Sacrificial Lamb -- Closed for Fang and I

[MorbidIce]

ooc// We'll, of course, be gaming this under LKH ideals I presume darlin'?

ic//

Small towns were terrible things and they got even worse if tragedies started springing up here and there; especially when they were all connected, all had the same trademarks and the old folk of the place had the say of what happened. Now, imagine the old folk were crazy, crazy in the way of holding to old beliefs -- This is what happened to the newcomer Jazz, having been stereotyped by the old folks as bringing the 'demon' with her..

..And guess who got to be the sacrifice to placate the demon?

But I'm getting too far ahead of myself.

***

The day had started off as boring as ever, Jazz sitting in her livingroom and listening to the radio as the newsman droned on about the strange disappearances - And then reappearances of bodies with two holes in their neck, drained of life and blood. She had laughed then, giggled to the supersticious nonsense that she had brought into her life by moving to this place.

She wasn't laughing now, believe me.

What had happened? It had all started with a knock on the door, a pleasant younger male standing in the doorway, smiling darkly as Jazz had opened the door. "Yes?" She had greeted, not exactly one for polite greetings- Especially when people interupted her private time, the time when she had no roommates to deal with. "I was told to bring you to town hall, Matty's there." He dutifully rambled off, like a script in a play.

"Bloody girl gotten herself into a bit of trouble eh?" Jazz preened, already sliding on shoes -- Not having time to go put socks on. "Alright, let's go then." Naive, young, happy to be the one that was bailing her friend out of trouble instead of the other way around - Life was good at that point.

The ride was short and sweet, Jazz entering town hall, noting all the elders that resided within the darkened hallways -- All watching her with malice and contempt. 'Someone didn't get their fill of ensure today,' Jazz thought to herself, steering clear of those who glowered at her like *she* was the murderess.

It was sooner rather than later that she found out that her initial thoughts had been correct, they *did* think she was the murderess- Or, the one to be held accountable for the misfortunes that had befallen the town. Drugged and dragged out into the woodens, Jazz was left to sleep off her drug induced haze until nightfall; a sort of offering to the creature- Vampire, the word had been whispered, passed around like some sort of omen.

When Jazz came to, the moon was high, clearly visable amongst the flora that still graced the treetops, her vision blurry as she sought to clear her eyes with her fists. "Huh, wha?" The twenty year old muttered, sitting up, a hand brought to her head. "What the hell-?" One could only imagine the panic that one would feel, waking up to find yourself stranded in a maze of trees, left to the wolves.

Poor Jazz, poor naive little woman.

 

[Fanged_Death]

OOC: But of course my flower

Thank you for inviting me

IC:
Earth,

Blood,

Pain.

The feeling of being trapped and then finding himself free, the sensation of cool air on skin decimated by time and lack of food. Jonathan felt the pain of death even as he smelled the life giving blood close by and lunged mindlessly for it.

Graverobbers. They had invaded the ancient resting places of a cemetery nearly forgotten. Night after night they returned and under the dim light of hand held lanterns violated the resting places of dozens of men and women. Their greed becoming greater with each raid as did the pile of jewelry, golden fillings and intimate keepsakes placed with the dead by loving families.

The final night they raided the largest and reportedly richest tomb of them all. A mausoleum that still stood, the walls solid and forbidding as the day they were set in place and to the men that sweated at moving the ancient door promising riches beyond all beliefs.

But what they found wasn’t riches. The door giving way as the moon rose high overhead was an ill omen, but unfortunately for the men they ignored it and moved inside to the ornately decorated yet solidly barred coffin.

Silver. There was to be found inlaid into the entire oak coffin layer after layers of silver crosses, the pattern unknown to them as they removed each with greedy hands and laughed in glee. Laughter that had changed to cries of terror as the beast inside was released and followed the trail of blood left by one man when he cut his hand on the coffin.

The beast fed. Gorged itself on the blood of one man and then two, fleeing the confines of the mausoleum that had held him for far too long, his mind almost entirely eradicated by the bloodless centuries.

But the blood of two men wasn’t enough. A deer roamed past and became the next victim, the pitiful cries of it dying unheard by man as the creature drained it too. At that point the beast became aware of several things at once. It once had a name, as well as a home, and above all it was once?

A man.

The thought nearly drove him back into the violated coffin. Screaming and howling he ran through the night and deeper into the woods, the agony of knowledge tormenting his mind as he realized how far he had fallen.

It was days later that he first became aware of the presence of “the woman”. Lost and wandering aimlessly she left a trail he easily followed. The need for sustenance temporarily abated he began a twisted game of cat and mouse and began tormenting the woman each night as she lay shivering on the cold ground.

For as much pain and agony he had suffered through he now began to return the favor. Each night he sought out the spore of “the woman”. Each night he disturbed her sleep and then followed her as she ran screaming through the dense trees and brush. Deeper and deeper he chased her, turning her when she might have headed the wrong direction towards a populated area, forcing her to stay awake and in abject terror of what stalked her.

 

[MorbidIce]

Jazz had no part of the awakening, no part of the release of the creature upon the town; an unfortunate victim of circumstance. She had become part of a much larger picture to cover up what had come to pass. Not even her roommate would ever know what had become of her friend, having thought that she’d left to go back to her hometown, having cracked under the pressure.

It didn’t help that there was a note left in her stead, the kidnapping having been well planned out by the elders. Did the head vampire of the region even know that one of his own had been loosed upon humankind once more, left to roam like an animal? It didn’t matter, a single human being wouldn’t be missed in the stead of a few found dead, found with incriminating evidence around their corpses.

Drugged mind took minutes upon minutes to clear, to fully grasp the situation she was in, to understand where she was. Lost, left for dead – What had happened? Upon sitting the female checked her clothing, making sure all was intact and indeed everything was in place. Trying to stand was a chore in itself, Jazz finally leaning her drug-weary body against a stout tree trunk, allowing herself a moment of realization before things kicked in.

She was alone, in a forest and lost – Help wasn’t coming, she’d been dragged to this place for a reason.

Why?

She couldn’t even fathom the possibilities, her head throbbing as her thoughts worked to make the dilemma she was in that much worse. A choked sob was muffled by a delicate hand, free hand hitting against the serrated bark of the tree and coming away scraped as she beat out her frustrations.

