VAMPYRE

..CHAPTER THREE

He lay beside her while she slept, thinking about what this visit from his long lost dead brother. He had no doubt that is was his bother, no matter that he should be dead. As I, too, should be dead. He thought about his brother then and knew that there would be trouble. The only thing that had saved him from the same fate as Anna was that Peter had believed him already dead. It seems I shall have my time with him after all. He smiled then, a cold, heartless smile as a grim purpose filled him once again. And, he thought, 'vengeance is mine, saith the Lord' and thought, after mine, perhaps.
The storm raged throughout the night into to the wee hours before dawn. Mikhail, as he now called himself, was angry as it made the hunting more difficult. The sheep, as he thought of his prey, were soft and less apt to be out on a night such as this. Well, he thought, I know where to find them. Hailing a cab, he headed for the heart of the city proper, where, it was said, 'the city never sleeps.'
There was music coming form so many different directions that he found himself at a loss, where to begin. Ah, night in the city, he mused, not like the old days at all. And sure enough, just ahead, a woman alone, looking distraught bundled against the cold, came out of a nearby eatery. He wasted no time.
"Pardon me, Miss. Can I assist you in getting a cab?" Her eyes were wide, as she looked up at him, frightened at first, then relieved. He was right, she was distraught and had obviously been crying.
"Thank you, sir." She thought, to herself, serve Jonathan right to see being rescued from the night by such a finely dressed man. She was drunk, of course, but what of it. She entered the cab thinking that if the man was half the gentleman he seemed she might even invite him in for a nightcap.
"It upset me to see you all alone out in this. And," he added, "if you don't mind my saying it, you seemed quite distraught. Has someone tried to harm you? Should we alert the authorities?"
"No, thank you, I'll be alright now." She assured him. Sighing heavily, she added, "I just had an argument with my boyfriend, again."
"Perhaps," he ventured, "he's not worthy of you?" She smiled, as he knew she would while he thought how easy the 'sheep' of today were fooled by the hunter.
"Why, thank you." She brightened and tried to freshen up her face in a small mirror. "I appreciate your help and your kindness. You're not from the city are you? I'm sorry, you've an accent."
It was his turn to smile. The women here were often attracted to him more because of his accent. Once he had been told that the American woman found foreign men exotic, how very droll. "I am from Eastern Europe." He told her.
"I thought so," She nodded sagely, "my neighbors are from Poland or somewhere like that and your accent is similar. It is very intriguing."
He laughed and in truth was amused. She was full of chatter, this one. "Forgive me," he said, "I have been rude. My name is Mikhail. And you are?" She held out her tiny hand to be engulfed by his large one, "Denise. I am pleased to meet you."
"Charmed." He returned with a large smile. That seemed to please her all the more and so, in the Old World way, he kissed her hand. He was instantly rewarded when she blushed.
She continued to chatter all the way to her apartment but his mind was elsewhere. He wondered at his bother, another predator who stalked the night. But, he knew that Peter's one failing was his weakness over Anna. Still, Peter was not one to fall for the women of this age and Mikhail could only marvel at his attraction to the one he had seen earlier. She was not like Anna. If she were Mikhail would have taken her for himself just as he had centuries ago. Ah, the thought of that beautiful creature still haunted him as much as it did Peter. His mood soured then, he had not wanted to destroy her. He'd only wanted her to come away with him. Away from Peter who was not worthy of her. But she would not leave him. She professed a love so deep, for Peter, swore she would rather die than be parted from him. And so, Mikhail had unleashed the rage and destroyed the only woman he had ever loved. Now he was but a beast to roam the night and consume the life in these sheep, the sheep whose blood was thin and devoid of spirit. A hand on his arm startled him.
"Mikhail? She looked concerned.
"I am fine," he assured her. "I was just thinking how terrible a thing it is when a man has a wonderful woman who loves him and doesn't appreciate what he has."
"You are a most unusual man." She said then, realizing that she had heard his line a hundred times and yet never, she thought, had it sounded so sincere. That was what decided her on the instant; yes, she would invite this man in for a nightcap. Her face lit with a smile that she was certain informed of it as well.
Yes, thought the beast that had once been human, he would dine well this night. A predatory smile spread across his face and of course he knew she would be thinking it merely in terms of sexuality. These creatures of the 20th century were so utterly predictable.

