“I want you and all of your O positives to meet me at my house tomorrow. I have more than adequate space for everyone.”
“I will make it happen. See you tomorrow!”
Maryl hung up and walked to the edge of the wooden deck. She looked at the land that sprawled for miles.
“Alexa, please get me something to drink.”
Alexa sped away and came back with a wine glass filled with dark crimson fluid.
She turned around and faced the table where she was sitting.
“Do you think it wise to attack Clayton’s tribes, Desiree?”
Desiree was seated with three guards surrounding her. “Since I fell out of favor, what does my opinion matter to you?”
Maryl smiled as she moved the glass of blood in circular motions. “It doesn’t, but you must understand I need to make an example of vampires that failed in their orders.”
“Two mistakes in three hundred years? And giving my opinion about the serum makes me untrustworthy?”
Maryl sat down beside her. “If your two mistakes occurred once every one hundred and fifty years, I would give you some leeway. But your mishaps happened in such a short period; I no longer trust you.” Maryl looked at what was once her most trusted ally. “And your opinion of the serum wasn’t an opinion; it was an accusation!”
Desiree knew better than to respond. She had to find a way back to Clayton to warn him of the peril his unsuspecting troops were about to encounter. She felt she owed him that much. Desiree felt a touch of something. Regret? Friendship? Something more? She didn’t know.
“Alexa, I believe Desiree must be hungry by now. Give her the “special” food.”
“I am not hungry, Maryl.”
“Oh, I insist. Alexa, proceed.”
Alexa zipped in the house and came back with a large platter of food. Human food.
Desiree sat up in her chair. “I’m not eating that garbage!”
“Garbage? I’ll have you know humans love this meal! Steak and potatoes are a staple with humankind,” Maryl exclaimed. “And I went into a grocery store just for you, Desiree. Show some gratitude.”
“I don’t care. I am not eating that food!” Desiree yelled as she pushed the platter away from her, nearly knocking it off the table.
“Desiree, is that how you treat your host? Manners seem to be a thing of the past.” Maryl looked at Alexa sternly. “Alexa, you and Draven keep her at bay and force-feed her.”
Draven’s muscular frame had no trouble keeping Desiree securely in place while Alexa held Desiree’s mouth wide open, took a handful of mashed potatoes, and shoved them inside. With one hand, Alexa closed Desiree’s mouth and, with the other one, pinched her nose shut, which forced Desiree to swallow the mashed potatoes.
“I think Desiree needs more protein. Give her a mouthful of steak,” Maryl said as she sat back in her chair, watching and sipping her life juice.
Desiree gagged several times. When her gagging subsided slightly, Alexa repeated the process, but this time, she shoved several pieces of steak inside her mouth.
The veins in Desiree’s face popped to the surface. The veins bloated and threatened to explode. So weakened and allergic by the human food, her entire body of veins and arteries swelled in protest.
“I think she’s going into shock. Alexa, be a dear and take Desiree to the wooden railing nearby that overlooks the cliff. I think she’s going to throw-up or her veins are going to burst. And I will not be the one to clean the mess up.”
In a blur, Alexa took Desiree and sped her to the end of the deck. Desiree leaned over and vomited for a couple of minutes. Alexa escorted her back to her chair and observed her, making sure she didn’t try to escape. If Desiree escaped while Alexa was watching her, the same thing would happen to her.
“You look kind of pale, Desiree. Do you require some water?” Maryl nodded to Alexa. Upon her return with a large glass of water, Alexa said to Desiree, “Drink up, traitor!”
“Get that water away from me! Can’t you see the food already weakened me? I am not about to try anything stupid!”
Alexa ignored her while Draven held Desiree at bay. She forced all of the water down Desiree’s throat and kept her mouth closed. Desiree was attempting to throw up, but couldn’t.
After several seconds Maryl said, “Okay, that’s enough. Let her throw up over the side again.”
Instead of speeding to the handrail, Alexa walked Desiree slowly. She could barely contain herself when she reached the edge.
While Desiree was forcing the water from her system, Maryl downed the last of the blood from her wine glass and then asked, “Now, where were we?”
“You were discussing invading Clayton’s smaller tribes of the A and B’s,” Draven remarked.
“Thank you, Draven.” She turned around. “Alexa, you have twenty-four hours to get as many of your most trusted vampires together. Make sure to scout the lands for troops willing to do battle against the A’s and B’s. Explain to them we’re taking the smallest groups we have been monitoring, and it won’t be a full assault. We will take them piece by piece! Do you think you can handle the assignment?”
A smile formed on Alexa’s lips. “It will be my honor!” Alexa said before she zipped away.
“So I take it Alexa has become your new adoring disciple?” Desiree said in-between gagging.
“No need to be jealous. Alexa knows how honorable it is to be my devotee.”
Desiree turned away from the handrail and faced Maryl. She spread her arms out and leaned them against the wooden guardrail. “Disciple. Devotee. How about a minion or a pawn?”
With rage coursing through her blood, Maryl zipped to Desiree, picked her upright, and hung her upside down just beyond the wooden railing of the porch.
“It’s a long way down, Desiree, and you’re looking a little pale. Overeat on human food and drank too much water, perhaps?” Maryl looked down the deep slope hillside and then looked at Desiree. “Don’t
