Chapter 43
I woke up the next morning in the best way possible: finding a vampire playfully sucking on my neck. I lifted my head back and saw Demetri's grinning face. "Morning," I yawned. The curtains were wide open, and I saw it was still dark out. I reached for my phone, making it fly into my hand. Glancing at it, I saw it was 4:45 in the morning. I had asked Demetri to wake me up early so we could go out while the sun wasn't an issue and spend the entire day together. I turned my head back to him and gave a warm smile. "So, what would you like to do today?"
Demetri held me close to his naked body, and I attempted to ignore the pleasant sensation of his hard on pressing against my stomach. "Since today is the last day I'll be here while you don't have school during the day, how about we go to the training area you've told me about? We can spend the day there, and later, after the sun sets, I have something special planned that I think you'll enjoy."
I smiled. "That sounds great." I started to get up, intending to go take a shower, but I was just feeling so horny I didn't think I had it in me to leave him at the moment. I paused and let out a deep sigh, trying to calm myself. "Okay, we really don't have time for this, so how about just once, and we'll make it real quick." Demetri's expression was that of a kid in a candy store, and he eagerly nodded. I began a slow, teasing turn sliding my naked body over him to get us into the perfect 69 position, increasing his anticipation. As his tongue began to lick and penetrate me at a rapid pace, I gazed down at what I craved so badly. His cock stood erect and strained, pointing upward. With a happy sigh, I took about two to three inches into my mouth, while my left hand firmly gripped his shaft and began stroking him vigorously. I relished every moment of pleasuring him, putting all my effort into it. It didn't take long, maybe just a minute or two, before his skillful tongue work brought me to the brink of climax. I intensified my efforts, arching my back, and started using both hands to really jack him off, while my mouth was sucking as hard as I could. I felt his release, and I eagerly swallowed, welcoming each pulse. As I reached my own peak, everything felt perfect in that moment. After our highs subsided, we spent a minute cleaning each other up. With the knowledge that that would have to satisfy us for a while, I gave his dick a parting kiss and got up.
Standing at the foot of the bed, I gazed at him, lying there in all his naked glory, a contented smile on his face that brought a smile to my own. "Let me hop in the shower real quick, and I'll be ready. But, don't join me, as we only have about an hour to get there before the sun becomes an issue, and we'll never make it if we continue our fun in the shower."
We thankfully made it to the state park which housed my little training grounds just in time, before the sun became a problem. After Demetri had parked his rental car near the trailhead, we made our way into the forest, jogging at a fast human pace. The sun was just making its presence known over the horizon but not high enough yet to cause any sparkle issues. Regardless, Demetri was fully covered, wearing gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, and a hat. I couldn't help but wonder what people would think of him if we passed any other early morning joggers. Luckily, we didn't, and once I motioned us to leave the main trail, I picked up the pace, with Demetri following suit beside me. As we reached the clearing, I slowed down so I could show Demetri my handiwork.
As we walked closer, I began explaining the different sections I had created. "I cleared the main area the first day I found this place. I use the fallen trees around the perimeter to practice with my shield, and right here, I've also started carving some of the larger trunks to see if I have any artistic talent. I'm actually enjoying it, and it's very relaxing to carve just using my mind." I led Demetri over to my latest work, which was supposed to be a life-size version of him. "What do you think?"
I looked at him expectantly as he walked around his wooden self, which, I had to admit, wasn't the most accurate representation. But I was still new at this, and I could definitely see improvement from my first attempts. Finally, after a good minute of studying it, he looked at me and smiled.
"I like it. It's me, right?" I nodded at him with a smile, glad that he liked it. "Good," he replied, walking closer to stare into his wooden face. "It's amazing that you can create works of art without any tools. I'm sure that once you become a vampire, you'll be interested in exploring other artistic mediums. I think you'd enjoy carving, perhaps starting with a block of marble, just like the Renaissance masters of old."
"Thinking about it, since your shield cuts through anything, regardless of the strength of the material, you could experiment with unconventional materials like steel or other precious metals." He pulled me closer, embracing me warmly. I nestled into his hug as he added, "I can't wait to see all the incredible things you'll achieve one day."
