The Fury of the Night
Chapter 10: Whiskey and Lightning
Raven had a smile on her face when David guided the bike through the parking lot of the little roadside bar. It was perfect. Small, dim, and off the beaten path. Located back from the main road on a narrow dirt lane, one could have easily driven right past it, if not for the neon sign and meager parking lot lights in front of the small building.
The smell of stale beer and smoke-both cigarette and marijuana-, hung heavy in the air and a juke box was sending George Jones out into the night. Raven took note of the fact that the majority of vehicles in the lot were motorcycles, mostly Harleys, or older pickup trucks. No one of any notice to the world would be in this place; no one would be missed for long if they should disappear. This was a place where men who thought they were tough came to get drunk as cheaply as possible and where women with low self-esteem let themselves be treated poorly for a chance to belong. There was so much fun to be had here, she thought.
David stopped the bike at the very back of the parking lot where it was all but hidden in darkness in a spot where the lights that still worked didn't reach. He handed Raven off, then dismounted himself, leaning his head back and taking in a deep breath of what the air around them held. His teeth flashed white in the darkness as he looked at His Raven. She hadn't changed her eyes yet and they shone red, like that of a hellhound as she turned toward him.
"This is a favorite spot of mine; only mine. I have never brought the boys here." David spoke, his rich voice like velvet in the dark air between them. "It's where I come when I need a little more challenge than what the boardwalk or the beach can provide." he continued. "It's not that I don't think they could handle it; they are immortal; it's just that sometimes it gets bloody here—not by my doing—and they are still a little quick to react at times. I'd hate to lose this feeding ground because some asshole got punched and got a nosebleed and one of the boys didn't hold his breath long enough." he finished with a chuckle.
Raven nodded in empathy. She had her own favorite spots back in her city; places where she went to choose a meal without her coven. Places where she could blend in, sit back, and simply watch at her leisure until something struck her fancy. She flashed a glimpse of herself reclining in a booth at her favorite goth bar where humans frequently went pretending to be vampires with their fake fangs and pale contact lenses into David's mind and he instantly nodded his head.
"Yes, just like that. There's not much of an assortment here; nothing exotic like in your home; but there's always an undercurrent of energy that I enjoy. Plus, it lets me test my restraint on occasion." he said, smiling. He sent an image to her of himself involved in a minor skirmish with a huge biker who David had held against the wall by his throat with one hand.
Raven viewed the image and smiled wickedly. "I understand. Thank you for bringing me here. I think it's going to be a very good time." She giggled then. "As long as you don't expect me to act like one of those women in there; you know-submissive and 'in my place' and all of that, because I just don't think my acting abilities are quite that strong…"
David let out a huge laugh and threw his arm around her companionably as they walked towards the door.
"Little Raven, I am hoping you don't act at all; just be yourself."
At that, it was Raven's turn to laugh loudly. "I don't think I should go that far…"she replied in jest.
"You know what I mean." he said, nipping at her ear. She grinned, and as he placed his hand on the door, she let her eyes change. She winked at him as he opened the door for her, his ice blue meeting her smokey gray.
The music, which had changed to ZZ Top, hit them in the face as the door opened and smoke-filled air rolled out to meet them. They felt all eyes turn towards them as they stood in the overhead light right above the door and the dangerous pair let their own eyes roll smoothly over the bar.
About 20 men of various ages, some of them very large, almost all of them muscled though a few had noticeable beer guts, were the predominant occupants. There were about half as many women scattered about, some of them paired with the men at tables, some of them sitting alone at the bar, all of them dressed in the same desperate manner. Faded jeans ripped in strategic places to show a bit of bottom or thigh along with tight tops to put breasts on as much display as possible.
Some of the men in the bar recognized David from a few of his previous visits, and while they might have might have teased another man for his youthful appearance or the earring he sported, they knew this young man to be dangerous. He was usually quiet, never one to instigate a fight, but he had no problem finishing one and doing so quickly. He was fast, unbelievably fast, strong, and fearless. He easily went up against the biggest and meanest of them and won. His presence was a little disconcerting to those who recognized him, because it seemed that every time this boy was here, someone from their usual crowd seemed to disappear. Not just from the bar. From the earth. But it had to be coincidence; this young man was no cold-blooded killer. Surely.
A few wolf-whistles sounded as some of the men not acquainted with David's reputation took in the sight of the black-haired beauty at his side. She was small but curvy in all the right places, even though some of her was hidden beneath a leather coat that hung a little long on her. Her face was not hidden beneath layers of heavy makeup, but sharp and fresh and drop dead gorgeous even in the harsh light right inside the door. And her eyes….her eyes were the most unusual color. A deep gray that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it back, contrasting beautifully with all that black hair that hung down her back.
Neither Raven or David showed any reaction to the cat-calls and whistles directed her way, moving smoothly to the bar.
"What can I getcha?" the bartender asked David, throwing a rag over his shoulder as he tried not to stare at the beautiful girl at his side.
"Whiskey; neat." David answered shortly.
"You, Miss?" the bartender hazarded a glance at Raven.
"The same." she replied.
"I didn't know you were a whiskey girl." David said into her ear.
She gave him a grin and whispered back, "I'm also one hell of a pool player."
He chuckled, throwing some bills on the bar as their drinks were set before them. "Quarters; five dollars worth." He ordered the bartender who nodded.
"Well then, let's go see about winning a table."
