Blood Dreams

by Mlyn Hurn

  A sudden crack of thunder startled AnnaBelle so much that she dropped the glass into the sink. The flash of lightening outside let her see the broken pieces. Ignoring common sense, she reached in to pick up the pieces. The sudden cut on her finger surprised her because it wasn’t the pain that alerted her. Instead it was the drops of dark red on the white counter top. The dim lights from the bedroom and bathroom weren’t enough to see the cut, though.

  AnnaBelle grabbed several paper towels, pressing them to her finger. Another peal of thunder, followed a second later by the flash of light, told her the storm was near. Turning from the sink, she felt the sudden need to be outside. Suddenly she needed to be in the wind and the night. Walking from the kitchen, she turned and walked down a hallway that ended abruptly at a door. Sliding open the bolt locks, she took the metal circular staircase behind the door, which led to the roof. Unlatching the door, she stepped onto the roof of the building.

  Thunder and lightning roared in greeting as she crossed the roof to stare in the direction of the storm. The wind was blowing and flattened her dress to her body. It seemed strange, but the closer the storm got the more alive she felt. Her breathing quickened and the sky opened up. A moment later, AnnaBelle lifted her arms towards the sky. It felt like the right thing to do…reaching up to touch the storm.

  Lightning split the sky and she cried out. Every nerve in her body felt twice as alive as it had a moment earlier. It was as though her body had been jolted by the electricity and was now filled with energy and a sense of power. Her breathing had quickened and was shallow. The storm passed almost as quickly as it had started. AnnaBelle watched as the clouds began to break up until the moon was once again revealed. She marveled at the night’s beauty and her reaction to the storm. It didn’t make sense, but still she accepted it.

  “You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here much longer.”

  AnnaBelle gasped and spun around. From a dark corner of the roof, Simon Ruthven walked towards her. She pressed her hand against her chest. The paper towels fell away and her finger started bleeding once again. Unaware of the small rivulet of blood coursing down between her breasts, AnnaBelle glared at the intruder.

  “How did you get up here?”

  Simon’s dark eyes zeroed in immediately to the blood. He breathed in deeply, his nostrils flared, as if to absorb the sweet, intoxicating scent. Shaking his head, he pointed towards her as he spoke.

  “You’re bleeding, AnnaBelle.”

  “Damn! I’d forgotten I’d cut it.” She twisted around, looking for the paper towel.

  Simon stepped forward, holding out a pristine white handkerchief. “Please, take this.”

  AnnaBelle looked up, surprised. “Oh, thank you. But you still haven’t explained how you got up here, or why.”

  “The how doesn’t really matter now. I need to talk with you. I’ve been watching the building, but this is really the first time you’ve been alone.”

  AnnaBelle frowned at his words, but she wasn’t scared. That fact didn’t make any sense, she realized. Looking at Simon, something struck her as odd. Then it came to her, rather like a flashback. She saw the photograph, and earlier when she had moved it and thought she saw something. Like crystal, her mind seemed to clear. In the photo, behind Iain, it had been Simon that she had seen. He must have been moving at racing speed, yet the film had almost captured him. AnnaBelle realized that unless you looked very closely at the photograph you might not see anything.

  “You’re a vampire.”

  Simon considered denying the truth, but then nodded his head. “Yes, for quite some time now.”

  AnnaBelle felt her breathing quicken as the implications hit her all at once. Her calmness had to have been a fluke. She had no business being calm. “I should have seen the truth about you earlier, when we first met!”

  Simon shook his head negatively. “Very few people can recognize the really old vampires. Usually we have developed the abilities needed to mask ourselves when needed.”

  AnnaBelle shook her head this time. “But I’m a hunter. My senses should have told me instantly. Instead, the only thing I could tell was that your presence set my nerves on edge.”

  Simon laughed sharply. “Another vampire hunter! Hell, this is rich!”

  “Why are you here?” she asked him quietly, realizing suddenly that she doubted her skills. This was the second vampire she had not detected. Then it hit her. Perhaps her uncle’s film was more effective at detecting vampires than she was!

