Fright Night
Past and Present
Rose's 7 Month Journey
By
~GaGa4FrightNight~
Chapter One
(Author)
Well, here's the next installment of the Rose Garrett and Jerry Dandridge story. I do hope you enjoyed Blood Atonement and now, hopefully, you'll enjoy this telling of Rose's adjustment into immortality. It ain't easy being newly immortal born. This will be bouncing from their present and into the past telling some of Rose's little adventures becoming her own bloodsucker!
Loves
~GaGa4FrightNight~
December 1987
Bare feminine feet dropped down to the concrete floor with the bare legs before the sheen of a richly varnished black coffin and the sounds of muffled music. Across the floor those bare feet moved one before the other, dainty toenails painted an iridescent blue. Those bare feet stepped around a mahogany coffin, briefly shifted and paused then continued across the basement floor. Up concrete steps the bare feet moved; a metal melody being hummed to, Love Bites by Judas Priest. The basement door pushed open and the bare feet stepped onto the hardwood of the main floor; made a little dance step backwards then continued. Over an expensive Persian rug the bare feet silently moved, made a little tiptoed spin then continued on back onto more hardwood. The humming continued as the bare feet steadily moved down a stretched corridor; "In the dead of night… love bites." A feminine voice sang aloud with the muffled tune, "In the dead of night…love bites…love bites!" A feminine hand, nails painted matching the toenails, snatched a red apple from a crystal bowl of mix fruit. And a subtly full mouth opened wide and white teeth hardily bit into the apple. While chewing, the feminine mouth continued to hum while two large blue eyes with light and thick strawberry blonde lashes shifted from left then to right. Two pale strawberry blonde eyebrows frowned then Rose Garrett called out, "Benny?! Where the hell are ya?!"
"In here!" a voice called from the room to the left.
Rose shifted on her bare feet and moved towards the front sitting room. She stepped into the sitting room entryway pulling the headphones from over her ears then started digging her nails scratching the side of her tousled strawberry blonde hair. Her eyes looked to find Benny, the one swore to keep an eye on her during the day; he was again, as usual, dusting some antiques. "Hey, Benny," she spoke while swallowing the mouthful of apple, "Hear anything?"
"Yes," Benny Snelly turned smiling at Rose with a dust cloth in one hand and a can of dusting spray in the other, "They'll be back in about an hour."
"Oh, thank god," she sighed with relief, "Okay, I'm gonna go get dressed." She spun around reaching behind her adjusting the back of her black panties over her left cheek. She raced up onto the stairs; waited for nearly three weeks. For several months she was living her new life, the life of a full-fledged vampire and traveling everywhere to see any heavy metal rock concert her little dead heart desired. She was excited, hadn't seen the once ghostly vampire Jerry Dandridge in three weeks since he left back to the States. She had been traveling with the stunning vampire since the moment he gave her that very special and intimate kiss that saved her from a mortal death caused by Leukemia, blood cancer. It wasn't too difficult of an adjustment since she had spent quite a bit of time with the vampire when he was just a ghost in her house, his former home; well, there were some adjustments. She spent many evenings watching him suck mortals dry which had fascinated her and made her transition easy; somewhat. She was happier than she's ever been; literally with the man of her dreams and traveling the world seeing concerts of all her favorite heavy metals gods.
She shoved open an upstairs door and entered a room that was filled to the brim with all her rocker chick attire. The walls were covered by autographed posters of her loved and adored metal bands. She turned passed a bed with an iron frame, similar to her mom's, covered in expensive black bed linen. She stepped to a record player; selected one of her favorite records, slipped the vinyl from its pristine cover and dropped it onto the turntable. With a twist of the switch and a little adjustment started to play that song she would always hear in her mind each time she looked to her fabulously good looking immortalizer; Hey You by the Scorpions. The song began and she excitedly danced her way into the walk-in closet to choose something a bit more homecoming appropriate for her former specter. She sang loudly with the music then danced back out of the closet with her ensemble draped over her arm and apple tucked in her mouth.
