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Darkest Desires, The Chronicles Part VI
06:27 Mar 26 2006
Times Read: 744


Raven



Even as a little mortal girl, I would run if something was bothering me. Problems made me take flight; I would run as fast and as far as my small child legs would carry me. To the top of a mountain or deep into the woods to the deepest, darkest interior and to total seclusion. Up the tallest tree like a little monkiey until I was perched in the upper most branches safe from my raging fears and here I would stay until some solution would creep through to my child's mind to make everything OK again. Time or circumstances haven't changed my reaction to things, so after flying at lightning speed for an undetermined amount of time, I finally stopped on top of the tallest building in sight. No longer necessary to stop from fatigue, I landed because I finally needed to confront my problem - our problem. It took me several minutes to realize I was on the top of a building in Dallas, Texas, frowning down on the street below. Ah yes, I realize with a flash of recognition, the famous Dallas Book Depository building. The scene of the most famous assassination of this century. I hope it's not a premonition of things to come. But, mulling over our situation, I know in my soul that our new friend is trouble . . . no, he'll be our downfall. Why don't Syren and Sundown distrust him? Three different manifestations, three different come on's. I don't buy Syren's idea that he appears as we were able to accept him. No, there is something wrong, he appeared as he thinks we need him. I'm afraid and angry too that we may have to run again. It's not that I have any great ties to San Diego, I like it here, the hunting is good, the attitude laid back; but I'm a gypsy, roaming is in my blood. I guess I wanted to stay put for awhile and feel safe. Now this shit. Who is this jackass anyway? I mean, who is he really, and if we have to run, where the hell would we go? How many times and from how many dangers must we flee before the pinball is tilted? Who will win this time - us or him? Break the bank and take your prize home. And what is the prize, our immortal souls? How the hell can this guy be alive but immortal? It makes no sense that nothing can penetrate his spirit, cease his timeless heartbeat. Even we can die, even vampires can have the true death, so how can a mortal keep on going and going? Holy fuck - he's the Energizer Bunny! I laugh out loud as an image of a giant killer rabbit, all knowing, stalking us wherever we run forms in my mind. Silly? Maybe, but the killing part is very possible. so how do I accept that possibility, with a shrug and a state of grace? Fuck it all, I've cared for centuries, I'm tired. Maybe if I got drunk on fantasy and high on pretend I could ust ignore he exists and let the chips fall where they may, but damn, do I go into that dream even if I could kill? If he is our fate as was suggested, do we rush headlong into his charms knowing it's probably a spiderweb? Ah, to go back with Sherman and Peabody in the Wayback machine before each of us faced HIM . . . and the foreboding grows.



I'm so tired of looking over my shoulder, always some danger to avoid. A snoopy mortal, or immortal as he said he was, or worse yet, one that knows about you and stalks you because he wants the dark gift. Sometimes it's not enough to just kill them, you never know who else they share their knowledge with. Other vampires, God you would think we would all band together for safety, not necessarily so. Many hate and fear their own kind. My little internal renter, as the rentee I'm always in fear of his grand entrances. My sire . . . damn the list goes on and on. I raise my arms and loudly proclaim, "I am so very tired of running!" "Give me freedom and a sexy victim or give me death!" I scream to the wind as I sit down on the roof ledge. Now, doesn't that sound like it should be a quote from some famous historical figure? No matter, he'd probably be as dead as a doornail anyway and I damn well don't want to join him. Fuck, this guy really scares me; he knows all there is to know about us. This is another fine mess to be in and I think I'm not lucky. We could always run away and join the circus. Now there's an idea. Ok, so that probably stinks, considering the fact that I think our existence is already a circus or maybe a zoo. Whatever, I suppose trading one three ring circus for another wouldn't make much sense considering at close inspection all the rings are piled with the same shit. Damn those animals, and damn our neighborhood Druid or whatever he is. I know in my undead little heart he will bring pain and trouble. The master of chemestry waiting to ignite our world as we know it, up in smoke, POOF. Smoke and fire.



Fuck, I'm raving. I truly haven't been this terrified since living with my sire and I'm still not convinced he isn't behind HIM. I pace back and forth across the roof but no answers come, just more and more questions. Syren is mesmerized by him, I saw that flicker in her eye. Sundown is starting a spiritual rapture over him as the godhead she would follow. Neither is thinking straight. Am I the only one that smells the bullshit? Yet, something compels me to take a step back and explore the possibility that all my questions could be his answers. NO, it's too close to our core. The vulnerable center of our survival secrets, once let in, how easy it would be to destroy us. Are my powers any match for him and how do I find out without putting myself at risk? The boys I brought home for Syren and Sundown would give their lives for us. Enslaving them was easy and their loyalty complete, but they're so young, rather inexperienced and above all, frail mortals. How much help could they be against him if he chose to strike? The gods are silent and my fear so deep I can't bear to say his name out loud. Semseteray, are you also the master of death or just lies? I will not allow Syren to fall in love with you, I will not allow Sundown to give you the remainder of her soul. You tell me you can help me find my truth, but will the truth set me free or chain me to hell. So, here I am in Texas of all places feeling sad, frightened and alone. I raise my head and sniff the night air, no danger right this minute but he can block himself from me and I don't know if there are more just like him. Now there's a dandy thought. Maybe I should go back to the old country for awhile, it's easier to hide there. But even as fragmented thought after thought whirls through my tortured brain, I know I will stay here with the girls. I would walk into oblivion for them so if we have a problem we'll see it through together. Now think Raven, what could he really want and what will he do to get it? No answers can come because the hunger is seeping into every thought. Well, at least for a time there is something else to occupy my mind. I need blood. I begin my journey home.



Getting close to my destination now, you can smell the ocean. If I listen I can actually hear the life going on beneath the surface of the water. How calm and beautiful and then I realize how very late it's getting, not much time before sunrise. "Must find a victim quickly," I think as I fly at invisible lightning speed through the unsuspecting mortal world. There we go, I grin as I spot an early morning delivery man. Not an ideal choice, hard to cover my tracks but I haven't fed in days, not since all this crap began. I must get myself under control. The stress and hunger are pushing me to the verge of frenzy. With little thought or care for th consequences of my actions, I attack the delivery man, swiftly sinking my fangs into his neck, I rip through to the life pulsing artery I crave so much. How delicious this man, sweet and filling. I begin to feel my mind and body start to calm down almost instantly. Somewhere in the recesses of my logic I know I should back off and let this man live, but I can't. My fountain of desire, my most precious cup of life force. My greed to consume every drop was too much. Soon it was over and he lay dead at my feet. I held fast to his hand for a moment weak from the electrical shock waves that entered my body with the last surge of his dying heart. The need to frenzy is abated and my internal friend still at rest I think maybe everything will be alright.



"What's going on down there!" screams a man from the window of a neighboring house. "Someone help, I've called the police, they're on their way," he screams.



Lights begin to snap on in the surrounding homes. Just great, of all the neighborhoods in the world I find myself in one that gets involved. My wits slightly muddled from the recent feast, I shake my head and strain to find the best escape route. I've found when caught by mortals with your hand in the cookie jar, it's wise to act like a crazy human rather than appear to be supernatural. That way, once I've made my escape the search is on but not with all the little ghostbusters and vampire slayers on your heels.



I dart across the lawn nearest the delivery truck and sprint behind a building, once out of eye shot it will be easy to rise above this and vamoose. I hear the shouts behind me and now the joint wails of sirens and flashing lights. I'm just about home free when an arm catches me and whirls me into a storage building.



"Keep perfectly still," whispers Semseteray, "my body over yours will make an invisible cloak which mortals cannot see through."



Right he was, we were right there against the wall and the searchers passed us by, one by one filing back to the scene of the crime where the action is. When everyone was gone and Semseteray and I were alone, I turned to him, eyes raging infernos, fangs bared.



"I don't need your help mortal, I have escaped centuries of discovery by my own wits and powers. What will it take to make you leave me . . . us alone?" I continued. "I detest you and I will never trust you, so go away!"



"Raven, you fear me," he said, "but soon you will learn to trust me as your friends have."



"Yeah," I quip. "Just like the unsuspecting mouse can trust the snake. I am sure you are as trustworthy as a rattlesnake."



In between gales of laughter he explains it's my sense of humor he just loves about me. All I can do is glare at him for a moment, then I spit in the dirt at his feet, an old Gypsy superstition meant to chase away evil spirits.



"You'll come around, you'll see," he grins. "Just wait and see."



With a salute and a kiss that he blew at me, he was gone and I was left standing alone. "The jerk is beginning to haunt me, that little creep is everywhere.



Ok, ok, I think, fight fire with fire and in this case, it's knowledge. But who owuld know if his story is true? History books? Naw, an archeologist? Maybe. No . . . the only way for sure is to get into the inner most recesses of his mind. He's human, he must sleep. I'll follow him, I know it's possible, it has to be. If he can block me then I can block him. I will find him as he sleeps and when he's in the deepest part of slumber when all channels are open, I'll penetrate his mind and learn the truth. Well, not much of a plan, but it's a start. You know what they say about that million mile journey and one step. My mind begins to lighten as I formulate a plan of sorts. With a start I realize I really, really have to get home before my plans go up in smoke, literally. Dawn is only minutes away, the sky changing to the first purple hues of daylight. I race up and over the scene of my little comedy of errors only to catch sight of a face in the crowd below. I come to a dead stop and hide myself against the snug little area on the top of an old large home created by the floor to ceiling window jutting out from the main body of the roof. It had a rail surrounding this hightest window which afforded me quite a nice hiding place with a great view of the grounds below. Staring down I felt a jolt of recognition as I looked into intense eyes. I know that perfect face, that hard muscled body in control of the situation just with his presence.



Damn, you look good in your uniform, officer I think. The blood begins to throb in my veins and I realize with a stab of fear that I want this man. I was just about to read his thoughts so I could put a name to the fantasy when suddenly he looked up, it seemed directly to my hiding place. He just stared intently as though his gaze was looking for me too! I melt against the shingles as far into the shadowed recesses as possible. It wouldn't do for you to see me now, much too risky.



Soon, I'll find you again soon I vow and I quickly fly from my perch to beat those first rays of light home.





Syren





I awake with a start, hands clenched, fangs bared, bloody sweat making my nightgown stick to my body. I leap out of bed, ready for the attack. Oh god, it was a nightmare, nothing more, you silly vampire, I laugh to myself. It has been a long time since these nightmares have plagued my rest. It's probably what has just happened to us that has brought these dreams back to haunt my sleep. Glancing at the bedside clock, I moaned, it was only 1:00 in the afternoon! I know there would be no more rest for me this day, not after this doosy of a dream, so might as well take a shower and putter around the loft and think our new problem through.



As the hot water beat down on my cold, undead flesh, my mind wanders back to last night's conversation with Sundown. As usual, Raven ran away. She'll be back and then will be ready to talk to us. That is Raven's nature, run first, think later. It still makes Sundown crazy and she still cannot accept Raven for her actions. At least Raven and I have longed ago accepted each other for what we are and try to give each other the strength in areas the other lacks.



What to think, I am so confused! Sundown's retelling of her encounter with Semesteray was remarkable. He was so different in his dealings and attitude with her, so different from mine with him. I can only wonder how Raven reacted to him. I am sure she verbally went for his jugular and it was not a pleasant sight. Why is he approaching each of us in this manner? Why?? What does he want from us? Who and what is he? What kind of human is immortal? Hmmmm, there are those that Raven and I encountered so long ago, I wonder . . .



He is full of power, that much I did sense from him. I do not like the fact that he knows all there is to know about us, of what we are and what we each carry inside us. Could he, would he, help us to remove these demons or at least help us learn to control them? To be free, to be without this wretched demon would be so . . . oh, stupid me, sure he just wants to help us out because he's a nice guy, right. What would his price be for that? Is there some sort of organization that Semesteray is part of? What would their ultimate goal be to help kindred and humanity out? We have encountered ancient societies before, but none with such powerful beings as Semesteray appears to be. What would the ultimate price be for their assistance? Sigh, my head aches from all this stress! Too much to think about before my first cup of blood.



I continued to let the hot water stream over me, the warmth was so comforting. There are times when I hate the touch of my own cold flesh. Why does my body tingle at the thought of him? Why did he affect me so? I am certainly no flighty human, I'm much too old and been through too much to let some male make me weak kneed with no will of my own. The more I think of Semesteray, the more aroused I get. Before I know it I am touching myself, rubbing my hands all over myself, moaning.



With a start, I quickly turn around in the large shower. Those were the hands of someone caressing me! Only mist meets my eyes, so who or what is this? There is no one in here with me, but I did feel those other hands on my breasts and stomach! Before my eyes, the steamy mist coalesces into the shape of a man and once again unseen hands are caressing me. My will is gone, I cannot fight the waves of pleasure racking my body. I must give in to the sensation, I give one last pull with my mind, but it does no good. The unseen body wraps itself around me and I feel a tongue forcing itself into my mouth. I wrap myself around it and return the embrace in absolute rapture. I open my eyes and there is Semesteray himself with me in the shower. I try to pull myself away, to no avail.



"Let me go," I hiss, fangs bared.



"Oh no, I think not my lovely Syren," he whispered back, his eyes gleaming in the steamy mist.



"You belong to me. I have watched and wanted you for far too long. I will take you now. Do not struggle, you cannot resist me, nor do you wish to resist me . . . ever."



Again, he took me in his arms and kissed me, one hand on my breast and the other between my legs. My mind is horrified at what is happening, imagine me, a vampire, being raped! Moans escaped my lips, as I pushed myself against him. I wanted him, oh, how I wanted him at that moment. There was no other thought except for wanting him inside me.



He pulled back, and cupped my chin in his hand.



"The pleasures I can show you, my Syren. Do not fear me, no harm will come to you or your dark sisters. I am here to help you in your battle against your sire. Submit to me, you have no choice. With me you always be safe and secure. I will take care of you and give you powers that you have never imagined. In time, you will remember our past."



He picked me up, and braced my back against the tiles. He thrust into me and kept on thrusting. I wrapped my legs around his waist and matched him thrust for thrust. We both cried out with our orgasmic waves of absolute pleasure overtook us. Never had I ever had such an orgasm! My whole body tingled and once again I came, unable to control myself.



Semesteray let me down, and very slowly and tenderly took me into his arms and covered my face, neck, shoulders and breasts with soft, sensual kisses and licks.



"Thank you my lady. This moment was all that I had imagined, and more. Now, we are as one. We have a bond that cannot be broken. When I need you, you will come."



I closed my eyes and sighed. When I opened them, he was gone. Just the sound of the cascading water was all I heard. With trembling hands, I turned off the shower and stepped out. I grabbed the towel and attempted to dry myself off. I sank down to the carpet and began to cry uncontrollably, my body racking with sobs. What the hell is going on with me?! Semesteray has bewitched me! Damn my body, it has betrayed me, and he knows of my weakness and went in for the kill. Damn him! Won't this little episode go over well with Sundown. Part of me wants to just fly and fly and get away from my sisters and hide from Semesteray, whoever or whatever he is. There must be something we can do. There must be a way to find out more. Knowledge will empower us, not keep us helpless.



