This month I am writing 30 short stories in 30 days. (Hopefully one a day.)
Here is the Day 3 story:
Pure Heresy
by J.D. Udall
Freng was incensed. It had been over a fortnight since his brother, Ursul, had left on his holiday to the human infested outer world. Unless he had been in torpor for the entire duration of his absence he had most likely fallen in with a group of filthy blood-sucking miscreants. Now he had to journey to the blazing world and put himself in danger of incorporeation, all to drag his brother back to Golgotha.
The air of the human world stunk of ash. It wasn't always like this. He marveled that the Aeons allowed humans to exploit surface resources to such an extreme degree. It would be any day now that their insatiable appetites would lead them to find a way to tap directly into the aether that flowed through the inner worlds. Supposedly the Seraphim Accords still prevented human intrusion into his world and also limited his excursion into the human world.
Let's get this over with.
Freng removed his cloak and placed it in the chest for his belongings and locked it. It would be safe when watched over by the portal guardians. He placed the key in the small purse around his neck and walked out to the cliff side. He removed his loincloth and carefully folded it at his feet. He took a deep breath and shifted. He let go of his human form and allowed it to fall into mist.
It took strength to keep his mist from dissipating, but he quickly collapsed his form into an ossifrage. He shook his head and flapped his wings. Grounding his matter into the bird form. The most difficult part is letting go part of his mass and trusting he would be able to pull the required mass from the area around himself when he chose to turn back at the bottom of the mountains.
He enjoyed this particular fera as its large wings made gliding down from the mountain a pleasant journey. Why anyone would choose something smaller, such as a bat, he would never understand. He grabbed loincloth in his talons and took off to the night sky.
--------
Freng walked up to the gate of the Gothic mansion and pressed the call button. He had spoken to some of Ursul's associates at the bars and catacombs he tended to frequent in Munich. They said he was seen speaking to a woman named Jessika Schuster. Her family was very wealthy, and she had decided recently to use that wealth to attempt to find a vampyre to turn her.
It is a pity she hadn't invested in better information to know most vampyres are born from a union between daemon and human, not turned. The few who were turned were done so by a daemon, not another vampyre. He found that humans have a lot of odd ideas about vampyres these days.
"Hello," said a voice from the speaker.
"Good evening," said Freng. "I am Freng Aeneas. Have come to retrieve my brother, Ursul."
"Frau Schuster is very much enjoying his company," said the voice. "Please return another time."
Humans.
"It is impolite of you not to invite me in," said Freng. "Believe me, you do not want me to enter uninvited. There will not be two bricks left standing."
Freng smiled at the camera, clearly bearing his fangs for the person on the other end to see.
A buzzer sounded and the latch clicked as the gate opened and Feng walked through. He walked up the lit path to the front door. As he stepped up to the porch the door opened and an elderly man in a formal servant outfit motioned a gloved hand for to Freng to enter.
"Welcome, Mr. Aeneas," said the servant.
Freng stepped into the foyer and looked around at the interior. It was clear Frau Schuster was a coveter of vampyre culture, but the vulgar human ideas of their fiction and mythologies, not true vampyre are and design. The home was full of candles in votives with 19th century iron work on the staircase. If she had any sense about her she would be humiliated to have someone of his rank from Golgotha witness such insulting interior design.
His negative opinions were challenged slightly when Jessika Schuster descended the stairs. While the style of her Victorian dress was appropriately cringe inducing, she cut a striking figure with her large blue eyes, pale skin, and ruby red lips.
"Mr. Aeneas, how wonderful of you to join the party," said Jessika as she reached the bottom of the stairs and held out her hand.
Freng took her hand and kissed it gently in… greeting.
"Frau Schuster, I presume?" said Freng gazing past her gloved hand into her eyes.
She smells nice. Lilies and rose water.
"But of course," said Jessika returning his predatory smile with one of her own. "Follow me, Decurion."
Freng raised and eyebrow when she used his official title. Ursul must have said something to her.
Jessika led Freng up the stairs to a large room with more ostentatious candelabras, bookcases, and black leather furniture. Two dozen other humans lounged upon the furniture, dressed similarly to Jessika: in black leather and white lace. Frang was surprised he was able to suppress rolling his eyes at the pathetic costumes these humans were wearing, but there was something slightly flattering about being near humans so obsessed with vampyres that they would invest such time and expense.
The spectacle of the room distracted Freng from immediately noticing his brother sitting in a chair by the fire. "Sitting" was a generous term for the slouched posture he was in. He looked barely conscious and as if he could slide down to the floor at any moment.
Freng rushed to his side and held his hand to check his forehead. He looked closely at him, using standard human sight as well as night vision to see the heat in his body. He gently slapped his face to see if he would awaken, but he didn’t stir. He was not in torpor, so there was something else wrong with him. His body temperature was not normal, and his pulse was too slow.
"Don't worry, brother," whispered Freng. "I will get you home shortly and we will heal you of whatever ails you."
Freng stood and turned to face the party guests and let out a furious roar.
"Someone must immediately explain his situation to me or all your lives are forfeit."
Several of the guests stumbled back into their seats or fell to the floor in freight. Two of the women whimpered and began to cry.
