Full Moon part 2

A month after talking to Conrad, he left with Natalia and went to the conference in Transylvania. I decided not to go, preferring to get the least amount of ridicule. I also didn’t want the lease on my apartment to lapse. The conferences tended to last for years. I had repeated my reasons to Conrad for a week before he stopped asking. After I mentioned my lack of enthusiasm for getting scoffed at for being a mortal turned vampire and not a pureblood, I think he realized my hesitation. Instead I think he felt guilty. I don’t blame him, or even Dominic, for my current state. It may have been my own foolish love for the taste of liquor. My own mother had said it would be the death of me.
But I wouldn’t complain about his guilt. It was, after all, the reason I was now astride a new Buell with the wind whipping past me as I sped down the road toward work. Conrad had made it a point to get me something before leaving. I had only been joking, but he had not thought so. It was a birthday gift, or so he had said. Either birth was months away, human or vampire.
I parked the motorcycle and shut it off. I stripped the helmet from my head and sat for a moment. I had once had a motorcycle, years ago. Then I was the unfortunate victim of a drunk driver. The man had been killed in the accident, and I should have been, too. I had stumbled out of the wreckage of the car and bike and made my way back to home to heal. My arm had nearly been severed and I was burned badly, but after a day of sleep and a drink, I was completely fine. My bike had been totaled and I had been without any transportation aside from my own legs since.
I shook my head. No need to dwell on the past. I walked into the King’s Horses and received an odd look from the new girl, Bianca. I ignored her and swept right past her to the back where I hung up my coat and helmet.
“Oh, you got a new bike?” Annabelle’s sweet voice came from the office.
“A gift from Conrad,” I muttered as I straightened my clothes and tied my hair back. I gazed at myself in the mirror. The man who stared back wore a bored look on his pale face. At that moment, I looked like my father and I hated it.
I turned away from my reflection and started toward the front. I sensed Annabelle following.
“It looks better than your old one did,” Annabelle said.
“I would think that any motorcycle looks better whole,” I muttered.
“Oh, come on, Mickey,” Annabelle said as she grabbed my arm and held my hand. “I want to ride with you.”
“Don’t call me Mickey,” I said automatically. I only allowed Conrad to call me that. “And I don’t really think your brother would like it too much.”
Annabelle leaned up and whispered in my ear, a low seductive purr.
“He has no say in who or what I ride,” she whispered. I felt her hand move toward my backside. She tried to prod into my mind.
I glanced around the lobby. The human was gone. I moved like lightning and turned on Annabelle, slamming her back into the counter. She gave a short scream and I cut her off with a passionate kiss. She fought for control, but I didn’t let her. She wrapped her arms and legs around me and pressed her hips to mine. I slipped a hand under her skirt and brushed her inner thigh. I swallowed her gasp and let her pleasure wash over me.
Then I pulled back and left her panting against the counter. She stared at me with fire in her eyes and her large chest rising and falling quickly. I felt my own body reacting to the pleasure and I suppressed the urges that raced through me.
Then I felt someone else. I turned my head and saw the human staring at me. Even in the dark of her car, I could see her looking at me in her rearview mirror. Her dark eyes were wide with fear.
Before I could erase her memory, she looked away and drove off. I shook my head. Nothing would happen. I had sensed that she was a quiet person and was too afraid to tell.
Henry on the other hand…
The knife wedged deeply into my back. I winced and felt the blade slice through my stomach. I reached around my back and pulled out the knife. The blade was coated in my blood and I felt blood trickle down my back as I healed. My shirt was ruined.
“I told you to stay away from my sister,” Henry growled.
I turned to Henry, angry. My hand shot out and wrapped around his neck.
“You will never do that again, understood?” I growled, letting my power surge through my body. I saw the slight fear in Henry’s eyes. “The only reason I haven’t destroyed you is my respect for your father. But if you ever do that again, I will have no choice but to make sure you are severely punished for your impudence.”
I tossed Henry away as if it were nothing—which it wasn’t—and let him scramble to his feet. He retreated to the office to gather his dignity.
