by Strider, Jez
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as we drove up to my house. From a distance I could see that the front door was shut. I found that odd since Ash had told me that it had been kicked down. I pulled the revolver out of my purse and climbed out of the car. Antonio grabbed me by the shirt.
“Let me go first.” He growled at me in a whispered tone. His gun was already out.
Despite my confident façade, I was actually scared. I took up position behind him without protest. “Hurry.”
When we reached the door, he silently counted to three with his fingers before twisting the nob. The suspense was unbearable, but the door didn’t budge. Antonio took a few steps back before I could stop him. For the second time today, my door was kicked down.
“Seriously? There was a key under the flower pot!” I hissed softly at him.
Both our eyes locked on my living room. The place had been cleaned. There were no visible signs of blood or the flowers my friend had mentioned. Strangely, pages from an old diary were strewn about the room. I stepped in and picked up the first one I came to while Antonio watched alertly.
“What is it?” He questioned as I read the page.
My laugh was abrupt and I lost it for a moment, ripping the paper into shreds. “He’s toying with us. It’s the journal I kept in Versailles.” I shook my head. “There are many mentions of our affair. No wonder he sent you.”
Antonio began looking around the room for clues as I gathered up the pages of my old diary. With everything that had been going on, I hadn’t consumed enough blood. My head felt cloudy and I found myself reading over every page I picked up. It was strange to read my thoughts from so long ago. Doing so was taking all my focus. The lifeblood kept us strong, immune to disease, and our minds alert. I’d already been living on the minimum amount required before health would begin to deteriorate.
“I think I found something.” He pulled a business card that hand been pinned to the refrigerator by one of my animal magnets. “Dante runs some BDSM clubs throughout the country. It’s a good business, but he’s become…” His sentence broke off when he noticed my state. He opened the fridge to get me a bottle of blood, only to find them gone. “He’s a libertine and hedonistic. These clubs aren’t run for anyone’s pleasure except for his own sick and twisted variety.”
There was concern in his eyes as he headed over to where I was leaning against the sofa. “That must be where they took Marcus then.” I gave a wave of my hand, trying to signal to him that I was fine.
He dragged his teeth across his wrist, making a small cut, before extending his arm to me in an offer of blood. “You have to feed. It may take us a while to figure out which one he’s at or if…”
My frown was apparent. “If he’s dead already,” I finished for him. He was right, though. I felt so weak. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to feed. There was a painful sting in my neck. My hand flew up to pull the tranquilizer dart out. As my eyes were rolling back in my head, I caught a glimpse of an angry Antonio making the same motion to his neck. He reached out for me and then everything went black.
It must have been during the ride that I awoke to voices. “I can’t believe that bastard took two darts to take him down.” One of the voices said.
“Probably all the adrenaline from seeing his bitch knocked out. I sure hope those chains hold.”
My wrists couldn’t move at all as I tried to get free. I could tell we were moving in some sort of vehicle. I opened my eyes heavily to catch a glimpse of the captors. It must have been a van because I saw the two men were talking in the back. One of them seemed vaguely familiar. I can’t be sure but I think he’d come in to donate blood during the drive. If he was a vampire...and that blood was given to a patient….
I couldn’t really process it at the time and I couldn’t lift my head to look for Antonio.
“Sedate this one again.” The thug said to his companion.
The other ruffian leaned down to me, running one hand through my hair while the other held up a needle. He bent down, roughly kissing my lips. “The things I would do to you if the boss wouldn’t find out.” My anger gave me enough of a boost to spit in his face. I could hear laughing before I slipped back into unconsciousness.
When I woke up, I had so many questions. I sat up on the side of the bed and looked around the area. It reminded me of a cheap hotel room. Antonio was sitting in the corner of the room on the floor. His eyes were closed and he looked like an exhausted mess. It had to be bad. That man was always groomed and in control. I walked over to the door and put my hands against the surface. It had looked like glass but it was more of a bullet proof type plastic material. Outside the door at a desk was a guard with a shotgun. Vampires could survive many things, but a wound the size of a dinner plate was unlikely. The guard picked up a phone on the table when he noticed me watching. I turned away from the door.