The pair took their drinks, Raven letting David lead as they wound their way through tables toward the back of the bar where there were three pool tables all in play. David set his drink on a tall table that was unoccupied and then turned and helped Raven remove the leather jacket of his that she had been wearing all night. There were more whistles and a few appreciative remarks as her body clothed in the snug leather outfit became fully visible. Again, the two ignored them. This night was not about to end early due to an immature remark or two.
David then removed his own jacket, throwing it across the back of the high stool, and moved casually to one of the pool tables, placing his quarters in line to challenge.
Raven watched him, appreciating the view. His black t-shirt showed off his broad chest and snugged his arms above his biceps. The black chaps over his black jeans made him look absolutely badass, and his confident saunter back to their table made her grin. He sat across from her and picked up his glass.
"To the night." he said with a grin that showed his dimples.
"To the night." Raven smiled, liking his toast very much. She clinked her glass against his and they both sipped their whiskey, each enjoying the fiery taste. David slipped his cigarettes from his jacket pocket along with his lighter and after tucking one behind his ear, he lit another, deeply inhaling and blowing the smoke into the air above his head.
"I feel useless. That was going to be my job." Raven joked as the lighter snapped closed.
He arched a brow at her and leaned his head in slightly, replying, "Only if I couldn't find it." shaking the lighter lightly in front of her. "Now we'll have to find another purpose for you. I really don't know what that could be; I'll think on it."
Her head tipped slightly back and she laughed lightly, the sound attracting the attention of a few of the men who were nearby. Never had they heard a woman's laugh quite like that; it was almost like music somehow. They each gave her a more appreciative look and returned to their conversation.
Raven let her eyes drift over the men playing pool at the table David had chosen to challenge. One of the men was clearly more talented than the other, and she knew he would be the one David would play. She didn't need to peek into the future to see the outcome; it was clear. Her eyes returned to David as he took a sip of his whiskey. His profile was so flawless as he tilted the glass back to his lips. She couldn't help but watch the way his throat muscles contracted as he swallowed and had a sudden desire to run her tongue along his neck. David turned his head to her as he sat his glass down and said quietly, "No one here would mind if you did, Little Bird. Least of all me." He charmed her completely with those devastating dimples again and took a drag from his cigarette, keeping his eyes on hers.
"It's a little unsettling, you know." she spoke with a small frown on her face. "All of this…this pleasure and comfort I find in you." She did not lower her eyes from his; this needed to be said.
David continued to look deeply into her eyes as she expressed herself, then he spoke.
"Do you think it is not for me as well? All of this time I've lived in this glorious immortality, not missing anything of my previous life, not wanting for anything, not knowing I was missing anything at all. And then here you are. Unexpected. Dangerous. So beautiful it hurts to look at you. A being born of fire, yet with such control of herself." David laid his cigarette in the ashtray and reached out one cool pale hand. Raven watched as his fingers closed over hers, squeezing tight, and she looked back into his eyes.
"I've been missing you; I just didn't know you existed." he smiled gently. "Is it too much to think that perhaps you've been missing me as well?"
His words hit Raven hard and she was quiet for a moment as she took them in. Did he not speak the truth? Was there perhaps a reason she had not become mated; had not in truth even considered any previous cohorts as potential mates? She already knew the answer. No one had ever brought out such a constant attraction in her. No one had ever made fire flow from her. No one had ever made the earth split beneath her feet with the simple touch of his lips to hers.
Raven let her gaze travel to where their hands were joined atop the table. She was willing herself not to let sparks ignite at this very moment. The touch of his long, lean fingers laid over her small hand was right. She felt it. She only had to acknowledge it.
David watched as her eyes closed. Her small hand turned in his and their fingers intertwined. He felt her reaching out of herself, connecting to the flames she was birthed from for a sense of confirmation. He knew she needed to do this to come to terms with the deep attraction they had fallen into so quickly.
Raven's mind traveled quickly through time and space, reaching out to her true home. She pictured the immense altar of flame and knelt before it, feeling it's heat against her face. She did not speak; words were not used here. She simply opened her mind to the fire and let all of it pour out of her. Her questions, her doubts, her desires; the flames absorbed it all and gave back to her what she needed. She sucked in the molten air and felt it travel throughout her body. Her mind seemed to wobble for a moment as it always did when the flames gave forth their knowledge, then she was herself again. She did not pause in thought to mull over what answers had been given; it was not wise to linger here. The siren's call of the place where she knelt was strong, and it would be too easy to lose years of time.
David watched as Raven's eyelashes fluttered and her eyeballs rolled rapidly beneath her lids. Her hand became hot in his; burning hot; yet he did not let go. He did not look away or loosen his grip on her even when the doors to the bar crashed open and a wave of warm air cycled like a small tornado through the room, nor when there was a slight tremor and a beer bottle burst in the large fist of a man sitting near their table.
Raven's eyes snapped open as she came back into herself and only David saw the beautiful bright crimson that disappeared into clear gray after she blinked. Neither were troubled as the other bar patrons were yelling in surprise and asking each other what had happened; they only had eyes for each other.
Raven loosened her fingers from David's and slid fluidly from her seat. She came around the small table to his side and reached up with both arms. David let his knees fall further apart and she moved to stand between them, her arms falling about his shoulders while his hands moved around her waist drawing her closer.
"I have been missing you, My Night King. I've been missing you much." she breathed.
David leaned his head slightly forward and touched his forehead briefly to hers.
"Well, My Midnight Raven, here I am."
She needed no further encouragement and placed her lips against his, tightening her arms around his neck. The feeling as he deepened the kiss was beyond heavenly and she felt frustration as she had to hold in her flames, but would not have traded the moment for anything.
