Before Sunrise Ch. 03

"Are you second-guessing my judgement, Artemis?!" he snarled through elongated fangs as his eyes flashed red and he tightened his grip on the southerner's throat.

"No, Solomon..." Artemis replied just above a whisper. "Of course you and Elizabeth know best when it comes to Dana..."

Solomon held him in check for one more second then put the subordinate back on the floor. His eyes returned to their normal color and his look became nearly human again. "Don't give it another thought, old friend." Solomon said as he smoothed the sleeves and lapels on Artemis' jacket. "Go enjoy your evening. Leave the matter of Dana to Elizabeth and I."

"Good evening then..." Artemis said and bowed slightly to the lord and lady of the house. As he turned to leave, Solomon had one more piece of advice for him.

"And, Artemis..." he said as the lieutenant turned back around to face him, "Don't ever question my authority again. You won't like the outcome."

Artemis had no reply to that statement, only bowed once again and deftly exited the room.

Solomon returned to the bed where Elizabeth cozied close to him. He held her head close to his muscular chest as he spoke to her. "We may have to rid ourselves of a few troublemakers to get everyone back in line, my dear."

"We have done this before..." Elizabeth replied as Solomon cradled her head to his body.

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Grand Rapids, MI, November 1916

Bitter winds blew in from the west as winter arrived early near the lakeshore. Snow and sleet battered against the walls of the immense mansion that sat atop a hill on the outskirts of the fast-growing city. The population had grown exponentially over the past few decades finally topping the 100,000 mark in the 1910 Census. Two of her inhabitants that were not included in the last count sat in the large parlor. A fire blazed in the hearth although neither needed its comforting warmth.

"Burya posylyuyet'sya," Elizabeth said from across the room to Solomon who was engrossed in his nightly newspaper.

Without looking up, Solomon replied, "In English, my dear. You need to practice your English."

"Storm is getting... worser..." Elizabeth stammered, searching for the right words.

"Worse, love. Worse." Solomon corrected his wife. "And yes, it is. Looks like we're in for a quiet evening at home. He kept his focus on the story he read about Romania's struggle in the Great War. Things wouldn't be like this if we were still in charge. If He were still around.

As if to accentuate Solomon's erroneous prognostication about the evening, the sound of glass shattering could be heard through the parlor. The couple looked at one another then went to the entryway to check on the possible mishap.

Solomon arrived first and felt the cold through the broken window and saw the flame from the lit torches nearly blowing out in the lake effect gale. Elizabeth followed and picked up the stone that was hurled through the window near the front door then looked to Solomon for an appraisal of the situation.

"I believe the neighbors have come to call, my dear." Solomon said with a smile to his bride. "Shall we greet them?"

Elizabeth said nothing, only followed her husband to the door. The shouts and taunts of the revelers quieted as the large oak barrier opened and the two stood face-to-face with the throng.

"Good people!" Solomon shouted over the sound of the wind rushing around them. "Have we done something to offend you on this blustery evening?"

One of the men at the front of the mob spoke up and pointed at the couple. "We know what you are! And we know what you've done! You took my Amy! And the Dozier's daughter too!"

"Friend," Solomon countered with a smile, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I, too, am concerned about the disappearance of these fine girls. Rest assured my wife and I had nothing to do with any foul play that may have befallen them."

"I know what you are!" the man repeated then took a step forward with his torch leading the way. "And we're here to put a stop to it."

Solomon strode forward to meet the man who had dared speak to him in such a manner. He reached out and took the torch from the man's hand then extinguished the flame with his other hand. Solomon dropped the torch then revealed his unscathed skin to the crowd with a slight tilt of his head and a smile. A collective gasp came through as Solomon dropped the torch then levitated twenty feet into the brisk Michigan night air.

"Your challenge is accepted!" Solomon shouted in a voice that boomed throughout the acreage surrounding the mansion. Solomon had gotten the attention of the mob and placed them under a group hypnosis. All eyes were transfixed on the flying being, which left Elizabeth to go unnoticed to the protesting neighbor first.

"Vy zrobyte vidminnoho raba" (You will make an excellent slave), she whispered in the man's ear a second before her fangs elongated then plunged into the pulsing artery in his neck. The man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head before going completely white then returning to almost normal, but with a dull zombie-like glaze. As Elizabeth removed her mouth from the man's neck, she licked a trickle of blood from her puffy lips then stared into his glassy eyes.

"Vy nalezhyte nam zaraz" (You belong to us now), she said with a grin. The man said nothing, only nodded his comprehension. The blonde beauty then moved to the next closest human to repeat the process. Fifty-three souls were claimed that night and all pledged eternal servitude to the couple as they marched into the massive house. The snow picked up intensity and quickly covered any stray puddles of blood that splashed on to the ground.

Solomon returned to earth and watched as the throng obediently filed into their home. Better than any army on the Eastern Front, he thought. As the line of former humans ended, Solomon grabbed the male that had challenged him and came face-to-face with him once more.

"Your new name is Damian, understand?" he told the lower being. The would-be protester did not reply, only once again nodded his acknowledgment. "Know this, Damian: From now on you will only feast on the blood of rats and cockroaches and you will enjoy it. Two more things before your service to us begins. You will never be free again, and your daughter Amy was delicious."

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Ras and Dana enjoyed a hot shower together which ended with Ras pinning Dana against the glass door while he ferociously pounded his stiff cock in and out of her until Dana's knees nearly gave out due to unmatched bliss. When Ras finally deposited his load deep into her, they continued cleaning one another then dried off and dressed; Ras in a fresh white linen shirt and black pants and Dana, who unfortunately had no change of clothes with her, in last night's dress and heels.

"Sorry it's a bit wrinkled," she said as she tried to smooth out the fabric. "I'll bring a change and a few other things next time."

"I hope there will be a next time, Dana," Ras replied as he walked the stunning redhead to the front door. As he reached for his keys on the table by the door, he noticed a beige colored business card sitting next to them.

"What's this? Ras asked as he turned the card over and read the writing on the front. "Who's Detective Joseph Abramson and why is his card here?"

"Oh, I almost forgot," Dana responded, "he stopped by while you were asleep this morning. Ras, he's looking for a missing girl. A Jennifer something-or-other."

"Jennifer Sutherland," Ras corrected her.

"Ras... is she one of your..." Dana could not bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Yes." He answered without having to know what the next word would be. "The jug marked 'A+?' That was hers. I'm sorry, Dana. I don't like talking about that part of me but it is what I am. I am a..."

"I know what you are, Ras..." Dana interjected. "And in spite of it all, I'm still falling for you. I can't explain it, but it's like it was always there. Like it was written in stone. We just had to find one another. Even when I was married to my husband, I knew he wasn't the one for me. It was like I was just passing the time until you came along." She then put her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.

"I feel the same, Dana," he said after they broke the kiss. "I haven't felt this way about anyone since... For a long time. And not Solomon or Elizabeth or Artemis or this Detective Abramson is going to come between us." Ras crumpled the police officer's card and tossed it in the trashcan by the door. He then led Dana out of the apartment and down the elevator to the parking garage where they climbed into Ras's red sports car.

Unbeknownst to the new lovers, the intrepid Detective Joe Abramson had staked out the garage and watched them enter the car then leave. He started his own car after they left then followed at a non-suspicious distance as Ras sped off to return Dana to the castle-like home of her benefactors. Joe Abramson would find out more than he wanted to that night concerning the disappearance of Jennifer Sutherland and countless other women over the years.

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