Annabelle stared at me with wide eyes. She skirted around me and followed her brother.
I was probably better this way. I should have put fear into Henry’s mind long before this, but it had been my own foolishness that let him get this far. I had hoped that Henry would respect me, but as his appearance aged, he had grown angry toward me. I had thought he had become like others in thinking my unpure blood was tainting the clan name. Truely, it had been because Conrad guarded over me as a son instead of a brother. Henry was jealous.
It all went back to my own mistakes. I had blamed Dominic at first for my situation. Then I had come to realize that what made me different made me powerful. I was stronger because I had survived. I secretly thanked Dominic for giving me the chance at immortality. Dominic had taken me in where others would have killed me anyway. He had taken me in and called me his son. After he had died, Conrad had taken a dual role of brother and father to me. I allowed it because I was grief stricken by Dominic’s death.
I cleared my thoughts as the first customers arrived. It was Marta and her son, Victor. I escorted Marta to a table while Victor followed. Victor was a little taller than I was. His large eyes were golden brown and his blond hair was layered and styled back in spikes. Tomorrow would be his first day back since suspension, and luckily my day off. After every two months of working, we were given a week off to rest. I had been forced to work for an extra month since Victor was suspended.
“Fall on a knife?” Victor asked, his eyes sparkling with barely contained lust.
“No,” I said simply as I started back to the counter. Annabelle appeared from the back, a spare shirt in her hands.
“I’ll take care of Marta and Victor,” she said.
I nodded and headed toward the bathroom. It was a simple matter of cleaning up the drying blood and making sure no sign of it was left anywhere. I pulled on the spare shirt and began to button it up.
“I assume Henry was the one to give you that wound.”
I looked in the mirror in front of me and saw Marta staring at me. I turned and looked at her.
“It was nothing,” I said. “I took care of the problem.”
Marta took the few steps to close the gap between us. She put her hands on my chest, where the last few buttons of my shirt were still undone. Her fingers brushed against my neck, over the barely visible scars that made me different among vampires.
“You were too soft if he’s still alive, Micheau,” Marta said. “Did you spare him because you fear Conrad’s wrath?”
“I love Conrad,” I said. “He is my brother. I love his son and his daughter as my own children.”
“Is that why you allow them to get away with so much?” Marta asked. “You’ll spoil them.”
I took her hand in my own and looked at her. “Your drinks will be cold,” I said. “Not to mention, this is the gentlemen’s bathroom.”
She laughed. It was a chilling sound. “Then I will leave you for now,” she said. “I hope you serve me well tonight, Micheau.”
She smiled as I let the underlying tones slide. She left me to finish dressing. I tossed my torn shirt in the trash as I passed and went back to serve the customers filling the lobby.

I felt my body come alive with his touch. His fingers trailed over my skin, leaving lines of fire burning through my veins. I gasped and moaned as his lips moved from my mouth to my neck. I pressed my hands into his hard, flat chest. He pulled back. His dark hair hung over his shadowed face. I couldn’t see his face clearly in the shadow. My heart thudded against my chest as he opened his mouth. His long fangs flashed down toward my neck.
I shot up in bed and gasped for air. I looked around, but my dream man was nowhere to be found. I took a few deep breaths and pulled the blanket up. I had hardly ever dreamed such intimate things, but it happened once in a while. It was some man. I couldn’t see him clearly, but he always set my body on fire with pleasure.
I shook my head and looked out of my window. I had slept most of the day since I didn’t have to work. It was a little past noon. I felt refreshed after that long sleep. Ignoring the pleasant shivers in my body, I rose from my bed.
After a quick shower, I dressed and grabbed up a light jacket. It was starting to get colder as winter approached. I was used to cold temperatures living in the mountains, but the cold breezes were what I needed the jacket for.
I headed for the grocery store to replenish my supplies. I had enough money to get more than the bare minimum, so I decided to indulge a little. I bought some chocolate ice cream, my favorite. I started home as the sun set. I passed the King’s Horses. There was still time before it would be closed to everyone but those who belonged to the exclusive club at night. I decided to grab a little something to eat and leave in time to make it home before it got too late. Unfortunately, my manager, Alicia, nearly talked my ear off.
