Anna

by

Shaun Curran/Richard Kanwak

I

Shadows danced lazily on the walls from three red candles located on a small dresser. They radiated a warm, sensual glow. The walls, bare and changing with flickering shadows, were the crimson shade of blood. White silk curtains by the twin open windows rippled gently in the cool autumn breeze. The unwavering light of the moon cast its heavy glare upon the blue carpet that lined the room. There was the distant cry on a wolf by the shore where the beachhead took the pounding of angry waves.

A queen-sized canopy bed occupied the center of the room. Gretchen arched her back, tears filling her large, hazel eyes. They rolled off her cheek, staining the satin sheets. Her firm stomach heaved with every breath. She moaned as Anna delicately entered her with a single finger. Gretchen massaged her nipples slowly, cringing every few seconds as a new wave of pleasure took over. Anna leaned close and kissed her best friend on one of her soft breasts. Gretchen's eyes closed and she tossed her head to and fro, cringing as her friend inserted another finger into her wet clitoris. Her smooth, beautiful face was a twisted torment of pleasure and pain.

Anna ran her fingers through Gretchen's black hair, moist from sweat. She pushed her fingers into Gretchen deeper and the girl moaned. Suddenly her eyes went wide. Her mouth opened but there was no sound. Her breaths were jagged. She sat upright slowly, gripping her friend's invading fingers and pressing them deeper into her. She then shuddered and screamed as her orgasm struck like a bullet. She fell against the soft pillow, gripping the sheets and nearly tearing them. Anna grinned, feeling her fingers grow slick with Gretchen's juices. Gretchen seemed to deflate on the bed. Her breasts shrank as the last residual flow of her orgasm left her body. She gave a soft moan that Anna would not have heard had she not been bending over to kiss her on the cheek. The girl's eyes opened slowly and she swallowed hard. Her breaths were still shallow.

Anna pushed back the long locks of her strawberry-blonde hair and positioned herself for the same treatment. Her slender leg brushed Gretchen's flowing hair as she swung it over her head. Gretchen stared lovingly at her friend's wet opening and she sat up slowly. Anna felt a twinge of guilt; this was her childhood friend, after all. She forgot such thoughts quickly as Gretchen dipped her tongue into her bud. Gretchen lapped her clit slowly, and Anna gripped her breasts as a wave of pleasure shot through her body. She massaged the large mounds carefully, caressing them while supporting herself on the bed with one hand. She gave a small shriek as Gretchen pushed her tongue deeper into her love tunnel. Anna's breath quickened until it was small, shallow gasps. She screamed and collapsed onto Gretchen's firm thighs. Her legs grew wet as her cum gushed out onto Gretchen's soft breasts.

Anna's orgasm seemed to go on forever. Her undead heart pounded in her chest when it was at last over. The final drops of her juices dripped onto Gretchen's slick stomach. It took considerable effort for Anna to lift herself up and lie next to her friend. Gretchen kissed Anna gently on the cheek. Now it would come. Gretchen closed her eyes and felt Anna's canines sink into the delicate flesh of her throat.

II

Gretchen opened her eyes slowly and found to her bitter disappointment that her panties were once again soaked from the dream. Anna came to Gretchen frequently now, and it was always the same dream. The ream involuntary brought on an orgasm and those outside her coffin commented about it at night. They did not mention it to her; they discussed it amongst themselves and concluded that Gretchen masturbated frequently. Gretchen cared little for what they said about her and wondered about the dream. Perhaps it was a premonition for things to come.

Or perhaps it was that she craved blood. The pigs and other livestock she fed on in the other towns had not put a dent in her hunger. She craved human blood. She could not bite the humans dragging the small train of coffins across the desert. For one, it was daylight, and she knew what would happen if she ventured out into that realm. On op of that, Dracau had forbidden it. She would not bite them or risk her master's vengeance. Any promise Dracau swore she had to make her own.

She now lay, unable to sleep. The gentle rocking as the coffin swayed with each of her handler's steps usually sent her into dreamland. Not so now. Her craving for blood had turned into a curdling rage during the daytime though she could control that with considerable effort at night. Her undead heart beat faintly under her skin. It served as a grim reminder that while she might live forever, she had several weak spots.

Gretchen was five feet tall and of average weight. Her hair flowed to the small of her back when she stood and it was always neat. Her hazel eyes enchanted. She walked with the grace of a cat. Her skin was heavily tanned, hinting of Spanish origin. She spoke English and Miakan well, with a thick Spanish accent. Her only clothing was a thick latex catsuit that could be inflated to provide comfort inside the coffin. There was a zipper in the back, and one between her legs.

