Blood, Lust and Love

by Sheri Velarde

  Mel sorted through the contents pulled out two amulets and handed one to Ella while slipping one over his own neck. "Here, these are the most powerful pieces I possess. They protect their wearers from being susceptible to magical attacks and influence. They should keep us safe from whoever awaits us in your apartment. They will not be able to touch us with any sort of magic."

  Ella slipped the necklace on. "Well, then I say we are set to go over and deal with whomever is causing all of this trouble. Let's get this over and done with so we can move on with our lives, with our life together." She paused and looked at both of them in all their naked glory. "Well, as soon as we put some clothes on that is."

  A hand circled hers as she got up to search for clothes. "Wait, there is one other precaution we can take." Mel met her eyes as he brought his own wrist to his mouth and bit. She knew what he wanted and understood he was right, so she took his wrist and drank without any hesitation.

  After she had finished drinking and they were dressing, Mel reached over and gently took her bandages off her injured shoulder. "You are completely healed now. I wondered how I was going to keep you from looking at the wounds and trying to figure out how you healed so quickly."

  Ella smiled. "As the saying goes, the truth shall always set you free. Thank you. Even the itching is gone and I feel so strong, so healthy. It's amazing."

  Mel nodded. "Good. I want you as strong as possible since we have no idea who or what we are dealing with. I like your directness though. We will end this tonight and then we can go on with our lives. Let's go."

  ****

  They entered the alley across from Ella's building from the opposite direction. Sure enough, there were two ghouls waiting, staring intently at the building. Mel had been right about their intelligence level. They didn't even seem to be watching their backs. It was easy enough for a vampire to dispatch them quickly and quietly. He tossed their bodies into a nearby dumpster to get them out of sight.

  "Aren't you afraid someone is going to find them in there? It might be quite the site for the garbage man," Ella asked.

  Shaking his head Mel explained. "No, they are already decomposing. There will be nothing to find within an hour or a two and I doubt anyone will look in a dumpster at this time of night. Now, let's go to your apartment. Stay close to me; we do not know what else might be lurking."

  They took the stairs and found another ghoul waiting. Mel twisted its head until Ella thought it would come off, then he dumped the body down the garbage shoot. The hallway on Ella's floor was clear and everything looked normal, but too quiet. None of her neighbors were making any noise and she worried that something had happened to them. She squeezed Mel's hand, then put the key in the door and pushed it open.

  Ella reached into the apartment and flicked on the light. Sitting in the middle of the living room on the sofa was a young man. He couldn't have been more than twenty-one or twenty-two. He looked slightly shocked to see Ella standing there, unharmed, and with a vampire by her side rather than a ghoul holding her. He quickly covered his surprise, but she could feel the unease coming off him.

  "A vampire? I must say that is something that I did not foresee." The boy got up and stood facing them. "That explains my missing worker. I had expected to meet you last night Gabriella."

  "How do you know my name? Who the hell are you and what on earth did I ever do to you that you would send ghouls after me and break into my apartment?" Ella asked boldly.

  "I just wanted to meet my sister, well half-sister technically, on our mother's side. Aren't you going to welcome me with open arms?" The boy smiled, but there was no joy or friendliness in that smile.

  "Sister?" Ella repeated in surprise. "I have no family. I have not seen my mother in years. How do I know if you are her son? Even if you are my brother there is no way I could have possibly done anything to you to deserve you sending ghouls after me. We have had nothing to do with each other's lives. Our mother saw to that. There would be no reason for you to wish me harm. I certainly would not want to attack you out of nowhere."

  "That is where you are wrong, Gabby. I am indeed your brother. Not that I came to have a warm fuzzy family moment. I came to ask you why you ruined our mother, ruined my life, and to avenge my dear mother," he said.

  Ella ignored his use of a hated nickname. She could tell by the concentration on his face that he was trying to do a spell or something. However, Mel's amulets were working. Finally, he gave up, throwing his hands up in clear frustration.

