The blood was warm and tasty, but less than satisfying.  Thirty two seconds in the microwave oven wasn't the same a warm neck with pulsing, throbbing blood or a hot breast that, coming alive beneath her fangs and lips,  smelled and tasted of life.  She sat at the kitchen table, alone.  Even Toby was asleep as she sat, thinking black, black thoughts.  Third Thursday meetings at The House of Magura offered companionship of like, but she'd not met anyone that she really felt an affinity for.  Codrin was kind and offered tips but she just didn't "click" with anyone.  John and her job were history.  She wasn't hurting for money.  She'd turned a couple of tricks with Vicki and rolled a couple of would be muggers.  Surprisingly enough, she had more money in the bank, unemployed, than she'd had when she was working as a computer research assistant.  Maybe she wouldn't go back to work.  Her tastes were modest and her ability to turn up cash was high.  But, she was miserable and felt so very alone.  Who could she talk to?  Who could she share anything with.

She liked Craig but one very unsatisfying date with him had been it.  Half way through, he'd been paged and had to run.  He'd said it was the first time he'd ever been called in when he was on standby.  Just her luck!  Oh well!  He had her number if he ever wanted to try again.  Eliza knew she was at least cute.  Maybe not a raving beauty, but she looked good.  Why couldn't she get a guy interested in her.  She looked down at her chest and grimaced.  Ok, 32 B wasn't pillow country, but on her it looked good and she knew it!  She'd never gotten any complaints.  She snorted.  John has sure like staring at them and . . 

She squirmed and took another sip of blood.  This line of thought wasn't doing her any good.  "Just what I need," she thought.  "to be depressed and horny.  Damn.  Why don't I just visit the garbage dump to see if that cheers me up?"  Night was still chilly so she could wear her leathers.  She wondered what she was going to do when summer came.  She look darn silly in 90 degree weather wearing full leathers.  Sighing, she realized she'd become a creature of night and winter.

Standing in front of her mirror, she turned to view her nude profile.  She straightened her back and sucked in her stomach.  Pulling her shoulders back, she emphasized her breasts.  She ran her hand down her body and watched her nipples harden.  "I do look good," she thought.  "Guess it's just my natural bitchiness that scares them off."  But she really didn't believe it.  She slumped and slipped on her leathers without bothering with any underwear.  She liked the feeling of the leather against her skin and the vest on her bare breasts was very sensual.  The vest was sleeveless and had two sets of laces but no buttons.  She cinched the lower laces tight to emphasize the narrowness of her waist and only loosely tied the upper laces.  She wanted a little skin to show.  She was half considering going to a leather bar she'd seen advertised.  She put on some dark eye shadow and a quick application of black lipstick created the effect she wanted.  She stared at herself in the mirror and grinned, allowing her fangs to display.  "I'm ready!" she thought.  "Eliza Radu, Vampire, ventures into the night!"  She grinned sardonically.

Casually gliding to her destination she inhaled the night air and looked up at the almost full moon.  "Hello, darkness, my old friend," she found herself thinking as the strains of the song went through her mind.  "I wonder if they had any idea?" she mused.  A car containing three young men slowed and she heard a wolf whistle.  Hardly looking, she flipped them the bird and kept on her course.  "I want something more than a car full of randy teenagers," she muttered darkly.

As she approached the corner, she realized the car with the three young men in it had stopped and they were waiting for her.  More irritated than concerned, she walked a little faster.  "Come on sweet heart, why don't you join us.  It's lonely out here in the dark and we'd be happy to keep a sweet thing like you comfortable and safe."

"Well," she grimaced, "at least they aren't being pigs."  She walked over to the car, and leaned into the passengers side, allowing just a hint of fang to show, along with more than a hint of breast.  In her huskiest, sexiest voice she said, "Don't you boys know the night can be a very dangerous time?  There are things that wander darkness, can steal your soul and have their way with you."  She could see the young man's eyes flicker from her breasts, to her eyes, to her fangs, to her breasts.

"Oh man.  If you're one of them, I, uh, I don't think I'd mind at all he said."  The young man in the back seat was craning his neck go get a better view into her vest, through the laces.  She turned a little to make that happen.  And saw his eyes widen and his face flush.

She reached into the window and touched the young man's neck with a long red nail.  "Suppose?" She grinned, allowing a little more fang to show.  His neck was soft and warm.  She could almost smell the blood just beneath the skin.

"Suppose what?" he squeaked.

"What do you think?" she asked, allowing the iron hard nail to break the skin on his neck and she watched, fascinated, as the single drop of blood formed.  She was holding his gaze and he was now her toy.  The other two men did not understand what was happening.  They saw him reach up and cup her breast through her vest and she leaned in and it looked like she was whispering something into his ear.  He had a look of ecstacy on his face and it was impossible to tell what she was doing with her hands, but a snicker gave an indication of what they thought was happening..

