Blood and Mint Chocolates
by Adrianne Brennan

Dedication

With thanks to Robin for his lovely work as a beta reader, to Emmy for being a wonderful editor as always, and last but not least to Anthea for all of your vegan desserts which will surely conquer the world someday.

Chapter One

An Unexpected Gift

A rather generous gift from one of her students sat on Merideth's desk in her office within the Sanctuary's library, begging to be enjoyed in many different and most sinful ways. She sampled it eagerly: rich, dark heaven with echoes of mint in just the right places.

Oh, how she loved chocolate mints. And these Godiva dark chocolate ones embodied the definition of "exquisite."

Closing her eyes in ecstasy, she sank back into her chair and savored the taste. How fresh the taste of mint, and how decadent the chocolate. For a moment, she let her mind wander back to the days of her mortal youth. Merideth never had the privilege to have such indulgences in those days, and she refused to allow herself to be any less deprived as a vampire.

Why should immortality restrict one from such delights?

A knock came at the door. "Amaltheia? Are you there?"

Oh, shit. Janius. With great haste, Merideth stashed the rest of the sweets in the desk drawer. She didn't want to let the magister know about her addiction to mint chocolates and be forced to submit to his stern lectures on "maintaining vampiric purity" and the necessity of alchemical transformation through transcending physical needs typically ascribed to humans.

Blah blah, no longer human, we're above that nonsense, blah blah blah.... "Sure--come in, Magister."

The door opened, and the magister briskly walked in and closed it behind him. Merideth gazed warily upon Clan Gladius's leader. Janius earned his magister title on numerous occasions with his stern, albeit gentle guidance. Being the founder and head of the Clan, a fairly prestigious reputation within the magickal order of Ordo Draconis et Rosae--also known as the Order of the Dragon of the Rose--preceded him. She respected Janius a great deal and thought well of him. However, in spite of the fact that the two of them shared a strong friendship and had worked together as fellow magicians for decades--Janius often called her "the Clan's favorite librarian"--Merideth thought little of his stuffy and pretentious demeanor, but she kept her opinion to herself. Sometimes she wished she belonged to another Clan within the Order. Perhaps Clan Corvus in New Orleans, or even Clan Diamhair Aingeal in Boston. Both lacked the taciturn nature which embodied the character of Clan Gladius.

And neither, as far as she knew, upheld the ideas of vampiric purity by the letter of the law as much as its spirit.

"Hello, Merideth," he greeted her, addressing her by her real name versus Amaltheia, the one given to her by Clan Gladius as her Order name. Dropping the formality relieved her of any notion that the magister sought her out for any negative reason, and she was thankful for it. Only those who knew her well called her Merideth, and her closest friends called her Meri for short. "I hope that I have not caught you at a bad moment?"

The elfish vampire was all sweetness with her smile, all the while praying that bits of chocolate didn't show on her teeth. "Of course not, James," she replied, dropping the customary Order tradition in return. They were behind closed doors, after all.

"Excellent. Merideth, you've been working hard keeping the Sanctuary's library the way it is, and I notice you haven't taken any time off recently."

She blinked at him. "Time off, James?"

"Well," he shuffled his feet, "I notice you go on occasion with Theodotos to play darts in the common room, but you could use some time away from the library. As much as we know you like it here."

Blood have mercy. "James, I love it here--you know that. Do you have the impression that I'm unhappy or something?"

The magister laughed. "Meri, don't be silly. You're a workaholic like the rest of us, and while some of us have our ways of managing time off, I thought that you alone could use a special ... respite."

She fought down a smirk. Workaholic, indeed--James was certainly one to talk! When did he ever take a vacation? Had he ever taken a vacation? But she bit her tongue in her customary fashion.

"Me, James?"

"Yes, you." He placed an envelope face down on the desk in front of her, and she stared at it curiously as if it might leap up and bite her. She hesitated and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Plane tickets to Hotel Paradisio on Crystal Island. The flight will arrive at the airport near the resort, and an escort will be there to take you to your hotel well before sunrise."

Merideth began to sputter. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine that the magister would ever present her with such a gift. She would've been grateful just for the license to take the night off and attend an event at a nearby blues club with Asharael and Lyrael. "James, this is so..." she fought for a word adequate enough to describe how she felt, "frivolous. I just can't--"

He raised an eyebrow at her in an echo of her previous gesture. "You're allowed to indulge yourself every now and again, Meri. Moderation and all that, you know. Oh, and by the way," he added, "remember not to overindulge too much. You're among humans but not of them. Enjoy some alcohol, but stay away from those silly confections."

Grateful blood-tears filled her eyes. "I ... I don't know what to say, James."

Her head swam. A hotel resort on a beautiful island. Granted, it'd take more than a few light spells to allow her even an hour's comfort in the sun, but surely the nightlife must be sultry, grand--exquisite like her dark chocolate mints.

"Say 'Thank you, James'. Then get on that flight and have a good time."

"Thank you, James," she mumbled, her voice not much louder than a whisper. What would she wear? What should she take? What would she do while she stayed at this hotel? But above all of her concerns she felt an enormous sense of gratitude. This generous time off touched her more than she could possibly express to James.

"You're welcome. Consider it a thank you from the rest of the Inner Circle for all of your hard work well done. Have fun!" With a big, almost goofy grin, he left her office.

Merideth stared at the door in disbelief, a blood-tear finally coursing down her cheek.

Chapter Two

Hotel Paradisio

The librarian of Clan Gladius stood in the lobby of the hotel with wonder, apprehension gnawing away at her stomach. She hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

Merideth always sensed that she was out of place and out of touch with the world around her. In emphasis of this sentiment, her small, delicate-looking features often reminded people of elves and fairies. Her perky attitude yet shy smile put people at ease with Merideth almost immediately--but they never seemed to take her quite as seriously as she often wished they would. Her ears, which peeked out of her shoulder-length light brown hair, were not quite as pointed as her canines when she was feeding or feeling unusually passionate, but they gave her an air of otherworldliness which made her vampire nature seem almost ordinary in comparison. Merideth never considered herself to be pretty or conventionally attractive. She knew all too well that the label "cute" would be, perhaps, the best compliment to apply to her features.

Certainly by no means did she see herself as gorgeous and sexy. And many of the people gathered at this luxury hotel appeared to fit such descriptions.

Somewhat numb, she gazed at the other tourists. Most of them looked rich, decadent, and stylish. Believing her original choice of wardrobe to be pretty--an emerald beach dress which complemented her hazel eyes--she now wondered if she were underdressed, outclassed, and very much out of her league. She felt herself sinking into the floor, a non-entity in a room of elegance. Hotel Paradisio was certainly no average rest stop, and she wondered just how much of the Clan's resources James dipped into in order to send her here as an errand of mercy.

Or perhaps pity. She brushed the thought away. James and Lynne were good friends of hers within the Inner Circle of the Clan, and there was no reason for allowing such ideas into her crazy little head.

"Stop it, Meri," she grumbled.

Still, she pondered what a librarian of a vampiric initiatory order devoted to the study and practice of magick was doing on some fashionable resort island. Fighting back a sigh--an all too human sigh, which she wasn't!--she made her way to the hotel desk and obtained her room key and number. The elfish librarian nearly laughed when she saw the number--156, in the Red wing.

Ah, the number of Babalon. Wine, sex, and the blood of the saints indeed. Theodotos would be pissing himself on the floor laughing at this. Merideth, of all people, staying in the room that numbered a goddess in Thelema! The sacred whore Herself!

Blood have mercy, she thought with wry amusement. This trip looked more and more interesting by the moment.

Merideth had just hung up the last garment from her suitcase when a knock came at the door. Cautiously, she peered through the keyhole. A man dressed as hotel staff stood outside. Oh good, just someone normal. She almost expected someone from the Clan to follow her here to make sure she "stayed out of trouble." She didn't know why, but she felt very odd being so far away from the Sanctuary. She wondered if what she experienced was reminiscent of a child being away from her family for the first time in her life. With a sigh of relief, she opened the door.

"Merideth Faye?"

"Um ... yes?"

"This arrived for you." He handed her a beautiful red envelope trimmed with gold. Curious, she turned it over. A gold seal closed its flap. "Enjoy your stay."

"I ... thank you." She fumbled in her pockets for a tip, but he'd already walked away. Blinking in confusion, she opened the envelope with care and produced a sheet of gold embossed stationery.

"You have been cordially invited to attend the Annual Masquerade Ball at Venus Estate..." Merideth read aloud. The signature at the bottom revealed the invitation to be from "The Venus Club", and the event was scheduled for the following evening.

Oh, Blood, no. A fancy dress ball? What could she possibly have to wear? The whole thing just seemed crazy to her--a geeky librarian at a chic masquerade ball? Thinking earlier of the well-dressed, classy people whom she'd seen in the lobby and her own limited attire, she trembled but then remembered James's oft-repeated words: Fear is failure and the forerunner of failure.

With her lips pressed together, she jerked her head in a decisive nod. Of course she would go.

She went back into her hotel room and stared at the closet in desperation. Then she pulled out the credit card James had insisted she bring with her on her trip.

Fuck it, she decided. James would want her to go and relax. Blood, he probably pulled strings to get her to go to this party. Merideth completely expected it from him, and the image of him laughing at her shyness and fear produced a grimace. No way would she chicken out. As she surveyed the invitation with a small frown, she pondered what other surprises were in store for her during this bizarre little excursion the rest of the Inner Circle had sent her on. Hopefully she would manage to get home from this crazy costume ball before she turned into a well-baked pumpkin at dawn.

