 
A VAMPIRE AMONG ANGELS

(The Vampire from Hell Part 2)

By Ally Thomas

Copyright 2013 Ally Thomas

All Rights Reserved

Discover other titles by Ally Thomas at www.allythomas.com.

SMASHWORDS Edition

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Books by Ally Thomas

The Vampire from Hell (Part 1) - The Beginning

A Vampire Among Angels (The Vampire from Hell – Part 2)

A Vampire on Vacation (The Vampire from Hell \- Part 3)

The Vampire from Hell Returns (The Vampire from Hell - Part 4)

Blood of the Gods (The Vampire from Hell – Part 5)

Zombies Unleashed (The Vampire from Hell – Part 6)

Demon Invasion (The Vampire from Hell – Part 7)

Fanged Love: The Prequel

Table of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1 – The Beginning

Chapter 2 – Earth Present Day

Chapter 3 – Handsome for a Hellhound

Chapter 4 – Vampire Hottie

Chapter 5 - Awesomesauce

Chapter 6 - Grab Your Popcorn

Chapter 7 - Angel Blood

Chapter 8 - Blood Delirium

Chapter 9 - Zombie Nightmares

Chapter 10 - Complicated for Your Kind

Chapter 11 - The 'G' Letter

Chapter 12 - Goth Rag Dolls

Chapter 13 - Mousetrap

Chapter 14 - You Deserve a Break

Books by Ally Thomas

Acknowledgments

To C. Adams, my writing instructor whose confidence in "Satan's Daughter" actually boosted my own. To my Beta readers for readings lots of my drafts. A big Thank you to everyone (family and friends alike) who helped spread the word about Part 1.

In Memory of

Andy "Spartacus" Whitfield (1972-2011)

**Dedication**

To my sister who reminds me it's okay to dream.

To crustypunk who told me to stop talking and start writing.

A VAMPIRE AMONG ANGELS

(The Vampire from Hell - Part 2)

By Ally Thomas

Copyright 2013 Ally Thomas/All Rights Reserved

" _The Beginning – Part 1"of the Vampire from Hell series has been included in this free ebook along with Part 2 –A Vampire Among Angels._

Prologue

It's almost sunset and I have decided to stop at a coffee shop and try to get an internet connection on my laptop. No, I don't drink coffee. I just like the smell of it. I'm more concerned with getting my thoughts written down before I go hunting tonight. I think it's time the world knows.

To start with, I should tell you that I'm a daughter of Satan, and I'm a vampire. But I'm not your average, run-of-the-mill vampire. It's kind of complicated. Please don't let any of that alarm you. I'm on your side.

Currently, Father and I aren't speaking. Why? He'd soon kill me as to look at me. No, I'm not his favorite child. I'm the one who likes humans, the rebel, the loner, the deserter. And I suspect after I start publishing my story on this blog - what I'm about to tell you now - he's going to be pissed. And that's okay. I'm not going to run anymore. I'm tired of being afraid of Lucifer, my father who thinks torture is an acceptable form of motivation. Those days are over. So sit back, relax, and let me tell you about how I became the first, and to my knowledge, the only vampire from Hell.

**Chapter 1**

The Beginning

As I unlocked my office door, I felt a presence behind me. I turned around slowly. A tall figure emerged from the shadows and I flinched. I cursed myself for the frightened reaction I made.

Gazing down at me with shining gold eyes, my seven-foot hellhound touched my shoulder with his long paw.

Because I couldn't understand Blick's low canine mutter, I had grown accustomed to his speaking telepathically to me. On occasion, it allowed us to communicate without others overhearing us. His thoughts leaping into my mind were an extension of my own, and I rarely objected to having them flow through my head.

" _Did I scare you?"_

"No," I lied. "I couldn't sleep, so I wanted to get an early start on those reports." I entered the office, waiting for him to duck his head in through the opening. To a passerby, it looked as though I was talking to myself in front of my animal companion, but I didn't care. Blick knew I typically answered him by speaking aloud.

" _Thanks again for your help at the processing center last night. Can you get the reports done today?"_

"I think so." I deposited my satchel on the desk and rubbed my shoulder.

" _Did I hurt you?"_

"No, I reinjured it the other day. It'll be okay."

Irritated with my response, Blick grabbed my arm and pulled up the sleeve of my black leather jacket, pointing at fresh bruises.

I winced in pain and stared at the floor.

Gently, he gathered me up in his arms and held me.

I wept, recalling the earlier session with my father. His way of discipline often involved torture. In the organization, Father enjoyed a "hands-on" approach. When anyone did something he disapproved of or he felt he could improve their skills, he'd perform the customary routine. For his daughters, he called it "loving his children." As demons, he wanted us to be strong and fearless. I was very familiar with the process because, unlike my sister, Stephanie, I rarely did anything right, and to make matters worse, I wasn't a strong demon.

Blick reminded me with his embrace how he wished to protect me. I knew the beatings were becoming more frequent, but I felt powerless to stop them.

I regained my composure while Blick wiped away my tears and patted me on the head like I was his little pet, instead of his being mine. Having a seven-foot hellhound fussing over me - literally - was wonderful. I was lucky to have him on my side.

When Blick had been a young pup, he had followed me home from the river one day. I kept him hidden from everyone until he started walking upright and grew too big for me to hide. When Father found out I had him, reluctantly he had agreed that I could keep the "mutt" as long as I kept him out of his way.

" _Will you be careful, Rayea?"_ Blick touched his cold, wet nose to mine.

I nodded, giving him a little return bump.

" _Promise me if anything happens, you'll text me, okay? I may not be a demon, but I'm pretty scrappy for a hellhound. I'll take on your father any day of the week!"_ Looking down at me, he growled. His shiny white canine teeth sparkled. He retrieved the iPhone from my satchel and shoved it in my jeans pocket.

***

Fan of Mankind

"What are you wearing?"

Startled for the second time today, I whirled around in my ergonomic chair to see Stephanie, standing in the door frame of my office glaring at me. "What do you mean?" I replied.

"Father will kill you if he sees that," she said.

"Oh?" I asked, opening several more bogus reports on my computer. I continued typing at a feverish pace. The paperwork for the new arrivals had to be all there, even if the new arrivals were not. With Blick's help, I had been secretly returning humans, suitable for a second chance, to the upper levels of Earth.

"Does your T-shirt say what I think it says?"

I grinned at the computer screen in response to my sister's comment. I read the slogan aloud, "I'm a fan of mankind." The shirt did not compliment my black hair or pale skin, nor was it very appropriate for work, but I had chosen it to celebrate my upcoming vacation and the recent rescue mission.

Stephanie was more right than she realized. I was taking a risk, wearing a pro-human shirt and secretly setting humans free from a horrific eternity. I looked away from my work, focusing my attention on Stephanie and returned her glare. "Even in Hell, we need to keep our sense of humor, sis." I added a hissing 'S' sound to the word to mock her speech patterns.

Even though it was relatively warm in our climate, I had brought my black leather jacket to wear over the new T-shirt if I had to leave my office. I wore long sleeves as often as I could to hide the scars and bruises. I hated being reminded of them. I owned many items that irritated my sister, and this one just made her list. It didn't surprise me that she commented on my shirt, just as it didn't surprise me that she never asked me about my injuries. Being a passive aggressive sort, I enjoyed offending her.

"I still don't know why he's letting you go on vacation. To the upper levels of Earth of all places? I deserve time away from here, not you. I wouldn't go up there though. I'd pick somewhere more fun like Mars or Neptune. I hear Saturn is beautiful this time of year. Hey, did you get those reports done? They have to be processed today, you know."

"Yes, I'm almost finished actually." I hit the Enter key on my computer to submit the last fake report. "There, I'm done," I said and held up my hands in a victory symbol.

"You're such an idiot." She said as she wandered around my office, grimacing at the movie posters lining the walls. "You know, maybe I should tell Father where you got your new shirt, shopping on the internet all the time? These movie posters are ridiculous."

I kept my cool. I knew Stephanie was looking for a fight. But she wasn't going to push my buttons today. I was feeling elated with setting another group of humans free and visions of my upcoming vacation. "If you want anything from there, you know I can get it. Everything to do with shipping and distribution comes through me."

"What would I want from Earth? Come on!" She stormed around my office, waving her hands, her voice shrilled. "Yes, I think I'll bring Father in here while you're on vacation and show him your laptop, and iPhone, and your posters, and your books, all of this stupid 'fan of mankind' crap. What do you think about that?" She hit each item with emphasis as she pranced around. Then she picked up a vase I had recently bought on eBay. It had the symbol of the sun on it, representing the Egyptian god Ra with a blue background that I imagined was the same color as the oceans on Earth.

"Stephanie," I warned.

The vase shattered in her hands.

I thought of a four letter word starting with "C." It stayed lodged in my brain, radiating like a red neon sign in front of my eyes. I bit my lip, so I wouldn't say it as I watched her continue her rant. I swallowed down the insult. "You're reaching supersonic levels with that shrieking, sis. You promised you wouldn't say anything to Father."

Pointing an accusing finger at me, she said, "As long as you keep processing my paperwork, I won't. But face it, 'sis,'" she hissed the word sarcastically. "You're a daughter of Lucifer, same as me. Learning everything you can about humans, buying their trinkets, it won't change the fact that you aren't human. I bet you even pretend to be human on the internet. What is it you play on again? MindLook? Twizzler? It's pathetic. Father's not going to put you in charge of his next project if you can't get on board and play the game. No wonder you have all those cuts and bruises from your training sessions. He wants you to be strong, like me." Annoyed with the dust clinging to her hands from the broken pottery, she slapped at her pants leg.

"It's Facebook and Twitter, thank you very much. They're social networking sites. And no, I don't pretend to be the Queen of England on any of them. You can't do that. But you wouldn't know that, would you?" Realizing I was yelling as well, I paused to steady my anger and continued the debate more calmly. "Father's 'projects' as he calls them, his plans for world domination, are his own. Not mine. You can be in charge of the next one, when and if, he ever comes up with anything, okay? Why he has this fixation on making me 'stronger,' I have no idea. I'm not interested in fighting any battles for him!" I raked three thousand dollars worth of smashed pottery into a trash can. Suddenly, my hip vibrated. I retrieved my iPhone from the pocket of my jeans and read the incoming text message, _Meet me at the winery R. ~dad._

"Oh no."

"What, what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost," Stephanie replied.

"Father wants me to meet him," I mumbled.

"Oh really?!"

My office filled with Stephanie's laughter. I grabbed my black leather jacket.

"I love your range of emotions, sis. From satanic screaming to laughing hyena. Very nice."

"Don't get pissy with me just because you have another training session. And don't call me, 'sis' either. Father says we're sisters, but I don't think it's true. Think about it, you big baby. How can we be sisters if we look nothing alike?"

I watched as she stormed off down the hall. Maybe Stephanie was right. We didn't look anything alike. And we hated each other, pure and simple. Real sisters showed genuine love for one another, compassion, trust, respect. Right? Stephanie didn't love me. She loved only Father. And sisters didn't argue, did they? We argued all the time about him, about my purchases, about how well I treated my "mutt" as she too called Blick. We argued about everything.

I decided to not let it bother me. We both were getting what we wanted. Stephanie had grown tired of being in charge of the processing center. The tedious routine of placing the new arrivals and submitting the paperwork was exhausting for her. She wanted a challenge and wished Father would give her one. And I didn't mind helping her with her job. I had found a way to save some humans, even if it was only a few lost souls who had thought suicide was a better fate than living on Earth. Once they arrived in Hell, they realized they had made a grave miscalculation.

One of these days, I knew Father would approach me when he figured out the perfect scheme for corrupting mankind. That's why I stayed in my office, giving the impression I was very busy with my job of shipping and distribution, instead of shopping on the internet, chatting with my friends on Facebook, and releasing humans. Because Father and Stephanie didn't understand technology, they didn't realize that shipping and distribution wasn't a full-time job. Once I programmed the paths for what went where, the job pretty much took care of itself.

I had learned a lot about mankind while surfing. I couldn't help myself. I was drawn to Earth - the people, the landscape, the mystery of it all. I felt a connection. Perhaps I did have human blood in me. I had never known my mother and Father always ignored my questions when I asked about her. So far, my attempts to research online for any information on her had failed.

Before I made my way down the hall, I composed myself for my next "training session" with Father. Stephanie had a great sense of humor, even if she didn't know it. I listened to my heartbeat and breathed deeply. I thought of my breathing exercises Blick had taught me in an effort to stay calm during the torture. I looked at my blurry reflection in one of the filing cabinets. We had no mirrors anywhere in Hell. Silently I thanked Blick for the martial art techniques he had taught me. I could tell my arms and shoulders were more muscular. For that matter, my whole body was more defined. I hadn't tested my strength yet, but I knew I was getting stronger. When I sparred with Blick, I imagined I was Sarah Connor in the movie _The Terminator_ , looking toned and ready for action. I sighed. Even though Blick was trying to condition my body more, I knew mentally I still struggled. Standing up to my father wasn't something I could face yet.

I considered texting Blick. Maybe he was right. Would Father beat me unconscious this time? Would I be worth saving if Blick got to me in time? Was there a way we could escape and leave this place forever? I let out another sigh and placed my iPhone on the desk. It was too late. I'd just have to explain that to Blick later.

As I made my way through the winding maze of halls towards the exit, I thought about how Father acts during these sessions. He's very positive and optimistic. He talks on and on about his schemes for revenge. He must think the motivational speeches keep me focused. But the pain is what keeps me focused, as long as I can stay in front of it and not let it overwhelm me.

Father hasn't thought of anything big in the last few thousand years. Usually his schemes are obvious things like accelerating global warming or releasing our colony of fire-breathing dragons onto Earth. Something G would not allow to happen. I don't know how, but the House of G always knows what's going on down here. That doesn't deter Father however. He keeps scheming and plotting his next move. It's just sad.

I have told Blick many times that the chip Father carries around on his shoulder is really unhealthy. "I realize it sucks to be a fallen angel and not welcomed anymore in the House of G, but get over it. Life goes on." He's the only one with whom I can share my opinions about my family. I can't tell my online friends the whole story. Anyways, we spend most of the time chatting about an actor who plays a vampire in a TV show. It's a fun distraction to reality. I quickly deflect any personal questions if they come up. My online friends on Earth don't want to know about my problems.

***

Loyal Workers

As I approached the main entrance to the winery, I heard a growl to my right side and saw a flash of fur appeared before me. The smell of dead skunk hit my nostrils.

"Hello, my lady."

Pulling the flap of my collar over my nose, I stepped back to adjust my balance and save what oxygen I had left before I fainted from the smell. Father's hellhounds reeked to high heaven, an odor I realized Blick did not share. "Don't jump out at me like that, Cedric. Why aren't you guarding the main gates?"

"We're on heightened alert today. Do you have your badge?"

I hesitated, remembering I had left it in on the desk with my iPhone. "Can you just call Father? He's expecting me."

"You realize in this organization we have security measures in place for a reason, my lady. The House of G would love nothing more than to know our secrets. Besides that, if His Highness sees another error on my attendance reports..." His voice trailed off and I recognized the fear in his eyes. He also knew of Father's disciplinary techniques. Father starved his 'mutts' regularly to keep them 'engaged,' as he called it. Actually, it kept them obnoxiously polite, extremely moody, and ready to do Father's bidding.

"Yes, Cedric. I understand. Shall I go back for it? But I don't want to be late for my meeting. Hey, why are you green today?"

Annoyed with my questions as I tried to stall entering the winery, the hellhound's fur bristled. "We were helping His Highness with some pigment placement for the new line."

I frowned when I heard the title the hellhounds used for Father, at his request of course. His Highness, like he was some sort of royalty. What a joke! "Is he hoping to find a new hair dye for Leprechauns? I mean with that color and your natural black roots, I can see..."

"What? No, my lady. For the new line of products, the wines, he's searching for the perfect color so he dyed us."

I stared at him, puzzled, trying to ignore the 'My Lady' term. "We?" I asked.

"Wally and me. He dyed us earlier this morning and Wally got a snoot full of it. He'll be out for hours. His Highness is working on resolving the colors this morning before the guests arrive."

Another one of Father's lame-brain ideas, going into the wine business. With a wine that was green? What was Father thinking? I searched the gravel path running alongside the front entrance of the winery and spotted Wally passed out under a holly bush. I hadn't noticed him at first because he blended quite well with the emerald green leaves on the shrub. "Father doesn't know how lucky he is to have such loyal workers, Cedric."

"Thank you, my lady."

"Stop calling me 'my lady.' Look, why don't I go get my badge while you catch a quick bath?" I fanned myself with the right lapel of my jacket.

"That won't be necessary." Cedric bared his rotten teeth at me and blocked my path.

Finally, I thought. I'll get to practice some of what Blick had shown me. "Bring it on," I taunted. At the same moment, I felt a blast of pain centered on my neck.

"Took you long enough, Wally," Cedric growled. "His Highness wants her unharmed, remember? I hope you didn't put too many volts in her with that stun gun. Oh, watch it, she's gonna fall."

***

Another Session

"She seems to be waking up, your Highness."

As I gained consciousness, I heard Cedric's voice and felt my arms tied to the chair I sat in. I opened my eyes, but a gauzelike hood obscured my vision. I could only make out a few shadowy figures. Father? Stephanie? Instantly, I regretted leaving my iPhone behind.

"You can bet your vacation is cancelled now," I heard my sister hiss in my ear.

Father asked in a reasonable tone, "Why can't you learn to respect me? Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"Kill her. We don't need her." Stephanie's voice came from behind me. She was pacing around the chair. I could barely see her figure out of the corner of my eye. She hit my injured shoulder and pain blazed down my arm.

"In good time," Father replied.

"What did you tell him? Father, whatever she says, it's not true." I spoke to shadows through the hood.

"Ah yes, your sister told me everything. I should have known. Cedric, remove the hood," Father said.

The hellhound's paws thumped across the floor as he approached me. His movements beat in time with the pain radiating in my shoulder. The stench of skunk hit me again.

I felt a tug at my neck, and the hood slid free. Father and Stephanie stood laughing before me. Their 'snake faces' were already showing. When demons get excited, our true nature comes forth. And today, Father and Stephanie looked like two giant green reptiles dressed in their Sunday best. I found it ironic that they wanted to appear human when they both hated the human race vehemently.

As I realized we were in the tasting room that led to a courtyard on the bottom floor of the winery, it dawned on me that I had yet to see my own 'snake face.' Maybe I wasn't a demon like them? I let the thought drift away and prepared for the session.

Full length glass windows surrounded the tasting room. I could see across to the courtyard. The guests mingled under vibrant fire red blossoms of the Japanese maple trees as they examined Father's new wines.

"Shall I bring them in, your Highness?" Cedric asked.

"Yes, that will be fine," Father replied. "Line them up here. Stephanie, will you grab that gun on the table there, and the bottle of wine?"

She held a gun that was the size Dirty Harry would carry as she handed Father an opened bottle of wine. Cedric returned with two figures who I thought were Father's guests. Instead, they were humans. He shoved them to the floor in front of my chair and made them kneel before me.

"Father, what are you doing?" I asked, struggling against my restraints. He ignored me.

He glanced over at Stephanie. She responded by digging her fingers into my shoulder, separating my arm from the socket.

I drew strength from the renewed pain ripping through my shoulder and arm. I directed my anger at Father. "Stop this game, Father! Stop it!"

Instantly he appeared in my face. He slapped me so hard my teeth rattled. "Shut up, you little wench. You started this, do you hear me?" His forked tongue hit me in the face. "A fan of mankind indeed?! I'll show you." He paused for a moment as his hot breath repeatedly stung my face. Then he stood and regained his composure. "Do you not recognize your friends? They are some of the new arrivals, who mysteriously found their way up river again, instead of staying with us? Any idea how that happened?"

"I'm not in charge of new arrivals, remember? Ask her."

Father smiled at me. His long fangs fell over his lips. The green snake pattern on his skin covered all the visible parts of his body. He motioned to Stephanie and said, "Go ahead."

She responded by walking behind one of the humans, raising the gun to the back of his head, and squeezing the trigger. The gun exploded and the man slumped to the floor.

"Nooo," I gritted my teeth.

"Who helped you?"

"No one," I spat.

A second gunshot rang out. I watched the female fall to the floor. Blood spurted from the wound in her head. Nausea surged in the pit of my stomach and I fought against my restraints. The wooden chair bounced from one side to the other, holding me secure.

"You don't have to tell me who helped you. I know," Father replied.

I froze.

***

A Fine Batch

"Stephanie," Father called.

Again, my sister yanked my arm. More pain surged through me. I screamed in agony. "No, no!" I shrieked. Then I heard the doors to the courtyard open and saw Blick enter. His massive height and stature filled the room. Silver highlights like sparks off a firecracker twinkled amid his black fur. He seemed to be glowing a bright green. As he walked into the room, he transformed from the hellhound I knew and loved into a demon.

