Thanks hon.


Love Bites
by
Bonnie Neely




	"What a miserable fuckin' night." Jezebel thought acidly, wiping a
trickle of blood from her eyes as she scuttled through the maze of back
alleys, looking for a place to crash and recouperate for a while.
"What else could possibly go wrong?"
Normally, she'd know better than to ask such a stupid question, but with
her head still reeling from the force of the blows that were delivered,
she was off her game tonight, and eternal fate with its twisted sense of
humor decided to oblige her with an answer. Rounding a corner into a
pretty nasty area known as sniper alley, she heard a vicious snarl, and
under the dim light of the full moon, saw a man, or at least he looked
like a man, holding another man up off the ground by his face and
shaking him like a child's rag doll. The agressor spat an accusation of
betrayal before bearing a gleaming set of fangs and burying them to the
hilt in his victim's throat. A slight gurgle was the only sound his
victim made before being tossed to the ground in disgust.
"Finish the job you bastard!" he croaked, curling his lip up into a
sneer, "Or I'll come back and finish it for you."
Even in the pale light, Jezebel could see the agressor smile. The fangs
were gone but the predatory bloodlust was still there.
"Oh don't worry my foolish young friend." he said with a definite air of
smug superiority, "I just want to see you suffer for a while."
Jezebel had seen many things in her life, none of them pleasant, but
this act being played out before her sent a chill of pure evil up her
spine. Reaching forward and grabbing the man's neck with what she could
have sworn was just his thumb and forefinger, the agressor snapped his
victim's neck, delighting in the sound of the crushing vertebrae. A
flash of light caught all involved off guard, or so she
thought.Completely nonplussed, the attacker put his hands where the
Officer could see them, even before he got out of the car and demanded
to know what was going on. Cocking his head slightly with a look that
says, "Okay, you caught me. So what do you think you're going to do
about it?"
Jezebel just shook hers slowly. "This is nothing new to this guy." and
punctuated the thought with a snort.
The snort that would be her undoing, for it was at that second that he
shot a look over his shoulder that pinned her to the wall.
"What the hell happened here?" the burly Officer demanded as he kicked
some trash out of his way.
Turning back to his inquisitor, he simply replied,
"I found him this way."
Why you silver tongued devil you." Jezebel thought with something
approaching appreciation. "I almost believe you, and I saw the whole
thing."
Casting another dark glance over his shoulder, she could see the change
in his eyes. A change that said she was next on his shit list.
"Yeah right, " the Officer snorted, breaking into the thoughts of the
others, "and the blood on your shirt is from shaving."
"I'm a goner either way I play this out." Jezebel thought, her insides
tying up in knots, "So I'd might as well try to earn some brownie points
first."
Jumping out from her hiding place, she put her hands in the air and said
in a voice that was ready to crack,
"Daddy, it's okay. Just tell him the truth."
Spinning around to face her, the monster snarled,
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Trying to save my life." she thought shakily, as she approached and 
slipped her arm around his waist. "He was trying to protect me." she
said to the Officer who was looking at her as if trying to figure out
how she was going to fit into this equasion. "Daddy and I had a fight
earlier and I took off." she continued, thinking she should get an Oscar
for  this performance. "I didn't know he would come looking for me.
Actually, it's a good thing he did. You can see what that man did to
me."
The killer she'd willingly embraced, relaxed and wrapped his arm around
her shoulder. The look of smug superiority returned as he wove a silken
tale of how he'd found her grappling with the victim, and in a parental
rage, he killed his daughter's attacker.
"Man, this guy's good." Jezebel thought, fighting the urge to smile.
The Officer visibly relaxed a little. It wasn't difficult to believe the
story, especially since she had just taken a vicious beating and lived
to walk away from it. when he turned to go to his squad car, Jezebel
felt the man's grip tighten.
"Distract him." she whispered.
"What?" he asked, looking at her in question.
"Just do it." she hissed, breaking from his touch and scurrying to the
the fallen body.