With a groan, she grabbed her room key and purse and left the hotel room. She needed to go shopping--and perhaps receive a visit from a Fairy Vampire Godmother if fortune smiled upon her.

Opting to choose an outfit which embodied her own sense of style and tastes at all costs, she selected a deep olive colored silk and lace gown at one of the dress shops. The accessories she picked were fairy wings of a lighter green than the gown and a matching green-painted leather mask which provided the perfect finishing touch to the outfit.

Hours later, Merideth responded to the invitation by way of the enclosed phone number and managed to procure an escort to the ball from her hotel. To her astonishment, she discovered that the location of the event was on the other side of the island, but figured that the vacation resort area couldn't be all that huge anyway--or was it?

* * * *

The following evening, she rushed around to get ready, showering then putting on her clothing and makeup. Her skin's pallor shone beside the bright green, but it went nicely with her outfit and eyes. People might think she wore makeup to look that way on purpose, and at a ball it would go unnoticed. Perhaps she would only resemble yet another tourist whose skin hadn't yet been touched by the sun's rays. This realization comforted her. No one at the ball needed to know that her skin could never, ever see the sun for longer than necessary without the use of powerful spells. And those skills she most certainly did not possess.

Merideth glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Overall, she looked like a character from Midsummer Night's Dream. The elfish vampire couldn't tell if this resemblance was a good or a bad thing, but she liked the effect and determined that this was what was important.

With a strangely childish giggle, she grabbed her small matching purse--oh, how James would flip out at the bill, but shopping for all of the clothing and makeup had been so much fun--and ran out of her room to meet the escort.

Oh, Blood, I hope that this will be a fun evening.

Chapter Three

Eyes Filled With Stars

Merideth arrived at the ball on time, as was her nature. When she stepped out of the cab, her eyes took in the numerous colorfully dressed people wearing various styles of masks. Some costumes appeared classy, others struck her as being very sexy--she admired a rather well-shaped young woman dressed in a leopard-print suit and painted mask.

Some party, she thought with admiration. Maybe she would have a good time after all. Besides, why not? How bad could it be?

Some time later, she continued to delicately sip her sangria, mindful of James's words about enjoying herself in moderation. She mingled with the guests and made polite small talk while managing to not trip all over herself--oh, thank the Blood for her amethyst ring with all the spells on it that allowed her to enjoy alcohol! In the middle of sipping her sangria, she nodded and smiled at a young man's jokes--and heard laughter. Very familiar laughter.

Merideth froze and with great deliberateness turned around. Not too far from where she stood was a tall, curvy young woman with short, shockingly black hair and pale skin. A tight black leather mini dress with knee-length, black leather high-heeled boots and a black vinyl mask molded to her body. Aside from screaming "bad assed dominatrix", the dress poured over her curves, transforming the woman into a leather-clad painted canvas of sensual beauty. Like dark chocolate, even.

As she continued to gaze at the woman, her senses reeled. Vampire. Someone from her Order, no less--she could tell by the woman's aura--but more important, she knew the precise identity of the woman, and the knowledge made her stomach flip-flop.

Kalia, the magistra of Clan Corvus!

Merideth had harbored a secret crush on Kalia for decades and never imagined she would run into her while on vacation, let alone at the same party. With a greedy gaze she took in the vision, basking in its deliciousness. Kalia dressed most appetizingly in the hottest, dominatrix-style outfit she had ever imagined, let alone seen her wearing.

Moisture seeped between her legs, and she continued to stare at the raven-haired beauty before her. Not in all of her wildest fantasies could she have ever pictured running into the magistra at such a place as this--and there she stood in all of her dark, sexy glory. The sight filled her head with just too many ... ideas. She couldn't recall the last time she saw Kalia, and the last time they met, Merideth was lucky to get a few words out in a cordial conversation with her. Kalia made her feel as awkward and tongue-tied as an infatuated teenager with her first crush. What could she possibly say to her now when she was dressed in such a way that she couldn't think straight?

Oh Blood. Merideth downed the rest of the sangria.

"More?" the man dressed as a butler in a mask inquired.

Just leave me the entire bowl, thanks. "Oh, yes, please." Merideth couldn't drink enough alcohol tonight and wondered if the ring she wore would hold up. If only she was like other vampires of her age and could get drunk without it. Of all of the fancy balls in the world, why Kalia? she thought ruefully. Her cheeks warmed as she stared at her, and it had nothing to do with the alcohol. What was she doing here?

Time seemed to slip away from Merideth at the same speed as her inebriation. She made her way with as much caution as she could through the crowds of drunken guests, the realization penetrating her alcohol-induced fog that it would be best to leave the party indoors to get some fresh air outside. She turned towards the door, almost stumbling into another party attendee--a beautiful young redheaded woman carrying a huge, golden chalice which appeared filled with wine.

"Oh, excuse me!" the redhead exclaimed, laughing.

Her voice sang of music, pure music, and for a brief moment, Merideth wondered if she'd wandered into the realm of the Fae by accident. Not like it wouldn't have been the first time.... Then she realized that the woman didn't wear a mask, and stars filled her dark, shining eyes.

Merideth blinked, realizing her blatant rudeness in staring at her. Blood, am I that drunk? I'm hallucinating celestial objects in women's eyes! "Um, yes, sorry. I--"

"No worries. I was just on my way to find you. Merideth, right?"

She blinked at the redhead again. On her way to see me...? "Uh ... yes?"

The redheaded woman beamed at her. "Congratulations! You've been chosen to receive tonight's prize. Quick, come with me!" She clasped Merideth's hand in hers, and something strange brewed within her. Inside, she burned. Fire, so much fire. And the moisture between her legs from the thoughts she'd had earlier about her and Kalia began to build again.

Oh, how much have I had to drink?

"Not enough," the woman replied to her with a wink.

As Merideth stuttered in protest, the scenery around her dissolved to reveal a moonlit rose garden. "Where--where am I?" she asked.

Her stay on this island was getting strange and perhaps even dangerous. She whirled around to find the redhead, and find her she did indeed--seated on a golden throne carved to resemble a fierce-looking lion. The redheaded woman still gripped the golden chalice she'd held earlier, and it shone with an eerie glow.

More peculiar still, however, were the dark eyes Merideth gazed into. Their depths held wonders both old and young, wise yet daring, powerful yet yielding.

She is called the Great Whore because she receives All and does not discriminate....

"Merideth." The utterance of her name enveloped her in a strong wave of emotion--deep affection and longing. Mama, oh Mama.... The vampire suddenly thought of her mother and how she missed her from all of those years ago. Memories of her childhood spent before she became a vampire flooded her, and she remembered what having a mother had been like for her as a young girl. All at once, Merideth knew the identity of the woman seated before her, and the amusing detail of her hotel room number became a somber fact.

"Babalon," she whispered. Her head reeled from wine and disbelief, but the certainty in her heart remained.

Chapter Four

Do What You Wish

The goddess smiled at her. "Welcome to the Masquerade Ball, my daughter." She leaned over in her seat and held out her goblet to the astonished vampire. "What does that inscription say?"

Merideth bit her lip, hesitant to speak. She was on the verge of being paralyzed with nervousness, too afraid of saying the wrong thing to this goddess mere feet in front of her. How she wished with fervent desperation that she had conversed with Sarah, Lyrael's previous incarnation, more often about Thelema and its deities. Beyond the basics, she didn't know what to expect from Babalon. At least this isn't Loki or something. She cocked her head from side to side as she read aloud the inscription: "Do what you wish."

"Precisely. I'm offering you this chalice, Meri. If you drink from it, you can obtain tonight your wish. Your heart's desire. What shall it be?"

The vampire stuttered, her anxiety shattered as she tried to process what Babalon told her. "This ... this is nuts. I-I don't know. I--" Her protests were interrupted by the images that dwelled in her thoughts all evening, and the visions assaulted her: Kalia lying on top of her, kissing her passionately. Kalia's head between her thighs, her head between Kalia's; her hands squeezing Kalia's beautifully shaped breasts; Kalia's fingers stroking her skin; Kalia's dark, sensuous eyes gazing into hers as she.... She blushed. Kalia was the Magistra of Clan Corvus, and Merideth would never in a million years imagine herself to be remotely her type.

"Daughter, what are you afraid of? What holds you back from what you want the most?"

Merideth blinked. "I ... I don't know." She began to bounce up and down with anxiety. "I ... I don't know. I think I know what I want, but--"

"Then choose it and be free."

The vampire took the chalice from Babalon. Her hand shook. "But what if I make the wrong wish?"

"The only wrong wish, Merideth, is the one you do not act upon out of fear. Fear of judgment, fear of appraisal, fear of people's opinions. Do what you wish. Drink and be free."

Merideth held the cup to her lips and drank. The sweet, silky drink's flavor went down her throat better than any blood she had ever savored. It tasted more decadent than any of her mint chocolates and quenched a thirst she didn't even know she possessed.

