Savage Beauty

I was walking through the darkened streets late one evening when suddenly I found myself confronted by a young man with wild eyes. He claimed that he had been watching me for quite some time now, and he knew exactly who and what I was. He said that the price of his silence would be immortality. If I were to embrace him, he would never tell 'our' secret.

I grinned at him, laughing at the way his eyes widened when he saw my fangs. "If I were truly what you think me to be, what would stop me from claiming your life as my price for spying on me?"

He took a step back, jaw dropping in shock. Such a thing had obviously never occurred to him. "you... You wouldn't dare!" he cried out like a frightened child who sees glowing eyes in the depths of the closet.

In less than half of one of his thudding heartbeats, I was at his side, pressed up against him. I lay one cold hand on his cheek, turning his face to me. Looking deep into his eyes I whispered. "The boogeyman does exist, and he's a close personal friend of mine. Tell me why you have been following me!"

For a moment he struggled, then relaxed as he was filled with the uncontrollable urge to do anything I might ask of him. "I saw you at the library the other day, and I thought you were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen... I followed you hoping to get your phone number... But you were gone before I had a chance to get close."

"The next evening I saw you at the theater, and two nights ago I saw you through the crowd at a fancy party given for some up and coming performer. Whenever I looked, you were surrounded by people."

"Tonight I was at the coffee shop, and you sat down at the table next to mine. When you left, I followed. I would have approached you immediately, but you were with a man... I wanted to meet you so badly, I decided to follow you from a short distance..."

I watched him closely, studying his features. He really was quite handsome; it would be a shame if I had to waste him. He was dressed well, in black jeans and an open collared shirt with a suit jacket over it. He had an expressive manner, gesturing with his hands as he spoke, wide hazel eyes and shoulder length blonde hair. I realized as he continued that I had noticed him before, at the party and at the coffee shop...

He paused for a moment, then looked at me through slightly clouded eyes. "I followed you when you ducked into an alley about a mile back... I watched as you fed off of that man..."

With a wry smile I leaned against the wall, running the back of my fingers against his shaved cheek. "So much I had guessed already. I only wanted to be sure you were alone." He tried to jerk away from me, but with a quick movement I grabbed his arm. "Do not be afraid. I haven't decided yet whether you shall live or die tonight. Talk with me a while and we'll see if you survive until the sunrise."

Nodding slowly, he again relaxed. I took his hand and we began to walk through the streets together, neither speaking. I led him to the penthouse apartment I keep for entertaining guests. As he sat, I moved to the bar, fixing two drinks. He looked surprised as I took a sip of one to test it. I grinned, handing him the other glass.

"I thought...?"

"Oh, some few of us are still able to enjoy life's finer pleasures"

He took a sip of his drink, watching me curiously over the edge of the glass.

"Tell me... " I said as I set the glass down on a nearby table. "What makes you think that you would be a good vampire? Or that I should even let you live for that matter."

He was silent, speechless.

"Well, if it puts you any at ease, I have decided not to kill you, though I might choose to taste your blood if the fancy takes me."

His hand shook a little as he put his own glass down. "Well, I must say I am relieved by that. Though if you decide upon a taste.." He fumbled for the collar of his jacket, moving it away to reveal four small holes on one side of his throat. "I could think of worse things to have happen to me."

I looked at him through new eyes, intrigued.

He shrugged at my raised eyebrows, leaning back against the cushions of the couch. "This is also part of why I believe I am meant for immortality. Already one of your kind has sought me out, sipping at my blood like an old woman. He says he has a taste for artists, and that I suit his taste well."

I nodded, wondering if his finicky friend might be of the Ventrue clan, and patted the seat beside me. "Come child, I've a story to tell you, and dawn is not far off."

He moved to my side as though he had been waiting for my word. I laughed, folding my legs up under me on the couch, and leaning into the corner comfortably. I pulled a dagger from the vanilla scented valley between my breasts, handing it to him. He looked at the ancient runic inscriptions engraved in the handle, admiring the craftsmanship.

