Chapter 28 – Choices (Part 3)

October 2, 2004 = Saturday

~Dianna~

It was soft and warm, so I knew I wasn't back in the motel room. There was nothing warm about that room, damn rat trap anyway. I opened my eyes to find myself laying on the bosom of the redhead whose room I must've been in. She had been calming, even as I was freaking out over the deaths of my friends. She even sang me to sleep. I was careful to disturb her as I got out, not wanting to wake her.

For some reason, I wanted to find Felix. I couldn't imagine why I felt I needed to find the slimeball, especially after the way he treated us girls, forcing us to become supermodels to appease his ridiculous ideas about beauty. The idea of the man trying to rip my throat out sent me scurrying to the bathroom for a mirror. When I woke up from the man who had tried to rip my throat out, Felix was tying a scrap of Sarah's dress around it and telling me we should run. It still hurt then, so I didn't argue with him and we skedaddled in his Audi.

I knew enough about where I was out to know I was in Beverly Hills, but the shock and trauma from last night didn't let me remember much past that. After getting to the house, I was placed in a woman's care, a women Felix called Remy. She was cute, about my height, if a little heavier and healthier with long wavy brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She had led me up to the bathroom and let me wash myself, even giving me a silk nightie to wear to bed.

She had explained that I was to sleep in the house that night, which was owned by her mistress, a woman named Michele. After being shown my room, I headed back to the bathroom for some relief issues, then was dumbfounded on which room was mine. I guess I chose badly because the redhead came in after I got comfortable on what was her bed, and frightened me.

I thought about it as I stood in the sunlight seeping through the shuttered windows, the speed with with Felix moved left him a blur, and I know I saw several bullets rip into him. I remember him also pulling a knife from his shoulder and me drinking from his wrist. I shuddered at what it added up to, but thoughts of Felix tugged at me, leading me out the door. On the landing outside, I turned to a door at the head of the stairs. How I knew, I couldn't say, but I knew Felix slept in that room.

Want and need made me walk towards it. I couldn't help but think that I wanted to open the door when my mind finally screamed at me to stop. At war with myself, I nearly bawled at the thought of what my brain and my body wanted and leaned against the door with my hand atop the knob. My brain wanted me to run, and my body demanded I open the door. It wasn't until warm hands wrapped around my shoulders and led me down the stairs that the feeling passed.

After I was set on a barstool, I discovered the hands were connected to Remy. The brown haired woman was dressed in a silk bathrobe that was tied around her waist. I tried to speak, but no sound came out of my mouth. I rubbed my neck, but it wasn't sore anymore, and I couldn't even hum.

"Your throat," Remy said in her thick French accent, "it still hurts?" I shook my head no, and she lifted my chin as she inspected it herself. "Can you make any sound at all?" I opened my mouth to speak, but again, no sound came out. I finally slumped on the stool, and shook my head.

"Then, I am sorry, young one," she said as she patted my back in sympathy, "but that Sabbat bastard must have ripped your vocal chords out trying to feed from you."

I tried to process what she was telling me as it sank in. I was already coming to grips that I wouldn't be able to sing again, let alone speak. But the last bit it was hit me hard. She knew who had nearly killed me. I spun to face her, giving her an intense glare that demanded answers.

She sighed, then explained. "Our masters are vampires. They are part of an organization called the Camarilla and are violently opposed by the Sabbat. The bastard who ripped your throat out was trying to feed from your blood. Your master, Felix Barker, saved your life by feeding you his blood. You are his ghoul now. You can feel it, can't you? That you want to go crawl into his bed?"

I nodded, turning back the counter where I crossed my arms and laid down my head. It was all adding up in my head fast, that everything she said was true. She sat beside me, putting her arm around my shoulders. I couldn't help but stare out the window at the sun as it was still high in the sky. How long until it went down?

"Right now, you are capable of leaving if you choose," she said and I perked up at that. "You've only tasted his blood once, in a week, you'll crave it so bad you'll lose your mind for a day. If you can make it through that day, you'll be free. You will never crave him again."

I picked up at that, and looked into her eyes. She smiled at me, then spoke softly, "You want to leave him, yes? To run away from this madness?" I nodded yes as she paused for my answer. If what my brain said was true was right, I didn't want no part of it.

