* * *
Walking to the doors of the church, where he heard a loud knocking, Beniamin opened them to find, to his great surprise, a black-cloaked vampire standing on the other side. He stiffened with fright when he saw it, and was tempted to close the door as quickly as possible, but he bravely inquired, “What do you want?”
“It’s Asha, may I come in?” the vampire said.
“Magistrate Lucian’s not here,” Beniamin told her, “I don’t know where he is.”
“I don’t need to speak with him,” Asha said, stepping through the doors and closing them behind her. She led the way to Lucian’s office. The shutters were open, permitting the light from the sun, which hung low on the horizon, to flood into the room. Asha closed the shutters and the curtains of the room and lit a candle.
She closed the door to the room once Beniamin stepped inside and opened up her face to him. She took a deep breath of relief after emerging from the thick head-covering. But this time she didn’t stop disrobing. She pulled her cloak up over her head and set it down on the chair. Beniamin stood back and watched, gazing upon her beauty as her strong, slender vampire body was pulled from out of the cloak. She now only wore the light casual clothing that was typical of the vampires in the cave: a thin, short-sleeved shirt with a low neck and short shorts. Beniamin saw her body for the first time, her legs and arms with their lean musculature, her narrow waist, and even the nipples of her small breasts poking through the fabric.
She stretched out her naked legs and reclined in her chair. His eyes spread wide open and he gawked silently, before falling back into Lucian’s chair.
“I hope you don’t mind Beniamin,” she said, “It is just that this cloak is particularly hot, and I want to be comfortable. You will have to forgive the informality of my dress.”
“No need to apologize,” Beniamin stammered out, “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I need to know what’s been going on here. If you don’t mind.”
“It’s been absolute chaos here. First some vampire showed up at Andrei’s, and then the vampires were attacking, trying to get her back. Somehow Vasile and Anton were able to kill all of them. It was like a battlefield back there. You must have heard about it. And now everyone’s concerned that the vampires have completely abandoned the truce and that there’s going to be fresh raids and kidnappings. Are there going to be fresh raids?”
“No. So long as you haven’t abandoned your part of the truce. You aren’t planning a retaliatory attack are you?” Asha asked.
“Not me,” Beniamin replied, surprised, “That’d be tough. You vampires are formidable opponents.”
“What about Andrei? Is he planning something?” Asha asked, somewhat unimpressed with Beniamin’s insight or access to information. Beniamin simply shrugged his shoulders passively.
“Perhaps you can find out for me. For the sake of our treaty” Asha said, trying to turn on all her seductive charms at once, looking directly into his eyes and smiling like a cat inspecting its prey, “Perhaps you can ask Andrei if he’s planning an attack and when, so we can stop it.”
Beniamin replied forthrightly, “I think if Andrei’s planning an attack on your coven he wouldn’t be too keen on you knowing about it. You know? The importance of the element of surprise and all.”
“You could persuade him. For the good of the truce. You’re very able with your words. I could reward you,” Asha purred, “Don’t you still want to kiss me? I know you do. Perhaps you even fantasize about me. I was a whore before I became a vampire. For many years. I’m experienced. I know everything about how to please a man.”
“I don’t want to get infected,” Beniamin replied, frozen with fright while Asha approached him, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be here.” Unfreezing himself, Beniamin pulled away from Asha and added, “They always told us vampires were sexless creatures.”
“There must be some way I can persuade you,” Asha said, seductively hissing into Beniamin’s ears.
Beniamin looked at her frightened, pulling away from her and not saying anything.
Asha grew impatient and instead lunged at Beniamin. Before he knew what was happening, he was being lifted him by the neck and was struggling to breathe. Asha now pressed her face close to Beniamin’s and harshly hissed, “I can kill you if you don’t help me. Easily. Do you value your life?”
Elixir of Flesh Page 57