this whole time. He said I'd find you hidden in plain sight, but I didn't think..." "Ah, shut the fuck up and tell me what you're talking about!" "Don't you see it, Charlie? The Order has been looking for a way to take down Father Darien's coven for decades." That got my attention. "They've planted rogues into his ranks to deplete his numbers, but everyone of them has been killed." Nadia stood behind behind me, her arms draped down my chest. I could feel her nodding along with what the voluptuous blond was saying. I could take two guesses as to who did most of the killing, but I'm sure I'll only need one. I've seen what my vampire could do to a person. Just thinking about it send a chill down my spine. I felt her tense at my shift in emotion. I don't know if I'll ever get used to that. Sylvia was beside herself with misplaced excitement. "He has a way of sniffing out the traitors and deceivers, but he never once caught on to you. He was looking for either a vampire or a strong human... and you're both. Or is it neither?" I shrugged, trying to keep up. "Exactly." My head hurt again. "Sylvia, could you please just give me the simple version?" Again, Nadia tensed. Fuck, what was she not telling me now? And at this point, would I really want to hear this? ******************** That was five days ago. I still haven't received the simple version and I'm still having nightmares about the night my parents died. Or is it parent-plus-someone-else? Is that too cynical, even for me? I don't think so. That man, though he tried his best, really wasn't a good father. All the years of anger and malcontent, all of the fighting and arguments finally made sense. He didn't accept me because I wasn't his. In his mind it was as simple as that. I wasn't his kid; I was his problem. I'll never accuse myself of being a perfect angel. Whenever something bad would happen, like Sven fighting with him over his stash of pot, or his and mom's shouting matches, I just locked it all away and took it out on myself later. They didn't know about the little drug and drinking binges I had over at Tiffany's house. Or about the all the skipped classes just to get laid. Or about the petty shit I did just for the sake of doing it. Why do memories have to be such a bitch? The old adage does say everything comes back to bite you in the ass, but this? I was sitting in my chair in the den downstairs, where I've been sleeping for the last two days, moping. Sven would have been by the house by now. Slut-mother or not, he is still my brother. He deserved to know the truth. Now that I know why Sylvia hooked up with him in the first place, I can't look at him the same way again. If I ever see him again, that is. A tear trickled down my face. "Damn it!" The guy does nothing but get on my nerves, but he's my brother. He's MY brother. He's the only family I've got left, and he doesn't have a clue. The phone on the other side of the room scared the shit out of me. At least that explains the hum that I heard the second before. I almost forgot that Nadia replaced the one I smashed a while back. "Hello?" I answered, holding back a sniffle. "Hello, who's this?" an unfamiliar masculine voice asked. "Depends who's asking, asshole." Good one, Charlie, take your self-loathing out on someone else, just like always. "Is this Charlie?" "Like I said, ass wipe, depends on who's asking." "Charlie, this is Ben. I'm a researcher with Amber." "Okay. What do you want?" "I'm wondering where Amber is. She was supposed to call me when she got back from the library three hours ago. Is she there?" I had to think about that one. "No she and Nadia went to the store more then an hour ago. Why?" "Well I think I can trust you." I just rolled my eyes. "Can you tell Amber that I did some digging and came up with some names that might be able to help us out. Have her meet me at the usual place. How are you feeling, by the way?" "I'll pass on the message, Ben. Bye" "Wait! In my digging I think I might have found out why Father Darien has such a hard-on for you." "Yeah, I figured it out a while ago. I'm a dhampir." "No, I mean why he wants to torture and kill you." I stopped and thought for a minute. "The last time someone told me stuff like that over the phone he was dead before I got to talk to him." He didn't have time to say anything else. I put the phone down, struggling not to slam it. He was being nice, so why shouldn't I? Because Charlie, you just found out that everything you thought you knew was a lie and everyone who you thought you could trust was a part of it. That's why. I staggered back to my chair. My comfortable, cushy chair that never failed to comfort me. Ever since the first time I sat in it there's been a mood of bliss about it. Even that night when Nadia attacked me down here, there was a strange aura all on it's own. It was as if the thing itself was alive. Or maybe that's just my disillusioned brain making shit up. Everything I knew was wrong, why not the small comforts too? I looked at the table beside Nadia's chair. Or, more precisely, the book that sat on it. It was the book from which I learned Father Darien's dirty little secret--or so he thought. I still haven't told Nadia, Amber, or anyone else on their "research team" about it. And for good reason. He can peer into their minds much more easily than he can mine. Secrets aren't safe in that kind of company. A shower sounded really good for some reason. Maybe it was because I haven't had one in almost three days and smelled like crap. Maybe it was to get the scent of old blood off of me--Nadia almost got too carried away this morning. Yeah, she's still needing to feed, and lately she's been getting more and more giddy about it--I think that's a good word. Ever since I watched her kill my parents, her biting me has