Chap 5: The Ceiling of Stars (1st revis)

The next evening , when I woke, I heard the voice of my uncle in conversation . He was sitting in kitchen. A woman's voice answered gently. I stood a minute in the doorway . Both my uncle and Liz looked up at me . The conversation stopped. Liz smiled, as she sipped her coffee . My uncle acted restless. He looked at Liz, who admired me.

“ Told you there was nothing wrong with you when the school nasty note home last winter. “ Her blue eyes were merry as she watched me. She turned to my uncle, “ Shoo, you. You wanted me to do this, you coward. Let me do the lady thing with this lovely creature. “ My uncle gathered up his coffee cup and gracefully retreated. She patted the chair  he had vacated. “Get your coffee first.,” she commanded, She sipped her coffee watching me.I pulled a cup from the cupboard,filling it.” I returned to the chair as commanded. Liz looked me over.  “ Well, at least, you got to finish high school. Some don't and have to finish on line, or home school if they are lucky enough to have someone that knows how.” She took another sip from her cup. Fairy pajamas?  I was afraid you would have run out and bought a flowing white nightgown, so you could hold onto the obligatory candle as you run down the stairs.”

“We don't have a spiral staircase anyway, “ I laughed.

Liz leaned forward.  “ So shall we have our sex talk? Some of what they told you when they did the sex lectures for your human classmates  , is true. We are built the same inside. So , though I couldn't imagine doing it with one of their men, I have heard that it can be done. . If you are fertile, and we will know soon enough, it is theoretically possible that a liaison outside the species could produce something that is neither. Tease in a scene  but don't deliver if possible. Nature made this easier for us. We can only get pregnant four times a year. Usually around the Equinoxes and Solstices. We don't menstruate, we do estrous. Well, a kind of one anyway  No flow. You get almost six months off for recovery and bad behavior with your mate after you have given birth.  “

'Which is a heat?” Remembering my biology class, I sat back staring at her. Liz nodded, rising to refill her cup. Her long fingers played against the side as she sat back down.

“ Its very intense . The men follow where we lead on this. Just like their human counterparts, they sometimes think with something other than their logical mind. Unlike those males , they get a break from that between heats. Its pleasurable to both , and its lady's choice. Where you lead, he will follow if he likes you at all. If he likes you enough , he will mark you as his. You get to mark him as well. It warns the rest of the community to back off that you are both claimed. Usually , it is enough. Sometimes, one of you will have to kick ass of someone trying to move into your territory.” She was amused as she watched the information filter through my expression. 'I allow an additional ten days before and after when it should be. Just to be safe on pregnancy . The timing is not precise, its not that the Equinox comes .then we all do it at the same time, If you watch the calendar, you don't need to get any birth control. We aren't susceptible to the known STD's., including AIDS. “

“Did you just tell me that I can have sex outside of that time and not get pregnant?”

“I did. Now that is a real gift from Mother Nature, I would say.”

I sat back stunned. The young women  at school were always told not to spread their legs. I could if I wanted. I thought of Henri's reaction to Big Bud earlier in the week, of what had been said about his hard wiring , jealousy and possessiveness  regarding me. Liz giggled. “ This is why your uncle did not want to deal with this. As your parent by proxy, he felt it was giving you permission before you both were ready.. I will warn you though , there have been nasty fights over females who are a little too available . Sometimes to the death, so I would say ,be picky. You don't want the reputation of a whore. Men like their women to be exclusive. ”

'Whoa .And the men?”

“They are men. Many are exclusive. Some are not. “

“ Sexually, we  don't share automatically. There are things about which you will extremely possessive . It applies to sex, it applies to your feed or your  kill. We feel everything deeper in that regard. It certainly applies to your young.  You might say of the known two species of humans, we are the more primal. . “

“I think that I experienced that with my first feed. I seem to remember that moment.” Liz nodded. 'Remember that under all that posing and bravado, the guys have emotions as well, There is more puffery as it nears. I think its like being the last man standing at musical chairs. . You have to deal with them in the off times, so try to remember to have a heart , especially if you have to drive a male off as not your choice. “

“ So if I choose a mate, deciding to be exclusive, I have to choose someone who not only is attractive, but a good provider in other ways, ready to rip out the throat of all rivals and threats, respects me, will be protective of our young, is also exclusive, as well as my original wish list?  “ I thought that I was being funny but Liz was solemn as she nodded.

