Following the commands of one of my loyal readers--or at least one of them--I am updating my story ‘Vampires of the modern Variety’. Hope you like it!

Her captor stalked towards her and knelt by her, rubbing his body against hers.

“You’re gonna get what’s coming to you, worthless whore,” he purred to her. “I’m gonna drag your punishment out before I kill you…slowly.” The girl didn’t make a sound. She didn’t want to know what kind of ‘punishment’ the man was talking about. No sooner had she completed this thought than she felt spidery fingers skate over her bare body. Instead of fighting back--as she would have done so long ago--she didn’t move a muslce. Her mind recoiled in pain as he weaved a pattern in the wounds created from the whip with his nail but still she did not cry out. She could sense that he was becoming aggrevated with her silence, but why grace him with the sound of her pain? If you truly hate someone, you will ignore them; giving them attention in the form of hate or anger doesn’t serve your purpose. But just as her captor was reaching the peak of his anger the wall southeast of her exploded.

She didn’t move when two humaniod figures leapt towards her, knocking the man off and away from her. She didn’t react except to cling to her savior when he freed her from her bonds and it wasn’t until five more humanoid figures approached her and her savior that the girl finally reacted. The man holding her to his frigid body spoke for the first time.

“Child? What is your name?” The girl hesitated. Why tell complete strangers her name? What good would it do? But something told her to trust them. Why not? If they were going to kill her they would have done it already…right? And besides, it wasn’t as if she had anything to live for…

“Child? Are you okay?” This time it was a female of African American descent who spoke.

“Nathalie. My name’s Nathalie…” Her voice cracked as she whispered her name. The African American woman smiled and embraced the girl.

“Wonderful name,” she assured Nathalie. “I am Niobe, this is my mate Rome, over there is Nyte and her mate Albion and Melker our leader, and coming towards us is--” Niobe broke off and smiled widely at the woman coming towards them, her teeth shining in stark contrast to her black complextion. “Adrianna!” Niobe called out. Her voice reminded Nathalie of the peace that came after a stressful event, lulling her to a true sense of security. The woman named Adrianna smiled soothingly as she slid into her place next to her mate.

“Greetings Rome, Niobe, Nyte, Albion,” she murmured to each in turn. She didn’t say a word to Melker but, Nathalie realized, no words needed to be said. The way in which Melker’s arm snaked around her waist said it all. “Nathalie, how wonderful it is to see you,” Adrianna greeted the girl as well. Nathalie blinked.

“How--”

“Did I know your name? I knew you were coming, child.”Adrianna reached out a hand to caress Nathalie’s face but she drew back. With an understanding nod Adrianna withdrew her hand.

“Have you introduced her to Tirus?” At Adrianna’s question each of them cast guilty looks at one another. “Really now I’m ashamed,” Adrianna scolded with a hint of a smile on her face. “How could you forget him?” The last--but most certainly not least--member of the group appeared suddenly next to the fifteen year old girl.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintence.” Tirus spoke stiffly, barely moving his lips as he spoke. “My name is Tirus and I am one of the members of the V.M.V.”

Nathalie turned to him with a confused look on her face. “V.M.V…?” Nyte laughed and stepped to Nathalie’s side. “Ah, but of course! You don’t know, do you? We are Vampires of the modern Variety, V.M.V!” The rest of the members laughed, save for Tirus. The sound of a wet, gurgling cough broke the group away from their merriement. Nathalie fell to her hands and knees, her body shuddering as she coughed up thick, foul smelling blood. Adrianna was at her side in an instant, gently holding Nathalie in her arms. She placed two fingers to the girl’s clammy forehead and a few moments later a soft pulsing light appeared. Adrianna’s body slumped forward and Melker tensed but didn’t move. Finally she removed her fingers and stood up, dusting off her flowing silk dress.

“She will need to be changed if she is to survive,” she said gently. “Lack of food and water, plus being constantly beaten and raped--not to mention molested--coupled wih the shock of discovering that Vampires exist only sped up her illness.” She broke off and directed her soft gaze upon Tirus. “Only her mate may change her,” she murmured. “It is the law.” Tirus knew this to be true. Each Vampire changed his/her mate; that’s how it had been done for centuries. But--

“How do you know that this girl is my mate?” he asked. His teal eyes were locked on Adrianna’s face, studying the older Vampire.

“I looked,” she said simply. And once she said that, no one--not even Tirus--doubted her. When Adrianna said things like that, you knew it instantly to be true.

As Tirus knelt by the girl a strange feeling blossmed in his chest: pity. Why was he feeling this way? She was just a stranger, no one important to him. So …why did he care? But the fact of the matter is he did care. The sight of her, lying helpless and weak on the ground, sent a trill throughout his body. Without a word he bent his head towards her throat…

And thus the furture…happened.

So? How’d you like it? I appreciate the positve review I got from Mika-Zuki, it was very positve!

Send me your comments, etc!