Disclaimer: Xena, Gabrielle etc belong to MCA/Universal and Ren Pics, and anyone else who has an interest in Xena Warrior Princess, not me.
Copyright ©2000: The characters in here belong to me. All rights reserved. No part or whole of this work may be copied or used in any shape, form, or manner whatsoever without the author's express written consent. If you want to use them, all you have to do is ask … nicely.
Violence disclaimer: Little bits and pieces, but nothing that’s really in yer face yucko.
Love/Sex warning: This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live - move along, move along, nothing for you here ...
Major vote of thanks to my ever patient beta reader ForevaXena for taking valuable time out to read this. Without her, I am eternally grammatically and spelling stuffed :-)
Survivor
By
J. Falconer (jfishmael@hotmail.com)
“MynameisBronwynHunterandI’mfiveyearsoldIliveat7GeorgesRoad.”
I looked down at the little figure puddled by the side of the road. It was early evening and I was starving, just out sort of cruising for a bite to eat. I dismissed her; she was a bit young for my liking.
Her green eyes were wide and tear stained as she looked anxiously up at me, silky blonde hair disheveled dirty pink dress pooled around her upper thighs, feet scratched and filthy in her once clean white sandles. There was a bubble of snot under one nostril, a testament to her distress.
Did I want to bother with a human child? Nope, I don’t think so. So I tried to keep walking.
From behind me, the little forlorn voice continued on. “Please? Missus? MynameisBronwynHunterandI’mfiveyearsoldIliveat7GeorgesRoad.”
My legs betrayed me and stopped moving. I tried to stop myself from doing it, but I had to turn around, go back to her and squat down in front of her. So much for being a cold blooded killer, I guess.
“Well, BronwynHunter,” I said, my voice soft and low. “Why are you sitting by the side of the road?”
“Because I’m tired.”
Kids. Glad I never had any.
“Why are you tired?”
“Because I’ve been walking.”
“Where are you walking to?” I hoped I’d finally hit on the right question.
“I’m trying to go home. I’m – I’m – I’m lost.” This was punctuated with a fresh bout of tears from her swollen and red eyes.
“Hey,” I said awkwardly, and dug into the pocket of my black jeans searching for a clean handkerchief to get her to blow her nose with. Personally, I don’t need the things, but Mum always told me never to leave the house without one. That and the good underwear – we all know the joke about how you should always wear your best underwear when you leave your house, because if you get hit by a bus, then at least you look good for the paramedics and hospital staff (not to mention news cameras).
I leant forward and gently took her small head in my large hand and held the hanky up to her face. “Blow,” I instructed.
Like the obedient child she obviously was, she blew her nose into my hanky, and sort of helped me clean her up.
“There.” I smiled at her, putting the most gentle expression I have in my eyes. Her answering, hesitant smile let me know that I’d succeeded.
“Okay.” I blew out some air from my lungs. I don’t need to breathe, but just the simple actions of pretending I’m alive sometimes just let me think more clearly. I guess I just haven’t been undead for long enough, though forty years should be enough for anyone to get the hang of it. “Your address is 7 Georges Road, right?”
She looked at me solemnly and nodded her head.
“You want to go back home to Mummy, right?”
Again, the head nodded.
“I think I can help you with that. Take my hand.” I stood up and held out my hand. She reached up and took it, and I was struck by the warmth of her soft child’s skin.
“Your hands are cold,” she said wonderingly. “And they’re pretty hard.”
“I know.” I hoped she wouldn’t ask me why my skin was alabaster and my blue eyes almost shone in the darkness.
“You’re pretty.”
I raised a coal black eyebrow, and looked down at the small face, which was now considerably happier than it had been not five minutes ago. “Yeah? Thanks.” I hoped she would not pursue this particular line of questioning or comments. The last thing I needed was for her to give her Mum a stirring rendition of the friend who had brought her home. It would lead to questions about me, and I would no doubt be forced to run again. I’d only just settled in here, and I really liked the neighbourhood. Nice and quiet during the day, just the way a vampire likes it.
Suddenly she stopped and pulled a startled me to a halt.
“MynameisBronwynHunter, what’s yours?”
Oh dear. What should I tell her? If I told her my real name, perhaps her mother would come looking for me to thank me, and I couldn’t have that. It would not do at all.
“Carlisle Crowley, but my friends call me Crow.”
“Can I call you Crow?”
“Are you my friend?”
She looked at me, completely non comprehending. Inwardly sighing, I realized my joke had gone way over hear head (well, she was five after all, what was I expecting? Quantum mechanics?). I was just about to say something when she cut me off.
“You’re my friend.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that one. “Okay, then call me Crow.” It was the best thing to say after I had been outsmarted by a child.
I led her through the quiet suburban streets, relishing in the power of the night, and the beauty of the blackness with her constant child’s chatter in the background. I found out all about her brother Tim and her best friend Amy, her boyfriend Robert, Mummy, Daddy and I think almost all of clan Hunter, including crazy uncle Edward who smelt “really bad” of baby powder. Somehow I ended up with her in my arms, yawning mightily as we approached her house, her soft breath teasing the sensitive skin of my throat, as I struggled to remember to breath so I would look like a living human being.
When I brought her home, her frantic parents were ecstatic, and I was pulled into the house of the living, being offered endless cups of tea and slices of cake, all of which I had to refuse. I told them I was a little under the weather, which was why I’d been out for a walk in the evening. I thought the fresh air would do me some good.
I was only half lying. I knew that if I ate their food I would find myself retching before it even hit my stomach. Welcome to the world of vampires.
