Darkness in the Low Country Ch. 01

A work of fiction inspired by several current Vampire genre as well as ancient myths about supernatural beings. All Characters are fictional.

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Natalie sat at her desk in her large, lavish Manhattan loft surfing the internet. Her loft was large and extravagant and for what she paid for it, it should be, she thought. It was decorated in a mixture of modern, to hundreds of year old antiques, to art and nick knacks even older. They were not haphazardly place in the loft, but flowed together. There were art dealers and antique dealers all throughout the world that would give a right arm to own some of the items in her loft. The kitchen was modern and spotless. She never cooked anyway and when younger never needed to learn, she had servants for that. If one looked out the windows they would see a wonderful view of central park, but Natalie kept them closed off from the outside world with very heavy drapes that were hung so not even a single small ray of sunlight or moonlight could break their barrier. She never had guests to enjoy the view anyway and her neighbors never spoke to her or her them. They shied away from her when she passed them in the hall at night. She did not care, she preferred it that way. She had been alone for a long time and was used to it. Once she had a family, one that loved her and she loved them but they were all dead now and even if they weren't they would not want her around with what she had become and would curse her very existence.

Natalie enjoyed the internet, she thought it was just a marvelous invention and one could find anything on the web, but tonight she was bored, but she had been bored for long time actually. Sighing she glanced at the clock and noticed it was almost three in the morning and she had not eaten that day and she felt the desire for food. Natalie turned off her computer and stood up and decided she had better go get something to eat before it got too late. It was not that she could not find something to eat later or that things would be closed later in the City That Never Sleeps, but she wanted to be home before the sunrise.

Natalie took the time to put on some dark red lipstick and looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She did not wear much makeup and was naturally beautiful lady. Natalie appeared eighteen or nineteen but in truth she was older, she stood five feet seven inches in her bare feet, and her slender body was curved in the right areas, her long, thick, straight, black hair fell to the middle of her back and she brushed it so it covered just a bit of the left side of her face to give her a more seductive look. Her skin was like smooth carved alabaster. She frowned. Once many years ago her skin tone would have been the envy of many a young woman, but today girls go to tanning salons or lay in the sun to burn their skin brown. Sometimes Natalie envied the people, who could lie in the sun and feel its warmth on her body, but the sun was not good for her skin and she would burn easily.

Weighing only one hundred and five pounds her sleek body may appear weak to a lot of people but the ones who knew her knew she was far from weak. Natalie took one last moment and looked at her chest and thought her breasts could have been a little larger and then turned slightly and smiled at the curve of her butt. She was proud of her butt and thought it was her best physical feature. It was small as the rest of her frame but was perfectly shaped. Overall she was satisfied with her looks and had the confidence of knowing she was a true vision of beauty and seductiveness. Natalie knew she oozed sex appeal and sexuality. She had seen both men and women who were not beautiful but sexy and she had seen both men and women who were beautiful who were not sexy, but she knew she had both.

Her confidence in her looks would be considered vain, and yes she knew she could be very vain, but why not? She had every reason to be. After all, at one time men wrote poetry praising her charm, her gracefulness and her beauty. Yes she had confidence and arrogance about her and it showed in everything she did form the way she moved and talked and even just stood listening and observing. After all she had been through in her life; Natalie knew to show weakness was a death sentence.

She was dressed in a black, pleated mini skirt that flared out at the hem and a black and red bust line corset that had a series of thin harness straps that ran from the bust line and back of the corset to a choker collar around her neck. She put on a pair of well-polished black leather riding boots that came up just below her knees and felt how she was dressed was good enough for just a quick meal and then back home.

The young woman walked to the door and took a black leather waist jacket off the coat rack and put in on. She did not bother to zip it up. It was not cold outside, as a matter of fact it was June in New York and the night air could be warm and humid, but she did not care. Natalie like the jacket on her and the heat did not bother her anyway.

