Huntress

The idea of talking to a Master vampire filled me with fear. They were one of the most powerful of the paranormal beings. This one in particular was very powerful and he was Sean’s father. The fact that Sean and I were kind of friends and that Sean apparently liked me could potential work in my favor or do absolutely nothing or worse work against me. The last thing a Master vampire needed was people thinking he was handing out favor or discounts to ‘friends’.

Sean lived in the richer part of town in a huge brick mansion with beautifully landscape yard that was easily 20 acres, filled with trees, smaller garden areas and what seemed to be a pool.

Sean was waiting for us at the front door, leaning in the doorway and I couldn’t help realize just how sexy he was despite the tension in his body.

“My father is waiting,” he said in greeting and walked inside expecting us to follow.

He lead us up the stairs and onto the 3rd floor, all the way down the hall to a set of double doors which was already partly open. Sean pushed them open the rest of the way revealing a dark office with a fire roaring in the far corner surrounded by shelves filled with books and knick-knacks. Also in that corner facing the fire was a sitting area and in the only leather single chair was Sean’s father, an older and more mature version of him, Stephan.

“Imagine my surprise Hunter when my son told me you wished an audience with me and was under the Winter Court’s protect with three of the Queen’s sons as your escort.”

I could have melted under that voice, cultured, dark, spicy and filled with power.

“I can imagine quite a bit of surprise, sir. I am grateful that you were willing to receive me so quickly and at such an hour.”

“I see you learned to use a civil tongue, it seems your training for heir was not all wasted,” the master vampire said obviously amused.

I gave Sean a glare, obviously he had told his father a lot about me.

“I know when it is crucial to hold my sharp tongue, sir.”

“It seems you do. Come closer child I will not bite…yet,” he said softly but I could hear his voice clearly feel his presence wrap around me.

I moved forward against my own accord drawn by his voice like a bee to pollen, I felt rather then saw the others walk with me.

“Sit and we shall speak, your escorts can wait in the hall,” Stephan muttered.

“I think we would rather stay, Master vampire, she is under our protection,” Ceron said.

“She is in no danger from me Fae and we have apparently private matters to discussed which will not fall on ears turned to the Winter Queen. The half fae can stay as she has no allegiance to your Queen. If the Hunter wished to pass what we spoke to the rest of you that is her business but I will not be known to allow open ears within my walls.”

I turned to the boys, “I will be ok. He is right, he will not and cannot hurt me under the vampire code.”

They looked doubtful but left nonetheless, Sean showing them out before he returned.

“They are in the kitchen being serve warm drinks and cookies.”

“Good, you may go as well.”

Sean blinked at his father, “sir, I thought-“

“You thought wrong.”

“Sir, if it is all the same to you, I would like Sean to stay for this meeting. He is your heir and he and I will have dealing between us when we both take over our clans. It is common sense that he should be here for this since this could potentially affect his clan as it does my Pride.”

“Spoken like a true diplomat, very well Sean sit sit,” Stephan said as if his son was a bother.

Sean sat on the sofa next to me, so I was sandwiched between him and Sam, and I couldn’t help but wonderful if they had done it on purpose protecting me from both side from Stephan.

“Now what is it Hunter that you wish to speak to me of?”

“I need to know who came to you to ask about ancient arts, what you told him or her or they and if you will testify if I needed you to in the future.”

I watched him watch me, his eyes unreadable his hands folded in his lap, he didn’t move a muscle and the eeriness was magnified by the fact that he wasn’t breathing. Then just as I was about to open my mouth he moved making me jerk slightly in surprise. He leaned back, looking amused but calculating.

“You are asking me three things. Who came to me, what I told them, and my testimony. That is a very tall order Hunter and the price for my answers is not cheap.”

I swallowed, nodding, “I know. What is your price?”

“One month starting the day after your graduate high school, you belong to me as my blood-lover. You will stay here for the entire month; mine to do as I please. 30 days for three answers.”