It took me what almost seemed an age, but I was finally allowed to leave, and in my wake were requests to drop by again, thankyous and general well wishing. By the time I left I was half starving, and it had taken all of my will power not to drain every last drop of sweet blood from their animal bodies.
When I left, I ran down the street, a blur, faster than the human eye could see. I ran all the way home, and mounted my trusty motorcycle, roaring into the city at breakneck speed, looking for a snack.
I finally found her, and as I plunged my sharp teeth into her sweaty, aroused neck, I could almost swear that she came as she died.
Nice to know I haven’t lost my touch.
As I strolled back to my bike, I saw a large number of hairy, sweaty human men leaning on my nice, Japanese bike parked in the middle of the Harley rider’s parking spots on Darlinghurst Road in the middle of King’s cross.
Restless as always, I sauntered towards them, ignoring the wolf whistles that came my way, the rough obscene gestures of the ones at the back who thought I couldn’t see them, the uncouth comments concerning my physical attributes that they also thought I couldn’t hear.
I turned to the largest of them, who was leaning against my bike.
“Hey love,” he said. “You shouldn’t park this thing here.”
“Why not?” I asked, shrugging my shoulders and smiling. The fresh blood that I’d consumed flowed through my system, temporarily warming my cool skin, lending an almost rosy glow to my pale features.
“It’s a piece of shit, that’s why. Go get yourself a real bike or a real man that has one.” He got off the seat and turned around, preparing to kick it over.
Suddenly he gave a hissing intake of breath then howled as my hand squeezed his testicles. “Now, now,” I offered calmly. “If I ever need a real man I’ll know who NOT to ask.”
With that, I calmly threw him into his shocked compatriots, as he clutched his battered manhood and the gawkers at the back lunged forward to beat the living shit out of me or worse.
I decided to play with them a bit, and threw some of the closer ones back and casually flicked out a heavily booted foot and knocked over all the nice, shiny Harley’s parked next to my humble steed.
It was in carnage and chaos that I leapt on the back of my bike and roared off into the distance, laughing all the way.
My black hair streamed in the wind out from under my helmet as I laughed all the way home. I never had a lot of time for human men, and now I have the power to do something about it.
Perhaps I should tell you a little more about myself. I look not a day over 21 though I was born 61 years ago. As you already know, I am a vampire. I allowed myself to be made almost forty years ago by a creature I knew as Sembur. He gave me a choice, eternal life, youth and beauty far exceeding the span of normal humans or slow aging and death. Once upon a time I was concerned by these things, so I said yes.
The problem was, I didn’t know what effects it would have on my life. It’s only in the past few years that I’m starting to realize what it’s all about, and I’m not so sure I want to be immortal anymore. I’m a survivor though, and all I really need is some time to work it all out.
Where am I headed with this? Patience! I’m telling you about how it all began, all those years ago …
PART ONE
TWELVE YEARS LATER
“Hey, watch it ya dumb bitch! Women!”
The drunken young boy turned to glare at me, still staggering, as I made my way down Darlinghurst Road through King’s Cross. His friends stood behind him, grinning, equally underage, smirking as their brave comrade put a woman in her place.
I gave my best smile, luminous blue eyes boring into him, and flashed my fangs. The expression on his face did not change, so I decided it would be best if I gave him a quick demonstration on stranger danger.
With contemptuous ease, I lunged forward to grab him by the shirt. My reflexes I knew to be well beyond the comprehension of humans. To me it looked like an almost leisurely movement, but to him it would be faster than the blinking of an eye. Combine that with a six-foot, muscular frame, and I knew it would scare the pants off him.
“Now, now,” I said smoothly. “Is that any way to treat a lady?” I easily lifted him off his feet so we could actually see eye to eye. I noted with disgust his dirty, pimply skin, covered with an almost unbearable blast of cheap aftershave.
He didn’t say anything, just sort of gaped at me like a landed fish, and I began to laugh internally at him. His friends, the big strong men that they were, backed away slightly. He was on his own.
“Are you going to apologize?” I asked politely, smiling. I was starved; it took all of my self control to be even this patient with him.
He nodded, almost frantic.
“Good,” I said complacently. “Don’t do it again.” Thank goodness that had gone so well, and I could go back to the more serious pursuit of hunting for a bite to eat.
Again, he nodded so hard I thought his filthy neck was in danger of dropping off.
With no particular gentleness, I put him back on his feet and watched him scurry away like the dung beetle he was. If there’s one thing I hate about young men is that they are so arrogant and self absorbed. I enjoy putting them back in their place as much as I can.
I wanted to scent the cool night air, so I pulled a deep breath into my lungs. I could smell the masses of humanity all around me, the soft smell of young girls’ perfume, the stench of the exhaust of all the cars crawling down the streets, the vomit, the beer and the cleanliness of the city air.
It was my favorite time. I had always loved this, even when I was alive.
As usual, I was out scouting the world looking for someone to nibble on. I had toyed with the idea of draining that stupid boy to the last drop, but quickly discarded the idea. The amount of alcohol in his bloodstream would make him taste rather odd, plus probably make me a little drunk and quite frankly I didn’t feel like it. Not to mention the small problem of the group he was with.
Looking around, I checked the fringe dwellers of the crowd, looking for the lone unaccompanied person that would be my next snack.
It was not long before I spotted her.
She was leaning behind one of the buildings, puking her guts out.
With a soft smile of satisfaction, I smoothly made my way over to her.
