Mikaine

Chapter Two

“Is this really the best you can do, Gabriel?” Vaultine demanded. “This isn’t much better than those dirty runaways you insist upon taking care of.”

“She,” Gabriel couldn’t help but put emphasis upon that word, “is a college student who has a GPA of 4.0 and is on a full scholarship.”

Vaultine blinked surprised at that piece of news as well as the praise she heard in Gabriel’s voice. “And why would you want to take her away from all of that?”

“Trust me, I have a good reason.”

Vaultine looked at the beautiful blonde young woman unconscious on Gabriel’s bed. “She won’t be missed.”

“Not for almost a month and I have something in place to explain away her absence if you agree. Plus, she’s very pretty.”

Vaultine smiled thinly. “Should I be jealous?”

Gabriel smiled at his sire. “You know you’re my one and only. Besides, we’ll be doing her a favor. She’ll be happier with us.”

“Wow. She must have done a number on you. Okay, I’ll check her out.” Vaultine rolled the girl over and studied her thoughtfully. Gabriel was a bleeding heart for a vampire. If it weren’t for his loyalty and… other attributes she would have given up on him a long time ago.

The girl really was beautiful, Vaultine supposed. Men would have gone to war for her years ago. Vampirism would turn her into a knockout. She had no fashion sense but Vaultine supposed that some of that could be taught. Gabriel only seemed interested in the girl platonically so Vaultine touched her mind and understood. “So that’s what he sees,” she murmured.

She stood and looked into the vibrant green eyes of her sometimes paramour. “Very well, Gabe,” Vaultine said, “if you wish to turn her you may. But understand that she will be your responsibility. You know the drill. You’ll be in charge of protecting her, teaching her our ways, and training her. As I did you.”

Gabriel didn’t bother correcting Vaultine; he simply gave a nod. “I understand. Thank you, Vaultine.”

Vaultine grinned at him. “You can thank me later.” Vaultine sashayed out of the room. Gabriel sat down and pulled the still sleeping Jessica into his arms. She had no real ties to the human world so this change wouldn’t be too hard on her.

He brushed her hair aside and bit down. His closed his eyes allowing her emotions and the pleasure of feeding to drift over him. When her heartbeat slowed he pulled away and bit his own wrist pressing the wound to her lips. With her last bit of strength she swallowed. Once she slumped against him he slid her shoes off and covered her up.

“Everything is going to be okay,” he promised. “I swear to you, things are about to get better.” Gabriel left her to her sleep and went to go find his sire and thank her properly.

Jessica awoke the next evening feeling hungrier than she ever had in her life. She sat up and the room immediately began spinning. “Oh, God…” she whispered. Her stomach lurched and she stood shakily, which made her knees buckle, forcing her back to the bed. The door opened and she looked up to see the man who had kidnapped her. She tried to move away but still felt to weak to move. He simply walked to her and knelt in front of her.

“Calm down, Jessica,” he said calmly. “You’re panicking and it’s making it worse.”

“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered hoarsely. “Did you drug me?”

He laughed. “Well, in a way. The way you’re feeling is perfectly natural. I’m sorry, I let you sleep too long. You’ll feel better once you’ve fed.”

“Fed? I don’t understand.”

“I know, and I’ll be happy to explain everything once you’ve fed and feel better.” He extended his arm and she stared at it. “Um… here.” He brought his wrist to his mouth and bit down on it. Her eyes widened as she saw a glimpse of his fangs as he pulled his hand away. He held the bleeding appendage out to her.

“What are you?” she asked transfixed by the blood welling up. She could smell it and it made her stomach clench painfully. She had never felt this hungry before.

“I took care of the hard part,” he told her. “You need to feed before I start to heal.” She found herself reaching for his wrist. He moved closer as she brought his wrist to her mouth. She met his green eyes as she put her mouth over his wound. His blood flooded into her mouth. She closed her eyes; it was heavenly.

The dizziness faded slowly as she drank more and more. Finally, he reached out touching her head. “Enough, honey,” he murmured. She pulled away with a final lick and looked into his eyes. “So, how do you feel?”

