Pleasure after Death Ch. 02

I had only gotten a few hours' sleep before my alarm went off. I rolled over and stretched myself out and sighed heavily. I rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and relieved my bladder before jumping in. I stood under the hot water for a while enjoying the warmth on my skin. I had a few hours' before my shift so I relaxed as much as possible. After I had finished I got out and dried myself before heading to the lounge. I put on some music and danced around while cleaning up. Once my apartment was nice and clean, I got myself in to my uniform and was putting on my make-up.

I put some different colours in my hair that would wash out, hopefully I won't get in to trouble for it, then I did my hair up in a simple pony tail with some of my fringe hanging down either side. Both had blue in them. I put my shoes on, made sure that I looked already and locked the place up and then left. I was still nervous walking by myself late at night but hopefully nothing bad will happen.

I arrived at work 15 minutes before my shift just so Eclipse could make sure that I was up to Falcon's standard. Once I got the all clear, I set off to start work. There were a lot of thing's going on that would have scarred me for life up until 2 days ago. Girl's stripping and people having sex, it was a bit weird but it was something I'd have to get used to.

I walked around clearing tables and taking drink's to the customers. Everything was going well and half way through my shift, I went out to have a smoke. Less than a minute later, someone came up, grabbed me and tried dragging me in to an alley way with him. Now clearly he was much stronger then I but I tried my best to fight him off. He threw me to the ground and the only thing I could do was curl up in to a ball and wait for it to be over.

Next thing I knew there was a loud bang and Falcon was standing over me, back facing me. I didn't know what to do so I went back in to the foetal position and cried my eyes out. I wanted to wake up and hope that this was all a bad dream but I knew that it wasn't. Not with the bruises already forming.

"Leave her alone; if I see you anywhere near my girls, I will rip your heart out myself." I could tell by the tone in Falcon's voice that he was pissed off but he sounded angrier with me.

"She's only human so why do you give a flying fuck." The stranger replied and it seemed like a fight was about to break out.

Next thing I knew Falcon was picking me up and quickly getting back inside. The big bouncer stood in front of us making sure the stranger didn't get in. Falcon put me on the couch in his office, lit a smoke for me and handed it to me. I couldn't stop shaking but I had the smoke to calm my nerves.

"Darling, next time you go for a break, either come here or take one of the girl's with you please." He said it so tentatively like he actually cared but I'm sure he did it with all of his staff.

I was very grateful though. I smiled and apologised. I wasn't thinking clearly, I was too excited because my shift was going so well that I had forgotten about the dangers. We sat there in silence for a while until I had finished my smoke. I stubbed it out, stood up and went to walk out to get back to work. Falcon gently grabbed my arm and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be OK and next time I won't go out alone I promise." I smiled, my cheeks going rosy red. This was the moment I realised how much he did care for me and me alone.

"You can go home if you would like princess."

I blushed profusely. No one had ever called me that before. "I would like to finish my shift. I don't want to leave you short staffed. It's not very fair on you."

"I understand but when you want to go, just let me know and I'll walk you home."

I left with a big smile on my face but that quickly faded when I saw Eclipse having a panic. She was just about to come over and start yelling till she saw the bruises on my arms and my hair in a hell of a state. She took me to the change rooms and got me cleaned up.

"What happened to you my dear?" She asked

"I wasn't thinking straight and went out for a smoke on my own."

Before I could even finish that sentence she was in hysterics. Telling me how dangerous it is out there for me and that I should never go out alone. I heard all this from Falcon but I let her have her little ramble. It was nice to know that she cared, but I guess it is a part of her job, it was still nice.

After I had been cleaned up, we went back out on the floor and I got straight back to work. Everything was going smoothly, I was getting the odd death stare now and again but I just smiled and kept working. I was enjoying myself and didn't care about what people said or thought. I heard a few nasty comments but it would be unprofessional to let that bother me.

