Blood Dreams

by Mlyn Hurn

  Laughing gently, Iain gestured towards another stand, next to the bed, which displayed another book. “Sorry about that. The one by the bed is in English.”

  AnnaBelle nodded and walked over to the stand, keeping her eyes off the bed. “This one looks quite nice also, but I’m still afraid I don’t really know much about old books. My brother collected old comic books for awhile…”

  Iain was standing behind her, looking over her shoulder. “Some of those have turned out to be quite valuable, I understand.”

  AnnaBelle turned suddenly, unaware that he had stepped closer to her a moment earlier. She stumbled a little and Iain’s hands came up to catch her arms and steady her. The bookstand wobbled a little but kept its place. As AnnaBelle looked up at Iain, she felt like her legs were much more wobbly than the bookstand had been a moment earlier.

  Closing her mind to the more staid voices in her head, AnnaBelle leaned towards Iain. She wanted him to kiss her. Iain seemed to read her mind and met her halfway. AnnaBelle closed her eyes as their lips met for the first time. His lips felt firm, and when she slid her tongue forward and touched his lower lip, they parted. Pressing her hands to his chest, AnnaBelle leaned closer and let her tongue begin exploring his mouth and tongue.

  Heat shot through her body and it felt as if every nerve ending was sending messages to her brain. Pressing closer to Iain’s chest, she rubbed her breasts against him. Her hands slipped up and around his neck, even as she continued to kiss him deeply. For a moment, AnnaBelle did pause and wonder if this was one-sided.

  As if Iain read her thoughts, or sensed her hesitancy, his hands caressed her hips and then slid around her body. AnnaBelle lifted her mouth from Iain’s, breathing in deeply. Looking up, she saw that he was watching her carefully. She felt the butterflies in her stomach leap to life and hundreds of wings began hitting the lining of her stomach. Not sure what to do, AnnaBelle started to pull back.

  Her retreat was stopped abruptly as Iain’s hands curled around her ass cheeks, cupping the rounded flesh eagerly. Her eyes opened wide, and then a second later she was gasping as Iain pulled her body into his, intimately. Iain smiled as AnnaBelle’s eyes opened wider still when she felt his hard erection pressed against her soft belly.

  “Yes, I want you, AnnaBelle. Don’t ever doubt that!”

  AnnaBelle started to nod her head, or was it to shake her head? The next moment Iain’s mouth covered hers and this time his tongue took control. He swallowed her gasp of surprise, which repeated when his hand moved up and cupped her right breast. Her nipple was already hard, and AnnaBelle pressed her breast more fully into his hand. A second later, his hand squeezed the firm globe. His touch was firm and arousing.

  AnnaBelle turned her head away, gasping for air. Telling herself to get control of her emotions, she lowered her head to rest on his upper chest. She felt his mouth kissing along the side of her face, over her jaw. His fingers began toying with her nipple. One thigh moved between hers, and AnnaBelle freely pressed against his muscular upper thigh, nearly riding it in her passionate fog.

  The heat that moved through her body was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. The tiny voice in her head still argued for common sense, but then Iain’s mouth found her ear lobe. Slowly, his teeth and lips began a sensually teasing seduction of that tender bit of flesh. AnnaBelle groaned, not sure what she wanted. Iain’s one hand was molding and squeezing her breast. His thigh was pressed against her swollen clit, inviting her wanton movements against it.

  Totally caught up in the passionate response her body was having, she barely heard the snap of her jeans give way. She did feel Iain’s hand sliding the zipper down, but she didn’t say anything in protest. The truth was that Iain’s touch released her deepest desires. When his hand slipped inside, moving down over her soft flesh, AnnaBelle shifted to make it easier for his hand to access her body.

  “Oh, God!” AnnaBelle cried out as Iain cupped his hand over her mound. She barely felt the rush of Iain’s breath over the skin below her ear as Iain spoke.

  “I didn’t expect to find a shaven vixen, AnnaBelle. You feel so incredibly soft—” His voice faded as his fingers slipped between her lips, exploring. He groaned as her wetness eased his passage.