Quickly cleaning her nails with one of her others, she clawed the
victim's face and arms, and ripped the pendant from her neck, making
sure to twist the chain roughly from side to side before doing so. In
the background she heard the two men talking and siezed the opprotunity
to take the dead man's hand and  force his still warm fingers to rend
the tender flesh of her inner thighs.
"Good thing I wore a skirt tonight." she thought, tears of pain spilling
down her cheeks.
Still, this pain would be nothing compared to what the monster at the
cruiser would do to her if she couldn't pull this off.
"Hey, what are you doing?" the officer called, shining a light toward
her.
Putting on her best orphaned puppy expression, she held up the pendant
and answered in a tiny voice,
"I just wanted my necklace back."
"I'm sorry darlin', but that's going to have to be taken in as
evidence." the Officer replied, sounding genuinely sorry."
"Does it really?" the killer asked in a voice that was almost hypnotic
as he put his hand on the Officer's shoulder, "In fact why don't you
just leave this for day shift. You never saw us, no one called this in."
Mutely the Officer nodded and  got into his cruiser.
"Oh God, the moment of truth arises." Jezebel thought, terror racing
through her as she watched the cruiser roll off into the night.
It was then that the murderous beast before her turned and cast his gaze
upon her, eyes narrowed in thought as if  wondering what kind of
suffering he was going to visit upon her. She'd just gotten to her feet
when he stood before her, moving with a blinding speed that put her
heart into overdrive.
"Daddy?" he asked sarcastically.
"Well, I couldn't think of anything else right off the top of my head."
she squeaked, damning those eyes for scaring the life out of her as they
bored into her soul.
"Look, if you're going to kill me too, just  make it quick." she said
almost in a whisper, turning her head away so she wouldn't have to see
the look of triumph in her killer's eyes.
What she didn't expect as she stood there trembling , was for him to
touch her chin ever so gently with his thumb and tilt her face up to
look at him.
"What are you going to do?" he asked, the meaning blatantly clear.
"Crawl into a hole somewhere and hope I live to fight another day. " she
answered honestly.
Then he smiled, not the vicious killer type of smile he'd bared earlier,
but a genuine, human smile and sighed. Looking up into the night sky, he
looked as if he were contimplating what to do. Then he looked down at
Jezebel and said matter of factly.
"Normally, I'd just rip your throat out and leave you for dead, but
since you saved me the troublesome bother of being arrested for murder,
I'll let you live. If just for tonight."
"Gee, thanks," she thought acidly," don't go putting yourself out."
Snapping her chin up so hard that she didn't even have time to gasp in
pain, the monster got right in her face and snarled,
"Don't mock me little girl! To me you are nothing more than food to be
enjoyed at my liesure."
Looking up at the sky again, he looked back at her with wicked amber
eyes,
"It's going to be dawn soon. You have two choices, stay here and die or
come back to the Raven with me and live to fight another day."
"Not much of a choice." Jezebel sighed and tried to walk past.
Grabbing her arm, the monster asked where she was going.
"I thought we were going to the Raven." she replied, the aches and
fatigue starting to catch up with her.
"Come here child." it was more of a command than a request
Ignoring her protest as he scooped her up into his arms. He asked if she
was ready to take flight
"But I'm too heavy!" she again exclaimed.
"Just hold on." the monster ordered as he took to the sky.
Not being able to hide the whimper of fear, Jezebel tucked her head in
the crook of his shoulder.
"Open your eyes little one." he commanded, "You're experiencing
something few mortals would even dare to dream of."
Too scared to refuse, she looked out over the city. Noting how the
lights below weren't too unlike the heavenly ones above. All too soon
they came to their destination. Keeping her still tucked to his cold
body as he unlocked the back door to the club, the predator and prey
entered the lair.
"Welcome to the Raven." the man said, letting her go long enough to lock
the door behind him, "It's not the Ritz, but it's home...for now."