It was late by the time I left. Good thing I bought my ice cream in the plastic tub. I started home, but before I could make it out of town, I was stopped again with an emergency.

The night air was better when I was outside. It biting wind pulled at my hair and brushed it back and forth over my face. It was a great effect, one I was glad to have. I felt my pulse beat to the sound of the nearby club music. It was a nice night to feed.
I met her on the dance floor. Her provocative outfit of a red strapless top and tight fitting leather pants showed off her body perfectly. Her fiery red hair was tied up in a loose bun with curling locks trailing down her back. Her emerald eyes were dull with alcohol and ecstasy. I felt her mind slowly succumbing to the drug that coursed through her veins. I met her eyes and made her come to me.
It was disgustingly easy to get into her mind. She allowed most of it herself with the drinks and drugs. She took me to her home and to her room. I could feel the sleeping minds of two other people. Probably her parents.
She fell into her bed and lay there, writhing as I let my hands roam over her. I pulled her shirt down from her breasts and massaged them gently. I stopped when I felt her parents stir.
“You’re being too loud,” I hissed as I kissed her neck. I felt the pulse there. It was erratic and I wanted to taste the blood just out of reach.
But first I had to take care of the girl’s noise.
I forced my fingernail to grow long and sharp. She had no idea what was happening until I sliced through her neck and severed her voice.
She opened her mouth, but the only sound was a choked gurgle. The sight of the blood set my body on fire. I leaned down and lapped at the flowing crimson. She pushed at me, but it was in vain. I was far stronger. I continued to feed from her body.
Then I heard a voice calling from the other side of the door.
“Chloe?”
The father. I cursed and rose. The girl was still alive, but it wasn’t for long. I tore her throat open with my claws, automatically delving into her mind to make her forget my face in case she did live. It didn’t happen often, but some humans were fighters. I jumped as I heard the crash of the door breaking from its hinges. I leapt from the bed and dashed toward the window.
I crashed through, followed by the explosion of a gun. I felt the sting of the bullet penetrate my arm as I fell to the ground. More shots followed and I ran. I dashed through the streets, going faster than any human could see. Then I fell exhausted in the entrance to an alley. I was near the King’s Horses, but I couldn’t go there. No vampire wanted to be seen in a moment of weakness.
I gripped my arm where the bullet had hit. Blood still poured freely from the wound. I grimaced. It should have healed by now, but the main artery was cut and it would take a day of sleep before I was healed.
I stumbled to my feet and made my way down the street. I had to get back to my home where I would be safe.
I stumbled from the blood loss and fell off the curb. I took a moment to breathe before I forced myself to get to my knees.
The headlights illuminated me and I flinched at the brightness. I squinted until my eyes were almost closed and tried to see. Then someone stepped from the car and I recognized her. I froze with panic.

I had never seen such fear in someone’s eyes before. Micheau stared at me from where he knelt in the street. I had nearly run him over, until I saw him move. He looked like he had just been to a club.
Then the scent of blood filled my nose. I saw blood dripping down his arm.
“Micheau,” I said as I went to his side. “What happened?”
He flinched back from my touch. “Don’t,” he said. “I’m fine…just a little…blood.”
His eyes fought to stay open. I had to help him. I pried his hand away from the wound and looked at it. It was a familiar wound. A bullet wound.
“I have to get you to the hospital.”
“No!” Micheau snapped at me. I heard fear in his voice.
“You’re bleeding,” I said. “You need medical attention.”
Micheau still shook his head. “I can’t. Just take me somewhere I can rest,” he said.
He looked at me. His gaze lowered to my neck and I swallowed. He was loosing too much blood.
“I’m binding your wound,” I said firmly. “It will at least slow the bleeding.”
Micheau closed his eyes in consent. I pushed up his short sleeve and pulled off my jacket. It was a small sacrifice, but it had to be made.