“Somebody? Anybody? Help!” She yelled, only silence returning to her as she listened.

-Snap.-

Jazz froze, whirling around to find nothing, fear rushing in to take place of self-pity. Heart pounded in her chest as she turned to run, fight or flight response kicking in with a wallop. She ran until she could run no more, chest heaving with each labored breath she took – But before she could fully even regain her breath, she was off again, having heard something following her.

A wolf? A bear? Something worse?

She couldn’t be sure and so she ran until her body screamed for air, until she thought her heart would burst from her chest. Jazz ran until she could run no more, collapsing within a tangle of overgrown ferns, sobbing as she curled into a ball. She cried until she slept, uncaring if she were dead before morning. Although when she next woke, she wasn’t dead – Nor was she hurt – And so the day was given over to trying to find her way back, the young woman travelling until the sun dipped behind the mountains and shone no more.

As darkness descended upon the forest once more, the fear was renewed, and so she was driven back the way she came, driven around in circles until she was lost beyond her wildest imagination. Her screams were heard by no one, her crying heard only by the squirrels that remained high within the branches of wizened oaks. It went on like this for days, Jazz making progress only until the night came and then her progress was made to backtrack as she was hunted, chased back.

It went on like this for three days, each night she ran while each day she traveled – having found a pattern in her terror.

Though unlike the first couple nights, Jazz stayed where she had been all day – Curled against a tree, lost in happier memories, wishing only that this farce of existence would end. Hope was lost to the female and when the sounds came that night, she stirred. Looking into the darkness, weary gaze scanned the flora, hands curling against the rough tree bark. “I give up!” She sobbed, her voice raised an octave in fear, “Come, do with me as you will, I cannot go any further!” Four days without food and only sips of water, four days without proper sleep – All had taken a toll on her nerves and courage.

 

[Fanged_Death]

With each shriek of terror and cry of fear Jonathon found he was thrilled to the core of his undead being. It stirred him and gave him great pleasure, so long had he been in the vacuum of absolute nothingness that each whimper and moan as he harassed her nightly chased tremors of sheer delight through his veins now flush with the stolen blood of others.

And yet as the beast thrilled at the most basic of pleasures something else stirred inside it. A new feeling. The realization that he was more than an animal, that he had once been looked upon as a god, and that he too once possessed emotions as this woman did.

And with that spark of intelligent thought other thoughts rushed back to him, filling his mind with memories, glimpses and fragments of a world long ago forgotten.

And long ago lived.

As something more than a man, and something less.

“Come, do with me as you will, I cannot go any further!”

In those words he found comfort, and in those words he found an odd pleasure and understanding as well.

"Then stand and face your master my timid little Jazz, bare your soul and breast to me so I may feast on both without destroying them."

He marked her then, as the remnants of soiled clothing slid off her body and revealing her nudity and vulnerability at the same time, his fangs flashing in the moonlight and drawing another whimper from her throat before he cut into it with them.

The marked delivered he pulled back, his eyes flashing darker with the lust for her blood and her body as he spoke.

"I will draw from your body a portion of it's life’s blood. And as I do I will ask but one question."

She screamed then. A loud, keening wail that woke the animals of the night and sent them scurrying, his lips finding the blood that welled from her punctured vein and sucking at it even as he held her helplessly pinned to the tree she had sought to find a token measure of comfort from.



"Do you wish to die pathetically my flower, or live a life eternal?"

 

[MorbidIce]

She had never before feared such as she did those nights, pushed to the very edge of her physical and mental abilities before she was able to seek sanctuary within the sun’s light. She had wondered, as the sun went down on the fourth day, if she would live to see tomorrow – Surely if she wasn’t taken and ripped to pieces by the animal, she would die from a lack of nourishment, or of fear itself.

She thought her follower to be nothing but an animal, of fur and fang – She had never thought that it would indeed by human-like in its appearance and mannerisms. A demon… The demon, the one they spoke of. Jazz’s mind taunted her with fragments of sentences from the ambush, of faces and the hand that had left her within darkness.

Dark eyes looked up in surprise as her words were replied to, hands involuntarily tightening as she sought to stand, a frown marring her lips. Your master, the words were rejected from the moment he said them, although there was not much else she could do but obey.

She had first thought that this man would be her savior, but in turn found that it was he that had plagued her nights, her gaze having finally traveled up to look into his eyes. She was mesmerized by what she found there, her limbs reacting before her mind ever could, deft fingers undoing the buttons of her blouse, letting the muddied remains fall away. It was the same with the rest of her clothing, and when her mind came to, she was nude before him.

Her gaze had fluttered to the ground, coming back up once more when he had moved closer, a whimper drawn involuntarily from her throat at the sight of fangs. She recoiled as he struck, a hand coming up to automatically touch where he’d drawn blood to the surface, smearing it over her skin.

His words had no consoling property for the young woman, a scream drawn from her lips – As if anyone could hear her, help her, save her. She pushed weakly against him as he did what he had said, cleaning the blood from her wound and drawing blood anew. Pushed against the rough bark of the tree, it scraped at the tender skin of her back as she fought, her strength finally giving out as she slumped back against the tree.

"Do you wish to die pathetically my flower, or live a life eternal?" He asked through her heart beating frantically in her ears. Looking up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks, she closed her eyes as she again hung her head. “I wish to live.”

 

[Fanged_Death]

He fed from her a second time. Taking the time to let the blood taken from her roll in his mouth and savoring the bitter-sweetness’ of it before he swallowed and smiled

Blood that was Bitter because of the anguish she felt at the hands of the townsfolk who she once thought were her "friends”, and oh so Sweet from the endorphins released into her bloodstream by the terror he had created in her.

"I will give you life then my tiny flower. And with that life new abilities and strength you have never thought possible. In return you will give me obedience and yourself, all that you possess so shall I."

It wasn't a question. Rather it rang as a clarification of what was to come. She had already made her choice and he had accepted it.

"Abilities that will aid you in exacting revenge on those that have delivered you to me."

He smiled as she reacted to his words, her face turning upwards to meet his, her eyes flashing with a burning hatred of the fore mentioned townsfolk and an eager anticipation for what he had hinted at.

