When I stopped moving, I was in front of Paul’s building and wasn’t out of breath. Had I been flying, running, jumping? I didn’t know. I only know that the sensation was fast and hard to understand.
It was so late. I didn’t know if this would work, but I thought about Paul really hard.
”Paul,” I said. “Paul!” I looked up into the sky. It was still black but my limbs were growing weak. The sun was about to rise.
”Paul!” I screamed.
The door swung open, and Paul was standing there in pajama bottoms, panting breathlessly as if he had run a marathon. ”Kim? What’s wrong?”
”I need a safe place.”
He took my arm and led me into the building.
I had to talk fast. “There’s not much time. The sun is rising and if I’m caught in it I’ll fry! I need a dark place to sleep. No sunlight!”
”A dark place,” he repeated, frowning. “That’s going to be hard. My place is filled with windows.”
The elevator doors opened, and I stared for a moment at all the windows that lined the walls of his loft.
Oh my God ... ”Paul! I need total …”
… darkness …
~***~
It was so dark and confined where I was, and unlike before when I had no memory for the first few moments, this time I remembered that I was dead. So when my eyes opened and I couldn’t see anything I thought that I was in my final resting place.
I moved, and a blanket covering me slipped. I gasped in dank, musty air. I heard footsteps hurrying toward me, and I braced myself. Where the hell was I and who was that running up on me?
I pushed the blanket away as someone snatched it.
”Thank you, God!” Paul cried.
He looked a hot mess. He was still wearing pajama bottoms, and his hair was messy instead of the controlled professional mess he’d had the night before. I stretched and found that I was in a cramped little closet.
”Where the hell am I?”
”The boiler room. It was the darkest place I could find. Everywhere else had slats of sun peaking in, under a door, through a crack.”
He helped me stand.
”I thought you were dead. I mean, you blacked out in the middle of a sentence and just dropped dead.” He staggered a little. “I guess you really are a Vampire. Although I don’t know why a Vampire would have this.” He held out his hand and showed me the crucifix. “I thought Vampires got all monster teeth and—”He hissed in a perfect imitation of what the other Vampires had done in reaction to the crucifix.
”I don’t know, either,” I said. “I’m a different type of Vampire.”
”Let’s go upstairs. I’ve been down here watching you all day.”
We got into the elevator and went up to his place.
“You just don’t know how much you friggin’ scared me. I thought you were dead. I wanted to take you to the hospital or call an ambulance.”
My eyes widened. “That wouldn’t have been good.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You said keep you out of the sun, so even though I wanted to do all that I literally couldn’t. I had to find a dark place for you. So I have you over my shoulders because the sun is coming up, running around the apartment. There are glass block windows in the bathroom so that wasn’t any good. The bedroom closet had a crack in the door that let in light. Even with the drapes closed ... I didn’t know. So I just rushed you down there.”
We were in the kitchen, and Paul opened a beer. “Thing is,” he said, “when I was bringing you downstairs, your head kinda got into the sunlight. Only for a split second!”
I touched my head. I didn’t feel burned.
”You can understand how I doubted that you were actually a Vampire,” Paul said. “You were holding a cross, not affected by the sun, not getting all hissy sounding when I say the word that you told me not to say, but I accidentally said anyway. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had seen the teeth last night ...” He shook his head and took a long swig of beer. “But I started doubting myself. Like maybe you had put them in on the sly or something.” He put down his beer. “Do you want something to drink ... or eat?”
”No. I don’t eat or drink.”
“Mmm. Are you sure? Let me ask you a question. Exactly how long have you been a Vampire?”
”Why?” I asked.
”Well, I never met a real Vampire, but I thought they were all scary and evil. You kinda remind me of a lady who works in my office. Cherie. She can be scary, though. But in a Don’t-Get-In-My-Face-Whiteboy way. Not in an I’m-A-Bloodsucking-Fiend way. No offense.”
I scowled and sat at his bar.
He followed me and sat next to me. “How do you know that you’re really a Vampire? Maybe you’re something else. Like, I don’t know ... a fairy.”
”And it would be easier to believe that I’m a fairy?” I sighed. “I’m a Vampire. But you’re right. I haven’t been one for long, just a couple days so I don’t understand everything.”
”Really? How did—“
I held up a hand. “Before you start asking me about my history and everything, I need to ask you something. Have you changed your mind about being my blood donor?”
”No. Absolutely not!” He stood. “Did you ... you know, want ...” He moved his head to the side and offered me his neck.
”No. I’m not really hungry right now. Maybe later.” I stood and sighed. “Look, I’ve had a really screwed up night. I need to think.”
”How can I help?”
”Give me a minute to myself.”
He threw away his empty beer can. “I need to get showered. And I’m really hungry so I need to order a pizza or something. Just ... make yourself comfortable.” Paul left the room.
I sank down onto his couch. All right. I’ve basically tricked and cheated my way onto the Vampire Council. But I’ve also exposed myself as a Vampire who has different abilities than other vamps. Different abilities equates to more power. Just politics, baby. That’s why a Vamp like me would be a danger to the entire Vampire Nation.