"This dagger was made specially for me." I said softly as I took it back from him.

He looked up at me in surprise "I… I think it looks old...?"

I nodded. "About 600 years I think, perhaps a bit more."

He gasped, staring at me. "You. Don’t look that old..."

"I was born about 800 years ago, in Ireland." Taking the dagger back from his nerveless fingers, I replaced it in its customary resting place.

"Listen now, this is the story of how I came to be who and what I am today." I waited a few moments as he settled himself.

"I never knew my parents, they both died when I was very young. I would have been sent to an orphanage, but I was lucky. A woman named Serena took me in, became my aunt, raised me.

"Serena was... a business woman of sorts. To put it quite plainly, she was the owner of a whorehouse. She raised me very carefully, wanting my life to atone for her many sins. I was, as it were, her ticket to heaven, or so she thought.

"I was a curious child, and I caught onto things quickly. I taught myself to read at a very young age, and I believe it was then that she began to realize my potential.

"During the daytime, I was free to go wherever I liked, to roam through the rooms and visit with 'the girls'. But at nighttime, I was kept locked away in a room behind the bar. Serena did not want me 'spoiled' as she put it. I think that she intended for me to remain innocent forever, a noble idea, but doomed from the beginning.

"The girls set about giving me their own sort of education, telling me about men, and how best to make use of them. They taught me all the little tricks of manipulating men, the subtle phrases, gestures, looks...

I enjoyed doing these things, persuading people to do things for me, without their even knowing it was not their own idea. I discovered that I had a knack for it, and soon began to use many of these same tricks, and others of my own devising, on everyone around me.

"When I was 12, Serena mysteriously acquired a great deal of money, and put it aside for me. She sent me to live in a monastery and be taught there, because she had realized that there was nothing more she could do for me. I spent several years among the monks, learning all that they knew, reading any book I could get my hands on, mastering the languages...

"Then, when I was 19, Serena took sick. I received a frantic tear stained letter from one of the girls, begging for me to return. As the monks had nothing left to teach me, I decided to go. Well, I was also on the verge of being sent home, as two of the monks had somehow discovered the pleasures of the flesh and left the brotherhood.

Lets say, I carried many warm memories with me as I left.

"Once I arrived back at Serena's, I was shocked. She was so pale, and weak, there were strange bruises on her neck that she wouldn't let anyone look at. Everyone was scared that the business would fall, that they would be out of jobs. So, of course, I took over. By day I did the books and figures, and by night I ran the bar, and the girls. I never worked as one of the girls though, I might have, but Serena forbade it. She whispered of a higher purpose for me.

"There was, however, one man who intrigued me. He would come every evening shortly after dusk, pick the darkest corner table, and watch me. He was very handsome, very refined, well dressed. Not at all the sort you would have expected to frequent a whorehouse, more the sort to keep a mistress or two stashed away somewhere.

"Often he would bring a book, and write by the light of a single candle for hours. Once I caught him sketching me. Always he came alone.

"One evening, shortly before closing time, I brought out some of my papers to work on, a book I had been writing. I left it on the edge of the bar while I cleaned up, and when I went to lock the doors after the last guest had left it was gone.

"The next evening, the man returned with a friend. Another handsome gentleman, wearing fine silk and gold jewelry. As I came close to their table to ask their order, the gentleman reached out and took my hand. Smiling gallantly, he began to ask me questions, nodding all the while. I told him about my years at monastery, my stories, my writing. "Finally he released me, and I went about my work, wondering why I had told him so much, but thinking it was nothing important. Still, I kept an eye towards them, watching curiously as they talked in hushed tones. More than once they looked to me with bright eyes.

"Just after midnight, the gentleman departed, leaving the other to sit alone in his corner, as usual. I was strangely drawn to him, wanting to speak with him, though I knew not about what. Casually I wandered over to his table, picking up empty ale mugs as I went, pausing at his side.