The train carrying Gretchen, her master, and eight others, stretched for hundreds of feet across the sand. There were ten vampires in the train. On top of that there were fifteen carts for food for the handlers. The handlers ate little. The water was high, but they would be forced to fill the empty containers at the town up ahead. Wareham was harsh to those who crossed her; there was little here besides sand and blood.

Rana was the final stopover before reaching Karawana airfields, where the vampires would end their exile and take a ship back to Earth, where they had come from. Whether or not Earth was under siege by the Miakans was not a worry; Earth had six or seven heavy battleships there. If they could get to Earth, they would be safe.

That every town they had stopped in had been engaged in some kind of festival had put a serious dent in Gretchen's plan. She had not counted on this and discovered that every nook and cranny where she could bring a lover to feed was stuffed with people on one-night stands. She could not bring a victim far in the desert to feed; someone might notice their absence. When she came back alone, there might be questions. It was risky. She was the last female vampire in the train. The count would need her to generate the fourth-generation of childbearing.

The train came t a halt and Gretchen appeared puzzled. Is it dark already? She listened carefully. She was growing tired now, but her curiosity was aroused. They could not have arrived at Rana so soon. There was the whinnying of a horse. Gretchen tensed. If it's not the town we've stopped for, could it be a visitor? A visitor. A slayer? The slayers were not out this far in the desert. They were still recovering from the loss of their base camp and from being exterminated in great numbers. Some had moved on to less deadly professions. There might be a few groups in existence, but they were far from here. There was no reason to be afraid.

Still, she tensed. What if it is a slayer? What could she do, if it were daylight? She struggled to reach up and open the lid, but the air pressure in her catsuit forbade it. With her free hand she loosened the cap slowly. She heard the hiss of air, and felt the suit soften gently. She felt the suit conform to her clitoris, making it wet. Ignoring the feeling, she reached up and gently pushed up on her coffin's lid. A crack opened and daylight poured in. It touched her hand and she let go, the lid falling back into place. She sucked on her knuckles. She could not smell smoke; her hand had not been burned. When the pain subsided, she reached over with her free hand, unplugged her catsuit, and inflated it until the pressure was off her clitoris. She closed the valve with her teeth and relaxed. There was suddenly a gunshot. Silence. At long last she felt herself rising. The coffin train began to move again. The last throbbing ache from her hand disappeared. She reluctantly closed her eyes.

It was very late in the afternoon when sleep finally came to her.

III

The Earth's darkest days progressed with much bloodshed and warfare. After the First Space War, when the Miakans attacked Earth and lost, the vampires rose to attack. Some of them were Miakans, and others were Earth people who had survived for generations. The vampires were finally exiled, sent to Wareham, where they would die. They did not, however, and thrived on Miaka until shortly after the guns of Wareham were fired. The guns, buried deep under the sands, had obliterated the Miakans, and left much of the habitable sections of the planet destroyed. There had been a few habitable places where the vampires could thrive, but the slayers began taking drastic measures like enforcing curfews. The vampires could no longer rely on their charm and bodily strength to help them.

Gretchen had been at a ball when the slayers first began their covert operations. Her friend, Anna, had been dancing with a handsome vampire and Gretchen had been distracted when another man asked her to dance. That man, John Desmond, sacrificed his life to save Gretchen and her friend. But it was all in vain. Anna lost her life as well. The terrifying screams as John's soul departed from his body Gretchen carried with her to this day. Only two weeks passed since that dance but to Gretchen it felt like long ago. So much had happened since that dance. The memories of Anna remained fresh. She loved the girl who converted her to a vampire. She loved Anna.

The lid of the coffin slid aside with the help of several men and women. When Gretchen opened her eyes she stared into the sky. The stars twinkled their unwavering light down upon her. The stars did not care if she was undead. They did not care about her plight of needing blood. The stars were as indifferent to her condition as they had been to the First Space War. That was good.

'Open this?' a young woman asked, gesturing to the valve on her catsuit.

'No, thank you.' Gretchen sat upright in the coffin, the air inside the suit hindering her movements somewhat. She looked at the town ahead. Shadowing it and stretching into the sky for what appeared to be miles was the burned out hulk of a Miakan battleship. Gretchen allowed herself the luxury of a moment's rest to stare at this monstrosity. She carefully stepped out of the coffin and onto the soft desert sand. A gentle breeze swept over her, broken by the massive hulk of the ancient warship. She shivered gently in the cold night air.

