Her Vampire Daddy

I had been taking the same route home for years. Every night walking the same six blocks to the subway station to board the same train, to get off at the same stop 4 blocks from my tiny basement apartment in the building my landlord kept just above a slum. Rent was cheap enough that a part time job at a small tea house in the art district covered it and most of my incidentals. The rest I supplemented selling little paintings out of the tea house and modeling for a few artist friends of mine. All in all my life was mostly normal, well as normal as a quasi-transient artist's life might be, almost boring even. But that all changed one particularly brisk fall evening.

He was on the platform across the tracks, having just gotten off the inbound train. I saw him as the train pulled out of the station, noted nothing remarkable as I scanned the surprisingly large midnight crowd. There must have been a game of some kind downtown, fight songs were being sang out by the revelers. Despite all the distraction, I got the feeling I was being watched as my own train pulled up blocking my view of the other platform. That being nothing new I boarded and took a seat near a window, eyes drifting aimlessly to the opposite platform. He was alone this time and unlike the first time my eyes set on him, there was something definitely remarkable about him. I found myself staring, taking in details of his features that I should not have noticed at such distance. The sardonic lay of his full lips, the stark contrast of his coffee brown skin and light gray eyes. He winked at me and I looked away, inexplicably embarrassed, and by the time I looked back he was gone.

All that night I couldn't get him out of my head, barely slept with the feeling of his piercing gaze on me. It was not long before visions of him consumed me. I began to see my mystery man all over the city in my travels. In the line next to me at the bank, hailing a cab on the opposite corner. Once he began showing up in my art and in my dreams I started to get a little freaked out, not enough to tell anyone but I admit it gave me pause. Especially with the nature of the dreams, very gothic and dark, but not nightmares for there seemed to be nothing evil about them. In fact I often woke from them with an overwhelming urge to touch myself, or with my fingers already busy between my thighs. I was consumed and from but one glance, I wondered what would have happened if I truly looked at him.

Eventually I got my wish. He was standing across the street from the teahouse one night in the shadows of a street lamp, though he was not hiding. It seemed he looked right at me though I could not see his eyes under his deep hood. The street was surprisingly quiet that night, no sirens or stereos, just the click of my boots and the jingle of my bracelets. Eerie, yes, but I didn't think much of it. That happened in the city sometimes, the unexplained quiet, and I was not one to complain about it. As I turned to go down to the subway station I took a glance behind me and there he was again. The thought of him following me came and went as my train departed and he wasn't on it. By the time I got to my stop I had forgotten all about it, detrained without a second glance and made my way home. Not before a quick stop at my local dive bar for a nightcap. I had a few shots and a beer or two before I headed home. Again the streets were quiet and I was feeling too good to take notice.

Though I did notice him on the opposite side of the street but the lowered inhibitions brought on by my inebriation made me do something that in hindsight seems rather foolish. I waved and even he seemed taken aback by the gesture, standing up straight off the utility pole he had been leaning on, though he didn't venture further.

I hope you will come inside tonight.

It occurred to me as I riffled through my satchel for my keys that that was a rather strange thought to have but shrugged it off to henny and red stripe. Once in hand the ever elusive key chain tumbled out of my slack grip and I cursed as they hit the ground in the darkness.

"

Tsk tsk tsk tsk

such language," came from behind me in a gravelly accented voice. "A mouth as beautiful as yours should know no such words." I was frozen, even as I felt him approach, however deliberate his steps I could do nothing. A step behind me I felt him bend to retrieve my keys and as he rose I began to feel how much I had underestimated his stature. Well over a head taller than me at 6'2" in my 4 inch biker boots and twice as broad, he could have easily overpowered me, but he didn't. Instead he held out my keys to me. I felt myself turning to accept them, from a will not really my own.

I looked at him then, unremarkable he was not. Dressed all in black and in the shadow of my alcove all I could see was the gleam of his teeth, so white, and the metallic shimmer of the small medallion around his neck. An ankh on a gold chain and my eyes were drawn to it.

