Scanning another page of the file, she continued reading about Raymond’s mind reading ability. She had spent the entire night lusting after a vampire, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he knew it. What was worse, he wasn’t even interested! Her face flushed with embarrassment. She lusted for him and as far as she could tell, he may have just been being polite. Damn it.
She then ran across the “No Bite” waiver. “Vampires/Immortals are restricted in biting humans. … Vampires are allowed to bite humans for medicinal purposes when their lives are in jeopardy … or when engaged in consensual sexual activity …” Signed Raymond Metcalf. She guessed there were similar files for all the other members of the Colony.
Alex shook her head. When she asked to see Raymond feed last night, he specifically mentioned that they feed by syringes. If she had offered him her vein, which she was sorely tempted to do, would that be a prelude to sex? OK, her mind did go there and it wanted to camp out … but this paper suggested that he could only bite her if he was dying or engaged in sex.
In the end, it didn’t matter anyway. He injected the syringe into his arm and kept his distance from her. But if Sulie hadn’t called about an emergency, Raymond might have ended up in her bed. That’s where she had wanted the evening to end.
Now that she gave it some thought, she didn’t remember the phone ringing. She also didn’t remember Raymond talking with Sulie over the phone. Her suspicions of being compelled were confirmed when a slight headache formed. She rubbed her temple. Yup. It was the same feeling as she had before. Maybe Raymond wanted to leave last night before the festivities began. He wanted an out for the evening and gave himself one. And, of course, she had bought it hook, line and sinker.
Plucking petals from a flower with the old “he loves me, he loves me not” was probably a better signal of how Raymond felt than the bits and pieces she was deciphering. The headache worsened and she helped herself to some more wine to wash down some Advil.
She flipped through the other folders and saw similar documents for each member of the Colony. She topped off her wineglass and started reading hours of information on her new team members. She reviewed their super power files so she wouldn’t be caught off guard anymore.
*****
Time was not on Alex’s side. She was running late and needed to look presentable when Raymond picked her up tonight. She was meeting the rest of the team. She wasn’t a vain woman, but she wanted to make a good first impression. She felt like she already knew them all to a certain extent because of the files she had read, but they didn’t know her one bit. Showing up looking like death warmed over was not the look she wanted.
She chuckled as she thought about the expression death warmed over. Just a short while ago, she thought Raymond was dead and soulless. Nope. Alive and patriotic seemed a better description. Standing from her desk, she felt dizzy. She took several deep breaths and made as straight of a line to the shower as she could.
After a quick shower, she walked into her closet. What to wear, what to wear? Jeans and button down? A dress? How formal is this going to be? Honestly, what do you wear when you know you’re going to meet a group of immortals? Panicking, she picked up the phone and called Dixon.
She dialed his number correctly on the second attempt.
“What should I wear tonight?” she asked when he picked up.
“Just be yourself. Be comfortable. Tonight won’t be dressy.” After a moment of silence, he added, “It’s after hours … think of it as a cocktail party where you will meet the team.”
She knew better than to ask a man. “OK. That doesn’t help Dixon. I’ll see you there later. Bye.”
She looked through her closet. Nothing felt right, especially as she remembered what Sulie had worn earlier. She didn’t want to be too fancy, but she didn’t want to look dressed down either. In fact, after Raymond had probably read her lustful thoughts the other night, and didn’t react to them, she decided to put on a dress that didn’t look too formal, but looked hot enough so Raymond would know what he was missing. The second part of her plan forbid her to think of anything sexy about him all night. She wasn’t sure that was even possible, but she certainly wouldn’t want to promote embarrassing thoughts tonight.
She was applying bright red lipstick when Raymond knocked on her door. “Don’t think sexy thoughts, don’t think sexy thoughts,” she reminded herself. “Be aloof and disconnected … and keep him drooling over your body in this dress,” she mentally scolded.