The darkness was no barrier to my keen eyesight. I saw the puddle in front of her, the tears staining her smooth pale skin, her long blonde hair in real danger of falling into her waste. Her mini skirt had ridden up her creamy thighs, and I could smell the stale, sugary odor of the spirits she’d consumed and so recently parted with.
Quietly, I knelt down behind her, and with one hand lifted the hair off the back of her neck and with the other hand, gently massaged her back as her stomach expelled it’s non existent contents again.
She realized she was not alone, and shifted to stare at me with bloodshot green eyes. They would have been quite beautiful if they had been clear. Struck, I leaned forward to quietly gaze at her more closely. I remembered those eyes, but could not place them.
“Thanks.” Her voice was soft and gentle, with no trace of slurring.
I captured her eyes, willing her to want to come with me. I’d always had a strong personality when I was alive, and now with the brighter eyes I had inherited on my death, I’d been able to make humans do what I wanted them to do.
Well it worked on her, and as I stood, I took her with me and pulled her in close. Bingo, I thought with satisfaction as her arms slipped around me and she buried her face in my chest, leaning up to give me a quick, soft kiss on my neck.
The words were so quiet I almost missed them. “You’re so beautiful.”
I was glad she couldn’t see my face as I led her down a dark side street. Obviously she thought she was going to get laid. She was quite right – but it was going to be her coffin and not my bed.
We stood in the shadows of the side street, and I pulled her around so she was in my arms. I extended my fangs, knowing she could not see them in the darkness, though I could make out every valley and curve of her face and body. Stroking her cheek, I leaned in close, kissing an ear (I was careful to avoid her pukey mouth), and then gently whispering, “What’s your name?”
She leaned into me, running her hands over my body, causing the skin to prickle, my hair to stand on end, the most delicious sensation to my ever cold body. Still the luminous green eyes struck a cord in me that I couldn’t place.
I was hungry, oh so hungry.
“My name?” Her voice was a whisper as she sank into my blue eyes, and she began to breath heavily, skin flushed. “My name. My name is Bronwyn Hunter.”
Good Lord.
Oh my God.
Hell’s bells.
Bloody hell.
The floodgates to memory opened and once again, a young girl sat despondently by the side of the road, waiting for an adult to bring her home.
I remembered her all right.
I remembered her like it was yesterday.
Goddammit!
“Bronwyn Hunter,” I said quietly. “My name is Crow.”
I saw her eyes widen, as the spark of recognition that had flared in her eyes as I’d pulled her to her feet and she’d seen me flared into a bright flame.
“Crow.” The word was soft and drawn out, and a million emotions came out in that single word. Longing, trust and an aching desire for something.
“You remember me?”
“I remember.”
It had been quite a stupid question on my part, really; of course she’d remember me. My white skin, black hair and blue eyes, combined with my six feet of height would be difficult to forget quickly.
“An angel.”
I almost missed the words, and smiled ruefully to myself. I was no angel – I was a cold-blooded killer who enjoyed doing what she did far too much for moral comfort.
That forcibly reminded me. I was starved and had to eat. Well, I most certainly couldn’t snack on her, could I? I was a killer, that was certain, but I wasn’t that brutal. I enjoyed doing what I did, but I didn’t just kill people for the sheer hell of it.
“Please excuse me for one moment,” I said, and slipped out of her grasp.
Faster than the eye could follow, I ran out of the alleyway, careful not to look behind at her, looking for the evening’s nourishment.
I found him almost straight away, puking his guts up in a private stretch of bushes. I tapped him on the shoulders, and when he looked up at me, bleary eyed, runner of saliva hanging out of one corner of his mouth, I noted with satisfaction that it was the boy who had tried to push me around.
“You bitch!” he snarled, suddenly trying to prove his courage, and drunkenly staggered to his feet to take a swing at me. I sighed – I really didn’t have time for this.
I easily caught him and pulled him in close.
“You’re a bitter little thing, aren’t you?” I whispered and held his arms by his sides as I leaned in a pushed my drooling fangs through his pulsing jugular vein.
Immediately, I felt the heady hotness of the blood as it filled my mouth, and jetted down my throat, a raw flood of vampiric power that would satisfy me like nothing else.
The liquid hit my throat, and fire spread through my veins, and slowly my arms relaxed their grip as his struggles became weaker.
His body almost drained, I dropped him to the ground and nipped a wrist with my sharp fangs, allowing my blood to dribble on his neck, closing the wounds.
There would be an autopsy, of that I was certain, but at first glance people would suspect he collapsed from alcohol poisoning. He would be in hospital for a few days as his body, in a coma, would replenish some of it’s blood supply, and then he would die and I would remain undiscovered for another evening.
I was careful to throw him back into his vomit, as the alcohol he’d consumed began to leech into my system.
Oh my God. That was really the last thing I needed.
What I needed now, though, was to get back to Bronwyn, and take her home, like I had done twelve years ago.
For a normally graceful vampire, I was certainly staggering back to the young, blonde woman I had left down a darkened street in the worst part of town.
When I hit the street, I looked around anxiously, unable to see any sign of her. I was alarmed. What had become of her?
I forced patience into myself, and looked around closely, allowing my keen eyesight to pierce the darkness. The ultra keen eyesight that a drunk normally has was with me now, and it was short work to see the collapsed body by the side of the pathway.
My eyebrows shot skyward as I rushed over to her. She would have been alone for no more than about two minutes.
As I unsteadily leant over her fallen body, I reached out a hand to touch her soft, smooth neck. My keen fingertips found a pulse, and I heaved a deep sigh of relief as I turned her over.
