Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:41:49 -0700 (PDT) From: Nate House Subject: Abandoned Blood: Embrace of the Enemy Hello again. We're back with an all-new tale of our favorite vampire and her Watcher. Almost all of you from the first story wanted a sequel, well, what kind of gentleman would I be to not oblige my loyal audience? I've never written a sequel to a series before, so I'm eager to live up to the challenge. For those that don't know, the first story was about Charlie (Charlene Candice Coventry) being forcefully thrust into the world of the vampires only to discover a series of dark family secrets. In the process of finding her place and identity with her vampire, Nadia, Charlie discovers that she has powers beyond those of ordinary humans. Through fire and flames, she discovers that she is more than a human, she's a dhampir, a half-breed of vampires and humans long believed to be nearly extinct. Along the way she's made new friends, and even more enemies. Powerful enemies that will stop at nothing to have killed for her sins against the vampire world. Killing a coven master. Her half-brother, Father Darien. This story will dive more into depth about Nadia's origins and how she came to be in Charlie's life. Nadia is not alone on this journey. She--with Charlie (her Watcher), Amber (the vampire bookworm researcher), Sven (Charlie's human half-brother), Henry (Charlie's best friend--human) and Marcus (vampire bar bouncer and loyal friend)--sets out to destroy the demons that plague her every waking moment. This is going to be fun ride. That being said, I'll be straight upfront, this isn't a story for the fainthearted. This is the backstory of one of my most violent characters and how she came to be. She was surrounded by gore and death, and therefore lived it. Though inspired by true events, this story is borne of my imagination. It is copyrighted to the author and property thereto. If you would like a copy for your own enjoyment, email me with that request. This story contains graphic imagery of violence of the body and mind, including but not limited to rape, physical abuse, murder, torture, gore, and bodily disfigurement, and sex between two female characters--among others. If these kinds of images disturb you, or offend your delicate sensibilities, then please go no further. If it is illegal for you to be reading this in your area due to age or any other reason, the author is not responsible for any harms that may come against you. Please, feel free to ask me about my book that came out this past summer. Go onto Barnes & Noble's website and search the title: A Walk On The Wayside: Embrace The Fall. If you like my Abandoned Blood series, then you're sure to enjoy my other published works. While I'm on the topic, please check out my other works on this site: Loving A Shadow (lesbian/high school) Silent Cellist (lesbian/sci-fi) Abandoned Blood (lesbian/beginnings) Now sit back, cuddle up with your favorite person, and enjoy part one of Abandoned Blood: Embrace Of The Enemy. ******************** Chapter One Halloween may be my favorite holiday, but I absolutely love the snow. October thirty-first is the best of both worlds here in Kentucky, it unifies the one night when the spirits of the dead are allowed free roam through the land of living while bringing with it the promise of tranquil blankets of snow. It's like the Janis of the holiday season, with the made-to-believe ugliness of one next to the seemingly beautiful purity of the other. "Such is the world we live in," I mused out loud. I held out my hand and let a large flake land. A small smile crossed my lips. "The ugliness gets buried under a facade that eventually melts away." It's not uncommon to get this kind of snow at this latitude in late November. "What was that?" asked Amber. The sound of her voice pulled my attention to her. "You say something?" she amended. Damn, I forgot about her acute hearing--don't ask how. "Nothing. Just thinking out loud." She nodded and went back to her gazing. We walked down the street of one of the largest business districts in the state. The two of us decided to make the drive to Lexington to avoid Nadia's ever-present nosing and influence. "Well," I said suddenly, "what do you think?" The blonde vampire just continued staring into the window of Howard & Stein's, one of the nation's newest--and most expensive--department stores. She's been starstruck by that window since we found the place. I backtracked to see exactly what it was that held her attention so rapt like one of her library books. Looking back at her, I asked, "You okay, Amber?" When she didn't answer right away, I waved my hand in front of her face. "Earth to Amber! Anyone home?" She blinked. "What?" "You okay?" I repeated. "Yeah," she sighed. Amber feigned a smiled. "I was just thinking how good you and Nadia would look in those gowns." I looked back to the mannequins and shook my head. Sure you were, I thought. She's admitted, on more than one occasion, that she's in love with my girlfriend. My vampire. On one hand I found it flattering, but, I also had my doubts. Amber and Nadia both said that she and Amber had a mutual thing back in the day when they were in Father Darien's good graces. And they both said that it was more of a sisterly-thing, but the angry twitch in Amber's eye about Nadia and I together made me think otherwise. On more than one occasion. "You know," I said, admiring the gowns for myself, "I think you're right." "You do?" she answered, surprised by my answer. "Sure I do, but we both know that