"I wish, then, to spend the night with Kalia. So we can, um," she continued hurriedly before she could lose her nerve, "have lots and lots of hot sex." She barely got out the words, slurred as they were due to the sangria still swimming in her bloodstream. Oh, such wonderful abuses of that amethyst ring! Why didn't she discover them sooner? Too much damned time in the library, perhaps--but no, that wasn't it. She knew just what her problem had always been and what she needed to do in order to overcome it. She tried to tell herself that she didn't have the courage up until now. Maybe the vacation gave her an excuse to not act like her usual self, or perhaps the shock of seeing Kalia in such ... intriguing ... clothing set her off in ways she hadn't expected.

But she knew the truth. Deep inside, Merideth feared acting on her impulses and being who she was in reality. Not that she hated herself, but that she didn't know her real identity beyond the walls of Clan Gladius's library. And she wasn't certain if she could handle it. Too many rules and regulations had been held over her head for too long--and didn't she find Janius too stuffy?

Maybe she was the stuffy one, after all.

Babalon laughed. The rich, melodious, wild laughter echoed in the room and in her head. Merideth smelled the rich earth in the sand, felt the moisture in the winds as they whipped through her hair ... and once again she stood in the hall where she'd ran into Babalon earlier--literally, in fact--except that this time she stared into dark, familiar eyes that twinkled as they gazed into hers.

"Ah, Meri," Kalia purred. "I had no idea you were coming here tonight." She ran her hand down Merideth's arm, and the contact sent hot lightning straight into her gut. And, oh, that Southern drawl of hers! It always got Merideth hot; she found it incredibly alluring.

Oh, I hope to be "coming" tonight indeed, Merideth thought with longing and wicked amusement. Was it the sangria, or perhaps the wine from Babalon's chalice? Her senses were far sharper than usual, yet the room continued to spin madly around her.

"Kalia," she struggled to speak through the haze in her mind, "it's good to see you. James sent me here on a, um, vacation," she tried to explain. How could she tell this gorgeous creature in front of her what she was doing here at the ball and why? She didn't even know! Was she crazy? Merideth, also known as Amaltheia, the Clan's librarian, at a fancy vacation resort attending a costume ball! Surely the gods possessed a bizarre sense of what constituted as humor.

"Oh, wonderful!" Kalia smiled. "Have you been having a good time so far?"

"Oh yes, yes, definitely," she replied with eagerness.

Kalia's smooth fingers wrapped around Merideth's trembling hand. Oh, those fingers....

"That's good."

Merideth continued to stare into those dark, twinkling eyes as Kalia slowly took her finger into her mouth, and with a single nip of her fang pierced the soft pad on the tip. She gasped aloud as Kalia began to suck on it and at once felt embarrassed at her reaction. Oh, damn those human habits; if James were here to see me now.... Merideth hadn't breathed, let alone gasped, in decades--like all vampires, she didn't need to breathe. Vampires took in merely enough air to speak, and little else was required.

Well, Merideth reasoned, she could always say as an excuse that they were surrounded by humans, after all, and had to blend in, and oh, Blood have mercy, Kalia's tongue felt so good on her finger....

"Um, Kalia, I--"

DID I MENTION HOW GOOD YOU LOOK TONIGHT, MERI? came the thought from Kalia.

Her face grew warm. "Thanks, Kalia ... I um, so do you--"

REALLY?

Blood, yes. Kalia continued to suck and lap at Merideth's finger, which was doing nothing good for her thinking let alone allowing her to speak with any degree of coherence. "Oh yeah. You look really good in leather. And black. I mean, it um, it suits you ... very much...."

DO YOU WANT TO FUCK ME?

Merideth's eyes bulged. Kali never lacked in honesty, but damn. She struggled to get out an articulate response, feeling rather awkward and virginal. "I ... um ... Blood, you're hot, and I ... well...."

The Magistra reached out with the hand that wasn't gripping Merideth's, and with a sudden, fierce movement pulled her hips closer to her own. It was a good thing that vampires didn't have to breathe, because at that moment, Merideth wouldn't have been able to do so. Kalia's hand on her ass provided more than enough leverage to dispel what ability she had left to think.

IS THAT A YES?

"I, well, um," Merideth stammered, "Blood, I can't think straight right now, I--"

Kalia yanked Merideth's finger out of her mouth and with vampire speed, kissed her on the lips with delicious passion. Sweet, hot ripples of ecstasy shot through the vampire as the magistra's tongue flicked inside of her mouth, and Kalia's lips were every bit as soft and sexy as in all of Merideth's fantasies.

AND BLOOD, SHE TASTES SOOO GOOD....

Once Kalia's hand wandered between her legs where she was sore and throbbing and rubbed at her clit through her gown, Merideth replied. Fuck, yes.

GOOD, LET'S GO THEN. I KNOW WHERE THERE'S A ROOM WE CAN PLAY IN.

Chapter Five

Passion Fulfilled

Scarcely believing what was happening, Merideth was led towards one of the far rooms on the upper floor. After Kalia reassured her numerous times that these rooms were reserved for "private moments for the guests", she relaxed a little. The last thing she needed was to upset the host of the party.

Kalia laughed at her, but the laugh contained no malice. Her low, sexy voice sent shivers up and down Merideth's spine.

"Oh, my little green fairy," she whispered in her ear, "let me take you places. Please." Her fingers danced on Merideth's sensitive neck, and she fought back a moan. The magistra did terrible, wondrous things to her insides, and she wanted nothing more than to devour her on the spot.

The room Kalia took her to was nothing short of stunning. A beautiful, burgundy colored comforter draped over a four poster mahogany bed. And the rug ... oh, the rug. Merideth felt almost afraid to walk on the ornate tapestry that passed for decoration on the floor. No windows in the room existed--which suited her just fine. The last thing either of them needed was an "Oops, it's dawn!" moment to interrupt their time together.

But then again, she thought as Kalia's soft, teasing lips grazed her neck, perhaps Babalon would be kind enough to slow down time, even if just a little. Hands moved up her back, and the sound of a zipper whispered as her wings and dress fell silently to the floor.

Merideth thought with glee and relief that she didn't wear undergarments often--and Kalia seemed to enjoy this fact as well. Besides, they itched and felt too constricting. She enjoyed having her "girl bits", as she put it, free.

Kalia's fangs broke into her flesh, gentle but sharp, and Merideth became aware of something warm and light on her skin. Blood.... The light, almost ticklish sensation traveled down her shoulder, chest, and breast, then gave way to something else ... wet and rough--Kalia's tongue. With great deliberateness, the magistra licked the blood off of Merideth's chest, her breast, her sensitive nipple ... the intense sensation was almost too much for her to bear, and her eyes rolled back into her head. Blood, how long had it been since her last fling?

"Kalia," she moaned, unable to stop herself from gripping the black-haired vampire's head and pressing it tight against her chest.

"I just love your breasts," murmured Kalia, as if she had not heard her, "and you always have them covered with too much fabric. I like seeing them like this."

"I--" Merideth's reply was cut short by the awareness of lips and teeth fastened around her nipple and the wondrous lightning that ripped through her body as Kalia began to suck. Loud noises echoed in her ears, and she realized that they came from the back of her throat. Kalia's hands held her back and ass, her grip firm as she continued to suck hard at her nipple, fangs pressing against her delicate skin.

I want to lay you on the bed, Merideth heard in her mind, and feel your skin under mine. With great ease and swiftness, Kalia picked her up and cradled her in her arms. Merideth let out a shriek.

"Blood--Kalia, there'll be blood--we can't...."

Kalia laughed. "Don't you worry, my sexy little green fairy. I'll get us a towel." She laid Merideth with care on the bed and looked down on her blood-streaked body with a wide, cat-like grin. "Wait here."

Merideth nodded. She ached between her legs and hungered for more, but knew that staining their host's bed sheets was not an indulgence they could afford.

When Kalia returned, she carried with her a number of big, black towels. She was also stark naked, which Merideth eyed with great appreciation.

"Glad our host likes the gothic decor." Kalia grinned.

"Where did you--"A passionate kiss silenced Merideth.

"Shh." Kalia lifted her off the bed to a standing position, then covered the bed with the towels. "There we go. Now ... we can have some fun."

Oh, good, thought Merideth in a haze of bliss, Kalia's fangs sinking deep into her neck. The intense sensation rocked her off her feet, and she crashed onto the bed with the magistra tumbling after her. Her skin's touch was far softer and silkier than she had imagined, and her curves felt so good in so many places. She wanted to experience those curves all over her, in her arms, between her thighs....

Kalia withdrew her fangs from her neck and with the tip of her fingers captured some of the blood from the wound.

There are so many uses for blood, you know. Kalia parted Merideth's legs and rubbed the blood onto her clit in slow, circular motions.

"Ooh.... "Merideth's eyes rolled back into her head. "Blood, Kalia...."

Kalia's lips smothered Merideth's. Oh, I so love it when you moan my name like that....

Kalia sped up the movement of her fingers, her blood-soaked thumb moving over Merideth's clit. Her finger made its way down and, with a languid air that drove Merideth mad with desire, inserted inside of her. But I really can't keep up my level of self-control when you do....

Cries of ecstasy escaped from Merideth's throat as the other vampire continued to show no mercy, moving her finger at a languid pace in and out of her. Her lips clasped against hers with amazing amounts of eagerness, and Merideth felt her fluids seeping down over the folds of the sensitive skin between her thighs. The towels must be soaked by now.