"Yes my child, we share common reasons to hate them, mine centuries old, yours but days. BOTH burning our souls and giving us new reason to live."

He took her then. Not with his body but his mind. Not that her body wasn't well shaped or desirable or that the urge to mate with her had failed him for that was to come later at a much more appropriate time.

Rolling into her thoughts with his own, removing the terror and physical pain of the past days and replacing it with warmth and pleasure, flashes of his own life and who he had once been crossing the bridge he had created as he merged with her, the vision of the two of them together coming to her mind and washing over her body.

Her body was weak, the lack of food and water, and now the loss of blood even though minute took it's effect, as he rolled her mind with pleasure and promises of more........................

She swooned into his waiting arms.

"I must deliver you back to the very people who have cast you out my flower, and in that act you must trust me, for with your return I will give proof you are not the cause for their troubles."

Lifting her he looked into her fluttering eyes and smiled a reassuring smile.

"At least not YET."

Jazz fainted then and he moved. Crossing distance with his light burden easily and quickly, transporting her as promised to the same town that had cast her out, to gently place her on a bench in the local park and cover her with his own cloak.

He left her there and moved to keep his promise. To where a couple lay together hidden in the bushes nearby, lost in the passion of their bodies and unaware that death was approaching. The female watching as he took the male from her and ripped out his throat, her throat unable to let out the scream that might have saved her even as his fangs cut into it. He fed from both of them, letting the blood spill from them before feeding on it, to cover the bodies of both and the ground about them as he dragged them closer to the street and detection.

He fled then. Not from the mortals that lived within the town but the rays of first daylight, pausing to touch Jazz's face with a promise before he disappeared into the dusk.

"I will return my flower and when I do I will give you the second mark."

 

[MorbidIce]

It was their fault, the townspeople, the elders – They knew what had happened, what had been released when those men had disturbed the vampire. It was their fault she was in this predicament, and it was them she hated. An unfortunate child of circumstance, it was them who would pay, one day.

"I will give you life then my tiny flower. And with that life new abilities and strength you have never thought possible. In return you will give me obedience and yourself, all that you possess so shall I."

What he offered was still unclear, his talk of abilities and such lost as her head swam with what already had happened. What had she done, had she truly made a deal with a devil?

"Abilities that will aid you in exacting revenge on those that have delivered you to me."

An expression of pain came to her face, pain of being betrayed by those that had before welcomed her with open arms. Gaze was angled upward, her hate of them blatant in those oh-so soulful eyes, but other than that, there was question, curiosity.

"Yes my child, we share common reasons to hate them, mine centuries old, yours but days. BOTH burning our souls and giving us new reason to live."

A new reason to live.. The words should have taken on an uglier meaning, though her humanity pleaded with her, her morality rearing to life. Live and let live. Forgive and be forgiven.

There was no time to follow that thought through, for her mind seemed to suddenly lack the capacity to work; stopped in it’s tracks by something much more, rolled and taken over in a manner in which she’d never felt before.

Everything fell away, all that she had clung to that might of gotten her out of this situation with some inkling of what had happened, all the pain she’d felt. It was all gone, turned into something warm, comforting, and pleasurable. That last word was the very least she could use to describe the feeling before nature took its course and her strength – Built by fear – gave out completely.

Jazz tried to keep her eyes open, black creeping in at the edges of her vision, promising her a dark and comforting oblivion if she’d just give in. It was too much, the young woman finally giving herself over to a dreamless sleep of exhaustion.

The darkness held her in its arms, unforgiving as the vampire traveled, not even allowing her the satisfaction of knowing she was back in town. Set down on the dark bench and covered by his cloak, she gave a small sigh – The only sign of life besides her breathing.

It was late in the morning by the time Jazz was found and rushed to the local clinic, being treated for exhaustion and lack of fluids – Her recovery was amazing, the woman ready to go home to her roommate before night ever fell. Her trials were questioned time and time again, her answer being the same, “I got lost in the forest.”

She wouldn’t, nor couldn’t tell where the marks were from, the scratches and punctures on her neck – And so they were bound and medication put to minimize any scarring that might occur.

Her reappearance was brought to the attention of the town elders, fear sparking amongst them; their sacrifice had been rejected, an ill omen indeed.

If only they knew.

 

[Fanged_Death]

FEAR


It hung thick in the air as if it were part of the night’s fog.

And to a being that fed upon blood and human emotion it tasted sweet.

But as Jonathon moved through the darkness he had no false concept of what dangers that emotion posed.

It was that very emotion that set into effect the motions that forced him into the tomb that became his prison for centuries. It was fear that drove the backwards townsfolk into a mob and with numbers overwhelmed his own kind.

He wasted no time on dwelling on the mistake he had made in allowing that to happen. Rather he took the bitter lesson and learned from it, twisting it, reshaping it and by redirecting it?

Turning it to become a powerful ally.

Fear rode on his shoulder as he made his first visit. Not to his newest flower but to the Mayor of the City, to the very man that posed the greatest threat to his precious consort, and would now be his greatest servant.

"You will talk to your fellow councilmen and use your powers of persuasion to convince them she is not the danger."

Standing over the mans bed Jonathon smiled, certain the cowering man see his point(s) once he changed his nightgown and the sheets he lay in.


"Fail me and I will demonstrate how quickly a bloodline is severed. Serve me well and I will reward you with more gold than you can carry in a lifetime."

The mans wife slept through the entire meeting, blissfully unaware she had become the focal point of the discussion at one point, or that her well being swung the Mayors decision to serve a being he had only nightmares about only hours before.

"I require a residence closer and better fitting, my good Mayor. One that will establish me as part of your community and indebt them to me as well, see to it the Barrister Mansion will be refurbished and reopened for me with the week."

Business taken care of for the evening he moved to pleasure.

The pleasure he found in looking at his new protégé as she slept, when she opened her eyes to see him, and in hearing her heartbeat quicken before he spoke.

"Good Evening my flower. I think it's time we formally met and you tell me about yourself. My name is Jonathon Barrister."

 

[MorbidIce]

Jazz was sent home from the clinic with several bottles of pills, each to serve a different purpose. The pink pills were in case of infection from the numerous scrapes and other injuries she sustained, while the small blue ones were to help her into a dreamless sleep so that she’d be able to heal quickly.