'You can't go into town like that,' the young woman standing next to her said. 'An inflated suit is the sign of a vampire. I will pull it for you.' She gestured to the nozzle on Gretchen's left arm. Gretchen nodded. There was a soft tug and a gentle hiss of air. The suit slowly softened, conforming to Gretchen's figure. When the hiss stopped, Gretchen turned to the woman.

'We stopped,' she said. 'I heard a gunshot. What happened?'

'The slayers came upon us. There were four of us. They killed fifteen of our handlers and exposed three of your kind to sunlight.' The young woman's lips trembled as Gretchen licked her long canines and adjusted her suit so it did not look like it would hold air. It was obvious that despite the pact between the two the woman was still afraid.

'We killed them,' Gretchen said. It was not a question.

'Yes,' the young woman replied. She stared into Gretchen's hazel eyes, set aglow by a nearby fire.

'Who did we lose?'

'Farina, Quincy, and Jana.' Gretchen resisted the urge to break down into tears. Jana had been Gretchen's only friend out of the entire train. She had not trusted the man, but he confided in her a lot of information.

'How many hours to sunlight?'

'Six,' the woman replied. 'You slept late tonight. You're usually up when the sun goes down.'

'I haven't been sleeping lately.'

'Why not?'

'I haven't been feeding.' Gretchen looked away, toward another fire, to avoid the woman's facial reply.

'I hope you feed tonight.' The young woman began walking to a small cluster of fires where there was food being passed around. Gretchen followed a few minutes later.

IV

The final town before the desert survived by a constant supply of travelers venturing into the depths of the desert. Food came from gardens planted inside the Miakan battleship. Payment for food and water came in a variety of forms. Some gave liquor and others gold. These were used to trade for more useful items, like cinnamon and ginger, and oil and parts for the machinery used in the gardens.

Gretchen sauntered through the collection of fires fed by old kerosene and casually gazed at the ancient hulk. As she passed one of the fires, she bumped into a stumbling drunk. Mumbling apologies, Gretchen focused on her situation. But as she walked she grew discouraged. Her eyes fell to various men'"potential victims'"and then to the women the men were with. No one seemed to notice her as she stumbled from fire to fire, alone. The young woman Gretchen had spoken to earlier approached.

'They can sense your motives,' she said. 'I would suggest you change into something more revealing.' Gretchen glanced down at her catsuit. The folds and wrinkles revealing the two layers of latex were certainly a sign of vampirism.

'Give me a watersuit,' she said. The young woman nodded.

'One of the handlers had one. She was your size. Come. We'll get you into a suit.'

They walked back to the coffin trains, illuminated by the roaring fires. She took the catsuit off, noting that the young woman was staring at her body. The woman gave her the watersuit, which had been scrubbed down. It smelled faintly of ammonia, but after dusting it with talcum powder, it had a pleasant smell.

She entered the party again, feeling refreshed. The catsuit routinely left her sweaty and irritated; it rubbed against her clitoris and on several occasions made her so worked up she had raped a man for sexual release. This watersuit was used on all men and women venturing into the desert, and it was far more comfortable than suit she usually wore.

Dance music filled the air. A crude stage was erected, where couples danced wildly to the music. The song ended and a new one quickly began. It was a song from Earth, and she knew it well.

'Mother Mary comes to me singing words of wisdom, let it be Singing words of wisdom, let it be'

She found herself reflexively shaking her hips to the rhythm. There must be someone here who's single. The flames from the nearby fire shot higher as someone poured the dregs of homemade hooch into it. She looked in that direction and as the flames died down she noticed a man on the opposite side. His gaze leveled with hers. He wore a blue shirt with an open collar. His face was cleanly shave and his eyes sparkled like diamonds. An old scar went from the tip of his nose to his cheek, but this did not make him appear ugly. She smiled at him. He smiled back. The flames leapt into the air again and when they died down he was gone.

She frowned; this was the only man she had seen so far that had taken notice of her. The song ended and a new one began. This one she did not recognize. As the song progressed through the first verse she felt something brush her shoulder. She turned slowly and stared into deep blue eyes suggestive of water. The man's lips curled upwards in a smile that seemed neutral.

'Hi,' he said in Miakan. The accent was foreign, and she did not recognize it.

'Hi,' she replied.

'My name is Char.' Gretchen gave him a puzzled expression.

'You're Protecton?' she asked. The name Char hinted of the Royal Forces.

'Partly. I'm a half-breed. You aren't a racist, are you?' His tone was neutral but threat was implied.

'Of course not,' Gretchen replied, staring into his eyes. 'I always thought Protectons had a tail and no eyebrows.'