"I nearly dropped everything, he was looking up into my eyes, smiling. He was holding my book in one hand, offering it to me. On the front page, he had written a note: MEET ME TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT BEHIND THE STABLES. ENJOY THE SUNRISE. I looked back to him, but he was gone.

"My curious nature demanded I humor him. So I climbed to the roof, watching the sunrise that morning. It was, I think, the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I was on edge the entire day, excited, expectant... I knew that something new and interesting was about to happen, something that would change my life forever. I couldn't wait for midnight to come.

"The hours seemed to drag by, but I made the best of them. I had my hair trimmed, arranged for some new clothes to be made, cleaned the entire bar to pass time.

"At last it was near time, I looked around every time the door opened, but it was never him. I was afraid that he had changed his mind. Just as I was about to give up hope, the clock that stood at the top of the stairs chimed midnight. I nearly dashed out the door, ignoring the cold, not even bothering to grab a coat.

"He was there, waiting for me, behind the stables as promised. He reached out for me as I drew near, pulling me closer. He moved as if to kiss me, nuzzling my ear, whispering softly that the pain would last only a moment. He sunk his teeth into my neck, and I jerked, trying to pull away from him.

"Gently he stroked my hair, telling me not to fear, that he loved me and wanted me to be with him forever. This time, as I felt his teeth sink into my neck, I felt a strange sensation. I closed my eyes as he took the blood from me, putting my arms around him, enjoying it. Oh yes, I liked it; it was, indeed, the most exciting thing I had ever felt. I felt myself dying, knew that if he did not stop soon, it would be too late.

"He stopped, stroking my cheek gently, placing me carefully on the ground and kneeling beside me. "who are you?" I asked him in a husky whisper.

He placed a finger to my lips. "I am your Dark Lover. Do you want to live forever Melacynthe?" I struggled to open my eyes, focusing for a moment on the way his hair fell into his face, wanting to reach out and brush it back. Taking off his gloves, he asked again. "Do you want to live forever? Do you want to join me in eternity? Ask for it, and it is yours... anything you want is yours... only, you must ask."

Slowly, painfully, I nodded. I tried to speak, but there was no breath left, I moved my lips, mouthing the word... "Forever..."

"Quickly he drew his teeth across one wrist, putting it to my lips. As I drank, the world began to come alive around me; I could hear the insects crawling through the grass along the edge of the stable. I could hear moans from the upstairs of the bar. I could see everything in a perfect detail, and I could see love in his eyes.

"From that night onward, I was his companion, I was a vampire. We watched together as cities and countries rose and fell, wandering the world together, two laughing shadows in the night. Eventually, after several centuries, we parted, though we still keep in touch.

At last my companion moved, shaking his head slowly, dazed by all that he had heard. "Such a life..."

Fiercely I turned on him. "Do not be mistaken, child, this is no life. Feel me, my heart does not beat, I do not breathe, I eat and drink only because I enjoy it."

He looked surprised, eyes wide with shock. "I..."

But I turned away from him, waving a hand in his direction as I rose from the couch. There was a sound from behind as a door opened and a tall man strode quickly toward the couch.

My companion jumped to his feet. "But you said I could live!!!"

Turning back to him, I smirked, shaking my head. "If you recall correctly, I said only that I would not kill you."

"Then why?? Why tell me all this, if not to make me one of your kind?"

I shrugged. "It amused me to have someone listen to my words. I do hope you enjoyed the story, for it is your last."

I ignored his protests, moving to the figure, stretching up to brush a kiss across those cold lips. "Enjoy your supper, dispose of the trash when you are finished."

He nodded, turning to watch as I left the room. As the elevator came to take me to the lobby, I heard a faint crash behind me, and my keen ears picked up a scream. I smiled as the doors closed behind me. It had been a good night.