Before Sunrise Ch. 03

Got the next chapter out far sooner than the last one. Hope you're all still enjoying the tale. As always, please feel free to leave constructive criticism but outright abuse will not be tolerated and those comments will be immediately deleted. Thanks for reading! I appreciate each and every one of you!

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"A witch?" Ras repeated what Dana, his new lover, had just revealed to him. "How have you kept this secret from everyone in the clan? Especially Solomon and Elizabeth?"

"When they first met me," Dana began her answer, "I had no idea what I was, only that I could make things happen that I shouldn't be able to do. If Solomon and Elizabeth suspected anything then they never let on that they knew. After I did my research into my lineage and found out who I was, I began to concentrate more on my power and my craft so that I could keep Solomon and Elizabeth in the dark about it and possibly defeat them should the unthinkable happen. I'm still not sure I could do it alone, but I think you and I could defeat them together."

"Defeat them?! Defeat them?!" Ras mimicked in question twice. "There have been twelve instances that I know of where someone or some-'thing' has challenged Solomon and Elizabeth and no one has ever come close to defeating them. They are immeasurably powerful! I'm a very powerful being in my own right but I don't think there's any way I could beat them in a confrontation no matter who helped."

"But they've never gone up against a being as powerful as you and a High Priestess of the Dark Midnight coven. They would..."

"Tear through us like a buzz saw through lumber..." Ras interrupted her thought. "I've seen some powerful entities go up against them and lose quickly. You might get the best of one of them, but they're an unstoppable team. No, thanks, Dana. You should just keep up your charade and try to keep them at bay as long as possible until you can figure out how to escape from their reach."

"Are you that afraid of them?" Dana asked.

"I'm not afraid of anything, Dana." He replied, a little annoyed at her insinuation. "I'm being realistic. It would take a lot of power and even more luck to destroy the two of them."

At that moment, the alarm on Ras's cell phone went off. "Ten minutes until sunrise. Are you staying here today?"

"Are you kicking me out now that you know what I am?" Dana answered with her own question.

"I had a suspicion you weren't an ordinary human. It's a bit of a shock but nothing I can't handle. Officially, we're supposed to hate each other, yknow. It's been set down for hundreds of years that our two peoples do not get along."

Dana moved closer then pressed her moist lips to his and slid her tongue into his mouth. As she broke the kiss, she replied to Ras's statement. "Let's try to change that." With that, she switched the light off and the two new lovers snuggled close to one another to sleep the day away. Sunset was a little over eleven hours away.

++++++++++

Detective Joe Abramson sat at his desk in the 44^th Precinct building as Ras and Dana settled into bed and the sun began to rise. He hadn't been home in over two days, which did not worry his wife of twenty-three years. She was used to him not coming home for days at a time, as long as he called to let her know he was OK, just working on a case. Truth be told, she liked it when he would call and tell her that he wasn't coming home. Those were the nights that she would forgo dinner and head down to Remy's for a few drinks or possibly Maxxy's to watch the male strippers shake their packages at the frenzied female audience. Even more truth be told, Mrs. Abramson would, on those nights, wind up in the bed of a certain Latin lothario named Emmanuel that did landscaping work for her neighbor across the street.

Joe Abramson knew all about his wife and the Mexican gardener's secret trysts while he was working. His truth was that he didn't care. He supposed he still loved his wife but had no desire to be physical with her. His real love was detective work. It had been since he was ten years old when his father, also a cop, had given him his worn-out copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles, his favorite Sherlock Holmes novel. Joe read and re-read the old hardback until the pages began falling out, but it served its purpose: Joe was hooked on detective work. He just knew he wanted to be a detective and strived through school, college, and the lower levels of the police bureau to work his way there. His mind was sharp and analytical and he nearly always solved cases thrown his way, except for one that had been ongoing for many years- the case of the continually disappearing women.

For more years than he could remember, there were reports of young women disappearing in Gravel City and a larger area that stretched from Port Huron in the east to Holland and the lakeshore communities in the west. How many women? No one knew for sure. Records from The Depression era were spotty at best. There were a few newspaper clippings from the Thirties that spoke of young women at a local secretarial school vanishing. The Forties were consumed by the war so many of the disappearances went by the wayside. Rumors picked back up in the Fifties when UFO's were all the rage. The Sixties and Seventies were volatile times with Vietnam and Watergate- not much was said then. Every decade had reports of these women vanishing from the face of the Earth, but no one really took it to heart like Joe Abramson. He was determined to find the cause of the disappearances no matter what.

