The Darkest of Nights... (Vampire--PM me)

[Lie_in_Truth]

It was hard for her...walking at night. It had been since...the 'encounter'. She never told anyone what she saw. She didn't think anyone would believe her. Yeah, she could show the scars, tell of her tortures, but...those could have been self-inflicted. I mean, let's face it, who believes in vampires these days? Oh, sure, there are your psychos who like to believe they're vampires, but...they're just nuts. Given that, wouldn't anyone think she was insane, too?

So, she kept her mouth shut. And, besides, she had a good life now. Her store ran well, she lived comfortably above it, and she did what she liked most--read her own books and drink her own coffee. Books and You wasn't a smash, but it let her live with a few comforts. What more could one ask?

She'd gotten asked out a few times, too. And they were decent guys, but... Something always held her back. Oh, it wasn't that she didn't think she was attractive. She wasn't captivating by any means, but she had a certain appeal that just drew people to her. Her black hair was cut extremely short, cutely arrayed in tiny spikes on her head. Her dark, grey eyes hinted a blue in the light, catching many an eye for their unique shade. And though she was short, only a little above 5 feet, her figure was slender but built. She was thankful only a few of her scars showed from beneath her clothes.

Aside from the nightmares, she kept a solid life-style. And that's why she found herself, once again, walking the streets after dark, trying to get home as quickly as possible. All of her muscles were tense, her head bent down even though her eyes scanned the shadows constantly. Home seemed so far away when the moon began to rise...

 

[gavinco90210]

I would like to join

 

[gavinco90210]

It was hard for her...walking at night. It had been since...the 'encounter'. She never told anyone what she saw. She didn't think anyone would believe her. Yeah, she could show the scars, tell of her tortures, but...those could have been self-inflicted. I mean, let's face it, who believes in vampires these days? Oh, sure, there are your psychos who like to believe they're vampires, but...they're just nuts. Given that, wouldn't anyone think she was insane, too?...

...Aside from the nightmares, she kept a solid life-style. And that's why she found herself, once again, walking the streets after dark, trying to get home as quickly as possible. All of her muscles were tense, her head bent down even though her eyes scanned the shadows constantly. Home seemed so far away when the moon began to rise...

The wind whipped violently around the tall ominous buildings...Shudders on a nearby house clapped angrily...it was a whistle...a howl...screaming for her...
But as her footsteps quickened, she swore she heard something else...a hiss...like the wind...but somehow vocal...and it seemed to say:

"sleep tight....sleeeeep"

She jumped around to her back and her eyes darted furiously, but saw nothing...as she hurried off for home, her eyes caught a glint in the hedge-row across the street...maybe nothing...but maybe...

all of the sudden.....

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She gasped but breathed a sigh of relief as her cat, Shadow, slithered over to her. Suddenly, her fears seemed stupid and childish. As Shadow wound around her feet, she bent down and picked her up.

"How did you get out, sneak?" she asked with a small grin. "Let's go home, 'kay? I'll give you some warm milk and..."

But her voice faultered as the shadows seemed to move right next to her home. Get inside. Get inside...NOW. Without further thought, she made a mad dash for her door, clutching Shadow to her and hastily pulling out her keys, frantically searching for the right one. I know I shouldn't have stayed this late. I know!

 

[gavinco90210]

She gasped but breathed a sigh of relief as her cat, Shadow, slithered over to her. Suddenly, her fears seemed stupid and childish. As Shadow wound around her feet, she bent down and picked her up.

"How did you get out, sneak?" she asked with a small grin. "Let's go home, 'kay? I'll give you some warm milk and..."

But her voice faultered as the shadows seemed to move right next to her home. Get inside. Get inside...NOW. Without further thought, she made a mad dash for her door, clutching Shadow to her and hastily pulling out her keys, frantically searching for the right one. I know I shouldn't have stayed this late. I know!

As she fumbled with the key chain in her cold trembling fingers, a gust of wind lifted her hair and icily stroked the back of her neck. A low growl like rattle of the lawn furniture sliding across the porch seemed to say..."rock rock rock-a bye"

"baby! Shrieked a large bat, fluttering and scraping out from the rafters...