Great, now I've covered my fresh towel with bloody tears. But at least I feel a little better. Best to get dressed and talk to Raven and Sundown.





Sundown





Purple-black clouds bruise the apricot sunset, their golden gilt edges reflecting the last of the sun's rays. Pelicans sail just above the breakers foamy mist, hoping to scoop up an evening snack while on the wing. Sometimes you can see the fish through the backlit wave, flicking in and out of the wave's white water and seaweed shadows.



I have always loved watching sunsets, anywhere, anytime. I remember as a child, I would watch the sun sink into the purple horizon, then turn and run up a grassy knoll just to watch it set a second time. Guess my 'name' suits me. At least I can still watch them. I am an early riser by vampire standards. I enjoy greeting the night's arrival. I putter around our lair, picking up after my less than tidy roommates while waiting for the sun's most painful rays to slide away. That is when I do my best thinking, deciding whether or not to hunt, eat, or just veg.



Right now, though, I sit on the beach and wait for the evening stars to twinkle . . . and dimly begin to realize just how in the hell did I get here . . . and furthermore, where IS here? No, I know this place. In fact, not only do I recognize this beach, but I remember this sunset. THIS WAS MY LAST MORTAL SUNSET! I mean, down to the soft, warm winds blowing through my hair and tickle of the sand grains between my toes. A sound I haven't heard in a very long time intrudes on my racing thoughts. My HEARTBEAT, bounds in fits and starts like a spooked rabbit. I glance to my right and see my sword and breastplate where I dropped it, boots and tunic heaped on top, while the captain of the guard snoozes on his sweaty horseblanket.



I try to rise only to have a fresh wave of panic flow over my immobile limbs. I can't move . . . paralyzed . . . rooted to the spot. I start to struggle with my fear because I know it might cause me to frenzy again. Wait. FRENZY! I remember. I was falling off the roof, escaping from the one who calls himself Semesteray, a name that allows my degenerate internal tapeworm to break free of my psychic bonds. I immediately relax my tensed muscles, willing calmness to invade my every cell. I disconnect my mind from my physcial form discovering my freedom. The glowing sunset clicked off as suddenly as if someone had flipped a switch, leaving a consuming blackness in its wake. I jumped up and crouched on my haunches, searching the dark. I could feel a presence and I knew it was him. That same psyche searing presence that gave all of us the willies.



Behind me I heard the slow rythmic sound of hand clapping while a dry humorless voice announced, "My, my . . . you have impressed me, my dear. You certainly worked your way out of that dilemma in record time. How ever did you manage?"



I whirled around to face the voice's direction, snarling a fang-studded reply, "Fuck you!"



"My my," he responded. "such language."



His dry chuckle followed that statement. This entity obviously was very entertained with himself. I begin to calculate how to leave this place, wherever it was so that I could get back to warn Syren and Raven. As I searched for whatever parameters this none-place had, I could feel the amusement this seemed to cause this weasel from another time and/or dimension. his voice filled my brain, trying to allay my fears. But that little voice that you should always listen to and usually ignore was screaming . . . WATCH OUT . . . DANGER.



"I will release you soon. Run to your littermates and tell them what you think you know. The others have already seen me. We will all know each other better very soon, trust me. We will discuss our personal limitations and powers, and see what we have to offer each other," he intoned grandily.



"The only thing I offer you is certain death," I whisper.



"Soon. We will see, little warrior, soon we shall see," the quiet reply comes back.



Not soon enough, I think to myself.



Suddenly I find myself standing back on top of my building, alone except for the coming morning sun and the pigeons. I race down the firestairs and burst into our loft. Apparently, Raven has already been here and split or gone to earth. Syren is in a state of semi-hysteria and it's obvious we both have something to tell each other. We both sit down. Syren tells me she knows who our watcher is. I nod my head, I too, know our watcher, but even more than the other two realize.



Syren takes one look at my face and knows that I also had an encounter. As I share my experience, her face blanches at the anger and fear that I feel. Syren then tells me of her exposure to this creature and know that not only is she attracted to him, but may leave us for him at his bidding. Has he enchanted her? I don't think so. But the way she speaks leaves me wondering if I judged too hastily. He certainly had every opportunity to end my vampiric life . . . why didn't he? And what of Raven . . . what happened to her? Just like her to run at the first sign of danger.



As the sun rises, Syren and I retire to ponder the night's events. We have much to think about, much to fear and more to learn. Now, all I want is to just rest.

Dark Desires, The Chronicles Part V
06:21 Mar 26 2006
Times Read: 745


Raven



Just being lazy, sitting on a park bench with the words to an old Otis Redding song spinning round and round in my head. "Sittin on the dock of the bay, watching the tides roll away . . ." I quietly sing along to the phantom rhythm I hear, at peace with my world. In this day and age, it's unusual to see someone in the park at night, let alone sitting on a bench. Sign of the times I guess. So much danger out there. One must be careful, what with all the robberies, murders, and violence going on. Lots of nightmares to encounter and guess what, I'm one of those nightmares. Funny, I don't consider myself to be a monster or an abomination. I mean, over the years I've acted contrite about my evil ways to gain sympathy, but, in truth, after I accepted myself and my unnatural state, I began to enjoy, no, to love my nature; the raw power I possess. It's true I do at times try to bridge the gap between our two worlds, between the living and the twilight zone of the undead, but I no longer curse the gods for my state of affairs. I rather like the idea of living forever or should I say existing forever. The challenges here on this side of eternity are different, but you still need cunning and sharp wits and maybe more than a little luck to survive the true death. We are a unique species and so misunderstood. Do mortals really believe in us? Truly believe, I wonder. There are a lot of books about us. Some make us romantic heroes, others stinking debris, walking, vile, evil creatures from our graves losing parts as we move. Movies . . . man you couldn't name all the movies made and people playing The Masquerade pretending to be vampires. I've walked into the middle of their game once or twice just to look and listen. Stupid fools, who could do who was the real plot of their story. They never even realized the reality amongst them.



I fed really late tonight and dreamily I remember the last few hours. By the time I dropped off my gifts to Syren and Sundown, the need was all consuming. That's how I came to be in Balboa Park. There's always a loner here or a criminal or two, always food walking around to tempt the hungriest of vampires. It was like walking up to a case filled with candy and pointing to a piece, "I'll have that one sir," I mock, "no don't put it in a bag, I'll drink it right here, thank you." My choice tonight was a spaced out druggie, never knew what hit him and no one else ever will either. Just an unfortunate overdose, poor guy, it happens when you mess with that stuff. Syren and Sundown are always yelling at me for killing my victims. You see, most of the time they just drink a little and walk away leaving their victims dizzy, nauseous, and very confused but alive. It's not that I don't have the self control to do that, I do, but for me the chase, the victory of the power and the final death of those chosen is the elixir of life for me. I'm a killer, all vampires are, I know it, they know it, why deny it. Do people hate other predators like the jungle cats? They kill. They don't pounce on their pray, take a little nibble or two and leave. NO, they kill. If you tried to change their nature could you? I don't think so, mortals have tried that and when they turn on their keepers and kill, do peole scream monsters, kill them all? No, they say what do you expect, they're wild creatures. Killing is their nature. Well vampires are wild creatures also and I can't, won't, apologize for my nature.



I do have a soft spot though, every once in awhile someone will touch a spot deep inside, long forgotten. A tender well of satin-soft emotions, love, lust, I'm not sure. Would those emotions last if I had the opportunity? I don't know that either. Each time I tapped into those long forgotten places in my soul, something has happened to snatch it away from me. Could I trust myself? If my love in New Orleans had lived, would I, could I have lived in both worlds or would I had eventually destroyed the life I claimed to love? Hell, I'm not sure if it was my sire, my personal demon, or myself that did the deed that night so very long ago. Shit, better to keep the wall up around tha soft spot. Why let it surface to just cause me pain. Just keep on accepting and loving things as they are. I am a master vampire, ruler of the night. I DO NOT NEED LOVE, my mind's voice is screaming to me. Suddenly, I feel a terrible turmoil churning in my head. I don't want to feel anything. I just want to feed and kill. But even as I reinvent my predator side to suit my image of myself, the memory of smiling eyes dance in my vision. Then the words, "yes, guilty, I'm a cop," vibrate through my skull and the image is broken, the mood shattered. Fuck it Raven, don't go there, you don't even know his name; he's a cop for Christ's sake and you picked him as your victim. Don't turn soft and start a fantasy just because he has gorgeous eyes. Pull yourself together and take your well fed self back to the loft to see how the girls are doing.



With a sigh I stand and think myself lighter than air, rising above the park, I begin to casually drift towards home. The city is below me, the lights twinkling for miles and miles. I'm free up here, unencumbered by any self imosed guilt. No scowling laments from Sundown, no sad disapproving sideways appeals from Syren letting me know she thinks me cruel and not caring about getting caught in this modern age. Oh fuck it all, up here I'm free. Like a kid in a dream I spread my arms. Look Ma, I'm flying just like Peter Pan, up, down, around and around in loopy de loops. Soar towards the ground then pull up quickly to begin my upward journey to the stars. I wonder now if I kept on moving upward could I reach the stars? Am I spirit enough to become one with the universe? And if I did, could I shine as brightly from below? Would mortals walking hand in hand stop to wish upon me? What an exhilarating thought as I soar ever upward. But then fear stops me, what are my limitations? Still, I'm haunted by them. If my body should be destroyed would I just cease to exist or would I become one of the wondering spirits searching for a destination. So I am still controlled by the unknown. I pause and turn towards home, I will preserve my existence at all costs. But it would be so wonderful to find someone or something that could answer my questions. May be I'll make that a quest as I look through the clouds to determine exactly where I am. Twisting and turning, drifting in a half dream state I finally materialize on the firm ground in a grand mood, bubbling with happiness for the realms of existence we share with the gods and the demons. My arms outstretched, my face turned towards to the heavens I breath in the sweet night air. I don't have to breath, my lungs could cease their slow pumping action, their never-ending baffle motion, after all, that's a human need. I kep it because it's part of the past. One of the comforting rhythms of life that helps me feel connected to humanity. If you pull your hand on my chest though you wouldn't feel a heartbeat, that stopped with my death and try as I might I was never able to recreate its beating again. It remains there in its original locatino, cold and stoney, a cnostant reminder of who and what I am. Do you think emotions come from the heart? If they do maybe that's why vampires have little. But . . . Syren and Sundown seem to have the capacity to love. Even my sire was bound to his obsessive emotions. Being honest with myself I know I've felt love too, but no more, never again. If love then exists and comes from our heads instead of our dead hearts, I will stop it and never feel again.



So deep am I in my reverie that I don't sense the presence until I feel the mental touch put out to me. I jump and spin in the direction of the entity, dropping in a crouch to better spring into action if necessary. Every fiber a raw mass of energy, all geared to survival, my fangs barred and a low growl deep in my chest, I face my visitor. My senses churn with anticipation, anger, power. I expect what? yet I see only a . . . man. Instantly I realize this is my stalker, yet he's just a man. How could he test my acute vampiric skills and win? I watch him carefully while rising to a standing position, never once dropping the predator edge of readiness. Eyeing him intently, knowing he's doing the same to me, I begin to size up this adversary as an equal. Is he? He's not short but he isn't tall. He just is. Yet, his stance is strong and sure, fists clenched and ready. He's not plain, but he isn't handsome either. He just is. All his features fit together in an almost perfect non distinct way, nothing out of place or unusual or memorable. His long dark hair goes down between his shoulder blades. My attention is drawn to his eyes. Ah yes, the eyes. There in the depths of those orbs are all the extremes missing in the outward casing. The fire, the pain, the knowledge of the past, present, future, today, tomorrow and do I sense forever? Yet I feel he's mortal, I've connected with his beating heart. Why can't I get into his mind and know what's there?



The bastard is blocking me out I think with a start, but how? Then I realize that even though he's mortal, there is something different. His heart is beating in a different rhythm, the electrical currents emanating from him have a strange negative force. The timing of the flow is not right, his biorhythms and matter are moving at a different rate of speed. Suddenly I know I'm only seeing what he wants me to see. What is this power and where does it come from?



"Who and what are you," I demand as I gather my control of the situation. After all, TV says "never let them see you sweat". No answer from him, just a nod, he knows I'm rattled. He turns his back to me and gins a slow walk away from me. Compelled, I follow at a short distance. At first, his voice is so low, even I couldn't be sure he was saying anything, then let he let me in to hear his words.



"My name is Semseteray, legion and high priest to the first Pharoh of Egypt, restored to life and made immortal by the hand of Merlin himself. I am the last of the true mages. The teacher of Duid magic, the keeper of Egyptian Maat. In case you are as dense as I think you are my dear immortal dunce, that means truth."



"Fuck you" I say with a warning growl, "I know exactly what that means and I also know you're full of shit."



"Ah, how you do flaunt your way with words," he snaps back.



I can't believe this, I'm actually arguing with a mortal. I will simply kill him, drain him of every drop of blood. Oh, how wonderful it will be to hear this absurd, arrogant mortal beg. My eyes blue with red fiery anger and the adrenalin for the kill flows strong. I growl as I prepare to leap. What stops me? He appears to feel no fear and no odor of it assaults my nostrils. In fact, the only emotion I feel from him is boredom. And what am I feeling? Disgust . . . no, too strong a word. I'm feeling . . . repelled, like two magnets with the same energy force repel each other, pushing away, no matter how hard you try it's impossible to bring them together. I simply can't attack him. Now I'm really freaked out, I back away ready for flight but I'm so curious too! He begins to laugh, a deep robust laugh, one that you might call a belly laugh. His features change in a very subtle way with this, no real contrasts yet, but somehow to a more kindly father caste.



What is this creature, friend or foe? Is he sent by my sire as a new adversary or a form of torment, or just a crazy spirit not able to control himself? Is there such a thing I think? "Damn this crap, I'm outta here," I say.



"No wait," he begs, "of course you don't know what I am, and we didn't exactly start on the right foot. Let's pretend we haven't met yet and start over." He continued on, "I know you are looking for answers, you said you were going to make that your quest, to find someone who knows. Well, here I am," he says with a grand gesture of his arms.



"I know the existence of someone like myself comes as a shock to you. I assure you I am older than you but not a vampire. I am immortal, I am a mage, and I know all. As a matter of fact, I know all about you and your sisters, even your strange internal time bombs. Do they have names by the way, your little possessor friends?" he asks sweetly. Before I could say anything, he said, "I've been watching you since the beginning, waiting. I think the time is right, don't you? he asks.