Feeling a sudden rush of boldness, Jezebel stood up as straight as her
pain would allow and looked at her quote, benefactor. Even if he weren't
a vampire there would be no way she could have fought him. He was over
six feet tall, wore a military crew that was white blonde, and those
cruel, hard eyes would freeze even a Navy Seal's heart. She guessed him
to be in his thirties or forties. Although, she knew that since he was a
vampire he was more than likely somewhere in the hundreds. That didn't
stop the cold steel of his body from feeling like that of a man in his
prime.
"Like what you see?" he rumbled, flashing her an amber glare and glossy
fangs.
Despite herself, Jezebel laughed, a rich, hearty , genuine laugh.
"Oh my God, where did that come from?" she thought in terror,clamping
her hands over her mouth and backing away.
"I don't know child," the monster replied, leaning against the door
jamb, "but you amuse me, so maybe I'll let you live for a while." 
"How does he keep doin that?" her mind screamed.
"One of my many talents." he smiled, again, it was was a strangely
genuine, human smile and was instantly beside her.
Wrapping what she allowed herself to think of as a protective arm,
around her shoulder, he told her to follow him to the office. Even
though the club was closed there were still enough lights on for her to
make her way around.
"I'll be better able to tend to your wounds in there."
"That's okay," she shrugged, "I've been bandaging and sewing myself up
for years."
Even though she was only a few inches shorter than him, when he looked
down at her she felt more like she was a few  feet shorter. A hint of a
smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he gently replied, 
"No doubt."
Flicking on the light in the office, he gave a nod in the direction of a
couch that sat against the wall.
"I shall return." he stated matter of factly and was gone. 
To see it, you'd never know anything about it was abnormal. He had the
standard fixtures, bar, and other things you'd find in a high powered
executive's office. Lowering herself to the couch with a grimmace,and
feeling the soft leather give under her weight. Jezebel let her head
fall back and thought with a sneer, "What did you expect, a screaming
neon sign that says enter with caution, vampire at play?"
"That might be in teresting." the now familiar voice said directly in
front of her.
Her eyes popped open as she sat bolt upright.
"Now that was silly." he gently chided.
And it was, for she couldn't see anything but the tiny different colored
lights that swim in front of your eyes when your head is spinning.
"Hey, that's just the kind of gal I am." she replied with something akin
to a smile and didn't even flinch when the large granite hand of her
benefactor pushed her back against the couch.
"Amuse me child." he said, wiping some blood from from her brow and
quickly giving it a taste, "Amuse me by telling me how you wound up in a
situation like this."
"You could just read my mind like a cheap novel." she smiled weakly,
realizing that sitting down and relaxing wasn't the wisest thing to do.
"Your voice is pleasant enough, so relate it to me." he replied,
crouching down in front of her.
Even though his hand was cold as he ran it up her thigh, pushing the
skirt out of the way, she wasn't concerned. It's not like it was the
first time some cold hearted bastard had his hands in that region.
"Well, in for a penny, in for a pound." she thought parting her legs
slightly so he could tend to her wounds.
"Why did you inflict this upon yourself?" he asked pressing a cloth
dipped in an even cooler liquid against her wounds.
"If we had to play out the whole charade and go through a rape kit, they
would have to find my skin and blood under his nails to make it
believable. I didn't know you could just tell the cop to go away and
he'd do it."
"Well my dear, it wasn't quite that simple."
"Just one of your many talents?" she winked, wondering where this mirth
was coming from.
To her shock, the man before her actually chuckled as he turned his
attention to the other thigh.
"If you only knew." he purred.
"Uh-oh," she teased, feeling a spasm of pain course through her head,
"does this mean we might actually end up liking each other?"
"Perish the thought." he smiled, getting up and sitting next to her on
the couch so he could finish the task at hand. "Now, how about telling
me what I want to know."
"Fine, I'll give you the Reader's Digest version."
	 When she was done relating her tale of woe, she looked up into the
man's eyes as he put the finishing touches on his handiwork.
"And that's basically me in a nutshell."
