It's a Dead Man's World Ch. 02

"Let me go," Eliza said so softly that Veronica almost couldn't hear it. "I've got to go talk to my team."

"No," Veronica said, gripping the vampire as tightly as she could. "Not until you let me finish. I'm going to try and convince my bosses to change their mind. Cutting you out of the loop is the dumbest thing they could do. But regardless, don't let this come between us. Please?!? I still love you!" She felt Eliza's muscles relax a little and the vampire raised her arms, giving Veronica a light embrace.

"I know," Eliza said at last. "And I love you too. But you need to let me go now. You have a job to do, and I have to gather up my team and leave."

Veronica hated this. She knew that getting involved this deep with someone in the middle of that kind of conflict would lead to problems, but she could have never imagined that she would be feeling that helpless. "Look me in the eyes," Veronica requested.

Eliza finally lifted her chin up. The vampire's eyes were filled with smoldering rage. She hadn't wanted her lover to see them. This wasn't Veronica's fault.

"Tell me again that you still love me," she pleaded.

The vampire sighed. "I still love you," she said. "I just think I need to go before I say something I'll regret."

As Eliza started to walk away, Veronica thought of something else she needed to say. "I couldn't get Kelik assigned to Fort Crass, but I did get word to him that you wanted to talk to him. I didn't get a chance to wait for a reply, but . . ."

Eliza looked over her shoulder. "Thanks," was all she could think to say before wandering off to find her team.

Veronica watched the vampire walk away. She couldn't believe the bad turn of luck her life had just taken. Not only was a valuable weapon in the battle against the Purity being cast aside by bureaucrats with no field experience, but she also was about to lose access to the most fascinating woman she had ever been with for an indefinite period of time. "What else could go wrong?" she asked herself.

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A week later . . .

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BAM! BAM! BAM!

Allyson Murgo wandered into the conference room and had a seat beside her husband. Wyrm was hooked into about a dozen data streams trying to find some information that Eliza had asked for, and Thug was over next to the door looking out into the courtyard.

"How long has she been at it?" Allyson asked of Thug.

|| ABOUT AN HOUR. SHE ALREADY BROKE HER FIRST HEAVY BAG, NOW SHE'S BEATING THE HELL OUT OF THE SECOND ONE, || the troll responded. He had been watching Eliza go to town on her punching bags for a while. Ever since the group had their services terminated by the government, Eliza had been living in a state of constant irritation. She had accepted the job of protecting the Dead Man's World in the first place so she would be part of the crusade to reopen the gate to Terra, she had done her job, but she had been fired anyway. Technically, the entire group could've retired right there on the spot, but none of them were willing to do that yet. The mission wasn't about money anymore. Eliza had Wyrm researching humans that had been denied acceptance into Terran academies of magic after some humans had begun to show magical aptitude. The sorcerer who had closed the gateway had used some kind of incantation along with a mechanical contraption to activate the magic of the Heaven's Eye. Anyone who actually had trained for any length of time at a real school of magic would know that incantations were just window dressing; magic was controlled by will, not words. The spoken word could give the caster the illusion of control, though he or she probably didn't truly understand what was happening. It was likely that the sorcerer was a human, since most vampires grew up knowing these things, whether they were sorcerers or not.

Besides that, Eliza had distracted herself in any way she could. She knew Thug was watching her, but she didn't care. The people she had worked for had hamstrung her, and she was struggling for a way to stand on her own. On top of everything else, she hadn't been sleeping much. A few days earlier, the dreams had started.

Like most sentient beings she knew, Eliza occasionally had some fairly realistic dreams. Sometimes she had erotic dreams. But for the last two days, she had had the most incredible dreams of her life. Both times the dreams had revolved around Eliza and Veronica. Neither woman spoke in the dreams, but they weren't dreams about conversation. The first day, the dream had consisted of the two of them making love on the beach. The second day, they had been getting it on at the top of a rock formation out in the deserts of Arizona. Both times, Eliza had woken in a warm sweat and cum-stained sheets. Each time, she had woken up after she had climaxed in her dream, and her orgasm followed her into the waking world. She had so much wanted to hit her biological snooze alarm and go back to sleep, but she was never able to do it. Her frustration was compounded by the fact that she hadn't been in contact with Veronica since Eliza had been canned. So as weird as those dreams were, they were all that the vampire had of the blonde-haired envoy.

Finally, Allyson braved the chill night air and went out to talk to the boss. "Hey."

"Has Wyrm figured anything out yet?" Eliza said, snapping a jab off at the bag.

