The Truth About Vampires

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Page No 2 The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or vi a any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Pl ease purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents eithe r are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resem blance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coi ncidental. The Truth About Vampires Copyright 2004 Lydia Parks ISBN: 1-55410-087-9 Cover art and design by Jane Sommers All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utili zation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mecha nical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the wri tten permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books, a division of Zumaya Publications, 2004 Look for us online at: www.zumayapublications.com www.Extasybooks.com Page No 3 Also By Lydia Parks Dark Desires Blood Bonds (With Fae Harlow and Brenna Lyons) All Night Long A New Year's Bite Page No 4 Dedication:

To my understanding and inspiring husband. Page No 5 The Truth About Vampires 1 Chapter One W hen Nathan first saw her, his heart would have stopped, if it hadn't already done so ages ago. It wasn't her physical appearance that drew his attention. In a city the size of Atlanta, she was no more unique than any other relatively attractive young woman. It was something else—something different. He felt as if he'd turned a corner in a desert city to find an exotic flower and was compelled to take a deep draught of its scent. Changing his path, he fo llowed the woman into a shop filled with video tapes, and observed her from a dozen feet away. She couldn't be as much as five and a half feet tall, and her thick dark hair fe ll nearly to her waist. Her figure wasn't spectacular, yet she was nicely rounded. She wore black jeans and a black cotton blouse, and hid her eyes behind sunglasses. Nathan frowned. Sunglasses at night? Pretending to study the back of a taped movie container, he approached her, wondering if she might be one of his own kind trying to hide her presence. He Page No 6 Lydia Parks 2 waited for the awareness to tingle at the back of his neck, but nothing happe ned. No vampire was that good at disguise. She wasn't a child of the night. He stepped closer and the sound of her heartbeat verified his verdict. So, what was she? Her scent was odd. She smelled of herbs and smoke and honeysuckle, all mi

xed together in a very feminine package. Was she simply a mortal woman? I f so, why did it seem that his head had suddenly filled with fog? She moved toward him and he turned to face the shelf. Her sleeve brushed ag ainst his arm as she walked past, and the fog thickened and swirled wildly around him. He felt a s if he were lifting off the ground, although he knew he wasn't… "Nate? Come on, baby, let's do it." "What?" He spun around and staggered back a step, entangling himself in str ings of beads blocking a doorway. He stood in darkness—no bright lights, no shelves of plastic tape containers. A woman laughed and he stared across the room at Star. Nathan battled his way free of the beads and glanced down at his empty han ds. Hadn't he been holding a video case? "Come on, Nate. This is gr eat shit, but it's gonna wear off if you don't hurry ." Nathan straightened and looked around. What was he doing in Star's trailer? The small window to his left Page No 7 The Truth About Vampires 3 suggested the darkness of New Mexico nights, but it was impossible, wasn't it? Ha dn't he just been in a video shop in downtown Atlanta? Hadn't the millennium passed a few years back? How could it be 1964? The answer was obvious; it couldn't be. He turned his attention to the young woman who lay across the tie-dyed beds pread, her body bare but for the thin black choker around her neck. "What t he hell are you doing here?" he asked. Star laughed. "I live here." Nathan frowned. Star sat up, one leg drawn to the side. "I'll have to light another joint if you don't get busy." "Busy?" She waved her hand absently. "You know, take off the threads. Free your bod y, and I'll blow your mind." Blue eyes glistening in candlelight, she laugh ed again. He'd forgotten just how lyrical her laugh was. Was this a dream of some kind? He'd never had one quite so real. Ince nse a nd marijuana smoke thickened the cool night air as it blew in, and outside

a pair of coyotes yapped. "What's the deal, man? You plannin' to make me beg or something? That's so square." Moving with fluid grace, Star rose from the small bed and crossed the room. Grinning, she started at his shoulders and ran her hands down the front of his shirt. Her touch was real enough. Heat sizzled through the fabric to his cold skin. She unbuckled his belt and opened his pants as she Page No 8 Lydia Parks 4 knelt. Blonde hair hid much of her face when she smiled up at him, her blue eyes rimmed with red. "Not interested, babe?" She laughed. "I can fix that ." In spite of the peculiar circumstances, Nathan responded to Star's touch. Sh e withdrew his cock and stroked the length of it lovingly, and he hardened. When she took the head of it into her mouth, Nathan fangs dropped and he cl osed his eyes to enjoy the wet, hot pleasure she o ffered. She drew more of him in, slowly, deliciously, moving down the length of his cock with her l ips and tongue. Her groan vibrated up through his hard shaft, weakening his knees, and he grabbed the wall to steady himself... "Ah-hem." Nathan's eyes snapped open and he winced at the glare of fluorescent bulbs. "Can I help you with something?" He frowned at the pimply young man standing before him. "Who are you?" The youth shrugged. "I work here." Nathan glanced around. The video shop. He was back in the video shop. He stood at the end of a sh elf, holding the side. In his left hand, he gripped a crushed video container. The woman he'd followed was gone. Not only could he not see her, he couldn' t smell her, either. How long had he been standing in this place? The clerk motioned toward the plastic box with his head. "I gotta charge you f o r that, you know. I mean, it's only a case and all, but it still costs like a buck, you know?" Page No 9 The Truth About Vampires

5 Nathan withdrew a twenty dollar bill from his pocket, handed it to the yo un g man, then turned and hurried from the store, tossing the ruined container onto the counter on his way out. At the sidewalk, he stopped to gather his wits. The remnants of his dream, o r hallucination, or whatever it was, took the form of a raging erection. Alt hough he could hide it with his cloak, walking wasn't particularly easy. But a glimpse of a young woman in black rounding a corner several blocks away s purred him into action, in spite of his discomfort. Hugging the shadows, Nathan rushed down the street. At the corner, he paused . Her scent was there, clinging to the stone wall. He leaned around the edge of the building. The woman climbed into a car, started the engine, and pulled away. He considered running down the street and dragging her from the vehicle, or using his preternatural speed to follow her, but he doubted he'd be able to get far und er the circumstances. The heat of Star's mouth lingered. Nathan flattened his back to the wall and listened to the sounds of footsteps on the sidewalk and distant sirens, try ing to find something other than human desire or vampire hunger on which to focus. *** "Tell me again." Terra leaned forward on the table, grasping a glass of fizzin g liquid in both hands. Page No 10 Lydia Parks 6 Nathan huffed. "Are you having problems hearing or comprehending?" Terra frowned. "Look, you called me over here. I'm doing you a favor, rem ember? We can do without the sarcasm." "My apologies." Nathan nodded. "You are, of course, correct. I'm afraid the appearance of this…this woman has upset me more than I'd realized." "Apology accepted. But I still don't get it. You say she touched you and yo u were suddenly in the middle of a daydream? I'm afraid I don't see the big problem here." Nathan rose, carrying his own glass, and paced the dining room. "It was no t simply a daydream. I was there, the same place in which I stood forty years ago." "And?"

He stopped and studied Terra. In detective mode, she wore a dark blue suit, carried a gun in a holster clipped to her belt, and pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail. The look fit her tall, slender frame perfectly—a fra me that he'd enjoyed more than once in a very intimate way. Memories of hav ing sex with Terra diverted his attention. If not for the value he placed o n her friendship, he might have suggested they partake again at that moment . Certainly he'd forget—temporarily—about the mystery woman. Nathan ignored the temptation. "I've never experienced anything like it." "I guess after three hundred years you don't have a lot of new experiences." She chuckled. Page No 11 The Truth About Vampires 7 Anger seeped into Nathan's chest. "I don't find that amusing." Terra covered her mouth with her fist, but did a poor job of hiding her smil e. "Sorry." At length, she straightened. "So what do you want me to do?" "I want you to help me find out who this strange person is." "How do you expect me to do that?" Nathan returned to his seat. "How do you usually discover a person's identit y?" Terra shrugged. "Depends on the situation. What do you know about her?" "I know what she looks like." Terra withdrew a small notepad from her jacket. "Go for it." "I beg your pardon?" "A description?" "Ah. Slightly less than five-foot-six, slight build, dark flowing hair nearly to her waist. Pale skin." "Any distinguishing marks?" "Not that I saw." "Eyes?" "I assume she has two." Terra sighed. "Do you have to be a wiseass?" Nathan frowned. "Eye color?" "I don't know. She was wearing dark glasses." "At night?" "Yes." Terra scribbled something on her pad. "Maybe she was stoned." Page No 12

Lydia Parks 8 "I think not." "Oh?" "I smelled no hint of drugs." "Maybe she's popping pills." Nathan shook his head. "I can smell those, too." "You can?" He nodded. "Damn. You're better than a dope dog." Offended, he rose. "Hey, where are you going?" "In search of a refill," he said. In the kitchen, he bit open another bag of O- positive and emptied it into h is glass as he reined in his temper. He seemed to be having an inordinate am ount of trouble with emotions tonight. Very strange. "I assume," he said, retu rning to the table, "that none of this helps. Would the number from the back of the vehicle be more useful?" Terra rolled her eyes. Nathan repeated the number and Terra wrote it down. "What kind of car was it?" she asked. He shrugged. "It was dark red with dents and rust spots, and it had four door s." "And four tires, I bet," she mumbled as she extracted her cell phone from her jacket. Nathan drank from his glass as he waited. It didn't take long for Terra to snap her phone shut again. She frowned at it, then dropped it into her pocket and glanced across th e table. "No such plate . Page No 13 The Truth About Vampires 9 Are you sure about the number?" "Quite." "How far from the car were you when you saw it?" "Twenty or thirty yards, perhaps." "Maybe you saw it wrong." Nathan jumped up. "I did not see it incorrectly!" Terra sat back, her eyes wide. "Whoa. What's going on here?"