The eyes were dark, unreadable, was he disgusted, amused, ready to kill
her off and be rid of this troublesome baggage?
He had been sitting there, watching her with those piercing eyes,
weighing every word she said, then he turned to the side and fluffed
some pillows, arranging them to lie down on. Getting to his feet, he
grasped her shoulders and  gently laid her down.
"Sleep for now. Come nightfall this place will be packed with
clientelle."
"As wrung out as I am right now, an atom bomb wouldn't be able to wake
me up." she groaned, settling down into the pillows.
As he turned to go, Jezebel propped herself upon her elbow and quietly
asked him to wait. Looking over his shoulder, he didn't reply.
"How should I address you for now?"
A smile crept over his face as he walked over and opened the door.
"For now, you may simply call me La Croix."
And with that, he closed the door behind him.
	It certainly wasn't an atom bomb that woke Jezebel from her slumber,
but the gentle touch of a masculine hand stroking her cheek.
"La Croix?" she mumbled sleepily.
"Not exactly." a sexy voice replied.
Opening her eyes, Jezebel realized her head was resting in the lap of an
incredibly attractive man. A jet black mane of fine hair haloed his
cherubic, full lipped face. Black eyes stared down  at her but held none
of the threat or contempt the La Criox's had. Still, the chill of his
touch reminded her that he was more than likely a vampire too. After
all, who else would La Croix entrust his prisioner to?
"And who might you be, you incredible specimen of the undead?" she
smiled.
"You may call me Vachon, my lady." he replied, giving her a smile that
that sent an electric jolt through her body.
Are you my designated babysitter or executioner?" Jezebel groaned,
dragging her carcass to an upright position with a little help from
Vachon.
"More like your bodyguard." he shrugged, "Your scent is driving the
youngsters out there to distraction. Not mention some of the elders,
including La Croix himself."
"My scent?" she asked stupidly, "I must be in more need of a shower than
I thought."
Vachon put his hand to his lips, trying not to laugh at her outright.
"Not quite what I was talking about." he replied from under his fingers,
sweeping her figure with his gaze, "Every woman has her own scent."
"Yeah, and if I can be noticed all the way out there, I'm in serious
need..."
"No," he cut in,"your blood. It's a scent no shower will ever dull."
"I never knew blood had a smell." she mused.
Yours has a particularly strong smell of honeysuckle vine  and
cinnamon." he smiled, eyes showing a trace amount of gold.
"Why can't I smell it?" she asked, feeling stupid as soon as the
question was out.
"Because you're not one of us." he replied simply, reaching for the
bottle on the table next to him.
Plucking out the cork with his fangs, he kept a steady, predatory, gaze
upon her, as if daring her to to move so he'd have a reason to pounce on
her and drain her of her blood supply. It was then that the door started
to open. Instinct told her to fly to the lesser of two evils, which in
this case would be the man who professed to be her body guard. she
quickly jumped to his side and faced away from the door as he wrapped
his arm around her. If another vampire was here to kill her she didn't
want to know.
"It's not what it looks like." she heard Vachon say as he put the bottle
back on the table.
"Well now," La Croix  replied with a grin as she looked up at him, "I'm
almost sorry to hear that."
Vachon gently patted her shoulder and got up from the couch.
"I'll be waiting outside." he assured her.
Jezebel mutely nodded and watched him walk out, closing the door behind
him, barely dulling the thundering bass and the murmur of voices
outside.
"You, my child are becomming a great source of trouble." La Croix
teased, setting a tray down beside the bottle
"Well, you could always guard me yourself." she winked, feeling a little
more at ease.
"Actually, my dear," he purred, "I'm your first line of defense."
"Is the smell of my blood really that strong?"
"Ah, Vachon has told you..." he eyed her suspiciously.
"Nothing I wouldn't have figured out for myself once my head cleared."
 


End of  part one. Usual disclaimers apply. Send comments to Bonnie at  
bonnien@mail.csrlink.net

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Bites
part 2




	"The youngsters think I have a present in here for them." he smiled,
looking at the door.