"I am going mad?" she thought "Yes...just crazy...out of it...and so...so.......tired."

She finally shoved open the door and stumbled onto the couch, barely able to keep her feet underneath her..."what is happeni..." but she couldn't finish her thought.

With a flash and flutter of an eyelash, she was wide awake, only transported to a dark expansive stone hall. The damp encrusted hewn walls dripped with frigid moisture.

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

Immediately, she began to shiver with fear and cold. He...He can't... I watched him die! But....then...what is... The cold made the deep scar on her back itch and the tattoo on her side flare to life. This cold...it wasn't natural.

She stumbled to her feet, her eyes darting everywhere in her fright. With sheer force of will, she swallowed with her dry throat as her eyes adjusted to the dimness, not allowing her eyes to let one moist drop roll from her orbs. Tucking her hands around herself, she pulled her thin jacket closer, her low-slung jeans seaping in cold from everywhere.

"Wh-Who's there?" she called with her soft voice, darker and huskier from lack of moisture and a good dose of terror.

 

[newlysubbed]

With out warning a low male voice is heard. "Do not fear girl. You are safe here." Followed be a devilish chuckle. "At least compared to the last of my kind. The child deserved to die."

with out a sign a low level light appeared around the edge of the room. Showing a elegantly dressed male sitting at a table set for 2. With a touch of authority in his voice "come sit with me."

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She felt like jumping out of her skin, but that would pose a problem to the rest of her body. The cold, dampness seemed to have lessened, but that in no way eased her fear. The thumping of her heart echoed in her ear-drums, her eyes suddenly locked on the new comer. His voice, the ethereal beauty---even his reference to 'kin'---could only mean one thing. Which also turned her into one thing--prey.

She couldn't resist the pull of light where so much darkness surrounded her, though she proceeded with caution, her every step hesitant. "I don't want to sit. I want to go home," she said softly, knowing he'd hear her as she approached him slowly.

 

[newlysubbed]

He looked at her, the slight smile ment to be not fully comforting, "you still have a bit of spirit. After what he did to you that is surprising. No wonder you draw my kind. I assure you I am the best you will find."

He looked her over very closely, "you derserve better. I am willing and able to provide. Sit you need a warm meal." Then he lifted a lid. showing tender looking meat dish in a sauce, as well as vegatables and pasta. The warmth easily seen rising from the food.

He looked into her eyes, "fear not I have no reason to posion you. I want only for you to regain your stregth and you composure."

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She almost replied with a haughty, "I'm not hungry," but stopped herself. Her stomach was protesting the waste. Afterall, his kind couldn't eat much solid food, anyway. Her expressive, grey-blue eyes told her own defiance even as she sat tenderly in the chair.

Then it hit her. He'd made reference to him. Her eyes snapped to his face, remembering almost too late not to look directly into his eyes for too long. With white knuckled hands, she asked, "How do you know about Alec?" It had been so long since she'd said that name, but it still made her back tense from old pain. He'd beat her enough until she'd finally said his name, it was ingrained in her head; it might even have been carved into her skin as well, she couldn't quite recall.

 

[newlysubbed]

The male sighed, a forced breath and sound, "he was mine. His wild side and likeing of violence did not agree with me. Unfortunely you were not the first human that he beat and scared. He deserved to die a slow painful death. I am not upset with you for arranging that."

He waited for the word to settle in before continuting, "I am sure that you have reached the conclusion the what he did to you has left permanent marks on you. There are ways that those marks can be lessoned and even erased over time."

He spoke agian after a pause, "eat, you need food." He picked up a glass with a mixture of dark red wine and blood off the table, saluted her with the glass and took a sip.

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

Her sharp eyes took him in before indulging in a bit of food. She wasn't sure what he was up to. That bothered her, not knowing. She liked to know where she stood with people...even vampires. He knew too much of her, and yet she knew nothing of him. He hadn't even given her his name. He was being too calm, too pleasant.