  “My uncle’s new film photographed you at the lecture the other night. I didn’t see you at first.”

  Simon nodded slowly. “I had a feeling that Fauster’s latest invention was going to be even bigger than he had suspected. He developed the film, but even he didn’t see me in the picture.”

  “You’ve seen my uncle? You’ve talked with him? Where is he? Have you hurt him?”

  “Please, AnnaBelle, stop! Your uncle is staying with me for a few days. We have nearly concluded our business, but he is being stubborn about two rolls of undeveloped film. Once I have all the film he had produced, I shall release him.”

  “Dear God! Have you tortured him? Is he hurt? You didn’t convert him…” Her voice faded away as she could not dare to speak of the horror. The wind was starting to pick up again, blowing AnnaBelle’s hair every which way.

  Simon’s eyes were drawn to the flying strands of golden flame-colored hair. “Fauster is unharmed. I’d forgotten what a stubborn fool he can be at times.”

  AnnaBelle reached up with her hands and pulled back all of her hair to the back of her head. “You knew my uncle before all of this?”

  Simon moved closer, stopping abruptly when the clouds above shifted. AnnaBelle was suddenly bathed in bright moonlight, making quite an enticing sight to any man who had a preference for beauty at night. AnnaBelle watched his face as his eyes moved over her, until they saw something.

  “Well, well, well. It appears as if the professor has been busy the last few days. At first I assumed it was just some healthy animal lust he was indulging. But his feelings for you must be much more than that. He hasn’t ‘sired’ a pet for nearly four centuries. Iain even swore he would never awaken a human again. When did he do this?”

  AnnaBelle stepped back, away from the seductive “vibes” that seemed to be emanating from the man. Releasing her hair, she remembered her hand and pressed the cloth to it more tightly.

  “You have been marked, and since Iain is the only vampire that I’ve seen with you, the conclusion is the logical one. The noble professor has awakened you to the night. I’m guessing that it happened only recently by the way you are reacting to things. Have you had your first drink? If not, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to have you drink of me.”

  AnnaBelle shook her head from side to side. As she did, she felt the pain again along the side of her neck. She lifted her hand. Not sure where the pain was originating from, her fingers touched her jaw first, then slid to her earlobe, and then began moving down. Unconsciously, her fingers traced the route Iain’s mouth had taken over her skin a short time earlier. The instant she felt the first raised, irritated circle piece of skin, she stopped. Letting her index finger circle the wound, defining its size and shape in her mind. There was no need to move her finger down approximately one inch to check for a matching wound.

  Like a flash flood, the memories filled her brain—Iain’s touches making her go wild when her body responded to him. As her climax seized her, Iain had taken her just as she had begged him to do the other day. The pain had disintegrated as she climaxed in his arms. Then it had turned into something else when he began taking blood from her. Iain had moved them both to the bed, still without releasing his bite upon her flesh. After that AnnaBelle knew she passed out because the next thing she knew was waking up alone in the bed.

  She lowered her hand and turned to walk away a few steps. For the first time, she was aware of the moisture on her pussy lips. Instantly she guessed it had to be
from Iain entering her body and climaxing inside of her. Although it seemed odd that she couldn’t remember when he had entered her body.

  Simon’s voice whispered next to her ear a moment later. “I can ease those strange feelings you must be experiencing. I think it was rather rude of Iain to desert you at such a tender time in your newborn state. This is a time when comfort and concern, and of course education, can be most important. A sire’s place is always with his newest ‘awakened’ member. It’s even been rumored over the years that some careless sires have actually lost their offspring to a more adept and caring master.”

  AnnaBelle turned slowly to face Simon. She didn’t fully understand everything he was saying, but she was not some mindless automaton, only needing another’s directions, or instructions, in order to move forward. “What Professor Dampier has done is not the issue, Mr. Ruthven.”

