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"Please don't let it end; I want it again. Just like before…"

"One More Go Round" - James Taylor

I did keep my date with Dex, though I doubt I was the best of company. When we'd finished the pizza and the first round of lovemaking, I asked him about Ravin.

"That guy? I don't like him much, I don't think anybody does. All he cares about is blood." Dex smiled and cast a quick glance at my neck. I still hadn't let him bite me. To be fair, he hadn't asked.

"Not that all of us don't enjoy it, but not to that extent. He's a classic case of blood fat; you can see it just by looking at him. It's disgusting."

"Blood fat?" I asked. "He looked kind of skinny to me."

"Aw, that's just what we call it. Consistently drinking too much blood thins you down till eventually you're nothing but a walking skeleton. He's young, sure, and newbies always need a lot of blood at first but, hell, he's two years old now at least. It's time he started tapering off. Taking more blood than you need actually slows your reaction time and your higher brain functions. If it goes on for a long time, you're operating on nothing but instinct."

Dex turned on his side and began nibbling his way up my arm. It wasn't as distracting as it should have been. I kept seeing that pale face, skin stretched tight across the skull, hands all bones and gristle.

Dex stopped nibbling and took on a thoughtful look. "What makes me wonder is, where does he get it all? He doesn't drink at the Affair, and he doesn't seem to have any regular donors. The boss frowns on his vampires drinking from anyone that isn't willing. I bet it won't be long before he investigates him." Dex shivered. "I hope Ravin is smarter than he looks. I sure wouldn't want the boss mad at me."

* * *

Next morning found me outside Suria's office building. I had never voluntarily gone to see her before, but I figured she was the person to ask about Ravin. I hoped I could make the visit seem casual, but doubted it would turn out that way in the end.

No, it wasn't any of my business who she married, but something about the guy bothered me big-time.

The outer door was unlocked, and I opened it and walked through the entry hall, past Star's empty office, and on to her lab at the end of the corridor. Just as I approached it, the door opened and Suria herself stepped out - dressed, as usual, in a white lab coat and sensible shoes.

Through the open door I could see all sorts of machines, free standing or resting on metal benches. Some had blinking lights and some made gurgling noises - a few did both. My eyes were drawn to one machine in particular - a large construction of tubes and dials that surrounded a liquid-filled vat, maybe five gallons in size. Something floated in the vat's translucent contents, and a narrow tube fed into the center of the thing. It was a small shape, pinkish and no bigger than my thumb. It almost looked like…. "Suria," I said, my voice rising involuntarily, "what the hell are you doing growing a baby in your lab?"

She closed the door behind her. "Star knows all about this, Evan. It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Star knows you're experimenting with human children?" I asked, keeping my voice level with an effort.

Another door opened and Ravin appeared, dressed today in a black T-shirt, jeans, and boots. His hair was greasy and slicked back, and the pupils of his eyes were dilated. "You again!" he said.

Suria walked to him and placed a hand on his forearm. "I take it you've met my husband?"

"I have," I said, taking a deep breath filled with the scents of chemicals and vampire. "I thought I'd come over today and congratulate you."

The thin vampire snorted. "Right. Are you going to donate some blood to me as a wedding gift?" His lip curled.

Suria squeezed his arm. "It's all right, Ravin. I'm handling this."

He didn't look at her, just kept his eyes on my face. "We don't need to grow babies in incubators," he said. Then his face split in a leer. "We do things the old-fashioned way around here." The arm Suria wasn't holding reached around and pulled open her lab coat. I could see the rounded lump of her belly pressing against her skirt. Suria was pregnant - perhaps five months along.

Was it Ravin's child? For some reason, that possibility disturbed me more than anything else.

"Well," I said carefully, "I guess more congratulations are in order." I broke away from Ravin's glare and pointed at the door to the lab. "You say Star knows about your experiments in there. Why don't you tell me about them too? I'm sure it's all very interesting."

Suria stared at me, and for a moment, a look of pure greed came over her face. "Of course, Evan. I'll be glad to show you everything… if you're willing to give me a small sample of your blood…." Ravin licked his lips, and she elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

I shook my head. "You know the answer to that, Suria. Haven't you got enough samples to play with? I don't know what you can possibly want with mine."

She laughed. "You'd be surprised. A scientist can never have enough data."

For some reason, Ravin flinched and moved sideways then, away from her, as far as her restraining hand would allow.

I stepped back. "We've already had this conversation. If you have nothing new to say, I'll be going."

The entire scene was weirding me out, a cut from a bad horror movie. Suria, the mad scientist - pregnant, supposedly by an insane vampire who stared at me as though I were a prime steak, not to mention the Frankenstein lab behind the door… it was all too much and I wanted out.