For a while I didn't have anything to do so I walked around, keeping an eye on customer's drinks and whether they needed a top up or any assistance that I could help with. But with it being my second night I wouldn't have been much help. All of a sudden I felt a cold feathery touch on my arm. I swiftly turned around; my heart was racing till I saw his face. It wasn't the person who attacked me.

"Excuse me my dear, I don't know if you can be much help but I would like to know something?" The tall mysterious stranger asked

"Sure thing sir, how may I help?"

"I would like to know who here has the most talent to give me what I want?"

I was a bit confused but did my best to help him. "Well there are various categories I guess here. What were you after?"

"I would like someone that wouldn't mind being roughed up and thrown around a little bit. That wouldn't be you by any chance?"

His last statement left me shocked and speechless but I cracked a little smile, hoping that he was joking. For a while he stood there with a serious look on his face until he chuckled and gave me a friendly nudge almost knocking me over. I laughed as well after recovering my balance. We laughed for a little bit before I answered his question.

"I'm not the right person to talk to about that sir but I can go get my supervisor if you would like?"

"Oh no it's OK darling, she's far too busy to deal with me. And I'm happy that you understood my joke a little bit. You are way too fragile for anyone in here. What brings you here anyway?" He was genuinely interested and I had nothing to do. Everyone seemed happy and didn't really need me even though it was only 1:30 am.

"It's a long story and a painful one. I don't want to trouble you."

"Well you can get me a drink then sit down and tell me all about it." His smile was seductive, one that would make any human go weak at the knees.

"What can I get you sir?" I asked while smiling.

He smiled back and asked for a bourbon and cola. I went to the bar and got what he wanted. The bar staff told me to make sure that I got the money for it and Eclipse told me to be careful and that we were being watched. I knew that she meant not only herself but Falcon as well that made me feel better. I took his drink over and sat at the table with him.

"So tell me how you ended up working here?" I wasn't sure why that gave me a cold chill up my spine but it did. All my senses screamed at me to leave but I couldn't be rude, so I stayed.

"I'll give you the short version." I smiled before continuing. "My ex sold me to the owner and of course he wasn't happy about it so I got thrown out of here at first. I was jobless and very close to being homeless. I knew that I would have a hard time getting a job because of the rumours that had been spread about me. So my only option was to come in and pretty much beg the owner to hire me and after painfully grovelling to him, he finally relented and hired me. That's my story, what is yours if you don't mind me asking?"

His smile faded and I automatically regretted asking. I went to stand up but he put his hand on mine and motioned for me to remain seated. So that's what I did while I waited for him to tell me. I was close to saying something till he started speaking.

"My wife and daughters were attacked by my brother. None of us knew that he had been bit by a vampire until it was too late. I went to kill him for taking my family away from me but in the end I couldn't do it and instead I let him turn me."

I sat there for a while trying to process what I had just been told. I didn't understand why he would want to have an eternal life knowing he killed the one he decided to have a family with and his daughters. I had nothing to say to him that would be appropriate.

"Now I know that you are wondering why I would want this life knowing that my own brother killed the love of my life and my little girls but he is my brother and he was terrified. Part of him was still human so when that part came back he begged me to kill him and he was crying but I couldn't do it. So I made the decision to stick by his side."

This time I spoke up, "wish I had family like you and do all vampires read minds?"

"Only a select few can, so be careful of yourself. And why did your family not intervene when your ex sold you?" It was weird hearing concern in people's voices. I hadn't thought of my family in a long time.

"They went in to hiding a few years ago and told me that I was no longer a part of their family but that's because I starting dating immortals. The thrill of it I guess." I decided to end that there; he didn't need to know more so I changed the subject. "I never got your name, if you don't mind me asking?"

He smiled and looked straight in to my eyes, straight at my soul and with him reading my mind; he would probably know everything about me. I didn't understand though why he wanted to talk to me when he would know everything anyway.

"Name is Marius and I wanted to talk to you to hear your voice. There's no pain in your outer but there is with your inner voice. You intrigue me and now I understand why my brother has taken an interest in you."

