Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 131

I raise an eyebrow in acknowledgement. Michael, my angel.

Dipping the tea bag into my cup, I observe the new group's activity. They settle in at the tables near the exit, and the waiter hastily starts taking their orders. It's been an evening of boozing for them. From where I sit, I can smell the wine they've been consuming. Raising my nose, I pause, close my eyes, and take in their scent.

The voice inside my head asks, "Do you detect anything odd?"

"False alarm," I reply. "If you smell the odor of dead skunks, tell me."

"What exactly are we looking for again?"

"We'll know when we see it, I bet."

"Great."

I make a mental note to not have a staring contest with humans in the future, especially when I'm hungry. My eyes had caught the waiter's attention, literally. But the telepathy wanted more.

Before I became a vampire, I had hazel eyes that were primarily dark green with brown flecks around the iris. I'd like to think they are similar to my human mother's eyes. When my father, Satan, turned me, I adopted his mossy green reptilian eyes. How nice, right?

I add the blood to the cup of tea and watch it dissolve. Retrieving my sungla.s.ses from my backpack, I put them on. In one gulp, I swallow the mixture and lower my head, hoping no one sees my reaction or the fact my eyes have started to glow.

I breathe slowly and let the o.r.g.a.s.mic rush of satisfaction flow through my veins. I wait for the tingling aftershock sensations to subside. The sour, bitter taste of the tea remains in my mouth while the sweetness of the blood has calmed me. It's an acquired taste, one I'm still getting used to, and one I find to be a better solution for sustaining my hunger than asking my waiter friend into the restroom for a nibble on his neck. Okay, more than a nibble. 'Bring no harm to humans.' Michael's words run through my head. I drum my long fingernails on the table a few times and pout. Oh yes, waiting for my blood supply to be delivered is going to be a challenge. Hopefully, if I maintain my focus on anything except blood or s.e.x, that one cup of nourishment can last me several weeks. And yes, I did say hopefully.

Controlling the bloodl.u.s.t is a lot like controlling my desire for s.e.x. Having s.e.x and drinking blood go hand in hand for me. However, if I keep myself from thinking about either activity, I can ignore the fact I'm hungry or ready to pounce on a guy until my body demands I act on it. It's a tricky approach, and so far I've been successful at it. Well, I should say I've been mostly successful. I don't have a hundred percent track record with those endeavors. I'd hate to admit that fact to Michael or Blick, but it's true.

That's one reason why I started my blog, www.thevampirefromh.e.l.l.com, to keep myself distracted with writing. The other reason is I thought I should explain my side of the story before my father, Satan, attempts to spin his version. When I recall the torture he lavished on me during those 'training sessions' in h.e.l.l, the fact that he killed my mother, and a ton of other stuff I could list here, I know I'm doing the right thing.

Wait! I don't think I've introduced myself. Sorry about that. My name is Rayea. I began as a half-breed, part demon and part human. When Satan forced me to drink his blood, it turned me into a flame-throwing vampire. Don't laugh. I'm not making that up. I have fangs longer than what most vampires sport. Well maybe I shouldn't say that because I haven't actually met any vampires yet. I'm thinking about vampires in movies. Okay, my fangs are actually longer than Father's. He has those pointy, shark teeth you notice on the old school demons. It's sickening to see him smile.

Anyways, I have an attractive enough face, high cheekbones, full lips, a little b.u.t.ton nose, long s.h.i.+ny black hair, and a toned physique held in a slender frame for my 5' 9" height. (I'm guessing I get my looks from my mom's side.) And now, thanks to a mind meld from a new friend, I have a slightly tanned olive complexion. When I first arrived on Earth, I religiously covered my skin with sunscreen. One day I forgot to wear it, and I didn't turn into a crispy critter. So I finally realized I didn't need it. Go figure.

Yes, you may be thinking that vampires have pale skin and can't walk in the sunlight. I know. I've seen the movies, too. But I don't have a maker to guide me through all of this, so it's trial and error as I learn what I can and can't do. Ask my father? Get real. That's why I'm on my own. Besides, if I used movies as my guide, I'd be thinking I could sparkle in the sunlight. And you and I both know real vampires don't sparkle. Enough said.