"And do you?" she asked with more bravado than she felt.
"Would you like to be thrown to the pack out there? It can be easily
arranged." he said in a low voice, his eyes starting to change colors.
"I think you'd have done it by now." Jezebel grinned, getting used to
that look.
"Never underestimate me my dear." he winked and nodded toward the tray
he'd brought in, saying, "Have some dinner, you're going to need all
your strength if you even think you're going to be playing any games
with me."
"Did you make it yourself?" she asked looking at the very well done
T-bone and it's accompanyments.
"As a matter of fact..." he started, lip curling up in disgust.
Jezebel couldn't help herself and burst out laughing, throwing La Croix
completely off guard. His reproachful glare only stopped her for a
couple seconds before a new peal of laughter burst through. Holding her
ribs and backing her way back to the couch,  she explained between gasps
that she could just picture him at the grill, trying to avoid the flames
and holding his nose in disgust as he poked at the steak with a meat
fork.
"A lot of effort to go through for something you only see as your next
meal." she teased, wiping away a tear.
He was trying hard to retain his stern expression, but finally cracked
and gave her a smile.
"Yes my dear, it certainly is. Now eat up and don't disappoint me."
"Yes Daddy." she giggled.
"Stop that!" he  snapped, even though he was wearing half a grin,
"Although I am pleased to see  you in better spirits than last night."
"I just had a horrifying thought." Jezebel said as seriously as she
could.
"I forgot the worchestershire?"
"No, I think we're starting to get along."
"Oh my," he said in mock terror, "does this mean I kill you now or after
dinner?"
"Let's make it after dinner. You'd might as well get a little extra
protein out of the deal."
La Croix rolled his eyes and shook his head as he stepped out of the
room.
"That would be weird if we keep on going like this." she mused, getting
up to grab the tray. "I could just see trying to explain this to my
Mother."

	Dinner was quite tasty, and Jezebel made a mental note to ask La Croix
what spices he was using on that steak. Getting up and padding around
the office, Jezebel  wondered if he'd mind her taking a quick shower.
"Maybe I'll feel like more of a human being again." she mumped, looking
at her now ratty clothes, "And regardless of what Vachon says, I do need
a shower."
Stepping into the bath, it was  larger than she'd expected, with a full
dressing area, and a stocked linen closet.
"I'm in heaven." she laughed, reaching into the stall to turn on the hot
water.
She didn't bother closing the door completely behind her. In all of
their years of existance she was sure they'd seen a naked woman at least
once.
"I don't have equipment any different than them." she reasoned, "Just a
little more or less of it. Besides, I have to hear if one of them calls
me."
Draping a huge towel over the shower door, Jezebel reached in and
adjusted the cold level. Then stripped down noting the cuts and bruises
that criss crossed her body.
"I look like a map of the L.A. freeway system." she snorted and stepped
into the refreshing spray.
	
	Feeling and smelling much better, she wrapped the towel around her and
secured a knot on the side.
"I feel good enough to take on anything, even La Croix." she said
happily, scooping her clothes up from off the floor.
"Do you now?" he asked, eyes twinkling with amusement as he watched her
step out into the office.
"Better believe it." she winked, "I hope you don't mind..."
He dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand, but still watched her
intently as she crossed the room and sat down on the couch again. 
"I see you're healing up nicely." he remarked, tapping his thumbs
together as he put his feet up on the desk.
"Still tender, but definitely an improvement." she agreed, wondering
what was going through his mind right now.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he teased.
"Now stop that!" she snapped, "Or I'll have to come over there and drip
all over you."
"Sounds intriguing." 
"Wouldn't you like to know." she shot back with a wink.
"I really don't think you'd know how to handle a man like me, my dear."
he replied, his blue eyes turning an icy grey.
"Why La Croix, that almost sounds like a challenge." she replied in a
fake southern accent as she fanned herself with her hand. Then in  all
seriousness added, "Outside of your particular killing methods, I
sincerely doubt that you can do anything to me that hasn't all ready
been done."