Both reverence and ridicule followed the good detective through the ranks of the police force and the community at large. They were all grateful to him for solving murders and robberies and considered him a valuable piece of the law enforcement puzzle. But everyone also knew that Detective Abramson was chasing a conspiracy theory. A story as big as the Loch Ness Monster or Sasquatch or Roswell in south central Lower Michigan. The Case of the Disappearing Women. And Joe Abramson was at the forefront of the case.

But Joe Abramson knew. He knew there was an explanation. People just don't vanish into thin air. They're taken by someone or something. But what kind of person or being is capable of abducting women for more than seventy years? That was the nut that the grizzled detective had yet to crack. Now there was a new missing persons case on his desk. One that fit the pattern of the last eight decades of missing women. But this one was different. This one had an actual lead.

Jennifer Sutherland, a mid-twenties beauty had been missing for a week. She had last been seen in the company of her new boyfriend, a tall dark figure approximately thirty years old who drove a rare bright red Japanese sports car. After cross checking the make and model of the car with DMV records, the intrepid inspector found that there were only six of those crimson machines registered in the state of Michigan. Three in Detroit, two in the Upper Peninsula, and one right here in Gravel City to a mysterious man with the last name of Delevan. Further internet sleuthing turned up the mystery man's home address but no driver's license or records. After a quick shower and change of clothes in the locker room, Detective Abramson would pay a visit to Mr. Delevan's last known residence to see if he had any knowledge as to the whereabouts of the missing Miss Sutherland.

++++++++++

Dana heard the knock at the door and looked at her cell phone. 8:37am. She had barely been asleep two hours before the interruption. She looked over at Ras sleeping peacefully. Either he did not hear the knock or did not care. Either way, Dana knew he would not answer the door during the day. She quickly found a robe hanging on a hook on the back of the door and shuffled to the front room to answer the door. Dana peered through the peephole and saw a shorter man in a brown suit holding a badge in his left hand. Dana opened the door with the chain still latched to speak with the man on the other side.

"Can I help you?" Dana asked the plain-clothed officer.

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am," the man replied. "I'm Detective Abramson, GCPD. I'm looking for a Mr. Rasmussen Delevan. Would he be home by any chance?"

"I'm sorry but he's not here right now," Dana lied to the detective. "What's this all about?"

"Could I come in for a minute, ma'am?" Abramson asked. "I'd like to ask a couple questions if you'd permit me?"

"Give me a minute, Detective." Dana closed the door then hurried to shut the door to the bedroom where Ras was sleeping. She didn't want to chance any stray beams of sunlight creeping into the chamber and she wanted to hide him from the police officer. After concealing the room, Dana went back to the front door and let the officer in.

"Please come in, Detective...?" Dana had forgotten the man's name.

"Abramson, ma'am." He replied. "Detective Joe Abramson. And you are?"

"Dana Evans." She responded. "What's this all about, Detective Abramson."

"Miss Evans, I'm investigating the disappearance of a young woman named Jennifer Sutherland. Do you know her?"

"No, I can't say that I do." Dana answered matter-of-factly.

"Has Mr. Delevan spoken of her before" Joe continued.

"I don't believe I've ever heard him speak that name." she answered, telling the truth.

"How long have you known Mr. Delevan, ma'am?" the detective went on, peering into her green eyes for any telltale signs of deceit.

"For some time now," she lied again. "At least six months."

"And do you live here with Mr. Delevan?" Joe asked, continuing his inquisition.

Dana did not lie this time, "No, I have my own place. We were out late last night and I decided to stay here instead of going home. Please tell me that staying the night in the company of an attractive man isn't a crime, Detective Abramson."

"Not at all, ma'am," Joe replied with no humor to his tone. "I noticed that the car that's registered to Mr. Delevan is still in the basement garage. Does he have another car?"

