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Queen's Night Ch. 01

By: Guybrarian



Hello, everyone! This is my first posting on Literotica. And, while there is no inherent sex in this chapter, it will be coming. Please read and review. We writers live off feedback, after all.

--



Parker McLaren rolled his eyes, as he found himself doing more and more when he spoke to his boss. Thankfully, the cell phone call meant that he did not have to show his face to the rat bastard. 

"Listen, Parker," Gregory Hart said. "I know your vacation is coming up, but you're the only investigator with a clear caseload right now."

"I had a clear caseload because I was trying to get to my vacation!" Parker protested. Oh, how he wanted to punch his boss. 

"Just consider it a working vacation, Parker!" 

Parker was so glad that his glare couldn't penetrate the speaker system. "Are you docking my vacation hours? "



"Goodbye, Greg. Have a nice weekend." He punched the button on his phone to end the call. 

He should have been in Denver now, getting on a plane to Hawaii. Today was supposed to be the start of a glorious, nine-day vacation designed to completely rid his body of the idea of work. Fate had an odd way of showing its appreciation of the idea.

Parker McLaren had joined up with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation three years ago. He'd had job offers from the FBI, the Federal Marshals, and the Denver Police Department. But he'd picked the Bureau since he wasn't a big fan of the feds, and Denver had never really appealed to him. 

After a year of dreaded internship, he'd been placed with the violent crimes division, and had never looked back. But even after two years, and the last six months being the youngest senior investigator in the Bureau, he was still treated like crap. 

Parker had learned to live with stuff like being called out to places like today's visit, Cold River. He reached down and took a sip from his travel mug. After that, he checked his phone, which told him to get off at the next turn was in three miles. Cold River. The name was so plain, and the town was so small, he couldn't recall any particular information about it. He wasn't even sure if he'd heard of the town before today when the call had come in.

It couldn't be too bad, he told himself.

Cold River was a town of maybe fifteen hundred, though most of that were small homes outside of the town proper. Parker had done a quick peek into the history of the city. It had been founded when silver had been found in a nearby mountain. The silver had gone quickly, but the local lumber was found to be fantastic. So, the people had stayed. Maybe the local logging company employed five hundred people in the town, while the rest of the town seemed to support the loggers or work independently. 

He parked his car outside the sheriff's office, a plain building painted a drab brown. It looked, on the exterior, just like any other sheriff's office he'd seen.

He stepped out of the car after grabbing his phone, wallet, and sliding on his paddle holster. Parker passed two other cars, one SUV of the same make as his, and a smaller sedan without any official markings. 

Parker walked up to the front door, which had a pane of glass with the sheriff's crest on it, and opened the door. 

The interior of the sheriff's office was as familiar to him as the outside was. It consisted of a reception area, and a scattering of desks in a communal area. He passed the reception area, empty, and into the communal area. 

There were only two officers in the communal area. The one sitting at the closer desk stood when he entered. "Can I help you?" The man asked in a friendly, though gruff, manner.

Parker took a moment to size him up. The deputy, he supposed, was tall, about matching his own height. He had a build like a linebacker, and seemed to make everything else look miniature in comparison. 

"Yes," Parker said after a moment. "I'm Agent Parker McLaren, Colorado Bureau of Investigation." He flashed his badge, like second nature. "I was called in to assist with an investigation into a body that turned up in your town?"

"Right." The man seemed reluctant to admit that someone had called him in, though Parker understood the feeling. He knew how reluctant local authorities could be to hand over cases like this. "I'm Deputy Rick Fisher, Cold River Sherriff's Department." He stuck out his hand. "The silent guy over in the corner is Deputy Braun."

Parker shook Fisher's hand, both of their grips firm. "Pleasure to meet you, Deputy Fisher." He looked towards the other deputy, who was typing at his desk. "Deputy Braun." He nodded to him. 

Fisher offered a genial smile. "Call me Rick, please. Deputy Fisher was my old man."

"All right, Rick." Parker relaxed. "Call me Parker, then." He then asked. "I hate to sound like I'm in a rush, but I'd like to take a look at your corpse. Has it already been moved to the coroner's office? I wasn't sure when you guys found it. I just got handed the file about two hours ago."

"Yea, the body's at the coroner's office. What we could find of it." 

Parker furrowed his brow. "What you could find of it?" He inquired.

Fisher sighed. "Come on, I'll show you. We'll walk it there. It's just down the street." Fisher led him outside of the building. Parker breathed in the fresh air of the mountain air, savoring it.

"City folk?" Fisher said, his voice holding just a hint of tease.

"Not terribly, but it's nice out here."

"Yea, only real industry up here's the logging." Fisher said. "So where are you from, originally?"

"Colorado Springs. Dad taught at the Air Force Academy."

Fisher smirked. "Flight jockey?" He asked.

"Aerospace physics, actually." Parker answered. "Why, got something against the Air Force?"

"Was Navy myself. But no, just curious more than anything." Rick said. 

"All right." Parker said. "So, tell me about the body."

"Business, aren't you?" Rick chuckled.

Parker offered a little shrug. "I hate to come off like this, but I'm just here for the prelim. I'm supposed to be on a plane for Honolulu earlier this morning, but Deputy Director Hart called me in for this." He withdrew from his jacket a notebook and flipped it open. "So, victim's name?"

"He's unidentified, so far." Rick said. "How's your stomach?"

"I've worked Violent Crimes for three years now. I'm pretty good on not tossing up my meals, Deputy."

"Well, we'll keep the bucket. This one's a doozy."

Parker rolled his eyes. "Please, I'm not some agent on his first case..."

Parker heaved into the wastebasket for the first time in two years.

"Big statie comes in, thinks he's big stuff..." Rick teased him. "You all right there, kid?"

Parker saw a hand towel in his peripheral vision, and he grabbed it to wipe off the gunk from his face. "Ugh, thanks."

"If you're quite done puking over my exam room, I'd like to get started." Said the matronly county medical examiner, Dr. Emily Bauer.

Parker picked himself up of his knees and stood. "Um, yea, I'm fine." He insisted as he dusted himself off. "Sorry, but that...that's something else."

They walked back to the exam table, and it took all of Parker's professionalism to keep himself from vomiting again. He'd done about a dozen or so murders before, but none of them even came close to this one. 

The body, or what was left of it, had been savaged. That was the only appropriate word he could think of to describe it. The skin was torn in dozens of places, revealing patches of flesh underneath. The right leg and the head had both been torn off the victim's body, missing now. The left arm of the victim lay severed next to its torso. 

Parker put on a pair of glasses, taking out his notebook and making observations. "Animal attack?" He asked.

"I'm cautious to rule it as an animal attack." Bauer said. She was a short, plump woman in her fifties, with iron-gray hair and matching eyes. She had a constant look of disapproval on her face. 

"Why would you say that, Dr. Bauer?" Parker asked, making a note of several teeth marks on the bone of the severed arm's humerus. "I can see bite marks. I would guess that animals have fed off of this, but well, severing the head off a torso takes serious work."

She nodded. "Yes, but his defensive wounds are what worry me." She turned over the left hand, showing a number of fine scratches on his forearm. "Those don't match the pattern of any animal I've seen. They more resemble nails of a woman."

"So I'm looking for a woman who can flay a man and decapitate him? What was cause of death?"

"Exsanguination."

He furrowed his brow. "Beg pardon? Exsanguination?"

She nodded. "He was bled to death. Purposefully." 

Rick shuddered a little. "Awful way to go. Do you have a time of death?" He asked.

"About a week ago. I'm afraid I can't be more specific with the state in which you brought this to me."

"What was the state?" Parked asked.

"We found John Doe here on the bed of a river near town." 

"John Doe," Parker repeated. "No ID on him?"

"Just him, naked. No clothes, no ID. We've sent his fingerprints off to the state database, and they said they should be back to us in a few days. In reality, though..."

"I'll make a call, put it on the state crime lab's top priority."

Rick furrowed his brow. "You'd do that?"

"If my boss thought he should postpone my trip to Hawaii for this case, it's a priority."

"Hawaii?" Bauer scoffed. "Your boss sucks."

"Tell me about it." Parker rolled his eyes. "So, uh, do you have a file for what you've got so far?"

"We can get one for you." Said a voice behind them.

Parker turned. In the doorway was a woman in the uniform of the sheriff's office. She was short, barely even five-four. She had blond hair in a ponytail, and sharp, elegant features. 

"Hello?" Parker asked. "I think you have me at a disadvantage here."

"I think I do." She walked towards him and extended her hand. "Amber Kelly, Cold River County Sheriff."

Parker shook her hand, finding her grip even stronger than Rick's. Surprising, he thought. "Pleasure to meet you, Sheriff. Agent Parker McLaren, Colorado Bureau of Investigation."

"Pleasure to meet you, Agent McLaren." She said. "Now, you wanted a file, I believe? Let's make this happen."

Alyse awoke with a start, tossing the covers back from her bed. Her breath escaped her mouth in harsh pants, even though she lacked the need for it.

It had happened again. She had dreamed of death. 

The same dream visited her every time she slept. Her fangs and nails hot with blood, and before her, the body of a male before her. He was torn to pieces, savaged like a wild monster. Missing limbs, drained of his blood. 

It made Alyse curl into a ball on her sheets, panting. She felt it-her hunger was growing. Ever since the dreams had started, her hunger had tripled. She had once only needed to drink once a week, with the occasional indulgence in passing fling. 

Ever since the dreams had started, she had needed to drink every other night. It was a burning hunger that had consumed her. Even after she drank, the fire of hunger was sated, but still she craved more.

She grabbed a robe hanging off a chair next to the bed and tied it. She walked out of her bedroom, and headed into the kitchen. Her servant, Presten, was already in the kitchen.

"Majesty?" He arched a thick eyebrow. Presten was a tall man, towering over her five-six. He had dark hair, trimmed precisely, and intense blue eyes that pierced her soul. 

"I need to drink, Presten." She said. 

Presten smiled and nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. I'm afraid that the usual contacts have not recovered. You'll need someone new."

Alyse felt a growl bubble in her throat. "That's not good. Find someone else. Take one of the others' food sources."

"I will check with the other vampires, but you will have to ask, Majesty. You know the rules."

Of course Alyse did. She had been a vampire for six hundred years. Because Cold River's vampiric community was small, she had been named Queen, as the oldest and most powerful vampire. It was only appropriate, as her sire had been a Queen herself.

But Aria had been Queen by blood, her line some of the first rulers of their kind. And she had passed down her curse with her. Alyse could only drink from living blood, none of that bagged blood some vampires did. She craved living flesh. 

"Contact them, then." Alyse ordered. "I'm going to go take a walk." She started off back to her bedroom. "And Presten?"

"Yes, Majesty?" Presten asked with that tone that she hated. The one that was so... English-ly pleasant.

"Thank you." She said, her voice soft, though she knew Presten would hear her. 

"Of course, Majesty." 

Alyse groaned in protest as she stepped outside. Though vampires did not burn up on sight when they stepped out into the sun, like Hollywood was so fond of, it didn't mean they had to like it. Sun block wasn't a necessity in the gray Colorado afternoon but in places like California, she had needed it. 

She left her house, a modest one-story cabin, and headed into town. It was a mile's walk, and she didn't particularly mind. She had dressed conservatively, with jeans, a button-down plaid flannel shirt covering her t-shirt, and an oversized wool coat. After growing up in a cold European village in life, Alyse never liked to be cold. 

It was a twenty-minute walk into town. She went into the store and bought a number of steaks, as they would at least prolong her hunger. She gathered her things, and decided to make a stop by her friend's lab. 

She had been walking down the main street of the town when suddenly, in a moment, she froze. She knew how unnatural it would look to others in the town. Vampires had the unnatural ability to do that, she knew.

There was a new scent in town. But it was nothing plain, like a new flower or a exciting new bread from the bakery. 

This scent was of a man. Her head spun towards the scent. He was leaving Dr. Bauer's office. Tall, easily six-four, with gorgeous dark hair and a strong jaw. He filled out his suit in a decidedly delicious manner, with the lithe body of a runner or a swimmer. He was Adonis personified. 

She saw him, a perfect specimen of man. And her hunger increased right there, a burning in her gut. She saw him, and realized right there, right then. She had to have him. Whoever this man was, whatever he was, he was Alyse's new focus in life. 

And she would have him.

--

Chapter two will be coming, guys! Again, reviews are greatly appreciated!

Queen's Night Ch. 02



Hey, everyone. Chapter 2 is here! I want to thank everyone who read Chapter 1 and rated/reviewed it. You people are my crack! Special thanks go out to my wonderful editor, Heather, for kicking my grammatical ass. 





Sheriff Kelly led Parker and Rick from the doctor's lab. "It's too bad his face was mangled like that." She remarked. "We could have canvassed the area, seen if anyone knew the guy."

Parker nodded "So, who found the body?" He asked.

"One of the loggers, man named Olson. He was out by a local river, our Cold River, and found the body."

"All right. Think I can find Olson over at the company?" Parker asked.

"I would guess you could. Think you can find something from him about the case?"

