The Nectar of Eternal Life
Michael Coles
Copyright © 2016 Michael Coles
All rights reserved.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: A Predator Emerges
Chapter 2: Vampire Murders
Chapter 3: The Great Edict
Chapter 4: Blood Auction
Chapter 5: The Happy Home
Chapter 6: Transformation
Chapter 7: First Kill
Chapter 8: Couple Kill
Chapter 9: Look out Empire
Chapter 10: A Predator Emerges
Chapter 11: A Different Kind of Murderer
Chapter 12: The Dragnet
Chapter 13: The Journey Home
Chapter 14: Beating a Dead Vampire
Chapter 15: Everybody’s Heading For Plesston
Chapter 16: The Demonstration
Chapter 17: Margaret and Christopher Break Silence?
Chapter 18: What, another Vampire killer?
Chapter 19: Elsie’s Offer
Chapter 20: Race to the Top
Chapter 21: The Final Feed
Chapter 22: The New World
Chapter 23: A Legend is Created
Chapter 1
A Predator Emerges
With a splash, a tall silhouetted figure stepped off the bus. Dressed in tailored black, his wide angular frame tapered all the way down to polished shoes that gleamed in the street lighting. Rivulets of water streamed here and there across the side walk as sprinklers hissed nearby. The young man struck an impressive figure even with shopping bags full of groceries in each hand. He paused momentarily as he got his bearings, and then strode off in a long, poised gait. The echoing click of his heels relaxed Drake as he walked past high-rise apartment buildings lining the street. Looking up, the lights of the towering structures gracefully curved outwards as they became additionally, support pillars for the next level of this massive dome. Drake was desperate to feed and he wanted to make an impression with his first murder. He laughed at the absurdity; killing a human was acceptable, but killing a Vampire was an offence punishable by death. Drake felt a pounding excitement in his chest as he counted down addresses. Lurking uncomfortably in the shadows, Drake became more aware of the grinding desire to feed. He recognized the feeling and like any Vampire, didn’t like it. But the pleasurable relief of feeding was worth waiting for, worth building up your desire to a fever pitch, just for those few rapturous moments, and the contentment that came after a feed. It was nice not to have the rack of guilt pulling him to pieces as it had before feeding from a human. Drake shook off the thought, but not before it had touched a festering wound.
Finally an opportunity presented itself when a taxi pulled up in front of his target address. Grabbing his bags, Drake walked purposefully to the front door. He patted his pockets and awkwardly shifted his bags from hand to hand. An attractive young Caucasian woman emerged from the car, red dress flowing as she walked briskly. She was a symphony of movement, perfectly orchestrated by graceful arms, all the way to her crimson fingertips. Glossy, flowing hair showered the air with a beautiful fragrance and danced on her delicate bare shoulders. Her graceful neck is where Drake’s mind loitered.
The woman shook her head and let the rush of air brush her dark hair back. She felt fine in her new dress, and she looked forward to blowing off the steam of a long work week. She immediately noticed a man fumbling about at the entrance. But he looked respectable…like a poor guy who had left his keys somewhere. Polished with style, he cut a pretty fine figure. One last glance and she caught his eye. That terrible yet wonderful jolt of attraction shot through her and she tried desperately to portray an aloof expression.
“Hi.” Drake said.
“Hi!”
“Wow, don’t you look nice…big night on the town?” Drake said in a deep, lively tone. A beautifully fragranced draft carried on and he felt his knees weaken.
Her cheeks flushed. “Thank you. It’s been a long week-time to relax. Just going out for dinner with a few friends,” she responded pleasantly while pressing one of the intercom buttons.
Drake quickly looked her over…so lovely. The elegant arch of her neck was where his gaze lingered and his tortured mind focused. He wanted her so badly that his entire being was screaming at him to feed. He imagined his teeth piercing the soft, warm flesh and feeling the lifeblood rush through his body. He quickly checked out his peripheral. No, way too risky. Don’t blow it. Be patient, he reminded himself.