"Yeah; get a little bit of that!" one of the younger more vulgar men yelled out at their display, drawing chuckles from a few of the others.
David nipped lightly at her bottom lip teasingly as the kiss broke and Raven couldn't resist running her lips over his strong jaw and down to his neck.
"Shall we just do this thing here and now?" she teased into his ear as she lightly in turn ran her teeth across his throat.
He laughed lowly and pulled back a little to look into her beautiful face.
"But I'm up; we can't until after I beat this guy." he joked, tilting his head toward the pool table.
Raven giggled and nipped him lightly, then gave him a huge hug which he returned, taking the opportunity to run his hand smoothly over her leather-clad backside and cup one of her tight buttocks. He smacked it lightly as she stepped back, saying "What? Gotta 'fit in'." Her melodic laughter floated through the hazy air again and she responded in teasing kind.
"Fine. You want to play pool instead of make out with me? I'll just go amuse myself…" She stepped back, giving him a wicked grin as she took a quarter from table. "I'm going to play some music. You know; 'gotta fit in'." she winked and turned, weaving sinuously through the tables toward the other side of the room. He watched her go and felt the mischief she was up to and couldn't suppress a small grin. He heard the sound of the 8 ball sink behind him and turned toward the pool table as the winner called out to him.
"Hey Romeo; you're up."
David stepped down from his stool and walked to the table, then put his quarters in and racked the balls tightly. As his opponent lined up for the break, David casually chose a cue from the rack and eyeballed it for straightness, though it really wasn't necessary. As he turned back to the table his opposition let out a frustrated curse when he failed to sink any balls. David made no reaction, only lined up his first shot and sunk it easily as the first strains of "Honky Tonk Woman" filled the air.
Raven strolled across the bar slowly avoiding easily any unwanted physical contact from some of the rowdy men who would have "accidentally" brushed against her. Her eyes skimmed the rough crowd, not finding anything to her liking yet, though one of the young women at the bar had a rather sweet scent. It took time for her to choose a leisurely meal and it most often came when adrenaline had been stimulated in the humans.
"So much time for that yet." she thought. "So much time."
She returned to their table and slid herself up onto her stool turning her attention to David. He was being ruthless, running the table, moving smoothly from shot to shot. His rival was looking on in annoyance at being bested by a young punk with bleach blonde hair and an earring which Raven found very amusing.
David noted Raven's return to their table and lined up the 8 ball. To his delight, she shouted out, "C'mon, Baby; do it!" The ball dropped seconds later into his pocket as expected and he straightened as it fell.
"Good game." David's opponent said with a bit of a surly attitude and David merely nodded in answer. A man that stood head and shoulders above David moved to put in his quarters.
"You and me, friend. You and me." David nodded again and moved to the table where Raven was sitting close by. He took his whiskey glass and took another drink as he moved to stand between her legs.
"Nice. Very nice." she grinned, sliding her arms around his waist.
"Thanks, 'Baby'." he replied with a wink, leaning down to capture her lips. "Nice music."
"Thank you. It seemed to suit the moment." she chortled. She lifted her own glass and shot the rest of the contents. He lifted an eyebrow at her and did the same. "Another?" she asked as if she didn't know the answer.
"Always." he replied, reaching for his wallet.
"I've got this." she replied, flashing him an image of the slim leather case that held her money.
"Are we really going to have our first fight be about money?" he asked, still with a straight face, though inside her head she could hear his deep chuckle.
"Oh, no. Our first fight will be about something spectacular. I can't see it yet but there will be no mistaking it when it happens. Front page news type of stuff." Raven replied with a face to match his own.
David couldn't suppress a grin and kissed her lips again quickly, tossing his billfold on the table.
"A double. If you can keep up." his deep voice vibrating through her. He turned and ambled back to the pool table where his challenger was sinking a few balls already.
Raven smirked as she removed some cash from David's wallet and slipped the wallet in her own back pocket, sensing that some of the people around them would have no qualms about boosting it if she let it lay on the table and she didn't want their fun to end so soon. She then picked up the empty glasses and headed to the bar where she set them and caught the barkeep's attention.
"Two doubles, neat." she ordered.
"That's a lot for a little girl. You sure you can handle that, Sweetheart?" a rough looking man sitting nearby who was clearly drunk asked sarcastically, swiveling his stool towards her. Raven noted the way his eyes went over her body, especially her chest.
"Aha. The first one." The thought flashed through her head. It didn't ever take long. She simply looked into the man's face and stood quietly for a moment, then replied,
"I can handle a lot. You'd be surprised." She leaned in slightly toward him, lowering her voice. "You though, you look pathetic; like you're about done." And with that, she turned away from him.
The man was stunned. No one spoke to him that way. Especially not some uppity girl, no matter how pretty she might be.
"Listen here, you fuckin' bit…" and that was as far as he got. He had reached out to grab her arm and pull her in close but as soon as his fingers had brushed her skin, his arm had dropped as if of it's own accord and his body had simply frozen. An iciness so cold it burned had shot up his arm at light speed and spread to his entire body. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. All he could do was feel pain like he had never felt before. He was screaming inside his mind, but to the others in the bar, it simply looked as if he was paused in the middle of a thought, or maybe just admiring the beautiful girl next to him.
The bartender set Raven's drinks before her and as he would have turned to get her change, she gave him a smile and said, "No; you keep it." The man smiled back in genuine appreciation-he didn't get many tips here- and moved on to the next customer.
Raven picked up the glasses and turned to face the man frozen in her fiery hell and looked into his eyes.
