Be careful when the drinks are free (Lamenting_Quill and Hisoka)

As the day drew later into the evening and the stars came out to play with one another in the inky sky above in all of their sparkling glory, Lily found that in the silence of the night where no voices pounded down on her mind that the stars really were her only comfort; Compared to thousands of thoughts pummeling her head every second, the chilled night and the diamond like stars were by far preferable. Which was was the young woman still strolled the quiet streets of New York after all of her sight seeing, she thought a nice vacation at the Big Apple would be great practice for her mental walls; Alas thought, she still heard every thought of each person that passed her by.
Lily had an usual load of psychic abilities which often got her labeled a freak of nature and a reject at every school she'd ever attended, even the outcasts wanted nothing to do with someone that could hear their thoughts. Telepathy was a big one she had and times when she was frightened she instinctively brought up a pale blue bubble-like shield around herself made up of psychic energy. She could levitate a few feet too, which came in handy due to her short height of five feet and two inches.

She really was not sure what else she could do, Lily was quite frankly too terrified to explore that; She didn't need anything else tossed onto the pile that made her a freak among freaks.
Lily sighed softly when her hotel came into sight, it was getting very late and it would be a good idea for her to return to the safety of her room; Pity, she was enjoying the lack of mental voices.
As the chilled wind ruffled through her hip length raven black hair, Lily turned her eerily pale blue eyes up the dark sky; the wind seemed to be almost trying to warn her about something.
Her mind was drawn from her thoughts however when the door man, Arnold, popped his head out of the glass double doors and smiled “Welcome back, Miss Sinclare. Coming in?”
Lily smiled back and nodded, the door man was always so nice and his thoughts always reflected the very same; such a kind man “Yes, thank you”
“Have a good night, Miss Sinclare” Arnold said, tipping his door man's hat to Lily as she stepped through the doors.
“You too, Arnold” Lily replied before striding thought the lobby to head for the elevator.
She found herself stopping by the doors to the bar, she could definitely use a strawberry daiquiri right about now; Something sweet and mildly mind numbing to help her relax. That decided, Lily pushed open the black lacquered doors and entered, the music was soft and the room was filled with a gentle hum. It was strange how quiet the voices were, as if they were muffled by a cloth or something like that.

Lily made her way gracefully towards the bar and sat down upon one of the brocade covered stools; She smiled at the bartender and ordered her drink.
Then almost as if against her will, Lily turned her to look towards the far corner to notice a man too beautiful for words; His eyes almost held hers in place with that haunting stare.
She turned her head then back to the bar out of sheer will power, there was something strange but enticingly alluring about that man.
She found herself thankful when her drink arrived, giving herself something else to focus her attention upon, but the bartender motioned to the same man she'd been looking at “That gent over there insisted on paying for it, it's taken care of”
Lily turned her head reluctantly then back the haunting beauty of the stranger's face.

The cries of the wounded echoed in the air as men trapped by the fierce native fighters of the land fought on in sheer desperation. They had neither the time to grab helmet or shield and so fought with lance and sword alone. Only their Roman discipline and experience saw them in at least armor. But it seemed their heroic efforts would be in vain, already their officers lay dead at the bases of their battle standards. The proud eagle lay trampled in the mud and the blood, some even being carried off as spoils of war by their enemy. It was the greatest dishonor a Roman soldier could endure, the capture of a battle standard.

But a harsh battle cry rang over the slaughter, the words spoken not in Gallic but the Latin of their fellow legionaries. The surrounded and cut off Roman forces saw then their savior. The Tenth Legion, Legio X. Their battle standard bore the bull and their eagle shone in the dying sunlight. Although battle stained and carrying their fair share of walking wounded the Tenth charged down the hill to hit hard against the Gallic forces, their swords and lances cutting a swath deep into the ranks of the enemy. Linking up with the surrounded Legio XII and VII the Tenth organized the fighting square formation Roman troops were famous for. And won the day, Rome would not know defeat today.

" Labienus, stop daydreaming already."

The voice harsh and lacking any sort of human warmth snapped the tall and lean man from his musings of the past. His eyelids lazily flickered open to reveal eyes the same green-blue hue of the seas around his native soil. The man then called Labienus it seemed took in the speaker of the harsh and cold voice.

The speaker was tall but muscled with the blonde hair and build of the northerners Labienus had fought in his mortal days. For Labienus was no human, not in any sense of the word. From his imperious eyes, holding the authority of a born commander to the statuesque beauty of his olive skinned body Labienus radiated an aura of power and seduction that no mere mortal could ever hope to match or resist.

A quick smile at the speaker words reveal his vampire's blood in the form of finely shaped fangs, dripping with the poison and death that his nature granted him. His hair was a closely cropped mane of black slashed at the temples with silver. It lent him an aura of wisdom and experience while the timeless youth of his body gave an image of strength and agility. It was the body of a man born to fight and lead.

" Don't you ever dream of days long past mighty Brutus?" Labienus asked, his voice holding a musical tone that held mortals entranced in it's perfection. Getting up from where he lay sprawled on a roman style couch the vampire ran a hand over his face. It held the high and lofty beauty of the eagle so common to Romans and their modern descendants the Italians.

"Dreaming of the day when our skin was not cold and hard is pointless graceful Labienus." Brutus answered the man, his own vampuric blood also revealed in a quick smile that bared the fangs of their kind.

" I don't know about cold but you were plenty hard not so long ago." Labienus spoke as he strolled to the spacious room's wide open balcony door. The white muslin curtains fluttered in the gentle breeze as the light of the moon bathed the room in a omnipotent shade of silver.

" You have a one track mind, especially for a former Legate." Brutus answered with a laugh before leaving the room and Labienus. His steps echoed in the expansive reaches of the room, and longer still to his keen senses.

"I did not hear any complaints." Labienus spoke quietly to himself as he tuned those senses outward. The people of this city teemed in their multitude, he could hear their thoughts, could hear their words. And should he so desire the former Legate could have killed them at will, turning their minds against the body housing them. But he did not, this vampire of immeasurable power. He had seen Julius Caesar betrayed, had watched as Jesus Christ was crucified, witnessed Joan of Arc lead her people to victory, and watched as mankind unleashed atomic fury. His memories stretched back to the date of his birth. A time when Rome ruled in it's glory and power.

A time of war and expansion, of blood and death. The glory of Rome was bought with coin dear to wives and children, their life of their husbands and fathers. Labienus thought with a certain melancholy, a sadness that was equal parts guilt, joy, and despair.

For such dear coin was how Labienus found himself a inheritor of Amel's legacy, a child of the night, a drinker of human blood, and damned for all eternity. He had once been a legate, a legion commander. And was on the verge of retirement, after having served Rome for 35 years. He had looked forward to plowing the rich soil of his farm, of rising a family amongst the wealth and prestige military service gave him. But before he could retire there was one last battle to be fought.

It had been a small enough affair, a mere policing action against rebellious barbarians. A few died, those whom had refused to surrender to the might of Legio X and it's famed commander Labienus. Upon returning to his tent the legate ran into a being, a middling tall man of about 5 feet 9 inches. But the power cloaking him went beyond the mortal concept of command and steel. And his beauty went past the mortal concept of attraction as well.

" How does it feel brave Labienus to have the blood of the countless husbands,brothers,sons, cousins, and uncles staining your hands. How does it feel brave Labienus." The man spoke, his voice holding the hate of a thousand years in it's tone and shape.

" Who are you and what nonsense are you prattling about. I have killed as many men as tried to kill me, it's the natural state of any man to want to live." Labienus answered drawing the short sword, gladius, that Roman soldiers were famous for using. The candlelight glinted off it's polished steel blade and ivory handle as he brought it to bear before him." Now answer me stranger before I have your head." If the legate felt any fear about the power cloaking the strange man he did not show it. Rome trained it soldiers well and Labienus was a veteran of countless battles.

"Animals live Labienus, it is the natural state of any man to want to live free and in their own country." The Strange man answered with a snarl, showing not the least bit of concern for the naked blade held in the legate's right hand. Then after a brief staring match the stranger lunged with inhuman speed and brought Labienus into his embrace. Contemptibly wrenching the gladius out of the legate's hands the strange man muttered a few words in some unknown tongue and the tent disappeared.

In it's place was a cold and forbidding fortress hewed out of living rock. And at it's summit stood Lebienus and the strange man,still locked in their embrace. Labienus despite his best efforts could not free himself from the grasp of his assailant. It was like struggling against the tides or the weight of a great stone. Showing little regard for these efforts the strange man dragged the legate downwards through a stairway and into the fortress proper. Past plain oaken doors and cobweb strewn hallways the legate was dragged. Deeper and ever deeper into the fortress till the roman thought they must be within the very bowels of the mountain itself. And finally in a candlelight room that stank of blood and rotten meat Labienus was tossed aside with ease into a dark and unpleasantly moist corner.

" You have slain mine mortal family today brave Labienus, they were all I had left in this wretched existence. My great great great grandsons were the joy of my eye and you killed them for the crime of wanting to live free of the roman yoke. You will pay Legate but not in mere death, that would be a mercy and none you shall have from me." The strange man all but yelled at Labienus and before the legate could gather his wits let alone his defenses he felt himself drawn into the man's embrace once more. Furthermore the roman soldier felt his neck being torn out by sharp and strong teeth. Felt life ebb from the wound and his body grow cold. Saw shadows ever darker and stronger swim in his visions. Then the cold only grew greater, the shadows ever stronger till the roman wondered why he simply did not die.

Then blissfully the pain,cold,and shadows vanished. And what had seemed like death not so long ago was realized, the legate's awareness vanished and he embraced death.

Fate however is ever the fickle mistress and the legate awoke in the same blood scented room. A hunger like none other burned within him, demanding to be fed. And all at once he was aware of a great many things. The feel of the room, the iron smell of freshly spilled blood, and the darkness. Most of all he was aware of the cold that refused to go away, a frozen sensation that went to his bones.

Such was Labienus's introduction to the curse he now bore in his veins. After the dark trick the legate came to realize just what he was. And for a time it drove him mad, driven by the hunger he hunted. Killing with an animal's instinct he fed upon the blood of his fellow man. The dusty centuries passed into millennia.Sanity returned as he learned to control his base urges of thirst. And in time he came to rule a coven, a gathering of vampires united under his banner. For the leadership of his military past did not die with his mortal body.