My mouth almost dropped to the ground with the realisation that Falcon is his brother, that it was Falcon who killed his wife and girls, then Marius let Falcon turn him. I couldn't believe any of this. Their stories were more painful than my own and I couldn't believe this. My head started spinning and I could no longer think straight.

Marius came around, knelt down beside me and told me to breath and that I would be OK. All of a sudden my world went dark. I heard Marius tell people to move as he was running with me in his arms. Next thing I knew my body had gone limp and I was consumed by darkness.

When I next awoke it was 3 am and the only people in the room with me were Marius and Falcon. I sat up, still a bit dazed but feeling better. Falcon handed me a smoke and I took a few puffs before looking to Falcon and Marius for answers. Falcon stood there afraid to tell me so Marius stepped up and told me what happened.

"You remember how I told you that only a few vampires could read minds?" I nodded and he kept going. "Well every vampire has different traits, some has telekinesis, others have speed, and some can see different futures, never knowing what will happen. There are a whole different powers but the most dangerous ones are the poisonous ones. Only affect humans and the vampire who attacked you earlier seeped poison in to your blood stream. He was probably hoping that you would leave early before the affects fully took place."

He paused to give me a chance to process all this information. Falcon sat down next to me and took my hand in his, intertwining our fingers. I squeezed his hand, part of me was hoping that this was all a dream but I knew that it wasn't.

Once Marius realised that I had caught up he continued. "A power that I didn't mention was the counter for the poison. Only 5 vampires have that gift, it's a side gift, so you are lucky that you know one of them." I immediately looked at Falcon then back to Marius who nodded his head.

I buried my head in my hands feeling ashamed and horrible that I put them through. I apologised and started crying, a lot. Falcon grabbed me and pulled me in close to him so my head was resting on him slightly. Marius knelt down in front of me and took one of my warms hands, holding it between his cold ones. I looked him in the eyes; I had mascara running down my cheeks. I was in a hell of a state.

"Darling its OK, you made a mistake, these things' happen but you'll be OK now. I promise and this won't happen again as long as you don't go out alone. I will bring you to work each night and Falcon will take you home and under no circumstance do you go outside at night alone." Marius had a stern but caring look on his face; it scared me a little but made me happy at the same time.

"I'm going to finish off my shift, I'll see you two later." I left Falcon's office and headed straight to the change rooms. There I cleaned my face up and reapplied my make-up. By this time it was 3:30 am.

I head back out on to the floor and continue on working. Everyone is looking at me with genuine concern in their eyes. I smile at everyone, reassuring them that I am fine and continue what I was doing. I was having fun dancing while still working. It kept my mind off what had happened earlier.

By 4 am, the customers started to clear off. The girls got their tips and left. I stayed behind and helped Eclipse clean up. There was a lot of clean up to do. The poles had to be sterilised and wiped down, same with all the tables and the bar. I helped clear all the empty bottles and glasses. I was going to offer to take the bottles out back but then realised that would be stupid. So I stayed behind the bar and polished all of the glasses.

The bar staff had put on some pumping music so while polishing glasses I was dancing and having lots of fun. At 5:30am the rest of the staff left and Falcon came down to walk me home. We said good night to Eclipse and left. I wasn't sure what to say to him after my stupidity a few hours' ago and what almost happened to me, so we walked in silence. Half way to my apartment I spoke.

"I'm really sorry for the stress I put you through Falcon. It was a stupid thing for me to do and thank you for saving my life but why?" I needed to know why. When I first met him, he was pissed off that I had been the one delivered to him.

"Why doesn't matter, just be grateful." His tone wasn't very nice so I left it at that.

We had reached my apartment building and Falcon said good night then walked off. I was a little more than disappointed but there was nothing I could've done about it so I left it at that and headed upstairs. I got to my apartment went straight in and turned on the lights but they wouldn't work, I started to panic and I was just about to run out when the door slammed shut. Just before I could scream I was grabbed from behind with a hand over my mouth. I was so scared and I knew that this would be my last night.

