In Sanguine Pugnae
Chapter One
This piece of fiction contains supernatural themes and sexual interactions between consenting male adults. Please do not read this if it is illegal where you are, or you are not of age to do so.
All characters are fictional and any similarities to known actual people are coincidental, unless otherwise specified.
Visit the blog to see visualisations of the characters throughout the story. As always your feedback is important and always welcome.
Alexander Phoenix - [email protected]
All characters are fictional and any similarities to known actual people are coincidental, unless otherwise specified.
Visit the blog to see visualisations of the characters throughout the story. As always your feedback is important and always welcome.
Alexander Phoenix - [email protected]
Why do I do this to myself? What part of my mind is so masochistic to allow this agony to continue? God I’m stupid. I mean, I think I actually tattooed “Sucker” on my own damn forehead. Seriously, could I be any more of a target? Someone shoot me now!
Fuck. I must sound like such a bitch. Let me try to explain, yeah? Well, it all started about two years ago, when I came out. It wasn’t so much a coming out, as it was an explosion out of a bank vault. I came out hissing and roaring, thanks in no part to my brilliantly stupid boyfriend. He convinced me, actually, convinced is a rather sedate term for what he did. He badgered me to tell my loved ones that I was gay. His influence was greater than it should have been on me and I scared them all when I finally kicked the closet door down.
To my unsuspecting family, I was your average, good son. Handsome, intelligent, sociable. I never had any steady girlfriends, I never went on dates. I went to my school prom with my team mates. I played on the senior volleyball team at high school; I played tennis whenever I had the time, though I wasn’t terribly good at it. I was quite the scholar though. I excelled in the majority of my subjects, doing incredibly well in my finals. I was set for college, a great job when I was finished studying. But first, I met him. Mitchell. The tool of my destruction. Emphasis on tool.
Mitchell was one of those guys you liken to an expensive firecracker. Pretty, explosive, entertaining, but over and done with in a flash. He was roughly my height, perhaps a wee bit taller, certainly well built. He was one of those fascinating cheerleaders. The sort where everyone wonders, “Is he?” Well, he was, and he chose me.
Being 18, having never been on a date, or had any crushes, I was absolutely retarded when he started appearing nearby, randomly throughout the day. Every time I saw him, he would smile at me, wink, or flip his soft blond hair out of his dark blue eyes. He was a master at seduction yet I had no idea what he was doing.
One lunch time, while I was sitting at a table by myself, eating and reading, being the excellent multi-tasker that I am, he came and sat opposite me. I finished the paragraph I was reading, closed the book with my hand marking my place and looked up into his smiling face.
‘Hiya.’ He said cheerfully.
‘Hello.’
‘I’m Mitchell.’ He extended his hand across the table to me.
I took his hand and briefly shook it. ‘I know who you are.’ On several occasions he had somehow managed to work his way into earshot of me throughout every day since I had first seen him.
‘Glad to see my reputation precedes me.’ He giggled.
‘Actually, I just noticed you were around most of the time and I overheard your name from one of the cronies you hang out with.’ I smiled at him, waiting for him to bite. If he knew me well enough, he’d know that I was none too fond of his so called “friends”.
‘And here I was hoping you’d heard of me and I wouldn’t be put in a sticky position.’
‘Sticky position?’ I asked, curious.
‘Of asking you out on a date.’ He half smiled.
‘A date?’ I was shocked and I was sure I was staring at him dumbfounded.
‘Yeah. You know, dinner, a movie, walk on the beach?’
‘But. I’m not gay!’
How sad. One of the hottest guys in school is asking me out on a date, and my initial reaction is “I’m not gay!”
‘Oh. You’re not gay?’ He asked, slightly alarmed and already making to stand up.
I quickly looked around the cafeteria to make sure no one was within ear shot, and to pull my senses back together. Two plus two is four. Just do it already!
‘Well, okay. Do you have a car?’ I asked quietly.
‘Yup!’ He settled back down with a slight grin on his face.
‘Pick me up from behind the gym at four thirty this afternoon. I’ll tell you then. Now go!’ I ordered, smiling to myself, flicking my hand in the direction of the door.
He jumped up from the table and skipped away to the exit. When he opened the door, he turned back to me, still watching him curiously, and he flipped his hair like that of a shampoo commercial model. I snorted and went back to my book and lunch.
The afternoon progressed without incident. I went to my classes, sitting through them quietly, contemplating what was going to occur later. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was expecting from our so called “date”. I mean, I knew I wasn’t into girls, but, well, you know? I suppose not.
When the final school bell rang, I made my way to the gymnasium and quickly changed into my training gears, ready for volleyball practice. I was quite distracted throughout training, copping a few spikes to the face. My team mates reveled in this, taking full advantage of it, purposely aiming for me. I wasn’t really paying attention and didn’t bother to react. Soon enough, practice was over and we hit the showers.
I stripped off all clothing save my boxer briefs en route to the changing rooms. I made my way quickly to the showers, and was under the hot water before my team mates entered the changing rooms.
‘Got a date?’ Lucas, our team captain chuckled, coming into the shower area and turning on the showerhead opposite mine.
‘In a manner of speaking.’ I answered, rinsing my hair quickly.
‘Nice. Who’s the lucky chick then?’ He asked stepping under the flow of hot water. Oddly enough, I felt my butt get hot, like someone was looking at it. Maybe it was just the fact that I turned around and hot water hit it. I watched as Lucas’ eyes flicked upward to my face, a slight flush to his cheeks.
‘No one you know bud.’ I said turning the shower off and heading to the changing area.
‘Right oh. Well, have fun then man.’ He said. As I walked out of the showering area, I looked over my shoulder and found him looking down at my naked butt. Interesting.
‘Thanks Lucas. Catch ya tomorrow.’ I said, hurriedly throwing my clothes back on. Once fully dressed, I threw my bag over my shoulder and raced for the door, calling out farewells to my team mates, to which I received a myriad of lewd shouts of encouragement.
I was out the back door of the gymnasium before I knew it, stumbling stupidly as one of my bag straps caught on the bastard door handle. Gripping the handrail, lest I trip my clumsy arse down the stairs, I glanced up and was slightly surprised to see Mitchell sitting in his, ugh.
Car wasn’t quite the word I wanted. Merely its name suggests it’s not quite a car. Rav4! I think I almost vomited when I saw it. What a fucking horrid vehicle! And it was the most putrid green. I think, if I had have vomited, it would have been a better shade of green.
Swallowing the acrid taste of bile back, I lowered my sunglasses over my eyes, pulled my collar up, put chin to chest in an attempt to disappear and walked to the passenger side and climbed in, quickly. I sat low in the seat. Mitchell looked over to me curiously and smiled.
‘So, where are we going?’ He asked starting the engine. I think our lawn mower made less noise than this mini tractor.
‘The beach.’ I said abruptly. ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ I shifted even lower in my seat, trying to hide behind the door. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all. As he revved the engine unnecessarily, I wondered if I could get out the door and into the woods before anyone saw me.
‘Are you alright?’ Mitchell asked, gunning the engine, watching me surreptitiously from the corner of his eye.
‘Yeah. Fantastic.’ I replied watching the woods disappear from sight. Damn.
‘Right.’ He answered, not convinced.
‘Sorry. Just nervous, you know?’ I said, trying to relax. I glanced over and saw him half smiling, half frowning at me. Funny, his worry lines made him look more handsome.
‘Fair enough.’
Not nearly fast enough, we were at the beach, I was out of the horrid mini-tractor and near the water, arms around my chest, gazing across the surface of the ocean. The sun was beaming onto the surface of the water, casting reflections of light, catching me in the eye. Mitchell was behind me slightly, observing the beauty as intensely as I was, or so I thought.
‘You look rather serene in the light like that.’ He said quietly, stepping forward to my side.
‘I told you at lunch today, that I wasn’t gay.’ I began, ignoring his compliment and not taking my eyes from the swell of the ocean. ‘To be completely honest, I don’t know what I am.’ I caught in my peripheral vision his eyes watching my hands drop to my side. ‘I’ve never even thought about it before. Dating. Relationships. I’ve never shown an interest in girls like the other guys. I just…’
‘You don’t have to explain.’ He said softly, managing to slip his hand into mine. I looked down at his hand, nestled gently in mine, then up to his face, noticing his eyes were almost white in the reflected sunlight. I smiled warmly.