"Then you need to leave before your master makes you drink from him again," she said and I looked at her.

"Surely you do not want to end up like me? I am my masters slave until her death, and even then I will not easily take another master if I so wished," she said, then sighed. "We are ghouls. Mortals who are fed their blood to become something more. As long as we drink their blood, we are ageless. Sounds good, yes? It comes with a price," she said as she got up and started to make coffee. "We are their servants, doing whatever they ask without regards to what we want or whether we live or die. For all intents and purposes, every word they say is law we must live by."

I slumped at that. I didn't mind living forever, but losing myself to be his slave. That rankled me at the core. Remy brought out a serving set and set it out for me. "You must make a choice. Stay or leave. If you stay, I know Monsieur Barker will not care for you very well. He does not like us ghouls, ever since my master used me to lure him to our home in Paris."

She began to pour the hot coffee into a lightweight porcelain cup. "Monsieur Barker is not the sort to offer you his blood freely. He will make you beg for it, where my Michele offers hers freely to me."

I thought about it as I sipped the coffee she offered. It boiled down to whether I wanted to accept Felix and become his slave. Well, as a pure bread American, not ever going to fucken happen. Grandpa Radar might actually break his pacifist streak to pass a fist across my cheek. 'Can I leave?' I wrote on the pad.

"Oui," she said as she sipped her coffee. "He has given you no orders, yes? It makes it easier. Right now you at the first level of ghouling. You can resist, but its not easy. In a week, maybe less, you'll want him so bad you'll come crawling back. It will hurt, but if you don't resist, he will own you."

I put my head back on my crossed arms. I didn't want this, any of it. I left Iowa to be a pop star, not become a slave. 'Can you help me? I don't have anything left,' I wrote.

"Oui, I can," she said, and I relaxed. "I can give you some of my clothes, we are about the same size. I do not have much cash, but if you need to return for any reason, please do so during the day. They must sleep then, and will have no hold over you."

'Can you tell me about them? Like what their weaknesses are and how to protect myself? Maybe identify them?' I wrote on the pad.

"Not much," she said, frowning as her jaw quivered. "My master's laws keep me from telling you since you are not hers. Protecting yourself? They are powerful, but sunlight burns them. Stakes to the heart will stop them, and fire takes a long time to heal, plus it stops them and can make them run away. Anything else is wasting your time.

"Identifying them is easy, regardless of what type they are. Their pale skin usually is the first thing you will notice. If you get closer, you might see their fangs when they speak. Many of them are pretentious, and will overlook you, and they mainly stick to large cities where they can feed easily at night. Smaller cities and villages lack the night life to sustain their activities, so their you will be safe."

I am so going to the farm, raise everything I need to survive and never leave it. Grandpa Radar could teach me everything I needed to know, and I'd stay far, far away from any kind of night life.

"Come with me," Remy said, as she began to leave the kitchen. "We need to have you far away from here before the sun sets."

Good, I thought as we went back upstairs. I wanted to be gone before Felix woke up.

-o-0-o-

~Eliza Flores~

I came awake in a murky blackness. It resembled the void I found Lasombra in, and the swarmy bastard was smiling as I faced him.

"Tonight is the night, childe," he said, almost growling. "My power has finally grown and it is time for me to assert my will on this world again."

"Over my undead body," I said as I braced for his attack, then my eyes snapped open as I felt a jolt of electricity surged through my body, making my muscles spasm. The paramedics had me laying on the floor with wires running into a defibrillator machine, and I immediately pulled the wires from my chest before they saw that I had no heartbeat. I closed the top on my old pajamas, glad Sammie hadn't left me nude on the bed.

"We got a live one," one of them laughed as they helped me to a sitting position. "You alright ma'am? Any tingling, numbness, pain?"

"No," I said as I imitated breathing deep as I fumbled to get my shades back on. "Must've taken one too many sleeping pills," I said, trying to keep the cops out of this. Like I needed any more attention. The paramedics started to pack up, giving me the usual spiel about being careful taking sleeping pills or any other kind of depressant, and I assured them that I would be more careful in the future as I escorted them to the door. I had to step back when the door opened to reveal a sunlit parking lot lest I get burned by the light, a look at the clock over the stove telling me it was only four in the afternoon. Samantha stood in the corner, nervous as I ushered everyone out. It wasn't until I looked back that Samantha even moved out of the bedroom door.

