“More than you know. They virtually run our country. They have ever since the decision was made that with the population growth, the bodies mounting up and the suspicions beginning to increase, there needed to be a head of every state. Parallel to the government.”
“Who made the decision?” Alex asked.
“Ah!” Michelle said. “The big boys. They are a group of vampires that have unlimited funds and resources, they are connected to everything. They have made deals with almost every corner of technology and enterprise worldwide. They oversee every aspect of vampire rulings and daily lives. As far as I know, there are only a handful of people that have seen or spoken to any of them.”
“Who are they?”
“They have no name, for all their legend they exist in total secrecy. There is a name they are known by amongst vamps, and that’s the Messengers of Osiris.”
“Isn’t that a bit dramatic?
“Only kings hear from them, and if they do, they are in big trouble. They have a signature they use; a black letter and a sealed with blood wax shaped like the head of a falcon. The letter accompanies an actual falcon, which will stay for as long as the letter says you have to answer it. If you still don’t answer you drop dead in a puddle of your own juices and the falcon disappears”
“Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
Alex took the dishes to the sink. When she had returned, Michelle had put her laptop away.
“I gotta know something,” Alex said, sitting back down. “What’s it like to be bitten?” Alex felt stupid for wanting to know, but how could she not ask?
Michelle took her time to answer. “I have only ever had the two, but you do meet others in your travels and from what I have heard, it can get even more dangerous than you already imagine. Every vamp is different, I suppose. I thought Julian was rough, but some of them are downright animals.”
“Animals?”
Michelle sighed. “Julian liked hurting me—physically.”
Oh god, what have I started? “I’m so sorry!”
“It’s ok. What I mean is he got off on causing me pain. Usually, normal guys love it when we scream and carry on in bed. Well, vamps are no different. Most vamps are enticed by adrenaline. Julian loved it when I cried or screamed. He would cut me and lick my skin, or he would hold my arm over a candle and wait till it got excruciating and my heart beat faster before he fed on me, that sort of thing.”
“That sort of thing? What the hell do you mean he’s just rough? You pass it off as a quirk of his, when it’s actually pretty fucking sick. Why did you put up with it for so long?”
“Who could I go to?” Michelle answered patiently. “I wasn’t his donor, I was a slave. Vampires don’t care about mistreatment of us. Most of them, anyway. Yes, Julian is a psychopath, but he isn’t the worst one out there.”
“What could possibly be worse?”
“Like I said, I have only heard stories, but there are vamps that will drain a human while they are strung up in chains. Or they organise mass feedings, like a blood orgy. They will force you to eat certain things just so your blood will taste different, make you watch as they torture people you know, or they will out-and-out rape, torture and kill you.”
“After all that, and all you know, you would let Dante near you?”
“I was really messed up about it for a long time, but not anymore.”
“Can I ask what Dante is like?”
Michelle suddenly giggled. “The fact you asked if it’s ok to know tells me the question has been killing you for ages. I’ll tell you, but it may get to you.”
“I don’t think so.”
Michelle leaned forward. “It’s the biggest turn on of my life.”
“Why is it so different? What does he do?”
“Dante is just…beautiful. He actually respects the ritual of naked Blood Offering.”
“There’s a naked ritual?”
“It’s more like a tradition. The Blood Offering, from what Dante has told me, was designed to not hurt humans. It’s by our sacrifice that they live, don’t forget. I kinda compare it to God letting women experience orgasms so they would let men make love to them and populate the world. Otherwise, why would they do it? Apparently it was common practice in the old old days, like that story you just read. But as time went on, the newer generation grew tired of following it. Dante doesn’t follow it exactly either. It says to use special knives and collect the blood in crystal chalices, give thanks and praise and whatnot.”
“Wait a second, give thanks and praise?”
“Yeah…?” Michelle asked, before she appeared to understand. “You teach at a catholic school don’t you?”
Alex nodded, thinking of only last week at a mass she attended, Father O’Loughlin standing at the top of the church, raising the cup to the students, speaking highly and clearly. “He gave you thanks and praise…take this all of you and drink from it…this is the cup of my blood…which will be given up for you…”
“Do you think it was taken from the Blood Offering?” Alex asked.
“Whether you’re religious or not, you have to know the Church stole almost everything we know today. Who really knows? Does it matter?”
“I guess not, I’ll just never look at mass the same way again.”
“Anyway, the point of the ritual was that it was a sensual and passionate experience for both. But see Julian also used knives and other instruments on me. He didn’t drink from me; he heaved the blood into his mouth. My body was bruised from where his mouth had been and he kept me that way. That’s the main difference between Julian and Dante. Even though Julian