Nathan took a deep, calming breath. "I don't know." He drained his glass and then placed it on the table. "I must find out who this woman is." "You don't have anything else?" He shook his head. Terra flipped her notebook shut and tucked it away. "I really can't help you until you get more information. If the plate number you saw doesn't exist and you're sure about it, co uld be that the plate's forged." "Why would someone do such a thing?" She shrugged. "Could be a car theft ring. Stick a phony plate over the real on e and it doesn't show up on the hot sheet. Or mayb e she's working hard a t hiding from something." "I see." He thought about the young woman he'd followed into the shop. Som e how, she didn't strike him as the car thief type. What could she be hidi ng from? Terra rose. "Look, Nathan, I' m beat. I need to get home. If you come up wit h anything else, call me." "I will. Thank you." He followed her to the door, but stopped her with his hand on her arm. "And Page No 14 Lydia Parks 10 please forgive my behavior." Terra smiled at him. "Hey, no big deal." He watched her walk down the sidewalk and climb into her car. She glanced at him as she started the engine, then drove away. Nathan closed the door against the approaching dawn. Although he would soon be consigned to his basement by sunlight, he was i n no hurry to sleep. Dreams were difficult enough to deal with when he kn ew they were only dreams. Nathan extinguished the lights and gazed out at the graying sky. Why couldn' t he stop picturing the strange woman he'd seen only for a moment? He must find her. Page No 15 The Truth About Vampires 11 Chapter Two F

our days after the initial encounter, Nathan caught the young woman's scent again. He'd given up his search the night before and was on his way to the hospital, believing a few hours of work might be just the diversion he needed. Besides, his stock of O-positive was running low. When he got a whiff of the smoke and herbs, he stopped so suddenly that an older man ran into his back. "Hey, watch it," the man grumbled, shoving Nathan with his elbow. "Pardon me." Nathan raised his head to get a line on the scent and followed it into another store, this a neighborhood grocery. The young woman must live or work nearby. Why else would she come here to shop? He lost her trail among th e scented soaps and ripe fruit, and thought for a moment that he'd been mistaken. Hurrying to the end of an aisle, he checked a large overhead mirror for any sign of her. When she crossed in front of him, Nathan skidded to a stop. Page No 16 Lydia Parks 12 She looked the same, except that she wore lighter colored clothes. The tan sw eater fit her nicely. Still she hid her eyes from view. After giving her a head start, Nathan followed to the checkout line. He pi cked up a nearby bag and stood directly behind her in line, pretending to s tudy his planned purchase and vaguely wondering how Oreo cookies tasted. "Excuse me, do you have the time?" Nathan drew back at the young woman's question as if she'd slapped him, th en mentally shook himself, extracted his pocket watch, and glanced at it. " Ten thirty-five." "Nice watch. Is it an antique?" When she touched his hand, he was shocked to find her touch cool but elec trifying… "It's about time you arrived. I've waited quite long enough." He spun around to face the voice and found a woman he'd all but forgotten r eaching for his hand.

"Margaret?" She stepped into his arms, her thin white shift the only thing that kept him from touching her milky skin. He knew that skin well, fo r he'd caressed it many times over the course of t wo years. But the War Between the States had long since ended, hadn't it? "Don't you know how rude it is to keep a girl waiting?" She looked up at hi m with her seductively green eyes and slipped her hands over his shoulders. Page No 17 The Truth About Vampires 13 "I'm sorry, my dear," he said. "Kiss me, Nathan." When she pressed her heated body to his, he was unable to resist doing as sh e ordered. Her kiss was hot and full of promise, just as it had always been. Her tongue d rew his to her, and then circled the edges of his teeth. Nathan's fangs responded by enlarging, just as his cock did the same. Margaret had always known how to seduce the vampire and the human at th e same time. No other woman had understood his needs so well. She bit his bottom lip playfully and he tightened his hold on her. "I have a surprise for you," she said. "Oh? And what would that be?" "This way." Sliding her body cruelly against his and then stepping away, sh e took his hand and led him up a wide, winding staircase. He knew the path without being led, but enjoye d the feel of her small, warm hand in his. When she released his hand, Nathan began to unbutton the uniform coat as he walked behind her. Inside her sitting room, Margaret stepped aside. A young woman—perhaps eighteen years of age— stood in the middle of the ro om, wearing a man's shirt that reached to mid-thigh. Her dark skin contras ted sharply with th e white cotton, and her brown eyes glistened in the la mplight. Margaret crossed the room and walked around the girl, lifting her hair and g ently smoothing the material Page No 18 Lydia Parks

14 on her shoulders. "Isn't she lovely? Her name is Sally. You know her mother , I believe. She cooks for me. Matilda?" Nathan nodded. "Aren't her features pr etty?" Margaret raised the girl's chin as if to examine her face more closely. Unlike the slaves working th e plantation, this girl had a thin nose and lips on ly slightly full. "Her father is dear Edward, my husband," Margaret said. "Do you see the r esemblance?" Nathan noted the venom in the woman's voice as he continued to study the g irl. Her young heartbeat flooded the room with echoing sounds of fear, but she stood her ground defiantly. After draping his coat across a chair, Nathan walked to Sally. He stroked the side of her tender cheek with his fingertips and pushed a thought forward. Calm. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "I will not harm you." Her heartbeat slowed and her eyelids drooped a little. Margaret didn't notice the change. "I'll watch you take her," she said. "And I want you to spare her no pain. She must learn her place." "Before Edward returns?" Margaret raised one eyebrow. "Yes." Nathan circled the girl, inhaling her scent. She was freshly washed a nd scented for his pleasure, and purity perfumed her perfectly. He stopped b ehind her and kissed her shoulder. When he saw the welts that rose above the collar of Page No 19 The Truth About Vampires 15 the shirt she wore, the bitter taste of anger burned his throat. Sally instinctively moved her head to one side, baring her neck to him. She was, indeed, tempting. But he'd spent too much time with Margaret already. Men returned daily f rom the war, and at any moment Edward might make an appearance. He knew Edward through Margaret. The man was older than his wife by thirt y years—a good catch because of his wealth. While Margaret was attractive , she was not from the land ed gentry. She and Edward had married the day before he left to ride for General Lee, and their marriage bed had been used only once. Nathan knew Margaret much better than he knew her husband. The wedding nig

ht had been a great disappointment for the young bride. And it wasn't just her age that produced the desires she felt. She was cruel and selfish. Sh e' d found fulfillment in the arms of slaves since her husband's departure , and had promptly had each man killed when she'd tired of him. Those rema ining whispered of her insanity, and blamed it on a curse uttered on her w edding day by Edward's sister, who fell ill and died two months later. Nat han doubted that anyone else realized the woman had been poisoned. Margaret had a great appetite for sexual pleasure and no qualms about metho ds she used to quench it. Nathan had quite enjoyed hi mself thus far. In fa ct, he'd stayed in Mississippi much longer than he'd meant to. What Margaret had planned for this night, Page No 20 Lydia Parks 16 however, was not what would happen. Instead, she would learn just how cru el one could be. Nathan straightened and turned his attention to his hostess. "I will take her, my dear, but only as dessert. You are the feast I crave tonight." Margaret's eyes sparkled with delight. "Oh?" "Yes." He reached out an d tore the garment from her shoulders, baring her fu ll breasts to his gaze. "And I will have you not once, but three times before I take my little Sally." Margaret backed away from him and he followed, step for step, as he pulled hi s shirt from his pants, then drew it over his head and tossed it aside. Her eyes widened, then her grin grew to match his. "You are wicked, sir." "As are you, my sweet." When she hit the wall, he pinned her there with his weight and took her mo uth savagely as he drew up her gown. She responded with a groan, filled with desire. Under the soft cotton, her warm skin quivered beneath his touch. Nathan removed his mouth from hers and pressed it to her ear as he reached between her legs and found her already damp. "I have wa ited an entire fort night for you, dear Margaret. I've hungered for your sweet flesh as no man ever could." "Yes," she said. "I feel a hunger, too." "Deep in your soul?" "Yes." "Good." He freed himself from his breeches. "I'll

Page No 21 The Truth About Vampires 17 feed your hunger now." Taking her mouth and raising her legs around his hips, he buried his hardened shaft in her cunt with one brutal thrust. Margaret cried out against his mouth and her fingers dug into his shoulders … Nathan jumped at the blari ng noise to his left and turned to face it. "You fucking idiot! You tryin' to get yourself killed?" A taxi driver leaned through an open window to yell. Nathan glanced around at the darkened street, then walked to the curb. The driver gestured rudely as he sped past. "Asshole!" Nathan stopped on the sidewalk and turned back to the street. Where was he? The place looked vaguely familiar. An older man, whiskered and stooped, watched silently from nearby. Nathan backed to a wall, then followed it to the intersection, sliding one st ep at a time. He felt oddly dizzy, and wondered if his knees would buckle. But they held. When he peered around the corner, he found himself three b loc ks from the store where he'd seen his mystery woman—three blocks from where she'd touched his hand. The erection he now sported was twice as large as the one she'd left him wi th during their first encounter. Page No 22 Lydia Parks 18 Nathan suddenly realized he needed to quench his hunger in the arms of th e strange woman who smelled of smoke and herbs. That realization produced a gnawing pain in his chest unlike anything he remembered feeling before . As soon as he could move , he hurried back to the grocery and searched fro m outside. There was no hint of her. Using all his senses, he explored the area, listening for her voice, tasting the air for her scent, looking into every dark alley and uncovered window. She had vanished. She touched his hand, and then she disappeared.

