Chapter 1

STORY 1

I thundered through the shadowy alley, paying little mind to the cast of unsavory characters lining its walls. I paused on the other side trying to ascertain which direction I should follow. It was dark and foggy, and I had managed to lose sight of the voluptuous redhead, but I could still hear the sound of her heels clicking frantically on the pavement in the distance. After a brief moment of deliberation, I was able to pinpoint the direction, and I headed after her.

It was nearly 4 a.m. on a foggy Tuesday night in the middle of Atlanta. The streets were virtually abandoned, except for the occasional vagabond, prostitute, or lifelong criminal. In other words, the type of people who would notice a well-dressed man chasing after a beautiful girl, but were unlikely to interfere. They were the type of people who were used to running from the cops instead of calling for their help. I suspected that several of them considered mugging me, but some instinct they didn't quite understand convinced them otherwise.

I ran past a crumbling apartment complex and turned a corner just in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of my target. She darted across the street and began to cut through a vacant lot. I realized that she wasn't running haphazardly. She had a destination in mind, and I suddenly knew what it was. More importantly, I knew a more direct path.

I slowly crossed the empty street and turned down another shady alley. I briskly walked past the crack houses and vacant lots, making my way back towards the park and a nicer part of the city. The tenements gradually became nicer and finally, I stopped in an alley next to a large brick townhouse. I sat patiently in the shadows and was shortly greeted by the sound of footsteps growing near. I stood and flattened myself against the brick wall and watched anxiously as Sophie approached the sidewalk next to the main street. She didn't even notice me in my dark hiding place, a careless mistake I thought. She passed by and with one quick, graceful movement I darted out from my hiding place and seized her from behind.

She wheeled around to face me. Her bright emerald eyes were blazing with surprise. "How did you...?" she started to ask.

I flashed her a wicked smile. "I anticipated where you were going, Love, and I took a shortcut."

She stared at me flabbergasted, trying to process my words. Finally, she just flashed me a coy smile and pushed me away playfully. "Oh Darien," she pouted in her distinct British accent, "You are no fun. I wanted you to chase me. I wanted to get your blood pumping."

I took her hand and drew her near to me. "My blood is already pumping," I responded. "It's been boiling since our meal." I leaned Sophie up against the brick wall and pressed my body against her, allowing her to feel the pulsing member inside my tight leather pants. I could tell she was still enjoying the afterglow of our dinner as well. Her normally, pale white skin now had a pinkish glow about it, and her flesh was warm to the touch. I could feel her heart racing. Her lips were blood red and with good reason. She flashed me a seductive, toothy smile, and I noticed her long canine teeth still displayed some red streaks--the last remnants of the feast we had shared earlier. I briefly flashed back to the two young lovers who had taken an ill-fated stroll through the park. Their lifeless bodies would undoubtedly be found in the coming days, but the police would just assume them to be the victims of robbery. I had taken all of their valuables and would put them in the chest where I kept the goods of all my victims, saving them until they could be turned into cash without drawing attention.

I leaned forward and gently kissed Sophie's lips. There was a sweet hint of our earlier meal on her breath, and it caused my heart to start pounding in my chest. "It's been too long," I whispered. "I've missed you, Sophie."

"I know, my love," she answered, "But I'm here now." I stepped back and gazed at her—a picturesque vision of loveliness. She stood five and a half feet tall, with a voluptuous, curvy figure. Her most noticeable feature was her long, curly red hair. Along with her pale skin and bright green eyes, it made her look like an indescribable goddess. I had been captivated by her looks from the moment I first saw her in a small London nightclub nearly two years earlier. I suspected every man who had encountered Sophie during her brief adult life felt the same way. She had been indescribably beautiful as a nineteen-year-old mortal. In the two years since The Change she hadn't aged a day, but she had become even more radiant. Her porcelain flesh and vibrant eyes had adopted a glow that made her inconceivably mesmerizing to man and woman alike. The young couple in the park had found out just how dangerously intoxicating she could be.

She stood gazing up at me, taking in my ageless beauty. At a little over six feet tall, I easily towered over her. She reached up and ran her slender fingers through my long, dark hair, pushing it back to expose my pale face. "So," she began, "We've already dined, and we've already played. What do you say to going inside and having a proper reunion?"

I flashed her my bloodstained fangs. "As you wish," I replied. We left the dark alley and climbed the steps in front of the large brick townhouse. I turned my key in the lock and moments later we stood inside the large edifice. The main room was decorated with numerous pieces of expensive, antique furniture, but that wasn't our focus at the moment. We rushed to the back of the house and down the small staircase that winded its way beneath street level to the cellar below.

The room had no windows and was pitch black, but neither of us minded. Our gift allowed us to see extremely well in the dark. Nevertheless, I went to a corner and ignited each of the candles in the large candelabra, giving us a touch of light. Aside from the candle stand there was only one other piece of furniture, which sat in the center of the room. The floor was covered with thick red carpeting. All four walls and the ceiling were covered with black velvet tapestries.