Let There Be Blood

by Tina Traverse

  She remained motionless.

  “I remember that night. We never lived it down,” Aaron commented from behind Avery, suddenly appearing.

  “I know.”

  “She’s never going to wake up, is she, Avery?”

  “Aaron, please don’t talk like that. I have full confidence that she will recover. She is strong.”

  “I agree with you, but it has been so long. I lose hope every day.”

  Avery felt frustrated because he didn’t know how to comfort his friend. They heard a sudden burst of movement from the bed.

  “No! Stop! Please, no more! Don’t hurt him!” Martina yelled, her eyes snapping open.

  Aaron rushed to his wife’s side while Avery ran to get the doctor.

  Katrina sat on her bed, looking out the window into the darkness, willing Shadow to appear, when she heard tapping. Peering through the glass, she saw a hooded figure standing under the moonlight. Checking to see that her roommate was still sleeping soundly, Katrina opened the window, slipped outside and rushed into Shadow’s arms.

  “Hey you! I thought you forgot about me.”

  “I’d never do anything like that. I just needed to take a few days to prepare for our new life together.”

  “I can’t wait! Come on, let’s go!”

  Shadow grasped her arm. “No Kitten, we can’t go now, it’s too risky.”

  “Too risky? That’s stupid, Shadow. You have me right here. It’s pitch black, a perfect time to escape.”

  “I know it seems that way, but don’t let appearances fool you. This place is well secured. We wouldn’t get 10 feet before we’d be caught, so, we must bide our time and do this right.”

  “You got here just fine.”

  “That’s because as a vampire, I maneuver swiftly without being detected. You don’t have that advantage.”

  “You lied! You said you’d help me escape.”

  “I am. I have a plan. If followed exactly, your escape will go smoothly. Now listen carefully, because it requires a bit of acting...”

  Exhausted, Avery entered his bedroom and fell onto his bed. It had been a day filled with excitement and then heartache.

  Martina had awakened up from her coma, looking confused.

  “Aaron, where am I?”

  “Mrs. Brooks, I’m Doctor Williams, and you’re in the hospital.”

  “Hospital?”

  “Yes. You were in a car accident and were seriously hurt, but you are going to make a full recovery.”

  Avery could tell that Martina was too exhausted to question the doctor further, and after examining her, he let her rest.

  “Aaron? Where are you?”

  “I’m right here.”

  Avery felt a sharp pain of deep sorrow pierce his heart as he watched Aaron hold his wife’s hand and tenderly stroke her face. It was too painful to watch, so he quietly slipped out the door.

  The house was so empty now that Shawna was gone and the silence was deafening. Avery was used to having his days and nights filled and didn’t know how to handle the emptiness. The network had cancelled the show, so the only thing that kept him occupied was helping Aaron. Avery told himself that spending endless hours in a tiny hospital room watching Martina breathe was something he did out of friendship, but it was just an excuse. An excuse to be near him, to talk with him, touch him and fantasize about making love with him again.

  Tossing and turning, Avery gave up going to sleep and decided to go for a late night jog. He pulled up the oversized hood on his favorite sweater.

  Chapter Nineteen: Uncovered

  Katrina prepared the rooms at Shadow’s ranch style home for their future guests, making sure the linens were fresh and the rooms dusted every day.

  Shadow had told her that as a reward for following his instructions so closely and helping him bring the evil doers to justice, he was going to reveal his true identity.

  He had asked his Kitten to cook a special meal of both their favorite foods, and chill a bottle of red wine.

  He told her that he would arrive at midnight and that she should be ready, freshly clean, smelling of jasmine. He specified that her hair should be left loose and flowing, that she wear a white off-the-shoulder cotton dress, and no underwear. Prepared, smelling clean, Katrina waited anxiously at the dining room table for the stroke of midnight.