CHAPTER TWENTY–FIVE
Raymond had offered to drive Alex to Fang Manor for her introduction to the team. He assumed she would have questions about team members now that she had had access to the personnel files. By driving her, it allowed him time to answer them. His plan also had an added benefit. He would have extra time with her during the long ride.
Five knocks sounded on Alex’s door before he heard her footsteps approach. Of course, the dogs barked on the first knock. He heard the commands “sit” and “stay” a few times, but finally the door opened. Raymond tried to say hello, but his breath felt taken away. He felt light–headed by her beauty, like he had traveled to a land of perfection with Alex as the Supreme Being.
The dress she wore straddled the borderline of indecent and sexy. It was burning desire red in color — the reserved color of streetwalkers his mother always told him, taboo and to be avoided. It looked inviting tonight with its tight fit that curved Alex’s shapely body, including the plunging halter–top bodice. The one thin spaghetti strap, which ran around her neck, strained with the chore of supporting her ample bosom. He looked at her from head to toe, and saw her long legs displayed through a high slit in the form–fitting dress. He blinked a few times before he realized she had asked him a question.
“Am I dressed too fancy?” she asked again as she looked over his blazer and slacks. She then spun around to show him the back.
He murmured a grunt of a reply as his eyes remained glued on her silky, white skin. He managed a whispered, “You look … lovely.” When his eyes finally pulled away from the amazing display of skin, he focused them on her luscious red lips. They were so ruby and plump, almost the same color as the dress. They begged to be kissed.
He realized he stared at her. Christ. He was nearly drooling. “Good evening, Alex,” he said in a firmer voice. His lips curled up into a smile as she locked the front door on their way out. “You look lovely tonight,” he repeated. Picking up on her mental patterns he noticed her being nervous, but calm. He figured the concern centered more about her outfit than meeting the team members. He escorted her to the car and opened the passenger side door.
“I accepted the directorship for the Colony!” She said, as soon as they sat alone in the car. Her lovely face beamed more radiantly with the smile she now had. Raymond couldn’t help but smile back.
Her announcement wasn’t exactly a news flash. Raymond received a text earlier that day from both Sulie and Dixon. Still, he liked hearing it from Alex. He realized he wanted to hug her to congratulate her. That would mean touching her ivory colored, silky, smooth skin. He gripped the steering wheel as if it were a life preserver. Damn. He had underestimated her effect on him. He couldn’t deny his physical attraction to her.
He read her thought patterns, and found them to be confusing. At times, she appeared emotionally high, like a schoolgirl; at times she became more guarded and putting up walls. It was an odd combination, so he decided to keep his distance for now. It was a shifting–in–your–seat, uncomfortable car ride back to Fang Manor.
*******
Raymond and Alex drove down the two–lane private street which led to Fang Manor. The three story brick house dwarfed the tiny sports car as they pulled up the driveway. A beautiful garden with a fountain stood in the front of the house. The porch traveled along the front side of the home, with chairs and tables for outside use. The home was red brick on all sides, with a chimney sticking out from the top. The sun had set, but the outside lights lit the porch and s
urrounding areas around the house.
Alex’s placed her hand on her mouth as a gasp escaped. “This house is beautiful, Raymond.”
Raymond glanced up at the house. “Thanks. The place was built in the fifties. Of course, we’ve made some modifications, but it's been a great home for us.”
She glanced around at the gardens and yard. “Seems like a lot of space.”
He parked the car in the garage, and then walked around to open her door. “We built an apartment over the garage. Eventually, we may build a second house. After all, we do have the room to expand,” he said as he helped her out of the car.
Next to the Jag sat a Porsche. Alex paused to examine all the cars in the garage. A Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and a few others were there. She figured without the cost of food and lodging, the team could afford such niceties. Cars had never impressed her too much, but it did look like a private showroom.
She walked along the stone path, careful not to trip in the torture devices that passed as her shoes. “What changes have been done?” she asked.