"Not much for small talk these days, are you?"

Eliza grimaced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take things out on you."

"Thank God," Allyson said with a smile. "I don't think I could take the pounding you're giving that bag. And no, Wyrm hasn't found anything. I think he's taking a break and reading porn stories on the web."

Eliza smiled. It was the first time she had done that in a while, except when recovering from her dreams. But as quickly as it had arrived, the smile was gone. She sat down on the bench and Allyson sat down next to her.

"Is there anything I can do?" the human woman asked.

"No," Eliza sighed. "I wish . . . I can't even explain what's going in my head. I used to feel I could be prepared for anything, now I feel like everything's spiraling out of control."

"You'll land on your feet boss. You always do. By the way . . ."

Allyson was cut off by the sound of the front gate buzzer being rung an annoyingly large number of times. Everyone dropped what they were doing and went out to check the security monitors. There was a singly heavily armored and unmarked transport craft parked out front.

"Who the fuck . . ." started Dennis. He pressed the intercom button. "State your name and business." They watched as the window to the vehicle rolled down. An arm reached out and pressed the button at the gate end of the intercom.

"I'm looking for an incredibly strange young woman from Terra. White hair . . . stubborn . . . one hell of a temper. Have you seen her?" came a voice from the vehicle.

"Kelik!" Eliza almost shouted, bounding out the front door and down the driveway. The gate was opening by the time she got there. Apparently, Wyrm had decided this was an acceptable visitor. Eliza jogged along side the vehicle until it came to a stop, and an aged vampire got out the side. Kelik was wearing his ambassador's robes, which gave him a very regal look. But unlike Valar, Kelik was completely lacking in pretense. When she was a child and Kelik attended a dinner or function at her parent's estate, Kelik had always preferred the company of the non-aristocrats. He would talk with everyone else though. From the children to the servants, Kelik would discuss anything with anyone. He valued the opinions of the farmers as much as those of kings and other royalty. And he always had made time to talk with Eliza. She briefly smiled as she remembered a time that this vampire, who had been walking the ground of Terra for six hundred years before Eliza was ever born, had once sat in her room next to her dolls and participated in the vampire equivalent of a childhood tea party.

Once outside of the vehicle, he quickly gave Eliza a hug. [[ So, how's my favorite little girl? ]] He glanced her over. [[ Though not quite as 'little' as I remember. You grew up well, ]] he added.

[[ And you look venerable as always, ]] Eliza returned. She knew he hated being teased about his age, which is why she always did it. [[ Why didn't you call me and tell me you were coming? ]]

Kelik sighed and rolled his eyes. [[ Damn bureaucrats and politicians have got everyone jumping at their own shadow. Of course, they have their reasons. There have been a number of attacks against our kind since the dimensional gate closed. And these humans seem to be under the delusion that I'm important somehow, so they wouldn't let me send any kind of electronic communication. I had to almost literally throw a tantrum before they'd even let me come out here. You have NO idea how annoying it's been being cooped up with a bunch of 'intellectuals' trying to pick my brain about recent proceedings. ]]

Eliza found herself smiling again. [[ Won't they at least let you talk to engineers or scientists? ]] Human science and technology had fascinated Kelik since the gate had opened. That, combined with his patience in dealing with different types of people, had made him the perfect candidate for Terran Ambassador to Earth.

[[ You thought it was bad for you? I had to deal with Valar for months. ]]

[[Ouch. Okay, you win. ]]

About that time, Thug showed up.

[[ Damn, I forgot how big you were. How are things going Thug? ]] Kelik and Thug had known each other since the troll and Eliza had become friends, and Thug's loyalty to the vampire had given him points in Kelik's eyes.

|| FINE, I SUPPOSE. NEED ANY HELP WITH YOUR BAGS? ||

[[ Yes please. ]] He turned to Eliza. [[ Be a dear and warm me a cup of blood. It's been a long trip. ]] Eliza hugged him and then ran back into the house. Thug unloaded Kelik's luggage, then the aged statesman dismissed his escort, telling them he'd call them in a few days to retrieve him. Then the vehicle left, and Kelik turned back to the troll.

[[ So, how is she? I understand she's . . . changed a bit recently. ]]

Thug grabbed all of Kelik's bags as he responded. || SHE'S SURVIVING. THAT'S WHAT SHE DOES. BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. SHE NEEDS YOUR WISDOM. ||

Kelik chuckled. [[ I doubt she needs me that much. She was always a strong-willed child. I can't imagine she's any less strong as a woman. ]]

|| EVEN THE STRONGEST MOUNTAIN CAN BE BEATEN DOWN IF THE WIND IS FIERCE ENOUGH. ||

[[ Enough! You're quoting me, and I hate that! ]] Kelik chuckled again though. Unlike most, he had never underestimated the troll's intelligence or sophistication.

