Do Mine Eyes Deceive Me...A Gorgeous Sadistic Vampire?

Gregorovich cleared his throat. I didn't have a very good look at him, because he was quite far away, but I noticed he had silvery white hair. That seemed odd to me. No other vampires I'd seen showed the slightest hint of age, not even Vladimir and Rosalinda, and they were nearly three hundred-years-old.

"Welcome, friends," Gregorovich said, his voice actually rather raspy. “I am glad you were all able to attend the 975th Annual Immortal Banquet. Myra and I, here have some very sad, but probably exciting news for this Immortal nation. Nine hundred seventy-five years is the longest any may hold kingdom. Therefore, an election will be held. Please, come sit before nominations begin."

Simultaneous hisses and chatter erupted through the ballroom as the immortal creatures began taking their seat. For the first time, I noticed that they couldn't all be vampires.

I saw once couple who were abnormally hairy. They had manes of fur all the way around their faces and they seemed to walk on their tip-toes, as if they had only paws . . .

Another pair were nearly as beautiful as any vampires I'd seen, but they had horns and purple eyes, not to mention they were very tan.

"What are they?" I asked, subtly pointing out each couple in turn.

"The furry ones are werewolves. The horned ones are demons. There are many other immortal beings among us tonight, too. You will recognize more as the night goes on. But, dammit. I can't believe I'd forgotten the 975-year rule! This is awful," Harrison groaned, dragging me up to the head table. I didn't like being man-handled this way, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

"What's so bad about an election?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"You're ignorance is really outstandingly infuriating, you know that, right? I'm going to be nominated! Then, I won't be able to prepare you to become a vampire. I already knew I wouldn't see much of you between now and the full transformation, but this is going to complicate things a lot more. Plus, I can't have you hanging around in a mansion full of bloodthirsty immortals for three weeks. There's no possible way you would survive," he said, walking faster. I was gliding along behind him again, feet not touching the ground.

Then, we were seated. We were only ten chairs to the right of Gregorovich. I sat to the left of Harrison, right next to a very tall, fair-skinned, poised man with sparkling silver hair and pointed ears.

I turned to Harrison with a meaninful look and flicked my eyes in the direction of the man. I knew I wouldn't be able to say anything without being heard.

Elf, he mouthed, rolling his eyes.

This was just getting more surreal by the second. Vampires, werewolves, demons, and elves. I'm sure I would be seeing more than that as time wore on.

Gregorovich's raspy voice rang out again. Somehow, it wasn't any louder than it had been when I'd been standing on the other side of the room.

"I'm sure we all know the qualifications for candidates. Now, who would like to start with the nominations?"

"I nominate Malachai Bakker," said a deep woman's voice from somwhere in the crowd of people at one of the round tables.

"Ah, Miss Torthion - wise choice," Gregorovich approved. "Would anyone like to second that?"

"I second that nomination," an airy voice rang out. It seemed to be a man's but I couldn't be quite sure.

"Thank you, Rafael," said the Head Vampire.

It was quiet for a while. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Harrison's ruby eyes darting about,
seeing who was about to nominate him.

Then, he spoke. "I nominate Vladimir Ethnork."

I looked to Harrison in surprise as he stood up. I didn't know what his motives were, but somebody seconded the motion immediately.

"Mr. Stillhart, Mr. Thatchler," Gregorovich nodded in their direction, and as Harrison sat down, the Head Vampire's gaze lingered over me, confusion clear upon his face.

I looked away immediately. Harrison said that he'd told the International Council of Immortals that he was married to a human. Why didn't the King know about it?

"I nominate Harrison Stillhart," someone whom i couldn't see again, proclaimed.

Severalpeople others stood up immediately after the nomination to second the motion.

"Thank you, Malachai, Ferica, Raul. It is most appreciated, except it seems that two vampires have been elected from the same unit. Will Harrison and Vladimir please join me?It seems we have to go over regular proceudre for this particular case," Gregorovich said, seeming almost bored.

Harrison glanced back at me, and for the first time, I noticed a look of nervousness. He was nervous to leave me here.

Gregorovich looked back at the two of us. He gave Harrison a shake of his head, as if to say 'no'. There was nothing else we could do. I sat still, as Gregorovich and Myra led my only three allies otu of the room. Yes, Rosalinda had gone with them, I suppose because she was of immortal status.

Every pair of eyes in that very large room turned to look at me in unison. I gulped. Then, a hand grabbed my wrist. I turned my head sharply, preparing to scream.

I was pulled out of my seat, and an olive-toned hand covered my mouth. "I'm here to help you, Joanalie. I need to get you out of here."

It was a demon man. I didn't know how he knew my name, or why he was dragging me with such ferocity, but soon we were through a door and speeding down an ornate hallway.

I remembered going down a flight of stairs to get into the ballroom, and now we were going up one, so I knew we'd be on the first floor.

The demon came to an abrupt stop beside a door, and opened it before shoving me through.

There was a table and a window in this small, six by six room. I went to go sit on the table, as a volley of questions tumbled out of my mouth.

"How do you know my name? Why are you helping me? Why did you bring me to this room? Who are you? What -"

He silenced me with a finger to my lips. It was surprisingly warm in comparison to Harrison's cold, marble skin.

"I was at the Council when your beloved husband told the story of his human wife. I brought you to this room because it's small, soundproof, and intimate. My name is Malachai Bakker," he said smoothly, walking closer to me.

"Why are you helping me?" I backed up against the table and found myself sitting down on it. For the first time since I'd seen Harrison attack my friend, I was truly scared. Malachai wasn't the good guy, here.

"I didn't want the other creatures to get at you before I could, and I don't believe a second of what your vampire told the Council. He kidnapped you, but now you're mine," he said, chuckling.

I began to stand up, preparing to run. But, unfortunately for me, demons were evidently every bit as fast as vampires were.

I was laying down on the table now, with warm demon body on top of mine. He purred in pleasure, and somehow it seemed like he'd been planning this all along.

His hot lips touched my petrified ones. He nominated Harrison, just so he could whisk me off and seduce me? What kind of demented demon was he?

Derek grabbed one hip with his hand and probed my lips more thoroughly. I couldn't think of anything else to do. I figured all immortal creatures had the same weak spot, so I reached my hands up and jabbed a thumb from each hand behind both of his ears.

His full body weight pressed against me and I realized the paralysis had worked! I shoved the perverted demon and raced to the window. There was no way in hell I was about to wander my way through a mansion full of creatures just like the one i'd just paralyzed!

I unlocked it and thanked the Lord that it opened. I jumped down without hesitation because we were on the first floor and closed the window behind me.

I just ran. I ran to the gate, and I ran down that never-ending pathway. Although I had never played any sports while I'd been in high school, my long legs were good for running, and I was in decent shape.

As soon as I reached the end of the path, I had no idea where to go next. I didn't want to go back to Harrison's quarters. He was the reason any of this even happened to me in the first place. If he hadn't been picking off my friends, I would have never tried to do the right thing by tracking him down.

It was his own selfishness that was causing me all this trouble. I hate him so much, right now! I would have given anything to have never met him. To still be at home and not about to turn into something that would prevent me from ever getting to see my family or friends again. I didn't care what Harrison said about me being a potentially dangerous vampire that needed to be trained. I was never going back to the bastard!

So I ran in the opposite direction I remember the limo in which I had rode with Annita had come from. I knew that probably any immortal could catch up to me. But I wasn't about to help them out.

If I ever saw Harrison again while I was a vampire, he would be sorry he ever picked me. Until then, I didn't want to see anyone.

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