Confused, all I can say is, "leave me alone or I will kill you."



"Come on Raven," he comforts, "I'm sorry I was rude, and you will not kill me because you cannot. I tell you what, just get used to the idea of me and when you are ready, think of my face and bring my image to mind. I' will know and come to you. We will talk then, all of us."



With a cold violent wind and an energy pull so hard it left a strange empty void in the pit of my stomach, he was gone. POOF, disappeared. Can a vampire get bad blood and get like a case of food poisoning? My last victim was doing some kind of drug before I found him. Could he have been doing some strange new hallucinogenic that could affect me too?



I sat down hard on the ground to think, knowing full well to trust my skilled senses. With this came the realization that I must get back to the girls and warn them. He knew my name! Friend or foe, whichever he is, there is safety in numbers and I will not let him hurt them. At all costs I must protect them.



"Fuck," I say to myself, "they're not gonna believe this one." I race home at lightening speed, the dawn is very close.





Syren



I must say, Raven's little gifts were tasty and oh so much fun. I was able to control myself, as well as Sundown and we had a fun and relaxing play time with the two young men. They are now recovering in the guest room, in a couple of days they will be as good as new. Except for a little of Sundown's and my blood in them to make them behave, that is. It will be nice to have handsome 'helpers' to go out and about during the day on errands and such. When we tire of them, we will let them go with memories of us wiped from their human minds. I couldn't bring myself to kill them, and I know Sundown couldn't either. We two need better excuses than Raven to kill in cold blood.



The boy toys were such a nice diversion since I haven't been able to relax and enjoy myself for some time. Hmmm, Sundown should be back soon, dawn is rapidly approaching. I sigh heavily, thinking of my closest dark sister, Raven. I shudder to think of the trail of bodies Raven is leaving behind. She just has no regard of what her hunting and need to kill does in this day and age. This city is just beginning to grow on me and I am certainly in no hurry to leave it.



Well, I am certainly sleepy. I am sure they will hole up somewhere if they don't get back here soon. I do not sense anything wrong with them, so, off to bed I go.



Once again, I arise in the late afternoon and spend the hours at my beloved piano. A quick play session with my new boy toy gift. Ah, another glorious twilight. I love to watch the sun set on the vast ocean's horizon. I swear I have also seen that mysterious green glow we have heard so much about in this city. A quick peek at the sleeping boy toys and thank heavens that Raven and Sundown are back and still sleeping. Sleeping, I guess that is as close a word as it can get to what we do for part of the day. I am glad I do not require too many hours of rest each day, at least we are able to be up and about inside. How I and my sisters hate having the outside world shuttered out all those hours each day. But, we cannot allow a speck of sunshine to enter our domain. Well, it could be worse; we could be the type of creature that must slumber from dawn to dusk in a coffin filled with dirt according to popular fiction. As if! I open the blinds and drapes to let in the night.



I am antsy, uneasy. Cannot concentrate. Changing my clothes, I slip out of the loft before my sisters ask me where I am going. I take to the night sky and head to a favorite haunt, La Jolla. I have enjoyed walking the sidewalks of this seaside community, with the upscale stores and people. After my careless killing of Robert, I have avoided this place. Enough self pity, time to move on.



I get my fill of window shopping and wander down to the Cove. Let the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks sooth my troubled spirit. Leaning over the guardrail, I lift my head and let the breeze play with my hair and take in the smell of the ocean. The waves are phosphorescent as they crash onto the rocks. Wish I knew why I am feeling so much like a cat on a hot tin roof.



A thought dawned on me. Each city we have been to had a gathering place of some sort for us vampires. Even though there are few of our kind in the the world, there are enough to populate each major city on the earth. I miss interacting with others of our kind. I wonder just how many were destroyed and given the true death after our sire made his unholy pact with Lucifer. Surely there are others of our kind left out there. Others infested like us, perhaps others that were lucky enough to escape our demonic possessors. There must be someone, somewhere, that can help us with handling our demons.



"Yes, Syren, there are those out there that can help you and your sisters in darkness," a man's voice said softly from behind me.



I spun around, fangs and claws at the ready, my eyes blazing crimson in the moonlight. How could a man sneak up on me like that? How could have my undead powers fail me like this?



A mist was swirling before me out above the wave swept rocks. The mist became denser and out from it stepped a man slowly walking towards me. I looked around, no one else was present, just what I needed, witnesses to this madness.



Blue robes swirled around him, he had a tanned face, long dark hair whipped about his somewhat handsome face. I could not place an age on him, it was if he could have been 30 or 300. His eyes glowed blue with an inner fire. He continued walking on air towards me as I stood transfixed, unable to move.



"You and your sisters need what I can give you. Time is running short. Lucifer and your sire have done much and are almost ready to finish what they started with their alliance."



Why couldn't I get away? With all my might I willed myself to fly away from this, but I could not. I still had the power to move my limbs, but not to escape this. He walked right through the guardrail and stood next to me.



"Who and what are you," I stammered. "What do you want with me and my sisters?"



I was lost in the depths of his azure eyes. They compelled me to stay, I even had the absurd thought to reach out and caress his cheek! What in the hell is wrong with me? I am horrified, and yet, I feel lust stirring within me! Am I going completely crazy?



"Since the days of ancient Egypt I have watched and guided immortals and even mortals on their journeys into different realms and dimensions. I know what you are and of the demons that each you possess. My name is Semseteray, and I am human, but immortal. What I am is a mage."



"Release me," I hissed. "Why do you hold me here? Why have you come to me?" I felt the fear inside me began to subside and my body began to relax, against my better judgment.



His face softened, and he reached out and tenderly stroked my face. His eyes gazed into mine. At that moment I knew I would do anything he wanted of me. I despised myself for such thoughts and feelings. Where is my terrible power and will? I should be frightened, but there was no fear inside me.



"I have watched you three since your beginnings. There is much yet to do and not much time in which to accomplish it. There are others within my circle that are here in this city to help you. In helping you, we help mankind and the future of this planet and dimension. Your sire is about to destory a very delicate balance with what he and the leader of Hell have planned. The scales have already been tipped by the possession of vampires with the legions of Hell."



As he talked, his hand ran over my face, then cupped my chin, his thumb parted my lips and he sensously rubbed his thumb around my mouth, making me quiver. Then he lowered his face closer to mine and I could feel his warm breath on my face and the smell of his essence was intoxicating.



"You, Syren, of the three, are very dear and special to me. You and I have a history and a future.? He let go of me and stepped back. I will reveal more to you and your sisters anon. Take this, and when you need or want me, just take it into your hand and will me to come.... my beloved Lenore." He placed a small object in my hand. I looked down at my palm and what he had given me was a small exquisitely carved scarab made out of lapis lazuli.



I looked back up to speak, but he was gone. Whirling around, I was relieved to see no one else about. All I could hear was the ocean and the wind whispering through the pines. My head was spinning, I must be finally going insane! The demon inside me was stirring. Obviously it did not like what had just happened either. Clutching the scarab, I arose into the evening sky and headed for home. Had Semseteray appeared to my sisters as well? Just wait until I get home and we talk this over. What the hell are we in for now?





Sundown



Wow! What an evening. Raven always seems to know just when she's pushed my buttons one time too many. She just came flying by our cozy lair with two "gifts" in hand and disappeared as fast as she appeared. Since "sorry" is obviously not an often used word in her vocabulary, I realized that the treats she dropped off meant the same thing.



After enjoying a litle extra libation, I left Syren alone with the almost empties and headed for the roof. It's always nice to relax up here and think if I want to think or whatever comes to mind. Lately, I start thinking about the past and try to block it out immediately, then try to self-analyze why I'm blocking, then start beating myself up mentally . . . then the little monster locked up inside me starts kicking my ass. Nicodemus (cute name) is my darling stowaway. One I've tried desperately to get rid of, but no matter what I've tried he hangs on . . . and on . . . and on! Right now I've got a lock on his cell he can't pick (and how he tries). All those years of military training paid off. It takes a willpower beyond mortal comprehension to keep him under control, and there are times when I feel like saying "fuck all of this!" and take off and massacre anything that gets in my way!



That's when I remember a vow almost older than time and resolve to keep my allegiance true even though my circumstances have altered dramatically. I don't think Syren and Raven understand my obstinate refusal to leave my old life behind and, quite frankly, to find myself a vampire and a possessed one at that. It grinds so much against what my teachings and beliefs are, it feels like it's flaying my skin from my body. A deep,searing shame pervades my every thought and action. When I see Raven and Syren revel in thrir undead strength and powers, I want so desperately to join them, yet I can't, I just can't. The reigning chaos inside my mind comes out in the form of lectures so I can feel better about my lack of being able to join my sisters. I think all of us are getting pretty pissed about dealing with this stuff, I wish I could change, but how?



The almost morning air ruffles my hair. I have always loved that pre-dawn breath of air. It's like the world is yawning - ready to wake up again. I stand up and stretch like a cat, hands lifted to the sky in supplication to a god that no longer listens or cares. IT'S NOT MY FAULT!



"No. It was not your fault and should never have happened to a soldier of God," a voice from the darkness murmured with great emotion.



I whirled around searching the gloom for one who could approach me without my psyche announcing it. If my heart still beat, it would be pounding furiously now.



"Who are you? What are you?" I hiss.



"Oh! Anger! What a delicious surprise. I usually get fear or some puny territorial mewling. You ladies are proving to be something fresh and quite invigorating," the voice quipped.



"I'll give you more than fresh and invigorating if you don't show yourself. Now!" I snarl. My hair is standing on end and almost sparkling with tension and anticipation.



"Keep your panties on, Sundown. There is no need for animosity, fear, or anger. All your questions will be answered."



My unseen foe stepped seemingly out of air. Was he a dimensional being, able to slip out of one dimension to another like mortals going through doors?



He had a face that could only be described as timeless and perhaps, handsome. Tan with deep character lines from nose to mouth and long, dark hair past his shoulder blades. The strands seemed to move with a power of their own. His long robe of blue with copper burnished characters rippled in a wind that seemed to come from his mere presence.



I begin to feel my anger regress, taking my confidence with it. I begin to back towards the roof edge because I can feel his energy start to vibrate and hum.



He speaks with a voice so clear you can almost see it. "As for who am I, my name is one of great antiquity, yet you will know it instantly. I'll not say it yet, for I fear it may cause you some harm."



I snort in derision. Tell me another funny story, grandpa!



"As for what I am, search yourself and you will find me there, hiding and watching as I have done for millennia with you and others. I have guided mortals and immortals on journeys in many realms, many dimensions. I have destroyed what this world calls demons and birthed superstitions and tales that defy explanation," he intoned.



The strength of his pulsating power is beginning to beat at my mind. It feels like it is battering a door down.



"I am here because you have called me. I haven't heard a call this insistent in a very long time."



"Bullshit!" I shout. "I haven't called you or anyone else."



"Ah, but I beg to differ, my dear. You and your sisters in darkness have brought me here."



"Many immortals have come to this corner of the world. I have known of your anguish and your precious bundles of implants since their inception. Why do you think Syren picked San Diego? I can nudge minds whenever I choose and now I have chosen. I am the Keeper of Eternity. I choose to keep you three. You are forced to do your maker's bidding because of his bond with a being darker than all other beings. It is not yet time for that power to arise. I offer you three sanctuary, of sorts, until your true abilities are realized, but know that you three must agree on your acceptance of me and what we can do for each other."



Suddenly, I feel the heat of the rising sun and come back to my senses. This dude's story is beginning to smell . . . I must get away to warn the others, or at least discuss the many possibilities he has brought to mind. Is he telling the truth or is he trying to take over our maker's "stable"?



I turn to step off the roof's edge and hear him say, "by the way, my name is Semseteray."



My world goes black, then red as the captive Nicodemus goes free from his psyhic bonds and chains and I fall over the building's side. I fear this is a frenzy that I will never recover from and one caused by someone offering sanctuary!



The last thing I hear is a laugh of true humor and a voice calling, "I warned you, young vampire. Think on my words when you can. They may save your sanity."

Dark Desires, the Chronicles Part IV
18:47 Mar 20 2006
Times Read: 753


Raven



There is nothing like the night. The beauty of darkness, the silence of that veil so comforting, so stimulating, so sensual. I love to walk the deserted streets, my heels clicking on the sidewalks, that sound my only company. It's still fairly early, but few, if any, lights in this quiet neighborhood mar the silhouette of the homes around me. Only giant shadows of day lights reality live in this surrealistic world. How exhilarating the night air is. It might feel chilly to most, but to me, after the grave chill of the night air is like beautiful velvet wrapping around my flesh giving comfort and life. Sometimes you run across a beating heart that is so strong it makes you stop and turn your eyes from window to window until your soul touches that rhythm. Sometimes you take it as your own, sometimes you tear your mind away from it and go on. All my senses are so acute now at this time of the night. My hearing attuned to even the slightest sound, any movement, any at all, even the smallest is never missed by my vampiric eyesight, the vibration from my sense of touch is a source of tremendous pleaure. At times I'll find a human out and about for whatever reason. Oh, the adrenaline rush I feel when they first realize I'm near (and I usually always allow them the fear of knowing). The terror from their fear is delicious and when you finally allow yourself to indulge in joining with their flesh . . . oh sweet torture, heavenly delight. That unique taste of coppery splendor salty and thick, burning through your veins, pounding through your brain, rushing through all the cells of your body to stop the pain of the need. Glorious, glorious blood so necessary for life, without it we die. We are the same you and I, in our need for blood, but for me it is also the sea of immortality, the svengali of my very existance, my master now. The keeper of my vampire life. The first taste of you passing down my throat when the rhythm and beat of our bodies join together, while I'm holding tight to suck you dry, is the closest thing to rapture I will ever know. Every fiber of every cell vibrates to the beauty of the blood. I live for it, because of it, loving it, and so I love those who can give me my greatest desire. Oh, previous humans bless me with your life force, I worship you, pray to your sweet fluid, that sweet sticky fluid that tortures my senses. Give me your life and fear me while you die. The greater the fear, the sweeter the juices. Beg me for your life and I will suck harder. Beg me to end your ordeal and I will prolong that final heartbeat until you at last loose your mind to the terror. I love the game of the predator and the night belongs to the predator. My night, the world is my victim and I am invincible.



