Tasting Andrew

DJ swept the beam of his flashlight along the paved pathway littered with wet leaves as he made his way down toward the riverbank. The thundering of the cataracts of the river and the occasionally rustling of the leaves by the chilling breezes were the only sound. Steve, his partner had taken the path away from the river in search of the “incident” that had been called into the station. The caller had only provided sketchy details of some nefarious activities within the wooded section of the Riverfront Park before the call was lost.

Fortunately, the strong storm passing through the area had kept down any wild antics and mischief which were the hallmarks of Halloween especially in a town that was home to a sizeable university.

As DJ made his way along the path toward the jumble of rock outcroppings and boulders, his flashlight exposed a gruesome sight. Sprawled across at large outcropping that gave the appearance a stone altar was the naked body of a young man with his head thrown back in the throes of final pain and his eyes staring dully into the night sky.

“Steve, over here!” yelled DJ once he gained his senses from the shock of the horrid display laid out before him. With closer inspection, DJ could see the bite marks scattered across the naked boy’s body and then his stomach churned as he realized that a bloody wound marked the crotch of the corpse where the young man’s penis had once been. The penis had been viciously torn from the body and had been shoved into the ass of the young man. A cape had been tossed aside near the body.

Steve had answered DJ’s yell and confirmed that he was on his way. DJ quickly removed his phone and snapped photos quickly in what little time that he had before his partner arrived on the scene. DJ realized that this may be what Victor had shared earlier this month as to brutal incidents and knew that his friend might be much help in determining exactly what DJ’s eyes had discovered. Despite the carnage of the scene that DJ beheld, there was little evidence of blood except for a scattering of streaks and swirls across the stone ledge. The entire display seemed to be unsettlingly ritualistic. Steve arrived crashing through the nearby brush and stopped in his tracks as his flashlight joined DJ’s into exposing the horrific scene under a harsh glare.

“Holy Mother of God!” exclaimed the police officer as his mind struggled to process what carnage lay before him and DJ.

“I don’t think that there is anything holy about this,” murmured DJ to himself.

Victor’s House

Asleep in Yagna’s embrace, my thoughts into sleep than drifted into the dreamscape. The visit of my old friend had obviously triggered my memories of our first adventures in the lush jungles of pre-colonial India. We would often explore the dense tangles of wilderness near the palace and my memories had conjured up the landscape of the first time that Yagna and I had become intimate. I had followed the prince deep into a portion of the jungle of which I had not explored.

“I know your secrets, Victor,” announced Yagna as he placed his hand upon my shoulder as I peered into the dense foliage of the jungle. I braced myself for the likely dismissal from this man’s royal presence.

I had been careful to keep my activities at court to a minimum since I had arrived to tutor the prince in the ways and culture of the westerners. Occasionally, some sleepy guard from the midnight watch would serve my need to feed, but had I restrained myself from being intimate with any of them. This was the truth of the matter until I encountered a young recruit to the prince’s personal guard a few nights previously. Unlike the guards from who I had sipped, this young muscled fellow by the name of Rajesh was different. I encountered Rajesh standing attentively near the balcony of the prince’s chambers as I strolled along the parapets. He recognized me as Yagna’s tutor and we fell into an amicable discussion. The young man’s attraction became apparent.

Into the shadows we slipped as I enjoy him and he enjoyed me likewise. Rajesh and I kissed and pawed at each other as we explored each quickly as to not make the young guard derelict of his watch. I flipped his muscular frame in my embrace to hold him tightly from behind. I grasped his hardening manhood as he leaned his back against my chest and I nuzzled his neck as I brought him to a furious climax. My fangs striking as he leaned back against me exposing his neck and groaned announcing his approaching orgasm. I fed deeply as he shuddered in my arms. His muscled ass pushed against my throbbing cock, but time would not allow us to pursue that pleasure further. Obviously, from Yagna’s words, we had not hidden our passionate encounter deep enough into the shadows.

“I witnessed you with Rajesh outside my chambers earlier this week,” stated Yagna without any measure of animosity but with a hint of curiosity.

I noted that the prince called the young watchman by name. I turned to look into Yagna’s eyes to gauge where this conversation was heading.

