Content Warning: Adult language, Adult themes, Nudity, Sex, Dubious Consent, Violence, Plot

 

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Frankie raced to the door.

 

Behind her, she could still hear Star and Slim going at it. Hear their moans. The creaking of Star's bed and the wet sounds of Slim moving inside Star's body. Their hearts pounding. The smell of their blood and lust lingered in her nose. 

 

The whole thing was super hot. Frankie really wanted to go back and join them. Or at least watch. 

 

Whoever was at the door had rotten timing. 

 

 

Throwing open the door, Frankie absolutely intended to give whoever it was a piece of her mind. She was totally going to tell them their timing sucked and send them away, so she could get back to her friends. Those angry words died somewhere in her throat.

 

The woman standing on the porch was pale, elegant and so totally in control. If Frankie hadn't been able to hear her heart beating, she would have thought the woman was a vampire. She should have been a vampire, Frankie thought. She was beautiful, in a completely different way from Star.

 

Frankie was suddenly very aware that she was only wearing a shirt.

 

 

"Frances Caine?" the elegant woman said. It almost wasn't a question.

 

"Umm, yes," Frankie replied. "Frankie... everyone calls me Frankie," she added. God, why did I say that. That was dumb.

 

"Frankie," the woman smiled in a way that made Frankie shiver. "I'm Carmilla. Carmilla LaFanu."

 

Casually, as if she'd been invited, Carmilla stepped across the threshold. She looked around the squat, a slight smile on her face.

 

"Um, can... can I help you?" Frankie stammered. Please don't notice I'm not wearing pants, she thought. Or... maybe... do. 

 

 

"Fuck," Slim sighed, relaxed in the warm afterglow.

 

"We just did," Star giggled softly, "but I could go again."

 

"You're a fucking nymphomaniac," Slim chuckled. "You gonna sex me to death."

 

"Mmm, can't have that," Star smiled, cuddling closer to him.

 

"Did you hear someone knocking before?" Slim asked.

 

"Well someone was doing some serious pounding, but I'm pretty sure that was you," Star giggled again.

 

"Fucking nymphomaniac," Slim said with a smile. "I'm going to go check... as soon as I find my pants."

 

 

"Oh. My. God," Frankie groaned, stunned.

 

"It's entirely his fault," Carmilla was saying calmly. "He should have known better than to just walk up and knock on your door, knowing what you were certainly going through."

 

"Oh my God," Frankie repeated.

 

"He's sorry," Carmilla went on. "He asked me to come and talk to you. To see if you would agree to meet with him. Somewhere safe. There's a park nearby. Would you be willing to meet him?"

 

"Oh my God," Frankie said again. "I attacked Xander Goth. I attacked Cassie Goth's brother! The Raven Witch's brother is a vampire!"

 

 

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Life... well, undeath... was complicated enough, Xander thought, what with Dark Court intrigues and red heads with deep emotional baggage. Now I've got to deal with a fledgling vampire, a mysterious witch and whoever the guy was. It just can never be easy, can it? 

 

I don't think I can handle this.

 

"I need help," he said aloud. "Cassie, I need you."

 

The park's cool autumn night was broken by a sudden flash of light. Surrounded by the scents of flowers that didn't grow in Willow Creek, and the intoxicating scents of blood and magic, the Raven Witch stepped out of thin air.

 

"You never write, you never call," Xander's sister said in a warm voice, laced with a hint of Creole music.

 

 

"Yeah, you've got problems, little brother," Cassie Goth said a little while later. 

 

"Thanks," Xander groaned. "I knew I could count on your advice, O Wise One."

 

"Is this really an 'advice' talk or just a 'I need to vent' talk?" Cassie asked with a slight grin. 

 

"A bit of both, I guess," Xander sighed. "I know you can't help me with the Court stuff without getting us both in even more trouble than we already are. So, I'm not asking you to. The witch thing, I could use some help with..."

 

"Without knowing more about her than 'blonde', 'young' and 'nice tits' - great description by the way, very evocative - I'm not sure what I can tell you," Cassie said. "I don't know every witch in the world. It's not like we have a mailing list."

 

 

"What can you tell me?" Xander sighed.

 

"A witch defending a vampire? You already know that's unusual," Cassie said with a slight grin. "She might be a renegade. A warlock working for the Dark Court?"

 

"If Samedi or Criminel or some other local noble had a witch in their stables, I'd know," Xander said confidently. "They wouldn't keep it a secret, not with everything else going on."

 

"She might not be a witch, not a fully trained one at least," Cassie said thoughtfully. "I've heard of vampires keeping untrained witches as thralls. Our blood is supposed to be..."

 

"Intoxicating," Xander finished for her. He was trying hard not to think about how good Cassie smelled. How much he wanted to push her thick black hair aside and sink his teeth her pale skin. She's your sister, damn it!

