Urban Vampire The Turning

by Pepper Pace

  "We want the blood exchange."

  Okay. Junkies in the house. I didn't like it one bit. But they were obviously able to make their own decisions about whether or not to leave their abuser. Who was I to criticize?

  Tyler took a tentative step forward then offered me her neck.

  My focus was suddenly on her neck and nothing else mattered.

  "Uh...yeah. Just let's make some things clear." I said, never taking my eyes from the sleek neck that was before me. "I'm about to suck your neck. But I'm not gay, or bi. There might be some...sexuality to it." I cleared my throat and looked at something else, anything else. "But it's not about sex, ok? I don't want...that from you."

  I looked at them then. They seemed not to know what I was talking about. Fuck. I was rambling then. With a sigh I reluctantly closed the space between Tyler and myself.

  "Remember, mind blank." Paul thought. I took Tyler's shoulders and placed my mouth on her neck. I watched Paul as my tongue sought her pulse. She was thin but her pulse was super strong. I sank my teeth in and she didn't even flinch.

  Her blood squirted into my mouth with an alarmingly strong force.

  "Paul, she's bleeding so fast!"

  Paul looked at the others. "Her blood flows faster?"

  I heard Karen speak. "It is Johan's wish that we take blood thinners...and other things to make the blood flow freely."

  I sealed the wound with my tongue and pulled back before even a minute. Tyler staggered backwards but Paul caught her.

  "Damn..." She said. She blinked at me. "You are fucking amazing."

  The others looked at her questioningly. "She's like...coke or something." Tyler closed her eyes.

  I could feel her blood coursing through my veins revitalizing me. I looked at her curiously. "It's different with me?"

  "I've only fed Johan, but yes. Ask one of the others. They've been shared."

  Monica stepped forward next. She swept her blonde hair to the side and offered me her neck.

  She was bigger boobed so we touched. But there was no sexual sensation...yet. I looked at Paul as I placed my lips on her neck and bit. The blood came fast again and I thought 'Shit, she spent a fortune on this dress,' I didn't want to ruin it with even a drop of blood.

  I felt myself become even more revived. I didn't realize that I had my arms wrapped around Monica and hers wrapped around me until I felt Paul thinking.

  "Easy...blank mind."

  Oh yeah yeah! It was hard to tear my attention away from the delicious rush of flavors running down my throat. I was gulping the food it was coming so fast. My body was growing hot and I could feel my hands tremble as they grasped Monica's hair.

  "It's good when it's fast-"

  "Kim. Think about a wall."

  "Huh?"

  "A wall. Picture it. The wall is white, remember?"

  I tried to picture this white wall that Paul was describing.

  "If you look to the right the wall goes as far as the eye can see. If you turn to the left the wall seems to go on forever. You are on one side of the wall and Monica is on the other.”

  "I'm touching her..."

  "No, not in your mind, because if you could see through the wall you'd see that you're not touching her. The wall won't allow you to. It's too solid."

  "It tastes so good-"

  "Kim! The wall is as tall as the sky is high, and you can't dig under it either. You can't reach Monica.”

  I felt dizzy suddenly due to the fact that I could actually see that wall that Paul described as if it were really there! I knew I was feeding from Monica but metaphysically she was separated from me.

  "Stop, Kim." Paul said aloud, I think it was aloud

  With an effort I pressed the tip of my tongue over the wounds in her neck until the blood stopped coming.

  I looked at Paul as I released her. He helped Monica to sit on the cushions. I had taken much more from her and she looked a bit glazed eyed.

  "How are you holding up?"

  "I think its working. I feel a little..." I couldn't describe it. Not horny but excited, but not anything like what usually happened. Of course I was cutting the feedings down to just a minute or two.

  Karen came to me anxiously. She took off her jacket and draped it carefully over the chaise. She swept her hair over her shoulder and closed her eyes.

  Because I was already feeling heated I pictured the wall even before I touched her. In my mind Karen placed her hand on one side of the wall. I placed my hands on the other. We both pushed against it but it wouldn't budge.

  I lowered my head and fed. Now it wasn't about satisfying my hunger. Now I fed to fill myself. I tried to picture the white wall once again but when I closed my eyes all I could see was red. It was her blood behind my eyelids. The red became an ocean and I saw myself swimming in it. Swimming.

  "Careful. You need to stop."

  "Okay..."

  It was definitely hard. I opened my eyes and concentrated on Paul but he was wavering in and out of my vision. Remember to seal the bite. She could bleed out.

  I staggered away blindly. My vision was confused. In one moment I could see little particles floating in the air and everything else was blurry. Then the next moment I could make out objects from a distance with crystal clarity.

  I felt Paul's hands grasp my arm. He led me to the cushions. "I'm getting a head rush. Too much too fast."

