Chapter Two
       He was a predator. His eyes flashed red as he watched the woman leaving the Tavern of the Nine Bells with another Lady of the night. They were laughing as he silently followed, wrapping the shadows about himself in a lover’s embrace. He waited for the two to separate, as he knew they would. Ladies of the Night always made the best meals because they did not stay in-group like normal people would in the dark London night. After a few minutes, he saw the black haired Lady and the red head split and followed the blacked haired one down a dark alley, perfect choice, he thought to himself.
As he followed her into the alley, he took a better look at her. Although the lamps were not yet light for the evening, he had no problem seeing in the dark.
       She was wearing a faded blue dress that seemed to be made of soft material. He thought of how it would feel on the back of his hand as he ran it from her small ankles up to the tender flesh of her inner thigh… He shook his head clearing it. Darien, what is wrong with you? He thought as he followed her.
       Then his eyes drifted to her raven black hair that was in a French braid that neatly bisected her back. He imagined how it would feel in his hands as he freed it and crushed it between his fingers as he kissed her. The sudden clatter of a rock bouncing off his boot brought him back to reality. He cursed as he watched her start at the noise and run past the corner.
        What kind of idiot are you? He asked himself sternly, she is a London whore and barely worth your notice even for a quick feed! Moreover, you probably have just ruined that with your damned daydreaming!  However, regardless of what his good sense was telling him, he could not help but think of her. He closed his eyes and immediately her image appeared before him. He thought of what it would be like to press her against his hard chest as he kissed her his tongue dueling with hers. The smell of her would permeate the air as he loosened her hair from its hold, the silky strands falling between his fingers and down her back. Then he would push back from her kneading her breasts through the soft material of her gown. His fingernail would elongate into a sharp talon as he cut the ties her pert breasts bursting forth from her gown for his eyes only. He would bend down and suckle on them drawing the nipple into his mouth making her moan for him. The discomfort of his pants brought him back to reality as he shook his head watching her approach with a customer.
       As she, lead the first poor and unattractive man down the alleyway the sharp smell of sulfur permeated the air from the match he had just struck. He used it to light a cigarette and slowly smoked it as he watched the man’s brutal assault on the poor Lady of the night. Even as he crushed, it out the man was throwing the coins at her in disgust and walking away. He watched her pick them up, apparently very much in need of the money, and walk back around the corner, her hips swaying in a manner that made him want to take her on the cobblestones and damn those watching.
       A few minutes later, the theatre let out and he saw the crowd filter past. He was wondering why he was still standing around and not trying to find another meal. She came back a few minutes later with another man a gentile one this time apparently fresh out of the theatre. As soon as he saw the man, he felt the presence of evil. He suddenly felt the need to pick her up and away from the situation.
       What is it with me this evening? I should be away from here already, not trying to play knight in shining armor for a Lady that is obvious no damsel.
       Suddenly he realized why he was feeling worried as he watched the man bring up a sharp knife and slash the throat of the Lady.
Almost before he knew what was happening he was on the man and had broken his neck. He threw the body against the wall of the building where it hit and landed with a sickening thud as the bones in the dead body broke.
       Seth I need you to meet me in front of the theatre quickly, he called mentally to his driver.
       He sat down next to her not waiting or expecting a response, and cradled her head in his lap as he licked the jagged wound, cleanly sealing it as he did so. The blood entering his mouth was like the finest wine he had ever tasted, but he ignored the sensation it caused as he healed her wounds, including the ones on her arms.
        Am I in heaven? She thought as her eyes fluttered open. The pain in her neck told her otherwise. I guess I am in hell then, she thought sadly, as she looked at the man bent over her. He doesn’t look like a demon or the devil, she thought. As her eyes fluttered closed, her life flashed before her and she mourned the loss of her childhood innocence.  Soon she did not have the energy to care as the world slowly faded to black again around her.
       He was looking down at her when he saw her eyes open and then flutter closed again. After he finished healing her wounds, he laid her gently in his lap. He pulled a dagger from his belt and ran the sharp edge across his wrist. As the blood began to well at the surface he tipped her head back letting the blood slowly drip into her mouth.
       “Drink, Chère,” was all he said, and when he was convinced that she had had enough, but was not turned, he sealed his wound with a quick flick of his tongue over the wound.
       He picked her up gently and walked out of the alley. He stood on the corner while he waited acting as if it was a normal thing to be carrying a woman covered in blood.
       He didn’t wait long before the mahogany carriage pulled up. Seth raised an eyebrow at his lord, but said nothing as he stepped down and opened the door help him place the Lady inside.
       He stepped in and as soon as he heard Seth climb into driver’s seat, he knocked on the roof and prepared for the long ride home.
       When he arrived home an hour later, he gingerly picked her up and carried her into the house. He looked around glad that his valet, Mars, was not awake. The last thing he needed right now was the look he would surely see on his old friend’s face.
       He walked with her into the Sitting room, not having had time to prepare a guest room just yet, as everyone was sleeping, and set her gently on the settee.
       Her face now was not as pale as before and he nodded, smiling as he placed her head back on the settee. Looking down at her, he realized she had passed into a rejuvenating healthy sleep.
       He stripped the ruined, blood soaked dress off her, and threw it into the blazing fire that was in the room for his return. He left the room briefly and returned with a basin of water and a clean towel.
       He carefully washed her body, his own making demands of him that he hadn’t felt or even thought of in centuries. He looked down at her thinking of how much like an angel she appeared in sleep, certainly nothing like the Lady of the night he knew her to be. Then he covered her with a light blanket before he snuffed the lamps and moved to the library to work.
       “Was it another profitable evening, milord?”
       Darien jumped, and looked up from his desk, where he had been working for the past hour. “Damn it Mars, you scared me!” Nevertheless, Darien smiled at the Valet who had been with him for more years than he dared count.
       “I am sorry, Milord. I noticed we had a guest this evening, and when I came to inquire about the length of her stay you were so entrenched in your ledgers, I had to ask,” The man had a sly smile on his face, damn him, thought Darien.
       “Well, it has been as profitable as any,” He responded to the man’s earlier inquiry, “And as to the Lady,” he shook his head, “I am not yet sure.”
       The man nodded before saying, “Is there anything you require before retire for the evening?”
“No, thank you Mars. I believe I can see to the rest of my needs this evening” He watched his valet leave the room, closing the door behind him and sighed. What was he going to do with strange Lady of the Night? Oh, he had ideas.