Nadia gets everything tailor-made from those 'friends' of hers." Amber nodded her head in agreement. "Shall we go in and see what we can find?" The blond vamp just stared at me like I a kid going to Disney World. "Are you serious?" I blinked. "Uh... yeah." I opened the door and she bounced inside. Okay. That was weird. We walked around a little, shooing off one of the sales clerks that asked if we needed help. I don't know if it was a vampire thing, or a blond thing with this chick. I've never seen anyone so enthralled by spending time in a high-end department store. Granted, the polished granite floor, authentic mahogany and oak walls, and fabulously cushy carpeting were nice, and everything was ridiculously overpriced, but this wasn't Disney World. It's not like she could get in line and sample everything she liked. These places tend to frown on stuff like that. The jewelry in the cases were nice pieces, the diamonds and precious stones were cut by true masters. All of the clothing labels were world-famous designers--even I've heard of some of them. Even though they asked us if we needed help, I could feel the auras of the humans around us that they didn't appreciate our presence or our taste of clothing. Both Amber and I were in our usual dark colored gothic-style outfits complete with heavy black denim overcoats and ass-kicking boots. If they could call us by one word I'm sure it would be: punks. "Can I help you ladies with anything," the assistant manager asked with a fake smile. I tried to hide my genuine smile. "Yes you may, Eliza Bethany Morales." I will never tire of that look when they hear all three of their names. I could have sworn I heard Amber giggle. "We're here to find my girlfriend something nice for Christmas. To be quite honest, I really have no idea what to get her. All I know is I want it to be special." I paused to take in her reaction to the g-word. Then I shrugged. "But what do get for the woman who has everything?" Eliza cleared her throat. "Well, I... um, tell me more about her. Does she like to go out for fine dinners or wine tasting parties?" "No, not exactly. And even if she did, she would call up a 'friend' of hers and have the outfit made specially for her for that occasion." "I see. What's her taste in jewelry? Like, for example, what's her birth month?" That was a good question actually. "You know, we've been dating for nearly three months and I've never asked." That earned me an even harder condescending look. "February," Amber said, walking up next to me wearing a sheepish grin. "Or so she told me a while back." "Always trust the blond," I quipped. Amber sort of got he joke, but Miss-Prissy-Pants didn't take too kindly to it. It wasn't like she was a natural blond like Amber. "Then she's an Amethyst." I could tell that she was balancing her snotty up-bringing against her discomfort for homosexuals against the fact that we just met and I knew all of her names. A weird emotion, I'm sure. We walked over the far side of the jewelry counter and she looked down to the store's collection of the stones. They ranged from a very light--almost transparent-- purple, to a beautiful lavender, to a deep crystalline purple. Some were attached to pendants, others dangled from gold earrings; some were placed within necklaces, others were in rings. The base metals were typical jewelry counter fare: gold, silver, platinum, titanium, stainless steel. There were even a couple carbon fiber pieces. All of them were beautiful on their own merits. "You know the legends and myths behind the Amethyst, I'm sure." Amber and I both noticed that she said that as more of a question than a statement. "No. Tell us." Why not play dumb with this chick? Besides, I honestly don't know, but I'm sure the bookworm to my right knows. "The ancient Greeks believed that drinking wine from a goblet made of amethyst would prevent drunkenness; they also believed that soldiers wearing the stone would be protected in battle. Other cultures believed that amethyst could control evil thoughts and help hunters better catch their prey." That has got to be one of the creepier things I've ever heard. If that were true, then all vampires were born in February, right? "There are over a dozen counties around the world that mine this specific mineral, that's what causes the differences in hues." I'll give her this much: the woman knew her shit. I gazed over their collection, nodding my head in understanding as she said her piece. That's when I spotted just the thing for my vampire. "Tell me about that ring," I said, squatting down to better point it out. "That's not an amethyst, that's a Prasiolite. It's similar, and is often called green amethyst, but it is not what you'd be looking for." I looked back u pat her. "I'd like to see that ring, Eliza," I repeated, my voice becoming low and demanding. The saleswoman unlocked the cabinet and pulled out the tray containing the ring and matching necklace. She donned a pair of white gloves before picking it up. "Now, Mrs. Morales, would you be so kind and tell me about these?" "Very well," she said. Amber picked up on the shift of emotional energy. I could smell it coming off of her. "This is one of two natural prasiolites in our collection. This particular kind of stone is very rare in nature since it requires a tremendous amount of heat to create it, not unlike naturally occurring diamonds. It's cut in the Trillion-cut design, set in a 24-karat white gold band. The primary green stone is cut triangular to not only preserve it's natural strength, but to symbolize the myths