‘I felt I should just let you know. I have no experience in anything like this.’ I blushed and looked back out to the expansive ocean.
‘A virgin.’ He chuckled. ‘So to speak.’ He added after my hand twitched in annoyance around his.
Our first date went as can be expected. We walked along the beach talking, sharing with each other our life stories. After the first few times people walked past us, I became more comfortable with him, and stopped taking my hand away from his when we passed others. We went to a quiet diner and shared a plate of nachos, not exactly my favourite of foods, but still.
Come nine in the evening, the sun was long since set as we pulled up outside my house.
‘I enjoyed this.’ He said, smiling at me. He leaned closer to me and took my hand in his.
‘I did too.’ I said as I let his hand go and opened the door.
‘Wait.’ He said abruptly. I turned back to him as he leaned across the center console and my lips met his. My eyes flashed open in shock as his tongue traced the line of my bottom lip. I jerked back quickly and blushed an amazing shade of red.
‘Sorry.’ I mumbled, looking down. Since when was I such a pussy?
‘I know. You’re new to this.’ He said. His smile was so obvious in his voice.
‘See you tomorrow?’ I asked sliding out of the horrific green mini-tractor, turning around and leaning down slightly to see in the door.
‘For sure.’ He winked. ‘Sleep well.’
‘You too.’ I replied closing the door. I was up the path, the front stairs and in the house before he put his foot down. I leaned against the closed door for a few seconds before being interrupted.
‘Victor?’ My mother called with that generic concerned mother sound.
‘Yes mum.’ I answered.
‘Dinner’s in the fridge love.’ She called again from the lounge, the concerned mother sound disappearing.
‘Cheers mum.’ I called back, heading for the fridge, my mind a mass of confusion and elation.
The days merged into weeks. The weeks into months, and soon enough, high school was behind us, and I was planning my future. Mitchell and I had grown rather close to each other, which mildly surprised me.
We were in Mitchell’s bedroom, I was lying on my stomach at the end of his bed, with an arm across his chest, watching the television together.
‘Hey Victor?’ He asked during a commercial break.
‘Yeah babe?’ I answered, tightening my grip on him.
‘Shall we move into our own place?’ He asked quickly.
‘Funny, I was just thinking that.’
‘Were you?’ He asked turning around in my slack embrace, which I tightened instinctively.
‘I was. And, I think I know the perfect place in town.’ I smiled.
‘Really?’ He asked with wide eyes.
‘Really!’ I answered, shuffling back and swinging around so that I was sitting on the end of the bed.
‘Really really?’ He asked, sitting up on his knees excitedly.
‘Really really babe.’ I chuckled. Before I had a chance to smile at his excitement, Mitchell had launched himself at me, knocking me on my back, his knees on either side of my waist, his face mere inches from mine.
‘Yay! Yay, yay, yay!’ He whispered, gently pecking me on the lips.
‘Excited much babe?’ I sniggered, kissing him back longer.
‘Like you’ve no idea hun. I’ve been trying to think of a way to ask you for a few months now, but, this makes it easier.’
I should probably mention, it was about here that I should have realised what he was like, but, love removes our ability to see the things we should see.
Anyway, we moved into our new apartment, and got on with our respective careers and our life together. Mitchell claimed to be falling in love with me, and in a sense, I was falling for him in return, but not as deeply. There were a few things about him that just didn’t add up.
For example, he wouldn’t let me buy my own car, insisting his vomit green mini tank was all we needed, his occasional nights out not telling me where he was, either during the night, or when he got home the next day. And then there was his constant nagging to come out to my folks.
My mother was shocked and blamed herself. My father naturally blamed me, not just for my mother’s response, but for everything that ever went wrong in our family. My brother, two years younger than myself, blamed me for the solitary confinement he was subjected to after my parents banned me from their house, fearing my proximity to him was enough to make him a cock gobbler. God my parents are ignorant.
Well, for the two years that followed that hurricane of an argument with my folks, I lived with Mitchell, my darling dumb arse boyfriend. Life was great. I worked in a night club as one of the bar tenders, and studied during the day. It was fantastic. Until the night I finished early, hoping to surprise the dumb fuck. Well, I was surprised, and I’m sure he would have been too, if he and the ugly little skank whore in my bed with him were both awake. I often wondered what I would do if I ever found out he was cheating. I never imagined my reaction that night.
The fuckers were asleep. I mean, if he was going to cheat on me while I’m at work, surely he would have thrown the whore’s arse out before it fell asleep. So, I walked around the bedroom quietly, packing a bag of essentials, then stood at the side of the bed for a few minutes looking at him, lying on his back, snoring his ring piece out, with the whore dangled across his chest.
I leant down carefully and whispered into his ear, ‘If you know what’s good for you, you won’t try and win me back.’ I walked to the door, took a brief glimpse of him through tear filled eyes and slammed the door with all my strength, then made for the front door and disappeared into the early morning, my heart broken..
I had no idea what I was going to do. I just remembered heading in the direction of work. Best place to begin I suppose. I ran through the club quietly, threw my bag behind the bar and ran for the bathroom, where I could wash the tears from my face and get my breathing under control. I was in there for ten minutes, gathering my wits about me, ignoring constant knocks on the door from the patrons. I took a quick glance in the mirror and noticed that the puffiness around my eyes was almost gone. Right, time to get out there and be happy! I just got divorced!
I wound my way through the crowd to the bar where Tanya was waiting for me with a drink.
‘Alright!’ She screamed over the noise. ‘What happened? Spill! Now!’
I grinned at her demand and burst out laughing. ‘I’m divorced!’ I shouted back.
‘Why?’ She said through her teeth. ‘What did you do?’ Allow me to explain here, just what a manipulative, conniving fuck stain Mitchell was. Irrespective of who caused the problem, all my friends instantly laid blame on me if ever something happened between myself and Mitchell. Charming huh?
‘What did I do? Tanz! I just caught him sleeping with someone!’ I giggled. My best friend since the incident with my family.
‘Oh! Well. Right then! Where are you staying?’ Embarrassment oozed from her.
‘Dunno. Might crash at a hotel tonight I think!’ I smiled, scanning the crowd.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw him. Sitting on a bar stool, across the dance floor from me, his hair, almost black in the strobe lights cut short and whispy. His face was smooth, cleanly cut, straight and strong nose, full, luscious lips, high pointed eyebrows, and when he laughed, teeth that lit the club up. I couldn’t be sure, but he looked rather tall, hard to tell while he was doubled over laughing. He certainly had some broad shoulders though. And his shirt, well, that was only just managing to hold that taut body in. Damn he was hot!
Just as Tanya called my name, he looked over to me, with a curious look on his face. I could barely wrench my eyes from him to look at my friend.
‘Damn Vic. Divorced only 30 minutes and you’re already in the meat isle!’ Tanya sniggered at me.
I childishly poked my tongue at her obscenely and looked back toward the god in the corner. Sadly, he had resumed his comical conversation with his company. Bollocks.
‘Let’s go dance Vicky!’ Tanya said shuffling off her stool and holding her hand out to me.
‘On one condition, carpet cleaner.’ I sneered.
‘What, cock snot?’ She retorted with half a giggle.
‘Stop calling me Vicky, you heifer!’ I said sliding off my stool quickly and disappearing into the crowd on the dance floor, Tanya in quick pursuit.
I made my way to the edge of the crowd, staying within the safety of the crowd, yet just within line of sight with the beautiful specimen of all things male. He was even hotter up close. I felt a familiar tug within my boxer briefs. Tanya had her eyes closed as she danced around me, clearly enjoying the music, compelling her to move.
In all fairness, Tanya wasn’t really a heifer. She was quite a beautiful girl. She was barely an inch shorter than my five foot ten inches. She had long flowing light brown hair, straight as an arrow, down to the middle of her shoulders. She had soft and feminine features decorating her face, and a rather slender, but well accentuated figure. I mean, the girl was the perfect woman. Firm and full breasts, narrow waist and a killer arse! She was the envy of all girls.
I relaxed into the music and began moving in time with it and Tanya, occasionally reaching out and touching her on her shoulder, or waist, or arm, gently reminding her of my presence. She opened her eyes after a rather humorous pirouette and gasped silently. I looked in the direction she was gaping and hopped back in surprise, stomping on Tanya’s foot eliciting a shout of pain from her, as I turned straight into the chest of a rather tall and immovable gentleman.