Her beautiful green eyes fluttered open, and her red lips curved into a smile as she saw me.
“Crow.” The word was a sigh. “Are we going home?”
I nodded, cursing my inability to co ordinate my movements. It would not be long before I was drunk as a skunk. “Let’s get you home.”
Amazingly, she helped me help her get to her feet, and her arms boldly slipped around my waist as I supported her.
“You’re beautiful.” The words were slightly louder this time, and I glanced down at her. She was staring at me adoringly, with a healthy dose of lust thrown in for good measure.
“Uh huh.”
“And you’re strong.”
“Really?”
“I love you.”
I stopped and smiled at her in genuine amusement. “No, I don’t think so. You just want to fuck me stupid.”
Her face darkened in a flush of embarrassment and her eyes skittered away from mine. I realized that she’d been trying to do her schoolgirl’s attempt at a seduction of an older woman, and carefully cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to meet my eyes again.
“Forget it.” I willed her to forget what she’d just said. She blinked, bleary eyed, and her face began to return to its normal coloring. “Let’s go.”
We both supported each other as I led my way back to my car. I still had the bike, but I knew what the Harley riders were like in this area, so I only rode it into the city when I wanted to tease them.
It took some doing but I managed to get her hands off her body and me into the car.
“Where do you live?” I could remember the answer, but I wanted to hear her say it.
“7 Georges Road.” The voice was exhausted and followed by a bone-cracking yawn. “Where do you live?”
I could not refuse those puppy like emerald eyes. Besides, she was almost unconscious and would never remember the answer I gave, so I told her.
“Wow,” was her only comment.
I’d been dead for quite some time, and with the tricks of robbery I’d picked up from Sembur, I’d managed to amass quite a large amount of money so I could buy a nice, big, private house, complete with healthy security system, so I could sleep the days away with some peace of mind.
I smiled gently and nosed the car out into the traffic.
~~~
“Bronwyn.” I leaned over gently and nudged her snoring figure.
My eyebrows shot skyward as I heard a muffled, “Fuck off!”
I grinned and nudged her harder. The alcohol in my system had given me a major headache, and my stomach was uneasy with its meal of blood.
“C’mon now.” My voice was soft as I gripped her shoulder harder. “You’re home.”
“Home.” The muffled voice was apprehensive. “Home.”
“Yes, home.”
“Okay.”
She struggled to sit upright from her position against the door, and she shook her head, trying to clear out some of the bleariness. She gave that up as a sorry task as hear headache began to kick into high gear, and she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands.
“Mum’s going to kill me.” The mumble made me smile. I had often had that thought as a teenager, but it’d never been caused by a bender like she’d just had.
“Face the music Hunter.” I leaned forward and stared right into her eyes. “Take responsibility for your actions.”
That was the one piece of advice my father had tried to give me, and it fit here. The fact that I never appeared to be able to follow it myself had nothing to do with anything.
She glared at me, not saying a word, and climbed out of the car. Like a good and concerned date, I watched her as she walked up the front walk to the front door. As she fumbled in her handbag for the keys, the porch light came on, and the front door opened. Her mother, dressed in a contraceptive dressing gown, gray hair standing on end, glared angrily out at her hung over daughter, arms crossed.
“Well?” Mrs Hunter demanded.
I couldn’t see Bronwyn’s face, but I could feel her struggling to find something to say.
“Hi mum,” she began lamely. I smacked my forehead and rolled my eyes. That was the one thing you should never say to your mother. It left you open for a vicious tongue-lashing.
“What did I say to you?” The woman’s voice was cold and hard. Certainly nothing like the younger woman I had met twelve years ago. Through my alcohol induced haze, I wondered what had happened to them.
Bronwyn, I could see by her expressive back, was still struggling to say something. Hopefully whatever she dug up next would be smarter than her last comment.
“You told me that if I walked out the door I wasn’t coming back.” Bronwyn’s shoulders sank and her head drooped in dejection.
Immediately my guard began to rise, and I knew what was coming next. I hoped Bronwyn could talk herself through the front door.
“Slut! Nice to see you remembered something I had to say! Now go and stay with your whore or pimp, whichever you rolled up with this time!”
With that, the door slammed shut and I winced as I saw Bronwyn’s shoulders begin to hitch.
Oh my God, I thought, knowing what had to come next. Well, I couldn’t just leave her there, could I? She was a pretty young thing, and while clearly not the best daughter ever to walk the face of the earth, not the worst either. Perhaps all her mother needed was to calm down again before they talked this through like rational people. In the meantime she would need a place to stay.
I sucked a deep lungful of air and blew it out as I growled and slapped the steering wheel. “Fuck!”
Not really wanting to, I climbed out of my car and went directly up behind Bronwyn. As my hand reached out and gently touched her shoulder, she whirled and threw herself into my arms, tears raining down on my chest.
I sighed inwardly as I held her and patted her back.
“C’mon.” My voice was soft, and she looked up at me as we went back to my car. After we were most of the way down the path to the front gate, the light came on, the front door flew open and a large, heavy object came sailing out the door, followed close behind by its friend.
Gaping, I turned to see the strong figure of her father slam the front door shut.
Stumbling, Bronwyn went back up the path to the bags her parents had packed and thoughtfully deposited out into the front yard.
There were great sobs coming from the small frame as she collapsed on the ground, trying to find the handles of the suitcases. Again, I quietly came up behind her and took them from her grasp. “C’mon.”