taken on a whole new perspective. My mind is more cloudy. My body reacts differently. My aura receives hers as if it were my own. And then today, just as her teeth made contact with my scars, the usual pang of sexual excitement was both nonexistent and at fever pitch; it was there but it wasn't. Everything is different now... Maybe a shower IS what I need. I headed up the stairs, stopping to appreciate my creation. I call it that because I drew up the plans, and did most of the labor. It would be fair to call it mine and Nadia's but I'm not in a fair mood. I ran my hand over the rail, taking in the smoothness of the finish that I put on it. The carpet beneath my feet felt softer than usual. I could smell all of the memories of this spot. I felt a little smile come over my whole face. The air beyond the threshold felt thicker than usual. The scents changed from good memories to bad company. Someone I didn't recognize was either up here or has been in the last day or so. I didn't like either option. I quickly grabbed a knife from the block in the kitchen. None of the lights were on down the hall, but that wasn't unusual. My vision changed over, I willed my pulse to slow down. Even in the daylight fighting a vampire is not a good idea. The closer I got to the living room, the stronger the scent became. Whoever was in here spent a good deal of time in there. I past the bathroom and the smell diminished. I checked the far bedroom. Nothing. The scent was gone. My grip on the knife tensed. Then that somebody was in the living room for a reason. I walked back there for a more thorough investigation. Everything was in perfect order. The oversized TV was on the stand, all of the electronics hadn't been moved, but that damn odor persisted. I fully entered the room, eyeing something amiss on the DVD racks. They're all out of order. Someone made a mess in here and tried to clean it up. I don't know why, but I touched the cases and recoiled just as quickly. In that brief moment, I saw flashes of a fight, and I didn't recognize either of them. Exhaustion smacked me in the face. Yeah, a nice hot shower would definitely wake me up. I went back into the bedroom and stripped down. My muscles were hurting all over, my shoulder in particular. I winced when the joint cracked. Then, as I stood up straighter, all down my spine gave. I guess that's what I get for taking to the small comforts in life. Damn chair. I picked out some bumming around clothes, threw my robe around my body, and headed for the bathroom. It was weird being this naked in Nadia's house without her being here. I actually felt kind of naughty. Adjusting the temperature, I could have sworn I heard the garage door open. I listened for another minute, but heard neither the car or the door close. Okay, Charlie, snap out of it. I stepped into the water jets and instantly felt like falling asleep--it felt that good. I turned around and let the water beat down on my sore shoulders. The scar tissue ached when the heat touched them, then sent that jolt of sexual energy through my body. "Want some company?" Nadia asked, making me jump. Her face was smiling at me around the curtain. Even from here I could tell she was naked. "Yeah, actually. That'd be nice." She stepped in, giggling like a schoolgirl. I shut my eyes to avoid rolling them. They shot back open when I felt her hands cover my breasts, touching them so softly that I barely felt it. She ran her tongue up the good side of my neck. Her hands squeezed the tender flesh, her claws threatening to break the skin. She went from schoolgirl to dominatrix. And liked it. I parted my legs when one hers demanded entry between them. Her sharp teeth replaced her tongue on my neck. My pussy was soaked. Nadia's soft thigh brushed against my swollen clit causing me to gasp. I loved the way she masturbated me with her leg like that. The soft skin gently gliding over my soaked opening, teasing me, making me beg for her to enter me. Her lovely teeth moved over to my wounded shoulder, her breath cool against the heat of the running water, eliciting the goosebumps over my whole body. I will never tire of her being rough with my tits like that. Her fingers would dig into the skin, but her palms would gently glide over my nipples; it was enough to make me beg for more, but not enough to make me come. I could feel my pussy leaking over her leg, the pheromones only adding to the pleasure. I was becoming overloaded. "Nadia, please," I breathed. "Fuck me." I felt her lips pull back into a smile. "Not yet," she purred, forcing her leg upward. "I'm enjoying you writhe like a good, horny girl." I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was my new brain going into overdrive, maybe it was all I could do to get her to fuck me, but the next thing I knew I threw my head forward and bit her on the neck. As soon as I had her skin in my mouth I felt her teeth enter mine. She let go of my left tit and thrust two fingers into me. It happened so fast I didn't feel her leg move. I pulled back and cried out. Her teeth drove into my scars just enough to pierce the skin; her fingers went in much deeper. Her thumb found my enlarged clit a second later. Nadia pressed it like she wanted me to cum right then, but quickly thought differently. I felt her digits move inside of me then quickly stop. "Oh please, Nadia, I'm so close." I opened my eyes to beg further only to find that devious smile. "You bit me," she said, her voice taking on that vampiric edge. Her eyes never left mine. She jerked her hand in such away that it felt like she wanted to punish me. "Do you know how hot that was?" A finger bumped into my G-spot. "Do you, Watcher?" I shook my head. She added a third finger. My fingernails dug into her back. "Do you want to cum?" "Yes-s-s." I don't