Creeping toward the door while continuing to face the macabre pair seemed cowardly, but turning my back on them seemed a stupid idea. I seldom worried about physical harm, but Suria knew all about Star's makeup. It was possible she knew ways to bypass our defenses.

But it was only a few steps, and I turned away quickly. I had grasped the doorknob when I felt Ravin behind me. I whirled to find him only a foot away, face drawn into a brutal mask. "What in hell are you doing?" I asked, no longer frightened, but only amazed by the unlikely but savage creature before me.

"None of your business," he snarled. "Get the fuck out!" One hand shot out to bang the door open; the other flattened on my chest and pushed, and I stepped back onto the sidewalk.

And that one brief touch startled me with a strobe-flash of his memories:

* * *

[I had gone to the old man's place - strictly for laughs, of course. He didn't approve of me - not that I let that keep me up nights. And as long as I was a vampire at a vampire bar I figured I'd have a drink.

I had met the bartender before. He and I rubbed each other the wrong way, which was understandable since he was in the old man's pocket - literally, I'd bet. So when I asked him what was good, he just smirked and shrugged, offering me a glass of dark red liquid that was no more than room temperature. Well, I supposed, at least it wasn't right out of the freezer. I had heard some vampires claim they couldn't taste the anticoagulant that was added to preserved blood, but I could. Guess my taste buds were just more discriminating - surprise, surprise. Heparin added a subtle but nasty bitter taste to something that was so stale it was barely drinkable in the first place.

One small sip later I set the mug back down and just stared at the guy behind the bar. There were only a few randomly spaced mirrors back there, but none of them showed his reflection - which was a good thing. He was tall and wide, with a head shaped like a bullet - little ears and small blue eyes, all topped with a thin brown stubble. Having to look at two of him would have been way too much. I leaned over slightly, until my face showed in one of the small squares of silvered glass. I smiled - I was tall and thin with an oval face and lots of black hair. I winked one dark eye at the man in the mirror - you handsome devil, you!

I saluted myself with the mug, forgetting and taking a large swallow of the tepid stuff inside, which was just about enough to make me puke. Pissed, I slammed it down, showering the bar top with thick red drops. My patience with this crap was at an end.

"Hey, haven't you got anything fit to drink in this place? Something fresh, maybe?" My voice stopped just short of a growl, and I'm sure I saw the big guy flinch a little.

"Why yes, sir, we do," he said, dutifully mopping up the mess with a bar towel. "But it's quite expensive."

Expensive? As if I gave a shit about money. I supposed some did, but what was wrong with these guys, anyway? Paying for blood when the fresh stuff was right outside, walking down the street in nice warm containers, free for the taking. Had they lost their teeth as well as their balls? No - the "master" - the owner of this fine establishment, wanted everything to be peaceful. There was to be no killing of the dear little humans, no hunting at all, if he had his say. The only way a vampire could lawfully quench his thirst on the good red stuff was from a "donor" - someone who was asked first and kindly gave their permission for a bite. I snorted - fuck that. I'd drink when and how I pleased. That was part of what raised me above the rest of them.

Of course - it was smart not to rub their noses in it.

"Bring it on, big boy." I smiled, placing a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. The barman quickly removed the glass of swill and headed for a door in the wall behind the bar. He was gone for maybe five full minutes, and I thought about just getting up and leaving - after throwing my stool into the bottles on the wall, of course. But I sat quietly, just curious enough about what he'd bring back to behave like a good little vampire - for a short while longer.

Sure enough, he did come back, and the difference in the drink he carried was obvious immediately. The color was richer, brighter, and it was warm - just short of the temp of the body it had come from. All of a sudden I was hungry. I licked my lips and pushed the money toward him.

The hulk set the glass down in front of me, but he didn't pick up the bill. In fact he just stood there frowning, looking like he'd found a fly in his slop.

I shrugged and picked up the glass. It smelled good. I took a sip. No bitterness this time, but there was something different about it - not bad, just different. I drank some more. Yeah - I'd never had blood quite like it before. I grinned. Just when you think there are no more thrills - bam! - life becomes interesting.

The bartender cleared his throat. When I ignored him, he did it again. I was just thinking that my barstool had four good wooden legs that would make nice stakes if broken off just right, when he started talking - in that fake urbane tone that set my teeth on edge.

"Pardon me, sir, but there will be no charge for your refreshment tonight. It is a gift from the lady at the table over there." I looked up, and his chin pointed discreetly toward a dark corner. I didn't recognize the skinny woman who was sitting there, but one thing was certain, she wasn't a vampire. I glanced at the glass in my hand, only half full now.

Huh. Was this her blood? If it was, then she was a different kind of human than I'd tasted before. I looked at her more closely. Maybe she wasn't human at all. Turning my back on laughing boy and taking the drink with me, I walked to her table.

