“Asked me what?” I looked at Bess’ face.

“Come in Edward,” she called and the young man walked into the study.

“What is it you wanted my sister to ask me?” I looked steadily at him.

“I have so many questions Thomas. Many were answered as I slept, but that too raises questions.” He looked frightened, “I am so confused, there are so many thoughts invading my mind. I think I’m going mad.”

I leaned back and chuckled… “Welcome to the realm of the undead Edward. We all have much to learn.” I sat forward, my face took on a serious expression, “You’re not going mad, Edward. What invades your mind are the thoughts of the rest of our kind. In time you will acquire the ability to push these other thoughts into the back of your mind. Then selecting only those which you want to receive. It takes time, I know.”

Bess, too was curious now, “Is that how I learn so much while I sleep?”

“Exactly,” I confirmed. “The minds of all our ancestors and kinsmen are feeding you information every second. It is difficult to isolate a mind, or group of minds while you’re resting, but it can be done. You will learn the lore of our kind in this way. You will learn what endangers us, as well as what we thrive upon. Most importantly, you will learn what we are and what we are not.”

“What are we, Thomas?” Bess asked, leaning on Edward.

“Let me first tell you what we are not.” I looked at my enraptured students and went on “We are not evil creatures, no more than the wolf, or eagle, or any other predatory animal is evil. But neither are we mortal, not anymore. We are neither living nor dead, hence the term undead has been given us, probably by the Christian world to identify us as some sort of ghostly minions of Hell.”

They were both still spellbound, so I went on. “We are a tribe of immortal creatures, warriors. Our line traces back further than recorded time knows, and it grows night after night.”

“Thomas?” Edward interrupted with a question, “You say we’re immortal, yet we can be killed, is that correct?”

“Yes Edward, we can be killed.” Briefly the image of Flower Of The Moon passed before my eyes, then was gone. “But it isn’t easy. Sunlight is our greatest danger, to be caught in the rays of the sun for more than a few seconds, is death, final, absolute, eternal death.” I paused for effect then, “Fire is another danger to us. Once ignited our bodies will burn quickly, again with True Death being the result.” I struggled with the next statement, the image of Flowers head, laying severed from her loving body was a difficult one to handle, “Beheading. If an enemy, or prey has a long sword, or ax, beware. Should they succeed in striking your head from your body, a slow and very painful death will result.”

We all sat in silence as we shared the vision of that day, so long ago, when I lost Flower.

Bess came to stand beside me, her hand on my shoulder. “You have kept that from me for so long, My Love.”

“It is still painful, but you both needed to know, be made aware that we CAN be destroyed.”

“Sir?” Edward had another question, “There are many legends and wives tales about va - our kind, the Cross, wooden stakes, reflections, shadows, garlic and wolfsbane.”

I was able to smile, Edward was bright, and he was asking the right questions, those that had to do with survival.

“Edward, Bess, we survive BECAUSE of the legends, the myths, the wives tales. The Cross is a symbol that I, for one, dislike, but those reasons are my own. Since we are NOT intrinsically evil, it has no ill effect. The wooden stake?” I chuckled, “They’d be in for a surprise should they try and pierce my breast with one.”

“As for reflections and shadows, these are things of the light. We are creatures of the dark, thus shadows and reflections are not a part of our world. Be wary of this fact, both of you. In public avoid places with many, or any, mirrors. In time you will be able to create the illusion of a shadow, but for the time avoid such places as shadows or mirrors are present. Remember, people don’t believe we exist, but they still fear us. Such is the mortal mind, shallow and easily confused. Concealment and disguise are our best defense, and the disbelief of mortals is our best disguise.”

I smiled a wry smile, “As for garlic and wolfsbane, I for one don’t mind either one, though I’d scarcely eat wolfsbane.”

I stood up abruptly, “Now go so I may change my clothing for this evenings hunting.”

“Why not summon Samantha?” Bess inquired of my mind.

I smiled, “Not a bad idea, My Love, I just might.”

Alone in my study once more, I sat back and closed my eyes, I sent my thoughts out, through the shadowed night. “Samantha,” I called, “Samantha, come to me…”

Images entered my mind, Samantha and her young friend Antoinette servicing a proper gentleman of the town, their tongues licking up and down his erect shaft as Antoinette stroked and caressed his balls. Interestingly, I was viewing this through Samantha’s eyes.