The pain from my shoulder was affecting my level of concentration. I struggled to stay conscious. I pulled a portion of my lower lip into my mouth and bit down hard. The blood washed over my tongue and I swallowed down the liquid. The new injury reinvigorated me. I blinked my eyes a few times to grasp what I was seeing.

Father reached out and took Blick's newly formed hand, shaking it. "I'm so glad you're on the right side, son. Your demon look suits you well and I can understand you now." Father laughed. "I never gave you a chance. Had I known you were one of us... You will help us show her, yes? Stephanie, give him a glass and pour the wine."

Blick smiled at Stephanie as she scoffed at him and handed him the filled glass. He drank the liquid. "A fine batch, your Highness."

"Yes, I do think so myself. Let's pour her a drink as well. I'll add just a little something to it." I watched dumbfounded as Father bit into his hand. He raised his arm. Droplets of blood splashed into the glass. "As I told you earlier, wait for me to make a toast. Then give it to her. Her death will be quick and painless. I have to attend to my guests. Do you mind?"

"Of course not, your Highness." Blick took the wine from Father.

"Stephanie, Cedric, shall we?" With Stephanie on his left arm, Father opened the doors leading to the courtyard with much pomp and circumstance. Cedric followed.

"No, no, no. Don't, don't do this." I yelled at Blick and wrestled with the wooden chair, hoping to break free.

I heard cheering and applause in the tasting room. Father's voice rang out as he began his speech. "My guests, I apologize for the delay. Thank you for coming. Today, I would like to present a new wine. The color may seem startling for a wine, but the taste is quite delicious. If my plans come to fruition, I will create many blends from this one. I have selected all of you to be a part of this special project my youngest daughter, Stephanie, will lead. Let us toast to my favorite child."

In response to his order, Blick pinched my nose shut and forced the liquid in my mouth. The mixture burned as it coursed down my throat. Blick whispered in my ear, "You'll be okay. I'm going to get you out of here," and vanished into thin air. I stared blankly at the space he had occupied. _Son of a bitch, he's gone. What am I going to do?_ I wanted to steady my thoughts, but I couldn't. The pain had control of me. I couldn't focus enough to reach out to Blick telepathically. It was useless.

After a few moments, my breath started coming in shallow gulps. I couldn't inhale. I tried to calm my heart as it raced, slamming against my chest. I felt the blood sizzling through my body. My whole being was convulsing, surging, and rocking back and forth. Then it stopped and I screamed.

I felt the wall against my back. My scream had propelled me backwards across the floor, shattering the wooden chair. I sat dazed. When Father entered the tasting room, I caught his gaze. His green reptilian eyes were wide with delight. Quietly, Stephanie and Cedric entered the room, followed by the guests. He motioned for them to keep their distance as he approached me. He knelt down, carefully examining my body. "Let's have a look at you." Amazed, I watched as he lifted my arm. The injured shoulder had no pain coursing through it. It was healed and felt better than ever. "You still have your white skin unfortunately. But you have my eyes. And what have we here?" he asked fascinated. He touched my lips, running his finger over newly formed fangs.

I snapped at him and grabbed his hands in mine, holding them still in my clutches. "Don't touch me," I snarled. My fangs ached to rip into his neck. What was this bloodlust I was experiencing?

Father tried to pull his hands from my grip. "What are you doing? How dare you?"

My rage was turning into something I'd never felt before, a strength building inside me. I could feel my mind entering his, making its way to his soul. _What have you done to me, Father?_ My thoughts surged into his mind before I could stop them. I heard one of the guests scream from the other side of the room. Flames shot up the side of Father's neck, leaving a trail of black soot on his green skin.

"Stop this. Get him away from her now!" Stephanie shouted.

She and Cedric raced towards us and broke our embrace. From out of the crowd, Blick appeared and assisted Cedric. They pinned me against the wall while Stephanie blocked my path to Father. "What is wrong with you?" she yelled at me.

Calmly, Father extinguished the fire. He touched his burned flesh. "I wasn't expecting that." Dismissing the injury, he began, "I've always wondered what demon blood would do if mixed with that of a human's." He stood and paraded in front of the guests, directing their attention to me like I was a lab rat. "With my blood, that green wine, and a blessing from the ancient snake goddess, Mehen, I have created a vampire like no other." The guests roared and cheered. Father raised his head and basked in the glory.

Adding some sarcasm to my tone, I challenged his declaration. "I'm just a demon, Father, like you and Stephanie. Hello?"

He whirled around and hissed at me. "A demon. You? Hardly! You were born a human, a weak excuse for a being in any dimension. That's why you're drawn to those new arrivals and can't excel at our training sessions. Didn't you ever stop to think that you look nothing like me or your sister? Hello?!"

Stephanie raised an eyebrow at me. "I told you so, stupid."

I sneered at her.

Father placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and persuaded Stephanie to step aside as he moved closer to me.

"You know how you have hounded me about who your mother was? Well, she was a sun worshipper of your favorite Egyptian God, Ra, when I met her. I raped her one night and later she conceived a child. I took you from her and ripped her to shreds with these." He pointed at his snake fangs and smiled. "She was no match for me. And neither are you."

"Is that why you named me Rayea?" Suddenly, I was ready to forgive Father everything if I could find out just one more fact about my mother.

Father roared with laughter. "How arrogant we are, aren't we?"

"I deserve to know the truth!" Baring my fangs, I lunged at him. Cedric and Blick slammed me against the wall.

"You are a killing machine now, daughter. Think of what this means. As a vampire, you are useful to us. You'll create an army of warriors for me, straight out of Hell. And my favorite child here will lead that army and bring down the House of G. I will take back what is rightfully mine, and you will help me." Father glared at me for a moment. Then he dismissed me and returned to gloat in front of everyone. Several guests slowly approached him and shook his hand, offering their congratulations on his triumph.

Visions of all the Earth vampires I had seen in movies ran through my mind. Nosferatu. Dracula. Lestat. The hottie from the TV show that my online friends and I drooled over. They were monsters, not real monsters, only fictional. Was that what I was now? A monster? A flame throwing vampire forged from Lucifer's demented mind? I shuddered at the idea of it. It couldn't be true.

"Rayea, hear me. When I let you go, set Cedric on fire. Do you hear me?"

I glanced sideways at Blick. Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that his mouth had not moved, but I had heard his command. "Do what? No, I can't. I won't," I thought.

Firmly, he squeezed my arm. "You have to do this. We must leave immediately. Your father's blood is poison. It'll kill you if we don't heal you and fast! Make contact with Cedric's mind. Force your way into his thoughts like you did with your father. Trust me. You can do it. Open your mind."

He gave me a moment to collect myself. Then with a jolt, he released me. I stumbled in front of Father, Stephanie, and the guests.

Father yelled, "What is this?"

Immediately Blick transformed again, into his hellhound form. The green demon look, similar to Father's, quickly became a memory when he shifted a second time. He stood larger than life on his hind legs. Thick black fur covered his entire body, and his muscles underneath expanded amid his physique. They bulged out along his arms and legs, flexing and pulsating. His face was that of a large wolf, broader and fuller than Cedric's thin jackal head. Blick towered over Cedric's size by several feet. He seemed to be taller than his stature of seven feet, maybe eight or nine, or more.

As Blick blocked the others from me, he glanced around the room. Many guests had fled. Only Father, Stephanie, and a few stragglers frozen in fear remained. I caught a glimpse of Blick's eyes glowing an intense gold. His demeanor turned savage, like a crazed animal, as he stood before us. He stomped his enormous paws over and over as if he were gathering strength from the repetitive movement. Finally he let out a howl that brought a chilling silence to the entire room. He had everyone's attention.

I totally forgot myself as I observed this beastly side of my best friend. Father and Stephanie stood motionless watching Blick. It was awe-inspiring and frightening at the same time. "Mutt, my ass," I thought.

"Now, Rayea," Blick roared at me.

Jumping into action, I ducked behind Cedric. "Been nice knowing ya, skunk pup." I jerked my jaws open, letting my fangs extend and wrapped my arms around him. I focused on hearing his heartbeat. He struggled against me, but I held him tightly. I heard a snapping sound and realized I had broken his arm. He whimpered and remained still in my grip.

Once I heard his heartbeat, the sound calmed me. Feeling his pulse against my body, I reacted instinctually. I didn't think about my next movements. I exhaled and slowly sank my fangs into the side of his neck.

"Come to me," a voice inside my head said. It was a voice I'd never heard before.

Cedric moaned, moving only slightly.

Fearing he was trying to get away, I increased the pressure of my grasp around his neck. As if summoned, his blood rushed freely down my throat.

With little effort, my thoughts entered his mind and I released the energy I now possessed. Flames suddenly erupted from my hands and engulfed the hellhound.

His legs wobbled and he fell to the ground, burning uncontrollably.

It was like watching a horror movie being played out in slow motion before me. I observed Cedric's body fall in front of me. Glowing embers and sparks floated through the air. Suddenly an overwhelming vapor of skunk odor escaped from his remains. It too rose above me, finally fading from view. The stench of charred flesh lingered in the air and brought stinging tears to my eyes. Poor Cedric. He didn't deserve to die like that.

Guilt seized me. I couldn't move my legs. Realizing I was in shock, I looked down at my body. Killing machine. A path of soot covered my shirt and jeans. Drops of blood stung my chest as they fell from my chin. I wiped the drops away, smearing them on my jeans with disgust. "No, I'm not," I said to myself. "I'm not!"

Then the rush hit me. I felt the new blood flowing through every fiber of my being. My body tingled and radiated. I felt alive. Exhilarated. Invincible. I was born anew.

Ah yes.

A single question entered my mind as I stood there. Could I stand up to my Father now? What about my sister? Could I be a good vampire? A vampire who fought against evil?

"Why not," the new voice inside my head replied.

Inwardly I agreed. Waves of confidence and euphoria washed over me, seemingly responding to my decision. Breathing slowly, I let it come. I didn't fight it. If this is what it meant to be a vampire, a true vampire, and not some snaky demon like my father or sister, then I was in. I could fight them now like this and I could crush them.

My mission was set.

As I scanned the room through a dissipating cloud of smoke, I licked my tongue across my fangs, feeling the heat quietly retreating within my teeth. Interesting. I savored the taste of blood on my lips. No turning back.

Spotting my father and sister only a few feet beyond where Blick stood, I stepped towards them. Ashes from Cedric's remains clung to my shoes. He was nothing more than a pile of smoldering bones that I had now trampled through. Crossover.

Noticing Stephanie cowering behind Father as they silently watched me., and I smiled back at her, fangs and all.

"Shall we?" I asked her.

Blick grabbed my arm. Before I could resist, he embraced me in a hug and said, ""Not today. We've got to go! G, open a passage."

My eyes widened in disbelief. I went rigid. "The House of G," I asked. A flash of white light blinded me for a moment.

He lowered his head and touched his cold, wet nose to mine as he held me. "That's right." Blick replied.

I felt a warmth from the white light as it encircled us. Digging my fingers into his dark fur, I closed my eyes and returned Blick's embrace. Finally peace.

***

The voices continued to invade my mind. It was utter chaos. Was I sleeping? Was I dreaming? Was I dying? The voices were all around me. Some male. Some female.

Now and then, it felt like I was being dragged under, deep into a pit. No pain. No fear. Only ongoing confusion. Chaos. Endless.

Other moments I thought it was over and I tried to open my eyes to see. Nothing. I saw total darkness. But I felt no fear, only contentment.

At times, I knew Blick was near, somewhere close. I could hear his voice. He sounded so distraught. I wanted to reach out to him, but I couldn't move. I couldn't see him. I could only hear the conversations. Ongoing. Relentless.

The topic?

Me.

***

"You must save her."

"How much blood of his did she have?"

"I don't know. Enough. A cup or so? It was in her wine. You must save her. If the fever doesn't break, she'll die."

There's more blood here than a cup or so.

She drained Cedric I think before she set him on fire.

"It's too late then. She's made her first kill. I can't change her back."

"But the poison. She'll die! Or J will destroy her!"

"Blick, you know what this means. I can't go against J's wishes. It's part of my agreement. I'm on the council. I can't get involved. We'll have to see if she pulls through. I have herbs to keep her comfortable, but otherwise I can't get involved."

"To hell with your agreement! You must do something! You must save her! She's your daughter!"

"Don't yell at me! I know that! But it's not up to me now. Her fate is in the hands of the gods. I can't get involved."

####

A VAMPIRE AMONG ANGELS

The Vampire from Hell (Part 2)

Author's Note:In May 2013, the author added Part 1 of the Vampire from Hell series as a free installment, accompanying Part 2 in this ebook. Please notice that the chapter numbering begins at Chapter 2.
Chapter 2

Earth – Present Day

A drunk guy bumps into my table because he's not paying attention to where he's supposed to be walking. I stop typing and grab the sides of my laptop, so it won't fall. "Come on, buddy. I'm busy here," I say to him and bite my lip to keep my fangs from jutting forth as he passes by. The hunger is making me irritable.

In the Golden Skull bar at the corner of Clayton and Haight in San Francisco, a few people are clicking away on their laptops. A few others are talking or watching the TVs hanging from the ceiling while they nurse their drinks. Typical evening in a bar. The customers aren't interested in me, but a waiter shows up wanting to chat. I consider hissing at him, maybe even baring my fangs, to let him know I don't want to shoot the shit. Instead I order a cup of hot water and a package of green tea, so he'll go away. I know that's not an ordinary drink order in a bar, but this is California and anything goes, from what I can tell.

As he shuffles away, I slide my hand into my backpack, counting the vials of blood remaining. I retrieve one and place it on the table. Why didn't I realize I was low on blood? I'll have to get a new shipment soon. I add a calendar reminder on my iPhone and notice the time: 8:10 pm.

The waiter appears with my order. He shifts his weight from one leg to the next, looks at me, compulsively picks up my iPhone, and starts playing with it. "Dude?! Is this the new one? The one with Face Time?" he asks.

I nod back at him without speaking. My eyes flash.

Quickly, he acknowledges his mistake and returns my phone to the table. "Sorry," he stammers. "Can I get you something else?"

I contemplate the potential meal standing in front of me. He's not very old for a human, 28, maybe 30. Wearing torn jeans and a faded orange Jimi Hendrix T-shirt that must have been his dad's, the waiter seems disheveled, yet hip in his appearance. Anything goes here with the people's sense of style as well, I've noticed. His light brown hair is strategically tossed about in the Justin Bieber fashion I find rather amusing, and he reminds me of the surfer guy in _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_.

Compulsively, I open up my browser on the laptop and search for the actor's name. Then I realize the waiter hasn't left. I make eye contact with him, yet restrict my mind from invading his. The jugular vein pulses in his neck, tempting me, mocking me. His eyes widen. Fear has frozen him to within inches of my grasp. Even without touching him, my telepathy powers are strong enough now to reach out and grab him. It's the hunger. I could hypnotize him, escort him to the restroom, and my waiter friend would be no more. Remembering the warm taste of blood running down the back of my throat makes me light headed. Instantly, I stifle the savage instinct rising in me. I hear my father's words in my head - _'You are a killing machine now, daughter.'_ "No," I answer a little too loudly. Then I mumble, "I'm fine. Thank you." The trance is broken.

Suddenly able to move again, the waiter dashes over to a few more customers who are staggering into the bar. He's happy to be away from me.

A sting of guilt tightens in my chest. The eternal dance between predator and prey. Sigh. ' _Even if I'm a killer, I still have this under control,'_ I say to the voice inside my head.

It replies, ' _Right, tell that to the angel.'_

I raise an eyebrow in acknowledgment.

Dipping the tea bag into my cup, I observe the new group's activity. They settle in at the tables near the exit, and the waiter hastily starts taking their orders. It's been an evening of boozing for them. I can smell the wine they've been consuming from where I sit. Raising my nose, I pause, close my eyes, and take in their scent.

The voice inside my head asks, " _Do you detect anything odd?_ "

"False alarm," I reply. "If you smell the odor of dead skunks, tell me."

" _What exactly are we looking for again?_ "

"We'll know when we see it, I bet."

" _Great._ "

I make a mental note to not have a staring contest with humans in the future, especially when I'm hungry. My eyes had caught the waiter's attention, literally. But the telepathy wanted more.

Before I became a vampire, I had hazel eyes that were primarily dark green with brown flecks around the iris. I'd like to think they are similar to my human mother's eyes. When my father, Satan, turned me, I adopted his mossy green reptilian eyes. How nice, right?

I add the blood to the cup of tea and watch it dissolve. Retrieving my sunglasses from my backpack, I put them on. In one gulp, I swallow the mixture and lower my head, hoping no one sees my reaction or the fact my eyes have started to glow.

I breathe slowly and let the orgasmic rush of satisfaction flow through my veins. I wait for the tingling aftershock sensations to subside. The sour, bitter taste of the tea remains in my mouth while the sweetness of the blood has calmed me. It's an acquired taste, one I'm still getting used to, and one I find to be a better solution for sustaining my hunger than asking my waiter friend into the restroom for a nibble on his neck. Okay, more than a nibble. _'Bring no harm to humans.'_ Michael's words run through my head. I drum my long fingernails on the table a few times and pout. Oh yes, waiting for my blood supply to be delivered is going to be a challenge. Hopefully, if I maintain my focus on anything except blood or sex, that one cup of nourishment can last me several weeks. And yes, I did say hopefully.

Controlling the bloodlust is a lot like controlling my desire for sex. Having sex and drinking blood go hand in hand for me. However, if I keep myself from thinking about either activity, I can ignore the fact I'm hungry or ready to pounce on a guy until my body demands I act on it. It's a tricky approach, and so far I've been successful at it. Well, I should say I've been mostly successful. I don't have a hundred percent track record with those endeavors. I'd hate to admit that fact to Michael or Blick, but it's true.

That's one reason why I started my blog, www.thevampirefromhell.com, to keep myself distracted with writing. The other reason is I thought I should explain my side of the story before my father, Satan, attempts to spin his version. When I recall the torture he lavished on me during those 'training sessions' in Hell, the fact that he killed my mother, and a ton of other stuff I could list here, I know I am doing the right thing.

Wait! I don't think I've introduced myself. Sorry about that. My name is Rayea. I began as a half-breed, part demon and part human. When Satan forced me to drink his blood, it turned me into a flame-throwing vampire. Don't laugh. I'm not making that up. I have fangs longer than what most vampires sport. Well maybe I shouldn't say that because I haven't actually met any vampires yet. I'm thinking about vampires in movies. Okay, my fangs are actually longer than Father's. He has those pointy shark teeth you notice with the old school demons. It's sickening to see him smile.

Anyways, I have an attractive enough face, high cheekbones, full lips, a little button nose, long shiny black hair, and a toned physique held in a slender frame for my 5' 9" height. (I'm guessing I get my looks from my mom's side.) And now, thanks to a mind meld from a new friend, I have a slightly tanned olive complexion. When I first arrived on Earth, I religiously covered my skin with sunscreen. One day I forgot to wear it, and I didn't turn into a crispy critter. So I finally realized I didn't need it. Go figure.

Yes, you may be thinking that vampires have pale skin and can't walk in the sunlight. I know. I've seen the movies, too. But I don't have a maker to guide me through all of this, so it's trial and error as I learn what I can and can't do. Ask my father? Get real. That's why I'm on my own. Besides, if I used movies as my guide, I'd be thinking I could sparkle in the sunlight. And you and I both know _real_ vampires don't sparkle. Enough said.

For the most part, I blend in rather easily among you. I look like any other woman on Earth pretending she's not concerned with her appearance. Typically, I wear a light gray long sleeve leather jacket, a white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, one item of jewelry that was my mother's, and a very worn-out pair of dark brown Doc Martens. I keep a sawed-off shotgun attached to my right thigh and a machete strapped to my left one in case of emergency. I ditched the black leather jacket because I developed a sudden hatred for black leather clothing and I discovered it absorbs a lot of heat from the sun. I have noticed though that the black leather covers up spots like splashes of blood better than the light gray, so I am considering revamping my wardrobe. No pun intended.

As I was saying, I'm glad I acquired only a few of my father's demonic features when he turned me. Demons – those descended from Satan – look like mutated snakes walking around on two legs. Think of the _Creature from the Black Lagoon_. Thankfully, I don't have a dome-shaped head, pointy shark teeth, or skin that's scaly and rough to the touch. My father wears expensive human clothing attempting to hide the fact that he is covered from head to toe in snake-skin patterns, the color of chartreuse. Visualize a bowl of guacamole or the inside part of a ripe avocado, something green and yellow mixed together, and you get the idea. It's a god-awful color. My sister looks a lot like my father, but I don't want to bring her up right now. Honestly, don't ask me why it took me so long to realize I wasn't a full-blooded demon like them. While I was in Hell, I guess I just wanted to belong. So much for that.