Parker shrugged, as if to say in his own way that he didn't doubt their police work. "I like to take a look into things personally. Maybe he'd remember something, or maybe I'll just end up just having a verbal copy of the report you give me. But either way, it's thoroughness's sake."

"Of course, I can understand, Agent McLaren." She said. "All right, let's get you that report."

They exited out into the street, the cool mountain air nipping at Parker as he wished he'd dressed warmer. He looked to Kelly and asked. "So is it just you and Rick and Braun?" 

"No, I have two more deputies who are out on the road today. Found a car wreck with no body. Always fun." Her eye roll made Parker relax a little. Kelly seemed like a professional, but he had been worried the locals would stonewall him. It wouldn't have been the first time.

He was about to comment when suddenly, a pang shot through his stomach. "Aw, hell," He grunted, and he bent over at the waist, trying to catch his breath. The pain was intense, like hot needles being driven into his skin and his head. Every bad hangover he'd had was rolled up into one and brought back into him. 

He fought the desire to be sick, having just heaved in the Doctor's exam room. His vision whited from the pain, roaring through him.

"Parker?" He heard Rick say. "Agent McLaren?"

Parker looked up. His vision cleared, for just a moment. His eyes centered in on one thing, and one thing only.

Her.

She was gorgeous, beautiful. Dark brown hair fell in curls around her shoulders and over her flannel shirt. Jeans framed a pair of legs that made Parker want to beg for more. Whoever she was, she had an air of noble beauty, timeless. 

"Fuck." He heard the Sheriff grunt. "Come on, we've got to get him off the street. We can take him to the hotel."

Parker wanted to protest. He was fine, he swore. Just pain and unconsciousness, nothing big. He had to talk to that woman, just say hello.

But his body other plans as he lost his thoughts.

***

A dim light shone on the edge of Parker's vision. He assessed his situation. He was staring up at a stucco ceiling, illuminated barely by a lamp next to him. He lay on a stiff mattress. The pain had turned into a dull roar, more an ache than the stabbing pain that had struck him earlier.

"Where am I?" He said out loud.

"Cold River Hotel." Sheriff Kelly said from beside him. 

Parker turned his head to see her sitting in an armchair, reading a paperback of Crime and Punishment by the light of the lamp. "What happened?"

"You passed out." She said, her voice curt. "Fisher and I brought you here. The CBI had already made sure you had a room." She licked a finger and used it to flip the page.

"How long was I out?" He murmured.

"Four hours. You're okay now. You just need to eat. Can't have our statie passing out on us again, can we?"

Parker didn't have the strength to glare. "Know a place that delivers?" He asked.

Kelly nodded towards the dresser the TV stood on. There was a paper bag there. "Fisher got you a burger before heading home. Should still be warm."

"Uh, great." Parker stood up, feeling his muscles protest initially. "My car?"

"You can swing by tomorrow. We grabbed your keys and got your bags out so you wouldn't have to worry about it."

"Thanks, Sheriff Kelly." He slowly got off the bed and stood. "I hate to sound like a nag, but that report..."

She nodded. "Of course. I've got the file sitting on your bags." She closed her book abruptly, and then stood. "I've got something to take care of." She handed him his card. "Call me or the department if you need anything related to the case. For everything else, talk to Johnny at the front desk. Kid's good for just about anything."

"Johnny, right." He said. "Thanks for everything, Sheriff. I'll stop by your office first thing tomorrow if I have any questions. I'll check with that Olson at the logging company, see if I can dig up anything."

"Very well, Agent McLaren." She said, and donned her paddle holster. "Have a good night." She headed for the door.

"You too." Parker said in farewell.

He looked into the bag and found the burger in a plastic box. He dug in and devoured the burger, not even bothering to really taste it, though it was pretty good when the aftertaste sat in his mouth. He grabbed a glass of water and sat down with the report.

The victim was found about twenty feet from the edge of Cold River's banks. The man who found him, Roger Olson, had said it looked like an animal attack at first. He had called it in with his manager, who had in turn called in the sheriff.

The man was found naked which made this only stranger. He didn't want to consider what the implications of that were. At least, his human side didn't. The investigator, however, wanted nothing more than to get into it and figure out every last detail.

But as he started to theorize and think, his thoughts drifted back to the woman. Who was she? And why had she caused him to pass out? Despite whatever Kelly said, he knew the woman was somehow linked to his pain and him passing out. 

And the thought of her aroused him like nothing else. It was nothing like he'd ever felt before. She was something new, mysterious. Exotic power just rolled off of her. He scolded himself, mentally. He had just seen her for a second in a haze of pain. Whatever things he was, irrational must have been one of them. 

He rummaged through his bags and found a pair of sleeping pills. At around ten, he fell asleep. He left matters of the murder and life to tomorrow, remembering the biblical saying "tomorrow will take care of itself."

***

Alyse had made herself disappear after the man had collapsed. She had no intention of attracting Sheriff Kelly's attention, as the bitch was sure to think she was involved somehow. 

As she headed towards her destination, her mind still was wrapped around the sight of that man. He didn't smell human. But he did not smell like a were, or a witch. He certainly wasn't one of the Fae. No, his skin was too tan for him to be a Sidhe. 

Whatever he was, though, she was sure he would be delicious. She imagined sinking her teeth into his body, tasting his delicious blood as he sunk himself into-

She shook her head, snapping out of it. "You are not a silly school girl." She said aloud. "One man should not be distracting you so." But even as Alyse told herself that, there was an instinct inside of her. It was the monster of her, the one that told her to claim him, to mark him as hers. 

She stopped, took a deep breath, and counted to ten, verbally. She saw she was at her destination, and headed inside. She was instantly greeted with the smell of blood. No doubt Damon had some new experiment going on. 

She passed the entry way and headed past the waiting room into the labs. She saw Damon through a window, in his scrubs and in a lab coat. "Good afternoon, old friend." Alyse greeted him.

"Alyse, Your Majesty." Damon inclined his head towards her. The microphone and speakers allowed them to chat through the seal. Damon always insisted she never come in when he was performing experiments. 

Alyse had been offended, at first, until he had explained to her the idea of contamination and the need for pure results. That had been two centuries ago, and since then they had gladly communicated at a distance when Damon was at work.

"Damon, I am queen of twenty-three vampires. You may dispose of the title when we speak privately." She said.

"Of course, Alyse." He smiled. "You look...happy." A playful little grin drew on Damon's features. 

"I am happy, Damon, I suppose." Though the pangs of lust in her belly, and the ache for blood were not making her happy. Instead, she wanted something. And she didn't even know what he was, or who he was. "You seem wrapped up in something."

"Indeed." He leaned back in his chair a moment, looking at her through the window. "Care to hear a theory of mine?"

"Why not?" Alyse pulled up a chair to sit down. "Share it, Damon."

"You know that there are several bloodlines of vampires, correct? Those who cannot walk in sun, those who are more in touch with the Arcane, and even others who are closer to their demonic heritage than most of us would care to admit?"

"Naturally." She nodded. "I am proud to say I can trace my bloodline back extensively."

"Of course." He nodded and continued. "My theory is taken from several blood samples I have looked at from humans. At the base level, of course, they look like humans. But, if you look at a ridiculously intricate level, I can see similarities between us and certain humans."

"We were all humans once." She noted. There were no born vampires, only those turned.

"Yes, but there is a difference." Damon noted. "While vampires have these changes brought upon them when we are turned, these humans I have sampled have vampiric traits in them. At least, traces of them."

"And so what are they?"

"For lack of a better word...mixed-breeds. Somehow, our two races have mixed and these humans are linked to our future as a race."

"Can you present one of these humans to me?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No, the only case study is over a hundred years old. A friend of mine is sending me the files. 

"Who else has heard this idea of yours?" 

"Besides you?" He shrugged. "Just Philomena."

She nodded. Philomena, the other vampire scientist in town. A bit less orthodox than Damon, but still a remarkable mind. "And these mixed-breeds. How could we find them?"

"From sight? Honestly, Alyse, I haven't a clue."

***

The matter still gnawed at Alyse as she sat in her office. Both Damon's mixed-breeds and the man she had seen in the street. She wasn't getting any work done, either. 

For the last decade or so, she had run the primary bar in Cold River, the Rhett Tavern. Named after the town's founder, George Rhett, it was a favorite of the weres at the logging company and the more human townsfolk. Alyse had bought the bar when she had first moved to town. She wasn't by any means a business owner, though she had learned through a slow and steady trial and error. 

But her mind was not focused at all on business tonight. Currently, her mind drifted towards the man in the suit earlier. She wondered if she should pursue the matter. A man as pretty as that would have to be fun, and she did need to feed. 

A knock came on her door, breaking her line of thought. She placed her hands on her oak desk and ordered to the intruder. "Enter."

One of her employees, a young woman by the name of Rachel, came in. She had a pretty smile, only accentuating her soft skin and auburn hair. "Miss Harcourt?"

Alyse relaxed into her seat. "Hello, Rachel, dear. What can I do for you?"

"Sheriff Kelly is here. She wants to see you."

"Are her deputies with her?" She asked.

"No, it's just her, ma'am."

Now that was interesting. Usually the Sheriff would bring her goons if she wanted to intimidate her. But coming alone, that was a new one. "Send her in." Alyse ordered, and watched as Rachel left. 

She returned with Sheriff Kelly a few minutes later. The blond woman nodded to Alyse. "Hello, Miss Harcourt. I was wondering if I could speak with you privately."

"Of course." Alyse gave Kelly a plain, pleasant smile. "Rachel?" The girl left at her bidding, high-tailing it out back to the floor of the bar. "So, Sheriff Kelly, where should we begin?"

"Let's start with Agent McLaren."

"Who?" Alyse leaned forward, interested.

"The man who collapsed when you got near him today."

"Oh, what was his name again?" She said, affecting to play the innocent party here.

"Agent Parker McLaren." Kelly glared at her. "He's with the CBI. Last thing I need is for staties to get crawling around this place because you're messing with one of their agents."

"Why, Sheriff Kelly. I did nothing to the man." Parker. How she wished she had a beating heart, if just so that it would skip a beat. 

"Don't play innocent." A growl crept its way into the Sheriff's voice. It was inhuman, protective. "You don't touch him, Alyse."

"You don't order me around, bitch." She hissed. 

The words elicited another growl from Kelly. "Yes, I do. My pack outnumbers your little nest."

Alyse laughed out with a chiming giggle. "Oh, please, must you posture? You have no Alpha male, no leader. An Alpha bitch does not a pack make." She sneered at the werewolf woman.

"The body they found near the river. I know mine didn't do it, I would have recognized the smell." Kelly said.

"Would you like to sniff the ass of all of my vampires?" Alyse smirked. "I'm sure one or two would enjoy it."

Kelly stormed out of the office, her voice barely restraining the frustration as she said. "You need to learn your place, Alyse."

Alyse let the were storm out of her office. She had no intention of letting Sheriff Kelly parade around and lord over her vampires. 

Parker McLaren. The name hung in Alyse's head like poetry. She had a name for her man. And now, she wanted to find out everything she could. She picked up her phone, and dialed the home number. 

"Alyse's house, Presten speaking." She smiled at the sound of her loyal servant.

"Hello, Presten. I have someone I want you to research." Alyse started. "Parker McLaren, he's just come into town from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation."

Presten sighed. "And what would you like to know about Agent McLaren?"

"Everything, Presten." She sighed. "I think he may be the man I've been dreaming about."

---

Here we are! Chapter 2! Again, all comments and ratings are appreciated. You are my life's blood! Again, another sexless chapter, but we will start to see some kink in our next chapter, I promise.



Queen's Night Ch. 03



Well, everyone, here we go. As always, thanks to my amazing editor, and thanks to you awesome readers for reviewing! 

*

Parker grasped into the sheets, his head tossed back in the heights of pleasure. "Oh, fuck."

On the bed, kneeling between his thighs, was the woman from the street. Her dark hair draped around her elegant, enchanting features. She reached up, and placed one long finger on his lips, the ruby tip tracing a pattern only she understood. 

"Hush, love. Let me take care of you." She purred, and slid her milky, nude body against his skin.

Parker ached with need, his blood rushing from less necessary parts of him to his groin. His member throbbed as she slid her hips against his. Her skin wasn't warm, but cool and soft. The alien feeling aroused him, enticing. It was new and different, and he felt like she filled a need he never knew existed. 

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice rasping even as he looked up into her brilliant green eyes.

"Your queen, my knight." She whispered. The woman leaned down, and pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss. Parker would have called it chaste, at first, if it hadn't stirred the fire so well.

A short, quick kiss grew into a longer one. Their lips attacked one another, hungry for more of the other. Parker slid a hand around the woman's waist, pulling her against him. She moaned against his mouth, and slid her tongue, wrapping it around his to duel with him. 

Parker finally had to pull himself away from her, and moaned out in a rough tone. "I need you."

"Then you shall have me, my knight." She whispered. The woman moved down his body, tasting, sampling every inch of him. Parker's back arched in pleasure, his hips thrusting into the air.

"Excited, are we?" A grin crossed her face as she licked his navel. 

"You've got the answer to that yourself." Parker grunted.

