2013/07/17

Who You Are: Stories of The Grand Hotel Chapter 1 (Available for free download link included)

 
 
WHO YOU ARE IS AVAILABLE IN IT'S ENTIRETY FOR FREE DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW!
Chapter One

 

Luke hurried through the various stations in his rush to hear the beginning of his favorite radio show. Quickly he turned the dials on the hotel’s Philco 39-55 floor model radio looking for his favorite broadcast wishing he had his Atwater but god forbid he be out of fashion… out with the 30’s and in with the 40’s. And here he was fiddling with this dumb thing looking for his favorite show, cause if he was going to be made to dance well then by golly it was going to be to Bing.

“Ladies and Gentlemen Live from Hollywood, California Bing Crosby Entertainment it’s the Bing and Andy Show” Bing Crosby’s velvety bass rang through the radio speakers giving Luke his first smile of the night.   

 

“Oh darling I do hope you don’t think me terribly forward. It’s just that…well I feel as if I’ve known you forever” the rich dame better known as Luke’s soon to be meal drawled in what she thought was a sexy voice as they moved to the softly playing music and Crosby’s voice which like always was liquid velvet to the ears in the prestigious royal suite at the Grand Hotel in Highmount, NY. Her hands slowly began to trail up his chest one stopping at the lapel of his crisp white dinner jacket the other snaking around to the nape of his neck to tangle her fingers in the soft curls found there he quickly had to suppress the instinct to pull away from her. “In such a short time you’ve come to mean so much to me darling. Please tell me I’m not alone” she begged him pouting her lips prettily.

Luke looked down at the irritating woman in his arms barely cutting off his growl of frustration. When he’d first met Faye two weeks ago she had to be one of the most beautiful and vibrant human women he’d ever encountered…traits that attracted an older vampire like himself loved in their prey. But then the poor girl started opening her mouth and he’d regretted his choice ever since. More importantly he was getting tired of this whole routine he seemed to continuously go through for so long he’d lost count. He was so tired of it all. The meaningless encounters, the deceptions both his and theirs, going home alone, etc…so tired he contemplated untangling from Faye and leaving. Leaving the Grand, leaving New York just leaving…well almost but as his hand slid down her back settling in at the deep arch in her lower back he nearly started purring from the combinations of the beautiful gold beaded satin gown and the stiff boning from the corset she wore underneath and the steady ache in his gums where is fangs itched to descend was his only reason for staying, he desperately needing to feed he just wished he could figure out why he suddenly felt so repulsed at the thought of doing it.

She was a beautiful woman all porcelain creamy skin and lush curves, the rouge on her lips made them look as if they were filled to capacity with delectable blood it was all he could do not to bite her… but he would soon, he’d been priming her for this moment. Pulling her closer he brought his cheek down to rest against her “oh Faye you should already know how I feel about you. But I’ll tell you anyway my dear… I plan to be the last man you ever lay eyes on” he gave her the cryptic confession tucking his face into the crock of her neck when her excitement grew her aristocratic blood thrumming and flooding his sensing making his fangs descend along with another wave of nausea.

Shivering with excitement and unknowing that the smell of her desire was a clear presence in the air “Luke” she breathed his name out like a talisman. “I had no idea you were such a poet, such a romantic. Oh Luke you are the only man I have eyes for I am truly yours my darling”. Sighing she snuggled in closer as Bing and the accompanying Orchestra went into another song her body heat beginning to seep into his cold vampire one “When shall we marry darling” she asked looking up at him like a conspiratorial love sick puppy. Her voice suddenly changing taking on a calculating gleam oddly she sounded more herself then before “I think we should get married right away. It just so happens, mother’s friend George is checking into the hotel, in the morning and he’s a judge so he can marry us then. Of course we’ll have the big society wedding…”

Barely controlling the urge to slit her throat he cut off her incessant babbling rather curtly “okay this has gone a bit too far my dear I’m afraid” Luke announced pulling away briefly wondering at the dizzying sense of relief he felt once out of her arms he walked to the other side of the terrace suddenly not able to take another minute of this annoyingly spoiled, pompous, creature called a woman. God he was so tired of replaying this very same scenario over and over…something needed to change.

Looking baffled “WH…what?” she stuttered moving forward to reach for him again. “Luke what’s wrong darling you’re not yourself”?

Smirking at her naïve yet on the mark words he began to laugh as he crossed back over to the other side of the terrace quicker than her human eyes could follow stopping within inches of her. Bending down his face so close to hers her face blurred the scent of her sudden raw fear calling to that predator that lived just below the beautiful veneer of each vampire “oh on the contrary my dear. I think we’re about to finally get to know each other” he said darkly his eyes turning from their normal hunter green to a glowing burgundy red as he allowed the blood hunger to overtake him shutting off all thought.

