A Night's Tale Ch. 05

My Dear Readers,

Disclaimer:

What I write is fiction/fantasy/fairy tales for adults. None of my characters are real, no one was injured during the production of my stories and just like on T.V., they all get up when the scene is over, have a beer, remove the makeup and go home, ready to return in the next chapter, all the boo boos healed.

Some spelling and grammatical errors are mine however some are intentional. Which is witch I leave as an exercise for those anal enough to care.

Votes and comments are as always gratefully received. E-mail will get personnel response if you remember to leave me a return e-mail address.

Enjoy.

Dom Woolf

A Night's Tale

Chapter 05: Revenge takes time

Lynn listened to the cussing and banging, the grumps and slamming of doors for three hours before she had just plain had enough. She went out in the living room of the shared apartment and looked at the total shambles in amazement.

Papers and file folders or the remains of what were her neat and once orderly files and folders now lay strewn across the remains of the pretty coffee table and most of the living room floor. The coffee table was mostly a much shattered piece of firewood. One of the overstuffed chairs was going to need to be restuffed and there were several new holes in doors and walls that had not been in evidence when she went to bed some hours earlier.

"Either someone had some very rough sex or there is a pissed off vampire bouncing off the walls."

Heather lifted her head from her knees; she had been sitting on the floor in a corner of the ruined living room arms wrapped around her legs.

"I am both pissed and frustrated."

"There is some good news." Lynn gave a sardonic smile. The disappearances seem to have stopped. I mean there hasn't been another family gone missing in the entire south west in the last three months.

"Not since the family we were protecting was taken right out from under our noses." Heather groused.

"Ahh yeah, since then." Lynn shrugged. "We have done everything we can do. None of the families have turned up alive or dead. The cops don't have a clue. We haven't found any more matches for the girls and you haven't been able to make contact with the elves. I still feel weird saying that.

"That's another thing that is frustrating me." Heather stood up and began collecting the shredded pieces of the living room. Lynn went out to the kitchen for a broom and dustpan and several large trash bags.

"Well according to what you told me earlier. You haven't seen an elf tribe in a long time, over a hundred years I think you said."

"It's been at least that long. But I put out the word to some others I know and the last time anyone has seen an elf tribe was just prior to world war two."

"So that's what? Sixty five years or so. Maybe they went the way of the dodo. Extinct." Lynn stopped and thought still holding the broom and dustpan and the garbage bags.

Heather walked over and dumped the load of trash she had been holding at Lynn's feet. Lynn seemed not to notice; then as if she was coming back from a long ways away, "What if that's why the changelings were being raised by humans?"

"To protect them?"

"Maybe if the tribes were almost gone, it was the only way to insure their safety."

Heather stopped. "The question is from what? From who? And why take the entire family, why not just the girls?"

Lynn shook her head. "I don't know. I am trying to imagine what would have caused them to place their children with humans and another thing why just the girl children?"

Heather looked over at the computers, virtually the only things in the room not trashed. "Do we know it's just the girls?"

Lynn nodded as she dropped the cleaning supplies and headed for the computers. "We ran the same program adjusted for males. Not only did we not get any hits we didn't find a single match. No fey looking boys in a family of wasps or he men. I even ran through the adoption files for the entire southwest."

"Just girls. Why?"

Three nights later after constant badgering from Lynn, they put aside their seemingly unsolvable riddle and went clubbing. Lynn found her capacity for drink had gone way up as well as her need for food. Oh she could get drunk for about twenty minutes. Her metabolism was so high it burned off the alcohol in very little time. She and Heather spent a week or so a few months back going around to some of the rougher bars and getting into drinking contests with themselves as the prize. They made a ton of money and got into a couple of free for all knock down drag out fights. They had a ball.

Lynn noted that even though Heather started out not really enjoying the nightclubs by one o'clock she was flushed, of course that might have had something to do with the really cute stud she had stepped outside with (for a smoke) and the fact that he didn't return when she did.

