|
All while crossing the lonely road that led back home, for few cars traversed it at this hour, Michael and Gwen replayed the evening's events in their minds. Michael did a fair amount of the driving, since he'd recently learned to steer the 'mechanical beasts', as he'd forever think of them. Gwen was always happy to pawn the driving off on to someone else, so it fell to him to learn, even though he didn't have a driver's license. With his keen eyesight, he made a good driver, though. They soon arrived at the first rest area on highway eight, leading to Yuma, and paused for a break. Michael suggested, ''Let's get in the back seat, as we did our first night!'' Gwen smiled, remembering her night of destiny. Once settled, Michael took the left side, as he'd had the left side of the car when driving, and Gwen took the right. The stars sprinkled through the sky sparkled down on them, seemingly just for them. Michael turned to face Gwen and kissed her passionately. His hand, small but strong, gently stroked the side of her face, and returned to kissing her greedily. She readily accepted and returned passion for passion. ''What Lucius said tonight confirms all I'd hoped in my heart for years. We are not EVIL! All those years of reading of vampires whose hearts had been consumed by nothing but the desire to destroy made me feel so lonely. I knew I was nothing like that,'' Michael ended with another kiss on those soft and responsive lips. Gwen countered, ''But when you consider the whole run of history, remember all the many groups of misunderstood people who have been vilified. It is only natural that bloodsuckers should be feared. And whenever envy enters into it, that adds its own flavor to the hateful brew.'' ''Right, you are,'' and another kiss was planted. Their peaceful moments were interrupted by the loud roaring of a very noisy engine, from a big truck and poorly tuned. ''What's that I sense? Something dark and sickening coming from where that truck parked? Do you feel it, Gwen? Hone your senses, do you feel it?'' Shivering, Gwen replied, ''Yes, it's creepy. Evildoer vibes, right?'' Michael gazed in the direction of the truck, and saw one lone man, returning to the truck, after he visited the restroom. ''Time to play the bait. You know what to do, follow silently behide. Work on your shadow skills. When I give the signal, come join me!'' Michael made the ruse of someone searching for something in the gravel near where the truck was parked. He made the image of an expensive diamond ring, so the man's curiousity would be aroused. He knew just how to act, hesitently, to give a look of indecision and weakness. The man took the bait, and soon joined Michael. His thoughts were visceral. ''Such a pale little faggot. Looking for something, eh? Maybe I can find the treasure FIRST!'' he gloated. ''Where is it,'' Michael whined, in an high pitched voice. ''It was my Mother's priceless heirloom. It's all I have left of her!'' ''Whassa matter, pretty boy? LOST something?'' the man's voice boomed. What if I find if first? I bet your mama's jewel could bring good money on the fence. You ARE a little mama's boy, aren't you?'' Michael sniveled, to make himself seem weak, ''You're mocking my Mother?'' ''Look, little boy, I could fry you up and have you for breakfast. I've broken big, full grown MEN! You don't even have whiskers, yet! THEN I'll find your little treasure!'' Michael continued in a small, whiny voice, ''You wouldn't dare!'' The sandy haired, filthy faced man replied, ''Sure, I'd dare! Thin little WEAK you? Hah!'' And he came in for the pounce. His face looked like an ugly caricature. At this point, Michael resumed his own natural speaking voice, and countered him, bringing him to the ground, ''You'll find I'm stronger than I look!'' At this point, he gave the raised arm gesture to Gwen with his free hand, and she came running to help pin the man down. Usually at this point in the hunt, he would have the prey cold cocked and unconscious. But he didn't this time. ''So you like to prey on the helpless, do you?'' Michael put his face near to the man's, to insure good eye contact. ''For justice sake, you've met one who is not so helpless,'' and he bared his fangs. ''Fangs!'' the man muttered, ''You're a fucking vampire!'' ''I and my friend DO require blood for our sustenance. Your's will do!'' And he bent down and punctured the neck artery. Gwen found a wrist vein. As the first flow of his hot, sticky blood met their mouths, an impressive range of images played before Michael's eyes. Gwen had not this skill, yet, but she was sensing the man's menacing evil. ''You beat your wife. Several times you've broken her bones,'' Michael said, between sucks. ''You've even beat your four year old child! He nearly died, once!'' Gwen saw it briefly, the image of bruises, purple, with angry gashes on young, tender flesh. She shuddered, but it didn't disrupt the slow rhythm of her sucking. ''You left a man to die in the woods, because you thought he 'made a pass' at you'' . . .'' ''Is there any end to this man's evil?'' Gwen thought. The man grew weaker under them, as he was being drained, but there was still enough consciousness left in him to hear his crimes being listed. ''You even beat your Mother, and stole large sums of money from her!'', Michael hissed, his anger raised to the fever point. ''Dishonoring one's own Mother! You ARE total scum!'' That was the last words the man heard, as his consciousness faded. The blood from him even tasted foul. Neither had any idea how this was possible. Had he ingested some mind altering drugs? When at last they were finished, Michael picked up his body, and set it back in the truck, on the driver's side. They returned to their car, both in a very somber mood. Finally Michael broke the silence. ''That was the evilest man I've EVER met!'' ''We may have saved his wife and child's very lives. The uncontrolled hatred and temper were brewing big, weren't they?'' Gwen added. ''Yes, they were. Now, I feel like I need a bath!'' The bath would wait until they got home, but they each at least drank huge amounts of water from those jugs they'd bought earlier. They drank and drank some more, and it seemed to have a cleansing quality. Rabbits and rats were so much simpler.
Go to Chapter Sixteen, ''Bad Blood, Good Blood'' |