"I don't want them erased," she said, finally between bites. "The scars." And he did more than just beat and scare', as you call it. She was feeling a bit better with a little food in her stomach, now, that she looked him dead in the eye. "What do you want of me, sir?" she asked with a slight scarcastic irony to her voice. It frightened her that at that moment, she wasn't frightened of him.

 

[newlysubbed]

He watched the girl, then raised an eyebrow.

He spoke "I am Bruce, I have been walking this earth a long time. I wont bore you with the centuries of tales. As for what I want of you. I want you in my life. It will be good for you as well. With me as your protector no other vamps will stock or even bother you."

He looked off beyond her shoulder. "You have something about you that will always draw my kind. I do not want you to be hurt again." His reasons are not something he is willing to talk about.

Then he looked straight in to her eyes, "eat, you have had a shock. You need your strength."

As an after thought. "does not the food taste to your likely?"

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She fought the urge to huff at him. "The food is delicious, thank you," she replied, hiding her unease. She hadn't asked for Alec to stalk her. She hadn't asked for any of it. But what Bruce just said confirmed her suspicions. All the years, even after Alec had been burned to dust, she had felt their shadows. Though she had moved, countless times, she had been aware of their presences. They knew where she was. Always.

Feeling that the food wouldn't harm her anymore, even if she was not content with Bruce's answer to her question, she ate what she could, slowly savoring the meal.

"Why do I need my strength, exactly? How long are you going to keep me here?" It wasn't that she still wasn't afraid; God knew she was. She just hated skirting a subject. Her chilled fingers set aside her fork, curling into her lap. This situation was becoming very strange. He hadn't tried to kill her yet, which she took as a good sign.

 

[newlysubbed]

Bruce smiled "I only plan a keeping you here a couple of days. It will give you time to be 'labeled' or this little trip will have been useless. It is the quickest way to keep other like me away from you. At least for so long as I walk the earth."

He felt she was afraid of the vamp who had been stocking her for a long time.

He looked back to ware she woke up. "I really dont wish to do you serious or permanent harm." with a stern glance at the girl,"I will if I have to."

"You really have no options here. Unless you want to die, here."

"Now tell me you name. So we can have some conversation till sunrise."

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

Her slightly relaxed body instantly tensed again from his statement. Oh, God...what did I do to deserve this...? Feeling the cold more acutely, she straightened her little jacket, zipping it up all the way to her neck. Her cold fingers got stuffed into her jacket pockets, clenching to keep them from twitching endlessly. Sunrise....a few days. I don't want to be bloodsucker food.

"Josephine," she said at last. She wondered if he even knew her true name, but this was the one she went by now, and she rather liked it. "My co-workers call me Joey, though," she added, not knowing if it was appropriate or not. Who cares if it's appropriate? He just said I might not live past the next few days. I don't care anymore.

Her lips nearly pursed into a disturbed pout, but she forced her face not to show her discomfort, relaxing her puffy lips and keeping her brow from creasing. This whole fiasco was disturbing.... And why did he have to 'label' her or whatever? Was she just some pawn, a wanted blood-vessel? Just what was it that kept her life from being sane?

 

[newlysubbed]

Bruce was very observent in his world you had to be. He stood up smoothly, walked over to a closet, set in to the wall and pulled and blanket out of it. This he brought back and put on the girls lap. "I forget some times that your kind dont like the chill. That should help."

Then he sat back down. "Josephine is a fine name, that is no need to shorten it. I know you are confused by all of this. I ask you to think carefully do you wished to continue to be stocked by my kind? Most humans find it uncomfortable at best."

He look off into space again, "one of the other reasons for me to label you is that I want to figure out what about you is do special as to draw my kind to you, like moth to a flame. My child never treated normal humans like he did you. Only specail ones. Most of the time he killed that part of them before he was done. You will prove most interesting indeed."