“Some of that is hard wired. Now the bad news, many of the men come from earlier times , no matter how young they appear to be. That means earlier ideas about how you must behave. Try to look for attitudes that are not in opposition to your own, or mostly not. Its hard to sell feminism to a man who may have sailed with Columbus , saw Shakespeare perform live and mean the bard not the play .  Forever is a long time. You have to watch them to know. Pay attention to their scent which becomes a darker muskier  if they are. interested. Your body will react . Your scent will change in reaction so they will know.  They also have the same visual indicators as their human counterparts. Matings do not usually come apart without someone dying. “ She stopped. “ You are lucky to be with this colony. Jean Paul is pretty progressive . We are not chained . We keep our own money , He frowns on beating us . He even believes in education. The law , technically , favors the men. I believe that he was kind to Sophie. “

'There are colonies that chain women? That beat them?” I had not expected that.

Liz nodded sadly “ You are his property under the law, the young are your property but as his property , what is yours is his. Some of the men are very old. It is a hard thing to change. I hear rumors that the Council is considering modifying it but what rational being would part with rights which favor them. “

“Who is the Council?

“They make and enforce the laws. Most of the Colonies share the same laws . It keeps peace between the colonies. It provides help if a male is faced with a threat that is from outside,that requires more than his own efforts. Some of the Council members have political jobs on the outside as well, to watch that the laws out there, do not threaten us in here. “

“ So we follow both sets of laws?”

“ IRS does not care if you are a vampire. They want their money. We try not to attract too much attention, good or bad. It can be frustrating if you are extremely talented or skilled. One of the hardest things to do , especially for the men is not rip the throat out of a threat to mate and young on the spot if they are in public. His instinct is to do just that. His logical mind has to tell him to walk away. That is a tough balancing act. We tend to stay with our own as much as possible. Its just more comfortable.”

It was a lot to absorb. I decided that I would tread carefully as I learned my way around the colony. Henri had encouraged caution in a hunt, now Liz was advocating the same . Primal but with logic and responsibility, 

“Its alright, that's why your scent marks you as a fledgling. It allows for more mistakes. Expect to be corrected for awhile. If its too severe, your uncle will be told. ' She scanned my face. “ It will be alright. If you make a mistake , offer amends . Usually they are accepted. Its not a perfect world, there will be some who just do not like you or you them. “ She stood up and walked over the counter , indicating that I should follow.

On the counter , sat a can of coffee , a bottle of orange juice, a box of beef broth, a small steak , some potatoes and a box of spice tea. I picked each item up in turn. “ Okay, “ I puzzled “ I give. What so these things have to do with being , well, what we are? “

“ Each of those things have a purpose,” she stated. “ I spoke to you of control for you and your partner . The coffee and tea keep us warmer. The orange juice helps to control your blood sugar. It is best used in combination with the steak or real hamburger cooked very rare , and mashed potato.”

“ And the beef broth ?”

“You use it instead of milk and butter to make your potatoes. Instant are okay but fresh is better.  If you can get beef blood from a butcher without drawing attention so much the better. Beef gravy is pretty much useless. You can use au jus in a restaurant. The hungrier that you are , the more likely that you will make mistakes. Mistakes are costly when it comes to a hunt. When you are cold, and one of the humans touch you, it alarms them . You should try not to alarm your prey. Its not a moral decision , its dinner. Chances are you would not have bothered that young couple in the woods the other night or you would have killed them without a thought,  but you needed some immediate relief. Henri wanted you to be able to concentrate on what you needed to learn. Bud and Sheila, he wanted to savage them but you were scared and hurting, So he did the next best thing. It solved both problems. Its a substitute not a way to live. Fear, sex, stress , anger,pregnancy, nursing all deplete your feed. So does  giving birth. You will need more sooner. You need the psychological effect of the hunt as much as the blood. “

“ I didn't feel much of a rush the other night, even though I did feel relief.”