"I see my poison was drawn out of you but now there is no escape for you and no one to save you." I recognised that voice straight away and I was so scared.

He ripped my clothes off me and threw me so roughly on my bed that I bounced off and hit the floor hard. Within a blink of an eye he was dragging me by the hair and back on the bed. He smacked me hard across the face and it almost knocked me out. I started crying and he roughly shoved his fingers in to my pussy with no lubrication at all. I screamed and cried more and then this stranger shoved my panties in my mouth to silence me.

Just as he was getting ready to pull his cock out then balcony door crashed open and so did the front door. Marius was standing by the balcony door and Falcon was at the front door. Before either of them could get to me I started convulsing. The bastard had put his poison straight in to my through my pussy. I was still aware of what was happening. Falcon ran over to me and grabbed my hand. Falcon pulled the poison out as fast as he could.

While Falcon was saving me for the second time in a few hour's Marius and the stranger were having a full on brawl. Once all the poison was out Falcon picked me up and carried me out. The last thing I saw before passing out was Marius pulling the stranger's heart out. I awoke in Falcon's apartment. I was weak and could barely speak. Marius was still there so he answered all my questions.

But before Marius could say anything Falcon spoke up, he was in a dark corner of the room. I didn't even know he was there and he kind of startled me. He wouldn't come out of the corner though and it made me worry.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted Selene but he couldn't know that we were keeping an eye on you." Before he could say anything else I cut him off. I was fuming and the both knew it as well.

"You both fucking knew that this would happen." I was screaming at them. "You knew but you still let me go home alone. Do you have any idea on how that felt? Do you have any idea on how much I hate you both right now? You should've let me die instead of letting me know this. I hope that you are both happy with yourselves."

I was so angry that I couldn't hold my tongue back and I knew that I had taken it too far when I saw the hurt in Falcon's eyes. I shouldn't have gone off like that and I regretted it straight away but before I even got the chance to apologise Falcon shot out of the room. That hurt but I was so angry and wanted to know why they let that happen.

I sat in silence waiting for Marius to explain.

Marius sat on the bed and looked at me. He took my hand in his and held tightly. This comforted me slightly and I gave my best smile. Well one that wasn't overly fake.

"Don't be so harsh with Falcon. He did what he had to too keep you safe in the future. It wasn't an easy decision but we needed that scum off the streets."

"If he only attacks mortals then why did you two care? I thought you only looked out for yourselves?" I asked trying to contain my anger

.

"We do but we got hired by a rich man to kill him. That guy was after someone's daughter. Please don't cut me off again I need to explain." He paused to make sure I wouldn't then continue explaining. "When someone offers us money to track down and immortal and kill him we will take it. We've been tracking him for a while now and always been a step behind and he is not the reason why Falcon hired you. He has his reasons for hiring you and it's not because of how you looked when you went to talk to him."

Marius gave me a sly smile, I hated the fact that he knew all this but it was good to know that Falcon had his own reasons to hire me. I started understanding why they used me as bait and I know that my stupidity caused this but I guess in the long run it was a good thing. I started to change my attitude a bit and I knew that I owed Falcon a massive apology. My thoughts got cut off but Marius, I almost forgot that he was still there.

"Falcon will forgive you just give him time and we never intended on using you for bait but we were getting desperate and we are sorry. Falcon didn't want to but knew that we had to. I was doing it for the money, he did it to protect you from that creep and no there aren't any more like him. He was the last one." Marius smiled at me then got up and left the room before I could say anything more.

I lay down, letting everything set in and close my eyes letting the darkness of the world take me. I dreamt about what had happened and what I had put Falcon through. It never occurred to me that he would ever take to me the way that he did; I thought that it would be casual fun but I guess I was wrong. All I wanted to do was tell him that I was sorry but I guess the only thing I could do was pack what I had and leave. It would pain me to but what other option did I have. I felt like I would cause nothing but trouble.