Up at the house, Kelik was introduced to the entire team. They sat and talked all throughout the evening. They avoided talking about any classified information they had been privy to when working at Fort Crass for the time being, preferring to blow off steam by discussing lighter subjects. Kelik even spun a few tales about some of the 'stranger' things Eliza did as a child, much to that woman's chagrin. A few hours before sunset, Eliza offered to show Kelik to his room.

[[ Now that we're alone,]] the older vampire said when they were alone, [[ maybe you'd like to explain why you wanted to talk to me. I know it isn't about those jewels everyone is looking for. You and that pompous ass Valar were better suited to that sort of assignment than I ever could be. Is this about your . . . how to the humans put it . . . sexual orientation? ]] Eliza blushed and Kelik smiled. [[ Yes, I've heard about that. You know that we official types love to gossip, and the story of your kiss on the docks has already spread to most of the Terrans remaining on Earth. I can't say I'm too surprised. You always followed your own path, and you never showed much interest in being courted. ]]

[[ It's not just that, ]] Eliza replied. [[ I know what my preference for women will mean for me and my family, assuming we can ever find our way back to Terra. I'm not ashamed of who I am. ]]

[[ Nor should you be. Our people need to open their eyes and scrutinize some of our more antiquated traditions. ]]

[[ But it isn't about that. ]] Eliza blushed. [[ I met someone. She and I have . . . been together. And something very strange happened when . . . ]]

[[ I'm sure it did, ]] Kelik said with a dirty grin. [[ But unless my memory is failing, isn't that the good part? ]]

[[ Stop that! ]] Eliza said, blushing furiously. [[ Something strange happened when . . . when I bit her. ]]

Kelik's face grew serious suddenly. [[ You bit her? Can I assume this wasn't a 'feeding' type of bite? ]]

[[ No sir. It wasn't. ]] Eliza pointed to a spot on her neck that corresponded with where she had bit Veronica.

[[ Oh dear, ]] Eliza's mentor said, sitting down in a recliner while he formulated what he wanted to tell her in his mind.

[[ I always heard that it was a bit of a rush, ]] said the embarrassed young woman.

[[ It is, ]] Kelik responded. [[ It causes an adrenaline rush followed by a state of euphoria. I've actually talked with some human scientists about possible causes for it, but it hasn't been widely studied. Vampires have never questioned it. ]] He looked Eliza over carefully. [[ You care about this woman, don't you? Don't even bother to answer. I can see it on your face. But if you already knew what to expect, then why . . .]]

[[ Because it wasn't what I expected, ]] Eliza said nervously. [[ It . . . it was unlike anything I could ever imagine! ]] She went on to tell him about the unexpected side-effects of her and Veronica coupling, including the distortions of perception and time, as well as the sounds and memories the two women had shared. By the time she was done, Kelik's eyes were as wide open as they could be.

[[ Oh . . . kay! That's new. ]]

[[ So you've never heard of anything like this? ]] Eliza asked.

[[ I've heard of something LIKE this, yes, but nothing that extreme. Sometimes, couples that are very close link when they bite one another. ]]

This wasn't a new concept for Eliza. When two vampires were together for some amount of time and participated in more intimate embraces, they sometimes began to get a particularly well-honed sense of what the other was feeling. [[ But I always thought linking was much more general? ]]

[[ It is. What you are describing seems to be a hyper-developed version of the linking process. ]]

[[ But I hardly knew her when we first coupled. How . . . ]]

Kelik interrupted. [[ Sometimes, the blood knows. ]] Kelik saw a confused look on his young friend's face. [[ Humans and vampires, while similar, are different species. Humans are very analytical in a lot of ways. For them, the blood is simply the building block of life; a blueprint for their beings. Vampires are magical creatures. And like humans, our blood contains the essence of who we are. If you drank of this woman and her blood mixed with yours, it is possible that it 'recognized' it somehow, identifying it as belonging to a kindred spirit. This isn't necessarily the same as love, mind you. It simply means that your blood realized that her blood belonged to someone with a soul that is compatible with your own. Love still has to be worked at, but the potential for love is much greater for two people with a strong link. ]]

