Crimson Dreams

The sun was starting to rise by the time I got home. I took a moment to look up at the red and orange fingers marring the sky. You could still see the stars if you looked hard enough in the right places. I heard Satan start trotting up the drive towards where I was standing while his tail made little swish sounds. I walked to the grass and kneeled down waiting for him. He came from around the house and stopped.

"Come get me." I told him.

He barked and charged me. Just when he reached me I grabbed him around the neck and rolled with him. I used my own body to take the brunt of our fall. He barked again before licking my face and wiggling free. I was left staring up at the sky. I felt his head nudge my stomach so I sat up and started rubbing his ears while kissing his nose repeatedly. He returned my kisses with quick licks along my jaw line. I hugged him tightly one last time before standing up and brushing the dirt and dew off my clothes.

I smelled of fresh earth and Satan but underneath that was the very faint smell of Hayden. I rubbed Satan’s head once more before opening the door. True to his word Hayden was still awake and sitting in his usual spot. He looked like he was posing for a painter. Both feet were planted firmly on the floor but spread apart. His body was leaned over so that his elbows were rested on thighs. He was wearing only his sweat pants and I was left looking at the bare expanse of his back.

"Want me to leave?" He asked without looking at me.

"I wish you to stay but if you would rather leave than I won't stop you." That worked. I wasn't begging him to stay but I wasn't going to be to hurt if he chose to leave.

"I have this compulsion to protect you but you make it very hard to do so when you leave."

That threw me off a little. I hadn't known he was trying to protect me. I just knew he followed me when I left the house. That’s why I took all the precautions to lose him before I would call anyone or meet someone. "Why?"

"Because you are now without a master and therefore you are no longer protected."

"But yet you try to escape your master."

"I don't have a pulse and can't die nearly as fast as you."

"But I am not human." I sat down on the couch.

"Could you kill one?"

"I have killed a human before. Yes."

"I can't stop myself from wanting to protect you. I was a protector of women and children in life. After I was changed I only became better at protecting them. I have had over eight hundred years to get used to the role of protecting people. I can't just turn it off."

"So are you staying or not?"

"I would like to, yes."

"Then I am going to bed. We can try again to get pet food tonight." I started walking to my room. When I reached the door I spoke softly because I knew he could still hear me. "Thank you for taking me out and spending Thanksgiving with me."

"No problem." It was a faint whisper but I still heard him.

I went in my room and just lay down on my bed. I didn't bother to undress or anything. I just wanted to sleep. I heard his door shut and lock as I closed my eyes and willed myself not to dream.


There was a soft knock at the door and I rolled over in the bed. I didn't want to answer it. I wanted to stay asleep. Who ever it was could come back later tonight when I was up. The knock sounded again but was harder this time. I opened my eyes and looked around for a clock. I hadn't gotten one yet. Shit. I rolled out of bed and staggered to my bedroom door. It wasn't locked but who ever was at the door wasn't going to just walk in.

I opened the door to see Hayden standing there. His eye brows went up as he took in my appearance. I had taken my jacket off last night and that was it. I still had my shoes and weapons on. I could feel the little pains where I had slept on the weapons. The small of my back hurt the most.

"Do you always sleep armed to the teeth?"

"No. Your spill about me being alone made me think I needed to do better at protecting myself." It was close to the truth so there was no lie to smell but dangerously close to one.

"We are out of pet food and they are looking at me like I am a steak with their name on it."

I laughed out loud at the thought as I leaned on the door frame. Hayden’s head tilted to the right slightly as he studied me. What he said really hadn't been all that funny but for some reason I couldn't explain, it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. I finally recovered myself but I couldn't look at him.

"Let me get dressed and then we will go." I closed the door without waiting for an answer.
If I looked at him I was going to laugh again. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Little after eight at night."

"Thanks. I need to get a clock while we are out."

"I'll remind you."

I got dressed quickly before brushing my hair out and putting back in a ponytail. I kept my weapons. I had already told him he was right and I needed to protect myself better so I guess now it was safe to wear my weapons around him. That was a relief since I was going out with him again. I slipped on my own boots, which were like Alex's and had blades concealed in them.

I went into the living room to meet Hayden. He was holding the front door open for me and wearing black jeans and a red t-shirt. The shirt was tight and it showed off his lean waist while emphasizing his broad shoulders and sculpted abs. He had on a navy blue wind breaker instead of his trench coat but he had kept his boots. At his waist was a black belt studded with silver. My skin broke out in goose bumps as I though about how close I had come to having all of him under me.

