“Now that you’ve awakened me, make yourself useful,” Raj said in an ultra-resonant voice. “Draw my bath and lay out my clothes.” Goose-pimply prickles rose up inside me. I froze, compelled to obey the singular pitch. He lay there on the bed, naked and perfect, but all of the sudden my adoration of him didn’t feel so good. Deep down, this abject impulse terrified me.
Once Raj was bathed and dressed by my hands, I followed him down to the dining room, where Beeshom served us a feast of lamb curry with rice on gilded china. More pieces of silverware than necessary flanked my plate. The servant splashed blood from an insulated carafe onto a tray full of sparkly glasses. Raj’s mouth kind of bunched up. “Clumsy dolt. Cedric, take the pitcher and do it properly.” I relieved Beeshom of the carafe and poured the delicious-smelling stuff into the delicate crystal and handed one to Raj. I did the same for myself. “You see? Fine things require a fine touch.” Raj took my fingers in his. “These are the hands of an artist. You have the grace of an orangutan.”
The lump just stood there glowering. I laughed. He gave me a dirty look and left the room to fetch the next course. I devoured three helpings of everything in front of me, washing it down with healthy gulps of warm blood. Couldn’t get enough. I’d always kind of liked the taste. You know when you get a little cut and suck at it until a clot forms, sort of salty, sort of metallic at the same time?
The curry couldn’t be better, layers of spices for heat and sweetness and the varying textures of the ingredients. All of the sudden, I appreciated good food. During my illness, I’d spent most of the money I had on spliff that I’d smoke to ease my pain and then wolf down hamburgers and chips when the ensuing hunger hit.
Raj shook his head after Beeshom’s departing back. “I’m not used to such poor service at court. Had I known my business would keep me here this long, I’d have brought my household servants along.”
“Court?”
“My lord, Kalidasa, is chief elder of all Immortyls.”
“Vampires you mean?” I paused between bites to say.
“We refer to ourselves as Immortyls. Vampire is an insult. We are the children of Mother Kali. She imparted her divine kiss on the Exalted Father, Kalidasa, her priest. He in turn chose the most worthy vessels of her love.”
I watched Beeshom clattering the elegant china in a way that made Raj wince and wondered how the oaf rated the gift. “You’re going to think I’m off my nut, but I could have sworn she was trying to tell me something through the whole thing.”
Raj gave me a peculiar look. “Indeed?”
“Yeah, like ‘hang on, Cedric lad, you can do this.’ Is it always like that—the ordeal and all? When someone is chosen, I mean? Did Beeshom go through the same?”
Raj laughed and leaned back in his chair. “You’re a very special case, Beauty. Beeshom is merely a guard dog, chosen for brute strength and obedience to authority. I searched a very long time for you. You’ve been called by the Goddess to serve at the side of princes of the blood. You will look after my needs until we leave for India. As you’ve seen, Beeshom makes a mess of fine things. It is your duty to bring kama to my household.”
“Kama as in Sutra?”
“Kama means aesthetic pleasure, of which sexual pleasure is of course a great part. Indeed, it’s an important element in our Immortyl rituals glorifying Shakti. The Exalted Father is her high priest and spiritual leader of all Immortyls.”
Ritual sex sounded like kinky fun. I could become an eager convert, especially if some princesses were included as well. “So when do we leave for India?”
“Business will keep me in London some months,” he answered. I reached over and smoothed back his hair. His mouth curved, showing a sexy hint of fang. “For now, you and I will enjoy ourselves about town, show you off. First, we’ll need to outfit you as befits the chosen of the Mother.”
The prospect of high-class amusements and expensive clothes quelled any doubt I might have had about Raj’s intentions. The torture he’d put me through now made sense. It was a distant memory washed away by the blood. All this religious rubbish he talked barely left an imprint on my greedy little brain. I reckoned I’d fallen into extraordinary good fortune and congratulated myself, drinking in the posh surroundings and sucking down my lover’s praises.
