Around three, she finally did go to asleep. He surveyed the perimeter, sensed nothing threatening in the vicinity, and flew off. About half a mile from Amber’s, he spotted another large bird, settling in the top of a tall conifer. He cawed out to it. It cawed back. By the time he got up to it, he could tell it was just a crow, not even a craven, as it was considerably smaller than he, and nothing more. He took flight again and circled the area. Something in his sixth sense now detected something more sinister – the other vampire. There was a small clearing below that showed in the moonlight, and in the middle of that clearing, on top of a wide log that looked like it might have been split by lightning, lay the body of a woman, a familiar looking woman, and hovering over it was who he’d been looking for. And in human form!
Dorian swooped down, instantly transforming right in front of the killer and his feast. The big, tow-headed vampire was startled, not expecting anyone to be around. Blood dripping from his protruding canines, he scowled at Dorian. “This one is mine!”
“Don’t want any part of your little feast. I just want to know who you are. And why is it you can get around in daylight?”
“Name’s Klaus…Not that I care what you want… Joseph Klaus. As far as my getting around in the daylight, seems I could ask you the same question.”
“You could. In fact, you can…I’m Dorian Lodovico.”
“Okay…I want to finish my meal before she gets cold.”
“Yeah…You would have to kill a nice lady like Shelia…our local realtor.”
“It matters to you who a human is?”
“Maybe.”
“Besides, I was hungry when she knocked on my door unannounced…Back to the subject…How do you get around in daylight?”
“I have a special pill…get it from a couple of very old friends.”
“In Russia?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Aptyp is quite the genius, is he not?”
“I was right in my assumption… I didn’t believe anyone else had the formula.”
“Not as far as I know.” He glanced down at the limp body he was holding in his arms. “I’m about finished here…But there may be a few drops left when I’m done…If you don’t mind leftover’s?”
“Generous of you…But I kind of liked her. Besides, I filled up with what you left of the campers the other night.”
“Ah…I was beginning to wonder if you were one of those rare, moralistic, vampires that refused to feed on human blood. But… sorry to disappoint you. That wasn’t me. I didn’t kill them.”
“You’ didn’t?” This was a surprise. “Then that means we have competition around here.”
“Guess it does. I think they just recently surfaced.”
“It’s not really so much morals…” Dorian said, referring to the big vampire’s remark. “More like wanting to be able to stay in one place for a while without drawing attention to myself…Besides, I don’t usually feed on people I know.”
“Personally…That’s never been a big problem with me. I move around a lot. Still, I can see your reasoning in wanting to keep a low profile. However, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll finish up here?”
“Fine with me…But there is one thing I do want.”
Klaus was ready to bite into the woman’s neck again, but looked up, now sounding irritated. “What is that?”
“There’s a newcomer…human…besides you and me. A woman…Cabin is quarter a mile from mine. She’s young. Early twenties… Long auburn hair and hazel eyes…I want her! She’s mine!”
He twisted his fanged mouth around, seeming to consider Dorian’s words. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’m serious,” Dorian emphasized. “I don’t want her killed!”
“I see! You want to turn her!”
“Considering it.”
He opened his hand in a gesture of acknowledgement. “Okay…I’ll leave her alone.”
“Good!”
“On one condition.”
Dorian had started to transform but quickly turned back. “And what’s that?’
“Stay out of my way…Don’t interfere with my hunting…In return, I’ll leave your girl alone.”
“Deal,” Dorian replied.
“Good! We understand each other. Now…If you don’t mind?” He indicated towards Shelia’s cooling body. “I’d like to finish.”
“By all means.” Dorian nodded, changed and was gone.
Amber tossed and turned and finally drifted off. She was soon dreaming.
