D.

Gracie got down from the cab and paid the fare with a glare as the driver tried for the last time to get her number.

It was irritating. She felt that it would be better if he could just stay focused on doing his job as a motorist instead of making passes at his passengers and making them feel uncomfortable.

Gracie ignored the leering man and walked towards the apartment. It was on a green hill that was surrounded by trees. The other neighbors lived some distance away but with the way the townspeople were nosey, she wouldn't be surprised if they were watching her from their windows.

The whole neighborhood was a killjoy. She could bet a million bucks that the other neighbors were old folks and married women with kids who were all dissatisfied with the way they lived, well, maybe not all.

The only guys that would even grace this sought neighborhood would be high school jocks. It was cool, but that would be a pedophilic relationship, and if sweet little Dawn ever engaged in that, it was going to go into the records of taboo affairs. Gracie knew she would not survive in a place like this, she'd die of boredom.

Gracie stepped up to the porch and froze as she noticed the open door. Dawn might be all bubbly and all smiles but she was super cautious and would never leave her door wide open.

She was about to walk into the house when a beautiful lady stepped out, stopping in her track as she saw Gracie.

Gracie gaped at the woman because for one thing, she was so gorgeous and sensual that she almost put Dawn to shame.

Her eyes were deep coals of black and she had a thin nose, cherry red lips, flawless skin, and a smooth jaw that still managed to acquire a hard edge to it.

If she were ever to audition for a Hollywood movie, she was sure everyone would be killing themselves to sign her.  She was curvy too and if any guys saw her looking all sexy this way, they were goners.

"Hmm," the woman purred, inhaling deeply. Her voice had a hypnotic edge to it and Gracie wondered what goddess she had served in her past life that decided she had to keep meeting with ethereal people who were just too perfect to be real, the first one being the guy that had graced their coffee shop just the day before.

"Your scent is delicious... But there's a more mouthwatering scent in this place. Do you know who lives here?" She asked and Gracie couldn't understand how, but it felt as if her eyes were getting bigger.

"Wh..what.." she stuttered dazedly, finding herself unable to look away from the woman's eyes that bored into hers. It fried all her senses until only her words rang in her head and she felt compelled to tell her the truth.

"My friend. Dawn Atkins, lives here."

"Dawn Atkins" she mulled the name around on her tongue with a cheeky smile. "It's an interesting name. Where is she presently?"

Without hesitating, Gracie found herself answering. "I haven't seen her since yesterday. I came to check on her".

Fatimah inhaled the air deeply. She had traced Seth Osiris to this house. His scent had not been in the house tho. There was only the smell of sweet blood. But it was very faint.

Seth had an alluring scent that lingered and teased humans' and vampires' senses alike, but the new blood she'd picked up was much more alluring than any she'd ever come across, so she was very curious about the source.

"Where do you think she went to," she asked reaching out to stroke Gracie's neck where the vein pulsed in long sensual strokes that sent shivers down the human's spine and made her feel as if she was in a lusty hazy dream. 

"I don't know. She doesn't go anywhere, she's always at home or work" she gasped, all out of breath.

"Good girl" she praised, then leaned in closer, her lips brushing the shell of her ear before whispering. "Forget me human. You never met me and you don't even know why you are here. Are we clear?".

"Yes!".

Gracie blinked from her haze, her head smarting from a headache. She looked around the neighborhood, utterly confused about what she was doing at Dawn's house.

Gracie stared at the locked door, the whole scenario feeling off. She was almost certain she'd been talking to someone. She grabbed her head in bewilderment.

"Did I smoke a joint this morning? What in all the plague am I doing here? In Dawn's fucking boring neighborhood?" She paused, placed her hand against her racing heart, then frowned. "Why do I feel so turned on?".

Thinking made her head hurt. "I definitely must have smoked something" she concluded, then grimaced in disgust as she looked at the neighborhood.

It looked so uninteresting she thought, then stopped because she sensed she'd had the same thoughts sometimes in the past or was it just now?

"I'm losing my fucking mind".

 

 

 

******

OUTSKIRT OF THE TOWN

MANSION.

 

Fatimah walked into the huge building, her senses alert to any movement she heard since she'd been attacked the last time she hadn't paid enough attention. A beautiful large chandelier was the main attraction and source of light since everything had been painted in black to shield out the sun.

Fatimah felt miserable every time she was sent on an errand to go out in the blazing sun using protective amulets that did not last more than an hour at the most. Most times it didn't work at all and the unlucky victim died a gruesome death of being burnt alive.