‘Shit. Sorry man!’ I yelled over the music, both my hands raised in an apologetic gesture. Then I gasped in shock at his unbelievable beauty.
‘Nothing to worry about.’ He said in a low voice. I was surprised I could hear him over the music. ‘You didn’t hurt me.’
The smile that stole over his face melted me. My knees literally buckled under my weight and I collapsed. I waited for the impact with the floor, but it never came. I opened my eyes and looked down the front of my body and saw two firm, muscled arms, supporting me. Tanya was pressed firmly against my back, her hands on my waist.
‘Careful there. You could hurt yourself. Do you need to sit down?’ He said again, in that soft, baritone. He began to move me toward a stool, Tanya being jostled out of the way gently.
‘No.’ I spluttered. ‘No, I’m okay.’ I said in barely more than a whisper.
‘Come. Sit. Have a drink with me and my friends.’ He said smiling down at me. My legs buckled again. Still having his hands under my arms, I didn’t fall a single inch, yet I wasn’t standing by my own power. ‘You definitely need to sit down for a bit.’
He had me seated on a stool at his table within a few seconds and he on his own next to me. I quickly glanced to the dance floor and watched as Tanya performed a rather disgusting gesture toward me and glared pointedly at my companion. Guess she didn’t give a shit then!
‘Is there something wrong with your knees?’ The beautiful specimen of a gentleman asked me. ‘No, I guess you don’t, having seen you dancing. Hmm. I wonder what caused you to flail like that?’ He asked to no-one in particular.
‘Ah, I think it was…’ I couldn’t finish the sentence. Every time I looked at his face, my heart skipped a beat, my tongue dried up, and my teeth chattered. ‘…your smile.’ I finished lamely.
The laugh that escaped his lips was pure music and suddenly explosive. My eyes widened in shock.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.’ He said quickly, noticing my shocked expression.
'No, no. You didn’t scare me. Your laugh. It’s well, it’s heavenly really.’
Why on earth was I spilling out the truth like this? Was he a hypnotist? Had Tanya slipped a truth serum into my drink earlier? Actually, knowing her, it would have been a roofie. What the fuck is going on?
He studied my face scrupulously, noting the subtle changes in my expression, as I felt my emotion slip from shocked to stunned.
‘I’m, ah… I’m Victor.’ I stammered, holding my hand out.
‘Alex.’ He said, taking my hand into his slightly cooler hand. Jesus he had a firm grip. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’ And he flashed his killer smile again.
'The pleasure it seems, is mine.’ I said as I looked down at my crotch in horror.
Oh for the love of all things un-holy! Why, of all the times in my adult life, do I need to lose self-control and bone up in front of this beautiful god?
‘My my. At ease soldier.’ He grinned.
‘Sorry. I usually have better control.’ I mumbled pathetically.
‘No need to apologise.’ He smiled warmly, touching his fingertip to my cheek. ‘Drink?’
‘Please!’ I all but shouted before he’d finished asking.
He was up and gone from the table before I could tell him what I drank. I quickly scanned the dance floor and saw Tanya up on the stage dancing with someone. I looked around the club and noticed that a lot more people had arrived. And then, for the first time since I’d been seated at the table, I noticed Alex’s company, all looking at me suspiciously.
I winced slightly as I realised I hadn’t acknowledged them when I was brought over. I looked up sheepishly from my lap, to their faces and yet again, was shocked. All four of them were beautiful in their motionless forms. Not a single one of them moved a fraction. They all had smooth and defined faces, they all had dark and curious eyes, and each of them was looking at me with a strange, unidentifiable lust. Suddenly, I was quite scared.
‘Hi.’ I squeaked and waved stupidly. As if reading my fear, they all broke into face splitting smiles, which I think lit up this corner of the club, or perhaps it was the lighting from the dance floor. Either way, I was dazzled!
As I stared at them dopily, they went back to their conversation, as if I hadn’t interrupted it. I felt self-consciously out of place sitting at this table, and then my salvation was back by my side, six drinks loaded in his arms.
‘Four beers and two red wines.’ He smiled as he placed them deftly on the table. He pushed the four beers toward his comrades and held a glass of wine toward me. I took it from his hand and watched curiously as it sloshed around in the glass.
‘Are you going into shock?’ He asked me, genuine concern etched across his forehead.
‘No. Just, overwhelmed really. It’s been a long night.’ I stammered, half splashing my face in red wine as I took a drink.
‘Careful there bud. Drowning in wine might sound fun, but it really isn’t.’ He said winking as he took my glass and put it onto the table. His friends all chuckled at the joke I didn’t quite understand.
‘This is Adrian, Jordi, Carl and Finn.’ Alex gestured to each person in turn and each one inclined their head to me politely.
Adrian had light brown hair, cut very short, which sat limply on top of his head. He had a rather long nose, leading down to pale pink lips, a beautiful Cupid’s bow sitting smack in the middle of them. He had sallow cheeks, pale skin and curiously dark eyes.
Jordi had beautiful olive skin and black curly hair running past his ears. His nose was rounded at the tip and had full luscious lips, a strong jaw line and full arching eyebrows framing his deep black eyes.
Carl had a soft cherubic face. Full, soft cheeks, a dimple on each side, wavy and unruly dark brown hair crowning his head, a soft jaw line and yet again, dark eyes.
Finn had red hair, more intensely red than fire; it was the same colour as blood. Laid against his fair skin, it was vividly bright. He had a strong forehead, strong jaw line, a strong and pronounced nose, full pink lips, and strangely enough, the same dark eyes as the others.
And then I looked at Alex properly. He was easily the most beautiful of the five. Dark brown hair, almost black, strong facial features, but delicately placed, lending him an almost angelic like appearance. He had slightly tanned skin, but it looked like polished marble. He almost shone. And he was tall. A good 6 inches taller than myself. He had broad shoulders, and solid arms. He filled his jeans quite nicely too. And now, a pattern was beginning to occur to me.
‘Why do you all have the same coloured eyes?’ I asked brazenly.
‘Huh?’ Two of them said together, their conversation taking a back seat.
‘You all have the same dark eyes, and it’s quite obvious you’re all of different ethnic backgrounds. I mean, Finn, your hair is bright red, and Jordi, yours is black, but you both have dark eyes. Are you all wearing contacts or something?’ I rambled, watching their faces becoming quite anxious.
‘We’re going to get some fresh air.’ Jordi said in a slight Italian accent. He and Adrian both departed quicker than a light being switched off.
‘Right behind ya.’ Finn said, in a rather thick Scottish accent as he and Carl departed just as quickly. I sat watching the four of them disappear with what I imagined would have been a rather stupefied look on my face.
‘Did I say something wrong?’ I asked looking at Alex, who despite what just took place, looked mildly amused.
‘You’re an awfully observant young man.’ He smiled at me.
‘I am?’ I responded, not quite sure what that had to do with the price of milk.
‘You are.’ His smile grew. ‘It usually takes people an hour or so to notice things like that.’
‘Things like what? You all have black eyes as far as I can tell.’ I was beginning to get confused.
‘You over think a little too. You should relax, beautiful.’ He cooed.
‘I what? Huh? What did you just say?’
‘You over think and you should relax.’ He repeated, grinning.
‘No, the other thing.’ I watched his expression carefully.
‘Err, beautiful?’ He repeated in an unsure tone.
As childish as it was, I sniggered and blushed. ‘Are you calling me beautiful? The personification of male beauty, calling me, beautiful?’
‘Of course. I see no-one else here as beautiful as yourself.’ He chimed, reaching out to touch my cheek.
Well, he was charming, I’ll give him that, but distracting? Not quite.
‘You’re avoiding my question.’ I said, setting my jaw firmly.
He sighed, closing his eyes. ‘Your friend seems busy at the moment. Would you like to come for a walk with me?’ He asked standing up and offering me his hand.
I looked from his face to his hand then to Tanya on the dance floor and back to Alex‘s face, mentally assessing the danger of being alone with him. I shuddered slightly and stupidly asked, ‘Am I safe with you? You won’t kill me or anything?’
‘I promise, you will be safe with me. I will not kill you.’ He vowed, flashing that brilliant smile.
