Archive-name: Fantasy/nmusic09.txt
Archive-author: Flying Pen
Archive-title: Night Music -  9


		       Chapter 9: On the Other Foot

   Victoria kissed me on the cheek the next morning.  "Good morning.  Did you 
not sleep well?" she asked in a voice that was honey dipped in acid.  I
looked in the mirror.  I looked as good as I felt.  Ugh.  We had brunch at an
outdoor cafe.  Jonna waited on us.  Any possibility of pleasant conversation
vanished when Victoria noticed the fang marks on Jonna's neck.  "Her, too?"
she asked.  This time it was acid coated with poison.

   Brunch discussion centered on the closing date for the house, and the 
furnishings we needed.  My mind wandered, because _she_ was the rich one, and 
_she_ was going to be spending the money.  There was a definite distance
between us that hadn't existed before last night.

   We returned home.  I brooded over how to explain my revenge or my
fantasies to her.  I felt that I should say something in my own defense.
Once I had resolved that, there was only the small matter of bringing up the
subject.  As for Victoria, it was as if the previous night had never
happened.  She seemed perfectly willing to let it stew.  I finally screwed up
enough guts to say something.

   "Ummm... about last night..." I tentatively began.  Victoria looked up
from the Sunday comics, expectation in her eyes, but silence on her lips.  I
swallowed, and continued, "I'm very sorry if I angered or disgusted you last 
night.  I - I -- I can only apologize and hope you'll forgive me."  The room
was silent.  I hung my head, wondering why I was foolish enough to bring up
the subject.

   "Apologies are for mortals," Victoria flatly stated.  I looked at her with
a hanging jaw.  "Do not look so shocked," she pouted.  "You still think like
mortal man.  You choose your victims.  It will get you in trouble.  You lust 
after woman for sex, and bite to make dream come true.  Fuck Kelly in ass for 
humiliation, feh!  You enjoyed her fully.  She wanted bite, you wanted to
give it to her."

   "I was _lying_ about the bite!  You already warned me, remember?" I
pleaded.

   Victoria shook her head.  "No, is not true, you wanted to fuck so bad, you 
would bite!  I want you, so I bit girl and gave command."  Her voice got
softer.  "Mortals are not the only ones that can be seduced by vampire power.
Our power can control us, if we are not careful."  She paused, letting the
meaning sink in.  "You are my love, and I do not wish for anything bad to
happen.  So, I do not want you to speak of Kelly again.  Is bad sign, not
because I am jealous of Kelly, but it means that you are still mortal, not
vampire.  Mortal weaknesses kill vampire faster than stake through heart."

   There was so much I had to say to her.  I wanted to tell her how right she 
was, that I could explain everything, but that I would do better.  I opened
my mouth to say something, but Victoria waved her hand dismissively.  "No.
Remember fangs.  _They_ are what matters."  She pointed at her teeth, still 
normal in the fading daylight.  She continued, "You are still only baby
vampire.  I care for you now and forever.  Is not false promise for us."

   Night fell.  I shivered as the unbidden memory of the would-be car thieves 
replayed in my mind.  We didn't speak much the rest of the evening.  I was
lost in thought, for Victoria had raised the questions that I had been trying
my best to ignore.  As the night passed, my courage started running at an
all-time high.  I decided that I was going to get answers to my questions
then and there.  Victoria put an end to that idea, speaking first and saying,
"Come, let us go to bed, I am tired, and would sleep with you."  I begged
off, saying that I had some preparation to do for work on Monday.  She
shrugged, "As you wish."

   Before leaving me alone, she gave me a sweet, wet kiss.  I responded
fully, but without the extra enthusiasm that had been so prevalent early in
our relationship.  As I watched her get ready for, and go to bed, I became
aware that I was a little afraid of Victoria.  No, that wasn't quite it.  I
was afraid of... myself.  And what I'd become, and afraid of what I was on my
way to becoming.  I slept on the futon again.

   A revised deadline hit on Monday morning at work, and I was going to be in 
the middle of everything.  I was working late and didn't get home until after 
midnight.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, I was there until two in the morning.  I 
was tired, I was grumpy, and I was _still_ afraid of Victoria.  Victoria was 
very gentle with me, letting me come home and collapse in peace.  She'd give
me a back rub and let me drift off (crash) to sleep.  My mortal concerns had
left me unwilling to play with her at night.  She seemed to understand, and
was content to cuddle next to me as I slept.  The distance between us had
closed.

