Vampire Love

"Suck my dear, suck hard..."

Irina immediately started feeding on Klara's vampire essence, drinking with abandon. She moaned continuously, lost in a euphoric high as was the vampire. Finally, Klara wrenched her wrist away from the hungry girl and waited for the conversion to begin.

Subtle but definite changes, the facial features growing more beautiful, the jet-black hair, radiant, her body sleeker; the breasts larger, rounder; the dark eyes, glittering and shiny and finally the teeth, pointy with long needle-sharp incisors.

Irina woke to a whole new world, one with incredibly heightened senses. Klara smiled at her new protégé.

"How do you feel, my dear?"

"I feel, different. It's amazing!" she said in a velvety smooth alto voice that was lower than her original but intensely seductive.

"Do you feel any hunger?"

"Yes...I'm hungry for..."

"You can say it...blood. Be patient, we'll visit the battlefield tonight."

When darkness overtook the day, Klara and Irina walked to the battlefield. A fierce fight that lasted nearly a week was over and the wounded, dead and dying littered the earth.

"When you approach, your senses will alert you. You will be able to feel their pain, agony, and their chances for survival. Instinctually, it will become clear in your mind. Those with any hope, leave behind. Take only those with virtually no chance. I'll be with you."

When Irina approached the first soldier, a clear sense of his wellbeing established itself in her mind. He needed help but he was not close to dying. So, she moved on to the next. The poor man's body was missing an arm and he was badly shot up. He was barely clinging to life and his death was a certainty.

"Help me, please."

Irina bent close to his head and using the light from the lantern made sure he saw her face. He nodded in acceptance of his fate, a sense of closure in his mind. She opened his collar and tenderly bit into the vein, extracting the liquid. Almost as soon as she started to feed, he was at deaths door.

"Thank you," were his last words before he exhaled his final breath.

For the remainder of the night, Klara and Irina went about their gruesome task until rosy fingered dawn was in the eastern sky. Until the war ended in February, they performed their service for the dying men, to ease their suffering, bring them some peace and solace.

Klara's one desire was to return to France. However, Irina wanted to see the home she'd left one last time. Her new companion thought it ill-advised but was sympathetic to her protégé's feelings. The roads were chocked with refugees and the defeated Imperial Army, even at night. Finding suitable hiding places for the daylight hours was a challenge. While it took longer than usual, they arrived late one night, and Irina stood in front of the gates with sadness flooding her psyche.

On the first floor, there was a dim light in a window and Irina was determined to investigate. They approached the once stately home that had fallen into disrepair. Once inside her sensitive hearing detected sound coming from the kitchen-scullery area. Very slowly she opened the door and seated at a small rectangular table, was Olga, the senior housekeeper. She looked up and immediately recognized Irina.

"My god, child! Everyone thought you were dead."

"Why are you still here? Are you the only one left?"

The poor old dear, well past eighty nodded her head and explained that she was to vacate in a weeks' time when the new owners took possession.

"Where will you go?" Irina asked.

"I have nowhere and no one. I'm very sick child...the end is near for me." Olga wept bitter tears.

Irina smelled impending death and it was unlikely Olga would last the week. She decided to hasten Olga to her final reward.

"Do you trust me?" Irina asked.

"Yes."

"Come closer...look at my eyes..."

The old woman gazed into the vampires' eyes and suddenly felt very tranquil. Irina wrapped her arms around the frail, failing body. Her lips found the vein and tenderly she pierced the tissue with her teeth. She sucked at a snail's pace until only a small amount kept the weak heart beating. The housekeeper took her last breath as Irina completed her chilling task.

Irina carried the body and buried it in the family cemetery. As they were leaving, she extinguished the candle and gazed forlornly at was once one of the loveliest estates in Kiev. Klara and Irina spent the next three decades in France until The French Revolution.

****

Ed Giachetti parked in front of the Roxy nightclub on Delaware Avenue. This was the last place on his list and so far, no one remembered Clinton Jennings. Detective Samuelson was having similar results from his list.

It was early, only 2pm but he knew the manager, a retired cop. Lee Brotherton greeted him warmly.

"Hey Ed, what brings you here. We're clean."

"I know Lee, I know. Need some help."

He took several mug shots of Clinton Jennings and laid them on the bar.

"Ever see this guy in here?"

"Me no, but Charlie, he works most nights...Hey Charlie, got a minute?"

Charlie ambled over to the bar.

