scratched Vorigan’s face. Why couldn’t they have planted a nice, soft yew? But he needed the cover since the subject of his fascination could see and smell as acutely as he did. So he’d have to endure spruce needles up his nose.
Sly Flores sat in a rocking chair inside the apartment, reading in the dark. He had opened the window blinds fully, perhaps to take advantage of the streetlamps. Vampires needed very little light to see well, but complete darkness would make reading impossible for anyone.
Vorigan wondered how the vampire he’d turned twenty-six years ago had managed to elude him for so long. He’d caught whiffs of the guy’s scent from time to time and had tracked him like a wolf would track a rabbit. But his efforts had always led to dead ends.
Long ago, he’d spotted the handsome Latino walking with a pregnant woman along a quiet street in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He’d shadowed them until he was able to stop them in a secluded spot and ask for directions. As soon as he had their attention, he’d used his powers of mesmerism and led them to an even more secluded place inside a warehouse.
His mesmerism had held until he’d fed on the woman and she’d lost consciousness. For some reason, the handsome, virile male had snapped out of it at that point and begun begging for his wife and baby’s lives. The sheer strength of will that took made Vorigan realize this man was someone special. Perhaps someone who could become his equal lover sometime.
So, he had promised to help the guy by turning him. Vorigan had explained that becoming a vampire would give the man powers of speed and strength beyond his comprehension—enough to get his wife and unborn baby to the hospital in time to save them. No matter how the man had begged Vorigan to take her there himself, he had refused. Why should he care about them? The only human he was interested in at that moment was this fascinating, drop-dead gorgeous man.
At last, the male had allowed Vorigan to turn him in exchange for safe passage to the nearest hospital. And Vorigan had kept his word. He’d stayed out of the man’s way as he went through the change from life to death to undead. Vorigan had explained that the change would be swift if the guy didn’t fight it.
Despite the pain, the brave husband had gone through the transformation faster than Vorigan had thought he would or could. The man had lifted his pregnant wife and run so fast that Vorigan wasn’t sure he could keep up with him. But he did. Right up until the woman was taken from the emergency room up to the delivery-operating room.
Vorigan had planned to wait in the hospital lobby until morning if he had to. He had told the man that, as a vampire, he would fall asleep wherever he was when the sunrise began and had warned him to get to the lobby before that. Vorigan had said he would protect the fledgling vampire and teach him what he needed to know about his new life. And Vorigan’s loneliness would be at an end.
Only something had gone wrong. Vorigan had waited until the very last minute, but no vampire had appeared. He barely got himself to ground in time. Then as soon as the sun went down, he took up his post again. No matter how vigilantly he watched the hospital over the next week, the new vampire never appeared. Vorigan hadn’t even learned his name! Somehow his protégé had given him the slip.
Now here he was—finally. He’d have to pay for leaving him like that. Oh, yes. He’d punish the guy, but only until he understood how much better his life would be if he kept Vorigan happy.
Things would be better than ever before. He’d introduce his protégé to the delights of the dark world. First, he’d help him discover his latent bisexual tendencies and hone them. It would be no use pretending he didn’t have them. All vampires did. At least, all the vampires Vorigan had ever known.
He stepped out of the bushes carefully and returned to the sidewalk. Now he had to find a way
Sly Flores sat in a rocking chair inside the apartment, reading in the dark. He had opened the window blinds fully, perhaps to take advantage of the streetlamps. Vampires needed very little light to see well, but complete darkness would make reading impossible for anyone.
Vorigan wondered how the vampire he’d turned twenty-six years ago had managed to elude him for so long. He’d caught whiffs of the guy’s scent from time to time and had tracked him like a wolf would track a rabbit. But his efforts had always led to dead ends.
Long ago, he’d spotted the handsome Latino walking with a pregnant woman along a quiet street in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He’d shadowed them until he was able to stop them in a secluded spot and ask for directions. As soon as he had their attention, he’d used his powers of mesmerism and led them to an even more secluded place inside a warehouse.
His mesmerism had held until he’d fed on the woman and she’d lost consciousness. For some reason, the handsome, virile male had snapped out of it at that point and begun begging for his wife and baby’s lives. The sheer strength of will that took made Vorigan realize this man was someone special. Perhaps someone who could become his equal lover sometime.
So, he had promised to help the guy by turning him. Vorigan had explained that becoming a vampire would give the man powers of speed and strength beyond his comprehension—enough to get his wife and unborn baby to the hospital in time to save them. No matter how the man had begged Vorigan to take her there himself, he had refused. Why should he care about them? The only human he was interested in at that moment was this fascinating, drop-dead gorgeous man.
At last, the male had allowed Vorigan to turn him in exchange for safe passage to the nearest hospital. And Vorigan had kept his word. He’d stayed out of the man’s way as he went through the change from life to death to undead. Vorigan had explained that the change would be swift if the guy didn’t fight it.
Despite the pain, the brave husband had gone through the transformation faster than Vorigan had thought he would or could. The man had lifted his pregnant wife and run so fast that Vorigan wasn’t sure he could keep up with him. But he did. Right up until the woman was taken from the emergency room up to the delivery-operating room.
Vorigan had planned to wait in the hospital lobby until morning if he had to. He had told the man that, as a vampire, he would fall asleep wherever he was when the sunrise began and had warned him to get to the lobby before that. Vorigan had said he would protect the fledgling vampire and teach him what he needed to know about his new life. And Vorigan’s loneliness would be at an end.
Only something had gone wrong. Vorigan had waited until the very last minute, but no vampire had appeared. He barely got himself to ground in time. Then as soon as the sun went down, he took up his post again. No matter how vigilantly he watched the hospital over the next week, the new vampire never appeared. Vorigan hadn’t even learned his name! Somehow his protégé had given him the slip.
Now here he was—finally. He’d have to pay for leaving him like that. Oh, yes. He’d punish the guy, but only until he understood how much better his life would be if he kept Vorigan happy.
Things would be better than ever before. He’d introduce his protégé to the delights of the dark world. First, he’d help him discover his latent bisexual tendencies and hone them. It would be no use pretending he didn’t have them. All vampires did. At least, all the vampires Vorigan had ever known.
He stepped out of the bushes carefully and returned to the sidewalk. Now he had to find a way
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