Samantha stopped abruptly and looked around, unsure of what her mind had told her.

“Samantha, remember and come to me - now.”

“I hear your command, milord,” her mind answered.

I changed into less formal clothes, soft loose breeches and a silk shirt. I then relaxed and waited for Samantha.

Samantha

In less than an hour there was a knock at the door. Sassy answered it and told me a coachman was outside wanting to be paid.

I went to the door and handed him a gold piece as I saw Samantha stepping down from the coach.

She was wrapped in a velvet cloak, deep wine red, her slippers matched her cloak.

“A prostitute she may be,” I told myself, “but she carries herself like a lady of quality.”

She walked gracefully up the walk and as I held the door open for her, she entered.

In the foyer she extended her hand to me, I kissed it, of course.

“Samantha, my dear. Welcome to my home. You look very lovely this evening.”

“Thank you Sir, but I’m afraid, I don’t, ah,” she looked very confused.

“Please, come into my study and have some sherry. Then perhaps I can explain things to you.”

She sat in the large chair, and sipped the sherry I had poured for her. I was wondering why she still had her cloak wrapped about her.

I entered her mind, I had to know more about this woman.

What I learned surprised me only a little. She was, in fact, born a lady of quality, and married a man about as wretched as my sister’s late spouse. Samantha’s family had, of course disowned and disinherited her, leaving the couple to succeed, or fail, on their own. Married no more than five years the couple came south from the northern colonies to seek their fortune here.

Her husband, after selling Samantha to a brothel to pay off his gambling debts, was killed in a dispute over the ownership of a team of horses. She was left alone, without family, and without means. A virtual prisoner in the house, she had persevered, always hoping for some means to escape.

I could have nothing but respect and admiration for this woman.

Still inside her mind I told her some about me, and what I had done that night we met. Then I withdrew from her to allow her to collect herself, and her thoughts.

She sat there, a pensive expression on her face as she considered what she had learned.

“You did a noble and honorable thing that night Thomas. She was no more than a child when she was brought there, her family sold her to that brothel, SOLD her, even as I was sold.” Samantha shook her head, there were tears in her dark eyes.

“She’s free of that now Samantha, but she had to die to escape. I can offer you an escape in which you would NOT die. Of course, the ‘deeds’ have been destroyed, so there is no longer any legal hold on you.”

“And I thank you for that too Thomas, but where would I go. Freedom is a fine word, but with no other way to survive, I would find myself in a similar place in so short a time.”

“Samantha, I have this fine house, my sister and her man live here with me, but I need someone I can speak to, a friend, a lover. I feel a strong attraction to you, physically and spiritually as well. I offer you the hospitality of my home.”

Samantha’s face colored slightly when she heard my offer. Then she looked up at me.

“What would be expected of me Thomas? Would you require me to share your bed as well?”

“That choice would be entirely yours Samantha, entirely yours.”

“You know that the townspeople whisper the most awful things about you, and your sister. They say there are strange goings on here, comings and goings in the middle of the night. They even say that your sister has two lovers here, and that you are one of them.”

“They’re right. My sister and I have been lovers since my return, and Edward, her young man, also lives with us. Does that shock you?”

“I’ve been a prostitute for two years Thomas,” her smile was warm and honest, ”the only thing that shocks me is that you so readily admit it.”

I shrugged, “I find I cannot keep secrets from you Samantha, I respect you too much for that.”

“What do you mean by secrets Thomas? Are you really married? Do you have ten children?” She was chuckling now.

“No, nothing like that, I’ll tell you everything about me, but later.”

She rose and shrugged the cloak from her shoulders, she was naked beneath the cloak. As her cloak opened and slid down her graceful arms, her beautiful body was revealed to me once more. Like carved ivory her skin glowed, smooth, silken.

She walked to me, slowly, deliberately. Her muscles rippling as her breasts quivered with each step.

“I have made my choice, Thomas.” She said, kneeling before me and slipping my breeches down.

Her lips were warm as the encircled the head of my cock. She sucked it into her wet, hot, mouth and I felt it grow hard and erect. Her tongue ran up and down the shaft as she took me deeper into her hungry mouth until the head of my cock was in her tight throat. She moved her head back and forth as my cock slid in and out of her mouth. Knowing that she would be unable to bring me to climax, I took her head in my hands and moved her from my cock.