  "Damn it. I should have known that a soulless whore like you would be a vampire's slut as well. I suppose he is the one protecting you from my magic? Though I don't know how!"

  Before she had a chance to react, Mel was across the room and had the man dangling by his throat. "Do not talk to Ella that way. Now explain yourself. Quickly, before I lose my patience."

  "Yes, explain what you think I have done to you and our mother? And what is your name? Are you really my half-brother? If you are, then surely you know that I have not seen or heard from my mother since I was five. That was when I was taken away by child protective services and put into the foster system. Long before you were even born," Ella explained.

  "My name is Brian. And yes, I am really your half-brother. And I am here to avenge our mother for your driving her insane and to her death. I know it was you, with all your hatred and malice. Someone was draining all of her powers as well as her life force. Do not even bother denying it," Brian spat at Ella.

  "Did you not hear me when I said that I have not seen our mother since I was five? I have had no contact with her whatsoever. If she is in fact dead, I had nothing to do with it, though I can't say that I'm going to shed any tears over her. I'm glad that the bitch is dead. And as far as magic, how could I steal what I never even knew existed?" she spat right back.

  Brian struggled vainly to free himself from Mel's grasp. "You lie! She said she felt someone draining her power and I am supposed to think that it is a coincidence that was also when she sensed that you were gaining in your inherited power? Becoming powerful despite never having her guidance as I have? She said she could feel the magic awakening in your blood."

  Half-brother or not, Ella was getting pretty pissed off at his vague accusations. "What power? Just what the hell are you talking about? I stole no power or life force damn it!"

  "You stole her magic, you dumb bitch and I know it!" Brian yelled before Mel flung him across the room with enough force to put a dent in the wall.

  Mel immediately picked Brian up again by the throat. "I told you not to insult Ella. I meant it. Now explain exactly what you are accusing Ella of? I believe you are mistaken and you will listen to reason or else I won't be so gentle the next time."

  Once again Brian seemed to be muttering, trying to use magic. "I am not mistaken, you bloodsucking ass. If my sister over there didn't suck the magic from our mother, then how come you two seem immune to my magic? She hated our mother for abandoning her and keeping me. Her magic must have awoken and then she figured out how to steal our mother's life-force. That is as good as shooting her point blank. It's murder plain and simple. And I am here to avenge that murder."

  Ella stared at Brian in disbelief. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I have no magical powers! Aren't you listening to me? I'm not a witch. If I were do you think I’d live in a crappy apartment and work as a bartender? Are you on drugs or just plain crazy?"

  Brian made no answer as he was once again trying to cast his magic. Suddenly he stood up and threw Mel away from him. "Just because I can't use magic on you for some reason, doesn't mean that I can't use it on myself." Brian laughed at his own brilliance.

  Mel was immediately on his feet and fighting with Brian. Ella stood there, wondering if there was any way that she could help Mel but thinking that staying out of the way was the best she could do with two beings of super strength fighting one another. Just as she was sure that Mel was getting the upper hand, Ella was grabbed from behind. She screamed and Mel
immediately turned towards her and in that second Brian smashed Mel's head through the wall knocking him unconscious.

  Brian came towards Ella, smiling. "Looks like you and your vampire boyfriend missed a couple of my ghouls. And now lover boy is taking a forced nap. Before he wakes up I will easily dispose of you and steal back the power that is rightfully mine. I am going to enjoy this. Please feel free to scream. I think I would like that."

  The ghouls each took a bite out of Ella, one on her shoulder and one on her arm, but then they started spitting out the blood and dropped her to the floor. Before she could scramble to her feet, Brian kicked her in the stomach with such force he knocked all the air out of her.

  He reached down and yanked Ella to her feet by her neck until he could stare in her face. "You must not taste very good and ghouls aren't very picky. You must be trashier that I thought. No matter, I'd rather kill you myself."

  Ella pulled her fist back and punched Brian in the face, hearing the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking. He grunted in pain then his eyes went completely insane. She knew that he really was going to kill her. His hands tightened and then quickly loosened.