Kalia released her lips from Merideth's, and she longed once more for their exquisite touch. Before she could protest, her eyes locked with Kalia's. Her dark eyes twinkled as they gazed into her own, and on impulse Merideth smiled. As Kalia lowered her head onto Merideth's stomach, she licked stray drops of blood and blood-sweat from her skin, and another moan escaped Merideth's lips. Her cries only grew louder as the magistra's tongue moved over her upper thigh and with painful slowness made its way to her throbbing, sensitive clit.

With the same fierce, passionate sucking, Kalia's mouth fastened around Merideth's blood-and-juice-soaked clit while she thrust her fingers inside of her. She increased the tempo at which she pumped her fingers, sucking on her clit. Merideth came hard, shrieking incoherent words when Kalia's pinky found its way into her anus, and with each repeated thrust she came again and again, more intense each time until she exploded. Lights danced in her field of vision, and the room went bright white.

I'M GLAD THAT I COULD GIVE YOU A GOOD VACATION, MY LITTLE FAIRY.

YES ... YES, YOU DID.

Kalia's mouth covered hers once more, and Merideth tasted herself on the other woman's lips and tongue. The blood mingled with her body fluids to produce a strange elixir which she found sexy and not at all displeasing.

KALIA.... Merideth's hand traveled down Kalia's back and around her hips to the inside of her thighs. Now it was Kalia's turn to moan.

OH, MERI....

I WANT TO FEEL YOU COME. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

Kalia laughed. I'M SO FUCKING HORNY RIGHT NOW THAT IT WON'T TAKE MUCH. JUST LET ME HAVE YOU INSIDE OF ME, BABY. THEN AFTERWARDS WE CAN KISS AND FONDLE EACH OTHER'S BRAINS OUT.

Merideth chuckled, her fingers wandering past Kalia's clit. With unhurried, careful movements, she slipped the tips of her fingers towards a rather wet opening.

OH, YES, BABY....

With a practiced air, Merideth thrust her finger inside of the magistra, and Kalia howled, her hips grinding into her hand as she came fast and furious.

OH BLOOD, THAT FELT GOOD, Kalia thought at her several moments later as she collapsed onto Merideth. Their two wet bodies fit together with a natural beauty. Merideth smiled as she held the black-haired vampire close to her.

"That ... that was...."

"Fucking great," supplied Kalia. "And you know what?"

"What?"

"We have many, many more hours until dawn yet." She gave a low, throaty chuckle as Merideth's eyes widened. Would she even be capable of standing, let alone walking out of the Venus Estate before dawn came?

Based on the delightful, sexy twinkle in Kalia's eyes, most likely not. Perhaps she could be carried back....

Chapter Six

"What's immortality?"

Merideth awoke the next evening and stretched luxuriously on her hotel bed. She could still smell Kalia's scent on her skin and wished she had the courage to take Kalia's offer to spend the day in her hotel room with her. But her clothing and various other essentials were still back in her own room, and so she had gone back there that evening.

Slowly, she got up from the bed and put on her robe, debating whether or not to prepare for a similar offer later this evening. Would she be so fortunate, or had what transpired between her and Kalia the night before been just a one night fling?

The discovery of a package delivered that morning to her room answered Merideth's question. It contained a single, long-stemmed, dark blood-red rose along with a bottle of absinthe. The items came with a note: "I had a wonderful time last night. Here is Green Fairy for my little green fairy. Meet me at the Beach Front Restaurant tonight at 8?"

A date? With Kalia? She grinned, dizzy with happiness. Another chance to be with Kalia, and oh Blood, did she ask her out on a date? Had she read the note right? Her original wish was for a single evening of sex, and Merideth wasn't certain if she felt brave enough to try to meet her again. What if she wound up making an ass out of herself? This was Kalia, after all--a magistra, for Blood's sake! True, Merideth was an Inner Circle initiate in the Order of the Dragon and the Rose--a Fifth Degree, even--but she certainly wasn't the head of a Clan!

But she knew she'd regret it forever if she didn't take up the opportunity, and so she grabbed a dress from the closet, threw it on the bed, and ran into the bathroom to shower. As she scrubbed her body with bath gel, Babalon's words to her sprang to mind: The only wrong wish, Merideth, is the one you do not act upon out of fear.

Sound advice. But oh, so much easier said than done!

Her hands shook as she put on the dress. I think I'll need the amethyst ring tonight. She didn't want to get too drunk, but maybe a drink would take the edge off of her nervousness.

The gorgeous but cozy little restaurant Kalia met her at overlooked the beach and the water. The magistra insisted upon a table outdoors, which met Merideth's heartfelt approval. The ocean waves lapped at the shore, the gentle sounds hypnotizing her into a calm state. The sultry air smelled of sea salt. She was glad that the wind didn't blow too hard that evening--the outside temperature combined with the air met her skin in just the right way.

Everything is just right. Stunning would maybe describe Kalia even on a bad night; tonight she looked absolutely divine. A tight black dress trimmed with silver sequins and matching black and silver pumps hugged her curves. Her short black hair blew away from her face, tousled from the light breeze, but it only added to her beauty. Merideth stared at her for a long moment, unable to speak. What in the world was the magistra doing out having dinner with her?

Kalia reached over and lightly squeezed her hand. The touch sent pleasant shivers down her spine. "I'm so glad you came."

She heard her strong Southern drawl rather well tonight, which made Merideth speculate as to whether or not the magistra felt equally anxious about their date.

With a quick but shy smile she replied, "Me too." She frowned a little and inquired, "So, you eat sometimes?"

Kalia grinned. "Always," she stated. "I always thought that vampiric purity thing was a load of crap. Just don't tell Janius," she added. "But he probably knows how I feel about that."

"I sometimes eat mint chocolates," Merideth confessed. After a pause, she reflected, "I've never seen the point of enjoying eternity without a little bit of chocolate."

The magistra laughed long and hard. "And that's why I like you, Meri. Funny how you stay so cooped up in that library of yours all of the time, though. I'm actually almost surprised you took me up on dinner."

Merideth blinked. "Well, I um, well...."

"Don't get all shy now. I enjoy fucking you, but I like you too. Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to ask you out."

While Merideth's eyes widened in surprise, the waiter chose that inopportune time to arrive at their table. Kalia ordered shrimp scampi and pinot grigio, and Merideth found some difficulty in stammering out her own order: grilled salmon and a glass of chardonnay.

After the waiter left, she blurted out the question burning in her brain once he was out of earshot, "So, um, Kalia ... you never do anything involving the vampire purity thing? What do you think of the alchemy involved?"

The magistra shrugged. "While we continue to feed on the," she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "'liquid of life', I've never seen us as much better than the humans."

"Not even being immortal?"

"What's immortality?" she questioned, her tone almost impatient. "We can't go out in the sun. Well, not without a ton of spells, and most of them don't work half the time. We can still be killed. Our lives are constantly at peril from crazy religious nuts who want us dead."

"True, but--"

"I just don't see how we're any better. We still fuck, need nourishment, and sleep. We just require a different form of nourishment and have longer lifespans on the average. That is, if the sun doesn't kill us first."

Merideth nodded. Interesting. "I see," she remarked after a long silence.

The waiter arrived with their glasses of wine, and she thought it best to just have a sip before commenting further. She wasn't certain if she completely agreed with Kalia or not. Wasn't some form of moderation needed?

Chuckling, the magistra shook her finger at her. "You've been hanging out with Janius too much. I love him like a brother, but wow ... he needs to get laid."

Merideth almost snorted her wine out of her nose. Oh, Blood, Janius. Janius getting laid. As if.

"I'd offer to help him out, but he's too inhibited for my tastes. I might scare him." She gave Merideth a wolfish grin. The vampire downed more of her wine in a hasty gulp at the look in Kalia's eyes.

If this evening gets any more interesting, more wine may be required.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Kalia grabbed Merideth's free hand and quickly bit and licked her wrist. She yelped with surprise, but grew wet to the point of needing a napkin both on and under her lap.

WE SHOULD GO EAT AFTER THIS.

Merideth managed to reply, UM ... WHAT?

FEED. YOU KNOW. I BET THERE'S SOME GREAT DANCE CLUB NEARBY WHERE WE CAN GRAB SOMEONE, SEDUCE THEM, AND GET A LITTLE BLOOD 'N' ACTION. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

I ... UM.... MERI, stop stammering like that, she scolded herself.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU FED?

Blinking, she replied, "I-I haven't had time since I got here ... I mean, there was last night with you, but.... "Oh, Blood, I sound like a mere Apprentice. Some deity please save me before I embarrass myself any further.

Kalia laughed. "I can fix that. C'mon, we can eat this lovely food and go play afterwards."

She forced a nervous smile back. If Merideth were not undead, her heart would've beaten itself out of her chest. "Sure, why not?"

Chapter Seven

Tangerine Tango

Not far from the beach restaurant resided a little music club called Tangerine Tango. Kalia insisted that they head there for the best drinks, the best food, and the best "drink." The last part she stated with a wink and a grin.

The activities at the club filled the air with music, sounds of people chatting, and smells of food and alcohol. Tiki torches lit the area as people danced outside amongst palm trees and warm, humid tropical breezes.

Such a gorgeous night. Merideth glanced up at the sky. So many more stars were visible here than back at the Sanctuary in New York. Minus the pollution and the billions of city lights, nature revealed itself. Suddenly she thought of Babalon's eyes, and her head spun. Blood, is any of this real?

Kalia laughed and grabbed her hand. It was a gentle, affectionate gesture. She gave Merideth's hand a light squeeze and pulled her in the direction of the club.