The sun was starting to lighten the east horizon when Nathan finally aband oned his search. Growling with frustration, he headed home. He'd find her again. Nothing else was so important, although he couldn't beg in to explain why. Page No 23 The Truth About Vampires 19 Chapter Three A fter two nights of staking out the area, Nathan's rooftop vigil was rewarded. The young woman emerged from her dark red car wearing blue jeans, a loose-fitting blouse, and dark glasses. She slung a large canvas bag over her shoulder and looked aroun d as if checking for a pursuer. Did she feel his presence? An absurd thought. She was human—nothing more. It was not possible for her to feel his presence. Nathan leapt silently to the ground and followed her, staying at least a dozen paces back. The woman walked a block, stopping twice to look in shop windows, then turned a corner. Nathan trotted ahead. He couldn't afford to lose track of her again. He had to know— Rounding the corner, he sk idded to a halt in front of her. The young woman clutched her bag to her stomach. "Go away," she said. Nathan drew himself up to his full height. "I beg your—" "I know what you are. Go away." Page No 24 Lydia Parks 20 "Young lady, I believe—" She reached out and grabbed his arm… "Oh, God, yes." Star pushed her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth to

hers. Nathan kissed her, circling her lips with his tongue. She rolled forward and back, sliding up and down his cock as she straddled him. Nathan held her buttocks, guiding her movements, enjoying the way her heat ed body shook as she neared a climax. He pressed his mouth to her shoulder and listened to the pounding of her heart. "Yes," she breathed. "It' s so fucking perfect, baby…yes." Nathan raised his head… "No," he growled, forcing himself back to the present. The young woman was nearly a half a block away, walking fast. Nathan closed the distance between them. "Wait. I must speak to you." She spun around, obviou sly surprised by his appearance. "I told you to go away. Leave me alone." "I can't do that. Not until I know—" She leapt forward and shoved him backwards with both hands… "That's it, harder." Margaret clung to his shoulders. Nathan shoved his cock in deeper, slamming her head against the wall with t he effort. She smiled as she dug her fingernails into his flesh… Page No 25 The Truth About Vampires 21 He closed his eyes and willed Margaret away. This time the mystery wo man was less than three steps down the sidewalk. Nathan used his preternatural speed to appear in front of her, making sure to stay out of her reach. She stepped forward and he stepped back. The young woman frowned. "What do you want?" "I want to know what you are." "Oh?" She sighed and glanced around before returning her attention to him . "You don't know?" Anger welled in Nathan's chest. "If I knew, I wouldn't be standing here aski ng." She laughed and then nodded. "No, I guess you've got a point." She withdre w a card and pen from her bag and scribbled something, then held it out. Was this a trick? Nathan studied the card, but she covered the writing with her thumb. "Stop by tomorrow," she said. He nodded and reached for the card. As he grabbed it, she locked onto his

wrist… "Oh, yes, that's it." Margaret dug her heels into his buttocks as she tightene d around him. Nathan pushed harder, pounding into her cunt. The waves started with her crying out, unafraid of the attention her wails m ight draw. He glanced over at Sally and found her watching with guarded interest. Margaret's climax went on for some time, possibly the result of waiting for h is return. Nathan's fangs dented his lower lip and he considered drinking from her im mediately. Her Page No 26 Lydia Parks 22 blood, sweetened with releas e, would explode in his head with such pleasur e. No, he wouldn't end it ye t. There was much more to come. Clinging to him, Margaret panted. "Very nice," he said, "but much too easy." He lifted her from his cock and placed her on her feet. His hard shaft gliste ne d with her juices, and her scent filled the room. Using two fingers, he wi ped her juices around her mouth and kissed her, licking the sweet nectar from her lips. Then he stood back and grinned. "Delicious," he said. "Try it." Nathan held Margaret's shoulders and urged her down to her knees, then sh ov ed his fingers into her hair to hold her head in place. The move wasn't necess ary. She took his cock willingly into her mouth, a nd groaned when he pushed it deeper. Round and round her hot tongue went, drowning him in liq uid pleasure. Nathan closed his eyes fo r a moment, then turned to look at the girl. "Come, " he said. She walked slowly to him, her eyes wide. He leaned over and kissed her mouth. Her lips were hard under his at first, but as he drew on them and urged th e m apart, they softened. Her tongue, unsure and inexperienced, darted out to meet his, and he tilted his head to explore her lovely mouth. Innocence. So sweet. Taking his mouth away, he nodded toward the bed. "Wait for us there." Page No 27

The Truth About Vampires 23 Sally walked silently across the room. Reluctantly, Nathan withdrew his cock from Margaret's experienced mouth an d pulled her to her feet. She circled her red lips with her tongue as she reached for his bare chest. "Y our turn." "Of course." He swept her into his arms, carried her to the bed, and dropped her unceremoniously onto it. Margaret laughed. In one swift move, he ri pped her dressing gown completely from her, leavin g her bare. Her chest swelled as she took deep breaths, lying back, propped on her elb ows and watching him. Nathan stripped off his boots and pants, and leaned over Margaret. "Spread those milky thighs for me, my dear." Margaret pretended to resist. Nathan grabbed her ankles, pulled her to the edge of the bed, and pushed her legs apart. Sally cowered against the wall, watching. Nathan knelt and ran his tongue up the inside of Margaret's leg, enjoying th e way she squirmed and squealed. Just below the top of her thigh, he nipped her, not quite breaking the skin. Sally inhaled sharply when she saw his fangs. He glanced over at her and smiled. Then he went to work on Margaret's cunt, lapping at her juices, sucking her c lit, pressing his fangs against her meaty lips. Her hips came off the bed as her cunt swelled. Nathan slid two fingers in to her as he covered her Page No 28 Lydia Parks 24 with his mouth and drew her to the edge. But he stilled before he released her. Margaret growled her frustration. "Nathan, don't stop now, damn you." Rising, he slid up her body, stopping to suck on her pink nipples. He gri pp ed her wrists and raised her hands over her head as he moved up to nibble on her neck.

Margaret squirmed under him. Pinning her to the bed, he glanced up. "Come, Sally. You'll hold her hands." "What?" Margaret struggled against his grip. "I don't want her—" "It doesn't matter what you want, my dear." Nathan kissed her mouth until sh e quit struggling. Sally stood on the far side of the bed and replaced Nathan's grip with her own. She had strong hands for such a young woman. Margaret glared at the girl, then turned her attention to Nathan as he started back down her body, taking his time to taste every bit of her. She was close; he could smell her excitement as he returned his mouth to he r cunt. He could easily have drawn out her orgasm with a few quick flicks of his tongue and some gentle a ttention, but gentle attention wasn't what Margaret liked. She liked it rough. He licked her clit up and down, holding her hips in place when she tried to move. "Oh, yes." She cried out, tossing her head from side to side. Sweat beaded o n her upper lip and wetted the Page No 29 The Truth About Vampires 25 hair around her temples. Nathan turned his head, and pierced the white flesh of her inner thigh. Margaret cried out, at first in pain, then she let out a long wail as he drew s everal drops of nectar from the bite. The essence of her exploded in his head, even from so tiny an amount. He turned and did the same to the other thigh. The taste of her blood brought his semen welling up the shaft of his cock, and a drop appeared on the head. He was very close. Then he stopped and watched her cream ooze from between swollen lips. "Damn you," she said, her voice a pained groan. "Give me what I need. Rel ease me from the madness." He licked the closing wounds on her thighs, then rose. Frustration flickered in her eyes. "What are you doing?" "Giving you what you ask, my sweet." He grabbed her waist and roughly flipped her over. Sally continued to hold h er wrists. Nathan lifted Margaret with one arm around her waist and entered her in one thrust from behind.