  AnnaBelle lowered her arms from around his neck and shoved her jeans downwards to ease his hand’s movements. As his mouth lightly kissed the side of her neck, she didn’t give a damn about common sense and stopped listening to inner voices. Iain’s mouth, his hands and even his whole body, were driving her crazy with lust. She opened her mouth to tell him her demands.

  “Take me…” The words were swallowed as she gasped in surprise. Iain’s hand, or rather his fingers, had found her clit. “Oh…yes!”

  Iain lifted his mouth from the warmth of AnnaBelle’s neck and looked down at the softly pulsating spot. The beat was the echo of her heart pounding against his chest. He began working his fingers more rapidly, almost matching the racing beat of her heart. His whole body cried out for him to lower her to the bed, and thrust deeply into her cunt. The desire to feel her flesh around him was as strong as the hunger to press his teeth into the beating vein down the side of her neck.

  Iain wasn’t an animal though. He refused to give into the beast that drove most vampires. Instead he wiggled his fingers between her fleshy lips, teasing her passionate bud. His mouth moved from her neck to her earlobe and he nipped it lightly with his lips only. Whispering into her ear, Iain commanded her response.

  “Come for me, pretty lady!”

  Iain lifted his head and watched as AnnaBelle’s body quivered and her hips jerked spasmodically. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was open, gasping for breath. Iain pressed more firmly, quickly, watching AnnaBelle losing control. He lowered his mouth to her ear again, only this time he nipped her lobe lightly with his teeth.

  “Come for me, now! Let me feel your juices flow over my fingers. Show me the depth of your desire. Come, AnnaBelle, come now!”

  As if his words controlled her and he was her puppet master, her body jerked wildly against him. A second later he felt her wetness soak his fingers while her voice cried out.

  “Yes!”

  That one word and the proof of her body’s reaction was enough for Iain. His free hand and arm encircled her body, holding her close as her body shivered and shook in reaction to her orgasm. The hand that had just brought her release merely cupped her body, and his fingers remained unmoving, still buried between her soft, wet pussy lips.

  Regretfully, Iain finally withdrew his hand slowly. Instead of wiping his hand against her jeans, or his, he slipped his hand beneath her T-shirt. As AnnaBelle lifted her face from his chest, Iain’s wet hand cupped her breast.

  AnnaBelle gasped in surprise and her eyes darted upwards to meet Iain’s. He smiled down at her while his fingers brushed over and all around her taut nipple. Stopping after a few moments, Iain shifted away from AnnaBelle. He saw the confusion and doubt on her face, but he still tugged her shirt upwards until he exposed her unbound breasts to the air. Pausing, he waited for AnnaBelle to look down.

  AnnaBelle was still stunned from her physical response. Looking down, she saw her naked breasts, one of them damp with her own juices. The nipple was quite taut and distended more than three-quarters of an inch. Suddenly that voice in her head was telling her to go now, before anything else happened. She was shocked to realize she was standing in a near stranger’s bedroom with her shirt shoved up over her naked breasts and her jeans hovering around her knees. AnnaBelle knew she had to leave…

  Thoughts of leaving left her head a moment later. Iain was leaning down, and a second later, his mouth engulfed the entire nipple. AnnaBelle sighed as Iain’s tongue gently bathed the elongated nipple with long, slow licks. Each time his tongue danced around her nipple, teasing it into even more of an erotic delight. Her hands grabbed at him, holding herself upright, since she doubted the ability of her legs to keep her off the floor.

  One part of her head managed to tel
l her she needed to get out of there immediately. Iain though, ended all such ideas as his mouth again tugged the nipple into his mouth. The suctioning he applied to the distended, tender bud caused AnnaBelle to cry out again.

  “Oh, dear God!” AnnaBelle threaded the fingers of one hand into the soft hair on his head. Iain eventually lifted his mouth once again, looking straight into AnnaBelle’s face. His mouth moved to the side of her neck once again as her face lowered to rest again on his chest. The feel of his mouth nibbling and nipping at the soft flesh of her neck, made her knees weak all over again. Thoughts of leaving Iain’s bedroom left her head.

  His lips and teeth moved slowly over her soft skin, testing and tasting the soft flesh he found there. AnnaBelle savored the aftermath of her climax while he teased the skin at the side of her neck.

