My Date With a Vampire
Blind dates were always the worst, as if I didn’t know any better. I always got set up with some nut case. This time I hoped it would be different. No crazy baby momma drama, or gay ex-lover or even his clingy momma. Hell, I just wanted to go on a normal date. Eat a meal, meet a potential life-long mate. Remember my words. Be careful what you wish for.
I walked out of my loft apartment and headed towards my Toyota Camry. Susie and I had an understanding. I kept her in mint condition and she would get me to where I wanted to go. Susie was my car. Did I mention I was un-dead? After working in cosmetics all day. I wanted to get off my feet. Sit down and relax. I was to meet Alex. I think his name was Alex at Topoli. Topoli was a nice not to ritzy, not to costly cozy restaurant on the upper east side.
Suzie and I pulled out into the evening traffic when it hit me. A cold shudder ran its icy fingers down my spine. Instantly I turned the heat on in the car. It wasn’t cool this fall night. But I was chilled anyway. I made my way through traffic found a parking space and pulled to a stop. I closed my eyes and silently prayed that Alex was half normal. Little did I know.
Specifics were never discussed. I was to give my name to the hostess and she would take it from there, I opened the doors to the coziest atmosphere I had ever been in. For some reason the chill was still with me. But I felt at home. I did as instructed and gave my name to the hostess. Her looks alone made me feel welcomed. She was as refined as my grandmother.
“oh, yes your party is waiting for you.”
Her voice had a sing song affect, and I blindly followed. Again, with the coldness. This time I glanced around the room. Intimate settings assaulted me. couples staring lovingly at each other, or quietly arguing. Hunger washed over me. Some of them were food. But not to my liking. I liked Italian. You know garlic Yum! I closed my eyes and opened them again as the hostess stepped aside.
Oh, my god, he was beautiful and surprisingly one of my kind. A vampire. Our eye met as he rose gracefully from his seat. An aristocrat. His next words threw me as he bowed over my hand.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to keep our date tonight." Bad experiences with humans reads across your face.”
I simply nodded and took my seat.
“And you are Alex, short for Alexander am I, right?”
Not many vampires of current day were given the name sake. But I knew who he was. Alexander was a very powerful master vampire.
“If I asked you not to read my thought, would you?”
He smiled and nodded then questioned.
“If I ask you not to play human, would you?”
Oh, he was good.
I smiled and nodded. tonight, I would throw off the human persona I had erected three hundred years ago, and be myself Ari or Arimina of Romania. I sighed and looked around a little nervous. Wait a minute vampires don’t get nervous or do they? Across from me sat Alexander. In the vampire world, he was a very important figure.
“So, what brings you out on a night like this?”
Alexander’s laugh trickled across my skin and I blinked rapidly to dispel the sensation. Oh, yeah was he powerful.
“I wanted to meet you for some time. Arimina, or do you prefer to be called Ari?”
“Ari, I prefer Ari.”
“For tonight it will be as such Ari.”
I had heard that Alexander had a few wives and glanced around the restaurant. I didn’t want a stake in my back. Nothing was too personal when faced with your survival from your own kind.
“why are you here? Don’t you have wives?”
“I am on a date and I have never had a wife.”
I could sense that he was telling the truth. But there were stories of his wives. He was famous for them. Wait a minute no wives ever. The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
“are you , you know what I’m trying to say?”
Again, his laughter tickled across my skin and again I fought against it.
“No, I’m not. I lived these years spreading these rumors and cultivating them. I do have the power of compulsion over humans.”
I fired my next question.
“what else have you cultivated?”
A loaded question, but I wanted an answer. If he lied about the wives then he was powerful enough to lie about everything else. Again, I felt a cold chill but this time stronger. It current was slowly filling the room. I looked around and found the humans in the room frozen as if in time. Alexander just sat across the table watching my reaction.
“wealth, which I grow weary of. I need someone to spend my eternal days with. So, I chose you.”
“What?” I squeaked.
“yes, why not. you are beautiful even when you have that stuff all over your face and wear those ridiculous clothes. I have watched you for several years now. I wanted to get to know you. Create a life with you."
My mouth fell open and then that’s when all hell broke loose. The cold chill that enveloped the room started to take form. Hold on one moment vampires don’t feel cold or any temperature. I stared at Alexander or the spot where he was supposed to be sitting. He was no longer sitting opposite of me, but standing beside me.
“Don’t say anything I will handle this."
A figure materialized beside the table. I looked up into the blackest eyes I had ever seen.
“Alex”
“Miguel”
Miguel my mind whispered. Oh, boy what the hell did I stumble into. Everyone knew Miguel as well. He was known for ripping out people’s hearts when he was displeased. His eyes lingered on me for a fraction of a second and then locked onto Alexander.
“what brings you here brother.”
“I was sent to track you down. “Marcel wants a word with you.”
Alexander’s movements had changed, and I sensed danger. I felt the shield snap around me. Alexander rose from my side as three more vampires appeared. Each one larger and more muscular than the next.
“Stay here love” he whispered in my head. "I must take care of this first and then we can continue our discussion."