   Thursday was the bug from hell day.  After working on the problem for
eight hours, I took a break, completely frazzled.  I left the building for a
walk to clear my head.  While I was walking, I encountered a little
diversion.  I saw an attractive young woman pounding on the window of a car.
I walked over to her and asked, "Is there something wrong, do you need some
help?"  She wheeled, frightened, and clutched at a small canister of mace on
her key chain.  I held up my hands defensively.

   "You scared me half to death!  I didn't hear you at all!" she exclaimed.
I could see her relax as she evaluated me.  Apparently she decided I was
harmless.  Silly girl.  "I'm locked out of my car.  I can't believe that I
locked my keys in this thing!!!"

   "Well, maybe I can help," I offered, and moved to inspect the window and
door seals closely.  She leaned close, murmuring, "Do you see anything that
might help?"

   I turned my head and our eyes met.  What the hell, I could use a snack.  
"Come to my office.  We can call for a locksmith from there."

   "I don... yes," she answered.  Her intended refusal died as a desire to
agree with me filled her mind.  Our eyes were locked.  Her arms fell limply
by her side.  Her shoulder bag clattered to the ground.  I picked it up,
handed it to her, and turned to go back to the office.  She followed
silently.  The security guard wasn't in sight as we went in, and I took the
woman straight to my office.  Closing the door, I put my arm around her waist
gently and pulled her close.  "N-n-nooo..." she protested feebly, sensing
deep down that she was in danger.

   "Just a little bit, my dear," I whispered, and bit her.  The woman arched
her back, moaning softly as I drank her life.  I carefully paid attention to
the taste of the blood, and noted how different it was from Victoria's.  The
woman's life force flickered, and lost some of its brilliance.  I stopped,
bracing myself for the blood lust.  The demon must have been asleep, however,
for there was no internal conflict.  I sighed in relief, and let the woman
go.  She wobbled on her feet.  "Sit and sleep, you will remember only that
you called the locksmith from here."  When the locksmith called my office, I
woke the woman and sent her on her way.  I settled back in to work.

   What had seemed obscure and impossible two hours ago became elementary,
and the bug was eradicated in less than 15 minutes.  Shortly before midnight,
I was done.  It was time to go home to my wife.  The blood snack I'd had was
charging me up.  I was happy, energetic and feeling rambunctious.  I grabbed
a bottle of chilled champagne and two glasses from the market on my way home.

   Victoria wasn't at the door when I came into the apartment, so I
immediately headed for the bedroom, humming happily and loudly.  The
champagne and glasses fell to the floor as I turned the corner.  Victoria was
in bed naked.  Straddling, and rocking back and forth on top of some young
blond dude.  The noise made the guy turn his head, and his eyes grew wide at
the sight of me.   "Whut th'fuck is -- aack!"

   Victoria quickly bit him, and I heard her say, "Sleep," as I turned to
leave.  The apartment door shut behind me as I fled, and Victoria's yell of
"DAVID!!!"  was muffled.  I turned into a bat and streaked into the sky,
blinking back tears.  I was flying virtually blind, and felt extremely
betrayed.  "HOW COULD SHE???  IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A FUCKING MONTH!" I
bellowed against the rushing air.

   I circled the city numerous times while I tried to make sense of
Victoria's actions.  As I flew, the wind began to answer my sobbed questions,
singing in response.  It was a soft, gentle melody, unlike the symphony that
had played when I flew the first time.  The longer I flew, the sweeter the
song became.  My tears stopped and were blown dry.  The angry, hurt thoughts
and emotions were muted by the music, wrapped in gossamer notes.

   I circled the city one more time, then headed back home.  The melody told
me to, that I would be cheered by my return.  When I landed, and changed back
to human form, the music ceased.  Nagging doubts made me hesitate outside and
ponder my options.  After a few minutes of trying to figure a better way, I 
realized that I _had_ to talk with my wife.  I took a deep breath; steeled 
myself, and went back in.  Victoria was sitting at the kitchen table,
smoking, facing the door when I came in.  She showed no surprise at my
return, nor at my calm.  "I knew you would be back.  I saw you fly away.  The
music called you back, yes?"  Her brown eyes were open, full of honesty.

   "How did you know?" I asked, surprised at the accuracy of her supposition.

   "I have flown away in anger and rage, too, David.  You forget sometimes, I
am much older than you."  Victoria put her cigarette out and stood up,
looking at me.  "I want to show you something," Victoria said.  The guy she
had been fucking walked in.  "I am here, mistress."  Obviously she had called
to him telepathically.