'Right. This is the way I was born. Look, let's forget about me and talk about you. You look stunning in that dress.' Gretchen casually looked down at her attire and smiled.

'Thank you. My name is Gretchen.'

'Just passing through?'

'Yes. We're going through the desert tomorrow.'

'What on Earth for? There's nothing out there but sand and blood.' Gretchen tensed. I'd better leave that unsaid.

'I'm not entirely at liberty to say.'

'That adds to your mysteriousness. Would you care to dance?'

'I'd love to,' Gretchen replied coyly, batting her eyes. 'And then?'

'We'll see where it goes from there. When are you leaving?'

'Before dawn.'

'Sounds like vampires,' Char replied with a chuckle. Gretchen smiled nervously.

A Led Zeppelin song arose from the small band of drunken men to the left of the dance stage. Couples remained on the floor in embrace though the song was badly played. It was about thirty seconds into the song when Gretchen recognized it as Stairway to Heaven. The singer fumbled his way through the song. She rested on Char's shoulder and smiled. Yes. He would do. He would have to do. At once she felt sorry for him. Not only would she have to drain a lot of blood from his body, but she would also have to kill him. No more of our kind, her master said. Not Anna, but Dracau. Three of her kind were now dead. Did that mean that the order was null and void? No more of our kind may be killed, either.

V

As Gretchen danced her thoughts wandered to the meeting between Dracau and herself though she tried hard not to. Char danced slowly, though the song kept an irregular beat. He was a fluent dancer, as was Gretchen, and there was no inexperience in their movements. No doubt when the tempo changed he would push her away to dance with the rock-and-roll beat.

'Gretchen,' Lord Dracau had said. He was the third cousin twice removed from Grand Master Lord Dracula. He appeared handsome to many though Gretchen always thought him homely. She stared into his empty eyes. There was no color there, the telltale sign that this vampire had been born into the world.

'Yes, my master?' Gretchen replied. She settled down in the oversized chair opposite Dracau, listening to the springs creak loudly. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she recalled her friend's screams as she died.

'You must not cry about your friend's death,' Dracau said. 'She was told, as you have been, never to kill one of her own kind. She had to be killed.'

'Think about what you're saying! Listen to yourself! You mean that, for every one of our kind that dies by our hands, two must die!'

'It may not sound fair, Gretchen. We must not war with our own kind. We must kill whomever we feed upon now. We must swear our lives to destroying the slayers and bringing peace to our own people. That might sound odd, because we are dedicated to feeding our hunger, yet'

'We do not wish for ore to die, yet we kill.'

'Gretchen, do not despair. You and I are the only ones who truly understand what great and grave danger we live under here on Wareham. Many slayers have died at our hands, but even more have killed our kind. It's a secret war that we fight, Gretchen. It's a war that has lasted a very long time, even before the dreaded Warriors came to Earth. The Protectons may have made the best slayers, Gretchen, but they lost the war.'

'Yet we die in great numbers all the time.'

'Dying isn't much of a living. To be dead and undead means to take great care.' There was silence for a moment.

'Where to, my master?'

'Have you been listening to Jana again? He has loose lips.'

'I'm sorry, my master.'

'What did he say?'

'That you said we must leave Wareham and go back to Earth. He said nothing more.'

'That's all I told him. Nothing more. We depart soon for Earth. One of our loyal servants will help us. He has a space cruiser.'

'If I live that long, I wouldn't want to go back to Earth.'

'Don't worry, Gretchen. Things will be all right. I'm sorry about Anna.'

Sorry about Anna. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry

'Sorry doesn't cut it, you undead bastard,' Gretchen muttered.

'Sorry?' Char asked, startling her. 'I missed what you said.'

'Nothing,' Gretchen replied with a smile.

'We're almost to the change.' Stairway to Heaven changed from a slow tempo to a more upbeat rock-and-roll beat. Many engaged in bizarre dance steps. Gretchen elected to avoid many of those steps available and Char did the same.

'You seem distracted,' Char said as the song ended. Gretchen sighed.

'Woolgathering. I guess dancing isn't my thing.'

'What do you say we alleviate that boredom?'

'What did you have in mind?' Gretchen asked with a sly smile.

'Come with me,' Char said. 'I'll show you.'