After she removed the headphones from around her neck she tossed them atop the bed then removed her hair from the sloppy ponytail. She rocked her way towards the mirror vacant vanity snatching up a brush setting down the two bite devoured apple then proceeded brushing the snarls from her hair. She missed her Jerry Dandridge but understood why he had to return to the States which concerned his sister Regine whom she never met. He really didn't explain anything because he had to leave so abruptly. Yeah, she pouted pretty much the entire time he was gone, hated it when he was gone because it reminded her of when he had temporarily vanished from her life several months prior. For the several months they had never been apart until recently and she was miserable without him. She barely had an appetite, just barely but fed anyways because that's what they did; gotta feed every night or you pay the price of getting too damned hungry. Yet, feeding was no fun, lost its charm when he wasn't around to give the fun and charm. Now he was coming home!
She tugged over her perky breasts a black tube top that barely covered those modest breasts and across that stretch cotton was the traditional Guns N' Roses logo name and lettering. After slipping on a pair of black lace and high hipped panties she tugged on a black ankle length fitted skirt with a left slip all the way up to her hip. Around her petite waist she loosely buckled a silver studded belt. She slipped her feet into a pair of low spiked heeled and silver studded ankle boots. Over her hands she pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves with a silver buckle around the wrists. She spun around and danced her way out of the room then down the hallways towards another door.
She hip bumped the door open and entered; the room that held the majority of Jerry Dandridge's wardrobe. She moved about the multitude of clothes racks thumbing through his hung shirts and blazers and jackets. She hummed to the music playing from down the hall then found the perfect tailored, fine material made and very expensive black blazer. She slipped it on and moved out of the room while rolling the sleeves to her elbows. She returned to her room moving to the vanity grabbing a crystal bottle of perfume, a scent Jerry had made just for her. She sprayed a little on both sides of her neck then on her chest. She spun around and stepped to the record player choosing another record to listen to while she waited for him to get home. A little heart pounding and head banging Accept would do fine for her wait.
It wasn't the first time she waited for him. Of course she had waited for him before. She spent nearly five months waiting for him; hopeless that she would never see him again, that he had vanished from her life completely leaving her to face that cancerous death. And he returned the night she was making her final farewell to his memory, preparing to take that final last step of a journey into death. He came back; he found his way out of her dreams and came into reality. He found his way back to her and did as he said; stole her from death's permanent grasp and delivered that fatal intimate kiss that drained away that cancerous blood replacing it with immortality. She realized she had waited for him all her seventeen years that turned to eighteen and afterwards he came back. He came back and that night he fulfilled his claim; proved he was more than just a murderous monster. She saved him and in turn he saved her.
She remembered the pain of that intimate kiss that she willingly accepted. The sensation of his fangs penetrating the side of her neck but they did so gently and drew the blood from her ailing body. It was the strangest sensation, one she swore she would never forget. The pain, as he described, eventually gave way to an almost euphoric pleasure. But it also was a feeling of release, relief, and odd comfort knowing that she would no longer have to endure suffering the final stage of the illness would inflict. She wouldn't have to watch those around her suffer with constant grief until the end came. She never would see her father and brother's mournful in pain expressions just before she took her final breath. And no longer had to force that 'always smile' that was also her mother's. After the kiss was given and her body was swarmed with the gift of everlasting life; she could only remember what she assumed was pain. It was he who knew what had happened after her mind and body was consumed and what changes occurred during the entire process of immortalities permanent embrace. Swifter was what she guessed, swifter than the death she might have endured if he hadn't found her on that beach.
What was it like to watch such a process?
April 1987
"My Rose, forever and always." Jerry again whispered as his dark eyes focused on the peacefulness over Rose's face; the blood was gone with just that small fragment dwindling inside her veins and body. His eyes shifted from the side of her face and looked to the side of her neck, studying for a moment the mark his kiss left behind. Those marks, four simple punctures, seemed so miniscule and harmless but the truth of their power was what had been injected into her veins and body by such a small action. He could see before his eyes how the punctures became raised and reddened; the vampire infection immediately apparent. Every individual was different in the manner they processed the infection; some processes were instant and others could prolong up to days. Rose's process was entirely determined by how her body accepted the infection. Her mind no doubt was prepared yet her previous disease had weakened her body which could make the process swift. Her will also played a major factor in the process. She was undoubtedly strong willed and that will made her accept his kiss and the immortality it gave.