"C'mon, no time for stargazing--let's go," she urged. "Drinks are on me. And if you like," she added in a conspiratorial tone, "they can be literally on me." At great speed, Kalia's lips crushed Merideth's before she had time to react to the thought of licking alcohol off of Kalia's most delectable body. Kalia's tongue and lips did wondrous things to Merideth's mouth which made her head spin all the faster.

"At this rate," she gasped once Kalia let go of her, "we'll never get to the club."

Kalia giggled. "Yes, more hungers to satisfy."

Hand in hand, they arrived at the bar in the club. Kalia ordered martinis for each of them--coconut for her, and mint chocolate for Merideth. It seemed quite appropriate to enjoy such a treat during her date with the magistra.

The two vampires chose a nearby table and, now seated, they surveyed the crowd, attempting to be subtle with their gazes as they observed everyone around them. The people surrounding them were dressed anywhere from jeans to semi-formal attire. The two vampires watched as they danced, drank, and smoked outdoors to the sounds of techno music. Merideth drank them all in with her eyes. Such colorful, bright people. The scent of their sweat, the sounds of their laughter and conversation combined with such wide variations of attire intoxicated her almost as much as her delicious--sinfully so!--mint chocolate martini. When Kalia's fingers interlaced with her own, the casual but significant touch crowned the moment for her. Merideth embraced the evening and hoped it would stretch for as long as she willed it.

Naturally, the evening made other plans--as usual without consulting her.

The back of her head hummed, and the hair on her arms stood on end. Merideth's forehead creased with concentration. With an eyebrow raised, she glanced over at Kalia, who gave her a small nod.

Someone in the area was using magick.

A small tap on her arm, and Merideth turned to see to where Kalia pointed. A vibrant young man stood in front of a woman with fists clenched. They were dressed for the average goth club, and Merideth assessed their attire carefully, attempting to make out what she could of their personalities. His black mesh tank top revealed his lean but muscular chest. His black jeans, though baggy, weren't unflattering. Merideth tried not to stare too hard at his ass and forced her attention upon the young woman. Her black corset amplified her slim but curvy figure, and Merideth's gaze drifted towards her pale but delicious, perky breasts. Her black lace skirt came above her knees, while her matching boots came just below. It surprised her that the knees showing were not clad in fishnets.

She must be warm in those boots. During her evaluation of the woman's attire, she concluded without a doubt that she found the woman very attractive. Her alabaster skin and black hair reminded her of Kalia's, and her black eyeliner enhanced the contrast between her dark eyes and skin. Skin so pale the woman could've passed for a vampire had Merideth's senses not been so attuned.

STOP STARING AT THE HOT GOTH CHICK AND PAY ATTENTION TO THAT GUY. HE'S THE ONE TRYING TO ZAP HER.

Merideth blinked at Kalia. "Huh?" Then she honed in on their conversation.

"I don't see what the problem is," the man stated, his low voice almost hissing in anger.

"I said, stop it," the woman replied, her tone firm. Her dark eyes shone under the tiki lights, and Merideth saw the anger in them. "I don't want to do this."

"Look, you know why we came here. We have a job to do and we need to do it."

The woman began to walk away as she protested, "I said no--" But he caught her wrist and halted her in mid-sentence.

Kalia and Merideth gave each other looks. They didn't know what transpired between these two individuals, but if they weren't stopped, a fight would break out.

WHAT KIND OF MAGICK IS HE USING? Merideth timidly asked.

COERCION. HE'S TRYING TO BEND HER WILL. AND IT'S CLEARLY NOT WORKING. THEY'RE BOTH MAGICIANS, OBVIOUSLY BOTH VERY STRONG-WILLED, AND NOT PLAYING NICELY TOGETHER.

SHOULD WE DO SOMETHING?

Kalia nodded. I have a bad feeling about this.

BUT SHOULDN'T WE STAY OUT OF THE WAY? WHAT IF THEY SEE US--

With a smooth abruptness, Kalia walked over to where the two people stood arguing. The magistra put on her brightest smile and spoke to them in a slow, Southern drawl. "Hey, y'all. How's it going?"

"We're busy," the man snarled, shaking his fist in front of her face. Standing in front of him, the woman's face appeared composed, but Merideth saw the sudden flash of fear in her eyes.

"You don't appear to be all that busy to me," replied Kalia, her voice light and cheerful.

Merideth cringed. What was Kalia doing? Her thoughts raced. Watch him whip out a gun and try to shoot Kalia in the middle of a crowd like this, the crowd panicking when they see the bullet hole close....

"I'm Erin," offered the female goth. "And you are?"

The magistra answered with great ease, "Kalia. Vacationing here from N'awlins. Where you from?"

DAMMIT, KALIA! WHAT THE HELL? Merideth shrieked. WHY THE HELL DID YOU JUST GAVE HER YOUR ORDER NAME!

SHH, PATIENCE, MERI. I HAVE THIS UNDER CONTROL.

Merideth groaned. No one within the Order of the Dragon and the Rose gave their Order name to outsiders, let alone to humans. It was not only frowned upon, but forbidden without question. Either the magistra must've been more intoxicated than she let on, or she had some sort of ingenious plan--with any luck one that involved wiping or altering their memories afterwards.

"We're from New York."

Oh, good. A chance to jump in and save Kalia's skin. "Oh, um, that's where I'm from," offered Merideth, who, with caution, walked over to where Kalia stood. She tried not to look right at the man, who stared at her hard. Something about him made her feel anxious despite his attractiveness, but she at least liked the woman.

Erin perked up. "Really? Whereabouts?"

"Um, West Village. Near Washington Square." Merideth felt Kalia's eyes on her and knew she had already said too much. Before she could stop herself, she began to ramble. "We, um, went to college together and that's how we, um, know each other. I work in the city. It's a really great place. And there's this lovely restaurant nearby, and--"

"Oh, I know who you are."

Startled, Merideth turned to look at him. "Um, you do?" she inquired, doing her level best to sound stupid.

He nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah. You're from that other order, aren't ya? And you're here to give us shit."

Merideth's eyes widened. "Other ... order?" Oh shit. Could he possibly know...?

He spat on the ground. "You damned people. You hack our sites on the Internet, then you insult our lineage and spread lies about our order. And now you're stalking us?"

Kalia gave a loud belly laugh. "Oh, no. I don't belong to any orders or whatever. I don't even know what you're talking about, and neither does my friend here."

He snorted. "What, you think I'm dumb? I can smell magicians when I see them and I'm looking at two right in front of me."

Oh good, he still doesn't know we're vampires. "Doesn't mean we belong to any orders," piped in a relieved but puzzled Merideth. She had no idea what this guy was talking about, nor why he believed that just because she came from the same city as he and practiced magick that meant she was there to spy on him from a rival order. "And besides, I don't even know how to go on the Internet. I'm dumb as hell when it comes to computers."

The man looked at Merideth, his eyes not blinking once. "Oh, c'mon. Everyone goes online these days. Even my grandma uses AOL. And you even said--you're from New York. Just drop the act already. You're here to spy on us."

Kalia rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine, you caught us." With discretion, Merideth poked at her, but the magistra pretended not to notice. "We were sent here to spy. But really, after meeting you two, we realize that the whole thing was wrong and we just want peace between us, honest. How about I buy you a drink or somethin'?"

"So what, you can slip spells into the drink in order to psychically attack me? Just like you did two days ago?"

Kalia sputtered. "Say what?"

"Yes, I recognize you and your energy! You summoned images of Jason from those slasher flicks into my dream! I knew I recognized you the moment I saw you!"

Oh boy, he's a nutter. KALIA, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? HE'S ... NOT ALL THERE. I THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE, BUT I'M AFRAID HE'S GOING TO FOLLOW US AND START TROUBLE.

THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE DOESN'T CAUSE TROUBLE, came back the calm reply.

Oh shit.

Kalia held her hands up in front of her. "Okay, you caught me yet again. Me and my bad sense of humor."

Merideth groaned, and her hands flew to her face. This situation was getting out of hand, and she hoped with feverish desperation that Kalia had a plan--a very good plan. One that wouldn't get them into trouble.

"Please," she continued, her voice dropping into a purr, "allow me to make it up to you."

To Merideth's astonishment, Kalia crossed the space between her and the guy with lightning speed. Definitely using her vampire abilities, she noted with a disapproving frown. But what shocked Merideth the most was the magistra grabbing the man by the front of his mesh shirt and yanking him towards her for a passionate, open-mouthed kiss. He appeared to try to pull away, but succumbed within moments--once Kalia's hand drifted down and gently squeezed the front of his jeans where a visible bulge became evident. His fists opened to grip Kalia's delectable ass.

Strangely enough, Merideth didn't experience the slightest bit of jealousy. In fact, it rather ... turned her on.

Once the two came up for air, Kalia spoke first. "Am I forgiven?"

The magistra's low, sultry voice sent flutters into the pit of Merideth's stomach. She glanced at Erin. Her parted lips shook, and in her dark, narrowed eyes she saw a very familiar emotion--lust. Clearly Erin was just as aroused as she had been.

"Oh ... fuck, yes," he replied, his voice sounding breathless. "You are forgiven. Just ... um ... don't do any of that again. Okay?"

"Sure thing, sugar." With a casual but sensual air, Kalia licked his neck, her eyes never leaving his face. "What was your name again?"

"I'm--I'm Steve. But if you ever kiss me like that again, you can call me anything you want."