I slowly reached out for his hand, expecting him to reach the rest of the distance and snatch me away, but he waited patiently for me to take his hand. As my hand made contact with his, he felt cold at first, but as he wrapped his hand around mine securely, his touch became warm. He pulled gently on my hand and had me out of my seat and weaving deftly through the crowd. Well, he was, I was being towed in his wake, bumping into people all around me. In a manner of seconds we were outside in the fresh, crisp early morning air.
‘It’s a wonderful night out tonight.’ He said, smiling to the sky.
‘It is.’ I answered, staring at him. ‘So, your eyes?’
‘Yes. My eyes.’ He tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and began walking across the road to a small park. ‘Actually, our eyes, mine and theirs.’ He said nodding to his friends who were sitting on a couple park benches in the park we were headed for.
‘Are you going to answer, or just reaffirm my question over and over?’ I asked looking up to his face, not paying attention to where he was leading me.
‘Let’s sit down.’ He gestured toward a seat.
I sat down rather hastily, as he lowered himself gently, the bench creaking slightly under the weight of us both.
‘Where to start?’ He asked of himself.
After a few minutes silence, he finally asked, ‘Are you superstitious at all Victor?’
‘Umm, no. Though I fail to underst…’ He cut me off.
‘So you don’t believe in fairy tales, and scary legends?’
‘Can’t say that I do really.’ I answered slightly baffled.
‘So, you don’t believe in werewolves and witches?’
‘Not the mythological types anyway. I mean, did you see some of the patrons in that bar? A couple of them could have passed for a werewolf, or a witch.’ I sniggered and he chuckled lightly.
‘What about vampires then?’ He asked, all humour disappearing from his voice.
‘What, like Dracula, Nosferatu?’ I scoffed.
‘Not quite.’ He scowled. ‘But essentially, the whole immortal, night dwelling creature.’
‘Oh come on. Do you take me for an idiot?’ I stood up quickly, preparing to head back to the club.
‘Please don’t leave.’ He asked gently, taking my hand into his and pulling me onto his knees. ‘I don’t believe you to be idiotic, or anything remotely similar.’
‘Then, what’s with all the fairy tale bullshit?’ I asked, noting just how firm he was under my touch.
‘Well, if you won’t believe what I tell you, perhaps you’ll believe what you see?’ He said quietly, nodding in the direction of two of his friends.
I hadn’t noticed before that there was a third person sitting between Finn and Carl. Finn was kissing his throat while Carl was nuzzling the persons arm. Lucky person, I thought callously.
‘They’re not making love to him.’ Alex said as if divining my thoughts.
‘What?’ I asked stunned, looking at Alex’s face, and then back to the three on the park bench.
‘They aren’t seducing him, Victor. They’re feeding.’ He whispered quietly to me.
‘They’re what? Are they killing him?’ I asked, feverish panic crawling up my neck. And then it clicked into place. ‘Oh!’ I said deflated.
‘What’s wrong, beautiful?’ He asked, brushing his fingers along my jaw line.
‘That’s why you’ve brought me out here. To kill me.’ I said, my shoulders slumping. Five minutes ago, I thought I was going to get laid, and now, I was going to become dinner.
I winced dramatically as he began laughing his deep booming laugh. It echoed around the park several times.
‘Oh no. Not at all.’ He chimed, smiling at me. ‘No, no, no. You merely sought an answer for our eyes. I was showing you that answer, because you wouldn’t believe my words.’
‘I don’t understand something though. How can they just kill a bar patron like that across the road from where he was?’
‘Have a closer look at him Victor. He isn’t a patron of the bar. He was a homeless person they found in the bushes. And he’s not dead or dying.’ Alex said, slightly chagrined.
And sure enough, looking at his legs, I noticed the shabby looking pants he was wearing, and the filthy sneakers barely covering his still moving feet.
I looked back to Alex, who was staring intently at me, a sparkle in his eye.
‘So, you’re a.. a vampire?’ I stuttered.
‘I am.’ He nodded once.
‘And why aren’t you drinking my blood?’ I asked, a shade of insult in my voice.
‘I confess to being a vampire, and you want to know why I’m not feeding on you?’ His voice raised slightly.
‘Is there something wrong with my blood?’ I asked looking down into my lap.
‘Of course there isn’t. I don’t want to feed on you.’ He said quietly, putting his index finger to my chin and raising my face slightly. ‘I was rather hoping, you might come home with me and share my bed for the night?’
Shock? It had to be. Could I move my mouth? I opened and closed it a few times. Guess so.
‘Is it so difficult to believe someone would want to take you home based purely on your appearance?’ He asked, a hint of smile colouring his face.
‘I, well, usually, ah… I’ve been in a relationship for just over two years.’ I said, tripping over the words.
That killer smile flashed across his face. ‘I guess you wouldn’t really have noticed how men react to you, if you weren’t looking at them yourself.’
‘I guess not.’ I admitted, blushing.
‘Then, can I assume, you might perhaps accompany me home?’ Alex asked, placing his hand to my cheek.
‘Well, I really don’t see any harm in that, I guess.’ I looked over to Finn and Carl, who were now carefully placing their leftovers in a pile of leaves, and I failed to suppress a shudder.
‘I gave you my word, that you will not come to harm, and that I will not kill you.’ Alex said, correctly interpreting my shudder.
‘Promise?’ I asked, turning toward him and shaking, though it wasn’t at all cold out.
‘Absolutely.’ He replied, putting his hand to his heart.
‘Alright. I guess I trust you enough to be safe for the night.’ I said standing up.
Alex stood up with me and was standing right behind me. He snaked his arm beneath mine and pulled me to his muscular frame. His torso felt hard, as hard as a rock, and equally as cold as one.
‘Why are you so cold?’ I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
‘Our blood doesn’t flow as quickly as yours. Our bodies cannot sustain ambient heat like yours does. But as you can see, contact with a human warms our skin to their temperature.’ And sure enough he began to feel warm.
‘And if you can’t hear, our hearts are nowhere near as fast as yours.’
I stood as quietly as I could, waiting for his non-existent heartbeat. Almost three minutes passed and I felt a short, strong thud from his chest cavity.
‘Holy shit!’ I gasped. ‘Is it always that slow?’
‘No. It accelerates slightly when we feed, pushing the blood throughout our body quickly and efficiently, with as little waste as possible.’ He answered, sliding his other arm around me, creating a firm, yet comforting restraint around my chest. ‘We’re just waiting for Adrian and Jordi, and then we’ll be leaving.’
‘How did you know I was going to ask when we were leaving?’ I asked craning my neck to look up at him.
‘Intuition.’ He said smiling down at me. ‘Here they are.’
I looked toward a rustle in the bushes and the two missing vampires stepped into the clearing.
‘We’re ready.’ Jordi said, in that deep Italian accent.
‘Let’s go then.’ Alex said, unfolding his arms from around me and taking my hand in his, leading us deeper into the park.
‘Where do you live?’ I asked, looking back to the road and the last vestige of safety.
‘A good three hour walk from here.’ He smirked. ‘For a human that is.’ And with that, he gently and swiftly had me clinging to his back, with my arms locked around his neck.
‘But it’s only a few minutes for us.’ He chuckled at my tightening embrace around his throat.
With a powerful burst of energy, he launched himself into the bushes with alarming speed. I was almost dislodged by the quick movement and tightened my grip on him, wrapping my legs around his waist.
‘You alright back there?’ He called out over the rush of air.
‘I think so.’ I shouted back, fear and exhilaration colouring my tone.
‘Just hold on, we’ll be there shortly.’ He chuckled to himself.
And sure enough, after a few minutes, we began to slow down. It looked like we were still in the same park.
‘Where are we?’ I asked looking around and spotting the four other vampires.
‘Compton Heights.’ Jordi said stepping out from behind a tree.
I stared at him in disbelief.
‘That’s over 20 kilometres from work!’ I blurted.
‘It is.’ Alex said smugly. ‘Hold on tight.’ He said as he hunched down and launched himself into the air effortlessly. We arched over the top of the park we were in and I gasped hysterically at the height. As we began our downward approach though, a building suddenly appeared underneath us and Alex touched down effortlessly.
Shaking, I released my strangle hold on him and climbed down.
‘Easy now.’ Alex reached out to steady me.