That was more than he needed to hear. Jezebel didn't even see him move
before she was lying on her back staring up into those eyes.
"Can't I?" he breathed, "You obviously don't know who you're dealing
with."
"Hey, hey, let's try some decaf here Ghunga Din." she said in mock
seriousness. "You seem to forget that I was meat since I was five years
old.  So unless you've got some ancient techniques I don't know about,
you're wasting your time here pal !"
"Why do I not believe you ?" he whispered, barely touching her cheek
with the kiss.
"I think you're going to enjoy this immensely." he purred in the same
hypnotic tone he'd used on the cop.
"Stop!" Jezebel ordered, pushing him back and twisting her pelvis. A
move that had thrown many men off of her in the past, but only managed
to amuse this one as he rose ever so slightly. "If you're going to do
this, do it right! No hocus pocus, no mind games. If you think you're so
great, you do it as a man, not as a vampire."
His eyes shone in a dark, oceanic blue, as he lowered himself back down
and stroked her cheek and wickedly replied, 
"By the time I'm done with you, you won't know the difference."
She had a sharp reply in mind but knowing his powers, quickly squelched
it, and watched as his  long, nimble fingers untied the knot in the
towel. A half smile graced her lips as she thought about how his hands
would be more fit to playing the piano than to killing people.
"I do that too. " he whispered wickedly in her ear.
"Maybe you'll play for me sometime." she remarked, trying to sound as
disinterested as possible.
A task she was finding somewhat difficult. His firm, masculine hands had
started at her waist, and ever so tenderly traced their way up to her
breasts while his soft, full lips started doing dangerous things to her
ear and neck. He splayed one hand out to caress her  nipple, where his
thumb circled over the very tip, making it stand out in waves of
pleasurable anticipation that only a gifted touch can give.
"I guess you do have some techniques I should know about." she said,
still trying to keep up the facade.
"You've been waiting for someone like me." he said in a silky,
ingratiating voice.
"Maybe we should see what...ah...experience has to offer." Jezebel
smiled as she felt her nether region begin to dampen.
"Lay back child." he purred, "I'll not hurt you."
Moaning softly as she allowed herself to enjoy the light pressure of his
kiss, Jezebel leaned back in to the pillows and decided not to
question-only to accept and enjoy.

	As his thumb kept up its luscious circles, Jezebel felt an exquisite
sensation .Feeling her womb begin to expand and drum with desire. A purr
escaped as La Croix slid  his  hands down her body deftly avoiding the
cuts and glaring bruises that marred her landscape. Still, it seemed
that as his hands passed, the feather of his touch stopped the beating
of the pain for a while. When he reached  her knees and parted them in a
movement she barely felt. A second later, she felt his tongue trailing
down her inner thighs. Lightly tracing the tracks of the self inflicted
wounds. The feelings of pain were gone, only the powerful throb of
growing exstacy remained. Moving attentively, in just the way she'd
always fantasized a man's tongue should move, up to the center as two,
then three fingers slowly began to test the limits of her womanhood.
Jezebel couldn't believe what was happening. Not only did she not
believe this was happening, but it was happening the way she'd always
secretly hoped it would. In a way that, even with the best of lovers,
usually fell slightly short. The hands of this master vampire knew
exactly what to do. Exploring every nook, flap, and and fold-knowing
which areas were most sensitive, and just how much speed and pressure to
apply. Soon she heard herself moan.
"Now that's what I like to hear." he said silkily.
An unbelievably delicious feeling began to wash over her as his tongue,
with perfeect aim and precision explored every  nook and fold. Feeling
light headed from the rapture of it all, she was vaguely aware of him
leaning back over her and whispering hoarsely ,
"Now we do it my way."
Languidly reaching up to caress the sculpted jawline, Jezebel purred as
she looked at this man through half lidded eyes,
"Show me ."