"Want me to drive again?" He asked.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding and tried to answer. No sound came out my mouth and after the third try I just nodded and walked out the door. I went to his car and hopped into the passenger seat. I was acting like a lustful teenager. I kept telling myself over and over he was trying to kill me or make me kill Alex but that part of me that thinks with something other than my head told me I could still have him. He left me to my thoughts as he got in the car and pulled out of the driveway.

The store was packed. Full parking lot to the point we had to circle around a few times. I seen a spot just as Hayden did. He started his turn just as a ford hit their gas to try and beat us to the spot. I seen the wicked look Hayden gave the man before he swung into the spot. The man casually drove off to find his own spot. I shook my head and opened the door to get out.

"Did you have to scare him?" I asked.

"Yes I did. Maybe next time he will think twice before being so rude."

I just shook my head again and got out the car. I heard it lock as soon as I shut my door and Hayden held his arm out to me. I laced my arm around his as we started toward to the store. Every woman we passed turned around to get another look at Hayden. Some women were discreet about their staring but others were not. Even some men turned to look at us but I couldn't tell if they were looking at me or looking at him. One woman even gave him a dazzling smile as we passed by her on our way to the pet department. He was right. Humans were so rude.

Vampires didn't stare at each others mates unless they were willing to fight. Demons weren't much better than humans. They would stare and then challenge the man whose arm you were on. Who ever won the fight had rights to you even if you didn't want them. If you were strong enough you could fight for your own freedom but all battles with demons were a fight to the death. Humans were more likely to try and seduce you from who you were with. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Hayden had put us into the role of a couple coming to get food for their pets and he paid no attention to the passing women or the eyes of the men on us.

"You come here a lot?" He asked me.

"I practically live here. I like trying on all the different clothes and playing with the toys."

"I can smell his lust for you and it is strong. That kind of lust doesn't come from seeing you only a handful of times." He tilted his head in the direction of a man who worked here.

"His name is Tyler and he mostly works the electronics department."

"So you know him?" He pulled back just enough to see my face fully.

"Not like that. He has helped me get the things I needed for my cell phone like those little baby cards that go in it and also helped me pick gifts out for some of the children at the hospital."

"He's jealous of me. Do you wish me to let you go?" His cheek was pressed against my ear and his words were soft.

Tyler had been working here for three years. I had never noticed his lust for me. I had never looked at him as anything other than an employee here at the store and someone who could help me. He had shoulder length blonde hair and wore black rimmed glasses. His body was petite and he looked like your average wiz-kid. There was nothing wrong with wiz-kids but I preferred men I wouldn't have to protect if we ever got cornered in a dark alley.

"No." I finally said as I turned my face more towards him so that we were cheek to cheek.

Hayden chuckled and pulled me down the aisle behind us. I could feel Tyler's eyes boring into my back and I fought the urge to turn and look at him. Hayden rubbed his hand across my arm to bring my attention back to him. He motioned to the shelves in front of us and for the first time I looked to see where we were. Clocks. I grabbed one that had four different wake-up options and seven different volumes.

Hayden took it from my hand and tucked it under his other arm before pulling me with him. He led me down the pet food aisle before letting my arm go so that I could find the pet food I wanted. I looked up and seen the food but I couldn't reach it. That didn't stop me from trying though. Hayden chuckled as he handed me the clock and grabbed the bag of food for dogs. I went further down the line and grabbed the bag of food for cats.

He took the clock and cat food from me and balanced them on one arm effortlessly while holding his elbow out for me.

"Anything else?"

"That's it." I snaked my arm through his and we started for the cashiers.

I felt the power wash over and shivered against Hayden as he stiffened. There was a demon here some where in the store. He was powerful. More so than Asmoday had been but his aura was negative which meant he was looking for trouble. Hayden pulled away from me but I didn't look for him. I was frozen in spot with the demons power caressing me in places it should never have been able to touch. I should have been scared and trying to find Hayden but instead I wanted to find this demon and stand closer to his power.