‘That was fucking cool!’ I said, eyes wide with excitement.
All five vampires chuckled at me.
‘Most people vomit on their first trip.’ Finn said, his accent stronger than before.
‘I’m not surprised.’ I said, stepping into Alex’s side. ‘That was really exciting.’
‘I’m glad you enjoyed it.’ He laughed. ‘Let’s get inside.’ He said leading me across the rooftop to a door.
Fuck. I must sound like such a bitch. Let me try to explain, yeah? Well, it all started about two years ago, when I came out. It wasn’t so much a coming out, as it was an explosion out of a bank vault. I came out hissing and roaring, thanks in no part to my brilliantly stupid boyfriend. He convinced me, actually, convinced is a rather sedate term for what he did. He badgered me to tell my loved ones that I was gay. His influence was greater than it should have been on me and I scared them all when I finally kicked the closet door down.
To my unsuspecting family, I was your average, good son. Handsome, intelligent, sociable. I never had any steady girlfriends, I never went on dates. I went to my school prom with my team mates. I played on the senior volleyball team at high school; I played tennis whenever I had the time, though I wasn’t terribly good at it. I was quite the scholar though. I excelled in the majority of my subjects, doing incredibly well in my finals. I was set for college, a great job when I was finished studying. But first, I met him. Mitchell. The tool of my destruction. Emphasis on tool.
Mitchell was one of those guys you liken to an expensive firecracker. Pretty, explosive, entertaining, but over and done with in a flash. He was roughly my height, perhaps a wee bit taller, certainly well built. He was one of those fascinating cheerleaders. The sort where everyone wonders, “Is he?” Well, he was, and he chose me.
Being 18, having never been on a date, or had any crushes, I was absolutely retarded when he started appearing nearby, randomly throughout the day. Every time I saw him, he would smile at me, wink, or flip his soft blond hair out of his dark blue eyes. He was a master at seduction yet I had no idea what he was doing.
One lunch time, while I was sitting at a table by myself, eating and reading, being the excellent multi-tasker that I am, he came and sat opposite me. I finished the paragraph I was reading, closed the book with my hand marking my place and looked up into his smiling face.
‘Hiya.’ He said cheerfully.
‘Hello.’
‘I’m Mitchell.’ He extended his hand across the table to me.
I took his hand and briefly shook it. ‘I know who you are.’ On several occasions he had somehow managed to work his way into earshot of me throughout every day since I had first seen him.
‘Glad to see my reputation precedes me.’ He giggled.
‘Actually, I just noticed you were around most of the time and I overheard your name from one of the cronies you hang out with.’ I smiled at him, waiting for him to bite. If he knew me well enough, he’d know that I was none too fond of his so called “friends”.
‘And here I was hoping you’d heard of me and I wouldn’t be put in a sticky position.’
‘Sticky position?’ I asked, curious.
‘Of asking you out on a date.’ He half smiled.
‘A date?’ I was shocked and I was sure I was staring at him dumbfounded.
‘Yeah. You know, dinner, a movie, walk on the beach?’
‘But. I’m not gay!’
How sad. One of the hottest guys in school is asking me out on a date, and my initial reaction is “I’m not gay!”
‘Oh. You’re not gay?’ He asked, slightly alarmed and already making to stand up.
I quickly looked around the cafeteria to make sure no one was within ear shot, and to pull my senses back together. Two plus two is four. Just do it already!
‘Well, okay. Do you have a car?’ I asked quietly.
‘Yup!’ He settled back down with a slight grin on his face.
‘Pick me up from behind the gym at four thirty this afternoon. I’ll tell you then. Now go!’ I ordered, smiling to myself, flicking my hand in the direction of the door.
He jumped up from the table and skipped away to the exit. When he opened the door, he turned back to me, still watching him curiously, and he flipped his hair like that of a shampoo commercial model. I snorted and went back to my book and lunch.
The afternoon progressed without incident. I went to my classes, sitting through them quietly, contemplating what was going to occur later. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was expecting from our so called “date”. I mean, I knew I wasn’t into girls, but, well, you know? I suppose not.
When the final school bell rang, I made my way to the gymnasium and quickly changed into my training gears, ready for volleyball practice. I was quite distracted throughout training, copping a few spikes to the face. My team mates reveled in this, taking full advantage of it, purposely aiming for me. I wasn’t really paying attention and didn’t bother to react. Soon enough, practice was over and we hit the showers.
I stripped off all clothing save my boxer briefs en route to the changing rooms. I made my way quickly to the showers, and was under the hot water before my team mates entered the changing rooms.
‘Got a date?’ Lucas, our team captain chuckled, coming into the shower area and turning on the showerhead opposite mine.
‘In a manner of speaking.’ I answered, rinsing my hair quickly.
‘Nice. Who’s the lucky chick then?’ He asked stepping under the flow of hot water. Oddly enough, I felt my butt get hot, like someone was looking at it. Maybe it was just the fact that I turned around and hot water hit it. I watched as Lucas’ eyes flicked upward to my face, a slight flush to his cheeks.
‘No one you know bud.’ I said turning the shower off and heading to the changing area.
‘Right oh. Well, have fun then man.’ He said. As I walked out of the showering area, I looked over my shoulder and found him looking down at my naked butt. Interesting.
‘Thanks Lucas. Catch ya tomorrow.’ I said, hurriedly throwing my clothes back on. Once fully dressed, I threw my bag over my shoulder and raced for the door, calling out farewells to my team mates, to which I received a myriad of lewd shouts of encouragement.
I was out the back door of the gymnasium before I knew it, stumbling stupidly as one of my bag straps caught on the bastard door handle. Gripping the handrail, lest I trip my clumsy arse down the stairs, I glanced up and was slightly surprised to see Mitchell sitting in his, ugh.
Car wasn’t quite the word I wanted. Merely its name suggests it’s not quite a car. Rav4! I think I almost vomited when I saw it. What a fucking horrid vehicle! And it was the most putrid green. I think, if I had have vomited, it would have been a better shade of green.
Swallowing the acrid taste of bile back, I lowered my sunglasses over my eyes, pulled my collar up, put chin to chest in an attempt to disappear and walked to the passenger side and climbed in, quickly. I sat low in the seat. Mitchell looked over to me curiously and smiled.
‘So, where are we going?’ He asked starting the engine. I think our lawn mower made less noise than this mini tractor.
‘The beach.’ I said abruptly. ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ I shifted even lower in my seat, trying to hide behind the door. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all. As he revved the engine unnecessarily, I wondered if I could get out the door and into the woods before anyone saw me.
‘Are you alright?’ Mitchell asked, gunning the engine, watching me surreptitiously from the corner of his eye.
‘Yeah. Fantastic.’ I replied watching the woods disappear from sight. Damn.
‘Right.’ He answered, not convinced.
‘Sorry. Just nervous, you know?’ I said, trying to relax. I glanced over and saw him half smiling, half frowning at me. Funny, his worry lines made him look more handsome.
‘Fair enough.’
Not nearly fast enough, we were at the beach, I was out of the horrid mini-tractor and near the water, arms around my chest, gazing across the surface of the ocean. The sun was beaming onto the surface of the water, casting reflections of light, catching me in the eye. Mitchell was behind me slightly, observing the beauty as intensely as I was, or so I thought.
‘You look rather serene in the light like that.’ He said quietly, stepping forward to my side.
‘I told you at lunch today, that I wasn’t gay.’ I began, ignoring his compliment and not taking my eyes from the swell of the ocean. ‘To be completely honest, I don’t know what I am.’ I caught in my peripheral vision his eyes watching my hands drop to my side. ‘I’ve never even thought about it before. Dating. Relationships. I’ve never shown an interest in girls like the other guys. I just…’
‘You don’t have to explain.’ He said softly, managing to slip his hand into mine. I looked down at his hand, nestled gently in mine, then up to his face, noticing his eyes were almost white in the reflected sunlight. I smiled warmly.
‘I felt I should just let you know. I have no experience in anything like this.’ I blushed and looked back out to the expansive ocean.
‘A virgin.’ He chuckled. ‘So to speak.’ He added after my hand twitched in annoyance around his.
Our first date went as can be expected. We walked along the beach talking, sharing with each other our life stories. After the first few times people walked past us, I became more comfortable with him, and stopped taking my hand away from his when we passed others. We went to a quiet diner and shared a plate of nachos, not exactly my favourite of foods, but still.