“Your coat,” Micheau murmured. “It’s ruined.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, feeling nervous as I wrapped the torn strips of my coat to his arm. “I can get a new one.”
Micheau closed his eyes and I felt my heart skip. He couldn’t die now, not after I tore up my coat to help him. He fell toward me and I caught him in my arms, feeling my heart race at his closeness. He was cold, but I could see he was breathing. I picked him up, thankful for the werewolf strength I possessed. I tried to put him in my car gently. His breathing was stabilized by the time I was starting down the road again.
But I had no idea where to take him. I didn’t know where he lived, or, I realized, anything about him.
With gritted teeth, I drove out of the city and toward my home. I hoped my decision wouldn’t get me into too much trouble. I didn’t feel anything bad about Micheau. It was his mystery that made me hesitate. He was so quiet. Well, except when he was groping Annabelle on the counter.
I felt my chest constrict and shook my head. It was nothing to do with me. I only had to make sure he didn’t die in my care.


I opened my eyes when I felt danger flash over my subconscious. I didn’t recognize my surroundings until my memory came back in a flash. I had been rescued by Bianca and was at her home.
I glanced around and saw the uncovered window begin to lighten with the fire of the sun. I gasped and rolled off the bed, tangling myself up in the blanket that covered me. I slid under the bed and into the safety of the darkness as the sun rose. I lay under the bed with the blanket wrapped around me as I tried to sleep once more.

I was surprised to find my bed empty when I opened the door to my room. I had brought Micheau some water and fresh bandages. Then I spotted the corner of my coverlet peeking out from under my bed. I set the water and bandages on the bedside table and knelt down.
I found Micheau sleeping under my bed. His pale face was relaxed and his dark hair fanned over the floor below him. I sat back up and gnawed my lip. He looked like an angel. A seriously strange angel with some slight issues with hospitals and staying in bed. I left him under the bed and pulled the curtains over the window to lessen the light.
Sitting on the couch I thought about Micheau. His healing had gone well after I had managed to stop the bleeding. His fever had broken a few hours after he arrived at my home. I had stripped his bloody shirt off of him and thrown it in the bathtub to soak. He had murmured strange words the entire time I bandaged his wound. I didn’t know what they meant, but I knew the language.
One mystery of Micheau was solved. He was French—or at least he knew enough of it to mutter it in a half crazed kind of way—though it wasn’t that hard to surmise it with his name. Now I had to figure out why he wouldn’t go to the hospital.
And what I was going to do with him until he was healed.
I sighed and turned on the radio. Perhaps a bit of music would help me think. There was so much I didn't know about him, yet he was sleeping in my bed...well, under it. I should have taken him to the hospital.
~~~
I stretched as I felt the cool night sweep though the room. My arms hit the bottom of the bed and I blinked in the semidarkness. I slid out from under the bed and threw the borrowed blanket on the mattress. Light seeped in from under the door and I heard the soft sound of music beyond it.
Bianca was asleep on the living room couch. I felt slightly guilty about forcing her out of her room, but she would have probably been uncomfortable sleeping with me under her bed. Of course, anyone would be afraid to sleep with me under their bed.
I sighed and looked at Bianca. She was pretty, with a strange air about her. Her breathing disturbed a lock of curling brown hair that lay across her mouth. I brushed it aside and felt the pulse of blood underneath. I needed a drink. Usually I took my meals on a date before I drained them, but this time I had to make an exception.
Her blood was sweet and bitter and thick. I drank until my strength returned and left Bianca with a note of thanks.

I glared at the note in my hand. It was not what I had expected when I woke up. I had thought I would still find Micheau sleeping, but instead I could barely stand and he was gone. I found the note on the bed side table.
Bianca,
Thank you for helping me. I owe you a date for the meal.
Micheau
I sighed and lay the paper down on the counter. Micheau had some nerve. But he still owed me a date. I didn’t care if it was a joke. I was going to hold him to it.
But first I had to find him.