Kalia's lips turned upwards into a wicked, mischievous grin. At that moment, Merideth had never found her so incredibly ... fuckable.

"Steve, sugar--would you like me to make it up to you some more?"

DINNERTIME, Kalia declared.

Merideth fought to prevent herself from laughing. Now she could see what Babalon saw in the magistra.

Chapter Eight

"Come join us."

Merideth still didn't know what Kalia had in mind when she invited all three of them back to her hotel room. While they walked to her place, the magistra mostly hung all over Steve, nibbling on his neck and rubbing his jean-clad crotch--in public, no less!

It shocked her, but she didn't notice it much, as she had been preoccupied with discovering how well Erin kissed. It had been all Erin's idea; the woman looked at Merideth with such a forceful expression. Before the vampire could react, Erin's mouth clamped on hers. Merideth was taken aback by her intense passion, but warmed up quickly. Her lips tasted nowhere near as sultry as Kalia's, but the woman's mouth reminded Merideth of a silky red wine with a spicy note. Cloves, maybe ... . In spite of her initial shyness, Merideth drank of her kisses with an eagerness that surprised her.

She knew just what the magistra had in mind when she at last turned to Erin with that oh-so-sexy casual smirk--which Meredith loved--and asked her in a sweet voice, "Erin dear, I'm all out of Camel Lites--do you know where I can get myself a pack?"

"No, but I know where you can score some. I can get them for you."

Kalia's eyes lit up. "Could you really?"

"No sweat. I'll meet you at your place." With a wink, Erin sauntered off.

Disbelieving what she had seen, Merideth shook her head. TOO EASY. I THINK SHE WANTS TO GET RID OF HIM.

A low chuckle echoed in her mind. OF COURSE SHE DOES. WHO WOULDN'T? BESIDES, NOW WE CAN GET THE DRINK WE'VE BEEN EARNING ALL EVENING.

YOU GOT IT.

Kalia's hotel room contained a queen-sized bed, a bureau, and an entertainment unit. The room was of a reasonable size and practical, not too extravagant--well suited for the magistra.

WE'LL HAVE TO DO THIS AS CLEANLY AS POSSIBLE--NO STAINING THE SHEETS. JUST SOME SMALL DRINKS FOR EACH OF US, THEN MAYBE WE CAN GET A NIBBLE FROM ERIN.

Merideth gave her a discrete nod. Not knowing what else to do, she put her arm around Steve--who didn't seem to mind in the least.

She sensed things speeding up at a pace that made her slightly uncomfortable, and in strange territory on top of it all. She spent too much time cooped up in the Sanctuary's library and almost never went hunting. Instead, she often wound up breaking into blood banks and storing the containers in her fridge. Janius never commented on it, but she could tell he often thought that she spent too much time sorting collections and looking after her students and not enough time enjoying her existence as a vampire. The idea of not only seducing someone for their blood but engaging in a threesome between him and another vampire--even one as delectable as Kalia--intimidated her.

The irony. Who was the stuffy, no-fun-and-all-work vampire now? How much did she resemble what she saw in Janius all along, and how sheltered had she been this whole time? The idea made her cringe. What did Kalia see in her?

"Ever been in a threesome, Steve?" Kalia's smile reminded Merideth of a cobra about to strike, but all that she guessed went through the young man's mind was images of lust. The front of his trousers showed a very visible and expanding bulge, and his face grew red.

"I--um--"

"Here, let's warm you up a little." Kalia grabbed Merideth by the waist and gave Steve a knowing grin. He watched, slack-jawed, enthralled as the two women passionately embraced in front of him. Merideth went up in flames once Kalia's fingers gave her nipple a squeeze. With a sigh, the magistra released her and turned towards Steve.

"Come join us," she purred.

Merideth had to hand it to Kalia--she knew men. With great eagerness, Steve crossed the distance between them and began to kiss Kalia hard, one hand clenching her hip as the other undid the top of Merideth's dress with a surprising amount of expertise. His hand slid over her skin, sending a frisson rocketing through her back. Steve isn't so bad after all, I guess.

With equal proficiency, Kalia managed to slide Steve's shirt up to his armpits, running her hands over his smooth chest muscles. Merideth watched out of the corner of her eye as Kalia's tongue caressed his chest, her fingers tracing invisible sigils on his back, taking great care to appear innocent as she did it. These sigils ensured that once they finished with Steve, his only memory would be of a fantastic but wild, drunk night out. He might feel woozy and slightly hung over, but otherwise not harmed in any way. The wound would be gone, leaving behind no evidence--only pleasant, fuzzy memories of the night he had spent.

Once the spell cast from the sigils set in, Kalia nicked his chest with her fangs. Leisurely but greedily, she licked the blood that pooled to the surface of his skin. Transfixed, Merideth gazed at Kalia's lips and tongue, which worked their own magick on the dark drops of blood that clung tantalizingly to Steve's body.

Her mouth still crimson with Steve's blood, Kalia pulled away and yanked Merideth's face towards hers for an open-mouthed kiss. The sweet tang of his blood mingled amidst Kalia's enticing perfume almost caused Merideth to swoon with delight.

DRINK, MY GREEN FAIRY.

Kalia disengaged herself from Merideth's eager lips, her movements soft and sensual, and pulled Steve closer to her and the other vampire. She glanced at his face, flush with excitement, his pupils dilated. The sight of his handsome features displaying such blatant ecstasy invited Merideth to sample what he had to offer. She tasted the salty sweat of his skin underneath the blood, smelled his hormones emanating from his pores. The overall package proved to be delicious and intoxicating.

I THINK WE SHOULD PUT HIM TO BED SOON AND PREPARE FOR ERIN'S ARRIVAL.

Merideth managed to nod, lightheaded from the bliss of feeding from Steve. She had forgotten the experience of drinking fresh blood from a human--the intimate sensation of their flesh beneath her lips, the way they sighed as she drank from them....

BESIDES, I BET THAT ERIN'S BLOOD WILL BE EVEN SWEETER.

The idea of drinking from Erin made something deep in Merideth's lower stomach twinge with excitement. She thought of the way she kissed earlier, and the moisture between her legs grew.

Kalia pulled her close for a kiss, her gentle fingers sliding down her stomach to rub at her clit through the dress. The kiss deepening, she slid her hand up Merideth's dress, her fingernails grazing the inside of her thigh with a light touch. Gradually, Kalia parted Merideth's inner lips with her fingertips and with even greater caution placed her finger on her clit. Kalia then pierced Merideth's lower lip and at the same time, lightly scraped her clit with her fingernail. Merideth moaned against her lips, her hips grinding into the magistra's skillful hand.

Having a nice night out with me, my little green fairy?

Fuck, yes.

Chapter Nine

"A night to remember"

An apologetic Erin arrived much later carrying not only a bag filled with Kalia's Camel Lites but also two bottles of champagne for the three women and a six-pack for Steve. Kalia, never doubting her own resourcefulness, had already managed to procure enough plastic glasses from the supplies left in the room by the hotel staff.

"I grabbed a few extra earlier," she explained with a smile. "You never know when you may bring over some company for a drink or two."

Merideth tried but couldn't keep the smirk off of her face. She turned to see Steve's reaction, but he didn't appear conscious enough to notice Erin's arrival--if he was awake at all. He lay motionless on the bed, sated but exhausted.

Erin shook her head at the sight. "Figures. I knew he had a lot to drink tonight, but ... damn. Oh well. When he wakes up he can have more beer." She gave an apathetic shrug and put the bag on the desk next to the entertainment unit.

"That's okay," stated Kalia, her tone light but conspiratorial, "that means it's just more fun for us girls." With a naughty look in her eyes, she winked at Erin, who grinned back.

"Well then, I can't complain about that, now can I?" She grabbed a bottle of champagne out of the bag and opened it with a loud pop. Merideth glanced at Steve to see if it woke him up, but his eyes remained closed, his body unmoving.

HE'S SLEEPING NOW, MERI. GIVES US SOME PRIVACY WITH THE LOVELY GAL.

While Erin's back was turned, Merideth raised an eyebrow at Kalia. She must've accelerated--and perhaps also strengthened--the spell on him just after Erin arrived. The sigils shouldn't knock out a human until a few hours had passed, leaving them either drunk or high.

Erin passed the champagne bottle to the two vampires, and the three of them drank as they talked. Merideth noted that Kalia's skill at making people feel at ease worked well on Erin--alcohol notwithstanding. The more they talked, the less tense she looked. With a huge grin, she leaned back in her chair and swung her legs back and forth, chatting with the two women intimately even though they had just met.

"I'm glad Steve's out like a light," she remarked. "I wouldn't be saying this without a few drinks in me, but he really wore me thin today. I really thank you both for stepping in like you did."

Kalia gave a nonchalant wave of her hand. "Aw, hon, it really wasn't--"

"No, I mean it. Thank you. I don't know what would've happened otherwise." She bit her lip, and a distressed expression crept over her face.

A surge of sympathy rose up in Merideth. "Um, if you don't mind my asking--and if it's not too personal--what were you two fighting about? I mean," she added, "if you don't mind talking about it, that is."

"Oh, that." Erin laughed, but the sound was hollow. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Kalia's eyes narrowed with great interest. "Try us."

"Well.... "Erin chugged the rest of her champagne and licked her lips. "He uh, wanted me to turn in a few friends of mine to this, um, magickal order. An order that probably would've persecuted and killed them, but would've paid us both a lot of cash. I refused to do it."

