Path of the Vampire forum

He was now more and more getting the impression that this discussion was going nowhere. Why was he even here wasting his time with this argument? She was here because she for some weird reason had fallen madly in love with him. At least that was what the young woman claimed.

But he? He sure hadn’t taken her to his place to argue all night about existential questions. This young woman was not like the Countess was when he found her, not a feeble frightened fledgling, but a stubborn confident and at least somewhat experienced vampire. He had his opinion, she had hers. And right now it didn’t seem like a good point at all to say, ‘alright, lets forget about this argument, honey and have some hot makeup sex’.

“I never claimed that all vampires are evil and monsters, and have to be destroyed, actually I think that vampires and humans could co-exist quite alright” he said somewhat tiredly.“All I want is to be able to defend myself. Because you know there are many who are a threat to humans’ safety.”

He smiled at her kiss, and took her hand in his gently as he went on, “I do not think you are a monster. I think you are a sweet young girl, and I have to be very grateful to the vampire who saved you. I am not running this place because of people like him or you”.

That was easy to clarify, and he hoped she’d get that. What was much harder - most likely impossible - to explain to her without getting too harsh was how much he loathed the ‘vampire police’. “I am running this place because I’ve seen too many bad things done to humans by vampires. Its not upon me to punish every one of them for any wrongdoing. But I want to be able to defend myself and my friends. Where I come from you don’t call the police, you take things in your own hands.”

“I’ve seen too many bad human cops in my life”, he almost said ‘I killed too many bad cops’ but that wouldn’t have helped his argument, “to ever trust one of them. And your ‘vampire police’ it’s even worse than the human police from what I know. Close friend of mine, really good girl, brave, strong, right mindset, had quite some trouble with these guys. Then was turned against her will. Wouldn't be surprised if it was one of those guys who hunt the masquerade violators as you call them. The only ‘protection’ I as a human get from those assholes is that they’d kill me or turn me if they’d see me as threat to their masquerade.” He made a spitting sound. Stag almost spit out in contempt for that very jerk who had forcibly turned his best friend. But the carpet was too expensive. And the decorating was Mini’s work. “I am not a sheep. I do not wait patiently to be slaughtered or see my friends get slaughtered.”

He realized now he was starting to rant. Time to finish.

Looking into her eyes, he added with a calmer voice, “see I am not at all against vampires. I am just defending myself. And I want to help others to defend themselves, too. No vampire can do that for me. In the end everyone has to stand up for themselves and for what they value and hold dear.”

The thing she had said about getting killed was interesting. He had heard about the place called the ‘Shadow Realm’, but he didn’t understand much. Vampires seemed very reluctant to talk about this place, even among each other. Therefor he decided not to ask her about it right now.

Instead he sat down on the coffin and listened as she continued. Shaking his head at her words, he gently placed his hand under her chin as Kaelyn’s head dropped. “Open your eyes and look around. What do you see,” his other hand pointed at the items, “stakes, garlic, bibles, crosses, vampire novels… . Is this really the truth about your kind. I don’t think so...” He grinned, “there is some truth hidden in between these trappings of folklore. But only those who already know recognize them. Don’t tell me you feel threatened by all these gimmicks.” He gently kissed her lips.

Taking her hands in his, he said, “Let’s do something else. I’ve got an idea for a game we could play.”

“I didn’t make this stuff, I am just collecting it”, Stagger Lee replied to Kaelyn’s worries, “bring me some more positive stuff on vampires and I’ll exhibit it too”.

As her fingers lace through his he gently brushes his against hers and spoke with a smile on his lips, “questions, questions, questions. You still have a lot of them.” He gently pulled her closer to him now, looking into her eyes as he continued, “which will be what the game I have in mind will be about. As this is my place here, it will be played by my rules.”

“You may ask me whatever you wish. But to get an answer you will have to do a little task for me. I will chose the task and will make it match the question in difficulty. All of these tasks have to be completed within this room, and none will include anyone but you and me. No task will jeopardize your ‘masquerade’. No completed task, no answer.”

He studied her reaction to his suggestion as he went on. “I will of course have questions to you too. As you do like the kissing I suggest that for each question I ask, you get one kiss from me, and you pick the spot, even if it is the back of your foot or the inside of your armpit. Up to you.” He grinned, looking at her. “Are you game?”

Waiting for her reply to his suggestions he studied her reaction. He saw the sudden panic in her eyes, and for a moment was afraid she was about to turn down his offer. But it seemed it was just the last part of his idea she didn’t seem comfortable with. Maybe she had a very religious upbringing and didn’t like the idea of getting too intimate. Could vampires be religious? He had no idea. Maybe he’d ask her at some later point.

Her final assent brought a big happy smile to his face. Damn he was getting excited about this. “Okay then”, he replied, “I thought though you’d like the kissing”. He reached his hand out to gently run his fingers through her hair. “Any suggestions on what kind of alternative reward you’d appreciate? Or do you leave that up to me?”

“How could I not want to kiss you”, he smiled and touched her cheek with his lips lightly before she asked her question.

He grinned at the question. “That is an excellent one”, he said, “but of course to get your answer you will have to do something for me”. He paused for a moment to think, letting his dark eyes wander across the room before they returned to her, looking into her eyes as he told her of the intended task.

“Lets start with something easy”, he said with a mischievous smile, “you look quite fit, you think you are able to do a handstand for me?” A handstand in a skirt, that would be interesting.