The sun was still up when I heard the knock on my door. I opened my eyes and glared at the darkened ceiling. I sensed it was a little past noon. Perhaps if I just ignored it, whoever it was would go away.
The knocking came again and again. I growled as I forced my sleep heavy body to move. It was an effort after any a few hours of sleep. I stumbled out of my room, thankful that I had covered the windows so well. I opened the door a little and blinked into the bright hallway light. I took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the sudden light, but when I could finally see, I blinked again, surprised.
“Hello, Micheau,” Bianca greeted, her smiling face beaming up at me. “How are you doing?”
“I–I’m well,” I said. “How did you find me?”
Bianca blushed slightly. It actually made her look a little cute. But I quickly squashed that thought as she spoke.
“I actually found your bike parked outside,” she said. “Then I asked one of the tenants where you lived.”
I was actually kind of impressed. Not bad for a human.
“And why did you feel the need to track me down?” I asked. “Were you so worried about me?”
Bianca’s face turned a nice shade of pink. I sensed embarrassment and nervousness from her, but I didn’t point it out. She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a familiar piece of paper. She held it out to me and watched for my reaction. I kept my face blank as I read the words I had wrote to her.
“What’s this about?” I asked, seriously curious.
“You owe me a date,” Bianca said, her face bright red now.
I chuckled slightly. “I’m sorry, but I meant it as a joke,” I said.
“I don’t care,” Bianca said. “You owe me a date, and I’m holding you to it.”
I leaned against the doorjamb, staring at the paper. I sensed her eyes moving over my naked torso and smiled mentally. Then her eyes snapped up to my face. Her ears were bright with embarrassment, but it faded quickly.
I focused on the situation at hand. I could turn her down, and possibly embarrass her further, or I could go on a date with her and possibly get another meal in the process. Her blood was quite good, and my wound had healed even faster than usual. Perhaps treating her to a little meal wouldn’t be so bad. She had, after all, saved my life. I know I would have died if she hadn’t nearly run me over.
“Eight,” I said.
“What?” Bianca asked.
“I’ll pick you up at eight,” I repeated. “Unless you want me to come by at nine?”
She seemed flustered for a moment, then she nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I–I’ll see you. At eight.”
“And wear casual,” I added after a moment.
“Casual, right,” she agreed.
“Until then,” I said, handing the paper back to her.
“Until then,” she repeated.
I shut the door and turned back to my room, stifling a yawn. I paused at my door, looking back at the telephone hanging on the wall. I hardly used it. It was there so I could order out if I wanted to. Perhaps a reservation at the nicest restaurant in town was in order. Well, not exactly the nicest—the French restaurant on the other side of town takes that title—but it was one of my favorite. It was a little Japanese place nearby with authentic theater and food. It was the only kind of food I could eat without becoming to nauseous, and the saké was excellent.
I picked up the phone and made a reservation at the Sakura Theater. Then I went back to bed. After all, I had to get up early to prepare for my date with Bianca.

I was nervous to say the least. I didn’t even know Micheau, and yet I was going on a date with him. My mother would be shocked. My father would have dragged me back to the mountains if he knew. Luckily, I had managed to keep my conversations with them focused on other things.
I took a deep breath as eight o’clock approached. In the distance, I heard the dull roar of a motorcycle. Micheau was coming.
I tugged on my shirt and wondered fleetingly if I should change again. I had gone through my entire wardrobe looking for something to wear. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t find anything, even though I knew I had a lot of clothes. Nothing seemed appropriate. I had finally settled on a pale pink tank top and black jeans. My hair was tied up tightly in a bun, but no matter how tightly I tied it, a few strands still fell into my face.
I heard the motor approach and shut off. My stomach twisted with nervousness as my ears picked up the small sounds of footsteps. Micheau was on the porch. I could almost see him lift his hand and…
I jumped as the dull knocking against my door echoed in my ears. I took a moment to breathe before I answered. My eyes widened as I peered at him.
Micheau stood in the light of my doorway with a slight smile. He was wearing form fitting jeans and a tight black shirt and a leather jacket. His dark hair was slightly disheveled from the wind and the scent of oil and leather invaded my nose. It suddenly became very hard to breathe as he reached out his hand to me.