surrounding the number three. The band is uniquely carved, twisted, and braided from a single strand of white gold. That is true, deep purple amethyst set into each corner, cut to match the flare of the green center stone. The diamonds set into the band are done in the Minor's cut, which hasn't been used since the late 1940s. The Green Prasiolite is about 5.5 karats; the purple stones total about one-point-eight-five karats; and the diamonds total a weight of about half a karat." Impressive that she knew that much about a particular piece. "Do you routinely know that much about your collection?" I asked sardonically. "Madam, I am the assistant manager of this store and have been for seven years. I order these pieces for our collection personally. Every single person we hire must memorize every detail about our jewelry and clothing collections before they become full-fledged sales associates." I guess that's the bitchy way of saying 'yes'. "There's no price tag on it. How much is it?" She smiled a wicked smile. I guess masturbating her ego about the job wasn't enough. "There's an old phrase that says: If you have to ask, you can't afford it." I reached out and grabbed Amber's wrist. I felt her shift from playing the innocent blond to the lethal monster she kept locked away. I heard her voice in my head telling me to let go, but I refused. To everyone else in the store, it looked like we were simply staring each other down, but in truth, we were having a fight to see who was stronger mentally. I would win so long as I--or anyone else in the area-- didn't fall victim to the pheromones she was dishing out. 'Calm down, Amber,' I pleaded mentally. 'It's not like we've never encountered a bitch before.' 'But she insulted you, and by extension, Nadia!' Her eyes were beginning to roll over white. Shit. 'I've put up with that shit all my life and I'm tired of it!' 'I know that Amber, but you have to trust me to handle this like I did with Father Darien.' Somehow that got through to her. I felt her aura relax, just as I felt everyone else's too. I pulled my aura completely into myself as a show of good faith that she'd do the same. I turned my attention back to a flushed Eliza and said, "True, but one of my personal favorites is: Give the lady what she wants. I don't care that you were treated like shit growing up, always coming in second place behind your older sister, Chelsea-Rae." Now I had her undivided attention. Knowledge really is power. "And I really don't care if you don't like me because I'm gay. I am here because I heard good things about this store from other good people, and so far you have done them a service. Don't fuck it up by taking your anger and prejudices out on me. I've dealt with a lot worse from far worse of people than you, and you know what? I've never lost. Now, we can stay civilized and you can tell me how much this ring set costs, or we can head out the door and take our money elsewhere. Make our choice." I think she was struck dumb by how accurate of a picture I painted. Any idiot could see the ire and pain that stretched her face. I don't like peering into people's personal shit, but I will if it means that I get what I came here to get. The stunned saleslady pulled out a calculator. "That ring, after taxes, is $1257.84." she said with a great deal of effort to remain professional. "Or 2389.74 if you'd like to get the matching necklace along with it." I blinked. "Is that all? Huh. Given how well you talked it up, I would have ball-parked it in the 2500 - 3000 range. I'll take it." Eliza was stunned. Not just by my reaction, but at how easily I said that. Hey bitch, two can play that game. Amber looked at me like I just lost my mind. I just gave her a sheepish grin and watched this hateful, bitchy saleslady put the presents in their respective boxes and ring'em up, inwardly laughing my ass off at her annoyed expression. I handed her my credit card without a second thought, which only added to Amber's awe. Hey, a girl's gotta know how to make an exit. I shook my head as if to say, "Don't worry about it." ******************** "Charlie, seriously, where the hell did you get that kind of money?" Amber asked for the fifteenth time. We, or, more accurately, she, decided to call it a trip after I just spend over two grand on Nadia's present. And since we left the store she hasn't shut up about the origin of my new 'toss-around money' (her words, not mine). Staying true to my newly discovered heritage, and true to what Nadia taught me about answering questions, I just shot the younger blond a smile and said, "Friends". "Bullshit!" Ouch. Okay, wasn't expecting that. "I know you don't have friends like that; all you have left are the people you keep around you. And half of them are either missing or in the hospital." Very ouch. Seriously, where'd that shit come from? "Amber, what the hell does it matter where I got he money?" I answered, trying to remain calm. "Who twisted your panties into a wad and shoved'em up your ass?" That seemed to sober her up a little. "You've been acting weirder than usual this whole goddamn trip, and your little rant just now... what the fuck was that about?" The vampire-slash-bookworm put a hand to her head. She spun around, probably to avoid eye contact and regain her bearings. I've never seen her like this. "Let's just get back to the car," she said from six feet behind me. "Goddamn, that vamp speed shit creeps me out," I mumbled, shocked at her use of it. She's close to vamping out on me. I've only ever seen her come close one time and it shocked the hell