Maurice Ch. 01

My name is Maurice Delgado. I have dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a nice smile that includes all of my teeth and yes they're mine and dimples. I own my own company, am independently wealthy and I am very single. I have never been married and it's not because I don't want to be, I guess the right woman has never come along.

What am I looking for? Well, I know that this is going to sound like something out of the personal ads but here it goes. I am looking for a woman who is honest, doesn't care about money, likes NASCAR, is well read and I don't mean that she had to be a member of MENSA but I do like intelligent conversation. She has to be secure in herself and be able to withstand the scrutiny of others.

Does she have to be beautiful? That depends on what your definition of beauty is. I'm not looking for Barbie doll beautiful or Miss America beautiful but I consider a woman beautiful if she is confident in herself and in the way that she looks even if she is three-hundred pounds. I like a woman who is able to laugh at herself and who isn't afraid to take chances with things that she doesn't know about and doesn't understand.

Did I happen to mention that I am a vampire? I bet all of you went "Oooh, a vampire how sexy!" and I bet that most of you have already come up with a mental picture of me based on my description and based on what vampires are supposed to look like.

Am I wrong? Be honest, I bet you all have me at least six feet tall with long hair, a six pack and drop dead gorgeous. Well, I'm about to burst your bubble. I'm five foot three inches tall; I'm bald on top and thinking of just shaving my head. I definitely don't have the broad chest and flat stomach, in fact, my chest is hairless and I have a pot belly, have no ass to speak of, a cock that is no longer than five inches long when it's hard and I have what I've heard referred to as chicken legs meaning that they're skinny.

Is your chin on the floor? Well pick it up and stash the pity, I don't want or need it. I like who am and if you don't like it then fuck you. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else for that matter but anyway let me tell you my story, oh and before I forget, I was born this way. What I mean is that I was born a vampire and not made, my appearance which has baffled many is some kind of genetic anomaly. Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell you my story and before you roll your eyes let me assure you that it won't be an epic novel.

As I said my name is Maurice Delgado. I live in many places but currently I reside in New Orleans, Louisiana. In a few months that may change but for now this is home. Why here? I don't know and it's not really relevant to my story at least I don't think so, wait, I forgot to mention a very important fact; part of my strange genetic makeup allows me to go out during the day, that is relevant to my story.

Anyway, even though I can go out during the day, the night remains my favorite time of day. I find that people act more like themselves under the cover of darkness, their truest natures come out and I am no exception. One night I follow this group on the vampire tour, I don't know what it was about this particular group that drew me but I followed them watching as they hung on the tour guides ever word.

I watched as the tour guide, he was an attractive young man with long dark hair and wearing a long sleeved white shirt complete with the ruffles open at the neck showing off his hairy chest as he led the tour. He actually had most of the women and half of the men convinced that he was a vampire, no he didn't actually come out and say it but he alluded to it. Was he a vampire? Hell no! He was no more vampire than I was the tooth fairy but he was entertaining and very good at his job.

There was one woman in the group who obviously wasn't impressed with the tour guide or the tour. She didn't say anything but rolled her eyes whenever people gasped in shock or reacted in any way to what the guide was saying. I recognized her for what she was, a skeptic, she was the type of person who had never believed in anything that she couldn't see and touch, the kind of woman that I liked because they presented a challenge. The woman listened as the tour guide talked about Comte Saint Germaine whom the philosopher Voltaire called "the man who knew everything but never dies" because of the fact that he never seemed to look older than forty. No one knew anything about his family only that he was well versed in alchemy and extremely wealthy. Many believed that it was his knowledge of alchemy that contributed to his appearance but I know differently, Germaine is as I am, he is vampire. He is rumored to have died around 1784 but his death and body have never been witnessed and that is because he moved to what is now known as the Soviet Union.

Sometime in the 1920's here in New Orleans, there was a man named Jacques Saint Germaine. By all accounts he was looked very much like Comte; he appeared to be around forty years old and was every bit as wealthy as Comte had been. How is that possible? Because they were and are one and the same and he still lives although I don't know where. It is entirely possible that he is still living in the Soviet Union although I doubt it.