He again pressed a kiss against her cold cheek. There was no mortal blood to warm her skin but that didn't change the fire that will undoubtedly remain inside her very spirit. There wasn't one damned desire to change who she was as a mortal; smart assed, stubborn, and positively annoying to the point it was charming. His lips softly smirked; forever to hear her smart mouthed remarks and, oh, he couldn't forget the damned music. He understood the choice he made; understood more why he made that choice to save her from mortal death. It wasn't simply to repay her for having helped him find his way back to the mortal world where he was again his true immortal self. No, there was so much more involved than doing her a simple show of thanks. Perhaps it was again his selfish nature that made his decision to embrace her; he wanted her and admitted only to himself that he needed her. His needs for her changed throughout their little journey together. First the need to use her help then the need for her powerful dreams and gifts. Yes, he could have just moved on once he was freed but she wouldn't leave his thoughts. She had more than grew on him as he undoubtedly had done the same to her. In such a short period of time she helped him understand more about himself, those things he had long forgotten. More so, he understood again the real meaning of death; even more so when he too faced death. He understood mortality and its dangers. And, yes, remembered the grief and loss that came hand in hand with death.
Carefully he sat up with his eyes focused on her lovely pale face, the dusting of delicate freckles more so faded but still visible. He saw the sign of the process continuing; light trembles throughout her body. The trembles would begin lightly at first as the infection began within the vast nervous system being delivered through the very thin stream of remaining blood. The more the infection spread the trembles would gradually heighten. He gently gathered her arms resting her hands against her abdomen, felt the light trembles. He rose up off the bed he had provided for her comfort though knowing not much comfort could be given throughout the process. Turning his eyes focused down on her as his fingers buttoned the front of his shirt. He keenly watched the slight sheen of sweat beading about the bare portions of her skin; the process continued. Yes, the process was continuing at a steadily growing pace and he predicted that before dawn she would wake to begin their eternity together. It amazed him how she had changed his perspective on his own immortal nature.
The last time he embraced another was Amy Peterson after Edward Thompson. Edward Thompson's misfit persona made him an easy candidate and the little teenager embraced the gift with open arms and eagerness to do his master's bidding. An easy mind to control and manipulate was Edward and would have made a marvelous fledgling if it hadn't been for Peter Vincent. As for Charley's sweetheart with the familiar face; it wasn't too much of a challenge. As he proclaimed to Rose, no one could resist his naturally given vampire charms. Lust and desire were always a fatal flaws for mortals. Yet, was it his also? If he hadn't been so damned focused on the game of delivering Amy into temptation would he have succeeded and destroyed Charley and Peter instead of them destroying him? Then again, if he had succeeded then where would that have left Rose? He came to understand there was such a thing as fate. Fate had a strange way of manifesting itself in unlikely ways. He accepted that fate had chosen him to meet an end but gave him a new beginning with Rose's special help; that beginning now included Rose. That new beginning gave him the ability to give her one as well; their fates became intermingled and that he graciously accepted.
A knock sounded on the door; he turned finishing tucking the shirt into the waist of his slacks, "Yes," he spoke up and watched his new day keeper Benjamin 'Benny' Snelly poke his head through the opening of door.
"Stella's returned with your guests." Benny timidly smiled; an awkward middle aged man about several inches shorter than his towering sister Stella who too had taken on roll as secondary keeper and driver. His eyes peered through his thick glasses at the young lady on the bed then back to his master.
"Good," Jerry gave a nod stepping away from the bed while buttoning the cuffs of his shirt, "First I need to you fetch a few things; washcloths, plenty fresh cold water, and a change of clothes for Rose and something to tie back her hair. I suspect she'll be awake before dawn." he watched the keeper nod, "Then, Benny, I would like for you to stay here with Rose while I 'entertain' the guests. One guest I plan to keep for Rose." He paused as Benny opened the door wider, "Am I understood, Benny?"
"Yes," Benny obediently nodded.
"Good and please," he paused before the keeper also shorter than him, "Keep a close watch of our Rose. She will be with us for, well, forever. She's very precious to me, Benny, and that means she is precious to you as well." It was a task training new keepers but it had to be done since his previous one, Billy Cole, was also destroyed nearly two years ago.