Her body stiffened at the sudden intrusion and she inhaled sharply. He withdrew and thrust again, moving easily in her juices in spite of his size . It less than a dozen thrust s, she was screaming in ecstasy. Page No 30 Lydia Parks 26 Nathan looked up at Sally and grinned. "That's two," he said. Then he lower ed his body to hold Margaret's to the bed. She gasped for breath as her orgasm ended. "Oh, God." "Not quite, my dear." Nathan pressed his mouth to her ear. "Time for number three." "Not yet, let me—" Nathan withdrew and thrust his cock deeper still. Drawing his lips back to r eveal his fangs, he found the pounding vein in her neck and pierced her skin. Her honey-sweet blood filled his mouth as her cunt tightened again and she screamed her joy. Nathan's orgasm started then, and he pumped his seed deep. Deeper. Her pl easure became his. She bucked under him, her climax gaining force instead of waning. Muscles tightened around his shaft, drawing more from him. He fell from the cliff into a sea of bliss, needing to be deeper, craving more, wanting all of her. The beast rose, roaring, released at last. Her pounding heartbeat took hold, lifting him from the depths. Nathan growled, holding his prey securely and drawing the life from her. N o mercy. No regret. Pure pleasure, nothing more. As the pounding grew faint, he withdrew from her neck, emotion still rushi ng through him. He'd taken her as she wanted, and as he'd needed, making her selfishness his own. Yes, perfect joy. Page No 31 The Truth About Vampires 27 Margaret lay still beneath him.

Nathan pumped the last of his climax, then rested. Her heart continued to beat, but slower now. "Is she…dead?" He looked up at Sally, who had released Margaret's wrists and backed to the wall. "No, not yet." Regaining control, he raised himself away from Margaret, enj oying the beauty of her body with one last look. "But she will soon pass in to darkness. Does that trouble you, my dear?" Sally took a step toward the bed, frowning at Margaret. Then she looked up at Nathan and shook her head. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sat on the bed, facing the gi rl. "I didn't think it would." She gulped, the scent of her fear filling the room, but kept her steady gaze locked on him. "Do you wish to find plea sure before I leave? I'll not hurt you, beyond th at pain which any woman experiences the first time." When she didn't answer, Nathan held out his hand. Sally stared at his hand for several long moments, then offered her own. He drew her gently across the bed until she knelt near him. Watching her ey es, he slowly unbuttoned the shirt she wore. Her young body was firm and tight under the cotton. He pushed the garment off her shoulders and let his gaze wander down the front of her. Her skin, the color of light ened coffee, glistened in Page No 32 Lydia Parks 28 candlelight. Her dark, rosy nipples hardened under his scrutiny and he smil ed. "Are you afraid, my sweet?" "Some." "Don't be." He pulled her to his body and leaned back, but hit his head… Nathan glanced back and found a brick wall. Frowning, he looked out at the dark, narrow street, and then down at his em pty hands. "Damn you," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet with the help of a cold brick wall.

Page No 33 The Truth About Vampires 29 Chapter Four "I t's very important that you not let her escape." "Unless, of course, you feel "Got it." Terra twisted her hair up and pulled a cap down over it. threatened. I'm not sure exactly what she is." Nathan frowned out at the crowd. "You think she's a vampire?" He shook his head. "No, she's not a vampire." "Then, how bad can it be?" Nathan shrugged. "She might have powers I'm not aware of." "Like?" "I don't know." Terra sighed. "Okay, I'll keep an eye out." "For what?" "For whatever. You know, suspicious activity." Terra clamped a hand down firmly on Nathan's shoulder. "Stop worrying. Th is is what I do for a living." "I understand." He lowered his voice. "But if you are injured because of me—" "Chill." Page No 34 Lydia Parks 30 "I beg your pardon?" Terra grinned. "Don't worry. Do your thing and I'll be right on your tail." Nathan studied her eyes, admiring her strength, then nodded. "I am in your d ebt." "And I don't take plastic." He waited, then realized she wasn't going to explain and smiled. "Indeed." She nodded toward the busy sidewalk. "Go." Checking the air, Nathan crossed the street and started strolling.

The sidewalk was more crowded than it had been when he'd previously encou ntered his mystery woman. Heartbeats echoed all around him, and every hum an gave off a strong scent. He worried that he might not notice her if sh e showed up. He shouldn't have wasted time worrying. Nathan spun around when she was still a half a block away, and their eyes m et. She stopped and glanced around, but obviously realized she couldn't escape . Instead, she moved to a large drugstore window and waited. "That wasn't very nice," Nathan said, stopping beside her. "Oh? And you know nice when you see it?" He raised one eyebrow. "My, my, but we are bitter." She huffed. "Maybe I have good reason to be." "My dear—" "I'm not your dear." Nathan turned to face her, and nodded. "Forgive Page No 35 The Truth About Vampires 31 me. Perhaps if you'd tell me your name—" "Forget it. I'm not your friend, and I don't want you following me anymore . How many times do we have to go through this?" "Young lady—" "Maybe, compared to you. How old are you, anyway?" "—I don't want to follow you around. Believe it or not, I have better things to do with my time." Nathan bit back the anger. "Tell me why you have this strange effect on me and I'll leave." "Yeah, right." She reached out suddenly and grabbed his arm… Star clamped down hard on his shoulders with her hands as her orgasm cont inued. Nathan held her, reveling in the way her whole body pounded with her heartb eat. It was quite tempting to taste her now and know her ecstasy. But he wouldn't allow himself that joy just yet. Instead, he'd bring her to an other shattering climax, then pierce her flesh as he'd done many times before. Her erratic bliss wou ld wash over him like wild ocean waves, and then would come the numbness an d haze of her narcotic, and they'd lie together in a fog. "Hey, babe, what's shakin'?" Nathan froze at the male voice, cursing his vulnerable position and ready to

move Star aside if he needed to jump to his feet. Star leaned over with her head back to see the man behind her. "Hey, Siru s, come on in. You know Nathan?" Page No 36 Lydia Parks 32 "No. Hey, man." The tall, muscular Sirus extended his hand. Nathan released Star's buttocks long enough to accepted the handshake. "What's up?" Star asked. "The re's a couple of joints on the table. Help yours elf." Sirus shook his head and his long brown hair danced around his shoulders. " No thanks, I've been tripping since, like, noon or something." "Tripping?" Nathan asked. Star smiled at him. "He dropped acid. You know, LSD?" "Oh." Nathan nodded. "You should try it sometime. It's really wild." "Indeed." Nathan repositioned Star to make himself more comfortable, and wa s surprised that she showed no inclination to leave his lap or his cock. "Oh, that feels good, Nate," she purred. "You ready to go again?" He glanced at Sirus. "You have a visitor." "He's cool." Sirus sat on a chair and grinned. "I'm cool." Star rocked back and fort h slowly. "Maybe Sirus could join us." Nathan smiled. "If that 's what you wish, my sweet." She looked at Sirus and motioned with her head. "Come on, babe." "Sure." Sirus began removing his clothes without hesitation. Under fringed leather, he had a smooth, wide chest, darkened by exposure to the sun. "Thi s Page No 37 The Truth About Vampires 33 will be, like, really weird. The whole room's pink, and you two are, like, so b eautiful, all shiny blue and liquid." "He's hallucinating," Nathan said. Star nodded, then offered Nathan her mouth. Focusing on her luscious mo uth, he lost track of Sirus until the man sat besi de them, stroking Star's arm.

She turned her mouth to Sirus then, and Nathan laid back to watch, bunching a pillow under his head. Star rode Nathan's cock as she kissed Sirus, their hungry mouths open and th eir tongues exploring. Their kiss heated up, and Sirus began to caress her b reasts as her hand went into his lap. Sirus's erection quickly grew to impre ssive proportions, though not quite as large as Nathan's own. Star's hand ro de up and down the shaft until th e head was engorged and purple, and Sirus groaned softly. The young man began to kiss Star more adamantly, moving down to suckle h er breasts. Nathan felt Star's reaction in her heavy secretions. Dripping heat covered him as she slid up and down his cock, her eyes closed to the pleasure, one hand on Nathan's chest and the other arm wrapped around Sirus's shoulders. Nathan neared a point of no return when the beast would take over, but the p leasure was too potent to stop. Watching Star and Sirus—obviously lovers— increased his excitement, and his fangs dropped to their full length. Sirus straightened, his eye lids heavy with lust. "I Page No 38 Lydia Parks 34 wanna be part of this." "Yes," Star whispered. She released him and leaned forward, both hands on Nathan's chest. Sirus moved around behind her, kneeling between Nathan's thighs. Star's breath quickened with anticipation, and her heart rate doubled. Nathan rubbed her hard nipples and watched her face as Sirus worked his w ay slowly into her smaller opening. Sweat popped out above her upper lip and on her forehead. Sirus grunted sounds of animal pleasure as he entered her, and he gripped he r waist. His chest and arms tightened, and vein s stood out under tanned ski n. Nathan felt the young ma n's cock enter, pushing against his own, and let ou t an unintentional growl. He and Sirus began slow, easy strokes, timed to r each their depths simultaneously. Star's discomfort changed quickly to quivering pleasure, and she cried out a s she tightened around Nathan. He felt Sirus's reac tion as his cock hardene d even further and moved faster. And then Sirus came, gripping Star's waist and thrusting deep into her. Their cries of pleasure

