Beating Hearts

by Lucretia Stanhope

  “Go on then,” he said, curious to see where it would lead.

  “I am going to guess that crosses are not as effective as the books would lead us to believe.”

  “No, we are not unholy demons. I am a man who was attacked by a monster and became a monster myself.”

  “And the silver?”

  “That was a nice touch and may help you with lesser vampires,” he said, looking at her as she watched him.

  “Lesser?”

  “Later generations, more removed from the monster that attacked me.”

  Her brows furrowed. “So silver would deter them but not you?”

  “Yes, everything, all of the curses and gifts get weaker the further removed the blood is from the source.”

  “Can all vampires do what you did with your eyes?”

  “You mean mesmerize humans? To a degree. Again the further out, the weaker it will be. Some may only be able to make a suggestion, to give you the desire to be bitten but it would only be a suggestion, no more than a fleeting thought.”

  “Can you make suggestions as well? Make someone want to do something?” she asked, watching him as he tilted his head to the side and looked at her with a curious look.

  “Yes, I could. I don't typically. What would be the point of games like that when I can just freeze my prey in its tracks?”

  “Would you?”

  “You mean now?” His features wrinkled in disbelief.

  “Yes, just give me a suggestion. I am curious what it would feel like to have an outside influence like that.”

  There was a bit of a sparkle behind his deep eyes. “You are far too curious for your own good.”

  She smiled at him and stared into his eyes, inviting him to make a suggestion.

  He looked deep into her eyes and half-smiled while raising an eyebrow.

  She suddenly felt a strong attraction to him, a deep longing to be near him. It felt like if she didn't get up and go to him she would cease to be.

  “Do tell Kate, why are you blushing?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

  She looked down and then to the fire. “Do you read thoughts?”

  “No, but I didn't have to, I put that one there.”

  She felt some relief that he didn't know how close that had been to what she was feeling ever since her dream. “That was pretty intense.”

  “It would have to be, in order to get people to come willingly to their own deaths.”

  “What about dreams? Do you, can you influence them?”

  “No, I would need to look into your eyes, and if you were sleeping that wouldn't be possible.”

  She nodded and changed the subject. “Have the clubs and human trafficking always been going on?”

  “To some degree, yes. It has become more prevalent now that most of us are expected to drink bottled blood. There are some who simply will not.”

  “Some?”

  “More than you would care to think about. I suppose it is lucky there are junkies to sort that out.”

  “Junkies, like people willing to be bitten for drugs or something like that?”

  He laughed. “No, dear, they are addicted to being bitten.”

  “Addicted to a bite? You mean like cutters who like pain?”

  “No, it doesn't have anything to do with pain. My saliva would cause blackouts similar to what I experienced when I was bitten. As the vampires get weaker, the saliva is more drug-like, intoxicating, and from what I hear pleasurable. Those who get addicted frequent clubs, seeking to be bitten.”

  She sat back in her chair. “Wow, I had no idea.”

  “No, I expect not. It really seems to be more prevalent in cities. Though there are a few places here I could go for a bite.”

  “Really? If you can get a willing bite, even out here in the sticks, then why would there be a need for trafficking?”

  “Not to be crass, but as with the sex trade, everyone wants a virgin and junkies are usually bitten up so badly.”

  She puzzled over why it should matter so much if someone was bitten or not. “Is it different? I mean to have, to drink, from someone the first time?”

  “Yes, once the saliva gets in the blood it won't change them into a vampire, but it dirties up the flavor.”

  She closed her eyes and let it all sink in. “So if you bite someone and it is just your saliva, then it still tastes okay to you later?”

  He looked at her with a thoughtful expression. “That is a strange question. Of course. You wouldn't want to eat a sandwich after some stranger had a bite, would you?”

  “Jesus Nick, they are people not pastrami! I am just trying to understand the appeal to buying a human when, if it is as you say, there are willing humans.”

  Nick looked at her and saw the distress on her face, in her eyes. “I am sorry. I wasn't trying to sound cold. It is just what it is, I mean there are easy women, but again there is a sex trade because no one wants the easy women.”

  “Okay, so where do these people come from? The ones for sale.”

  His face took on a dark, almost sad look. “They are taken.”

  “Taken as in snatched from their lives, kidnapped?” He didn't answer, and she noted his agitation was building. She decided it would be a good time to break. “I need some water and a stretch.”

  He watched her as she walked out of the room. He was glad she chose to break, he didn't like where this was going, didn't like thinking about his old life and the horrible things he had done. He didn't imagine there was ever a way he would forgive himself for all the people he had taken and turned over to that monster, Warren.

  After she walked off her own edginess, Kate found Nick outside, staring at the stars. “It sure is beautiful,” she said, walking off the porch and standing beside him.

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Can you take me to one of the clubs around here?”

  “If you really want to go.”

  “I do,” she said, feeling more like she needed to go. She wanted to start at the mellow local ones he mentioned, and then see if he would take her to a riskier one, one like the place she was supposed to go to meet Warren.

  “You would need to do exactly as I say or things could go badly.”