Not that she wasn’t already healing quickly; unknowingly drawing on the strengths of the vampire that had marked her.

Her roommate was the one that had brought her home, fawning over Jazz as if she’d just come out of some life and death situation, which is a clever choice of words.

Brought back into the comfort of their rented home, Matty was quick in sending Jazz off to the bath, a bottle of Matty’s favorite scented bath oil in hand.

Stripping herself of the borrowed clothing – Seeing as though hers was still somewhere in the forest – Jazz started the tub, ambling over to the mirror. Her auburn hair was in a wild disarray around her shoulders, gray irises almost unseen for the size of her pupils. The drugs she’d been given were finally wearing off, although she would have to take another in short time.

Sweeping her hair back, Jazz tore away the taped on gauze padding so that she could brush her fingers against the tender marks the vampire had left.

It wasn’t all just a dream.

Closing her eyes, she braced her hands against the counter, shaking her head before she turned to climb into the tub, turning off the water.

The scented oil was added in a liberal amount before she set it to the side, sinking herself under the scented water before reemerging. Hair was slicked back from her face as she leaned against the warmed porcelain, sleepiness easing over her.

It was over an hour later that she was awoken by Matty, her roommate shaking her and telling her to get out of the tub -- That it was after nine and they should go to bed.

Draining the tub of water, Jazz wrapped herself in a terrycloth towel, ambling off to her room in the far side of the house; too exhausted from the sleeping medication even to dress, she simply crawled into bed and fell asleep.

It was much later that she felt /his/ presence, that in itself waking her from a dreamless sleep. Sitting up, dried locks fell softly around her shoulders, hiding his marks from view as she held the blanket to her bosom, blinking a few times to make sure he was really there.

"Good Evening my flower. I think it's time we formally met and you tell me about yourself. My name is Jonathon Barrister."

She cleared her throat, looking around to make sure that her roommate was no where around – had she let him in?

“My name is Jazz, Jasmine McGirr.” She replied softly, gray eyes finally focusing in on the other. She reached over to her bedside table, turning on the lamp that sat there before easing her back up against the headboard.

 

[Fanged_Death]

Jonathon remained standing and smiled at the now awake woman as she slid herself to an upright position.

"You have been done a grave wrong, Jasmine McGirr, the leaders of this community have tried once to label you as the source of all thier evils, and punished you wrongfully because of it."

His words were sympathetic and understanding, his eyes showing the empathy he felt for her and a gleaning of the plan he had in mind.

"I've spoken to the Mayor. Expressed my concerns. And requested he aid us in righting the wrongs done."

Jonathon let a tinge of a smirk come to his eyes as he smiled and then became serious once again as he continued. His voice grew cold, the past wrongs done to him blending with the current ones reaped upon Jazz in his mind and voice.

"But there are others who will eventually try again in what they failed to do the first time, for no other reason than to erase thier guilt by removing the physical proof of it. It is the human way, to destroy what they fear or have failed to try to understand."

His eyes looked about the room, at the organized chaos in it and the collection of momentos gathered during her life. All were special to her and yet posed such an insignificant meaning to anyone outside of her life.

"The only good thing that has come of this is you have been delivered to me, my flower, and because of that I can help prevent any further injustice to you."

He told her then of the Mansion and how it was to be reopened for him, of her living in it as well and citing the need for people to run the "newest business to open in the city.

"The building is old, it has been in my family since before the civil war, and will allow me to protect you and all that come to us."

It was but the beginning of his plans, and yet to expose that much to a woman who was still more human than immortal showed a great trust, one that could easily destroy him if broken.

"I am leaving to remove the barriers from the mansions gates and doors now my flower, dress and come to see me this evening, in return I will show you my home and have what I promised for you"

 

[MorbidIce]

Her arms had been set over her stomach as she listened, watching the other as he spoke. He was no longer the animal that had chased her through the woods, but a suave businessman, a thinking being.

"You have been done a grave wrong, Jasmine McGirr, the leaders of this community have tried once to label you as the source of all their evils, and punished you wrongfully because of it."

Indeed they had tried, their efforts having failed when she’d shown up once more, alive. They had expected to find naught but a corpse, drained and defiled as the others were, much like those that were found not long after Jazz had been.

All she’d had to show for her ordeal was a set of bite marks, ones that no one dared to question.

The sleeping pill she’d taken was making it hard for her to pay attention, to do much more than simply sit and listen. Her vision blurred in and out, the woman lifting her hands to try and rub away the blurring.

"But there are others who will eventually try again in what they failed to do the first time, for no other reason than to erase their guilt by removing the physical proof of it. It is the human way, to destroy what they fear or have failed to try to understand."

What he had said was true, for humans would conquer or destroy that which they feared. There was little choice left for her, Jazz being evidence to not only one crime, but several.

“This ordeal had yet to be over.” She lamented, rolling her head so that it lay on her shoulder before she lifted it, gray gaze seeking out the cloak he’d left with her earlier on.

It was folded upon a dresser, a reminder that all had been very much real.

"The only good thing that has come of this is you have been delivered to me, my flower, and because of that I can help prevent any further injustice to you."

She listened as carefully as possible as he explained about his mansion, her heart having sped up as realization dawned that the danger was not yet over for her. They could come at any time, come to collect her and dispose of her properly.

"I am leaving to remove the barriers from the mansions gates and doors now my flower, dress and come to see me this evening, in return I will show you my home and have what I promised for you"

“I will come,” She said softly, wiggling back down so that she was lying once more with her head upon the feather-stuffed pillow.

It was to be a very long day.

And a long day it was indeed- Jazz didn’t bother waking until late afternoon, having only enough time to shower and make herself presentable before she was off, in search of /his/ mansion.

 

[Fanged_Death]

Jonathon made good time and quickly found himself on the paved drive leading up to the house. Once a broad pathway to the mansion it was now a narrow brush and tree choked trail that led him to the grand steps before the home.

"It seems that as I have received ill treatment so have you, though there is no evidence of anyone coming to the grounds to destroy you or rob your furnishings."

Indeed it hadn't as he opened the double doors and stepped into the interior, the scores of dust covered sheets revealing peice after peice of expensive furniture as he pulled them off.

"You've stood the test of time quite well, it's a shame I am the only one remaining to attest to that."