I already have my prey for this night, the man walking in the park to my right. I've been following him for blocks now and, of course, he doesn't know it. Still haven't revealed myself to him, still not sure what my intentions are with this one. He's cute, no, he's handsome, very handsome. Young, arrogant looking with a cocky snap to his hips as he swings from step to step. Tight jeans that show off his tight buns, the muscles in his legs seem to ripple with every step. A fitted shirt that clings to the beautiful defined muscles of his chest. Wow . . . maybe I'd like to meet this one and play before I take my fill from him. "What do you think Raven?" I ask myself, a guy walking home after spending time with a lover? A drug dealer? Maybe sneaking home from some clandestine meeting. I wonder as he walks, so sure of himself. It would be so easy to just listen to his thoughts and know all there is to know about him but sometimes I like to play my romantic game and just fantasize about the life I stalk. Yeah, maybe I'll fuck this one before I drink. Slowly I let him become aware that someone or something is close. He stops walking for a moment, looks over his shoulder, turn slightly right then left, look, listen, a puzzled look on his handsome face. "Am I being followed," he's wondering. He thinks no, moves forward a few more steps and, yes, he changes his mind. I am being followed he thinks. I begin to smell the fear and it makes the hair on my arms stand up in excitement. Now, I whisper to myself, I'll appear now and dazzle this mortal! Zap, I move so fast I'm beside him before he realizes. Startled, he spins to face me, a slight show of fear on his face, then recovery as he sees a woman. Instantly, the fear turns into a grin, and what a grin. It turns his already handsome face into a countance of perfection. I'm taken back for a moment. I haven't seen such good looks since New Orleans. Well, I sure ain't going there again. In the hear and now I take step closer and give him my own best smile. "Hi there," I say, "sorry to bother you, but I'm lost. My car broke down a few blocks away," I point over my shoulder. "Can you help me please?" I being to smell the fear again, no fool this one, I'll have to be careful.



"Really," he says with a skeptical jut of his chin. "And why would you be stupid enough to wander alone at night by yourself and stop a perfect stranger? I could be an axe murderer or something equally as horrific," he growls.



"Well, I just wasn't thinking, it's late and my roommates will be worried about me, I couldn't just sit in my car and do nothing and besides you look like a nice guy." I finish by putting my face in my hands and pretend to cry. Needless to say he ain't buying it.



"Well, well, what a scene we're playing out," he crosses his arms over his chest and leans his backside against a parked car. "Being just a little dramatic aren't you?"



"No," I say, "Oh, I don't know, are you going to help me or insult me?"



"Alright," he says after a long pause, "let's walk back and I'll take a look at it. I build cars in my spare time, a hobby left over from my teen years."



Ooops, I think to myself. No car to take him to, well I'd better use another approach. "No, that's ok, I don't want you to get all dirty on my account. Couldn't you just give me a ride? "I'll send someone for my car tomorrow." I laugh, "it is tomorrow, I mean when it is daylight?" I laugh again as I adjust his collar and give him my sexiest gooey come-on look.



"Wait a minute," he says. "Oh, I get it, well this is a new twist to an old game, when does the price list appear for featured menu items?"



Alright, this fucker thinks I'm a hooker, this is gonna be fun. "And if were," I coo, "would I be worth it? I'd give you your money's worth." I put my arms around his neck and pull him close.



"Naw," he shrugs my arms down, "I've never paid for sex in my life and even though you look like your worth a bundle, I'll pass."



I pout a little and press myself against him again and whisper, "what if I said this one would be on the house, strictly fun and games, just for the hell of it? Can I get you up for it?" I tease.



At that he laughs, pats me on the backside and bows dramatically in the direction of the street where his car is parked. "Direct me to your humble abode my dear and we'll see if I'm up for getting to know you."



Yahoo, up and away. Walking to his car I wonder if I can play a little longer, there's always time to feed later. I really would like to fuck him, but if I take him home Syren and Sundown will have fits. They haven't been themselves lately, Syren brooding about losing her latest love and both still pissing and moaning about that little foray in Mexico. Wait a minute, what if I took my prize home and shared him with the girls? That might break the ice for us to make up and make them happy too. I've been friends with Syren for centuries now, and I hate it when she's mad at me. I begin to smile as I remember her and Sundown sitting me down after our return from Tijuana to have a little talk about my out of control behavior. My parents, my friends, the keepers of my heart. What would I do without those two? And, of course, I would never admit it to them but they are right in a way. I have been careless, a little too cocky and much too sloppy for my own good. I know I ned to cover my tracks better, get my cravings under control, and stop my narcissistic indulgences. But not tonight, tonight I dine on filet mignon. We put our arms around each others' waists as we walk to his car. Groping some, cooing to each other, stopping several times to suck face and rub against each other.



"So, you're not a hooker," he whispers in my ear, "what's the real story?"



"No story," I say, "just the need to be with someone tonight. I need to have some fun, some good sex without feeling guilty." "So, what's wrong with that," I ask, "and how did you know anyway?"



"Oh, mostly instinct," Prince Charming replies. "Besides, I've never known a hooker to give away her charms for any reason."



Well, I think to myself, I wonder just how many hookers he's known. This might turn out to be a great night.



We reach the car and he pushes me against it as he wraps his arms around me.



"Kiss me," I say and he pushes his body weight against me. I slowly move under him as his hands trace my body and his lips circle the curve of my neck. Every nerve in my body is pulsing, every cell salivating for his man. Suddenly I tense, what am I sensing? Something just beyond my vision, something new to me? That can't be, why can't I tune into it with my powers? It's calling softly in a very subtle way. Before I can begin to grasp the thought pattern, the essence of it is gone. What had I felt?



"What is it?" I'm asked, "change your mind sweetie?"



"No, no," I say. "How about we go and do the town before we go and do each other? Let's go have some fun," I plead, while in my head I'm thinking I need a distraction from tha vision I felt. Why can't I figure out what that was?



"Well, I'm game," comes his answer. "It's late, but we'll go downtown. Things should still be happening there."



"While you drive, I'll play," I say. With that I let my hands begin to roam over my new friend. The yearning comes back along with the hunger. Hold on as long as you can, I think, that will make the kill more exciting. Oh yeah, maybe I won't share this one after all. We spend the next several hours roaming the pleasure parts of San Diego, in and out of the clubs. Meat markets with all the beautiful young playing at life. This would be like shooting fish in a barrel, what great hunting grounds. The streets are crowded, more so than usual; there's a street faire going on, complete with several bands, no one notices the hunger in my eyes as I survey the happy throngs. We end up in a Greek club to sit and have a drink and watch a gryating belly dancer weave her spell.



Shit, I think to myself, there were many nights I earned money dancing when I was alive. All Gypsies can mesmerize that way. The girls would get a kick out of this. I'm going to get a costume and give this gig a try. What a way to collect friends.



"Ready to leave? he breaks my musing. Before we can make our way to the door and the outside world, a stranger calls to my friend.



"Hey, what's San Diego's finest doing out raising hell, shouldn't you be fighting crime somewhere?"



I look in shock as I ask, "you're a cop?"



"Guilty," says he.



Oh fuck, I say to myself. Never, I vow, never will I ever again go off on another bullshit romantic game and not use my powers to read my victim's mind. Why do I do things like that? Now what the hell am I going to do? I can't kill a cop! I mean he wouldn't be a match for me once I decide to take him but all kinds of hell would break loose if I did in an officer of the law. Oh God, Syren and Sundown would kill me for sure. I can't disappoint them again, besides, it's an ugly thing to see a vampire have a hemorrage, oh shit. I have to get out of here alone. Damn my luck, the need to feed is almost overpowering. I stand and stare for a moment and than reach out to touch that handsome cheek, so strong and so smooth, so alive. You smell sooo goood, I think. I start to laugh.



"I can't believe this, a fucking cop, just my luck."



"It is luck," he winks, " wait till you see my ammo."



Well, I'm sure it would really smoke but if I know what's good for me, I better pass.



"Pit stop," I say as I point to the back of the club. My last view of him is an outstanding smile as I turn the corner to the ladies room which is situated next to the back door. I move out and down the street at lightening speed. Few even sense my passing till again I'm distracted by the presence. A sense of dread descends over me. I'm so unnerved I run right into two cuties making their way to their car and home. Young, ripe, stupid, maybe the night won't be a complete bust after all. Bingo, I just hit the lottery. Two adorable peacemakers, one for Syren, the other for Sundown. Maybe she'll stop thinking I am such a bitch if I bring her a gift.



"Hey guys," I smile shyly, "please, please give me a ride home, my date left me here." Pay day. I'm invited into the car we speed down the street as I give directions to their destiny. Home doesn't take long and in minutes we are sitting at the curb below our loft. My sisters are back home, I can sense their essence from here. "Come on in and meet my roommates," I say. "I think they would love to get to know you." The glances they pass to one another tells me they are anticipating a night to remember. Gee, they could never guess the half of it.



"Hey, I'm home," I yell as we walk to the living room. Soft warm light reflects over the sensual feel of the place we call home. Both women turn from their perch on the window seat at the sound of my voice. The men gasp out loud at the sight of the two. Is it their beauty or something more? The light playing on both porcelain looking faces makes their skin seem to glow with a light of its own, their eyes reflect eternity.





"I came home to show you both how sorry I am for all the stupid things I've done in the past and all the stupid things I plan to do in the future." "Look, I brought both of you a gift, you fight out who gets who. Enjoy, and I love you both."



The guys looking confused didn't even notice that I turned and walked out the door and down the street. Hell, still plenty of night left to hunt. Was that a scream I just heard coming from the loft? I shrug my shoulders and smile to myself as I walk away, the sound of my heels my only companion once more. Was that movement I glimpsed out of the corner of my eye? I stop and smell the air, tuning every sense I have to the wind, nothing registers as I wait and listen. What is wrong with me tonight I wonder, my senses are rattled, I need to relax, enjoy the rest of the night, my night. I move off down the street once more, never sensing the eyes watching me, waiting.





Syren



I must say the view of the bay from up here is breathtaking. Which building am I on . . . ah, yes, the top of the Hyatt Regency. So quiet, away from all the humanity beneath me. I take a deep breath and enjoy the salty tang of the ocean breeze as it blows my hair about. The rain has finally stopped and the stars are peaking out from the receding storm clouds. The street lights cast their amber glow on the throngs of people below me at the convention center. I must remember to try out that Spanish restaurant later, with all these tourists in town, the Gaslamp District must be overflowing with tasty treats for dinner.



I enjoy feeding that way, so impersonal, so many to choose from. Just go from one to another, leave them with a very enjoyable memory and help relieve them of a little blood and money. Unlike my dear sister, Raven, I cannot just kill those I feed from. Only when provoked, do I kill and take pleasure in it. I wonder how Raven is doing tonight. We have had a hard time of it, the three of us, since we came back from Tijuana. Raven needs to learn to control herself, keep her darkest emotions in check so as to keep the demon quiet. I am afraid of what Sundown will do to her if she keeps on this way. Sundown needs to mellow out some, cut us both some slack.



Damn, there I go remembering him again. God, I hate to cry. Why do I insist on falling for delicate mortals over and over again? Robert was such a handsome man, who cares that he was 50? We had so much fun there in La Jolla at all those museum functions, the opera, parties. I knew better than to fall once again for a human. It is so hard to stay in control. Damn my internal demon, why did he have to push me the first time Robert and I were to make love? I have a hard enough time controlling my hunger when I decide to really make love to a man, much less fighting the hunger that goes along with this damnable demon. They certainly enjoy tormenting us, their unwilling hosts. Damn, I am sure they are as unhappy being trapped inside us as we are having them there.



Robert. He was trusting me, believing in me, and what did I do? I drained him to death. Too far to be able to embrace and bring him across. My heart broke seeing him laying there, so white, so still. I flew into a rage with a little help from my friend and tore the place up in covering my presence there. One thing I hate about technology, we have a much harder time being a vampire. It is amazing and very frightening what mankind can deduce from a simple strand of hair. We are so careful with our identities, but this day and age scares me.



Why cannot I find another vampire to love, to hold onto, to go through eternity with? There must be some of us out there untainted by these demons. Wish I knew why I had this need to be with a man, someone to hold and love. I have my dark sisters, but I crave companionship of a man as well. Hell, I must admit to myself these feelings all stem from when I was alive and oh, so happy. I want to have those feelings and that life back as best as I can get it.



Enough of this! I fly down to the shadows of the street below and saunter off towards the Spanish club, one of my favorite hangouts to stop feeling sorry for myself. I love the city after a rainstorm. It cleanses the air, the lights reflecting jewel-like from water on the streets. The cool breeze through my hair, most energizing to me.



The club is full of people. Their smells assault me, so I quickly tone them down. I am so appreciative of San Diego's new law of no smoking in bars and restaurants. I have never liked the smell and taste of tobacco. A filthy dirty habit, I say. Hah, now that I think about it, the city has helped us out in this way. Now, people have to go outside to indulge in their addiction. Makes it easier for us to get them aside for a bite. Perfume, after shave, sweat, blood, how it all filters through to me. The hunger quickly flares inside me, consuming me. It has been days since I last fed; not since Robert have I been able to bring myself to feed. The pang of guilt runs through me. I push it aside and concentrate on my hunger. I walk downstairs to the actual club where the flamenco show is going on. I quickly get caught up in the guitar and the drumming of the dancers' boots on the wooden floor. Glancing about the room I think to myself who will be the lucky man tonight?



Isn't that nice? Three visiting businessmen are just sooo nice and polite to offer me the fourth chair at their table. I accept a glass of burgundy and am introduced all around. I can sense what they really want of me, and it fuels my hunger. These three do not care about the families they have waiting for them at home, they are lusting for excitement. Well, far be it from me to disappoint them! If it is excitement they want, then excitement it will be! I put on my most lustiest face and body language for my three dinners, ah, I mean companions. Hmmm, I can get quite a meal from each of them and they will none the worse for wear with wonderful memories.



Damn! What was that? There is or was something there, staring at me from the shadows in the corner. There it is again, a murky swirling shadow, and I know it is here for me. My skin crawls and my danger sense screams at me. I must get out of here. I suddenly stand up, grab my purse, mumble an excuse and practically run upstairs into the darkness of the night.



I take to the sky and the comfort of the nearest building's roof. Funny, I should have been a pigeon, since I feel more safe on top of places. Must get back home and talk to Sundown and Raven and see if they have sensed this entity. Wonder when it will make its intention known to us.



From my vantage point my vampiric sense of hearing picks up the frantic screams of a woman. I take off in the direction of the screams. I land on a fire escape in a back alley and look down upon three gang bangers beating up a young woman. Most of her clothes had been ripped off and they were getting ready to take turns with her. She looks pretty beat up and is unconscious. The all too familiar red haze covers my vision and with a snarl, fangs bared, eyes blazing, I descend down and grab the one from the girl and tossed him across the alley. I smiled as his broken body slid down the greasy brick wall. The other two drew their weapons and proceeded to unload their clips in my direction. Now, that really pisses me off, putting holes in my new outfit. I mean really! In just a couple of minutes, I drain each of the gang bangers dry and put the money from their wallets into the purse of the unconscious girl. God, I hate people like this, picking on the defenseless. Well, Sundown isn't going to like this at all. I'll tell Raven to move over in the doghouse, cuz I'm moving in. Uh oh, sirens approaching. I once again take to the night sky and head home.