  Simon smiled slightly, and nodded his head. It had almost hurt him physically to see those marks on this young woman’s neck. He would never have brought her over because AnnaBelle would be the type constantly tortured by her Christian belief system that had been ingrained in her since birth. Secondly, she was Fauster’s niece, and a hunter.

  Simon moved a few steps away before he spoke. “Not that it is important, but the correct way to address me is ‘Count Ruthven.’ To my close acquaintances, I am known simply as Simon. Now to the issue at hand, please bring me the remaining film and any photographs you have developed. I’ll let you know where tomorrow and you must come alone.”

  Simon turned and walked over the edge of the roof. “If you want your beloved uncle back with all his vital parts intact, remember to come alone. No Iain and no cop friend. Au revoir, my sweet. You are definitely one of the most difficult sweets to walk away from.”

  As AnnaBelle watched in disbelief, Simon stepped off the roof and seemed to dissipate into a thick mist. She walked to the edge and looked down, but she couldn’t see anything. A moment later her stomach growled loudly, and she was reminded of the dinner invitation to Lamenta’s. Perhaps that is where Iain and Pete had disappeared to.

  * * * * *

  AnnaBelle smiled as Lamenta offered them all an after dinner drink. Something about the older woman just made AnnaBelle smile. Tonight Lamenta was dressed in pale pink, but this dress fit tightly from the high neck all the way to the floor. The material was a patterned silk, and the style was the slim-fitting Chinese dress, and even had a slit, more than halfway up her thigh. The dress matched her hair, which matched her nails and lipstick. What kept AnnaBelle smiling was the shameless way Lamenta flirted with both men all evening long.

  Pete’s beeper interrupted them around eleven. He returned the call in Lamenta’s bedroom, and she followed him with a grin and a wiggle of her fingers. Several minutes later, despite a few deep yelps of surprise, Pete emerged relatively unscathed.

  “I’ve got a lead to check out. Why don’t you come with me, Iain? I don’t think it will take too long.”

  AnnaBelle looked from one man to the other. She considered objecting, but then decided that she needed more time to herself for thinking. “All right. I’ll stay with Lamenta until she kicks me out. I’ll see you both tomorrow. Good night!”

  The moment the door closed behind the men, Lamenta was over by AnnaBelle with a full glass of wine. AnnaBelle lounged back against the pillows, and then held her glass out for a refill. No sooner was it full than Lamenta reached over, and without a word of warning, pulled the silky scarf that had encircled her throat.

  “Which one of those two bad boys did that to you, honey? Fauster will shit a brick when he finds out.” Lamenta paused to take a big sip of her wine. “Whichever one it was, you need to make sure he uses a different spot next time. Those neck bites are hard to cover up, believe me. They also seem to take longer to heal, and they scar the worst.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Lamenta reached over and patted AnnaBelle’s hand. “I’ve lived as Fauster’s primary donor for more years than I can remember, child. Like I told you, every Saturday, like clockwork, he comes to visit. Now he only uses my inner thighs.”

  AnnaBelle blushed at the older woman’s words. It was easy to guess why Lamenta preferred that area to any other. But her mind was still trying to cope with what Lamenta had just revealed. “My uncle is not a vampire, Lamenta. He is a vampire hunter. No! He is the foremost hunter practically in the whole world! Everyone knows his name and his work.”

  Lamenta smiled softly. “I imagine this is all quite a shock to your system. Fauster will probably pop a blood vessel when he finds out what‘s happened. The minute he sees those bite marks he just might decide to go headhunting. Your family has guarded you so closely. I was surprised that Fauster called you, rather than Hunter.”

  AnnaBelle took in the older woman’s words. Nothing was making much sense in her life right now. Shaking her head from side to side, her thoughts rushed to protest Lamenta’s accusation. “My uncle is not a vampire! No way!”

  Jumping to her feet, AnnaBelle walked impatiently across the room. “I mean…how could he be a vampire? He creates all these things to identify vampires. Why would he do that if he were one?”

