Congregation Of Darkness (Full Moon Series Book 2)

by P. Mattern

  Once inside his own room Daniel flicked a light switch and track lighting on the opposite end of the room revealed ,to her surprise, a smart and sophisticated looking bachelor pad that reflected the taste of a somewhat urbane single male. The lamps were silver and modern and there was a low black leather couch across one end of the room ,and a huge flatscreen tv on one wall.

  There was also a bed, larger than she’d imagined ,with an intricately designed brass headboard and footboard. The quilted cover over the bed was black with faint ,just barely perceptible silver embossing, and against the headboard were giant quilted black velvet pillows. There was also some excellent, original modern art decorating the walls.

  Fress said the first thing she thought as she looked around.

  “This is not a little boys room. You must have redecorated at some point. And done a wonderful job of it I must add. It’s beautiful!”

  In spite of herself she thought of Charley’s room at his mothers house that was still decorated for a six year old, with cartoon character posters, stuffed animals and nursery school books on the low bookshelves alongside a single bed with a Spongebob Squarepants bedset, and felt a little sad. Even though Charley had advanced intellectually and matured physically, she knew it would never occur to him to redecorate it,or change it in any way. Charley’s juvenile decorating scheme was almost a metaphor for the part of Charley that hadn’t advanced and hadn’t matured at the same pace as his intellect.

  And might never quite mature, given the state he was in before she had ‘turned’ him.

  Her eyes rested on the ornate headboard. Turning to Daniel she looked up at him with soft eyes and offered up her wrists.

  “Yours for the evening, no holds barred.” She said.

  Daniel didn’t waste a moment. He quickly stripped down to black silk boxers, slid her out of her clothing slowly as if he were peeling her, and trussed her face up on the bed. Their eyes were locked throughout the entire process. Fress felt acutely exposed to his gaze, more naked than naked. Her still, completely exposed nudity was in sharp contrast to the action packed lovemaking that usually occurred between them. She felt intensely aroused and open to him…and he hadn’t even touched her yet.

  His hair falling into his eyes, he bent over the side of the bed to kiss her in a lingering manner. Picking up the tassled scarf she’d been wearing from where it had been dropped on the floor of the bedroom ,he smiled slightly as he moved it across her body gently ,making her moan, increasing the rapid rising and falling of her chest. He was painstakingly thorough about stimulating every inch of her flesh, pausing at intervals to kiss different areas or teasingly draw circles with his tongue. And just when she thought she would burst from desire ,he turned her over and started on her other side.

  It was an odd combination, feeling simultaneously an all over relaxation, and also a mounting sense of desire. At a couple of intervals she instinctively found herself pulling her legs in toward her body so that she was in a primitive “female presenting” position-but both times he had said ”Shhhhh darling, not yet” and pushed her gently prone by placing his hand flatly but firmly on the small of her back.

  Finally, finally, at her highest point of arousal he entered her from behind, causing a crescendo of sexual convulsions to reverberate through her. And after a brief intermission ,he gently slipped her bonds off her wrists and handing them to her said “Now –my turn.”

  As Fress was gently tying his hands above his head he hissed in an urgent voice.”Tightly, Fress my darling. Tighter.” She complied ,desiring to bring as much pleasure to him as he had bestowed upon her. As she teased various parts of him to vibrant life using her mouth ,clever skilled tongue and silken hair she suddenly straddled him and looked down upon him ,surprised to see his face and expressive grey eyes filled with anguished yearning ,beads of sweat standing out on his forehead.

  “Please Fressenda,” he said, half moaning, ”Please …it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

  With a slight sense of shock Fress realized that he was asking-no, BEGGING her to fang him, To twice-turn him. To drink his blood and inject her potent venom into his system. The very thought made her panic, but the desire and pleading in his eyes awakened something deep within her hidden and primal core, something apart from whatever humanity she retained.

  The ancient voice inside her perused his taut, well-muscled, naked body with a sense of supreme satisfaction. His partial bondage made the prospect of biting him even more tantalizing, and before she knew it, the decision had been made. Her fangs were sunken deeply into his neck, and his rich, wonderfully wild tasting and refreshing blood was coursing down her throat in a mini-torrent. She realized belatedly that he had uttered a single cry-not really a scream ,but the awakening cry of a once bitten vampire male that has been elevated to a new level of sexual ecstacy and power.

