A Loud and Dreamless Sleep

by Michelle Marquis

  All vampires had the gift of illusion. They could suppress their infernal beauty and look like anyone on the street or allow their victims to see them in their full vampire glory. Raven had seen this transformation from other vampires before. She had even done it herself occasionally. But she had never seen it done so dramatically or seamlessly.

  Fully clothed except for his pants and boots, the master lowered his hips into the trembling valley between the woman’s thighs. His right hand caressed her leg, and then reached under the short hem of her dress to tear her panties away. Raven caught the faint earthy scent of the woman’s arousal. The fabric tore like tissue and was wantonly discarded on the floor. The woman let out a soft, delicate moan, innocent in its sweetness. The two were beautiful together, him dark-haired and sheathed in black and she fair-skinned in virgin white. Raven imagined what the offering might be feeling. A vibrant, sensual rush washed over her. It teased and aroused her in ways that was completely foreign. A corrupting softness settled in her pulsing sex. She tried to fight it. She really didn’t want to be attracted to this man. They were nothing alike. He was from another time in vampire ancestry, a more primal and ancient time she didn’t understand and didn’t want any part of.

  The vampire arched his back and the woman moaned again. She lifted her legs and used them to embrace his hips. Doing so allowed everyone to get a clear view of the vampire’s penetration. His cock was thick, long and curved like a scimitar. It penetrated deep into the woman’s weeping pussy and withdrew slick with her nectar. Then again and again. The woman’s moans and sighs were more frantic now, her legs locked as tightly around the vampire’s hips as her arms were around his broad torso. They moved together in an erotic dance macabre, interlaced to the point where it was impossible to determine who was about to devour whom. The earthy scent of sex filled the room and everyone looked eager to join them, but no one dared.

  The woman leaned her head back exposing her graceful neck. The vampire let his forked tongue glide along her honeyed skin and found the artery. He leaned his head back and plunged his teeth into her flesh. That was when the woman climaxed crying out her passion to the sky.

  The Overlord gorged himself gulping down her blood in gluttonous mouthfuls until the woman lay limp and pale beneath him. But what a way to go. Raven decided the end of the show was the highlight of the evening and it was time to go. She slipped out of the room hoping no one noticed.

  The backyard, which was mostly taken up by a giant infinity pool, had a side gate. Raven watched some of the guests come and go through it so no one should pay her any attention. That way, she could avoid the front door where everyone seemed to congregate to ogle the new Offerings being brought in. She had just stepped out of the sliding glass doors to make her exit when someone touched her shoulder. Damn it.

  Raven turned around and didn’t bother to smile. Whoever it was would see right through the fakery anyway. It was Lady Yanping. Behind her lurked the towering Old World vampire. He stood poised and calm in his undertakers’ suit with blood smeared on his lips and chin. This guy was both alluring and creepy. He was exactly what most people’s definition of the word vampire was. He was even scarier than what the real life Dracula must have looked like, and that was saying something.

  The lady stepped aside so she wasn’t in between Raven and the handsome version of Nosferatu. She gestured to Raven. “This is Raven Smyth, the woman we were discussing.”

  Wonderful, they were discussing me.

  “And this, Raven, is Vadim Rorik.” The lady slipped away like fog under a warming sun.

  Raven stared up at the Old World vampire. He was huge and not just in height. His neck and arms were thick and gave the impression of raw animal power. He was a hulking vestige from another era. His eyes were a reflective metallic green with dark circles around the irises. Their intensity unnerved her. There was a moment when she was pulled in and couldn’t look away. It was a strange and glorious feeling of being taken over and being stripped of one’s will. But the moment faded within seconds which made her wonder if it had even happened at all.

  Vadim was pale, which she expected, and sexy in an odd exotic way, which she didn’t. His goatee was dark with a few streaks of grey and extended about two inches past his chin.

  Vadim held out his wide, muscular hand, with its long dark nails. “Give me your car keys.”

  “What? Why?”

  His gaze didn’t waver. It tore into her like a dull pair of scissors. If Vadim could have exploded her head with his mind, he would have. But he didn’t scare her. Raven had been on her own for a long time. She wasn’t some sex crazed Offering or a fledgling vampire to be bossed around. She was an enforcer who’d brought in some of the most dangerous synthetic vampires in the city, and had been for the past thirty years. If this big Russian asshole thought he was going to lord it over her after a five-second meeting, he was mistaken.

  He kept his hand open and lifted it ever so slightly. “The keys, please.”

  “Why do you want them?”

  Vadim lowered his hand. A dark and sinister energy seemed to flow out of him. He stepped into her personal space and put his hands on her shoulders. With a gentle but commanding pressure, he turned her around to face the wall. Raven braced herself in case he was going to pound her head into it. But it soon became apparent that wasn’t what he had in mind.

  Vadim’s hands reached around and cupped her heavy breasts. His touch lingered there as he kneaded, pinched and rubbed. A deep sound rose from his chest. It was something between a growl and a sigh and brought gooseflesh up on her arm. He smoothed his hands down and slipped them under her shirt. He unhooked her black lace bra with ease and her breasts fell free. Now when he touched them, it was flesh on flesh. His touch was tender bliss and Raven closed her eyes to savor it.