He took a sip of his blood and wine. "I want you to enjoy yourself, with in reason, while you are here. I do apologize for the poor quality of meat i ended up feeding you to night. I assure you I will have better then cat meat to marrow night,"

He continued without pause, "there is a sleep chamber over there. You will find it well light and containing a variety of reading materials, as well as several different kinds of puzzles. Just in case you dont wish to sleep the whole day." He knew she might not like it a lot being windowless and only one door and it bolted from the outside. But is had sink with runing water and a toilet for her use in the closet.

" I did not wish for things to get to this stage yet but some other of my kind were about to make a move on you. To them you would have been mere cattle, you would have been dead within a night or two. YOu deserve far better then an early grave."

"You see child I am the best choice you have. By time you leave here you will understand that."

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She ignored the anger that threatened to break the surface through the cold and fear. By his standards, yes, she might still be a child, but even a centuries-old vampire could still be stupid...or ignorant...of many things. Instead, she focused on his quip about the meat. It brought a smirk to her face, though she said nothing; let him figure it out. I might as well make it worth it...

At least now more of her questions had been answered. All she had to do was wait it out, hopefully. With luck, she might just make it out alive. With a miracle, maybe she might remain unscathed.

Taking the blanket, she wrapped it around her shoulders, feeling more protected, even if it was just a sheet of cloth.

"Is that all?" she asked. "I mean, you just want to study me?"

 

[newlysubbed]

"No Josephine studying you is not all I wish to do to you. I also wish to pretect and comfort you."

Bruce knew his idea of comfort might not be hers.

"you see after centuries it is easy to lose touch with the living."

He even with his age Bruce still felt some responsibility for what his child had done.

"So what is it you usually do with your days. To keep your bills paid."

He looked straight at her, "Is there a man who will be worried about you going missing?" His meaning plain. He was paying close attension so he would know if she choose to lie.

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

'Not all I wish to do to you...' She didn't even try to give him a weak smile. This was not pleasant, this meal was not comfortable, and he was definitely not going to play Mr. Nice Guy. Even with his ethereal beauty, she would not be his 'play-thing'.

"I own a bookstore and coffee shop in one," she said after a pause, thinking about her answers before speaking. "It's a nice place, if I do say so myself. It keeps a roof over my head and money in my pocket."

His last question left her little to manuever around. "As for people who will miss me..." She paused again. Well, just because we're not together doesn't exclude him. They'd all miss me...I think... "I have a few close ones that will think it odd, yes. One man might just split his jeans running around for me." She missed him, but she wouldn't say anything. She'd only endager his life. But, maybe that line would be enough for Bruce to assume she was taken. After all, she hadn't lied. That thought almost made her grin, before she realized what she was sitting in front of.

Alec had really liked her grin. She hadn't even realized what he was when they met, late one night in her old job as a cashier in a bookstore. He'd been a pleasant customer. He'd even smiled and asked her name, winking a little. It wasn't until she'd gone to her car after her shift that he'd completely changed. Later, she realized he'd stared too long at her eyes; there was something about them that he couldn't quite capture. He'd threatened plenty of times to gouge them out because of that.

She thanked the sun that it came when it did. He'd have had her... No, she wouldn't bring that back again. She was still intact and, maybe it hurt sometimes, but she remained adamant about not knowing a man that way. If it was going to be that painful, she didn't want any part of it.

 

[newlysubbed]

Bruce chuckled, to him vagueness also meant less then full truth. He used that enough not to complain.

"If he chooses to be difficult I can change his mind. Fear not. HE will soon understand that you have moved up to a better man."

"So did Alec ever tell you why he was drawn to you? In time I will figure it out. That process may not be the most pleasant for you, It will be better for you than what he did to you, i assure you."

He stood up and walked over to her slowly reched out and carassed her cheek. "such beauty, such softness. " Then he walked over to the wall. turning he smiled slightly, "that may have been the starting of his interest but I assure you that was not the end."

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

She couldn't bare to look at him anymore. This was all so confusing. One minute he was reassuring her, the next he was threatening. It made her want to scream. She didn't even try to comment on the 'better man' deal. It's not like she was staying more than a few days, right? ..I.f she lived that long...

