Myrnin was hungry.

This was a different kind of hunger that crept up in him every few months that he was sure his madness coaxed into existence. It was the desire to consume fresh blood as he felt a human pulse between his teeth fade away as he drank. He wanted to taste life and gulp it down, to savor the sweetness of fear. This was a kind of hunger that could not be sated with bagged blood. He needed to hunt. Myrnin knew it was wrong. He knew he would only be feeding his guilt and shame, but he could not bring himself to try to control his urges because he either found it easier to deal with such feelings after the deed had been done or because he simply did not care. In any case, it didn't matter, because Myrnin was setting down his book and preparing for a venture outside. He would have his hunt.

Morganville was swathed in silver moonlight and the beauty of it took Myrnin aback when he emerged from the dark of his lab. Perhaps this town was worth a look more than once every few months. Yet, despite his appreciation of the way the moon cast rays of white light, he still found himself wondering why Amelie had chosen such a barren wasteland to settle in. Why could it not have been somewhere with prettier trees or more grass—or at least somewhere with more typographical action since Morganville's only hill was a house-sized pile of garbage near the outskirts of town. Of all the places in the world, Amelie and chosen Texas.

As Myrnin crept through the silent streets of Amelie's humble kingdom, he was surprised by the lack of activity. Had the humans finally learned to stay inside their homes at night? There were hardly any vampires out, too. Maybe a policy had been instilled in the past few weeks that Myrnin had not been made privy to. He would only be reprimanded if he were caught, so he continued on without feeling as if he were intruding.

He made a sweep of the entire town and there wasn't a single human out. And, unfortunately for Myrnin, his hunger was growing.

…

Myrnin slipped into the house with ease and found it completely dark. The living room was quaint, but not worth noticing as he passed through to a hallway. He sniffed and followed the scent to the place where it was strongest: the bedroom. The door opened with only a faint creak and Myrnin stepped inside, hiding in the darkest of shadows as he observed his prey sleeping peacefully in her bed.

She was pretty and young with long brown hair and a slight frame. She was lying on her side with her legs tucked in near her. One hand was under her pillow, hugging it tightly, and the other hand clutched the top of her blankets close. On her wrist, Myrnin saw a bracelet of Protection that he did not recognize as belonging to anyone important. It glinted in the moonlight that streamed in from her window. Myrnin drew nearer and sat on the edge of the bed gingerly, taking care not to disturb her. He studied her face closely and found that he enjoyed the sharpness of her nose and the thinness of her lips. She had long lashes and high cheekbones that gave elegant definition to her small face. Her breathing was deep and steady and she made gentle sounds as she slept that reminded Myrnin of a content child. He reached out and touched her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

The girl woke slowly, first her brows knitting together and then her head moving in her sleep as she pulled herself out of unconsciousness. Myrnin felt his fangs slide into place as he prepared to drink. When the girl was completely roused, she gasped and rolled out from under his touch. The other side of the bed was up against the wall and she could go nowhere else. Sitting upright with her back to the wall and her legs pulled up in front of her torso, she stared at him with petrified eyes as she trembled with fear. She was wearing a thin shirt and a pair of underwear and Myrnin suddenly realized what a compromising situation this was.

"P-please," she said, voice shaking. "Not again."

Myrnin frowned. Again? His fangs retracted.

"You… you promised." She was sobbing now, her breath hitching and her body quaking as she hid her face behind her hands.

"What are you saying, child?"

The girl peeped out from between her fingers. "What—? Who are you? Did—did Abraham send you?" Myrnin could not answer. "Oh, God," she cried. She looked up at him and he saw tears falling freely from her eyes. "Please, don't do this. He promised he'd leave me alone for the next few weeks! I—I'll do anything."

"Touch yourself."

The words fell from his lips without a moment of thought. He was surprised at himself, but he couldn't take back them back. The girl stared at him for a long silent second, but then began removing her underwear with trembling fingers. Myrnin nearly told her to stop, but there was a flame igniting in him that he had thought long dead. He felt a need growing inside him that he'd neglected for a very, very long time.