  Karen was grabbing at me. "No, don't stop. Please."

  Paul gently pushed her hand away from me.

  "No. No more." He said.

  "What about me?" Mara said. "She hasn't fed from me yet? Please-"

  I reached out for her and she hurried to me. She knelt on the floor in front of the cushion that I was reclining against.

  "Kim, don't-" Paul warned.

  "Just a little. I promise."

  "You don't look like yourself. I'm worried about you…"

  "I'm doing good...I don't want to screw the food."

  I saw him smile at me.

  I bit down on Mara's neck. When her blood rushed down my throat I blacked out.

  CHAPTER 11

  I heard myself gasp then I sat up with a jolt and opened my eyes. Never before had I risen from sleep as if I had been literally brought back from the dead. Never before had I felt like I had been dead. But this time I did.

  Paul clutched my hand. He was staring at me silently and I had the feeling that he had been staring at me like that for hours.

  For once I didn't forget what I was. But I was still confused because I didn't know where I was.

  We weren't in the harem room of Tony's house. I looked around. This wasn't Tony's house at all.

  Paul gently pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. I hugged him back resting my head on his shoulder and allowed my eyes to roam the room. All I knew is that if Paul was here then I was safe.

  The room I was in was a huge bedroom. There were dark hardwood floors mostly hidden by an oversized rug. The walls were painted a comfortable coral and deep gold drapes covered the windows. Paul and I were in a huge four poster bed with material that matched the curtains sheathing two sides of it.

  There was a fireplace burning across from the bed and a settee nearby. It was all very comfortable, but how did I get here? Where was Mara? And why was Paul hugging me?

  He finally pulled back from me. "You've been out for two days."

  I touched my neck. I was wearing different clothes, cotton pajama bottoms and a cotton chemise. I touched Paul's face. He had a full beard and mustache.

  "Where's Mara?"

  He paused. "The hospital. But she's going to be okay."

  Oh no. I jumped out of bed. "What happened?!"

  "You passed out while you were feeding...she...bled out. Those damned blood thinners is what almost killed her. We could barely get the bleeding to stop. We got her to the hospital and she's going to be okay."

  I passed out..."Why? And how did you explain the bite marks to the authorities?"

  "We didn't. Mei Wa
h called Tony and he made the Doctor's not ask."

  "Tony? Where's he at?" I felt a sudden cinching in my belly.

  "I don't know." Paul replied in a tight voice. He stood up slowly and walked to the fireplace.

  "Tony fed from Tyler. She's on drugs. They all are." I cocked my head at him. He looked at me. "It's not their fault. Johan's been feeding them some shit for years. Tony knows what it is but it's not something that affects humans. Only Vampires."

  "They couldn't have said something?" I asked sitting back down on the bed.

  "They didn't understand. Johan possessed them and they did whatever he demanded." He shook his head. "I have to go." He stalked across the room.

  "Paul!" He stopped reluctantly. "Where are you going?"

  "I need to...think."

  "But." I looked around. "Where am I?"

  "You're home. This used to be Johan's place, but now it's yours." He opened the door and walked out. "I'll be back later." He shut the door after him.

  I stared at the closed door in confusion. But as soon as Paul left Monica came in.

  She looked relieved. "You're awake. We didn't know what to expect." She wrung her hands. I'm so sorry Kim. We didn't know...What we thought is that it would be good to you as it was to Johan."

  I shrugged. I didn't care about that right now. Tony wasn't talking to me, Paul had just walked out and I might have killed one of my donors. "How is Mara?"

  Monica stared. "You're not upset?"

  "Yeah. I'm really worried about Mara. If...she doesn't recover-"

  Monica stared at me. "Johan would have punished us." I frowned.

  "Why? He was the one feeding you drugs. Monica, understand this. You're dealing with a person who is more human then Vampire. And I will tell you now, there are going to be some changes."

  She sighed. "Thank you. Mara is going to be fine. How do you feel?"

  "Anxious, wired." I looked around. "So this is Johan's bedroom?"

  "Johan?" She looked at me curiously. "Who's Johan? This is your bedroom." We both smiled.

  Monica took me on a tour of my new home. She told me that the ladies had gotten rid of most of Johan's personal effects so the home was pretty much a blank canvas.

  I liked it, but I was distracted. The house had everything that I would normally love. There were gardens and a rookwood floor in the solarium. It was a traditional home versus Tony's modern but it was just way too big. There was like 22 rooms! Yeah, I should have been hoo-ha! But I still couldn't help feeling that there was no reason why this should all come to me. And therefore it just didn't seem real. So when Monica said, your liquid assets are 2 point something something million dollars...she might as well had said, you have a gazillion dollars in the bank. She might as well had said, it’s there but will all disappear if you don't leap a tall building in a single bound...it was just best not to think of it at all.