"Don't touch. Never touch. It's time for you to go now." She then walked unhurriedly away.
As Raven set their drinks down and sat herself on her stool again, she surveyed the pool tables. David had taken over again and she watched as he stretched his lean form out over the table to make a shot. She let out a whistle form of her signature tribal yell and saw him smile, knowing where it came from without even turning. He won the game and the big man with whom he'd been playing held out a hand. David shook it firmly though he disliked human touch which was why he wore gloves much of the time, but in this case, refusing to shake would make him look arrogant which would lead to a fight and then destruction.
He then turned, laying down his cue on the table and sauntered over to where Raven sat. Ever so casually, he moved to stand before her, capturing her by the back of the neck and lowering his lips to her forehead.
"Miss me?" he teased.
"Yes. Every minute." she replied smoothly and in truth. Her body craved his nearness.
From behind them there came the sounds of loud crashing and cursing as the man who had tried to grab her at the bar was coming back alive, first falling from his barstool and knocking over the one next to it, then beginning to shout while grabbing at his throat. Yelling from the bartender mixed with a frightened yelp from the woman who had been sitting a few seats to his other side ensued.
"Dave; that's it; you're done!" the barkeep yelled, moving around the bar.
"Fuck you! What the fuck happened? I couldn't breathe! I was so cold and I couldn't breathe. It hurt so fuckin' bad! Where's that little bitch at? She did it! She did somethin' to me! Where the fuck is she?" the man hollered as he got to his feet with the bartender's aid, looking wildly around.
David kept his hand on Raven's neck and began gently massaging her head through her gloriously thick hair.
"That got anything to do with you?" he smirked, already knowing the answer.
She innocently shrugged her shoulders and batted her eyelashes.
"I might have dissuaded him from touching me…just a little."
David chuckled deep in his chest and moved his hand from her hair to stroke her jaw.
"Hmm. 'A little'. He is still breathing." Raven grinned and leaned into his touch.
"For now…" she whispered. He drew his head back and surveyed her face, taking in all the angles and arches and lushness.
"Death has never looked so beautiful." he whispered back quietly. She raised her head as he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was slow and almost sweet. He let his tongue do a delicate dance with hers; so much emotion flowed between them, regardless of the place they were in or who happened to be watching.
After the kiss had broke, Raven ran her fingers gently across David's lips and a few tiny purple sparks snapped in spite of how hard she fought with herself. He grinned and she bit her bottom lip.
"I'm trying so hard, My Dark King. So very hard. I've never had this before. I did not know your pull would be so strong…"
David stopped her, placing his own finger against her mouth.
"I have not had it either. We have both acknowledged it for what it is. That is the beginning. Everything that follows will happen in it's own time. Whether that be 5 minutes or 5 hundred years. I'll be here either way, Beautiful Bird. I'll be here." He then pulled her head to his chest and cradled her there for a moment.
Raven took a deep breath as she leaned against his solid chest, letting him calm her. She had been right to seek him out; right to come to him. Whatever else might occur, being with David was right.
She pulled back and held up her small hand, quarters shining in the light.
"My turn to challenge." she grinned devilishly, lightening the mood.
David gave her the most mischievous grin and replied smoothly, "Rack 'em, Little Bird."
Raven took a drink of her whiskey slowly then slid from her stool and walked to the pool table, putting her quarters in. She confidently racked the balls and went to select a cue while David strolled over and picked up his stick. She met him at the side of the table and ran her hand up his arm, enjoying the feel of his taut muscles beneath his skin.
"For fun or should we wager something?" she asked with a seductive smile.
"Mmmm. A wager sounds interesting. But what for?" David grinned, putting a strong hand on one of her hips and squeezing gently.
"Hmm. How about…first bite? Of whatever we decide to feed upon this night?" she suggested playfully. A slow grin spread across his face and he replied,
"Yes. First bite; I like that." David then leaned down slightly and whispered against her ear, "You're so much fun, My Raven."
Raven shivered slightly at the feel of his cool breath against her flesh and let one of her hands slide across the back of his jeans as he moved toward the head of the table.
The crack of his break made heads turn towards the tables. He smirked at Raven as the thud of balls falling into pockets sounded.
"Well, Angel Love, do you have big balls or small ones?" she couldn't resist snarking at him.
"I think you already know the answer to that, Baby Doll." he chuckled, moving to shoot again.
"I certainly do." she grinned. David sunk another ball and then found himself snookered. He stepped around the table and grabbed Raven hard against his chest.
While looking down at her with his ice-blue eyes, he tried not to smile.
"You're up, Beautiful. Do your worst."
Raven ran her tongue over her lips and watched as his eyes followed the motion. She then stood up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear,
"By your command." She then stepped lithely around him and surveyed the table. Without hesitation she began to shoot, dropping ball after ball with force and confidence. A few of the men who had been playing earlier came to stand and watch, commenting on both her skill and her looks as she moved.
David leaned casually against the wall, lighting a cigarette as he watched her with a half grin on his face. She obviously liked the song blaring from the old jukebox across the bar as she had began to sing softly along with it and did a few twists and hip shakes as she lined up her shots, earning even more appreciative looks and a couple of leers from the onlookers. The 8 ball was soon lined up before her last pocket and she looked at it then looked at David and without dropping her eyes back to the table brought her cue forward causing the cue ball to softly kiss the black 8 and drop it into it's intended spot. The men watching whistled and a couple of them shouted words of praise to her. Raven smiled, flashing whiter than white teeth, making a mock bow to them then turned back to David. He had hung up his cue and was clapping slowly.