Both heavy suitcases slung under one arm, I helped her to her feet and guided her back to my car. “You can stay with me for a couple of days until you find somewhere to live.”
Her arms encircled my neck for a quick hug as we went back to my car. “Thanks Crow.”
Wonderful.
I could guarantee that I wouldn’t be thanking myself before dawn.
It only took a couple of minutes at the speed I was driving for us to get back to my place. Dawn was sneaking up on us, and I had to get her into bed before the sun forced me into mine. I’d have to worry about the whole situation later. I didn’t doubt for one second that she would be gone fairly quickly to stay with one of her friends and I could go back to my comfortable solitary existence.
I slowly drove the car into the garage, and the doors rattled down behind us as the lights went on and I hopped out of the car. Bronwyn was fast asleep again, tears trickling from under her closed eyelids. I had a feeling she thought she was having a nightmare, but as the reality would come home all too soon, I thought it best to play along with her unconscious and get her settled.
I opened the car door and she fell out into my waiting arms, and then stared up at me with red eyes.
“Crow. Where are we?”
“We’re back at my place, just like I said. Can you stand?”
“Uh.” She got out of the car, promptly tripped over her own feet and landed on me again. “I guess not. You’ll have to carry me.” Abruptly, she giggled, and I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Okay.” I scooped her up into my arms, and she giggled again.
“You’re the beautiful Princess come to carry me away from my evil stepmother.”
“She’s your real mother and I don’t think so.” A soft snore greeted my words, and I knew she had passed out again, hopefully for the last time. In the painful brightness of predawn, I raced with her upstairs and put her on the king sized bed of the master bedroom. Pausing for a moment to pull her shoes off her feet, I cursed under my breath that I couldn’t do more as I abandoned her and raced downstairs to my basement hideaway.
There was just enough time for me to slam the door shut and lock myself in, before the sleep of the vampire came over me and I collapsed where I stood.
PART TWO
“Oh my aching head.” Slowly I came to my senses, stiff and cramped from my crumpled position by the door. Even that speech was too darned loud for me. I cursed my rotten luck at having run smack into Bronwyn overnight. Then it hit me.
I’d invited her home.
Invited her home. To my place.
Just what the bloody hell had I been thinking? Had I taken leave of my senses? For crying out loud, I knew I never should have feasted on that drunk boy. I knew what was going to happen to me and I still did it.
Moron.
Fine.
What to do now?
I looked down at my dirty, wrinkled shirt. Well, the first order of business had to be to get myself cleaned up a little. Dirt didn’t actually stick to my smooth skin, but sometimes it felt so darned good to have a shower to try and think and get your life in order.
After that, of course, I had to find out what had happened to my houseguest as well.
Well, at my best guess she had been awake for several hours already. Without a doubt she’d gone through my kitchen cupboards and noticed they were somewhat empty. Would she have run screaming from my house? Well I could only hope. The worst thing that could have happened was that she’d rung up all her friends and they were madly engaged in wrecking my house with their out of control slumber party. I didn’t know the first thing about Bronwyn and the almost woman she’d become, but if her parents’ reaction to her was anything to go by, she was your typical teenage shit or worse.
I shrugged as I shucked my clothes and strolled to my shower. Fine – let her find out the hard way that pissing me off wasn’t a particularly good idea.
As I stood there, luxuriating under the warmth of the hot water streaming down on me, it occurred to me that I was pretty hungry. Wonderful. It meant that I would have to go out hunting, and I couldn’t take her with me. Should I drain her to the last drop?
I seriously thought about it for a few moments.
What had she done to make her parents think she was such an unredeemable arsehole? Why had they kicked her out of house and home?
Would it be a good idea to kill her? If she went missing, would her parents care? Struck, I walked around this thought for a moment or so. My obedient memory brought up the unremarkable features of Mrs Hunter. There had been a twinkle in them, such kindness. The love she held for her daughter shone bright and true in her heart and eyes.
What would she be thinking now? Would she be regretting her actions, wondering where Bronwyn was, wondering how to find her, how to bring her home again?
There was no answer to those questions.
Bronwyn quite frankly intrigued me, I mused as I pulled on my baggy shorts and long sleeved shirt. She had been a pretty young girl and had grown up into an equally lovely young lady. Her long, blonde hair and stunning emerald green eyes combined with her lithe, muscular figure made her quite and appealing package, a promise of spectacular beauty to come.
All right. It was to be my simple curiosity that would decide her fate over the course of the evening.
Okay, now it was time to find my guest, if she was still that.
I dug into the pocket of my shorts for my keys. With a steady hand (my headache had already disappeared), I put the key in the lock and turned it with a firm snick.
~~~
My stomach growled mightily. Needless to say I was bloody well starving.
“Shit!” I slapped it to try and get it to stop yelling at me.
I had searched my house and not found Bronwyn. I’d first tried the master bedroom. All that remained was crumpled sheets and her discarded clothing. The shower was wet. At least, I thought sourly, she had some concept of hygiene. Not what you expected from your typical human slut. So that part of her mother’s assessment was wrong.
I looked quickly in the dummy wardrobe I kept upstairs, and noticed one of my shirts and another pair of shorts was missing. That made sense. Her luggage was still in my car.
Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair, and wandered downstairs. I already knew what I was going to do – step out for a quick bite to eat, and go cruising the city on my bike. It was the kind of therapy I needed this evening.