  He moved in closer until his body was pressed against the length of her. He pinched and twisted her nipples, sending sparks of erotic pleasure all through her trembling body. She could feel the strength of his erection against her butt. He pressed his lips to her left ear. “Because I am here to help you. We are going to be working together and I…like to drive.”

  His accent was thick and definitely Russian. Raven wasn’t stupid; she knew he wasn’t here just to help her. There was something much more sinister at play. “Well, my car isn’t here. I left it at the train station.”

  He exhaled slowly as if trying not to lose his temper. “I can find it easily.”

  Great, now what? “Um, yeah, but anyway…I work alone,” she managed in a breathy whisper.

  “Not anymore, you don’t.” His right hand eased down her flesh until it reached the border of her skirt. Then he took a detour to the pocket sewn into the side. He lifted her keys in one quick motion. Raven turned her head enough to glare at him.

  Vadim took a step back and Raven turned around. The expression on his face was pure amusement and that really pissed her off. “Why do I suddenly need a partner?” she asked.

  “Because you have been alone much too long.”

  She was going to continue to argue. She had a dozen arguments to make her point. But she didn’t get the chance because Vadim seized her hand and yanked her out the side gate.

  They disappeared into the waiting night.

  Chapter 4

  The night was beautiful with a toasty hint of summer in the air, not that weather of any kind bothered Vadim. It was just nice to be reminded that life was as it had always been. Raven led him to her car with stiff quick steps. Their unnatural speed covered miles in minutes. Anger announced itself in Raven’s every movement. It was in the arctic blue flash of her eyes when she looked at Vadim and the tension that flickered in her jaw. She was a fine woman, a spirited one, and he was surprised by how much he desired her.

  She stopped next to a small, blue car with a dent on the passenger side. The dent had rusted around the damaged edges. “This is my car.” She stood next to it and folded her arms. Clearly she was upset he was going to drive. This
was a fault in her grooming as a young vampire. Whoever had turned her had not taught her the art of submission and surrender. Vadim didn’t blame Raven for this fault, it was the shortcoming of her mentor, but he guessed it to be at the core of her unhappiness.

  Vadim unlocked the doors and they both got in. The car was a stick shift. He didn’t think they made them anymore. He scanned the interior of the car, picking up clues about her. It was a little messy but not too bad. There was an empty McDonald’s bag on the floor with a boot print in the center and a crumpled Hershey’s wrapper on the back seat.

  “You like chocolate?” he asked.

  Raven’s eyes narrowed. She turned her attention to the residential street before them just beyond the tracks. “Where are we going?”

  Vadim grinned. “Someplace we can be alone.” He pushed in the clutch and started the car. It purred quietly as he backed away from the railroad tracks. He shifted into first and drove down the darkened street.

  “I’m not interested in being alone with you.”

  “I didn’t ask.”

  She sank a little in her seat. “I know what you are, you know. I’m not stupid. I’ve heard your stories. You’re an assassin, aren’t you?”

  “When circumstances call for it.” Vadim accelerated through the narrow streets until he reached sixty. He could see her out of the corner of his eye, pushed back in the seat as she gazed nervously at the road ahead. Her reaction told him a lot. Obviously she wasn’t so interested in dying after all.

  Her foot pressed into the floorboard as if she were applying an imaginary brake. “I think the speed limit here is forty.”

  Vadim responded by speeding the car up to seventy. The vehicle whizzed through the winding roads until they reached a boulevard. At the stop sign he didn’t even tap the brakes. Instead, he easily weaved through the cross traffic until he reached the highway onramp. Raven gasped. The sound of her dismay aroused him. His fangs descended slowly, throbbing at the root in time to his pulse. He ached to plunge his teeth into her tender flesh. He climbed the ramp and pushed the car as fast as it would go. They careened down the highway and dodged other cars, coming within inches of sideswiping several.

  Raven had unfolded her arms and now had a firm grip on the seat. She looked like she was trying to push herself through the cushion into the trunk. “What exactly are you trying to prove here?”

  He stared at her until she jabbed her index finger at the road several times. He glanced at the road ahead to appease her terror. “Interesting. Are you afraid?”

  “Of course I’m afraid! You drive like an idiot.”

  “What does that matter? You are immortal.”

  “I’m not going to be immortal sprayed all over the highway like road kill, am I? Can you slow down, please?”

  Vadim didn’t acknowledge her appeal, nor did he slow down. Instead, he cut across four lanes of fast moving traffic and exited the highway. He raced through a few more intersections. Finally, he pulled up at his house with a squeal of tires and a puff of burnt rubber. Then he cut the engine. They sat in silence. The car ticked as it cooled.

  Raven’s body hummed with raw, primal energy. She was stunning, thrilling; an aphrodisiac of fear, anger, and excitement. Vadim could smell the stolen blood in her veins racing, pumping, as it grew hotter from the rapid pounding of her heart. In that quiet moment, he wanted to embrace and consume her. She was like a fine classical instrument begging to be played the right way. And he knew exactly how to bring her to life.