To Be Continued....

He lay beside her while she slept, thinking about what this visit from his long lost dead brother. He had no doubt that is was his bother, no matter that he should be dead. As I, too, should be dead. He thought about his brother then and knew that there would be trouble. The only thing that had saved him from the same fate as Anna was that Peter had believed him already dead. It seems I shall have my time with him after all. He smiled then, a cold, heartless smile as a grim purpose filled him once again. And, he thought, 'vengeance is mine, saith the Lord' and thought, after mine, perhaps. The storm raged throughout the night into to the wee hours before dawn. Mikhail, as he now called himself, was angry as it made the hunting more difficult. The sheep, as he thought of his prey, were soft and less apt to be out on a night such as this. Well, he thought, I know where to find them. Hailing a cab, he headed for the heart of the city proper, where, it was said, 'the city never sleeps.' There was music coming form so many different directions that he found himself at a loss, where to begin. Ah, night in the city, he mused, not like the old days at all. And sure enough, just ahead, a woman alone, looking distraught bundled against the cold, came out of a nearby eatery. He wasted no time. "Pardon me, Miss. Can I assist you in getting a cab?" Her eyes were wide, as she looked up at him, frightened at first, then relieved. He was right, she was distraught and had obviously been crying. "Thank you, sir." She thought, to herself, serve Jonathan right to see being rescued from the night by such a finely dressed man. She was drunk, of course, but what of it. She entered the cab thinking that if the man was half the gentleman he seemed she might even invite him in for a nightcap. "It upset me to see you all alone out in this. And," he added, "if you don't mind my saying it, you seemed quite distraught. Has someone tried to harm you? Should we alert the authorities?" "No, thank you, I'll be alright now." She assured him. Sighing heavily, she added, "I just had an argument with my boyfriend, again." "Perhaps," he ventured, "he's not worthy of you?" She smiled, as he knew she would while he thought how easy the 'sheep' of today were fooled by the hunter. "Why, thank you." She brightened and tried to freshen up her face in a small mirror. "I appreciate your help and your kindness. You're not from the city are you? I'm sorry, you've an accent." It was his turn to smile. The women here were often attracted to him more because of his accent. Once he had been told that the American woman found foreign men exotic, how very droll. "I am from Eastern Europe." He told her. "I thought so," She nodded sagely, "my neighbors are from Poland or somewhere like that and your accent is similar. It is very intriguing." He laughed and in truth was amused. She was full of chatter, this one. "Forgive me," he said, "I have been rude. My name is Mikhail. And you are?" She held out her tiny hand to be engulfed by his large one, "Denise. I am pleased to meet you." "Charmed." He returned with a large smile. That seemed to please her all the more and so, in the Old World way, he kissed her hand. He was instantly rewarded when she blushed. She continued to chatter all the way to her apartment but his mind was elsewhere. He wondered at his bother, another predator who stalked the night. But, he knew that Peter's one failing was his weakness over Anna. Still, Peter was not one to fall for the women of this age and Mikhail could only marvel at his attraction to the one he had seen earlier. She was not like Anna. If she were Mikhail would have taken her for himself just as he had centuries ago. Ah, the thought of that beautiful creature still haunted him as much as it did Peter. His mood soured then, he had not wanted to destroy her. He'd only wanted her to come away with him. Away from Peter who was not worthy of her. But she would not leave him. She professed a love so deep, for Peter, swore she would rather die than be parted from him. And so, Mikhail had unleashed the rage and destroyed the only woman he had ever loved. Now he was but a beast to roam the night and consume the life in these sheep, the sheep whose blood was thin and devoid of spirit. A hand on his arm startled him. "Mikhail? She looked concerned. "I am fine," he assured her. "I was just thinking how terrible a thing it is when a man has a wonderful woman who loves him and doesn't appreciate what he has." "You are a most unusual man." She said then, realizing that she had heard his line a hundred times and yet never, she thought, had it sounded so sincere. That was what decided her on the instant; yes, she would invite this man in for a nightcap. Her face lit with a smile that she was certain informed of it as well. Yes, thought the beast that had once been human, he would dine well this night. A predatory smile spread across his face and of course he knew she would be thinking it merely in terms of sexuality. These creatures of the 20th century were so utterly predictable.
To Be Continued....

On to Chapter 4?