For the most part, I blend in rather easily among you. I look like any other woman on Earth pretending she's not concerned with her appearance. Typically, I wear a light gray long-sleeve leather jacket, a white T-s.h.i.+rt, faded blue jeans, one item of jewelry that was my mother's, and a very worn-out pair of dark brown Doc Martens. I keep a sawed-off shotgun attached to my right thigh and a machete strapped to my left one in case of emergency. I ditched the black leather jacket because I developed a sudden hatred for black leather clothing when I discovered it absorbs a lot of heat from the sun. I have noticed though that the black leather covers up spots like splashes of blood better than the light gray, so I am considering revamping my wardrobe. No pun intended.

As I was saying, I'm glad I acquired only a few of my father's demonic features when he turned me. Demons those descended from Satan look like mutated snakes walking around on two legs. Think of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Thankfully, I don't have a dome-shaped head, pointy shark teeth, or skin that's scaly and rough to the touch. My father wears expensive human clothing in an attempt to hide the fact that he is covered from head to toe in snake-skin patterns, the color of chartreuse. Visualize a bowl of guacamole or the inside part of a ripe avocado, something green and yellow mixed together, and you get the idea. It's a G.o.d-awful color. My sister looks a lot like my father, but I don't want to bring her up right now. Honestly, don't ask me why it took me so long to realize I wasn't a full-blooded demon like them. While I was in h.e.l.l, I guess I just wanted to belong. So much for that.

Getting back to my story... In the last part (The Beginning: Part 1), you may recall that Blick transported us out of h.e.l.l after Father turned me into a vampire. Check it out at my blog if you want to read all the grizzly details. Actually we did end up at the House of G. And I have to say, after the existence I had experienced at the hands of my father, I was living it up in my new surroundings. Chilling at the House of G was just what I needed, or so I thought.

Chapter 6.

Handsome for a h.e.l.lhound "Have you been up all night...again?"

Blick found me on the terrace, gazing at the ocean. It was the break of dawn, and he was headed out for another day of training. I wanted to ask him if he was okay with my missing a lot of our martial arts practice sessions, but I forgot the question when I saw him. I feared my sleep deprivation was causing me to hallucinate, and then I remembered Blick's change.

Since arriving at the House of G, Blick had transformed from his Lycan-Underworld-movie look to that of a tall, una.s.suming man with chiseled facial features and gleaming gold eyes.

"I can't get used to your s.h.i.+ft into human form. Your goatee is very nice. You are handsome for a h.e.l.lhound, you know?"

"Is that a sense of humor I detect today?" he replied, ignoring my observation. He was confident and determined standing there in his workout clothes which consisted of a bright white T-s.h.i.+rt clinging to his tanned lean frame, a pair of royal-blue gym shorts, and white sneakers. The wind from the sea pushed a few wisps of his jet black hair into his eyes and he brushed them aside.

Hearing the love in his soft baritone voice was music to my ears. Since we didn't need to be secretive anymore, we had fallen out of the habit of talking to each other telepathically.

"What about the nightmares?" he asked.

Tears rose in my eyes. I gritted my teeth and fought to compose myself, so I didn't burst out crying like a little girl in front of him. "Ongoing," I muttered. "Anytime I try to sleep, I see Father and Stephanie turn into monstrous snakes and chase after me." Because I hadn't been able to sleep for weeks, my life consisted of three activities: wandering around Blick's home, surfing the internet on my computer, or hanging out on the terrace (usually at night).

He nodded and placed his hand on my forehead, checking my body temperature. "You're burning up," he insisted.

"I think that's just my natural temperature now." I smiled up at him weakly. The seven-foot h.e.l.lhound I had raised from a pup in h.e.l.l was actually a seven-foot shapes.h.i.+fting angel who was trying his best to take care of me. I called him 'Papa' especially when he was fussing over why my health was steadily declining. Blick wasn't the only one worried about me. I was too.

"A friend is coming by later with some supplements. Will you answer the door this time, please?" he asked.

"Sure."