And what about Tony? One minute he was acting all protective. Next minute he was going behind my back ensuring my subservience! He had a lot of nerve! He really was from the olden days if he thought it was okay to think for me because I was a woman he desired! I am so happy that I hadn’t let it go any further than just a little touching ... well, and the bloodsucking … okay, and finger-fucking.
But as a Council member, did that mean that I could leave at will and not be hunted down? I had more power. Nobody could force me to kill and to be their mindless puppet. I didn’t want to be like William, forced to go looking for other Thirds to offer up to the Council. I intended to use my position as a ticket to get out of Dodge.
Paul came back into the room dressed in jeans and a KISS T-shirt. He was drying his hair with a towel. ”Pizza should be here in a few. I didn’t eat a thing because every time I tried to come upstairs I’d get the strange feeling that someone would come and snatch you away. Or maybe I thought you’d rise up. I don’t know.”
”Thanks for everything, Paul. You saved my ... whatever.”
He sat next to me on the couch.
“Do you want to tell me how all of this happened?” I asked.
“If you want to,” Paul said.
”I guess I should.”
I told him everything that I could remember. I needed to talk to someone since I was determined not to bring my true blue friend Arnitra into this mess. It felt good to confide in someone. It took only a short time to recount the events of the last week, though I did leave out things such things as how cute Tony was and how much I really detested that bitch, Kaniji.
A buzzer sounded and he stood. “Excuse me, my pizza.” He ran downstairs and came back up carrying a huge box and a two-liter of soda.
He placed everything on the bar separating his kitchen from the rest of the room then turned to me. ”I think we should try an experiment.”
I walked over to him and sat at the
bar. I was still wearing the cream-colored lounging pajamas, and they were filthy. From now on I was sticking with black.
”I think you should eat some of this pizza and drink some of this soda,” Paul said.
”Tony said that we can’t digest food so that whatever goes in is going to come out the same way.”
”Tony also said that Vampires were killed by touching holy implements.”
That’s why I was starting to like Paul. He was encouraging me in human ways, while Tony had been encouraging me in Vampire ways.
I picked up a slice of pepperoni and mushroom pizza. I took a small bite, chewed, and swallowed.
Paul watched me expectantly.
I nodded. I took another small bite.
He passed me his glass of soda.
I took a sip.
”How does it taste?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. I remember how it’s supposed to taste, but I don’t think I actually taste anything.” It was like having a bad cold and losing your sense of taste.
Paul watched me while munching on his own slice. ”Are you ... hungry yet? I mean, for blood.” Again he exposed his neck.
I chuckled. “I’m not hungry, but I could stand to get cleaned up myself. I smell like I’ve been sleeping in a cellar all night.”
Paul got me some shorts, a T-shirt, and some tube socks to wear. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s all I have.”
I felt as if I was going to elementary school gym class. “Thanks.” I took a quick shower.
He shook his head at me when I reentered the living room. ”You really don’t look like a Vampire.” He handed me an envelope. “Here.”
”What’s this?”
”Money.”
“Oh.” I closed my hand over it.
”Aren’t you going to open it?” he asked wide-eyed.
”No. Whatever’s in here, I’m sure it’s cool.”
”There’s ten thousand dollars in there!” he exclaimed.
I gasped. “Are you crazy?”
He smiled. “That’s better. And no, I’m not crazy. You’re going to need it to strike out on your own. And believe me, I have it to spare.”
Damn... ”Thanks, Paul.” I slipped the envelope into my waistband.
”Kim, you’re not going to give it to that Tony guy, are you?”
”Hell no!”
He sighed. “You’re not going to put it in the bank, are you?”
I shrugged. “I guess. Yeah. Why?”
”Because deposits of ten thousand or more are automatically reported to the IRS. I’m assuming that you’re going off the grid.”
Shit! I was going to have to worry about taxes, too?
”Look. I’m an investment broker. I’ll handle your finances for you if you want.”
I nodded, but I didn’t give him back the money.
He yawned, his eyes glassy and a little red. “Sorry. Not being a Vampire it’s hard for me to stay up all night two days in a row.”
”Go to bed, then.”
”No. I can’t do that while you’re here—but I’m not asking you to go. I kinda like you here. Can’t you just give me a suggestion that I’ve had—let’s say--ten hours of sleep?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t had much experience in mind control. But we can try it.”
He stood at attention in front of me.
I put my fingers on his temples more to relax him than anything else. Relax, trust me, I thought. He loosened up. Wow, that was easy. ”Close your eyes.”
He did with a sigh.
“Good. You’re really tired and you should sleep. Each second that you are asleep will feel like an hour of rest. Sleep now. When you wake you ...” I thought for a moment. “You will feel fully rested as if you had ... you know ... slept a long time. Okay. You’ve had about ten hours of sleep. Wake up now.”
He opened his eyes, and they seemed alert. He yawned and stretched. “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re better than black coffee. Uh ... hungry yet?”
I laughed. Paul really wanted me to feed. “I guess I’m feeling a little peckish.”
His face brightened. “Okay.” He turned his head and offered me his neck.”
I saw two small holes there from my previous feeding. ”Does that hurt?” I asked.