  Raven’s breasts heaved with exhilaration. It took a moment for her to compose herself. “Where are we?”

  Vadim exited the car. “You ask too many questions.” He heard her get out and the click of her heals as she followed him. He left the front door open as he came inside.

  She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. “Look, if you’re going to kill me, let’s do this and get it over with.”

  “I’m not going to kill you. Would you like a drink?”

  “No, I don’t want a goddamned drink.”

  Vadim suppressed a smile. He went to the refrigerator and removed a vodka bottle from the freezer. He grabbed a tall shot glass, prowled over to his favorite chair in the living room, and sat down. Raven was still standing by the door. She appeared confused but still really angry.

  He poured half the glass with cold vodka and took a small sip. Then he stared at her and waited.

  Raven marched into the living room and stood in front of him. “Just so you know I’m not afraid of you.”

  He stared into his glass admiring the clear liquid. “Nor should you be.”

  Her lovely brow wrinkled like she was trying to decipher a riddle. “Stop messing with me. What is this all about? Why is an Old World Master Vampire suddenly interested in helping me hunt down synthetic vamps?”

  “One person, no matter how good, can’t do it alone. There are more of them now, and we will stop them together.” He patted his lap. “Come and sit.”

  Defiance shone in her beautiful blue eyes. She recoiled, taking a few steps back. “No, I’m not doing that.”

  “You like to play games? I like games too. Kneel then.”

  Raven straightened and narrowed her gaze. “No. I will not.”

  Her defiance was raw emotion, born of an outrage at being created and just as quickly abandoned. It was understandable but not excusable. She would have to be broken and that was something he excelled at. Vadim took a tiny sip of his vodka savoring the way it burned his tongue. He toyed with ways of making her obey. Should he use his power to bring her to her knees? No, that seemed like a crude display of power. He decided to get up close and personal.

  Vadim set his drink on the side table and rose from his chair. It was a long, slow movement intended to convey all the menace he felt.

  “What are you planning to do?” she asked.

  He grinned and prowled forward. He took his time, moving with measured steps until he was only a few inches from her and then stopped. His gaze swept her plump full lips. Her tongue darted out to lick them and he could almost feel that tongue moist and hot, lapping at his cock.

  Vadim leaned in close, so close he could feel the moisture of her breath. “I said, kneel.”

  Her blue eyes froze over. “And I told you, no.”

  He touched his lips to hers in a feather-light kiss. “Oh, my beautiful one. You are not allowed to say no to me.” As Vadim spoke, his power pulsed and swirled becoming hard and dangerous. It wanted to destroy her but he held it at bay. Never use too much when only a little would do. In a flash of energy he let it snap at her. She gasped for a moment, her eyes rolled white. Then she went down on her knees just as he knew she would.

  “Are you finished?” he asked.

  “Well, I guess so,” she snapped back. Her bravado sounded forced.

  He leaned forward for emphasis. “Listen very carefully. From this day until I release you, I am your master. Do you understand me, Raven?”

  She shook her head. “This is ridiculous. I already had a master. I was released already.”

  He caressed her cheek. “No. You had someone who called himself your master and died before you were ready to be released. Now you have a new master. I will release you when you’re truly ready. And you will do everything your new master commands you. Is that clear?”

  “Sure, but can I say something?”

  “No, you may not say anything. This is not a negotiation.”

  “Okay, fine. Can I get up now?”

  Vadim went back to his chair. He leaned back and sipped his drink. “Not yet. We need to come to understand each other first.” He left her kneeling there for half an hour. When she finally dropped her gaze to the floor he knew she was ready to be taken.

  Chapter 5

  “Rise and come with me,” Vadim said.

  Raven’s body walked obediently into the bedroom while her mind continued to fight. The room was a masterpiece of purple velvet and black silk. The towering black headboard was c
arved with winged cherubs and plump, naked women. They all seemed twisted in an agonized ecstasy. The scenes depicted in that black wood were of desire and decadence, appetite and abundance. A medium-sized crystal chandelier hung over the foot of the bed. Its fractured light cast dappled beams over the dark purple rugs and the silver and black striped wallpaper. Thick embroidered curtains hung on the wall behind the bed covering large picture windows. The room was a gothic feast for the eyes and Raven could honestly say she’d never seen anything like it. It was beautifully gothic and terrifying all at once.

  Vadim took her hand. He interlaced his long fingers in between hers like a spider seizing upon its prey. He led her closer to the bed. That was when she saw the heavy leather straps attached to the bed posts. The thought of being confined and controlled even more by him sent a dagger of fear into her belly. There was no way she was going to let this guy tie her up. What if he decided never to release her?

  He moved around behind. His presence was heavy, like a phantom one could feel but never see. Raven tensed. This was too much to surrender. She couldn’t give herself like this. His power softened a little and she bolted for the door. She almost made it, but Vadim intercepted her and seized her around the waist. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed.

  “I need you to trust me,” he said. “You are in no danger here.” Then he attached the straps to each wrist as she struggled. When she stilled, he climbed up over her.

  Raven worked to control her fear. “Let me go. I hate it this way.”