Chapter 8 - Bugged

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**Warning**

Wordy (2,633 words)

Information Dump

*SEXUAL CONTENT*

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After breaking almost every moderately priced vase he came across, Calum paced inside his chambers. He was fuming and didn’t know of anything that would sooth his nerves right now. ‘A boy… she called me! ’ he said, leaning against the fireplace. Each time he repeated the word he fumed some more if it were possible. ‘A boy…’. Another vase kissed the wall. An expensive, one of a kind Egyptian vase he found in the tombs of Ramses III, 90 years ago. He needed something to distract him-take his mind of it, before everything he has of value is destroyed. Calum looked at the cherry tree he painted on his wall some time ago and started to count the leaves. He found it soothed him a bit. His anger subsided by bits and pieces, but not fast enough! He tried counting slower and had just reached 60 when he felt a familiar presence.

‘All I had to do to find you, master Calum, was follow the trail of broken vases. They tell me you’ve shown quite the restraint. Last time you were so furious, we nearly lost half our unit’

Calum turned away from the cherry tree and walked over to where his right hand man stood. ‘Where the hell have YOU been, Chase!’ The slow scowling manner in which he said the words would have sent chills up everyone’s spines. ‘You did not return when I did!’

‘I had certain…urges to take care of’. ‘Urges, you say!’ Calum said, trying to sound astonished. ‘Right, right urges…I am  greatly humiliated and yet you find it, taking in the warmth you now generate, the most appropriate time to go for a midnight snack’. ‘Not just any midnight snack’ Chase cautiously let his voice sound while Calum moved away from him.

‘Oh, a special one! I see!’ Calum said, plopping down on the sofa. Chase was one of the few who knew that because of Calum’s age, his power only extended to the units made by him. He couldn’t mentally harm vampires created by his brothers, like Chase. For them he used the samurai blades hidden in the folds of fore mentioned sofa. ‘Pray tell!’

‘Alex…’

‘The redhead hunter?’ Chase nodded and watched as Calum’s face changed. ‘ Hmm, not bad!’ Calum said, realizing where Chase was going with this. ‘I sensed she was weak, but didn’t think her mind was that weak! Apparently I overestimated her’ he mused. ‘Did you manipulate her to release our men?’

‘I tried, it’s not that easy. Her mind is weak, yes, but she’s still a hunter. Setting free vampires is not something that ever crazes their minds. It might take some time’ Chase said a bit disappointed.

‘Let us hope it’s before Lillian decides to play ‘who can spot the sun’ with them. Anything else of use?’

‘Nothing yet! Either she’s good at not thinking about anything, which I doubt, or…’

‘Lillian doesn’t trust her!’ Calum cut him half sentence.

‘Exactly! I could try to take out Lillian?’

‘You can’t touch Lillian!’

‘I have my ways…’

Chase stopped midsentence when Calum send him a, long and very clear, warning look. ‘I see, I’m not allowed to touch Lillian!’

‘That too, but also losing you at this point is not in my favor! Even if you can get past every hunter she has, not including her #1 huntress who’s still on vacation, you can fight Lillian all you want; it’ll still be you that dies. Simply because she’s…’

‘Because she’s?’ Chase cautiously informed, testing to see how much he could get out of Calum.

‘What rank does your redhead have?’ Calum said purposefully dodging the subject.

‘You’re changing the subject master Calum!’

‘I know I am! Which rank?’Calum asked again.

‘None! I think she’s one of the spares. I was planning on cutting her loose, but she has a lot of interesting questions. If she gets the answers to them so will we! Along with everything else they talk about!’

‘Good! Great even! You did well! A humiliation and a “bug” all in one night! Like I said Lillian… Watch your back!’

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Alex couldn’t sleep. The activities of the day made her toss and turn. The rapid healing of the bite mark bothered her the most. Was she transitioning? Was she turning into one of them? ‘Oh God…’ she whispered getting out of bed. This is not what I need right now. After trying to prove myself for a month, with this shit Lillian is sure to kick me out… or kill me… She sighed. … Will she do it before or after the transitioning… knowing Lillian, probably after… She sighed again. …The transitioning? She realized she knew nothing about it. …was it going to hurt? Would she feel different? Should she feel different? It had been 5 hours since he bit her, fed off her; she rolled her eyes, and yet she felt fine. Nothing about her being breathed alien.