  “Of course,” she said with a little excitement in her tone.

  He shook his head. “You are probably going to find it disturbing, but it is imperative that you remain calm.”

  “Why is that?”

  “It will be disturbing because there will probably be feeding going on. You must remain calm because an elevated heartbeat, and fear-responses could draw unwanted attention.”

  The thought of watching another person being fed on struck a nerve, and she struggled to relax. “Oh, okay, I can be calm.”

  “Can you? I can already taste your fear in the air.” He looked at her with stern eyes.

  “I can.”

  “You will need to stay very close to me, perhaps uncomfortably so, and keep your eyes down. You must appear one hundred percent submissive.”

  “I can do that,” she said, already starting to relax.

  “We should go eat something before we leave,” he said, and walked away.

  Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't been expecting him to say tonight. She followed him inside and made a fast meal, then went upstairs and freshened up her makeup. When she came back downstairs he was waiting for her.

  “I know you might be used to flowers or candy for a first date, but I need to give you some blood.”

  She stepped back. “What?”

  “I am just going to put a little on your neck, behind your ears, so that you come across as bitten. It is for your safety.”

  She nodded, and watched in horror as he bit down on his wrist. A few drops of blood pooled, he wiped his finger in it, and then gently rubbed it behind each of her ears. She closed her eyes when his fingertips touched her and sent a shiver of pleasure across her skin.

  He sensed her reaction and watched her with curiosity. He never anticipat
ed he would like touching her so much, but more than that, he didn't expect her to respond that way. He ran his finger down her neck and back up again. In his mind he imagined pulling her into a kiss, wondered what her warm lips would feel like against his.

  He stepped back. “That should be enough.”

  She slowly opened her eyes and gave him a look that he could only interpret as longing. “Thank you. How does that work exactly?”

  “It leaves a hint of my scent on you and others will notice. We have very strong senses; even weaker vampires are tuned in to subtle scents. Of course the stronger vampires will know it is just my blood and not my bite they are smelling on you, but I haven't run into anything strong enough to worry about around here.”

  She gave him a satisfied look and nodded. “Let's do this then.” She laced her arm in his, startling him.

  “You are going to be trouble.”

  Chapter Seven

  N ick got out of the car and walked over to open the door for Kate. She stood up and gave him a nervous look.

  He returned her look with a reassuring smile and pulled her to him. “I won't let anything happen to you.”

  She allowed herself to be tucked safely under his arm. As they walked toward the club, she found she actually liked the way it felt to be so close to him.

  His arms were strong and comforting, and she could feel her fear melting away.

  From the outside, the club looked more to her like a dingy sports bar than a hangout for creatures of the night. It had worn, wood siding with peeling white paint, and the sign above the door simply read bar, nothing fancy.

  Walking inside, she felt that it appeared like most bars she had been in, but without the lingering smoke cloud. There was loud music playing from a jukebox off to the right, and there was also a TV running with the sound muted. There were about twenty tables on the floor of the bar, each looked like they could seat around six comfortably, and in the back there was a long bar.

  She stayed under his arm as Nick walked to an empty table, the wooden floorboards feeling unsteady under her feet.

  He pulled out a chair for her and then sat down beside her. He easily pulled her chair closer to him so that they were sitting side by side, and then he rested his right arm protectively over her shoulder.

  A few people, or she assumed vampires turned to look at them, but no one stared or made any indication they found them to be out of the ordinary.

  After a few minutes, a tall, pasty man walked over to them and regarded Nick with a nod. “Get you anything?”

  “Grab her a coffee, she'll take care of me, thanks,” Nick said in a matter of fact tone.

  The man turned and walked away to get her coffee.

  Kate wanted to ask questions, but Nick told her no notes, no questions, no pictures. She was to watch and go along with whatever he said.

  He absentmindedly stroked her shoulder, which gave her goosebumps. He smiled at the reaction. Everything about her intrigued him. After pondering over things, he decided he would never understand why she wanted to come to his house in the first place. His mind had moved on to wanting to know why she seemed to enjoy his touch. Not that it bothered him, he found he enjoyed touching her entirely too much.

  The man returned and set a cup of coffee in front of Kate. “Lemme know if you need anything else,” he said, and then walked away.

  Kate looked around the room and noted that many of the vampires were drinking what she assumed was canned blood. She would ask Nick later, but she didn't think they drank anything else.

  Her eyes were drawn to a couple in the corner.

  She instantly regretted looking and watched in horror as the vampire fed on the human. It was a male vampire and a female woman. She guessed the woman was a junkie, someone who wanted it, because judging by the look on her face, she seemed to be enjoying it. Still, Kate found it deeply disturbing.

  “Relax.” Nick leaned in to her ear and kissed her gently. “I can smell your fear and it smells delicious.”

  Her heart raced a little at his words, but mostly at the feeling of his gentle kiss on her ear. She had been trying not to think of him as sexy since the first day she arrived. It had been really hard since the dream, but sat there with his arm around her as he kissed her ear, she found it impossible to separate work curiosity, from sex curiosity.

  He kissed her neck, and reached over with his other hand, turning her head toward him and looking into her eyes.