Now he after the trails of his millennia of existence lived within this city of New York, masquerading as the Don of a mafia family. For his Roman blood lent him the image of a pure blooded Italian man. Respected and feared in the underworld for his brutal and blunt methods Labienus lived the good life as far as mortals were concerned. Had those poor fools knew his and his coven's true natures there would have been much less respect and a great deal more fear.

"Brutus is right, it is time to stop daydreaming." The former legate turned Don chided himself gently in that musical voice of his. He then without a moment's concern threw himself over the edge of his balcony. It was nearly 50 stories to the ground but the vampire hit the sidewalk gently as a floating feather. No one seemed to react to the fact a man had just landed from the sky, for his willpower had erased the sight from their memory.

All they saw was an Italian gentleman clothed in a dark suit with a blood red tie walking down the street, a common enough sight in this city dubbed the Big Apple.

Deciding amusement was in order the vampire strolled down the gray sidewalk, searching for a plaything to amuse himself with then kill when it begin to bore him. But the sudden pressure against his thoughts stopped him dead in his tracks. Shielding his mind Labienus stretched his senses outward once more, seeking an enemy. For only during an attack would mental energy of this magnitude be directed towards him. It was as if his assailant was pouring everything they had against him in an effort to break his mental shield. It also seemed like it lacked control and was directed against everyone, but no single person had that sort of capability. The sheer amount of energy needed to keep up an attack like this would exhaust even Labienus after more then a few moments.

After a few heartbeats of searching the thoughts of those in the area the vampire believed he had found the source. In physical terms it was as easy as looking at punched water balloon to deduce were the leaking was. The outflow was impossible to miss.

So he followed it, casually pushing people out of his way. Across an alleyway and a down the next street he found a hotel. A nice enough place if you were on something of a budget and really who wasn't in a city like New York. The prices were highway robbery no matter where you turned to. Striding past the door man with ease, once more wiping his image from the mortal's mind Labienus pushed opened black lacquered doors to reveal a bar.

Music played softly, something neo-classical but gentle. A soft hum of conversation filled the room as the patrons sipped at their various drinks. Wine was something Labienus truly missed, but his vampuric body would not stomach anything other then blood. The former legate had tired numerous times to force the intoxicant down but to no avail. The closer he had come was feeding on prey that itself had alcohol in their veins at the time of feeding.

The flow of mental energy streamed from a woman seat at the bar, a mortal woman by all intents and purposes. She was at the very least no vampire. At five feet two inches the woman was short, a fact highlighted by hip length raven tresses. All and all she radiated an aura of fragility, like a delicate china doll. That delicacy however was made a mockery of by the sheer force of her mental attack which had no ceased in the slightest. Labienus was reduced to focusing all his willpower in defense, barely holding the intruding attack from his mind.

Who is this woman, and why she after me. The false Don wondered with something akin to worry. If the woman focused her attacks solely on him Labienus knew he would fall would be assured.

Catching the attention of the bartender he mentally implanted a order that he had paid for the woman's drink after she gazed at him with the gaze of one struck by his vampire's charisma. This was certifiably a odd experience to say the least. Even with her glamored expression she had not let up a single moment with her mental barrage.

Trusting however to his charisma he beckoned the china doll of a woman over with the fingers of his right hand. Long and slim they were, holding a pianist grace and swordsman strength. Now would see if she was merely a good actress or actually effected by his tricks.

Trusting however to his charisma he beckoned the china doll of a woman over with the fingers of his right hand. Long and slim they were, holding a pianist grace and swordsman strength. Now would see if she was merely a good actress or actually effected by his tricks.

Lily gulped hard as she felt the pull as the man beckoned her over to him, she tentatively reached out with her mind to try and read his thoughts but found she could not. That was both frightening and refreshing all at the same time, it intrigued her; She wanted to know more about the man whose thoughts she could not hear.
Was he psychic like she was? Was this the result of well practiced mental blocks, if it was then Lily wanted to learn from him how to do that herself.
Gathering her courage, Lily slipped gracefully from the bar stool and made her way over to where the stranger sat in the shadows of the far corner; She sat down beside him and smiled gratefully "Thank you for the drink, that was very nice of you... Um, this might sound a little bizarre and you can tell me never to speak to you again if you want, but uh.... are you psychic?"

Oh great, now she'd done it; Lily couldn't believe those words had actually left her burgundy glossed lips. It was only a matter of moments before he'd look at her like everyone else did and call her a freak, she just knew it.
Just once in her life, Lily wanted to feel like she could belong somewhere; she wanted to have at least one person to call friend. To meet even one person with the same abilities as she had would be heaven for her, because that meant she was not alone and there was someone else that understand her difficult life.
Even her own parents had not wanted her, both her mother and father had been devout catholics and once they realized their daughter had abilities no mere mortal being should have; Lily found herself deposited at the nearest orphanage at the age of six.

It just had to be a catholic orphanage too, the other children tormented her and the nuns hated her; they called her cursed.
The nuns always told her that the only thing she had going for her was her pretty face and her pretty hair, beauty to mask the evil within they said.
Lily had spent her entire life alone and she might be a fool for hoping, but she needed to know that she was not the only one that the world rejected.
"Go ahead and tell me if I am being strange and I will stop" Lily lamented with a guilty look upon her pretty face, she did her best to smile in case he was merciful and played it all off as a joke.
She tried once more to probe into his mind, but yet again nothing; he had to some sort of psychic to block her telepathy. Even if he did not know, he had the psychic ability to block other psychic powers; She really wished she had that.

Labienus laughed, a gentle grouping of musical notes that was amusement not mockery, as the woman came drawn in as a fish upon the line. His charisma had indeed effected her although not as strongly as most mortals. He laughed because he realized the woman posed no danger to him, she simply was curious. A powerful psychic with no training was all she was, all fears of an assassin faded. There was no way the look upon her beautiful face was a lie.

And suddenly he found himself gazing upon the woman, the graceful way she walked, her lips stained a red not so far removed from blood. She was a bit on the short side compared to his lofty height but that really did not mean much to him. She had caught his attention, a new plaything had been revealed.

Yes I am psychic, it is an gift all we ancients possess. Labienus said reaching into her mind, pitifully shielded, so that there would be no doubt about his own power. She would hear the words as echoes within her own head, a no doubt strange feelings. For if her lack of control was any indication she knew nothing about the power she truly possessed. And no you are not being strange, I am sure this is all very shocking for you. Labienus added mentally once more before switching back to spoken word. " But there is plenty of time for such things later, why do we not simply bask in each other's company and enjoy a couple of drinks." The Don of a false mafia answered in his melodic tone of voice, vampires really were the prefect hunters. Everything about them attracted their chosen prey.

Snapping his fingers Labienus summoned a waitress and placed an order for a red wine, and at the same time slashed his fingers so that a few drops of blood went flying into her drink. The act was done so quickly and so naturally that had she even been paying attention she would have not noticed. The few drops wouldn't be enough to turn her but it would render her next to dead for a few hours after a few minutes of ingesting the spiked drink.

" Tell me good looking how you are liking New York City, cause I can tell your not from here. The traffic is something else isn't it?" Labienus joked as the waitress brought him his red wine, he swirled it and inhaled it's scents with obvious pleasure but did not take a sip. After all only the blood of mankind could he stomach.

Lily couldn't believe the fortune that this night brought down upon her, her day had started off rather rocky but ended in glory as she came to find another like her.
An lovely infectious smile spread across her burgundy lips and she leaned in with a friendly mannerism "I am from North Carolina, just outside of Raleigh. The traffic here is nothing like I have ever seen before, it's almost pointless to use a car for anything when going on foot is surprisingly faster"
She laughed gently and fiddled with the stem of her glass, she noticed the man's eyes paying close attention whenever her hands went near her glass and she guessed he just wanted her to be impressed with his generosity; which meant actually consuming the drink instead of wasting it.

"My name is Lily, Lily Sinclare" She offered, extending her free hand that wasn't holding her glass "What is yours?"
Judging by how drop dead gorgeous this man was and the slight Italian accent to his voice, Lily was betting this his name was just as equally sexy. Hell, this man could be named Gunter and she would still jump his ass.
She blushed softly as her own thoughts and hoped he wasn't prying into her head at that moment, she had to remember this guy too was telepathic and could hear her thoughts; best to be careful with what thoughts entered her mind.
Now if the guy was single, Lily would probably go off and jump over the moon a couple dozen times; the idea of a boyfriend had never struck Lily before she'd finally met another psychic, a guy too.

She blushed as she turned her face away to look at her drink as she lifted the rim to her lips and let some of the sweet liquid slid down her throat, it was refreshing and tasted even better than usual for some odd reason; maybe the drinks served here were just better quality than most other places.
With the thought, Lily lifted the glass once more to her lips and drink deeply before she turned to her new friend with a smile "Wow, the drinks here are really good. Tasted that wine yet?"

It was odd, but suddenly Lily felt very strange as if she was going to faint at any given moment; her eye lids felt so heavy.
"I... I don't feel so well.... I think I should head up to my room if you don't mind" Lily managed, trying to fight the dizziness that was now adding to her ordeal "I'm really sorry"

Labienus laughed once more in his melodic tone, the woman was definitely no threat to him. She was firmly under both the influence of his charisma and her own longings for a companion who did not feel fear and disgust with her abilities. It really was the most amusing situation he had been in for quite some time, aside from when his last lover had tired to burn him as he slept.

Her thoughts were a mixture of desire and longing, she simply had no control over the massive power she wielded with such abandon. Though it really was beginning to become tiring keeping his defenses up against such an overwhelming force of mental power. The blush that crept upon her face as she realized that the vampire could indeed read her thoughts only highlighted the delicacy that granted the beauty she was gifted with.

Labienus swirled his wine around as she drank from her beverage.Lily Sinclare he spoke softly to himself, a lovely name for a lovely plaything. When Lily asked if he had partaken of his wine the former legate only smiled, a gesture that showed his fangs. " I am rather afraid not my lovely water flower, you see I am on a rather strict diet." He spoke with a light and tilting laugh that seemed angelic like in it's tones. If he noticed the sudden unease and dizziness the doll like woman showed Labienus did not show it.