Still, she had to know. Maybe there was something strange about her and she missed it. Alex thought of the best person to ask, without Lillian catching wind of it. Putting on a bathrobe she went into the hall. Kat was definitely out of the question. The moment they arrived at HQ, she walked passed everyone with a dark cloud above her head and the plastic bag containing the vamps remains in hand and disappeared into the basement. Not to be seen for the remainder of the night.

The hall was quiet. It appeared as if all were asleep except for Alex. Guess it’ll have to wait until tomorrow… she thought, walking over to the balcony. Maybe the chilly winter breeze would freeze her enough to make her yearn for the warmth of her bed and fall asleep instantly. She turned the corner to meet with Charlotte staring out the huge balcony window. She wasn’t the most favorite choice, but she was a good one. Who better to get answers from than one of the best hunters? No one got close to the top 3, mostly because of their scowling looks, but also because they were always out on jobs. …maybe that’s why they always scowled…  Hoping she might give her answers, Alex gathered some of the little courage she had-took a breath and walked up to her.

‘Couldn’t sleep huh?’ Charlotte said catching a glimpse of Alex in the corner of her eye. ‘Not really, no…’ Alex replied, ‘…you too?’

‘I am not a stranger to these halls…’ Charlotte whispered, running her hand up and down the wall. When she looked at Alex, she could clearly see she was a bit creeped-out by the gesture. Charlotte chuckled and sighed. ‘What do you want Alex? Isn’t it your usual routine to avoid me whenever you see me?’ Charlotte continued when Alex shot her bewildered look.

‘I… uh, I was wondering if I could maybe ask you something! I’ve been thinking about it ever since the Elite vampire was here…’

Charlotte saw some movement at the door behind Alex. She opened the door to her own room and invited Alex inside. Not everyone knew of the meeting with the Elite and she was asked to keep it so.

‘Right, you were saying?’ Charlotte said motioning for Alex to take a seat, sitting down herself. ‘How are vampires created?’ Alex blurted out. Charlotte looked as if she could knock Alex on the head. ‘Alex! Are you kidding me?! That’s…’.’No, wait, I’m sorry that came out wrong. Of course I know HOW they’re created, I was wondering if you know the exact process. You know, from human to vampire?’

‘Why do you ask?’ Charlotte said, looking at her skeptically. ‘My last job, the victim’s neck had bite-marks on it. And they disappeared long before I killed the vamp’ Alex lied. ‘I wanted to know if that’s one of the signs of transitioning’

‘Well, I’m no expert on identifying the signs and I don’t know if that’s one of them. Vampires don’t tend to chit chat with hunters after they’ve been changed, but I have heard rumors of body temperatures rising during the transitioning. Some even say that it hurts like hell, all the organs shutting down simultaneously’

‘All that from a single bite?’

‘Well, the minority of witches say a bite is all it takes. The others say that a blood exchange is necessary. That’s more believable than a simple bite. Else everyone they ever fed from would be a vamp by now. And then where would we be…’

‘You know a witch?’ Alex said, stunned by the wave of information.

‘So do you… Kat!’ Charlotte said, crossing her arms. ‘Don’t tell me you didn’t know that either?’

‘No… I didn’t… never would’ve guessed… Oh dear, I was careless at the river…! I’m glad she didn’t hex me!’

Charlotte sighed. She never thought there was so much Alex didn’t know. No wonder she never made the ranks.

‘She’s not specialized in spells and hexes. She’s an alchemist… All the anti-vampire weapons we use are made by her… I suggest you ask her yourself if you want to know more.’

‘Wow…I mean… wow’ Alex was so overwhelmed by the new Kat revelation that she didn’t even hear Charlotte asking her a question. ‘I’m sorry, what?’

‘I asked if you got the answers you were looking for.’

‘This is all too much to take in… Yes, I think I did! If they say a blood exchange is needed, that it’s safe to say she isn’t in transition…’ Alex felt somewhat relieved, but on her face the sense of unrest lingered.

‘She? Your victim was a woman? Then she’s definitely not turning!’ Charlotte went on after Alex nodded. ‘Vamps don’t turn women. It’s forbidden!’

‘What do you mean forbidden? Don’t tell me Lillian has enough power to do such a thing?’