  She held her breath, wondering what he was going to do, wondering what she wanted him to do.

  He ran a finger over her lips.

  She kissed it gently, taking the tip in her mouth.

  His other hand reached around the back of her head.

  Kate leaned in a little closer.

  Nick looked at her with unsure eyes, but there was something else there. Longing. There was a longing, but a gentle unsureness. He was being cautious, for her. He wasn't a monster in any sense of the word.

  She looked up, looked in his eyes and pressed her lips to his. They were cool, yet soft, and she kissed him deeper.

  Nick closed his eyes as soon as he felt her warm lips on his. It was more than he imagined. When she probed with her tongue, he felt warmth rush all over him. She was magnificent, sharing her heat with him with just a simple kiss. He pulled her closer and kissed her deeper.

  When they stopped to look at each other, both saw the same thing, a look of hunger, hunger for more of the same.

  Kate hadn't expected it to feel so right, but it did. It felt just as perfect as being in his arms had.

  Nick sat back, keeping his arm around her, trying to figure out what just happened and what it meant. There was clearly something there, other than curiosity. There had been passion in that kiss, passion on both sides of that kiss. He knew how to read people, and everything he was getting from her was saying she wanted to be his. God help her, he wanted her to be his too.

  Kate looked around the room, she saw there were some vampires feeding on humans, and some drinking from cans, but nothing was registering aside from that she had just kissed Nick. She kissed him and she liked it. It went beyond liking it, she wanted it, and if they were not in this vampire bar she would have kissed him again.

  They sat in silence, watched people and vampires come and go, neither knew exactly how to feel about what had happened. The pleasant thoughts were broken as a man let out a muffled, pained sound.

  Kate looked over to see a female vampire had a man pinned to the wall and was feeding as he struggled uselessly to get free. It was far more disturbing than watching the junkies, because this man didn't seem to be enjoying it, and when he fell to the ground, Kate knew he was dead.

  The vampire walked to the bar and sat down as if nothing had happened, and Kate felt herself getting tense.

  Nick stood and tossed a few bills on the table and reached down, taking Kate's arm, pulling her up.

  He put his arm over her, and she wrapped hers around his waist.

  They walked together out of the bar and into the car park, where she let out the breath she had been holding.

  Once they were in the car, he turned to her and asked, “Did you see enough to sate your curiosity?”

  “Yes, more than enough. I am sorry I got a little tense just then.” She looked at the closed door.

  “I figured it would happen. I did tell you that you might see something disturbing.”

  “I guess there is no way to be prepared to watch another person die,” she said in a solemn tone.

  “If it helps, usually they want to. He may have been ill or had any number of reasons for being with her.”

  “Thank you, I'm definitely glad you were there to keep me calm.”

  He started the car, thinking about what she had said. He certainly didn't imagine himself ever in the role of being a calming force for anyone, but he couldn't deny he liked that she saw him as such. A strangely protective feeling he’d noticed he had for her grew, even bordering possessive. For her own benef
it, if he really cared anything about her, he knew he should nip those feelings immediately.

  She wanted to ask him about the kiss, but couldn't even begin to figure out what she was feeling about it herself.

  There was silence for the rest of the way home as they both thought about the same thing.

  Once they were inside, she walked over to the fire and rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them up. “Nick, I'm sorry about, sorry that we,” she started to say and stopped. She looked at him, trying to gauge what he was thinking.

  He looked at her, looked in her eyes. “Are you sorry, Kate?”

  “I'm, no, I'm not,” she said, realizing she wasn't at all.

  He leaned in and kissed her again. There, without prying eyes, he allowed his passion to go where it wanted, unrestrained. As they kissed, he felt her warm response and his hands wrapped around her waist as he pulled her into him.

  She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, into a deeper kiss. Her body tingled with excitement as his kiss and his touch awakened her senses. When the kiss broke, they stood in each other’s arms, enjoying the feeling of just being close.

  “That was beautiful,” she said.

  “It was beautiful, and also dangerous.” He backed up a step, breaking the embrace.

  “How can that be dangerous? Did you enjoy it?”

  “Of course I did, too much.”

  “Too much?” She cut her eyes at him.

  “Yes, I can't explain everything. Some things are beyond words.”

  “Try.”

  “There are instincts, cravings, needs at play. Things that are out of my control. My best intentions will not change the fact that while part of me wants to take you in my arms and kiss you again, another part of me wants to take you in my arms and feed from you.”

  She knew that, of course she had known that. Even as she kissed him, she realized he might be thinking about that. It still stung to hear. She had begun to view him as a man, yet he still viewed her as food. She looked away, she didn't want him to see the sadness she was feeling.

  “I'm tired. We can go over my new questions tomorrow,” she said, and walked away.

  He let her go. He knew what she was thinking and felt it was better she had hurt feelings, than for him to keep testing himself and taking the risk that he would wind up draining her. The urge hadn’t been there at the club, not even when she was in his arms, but he wasn't convinced it couldn't happen, and he didn't want to hurt her. Even in this short amount of time, she had become special to him.