At first, she was out walking in the woods, enjoying the singing birds and the cool breeze sifting through the trees, and she suddenly came upon a cabin. Looked much like hers, only built up higher with more steps, five instead of three. For some reason she felt compelled to get closer and found herself moving towards the back porch. She went up the back steps and peered in a window by the back door. Like hers, it opened up into a kitchen. Unlike hers, there was a small bar instead of a wall dividing the kitchen from the living room. What appeared to be an empty beer bottle rested on top. And there was no one in sight. Something told her this had to be Dorian Lodovico’s home.
A chilling wind suddenly blew up and felt as though it went through her. She backed away from the window and just as she did a large crow or raven, she wasn’t sure which, alighted at her feet, cocked its head and stared up at her with one bright eye. There was something unique about the big bird’s eyes, something she couldn’t quite figure out. The bird flapped its wings, startling her, and she stepped back. It cawed loudly and flew off.
She then found herself back in her cabin, standing beside her bed, when she heard someone softly speak her name. “Amber…” She swung around. No one was there. “Amber,” the voice said again. This time she thought she detected a vague accent, but couldn’t place it. She turned around again and saw herself lying in her own bed.
She bolted up gasping for breath. “God! What’s going on?” She quickly got out of bed and went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water, and then went to the bathroom to pee. By then, she had composed herself enough to rationalize that it all had been a dream, a dream and nothing more. She went back to bed and closed her eyes.
The next thing she knew, she was floating, surrounded by stars and a bright shining moon. She was outside again, only this time, above the trees. For some reason, this did not alarm her. There was something or someone with her. Someone that made her feel very warm, and full of anticipation. For what, she didn’t know. What’s more – she felt safe!
Again, the voice spoke her name, “Amber.”
She found herself staring into the most beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen. They were pale, slate. She was immediately entranced by them. A spark shot from those amazing eyes into hers. She gasped in wonderment. And his scent! Pine, sage…freshness. Euphoric!
His hair was dark and his features sculptured. He had a strong chin and there was a regal presence about him. He took her in his arms and pulled her close, staring down into her eyes. She sighed from the depths of her being.
Again, he spoke, “Amber…”
“Yes?” she heard herself reply.
He brought his lips up to hers, barely caressing. She waited, hungered, for him to kiss her. And he was suddenly gone and she bolted up in bed again.
“Oh my God!”
She swallowed hard, thinking over her dream that was more real than any dream she’d ever had before. There was no doubt in her mind that the man in her dream was – Dorian Lodovico!
She lay in bed for a while, not wanting to get up yet. This was something new to her…this feeling. She felt the amazing passion so strongly, even now, awake.
She’d never wanted a man’s kiss more, never wanted to be with anyone so much. Part of her wanted to go back and see if she could continue the dream, but the other side of her thought of Paul. She liked him…liked him a lot. But this strong desire she now suddenly felt for Dorian, was something she wasn’t sure she knew how to cope with.
Clifford was up early. It was one of those bright sunny days that were rare in the fall around Washington. He ate a quick breakfast, grabbed his digital camera and went for a hike, hoping to capture some of the beautiful colors, as the leaves were just beginning to turn.
He especially loved the bright oranges, some verging on peach. If someone had asked him, he would have said that God was the greatest landscape artist of all, for even what most people would consider haphazard tuffs of weeds, rocks, tall grass and variations and species of trees – the combination, the display, no matter what the angle – was always beautiful, and some downright breathtaking!
He came upon a clearing that he often traversed when looking for interesting things to photograph. Up ahead, just a ways, was a stand of poplars, and to their right were some maples. The maples were some of the most beautiful – some burnt orange, others, that peach he loved, and all variations of gold and yellow. He took a couple of shots and walked a little further. That was when he noticed three buzzards circling overhead.
At first, he thought maybe a deer or elk had met its demise with an encounter from a bear or cougar. Although, he hadn’t seen a cougar in these parts for several years, he’d heard that some folks had recently.
In fact, it had been suggested that the young man that had been found dead only yesterday evening, could have been killed by a big cat.
He stopped cold in his tracks. Just up ahead was a redheaded woman.
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