"Recognize this guy at all?"

Charlie studied the mug shots carefully.

"Yeah, I've seen him a few times, rough dude, real mean character. Always botherin the wait staff and patrons. A real nuisance."

"Did you ever see him leave with anyone recently? That you can remember?" Ed asked.

"It gets crazy in here but maybe couple a weeks ago. A pretty girl asked if someone could escort her to her car. She works over at Club Risque and stopped in for a drink before heading home. I told her to wait a few but she disappeared. I swore I saw that guy follow her out."

"Do you know her name?"

"I think its Raylene, nice girl, been in here a few times, tips good."

Anything else?"

"Nah, there's so many in and out of here it's hard to keep track but that guy, I remember him."

"Thanks."

Ed adjourned with Lee to his office.

"Is that the one they found in the river" Lee asked.

"Yeah, strange case though."

"Whadda ya mean?"

"I shouldn't tell you this but the coroner listed the cause of death as blood loss but there were no visible wounds on the body. The guy was completely drained not a

drop."

Lee whistled thru his teeth.

"You thinkin what I'm thinkin?" Lee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah but, Grunberg said emphatically, no weird stuff."

"Ed, I was on the force for thirty years and I swear there were some causes of death that no one could explain. A complete mystery that baffled the hell out of us. You remember the Hannigan case? I think you were a rookie. Found her dead and naked in an alley. Coroner listed the cause of death as loss of blood, except for one thing, there was no blood anywhere at the scene and no visible signs of trauma, just two small wounds on her neck. Explain that one. As soon as I said the 'V' word everyone ran for cover."

Ed Giachetti shook his head.

"I'm gonna see if I can find this Raylene, maybe she knows something."

"Good luck but from my experience, not likely."

After a quick bite to eat, Giachetti walked into the Club Risque and flashed his badge at the bartender. The place was mostly empty since it was early for a gentlemen's club. The manger introduced himself and was obviously nervous.

"Relax, I'm trying to find a dancer named...ah...Raylene. Know her?"

The rotund sweaty man pondered for a minute.

"Yeah, her stage name is Shannon. She'll be here soon; her shift starts in half an hour."

"I'll wait." Ed Giachetti sighed and sat at the far end of the bar.

Few minutes later, a very pretty girl appeared at his elbow.

"Dunstan said you want to talk to me. Over by the door, quieter there."

As soon as they sat, Ed pulled the mug shots and laid them in front of her. Her eyes grew wide and suddenly she was very pale. She obviously knew something.

"Recognize him?"

The poor girl was shaking, and tears rimmed her eyes.

"Yeah, he...tried to rape me...outside by the river in front of the Roxy. Followed me out and jumped me. I struggled but passed out, when I came to, he was gone."

"Why didn't you report it?"

"He didn't succeed but there was a strange woman there when I woke up."

"Can you describe her?"

"It was dark, but we were right under a streetlight, jet black hair, very pretty, dark shiny eyes, very pale skin...one thing I do remember were her teeth, kinda pointy especially her incisors, ya know eye teeth. It seemed odd at the time, but she was so nice to me, waited until I regained my composure. Walked me to my car then vanished."

"Did you happen to catch her name?"

"Hmm...I think it was Iris, no...foreign sounding...Irene...I think...Irina! That's it." Is she in trouble?"

"No, just want to see what she knows about the guy that attacked you."

"Like I said, he was going to rape me but when I came to, he was gone, and she was the only one there."

"Thanks, but if you can think of anything else, here's my card, call me."

Raylene went back to the dressing room to prepare for her shift. She purposely left out the part where they went back to her apartment had torrid sex, she was bitten, and willingly gave some blood to the caring vampire. An extraordinary experience that still sent shivers of delight down her spine.

Ed Giachetti sighed heavily. His suspicion that they were dealing with a vampire looked highly likely. Raylene Styles was keeping something from him, he was sure of that. Irina killed Jennings and dumped his body in the river. But where could he possibly find her?

****

Irina easily blended into the shadows of the Riverside Gentlemen's Club. The lighting was the brightest over the stage areas for the dancers. In a secluded VIP section Stevi Nguyen was holding court. Several dancers were at his table, all vying for his attention as he was known as big tipper. But he also had a penchant for rape, and he thrived on it. Nothing excited him more than the terrified looks of his victim. His elevated status in a violent Asian gang afforded him celebrity with high priced lawyers. While he'd beaten several raps, he did jail time for some serious offenses. The sale of dangerous narcotics; cocaine and fentanyl, brought him the wealth to enjoy such luxuries.