I looked up at him, contemplating his words. "I know what you mean," I began, my voice reflecting a touch of excitement. "I've been making lists in my head of all the things I want to do, and the list is already so long that it feels like I'll need more than a lifetime to accomplish it all. If only I had that kind of time available to me." I smiled and hugged him tightly, feeling his love and support.
Then, with a mischievous grin and a playful tone, I added, "Oh, and I'll definitely create a marble sculpture of you one day. I can see it now. A larger-than-life size nude Demetri, much like Michelangelo's David. And we can proudly display it in the Volturi gardens. I'm sure it will go over well with all your friends. They will love staring up at your 2-foot long dick dangling there high above their heads." I started laughing, just imagining the flack Demetri would get for all eternity.
I looked up at Demetri, and I could see his smile vanish, his face turning even paler, if that were possible. "Don't you dare," he said, with a hint of fright in his voice. This only made me laugh harder as I hugged him reassuringly, trying to calm his would-be racing heart.
"Okay, okay, don't worry. We can save that one for our private collection." I pulled him down and gave him a kiss on the lips. "We'll be here for a while, so why don't you take off your hat and gloves and roll up those sleeves? You're making me feel hot just looking at you."
After Demetri looked more comfortable, I gestured for him to join me away from my art section, to what I like to think of as the blast area.
"Alright, I know you're eager to witness the explosive power. Just stand back a bit. We wouldn't want any accidents involving you and fire," I cautioned. I observed as Demetri moved to a reasonable distance.
"So, when I was first learning to harness this power, I discovered I could create a low-energy version that emits a glow which I can make brighter by putting more power into it. I can either have it envelop me or direct it away from myself. In the daylight, it might not seem that impressive, but come nighttime, it's pretty freaky. I can make it appear as though I'm glowing in the dark. I think your vampire eyes will still be able to perceive it, even during the day."
I made myself start to glow, although I made sure it wasn't anywhere near enough power to cause an explosion. To be honest, I had no intention of ever going through that traumatic experience again; once was more than enough for me. Turning to Demetri, I extended my arms out wide and did a full 360 for him to see the freak show that was his lady love. His eyes widened, clearly noticing the soft glow. It got me thinking – I vaguely remembered Demetri making an offhand remark about me looking like I was glowing when we made love on the plane ride back from Volterra. That had been only a day before the incident, so it was more than likely that I did have a glow, and I simply had no idea I was doing it. I smiled at Demetri, figuring that he had probably just thought I was the angelic being he usually perceived me to be.
"Alright, now for the big finale. Keep your eyes on that spot over there," I said, pointing to the center of the clearing. I began focusing my power into that specific area, steadily increasing its intensity. Then, with one last concentrated push, I released it all, creating a thunderous explosion with a massive fireball that erupted in mid-air.
"Damn, Bella, that's even more impressive than I had imagined," he exclaimed, appearing somewhat stunned. "And you were right in the center of that without getting hurt?"
"Nope, and this explosion wasn't anywhere near as powerful as the one at the Cullen house. I could probably make it much larger and more impressive, but I see no real need to do that right now. I'll let vampire Bella have the fun in experimenting with how much destruction I can unleash. Truthfully, the explosion at the Cullen house was many times the magnitude of what you just witnessed. Aside from vaporizing my clothes though, I was unharmed. The destruction around me though was pretty substantial. Edward's Volvo didn't make it. I was standing near it when I went boom, and it sent the car flying into the garage, damaging it beyond repair. I don't think Edward noticed though as he seemed to only have eyes for my naked body."
Demetri began to growl, and I couldn't help but laugh. I strolled over to him, wrapping my arms around him in a comforting hug.
"Oh, don't think of him as a threat," I playfully scolded. "That was probably the most skin he's ever seen of a woman in his entire lifetime."
I pulled him down a bit and started planting gentle kisses on his sparkling neck. Gradually, I shifted to licking and then downright sucking. It was getting me quite aroused, and I had an intense desire to just tear off all his clothes. But I reluctantly suppressed those urges because I wanted to continue showing him some other cool tricks I'd learned. I told myself there would be time for all that later.
I then showed him the ability I had learned to create flat shields and walk on them. First, I demonstrated how it worked by walking around the clearing about one foot above the ground. Then, we worked together, where I had him stand on the shield and start to walk around while I placed the shields under his feet as he moved. It required both of us to act in coordination, and thankfully, I didn't let him fall off. Just like everyone else who had given it a try, he enjoyed the sensation of walking on air.