A mans arm coiled around me and started pulling me towards the cashiers. I turned ready to fight the man who had grabbed me only to meet Hayden's face close to mine. His eyes sparkled with power that he let reach out and caress me. Heat spread through my body and my pulse started to race. Hayden's aura was wrapping itself around me as a lover would. The feeling cleared my head and I no longer wanted to find the demon but just go home.

"I know you want it to be him but it's not." His breath tickled my lips as he was so close. It smelled of spicy copper and I closed my eyes as I focused on only him.

I put my arm around his waist and let him pull me towards the check out. He had gotten a shopping cart to put our things in. The girl rang our items up and Hayden paid cash for them. It didn't bother me that she wrote her number down on the receipt back before holding it out to Hayden. He shook his head and told her we didn't need it before pushing the shopping cart to the exit.

When we stepped outside I was struck by how empty the parking lot was. There were lots of cars but no one was outside. Hayden walked briskly to the car and I was left jogging to catch up. He put every thing in the trunk before turning on me and shaking me. I was wrapped in his aura his hands on me made it stronger. My breathing became a hiss as the power flared between us and caused things low in my body to tighten.

"He is going to attack us. Either you focus and help or you run. He isn't after you."

"Why?" I was asking why he wasn't after me but then his words sunk in and I asked a different question. "Why is he after you?"

"I am the one killing the demons. I know they went to Alex before you and he had that falling out. I know you know someone has been killing demons."

"I knew but I haven't heard anything else about it since I last talked to Alex."

"Can you help me or do you need to leave."

"Why are you killing the demons?"

He didn't have time to answer. There was a disturbance in the air and suddenly I was under him on the ground. He stood up slowly with out bringing me with him. Survival kicked in and I lay on the ground pretending to be a helpless human.

"Well, well, well." The demon spoke as he moved to a crouching position. "I watched you last night. You're good."

"Ready to join him?"

"Nay. This time you will be joining him."

"Let the human go and you can have me without a fight." Hayden said.

The demon finally looked at me and an evil smile curled his lips. "You know what we do. Do you really think I would let her get away? We need another to replace the one who was lost."

"Another has been killed?"

"Yes. And Raphael is very insistent you die before finding Alex and telling him our plans."

"I am no where near finding him. I have been to busy killing your kind left and right."

"I believe you. You must be good to have killed Asmoday and Patrick. Pyro is not very happy about his second being so easily killed."

I seen the look of confusion cross his face before his eyes flicked to me with knowing. He knew I had been the one to kill Asmoday and Patrick but he wasn't going to tell the demon. He was going to die for something I did. I couldn't let that happen.

"Let her go and I will let you kill me."

"Raphael said you always had a soft spot for women. Pyro told him to watch his back and make sure you never found out but you did and now you will die for not joining us."

"I won't be part of you raping and killing women. The last one was pregnant. Did you guys get sloppy?"

"She killed herself when she found out she was pregnant with Pyro's baby. The number of women needed has been upped. We had almost given up and thought Raphael was lying so we were about to stop when we found out she was pregnant. Pyro wants as many as he can get to make as many half breeds as possible."

The demon feigned left before charging Hayden from the right. Hayden hadn't fallen for his trick so he caught the demon around the waste and threw him to the ground. The sound of the demon hitting the pavement made a loud popping noise as I felt the tremors of impact. The demon sprang to his feet quickly and shook to get the dust and debris from the pavement off of him. I could see the perfect outline of his body near the car. Very inappropriately my phone started ringing and the sound of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata started playing serenely.

That was Alex's ringtone and he wouldn't call me while I was on a case unless it was really important. I swore under my breath as I pulled my cell phone out. Out of habit I looked at the number. It read "School" which is how I had named his number. I pressed the talk button before I got it to my ear and I could hear a woman crying and the sounds of a struggle in the background.

"Al?" Alex's smooth voice said my name just as the demon grabbed my cell phone and slammed it to the ground. It shattered into fine pieces and some of it was dust.

"She really answered her phone while I am trying to kill you? Do humans have no knowledge of their impeding do-" His voice trailed off in a hiss as one of my knives struck him in the neck.

"I needed to answer that call, fuck face."

I was still sitting on the ground when he sprang for me. Hayden caught him around the waist and took him down again. This time when the demon jumped back to his feet it was slower. I stood up in one fluid motion before moving to Hayden’s left side. The demons eyes got bigger as he looked from me to Hayden. My movement was too fast for any human.