Raj pushed away from the table, signaling Beeshom to clear away. He glowered and bore the dishes away to do the washing up. We vacated the dining room for the adjacent lounge with its overstuffed chairs and mahogany. I tagged behind Raj, his eager cub. He stood facing the fireplace, stirring the logs with the poker. Sparks flew and flames reared up, filling the dampish room with warmth. I rested my chin on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around his waist. His heartbeat acted like a homing device calling me. Every waking moment my body longed to touch his. It just couldn’t get enough of the warmth and life racing through his veins.
He reached into his breast pocket. “Here’s something for you. I hope you don’t hold all that bother we had to go through against me?” He turned to me, his eyebrows crooked in an endearing, inquiring sort of way, as he handed me a tiny package. “I do hope you’ll forgive me?”
I tore open the wrapping. My childish love for presents no doubt resulted from of all those years that Father Christmas passed me over. A plastic device lay nestled in polystyrene, with a pair of ear buds coiled like baby snakes beside it. “I’ve read about this…it’s called an iPod. You can’t get them in shops yet. How did you manage?”
“Connections.”
“It’s brilliant. God, thanks Raj!” I threw my arms around him, clasping him with all my might.
He laughed and pushed me off. “Not so hard, Beauty. You don’t realize your own strength yet.”
I hadn’t considered this. Raj had presented this gift of immortality as all about eternal youth and beauty. With this kind of strength, I might have stood a chance against the bastards who’d raped and infected me. Since then, I’d learned to defend myself in tight situations, but that time there was five of them and one of me. Potential flowed through my veins, and I liked it. My body wanted to test it out, to go outside, run as fast as possible and climb up the sides of buildings like Spiderman. This was absolutely mind-blowing. Could Immortyls bend metal and leap tall buildings in a single bound and all that? Cedric the super boy, I liked the sound of it.
Ricky entered my mind then. Funny how I’d forgotten the best friend I’d ever had. He probably wondered by this time what had happened to me. He sometimes disappeared for a few nights, only to come home with juicy tales of some girl he’d met. Perhaps he figured I’d done the same, but after six nights he might worry that I’d dropped dead in the street. I wanted to ring him and tell him not to fret, but I didn’t remember seeing any phones in the house but the mobiles Raj and Beeshom used.
“Uh Raj, I need to make a call…”
One eyebrow went up and not in an endearing way this time. “A call, to whom?”
“My mate, Ricky. We share a room. I’ve been gone a bit now. Just want to say I’m all right and all.”
Raj went red in the face and gripped my trapezium muscles as if to shake sense into me. The pressure hurt. He was no slouch in the strength department either. “You cannot maintain mortal ties. Forget this boy.”
I couldn’t imagine cutting Ricky dead, but I supposed my progenitor had a point. How could I explain this wondrous thing that had happened to me? He’d never believe it. Then it occurred to me that perhaps Raj could do the same for Ricky. Shouldn’t I share my good fortune with my friend, as I’d always vowed I would? What amazing times we three could have together. My hand rubbed Raj’s thigh. “You’d like him.”
Raj shoved me away. “I’m not about to squander the Mother’s gift on every street boy you fancy.”
“It’s not like that. Ricky and I don’t mess around together—well, we have on request of a client. He’s like a brother to me.”
“I’m all you need now!” His hand rose.
I ducked my head under
my arms, protecting myself. After years of this kind of treatment from my pimp, it was a reflex. “I’m sorry, Raj. I won’t ask again.”
The blow never fell. Raj sighed and peeled my arms away from my head. He gathered me into his embrace. My body shook all over. I couldn’t stand for him to be angry. No one had ever affected me in this way. I’d never had what you might call a relationship, aside from a client or two who fancied himself my boyfriend for a short time. I’d always kept the upper hand in those cases. Those were business transactions, and I played them out for everything I could get, milking them until the infatuation ran its sordid course.
This was a sort of madness.
Raj’s voice fell to a whisper. He ran his hand down my hair and back to comfort. “Don’t tremble so Beauty; I won’t hurt you. Write your friend a letter with some lie if you must, but the sooner you put all of it behind you the better. You’ve been blessed by heaven.”
I clung to him, wondering what I’d do if he ever deserted me. For a kid who’d drifted through life, Raj represented an anchor of stability. No way could I let all this splendor slip away. If it meant turning my back on the only human being who meant something to me, it was a small price to pay for eternal life and its subsequent luxuries.