There was a commotion at the rear of the club, near the women's rest room. One of the dancers was found unresponsive on the floor. A glassine baggie with white powder was found on the floor, powder residue on her fingers and nostrils.

When medical help arrived, the poor girl was rushed to the hospital and treated for an overdose. Two of her dancer friends were hysterical and one of them confronted Stevi Nguyen.

"You are a fucking heartless bastard! Gwen's in the hospital. What the hell did you sell her?"

"I sold her nothin sweetheart...she asked for a boost, so I gave her some...gratis."

"I hope you rot in hell! Someday someone's gonna do you in and I hope I'm alive to see it!"

One of Stevi Nguyen's henchmen forced the angry girl over to the VIP area.

"What say you and I take a little ride? I'll give ya somethin to calm ya down."

"Go to hell!"

Police sirens could be heard in the distance.

"Leave her go. She aint got no proof and it aint worth the trouble."

"Come on...let's get outta here."

Stevi Nguyen's Lincoln Town Car was parked near the alley.

"You guys take off toward I95...I'll go in the opposite direction. Take this shit with you."

The rapist and drug dealer handed over his large stash of illegal narcotics and walked to the alley where his car was parked. Standing in front of the driver's side door was strangely beautiful woman.

"Wadda ya want? I aint got nothin for sale. Shove off!" he barked.

Irina stood with her hands on her hips, gazing at the human filth with a smirk on her face.

"Aint ya got ears?" I said get outta here!"

Irina stood immobile with the same smirk.

"Ok, I warned ya."

Stevi pulled a twenty-two-caliber revolver from his pocket and aimed it at Irina. But before he could pull the trigger, she grabbed the barrel and twisted it in half.

"What the hell! How'd ya do that?"

Irina threw the useless weapon down the alley.

"I could use somebody like you...put ya on the payroll. Interested?"

Irina shook her head.

"Ok, ya had yer fun now I gotta blow before the cops get here, so step aside."

As Stevi moved toward her, Irina grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and threw him against the car.

"Get the hell offa me!"

Irina shook her head.

"Why? What do you have against me?"

Irina smiled revealing her sharp teeth, especially the long eye teeth that glistened and dripped with saliva. Little did he know that this would be his last night on earth.

"You almost killed that poor girl...gave her pure cocaine laced with fentanyl. You have no conscious, no morals and don't care who you hurt or destroy. Time to pay the ultimate price..."

Stevi Nguyen twisted back and forth with a fury trying to free himself but to no avail as Irina held him securely. Just like Clinton Jennings, he felt real fear and it gripped him like a vise.

Irina ripped open his collar until his throat was exposed. She saw the vein pulsing with the fluid she'd extract as her victim started shaking with fear.

"No don't hurt me!" he wailed, as her identity took shape in his fevered brain. He'd heard about them from his grandmother growing up in Vietnam, undead creatures who fed on human blood. While he always scoffed when she told him, he believed her now.

Irina smiled at him again and with astonishing speed, drove her fangs into his neck. Stevi shrieked from the intrusion and pain of her bite. When her lips covered the wounds, she sucked at a more relaxed pace as she wanted him to suffer, knowing that she had every intention of draining him dry. She paused and looked at her terrified victim.

"I'm going to drink every drop of your blood and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Stevi's eyes grew wide as terror gripped his black soul.

"No...no...I'll do anything to make what I've done right, please don't kill me! He whined.

Irina suckled at a relaxed pace, swallowing mouthful after mouthful. Stevi's struggles grew weaker as his blood levels fell.

Again, Irina paused.

"How do you feel? Not so good, huh?"

Stevi was desperately clinging to life.

"Please...I don't want to die..."

His heart labored trying to maintain a rhythm as Irina fed slowly drawing out the process.

"Oh...I...oh, I feel..."

Stevi Nguyen was barely conscious as the last few pints were extracted. Irina sensed his heartbeat fading and held his limp body effortlessly. His last thoughts before the inevitable were who was the strange woman and where did she come from.

Irina gulped another mouthful and heard his final breath. She let the body drop to the ground and left it there.

****

Detective Giachetti stayed in the darkest parts of the club. Constantly surveying the crowd, he was almost convinced that finding Irina, if that was even her real name, was hopeless. It was put up or shut up time and he had very little to go on. Best to file the report as is and move on to the next case. A known criminal was dead, and society was better off without him.