Shivering in fear Faye was frozen unable to move, or scream as she watched his previously beautiful face turn into that of a demon. “How, ho...ho...how did…what are you?” she began babbling as he silently circled around her while she tried to make her terrified mind frantically process what was happening.

“I’m the last man you’ll ever lay eyes on” Luke told her laughing bitterly at the dawning horror that appeared on her face as he opened his mouth letting her see his two inch gleaming deadly fangs. Sighing inwardly he really wasn’t into this at all as he realized even the blood hunger wasn’t enough to cover up the ever increasing sick feeling at the thought of feeding from this woman. Ignoring her ear piercing screams and his desire to recoil from her as if she was the Vampire he fisted his hands in her hair viciously twisting her neck to the side so hard it almost snapped. Growling he bent down to her neck and without any finesse at all ripping into her throat ignoring her feeble attempts to push him off…he took no satisfaction in the feeding, her blood barely providing substance as he took long greedy pulls. The only sounds in the room where her pained moans as her life slowly slipped away accompanied by the sounds of his slurps and snarls and good ole Bing singing ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ how ironic was that. Cutting off his internal dialogue Luke’s arms tightened around his victim feeling her hands weakly pushing at his chest one last time as if she had a chance against his strength.

Taking a few more pulls he gasped as he pulled off the woman’s ravaged throat just as her final heart beats thumped weakly letting her drop carelessly. The last remains of her blood pumped from the grotesque wound and flew around painting red; the outside walls, the draperies, sofa, and walls in the suite where the glass doors had been left open. Pulling out his pocket square he calmly wiped the blood from his mouth and chin then with a wave of his hand removed all traces of Faye’s blood everywhere else on him. Turning his back on the body he walked to the rot iron railing ignoring the gasping sounds as the woman took her last breath refusing to examine why this night of all nights bothered him so as he fought to keep down what he’d just drank.

Retracting his fangs and taking a moment to focus on reconstructing that box around that predator inside of him his body slowly began to calm returning to normal. His face returning to his true form, he could feel his eyes shifting from the eerie burgundy back to the hunter green… taking a few more deep breaths he turned back making his way to the terrace door giving the body a wide berth. It was odd he wasn’t upset about the woman at all but he felt as if he’d betrayed something or someone…his entire being seemed to be rebelling at the new blood in his system it was wrong. Shaking his head he didn’t have time for this. Pausing with each hand on the glass doors “well I must say it was a pleasure dear you were absolutely delicious” he said sarcastically stepping through and closing the glass doors after him.

Walking purposefully through the opulent room Luke grabbed his coat and draped it over his shoulders before walking out the door.  He could still hear that damn song trailing behind him:

Something got to give

Something got to give

Something got to give

as he paused to lock the suite door with a wave of his hand before continuing on his way. Pausing halfway down the hallway he debated going back into the suite and leaving the hotel through the terrace but something wouldn’t let him. A nagging feeling that just wouldn't go away only dissipating the further he walked down the hallway Luke readily convincing himself it was sluggishness from his feeding even though he knew that wasn’t it he decided to be lazy and take the elevator at the end of the hall the feeling going completely away once he was in front of the elevator blasting away his denial that he had a choice in the matter.

Pushing the button he waited standing unnervingly still while he stewed. As he began to hear the faint sounds of the elevator getting louder as it reached his floor sluggishly Luke snapped out of it and smoothed his dinner jacket just as the elevator lit the doors quickly opening.

Ringing softly the doors opened as the elevator boy stepped forward immediately “good evening Sir what floor?” he asked a friendly smile on his face.

Not bothering to answer Luke firmly took control of the boys mind sending a strong command, “Leave” his deep voice rumbled with power vibrating the air around them he had no desire to be around anyone right now. His body shuddered at the thought. Turning he watched as the elevator boy past him his movements unnaturally mechanical as he made his journey the few feet to the opposite wall and remained not moving. Chuckling Luke entered the elevator the boy now forgotten knowing the effects of his mind control would were off in a few hours and he’d have no memory of him or lasting effects.

“Mmm” he mused studying the unmarked buttons for a second before picking one at random and was proud when the doors actually closed. Randomly he picked another moving to the back of the elevator as it began its slow decent down. Just as Luke’s mind began to wander on downturn on his life he froze looking around suspiciously he could have sworn the elevator just jerked. he walked back to the front of the elevator watching the buttons avidly for a few more minutes before letting it go after clearly nothing had happened.

Just as he turned to go to the back again the elevator began to plummet down the floors, the arrows that indicated each floor moved at an alarming rate. If he were human he would have been terrified but since he wasn’t he calmly braced himself in the corner watching the floors breeze by merely curious to see what would happen as the elevator shook and rattled as it continued to drop picking up speed along the way. Okay maybe he was nervous but at least he knew this wasn’t going to kill him…so much for whatever instinct told him to get in this damn thing.

 
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