"I'm sorry, it didn't look like you were breathing, and I kind of panicked," she said, looking scared in the doorway to her room. I rushed over and put my arms around her and gave her a hug.

"It's okay," I said as I gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You did good."

"I just didn't want to lose you again," she said, tears in her voice, as she held onto me. "So, I checked on some rehab places for you and most of them are right here in town."

I pulled away, surprised she was still on about rehab. "Sammie, I don't need rehab."

"You so do," she said arguing with me as she followed me into the front room. "I don't even have sleeping pills, and last you were in this apartment, you didn't use them either."

"No, I didn't," I started to say, sitting on the sofa and well clear of the little light coming through the closed blinds as Sammie took a spot next to me and we turned to face each other so we could better talk.

"In Bobby Donnell's criminal class, we were taught to examine a suspect's habits and how they changed to indicate criminal activity. So let me tell you what I see when I see you. You leave here, you get abducted and when you come back, I can accept that you passed out from exhaustion. But to wake up and take sleeping pills? It tells me two things, one you want to die, or two, you're addicted to drugs. So what is it?"

"Killing yourself is a mortal sin, Sammie," I told her softly. "And I'm not addicted to drugs."

"Tell me another one," she said, scoffing at me.

"Sammie, what I'm involved in is serious business."

"Then tell me about it," she pleaded. "I can help you."

"You can't," I told her and she made to get up. "Sammie, I didn't escape. I was rescued by a super secret organization that I'm forced to be part of. They are serious about their secrecy. I'm not supposed to tell you I'm alive, and if you make a big deal about this, they will kill me and you too."

I hung my head, trying to think how to explain this without her making a scene. "I can give you three options here. One, you take the drug I'm on and join me. Your life doesn't change, and I get to stay a part of it. Two, we lie. I tell everyone you're under the drug and I risk my life when tell you things I swore to keep secret, and if they don't like it, if you spill the secret at all, they kill us both. Three, I just walk out and you forget about me, and you quit searching for me. Maybe one day I can come back."

"Your options suck, by the way," she said, leaning back at her end. "So, what kind of secrets are we talking about anyway? That you kill people? Is Elvis part of your ranks?"

I shook my head. "Not if you can help it. Loose lips make coffins with us, so say the wrong thing to someone," I said, pausing to let it sink in.

"Then I'm forced to plug the leak I made," she said, finishing my line of thought. "Well, besides being able to see and talk to you, anything else I should know?"

"Not before you're a card carrying member of the club," I said while I reseated myself to cross my legs. "I can guarantee you a better life, though. I've got money now. Like millions of dollars."

"Any life with you is better," she said, pulling her knees up to her chest. "What can you tell me about this drug?"

"It's highly addictive, has stimulant uses and lasts about a month between doses like a hormone injection. It's designed to keep the people we use compliant, and under our control," I told her and she nodded in understanding. "Plus, I think it has ecstasy like properties that produce love-like feelings and it has a few properties that I think would seriously help you as a lawyer in the courtroom," I said, thinking of my presence abilities that seemed to pass on to my ghouls.

"So, if I went option number two?"

"I'd treat you as if you were, which risks my life as well as yours. Either way, you're my responsibility and any leaks you cause are blamed on me. Those leaks will get us killed if not immediately plugged. I'll admit now I've killed a few people, but if I can, I don't."

"Well, you know what my dad says about secrecy. I was raised on it so I could keep attorney-client privilege when I became a lawyer. You're secret is safe with me. Besides, if I like what I hear about that drug, I might take it and seal the deal."

"Are you sure? There's no getting out of this without a coffin of you're own," I asked her, though I wanted her to say yes.

"I am," she said, extending a hand and taking mine. "I take option two."

"Let me show you something," I said, unfolding my legs and standing up. "Let's go into the bathroom," I said, leading her into the tiny room and pointed her towards the mirror.

"Are you going to show me my split ends?" she asked and then I stepped behind her. She didn't notice me until I put my head on her shoulder then picked up her toothpaste and held it in front of her.