blended into writhing joy. Nathan grabbed Sirus's arm and pulled it to his mouth. He pierced the skin q uickly and took a long draw of the heated nectar. "What the…oh, Christ, that's good." Sirus's cock erupted again as his ecstas y exploded in Nathan's Page No 39 The Truth About Vampires 35 brain. Nathan released him quickly before he lost track, and held Star to him as h e filled her, pumping his seed into her very soul. He knew Sirus's freedom and caring, and his human desires and dreams. He knew the carefree joy of d ancing naked in the sunshine. And then the world tilted. Nathan opened his eyes and watched as Star shrunk down to almost nothing, and then grew to a giant, threatening to swallow him up, her face contorted by excruciating ple asure. She changed color—blue, then green, then blood red. The world became blood red. Dripping…blood red. Nathan closed his eyes an d let the rush send him flying… "Nathan? You okay?" He opened his eyes again to find Terra on one knee in front of him. His mind felt like a rubber band, pulling him back and letting him go with a pop. Fighting the bazaar reaction, Nathan looked around. He was seated on the sidewalk in the very spot where he'd seen the myst e ry woman. She was gone. "You were supposed to follow her," he said. Terra rose and waited as he struggled to his feet. "I did," she said. She handed him a folded piece of paper. "You've been out for a long time." "Have I?" He opened the folded paper to find an address scribbled in Terra's handwriting. "Is this Page No 40 Lydia Parks 36 where she lives?" "Yep."

"Are you certain?" " Yes, I'm certain. And you're welcome." He met Terra's blue-eyed frown. "Thank you, my dear." She raised one eyebrow. Nathan cleared his throat. "Perhaps you can walk with me a little ways. I'm f eeling a bit light-headed." Terra wrapped her arm around Nathan's waist and took some of his weight a s he draped an arm over her shoulders. "This is different," she sa id. "I'm usually the one getting dizzy when you're around." Nathan smiled, trying not to recall in too much detail how much he enjoyed making Terra dizzy. Page No 41 The Truth About Vampires 37 Chapter Five N athan waited a day, until his strength had fully returned, before visiting the address Terra had given him. He even consumed two pints before leaving his house, and he wore his best red silk shirt, black suit, and cape. He hoped to impress his mystery woman. If he couldn't impress her, he might have to resort to putting thoughts into her mind. And if he could get just a small taste of her, he'd know all there was to know. He found the house in an older section of town; it appeared to be at least a hu ndred years in age. Very little attention had been paid to exterior maintenance, as was the case with most of the dwellings in the neighborhood. When the doorbell didn't work, he knocked. From inside, he heard humming and something boiling, as well as quick feminine footsteps that stopped halfway to the door. The humming stopped, too. In silence, she opened the door and glared. For the first time, he sa w her eyes. They were a

Page No 42 Lydia Parks 38 strange gray color—quite attractive. She wore a black pull-over and tight blac k jean s, also quite attractive. Silver rings adorned several of her bare toes . Nathan drew himself up to his full height and bowed. "Good evening. I hope you'll forgive me for intruding—" She spun around and walk ed away, leaving the door open. Once he was over the surprise, Nathan interpreted her action as an invitation . The inside of the house was in better condition than the outside, but odd. Th e front door opened into a living room where there was a noticeable lack of furniture. Candles rested on what there was, replacing electric light. The only pictures or paintings on the walls were Celtic symbols and a large photograph of a black cat that seemed to be grinning at the camera. Nathan slowed to study the photograph. "His name is Rowen," the young woman said from the next room. As if to verify the fact, the same cat appeared at the end of the room and wa tched him. Nathan had always liked cats, and they'd always like him, but this one was di fferent. It kept a wary eye on him and stayed just out of reach. Shaking his head to clear it, Nathan continued on the path the woman had t aken, which led him through a dining room and into a large kitchen that sported older fixtures a nd an abundance of candles. Several large pots on the stove gave off mildly Page No 43 The Truth About Vampires 39 noxious fumes. "It would help," he said, trying to ignore the smelly vapors, "if I knew your name." Stirring one of the pots, she glanced back at him. "Help what?" "Help our discussion." "Who says we're having one?" Nathan removed his cloak and draped it over a wooden chair. "Don't get too comfortable," she said. "You're not staying."

"I intend to stay only long enough to find out who or what you are, and why you have such a strange effect on me." When she didn't answer, Nathan took a cautious step forward, aware that sh e might try to touch him again. He'd truly be at he r mercy if he fell into t he past while alone with this woman. He had no faith in her sense of charity. She sighed. "Fine. My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Good." He waited, but realized she had no intention of continuing. "Rebecca is a lo vely name." She spun around, pointing a dripping wooden spoon at him. Something about the way she held it made every muscle in his body tense. "Don't try your seduction shit on me. It won't work. I know what you are." "So you've said." When she turned back to her work, he relaxed a Page No 44 Lydia Parks 40 little. He'd never felt so threatened by a female mortal. And especially not by one so small. He could have lifted her with one finger, had it not been fo r the danger that touching her posed. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," he said. "Good. I intend to keep you that way." "Why?" " Why?" She turned to face him again. "Because I want to live to see the sun rise." "You believe I'm a threat to you?" "I know you're a threat to me. You're a vampire." Nathan hated confusion, and it filled him at the moment. That fact brought a nger bubbling to the surface, but he tried his best to hold it back. "I have no intention of hurting you. In fact, it is I who have suffered from our en counters, not you." His voice was more gruff than he'd meant for it to be. " No matter what you've heard about vampires, I will not cause you harm." "Bullshit." She turned back to the stove, lifted a ladle of green liquid from o ne of the pots, and sipped it carefully. She seemed to be satisfied with the re sult and filled a teacup. When she carried her teacup to the dining room, Nathan followed. "How do you know I'm a vampire?" Rebecca took a seat at a small, round dining room table, made from wood an d in desperate need of care. "What do you mean, how do I know?" "It's a simple question." He approached the table cautiously.

Page No 45 The Truth About Vampires 41 "I'm a witch. Can't you tell?" "A… witch?" Nathan tried his best not to smile. "Of course." He drew back and frowned at her. "Witches aren't real." "Ha. That's ripe, coming from a vampire." She sipped her tea, keeping her s teady gaze on him. Could this strange woman really be a witch? He knew there were people who called themselves Wiccans, and others who claimed to practice witchcraft, but he'd never believed they actually had any powers. Those he'd met were nothing more than mortal, with all the flaws and allure of any other perso n. But this one he believed to be different. After all, he'd seen her power at wor k. Too amazed to be worried, he pulled out the chair across from her and sat. " You truly are a witch." "Yes." Looking down, she finished off her drink. When she looked up at him again, Nathan was surprised to find her eyes a di fferent hue. The irises were kaleidoscopes of colors, with specks of blue, green, and brown—nothing he could quite define. As he stared, they settled back into a cool gray. She narrowed her eyes. "You really don't know, do you?" "Know what?" "The truth about witches. And vampires." The accusation of ignorance brought his anger back in a rush. "What truth is that, my dear?" Rebecca leaned forward, glaring again. "I told you, Page No 46 Lydia Parks 42 I'm not your dear." Realizing that arguing with her would get him nothing, Nathan took a d eep breath and quietly blew it out. "Forgive me. To what truth are you referrin g?" She sat back in her chair and smiled. "First, tell me how old you are." "Why?"

"Because I want to know. You're the first vampire I've had a chance to talk t o." "It's no wonder, with the way you've treated me." His statement amused her. Something about her smile filled him with a st r ange warmth, and Nathan suddenly realized he wanted very much to kiss her. He cleared his throat. "I was born in 1698." She looked to be only mildly impressed. "I knew you were old." "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or pleased by your comment." She shrugged. "I don't really care how you take it." So, they were not to be friends. Fine. He still had information to gather. " Tell me, Rebecca, how is it you have this strange effect on me when we touch ?" She held up a small black pouch suspended from a leather strand around her neck. "Am amulet of some kind?" "Yep." She drew the stri ng over her head and tossed the pouch at him. Nathan caught it automatically, then jumped to his feet and braced himself f or the onslaught. Nothing happened. She grinned again. "It only works when I'm Page No 47 The Truth About Vampires 43 wearing it." He studied the small silk pouch for a moment, then dropped it as he started around the table. "If you have removed your amulet, then I can touch you w ithout harm." Stopping behind her, he reached out and touched her shoulder with one cautious finger. When again nothing happened, beyond a pleasant tingling sensation that ran up his arm, he gently held both of her shoulders and leaned forward to inhale her scent. Sweet herbs and smoke, mixed with dried roses. There was rosemary and mint—much easier to define now that there were no distractions. "Lovely," he whispered, suddenly arous ed by the proximity. If he could only find a wa y to hold her, taste her sweet nectar, sample her flesh. Rebecca didn't move or make a rude remark. Instead, she seemed to lean into his touch, and her heart rate picked up. So, she was not immune to his charms. He could plant a thought of cooper

ation— "Don't even think about it," she said, her voice thick. "Think about what?" He nuzzled her soft hair as he moved his hands over he r shoulders to her arms. "I'm stronger than you are." Nathan froze, and then straightened. "Stronger?" "Yes." "I doubt it." She turned in her chair to face him. Her eyes were multi-colored again, this time sporting flecks of gold. "It's true. You can't invade my mind, and you'll suffer Page No 48 Lydia Parks 44 grave consequences if you try to take my blood." "Indeed?" "Yes, indeed." She pointed at him. "Let me demonstrate." Nathan's legs collapsed and he dropped to his knees with a loud thud. Growling, he reached for her chair to pull himself up. Rebecca rose quickly, as if to escape his grasp. "What have you done?" he asked, snarling. She strolled around to the opposite side of the table, keeping an eye on him . "Simply proved to you what I already knew. I've had generations of lessons to prepare for you." "Oh? And why would you n eed generations?" The weakness in his legs faded as he stood holding the chair. "Because of what you are." He growled again, this time in anger as his fangs began to descend. "Why don' t you step a little closer and I'll show you exactly what I am." Yet, as furious as he was, he found himself inexplicably drawn to the youn g woman across the table from him. He actually ached to touch her. "You feel it too, don't you?" She sat in the spot he'd occupied earlier. "Feel what?" "The attraction." She nodded to the chair he held. "Sit down, vampire, before I drop you to the floor again." "I beg your—"