  "Tony was here." She said after showing me the fifth guest bedroom. This time I did a better job of hiding my reaction.

  "Why?"

  She gave me an odd look. "You two are an item, aren't you? I thought...at the Council meeting he said you were under his protection."

  I looked at her. "It didn't mean anything more than that."

  "Oh. He was very angry and took the pills that Johan had been feeding us. Paul has been at your side constantly. Tony wasn't happy about that either but he couldn't make Paul leave."

  Yeah. I was the one to accomplish that. I sighed.

  Monica gave me a curious look.

  "What?"

  "Most Vampires don't do that. Breath."

  I chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I can't seem to stop doing it. Especially when I'm anxious...which is all the time."

  "Kim, I know that Paul is your Assistant. But I hope you keep us all around-"

  "Monica, don't worry about that. If you want to stay and work with me I'll welcome it. You understand my predicament. I have no idea what to do in this role. I'm going to rely on you and the other ladies to help me."

  "Then honestly, there are a number of issues for you to decide on." She led me to my new office. I particularly enjoyed this room as it had an oversized desk made of some old, antique furniture redone into a desk. The walls were covered with bookshelves and there were three computers. I knew there was some significance to having more than one computer but I didn't ask.

  I sat in a plush leather chair and got comfortable.

  "What issues?"

  "There are over 300 appointments that need to be made to resolve human and Vampire conflicts."

  "What? 300? What kind of concerns?"

  "Mostly breaking contracts. Slavery, theft-"

  "Go back to slavery." I said calmly. "Explain that."

  Monica told me that Seconds sometimes force their donors to give all of their wages to them which essentially equated to slavery.

  I had Monica explain how Johan handled these things. Mostly he just made decisions based on how he felt that day.

  "Do you all give him input?"

  "No." She gave me an alarmed look. "He never asks for help."

  "Well, we're going to form a committee. Between an accountant, attorney, personal secretary and international affairs coordinator we can rule the world." I couldn't remember the name of the lady that would be doing the Interior design, but I was going to make sure she was going to be kept busy redoing the house and of course I was going to need a wardrobe. I loved the clothes Tony had picked for me, but I wasn't here to be his eye candy. I needed to look like...well, me.

  We spent hours considering how to tackle the most immediate needs. Monica was going to set up the appointments starting tomorrow. The easy ones would be scheduled first and I'd mainly observe and let the others do the talking.

  "Be prepared to knock a few heads." She said matter-of-factly. "They're going to test you. No doubt about that."

  "How do I knock heads?"

  She smiled. "I'd start with wearing a crucifix during the meetings."

  "I like you Monica."

  "Good because we're going to be together for a long time."

  Turned out Monica lived with me. She had a suite of rooms in an entire wing of the house that was very comfy looking. It was just us and a maid that came twice a week.

  She retired to her room at around midnight and I roamed around for a bit. Paul hadn’t returned and neither had Tony.

  Well, I couldn't do anything about Tony right now, but I could make it up to Paul.

  Without bothering to change I decided that I would go to him. When I thought of him his essence it was easy to trace. I suppose he could have blocked himself from me, but he had probably never thought to do that even though he obviously knew how.

  Realization hit me like a ton of bricks, staggering me. I sat down heavily on my new stairs. Paul would never block me out. I put my head in my hands. I felt utterly disgusted with myself. I had pushed that man aside so many times it was a wonder that he hadn't walked out on me before.

  Paul was always there for me.

  He was the one that I could count on with the important as well as mundane things. Paul was the one that made me laugh. And even though he didn't have any otherworldly power, he never hesitated to stand by my side to protect me...and let's face it; he looked awesome in a towel.

  I suddenly felt elated that I had come to terms with my feelings. I still felt something for Tony, but it was clouded with distrust. It wasn't even so much him keeping secrets from me. I just felt that his Vampire was too much of a mystery for me. Paul felt safe. With a smile I stood up and thought about him; his taste, his smell, his looks. I recalled his quiet cries as he came against me, and then I clearly had his link in my grasp. If he still wanted me I would be his.

  I sped to his home. This time when I felt overcome with the sounds of the outside I found that I could push the voices into the background and eventually ignore them. It was Paul's technique that helped me. Later, we could practice with the teeth as he had suggested the other day.

  Be
fore I knew it, I found myself standing outside of his building looking up to his balcony. Making sure no one was looking at me I jumped and landed dead center of the balcony. I thought about just projecting myself into his house but I didn't want to scare the shit out of him.

  I raised my hand to knock on the glass and saw through the slats of the blinds that he was making love with a pretty girl who was riding him wildly.