“Hello?” a woman’s voice resonated from the intercom.
“Hi-it’s Melissa.”
“Okay, come on up.”
“Do you mind?” Drake said in an apologetic tone. “I seem to have misplaced my key…I’ve been such a scatter brain lately.”
“You do live here, right?”
“I’m in 206-Huxberry is my name.” Drake gestured to the directory with a gaze.
The door buzzer interrupted her glance towards it. The woman briefly hesitated, but it was obvious this guy wasn’t a crook. She pushed the door opener and led the way in.
“I just live on the 2nd floor. Sometimes it’s quicker to walk than waiting for the lift,” Drake said with a smile. “Thanks again, that was nice of you. Have a nice evening.”
“No problem.”
They turned and went their separate ways. The woman shook her head and crinkled her pristine face. Damn…he was so gorgeous. Huxberry? She smiled at the funny name that didn’t suit him.
Drake climbed the stairs and found the apartment number he was looking for. He hoped she was attractive, but it really didn’t matter. He knocked gently, not expecting a response. A quick side-to-side check and he gained entrance with the hacked security code. He walked into the apartment and placed his groceries out of sight. The place was nice, small, neat, a little kitchen off to the side with a few dishes in the sink. The furnishings modest, but the occupant obviously had a flair for decorating. Drake looked at the photos meticulously placed around the room. He lingered on a picture of her hamming it up at a social function; her blond hair off her shoulder, revealing the gentle arc of her neck. They all portrayed a young, fun loving girl and Drake felt a sudden pang of guilt. She’s a Vampire, he reminded himself. She has killed hundreds of human men. Drake calmed his mind. She’s a killer…and so am I.
The clock on the wall chimed softly its 9 o’clock announcement. Drake knew Liz Bower’s work schedule, he had an in. She was just getting off work. Drake hoped she would come straight home.
***
Elizabeth Bower looked at the clock countdown to 9. Why does it seem to slow down the more I watch it, she thought.
It had been a long week of overtime and the moods had definitely improved over the last few hours. “Hey Liz, just wanted to say thanks for staying late all day this week. Are you coming for a drink after work? We can all complain about the “Great Edict”, as they call it. All I want to know is how can there be so much extra work caused by something being cancelled?”
Liz laughed while tidying up her work area for the evening. “Thanks for the invitation, Tasha, but me and my hot tub and a glass of wine have a date tonight.”
“Just come for one.”
“No, you know one leads to another, then it’s hard to leave. I just want to go home and relax.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll relax when I find a nice man to spend the rest of my life with.”
“Eternity? I think the longest marriage has only lasted around 250 years.”
“Well, as long as I can put up with him then.”
Liz laughed.
The rapid clack of heeled shoes diverted their attention.
; “Elsie!” Tasha blurted.
“Sorry excuse me, Liz. Have a great weekend. And if you change your mind you know where we’ll be.”
“Yeah, I know. Have a great weekend.”
“Elsie, wait up.” Tasha scurried to catch up. “Are you mad at me or something? You haven’t returned my calls.”
“Sorry Tash, I had to take some time off work to sort some things out, and actually; something has brought me over here. I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, oh-I don’t like the sound of this. Let’s go into my office. I don’t like the sound of this at all,” Tasha muttered as they walked.
They sat down on opposing sides of the desk.
Elsie quickly analyzed the office. “Still little Miss Organized, I see.”
“Yeah, it’s one of my faults, and the reason I can’t seem to keep a man for more than a few years at a time. They’re all just untrainable slobs. How’s Drake?”
Elsie’s expression changed. “Not good. He’s gone.”
“What do you mean gone?”
Elsie winced as she spoke. “He ran away with Megan.”
“Are you kidding me? We’re in such shit if the police find him! How long has he been missing?”
“Since Tuesday.”
“Tuesday? And you wait this long to tell me! I don’t know how I could have ever let you talk me into this. And then to bring Megan into your home was crazy! How the hell did this happen?”
