Chap 2:The Ceiling of Stars (1st revis)

The sky threatened rain. If the darkness of the clouds were an indicator, buckets of rain. Henri and I walked back along the beach . The surf climbed higher with every step as it blew in. I jogged backwards for a distance, watching the water wash away from where we had just walked in the wet sand. Thunder sounded like the drums of a distant war . Chain lightening ripped the darkness like some unseen hand forcing open a portal over the churning ocean. Mist from the sky, spray from the sea made us wet. Henri and I walked along that dark beach,as friends. Surf hit the rocks , broke in spray only to regroup for another attack.

The newspapers had dubbed Tami's murderer , The Poseidon Killer. The carnival barker had turned out to be your garden variety drug dealer in search of pussy in addition to payment for drugs. Skip would only be able to hold him forty eight hours. When the carnival left town, he would vanish into the night, jumping bail. As the stories about Tami Smith died down , so would the protective measures. Caution vanish on a summer breeze. Henri continued to escort me when I left the house after dark. Jean Paul advised it. My uncle gave it his blessing. Soon the story of Tami would wash away into the sea of oblivion . An Urban folktale of the beach, stories of her ghost walking the shoreline hunting for her killer , to repeatedly surface around the embers of late night campfires. Our men had been no better at finding more. The good news indicated that he might be gone. The bad news was , as predators ourselves, we understood the value of waiting until danger passed .

Heavy drops hit like soft hail stones on our heads, forcing us to run for a beach hut to wait out the storm. Up the weatherned stairs , pushing the door open enough to sit at the top, under the shelter of the eaves, we watched the sugar sand turn to concrete in the rain. The water pooled and slid off towards the ocean which pushed it back up the beachfront as it mixed with the new water. The lightening was closer ,brighter as it seemed to walk to the shore. The portal beckoned . The thunder, once so far away, was now upon us. The small building rattled with each bout. We pulled back further into the dark hut which smelled like wet salt. The rain fell from the eaves in sheets and bars when we did. Boom ,crash, thump, thump, Dripping rain chorused the concert that we witnessed from the darkness.

The thumping grew louder .Henri snapped to attention.”That is not all thunder. Stay quiet.” I almost could not hear him because there was a new sound pounding in my ears. There were no streams so close to the beach, yet I was sure that I heard a steady stream . It called to me. Strangely, I felt starved. Well of course you are, argued my logical mind. You have not eaten since an hour before the play . How long had that been? Three , four, five hours? May even more. But this did not feel the same as hunger had felt in the past. My teeth felt sharper. Henri put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me with a jolt of sudden realization and a rush of concerned sympathy.

“Arina? Do you remember when Andrew told you that this would probably be your last summer? ” I nodded. 'Well, summer is now officially over. You are changing.”

Startled , I stared right at him as if he had told me that the spaceships had arrived to take us to Mars. “When?” I was hungry, I was cold.and irritable. Want consumed me made worse by being unsure of what was wanted.

“It seems right now. The first time is the worst. Its,” he licked his lips,”Intense. You will learn control later. Right now, just follow my lead and trust my judgment. I will teach you how to make the pain stop at least for awhile. The way you feel now? Remember it . You never want to let yourself get this hungry again. The want doesn't go away. Its is always there. But if you are careful , no one need know.Control and balance keep you safe. “ He stopped talking as he looked outside.

A middle age man in a yellow slicker walked by the open door. The smell of pot roast emitted from him. Pot roast and something more – something that I wanted more than pot roast. Henri slid forward, watching the man. He breathed the air deeply.

“At least, he is healthy.” I went to move forward. I was so very hungry. “Wait. He may not be alone. There may be others with him, just before him or following afterward. Always be overcautious. “ Then he stroked my face.” I remember that the first time really hurts. Trust me on this, it gets better . I am sure that is of little comfort tonight. Wait, Wait.” He smelled the air again as Pot Roast walked back and forth in front of the door.

Voices called . “There you are , come on , Paul. “ . Pot Roast turned and walked away, following them back to the lights of houses further up the beach. I wanted Pot Roast and now it was walking away. I felt terrible and hurt worse. Looking at Henri's face, I could see that he understood.

I felt sweat running down my back even though I shivered in the cool air of the storm Henri wrapped his arms around me. He was warmer than I . His lips pressed to my ear.”Trust me just a little longer . I will get you fed. .Can you hold on just a little longer? “ My teeth chattered as I nodded. The rain let up slightly, the thunder reminded us that this was not over. The night was backlit by the persistent lightening as we made our way to Henri and Jean Paul's home.

” Shower is in there. It will help for a short time. Give me your wet things. We'll be back for them later.”He handed me a burgundy towel that was fluffy and full.” There is a clean face cloth by the tub. Do you have dry shoes? “

“In my rehersal bag,” I chattered.