  When she finally pulled away, His widely open eyes sought hers and he choked out huskily, ”I love you Fress…” and seemingly would have continued if two things hadn’t happened simultaneously.

  The door to his bedroom burst open, flooding in the bright light from the hallway-and Dendra, who stood perfectly outlined in silhouette in the doorway began to scream.

  Daniel was the first to move. Though completely naked, he quickly jumped up and ran to his mother, grabbling her by the shoulder and turning her so that she could see his face clearly and he was able to make eye contact. Behind him, Fress, shocked and quivering on the bed clutching at a sheet, her fangs still extruded and blood dripping from the corners her mouth onto the coverlet, heard him say to his mother in a commanding but quiet tone, ”Everything is fine, You will forget whatever you saw here. You will go downstairs and wait in the foyer for five minutes…then you will feel as if you’ve just gotten home and call up the staircase for me. Do you understand, Dendra?”

  Wordlessly his mother closed her mouth and nodded slowly, then turned and made her way quietly back down the hall and down the stairway. Daniel watched as if checking to make certain that Dendra had gone, then turned to Fress, sighing deeply.

  “I’m so sorry my beauty” ,he said ,shaking his head as he went to her, ”I-I’ve found I have a rather a generous gift for ‘stunning’ humans…I’ll deal with her ,Fress. But I think it would be better for you to leave. I don’t want you stressed out or involved . I plan on telling her tonight what I’ve become .I should have done it way before now. I’m such a coward…will you ever forgive me?”

  Taken by his sincerity ,though still shaken ,Fress stood and let Daniel help her on with her clothing.

  “I feel terrible.” She said, as a slight shudder, like an aftershock, ran through her ”Are you sure it will be all right?”

  Daniel embraced her, speaking over her head as he held her close for a last moment.,”I will make it okay. And Fress-thank you .for the turning. In spite of my mother walking in on us, it’s been the greatest night of my… immortal life. I mean it.”

  “But you’d better hurry off –just take my car-she’ll be back in form in about 2 minutes!”

  Fress grabbed her jacket and plunged down the carpeted hallway and stairs, turning her head to look into Dendra’s face as she passed her to exit. Dendra seemed not to notice her passing by, and stood in frozen animation looking at a spot on the opposite wall, completely motionless. As Fress quietly closed the front door of the house she had to muffle a giggle.

  Daniel was right-he DID have quite a gift for stunning-and mesmerization. A gift that was sure to develop even more, given that he was a twice-bitten now.

  The next day Mitzi was playing Tetris with the Tupperware encased contents of the refrigerator- and losing. She was getting more and more frustrated. Even though she and Cass had only planned to be away for four days in Paris, it was deeply ingrained in her Southern nature to leave the domicile tidy, and that included cleaning out the refrigerator.

  Food was a big part of her former culture, and it was abhorrent to her to come home to spoiled leftovers.

  Cass appe
ared, standing on the opposite side of the refrigerator’s open door.

  “May I be of assistance?” he inquired, eyeing the multitude of plasticware containers that were not only inside the fridge but standing on the nearby kitchen countertop.

  “Please!” Mitzi responded ,giving him a grateful look and grunting a little with the exertion of placing a new stack of oblong containers upon the counter next to her. She was showing her pregnant status even more prominently lately, her baby bump increasing in size daily. As she turned Cass noted the substantial increase in her girth.

  “Wow babe,” he said ”Your secret is out now!! You are not just pregnant anymore-you are SOOOOO pregnant. Exquisitely pregnant. Indisputably pregnant. Beyond a shadow of a doubt pregnant. Past the halfway mark!”

  Mitzi turned on him ferociously ,placing her hands on her hips.

  “Thank you for pointing out the obvious. I am WELL AWARE of how pregnant I look now. I never wanted anything to come between us-even literally…but just LOOK at me!!”she finished, her hands encircling her belly.

  Cass closed the refrigerator door.