A wallet on the small table in the room caught my eye and I walked over to it. When I opened it up, a teenage Marcus was staring at me from his driver’s license photo. It read Marcus Andrew Hart. Funny that I’d never asked his middle name. There was also a photo of us together that had come from one of those photo booths you sit in and it takes four pictures. Even the money was still there, a couple of twenties. The most distinguishing factor was the blood all over everything. It wasn’t fresh blood, but the smell reminded me of my hunger.
Sickness washed over me and I ran through the door in the back of the room, assuming it was the bathroom. I hadn’t eaten in God knows how long, so I was mostly dry heaving. After flushing the toilet anyway and washing my hands, I took a good look at myself in the mirror. The lack of nourishment was making me look rough. My skin was paler than usual, I’d lost weight, and I couldn’t retract my fangs. If I didn’t feed soon, the effects would probably be irreversible. When I turned to face the door, Antonio was leaning against the entryway.
“We should have fled when we had the chance,” he said before walking out and returning to his seat in the corner. It was hard to tell if he was angry at me or at himself.
I followed, taking a seat in front of him on the floor. “What kind of person would I be if I had just left? I’d have always wondered if I could have saved him.”
“Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker.” The snide remark stung. I won’t lie. “I am sorry about your friend.” I’d heard more sincere apologies in my time. His gaze drifted upward and mine followed. There was a camera keeping a watchful eye on us.
My heart hurt, but I was too hungry and too tired to properly process it all and mourn. I also refused for them to watch me in pain on camera. “Thanks.”
He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap facing him. His lips kissed my cheek before he moved them against my ear. “They’ve kept us sedated for days to make us weak. We’re going to have to do something to make him take action if we’re going to survive. You’re also going to have to feed from me.” As he pulled back slightly, he looked into my eyes and gave a small nod.
My legs straddled him and I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his. I took the time to savor his taste before kissing his neck. The meaning behind his words was clear. Dante would go mad to watch us get intimate. “Do you remember the first time?” I asked. “Tell me, take me back there…” My voice trembled before my fangs delicately pierced his skin. In my mind, I felt less guilty if I pretended we were back in Venice, before I knew Marc. Before I got Marc killed….
Beneath me his hips arched upwards when I bit down. When he spoke, I knew whoever was watching would hear. “Master Dante had gone to an important meeting and left us alone to wait for him in the gondola. It had begun to rain so we got into the felze for shelter.” In the small cabin on the gondola is where it all began. But were we to blame for all this? No, I couldn’t think that. Dante was the criminal.
Moans came out softly as I drank the life giving blood. It wouldn’t have the same effect as drinking from a human, but it was better than no nourishment. I’d heard sto
ries of vampires exchanging blood in an attempt to create a more powerful strain of the virus that made us what we were. Antonio’s hands moved beneath me, unzipping and freeing himself from his pants.
I pulled away and quickly shed my clothing, before climbing back onto his lap. The puncture wound was already healing, so I licked the blood off his neck. His blood was strong, working quickly like I’d heard the ancient’s blood did.
He didn’t have to continue the story. I was lost in a whirl of the past and present. The rain pelted the gondola and it was cold. He put his arm around me to keep me warm. We both knew his boss would kill us if he caught us. How could we deny the instant attraction? I didn’t believe in love at first sight exactly, but I did know I always felt some sort of connection when I met those special people in my life for the first time.
After four hundred years, everything felt the same as we made love. I didn’t care who was watching or what happened to us, just as I didn’t when we made love on the canal. Our bodies continued to work in time even as we heard several sets of footsteps and a fist bang against the door.
“Ti amo…” He whispered, telling me he loved me. Both of his hands cupped my cheeks gently and he kissed me deeply as we finished. Right at the moment, Dante’s men burst through the door, dragging us apart.