He pulled them out , examined them . “ Not perfect but they will have to do. I am going to see what I have that will fit you.

The hot shower felt welcoming. I helped myself to some of the lavender shampoo on the shelf. I conditioned my hair .The soap washed the sea salt from my body. I couldn't get warm enough. The water was almost hot enough to scald me . Still I shivered as if I were knee deep in a snow bank. I heard a soft tap. .

“There is a white robe behind the door. Its clean. Help yourself and come to the kitchen. “

I wrapped myself in the white terrycloth. .The lights were dim in the kitchen. Henri handed me a white ceramic cup with a spice herb tea.

“ It will settle your stomach.” I sipped it and made a face. “ I know but it will stop the shivers till we go. Its going to be a long night. You have a lot to learn quickly , fledgling. '

“Don't upset yourself if its that big of a bother” I snapped. The tea was really disgusting. It wasn't what I wanted though it smelled wonderful. The contradictions bothered me. Just the thought of the grilled cheese and fries that I had eaten for lunch , made my stomach lurch.

“ Sink is over there if you're going to be sick.Run the disposal afterwards. “ He smiled to reassure me.as he continued to teach me,“No bother. Its what we do for each other. Your uncle had hoped that it would hold off till later in the Fall. . We have all been there. Jean Paul did for Andrew.” He handed me a pile of clothing .” Here, try these. If they get messed up, we can toss them later. “ He looked at the tea cup, “ You'll like it better when you have fed. “ He swept the cups into the sink washing as he went. I looked at the jeans , socks and football jersey that he had handed me. He had a good eye. They fit perfectly. I went for my make up . He left ,reappearing with a the hair dryer, fussing with my red curls as they began to friz. He actually got them under control.

Admiring the finished result, I looked more grownup, my eyes were different,more intense. “You have a great future as a hair dresser” I teased.

Changing into dry tee shirt , jeans and boots, he looked up at me “ Oh Hell no, I am too straight for that.”

“So what so you want to be when you grow up?'

“ I think that I am done growing up. Remember , I was born right after my parents fled France during the Revolution. Guillotines are not too healthy for vampires and other living creatures. But you are talking about work. I like baking and food service. “

“ Like for people? The kind that we are hunting? “He laughed and looked mysterious. “ You'll see.”

He threw me a spare leather jacket. “Everybody eats. Its just a question of who eats who. Lets get some food served for both of us. I am honored to be the one to show you how. In the satchel, I have baby wipes, plastic bags of three different sizes. A couple of changes of clothing, including one identical to what we each are wearing right now. I can't match the sneakers , hopefully it won't matter. When you set yours up, I suggest a makeup bag same colors as the ones that you usually wear. There's other stuff too but that should start you thinking. “ I pulled the jacket over my shoulders, following him obediently out of his door.

“Shouldn't we leave a note for Jean Paul?”

He shook his head as he locked the door. “Those days are over. Never leave a note- its too dangerous.”

He opened the two car garage . He held me back as I stepped forward. He breathed the air deeply, stopped thought about it then decided to enter.” Always check. Sometimes there are people snooping a around. Mostly its just kids. But if it happens too often , or the scents are too many, it may be time to go. “ he explained.” Jean Paul usually takes the car that the Council affords him. That leaves this one for me at this house. “ Henri unlocked the door , I slid onto the couch seat. He joined me on the driver's side. The lights from the dashboard illuminated his face. The engine purred. “Keep your cars in good shape, you may be leaving suddenly.” We backed out of the garage. He stopped and looked at me. His hand cupped my chin .He tilted my head so that our eyes met. “ I know that its a lot . I know that you are scared. I know that you are having trouble keeping your concentration. I have done this for a long time. Tonight, just trust me. I will get us fed and bring us home safely. Your world has just become very different. But you are where you were always meant to be . Welcome home, fledgling.”

He gunned the engine , turning to the left at the end of the driveway, on to the the dark road. He reached over , soft music emitted from the radio. I watched the house disappear as Henri rounded the rural corners. We drove the back roads ,rarely passing another car. Henri was a cautious driver for one who appeared to be so macho. We came to a clutch of trees separated by a dirt utility access road. , he dimmed the lights. Rabbits scampered before the car as we approached, a doe and her fawn watched on the edge of the road. I could have reached out and touched them . The car bumped along the unpaved road. Henri shut the headlights off but drove another few yards before parking. He turned the car around before he set the brake. He motioned for me to wait. He opened the window, waited a few minutes ,then sniffed the air. He repeated his action before unlocking his door. He walked around the car , opened the door and took my hand. “Stop. Look around you. What do you see? “

I saw thru the Darkness. I looked into the darkness. I could see animals moving in the trees around us. I breathed as Henri had done. I smelled green from the trees, dirt and dust, very faintly there was an scent of chicken, roasted , crisp and ready to eat. My mouth watered.