“You played scenes. We usually play scenes. Its easier. But when you get have a heat, logic pretty much is the victim. It is then that we get reminded of who we are. A mating couple interrupted by an innocent  wandering into their range, will be pulled down. Accept that part of you is occasionally going to be dominant. The rush from the hunt fuels the sex, the sex feeds the need to hunt. Add the hard wiring and the mixture is explosive. Its how we have survived. “

“The stories about vampires?

Liz took a breath. “ Largely propaganda and misrepresented stories of loss of control. Look at Stoker's book. All scenes, that were played on the humans. It wasn't that Van Helsing was so clever but that the Count got involved with dinner emotionally. Add Victorian morality to the tale and you pretty much have it. He was doomed to lose because society could not have it otherwise. Play your scene , drink your fill and move on. Its not a romance novel.  “

A few weeks later ,I learned the meaning of heat. It burned inside and out. Clothes made my nipples bleed. Lightest nylon felt like heaviest wool . I took to wearing gauze outside, My  uncle avoided me when possible, He was uncomfortable when he couldn't. My mood was frequently set on extremely irritable. I tried to walk it off. It wasn't working. I often sat on the large rock below the bluffs, watching the surf roll . Everywhere some of the young males that I barely knew showed off for  me. They were children. I sent them away.  I cried  as the wind blew over my body. I welcomed the solitude. A scent that I knew well  came from behind me.

“ Do you want to be alone or could you stand a friend?” Henri watched me from about a foot away. He was wearing a blue plaid shirt with a white tee shirt underneath , covering faded blue jeans.

“ Seems to me you have enough friends” I blurted. I indicated the human beach bunnies. He shrugged, moving onto the rock. “ Outside of the obvious , what's bugging you?”

I turned to him , fury in my  eyes. “ I like someone who doesn't like me back, I think.” I hurt , I wanted  and I did not know how to feel better never mind good. His scent made the matter worse. It intensified everything . Everything I knew from my past existence held me back.

The wind blew his hair . His hand brushed my face. My face burned. “ Are you sure?” I wanted him to touch me , really touch me . My lower regions sent reinforcements of hormones . Whatever I truly was,  she didn't play fair.

I looked at him .” Fairly so.” He went to move away “ So you prefer to be alone? “ I felt a sense of loss and frustration .

“ No. Look I am lost in this. Its all too new . Logically  I know the moves.” I pulled at the dress, even it was too much ,.

'”But it isn't logical “ His calmness, his control in this was irritating but that was part of what I was seeking. My control was unraveling  fast.

I nodded. His scent surrounded me It was the most delicious thing that I had ever smelled. I wondered if it were unacceptable to rip off all of our clothes and jump on top of him until I had had my fill. My body was urging me forward to  do just that. “ No its not. “

“ Who ever does not like you has to be a real idiot.  He will kick himself when he sees what he has lost. “He walked around me on the beach. I jumped down to walk with him.

“I do not know how to do this.” His hands slid down my arms. The sand which had raised in the wind made small dust devils at our feet. He held my hands as I faced him .

“Try just saying Yes. Its not like hunting. Your body knows what to do. But you have to allow it. “ He moved to my right. “ Living too long among them has made it harder for you than it needs to be.” I watched as he stuck his thumbs into his belt loops. I wanted to touch that chest  which the motion had thrust forward. , He cocked his head to the side, his lip half smiling.His long fingers covered the pockets of his jeans. I wanted to explore the treasures that the jeans kept from my sight. I wanted to slide my hands up that tight ass , have those fingers tease me. I wanted him to mount me, ,mingling his scent with mine. He was just too tempting as he stood before me. I wanted to shake his calm to his core  as he was shredding mine by just being so near.