Getting back to my story... In the last part (The Beginning: Part 1), you may recall that Blick transported us out of Hell after Father turned me into a vampire. Check it out at my blog if you want to read all the grisly details. Actually we did end up at the House of G. And I have to say, after the existence I had experienced at the hands of my father, I was living it up in my new surroundings. Chilling at the House of G was just what I needed, or so I thought.

Chapter 3

**Handsome for a Hellhound**

"Have you been up all night...again?"

Blick found me on the terrace, gazing at the ocean. It was the break of dawn, and he was headed out for another day of training. I wanted to ask him if he was okay with my missing a lot of our martial arts practice sessions, but I forgot the question when I saw him. I feared my sleep deprivation was causing me to hallucinate, and then I remembered Blick's change.

Since arriving at the House of G, Blick had transformed from his Lycan-Underworld-movie look to that of a tall, unassuming man with chiseled facial features and gleaming gold eyes.

"I can't get used to your shift into human form. Your goatee is very nice. You are handsome for a hellhound, you know?"

"Is that a sense of humor I detect today?" he replied, ignoring my observation. He was confident and determined standing there in his workout clothes which consisted of a bright white T-shirt clinging to his tanned lean frame, a pair of royal blue gym shorts, and white sneakers. The wind from the sea pushed a few wisps of his jet black hair into his eyes and he brushed them aside.

Hearing the love in his soft baritone voice was music to my ears. Since we didn't need to be secretive anymore, we had fallen out of the habit of talking to each other telepathically.

"What about the nightmares?" he asked.

Tears rose in my eyes. I gritted my teeth and fought to compose myself, so I didn't burst out crying like a little girl in front of him. "Ongoing," I muttered. "Anytime I try to sleep, I see Father and Stephanie turn into monstrous snakes and chase after me." Because I hadn't been able to sleep for weeks, my life consisted of three activities: wandering around Blick's home, surfing on my computer, or hanging out on the terrace (usually at night).

He nodded and placed his hand on my forehead, checking my body temperature. "You're burning up," he insisted.

"I think that's just how I am now." I smiled up at him weakly. The seven-foot hellhound I had raised from a pup in Hell was actually a seven-foot shapeshifting angel who was trying his best to take care of me. I called him 'Papa' especially when he was fussing over why my health was steadily declining. Blick wasn't the only one worried about me. I was too.

"A friend is coming by later with some supplements. Will you answer the door this time, please?" he asked.

"Sure."

We stood on the terrace of his home in silence for a few moments, watching the waves. About eight two-story properties of high ranking angels including Blick's home lined a sandy white beach nestled in a cove. His home was in the center of the arch-shaped cove, and I could look out from the terrace on the second floor and see the ocean. Towards the east, the ocean stretched out to what seemed like infinity. It was more beautiful than I'd imagined oceans could be. Now in the morning sunlight, the water glistened and danced, merging into hues of light blue and green. Were the oceans on Earth this blue? _One day,_ I thought to myself, _one day I'll find out._

I had been standing on the terrace for hours, long before the sun came up, listening and watching for sea dragons. Sometimes a few gathered in the cove closest to the edge where the rocks began. The jagged rocks rose high above the cove and leveled out into meadows. The bluffs went on for miles and miles as far as the ocean. For my protection, Blick refused to let me leave his home, so I had no idea where I was other than what I had seen. That had consisted of the ocean, the cove, the rocks, and the dragons.

"Why don't you work on your blog today?" His question brought me back to reality.

"I could do that," I agreed.

"Instead of chatting with your friends online!"

"Well," I began. Then I stopped as a large wave slammed against the rocks, catching my attention.

Blick turned, leaned on the railing, and peered down at me.

"It seems to distract me." I avoided his gaze and focused instead on a large bluish green sea dragon that had stuck his head up briefly near the rocks, and disappeared under the tide. I waited to see if Blick had noticed it too.

"What distracts you? The ocean or talking to your friends?"

"Both actually," I concluded.

I knew he'd think I was crazy if I mentioned the dragons. I had been watching them for weeks. What was their story and why did they swim in and out of the cove near the shores close to the angels' homes? They looked like versions of the ones we had in Hell, opting for the security of the ocean instead of land. Surely they weren't fire-breathing dragons. I giggled at the possibility. I doubted I'd get the chance to meet any of them or find out what powers they possessed. From what I had observed already, these dragons were very skittish.

"Your meeting with G is this week. You have to be ready," he said. He pulled his iPhone from his back pocket and stared at it.

I watched the waves below as they seemed to call to me. Searching for dragons took my mind off of everything else, especially my illness and these morning pep talks of Blick's.

He answered the text message and resumed lecturing me. "Every medicine we try doesn't seem to work. We're running out of options here. Do you know how long we've been organizing this?" He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration and glared down at me. "Will you put your sunscreen on if you're going to be out here?" he snapped.

"I won't be out here much longer. They don't come out during the day," I said.

"What?"

"Nothing." Thinking of a way to modify my statement, I added, "The morning sun isn't that bad when I don't have any on. It's the afternoon rays that make my skin itch."

"Are you sure?"

I groaned inwardly and attempted a cheerful response for his sake, "Yes, Papa."

"Rayea, this is serious! We could all be in big trouble!" He grabbed me by the shoulders, spinning me around to face him. "You're part of J's plan. You have to make a good impression on G, if this is to move forward." He shoved me backwards, and I fell against the railing.

I heard a loud crack where the steel separated from the cedarwood. The broken piece gave way, and I tumbled after it. _Will I die if I fall on the rocks below?_ The thought shot through my mind. Instantly, as if my body were responding to the question, I leapt for the foundation beam and dug my long fingernails into it. The railing slammed into the rocks below. I flipped up onto the terrace, recovering my balance, and stood there in amazement. Blick and I exchanged looks.

"What was that?" he asked, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Vampire agility?"

A small smile of relief touched his lips. "Maybe you're more ready than I thought."

I stared at him, still in shock. _Indeed_ , I thought. _That was a new power to add to my skill set._

Squinting his eyes, he contemplated me. Then he pulled me into his arms and gave me a big bear hug. "I'm sorry about that. Sometimes I forget my strength. I don't want to hurt you, but that's what I end up doing. This is all my fault! I did this to you. And now you're sick. It just keeps going on and on and on. We can't break the cycle. You get better. You get sick. You get better. You get sick again. You're roaming around the house like a ghost. When was the last time you slept? When was the last time you ate? I don't see you eat anything. I don't understand. I can't figure out what's going on. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"Blick, I can't breathe." My voice was muffled as he held me close.

"What?" He released me. "Sorry."

I reached out and clutched his hand. "I've never said it, but I don't blame you." I wasn't referring to my almost fall, but to our past together in Hell. "You freed me from a horrible future with my father. I'm grateful to you for everything."

Torn with conflicting emotions, he gave a forced smile and tense nod of consent.

"It's okay. I know you had your reasons for what you did, even if I don't understand them," I said.

He bent down and kissed me roughly on the head. "I've gotta go. I'll send someone out to fix that. Don't worry. I promise I'll tell you what's going on tonight. Just rest today, please?"

I waved to Blick from the terrace as he left. I loved him with all of my heart, even his unpredictable temper. It reminded me a little of Father, which I didn't like, but Blick was the one constant in my life, and I trusted him. The mother-hen fussing was his way of showing he cared. He was more of a father to me than dear ole Daddy Satan had ever been, despite his involvement with turning me into a vampire. One day he'd tell me why. Even now I could see he was consumed with guilt over his actions.

Without having Blick's thoughts racing around in my head, I had no idea what was going on. Honestly, I was glad I didn't. Recently I had noticed how seriously he took his job at the House of G. He trained his recruits relentlessly, and he thought about Father's possible plans for world domination more than I did. I didn't mind listening to his strategies while we were in Hell, but currently I didn't have the strength.

Since I had been ill for many months, I had been left out of the loop. Some big plans were brewing and I played a part in them? Great. I shuddered to think what G would say once he found out a vampire, from Hell no less, was in his realm. He'd probably want to send me back. I had news for him. _That_ was not going to happen.

I noticed a couple of small red blisters popping up on my arms. Yep, time to get inside.

Chapter 4

**Vampire Hottie**

Deciding to forget about my problems for the time being, I returned to the spacious living room and sat at my desk in the corner, far away from the bay windows and French doors leading to the terrace. I wobbled into the kitchen and filled my glass water bottle with the chilled liquid Blick kept in the refrigerator. The water bottle had seashells and fish neatly lining its outside base. Without the decoration, the bottle reminded me of the clear wine bottles my father used in his wine business. I selected a blue plastic straw and dismissed the image of his face wanting to creep into my mind. The lack of sleep made me very weak. Hopefully the water's faint citrus flavor would make me feel better. Blick had told me a hundred times that staying hydrated was important. Sigh.

I examined my desk. Everything I wanted was right in front of me. A new computer hooked up to a couple of seriously large dual monitors, the fastest internet connection I could hope for, and all the files I needed to access on my cloud drive, which consisted mostly of photos of an actor I adored and notes for my blog articles. Blick knew how to keep me entertained. I had hoped he'd include a new iPhone in the set of gadget goodies, but he hadn't. With my being in his home and safe, there was no reason for me to have one. I couldn't exactly tell him I wanted a smartphone to text pictures to my friends. He wouldn't go for that.

Having large monitors in the middle of a big room meant anyone could see what I was doing. Thankfully I was home alone, which meant I could do as I pleased, at least for the next few hours. Knowing that made me feel better. I logged onto Facebook and started checking the fan pages of Ashton Taylor. The blog could wait.

A message popped up in my chat messenger. " _Where have you been? My god, we thought you were dead! Have you seen the promo pics of Ash?! They straightened his hair!_ "

Oh, it was good to hear from my chosen family – that's how I referred to my group of online friends. Lynn was ready for some 'tayloring,' what we called our activity of surfing the internet, talking about our sexy vampire hottie, posting pictures of him, etc. You get the idea.

Ash, as we liked to call the actor we gushed over, was taking a hiatus from his TV show, _Blood Realm_ , where he played the ruling vampire. He would be starring in a movie coming out later this year, and I definitely wanted to see it. Before I left Hell, I had told a few of my friends including Lynn that we should meet up and see it together. That was a crazy idea, but I could keep the promise if I could get to Earth. Even though I wasn't going to share the notion with Blick, taking a vacation was still on my to-do list.

"Sorry, I've been busy." I dismissed her inquiry quickly because I didn't share any personal details with them. _Maybe that would change in the future,_ I thought. "What do you mean his hair is straight?" I asked.

" _Here. I'll find you a few._ "

While I waited for Lynn to send me the photos, I opened up one of my playlists and started adding motivation songs to it. Anything that helped me get into the mindset of defeating my father once and for all would also make me feel better. Besides when you want to dream, dream big, I say. And kicking Father's ass was at the top of my to-do list too. Turning up the volume, I let "The Pretender," a song by my favorite band, the Foo Fighters, fill the room.

I loved thinking of my father as a pretender who thinks he's something he's not. The High Prince of Darkness, the Ruler of the Underworld, your Highness as he insists on being called, was really the idiot with the ideas that never came to fruition, the freak show no one took seriously. Okay, maybe that was just my personal opinion. However, it did make me wonder. Why did Blick think my father should be a concern? What did he know?

I forgot my question when links to the photos began popping up in my chat window with Lynn. As I opened a few of them, I couldn't stand to see anymore. She was right. They had changed Ashton's hair for the movie part. His unruly dark brown curls had been combed out and pulled back into a tight ponytail. The change in his hair style didn't distract from his intense, brooding stare, his warm, liquid brown eyes, or his big, thick eyebrows. His handsome face was kindled with a sort of passionate beauty that could change at a whim. All he had to do was lower his forehead slightly, glare at you with those eyes, and you'd think he was about to kill you. It was a great look for a vampire. I had to admit. But many of us considered his curly shoulder-length hair to be his trademark, and altering it was enough to dishearten our ideal image of him. I knew without asking Lynn that many of my friends were very upset about this development. I'm sure it had been the main topic of discussion for months.

"I can't believe it. What were they thinking?" I asked. I occupied myself with opening several of my favorite photos of Ash on both monitors, some with him baring his fangs, and some without while I waited for her response. She was a slow typist.

" _I have no idea. They'll be in a world of hurt if they do that to Maxwell when he returns to BR._ "

"You think he's returning to the show?" I asked, realizing afterwards that I should have kept that question to myself.

" _Of course! Where else can they find a vampire as sexy as he is? Why do you say shit you don't mean?_ "

I typed, "You're right" in the chat window and snickered at Lynn's steadfast opinions. She and I loved Ashton playing the character, Ron Maxwell on _Blood Realm_ , but we did argue on some of the fine points. His name, for example. He was called Maxwell on the show, instead of Ron. Lynn hated that. "His name is Ron," she would say. However, I thought Maxwell was a good name for a vampire. It sounded serious and elegant, yet deadly. Calling him Vampire Ron or Ron the vampire was lame. It would be like calling him Vampire Jerry or Vampire Bill. You get my meaning.

I didn't bring up our difference of opinion on that subject very often. Just like I didn't bring up the fact that Ashton was playing a vampire, and he really wasn't a vampire. Lynn didn't make a distinction. She couldn't imagine his being in any other acting roles except the one as the vampire on _Blood Realm_. I knew she secretly wanted to meet a vampire like Maxwell. I'd been tempted many times to tell her I was a vampire, but usually I lost my nerve.

With Ashton's career, I, on the other hand, hoped he would find new parts with the success of the upcoming movie, so he wouldn't be typecast as a vampire. He didn't smile that often in his role as Maxwell, which bothered me. His lips were firm and sensual, and witnessing his dazzling wide grin always made my heart skip a beat. Oh, I had a crush all right. I guess both of us really wanted to meet this guy, vampire or otherwise.

When my stomach lurched, I took another drink from my water bottle. It seemed to calm it. I turned down the music on my computer, leaving the chat window open, and headed to the kitchen to search for a snack. Although I knew Blick only had fresh vegetables and fruit on hand, I hoped to magically discover something non-healthy hiding in the fridge. I opened the refrigerator door. I wasn't hungry anymore. Actually it occurred to me I hadn't been hungry for quite a while. I refilled my water bottle and returned to my desk.

Restlessly, I browsed YouTube looking for new video clips of Ashton's movie. Lynn had said the director liked to post behind-the-scenes footage while they filmed, so I hoped I'd get lucky and see Ash in a few clips.

_Chime_. Pause.

_Chime_. Longer pause.

_Chime_.

"What is that," I said out loud, glancing around my desk. I searched the top of the desk, and then the drawers. "OMG," I shrieked when I found the source of the noise. A huge grin covered my face as I pulled the shiny new iPhone out of the bottom right drawer. A sticky note was attached to it. It said, "Yep, @ ur desk. I luv u anyways. Ur pup." I smiled with tears in my eyes and sighed. Blick was wonderful to me! I loved how he had been spoiling me with the electronics and gadgets. Receiving gifts was a very new concept for me.

The voice inside my head said, " _It's just guilt._ "

I dismissed the thought immediately.

Chime.

" _U find it?"_

" _I did! Thx!!!_  _"_ I returned a text message to Blick.

" _Chk email 4 network instrs._ "

" _k._ "

_What email account did he send those instructions to?_ I wondered as I set to the task of checking many accounts. Oh, I was so excited! I felt whole again. Now I had a project for the afternoon, setting up everything on my iPhone and syncing it to my computer. The blog could definitely wait. Finally I found Blick's email with the instructions and wrote down the settings I needed to hook up to the network. I noted his email address, blick@cloud.com. Seriously, cloud.com? That was just too cute! I added it to the contact record already existing in my phone. Blick being Blick meant he had already created an entry in my list of contacts with his cell phone number. I should have known.

Chapter 5

**Awesomesauce**

The doorbell rang. Ah yes, the supplement lady. Humming "The Pretender," like a small child delighted her relatives are visiting for her birthday party, I got up from my office chair. I couldn't believe how rejuvenated I felt. My day was awesome! No! It was awesomesauce! I laughed out loud, grabbing the doorknob and making a mental note to check urban dictionary.com to see if that word existed.

"Yes?" I pronounced the word deliberately accenting the syllable, letting my voice go down and up in pitch, almost singing it as I opened the door.

A woman close to my height stood in the doorway. She carried two large canvas bags stuffed with an assortment of small boxes and cartons in each. "Blick asked me to check in on you today, my child." A whiff of ginger mingled with cigarette smoke hit me, making my nose twitch.

"Ray, is that you?"

I observed a tall figure, standing in the shadows extinguishing a cigarette. A surge of affection took hold of me.

"Death? Oh my god!" I flew by the supplement lady and jumped into his arms. He fell back a bit, recovering quickly, and scooped me up, returning my hug.

"Oh wait!" I scrambled out of his grasp. "Have you come for me?"

"No? Does it look like I have?" His smile broadened in amusement. Glancing down at his dark slacks, he examined one leg, and then the other. "No, I don't think so. Have you been naughty, Ray?" He reached out and tenderly traced the line of my cheekbone and jaw with his finger.

"Oh gosh, you don't know the half of it," I beamed, ignoring his sexual innuendo, but enjoying the playful flirtation. I took his hand in mine, leading him to the door.

"So what is my ex-girlfriend doing so far from home?"

"I could ask you the same question, ex-boyfriend," I responded.

"Shall we compare notes?" He motioned for us to go inside.

"The lady, where is she?" I interrupted.

"I think you scared her off," he laughed, and then shook his head. "She's probably stocking the kitchen with the items she brought. Are those all for you?"

"Let's go see," I said, shutting the door behind me. "The kitchen is this way."

"I'm fine. I'll wait here." He plopped down at my desk.

Leaving Death in the living room, I made my way to the kitchen. Hopefully he would be more interested in viewing Blick's modern art collection displayed throughout the room than what was on my computer monitor or chatting with Lynn.

The supplement lady was bustling around the kitchen. Her steps slowed as she pondered where to put each item.

"Can I help you with anything, ma'am?"

"No, thanks. Just don't call me 'ma'am.' I'm not that old," she said and offered me a sudden, arresting smile.

I smiled back but didn't answer.

She gave me a brief nod and continued her work.

I couldn't get over the fact that she looked familiar to me. She was a lovely lady with long raven hair tied up in a bun, revealing her slender white neck. She wore an ivory-colored pantsuit that accented her curving, regal figure. Her apricot satin chiffon blouse glimmered under the room's recessed lighting as she moved. She strolled around the kitchen confidently putting away the items. Immediately I admired her.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked as she worked.

"I haven't been. But right now, I am. Yes." Feeling the urgency to put myself to use, I rearranged the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table a few times. Then I fidgeted with some cartons of spices on the counter, which she had yet to put away. A sparkle around her neck caught my attention. I moved in closer for a better look.

"This is beautiful," I said, grasping the pendant she had on. "What is it?" After the fact, I realized I had probably moved too fast for her to process.

She froze and studied me intently for a moment.

Thinking I had overstepped my politeness, I withdrew to the table, sliding into one of the chairs. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," I blurted, acting as if I would be disciplined for my error. Memories of the recent nightmares invaded my mind. I leaned over the table and closed my eyes to try to stop them. Reaching under the table and taking one of the wooden legs in my hand, I focused my thoughts on that one item and squeezed until I heard a sharp snap.

' _Okay, okay, that's good. Release,'_ the voice inside my head said.

The lady had stopped her tasks and was standing in the middle of the room, observing me. "That's fine, my child. Let me get you some water," she replied without waiting for a refusal. She placed the glass on the table in front of me. "The necklace was my mother's," she began slowly, still watching me. "In her time, people gave their loved ones amulets as a form of protection. Supposedly this ankh dates back to the Fifth Dynasty when the Egyptian sun god, Ra ruled supreme."

"Really? How incredible! I adore Egyptian artifacts. The ankh is the symbol of life, right?"

She caressed the pendant gently between her fingers. "Yes, that's correct. Very good. You know my mother used to say it had been handed down so many times in our family that they had lost count." Her features became more animated and a flash of humor crossed her face. The lady drew up a chair and sat beside me. "She even told me a story one time, although she denied it later, but she said this ankh holds the essence of Ra. Look, you can see the red fluid flowing from point to point as you move it." She leaned in close to me without removing it from her neck.

"Oh yes, you can. Amazing!" I said. "What is it made out of?"

"Rose quartz. Supposedly that's his blood in this very amulet," she beamed with pride.

"The blood of a god? Get out!" I exclaimed as I playfully slapped her arm. My eyes widened in awe.