know what I would have done if she kept at this whole start-and-stop thing. Her tongue flicked at my earlobe. "My pussy is empty, Charlene," she said, grabbing my wrist. "Fill it." I wasn't going to argue. She put my hand against her mound, I did the rest. One finger slipped inside her soaking wet hole. Then another. I started to finger-fuck her when she whispered, "More." I added a third. I cocked my wrist to apply the pressure I know she liked. Only then did she begin grinding her hand against me. She moaned against my ear, my girl- juice spilled into her hand. "More," she repeated. As a fourth finger entered her she groaned, "Harder." It was hard enough to concentrate. I was coming so hard into her hand that I forgot what day it was. She refused to stop. Good, because so did I. I loved it when she fucked every drop of cum out of me. Even more so when it was her tongue. Halfway through it all, I started mimicking what she was doing to me. My fingers ground into her pubic bone, pulling my palm against her enlarged clitoris. I don't know how loud we yelled, but I think the neighbors needed a cigarette. My legs buckled beneath me, gravity pulled me down harder against her wonderful fingers. My pussy spasmed one more time before everything went all fuzzy. The next thing I remember was the thick smell of sex in the steamy air. I was propped up against the toilet seat wrapped in my towel. My soft terry towel. My blue vision changed back to normal as everything came back into focus. A satisfied smile spread on my lips. I haven't orgasmed like that in a while. My legs were still weak. "That was nice," I mumbled, my throat hurting a bit. "You're not done yet," she purred, looking back over her shoulder. She was in that sexy black stain robe, tied loose enough for me to see everything. With that dominating cadence, she walked over to me and placed her legs over my shoulders. Her fingers slid through my wet hair. Suddenly, she grabbed me and forced my face against her sex. Not that I was complaining; I think it's hot as hell when she takes charge like that. Plus, she smelled great. Her other hand reached between her legs and she opened herself up to me. "Eat me, Charlene. I want to feel your wet tongue--" I obeyed, making her words trail off into soft moans. My tongue snaked into her, my teeth nudging against her soft vulva. I've always loved how good she tastes. I could eat her pussy for hours and not get enough. And judging from the force on the back of my head, that's what she had planned. My tongue fucked her just hard enough to tease the juices out while my mouth sucked on her sensitive skin. The louder she moaned, the harder I sucked. The harder I sucked, the tighter her grip on my hair. It wasn't long before she started grinding her hips against my face. I looked up to meet her eye. I don't think I've ever turned her on that much with a simple look. Her dark hair framed her dark eyes just like the light of the bathroom lightened up mine. I felt her coming a moment later. I opened my mouth to drink my reward, only to have it flow down my chin. I groaned into her pussy, begging for more. I tongued her opening with every ounce of strength I had. My mouth greedily sucked in what she gave. I don't think I've ever drank from a girl's pussy like that before, but I loved it. My eyes would plead for more whenever hers would open. Nadia had to literally pull my head out from between her legs. "No... more," she panted, that delicate accent making her sound so innocent. As she fell into my lap, I held my tongue out to travel up her body. I buried my head between her lovely breasts as she cradled me. I held her in place and just enjoyed the moment, feeling her heart beat against my ear. "That was fantastic, Charlene." "I know, Nadia," I exhaled. "I was there." She chuckled and pulled me back to kiss me. She cooed when our lips met, tasting her own essence. She slipped her tongue out and ran it around my lips. "Oh God, that's so freaking sexy," I thought out loud. "Why do you think I do it?" she teased before kissing me again. ******************** I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching Nadia get dressed. I absolutely love seeing her strong naked form move around, bending over to pick up things that aren't there just to give me a better look. The way she sashays her hips just to make me drool even more--it doesn't matter that I just ate her out five minutes ago. And when she's walking around in just her black lace bra and panties... ah, it doesn't get any better. Especially that whole thong-thing she's got going on. She stood in the mouth of the closet, raking through the multitude of clothes hanging on the bar. "Having fun?" she asked over her shoulder. "Um, yeah," I said trying not to sound as dumb as I looked. I slipped into the frilly underwear she had set out for me and stepped up behind her. I wrapped my arms around her middle and sighed on her still-damp skin, enjoying the gooseflesh beneath my own. "Find something good?" "Good is what's holding me up," she murmured back. "But if you mean clothing, then no. It's hard to concentrate with you doing... that." I couldn't help but tease. Her head lolled back against my wounded shoulder, raising the bumps anew. "Well," I prompted after a second, "What's the plan for tonight? More research?" "More like an investigation, actually. But first you need to eat something other than pussy." I blinked. "Say what?" "I want to know who the hell was in my house." That had my attention. "I noticed that the living room was cleaned up, and not very well. All my movies are out of order. The TV is offset on its hooks, and the DVD player isn't in the right place either." Nadia spun and faced me, her sexiness making a much needed momentary distraction. "I smelled you in