The woman encircled her hand around his arousal. "Indeed." Her grip was firm, but as she stroked his cock, she did it with a mastery that sent Parker's head tossed back in a groan of pleasure. 

Parker closed his eyes a moment, panting as she started to stroke him. Her fist moved up and down his shaft, working his sensitive skin. Her thumb started to flick over the sensitive head of his shaft. 

She brought her hand off of him, eliciting a loud moan from him. "Why'd you stop?" He groaned.

"Because, I want a taste." She flashed him a smile with two pearly fangs protruding from her teeth. A chill ran through Parker, and he started to wonder what the hell was going on.

But thinking could wait. The woman lowered her head, her lips parting as she engulfed his cock in her warm, wet mouth. Parker thrust his hips up, unable to restrain his wild need, shouting in pleasure as she-

Parker awoke with a start, gasping as he came back to the land of the conscious and awake.

He took a survey of his surroundings. He was no longer in the plush bed of his dreams, but of the slightly uncomfortable hotel bed. The red numbers on the alarm clock read that it was a little past five-thirty.

"Aw, hell," He grunted, and rolled out of bed. A quick inspection revealed that his erection from his dream hadn't dampened at all with his quick awakening.

Thirty minutes later, he stepped out of the shower, his lust very unsatisfied. He'd attempted stroking himself but had simply found no relief. It had left him with a very swollen, annoyingly aroused member. He got back into the shower and made it cold this time. That helped, if only a little. 

Parker got himself dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a gray t-shirt, and a flannel plaid shirt over it. He pulled on his dark coat, and slipped his various tools of the trade into the pockets. He slid his paddle holster over his waist, always the careful one. He checked himself in the mirror, always to make sure he looked, if not professional, clean, and headed out. 

The cool morning air nipped at him. It was barely six-thirty, and the bitter tang of the brisk weather set his senses on a level he usually didn't get at this early. The mountain air smelled lovely, full of the nearby forest, and the blue sky greeted him for a lovely day. It was too bad he was working.

He took a bearing of is surroundings, figuring out where in town he was. He was thankful it was such a small town, as he could walk back to the Sheriff's when he needed to pick up his SUV. In the meantime, however, his rumbling stomach required attention. 

He walked towards the sheriff's office, instinct telling him that with cops came food, generally. About two blocks away, he found a diner that was open. He headed in, and was immediately greeted with familiar smells. Decent coffee, one or two burnt dishes, and an overall good menu. He took a seat at the counter.

A young woman, a copper-haired girl in her late teens, offered him a smile. "What can I get you, Mister?" She asked, with all the cheeriness that one got from waitresses in smaller towns.

"Cup of coffee, and some eggs, Canadian bacon, hash browns, and two slices of toast?" He watched as she jotted down the notes. "Please," Parker added, his mother's insistence on manners creeping in on him. 

"Sure thing, Mister." She said, and gave him a cheery smile. 

"Thanks, Rebecca." He said, catching the name off her name tag.

He was halfway through his second cup of coffee when Deputy Rick Fisher sat down next to him. "Hey, statie." He gave Parker a big grin. "How's it going?"

"Hey, Rick. And it's going decent. Slept like a log last night." He said, Sure, it wasn't entirely true, but it was a male thing. Lie about your well-being, stiff upper lip and all that.

"Awesome. Sheriff asked me to watch over you." He grinned. "Make sure you don't hurt yourself or anything."

"Oh, haha." He smirked. "But thanks. Was going to take a look at Roger Olson today."

"Okay, fine by me. I'd be more than willing to show you around the logging company. They start pretty early, so we should be able to catch them out there."

"All right, sure thing." Parker nodded. "Let me just wrap up breakfast first."

"Sure thing man." Rick agreed. He ordered a cup of coffee and some French toast, to which Rebecca cheerfully noted down. "So, what made you become a state agent?" He asked when they were both eating.

"Always wanted to be a cop." He said. "I decided on the CBI mostly because they were a decent fast track to become an investigator. After that, it was either the Violent Crimes or Illegal Substances Unit."

"And you ended up in Violent Crimes?" Rick asked.

Parker sighed. "Yea. ISU was my front-runner for a while, but they're crazy there. Submachine guns and shotguns, not handcuffs." He smirked. "I took Violent Crimes, and worked the hell out of it. Became a Senior Investigator six months ago, and got my own desk with a pile of cases."

"Living the dream, man." Rick chuckled. 

"So how'd you end up as a deputy here?"

Rick shrugged. "It's my hometown. My dad was sheriff, once upon a time, and it's a bit of a family deal. If Kelly ever moves on to something bigger and better than being sheriff of a town of 1500 in the middle of nowhere, I'm running for office."

"So, what's Kelly's deal?" Parker asked. "Is she an ice queen, or..."

Rick dropped his voice. ""Well, no one's called her an ice queen before," He started. "But yea, she's a bit serious. Big Mama Wolf to the rest of us."

"Don't you mean Mama Bear?"

"Same difference." He shrugged it off. "She seems to have taken a shine to you. She wouldn't have stuck around like that if she hadn't. I would have half-expected her to write it on a sticky note and paste it to your forehead."

"Nice to know I'm appreciated."

"Any time, statie."

***

They swung back to the station and picked up Parker's SUV. It was a fifteen minute drive out to the logging company, and from there they hoofed it out on foot to the area where Roger Olson was working, according to his supervisor.

They were heading out on a poorly marked trail, but Rick seemed to know where he was going. Being the one foreign to town, Parker gladly let him lead. 

"So, a theory," Parker said. "About our John Doe."

"Go for it." Rick replied. "I'm all ears."

"So, you guys haven't had any missing persons reports filed, and this guy's been dead over a week."

"Okay, I follow."

"He's from out of town. Possibly related to that car wreck Sheriff Kelly mentioned yesterday."

"The car wreck?" He furrowed his brow. "Well, there's something. McCormick and Sands were looking into it, haven't heard anything of what they found. I was already out when they got back."

"Just a thought." Parker said. "Since his prints got shipped off to the state labs, we should be running them through, and if it's got my name attached to it, we should get something back soon."

"Yea, we'll see if they all match." Rick nodded. "Good thinking, though."

"I do try every once in a while." Parker said. "Are we near where Olson's working?"

"With how loud you are, I'm sure he'll hear us soon."

"Hey, I am not loud!" Parker protested. 

A voice came off from the distance. "I'd beg to differ." 

Parker spun to the direction of the voice. The man was dressed large, squat with a large wooly jacket over his flannel shirt. He had dark shaggy hair and a short beard that made Parker wonder if he'd walked straight out of the cliché. 

"Roger!" Rick grinned. "Hey, man. How's it going?

Roger Olson gave Rick a smile as the two of them approached and shook hands. "Can't complain. You here about the body over at the River?" He asked.

"Yea," Rick answered. "Rog, this is Agent McLaren, he's from the Colorado Bureau of Investigations."

Roger gave a polite nod in Parker's direction. "Agent McLaren," He said. "So, what did you want to know?"

Parker started. "I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Go right ahead," Roger said. "Anything I can do to help."

Parker shoved his hands in his jacket, and found his notebook.. "So, I wanted to ask how you found the body."

"Uhm, just was walking, I guess. I was out west past the river, doing some surveys for the company. It was getting late, so I headed back across the river through a low point. There was a crow circling the remains, and so I checked it. First thought it was leftovers from some animal. But then I saw the fingers, and well," He shrugged. "Called it in to the Sheriff."

Parker nodded. "Can you think of anything...odd, out of place? I mean, apart from the body."

"Yea," He nodded. "There was one thing. There wasn't a lot of blood. Yea, I mean, I don't have much experiences with corpses, but for how mutilated that was..."

Parker jotted that down. The rest of the questioning was much the same, with Parker turning up nothing new. They let Olson continue his work, and they headed back to the car. 

By the time they were back at the car, it was noon. They were driving back to the Sheriff's office when Roger got a call. He flipped out his cell and had a conversation of agreeing sounds and grunts.

When he closed the phone, he said. "We've got an ID on our vic. Drive like a madman, statie."

***

Parker nearly ran into the Sheriff's office. "Who, what-"

"Calm down." Kelly said. "We got the results faxed to us just a few minutes ago ourselves." She handed him a manila folder, already labeled with the case number and the name of the victim, Eric Standwell.

He opened the file and studied it. It was the fingerprints. Eric Standwell had been a daycare worker, and as such had his prints in the system. He was twenty-seven, originally from Pagosa Springs, and worked part-time at a community daycare. 

"His car was found crashed outside of town." Said one of the other deputies, a tall red-haired man. 

Parker shook his head as he continued reading the file. He looked like a good guy, from what the file showed. Handsome, very little debt, and the man had a lean record. "Any idea what our Mister Standwell was doing here in town?"

"Not from what we can tell. We'll put up a canvas." Said the deputy. "And we couldn't dig anything up on the car."

"Have we contacted the next of kin yet?"

Kelly shook her head. "No next of kin. Guy was an orphan. Lived on his own. The only contact we can even try is his supervisor."

"I can take that call." Parker said. 

Kelly nodded, and said. "Her number's in the file." She said, and went back to her desk.

Parker took one of the empty seats at a vacant desk, setting himself up there temporarily. He popped out his phone and dialed the number of Eric Standwell's supervisor.

After a few rings, a feminine voice answered. "Theresa Samuels." She answered, her voice crisp and professional.

"Hello, Miss Samuels?" Parker began. "My name is Agent Parker McLaren, with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation."

"Colorado Bureau of..." She paused for a moment, and said. "Oh, you're calling about Eric."

"Yes, ma'am, I am." Parker answered. "I'm sorry, we couldn't find anyone else to call."

"Eric doesn't have a family. He was orphaned, I'm afraid." She said. "He...something's happened, hasn't it? Eric always was so responsible, he said he'd call a few days ago..."

"I'm afraid his body was found near Cold River, Colorado, Miss Samuels."

"Oh, my..." She sighed. "How unfortunate. He was such a good man. Cold River, you say?"

"Yes, ma'am. Does that mean anything to you?" Parker asked.

"It does. He took two weeks off work so he could go there. He was visiting a doctor, if I recall correct. Something about his parents."

Parker started to take notes quickly. "Do you happen to remember the doctor's name?"

"I don't think he even said the doctor's name." A voice came on from the background. "Listen, I have to go. I have to open the daycare. I'll call you if I remember anything else."

"Thank you, Miss Samuels, for your time." Parker said, though he found himself speaking to a dead line. He turned to Kelly, and asked. "How many doctors do you have in this town?"

***

All right, everyone. Chapter 3 is done. This one took a bit longer, but Chapter 4 is really kicking! Please read and review, it's like crack to hear comments!



Queen's Night Ch. 04



Chapter 4! Wow, this one flowed really fast. I want to thank my editor as usual for kicking my butt and making sure that this didn't sound like a bunch of gobbledygook. As always, please, read and review! 

*

He was stroking himself. 

That caught Alyse's attention faster than anything else could have. Parker had stepped into the shower, trying to take care of a rather impressive case of morning wood.

She watched as the hot water ran over every crevice of his naked body. Men built like that shouldn't be allowed to be around women, she decided. It was far, far too dangerous. Alyse had never thought of herself as particularly catty, but she'd rip out the eyeballs of any women who tried to take him away.

She watched as his hand glided over his shaft. She desperately wanted to taste it. It was thick and healthy, certainly enough to get any girl hungry. With the way his hand glided over his cock, she felt her mouth water.

His breathing grew into labored grunts, and he pressed one hand to the shower wall, bending forward. His hand stroked faster, harder, and Alyse wanted to beg him, beg him to cum. She wanted to see him cum, see his pleasure that he took it for his own. 

He stroked faster, rougher, grunting, groaning. She watched with anticipation. "Come on, cum for me." She whispered. At that moment, his eyes shot up, meeting her gaze. 

Alyse shot up out of bed, her entire body moving so fast she could swear her heart was beating again. Those eyes, those eyes were shocking. They couldn't have been human, could they? They were like storm clouds, they were so dark.

She pulled on her robe, and headed out of her bedroom. She saw Presten, as always, brewing her morning coffee. "Presten," She growled. "Tell me what you found out about Parker McLaren, or I will rip your throat out and have your blood with a New York steak."

Presten offered her a patient smile. "Of course, Majesty. What would you like to know first?"

"Who is he?" She asked, moving to sit at the small table in the kitchen.

"Agent Parker Francis McLaren." Presten said, reciting from pure memory. "Born February second, nineteen-eighty-five. Mother is Louisa McLaren, father unknown. Louisa died in childbirth, and there were no living relatives. Parker was then raised by Reginald and Deirdre Perry, his foster parents. He's been with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for three years now, and is a senior investigator in the Violent Crimes Division."

"You make me wonder why every girl doesn't dream of having a butler when she's all grown up." Alyse sighed. "Why is he here, Presten? Surely the CBI has better places to look around than here."

"You remember the body they found near the river last week?" 

"Ah..." A smile of realization grew on her face. "Then I believe I have little time."

"Time, Majesty?" Presten inquired.