The tour moved on to the convent in which all of the windows on the top floor are covered. By now I am thoroughly intrigued by this woman, why would one who is so skeptical come on a tour like this I wondered. The guide starts telling the story of how the top floor of the convent is inhabited by vampires that are under guard by the priests. As he relates the story to the crowd, I can see her disbelief grow finally she spoke up.

"Really?" she asked, "You really expect rational people to believe this crap?"

I took the opportunity to take a really good look at her, she was an inch or two shorter than I was which made me feel positively tall, she wore glasses that were on the thick side but I could still tell that she had lovely dark brown eyes, her face was round and her skin, was .... Gorgeous. There was no other way to describe it, it was a very lovely dark chocolate, and I wanted to eat her up right there on the spot. Suddenly, I was aware that she was talking to me.

"You!" she said pointing at me.

"Me?" I asked surprised.

"Yes you, you look like an intelligent man, do you mean to tell me that you believe in vampires?" she asked.

The entire group had its eyes on me. I got the impression that they were grateful that they weren't singled out by this woman.

"Well?" she demanded.

"I....."

"Regina for god's sake!" someone said interrupting me. "Give it a rest."

We all looked to see who had spoken, it was another woman who apparently knew this Regina well enough to distance herself from her but also well enough to challenge her.

"If you don't like the tour, go back to the room or something." the woman added.

There were murmurs of approval at this. Now that someone else had spoken up, others in the group became bolder.

Regina glared at the woman who had spoken and then at the group before stomping off to who knows where. I decided to follow her, it wasn't safe for a woman to be alone especially at night, many of my kind and worse lurked in the darkness waiting for a hapless tourist to wander their way and I had decided that this wasn't to be Regina's fate at least not tonight.

I followed her watching the sway of her hips and ass and wondered what she would be like in bed, it had been a while for me and unlike some of my counterparts, I will not compel a woman to fuck with me. For one, I never had the need to do so and for two I find it so much more enjoyable when my partner is aware of what is happening. I had no idea of how long Regina would be in town but if I couldn't get her into my bed tonight and she was gone the next day then so be it, New Orleans was filled with women wanting a good lay.

I watched as she turned into an alley that I knew to be a bad place, many people have disappeared from that very alley.

"Excuse me." I called to her. "Please wait!"

She stopped and turned around giving me a wary look.

"What do you want?" she asked her voice laced with impatience.

"I don't mean to bother you but that alley isn't safe." I replied.

"Why? What's in there? Vampires? Or maybe werewolves!" she said mockingly.

If she only knew I thought.

I watched as she disregarded my warning and headed down the alley. Once again, I tried to stop her by calling her name.

"Regina! Don't go in there!" But I was too late.

I sensed rather than heard one of my kind waiting at the end of the alley. If I didn't do something soon, Regina would become the evening meal and entertainment of the vampire waiting at the end of the alley. If the vampire was merciful, he would just feed from her and then just kill her if not....

Suddenly, it was important to me that she is safe, I vanished and appeared at the end of the alley several feet in front of Regina. The vampire who was waiting for her looked at me and disregarded me because of my appearance; obviously he had no idea of who I was. Who am I? I'll tell you later.

"Shouldn't you be looking for an old woman to feed from?" he taunted when I stared at him.

"You will not harm the woman." I said in a firm commanding voice.

Before I continue, I should tell you that this vampire was everything that I am not. He is tall, dark haired, handsome and evil. I knew the second that I laid eyes on him that he would toy with Regina, he would use her in every way possible before turning her and then he would throw her on the mercy of his friends who would in turn use her and then toss her onto the streets to figure out how to survive on her own. I even knew who he was, his name was Baron, he claimed to be a direct descendent of Comte Saint Germaine but he isn't. How do I know? Because I am a direct descendent of Comte's and this arrogant fool is no relative of mine.