From the grand halls main room he moved to a slowly curving flight of steps and climbed them, his eyes taking in the familiar surrounding as if for the first time, and as he reached the second floor and looked downward he smiled.

"I will soon fill you with guests my old friend, some that will come willingly and some....."

Moving to the master suites he pushed opened those doors and smiled as he saw that room had escaped the worst of times ravaging as well he finished.

"Some will be dragged here kicking and screaming to fill my thirst for blood and vengeance."

 

[MorbidIce]

The mansion was a place that Jazz hadn’t visited in her short time of living in the town, having heard it was haunted or other nice things such as that. The rumors about that place were ill in favor, most speaking of murder and unspeakable bloodletting.

If only they knew.

Allowing the drug-induced sleep to wear off, Jazz made herself coffee to sweep away the last of the lingering effects, seating herself at the table and listening to the silence. Her roomie had once more gone out at one of her friend’s insistence, which was fine.

There was no fear of having the previous situation repeated. She’d already been delivered into death’s embrace once, to have it happen a second time would be too much like double jeopardy.

Bringing her large mug of coffee with her, Jazz wandered her way to the bathroom that Matty and her shared, picking up a brush as she reluctantly set down her coffee.

She combed that brush through her auburn hair until it shone; taking pleasure in the small bits of pain intermingled with pleasure as the brush pulled through snarls and knots. Setting the brush down, Jazz used her fingers to section off some hair before pulling it back into a half ponytail.

She had always been told that she had never needed any makeup, her lashes dark and her eyes expressive. Throwing caution to the wind, Jazz took up Matty’s eyeliner, adding a small amount just over the line of her lashes.

With all that finished, Jazz shed her pajamas and tossed them in the hamper, donning instead a lovely halter-top dress that was the exact color of her eyes, beaded at the bottom with small seed pearls.

The last touch to her evening outfit was that of the vampire’s cloak, it pulled around her shoulders before she set out, headed for the place he had bid her to meet him. It would be a long walk, although to Jazz it would seem to pass quickly, her thoughts doing more than enough to keep her company.

 

[Fanged_Death]

Jonathon nad finished his tour of the great house. He could feel Jasmine stirring and knew she would be arriving within the hour, the pleasure at the thought of her joining him making him smile as he wrote elaborate notes to the workers that would be arriving in the daylight.

The Master Bedroom would have to be the first though it would only be used by him when his consort was here. The kitchen would be high on the priority list for to satisfy her needs as well.

And the Great Hall, the massive lower room that each guest was greeted in and made comfortable before the immense fireplace was a high priority as well.

That work would be done by the mortals, the order of the repairs and the rooms they were in would only reinforce the image the beings that now lived in the Mansion were certainly human beings.

The rooms the workers would never see were in the floor below, through a locked door and a long, winding staircase that gave access to his own private chambers and the reinforced steel cages that would hold *the others*.

It was on this floor Jonathon worked, readying the locks on each and making sure they were secure, to guarntee he would be able to keep those out of the rooms he wished to as well as keep IN the others.

Satisfied with the results he returned to the main floor, sensing Jasmine was drawing closer he moved into the yard, to wait for her arrival.

"You make an erotic and pleasant appearance my flower, well worth waiting for, let me give you a tour of your new home while we discuss your future."

 

[MorbidIce]

It was an odd feeling to be alone, though feeling as though someone else was there, watching over you, knowing your every step. It was this feeling Jazz had while she walked, searching for the place where she would find her vampire savior and curse.

'What will I tell Matty?' Jazz thought to herself as she went, puzzling out pieces that didn't quite yet fit into the puzzle. 'Will I stay with her still? Or will I be expected to leave her?'

Empathy kicked in full force. 'Ugh, poor girl will have to pay all the rent then! That's a tad expensive for her.'

Always thinking about situations other than her own, Jazz tried her hardest to put off the inevitable; what kind of situation had the townsmen thrust her into when they'd tossed her into the forest as a sacrificial lamb?

Surely they hadn't thought she'd walk out alive, let alone basically unharmed except for some psychological damage; nothing too serious that time couldn't fix.

Delicate fingers smoothed over the fabric that stretched over her stomach, smoothing out any wrinkles as she reached the main gate, looking at the large empty place that loomed behind -- eerily beautiful in its own way.

Jazz let herself in, taking care to make sure the gate was shut quietly behind her, gray eyes having made sure no others were around to witness her arrival. Flicking her eyes up from the ground, she was met with the sight of her night time stalker, the reason she was here.

Shyness suddenly overtook her, Jasmine approaching slowly, his words gifted with a polite smile -- However confusing they were to her.

"You make an erotic and pleasant appearance my flower, well worth waiting for, let me give you a tour of your new home while we discuss your future."

"My new home?" She questioned meekly, glancing past him to the mansion, arms crossing over her stomach. "I will be living here... With you?"

 

[Fanged_Death]

"I will be living here... With you?"

"It is, as how it was meant to be."

Jonathan smiled and slid his arm around Jasmine, letting a small measure of his own aura spread out and into her, offsetting the worried vibrations rippling from her.

"There are those yet who would harm you. You as a woman alone, save one "roommate" to champion you presents a vulnerable and fairly harmless target."

"Speaking of that room-mate, what do I tell her? Hi, I'm moving out to shack up with a vam...?"

They had wound their way through the yard and onto the steps, stopping before the double doors that swung open for them. Jonathon looked down into her eyes and smiled a knowing and somehow compassionate smile, then finished the half spoken word.

"Vampire? Then you understand at least a small bit of what I am...perhaps from folklore handed down by these backwards villagers and the theatrics of book and play."

He slipped his hand from her waist and turned to face her, letting his eyes take in every detail of her features and the innocence that radiated from her despite her toughened attitude.

"A simple explanation that your terms of employment require you to live on the premises should explain that to your girlfriend who I believe you call...Matty. And if you wish extend the offer to her as well. The Barrister Mansion was once a pivotal point for world travelers and will soon be again, requiring many to tend to their whims and desires as they rest."

"The Barrister Mansion was a travel lodge?"

Even the events of the last few days couldn't keep the humor from Jasmine's incredulous half question, and it was her turn to laugh gently as she looked over the yard that more resembled a jungle.