  AnnaBelle walked over to a window, which overlooked the street that ran between Lamenta and Fauster’s two buildings. Lifting her fingers, she lightly touched the marks on her neck. Iain had converted her today and probably changed her life forever. There really was too much information for her to take it all in right now. Taking a deep breath, she turned to look back at Lamenta.

  “I wondered the same thing, Lamenta.” AnnaBelle crossed back to where her scarf was draped over one of the pillows. Picking the thin piece of silk up with her fingers, she looked at the other woman. “Hunter was always much closer to our uncle than I was. My brother is reportedly the strongest and cleverest hunter in all of the new society. And he is more like our uncle than either of my parents. Every time I used to visit Hunter he was experimenting or tinkering with some kind of new development. It never mattered how many times I asked, he’d never reveal what he was working on. It surprised me that my uncle had invented this film, not Hunter.”

  “You are seeing your uncle as a mixed up, slightly muddled old man. Like all vampires, he eventually begins to run out of steam.”

  “Lamenta, do you have any idea where my uncle is?”

  “We were out to dinner and afterwards, instead of coming back with me, Fauster left with his friend.”

  AnnaBelle’s voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. “Simon.”

  “Yes, dear, Simon. There are many things I do know about Fauster’s life, and a countless number of things I will never understand, let alone even know about. The day I accepted that truth, my life changed and only for the better. Now, enough about me! Have you called and told your mother yet?”

  AnnaBelle narrowed her eyes at the older woman. By the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice, she made this sound as if she’d succeeded at something or had something wonderful occur. Somehow, her being turned into a vampire was not the usual thing “to phone home about.” She couldn’t see that either one of her parents was going to be the least bit happy about this change.

  “I don’t really think my parents are going to see this as a good thing. They can’t possibly know about Uncle Fauster!”

  “You might be surprised at what your parents know, AnnaBelle. Now, would you like me to show you a few spells? I’ve got one,” Lamenta paused and leaned towards AnnaBelle. Her voice lowered to a whisper before she continued. “I’ve got a spell which knocks the socks off Fauster. He always gets this surprised look on his face—“

  AnnaBelle shook her head. “I’m not really into casting spells or the magic thing, Lamenta. But thank you for the offer.” She looked around for her purse, shoving her feet back into her sneakers. “Thank you for the dinner.”

  Lamenta followed AnnaBelle to the door. “Don’t fret about the future, my dear. I think if you just relax you will find that life has a way of work
ing out for the best. I also believe that you possess a hidden talent for magic.”

  AnnaBelle smiled doubtfully and then left to walk back across the street. She unlocked the door and took the freight elevator to the third floor. Walking into the dark living room she regretted not having left a light on.

  “What have you and Lamenta been talking about for the last hour or so?”

  AnnaBelle gasped and then had to blink rapidly as the light beside the sofa came on suddenly. She had forgotten that she’d given Iain a key to the building. “Just girl talk, nothing special.”

  AnnaBelle walked past the sofa Iain was lounging on and into the bedroom. She kicked her shoes off, but came back out still wearing her jeans, shirt and the scarf loosely draped around her neck. Walking to the kitchen, she saw the glass in the sink, still broken. Looking down at her finger, she was glad the two Band-Aids she’d used earlier had stopped the bleeding. Carefully she picked up the glass fragments, and then put them into the small trashcan under the sink. She jumped in surprise when Iain appeared next to her. She’d not heard his approach at all. So much for the heightened senses crap, she joked inside her head.

  “When did you break the glass? Did you cut yourself?” Iain reached towards her hands, but AnnaBelle was too fast and jerked her hands and her body away from him.

  “I’m fine,” she added hastily. Changing her mind about the water, she walked back to the sofa. As she sat down, she remembered what Simon had said about the film. Somehow, she would have to get all the rolls, negatives and photographs together and be ready for Simon’s message. Focused on her own thoughts, she didn’t know Iain was behind the sofa until his hands settled on her shoulders and lightly massaged them for only a second. AnnaBelle’s reaction was instinctive and without forethought.