I never did write that letter.
* * * *
Months passed in a white-hot blaze fueled by Raj’s money. I’d accompany him to clubs and trendy restaurants, turned out in the flashy clothes I adored, behaving like the rock star I’d always wanted to be. Heads turned when we entered a place together. They’d whisper and speculate over our identities. I slurped this all up with relish, but my insatiable thirst to be the center of attention only grew more insistent.
We often entertained Raj’s business associates; buyers of cheap electronics that the house of Kalidasa produced in factories all over Asia. Sometimes we’d meet with members of Parliament whose votes favored his interests. My particular talents often leveraged these deals. Raj taught that an Immortyl could seduce any mortal, female or male. We had biological weapons on our side. The scent I’d taken to be Raj’s cologne turned out to be some kind of pheromone that lured victims in, like insects to a Venus flytrap. Good looks didn’t really matter—although they didn’t hurt. It never bothered me too much to take one for the team as they say. I did right well myself, promising to keep my mouth shut about it. I took it all as bit of a laugh.
Then there were the girls. Although Raj preferred boys, we’d pick up girls sometimes for a change of pace, fashion models and alleged actresses, always blonde, too bony and vacuous for my tastes. Intelligent, voluptuous women turned Raj off for some reason. Call me old-fashioned, but I like softness in a woman, nice juicy curves to sink my teeth into and wits to carry on a decent conversation. Still, we enjoyed some memorable evenings with these birds. Not that Raj ever killed them—too high profile.
Early one evening, Raj and I sat watching some dreary opera on the telly. He’d promised me a surprise, but there we sat on the sofa, doing nothing. We hadn’t dined yet. Most nights we’d go out to eat, but this one we hadn’t even had blood. I slumped against his shoulder, dozing off from boredom, but then an unmistakable scent roused me. I sat up straight as Beeshom showed a mortal girl into the drawing room. Saliva flowed in my mouth. I’d never been close to mortals without having first feasted well on bottled blood. My control still left a lot to be desired. What could Raj be thinking?
He looked her over. “Not half bad for the price. What do you think?”
His callous remark bothered me. Even a whore had feelings as I knew too well. In fact, she looked better than half bad with her baby face and rounded everything else. The skimpy dress showed off tits that swelled under the material like tempting fruit and outlined the outward curve of her hips. My body ached to feel that softness pressing against me, my fangs to pierce her like a wasp does a ripe plum and drink in all the nectar. “Raj…this isn’t a good idea.”
“She’s a present for you. Isn’t she to your taste?”
“She’s very nice…but…this isn’t a good time.”
Raj broke into a laugh. “The boy likes you. You have no idea how much.”
The girl just smiled, unaware of the danger. Raj wrapped his arm around her waist and steered her toward the staircase, chatting her up, all charming and debonair. His little game annoyed me. The girl’s bum swung like a fleshy pendulum, mesmerizing me. Hunger and desire spilled over into my veins, filling and hardening. This disturbing combination of lusts propelled me to follow she and Raj into the bedroom.
The girl shed her dress. A network of veins pulsated under translucent skin, giving her breasts the quality of opal. Dark hair curled down to her nipples. They stood engorged with blood, inviting tongue and teeth. Raj had gone out of his way to find the type of girl I liked best. Damn him, he knew I couldn’t resist her, but in my present state I wasn’t quite sure she’d survive the encounter.
Raj sank into a chair across the room from the bed. “I want to watch you with the boy.”
“Kinky costs extra,” she said.
“Money is no object. The boy needs to enjoy himself.”
By this time any reticence deserted me. I stripped down. The girl reclined on the bed. She smiled and held out her hand. Raj just sat there laughing. I eased myself onto the mattress beside her. We lay face to face. Eyes like a rainy sky looked into mine. I stroked the curve of her cheek and cupped one of her breasts. Invisible down tickled my fingers. The flesh gave when I squeezed, like a peach. Not good. I didn’t want her to feel like food.