Page No 49 The Truth About Vampires 45 She raised her hand, finger pointed in warning to the ceiling, and glared. He sat. "My name is Nathan." "Whatever." They stared at each ot her for a long moment. Nathan's anger didn't fade as q uickly this time. "What is this great truth you hold?" "Do you know where the first vampire came from?" Nathan had no desire to admit that this very question had bothered him, just as the same question of origins had bothered him as a mortal. His existence proved that there was more to life than flesh and blood, although he tried not to contemplate too often what this meant for him in the framework of eternity. Trying to hide his concern, he shrugged. "From hell, I imagine." Rebecca laughed. "You find this amusing?" She nodded as she continued to chuckle. "A little." He frowned. "You're not even close," she said. "The first vampire was created by a witch. " Nathan stared at the woma n until he realized she was completely serious. "You must be joking." "No, I'm not. The first of your kind was created by one of my ancestors, se veral thousand years ago. The story's very well-known among witches. It doe sn't surprise me that vampires are too self-absorbed to pass along their ow n history." Nathan rose. "This is ridiculous." Upset at having Page No 50 Lydia Parks 46 wasted so much of a perfectly good night, he started toward the door. For some reason, he couldn 't get past the doorway into the living room. No t that there was anything physically stopping him. He simply didn't want to leave Rebecca without sweeping her into his arms and piercing her neck as he took her flesh. No doubt such actions were out of the question, but he still couldn't leave. He also feared that this young woman might be telling the truth about the fi

rst vampire. Gripping the doorframe between the two rooms, he stopped. "Why?" "Why did she do it?" "Yes." He turned to face her and found her still sitting with her back to him. "Dahrna wanted a…companion, one who could satisfy her earthly needs in a way that no mortal or witch ever had. She cast a powerful spell, creating a man of unearthly charm, amazing stamina, and an unquenchable sexual ap petite." Nathan retraced his steps, stopping behind Rebecca's chair for a moment , co nsidering the risk of running his fingers along the side of her neck. Decidi ng against the move, he retook his seat. She studied him before continuing. "Unfortunately, when one uses a spell pure ly for personal gain, there is always a price to pay. She simply had no idea how high the price could be. The first time her creation took her to bed, he satisfied her every desire, and then he stole her life." Page No 51 The Truth About Vampires 47 She rose, picked up a candle from across the room, and carried it back to t he ta ble, sitting slowly as she studied the flame. "The part that most con cerned Dahrna's coven was that the beast was able to discover the powerful witch's secrets by drinking her blood. He used that knowledge to cast a spe ll that made him immortal, and he quickly found a way to create more of his kind to keep himself entertained. But before he could pass on his knowledge of witchcraft, the coven discovered the price exacted by his own spells when t hey drew him out into the light of day." She glanced across the table. "I'm sure you can imagine what happened." Nathan winced at the thought of burning into oblivion, as Hannah, the one who made him, had done when she was dragged from her hiding place by mor tals centuries ago. He'd listened to her screams of agony for a long time. Sometimes he still heard them. He sat back in his chair. "This sounds a bit like a fairy tale." She nodded. "I thought so, too. Until I saw you in the video store." He raised one eyebrow. "I was told that if I met a vampire, I'd be unable to resist him unless I was p repared. It was a threat used to make girls in my family study." "Ah. So, I was the boogie man."

She laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." "I suppose that makes us even. When I was a boy, I was told not to wander in to the woods lest I end up in Page No 52 Lydia Parks 48 a witch's stew pot." Rebecca stopped laughing. "Pure ignorance, I assure you." She stood, carry ing the candle with her, and crossed the room as she spoke. "That same ig norance is what killed my great-great aunt, Sarah Good." Nathan followed, working out the math in his head. "One moment. Sarah Goo d died shortly before I was born." "Yes." She guarded the candle flame with a cupped hand as she led him down a dark hallway. "I'll be ninety-eight this year." Nathan stopped. "That's impossible." "And how old will you be?" He huffed, then continued forward. "Where are we headed?" Rebecca stopped at a doorway and looked back at him. "To bed, vampire. Isn 't that what you want?" Page No 53 The Truth About Vampires 49 Chapter Six N athan froze. " What?" W "You heard me." Rebecca opened a door and disappeared into a room. hen he'd regained his composure, he followed. The room she'd led him to was her bedroom. Unlike the other rooms he'd seen, this one looked warm and inviting, complete with a large brass bed and many silk-covered pillows. Vases held bunches of roses and wildflowers, an d soft, mysterious music flowed from hidden speakers. The cat followed them in , jumped up onto the vanity stool, and sat, watching them intently. Rebecca lit candles around the room, then placed

the one she'd carried on th e vanity, stopping beside the cat. She stroked his he ad. "Don't worry, Rowen, I know what I'm doing." The cat meowed, then lay down, tucking his front paws under him. Nathan found the feline's unblinking gaze a bit unnerving. He forgot his concern when Rebecca walked directly to him and stopped with her hands on his Page No 54 Lydia Parks 50 chest. Candlelight flickered in her beautiful eyes and danced as quicksilver h ighlights in her raven hair. His knees weakened again, but they held. With deliberate speed, he pushed h is fingers into her hair and drew her towards him. "I've never felt such de sire for a woman," he whispered. "This will be sweet." The simple act of kissing her threw Nathan into a realm of new experiences. He anticipated the heat of her lips, and even the taste of her mouth, but not the effect both had on him. A vibration started deep in his chest as he lost himself, his tongue circling hers, his hand tightening into a fi st in her hair. He slid his other hand around her waist and fitted it into the small of her ba ck, pulling her up against him. The need was stronger than the first night's thirst. He needed to take her, an d needed to surrender to her. Growling, he drew her up tighter. Suddenly, he was stumbling backwards and fell to the floor near the bed. Rebecca stood before him, feet spread, one hand out, the other wiping her mouth. "You are good." Nathan rose with the help of the bed, then sat on the edge of it. "I'm afraid I'll lose some of my enthusiasm if you persist in tossing me about." In spite of the annoyance, he couldn't seem to curb his appetite for her. She sighed and paced a slow circle, obviously thinking. He watched her move, entranced by her sensual Page No 55 The Truth About Vampires

51 grace. Suddenly, she stopped and stared at him, then hurried to a closet. After sev eral moments, she produced pieces of thick velvet and held them up as if dis playing a prize. Nathan raised his eyebrows in question. "There's only one way we're doing this," she said. "You must be bound." He grinned. "A bit kinky, but quite all right with me." Nathan decided not to point out the inability of rope—velvet or otherwise— to hold him against his will. He'd play along with her game until he had her where he wanted her. And then he would change the rules. "Take off your clothes." Rebecca drew the velvet through one closed hand a s she watched him. Nathan complied, removing his clothes slowly and placing them with care on a chair. It was impossible to hide the effect she had on him, so he decided it was best not to try. Instead, he gripped his erect cock and stroked it slowly as he studied her from head to toe. The colors of her eyes brightened as she watched him, and he decided that th ey acted as mood indicators, flashing gold as her level of desire rose. He was anxious to see them wh en she reached a climax. Would they be more bea utiful than they were at that moment? Rebecca licked her lips, then looked him in the eye. "Lie down and I'll tie yo ur hands and feet to the Page No 56 Lydia Parks 52 bedposts." "As you wish." Nathan stretched out on the bed, and enjoyed watching Rebecca . She circled the bed, securing his wrists and ankl es in the velvet ropes. Careful not to put too much tension on the flimsy holds, he turned so that h e could see her better. Rebecca moved to the mi ddle of the floor where she was surrounded by cand les and squarely in his view. Ignoring him, she sw ayed to the music as she drew her sweater over he r head and tossed it aside, then pushed off her pants. In lacy black bra and panties, she danced around, her eyes closed, her body