“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice making me shiver. His bright blue eyes seemed to stare right into me.
I nodded, unable to speak. I felt my hand move into his and he pulled me out of my house.

I almost laughed at the look on Bianca’s face. It was priceless to see such utter shock. I touched her mind and felt her admiration as my choice in wardrobe. I pulled her out of her home and pulled the door shut.
“Come on, or we’ll be late for the show,” I said.
Bianca nodded and I walked her out to my bike. She looked at it with hesitation and I smiled at her, making sure to send calm into her mind. It would have been a bad idea to let her freak out going down the highway. One motorcycle crash was enough.
I picked up my helmet from the seat and handed it to her. She nearly dropped it in her nervousness. I smiled charmingly as I helped her put it on. Her fingers were cold when they brushed mine and I felt her jump slightly. I let a small smirk grace my lips as I fastened the helmet under her chin.
I straddled the bike and started it, thankful that I had turned it around before going to the door. I steadied the Buell as Bianca got onto the small seat behind me. Fortunately she was wearing jeans and not a skirt. She was mine, and no one would be allowed to sneak a peek before me.
I halted that thought immediately. What did I care if anyone else wanted to look? She was nothing to me.
But as she wrapped her arms tightly around me, I had the overwhelming urge to make sure she would be safe.
It was her blood, I told myself. Her blood was strong. It was valuable, especially in someone who was an innocent, someone who had never known the pleasures of flesh. I had tasted it in her blood the first time. She was a virgin in bloom, a rare specimen. A prized one.
I drove down the road, making sure to drive carefully. I felt her start to relax a little and put the forehead of the helmet against my back. With a slight smile, I put a comforting hand over hers and drove on.
The Sakura Theater was a little crowded, but not bad. The woman at the front desk bowed to us when we entered and led us to a table near the front of the stage. I watched Bianca as she sat beside me and looked around. A young woman approached. She was very beautiful, with obvious Japanese blood. She wore the restaurant uniform, an elaborately embroidered cheongsam the color of blood with thin golden roped on her shoulder to keep it closed. It reached her knees and she had black pants underneath. Her dark hair was tied up into a bun with combs holding it in place. She bowed as she stood beside me.
“Good evening,” she said with a slight accent. She set two menus on the table in front of us. “Welcome to the Sakura Theater. My name is Kari and I will be serving you tonight. I can start you on your drinks if you need a moment to look over the menus.”
I glanced at Bianca. She was looking to me for guidance and I smiled.

My heart raced as Micheau smiled at me. It made me feel a little more at ease. Somehow his presence was relaxing.
“What would you like to have?” he asked.
I felt my face heat up. I had no idea what I wanted. Best to go with the default.
“I’ll have whatever you have,” I said.
Micheau smiled and ordered some sort of tea. Kari left us to retrieve them. I shivered and twisted my hands together in my lap.
“Don’t worry,” Micheau said gently. “You’ll like the show.”
I nodded, unable to speak. For some reason my voice wouldn’t work. Not that I minded. I might have thrown up if I opened my mouth.
Kari returned with our drinks. And Micheau ordered our meals, speaking quickly in Japanese. I blinked, surprised. So not only was he fluent in French, but also Japanese. As Kari left to get the food I turned to Micheau, taking a drink of the tea he had ordered.
“So where are you from?” I asked, thankful that my voice had not betrayed me.
Micheau looked surprised. He looked at the ornamental tablecloth and frowned a little.
“All over,” he said. “I traveled too much to really have an origin.”
I got the feeling that he wasn’t telling me the whole truth, but we all have our secrets, don’t we?
“Is that why you know French and Japanese?” I asked.
“Yes,” Micheau answered. Then he looked at me with a smile. “Why the sudden interest in my language skills?”
I shrugged. “It was just something to talk about.”
“Then let me ask where you are from,” he said.
I took a breath to keep my heart beating. “North,” I said. “My family lives in Canada.”