"Why," she started to say when I dropped the toothpaste and it appeared in the mirror. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed as she backpedaled into me. I held her by the shoulders and extended my fangs as she looked at me.

"This is the club I joined," I told her calmly with my fangs fully extended. "The bastard who kidnapped me and tortured me also made me a vampire. We use the term kindred," I told her and retracted my fangs. "For the most part, we don't harm the innocent, but we must keep our existence secret. No one must ever know I've risen again as an undead."

"Y-Y-Y-you," she stammered as she bolted into the bedroom and fell on the bed. I sauntered in behind her and took in her pale complexion. I sat on the bedside and placed a hand calmingly on her leg.

"I'm not going to harm you, Sammie," I told her soothingly, letting my presence flow out in an attempt to calm her. "But this is why I wanted to come, get my stuff, and slink back out. I was hoping you were out running," I said as I finally found her running shoes by her dresser which sparked another question. "Why weren't you by the way?"

"I always ran for you," she admitted, balling herself up against the headboard. "I can still remember that comment you made that I was getting a little chunky for that cocktail dress I love so much. So I began running so I'd fit in it and look good for you."

"While living, I must have had a blind spot the size of San Francisco to not see it," I said, kicking back to lay on the bed. "You know, I've had two women come onto me strong since I got turned."

"And?"

"One of them used me to get herself off," I admitted, thinking of Angel as she danced naked on my lap with her leg pressed against my bare womanhood.

"Sounds hot," she said, shifting around to lay next to me. "So what else can you tell me about this drug of yours? Is it even a drug?"

"No, it's my blood," I told her and she blanched. "Kindred blood binds the person who drinks it to the kindred they drank from. But there are benefits. You get some of our special powers. Two of my ghouls can attract any guy they want, even against that guys will, and should be able to influence an entire room to feel whatever they want. I know I can make an entire theater feel how I want them to feel, got a man out of an imminent execution that way."

"So if I had that power..." she said as she thought about it, then her mouth went slack as it reached it's conclusion.

"You could influence a jury to see things your way and no one would be the wiser," I said as she leaned back against the headboard to think. "Some of the other things I can do is manipulate shadow, even step through it to safety if need be, and increase my strength greatly. I once snapped a bat in two with just my hands."

"Wow," she breathed as that sank in. "So what are the drawbacks?"

"Well, for one you have to keep taking it every month," I told her as she started nodding. "Two, as your master, you become my slave. If I give you an order, you must follow it."

"Like a hypnotist?" she asked and I shook my head.

"You can't be hypnotized to do something you don't want to do," I said, citing an old maxims of magicians everywhere. "But, once you are drinking my blood, you can never say no to me. Ever. Even if I tell you to kill yourself."

"That's harsh," she said. "So, can you force people to drink it?"

"Yes, I could," I told her and she blanched again. "There's no acceptance needed with it. I can even slip it to a person as a drink with them thinking it's something else."

"So, what happens if one of these other 'kindred' find out I'm not taking your blood and dose me with theirs?" she asked me, and I blanched at the answer that I was forced to give her.

"You could sell me out and be forced to cause a masquerade break which as your supposed domitor, I'd be held responsible for," I told her. "You wouldn't be able to warn me either, if you were told to not tell me about it."

"Kindred blood can do that?" she asked me in an astonished voice.

"Last night I made a girl sell herself as a hooker even though she didn't want to do it," I said, feeling guilty about it even as Sammie scowled at me. "It's a problem I have to face that I'm losing myself. We call it the beast, but what it means is I'm capable of losing my humanity and empathy. If I'm not careful, I could wind up as a real monster."

"Do the other kindred have this problem?" she asked and I nodded.

"They do, but you seem to get used to it after awhile," I told her, then added, "Or maybe it's the fact that I'm still so young and adapting to my conditions. I've only been kindred for a week."

"So you couldn't come back to me until recently," she said as she moved closer to me. "I'm glad you're here though. Are there any other things about taking your blood I should know?

"It seems as though the people who take it become infatuated with me, and sometimes not in healthy ways," I told her. "Brian can't get me off his mind, Heather works endlessly on a coat for me, and Angel used me to get herself off. I imagine soon they're going to start fighting for my affection, which considering two live with me in my new beach house will be just lovely."