" So soon, I must say Miss Sinclare you are a lightweight to be affected so by single drink that you haven't even properly finished." Labienus added with another angelic toned laugh. " Though I suppose it is time for this charade to end, one must not get too caught up in the play after all." With that the vampire got up from his seat at the table and with an impossibly fast motion was at Lily's back his hands resting possessively upon her shoulders, his head leaning against the smooth skin of Lily's neck, his fangs ever so lightly grazing the jugular. Her scent was floral somehow, fitting given her name.

If the other patrons of the bar noticed the odd sight of Labienus and Lily in such an intimate embrace they made no comment on it. Indeed to their eyes Labienus and Lily were not even there. It had been pitifully easy to make these other mortals ignore them. As an ancient Labienus was more then capable of such minor psychic acts.

"My name by the way Miss Sinclare is Titus Atius Labienus." He added before removing both his hands and his person away from the woman. " But my friends just call me Labienus. It's easier for them to pronounce for so few people today speak proper Latin." He added with another fang bearing smile.

Trust me Miss Sinclare your in capable hands, not that you really have much of a choice in this matter. You'll faint soon and lose all awareness of the world. Labienus added mentally, the words echoing in the muddled thoughts of the woman called Lily.

Something was wrong...
Never before had barely half of an alcoholic beverage ever done this to her and besides, a strawberry daiquiri really did not have that much in it...

" So soon, I must say Miss Sinclare you are a lightweight to be affected so by single drink that you haven't even properly finished." Labienus added with another angelic toned laugh. " Though I suppose it is time for this charade to end, one must not get too caught up in the play after all."

She tried her best to focus on his voice, but her head was starting to spin and the world was becoming a blur of swirling colors and blended sounds; had she been drugged? Was that possible?
"I... have to go" Lily murmured softly, trying to take a few steps forward but finding moving was just more than a little nauseating.
Lily had no idea when he had moved from his stool, but suddenly he was holding her shoulders tightly as if she belonged to him and his lips came to her throat; she felt sharp pinpoints caress her jugular.
It hit her then, his comment earlier about ancients and now these pin point fangs on her throat... vampire...

"My name by the way Miss Sinclare is Titus Atius Labienus." He added before removing both his hands and his person away from the woman. " But my friends just call me Labienus. It's easier for them to pronounce for so few people today speak proper Latin." He added with another fang bearing smile.

As soon as he had removed his mouth and hands from her, Lily felt even more unstable in her balance than ever; had this vampire Labienus somehow drugged her? He certainly seemed unconcerned about her current condition, in fact he seemed pleased by it.
'Lily, you idiot' She mentally chided herself 'Of all the handsome men, you had to be attracted to the vampire, stupid stupid Lily'

Trust me Miss Sinclare your in capable hands, not that you really have much of a choice in this matter. You'll faint soon and lose all awareness of the world. Labienus added mentally, the words echoing in the muddled thoughts of the woman called Lily.

As much as she fought, as Labienus promised; Lily found herself spiraling down into blackness, her body dropping and her mind all but completely shutting down.

" Such a pity I was rather enjoying myself." Labienus laughed, though this time such mirth was hellborn. Pure and unadulterated malice and glee in the discomfort of another being. And why not a cat played with it's prey before eating it, tossing the poor mouse around like a plaything. And humanity was nothing more then prey for this charming ancient, remnant of a long dead empire.

The former legate of Legio X laughed once more as he took in the form of Lily crumpled upon the bar room floor, she seemed even a more desirable plaything now. Right now she was utterly helpless, completely at the mercies of whatever he cared to do to her. The vampire that had seen Julius Caesar betrayed knelled down careful not to get the dust of the floor upon his tailor made suit. He ran a cold hand over the woman's curves using his free to turn Lily's head so that her sightless eyes stared into his. " So sweet and naive, a child with the power of a god." He spoke softly to himself as the patrons of the bar continued to live in ingorance of what was truly happening, seeing nothing but thin air where Labienus and Lily were.

Lifting up the doll like woman up with the ease his vampuric strength gave him Labienus spoke words in a tongue long dead. And the bar disappeared, replaced by the true home of his coven turned Mafia family. No gleaming skyscraper or expensive penthouse suite as the world knew his home to be. Stone Warren hacked into the soil beneath the tower owned by the dummy company that helped hide the near limitless wealth his very long life had given him. Though it was tastefully decorated despite being sunless hole in the ground, he after all did not ascribe to the coffin and tomb mentality of some vampires. No Labienus had been born into moderate wealth and had built up even greater riches, no point in not enjoying the money.

Still holding the short woman aloft with but a single hand the vampire carried her down the winding and maze like hallways of his underground palace. The doors were fashioned so that only his coven could open them, fashioned to be beyond the strength of any mortal hand. Down this labyrinth decorated in platinum and rare jewels he took her, down into his personal room. Well there was a stone sarcophagus but it was more for his protection then ascribing to any such mentality. Sunlight forced Labienus to seek rest, though he could deny himself if he cared to.

Laying Lily upon a bed with silk sheets that was kept for his mortal playthings Labienus sat a distance away upon the marble steps leading to his sarcophagus. And sat there motionless, so that any observer would think him nothing more then a carven statue, a masterfully made figurine crafted of the same marble he sat upon.

Though his body lay still the same could not be said of his thoughts. Labienus eyes traced their path over the curves of Lily with restless abandon, awaiting the moment when her warm sweet flesh should awaken. For there was no pleasure in the senseless body of a woman. The struggles, the cries, and the eventual surrender were what excited him truly. And the vampire knew this latest plaything would put up a struggle if not physically at least mentally, no mortal could best an ancient at a game of physical strength.

Dark... everything was dark...
Man did her head hurt...
It felt like a million hammers all pounding into her skull at once, she really didn't want to open her eyes... which would explain why everything was dark...
When had she fallen asleep? And was that silk underneath her? Lily most certainly did not have silk sheets in her hotel room.
Well, she may as well open her eyes and shut off the lights; then she would probably shuffle to the bathroom for a bubble bath to get rid of this headache.
When Lily opened her eyes everything rushed back to her, the hotel bar... the stranger... the drink... falling unconscious... Not to mention, she most certainly was NOT in her hotel room!

The walls were made of stone and decorated lavishly in tasteful wealth, it was obvious that she was underground judging by the structure of it and the fact there was windows... Another fact hit her then, the stranger whom called himself Labienus... he was a vampire... It certainly explained his psychic talents.
As she looked around, there certainly was no lack of treasures throughout the place; her apparent abductor was definitely a very wealthy man... er... vampire...
What she wanted to know now, where the hell was he? Why would he leave her down her all alone, because she certainly saw no sign of his handsome face anywhere; Lily reached up and rubbed her head to try and ease some of the aching so she could think but it only just seemed to pound harder.
“I have to get out of here” Lily murmured to herself, moving to try and slip off the bed, she almost tripped though on the hem of the night gown she wore... she had not been wearing this before...
The night gown was pale blue in color like her eyes and the fabric was obviously genuine silk, it was help up on her lush breasts by twin straps as thin as spaghetti noodles. The hem danced and swished elegantly around her ankles like flowing water every time she moved.

Lily was truly frightened now, first she met a vampire and then got drugged; Now she had been kidnapped and dressed in the most beautiful nightgown she had ever seen.
Despite her aching head, Lily made her way across the expanse of the room to the door and tried to pull it open, but the thing refused to budge.
“No!” Lilly whimpered as she continued to try and pull the door open, she could try to teleport out but she had to know where she was going and she already had no clue where she was to begin with.
Turning around, Lily's eyes landed upon a sarcophagus at the far end of the room; elegant marble steps leading up to it. Well, it appeared a normal coffin just wasn't good enough for this guy; he had to feel like a damn Egyptian pharaoh.
“God help me” Lily whispered softly, her eyes closing and her ears hearing nothing but the terrified pounding of her heart.

There had to be a way out of here and Lily needed to find it before Mr. gorgeous and dead decided to wake up and do whatever he brought her here for; Lily would fight back with all the psychic abilities she had before she would roll over and become a vampire's meal.
It would help her to know what time it was and how much time she had before it was wakey wakey time for the sleeping predator, he had been so charming at the bar; it was hard to imagine that she may enough being his breakfast.

" Ah your finally awake Miss Sinclare, I was beginning to worry I put too many drops in. Vampire blood is quite potent, you have to balance between enough to knock your prey out but not turn them. Though I am told I have to drain nearly all a mortal's blood before the conversion can take place." Labienus spoke strolling into his personal chamber,pushing aside the door as it weighed nothing.Which to him it did, being endowed with vampuric strength.

He strolled past Lily, noting the way the nightgown flowed around the woman's sweet curves. It had been a pleasure stripping her of the clothes she wore, he had spent quite a bit of time gazing upon her fully revealed beauty, running his cold hands over every inch of that lovely smooth skin. Only the thought that she might awake hastened his switching of her apparel. It had been sweet agony denying himself the pleasures of both her body and her blood, even now the beating of Lily's heart echoed to his keen senses. Each beat rich with that crimson life source that fueled his immortal life.

" You don't know how much agony waiting is when your what one is waiting for." Labienus added as he went over to run his long and graceful fingers over the smooth stone surface of his sarcophagus. He then turned to face the plaything and eventual meal Lily represented. He stood far taller then she did, his body still clad in that dark designer suit. His face with it's high and lofty eagle's beauty holding a smile of enjoyment, his fangs bared in full view. Long and shining white were his teeth and more so his fangs. They promised the sweet joy and death only a vampire could deliver.

" Come to me Lily, you know you want to." Labienus spoke, layering his voice with vampuric charisma. " I can give you everything you were too afraid to ask of another. I can show you ultimate pleasure and freedom from the pain that torments you."

Labienus walked from his sarcophagus, slow and swaggering steps that accented the height difference between them. " Is the thought of death so bad Lily, I can give you everything a woman could hope for in a single night."

" Come to me Lily, you know you want to." Labienus spoke, layering his voice with vampuric charisma. " I can give you everything you were too afraid to ask of another. I can show you ultimate pleasure and freedom from the pain that torments you."

Labienus walked from his sarcophagus, slow and swaggering steps that accented the height difference between them. " Is the thought of death so bad Lily, I can give you everything a woman could hope for in a single night."