"Tell him, Jessika!" screamed one woman.
Jessika slowly took a sip of her wine and then placed the glass down on a small table. She was trying to be calm, but Feng could see her heart rate increase. She did not betray her fear on her face.
"My dear Mr. Freng, the drugs they have these days are wonderful,” said Jessika. “The can even affect powerful creatures like yourself, and your beloved brother.”
She slowly walked closer to Freng, keeping an even voice tone; despite the fury on display on Freng’s face.
“Your brother owed many debts, from many dangerous men. I agreed to pay them on condition that he give me a gift that your kind covets so dearly: eternal youth."
"But your coward of a brother keeps protesting that he doesn't have the stomach to turn me.”
Jessika broke the facade as her brow furrowed and the corners of her mouth turned downwards.
"Where is that vicious virality that your kind is known for? What causes your brother to be such a scared pup?"
The truth of the situation hit Freng, and all anger left his visage. He leaned back with his head to the ceiling and burst out laughing.
"How amusing," said Freng through his laughter as he looked bemusedly at the incensed woman . "You think my brother won't turn you because of cowardice? You are not as clever as you pretend to be, woman."
"What is so funny, Mr. Aeneas?" asked Jessika as her anger turned to embarrassment. “Why don’t you enlighten all of us foolish little humans?”
"My brother is a lot of things, but one thing he is not is a coward," said Feng. "However, one thing is true of him that you must not have bothered to find out: down to his very bones he most certainly is homosexual."
"What?" exclaimed Jessika as she held her hands out in exasperation . “Well, what does that have to do with anything?”
"Turning a person is a very intimate activity," said Freng. "It is not simply a little bite on the throat, as your romance books and movie shows would lead you to believe. All your beauty and allure mean nothing to him."
“So unfortunately, your scheme came to nothing, and you are out of luck tonight. Please have your shaman revive Ursul and we will be on our merry way.”
"Hm, well it's too bad," said Jessika as she ran a finger along the top of the chair Ursul slouched in. "...that there isn't another big, strong, viral vampyre nearby who could repay his debts right here and now."
Jessika stepped very close to Freng and placed her hand on his chest and then stared up into his eyes.
Freng moved in an instant and caught her by the throat. He was careful not to squeeze too hard, as he intended only to frighten her.
Freng was shocked as Jessika let out a small moan and smiled through smoldering eyes. She grabbed his arm with her left hand and increased the pressure on her throat.
"Ah yes, there we go," she laughed.
Freng pulled her face inches from his and bared his fangs. Jessika initially let out a yelp as she lost her footing but then squealed in delight at the sight of Freng’s sharp teeth.
"What makes you think I would give you anything after what you did to my brother?" growled Freng.
"Well, not only am I owed repayment for your pathetic brother's debts," said Jessika. "But also, I have the antidote to the drugs my friends gave him. So, if you want him back in ship shape condition, you'll give me what I want."
Freng was aghast at the audacity of this woman.
"What we both want." Jessika winked at Freng.
Freng let go of Jessika's neck, but before he could move his hand she grabbed it and placed it on her chest.
"Feel that" asked Jessika breathlessly. "My beating heart. Beating in anticipation. Beating with hot red blood.”
Freng could feel the heat from her chest.
“For you."
Freng pulled his hand away and turned his back to Jessika and thought for a moment. If this woman was willing that did remove most of the constraints which caused him to usually avoid this sort of activity with humans.
"I can give you something of what you want," said Freng as he turned back to look at Jessika. "Long life and eternal youth---”
“Oh wonderful!” exclaimed Jessika as others in the small crowd cheered and clinked their glasses.
“But!” continued Freng, “But you will not be a vampyre like me and Ursul. You will be a thrall, with only a fraction of a true vampyre’s power, and no ability to shift into non-human forms."
"Sounds good to me," said Jessika. "Do I have to sleep in a coffin."
A woman in the crowd laughed drunkenly.
"No," said Freng. "As you cannot turn to mist, there is no need to confine yourself as you sleep. You will be able to stand the daylight, although direct sunlight will still cause great pain."
"So, I need to buy a few more sun hat?," said Jessika. "I am okay with this."
Jessika took a step towards Freng, grabbed his hand, and lifted it to her neck again.
"When do we start?"
Freng looked at the party goers who were all staring at them.
"What? Here?"
Jessika smiled.
"Of course! You don't mind an audience, do you, Big Boy?"
Freng looked at his brother who was still breathing steadily, then back at Jessika.
"You have the antidote nearby?"
"It's in the house," said a bespectacled man on a nearby chair. "Somewhere safe."
"Your pharmacist, I assume?" said Freng with a raised eyebrow.
"Enough foreplay, vampyre," said Jessika as she dropped his hand, took a step back, and unzipped her dress.
She dropped the garment on the floor and stepped out of her clothes; now completely naked standing in front of the fireplace with one hand on her hips. Freng could see her arteries glow beneath her pale skin as the firelight flickered across her body. She was exquisite.
She raised her other hand and curled one finger towards herself. He stepped towards her and put his hand around her waist. She smiled as he pulled her towards him, bared his fangs, and stared deeply into her eyes.
"Well then. Let the show begin."
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