Sundown



My windowbox view has turned into a rushing stream of movement. It's the 6pm downtown rush hour. Traffic is flowing down their black, shiny riverbeds . . . people are walking, dodging, sometimes almost gliding around each other in a mindless ballet of frenetic motion. Featureless faces occasionally mirror the miniscule thoughts floating around in their tiny, cluttered little minds. None of them realize that they are all powered by the same throbbing unit . . . a pulsing rythmn that sometimes beats in unison, threatening to send me to ground again. Then again, maybe it's the music from the bar on ground level.



So many people, way too much time to think about the past and things yet to come.



The night sky darkens and the orange sodium vapor lights sparkle off the raindrops left on my aquarium bowl window. Raven has already gone out hunting, probably a good move since none of us are exactly on speaking terms right now. But, I miss her presence. She is the candle light that Syren and I flutter around, drawn to her irresistably, usually battering ourselves sensless against her strength, like the mindless little moths we are. Yet, we both love her, our dark sister, and we miss her more than she knows. I know I will apologize when she gets back.



I gaze out the window again and glimpse my little vampire babies walking the dark streets, playing their power games, dressed in their black lace and purple velvet. One of these nights, I may join them, perhaps even show them where the power comes from. Won't that open their beady little mortal eyes?! Some will embrace the kiss willingly, like they've longed for it all of their brief, pitiful lives. Is this the only way they can find love? I know it's mine.



A soft, warm glow enfuses the room, a musky perfume following in its wake. Syren has lit some candles, though mostly from want rather than need. We are both going through a blue funk . . . she bemoaning another lost love, and I berating myself and my miserable existence. Will I ever learn to shut up?



Sighing deeply, I rise from the pillows on the window seat and stretch, deciding I may stroll down the block and visit the Museum of Death. I'm not hungry for physical nourishment yet, but the sanctum of the Museum walls and decor will provide all the psychic trauma boost I crave now.



I call to Syren tht I'll be back soon, would she like some "take out"? No answer. Either she is still not speaking or she may have gone out.



I climb down the rickety iron stairs, avoiding the harsh white lights of the bar on the ground level and stroll towards the Musuem.



Keeping purposely in the shadows, I automatically switch into hunting mode even though I'm really not hungry. Maybe it's a self preservation mode. I still can't shake that feeling of being watched. No matter where I go, if I listen hard enough, feel with my psyche, I find the presence watching and waiting. I almost feel that it knows about us and our unwanted baggage. Probably paranoia on my part, what's new? I shiver with a premonition-like chill.



Almost at the Museum, I disturb a "vampire" waif who immediately crosses his arms over his rather handsome chest . . . ok, so I'm not supposed to see you. I whisper a command and stroke his silken face. As I twist a strand of his long, brown hair around a finger, he suddenly breaks from his reverie and tries to twist away.



"What's the matter honey? Afraid of me?" I ask.



He shakes his head in denial, having apparently lost his ability to speak. I give his startled mind a little nudge and he opens to me like a newborn flower.



Maybe I'll have just a small nip, give this player an experience that will haunt him for months. So hot and vital, the liquid explosion pours down my throat, lifting my spirits immeasurably. I stop drinking as the young one, clutching my body for support, flutters his eyelids and slips down the wall in a climatic response to his "love bite". I will let this long-haired beauty survive, and leave him to have many wet dreams of his vampire lover. He will be left with a hope of finding that etheral face in another shadow, giving his play hunting a true purpose. Dream on little hunter . . . I'll be watching you too.



Feeling much better, I decide to see the sights but eventually head back to our aerie, may be the girls are back (ha!). I walk past the Greek bars and breathtaking bellydancers, the outdoor bistros with young lovers staring intently at each others' faces while their expressos get cold. I gaze up at the clearing sky, stars sparkling coldly through the ragged clouds. Raven will probably be out until dawn; I'm not sure if Syren went out or stayed at home. I thought about completing my mission to the Museum, but found myself not wanting that particular form of entertainment now.



Although still a bet peckish after my light snack, I decided to head home after all.



I climb back up the ornate stairs brushing past two lesbian lovers tangled together on the first landing. One calls out softly and I reconize her as the landlord's daughter. I decline their offer of some unconditional love for now, and wish them happiness. Happy people taste better than sad ones. They both smile and walk hand in hand to their loft.



Syren looks up as I open the door, wiping blood tinged tears from her porcelain face. I touch her mind with mine, she opens and we hug. We sit down together in our window seat and watch the world turn slowly towards another sunrise and another page of our history. Come home soon, Raven, we need you.

Dark Desires, the Chronicles Part III
18:34 Mar 20 2006
Times Read: 755


Raven



Ouch! Damn that hurts! Have you any idea what it's like coming back to your senses and find your two friends sitting on you?! Well, let me tell you it ain't pretty. Here I am on my ass in the crap and garbage, with strange stuff stuck in my hair on a lousy rooftop in Tijuana. Oh, the indignity of it all!



"Get the hell off me!" I manage to gasp out while pushing at the same time. "What are you two doing?!" I ask as Syren slips off my chest and Sundown rocks back from her seated position on my legs. My wrists are still scratched and bloody from Syren restraining them. I could act all put out but the truth is that the memories are already rushing back, or most of them anyway.



"Ooops, I guess you're both pissed at me now, right?" I ask sheepishly. "Look, I know my dear friend got the upper hand this time. I know I let my guard down. I know it was party my own fault for getting caught up in old memories and wounds." Fuck, I know all that, but it doesn't make it any easier for me to bear the truth of my beady-eyed inhabitant. My dear demon possesser, my internal nemisis that's so much apart of every organ in my body.



"Sorry", I say. "Now let me up . . . oh for heaven's sake, help me up!" I whine, "I hurt all over". Now, I've got this to worry about . . . no, we've got this to worry about. Suddenly I'm aware of all the sirens and screaming. Are those prayers I'm hearing? I grab my head, then rest my face in my hands. What do do? I finally got the courage to peek over the ledge of this building to the scene below. Below is shit . . . what a sight . . . blood, pools of it, several bodies, their dismembered parts laying everywhere, people hysterical and running around like crazed loonies. One, no, two men trying to tell their stories to the Mexican police. Bet the federalies will be here before we know it. Damn the frenzy. I try to tune into the conversation below, but get nothing for several seconds; shaking my head until it clears somewhat and slowly the words begin to make sense, my vampiric hearing working once more.



"I swear, it's the truth!" yells the first man. "I saw the same thing", interrupts the second man.



"Senores, you are both drunk, si?" says the cop. "Start at the beginning, and please, senores, tell me something I can believe."



"Well", said the excited spectator, "it began like this. These three great looking broads have been partying up and down this part of town, in and out of all the bars for most of the night. Real classy looking broads, expensive looking ones, if you know what I mean. Anyway, these gals were attracting all kinds of attention then they would disappear for a time and then seem to reappear. At least one, the dark haired one that did all this, had a different guy hanging on her every hour or so." He took a deep breath and continued. "She kind of gave me the shivers, I watched her thinking maybe I could . . . you know . . . but then I just started getting some strange feelings about her. I cannot really explain it, just a kind of danger sense, a feeling of dread just sort of clung to her. It was at one point when she wasn't with a guy, but with her two friends that all of a sudden she threw her head back and began to howl. I tell you, that sound she made came straight from hell itself. She seemed to look through everyone, her eyes became balls of fire, I swear!"



Shit, just look at that, man. What's he looking around for, afraid we'll swoop down on him? Hurry up and get back to what I did tonight, will ya?



"Her teeth grew into fangs and then her whole body began to distort, claws grew and her face twisted into something not human. Only a nightmare could dream up something so vicious looking. No, not a nightmare, it was every vision you could ever imagine a demon to be, even complete with batwings!"



"I tell you, I stood witness to the gates of hell itself! The next thing I know there are two dead people in that alley" as he points down the street. "It moved so fast I'm not even sure how it happened. I only know she...it...it turned back in this direction holding the severed head of a man in one hand and the trunk of another body in the other hand, dragging it behind her. I mean, this thing actually began to drink the blood and chew on the flesh of those people. Everyone was screaming and running to get away, it was total panic.



"I just backed into the shadows of that doorway over there," he points.



"Yeah," finally the second man got a word in. "I was already hiding against the wall of that doorway, that's how I saw all this happen too." "This other guy is right, as I swear on my mother's grave, he's right. Thank God it's a deeply recessed doorway or she . . . it . . . might have seen us too!"



"Hey, this is my story," yells the first guy as he pushes the second guy. Can you believe it? Who cares whose story it is? Just tell the damn thing!



"So," the first man continued. "then at this point it dropped both body parts and began to turn this way and that howling and swinging its claws in the air until it ran into the fleeing crowd and began to rip and tear and kill at random. It drank their blood, it did, I know what I saw! Suddenly, the other two friends came flying over to this nut case, grabbed it by arms, and now I know I'm sounding just as nuts, they flew away with it. By this time I could hear you guys on your way here, all hell was still breaking loose. People were running over one another to get away from here. Anyway, here we are, I swear it's all true!"



"Yeah, yeah," says number two. "It's all true!"



"Holy fuck," I say under my breath from my hiding place here on the roof. "What have I done now?" I look to my friends. Sundown opens her mouth to speak, but before anything is said I silence her with a hand gesture and swear if she says one thing now that even sounds like a lecture I'll scream so loud it'll unleash the creatures of hell. "That seems to have happened already," she quips.



Of course she continued right on speaking. "You're supposed to love us; and that means not causing trouble like this for us."



Such small favors. I thought for a moment she was gonna tell me love means never having to say you're sorry. If she had said that, I swear I would have just surrendered down below and asked them to take me away. As it was we just faced off glaring at one another, doing a mental tug of war. At last both gave in and we turned back to the carnage below. We do love and need one another. We are bound to protect the others, after all each of us possess the unwanted demon cargo, and it could have as easily been one of them to go south. Finally, a group hug.



"I really am sorry," I say. "I let myself get into a position where the demon was able to take over. What are we going to do now?"



"Well, for the moment," says Sundown, "no one knows we're up here, in all the confusion down there no search has been started yet. I think we should stay put and watch and listen."



Lean against the chimney you bitch, I think to myself, and as I slide down to a sitting position, my knees at my chest (how ladylike) my pained heart tries to solve our problem, but all I seem to do is remember . . .



I remember the confusion and fear. I felt back when I was a newly created vampire. Needing my sire to be my teacher, friend, lover, daddy, master. All things to me . . . because someone or something must keep this madness away. How I begged and cried, how I screamed for this not to be true. How I wondered the forests by night praying to god that this was a nightmare I could wake from. I'm not dead, a little voice in me pleaded. Please, please, I don't want to be dead and drink blood to keep walking this lousy stinking earth. Hey God, where are you? Come on, show yourself. I need to see this cruel entity because any God that would allow this to happen must be as vicious as we vampires. Oh! Vampire, what have I become, the pain was too much to bear, nothing could console me. An existence without the people I love, my family, my friends. To think that my family had sold me to this man, this vampire that made me into this creature. Never will I get married and have children, never will I . . . what?? I really have no idea what I can or cannot do. I only know I crave the blood, the pain of that lust crawls through my veins like poisonous snakes. Please spirits of the universe, save me, but no answer comes to my rescue. The winds are silent, only the voice of my sire, my master to comfort and teach me. He patiently taught me my strengths and powers, my gifts and weaknesses. I still didn't know yet just how much he left out, how many powers I really possessed. He needed me to want and depend on him. His vanity needed me to be totally dependent on him.What a fool I was, I began to forget that it was he who did this to me in the first place. My dependence became a strange preverted love. Then I began to learn how cruel he really was. I was so afraid, but at the same time I would have done anything for him. He, of course, fed the dependence, made me believe I couldn't survive without him. What madness, what pain. I didn't want to be dead, I didn't want to be a vampire, but I didn't want to stop existing either. Gradually, over time (how much I don't know, time no longer meant the same to me as in life) I began to accept myself, my bloodsucking self. Finally, then to cherish and revel in the powers I now controlled, after all, I was now one of the older vampires, one of the survivors. But, life as I knew it in my sire's house was still the same because I still saw him as my master. I was a subservient slave in his domain, victim to his violent whims. You think vampires can't be hurt? You are so wrong, you humans, about us. All our feelings and senses are intensified. We feel things ten times, no a hundred times more intense than the best of humans. The pain and damage goes away quickly, but what we must endure for that short time. Oh, he knew just what to do, how to hurt me if I disobeyed him. He was my master of torment, body and mind. But I learned and I watched and I listened. I was still here while others had been destroyed by my sire. When I knew I no longer needed him, I would find a way out.



More and more I saw his cruelty increase, his lust for more, every indulgence became obsessive. He began to order the spirits around us, those poor dead spirits who wander about looking for the light, still earthbound but without body or form. Then, one day one of the manifestations was from hell itself. Asmodius was a vain, self righteous little fuck. I admit I was fascinated at first to find that hell really did exist and there really was a Satan. Then anger set in. This is where the blame must belong for beings like me. Why? The answers spin out of reach even for us creatures of the night. I only knew that once I saw that pure evil existed, then I could be just as sure that total good existed. Even a predator like myself hopes that God is alive and well to be able to balance this absurdity.



Daddy Dearest and Asmodius became busy with their plots and intrigues. It wasn't hard to figure out that this strong old vampire was bored and needed something new. He was one of the oldest, strong beyond belief. He had seen civilizations come and go. Shit, he had helped some of them come and go. Every experience known, every indulgence, wealth, women, life, death. When you walk the earth as long as him you're allowed every sensation and then nothing means anything anymore, been there, done that, boredom. What he craved, what he longed for was power. Total, without question, power with a capital P.



Once, when Asmodius appeared, he tried to hurt me. He didn't realize how strong my powers were. I countered his attack and bested him. "You're an ass and a moron, Asmodius," I screamed. "Go back to hell and wallow in filth where you belong." Man, I never saw a demon puff up like that before. I thought for a minute his head was gonna blow off. It was a good thing my sire came to my rescue. Not that he cared if I got hurt, he just doesn't like anything else to mar his possessions. For the first time in centuries I believed I would experience true death as he grabbed me by the throat and hissed, "I am the master here Raven. You are a nothing, a slave, a creature allowed to exist by my whim only. Never have a thought of your own again or I will torture you until you plead for extinction."



At that he turned and he and the little firefly from hell disappeared together. Well, I guess it's not nice to insult someone from hell. "Fuck you," I thought. My living life had been hard but this sucks. I've gotta get out of here, I cannot survive on my own . . . well anything is better than this.



I knew I had to plan, to learn what they were up to. When the next visit came from our favorite demon I was hiding behind the bedroom door to listen. Asmodius came to dangle his power carrot. My my, dead or alive we are such arrogant creatures. So it seems the ultimate will be his.



