A/N Hi everyone! So I've been on fanfiction for a couple of years now. I've written stories for The Covenant, Harry Potter, The Vampire Diaries, and The Prince of Persia so check out my profile page. This is my first Blood Ties story. I've always loved the series and I'm planning on reading the books so there will be a little incorporation of both in this piece. I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Blood Ties series by Lifetime or the Blood Books series by author Tanya Huff.
Chapter 1: Invaded Territory
"Another cheating husband," exclaimed Coreen. The dark haired Goth was going over the latest case file for her boss, private investigator Vicki Nelson.
"Hey, it pays the rent and your salary," said Vicki, taking hold of the file and sitting down at her desk. "And just be grateful we're dealing with something normal this time; not some demon or evil warlock."
It was true. Ever since Vicki's run in with a demon three months ago nothing had been normal. She had been branded by marks; dark and powerful that held the key to the apocalypse. Now, almost all of the cases that were coming her way involved some sort of supernatural creature; feeding on helpless humans. Of course after seeing what she saw, Vicki could not let herself walk away; not from this. There were people, ignorant of all the things that hid in the night that needed someone to help them.
The atmosphere in the room changed as a sudden cool breeze swept through. "How long have you been there," asked Vicki?
"Not long," smirked the blonde haired man standing in her doorway. "I came to see if there was a new case you needed my assistance with."
It was Henry Fitzroy.
"Oh well that depends," sighed Vicki. "Care to track down a cheating husband."
"I'll pass," said Henry. "I think this is something even you can handle without putting yourself in danger." He gave Coreen a wave good bye before heading out.
It was cold out and Henry had yet to feed for the night. Serendipity 10 was a new night club that had just opened and he had been favoring it lately as his choice hunting ground. A quick nod to the bouncer and he was in. Blocking out the music, Henry made a beeline for the bar. Ordering a drink so he had a reason to be there, Henry scanned the crowd; looking for a pretty, young source of blood. The blond sitting a little ways down from him caught his eye. Bright blue eyes, strawberry blond curls and dressed in a chic blue mini dress, she was nursing a cosmopolitan.
"Allow me," he said, strolling up to the blond. He tossed a twenty to the bartender for her drink.
"Thanks," she said, giving him a tempting smile.
"Henry," he said, offering her his hand.
"I'm Claire," she told him.
"Forgive me if I'm disturbing you but I was curious as to why a beautiful woman would be sitting at bar by herself.
"Oh you're smooth," laughed Claire. "My boyfriend broke up with me so I'm drowning my sorrows," she said, lifting her drink in a toast.
"His loss," Henry said, giving her his all too charming smile. "Well Claire, at the risk of sounding too forward, would you like to…"
"Your place or mine," she asked, cutting him off. Ah, women of the day made hunting so much easier then when he had been turned. There was no fear of scandal or ruining their reputations for marriage. Henry smirked at the thoughts of the lengths he had to go to in order to sneak a few minutes alone with a women his first few years. He drove Claire to his home, greeting his doorman with a wave as he led her into the elevator. They got out at the top floor.
Curiously Claire walked further into the vampire's home. Henry trailed behind her; watching her movements like predator watches prey. "Wow, this is a…," she stopped short when Claire turned around to find Henry right behind her. "Oh my God," she laughed. "You scared me."
"Sorry," Henry grinned. He leaned down to run his lips down her neck and then back up again. Claire felt the slightest touch of feather soft kisses being left on her neck. Her eyes closed and she let out a moan of content. Then, the slight pain of two pricks in the skin of her neck made her gasp and then she was lost.
Henry took the brunt of Clair's weight; holding her upright as her legs began to give out. He had been famished when he had awaked and her blood was extremely sweet. Knowing he could not take too much, Henry pulled back.
"You had a nice night but it didn't work out between us. You went home and went straight to bed," said Henry, his voice deepening as he used his compulsion on her.
"This was great but it's late and I think I should call it a night," said Claire as she grabbed her purse. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Henry smiled. "Would you like for me to call you a cab?"
"No, that's alright. I'll catch one myself," said Claire. She leaned up and gave him a kiss on his cheek before leaving.
Henry watched from his large windows as Claire stepped out into the rain and hailed down a cab. When she was safely on her way, Henry turned to his work tables. His next book was due out at the end of the month and his editor was getting nervous. A few more pages to ink and he would be about to send his book to printing. He had the rest of the night to get his work done.
A couple of hours into the night, Henry was inking the last panel of one of his pages when he sensed. The primal, territorial instincts he had as a vampire rose up within him. There was another here; somewhere in the city. He or she was close. He rushed to his front door. Whoever it was was in the building. He grabbed the sword he kept he kept displayed under the painting of his father and opened the door. A body fell back into his home; a dead body. It was Claire.