She giggled like a teenager sharing a well-guarded secret with her best friend. "So the story goes."

"You girls having a good time in here?" Death lounged casually against the doorframe. He nodded to the supplement lady, "We better wrap up here. I've still got pickups to make this afternoon."

"Of course. I lost track of time. I'll make a few notes for Blick and be right there. Excuse me, dear." The lady's amusement swiftly died away. She returned to completing her tasks.

As I joined Death in the living room, I asked, "Do you work here now?"

He winked at me. "Yep, got a better offer. You know how it is with us contractors, we can go wherever we like if the deal's sweet enough."

"I bet that went over well with Father," I said sarcastically.

He shrugged his shoulders in mock resignation. "He'll get over it." Holding his head up, he buttoned his grayish blue Italian suit jacket and brushed his hands lightly over each arm, settling into a GQ model stance with one hand in his pocket and the other poised at his side. He added, "You are looking at the newly appointed Angel of Death with operations based out of the House of G."

I found it impossible not to return his disarming smile. "I like it. Your suit is a refreshing change to that punk phase you were going through when we dated. All the leather, chains, skull patches, and stuff." He had let his green Mohawk grow out into a short-cropped hairdo, heavy on the mousse, with sun-kissed blonde highlights scattered through his dark blonde hair. He looked stunning in his new 'uniform.'

"Yeah, I guess. I'm still getting used to it. I liked my leather, baby. But J suggested I get some tailor-made suits in a variety of colors, nothing black, and nothing made from animals. So no leather obviously." He checked the knot of the light blue tie he wore and tugged impatiently on his white shirt collar.

"Black leather suits. I could see that," I laughed out loud. Then I paused, considering. "You know, wearing black is rather ominous in your line of work."

"True. J actually said that, but I like black, and I like expressing myself. Besides, you always told me I looked very fuckable in black." His wild sapphire eyes were sharp and assessing.

"Oh yes, absolutely!" I said and rolled my eyes, knowing better than to disagree with his massive ego. "I always thought you looked like Brad Pitt from that movie, uh, what was it?" I struggled to think of the name. My newfound, delightful mood was rapidly leaving me.

"Meet Joe Black," he answered.

I glanced down at his feet and noticed he wore chocolate brown dress shoes. They had a funny look to them. "Yes, that's right," I said, staring at his shoes.

Noticing my observation, Death replied, "They are made out of canvas. The beige ones I have look better than these."

I smiled at him and chuckled. "Canvas dress shoes for men? J must be serious about your not wearing clothes, and shoes, that are made from animals."

"Yeah, he and G are sticklers for it. I'm not sure why."

I searched for my water bottle at the desk.

Changing the subject, Death asked, "Ray, what happened to us? Don't I still look like Brad Pitt?" He moved in close, pulling me into his arms. "You decide to go canine on me and bounce off with Wolf boy instead?"

I pushed at his brawny chest with one hand as I sucked down the remaining amount of water. His heart pounded an erratic rhythm. My head swam with memories of our passionate lovemaking. "Blick is a friend. I've told you that many times."

"Uh huh. Didn't believe it then and don't believe it now."

I twisted out of his grasp, feeling my body tingling with new life, hopefully due to the liquid and not his embrace.

"Look at this place," he went on. "He's got you sitting pretty! Had I known he had connections like this, I would have hit him up for a job a long time ago. I take it you called in some favors so you could leave with him? Last I heard, your father was declaring you legally dead, transferring everything into Stephanie's right."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"Such the little princess," Death said with a slow, secret smile I understood.

Irritated by his mocking tone, I recalled why I had broken up with him. Ultimately, I had known my dating an employee associated with my father's business would be trouble. At the time, Death had a bad boy image I loved. Maybe that's why I did it, to get back at my father. Actually Father had approved of him and that only exasperated the situation. Death always thought of me as a spoiled daddy's girl, being favored since I was part of the top floor of the organization, as he put it. He loved reminding me of that fact: how good I had it. If he only knew... Since our relationship was primarily physical, I kept my guard up and resisted sharing details about myself with him. For example, I didn't tell him what I felt like after Father's torture sessions: ashamed, angry, disgusted, broken, fearful, and above all, unlovable.

"Don't worry. I'll come back and woe you." His words interrupted my thoughts. "You probably need a real man at this point, especially if you're still eyefucking that wiry Earth actor." He pointed to the photos of Ashton on my monitor, then strolled over and kissed me, letting his lips linger.

Smothering a groan, I stepped back. "You'll be the first one I call."

"One last thing. Any idea why everyone is thinking Blick is harboring a vampire? I tagged along today to see if a real vampire lived here. But it's just my Ray."

"Snagging a vampire certainly would be a feather in your cap, especially with your new management, huh?" I asked.

"Possibly. I don't know really."

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

He studied my reaction. "It's why I had to leave," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Your father wanted me to come after you, take you home." Then his gaze dropped from my eyes to my shoulders to my breasts. "One of Satan's daughters a vampire? Delish."

I snapped my fingers to get his attention again. "I'm not going back, you know," I said.

"Are you admitting you are a vampire then?"

"No," I replied flatly. "And even if I was, he has no claim to me."

"Tell him that."

"I will," I challenged.

"Hey," Death said lifting his hands in a gesture of defeat. "Like I said, take it up with him."

He drew closer and dipping his head slightly, he said, "Listen. Security may be top-notch around here, but there's always a way in. Okay? Just be careful." He flashed me a smile, turned, and headed to the door.

I sank into the couch. My weakness had returned. I had enough to worry about without thinking about Death's comments. Finally I felt safe and happy being away from Hell, only to have that taken from me? _Father couldn't possibly find a way in_ , I thought. I wasn't even sure how I got here. _But was I safe? Could he find me? Would I be accepted here by the others? Could a vampire live among angels?_ I sighed. It was too much to think about.

The supplement lady appeared over my right shoulder and sat the glass of water on the wooden coffee table. "You left this in the kitchen, my child." Leaning over me, she whispered, "It was wonderful to finally meet you."

I mumbled a faint 'goodbye' as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Chapter 6

**Grab Your Popcorn**

"Hey! Hey! Vampire, wake up!"

My eyes flew open as I felt someone tapping my collarbone. I couldn't move. I was pinned down on the couch.

"Hi," said a voice above me. I saw a hand waving. The voice was velvet edged and gentle.

"Get off me." I tried to squirm out from under the weight.

"I think you were having a nightmare. You were thrashing about. I didn't want you to hurt yourself. That's why I sat on you."

"Are there zombies surrounding us?"

"Nooo, not that I'm aware of." My question seemed to amuse him. "Why? Were you dreaming about _zombies_?! Oh wow, is your father a zombie?" he laughed.

"Yeah. That's not funny." From my vantage point, I could see the generous portion of manhood between his long, sturdy Viking legs, his flat stomach, and his bare muscular arms. He was very strong, and I was in too compromising a position to take this guy on.

"Sooo..." He looked over his left shoulder, then his right, making a big deal about my ludicrous assumption. "Nope, no zombies. You're okay," he reassured me and smiled. "Blick said you were having nightmares about snakes? Why zombies now?"

"I don't know! I have fucked up dreams! Okay?! Why are you still sitting on me? You weigh a ton!"

"Stop bouncing me around," he frowned at me. "Holding you down with my hands didn't work, so this was the best alternative. You're pretty strong for a girl."

"A what? Get off me!" I shrieked, thrusting my hips against him. I glared at him. Briefly I thought of hitting him squarely in the balls with my forehead, but decided against it.

He clamped his hand over my mouth. "Shhh. Steady there, cowgirl with the potty mouth. I'd like to, but we have some workers here right now. They are fixing the railing on the deck out there that you broke. You can't freak out again. It'll get back to G if you make a scene. Can I trust you if I let you up?"

I nipped the inside of his hand with my teeth.

Immediately he withdrew, but remained perched on me.

"For your information, Blick freaked out on me this morning. He pushed me into the railing. I almost fell. I did fall actually," I said, clarifying the incident.

"You almost fell," he grinned. Then suddenly, his mood grew somewhat serious. His face appeared inches from mine. "Blick told me. Vampire agility, right? Poor Blick. He's got his hands full with you. Tsk. Tsk."

His face was bronzed by the sun. He had a stubble beard, a generous mouth, straight nose, and an adorable cleft chin. His bright, clear blue eyes were as blue as the ocean outside Blick's home.

As our eyes met, a shock ran through me.

The voice inside my head said, " _Wow! What was that?"_

He paused for a moment as if he felt it too, then said, "Let's just sit here and talk. They should be done soon. Calm down. I won't hurt you." He pulled away and stretched out on the couch by me. Even the hair on his legs was golden blonde. I sighed and stifled a serious of wicked thoughts.

Then I noticed our close contact had excited him, and my breath quickened. Reluctantly I looked away from the bulge in his black gym shorts and admired the rippling muscles under his white T-shirt. My emotions were all over the place.

He swept his long bangs out of his face and tucked them behind his right ear. His short cropped hair was the same color as the hair on his legs.

"I can't stand being tied up or not being able to move. It brings back..." My voice died away.

"I apologize for doing that, but it was necessary. Blick told me what your father did to you. You don't need to explain. I know."

I winced at his statement and changed the subject. "Who are you?" I asked.

"My name's Michael. I work with Blick training new recruits."

_That probably had something to do with me,_ I thought. "It's nice to meet you, Michael. Thanks for uh..." I hesitated, struggling for the words. "For waking me up."

An easy smile played at the corners of his mouth. "No problem."

"Could I ask you a small favor?"

"What?"

"I'm rather thirsty. Would you fill up my water bottle? It's on the desk over there." I let my head fall back on the edge of the couch. The weakness had returned again.

"You don't feel any better after getting some sleep?"

"No," I whispered. His voice sounded so far away.

***

I heard someone screaming only to realize it was me. Again I couldn't move. I jerked my hands upwards. They held. I jerked my feet outwards. They held as well. Ropes? Chains? Straps? What was holding me secure? I remained perfectly still for a moment. This time I would be ready to attack.

"Don't fight us. We're not trying to hurt you," one voice spoke.

"At least she's not dead," the other voice responded.

My eyes popped open, but a blindfold obstructed my vision. This couldn't be happening again. How many people were here? Who were they? Father? Stephanie? I couldn't think clearly. My head throbbed, and I was drenched in sweat. The gray nylon jogging suit I wore stuck to me.

"Something is seriously wrong," the first voice said. I recognized it was Blick. "Rayea, you wouldn't stop hitting yourself." He directed his attention to me. "We had to restrain you. I'm going to untie you and see if you can drink something to calm you down."

"Blick? Is that you? They're after us." Fighting through the nightmarish visions, I struggled to understand. His words made no sense.

"Yes, it's me. It's okay. No one is after you. I'm going to release you. Okay?"

I felt the bindings around my feet loosen, followed by my hands. I didn't wait for the blindfold to be removed. Instead I leapt towards the second voice I had heard, hoping to make contact. I assumed that voice belonged to my father.

I landed on the figure. A low growl erupted from me. I extended my fangs and roared like some fire-breathing dragon. I summoned my pyrokinetic powers, but nothing happened.

"You're ready to kill an angel, Vampire?" the second voice asked calmly.

"Yes, Father, a fallen angel."

"Then at least give me the benefit of seeing you first."

I braced myself, thinking I'd be looking into Father's eyes. My blindfold was removed. Instead I saw Michael's face. I had straddled him against the top of the kitchen table. He arched his eyebrows mischievously. "Are we hallucinating?"

Blick rushed to his aid. "Hold her still before she burns us both to ashes. But be gentle!" He forced a tall glass of green slush down my throat as Michael gripped my thighs tightly against his.

"Burns us?" Michael asked.

Swallowing some of the mixture of supplements, I gagged and spit out the rest. I threw the glass against the wall. Growling, I pressed my legs against Michael, forcing him against the table again.

"Rayea, nooooo!" Blick grabbed me.

I shoved at him. The push propelled him into the wall with a loud crash.

As we fought on the table, Michael freed one of his arms from under my legs and slapped me hard across the face. "Steady, Vampire."

The pain radiated through my jaw.

"Blick?" Michael asked slowly, keeping his gaze on me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he answered.

A drop of blood from my busted lip landed on Michael's white T-shirt. I groaned with pleasure.

"When was the last time you fed this vampire?" Michael asked.

Hearing the word 'vampire,' my attention snapped back to Michael's face, and I snarled at him. I wanted to devour this angel in my sights.

"You've got some long fangs there, Vampire. What are those? An inch and a half, maybe two?" Michael managed a small, tentative smile despite the threat I posed.

I watched his every move, ready to strike, but feeling a force hold me back. "Blood," I replied. I could hear it pumping in his veins, through his temples, and down the side of his neck. His pulse reminded me of the waves slamming against the rocks. An image of my rocking in his lap to that rhythmic dance surfaced in my mind, riding him, grinding against him over and over until... _To have him inside me_ , I thought.

The voice inside my head said, " _Grab your popcorn! This is gonna be good!_ "

"Rayea, please calm down," Blick said as he carefully approached us. "We can't make a scene."

"I think it's a little late for that," Michael interjected.

"What do we do?" Blick asked him.

"I told you she needs blood."

I nodded, staring at Michael. _Yes, she does_ , I thought. _That and a lot more._

The voice inside my head asked, " _She needs blood!_ _Why the fuck did we not think of that before?_ "

"You're right. God, I'm an idiot! I'm the worst guardian angel ever!" Blick exclaimed. "But she can't have mine or yours for that matter. J won't approve it." He collapsed in a chair, behind Michael, shaking his head. "Rayea, I've failed you."

Michael looked over at him. "Get a grip, man. We move to Plan B. Grab those items and I'll take her to the living room."

"Tasssty," I hissed and smacked my lips when I witnessed Michael's adam's apple showing as he leaned his head back to speak to Blick.

Cautiously returning his attention to me, Michael said, "Look into my eyes." The warmth of his smile echoed in his voice. I stared at him, mesmerized by the ocean-blue color of his eyes. Instantly, I felt relaxed, sane, and willing to submit to his will.

Great, the vampire is going googoo for the angel.

_Shut up_ , I snapped at the voice inside my head. _He's adorable_. I sighed and returned his smile.

"If this doesn't work, you can ask Gabriel to help out," Michael said to Blick.

"Not funny," Blick said.

Michael shrugged. Sweeping me off the table, he gathered me in his arms and announced, "Let's do this."

Without any resistance, I floated into the living room as the angel carried me. _Isn't he dreamy?_ I thought.

The voice inside my head responded, " _You better latch your mouth around something on that angel or I will!_ "

Michael positioned me on the large, comfy leather couch. He was talking to me, but I didn't pay any attention. I was fascinated with the movement of his arms, the way his neck curved from side to side as he and Blick conversed. I looked at Blick, and then Michael many times as I admired how both angels were attractive in their own right. Were all angels beautiful? I wondered. The roar of the ocean called me and I let the feeling pull me under into a heavenly bliss.

Chapter 7

**Angel Blood**

"Aaahhh!" I yelled, extending my fangs.

"You want to wake up or you want me to continue hitting you?" Michael snapped.

"You do and I'll bite your neck off, Dick! I'm not a punching bag!" I exclaimed.

He stomped across the kitchen.

"Rayea!" Blick scolded me. "He's only trying to help. We're running out of time!"

"Let me in on the plan then, guys," I said reaching to rub my jaw. "Great, I'm tied up again? What the fuuu...heck?" I said for Blick's benefit.

"You're not making this very easy on us," Michael said.

"Easy on you?!" My voice broke in a high screech.

Impatiently, he slammed a few wooden drawers looking for something. "Where are the knives?"

"Top left by the stove," Blick directed.

"Chasing you around the living room isn't exactly fun. You meet J in less than four hours. So yes, you are back in the chair. And yes, you can bat those pretty eyes at me all you want, if you think it'll help, but you're gonna drink angel blood pronto!"

The voice inside my head hissed, " _Yesss!_ "

"You ready?" Michael asked Blick.

Blick nodded an affirmative, shifted into his hellhound form, and took a position behind me.

Finally having a moment of clarity and understanding that Michael wanted me to drink from him, I balked at the invitation. I ignored the hunger lust building again and started formulating a plan of my own. Retracting my fangs, I glared up at his seven foot stature. _Why were all these angels so tall?_ I thought.

"I don't want her harmed. This may not work. We shouldn't push her. We could stall a few more days," Blick said to Michael.

"This has to work. You saw the reports! We don't have a few more days. You know that!" Michael replied.

"I thought I was meeting G?" I asked.

"You're meeting G later. J is the pre-meeting," Michael said.

Since Blick was towering over me, I glanced up to see his black furry chin. _Did you just speak as a hellhound?_ I sent the thought to him.

He looked down at me with his gleaming puppy dog eyes I had long missed and said aloud, "Yes, Rayea. And you don't have to do this."

"Listen, both of you," Michael began.

"Can we talk about this?" I interrupted and set my sights on Michael.

He returned my gaze for several minutes, and then started laughing. "The hypnotizing stuff doesn't work on us, Vampire."

"So you can Jedi mind trick me, but I can't do the same to you?"

"Something like that," he retaliated.

"You know, for an angel, you really are an asshole," I responded.

He doubled over with laughter.

_Step back, Blick!_ I sent the thought to him as I summoned my pyrokinetic powers again. This time, flames ignited around me and engulfed me and the chair. As I vaporized and materialized behind Michael next to the stove, I smelled singed fur lingering in the air. Hopefully I didn't scorch Blick too much.

"I won't drink from you," I said in defiance, rummaging through an open drawer.

Michael whirled around. "Oh yes, you will. You have to be ready for this meeting. Whether you like me or not is beside the point."

"Pre-meeting," I corrected him. Inching towards the refrigerator, I said, "I just need to hydrate."

His hand came down over mine possessively. "I think you've had enough Holy water."

Hiding the knife behind my back, I spun Michael around, slamming him face first into the island in the center of the kitchen. Delicately, I placed the knife on the side of his neck. "I've been drinking Holy water, Blick?! Seriously?!"

"For all we know, it's kept you alive," he shrugged, seeming relatively unharmed, except for maybe his pride.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked him.

"I'll live," Blick said.

"What are you?" Michael interrupted.

Blick addressed Michael. "I told you. She's a different type of vampire."

"Now let's listen to my plan," I announced, not realizing I was pressing myself hard against Michael's thighs. I glanced down at Michael in his precarious situation, and then Blick. Both mumbled, "Fine," in agreement.

***

After gulping down three glasses of a red smoothie mixture that contained Michael's blood and other essentials Blick insisted on adding, I felt somewhat better. We had convened in the kitchen for an old fashioned blood transfusion exercise. I couldn't bare the thought of sinking my fangs into Michael's neck, so I had suggested our cutting his wrist instead, and draining some of his blood into one of Blick's blenders.

"Do you think we could take a break?" Michael asked. He stood with us in the center of the kitchen at the marble island, grasping one of the corners for balance. His knuckles were white.

Blick laid the bloody knife down. "We've taken enough of his blood."

Quickly I retrieved a bar stool and rushed over to him. He gripped the bottom of the green leather seat as Blick and I assisted him. Michael was very pale.

"You're right. I'm sorry. It'll be enough," I said.

"Help me get him to the couch, Rayea." Blick steadied Michael under his arms as they walked to the living room.

I wasn't exactly helping that much, so when I saw a droplet of blood land on the stone floor, I volunteered to be nurse maid. "Let me bandage your wrist," I said. I ran to the restroom on the other side of the living room to grab the first aid kit.

"Blick, how much time do we have," I yelled as I made my way towards the kitchen. I could tell I was somewhat winded, so I paused for a moment to catch my breath near the couch in the living room.

"He went to get J," Michael responded, studying me. He was resting on the couch.

Immediately, I knelt by him, opening the kit and dumping all the items on the stone floor in case I needed them. "Are you okay?"

"I'll gain my strength in a few minutes. What about you?"

"Do you think it'll leave a scar?" I asked, ignoring his inquiry.

I felt his eyes on me. Slowly he replied, "It might, but it won't be the first."

"That's cool that angels have accelerated healing. I'm sorry we had to keep cutting your wrist." I attempted to make small talk, ignoring his gaze as I worked on the dressing.

"We did have a faster route, but the vampire couldn't use her fangs. It'll be too icky if I bite you." His voice lifted into a high pitched squeal.

"I don't want killing an angel on my conscience. No thanks," I stated flatly.

"You won't kill me. Why do you think three 12-ounce glasses will revive you? After all this time? Blick's a great guy, but he's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier."

"It was not his fault. He didn't know. Sometimes you don't see the most obvious thing in front of you," I rationalized.

"Did you want us to just keep slicing away on you until you fell over?"