Char's house was little more than a small shack made of rotting wood. There were no windows. Sand blasted away any residue of paint and the roof appeared to be collapsing in places. The door creaked on ancient hinges. A musky odor hinting of feminine perfume and burning wood greeted Gretchen as she stepped inside. A burning fireplace filled with fresh wood lighted the room. There was a table with papers on one side and a bottle of wine with two glasses on the other. A bed lay against the wall with a single flannel sheet. Three chairs were scattered around the room, two near the table and the other facing the fireplace. The floor was made of wooden slats that creaked loudly, hinting of a basement.

'Make yourself comfortable,' Char said. 'Would you like some wine?'

'Yes, thank you,' Gretchen replied hastily. She was not sure if she would be able to stomach the taste. Her only nourishment was blood. She had watched Anna take a sip of water and vomit it a moment later.

Char poured the wine slowly into each glass and handed one to Gretchen, who smiled weakly. The wine was deep red, a color Gretchen had never seen wine before. Plugging the bottle, Char took a sip and placed the bottle on the table.

'Good wine.' He rose and looked at Gretchen. 'Wait here. I'll be right back.'

'Where are you going?'

'I'll bring us back some food.' Gretchen was about to protest but the door closed behind Char before she could speak. She frowned. This was not going the way she wanted. He might suspect something if I don't drink this, she thought. She contemplated throwing it into the fire but she stopped. She stared at the wine, wondered about the color, and placed the glass to her lips.

'Blood!' she cried. She finished the glass and was about to pour another when she stopped. He's like me, she thought. He's one of us.

There were assorted papers on the table. Gretchen was not one to snoop but if Char were indeed one of her kind, perhaps here would be news from Earth. If Char was a vampire, he must have known all along that she was one, too.

The first letter was fresh though lined with wrinkles. It was written in ink and in haste.

To: Mr. Char Quixote

From: Grand Slayer Vellorum

Re: Dracau

'What?' Gretchen exclaimed. 'A slayer!' Hands trembling, she brought the paper closer to read the print and forced herself to continue.

Dear Mr. Quixote,

The train will be approaching your position soon. You know what to do. The female must not be allowed to cross the desert. You are our last hope for killing them. They do not wish to create any more of their kind until reaching Earth. Do not fail me or you will find yourself in a precarious situation.

Vellorum

'A slayer vampire!' she cried. She had heard of traitors before. It was an infrequent occasion when it happened and Dracau's creed forbade the killing of them. Usually slayer vampires put themselves in jeopardy simply by being creatures of the night.

'I've got to get out of here' she muttered. The letter slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor. She rose, the chair falling back with a loud bang. The door suddenly burst open. Char stepped through, a smile on his face and a wooden stake in his hand.

'I hope you figured it out by now.' Gretchen froze.

'You How did you know?'

'Jana was my informant. I had him killed before he could tell you.' Char held the stake high and opened his mouth wide to reveal his sharp fangs. 'I'm a daywalker. You know what that means.'

'You you can survive sunlight!'

'Five hours until sunrise, my dear. Care to join me?'

'No! I'll kill you!'

'I'm one of you and I know your cult. You're not allowed to kill any of your own kind. I'm not bonded to that.'

'You traitor!'

'Why not be a traitor? The ship to Earth is far from here. I know where it is. I'm going there. I'll be the top of the food chain on Earth.' Char latched the fallen char and hurled it at him. It smashed against his temple into a million pieces. Char turned to her, smiling.

'Now, now,' he said. 'No need to get rough. I'm not going to kill you yet.'

'What You're going to rape me, aren't you?'

'Observant. I'm going to bang you in positions that are illegal in seven countries. Then the stake will go through your heart. You will feel a lot of pain. You will die again.' Gretchen took a step back as Char stepped toward her. He placed the wooden stake on the table.

'I know all about what happened to your friend Anna. And you won't let that happen to you.' Gretchen's hands balled into fists. As Char neared her she punched him on the jaw and pushed him back. He staggered as she rushed to the table. As Char turned to face her, Gretchen brandished the stake.

'I'll kill you,' she said. Char smiled as he rubbed his jaw.

'Nice left. I doubt you'll kill me. What did master Dracau say to you? For every one vampire that dies at the hands of his own kind, both of them will die. Your master would kill you, Gretchen.' Char was close enough now that Gretchen could smell his foul breath. How many of her kind died at his hands? How many?

Kill him! Anna's voice said. Gretchen gritted his teeth.

'Only if he finds out, you fucking traitor!' With that, Gretchen plunged the stake through Char's undead heart.

For a moment nothing happened. Char's smile remained fixated for a full three seconds after the stake punctured his skin. The smile went away and puzzlement replaced it.