"Oh, of course, Jerry," Benny eagerly nodded, "Yes, of course."
"Good, very good, Benny," He took a moment to glance back at Rose then stepped around the keeper who quickly followed, "As I mentioned it could be nearly dawn before she wakes and so we must keep one of our guests easily accessed. Our Rose will be quite starved the moment she opens her eyes. Understood?" He moved to the stairs.
"Yes, Jerry," Benny excitedly agreed, "Very much so. Would you like for me to have Stella wait on taking care of the other guest you'll be entertaining?"
"Yes, no reason to make two trips, is there?" He smirked with a slight laugh; heard Benny eagerly share a laugh, "You're doing quite well, Benny."
"Oh, thank you, Jerry." Benny happily sang in response to the praise, "I hope never to disappoint you."
"As do I," He stated reaching the bottom of the steps.
"The guests are in the parlor as you requested." Benny announced preparing to fetch what was ordered, "I'll just go to the kitchen and get those things you asked for then do as you said; keep watch on our Rose."
"Very good," he nodded then moved forward towards the parlor as Benny scurried off to do as he was asked.
He reached the parlor greeted by Stella; she was possibly a few inches taller than him with a very looming presence unlike her smaller sized sibling. "Stella," he greeted her as she stood before the closed doors to the parlor, "We will be saving one of the guests for Rose." He explained and watched Stella silently nod; a pretty face in her own way but plain and quite solemn and serious. He gestured for Stella to open the doors and she did in her silent manner and he stepped into the parlor with her following and closed the doors behind her.
Benny sat in a high backed antique chair he had set near the bed where Rose lay. His eyes would frequently glance at the young woman seeing changes with each glance. He would look back to the pages of the thick book rested open atop his lap but quickly again look to Rose trying to keep a close watch over her as he was told. Atop the bedside table he had stacked a dozen or so washcloths set beside a stainless basin and ice water filled pitcher. It was his true first major task; keep an eye on Rose. Who was she? He questioned to himself; would never question the master because that would be wrong and frowned upon. It wasn't his job or place to question anything the master requested or demanded. Besides, if he remotely dared his much larger sister would throttle him and was terrified to be throttled by such a brute for a sister.
His head slightly titled as he studied the changes that he witnessed since taking his post as watcher over who his master called 'our Rose'. He had never seen anything like it; the changes were happening quickly. Since he had seated himself at bedside the young lady began trembling almost convulsively and twisted her body into a type of fetal ball; her petite hands tightly fisted and hugged just under chin. She was on her side now; entire body covered head to toe in sweat while it jerked and trembled. He startled a few times from the sounds she made; little trembling vocals sounded through struggled grunts. It was an amazing sight and somewhat frightful. That was the sight of one becoming a vampire. He startled upon hearing the door open.
Jerry stepped inside having finished entertaining one of the two guests; had to consume another's blood after having taking Rose's cancer infused blood, get rid of the rancid diseased taste. He stepped towards the bed as Benny quickly stood up. He was in the process of pealing the rind from an orange. "How is she?" he asked freeing a juicy segment then tucked it into his mouth cleansing his palate; looked and saw how far Rose had come since he last seen her nearly an hour ago.
"To be honest," Benny nervously spoke up, "I can't say. I honestly don't know how such things work."
"Yes, you wouldn't," Jerry commented swallowing the chewed orange segment, "I predict by her state at the moment it'll be much sooner than anticipated." He glanced to Benny who nodded intuitively. He reached the orange for Benny to take; the keeper quickly took it.
"You may go now, Benny." He said, "I'll call you if I need anything else. Thank you." He stepped forward snatching up an elastic hair tie from the top of a neatly folded stack of change of clothes for Rose then moved to the head of the bed. Benny obediently nodded then scurried leaving the room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached down to Rose then gently gathered her hair back, prying strands from sticking against the sides of her sweat soaked face then carefully pinned the length of her sweat dampened hair with the hair tie.