As he spoke, he gestured to the different areas. “We added the sleeping deck on the third floor; converted the bomb shelter under the house into our headquarters, the gardens were extended, a walk in refrigerator for blood storage. … Just a few changes.”
The fresh scent of roses from the garden lingered in the evening air and she inhaled the fragrance deeply. “Sounds like a lot of work,” she said as she stumbled on one of the garden stones. Raymond grabbed her by her tiny waist and prevented her fall. She placed her hands on his strong arms as she steadied herself. The high spikes of her shoe took a scuff or two during the spill, but survived. She took a deep breath as she poised herself on them. The shoes hurt her feet, but sometimes a good shoe can make even your ass look incredible. With the tightness of this dress, she felt as though her ass needed all the help it could get.
“Your bio readings were uploaded this afternoon.” Raymond gestured for her to unlock the security settings on the door. Once her retina scan, fingerprint scan, and voice commands were recognized, she punched in the security number. The clicks of the alarm sounded disabling the device. “The doors of the house are always locked.”
She nodded. “I wonder if this type of system will ever be available commercially.” The door opened and something unpleasant smelling hit her nose. They walked into the kitchen and witnessed something as it nearly boiled over on the stove. Alex recognized the woman who stood in an apron before the messy pot. It was odd to see someone wearing an apron over an elegant beige sequin vest pantsuit, with golden accent and scarf. A smile crossed Alex’s face as she realized she had dressed appropriately. “Hello Sulie,” she said as she entered.
Raymond leaned in and whispered in Alex’s ear, “Watch out. My sister is a hugger.”
“Captain Brennan! How wonderful to see you again. Please do come in.” Sulie placed the wooden spoon she held on the counter. Walking with arms held out to give Alex a hug she muttered, “Be nice Raymond. Hugging is just a hello with your arms.”
OK, the hug was a bit too familiar for Alex. She usually did not hug near perfect strangers, but there was something about Sulie that was so calm and friendly. Alex looked to see if perhaps Ben and his mood–altering abilities were afoot, but he was nowhere to be seen. Alex awkwardly returned the hug. “Thank you.”
Keeping Alex’s hands in hers, Sulie took a step back. “My, what a lovely dress.” Glancing over at Raymond she added, “And such a bold color.”
“Thank you, Sulie.” Alex returned the compliment, “Your outfit is lovely as well.”
Raymond walked over to a small bookshelf. Alex watched as he removed his shoes and set them on the top–shelf. She then looked at Sulie’s footwear and noticed house slippers.
“If you don’t mind, Alex. We don’t wear shoes in the house,” Sulie explained.
“Except for the kitchen,” Raymond commented as he put on his own pair of slippers. “We do this for my son and his reaction to allergens.” As he walked to the corner of the room and turned on the air purifier, he added, “There are guest slippers for you to wear.”
So much for her ass looking good, but at least she got a reprieve from the attack of the killer shoes. “Of course I don’t mind.” She selected a black pair that looked to be her size and then said to Sulie, “You have a lovely home … and please call me Alex.” She placed her purse on an empty counter in the sparse kitchen. Aside from the several different coffeemakers and an air purifier, she didn’t see any other appliances. The only items out, other than what rested on the stove, was a bowl filled with avocados and a fork Sulie was holding to mash them.
“Let me get you a goblet of wine.” Sulie fetched a goblet from the cabinet. “Here, I’ll put this little metal tassel around the base of your wine goblet so you won’t confuse it with someone else’s.”
“I’ll go round up the others.” Raymond left. Alex figured he was giving her a chance to talk with Sule and get to know her better.
Alex stared at the glass of wine. How much wine had she had earlier? If she had to ask herself that question, then she should say no to wine right now. But, as Sulie held out the glass to her, Alex accepted the goblet. “Thank you, Sulie. I’ll keep the tassel in mind. I don’t want to accidentally drink blood tonight. I mean, I don’t mind if you and the others do, I’m sure it’s delicious to you …” Alex watched Sulie drink the blood from the goblet as she busily made guacamole dip.