out of me then, too. This blond-headed, ninety-pound nerd was close to losing it because I bought my girlfriend a present? All I could do was sigh, shake my head, and utter, "Vampires." Amber was waiting for me at the car. She insisted on taking her car since she claimed it got better mileage than mine. Sure it did. It only took two fill-ups to cover the few hundred miles between here and there. I don't mind going halvesies on the gas, because when a vampire insists on something it's probably gonna happen. Even against the argument of a Watcher. That's what me and my kind are called. The name came from a silly moniker that Countess de Rais was given by her children when her husband's vampire condition manifested. She would only allow him to take her blood, and since the Count was a master clock and watch maker, they named her a Watcher. The name just kind of stuck. I found out later--by piecing together fragmented information from several sources-- that I'm a descendant of the Countess, but haven't quite figured out how direct that particular linage is. Ever since Nadia bit me, she's refused to take the blood of someone other than me. Except for once, and it nearly destroyed her. She wouldn't have bitten Tiffany, my ex-girlfriend, if I hadn't insisted on it. Ultimately, that's what saved her life. Even still, I can see the inner pain it caused her to resort to biting a Bleeder for survival--something she swore she'd never do again. It didn't matter that the okay came from her Watcher, she was still beating herself up over not being strong enough. I guess in her heart she believed she could take down her eternal tormentor--my other half-brother--Father Darien. The memory of his twisted, euphoric face faded when a car flew past me. I looked both ways before crossing the street. I used to work at a fly-by-night gas station; I know how dangerous these drivers can be. By the time I traversed the road, Amber seemed to be as poised and stoic as usual. That is until a fouled scent caught both of our attentions. "HEHEHEHehehehehehe! Little morsels out alone, far away from safety of home." Shit. Ever since I was shoved into this world, I've only encounter two people who talk like that, and one of them was four hundred miles away. "That's not Adriel!" Amber said in a panic. Fuck! Why can't I have just one shopping trip without these assholes following me? "I know it's not!" I shouted over that insidious cackling. The voice altered between a high maniacal laughter, to a lower growling noise of amusement. "It's Asmadeus!" Whatever color Amber had in her face vanished. "He's still alive?" Her question only made the little disgusting creature laugh harder. I really shouldn't call him little. Disgusting? Yes. Little? Hell no. I've only ever seen him-- or it--when he was hunched over, and he still managed to look me square in the eye. I covered my ears to block out that annoying sound. I reached out to Amber with my mind and said, "It looks like it." I turned my attention back to her. She just stared at the creature like she'd seen a ghost. "What's up with you?" I asked as calmly as I could. I heard her voice in my head. "I thought Nadia killed him ten years ago!" What? "Um... no. I fought him off back in Cover Darien's freezer that night." God, would he ever shut the fuck up! "I cut him and he ran off like a little bitch." "Oh, a night of fun lie in wait, all one must do is cast the bait." Then his voice changed over to his lower-pitched self. "No, you fool. The bait is already cast, now we can let the show unfold." Great, he's talking to himself. At least the laughing stopped. "The whole neighborhood knows you're here, Ass," I called out to the night. I know he hates the use of my favorite pet name for him. "Just come on down here and let's get this over with." "No, that's no good. I don't like her plan," said the whinier voice said. Answer by the growling voice, "I do like the dhampir's plan." And with that, the vampire-thing called Asmadeus appeared on the spot I just crossed the street from. He lifted one of his oversized hands and pointed at me. "You're the half-breed that hurt us. We will pay you back for your insolence." "I've heard that one before," I retorted. "Are you here to fight us, taunt us, or kill us?" "Us?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused. Then he looked over to the car and spotted Amber. "Oh, such is our lucky day. Two meals for the price of one!" "What are you?" I asked, slowly edging my way towards the car. "A vampire? An Asuwang? Insane?" "We are what we are; names are names that do not apply to us." I guess I had my answer. "Why do you humans use labels as such?" Asked the higher voice. When did he get philosophical? "Why did you call me a half-breed, then call me a human? Can't either of you make up your mind? Or minds?" I thought I saw him drool when his asymmetrical face pulled up into a smile. The growling voice answered with, "It doesn't matter what we call you, young morsel. We share a mind, and that's that. It shouldn't matter how we refer to you, we don't mind how you refer to us." My ass he doesn't. "Didn't you tell me to only call you by your real names?" I snorted. "Weren't you the one getting all pissed off because I called you Ass for short?" "Yes!" the high pitched one yelled. The growling one conned with, "But that was before you made us burn and bleed. You found our weakness and exploited it. We lived, so we learned. And now we know to learn so we can live." The last time I saw this guy I would have never taken him as a guy who can hold a conversation. He