"I want him, Presten." She sighed. "It's not logical, it's not even smart."

"Want him?" He arched a thin eyebrow at her. "Majesty, he is a state agent. You cannot simply go biting him..."

Alyse glared at Presten. "You think I don't know that?" She hissed. "Trust me, I know. But that doesn't help the feeling. When I saw him, it was...it was like I was on fire. I haven't felt like that in centuries, Presten, and it felt good. And I want that. I want that to myself."

"You sound rather possessive." He remarked.

"I sound like a were in heat." She huffed indignantly. "Not really becoming of a vampiress, is it?"

Presten gave her a look that clearly said it wasn't.

"Okay, fine," She sighed. "What time is it? I didn't get to see my clock before coming out here..."

"It's half past four in the afternoon." Presten replied.

"Oh, wow, I really slept in, didn't I?" She searched her thoughts. "And I'm supposed to meet Philomena in an hour, aren't I?"

"Yes, Majesty." He smiled politely. "I'll get her something if she gets here before you're ready?"

Alyse grinned. "You're an angel, Presten." She said, and left for her room. She showered quickly and pulled her dark hair back. She dressed in a simple pair of crème slacks and a white blouse, and hurried out back into the main part of the house. 

Philomena was already sitting at the kitchen table. She was a tall woman, and that was evident even as she sat. Her gold hair hung in lovely little curls, and her skin was tanned, unlike most vampires.

Lucky bitch, Alyse thought to herself. But, jealousy had its place, and this was not one of them. "Mina, my darling." Alyse offered a smile. "How are you this afternoon?"

Mina turned to face Alyse. "Why, Alyse, I'm quite well. Presten just got me a cop of coffee. I have to say, I'm envious. Not many have a Servant proper, these days."

"Presten is a special case." She said. Presten was, in fact, one of the last of a client race of the vampires. Part-Sidhe, he had come from the Other Side one hundred years ago, one of only a few dozen of his race left. 

"Of course he is," Mina smiled.

Alyse took a seat at the small table. "So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?" She asked. "How is that new boy toy you were bragging about last week?"

"Oh, Eric?" She smiled. "Mm, it didn't work out. We went our separate ways." She said. 

"Oh, a pity. He seemed nice." Alyse answered. The young man had certainly been a treat, and his blood had smelled delicious. "So, what brings this visit?"

"You remember the theory Damon shared with you, Alyse? About those...half-breeds?"

"Of course, quite the talk. Why, are you doing research of your own?"

"Indeed. And I have to tell you, my findings have been most interesting."

Alyse leaned forward, meeting Mina's green eyes with her own. "And what have your findings told you?"

"These half-breeds. They're unique amongst us. Tell me, what is the problem that our race faces?"

"Simple." Alyse remarked. "We need blood to survive, and it's hard to find donors."

"My belief is that this...half-breed blood would have certain properties." Mina explained. "They'd be able to satisfy our hunger better, as our blood is closer to what theirs is." She took a sip from her mug. "They'd be the perfect food."

"Well, that is...fascinating." Alyse said. "Tell me, how'd you come to this?"

"I can't reveal my methods just yet. I'm still researching this currently, but all will be revealed soon, I promise."

"Very well, Mina. Best of luck with your research."

"Thank you, Alyse." Mina bowed her head in deference. "If you will excuse me, I have to get back to work." 

"But of course, Mina." She smiled. "And you always know, I love to hear your findings." The two of them stood, and Alyse led her to the door. 

When Mina was gone, Alyse started to think on things. Sheriff Kelly, the bitch, was going to make her pup deputies tail Agent McLaren around, out of some belief that Alyse was going to make that beautiful man her next meal. Well, she was, but she wouldn't kill him. Killing something like that, no.

She'd steal him away, she realized. It was the only way she could get him without Kelly pushing her nose into the situation. "Mine," The word dropped from her lips, a whispered promise to herself.

*** 

"So, that was helpful." Sarcasm dripped from Parker's voice. The first doctor, a man named Damon Christie, had offered nothing useful, and had said he'd never seen Eric Standwell before in his life. Doctor Philomena Wright hadn't even been in today. "How do you guys even have two genetic researchers in this town?"

"Word is they started up their labs about the same time." Rick said. "I dunno, maybe they know each other?"

"Well, we've run into dead ends there. We can try with Wright tomorrow." He said, and then checked his watch. "It's five-thirty. Want to call it for the day, pick it up tomorrow?"

"Well, how about we go blow off some steam?" He said. "Happy hour?"

Parker grinned. "Never been to a happy hour, believe it or not."

"You're kidding." Rick arched an eyebrow at home in disbelief. 

"Not really. I was an intern for a year, and after that, I was the junior investigator who worked hard and never played. By the time I made senior investigator, I wasn't making any friends. I work Han style most of the time."

"Han style?" Rick asked.

"Solo." 

Rick snorted in laughter. "God, that's good-and really dorky."

"You're talking to a guy who owns every season of Buffy on DVD." Parker grinned. "Just a little bit of a geek."

"Don't worry, I'm a bit of one too. Come on then, Rhett's is right down the street." He said, and they started walking. "So, what do you staties carry?" He asked.

Parker brushed back his jacket for his holster. "Personal sidearm, actually. It's a CZ-75." 

"Snazzy." He grinned. "I carry a forty-five myself."

"Nostalgia from the service days?"

"I will admit there's some." Rick said. "Though it's the department issue one. We all carry them."

"Even Kelly?" Parker asked, trying to imagine the short sheriff with that kind of heat.

"Sheriff likes shotguns, actually. We shoot skeet once a month, whips all our asses." Rick chuckled. 

"Get out!" Parker laughed. "So, what's her story?"

Rick furrowed his brow. "I don't follow."

"What's her deal? She's like five-four, looks like she weighs less than a feather."

"I dunno. She's been sheriff here for about five years now. Was here when I got onto the job of her deputy."

"But she's from around here." Parker kept at it. 

"Listen, it's not a big deal. She's sheriff." Rick insisted. "It's her history. If you want to hear about it, ask her yourself. "

"I like my head where it is." Parker teased. "Just was curious anyways." He said as they turned onto a side street.

They reached the bar, a building twice the size of either of the small stores on either side of it. "Guys like your bars much?" Parker teased Rick.

"It's the only one we have." He said. "Rhett's is pretty good, for what it is."

"And what is it?" Parker asked as Rick opened the large wood door.

"The only place in town." He smirked, and they walked in. If it wasn't Parker's idea of an ideal bar, it was close. Nice, subdued colors, sports décor on the walls, and just the right amount of noise.

Rick led him to a small booth off to the side. "Particular about your booze?" Rick asked him.

"Not really. I'll have whatever you have." Parker said. He'd never been too picky. 

"All right, back on a minute, man." Rick said, and stood. Parker let himself relax a little, taking off his jacket and unlooping his holster, which he quickly hid in the pile of fabric that his jacket provided. 

He took a minute to observe the crowd of the bar. Most were larger men, who Parker assumed worked for the logging company. There were a few men dressed in more business-appropriate clothes, with one or two men in suits. 

And then there were the servers. Parker could have sworn he was on spring break, just from the girls serving the booze. Each one was as hot as all hell. Parker guessed, perhaps a little randomly, that the tips here had to be insane.

Rick returned a minute later, carrying two glasses filled with beer. The two of them had a few rounds, with garlic fries interspersed. The Avalanche were kicking ass, and the two officers started to chat about sports teams and their respective schools. 

At around eight, Rick's cell phone rang. He pulled it out and checked the caller ID. "Crap, it's the sheriff. I'll take this, be right back, okay?"

Parker nodded. "Sure thing, man." He said, and Rick stepped away to find somewhere quiet to take the call.

He continued to watch the game. Parker hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. That is, until he felt a sharp, visceral pain hit him in the stomach. He curled forward in his seat, grunting in pain. "Aw, hell," He whispered. 

Parker bit the inside of his cheek, focusing himself. No, he wasn't going to pass out again. He steeled himself, ignored the rising pain. 

He shifted himself, looking back towards the rest of the bar. There, standing at the edge of the booth, was the woman from his dreams.

*** 

Alyse came into Rhett's through the back door. She greeted her assistant with a polite nod, and sequestered herself quickly in her office.

This was frustrating. Back in the days of her first century, she could have just grabbed him and be off with it, headed for another county. But, half a millennium later, there were protocols which had to be followed. One could not steal a state investigator away from an assignment, and out from under Sheriff Kelly's nose, without serious repercussions. 

She had favors she could call in, but she did not want Parker to be kidnapped by those who might harm him. No, she wished him safe. 

Rachel knocked and entered when Alyse bade her to. "Miss Harcourt?" Rachel began. "There's a man who looks ill in the bar."

Alyse stood from behind her desk. "Well, I suppose I should take a look."

They walked out to the bar, and almost immediately, Alyse tensed. A wonderful, lovely scent filled her nose. It was that same scent from yesterday. Masculine, sensual, delicious. She homed in on it, walking through the bar. 

She reached the booth, and saw him. He was curled in pain, but she knew exactly who he was. Alyse was almost afraid to reach out, to touch him. She was afraid that this was a dream, and she might dispel the illusion by touching him.

His head spun to face her, and she looked down at him. Their eyes met. Those storm cloud gray eyes centered in on her. The pain gleamed through his eyes. 

She knelt down next to the booth, and whispered to him. "Hello, Parker." Her voice was soft, almost silent in the noise of the bar. But she knew, instinctively, he would hear her.

His voice rasped, low and rough, like a good drink. "You." 

"Yes, me, Parker." Alyse's mind raced as she thought. This wasn't how she'd planned it at all. No, she needed to act, quickly. 

"Who the hell are you?" He asked. The pain was leaving him, and he pulled himself to sit up. 

"Come with me," Alyse whispered. "And I promise you, I will explain everything." 

His voice cleared, though it was still delightfully low when he asked. "Why should I trust you?"

Normally, she would work a magick on him, force him to trust her. But she knew, somehow, that would not work on him. "Because, Parker, I would never, ever hurt you." 

"I trust you." Parker didn't even wait to respond, it sounded like instinct to Alyse.

"Then come with me." She extended her hand to him. Parker grabbed his holster and slipped it on, before putting on his coat.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked, and their eyes met again.

"There is nothing wrong with you." She promised. No, this was good. Somehow, she knew that. His hand settled in hers. Calloused, large. Alyse shivered at how warm it was.

She led him away, towards the back. When they reached the back, Parker finally said. "I don't even know your name, woman."

"Alyse." She said. "My name is Alyse Harcourt."

"Alyse," His voice echoed. "My dreams, are they real?"

"I'm not sure, Parker." Alyse said. "But I plan on finding out."

A sound behind the two of them made her turn around, facing the door back to the main bar. 

Deputy Rick Fisher stood in the doorway, his pistol drawn. "Alyse. Let him go." His voice was growling, almost bestial in its tone. "Kelly's said you're to stay away from him."

She bristled. The puppy wanted to keep her from what was hers. Her own instincts took over, and she stooped, ready to pounce. "Stay away, pup. I am not going to let you or your bitch of a boss separate me from him." 

"You don't want to make an enemy of her, Alyse." Fisher threatened. "Back. Off. Now."

Alyse spun on him. She let go of Parker's hand. "Stay here, Parker." She said.

"Alyse..." Parker started, his voice wary.

Before he could voice anything further, she bounded at Fisher, rushing towards the deputy.

"Alyse, no!" Parker shouted as she slashed at the were's throat, and Fisher squeezed the trigger.

*** 

Yea, it's a cliffhanger. Thanks for reading. Drop a comment below if you feel like it. Writers live off commentary, you know? It's a scientific fact. 



Queen's Night Ch. 05



Parker watched as Alyse leapt towards Fisher. The deputy reacted as smoothly as any Parker had ever seen, but Alyse beat him out. She was just that damn fast. Parker knew, just from watching her that the way she moved was not in any way human. She was all predator. 

The gunshot rang out, but it didn't seem to slow Alyse at all. She whipped her hands across his head, and the slap of the hit resounded through the hall. Whatever she did, she did it right, and Fisher slumped to the floor.

Parker started to race to Fisher. "What'd you do?" He asked, disbelief in his tone. He'd never seen someone move like that, and had never seen such a fast hit.

"Disabled him. I hit a nerve, and the man should be out for a few minutes at least." Alyse brought herself back up to her full height. Parker saw the gunshot wound.

"Jesus, you've been shot." Parker said. Indeed, there was a bloody stain on the sleeve of her white blouse, with a neat hole. The back of the sleeve, however, had a much larger splatter of blood.

"It's nothing." She insisted, her voice a pained hiss. "We need to get out of here." She said. "Can you drive stick?"

"Uh, yea," Parker nodded.

Alyse nodded, and Parker knew she was trying to mask the pain. "Then let's go." She started down the hall again. 

"You need to get to a hospital, Alyse." Parker said. "That's nothing to laugh at."

"Trust me," She grunted. "I'll be fine. Come on, Parker!" 

"You really like ordering people around, don't you?" Parker mused as they headed out the back of the building. 