Lily did not know if it was pure adrenaline or anger at being kidnapped by this predator of the night, but she glared at him and instantly raised up her psychic force field, in her hands were balls of blue psychic energy to fight back with if she needed to "Stay back, demon! I will not be your meal!"
She knew she was talking big words, but she was not going to let him think that he had his prey cornered and ready to die; She survived the orphanage and she would survive this too!
She tossed one of the energy balls square into his chest and watched in shock as she sent him spiraling into the far stone wall, she never imagined her energy balls having that much power.

Now was not the time to think about that however, she had to find a way to escape and get the hell out of New York.
If she knew what city they were in, she could probably teleport to somewhere near by; but she could think of a place near by when she had no clue where she was.
Lily wouldn't doubt he was banking on that, it was probably the reason he knocked her out; so she wouldn't know where she was... the bastard... unfortunately a smart bastard.
He was picking himself up now and he seemed amused, the way his eyes fixed on her gave her a shiver down her spine; she did not want to die this way.
She still had her shield up until it took enough damage and shattered, what she would do then was beyond her; she doubted she'd have time or strength to raise another one.

"Please" Lily pleaded, pressing her back against the door "I don't want to die, please let me go! I won't tell anyone about you, I swear!"
She could only hope he had an ounce of sympathy in him, but then again vampires were never known for their sympathy; everything they did had a self serving purpose.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on teleporting out of the way as he took a few steps closer to her; she managed to teleport to the other side of the room and heard him chuckle, was he enjoying this?
The teleport had shattered her shield and all she could do now was press herself against the wall and get ready to dodge or teleport if she had the time; but only God knew how long that would keep her alive...

Labienus was throughly enjoying himself, this was the most fun he had in quite some time. Lily was proving quite the hand at the struggle he found so enticing in his prey, shame she simply did not have much control over the power she wielded. It would have been enough to find such power in the hands of a fellow child of the night but to find it in a mortal...Now that was something else entirely.

Brushing off the tailor made suit he assumed a wry grin, how he loved to show off his fangs Labienus did. Then again even in his mortal days the former legate had a showmanship streak, not as wide as it was now but showmanship nonetheless." Please no tears Lily, it is a waste of such good suffering." The vampire laughed his hellborn laugh as the woman begged for mercy after once more trying to dodge him.

He chuckled with amusement as she flattened herself against the far wall were she had teleported. He eyed her, drinking in the sight of her nightgown clad body. The way it clung to her every curve. He had to admit she was a sight to make a man's mouth dry. " Now is this any way to treat your host or such a lovely nightgown."

He was tempted to merely end this, after all powerful Lily may be but she had not a tenth of the knowledge Labienus did. He had over 2000 years to get use to his gifts and refine his control over them. He knew exactly how much energy to expel and how to expel it. " Lily this is pointless, you can not defeat me through force of arms. I am immortal and invincible compared to you. And you control over your power is that of a new born child, you recklessly throw your all into each attack."

He paced back and forth on his side of the room as it were, a smile written large upon his face. This was proving quite the game, the prize would be all the sweeter for the effort it took to claim it. And he so did long to touch that sweet warm flesh with his long and graceful fingers, to feel it shudder underneath his icy touch. To taste her lips before drinking of her blood, a fine wine that held a bouquet all it's own. A scent that drove him nearly crazy. " I am ancient Lily, I know more about your powers then you ever could. Your gift is astounding but it is housed in such weak and fragile flesh. You will never know true happiness Lily, no one will call you friend. No man will touch your body and make it sing with pleasure. Your a freak of nature hated by the world. Even your own parents did not want you after they found out what you were. " Labienus taunted, dredging up the memories he had forced from Lily's mind while she lay all but dead under the influence of his blood. " Why fight so hard Lily, you will know nothing but sadness and pain your entire mortal life. I can set you free Lily, free from the pain of living all alone in the world. Free from the sadness of watching others in love knowing you will never feel it. All it will cost you is your life, and really what is a life like yours worth."


Labienus then took slow yet steady steps towards were Lily lay flattened against the walls a small smile upon his face. His steps seemed to carry him towards the woman with all the force of fate itself it seemed." You know you want what I can give you Lily." He spoke softly and musically in an alto tone, once more his voice layered with vampuric charisma. " It can all end tonight Lily. The pain,the sadness, and the hate the world shows you. Just give in to what I know you feel within you."

Lily cringed underneath his cruel taunts, recalling the cold hearted words of the nuns at the orphanage and even the hateful way her own mother had looked at her.
She looked up then at Labienus's face and instantly felt anger rise up in her, she wanted to smash his pretty face in "Go to hell, you monster!"
She manifested one great psychic energy ball and threw it at him before she concentrated as hard as she could on her hotel room, she knew she if she was too far from the hotel that she could end up anywhere in New York; but right now was no time to worry about that anymore.

When Lily opened her eyes, she could feel the frigid New York air caressing her skin and looked around to find herself standing under a star lit Central Park; at least it was better than being ravished and then drained dry.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Lily began her walk towards the street to try and hail a taxi that could drive her back to her hotel so she could grab her things and haul ass to the nearest airport back to North Carolina... wait... she told him she was from there... California... that sounded good, she had a summer cottage there she could go to.

********************************************

As Lily began to hurriedly pack her clothes into her suitcase, she had thank her lucky stars that the taxi driver had seen she was upset and took pity on her, taking no money for the ride.
She changed out of the silk nightgown after she was finished and tossed the accused thing into the nearest trash can; she never wanted to see it ever again.
Once she was completely and totally packed, Lily summoned a bell hop to her room and he assisted her in getting her things down to the lobby where she checked herself out and asked her things be taken outside to the waiting taxi she called back in her room

After everything was loaded and the last night of her room was paid for, Lily wasted no time in getting into the taxi and asked the driver to floor it; she played it off as if she was extremely late for a flight.
Her heart pounded in her chest, she hoped Labienus just counted her as a lost meal and would seek another out; She didn't need him hunting her down and besides it was rather stupid to hunt her down when he just wanted to kill her.
That in mind, Lily relaxed a little bit into the seat and listened to the driver with his Brooklyn accent humming along to an old 80's song; it was rather comforting.

Lily felt rather proud of herself, despite everything she had been through in her life she did not allow Labienus to make her weak enough to wish for death; Lily vowed that she was going to try and make the most of her life from now on and also she promised herself that she'd avoid vampires at all costs...
It was going to be a long ride to the airport, so Lily closed her eyes and allowed herself a little catnap.

For awhile her sleep was dreamless until in the darkness of her dream world, Lily felt silken male hands caressing her waist seductively and lips pressing insistent kisses along the skin beneath her right ear; For some reason Lily felt instantly afraid and knew she needed to wake up.
She closed her eyes tightly and fought to ignore everything "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

" Rather feisty one isn't she." Brutus said striding into Labienus room with all the swagger of his height and muscle, his leather booted feet echoing off the stone walls of their underground palace.

"Indeed this will be quite the hunt, and the prize all the sweeter because of it." Labienus nodded in agreement with the Saxon, for that was what Brutus was. He came from a tribe of them long before Germany was Germany, he had lived and died as it where fighting the Roman yoke. Which made his association with a former legate all that more puzzling. Labienus had not turned him, indeed the Roman had not made a single vampire, preferring to save the power of his blood for a worthy successor. For as an ancient turned by another ancient the power of his blood was immense. And the first child of the night a vampire created would be their most powerful offspring as it were.

Brutus when asked about it by the other members of the coven merely said death was the great equalizer. He had one his duty to his ancestors by fighting the Romans while alive, no point in fighting on in death.

Brutus only shook his head in sardonic amusement as he scented the trail of Lily, for Brutus was a hunter through and through. " I suppose it's time to round up the boys and girls for the hunt."

"Indeed it is, ready them for tomorrow's nightfall." Labienus answered in agreement, now was the time for rest. Dawn came quickly and he had much left to do. The Saxon realizing this left his leader to his own devices.

Stepping with his long and swaggering stride the Roman entered his stone sarcophagus. Laying himself within it's protective confines he slid the lid back over it's opening. The lid weighed on near 9 tons, fashioned not only of the white marble it showed but dense metal. No mortal could hope to lift it without a crane and given the fact it rested within his underground palace there was no hope of that either.

Slowing his heart beat the vampire entered the realm of his mind, reaching out through the threads that bound all souls and minds together. In physical terms it was as being in the center of a star lit void, each pinpoint of light in the darkness representing a mind in the vast reaches of the universe. Each light was unique, a fingerprint of the person whom that mind belonged to. Lily being unique in more ways then one was as a super nova to the dwarf stars of other human minds.

Finding her signature amongst the mental cosmos Labienus reached out to it, pleased to find that Lily still had no real idea how one used such power. She was powerful but there was no training behind that power, her grasp of it was instinctual.Knowing now what he was dealing with Lily would no longer pose a trouble the next they met.

Deciding more mind games were in order he waited till the awareness of her mind dropped indicting Lily's physical body was sleeping. Then he sent her a dream of pleasure mixed with the fear only a vampire could inspire. The duality of it caused ripples in her awareness as Lily tired to fight it.

It is useless Lily, you can not fight with a sheathed sword. You can not cut through my power when your edge is hidden behind your ignorance. Labienus echoed in the dream he was forcing upon Lily. You can not hide from me Lily, no matter how far you run or how deep the hole you crawl into.

He then forced more images of pleasure and fear upon her mind. It really was too easy for this hunter of humanity. She knew nothing of how to truly control her power. Come back Lily or I will tear your mind asunder. I will fill every moment of your life with nightmares and dreams of my choosing. You can not fight me, I know your feeble tricks now and your power wanes even now. You are only weakening yourself trying to fight me.

It is useless Lily, you can not fight with a sheathed sword. You can not cut through my power when your edge is hidden behind your ignorance. Labienus echoed in the dream he was forcing upon Lily. You can not hide from me Lily, no matter how far you run or how deep the hole you crawl into. 

Eventually the invisible hands became solid and with them came the pale but ever handsome Labienus, his arms pressing Lily's back against his chest while his lips pressed open mouthed kisses along her throat and his nimble fingers slowly released button after button on her blouse.
Lily wanted to stop him from undressing her, but when she tried to move, she found that her limbs were frozen stiff; she couldn't move at all, which left her helpless as he parted her blouse.

Come back Lily or I will tear your mind asunder. I will fill every moment of your life with nightmares and dreams of my choosing. You can not fight me, I know your feeble tricks now and your power wanes even now. You are only weakening yourself trying to fight me.