may be fucked up in appearance, but his brain is on par with Adriel and Father Darien. They may have a 'different' way of thinking, but they're far from stupid. I was almost at the car. I mentally told Amber to start the engine. Asmadeus didn't flinch when she cranked the engine. "Why are you here?" I asked again. This whole encounter was the exact opposite of last time. At least this time he isn't throwing dead bodies at me. "Why are any of us here? We're all here to do the same thing," he said pointedly. He paused as if trying to find the right words to follow that. "To live our lives under the guise of freewill, unaware of who really controls the strings." Fuck me. That's all I needed, more cryptic answers. "So this is just a service call I take it?" "HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!!" the whiny one laughed from nowhere. "This is a warning. You defeated us last time, but your luck will soon run out. A lake of fire cannot keep the Devil at bay; and once you are in hell, only He can help you out." My eyes doubled in size, my jaw hit the snow-covered ground. I felt my heart skip a beat and my blood turn to ice. I could tell Amber didn't fare much better. "What are you telling me? Is that asshole still alive?" "HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!!! Such a creative name for the reviled one. He is dead, he is alive, and all that he is lives within her." Before I had time to process that, I saw his body twitch. Images of Asmadeus' skinless form came and went in a flash, illuminated only by the dim streetlamp at the corner. "CHARLIE!" came a voice from beyond the darkness. All I remembered was something icky hitting my skin then a cold sensation overtaking my body. I tasted blood in my mouth, but I knew it wasn't mine. This tasted... like ashes. Bitter ashes. Why do I know what that tastes like? ********************* I felt like I was floating in the ocean. My body would move to and fro with the tide, the sounds of the breaking waves echoed in my mind's ear. My body felt wet and cold to the bone. I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes. I had a disgusting taste in my mouth--much different than seawater. I heard a voice call out my name, but I couldn't put a face to it. I couldn't even tell if it was masculine or feminine. I just floated like a limp log. My head hit the soft sand, my hair felt gritty to the touch. I couldn't move my arms or my legs. I was frozen. Was I dead? Did that thing finally kill me? Or would this be just another day when I couldn't get that lucky? Then that voice again. "Charlie!" I didn't know what I could do. I was staring up at the cold night sky and my limbs were hurting and limp. This has happened before and I didn't like it then either. I hate feeling helpless within my own body. It's not fucking fair. That's not the first time I've had that thought either. "Charlie, snap out of it!" the voice said again. "Come on, come back to us!" The pressure on my body was being lifted. I felt my blood flowing through my extremities, however slowly it may have been. Something popped out of the sand and pushed me up into a sitting position. My vision changed over from normal, to azure, then back to normal in about two seconds. I heard the voice say something to the positive about that. I don't know why he or she would be happy, because I felt like shit. "She's coming around. Someone get Nadia in here." I was picked up off the beach and floated through the air. Then I fell. I fell forever until I landed on something soft. And warm. The air was suddenly warm. There was a distinctly yellow light coming from somewhere behind my head and to the left. It was soon eclipsed by the most angelic of all beings, and her voice was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. "Charlene. Wake up now honey. Follow my voice and come back to me." How could I refuse that? I followed that voice over the craggy cliffs of the beach and back to it's source. Nadia's living room. Wait, what? "There, you go. Hold your arms up over your head. Let your mind relax and focus on my voice." I turned my head and there was my beautiful angel. A vampire, looking right through me and into the dark recesses of my half-human brain. "Drink this." I sipped it and nearly gagged. "Goddamn, I hate that shit," I said around my coughs. "Oh, thank God," I heard Sven say from across the room. "Yeah, thank him," I mumbled sourly. I drank that disgusting pink liquid until the cup was empty. I made my icky-face the whole time. "What the hell happened? When did I get home?" I felt my neck and shoulder area. "When did you bite me?" "About thirty minutes ago, right about the time we got you home," Amber said from the doorway. She was leaning against the frame that separated the living room from the dining room/kitchen. "Nadia had to bite you to enter your dreams like that." I coughed again. "Yeah, I get that, but what the fuck happened to me? To us?" "Asmadeus attacked you, then took off," the petite blond said around an angered huff. Nadia shook her head. "That's not possible." "The hell it isn't," Amber nearly shouted. "I don't know why he left us alive, but I know I saw him in full view. There is no mistaking that thing. Smashed up face; hunched shoulders; deep black eyes too big for his skull; disproportionally large arms and claws; translucent-skin-slimey-looking mother fucker." "What the fuck are you talking about?" my human brother asked. "She's talking about the thing that I fought off in the freezer the night we killed Father Darien," I stated as plainly