“Drake’s clever, and Christopher is an idiot. Drake’s got a line of credit, so as long as I don’t cancel it, he can pretty much just blend in.”
“Are you going to cancel it?”
“Not yet. I’m scared that if he has no resources, he will only have one choice to feed.”
Tasha’s face went blank. “Oh my bloodless bones-do you think he would?”
“Why not. He hates us with a vengeance. Even with the means to buy humans; he may still choose to feed from Vampires.” Elsie threw her head back. “Shit! I’m in so much trouble.”
“Hello! I’m just as responsible for this as you are, although I promise you I’ll tell the cops the contrary.”
A light tap at the door interrupted the conversation.
“Crap! Come in… Liz, what’s up?”
“Sorry to interrupt. I told Linda that I wasn’t coming in on Monday but I thought I’d better tell you, too. My dad’s having another century party, that’s 5 now, can you believe it?”
“Okay, thanks for letting me know, see you next Tuesday,” Tasha said, offhandedly.
“Goodnight.”
Elisabeth Bower closed the door of Tasha’s office and strode down the hallway. She had a little bit of spring in her step as she thought about a relaxing fun weekend…and three days of not having to come back to this place. Stepping out of the front door of her office building, Liz’s blond hair blew across her face. Traffic was still busy on the greenways, and the wind from it funneled down the long corridors of glass and steel. It had been another long day and the lights had already dimmed for the evening. Liz waited patiently for the bus to come and managed to get a window seat as she zoned out for the ride home. Her thoughts wandered to the satisfying feed she had enjoyed yesterday after work. Wow, he was so beautiful. A little bit of a splurge seeing as she was putting in so much overtime. Whenever she went beyond her budget on blood stock, Liz was afraid she wouldn’t be able to go back, but her frugal nature never failed her. It was a pleasant, stimulating memory and Liz felt her gums swell around her fangs. The memory occupied her mind on and off for the rest of the ride home. The sidewalks were wet after a watering of the green-ways. She listened to the sound of her heels echoing off the buildings as she neared her apartment building. A cab waited out front. Two young women climbed in-one in a pretty red dress.
***
Drake paced about the room, his face reflecting the torture radiating from within. He knew from the woman’s buying pattern that she had just fed within the last twenty-four hours. Good-the more recent the feed, the more nourishing the blood. Drake heard the sound of the trash truck picking up outside. The frozen corpses made a sickening thumping noise as they were transferred from the refrigerated refuse bin to the hulking garbage truck.
The sound of heeled shoes coming down the hallway made Drake’s heart quicken. The lock turned, his muscles tightened. From the shadows of the kitchen he could see her long blond hair fall forward when she bent over to take off her shoes. Brushing it aside she walked towards the bedroom. A petite athletic posture was revealed once in stocking feet and Drake stealthily followed. While admiring her from the doorway Drake felt a great wave of relief wash through his body. He walked towards her just as she turned around. Her scream was muffled quickly but she struggled with all of her strength. In the midst of a frenzied fight for her life, she caught a glimpse of Drake’s face. His expression was not one of anger and lust, but of calm. Only the occasional twitch of a random facial muscle gave away the effort it took to subdue his prey. His expression was so serene that her effort involuntarily waned. His brown eyes, so warm and comforting that she relaxed a little more. Lips so delicate on a face of such strength. A sensation of tranquility took over her body and she was completely vulnerable.
Drake loosened his grip and looked deeply into his victim’s eyes. They were lovely, deep blue with flecks of purple. He brushed the hair from her face and fully exposed the neck and collarbone area. It was exquisite. The soft light accentuated the gentle curves. It was a soul stirring sight. The gentle pulse within was more than he could take. He plunged in, piercing the soft flesh with his fangs. Oh my life, what a feeling to feed again.
Elizabeth Bower moaned softly as the final stage of peacefulness took her away from the world she had known for 275 years-22 as a human and 253 as a Vampire.
