Chapter 1

I levitated her down through the skylight of my roof, lowering her lightly onto my dark chocolate colored couch. It was very dim here, in my lair. A one room, open plan warehouse loft, bathroom downstairs, not that I needed it but I had human friends… sometimes. I conjured a tiny, bright ball of green witch-fire as I landed lightly, feet first on the light tan wooden floor beside the couch. Her porcelain features looked odd as the green light fell on them. Her black hair fell around her face, framing her strong, almost square, jawline and the hooked nose. As I collected the cloth bandages and hot water I would need for cleaning and strapping her wounds, I thought of how she had appeared in front of me in the middle of the path without a sound. The scent of her rich, cinnamon spiced blood had made it difficult for me to retain my more human outlook on an injured woman, and I had brought her here… to my lair. Why had I done that?

I looked over at her stretched out over the couch. Her ample breasts slightly rising and falling with her breathing. I so knew why I had brought her here. I wanted to run my cold, pale hands up those creamy white, muscular thighs, under her gorgeous deep green knee length skirt. I snapped out of the staring and continued moving around my place. I put the jug on in my little kitchenette, flicking on the normal lamp and extinguishing the witch-fire with a snapping motion of my wrist. It made it easier for humans to see, and even though the light hurt my eyes, I knew she’d probably feel more comfortable if she could see where she was… when she was fully conscious.

Also, now I could more clearly see the cut above her left eyebrow, it wasn’t as deep as I had first thought thankfully, but she was definitely bleeding quite a bit from the gash across the back of her right shoulder. I began with the cut above her eye. It would be quick to sort out. She stirred slightly as she started to come round. It looked as though there were other shallow lacerations but she’d have to be awake when I looked for them. Her black, short sleeved shirt was shredded in the back and I wondered what could have done this, short of something like me. I hadn’t sensed another in the area and I usually knew if one was on my turf. Unless they were weak and pathetic. Although I suppose weak doesn’t necessarily mean less vicious, now does it? The top two buttons of her shirt had popped open. I could see the light green lace of her bra. Her dusky pink nipples showed through the lace and begged to be stroked. I imagined she would be the kind of girl that wore matching underwear, I resisted the urge to tear her clothes off right then and take her and feed on her while she was out to it. She wouldn’t know the terror as I drained her dry. But I had lived so long only feeding off humans when I was given permission, that it felt wrong to do it now. She was fucking lucky though, it was close, very close.

Her lips were on the thin side and the black lipstick she wore made it more noticeable. But it wasn’t unattractive on her. Her cheek bones were delicate. Like her wrists… and her shoulders. Actually, she was quite slight I noticed now that she had shifted and lay out straighter. I was much thicker, not overweight, but muscular. Definitely not as slight as her. She would be roughly 5ft. 4in. if she was standing. Her spiked heels were 3 inches high, no wonder she’d appeared my height. She had a typical hour glass figure, just the way I liked my women and I hoped she liked women too, because otherwise I was gonna make a fool of myself when I hit on her.

She started to become fully lucid as I washed the laceration on her shoulder. Her long eyelashes batted slightly as she opened her eyes and I fell in love with the summer sky blue colour of them instantly.

“Don’t worry,” I said calmly and quietly, “You’re safe now. I don’t know what happened to you, but you are in my house at the moment and its just the two of us. So you’re perfectly safe.”

Her smile dazzled me and I had to stop myself from biting her outright.

“Thank the Goddess. I asked her to send me some help tonight,” the human said as she slowly sat up, wincing when she realised her shoulder was injured.

That’s when I realised she was a witch and was glad, as she wouldn’t freak out I was what I was, but I knew she’d be nervous and well… yeah… still worried. I mean I do like to drink blood… that usually worries the living.

“So, are you gonna drain me dry, vampire, or not?” The witch asked vehemently, but with a wry smile.

“To be honest… I considered it. Your blood smells terrific, little witch. Like cinnamon,” I returned with as little blood lust in my voice as I could manage. Half-surprised she had picked me so easily, it had been awhile since I last fed however.

“Now if I may inquire, Lady Witch, what your name is and how you came to be injured? I’m about to make some tea, apple if you’d like some?” I said as I placed the cleaning cloth next to her on my coffee table, rose from where I was crouched beside her and walked over to the kitchenette area.

The way she looked at me made me glad I had worn the tight, black leather pants and pale blue wife-beater t-shirt that showed off my breasts. I reached up for the mugs in the top cupboard, my back to her. Giving her the opportunity to blast me into oblivion with a fireball, I could tell fire was her element from the crackle of it through her hair.

I knew I looked good, because vampires are designed to be the perfect predators, our human features refined to perfection when we turn. Its why humans find it hard to escape us. We draw them in. They desire us. I had dull average green eyes and thin, mousy brown hair before I was turned. My breasts nothing to write home about. But after the turn, my eyes started to brighten with an amber sheen and my hair became long, black and thick. Even my breasts filled out. Its hard not to notice me now. I’m also 257 years old.

When the fireball didn’t come I smiled to myself slightly before turning around to make the tea.

“I love apple tea. The name is Hazel. And well to be honest, I’m a hunter.”

That froze me to the spot, mid tea pouring even.

“A hunter you say. Well then, it is I who must ask you if you are going to kill me, Hazel?” We looked at each other across the room, she had no weapons but magic would have been her main weapon anyway. I, myself had some shielding magic and was faster than a bat out of hell, running away would be an easy option.

“After you have given me safe haven?” She snorted, “Hardly. Indeed, let’s have this tea and we shall discuss what I am hunting as it would most likely concern yourself anyway…” Pointedly, Hazel trailed off as I hadn’t given my name to her yet.