“Good, you are a quick learner.” He took my hand and led me towards the woods. Dark tall pines smelled like holiday trees as we walked. Twigs snapped from time to time. Henri stopped every few minutes , checking the air and encouraging me to follow suit. He scanned the dark woods then proceeded , the scent of the chicken getting stronger by the step. Voices ahead. Henri signaled me to wait. He crept forward. He crouched and watched. I saw him pull something from his pocket, brush his shoulder length hair back into a cue, then turn back to me. Our hands clasped, he steadied my step as we approached the campfire lit scene.

A young couple were sitting on the rocks. They could not have been more than nineteen or twenty. The young man stood to challenge us as we approached. Henri sat me on a rock . The chicken scent surrounded me . I felt like a beggar outside a restaurant and no way to get to the source of those treasured aromas. I watched while the two men spoke. The young woman, a pretty blonde with apple cheeks , peaches and cream skin smiled at me.

“Rose, honey” began Henri . “ These nice people have offered us the comfort of their fire . “ His arm slipped around my waist as he guided me into the camp. “She is a little overwhelmed by all of this. I was really stupid, thought that I knew the short cut to Filey better than it seems that I do. My engine cut out a way back , so we thought that we would look for a farm . Come on , sweetheart., you aren't still angry at your Alex are you? I have already said that I was sorry about a dozen times. “ He lovingly stroked my hair. “Say thank you to Jen and Zane. They are good people.”

I extended my hand to Jen ,then Zane as they stepped forward. “ I really ought not to ever forgive him. “ I worked at keeping my tone grudging. Jen smiled as if she understood. I think that we could have been friends, if she had not smelled like roast chicken. There was a shyness in her manner, that I liked.

“ Men and their shortcuts” groaned Jen, eyes rolling knowingly. I nodded and stretched my hands toward the popping flame, spreading my fingers wide. “ If you are cold , I have a blanket in my backpack. “

“Thank you. I am fine. Fire helps. “ The flames outlined Jen's form as she bent to add more sticks to the fire, I liked her tan shirt that boasted of a free concert on the Boston Common. Her jean shorts looked custom made for her.

“ Well, let me know if you change your mind.” I nodded my agreement. Such a nice and polite roast chicken. I watched her intently. She poked and prodded the fire. 'Its the pine, you know, it pops.”

'No, I did not know that.”

I looked over, Henri and Zane were engrossed in talking about why the car had died. After some minutes, Henri came over and kissed me sweetly. “ We'll be right back. Zane seems to think that a wire had disconnected from the bumpy road. Maybe even a fuse. Look, he drew me a map as to where my shortcut went wrong. “ I watched as Henri's squared form led Zane away. I watched the fire, unsure of my next step. Jen sat quietly beside me. I thought how much Zane looked like a ken doll , short hair, even features. He smelled like roast chicken as well.

We both straightened up at the sound of the men returning though the brush. Henri was clutching a bandanna to his head. “Banged it pretty badly when he tripped. “ Henri slapped his pockets. “Man! I lost that damn cell when I fell”

“ Look, let Jen take care of that bump . She is always putting me back together. I will go look for the cell. “ Zane grabbed his flashlight and set off through the woods. Henri watched the light head back towards the car. Henri breathed deeply. Jen produced a plastic compress which she slammed on a rock. She lifted the bandanna from Henri's head.

“ Its not bleeding, that's good.” Henri obligingly winced when she touched his head. “ Here , this will help any swelling. “ Jen returned to her rock. We sat for a few minutes. Henri smelled the air. I took a deep breath. He held the compress to his head for several minutes, smelled the air again.

“Thank you. That helped.” Henri sat down on the rock behind Jen .He lifted his head to beckon me over.

“ I want to thank you for everything,” I began, “ The fire, the friendship, the first aid.”
From behind her, Henri grasped her shoulders which startled her but his fangs hitting her throat canceled any movement . He withdrew-and pulled me over.

“Guide your fangs where mine have been. We don't want to chew her up. “

I did as I had been instructed. I felt her blood spurt into my mouth as I pushed just a little deeper. I groaned. Relief was flooding my body . I felt heat spread through my body . Henri rubbed my back as I fed. Mine, I felt vibrate within me . I sucked and pulled at her throat as persistent as any babe at its mother's nipple. I felt warm .I sucked in rhythm with her heartbeat. Henri pulled me gently, whispering in my ear as he did “ Let go. I know its not enough but we will deal with that. You do not want to kill her. “ Reluctantly , I withdrew. He licked the side of her neck where she had been bitten which started almost immediately to heal, He handed me some baby wipes. I mopped my face. He inspected me for blood stains, There were none. He came over and sat next to me. He whispered something to her.

