vampireinthebasement by Crymsyn Hart

the cot. Daniella thought back to her dream and pulled all of the fragments together with Tris. She smiled at how good he had tasted and wondered what it would be like to experience him in the flesh.

Chapter Four
     
    Tris ran his finger over the blade one last time and made sure it came away with a thin line of crimson. For the past three days and nights, he had checked in on his guest in the basement. She had not demanded anything of him except something to read and a radio, which they had in the equipment room, so she was not too bad to deal with. However, Tris still did not trust her, no matter if she had been staying out of his dreams. She was soft spoken, and sometimes he almost forgot that she was a vampire. Right now he wondered how she was doing. He tried to push that thought from his mind, but he flashed back to his dream. The bliss of her touch raced through him. He tried to shake it off, but ever since that dream, it had awakened long-buried feelings and memories. Besides that, Daniella was feisty and a looker. She had a great rack, a spitfire wrapped up in a tight, little package of darkness. The enigma that had him stumped was what was so special about her.
    “How goes it with the vampire? Haven’t killed her yet, have you?”
    He glanced up when he heard Lori’s voice. “No, but it was close that first day. Where the hell have you been?”
    Lori pulled a drink from the refrigerator and sat across from him. Tris noticed his clothes were dirty. A dark smudge ran across his forehead. His hands and nails were caked with even more muck that could have been dried blood. Rarely had he seen his friend so unkempt. He took a sip of the water he had pulled out and put his feet up on the chair across from him. “Can’t tell you. Sorry, Tris.”
    “Why the hell not? We’re partners.” He slammed his dagger into the table.
    “Hey! Careful with the furniture, Tris. That’s mahogany!” Horatio said to him as the other angel strolled into the kitchen swathed in nothing but a towel.
    Tris rolled his eyes. “It’s only a table, Horatio. Don’t get too wound up about it.”
    Horatio yanked the knife from the table and handed it back to Tris, handle first. Tris took it and slipped the weapon back into its sheath. He eyed the other angel. “What are you doing down here in a towel?”
    The other man smiled, and his face turned red. “I was going to shower in the equipment room. The one upstairs is backed up. Hesphital and Hemeil brought this woman home last night, and, well.... Anyway, we have to call the plumber. I’ll do that tomorrow. Oh, have you seen a red piece of paper anywhere around here?”
    Tris stared at the other angel. “No. Why?” He thought back to the pamphlet he had picked up in Hemeil’s room. What did Horatio need with it?
    “It’s a place Hemeil and I have to go check out. Possible vampire nest.”
    Vampire nest. Maybe. Tris could see it. The club was a notorious breeding ground for evil. He had been there a few times to blow off steam and did see a vampire or two among the throng. But it was not his call; if Joe was telling the H’s to investigate, then that was the word from on high, just as it was for him to watch out for that creature below their feet. He watched Horatio unlock the basement door. Tris focused back on Lori as Horatio went down the stairs. Lori shook his head, and Tris knew he was holding back his laughter.
    “How did we end up getting stuck with the H’s?” Tris asked his partner.
    “They are fun to party with. I can’t believe that all three of them...well, never mind. We could have worse partners.”
    Tris agreed. The H’s relished the freedom they had not being in Heaven. When it came to work, they focused on what they were doing, and nothing could break that concentration. “So what can you tell me about what you’ve been doing?”
    Lori shrugged. “Nothing. Sorry. I’m only here to rest and recharge. After that, I’m out again. All I can tell you is that