"It was taking too long! You're still hungry, aren't you?" he demanded.

I didn't answer.

"We have to make sure. If you are, now is the time to say so. When J shows up, we can't have you going after him. He's pretty important to our network."

"I may not know all the team players here, but I know who G and J are. Father bitched about them often enough. I promise to behave," I replied.

"How are you feeling really?" Michael asked, still studying me.

"Like a million bucks," I smiled, gritting my teeth. "You?"

"I'm fine now."

"How does it feel knowing you saved a vampire? Probably your first, right?"

"That reminds me. Let me bring up the blood transfusion to J, okay? It'll be better received if I tell him." A sudden thin chill hung on the edge of Michael's words.

I shuddered and backed away from him. "I've gotten you in trouble, haven't I? I'm sorry. We shouldn't have. It was a stupid idea."

"No," he said. "You were losing consciousness. You wouldn't have lasted much longer. It was my decision to give you my blood. Mine alone."

"I'm immortal. I won't die." I avoided his penetrating gaze.

"There are things worse than physical death. When did you test this immortality theory?"

"Well I just thought..." I changed the subject. "Without blood, I'd turn into what exactly?"

"I don't think you want to find out, do you?"

"No, I guess not. Thank you by the way...for saving me."

"You're worth saving."

Michael's comment startled me, but I elected to leave it be. A wave of weakness hit me. I sighed again. I couldn't figure everything out at once. _Was I not immortal? Without blood, would I die? Was Father after me in my dreams? Good grief!_ "There. I'm done," I mumbled and placed his bandaged wrist on the couch. Leaning back on my elbows, I rested.

"You're deathly pale. You need more blood."

"I can't," I said, still avoiding his eyes. His tone aroused and infuriated me. I swallowed hard, trying not to reveal the hunger that suddenly took hold of me.

" _Listen to the angel,_ " the voice inside my head chided me.

_Ugh,_ I thought. _He was right. I wanted more. I needed more._ Suddenly I lashed out at Michael in frustration. "What do you know about it? Maybe that's all the blood I need? Who made you the expert on vampires? How many vampires have you met, hmmm?" I paused when I realized I had been sitting up on my knees, slamming unused items into the first aid kit over and over.

"You're figuring out everything by what you read on the internet, aren't you?"

I looked up at him, speechless. Then shrugged my shoulders.

Michael put his hand on my shoulder. "Sit beside me."

I gritted my teeth, forcing my fangs to stay hidden, and joined him on the couch. Nervously, I examined the mahogany wooden ceiling beams, refusing to make eye contact.

"I know you're attracted to me, Vampire." He laced his fingers around mine, and drawing near, nuzzled my neck.

My heart dropped into my stomach. "And you're gonna use it against me, aren't you?" I whispered.

"If necessary, yes. Listen to my thoughts. Hear me." Michael nibbled on my ear and flicked his tongue in my ear a time or two. "Let me help you."

"Oh no, you don't. I'm not falling for that Jedi mind trick again." I retreated to the other side of the couch and tried to regain control of my breathing.

" _Let the angel help you, idiot!_ " the voice inside my head shrieked.

"With my blood already running in your veins, I can force you to stop when I need you to."

"Force me? What are you talking about? You're not forcing me to do anything!"

"We're connected now." To emphasize his point, Michael invaded my side of the couch, lifted me up and swept me into his lap.

"Oh, wonderful. Now you'll be in my head too?" I pushed at his chest, refusing to acknowledge my instant attraction to him.

"I promise it'll be only when it's necessary. You can hear me if you'd listen. Blick and you can communicate telepathically. All celestial beings can."

"I'm not a celestial being."

"You sure about that? You recognized it the minute we met."

I looked up at him in amazed wonder.

"That's it. Just look at me and when you're ready, we'll begin," Michael said.

"No!" I pounded my fists again his chest. "You're not going to sweet talk me into this. You're lying!"

"You have to, Vampire!" He grabbed me by the shoulders and held me still.

I could see that the color had returned to his cheeks.

"Stop calling me Vampire. I have a name. Besides if I bite you on the neck, others will see it. What about your other wrist? I could bandage it up afterwards and they'll match," I offered matter-of-factly, glancing down at his wrist. _Let's see if I can get away from him with that story._

He paused for a moment, and then said, "Good point."

I dashed to the front door to make a quick escape.

Michael's footsteps thundered down the hall towards the door.

" _You can't move, can you?_ " he asked. I heard his thought filter into my brain. He wrapped his arms around me. " _Perhaps we both have powers the other doesn't fully understand._ "

I wanted to answer him. Even more, I wanted to lean into him and gather my strength, but I was powerless to move. My mind was locked to his. I was frozen, unable to budge even an inch.

He kissed me on the top of my head. " _I knew you'd be the one._ " Then, without warning, he released me from the mental hold he had on me.

I stumbled, then turning on my heel, faced him.

" _Do you trust me?_ " His lips did not move.

" _Do I have a choice?_ " I responded, sending out the telepathic thought like a dagger.

He returned my insult by patting me on the head. "Not really," he said aloud. "Rayea? Rayea?!"

Before I fell face first into the stone floor, Michael caught me. The mind meld had been too much for my system. My legs wouldn't hold me. He swept me off my feet and deposited me on the couch.

"Let's do this," he declared.

I stared at him, wishing I could lose myself again in his blue eyes and forget everything, who I was, where I was, everything. And just let the sea pull me under. Maybe being a vampire was too much for my system to take.

"You're so pale. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have proven my point. You'll be okay. You've gotta be okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I placed my hand on his to quiet him. "Let's do this," I repeated in a broken whisper.

"Okay. Are you ready? Okay, forget that. You're ready. Show me your teeth," he said. "Rayea? RAYEA??!! Nooo!"

I lost consciousness.

The blow to my face revived me and I heard Michael again yelling, "Show me your teeth, Vampire!"

On command, my fangs flipped out from their holding cavity in the roof of my mouth.

The voice inside my head said, "Y _ou just sit there, honey. We've got this._ "

"Holy shit!" Michael said, bracing himself. "Those are some very long faaaa...."

I launched myself on top of him and buried my face in his neck.

He moaned, encircling me in his arms as I straddled his legs.

I drank from Michael deeply, relishing in the feeling of his warm blood flowing down my throat. With every drink I took from him, my body returned a thrusting motion against him. I rocked back and forth in his lap, feasting on his blood.

Suddenly he grabbed me by my elbows and held me still on top of him. His chest was rising to and fro. "I wanna be inside you," he said in a short gasp as he tried to steady his breathing.

Resting against his hips, I could feel his erection. The blood pulsing through his generous portion of manhood tickled the inside of my thigh.

Unable to speak, I nodded feverishly. Quickly I retracted my fangs and stood up to undress.

His hand latched around my wrist. The passion in his blue eyes halted me from moving any further. Again, when our eyes met, I felt a pull from him, some instantaneous connection I didn't understand.

"Let me do that," he said.

Carefully he removed my jogging pants, leaving my thong on. I closed my eyes as his hands spread across my belly. His touch was light and painfully teasing. He took his time sliding the thong slowly down my legs, exploring every inch of me with his fingers. It felt like an ocean breeze embracing over me. I bit down on my lip, attempting to remain calm and hide my fangs as his tongue caressed the inner parts of my thighs. " _Oh my god,_ " I thought. " _This is heaven!_ "

"Do you want to make love to me, Rayea?" he asked somewhat shyly.

I swallowed hard, and looked down at him. He too had removed his clothes. His eyes blazed with desire. I sighed when I saw how gorgeous he was fully nude.

"Oh yes, Michael," I moaned. "But I'm still hungry. May I? I mean is it okay if I?" I stopped talking when I realized I was babbling. I couldn't think straight gazing at his beautiful body. He had the body of a golden, Viking warrior.

He pulled me down on top of him again into the coolness of the leather couch. He held my face gently in his hands and ran his fingers through my hair. A mischievous grin crossed his face. "Show me your fangs," he whispered.

I let my fangs extend, savoring the moment of being so close to him.

"Drink," he said. "Drink." He leaned one side of his neck in my direction.

Rocking some in his lap, I licked my lips and nodded, still remaining silent. "What if I hurt you?"

Michael shook his head, seductively lowering his eyes at me. "You won't." Then he ran his fingers up the back of my spine.

The tingling sensation from his fingertips forced me to arch my back.

His breath surfaced on my breasts and I felt the velvet warmth of his kisses along my chest. As I moaned loudly and my head fell back, he entered me.

Michael took his time helping me secure a rhythm as I rode him. I couldn't get over the feeling. My entire body was tingling before I even reached a climax.

His muscles glistened as he worked my hips against him. He teasingly kissed the inside of my neck, tempting me. The veins in his neck stood thriving, bursting for attention. Hastily I focused on his radiant blue eyes and I felt a thunderous bolt radiated through me as I came.

A devastatingly handsome smile widened across his face. Softly he moaned. "You feel so good."

My lips brushed across his as he spoke. I wasn't surprised at my own eager response to the touch of his lips. "You're sure?" I whispered. Parting his lips with my tongue, I kissed him lightly.

He raised himself up to meet my kiss. His lips were hard and searching. His thrusting increased. "Yes!" He guided my head into the curve of his neck as he held me in his strong arms.

I plunged my fangs into him as another orgasm rocked through me. A few moments later, I felt him meet his satisfaction as well. His wonderful, large hands rested on the curves of my waist as I drank from him.

Chapter 8

**Blood Delirium**

Through the haze of blood delirium, I heard the front door to Blick's home open and close. The sound of distant footsteps grew near. Instinctually I released my fangs from Michael's neck and jumped off the couch. Michael didn't move.

Blick and a man wearing a tan Italian suit -who I assumed was J- stormed into the living room.

"Where's your computer?" the man asked. We've had another report of an outbrea..."

Both stopped in their tracks when they saw me standing there partially nude in just my gray nylon jogging jacket, splattered in blood. Michael's blood.

"What's going on here?" Blick yelled, rushing past me.

"She's sucked him dry! Get him to the bedroom now!" the man exclaimed.

Blick picked Michael up, threw him over his shoulders, and followed the man to the bedroom.

I rushed to the terrace to snag a sweatshirt and pants. Returning to the living room, I busied myself with cleaning the crime of the scene. _He can't die_ , I repeated to myself over and over.

The voice inside my head reassured me, " _The angel can't die, silly. He said so. Chill out._ "

"I knew my Ray was a vampire!"

I cursed under my breath when I heard Death's familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed.

"Just in case," he replied. He paused and didn't say anything else.

A puzzled look crossed my face.

"Hey, you wanna swing into the kitchen and give me a quickie? I don't mind sloppy seconds. You look so sexy all splattered in blood! Having sex with an angel. Shame on you!" He winked at me as a devilish gleam came into his eyes.

"I'm in no mood for your vulgarity!" Then the realization of his presence settled in on me. "Oh no, no, no. Michael won't die. You can't have him!" I yelled, giving him a slap across his arm.

***

Death silently watched me as I placed a few blankets over the couch. I didn't want to see the blood splatters on the brown leather anymore. For the time being, it was the most cleaning I could do. I collapsed on the couch, feeling defeated.

Finally Blick and the man joined us in the living room. I glanced up at the man with hopeful eyes.

He ignored me.

"Death, thank you for showing up so promptly. I do apologize for the inconvenience. I'll take care of the matter from here," the man said.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you. I'll be on my way." With that, Death vanished into a puff of black smoke.

The man shook his head. "I'll need to talk with him about his exit."

Trying to find a way to lighten the mood in the room and confirm, from an earlier conversation with Death, that the man before me was J, I said, "No use of the color black, correct, Sir?" I realized we were past formal introductions.

Casually amused, the man chuckled. "Yes, it's so ominous. I told him he needs to work on his product presentation." He removed his Armani suit jacket and tossed it on the couch. I noticed a Bluetooth headset stuck to his left ear. Turning serious, J said to me, "Explain your actions, my dear."

"You attacked him?" Blick interjected.

I was caught off guard by the sudden vibrancy in Blick's voice. "No, no, no. It wasn't like that. I didn't want to drink his blood. We did the red smoothies. Blick, you know. You were here. I thought it would work. But I was still pale and weak and he wouldn't stop bothering me. It was his idea. Wait. No. Strike that. It was my fangs' idea. They have a mind of their own." Pacing back and forth, I tried to process what had happened. I stopped in midstride, placing my hands on my hips, and faced them.

J and Blick exchanged glances, and then focused on me.

"Okay, yes, I realize I'm not making sense. But I didn't want him dead. I didn't want him at all. Okay, wait. That's not true. I didn't want to eat him, ugh, shit, I didn't want to kill him!"

"Language!" Blick insisted.

I threw up my hands in despair. "You're impossible! Who the fuck cares what language I use if I just fucking killed an angel?!" I stuffed my hands under my legs to keep them from trembling.

J yanked his Bluetooth headset out of his ear. "Can you control her please, Blick? G's listening in on this meeting."

"Is he going to make it?" I blurted out.

"I wanted to ask you why you had that headset in your ear. Why is that, Sir?" Blick asked.

"Why is what?"

Blick pointed to J's Bluetooth headset, and then made a few hand signals to J.

Impatiently, J waved his hand in the air. "I'm not sure. G has been acting odd lately. He wants to listen in on every meeting."

J and Blick continued to stare at one another in front of the couch, clearly holding a conversation I was not invited to participate in.

Since I was being ignored, I cleared my throat to get their attention. "Michael, is he..."

J broke his communication with Blick. He unbuttoned his white long sleeve shirt and rolled up both sleeves. "Michael is going to be fine, my dear. He just needs to rest for a moment."

"Thank god," I gasped.

J put his hands on his hips and assessed me with smug annoyance.

Quickly, as if trying to apologize for my actions, I folded his suit jacket neatly and laid it on the armrest of the couch. A light scent of ginger caught my attention, and, closing my eyes, I attempted to remember why that smell seemed familiar.

I felt Blick's weight sink into the couch as he sat by me. "Rayea, we have a lot of things to work on, one being this split personality story you're trying to sell J. You're a vampire and you and your fangs are one in the same." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

Pushing his arm away, I said, "Don't patronize me. I know that. I'm not an idiot!"

J leaned his left hand on my desk and raised an eyebrow at me in amused contempt. He played with the headset in his right hand, carefully observing me. Even if J had been wearing a T-shirt and shorts like Blick, he still would have revealed an air of authority, a person who demanded instant obedience. His well-groomed appearance in his suit only accentuated the fact. He was a tall, ascetic-looking man with fairly wide shoulders and long arms. His aquiline facial features displayed an inherent strength that set off his extraordinary dark gray-green eyes. Instantly I knew why my father disliked this man so much. He feared and envied his commanding air of self-confidence. J reminded me of a famous actor whose presence you basked in. He was a young version of a Jack Nicholson, a Robert De Niro, or a Clint Eastwood. Instantly I was a fan, but, at the same time, I knew I was out of my league being in his realm.

The voice inside my head added, " _And attacking one of his angels was a stupid move. Much less fucking him._ "

I shuddered, quickly acknowledging only to myself that I had not regretted either of my actions. My body continued to tingle and quiver. The combination of fabulous sex and blood intake had blown me away. It didn't hurt that Michael was drop-dead gorgeous. "Okay, maybe I am an idiot," I finally said. "It was a bad idea. He said we were celestial beings and he could stop me at any time. We just got carried away."

"Sounds like we both have some talking to do with our subordinates, Blick. Michael shouldn't be telling you such nonsense, my dear," J qualified. He inclined his head forward. Under the gleam of the room's recessed lighting, I noticed his light brown hair had sandy red highlights.

Blick saw my inquisitive expression at hearing J call me Blick's subordinate. He shook his head at me and tossed me a thought. " _Don't go there._ "

I grumbled to myself and fixed my eyes on the floor.

"Sir, it's not nonsense. She has the spark."

My breath caught in my lungs when I heard Michael's voice come from the hallway. He had been leaning against the door frame, waiting to make an entrance I supposed, or maybe trying to steady his legs so he could walk. He wore one of Blick's dark green jogging suits and a clean pair of matching pants. I noticed the familiar 'G' logo on the left upper corner of the nylon jacket. It was on all of Blick's athletic wear. The letter was usually white with a single orange lightning bolt through the middle. Sometimes the color of the 'G' logo did vary on his clothing, but never the color of the lightning bolt. I assumed it denoted 'The House of G,' but I never made a point of asking Blick if that was the case.

"I find that hard to believe," J said as he sat in my desk chair. He glanced over his shoulder at me. "She's a vampire made in Hell, Michael. There's no changing that. Just don't let one of us walk in on you guys again. Keep it in the bedroom."

Michael muttered, "Sure," and glanced over at me.

When his gaze became somewhat uncomfortable, I excused myself and fled to a small laundry room across from the kitchen, so I could find a fresh change of clothes, clean myself up, and collect my wits. After hearing J's insult, I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach.

***

I returned to the living room on a mission. Wearing my brown Nirvana T-shirt that had wings imprinted behind the band's name, a pair of faded blue jeans, and some flip flops, I felt more comfortable to deal with the tension in the room. The lavender soap I had washed my face with was a refreshing change to the metallic smell of Michael's blood. It mixed divinely with the aroma of his manly musk scent. I wanted to close my eyes and just breathe in, remembering our lovemaking.

Balancing my water bottle, a roll of paper towels, and a large container of all-purpose cleaner in my hands, I headed to the couch to busy myself with cleaning off the blood. Michael and Blick stood over J while he sat at my desk, talking into his headset. "Yes, it's relatively simple. Just upload the footage, please. Did you forget how, Sir?" He paused for a few moments. "Yes, Sir. I'm sorry. I can wait. Take your time." J clicked the headset he had attached to his ear and ended the call.

Michael asked, "Was that G?"

J nodded.

"What was that about?" Blick continued the mini-investigation.

J shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. He's done it a million times."

All three exchanged glances at one another.

Realizing I had returned, Blick motioned for me to join them.

"I'm fine. I wanna clean up some," I said bending over to remove the blankets.

"That's got ammonia in it. Don't use that! It'll strip the color out of the leather," Blick insisted.

"Fine," I snapped. Depositing my items on the coffee table, I sank into the couch. The tension in the room had increased.

" _I'll have some people come out, Rayea. Don't worry about it! We have more important things to attend to!_ " he snarled at me telepathically.

"Blick, please stay out of my head, right now. I can't deal with it. There's too much testosterone in the room," I snapped.

Turning around in my desk chair, J suddenly became very interested in our conversation. Again he pulled the headset from his ear and placed it on the desk. "Let me get this straight? You and Blick can hear each other's thoughts?" he asked.

Then I heard Blick say the most amazing thing I'd ever heard him say. "No Sir, we've just been around each other for so long that we can pick up on each others' actions. She didn't mean that literally."

" _You just lied to that man,_ " I tossed the statement to Blick's mind.

" _With G acting strange and listening in on us, you think I have a choice?_ _We have to be careful. Cover for me._ " He raised his right eyebrow and scowled at me.

I laughed lightly and nervously tied my hair into a pony tail, pretending I was amused. "That's true, Sir." I giggled like a twelve year old school girl. "Blick's such a papa, and you know how that is..." Letting my voice trail off, I forced a smile on my face. _Would J buy it?_ I wondered.

"Ah yes," he said, quickly losing interest and answering the headset as the call from G came in.

I glared at Blick.

He returned my glare. " _This is serious!_ " This time his thought resounded through my head.

"We need to watch this. G is waiting," J announced.

Instant silence filled the room.

With the headset in his ear, J spoke rapidly to the other person on the call. "Yes, the team's assembled. I'll call you back when we're done reviewing it. Okay. Talk to you soon." He ended the call, and again removed the headset from his ear and placed it on the desk.

"Well played," Michael said to J.

J arched an eyebrow in response. "Let's see if that gives us some time to figure things out. Everyone ready? G just sent this to me. It's footage of an outbreak." He clicked the Play button on the video.

Chapter 9

**Zombie Nightmares**

After viewing the video of a zombie eating a security camera a few too many times, I felt sick to my stomach. "Zombies here." With my head low, I strolled into the kitchen for more Holy water. I took my time pouring the liquid into the glass water bottle and selected a yellow straw this time. _Well who cares if this stuff kills me now,_ I thought.

The voice inside my head offered, " _You won't make it out alive against those zombies. They look nasty."_

_Don't I know it_ , I responded.

When I returned to the living room, I opted to sit on the couch, facing the group huddled around my computer desk. They were examining every frame of the video, every movement the zombie closest to the camera made, even when he snarled and munched down on the camera, ripping it out of the wall. Michael glanced at me and asked, "Are those the creatures you were dreaming about?"