The driver looked at the man in the back seat and whispered, "What's going on?  Is she biting him?  Is he feeling her up?"  The laces on her vest had come loose and the man in the back seat was grinning wildy at the view he was getting.  The first man's darker hands against her pale breasts burned an erotic vision into his mind that he would see at odd moments for the rest of his life.

Waving his hand at the driver, he whispered, "Shush, you ought to see this!  They are really into it.  God! I wish I had pictures of this."

Eliza straightened, not displaying any fang, but allowing a small trickle of blood  to run down her chin.  She was aware her breasts were exposed, but the warm blood in her throat and the sexual stimulation made it exciting, not something to conceal.  She rubbed her breasts, offering the young men an exciting show and then slowly laced her vest.  She grinned at them, turned and continued her journey.  As he left, she could hear excited voices as they roused their satiated friend to ask him what had happened.

"I certainly do feel better, now." she sighed to herself.  "Nothing like a light snack to make one feel perky."

As she made the final turn to the bar, she could hear the driving rhythm of drums and the soaring riff of an amplified lead guitar.  A line of chopped hogs along with a couple of expensive sports cars gave an indication of a varied clientele.  She felt excitement build within her.  This would be something new and different.  This area of town was more upscale so there was no telling what she'd find inside.

There was a line waiting to get in, but when the door man saw her getting into the line he wave her up and held the door for her to enter.  She grinned with pleasure.  That's twice in one night she had been appreciated for her looks.  It was a hell of a lot better than being rejected she considered. Entering the dimly lit lobby, didn’t prepare her for the pulsing light show going on inside the main room.  Almost blinded by the pulsating lights, she found the wall and leaned against it until her vision cleared.  “Oh man, that hurt,” she cried to herself.  “I expected dim lighting and get bright as day.”

Looking around with fascination, she watched the people that had entered before her.  Some dressed to the nines and some in casual clothes.  No wonder her leathers were accepted so easily.  They fit right in, along with the make-up she’d used.  You could tell some of the outfits were used as costumes.  Laughing to herself, she saw someone else that looked like a vampire.  Snickering, she knew those “fangs” were fake. Not at all like hers.  “I wonder how she’d like to have a meeting with the real thing,” Eliza wondered.

Seeing an empty table mid-way through the room, Eliza made for it and sat down.  A waiter approached her and asked what she’d be drinking tonight.  “Plum Brandy, please,” she smiled and said.  “Miss, I just need to ask if it’s alright that a single gentleman or lady, join you? We try to make it a policy that there are a minimum of two people to every table.  I hope you don’t mind?” the waiter questioned.

Eliza answered his query with “that’s fine with me, I prefer to drink with someone even if I don’t know them.”

Settling back in her chair, Eliza lost herself in the music thinking, “this band is very, very good.  Other than Jerry, this is the first time I’ve heard music this entrancing.”  Watching intently, her eye was caught by the drummer.  “Oh, nice, very nice indeed,” she thought to herself.  Dark hair left long, handsome, very handsome, nicely developed arms, probably from all that drumming.  “Wouldn’t mind feeling them around me.”  “Oh dear, I’m still horny,” Eliza grimaced.

Staring intently at the drummer, she saw he was staring back.  Locking eyes with him, she project pure lust.  Watching him, she saw his eyes widen, sweat popping out on his face and paling and then flushing.  He almost missed a beat, but caught himself and finished the song.

As the band finished their set, the canned music came on through the rooms speakers.  The band headed off to do their thing on their break-time.  The drummer headed straight for Eliza, with a grin on his face.

Still without breaking the look, she licked her lips, sending a multitude of signals with the gesture.

On closer inspection, he was better looking than she thought.  Almost pretty boy.

“Hi, pretty lady, what can I do for you tonight?” was his opening line.   “Why not a thing, love, its what I can do for you,” she replied with a half smile on her face.

Looking intently at her, he asked what she could do for him? “ Oh, love, I can do many things for you.  Some things you’ve never even thought of,” she replied.  “Really, now that sounds very, very interesting.  What might you do for me that I have never thought of,” he asked laughingly.   She leaned closer and whispered tauntingly, “you’ll just have to wait and see won’t you, since I can’t tell you here.”

Just then the lights came up and dimmed as a signal for the band to resume their place on the minuscule stage.  Reluctantly, he turned to leave, turning back, he said, "just so you know, my name is Jesse."  With a wink, he resumed his way to the stage.  Jumping up, he sat himself down behind his drums and waited.