"A Hotel?"

Jonathon understood all too clearly how large of a stretch it was to imagine the ancient Mansion and decrepit yard as a place for travelers and how much work it would take to return to a usable state.

"There are few of my kind left my flower, the remaining will come for shelter and news of others like us, and with each visit my power will increase and my abilities to protect those that follow me."

"And if they were to decide they wanted to stay and take what is yours?"

Jonathon nodded in solemn consideration, knowing the question was one of self survival, that Jasmine was asking in her own way *what happens to me then?*

"To break an oath given to another immortal is to sentence yourself to a fate worse than death, a sentence I am more than capable of delivering."

Jonathon leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jasmine's forehead in a quick, gentle reassurance and smiled as he leaned back.

"Come inside my flower and give me your current day impressions of what should be done to a three hundred year old "mo-tel" "

 

[MorbidIce]

"It is, as how it was meant to be." He spoke as if this was all predestined, something that Jazz could never fathom -- A person chose their own roads, their own destiny; although, she hadn't chosen this path for herself.

Muscles were tense as he slid his around around her, his aura allowing her to relax somewhat, the woman uneasy with everything. Her life was changing in a totally different direction without any chance for her to cling to what was left.

"There are those yet who would harm you. You as a woman alone, save one "roommate" to champion you presents a vulnerable and fairly harmless target." A harmless target indeed, it wasn't hard to trick Jazz into the trap they'd set out for her; she having been rather naive, thinking that Matty was in trouble. She should of known that the woman would of phoned her had something happened, although she wouldn't be making that mistake again.

If she could help it.

She was confident that she would be finally able to speak without her voice telling of her insecurities, her tone being somewhat sarcastic. "Speaking of that room-mate, what do I tell her? Hi, I'm moving out to shack up with a vam...?"

"Vampire? Then you understand at least a small bit of what I am...perhaps from folklore handed down by these backwards villagers and the theatrics of book and play." She had once been told by one of the old crones in the town that vampire was another word for a glorified-bloodsucker; of course, Jazz had laughed at the conversation, it being of demons and other things that went 'bump' in the night.

Grey gaze remained on his face, expression pensive as he spoke, unsure if she could pull off such a large half-truth. She'd never been able to keep things from Matty, it was part of the other girl's charm.


"A simple explanation that your terms of employment require you to live on the premises should explain that to your girlfriend, who I believe you call... Matty. And if you wish extend the offer to her as well. The Barrister Mansion was once a pivotal point for world travelers and will soon be again, requiring many to tend to their whims and desires as they rest."

"The Barrister Mansion was a travel lodge?" She couldn't keep the incredulous look off her face, it turning to soft laughter as her gaze was turned from his face to view the unkempt yard. "A Hotel?"

"There are few of my kind left my flower, the remaining will come for shelter and news of others like us, and with each visit my power will increase and my abilities to protect those that follow me." The fact that others of his kind would visit was unnerving, that thought announced loud and clear in her eyes -- She was just getting use to the fact that /he/ was one, let alone there'd be others she'd have to be afraid of.

"And if they were to decide they wanted to stay and take what is yours?" She somewhat understood that he was trying to build his own little haven, a mini empire- A place that he would rule undisputed. Her thoughts were going at a million miles a minute, grey eyes worried. What /would/ happen to her if he were to be.. Disposed of?

The kiss on the forehead was a comforting gesture, her attentions quickly turned to the task at hand. "Come inside my flower and give me your current day impressions of what should be done to a three hundred year old "mo-tel."

Three hundred years old.. Far past an age that she thought she'd ever live to see.

 

[Fanged_Death]

They stepped over the threshold and into the dusty interior.

Jonathon Barrister stood quietly and looked at the first human being who had ventured inside in almost two hundred years.

At least one who had a good chance of walking out alive, that was.

He watched her move.

Each step and swing of her hips, the way she slid her fingers acros the back of a leather couch, the face she made into the oversized mirror adorning the mantle of the fireplace as she passed by.

It was as if he were fading into the dim background, becoming motionless and invisible as she wandered through the Great Hall and made small comments.

"You need electricity and modern lights.

There isn't a radio or TV in the place either.

Not even a place for a magazine or newspaper to be read.

Paint

Drapes

Carpet

Jasmine made a slow circle and paused at the front door, then looked over her shoulder to see where he went.

"Mister Barrister?"

"Beside you my flower. You were speaking of carpet. I was thinking of the floor being restored to it's original wood surface?"

Jasmine spun and faced him, the evidence it was all a bit much coming too fast for her clearly written on her features, the fear coming back for a fleeting second as she caught her breath.

"You are safe here Jasmine. No harm will ever come to you."

Jonathon spoke slowly as he stepped forward to run his hand over the fabric of her blouse and rest his hand on her hip.

"Promise?"

The voice was breathy and yet steady and this time Jonathon noted she didn't step back from him.

"I give you my word, my flower. Perhaps we've spoken enough of this House and the plans for it for one evening, I think it wise if we use the rest of the night to talk about you and the plans we need to keep you safe?"

 

[MorbidIce]

From the fresh cool air and into the dusty interior she stepped, immediately whisked away to another time and place. She had been taking interior design courses at the local college, although this blew everything out of the water.

And she hadn't even been in there thirty seconds.

"Beautiful," She breathed, more to herself than the other, wandering inward, grey gaze taking in as much as humanly possible. Fingers grazed over the back of a leather couch, eyes dropping to find that it was in immaculate condition -- Most of the things wouldn't need to be replaced, unless he cared to keep them in good condition and then others would be found and used.

Each step she took made the skirt of her dress sway and dance with her movements, her gaze flickering up to find her reflection in a large mirror. Jazz took a moment to look at her reflection, her auburn hair vivid against her skin, grey eyes large, made sexy by the single line of eyeliner. Jazz shook her head, wrinkling her nose at the reflection and watching it do the same simultaneously before she moved on.

She had kicked into student mode, making a mental list as she went, although that list was repeated out loud for Jonathon. "You need electricity and modern lights." She said finally, idly noting that candles would make an ambient atmosphere in such a room.

"There isn't a radio or TV in the place either." Obviously, "Perhaps a hidden player and speakers to allow for music that employees could change at their descretion."