”What?” He touched the marks. “No. Strangely it doesn’t.”
I didn’t think that I had to leave marks when feeding. Otherwise people would be walking around with scarves on all year long.
I tilted his head the other way, exposing his unmarred skin.
He brought his hands up to my waist and rested them above my hips. ”Is that okay? You said before that I could.”
I didn’t care because Paul was beginning to smell like food. My stomach had a strange empty feel to it. ”Yeah,” I said. My teeth dropped so quickly that it brought me back to myself a little. Careful, I thought. Don’t rip the food ... I mean, Paul.
I licked his neck with long strokes. I felt him shudder. With his head gripped in my hands it looked as if we were in a lovers’ embrace. I closed my lips over his pulse and felt it flutter beneath my tongue. ”Hmm, I groaned. He tasted so good. My teeth sank into his flesh.
I felt Paul’s hands tighten on my hips. His breath seemed to come out in a pleasured rush.
I drew in the salty sweetness of him, but as soon as it hit my stomach, it revolted. There was a stabbing pain as if I was being impaled!
I fell to my knees and screamed, and what had gone down came up in a brackish, bloody mess.
Paul dropped to his knees beside me. He gripped my shoulders. “Come on. Get it out. It’s the cola and pizza.”
I made a gagging noise and coughed up a chunk of slimy pizza dough.
Paul gripped my loose hair to keep it from falling into the mess like any good girlfriend would do.
As soon as that chunk was out, I felt better. Paul rubbed my shoulders in little circles so I stayed there for another few moments with my forehead resting on his bent knee. There’s nothing like getting your shoulders rubbed after projectile vomiting.
”Better?” he asked, stroking my hair away from my forehead.
I nodded.
”Why don’t you lay on the couch while I clean this up?”
I sat up. ”No, I’ll do that.“ I froze at the sight of him.
Yum.
A small trail of blood trickled down his neck to darken his KISS T-shirt. It was poetic. Paul’s blood complemented the picture of Gene Simmons’ blood-smeared lips.
Hunger pangs struck me. My eyes fluttered.
”You okay?” he asked
”Starving, now ...” I murmured.
”Kim, uh, you look all hissy-faced right now.” He fell on his butt.
I crept up alongside of him, focused on the blood making rivulets down his body. “Won’t hurt you …” I remembered to say before I started lapping at the sticky stream. I forced him to his back where he froze like a deer in headlights.
I could taste his fear as I could take his desire before. “Make it good for you,” I said from somewhere far away from myself.
I lapped at his neck until it was all-clean. Then I lapped at the hollow of his throat. His breathing grew labored as it began to get good for him, too.
I felt his hands come up to grip my ass, and he pulled me on top of him. His legs spread slightly, and I settled between them pelvis to pelvis. I could feel him growing harder, and I couldn’t resist rubbing my pelvis against him.
His fingers dug deeply into me and pulled me tight against the bulge that was building in strength against me. I let my body slide up and down the length of his cock. I felt warm as the blood rushed to my head and my clit twitched to life.
I sank my teeth into his neck for the second time. I felt like a drug addict, a sex fiend, and Paul’s blood was my drug.
“Oh, shit,” he moaned. “That’s so good ...” He held me in place as his hips rose off the floor, thrusting forward and driving that hardness into my softness.
&
nbsp; I pushed back, frantically creating friction as I rubbed against him. I sucked on his neck, pulling the blood into my mouth and vaguely recognizing the feel of Paul’s hands on my ass, the small of my back, the sides of my torso. The elixir ran down my throat in great rivers and I drank deeply. It filled me, made me feel renewed.
... the food is Paul ...
That thought was distant, and I didn’t understand right away. I drank and lapped—Paul! I rolled away from him.
His hands feebly attempted to hold onto me as he dry humped against me, his eyes half closed. “What?” he asked.
It scared me. Was I draining him? ”I’m taking too much. I have to stop.”
”No ... not yet.” He sat up on his elbows and looked at me.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
His hand reached up and touched my cheek. “I can make you feel good, too.”
I had to smile at that. “You are making me feel good. Don’t you know how hard it is for me to stop drinking you? Even now when I’m scared to death of draining you?” Don’t push me, I wanted to warn him. Stopping was too hard.
”But do I make you feel good?” he asked.
I looked away before sighing. “Yes. Okay, yes! But don’t you get it? I can’t be with you like that because I only feel this way because you’re the food. It’s not you. And you only feel like this because of the bite. Look, I know by all outward appearance that I’m a blood slut, but I’m not!” I stared at him. I am not fucking my food!
The look of disappointment and hurt that appeared across his face calmed me and reminded me that I was being selfish.
I placed my hand over his. “When it’s about you and me—and not this blood sucking—then maybe we’ll do something about it.”
He watched me. “I’m going to have to make you fall in love with me, aren’t I?”
I smiled, and something swelled in me in that place where my heart used to beat. I stood and gave him a hand up. He came to his feet.
The door buzzer rang. I looked at him expectantly. He shrugged his shoulders then hurried to the intercom.
”Yes?” Paul said into the box.