Come nine in the evening, the sun was long since set as we pulled up outside my house.
‘I enjoyed this.’ He said, smiling at me. He leaned closer to me and took my hand in his.
‘I did too.’ I said as I let his hand go and opened the door.
‘Wait.’ He said abruptly. I turned back to him as he leaned across the center console and my lips met his. My eyes flashed open in shock as his tongue traced the line of my bottom lip. I jerked back quickly and blushed an amazing shade of red.
‘Sorry.’ I mumbled, looking down. Since when was I such a pussy?
‘I know. You’re new to this.’ He said. His smile was so obvious in his voice.
‘See you tomorrow?’ I asked sliding out of the horrific green mini-tractor, turning around and leaning down slightly to see in the door.
‘For sure.’ He winked. ‘Sleep well.’
‘You too.’ I replied closing the door. I was up the path, the front stairs and in the house before he put his foot down. I leaned against the closed door for a few seconds before being interrupted.
‘Victor?’ My mother called with that generic concerned mother sound.
‘Yes mum.’ I answered.
‘Dinner’s in the fridge love.’ She called again from the lounge, the concerned mother sound disappearing.
‘Cheers mum.’ I called back, heading for the fridge, my mind a mass of confusion and elation.
The days merged into weeks. The weeks into months, and soon enough, high school was behind us, and I was planning my future. Mitchell and I had grown rather close to each other, which mildly surprised me.
We were in Mitchell’s bedroom, I was lying on my stomach at the end of his bed, with an arm across his chest, watching the television together.
‘Hey Victor?’ He asked during a commercial break.
‘Yeah babe?’ I answered, tightening my grip on him.
‘Shall we move into our own place?’ He asked quickly.
‘Funny, I was just thinking that.’
‘Were you?’ He asked turning around in my slack embrace, which I tightened instinctively.
‘I was. And, I think I know the perfect place in town.’ I smiled.
‘Really?’ He asked with wide eyes.
‘Really!’ I answered, shuffling back and swinging around so that I was sitting on the end of the bed.
‘Really really?’ He asked, sitting up on his knees excitedly.
‘Really really babe.’ I chuckled. Before I had a chance to smile at his excitement, Mitchell had launched himself at me, knocking me on my back, his knees on either side of my waist, his face mere inches from mine.
‘Yay! Yay, yay, yay!’ He whispered, gently pecking me on the lips.
‘Excited much babe?’ I sniggered, kissing him back longer.
‘Like you’ve no idea hun. I’ve been trying to think of a way to ask you for a few months now, but, this makes it easier.’
I should probably mention, it was about here that I should have realised what he was like, but, love removes our ability to see the things we should see.
Anyway, we moved into our new apartment, and got on with our respective careers and our life together. Mitchell claimed to be falling in love with me, and in a sense, I was falling for him in return, but not as deeply. There were a few things about him that just didn’t add up.
For example, he wouldn’t let me buy my own car, insisting his vomit green mini tank was all we needed, his occasional nights out not telling me where he was, either during the night, or when he got home the next day. And then there was his constant nagging to come out to my folks.
My mother was shocked and blamed herself. My father naturally blamed me, not just for my mother’s response, but for everything that ever went wrong in our family. My brother, two years younger than myself, blamed me for the solitary confinement he was subjected to after my parents banned me from their house, fearing my proximity to him was enough to make him a cock gobbler. God my parents are ignorant.
Well, for the two years that followed that hurricane of an argument with my folks, I lived with Mitchell, my darling dumb arse boyfriend. Life was great. I worked in a night club as one of the bar tenders, and studied during the day. It was fantastic. Until the night I finished early, hoping to surprise the dumb fuck. Well, I was surprised, and I’m sure he would have been too, if he and the ugly little skank whore in my bed with him were both awake. I often wondered what I would do if I ever found out he was cheating. I never imagined my reaction that night.
The fuckers were asleep. I mean, if he was going to cheat on me while I’m at work, surely he would have thrown the whore’s arse out before it fell asleep. So, I walked around the bedroom quietly, packing a bag of essentials, then stood at the side of the bed for a few minutes looking at him, lying on his back, snoring his ring piece out, with the whore dangled across his chest.
I leant down carefully and whispered into his ear, ‘If you know what’s good for you, you won’t try and win me back.’ I walked to the door, took a brief glimpse of him through tear filled eyes and slammed the door with all my strength, then made for the front door and disappeared into the early morning, my heart broken..
I had no idea what I was going to do. I just remembered heading in the direction of work. Best place to begin I suppose. I ran through the club quietly, threw my bag behind the bar and ran for the bathroom, where I could wash the tears from my face and get my breathing under control. I was in there for ten minutes, gathering my wits about me, ignoring constant knocks on the door from the patrons. I took a quick glance in the mirror and noticed that the puffiness around my eyes was almost gone. Right, time to get out there and be happy! I just got divorced!
I wound my way through the crowd to the bar where Tanya was waiting for me with a drink.
‘Alright!’ She screamed over the noise. ‘What happened? Spill! Now!’
I grinned at her demand and burst out laughing. ‘I’m divorced!’ I shouted back.
‘Why?’ She said through her teeth. ‘What did you do?’ Allow me to explain here, just what a manipulative, conniving fuck stain Mitchell was. Irrespective of who caused the problem, all my friends instantly laid blame on me if ever something happened between myself and Mitchell. Charming huh?
‘What did I do? Tanz! I just caught him sleeping with someone!’ I giggled. My best friend since the incident with my family.
‘Oh! Well. Right then! Where are you staying?’ Embarrassment oozed from her.
‘Dunno. Might crash at a hotel tonight I think!’ I smiled, scanning the crowd.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw him. Sitting on a bar stool, across the dance floor from me, his hair, almost black in the strobe lights cut short and whispy. His face was smooth, cleanly cut, straight and strong nose, full, luscious lips, high pointed eyebrows, and when he laughed, teeth that lit the club up. I couldn’t be sure, but he looked rather tall, hard to tell while he was doubled over laughing. He certainly had some broad shoulders though. And his shirt, well, that was only just managing to hold that taut body in. Damn he was hot!
Just as Tanya called my name, he looked over to me, with a curious look on his face. I could barely wrench my eyes from him to look at my friend.
‘Damn Vic. Divorced only 30 minutes and you’re already in the meat isle!’ Tanya sniggered at me.
I childishly poked my tongue at her obscenely and looked back toward the god in the corner. Sadly, he had resumed his comical conversation with his company. Bollocks.
‘Let’s go dance Vicky!’ Tanya said shuffling off her stool and holding her hand out to me.
‘On one condition, carpet cleaner.’ I sneered.
‘What, cock snot?’ She retorted with half a giggle.
‘Stop calling me Vicky, you heifer!’ I said sliding off my stool quickly and disappearing into the crowd on the dance floor, Tanya in quick pursuit.
I made my way to the edge of the crowd, staying within the safety of the crowd, yet just within line of sight with the beautiful specimen of all things male. He was even hotter up close. I felt a familiar tug within my boxer briefs. Tanya had her eyes closed as she danced around me, clearly enjoying the music, compelling her to move.
In all fairness, Tanya wasn’t really a heifer. She was quite a beautiful girl. She was barely an inch shorter than my five foot ten inches. She had long flowing light brown hair, straight as an arrow, down to the middle of her shoulders. She had soft and feminine features decorating her face, and a rather slender, but well accentuated figure. I mean, the girl was the perfect woman. Firm and full breasts, narrow waist and a killer arse! She was the envy of all girls.
I relaxed into the music and began moving in time with it and Tanya, occasionally reaching out and touching her on her shoulder, or waist, or arm, gently reminding her of my presence. She opened her eyes after a rather humorous pirouette and gasped silently. I looked in the direction she was gaping and hopped back in surprise, stomping on Tanya’s foot eliciting a shout of pain from her, as I turned straight into the chest of a rather tall and immovable gentleman.
‘Shit. Sorry man!’ I yelled over the music, both my hands raised in an apologetic gesture. Then I gasped in shock at his unbelievable beauty.
‘Nothing to worry about.’ He said in a low voice. I was surprised I could hear him over the music. ‘You didn’t hurt me.’