 

 

"From stories I've heard, witch-blooded thralls don't usually last long," Cassie continued. 

 

"No, they wouldn't. It would be too easy for the vampire to lose control," Xander nodded. Think about baseball or something, you freak. "The more I think about it, the more surprised I am at the idea of a witch and fledgling vampire together."

 

"Young love," Cassie chuckled.

 

"That could be it, actually," Xander replied. "That or they're both so young and clueless they don't know any better. Maybe both. Where does that leave me?"

 

"With problems, little brother," Cassie sighed.

 

"Well, on the bright side, it can't get much worse," Xander smiled.

 

The look on Cassie's face was all the reply she needed to make.

 

 

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Dirk was pretty sure things couldn't get any worse.

 

Star was with Slim now? Slim!? How the fuck had that happened. Slim was just Slim. Chicks didn't go for Slim. What the fuck was he supposed to do now? Whatever he did, he knew he needed to do it fast. 

 

Walking in on Malcolm getting head was throwing him off.

 

"I can come back later," Dirk said.

 

"Why? Oh, this?" Malcolm chuckled. "Angel here is going to be helping the guys get ready for your girl's big debut. She needs a little practice, don't you love?"

 

"Hmmrk, glrk, glrk, mmmkhg," Angel gurgled. 

 

Dirk wasn't sure if it was actually a response or if the bitch was just moaning on Malcolm's pasty cock. Whatever, he had other things on his mind.

 

 

"Look, Malcolm, about that..." Dirk started.

 

"Dirk, man, don't tell me there's a problem," Malcolm said. "You promised me you could deliver. I went out on a limb for you here."

 

"No, no problem," Dirk lied. "Just a little wrinkle. I just need a few more days."

 

"Can't do it, man," Malcolm shook his head. "The invites are sent. The date is set. Angel, baby, nobody told you to stop sucking."

 

"Mhm hhrr," Angel moaned. 

 

 

"It's just a question of availability," Dirk hedged. "Maybe we can work something out?"

 

"Dirk, Dirk, Dirk," Malcolm sighed. "What... oh, fuck yeah, honey, just like that... what are we going to do here?"

 

"Is there a problem?" asked a high, cold voice rich with the old music of the Creole.

 

"Dirk here says there may be an issue with availability," Malcolm said.

 

"That, my good sir, is not acceptable," the high, cold voice replied. "Commitments were made."

 

"Well, you ssss...ugh..." Dirk began. Turning found himself face to face with Baron Criminel himself.

 

"Are you telling me you cannot provide the girl you promised?" Baron Criminel said. 

 

"Well, you see, mister, lord, sir baron Criminal, sir," Dirk stammered.

 

 

"I like this one. He's funny," Nibo said in a high, clear voice. Dirk realized he hadn't noticed Malcolm's drag queen co-host sitting on the bar stool when he'd come in.

 

"I am not amused," Baron Criminel snarled. 

 

"I just need a few more days," Dirk began.

 

"You have had all the days you are going to get," Criminel roared.

 

A clawed hand, cold as death and strong as steel, locked around Dirk's throat. He gagged and choked as his feet left the floor. His eyes went wide as Criminel's face changed, his dark skin turning corpse grey, his eyes clouding over. The dim light of the basement room glinted off the vampire lord's fangs. 

 

"Don't kill him yet, honey," Nibo purred. "We still want his girl for the party."

 

"Yes," the Baron hissed. 

 

 

The choking grip on his neck was released, dropping Dirk to the floor.

 

"You will bring me the girl, on time and as promised," Criminel growled down at him. "If you do not... you will take her place. With a little persuasion from Nibo here - and Nibo is an expert at persuasion - I am certain our guests will enjoy themselves fucking your ass. Nibo will even make you beg for it, won't you darling."

 

"Oh, makeover," Nibo laughed. "We'll get him a nice frock, tuck his jewels back..."

 

"If he fails me, you can remove them altogether," Criminal snarled. "He won't need them anymore."

 

"Fuck yes," Malcolm chuckled as Angel made a show of loudly gulping down his cum.

 

"I'll get her," Dirk coughed out. "I'll get Star for you. I swear." 

 

 

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"That's him. Oh my God, that's really him," Frankie gushed. "I still can't believe I attacked Cassie Goth's brother."

 

"I'm going to tell him you said that," Carmilla smiled slightly. "Exactly those words."

 

"Now that I get a better look at him, he's kinda cute," Star said. 

 

"Seen one rich white guy, seen them all," Slim snorted, trying to sound cool. He was pretty sure he just sounded lame and jealous.

 

"I guess I should go talk to him," Frankie said.

 

"Yeah, you should," Star smiled. "You know, I think things are looking up for us."