“Kalliope.” I introduced myself as I settled into my arm chair next to the couch.

“Kalliope… I know that… You are Kalliope?” Hazel’s gaze intensified and I felt her consciousness brush against mine, her mind trying to ascertain if I was being truthful.

“Yes I am. Otherwise you’d be dead. Sitting in a vampires apartment, bleeding all over the place…” I gestured towards where my couch was darkly stained with blood, deep burgundy as it soaked further into the material.

“Then the Goddess has definitely heard my entreaties and I count myself most grateful you found me, Kalliope.” Hazel smiled and I felt a sharp tingle in my cunt. My heart beat, it hadn’t done that in twenty years.

“Now I know this is terribly rude of me and all… but I have to ask. Can I see your fangs please? I’ve never seen them up close before.” Hazel watched me closely. I sighed not knowing what to say. Then decided.

“I guess you’ll be wondering the whole time if you don’t see them?”

“Truthfully, yes. I’m curious… its a flaw of mine.” Hazel winked at me.

“Then I will show you on one condition. You are not to touch me. The scent of your blood will be harder to ignore with them out and if you touch me I might attack you. Fair enough?” Hazel’s eyes widened. She was in her early hunting days I realised. Probably in her mid twenties, at a guess.

“I understand.” Hazel lent forward as I opened my mouth.

Generally our feeding teeth aren’t visible, another way to hide amongst humans. They are retractable and razor sharp though… and long. I saw her blue eyes widen as the canines literally extended slowly out of my gums. Making them long and very noticeable. I closed my mouth and they sat on the outside of my lip. The points grazing under the bottom line of my full lips. Hazel leaned closer, too close and my hands were on her shoulders instantly. Pushing her away, as I jumped up and across the room. The sharp tang of fresh, female blood heavy in my mouth and my nostrils. Blood-lust sang in my veins as I faced the wall. Waiting for it to quieten and go away.

I turned around after my teeth had retracted.

“I’m sorry, Hazel. You were too close and you smell really um… tasty to be honest. I haven’t fed in awhile. Once again, my apologies, Witch Hazel.” I said formally, bowing at the waist.

She was a bit shaken but to her credit, Hazel bowed formally back.

“Understood and accepted, Vampire Kalliope. I knew I was too close.”

Relieved, I approached and we sat together again. Hazel sipped her tea as I finished tending to her shoulder. Strapping it up, I rose and went to the bedroom area of my one room. I threw back a black curtain and went through my wardrobe. Selecting a white shirt I went and handed it to Hazel. She grinned her appreciation as she slipped it on and I sat down again.

“OK, basically. I’ve been hunting a shape shifter through this city. It has three forms. One is a man, one is a wolf and the last is a harmless looking cat. I followed it three days, but tonight the wolf form caught me unaware. Jumped on my back and then attempted to bite my forehead. And no, I won’t be turning into a werewolf. Shape-shifting isn’t contagious.” Hazel smiled as she said the last part. But if she knew about me, she should know I used to hunt other demons like me but without good behaviour credits. Maybe that’s why she’s grinning.

“I’m assuming this creature has done serious harm and that is why you are hunting it?’ I asked, refusing to help kill an unfortunate.

“Of course, Kalliope. The main reason I knew you would help me is because this creature is hunting you… that’s how I know what you are. I’ve seen you feed while it stalked you… I was stalking IT. It was sent after you. But we didn’t know who you actually were.” She leaned back, the white shirt still unbuttoned. My pussy clenched as I imagined pushing the folds of the shirt roughly off her shoulder and feeding from her gash as my fingers rubbed her nipples. I wanted to know if her panties matched that bra.

I absorbed what she told me while I hungrily let my eyes roam over her curves. I saw her smiling at me and knew she was loving the fact I couldn’t help looking.

“Well, if we’re hunting it then you better get some rest before we go after it. You’re injured and conjuring will take more out of you. We’ll let you heal and then make a plan and draw it in. The wards on this place are blood sealed and I doubt it will get in here.” I decided as I went back to my black curtain wardrobe and collected fresh linen and blankets for her. The bed was remade in a matter of moments. I levitated her to the bed and she arranged cushions for sitting up. I returned to the couch and busied myself cleaning up. Refusing to look over at her in my bed, framed by my burgundy sheets and black duvet looking like a vampire queen. I’d love to turn her and we could play well into the centuries together.

“I’m so glad to have found such a beautiful ally. And famed warrior no less, just when I needed one. I’ve heard many stories of you. The old stories are passed down and we all know how you have hunted them and you’re rules of etiquette. I’ve heard other much more interesting stories of you though…” Hazel wondered aloud to herself, more than to me.

“I heard you once killed a witch… maybe 200 years ago now. It is said she was your lover.”

I stiffened, I had hoped they had tired of this story or that it had been forgotten over the decades.

“It is true. Althea was my lover, and also traitor to her own coven. When demons found some of the witches in her coven and killed them, the witches became suspicious there was a traitor. I was still a young vampire then but I was made with honour and loyalty. My sire was of the old kindred and I was taught a respect for life and the lifeblood of those who we feed upon. They came to me and asked my help, as these demons were breaking the old laws. I caught Althea in bed with one of them, a demon, screaming out where we had hidden the last ten witches of her clan as she came. I was heartbroken and the blood-lust won. I didn’t even stop to interrogate her. I ripped her throat nearly in half and drank from it while it splashed over my face, then I put my fist through the demon’s head and walked out of the room. Reported back to the coven and left the city. I’ve not returned to Madrid since.”