"No," Dana replied, "Not that I'm aware of." She knew where the detective was going with this line and she thought quickly. "He must have carpooled with some friends to work today. He does that now and then. He's very conscious of the carbon footprint he's leaving for the next generation."

"That's very astute of him," Joe shot back, not believing a word of the attractive redhead's story. "when do you expect him back, ma'am?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure," she countered. "Sometimes he works well into the night."

"And where does Mr. Delevan work, ma'am?" Joe asked. Dana was waiting for this question and had been formulating her answer for the last few minutes.

"I'm not exactly sure. I know it's a government job but that's about it. It's very hush-hush. Classified, yknow?"

"I understand, ma'am." The detective responded, still not buying any of the tale Dana was spinning for him.

"Would you like some coffee, Detective?" Dana asked, hoping he would decline her offer. "I was just about to make some to get my day started."

At this, Joe stood up from the leather couch and smoothed his trousers. "No, ma'am. Thank you. I won't take up any more of your time." He then reached into his pocket and produced a business card with his name and phone number on it. "Please give this to Mr. Delevan when you see him and ask him to call me. I do need to speak with him as soon as possible."

Dana took the card then walked the officer to the door. "I certainly will, Detective. And I hope you find the missing girl soon."

"Cases like these rarely have a happy ending, Miss Evans." Joe replied then asked another question a la Columbo. "One more thing, ma'am. Were you with Mr. Delevan last Saturday night?"

"Why, yes I was, Detective." Dana lied once more. "We went out to dinner at Top Cat's then came back here. I hope you won't ask what happened then, sir."

"Not at all, ma'am," Joe answered again with not a hint of humor in his voice. "enjoy the rest of your day and please have Mr. Delevan call me when you see him. Thank you for your time."

After the cop left the apartment, Dana swiftly closed and locked the door. She then looked in on Ras. She saw that he was still peacefully slumbering and crawled back into bed beside him but did not fall back to sleep. She knew she was NOT with Ras last Saturday. She was pretty sure the woman the detective was looking for most likely was with Ras last Saturday. And she ventured a guess as to what happened to the girl last Saturday. She had been around Ras's kind long enough to know what happened eventually to young women that kept their company. She did not fear for herself. She knew how to take care of herself in anyone's company. She was formulating a plan and, with Ras's help, she just might be able to pull it off. She just had to convince him. They would talk more later that night.

++++++++++

The alarm on Ras's phone went off at 7:32pm, five minutes after sunset. Ras woke as usual but felt a craving inside him that he knew all too well: He was hungry. But not for food. His eyes flashed with fire and he turned to surprise his bed-mate and feast on her life-sustaining fluids. But Dana was not next to him in the bed. Throwing off the covers, he slammed through his apartment looking for the female to satiate his desire. He found her in the kitchen cooking a light meal. But that was not the meal he craved. Ras swiftly reached out for her to attack the artery in Dana's neck but instead felt a bolt of electricity flow through his body as he touched her. He screamed out in agony as he flew backward across the room and slammed into the wall on the other side of the living room furniture.

Dana rushed to her stunned lover, crumpled on to the floor of his spacious apartment. "Ras! Are you OK?!" she cried as she helped him to his feet. Dazed, Ras's eyes went from red back to the deep black he was born with and he shook the cobwebs from his head before he spoke.

"I think so... What happened?" he asked the pretty redhead that was helping him to the couch. She sat him down then took the spot next to him.

"You woke up blood-lusting," she responded. "My instincts must have involuntarily known. When you grabbed me, everything went white and I felt a surge of power go through me and outward to you in defense. That's only happened once before when I felt that my life was threatened. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'll be fine..." Ras replied, rubbing his temples and shaking the residual shock from his arms and hands. "Feels like I grabbed on to an electrical line." He dabbed at his forehead and felt his own perspiration. "I haven't sweat in over twenty years." He looked at Dana who still had a look of concern on her face. He smiled at her to show that his teeth had retracted. "Guess I'll have to be more careful around you when I wake up."

Dana began to softly cry at Ras's joke, "Maybe I should have just let you... I've thought about it in the past with Solomon and Elizabeth, but I didn't want to be theirs... But now that I've found you..."