'No' he whispered. His gaze fell to the wooden stake protruding from his chest. He staggered, in a daze, watching black blood drip from around the wood. His hand trembled as he grasped the stake and, with all his remaining strength, pulled it out. There was the sound of water just before it gushes from a faucet. Black blood gushed forth from Char's gaping hole. Char stood in shock, powerless, watching his life drain from him. He fell to his knees and emitted a scream that reminded Gretchen of when her sister had been stakes.

Char fell face down onto the floor. The blood on the floor faded and finally disappeared. Char's body disintegrated and turned to dust. His clothes were the only symbol he had existed at all.

VI

I killed my own kind, Gretchen thought. The elated feeling that she had survived this ordeal passed quickly when she realized that if Dracau were to find out, she would be staked as well. If he finds out.

Don't worry, Gretchen. I was foolish.

'Anna?' Gretchen glanced around the room.

Don't you remember, Gretchen?

'You killed the vampire that was dancing with you.'

Dracau erased your memory. I killed that man in cold blood. I didn't have to kill him.

She grabbed the clothes and threw them into the fire along with the papers she had picked up from the floor. The splinters from the chair went in as well. She collapsed into another chair and faced the fire.

I killed him, she thought. Anna died for this.

I was foolish, Gretchen, Anna replied. Gretchen ignored this. Dracau's words rang in her head as if he were standing next to her.

She was told, as you have been, never to kill one of her kind. She had to be killed.

I killed him in self-defense, Gretchen thought. Dracau watched Anna kill that slayer in self-defense. Anna died because Dracau saw. Dracau won't see Char. Char is dead and his clothes have been burned. No one will know or search for a body.

Gretchen, Anna said. I killed in cold blood. Dracau knew that. That was why I had to be killed. The man was defenseless.

'I don't remember it that way.'

Then let me show you.

'It's five hours to sunrise!'

Only a minute will pass in your time.

Gretchen's eyes closed and her body relaxed.

The ball had been a spectacle and she attended it with Anna. She was two years Gretchen's senior. It had been two years since their last sexual encounter; their first had occurred five years prior to that when Gretchen was turned. Gretchen thought timidly that Anna was no longer her lover. Having the body of an eighteen year old and being what people classified as a 'late-bloomer' left Gretchen in a dangerous state. Her hormones raced and she masturbated often enough to compare the act as casual as getting a snack at night. At the ball Gretchen and her friend went as friends, but they could have passed for lovers.

Homosexuality was common among the vampires, for the men were forbidden to impregnate. That was Dracau's job, for he was much stronger. Dracau had four children, all of which were daywalkers. The next generation of vampires would be daywalkers. That would mean one less weakness for Dracau's forces. Not being able to tell a vampire from any other citizen on the street during the daytime would be a disaster for the slayers. Dracau rather liked that idea.

Anna was a redhead and her skin was peachy, without blemish, and without tan. Her canines were shorter that Gretchen's, but equally as deadly. She was of equal height with her friend's. Whereas Anna's bust protruded far beyond her slender figure, giving the impression of prosthetics, Gretchen's D cups seemed to be just the right size for her frame.

Anna sported a sparkling red gown that attracted attention as she walked and Gretchen wore an emerald dress that displayed her curves As soon as the two entered the room it was evident that Anna would win the first dance. A handsome young man named Jacen sauntered up to Anna and cordially asked her to dance. Gretchen watched the warm smile appear on her sister's face and she accepted. Gretchen was now alone to find a date on her own.

Dracau was not here. Gretchen spent a few fruitless moments searching for him over the crowds of undead. Being a striking figure, he would have stuck out like a cow in a church. Wareham, still a haven for the slayers, was not the safest place to have a dance. But Dracau had obviously wanted to keep morale high, so in his eyes, this was as good a time as any.

Humans had been captured and killed to make punch for the guests. Gretchen lifted one of the cups while passing the table and drank deeply. She coughed once as the harsh taste filled her throat. She frowned. The punch was heavily spiced for an additional toxic hold. Gretchen was not sure what to make of the taste and she did not take another sip.

The music filling the air was not the usual rock-and-roll music she was accustomed to, the music of times long gone, of Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. This was something from the late 22nd Century, that she could be sure of, but just who the original artist was she could not be sure. From the sidelines she watched Anna dance with this handsome man. It's not fair! She always gets the first pick!

'Care to dance?' The voice startled her and she almost dropped her cup. She turned and found a tall, handsome man standing next to her. His hair was long and tied back in a neat ponytail. Gretchen blushed deeply.

'Yes,' she said, putting her cup on a nearby tray, 'I would love to.'

'What's your name?'

'Gretchen Colipiths. What's yours?'