I felt the blood drain from my face, my teeth began to chattered, my body shook. Sam bolted to her feet, anger in every muscle and movement. Sean was still as stone at my other side.

“How dare you ask such a price! Leave her as a bag of bone and flesh, drained, raped beyond her life!”

“You seem to confuse me for the riff raff vampire who do not care about their blood-lovers. She would be treated like a queen, having anything her heart desire in every aspect; food, clothes, jewelry, cars, spa treatments, all to keep after I release her. I will show her the height of pleasure, so much she may never want to leave me.”

I shook my head, “no that price is too high for information I could possible seek else where.”

My hand reached out and touched Sam’s, she turned to look at me before sitting down, clenching my hand tightly. I smiled at her reassuringly before removing my hand from her grip. I felt Sean relax next to me.

“Too high you say Hunter? What would you offer me then?” Stephan asked.

I licked my lips my braining whirling with thought, “a blood meal,” I said softly.

“I offer you a blood meal for you to take of me now for your answers.”

“Ro…” Sam said softly.

“Three, one for each answer. I will take the first now and claim the other two whenever I like but you must come when I summon you regardless of what you are doing or where you are.”

There was something about the way he said his words and Sean soft but sharp intake of breath that made me look at Stephan sharply, hearing his words in my head several times.

“Three blood meals in exchange for the answer of who including everyone you know was involve in coming to you for information about the ancient arts, what you told them every detail and reference, as well as your testimony on all this information when I need it regardless of where you are, what you are doing or what other agreement or deal you may be involved in that could nullified this deal we are making now. The first blood meal will be immediately after we have agreed on the terms and condition of this deal. I will receive the information mentioned above immediately after the first blood meal in the presence of Sam and Sean. The other two blood meals you may claim them later but they must be pre-arranged to fit both our schedules. You will not hold back your testimony when it is needed if you have not received all of your blood meals. You will ensure none of your future deals, negotiations, and/or contracts affect our deal or any of terms in any aspect including your testimony. Oh and a blood meal means the standard one pint of blood.“

Stephan arched an eyebrow, “well said and well done. I do believe you covered all you bases. I am going to up your blood meal count to three pints of blood based on the amount of information you are receiving with me only receiving three small blood meals. I do believe that is fair. I will give you something to drink before and immediately after which will help you body produce blood quickly but efficiently and cause no permanent damage.”

“The body only holds an average of 8 pints of blood and I am not average in built, weight or height,” I replied back, I was small, “one and half pints.”

“Two, you will be fine with the drink.”

I sighed rubbing the bridge of my nose; I was seriously going to be sick after this, “deal.”

Stephan smiled revealing his long canines, “Do you want them in the room?” he asked softly.

“No,” I whispered.

“Ro-“

“NO!” I snapped at Sam.

“I will not have either of you two watch this! Wait outside, we will call you when we are done.”

Sam whirled around and stormed out of the room while Sean looked lost but stood quickly obviously wanting to say something but couldn’t. I watched him stalk out of the room, slamming the doors behind him.

“It is interesting to see my son care so much for a Hunter. I didn’t realize it until the whole council thing about your right to inherit your Pride came up. He was very vocal about the vampires needing to support you. You should have seen the whole speech he had prepared to convince me. It was quite touching.”

“Are we going to do this or drag it out with pillow talk?” I hissed watching the vampire open a cabinet on what looked to be an alcohol bar while I stood pacing in front of the fireplace.

The vampire laughed, “Ah there is that tongue I have heard so much about,” walking back over to me he handed me a glass with a dark thick liquid before sitting back down, “Drink.”

I held my breath and drank the contents in four large gulps, coughing at the bitter taste.

“Come sit.”

I put the glass down on the mantle over the fireplace and approached him stopping just before him. His arms were suddenly around my waist pulling me into his lap, causing me to be straddling him. His face buried into the side of my neck and he inhaled my scent.