We spent the rest of the day just hanging out and having fun with our abilities. As darkness fell, Demetri mentioned that the place he was taking me required us to dress a bit more formally then our usual attire. So, we made a stop at my dorm for me to pick out a nicer blouse and dress. While I took a quick shower, I left Demetri to have his first real conversation with Rebecca. After getting clean, I even applied some light makeup, which I hardly ever did. Once I was all dolled up, we headed back to Demetri's hotel room, so he could get himself looking spiffy too. When he emerged from the bathroom wearing a suit, it took my breath away. I had never seen him dressed up before, and he looked incredibly handsome. I made a mental note that we should definitely go out in outfits like these more often in the future.
I asked Demetri where we were headed, but all he would reveal was that it wasn't far. We drove in his rental car, and before I knew it, he pulled into a lengthy driveway in Hollywood. When he parked, I gazed out the window and laid my eyes on what might be the most peculiar looking house I'd ever seen. It somewhat resembled a small castle, and judging by the numerous cars already parked, there seemed to be some event or gathering going on inside.
"What is this place?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued as I looked at Demetri.
Demetri leaned in, his voice shrouded in mystery as he uttered, "This is the Magic Castle," a sly grin spreading across his face, before continuing, "It's a private club where magicians perform. I thought we could see some magic acts."
I had always been fascinated by magic tricks since I was a child. "Ooh, that sounds fun. I can't wait to be amazed," I said with excitement. As we got out of the car, a curious thought crossed my mind. "Can vampires see how tricks are done with your enhanced vision?"
Demetri smirked. "Well, with most sleight of hand tricks, vampires can see how it's done. However, if the magician is truly skilled, they can still manage to fool even us. I've always been fond of magic tricks myself. Hopefully, there will be some highly skilled magicians performing tonight."
As he led me to the entrance, another thought crossed my mind. "Has there ever been a vampire magician? With a vampire's innate abilities, they could make humans believe that most of what they did was magic."
"Not recently, no. In today's interconnected world, a vampire making a name for themselves by using their supernatural talents to create the illusion of performing magic in front of humans would be highly discouraged. However, in the distant past, I knew several vampires who enjoyed performing in front of audiences," Demetri replied, his smile hinting at memories from his past.
"Remind me to tell you the story sometime when Felix and I were on a mission around the turn of the 1900s. After our successful mission, we decided to put on a 'magic' performance at a local vaudeville show. The audience absolutely loved it. So, as long as we're careful, even vampires can have a little fun now and again."
I couldn't wait to hear that story as Demetri started telling me more about 'The Magic Castle' and how one needed an invitation to gain entry into the building for the show. Once inside, the interior of the house was just as unique as the exterior, making it feel like we had stepped back in time, maybe 100 years. Everyone was dressed in fancy suits and dresses, just like us, and there were various rooms with different shows scattered throughout the house.
Our first stop was a room that doubled as a bar and a restaurant. After we ordered, we watched magicians performing small acts around the room, right next to the diners as they ate. They even included the guests in their sleight of hand acts and other magic tricks. The whole experience was incredibly entertaining, much more so than the food, which turned out to be rather bland.
After we finished eating, and by "we," I mean just me, we began to explore the house, venturing into other rooms to watch more magic acts. Many of the magicians displayed considerable skill, and I could only guess at how they pulled off many of their tricks and illusions. I decided not to ask Demetri about them later, as I preferred to keep some mystery alive in their performances. Nonetheless, I couldn't help but wonder about the secrets behind a few of the acts.
We eventually found ourselves in the main theater room, a place with a raised stage reserved for the more professional magic acts. Luck was on our side, and we secured front-row seats. As the evening unfolded, we enjoyed a captivating series of magical performances. When the last magician concluded their act, the entire theater, packed with about a hundred guests, erupted in a spirited round of applause.
The MC walked out from the side curtain and stepped back onto the stage. He clapped energetically as he approached the magician, shaking his hand with exaggerated enthusiasm. He turned to address the room with a flourish.