as I could. "He was waiting for me that night, tried to kill me and hang me up like the rest of the 'farm fresh meat'. I fought him off and he disappeared somewhere in the catacombs beneath that asshole's club. I thought he also died in the fire." Amber scoffed. "Apparently he didn't, and now he's pissed and hunting us." Nadia stepped back from stroking my hair and looked at the three of us. Her gaze wasn't friendly, but it wasn't harsh. She was reading our auras to better understand the situation. I can't say as I blame her. If someone I killed a decade ago suddenly came back to life and started hunting and killing, I'd be a little freaked too. "Charlene, what happened tonight?" she pleaded. "Amber's right," I said while trying to think of something better. "She and I went for a shopping trip in Lexington. I bought a couple of things then we headed for the car. All of a sudden that thing showed up and started laughing, talking like fucking Adriel, of all people. He started going on about something or other, then warned us about how--what were his words?--the Devil can't be killed in a lake of fire, and only He can help you out of hell... or something like that. The next thing I know I'm off in the ocean in La-La Land unable to move until you woke me up." My head hurt from recounting all of that. Not to mention having to think back to that creature's utter ugliness. Just the thought of it made me wanna puke. "You said you fought him off before?" Nadia took a seat next to me and held my hand. I think she was trying to comfort herself more than anything. "Yeah. I fought in the freezer. I cut him, then he ran off. Like I said, I thought he died in the fire. Why?" "If it's the same creature that I fought ten years ago, then we're in deep shit." Her eastern European accent sounded so wrong saying things like that. "I knew I killed him back then. He was one of my tormentors from the old country. He used to follow me everywhere and treat me like the monster I was. Worse than Father Darien." Everyone in the room felt the bile rise in their throats. If that was true, then my vampire, my girlfriend, was... by that thing? I felt dizzy. Amber went into tears. Sven, not knowing exactly what Asmadeus was--and knowing of Nadia's past relationships--fell to his knees. I could see the color leave his cheeks. "Asmadeus is a creature beyond the realm of either human or vampire understanding. As rare as they are, he doesn't fit the usual profile of an Asuwang. He picks his victims and stalks them, even for days before indulging on their entrails." I think everyone threw-up in their mouths a little. "He's advanced somehow. He can manipulate your mind and dreams at will. He is physically stronger than Father Darien and Adriel, an alpha mental dominant personality, which is ironic because of his delusionary schizophrenia and split personality disorder. To be honest, I don't know how you could have bested him. He's a monster in every sense of the word." She paused to get a grip on the emotions flowing over her features. "He preyed on my every insecurity," Nadia continued. "Every little weakness. If I cried during a feeding, he was there to torture me about it. If I tried to abstain, he would cut himself or some bleeder just to draw me in. It was because of him that I made such easy prey for Father Darien. I left my home country to escape from him, I fell into Father Darien's fold as a means of escape from Asmadeus. "Then one day, I found him feeding on a bleeder and something in me snapped. I pulled my knife and attacked him. The mere sight of him sent off so many signals in my brain that I figured I had to do the one thing I could. Kill him. I cut his throat and watched him bleed out. I haven't thought about him since that day. He was dead. I killed him, and because I bested someone better than me, my status in the coven rose exponentially. And now you say he's back." Nadia was damn near tears before she finished. Sven put his face in his hands and groaned. "Okay, but the question still remains. What does this mean for us now? Are the rest of us humans in any danger? What about Travis? He's still in a hospital bed in a coma. Marcus is out on the streets doing what he does best, and that's looking for Tiffany and Marianna who are still missing--in case you forgot. Henry damn sure hasn't been the same since the night Charlie went all psycho-pyro-bitch. What about them?" Nadia threw up her hands in defeat. "I don't know, Sven. Asmadeus is extremely unpredictable. He could have killed Charlene and Amber tonight, but he didn't. I don't know why, but if he left the two of them alive then he's either stalking them or using them to satisfy his own ends." I rolled my eyes. "Is this another vampire-power-stunt thing?" I asked in the hopes it would light a fire in someone else's gut. "Are we just bait? Or even worse, pawns in someone else's sick little games again? Why can't we just go about our lives without this shit?" "There is no social hierarchy in our world, Charlie," Amber said in her usual quiet tone. "Those who think they have an inkling of power are always going to test the boundaries of that power. No one is in charge of no one. The only thing that keeps the social order in check is the respect we have for those stronger than us. You killed one of the strongest vampires this town--perhaps the world--has ever seen, so now every little peon lowlife piece of shit will be fighting for the respect of their fold. It's going to be ugly, Charlie. Very. Fucking. Ugly." "And by respect, you mean fear," I intoned. I'm sure I've