"A gift from my mother ages ago," he said his voice so quiet it seemed I heard it from inside my own head. "I often wish that she might have been as ageless a gold, if she were, perhaps she might remain among us." As he spoke my eyes were drawn to his mouth. His words so eloquently spoken from one who looked like nothing more than a well dressed street thug. And his accent was like nothing I'd ever heard, I began to wonder if it was even English he spoke, and if not, how it could be that I understood him. And why wasn't I afraid as he edged closer to me, his perfectly manicured fingers laced together at his chest. "It is cold to you is it not," he said and, maybe it was the alcohol but, I was confused as to how he put it. So much so that I repeated it which brought a chuckle to the dark stranger. "Well?" he asked with a glance behind as a small group of drunkards stumbled by. "Perhaps you might rather be indoors?" With that, he slowly put his hands on me. One he placed gently on my hand, the other on the small of my back, guiding me around. "When you are ready I will be here...I will always be here."

I must have blacked out then because I woke up the next morning with the craziest hang over I'd ever had. So bad I called out of my shift and slept the rest of the day. I woke up later that evening and only then did I start to remember the night before. I lay there thinking of the strange encounter and it unnerved me, but not in the way I thought it should. Every time I closed my eyes I saw his, and the longer I held the blink, the more I saw of him. Much more than I actually saw but the vision of his chiseled chest and muscled abdomen had somehow made its way into my mind's eye. Soon I lay there with my eyes closed, my own imagination allowing him to ravage me. So vivid I came as if he actually touched me. Not the typical train of thought of one who thinks they may be being stalked. Moreover I wasn't afraid, in fact I couldn't wait to open my door.

As the sun set I drew a bath and lit my cozy apartment by candlelight. Setting ambience for what I wasn't sure but I cleaned up a little as well. No matter it was well past 10 I fired up my vacuum cleaner and made myself a huge dinner of steak, baked potato and roasted asparagus. After I ate I loaded up the dishwasher and put on my robe. Every time I passed the door my eyes were drawn to it, but not until I was ready to get in the bath did I go to it. As I turned the knob I heard the jingle of my keys and cursed, I'd left them in the lock outside.

"One with lips as supple as yours makes such words seem almost pleasing to the ears," came from the shadows and again I wasn't startled as he came into the light. That same almost smirk on his lips. "Be not alarmed, no harm will..."

"Aight enough of the bullshit, who the hell are you," I said, only a little annoyed. Not slamming the door shut and calling 911.

"I have been called many things but these days it is Nezrah..."

"So Nezrah what do you mean by no harm will come of me?" Still just minor annoyance as he came to stand at the door, his hand rested high on the jamb. His light eyes boring down into me but I could not look away.

"Let us say that someone of influence has taken an interest..."

"So you're someone of interest," I cut him off again and he laughed.

"Ah, well you care nothing of influence then," he said with smirk and I rolled my eyes.

"If you're so interested why haven't you tried to get inside yet," I said almost taunting and again he laughed.

"I much prefer to be invited."

"Well will you?"

"Will I?"

"Come in?"

"In your home?"

"Yes Nezrah will you come inside," I said exasperated and stepped back from the door, completely aware of the danger I was introducing myself to but knowing that none would come. He stepped over the threshold just enough for me to get the door closed behind him, all of a sudden he seemed nervous. His strong hands sliding into his pockets as his eyes roamed my apartment. I was struck all of a sudden by the fact that I was basically naked with a stranger, but the thought went away when he smiled at me. "Relax stay a while," I said all too easily and his smile broadened.

He finally drew back his hood and I got to see the angled features of his entire face. His high cheekbones and wide set eyes seemed almost cat like, the thick mane of locks that fell down his shoulders only lent further to his Leonean appearance. And his eyes weren't gray but the lightest hazel, he held my gaze as he removed his jacket to reveal a black t-shirt clad chest that was not nearly as broad as it seemed last night.

"You haven't asked my name," I said to him and he smiled, remained standing, though he did hang his jacket on the back of my comfy chair.

"You will tell me when you want me to know..."

"And where the hell are you from your accent is crazy?"

Again he laughed, seeming more relaxed as we spoke. "Where I was born no longer exists and I stay no particular place for too long."

"So no where and everywhere? And sit down you're making me nervous...wait not there," I said before he could sit in my comfy chair and waved him over to one of the kitchen chairs. "Bring one of those over here," I said and lead him over to the bathroom. "You interrupted bath time and I'll be damned if you ruin it."