“No, Samantha, tonight I will make love to you.” I told her lifting her to her feet and sitting her back in the leather chair.

I dropped to my knees and opened her long legs. Before me I could see her glistening pussy. Moist, pouting, lips, small drops of her juices clinging to the soft, dark, curls, adorning her. I leaned forward, inhaling the aroma of her perfume, the scent of roses, the aroma of woman, the scent of passion. My mouth caressed her pouting lips and she gasped at the contact. I let my tongue lick up and down her quickly moistening slit, probing the fleshy folds surrounding, protecting, her swelling clitoris. The tip of my tongue pressed the nib of her clit.

“Oh God!” she gasped, her hands clutching my hair and pressing my face to her body.

My tongue moved around and over her clit, teasing, caressing. Her reaction was to press herself still tighter to my hungry mouth, sliding her wet pussy over my sucking lips.

Her juices were beginning to flow now, the taste was warm, tart, a bit salty, but rich and savory. I licked up each drop as she flowed over my tongue, into my waiting mouth.

Her hips began to move quicker, pressing against me as her thighs quivered and her body trembled. I lifted her legs and draped them over my shoulders as I pressed my mouth and tongue into her soaking, willing, yielding hole.

Her thighs clutched my head, her fingers tangled in my hair, her heels beat upon my back as she moaned, tossing her head from side to side in a frenzy of ecstasy. Her hot cum poured from her body, it overflowed even my own licking tongue and ran onto her silken thighs and my face.

As her orgasm was beginning to subside, I licked the overflow from her inner thighs as she leaned forward and licked the residue from my lips before kissing me, her tongue slipping into my mouth and teasing mine. When she broke the kiss she looked at me and smiled, “Thank you Thomas. That was the first time a man has ever made me feel like that, like a real woman.”

She caressed my cheek, her eyes quiet and reflective as she sat back and gazed into my eyes.

I decided to take control of her mind again, what I had to tell her would have to be forgotten afterwards, unless she chose to join my tribe, or she was killed.

Samantha, I am a member of an old warrior race. We have survived down through time by preying upon mortal human beings, drinking their blood. I, like my family and other members of my tribe am immortal.”

I related the story of Flower Of The Moon and how I became what I am.

“I said I could offer you an escape. This is the way. Join me, my tribe, my family. Sit beside me as my Princess.” I paused, “The choice is yours.”

I released her mind and tenderly kissed her finger tips. Then I looked at her eyes. They were clear, bright, there was a smile on her lovely lips, her teeth shone pearly white behind them.

“You loved her very much didn’t you?” she asked softly.

I simply nodded.

“I could never hope,” her voice caught, holding back a sob, “to replace her in your heart, Thomas.”

“Perhaps though,” I began, she silenced me with a finger on my lips

“I said before I had made my choice. Now make me yours, body and soul.” She held her arms out to me in complete acceptance and invitation.

I took her in my arms and kissed her, deeply, passionately as my rigid erection brushed the still wet hair of her pussy.

“Yes, take me now,” she urged and I drove my cock deep inside her hot, clutching pussy.

Her body responded like a bowed violin, her hips thrust upward to meet mine, her legs wrapped about my waist, pulling her closer to my driving cock.

I could sense that Samantha was a woman of immense capacity for passion, her body moved with a fluid grace and muscle tone that I had not experienced since Flower.

Samantha was hungry, driven, urging me on with moans and groans and the grip of her strong legs.

“Faster, please, faster,” she moaned. Her hips moved beneath me with a wild abandon.

I matched her stroke for stroke as my cock pounded in to her willing body.

Her body shook, her muscles tightened as she drew nearer and nearer to orgasm. Her pussy clutched at the shaft of my cock as it pumped into her wildly, driving harder and harder with every stroke.

Closer she drew, her moaning was louder now, more passionate, more immediate.

I let my fangs graze her smooth throat, feeling the beat of her pulse throbbing just under the skin.

Our hips thrust at one another until she exploded in a shattering climax, her legs locking about me, her mouth hanging open, moans and sobs of ecstasy coming from her throat.

I sank my fangs, painlessly, in to her throat, her blood was almost burning as it flowed into me, hot, sweet, rich, clean blood.

As I sucked the blood from her, Samantha’s orgasm intensified, her sexual bliss reaching a new height as her life force drew nearer and nearer to the surface.