"Not even a place for a magazine or newspaper to be read." Of course, they'd have to buy up-to-date ones.

"Paint, drapes, carpet." She finished, wondering if she had forgotten anything, her gaze moving to the side and over her shoulder. "Mister Barrister?" He had all but vanished in her mind until that moment, and so it was a surprise when he was right beside her; why hadn't she noticed that?

"Beside you my flower. You were speaking of carpet. I was thinking of the floor being restored to it's original wood surface?" Her mind wasn't on carpet or wood floors, having finally come to terms that she was in /real/ danger, not just the victim of some cruel joke. She was going to live /here/ in this place with /him/.

"You are safe here Jasmine. No harm will ever come to you." She wanted to believe him, to take comfort in his words - But she couldn't be sure at that point. She had been snatched from her home, deposited into his clutches and tormented; now the tormenter would become her bodyguard?

She didn't step back from him as he touched her, not like she had before in the woods when she had tried to run. "Promise?" She asked in a breathy voice, the undertone of steel showing through. She wanted his word, his promise, an oath.

"I give you my word, my flower. Perhaps we've spoken enough of this House and the plans for it for one evening, I think it wise if we use the rest of the night to talk about you and the plans we need to keep you safe?"

She nodded in agreement, taking a breath to steady herself before she spoke again. "I think that would be a good idea, Matty won't be back until morning anyway." Talk about her.. What about her? She had always thought herself a plain person with a terribly plain name, thus her unique nickname. 'Jazz' had always described her upbeat personality with a bit of sparkle, the want to make herself something more than people saw her as.

 

[Fanged_Death]

Jonathon could sense the uneasiness in her mind as he directed the conversation towards her, knew she loathed to speak of the "who" and "what " she was, or was supposed to be.

"I can and will protect you my flower."

He began again as she fell into a silence and moved to lean against an ornate table.

"From your own kind as well as my mine.

But to do so there must be certain links created between us.

Links that once created can never be broken or destroyed."

The words he spoke carefully, keeping his voice level as he watched Jasmine and then saw the expected alarm come to her eyes.

"If you mean making me a blood sucker....."

"That is an option Jasmine, but NOT the only one we have, that is UNLESS?"

"NO!"

Her single word came emphatically and she lifted her body off the table as he began to move forward.

"It is agreed then. I will not try to bring you over unless you change your mind."

"Never!

There was less alarm in her eyes now and he smiled, taking another step forward to ease the distance.

"Would you agree that you need the protection I can provide, Jasmine?"

"I'd say that was accurate in a sense, the real monsters aren't in this room, at least....

"At least not YET?"

Jonathon finished, knowing her mind was thinking ahead to what he had suggested would come.

"Yes, I mean yes I need protection and you seem to be able to offer it, though I'm not sure where this is leading to.

Jasmine was wary now. Not afraid, but sensing something was "up" and that she might be it.

"The links Jasmine. Some of my kind call them marks, they represent many things and when received give the person certain gifts as well. But they can never be removed. What I'm asking you is are you ready to receive the second?"

 

[MorbidIce]

Jazz never had liked to talk about herself and so was thinking on how to ease the direction of conversation away once more; although it looked like that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"I can and will protect you my flower." He would protect her from others, but who would protect her from him? Lips were curved into a frown as she watched Jonathon, the petite woman moving to lean against a table, listening as he continued to speak.

"From your own kind as well as my mine." There had to be a catch to it - Everything came with a catch.

It came out soon enough.

"But to do so there must be certain links created between us. Links that once created can never be broken or destroyed." Grey eyes widened, the tapping of her nails upon the top of the table stopping suddenly, as though her fingers had gone into shock.

"If you mean making me a blood sucker..." That, of course, had been the first thing to come to mind -- There would be no way that she could prey on those that were like her.

"That is an option Jasmine, but NOT the only one we have, that is UNLESS?"

"NO!" She cut him off, her thoughts and feelings on the matter put into that one word as she pushed herself off the table, taking a step back as he moved towards her.

"It is agreed then. I will not try to bring you over unless you change your mind."

"Never!" His words had done a bit to ease her mind on the matter, although that didn't mean she wasn't still willing to argue. There was a fine line between accepting things that walked the line of morality and totally stepping all over it.

"Would you agree that you need the protection I can provide, Jasmine?"

"I'd say that was accurate in a sense, the real monsters aren't in this room, at least..." She let her words fade out, not wanting to offend.

"At least not YET?" She nodded, continuing on. "Yes, I mean yes I need protection and you seem to be able to offer it, though I'm not sure where this is leading to."

Muscles were tense, her arms crossed under her breasts, the cloak covering so that her arms were mostly hidden now, it having fallen from over her shoulders. The woman moved to take it off, setting it delicately on the table before reassuming her pose.

"The links Jasmine. Some of my kind call them marks, they represent many things and when received give the person certain gifts as well. But they can never be removed. What I'm asking you is are you ready to receive the second?"

Second?

"What do you mean second? When was the first?" There were so many questions to ask! "I don't understand, what do these marks entail? Will they disappear when I die?"

There was no dying if Jonathon stayed 'alive' and well, though she didn't know that.

Yet.

Each question caused her to get more and more worked up, the woman veritably pacing in front of him, one delicate hand held over the marks he had given her the night he'd revealed himself to her.

"They can never be removed." It had an ominous ring to it, a sound of finality, like she was giving up everything to be /his/.

 

[Fanged_Death]

"What do you mean second? When was the first?" There were so many questions to ask! "I don't understand, what do these marks entail? Will they disappear when I die?"

Jonathon could see the panic building in Jasmine and as she began to pace knew she needed to focus on something other than her fear.

"It was difficult for me to understand as well my flower"

She pivoted and he moved forward, fast enough to place himself in her path, but not attempting to touch or halt her.

"I remember the fear, the confusion. Questioned my sanity and that of the people around me, IF only I had asked the right questions I might have found the answers I needed to understand the changes in myself."

Jasmine stopped and faced him, her eyes studying his own, the questions and fear both quite clear to him as he raised a hand to stroke her cheek.

"If I had wanted to harm you I would have done so in the forest my flower, not take you back to your town and cover you with my own cloak.

All you need to do is ask, and I will answer your questions this evening, if you fear what needs to be done it is only because you do not have the understanding of it."