Jen looked around slightly dazed. “ I must have nodded off. “ she apologized. She rubbed her eyes. “ I did not realize that I was so sleepy. “ She yawned.

“Quite alright . It has been a long day, I offered.” I noticed that the roast chicken smell had faded . It was still there but not so compelling.

Zane returned , and tripped on a root. He balanced himself in a crazy dance “ Sorry , Al, never did find that cell. “

“Aw, forget about it Zane” Henri stood up . The two men shook hands. “ I think that we have worn out our welcome here. Jen was just saying that she was tired. We have a long way to go. My old rust bucket may even have changed its mind about running. I will have it checked out in the morning. “

I hugged Jen . “ You will never know how much your hospitality has meant to us. “ I turned to Henri . “ Lets go , honey”

He chuckled. “ You heard the lady. Bye” I led him towards the underbrush.

We walked slowly back to the car not going back the way that we had come. It took a little longer but would discourage anyone who might have seen us go to the campsite.

“ Did you really lose your cell?”

“ No, its in the satchel.” Henri grinned. “ Get into the car. We have other places to go . I am sure that you have all kinds of questions to ask . “ He turned the ignition key , the engine sprung to life. He dimmed the lights , driving down the utility service road back towards the blacktop. As he turned to looked for oncoming traffic, I sniffed the air in the car softly. He did not wear heavy cologne. I could smell leather , the soap from the house, and very faintly something else, maybe a dark merlot and some musk, It was still too far away to classify , The scents were still muddled. . I sunk back into the seat , watching the nighttime scenery as it passed. There was so much to learn. I sighed. Henri glanced at me briefly, then patted my knee. “We have all been there. “ He softly chuckled to himself. Precocious wench,he thought amused, don't think that I don't know what all of that was.

We drove for several minutes before he spoke. Lights from the street lamps flashed by us one by one. I noticed that they were more closely spaced as we neared towns, more spread apart on the rural roads. I saw a skunk spray a bloodhound in the tall grass as we waited for a traffic light to change. The hound yelped , tripping on its own long legs in an attempt to escape. The buff colored dog wiped its muzzle as it fled the small black and white creature. I could see these things as clearly as if it were a sunny day.

“ Did you see that?” I exclaimed. “ Where did all of these colors come from? “ I could see the blue of a small waterfall as we passed. The waterfall was sheltered in a brace of pines and birch. There was no external light anywhere near it. I had been by this place before, at night , with my uncle. I had seen only a dark shaded spot. I could hear the water as it splashed its way down the rocks. It thundered in my ears. How much louder would it have been if I had rolled the window down. I twisted around looking at the changed landscape. Henri watched my discovery with amused glance.

“ Pretty remarkable , isn't it? Like a whole world that you have just discovered . It never ceases to fascinate me , even now. Even after hundreds of years. Its like you have only been living half your life , then someone takes the blinders off of your eyes, clears up your sinuses, and unplugs your ears. You wonder how the day people miss it all. “.

He turned the car into a gas station. “ Never let your car get empty. It could be many miles, many hours before you dare stop to refuel. If your are being chased, and it does happen even today, manovering takes extra fuel. You want to make sure that you have it to spare.”

He reached into the glove compartment. He pulled out two credit cards. “ Use prepaids. Can't be tracked . Keep one for hotel rooms. You can sleep in the bathroom if there is too much light in the main room . The other is for fuel, plane and bus tickets. Same for the cells. Don't sign up with a plan. It costs a little more .It does not cost your life. Erase your history of calls. If you can, let your contacts know that you are dumping the phone. Take the sim card out before you dump it. Keep the sim card till you are safe to stop. Flush it down the toilet or down a storm drain miles from where you dumped the phone. You owe it to those who love and trust you to keep them safe as well. If your phone disappears, get to a computer-1 mass email from a commercial site, the computer rental places and libraries.. No return address. Put one word in the title line. Dump. Then sign it Merry Christmas, love Aunt Norma. Even if its July. If you get an email signed , same message, love Uncle Henry , its from a guy. Treat your phone as if it were your call to dump. Do it at once. Not days later. Contact will be established when you are face to face again. Don't use your home computer or the one in the office. They might not catch it but then again,” he shrugged. “You might go months , maybe even years with the same phone. Then there are times when you are dumping your phone every few hours. Even if you have never used it. Always activate it when you get it. “ He indicated that I should get out of the car.

“ I don't have to go. “ I protested.