We stood on the terrace of his home in silence for a few moments, watching the waves. About eight two-story properties of high ranking angels including Blick's home lined a sandy white beach nestled in a cove. His home was in the center of the arch-shaped cove, and I could look out from the terrace on the second floor and see the ocean. Towards the east, the ocean stretched out to what seemed like infinity. It was more beautiful than I'd imagined oceans could be. Now in the morning sunlight, the water glistened and danced, merging into hues of light blue and green. Were the oceans on Earth this blue? One day, I thought to myself, one day I'll find out.

I had been standing on the terrace for hours, long before the sun came up, listening and watching for sea dragons. Sometimes a few gathered in the cove closest to the edge where the rocks began. The jagged rocks rose high above the cove and leveled out into meadows. The bluffs went on for miles and miles as far as the ocean. For my protection, Blick refused to let me leave his home, so I had no idea where I was other than what I had seen. That had consisted of the ocean, the cove, the rocks, and the dragons.

"Why don't you work on your blog today?" His question brought me back to reality.

"I could do that," I agreed.

"Instead of chatting with your friends online!"

"Well," I began. Then I stopped as a large wave slammed against the rocks, catching my attention.

Blick turned, leaned on the railing, and peered down at me.

"It seems to distract me." I avoided his gaze and focused instead on a large bluish green sea dragon that had stuck his head up briefly near the rocks, and disappeared under the tide. I waited to see if Blick had noticed it too.

"What distracts you? The ocean or talking to your friends?"

"Both actually," I concluded.

I knew he'd think I was crazy if I mentioned the dragons. I had been watching them for weeks. What was their story and why did they swim in and out of the cove near the sh.o.r.es close to the angels' homes? They looked like versions of the ones we had in h.e.l.l, opting for the security of the ocean instead of land. Surely they weren't fire-breathing dragons. I giggled at the possibility. I doubted I'd get the chance to meet any of them or find out what powers they possessed. From what I observed already, these dragons were very skittish.

"Your meeting with G is this week. You have to be ready," he said. He pulled his iPhone from his back pocket and stared at it.

I watched the waves below as they seemed to call to me. Searching for dragons took my mind off of everything else, especially my illness and these morning pep talks of Blick's.

He answered the text message and resumed lecturing me. "Every medicine we try doesn't seem to work. We're running out of options here. Do you know how long we've been organizing this?" He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration and glared down at me. "Will you put your sunscreen on if you're going to be out here?" he snapped.

"I won't be out here much longer. They don't come out during the day," I said.

"What?"

"Nothing." Thinking of a way to modify my statement, I added, "The morning sun isn't that bad when I don't have any on. It's the afternoon rays that make my skin itch."

"Are you sure?"

I groaned inwardly and attempted a cheerful response for his sake, "Yes, Papa."

"Rayea, this is serious! We could all be in big trouble!" He grabbed me by the shoulders, spinning me around to face him. "You're part of J's plan. You have to make a good impression on G if this is to move forward." He shoved me backwards, and I fell against the railing.

I heard a loud crack where the steel separated from the cedarwood. The broken piece gave way, and I tumbled after it. Will I die if I fall on the rocks below? The thought shot through my mind. Instantly, as if my body were responding to the question, I leapt for the foundation beam and dug my long fingernails into it. The railing slammed against the rocks. I flipped up onto the terrace, recovering my balance, and stood there in amazement. Blick and I exchanged looks.

"What was that?" he asked, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Vampire agility?"

A small smile of relief touched his lips. "Maybe you're more ready than I thought."

I stared at him, still in shock. Indeed, I thought. That was a new power to add to my skill set.

Squinting his eyes, he contemplated me. Then he pulled me into his arms and gave me a big bear hug. "I'm sorry about that. Sometimes I forget my strength. I don't want to hurt you, but that's what I end up doing. This is all my fault! I did this to you. And now you're sick. It just keeps going on and on and on. We can't break the cycle. You get better. You get sick. You get better. You get sick again. You're roaming around the house like a ghost. When was the last time you slept? When was the last time you ate? I don't see you eat anything. I don't understand. I can't figure out what's going on. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"Blick, I can't breathe." My voice was m.u.f.fled as he held me close.

"What?" He released me. "Sorry."