I couldn’t respond in return. My heart was too conflicted. I think he just wanted me to know in case this was the end.
The hirelings held their guns at us, ordering us to get dressed. I could smell they were human, see their veins pulse beneath their skin. It was a strange sensation. My senses had never been so precise. I was about to lunge and try to take at least one of them out when I caught Dante’s piercing, hateful glare in the doorway.
Dante looked mostly how I remembered him. His hair was worn in a classic Ivy League cut and was pure white. He’d been middle aged when he’d become a vampire. His premature white hair had added to his air of sophistication and authority. Respect for my elder, I guess. His suit made him look like a business man, whereas Antonio’s had made him look like the models you see on billboards and in magazines.
“Bring them. It’s time.” He turned without saying anything to us and led the way down the hallway. He didn’t seem to have any fear of having us at his back.
The elevator ride seemed to take an eternity as we ascended to the top. It was surprising to me that Dante opted to ride with his prisoners. The two men kept their guns trained on us. Dante’s vengeance was causing him to make stupid decisions. I hoped that one of them left me with the opportunity to take him out.
Dante rode with his back to the door. Antonio and I were guarded in opposing corners. My eyes were locked on Marcus’ murderer. Whether or not the kill was done by his own hand didn’t matter. He would have given the order. When I did steal a glance toward Antonio, I noticed he wouldn’t make eye contact with Master Sanuto. Thinking back on it, I should have noticed it was weird, but my anger was too fierce for me to think rationally.
The doors opened and the ancient vampire stepped out with an agile turn, once again leading the way. My earlier assumption that we were imprisoned in a cheap motel was wrong. Though the lower floor resembled one, the upper level was lavish. This floor was for the prestigious, rich, and famous. I doubted anyone else could afford it. The carpet was crimson and the softest I’d ever walked on. I suppose this stuck out in my mind since I hadn’t had time to put my shoes on. Was the carpet chosen red as symbolic reference to blood or to hide all the blood stains, I wondered as we made our way down the hallway.
A lady walked toward us dressed in black latex from head to toe. I use the term lady sparingly. You could visibly see her reverence for Dante in her expression, but when she saw the guns on the guards she immediately disappeared into the nearest corridor. I assumed she was one of the dominatrix employees. People with enough money could pay for any fantasy to be fulfilled. It had always been that way, no matter what era.
The silence continued on until we reached a door labeled “Master of Ceremonies.” The two men stood on either side of the door and Dante opened it and entered. Antonio passed between the men following the Master. I hesitated, but a nudge from one of the guard’s shotgun barrel urged me inside the office. They secured the door quickly behind me.
As offices go, I’d never seen anything so regal. All the furniture was antique and of the highest quality. The curtains appeared to be handcrafted and expensive. It was like stepping back in time. An extensive collection of books covered both walls. I thought the modern suited business man seemed out of place. Hell, I definitely seemed out of place in my dark blue jeans, a pink Harley t-shirt that Marcus had given me, and my still bare feet.
Dante exited into his private chambers without a word and left us alone. I turned to Antonio who still looked defeated.
“What do we do now? He’s not afraid of us, so maybe we can use that to our advantage.” I said quickly in a hushed whisper.
Antonio raised his head to look at me. “No. He’s going to ask you to kill me and you’re going to do it to prove you will be loyal to him. It’s the only way to save your life.”
“Don’t be a martyr, you fool.” I walked over to the first modern items I saw in the room. The computer and surveillance monitors showed what was going on in the other rooms in the building. Voyeurism in high tech form…. I didn’t have time to observe the activities going on, but I did notice the room we had been held captive in was on the main display. I knew it. Quickly I turned away and started searching the desk for a weapon. Most of the drawers were locked. The door to the other room opened and I grabbed the two closest weapons. I was dual wielding alright, equipped with an ink pen and stapler.