“And what brought you here?” Micheau asked.
“I—I got restless,” I said. “I wanted to travel a bit.”
Micheau smiled. “And you decided to get a job and settle down?” he asked. “Planning on starting a family, as well, or will you return to your family?”
The question surprised me. Was he just curious, or was it something more?
“I don’t know,” I said. “What about you? Are you and Annabelle getting married soon?”
Micheau recoiled like I had hit him. He turned his gaze away from me and was silent. Maybe that was a bad subject.
“Sorry,” I said. “Forget I said that.”
“What you saw that night…I was wrong to do that, but at times I must,” Micheau said. “Annabelle must learn not to tempt me like that.”
I looked at the table. A moment later, I felt something touch my hand and I looked up at Micheau.
“Let’s not think about that,” he said. “This is our date. Let’s enjoy the show.”
“What show?” I asked.
“This is not only a restaurant, but a theater,” Micheau said. “It starts in a few minutes.”
I nodded as Kari appeared to give us our plates of food. I had only just started on the rice when the lights dimmed a little and the stage was lighted up. A pair of men stepped out, dressed in elaborate kimonos and long wigs of white. Their faces were painted to exaggerate their features. A drum sounded from somewhere as they danced around each other in what seemed to be a mock fight in slow motion.

I watched Bianca out of the corner of my eye as the kabuki pair danced. A small smile crossed my face as I saw her looking at their fluid movements with amazement. I had seen the show many times before, but I still enjoyed it myself.
I gazed at Bianca throughout the show. The men left the stage and an elegant geisha performed gracefully with a pair of ceremonial fans.
The show was over before I knew it. Bianca looked at me as it ended and the patrons of the restaurant got up to leave. I took a final drink of my saké, which I had ordered halfway through, and stood, holding out my hand to Bianca. She took it with a slight blush and stood.
“Did you enjoy it?” I asked.
“Yes,” Bianca said. “I’ve never seen that before.”
“Most haven’t,” I said as I guided her through the tables to the door. I had paid at the intermission halfway through the show.
“It was nice,” Bianca said. “But what are we doing now?”
I glanced at the clock. It was only ten. There was still time before sunrise. I held open the door for her and felt the slightly chilled breeze blow through the night.
I pulled off my jacket and put it around Bianca’s shoulders. She jumped slightly and looked at me.
“Thanks,” she said quietly as she put her arms through the sleeves.
I slid my hand into hers and walked beside her, leading her toward my bike. I felt her lean into me automatically and smiled. It felt nice to have a warm body beside me as I walked. I missed this part of my humanity. How long had it been since I had walked beside a woman like this? How long ago had I felt such an overpowering urge to protect someone?
I mentally shook my head as I got onto my bike and waited for Bianca to get on behind me. She wrapped her arms around me and held on as I took off down the street toward the park.


The park was dark, but my eyes were not hindered by that fact. I saw the path easily as Micheau walked beside me through the trees. I had been hesitant at first, not knowing that the man had planned in such a dark and solitary place, but I knew I could take care of myself if the need arose. But he only held my hand and walked beside me along the path.
“It’s nice tonight,” Micheau said.
“Yes, it is,” I answered.
Silence once more, though it was relaxed. I leaned against Micheau, taking in a deep breath. His scent was enjoyable. He smelled of the food we had just eaten, and a strange, spicy cologne I had only smelled on him. The leather of the jacket I wore mingled with the scent and I liked it. I suddenly felt a strangely familiar sensation in my stomach. It was the same I had after those detailed dreams of that stranger looking above me, making me feel pleasure beyond what I had ever imagined.

I felt Bianca’s shiver through my arm as she leaned against me. I probed into her mind and felt her arousal. It surprised me. I pulled my hand from hers and felt her tense. But when I put my arm around her shoulders, she relaxed once more.
We walked many times around the park. As midnight passed, I finally steered her away from the path and toward the bike. I could feel her exhaustion as she straddled the bike behind me and hugged me from behind.