“Don’t be so nervous, Alex. We rarely bite.” Sulie said.
Alex decided to take that as a joke. Overall, the woman seemed harmless, but Alex had read the dossier on Sulie. She was a trained killer, and looked the part now that she held a sharp kitchen knife in her hand. “Can I ask you something before Raymond gets back?” Alex asked.
“Sure. Anything.” Sulie said as she cut open another avocado and tossed the pulp into the bowl.
Alex paused to gather her thoughts. She then remembered what she wanted to ask. “I watched Raymond feed last night …”
Sulie stopped mashing the avocados and looked up at Alex. “He fed in front of you?”
“Yes. I read there can be an effect, but you’re drinking blood right now and it’s not affecting you the same way. At least I don’t think it is.”
Sulie laughed. “I should hope not. You see, we have to drink blood to sustain our life.”
Alex nodded. “Yes. I understand.”
Sulie stopped mashing and looked at Alex. “Did Raymond explain that the more often we feed the younger we are?”
Alex nodded as she sipped her wine.
“And you know of the orgasmic pleasure we can get from drinking the blood.” Sulie smiled.
Alex bit her lip. “Yes. I read something to that effect.” This was the confirmation Alex needed. The blood explained Raymond’s yo–yo like affection to her over the last week.
“You see, I’m not married. No live–in mate either. Many of us are single. If we graze all–day, the sensual effects are dulled. However, if we eat meals a couple times a day we have the blood’s full affect and we get exceedingly aroused.” She smiled when she added, “It’s when we skip meals and then feast when you have to watch out for us.”
Alex’s eyes widened in surprise. She stared at the goblet. “Really?”
Sulie waved her hands dismissively. “Don’t worry. The government keeps us well fed. You must have been told of our blood shipments.”
“Yes. I read about them.” Alex still wanted more information. She took a sip of wine and then blurted out, “Raymond told me he is a widower.”
Sulie cut fresh tomatoes for the guacamole. “Yes. Even for a vampire it was a long time ago.”
“I figured that much.” Alex lifted her arm and waved the fingers of her left hand. “What about the ring he wears?”
Sulie wiped her hands on her apron. “He’s never taken off his wedding ring.” She opened the refrigerator and pulled out the salsa and added it to the mixture. She offered
Alex a chip from a bowl on the counter. “Can you taste this?”
The guacamole looked odd but Alex politely tasted the mixture. It wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t good either. She obligingly said, “The dip has an interesting flavor.”
“It could be the soy sauce. I was out of lemons, so I substituted.”
Her lips pursed as she suppressed a grimace. “That explains the taste.” Alex took a large gulp of her wine to flush the food from her mouth. “So Raymond isn’t married, shouldn’t he sip on blood all–day too? Or does he have a girlfriend?” She bit her lip hoping there wasn’t a girlfriend.
“No girlfriend. It's just that he can’t be so obvious out in the field. He’s too busy and in too much of the public eye to be sipping blood all–day long. Plus, it depends on how old his alias is as to how much blood he needs to consume. Raymond just began a new alias, so he drinks often right now. Sterling has other outlets and prefers the human vein. Same with Ben.”
Alex could feel her heart skip a beat. ‘Human vein’. Humans existed as food to these people. Of course, she knew that fact going into this den of vampires, but it was a reality check nonetheless.
The slight pause from Sulie caused Alex to wonder if the woman could somehow sense her fright. Sulie smiled and then continued, “Mason and Daniel drink rarely right now and blood lust isn’t a big deal for them. William and Jackie are married, so they feed together and keep it under control.”
Some deep breaths drove the fright from Alex. Then curiosity took over. “I don’t know how to ask this, so I’m going to spit it out. If you sip blood all–day long does that mean you never have certain needs … or, ah, desires?”
Sulie chuckled. “Grazing doesn’t block the need. I just don’t get crazy when I drink blood. I can control the need. I think the boys have problems controlling the lust at times.”
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