Natalie was walking on the sidewalk deciding where she should go eat. She knew of several places she could go and where she had eaten before but she could not make up her mind. She would have time to figure it out before it got too late and decided just to enjoy the clear night. She passed several people, some drunk, some not, leaving their clubs or parties and the streets were alive with yellow taxi cars being flagged down by the night goers. She smiled as she thought of the people who partied well into the early morning and acted as if they owned the night; they knew nothing of the night or what terrors it could hold.

When Natalie walked by them some of the drunken men would give her cat calls or call out to her while other men and a few women just stared at her to admire her beauty as she walked by. She ignored them, she wanted food right now not sex. Once a very drunk young man stumbled into her, looked down at her pretty face and tried to grab her butt. She looked at him before his hand got close and he suddenly seemed to sober up and back away and then grabbed his friend by the arm and almost ran to the subway tunnel entrance.

Over all she liked New York even if she preferred the older cites of Europe such as Paris and Rome...she frowned when she thought of Rome, the city of her birth. It had been years since she had seen Rome but she knew she could not go home. To go home was to die. She was banished from the city by an authority more powerful and older than the Catholic Church.

"One day," She said aloud, "One day I will see it again, even if I am to die, one day I will see my home again."

Yes she liked the city but she was bored and wanted something different, plus she knew she was wearing out her welcome and some wanted her gone and one day those that did would strike and she would have to flee or fight, and there were very few people in the word Natalie would flee from so she knew it would end in bloodshed, but she had grown weary of bloodshed and death. As she walked she now had two things to think about, where to eat and where she would go next.

"Maybe Japan, I have never been to Japan and I heard they are different in their rules and laws." She mumbled to herself. "More traditional; I would like that; I hate some of the modern ways of America."

Talking aloud to herself and it was a habit she had for a very long time, being alone for such a long period in her life it just became a habit she could not break. She thought of Japan or other places she would move to, older places; but she knew she would not move there. For some reason she could not explain she was drawn to another city in the Americas, a Southern City. Every time she used the internet to find places to live when she escaped New York her search always brought her to the city of Charleston in South Carolina. She did not know why and she had never been to the Southern parts of this country but it was always there haunting her.

She walked down Central Park West and soon found herself on the corner of West 113th street near Harlem and noticed the sidewalk was empty of people the further she was from Manhattan and the street became less crowded of cars. There were a few people still on the street, but they were the homeless and small groups standing under the street lights drinking their addiction from bottles hidden in small brown paper bags. She turned up 113th Street toward the Hudson River. Any girl with her looks and age would know better to be on this street at this time of morning in this city, but Natalie was not afraid. It had been many years since she had felt true fear. She walked another block and stopped and smiled.

"You can come out now, Dante. I know you have been following since I left my loft." She said without turning around.

A man stepped from and alley and onto the street behind her. Natalie turned to see the man who had been following her.

Dante stood six foot two inches and had light brown hair that came down to his shoulders in an unkempt way that made it look very sexy. He was a handsome man, extremely handsome, and Natalie knew that under his clothes he had a very athletic body. She had seen it many times. Dante was dressed like he had just left a night club. His baby blue button down silk shirt glimmered from the light of the street lamp and was tucked into a pair of black slacks that Natalie knew were not made from some cheap material. His shoes were also black leather that would have cost most people at least a week's paycheck. He was very handsome, she thought, and they had once shared history and passion together but that was the past.

"When are you going to stop watching and following me, Dante?" Natalie asked.

The man shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you are okay."

"Make sure I was okay or told to watch and follow me to make sure I behaved?" The girl snapped back.

"That's not fair, Julia. I don't belong or report to Slavic. You know that. But I do show him the respect he deserves, as should you. He is concerned about you and why you are here."

Natalie laughed and it was a musical pleasant laugh to hear. "If I wanted Slavic's position I could cut his heart out and take it like that." She snapped her fingers. "And call me Natalie, that's the name I use now."

