Chapter One
His eyes moved along her body, the sweet black silk clinging to her flesh. Aphrodite was her name...or, her fake name actually. She was really just Jessica Johnson in real life. But, this wasn't real life. His gaze looked around, moving from one gothic wanna be freak to the next. All wanted to be like him....This was a place where they gathered, where they shared their pathetic stories about out of body encounters, or the thrill of the 'hunt'. Pathetic. Hunt? sure, their hunt consisted of taking a blade to their arm and letting the blood flow into a cup. 'Vampires' they called themselves. Vampires. If only they knew.
His gaze moved from one person to the next, one loser after another, finally settling upon Serina. The only one that was remotly close to being what a ture vampire was. His latest conquest. By some stroke of luck, he had lat her live after he had taken a portion of her blood. Now? She was what he called a sustainer. A human chosen to provide him blood. Every night, she came to him. Every night, he led her into one of the back rooms. And every night, while he took her body, he also drank her blood.
Some humans...MOST humans would be fearful of him. They would run and scream and beg for their lives. The ones that begged were never chosen as sustainers. They wera a meal. Serina? She had what it took to be a sustainer. Instead of running in fear, she embraced him as if he was a gift from god. She came willingly and gladly. Only he knew that eventually, before the continuouse taking of her blood allowed her to become one of his own kind, he would kill her. Like he always did. Once they got too close to immortality. She was getting closer and closer....too close. Closer than he had ever let a Sustainer come.
Why, then, was she not dead already? He knew the awnser. He didnt want to face it, but he knew. Serina was like her. Not in looks...the firery red hair and deep sage green eyes proved that she looked nothing like her. But, she acted just like her. Same attitude, same sence of humor...same sarcasm. Almost everything, pinned down to the last snippy comeback.
As if feeling his gaze, her head turned toward him, her eyes locking onto his. A soft smile lit her lips, and one eye closed in a wink. He smiled a small smile, the corners of his mouth barely curving. The tight black leather of his pants creaked in protest as he shifted his postion in the chair, reclining his legs in front of him, his gaze leaving her own as he looked down at the goblet he held in his hand, filled nearly to the rim with fresh blood. Strange...usually he would have drained it dry by now. Perhaps he wasn;t hungry.
Knowing her gaze was still on him, he stood, setting the cup on the table beside the chair that he had claimed as his own a long time ago, and moved toward the door that led to the apartments behind the club. Most of them weren't occupied, considering the high price of the rooms. But, for a little over 700 years of life, vampires tended to have very high funds. He payed the $3000 a month rent no problem. The other losers in the Prey (the very lame name for the 'vampire' clubhouse) could barely afford a drink, let alone an apartment. Still, it was quite, and no windows insured that he could sleep alone in the day without being bothered.
He opened the door...it was unlocked. No one in that dam club had enough balls to break into his apartment. The last person that had sat in his char had to be carried out of the club in a stretcher with eight broken ribs, a broken nose, and two black eyes. Lets just say no one sat in that chair again. No one would dare break into his apartment and think to get away alive from that ordeal.
He moved around idly, finally settling on the bed, laying with his legs hanging off one end, his eyes closed and his hands resting lightly upon his stomach. Not thirty minutes later, he heard the door open. He didnt even bother to open his eyes, the sound of her steps getting louder and louder, closer and closer. Finally, he felt the soft touch of her hands as they slipped under his shirt, tantalizing him. He felt her move to strattle him, her knees around his waist, her hair tickling his neck and chest as she leaned over him. Softly, her words reached his ears, and for a moment...just a moment, he could hear her voice in his ears
“And here i was afraid you would fall asleep. Tisk Tisk, naughty boy....”
...Except the touch he felt, the soft caress of tendrils of hair he felt, the voice he heard, the body that strattled his own was not serina's....it hadn't been since the first time he had bedded her. And she knew....oh, she knew very well that she was not on his mind except when it was her blood he took. It didnt seem to bother her. He couldn't understnad it.
Even as he allowed a small smile at her words, his eyes opened and he sat up, his arms wrapping around serenity's back to keep her from falling. He stood, easily holding her against him, his lips moving to lightly caress her own. His body turned, and he lightly set her upon the bed, drawing back to let her see the anger and the threat in his eyes. He straightened, stepping back one step from her. For the first time, he saw the gleam of fear in her eyes. Good. Fear was good. He spoke, his voice carrying the same agressive warning that lit his eyes, his fists clenched at his side
“Stupid mortal. Follow me again, and they'll find your body in the gutter like the others. “
A false threat- he was not ready for her to be dead just yet- But nonetheless, one that made sure she would not follow him. One that insured he would be alone. Without another word, without another look in her direction, he moved toward the door and out of it. Without pausing, he moved in the opposide direction of the club, pushing down the long hallway and out into the alley, the door closing behing him...
Cold, midnight air rashing to greet him, the alley smelling of garbage and piss, and so many other foul things. Mortals....disgusting creatures, truly.