She tried to open her mouth to scream out her defiance, but her throat was as dry as the sandy deserts of the Middle East. Lily could do or say nothing as she watched him release her and come around front to face her, his eyes on her bra; before she realized what he was doing, he used one sharp nail to split the middle.
A single tears rolled down her face as he divested her of the ruined bra and quickly replaced the fabric with his mouth and every other inch of her silken skin uncovered being savored by his hands; she hated it but it felt so good, her body felt alive and fully aware.
When a lusty moan escaped her throat and her breathing picked up, Lily began to realize that he was getting to her and she had to stop this before he seduced her completely; this was her dream and he wasn't going to rule where he had no right to.

“Get out of my dream” Lily snarled, regained her voice with the new burst of strength she found; she gave him the biggest mental push she could muster and immediately her limbs were hers to control again, as was her consciousness.

When Lily opened her eyes, she saw the taxi just rolling into a parking lot; she glanced at her wristwatch and checked the time, it was approximately five in the morning.
How long had she been out? When she left her hotel, it had only been two in the morning; did it really take that long to get to the airport?
Rubbing the sleepiness from her weary eyes, Lily leaned forward to talk to the taxi driver “Excuse me, this is the New York International Airport, right?”
When the guy turned around, everything in Lily turned to ice; gone was the friendly Brooklyn accented driver, here sat a snowy skinned individual with scary yellowish brown eyes... a vampire!
She never stood a chance at making it to opening the door before the vampire reached back with a spray can and sprayed some sort of strange mist on her face, causing Lily to black out for the second time tonight. This was definitely not her night.


When Lily came to, she found herself right back where she'd started at the beginning of this nightmare; she was once more resting upon the lavish silk covered bed residing down beneath Labienus's dummy company.
Instead of the sensible blouse she had been wearing and black slacks, Lily was wearing was looked like a sleek off the shoulder black evening dress of the finest silk available anywhere; from her finger tips to her elbows were covered in black satin evening gloves.
She touched her throat to find a choker there that felt like a wealthy countess or someone like that might where, she was throwing a guess out there that it too was black; she was dressed like some sort of posh princess of darkness.
Lily looked up at the sound of chuckling and gasped when she saw Labienus leaning suavely against the door to the bedroom of his underground palace; his eyes drinking her in.
She found that no words would leave her throat and her wide eyes were fixed nervously upon the vampire that seemed would never back off.
“Please” Lily murmured “I don't want to die, so no favors are being done. Want do you want from me? Why can't you just leave me alone?”

Labienus was throughly enjoying himself as yet another of his hunts proved to be fruitful. The man, or rather vampire of the yellow eyes did not serve the former legate directly but Labienus ruled New York's underworld, criminal and otherwise. Everyone from the petty street thug to the leaders of the other covens bowed to him.

" You have to hand to humans, so naive." The yellow eyed vampire spoke with a chuckle as he carried his burden, and a sweet burden it was. The yellow eyed drinker of blood could see why the powerful Labienus desired this one in particular. " Though I almost got caught out in the sun with this one. I can make myself look human but I am not immune to the sun."

" You and your coven will be duly rewarded as always." Labienus retorted with aristocratic boredom as their steps echoed upon the labyrinthine halls of his underground palace, once more to bring Lily to his personal chamber.

Deciding his point had been the yellow eyed vampire fell silent. Really after all there was no point in pushing the Roman, he was a mere pawn in the game of power and knew it. And pawns were routinely sacrificed to advance the progress of more valuable pieces.

The rest of the journey through the halls was mercifully short as the desire burning in Labienus's veins was greater then even the undying thirst of his kind. Motioning to the yellow eyed coven leader to lay his burden down upon the silk sheeted bed the Roman dismissed him, barely hearing the sound of his retreat.

He looked at her, once more a senseless body of silken skin and raven colored hair. She was wearing clothes that in his opinion were an insult to her beauty, such clothing was merely sensible not beautiful. And from that hip length hair to the rise of her breasts the woman was beauty and desire incarnate. Such passion burned within her veins, he had felt it during the dreams he forced upon her. Lily no matter her words desired the touch of man, for her entire life had been devoid of such things.

Leaning down he breathed in her scent as his long and graceful fingers rid the diamond of the dust that had piled upon it. The clothes such as they are were tossed aside like the offal they were. And her beauty was once more his to do with as he pleased. Her scent by all the gods there were, it alone drove him insane. How could a mortal woman have a scent like this, it was pure desire and flowers that lit such a lust in him it was nearly impossible not to for Labienus not sink his fangs into the smooth skin of Lily's neck and drink all but the last drop. For in that last drop lay naught but his doom.

But as before the realization she would not stay senseless forever spurred the vampire to action. Once more clothes befitting her beauty were brought and his hands alone clothed her, savoring every touch upon the object of his desire. Then he stood back like a painter to admire his masterpiece.

Leaning against the door he was aware of his masterpiece stirring and so assumed a more languid grace to his features, so that Lily would be aware of his ease and not nearly uncontrollable desire.

“I don't want to die, so no favors are being done. Want do you want from me? Why can't you just leave me alone?”

Labienus laughed with his musical voice and stood up a little straighter an amused look on his face. He was sorely tempted to stride over to where Lily lay on the bed and stroke her hair as one would do to comfort a child, or prove a point of superiority in his case. But such an act would mean lowering his defenses, and given the woman's abilities such an act was foolhardy. True she could not hurt his vampuric body but it would ruin his suit, he had to throw away the one he was wearing not so long ago. And it gave her a chance to escape and only honed his desire.

"You do not wish to die, such an childish statement." Labienus mocked with a Latin lit to his voice, even after two thousand years the Roman still held a Latin accent, which most had mistaken for an Italian one. Then again so few people spoke proper Latin these days. " Then you are even more ignorant then even I gave you credit for, and believe me I have given you much credit in that department."

The Roman took to pacing around her, like a wolf around a helpless fawn. His sea green-blue eyes alight with the hunger that this woman inspired in him. The silver that slashed his hair at the temples only added to such imagery." You will die Lily, you have no choice in the matter. Even if I had not found you that fate was inevitable. At least I can grant an easy death, a single night of pure exactsy. Or does the thought of dying an old and unloved woman hold that much appeal? Do you truly desire a life of misery and rejection that badly?"

Despite himself Labienus found himself taking steps towards Lily, unable to truly quench his desire with the water of logical reasoning. He was drawn to this prey like iron to the lodestone.

Knowing the things she did, Lily did not bother to move off of the bed; Labienus would pursue her around the entire room and throughout all of New York is he had to, he's proven that already.
She shook her head at his statement that she would die no matter what "I do not want you or any desire you could give me, I want to experience the world and see things. I am only twenty two years old and I have so much to look forward to, eventually I will find a man in this world to love me and I will have friends; the world is not totally bleak"

As Labienus took steps closer and closer to her, Lily braced herself for the worst "I will not here willingly beneath you knowing you are just going to kill me in the end. I will not submit to my entire existence ending here, not now and not ever"
That being said, Lily held her head high and fixed determined pale blue eyes upon him filled with strength that was new but thrilling to her.
Two things could occur in this situation, Labienus would either kill her and drop her cold dead corpse somewhere or she would be turned into a vampire; most likely chained to Labienus forever as well.

She refused to die at this point, she had gone through too much to let everything end here like this; so that made up her mind.
"I have a proposal to make" Lily spoke up "You want my body and my blood and I want to exist, so there is one reasonable to solution to this that I think you might find appealing at least; turn me, make me a vampire"
Lily couldn't believe she was saying this, but it was far more preferable to giving up her whole existence and being reduced to nothing but a corpse; No thank you.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Lily slipped gracefully from the lavish bed and moved with a sexy mixture of innocence and sensuality over to where Labienus now stood; She made no move to touch him at all, but her eyes did all the work necessary to sway him.

"Think of it Labienus" Lily purred, doing her best to be enticing which didn't seem to be hard with Labienus; the man seemed to find every little thing she ever did enticing "You could have me beneath your body and drink my sweet blood as much as you like for the rest of eternity"
Not that she intended to stay with him for that long, but he didn't need to know that and she didn't dare let anything enter her thoughts to tip him off that he might need to make sure she couldn't leave him.
So she'd let him think he was her 'boyfriend' for awhile and then when he wasn't suspecting it, she'd be long gone and strong enough to fend him off.

"Well?" Lily murmured, swaying seductively in that sexy black silk gown "You let me continue to exist and I give you my body and blood forever and ever. After all, who wants a normal boyfriend when you can have a sexy powerful vampire"

This really was quite the event for Labienus as he watched the seductive swaying of the woman whom had caught his attention. Every movement she made seemed to enrapture him, Lily the doll like woman whom the idea of spending eternity with was an intoxicating one to say the least. But the thought of her warm sweet flesh being reduced to the marble coolness of a vampire quenched the flames of his lusts momentarily and with it came a return of the cunning that had seen him through two thousand years of existence.

She had a plan this Lily did and Labienus did not need to read her mind to know that. Even a mere mortal onlooker would have realized that. Let alone an immortal with two thousand years of life behind him. But if she wanted to toy with him then so be it, Labienus loved nothing more then having a new plaything.

He grabbed her shoulder, running his fingers over the smooth skin of her body and the coolness of the silk that clad it in black hue. Drawing her closer He brought his lips against Lily's neck, ever so lightly grazing the woman's life source with the mere tips of his fangs. Then he brought them up to meet her own lips in a passionate kiss before shoving her back onto the silk sheeted bed with a hellborn laugh.

" Do you really think me that foolish Lily. I did not get to be two thousand years old for nothing." Labienus spoke, all trace of desire gone from his voice. Only the cold wrath of an ancient making his voice echo loudly upon the lavishly decorated stone walls of his underground palace. " I turn you and all my reward will be is death. Even your feeble knowledge of your power will broaden when given all of eternity to figure out the puzzle. It might take you centuries but eventually I will have enemy with the power of a God and the knowledge of an ancient."

" No Lily I shall not pollute my blood with your weakness and desire for revenge." Labienus said with another hellborn laugh. Unlike most vampires Labienus felt no need for making children of the night, he would find a worthy successor someday true enough. But Lily was far too dangerous too turn, especially given the power flowing in his veins. " If you truly desire to walk the night then find someone else to turn you. I will not grant you the power in my veins just so you can use it against me centuries later."