‘She’d wish! No, she isn’t the one who forbade it. One of the Elite brothers did! I think it was the eldest, but it could’ve also been the second one. I don’t really remember. He forbade it…’ Charlotte continued seeing the huge question mark on Alex’ face, ‘…because she would be the only one of her kind; Automatically elevating her to Queen Status. The last time they had a Queen she nearly drank them to extinction. The Queen mainly feeds on vampires and once in a while on humans, so she’s pretty high maintenance… Actually, I wish someone would make another Queen. Let her wipe them out for good this time. Make our jobs a lot easier’

‘I guess so…’

‘But it’s also a good thing they don’t turn women. All hunters are women -it’s easier for us to keep them under control or to hunt them. Men are weak when it comes to a woman… even supernatural ones. Their urges control them… Being a woman is actually our secret weapon, I’d say. Hmmm, I’m on a roll! Anything else you’d like to know?’

‘Uh, no, I think I’ve had more than enough for one night! Thanks!’

‘I’d ask away if I were you. You might not find me in this mood again! -No? Alright then! But don’t die on a job tomorrow because of something you didn’t ask!’ Charlotte added in her dry-comical way.

Alex chuckled and threw Charlotte another thank you over her shoulder as she left her room in search of her own.

Alex was looking for answers so she could let it all rest. Now she got her answers and a whole lot more, which again, made it very difficult to sleep. Maybe she should’ve gone to the balcony to freeze her petit butt off when it first came up… Kat, a witch? Better be extra careful around her now. Especially the mood she’s been in since Charlotte burned her bike. She may be an alchemist, but she can still learn spells and hexes ...The more important thing was though that of the rumors Charlotte heard about the transitioning –Rising body temperatures and excruciating pains –she had none of those. …Guess he just wanted to feed… but that bite! The feeling he gave me with just that simple bite… Never before had she felt like that with anyone. All her boyfriends left her cold, sexually, after a mere few weeks. And then he comes along and makes her feel like this. Not even arousing her using his hands or anything, just a bite… If all he wanted was to feed… why, then, make me feel all that?

Alex shifted onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She could feel the blood flood her cheeks when she remembered some of the images he made her see. Now that she knew that she wasn’t in the danger of turning, she didn’t feel any guilt for enjoying them then... and not for enjoying them now…

She relived the kiss (bite) he gave her and tried to mimic what it felt like while visualizing him in front of her. The base of her neck started to tingle as it did every time she thought of him. Slowly and a bit hesitantly she ran her finger from that spot at the base of her neck down to between her breasts. The feeling was there, but not quite as intense as with him. With her other hand she stroke her left nipple through her silk nightie until it became hard. The softness of the fabric gave a different sensation than it would were it skin on skin. And there it was… not quite the same feeling, but pretty close… as she continued running her finger down to her naval. Her breathing was quite labored now.

The more she moved her finger down, the more vivid his face came to mind; the dark mane over his right eye- those mysterious green eyes looking at her hungrily; not to feed… no, this was a different kind of hunger… one that matched her own. Or was it her hunger reflecting in his eyes… His lip-rings glistened dangerously when the corners of his mouth lifted into a seductive smile, the moment her hand disappeared into the slip of her nightie.

Every moan she made produce a smile on his lips. Her left hand had, without her noticing, abandoned her left breast and was now giving equal treatment to the other. She imagined him running his eyes over her body as she continued to push her senses, only to have them rest on her lower body where her hand was sending her over the edge… or so she thought. Her vivid image of him took on a life of his own as she imagined him reach down, push away her hand and take over- his green eyes digging deep into hers as he moved his hand at a faster pace than she was. Her moans were now filling the entire room. She nearly came undone when he entered one finger in her warmth, moving in the same pace he started when he took over. Alex took short uneven breaths as her mind became clouded, announcing that she wasn’t far off. He didn’t say anything, not one word… just watched her as she writhed with pleasure. He gave her on last seductive smile, quickened his pace, and pushed her that last mile over the edge. Alex wanted to scream a name… his name… but she didn’t know it…

Her body still shuddered and shocked from the after effects when she opened her eyes a few minutes later. She realized she just had a wonderful and very satisfying orgasm by just imagining him there. A blush colored her already flushed cheeks as she curled herself up into a ball and fell into a deep sleep…

Chase chuckled. ‘… Alex…’