Content Warning: Adult language, Adult themes, Mild Nudity, Plot

 

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Dirk was stressed out.

 

He was in trouble and he knew it.  He was in deep and Baron Criminel wanted the debt paid. Like, now. The creepy voodoo crime boss was calling in all his markers. Whatever was going down was big. Usually, when shit like this got real, Dirk just skipped town until things calmed down. Wasn't working this time. He needed to settle the debt. 

 

So, back to the old plan. Find Star and bring her to Malcolm. The perv had really liked the hot blonde and Dirk didn't blame him. She was a sweet piece of ass. Malcolm said he had a bunch of guys willing to pay big to party with her. Extra for butt stuff and to slap her around. Enough so Dirk could pay off his debt, easy. The slut would probably enjoy herself, no matter how much she'd bitched about it. He just needed to convince her and... 

 

Who the fuck was this? Had Slim scored himself some goth pussy? Dirk wondered if he could get her too. Shit, if he could bring Malcolm Star and this goth chick, he might clear a profit after all.

 

 

"Peeking in windows isn't polite," a cool, cultured voice said, making Dirk jump.

 

Dirk wheeled to face the voice, hand reaching for his knife. Someone needed to be taught a lesson about sneaking up on a guy.

 

"What's it to yo... oh," Dirk froze. "What the fuck?"

 

There were always whispers. Rumors. Stories about the monsters in the dark. Dirk had always figured he knew all about monsters. He worked with them. Fucked up pervs like Malcolm. Brutal bastards like George T. Cold, dead-eyed killers like Max Villareal. There were plenty of monsters in the world without making up stories. Dirk had never believed in things that went bump in the night. 

 

Until tonight. Until he'd turned and seen those shining red eyes, looking at him out of that corpse-pale face.

 

 

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Xander watched the man run away. 

 

Prey ran.

 

Xander could smell the fear in the man's blood. Could hear his heart pounding with it. It would be so easy. So easy to catch the man. Too easy. Better to chase him, letting fear burn in his blood, listening to the delicious drumbeat of his heart. Drive him into some dark, secluded corner where no one would see. Drink. Drink deep. Finally slake this burning thirst.

 

With iron discipline, Xander resisted. He stood, and watched the man run away.

 

 

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Who could be knocking at this hour, Frankie wondered.

 

Slim had gone back to bed awhile ago. She'd been plunking cheerfully on his guitar, trying out the things he'd shown her. It was that silent hour of the night, closer to dawn than to dusk. The hour usually inhabited only by night shift workers, insomniacs and vampires. Certainly not a reasonable time for someone to be knocking on the door.

 

She realized she'd been so focused on practicing, she hadn't heard anyone approach. She could hear the faint whispers of Slim and Star, breathing deeply, coming from Star's room. Even as she opened the door, she realized she couldn't hear the breath of the man in front of her. Couldn't hear his heart beat.

 

Her eyes rose to meet his, shining red in the dark. 

 

 

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Frankie demanded.

 

"I was sent to find you," the vampire answered in a calm, cultured voice.

 

"Get away from me!" Frankie snarled.

 

"Listen..." the vampire began.

 

"No, you listen," Frankie said over him. "Go away. Never back come here!"

 

 

Furious - at this vampire for coming here, at herself for bringing him to Slim and Star's door - she advanced at him, snarling. The vampire's lips pulled back, showing his fangs, even as he gave ground to her, carefully backing down the stairs.

 

"Just listen," he growled.

 

"You stay away from me," Star snapped. "You stay about from here. I'll... I'll make you!"

 

"Kid, take a breath," the vampire snapped back.

 

"Vampire!" Frankie shouted, hurling herself at him. 

 

 

Hissing and clawing, Frankie flew at the vampire. 

 

Some distant, thinking part of her mind recognized that she was actually kind of flying. Shit, I can fly? The thought flashed and vanished into the red rage that consumed her. It was like the thirst but different. Something savage and dark inside wanted nothing other than to drive this vampire away. Away from Slim and Star. She wasn't going to let them be hurt because of her! 

 

She punched and clawed and bit, hurling herself at him with wild, untamed aggression.

 

The other vampire rose into the air to meet her. His arms raised, protecting his face and body from reckless, wild assault. Iron discipline met animal fury, head on. 

 

He swung suddenly, precisely, sending her reeling. 

 

"OK, that's enough!" the vampire snapped.

 

 

Panting, out of some leftover instinct rather than any actual need to breathe, Frankie dropped to the ground.

 

She struggled against a tide of strange feelings. The savagery inside her, so violent and powerful only moments ago, whimpered and cowered. The darkness that had driven her to attack now demanded she surrender. 

 

The other vampire sank though the air, before her.

 

She didn't think she could resist him now. The darkness inside would submit to whatever he demanded. 

 

 

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"Frankie," Slim shouted. 

 

They'd heard the shouting and the sounds of a fight. He'd come running, Star right behind him. Slim remembered that Frankie has always admitted she was in some kind of trouble. It looked like trouble had finally caught up with her.

 

"Get away from her!" Star shouted. She shouted something else too. A Word in a language Slim didn't recognize. 

 

Suddenly, the other vampire was thrown into the street as if some huge hand had swatted him from the ground.

 

 

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What the fuck!? Xander thought as he ran. 

 

Dark instincts raged inside him. Demanded he go back, force the fledgling to submit to him. Take her. Take her prey. He could smell their blood. The young man's, hot and rich. The other's, intoxicating and somehow familiar.

 

Where had he smelled blood like that before? Shit, Cassie! His sister. His sister the witch! 

 

The girl had witch-blood?! What the hell is Samedi's poor little lost fledgling doing with a fucking witch? 

 

He forced himself to leave. He hadn't come here to fight, damn it. He certainly hadn't come to challenge some mysterious witch.

 

He needed to get away. Calm down. Come up with a new plan.

 

 

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"What the fuck!" said Slim. "Who the fuck? How the fuck? What the fucking fuck!?"

 

"Frankie, are you OK," Star asked, pulling the other woman to her feet.

 

"I... I think so," Frankie said.

 

"I was so worried," Star pulled her into a hug.

 

"OK, guys, we should go back inside, because that weirdo might come back," Slim said "Also, I'm in my underwear and Star is naked."

 

 

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Author's note: Sex and lots more of Star being naked in the next chapter.