Downstairs in my clean living room, I looked out my bay windows to the roadside, struck as always by the pull the night had on me. I didn’t know what it was – was it the streetlights, casting a small pool of light on the grey and oily road? Was it the clean smell of the air? Was it the stillness and the nightlife that came out to bask in all its glory? It was something I’d always loved, and nothing had ever been able to stop me from sitting alone for hours watching the sleeping world drift all around me, often sitting until the cold light of dawn came up over the river behind my parent’s house.
It was so beautiful.
I let my eyes wander, darkness entering me, soothing me, whispering it’s secrets to me, as the full moon shone brilliantly down onto the road in front of my house.
It was then that I saw her silhouette in all it’s glory, as she gently leaned down to pick at the twigs in the gutter. Each one she would examine and replace, clearly deep in thought, shoulders slumping in dejection.
I had to talk to her. I had to get her out of my life.
Sighing, the irritation of being forced to live with another person crashed down on me, the knowledge of how she could not stay with me leaping foremost into my mind. I steeled myself for the coming confrontation.
I quietly let myself out the door and equally silently slipped straight up behind her.
As I dropped a smooth, cold white hand on her shoulder, she gasped.
Whirling, she blinked, trying to make me out in the darkness. I smiled to myself. My eyesight was so acute now, looking in the darkness for me was the same as looking in bright daylight for mortals.
I said nothing.
“Hi.” Her voice was soft and dejected as she looked into my mask like features. “Crow?”
“Bronwyn Hunter.” I dropped down to sit by her on the curb and eyed her mercilessly, expressionlessly.
I stopped there. I wanted to know what was going on in her mind as her eyes skittered away from me as though burned. I could see her steeling herself to try and talk to me. Was I really that threatening a figure?
“What happened last night? Where am I? Did my parents really throw me out?” Her voice had dropped off to a whisper, and her breath hitched as the tears began to form in her lovely eyes.
“You got drunk and passed out. You’re at my place. Yes.”
Bronwyn leaned forward, face in hands, and began to cry in earnest. Inwardly I sighed again, ever mindful of my raging hunger as I relented and pulled her into my arms.
After she’d cried for a bit, she pulled back and began to wipe at her nose almost apologetically with the borrowed sleeve of my nice, clean shirt. Inside I grimaced. As part of my protective coloring, I’d developed an over fondness for neatness.
“I have nowhere to go.” The head bowed in dejection.
“Nice to see you know where you’re at.” My voice was calm and unemotional. “You can stay with me for a few days until you sort out something else.”
“I have nowhere to go.” The words were muffled. Her hands covered her wet face.
Abruptly, I felt like the shit that I was for being so blunt with her. This was, after all, nothing more than a child who had been thrown out into the real world far too soon. It was fine to run amuck, but another thing entirely to realize that you were completely on your own when you did so. I took a gentle grip on her wrists and pulled her hands from her face, forcing her to look up into my blazing blue eyes.
“You can stay with me for a few days until you sort out something else.” It would have to be enough for her to get over the shock of being thrown out of her parents’ home.
The gratitude was almost tangible in her expressive green eyes. “Thank you Crow.”
Just then, my stomach picked the most ridiculous time to grumble loudly. As I stared at my midsection ruefully, I heard a soft snort of laughter. It wasn’t much but it was enough.
“I’m starved.” I was apologetic and slightly embarrassed.
“So am I.” It was almost a whisper that came from her as she captured me with her eyes. Although they were gentle I was wary. Her parents had thrown her out of their house, and it wouldn’t have been for an over fondness for stuffed toys and sleeping in.
Was this woman child a bomb or a decent human being at heart?
With any luck I would never know.
“Okay.” I smoothly got to my feet, taking her hand so she came up with me. Her gentle study of me never wavered as I led the way to my garage and car.
“So?” We were comfortably seated in my nice, plush upholstery and the car was purring away nicely as I backed out of the garage. “What would you like to eat?”
“Something fast and greasy.”
“Okay, I know just the place.” I smiled at her for the first time all evening, and planted my foot down as we took off for the favourite bastion of young adulthood – McDonalds.
About ten minutes later we pulled up at the drive through. Neither one of us had spoken one word to each other, comfortable in the silence, though I could feel her sneaking a glance at me every now and again.
I sighed inwardly. I knew what would be causing that. I looked so different to mortals, and after the initial shock of actually seeing me, the differences would become more pronounced. The fact that this child quite clearly had a pretty large and healthy crush on me certainly didn’t help things at all. It would be so much harder for her to leave me in a day or two, harder for her to forget me.
Slowly we edged our way forward through the queue.
“Why don’t you have any food in your fridge?” She was hesitant – clearly she still didn’t know how to approach me yet.
“I eat out a lot.” My words were clipped and I was careful to avoid her eyes.
“Oh.” That came after a moment or two more of silence, as she began to realize I wasn’t going to add to my response.
Suddenly something caught my eye. The McDonalds we’d pulled up at was at the corner of a multi story parking lot. If you walked through it at any hour of night, you would see either couples making out (too young to drive, let alone be in the back seat of Mum’s car), or humans stuffing their faces on plastic food as they tried to ward off the aftereffects of a heavy night out. Now, I could see a young girl being forcibly pulled off into the darkness by two young men, as they furtively looked around to see if they’d been discovered.
“Here.” I kept my keen eyes on the two men as I climbed out of the car. “Drive. I’ll see you in about two minutes. There’s change in the center console.”
“What?” Bronwyn’s voice was more than confused as my tall body quickly left the vehicle. I broke into a fast run, eager to track my quarry, as the car door opened behind me and Bronwyn slipped around to the driver’s side.