The next morning, Captain Grunberg called him on another case that just popped up.

"Ed, I just had this thrown in my lap. Read the prelims and see me around noon. I gotta run downtown to division."

"Does this have anything to do with the overdose they at the Riverside?"

"Not sure but I have a sneaking suspicion that somehow, they're related.

Not knowing or anticipating what was in the preliminary report, Giachetti scanned down to the coroner's report and his hair stood on end.

'...victim was found next to his car in an alley adjacent to the Riverside Gentlemen's Club on Delaware Ave. Cause of death: loss of blood but no discernible wounds except for two small puncture marks on the neck...violent rapist with long rap sheet, attempted murder, sale of dangerous narcotics...Stevi Nguyen...'

Ed Giachetti was stunned. As soon as he could gain his composure, he called the Coroner's Office.

"Ron Goldberg, please...yeah Ed Giachetti...yeah...he knows me."

"Hey, Ed Giachetti, and what do I owe the pleasure..."

"Hey Ron, I just had a file thrown at me and quite frankly, I'm stumped. Stevi Nguyen? Ring a bell? You did the autopsy."

"Gimme a sec, I'll look him up on my computer..."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Ok...yeah, got it. What do you want to know? It's all there."

"The cause of death?"

"Oh...I see why you might be confused."

"Can you elaborate?"

"Body came in bone dry...not a drop of blood. His corpse was shrunken and the skin, pale white. Except for two very small puncture wounds on the neck, no sign of trauma anywhere. Strange really because I was told there was no blood at the scene. Where did it all go?"

"Oh, it's strange all right! Can you do me a favor?"

"As long as its legal..."

"Measure the depth of the puncture wounds and the distance between them. Ok?"

"No problem, gimme an hour..."

Ed Giachetti was certain of the answer, but he wanted to be sure.

Less than an hour elapsed.

"Ed, this is freaky...each puncture ends in the jugular vein and they're approximately one and one eighth inch distance apart."

"Thanks Ron."

"Hey, I remember Myerson telling me about an autopsy he did a couple of weeks ago...the rapist they pulled from the river. Complete loss of blood, no signs of trauma except two small punctures on the neck. Corpse had a shrunken look. Looked at his report and the punctures end in the jugular and they're same distance apart."

"Yeah, I'm about to close that one...but could they have been made by the same...person?"

"Look Ed, not gonna go there but unofficially, yes."

Ed Giachetti was more than convinced.

"Good luck, Ed, gotta run...the bodies keep piling up down here!"

"Some joke, Ron..."

Detective Giachetti was in a quandary. Were they dealing with a vampire vigilante? The entire time he'd been canvassing the Roxy, except for petty violations, nothing unusual could be observed. Had he been looking at the wrong club? Another scum of the earth had been dispatched to hell, but he was certain Captain Grunberg would want some explanation, some clue as to who did it.

****

Two weeks after the demise of Stevi Nguyen, Irina went like a stealthy shadow to see Raylene dance at the Riverside Gentlemen's Club. Parked outside near the street was a stretch limo and two very large men were standing next to it. Unbeknownst to her, Vince Patroni, a well-heeled underworld figure in white slave trafficking was inside the club. Always on the lookout for fresh prey, he usually went after poor unattached immigrant females with no family. Most were from Eastern Europe, Ukraine, or Russia. When they disappeared, no one went looking for them. The sales were lucrative, mostly in the Middle East, and he'd made quite a fortune for himself and his bosses. The manager was on his payroll and kept him updated on any new possibilities.

It made no difference to Vince Patroni that he ruined the lives of many innocent women. He was the lowest of lowlifes. Anyone that got in his way disappeared and usually wound-up dead. His operation was skillfully run and was always one step ahead of the feds.

Irina kept to the shadows as was her custom, but Vince and his cronies were at a table near her, and she overheard their conversation. They were discussing several potential candidates that worked at the club. Several names came up but when she heard the manager mention Raylene's, Irina knew she was in grave danger.

Raylene was from Georgia with only an aunt as her immediate family. Her parents were deceased and singlehandedly, she'd worked her way out of poverty to a much brighter future in chemical engineering once she graduated university. Her IQ was very high, borderline genius. Her career as a dancer/stripper gave her the cash flow needed to live and pay for tuition at Drexel University.