The smile that stole over his face melted me. My knees literally buckled under my weight and I collapsed. I waited for the impact with the floor, but it never came. I opened my eyes and looked down the front of my body and saw two firm, muscled arms, supporting me. Tanya was pressed firmly against my back, her hands on my waist.
‘Careful there. You could hurt yourself. Do you need to sit down?’ He said again, in that soft, baritone. He began to move me toward a stool, Tanya being jostled out of the way gently.
‘No.’ I spluttered. ‘No, I’m okay.’ I said in barely more than a whisper.
‘Come. Sit. Have a drink with me and my friends.’ He said smiling down at me. My legs buckled again. Still having his hands under my arms, I didn’t fall a single inch, yet I wasn’t standing by my own power. ‘You definitely need to sit down for a bit.’
He had me seated on a stool at his table within a few seconds and he on his own next to me. I quickly glanced to the dance floor and watched as Tanya performed a rather disgusting gesture toward me and glared pointedly at my companion. Guess she didn’t give a shit then!
‘Is there something wrong with your knees?’ The beautiful specimen of a gentleman asked me. ‘No, I guess you don’t, having seen you dancing. Hmm. I wonder what caused you to flail like that?’ He asked to no-one in particular.
‘Ah, I think it was…’ I couldn’t finish the sentence. Every time I looked at his face, my heart skipped a beat, my tongue dried up, and my teeth chattered. ‘…your smile.’ I finished lamely.
The laugh that escaped his lips was pure music and suddenly explosive. My eyes widened in shock.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.’ He said quickly, noticing my shocked expression.
'No, no. You didn’t scare me. Your laugh. It’s well, it’s heavenly really.’
Why on earth was I spilling out the truth like this? Was he a hypnotist? Had Tanya slipped a truth serum into my drink earlier? Actually, knowing her, it would have been a roofie. What the fuck is going on?
He studied my face scrupulously, noting the subtle changes in my expression, as I felt my emotion slip from shocked to stunned.
‘I’m, ah… I’m Victor.’ I stammered, holding my hand out.
‘Alex.’ He said, taking my hand into his slightly cooler hand. Jesus he had a firm grip. ‘A pleasure to meet you.’ And he flashed his killer smile again.
'The pleasure it seems, is mine.’ I said as I looked down at my crotch in horror.
Oh for the love of all things un-holy! Why, of all the times in my adult life, do I need to lose self-control and bone up in front of this beautiful god?
‘My my. At ease soldier.’ He grinned.
‘Sorry. I usually have better control.’ I mumbled pathetically.
‘No need to apologise.’ He smiled warmly, touching his fingertip to my cheek. ‘Drink?’
‘Please!’ I all but shouted before he’d finished asking.
He was up and gone from the table before I could tell him what I drank. I quickly scanned the dance floor and saw Tanya up on the stage dancing with someone. I looked around the club and noticed that a lot more people had arrived. And then, for the first time since I’d been seated at the table, I noticed Alex’s company, all looking at me suspiciously.
I winced slightly as I realised I hadn’t acknowledged them when I was brought over. I looked up sheepishly from my lap, to their faces and yet again, was shocked. All four of them were beautiful in their motionless forms. Not a single one of them moved a fraction. They all had smooth and defined faces, they all had dark and curious eyes, and each of them was looking at me with a strange, unidentifiable lust. Suddenly, I was quite scared.
‘Hi.’ I squeaked and waved stupidly. As if reading my fear, they all broke into face splitting smiles, which I think lit up this corner of the club, or perhaps it was the lighting from the dance floor. Either way, I was dazzled!
As I stared at them dopily, they went back to their conversation, as if I hadn’t interrupted it. I felt self-consciously out of place sitting at this table, and then my salvation was back by my side, six drinks loaded in his arms.
‘Four beers and two red wines.’ He smiled as he placed them deftly on the table. He pushed the four beers toward his comrades and held a glass of wine toward me. I took it from his hand and watched curiously as it sloshed around in the glass.
‘Are you going into shock?’ He asked me, genuine concern etched across his forehead.
‘No. Just, overwhelmed really. It’s been a long night.’ I stammered, half splashing my face in red wine as I took a drink.
‘Careful there bud. Drowning in wine might sound fun, but it really isn’t.’ He said winking as he took my glass and put it onto the table. His friends all chuckled at the joke I didn’t quite understand.
‘This is Adrian, Jordi, Carl and Finn.’ Alex gestured to each person in turn and each one inclined their head to me politely.
Adrian had light brown hair, cut very short, which sat limply on top of his head. He had a rather long nose, leading down to pale pink lips, a beautiful Cupid’s bow sitting smack in the middle of them. He had sallow cheeks, pale skin and curiously dark eyes.
Jordi had beautiful olive skin and black curly hair running past his ears. His nose was rounded at the tip and had full luscious lips, a strong jaw line and full arching eyebrows framing his deep black eyes.
Carl had a soft cherubic face. Full, soft cheeks, a dimple on each side, wavy and unruly dark brown hair crowning his head, a soft jaw line and yet again, dark eyes.
Finn had red hair, more intensely red than fire; it was the same colour as blood. Laid against his fair skin, it was vividly bright. He had a strong forehead, strong jaw line, a strong and pronounced nose, full pink lips, and strangely enough, the same dark eyes as the others.
And then I looked at Alex properly. He was easily the most beautiful of the five. Dark brown hair, almost black, strong facial features, but delicately placed, lending him an almost angelic like appearance. He had slightly tanned skin, but it looked like polished marble. He almost shone. And he was tall. A good 6 inches taller than myself. He had broad shoulders, and solid arms. He filled his jeans quite nicely too. And now, a pattern was beginning to occur to me.
‘Why do you all have the same coloured eyes?’ I asked brazenly.
‘Huh?’ Two of them said together, their conversation taking a back seat.
‘You all have the same dark eyes, and it’s quite obvious you’re all of different ethnic backgrounds. I mean, Finn, your hair is bright red, and Jordi, yours is black, but you both have dark eyes. Are you all wearing contacts or something?’ I rambled, watching their faces becoming quite anxious.
‘We’re going to get some fresh air.’ Jordi said in a slight Italian accent. He and Adrian both departed quicker than a light being switched off.
‘Right behind ya.’ Finn said, in a rather thick Scottish accent as he and Carl departed just as quickly. I sat watching the four of them disappear with what I imagined would have been a rather stupefied look on my face.
‘Did I say something wrong?’ I asked looking at Alex, who despite what just took place, looked mildly amused.
‘You’re an awfully observant young man.’ He smiled at me.
‘I am?’ I responded, not quite sure what that had to do with the price of milk.
‘You are.’ His smile grew. ‘It usually takes people an hour or so to notice things like that.’
‘Things like what? You all have black eyes as far as I can tell.’ I was beginning to get confused.
‘You over think a little too. You should relax, beautiful.’ He cooed.
‘I what? Huh? What did you just say?’
‘You over think and you should relax.’ He repeated, grinning.
‘No, the other thing.’ I watched his expression carefully.
‘Err, beautiful?’ He repeated in an unsure tone.
As childish as it was, I sniggered and blushed. ‘Are you calling me beautiful? The personification of male beauty, calling me, beautiful?’
‘Of course. I see no-one else here as beautiful as yourself.’ He chimed, reaching out to touch my cheek.
Well, he was charming, I’ll give him that, but distracting? Not quite.
‘You’re avoiding my question.’ I said, setting my jaw firmly.
He sighed, closing his eyes. ‘Your friend seems busy at the moment. Would you like to come for a walk with me?’ He asked standing up and offering me his hand.
I looked from his face to his hand then to Tanya on the dance floor and back to Alex‘s face, mentally assessing the danger of being alone with him. I shuddered slightly and stupidly asked, ‘Am I safe with you? You won’t kill me or anything?’
‘I promise, you will be safe with me. I will not kill you.’ He vowed, flashing that brilliant smile.
I slowly reached out for his hand, expecting him to reach the rest of the distance and snatch me away, but he waited patiently for me to take his hand. As my hand made contact with his, he felt cold at first, but as he wrapped his hand around mine securely, his touch became warm. He pulled gently on my hand and had me out of my seat and weaving deftly through the crowd. Well, he was, I was being towed in his wake, bumping into people all around me. In a manner of seconds we were outside in the fresh, crisp early morning air.