I nodded emphatically, grabbing my bottle to guzzle more water and wishing I had the gift of invisibility. My pre-meeting was not going well. Had the pre-meeting started? I wasn't sure actually. Maybe the zombie outbreak had canceled my pre-meeting, and hopefully my meeting with G. I was not looking forward to speaking to that person on the other end of J's Bluetooth headset. I sighed loudly.

J looked over at me, and then Michael. "Excuse me? You've been dreaming about what exactly?"

Setting my water bottle down on the wooden coffee table with a thud, I swallowed hard and stared at the seashells and fish lining the outside of the glass. Absentmindedly, I began chewing on my lip, remembering the sea dragon sighting I had this morning. I longed to be on the terrace, watching the ocean.

"Rayea, answer him." Lightly, Blick tapped me on the shoulder.

Like a robot, I commenced reporting my nightmares. "Yes, Sir. Big, scary green snakes. Huge. The size of buildings. With faces like Father's and Stephanie's. Chasing. Chasing. Chasing. Always chasing me. Then zombies show up. They surround me. I fight and fight and fight. But I can't stop them. They're too strong." I stopped and took a big swig from my water bottle. By their confused expressions, I realized I had been talking rapidly.

J acknowledged my rambling as if he understood it perfectly. He advanced the video forward a few frames. Then he turned to me, "Do your zombies look like this one in this video?"

I already knew the answer, but I respectfully peered at the monitor screen and took note of the monster staring back at me. The human-looking zombie was frozen in a state of rage. His mouth had unhinged itself to separate the front and lower jaws further than any human could do. His grimace was filled with those pointy shark teeth, same as Father's. I knew I was staring into the pit of Hell looking at that creature's face. "Yes," I muttered. Icy fear tore at my insides.

"Do you think you have any of your father's blood in you still? Or would it be safe to say you've replaced it with your angel blood transfusion?" J's voice rang with a gentle command that I found pleasing, yet deserving of respect.

I continued chewing on my lip because I knew I had drunk a lot of Michael's blood. However, I didn't want to admit that to J. Quietly I said, "Likely it's all gone, Sir. I'm clean."

"What would that have to do with these creatures?" Michael stepped away from the desk.

"I'd venture to say that her father has been using his blood flowing in her veins as a tracking device, trying to find her.

I stopped slurping my drink just as Blick grabbed the water bottle and slammed it on the coffee table. "Enough," he snapped.

The energy buzz I had gained from the holy water died in my veins. I was in shock as I processed the meaning of J's words. My eyes widened. "Could Father be here? He followed me?" My voice cracked. "And it's my fault? Those people turned into monsters? It can't be connected!" I pointed a finger at the computer monitor accusingly, fear whirling around in my stomach.

Instantly, Michael and Blick stood at attention, towering over us, and waited for further instructions from J. Their eyes conveyed the fury within them.

J motioned for them to stand down. "Not yet," he said.

They complied and resumed their tense, but relaxed manner. Michael paced a few times to the bay windows and Blick sat on the couch near me, tapping his foot.

Again, J had ignored my questions. I scratched the back of my neck, acting as if I didn't notice.

"Your father has no way in. But a messenger? Perhaps. Or it's a virus that's turning people somehow. I don't know. But I don't like it. We'll have to check it out and contain the situation," J said.

Politely, I raised my eyebrows in acknowledgment, attempting to steady my nerves.

"Have there been any other outbreaks?" Michael delicately asked the question that was on all our minds.

"Not to my knowledge. But we've heard rumors, and I have a theory. Here let me show you," J replied as he opened his cloud drive on my system. An image on my monitor popped up. He expanded it, so we could all see it.

Red dots on the image of an online map spread from one side of my monitor to the side of the other monitor. I counted four dots total.

"These dots here line up almost in a straight line, along the bluffs where we have the training centers," J explained as he pointed at the screen. "We've gotten reports of outbreaks, but we haven't found anything. The outbreaks seem to be moving in the direction of the cove where all of the archangels live. The footage of this last one was at Blick's training center earlier."

"About the same time we were here, figuring out how to cure Rayea's sickness," Michael said.

I was amazed at the thrill it gave me when Michael said my name instead of referring to me as 'Vampire.'

"Exactly," J agreed.

"Where are the new recruits?" Michael asked.

"They are missing," J replied flatly. He bent down and compulsively brushed off a piece of lint clinging to his caramel-colored dress shoes.

_Yep_ , I thought to myself, _canvas dress shoes_. _Interesting_.

"All those new recruits aren't dead, are they?" Blick's voice died away. I could hear the despair in his tone.

"We don't know. I gave the order to the other archangels to investigate the surrounding areas. We need to figure out what's going on." J turned around in the office chair to study the angels' reactions.

Without needing verbal instructions, Blick and Michael lowered their heads as J quietly spoke a few words of concern for those who were missing. I glanced at their heads bowed and wondered if I should join them.

Blick broke from the huddle and stomped off to the other side of the living room, by the doors leading to the terrace. "I'll kill the son of a bitch," he roared. Suddenly, a loud crash came from the corner.

I turned to see him pulling his fist out of the wall. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"I understand your feelings, Blick. But we don't know who is behind this. It could be someone else," J said.

I interrupted them. "What about the archangels?" I said. "Are they all right?"

Michael and Blick both scoffed at my question and stared at me like I had turned into a zombie.

Defensively, Blick asked from the other side of the room, "Why wouldn't they be?"

Michael nodded his head in agreement.

Recognizing that I had just insulted two seven-foot angels who were obviously very confident in their means to defend themselves, I stated, "I think it's safe to say that when an angel tells you he can't die, you may want to think twice about biting his neck. Right, Michael?"

J smiled at my statement and scratched the outside of his nose. "Good point, my dear." He stretched out his legs and made himself comfortable in my desk chair while his Bluetooth headset flashed a few times on the desk.

Blick returned to stand by Michael at the desk and glared at me as if siding with Michael. "I think it's safe to say that when you see zombies sporting the same shark teeth your father has, it's important for you to speak up. I shouldn't have to do it for you. Right, Rayea?"

Both angels squinted their eyes at me. I wanted to defend myself. Instead I retreated to the other side of the couch for some distance.

A tense silence enveloped the room.

"Rayea, is this true?" J crossed his arms as he lounged in my desk chair.

I sighed and exhaled slowly. "Yes, Sir. I'm sorry. Blick's right. The zombie on the video screen has the same teeth as Father's."

"A creation of Satan," J replied, nodding and assessing the situation.

Both angels exchanged glances, then looked at J, waiting orders.

"We'll need weapons, Sir?" Blick asked.

"Yes, arm yourselves. We'll investigate the gym and be ready for action if necessary," J responded.

Michael and Blick gave each other a high five. _When was the last time they had been to a fight?_ I wondered. Training new recruits seemed like a boring task to me.

Blick pushed a button on the base of a stone Picasso statue that was sitting on the coffee table. I pulled my legs up and tucked them under me in case the table or floor shifted. Instead, one of his modern art paintings slid into the wall, revealing a tall iron door. "What can I get you, Sir?" he asked J.

"I'm not going. I want to speak with G about this, face to face. Use the passage if you run into..." J looked at the computer monitors where the frozen zombie remained. "A real emergency. A life or death situation only. Above all else, contain the situation."

"Yes, Sir," both angels said simultaneously.

Michael asked, "Anything else?"

"Get something for the vampire. She's going," J said.

"We'll be right back," Blick answered as he and Michael descended a flight of stairs leading to what I could only imagine was a basement filled with guns.

The voice inside my head laughed, " _Ah yeah, let's go hunting zombies!_ "

I thought of a choice expletive to share later with the stupid voice in my head. My heart had fallen into my stomach.

Chapter 10

**Complicated for Your Kind**

J clapped his hands together to get my attention. "Join me. We only have a few moments, and I'd like to talk to you." He gestured for me to sit by him on the couch.

"You want me to sit _near_ you?" I hesitated.

"Yes, yes. I'm not afraid of you," he replied dismissing my caution. He moved the Bluetooth headset from the desk to the coffee table, so it would be near him to grab at a moment's notice. Then he crossed his legs and nonchalantly said, "None of this is your fault, my dear."

Needing to stretch my legs, I stood up and pushed my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans.

"We've been watching you for some time. Since you're an avid fan of the internet, it's been easy for us to keep up with you. I knew it was just a matter of time before your father would try something."

As he spoke, I located my iPhone and shoved it in my back pocket. "What do you mean?" I asked, turning in his direction.

"You're more human than demon, yes? You feel that way, yes?" With a tip of his head, he motioned for me to return to my seat by him. He removed his brown-and khaki-striped tie and unfastened the top button of his white dress shirt.

I returned to my seat. "I don't think of myself as a demon, and I don't look like my father and sister. They are demons! Snaky-looking demons."

J's eyebrows rose in amazement. He scratched his right eyelid to cover his surprised expression.

"I'm still getting used to the idea of being a vampire," I continued. "So yes, I'm part human and part vampire, not demon. Luckily I didn't acquire more of my father's characteristics when he turned me," I said pointing to my eyes. "They are a dead giveaway."

"Yes, you have very interesting eyes, I must say."

"Reptilian, Sir," I replied.

Wrinkling his nose, J chuckled and shook his head. "You're not a snake, my dear, so don't say you have snake eyes. They are simply different. What animal's eyes would you say I have?"

"Sir?" I asked, startled by his question.

J laughed. "Many have said I have the eyes of a hawk, my piercing stare, this hooked nose of mine." He gestured to his face, and then shrugged.

"Oh." I nodded, pretending I knew what he was talking about.

He laughed. "You can probably see it, if you look really hard."

He leaned closer to me and whispered, "Wouldn't you say my eyes are an interesting color at least?"

"I would," I replied, answering his question hastily. I wanted to catch his gaze again and confirm his conclusions about his appearance. He was rather attractive. But he interrupted my concentration as he continued talking.

"Being different doesn't mean you're bad. You're just unique. I'd like to think I'm unique." His tone had a degree of warmth and concern.

I did not answer.

J waved his hand dismissively. "It's no matter. I can tell I've confused you. I'm just saying, don't let that sort of thing bother you. Look past it. Embrace who you are, not who people think you are, or want you to be."

"With my being a vampire, do you mind my being here?"

J glanced down at his hands, obviously formulating his response.

I reached for my water bottle to act as if I was not becoming uncomfortable with his silence.

Finally he replied, "I think Blick summed it up best when he said that you are somewhat complicated for your kind, a different vampire altogether." He paused, shifting his eyes about slightly as he considered what he had said, then nodded his head in agreement with his statement.

I smiled at him, understanding where he was coming from. That was a whole other conversation I had yet to have with myself and the voice inside my head. My situation and skill set as a vampire was definitely complicated. But J's confidence was so infectious that it rolled off him like the waves of the ocean outside the living room. You could see it in every movement he made. He knew who he was and what his mission was. I wanted confidence like that. I wanted that pride, that self-awareness, even that radiant aura of his. I could use it the next time I met up with my father. The more I talked with J, the more I admired and liked him.

"Back to your skills," he said redirecting the conversation. "Have you seen your father engage in pyrokinesis?"

I thought about that for a moment. _Could my father shoot flames from his fingertips or ignite one of his hellhounds into a bonfire like I had done to poor Cedric?_

The voice inside my head said, " _That would be a negative, genius._ "

"No, I haven't," I declared to J.

"I didn't think so," he replied with an air of finality in his tone. His dark gray-green eyes flashed.

An image of a powerful hawk soaring above searching for the moment to attack his prey popped into my head. I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to process what I had just seen. My mind reeled with confusion.

Oblivious, J settled back into the couch and continued, "Yes, Blick told me about a few of your special powers. Give yourself some time. You'll learn to understand them more. It'll come naturally." J glanced at his Bluetooth headset on the table as it flashed. "We're almost out of time, my dear, so here it is. I sent Blick to watch over you, to be your guardian angel in Hell. Finally, when your father indicated he wanted to kill you, I knew we had to get you out. So without G's knowledge, I removed you both from the situation."

"But I heard Blick ask G to open a passage. Was that you who did it, and not G?"

J's facial expression froze for a moment. Then he recovered and asked me, "Did Blick say those words aloud?"

I searched my mind to see if I could recall that one seemingly insignificant detail of that horrible day. Nothing. My mind drew a blank. "I don't know, Sir. Does that matter?"

J tilted his head slightly. His whole face spread into a smile. "No, no, no. It's an outlandish thought. Never mind. With the passage, let's just say G isn't up on the latest advancements in technology. It would be too much programming to change it to my name, so we left it as is. If we had chip implants, we wouldn't need those." He pointed to the Bluetooth headset. "Implants would be a lot safer from a security standpoint, but G doesn't want to spend the money on it right now." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Would my father know of this passage? Was it in place when he was...?" I elected to not finish my sentence. Surely J knew what I was referring to.

J threw back his head and let out a great peal of laughter.

_It wasn't that funny_ , I thought.

"Why not use telepathy to control the passages or channels?"

J wiped a few tears of joy from his eyes. He sobered up, considering my question.

"Blick and I used it all the time in Hell when we needed to communicate secretively, even that last time," I offered.

The voice inside my head said, " _Uh oh!_ _You just fucked up!_ "

_Wait, what?_ I thought. Then seeing J's reaction, I realized I had unintentionally revealed Blick's white lie from earlier. I scooted away from him on the couch and braced myself.

Raising his hand, he glared at the floor as if he was telling me to give him five minutes. Breathing in and out slowly, he calmed his nerves and let his anger dissipate. He straightened his collar and composed himself. Finally he said, "Let's just keep that between us. Shall we?"

With my eyes very wide, I nodded, hoping the admission wouldn't come up again. I glanced at the table to see if the Bluetooth headset was blinking. Timidly I asked, "Did G know that you sent Blick to Hell? Did he approve that?"

"Yes."

"And now G knows I'm here?"

"No, he doesn't know," he replied. "I haven't told him yet. He's been very busy. I haven't seen him for months. Then suddenly he showed up this week." J paused, watching his ear piece hum and buzz on the table. He sighed. "We're out of time." He grabbed the ear piece and returned it to his ear.

He clicked it and answered the incoming call. "Yes, I'm here. We studied the video and the team is going to investigate, but I need to report in. Do you have five minutes? Okay, good. That'll be fine." Quickly he disconnected the call. I marveled at his multi-tasking abilities.

He smiled briefly and looked away. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch.

Racking my brain, I wondered if I could be brave enough to ask J a question telepathically. I had to know more. " _Did you know I'd become a vampire? Was that your plan?_ " I studied him, waiting to see if my thoughts registered with him.

He took a quick sharp breath, acknowledging my inquiry. Turning to face me, his thoughts slowly filtered into my mind until the connection was strong.

I felt a shock run through me, similar to what I'd felt when I had first met Michael, a cosmic connection.

He asked me, " _How do you have the gift? You're not celestial._ "

Ignoring the celestial being hocus pocus stuff Michael had told me about, I focused all my energy on what I wanted to know. J's mind was chaotic, vast, and turbulent. This mind meld was going to be difficult. I repeated my questions again to J, hoping to break the connection as soon as I got what I needed.

He answered, " _No, I didn't know you'd become a vampire. But once Blick told me you had consumed your father's blood, yes, I realized we could use your being here to our advantage and find out what he's up to. That was stage 1 of my plan._ "

The voice inside my head asked, " _Excuse me? Stage 1? We are not..._ "

I pushed the thought down. J's admission stunned me. " _You used me as bait? You endangered lives, making me think this is my fault?_ " I sent the series of questions to his mind.

J reached out and took my hand in his. " _Don't be overly dramatic. Few know a vampire is here. I'm sorry you got caught in the crossfire though. But we have to do what is necessary for the greater good. Your father has to be stopped before it gets out of control._ "

" _How is leading my father straight to the House of G a good idea?_ " I added, " _Sir_ " to the thought out of respect, realizing I had probably overstepped my bounds.

" _I don't have to explain myself to you. This is all part of the greater plan,_ " he declared.

I winced in pain as I received his last thought. Suddenly my head was throbbing. I noticed J's eyes flashed with outrage and I let the topic drop instantly. I needed to break the connection.

" _Your father should never have been permitted to leave here. We all know that now. And G cares about the end result: your father being dead. Whatever the cost! Period. How that happens is up to me and my team. End of story!_ " J thumped his chest with his index finger. His thoughts pounded into my head like lightning bolts.

"Stop, stop, stop it!" I screamed and tumbled off the couch, almost hitting my head on the wooden coffee table.

The voice inside my head said, " _Brilliant idea interrogating this man._ "

I attempted to stand, but the pain was too great. I could barely see. I sat on the floor, rapidly blinking my eyes. It was like I had a migraine headache times a million. _Thank god my father didn't know of a tactic like this_ , I thought _. He would have used it in our training sessions, and I'd been dead a long time ago._ Slowly I returned to the couch, rocking my body slightly as I massaged my temples.

" _My dear, your ears are bleeding._ "

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw J's lips moving and realized he was speaking to me. I had heard his thought inwardly, but that was all. I turned to face him, looking directly at his face.

He said it again.

I couldn't hear anything.

Then J reached his hand out to me.

"Please don't touch me," I shrieked unable to recognize or hear the sound of my voice. Another wave of pain roared through my head.

He waited, watching me. Then he offered me a small, shy smile and before I could jerk or flinch or scream again, he grabbed me. He cradled my face in his hands. Inwardly, I did flinch, but outwardly I stared back at him, helpless. _Maybe I was being punished for locking my mind with a creature of far greater power than I'd ever hope to have. Maybe I was being punished for ravishing the angel. I had to be taught a lesson, right? That's what Father would say. Or maybe this was the plan all along. Bring the vampire to the main house and melt her brain._

Chapter 11

**The 'G' Letter**

While I sat on a row of aluminum bleachers near one corner of the gym, I glanced to see where Michael and Blick were. It was easy to spot them. They stalked around the parameters of the very large, very empty gym in full commando outfits, all black, all tightly clothed, and armed to the teeth with a variety of automatic weapons. Images of Tom Cruise in _Mission Impossible_ came to mind and I stifled another giggle. It was obvious to me the zombies were long gone. But they had to contain the situation according to J's wishes. So I sat and waited while they checked the outlining rooms adjacent to each wall of the gym. My best guess was that the gym, which Blick referred to as his training center, was the size of four football fields stacked two by two. It was beyond vast. I assumed all the archangels' training centers were the same size.

The voice inside my head beamed, " _Think of this place full of zombies coming at you, gal._ "

_Shut up_ , I promptly replied.

In the past that comment would have made me literally sick to my stomach. My stupid telepathy was developing a mind of its own as it grew in strength. That worried me. It was exhausting keeping up with the mental jabs I'd get. I wondered how I could quiet the inner voice. _I'll solve that another day_ , I thought. Right now, I was feeling great despite the fact that we were wasting our time looking for zombies. That was the guy's scene anyways, not mine. I was in too good a mood to let anything bother me, thanks to the mind meld with J.

I hummed "The Pretender" by The Foo Fighters as I played with the fastener on the machete stuck to my right leg. Michael had insisted I 'go to battle' --as he put it-- armed with something. I'd agreed to wear two sawed-off shotguns strapped to each leg and a couple of machetes stuffed in the back of my black vest. I felt ridiculous, like I was the girl from _Resident Evil_ about to mow down some zombies. But I hadn't actually seen any, so I was losing interest fast.

Thankfully, I could think clearly again. J healed the fraction in my mind he had caused during our mind meld. I thought he had wanted to kill me. But that hadn't been his intention at all. I felt more aware, more alive, fully engaged, and ready to launch every vampire power I had in my possession. Flexing my elbow as I extended my arm, I admired the new olive complexion that had replaced my pale skin color. My skin was very tan, almost golden like Michael's.

J's words kept playing over and over in my head. "I've underestimated you. You could be a real asset to the team." I didn't know if that was good or bad. Actually, I was happy just to be alive. He could have turned my brain to Southern fried chop suey. That's how Lynn referred to anyone who had lost their wits. Or I could have ended up one sandwich short of a picnic. I giggled out loud. I loved her sayings. She texted that one to me often when she was upset with anyone online who disagreed with her last theory about Ash's character, Maxwell. I found her theories fascinating and fairly accurate according to my own research I'd done about vampire mythology and folklore. I enjoyed her flair for communication because it helped me learn more colloquialisms. Something I couldn't pick up from reading the urban dictionary. Oh wait! Instantly it dawned on me that I had forgotten to close our chat earlier. I had left her hanging. Good grief!