Kalia and Merideth gave each another measured glances. This sounded familiar, a past echo haunting them.

NO, IT COULDN'T BE--

HUMANS HAVE PREJUDICE JUST AS WE DO. IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE THAT, MERI. BESIDES, WHO WOULD POSSIBLY KNOW--

"You see, um, my friends have this special ... medical condition. And this crazy group thinks that makes them evil."

Kalia's eyes bugged.

Mistaking her reaction for revulsion, Erin's hands flew up in protest. "Oh no, it's nothing like that. They're not disabled or deformed or anything. They just can't go out in the sunlight and they ... well...."

Sunlight? KALIA, IS SHE PUTTING US ON? SERIOUSLY, I THINK WE SHOULD TRUTH-SPELL HER.

WAIT, MERI. LET HER FINISH.

"Anyhow ... I've been acting as a helper for them. They need certain, um, resources."

"Blood," supplied Kalia.

Merideth gave her a glance she hoped was piercing. This woman had to be delusional, and she didn't approve of the magistra encouraging her. Not a single vampire whom they knew of would ever admit what they were to another human. At least she only knew of their own order which shrouded themselves with oaths of secrecy, spells to hide under, and one single, horrible but effective method of punishment threatened those who would reveal their identity to a human without either some sort of memory removal afterwards, or permission from the Grandmagus.

That method was a swift death sentence.

Erin blinked at them. "Oh. Wow. You believe me. You know what I'm talking about." She reached into her bag. "Anyhow, I belong to this magickal order and I managed to learn this spell that enables me to be able to tell whether or not I'm dealing with a vampire. See, I have this stone, and when it glows red that means I'm in the presence of a v--" As she took it out, it glowed a brilliant crimson. She fell silent, and even under her makeup Merideth saw her face grow ashen.

Erin looked up at the two women and gulped. "Well ... that wasn't supposed to happen. But that explains ... quite a bit." Her hands shook as she put the stone back in her bag.

Merideth's insides turned to ice. Shit, Kalia. Now what?

YOU KNOW THE RULES. EITHER WE'RE DEAD, OR WE TURN HER. UNLESS WE CAN MANAGE TO WIPE HER MEMORY--BUT GIVEN SHE'S A MAGICIAN TOO, I DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THAT WILL BE. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW THE HELL SHE MANAGED TO GET A HOLD OF SUCH A SPELL, AND WHAT VAMPIRE OR VAMPIRES ACTUALLY LET HER KNOW WHAT THEY WERE. IF THEY'RE FROM THE ORDER, THEY'RE DEAD.

"So ... was Steve right after all? Were you guys sent to spy on us because of what he wanted ... us to do?"

Kalia's brow furrowed, but she said nothing. For once, the magistra appeared to be lost for words and a plan. Seeing no other alternative, Merideth struggled to speak. "No ... we ... I mean ... we didn't even know that you knew. This has been a horrible coincidence."

"If you drank Steve's blood ... don't feel bad about it. He honestly deserved it after what he tried to make me do. I have no desire to see anyone get killed, let alone people whom I care about."

"Unfortunately, that's what we face now because of you," Kalia said. Erin's eyes widened in alarm, but Kalia continued. "We belong to a group that forbids us to speak of what we are to outsiders. If we get caught for talking to you--and it becomes known that you have knowledge of who and what we are--we are dead."

Erin's hands flew to her face. "Oh, shit. Oh no. I had no idea. The vampires I know--they're my friends--but they never mentioned belonging to any groups or orders or anything. If-if they're with you, would they be killed?"

Kalia nodded.

The goth woman groaned. "Figures. Well, I'm their donor--I don't mind, honestly. Maybe if you guys had donors, it'd be easier."

Merideth agreed, but decided to keep her mouth shut about it. Ordo Draconis et Rosae in its stubbornness stuck to traditional methods of obtaining blood, and while she often got food by sneaking into blood banks, she had blamed that on her lack of time to go out and hunt. Now she wondered if she had been avoiding the whole process altogether, but never before admitted it to herself.

None of that mattered now, however. A bigger dilemma loomed over their heads.

KALIA, WHAT DO WE DO?

YOU KNOW THE RULES. THE ONLY WAY AROUND THEM IS TO GET SPECIAL DISPENSATION FROM THE GRANDMAGUS, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'D MAKE OF A HUMAN AND MAGICIAN WHO KNOWS OF OUR EXISTENCE. WE HAVE VERY FEW PEOPLE ON THE DAYSIDE WHO KNOW ABOUT US, AND THEY WERE CHOSEN WITH GREAT CARE AND ONLY AFTER A LONG EXAMINATION OF THEIR CHARACTERS. ERIN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO EITHER BE A VERY USEFUL ALLY AND LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, OR A HUGE INCALCULABLE RISK THAT NONE OF US CAN AFFORD TO MAKE.

I SEE YOUR POINT. BUT EVEN WORSE, WHAT OF THAT OTHER ORDER? COULD THEY BE--OH NO--

MERI, IF SHE KNOWS OF THAT ORDER SHE'S ALREADY IN DANGER--JUST AS MUCH AS WE ARE NOW. WE NEED TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT SHE KNOWS.

"That other order," Merideth blurted out, "are they called Ordo Aureae Crucis, by any chance? I mean, the Order of the Golden Cross? Please tell me they're not."

Erin's jaw dropped. "You know of them?"

"Course we do," Kalia cut in, her tone showing a degree of irritation. "We're vampires. They've hunted us and our order for over a century. Some claim they were doing it in orders in the past long before they even existed."

Merideth couldn't believe it. Was she dreaming? Were they spilling their guts to a mortal about their order and its history? Must be the champagne. Dammit. Janius's words about moderation rang in her head, and she cringed.

"And further," Kalia went on, "how do we know you're not a member of the Golden Cross?"

Her hands shaking, Erin poured herself more champagne. Some of it spilled on her lap, but she didn't appear to notice or care. "Good question," she answered, her voice unsteady. "I have no idea how to prove that to you. I mean, that I'm not."

"Well, I do--and I happen to like you, so I hope for your sake and mine that you're telling the truth. And not only that, but you need to know whether or not you can trust us."

KALIA ... YOU'RE NOT.... Merideth only knew of one way to ensure this, and that was a blood exchange. Not a complete one--that involved taking a huge portion of Erin's blood and replacing it with one of theirs--but she would have to drink from Erin, and in return have her ingest a small drop of their blood. Both amounts would have to be small, magick would be used as additional insurance that Erin would not Turn, and it would mean creating a psychic link between them.

It would also force Merideth to lower her shields and thus her control over her Sight. Once that happened, she couldn't control what she saw from Erin--or anything around her, for that matter.

Her stomach got a little queasy. What had they got themselves into?

MERI, I HAVE AN ENTIRE CLAN TO LOOK AFTER, AND SHE LIVES IN YOUR CITY, NOT MINE. THIS IS YOUR CALL TO MAKE. The magistra's neutral tone shocked Merideth, but she knew her words made sense.

Swallowing down her nervousness, Merideth went over to where Erin sat. The young woman wrung her hands in her lap, looking terrified.

"Please don't hurt me," she whispered. "I didn't want anything bad to happen to them, honest. It's why--" she choked and struggled to continue, "it's why I fought with Steve to begin with."

Unable to restrain her impulsiveness, Merideth put her arms around her. "Shh. It's okay. Really. Listen, you um, you spoke of being a donor. How do you do that?"

"They um ... they usually bite inside my wrist. I don't know how they do it, but the wound closes afterwards. No scarring." She exhaled a long, shaky breath. "It's not bad, really. Better a willing victim, right?"

Kalia's sultry voice resounded from across the room. "Of course. Me personally, I like to give whomever I feed from a wonderful night. A night to remember. I figure, hey, I owe them that much, right?"

"Well ... that's good." The color crept back into Erin's face.

"Would you like such a night, Erin?"

Merideth couldn't help herself; she turned around to see Kalia's eyes darkened with lust, that sexy upturn of the corners of her lips begging her to kiss them. Blood, I'd like such a night. Several, in fact.

She glanced at Erin, who blushed. "Who wouldn't? I mean, c'mon. Do you know many people are fascinated by vampires? And fantasize about being bitten by one?"

With a delicate air, Kalia raised an eyebrow. "Really now? Do you?"

"Well, um, yeah, and I mean ... um ... I have and all, and...."

MERI, HELP THE POOR GAL ALONG. I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO DEFLOWER A SCHOOLGIRL.

Remembering how Kalia seduced her, Merideth decided to take a page from her book. She lifted Erin's hand with care and with excruciating gentleness took her index finger into her mouth. Watching as Erin's breath quickened, she bit the tip of her finger and started to suck on it.

Erin moaned, and her eyes rolled back into her head. Encouraged by her reaction, Merideth put her other hand on Erin's knee and dragged her fingertips along her smooth, silky inner thigh. When Erin parted her legs, she knew her attentions were welcome.

A quick glance out of the corner of her eye revealed Kalia, who appeared engrossed in watching them both. The magistra's lips parted, her eyes glittering with dark passion.

Knowing that Kalia was turned on made Merideth all the more aroused. She moved even closer to Erin. She slipped a finger inside her and sank her fangs into her neck. Erin's moans grew louder, and her hips ground into her hand as Merideth enjoyed tasting her sweet blood.