Back to my story, when I spoke to him in that commanding voice, he stared at me and then began to laugh.

"Such a big bark for such a small vampire." he taunted.

By now, Regina is just behind me but she cannot see Baron or me. She had just walked past me when Baron made a move for her but before he can even touch her, I am in front of her blocking her path.

I hear her mutter, "What the fuck?" and felt her as she tried to push past me.

"So the little one has some strength." Baron said with a smirk. It was clear that he still didn't see me as a threat because he tried to go around me to reach for Regina. He must have touched her because I heard her scream and then fall silent. My skeptic had fainted.

Baron laughed when he saw Regina hit the ground and that angered me. I could see him salivating as he looked at her breasts which were definitely more than a mouthful, several mouthfuls to be exact. I was further angered when I saw his erection as he imagined the things that he would do to hurt her. This woman was mine, I knew that now and I had to keep her safe.

"You will not touch her, she belongs to me." I said my voice low and filled with menace.

Baron laughed again and said, "What would you do with her? Your cock cannot be more than three inches if that whereas my cock is three times that length but I will make a deal with you." he said.

I wasn't interested in any deals with him but I let him talk.

"I'll share her, I will even let you go first so that her pussy won't be stretched out like it will be after I have finished with her, what say you little vampire?" he asked.

It was my turn to laugh, "Surely you jest!" I exclaimed. "I do not share and I would advise you to take your leave while you can." I added.

Now picture if you will me, who as I said is barely five feet three inches, balding, flat assed and pot bellied against Baron who is around six feet four in height, muscular and let's not forget handsome, now tell me and be honest; who would you place your wager on? Baron am I correct? It's alright; I would have chosen him as well.

What happened next is this; Baron didn't like my taunting him and used his brawn instead of his brains. He had forgotten about Regina for the moment which was fine by me and he flew at me with his fangs bared and his claws out. What surprised him I think was the fact that I didn't move even when I could smell his foul breath in my face. When he was close enough for me to touch, I wrapped both of my hands around his neck and refused to let go. I was much stronger than he, why? Another one of those things that comes along with my genetic anomaly and I was older than him by several centuries. I knew that he finally recognized me for who I was when he let out a strangled "Fuck!"

"Fuck indeed." I replied. "You really should have listened to me." I said as I took his head off and tossed his body aside. Within seconds, all that was left of Baron was a pile of ashes.

Now, before you go getting all judgmental and all that shit on me, you need to understand something, if I had let Baron go, he would have come after Regina again. He would have followed her to the ends of the earth and she would have never been safe unless she was with me, secondly, it would have gotten around that I was incapable of protecting my mate and others would come looking for her so keep your self righteous opinions to yourself.

I heard Regina stirring behind me and made a snap decision, I was going to take her home with me. I compelled her back to sleep, picked her up and flew home, yes I can fly. Not all of us can but I am one of the fortunate ones, whether my anomaly has anything to do with it or not I don't know and I don't care, I have accepted everything that I am capable of as a gift. In my haste to get her home, I had forgotten about her traveling companion. I couldn't let her report Regina as missing especially since I was sure that people in the group saw me following her as she stomped off.

When I got her to my home, I lay her on my bed and compelled her to stay asleep while I asked her some questions.

"Regina love, who was the woman with you?" I asked.

"My cousin Annie." She replied.

"I see and just how long are you and Cousin Annie planning to be here?"

"She wants to stay a week but I don't want to." she replied.

Hmmm, interesting I thought.

"Why don't you want to stay?" I asked.

"I don't like it here."

"Why not?" I asked. "Have you been to New Orleans before?"

I watched as her face scrunched up as if trying to retrieve a memory, I knew then that she had been here before even if she didn't remember it and I knew something else, she had met one of us during that time and whatever happened was traumatic enough that she wanted to forget it and to deny our existence. I now understood that her apparent skepticism was a defense mechanism.