"She isn't dead." He stated while motioning to me. "Tony said Alex had killed her. We don't need to remake her. Just take her."

He charged Hayden and me again and this time Hayden went down. I heard the snap of something as they hit the ground. I pulled my gun out and aimed for the demons heart. If I shot him while he was on Hayden then there was a chance the bullet would take him out too. I debated for a second on taking the risk but finally decided not to. I switched hands with the gun and drove another knife into the demons heart.

His elbow came back across my chest and I went flying seven cars back. I laid there and whimpered as I listened to him coming close. I could hear Hayden trying to stand back up but he would never make it in time. I whined again louder as the demon jumped on top of me, his hands grabbed my cheeks and turned me to look at him.

"You are beautiful." He said as he pressed his lips to mine.
I lifted my hand between us and pressed the gun to his chest. He pulled back from the kiss with his eyes wide and let out a hiss of surprise.

"And just as lethal."

I pulled the trigger and smiled as his body convulsed above me. I fired three more shots before rolling him off of me. I sat up and looked at Hayden. He was sitting up with a look of agony on his face. I stood and walked to him without turning my back on the demon. I hadn't cut out his heart yet so he could still be alive.

"You good?" I asked as I got near him.

"He had a silver knife in his hand. Cut into my spinal cord as he broke almost every bone in my spine." He was panting which was not a good sign for someone who didn't really need to breathe. "I haven't fed so I am not healing fast and I really didn't have the strength to fight him."

"Good thing I go everywhere armed to my ass."

"Yeah. Thank you."

I walked back to the demon and pulled out one of my knives. The clip that held it to the waist of my pants was designed to pull the chest cavity open for a quicker removal of the heart. I ignored the squishing and slurping sounds the blood made as I eased his heart out. Once the heart cleared his chest I stood up and walked back to Hayden. I sat the heart beside him as I crawled into his lap being extra careful not to hurt him more.

"My blood will heal you faster than a humans blood will, but you won't be able to hold any more than two pints before reflux kicks in." I tilted my head to the side and wiped along my skin to make sure there was nothing to get in his way.

"I can't feed from you. Rule number one was that you were off the menu."

Was he really bringing up that rule now? I shook my head as my hands gently pushed his head toward my neck. "That was only while we were in the house. Now quit being a baby and take it so we can get out of here."

He pressed his lips gently to my neck before letting his fangs graze softly over the skin. I shuddered and tried not to put anymore weight on him. There was the tiny pop of my skin breaking and I felt the fleeting second of his fangs sinking into me before the heat flared through my body and turned the bite into pleasure. With each pull of his mouth the heat grew and more pleasure coursed through my body. His hands wrapped around my sides as he hands pulled me firmly against him.

A moan escaped my lips while my hands played along his neck. It was damn near orgasmic for a vampire to feed from you if they wanted it to be. Alex said it was something in their fangs but they could control it so that there was either orgasmic or just pain. Hayden was putting all he had into it because I was soon grinding myself against him selfishly trying to get mine. I was drowning in the feeling with each pull he took from me.

He pulled his fangs out of my neck and I came back to the top gasping for air. My body clung loosely to his as his tongue slid over the puncture wounds. He pulled back so that our eyes met.

"You taste of sex and power." He remarked.

I just nodded. Alex had told me once that my blood tasted very different from any he has ever tried. Alex had bit me more times than one can count while training me to fight the effects of a vampires bite so that I could kill one while being bit if need be. Alex, Polo, and Sherri were the only ones who had fed from me before. I can now add Hayden.

"We got to go." I told him as I uncoiled myself from him and picked the demons heart up.

I was weak with blood loss but I would be okay. He held me stable as he walked me to the car and set me gently inside. I held onto the heart and tried not to get blood on the grey interior. He put the car in drive and we speed off through the night headed for the house.

The ride was silent but when we finally got to the house I felt the chill of demons close by. Hayden didn't stop or even slow down but as we passed the house I seen the shadow of someone in my room. Two blocks from the house Hayden slammed his brakes and swerved. I heard him mutter a string of curses as he opened his door.

A few seconds later Vlad jumped into his lap and walked over him to me. He was followed closely by Satan who licked my cheek and climbing on into the back seat. I was smiling. I couldn't help it. My pets were okay and with me. The heart moved in my hand and I looked down. Vlad was tearing pieces off and eating it. I watched in shock as my cat ate half the heart and then sat back on my lap and purred. Satan gave a little whine so I pushed the heart back to him. He finished it off in four bites.