Dante smiled and walked closer to the young lady. "True and he knows it and that is why he is afraid. He is gathering his strength, Juli...Natalie. He wants you gone or dead, preferably dead. You can kill him easily we both know, but he has his followers and combined they will move against you. You would kill some...more than some, but eventually they would get you."

Natalie shrugged, "Let them come then. I don't want his position. You tell him that. I am done with that world, Dante. I have been for years. I just want to be left alone."

Dante sighed, "You may not want to be a part of it but you are a part of it, Ma Chérie, and you know for us to be alone is death. We can't last alone, especially you. The Council still has a grudge against you."

"Fuck the Council! They punished me and made me leave Rome! They should be satisfied with that!" Natalie inhaled deeply to calm herself. "Tell Slavic I am leaving the city anyway. I am bored here."

Dante raised an eyebrow, "Oh where to this time."

Natalie shrugged again, "I don't know and if I did I wouldn't tell you."

Dante laughed, "Was I that bad, Ma Chérie? Did I not please you?"

Natalie gave the man a seductive smile filled with promises and walked closer to him. When she stood just inches away she rose on her tip toes and kissed him passionately on the lips and then kissed his neck as he put his arms around her.

"You gave me great pleasure, Dante." Natalie pushed him away and laughed at him. "But that was the past, my petit garcon."

Dante smiled at her, "Well if I can't share your bed how about I join you for a meal."

Natalie shook her head, "No I don't like your table manners. You eat too much and are sloppy when you eat."

"Ah, Ma Chérie, I remember when you used to enjoy our meals together and your appetite was more ravishing than mine. I remember how you were never sated in your appetite."

"Yes, but things change and so have I."

Dante laughed, "Oh, Natalie, you will never change. You were feared at one time and you enjoyed it. You will see, Ma Chérie, one day the old Julia will return."

Natalie smiled, "No, Dante, that part of me is over. If they come for me I will defend myself, but I just want to be alone. Now go and be a good messenger boy and tell Slavic."

Dante nodded, "I will tell him."

Natalie turned to leave when Dante called out to her.

"Natalie, she is also looking for you." He told her as she turned her back to him and an evil smile played on his lips. He knew that would get her attention.

It had been a long time since Natalie felt fear and she felt it crawl up her back at Dante's words.

"H...How do you know?" She asked without turning around.

"I have heard. No one tells her where you are, most still fear her, even the Council, and they fear what you and she could do when the two of you are together again. They all remember what the two of you did in Rome and cities in Europe, so they don't tell her. You would be safer if you joined Slavic. Pledge yourself to him and he can help protect you from her. If you pledge yourself to him, other cities would ally with him and together they could stop her. Or go back to the Council and beg forgiveness once more. Show them you are truly sorry. Then there are the Templars. Rumor is that they are once again searching our kind."

Natalie turned, "I would never pledge or give an oath to someone as weak as Slavic. He could never stand up to Cassandra and we both know it. As for the Council, they should have no grudge against me anymore. I have paid for my crimes with them and I have paid dearly, you know that. I will never beg the Council for anything ever again!" Again she inhaled deep to calm herself. "She won't find me; if she could she would have by now. And I don't fear the Templars. We have not been at war with them in over a hundred years."

Dante smiled, "She is looking for something else also. No one knows what but she is searching. She will find you...Julia...when she is ready she will find you."

Natalie frowned, "And why do you care, Dante? Why this sudden concern for my health. Even when we were together you did not care for my well being; all you cared about was the sex."

The man put his hand over his heart, "Ah you wound me dearly, Ma Chérie." He said mockingly and then frowned, "Just a warning, Natalie, that is all. Regardless of your cruel words we were friends once and for that I owe you the warning."

Natalie laughed as she turned away and started walking down the street. "Friends? We don't have friends, Dante. You know that. Friendships are a weakness we can't afford." She said over her shoulder.

The woman walked closer to the river and the buildings were becoming more run down and she thought of what Dante told her but she would think on that later. Her desire to eat was starting to weigh on her. She came to another street corner and saw three men under the street light sharing a bottle and smiled. When she walked closer they looked at her and all three grinned.