there, but I didn't recognize the other person. There aren't that many people in this town I don't know." "Let me get this straight," I said backing up a step, "You could tell I was in there but didn't know who else?" She nodded. "But I smelled two different people when I checked it out earlier." Again, she nodded. I blinked. "You've lost me." "What you smelled was the other side of you. It's the side of you that's been dormant until recently. And for you to fight off an intruder without leaving any blood behind is extremely impressive." "Whoa, hold up. I would think I might remember a fight..." "Not like that you wouldn't," my vampire interrupted. "Charlene, you not only protected the house, but yourself as well. Something in the nature of dhampirs causes them to shift into a pseudo-vampire during times of extreme stress, only to suffer from lacunar amnesia." I just stared at her like she was speaking in tongues. "It means you blacked out during and now you don't remember it." Nadia grabbed my waist and ushered me to the bed. "Charlene, you must understand that you are infected with the vampire virus, it's only muted. Limited. Those kinds of episodes happen when we vampires lose control like..." "Yeah, I get it," I said quickly. "So you don't remember much of that night?" "Only bits and pieces," she admitted, looking away. "A true master vampire can black out during something like that and recall it at will. I neither can or want to." When she looked back at me her eyes reddened. "There's a reason why everything goes blank. It isn't right to want to remember something like that." I pulled her into me, our near-nakedness suddenly very apparent. "It's okay, Nadia. I'm still here." I kissed the top of her head as her arms snaked around my waist. "I could have really hurt you." "But you didn't." She paused to give herself a breath before saying anything. "Why are you so good to me? Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you." "Why? I'm our Watcher, remember? It's what I'm here for, to keep you sane and beautiful." It felt weird saying that out loud. I don't know if saying something like that will ever be 'normal', but I've come to learn that nothing is normal with these people. I felt her smile. "I don't know what I would do without you, Charlene." "Yeah, me neither." That got her to laugh a little. I know she was scared out of her mind about that night, it's caused her to be even more clingy. I guess that's a good word for it. Whenever we've gotten to be alone together, she's been extra lovey-dovey. I just hope it doesn't become a habit. "So what's the deal with my fight today?" She shrugged. "I don't know. But I would guess it has something to do with Father Darien visiting you in the hospital." "He said my price was lifted." "Don't think that won't keep people from attacking you. You're in our world now, Charlene. It's a fact that you're going to have to learn to respect every second of every day." Great. That's another thing I'll never get used to either: our conversations drifting from our relationship to my survival like that, that fast. "It's a part of our lives." "Fair enough, I guess. That doesn't mean I gotta like it though." "Even renegades don't like it; they just accept it and live with it." Very true, if one can call that living. Well it is in the most basic sense of the word, but still. "And before you ask, no, that wasn't a renegade that was in here with you." Nadia got up and headed back to the closet. I went over to the dresser to think and do my own digging around. "Let's start with who we know it wasn't and go from there?" I heard my girlfriend laugh a little. "That will be an equally long list, Charlene." I moved the same shirt again. "Then what? I don't suppose there's an olfactory database somewhere." Her silence gave me a start. I spun back towards her. "Is there?" "No, not really, at least not in the way you're thinking." She emerged from the opening with an outfit draped over each arm. "More like a VERY long list of different odors, kinda like a PDR." Now it was my turn to laugh a little. "You've got to be freaking kidding me." I took the one she offered me and started putting it on. I've gotta say, the girl had taste. "Again, Charlene, you need to respect certain things about us. When all you have is time, the mind creates things to keep it occupied. And over the course of five centuries, that just happened to be one of them." "How big are we talking?" I asked, checking myself out in the oversized mirror. Damn my ass looked good in these jeans. "It's about six inches thick, and given the kind of paper it's printed on that should put it in the neighborhood of about six thousand pages." I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Laugh all you want, Charlene, but it's all I've got to go on." "Yeah, and then what? You still need a name and physical description if you want to do, what's a good word? Your thing. You have a better chance of running into him, or her, by chance twenty years from now." Nadia expanded her aura, making it hit mine as if we were kids on the playground, and pushed. It didn't hurt, but it I could tell I was making her mad. "No. I don't." The look in her eye and those three words answered every question I might have had about the subject. I just swallowed that lump in my throat and stared at her for a minute. In that vampire speed, she appeared before me, making me jump back a little. She was so close that our breasts grazed against each other. I cooed a little when I felt our nipples harden against each other. Nadia kissed me and added, "Finish getting dressed, Charlene. I've got a little surprise for you." She pulled away to let me do just that. My nipples were poking through my bra, my pussy was dampening and she just left me hangin'? Bitch.