-Dream of Me-
by: Ace-of-Wands

If anyone ever told you that the hero of the story never dies, then they were dead wrong and you might do well to inform them as such. Not to sound pompous or arrogant but if this story was to have a hero it would be me. I was there when it began, I was a pivotal figure and with only a few minor alterations I was there at the end.

My tale began in England in the spring of 1873. I had been expelled from polite society thanks to the more racy of my indiscretions. I had disgraced my family name and they’d been one step away from disowning me all together. Instead they took the “merciful” way out. They packed up about half of my possessions and threw them (and me) into a carriage to the middle of no where.

Now when I say no where, I mean that no one in society would be, how do you say, 'caught dead there'. It was an old house, almost castle like in its design. It also just happened to scream, “Stay away!”

The only other person in residence, aside from the help was some cousin or other of mine. She too had been banished here for bringing disgrace to our family. Although as far as I’m concerned what she did was much worse than anything I would have ever dreamed. She fancied herself a prostitute. And before she’d been cast out she slipped out and went to join the whores that frequented street corners. One night she was caught while attempting to shimmy out her window. She was then followed to her usual corner and was witnessed to “entice” a gentleman and then go off arm in arm with him. Oh yeah and she also got pregnant… Compared to her I was a bloody angel!

But no one seemed to take her crimes into consideration as they figured my punishment, because, (ta-da) I was still dropped into a cesspool.

Abigail (disgraced cousin or something along those lines) on the other hand didn’t seem to care. There were still plenty of street corners for her to stand on, still plenty of men for her to “entice”. And plenty of green grass for her kid to play on.

If I sound a bit bitter or jealous or even petty… No, really I have no excuse for that. It’s just where this apple happened to fall.

Anyway, I was dropped in this dump and was completely and utterly miserable. I also just happened to be completely forgotten about by the out side world. Lucky me (they had sarcasm back then and I utilized it to its full potential whenever possible).

The first month or so where uneventful, I fell into a routine of sorts. I would wake up, sulk for a bit. Go downstairs, have breakfast, while still sulking. Take my horse out for a ride across town and over the hills to the place where forest still dominated the landscape. For a few moments I would take a reprieve from my constant sulking and enjoy the beauty that surrounded me. The chirping birds, the rustling of the leaves and the sunlight filtered down to the grass covered earth. And then I would go back to the castle and back to my sulking. I would sulk in the library. I would sulk around the halls.

The only other place I couldn’t sulk proved to be the nursery. You can never really be depressed around Mathis (Abigail’s son). He was just so cute and blonde and just looking at him made you want to giggle… Okay maybe not giggle but atleast chuckle a bit. He was just adorable; he had a beautiful mop of platinum blonde hair and big sapphire eyes. He had these little plump arms and when he wanted to be held he would put out those chubby little arms and squeeze his fingers into a fist and pout… Like I said, adorable and from where I was standing he was completely irresistible.

The first time he ever said my name I knew right then and there I was lost. He was… Perfect and I was his favorite “Uncle Nicki”. Because of course a child of his age would have no means, or will to pronounce all the syllables in Nicholas.

I would go to the nursery and play with him whenever sulking became boring. We would build things with the little wooden blocks and play pretend. Sometimes it would be as simple as just watching him on his rocking horse. He would squeal and giggle with happiness at completely random times, another habit it found absolutely adorable.

I would spend my nights drinking myself into a bit of a stupor. I was by no means addicted to alcohol I just chose to lose myself in liquor. Sometimes I would drink at “home” and other times I would go out to the local tavern.

Every once and a while I would encounter Abigail on her street corner. And I would know that Mathis was safe at home with his nanny. That seems like a random thing to say but I want you all to understand that while Abigail was by definition “a whore”, but also that she was also a good mother. Whenever Mathis -or Mattie as we liked to call him- needed her she was there. And when she went out a trusted nanny was always put in charge.

Now while I’m sure that someone would find that back round information fascinating I really feel as though the scene has been set and now it is time to move on.

I began having these dreams about a month after I arrived in the place that I affectionately call nowhere. A man dressed in a in a long coat, with brown hair and glittering eyes stood just beyond the curtain of my four-poster. And he would just stand there, watching me. Every night he seemed to get closer to the edge of my bed.