Heather was not above getting a little blood donation from guys that wanted to do the whole grope and kiss thing in some dark corner. She never hurt them just took a little nibble, which Lynn knew could be orgasmic and which left her dates happy but exhausted.

Lynn headed for the booth the girls had been camped in when the smell hit her senses and set off every alarm she had. She froze in place and drew in a deep breath. Her nostrils flaring as if she was sniffing coke, the woman followed the scent like a bloodhound.

Seconds later she ran through the crowd, slipping through holes between people that were barely there.

"Heather, your not gonna believe what I just found! Our missing girl is here, in this club, right this minute."

Heather just stared up at her friend, her mouth hanging open as if she was watching a person who suddenly sprouted two heads.

"Mara Anis is in this club? How? Where?"

"I haven't seen her but I swear it's her scent and it's coming from that private V.I.P. area in the back." Heather was always careful not to do vamp moves in public, but suddenly she was beside Lynn dragging her through the crowd towards the designated privacy booths.

Two large hulks stood in front of the entrance and both reached for Heather as she attempted to walk past. Heather moved just fast enough to slip their clutches and pushed through the curtain they guarded. Both turned to make a second attempt and Lynn caught them behind their knees, dropping them both in a pile on the floor as she went past.

The curtain opened up on an opulent appointed room with cushions and comfy chairs scattered everywhere. Seated at the center of the room on a sofa only large enough for three was a dark suited man with the most elegant hairdo Lynn had ever seen on a male. Dark almost blue black hair framed a smooth and aristocratic face and piercing brown eyes, eyes that tracked the two women as they walked in and dismissed them in the same glance.

Seated on each side of the dark man were two almost identical girls wearing complimentary outfits that showed a lot of their nearly naked bodies off in a way that was both sexy and a little obscene. Neither girl so much as looked up as Heather came to a stop directly in front of the threesome.

Other bodyguards were closing in and Lynn ignored the confrontation turning to deal with the hired help.

The man on the sofa clapped his hands once and waved off the tide of muscle beginning to surround the area.

He looked almost bored as he glanced at Heather standing before him.

"What may I do to help the guardian of Las Vegas?"

The question surprised both Heather, who hated that moniker and Lynn who had never heard Heathers role defined in such a way. It also made Lynn take a much closer look at the man seated in the center of the room as if he had done something truly remarkable.

"First you can explain how you know me, second you can tell me who the hell you are and finally you can tell me about these underage females you have enthralled."

The man smiled but the smile never reached his eyes. "You are Heather Cross, so that must be your pet. I am Alexandru, Alexandru cel Bun and these are my pets. Come, sit. I am being a poor host. Sit and have a drink." He waved to an empty couch across from his.

Heather flounced down on the couch, but Lynn stayed standing; prowling the area behind the couch watching everything.

"I happen to know these girls are not legal age to be drinking. I also know they and their families are reported as missing, so I'll ask again, how and why are these girls here and where are their families?"

"I believe each of my pets has a legal document showing them to be over the legal age." Again the smile on his face didn't reach the hard pitiless eyes that constantly watched Heather and Lynn. "As you can see them, it is obvious that they are not missing. Unfortunately their families got involved in a blood feud, a very old one. In any war between two powerful factions there are always unintended casualties. I am afraid the families were just a few of many that died for being on the losing side."

Heather sat stunned. Eight families, mothers, brothers, sisters, and fathers dead. "Why?" Lynn froze when she heard Alexandru's statement but her claws began to form.

"CONTROL your pet." Alexandru hissed.

Heather glanced back and shook her head. Lynn growled but changed her claws back into fingers which she closed into white knuckled fists.

He smiled at the women. "Why not tell the tale? Though you will be hearing only the winning side I am afraid. There is no one left to tell the tale from the other point of view."

He relaxed back on his couch and the girls curled up under his arms, giving every sign they were his completely. His hands began to fondle the young women's breast's freeing them from the loose tops they wore and twisting their nipples; emphasizing the fact that they belonged to him. They girls just murmured noises of complete satisfaction.