used that one before too when talking with that asshole. Fear is the best way to keep order amongst power-starved, blood-thirsty street demons. Fear is the best motivator and control tactic known to man. Or vampire. I thought back through all of my conversations with Father Darien. Both he and Nadia said something like that would happen without him around to keep the street demons at bay. I started pacing around the quiet room. Once again, all of these people were looking at me like I would magically come up with a solution. To this day I have no idea how the idea of burning down Coven Darien came to me. It just did. I could hear everyone breathing, every heartbeat. "Nadia," I said with my hand still at my mouth, "You said that you first ran into this creature back in the old country." She nodded. "And you once told me that a lot of your 'friends' were from the old country as well." Everyone was looking at me as if I was about to lose my mind. Again. "We're going to have to go back to your home country and get our answers there. We're going to need to talk directly with your so-called friends and push them for information." My vampire blanched and started shaking her head. "No." The exact response I was anticipating, her famous one-word answers. All that meant was she had something to hide. "Don't give me that shit again, Nadia," I said expanding my aura. I touched hers with a caring but assertive touch. I knew Sven would be having trouble with this, and Amber was probably wigging out right about now, but my focus was Nadia. "I know that what happened to you over there was the most painful years of your life, but you got through them. And if we want to get through THIS year, we're going to need to go back. I don't know why this shit keeps happening, but I a damn sure that it has something to do with what happened to you back then." Nadia's expression was tense but reserved. "I'm not saying it isn't," she said, straining to keep her instincts in check. "But you need to understand that the underworld of my home country isn't what it is here. I have no influence over there. Their little 'street demons', as you call them, are ten times more dangerous than the ones here; that community is not welcoming to outsiders." She took a breath, most likely to keep her emotions at bay. I've seen here when she doesn't; it's not pretty. "Not only that, but look at it this way: how would we get there? Where would we start? Hell, we won't even have a place to stay." "We'll let our researchers worry about that," I said nodding towards Amber. "Don't tell me that you have no influence over there. Father Darien himself said he respected your abilities. I'm sure the Order will grant us some measure of protection." Nadia chuckled. "Don't count on it." I smiled. "I'm a hot commodity, remember? I'm sure we can work something out." "Don't count on it," Amber repeated, snorting ******************** Everyone had gone to sleep. No one was leaving the house as long as there was a danger greater than a mosquito was on the street. That would explain the 'man smell' (Nadia's words, not mine). I guess I'm more immune to it than my girlfriend since I've lived with said man since I was born. Or it could be that, while I have some of the vampiric abilities, my olfactory senses aren't on par with hers or Amber's. The boys slept in the back bedroom after they spend two days cleaning the blood and--shall I say--soiled parts off the sheets and mattress. Henry did most of the work while I was off playing heroine. The poor guy said he woke up with a major headache and decided to work it off. Personally I think the fumes from the cleaners helped more than the aspirin. Whatever he did, it worked though. Nadia claimed that she couldn't smell a thing that involved that night. She claimed. Amber took the sofa in the living room. I don't know how she could sleep on that thing, but she found away. I guess a tired mind finds a way to rest. The funny part of her involvement in all of this would be that if she wasn't as smart as she is, then Father Darien wouldn't have had a use for her; her intelligence and way with people made her an asset to a group of people she hated. So she, in turn, decided to use that to bring down those people that once found her useful. And now that's her use for us. Note to self: Don't piss her off, because she'll find a way to take you down; don't be fooled by her meager size, it's gonna happen. This I pondered as I waited in the bed downstairs for Nadia to finish in the bathroom. I hated being at the center of everything that keeps happening to us, but what else could I do? I didn't ask for any of this. All I wanted to do was graduate and go one with my life. Maybe find myself a nice woman with whom I could settle down. I just wanted to grow old and leave the world a better place, just like everyone else. But no... I'm not like everyone else. I'm someone special to people that like to raise hell on the world; I get to go through life not knowing when some creature is going to fly from the shadows and feast on my blood and vital organs. I get to grow eyes in the back of my skull in the dark underworld where the only rule is Kill or Be Killed. "It's not all bad," Nadia said as she crawled into bed beside me. The small window let in enough light for me to see her dark form without the need to change my vision. "That's the most positive thing you've said all night," I concluded, shocked by her admission. I raised my eyebrows--since I can't raise them independently. "What happened in there?" Since she knew I can't, she did