“You smell wonderful, like freshly crush grapes in the hot sun with an under tone of cinnamon and clove. There is something else, it is hard to describe but under all of that there is a touch of storm, lightning, thunder, heavy rain. You are very alluring, I can see why my son is so infatuated with you.”

My pulse was running wild, my breath short and shallow as the master vampire filled my sense with vampire pheromone to help keep me calm and lucid in his arms otherwise I was sure I would have had a panic attack. I felt him shift my body pressed me against his, his teeth grazing my skin underneath my right ear. His hands held me in place one behind my neck, the other at the base of my spine, my hands on his shoulders clenched when I felt his teeth sink into my flesh. I gasped loudly pain rocked my system before it changed into something else, pleasure so sweet I wanted to weep. It didn’t hurt at all; each pull of my blood was a push of pleasure into my very core that made my moan against him. All too soon it was over, I felt the pleasure slowly ebb away as I laid limp in his arms, panting for air.

I barely felt him pick me up and lay me on the sofa, moving away to a small half bath to get a soft cloth to clean the puncture wounds on my throat. He applied a topically cream and placed a bandage over it, then forced me to drink another glass of the bitter drink. I felt his hand brush my bang from my sweaty face before his hand lay fully on my forehead; I noticed the concern frown on his face.



I giggled from blood loss, “you just drank half my blood and now you look like a concerned dad. Do you do that to all the women you drink from?”

“You are too tired after such a feeding, I tasted no sickness in your blood.”

“Oh that means the Witches’ Brew is out of my system, goodie!”

“Witches –sighs- I’d forgotten about that. Why are you so exhausted?”

“Uh…I slept in Winter Faerie, is freaking cold there. Have you ever slept there before? Everything is ice. Seriously ice ice ice. It is so cold, it was actually really hard to sleep, woke up a lot. Then during the hunt earlier today, was that was today wasn’t it? Ya, so during the hunt I was attacked by this huge hellhound, apparently hellhounds, well real ones are like as big as a bear not those wolf like one we see normally. Did you know they could talk too? It was very red riding hood. Oh but then I used all my magick to get us back here from Faerie. It was cold here too normally I like the cold but seriously lately it just sucks. So we walked like forever in the cold but Ceron carried me the rest of the way to Sam’s house. Ceron is very nice I hope he doesn’t hurt Sam cause I will seriously kick his butt if he does. Did I mention how cold it was? Sam’s house wasn’t cold, it was warm. Well after the fire was lit and the heater turned on. I had coffee, which was hot. I called Sean and then he came over. Had to convince him to let me meet you but then he agreed. You know he asked me to prom? I was super shocked, I mean I wasn’t even planning to go to prom but then he asked me. I told him no but I might tell him yes instead. He is very cute oh but you know that he is your son and you are very handsome so you should except your son to be cute but that has nothing to do with that you ask. I feel really weird, I felt good but now I feel weird…oh so then we came here. So a lot has happened in the last few days. I have been cold not hot. Cold suck. Did I mention how much I like the cold but late-“

“I got it. I got it. I did not realize you were weak Hunter. Vampires do not drink from the weak or ill. I feel foolish for not noticing it sooner, you are stronger then you know if you could hide your weakness from me. I admit I was very focused on getting a taste of your blood; I was blinded by my desire to see what was obviously right in front of me. You will have everything you asked in exchange for this one blood meal, it is only fitting after I made such a mistake.”

“You are not going to bite me again? But I liked it,” I protested with a pout.

Stephan laughed, “if you only realized what you were saying Hunter. Sleep; there is nothing you can do in your current state. I will give you the information you seek when you wake. You should be fine with a night’s rest.”

I felt a blanket wrap around me, the warmth of the fire, the blood loss and exhausted over took me, dragging me deep into darkness the last thing I saw was a man standing over me looking more like a concerned father then a powerful undead vampire who had just drank my blood.

Notes