A/N: I want to say thank you to Taria Robotnik for being a loyal reader! Thanks for sticking with me during The Blood's Desire and on this one too! Your reviews always brighten my days!

I have the third part to this arc almost done and will post that as soon as I can. Then I have some E/C stories coming after this. Please don't forget to review!

Synopsis—Nadir hears about the murders in Paris and suspects his old friend might have something to do with it…

Bloodlust 2

Months passed and the bloodlust in Erik was growing more out of control. He tried not to go out but the temptation was too much and punishment for refusing the demon led to unsavory and messy results.

His attempts to harm himself led nowhere for the demon had no intention of ever being destroyed. If anything, these attempts pushed his endurance on how much pain he could take before abandoning them.

The demon would not lose and Erik was seeing how it was a pointless cause.

He could not kill himself so his options were limited:

Either he accepted this bloody lifestyle and work on having control over his lust or wait for someone who would do the job and kill him.

xxXXxx

When Nadir heard of the murders, his first thought—No, it couldn't be possible. Not in Paris.

But the more news he heard, his suspicions were confirmed.

Vampire.

A creature he believed only existed in his precious Persia was now in Paris. His sense of duty blazed within him and he vowed he wouldn't rest until the monster was found and destroyed.

He owed it to his adopted city and as he gathered newspaper articles to search for a pattern of the killings—Nadir discovered the first death was that of Christiana Danvers.

This was remarkable since she was the very same soprano who captured Erik's heart. Nadir had been thrilled that his old friend found love, but at the time, he pitied him. Erik knew nothing of the ways to win a woman's heart and it was impossible for him to meet her since he refused to venture out into the world of man. Nadir knew he would be doomed to love her from a distance and as long as it kept him out of trouble…

But she was dead.

And so was her lover.

Erik's heart would be broken to hear such news, but as he continued reading, he was mortified to learn that the lover had been mutilated. The police first suspected a jealous paramour, but after the other murders… they were thinking twice, especially when the singer was found with little blood left in her.

Yet… a vampire did not discriminate its victims and it would not be surprising that she would wind up as another casualty. Although, the chances could be slim to none and it was coincidental.

But there was still the matter of the lover. Yes, vampires suffered through a bloodlust that was spurred on by the inner demon and it would often lead into a messy kill… but this seemed personal.

It was difficult, but Nadir managed to get a copy of the police and coroner's reports on Christiana Danvers and the stagehand—Pierre Verdon—and he was able to see pictures of the crime scene. They were explicit and bloody and he was given a strange look by the young man he bribed. The officer had been pale when he handed the portfolio over. Just the thought of it… made him ill to his stomach.

As for Nadir… it was nothing new. He had been the head dargoa of the Shah's secret police and when he had been granted the office of being a Hunter of the Undead… Nadir had seen (and smelled) all sorts of leftovers that were left behind. The photos did not affect him and he scrutinized them closely for some clue that the Paris' finest missed.

He concluded that Verdon's death was indeed a personal one, especially with the intention of leaving nothing behind for identity. The violence done to him suggested that much and according to the report… there was evidence of dried semen on one of his thighs and the soprano's; obviously, their relationship was anything but platonic. But the singer's body was unscathed… for the most part. Her throat was ripped out, but the rest of her body was untouched. If anything, Nadir would say the minor damage done to her was a sign of tenderness.

Clearly, the vampire did not want to hurt her as much as he did to the lover.

Maybe it was a kindness if the vampire knew her.

Or even loved her.

As immediate as the thought arose in his head, the Persian could not prevent the notion from entering.

Yes… those odds would be extremely high for Miss Danvers if someone knew her was involved. Someone with a personal connection who perhaps did not have much social interaction with the outside world… someone who would choose to stick to the shadows and watch without interfering… someone who might have worked up the nerve to approach his love to only discover she was not who he thought she was…

Someone like…

Nadir justified it as another friendly call to an old friend. He was going to see how Erik was doing and if there were any unusual changes that occurred… That's all. A simple house call and maybe a cup of tea over insults and reminiscing of the old days…

And if his suspicions proved to be correct—well, Nadir had no choice. It was his solemn duty… his calling.

He must do what he must to protect the innocent people.

Nadir went below the Opera house and what he discovered… he nearly wept for his old friend.

There were heaping piles and piles of bodies along the shoreline. The stench of decaying bodies was so rancid and putrid that even his handkerchief could not provide much relief when he covered his mouth and nose. How it did not reach the upper levels was amazing and explained why this was not discovered sooner… but he realized that Erik was disposing the bodies into the underground lake. One look over the boat and Nadir was greeted with the horrified expressions of the unfortunate victims starring up from their watery graves.

This was not Erik's usual self-defense traps to protect himself from discovery. This was a feeding ground.

As the boat touched the sandy shore, Nadir drew his pistol and cocked it so it was ready to be fired. He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the silver cross and held it tight in his fist as he approached the front door to Erik's home.

He maintained a stoic look, the hunter in him taking over, preparing himself for what he must do. His old friend was not his friend anymore… no… a soulless monster ruled him now and he had to stop him for good… to put his soul to rest.

Nadir kicked in the door and…

Emptiness greeted him.

But it still shocked him to find the neat and tidied home had been destroyed. Furniture was overturned, papers and books scattered all about, the priceless decorations in shambles and broken pieces… as if a tornado went through. Even Erik's prized organ had been bludgeoned, the keys smashed, the pipes bent and falling over.

There had been a struggle all right.

Nadir searched the rest of the house and found all the other rooms in a similar fashion. The only room that escaped the path of destruction was Erik's bedroom. All that was left was his coffin bed.

Erik was not here (either that was a relief or not, Nadir could not decide) and he found no traces of ash or a charred body to hint that a vampire had been killed.

Erik did this to his home but for what reason?

The hunter in him ignored that question for it was irrelevant. All that mattered was that the creature escaped and was on the loose. And Allah helped those who crossed the demon's path.

Nadir crossed himself and murmured a quick prayer for the next soul that would be devoured by the demon.

So the only thing left to do was give those trapped down here a proper burial. It would be a laborious task… one that would take Nadir several weeks, but eventually he did the best to help those tortured souls. All the while he kept his ears opened for news of Erik and his return.

For he knew Erik would return to Paris. The vampire always returns to its birthplace and when it does…

Nadir will be waiting.

Next: Bloodlust 3—Erik's travels abroad and meets up with an old enemy from Persia…