“Mmm… wonderful.” It was true. The dizziness was gone and she felt perfect was the only way to describe it. She felt strong and alert as though she could take on the world. “What am I? Who are you? Where are we? What-?”

“Let’s slow down, shall we?” he asked with a smile. “My name is Gabriel and we’re in upstate Maine in one of my homes.”

“What am I?” she asked again.

He smiled. “Can’t you guess?”

“Yes, but I’d rather not.”

He chuckled at that. “You’re a vampire.” Her gray eyes widened and she got to her feet.

“I…can’t really dispute that considering that I just drank your blood, but…”

“I know this is hard to accept. Believe me, I do understand, I’ve been through this.” He stood and she realized how small she was in comparison. “I turned you so I’ll be with you until you’re strong enough to take care of yourself. I’m your sire so you’re my responsibility.”

“Why me?”

“Several reasons. First, you have no family to miss you.”

“My mother-”

“I truly hope that I’m not about to offend you, Jessica, but after five years married to that man who hurt you-”

“I know she’ll never win moth of the year… but … She’s still my mom and I don’t want her to worry about me.”

“She won’t. Your car is sitting at the bottom of Lake Malachi.”

“So… I’m dead.”

“As far as the human world is concerned, yes. Although, we prefer the term vampire.”

“Aren’t you dead?” He took her hand a brought it to his chest. She felt the strong beat of his heart under her hand.

“My heart still beats. I still breathe. I’m alive, I have been for 898 years.” Jessica blinked and sat down heavily. He sat next to her.

“I’ll live forever?”

“If you manage to avoid the sun, sharp pointy objects, getting her head cut off, and fire- yes.”

“I still don’t understand why you chose to turn me.” Her eyes widened. “Unless…” Gabriel was an amazingly good looking man but Jessica didn’t like the idea of having her entire life uprooted just so a man could sleep with her. He’d really be disappointed when he found out that she really lacked in experience, especially in comparison to him.

“No,” he assured her. “Nothing sexual. Vaultine would have my balls as a trophy if I slept around on her. I was at that party for a quick bite to eat when I saw you. You looked so… defeated, so I went to you. Then we talked and you told me all about your life.”

“I don’t even know why I did that,” Jessica shrugged. “I’ve never told anyone about my family.

“But I was so easy to talk to, right?” he asked with an apologetic smile. “That would be my doing. I made you trust me just enough to open up so I could tell that I was making the right choice. Underhanded, I know but you do what you have to.”

“Why was it so important to you?”

He gave her a crooked grin. “Because I have a weakness for damsels in distress. Anyhow, we talked and I just knew that you deserved a better life.”

“That’s why?”

“Your home life was deplorable. You wouldn’t allow yourself to have any friends. Plus, you’re one of the people who can thrive as one of us.” He was giving her more questions, not less.

“What do you mean?”

“Certain people can handle eternal life. They’re probably one in a million.” He stood. “Come on, I’ll show you around while we talk.” She followed him out into the hall.

“How many are there, of you?” Jessica asked looking around as he led her down the hall. Painting hung on the wall, all looked like originals. The floors were covered in beautiful thick carpet that felt wonderful on Jessica’s bare feet.

“3,274, as of last night.”

“You keep your numbers documented?”

“It’s important that we keep track of our… members for lack of a better word. That’s why it’s illegal to turn someone without the vampire who began your line’s permission.”

“If you don’t have permission?”

“Depends upon the situation. Worst case scenario; both you and your childe would be killed.”

“Oh…”

“And before you ask, yes, I had permission.”

“Good.” They started walking down an elegant spiral staircase. “What’s a line?”

“Line refers to what vampire’s blood you’ve been given came from.”

“Okay. What line are you from?”

“I’m an example of what happens when one line takes your blood and another replenishes is. I’m technically part of Vaultine’s line but I exhibit characteristics of Serine’s line as well. You have my blood so odds are you’ll be the same.”

“What characteristics?”