'John Desmond.'

They danced to the slow rhythm. Gretchen let her head rest on John's shirt and relaxed. She closed her eyes after glancing over to see her friend was still dancing with Jacen. They were all right. Anna, after all, was a big girl. She could take care of herself.

The song ended another began, one Gretchen recognized easily as Nights in White Satin, originally by the Moody Blues. Gretchen cared little for the other songs the band played, but this one was one of her favorites. Once again she was lost in her own little world. Relax, Gretchen. You're always watching out for Anna, For once you should dance and relax.

The song ended and Gretchen lifted her head from John's shirt.

'Are you here with someone?' John asked. His voice was smooth, suggestive of water. Gretchen found she could get used to hearing his voice.

'Yes,' she said. 'I'm here with my' She trailed off, searching for Anna. Her dress would stand out in the crowds quite well. It was evident she was not here. Perhaps she went out to enjoy the night air with her partner.

'Your lover?'

'No,' Gretchen replied.

'My apologies. I saw you come in with a girl. I assumed you were bisexual.'

'I am, actually, but the girl I was with was just a friend.' Just a friend? She's more than that!

'A man named Jacen.' Gretchen staggered back, feeling a pounding headache.

'What's wrong?'

'I I don't know. We have to find Anna. Something's wrong with her.'

'Anna? Is that the girl you came in with?'

'Yes. Come!' Gretchen grabbed John's arm and dragged him across the dance floor.

Being a vampire, Gretchen naturally had a sixth sense that told her when something was wrong. Having the girl who turned her in trouble heightened this awareness. John and Gretchen dashed up the stairs. Gretchen tripped once and John scrambled to help her to her feet.

'Is she going to be okay?' John asked. He was a bit puzzled about this whole thing. What could happen here, at the ball?'

A scream ripped through the dance floor. It was a high-pitched scream, one a vampire might give as he or she was staked. Gretchen could still feel Anna's presence, however, so she knew the girl was okay. A few men dashed up the stairs behind Gretchen and John. Gretchen slammed her weight into a wooden door. It caved inward and Gretchen fell into the room, her eyes falling to where Anna wrestled with Jacen over a metal rod.

John rushed forth. It was a foolish move, but Gretchen realized later she would have done the same thing. Jacen jumped to his feet, the rod outstretched. John collided with Jacen and both men fell. Anna scrambled to her feet just in time to watch John begin to scream. The metal rod went through his heart and poked through the back of his tuxedo. Where the rod was exposed it appeared to be covered with a thin layer of black paint. Those in the room knew better, however.

Gretchen covered her ears. She had never heard a vampire scream before, and she never wanted to again. It was almost a relief to see John turn to dust. Jacen stumbled to his feet. People poured into the room now. Jacen, not paying too much attention to Anna, found himself under her hold. She ripped the stake from his hands. Dracau suddenly appeared in the room though Gretchen was certain Anna had not seen him enter. Jacen struggled, trying to free his hand. He threw punches and kicks, and Anna took each blow. Dracau stared at Jacen and stretched open his hand. Jacen froze and relaxed. His arms fell to his side.

This was where Gretchen's memory failed her and grew muddled. She had said the killing of the slayer vampire had been in self-defense, but now she knew otherwise. Anna drove the stake deep into Jacen's heart and pulled it out. Jacen, still frozen like a statue, made no sound. He stayed upright, his eyes fluttering as his blood spewed over the occupants in the room. His form turned to dust and his attire floated serenely to the floor.

Anna turned, the metal rod in hand. Her gaze fell on Dracau. His expression was one of rage.

'You bitch!' he screamed. 'We could have used him to tell us the location of the slayers' new base!' Anna's elated feeling faded. She now realized just how much trouble she was in.

'I'm sorry, my master.'

'Sorry? Sorry? If you hadn't killed him we could have saved thousands of our kind! Look at me!' Gretchen watched as Anna's gaze rose to level off with her master's. Her form went lifeless. Her arms went limp but she still gripped the metal rod. For one full minute there was silence.

'Yes, my lord,' Anna said suddenly. She brandished the stake high and plunged it into her chest. As she did, she collapsed to the floor.

'No!' Gretchen screamed, tears filling her eyes. She rushed to her friend's side. Anna began to weaken.

'Anna! Anna!' Gretchen cried. She gripped the girl's shoulders tightly and wrapped her in embrace.

'Gretchen go on without me,' Anna said. 'I will always love you.' Gretchen hugged her friend tighter then she felt air as Anna turned to dust.

Gretchen's scream reverberated through the night.