"Bravo, my friends, bravo! Another spectacular performance that has left us all in awe. I trust you're thoroughly enchanted by the shows. But the magic doesn't stop here. It's that thrilling time of the night when we eagerly seek any budding magicians among us, those who dare to step into the limelight and astound us all! Don't be bashful, my fellow magic enthusiasts, for this is the realm where wonder knows no bounds!"
I laughed at the MC's over-the-top words, looking around the audience in the hope that someone would step up to perform. I was shocked when I heard a throat clear next to me, and I heard Demetri's voice. My head spun quickly towards him as he addressed the MC.
"My girlfriend here is an aspiring magician and is quite skilled," he declared, sporting a big grin and winking at me. He leaned into me and whispered, "Why don't you show the room your special brand of magic."
I was still processing what was happening when I heard the MC say with dramatic flair, "Well, certainly, everyone, let's give this lovely lady a hand!"
I heard people clapping for me, and I looked at Demetri, whispering, "Are you sure this is okay?"
He whispered back, "It's fine. This is a room where magic happens; you'll be great."
Well, if he thought it would be okay… I stood up. This would be interesting. I had never performed in front of an audience before, not even in a school play, and I certainly had never shown off my abilities. I focused my mind. I could do this. I can be a performer. I walked to the stage, climbed the steps, and as I turned around, I found myself standing right there in the center of the stage, looking out at the crowded room. It suddenly felt like there were two or three times as many people watching me as there actually were. I'm sure I had a deer-in-the-headlights expression on my face as I took in everything around me, which looked so different from up here under the bright lights of the stage. I quickly gave myself another pep talk, repeating over and over in my head, 'You've got this, Bella.'
"Hi everyone," I initially muttered, but my voice came out weak, and I was sure no one could hear me. Gathering my courage, I inhaled deeply and tried again, projecting a much louder, more confident voice. "Good evening, everyone. My name is... Well, my stage name will be…" I looked down at Demetri in the front row as it hit me. "The Great Bellini," I proclaimed, smiling radiantly as the name rolled off my tongue. I glimpsed Demetri's beaming face in the front row as he chuckled. In that moment, I knew I would be just fine.
"This is actually the first time I'll be performing in front of a live audience, so please bear with me if my performance is not polished. I'm really doing this on the fly," I admitted, while I started to think about all my abilities and which ones I could turn into magic tricks. My explosive power was out, as I didn't want to set off the sprinklers by accident, but I could certainly do a lot with my shields. I smiled as a magic act started to develop in my mind.
"Okay... I guess one of my more interesting illusions is the invisible box. You might ask, 'Where is it?'" I glanced around as if perplexed. "I'm having a hard time spotting it myself. Maybe someone in the audience can help me. Anyone, it doesn't matter who, please point to where you think the invisible box might be."
I figured audience participation would make the performance more interesting, and I noticed a women pointing towards the right side of the stage. I walked up to where she had indicated.
"Okay, so you say the box is right here in front of me. I hope you're right. I guess we'll find out when I try to stand on it." I created a shield in front of me, about a foot and a half above the stage floor, and then stepped up onto the shield. Thankfully, I heard some gasps and clapping from the audience.
"There we go! Thank you for pointing out the box. I hadn't noticed this one. In fact, I have several invisible boxes scattered around the stage. Ah, I remember another one was placed right at center stage." I hopped down from my shield, and walked over to the center of the stage, and created another shield, performing the same maneuver.
"Now, invisible boxes are cool and all, but let's kick it up a notch because I also have some invisible floating boxes." I created another shield about five feet off the ground next to me, grabbed onto it, and hoisted myself up, then sat down on the shield with my legs swinging freely beneath me. The audience responded with lots of clapping and cheers. I was having a great time and was quite happy to discover that performing in front of an audience felt natural.
"You might be wondering how I'm doing this. Well, a magician never tells, but I'm sure there must be thin wires involved, or maybe I'm employing mirrors? Regardless, I'm sure many of you are magicians yourselves and must have some inkling." I smiled, giving Demetri a little wave. I then noticed a man sitting a few seats away from him and thought of my next bit.