Yes, he knew his differences upon returning; differences she had helped transpire inside him. There was a need for him to see her through the process though she wouldn't remember any of it. There were others he had embraced but she was of greater importance and, to him, deserved all the care he could personally offer. It would have been easier just having Benny or Stella tend to her but there was more of a personal nature that he believed she deserved. And, so, with great care and gentleness he removed her sweat soaked black dress. The infection had gone to her every muscle causing them to stiffen, tense, and convulse making the task of removing the dress more for patience. He was patient and again, it was unlike his former self; hell, he was definitely impatient with Amy's process having literally used his every mental power to pry her from the transition early in hopes she could assist in his survival, a failed attempt.
Once he finished removing all her clothes, tossed them aside, he reached to the bedside table taking one of the stacked washcloths while pouring the chilled ice water into the provided basin. He dipped the washcloth absorbing the icy water and wrung it then brought it against the side of her face. He repeated the process working through the stack of washcloths; an attempt to soothe the perfuse sweating and clean every inch of her lovely body that will now forever be perfect, youthful, and unharmed by the effects of any deadly disease. He wouldn't redress her, not until the process ran its course, not until the sweating stopped and her body eased of its tension.
Finishing he leaned down and brought his hand gently against the side of her trembling face. Soon it would be over and forever she would be his precious Rose; undoubtedly she wouldn't entirely be sweet or delicate as an actual rose but that's what he wanted and expected. His lips softly smiled; she was an eccentric little thing and that he adored and found as a very promising attribute for her succession as a vampire. Such a difference, he thought, unlike what Amy would have been. He predicted Amy would have been as the rest; the ones that bowed to him and did his bidding without question. Honestly, that wasn't what he wanted from Rose; she wasn't the type to bow to him and do his bidding. He lightly laughed; Rose would likely give him fits and bouts of her colorful adjectives no doubt with her favorite profane word 'shit' being used in every sentence. He looked forward to it; anticipated it.
He shifted on the edge of the bed seating himself beside her then tucked his arm under her trembling and stiff shoulders and gently lifted her. Her head arched back; his eyes studied those prominent changes. His fingertips gently stroked across her cheek as his eyes peered down into hers that were wide. Yes, momentarily her eyes were vacant as she was lost within the process; her pupils had consumed the irises creating a vacant blackness. He traced his fingertips along the shape of her subtly parted and trembling lips seeing the fine tips of fangs; the top had two sets of prominent fine tips, the canines and eye teeth had come in nicely with the canines longer than the eye teeth and a singular simple set at the bottom. Very beautiful, he thought, and imagined how she would learn to use those beautiful and deadly deliverers of death. Her future victims would be inflicted with not four but six punctures; six blood draining punctures. He was actually excited to give her all the knowledge that he had learned in a thousand years. He knew her intelligence and anticipated a very swift leaner, the perfect pupil.
He felt the trembles about her body begin to ease which broadened his smile into an anticipating smirk. Her frigidness began to ease as well which grew his anticipation. His eyes focused completely on hers waiting the moment she looked up at him; his face the first she would see upon entering that new life. He watched the hint of life beginning to show within her wide eyes; very subtly her pupils started to retract giving gradual hints of what would be her signature vampire eyes. Just a subtle rim of gold was revealed then the pupils retracted slowly, bit by bit revealed a lovely and seemingly reflective metallic copper. Remarkably beautiful, he thought with admiration of her eyes; brilliant bursts of copper vibrantly rimmed by rich gold.
His hand gently rested against the side of her face; the sweat had dried leaving her skin smooth and soft but chilled as it should be. He didn't lose focus of her eyes, waited patiently the moment they would shift and look to his face. "Rose," he softly sang her name. In his peripheral sight he caught glimpse of her hands loosen their fisted state as her arms relaxed down against her chest. "My Rose," he sweetly sang and his smirk softened the moment her eyes shifted and peered up at him; seeing for the first time with her vampire eyes. "Hello," he greeted her into his world, "Welcome to eternity, my Rose."
Rose felt the lingering trembles and slight stiffness throughout every inch of her body as she stared up into those dark and beautiful brown eyes. She could see perfectly; saw every tone that created that particular shade of brown within his large eyes. She thought he was stunning before but now he was beyond stunning or good looking; he was beautiful. Her eyes studied every inch, every detail of his handsome features she was incapable of seeing before. The tones throughout the waves of hair brushing against his forehead were remarkable; like multitudes of fine silken threads of rich blacks with reflective hints of even deeper blue blacks then little strands of delicate deep and almost black browns. It was damned amazing what she was seeing; she was positively awestruck by how beautiful he truly was.