Bracing herself, Merideth lowered her shields. Bright, colorful images danced in her vision, and among them she saw Erin arguing with Steve, Erin fucking Steve, Erin getting hit by Steve ... at this, she winced. Any regret she had over deceiving Steve and taking his blood in the way she had vanished in a millisecond.

The visions poured into her head without mercy. Erin getting bitten by two other vampires, a man and a woman, and reveling in its ecstasy. She referred to them earlier as her "friends" but without a doubt the three of them were much more than that. Both blood and sex had been involved, and Merideth wondered at her shy reaction earlier. What caused it?

Then she knew--Erin was afraid. The male vampire to whom she gave blood told her many horrible tales about other vampires and how she couldn't trust them, that they might kill her for her blood and take without asking. Merideth's gentle approach reassured her, and the vampire felt Erin's relief underneath the euphoria.

Oh, the ecstasy. The overwhelming rapture pouring forth from Erin threatened to swallow up her visions. Merideth angled her finger in just the right spot to give Erin the exquisite release she yearned for, and in that moment she extracted her fangs with great care from her neck. A quick spell, and the wound on her neck disappeared.

But as delicious as Erin tasted, Merideth was far from sated. She throbbed between her legs, aching for satisfaction.

Sensing Merideth's frustration, Erin grabbed a hold of her and yanked down the rest of her dress, still left partially open by Kalia's earlier embrace. With a sly grin she stated, "My turn."

Merideth blinked as Erin pulled her close, positioning her thigh between her legs. With one hand, she grabbed Merideth's head towards her for an ardent, open-mouthed kiss. Erin's tongue tormented the inside of Merideth's mouth, and her other hand caressed the sensitive, swollen bud between the vampire's legs. Then she placed not one, but two fingers inside Merideth, bracing them with her thigh as she pumped into her. Merideth screamed, the intense sensations overpowering her.

Merideth didn't detect Kalia's presence behind her until the magistra's hand snaked around her and began massaging her left breast, harshly pinching her nipple at odd moments. The unexpected jolts of pain kept delaying her orgasm, causing her to writhe in frustration.

Kalia moved her other hand down Merideth's back, and with delicate caution inserted a finger into her ass. The double penetration sent Merideth sailing over the edge into madness.

But Erin wasn't about to let up on Merideth. With Kalia's help, she lifted Merideth's hips up and hoisted her legs onto her shoulders.

"Now's my turn to taste you," purred Erin.

Merideth's eyes widened, both surprised and intensely aroused. The sensuous, silky but rough tongue caressed her labia with delicate strokes, resting on her clit before giving it one slow lick.

She groaned. Oh, this was torture. This human tormented her on purpose--and oh, did it make her want her even more. Erin continued to afflict the most exquisite sensations in Merideth as she writhed with frantic twitches in the clutches of both Erin's and Kalia's grip.

Erin slowly led a trail of unbearable waves of ecstasy down from her clit to her now soaked entrance. With great deliberateness and glee, she thrust her tongue into Merideth and sucked down her juices.

Through the haze of bliss, Merideth realized the blood exchange would happen after all--enough blood mixed with the fluids dripping from her pussy to create the psychic bond she needed in order to keep tabs on the woman after they both left for New York the next day.

That was her last coherent thought before an intense orgasm slammed into her like a freight train. Her body seized by earthquakes, she could do nothing but clench her fists until her palms bled from her fingernails--which Kalia obligingly licked clean.

Then the visions hit her, and she saw from their brightness that they were of the future. From them she determined that yes, Erin could be trusted--and either way, with or without their help, Clan Gladius as well as the rest of the Order was in extreme danger.

Moments later, the three women managed to make it to the bed where they collapsed in a tangled embrace, just barely managing to avoid knocking Steve off the bed. As Merideth lay there with both Kalia and Erin, she never felt more alive.

Chapter Ten

Back, for now....

The plane ride back to New York was agonizing. Merideth loved her time spent at Crystal Island, the Venus Estate ... and every time she thought of her night--and the subsequent nights afterwards--spent with Kalia and later with Erin, her stomach tightened with desire. Blood, Kalia.... The magistra was without a doubt one of the best, if not the best lover she'd ever had, and Erin had been the sweetest accident that ever fell into her lap. Her partners within the Order had always been of both genders, but she enjoyed her times best with women. There was something smooth, delicate, and deliciously sexy that she couldn't quite get enough of--and she had dreamed of Kalia in her bed more than once over the years.

Kalia was far, far better than anything had been in her dreams.

She smothered a sigh. Human habit again. You'd think after decades of being a vampire.... There was just something ingrained, beyond habitual about the action of sighing that couldn't be duplicated with a hand gesture or some other bodily performance. While she understood the quest to be more than human--and not just a bloodsucker, as James had put it time and time again--she believed that sighing was a necessary evil as means of a release of tension and self-expression.

There had been another single, beautiful blood-red rose delivered to her hotel room that morning. Only a simple note: "To Merideth, with love from Kalia" was all that came with it.

Strange. Kalia is her Order name. All those times we had, and I still don't know her real name. She wondered if she would ever know--or if anyone in the Order did, for that matter. It was taking a bit of a security risk, having her name like that even on just a rose. But Kalia seemed to be a good deal more ... lax than other magisters and magistras. Such as James, for instance.

She stifled a giggle. Oh, Blood. James. Merideth wondered how he would react to them having hooked up during her trip. Then she wondered if that night ever would've happened had she not wished for it.

The vampire's mood turned sour. Was Kalia's attraction to her due to the wish granted by Babalon? Or had she genuinely enjoyed her company? It seemed to her that Kalia's response to her was genuine, but she truly had no idea.

Like her real name, perhaps she would never know.

She fingered her pocket where scrawled on a piece of paper was Erin's cell phone number. The two exchanged numbers before going their separate ways on planes back to New York, and she remembered Erin's tears with a sad fondness. She would have to call her so they could get together during one of her few nights off.

But Merideth would not stress too much about keeping in touch with the young woman, as she now possessed a degree of awareness of her location at all times, not to mention glimpses of her thoughts and emotions. The small psychic link provided via the magick of the blood exchange gave her that much.

She found it odd, but she couldn't tell who she missed more at that point--Kalia or Erin. Never had she pictured herself having one, let alone two lovers, but somehow this worked.

Now all she needed to do was to find a way for them all to keep safe. The visions she had about the future of her and Clan Gladius reassured her to some extent, but elements of what she had seen were foreboding. She could only pray that Kalia's idea would work....

* * * *

Merideth arrived at the Sanctuary about half an hour before dawn. That was cutting it a bit too close for her liking, but with the airline schedule and subway, it was the best she could manage. Choosing to unpack later, she decided that it would be best to bury herself in her work as usual.

Oh, but that vacation. Four nights in paradise, all but one of them spent in the arms of two of the sexiest, most vibrant women she had ever met. How could she ever return to her work as a librarian after that?

She slumped into her office chair. Then she stared at her desk drawer. Oh, those chocolate mints.... They couldn't replace the hot, steaming encounters with Kalia--and oh, Erin--but they might take the edge off a bit. Merideth reached for the drawer.

A knock came at her door.

Gritting her teeth with impatience, she called out, "Come in."

No surprise--it was Janius.

"Hello, Merideth! Glad to see you back." His hands in his pockets, he appeared a bit more fidgety than usual. "How was your trip?"

Must not giggle, must not giggle.... "Oh, it was fantastic! Thanks again for sending me there." She beamed at him.

"Good, good. Any good clubs or parties while you were there?"

She nodded. "Yes, a masquerade ball. I ... had a great time."

"Good, good."

She did her best to keep her amusement hidden. He seemed somewhat nervous about something.

"Is there something wrong, James?"

"Oh, no ... no, not at all. It's just that.... "He grinned. "I have a bit of a welcome back present for you."

Merideth blinked at him. "Oh?"

Withdrawing his hand from his pocket, James presented her with a small, gold box. The librarian peered at it, not knowing what to make of it. Right on the top was a familiar label: "Godiva."

"Got you the small sampler. Remember, you're a Fifth Degree. Gotta set standards for the rest of the Order. But ... it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit on occasion." He winked at her.

Her eyes widened. "Um ... I don't ... I mean, I really...."

His response was to laugh, loud and long. "Just enjoy." James turned to head towards the door of her office, but paused. "Oh, Merideth, one other thing."

"Yes?"

"The magistra of Clan Corvus called. She is planning an inter-order gathering between the Clans and specifically asked for your help in arranging everything. I'd like to send you down there to help her. Would you mind?"

Merideth struggled to keep the shit-eating grin off of her face. "Oh, no. Of course not, James. Anything I can do to help out the Order and Clan Corvus, and a gathering sounds wonderful." And getting my brains fucked out every night sounds wonderful too, yes.

"Excellent! I'll notify her as soon as possible. Unless, of course, you'd like to do so."

Mmm, phone sex with Kalia.... "Oh, that'll be fine, James. I um, I'll contact her myself to arrange things. I know that you have a lot of work to do."

"Great, great! And once again, glad to have you back." He quickly smiled at her and left her office.

It was only after he left that she turned to the little gold box on her desk, grinned, and ripped it apart to eat the chocolate.

Ooh, chocolate truffles.... Usually she had mints, but these would do just fine. Just as decadent, if not more so.

And now she had a new trip to plan.

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