“ Its not that, though trying might mot be a bad idea now that we are stopped. Check out the ladies room. Make sure that there is no one else there. If there is, comb your hair. Remember to check the stalls. Ladies rooms lock . The one for men usually don't. If there is someone there , wait for them to go , then give me an all clear . They stink like hell but they are private. “

I walked across the gravel parking lot to the small out building. I was relieved that at least the commodes were flush. On the Cape, so many were truly out buildings – though I doubted that would have mattered much. It was empty. I waved for him to come to me. He walked to the door, satchel in hand.

“Take off your shirt. “ He pulled it over my head. I stood before him in my jeans and bra. I flushed slightly in the dim light. A bug sailed into the orange bulb at the end of the room . A zap crackled. No more bug. “ Modesty is the first casualty, I can't show you what you should be looking for, if you are wearing the shirt. “ He laid the tee shirt on the sink. From the satchel, he pulled out a trouble light with a blue bulb . I watched as he directed the light over the shirt.

“What are you looking for?” This was more high tech than I had expected.

“ Blood splatter. “

“Where do I get the light?” I watched as he turned the shirt , checking seams and hems, the front then the back.

“You can get these at any police supply house. Some survivalist stores as well. “ Small blue specks appeared on the shirt. “ Its gone” he declared, rolling it into a tight ball, and placing it in a plastic zippered one quart bag. The jeans were clean so I got to keep them.

He handed me some soap and a white wash cloth. He filled the sink. The water was tepid. He ran the light over me.

“Face near your chin, arms and hands There are some spots there, he instructed. “Always the nails. The teeth too.” He handed me a travel toothbrush set and nail set. “ Those little waterless ones will not do. I rinsed with the sample mouthwash. Handing me an empty bag which was smaller than the one that had claimed my shirt. “Bag it”. I dropped the nailbrush, followed by the toothbrush set into the bag. “Count your pieces. Then count them again. Look around have you forgotten anything? “ I pulled out my makeup bag , staring at myself in the mirror. as I reapplied .

He handed me the light. “Check me .Cops use these all of the time.. Sometimes when we least expect it. Better to be prepared.” He pulled off his shirt. He looked for spots. I admired his pects covered with a strong fur matting. I wondered what it would be like to run my fingers through it , feel it pressed against my breasts . Training , training not dating,I reminded myself. His shirt was clean . The show was over. He washed arms , face and hands , then disappeared behind me.

Welcome to survival 101,I mused. Behind me ,a stall door banged. Henri had decided that it really was a good idea. Hearing him , I walked to the stall next to his. It was a good idea . He was waiting with a fresh tee shirt, twin to the one in the bag. He stopped – signaling me to be quiet, he pulled me aside. “Can you giggle on cue?”

I gulped., “ I think so.”

“There are people outside , just close enough to maybe be a problem. Give me the bags. “ He stuffed them into a larger darker plastic bag , then zippered the satchel shut. “ Follow my lead. “ He grabbed me around the waist, placing my other arm around his. “Ready ,steady , go” he hissed. I giggled, he rubbed noses with me., as he slide the bolt open.

He smoothed my head onto his shoulder , slid his hand up outside the shirt under my breast , gave it a tweak . Then walked with me arm and arm , across the parking lot. He grabbed my ass, pulling me up to meet his height, and kissed me hard. I slid my hands up over his tight jeans. They bulged in the front slightly. He positioned my head , sliding his soft lips down my neck , just the tip of his tongue brushing my artery. Small fireworks lit up my spine.. spotlights of pleasure.

A grandmother from the look of her huffed her disapproval as she waited for their turn. Her permed hair looked like the smoke coming off a blownout match. No lobster was ever as red as her face. She pushed two younger children, a boy and a girl towards the ladies room . They looked as if they were in the first and second grade respectively. They kept looking back at us, much to grandma's chagrin. A cat call sounded from the larger boy, who looked to be about sixteen. Grandmother returned to collect him as well, muttering”This used to be a place for nice people. Never saw such goings on in public in all my days. “

I laughed aloud as I heard the ladies room door bang shut with a vengance. The lock snapped .

Henri opened the car doors. The teen emerged from the men's room. Looking around,he gave Henri two thumbs up ,arched his back, dipping at the knees. .Henri returned his salute.,as he returned the satchel to the trunk.. He placed the dark plastic bag next to me on the floor. We slid out of the parking lot , back onto the black top,. I pulled my makeup bag out, rubbed some lip gloss ,onto my finger then onto my lips.

“Want a coke or something? “ he asked .

“ Please”.

We exited the blacktop into drive thru lane of a small fast food restaurant. He reached to the floor. I saw he had chosen the bag with the nailbrush and travel set. As we left the parking lot, he lobbed the bag into the garbage can. I sipped the coke. It tasted close to normal. Rivelets of water slid down the outside of my cold drink. I felt more free than I could remember.