“Will you scream if I just show you?”

“I… don’t think I will.”

“Good.” He stepped back and suddenly was behind her touching her shoulder. She gasped, turning around, but true to her word, she didn’t scream. He was hovering a foot off of the ground.

“Wow,” she breathed.

“Teleportation and flight,” he announced. “Those come from Vaultine.” He took his shirt off and kicked off his shoes.

Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

“This is something you have to see to believe.” He unbuttoned his pants and she looked away.

“Why are you undressing?”

“I don’t want to ruin my clothes,” he said as though it should be obvious. She just stared at his face incredulously. She didn’t dare look anywhere else. He winked at her before closing her eyes and concentrating. She could hold back her gasp as his body convulsed, his legs shortening, his nose growing into a muzzle, and black fur growing all over his body.

Soon a black wolf stood looking at her through Gabriel’s green eyes. She couldn’t help but compare this to the werewolf movies that she had seen. None of them had gotten it right. The change was so smooth and natural. He shifted back but laid still on his back breathing hard.

“Are you okay?” she asked coming around to look at him.

“Yeah… I’ve just never done all of that at the same time.”

“Oh. Would you put your pants on then?”

He chuckled looking up at her. “Does my naked body bother you, Jessica?”

“Yes!” Jessica had to admit he had a beautiful body but she had way too much on her mind to really appreciate it. Still smiling, he got to his feet and put his jeans on. “So… Serine’s lines are werewolves?”

“Shapeshifters,” he corrected sprawling out on the couch. She sat across from him. “They, we, can assume any form as long as it’s a mammal. Serine herself has no such limitations. If she can imagine it she can become it.”

“Wow.”

“You okay so far?”

“I’m dealing.”

“Jessica, I swear to you, I will take care of you. You are my childe, my responsibility. This life really isn’t so bad. In fact, once you get used to it it’s quite enjoyable.”

She smiled faintly. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for that.”

“And I guess I’ll have to convince you. It looks like you’re about the same size as May. Go ahead upstairs to the room you were in. There’s an adjacent bathroom you can use to take a shower if you want. I’ll have something waiting once you get out.”

“Thank you.” Jessica took Gabriel’s advice and took a long hot shower, during which she contemplated what she was going to miss about her old life. She came up with very little: just her mom and college. Gabriel was right: she had no real life.

When she stepped out of the shower a complete outfit was laying on top of the hamper. She hoped he had had someone else put it there. She dried her hair and brushed it before getting dressed. When she looked into the mirror she lost her breath. This couldn’t be her; she wasn’t this pretty.

Her hair, once a drab dirty blonde was now a rich honey color with natural highlights. Her eyes though still the same gray color seemed sharper. Her body, which Jessica had never been exceedingly proud of now held curves that she had once thought of as just fat. Her figure appeared to have transformed seemingly overnight into that of a woman and it terrified her. What else would vampirism change about her?

Now dispirited and confused, she walked down the stairs where she met Gabriel. He came forward looking concerned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I looked different,” she pouted.

He blinked before smiling. “You’re the first vampire that I’ve ever met to lament that fact. Vampires are seductive creatures. It’s only natural that the enchanted blood enhance our natural looks.” Somewhat mollified by that she followed him outside. The moonlight blinded her for a couple seconds. “Your eyes can see in almost complete darkness.”

“Anything we can’t do?”

He blinked before smiling. “I never really thought about it, but very little actually. Every line has their limitations. For example, I had to train very hard to learn to defend myself. Our line has no natural abilities when it comes to weaponry or fighting. Combined though, there’s very little that we cannot do.”

That was a staggering thought. It also brought forth even more questions. “Why the secrecy? We could rule the world.”

“What they lack in supernatural abilities humans make up for in sheer numbers. Plus, most is us are happy coexisting. Why? Would you like to rule the world?”

“Tempting, but I can barely take care of myself.”

He laughed. “Good answer.”

“What are you going?” she asked as he led her to a truck.

“To town. There you’ll have your first lesson on interacting with humans normally, and how to influence them.”