I decided to do some 'tayloring' while I waited on the guys. _What harm could it do?_ I removed my iPhone from my back pocket and opened a few photo albums. I selected a picture to send to Lynn. It was one of my favorite pics of Ashton, a still photo from the promotional posters of _Blood Realm's_ first season. He stood in the center of the cast, a few inches in front of the others. His wavy, dark hair was tossed back over his head with one delicious long curl falling along his right cheek. He wore a blood red T-shirt and dark jeans. The famous long black leather trench coat, collar turned up, completed his vampire attire. And of course, he had lowered his forehead just slightly to peer at us with his chocolate brown eyes. The vampire look is what we called it. I added a *woah* and my capital R signature to the text, so Lynn would know it was from me. (It was possible that she hadn't put my new number in her phone yet.) I hit the Send button. The text message went through instantly. "Wow, what a great connection we have here," I snickered.

Glancing up, I noticed Michael was approaching from the center of the gym, without Blick.

"Find anything?" I asked.

"Nothing except these sports drink bottles. They are scattered everywhere, in the adjoining rooms, everywhere."

"Sorry, I didn't notice," I replied as I returned to looking at my phone. I double checked what I had sent to Lynn to make sure it had gone through successfully. Since my connectivity in Hell was poor at best, making sure my emails or text messages went through was a habit I realized I didn't need to bother with anymore.

Michael towered over me while I sat on the lowest bench, preoccupied with my phone. "You just too busy with that phone to notice anything around you that could be helpful to us," he said.

I gazed at his hand, refusing to make eye contact with Michael. "May I?" I gestured to the bottle in his hand.

He tossed a clear plastic bottle to me.

I sat the bottle on the bench beside me and took a photo of its front and back labels. "Thank you," I muttered to Michael. I decided to examine both labels first. The 'G' letter was similar to the one I had seen on Blick's athletic wear, similar but not exact. Instead of the signature orange lightning bolt zigzagged across the center of the letter, this bottle had a red lightning bolt positioned vertically as if it was pointing up and down. Some liquid remained in the bottle.

"I don't recall a sports drink being emerald green, do you?" Michael asked.

The color was darker than the apple green of the popular flavor.

"That's certainly not sponsored by G," Michael continued, glancing at other plastic bottles scattered around.

I continued examining the bottle, trying to read the product details on the back label. I swirled the remaining drink in the bottle around and smelled it. Vinegar or dead skunk or a combination of both. _Why was that smell was so familiar?_ I wondered.

When I heard Michael kick a few bottles away from him, it dawned on me.

It was what Cedric smelled like the day I was cornered by him and Wally. Father's latest business venture. After reading all of the fine print on the labels, I said to Michael. "It's wine. It's fermented, but it's still wine. Just like the kind my father was making in Hell."

"You think this stuff could turn angels into zombies?" He held one of his M16 rifle tightly to his side as he retrieved the bottle. His mouth twitched with amusement.

"You don't believe me? Check the label. Look at who distributes it," I said.

He searched the label quickly, turning it around several times in his large hands. "Mehen Enterprises?"

I nodded, hoping that the information in front of him would prove my point.

An expression of confusion crossed Michael's face. He laced his fingers through the gun strap and tugged on it.

"Father worships a snake goddess called Mehen. He named the shipping and distribution division after her. Invoices I signed for deliveries in Hell always had 'Mehen Enterprises' on them. The night I was turned, Father thanked this ancient snake goddess for her blessing. She had blessed the wine that turned me into a vampire."

"That makes absolutely no sense." His laugh was scornful.

I sighed out of frustration and fidgeted with the stock of one of my shotgun. "Dismiss my notion if you want to, but I know I'm right. Father has found a way in."

Michael ran his fingers through his golden hair, tugging some on the last portion before bringing his hand down and slapping it across his thigh. "Ridiculous," he scoffed.

"Okay." I shrugged my shoulders, grabbed my phone, and stood up. "Can we find Blick and go?"

A text chimed on my phone.

Michael must have seen the perplexed look on my face because he immediately asked, "What is it?"

He grabbed the phone. "Who has a number starting with 666?"

"Read the text," I whispered, sinking down to my seat again. I was too stunned to continue standing.

"Hi sis," Michael said. His brows drew together in concern. "I don't like this."

"She's here. I know it. She's here," I repeated, panicking and clutching his arm. I refused to budge from the bench.

He forced the phone in my hand. "I highly doubt she's in the House of G, but we need to find Blick and get out of here."

Quickly looking around the two of us, he sighed. "Stay here for and calm down. I'll go find him. I think we're done for now." He strolled closer to the center of the massive gym, calling Blick's name.

I stuffed my phone in my back pocket, attempting to gather my wits. A low ringing sound like a buzzing began in my ears. I remained still, concentrating on the sound. It was a faint signal Blick had taught me long ago, a whisper, an echo from afar that surfaced in my mind and said, " _Run._ "

Chapter 12

**Goth Rag Dolls**

"Michael, no!" I raced to meet him on the gymnasium floor. "Get behind me!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Baring my fangs, I glared at him. "Get behind me now, please!"

"Well, well, well."

Had I not recognized her voice, I wouldn't have known that the creature coming towards us was Stephanie.

"Who's that?! What the...? She looks like Medusa," Michael breathed. I heard him flip the safety on his M16 rifle.

"That's my sister. And I wouldn't tell her that she looks like Medusa, if I were you," I whispered.

"She probably already knows," he replied.

I groaned and braced myself for a very messed up family reunion. "What brings you to these parts, Stephanie? You're looking well." I yelled at her, wondering if my sarcasm would piss her off.

She laughed and it reverberated through the gym - a low, nasty guttural sound, a truly demonic sound.

Michael and I stood alert, waiting for her to cross the floor.

"Be ready for anything," I said, unsnapping the fasteners that held the shotguns strapped to my legs. Michael's Medusa comment was dead-on. Instead of hair, Stephanie had snakes twisting and twirling on her head, some arched high above her skull, others hung at eye level. She wore a black leather bra and matching panties with leather boots that climbed all the way to her upper thighs. A boa constrictor wound around her shoulders like a feather boa. It raised its head occasionally to let her pet it on the forehead.

"What happened to her?" Michael asked.

My eyes had widened in surprise. "I have no idea. That is a new look for her."

"I see," Michael muttered, checking to make sure the sword stuffed in a black sheath on his back was ready to use.

"Miss me, sis?" Stephanie hissed. "It's been a long time."

I decided that if I took an aggressive approach with her, we could find out quicker what she wanted and how the hell she had found her way into Blick's training center. I straightened my back and held my head up high. "I think I can speak for everyone when I say you're not welcome here."

Again she laughed. "You are fucking hilarious. You think you own the place now, don't you? Bitch!"

"Cunt!"

"Ahhh, someone has developed some colorful language to go with that attitude," she mused.

Opening my mouth wide, I showed her my long fangs.

"Oh yeah?" She threw her head back and revealed her fangs. Her mouth was a cluster of inch wide, razor sharp incisors pushing out from every part of her gums, top and bottom. Shark teeth. Suddenly a high pitched sound came from her throat and a small black snake peaked its head out. Stephanie moaned as the snake slid over her tongue, out of her mouth, jerking at one point when it realized it couldn't go any further. It remained attached to the back of her throat with its tail and swayed back and forth in front of her face. The snake's head grew in size, close to the width of Michael's broad shoulders. It shrieked at us and bared its fangs. Hanging over its snow white mouth, its fangs were twelve or thirteen inches at least.

Well there's the big snake head. That's no nightmare. That's real.

Michael took a step back. " _What are we dealing with here?_ " I heard his thought sail across my mind.

" _Something straight out of Hell,_ " I replied telepathically. What if Hell looked like this? Teaming with snakes everywhere, creatures turned beyond recognition from their former demon selves? A real freak show. I shuttered to visualize it. I hated to admit it, but I despised snakes.

Stephanie composed herself, swallowing the snake after it grew small again and retreated into her mouth. She licked her lips and made a yummy sound.

I felt nauseated and longed for my holy water. It didn't help much that her skin had changed from green to a dingy yellow.

"Enough with the pissing contest, sis." She paused for a moment. Then in a silky, friendly voice, she continued, "I'm delighted to see you. Do you like my new look?" Her reptilian eyes glowed for a few moments before returning to their dull mossy green color.

"It suits you," I replied flatly. Without trying to stare, I surmised that instead of her skin being covered with snake-skin patterns, she actually had acquired snake scales all over her body. If she was drinking Father's blood, it had really done a number on her.

Noticing the black commando outfit I wore, which was similar to Blick's and Michael's, she asked, "What look are you going for?"

"Snake killer," I offered.

"You may be the first vampire out of Hell, but I'm the first Death Serpent, first of many," she lashed back at me.

"How lovely for you," I replied. "Father must be very proud of you."

She paused for a moment, wrestling with her anger. Then she looked at a side door and smiled that sadistic smile she got from Father. "He is actually. I've been searching for you, you know. Father has a message for you."

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested."

"Sure you are, sis. Oh, I forgot to mention. You're an aunt! I'd like you to meet two of my children." She whistled in the direction of a set of doors near where we had gathered.

" _Michael, don't. It's Blick. She has him._ " I sent the thought as quickly as I could, hoping he didn't make any sudden moves, and hoping my gut feeling was wrong.

"Say hello to my twins," Stephanie said.

A side door in the gym opened. Two tall, muscular figures entered. They weren't children, but adults with bare chests, wearing only black leather pants and combats boots. Their human skin was puke yellow like Stephanie's, but smooth, almost shiny, not scaly. Their bald heads displayed sharp bony spikes protruding from their skulls like Mohawks made of porcupine quills. Both held onto thick silver chains thrown over their shoulders as they dragged something, or someone, into the gym. Instantly, I denied any family association to them.

The voice inside my head said, " _If that is your pup, I'll kill her myself._ "

_My sentiments exactly_ , I thought, as Michael and I waited. I knew by the way Michael was standing at attention with his back rigid, tightly holding his gun that he felt the same way.

"Your mutt was running around loose, so I brought him back to you. He's been a bad boy."

Blick was gagged and shackled. He could barely walk. They had beaten him severely. His face was bruised and swollen, and he had gashes and bite marks all over his face, chest, and arms. He too was bare from the hips up, with no black military jacket or t-shirt. His weapons were missing as well. Only his pants remained on him and the material on his front legs was clinging to him, wet with blood.

"You're speechless, aren't you, you sassy fuckhead?" Stephanie gloated.

"Let him go now!" Michael demanded, stepping forward slightly.

"Consider yourself dead," I said, reaching for both of my sawed-off shotguns strapped to my legs. I could hear the bridled anger in my voice. I would rip her apart for what she'd done to Blick.

Noticing my struggle, Michael sent a thought to my mind. " _Rayea, don't let your emotions distract you. It'll cloud your judgment!_ " He resumed his position at my right side, shifting his appearance to a cold, frigid demeanor. I assumed I could bounce nails off his golden chest if needed.

"You don't like your nephews, do you?" Stephanie asked. "As I said, Father is pleased. I found a real use for the new arrivals. We are thinking of returning some to Earth, if it comes to that."

Dear God, what did she mean? Was she going to send creatures like that to Earth?!

She repositioned the boa constrictor on her shoulders and giggled as it explored the inside of her cleavage with its tongue.

Ignoring Michael completely, Stephanie pointed at Blick and addressed me. "This is what we do to traitors. Once the poison takes hold, he'll be of no use to you anymore. You should be thanking me."

"Have you been snacking on him?" I spat the words out, almost choking on my own fury.

Gently, she hoisted the large boa constrictor over her shoulders and laid it on the wooden floor. Now ignoring my question, she replied, "Father misses you. He wants you to come home." She used the fake, friendly voice that was starting to get on my nerves.

"How many times did you bite him, Stephanie?" I asked through clenched teeth, attempting to get a straight answer out of her before I lost my cool. From the swelling on Blick's face and upper torso, it was apparent that their bites were venomous, like snake bites. I had no idea how much poison was now coursing through Blick's veins.

She continued to pet her boa constrictor for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she said, "You don't belong here."

The snake coiled itself into a massive heap, flashing its forked tongue every few seconds in my direction as if it was agreeing with her comments. It was fifteen feet long if it was a foot. An image of the monstrous snake from my nightmares entered into my brain.

Then the low ringing sound I'd heard earlier returned, and I knew Blick was trying to contact me. He ate through the gag and began struggling in his chains. The twins directed their attention to him, not really sure what to do unless their mother instructed them. They held onto the chains tightly as Blick resisted.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. The possibility of another presence registered with me. I understood what Blick was hoping to tell me, even though his thoughts were garbled. I prayed he was wrong. As quickly as I could, I sent a message to Michael. " _Get Blick out of here now!_ "

" _I'm not leaving you,_ " Michael rapidly returned the thought to me as he glanced down at me.

" _Then be ready,_ " I replied telepathically to him.

In the same sappy, sweet voice Stephanie had used with me, I said, "You're right dear sister, I may not belong here. I do have a message for Father actually. Will you relay it to him? Hmmm?"

She scoffed at my pretentious behavior, but I knew I had her attention. She and the snake both looked directly at me. The snake raised up its head, gazing in my direction as if it could understand me. That's when I knew Blick was right. "Tell Father he can go fuck himself," I said.

Seconds after I threw my insult to Stephanie, I relayed a command of engagement to Blick and Michael.

Michael followed my lead and raised his weapon the same time I did. We took aim at Stephanie.

She froze, calculating her next move. A glint of fear registered across her scaly face. Her green eyes darkened with apprehension.

Just as Blick broke his chains, he roared with renewed energy and shifted into his hellhound form. He grabbed both twins by the throat, lifting them high into the air. They wiggled about like Goth rag dolls in his embrace.

"If you or your snake makes one move..." I didn't finish my threat. Stephanie knew what I meant.

"Don't let him hurt them," she squeaked. She gripped her own throat in horror and I wondered why she did not release the creature she had shown us earlier. She was actually afraid.

As the twins continued to struggle, Blick grew more and more angry. His eyes blazed and he growled mercilessly at them, shaking them as their legs dangled wildly. His size enlarged. His arms, chest, and legs expanded until he looked like he was a massive wolf standing some twelve feet tall on his hind legs, pumped up on steroids. The Lycan-Underworld-movie look Blick had had as a hellhound was now far more savage, far more terrifying.

All of us stood watching in shock as Blick's transformation continued. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Stephanie's snake. Even it was staring at Blick in disbelief. The snake reared its head higher in defiance, nudging Stephanie with its nose to engage. She let out a helpless moan when Blick's rage mounted and he began slamming the twins into the wooden floor over and over. I thought of an alley cat playing with its mouse, enjoying the frenzy of the moment until the prey stopped responding.

Michael and I took the opportunity to slowly move in between Blick and Stephanie, so we could protect him with gunfire if Stephanie advanced towards him. I was anticipating her pulling the snake-in-the-throat trick again. But with seeing the look of sheer terror on her face, I didn't think she would do that. Just the same, I cautiously guarded Blick, knowing I couldn't trust her at all.

Finally I heard a loud thud as the twins were smashed into the gym floor once last time. I had my back to Blick and the lifeless twins when I heard him howl. A stab of fear shot down my spine. Only one word came to mind when I heard the purely primal scream. Werewolf.

My voice broke the silence as Blick resumed to huff and puff calmly behind us. "Take your snake and leave this place, Stephanie."

She screamed at us and ran towards Blick.

Michael and I fired upon her.

Stephanie dodged the bullets and whirled out of our range. "This isn't over, you fucking cunt," she screeched at me as she raced away, leaving her snake behind. She and the broken bodies of the twins suddenly vanished into a cloud of green smoke. A smell of dead skunk lingered in the air.

Again I sent a plea to Michael. " _Please get Blick out of here. I'll take care of the snake. Just get out of here!_ "

Seeing the boa constrictor as a little threat, Michael asked, "Do you want my sword?"

"No," I answered. "I think my machetes will do the job just fine. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Without saying another word, Michael disappeared with Blick a moment later.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

***

As a million anxieties flooded my mind, I paced a few times to the bleachers on the wooden floor of the gym. The noise of my footsteps clumping on the wooden floor annoyed me. Visions of my nightmares started flashing before my eyes. My heart slammed in my chest. I tried to swallow down my fear and remain calm. I knew I was in great danger, even though I was acting as nonchalantly as I could for the snake's benefit. Michael had not picked up on my signal, and Blick was likely too far gone for rational thought. Saving Blick was the right choice. Maybe my idea of self-preservation would disagree, but I had to get him to safety.

The voice inside my head said, " _This is suicide. Call the angel!_ "

I ignored the statement.

The snake watched my every move. Its heavy body remained coiled while its head swayed this way and that. I refused to make eye contact with it. While I paced, I reloaded my shot guns with my last bullets. I thought of J's comment about how my powers would come to me naturally and I exhaled slowly. _I hope he's right about that._

Finally, I said loudly enough so the snake could hear me, "God, I hate snakes," and raised both shotguns in its direction. My last bullets from both guns hit it in the face and the illusion of the snake evaporated.

Father morphed from the boa constrictor form into his normal demon shape. It reminded me why Stephanie's twins seemed so familiar. His dome-shaped head was bald and resembled the structure of the boys' skull minus the bony Mohawks. He had the same scaly, dingy yellow skin as Stephanie, and thankfully, he was wearing more clothes than she and her offspring were. Father's finely tailored double-breasted suit was made out of soft, black leather with red threading embroidered across the chest and sleeves. A few silver buttons shown on the vest.

"Was that your Halloween outfit or is this it, Father? Are you going to the rodeo after this maybe?" I announced the questions loudly and boldly, keeping my distance from him.

He laughed like he was the most loving father in the world. Casually he walked in my direction. "How did you know it was me, daughter?" he asked.

"Snakes aren't very attentive. They can't understand what someone is saying to them. And you looked like you could understand everything that was going on perfectly." As he slumped across the floor, I realized he had on matching black cowboy boots. I rolled my eyes.

The voice inside my head roared with laughter. " _He makes the perfect snake wrangler._ "

I squinted my eyes and pressed my lips together, so I wouldn't burst out laughing.

As a dramatic gesture of quiet defeat, I laid my empty shotguns on the gymnasium floor. "If I return to Hell with you, will you leave Blick and the others alone?"

"Of course," he replied, waving his arms about triumphantly. "I only want you to come home."

"Fine," I said, hoping I sounded agreeable.

" _Call the angel!_ " the voice inside my head demanded.

"Whatever," I muttered under my breath. I sent a thought to Michael, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to get to me in time. _Michael, save me._

Chapter 13

**Mousetrap**

When a text messaged chimed on my phone, I jerked. Old habits die hard, and even without being victim to Father's torture anymore, I could still jump for no reason if something startled me. If I was on edge, as I was currently, it was much worst.

"Hold on, Father. Let me take this." I proceeded to walk to the bleachers away from where he stood in the middle of the gym.

" _You okay? m"_

I stared at the text for a few moments. It was from Blick's phone, but it couldn't be him. Then I noticed the letter 'm' at the end. That had to be from Michael.

" _No,_ " I typed and hit the Send button.

" _Your father is there? This is Michael by the way."_

I turned my back to my father and smiled at my phone. The image of his attempting to type out a message with those lovely, large fingers sent goose bumps along my arms. The saying was certainly true about a man's generous portion of manhood being complimentary to the size of his hands... I stopped my train of thought and quickly typed _"Yes."_

" _Okay. Hold tight._ "

"Are you ready?" Father yelled at me from across the gym.

I gripped the phone in my hand until my knuckles turned white. I threw up my other hand. "One minute," I snapped.

The voice inside my head said, " _See? Help is on the way!_ "

Breathing in and out slowly, I tried to calm my nerves. My emotions were all over the place again and my anxieties wanted to have another go at me. I opted to stall Father as long as I could.

Another text message chimed in. This one was from Lynn. I needed to hear a familiar voice and get some help with a research project, so I clicked her number, ignoring Father completely.

She answered the phone laughing as she usually did. " _Oh my god, that was a wonderful pic of Ash. Thank you!"_

"I thought you'd like that. It's still a favorite of mine too." I hoped my voice sounded carefree.

" _So what's up? You must have a search question if you're calling me, girl._ "

"Ha, ha," I laughed. "You know me too well. Yes, I do actually."

" _Give it to me._ "

"I have a couple of photos I want to send you. Can you find out more about the product? What places it's being shipped to? I just moved out of my dad's house and I don't have my computer set up with internet yet."

"You moved out? Good for you! Your dad sounds like such a douche bag, no offense," Lynn said. There was a slight tinge of anger in her voice.

"None taken. You're totally right. And thanks by the way for talking with me that night. I needed..." A surge of doubt hit me and I swallowed hard, unable to speak. I tried to compose myself, knowing Father was growing suspicious. I had broken down the other night and had called Lynn. After knowing that Father could be in the House of G, I needed to talk to someone other than Blick or Michael. Consequently, I had shared a few details about my personal life with her. The confession had done me a world of good, so I didn't second guess my actions. _Fuck it_ , I thought. _I need to start trusting a few people, and who better to start with than someone I talk to almost every day!_ Lynn's father was an alcoholic, so she totally understood why I didn't enjoy putting up with his erratic behavior, and was debating moving out. That had been my story, and it wasn't too far from the truth.