  Her mind wandering, she smiled at the memory of her brilliant escape. They were still looking for her, but seducing the director had been enough—they’d never find her. Just an embarrassing runaway, more truth for them to hide from the press. Lance’s money had been enough to keep those vultures away from her, so it was a fat chance they’d find her now.

  The minutes ticked by slowly, until the clocked chimed midnight and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “I see you have been patiently waiting, Kitten. This is perfect, just as I imagined. I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but I had to secure my latest acquisition.” He wore a hooded sweater, pulled far over his face, so she couldn’t see it. He sat down across from her at the table.

  “You came on time as always, Shadow. Did you say you have an acquisition?”

  “Yes, I’m happy to say that the prize piece is now making use in one of the rooms I had asked you to prepare.”

  “So you have him?”

  “Yes, Kitten. Our most precious vampire is with us to stay.”

  “Wow, I can’t believe that he’s right here! Nothing could be better.”

  “Really? Nothing? Are you sure, Kitten?” Shadow took a bite of his steak.

  “Well, no, Shadow. I mean, with the exception of having you here with me.”

  “As well as finding out who I am, right?”

  “Of course. Speaking of which, when do I get to see you?”

  Shadow reached over and covered her left hand with his own.

  “Very soon, I promise. Please finish your meal.”

  Katrina barely tasted her steak, she was so excited about what was to transpire. After months of waiting, she was finally going to find out who her lover was.

  “Shadow, we have been together for a long time, but there is something I want to ask you.”

  “Okay, what is it?”

  “I know you told me that you were in your early twenties, but is that true?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

  “Yes, I told you part of the truth when I told you I was in my early twenties. I’m 21. But I have been 21 for a hundred years.”

  “Wow! That’s really...”

  “Old?”

  Katrina chuckled. “No, interesting, and kind of cool. How good do you look for a hundred year old?”

  There was a beat of hesitation from the other side of the table before he answered her. “Come over to my side and find out.”

  Katrina rose from her seat. She took his hand, and allowed him to gently guide her to his lap. He handed her a match.

  “Here, light my candle, as you did with yours.” She was used to the dark, and the slivers of moonlight through the window were just enough for her to find it.

  The combined glow of the candles and the moonlight streaming in through the window cast a glow on Shadow’s face. What she saw stole her breath.

  “Oh my God, it’s you!” she exclaimed. She put her hands on each side of his face and stared deep into his eyes.

  “Hello, Kitten. Surprised?”

  “I just can’t believe it has been you all this time! I’d never have guessed.”

  “I know this must be a shock for you, but it doesn’t change who I am or how I feel. I love you, Kitten, but do you still feel the same?”

  “Of course. I fell in love with you long ago, and knowing you were the Shadow doesn’t affect my feelings for you or the importance of our mission. I’ll always be on your side.”

  “Good, my sweet Kitten, because our mission is far from over. It has only just begun.”

  Chapter Twenty: Revelation

  The dark memori
es of her nightmare slipped into the daylight. Martina struggled to understand why the horrific images kept flooding her mind.

  A dark, damp room and the sound of water hitting a concrete floor. A man’s screams vibrated off the walls. The images became more vivid in her sleep as she saw the man dangling from the ceiling, his flawless muscular form littered with deep lacerations, bruises and burns.

  The man’s body was drenched in sweat and blood; his golden, bloody hair, was disheveled and obscured his eyes. The stranger’s voice yelped in protest as four dark figures came towards her. Their faces twisted with menacing expressions. Hunger flared in their dark eyes...

  She woke from her nightmare with a shriek, her eyes snapping open. Martina tried to push her nightmare aside. With a start, she came to, remembering all the events that had led up to now.

  Below her Aaron paced the living room, his cell phone in hand, furiously trying to get information from the police about any leads of his missing friend. It had been two weeks, without a single word. He hadn’t slept since hearing the news of Avery’s disappearance. And as for Katrina...

  Avery laid his head against the cold concrete wall of his tiny cell, closing his eyes against the blinding pain.