A possum carrying her babies crossed in front of us , then scooted into the woods. Lights from cars, lights from motels hoping to suck in the last visitors of summer before Labor day. The lights hurt my eyes. “Don't look right at them. They are brighter than they were before you changed. I would offer you sunglasses but you would miss the new experiences.” We passed a sign that read Bedale 18 miles . We were far from home. “ You never hunt in your own yard.

We passed mass marketed houses of over forty years ago, they were all the same with an individual flourish here and there. The street continued to wind around a gentle curve, as we passed a horse farm, the smell of ammonia stung my nose. “Chickens on my side of the road. “ The curve bent the other way , under some trees. We drove past a farm offering milk and eggs for sale.

The street lights became further apart. He drove to the end of the street , where he turned left. “ We will go back the highway. I want to get rid of the shirt first. Over in back of the shopping center is the best. Homeless dumpster dive over there. There is not enough blood on that shirt to raise a fuss to someone who has nothing. Its all tiny spots, probably won't be noticed. They wash all the donations anyway. I always wonder if I have been buying the same shirt over and over. “ He turned right into a parking lot where work worn mothers dragged tired toddlers for school supplies into the yellow brick building that boasted deep discounts. He spotted the donation bin, took the shirt out of the bag , and dropped it in. We rounded the bin , heading out into the night once more. A right, a left and we were on the highway. Henri hit the gas, still watching activity around him. Large tractor trailer trucks passed him . I wondered if they saw us . I felt like we were flying.

The exit read Midhurst. I heard the blinker tick our intent to pull to the right. Two right turns and I saw our destination . The orange and pink marquee declared the space to be a drive in theater. Three movies for five dollars. The washed out blonde with a red rose tattooed on the arm .declared “ No outside food. No alcohol. No fire arms, “ as she reached for the five that Henri held out in his hand. I did not think that she cared.

“ I promise you , none of the above. “ he reached for the speaker and guided the car forward. “ Have you ever been to a drive in? This is one of the last ones in New England. Wait till you try their meatball subs. Really good.” He kissed the circle of his middle finger and thumb , raising it in a marked show of appreciation . I looked at him quizzically. He looked at my face, then laughed .”Don't worry , first we eat then we feed. I keep my promises. No body gives a shit here. Its harder to find the good stuff , too much liquor , too many drugs but nobody comes around. Its a good makeout place for cheating husbands with wives not their own. “ He put the speaker on the seat between us. He motioned me out of the car with a sweeping flourish of his hand. I got out of the car and walked around to the back. He pulled me slightly to the concession stand The woman in front of us in line smelled like rotting meat. I started to gag,only to find a large soda in my hand . “Sip it.'

The man behind the counter dished up two steaming meatball subs dripping in red tomato sauce. . They did smell good, He had paid for extra cheese. He leaned close to my ear as if we were young lovers and he were whispering sweet nothings. “HIV , I would almost bet on it. Rule of thumb is , if it doesn't smell good,don't bite it. Wont kill you, might make you not feel so good later. I sipped my soda as we returned to his car. He placed the gaudy pink and orange box on the top of the roof of the car.. He slide it between us. We adjusted our seat . Dancing hot dogs and jumping popcorn shuffled off to a cartoon concession stand not Buffalo on the large screen. He handed me one of the subs. I bit it and waited. I wanted more. “Its not either or with us, its both.,”he explained. Pushing his own sandwich towards his mouth , where he took a large bite. Tomato sauce dripped down the corner of my mouth. He wiped it away with his index finger ,popping it in his mouth.


The first movie was the story of an attorney who duct taped her errant husband to the toilet so that he could not leave her for a younger woman. I laughed earnestly. Henri brushed the hair from my cheek. His hands were calloused . Glancing at me,he watched the movie, amused. I watched him as he scanned the area around us. There was a slight intermission between the films, so I excused myself to find a ladies room. He walked back with me toward the concession stand.

“Meet me out front here” He headed toward the men's room. I watched him walk away. Being a baker had certainly not hurt his figure. The man knew how to buy jeans that complimented his tight ass. I was grateful that we did not mindread.

“Sure thing.” I walked through a group of heavier men , rough edged waiting for their wives and little ones. Most of them were smoking . They moved from my path. They departed in threes and fours as their families reclaimed them, like sheep fleeing a wolf.

Henri was pacing in front of the stand when I reappeared. “ I know that I have given you a lot of rules tonight. I forgot to tell you , one of the most important. Our colony doesn't attack kids. They walk free . We walk away rather than bother them. We stop the scene as quickly as we can . No child should witness a parent killed . The humans do sometimes die, if we get too hungry. Colony rule. “ I kissed his cheek. This might not be so bad after all. I could smell some yeast on him, leather and something darker.