"Well, well, look what we have here. You lost, little girl?" The largest of the three asked her, took a long pull on the bottle and handed it to one of the other men.

"I...I think so...I...I don't know where I am at." Natalie answered in a scared voice as she walked closer.

The men laughed. "We can help you." A second man said.

Suddenly the larger man grabbed Natalie and twisted her body so that he was holding her tight in his arms standing behind her.

"Stop! Help! Please...please let me go. I...I don't have much money but...but what I have I will give to you...please let me go." She begged and struggled and tried to break free.

One of the other men pulled a knife and put the blade to her throat. "Stop struggling, it's not money we want, baby. Bring her in the alley and let's have some fun."

The men dragged a screaming and struggling Natalie in the alley and she was pushed on the ground. When she tried to stand the larger man hit her in the stomach knocking her back to the dirty street.

"Now, girl, this can go either two ways. You give us what we want or we take it. If we have to take it it's going to be a lot harder on you."

"Ok...ok...I will, please don't hurt me...please." She begged. "What...what do you want?"

"Good girl." The man said, "Damn she's a pretty one too. We got lucky tonight boys." The other men laughed. "Now stay on your knees and make daddy happy." He told Natalie as he unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down to his knees.

"I am so glad you took option one, but sadly for you ole Jim here, well he likes to get a little rough. Now crawl over here and suck this cock.

Natalie smiled and looked up at the man, "You know, I think there is an option three."

"Oh what's that?" Ole Jim asked.

"Either one of you dies or you all die. You choose and if you choose all of you then it's going to be a lot harder on you."

All three men laughed and then suddenly the smallest man stopped laughing when Natalie appeared behind him in a blink of an eye, twisted his neck, and he fell to the street dead with a look of surprise still on his face. Natalie looked at the other too and opened her mouth and made noise, it was not a scream nor a hiss nor any words, but to the two other men it sounded like someone or something opened the gates of hell and the men noticed that her upper cuspid teeth were fangs and her brown eyes had turned blood red.

"Wh...wh...what...are you." The largest man asked in a scared voice.

Natalie ignored him and looked at Ole Jim, "Run along now, Jim. I don't need you tonight."

Jim turned and started to run and then suddenly his legs would not work. "Oh, Jim, in the future, please be nice to the ladies, ok?" Jim nodded, he was so scared he could not talk, and suddenly his legs worked again and he ran and left his friend to the mercy of the girl...or the monster.

Natalie walked seductively to the only man left, still with his pants down to his knees. She got within inches of him, reached down and grabbed his limp penis and shook her head.

"Tsk tsk...and you thought this pathetic thing would give me pleasure tonight. Humans are so silly sometimes." She teased.

"Wh...why...why me...why...why did you let Jim go."

The man was terrified at the thing before him. It was not only the fact in less than a second she was suddenly off her knees in front of him, appeared behind his friend, snapped his neck like it was a twig, she had fangs, her eyes were as red as blood, and the sound that came from her mouth froze his blood. All of that would have terrified him, but there was something else; something more powerful. The was an evil that now surrounded the girl. Something pure evil, unforgiving, and merciless. The man urinated from fear.

"Ohhh...ick!" Natalie said as she felt the man's urine hit her hand on his penis and she wiped her hand on the man's shirt.

"Gesh, Frank. That was really uncalled for you know. Death is not so bad. Yes there is going to be pain, and I am going to make it hurt...oh I can make it hurt so badly," Natalie giggled. "I can make it not hurt or hell even feel good, but sadly, Frankie Boy, you really deserve to be hurt so it's going to hurt...it's going to hurt real bad. Eventually the pain ends and well...you die. So see not too bad. Now granted where your soul is going after you die is not going to be good I am sure, but that's not up to me."

Frank wanted to run, but he couldn't move. He tried and tried and his mind kept screaming for his legs to move but they wouldn't.