“sorry Miguel,let Marcel know I’m not doing a damn thing he asks.”
“Is this worth dying for.”
“Really Miguel, I don’t die that easily, you most of all know that. I don’t want to re-open old wounds.”
“Let’s not, or I will be forced to rip your heart out.”
“You could try Miguel. Go back and tell him. I said in the terminology of the humans. To fuck off."
Wrong words the three vampires sprang into action and before I knew it they were ashes at Alexander’s feet. Miguel’s hand shot out his elongated nails stretched to rip out Alexander’s heart. My gasp echoed through the shield, I felt it tighten. Miguel’s nails hit the barrier and burst into flames. Miguel snatched his hand and turn cold eyes to me. He stared at my throat I and felt my throat start to close.
“You can protect her with that shield all you like. But can you protect her mind?”
Alexander smile turned even colder as he whipped his hand across the room. A slice appeared on Miguel’s cheek. His mental attack came at me I braced myself and tried to project whatever he had in store for me back at him. Again, I never saw Alexander move. He and Miguel were locked into a fierce battle.
Their snarls and grunts reached my ears as I stood frozen. I had to do something. If Miguel got his way. He was going to choke the life out of me, and for what? This was my first date with Alexander. There was no commitment here, we barely knew each other.
Male ego’s never change whether they are dead or not. They still beat their chest. Before I knew what was happening, the whole room shook and then we were gone. I awoke coughing to the smell of smoke. Was I in hell? I opened one eye then another. We were no longer in the restaurant, but the hall of a smoke-filled castle. I closed my eyes again. Fuck it! I just didn’t want to know where I was or what was going on. I didn’t even want the damn date anymore. I searched the hall and found both Alexander and Miguel out cold on the floor. It was at that moment I heard the scratchy voice in my head. I had to re-shut my eyes. The voice hurt.
“Ah you are awake. I had hoped your head would not explode after hearing my voice.”
“Who? Where are you?”
“Turn around.”
I swear if I could have laughed I would have. But no sound would come out. I didn’t see anyone until I looked down. Standing before me was a man. I think it was a man he appeared elfin like. I could sense his power. It was rippling across the floor.
“My curse” is all he said and pointed to a picture. Please don’t tell me that this man was Dorian Grey. The human story of Dorian Grey was unlike the vampire one. Dorian Grey never aged because he was a vampire. Vampires are like humans we have our myths too.
“I am called many things. You may call me Marcel”
“Um Marcel what is going on here?”
“I needed to speak with Alexander and as usual he was being stubborn. Is that any way to treat his brother? He is lucky I don’t implode his favorite organ.” Another voice shook the room.
“Alexander doesn’t want to play Marcel, he is a grown man. Let him alone, he is family.”
This four-foot man /vampire stomped its feet and threw a tantrum.
“No! I want him with me. It’s her he doesn’t need her."
“I’m screwed" I thought. Alexander must have awakened because he was in front of me.
“Leave her out of this Marcel I won’t play your games anymore.”
"But I need you, Miguel doesn’t play the way I want him to. He lets me win all the time!”
“I said no.”
“Alexander!”
Vampires were beautiful, but the one materializing before me. Words could not describe. She floated across the floor and opened her hand. Instantly the little vampire turned into a bright ball and floated into her palm.
“Mother”
“Sorry Alexander your brother essence keeps escaping somehow.”
“Find him a body mother, how are you?”
“Take your woman and retire. I will handle Miguel, he was wrong to include her in the battle.”
“Go lightly on the punishment he is the only brother that I have left.”
“I know my son.”
She waved her hand again and we were back at the restaurant. Everything was back to normal or as normal as it could get for a vampire. I was intrigued.
“That was your family?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and stared at Alexander.
“So, you are not.”
“As I told you before, I am not into the same sex. I just haven’t found the right mate until now.”
“What do you mean by that?
“Do you believe in fate Ari?”
“No I believe in what I can see, the prey, the taste and the kill.”
“We are well matched, be my mate.”
“Whoa hold on this is a blind date. I don’t know if I like you enough to be with you. To even share my bed with you."
Alexander reached across the table and took my hand. Miguel reappeared beside the table.
“For the love of mother Miguel? what is it now?”
Miguel turned his cold eyes to me and said.
“I want her for myself.”
No way was this shit happening again. I slid from the booth and walked straight for the door and out of it. I left both of them in the restaurant. As I said before I wanted a lifelong mate. Suzy and I reached home. I entered my loft only to find that the two that I had left at Topoli's were sitting on my sofa.
“What took you so long to get here?”
“Get out the both of you.”
“I can’t as you have not answered me.”
“Answer you Alexander, this right here is not going to work.” I pointed a finger from him to me.
“See I told you she is more suited for me.”
Wait a minute, suited. Miguel looked casually at his nails.
“look mister I don’t know either of you now get out!”
“You two heard her the third voice said. And just like that they left.
I was all alone in my loft staring out at the window into the night wondering what if?
What if I gave Alexander a chance? Would it be so wrong being his mate?
“Ah” Alexander’s voice rang out. “I knew you liked me.”
He materialized behind me.
END