‘It’s a wonderful night out tonight.’ He said, smiling to the sky.
‘It is.’ I answered, staring at him. ‘So, your eyes?’
‘Yes. My eyes.’ He tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and began walking across the road to a small park. ‘Actually, our eyes, mine and theirs.’ He said nodding to his friends who were sitting on a couple park benches in the park we were headed for.
‘Are you going to answer, or just reaffirm my question over and over?’ I asked looking up to his face, not paying attention to where he was leading me.
‘Let’s sit down.’ He gestured toward a seat.
I sat down rather hastily, as he lowered himself gently, the bench creaking slightly under the weight of us both.
‘Where to start?’ He asked of himself.
After a few minutes silence, he finally asked, ‘Are you superstitious at all Victor?’
‘Umm, no. Though I fail to underst…’ He cut me off.
‘So you don’t believe in fairy tales, and scary legends?’
‘Can’t say that I do really.’ I answered slightly baffled.
‘So, you don’t believe in werewolves and witches?’
‘Not the mythological types anyway. I mean, did you see some of the patrons in that bar? A couple of them could have passed for a werewolf, or a witch.’ I sniggered and he chuckled lightly.
‘What about vampires then?’ He asked, all humour disappearing from his voice.
‘What, like Dracula, Nosferatu?’ I scoffed.
‘Not quite.’ He scowled. ‘But essentially, the whole immortal, night dwelling creature.’
‘Oh come on. Do you take me for an idiot?’ I stood up quickly, preparing to head back to the club.
‘Please don’t leave.’ He asked gently, taking my hand into his and pulling me onto his knees. ‘I don’t believe you to be idiotic, or anything remotely similar.’
‘Then, what’s with all the fairy tale bullshit?’ I asked, noting just how firm he was under my touch.
‘Well, if you won’t believe what I tell you, perhaps you’ll believe what you see?’ He said quietly, nodding in the direction of two of his friends.
I hadn’t noticed before that there was a third person sitting between Finn and Carl. Finn was kissing his throat while Carl was nuzzling the persons arm. Lucky person, I thought callously.
‘They’re not making love to him.’ Alex said as if divining my thoughts.
‘What?’ I asked stunned, looking at Alex’s face, and then back to the three on the park bench.
‘They aren’t seducing him, Victor. They’re feeding.’ He whispered quietly to me.
‘They’re what? Are they killing him?’ I asked, feverish panic crawling up my neck. And then it clicked into place. ‘Oh!’ I said deflated.
‘What’s wrong, beautiful?’ He asked, brushing his fingers along my jaw line.
‘That’s why you’ve brought me out here. To kill me.’ I said, my shoulders slumping. Five minutes ago, I thought I was going to get laid, and now, I was going to become dinner.
I winced dramatically as he began laughing his deep booming laugh. It echoed around the park several times.
‘Oh no. Not at all.’ He chimed, smiling at me. ‘No, no, no. You merely sought an answer for our eyes. I was showing you that answer, because you wouldn’t believe my words.’
‘I don’t understand something though. How can they just kill a bar patron like that across the road from where he was?’
‘Have a closer look at him Victor. He isn’t a patron of the bar. He was a homeless person they found in the bushes. And he’s not dead or dying.’ Alex said, slightly chagrined.
And sure enough, looking at his legs, I noticed the shabby looking pants he was wearing, and the filthy sneakers barely covering his still moving feet.
I looked back to Alex, who was staring intently at me, a sparkle in his eye.
‘So, you’re a.. a vampire?’ I stuttered.
‘I am.’ He nodded once.
‘And why aren’t you drinking my blood?’ I asked, a shade of insult in my voice.
‘I confess to being a vampire, and you want to know why I’m not feeding on you?’ His voice raised slightly.
‘Is there something wrong with my blood?’ I asked looking down into my lap.
‘Of course there isn’t. I don’t want to feed on you.’ He said quietly, putting his index finger to my chin and raising my face slightly. ‘I was rather hoping, you might come home with me and share my bed for the night?’
Shock? It had to be. Could I move my mouth? I opened and closed it a few times. Guess so.
‘Is it so difficult to believe someone would want to take you home based purely on your appearance?’ He asked, a hint of smile colouring his face.
‘I, well, usually, ah… I’ve been in a relationship for just over two years.’ I said, tripping over the words.
That killer smile flashed across his face. ‘I guess you wouldn’t really have noticed how men react to you, if you weren’t looking at them yourself.’
‘I guess not.’ I admitted, blushing.
‘Then, can I assume, you might perhaps accompany me home?’ Alex asked, placing his hand to my cheek.
‘Well, I really don’t see any harm in that, I guess.’ I looked over to Finn and Carl, who were now carefully placing their leftovers in a pile of leaves, and I failed to suppress a shudder.
‘I gave you my word, that you will not come to harm, and that I will not kill you.’ Alex said, correctly interpreting my shudder.
‘Promise?’ I asked, turning toward him and shaking, though it wasn’t at all cold out.
‘Absolutely.’ He replied, putting his hand to his heart.
‘Alright. I guess I trust you enough to be safe for the night.’ I said standing up.
Alex stood up with me and was standing right behind me. He snaked his arm beneath mine and pulled me to his muscular frame. His torso felt hard, as hard as a rock, and equally as cold as one.
‘Why are you so cold?’ I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
‘Our blood doesn’t flow as quickly as yours. Our bodies cannot sustain ambient heat like yours does. But as you can see, contact with a human warms our skin to their temperature.’ And sure enough he began to feel warm.
‘And if you can’t hear, our hearts are nowhere near as fast as yours.’
I stood as quietly as I could, waiting for his non-existent heartbeat. Almost three minutes passed and I felt a short, strong thud from his chest cavity.
‘Holy shit!’ I gasped. ‘Is it always that slow?’
‘No. It accelerates slightly when we feed, pushing the blood throughout our body quickly and efficiently, with as little waste as possible.’ He answered, sliding his other arm around me, creating a firm, yet comforting restraint around my chest. ‘We’re just waiting for Adrian and Jordi, and then we’ll be leaving.’
‘How did you know I was going to ask when we were leaving?’ I asked craning my neck to look up at him.
‘Intuition.’ He said smiling down at me. ‘Here they are.’
I looked toward a rustle in the bushes and the two missing vampires stepped into the clearing.
‘We’re ready.’ Jordi said, in that deep Italian accent.
‘Let’s go then.’ Alex said, unfolding his arms from around me and taking my hand in his, leading us deeper into the park.
‘Where do you live?’ I asked, looking back to the road and the last vestige of safety.
‘A good three hour walk from here.’ He smirked. ‘For a human that is.’ And with that, he gently and swiftly had me clinging to his back, with my arms locked around his neck.
‘But it’s only a few minutes for us.’ He chuckled at my tightening embrace around his throat.
With a powerful burst of energy, he launched himself into the bushes with alarming speed. I was almost dislodged by the quick movement and tightened my grip on him, wrapping my legs around his waist.
‘You alright back there?’ He called out over the rush of air.
‘I think so.’ I shouted back, fear and exhilaration colouring my tone.
‘Just hold on, we’ll be there shortly.’ He chuckled to himself.
And sure enough, after a few minutes, we began to slow down. It looked like we were still in the same park.
‘Where are we?’ I asked looking around and spotting the four other vampires.
‘Compton Heights.’ Jordi said stepping out from behind a tree.
I stared at him in disbelief.
‘That’s over 20 kilometres from work!’ I blurted.
‘It is.’ Alex said smugly. ‘Hold on tight.’ He said as he hunched down and launched himself into the air effortlessly. We arched over the top of the park we were in and I gasped hysterically at the height. As we began our downward approach though, a building suddenly appeared underneath us and Alex touched down effortlessly.
Shaking, I released my strangle hold on him and climbed down.
‘Easy now.’ Alex reached out to steady me.
‘That was fucking cool!’ I said, eyes wide with excitement.
All five vampires chuckled at me.
‘Most people vomit on their first trip.’ Finn said, his accent stronger than before.
‘I’m not surprised.’ I said, stepping into Alex’s side. ‘That was really exciting.’
‘I’m glad you enjoyed it.’ He laughed. ‘Let’s get inside.’ He said leading me across the rooftop to a door.