I reached out and clutched his hand. "I've never said it, but I don't blame you." I wasn't referring to my almost fall, but to our past together in h.e.l.l. "You freed me from a horrible future with my father. I'm grateful to you for everything."

Torn with conflicting emotions, he gave a forced smile and tense nod of consent.

"It's okay. I know you had your reasons for what you did, even if I don't understand them," I said.

He bent down and kissed me roughly on the head. "I've gotta go. I'll send someone out to fix that. Don't worry. I promise I'll tell you what's going on tonight. Just rest today, please?"

I waved to Blick from the terrace as he left. I loved him with all of my heart, even his unpredictable temper. It reminded me a little of Father, which I didn't like, but Blick was the one constant in my life, and I trusted him. The mother-hen fussing was his way of showing he cared. He was more of a father to me than dear ole Daddy Satan had ever been, despite his involvement with turning me into a vampire. One day he'd tell me why. Even now I could see he was consumed with guilt over his actions.

Without having Blick's thoughts racing around in my head, I had no idea what was going on. Honestly, I was glad I didn't. Recently I had noticed how seriously he took his job at the House of G. He trained his recruits relentlessly, and he thought about Father's possible plans for world domination more than I did. I didn't mind listening to his strategies while we were in h.e.l.l, but currently I didn't have the strength.

Since I had been ill for many months, I had been left out of the loop. Some big plans were brewing and I played a part in them? Great. I shuttered to think what G would say once he found out a vampire, from h.e.l.l no less, was in his realm. He'd probably want to send me back. I had news for him. That was not going to happen.

I noticed a couple of small red blisters popping up on my arms. Yep, time to get inside.

Chapter 7.

Vampire Hottie Deciding to forget about my problems for the time being, I returned to the s.p.a.cious living room and sat at my desk in the corner, far away from the bay windows and French doors leading to the terrace. I wobbled into the kitchen and filled my gla.s.s water bottle with the chilled liquid Blick kept in the refrigerator. The water bottle had seash.e.l.ls and fish neatly lining its outside base. Without the decoration, the bottle reminded me of the clear wine bottles my father used in his wine business. I selected a blue plastic straw and dismissed the image of Father's face wanting to creep into my mind. The lack of sleep made me very weak. Hopefully the water's faint citrus flavor would make me feel better. Blick had told me a hundred times that staying hydrated was important. Sigh.

I examined my desk. Everything I wanted was right in front of me. A new computer hooked up to a couple of seriously large dual monitors, the fastest internet connection I could hope for, and all the files I needed to access on my cloud drive, which consisted mostly of photos of an actor I adored and notes for my blog articles. Blick knew how to keep me entertained. I had hoped he'd include a new iPhone in the set of gadget goodies, but he hadn't. With my being in his home and safe, there was no reason for me to have one. I couldn't exactly tell him I wanted a smartphone to text pictures to my friends. He wouldn't go for that.

Having large monitors in the middle of a big room meant anyone could see what I was doing. Thankfully I was home alone, which meant I could do as I pleased, at least for the next few hours. Knowing that made me feel better. I logged onto Facebook and started checking the fan pages of Ashton Taylor. The blog could wait.

A message popped up in my chat messenger. "Where have you been? My G.o.d, we thought you were dead! Have you seen the promo pics of Ash?! They straightened his hair!"

Oh, it was good to hear from my chosen family that's how I referred to my group of online friends. Lynn was ready for some 'tayloring' which what we called our activity of surfing the internet, talking about our s.e.xy vampire hottie, posting pictures of him... You get the idea.

Ash, as we liked to call the actor we gushed over, was taking a hiatus from his TV show, Blood Realm, where he played the ruling vampire. He would be starring in a movie coming out later this year, and I definitely wanted to see it. Before I left h.e.l.l, I had told a few of my friends, including Lynn, that we should meet up and see it together. That was a crazy idea, but I could keep the promise if I could get to Earth. Even though I wasn't going to share the notion with Blick, taking a vacation was still on my to-do list.

"Sorry, I've been busy." I dismissed her inquiry quickly because I didn't share any personal details with them. Maybe that would change in the future, I thought. "What do you mean his hair is straight?" I asked.