She walked up the grand staircase as the few remaining members of the clan lazed around, their wary eyes following her up the stairs.

Standing at the door that led to Alaric chamber always made Fatimah feel small. That was not the feeling she wanted to portray, so she took a deep breath, steeled herself, and pushed open the door, choosing rather to face her fears than avoid them.

Alaric Massimo stood by the window. The room was shrouded in darkness and he had his back turned to her.

"You came back early" his low timbre voice made her skin crawl as it resonated around the room. He was the only one who could get a reaction out of her. Their great leader, her creator, and a cold-blooded killer.

"It's a dead end. Seth covered his tracks well, but I'm sure he's close to the town. He visited a house and there was the potent scent of blood in the air, the scent was rich. Almost powerful".

"Who?"

"She was not in the house. I got the information out of her friend. She was gullible but did not know much".

"Ahh" he turned from the window with a grin that pulled on the gruesome scar that ran across his face.

A holy weapon had been used to hack his head open, almost splitting it in half but he had survived.

"Bloody humans!" He sneered. "So stupid and gullible. They will never be able to resist you Fatimah, and that's why you're my greatest weapon".

"You say that now but we all know your favorite is Sliver Ramos. I'm just a subject you use for your whims my Lord," she ventured bravely in a voice that held both hurt and reverence.

He let out a harsh laugh and walked toward her. She went on her knee immediately and bowed down before him.

He smoothened his red slick hair backward and inhaled deeply.

"You sound like you'd love to be my right-hand man. You would have been if you'd brought to me the holy blood but you have failed me over the past century all because you were obsessed with Seth. Do I need to remind you of how much you have failed me" he pointed out cruelly and Fatimah reached for his legs.

Only he could make her feel like she was worthless and incapable of doing her duty. "I don't deserve your mercy great one."

"You do not my child, yet I grant it to you every time."

"Why?"

"Because you're an enchantress and Sliver is not. You seduce both mortals and immortals. You are valuable to me despite your failures. Get me the holy blood or Seth's heart on a golden platter and you'll stand proudly beside me" he took hold of her hand and pulled her to her feet.

His fiery red eyes connected with hers and she felt compelled to do as he had commanded.

"As you wish, my Lord"

"Leave!" He ordered.

Fatimah retreated and walked out of the room. She felt tensed. Being in the presence of Alaric Massimo was draining. He had killed lots of his creations and she didn't want to be among the numbers.

Fatimah took a step down the stairs when Sliver suddenly blocked her path.

He looked angry, but there was also appraisal in his eyes.

"Did you succeed this time in stealing my position?"

Fatimah smiled and leaned a little closer, her gaze probing Into his.

"If you could be a little more perfect, you wouldn't have to worry so much right? Maybe you need to step up your game and become more useful for Massimo" she whispered, her mouth hovering over his as he fell under her enchanting gaze. "You're so fucking gullible it makes me want to rip out your heart every time Massimo calls you his right-hand man" she spat lowering her gaze and breaking the spell.

Sliver gasped when he felt the tip of the holy dagger pressing against his chest.

"So pathetic!" She said and made to walk past him when he grabbed her arms and spun her to face him. He was stronger when it came to physical strength.

"Maybe Alaric knows that I am stronger and wiser than you'll ever be" he growled in her face. Fatimah felt her bone break from the force of his hold. She doesn't flinch or wince. She smiled through the pain.

"Calm down, Pet" she purred with a threatening glare in her eyes. "I might stick this knife into you if you provoke me more than you've already done. Trust me it will be very easy"

"I'll love to see you try" he gritted out hotly, looking unfazed. She wrenched her arms free but was only successful just because he let go. The healing process started since there was no more restriction.

He'd wanted to see the pain in her eyes but he had another thing coming if he thought he'd get a sign of weakness from her.

"Better watch your back," she said using her power to back up the words she'd spoken, making sure to plant it deep in his brain until he felt it repeating in his head like a mantra. She smiled sweetly and was gone from his sight.

Silver shook his head to get her voice out of his head. He noticed that Fatimah always chose days when she knew he was weak to implant fear into his mind. It didn't help that he hopelessly wanted her. He would never let her find out tho because she'd win if she knew. He wasn't that weak or pathetic.

If Fatimah knew, she'd report to Massimo. And once Massimo knew about his attraction to Fatimah, she would win the battle and he would find himself burning in the sun.