Coming back to myself for a moment, back up on the roof with Sundown and Syren, still hearing the sirens and babbling of voices from below. My thoughts are still with my sire at that time. "He sounded, he and Asmodius, just like Pinky and the Brain, trying to take over the world." I begin to chuckle softly as first, then hysterically. This stops Sundown in the middle of her grand lecture, arms askew as she paces back and forth. Stopping in mid sentence she turns to me. "Pinky and the who? Raven, what are you babbling about? Have you lost your mind? No . . . don't answer that," she barks as I go to speak. "I'm trying to make some sense of this, find a solution to all of this, get through to that thick skull of yours and she's giggling about who?"



She turns to Syren who looks down at her feet before she replies. "They are cartoon characters on television."



"What," gasps Sundown, "I cannot believe . . .", her voice fades as my memories draw me back. Even that pain is better to wrap myself in than her wailing. Gads, she sounds like my mother used to, I tuned her out too!



"You swear," says the vampire, "power to open gateways to other worlds and universes."



"Of course," answers Asmodius. "Just agree to my lord Satan's terms and everything you want will be yours." "Shall we call you king? Lay babies at your feet for sacrifice?" Asmodius says in a lilting voice. The slimy little demon continued on and from my hiding place I heard it all, what nonsense and what a pain this would cause the world. Not that my motives were selfless. I wanted to be free to see the world, to have fun. To hunt at my leisure and have men to play with, and . . . wow, I definitely don't want this to happen.



"Holy shit," I mumble out loud as I slap my hands over my big mouth, hoping those two idiots don't pick up my presence. No, whew, they're so engrossed in their illusions they miss me.



Asmodius recounts, "you make the vampires, populate the world with as many as you like. In return you will lead them to hell where their bodies will be possessed by our demons. Humans are much too frail, their bodies cannot long endure the rigors of our little possession game. Since vampires are already dead, they're a perfect host. Satan gains a hell on earth and you get a big part in it."



What crap, even I could smell the deceit, yeah, like the number one spit turner is gonna give my sire anything in the long run. This is all bullshit, can't he see that? No, he's not immune to vanity and pride. Asmodius looks on and grins, the bargain is struck.



It wasn't long after this that I first met Syren. I hadn't known that my sire was hungering after her, wanting her to add her to our family. She was a lovely and gracious noblewoman, part of the pampered and wealthy nobility, which simply made me nausous, but somehow drove my sire to distraction. I suppose our sire thought she had to be taken and defiled and turned into a dependent slave like myself. Sundown came along several years later. She was what you would call a Joan of Arc wannabe, commanding religious armies. Now, of course, with all her religious hang-ups, being a vampire makes it unbearable for her to enter a church or any consecrated ground. I am sure that was high up on my sire's list of pluses taking her as one of his own.



I remember my own demonic possession. I was dragged kicking and screaming that day to the throne of Hades' top dog. It didn't even hurt. Funny that day I wondered why I fought so hard, I thought it was all a fucking joke.



I shake my head again replacing the layers of time back to the roof.



"Yeah," I say to no one in particular, a big joke but that was before that last bloody battle, how nice." Both friends stop and stare, they know where my mind has been, their own memories from that space and time engulf them in fear many times also.



"Be quiet," Syren hisses, drawn back to the police action below.



"Listen up compadres," says the officer in charge. "No one is going to believe this stuff and it will makes us look like locos to go chasing a demon vampire from hell. I say let's clean up this mess and start an investigation of an ax welding female maniac that's definitely carried PMS too far. Not a word about boogy men or monsters, get it?"



We stop listening, what luck, thank the spirits we'll come out of this OK. No one will be hunting us. As the men below begin the job of getting the bodies in ambulances, and clearing the mess we three sigh with relief.



"What do you think girls? Enough party for one night," says Syren.



"Yeah," Sundown and I sigh together, "let's get out of here."



We three join hands and together rise in the air high above Tijuana, still a team, to make our way home before sunrise.



I'm really tired!





Syren



My god, what a mess. We come down to this pitiful excuse for a city just to let off some steam and sample the local cuisine and this has to happen. All us girls wanted was to have some fun. Damn it! We suffer enough, and now this happens. Guess it will be some time before we even attempt coming back here. Pity, it seems like such a great hunting ground. Eager men all over the place. Poor Raven, poor us, one of us lets our guard down for one minute and wham, our damned freeloader demon takes advantage of the situation. At least this time I was able to control my rampage; Raven was not so lucky. Our demon possessers are getting stronger the closer to the millenium we get. We must be on our guard at all times and try and stay in control. There must be a way to remedy this situation. There must be, even if it takes going back down to hell to accomplish it.



My god, just look at the carnage and activity down below us. Must admit, when our demons frenzy, they really know how to wreck complete havoc in a very short time. Just how many were killed by Ravens demon? It will take the authorities some time to put all the pieces of those people back together for examination. I see that the total chaos up and down the street that the Mexican authorities are not used to this kind of situation. My nostrils flare at the odor of several men vomiting. Ugh, always hated that smell. Ha, there they go messing up the crime scene.



We cannot stay on this rooftop much longer. Dawn is not so far away and we must get back to San Diego. Got to pull Raven back together and get Sundown to back down and act on leaving this tainted place.



I cannot help but chuckle at the two gringos waving their arms like demented windmills trying to explain about the nightmare beast with batwings tearing people apart and drinking their blood; and the looks on the faces of the federales listening to the incredible story being told. Unfortuntely, we have heard this story in other times and other places all too many times. There must be a way to control these demons, to keep them asleep and from wrecking what lives we are able to lead under these circumstances.



Damn, there goes Sundown again. I cannot stand it any longer. "Sundown, give the lecture a rest. Raven is in no condition to listen right now. We need to think about getting back home before dawn; we can discuss this situation once we have rested and thinking more clearly."



"It's OK Syren, thanks," Sundown whispers as she hugs me and Raven. The three of us stand there for a moment, trying to give each other the strength to get through this. We must stay together, not fight amongst ourselves. The bond between us is strong and see us through this predicament. Sundown shouldn't keep riding Raven like she does. She needs to remember that no more is she commanding her religious armies. We are not hers to command, we three are equal in this. I must admit keeping Raven in check is not all that easy, yet Sundown simply will not deal with her as she needs to be handled. Raven's character just drives poor strait-laced Sundown crazy. I understand Raven and what makes her tick and know how to deal with her.



I glance back at Raven as she slumps down, hugging her knees to her breast. There was just Raven and me for several years before our sire chose to embrace and bring across Sundown as sister to us. I know more of the hell that he put Raven through before I came along. With me, her unlife became more bearable and she and I supported each other and kept each other sane throughout the insanity of our undead existance. She was able to teach me and be there for me after our sire was through with me for the evening. The thought of getting away from him kept us going. The cruelty of our sire, his immense ego and unearthly desire to control this world and those worlds beyond. The horrors that he kept calling forth in his hideous ceremonies almost drove Raven and I insane. Ah, the terrible bargain he made with Lucifer and that little creep Asmodius that began all of this madness. I was not given much time to get used to what it entailed being a vampire before I also was dragged screaming and kicking down to hell after Raven to be possessed by a demon so our sire and Lucifer can begin their macabre partnership.



I shake my head of these unwanted memories and come back to the present. I can smell the tang of the spilled blood still. I glance over to Sundown and we both look over the side of the building and see that the commotion down below was still in high gear with no let up in sight. At least by what the federales are saying about the gringos' crazy recitement of the evening's activities, we will not be hunted this night. Who could believe such unbelievable stories anyway?



Without thinking I blurt out, "cartoon characters," in answer to Sundown's question. The look on her face is not a pretty sight. I choke back unneeded laughter at the sight of her. "Get over it, Sundown. Let us take Raven and get the hell out of here. Remember, dawn is nearing and we have a ways to fly."



Glaring at Sundown, I see that something else has her attention. I do not like the look on her face. Something is frightening her. Looking around with my vampiric sight, I do not see anything, but is there, was there some sort of presence? I grab my head and moan softly. She has always been the one more finely tuned into the spirit world than Raven and myself. And, when I see that look on her face, I know she has sensed some presence. Not something else, not now! I cannot stand it any longer. We have to get out of here and get out of here now. Tomorrow night we can reflect back and go on, but now, all I want, all I can think of is to get the hell out of this place. Now I am frightened, what else is around here that we do not see?



I say, "what do you think girls? Enough party for one night."



"Yeah," Sundown and Raven said together, "let's get out of here."



Sundown and I reach down and pick Raven up. We rise up into the night and begin our journey to our new home.





Sundown



Well, here's something new . . . Mr. Toad's wild ride and all at Raven's expense. The little fool has managed to let her nasty, ill-mannered inner resident loose (again) and massacred half of downtown Tijuana. Now Syren and I are trying to restrain her convulsing form while hiding on top of some sleaze-bag hotel. Join the Navy - see the world. Now she has the temerity to start whining about us holding her down. Damn her! She has almost gotten us all caught again . . . and she's crying about scratched wrists. I'm going to scratch more than her wrists if she can't control her "implant" better. She has endangered us twice, almost to the point of extinction. As intensely as I hate my curent existence, I would rather be in charge of my undoing. I will choose when and by whom (probably a foolish statement) but I do not wish to leave this world because of someone elses rampaging emotions. I've got enough problems of my own.



I roll off her legs, sending her a glare I know she can feel and sneak a peek over the building's edge. It looks like a scene from a disaster movie . . . red lights flashing, yellow tape twisting up and down in the breeze and fat Federales with semi-automatic machine guns and greasy mustaches. The blood smell rises on the wind. I flare my nostrils, sucking it in trying to calm my shattered nerves. Instead it acts like cocaine, heightening all of my senses to a super-awareness. I see the sweat trickling off of an officer's double chin, the blue-pink aura of the drunk gringo pissing in the gutter. Now a movement that I almost feel instead of see, filters into the darkness. What, no, who was that! My senses are on overload, this is when the screaming starts in my mind.



I notice Raven peering down at the carnage and see her suck her breath in the like she was kicked in the stomach. Yes, Raven, just what have you done this time?



"God Raven! What is going on with you?" I get a glare and a gesture that's supposed to shut me up. AS IF!! "I thought you loved us, yet you cause us more grief than those damned "Buffy" wannabes."



Raven and I trade a few more insults and innuendos until Syren breaks in, tells us to knock it off before we are overheard. Thank God for her level-headness . . . what did I just say? Syren? Level-headed? Whoa! Stranger things have happened to us. Yet here she is - little Susie Peacemaker. Funny thing is, it worked. "It's OK Syren, thanks," I whisper as I hug her and Raven (undeserving bitch). "I'll get off my soapbox for now." I shoot another dirty look at Raven, but the effort was wasted. Raven had curled up next to the bricks, lost in the curse of her memories, a place none of us like to visit.



Sighing deeply, I put an arm around Syren and tilt an ear to the commotion below. Syren is shaking, though whether from fear or anger, I can't tell. We lean against each other for a minute, trying to clear our senses and search for a way out. I don't like this role reversal - prey instead of hunter. I can't shake the feeling of being observed, so I start racking on Raven again. Nothing like a good mad to kick-start your brain.



Right in the middle of one of my state-of-the-art lectures, Raven mumbles something about Pinky and the Brain. "What the hell is Pinky and the Brain?" I hiss. Syren answers, "cartoon characters."



"Outstanding!" I almost shout. "Cartoon characters! I cannot believe it . . ." Syren shakes her head and I fade to black . . . mood that is.



Raven comes back to us with some inane remarks that makes us both stare. But we know where she's been, we've been there too. Just when you think you've got a lid on this possession thing, it comes back and kicks you in the ass repeatedly and with great enthusiasm.



My attention is drawn back down to the street. The blood scent has cooled off to a bitter metallic tang. It sounds like the Federales have cooked up some half-assed explanation for the "demon-woman". Sounds like we are outta here. We are gonna have to let this happy hunting ground cool off for awhile.



The suggestion to go home is met with unanimous acceptance. As we rise into the air, I search once more for those eyes that are burning a hole in my psyche. I struggle with a blinding tiredness that settles on me like a shroud. A change is coming . . . a new power perhaps, or an old struggle not quite settled . . . but something different this way comes, and I'm not sure if we are ready to face it.

Dark Desires, the Chronicles Part II
23:12 Mar 18 2006
Times Read: 770


Raven



Here I am with my buds, Syren and Sundown. We are here in lovely Tijuana to check out the bars and do a little hunting. We are walking down the main drag of TJ with all of its bars, strip joints; all kinds of intellectual shows, and hookers selling their wares. Just strolling, taking in the sights, the balconies above filled with people partying; some yelling to us down below. Lovers and others just partners for the next 20 minutes or so kissing in the shadows. Loud music coming from every doorway, drinking wherever you look. Oops, here comes a cart drawn by a donkey and with it a flash of memory from another time.



I'm drawn back to New Orleans in October of 1857. It's a beautiful night and I'm in the most elegant carriage in the city with the most handsome man I had ever known. Rich, young, powerful and oh, did I say handsome? I was posing as a Northern debutante on vacation to stem the doldrums of New York high society and to check out the famous Southern hospitality. (No one had to know that myself and my knuckleheaded friends had to escape New York poste haste for having a little too much fun with the son of a visiting dignitary. How were we supposed to know Mr. Big had a son he was that fond of! Shit, I thought he seemed too damned mean to care about much of anything, except for his weird obsessions. But, that's another story. So, back to New Orleans and my dashing cavalier. We pull up to his fabulous plantation. Charming, attuned to my every whim, but strong too. Strong willed enough to keep even me in line. He sensed the danger I posed, but wasn't afraid. On the contrary, it intrigued him and, in turn, that intrigued me. That pleased me, made me love him or if that's too strong a word for the vampire who loves only passion and violence, then I needed him. Needed him to be with me, to pretend sometimes I was like everyone else and not a monster at best, a demon at worst. How I craved that human touch and the promise of the impossible. In the deepest recesses of my mind I knew I was playing pretend for a short time, but what would it hurt? The peace of mind felt so good, the protective love so addictive, what would it hurt?



"Raven, check that man out," Syren pokes me in the ribs bringing me back to the present. The checking I was supposed to do was on a giant of a man, broad shoulders, muscular chest, shirt open enough to show the promise of a washboard stomach and a real charming smile that completed the ensemble. He sure knows he's a good piece of eye candy from the once over he begins to give me. Of course the girl on his arm sees this and I hear muffled sounds of "fuck you, you shit" as she drags him off away from where we three stand. "Naw" I say. "Not what I want as an appetizer tonight. I'm looking for something a bit more spicy." I barely get the words out when Sundown smacks me and announces that I am a female pig. "No" I say, "just a half starved vampire who's going to strangle you if you hit me one more time." Sundown prefers to talk to her victims and intellectually challenges them into agreeing that yes, she should suck their blood until they die. The weird thing is she actually pulls off this scam more times than not and bam, she gets to walk away full of everything but guilt. Syren on the other hand, is looking for someone to love her without trying to change her.