Alyse fished out her keys and tossed them to Parker. "And yet, you follow along while I incapacitate a fellow officer of the law, abduct you, and have you be my driver."

Parker paused for a moment. He was being irrational, he realized. None of this made any logical sense. She was just a woman he had seen in his dreams. "I drive, you answer questions." He said, trying to convince himself as well. 

"Indeed, Parker." Alyse said. Parker unlocked the door on her side, and then opened up the driver's side door. 

"Where to?" Parker asked, and Alyse gave him directions to the north outskirts of town. 

Once they were past the limits of Cold River, he asked. "So, who are you?" He asked.

Alyse sighed. "My name is Alyse Harcourt."

"That's a name, that's not answering my question."

"Quite the philosopher, aren't we?"

"What do you want to know?" Alyse nursed her injured arm, hissing occasionally. "I run the tavern, have lived in Cold River for a few years..."

"What the hell was that back there with Fisher?" Parker asked, his voice hitting the "cut the crap" tone.

Alyse shrugged a little. "I hit one of his nerves. I've trained a long time. Just because a man is bigger than me and has a gun, does not mean I need fear him."

"I've never seen anyone move that fast."

"You're not in the best of states right now. I'm not as fast as you thought I was." She said it as if to reassure him. 

"So your solution is to tell me my brain is playing tricks on me?" He grumbled. Parker was not happy with that answer. 

She sighed. "I promise, just follow the directions, and then I'll answer any questions you have."

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"It's a safe house. A cabin that I use for times when Kelly or someone like her might want to find me and I do not wish that."

"Someone like her?" Parker arched an eyebrow. He started to wonder what he was getting into. And then it hit him. She was a drug dealer. Or something, she had to be. Or mafia. Something that Parker wanted nothing to do with. Crap on a cracker.

Alyse turned her head to him, noting. "You're nervous, Parker." Her voice was touched with concern. "As to Sheriff Kelly, we find ourselves on opposite sides of many issues."

"Are you a criminal?" He asked.

A chime of a laugh sprung from Alyse's lips. "Oh, that's a new one. No, I am not a criminal. Far from it. I work inside of the law."

"And what you did to Fisher back there?" 

Alyse sighed. "That was...quite foolhardy of me. But necessary." She said. Alyse directed him to go down a dirt path, and after about five minutes of driving, they had reached the cabin.

It was a small, wooden affair that looked relatively new. An emergency generator sat to the side of the house, and there was already a jeep sitting next to the house.

"Thought this place was private." Parker said.

"It is." She smiled just a little. "But I like to keep a getaway just in case."

"Let's head inside." He suggested, eager to get some answers.

She led him inside, opening the door with her unwounded arm. As they walked into the living room, she sat down in an overstuffed armchair. 

"There are several things you need to know." She started.

Parker rolled his eyes. "Um, yea, listen, we should really take care of that arm."

"In a minute." She said, closing her eyes. She grunted, discomfort in her voice. "You wanted to know what all this was about?"

Parker watched her eyes flutter. When they opened, her green eyes had gone. Her pupils were large, catlike now. Her breathing grew deeper, the curve of her chest rising and falling with each labored breath.

"It has to wait." Alyse said. "Parker, I need you to stay very, very still."

"What?" Parker furrowed his brow. "The hell is going on?"

*** 

Alyse couldn't fight the hunger any longer. She knew there were a few bags of blood in the fridge, but she didn't want some bagged blood. She wanted his, hot and straight from the source. Her body raced with need, of the pure carnal hunger inside of her. 

"Parker," She whispered. "Can you trust me?" 

He answered quickly, as if on instinct. "Yes, I think I can." 

Alyse summoned all of her will power, trying not to consider how much she'd like to devour him. She stood up from the chair. It was only then did she realize how large he was. Taller than her by a great deal, and with broad shoulders, she felt oddly fragile compared to him. No human had ever made her feel like that. 

"May I kiss you?" Alyse asked him.

Parker nodded slowly. "Yes, you may." He answered, and without any further agreement from the two of them, their mouths crushed together. 

It was heaven on Earth. He had soft, gorgeous lips, applying just the right amount of pressure to drive her crazy. The entirety of his scent filled her nostrils. He smelled of masculinity and power, and it lingered in her like the aftertaste of good liquor.

His tongue pushed past her lips, invading her mouth. She responded in kind, their two tongues dueling for some semblance of control. 

When he finally came up for air, a single exclamation fell from his lips. "Wow."

"You haven't seen anything yet." She felt a smirk on her face grow. She started to kiss down his face, tracing her lips down the strong line of his jaw. His face was rough with day-old stubble, prickling against her lips. 

She worked her way down to his neck, licking his throat with a single, slow drag of her tongue. She could hear the pulse of his vein, and she fought every urge to sink her teeth into the pulsing, hot vein.

"Alyse," He whispered, his voice rough with need. "This..."

She placed a finger to his lips. "Shh, Parker. Just let it happen." She needed him, now. And she needed his blood, needed to feel it sliding over her tongue.

Alyse lifted his hand, her own hand tiny compared to his. She brought it to her mouth, and kissed the callused thumb of his hand. She felt her fangs, her entire head throbbing with the need to taste him. "Parker, I..." She didn't want to hurt him.

"I trust you."

And at that, she sunk one of her fangs into his thumb. He groaned, the sounds of pain and pleasure mixed together in her ears. As her fang pierced the flesh, blood welled into her mouth.

It was delicious. Hot and tangy, it rolled across her tongue. She gulped the blood down with greedy licks, feeling the power run through him. She had drunk from many species before. Weres, witches, even the succubi. But never had anything felt so empowering, so delicious. Power flowed through her body, mending the wound in her arm.

When she finally lifted her head and looked up to Parker, his eyes were glazed in a euphoric state. He shook his head and looked down to her. Oh, those eyes could melt her.

"What..." He couldn't even finish his thought before Alyse answered.

"Parker, I need you." Alyse grabbed him by the shirt. "Bed, need..." 

His hands grasped her, grabbing her hips. He hoisted her up, scooping her into his arms. Alyse gasped a little as she felt him pull her close against his broad chest. 

"Where?" His voice throbbed with need, making her own desire skyrocket. 

"Uh, down the hall, last door on the right." He carried her there, each step making the anticipation more and more unbearable. The door was open, and he nudged it with his shoulder to make the door swing in so she could carry her. 

Gently, he deposited her on the mattress. Parker's eyes met hers. Those dark gray eyes were so wild, filled with lust, it excited her. Her hands reached out for him, grabbing his shoulders greedily. She drew him in for another kiss, which slowly evolved into a series of light, hungry nips at each other. Their lips and teeth picked at each other, tasting and kissing skin.

Alyse couldn't get enough of him. His flesh tasted salty, masculine, enough to drive a girl mad. He pulled away, much to her disappointment. She whimpered with a needy tone.

"Don't worry, Alyse, you'll have me soon enough." He whispered. He slid off his jacket, revealing toned arms. Next off was his shirt. He wasn't overly muscular; he had the sleek form of a swimmer or a runner. She mused that he was built like a sports car, not a hot rod. 

"You," She purred. "Are delicious, Parker. But I believe I have you at a disadvantage." She sat up for him, and unbuttoned her blouse. She flung the garment away was free of it, leaving her in just her bra and slacks. 

"Unbelievable." Parker murmured, and he moved over her again, pushing her back down to the bed. His hands glided over her waist, down to her hips. Alyse's hips rose off the bed, eager, and he took advantage of that to unbutton her slacks and slide them off. 

"What's unbelievable?" Her voice was fragile, vulnerable as she was displayed for him.

"You are gorgeous, woman." Parker whispered. 

She whispered back to him. "I don't want to think right now, Parker. I need you." 

He gladly obliged her, taking the last steps of unfastening her bra, and then sliding her panties down. The cool air of the house swept over her. His blood was in her, warming her, though, and she didn't mind at all. 

Alyse reached up to unbutton his jeans, sliding them down his legs. His boxers, a solid gray pair, bulged with his arousal, and she happily freed him.

"Oh, my," She purred. He was gorgeous. It was nice to know that her dream of him hadn't exaggerated anything at all. 

But Parker didn't take her. He kissed he stomach, teasing with its lightness. Alyse moaned, needily, until his lips started to trail further down. Alyse moaned with delight, her hips arching upwards, offering herself to him. 

His tongue flicked across the lips of her sex, teasing just lightly. She moaned, and he took it as a sign of encouragement. He slowly dragged his tongue across her pussy. "Oh, Parker..." She groaned.

A low, rumbling chuckle rose from between her legs, and he continued to work on her, teasing her, licking her. Each lick, each brush against her, sent a delightful little jolt through her.

After a few more licks from him, he looked up to her, grinned and then simply looked down again. He speared her sex with his tongue, sending a sharp gasp expelling from her throat. Gods, it had been too long since she'd had this kind of pleasure. 

His tongue thrashed and swirled, tasting every inch it could reach. His fingers joined in quickly, replacing his tongue inside of her. Alyse tried to keep her composure, keep it off, but she wasn't kidding anyone. She wanted this even more badly than she thought she ever could.

She called his name and released, her womb spasming in delicious convulsions. Her hands clenched into the sheets, and she moaned in delight.

She felt her cream drip to her thighs, and a little giggle arouse from her.

"Something amusing?" Parker growled. He lifted his face, touched with a smile, and his lips and chin were shining with her juices. 

Alyse smirked. "Not amusing, but it has been a while since I have felt that good. "Now there was a lie. She had never felt this good.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." He growled. 

"Let's see what you have." Alyse challenged him. 

And Parker gladly obliged. He covered her body with his, sliding their bodies together. His warmth comforted her, made her feel so alive. 

His member pressed against her thigh, eager and hard. She looked into his eyes, and pleaded. "Please, I need you. Now." She couldn't take it any more. She needed him.

Alyse watched as he took himself in hand and guided himself into her. She slid just the head into her folds, and she moaned in wild pleasure at how thick he was. Parker only made it better when he lowered his hips, burrowing inch after delightful inch inside of her. 

She was, slowly, losing her mind to this man. "Fast," She pleaded, and a grin touched his lips. He started a series of powerful, hard thrusts. Her body shook beneath him when his hips slapped against hers, powerful on each stroke. Even without a need to breathe, she found herself breathless as how hungry he was.

His lips assaulted her neck, teasing the flesh there. Powerful hands grasped her thighs. The man knew how to make a woman feel feminine. God, it had been too long. She anchored herself to him, wrapping her legs around his ass. Her hands settled on his arms, and she held to him like it was for dear life. 

"Parker," She cried, and knew that he was going to quickly drive her to her pleasure again. But she didn't want another selfish climax. She wanted him deep inside of her, warming her. 

"Alyse," He whispered into her ear, and that alone made her even wetter. She hadn't had anyone to whisper like that in so long, too long.

"Cum with me." Alyse pleaded, her voice growing husky and needy. "Cum with me, Parker."

His voice held no reply, only the hot labored grunts of his heightening pleasure. She felt her pussy clench, each muscle tightening, wanting to milk every drop of seed from him. She cried out in a short strangled gasp in her climax, and her entire mind grew white for a second from the intensity.

She felt his seed burst within her, hot and potent. Alyse's mind raced with two trains of thought. The first was perfect pleasure. Never before had anyone made her feel so damned good. She could live off this pleasure, she swore. 

The other, though, was to feed. She needed him, to make him hers. Mine. Mine. Mine. The impulse ran through her head. She couldn't fight it. She needed to follow it. Her fangs grew again, and she didn't even think about it. Her lips slipped to his neck, and she opened wide. 

She didn't remember biting him, just the euphoria of his blood filling her mouth. The hot iron taste of his blood, the power filling her, the sheer profound ecstasy only heightened by the taste of him. 

And his moans of pain and pleasure.



Queen's Night Ch. 06



It's been a few, guys, but it's here, chapter 6! Real life has gotten to butting it's ugly head in the way, but I should get 7 finished pretty soon. As always, comments, reviews, and critiques are always appreciated. Pop a comment in the box below, or send me an email!

Chapter 6

Parker stirred, opening his eyes. He took in his surroundings. He was in a large bed, with the sheets strewn about. "Aw, fuck." He murmured.

The night rushed back to him. Of going to the bar, Alyse. He shot out of the bed, looking around. He was naked, and the cold air of the house made him grab one of the sheets. He rummaged around, and found his pants. He put them back on, and checked his pistol. 

He heard a crackle come from outside of the room, and the smell of cooking meat floated into his senses. It was so vivid, incredibly sensational. It wasn't that the food smelled better, but it was the most intense scent he'd ever smelled. 

Parker exited the bedroom, letting his nose lead him through the cabin towards the kitchen. 

Alyse was already there A black robe was tied around her waist, with occasional peaks of ivory cleavage. Her chestnut hair was loose, and she cast a beautiful little vision as she looked back over her shoulder.

"Parker." Her voice was soft, almost lazy in its manner. "Did you sleep well?" 

When she spoke, tingles rolled along his body, centering in his thumb and neck. Memories of what had happened last night rushed back to him, and he shuddered. "You...you bit me." He said.

"You seemed to enjoy it." 