As the music filled the room, the driving beat of the song filled Eliza.  She lost herself in the music and the time passed.  “This band is excellent,” she thought.  Glancing up again, for about the hundredth time, she knew Jesse was staring at her.  She felt his eyes boring into her.  She caught his gaze and smiled a sultry smile.  Licking her lips, she felt the tips of her fangs.  Not now dammit!!  She concentrated and felt them recede.  “I’m not going to give myself away in here.  I have to be so careful.  Who in his right mind would go with someone who ‘thinks’ she’s a vampire.”  They’d lock her in the looney bin or worse.  Smiling to herself, she resumed watching Jesse.  What a nice eyeful to watch.  Definite eye-candy material.  Definite snack material, definite boy-toy material.

Looking at her watch, she realized that the club would be closing in about an hour.   Would she leave with Jesse or not.  Only time would tell.  If the looks he was sending her way were any indication, they would be leaving together.

These little “snacks” she’d been having, had started the blood lust rising.  She knew it would soon be time for her to hunt.  She had to be very careful in the heat of a blood hunt.  She knew that it was probable to kill during it, although that was not her way.  She thought about, no worried about, the rising need.  For the moment, she was horny, although the need for blood was increasing quickly, the snacks wouldn’t do for long.  She needed a full “meal.”  She wondered if Jesse would provide more than the sexual release she needed.  Would he be more than just another here today and gone tomorrow type.  “I need more than that now,” she cried to herself.  “Geez, I am feeling sorry for myself, SNAP OUT OF IT GIRL,” inwardly raging at the way she was feeling.

Giving a quick shake of her head, she focused her eyes on the stage again.  With her extra keen sight, he still looked really good.  Watching the stage with her eyes, she continued to think about deeper things.  Smiling to herself, although it looked like she was aiming the smile toward the stage, she thought about playing a little with John.  No, she wasn’t done with him by a long shot.  Shivering delicately, she thought about what she wanted to do with him.  He wouldn’t resist, not now.  She’d made sure of that.  The only question, was when would she put it into effect.  Not quite yet, she thought.  Let him stew a little first.  Wonder a little more, maybe get a little scared.

“Ah, yes, payback was a bitch,” knowing it was almost payback time.  She was the bitch.

Watching the lights come up and dim again, she knew it was almost closing time.  Last call at the club for drinks.  The band was playing the last song, now was the time to decide what to do about Jesse.  She knew it was her choice, not his.  Should let this flow naturally?  Look what had happened with Craig, although Jesse was no Craig.  He wouldn’t get called away on an emergency, now would he?  Well, she’d see where this might lead, naturally, no vampire enhancements.  Maybe, just maybe, he’d care for her, not the siren call.

Calmly waiting at the table, Eliza knew when the song ended and the band was done packing up the gear.  Nodding at the bouncer who was headed her way, she gathered her purse, swinging the light-weight cape around herself.  Moving slowly toward the door, she knew Jesse was no longer in sight.  “Oh well, I guess that’s that,” she sadly thought to herself.  So much for no enhancements.”

Making her way more quickly toward the door, her arm was caught, just as she was going to leave.  “Going somewhere, sweet lady?” Jesse asked.

Looking up with a slight smile she replied, “Why yes, love, with you.”  With a devastating smile, she hooked her arm through his and they walked through the door.

“You really didn’t think I was going to let you leave without knowing more about you, did you? He quietly asked .  “I am intrigued by you.  You aren’t the run of the mill, goth type, wannabe.  On you, the look seems more natural, although the black lipstick should go.  You’re way to....to....interesting, yeah that’s it, to bother with things like that.”  Knowing what she was going to say by the look on her face, he jumped in first.  “No, I don’t mean it as a line, I’m sure you’ve heard it before.  I do sincerely mean it.  You’re attractive, yes, but you intrigue me.  There is something about you, that calls me, draws me to you.”

Laughing, somewhat in embarrassment, she felt that telltale blush starting like a red tide.  Ducking her face, she tried to hide the fiery red of her face, but he caught her chin and raised it so he could look at her.

“See, that's part of what I mean.  Most women today, can’t blush.  You do and its so nice to see.  You can give me back word for word, but you still blush.  I find that intriguing.  On your pale skin its like a beacon.”  Reaching out, he gently stroked her cheek.  With the light caress of his hand, she felt a fire begin deep inside.

“Oh yes, she thought, maybe he is the one.”  “We’ll see and boy will we have fun in the seeing.  I’ll make sure of that.”

Looking deep into his eyes, without the come hither projection this time, she looked deep into the soul of him, liking what she saw.  He was the genuine article.  He wasn’t feeding her a line, he meant every word.

Sighing, she linked her arm with his and said, “Home Jesse.”

With a wide smile, he proceeded to lead her to his car.  “Hun, it might be nice if I knew your name.”