"Okay, now for my next trick, I will need the help of an audience member. Don't worry, you don't have to do anything. In this magic trick, I'm going to make an inanimate object come alive." I pointed to the audience member I had spotted. "You, sir." I looked at the man. "That's a nice hat. May I see it?" With that, I raised my arm and wiggled my fingers at his head, using my shield to lift the hat from his head and have it float to my outstretched hand. I received a loud round of applause as I put the hat on my head. "Well, this is a nice hat. No offense, but I think it looks better on me." Laughter echoed around the room. I took the hat off my head and examined it. "Hey, little guy," I said to the hat with a smile. "Wake up and find where you truly want to be."
I then threw the hat like a frisbee toward the audience but grabbed onto it with my shield and stopped it in midair. I used my shield to make the hat start floating around the room over all the audience's heads as if it were searching for its next destination. I tried to give the hat some personality in its movements, making it seem like it thought about resting on someone's head before changing its mind. The hat's antics generated quite a lot of laughter from the audience.
Finally, I brought it back to the original owner and placed it on his head. A resounding round of applause filled the room. "There, back where it belongs. Go back to sleep, little guy. You've played your part well."
I contemplated a grand finale for this impromptu performance. I really wanted to do an amazing showstopper. As an idea formed in my mind, I knew it would be talked about for a long time, and trying to figure out how I did it would become part of the history and lore of this place, which I was sure the owners would love.
"Okay, for my final act, I will need the assistance from an audience member. They must have a very strong stomach so no one who just ate please." Laughter filled the room, and several people raised their hands. I noticed a middle-aged man a few rows back who seemed really eager to be part of the act. I smiled and pointed at him. "Alright, you sir. Please come on up."
As he made his way to the stage, I gracefully hopped off the invisible floating box I had been sitting on and walked to the steps to greet him and extended my hand for a handshake. "Hello, stranger whom I've never met before." I turned to the audience and winked theatrically. Best they think he was a plant in the audience and is a part of my act.
"Alright, for my grand finale, I've got something special in store for all of you. I'm going to attach this fine gentleman to my invisible spinning wheel!" I declared, then addressed the man directly. "Please join me at the center of the stage and spread your arms and legs out wide." I watched as the man complied, wearing a big smile on his face. "Perfect, now please just hold that pose for a minute."
I walked over to the left side of the stage, continuing my performance with a playful tone. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, I want your undivided attention on me. Don't pay any attention to my invisible stagehands hooking up the nice man to a bunch of wires and gizmos. No, no, focus on me, please," I urged the audience. I looked down at myself and then addressed Demetri, "I think I needed my top to be a little more revealing. They're not thoroughly distracted enough." This brought a good number of laughs from the audience. I was really enjoying engaging with them, and they appeared to be greatly entertained by my antics as well. Turning back to the man, I knew now was the time for 'The Great Bellini' to make her mark in her short-lived career as a magician.
I approached the man, speaking to both him and the audience. "Okay, now that you're all hooked up, it's time to attach you to the spinning wheel." I turned my head away from the audience and whispered to him, "Just relax, I'm a professional. Just go with the flow, and we'll make this look amazing." With that, I placed my hands around his waist and gently lifted him about a foot off the ground. I placed a shield around him, effectively immobilizing his body. The man's eyes widened as he realized how much stronger I was than someone of my stature should be. He looked at his arms and legs, clearly confused that he couldn't move them. I gave him a reassuring wink, then turned back to the audience, greeted by their applause as they witnessed the man now suspended in mid-air.
Moving to his side, I addressed the audience again. "Now, let's set the wheel in motion." I mimicked grabbing hold of an imaginary wheel, theatrically lifting my arms into the air, and began to spin him end over end. It was just like I enjoyed doing with the tree trunks, so I was very comfortable and practiced with this type of movement.
As he spun slowly and steadily in circles, I walked to the front of the stage and started patting myself down. I glanced at the audience, shrugged, and quipped, "Damn, I forgot my throwing knives!" The crowd burst into laughter. Returning to the spinning man, I engaged with the audience once again.
"Now, I'm sure you're all curious to see the back of the spinning wheel, right? It's only natural; magicians are a nosy… I mean curious bunch. I was too when I watched some of the earlier acts." With that, I mimicked grabbing onto something and began slowly walking in a wide circle, as if I were pushing a large and heavy object. Simultaneously, I kept the still-spinning man rotating with me, continuing until I had completed a full 360-degree turn.