The sound of a zipper descending barely registered in her mind before he
parted her legs and slipped inside. A gasp of surprise and pleasure
escaped her before he fell into rhythm and gently kissed her  neck.  his
breath was warmer than she'd expected on  her neck, a split second
before she felt the twin razors of his fangs sink in. She could feel the
slight tug of her skin as he coaxed out the first rivulet of her blood.
A satisfied growl rumbled through the master vampire as he climaxed and
quickllly sealed the punctures he'd made. A look of absolute contentment
crossed over his eyes before he snapped to attention, redressing
himself, and covering Jezebel with the towel again. Before she could
respond, he'd tied the knot in the towel again and crouched down ,
whispering,
"Sleep child, you will sleep the slumber of angels, for I may not be
nearly so generous in the morning."
His voice coursed through her like a narcotic allowing her no will to
fight  him.
Tenderly he closed her eyes, and left the room, allowing Jezebel to slip
into the blessed darkness of undisturbed slumber.

	When she next awoke, Jezebel found her clothes had been washed and
neatly folded on La Croix's desk. A pain that wasn't entirely unfamiliar
to her was pounding  through her womb in time to her heart beat.
Dragging her carcass to the bathroom, she tried to tell herself that the
experience wasn't worth it.
	Feeling a little brave after dressing and not hearing a sound from
anywhere in the club, Jezebel opened the office door and peered out into
the club. Although nowhere near bright, there was enough light in the
place for her to see that La Croix had let his staff go early. There
were still a few glasses of unfiinished drinks on some tables and even a
couple plates of  God knows what, left behind. 
"Might as well make myself useful." she sighed,  stepping out and
grabbing a busboy's tub from  under the bar.
The muscles in her neck grumbled as she tilted her head, trying to
discern what the liquid in a particular glass was. Then deciding she
really didn't want to know, she laid it gently into the tub. She knew
the twin welts and bruises would  gradually go away just as the others
would. It was more important to her that she was alive. 
"What are you doing little one?" La Croix's voice asked from somewhere
behind her.
Jezebel jumped, dropping a glass from her hand. The shattering of the
glass sounded like an explosion in the empty room. Spinning around to
look at him, she replied,
"You mean besides smashing your stemware?"
That's when it hit her. Something was wrong. He was sitting at the bar
with a champagne flute filled with what she would assuume was blood, but
it was his eyes that told the tale. They were somehow older looking now,
clouded by worry and contemplation.
"What's wrong?' Jezebel asked in genuine concern.
Putting his hand to his lips while resting his chin in the palm, he eyed
her warily then closed his eyes as if asking for devine intervention.
Glued to the spot by multiple indecisions, she wondered if she should
indeed approach him. Slowly opening his eyes, La Croix nodded to the
stool beside him and bid her come.
"I need to speak to you , little one." he said distractedlly.
"When are you going to call me by my given name?" she asked, "I know you
know what it is."
The slightest hint of a smile tugged at the left corner of his lips, and
a simple reply of ,
"Because you bear not the wickedness of your namesake."
"If you only knew." she grumped, sitting on the aforementioned stool.
"Oh,   but I do." he said, almost under his breath as he took a sip of
the liquid in  his glass.
Setting the glass back down on the bar,  but keeping his hands wrapped
around it, she saw a muscle twitch in his jaw.
"Are you upset about what happened last night?" she softly ventured.
A painful smile crossed his face as he snorted and took another drink.
"I did take serious advantage." he admitted, putting the glass down
again.
"Hmmm, from my vantage point it was consentual." Jezebel said plainly.
"I could have easily told you no... Well, maybe not easily."
He cast a disbelieving look her way and shook his head.
"Don't you give me that look." she chided, "If I didn't want you last
night, I'd have had the whole bar in  there."
"You'd have been dead before the sound ever passed your lips." he said
quietly.
"Like I've never been in that situation before." she grumped.
Jezebel was really starting to feel sorry for this guy. He was actually
showing his years. His eyes were tired with guilt and lack of sleep, the
posture was no  longer that of the smug, superior  link in the food
chain.