"How do you have the nerve?" He reached up to his neck. To Parker's surprise, he couldn't feel any wounds. "What are you?" Parker asked, confusion in his voice.

She moved the pan off of the burner, and chuckled. "I would think that would be readily evident, Parker. I'm a vampire."

Parker drew his pistol, chambering a round faster than he could think. It wasn't a matter of different actions. A single fluid motion had him ready. "Bullshit. You're going to tell me exactly what's going on, Alyse. No fucking around."

"What do you call last night?" A laugh slipped from her perfect pink lips. "But in all seriousness, Parker, put the pistol down. You saw what happened to Fisher last night. I will not harm you in any way, but I would prefer to not to have to restrain you." 

Parker flicked the safety on the pistol, and then set it down on the small table. "Fine. I'll play nice if you will."

"Excellent. How do you take your coffee?"

"That's it." Parker remarked. "Coffee?"

"Your clothes smell like coffee. I don't think you're a tea drinker."

Parker rolled his eyes. "Uh, black. I think I need to sit down..." 

She nodded. "Indeed. Parker, I suppose I have some explaining to do..."

"No shit." He said, and watched as she flinched. "I'm sorry, but this is a bit of an info OD here."

"Understandable." She walked over to the kitchen table, carrying a plate and a mug that had the words "Mornings Can Die" on it. She set it on the table for him. "You'll have to forgive my cooking. I'm not that good with an oven."

"I'm guessing 'vampires' don't need to eat." He formed air quotes with his fingers around the name of the mythical creature.

"We eat, but my butler usually cooks." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "You're not the most agreeable person."

"For a woman walking out of my dreams, you're a bit crazier than I expected. There's no such thing as vampires." 

Alyse groaned, and walked back to grab a plate for herself. "I drink blood. I have fangs expressly for the purpose of piercing flesh."

"It's ten in the morning. You should be a pile of ash on the tiles."

"Oh, that's grand." Alyse laughed as she sat down at the table. "Old wives' tales, Parker. We are somewhat sensitive to sunlight, yes, but I just need to put on sunblock sometimes."

"A stake to the heart?" Parker asked.

"My, you are full of questions." She remarked. Parker thought about the way she spoke. It was antiquated, much like a movie star from the thirties or forties. The detective and the vamp, a part of him mused on the double meaning of the latter word, if what she was saying was true.

"So? If you're a vampire, will a stake kill you?" Parker asked after a minute.

"Let's save some questions for another time, Parker." She gave him a little smile, and took a bite of her bacon. 

Parker finished his breakfast in quiet thought. He started to wonder, just to himself. If Alyse really was a vampire, what did that mean? Eric Standwell had been bled dry. What if she was the murderer? Had he really just slept with the woman who was his best prime suspect?

"So," Parker broke the silence after he was done with breakfast. "Are there others like you?" He asked.

She nodded. "There are about twenty of us in town. I'm the oldest of our kind here."

Parker hadn't even considered how that might work. "So, you're immortal?"

"For most intents and purposes. I'm eight hundred years old."

"Oh, uh, wow." Parker said. "So I'm guessing you weren't born here."

She laughed a little. "No, certainly not. I was born in a village in southern France, and moved to America in the early ninteenth century."

"So how long have you lived in Colorado?"

"About ten years." She said. "It was...odd in how I came here."

"Odd, how?"

She sighed, as if not wanting to go into the subject. However, she relented. "Vampires use a very complicated political system. Each vampire tracks their lineage through who sired them, and their position in society."

"Okay, so you guys are eugenecists?" Parker asked.

That brought a laugh to Alyse's lips. "That's a ten dollar word for you."

"Too much Star Trek." He said. 

"Well, in any event, yes. We also inherit titles from our sires. I inherited Cold River as my land. Or, at least, rulership over its vampire populace."

"So that makes you a...what?"

"A queen vampire, but only of this nest."

"Oh, wow." Parker murmured. That was pretty crazy. "Alyse, I, uh, have an odd question..."

"Certainly, Parker. Go right ahead." She said.

"Do vampires ever kill their prey?"

Alyse seemed to not move at all, frozen on the spot. "None of my vampires kill." She said, her voice a harsh whisper. "I don't stand for it."

Parker relaxed back into his chair. Maybe it wasn't the answer he was looking for, but at least she didn't freak. He'd half expected that, to be honest. He could try pushing the issue later. 

"So, what now?" Parker asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Alyse quirked a brow at him. 

Parker sighed. "Well, you're probably wanted for assaulting an officer, you kidnapped me, and I still have a murderer to catch."

"Well," Alyse shrugged. "To be honest, I wasn't thinking this far ahead." 

"Oh, that's just great to know." He remarked.

"Your sarcasm is appreciated, but not helpful." Alyse replied. "This is... Well, it's rather unlike how I usually work."

"And how do you usually work?"

"I plan things out!" She said. "It's not exactly like I planned for you to be at my bar last night and be there all, all..."

"All what?" Parker asked.

Without any warning, Alyse leaned across the table and soundly kissed him. 

Her lips were soft and pliant, eager for whatever he had to offer. As he thrust his tongue into her mouth to return the kiss, a moan bubbled from her throat. Fire shot across his body, her simple kiss sending him into over drive. All those feelings centered in an ache in his groin. 

He stiffened for her as if on command. Parker wanted nothing more than to take her down to the floor and mount her like a wild beast.

But before he could act on it, she pulled away, leaving him only with the scent of wild flowers to linger. "That is what I'm talking about." She said. "There is something...different about you, Parker."

"Different?" He asked. "I'm just a cop for the state investigators."

She shook her head. "I...I don't know how. But when I look at you, I feel different. Different than I ever have with a lover." She said. "Could you stay for a bit? I have someone I'd like to call. See if he can shed some light on the situation."

"Uh, yea, sure." He nodded. 

"Excellent. Damon will be able to offer something..."

"Wait, Doctor Christie? That guy's a vampire too?" Suddenly, to Parker, the world seemed a bit upside-down. Vampires were real? What was next, werewolves too?

***

Sheriff Amber Kelly walked into Rhett's, surveying the situation. She had just gotten off the phone. What the hell had Fisher been thinking, taking Parker into Rhett's. She wanted to keep him away from Alyse, not push him right into her hands.

Fisher was sitting on a barstool, an ice pack on his head. "Hey, boss," He said.

Kelly felt her entire body tense. "She did this to you?" Her voice was sharp, almost a growl now. She wasn't a Mama Wolf for nothing. 

"Yea, clocked me real good. Alyse moves faster than most vampires."

"She's older and more powerful than most vampires." Kelly growled. "She took Parker, I take it?"

He nodded. "Don't know how, but I can't smell her or anything."

"She didn't leave a scent?" Kelly felt herself bristle a little at that. Alyse must have been planning something. But what, and for how long?

"She took Parker, boss. I'm sorry." Fisher winced as he twisted his head to look up to her. 

She placed a hand on Fisher's shoulders. "We'll get 'em, Rick. Parker's in over his head, but we'll get him out." It didn't make much sense for Kelly. Parker wasn't one of her pack, and neither was he even a werewolf. But she felt, inside her gut, a distinct need to protect him. But the man was human, not even a bit Arcane. 

It was confusing, to say the least. But Kelly couldn't help but wonder why the hell she felt this way. "We need to find Alyse, Rick. Go home, get some sleep, and we'll try to find anything we can."

"What about you?" He asked. 

"I'm going to go crack some skulls. A vampire can't exactly claim police brutality."

Kelly had been careful not to break anything. That had taken active attempts to avoid, as she was in Damon Christie's lab. She'd hate to destroy whatever it was the vampire was working on. The floor, however, had a new occupant. Kelly had her foot on the vampire's chest, the work boot planted firmly down 

"How the fuck a pint-size like you ever got to be sheriff is beyond me." Damon spat at her.

"It's quite simple." She grinned. "When your pack consists of ten percent of the population of the town, it's easy to swing votes." She took her foot of Damon's chest, and knelt down next to him. "Let's talk, vampire."

"About what?" Damon grunted as he sat up. 

Kelly took a seat on one of the lab stools. "Alyse. She kidnapped a state agent earlier this evening."

"McLaren?" He shook his head. "No, no...that's not right. Why would she do that?"

"I have no clue. But she seemed fixated on him. I didn't know he would be going to Rhett's tonight, and when he was there he met Alyse. She's disappeared with him."

"No, no." He shook his head. "This is all insane."

"Tell me something I don't know." She scoffed. "Why is she so interested in Parker?"

"I wish I could tell you why. She..." He looked down at the floor. "No, that makes no sense..."

"What?"  

"She's been interested in some research I've been doing...in mixed-breeds." 

"Mixed-breeds?" She furrowed her brow. "That's insane. Vampires can't procreate."

"So far that we knew. But my research proves otherwise." He shrugged. "You weres have your mates, why can't we have them?"

Kelly shook her head. All weres supposedly had a mate, a human or were who was biologically and spiritually compatible. A lot of her pack had mates, but she had always thought it something to solely belong to weres.

"Is that why Alyse is so focused on Parker? She thinks he's her mate or something?"

Damon shrugged. "I don't know at this time If I had access to both Alyse and Agent McLaren, and could run tests..." At Kelly's glare, he added. "I'm sorry, Sheriff, but all I can offer is supposition right now. I have no hard data."

Kelly stood up. "If Alyse calls you, call me. Got it?"

"You're asking me to choose between the law and my loyalties as a vampire?"

"Put plainly?" Kelly nodded. "Yea. Trust me, I would have no problem staking you." 

Kelly turned and walked out of the lab. Kelly started to review everything. Parker was Alyse's mate? Maybe he wasn't entirely human after all.

--

Well, here we go! The aftermath. I'd like to thank Heather, the evil editor who is in all respects actually awesome.



Queen's Night Ch. 07



Alyse listened to the phone ring. Once, twice, thrice. Finally, Damon picked up.

"This is Dr. Christie's office." He answered.

"Damon, it's me." Alyse replied.

An audible gasp made its way into her ear. "Oh, thank God. Sheriff Kelly came by last night, asking about you."

"About Fisher and the agent, right?" She asked.

"Yes, Alyse. What is going on?"

"It's too complicated to explain over the phone. But...something is odd. I..I feel different." But how could she explain it? With Parker's blood in her, she felt entirely different. Powerful, sated, and at the same time, craving more.

"Different? What happened?" Damon asked her. Concern was in his tone.

"I bit Parker last night, and...well, it's something I can't explain over the phone. You remember my cabin?"

"The one outside town? I can be there in fifteen minutes." He said.

"Excellent. This is all very...strange, Damon." She said. They exchanged goodbyes, and Alyse placed the phone in the cradle.

Parker stood next to her, leaning against the counter. Redressed in his jeans and t-shirt, Alyse couldn't help but watch his muscles ripple as he shifted.

He was stunning, and she had to fight the urge inside of her, of her darker natures, to take him down to the ground and ride him. 

"Are you all right?' Parker asked. He reached out, cupping her jaw. The simple, sweet gesture made her blush.

"To be honest? No. It's all very confusing."

"Confusing?" He looked down into her eyes, and she looked away.

"To be honest, Parker, I'm not used to this. It's...it's been a long time since I've felt like this." The question was, however, what was she feeling? Her heart raced when he touched her, when he looked at her. Hell, even his smell drove her bloody insane.

Eight hundred years of living as a vampire had changed her. She no longer considered herself part of humanity. She moved through humanity, navigating the waters of its society wit expert grace. But just because she walked among them did not mean that she was even close to one of them. She'd lived distant, even from other vampires. Since her sire had left her, it had been a lonely existence, but one of her choice.

But when he put his hands on her shoulders, she instantly felt like she could just toss it all away and just be with him. "Hey," Parker said. "Whatever this is...we'll figure it out. All right?"

"Okay," She nodded, and leaned up to kiss him. It held for a long time, and when she finally broke it, she asked. "Don't you think this is all a bit crazy?"

"Maybe, but I'm sure I've done something crazier than sleeping with a vampire."

Alyse laughed. "Somehow, Parker, I really doubt that."

They sipped at their coffee until the door bell rang. Alyse hadn't even thought twice before she called. "Door's unlocked."

But that was a mistake. Her nostrils were filled with the scent, that of werewolf. Kelly. The bitch was here.

"Parker, stay here." She whispered, and stood up, heading towards the front of the house.

She hurried out of the room, moving towards the front. Damon was there, with Kelly standing right beside him. "You..." Alyse hissed. She didn't even know who to hate more at the moment, the sheriff or her friend.

"Alyse, listen," Kelly said, putting her hands up, trying to show a sign of peace. "Don't blame Damon. He's done nothing wrong."

"Nothing but sold me out." Alyse glared at Damon. "What did she offer you?"

Damon sighed, his bony face seeming even more aged in that moment. "Alyse, you attacked Deputy Fisher. This is serious. I can't just let you ruin yourself for a human."

"Even if he is your...mate." Kelly's words were a surprise. Parker? Mate?

"That makes no sense." Alyse furrowed her brow. "Vampires don't mate."

Damon sighed. "We, uh, may have been wrong about that, Alyse. I'd like to run some tests, on both you and Parker."