We were on our way back to the car, when scruffy little man and girlfriend approached us from behind. Sniffing the air, we looked at each other at the scent of a gun. then a click. . I could smell the liquor that coursed through them, that had mixed with their blood. Henri stepped forward between us, as the girlfriend shoved the gun in his side, “ Why don't we all go for a little walk., the weasel faced thug suggested. He grabbed my tit . “I like you .We might even have some fun later. You could get to like me. “

Henri wrapped his arm around me, protectively . “Cry if you can, And beg. They will like that. Its booze only- I promise that I will get you home. We need to limit the field. Its too open here. ” He held onto me like a protective boyfriend. It was what our captors had expected so it delighted them .

They walked us around the corner to the darkest part of the parking lot. Bud as his lady called him, ordered us” Take off those watches, Hurry up , all the jewelry Drop the wallet and the purse on the ground. Sheila , his girlfriend rubbed her hand over the front of Henri's jeans. “Nice basket. “ she purred. I wanted to rip her head off but kept my eyes on Henri. Bud punched him in the stomach . He doubled over on cue.

“ Hey ,” I begged “ Just take what you stole and go.” I rushed to Henri's aid. He winked at me. Bud pulled my hair back ,pulling me to my feet. His face was inches from mine. He stank from beer and cigarettes .

“ I am an asshole, “he boasted proudly.” Never tell me what to do, Woman. I think that we are using your car. Its not a great ride but if you two are really good. You just might walk out of this alive. “ He shoved me, I stumbled on a small mound of grass. Henri reached over to steady me. .

Sheila kept the gun trained on Henri . Bud grabbed me by the hair, forcing me into the back with him, He tore the front of my shirt rubbing his hand on my breasts . His hands sullied my nipples. Henri looked worried over the seat. Sheila reminded him of their mission by poking him with the gun. “ And you , if you are really good, maybe I will let you watch Bud fuck her tight little pussy. Bet that would turn you on , his big thing dipping in and out of her , Cmon, aint that what you planned for tonight . Only its gonna be Bud not you . “ I started to cry. I wondered just how much trouble we were finding ourselves. “

“ Drive” Sheila ordered, flatly. “Two rights and a left into the woods.” Henri obediently started the car. No one noticed , no one cared. He hung the speaker on the stand . Lights out, he exited the drive in .
“Turn here. Right. Now sharp right again. Then a sharp left. I struggled to hold onto my shirt but it was a casualty of the tug of war between Bud and I. Worse, it encouraged him.

My pink lacy bra excited Bud. He started kissing me down my neck , stroking my nipples through the lace .”His pants bulged. He petted the bulge suggestively, “I like to take it really slow Baby girl, we got all night. “ His hands slid up my breasts and cupped them . I hated the smell of the liquor that came from him .But he was giving off another scent, of roast pork. His rough hands rubbed the crotch of my jeans. I blubbered while he felt me up, circling my waist on the outside of my jeans. I sobbed as Bud unsnapped the top of my jeans, rubbing the curly hair below my too thin panties.

”Make her stop crying, “Bud ordered Henri as he looked at me.I was shaking. I was cold again, scared and hurting. He reached back , wiping my tears. I looked at him ,he winked at me.

“Hey man,” he said to Bud, “Be a little easy on her. Its only her second time. ' He turned to me , “Its just like earlier. Remember? If you get scared or forget, just look at me. “He kissed me hard.

“You like deals, Sheila? “ asked Henri drawing a deep breath. “ Let me get Carol set up, I can tell you are just dying to play. . I took her out tonight, seems only fair. Don't you think? “ Sheila pouted . He brushed her lips with his, “ I always keep my promises.” He took her hand , laying it on the fly to his pants. “Betcha you can give me more than you ever dreamed. I can show you a good time, tyou will never forget.

His fingers rubbed her nipples through her thin cotton shirt. She wiggled and moaned as he touched her. His fingers lightly touched her crotch. She bucked against his hand, closing her eyes .When she opened them , her eyes were fevered with desire. She thought a minute. The pistol went into her jacket pocket,

She looked at Henri.”So, set her up . Bud here likes to play roaming hands and rushing fingers before the main event. Wonder how wet your girl will get with Bud? She hooted . .

“ She's a little scared. Bud“ Henri explained., as he shrugged her off again. “Price of someone so new.”

Bud opened the fly in his pants. Grasping my hand he spit on it then, he slide it slowly up the shaft. “
“Pump it like this. Its gonna get nice and thick and hard. Then Big Bud is going to push it in all the way to your eyeballs inside of you. I controlled my face . I wanted no part of that thing. I looked for help and found none.