"I'm going to have to have to see this house of yours for myself," she teased, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Well, once the sun goes down I can take you out there on my Harley," I said and she smiled.

"One of the things you learn as a lawyer is the art of compromise," she said. "You said you can get around through the shadows, can you take me with you?"

"Um, I guess," I said, smiling at her acceptance. "Once you know where I live, you can bring my stuff out to me."

"Sounds good," she said as we stood up. "I might even move out there if I like it, though dad might stop by when he hears about moving into a beach front condo."

"Condo? Try mansion," I said and her jaw dropped. "It's a thirty million dollar, five bedroom and with five full and three half baths. It also has it's own theater room, weight room, game room, library, study and safe rooms."

"Says the woman who before she was kidnapped was sleeping on my couch," she snarked in disbelief. "What are you doing, knocking over banks?"

"One of the groups of kindred pretty much owns all money worldwide," I said, remembering what Walsh told me about the Ventrue. "That in mind, they can be pretty liberal with it to make other kindred do what they want, sometimes to the tune of millions. That's actually what I've been up to since I was turned, doing the business of the older, and much more powerful kindred."

"Who in turn pay you in millions?" she said, nodding absentmindedly. "Guess it works out alright," she said as she moved past me to grab my boots before turning back to face me. "Shall we?"

"Sure," I said, taking her in my arms and stepping into the shadows with my powers. When I stepped out, we were right where I wanted to be, the safe room that would be my room. The lights were on showing a bed that was partially assembled and a mannequin wearing Heather's finished duster. A few other boxes were leaned against the wall, the pictures on them showing them to contain a nightstand and dresser. I was just about to send Sammie out to find my ghouls when Brian and Heather came in carrying a large wooden object that seemed to be a freestanding closet between them.

"Mistress!" Heather exclaimed, dropping the clearly heavy piece of furniture much to Brian's dismay. "You're awake in daylight!"

"Heather!" Brian yelled as he held the piece on his own. I reached over and hefted the piece, using my potence to steady it before it fell. Brian and I set it down in a corner, and Heather grimaced when I faced her.

"Sorry," she said, making herself small against the wall near the entrance. "I just got carried away at seeing you. You just walked out."

"Had to take care of some personal business," I explained as Sammie came to join me. "Everyone, this is Samantha Timms. She's a friend of mine from when I was still breathing."

"Glad to meet ya," Brian said extending his hand. "Ya'll just get up or something?"

"Pretty much," she said as she took his hand. "When she showed up in my house this morning, she didn't tell me anything about her new status. I kind of flipped when I checked on her and she wasn't breathing. I thought she had overdosed."

"OD'ing usually leaves lines of vomit around the mouth," Brian said, and I shrugged at Samantha's questioning glance.

"Well, she's here now," Sammie said, trying to defuse the situation. "So what's going on with all the furniture?"

"Well," Heather said as she turned to gesture at the stuff already stacked into the room. "We did the shopping today and picked up the furniture we needed. It'll probably take us a few days to get it all pieced together, but we're starting to move forward."

"Good," I said, glancing around again, my eyes settling on the duster. It looked finished, and I ran my hand over the material. "Is it ready?"

"Yeah," she said as she moved to remove the it from the mannequin. "I even fashioned a leather holster for that katana you brought home. It's hidden in the back of the coat."

Heather slipped it off the mannequin and I slipped my hands down into it and she pulled it up on my shoulders. It fit rather well, and the katana was almost unfelt on my back. Heather buttoned it up, and I flexed the material to find it gave where I needed it to.

"You do good work, Heather," I said and Heather beamed at my appreciation. I reached under the rear panel for the sword, unsnapping the safety and pulling it free. It wasn't easy to get out, but with the sword free, I was now able to face another kindred in direct combat if need be. Sliding the sword back into it's scabbard wasn't easy, but with both hands, managed it quite well.

"That looks handy," Sammie said as she studied it. "Bulletproof?"

"I don't even know how to make anything like that," Heather admitted as she turned to Samantha. "Can you tell me how it's done?"