"Tests?" Parker's voice caused Alyse to spin around. Instinctively, she put her body between his and Kelly's. That sheriff would have to get through her if- wait, why was she being possessive? She'd never been like this in the past, much less protective over a male.

"Uh, yes, Agent McLaren." Damon nodded. "I'd like to take some samples, see if anything has changed in you and Alyse that can explain all of this."

"Okay," Parker nodded. "So, what was this mate thing you're talking about?"

Kelly spoke up. "Werewolves each have a mate of their own, one person biologically and spiritually compatible with them."

'Wait, wait, wait..." Parker put up a hand, shaking his head. "Werewolves?"

Kelly gave a toothy grin for him. "You think Alyse just calls me a bitch just because I'm a pain?"

"You are a pain." Alyse shot back, then looked to Damon. "Start your tests." She said.

Damon nodded. "Parker, if we could continue this in the living room?"

"Uh, yea, sure," Parker said, and the two males left them.

Kelly folded her hands across her chest, and Alyse mirrored the action. The two of them looked at each other, glaring for a long moment. 

"You attacked Fisher." Kelly hissed.

"Only when he shot at me." Alyse noted.

"You charged him first." The sheriff shot back.

Alyse nibbled on her lip. "Would you have blamed me, if it was one of your pack, trying to protect their mate?"

"No, but I'd kick their ass for it." Kelly sighed. "So, what's it like?"

"What's what like?" Alyse asked.

Kelly didn't meet her eyes. "Being mated."

"I wish I could describe it." Alyse said. "I feel lust, anxious, protective, violent, and a whole garbage load of other emotions." She sighed. "But it is very, very good."

---

Parker felt a growl bubble in his throat as the vampire Doctor drew blood from him. He had never been one for doctors, but now, every touch of the doctor on his skin seemed like a personal attempt to irritate him as much as possible.

"Your fidgeting and recoiling aren't going to help." Damon said as Parker flinched away from another needle.

Parker rolled his eyes. "Yea, because it's my complete goal in life to get prodded at like a lab experiment." Parker snapped. He hadn't ever acted like that before. He wasn't the type to lose his cool. But every single touch on him, from those gloved hands, made him want to scream out and attack Damon.

The man hadn't even done anything to him, but the instinct bubbled in him, like some lost primal reaction. Damon backed up from him, his nostrils flaring.

"What?" Parker furrowed his brow, watching as the doctor backed away.

"A theory. Alyse, I require your assistance!" Damon called out, and Alyse quickly appeared in the room.

Almost immediately, the tension in his body seemed to loosen. She walked towards him. "Parker, are you all right?" Her voice was touched with concern, and she touched his cheek.

"Oh..." He gasped as her hand touched him. Her touch was narcotic to him, and he looked up into her eyes. They had a look of hunger in them, and it at the same time frightened and excited him.

"Damon, do what you have to." She instructed, and he continued to take samples from him. 

When he was done, Damon nodded politely to him. "Thank you very much, Agent McLaren."

"Just tell me what you can you do for me when you find out what the hell is going on." Parker said.

"Of course." Damon left to depart, leaving the two of them sitting in the living room.

Alyse slid into Parker's lap, kissing his lips softly. "You'll ruin me, you know that." She purred. Her voice was like liquid silk, pouring over him.

Parker's hands grasped her soft hips, his hands clasping to her cool flesh. "How will I ruin you?" He whispered.

"I'd kill for you, if you wanted. I...I'm drawn to you, like nothing else." She whimpered at his touch, and her back arched forward. She thrust her breasts out, moaning in delight.

Parker was only human. He drew her close to him, and kissed her, hungrily. Delight washed over him. He tasted her lips, her floral scent. When he broke the kiss, he whispered. "You want a piece of me?" He sneered playfully.

"Of course," Her head dipped down to kiss his neck. "I want all of you, every bit. Mine." She purred, and the entire thought of her possessiveness sent tingles across his spine.

He sat up for a moment to pull off his t-shirt, exposing more flesh or her to explore. She took her time with him, moaning when Parker untied her robe and cupped her breasts. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, teasing them into hard little points.

"So good," Alyse panted. She moved between his legs, kneeling on the floor. She reached up and unzipped his fly. Her hands fished inside his boxers and pulled out his member, already firm for her. "Delicious." She murmured.

"Delicious?" Parker asked, but he soon found out what she meant. Her little pink tongue flicked out and swiped over the head of his cock. Parker's hips arched, and a grunt escaped him.

Her wicked tongue played along his length, starting at the head, dragging down to the base, and lifting again. She repeated this again and again, torturing him with her mouth. He had never been one to relinquish control, but it felt so good to just let her take over.

She took him into her mouth, and he had to fight just from cumming right there and then. He wrapped a hand in her dark hair, tugging on it slightly as he arched his hips up into her warm, wet mouth.

Alyse suckled him, her tongue winding around his member, teasing him, tasting him. Parker resisted the urge to let go, to just surrender to her right then and there. But it was so very good, and he watched as her head bobbed up and down on his shaft.

Her fingers reached down to cup his balls, rolling them and teasing. Parker felt shivers, nearly shocks, up his spine, trying to quell the need inside of him to beg her. "Alyse," He moaned. "Damn, babe, I'm not going to last much longer..."

She pulled her head off him with a satisfying pop, and grinned up at him. "Right where I want you, my knight." She purred. Alyse climbed up into his lap, and with very little ceremony, sheathed him in her folds.

The tightness enveloped Parker, and he instinctively grabbed her hips. He controlled the pace, wanting to move slowly with her. He didn't want to rush things.

Parker kissed her lips, softly, slowly. Their bodies moved in a slow, easy rhythm. They weren't fucking, weren't just mindlessly screwing. No, Parker wanted to make love to her.

He brought a hand up off of the curve of her ass. He took one of her hands into his, holding it tightly. Never before had he wanted to be this close with a woman, just simply make her feel cared for. Damn, he was falling fast.

They sat like that, both of them moving slowly against each other, for sometime. Finally, she clenched around him, gasping his name. "Oh, Parker," She moaned, and her climax took over.

Parker wasn't far behind. But he whispered, into her ear. "Bite me." He said to her.

"Parker, I..." Her voice quivered.

"Do it, Alyse," and he brought his hand up to her mouth. She didn't hesitate for a moment after that. There was a moment of initial pain as her fang pierced him. But that passed in a quick moment as it was overcome by fantastic, utter pleasure.

He came moments later. His entire body flexed and clenched, pulling her closer as pleasure overcame him. He groaned her name, as she moaned against his wrist. Parker gave himself over to the pleasure, his seed pulsing in long jets inside of her. 

Parker whispered into her ear, again and again. "So good, baby... So damned good."

He must have phased out. Either from the blood loss, or just how good his release felt, it didn't matter. When Parker came to, he was sitting back in the chair, Alyse sprawled over him in a light doze.

Her face was angelic as she slept. Soft features, with a look of pure serenity on them. He felt a surge of happiness inside of him, at the fact that he made her happy.

He laid there with her, and his thoughts drifted. Eventually, they settled back on the case. He really needed to figure out if any of the vampires in Alyse's...whatever the name for a group of vampires was, were responsible for this. He'd have to ask her if he could take a look into the matter, and figure out if any of them knew about Eric Standwell.

"You're very cute when you're thinking." Alyse remarked.

Parker looked down, and saw that she had woken up while he was off in his head. "Hey, baby." He smirked.

She leaned up to kiss him. "What's on your mind?"

"My case." He answered. "Our victim was meeting with a doctor here about some sort of test thing. We talked with Damon already, but we haven't been able to talk to Dr. Wright, the other doc in town."

She laughed a little. "She's one of mine, too. Would you like her address?" She asked him.

After carefully ignoring the urge to just kiss her and take her down to the floor, they got up and got dressed. Parker chuckled a little after he had gotten himself dressed and ready to leave.

"What?" Alyse remarked.

"Never done the walk of shame while working a case before." He teased. "I find that somewhat hard to believe." Alyse remarked. "You're a rather hot piece."

"Thanks, but for the last few years, my romantic life has been nil."

She gave him a sideways glance. "Why is that?"

"I..I don't know. I was always too busy, and there never was anyone...special." Parker sighed. "Listen, Alyse, I'm only going to be here for the duration of my work. After then...I'm off to somewhere else, to catch more killers."

Alyse nibbled on her lips nervously. "I...I don't know what to do. I would like to continue this."

"I...I really would too." He said. "We can figure something out, I'm sure." He said.

"We will." Alyse said, nodding. "But for now, you have work to do."

Parker was buzzing with glee after they were back in town. Alyse had driven them back, leaving Parker at his hotel. On the way back, they had talked, mostly about him. He'd told her about his history, and why he had gone into the CBI. He'd never felt so at ease with anyone before. It was soothing and exciting at the same time.

He had walked to Mina Wright's house, a two-story affair on the outside of town. Parker knocked on the front door. The woman who answered was tall, but still a few inches shorter than him. Her blond hair was done up in neat curls. She was pretty, he surmised, and she had a nice tanned look to her that tempted.

"Hi, Doctor Wright. I'm Agent McLaren, I'm from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation." He flashed his badge for her.

"Why, yes, Agent McLaren. The town's been in quite the fuss about you. How can I help the CBI?"

He offered a polite smile. "I just had a few questions for you, about a man who was in town recently." He pulled out the picture of Eric Standwell. "This is Eric Standwell. He was in town seeing a doctor, a researcher, from what it seems."

She nodded. "Ah, yes. Eric was a case study in my research." She backed away from the door, holding it open for him. "Won't you come in, Agent McLaren? I can explain what it was all about."

"Yea, sure." Parker followed her in. She led him to a living room with some nice furnishings, resembling something from the Victorian era. He took a seat on a chair that looked older than him.

"Would you like some coffee?" Wright asked.

"Uh, yea, that'd be great." He said, and continued speaking after she had disappeared to the kitchen. "So, what was all this about?"

"Well, as you know," Mina began. "Eric Standwell was an orphan. My research is into genetics, and my information brought me to his parents. I wanted to discuss that with him, and I wanted to ask if he would work with me in my research."

"And what did Mr. Standwell say?"

"He agreed." She remarked. "He would meet me on the weekends so I could run tests or interview him."

"And how did your research concern him?" He asked.

"I followed several bloodlines in my research, and he came of one of them. How do you take your coffee?"

"Uh, black." Parker said. She returned with a mug, and he accepted it gratefully. "Thanks." He said, and took a sip. "So, why did Eric's genetics interest you?"

"You've been with Alyse?" She asked. "I'm like her, Parker. A vampire. Eric Standwell was a means to an end. He had certain...unique properties. Without knowing it, he shared similarities to vampire genes. Even smelling him, there was something different about him."

"So, what, he was...half-vampire?"

"No, nothing so obvious." She stood, pacing around her coffee table. "His blood wasn't like either humans or vampires. When I fed off of it, it satisfied me so... I felt so powerful when I drank from him."

Parker suddenly realized what was going on. She had used him as a test subject. "And his death?"

"I lost my temper." She smiled. "Oh, it wasn't pleasant. He wanted the tests to stop. He knew that if it was a choice between my research and him, I'd pick my research and bleed him dry."

"And you bled him dry." He growled. He tried standing, reaching for his gun. But when he did, he fell to his feet.

Mina looked down on him. "Don't worry, Parker. It's just a sedative. Can't have you trying to arrest me, silly human." She knelt down next to him. "Oh, I want to taste that mixed breed blood now, but I can't. Not yet..." She shook her head. "More research to be done..."

The last thing Parker saw was the fanged grin of Mina Wright.



Queen's Night Ch. 08



Hey, everyone! We're getting close to the end with these two. As always, thanks to my editor, who patiently points out my typos. I also want to thank everyone who's read so far! Please, if you read, review and leave a comment! I love to hear your reviews. It's like freaking crack!

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Chapter 8

Parker felt the splash of water onto his face. The cold rush was like a slap, stirring him. "What...what the fuck?" He murmured.

"Well, that got you awake." Parker's eyes opened to blinding light. A headache was ringing through his skull, throbbing like a million little gnomes were beating on him.

Standing over him was Mina Wright. That blond doctor who-oh, right, was a vampire too. Was anyone in this town normal? He supposed not.

"Why are you doing this?" He grunted.

She was looking down on him from above. Parker took stock of where he was. In a lab somewhere, that he could tell. The plain taupe color of the walls and sterile air told him that much.

"Well, it's all relatively simple." She said. "You're what a were would call a 'mate.' The mutts have these people, biologically compatible with them." She picked up a syringe from her tray.

"And so, what, you need a new lab rat?"

"Precisely." She remarked.

Parker looked down. He was restrained to the table with a pair of heavy leather straps. His right arm was hooked to an IV. "And what do you want?"

"Well, it's simple. If I can figure out a way to detect what separates you, I can go through my data and determine how to detect that in others. It'll be remarkably profitable. Vampires across the globe would pay good money for a blood source like you."

"You want to start human trafficking? Oh, this is bullshit." Parker rolled his eyes.