I tried to be careful as I took her back on the winding road to her house. I shut off the bike when I reached her house and let her get off first. I walked her to the door and watched as she searched for her key
“I hope you had a good time,” I said.
“I did,” Bianca said quietly. “Thank you.”
I smiled and took her hand, kissing the back of it lightly. I felt the blood pulsing under my lips, but I didn’t want to feed. As I straightened and looked into her wide green eyes, I realized that I was starting to have feelings for her. I was falling for this human.
Well it wasn’t unheard of. Marta had once conceived a son with a human and now the child created seventy years ago was working at the King’s Horses.
But they were as prized as humans turned vampire. Victor was only accepted with a grudge and tolerated because he was the son of a prominent vampire. Marta was just below the status of Conrad.
“Have a good night,” I said, feeling my heart pound.
Bianca nodded and opened her door. I started back to my motorcycle before I remembered that she still had my jacket.

I leaned against the door and took a breath. My hand still had the lingering sensation of lips from his kiss. I started when I heard the knock on the door.
“Yes?” I asked when I opened it. Micheau stood on the threshold, under the light of my porch.
“You…you still have my jacket,” he said.
I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding. “Oh, right,” I said as I pulled the leather coat from my shoulders. “Sorry.”
I held it out for Micheau. His hand brushed mine as he took it. Then, as I started to turn, his hand shot out and grabbed my arm, pulling me out of my house. I was too startled to struggle as something soft brushed my lips. Micheau was kissing me!
It was only a brushing kiss, but it sent sparks up my spine. Micheau backed off for a moment, looking at me. I knew my face was red, but I didn’t care. I just wanted him to kiss me again.
And he did. This time it was harder, and his hand pressed against the back of my neck, keeping me where I was. Not that I wanted to move, of course.

I don’t know what came over me. I suddenly wanted her, all of her. Not just as a source of blood, but as something more. Yes, she was inexperienced, but I would soon change that.
I felt her lips give way as I delved deeper into her mouth. I nibbled on her lower lip, feeling her gasp. I touched her mind, feeling her thoughts. She wanted more. And I was willing to give it to her.
Bianca’s hands gripped my shoulders hard. I released my leather jacket and heard the soft whump of it landing on the floor at my feet. I grabbed her waist and hauled her up, holding her tightly as I walked over the threshold. I felt a sense of hesitation enter her mind and her fingers tightened on my shoulders. I calmed her uncertainty and kicked the door closed.
I dropped her gently onto her bed and let her innocent pleasure wash over me. I felt my own response tighten my jeans and waited no longer. I bore down on her, letting most of my weight rest on my hands and knees. She stared up at me with lust clouded eyes.
“What now?” she asked breathlessly.
“Now I give you more,” I hissed as I leaned down for another kiss.
Her gasps and moans punctuated the silence as I moved from her lips to her ear to her neck. I felt her speeding pulse under my lips as the urge to feed. I suppressed it quickly. It was still too soon to taste the sinful pleasure that coursed through her virgin blood.
My hands roamed under her shirt and cupped over her breasts. Her breath hitched and I smiled against her neck. I massaged gently and felt her body push up into mine. I pulled back a little to slide her shirt up over her head. Her bra was simple enough to shed and she lay before me, exposed and wanting more. A blush covered her cheeks and I kissed it away before returning my lips to hers.
My hands slid down her stomach to her jeans. I made quick work of the button and zipper. I slid my hand between her legs and felt her gasp. My fingers worked between those soft lips and stroked the hot wetness I found. My other hand massaged her breasts lightly as her arousal built.
She shivered. I pulled back slightly to focus on the feel of her pleasure. Her fingers dug into my shoulders as she reached her peak for the first time. I closed my eyes, letting her moan wash over me. I kept stroking her until she fell back limply and panted for breath.
“Bianca,” I purred in her ear. “That was nice, wasn’t it?”
“Nice,” Bianca panted. “Very nice.”
I smirked. “Just wait.”
I moved down her body, pulling her jeans from her legs. She shivered with anticipation as I bent my head down and dipped my tongue between her legs.