"I am Alexandru cel Bun. A noble of the land of Moldavia born in the late 1300's I ascended to the throne during a period of time when our country was beset on all sides by enemies. Finally in the Lithuanian Civil War of 1431–1435, we were losing and my people were being slaughtered. My son in law Vlad Dracul of Wallachia came to me with a plan. I would be changed and receive the power to help my people. I died on January 1 of 1432 and rose three days later to begin vanquishing my enemies. I fought for my country for the next two hundred years."

"I was aided in this struggle by two tribes of elves, fierce and loyal warriors who both aided me and protected me during the daylight hours. But in 1657 one of the tribes was turned by the church against me. They slaughtered my loyal guards, raped and burned my wives and destroyed everyone I cared for."

"I escaped with the help of several of my remaining friends and have spent every day since, hunting down and killing every member of that traitorous tribe."

He smiled and for the first time since Heather had seen him the smile was real. "These two young ladies are the last of them. The last anywhere in the world. Their tribe tried to hide them among humans, knowing I was close to wiping them out, but I was able to extract the locations of the last eight from one of their warriors before I drank him dry."

He snapped his fingers.

Six vampires, all female, appeared surrounding Heather and Lynn.

"These are the other missing females. I turned them and soon I will turn these two as well and that will be the end of the tribe, for not only will they not bear any more children, they will become the very thing that the elves fought to destroy. Vampire."

He pointed at Heather and Lynn. "Escort them out of the club."

He paused to fondle the two enthralled girls at his side lifting their miniscule skirts and revealing their naked bodies under the skimpy clothes. "This is not your affair Heather Cross and we have no reason to battle."

Heather nodded, allowing herself and Lynn to be led from the club the noises of sex following them out of the room.

Once outside in the warm night air both women ran for their car.

"We are going to follow them and save those girls aren't we?" Lynn looked at Heather.

"We are going to follow them but those girls may be beyond saving. Most of them he has turned already and the last two are totally enthralled. Saving them may not be possible. Thralls are tied to their Masters. Separating them usually drives the thrall insane."

"What can we do then?"

"Find their daytime sleeping place for one. Scout out their defenses and possibly see if there is any chance to save either one." Heather drummed her finger on the steering wheel. "He is old, far older than me, and way more powerful. A vampire like him will have a lot of defenses in place and more than likely a lot of other vamps with him."

"I thought you guys were loners more or less?"

"Most modern day vampires are. The older vamps come from a time when power and strength meant numbers. The more followers you had the safer you all were and the more powerful you were. Some of the oldest vampires have twenty to a hundred vampires in their little kingdoms. Then they will have another fifty to two hundred thralls both as daytime protectors and as food sources." Heather paused. "Remember these vampires grew up in times when they were the rulers of their own little kingdoms and nobles owned their serfs and peasants. While they were nominally tied to bigger kingdoms and countries, in their own back yards they ruled over life and death from birth to grave."

Heather looked at Lynn. "I know it's hard for you, a modern woman, to imagine but for some of the very oldest the modern world hasn't happened. They still rule their areas of the world as if this was the 14th century. They were and still are the only law in their kingdoms."

Lynn sat thoughtfully. "Sort of like the way some of the Muslim immigrants still hold with honor killings."

"Only a hundred times worse, as far as they are concerned humans are cattle, a food source, and toys for their amusement. Human rights are a joke they just don't get."

They waited in uncomfortable silence until almost dawn but never saw the vampire party leave.

All the next day Lynn worked her computers to try and narrow down properties that the vampire might have bought or leased or rented or just occupied. She napped that afternoon and went over her results with Heather after sundown. They spent the night checking on the various properties without finding the vamps. The next day Lynn expanded her search and found one mansion way out past the town of Pahrump 45 miles west of Las Vegas.

She showed Heather the property when she awoke. It was bought in the 1950's a sprawling 500 acres with high mountains surrounding it on three sides. According to the county records it had several buildings and homes on the property. It also had but one access road and was fenced between the hills at the narrowest portion making the only safe way in a trek across the hills.

This was not at all a problem for either the vampire or the werewolf and ten p.m. found them high up in the hills overlooking the compound.