Raven couldn't resist being out of his reach any longer and ran to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist as he picked her up.
He laughed as she gave him a loud smacking kiss and then set her gently down.
"Beautiful." he said, still holding her in his arms. "First bite is yours, fair and square."
"I think there is something very nearby that will do, if it is suitable for you as well." she replied, flashing him a picture of the man who had harassed her earlier who was now passed out in his truck a short distance down the road at a small roadside park.
"That will do well." he answered, pleased at her choice. The man would pay for his disrespect, and while Raven had already given him a lesson, David would further his education.
"Shall we have a final drink? We have a little time." David asked, peering down at her as they moved to their table. He sensed the man would be out for a little longer and David wanted him to be aware of what was happening to him when they dined.
"Yes, please." Raven answered with a little smile as she caught his thoughts. She took his wallet from her back pocket and handed it to him, then turned to watch a few of the women who had decided to dance to an old rock tune.
One of the younger men who had made a few lewd comments towards Raven earlier in the night and who had been leering at her for a while now took notice of David's absence from her side and sidled up to her. Being full of liquid courage, he was sure he could at least manage to get a closer look at those magnificent breasts and possibly even cop a feel.
Raven felt the drunk man coming towards her and smelled him through the cloud of alcoholic fumes that proceeded him. Her nose wrinkled in distaste; he was foul, both in odor and in thought. She ceased breathing automatically, not wanting any of him in her. The little that she had taken in told her that he already had the beginning stages of cirrhosis of the liver from his drinking and that he frequently used various street drugs, though he hadn't partaken for a few days. She didn't care to reach into his mind; his forethoughts were enough, though if she had wanted, she could have plucked every moment of his life easily from his head. She simply continued to watch the dancers as if totally unaware.
David felt the change in the air as it seemed to tighten in on itself and saw the woman sitting next to where he stood shiver and run her hands over her arms as if a chill had taken her suddenly. Instinctively he looked to Raven and saw the drunk heading toward her. He rummaged through his wallet for a moment then threw down a couple of bills on the bar as the bartender set two new glasses before him.
"Hey friend; I can't make change for these…" the bartender said quickly holding up the two 100 dollar bills David had tossed down.
"I don't want change. It's for the damage." David answered dryly. "Hang on to these;" he nodded to the whiskey glasses. "We'll get them on our way out." He was moving away even as the bartender asked in confusion,
"What damage?"
The drunken young man set his beer bottle down and leaned casually against the table where Raven sat, still as a statue, her gaze still on the dancers.
"Hey, Sexy. I'm Jimmy. What's your name?" he said with a sloppy smile, showing teeth that hadn't been brushed in weeks.
Not replying and without taking her eyes from the dancers, Raven reached one foot down to the floor and slid her stool backward, away from the man, in a clear insult.
"You sure do play a mean game of pool. I bet you do a lot of things good, huh?" he continued, leaning close into her space, his eyes roaming over her chest.
Raven continued to sit silently and calmly. She heard the sound of familiar bootsteps coming her way and refrained from grinning.
The man was not put off by her silence; his drunken mind actually thought her lack of reply was consent for him to continue.
"Ya know, if you want to, I've got some good weed. We can go out back and have a little smoke; just the two of us. What do ya say, sweetheart? I can even give ya a ride home if ya want to get rid of that asshole you came with." he continued.
Raven turned her head slowly and let her eyes meet those of the man. He was caught in the moment and taking it as a sign of positive attention, reached out a hand, intending to grasp her delicate looking shoulder.
"C'mon. Whadda ya say?" he slurred.
Raven's head tilted and she looked at him as if looking at an interesting bug through a microscope. Then her eyes slid to a spot behind him and one side of her mouth quirked up.
The young drunk suddenly felt himself jerked forcibly backwards by the shoulder. He was spun around by the grip of a cold hand and found himself looking into the face of the blonde boy who was with the girl.
"She says no." David said in a low tone, his face remaining neutral.
"Well why don't you let her answer for herself?" the man replied, feeling a false sense of bravado brought on by the alcohol and being sure his buddies would back him up. He squared his shoulders and straightened himself up a little, trying to look intimidating.
"Because you're beneath her. She doesn't speak to the likes of you." David replied smoothly.
"Fuck you, buddy. I'm gonna kick your ass all over this place and then I'm gonna take your little bitch a.." and that was all he got out before his head snapped back with the force of the punch David had thrown.
David had barely tapped the man, holding back all of his real strength. To a vampire, fighting a human was much akin to fighting a china doll; they broke so easily, but the way this drunken fool had so brazenly approached Raven warranted a lesson. Even if he couldn't kill him at this moment, he would certainly damage him.
Jimmy had been in more than his share of fights in the past, but his head was reeling from the hit he had taken. He brought up his fists and swung wildly but the white-blonde boy easily sidestepped, and while Jimmy was slightly off-balance brought his fist crashing back into Jimmy's jaw. There was a crunch as his nose broke and blood began to gush down his face. A few of the younger men had gathered around to watch the fight but most of the older ones and the ones who had seen David in action before did not bother to get up. As a couple of his cronies yelled encouragement, Jimmy shook his head to try and clear it of the persistent ringing that had started.
Blood drops flew through the air and even though their essence was rank, Raven felt venom flow into her mouth. She slid from her stool and calmly put on her coat, and gathering up David's as well, proceeded to the bar where their drinks sat. She casually swallowed hers in one shot and turned back towards the one-sided brawl just in time to see the foolish drunk try again to land a punch. David simply leaned to one side and let forward momentum send Jimmy stumbling by him and into the wall, effectively knocking a neon sign from it's mount and causing it to explode as it hit the dirty floor.