"Hardly. This is going to be incredibly profitable." She said. "My experiments with Eric proved so. Your blood is powerful. Drinking it multiplies our strength and powers."

"Alyse will find me." Parker said. "She'll find me and she'll hunt you down, bitch."

"Not with the magicks I put in place." She smirked. "Now, I'm going to inject you with this." She said, indicating the syringe. "It's a mixture of my own, designed to bring out some of the vampiric traits in you."

"Vampiric traits?" Parker shook his head. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Really?" She smirked. "You were originally training for the Illegal Substances Unit, four years ago. During a training accident, you wounded your knee. They doctor who saw the injury said you'd never run again, and that you'd work desk duty for your career."

"I got better. It was a shitty diagnosis." Parker retorted.

"I know better. What happened was that your vampiric blood saw to it that you healed. Stronger, better than before. I'm right, aren't I?"

Parker bit his lip. "This is all fucking crazy." He shook his head.

"It's crazy, but it makes sense." She smirked. "Now, this will hurt..." She injected the solution in the syringe into the IV drip. "A lot."

Parker almost immediately felt his body burn with terrible pain. He'd never imagined anything could feel this bad. Every single cell in his body seemed to yell at him. Imaginary needles sunk into his every pore.

He'd never been a screamer. Instead, he only gritted his teeth, He woudn't let his pain show, he told himself. He had to get the better of this insane vampiric bitch.

And he could hear her voice, in his ear. It had a scientist's tone of careful study. "Curious..."

Alyse jerked in her seat. She had been sitting through a meeting with one of her brethren, discussing a matter over whether he could reveal his nature to his girlfriend. Then the pain shot through her. It was not terrible, no worse than anything she'd experienced before. But it was constant, all over her. She knew, somehow, that the pain was not hers, that this was only her feeling it because of a bond she shared with Parker.

"Lady Alyse?" Xavier, the vampire, asked. "Are you all right?"

Alyse shook her head. "No." She bit back the pain, summoning her training. Long ago, when she'd refused to take blood, pain had wracked her. Those times had taught her that pain was only something else to be mastered. She fought back against it, dulling it down. "Xavier, can we speak another time? I fear I have some business that has just arisen."

He nodded. "Of course, m'lady." He said, and he walked out of the office.

She hadn't wished to do that, but there were more pressing matters at the moment. She reached for her phone, and dialed Sheriff Kelly's number. The two of them had known each other's cells for a long time, as the respective leaders of their people in town.

Kelly answered on the first ring. "What is it, Alyse?"

Alyse stifled a grunt of pain. 'Parker. Is she with your deputies?"

"Um, no, he went to Dr. Wright's house alone. He said that he wanted to follow up this, didn't want to distract any of us."

"He's in trouble, Kelly. Please, I need to find him."

"Meet me at Wright's place in fifteen, all right? I'll bring Fisher, and we'll see if Parker made it there."

Fifteen minutes later, Alyse stepped out of her car. Parker's SUV was already there, she noted. "What the hell happened?" She snarled as she approached Kelly and Fisher.

The two weres stood just a little straighter. Kelly held up a hand. "Calm down, Alyse. We just got here ourselves."

"Calm down?" Alyse's mind was going a mile a minute. Where was he, who was doing this to him? Why? Had Parker started asking the wrong questions? "The last thing I want to do is calm down, bitch."

An inhuman growl ripped from Kelly's throat. "Watch your tongue. We really don't want to play this game right now."

Fisher stood between the two of them. "Alyse, Amber." He glanced between the two of them. "Now isn't the time for this. Alyse's mate is in danger. That's all we know so far. Let's investigate, and form conclusions after then." He focused his gaze on Alyse. "I can understand what you must be going through. I could only hope to be as controlled as you are right now. I know that if my mate Julie were in danger, I'd be pummeling anything I could see until I could save her."

Alyse nodded, exhaling slowly. It wasn't a necessity. She didn't breathe. But it proved to relax her all the same. "You're right, Deputy Fisher. Sheriff Kelly, my apologies."

"Apology accepted. Now, let's go take a look, shall we?" Kelly walked up with them to the porch and the front door. She rapped on the door twice, and waited a long moment.

"Nobody's home." Fisher remarked after a minute. "So, what now?"

Alyse looked to the two officers. "Sheriff Kelly, Deputy Fisher. If you would please turn away for one moment.

Kelly furrowed her brow. "Why?" She growled.

"I'm going to break the door open. You can arrest me later, once we've found Parker." She said, trying to sound as calm as possibly. There was no way she would have done this before. But a lot had changed in the past few days.

Kelly sighed. "Do it."

Alyse tapped into her hunger, the side of her that she did not care for. The true vampire. She felt power ripple across her body, coupled with the hunger inside of it. With one, easy motion, she shoved her palm forward onto the door knob, and she could hear the lock shatter. The door swung open showing the entry way to the house.

"Well, here we go.." Fisher sighed and drew his side arm.

They entered the house, and instantly, Alyse could detect Parker's scent. It seemed the two weres could too, as they headed towards the living room.

The sight in the living room did nothing to calm Alyse's nerves. She could smell the distress, see it in the spilled coffee and the disturbed throw rugs. She leaned down, along with Fisher and Kelly, at the scene.

"Shit." Kelly murmured. "What does Wright want with Parker?" She asked.

"She was doing research into half-breeds. I...I didn't even think to question Parker visiting her. Damn!" She hissed, shaking her head.

"It's okay, Alyse. We can follow his scent." She said, and she paused for just a moment, closing her eyes in silent thought. Alyse knew what it was. She was calling on the beast within, her Wolf. There was a subtle change in her stance, her breathing. It became more fluid, aggressive.

When the Sheriff opened her eyes, her pupils had dilated to an extreme, nearly overcoming the irises. Her voice held a subtle growl as she said. "Okay, let's go."

She took off through the living room into the kitchen, with Fisher and Alyse following close behind. Alyse watched the sheriff as she took off out of the back door in the kitchen. She didn't move like a human now. No, she was in a meld with the beast now, and there was very little anyone cold do at the moment to bring her out of it.

They reached a back clearing, where there was a spot clear of any leaves or branches. "She had a car here." Kelly informed them. "She took off, dammit. She could be anywhere now.

Fisher grunted, shaking his head. "I'll put out an APB for Mina, with a warning to not approach. Alyse, do you know of any place she could have taken Parker?"

"Her labs." Alyse guessed. "She'd want to study him..." 

"You fucking bitch!" Parker snarled in anger. He didn't have any need for restraints now. Whatever was in that syringe had seen to that.

He'd spent the last hour on the floor of the lab, clutching at himself. He'd broken through the restraints on the lab table sometime after the injection. He'd tried to claw at Mina, to try and hurt her, but she'd hurried away from him. He had fallen over onto the floor, face against the cool linoleum.

He'd stayed there since then. His body burned with the pain of whatever was happening to him. Changing him, she had said. Reactivating what was dormant in him.

In his pained, angry stupor, he started to wonder. Was one of his parents really a vampire? How was that even possible? Why, if he was so rare, had his father abandoned him? Was it shameful for him? A little voice in his head told him not to ask questions like that. He might not like the answers.

But that was his job, wasn't it? To ask the hard questions, to get the answers that no one wanted, but that people needed.

After about an hour, the door to the exam room opened. In stepped a dark-haired man. He was dressed in dark red scrubs. His entire body was lean, gaunt. Definitely not healthy. He'd seen people like that before. Malnourishment.

He crouched over Parker. "Oh, you're up." He remarked. "Good. My name is Emile." His voice had a vaguely European accent. "I'm a vampire, and I work for Doctor Wright." He smirked down at him.

"Go fuck yourself." Parker spat. "Takes a real man to gloat over a dude on the floor."

"American bravado. Always so fascinating." He paused a moment, then kicked Parker in the gut.

Parker coiled tight into a ball. "What the hell was that for?" He hissed.

"Because it felt good." He grabbed Parker by the chin, forcing the agent to look into his dead, hazel eyes. "You're a mutt, sure, but you're going to be an expensive mutt once we find the right buyer."

"So you people are really going to sell me?" Parker couldn't believe it. Not only was he being kidnapped and sold, he was being sold by vampire human traffickers.

Emile nodded, letting go of Parker's face. "Your blood...we could sell it bit by bit, but Mina has a theory that the power in your blood only can be drunk from the source. No bags..." He smirked. "So you get to live the rest of your days as some master vampire's power source."

"That's your plan?" He asked, though his voice was rasping now with the pain. "Sell me as a battery?" Parker had to laugh a little at how absurd it sounded to himself. "Oh, that's just dumb."

Emile didn't laugh, though. Instead, he just simply sneered. "Mina said that I couldn't drink from your blood. But, there are other ways to make your life hell." The vampire grabbed him with one hand, and tossed him across the floor, sprawling him. "Awfully pretty, human. I could take some of that.." His hand grabbed Parker's hip.

And then, like a switch was flipped, the pain was gone. It all made sense to Parker now. He knew exactly what to do. Something was inside him. It wasn't years of training, which told him exactly how to be a good cop. No, it was something more instinctual, more private, primal. It was how to be with his other side.

Parker's foot kicked out, slamming into Emile's stomach. He sent the vampire sprawling into the exam table, making it crash to the floor with him.

"You...fucking human!" Emile hissed as he tried to pick himself up.

Parker found his feet, and stood up. He only wore the hospital gown, but that didn't matter to him. He took a precursory glance around, and found a scalpel on the table. He picked it up and immediately flipped it into a knife-fighter's hold.

"How about you back off, Emile?" Parker hissed. "You're definitely not my type." He tried shuffling backwards, away from the vampire, but found his feet to be unsteady.

Emile flashed his fangs at him. "You're fighting. Good, that means I can break a few bones..." He moved, then. The vampire was fast, unnaturally so, as he raced towards Parker, an arm drawn back ready to strike.

But he wasn't as fast as Alyse. To Parker, it almost seemed like a lazy pace. His muscles shifted, ever so slightly, bracing him against the charge.

Both struck at the same time. Parker sliced at Emile with the scalpel, and Emile laid into him with a fist to his face. Emile hissed as the blade found flesh, and Parker fell back against a cabinet from the recoil of the blow.

Parker recovered as fast as he could, trying to keep himself steady. Emile, however, had other ideas. He lunged in, leaving Parker little time.

But he didn't need a lot. He could tell Emile wasn't a trained fighter. No, he was used to taking on adversaries who were scared. Parker sure wasn't scared of this undead bastard.

He stepped out of the way quickly, jumping to his right. As soon as Emile had passed him, he spun around and slammed an elbow onto the vampire's back. It wasn't a question of technique after that, just speed.

Parker brought the knife to Emile's throat. "My gun. My clothes." He growled. "Where are they?"

Emile nodded. "Your stuff? Yea. It's, uh, it's in the supply closet. In a plastic tub." 

Parker pressed the knife closer to the skin. "Are you fucking me? Because if it's not there, I'll kill you."

"You won't kill me." He whispered, his voice quivering. "You're a police officer, right? Good cop?"

Parker leered down at him. "You kidnap me, drug me, stick me up with some, some... fucked up shit, and you try to violate me?" He sneered. "I'll make an exception for you, you little fanged shit."

Emile nodded. Or at least, he started to, but when he did, the knife skimmed closer to his skin. "Yea, yea." He assured him. "I'm not telling any lies."

"Good." Parker said. "Sit down on the ground, Indian style."

"What?"

"Indian style! Legs crossed." He lifted the knife from Emile's throat. "Now. And if you try anything funny, I won't even hesitate."

The vampire sat down, and put his hands up in surrender. "Please, please, I want to live."

"Coward." He grunted. Parker thought about what he was going to do, just for a moment. He drove the knife into Emile's leg, and slashed into the muscle. The scalpel's trail was marked with a fine line of blood.

"Oh, shit!" Emile cried out. "Mother of God..."

Parker walked away, heading to the supply closet that Emile had gestured to. He opened the door, and found it there. A plastic tub, but no clothes. Just his gun and wallet.

"Where's my clothes?" Parker asked.

"What?"

"Where. Are. My. CLOTHES?" Parker shouted.

Emile flinched. "Mina had them burned, so no one could track the scent."

"And my badge?"

"I don't know." He shook his head.

He grabbed the gun, and checked the magazine. It still had the full magazine. He racked the slide, chambering a round as he realized what he had to do. "It ain't Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it'll work." He said.

"What?" Emile furrowed his brow. "I don't get it."

Parker shook his head as he walked towards the wounded vampire. "It's really simple. You kidnapped me. You tried to rape me." He adopted a two-handed grip on the pistol. "There's only one way for this to end."

Parker didn't hear what Emile said. At that moment, he didn't care. He took just one shot, and the bark of the CZ filled the room for a moment. The end result was Emile, face first dead, with brain matter covering his back.

He'd never shot anyone before. Hell, he'd barely had reason to draw his weapon before. And now he'd killed someone. Not someone, a fucking vampire.

"Fuck me." He murmured.

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Again, thanks for reading! Please, if you liked it, or even if you didn't, leave a comment and review! Until next time, the exciting conclusion!