VII

So you see, Gretchen, Anna said when Gretchen woke from her reverie, it was my fault. Dracau killed me. That was the price I had to pay.

'Why don't my memories show that?'

Dracau altered your memory so you would hold no grudge against him. Though you still held a grudge against him, he thought otherwise.

'I want that bastard dead!'

Don't be rash, dear. He was right in being angry. Tears streamed down Gretchen's cheeks.

'Why are you waiting until now to tell me?'

Go outside. Then you'll know why.

Gretchen, puzzled by Anna's response, rose to do that. She was exhausted. How many hours until sunlight?

Five, Anna replied. This was the last time Anna spoke to her. Gretchen walked lazily to the door and opened it slowly, unsure of what to expect. She stepped out into the cool night air. There were still many people dancing around the fire but the music had stopped. Her gaze went from the fires ahead to a young woman stumbling through the sand, approaching her.

'Hello,' the young woman said. Her gown was sparkling red and her breasts seemed to be implants. Her strawberry-blonde hair seemed to glow.

'Hello,' Gretchen croaked. 'You'd better stay away.'

'Why?' the woman asked, growing closer. Gretchen swallowed. Anna? Her guest resembled Anna in every way, even in the way she walked.

'I'm I'm' Gretchen smiled, baring her fangs. The woman's eyes went wide.

'You're a vampire?' Gretchen nodded.

'And I haven't fed in man days. You'd best be going.' Gretchen turned to go back inside. She would not corrupt this woman. If it was indeed Anna reincarnate, she would not turn her into a creature of the night. She would not.

'Wait.'

'What?' Gretchen turned.

'My name is Anna.' Somehow this did not seem to surprise Gretchen. In fact, she expected it.

'I'm Gretchen.'

'I I want to become one of you.' This startled Gretchen and she looked at Anna with a puzzled expression.

'Why?'

'It's I don't know. I've been searching for a vampire for a long time.'

'You look so much like my old friend. Her name was Anna. Sweetie, I can't bear to do it.'

'Please' Anna gripped Gretchen's shoulders and stared into her eyes. Gretchen trembled.

'My old friend seduced me before turning me,' she said.

'The seduce me.' Gretchen's trembling increased.

VIII

Less than four hours remained when Gretchen gingerly voided herself of clothing. A thorough search of the basement turned up a large strap-on dildo. What Char had been doing with a dildo Gretchen did not wish to know and she fastened the device and gently entered Anna with it. A few moments of frustration made Gretchen realize it was not working and she tossed it into the fire. Gretchen kneeled by the bed. Anna stared at her with big, innocent eyes.

'There's no turning' The words were cut off as Anna cupped her hand over Gretchen's mouth.

'No,' she said. Gretchen brought her hand to remove Anna's, but before she could, Anna gripped the first two fingers of her hand. She brought Gretchen's fingers below her stomach slowly and gently inserted them deep into her clitoris. Anna moaned gently and her eyeballs rolled back as a wave of pleasure hit her. Her grip on Gretchen's fingers loosened and she arched her back slightly. Gretchen played methodically, establishing a steady tempo as her old friend had showed her. Anna's quick and jagged breaths were just as Gretchen remembered. The girl thrashed her head as Gretchen rubbed the walls of her love tunnel. Suddenly, Gretchen felt her fingers grow slick. Anna shuddered and gripped the sheets. Her legs flailed and she cringed. She groaned loudly. Her eyes opened and stared lovingly into Gretchen's own.

She let out a long sigh. Her body seemed to deflate and she relaxed, still breathing heavily. Gretchen stood and took Anna's hand. Anna looked into Gretchen's eyes and closed her fingers so only two remained standing.

'Be gentle,' Gretchen warned. Anna nodded.

'I will be.' Gretchen maneuvered Anna's fingers into her clit. She moaned loudly and began to shudder gently. Despite Anna's inexperience, the thought that Anna had at last returned for her was enough to make her climax in less than two minutes. She collapsed next to Anna on the bed even as the last stages of her orgasm left her. Anna propped herself on one elbow and stared into Gretchen's eyes.

'We've three and a half hours until sunrise,' she said. 'If you don't want to turn me, I'll understand.'

'Lie down,' Gretchen replied. Anna lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She was growing excited again.

'Close your eyes.' With a smile on her face, Anna complied.

Gretchen hesitated. What would she tell Dracau? What would be the fate of her and her lover? Ignoring the consequences, she bared her canines and gently sunk them into Anna's bare throat.

(c) Shaun Curran / Richard Kanwack. All Rights Reserved.

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