"You need kevlar," she said, explaining it to her. "You can order it in a bolt just like any cloth, and cut it to fit. Adjusting the thickness is how you adjust if you want to be lightweight and only bulletproof against handguns, or heavyweight and protect against all but armor piercing bullets."

"I guess if it can protect against handguns it can protect against stakes and arrows?" I asked and Samantha nodded.

"Your average arrow doesn't pierce any more than a nine mil," she said, and I looked at her. What all did her dad teach her?

"You are going to become my new best friend if you can get me some," Heather said which made Samantha chuckle as she said, "Sure, no problem."

"Well, now that we have that out of the way," I said as I slipped the duster off and put it back on the mannequin. "Are my clothes unpacked yet? Or are they still in the car?"

"Unpacked, but in the garage," Brian told me. "I'll be right back," he said as he disappeared down the hallway to my exit.

"Wow," Sammie said as she watched him go. "They really do follow your orders. Even perceived ones."

"Yeah," I said as Heather excused herself to get some chairs. "Now that I'm awake, it's time for them to get me ready to meet the night."

"But it's still like five in the evening," she said as she looked at an imaginary watch on her wrist. "Sunset won't be till six thirty."

"No, but they can get me ready for when it does come," I said as I looked around the room. With nothing to do but to wait, I looked things over. "Besides, it keeps them busy."

"They look good, though. Normal," she said as she followed me. I smirked, wondering where she was leading this. I could hear someone running down the stairs, and turned to the hallway leading to my room's only exit to see Constance come running in, almost out of breath.

"I wondered if you were coming back," she blurted out between pants. "I was upstairs doing my geometry homework at the table when Heather said you were back. I guess when you can teleport around the sun doesn't mean anything, huh?"

"Not really," I said, as I looked to the bed. "I still need to sleep like anyone else, though, and currently that's when the sun is high. If it weren't for the EMT's giving me a thousand volts into my heart I probably wouldn't be awake right now."

"Ouch," Constance said as she winced in sympathy. "So who called the ambulance, anyway."

"I did," Sammie said as she stepped forward. "She didn't have time to tell me what she was, just to not let the sun hit her when I put her to bed. When I checked on her, she wasn't breathing and I thought she had died."

Constance chuckled as she backed up to me, her movements slow and sultry. "Yeah, well, I trust you know what she is now?"

"She told me," Sammie said, eyeing Constance as she wrapped an arm around my neck to pull my head down to her neck. I knew where this was going, allowing it only because I was hungry.

"Well, around here," she said as she moved her hair off her neck as she leaned her head over to give me a better access, "I'm the one that satisfies her."

I could feel the blood thrum in her neck as I brushed my lips over the bare expanse. I looked up to see Sammie eyeing me, rooted where she stood by fear. Wrapping my arms around my 'meal,' I extended my fangs so Sammie could see them, before sinking them slowly into Constance's neck. She gasped as they pierced her skin, allowing me to drink her blood. Each gulp of her precious blood caused her to moan in ecstasy, writhing in my arms as I fed.

Once I finished drinking and pulled my fangs from her neck, I looked up at Sammie to see her eyes were still glued to the spot where I had fed from. I licked Constance's neck clean, then picked her up in my arms and set the teen on the uncompleted bed.

"Is she?" Sammie asked, and I shook my head.

"She'll be alright in a minute or two," I said as I stepped away from the sleeping teenager. Sammie moved to inspect her as Heather brought a pair of chairs in and set them down. I took one as Sammie inspected the now nonexistent bite marks.

"No wonder kindred are considered myth," she said as she stepped away from Constance as she rested from my recent feeding. "What happens to her now?"

"She'll wake up, be weak for an hour or two, go to bed I think and wake up tomorrow feeling fine," I said as Sammie took the other chair Heather had brought down. Heather herself had left, but I could hear Brian's heavy footfalls coming down the stairs in the quiet house.

"So, was she writhing in pain or," she asked, stopping as she caught my eye.

I chuckled, remembering Constance's own words on it. "No, in pleasure. Apparently my bite is its own orgasm now, and she loves to get off on it."

"How old is she anyway? And where did you get her?"