undulating sensually. The silver on her bare hands and feet glittered in the li ght. Nathan's fangs lengthened as he watched her, wishing he could touch the sm ooth skin of her belly and taste it as he removed her underclothes. Wantin g desperately to see all of her, he groaned. She opened her eyes then, and captured him in her golden stare. Sensations washed over him that he'd never felt before. His body felt empty , devoid of everything but desire for the creature before him. His erection — larger than ever—rose as if carved of stone, and a soft ache emanated fro m his fangs. "Come closer," he whispered. She simply smiled and continued to dance, lifting her gaze to the ceiling. "My dear, if it's pleading you wish, I am prepared to do so." She was not unaffected by his voice. He saw her Page No 57 The Truth About Vampires 53 eyelids droop and heard her heartbeat quicken. The faint scent of her desire re ached him as she turned in slow circles. "Sweet Rebecca, I must see more of you. Bare your breasts to me, my pet." Without changing her movements, she reached behind her back and unfasten ed the black bra. Her breasts were magnificent…perfect. His throat tightened in response as he thought of tasting them, filling his hands and his mouth. "Yes, my love, wonderful." He moistened his lips and ran his tongue over the length of his fangs. She covered her breasts with her hands and caressed them, and he knew the se nsations picked up by her fingertips. The heat , the soft skin, the hard nub s of her rosy nipples. "More," he whispered. Slowly, she slid the pantie s down to the floor, and glanced at him with a mo lten smile. Nathan groaned again, unable to squelch the sounds. She slid one hand slowly down her belly to the triangle of dark hair, then op ened her mouth a little as her fingers disappeared. The scent of her was stronger now, filling the room with need. To hell with the game. He had to touch her. Nathan reached out, expecting the velvet ropes to snap. Instead, his hands c ame to a sudden stop.

Growling, he looked at the flimsy bindings and tugged. Page No 58 Lydia Parks 54 The ropes held, and continued to hold as he struggled to free himsel f. Ho w could this be? He frowned at the witch. "What have you done?" "I told you, you must be bound." She drew her wet fingers slowly up the fron t of her body, leaving a glistening trail to her right breast and circling it. Instead of erasing the desire, Nathan's anger seemed to feed it, and he pulled again on the ropes. "You might as well hold still," she said. "You won't get free." "You've done something to the ropes." "Of course." She moved closer. "Don't you understand?" He raised his upper lip to reveal his fangs. She continued. "When Dahrna created the first of you, she made him the perf ect mate. She was drawn to him just as he was d rawn to her. Interestingly enough, that appeal continues to this day." "Release me and I'll fulfill your desires, as well as my own." She shook her head as she leaned within inches of his hand. He felt the heat from her body. "I can't release you, because you'll drink my blood. Not only will you kill me , but you'll also learn secrets that weren't meant for you." "Ah, so that's it. You're afraid of me. You needn't be." He tried to push thou ghts into her forehead, but felt as if he were smashing his own head against a rock. She smiled again. "Relax, vampire. I will have my way with you, and I'm quite sure you'll enjoy it, too. Page No 59 The Truth About Vampires 55 But you won't taste my blood." Nathan quite struggling and frowned at Rebecca. "There's something you don' t understand. If I don't taste your blood, I won't completely enjoy this." She nodded as she reached out and touched his arm. Her fingers trailed dri pp ing fire across his skin and a noise escaped his throat. "You mean, you won't experience an orgasm." It wasn't a question. He ran his gaze down her body, longing to touch her.

"I'm aware of that," she said. "Are you?" "Yes. I've made allowances." " Allowances?" She nodded and picked up a small glass bottle from the nightstand. Removing the cork, she passed it under his nose. The scent of human blood drew a growl from deep within his chest. "How— " "Don't worry," she said. "I know what I'm doing." Furious at having no control, he growled again, this time startling the cat. Rowen jumped to the top of a chest-o-drawers with his tail fluffed. "Quiet, vampire, or I'll leave you like this." Nathan clamped his jaw shut and bit back a string of curses. "That's better." She return ed the corked bottle to the nightstand. Crawling onto the bed beside him, she reached out and wrapped her hot fingers around his cock. Page No 60 Lydia Parks 56 His eyes closed at the indescribable pleasure. Her fingers moved up the length of him and back down, then she withdrew. "Damn you," he whispered. "Now, now, that's not very polite, vampire." Nathan opened his eyes. "The fires of hell are burning in my veins at this mo ment. I believe polite is too much to ask." She grinned at that. "I guess you're right." "And my name is Nathan." "Yes, I know." She placed her hand in the middle of his chest and spread her f inger s. "And I feel the fires, too." He met her gaze, enjoying the golden flame of her eyes. "Good." When she straddled his th ighs, he tried the ropes once more. Then his entir e body began to quiver as she moved up and pressed against his erection. She raised herself up to her knees and lowered herself again, stroking him teas ingly with her soft curls. Struggling to remain quiet, he watched her, entranced by her puckering nipp les and the way the muscles in her shoulders and stomach tightened and relaxed. When she leaned forward and spread both hands across his chest, he lost his battle and moaned. She smiled.

"Please, be careful, my dear. If you take this too far, I will lose control of the beast inside, and your magic may not be strong enough." "Don't worry," she said, her voice low and ragged, Page No 61 The Truth About Vampires 57 "it is." When she moved down his legs, disappointment flooded him until he underst ood her intent. He cried out at the intense pleasure when her tongue drew a slow circle aro und the head of his cock. Hot, wet pleasure coursed through every nerve. She took the head into her mouth and drew hard. The intensity of the pleasure bordered on pain, and Nathan felt his eyes beg in to glow. The beast had him by the throat, now, and he knew there was no holding it back. Her mouth moved slowly up and down his shaft. She groaned, sending a tickl e through him that tightened his buttocks. "Untie me, witch," the monster growled. Her hands replaced her mouth as she sat up. "No." "I'll show you how it should be done." "I think I know." Raising he rself up to a squat, she aimed his cock—a mov e that was unnecessary as he was harder than he'd ever been. With agonizing slowness, she lowered her hot cunt onto him, swallowing firs t the head of his cock, then stretching herself over him. Her juices ran down his shaft ahead of her, floo ding his senses with her scent and heat and need. A pounding ache replaced the desire he'd felt earlier, and he craved release almost as much as he craved her blood. The sweet sound of her heartbeat filled his head, echoing from the walls and ceiling. The beast would take her if the ropes broke now. There would be no stoppin g, no turning back. His Page No 62 Lydia Parks 58 fangs would find her pounding pulse and drain her dry as he came, driving hi

s seed into her without care. Rebecca continued to take him into her, a little at a time. Her body trembled and tightened. Just as she reached the base of his co ck, enveloping him in her constricting heat, she cried out. Her fingers dug into hi s chest as she leaned forward and her cunt pulsed h ard around him. She rode back and forth, grinding her orgasm out on his hardened shaft, flooding him with her searing ecstasy. He tried to thrust into her, but had nothing to thrust against and succeeded on ly in raising them both into the air. Ignoring his movements, she continued. Finally, she stilled, smiling at the last few easing pulses and spreading her hands across his stomach as she sat up straight. Her skin glistened in the candlelight, and her breasts rose and fell with her r apid, shallow breaths. Nathan used the moment to try to wrestle the beast back to a corner, but Re becca's racing heartbeat made the task impossible. "Release me, damn you." Her response took the form of a smile as she opened her eyes and stared in to his gaze, then started slow, cruel movements up and down on his now lub ricated cock. The golden glow he'd seen earlier returned to her eyes quickly. She moved f ast er, spearing herself onto him as the second wave started. With her head back Page No 63 The Truth About Vampires 59 and her mouth open, she came again, crying out louder this time. He strained to touch her, needing to hold her down, unable to stop the ache. His cock felt as though it would explode. She drew her fingernails down his abdomen as she came, leaving dark red we lts in their wake. He writhed against the excruciating pleasure. When she finally stopped and dropped forward, panting, her juices runnin g down his cock, she smiled as she met his gaze. "I think I…understand…w hy Dahrma gave herself…so willingly." "Yes," he hissed, "and it can be much more than this. Untie me and I'll show you true bliss."