Until one night I entered the dreams to find him sitting in the edge of my bed, closest to my head. I was alarmed and therefore I sat bolt upright. But then I heard his voice for the first time. It was smooth and calming and marked with some accent that I couldn’t place. “Don’t be afraid my love.” He said in his soothing, cultured voice.

“Why shouldn’t I?” I was enraged that my voice shook so much but there was really nothing I could do for it.

He just shrugged. “While I may be a vampire I only take willing victims… A sort of moral code I suppose. My only one but a rule none the less.”

At this I began to laugh. I was dreaming of a vampire and for some reason that I can no longer grasp, this was terribly funny.

When I finally calmed down I looked up to find him looking at me. I could tell just from his eyes that I had angered him. “You think I jest?” he asked, as if appalled that I didn’t believe him.

“Yes, I think you jest… That is what a sane person would think when a dream tells them that they’re a vampire…”

“I don’t understand. I’ve encountered both fear and fascinating for what I am but never disbelief.” He truly did look confused, but anything was better than that angry glint he had had a moment ago.

“I’m sorry but, I can’t believe that you’re a vampire.” I stated, leaning back and letting the pillows embrace me.

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t.” I responded, and added what I hoped looked like a very confident nod for good measure.

“Well then, let me show you.” The dangerous glint had returned in his eyes. And I would have been scared out of my mind if I’d had any sense. My line of thought was: he’s simply a dream. He cannot hurt me. A figment of my imagination cannot possibly do me harm. Boy howdy was I wrong.

He smiled widely, letting me see his abnormally long canines. His flicked over them quickly and all I could do was stare. He inch closer to me with a feline air about him. He lowered his lips to my neck and I continued to stare and to think; he’s just a dream, he’s just a dream.

And then those canines bit down one on of the pulsing veins in my neck. Blood began to pour freely from the wound, but it didn’t get very far for the mans mouth latched on and he began to suck viciously at the wound. And within moments my world contracted to the simple motion. The pulling of the blood with his lips, having it well up in the abrasion and then him laving it away with his tongue.

He finally pulled away when my heartbeat began to slow. He licked the stray specks of my blood from his lips. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I blushed hotly when I realized that I had procured at rather persistant hard on through his administrations and hoped he hadn't noticed. It seemed as though the blood was incapable of flowing any where but between my legs.

“My name is Claudius, in case you were wondering.” He said with a certain degree of amusement in his voice, stepping back beyond the curtain once more. “Dream of me, my Love and tomorrow night I will come and truly make you mine.” He whispered, and then he was gone completely.

I then awoke with a start. Or atleast I thought I did. See? Even now this whole thing is just a bloody mess in my mind. It’s really more of an inconvenience but I digress…

I awoke with a start, alone. Sunlight was streaming in from the open window and the curtains of my four-poster were drawn.

“Mornin’ Sir.” The maid greeted as she bustled into the room. “Sorry if I woke you, but it’s past noon you should be getting’ up anyway. There’s some food on the desk for you and I’ll be in later to finish straightening up.”

“Um, thank you.” I said. None of the information really processed, other than the word “food”.

So, as soon as the door closed with a click behind her I went to the desk and tore a rather large piece of bread away and stuffed it into my mouth. I was famished and had no idea why. I mean I’d been hungry before but even privately I’d never been so slob-ish about it.

But as I ate another chunk of bread and guzzled soup I really didn’t care.

When I had eaten and drank my fill I went and sat once more on the bed. It was just a dream, I had thought with relief. No matter how real it had seemed it was just a dream, and now I scoff at the fact that I could ever be that stupid.

I absently ran my hands down the side of my neck and stopped dead. I ran over to my armoire and looked in the mirror. And there they were. Two little puncture wounds on the side of my neck.

Dazedly I went back and sat on my bed. A string of rather colorful curses ran through my head but before I could really do more than that my door banged open and Mathis flew into my arms.

“Come on you slug a bed… Come and play with me!” he begged, sticking out his lower lip as far as he could.

From the door way his mother simply smiled at me.

“Ple—ase! Pretty please Uncle Nicki!”

“There, there my darling boy. Uncle Nicki just got up maybe we should give him a moment.” Abigail to the rescue!

I nodded profusely. “I’ll be down in a few minutes… I promise.”

At this Mathis beamed. “Thank you Uncle Nicki.” And with that he pressed a kiss on my cheek, bounced off the bed and went to take his mother’s hand.

As they left Abigail threw a smile over her shoulder at me and I did my best to return it. It probably looked more like a grimace but she accepted it and together they left the room, closing the door behind them.