Chapter 2
Vampire Murders
“You do realize of course that if what we suspect is true, we may charge you as an accessory after the fact, and, for withholding information pertinent to a murder investigation,” the stern faced detective said.
The man he spoke to sat slumped over in a plain, wooden chair. One light in the room glared directly over top a pockmarked wooden table. Detective Genn stood comfortably in the shadows on one leg as he leaned against the wall of the small room. His jet-black hair was combed back, and never touched, once meticulously put, ‘just right.’ He looked down at a clip board, running his finger along the page. “It’s been 6 weeks since the Elizabeth Bower murder. And since then, 37 more murders, by the same killer. A killer with no DNA records. The worst serial killer in Empire history, and the only killer, ever, that we have absolutely no idea who he is. Thirty eight beautiful, innocent women, with a millennia of experiences to look forward to, drained of their life blood in the prime of their lives. How many more will this wack-job butcher before we catch him. Come now Mr. Fleck, surely you don’t want any more murders on your conscience.”
Phineas Fleck’s head snapped up, anger in his eyes. “I’ve told you before, I have nothing to do with this and I have no knowledge of who is committing these murders!”
The female detective stepped in and Detective Genn backed off. “I’m sorry Mr. Fleck; my partner gets a little forceful at times. What we really brought you in for was just some background information on your daughter, and maybe a little about Mr. Ulah. We know that Ms. Fleck nurtured him and was grooming him for entry into the Empire. We also know that the Great Edict brought her plans for him to a halt and she ended up buying him as blood stock. And, she let him linger-she took him out on the town and enjoyed his company socially. Never a good idea. We have had it driven into our heads since conversion…‘never develop a fondness to a human,’ but we know it happens all the time.”
Leaning on the table and in a soft, sympathetic voice, Lang continued, “Mr. Fleck, we need to know everything from the very beginning of this unfortunate situation. But please remember, you are not the one inflicting the misery. It’s a sick twisted individual, and you were naively draw
n into it because of your love for your daughter.” She brushed a lock of shiny auburn hair from her face to better portray a warm reassuring presence. “We are just trying to gain some back ground information that may save dozens of lives. We know from records that you have been a model citizen for over 732 years, almost 733. You are very active in politics and hold down a very prestigious job. It’s obvious to us that you care about the state of the Empire, and right now it’s in a bit of a panic. Young women are terrified to go out or to be alone, even in their own homes. One little piece of information may help us to corner this murderer.”
Fleck lowered his head and let out a sigh. “Yes, yes, that’s fine. I would like to help, as best as I can. Where do you want me to start?”
Lang picked a piece of lint from the sleeve of her navy, suit jacket and let it drift to the floor. “Hmm…the murders began right around the time that the Great Edict was passed; so let’s start just before its passing. Just feel comfortable and speak freely,” Lang said and took a chair.
Fleck sat up and looked at Detective Lang. “Everything was great back then, my job with planetary search was in full swing. We were making final preparations for another probe to a very promising planet. My daughter worked for the Office of Life Force Supply, where she served as a liaison between the Regeneration Department and the Conversion Department. Elsie was a bright Vampire woman, full of ambition and promise. That’s why she was chosen for conversion 300 years ago; one of the proudest moments of my life. I applied for the honor of being a DNA donor over three hundred years ago and Elsie became my daughter. She studied hard after becoming a Vampire and finished top of her class. Eventually, she was put in charge of finding suitable candidates for conversion into Vampire society.”
“And one of her pupils was Mr. Ulah, is that correct?” Detective Genn asked.
“Yes, that’s correct, one of her most promising pupils, he really was brilliant. His potential to enchant was off the charts.”
“We are all painfully aware of Mr. Ulah’s prowess with his victims, Mr. Fleck,”
Detective Genn said.
“You’re implying that Drake was converted, when you know from the facts that he wasn’t…and Elsie fed from him, months after she purchased him for blood stock. I already told you that! So you’re barking up the wrong tree!”
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