  Iain’s voice was husky as he spoke. “You smell very delicious, my sweet.” Pausing, his mouth lightly nibbled on her neck. AnnaBelle sensed his hesitancy and moved backwards. Iain released her and lifted his eyes to meet her gaze. AnnaBelle shook her head from side to side, trying to marshal her thoughts and regain some semblance of control over her emotions, and her actions.

  Iain smiled as he reached out towards her. AnnaBelle was expecting him to continue…instead he pulled her jeans upwards, after making sure her panties were righted. AnnaBelle’s blush grew hotter as Iain’s tender hands restored her clothing to decency. His hands lifted to the hem of her shirt, but he didn’t pull the white cotton down immediately. Looking at his eyes, AnnaBelle saw that they seemed to flare and burn as he stared at her breasts. Throwing caution to the wind, AnnaBelle shook her shoulders, making her full breasts bounce and jiggle.

  AnnaBelle stared at Iain closely, waiting for his reaction. She saw his eyes open wide at first, and then they narrowed to near slits. What she didn’t expect was that he pulled her shirt down, making sure, or so it seemed to her, his hands never touched her breasts. Suddenly feeling ashamed of her actions, AnnaBelle felt the need to get out of there, away from Iain, as quickly as possible. Turning abruptly, she almost ran to the door, muttering as she did so.

  “I really should be going, Professor…Iain.” AnnaBelle flew down the stairs, and then frantically looked around for her purse. Finally seeing it on the floor by the sofa, she snatched it up and sprang towards the front door.

  * * * * *

  Iain had soundlessly walked down the stairs, placing himself in front of the door to wait for AnnaBelle. She nearly cannonballed into him, barely skidding to a halt not a foot away. He could see that her blush had faded, leaving her skin looking pale. One part of him was tempted to let her go and forget their interlude upstairs had ever happened. There were many women in the world, and many would say yes to have him in their bed. Some would even line up and gratefully be a donor for him.

  His attraction to this woman didn’t make a great deal of sense to him. There were countless women more attractive both physically and psychologically. He had no doubt that AnnaBelle came with baggage that wouldn’t be easy to deal with—he had sensed it from the first time he stood next to her on the stage. So why was he reluctant to let her walk out his front door and out of his life?

  “I promised you a ride back to your car.”

  AnnaBelle shook her head negatively. “There is no need for you to get back out. It is only a block or so, and I won’t get lost.”

  “I understand, and this campus is fairly safe, but there is still the odd attack.”

  AnnaBelle shook her head again. “I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. I’ve had self-defense classes.”

  Iain had moved to her side when AnnaBelle reached out to grab the door handle. He hadn't given up yet, but having AnnaBelle touch his body could break the thin control he was keeping on his own lustful desires for her. Looking into AnnaBelle’s clear blue eyes, he shook his head.

  “There are some things you cannot easily defend yourself against.”

  AnnaBelle paused, and Iain could see she was torn between decisions. “I’ll be fine, and I should be getting home and into bed.”

  As soon as the last word left her mouth, Iain could see a blush moving up her neck and flushing her cheeks. Iain debated with himself and lost. “AnnaBelle, nothing would make me happier than the two of us going back upstairs and finishing things between us. I want you, but my good sense tells me it is too early. I don’t normally engage in one-night stands and I don’t believe that you do either. So, hearing you talk about beds only makes me want you more. And yet I know that—”

  Iain stopped talking as AnnaBelle’s index finger pressed against his lips. He couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to her fingers. AnnaBelle smiled at his gesture and lowered her hand. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure if I had made a fool of myself upstairs or not. It’s good to know I’m not the only one who wanted to stretch out across your bed, too.” She took a deep breath and opened the door. “You go to bed, and I’ll see you at the next class. Oh, wait! That isn’t until Monday.”

  Iain nodded, feeling more than a little bit glad to hear the disappointment in her voice. “I’d like to take you out to dinner before then. Are you free for tomorrow, Friday?”

  AnnaBelle nodded her head. “I can come here first.”

  Iain nodded again, pleased by her eagerness to be with him again. “Come at seven, and I’ll make our reservations for eight. But first, I won’t follow you so long as you promise to call me when you get home.”

  AnnaBelle smiled, nodding her head. “I have the number on the class syllabus at home.”