"Aren't we all already? Damned I mean," he said and I couldn't help hear the angst in that as he sat the chair down outside the bathroom door.

"Yeah well might as well have fun while we're here right," I said as I dropped my robe. My back was turned but I felt his eyes on me and smiled a little.

What has gotten into me?!

"Ah a woman after my own heart..."

"That's what you were hoping for right," I said with a sigh as I settled into the hot water. Laying all the way back my own locks dipping into the water despite my loose hair tie. "Eventually I mean, for me to want your heart." I turned to look at him then, sitting with his back to me in only his wife beater. At some point he had removed his t-shirt and that didn't strike me as odd. "Because if it was just about a fuck then you would have tried for that already, I mean I am already naked." He laughed at that, heartily and turned to look at me.

"Yes Urbi, but again I would much rather be invited." There it was, he had called me that in a dream and hearing it now made me feel as it did then. In a word, elated and I couldn't begin to think why. I didn't even know what it meant, he could have been calling me a stupid little shit for all I knew. But I did know, deep down I did, he would never think to call me such a thing.

We were silent for a while after that until he said, "That is what I love of you 21

st

century women, so sure of yourselves. No dances with words for your lot, though I do miss the delicacy of..."

"Shit," I said and he laughed, shaking his head. I apologized and he laughed harder making me laugh to. "Hey do you smoke?"

"Despite my appearance I am not what you call a Rastafarian."

"I didn't say you were. I'm not, but I didn't wanna ask your help if you weren't interested."

"For you Urbi I would give the world if you but ask." As cheesy as it sounded I still swooned a little, especially as he rose from the chair his back still turned. "You need but ask Urbi."

"On the coffee table there's a box, can you get it for me?" While he was out of the chair doing my bidding I grabbed a towel to dry my arms and then covered myself with it underwater. "And you could come in here if you wanted to?"

"In the bath?"

That's not what I meant but I found myself saying "Yes," and not correcting it. That's when I saw it first, the predatory glint to his smile as he stepped out of his shoes, heavy black leather boots that his dark denim jeans bagged around. He undid those next then pulled his shirt over his head.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Do you trust that I would do you no harm, even if you tried to harm me?"

"Yes."

"Even with what little you know of me, you would still trust me?"

"You're in here aren't you," I said a little annoyed. He had stopped undressing with his questions and teasing me with his undone jeans and exposed boxer briefs. "And you're about to be just as vulnerable as I am. Plus I could ask you the same thing. I mean you don't even know my name how do you trust that I won't do something to you?"

The laugh that followed that should have made me nervous, the flash of viciousness that came to his smirk should have had me vacating my bowels, but neither of those things happened. I did see the danger in him though as he stepped out of his jeans. Something in the way he moved, so sinuously, Nezrah was a man who knew his body well. And used it. I couldn't help the low moan that escaped my chest as my eyes roamed up from his large feet and lingered at his equally large package. Just as the rest of him, his legs were heavily muscled and covered in the same unblemished coffee skin as smooth as molasses. When I finally got to his face I expected the cocky smirk of a man who knows he is beautiful, instead there was shyness in his eye. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity until finally with a smirk he moved to the bath.

"Not with those on...I promise I won't look," I said with a giggle as I put the towel that had been covering my body over my face and drew my knees up to my chest. I kept it there until I heard a low grunt from across from me as Nezrah settled. "Now the box please?"

He smiled as he handed it to me and I balanced it on the edge of the tub to open it. Pushing the rolling papers aside I decided to use my pipe instead, packed it and lit up. I looked at him as I exhaled, smoke wafting around him like a gray nimbus, and in the dim candle light, he looked the manifestation of my imagination. Water droplets glistened on his chest and I could not keep my eyes from watching it heave with each of his breaths.

"So Nezrah, remind me again what it is I'm not ready for." I passed the pipe across to him and he put it to his smirking lips. He took a long deep hit and held it, his gaze locked with mine as he seemed to think on his answer.

"When you are ready, there will be no need for you to ask such things," he said with the same cryptic condescension as the night before and I couldn't help my reaction.