Ahh such games were always so much fun, and the reaction of Lily no matter what it would be t'would be as enjoyable as the fun was now. " But that's right, I think having you as a vampire is fool hardy. You can run Lily, you have proven that. But I rule this city. The other ancients are sleeping so I am the voice of authority in the vampire world right now. No other vampire will turn you, for my wrath is great Lily and all encompassing."

This really was the hunt of his life, a prey that tried to bargain with him was not unique but the way she did it was. Not to mention she herself was unique. " You will never know nothing but sorrow your whole life Lily. Any that try to overlook your gift I will kill, any man or woman that looks at you I will kill. You will submit to me here and now or suffer through a life filled with corpses, nights filled with nightmares. I am the form Fate has taken for you Lily. You can not fight me. for no one can fight Fate. "

He then went back to his leaning against the door of his chamber.Not that such physical barriers would stop her but it sent a clear cut image of his intents. He idly ran his left hand through the mane of his hair, his green-blue eyes alight with amusement.

Death was no option for Lily and refused to give up, she didn't want to die and she may be a coward for it; but she would stop at nothing to keep her existence going.
"NO" Lily exclaimed, slipping from the bed; her lips still red from his eager kiss "I will do whatever I must to continue existing, I want to enjoy this world"
Needing options, Lily gently and carefully probed his mind for traditions and customs vampires honored and placed highly that could save her. She found one.
Apparently a vampire could bite a person of the opposite gender after reciting a very special incantation that all vampires were taught and this ritual of sorts of bind this person to the vampire forever as that vampire's eternal partner; their mate.
Somehow Lily knew that if she gave in and handed Labienus the keys to keeping her for himself for all time, he would jump at it.

"Fine, you know I would try to leave you" Lily relented "Then I have no choice but to abandon thoughts of being rid of you. Do the incantation of binding before I am bitten, after that, I can not ever abandon you or try to harm you; ever"
Sure, the idea wasn't too appealing to her; but it sure was better than being buried under the earth cold and lifeless.
"I won't even attempt to break the bind between us, I will stay with you on my own accord" Lily promised "I will give myself to you and only you, no complaints on the subject will be heard from me. The only man or vampire in my life will be you, you can dress me up and ravish me till your little black heart is satisfied each and every night for the rest of eternity"

The look on his face clearly told her that he was heavily considering it and was shocked that she would offer him such leverage against her for eternity.
Despite her innocence with men, Lily knew enticing him would most definitely help his decision to keep her around for eternity.
She backed and sat down on the bed, leaning back against the plush pillows as she shrugged the top of the gown down beneath her breasts; She had heard before that men liked it when women teased them, so Lily smiled at him as she caressed the top of her cleavage.

It was a very tempting offer to be sure but Labienus still eyed Lily with a degree of suspicion even as she lay back on the bed, revealing the utterly delightful beauty of her breasts, even going so far as to caress the tops of them. All and all it was a very fetching scene, one that made his lusts burn ever higher. But he still was suspicious of such a sudden change of mood.

True Labienus had not found life as a vampire as hollow as that Saxon who turned him had. But he doubted very much that Lily who clung to such a pathetic existence would desire it. True she was a coward, that much was obvious. Afraid of the world and what it thought of her, even more afraid of her wretched existence as reject ending. It was a most puzzling scenario unfolding before him. She clearly was put off by the fact he was a vampire, though the beauty endowed by both his Roman blood and his vampuric nature had enticed her not so long ago.

And so it was the growing suspicion in his gut that he eyed the beautiful Lily upon the bed. Every fiber of him wanted nothing more then leap atop of her and do with her mortal body what he would. The cunning of his long life though looked askew at such a tempting offer. Why give him, Titus Atius Labienus, such control over her fate.

Rules and oaths were made to be broken. His pragmatic side warned him, it had thought that way since seeing the man he had served for so long and loyally dead. Julius Caesar, the finest leader Rome had even seen, betrayed by those sworn to him.

" I knew a man whom was offered the same oath of eternal service. His name was Julius Caesar. I served him my most of my mortal life and watched as those same men who swore the oath butcher him, driving a dagger into his back." Labienus spoke in reply to her offer. " Of course I had abandoned the man long before that, An oath to a liar is no oath at all after all."

And here Labienus laughed as he had spoke the funniest joke in the world. " You know what made Rome truly great though, what enabled it to rule the ancient world Lily. It was the very simple fact that we Romans abandoned our practices as soon as we found better ones. Well you have half convinced me your practices are better."

And here the former legate and lieutenant strode towards the bed to lay a marble cool hand on the bared breasts of Lily, feeling her shudder underneath his cold touch. " I am the very best liar there is though Lily. I could swear whatever pretty little oaths you want me too, I have had much practice when I was still mortal at mouthing meaningless words. And words are empty Lily, even a child like you should know that." Labienus added as he pulled the black dress even further down her shapely torso while at the same time running his free hand up the silken skin of her inner thigh. " You do realize I would have to drain you of nearly all your blood, in effect killing you. I could simply stop there and refuse you my blood. It would be quite easy, you wouldn't have the strength then to force me. Not that you have it now mind you. " He spoke with a low and husky tone as the joy of caressing Lily's body was beginning to get to him. He then leaned over to once more run his fangs over the smooth skin of her neck, the scent of her blood as intoxicating as always." Now I ask you this Lily, do you really trust a man who betrayed Julius Caesar. And a vampire who told you he is a liar. If you do I must admire your foolhardiness." He spoke through lips running their way up and down the velvet surface of her jugular, every fiber of his being telling him to bite down and drain Lily dry. Well almost dry, he could not take her last drop for it held only doom for a vampire.

" Now I ask you this Lily, do you really trust a man who betrayed Julius Caesar. And a vampire who told you he is a liar. If you do I must admire your foolhardiness."

Thoughts barely entered the young woman's mind as the mouth, fangs and hands of Labienus stroked and caressed her body to feverish heights she never imagined before, the cold of his hands did nothing to stifle the heat of passion and desire radiating from Labienus and making Lily drunk with it.
His words barely made it through to her muddled brain, but she managed somehow to catch all he said “No, only a fool would trust you; my choices however are limited, therefore there is also foolishness wallowing on mistrust”

Her voice was low and sensually husky with obvious arousal, her pale blue eyes had darkened to a slightly darker shade as her aware body ached and yearned for more as it ignored her wary mind; though even Lily knew that at this point it was quite stupid to rebel now as Labienus was never going to back off and go away. The only option now if she wanted to exist was to live her eternity by his side and experience all that he could show her, maybe it wouldn't be so bad; Labienus certainly seemed to know his way around a bedroom and his knowledge of the world was vast.

She doubted after this that Labienus would make her take his name, Lily wasn't sure if vampires or even Labienus himself looked at mates as actual wives or husbands; so at least she could remain herself, Lily Sinclare. Perhaps even as her knowledge of the world and people in it grew, Lily might even grow herself as a woman.
Besides Lily doubted that it would happen again that anyone would ever desire a freak like her the way Labienus did, it be quite stupid to turn away his affections towards her as she might never experience such again.

“Do it” Lily moaned as his hand caressed dangerously close to her maidens flower “Bite me, I can feel that you want to... after this, you can have me night after night forever and ever”
She had to admit that it was quite thrilling that a gorgeous man like Labienus wanted her as passionately and feverishly as he did, it made her feel truly sexy and beautiful for the first time in her life; If she was going to be stuck with the sexy vampire, she sure as hell was going to enjoy it.
After all, what had this world ever done for her except spurn her and make her feel unwanted; With Labienus helping her, Lily could spurn them right back and make them all experience her pain. Revenge was as they said, sweet.

“I am ready for this” Lily said, touching Labienus's cheek and kissing him; using her hands then to work at carefully removing his designer jacket and unbutton his shirt. So many blasted interfering buttons!

The Roman felt the joy of a hunter looking down at the spoils of his hard work. The deer lay in it's bloodied innocence, awaiting the cold steel blade that would finish the work of the arrow. He bathed in the heat of Lily's desire as he glazed into blue eyes darkened by her body's aching and desires.

And so the hunt was over, and for the first time in his two thousands years of life he would add another walker in the night, another would inherit the legacy of Amel through his blood and will.

Labienus's own body burned in the sweet agony of his denied now fulfilled lusts as she removed his clothes with fingers made clumsy by the aching desire she had given in. By all the gods there was how did this woman affect him so, she was just another mortal. And now he would do what he had denied so many of his human lovers , for he truly did not wish to bury another corpse. Besides even if she did turn him he had a good run. He did not fear death anymore then he had when mortality was his burden.

"Relax, this is going to be painful." He spoke with a heavy voice he laid Lily down upon her back. He drank in the sight of her body, for the time it would be sweet and warm was coming to a close. Labienus felt a brief pang of guilt, such perfection to be forever kept through such a crude method. For the last time he caresses Lily's warm body, reveling in the heat he felt through his cold hands.

Then Labienus knew there was no point in waiting, it must be done now or never. So he laid himself atop of Lily, straddling her before leaning down to bury his fangs in her throat. No mere grazing gesture this was, a true bite that wasted not a drop of blood. For it was of such sweetness that he knew instantly why it held such an intoxicating scent.

The feeding was a deeply personal thing, through it a vampire was linked with their prey in a way no other hunter was. Labienus as he drank deeply of Lily's life source was treated to the memories of the woman whom he would turn. All the years of her short life flashed before his mind's eyes. The cruelty of her parents, the hollow sadness of life at the orphanage. The scorn and rejection of her adult life, all of it and more was shown to him as he slowly killed Lily. For he savored Lily's blood like he had no other, it was finer then wine and more intoxicating. Eventually though he felt her grow colder and her heartbeat slowed till it barely beat.

Now was the time for the gifting of his own blood to Lily. Labienus knew this was the most dangerous part, would Lily be strong enough to take within his essence or had he drained her life source too deeply. Picking up her still and almost lifeless body he laid Lily's lips against his own neck, gashing it so that his own blood flowed into her mouth. Now would come the time to see if he had enjoyed the savoring of her blood too much.

"Drink Lily or you will never rise again."

"Drink Lily or you will never rise again."