"Fuck," I ask, "how the hell do you change a vampire?" It's hard to get someone to love you when they're screaming in terror because you got excited and your fangs popped out at the most importune time. Just ask me, I know. And like the mists from time past, in my mind I'm drawn back to New Orleans. Looking back now I cannot believe that me of all the ruthless vampires in the world was drawn into that romance crap. What does Syren see and want from all that shit? I guess there was still a little of the human essence left in me to let me respond to all that garbage then. Anyway, at that time in my existence it became a whirlwind adventure for my human hero and me. What fantasy fun, what goosebumps he gave me; and then the chills replaced the bumps and the chills became icy hatred. My gallant plantation owner was the first human to hear my secret or part of it anyway.



"Marry me Raven," he said, "we'll live here at the family estate and raise a family and grow old together." I smiled demurely, this isn't the first time he's talked to me like this. Up to now it has been fairly easy to change the subject.



"Oh, you do tease me so", I coo. "You would get tired of me when I became old and then what would become of me?" I bat my eyes seductively and hide behind my fan. Obviously he didn't want to play games.



"Do not play games with me tonight Raven. You are not a scatter brained wench, so stop acting like one." "I want an answer right now, or a logical reason as to why not marry me."



"To hell with you," I throw back at him as I flung my fan.



He laughs and with a magnificent smile tells me, "that's more like the woman I love, so now talk to me." At that moment I really thought it was possible, every dream he wanted me to dream. Not the children of course, but the together for ever part. If he agreed the forever could take on a whole new meaning for him. Wow, I envision us walking together, hunting together, exploring the world together and when we needed a safe haven for awhile, we had our plantation. The girls would understand, hell, they could live with us. We could be a great power, the four of us, just like the four musketeers of legend. Yeah, this could work. Before I lose my nerve, I turn to him and tell him, "There are things you need to know about me first. It might frighten you at first, but it would certainly be a challenge worth taking." "You do love a challenge, do you not?" Words fail me for a moment. "Oh, I do want you, but only if you can accept me for what I am."



He steps forward to put his arms around me, but I step away and gesture him to stay where he was. "First, you need to know exactly who and what I am," I said. I will never know why I thought therew was a miracle waiting for me, but at the time that's how it seemed. And so I forged on. "My parents were poor Gypsies. Peasants with nothing who sold me to get me away from the hunger, hoping to find a better life for me."



Stunned, he turned bewildered eyes on me and simply said, "go on."



And stupid me continued. I told him all about my life as a Gypsy, about my village, even the date of my birth centuries ago, all the while he said nothing. Idiot that I am, I push on. "The man I was sold to turned out to be a monster. Not what you are thinking, I mean, a real monster in every sense of the word and he made me one also." I groan, close to tears now. I must not cry, hell, it's been centuries since I've cried.



"I am a vampire. One of the living undead," I scream, " the blood of humans sustains me. I have been like this for centuries." As I spoke, I could sense my eyes glowing and fangs growing.



I guess I should have been a lot less animated and a little more sensitive, because his knees began to buckle under him and as I reached out my hand to help, he regained control and backed away from me. What was in his eyes now? Love? Fear? Revulsion? Finally, I realize it was a little of each and as he turned and walked away, he said a prayer under his breath that ended with may God have mercy on my soul.



Mercy my ass, may God understand that whre he cannot help me, this man could save me! Please let him come back! I was frantic that night and went to hunt with a murderous vengance. particualarly cruel and relentless in my purusit of the kill, so much so that the ultimate evil of my soul emerged to haunt me and the world. The demon that lives in me, deep, dark, waiting. The curse of Satan himself. For so long I couldn't allow myself to believe my body was host to a hellish creature sometimes beyond my control. Looking back to that time of discovery I felt scared to death. Silly for a vampire to feel but you must understand that the unnatural state of undead was by now very natural to me. I had accepted a long time ago my nature, my change, but this development, to find that Satan's demon really did exist in me. I felt a lot like Regan from the movie The Exorcist. Thank heaven I don't puke green pea soup when I'm overcome. The gruesome frenzy which the demon took me on shocked the city. The torture and human descruction was an unspeakable horror. My saviors that night were Syren and Sundown. Without them to corner me and restrain me until the demon subsided back into the most remote parts of my cells, I cannot even comprehend what blood bath would have come about. When it was over, the city was in a turmoil and I was confused and weak. "What the hell was that all about? I asked. But we knew now the curse was true, now forever we will live in fear of our unwanted demonic borders. Damn our sire, damn Satan, damn us, but we know that's true already.



The story hit the newspapers and it wasn't long before I got the visit I prayed for and feared at the same time. He stood looking at me. "Was it you?" he asked.



No, no, how could I admit to this? I thought. "That horror was not me (sort of the truth) I could not do those horrible things."



"But you kill don't you?!, he screamed at me. "You murder innocent people don't you!?" "You are a self proclaimed monster after all," he cried.



So I did what any self respecting vampire would have done under the circumstances. I lied my ass off and then I cried. A vampire can't cry too long, we don't have much fluid in our cells, and in a minute or so the tears turn to blood. Sure can't let him see that. I guess it's true that tears can melt hearts, they did his anyway. He came over to me and gently put his arms around me declaring we could and would get through this vampire thing together. Tell me what was in his head at that moment? Did he think it was like the flu and would eventually go away? Who cared at that time? At least he was back in my arms.



The next few weeks showed me just how much I should have cared. He was now on a quest to save my soul and make me human again. How he meant to do this I will never know. How disillusioned he was, too bad he couldn't have stayed that way to the end.



When exactly was the end? So fragmented in my mind, the hatred in my soul keeps the details fuzzy or I would go insane.



Walking back from our engagement party, a man steps out in front of us. Of all the streets in New Orleans, the back alley off Bourbon Street is the most dangerous. Well, if this creep thinks he can hurt us, he's crazy. He doesn't frighten me any more than this deserted street, to think, the gall to confront my powers! But something is different about him . . . the way he is standing . . . the scent . . . Oh, if there is a God please no . . . as the hood falls back from his cape, I know, it is my sire. And fear as I have never known washes over me.



"Raven, my Raven, he sing songs. "I hear you are engaged to be married and expect to live a normal life." "My congratulations on your complete ignorance."



How quick was my sire, that he had my husband-to-be by the throat and lifted him off the ground, gasping for breath before we saw him move.



"Did you think after all that has happened Raven, that I would ever let you go? That I would ever let any of you go. Did you think our battle would end and I would forget? he hissed, his eyes aflame. He continued.



"You will bring forth the demon now, you will let him into the world, I demand it!" And, as he commanded, I could feel the vibrations of it. "Show your love what else you are," he screamed, "if he survives this night, see if he can live with the horror of it also!"



I couldn't stop it, my vision blurred, my veins boiled, the pain, the evil, and then, mercifully, no memory of the rest of the night.



It is the next day and I am alone in my home, I do not know how or when I got here. In the next few days I find out that my beloved's body was found, his blood drained, his handsome body torn apart. The police said it was a savage attack by a rogue wild animal. I was in despair, had I done this while under the influence of my demon? Or did my sire do this to forever haunt me? My sire had left the city and now I wasn't sure if I could stand the truth. In those moments I felt the last of my humanity drain away forever.



"Damn it Raven, are you going to day dream all night? This is earth calling Raven," chuckles Syren.



"I'm back," I say and suddenly the hatred is so strong I feel it again. NO NO NO, I've learned to control it, not tonight please, not tonight, not here. If I feed right now I can stop it. I leave the bar, and then I see the eye candy and his girl. I move so fast they do not see me and before they know it I have dragged them into a dark alley and rip both their throats out. Drink, drink, need more and the feeding frenzy begins.



Syren



So, this is Tijuana, more like the armpit of Baja California, if you ask me. But, it does have its quaint charm. Like the flashing lights, loud music blaring from the discos upstairs, couples necking at every street corner, teenagers staggering with cans of beer, pitiful Indians and their children begging on the streets to where you literally trip over them. Not to mention the smell . . . and I thought the Dark Ages smelled bad!



Here we are upstairs in one of the noisy discos. I can tell Raven is deep into a memory, by the haunted look on her face, I think I know which memory she is reliving, and I pity her going through that pain once more. She doesn't even know I'm leaving, which is alright, we will find each other later. Wonder where Sundown has gotten herself to. Damn, this music is so loud and my ears so sensitive, I must get out of here and clear my head!



Much better, having more fun poking my nose into all these gift shops. Interesting items for sale down here, I can see that they are great rip off artists, some of these name brand copies are actually close. Oh, look at those two sailors walking my way, what a pair of cuties. They ought be to be quite tasty. Ah, they like what they see as well, I think I'll just link my arms through theirs and go play for a bit.



I really ought to carry more hankies with me, I hate it when I spill blood, what a waste! I was right, they were both rather tasty. At least they left thinking they got a great quick lay to boast back at their ship later tonight. Makes me feel better knowing that I can feed without killing each time. Too many corpses makes the cops nervous and also endangers us vampires. But, I am not adverse to a kill if circumstances call for it.



What to do next, it is still too early to look for Raven and Sundown, so I suppose I will wander down this street some more and find another club with preferrably softer music. Hey, this place isn't so bad, nice and dark, and what an interesting floor show. Haven't seen one of these for ages. Sigh, look at all the couples happy together. How long has it been since I had someone that loved me and was happy?



How could I forget him? His intense blue eyes, soft brown wavy hair, almost as long as mine, soft sensual lips, how he made my blood boil just being near him. The memory is so painful, but I cannot help remembering and savoring his memory. He was a prince's son, and I a courtesan in Italy in the 16th century. What times I, Raven and Sundown had. The city was our playground. The music, the dancing, and science was a fascinating novelty. Here was I, the mysterious courtesan that no one saw during the day, was known for always wearing a blue-red rose pinned on my bodice. My manor house was besieged by gifts daily, as well as bouquets of my signature blue-red roses. Many men wanted me, but only one man had won my heart and soul. He belonged to me and I to him. Only he was allowed in my innermost chambers. The others were merely used for their gifts and the gift of their blood. My gifts to them was a memory of undescribable passion.



One moonlit night we were strolling arm in arm about the lower garden when my vampiric ears caught the faint cries of a young child in pain. I knew that voice, it belonged to the four year old daughter of the head housekeeper. I picked up my skirts and ran towards the screaming, my prince running after me. The sight that I beheld brought me to a vampiric frenzy that I could not control. Thank God that the demon did not find the sight worthy to awaken. That would have been too much to bear.



A skallawag had pinned the child down and was raping her, savagely, brutally. All I remember was the too familiar red veil coming down over my sight, I felt my fangs come forth and my frenzy took over my reason.



When I came to, the dear child was in my arms, my prince as laying as still as death nearby and of the skallawag, well, his head was resting up against my prince's boot, and his bloodless body was laying some distance away in a tumbled heap. One gift that is a part of being a vampire is the ability to make someone forget or accept whatever thought you impart on them. I made the child forget all that had happened to her. I cleaned her up with my torn underskirt and water from the nearby fountain. Fortunately, she would recover from her wounds, that beast had not been at her but for only a few moments. As I carried her across the garden and put her gently down so she could run back to her mother, I could feel my prince's eyes on me. I trembled with fearful anticipation as I slowly turned and walked slowly towards him. He was standing, his breath coming in gasps. He looked down and kicked the gruesome head away from him.



What should I do? Do I try to explain myself to this man and risk everything? Or simply try to make him forget this night and continue on? Only I knew that it could never be like it was before. We had been together for much too long to be able to make him completely forget. I would always be afraid now of having something like this happen again. I also knew that I could never destroy this human I so dearly loved. My unlife was entirely in his hands.



He stood still and let me walk up to him. I stood there, gazing into those incredible blue eyes. Oh please do not let me cry! For the tears would quickly turn to bloody tears and I could not bear to show more of myself to him.



"So," he said softly. "A monster is what you are. A monster that can so savagely kill and a monster that survives on the life's blood of others."



Those words stung me. I continued to stand there, saying nothing.



"But, a monster that cares of the suffering of the innocent, and a monster that loves me as much as I love her."



He stepped up to me and put his arms around me and held me close for several moments before he spoke to me again.



"I now know you to be a vampire, but I know you just have only taken what you need to survive and that you do care about who you take from. You actually make them happy and content when you are done." He paused, took a deep breath and continued. "My darling, I too have a secret. I come from a long line of alchemists. How do you think my family has remained so wealthy and free from political intrigue? I am hoping that when the time is right, you will embrace me and we shall be together for all eternity." With that, he kissed me long and hard, there in the moonlight. He then helped me toss the remains of the skallawag in the secret place I have for such problems as this. We walked arm and arm back to the house and up the secret staircase to our rooms.



I never knew such bliss. The months went by and life was glorious. I was so relaxed and happy, no more lies and being afraid of my beloved despising me. Raven and Sundown were also happy for me. We talked to my prince for hours trying to find a way of helping us with the demons that were within us. He was appalled by our stories of what our sire had done to us and why. He consulted with many colleagues and they were feverishly working on a solution to our demonic problem.



Then, my world shattered in an instant. My prince and I had been to a ball at court. Our carriage came to a halt down one dark street. I looked out the window to see our driver and footmen being tossed aside like ragdolls. A dark, cloaked figure jumped to the street facing the carriage. I was terrified at the aparition. My sire, it had to be. He had found us. There was no escaping him. It was hopeless. I knew then all was lost. I clung to my prince, it was as if he knew the end had come. He took my chin in his hand and whispered that he would love me through all time, and that we would be together again in another age.



We got out of the carriage and faced my dark and terrible sire. He laughed a most hideous laugh and walked towards us.



"Well, my daughter, you and your sisters have been very naughty in trying to rid yourselves of my wonderful demonic gift. And you, sirrah, have hoped to help my daughter and have actually thought that you could take her away from me?"



He was too fast for me, in a split second he had my beloved by the throat and held him up against a brick wall, choking the life out of him.



"No! I cried." Punish me, but please spare him!" His reply was more bitter laughter.



"My daughter, release your demon, let him surface and take control. He will know how to end this. Come forth, I know that your demon hungers, let us see if your beloved prince can survive your real self."



I felt my blood burn with rage, my hands turning into hideous claws, I screamed with rage. I could feel my hideous, despised demon from hell awakening from deep inside me and taking control over me. I could not stop him. Damn my sire, damn Lucifer and their terrible pact. My beloved, I am so sorry. I looked once more into his eyes, and mercifully, I knew no more.



The next morning I found myself in my bed. There were Raven and Sundown sitting by the bed, worried looks on their faces. There had been a terrible accident the previous night, Raven said, and my beloved prince was found dead, his throat torn out and his back broken. My horses from my carriage had been found savagely torn apart and partially eaten. There had been an inn not too far away from the terrible murder scene that had also been ransacked and all inside brutally killed.