I slowed to a jog, silent as I stopped pretending to breath for Bronwyn’s sake. Ahead of me, I could see the two men, one of them holding down the woman, slacks unzipped and half torn down over her hips, as the other rifled through her purse.
As fast as I could go, I slipped up behind the man pinning the struggling woman to the ground, grabbed him and ran for my life across the carpark, bare feet making almost no sound on the smooth concrete.
In the darkest recess I could find, I wasted no time, extending my fangs and plunging them into his carotid artery.
I was greedy and so hungry. I drained him in almost one mighty draft, the heady power of the blood causing a huge, silly grin to emerge on my face. As I dropped the corpse and tidied up the fang marks, I wondered if I felt in the mood for another.
I thought about his hot, throbbing neck.
Yes.
Oh my goodness yes.
Was I a greedy pig or what?
Smirking to myself, I went back to the place where they had held the woman captive. As usual, I’d been quick and there wasn’t enough time for the remaining thug to continue on with the woman. I zeroed in on her and lunged. Before she had time to scream, she was draped over my shoulder and the cold wind of my passing encircled the other man as I pulled the purse out of his hands. I grabbed him by the shoulder and tugged him right along with us.
In the blinking of an eye we were in my dark recess, and I just missed stumbling over the corpse of the first man. There was a hissing intake of breath from the woman as she prepared to give vent to an almighty scream.
With a movement that used to amaze my coven, I plunged the struggling man’s knife into his gut and lunged over to sink my ravenous fangs into the woman.
In about a minute it was all over, and I was left with the heady feeling of the fresh blood coursing through my system, and two fresh corpses lying at my feet.
I looked down at them all speculatively. Absent mindedly I cocked my head to one side and decided what to do next. I grinned.
Five minutes later, I was quietly whistling to myself as I strolled across the parking lot to my car and the wide eyed Bronwyn.
As I approached the car, I smiled broadly and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Uh, I bought you a burger.” The voice was apprehensive as though she was waiting for me to explode. Okay, so she was wondering if I was a bomb just as I wondered the same thing about her.
“Thanks. I’m fine though.” I patted my stomach, which was happily digesting the blood I’d just consumed. The volume of it was making me feel lightheaded, the vampire equivalent of drunk.
“Crow are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“I’m fine.” Abruptly, all I wanted was to move and roam the night looking for trouble. “Wanna go out for a while?”
Bronwyn looked at me in surprise. “Love to.” A hand went up to push her shaggy blonde hair out of her face. “Where are we going?”
“Ahh. We’re going for a ride on my bike.”
“I love those.”
“So do I. Home Jeeves.”
“You want me to drive?”
“Of course. Who else was I talking to? I just wanna sit and cruise. I trust you.” I could afford to say that. Okay, so she wrapped the car around a tree. So what? I would get up and walk away virtually unscathed. She wouldn’t come off so lightly, but at least she wouldn’t be my problem anymore.
Bronwyn smirked and adjusted the mirror. While she wasn’t looking directly at me, I threw the burger out the window, and reclined the seat, crossing my hands across my pleasantly full stomach.
With a feral grin I’m sure Bronwyn thought I couldn’t see, the car was slammed into reverse and we skidded out of our parking spot. Without even casting a look out into the light traffic she floored it and we screamed down the road.
“Take it easy there Bronnie. If the coppers book us you’re paying for it.”
“They won’t catch us.”
“They better not.” I aimed a severe blue eye at her. “If they arrest me, I’ll kill you.”
She must have realized I meant it literally. I didn’t think for one second she had a real driver’s license, so if the cops bailed us up on the road we were both going to be arrested. I would not last long during daylight in a cell. I let her know by the glittering in my eyes that her death would precede mine.
She gulped and slowed down considerably.
“That’s better.” I shut an eye and let her go about her business on the road. After a few moments, an abashed Bronwyn spoke up.
“Ah, Crow? Where do you live?”
I chuckled and told her, giving her directions without actually opening my eyes. The amount of blood I’d consumed left my senses more acute than they normally were. I could tell where we were going simply by the smell on the wind.
That, of course, was when I remembered to breath.
It wasn’t something I did very often, so I forgot to do it for most of the trip home. I didn’t remember that until later. Much later.
By the time she pulled up into my garage, she was pale and looked a little nervous. I stared at her, confused.
“Bronwyn, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Her forced words said one thing, her mannerisms another. I could see her sitting as close to the car door as she could, looking at me as though I’d grown horns.
“Still want to go for that ride?” I reached out my hand, curious to see if she would take it, wondering what I had done that had scared the bejesus out of her.
“Love to.” Again, her words said one thing, her voice another. Almost unwillingly I saw her reach out to take my hand.
I loved the feel of the smooth, warm, mortal skin in my hands. She was fine boned and though quite muscular, still a delicate creature. I ran my hand over her knuckles, struck by the life held within it’s warm confines, and smiled gently.
“Okay, let me just grab a helmet and we’ll be off.”
She looked down at herself, hand firming around my grip as she began to relax slightly. “Like this?”
“You were thinking of taking your clothes off? Novel but rather cold. Yes, like this. Trust me?”
She froze and gaped, obviously fishing for a witty reply.
Okay, so she didn’t trust me. I didn’t mind; I wouldn’t have trusted me either. I knew why I didn’t trust myself; the real question was why she didn’t trust me. Curious, I leant forward.
“Boo.”
Bronwyn sqeaked and jumped out of the car. I admit it – I’m an arsehole, so I’m afraid I laughed.
“C’mon, you’re perfectly safe around me.” I got out of the car and held out my hand again. She unwillingly took it. “C’mon.” My voice was soft and gentle. “The bike can wait.”