Reaching out, she tenderly stroked the back of his hand noting  how he
flinched slightly under her touch.Slipping off the stool, she gently
took his one hand from the glass as she came to stand beside him.
"Trying to drown your troubles won't make them go away you know."
He smiled, or at least it was an attempt at such, and spun round in the
stool to face her. Letting go of his glass he reached out and drew her
to him.
"I went to your apartment last night."
"How did you know where to find it?" she asked, not remembering giving
him that information. 
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a familiar eel skin wallet
and tossed it on the bar.
"It wasn't difficult."
Jezebel never carried a purse. She always thought it was too big a
target for muggers, so she only carried the wallet.
"And what did you hope to find there?" she pressed, taking her wallet
and putting it in the back pocket of her denim skirt.
"Exactly what I did." he shrugged.
"Which was?"
"The man who did this to you." he smiled as he stroked the screaming
purple patch that lay beneath her eye.
His eyes were growing cold again and regaing the look she'd come to
know.
"And he just let you in?"
"Actually, my dear he had no choice." he purred.
Well, how did you know you had the right man?" she challenged, thinking
she was going to get him on this one.
"He still had the smell of your blood on him." La Croix smiled smugly.
"I keep forgetting about your hyper abilities." Jezebel smiled, shaking
her head.
"So, what did he have to say for himself?" she scowled.
Her only answer was a shrug.
"Is there a bloody corpse in the middle of my living room?" she  teased.
"Oh no my dear," he winked, " that would be rather inconsiderate of me.
I drained him first."
Jezebel laughed despite herself.
"I'm gonna have a great time trying to explain this one to the cops."
"There've been others?" La Croix asked, eyebrows cocked in  amused
interest.
"Two." she shrugged, "One was some serial rapist they've been hunting
for. He came in and tried to do his thing, but I shot him point blank,
and the other was just some burgular who 's time was up."
La Croix chuckled, his eyes shining with approval.
"Maybe there's hope for you after all."
"So, outside of offing that inconsiderate swine, what were you doing
there?"
"Packing your meager posessions." he replied as if she should have
known, "For at noon today you will be leaving the city."
"Noon?" she  asked in shock, " but that's only...."
"A few minutes from now." he finished, getting to his feet and stroking
her cheek.
"But...."
"Not another word!" he  snapped, eyes turning a reddish gold, and turned
away from her.
Jezebel stood there for a second, her jaw hanging limp in shock.
"You're fully packed." he said retrieving her industrial sized duffle
bag from a shadowed hallway and setting it on the bar.
"But..."
A blaring horn outside cut off her protest as effectively as La Croix's
grip was cutting off the circulation in her arm. He snagged the duffle
and propelled them both toward the door. The look of sadness returned as
they reached the front door.Releasing her, and the bag, he took the huge
amulet from around his neck and placed it around her neck.
"Under no circumstances are you to ever take this off." he said in a
deadly calm. "This is the only thing that stands between you and death
here."
"I don't understand..."
"You will find an envelope in your bag, read the instructions
carefully." he said opening the door for the cabbie and shoving her into
his arms. "Make sure she gets there safely."
Tossing the bag out too, he slammed the door shut.
The cabbie snatched the bag up and hastily shuffled Jezebel to the
waiting car.
"Don't ask, just go." he ordered, the fear in his voice evident as he
threw the duffle in back.
Getting in and snatching her legs out of the way just in time as the
door slammed, she wondered just what La Croix was doing.  Placing her
hand on the amulet, she watched the Raven slowly disappear as the cab
roared out into traffic and sped off.
Inside, La Croix was making sure he wasn't smoking from the brief
contact with the sun as a couple delivery men made their way in from one
of the back rooms. Giving him a cursory nod as they set about their
task, La Croix heard one of them complain,
"Man I tell ya' love really bites."
"Indeed my friend," La Croix silently agreed, "Indeed."