Did I cause all that death and destruction? Or did the demon inside me slaughter all those innocents and my prince? Whatever had happened, my sire was the cause of it, and the hatred for him was what I had to hold myself and my sisters of the night together. We would continue on and revenge would be ours sometime and some where. We three held hands and renewed our vow. Even though we would leave Italy, we would still keep in touch with my beloved's minions on helping us ridding ourselves of our terrible burden.



With a shudder I come back to the present and Tijuana. I stood up and ran out of the bar. Must not frenzy, not here, not now. Where are Raven and Sundown? I sent out a mental call to them. We need to be together for strength, I am afraid of losing control. With a gasp, I sensed that Raven had already frenzied. I ran behind a dark alley and flew up, and over the streets, looking for my sisters.



Sundown



Tijuana! The sights, the sounds, the smells . . . strangely reminiscent of somewhere (some time) else. I was going to say what the hell got into Raven for bringing us down to this cesspool, but actually, I alraedy know what it is . . . and it's not very pretty or nice. That nasty little thing that rules Raven's darker self makes Jeffrey Dahmer look like Little Bo Peep.



At least the hunting is easy down here. I'll be OK as long as I don't look at those big, brown eyes. Sometimes those eyes can be hungrier, colder and more calculating than my grey ones. Different than the black, bottomless Gypsy eyes from another life, in another land. Unfortunately, these street urchins don't eat any better than the Gypsies. Their blood is old and tired. Sort of like eating Chinese food. Eat now and you're hungry an hour later. The hunt is so primitive here. You can't even talk to your prey, and that's probably why Raven brought us here. Raven knows my hunting habits and despises me for them. I like to talk the silly twits into giving me their blood, their jewelry, homes, bank accounts, whatever. And, they insist that I take them.



Raven thinks there is no guilt when the life is given and not taken. She has never tried it so she doesn't know. The guilt is the life's blood of my personal demon. He dishes up guilt so strong that I tend to starve instead of feed . . . imagine that little voice taunting you before, during, and after the kill and then indelibly engraving your victim's face in your mind . . . forever. Imagine 700 years of faces . . . vampire dementia suddenly is a looming possibility. Raven doesn't realize that my verbal seduction covers that voice for awhile. She also doesn't realize that my lectures and tabs are because I don't want this to happen to her and Syren. Pain in the ass they may be, but I love them both.



Speaking of that, there goes Syren swaying down the street looking for her Romeo (Romero, maybe). Usually one flash of those emerald green eyes and men literally throw themselves at her, but she cannot find one to love and keep for awhile. Poor thing. Her darling demon will probably never let her know true love, will just keep teasing her along. Is it this 'one', that 'one'? Once she realizes the current "toy" is not Mr. Right, her demon pushes her into a frenzy that even Clive Barker would find nauseating to use in any of his flicks. Death to him that bound us with these demonic possessions.



Uh Oh! Reality check. My forebrain pounds with alert excitement. Invisible to everyone except my senses, I zero in on two banditos hiding under balcony stairs. Two sets of eyes are locked on me - a knife blade dully reflects the street lights. A red film covers my sight . . . Battle! What I was bred for. Only now, I don't lose. I stride purposely, directly into their lair. Their eyes almost bulge out of their sockets, hands fumbling for weapons. Number one just lost the ability to fumble for anything but breath. Funny how that happens when your throat is slit from ear to ear (really, I must trim my nails!) Number two apparently had beans for dinner, because he just filled his pants with them. Oh man, that's nasty! Just for that, you will know what hit you! These two swine would have whacked their granny on the head for money and a hit of coke. Filthy vermin . . . now the main course (if you like Mexican food).



Ahhh, that should hold me for awhile. Guess I'll window shop until I can gather Syren and Raven and get out of this nasty place. Wow! Would you look at that, real French antiques. Amazing what you can find. I walk in the store and finger the brocade on the spindle-legged chair. Instantly I am back in Louie's court. Ah, the sights, the sounds, the smells . . . worse than Tijuana, I think. But the clothes, those gorgeous musketeers with their long hair, swords and 101 useful ways to use them. Back then, I could "pass" more easily, with the pale complexion being all the rage and I didn't need the acid peels and pulverized lead to make my skin that way. Even in death's embrace I fooled the fools . . . eager they were to achieve my complexion's secret; and most eagerly, I gave. Diamonds sparkled at my throat and fingers, dancing lights caused by thousands of candles. Curled, perfumed wigs, curls brushing cheeks pink with fresh blood, blue taffeta rustling over my panniers, blood-tinted lips covering white fangs. My eyes glistened with something close to happiness as I watched the music box figures glide over the parquet floors. A finger trailing across my decolletage, another on my elbow . . . "Senorita, how can I help you?"



Startled, I snap back to the present. "No, no, I'm OK. Gracias."



As I walk back out of the store to the noisy street, I see Raven stalking a couple of touristas. Just peachy, Raven. Hit on the gringos. Well, he is her type. Guess I cannot fault that. I'll hang back and keep an eye on her (unpredictable bitch) until I can get Syren and her to come to their senses and go home. Raven will bloat like a tick if she drinks anyone else. I feel another lecture coming on. They obviously don't remember or care that this is exactly what almost destroyed us in Seattle. Five more 'minutes' and they get the mental time to come home call . . . if the two twits answer. What a minute, I don't like the look on Raven's face and her body language . . . oh damn, don't tell me it's coming out of her now of all places and times . . .

Dark Desires, the Chronicles Part I
22:57 Mar 18 2006
Times Read: 774


Raven



What the hell time is it anyway? 3:30am and another 30 minutes and this damn flight will be history. More history, just what I need. And my memory of this grand historic event will be watching strangers of all shapes, sizes, ages, colors, some desirable, and others not so, go through their silly dance of trying to endure an airplane ride too! Most are sleeping, their mouths hanging open. It's stuffy as hell in here, and yes, damn it, I can use that analogy 'cause I know first hand just how stuffy hell can get. I once told the head honcho of Hades to get stuffed, and he's still looking to fry my ass. That was in my younger and wilder days, though. Now, I've become somewhat mellow with age. I mean at one time I could never have been this close to humanity with all their scents, individual and haunting. You know that certain special scent that arouses every nerve in your body. The one that makes all the fluid in your body want to devour that scent, make it a part of you, make it a part of your own essence, soothes you and at the same time becomes part of an orgasm so complete it makes you leave your body for a few seconds. But never does it abate - the hunger - it only eases for a time. Time, there's that word again. Time taught me to master my hungers, most of them anyway. Now sex, now yeah, sex, now that's one hunger I don't ever want to control. I love the power, the play, the ritual dance that happens from the moment you lay eyes on your prey. Did I say prey? Oops, sorry, I meant potential partner. Partner in games and I am the master of THAT game! If I want you . . . well . . .oh shit, I do go on, you must think I'm a complete hussy with no self control. Well, in my own defense, that's the least of my sins, and believe me Hell is waiting for us godless bitches. After all, if I hadn't learned to control my demons somewhat over time, not one person in this damnable plane would be alive right now, 'cause you see, I'm a vampire. A beguilding, gorgeous, witty, sexy, and horny as hell vampire.



Hello, my name's Raven, and my friend sitting next to me here is Syren, she's a vampire too. Just as gorgeous and just as dangerous. We have another beautiful friend sitting in the front of the plane; we banned her to the back because once again, we're pissed at her. The younger of our happy threesome, she sometimes has a tendency to get moral on us. I told her that Syren and I cannot stand listening to the shit that she spews sometimes, that there is a time and a place for that stuff, and tonight just isn't it! I didn't ask to become what I now am, and life and death has been happening since long before I was some embryonic spark of energy doing a back stroke through time. We all got pushed ass first down the chute into life without our permission. Does it sound like I'm bitter, sad at my fate, repentant of my evil ways? Hell no! What I am this moment is in lust over the most gorgeous long haired hunk I have laid my eyes on in a long time. Calmly sleeping across the isle from me, propped ever so sensually against his wife. Yes, I checked out his ring finger the minute I caught his scent. Not that a little thing like a wife means a lot to me, but usually women don't see the humor in having their husbands seduced by a vampire. This fact tends to make them mad and that can mean trouble. But what I wouldn't give to fuck his brains out then suck his brains out and I do mean this literally, not figuratively. Damn I hate airplanes! Yeah, finally the city lights below. But the plane's arc, ugh, there goes my stomach. Oh geez, this thing seems to be much too close to those buildings.



All those lights, just look at that building ringed with neon lights, my, how trendy! And of course, there's the ocean. Would you like to know what I hate more than airplanes? You've got it! Water! I mean come on, vampires hate water and having to fly here is Syren's fault. Ok, so there was that nasty incident back in Seattle and so, what if every little annoying fuck of a demon from Hell wanted to see us turning on a spit? I said we could have laid low for awhile instead of leaving, but no . . . we had to fly down here! I know why Syren wanted here. Too much time on her hands. She reads entirely too much, and you shouldn't, believe the dribble you read in those romance novels. Screw Danielle Steele or whatever the novel is. The last book that my beguiling friend read took place here. "But it's such a melting pot there", said she in her argument. "It's on the Mexican border, and only a couple of hours from Los Angeles, where all the action is", she swore. "And besides, Raven, every handsome hung hunk in the world passes through there at one time or another. After all, this is a military city!" This being her final argument I just had to agree with her, so here we are!



It's pretty funny when you think of it, we three friends of undeath, or would that be fiends? No matter, we're sticking together forever, protecting each other, supporting each other and helping each other cope with the human fault we each have, left over from another time and place. And then there's the nasty little visitor each of us has, that little demon inside us with a personality all its own, hateful and cold. Hiding like a stalker, waiting, and watching. Let your guard down and WHAM, there he is . . . STOP, STOP, I don't want to talk about that . . . maybe another time, but not now. I . . . oh yeah, alright, touch down, we've finally landed.



Ok girls, grab your bags, let's step into our new lives once again. Welcome to America's Finest City. Hello San Diego, we're here and ready to share our best impression of Hell with as many of you as possible. Ok, so it does sound just a little better since Syren reminded me it's a military town. So many men, so many complete proteins.



"Well", says Syren, "Here we are on the threshold of all new adventures", and we all wail in unison upon reading a sign, "360 days a year of sunshine! I don't think sunblock is gonna help here. Oh well, what the hell, join arms girls. One terribly romantic vampire looking for love, one truly sex fixated vampire looking for the ultimate orgasm and one pain in the ass vampire who's one giant fault is she wants to save the fucking world instead of drink it! Go figure. One for all, all for one and the first to nail a victim shares with all.



Syren



Ocean, nothing but dark ocean below us. I am so glad this flight is almost over. It's so hard to be confined and for so many hours surrounded by humanity. Sigh, Raven's incessant grumbling about this trip has about sent me over the edge. Poor Sundown, having to sit in the back away from us; we shouldn't have lost our tempers at her like we did. But, dammit, she does tend to push us at the wrong time about morality and such. It's not our fault she is what she is. Really, what can we do? Now, they both are upset at me with this escape to a city with lots of sun, beaches, and more sun. They both forget that they were the ones that threw this whole hastily put together trip in my lap, so they do not have the right to complain about our destination. Well, enough of my bitching on that!



I will certainly miss the years we spent in Seattle. The underground city saved our lives more than once. My wanderings down there unearthed many artifacts that I am hoping will safely stay in storage until I can send for them. I am afraid we won't be visiting that city again for quite some time. The west coast lifestyle is so different from that of the east coast. But then, America is nothing like home back in Europe. Ahhhh, to go home again and . . . well, another time for bittersweet reminiscing.



We three were lucky to get out of Seattle when we did, but it's only a matter of time before he finds us down here. Hopefully, we will be better equipped to face him and his minions this time. I am in no hurry to get to Hell, let me tell you! Ha, neither is my demonic hitchhiker anxious to depart for the netherworld. How ironic, that the demons that infest the three of us, that cause us grief, also help us in our fight against our sire and Lucifer's head demons!



Finally, the pilot just announced our landing in America's Finest City, San Diego, in just a few minutes! I am more than ready to stretch my legs and prowl around our new home. I hunger and must feed soon. At least I quieted Raven's bitching about this being a military town and that means lots of men to enjoy for vampires such as ourselves! Oh, didn't I tell you that we three are vampires? And not just any run-of-the-mill, vampire, but vampires possessed (infested is more like it!) with demons, thanks to our sire, that bastard. You might say the situation makes every day a challenge, because neither of us knows when our demon will take over and have his own entertainment at our expense.



Enough of my rambling . . . I do need to cut back on romance novels, our unlives are anything but romantic, I'm afraid to say. There was a time when we led the vampiric life that you mortals read about in countless novels, alas, those times are long gone.



Alright Raven! Let's find Sundown and get off this blasted plane. Ok, ladies, San Diego, here we come!





Sundown

I hate to fly (this way, anyway!). I have to practically put myself into a stupor to get on one of these things. Bart (you should see the craters on his face, what horrible skin!), I'm stuck sitting next to, is making me batty (excuse the pun), with all those side long glances and heavy sighs my way. Oh well, we are almost at our destination. A new city. San Diego. Probably the sunniest part of the country. God, I'm going to miss Seattle. The clouds, the dark nights, the pale people, the feeding. I must be suffering from dementia. It's been nights since I've fed. What is Bart doing now? Of all people to get stuck sitting next to, I get Bart, Mr. crater-face. I cannot believe those two banished me to the back of the plane. Guess I need to control my "preachings" as they call it. Ahh, I smell that salty tang of blood. Hmmm, Bart cut his finger and is sucking on it.....must keep my control. Can't lose it stuck up here in this plane.



Letting my mind wander in order to ignore Bart, I remembered the pilot talking about the Oregon Trail as flew over the area of the Donner Pass. That was certainly a horrendous winter. All those people in the Donner party slowly starving and freezing to death. Swanson frozen dinners! Frozen blood popscicles, not very satisfying, but at least we three survived until we could fly over the pass ourselves. My, all the adventures we three have had over the centuries. Who would have thought, that I, Seraphina, a holy warrior crusading for our Lord God would end up a cursed vampire, in this damnable airplane fleeing from our sire and several demons from Hell hot on our heels. And, to have this demon inside me, always tempting and taunting me with evil.



There's the stewardess telling us to prepare for our landing to San Diego. They call themselves America's Finest City, where the sun shines over 300 days a year. What a place for vampires! I hope Syren knows what she's doing sending us all to this place. I do have to give her that we were rather in a hurry to leave Seattle and at that point, any place was a good place. With Mexico next door and all those military men around I believe we won't go hungry or bored. I'll have my hands full with Raven screwing every guy and Syren wanting to love every guy, and I will want to be sure they follow the right path.



We've landed! Now to make my escape from crater-faced Bart, this airplane, and to meet my dark sisters as we embark on our new lives.