Keeping a firm grip on her hand, I led her into my house, shivering as the light of the moon touched me, washing over me. I went to my CD player and put on some soft music. I turned to look at her.
“Dance with me.”
She shook her head, trying to keep firm, trying to keep me at arms length, as though that would protect her. She was sadly mistaken. Nothing could protect her if I put my mind to hurting her.
“Dance with me.” I held out my hand, catching her swift glance, allowing my blue eyes to capture her and swallow her whole. I saw her hand hesitantly reach out and take mine.
I pulled her in close to me, and slipped an arm around her waist. I took her around the room, whirling and moving in time with the music, careful to keep her firmly ensnared in my calm gaze.
Suddenly a tiny smile teased the corners of her mouth.
“MynameisBronwynHunter. What’s yours?”
Once again I found myself by the side of the road with a five year old girl.
“Carlisle Crowley, but my friends call me Crow.”
“Can I call you Crow?” Her smile was just coming out of hiding now.
“Are you my friend?” My gentle smile matched hers. Abruptly her face lost it’s smile, and her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears.
“You’re my friend.” Her voice was so soft even I had to strain to hear it.
I held her in gentle arms and paused before answering her in a soft, equally gentle voice. “You can’t stay with me. I’m a complete waste of time.”
“Please? No, you aren’t.” The question in the liquid green eyes was painful to see.
“I will bring you nothing but trouble. My lifestyle does not have room for you.” Though the words were harsh, I made certain my tone stayed gentle. I had never been blessed by tact. I was still driven by curiosity about her, and was starting to like her. She clearly had no idea what to make of me, but was attracted to me for some bizarre reason.
“I’m eighteen, and have only two months of school left. After that I’m out of your hair.” She was clearly desperate.
I remained expressionless, studying her. She really was begging me. Could this work? No, I didn’t think so. If she stayed with me it was only a matter of time before she found out what I really was. For now, she appeared to have some glorious childhood image of me as her savior firmly planted in her head, and the truth was so far removed from this concept it was embarrassing. What would happen if she found out? Would she try something exceptionally stupid like hammering a stake through my heart as I slept? More importantly, could she keep her mouth shut about what she saw when she was with me? I didn’t know the first thing about her, and quite frankly her reputation had preceded her. I didn’t trust her any further than I could throw her.
“Do you trust me?” My voice caressed her.
We continued to dance, and not once did she lose her firm grip on my body. In fact, I could feel her fingers gaining confidence and tracing the outlines of my hard muscles moving under my skin as we danced around my living room.
“I think you’re an animal.” She didn’t answer my question, settling for brutal honesty, deciding attack was a better strategy.
I laughed gently. “The feeling’s mutual.”
Her face became expressionless as she absorbed what I’d told her and what she’d told me.
I took pity on her. “So, BronwynHunter. Still want to stay with me, given that you’re terrified of me and you don’t trust me any further than you can throw me?”
It was her turn to smile. “Given that I have no real choice, I’d still like to stay with you. Besides, I can’t help thinking you’re not the fucking bitch you sound so much like. It’s in your eyes Crow.” There was a slight intake of breath. “Are you still going to kill me?”
That was it. I laughed outright, spun her around and dipped her. Leaning forward so our lips were almost touching, I planted a quick kiss on the end of her nose.
I moved so suddenly she gasped, and equally suddenly she found herself upright in my arms as I whispered directly into her ear. “No I’m not going to kill you.” Looking deep inside myself, I knew this for the truth. I had two firm rules. One, if the gut hesitated about killing someone, then it was usually quite wise to listen to the objection, and second, don’t kill anyone you know. “As for my being a bitch, well, there’s a lot you don’t know about me. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Much to my intense surprise, she slipped her arms around my neck and gave me a deep kiss on the lips, pushing her whole body into mine. It was shock that prevented me from stilling the hungry hands that roamed all over my body. “I could be dead tomorrow and if I die then at least I want to be able to say I kissed one of the hottest chicks alive. Does this mean yes?”
That was it. I was gone, laughing like a complete loon. I fell over backwards onto my sofa. “It means yes.”
“Thank you Crow.” She stared at me in amusement, then more seriously as I recovered some of my self control and raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t thank me too soon. My house does have some rules. I get up in the evening and go to bed at dawn. End of story. Not negotiable. Stay out of my room at all times. Do as I say when I say, and do NOT tell anyone about me. And above all, clean up after yourself. I’ll leave it to your imagination to find out what happens if you break any of these rules.”
I stood, and as each rule was enunciated, took one step closer to her so eventually we were so close our bodies were only a hairsbreadth apart, cold feral grin on my face. She gulped and went pale.
“I can do that.”
“Was that ‘yes I agree to these rules’ or ‘yes I can imagine what you’ll do to me if I break them’?”
“It means ‘yes I agree to these rules’.” She forced herself to meet my crystalline blue eyes, so I would see the truth.
“All right, then, let’s see how it goes.”
“My princess.”
“Trust me sweetie, I am NO princess.” I grinned and swept her up into my arms, and we continued to dance, until late into the night.
In the predawn hour, I picked up her sleeping form and took it to her bed, gently placing her in it and covering her over.
As I walked downstairs to my own bedroom, locking myself securely inside, it occurred to me that I actually liked the girl. She clearly had a spirit that matched mine.
Could this work?
Not in a million years. Something would happen and I would have to leave.
Did I want it to work?
Yes. Yes, I think I did.