With her undergarments gone, she spread her knees apart and Myrnin caught sight of bite marks on the inside of her thighs. His eyes focused on them and saw that there were several different vampires who had bitten her. It was no wonder that she was so fearful of him. Myrnin, completely ignoring the fact that her underwear was gone, leaned in close to her and touched the marks on her leg. She flinched away.

"Hush, child. I will not hurt you like they did." He reached for the scars again and she let his fingers ghost over the old wounds. The pale, smooth skin of her inner thigh enticed him. "But you will touch yourself in front of me." Myrnin sat back and watched as the girl swallowed and forced her shaking fingers to her core.

He was able to take in the sight of her now that the shock from the marks faded. He watched as her hand stroked her center uncertainly. Her eyes were closed and her brows furrowed in concentration. She seemed more frightened than aroused. A frown appeared between her brows and she brought her fingers to her mouth to moisten them.

"Is there anything I can do?" Myrnin asked.

She peered at him from under her lashes and shut them quickly, shaking her head and returning to the task at hand. He wanted to know what she was imagining as she touched herself, because in a few more long minutes, he heard a sharp intake of breath as she finally began to enjoy herself. Myrnin crawled up the length of her and took her chin in between his thumb and forefinger, bringing her face to his. She flinched away at first but relaxed into his touch after his lips met hers. Their kiss was experimental and questioning, seeking words that were unsaid.

After a moment, Myrnin's hands explored her body, slipping under her shirt and smoothing their way up and down her torso, carefully avoiding her breasts. Goosebumps broke out across her skin and made her nipples hard, enticing Myrnin. He heard her fingers at her heat start to move faster.

"Do not come," he demanded.

She bit her lip and her hand slowed. She dipped her fingers back into her moisture and then stroked with more consideration, more finesse.

"What is your name, child?" he asked. He finally rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she gasped her response:

"Alexa!"

She swallowed, forcing her breathing to return to normal. Alexa's eyes were still closed tight. She was biting her lip again.

"You are quite good at this, aren't you, my dear?"

She shook her head and the action seemed like an afterthought because of her intense focus on the matter at hand.

"But you are," Myrnin insisted. His voice floated to her silkily. "I am a complete stranger who's asked you to touch yourself in my presence and you've nearly come within ten minutes. What are you imagining, Alexa?"

She shook her head again, but this time more deliberately. "I'm just doing what you want, sir."

Sir. That was interesting.

"Tell me, child."

His tone did not allow any room for argumentation and the girl knew it. She made a gasping sound before answering, choking on her own breath as she grew dangerously close to finding her pleasure.

"I'm thinking of you, sir."

Myrnin had no idea what to expect and that certainly was not it. He hesitated before answering, "What about me?"

"Of you touching me again."

Myrnin leaned back over her, his hand sliding over her stomach and reaching her breast. He took her still-hardened nipple in his fingers again and brushed his thumb over it gently. "Like this?"

She nodded and her fingers quickened.

"How else do you want me to touch you?"

"Like how I'm doing now."

With her eyes closed Myrnin felt free to drink in the scene before him: the girl's fingers stroking herself, her wetness glistening in the moonlight, her face contorted in a mix of concentration and pleasure. He was almost feeling the need to touch himself, but not yet. That would come later.

"Sir," she moaned, "I'm—"

"No," Myrnin commanded. "Not yet."

Alexa had to remove her fingers from her dripping core. She was panting heavily and her face was twisted up in what almost seemed to be in pain from having to stop herself from reaching orgasm. The girl's eyes opened slowly, her lids heavy. She sought him out in the dark where he was still sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Who are you, sir?" she asked. Her eyes were a curious blue.

"Nobody. Who I am is unimportant. And don't call me 'sir,'" Myrnin said. "But tell me, Alexa, do the vampires who usually come and use you at night use you properly?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he clarified, "do they know how to satisfy a woman."

She gulped, the sound audible to Myrnin. He heard her heart beat faster and the heat radiating off her body had increased. He had the girl right where he wanted her.

