Thirstless Blood Ch. 01

It was not long before his hunger ached at his throat and he stepped forward. "Excuse me," he said, the dryness in his voice cracking under these first words he'd spoken in so long. "You fine boys wouldn't know where I could get a good bite to eat?"

The dark-haired priest was quick to his feet; the redheaded boy could only gape at the naked man that stood behind them. The soft light of the solitary lamp seemed to make the man glow, as though his skin was not flesh but instead alabaster. And, between his legs, the cock jutting proudly seemed to be made of stone.

"Who are you?" Father Adams, the dark-haired youth, demanded, coming around the deep chair he had been sitting in. A deep flush crept up from his collar, though he had been doing nothing wrong. Father Michaels and he had only been chatting and sharing a few glasses of brandy. This man had no right here, coming here like some voyeur, sneaking in behind them, in that disgraceful state. "You can't be here!"

The stranger crossed through the light for less than a second, but his face revealed sent Father Adams stumbling back. "Oh CHrist Almighty," he barely whispered before the blow struck the side of his head. The sound of cracking bone echoed in the room, but by then Michal was already kneeling in front of the second priest, holding the cherub-faced boy by the jaw.

"Uhn-uh," the kid managed from between his pinched cheeks, his eyes wide saucers of terror.

"Shh now, lad," Michal whispered, trying to grin seductively though knowing his gaunt face must look more ghastly than a corpse's. He let his other hand caress the front of the man's trousers, hearing the waspy sound the parchment of his skin made against the fabric. A stench of ammonia wafted up to him and his fingers found a spreading wetness. Michal thought of whispering more soft words but the boy's terror was too overpowering and his teeth broke flesh at the kid's throat.

The rush of blood filling his mouth immediately made him dizzy, but he sucked as if he were drowning, and his hand seized upon the boy's cock. Beneath his trousers, the young priest did not register his terror and all thoughts centered on the unknown passion inside him. Michal squeezed the priest-boy's cock as his own insides were flooded with the thick taste of life. It was almost too late before Michal remembered himself and broke away from the dying man. As the priest's cock insistently twitched against his leg, still waiting for release, Michal reached up and yanked the boy's head forward. Listening to the neck-bone crack, Michal kissed the boy's forehead. "I'm sorry, poor lad," he whispered. "Go on, now. Go to God."

The second priest did not prove to be so tasty a morsel.

Michal sat against the wall, his grin the only light in the room, the odd candle-lamp having been knocked aside earlier. It wasn't only the new life filling him that had him glowing; the specks of memories he had gleaned from the second boy lit a burning curiosity for this new age. Michal felt eager to run into the new world, to see and to learn. The boy was already unconscious when Michal few and the images from him were jumbled and cloudy, but they gave some idea of the strange times Michal had woke in.

There was still a third priest in the church. An elderly man, upstairs, asleep. The thought of feeding again roused Michal from his thoughts and he paused to wipe the gore from his face before he went in search of the stairs.

The priest was still asleep when the vampire entered his cell, and Michal waited as the old man rubbed his eyes clear. It took a moment for the old man to focus in the dimness, but he immediately crossed himself when he saw Michal.

Michal grinned as he snatched a chair nearby and straddled the wooden seat. He leaned forward over the bed and placed one hand gently on the old man's chest. "Forgive me, Father," he whispered. "Forgive my sins."

In the hour before dawn, Michal returned to the cellar. Earlier, he had found the shower-stalls the priests used and danced under the artificial rain. Odd-smelling soaps perfumed his body and he laughed at his reflection, at how quickly his flesh had filled out. He thought it would have taken nights to regain his appearance and pass among the humans unnoticed, but it seemed that his body re-cooperated much quicker than ever before. He found clothing that more or less fit in one of the younger priests rooms, and the idea of costuming himself in the stolen vestments of this false holy order made him laugh.

In the furthest corner of the cellar, Michal gathered himself for sleep. He would not embarrass his honor by digging into the ground, but he did not feel entirely safe in this new world and felt himself tense even as he closed his eyes. As he slipped into sleep, he smiled, impatient for the sunset and the new life he would find.