The person I was expecting didn’t enter. Marcus walked out of the room. His face was bruised and lip had been busted. His eyes looked past me at the display screen showing where I had been imprisoned. He pulled a gun out that was tucked in the back of his pants and pointed it directly at Antonio. I knew he’d seen everything. As if that wasn’t enough, I didn’t know how much Dante had been able to twist his thinking.
On cue, Master Sanuto returned to the room as well. He was carrying a box. “Son, how you have disappointed me. No matter now, since I have found a replacement.”
“Father,” Antonio pleaded. “Let Evelina go. You’ve a hotel full of women at your disposal.”
What? Father? I should have known. No wonder Antonio was willing to die and follow such an evil man. The heart always did make me blind and irrational. I wanted to find out more, but with Marcus brandishing a gun it didn’t take priority.
Dante looked away from his son, as if he were already dead to him, and walked over to me. He sat the box on the desk. My hands were shaking and I dropped the pencil and stapler. I figured I may as well just attack with my fangs if I got close enough to use office supplies. Piece by piece, he began pulling fashion items from the box. The corset, sleeves, top, skirt, and hat were all pieces to one of my dresses. I don’t know how he preserved it for so long without it crumbling to dust or if it was just a replica. This outfit had always been a favorite among the men I entertained. It was clothing fit for royalty of the time. The fabric was emerald in color with intricately sewn patterns.
“Come, now. Help her dress.” Within seconds after a few snaps of his fingers, a young girl came into the room. She couldn’t have been long out of high school and I immediately felt pity for her. Bite marks on her neck and her obvious enthrallment with Dante left little hope of help from the girl. She made the attempt to help me undress. Apparently, I was going to be forced to play dress up in front of everyone.
My two most recent lovers held each other in a locked stare. Antonio’s shame was starting to be replaced with anger, while Marcus’ anger was already boiling over. I protested as the blood slave tugged at my clothing. Calmly but swiftly, I felt Dante’s hand around my throat.
“Cooperate, my love, or I will see them both dead. Even the young one’s pledge of loyalty won’t save him.” The eld
er vamp’s cool collected tone left chills running down my spine. “If you do as I say, he will live. I am a man of my word.”
I had no choice but to do as he asked, even though I didn’t expect him to keep any promises. Neither Marcus nor Antonio gave me a glance as I was being threatened. Perhaps this situation was proof of my bad taste in men. Dante released his grip and the girl resumed dressing me in the fine attire. It was humiliating.
When she finished, I could see the pleasure visibly in Dante’s eyes. He made a motion with his finger for me to spin. I did as I was told, all the while wondering how in the hell I ever stood to wear such clothing.
Men make me foolish, but I seem to have the same effect on men. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the target of Marcus’ gun change and Antonio move beside the door. Everything happened in an instant before I even knew what was happening. Marcus squeezed the trigger without hesitation and let off several shots into Dante’s back.
The ancient being was in motion before the clip was emptied. He’d turned and was lunging toward Marcus faster than either of us could process. His fangs extended as he tackled him, knocking the gun across the room.
Antonio had locked the door when Marcus fired the first shot and the guards were now breaking it down with shotgun blasts. The screams of the club’s patrons rang out through the building. As the first guard climbed through the broken door, Antonio cracked him over the back of the neck with his elbow, killing the man instantly. The second guard caught sight of his fallen comrade and turned tail, fleeing down the hallway.
I ran for the weapon as best I could in platform heels, but Dante’s young thrall got to it first. My own fangs extended and I made the split second decision to attack Dante anyway. I knew Marcus only had moments before he’d be ripped to shreds. The girl fired once and missed, sending sparks flying from one of the surveillance monitors.
My teeth were tearing into Dante and he did what I wanted, releasing Marcus and wriggling to get me off. He backed up and slammed me against a wall. Oh it hurt, but I wasn’t about to let go. I just buried my teeth deeper and drank as much blood as I could from him. After all these years I was still learning the truths of what I was and it was true that you could get stronger from drinking from the elders. Drinking from Antonio quickly revealed that much to me.