As everything began to fade and her senses dimmed, Lily only barely registered what Labienus was urging her to do; her neck was alive with raw stinging pain and she felt so very weak.
When she felt Labienus pick her up and cradle her body protectively, his hand came up gingerly from behind her head and guided her mouth to the gash he created upon his snow white flesh; the warm blood oozed from his neck dribbled between her lips, the ruby liquid was intoxicating as it touched her tongue and Lily was desperate for more than a mere taste.
With what strength the fading beauty had left, she wrapped her frail arms around Labienus's shoulders and drank deeply of the sweet nectar of eternity; eventually her instincts told her she had consumed enough and forced herself to stop.

She felt Labienus place her gently upon the bed and lay down beside her, pulling her body close to his own as if sheltering her from the outside world; protecting her. He whispered to her soothingly about the pain, telling her it was not forever and it would pass.
The pain Labienus mentioned came as if it had heard itself mentioned and washed over Lily's body like a great tsunami ravaging the shores of an unprepared coastline; Poor Lily wreathed and shook as tremors of terrible pain rocked through her.
'I'm dying' she realized through the haze of god forsaken pain 'my mortal body is dying, so this is what death feels like'

Cringing beneath it, Lily huddled close against Labienus's stomach and sobbed through it until she eventually became very quiet and still.
Upon closer inspection, one would find the beautiful young woman's eyes closed and her expression blank; Anyone other than a vampire would believe her dead.
This was not the life Lily had always imagined for herself, but it would certainly have its charms; now she could laugh in the faces of those that wished her dead and gone... Lily Sinclare was going no where.

Never again would Lily Sinclare be the world's punching bag, her time had come for vengeance; no one would ever make a victim of Lily ever again. Anyone whom tried would never see the light of day again.


*****************************************************************

When Lily awoke, she was assaulted by a fierce hunger in her stomach; one tentative hand rubbed her belly as she sat up to see her clothing had changed yet again.
This time Lily was dressed in what looked like some sort of icy white bridal nightgown made of sheer soft silk and delicate antiqued lace; her feet were clad in elegant slippers of the same sheer icy white silk and edged with the antiqued lace also edging the nightgown.
Over the nightgown was a sheer robe of icy white chiffon, it was as delicate as it was lovely; obviously made with great care to not damage the fabric.
Labienus certainly seemed to love playing dress up with her, she had to hand it to him this time; the whole ensemble was simply gorgeous. She definitely loved the attire, it was so very beautiful and ladylike.
Looking around, Lily spotted the lid of the sarcophagus opening up and sliding carefully off to allow Labienus to gracefully haul himself out; the way he landed on his feet reminded Lily of an agile jungle cat.

When his eyes met hers, Lily found she could utter nothing; she was shocked at how deeply she felt connected to Labienus. She wondered if he spoke the ritual incantation after all, were they bound together as mates for eternity? Was that why she felt as if she should be on her feet and greeting him fondly?

Labienus felt for the first time in nearly two thousand years that he was vulnerable.He felt the power that flowed in his veins pump out through the gash in his neck and into the suddenly greedy lips of his newest plaything. Lily evidently enjoyed the taste of his blood nearly as much as the Roman had enjoyed the taste of hers. Though that hardly surprised him, vampire's blood was a sweet poison. But like all poisons it wrecked havoc with it's indulger's body.


The former legate watched as Lily underwent the death of her mortal body. He remembered all to well what that was like. Even after the millennia he had live Labienus could remember that night with crystal clarity. There simply was no forgetting that after all. The pain she was suffering only brought the memory of that night ever more to the surface.

He watch her grow cold, vaguely remembering mouthing some soothing nonsense about the pain not being forever. But that glass doll fragility was what sold her charm to this scion of the night.

Knowing that she would lay dead for nearly a day and night Labienus left her, for he needed to hunt. Having never done it before the act of turning somebody was overwhelming draining, he had given more of the curse in his veins then he wanted to. But he comforted himself with the knowledge that it would make Lily a strong fledging during a time when she would be most vulnerable. For newly awoken powers would be her greatest liability, for she could barely control the power she had now.

Leaving his underground palace the mundane way the vampire used the time to organize his thoughts. For the hunting of man was the deadliest games around. And while he was one of the finest hunters around Labienus was not by any means invincible. And newly weakened for a time by changing Lily the Roman would be easier prey for those who hunted his kind. Some vampires took to hunting their own kind, educating humans in the best methods to do so.

His rumpled suit made the night man, fully human, look twice at him. But the mortal had no idea what the basement entrance of the Tower lead to nor that his employer was in fact a vampire, not to mention a crime boss. Though he was mafia only in that is was the most suitable way to attain and maintain the lifestyle he had grown accustomed to. His vampire nature hidden behind a mafia one, which in turn was hidden behind legitimate business. The prefect double blind smokescreen, even a powerful scion of the night like Labienus needed his deceptions.

Walking past the night man, a man in his early 30's with a build of a gym monkey, the Roman made his way out onto the street. Lamenting the fact there need to feed and no time to enjoy the hunt the vampire located a nice back alley a somewhat fair distance from his home and place of business. Manhattan after all was a good place for business but the run down homes and buildings of the seedier sides of New York were good hunting grounds. Dead bodies did not make much splash in the havens of drug dealers and pimps.

The alley as all others was a narrow and cramped affair, sandwiched between a sex shop and a strip bar it held the refuse of mankind. The stench of lost hope and cheap booze lingered in the air like a foul miasma as the homeless gathered, misery loves company. Despite the rumpled nature of his suit the cut of it and cleanliness of it made these bums look at him with narrowed eyes. The less proud among them asking him for change.

Smiling a angelic lipped response Labienus had them in the thrall of his charisma. Beckoning over a woman who despite her rags was beautiful in a savage sort of way. Tall and lean she had high cheekbones with a narrowly featured face, a sense of bliss written large on her face. She walked into his arms like a lover,laying her head against his bared fangs. Sinking those enameled tools of death into the somewhat grimy skin he was treated to her life's story. Childhood rape,problems at school,drugs and alcohol, a broken home, and finally the street. It was a tale that would have moved even a stone to tears. But Labienus was dead, in more ways then merely physical, though he would not lie that the story was sad.

Tears never did anyone any good though. Laying the woman down onto the cold dead ground he watched as life left the homeless beauty's eyes and her soul leave the shell it had been trapped in. The Roman watched as it she left behind all the sorrows and hardships of her life, death really was a mercy sometimes. Snapping his fingers he summoned one of the greatest of the powers bestowed to ancients of his age. Fire, the bane of his kind, it flowed over the body of his victim, caressing the skin. It's lovers touch burned it's desire to cinders and in little more then a few seconds naught but black ashes swirled around. The other bums trapped in their rapture watched on, all smilies and empty eyes.

Strolling from that alley way refreshed by his meal Labienus used the short way back to his personal chambers. The cold streets replaced by the wealth he spread tastefully on the stone walls of his underground palace, the greatest jewel in his collection laying deathly still on a silk sheeted bed.

He made his way over to the bed. She was cold and if he did not know better the Roman would have had bet good money on Lily being dead. Gently running his hands down the side of her face he winced at the marble coolness of dead flesh. She was a image graven in ice and desire now, the warmth of her mortal blood no longer highlighting the skin he once longed to own.

Sighing heavily he made his way to his sarcophagus, truly worried for the first time in a long time. Lily would now be able to lift the heavy lid easily although it would tire her until the true measure of what she had become sank in. Laying himself in the wide and comfortable insides of the stone sleeping place Labienus drew the lid over his body, sealing himself within the darkness of it. Slowing his thoughts and giving into the temptation of rest he knew no more for awhile.



----------------------


Eventually the awareness of the world returned and with it came the realization that Lily would be awake soon. Labienus stirred from his slumber of the dead and lifted it off to the side carefully so as not to damage the heavy thing. Sliding out the gap thus created forced him to slink and slither much like a cat fitting itself through an narrow gap.

As he straightened from the getting out of his sarcophagus the vampire was tempted to laugh at the silent gaze of Lily. She seemed on the verge of wanting to embrace him fondly, as one would a lover or a husband. He looked at the clothes she wore, approving of the way the fabric clung to her body and highlighted all that should be highlighted.

" Do not be so confused Lily, you are merely feeling the rush of emotion as the body finishes the dying process totally and utterly." Labienus spoke with a laugh, once more in melodic tones. " You will go through quite the roll coaster of them. Love,hate,sorrow,anger, and many more in the days and weeks to come. Your lucky to still have your creator here. Most vampires have to find this out on their own."


Enthralled by the sight of Lily as his for all of eternity Labineus strode over in quick and eager strides. Then with all a hunter's hunger picked up the doll of a woman and spun her around. Then he placed her down, hands on her shoulders and kissed her, deeply and with enough force to make Lily back up a pace or two. He used his tongue to feel her newly formed fangs before releasing her.

" I think it is time for your first feeding, I remember all too well what the first moments as a vampire are like. The thirst, it burns with painful urgency does it not?" Labienus added with another laugh as he held out his right hand, the index finger slightly curved in a beckoning gesture." Come with me Lily, I know the prefect place you can feed."

Though he moved with the all the swift grace of leopard, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion for Lily as Labienus approached her with obvious intentions and picked her up with a twirl; it was all completed when he set her down and pulled her to him, his mouth eagerly seeking hers with insistent force behind it.

Lily was not sure how exactly to describe it when Labienus kissed her, it was like her entire body turned into blazing fire and tendrils of white hot desire danced through her being.
She knew she shouldn't feel this way about him being as becoming a vampire was the only way she was able to keep her existence, but Lily found that it was impossible to feel any other way about this beautiful Roman; It made her wonder if she was going to feel such powerful desire for him like this for the rest of eternity.

The feel of his tongue caressing her newly formed fangs was both exciting and erotic, though short lived as he stepped back from her.

" I think it is time for your first feeding, I remember all too well what the first moments as a vampire are like. The thirst, it burns with painful urgency does it not?" Labienus added with another laugh as he held out his right hand, the index finger slightly curved in a beckoning gesture." Come with me Lily, I know the prefect place you can feed."

Lily nodded, he was right about there being a strange and powerful thirst in her and he was the only one who could teach her how to curb it; Stepping foward, Lily placed her hand in his and allowed him to guide her to this perfect place he spoke of.
She had to wonder what it would be like to feed or if it would bother her, she figured she could get used to it over time if she was careful and also with Labienus's guidance she would hardly be on her own with all of this.