  The girl who knelt before him was not the one inflicting it, though. She was simply reaching to help him to his feet, so she could assist him to the shower and bathe him. It had been countless weeks since an unknown stranger kidnapped him.

  Avery had not recovered from late last night, when his predator ravaged his dehydrated and broken body with bone-breaking blows. He had stabbed him shallowly, ending the beating by setting his arm on fire before leaving.

  Katrina had rushed in after the coast was clear and put the fire out, tending to his wounds while he screamed in agony.

  “I’m so sorry, Toby,” she’d whispered. “I’m not strong enough to fight him and stop this torment. I wish you were strong enough to stop him with your fangs.”

  Avery was just grateful that she hadn’t made him drink blood, yet.

  Once in the shower, Katrina proceeded to wash him again. At first, it was humiliating and degrading to have a woman, a 17-year-old no less, strip him naked and wash every inch of his exposed flesh like he was a child. However, she was so gentle that he found himself shamefully enjoying it. Though the cuts stung like holy hell.

  “Toby, you’re weak and you’re not healing as you’re supposed to. My master has ravaged your once superb form, but I know how you can start to speed your healing and get well.”

  “How?”

  “I’ll secretly feed you my blood, first in your drinks. Then as you regain your strength, direct from the vein. Sound good?”

  Avery’s stomach churned with disgust. “Mmm, that sounds perfect, Katrina.”

  When Katrina settled him into bed, his wounds dried and bandaged, she had news for the captive.

  “My master wanted me to let you know that he will reveal himself to you tonight when he returns.”

  Trepidation and anxiousness washed over Avery. He was finally going to be able to face the son of a bitch.

  “Do you know exactly why he would want to show his face to me now?”

  “He simply told me that the time had come to see the face of your redeemer. Now, let me go fix you a special supper.”

  Avery’s stomach lurched as he stared down at the goblet filled to the brim with blood. Katrina had brought him in the empty goblet. He watched as the disturbed young girl slit her wrist and filled the glass with her life essence.

  “There. Now, drink. My master will soon be here to see you, and you need to keep up your strength if you’re going to stop him from hurting you.”

  Katrina handed him the goblet and left the room. Avery stared at his macabre meal.

  “You know you don’t have to drink her blood, right? The crazy whore believes we’re vampires, but you do remember that we’re not?” The familiar, smooth-as-silk voice slammed into him.

  “Aaron?” He whispered, searching his friend’s face.

  “Yes, it’s me. How have you been, lover?”

  “Why are you doing this to me?”

  His co-star bent forward, his intense jade eyes peering at him through the shadows.

  “Do you really need a recap of all the reasons why I have your backstabbing ass here?”

  “Really, Aaron, I don’t have a fucking clue; you’re supposed to be my best friend. We’re family, man! What could I have ever done to deserve this treatment?”

  “You really are clueless, aren’t you? Well, let me refresh your memory. I have many reasons.”

  “Please enlighten me.”

  “Very well.” Aaron came out of the shadows of the dark cell and unceremoniously plopped down on the foot of the bed. Shaking it caused spikes of pain to course through Avery’s battered body.

  “First, I despise you because I work harder than you. I bring more finesse to the show, and have more charisma in my left nut than you do in your entire body. I’m better-looking and have a better body.”

  Avery rolled his eyes at Aaron’s narcissistic response, but his captor didn’t notice and went on with his rant.

  “Yet you get more awards, have more screen time, and receive a fatter paycheck per episode. Don’t think that I haven’t noticed that more adoring pussy chases your tail than I’d ever see in a lifetime. You deserve none of it!”

  Avery was appalled. “That’s it? You’re torturing me because you’re fucking green with envy? May I remind you, dick, that those are delusional reasons? You may be better looking than me and may spend more time in the gym, but you don’t work harder than me. We work equally hard.”

  “Now who’s delusional, Avery?”