"Take your next left." I told Hayden.

"Did they really just eat that heart?" He asked as he made the left turn.

"Yes."

"Where are we going?"

"That was Alex who had tried to call me." I turned in my seat to look at him. "I need to know everything about you."

"I told you. I am trying to escape my master."

"Try again or I get out of this car and walk back to my house." I was playing on his protector chord hoping he would sing and it worked like a charm.

"Raphael is my master but he is not my sire. My sire called me about a month ago and asked me if I knew anything of what Raphael was doing. I said no and it was explained to me. I didn't believe my sire and thought it was a way to get me to come back of my own free will. But I decided to investigate. Raphael is the master to a man named Tony. Tony has been passed form master to master since his sire threw him out twenty one years ago. Tony told Raphael why his sire had thrown out of the city and Raphael became interested in recreating her. You rather. Tony had slept with and impregnated a woman who was half demon half human. Thus you were born. Raphael teamed with demons here in Macon to make another half breed like you.

"I thought Alex was in on it since he is Tony's sire but when you confessed to being the infamous half-breed I knew that Alex had been protecting you and he hadn't killed you like he had told Tony. I admit that when I first came to you it was to use you to get to Alex and kill him. I watched you guys fight and the plan changed to just get close to you and have you tell me where he was. But then when you told me you were the half-breed I changed my plan to teaming up with Alex to destroy Raphael and the demons."

"How did you know I was close to Alex?"

"That night you killed Asmoday. I was hunting close by and I smelled him. By the time I got there him and the human were dead while you were passed out and fading fast. I was about to go ahead and kill you because I thought you weren't going to make it anyways or if you did then you would pray for death. But I felt the rage and love from a very powerful vampire. I watched from a distance as he cried and slit his throat for you repeatedly. When your heart beat grew steadier he picked you up and took you to a car. I lost the car while I was trying to follow you and find out where you guys went.

"I had lost you guys by that coffee shop. I stayed on top of the building and watched Raphael's men go into the coffee shop. I wanted to follow them but they didn't leave. And then you showed up healed and as good as new. I listened to the fight as they tried to take Ethan. I watched you load Raphael's men into the car but I lost you too. I could never follow you to find out where Alex was.

"The next day I watched you and Alex have your fight. I watched you and Ethan fight so I made my move. And I have continued to go out and kill demons since I started staying with you."

I laughed out loud and Hayden turned to look at me. "We were told you were Raphael's man sent to kill me or turn me against Alex." I pointed to the right and he made the turn. We were drawing near to Alex's house. "I believe what you said because of what the demon said. I just have one more question."

"Okay."

"Did you kill that demon Thanksgiving night?"

"Yes."

"Alex and I weren't really fighting. We were told by the man we caught at the coffee shop that you were sent to get close to me and kill me. That's why we staged the fight. I have been contacting two of his men trying to give them information on you and Raphael. Now I know why I couldn't get anything from you for them. That’s where I went last night. I also found the demon you had killed Thanksgiving and smelled you there. I thought you had killed the woman."

"No. I went to see who all I could smell there but all I found was him sitting in the woods waiting for another woman."

"Demons." I said as we neared Alex's house.

"Got some where else to go?"

"Back to where you killed that demon Thanksgiving night." I held my hand out to him. "And I need your cell."

His eye brow lifted but he handed me his cell. I dialed Alex's number and waited until voicemail picked up. I didn't bother with a message. I hung up and dialed Polo’s number. No answer. I called Marco with the same result. Hayden parked the car and waited for my next move. Alex and the rest must be busy. There's no other reason for them not to answer my call.

"Shower and then I will try them again." I said as I got out the car and started up to stairs to my old apartment. I needed a shower. "Don't let anyone see Satan and Vlad. Manager would be down here banging on the door if she knew I had pets here."

He nodded as he tucked Vlad into his jacket and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Satisfied no one was looking he opened the back door and Satan came bouncing up stairs. I opened the door and he ran in quickly.

Hayden was behind me scanning the woods as we walked into the apartment. I locked the doors up tightly and started pulling my bloody clothes off. I really needed a shower. I looked up to see Hayden's eyes a brown fire above mine. He looked really pissed off. Had I just fucked up and trusted the wrong person?