[[ I . . . I do love her, ]] Eliza admitted. [[ And I believe she loves me. That's why it is so hard for me when she's away. And now I'm having these dreams . . . these dreams that are always about her. And the dreams are so real. ]]

[[ I wish I could be of more help. Strong links are rare. Links between members of the same gender are almost unheard of, and linking between different species is completely unprecedented. Eliza, ]] he said with a grin, [[ you finally got to do something no one else has done. Congratulations! ]]

Eliza put her head in her hands. [[ But how . . . I mean, the magic is gone from this world again. ]]

[[ Remember, we have some magic in our blood. Not enough to cast spells mind you, but linking doesn't count as a spell. It's a natural reaction, albeit rare, in our people. ]] He sighed. [[ Maybe we could continue this in the evening? I'm very tired and it's almost time for the sun to rise. And I'd like to discuss some other 'recent happenings' if you don't mind. As fascinating as your love life is . . .]]

[[ Oh hush, ]] she said, feeling like a child again around this sage of a man. [[ Would you like something else to drink? ]]

[[ I don't think so, but thank you. ]]

Eliza stood up and left the guest bedroom, closing the door behind her. She dropped by Wyrm's station and told him to activate all the alarms and defenses the compound possessed. She didn't expect any problems since no one knew that Kelik was there, but she didn't want to take any chances. Then she went back to her own room, locked the door and crawled into her own bed. If she was hoping for undisturbed rest, then she was out of luck. As soon as her head hit her pillow and her eyes closed, the dreaming began again.

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In her dream, she found herself at the base of a set of stairs. But they weren't the stairs of a building. She was outside somewhere, in what appeared to be ruins of some variety. They looked like something out of a fantasy movie. The stairs were made of white marble, and they led up through a hanging garden of lush green foliage to a white stone platform. Eliza looked at herself. She was wearing a black leather corset with a long trail of black satin fabric emanating from the area at the small of her back, but that was all. Her busts were available for all the world to see. There was warm breeze blowing which felt so real. And although the sun was out, it didn't bother her eyes like she knew it should. It felt so warm on her pale skin.

She found herself walking up the stairs. When she reached the platform, she saw that it was surrounded by marble columns that were engulfed in grape-bearing vines. And in the center of the platform was a waist-high altar made of some smooth, black stone. Lying on the altar was Veronica. The blonde beauty was lying on her back with her arms and legs outstretched, and each of her limbs was chained to one corner of the slab. She was wearing a white blindfold and gauzy white robe that was tied with a single thread at her ample breasts. She, quite obviously, was wearing nothing underneath.

Eliza approached the altar, staring in awe at the human woman's beauty. Her soft blonde hair cascaded in a fan shape on the stone beneath her, and her slightly parted lips were painted ruby-red. Eliza placed one fingernail on the woman's skin and slowly traced it up the leg, abdomen and then one breast of this lovely creature. And her touch seemed to light a fire under Veronica's skin, and the human woman gasped with each new body part Eliza's hand touched. She didn't see who was touching her, but she knew just the same. She knew that touch quite well. She strained against the chains that bound her, but they held fast.

Eliza's hands reached out and untied Veronica's robe and pushed it aside, revealing a heaving bosom. She slid onto the table and lay next to her captive lover. She cupped one glorious mound with her hand, then dipped her head so she could suckle at the nipple. In her dream, Eliza heard Veronica moan. It was a sweet sound, as if the woman's pleasure had fermented and turned into a fine wine, and that pleasure came trickling out of Veronica's mouth. Eliza sucked on one breast, then the other. She found herself straddling her lover, allowing her to move between those heavy globes more rapidly. Then she sat up and looked down at her lover.

'No,' Eliza's dream-self thought. 'She's more than my lover. She has made herself an offering to me . . to my hunger . . . to my lust.' She grabbed Veronica's erect nipples and pulled on them, and Veronica's mouth spread in an exquisite smile. 'So you like that?' Eliza thought again, tugging on the nipples again. 'Yes, you most certainly do.' Eliza continued to torment Veronica's chest with one hand. The other hand found itself embedded between her lover's thighs. Veronica seemed especially wet, and the vampire's fingers slid in the human's warm sex with relative ease. She had three fingers in the box, all of which curled forward and started to slide in and out. Veronica strained to capture more of those fingers inside her, but Eliza's body and those chains held her still. She would only be able to take what Eliza decided to give her. The vampire was in complete control. For Eliza, this was paradise. She was bringing pleasure to someone who wouldn't leave her, even in her dreams. And shortly after her thumb started rubbing against Veronica's clit, the human woman began to cum.