  With his nose bleeding freely the ghouls didn't seem to be able to resist, master or not. Both attacked Brian and bit him, his blood working them into a frenzy. Ella used the opportunity to pull herself free from his grip. Unfortunately, his hand caught her protective amulet and ripped it off as she fought herself free.

  While Brian was distracted by the ghouls, Ella tried to make her way over to Mel. Before she had even made it halfway across the room, Mel was on his feet and quickly recovering from his head wound. She felt a moment of relief. Then Brian regained control of his ghouls and they both went after Mel.

  Now, while Mel was trying to dispatch the two ghouls, Brian came after Ella in a hurry, obviously sensing that he was losing control of the situation and didn't have much time to destroy Ella and still be able to escape.

  "I am going to enjoy killing you, sister," Brian said with an evil smile. "I believe this is what was keeping my magic from working?" He held up the amulet and laughed.

  The next thing Ella knew she was on the floor screaming. It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing her body at the same time. Brian was completely crazed and paid no attention to anything except her pain; he seemed to be feeding off it. So he did not see that Mel had already killed the ghouls. Ella was not sure he even felt Mel grab his head. Mel twisted and nearly ripped Brian's head from his body, Brian's face frozen in his malevolent insanity until the very end.

  Dropping Brian's body, Mel fell to his knees beside her. "Ella, stay with me, you hear me? Stay with me! Do not drift off."

  "Are you okay?" she whispered.

  "I am fine Ella, but you are not. You are losing a lot of blood, there are so many wounds. I hardly know where to start. You are going to have to drink more of my blood, a lot more, if you are to heal. Can you do that for me?" Mel looked at her anxiously.

  "Yes, just make the pain stop," Ella begged.

  With no further hesitation, Mel bit his wrist and held it gently to her mouth. At first Ella felt too weak to suck very hard, but soon she was lapping up the blood with vigor. It felt like hours that she laid there, drinking Mel's blood and feeling her body tingle all over and begin to heal. Finally she had enough and sat up. Mel looked slightly weakened from all the blood which Ella had taken, but relieved that she was better.

  "We have to dispose of the bodies," he said. "You can rest while I take care of them."

  Ella stood up, faster than she thought possible. "I can help. I feel great. I feel strong!" She went over to one of the ghouls and picked it up with ease.

  Mel eyed her with a wary look in his eyes, but he allowed Ella to help carry the ghouls to the trash shoot. They decided Mel would dispose of her brother and feed as Ella cleaned the apartment from top to bottom. He didn't say much as he picked up Brian's body. To Ella's surprise he went to the window, checked the street, and then flew out of the apartment, the body over his shoulder.

  ****

  Ella had cleaned and disinfected everything in her apartment, all smelled like pine and bleach, not a trace of blood or anything to suspect foul play. She was beginning to get worried when Mel suddenly appeared inside the apartment, seemingly from nowhere. She rushed over and threw her arms around him. "Where were you? What took so long? I was getting so nervous."

  "I am sorry to have worried you. I took the body back to Nevada." Mel said gently.

  "You flew all the way to Nevada and back in just a couple of hours? That is amazing. What else can you do?" she asked.

  "You have pretty much seen most of my powers now. However, we need to have a talk about not only my powers and what just happened, but about your powers as well." He looked around the apartment. "This place looks good, no evidence of what has taken place. Let's go back to my loft."

  Ella smiled. "Yes, please. I want nothing more than to be alone in your arms." Mel reached over and took her in his arm, and moved them towards the window. "We are flying? That is so cool!"

  It was Mel's turn to smile. "Well, it is quicker and since you do not seem to be scared by the idea, why not?" Then he jumped out the window and they flew back to his condo on the other side of town.

  The flight exhilarated her, ending too quickly for Ella. "Can't we fly around some more? I could do this all night!" She complained as Mel set her down and unlocked the door.

  Mel laughed. "Maybe another time. Now is the time for talking. We have much to discuss." He took her hand and led her into the living room. They sat down on the couch, Mel with a serious look on his face. "I think we should start with what all the blood you consumed tonight will do to you. This is something you must know before sunrise today."