Groaning in frustration,I stepped into his path, knowing I would win or proclaim myself to be the biggest loser in the Colony. I stared into his eyes “ Yes”

What ever shred of control he had was shattered. His eyes darkened. Wordlessly he reached for me. The zipper of my white gauze dress would not unzip . His hand slid over my panties which were soaked. My scent infuriated him , I heard the gauze rip . He pulled the bra off. My hands found his belt, I pulled the shirts off of him. He kissed me , stroking my body into excitement with his hands. I pulled the jeans from his ass. His erection was enormous, My hips lifted. 

“First time? He growled. He positioned me to take me under as careful control as he could manage.

I could barely breath. “Yes” he lifted me onto an embankment of soft sea grass.

“ No promises, but I will try to go easy on you. I am not sure how much restraint right now, that I may have. I usually leave town  during these times. “  I felt the maidenhead go with a sharp pain .I urged him on. He slid down ,  lapped at the blood the ran along my legs , I felt his tongue inside me, followed by the full length of him  I watched his fangs extend. ,as his back arched off of me. He flipped me onto my stomach. My spine sent up tiny flares of pleasure down the length of it as the fangs descended towards my throat.

“ Yes or no? I need to know right now.” Stopping to ask was taking all of his will, I could tell it from the strain in his voice. I wanted him to stop talking and just claim me.   

“Yes “ I exploded in pleasure taking him with me. I was marked. I was his. I sunk my fangs into his throat, his arms went around me protectively. It was done. I had made life decisions in that minute. We lay on the ground resting .

His fingers tickled me lightly . “ You have a nice laugh” he panted, pulling me to my feet. The sand sparkled in the moonlight as we raced toward the ocean. The water was lukewarm, the waves pushed us back as they crashed over us. I nipped at his earlobes, teasing all the way to his taut nipples with my tongue. I crushed my breasts against him. His stronger arms pulled me closer. Lifting me  into the air, he placed me gently in the shallows , my hair splayed like a beached mermaid 's mane , who had been captured by a sailor who had not drowned.  My legs opened , his length slid along my velvet sheath . He squeezed my ass cheeks as he lifted me higher. The water on my body coaxed me , his length inside encouraged me . Interior waves quaked me in counterpoint to the ocean. His eyes were black and burning. I was collected from the water, dripping on the sea grass . He gathered his clothes. He pulled on his undershirt and jeans. A flash of light far above on the bluffs commanded his attention  for second. He shook his head.  I followed his line of vision. “ Too far away to be a threat,” he said more attracted by my scent than distracted by a distant car. Together we went to survey the damage.

My dress was ruined. I did not care. I collected the larger pieces, the smaller ones blew inland . I found my bra  a few yards away , we raced to the sodden panties. He was faster than I . When I reached for them, he playfully slapped my hand away. “ Mine.” he growled as he  stuffed them into his jeans pockets.  He held out the plaid shirt for me. I put my arms into the short sleeves, he held the shirt open , then sucked my nipples , rubbing between my legs. He ran with me up the path to his car. I was placed gently on the seat. He was fast. He entered from the driver's side My legs wrapped around his hand and arm , his fingers giving me some relief..The sensual torture was a delight to him, he bent over , raised my legs , nibbling my clit  My hips bucked. He filled me again. I sought his length to go deeper . It helped abate the hurt from the heat.  My juices on his car seat delighted him further. In temporary relief, I sat up .  He buttoned the shirt closed about halfway , leaving the valley of my breasts exposed to his view. Flushed with the night's activities. I went to finish the buttoning ,only to get my hands slapped away gently.” No, mine” . I left the shirt as it was. He was satisfied, then he winked at me.
. Seashells and gravel crunched beneath the wheels. He turned the headlights on when we  reached the blacktop. He drove through the center of town, whose traffic lights blinked in all directions.

He pulled up beside a dark building. He stopped to put sneakers from the floorboard, on his feet, He checked the air from the car window. It was clear. He bounded out of the car, coming to my door. He lifted me from the car, carrying me to the door which he unlocked. He held me back while he checked for scent , then encouraged me forward after we had crossed the threshold. He locked the door behind him. He touched a dimmer in the main room It was a large room with a fireplace . The main window was small panes of glass which bowed forward. I walked over to examine it . He watched me “ I had it put in . The casement is  Honduran mahogany,the panes of glass are leaded. “  He led me to the kitchen . I explored the walk in , touched the grill and the ranges. I examined the pass where dishes from the kitchen would be picked up. “There is still so much to be done.” I wandered the pantry. I could see from his face that he was proud of this place. He pulled me to a door at the end of the kitchen. He dimmed the lights, then stepped aside.