She pulled the blanket even closer around her, keeping her eyes averted as she replied, "I don't know. There was something about my face...my eyes, especially. He once said I...smelled..." And when he had said that, he had leaned in too close to her neck, pressing his lips to her pulse-point; she assumed then that to most vampires, she smelled peculiarly good. It was then that she knew she couldn't beat him with sheer force. He'd had enough for three.

She shook her head once more. "I don't know... I just don't know," she whispered. The adrenaline rush of before was leaving. She'd used up all of her adrenaline with fear. Now she was just exhausted. She kept her back straight, though, keeping her eyes wide open. She couldn't afford to fall asleep in front of him. Who knew what he might do while she drifted off? It wasn't a pleasant thought, and it jolted her a little back into reality.

 

[newlysubbed]

He listened carefully. Slowly smoothly he came forward. With one finger on the underside of her chin he tilted her face upwards to him. His eyes bored into hers.

After about 30 seconds he nodded then he leaned down and softly pressed his lips to the womans. Which he used to get a scent and taste of her. Then he used his finger nail to just nick the under side of her chin, with out giving her a chance to object Bruce licked her chin and healed it enjoying the taste of her blood in the process.

Then he stood up. "Go to bed Josephine." Bruce felt and tasted her exhaustion.

 

[Lie_in_Truth]

Without a second thought, she fled his company to the room he had indicated earlier. Did he just lick me? I'm not even going to think about that kiss. In no time, she had the door shut behind her, but she was frustrated to find that the lock was on the outside instead of on her side. Great, just great. Now he can come in anytime he wants. Fabulous. She shuddered from fear and exhaustion, daring her body to remain alert. Alright, just the jacket then.

She took a hard swallow, taking in her lavish surroundings. A fancy prison; how sweet. In here, though, the room was much warmer, almost a regular room temperature. She threw the blanket off to the side, unzipping her jacket, and kicked off her shoes. Try to stay awake. Oh, look...no windows... Her mouth curved downward, her brow finally creasing. He thought of everything, didn't he? Now he won't burn, and I can't see the sun...

Slowly, she walked over to the bookcase, examining the titles. Snatching one up, she took it with her as she crawled onto the bed. Just for a few hours. Until sun-up. I can do it. Then I can sleep during the day, and stay awake when he's up! But, of course...I have no windows... So, that might put a damper on that idea. With a small, whimpered groan, she pulled herself up to the pillows, unzipping her jeans, and slipping off her socks to make herself comfortable. Won't be caught undressed. But, at least I'll be comfortable.

She opened the book and began to read its contents. Within minutes, she was nodding off. She didn't even realize when she laid the book down, pulling the sheets over her body to her chin. In fact, she was too exhausted to note that she had taken off her bra and jeans beneath the sheets before tossing them aside. Once her eyes were clsoed, she was a gonner. She was asleep before her head finally rested on the pillow.

 

[newlysubbed]

Bruce smirked at how quickly she had fled him. It was only an hour till sun rise. As he stood there smirking he savored her taste both through the kiss an through the drop of blood he had gotten from her chin in the healing prcesses.

He understood much better now why his child had been so bend on possessing this one. Too bad that one had been lacking all style and finesse.

Bruce was never more glad that he had those qualities. He called one of his lackies and explained the needs for the coming night. THe 'ghoul' was trust worthy and would be here just after sunset with ever thing that was needed. That would also give Bruce his feeding for the night.

Now at ten minutes till sun rise he walked over and opened the door to double check that his sences were right. The girl was sound a sleep. the peaceful contented look on her face drew him. He slowly walked over and paced a softly kiss on her cheek. As he backed away he noted the book title thinking to himself that she really did have good taste.

Once out side of her room he bolted the door. and went to his chamber. Which bolted from the inside much more securely then hers. The space had much less for comforts then hers did. But then when the sun was up he had much less use of comforts.

He lay down and thought of the girl until he the sun crested then he thought of nothing. He was a sound sleeper.

As the sun began to set. He began to think again. He thought of the woman not far from him and of the servant who would be bringing what she would need as well as the blood he would need.