Henri gave me a sharp look., then nodded.” Keep it going , Carol . Run your fingers gently over his balls. “ Bud arched his back, moving the horrid thing faster. Henri's eyes were hard and about the coldest that I had ever seen them. Then he smiled to Bud.” If she likes it tonight, I might even let her finish with you. Maybe even with Sheila, would you like to see that. Everyone likes a little girl on girl from time to time. “ Buds eyes glittered at the thought. He smacked his lips. Henri nodded at me. I knelt on the seat, brushing my nipples against Bud, who quickly tore his shirt as he removed it. . My hands caressed Bud's thick neck, just below his unkempt beard. I nipped his ear lobe gently , pulling it with my teeth. I felt my fangs elongate. I ran my tongue down his neck. I looked at Henri.

“ A little higher and to the left is better.” Bud smiled his appreciation. I rubbed his shoulders as I had seen Henri do with Jen earlier.

Bud moaned gently. His face was estatic ” Fuckin beautiful” His hands pulling my jeans down. He stroked the inside of my thighs.”Oh yeah, I am going to chew them fucking panties off. Just wait till Big Bud gets his tongue inside of your cunt. It ain't rape if you are willing. “ I guided my mouth to the spot that Henri had instructed.

I bit hard, pushing in until the artery wall popped. . Bud jerked then did not move. He did not struggle .He continued to breath. I lapped the blood , pulled deeply .Bud continued to moan. I could not swallow fast enough. I felt my body light up with pleasure. My tits rubbed his body as I sucked. I rocked him as I held him to feed. I enjoyed the warm passing into my body.

“What the hell” said Sheila . She looked for her jacket. It was on the floor. One of Henri's feet held it there.She panicked as she watched the fear grow in Bud's eyes. Henri held her shoulders,

“Now , Sheila baby. Isn't this what you wanted ? You chose the time and the place. You chose us. Lucky l girl. “ Henri purred as he smoothed her shoulders down. He reached over and dropped her jacket out of the car window , the pistol fell onto the ground. His mouth found her throat. A single drop of her blood journeyed down her neck , across the swell of her breasts. He stroked her hair to allow a better purchase on her throat.

Bud began to rattle in his chest much as a milk carton does when a child continues to suck after the fluid is all but gone, Henri looked up. Bud begged with his eyes. “Okay , I will give you what you have waited so long to see. “ Henri waved his fingers before my eyes, distracting me from Bud's throat. “ Now don't be rude , Carol. I did promise Bud some girl on girl. “ He moved aside , sliding Sheila into my mouth. Just like this afternoon. Henri licked Buds throat. “Couldn't let you die with those nasty little marks on you, now could I. See, good as new.” Henri took Bud's hand and ran it down the side of his throat. As I continued to feed , Henri went for the satchel . I lifted my head , he wiped my lips with a baby wipe. I smiled. “Done ? “ he asked.

“Yes, and much better. “ I moved Big Bud's hands from my jeans which I zipped shut. I could see from Bud's face that he was aware of what had happened.

Henri threw me a white face cloth,nailbrush and travel set. . There is a stream about fifty feet. Go clean up. Enough to pass. I need gas on the way home anyway. “ I ran the distance. That disgusting smell clung to my hand like dog shit . I wondered if it would wash off.

Henri had lifted both Sheila and Bud ,in various states of undress, out of the car when I returned. I helped drag them further into the woods. Sheila had no marks on her, Leaves and pine needles clung to her hair. Twigs scratched her milky skin as I slid her down a short dirt path. Henri jumped down into a ditch, pulling them into a culvert, then jumped out. He threw Sheila's jacket in her face. Both were barely living. “Gee folks, we hate to eat and run like this. But the little lady is already way past curfew. I would call this a life lesson but seems like you are all out of life. So its just a lesson. After all ,isn't this what you planned for tonight? Only its you not us.“ Shrugging his shoulders,he turned to leave them and then turned back “ Oh, , by the way, you won't be coming back. Its not how this works. .” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, whistling as we walked down the path ,back to the car. Henri kicked Sheila's gun into a pile of leaves for luck. I slid the shirt over my head , ran my brush through my hair, snapped the seat belt.

'Sorry about that. Wasn't my first choice of a scene to play. It kind of chose us, sometimes it does. Just need to direct the control away from them . Not let them know, You did well. How about shower at the house when we get back, then I will take you home? “

I felt grimy . I felt used. But I was safe and I was fed. I was sure there would be questions when we got me home. Andrew must be frantic by now. I yawned.”I would like a shower very much” wincing at the memory of Big Bud's hands on me.

Henri nodded as the car started out of the woods.