"C'mon, Jim! Quit fucking around!" one of the onlookers yelled.
Jimmy whirled around and threw another wild punch, David ducking and bringing his fist solidly into Jimmy's gut. The man flew backwards off of his feet, landing on his back on the floor. One of his friends who was far more sober thought he would help and grabbed both of David's arms from behind. David gave out a little snarl and abruptly threw his head back, making solid contact. The man who had grabbed him cried out in pain as his cheekbone shattered and he went staggering back, knocking over a table and shattering glassware. At this point, some of the older men had began to cheer for David.
"Put a hurtin' on that little bitch, son!" one of them shouted out, raising his glass to David.
Raven grinned at that. The sentiment was well-intended, but the thought of the man, who was probably in his late 50's calling David, who in truth had walked the earth for almost a millenium, "son" was highly amusing to her. She stood patiently waiting with David's jacket in her arms as he put a quick end to Jimmy, who had regained his feet. As Jim threw one last desperate punch, David's fist crashed into his face, breaking his jaw. The man fell to the floor, this time staying down, though he miraculously remained conscious. David moved to stand over him and placed one booted foot on his chest. Looking down he rumbled, "She is with me. She will always be with me. Don't test me again." With that, he headed to where his Night Bird waited.
David slid his arms into the jacket Raven held out for him, then downed his whiskey. He nodded to the barkeep who was watching him in fascination and pulled Raven to him. He gave her a light kiss on one of her cheeks, took her hand, and asked lightly,
"Are we ready?"
She smiled and replied immediately,
"Yes." And with that simple word, he led her out the doors.
As soon as they were around the side of the bar, Raven let out a laugh that carried through the night air. David chuckled and picked her up, spinning her around.
"What's so funny, My Dark Goddess?"
She continued to giggle as he set her down gently.
"It's just the noise they make when they break. It's so dramatic."
David chuckled again as he led her to the bike and climbed on. Raven stopped at his side and reached out to gently stroke his face, light blue flames snapping forth from her fingers.
"I want to break something now." she almost whispered.
He watched as her eyes snapped into beautiful crimson and felt the air around her vibrate.
"You won fair and square. First bite is yours." David grinned. He echoed a picture into her mind of the man parked down the road who was just awakening from his drunken stupor.
The beast that dwelled within her had lurched to it's feet during the bar fight, and now it was beginning to rattle it's chains. She flashed a deadly smile full of fangs and took the hand he extended, climbing on to the bike behind him and encircling his waist.
David pulled from the parking lot and as soon as they were on the main road opened the machine full throttle. As they rocketed through the dark, Raven tipped her head back and took in the moon, peaceful and pure, still riding high in the sky. She normally would smile in appreciation of it's beauty, but the beast demanded her attention now; it was snarling at the end of it's chains, having caught the scent of it's prey on the air. She growled into David's back, letting him know she needed to go, and go now. He answered in kind, a low rumble that came through his back. He slowed and swerved the motorcycle down a short bank and stopped it after nearing a cliff's edge.
The bike had not even come to a complete stop before Raven had leaped off. Shrugging out of David's coat, she took off in a blur, racing through the thickening trees, now and then springing up into them, the ground unable to contain her energy. He saw her shoot up into the sky, studying her intended landing spot and he moved quickly to position himself to align on the opposite side.
Raven's feet touched down lightly on the ground behind the old truck, which had stopped within a few inches of a large tree trunk, the inebriated man having passed out a moment after shutting the motor off. She mused briefly in her mind that if he had only held his foot to the accelerator with a little more force, he would have ended himself.
"But what fun would there have been in that?" David's voice shot through her head. She let out a soft laugh that came out as a growl, then shot to the side to hide behind another tree.
The man slumped against the driver's side door groaned as he slowly sat up. His head was throbbing and his neck ached from the awkward position he had slid into when he passed out. He ran a hand over his face and peered through the windshield through bloodshot eyes. Was that a fucking tree? Jesus, he'd almost hit the damned thing.
"What a fucking night." he thought, trying to remember how he'd gotten here. He remembered getting to the bar around 11 or so. It had been relatively quiet. He'd chatted with the bartender for a while then fallen into his usual habit of slamming drinks back and hitting on whatever random women were around. Women. Woman. The little one with the black hair. She had…she had….what had she done to him? Something….
A low growl sounded right behind his truck and he sat up a little straighter in the seat. What the fuck was that? Damned coyote or wild dog probably. People were always dropping off strays around here.
Raven moved at a speed too fast for human eyes and launched herself into the top of the tree in front of the truck. She could smell it's confusion, their prey, as it struggled to clear it's muddled mind.
David snarled on the ground close by and she spied him moving closer to the truck. She did a graceful somersault off the branch she had perched on and landed perfectly hidden by the tree trunk directly in front of the old pickup. Tilting her head up, Raven let out a screaming howl that would give nightmares to the dead and David answered with a growl that sounded as if it came from the throat of Cerberus.
The man's head snapped up as a small tree branch landed on his hood. What the fuck was that? Just a damned branch. He was feeling very jumpy. It was something about that damned girl…he couldn't quite remember. There was that fucking dog again. Probably feral the way it was growling. He just might get his .44 out from under the seat and put the damned thing out of it's misery. At the least he'd scare it away. He reached down and that's when he heard an unholy scream from right in front of him. It sounded like a banshee, and then from right behind him it sounded like a fucking wolf the size of Nebraska. What the hell was happening? He decided it didn't matter and reached for the ignition. He was out of here. With a twist of his wrist the old truck roared to life and he pulled out the switch for the headlights. That was the moment the girl stepped out from behind the tree. Only she wasn't a girl anymore.