Myrnin crawled up the length of her body and his lips were just an inch away from hers when he said, "Do they know how to make you cry out in pleasure?"

His fingers slid down her torso and snaked into her wet folds. Alexa moaned, so near her impending orgasm.

"Do they make you come?" he breathed into her mouth.

Alexa moaned, her lips desperately trying to taste his, but Myrnin stayed back, loving the way she squirmed beneath him. Her back arched and her hips bucked up, wanting him to touch the very spot she knew he was avoiding.

Myrnin suddenly slid down, pulling his fingers from her heat and forcing her knees to the side. He tasted her wetness, licking up the arousal that was dripping from her cunt. Alexa gasped above him and her hands found his hair, her fingers curling in his messy locks. Myrnin let her guide him to what she desired most and he finally gave in, attacking her sensitive bundle of nerves with his expert tongue.

His inserted three fingers into her slit this time. Alexa cried out and her hips bucked again, her knees coming up as she wrapped her long legs around Myrnin's shoulders. His hand that was not busy finding that place within her that would drive her insane with pleasure was grabbing at her thigh, his nails marking her as his.

Alexa's walls began to clench and Myrnin increased the fierceness with which he licked her clit and pumped his fingers within her cunt. She screamed a moment later and was arching her back in pleasure. Myrnin's mouth detached from her clit but his hand continued its motions until the curve of her spine went limp and she fell back onto the bed, whimpering her dying screams.

Myrnin unbuckled his pants and took off his shirt and climbed back over the girl. She helped him get out of his trousers and Myrnin pulled her thin nightshirt over her head. His throbbing cock was resting on her burning thigh. She reached between them and stroked it once, twice, teasing him. Myrnin grit his teeth. Her eyes met his and he saw the devilish glint in her eye that told of how well she knew a man's body. Myrnin did not like it. He thrust inside her without anymore preamble.

She cried out, her palms finding his chest but not resisting as he ground into her sopping heat. With each thrust she moved half an inch up the bed until she removed her hands from him to grip the headboard. Her ankles were locked around him, trying to control his movement within her. Myrnin chuckled.

"It's been a long time since I've fucked anyone this well," Myrnin said. He watched as his words caused Alexa's fingers to find her clit. He tsked, taking her wrist in his hand, forcing her to still. "Ah, ah, child. Are you concerned you will not have your second orgasm? You have nothing to fear, have I not proven myself to you already? Let's try something else then, shall we?"

With that, Myrnin pulled out of her and unwrapped her legs from around his waist. He dragged her down the bed and flipped her over onto her knees. The girl didn't even have time to get her hands under her before he began pounding into her, their thighs slapping together as Myrnin hit that spot in her that made her gasp each time he pushed into her.

"Oh, fuck," she moaned. "Who are you?"

"Like I said before," Myrnin replied, short of breath. "No one. Of. Consequence." His thrusts accentuated each word.

Alexa was making harsh noises of pleasure again as she neared her second orgasm. Myrnin felt her walls beginning to clench around him and he went faster, harder than before. She mewled beneath him and was gasping for breath when she finally came. The tight wetness of her cunt's grip on him brought him near the edge. Myrnin sped up his movements and they became more sporadic and sloppy as he felt the animalistic desire to spill his seed within her. Alexa knew he was close and she pushed her ass higher in the air for him, rocking back to meet him each time he pushed into her.

He grunted when he came and gave her hair a sharp tug. He was breathing heavily and rolled to the side, collapsing next to her.

"That was amazing," she said, her heart still beating quickly in her chest. Myrnin laughed through his nose.

"Go to sleep, child."

The girl leaned over the bed and found her thin nightshirt. She slipped it on and lay back down beside Myrnin. He smoothed back her hair and gave her a kiss on the forehead before climbing out of her bed and putting his clothes on in the dark.

"Will you come back?" he heard her ask from behind him. He buckled his belt and put on his shirt.

"Perhaps."

He heard her smile contentedly as she nestled into the comfort of her pillow and sheets.

"Goodnight, Alexa."

"Night."