"Alright love, never mind that for now." I said and watched as she relaxed. "Where are you and Cousin Annie staying?" I asked.

"The Royal Sonesta, she got some kind of special rate."

"What is your room number?" I asked.

"415."

"Alright love, you rest now and don't wake up until I tell you to."

I watched as Regina turned onto her side and curled into a fetal position. I covered her with a blanket and called for Olivia my servant girl to sit with her.

"Do not disturb her." I said and "contact me if you need me." I called back as I vanished from the bedroom and into room 415.

Cousin Annie was already there and pacing anxiously. It was clear that she had expected Regina to be in the room when she got there. I had gotten there just in time; she had just picked up the phone to call the police.

"Annie." I said softly and then waited until she turned around.

As soon as she saw me, she opened her mouth to scream.

"Silence." I commanded.

Even though her mouth was open, no sound came out a fact that she realized a few seconds later and she closed her mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear as I approached her and she realized what I was. But I saw her confusion too; I didn't look anything like what she thought a vampire should look like.

"Annie, you will not call the police. Regina is safe with me; there is no need to worry." I said.

On the spur of the moment, I decided to ask if she knew anything about Regina's prior visit to New Orleans. After compelling her to cooperate, I asked several questions. I had been correct in that Regina had been here before; she was quite young at the time, fifteen years of age. Annie knew that something had happened but Regina would never discuss it always changing the subject whenever the topic of the trip came up or when the topic of vampires came up.

"How old is Regina?" I asked.

"Thirty-seven." Annie said.

Twenty-two years ago, that would make the year 1989 that Regina had been here, I would have to do some research into what happened in New Orleans that year. After reiterating my requests, I left Cousin Annie asleep on the bed and flew back to my own home.

Olivia was still sitting by Regina's side watching her sleep.

"Something in her dreams frightens her." Olivia said as she stood.

"Did she speak?" I asked.

"No, not really but she makes the sounds of the frightened." Olivia replied.

I thanked her, sent her on her way and took her place in the chair next to the bed. By now word of Baron's demise was already around the quarter as I am sure that someone or something had been watching at the time which in my estimation was a good thing. Regina would now be relatively safe, I wasn't naïve enough to think that she would be unmolested but the assailant would think twice before touching her.

I watched her sleep hearing those frightened sounds that Olivia had told me about. What happened that had frightened her so badly? Had she been raped by one of my kind or did she witness an attack? Was the person attacked a relative or friend? So many questions but no answers and I daren't try to force the information from her.

It was time to take her back to her hotel room. I carried her to my car, put her in and then fastened her seat belt, as my hand brushed across her breasts I bit my lip and moaned; I wanted her. I guess you are wondering why I didn't take advantage of the fact that I had her in my bed. I am not Baron or anything like him and his kind who think nothing of taking a woman even if it means using compulsion and there is another reason, Regina has already been traumatized by one of my kind and until I find out what happened, I won't touch her.

I parked in the parking garage as close to the entrance as I could get which wasn't very close and woke Regina up just enough so that she could walk. Could I have carried her? Of course but don't you think that it would have looked suspicious given what you know about my size? And besides, Regina while not large wasn't a small woman either; my carrying her definitely would have attracted some attention.

"Too much to drink huh?" the parking attendant asked.

I didn't respond but nodded as I walked with my arm around Regina's waist supporting her. The elevator was empty for which I was glad; I really didn't feel like exchanging pleasantries with whoever happened to be in the elevator with us. We reached the fourth floor without picking up any additional passengers and made it to her room. I took a quick look around and unlocked the door without touching it. Cousin Annie was still asleep on the bed where I had left her after erasing her memory of my visit except for my telling her that Regina was safe. I put Regina on the empty bed, covered her up and then planted a false memory of her spending the evening with me. Is that cheating? Maybe, but how do you think she would have felt if she couldn't account for several missing hours?

I looked at the two women and could see the family resemblance, after giving Regina a final look; I left the room, went to my car and went home.