"Alright, I think we've subjected this kind gentleman to enough spinning," I declared. I pretended to slow down the spinning wheel with my hands and carefully halted the man when he was right-side-up. Holding onto his waist, I removed the shield that had kept him steady and placed him on the ground. For a brief moment, I held him upright as he regained his balance. He gazed at me in amazement, and I responded with a wink and a smile before turning my attention back to the audience.
"Let's give a big round of applause for my spinning assistant!" The whole audience, myself included, started clapping. The man gave a little wave to the crowd as he, still a bit wobbly, made his way back to his seat.
I took in the entire room, basking in a performance well done. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be on stage again, almost certainly not for magic, as while I had a great time, I knew my passions lay elsewhere.
"Well, for a first-time performance, that didn't go too badly. Thank you, everyone, for humoring an amateur. Hopefully, my invisible stagehands have wheeled out the spinning wheel and removed all those invisible boxes. We wouldn't want anyone to trip over them." I turned my head and watched as the MC returned to the stage to shake my hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what more can be said! What an absolutely mesmerizing spectacle we've all just witnessed! Let's give everything you've got for the one... the only... The Great Bellini!" The MC's voice boomed with enthusiasm, echoing through the theater by the time he almost screamed out my stage name. Sporting a wide and infectious grin, I took a graceful bow while the entire audience erupted in cheers and applause. I waved to the enthusiastic crowd, still beaming, and made my way off the stage to join Demetri.
He gave me a big hug when I got to him and whispered, "You were amazing. I only wish I had it on video so I could show everyone your performance. You're a natural."
"I'm glad you liked it. I enjoyed every moment up there too, and I'm pretty sure I can convince 'The Great Bellini' to put on another performance in the future. Who knows, if you play your cards right, maybe she'll even treat you to a private show!" I grinned as Demetri lifted me up and planted a big kiss on my lips.
As we broke apart and retook our seats, Demetri leaned closer to me and whispered, "I can't wait."
We had a great time watching a few more acts until closing time came around. As we were heading out, a man approached us. "Excuse me, miss. I'm one of the regular performers here. I was just wondering how you did some of your tricks. I was watching carefully, but your illusions didn't follow the normal rules magicians employ for those types of tricks. Could you give me any hints? I'd love to incorporate magic like that into my act."
I smiled at the man and motioned for him to come a bit closer so I could whisper to him. He leaned in, and I spoke one word in a hushed tone, "Magnets." He leaned back, looking at me with surprise as I nodded, giving him a wink and a smile. We then bid farewell to The Magic Castle.
As we got into the car, I looked over at Demetri. "Thank you for tonight." I leaned over, pulling him toward me, and gave him another kiss on the lips. "I had no idea I would enjoy being up there on the stage so much. That was such a new experience for me. You never really got to meet the shy, timid me from before we met. She would never have been able to do that."
Demetri held my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time. You were absolutely amazing up there. I loved the magic show you put on for everyone. It's likely the only time they'll ever get to experience real magic." He chuckled. "I wonder how long that guy will try to figure out how magnets made all those tricks possible?" I giggled along, and for the remainder of our journey back to the hotel, we chatted about the various tricks and illusions we had seen.
Throughout the rest of Demetri's visit, we had a blast doing various things each night. I took him on a full campus tour one evening, showing him my classes and all the other amazing things UCLA had to offer. Another night, we met up with Rebecca and some of our other friends. We hit the club we typically frequent on the weekends and danced the night away. Thankfully, my friends all took a liking to Demetri; after all, what's not to love.
On his last night here, as we were deciding where to go, a playful idea popped into my head. I grinned and said, "You know, Rebecca insists that every modern woman needs a vibrator. So, how about you take me to a sex shop, and we can pick one out together? I'll even let you be the first to use it on me. How does that sound?" I moved one finger teasingly down his chest, and he grinned back at me, his eyes filled with desire.
"That sounds intriguing. Let's go. I've never been to a sex shop before, and I'm guessing you haven't either." I nodded in agreement. "Let's go pick you up a poor imitation of my manhood. I don't want you to be bereft when I'm away." With that, he took my hand and led me out of his hotel room, and I couldn't help but have a big smile on my face.
Let me know your thoughts. I hope you enjoyed reading the "The Great Bellini" section as much as I did writing it.