"Don't know," I said, shrugging as Brian brought my clothes in in several large cardboard boxes. "I found her on the street hooking for money. I bought her services so I could drink from her and she was back at the corner when I was on my way home. I don't know much about her home life, but I think she was molested."

"Definitely molested," Brian said as he set the boxes by me. "Old man was using her as his private..." he started to say but shut up at my glare. "You get the picture, I take it?"

"Vividly," I said then looked at what could only be half my clothes. "Go get the rest, including my shoes," I said and Brian left.

"I couldn't leave her on the street, and since she had the sweet blood of the learned, decided to keep her around. It's been good so far, and it helps keep me from getting infected by bad blood," I said and she made a curious face at that knowledge. "Yes, we can't get sick, but we can become carriers of disease. Like the recent plague problem they had in LA. Kindred were responsible for that."

"How do you deal with infected kindred?" she asked and I blanched a bit.

"I killed all but one," I told her. "It wasn't that they were unaware that they were doing it, they were modifying it to where it would make zombies out of the infected. Only kindred were immune, and we were the carriers. Even our ghouls got sick and died. So I killed them and destroyed their precious little disease."

"And got paid for it?"

"A full million," I said and she whistled. "Plus, one of the plaguebearers was a woman in my size that had a motel room full of fine clothes and jewelry that I took with me. It also helped with the masquerade because people will just assume she left."

"Great," she said as Heather came back with the make-up kits. She set them up on a nearby dresser, and I watched as Sammie built up the nerve to ask me something. It was clear she wanted to know more about my new world.

"So," she said and I nodded for her to go on. "I guess you don't need to feed again tonight?"

I cocked my head to the side as I thought about the impetus behind the question, smiling to let her know I wasn't offended in any way. Truth was, I was still hungry as Constance didn't have much blood in her that I could skim off. Was Sammie wanting me to feed from her?

"Truth is," I said, slowly working my way the question so I didn't seem to eager, "Constance doesn't have as deep a blood supply in her right now due to the constant feeding. If I keep going at her like I do now, she may develop anemia or something later, so I try to keep from taking more than a pint or so at a time. So, yes, it's not as satisfying as I'd like."

"Oh," she said as she turned her head to look back at Constance, clearly thinking about offering me her blood.

Brian's heavy footsteps on the stairs told me he was about to enter the room. When he came in, Heather was still sifting through the make-up kit as she got ready to prepare me for my day. "Set the box down and leave us, Brian," I said to my ghoul. He did, leaving without making a fuss. Sammie watched him go, before turning her eyes came back to mine.

"They're like ants," she murmured as she watched Brian leave and Heather come over with the make-up and start applying it.

I sat still as Heather worked, my eyes closed or open as she dictated. When she was done, I stood and started to go through the boxes, laying out my clothes for the night. Constance woke up about that time, only moving around on the bed so she could watch us while she laid down.

My clothes for tonight seemed to consist of leather pants, big surprise, another one of those spandex tops and a sports bra. I dressed quickly, but my shoe selection left a lot to be desired. I finally settled on the motorcycle boots Sharron had once given me. I could at least trade them for the boots I had at Sammie's if she wanted to go home.

"Heather, would you mind checking to see if the sun has set, yet?" I asked and my ghoul moved to find out.

"So, still hungry?" Sammie asked as she smiled wanly as she mustered up her courage.

"Sure," I said as I offered her a hand. Taking it, I pulled her to her feet so that she was facing me. She chuckled nervously, and I smiled a toothy smile.

"So what do I, uh," Sammie said, suddenly unsure of what she needed to do.

"Just make out with her," Constance said blearily from the bed. "She'll take care of the rest. Just keep you hair out of the way."

"Oh," Sammie said, as I spread my arms. Sammie stepped into my embrace, and laid her head on my shoulder. I used a hand to move her hair from her shoulder, and she shuddered. I brushed my lips over her neck, feeling the thrumming of her artery as it pumped her life giving blood.

My fangs unsheathed themselves and I bit softly into her neck. Sammie bucked hard into me, her arms wrapping around my waist as I bit softly, her blood seeping into my mouth and down my throat. She moaned as I fed, my slow intake of her blood causing her to writhe in pleasure in my arms.