Step after bloody step. He exited the alley, finally coming to a pause on the street, his toes barely sticking out of the curb. The lighted sign of "the Prey", written in neon red scrips wth vampire teeth biting into the letter 'P' aluminated the street. The sign did not carry his name...of coarse it wouldn't. He didnt want anyone to know that Landon owned the club. But, then again, everyone refered to him as 'Rafe' now a days, a name he took up with bravado.
He moved once more toward the entrange, the big bouncer pulling back the red velvet incased cable with no hesitation, the sunglasses that he wore covering his red eyes. The color of a newborn. Why, of coarse Landon would not have some pathetic mortal guarding the doors of his club, now would he? He nodded to the large vampire, stepping inside as the smell of beer and and sweat, not to mention the perfume and cologne of over two hundred clubbers hit him.
He smiled slightly as the crowd parted for him...everyone knowing just how violent 'Rafe' tended to be when he was disrupted. He moved to his chair, nodding to the waiter, telling him that the boss wanted a drink...and Sloan, the waiter, knew just what he wanted to drink. He, too, had been made immortal, thought it had been quite a while ago. When first rafe had opened the club. After all, he could not trust mortals with brining him fresh blood every night, could he.
A barrage of "Hey Rafe"'s bombarded him as he moved toward his chair, simply giving a nod to each person that said his name, know them or not. Only one man, Mikey, the manager of the Prey, and the only mortal Rafe trusted, did he greet with more than just a nod. One hand reached up to clap Mikey on the back before he settled into the coushened black leather of the chair.
His eyes moved toward the door to the apartments as it opened, smileing a bit as he saw Serina step through. Her gaze moved like a gunshot where he always was settled, finding him there. She didn't smile as she normally would, but instead just gazed at him...As if she was expecting him to kill her right there. Once more, his hand listed, waving her over, letting her know that he was ready for her prescence.
She hesitated in her steps, her face once more holding fear. But all it took was a secont before she realized it was better to do as she was told...and that she did. finally, she moved toward him, each step seeming to be painful for her. Slowly, the distance closed, her feet weaving a path throuhg the dense crowd, bringing her closer.
At last, she stood before him, her head bowed and her eyes downcast, like a puppy dog awaiting a beating for pissing on the floor. With a deviouse smile, he stood, his hands reaching out and lightly resting on her waist, moving up higher and higher until they rested on the nape of her neck. Lightly, his thumbs hooked onto her jaw, pushing her head up so that her gaze had no choice but to meet his own. then, with the same smile as before, his head lowered, lightly pressing onto her lips.
As he withdrew from the embrace, her shocked eyes, lightly tinged with red around the edges of her pupils, met his own. He chuckled, the sound rigk and throaty. He moved to sit back down, lowering himself into the seat delicatly, patting his theigh with a look toward Serina telling her to sit.
“Lando...” she began, her voice confused before he cut her off.
“What did i tell you?” He saked, his voice stern but not holding the maliciouse violence as before when they were alone in the bedroom of his Owners Suit.
“Uh.....Rafe. I dont understand....” she said softly, her shoulder leaning against his chest slowly, as if she was prepared for his punishment if he did not wish it. Instead, to her suprise, he kissed her again, one pale hand reaching up to wrap arounf her shoulder and draw her closer.
A soft “You dont have to...” Was whispered into her ear before he turned his attention to his souroundings once more.
It was then that the music hit him. Not just the lyrics, which appealed to him in a much more animalistic way, but the voice. The sound. It was...inhuman. He slowly turned his head toward the stange, his eyes curiouse, knowing already that the ground sontained a vampire..perhaps the entire group was. Before he settled his gaze on the stnage, he scenned them over the croud. They were going wild, screaming as they never has for any other band. It was then that he lifted his gaze, and if he had a heart, it would have stopped.
She stood at the microphone, her hands wrapped around the barrel, her voice singing into it with expertise. He froze, unable to move, just gazing at her. Moments passed, and as the song ended, he watched her move. Toward the guitarist. A soft, tender, even loving expression was pressed onto the vampires cheek, and he was suddenly able to move. He stood, serina tumbling to the ground at his feet, his body gazing toward the stange, his teeth clenched with anger, with everything.
Time sped up, moving at a quicker pace, and a very unhuman snarl was ripped from his teeth. Before he knew it, Sloan was besode him, one restraining hand on his shoulder, keeping him back. He could hear the bartenders voice in his ear, the tones frantic
“D****t. Thats her, huh? i knew they were vampires. Look, man, get the hell out of here.” He spoke calmly, as if nothing was wrong, a smile on his face to ease the frightened party-goers around them, letting them know nothing was wrong. But, something was terribly wrong. His eyes clenched, his voice strained.
“Why the hell are vampires playing in my club??” The only ones close enoug to hear the strained words were Serina, who had picked herself up from the floor, and Sloan.