Her smile widened and he r eyes twinkled with flecks of blue and green in t he gold. "No way." Without leaving his cock, she reached over and took the bottle from the nig htstand, removed the cork, and held the bottle up. "Ready?" He didn't answer. She raised up on him unt il only the head of his cock remained inside her. The bed shook as he strained against the ropes, and growls rose from the bea st. Rebecca upended the bottle into his open mouth, then tossed the bottle asid e as she drove herself down hard on him. Nathan swallowed the mouthful of cold liquid and his body exploded with un believable, immeasurable joy. Semen erupted from his cock as if it were a volcano, and he yelled. Page No 64 Lydia Parks 60 Unable to do more than lay still, he enjoyed the release. Pumping, his cock filled her with his seed until the flood escaped from them and covered him in a deluge. On and on the orgasm went, beating against hers. He felt as though every ounce of his being escaped in the torrent of ple asure. Before he reached the end, his world turned inside out and he disappeared… Page No 65 The Truth About Vampires 61 Chapter Seven S ally's firm body lay stiff as he stretched out beside her. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Nathan pressed soft kisses into the tender spot at the base of her neck, then leaned over her, brushing her hair back from her face. "I told you, you need not be afraid." She nodded, although fear still showed in her eyes. Thankfully, Margaret's cruelty began to fade from his mind as he ran his hand carefully down the side of Sally's body, enjoying her curves. "You've never

known a man?" She shook her head and swallowed hard. Nathan smiled, then kissed her, holding his mouth to hers until her lips began to soften under him once more. He nipped her bottom lip, then her top one, then explored her sweeten ed mouth. Margaret must have given her wine to relax her a bit; he tasted the alcohol as he circled her tongue with his own. Still stiff and shaking, Sally began to respond to his attention, and raised one hand to grip his shoulder with her warm, strong hand. Nathan released her mo uth and listened to her Page No 66 Lydia Parks 62 stuttered breath as he kissed her neck and then moved down to suckle from h er young, full breasts. Sally's breath came faster, laced with soft noises of pleasure as she pushed h er fingers into his hair to hold him close. He slid his hand to the ju ncture of her thighs and found her legs pressed to gether, shaking. Continuing the attention to her breasts, rolling the hardened nipples on his tongue and t hen sucking again, he waited for the tension in her thighs to ease. She began to move under him as her legs parted, and Nathan slid his finger s over her virgin cunt, surprised to find her juices already flowing. He kiss ed her mouth as he pressed a finger between her swelling lips and found her small clitoris. She jumped and stiffened again in response, but he continued slowly, enjoyin g the taste of her. Dipping his finger into her cream, he carefully rubbed her clit until it ha d swelled greatly and her body writhed against his. He drew her legs apart a nd positioned himself between her well-muscled thighs. Tasting the panic in her ki ss, he raised up to look down at her. "Relax, my sweet, and you'll soon be enjoying this. I promise." He pushed that promise i nto her head, then placed the head of his cock against her hot cunt, fighting the urge to charge ahead. In spite of his mental help, she shook under him and tried to draw her legs t ogether again. He placed his mouth beside her ear an d whispered. "You are a treat, dear Sally. I will be a tender lover, giving you pleasure before I take my own. No other man will do

Page No 67 The Truth About Vampires 63 this for one so young and tight. Open yourself to me." As he kissed her neck, he drew her leg up beside his hip to improve his positi on, then eased the head of his cock into her small, tight, cunt. She gasped. He took her mouth as he pushed deeper, stopping when he met resistance. "There will be a moment of pain, my dear," he whispered against her lips. "Why—" Before she could complete her question, he pushed through and she cried out . Nathan buried his cock in her and waited, holding her trembling body under h im, relishing her young tightness, reveling in her heat. There was nothing s o perfect. "The worst is over," he said. "Now comes the pleasure I promised, my dear. " He reached between them and paid careful attention to her clitoris until sh e began to move against him and her legs opened. Juices flowed to mix with her virginal blood, filling the room with a heady scent, and her heart raced. "Yes," he said, "now you understand. Give yourself to me completely, my dea r. I will carry you to a height you have never known." She tightened even more, clamping down on his swelling cock, and then clun g to his shoulders as she came. Unlike her mistress, she muffled her cries against his shoulder, afrai d to make too much noise. Nathan continued with long, easy strokes, timed to Page No 68 Lydia Parks 64 her pulses, and cupped her firm buttocks to draw her into each. After the las t, she collapsed under him, panting for breath. Rolling over to his back, he decided to give her a short respite before draw ing her to another climax, piercing her shoulder, and filling her young body with his seed. She was more delicious than he would have guessed, and kept him inside her as she rested

on top of him. Stroking he r hair tenderly, he closed his eyes… Nathan woke in a strange room, on a strange bed, alone, lying curled on his side. He glanced around, then down at his naked body, and sat up quickly. Where the hell was he? The evening's encounter wi th Rebecca came back in a rush that closed his e yes again. He gripped the edge of the bed to keep from falling over. When he'd regained contro l of his senses, Nathan looked around with more i nterest. Only two candles remained burning in the bedroom, and Rowen's perch was empty. The velvet ropes were also gone. "Rebecca?" Nathan slipped on his pants and left the bedroom to search for h is hostess. "Rebecca?" But the house was empty. No sign of witch or cat. On the dining room table, he found an envelope propped in front of a glass b ottle. Standing beside the table, he opened the envelope and withdrew the le tter. Page No 69 The Truth About Vampires 65 Nathan, Don't return, and don't look for me. As I'm sure you understand, we can't m eet again. I'm leaving Atlanta today anyway. I must admit, it was interesting. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday. My guess is that you'll need nourishment before you leave. I've left a little gi ft in this bottle. Enjoy. Rebecca. He smiled at the use of his name, then placed the letter on the table and raise d the bottle. Uncorking it, he sniffed. This was, as before, so mething that smelled like human blood. The last poti on had caused him to black out. Perhaps she planned to kill him with this on e. Nathan looked out at the lightening sky visible through the kitchen window . Sunrise was close and he was weak. Without help, he wouldn't make it hom e in time, and this hous e wasn't dark enough for his needs. A closet migh t suffice, but he had no way Page No 70

Lydia Parks 66 of knowing if someone wo uld come along and open the door in the middle of th e day. If someone did, he would either kill that pers on or die himself. Maybe both. Deciding it was worth the risk, he frowned at the green bottle, then raised it to his lips and drank. The sensations that exploded in his brain dropped him to the floor. He reac hed over and dragged himself up into a chair as emotions surged through him in wonderful swells of joy. This was better than drinking from a human at the height of ecstasy. All the pleasure he'd ever known came back at once. Although most sensation s swirled together, he sensed Star and Sirus, an d then saw Margaret, and f elt his sweet young Sally, trembling in his arms. As the wave passed, it fo cuse d down to one person, one set of dreams and emotions, one heartbeat. Terra. Nathan jumped to his feet. Had the witch found Terra and taken her blood? His dear Terra—had she died because of him? With fear gripping his cold heart, Nathan dressed and ran from the house, m oving faster than mortal eyes could see. He reached Terra's apartment in less than two minutes, and, no t willing to wait, pushed open the door. "Terra?" She came out of the bedroom in a nightshirt with handgun drawn and pointed a t his chest. Sleep had left her blonde hair tousle d and one side of her fac e lined, but surprise had her heart pumping wildly. She fell against the wall as she dropped the gun to Page No 71 The Truth About Vampires 67 her side. "Son of a bitch, I nearly shot you." Relief washed over Nathan and he smiled. "I'm sorry to have frightened you , my pet." Terra shook her head and then moved toward him. "Nathan? What's wrong? " He touched her shoulder when she stopped in front of him. "Nothing, no w. I'm sorry. I thought you were…that someone had hurt you." "Why?" "It's not important." He brushed his fingers down the side of her cheek, enjoy

ing the warmth of her skin. "Return to bed. I'll let myself out." Covering a yawn, she nodded. "What time is it?" "Nearly dawn." "Oh. I must have just fallen asleep." "Still working the night shift?" She nodded, covering another yawn. "I'm truly sorry." He turned to leave, but was stopped by her voice and look ed back. "Nathan? Are you okay?" "Yes." She flashed a sleepy smile. He hurried from her apartment, wincing at the pain the early day's light caus ed. Without stopping, he ran to his house. Safely tucked into his dungeon, Nathan undressed as he thought about the st range night. Was his existence truly the result of a spell gone bad? True or not, what difference did it make? Perhaps the entire human race wa s nothing more than an experiment gone awry. Page No 72 Lydia Parks 68 He thought back to sight of the witch straddling him, her golden eyes aglow, and was thankful that he wouldn't have to endure such torturous pleasure ag ain. And a little disappointed at the loss. The nourishment Rebecca had left for him must have been a potion meant to g ive him joy. For whatever reason, it sparked pleasant memories, ending with the one that had most recently touched him. Smiling, he thought of Terra a nd pictured her in her bed, under the blanket, snoring lightly. As nice as the thought of her was, it also caused a hollow ache in Nathan's ches t. Were he mortal, he'd pursue his dear detective adamantly and work to win her love. She was the one bright spot in his dark life. "Don't be absurd," he muttered. Were he mortal, he'd be three centuries dead . He could no more seek Terra's love than he could sail the solar system. Nath an stretched out between satin sheets and closed his eyes, trying his best no t to think anymore. It wasn't long before dawn covered him with quiet—the sleep of death. Sometime during the day, Nathan roused to a disturbance in his dark room.

He opened his eyes and watched her climb into bed, nestling into the curve of his body. He wrapped her warm body in his arms and pressed his face into her soft hair , inhaling the familiar scent and smiling. Unsure if he was awake or dreamin g, he decided it didn't matter. "Terra," he whispered. She snuggled back against him. Page No 73 About the Author L ydia Parks grew up in New Orleans, the city of sin and vampires. Although she left her hometown years ago, she carries an appreciation of the dark side of life. Lydia lives in the Southwest US where she works a regular day job, and she spends the evenin gs and weekends writing erotica. Her husband sometimes reads over her shoulder; he has learned not to comment on the vampires.