I kept feeding, my bite going deeper as I fed from my best friend. It wasn't until her blood started to thin that I pulled my teeth out of her skin and licked what little blood off the closing wound. For once I wasn't left supporting my victim, but she was still loopy. I guided her over to the bed, where Constance guided her to sit beside her. I was only now noticing Heather as she stood in the hallway, standing quiet and respectful while I fed.

"The sun is almost set," she said and I nodded my understanding. Soon, I'd be able to show Sammie my beachfront mansion.

"Close the blinds on this floor," I told Heather, who nodded before turning to leave.

It took a bit, but Sammie finally snapped herself out of her funk, moaning in the ecstasy she still felt. "That's a rush."

"Now you know why I stick around," Constance said beside her. Sammie just nodded numbly, her hand rubbing at her neck.

"How about a quick tour," I asked her and she smiled. "First welcome to my room. It's the safe room in the house, but I kind of like it because it keeps me out of sight and mind."

"I guess that's a big thing when you can burn in the sunlight," she said and I nodded.

"One kindred screwed up her life by getting caught on her bed by kine, our word for humans," I said and she looked horrified. "She's okay now, but it was rough on her. I figure it's best for me to stay hidden. Look at what happen when one person noticed I wasn't breathing."

She blushed at that, muttering,"It's just freaky to see you laying there and not breathing."

"You should try posing her sometime," Constance said as she chuckled. "Since she can't see herself in the mirror, I once drew cat whiskers on her while she slept."

"So, still moving in?" she asked as she rose and looked around the sparse room.

"Just started today," I said watching her. "Kind of hard to do the shopping when you can't get out during the day. Still," I said as I looked around the room, "doing the best I can for now."

"I can help them with that," Sammie said as she shook her head at something she found. "I know the stores that sell a better grade of furniture, items that better belong in a house like this."

"We went all over to all the best places," Constance told her. "What more is there?"

"A lot, actually," Sammie said as she opened the new wardrobe. "This piece is good, actually. Real wood. Particle wood might be cheap but it's the real wood that lasts and make people take notice."

"Well," I said as she came back to stand near me. "Monday, you can take the ghouls out for some more shopping."

"Would love to," she said smiling at me. "In fact, I'd love to spend the day with them, see what they're like when you're not around. Maybe ask them some questions about what their life is like now."

"Interested in the other side of my life?" I asked her and she blushed.

"Well, I could definitely use your abilities to influence people to my benefit," Sammie said. "So, what's next?"

=o=0=o=

"Well, that's the house," I said as we stepped into the garage.

"Wow," Sammie said, now that it was just the two of us. "It's a great place."

"Thanks," I said as we moved down the garage to where my Harley was parked. I couldn't help but wince at Heather's car as we passed it, figuring it was another thing I'd have to change. Well, maybe when I see Walsh again I could ask him about replacement cars.

"Wait!" Heather yelled as she came bursting through the door from the house. She was carrying the duster over one arm and my messenger bag and gun holster around her neck. "Do you want these?" she asked as she came to a skidding halt in front of me.

I smiled as I took the gun and belt from Heather, slipping the belt around my waist and putting the holster where it belonged. Heather held the pistol with two fingers, as if she were afraid the gun might bite her, and slipped it into the holster and buckled it in. When I put the duster on, I checked to make sure the sword was still in its sheath, which it was, and fastened the buttons all the way up. With it properly fastened, I reached back for the sword, then the pistol, finding both were accessible.

Turning to Sammie, she giggled at seeing me. "You look like an assassin, or something," she said, trying not to burst into a fit of laughter.

"Considering I have to go break into the Natural History Museum, it's fitting," I said and her mouth dropped. "You know that sarcophagus thing that's been in the news this week? I have to steal it tonight."

"Be careful," she said as I slipped my leg over the Fat Boy and lifted the kickstand.

"I will," I said as she slipped on behind me. "Last thing I want is to die."

"Good," she said as I started the Harley. Heather raised the door for me and I eased out the garage and down the road.

The glow of sunset was fading in the west, and I had my best friend at my back as I rode down Highway One. Life was looking good and soon I'd have my second boon paid to the prince. All I needed to do was sneak into the museum and steal a big box.

Easy peasy. Right?