“I dont know, man. ask Mikey.” Came Sloans almost fearful responce. “But you have to get out of here before something happenes that you will regret later.” He said once more, looking to serina for some sort of help. But nothing could help him now....It was already too late
It never ended, did it? God, thats wht sucked about living for eternity. You couldn't run from your pain, from your past forever. His eyes followed her as she danced around them, his teeth gritted to the point where they were on the verge of breaking. His fist clenched at his sides, and he knew that if he had been mortal, his face would be blue from lack of oxygen. His gaze turned icily to Serina, one hand lifting and pointing toward the apartments, no other words needed for her to understand the silent command, and the threat that went alone with it if she didnt do as she was told.
As she moved quickly into teh croud, knowing almost immediatly that something was wrong, he turned to Sloan. Find me Mikey. Now. Came the snarled command, watching with steely eyes as the bartender ran off into the crowd to find the manager. While he was off looking for the mortal, Rafe turned to the others, a fake smile plastered on his face, and motioned to the DJ. Immediatly, music started playing, Rafe's eyes turning to the crowd gawking at him as if he was a demon....if only they knew.
Free drinks on the house! He shouted, the only thing he could think of to get the b******s back to their normal, pathetic partying selves. to his reliefe, it worked too. They all let out a pleased shout, couples and those looking for a one night stand moved to the dance floor, moving their bodies to the music. The money they would lose tonight from all those damn free drinks would cost them later....but, he had the funds to cover the premotion....yeah, well premotion sounds so much better than crisis, dont you think?
Soon, a very nervouse looking Mikey came into the picture, his hands stuffed into his pockets, and is balding head covered in sweat. Yeah boss?? Came the hesitantly stammered reply, as if waiting for his neck to be ripped out...and indeed it seemed that way. Sloan had acompinied him back, leaving the bar matters up to his 'assistants', as he liked to call them, as a croud of people seeking to get their free drink flooded to the bar.
Come, he said with swift command, turning toward the rooms without waiting to see if he would follow. And with sloan right behind, the threat of vampiric teeth in his meaty neck, Rafe knew sloan would follow. After all, there was no chance that he could run and get away with his life. The croud parted, the regulars knowing rafe well enough to know to get out of his was, and the new Prey visitors following their lead.
Before long, the door to the back apartemnts had swung open, his hand reaching for the handle of the Owners suit and opening it as well. As the door to the club swung closed, sloan turned around to lock it, wanting no uninvited guest before preceding to push Mickey into the room. Rafe, already at the bar, whick contained different types of fresh blood- O positive, AB negative...the usual- filled himself and sloan a glass of the hemoglobin. Without speaking, he motioned Mikey to sit on the bed, serina comeing from the bathrom with a towel in her hair, taking one look around, and then settling into a chair to wait, silently.
Im just wondering....Rafe said, his voice calm and curiouse, which made him all the more dangerouse. He was always more dangerouse when he seemed perfectly calm. When he spoke normally, there was always a hard threat edging his voice. Im just wondering... he repeated, What the hell you were thinking when you booked a vampire band. From england. He said, his eyes moving to the quivering mortal, one hand bringing the cup to his lips and taking a sip, Sloan mirroring his action.
The damn coward looked around, one hand reaching up to remove the perspiration from his head. Ah, the smell of fear. It left the air thick and sweet, like a drug. All rafe had to do was give one glance at Sloan to tell he smelt it too, and it brought a pure demonic thirst into his throat. Rafe chuckled, moving toward his vampire companion and clapping him on the shoulder before once more speaking to Mikey, who had yet awnsered him. Choose your words well, Mikey, my friend. It seems my....collegue here is thirsty. He said, chuckling once more as a devilish grin took hold of Sloans ruggedly handsome face.
B...Boss He stuttered, barely getting the word out, his voice cracking. I didnt know that they were vampires, i swear. I just... As rafe had done before, he cut him off with a swift gesture, not wanting to hear anymore s**t. Get out of here, you fool. Just know, that if she wants to kill you, i find i will not be sad to find your body in the gutters....No one had to say who 'she' was. Everyone simply understood the unspoken meaning behind the words. He nodded to Sload, and the bartender moved to the door, holding it open for the fleeing Mikey, one nod from rafe telling the vampire that the Prey's master wanted his manager watched, and very closly, that night. A small nod in reply was all rafe got before sloan, too, disappeared out of the door, letting it close behind him.
Almost alone...Next, his gaze turned to Serina, smiling just a bit before he tossed her a key to one of the rooms, grabbed from behind the bar when he had poared the blood for himself and Sloan. Go. You sleep alone tonight He said before moving into his room, not bothering to see if she left. Only the sound of the door closing once again alerted him to her disappearence. Looked like it was time to make some phone calls. Desdemonia. He would need her comfort if he was to make it out alive this time. And Demetri. His creator. The only one he trusted enough to watch the bar while he took a...sabatical? is that what they were called thease days? All he knew, is that he had to get away. Before she decided it was time to pay Landon a visit.
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