"No, Dana..." Ras interrupted. "That is not your path to follow. And anyway your 'instincts' probably wouldn't let me. I'll find other ways to satisfy my craving. You satisfy all my other desires."

"But how will you satisfy that craving?" Dana asked, wiping away her tears. "I can't be party to..."

"I'll do what I have to do..."he interjected once more. "But in the meantime, there's a jug in the fridge marked A+. That's my favorite type. Pour a glass and microwave it for fifteen seconds. That should get it to the perfect temperature."

Dana did as Ras asked and prepared the fluid for him. She handed the full glass to him and he slugged it down in three gulps. "Thank you..." he said setting the glass on the coffee table in front of him. "I should be good for at least three days now."

Dana took the glass to the kitchen and rinsed the remainder of the blood from the receptacle. She wondered if she would be able to hold off his next advance. Although she didn't let on to him, the display of power that had just occurred a few minutes prior had left her feeling drained and weak. Had her force not stopped him the first time, she would have no power left to stop a subsequent advance. Dana also didn't let on to Ras that her blood type was, indeed, A+.

++++++++++

As Ras was recovering from his direct demonstration of Dana's power, Solomon and Elizabeth were rising from their own daytime slumber. Nearly every evening since their coupling almost two hundred years prior, when they rose after sunset, the two were ravenous for sex. Sometimes with anonymous human and non-human females (Elizabeth would not have sex with other men), sometimes, over the last ten years with Dana, but most of the time with each other. Both agreed that the best way to start their day (night) was with a wild love-making session.

Solomon was the first to arise and wasted no time in waking Elizabeth with a vigorous tongue-lashing to her lovely cleft and hard clit. Elizabeth began to stir and a slight moan escaped from between her lips as Solomon intensified his mouth work on her lukewarm box. When Elizabeth's eyes opened, they burned with the red of fire and her nails dug into the silk of the sheets covering the gigantic mattress as she hissed evilly in orgasmic bliss.

Solomon was quick to remove his face from between his wife's alabaster thighs and replaced it with his engorged cock which slid effortlessly into her. Procreation between the two was an impossibility. Their lovemaking was strictly for pleasure and they partook nearly every evening when they awoke. A howl began to rise in the room as Elizabeth came once again from the intense pounding from her husband's hard shaft and as he joined her in mutual pleasure his own wail matched hers. Intensity and power filled the room and the entire wing of the house shook as Solomon exploded into his beloved's barren womb.

As the two recovered from their seismic sex session, a slight rap came across the monstrous double doors on the other side of the room. Solomon removed himself from his wife's gash and waved his hand, causing the doors to swiftly swing open. On the other side of the doorway, Artemis stood waiting to be invited into the master chamber.

"Artemis," Solomon said motioning him forward, "please come in. I trust you have some news about our wayward friends."

Artemis entered but said nothing, his eyes fixated on Solomon's naked form laying on the bed in front of him. Even before he had been transformed, Artemis had always had an appreciation for the male form. He realized his transgression and quickly moved his gaze from Solomon's midsection to his eyes.

"Forgive my disturbance," the southern dandy apologized. "I had hoped to not interrupt your... evening routine..."

Solomon grinned slightly at both the Southerner's innuendo and his involuntary stare at his naked body. Solomon knew what Artemis was and delighted in occasionally teasing him with quick glimpses of his impressive member.

"Not at all, Artemis," Solomon replied as he sat up, "I'm sure you have good reason for your visit tonight."

"Of course, Solomon," Artemis responded. "I wanted to inform you that Dana has yet to return back to the mansion. It seems she decided to stay the night with our friend Rasmussen."

At this, Elizabeth sat up with a puzzled look, "She not come back this morning?!"

"I'm afraid not, my lady," Artemis informed the ashen blonde. "I could retrieve her for you, if you'd like. I was just on my way out for the evening."

"That won't be necessary, Artemis," Solomon answered. "She's safe with Ras. And anyway, she's free to come and go as she pleases."

"I wonder if that's the best course of action when it comes to her..." Artemis pondered aloud. He realized his mistake immediately when he felt the grip around his throat and his feet rise off the floor. Solomon had flashed off the bed and grabbed the one-time rebel by the neck and lifted him a foot in the air.