Raven stepped out into the light, her eyes snapping red. Teeth that were no longer teeth but tools meant to rend flesh from bone dripped deadly venom. Lips that could induce the sweetest passion were drawn back in a snarl.
At the same moment that Raven let herself be seen, David leaped onto the cab of the truck making it rock wildly. He dropped into a crouch and punched a hole through the metal, letting out another growl, then spun himself off to the passenger side, ripping off the door effortlessly as the human inside screamed and began clawing frantically at the gearshift in a desperate attempt to escape from something that couldn't possibly be happening.
Raven slowly approached the driver's side, feeling ravenous as panic and terror saturated the night. Her teeth began to snap at the air in want of flesh to sink into. David had entered the cab of the truck and easily snatched the big man by his neck, holding him in place as he casually reached out and shut off the ignition and killed the headlights with the other hand.
"I know someone that wants to see you." he growled low in the man's face and laughed a deep laugh that echoed out into the surrounding trees as the man shrieked like a frightened child.
Raven ran her claws along the side of the beat up old truck making the old metal screech as the engine cut off. Reaching out her hand, she lifted up the door handle and slowly opened the door as David let loose of their prey. The man instinctively turned away from David, his basest instinct telling him that anywhere in the opposite direction of this thing that had to be a demon from hell was where he needed to move. Before he could take a breath his throat was in an iron grip and his face was inches from the thing that he had once thought was a girl.
David laughed maniacally right behind the man's ear, sending cold breath across the back of his neck. At the moment when he would have lost consciousness from shock, he felt himself being shaken, his head snapping back and forth rapidly.
"No, no ,no." Raven hissed. "No sleep for you." She ripped him from the truck and threw him into the air behind her, David exiting the cab and standing alongside her at once to watch as the man crashed to the ground, one leg and several ribs breaking on impact. His screams were high and shrill and Raven reached out and took David's hand. Orange flame burst into life where they were joined and they both began walking toward where their food lay writhing in the dirt.
Blood was flowing freely onto the ground from assorted wounds and the smell assaulted their throats, but it wasn't time to drink. Not yet…
David dropped Raven's hand but her fire stayed with him, small licking flames moving in a group up his arm, across his chest, down the other arm, as light as a lover's caress. They traveled over his body making him growl in pleasure. Raven turned her head toward him and shrieked in acknowledgment, the sound piercing the air like a knife. He moved to where the man lay, and crouching beside him, roughly yanked him into a sitting position, slapping him hard a few times.
"No sleep. No escape." he growled.
Raven moved forward then and crouched in front of the man while David stepped over him, holding his head up before her.
"No sleep…no escape…no running…no fighting…no drinking…no fucking…" she said slowly, moving her head slowly from side to side. The man stared at her, eyes wide with terror, yet mesmerized.
"I'm dreaming…" he managed to whisper. "You're a dream. Go away."
David reached around and grasped the man's arm, grinding his bones together. The man clenched his jaw so hard a few teeth cracked. He could barely breathe, let alone scream.
"She is no dream." David said clearly into the man's ear as Raven closed her eyes in ecstasy at the sound the bones made as they ground together. "She is life and death and heaven and hell and mine." The last word came out as a snarl, and he clenched his fist, shattering the man's bones into fragments. There was a scream left after all.
David's words sang sweetly in Raven's ears. She was his. She liked the way that sounded. Her body suddenly lunged forward, her deadly fanged beauty inches away from the man's face.
"She is his. Don't touch. Never touch. She's hissssss….." the beast within her spoke in it's own rusty voice. The man's sanity departed as David roughly yanked his head back, exposing his throat.
Blood spurted high as Raven ripped into the man's throat, her first bite taking her all the way to his cervical vertebrae. David twisted the head of the body, giving her greater access as warm red claret flowed down her throat. Jaws clenched and she pulled back, working a piece of meat that dangled from her lips. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful as she leaned her head back in the moonlight, drawing the rest of the bite into her mouth, blood smeared across her face, fangs flashing as she chewed.
The smell caught him then and he could hold back no longer, lowering his own head and in one huge ripping motion of his powerful jaws effectively decapitated the body. The two took delight in feeding from the same source and occasionally gave each other a mock growl if their heads grew near. Bones cracked in the night and were relieved of their sweet marrow. Femoral arteries were pierced and more sweet red was drawn out until there was not a drop left anywhere.
Raven sat back on her knees, her appetite sated and thirst quenched thoroughly. She watched as David was finishing a bite. His head was tipped back as he swallowed a mouthful of muscle and tendon, those lethal jaws having ground his food to manageable size. He was the most splendid killing machine, she thought in admiration. His head came down and his eyes met hers and he gave out a laugh.
"It's not polite to stare, Little Bird."
She smiled, then wiped her delicate hand across her bloody lips. "I was just thinking about dessert." She reached into the chest cavity of the thing that once was a man and drew out the heart intact, holding it out to him. He took it and sank his strong fingers in, ripping it in half and holding half back out to her.
"Share?" he rumbled, his yellow eyes flashing.
"Share." she agreed, taking back her half. They sat in silence for a minute, finishing the last of all the body had to offer.
Raven felt blissful and laid down on her back, looking up at the stars. David came and laid down beside her, noting the contented aura that emanated from within her. He felt the same. It had been a most delightful night.