"Mr. 14th century warlord may not play by today's rules, but he sure doesn't hesitate to use 21st century gadgets. The compound has Infar-red sensors, motion detectors, guards with modern automatic weapons and trained guard dogs." Heather paused to study the main house. "The area surrounding the main house has a clear field of fire for at least a hundred yards in all directions. Barred and inlaid windows on both the first and second floors, so the walls are thick and solid. He has got guards on the roof and walking the perimeter. Heavy solid doors, judging from what I can see from here. The place is a modern fortress"

Lynn lay back against a concealing rock. "I spotted at least 35 - 40 guards and at least twenty vamps not counting the six females and the main man. Add that to the four or five dozen people we saw going in and out of those outer ring of buildings and there must be well over a hundred people in that place."

Heather crouched down and moved over to sit next to Lynn. "We would need a small army to get those girls out."

"Which would be pointless, Miss Cross!" The women spun at the sound of his voice. Standing on a rock ledge behind them was the master vampire himself surrounded by six of the turned female elves.

"I told you the other night this is not your affair. It is the end of an old blood war, one that is now over."

He stood over the two women bathed in moonlight. The wind rippled through his hair, forcing his clothes to cling to his body and Lynn was amazed at the muscles revealed in his arms, his legs, his flat and rippled stomach, and abs. Here was a man clearly in fantastic shape. A war lord born and bred and one that never let himself get soft. Vampires were naturally strong but Lynn could tell that he worked at keeping himself in top physical condition.

Heather started to speak but Alexandru held up a just a finger and her voice died away without a whisper. "This war is finally over and I and my people will return home." He gestured at the female vamps surrounding him. "I will take home the spoils of my victory to show anyone who comes against me the price of defeat.

There was a bright flash and the sound of thunder.

Heather awoke very securely chained to a solid brick wall in a windowless room, across from her on the opposite wall was a very nude, chained, and stretched out Lynn. She appeared to be still unconscious.

Heather wondered why she was still dressed and Lynn was naked. Looking around the room as she used her vampire strength to test her bonds, she noted that the room had only one door. It appeared to be a steel door set flush with the wall in a metal frame. She doubted even her muscles would budge that door.

"Who does a wolf have to kill to get some aspirin around here?"

"How bad are you hurting?"

Lynn groaned as she shifted trying to get comfortable. "Mr. Warlord has one big gorilla with a fist like a Mack truck. I woke up as they were hauling us in here and changed. Gorilla snagged me mid leap with one hand and hit me with the other. Thank god for shifter strength and healing. Anything less and he would have ripped my head clean off."

Heather relaxed; relieved her friend was not hurt badly. "I guess that explains the naked bondage getup." She laughed as Lynn looked down her naked body and survived the restraints.

"Yeah!" I have got to figure out a way to carry a change of clothes while running around as a wolf."

"Good luck with that! In the meantime we may be in a bit of trouble here."

Lynn strained against the metal cuffs holding her arms and legs. "Maybe if I can change, I might be able to break these but I think I'd break my limbs before I got fully furry."

"Our captor has had a bit of experience holding supernatural beings captive." Heather pointed out. "I don't think he would have left us much wiggle room."

"So what now, boss lady?

"We wait and see what He has in store."

"Not that I think we have much future ahead of us but just in case do you realize you're bleeding?"

Heather began checking what she could see of herself. She finally noticed a small trickle of blood seeping out from under the cuff of her left wrist.

"I see it. There must have been a sharp edge under this cuff. What I don't understand is why it hasn't stopped bleeding?"

The door of the cell made a snapping sound and opened into the cell. Lynn's gorilla was standing in the doorway. He stepped inside and next to the wall. A much smaller vampire was revealed standing just outside the cell. His hair was silver with age, he face lined and his eye had no whites left, just the black sheen that only the very ancient vamps get.

"Miss Cross. I have a supply of blood here for you and a meal for your pet. Two conditions. One, you give your word not to try to escape. Two, you leave your pet chained up; you may feed her but not release her.