"You're beautiful," she commented aloud unfolding the fingers of her left hand then brought her fingertips lightly to the jaw line near his chin, "You're just," she slightly stammered, "You're just so damned beautiful." She grazed her fingertips up against the shape of his cheekbone so fascinated by the beauty of his eyes; so dark yet rich with many brown shades from mochas to even a hint of that vampire red hidden beneath those intense browns.
"Well, yes," he smugly agreed.
"Don't be a conceded prick." She quickly commented feeling her lips form a grin and felt the graze of fangs. Her hand dropped from his face and with her fingertips she felt between her lips touching the fine fang tips. "Wow," she mumbled; it really happened, he did it. She again looked up into his eyes, "You did it."
"Yes, I did." He proudly stated, "You will never die. The cancer is gone forever and now it's forever you live." He assisted lifting her seated but kept a supporting arm against her bare back.
She frowned and looked down seeing her naked breasts then quickly crossed her arms over her chest. Her head darted and looked at his grinning face. "You stripped me," she stated and he nodded, "You stripped me naked, you pervert."
He couldn't help but laugh then cleared his throat. "I took care of you." He stated, "You were soaked in sweat and so I undressed you." His eyes momentarily glanced down seeing a glimpse of her breasts then looked back into her frowning but beautiful eyes. "You have no need to be embarrassed," he commented, "You're breasts are quite beautiful. You are beautiful." He brought a hand against the side of her face, "You'll never see that beauty for yourself as I can't see my own; mirrors are now officially useless. But we are now one another's mirror and I'm telling you that you are remarkably beautiful and that's how it'll be forever; forever beautiful." He leaned in attempt to bring his lips against hers but she oddly turned her head. His eyes frowned then he leaned back; not the reaction he wanted or expected.
"Do you realize that earlier was technically the first time we really kissed?" She stated with a question; her mind going to the strangest of revelations, "Do you realize that everything we did in my dreams never actually happened." Her eyes shifted and looked to his confused expression. "Do you realize that technically I'm still a, well, you know what?" she felt awkward which was unexpected because they had hooked up plenty in her dreams but knowing those hookups weren't actually physical in a real sense made her awkward. "This is weird." She commented then looked forward, "I mean, I'm like you and I feel awkward as hell right now." She again looked at him, "I feel damned awkward. Why the hell am I feeling awkward? Why ain't I just like not giving a shit that you're seeing me naked?"
"Hmm," he hummed with thought, "Everyone is different and you're really different." He watched her grimace, "Rose, I didn't make you into some mindless drone. Yes, you're still you. I had no intensions in creating for me something that isn't you. You'll likely continue being the annoying young woman I met and that's how it will stay."
"Huh," she looked forward again and sarcastically said, "Yeah, not weird." Her eyes frowned a bit more feeling something weirder suddenly start nagging somewhere; felt hungry or something like it. "Um," she mumbled a little while fiddling the tip of her tongue against the tips of those fangs, "What's it feel like when you wanna like suck someone?" she looked to him; he looked amused.
"Are you feeling the need to suck?" he asked using her terminology. He watched her anxiously nod. "That's good," he commented then stood up from the bed, "And I have something to take care of that." He stepped to the foot of the bed gathering up the neatly piled clothing then brought it to her, "You get dressed and I'll personally escort you to your first real suck."
She choked a little on a laugh; "That's sounded really suggestive and if it meant something other than what you meant," She again laughed a little, "Well, I would've disagreed about the first sucking thing." She watched him shake his head with a slight eye roll then looked to the clothing he offered, "Really," she whined and looked up at him in disbelief, "You really expect me to wear that? Do I look like I would wear something like that?" She pointed at the items of clothing with disgust.
He glanced down at the clothing in his hands then reluctantly nodded; wasn't her style that was for certain. "Okay," he tossed the clothes onto the bed, "Come with me and I'll take you to pick out whatever you want to wear but you must feed before dawn."