"Hey, that's what friends are far," she said in between slurping down her soda. "God knows, you've heard me bitch about my boyfriend. How did I end up with a dad and boyfriend who both drink? I've got to figure out a way to get Steve to cut back on the sauce."

"I hear ya," I said, wanting to voice instead something about her leaving the ass, which is how I mentally referred to her boyfriend, Steve. If I ever visited Earth, I couldn't wait to meet that waste of space. But since my time was limited, I turned the conversation back to my issue. "Let me know what you find out, okay? And when I get settled, I'm gonna throw a party."

"Sounds good! I'll text ya what the info after I get off work tonight." Then Lynn paused for a moment and there was a moment of silence. "Are you okay?" she asked being very serious.

"Yeah," I said slowly. "I will be."

"I've gotta get back to work. Send me the pics."

I glanced at Father to see he was moving closer to me, ready to strike. I heaved a huge sigh. "Thanks! Gotta go! Bye!" After ending the call, I sent her the two photos of the sports drink bottle. I shoved my phone in my back pocket. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement on my left side. Hoping my vampire agility was still with me, I ducked and yanked up a shotgun from off the floor, smacking Father in the head as he rushed at me.

Reeling from the blow, he stumbled. "You conniving bitch," he snarled at me. "What are you up to?"

My stomach flip flopped and my hands started to sweat. "How's that wine business of yours going?" I said shaking the gun at him. "You branching out into energy drinks?"

He reached for my feet, trying to knock me down.

I fled to the other side of the bleachers.

"You don't know anything," Father replied as he made himself comfortable in the center of the gym. He sat down, crossing his legs in a yoga pose and rested his hands, facing upwards, on his knees.

" _What is he doing?_ " the voice inside my head asked.

An image of the monstrous snake from my nightmares surfaced again in my head. Panic gripped my throat and I struggled to swallow.

"Your mutt is dead," he said keeping his eyes closed as if he was meditating. "Why is this not working?" he muttered. He dropped his arms and stood up.

"No, he's not!" I looked down at my hands and realized I was trembling. I had to focus. Michael's advice from earlier floated into my mind. " _Rayea, don't let your emotions distract you. It'll cloud your judgment!_ " "Blick's not dead," I shouted.

Father rolled his neck about, stretching one side and then the other. He glanced over at me as I stood huddled near the bleachers like a coward. "Oh yes, he's dead. Stephanie and the boys have quite a deadly bite. We won't be seeing any more of him. Now all I have to do is take care of that angel and his leader. Then we can go home."

As a wave of nausea hit me, I gritted my teeth. Michael's blood was wearing off. My fangs ached in the top of my mouth. _What perfect timing?_ I thought sarcastically. _I'm certainly not drinking Father's blood._

"G's been taken care of. He's been missing for weeks and then he just shows up. That was me. Oh and have you heard from J lately? I don't think so," Father flashed me a smile filled with shark teeth, and then roared with laughter. "They are such fools!"

Tears were forming in my eyes as I evaluated Father's verbal and non-verbal language. I couldn't believe what he was saying to me.

J's words from earlier crossed my mind. " _G has been acting odd lately._ " Could Father have them? Was that possible?

Panic set in and I wrestled inwardly with my emotions, wanting to flee, wanting to scratch and claw my way to freedom. "No, no, it can't be true," I said trying to understand the ramifications of Father's declaration.

"Here," he said, appearing in front of me before I realized he was there. Retrieving an item from his black leather suit jacket, Father shoved a clear plastic bag in my hands. It had been wrapped several times with saran wrap and contained a dark red liquid.

"My blood. It's what you really need, daughter," he said, smirking at me, then lightly he brushed his scaly finger across my cheek.

I froze. My entire body went as rigid as steel against Father's touch. Memories of his 'loving his children' as he called the molestation he subjected me to invaded my brain.

" _Don't let him touch you like that, honey!_ " the voice inside my head screamed. " _Not anymore! Do something!_ "

"My blood's inside you, just like I've been inside you so many times before during your training sessions," he chuckled. "You'll always be my favorite daughter." His voice purred at me, hoping to lure me in.

"You're right, Father," I said taking the bag of blood from him and busting it in my right hand. Quickly, with my blood fist, I pulled him very close to my chest. "There's only one thing we can do here."

Suddenly a perplexing expression crossed his face. His mossy green reptilian eyes questioned me.

I smiled back at him with an all consuming devilish glare. I summoned every ounce of anger, frustration, humiliation, and fear I had ever experienced thanks to this man and let it merge into one force of fury, one line drawn in the sand, one way out, or one last stand.

With panic rising in his voice, Father said, "Daughter, I can't move!"

I extended my fangs and nodded, looking deep into his eyes. "Yes, I know."

"Search his mind," I said to the voice inside my head. "Find out where G is. See if J is missing too."

"How dare you? You can't read my thoughts! I won't tell you," Father yelled. "I won't!"

The telepathy reached out and took hold of Father. The voice inside my head answered, " _I have him. Give me a moment. I'll get the location._ "

Stepping back from Father, I wiped his blood of my hand and crossed my arms over my chest, admiring the sight before me. " _Send it to Michael when you have it. I want to make sure they are all safe,_ " I said to the voice inside my head.

Father stood frozen in his tracks, screaming and shaking his hands at the sky, at me, threatening, swearing, essentially freaking out. He looked like a frightened rat caught in a mousetrap. "You'll pay for this treachery, daughter!" Suddenly, he stopped shouting and twitched in pain. His arms fell to his side. His head collapsed forward from exhaustion as he dropped to his knees.

I knew we had the answer. The voice inside my head sent it to me. " _G and J are both on a remote island on the outskirts of Purgatory. Stephanie has them._ "

" _Send it to Michael,_ " I repeated to the voice inside my head.

" _Already done,_ " the voice replied.

"Then we end this now," I said to Father. I looked at my hands and envisioned balls of fire centered in the palms. _Come forth_ , I said to myself. Instantly, flames surfaced on my skin. Rings of fire started twisting, growing larger around my hands, whirling, buzzing, crackling with energy.

Father was staggering about, trying to regain his wits. The mind meld had probably fried part of his brain. "You can't stop me," Father hissed as he wobbled on shaky legs. "I'll admit your powers have grown, but you can't defeat me, not now, not ever!"

As the fire intensified swirling around my hands and the lower parts of my arms up to my elbows, I lowered my head and set my footing for a running start at him. I replied, "We'll see about that." I rushed towards him and tackled him, throwing us both to the ground.

He groaned loudly as the back of his scaly, bald head smacked the gym floor, dazing him momentarily.

Summoning every ounce of confidence I prayed I had, I pinned his arms to the wooden floor and shoved the weight of my body into his belly. "Goodbye, Father." In one fluid motion with flames burning wildly around us, I drove my right hand deep into his chest and yanked out his heart.

Quickly, I rolled away from him as he convulsed and went into a fit of spasms. I found refuge against a nearby wall, holding his heart as it pulsed in my hand. Blood dripped onto my pants and stung my flesh. Flames enveloped me. I couldn't control it anymore. I was engulfed in fire.

***

Out of nowhere, Michael and Blick appeared. Cautiously Michael approached me as Blick, still in savage werewolf form, sniffed the body of my father.

Father's skin had turned an ashen gray and he had ceased to move.

"G and J are safe. You're okay, Rayea. Can you hear me? You're okay." Michael's gentle voice brought me back to reality.

His blue eyes widened in surprise. "Is that his heart?"

I nodded, still in shock, realizing what I had done.

"Give it to me," he said. Then as he knelt down by me, he quietly added, "Please."

I shook my head at him, resisting his request.

"Calm down, you are literally burning up. Calm down! How long have you been on fire?" he exclaimed.

"Don't hit me," I screeched. "Please no more!"

"Oh sweetheart, what did they do to you? I won't hit. I promise. No more. Please calm down."

Hearing the concern in Michael's voice boosted my confidence. Slowly I concentrated on my breathing and listened to the sound of my heart. Ashes flew in front of me as I realized Father's heart was burning in my hand. It disappeared into a flurry of smoke and glowing particles.

Blick stood guard over Father's body. He growled a warning and thumped his paw on the gym floor. Vibrations from the hit jostled me and Michael. Michael regained his balance.

"Blick, is everything okay?" Michael called out.

Suddenly Father's body turned to a heap of ashes. We watched as a ball of light emerged from the pile. Small serpents twirled and whirled in the emerald glow, shrinking in size as the ball slowly dimmed. Then it completely vanished.

I breathed a sigh of relief and let my body relax. Instantly the flames that had been sizzling every part of my body extinguished their assault on me.

Being sure to not touch me, Michael commented, "You're covered in soot. But are you okay?"

I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to comprehend his question and find my voice. Finally I said, "I am now."

He returned a brilliant smile and my heart skipped a beat or two.

Blick bounced over to us, gnashing his teeth at me when he arrived. Large drops of drool fell on my pants.

"Hi there, stranger," I said, ruffling his black fur behind his ear. "Ouch." I winced in pain as I extended my burnt arm. A few cracks in my blackened skin separated and exposed pink flesh underneath.

Michael and Blick halted their actions and stared at my arm.

Without asking my permission, Michael scooped me up and headed to the doors with me curled up in his arms. "I know something that will fix you right up."

The pain was unreal. I wanted to scream out, but instead I hid my face in the crook of Michael's strong neck and thanked my lucky stars that he and Blick were both alive and safe.

Chapter 14

**You Deserve a Break**

After Michael's blood healed my wounds and a long bath brought me back to my sanity, I composed myself and re-entered the world anew. Everything seemed so glorious, so bright and shiny knowing my father was dead. I walked around Blick's living room in a new change of clothes, basking in the warmth of our victory.

I did make a mental note that being low on blood could mean my emotions would wreak havoc on me. I'd have to figure out a way to get steady meals and keep that at bay in the future, without siphoning blood from Michael. I added a calendar item, denoting when I'd received his blood as I joined everyone on the terrace.

"Do you realize how much paperwork I'm going to have to fill out?" Death asked me as I walked past him, busy with my phone. I wanted to return to some normality after the events of the day.

I flipped him off.

"I think that means she doesn't really care," Michael replied to him.

"Geez," Death grunted.

I glanced up from my phone, smiled at Michael as he sat in a patio chair with his long legs stretched out, and then resumed checking a few text messages from Lynn. I leaned against the railing feeling the wind of the ocean against my back. I was on cloud nine. The freedom, the weight now lifted off my shoulders was difficult to articulate to anyone. But I knew they could see it in my face. I had a devil-may-care attitude and it clearly showed.

I caught Blick gazing at me while he sat near Michael. Blick spoke up, "How many red smoothies did you make this time?"

"A fair amount," I snickered, struggling to avoid Michael's stare.

The confident, proud look in Blick's golden eyes startled me. Thanks to a few whispers in his ear from J, Blick had resumed his human form. The only remnant of his werewolf form was a full black beard that replaced his goatee. He and Michael were both dressed in crisp white T-shirts, dark jeans, light gray Italian suit jackets, and matching loafers. They had somewhere to go, I could tell.

I shoved my phone in my pocket and beamed at him, letting the wind catch my hair. I wiped a few raven strands away from my face.

Saying not a word, Blick rose from his chair and held his arms out to me, offering me a hug.

Immediately I rushed into his arms, returning his strong embrace. "Papa," I whispered, giggling under my breath.

He rocked me slowly, quietly humming "The Pretender," by my favorite band, the Foo Fighters. "We're rid of that son-of-a-bitch, aren't we?" he whispered in my ear.

"Yes." I closed my eyes to savor the moment with my best friend.

***

"We've got to get going. The Medusa look-alike is on the move again." J stepped onto the terrace, motioning for us to join him inside.

As we gathered around the computer in the living room, Death offered, "I'll get Ra and the other dragons to join us. Where was she last seen?" He leaned over J's shoulder, studying the image on the monitor.

I flew off the couch and joined the guys as they huddled around the computer. "Ra is a dragon? What?"

Michael bumped me in the arm. "We can talk about that later." Quickly he winked at me and resumed his serious demeanor.

J nodded and swept a wisp of his light brown hair behind his ear. "Thank you, Michael. Yes, Death, we'll need their help. That's a great idea. I'm sending Blick and Michael on a separate task before they join us."

_What did that mean,_ I wondered, gazing in Blick and Michael's direction.

"I think the Medusa look-alike is lost," J continued. "But it seems she's heading back in our direction. Here." He pointed to an elaborate map of a satellite image on my computer monitor.

"That's the caves underneath the Dragons' hideaway leading to Purgatory," Michael stated, avoiding my gaze. "She can't find her way back to Hell going that route."

"We can cut her off before she gets there," J said.

***

While the guys were busy formulating a plan of attack, I sent a few text messages to Lynn to see if she had found anything.

" _I'm still working on it._ " Lynn answered in a text message.

I clicked my tongue against the holding cavity for one of my fangs in the roof of my mouth and considered the appropriate answer to that question. _Okay,_ I thought. _Maybe that was a silly notion._

" _I'll call you later. K?_ "

" _Good deal!_ " Lynn replied.

A knock sounded at the door.

I answered it while I continued to play with my phone. As far as I could tell, the guys didn't even notice the sound.

A small, burly man dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts, and beige loafers greeted me. He had long white hair pulled back into a pony tail and his cheeks were sunburned from the sun.

"You must be the vampire," he said thrusting his hand out in my direction.

I raised an eyebrow at him cautiously, staring at his tanned hand. Then it registered with me who this could be. "G, I mean, Sir? Are you G?"

A large smile brought wrinkles to the corners of his eyes. His face was weathered from too much sun, but his gentle gray eyes sparkled. He took my hand in his, shaking it enthusiastically. "I should be thanking you for saving my life and the life of my son. Though I'm so sorry to hear about your father's death.

I didn't say a word. Instead I leaned forward and tilted my head slightly in disbelief as we stood in the doorway.

His deep voice boomed with laughter. "Oh not really! That was a joke, at your expense I'm afraid, my dear. My apologies."

I shared a grin with him and escorted him in.

Before we reached the others, he quickly turned to me and grabbed my elbow. "Would a vacation interest you? You've been through enough, my dear. And I'm sure we can take care of your sister. You deserve a break, don't you agree?"

I glanced over at Michael and Blick with a huge grin on my face and my eyes as wide as saucers.

Michael and Blick smiled at me. Death and J ignored the computer for a moment and chuckled.

"Ex-sister, Sir," I replied to G. "I'm disowning her."

"Nothing wrong with that," G agreed. Directing his question to J, he asked, "Gentlemen, have we come up with a plan?"

J and Death nodded.

"Good then. Let's get the vampire on her way. Michael, Blick, return straight away once you get her settled." G inclined his head in my direction. "Good luck, my dear."

"Thank you, Sir." My resounding good mood had just taken on new heights. I wanted to jump around the room, singing, 'I'm taking a vacation, I'm taking a vacation.' But I maintained a cool demeanor for everyone's benefit.

"We need to get busy moving." J paused for a moment and leaning out of the desk chair, he reached for my elbow, brushing it lightly. "Thank you. That wasn't an easy task for you to do. I know. But thank you and congratulations." He stood up from his chair and brushed the creases out of his slacks. "I've decided to add you to our team," he announced. "Having a vampire, such as yourself, will certainly be an asset to our army. Welcome aboard." He descended the stairs to Blick's weapon storage room.

Death winked at me and said over his shoulder as he followed J, "Stay out of trouble, Ray."

"We've got to act fast. The first blow has been dealt. The war has begun," Michael spoke up. He and Blick bumped their fists together, and then looked away.

"What are you talking about, Michael? It's over. Father's dead. You don't think he's alive, do you, after that? I ripped his fucking heart out!" I yelled, only to realize I had raised my voice in the presence of G. "He's dead. I saw his ashes fly away in the wind," I quietly added.

Both archangels towered over me, closing in around me. "We don't have time to explain. We've gotta get you out of here," Michael said. "Let me see your phone."

"Why," I asked as I handed it over to him.

"If Stephanie's sending you text messages, maybe you shouldn't have this phone. Leave it here."

My eyes widened with surprise. "Not my phone! I'm leaving the computer." I shook my finger in G's direction. He was now sitting in front of the monitor, opening photos of Ashton on both monitors.

"We'll get you another one, Rayea. It's just a phone," Blick assured me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and gave me a gentle shake.

J and Death returned from the basement room and continued suiting up for combat.

I glanced over my shoulder as I heard G ask, "Does anyone know who this man is? Is he a vampire too? How many vampires are here?!"

"Okay, let's go," I said realizing my cheeks were turning red from embarrassment.

"The verbal command for our teleporation is now corrupted," Michael said.

"We can't say the 'P' word until we set up a new network in a new location. For now, just think of the desired destination," Blick explained.

Michael pinched me on my butt. "You think you can handle that?"

"Okay, okay!" I swatted Michael's hand away from me playfully.

I exhaled slowly and twitched my lips slightly. I ignored the fact that Michael had made the gesture in front of G. I let it go. Instead, a huge smile covered my face and I sent the thought to their minds. " _Earth. We're going to earth, right?_ "

They both nodded in agreement.

"I told you'd she would be onboard with that," Blick laughed, slapping us both on the shoulders while we stood in a huddle.

I giggled and wrapped my arms around the angels' waists. "Let's do this," I said smiling up at both of them.

**Books by Ally Thomas**

The Vampire from Hell (Part 1) - The Beginning

According to Rayea, the oldest daughter of Satan, the origin of vampires started in Hell, and it started with her. Rayea isn't daddy's little girl, even if he is the most powerful fallen angel around. He wants her to take an active role in the family business. But she's not interested in his schemes for world domination. Instead she wants to spend her time shopping on the Internet, rescuing humans from a horrific eternity, and practicing martial arts with her seven foot hellhound. Then one day everything changes.

A Vampire Among Angels (The Vampire from Hell Part 2)

Living a life with an overbearing father can be a challenge. For Rayea whose father is the fallen angel, Lucifer, it has been torture. In the second installment of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea finds peace when she visits the House of G. There she hopes for a new beginning among Blick's angelic friends, only to discover a Vampire from Hell may not be welcome.

A Vampire on Vacation (The Vampire from Hell Part 3)

In the third part of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea travels to Earth hoping to meet her online friends, leave her disturbing past with her father behind her, and embark on a new future without her meddling family.

The Vampire from Hell Returns (The Vampire from Hell Part 4)

Blood of the gods has brought a new dimension to Rayea's life as the Vampire from Hell. In the fourth installment of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea juggles her new responsibilities and starting a relationship with her best friend, Blick. Additionally, Rayea realizes her sordid past with her family is catching up with her, and she is going to have to deal with it once and for all. When two of her friends go missing, she knows she must begin a search to find them. And the first place she has to look? Hell.

Blood of the Gods (The Vampire from Hell Part 5)

Rayea has been missing a year and presumed dead. In the fifth installment of the Vampire from Hell series, it's open season on the Ancient Council. Angels and gods alike are being systematically wiped out. Only one person can save them, the Vampire from Hell, but how can Rayea do that when she does not recall who she is and none of her friends can find her?

Zombies Unleashed (The Vampire from Hell Part 6)

The last thing Rayea, the Vampire from Hell needs to worry about is a zombie invasion. In the sixth installment of this series, Rayea realizes contending with creatures forged by her father, Satan may be a reality for her and her friends on Earth. Her walking nightmare begins as Rayea struggles to deal with the ongoing complications of her life: a wedding to plan, the world to save from zombies, and an unexpected call for help from her evil sister, Stephanie.

Demon Invasion (The Vampire from Hell Part 7)

Rayea's world is unraveling. With less than nine weeks to plan the wedding, Rayea is introduced to Blick's ex-girlfriend who she immediately dislikes. To make matters worse, Blick explains that Rayea must meet his extended family before they can wed and to top it all off, on the day they are set to travel to his world, Rayea loses her vampire powers. How can she walk into a house of werewolves without her powers? It's not easy being a vampire from hell, especially for this vampire, or should we say ex-vampire?

Vampire Tears (A Collection of Poetry)

This first collection of poetry by author Ally Thomas focuses on paranormal creatures, primarily vampires. Think of it as if you are allowed to walk through the mind of a vampire. You witness their confessions, their fears, their trepidations, their doubts, and their tears. Many of the thirty poems, written in free verse, are 'dark poetry' and each shares a vampire's heart and soul filled with regret, longing, perhaps anger or rage, and some of quiet desperation left unspoken.

~ally (7.15.18)