Her eyes met his and he smiled, projecting himself into her mind and filling it with peace, tranquility, speaking to her without moving his lips and knowing she could hear him.

"The marks themselves need not hurt my flower. If you accept them it will not even bother ypu. I gave you the first mark NOT with my bite...that was when I was still an animal...But with my mind...to help your body heal...to help your mind heal...this gift will be with you always allowing you to heal faster then ever before possible, and with each mark your abilities and strength will increase, your very LIFE grow longer."

 

[MorbidIce]

The more she thought about it, the more the fear built; it was something she did not understand and so fear was the logical reaction, despite her allowance of asking questions.

"It was difficult for me to understand as well my flower."

Difficult hadn't been a word in her vocabulary until only a few nights prior, Jazz having never understood 'not being able to' or 'I can't'. They just weren't words in her vocabulary, she having pushed and prodded to be where she was.

She was a survivor.

Having moved to pace back, she stopped short, stumbling into Jonothan as she did so. Righting herself, she looked up at him, her arms crossed over her breasts, each hand rubbing up and down her arms as though she was cold.

"I remember the fear, the confusion. Questioned my sanity and that of the people around me, IF only I had asked the right questions I might have found the answers I needed to understand the changes in myself."

/Changes/.

She didn't generally like changes unless they were forced upon her, having built a safe and sane routine to go by day after day. Matty use to tease her about it, saying that was why she'd never have a boyfriend.

"If I had wanted to harm you I would have done so in the forest my flower, not take you back to your town and cover you with my own cloak. All you need to do is ask, and I will answer your questions this evening, if you fear what needs to be done it is only because you do not have the understanding of it."

She thought back to those nights in the forest, of the fear he'd created in her - Although any harm that had been done was her own doing, not being forest-smart and falling while running.

Gray gaze met his, a sudden wave of passiveness washing over her, allowing her to take a deep breath and calm herself. She was being irrational, not allowing herself to think - Or maybe she was thinking too much. A bit of spontaneous play wouldn't hurt her, right?

"The marks themselves need not hurt my flower. If you accept them it will not even bother you. I gave you the first mark NOT with my bite... that was when I was still an animal...But with my mind... to help your body heal... to help your mind heal... this gift will be with you always allowing you to heal faster then ever before possible, and with each mark your abilities and strength will increase, your very LIFE grow longer."

Abilities and strength, two things that humans weren't exactly born with. Jazz closed her eyes, hands coming up to tuck an errant lock behind her ear. "Alright," She concented, "I'll allow it," In other words, I'll trust you...

 

[Fanged_Death]

"I'll allow it"

Jonathon held Jasmines gaze and her shoulders, giving her time to reconsider the words she had just spoken and to consider what was going to happen next.

"We need not speak to communicate, my flower."

And with the words he reached deeper into her mind and projected the vision of himself and Jasmine lying together undressed on his waiting bed upstairs.

"In fact we not need even TOUCH to experience the bliss of lovemaking that can exist between a vampite and his human servant.


In thier combined reality Jasmine slowly spread her legs to him, opening her body and soul as she smiled upwards in encouragement.

In thier combined reality Jonathon kissed her smiling lips as he slowly lowered himself into her.

Jasmine cried out, not of pain, but of pleasure and arched her body upwards to meet his, driving the last of his cock into her.

Jonathon groaned in pleasure and began to move inside her, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through both of them as he covered her neck, shoulders and breasts in kisses.

In thier minds the Jasmine and Jonathon saw as well as felt the pleasure as they made love and rocked in an explosive orgasm.

***

Jasmine.....Jasmine..........Jasmine, my Flower......wake.....

Jonathon sat beside Jasmine on the bed, brushing her tousled hair back as she slowly returned to conciousness and stirred, then tried to sit up.

"Wh...where am I...What did you do?"

"You are in the Master Bedroom my flower."

Jonathon relied and smiled, his tone of voice reflecting his amusement as if asking *where ELSE would you be?*

"My clothes, where are they?"

Again Jonathon smiled as Jasmine slowly returned to her senses and then replied with a soft smirk.

"They are ON you my flower, where ELSE would they be?"

 

[MorbidIce]

Jazz remained quiet while he waited that short space of time for her to change her mind- But the change of mind never came, just the silence of agreement already spoken.

"We need not speak to communicate, my flower."

"Wha-?" She didn't even get to speak the full word before the vision assaulted her, leaving her speechless. It was like watching it on the television, clear and in color.

The depth of detail, coming from his mind, was amazing. Of course, one could get lost in the fact it was only a vision.

"In fact we not need even TOUCH to experience the bliss of lovemaking that can exist between a vampire and his human servant.

Those words were lost to the vision as it took over, taking her whole attention, leaving her suspended between reality and the fantasy of his mind.

In thier combined reality Jasmine slowly spread her legs to him, opening her body and soul as she smiled upwards in encouragement.

It felt so /real/, almost as though it was really happen -- And it was, wasn't it? She couldn't tell anymore, couldn't differentiate between the dreamlike state and the fact that she was actually standing in a parlour; or was she?

Each kiss, each movement, she could feel it all, could swear it was happening.

The climax shattered her mind into a million pieces, the vision greying before going black, her mind taking a few moments to reboot itself and get a handle on what was happening.

"Jasmine... Jasmine... Jasmine, my Flower... Wake..." She woke to the gentle urging of the other, disoriented and unsure.

She was vertical, laying and so she tried to sit. "Wh...where am I...What did you do?"

"You are in the Master Bedroom my flower."

She frowned at his tone, still unsure, gray gaze flitting around as if to confirm his words before another thought hit her. "My clothes, where are they?"

"They are ON you my flower, where ELSE would they be?"

"I-i.. Er.." She stumbled and sputtered before quieting herself, her cheeks burning in a heated blush as she realised that it had all been a... Dream? Had it been a dream, or something else?

"Forgive me, I must of blacked out." She muttered, sweeping her hair back from her face with a practised motion of her hand. She shifted her legs, that same hand wandering downward to fix her skirt, Jazz /just/ noticing the peculiar wet feeling between her legs.

In which she blushed again, twice as hard. How was it she was /aroused/ if it hadn't happened? I'm losing my mind...