Standing over her, I raised the glass. "Thanks." I saluted her and drank. I knew she was watching me. Well, what woman wouldn't?

Her voice was kind of low. "Please, won't you sit down?" I would and I did. It was one of those little round booths, meant for four, but I scooted over close, just to give her a treat. The blood in the glass was almost gone now, but there was plenty more right next to me. I leered at her, beginning to feel the hot pleasure of blood-high. Maybe she was into vampires - had come here looking for a thrill. Well, she had picked the right vampire. I was the only genuine article in the place, the only one who hadn't let the old man yank his fangs… and never would.

She wasn't all that pretty - skinny, as I said - not much of a figure. Her clothes - a white blouse and a long black skirt - didn't show much, and the makeup she wore just emphasized her big dark eyes. I've never been much into eyes. But she smelled good - not perfume, just healthy and fairly young. And there was that intriguing difference about her. Was she really not from this world any more than I was?

She looked me up and down as I finished the last swallow. I figured she liked what she saw, so I just waited, put my arm around the back of the booth and let it sort of slip down onto her shoulders. I mean, I owed her something for the blood, right? She didn't move away - not that I expected her to - so I pulled her closer. I was feeling good. "What's your name, honey?"

She looked at me without smiling. "I am Aula Suria Tarvonne." She said it like it ought to mean something to me. It didn't. "I think you know Paul White, my employer?"

I almost pushed her away at that. Jesus, not that tow-headed goody-goody. He and the old man were best buddies. It was sickening, the way they hung on each other. The old man was supposed to be as straight as an arrow, but I was willing to bet he made an exception for his cute little blonde friend. I'd never seen a guy who looked so perfect all the time. You couldn't even imagine him with a hair out of place. And I bet he thought he looked good dressed in all that designer crap. I glanced around quickly. Was her "employer" going to be joining us? Wouldn't that be just ducky.

I didn't see him or the old man, so I sat back. "Sorry, I don't 'know' your employer, but," I leaned in close enough to touch her neck with my tongue, "I wouldn't mind getting to know you."

She shivered, which was kind of a turn-on. Suddenly she did smile. "I'd like that." She hesitated. "Ravin."

Had I told her my name? I didn't think so, but why shouldn't she have asked around and know who I was if she was interested?

I grinned. "That can be arranged, sweetie. Why don't we go back to my place?"

She shook her head, making dark hair swing around her pointed chin. "I want you to come home with me."

I grinned. How could I refuse such a heartfelt invitation?

I wanted her to ride with me, but she insisted on driving herself. Her loss. I followed her sensible Ford coupe in my ultra-cool '63 Corvette. Weirdly, when she stopped, it wasn't at a house but at a sprawling stucco thing in a business area of town. When I saw her name on the door I figured this was her office. No problem, a desk worked as well as a bed every time.

She led me inside, and sure enough, she was hot for it. The bitch wanted it in every position I'd ever heard of and a few I hadn't tried or even imagined. I kept trying to get her in place for a bite, but she always moved away somehow. After a while it didn't seem to matter.

Turned out she had living quarters in the back. We moved to her bed some time that night, and I must have fallen asleep, because all I remember is waking up there with the sun in my eyes. Good thing sunlight never bothered me. Another sign I was better than the rest of them.

I threw on my pants and went looking for her. I remembered the way her blood tasted, and I was hungry again. Wouldn't you know, I found her in the same office, sitting at the desk where we'd fucked the night before, but this time he was sitting next to her. Sure, I'd seen him around, but we'd never been formally introduced - Paul White, the rich faggot buddy of the old man.

As she introduced us, I thought I caught a glimpse of something almost like hatred in her eyes when she looked at him and thought no one was paying any attention. But I had to be wrong. Sure, I didn't like the guy, but she worked for him, and whatever else he was, I doubted he was a mean boss. I had to have been mistaken. Then she looked over at me and… funny, I don't remember much after that….]

* * *

I staggered back from the sheer surprise of it. I caught Ravin's eyes, and they were so wide that white showed all the way around. Did he know I had read his mind? Then the door slammed, and I took a deep, shaky breath.

The man called Ravin was indeed insane. His thoughts had a degree of coherence, but his perceptions were twisted until what he saw bore no resemblance to my version of reality. Still, there was something else, something more….

I couldn't put my finger on it. In fact, I didn't want to think about the situation any longer. I sighed. I'd have to talk to Star about Suria's claim that he knew about her latest experiments soon, but not just now. Right now I wanted peace and quiet and, above all, something normal.

I didn't bother with a taxi, just looked both ways and then jumped. For me, there was nothing more peaceful than the noisy glitter of a carousel. Luckily, there was one in Elysian park.

I must have ridden the shiny black horse thirty times - but I never once got the brass ring.