“Rajesh and I have been close,” admitted the prince carefully choosing his words. “but never dared to cross that boundary. I watched you take him, Victor, and I know what you are. I love Rajesh and now you know what my secrets as I know yours.”

I could sense an excited yearning in Yagna’s mind. At first, I was concerned that I would be the object of a jealous rage since I had seduced his friend, and possibly lover. But what I sensed was a mixture of relief and arousal.

“Rajesh came to me last night,” calmly explained Yagna further. “You awakened in him a passion and strength which gave him the courage to share my bed. I thank you for that and the experience that you gave Rajesh.” Yagna closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he remembered watching me seduce the young man. The encounter had been intensely passionate as I led the handsome Rajesh into waves of pleasure of which I am sure he had never allowed himself to experience.

The jungle seemed to hold its breath as I waited for Yagna’s next words.

“I thank you, my friend the vampire,” boldly spoke Yagna peering into my eyes. Before I could react to the prince’s announcement, Yagna grasped my face and pulled me into a passionate kiss. He broke the kiss suddenly and pulled away. “I want to feel what Rajesh felt and I want you to experience the rush of the hunt. Catch me, vampire, and I am yours.” Yagna exploded into the jungle racing away from me. I stood stunned by the turn of events.

My predatory instincts kicked in and I ran tearing into the woods, but at a controlled speed to extend the thrill of pursuit. Yagna’s familiarity with this section of the jungle provided the prince an advantage, but my heightened senses allowed me to keep pace with him. I burst into a break in the foliage and was greeted to a view of an azure pool being fed from a high narrow waterfall. A figure of man splashed to the surface at the point where the falling water splashed into the inviting pool. The memory seemed familiar, but something was different in the dreamscape of my mind. I focused upon the figure standing waist-deep in the splashing water which should have been that of the inviting nakedness of my friend, Yagna, but the form was unfamiliar within this context. I cautiously approached the man who slowly turned to me and I gazed into the face and somber eyes of the same man whom I had seen in my previous dream on the bridge. The sky darkened and slight breeze ruffled the trees and seemed to build.

“Who are you waiting for?” the handsome stranger asked of me with his arms outstretched inviting me to join him with a sense of urgency. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to gaze into the eyes of my new, young friend, Andrew. Slightly behind Andrew, Joe stood protectively.

“He is waiting for you, Victor,” stated Andrew urging me on. Joe nodded in positive support. The breeze had turned into a steady wind and the smell of smoke was carried upon it. A dull roar was building in the distance.

“He needs you, Victor,” comment Andrew sensing the approaching threat.

“We all need you,” added Joe as all eyes turned to the sky which was darkening with smoke and a dull light of flames. The heat was extreme and suddenly the landscape was engulfed into the fiery maelstrom crashing into the jungle consuming everything in its path.

The dreamscape shifted to another much more ancient memory. The sky was dark and still angry with flames but the source of the conflagration was the monastery of which I had called my home over a thousand years ago. I felt my younger self trembling with a mix of fear and rage as I was tossed to the ground at the feet of a threatening figure. The man seized me by my shoulders and bared his monstrous fangs. He plunged them into my bare chest as he held me. I screamed as the fangs pierced my heart and my head tossed in agonizing pain as this beast of a man took me, giving me the bite that would determine my future life. Within my gaze, just as darkness was descending upon me, I saw the fluttering battle flag held aloft behind the man. The black banner was emblazoned with a red crescent sliced diagonally by three ragged slashes.

Darkness fell suddenly with an agonizing sound as if all the world was screaming in unison.

I awoke alone in my bed, drenched in sweat despite the chilly air of the autumn morning.

Yagna appeared at the doorway with a concerned look on his nobleface.

“There is a young man downstairs,” announced Yagna with concern of my apparent distress. “He seems very insistent upon speaking with you.”

“Andrew?” I questioned even though I could sense the boy’s presence. Yagna nodded.

I pulled myself from the tangle of my covers.

“Yag, please tell him that I will be right down,” I asked as I attempted to clear my head and to put myself together.

“I will fix us some tea,” added Yagna helpfully. “while you get dressed.” My friend made a hasty exit as I pulled upon a sweatshirt and sweatpants over my damp and trembling body. My mind was still trying to piece together the messages from the dreamscape through which my mind had traveled as I headed downstairs to see Andrew.