Raven turned on her side, facing him after a few minutes and reached out her small hand slowly toward his face. Sometimes the lethal instincts that came with feeding could linger and even the those with the sternest control of themselves could lash out with an unexpected bite, unwittingly injuring a pack member or mate.
"I won't hurt you, My Dark Angel. Ever." David said, his deep voice flowing over her like a warm blanket. With more confidence, she touched his fine high cheekbone and slowly slid her knuckles down it. She then traced over the brow bones that were so prominent upon his true face. He turned on his side toward her, allowing her full view of his visage. He had features that marked him as more than a vampire; the browbones were just one. His eyes were a darker yellow and reflected a little orange as well, and the fangs that had captivated her earlier in the night were double set, as were hers. They were beings that shared the same deep nature, yet had been created by different methods. How extraordinary that they had found each other; the odds were so very slim, she thought, watching as a slow grin spread over David's face at her touch. Or perhaps they were together by design of the fates. Either way, here they were, together in the night.
David reached out his own hand to Raven and placing it gently against her temple, startled her slightly by asking in a low voice,
"When was the last time it spoke?"
She held her breath for a few moments, sending her mind back in time. It had been over a hundred years, she realized, since the beast had been vocal. The last time being when the event that brought her to David in the first place had occurred. She didn't want to think about that now. The time was coming very soon when she would have to explain everything to David and to his Lost Boys and to any others who would join her in her fight. For this night, she only wanted calm.
"A long time." she whispered, hoping he would accept it as an answer.
"We will talk soon." David responded. "You have dealt with the matter on your own long enough. It is time to lay it bare so that we can see all sides of it and begin to work together towards the rightful end of the thing."
Raven let his words sink in. He was being considerate of her, but not allowing her to dwell too long without action. After all, that was why she had come. To take action. She smiled and sat up, smiling, her human face showing.
"There's a storm coming. Let's clean up and go home?" she ended on a questioning note.
"Home." he smiled, his face in flux, ending with those ice blue eyes twinkling.
They briefly discussed what to do with the man's truck, then decided to just leave it as it was. It would become another of Santa Carla's mystery headlines-"Truck Of Missing Man Discovered, Unusual Damage". There was not much of the body left, and Raven quickly disposed of the parts, bundling them in an old tarp from the back of his truck and flying them far out over the ocean where sharks and bottom feeders would take care of all traces. As she was coming back inland the first rumble of thunder sounded. She smiled in delight; she loved storms.
Landing lightly, she saw that David had already covered the little blood that had soaked into the ground and the site looked clean with the exception of the mangled truck. The two made their way back to where his bike waited and as they climbed on, the first lightning flashed across the sky.
"Your feathers are going to get wet, Beautiful Bird." David laughed back at her as the bike carried them up onto the road again.
"It will save me having to shower!" she laughed back and tightened her arms around him.
"And here I thought we could do that together." he teased lightly.
"That's an option." Raven answered to his surprise and delight. He opened up the Triumph and they were once again tearing through the night, bound even more tightly by the evening's events.
The first raindrops were huge and hit hard and fast while they were still a couple of miles from the safety of the cave. Raven refused to tuck her head into David's back, accepting the assault of the rain against her face as did he. Their flesh did not feel the pain that a human would have in the same situation and they both enjoyed the cold little snaps against their faces. Thunder was now almost constantly cracking and the lightning had become sharp and jagged, lighting up the night and making blue and red eyes alike flash.
David skillfully maneuvered the Triumph to safety by the cave, and when they had dismounted, he took Raven's hand, flashing her an image.
"Yes!" she answered immediately. They flew immediately into the air, coming to rest on the top of the tallest cliff above the cave. There was no protection from the elements there and the wind whipped about them wildly. David settled Raven back against his chest and together they simply stood gazing out over the ocean and enjoyed the raging storm around them. She turned in his arms, her face tilted up to his, her hair whipping about them both. He was captivated by this deadly thing in his arms, and he put his lips to hers. Purple flames exploded all around them and at almost the same instant, lightning struck a tall tree behind them, a crash of thunder following immediately. They drew slowly apart, letting a simple peace flow between them. David took her hand, his strong fingers closing over hers, and brought her hand to his mouth, gently kissing her knuckles.
"Mine." he said simply.
Raven did not even pause. She simply did what she felt was right, in turn bringing his hand to her mouth and doing the same.
"Mine." she breathed. The two smiled at each other as thunder crashed again and lightning lit up the sky. He led her by the hand, jumping easily from ledge to ledge down the cliff face to the cave opening. They were both laughing as they entered the main cavern, thoroughly soaked but totally delighted at the night.
Fires were blazing and the boys were engaged in a game of trivial pursuit as Star sat reading a magazine. They all looked up as David and Raven entered with laughter, both of them shaking water everywhere and looking thoroughly drowned.
"What have you two been up to?" Marko piped up with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, it's pretty late; we thought we'd have to send out a search party." Paul smirked.
Dwayne was just looking at them with a smile.
David glanced at Raven who grinned back. "We just went for a drink and a bite to eat." he said innocently, shrugging his shoulders.
The boys looked at Raven, who seemed to be holding back a giggle. She noticed them looking at her and answered,
"Like My Night King said. Just a drink and a bite." She then looked to David and said, "I think I'll have that shower now." and solemnly winked at him, turning and moving toward the passage leading to the bath.
He watched her slight form disappear down the passageway and grinned to himself. What a night it had been, and it wasn't even over yet…..