   I noted his well-muscled chest and arms.  His relatively long blonde hair, 
and rugged near-model good looks made me feel inadequate.  Then I noticed
that he was still naked, and turned in embarrassment.  "No, David, I want you
to see this," Victoria urged gently.  I reluctantly turned to watch, telling
myself that she has a reason for this.  Suddenly, he wrapped those big arms
around my wife, and kissed her long and deep.  I could barely contain the
anger that exploded in me as Victoria responded completely.

   She broke the embrace, a slight flush apparent on her face, and the look
in her eyes was the one that says, "Let's make love.  NOW."  She was
flaunting her attractiveness to this blonde hunk in front of me.  It was a
demonstration that there were other men who were as good as, or better than I
was.  Confused, I shifted uneasily on my feet.  Victoria must have
anticipated my reaction, because she said, "Stay there, David.  Watch and
learn," before I could move.  The weightlifting surfer's cock was rising, and
it looked like it was going to be in proportion to the rest of his body.

   Now I felt _completely_ inadequate, and very helpless.  What was Victoria 
going to teach me?  A lesson about fantasies?  That I wasn't the only one?
My anxiety grew by the microsecond, and time slowed enormously.  "Are you
jealous of Jeff, David?" Victoria purred.  Hell, yes!  I wanted to rip "Jeff"
to shreds at that moment.  Victoria _smiled_ at me, then turned to Jeff and
opened her mouth.  Ahhh shit, she was going to kiss him again.  Jeff's mouth
opened in return, waiting expectantly.

   As the distance between their mouths closed to almost nothing, Victoria 
leaned around to the side and bit him.  This wasn't a gentle bite, however.  
Jeff's dick instantaneously jumped to full erection.  He gurgled, and his
eyes bugged out with surprise.  The gurgling noise continued, a sound I
hadn't heard from a biting victim before.  I saw Jeff's penis rapidly
deflate.  The gurgling became harsh choking sounds.  His eyes were wide open,
but full of horror and panic, not ecstasy.  He tried to push Victoria away,
but she held him as if he were a child, and kept her mouth fixed on his neck.
She was making loud slurping sounds.   Jeff's legs stopped working, then his
arms; the choking noise got softer.  There was one last gurgle, his eyes
closed, and Victoria, quite casually, let the lifeless body thud to the
kitchen floor.

   There was blood all over her mouth.  Victoria's eyes were bright, bright
red, and very bloodshot, a shocking contrast to Jeff's pale, pale, dead body.
"You see, he meant nothing to me.  I took my pleasure as I desired, and I was
amused.  But he was ultimately only mortal.  I am a vampire, mortals exist
only for my amusement, and my food.  It would be good for you to learn that
you are a vampire, too."

   "So you've killed him to prove your point.  Does that mean in three days, 
he'll be a full vampire?  And your faithful slave, forever undead.  So what
do we do with the body until then?"  My voice was cold and emotionless.  I
had been brutally shocked by Victoria's ruthlessness, and blatant disregard
for mortal life.  If I had let any emotion out, I would have gone into
hysterics.

   She walked into the bedroom for a moment.  She returned with a sharp
wooden stick in her hand.  I knew what was coming, and my stomach heaved.
"You must not turn away," Victoria ordered.  She had no power to make me
watch, but I watched anyway, out of morbid fascination.  I was repulsed as
she drove the stake into the dead body on the kitchen floor.  I was horrified
as the eyes snapped wide open, and what had been Jeff hissed loudly.  It
tried to sit up, allowing Victoria to finish impaling the body.  The sharp
edge of the stake protruded from the back of the thing that was still
hissing.

   She picked up the cleaver from the knife rack.  With one swift (It was a
blur - I almost didn't see it), sure stroke, Victoria separated the head from
the body.  She reached into the cabinet and stuffed the head with cloves of
garlic.  The body disintegrated instantly.  "What body?" she coldly answered
my last question, clearly mocking my ignorance about vampires.  She swept up
the ashes, put them in the garbage disposal, and washed them away.  Victoria
carried the head to the bathroom, put it in the bathtub, and lit it with her
cigarette lighter.  It burned quickly, and completely.  Only a faint hint of
garlic hung in the air, and that was the only evidence of what had happened
in the apartment.

   "I know you will not make love to me tonight.  You must fight with your 
mortal part.  But you will make love with me again.  You are only man for me.  
Forever," Victoria said.  She kissed me on the cheek as she walked by.  I
stood, too stunned by everything to react to anything.  There was no
revulsion, no fear, no fascination, no nothing.  I just felt empty.

   I stayed on the futon again.  By myself.  I didn't sleep a wink.  My eyes 
never even closed.
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