  That comment brought her to a thoughtful state of mind. "Are you saying that I am a vampire now?"

  "Honestly, I don't know for sure." Mel sighed. "I have never turned anyone before and I am not the one who consumed your blood. Your crazy half-brother caused a lot of blood loss and your heart was weakening. I had to do what I did to save your life. You took so much of my blood that I suspect that tomorrow night you will awake a full-fledged vampire. I am sorry, I never meant for this to happen to you without a choice."

  Mel looked as if he expected her to be upset with him. Ella reached out and took his hands in her own. "This is the second night in a row that you have saved my life. I would be dead if not for you. And I have to say, that after receiving your blood, I feel wonderful! Plus, if being a vampire means that I can be with you always, I have all that I can ever ask for. I have spent my entire life alone and powerless. In less than 24 hours you have given me great power and someone to love me and be with me. That is more than I could ever ask for, more than I have ever dared to dream."

  "You are taking this all so well. Most feel angry at losing their mortal life, I know that I did. It took years for the bitterness to subside and acceptance to set in," Mel said.

  "My life has always been a struggle, there is not much to miss. I think that I didn't start living until I was bitten by a ghoul and you saved me." Ella paused. "You know I never even asked what you were doing there last night."

  "I had been tracking the ghouls from the cemetery. In some sort of weird penance I suppose, I try to keep a handle on some of the most harmful supernatural creatures loose in the world, the ones who kill mindlessly and can destroy whole towns if left unchecked. I guess it makes me feel better about the blood I have to take to continue on living." Mel gave a sad smile. "Which is likely what I have now condemned you to do as well."

  Ella's mind was working at warped speed. "You said the blood you have to take, but you didn't mention killing. Can we feed without killing?"

  Mel nodded. "Yes, I can teach you not to take too much, to do no permanent harm. I can teach you to mesmerize people so that they will remember nothing. But it is still a weight on your soul to live off the life-force of others. And in these first years, there could be accidents
. The pain of killing someone stays with you forever."

  "You will be there with me. You will help me, and stop me from doing anything that I will regret," Ella said with absolute confidence. "And what about blood banks? In movies and books vampires always seem to own blood banks."

  Laughing, Mel answered. "I do not own a blood bank, but I suppose I have enough money that we could buy one. Sometimes, I have been able to find someone willing to sell some blood, useful if I plan on traveling." He paused and looked at Ella. "I think that you are going to make a magnificent immortal. I have never met anyone who has looked at becoming a vampire so intelligently or with so much enthusiasm and practicality."

  She shrugged. "I am a practical sort of girl. Like I said, I have been taking care of myself for a very long time. You learn to look at things differently, to just take things as they come and keep on surviving. And a life with you is more than I could have ever dreamed of. I am willing to take it any way that it comes. If that means becoming a vampire, so be it."

  "Well, then I am assuming that you have more questions." Mel arched an eyebrow.

  "Just a few thousand." Ella laughed. "But I guess only a few have to be answered tonight. You said you aren't sure that I will become a vampire. When will we know for sure? Where do you sleep during the day? Do I need to get a coffin? Will I burn to a crisp in the sun? How soon before I have to feed? Who do we feed on? Who did you feed on earlier tonight?"

  It was Mel's turn to laugh at the barrage that she threw at him. "I can see the changes already taking place in you. I am sure you can feel your body changing as well just as we sit here speaking. There is no doubt left that in saving your life I have changed you forever." He still looked sad about that, but also happy at the same time.

  "I must admit that I feel some gratitude for that. I was drawn to you, most likely because of the magic in your blood, just like that which ran in my human blood as well. I could not have asked for a more beautiful and feminine companion. But to continue with your questions. We can sleep anywhere we like as long as we keep the sun out; no coffins are needed. I much prefer beds myself. We can move about during the daytime. I am so old that I can even venture into the sun for short periods of time as long as I cover myself, though it is very draining. As a young one, you must avoid the sun completely at least for the next century or so."