So many thoughts were swirling through Lily's head right now, like if she was in fact 'mated' to Labienus or if this had been a normal turning.
She knew from digging through the knowledge in his head that if this was a normal turning that she could eventually part ways with Labienus, granted only the information at the surface; the rest of his mind was far too complex to investigate.
Lily also found that she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like the first time Labienus made love to her, if he did at all. She wondered what it would feel like, she'd heard women talk about sex and how amazing it could feel or how sometimes it really did nothing for them at all; what would it be like with Labienus?

Those thoughts would have to wait for now it seemed, for Lily had more important matters at hand to attend to first.

Labienus was sorely tempted to laugh with utter abandon as the chaos of Lily's thoughts was reviewed time and time again. Confusion, curiosity, and even lust. It was all very much as he had been expecting. No doubt the other ancients would be quite cross with him for turning one such as Lily, but they slept while he lived through every waking moment. For the thought of sleeping through eternity seemed wasteful, after all what was the point of being immortal if not to enjoy it.

Besides the taste of her blood and the feel of her body was worth anything, anything at all. The other ancients could be the whining scions of their so called code, Labienus had enough with such things in his mortal life. Lily was now his to enjoy for however long the fates deemed.

So he took her hand, amazed as always at the sheer desire Lily could evoke in him. Why did she affect him so, was it merely the allure of the power she held. Labienus scoffed at that idea, for as a ancient he possessed equal if not greater powers.Lily did hold a fragile china doll beauty but the vampire had known many beautiful women in the two thousand years of his long life. Was it the heady scent of her namesake.

The Roman decided it did not matter as he tapped into the centre of his power, feeling the seduction it always wrought in him. The underground palace faded away as if in a dream. Replaced by the ruined grandeur of the Colosseum, bathed in moonlight the vampires stood in the Emperor's box seat. Here the rulers of the Roman Empire watched the bloody sport of gladiatorial combat, ruling on the fate of those who found themselves defeated.

The former legate could hear in memory the sounds of the crowds chanting for death or life. Could feel the heat of the midday sun shining down on the two combatants locked in epic struggle. Life and Death, that was what Labienus life had been composed of since he first picked up a sword. And now more death would be added to his already impressive score.

Before the two vampires stood a terrified woman, she was perhaps sixteen or seventeen at best. A child not yet a woman but no longer a true child. Her shoulder length red hair and pale skin marking out Celtic blood. The fear on her face went beyond the shock of merely seeing two people appear out of thin air. Her green eyes wide with the nightmare made reality. For she knew what she faced.

" You didn't think I forget about you did I Molly." Labienus spoke with that hellborn laugh of his." No prey ever escapes my grasp. Your master is no longer here to protect you."Here the Roman indulged in other bout of cruel laughter." Lily meet Molly, Molly meet Lily.I'll let you two get to know each other better."

"Please." Was the poor terrified sixteen year old could muster, she had been the pet of a vampire long enough to know a newly turned vampire when she saw it.Molly also knew Labienus would have brought Lily along for one very simple reason.

Lily had been mystified by the scene that had appeared before her when she opened her eyes again, it was a Roman colosseum and something was definitely happening; why had Labienus brought her here of all places?
When a young girl close to her own age was brought before them, it dawned on Lily with great sorrow what was happening; this girl was in the very same position she was in before offering herself to Labienus for eternity.

" You didn't think I forget about you did I Molly." Labienus spoke with that hellborn laugh of his." No prey ever escapes my grasp. Your master is no longer here to protect you."Here the Roman indulged in other bout of cruel laughter." Lily meet Molly, Molly meet Lily.I'll let you two get to know each other better."

"Please." Was the poor terrified sixteen year old could muster, she had been the pet of a vampire long enough to know a newly turned vampire when she saw it.Molly also knew Labienus would have brought Lily along for one very simple reason.

It broke Lily's heart, but she knew that there was greater risk in refusing to feed off this terrified girl, there were so many vampires around and if she refused it would humiliate Labienus; Lily knew what would happen if that occured.
"I'm so sorry" Lily whispered in the girl's mind "I do not wish to do this, but I have to... please forgive me"
After that, Lily did what her new creator desired of her and came forward to Molly and leaned her face into the girl's neck; a single tear of Lily's fell onto the girl's neck before she sank her fang into the girl's skin and drank deeply of her blood.

Instinct told Lily to pull back after a time and with a heavy heart, she watched Molly crumple to the ground. She felt like a monster, but what else could she have done in her position; Lily was just as cornered as Molly had been.
"I'm sorry" Lily whispered softly as she gazed upon the lifeless corpse of the girl whom had moments ago stared at her with terror.
She turned then and looked to Labienus, the look on his face clearly told her that he was pleased with her; his eyes raked over her with approval and many other things.
The hunger had ebbed in Lily now and she felt much more in control of herself, she doubted she'd be unable now to resist the urge to jump into bed with Labienus and let him ravish her; for now at least.

The question was that when they returned to Labienus's lair, if he tried to take her to bed... would she even WANT to resist?

The former legate watched with avid interest as Lily struggled with the morality of what she was about to do. It was a strange sight as most newly turned could not control themselves, Labienus himself slaughtered a crofter's family in his first feeding. The ruby liquid had been the most desirable thing at that moment. The thighs of a virgin or the kiss of a whore paled in comparison to the blood lust burning in his veins.

Even now the thirst was all encompassing at times, especially when Lily had been first revealed to his senses. She on the other hand seemed reluctant to submit to the thirst. No doubt only the fear of his reprisal gave Lily the will to feed. Though he had to admit the sight of her fangs sinking into's Molly's throat was arousing. The sight of the unadulterated terror in the red haired woman's eyes as she felt life leave her as Lily held her bathed in moonlight. These ancient stones watched as mute witness to yet another death.

Labienus felt what was no doubt the same rush the Emperors had felt as they sat in this box over looking the sands. He had killed men, but that was in the heat of battle. This cold blooded sacrifice of one such as Molly was something else. Life and Death, the powers of the Hunter was his to bear and do with as he would.

A smile wrapped it's way around his face as the Roman stared back at Lily, now she was truly his. The look on her face said it all and now was time to take the last prize she could offer besides all that laid at his feet. Striding with a sure footed stride Labienus pressed Lily against the wall of the small box. Kicking the cold dead corpse of Molly aside he melded his body against LIly's.

His hands travelled slowly down the length of her body,tearing the seams of her clothing with the haste of a man denied. Labienus's mouth sought out Lily's with the eagerness of man drowning and offered a breath of fresh air. Feeling the firmness of vampuric muscle he mourned briefly for the silken warmth of mortal flesh. But laying Lily down on the dust covered stone floor he began to lather attention on the skin of Lily's neck.

She was every bit as desirable in the eternity of vampurism as she had been in the fragilely of mortal flesh. The nuances of her scent and taste improved like the aerating of wine. The gods themselves could not have made a finer woman then they had in Lily.

And so willing did the fawn lay down with the wolf, so eager she was for what he could offer. But Labienus was willing to wager the confusion of what had happened was affecting her mind so. Still it was a sweet pastime this bedding the fawn.

The moment Labienus's mouth descended upon hers, Lily was lost to his will and his lust; his desires became her own.
She almost didn't notice he was lowering her down until her back met the chill of the dusty stone floor, his body eagerly but gracefully crawling atop hers like a wolf establishing dominance over its chosen female.

Lily felt the arousal and desire in her grow even hotter as he began to tear at her clothes like a man whom had not touched a soft female in months, it made Lily feel sexy and desirable... something Lily had never before been allowed to feel.
Here Labienus was, albeit nefarious, but also offering her everything she had ever been denied; he would want her and care for her for rest of forever.
Labienus was her family now and he was all she was ever going to need from now on, her savior... her protector... her man...
Her mouth tilted up as he bared her body to the chill of the air, she pressing her soft sensual lips against his and kissed him like the woman he made her she was.
'I want you' Her voice echoed throughout his mind 'I want all of you'

Her hands moved with sensual grace to disrobe him, caressing and taking in each and every bit of skin she revealed; Labienus was like the finest silk and she was going to relish every touch and caress between them.
"I am... yours, Labienus..." Lily breathed sensually between passionate kissing "Take me... all of me... I am yours... forever..."
Lily was almost certain now from her feelings and also Labienus's possessive behavior that he had claimed her in that oh so special way when he'd bitten her, marking her as his mate for the rest of eternity.
At this point Lily didn't mind that one bit anymore, she would gladly accept Labienus as her mate; she could certainly feel off him that she was special to him...even if he himself wasn't sure why. She just was.

"My strong, sexy and powerful Labienus" Lily purred seductively as her sexy mouth began to nibble along his jaw and down his neck with sensual kisses "I will never desire another, I only want you"
She knew her words would puff up his ego, but she also meant each word; Labienus was everything to her now, he saved her from a world that hated her for being different.
Now together, these two 'different' beings would never be beaten down again.

It had been a hunt to undo every other, but as he boasted to Molly no prey had ever escaped his grasp. And feeling Lily's lips and word set his nerves aflame with desire that transcended the mere dross physical plane Labienus knew another hunt had been successful.

But this was no hunt in the end, the prey had become his, well he didn't know what to call it. She was the first child of darkness the Roman had created, and likely the last. And as he stared down into those blue eyes of Lily the ancient could really care less. She was his in every sense of the word and the Gods help anyone who thought otherwise.

And so they were locked in sensual embrace in the Emperor's box, in the midst of the ruined grandeur of the Colosseum. The cool night air and silver moonlight bathing them and highlighting if at all possible the lusts within burning as great as the thirst in his veins. He could not get enough of the feel of her skin and feared they would be spending little time out of the bedchamber. Not that the idea was a unpleasant one, far from it. After all immortality had it's perks, what was a few decades spent in Lily's arms.

Her hands bared his body to the elements as his did to her. And with that finality out of the way Labienus, former legate and confidant of Caesar took the prize his hunt had won him. The moon sank low into the sky as they consummated the final proof of Lily's surrender to his will.

Realizing the sun was coming out soon he caressed the side of Lily's face in the lazy way of a temporary stated lover. But even as she fulfilled Labienus lust she heightened them. And if not for the threat of the sun these two vampires would have likely stayed here amidst the ancient stones.

"Time to go home." He said with a fang bearing smile, simple enough words but their meaning held the greatest impact. Once more the shift through the metaphysical back to the start of it all. The underground palace of his coven, where he ruled the underworld with an iron fist.
.