I looked at the stairs and followed him downstairs. He unlocked the door to our left, checked for scents then pushed me forward.  He watched me as I pushed dimmer after dimmer. It was a flat. There was a fireplace on the same wall as the one upstairs. I wandered through the rooms. There were two bathrooms. I wandered into the kitchen which was  good sized.  Then I explored the smaller rooms . The windows were small , oblong and grated. It would be easy to block light here if needed. There were two .He guided me into a much larger room that stood at the top of the hall. Anyone coming in would have to pass this room on the way to any of the other bedrooms.  There were no windows in this room, light from outside doors would not enter it. I approved of the layout. I kissed him . “Ours” he whispered. I hugged him tightly .

He led me to the fireplace, which he lit. I sat on an  oversized cushions on the floor which was covered with a small rug. There was a display of fruits, chocolate,  wine and cheese. The sizzle of small cubes of rare beef was added in the center in a small white bowl, He indicated the food.”Please.” He watched me eat. He chose a piece of the rare beef. “ Its better if its not cold ,'he explained. 'Its too late to hunt. We could play a scene but I probably would take it badly . I don't want someone else's hands on you.” A lone drop of blood from the beef escaped his mouth. My tongue found it. He pulled me to him feeding me a slice of fresh peach . I chewed one end. , he grabbed the other end furiously  with this teeth, releasing it to me . He kissed me hard. I placed my hand on the inside of his thigh. Rotating me  ,  he slid me beneath him , my legs encircled his waist. I caught the scent of sex and the the sea in the room. He filled me again. We lay there exhausted panting, parting from our pairing. He poured the red wine,, handing me a glass. I sipped it, my eyes on him. He sipped his, eyes on me, his fingers stroking my breasts. Then trailing down to my stomach where they lingered.  He pulled me close, clasping me hard against him, his chin resting on my head. I felt cradled with his body, never more safe in my  life. I sighed contented. He looked down , and smiled. I returned his smile. As the fire died down, he released me , checking the light outside. “This place is not fully functional yet. Stay the day with me? “ I nodded. He retreated to the large room , bringing me a burgundy sweat suit. He donned one of royal blue. He retied his sneakers, finding a pair of flip flops for me. We shut the flat up  and walked up the stairs to the bakery restaurant. He checked the air outside, it was clear. We walked out, he locked the door behind him. He guided me back to his car. He drove off toward the house that he shared with his father.

He parked in the garage. Jean-Paul was not there. He locked the car., and pulled the  garage door shut. It  began to rain , thunder boomed , lightening cracked the sky. The rain puddled on the blacktop circular drive as we ran laughing for the backdoor. He unlocked the door into their kitchen. No new scents. He shepherded me through the kitchen to the bathroom near the bedrooms. He turned on the shower , lifted me in, joining me seconds later. He cupped shampoo into his hand and lathered my hair. I scrubbed the white soap onto the face cloth.  I soaped his body pulling him close to me. He lifted me. I shampooed his hair. The play continued for some minutes. Finally , he stepped out, lifting me over the high edge of the ball and clawed white tub. He dried me carefully . I groomed him gently. He gathered the sweat suits , putting them in his hamper. He placed me on his bed,.I felt him lay next to me. He pulled me to him , kissing my damp lavender scented hair.. I laid my head on his chest listening to his breathing and his heart beat, Sleepily he stroked my mound with this fingers until we fell asleep.

Just before dawn, Jean-Paul entered the house. He breathed the scents, and grunted with satisfaction. He walked into the living room. He poured himself a scotch, sat down in the oversized chair to dial the
black phone on the side table .

“ Andrew, they are here. And from the scent of things , I would guess that they have had quite a night of it. I just wanted you to know that she is safe. “ He lit a cigar and leaned back, satisfied.