  “I think you look enticingly beautiful. And if I approach from behind…” he added, deftly turning her so that he was pressed up against her from behind.”Nothing IS coming between us.”

  Mitzi rested against him for a moment ,closing her eyes, luxuriating in the happiness she felt . Then her eyes flew open and she turned around quickly.

  “You offered to help-but you’re trying to entice me upstairs-don’t deny it!” she said accusingly attempting unsuccessfully to glare at him with her thickly lashed bluegreen eyes.

  Cass smiled his trademark slow lazy, mischievous smile, ”Not necessarily Lady-I do believe the kitchen table could hold both of us-even given your blossoming condition.”

  Mitzi glared at him through narrowed eyes.”That is SO NOT HAPPENING, Cass!”

  “Okay”, he continued in a less sultry tone.”If I solve your kitchen dilemma, can I have a ‘happy ending’?”

  “Sure”, Mitzi shot back archly.”But it has to be completed to my satisfaction.”

  “I hereby accept your challenge.” Cass answered. Leading her over to one of the kitchen chairs he made sure that she was comfortably seated ,and then added, ”Watch me work!”

  Cass immediately attacked the hodgepodge of containers in the fridge. With vampire quickness he removed container after container ,making decisions in nanoseconds and dumping unwanted leftovers down the garbage disposal. Grabbing a kitchen wipe he also wiped off the shelving and arranged containers by both content and size. He worked feverishly, turning his head around once in awhile to leer at Mitzi as she sat watching him, amused at not only his efficiency but also at the extent of his motivation.

  The entire process took less than six minutes. Cass stood to the side with the refrigerator door open to give her an unobstructed view of the nicely organized interior, a kitchen towel thrown over one shoulder.

  “Well?” he asked,”Is milady pleased?”

  Mitzi stood up and began clapping -slowly at first, then more loudly.

  “Impressive!” she added, smiling.”And now I assume you’ll want to collect your prize?”

  Cass slowly nodded his head, and wordlessly picked her up and carried her upstairs.

  About 45 minutes later Mitzi ,on her side, relaxed and blissfully spooning with Cass ,spoke.

  “Cass I feel almost a sense of forboding…it seems to get stronger every day. It’s kind of a ‘something wicked this way comes’ feeling. Do you really think it’s a good idea to take a vacay, even a short one- I mean now?”

  Cass grunted, his mouth full of mitzi’s hair.

  “Yes”, he replied, his voice sounding muffled. “I’m sure the rest of the household can do without us for four short days. And the time when you are able to take a trip is drawing to a close. And when the babies come we will be housebound-HAPPILY housebound- for awhile, so now is really the only time. And I want to make sweet love to you in gay Paree! It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since we met.

  So please? Please can you set your concerns aside and relax. Anyway, darlin’-its MY job to worry. You concentrate on being a part of ‘the miracle of life.’ “

  And again he added, ”Please.”

  Mitzi relaxed in his arms.”Of course, Cass.I’m sure everything will be fine.”she replied, sinking into the cloud of enveloping love surrounding her from head to toe. She then abandoned herself to the downy softness of their bed, letting her worries drift off like cloud whisps on a windy spring day ,and falling into a dreamless sleep.

  The next morning Mitzi found Charley ,up earlier than usual, sitting at the kitchen table tucking into a plate of crepes. He was simultaneously eating and texting, and intermittently laughing out loud.

  She smiled beatifically at her handsome son, who had chosen to dress that day in a quasi-preppie style-nice men’s white dress shirt with a Jerry Garcia tie, Dockers and dress shoes. Mitzi could smell the rich aroma of the fresh coffee that had been brewed. On the kitchen table was a gorgeous stack of crepes with lacy edges, butter in a crystal dish and a small glass pitcher of maple syrup. There was also a hastily made fruit salad with strawberries, squares of honeydew melon, fresh pineapple, and cherries. Two other places had been set with napkins and silverware and glasses of orange juice.

  “So beautiful Charley”, she remarked as he returned her smile. “Almost as good as breakfast in bed!! What prompted this display of your culinary skills my wonderful son who also cooks?”

  Charley chuckled again as his smart phone made a whistling sound and he glanced down quickly at a new text.