"So do you normally speak in riddles or is that something special for me?"

He laughed at that as he handed me back my pipe. With strong hands Nezrah grabbed and pulled my legs to rest on his, my heels at his hips. Again he looked at me with contemplation in his eyes as I smoked and he began to slowly massage my ankles. "You understand me fine," was his simple answer and whether it was his thumbs in the arch of my right foot or the chronic, I was satisfied with his answer. "May I ask you something now Urbi," he said and I nodded. "Do you normally offer strange men to share your bath water, or is this something special for me?" It was the wryness in his tone that shocked me the most, but it was the look in his eye that made me so flustered that I nearly dropped my bowl in the water. That would have been better than what actually did happen. In the process on my clean save I inadvertently put my heel in his groin, right on what felt like a cucumber between his thighs, and he didn't react at all how I thought he should. Well not as soon as he should have, there was a split second hesitation between the blow and the howl that followed. Almost as if his caught breath was contrived, the way he grabbed my foot seemed forced. But it happened so fast that it only registered in hindsight. I shot up apologizing profusely, not caring that the towel had remained in the water and I stood stark naked in front of a stranger. But that wasn't the worst of it. With both his hands cupping his manhood I sat on the edge of the tub rubbing his neck and shoulders, so busy offering my condolences that I didn't notice the trail of red that ran into the tub from between my thighs.

I did however notice the sudden change in my dark stranger's demeanor. How his nostrils flared and jaws clenched. The tick that came to the muscles in his neck and the vein the appeared down the center of his forehead that pulsed 4 times for each of Nezrah's heavily drawn breath. His large hands came out of the water and gripped the edge of the tub, so tight that I had to ask if he was alright. That's when I finally noticed as I stood and saw the trail of blood in my peripheral vision. I squealed like an embarrassed 12 year old and jumped out of the tub.

"I had no idea...if I would...oh my goodness..."I stammered with my back to him as I wrapped a towel around my waist, rifling through the "feminine" draw in my bathroom vanity. So mortified I didn't hear him get out of the water, nor did I feel him come up behind me. One second I was bent over with my hand in the drawer, the next I was pressed against the bathroom door, his hand over my mouth.

"Please do not scream, I wish not harm you," he whispered with his lips on my ear. I could feel his erection as it poked me in the back, but he did not push. Nor did he restrain me, only the hand on my mouth, with the other he gripped my hip. "I did not wish...I had hoped...please do not scream..." He was pleading with me, for what I could not tell and as he continued to stammer the hand that was at my hip moved to the front of my thigh. "You must know Urbi I wish not ever hurt you...I wished for the decision to be yours..."My eyes bulged when I felt his callused fingertips sliding deliberately towards my labia and part them. But the touch was too gentle for one whose intent was to rape. "You scent...so sweet...I did not wish you find out this way you must know Urbi..." Then there were two fingers at my opening and I gasped thinking that I had been wrong, that my life was over. But he did not venture inside, but tentatively rubbed his fingers against it and I felt him gasp. "I beg you not deny me...Gods you smell divine...I beg you..."

That when it hit me, like a ton of bricks, as his bloody fingers passed my field of vision and I heard how hungrily he sucked them. He was a ...no he couldn't be, they weren't real. Beings contrived from imagination before the times of television to entertain the masses, not found walking the streets of modern cities. I could feel his heart pounding and I swore that they didn't have those. And I had seen him in the light of day so he couldn't be, and he had almost black skin I had never heard of African vampires before. And the garlic in the air and on my breath from my steak seemed not to have any effect on him. He couldn't be, but I had to ask. "Are you a..." Well I tried to ask, but I couldn't get the word out. The disbelief too strong for me to even say it, but there was no need.

"Yes," was his whispered reply, as he loosened his grip on me and stepped back. I couldn't believe the abandonment I felt when his skin left mine. "But I do not wish you prey," he said as I turned to look at him, expecting a monster from the movies. Instead there was little change that came to his features. Elongated canines and his pupils seemed to be dilated, the features of his face seemed more angled and cat like but all of that did nothing to make him less appealing to my eyes. "I am drawn to you Urbi and this is no common occurrence. You have consumed me since the day I saw you..."