Trying not to think about the dreams or vampires or neck wounds I went, dressed hastily and went down to meet Mathis and Abigail. We spent the remainder of the day wandering the grounds and discovering the secrets of the backyard. Eventually the sun grew to be too much for Mathis so we went inside. Diner was served and you get the picture, it was more or less a normal day.

Once Mathis was safely tucked in and Abigail was off in here carriage, I got my horse from the stable and rode off to the tavern across town. There I spent the next couple hours –once again- drinking myself into a stupor.

I left before I publicly disgraced myself –once again- by barfing all over the place. So I got my horse with the help of a stable boy, mounted and was off. But I didn’t want to go back to the house/castle thingy… You get the picture.

Anyway I didn’t want to go back there so I rode to the forest area beyond the hills and found a nice clearing. There I dismounted and let my horse graze about while I passed out on a patch of grass.

And then he was there. He knelt down by my head and took it into his lap. My limbs were so heavy that I was powerless to stop him. All I could do was lay there and watch him.

“Tonight you will join me.” I must have looked confused, so he continued. “I will turn you into a vampire like me and then you and I will be able to terrorize the masses. With you as my mate I will be truly invincible… Truly whole.”

“I don’t want to be like you though.” I protested.

“Well, why ever not?” Now he was truly baffled.

“I don’t want to have to drink blood. I don’t want to hide from the sun. I want to live.”, my voice was slurred, but it was still full of conviction.

“I don’t understand.”

“I know but you don’t have to understand. You have to let me be. Because even if you were to turn me I would walk into the sun and this would all be for naught.”

Now he was getting angry. “No, you will not.”

“Then don’t turn me.”

“No, no you will be mine… Mark my word Nicholas you will be mine.”

“No, I won’t.” I said… I was really not getting that he wasn’t about to let me have a choice in the matter... I was, how do you say, not the smartest tool in the shed… Or was it knife in the drawer… Hmm, I’ll have to think about that… But once again, I digress.

He was angry now. So, much so that he was practically vibrating with it, the rage was coming off him in droves. And suddenly he stood up, dumping my head on the ground, but at this point the little twinge in the back of my neck was the least of my problems.

“You will join me… And you will not go into the sun, or the fire or employ any other means that you possibly could to put an end to your existence.”

At this I scoffed. How was he going to ensure all this? He couldn’t. He was bluffing, or atleast I hope that he was. And before I could say anything in response he was gone. And I was left in the cool calming woods. Soon the sounds of critters scurrying about put me to sleep.

And I dreamed. In this dream I saw the house. It looked the same as ever but something was very wrong. I hate to use the word vibe, it’s so vague but really it’s the only one that fits. It was giving off a very bad vibe. That vibe got stronger as I neared the house.

I dismounted my horse and ran for the front door. Something very bad had happened here. I almost screamed at the sight my eyes met as I entered the front door. Abigail was sprawled across the floor. Blood was every where and her throat was slit. Her eyes stared up at me cold and dead.

Panicked, I ran for Mathis’ room. What I saw there did make me scream. The governess’ body was slumped in her rocking chair. But she was missing a very crucial part of her anatomy… Her head. I went to more forward and almost tripped on something. It made a very wet sound as I kicked it away from me. Bile rose in my throat, I knew what had made that sound but nothing on this earth could have forced me to look down. I moved slowly toward the small bed and pulled back the curtain.

Mathis lay there, as peacefully as if he was sleeping. But I saw it. I saw the wound on his neck. I saw his pale complexion. I knew that I would never again hear him giggle.

“You can prevent all this.” came a voice from the corner.

“You Bastard.” I spat.

“I will do it if you don’t give in to me. I will do it and leave you alive and then you’ll be left alone and miserable and every time you pick up a knife to end your miserable existence I will snatch it away.”

The tears where now flowing freely down my face when I bolted awake. A light sheen of cold sweat covered my body and I way shaking violently. “All right.” I sobbed miserably. “You win… I give in, just don’t hurt them… Don’t hurt them.”

And then he appeared out of no where and cooed, “See now that wasn’t so hard now was it Love?”

".you." Blunt little bugger, wasn't I?

"Soon, you will grow to love me, to want me, to depend on me. It is all inevitable, so please Love, don't fight it." he cooed softly in my ear. He was now behind me and running his cool, gloved hands up and down my arms.