  “Well mom, the world is an amusing place ,I was in the mood, and also it’s a kind of apology for the moping around I’ve been doing lately. Besides ,I really ought to help more with the cooking while I’m still living here.

  PLUS- Fress told Merilee and Merilee texted me that Daniel and Fress were caught in flagrante delicto last night by Dendra ,in Daniel’s room no less…and Fress had just finished twice-biting him. Apparently my ex-girlfriend is on a roll with the twice-turning thing. So I guess the cat’s out of the bag now! Dendra knows Daniel is a vampire-he told her last night!”

  Mitzi’s eyes grew wider and she sat down in her dressing gown beside Charley with a thump.

  “Well…it had to happen sooner or later. And really I’m glad that it’s out in the open –I have missed Dendra terribly. Did you hear if she’s very upset? Or how she’s taking it?”

  “Not sure.” Charley answered between chewing his breakfast and punching in a reply text message.”But personally I think Dendra would make a kickass” Vampiress”-she’s tall and thin and already has the long black hair and expressive eyes. And being Turned would give her the facelift she probably yearns for. Really,” he finished, sipping his freshly squeezed orange juice with obvious satisfaction.”It’s really a win-win all the way around-don’tcha think?”

  “Dendra’s probably in shock,” Mitzi mused ,her brow furrowed with concern for her friend.”Do you think I should go to her or wait? Maybe I should talk to Daniel and find out if she knows about the rest of us first.”

  “That might be a good idea,” Charley replied.”Maybe that way she won’t try to STAKE you when you show up at her front door.” At Mitzi’s slightly shocked look Charley went off into gales of laughter.

  “Can –you-even-IMAGINE” he puffed out ,gasping for breath, ”Getting staked by your former BFF? That would certainly suck!!!” The image he had in his mind’s eye was of a deranged Dendra with the gleam of a religious zealot in her eye trying to plunge a broken off piece of wooden flower border fencing-the kind that was pointy on one end-into his mom’s chest ,both of them surrounded with the normalcy and ambiance of a beautiful, gentle, spring morning in suburbia. After a couple more minutes his laughter trailed off as he realized how underamused his mother appeared to be. Apparently her sense of humor had been obliterated by her Thrice-turning, he thought. Fortunately Mitzi had decid
ed to change the subject.

  “Anyway” she said, giving Charley a bit of an admonishing look ,”How are things going with Merilee? Good I assume?”

  Charley thought of several humorous and off-color replies and decided to play it safe.

  “Sure.” He answered smoothly.”She’s a lot of fun-smart and gorgeous to boot. Kind of a free spirit but for the moment we’re enjoying each other.”

  Mitzi hesitated for a moment, and then said awkwardly, ”Charley I hope you and Merilee are using protection of some sort…things can happen you know. ”she finished obliquely, her voice trailing off.

  Charley’s eyebrows shot up into his bangs in surprise as he gave her an ironic look.

  “-Said the pregnant lady-excuse me-I mean the TWICE pregnant lady. Duly noted mom!” he retorted snarkily. Seeing her face fall he realized that he had wounded her in some way-something he hadn’t meant to do. Quickly he added, ”Don’t worry mom. Merilee is a stickler for precautionary measures. She says she never plans to grow up and never wants to have kids, even adopted. So no problem.”

  Mitzi seemed placated. As proud as she was of Charley over all, she still floundered at being the parent of a formerly disabled child that had attained adulthood and super normalcy within weeks of being Turned. She frequently realized ,with a pang of guilt, that she was so immersed in her own cocooned little world with Cass now that she frequently lost track of what was going on in Charley’s life…and maybe that was really how it was supposed to be. But she felt she’d somehow missed the balance between smothering Charley and being somehow negligent in her role as the mother of an independent adult person.

  Reaching across the table she put her hand on Charley’s.

  “Well I’m still your mom, even though you’re really an adult now. And if you need me,or just need to talk about anything, don’t hesitate. I love you, you know. That never changes. And I might as well let you know I’m incredibly proud of you also. Everything you did-how you trained with Yaya, how you fought Adrastos-Charley that was phenomenal.”