lift a single eyebrow. "Nothing. Why?" "Don't play dumb with me." I nudged her arm until I got her to smile a little. "I knew I saw a smile before." I kissed her, then added, "You're right, and as soon as we're finished you can go back to being your usual mopey, depressed self." "That's not fair," my vampire huffed. "I'm not always mopey and depressed." I grinned coyly. "Oh yeah? When aren't you depressed and mopey?" My answer came in the form of her body falling on top of mine. Her lips crushed against my own, her barely-covered breasts mashed against mine. I wrapped my arms around her neck and used my tongue to push hers back into her mouth. As our mouths wrestled for position, I could have sworn I felt one of her fangs poke my lower lip. But at that point, she could have done whatever she wanted--I sucked in her pheromones with every ragged breath I took. And they went straight to my head, through my body and crash-landed in my vagina. I was so wet from what she was doing even before she did it. Her mouth traveled down my neck, intentionally playing with the scar she put on the nape of my neck. Her hands somehow managed to slip under my sleep shirt without me noticing, I realized it when my nipples received a much-welcomed pinch-and-tug. Only Nadia could get me off like this. My panties were still on, but I was so close to climax. Her touch, as light as a feather, yet as aggressive as a hungry animal, was unlike anything else on this earth. In one fast motion, she ripped my shirt open. The buttons bounced off the walls, her lips and tongue traveled down my exposed skin. I felt her claws lightly dig into the flesh of my tits, then follow her head down. She ran her nails over the sensitive skin of my inner thighs, taking in the aroma of my sex. My vision changed over by the time I opened my eyes again. Hers were fully dilated. I ran my hands down my naked legs and pulled them open wider for her. She moaned her delight for the sight. I pulled my panties aside and teased my pussy with my finger. I dipped one digit inside, listening to how wet I was. My back arched slightly, allowing that finger to dip further inside. Nadia's moan was louder than mine. I looked her square in the eye and lick my finger clean. Before I could appreciate how much she wanted me, her tongue had replaced my finger. I love it when she just dives in like that. No warning, no hesitation. She just held my panties out of her way then had her way. She had a nice long tongue, good for a lesbian. I felt it slip in and out of me. Curl up and down to hit all of my spots. I felt her breath on my exposed lit, she moaned against my pussy to send an even harder jolt through my body. I grabbed her head with my hands and thighs and held her in place. She wanted me to cum, she was going to taste it. She wanted to get me off, she wasn't going to get off easy. I felt it building up inside. I wanted to squirt all over her pretty face, but she teased me with that expert tongue of hers. I arched my back hard, squeezed the tender flesh of my tits, anything to get the release I so desperately needed. But no. The bitch wouldn't let me. Her mouth sucked on my outer walls, her tongue probed deep inside of me, but she denied me that release. "I don't think so, Charlene," she said, gasping for air. I don't know how she escaped my grasp. I opened my eyes. She was smiling her devilish smile. "You're going to taste mine, too." My chest heaved and was covered in sweat. "Ok," I said dumbly. "Just let me cum!" I felt rather than saw her climb on top of me and position her knees on either side of my head. I could smell her wetness. Without missing a beat, I reached up, grabbed her ass, and pulled her pussy to my mouth. My tongue easily slipped inside her dripping snatch. My mouth clamped down and immediately started sucking on her swollen clit. I dug my fingernails into her ass. She seemed to like that. She bucked back against my face, her tongue rapidly flicked over my clit while she finger fucked me. I screamed into her pussy. I pulled my mouth away to return the favor. She squirted her hot load all over my face and tits the minute I came all over hers. Unlike usual, though, her mouth continued sucking on my clit. Oh my god! I've never felt anything so intense in my life. It was like I could't stop cumming. And neither could she. If it weren't for the fact that she wasn't as pent up as I was, I'm sure I would have drowned, her orgasm was that hard. She rolled over and collapsed at my side. I watched her chest rise and fall as she attempted to catch her breath. I've seen her fight a lot of people, and not a single one of those fights made her heave for air like the orgasms I gave her. And no one made me feel like such a woman than the pretty little vampire as my side. "Wow," I said somehow. "That... was... amazing!" Nadia took a breath. "Your welcome." I chuckled, but otherwise couldn't move. My body was still shaking. "We better get cleaned up," she suggested, talking straight into my ear. I didn't even feel her move. "And get the bed stripped. We've got a long road ahead." "Okay," I mumbled. But I didn't want to move from that spot. That was until Nadia lifted me up and carried me away to a magical land of orgasmic bliss I'm sure I was only dreaming about. ********************* Thank you for reading Part One. Any questions, comment, concerns, or critiques are always welcome. I'm sure you'll enjoy this journey even more so than last time, but just in case you missed the last one, feel free to check out "Abandoned Blood" in the lesbian/beginnings section.