I slit my skin open just below the heart, as I drew her life force into me, I pressed Samantha’s soft lips to the blood oozing from me.

“Drink, my love, drink and know immortality.”

As she drank of my blood, I too experienced the sexual excitement that it produces. Now she was one of our kind.

My hips sped up, as Samantha’s did. My cock pounded and pumped her wet, willing, soaking pussy as my balls filled and grew tight, swollen and ready.

I need to feel you cum inside me, please, now, I need you.”

She was urging my mind! She was, truly, one of us now.

I felt my cock straining as it pumped into her waiting body, my balls ached for release. I thrust my cock deep inside her and my balls could hold back no longer.

My body convulsed as my nervous system was laid bare, and the muscles of my body drew tight. My cum flowed up the shaft of my buried cock to erupt from the head buried deep within her, it flowed, filled and flooded her hungry body.

She gasped and moaned and thrashed her head about, her heels drummed my back, her nails raked my shoulders as she writhed and squirmed and ground her hips to mine. Her clutching pussy milked my cock, drawing every drop of fluid from it.

Our bodies shook, convulsed in sublime ecstasy, my cock throbbing within Samantha’s hot… clutching pussy, her trembling arms wrapped around me, her thighs still shaking as they caressed my sides with their soft silken skin.

For a few moments we lay still, softly touching and caressing each other then…“THE VOICES!!” Samantha cried in alarm, “What are the voices?”

I pressed my finger tips lightly to her temples. This quieted the ‘voices’ and calmed her.

“Those are the minds of our kin. Each of us can read the thoughts of the others. It can be disturbing at first, confusing, but you can block them out easily enough.” I spoke to her, rather than communicating by thought.

“I was so afraid, there were so many of them.”

I smiled as I moved my fingers in circles over her temples, “There, are they going away now?”

Samantha simply nodded, placing her hands on mine.

“Thank you, Thomas, My Prince.”

“And with you, My Princess, at my side, we shall conquer the future.”

We sat and talked the reminder of the night, retiring just before dawn.

“We must rest now My Princess, it is a sleep deeper than any you have known. Are you afraid?”

“With you, Thomas, I will face anything.”

“When we awaken, the sun will have gone from the sky, and we will hunt together.”

We lay on the huge bed, wrapped in each others arms and slept.

Samantha awoke with the burning in her veins that I was so familiar with.

“Thomas, what, what’s wrong? What’s happening to me?” There was a look of terror in her beautiful eyes.

“It’s the hunger my love. It burns in our veins until it is satisfied. You will learn to live with it, or learn how to prevent it, or lessen it’s impact.” I took her shaking hands in mine.

“Here, My Princess, drink of mine for now.” I placed my wrist to her mouth and felt the delight of a woman’s fangs penetrating my veins, sucking my blood.

A few swallows seemed to do the trick. The painful, burning hunger receded. Samantha relaxed some.

“That was so frightening, it felt like hellfire in my veins.”

“The hunger my love, only the hunger. We must hunt tonight, you and I, for you have much to learn.”

I summoned the mist, ”These are my wings of the night.” I told her holding out my hand, “Come.”

The mist carried us into the high forests, deep wilderness. The air was crisp as night fell upon this wooded land. A wolf howled in the distance.

“There he is, calling to his mate.” I said, holding her hand, “This way.”

We moved through the shadowy forest quickly and with sureness of foot.

“This is another of the new powers you have.”

“I feel so invigorated,” she responded moving with me.

The howling grew louder as we neared the wolf. Another howl went up near to the first.

“His mate responds.” I told her.

We quickened our movement, the breeze was in our faces, masking any sound or smell that might warn our prey.

Some distance ahead I was able to see our prey. The male was a large, gray, beast, with eyes that reflected the moonlight as a pale golden glow. But it was the she wolf that made me stop. She was a magnificent white animal. Smaller than her mate, but large none the less.

“Can we feed without killing? I would hate to destroy two such beautiful creatures,” she asked, much the same as I did so very long ago.

“Yes. Yes we can. Stop feeding when you feel the life force approaching the surface and they will live.”

“How will I know?”

“You’ll know. It will be a very strong feeling as it approaches.”

I faded into the deep shadows, Samantha followed suit and we slowly approached the pair, unseen, unheard, undetected.