He kissed my neck and just when I thought he would bite me, he withdrew. He took my hand in his and pulled me from the room with gentle tugs and into my own, which was blessedly free of the blood which seemed to cover the rest of the manor.

He pulled me to my bed and sat me down on the edge. Slowly he began to tug off his gloves and his coat, dropping them each to the floor in turn.

Now you have to understand, I was in shock. Complete emotional and mental arrest. No real thoughts were crossing my mind at this point and all I could seem to do was stare at this mysterious man who had turned my hellish life into something so much worse.

He dragged two fingers down my check and then rested them at the slightly erratic pulse of my throat. He licked his lips sensuously, showing me his hunger for more than blood in every movement he made.

Then he kissed me. It was soft and long. As if he wanted more, but was afraid that anything more rough would startle me out of my stupor. He breached the seal of my lips and explored my mouth. He was skilled in this act and therefore did not leave a single crevice untouched. Much to my current chagrine he wrought a moan from deep in my throat, allowing him more excess, more liberties.

And thanks to the care he was taking I didn't notice that he had removed my shirt and thrown it aside, nor did I notice that he then started unfastening my pants. He lay me back and rolled the offending article of clothing down over my hips and down to the floor. Sad that then I lay beneath him, naked as the day I was born, and didn't care.

He took my nipple into his mouth and teased it mercilessly. Tugging at it with his teeth, scraping at it ruthlessly and then laving it with his tongue as if to say sorry for any discomfort he may have caused me. However the discomfort I was in was not centered around my middle. More like the thick erection that was weeping for some attention, pressed up against his own, clothed cock.

He switched and gave the opposite nub the same numbing pleasure he had given the other as one of his hands traveled lower. It stopped briefly at my belly button, dipping in and out in quick succession before then moving down to it's ultimate prize. He too my dripping length in his hand and squeezed it once, making me gasp in surprise and slight delight.

Slowly he slid down my body until he was eye level with the junction of my legs. He kissed each thigh, nipping at the sensitive flesh. But before I could gasp in response he had taken my length into his mouth. He sucked dolefully on it as if he wanted to suck the very marrow from my bones. His sinful tongue swirled around the head as he deep throated me. What he couldn't fit in his mouth was surrounded by the cool strength of his hand.

I arched for him and moaned out his name and as a reward he hummed around me. To my shame I think I may have screamed then and released in his mouth.

During the aftershocks and shaking of my orgasm he slid down to my thigh once more and sunk his teeth into my fermoral artery and once again began to suck. This time it was my blood his was seeking.

He looked up and met my eyes as the motion continued. It felt as though I was being pulled out to sea. The black waves seemed to crash closer and closer until they threatened to enclose me. And just like that he put his wrist to my mouth. A liquid passed through my lips. It was salty and tangy and sweet all at the same time, and I wanted more. So I took it. I latched onto his wrist, lapping at the wound, trying to get all of the delicious substance that he would give me.

Once I was satiated he pulled away his wrist and allowed my head to fall back to the pillows.

I can't describe what it felt like... Being dead. It was wonderful and horrible at the same time. On the one hand, I would never be sick again, and I would not truly die. I would have strength and power... But on the other hand, I would be trapped in this existence. Not of the living and not of the dead. An anomaly, trapped in limbo.

Then he kissed me again. While I had been going over that all in my head he had removed his last vestiges of clothing now lay just as naked as I, over me.

Apparently, my blinking was enough of a go ahead, because with that he forced himself into my body. Yes I'd taken men into me before, but there had been preparation those times. But this was different.

He entered slowly at first, and I could practically hear my passage tearing around him. Then he picked up speed. Within a feel moments adrenaline and endorphins kicked in and the pain turned to pleasure. He hit my prostrate head on repeatedly and all I could do was buck and gasp, and silently plead for more. A request that he was more than happy to grant.

I know that sounds all nice and good and all but, when after we finally climaxed and the endorphins waned I felt like shit. I went and threw up in the wash bowl until my entire stomach was empty. I don't know if this was a side effect of my death and pending vampirism or if it was because what he'd just done to my body. I still don't, he never bothered to tell me. But I digress, yet again.

That night he turned me into a vampire, as I have already mentioned and described and great detail… Eventually I killed him but I kept my bargain. I didn’t set myself on fire… I set him on fire… You’ve got to love those loop holes.

-Finis-