  Avery ignored Aaron. “I get a bigger paycheck than you because I’ve been on the series a year and a half longer. Besides, at last count, you and I have the same amount of awards.”

  “I’d like to see you prove that, but go on.”

  “As for charisma on and off the screen, I have more, because that’s just a part of my natural personality.”

  Aaron rolled his eyes at his captive and smirked, but said nothing.

  “You have plenty of adoring pussy chasing after your tail, because I see and hear them scream your name and swoon whenever you enter a room during those stupid conventions and promotional tours.”

  “That’s just further proof, prick, that I’m better than you. But please, continue.”

  “Tell me, Aaron, how much pussy have you banged since co-starring on the show? How many marriage proposals have you gotten despite the fact that you’re already married? I could go on for days about this, so, tell me, what’s the real reason you have me here?”

  Aaron seemed to ponder for a while before he answered.

  “I do hate how you hog the spotlight. However, what I truly hate is how you lied to me.”

  “Aaron, I know I hurt you when I left you and married Shawna, but as I explained to you, it was for the best. Besides, you’re a happily married man with a wife and child. Why can’t you let this go?”

  “You’re right, I can’t, but neither can you.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Stop lying to me. I saw your journal.”

  Avery gasped with shock. “How in the world did you get my journal?”

  “Shawna called me, distressed, a couple of days before she died. She showed me this and I can see why. The poor darling must have felt so betrayed.”

  Avery stared at the entry on his lap, horrified.

  “Read it.”

  “Why should I? You already know what’s in it.”

  “I want to hear you read it out loud.”

  “No.”

  Avery screamed in pain as Aaron squeezed his burnt arm and twisted it behind his back.

  “You will read the passage out loud, or I will twist your arm off, understand?”

  Blinding white pain blurred his vision and racked his body until he couldn’t take it anymore. “Okay ...
I’ll read it!”

  “Perfect, proceed.”

  Avery breathed a sigh of relief as Aaron let his arm go. He moaned in pain as he picked up the journal and read the passage.

  “My days are filled with the constant fighting of the urges to pull Aaron into an out of way place and fuck him. The fight scenes are the hardest because it calls for us to be physical, and it’s hard to be that close to Aaron without kissing him. The nights are worse because I become lost in dreams of an enticing life with not only Aaron, but Martina and Shawna.”

  Avery stopped, embarrassed by the rest.

  “Go on.”

  “I can’t, it’s too embarrassing.”

  “More embarrassing than wanting to fuck me every time you were near me? Bullshit. Continue.”

  “I dream of the four of us making a happy home for our children. Katrina playing with her baby sister and forming a lifetime bond. Filling our days with our chosen passions, our nights with our passion for each other. Sometimes as a foursome, and others, switching partners. I will have the life I always wanted. I just need to rid myself of the obstacles holding me back: my pride and my fear.”

  “Don’t you feel cleansed now?”

  “No, I don’t feel cleansed. I feel embarrassed because those were delusions.”

  “How are they delusions when you want them?”

  “I want them, Aaron, but it’s a fantasy that is not possible to have. At least, not anymore, thanks to you.”

  “Thanks to me, you will have the life, minus the baby and Shawna.”

  “How?”

  “Upstairs there is a stunning house, complete with two equally stunning red heads waiting for us. One needs the guidance of two fathers and the other needs the attention of two skilled lovers; plus you have me.”

  “So you are saying that you are going to give me the life I dreamt?”

  “Yes.”

  Avery didn’t want to give into Aaron’s version of his dream, but if it meant getting out of the rotten hole Aaron threw him in and gave him a chance to escape, he was willing to do anything.

  “Then take me upstairs to our new life, lover.”

  Avery caressed his captor’s face and drew him into a kiss. Avery felt Aaron’s body on top of him, the captor’s weight pressed so tight against his body that Avery could feel Aaron’s arousal against his crotch. Aaron slid a hand down his friend’s pants and stroked Avery’s cock.