"Here. I'll find you a few."

While I waited for Lynn to send me the photos, I opened up one of my playlists and started adding motivation songs to it. Anything that helped me get into the mindset of defeating my father once and for all would also make me feel better. Besides when you want to dream, dream big, I say. And kicking Father's a.s.s was at the top of my to-do list too. Turning up the volume, I let "The Pretender," a song by my favorite band, the Foo Fighters, fill the room.

I loved thinking of my father as a pretender who thinks he's something he's not. The High Prince of Darkness, the Ruler of the Underworld, your Highness as he insists on being called, was really the idiot with the ideas that never came to fruition, the freak show no one took seriously. Okay, maybe that was just my personal opinion. However, it did make me wonder. Why did Blick think my father should be a concern? What did he know?

I forgot my question when links to the photos began popping up in my chat window with Lynn. As I opened a few of them, I couldn't stand to see anymore. She was right. They had changed Ashton's hair for the movie role. His unruly dark brown curls had been combed out and pulled back into a tight ponytail. The change in his hair style didn't distract from his intense, brooding stare, his warm, liquid brown eyes, or his big, thick eyebrows. His handsome face was kindled with a sort of pa.s.sionate beauty that could change at a whim. All he had to do was lower his forehead slightly, glare at you with those eyes, and you'd think he was about to kill you. I had to admit it was a great look for a vampire. But many of us considered his curly shoulder-length hair to be his trademark, and altering it was enough to dishearten our ideal image of him. I knew without asking Lynn that many of my friends were very upset about this development. I'm sure it had been the main topic of discussion for months.

"I can't believe it. What were they thinking?" I asked. I occupied myself with opening several of my favorite photos of Ash on both monitors, some with his baring his fangs, and some without while I waited for her response. Lynn was a slow typist.

"I have no idea. They'll be in a world of hurt if they do that to Maxwell when he returns to BR."

"You think he's returning to the show?" I asked, realizing afterwards that I should have kept that question to myself.

"Of course! Where else can they find a vampire as s.e.xy as he is? Why do you say s.h.i.+t you don't mean?"

I typed, "You're right" in the chat window and snickered at Lynn's steadfast opinions. She and I loved Ashton playing the character, Ron Maxwell on Blood Realm, but we did argue on some of the fine points. His name, for example. He was called Maxwell on the show, instead of Ron. Lynn hated that. "His name is Ron," she would say. However, I thought Maxwell was a good name for a vampire. It sounded serious and elegant, yet deadly. Calling him Vampire Ron or Ron the vampire was lame. It would be like calling him Vampire Jerry or Vampire Bill. You get my meaning.

I didn't bring up our difference of opinion on that subject very often. Just like I didn't bring up the fact that Ashton was playing a vampire, and he really wasn't a vampire. Lynn didn't make a distinction. She couldn't imagine his being in any other acting roles except the one as the vampire on Blood Realm. I knew she secretly wanted to meet a vampire like Maxwell. I'd been tempted many times to tell her I was a vampire, but usually I lost my nerve.

With Ashton's career, I, on the other hand, hoped he would find new parts with the success of the upcoming movie, so he wouldn't be typecast as a vampire. He didn't smile that often in his role as Maxwell, which bothered me. His lips were firm and sensual, and witnessing his dazzling wide grin always made my heart skip a beat. Oh, I had a crush all right. I guess both of us really wanted to meet this guy, vampire or otherwise.

When my stomach lurched, I took another drink from my water bottle. It seemed to calm it. I turned down the music on my computer, leaving the chat window open, and headed to the kitchen to search for a snack. Although I knew Blick only had fresh vegetables and fruit on hand, I hoped to magically discover something non-healthy hiding in the fridge. I opened the refrigerator door. I wasn't hungry anymore. Actually it occurred to me I hadn't been hungry for quite awhile. I refilled my water bottle and returned to my desk.

Restlessly, I browsed YouTube looking for new video clips of Ashton's movie. Lynn had said the director liked to post behind-the-scenes footage while they filmed, so I hoped I'd get lucky and see Ash in a few clips.

Chime. Pause.

Chime. Longer pause.

Chime.