“You’re very pretty,” I told her. Too many times, my clients had treated me like a non-person. I didn’t want her to think I was like others who patronized her, but mostly I needed to remind myself that she could think and feel. This monster inhabiting me wouldn’t win this struggle. “What’s your name?” I asked. “Your real name, I mean.”
“Gwen.”
“I’m Cedric.”
She giggled. “You’re a right treat for a change.”
Raj cackled like an old woman. Gwen wrapped her arms around my neck and snogged me on the mouth. A shudder ran through my body. I could almost feel Raj’s eyes on us, drinking in the spectacle, like his fangs had latched onto me to experience the vicarious thrill.
She tongued my ear and whispered, “You’re shaking all over. Is this your first time?”
“Hardly…”
“With a girl, I mean.”
“No.”
Raj laughed louder. I threw an indignant look over my shoulder.
“Such a lovely boy…” Gwen’s hand reached down. “Maybe I should be paying you.”
Moaning, I pushed her onto the mattress. Pale thighs opened. I slipped inside with a sigh. Her feet rested in the small of my back. I battled the intense urge to drink her down and concentrated on the moist warmth. The act called for a certain restraint in any case. If I really let loose I could damage my mortal partner’s internal organs. The danger heightened the experience. Gwen tightened around me as she built toward orgasm. Raj’s weight settled onto the bed next to us. His fingers twined in my hair. I moaned at the touch, reveling in his enjoyment of seeing me with the girl. Every thrust, I offered up for my god’s pleasure. How he must love me to give me this gift. His hand ran down my back and rested in the hollow above my buttocks, just above Gwen’s little feet, as if to draw the potency from me.
Gwen’s face screwed up with concentration. Her breath came in short gasps. I upped the pace. The expression on her face slackened. A chorus of bird song tumbled from her throat. Energy gathered in the lower half of my body, tensing for release, a bow drawn back and poised to shoot. Raj lowered himself beside me. His lips lingered on my ear. “That’s right Beauty, let me taste your joy…” His fangs stabbed into my throat. I let out a groan as the bowstring inside me snapped. An arrow of heat rushed through me and inside of the girl. My pelvis ground against hers, until I’d delivered the last dart to its target. I collapsed against the cushion of her breas
ts. A film of sweat glued our bodies together. Silky lips whispered praises into my ear.
I’d managed not to kill her. Maybe Raj had meant this as another test of some kind. I kissed her on the lips and took a deep breath, staving off my mounting desire to continue down to her neck. I needed to get away from her as quickly as possible. Rolling off, I lay on my back, panting with denial. Post orgasmic shivers passed through me. I focused on those and not the sound of her hammering heart or the metallic scent wafting from her flesh.
Raj pulled Gwen up into his arms and kissed her all over the throat. A laugh rippled from her. I realized then that he intended to kill her himself. The sex was just an interlude for him—no an appetizer would be a better term. He’d never taken a live victim in my presence. This was sick. I’d just been inside of this girl. “Raj. Don’t do this.”
“Quiet, you want this as much as I do.”
I sat up and hung onto his arm. “Please Raj, not after I’ve shagged her.”
Raj shoved his hand in my face and pinned me down to the bed by the neck, cutting off my breathing. I pushed against him, gasping for air. His arm might as well have been made of titanium. My increased strength had a long way to go to match his. Even if I wanted to save her, I couldn’t overpower Raj. Gwen had no idea what awaited her and talked dirty to him. He grabbed her by the back of the head, pulling on her hair to expose her throat.
“Hey, easy now, lover,” she said.
Raj wrapped an arm around her ribcage. His mouth pecked along her carotid artery. Then he bared his fangs, clamping down on her. She struggled and cursed, arms flailing around. Raj’s eyes bugged out as he drank. Veins stood out on his forehead like tendrils of strangling vines. His pallor darkened with ingested blood. The girl ceased struggling and lay still. He threw the body down. She flopped glaze-eyed as a doll against the sheets. Raj released his grip on me. “Drink you pathetic fool. I know you crave it.”
“Is she dead?”
“See for yourself.”
I pulled up on one arm and pressed my hand flat against her sternum. The heart fluttered, barely alive. Mine galloped. “Can’t you turn her? Don’t let her die like this.”
My Fearful Symmetry Page 3