The Vampire's Slave

Chapter 6

Another awesome cover by @HarborKid!!! Thanks!!!

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The thunderstorm raged outside like an uncaged beast. Raindrops pelted the window so hard it almost cracked them.

Or so it seemed.

The castle was lit only by the streaks of lightning outside as they gathered around the stone coffin.

"He's dead," a voice stated flatly.

"No doubt about that," replied another voice. "But who killed him? It had to have been one of our kind."

"Or a werewolf," the first voice said.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room, momentarily blinding the man and young woman standing at the coffin. The man was tall, muscular, handsome, and imposing, his dark hair in direct contrast with his pale skin. "A vampire, my slave."

"How do you know?" She was about twenty, taller than most women, with a supermodel figure. She seemed beauty incarnate.

"Only a vampire could have done this," he replied, staring down at the occupant of the coffin.

His hands were folded over his lifeless breast, and even in death the black blood stained his shirt where he had been stabbed straight through the heart with a wooden stake. He wore an elegant crown on his head.

"Only a vampire would know to lace the stake with silver." He closed his eyes, then opened them suddenly. "It's time to find the heir."

"The heir?"

"My sister. She, not I, will rule."

"This girl is good," Mannix said, watching the performer known as Vampress appreciatively. "Really good."

"I agree," Jim replied before taking a long sip of his drink. "Now for the grand finale."

Both men watched her, enthralled, as she danced and sang in a rather sensuous way that reminded Mannix of a dance number he'd seen in a musical. She'd been wearing an elegant masquerade mask that hid most of her face up to this point. Now she whipped it off elegantly and struck a seductive pose.

"Rex!?" Mannix blurted out in surprise. "Rex?"

"You know her?!" his companion exclaimed excitedly.

"I......think I do." He stood up quickly. "I'm going backstage. I'll see if I can bring her to the table."

"Okay."

He threaded his way to the back of the stage and met Vampress in front of a dressing room labeled "The Vampress."

"Rex!" he said, his voice totally wiping out all hope of keeping his surprise secret.

"Mannix." She cocked her head and grinned. "What'd you think of the show?" she asked, opening the dressing room door and inviting him inside with a gesture of her hand.

"Wonderful," he replied, starting to grin. "You're good." He stepped inside.

"Thanks." She closed the door, then moved to the mirror to take her makeup off. "But you have more opinion than that."

"How'd you know?" He found himself fighting the wolf inside him. Man, she was hot! "You a vampire too?"

"Not quite. But I read men's body language quite well," she replied, removing her earrings.

"You want want my real opinion?" He was grinning fully now, his wolf fangs showing clearly.

"Who wouldn't?" She turned to face him.