  Iain shook his head. “No, here is my private number. Call me on this one as it rings in my study and next to the bed.”

  AnnaBelle accepted the piece of paper and pushed it into the pocket of her jeans. A moment later, resisting the urge to invite a kiss, she skipped down the front porch steps. Turning, she waved back at Iain before starting the short walk to the car.

  AnnaBelle walked more quickly than she normally did back to the car. A couple of times she jumped at a rustling of leaves, but the walk was uneventful. In the car, she quickly started it and headed back to her uncle’s place. The loft was dark, and AnnaBelle made her way to bed, trying to make as little noise as possible.

  Chapter 6

  AnnaBelle awoke late in the morning, expecting to see her uncle puttering around the apartment, or in the dark room. After a glass of juice, she glanced through yesterday’s newspaper. Waiting an hour, she knocked on the door to the dark room, wondering if perhaps the light bulb had blown out. But no one answered from the other side, so AnnaBelle walked in.

  Scattered around the room, AnnaBelle looked at the different prints Fauster had developed from the film she had already shot. All of the photos revealed the aura of at least one vampire. She was confused by one of the pictures she had taken of Iain. Surrounded by students, half of whom were strongly exuding multi-colors auras, Iain seemed to have a glow about him, but she couldn’t say it was an aura. Also, she could usually tell if someone was a vampire, and other than the heightened emotions, there had been no hint of the hidden secrets that compose a vampire.

  AnnaBelle walked back out into the living room, unconsciously comparing this disorganized room with Iain’s organized, professionally decorated living room. Her uncle was a brilliant man, as Iain was, but his brilliance burned too brightly sometimes. Or at least that was how her mother had often described her brother-in-law over the years. Whenever Fauster visited them as AnnaBelle and her brother grew up, it had always been a wild, occasionally fun-filled two weeks.

  Her father would usually point out that Fauster came from the last of the old-fashioned vampire hunters. For the old-regime, the actual slay had been the object of the hunt. The new millennium had seen a change in the old ways, on both sides of the balance. Since the Great War and World War II, the number of true vampires lowered dramatically. The war seemed to have affected everyone, even vampires it seemed.

  Very few vampire hunting parties were formed back then, and even less now. Nearly a
ll vampire hunters these days were members of a new society who sought to track and record the presence, and most importantly the location of sanguineous vampires. The relics, as the younger members called them, told stories of how it used to be when the destruction of a vampire was appreciated. These days, as her uncle often told her, vampires had been raised to the status of cultural icons.

  With the invention of the Goth subculture, the fascination with vampires was skyrocketing. In large cities across the planet, groups were rising up worshiping vampires and many of its members were claiming to even be “mortal” or human vampires. Vamp clubs were popping up and they attracted many innocent kids who didn’t have the slightest idea at all of what they were getting into.

  AnnaBelle had visited some of the clubs as part of her searches, but the truth was that very few real vampires “hung out” in places like that. Sometimes they would visit to meet new donors, but real vampires were truly a dying breed. Taking the blood of a victim until death ensued was illegal in nearly every country on earth. So most real vampires had developed alternative ways of staying alive.

  This had greatly decreased the number of new vampires. It would have seemed logical that the need for slayers would also have decreased. Many converted their thinking to the new society and began the tedious business of cataloguing the vampires. Every so often a small splinter faction would erupt, proclaiming the world was being over run by vampires. Several innocent people, usually garbed in their Goth attire, had been assaulted by the radical slayers, but so far no deaths.

  AnnaBelle guessed that her uncle was somewhere in between. He still saw vampires at every corner, and that is probably what had spurred him on to invent this new film. If this film became easily available, it could lead to easier identification and classification of the minor vampires. The few major vampires that still existed might be able to use their “cloaking powers” to avoid detection.

  Plopping down onto the sofa, AnnaBelle leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Ever since she was young enough to know what her parents did for a living, if you could call it that, she had heard about the major vampires. Rumors put most of them in Europe, which the head of the society claimed their numbers were less than a few dozen. For many of them, it was easier to blend in with the old world flavor of the small villages, or get lost in the large, metropolitan cities. Her maternal grandfather had told her of one he had met when he was a young slayer. The powers that vampire possessed had been beyond anything her grandfather had ever seen before or since.