Embracing the Past, Anticipating the Night

As the sun slowly set the two vampiresses headed towards Ethan's room, Maria's steps slightly quicker than Rachel's. She was eager to check on his condition. After all that had occurred with him, she discovered that she didn't feel indifferent toward him anymore. It wasn't love, far from it, but seeing him in such a vulnerable state and taking care of his well-being had stirred something within her. Although she intended to use him for their purposes she didn't want to see him get hurt either. It was an odd feeling, considering that just a few days ago, she had contemplated draining him without a hint of remorse.

Then there was Rachel, a perplexing enigma. Maria loved her, but since turning her, she felt a distance starting to grow between them. Rachel seemed overly enthusiastic about being a vampire, perhaps too much so. Maria wondered if it was just the excitement of a new world opening up to her. She didn't remember being this eager herself when Nikolai turned her. He even had to encourage her to let go of all restraints but now the roles changed; she needed to slow Rachel down. She worried about whether Rachel could control her bloodlust and what would happen to them if she failed.

"Do you think his memory returned?" Rachel asked, breaking Maria out of her thoughts. There was a subtle undercurrent of anxiety in her voice, which didn't go unnoticed by Maria. Something was definitely bothering Rachel today, perhaps the events of yesterday with the gang they had encountered.

"I have a good feeling he'll be in better shape today," Maria replied, "but I can't say for certain if his memory has returned. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just thought we might have some issues if his memory returned suddenly," Rachel responded, offering a practiced answer. She gestured to Maria to open the door to Ethan's room, and they walked inside.

As they entered Ethan's room, they found him sitting up in bed, watching TV. His face lit up when he recognized Maria.

"Maria! It's you!" he exclaimed with a raspy voice.

"Ethan! Wow, you look much better!" Maria returned the smile as she approached his bed. "How are you feeling? How was your day?"

"I'm much better today, thanks," Ethan replied. "I got up a few hours ago, had something to eat, and took a shower. I'm still a bit clumsy and slow, but at least I can take care of basic functions. I had some dreams this night about a woman kissing me and... uhm, it turned up bizarre. But... the problem is, I still can't remember much. I know my name is Ethan Dawson, and that I'm from Rowsley. I remember my mom and dad, but everything past my childhood is still a blur. I don't know... maybe I've lost it, got confused dreams with reality... I remember these flashes of monsters with large teeth, biting and drinking blood. You know, like... vampires? What happened to me, Maria? Am I going crazy? Am I being locked up in some asylum?"

Maria reached out and gently squeezed his hand, offering both support and affirmation. "No, Ethan, you're not crazy. You've been under tremendous stress, and you've lost most of your memories. But as for those images you saw, well, they're not entirely imagined. You've indeed been in contact with those... creatures."

"What? You mean... those creatures, uhm, vampires, are real?" Ethan asked cautiously.

Maria nodded solemnly. "Yes, they are. And your role was to hunt them. You're a vampire hunter, Ethan. That's why your subconsciousness was feeding you those dreams or visions during your sleep."

Ethan was taken aback by her words and took a moment to process them. It sounded absurd, but deep down, it made a strange kind of sense. "Are you serious? I'm truly a... vampire hunter? Then... who are you? A friend or colleague or...?"

Maria thought for a moment before answering, trying to find the right words. "Let's just say I was there with you, Ethan. Alongside those creatures, I've been a part of your journey. You could call me an ally..."

Ethan's eyes darted around the room, searching for any clues to confirm what Maria was saying. He noticed a woman standing in the back of the room, near the door. She seemed to be avoiding his gaze, which piqued his curiosity. And then, recognition slowly dawned on him.

In that instant, a tsunami of memories, his entire life flooded back, jumbled and chaotic. He saw himself taking vows to Sanguis Sanctum, traveling to the city to locate and eliminate Nikolai, his mother's agonizing moans beneath a vampire, his training, and the blonde woman who had been kissing him and feeding on him. The same woman that was in his room at the very moment.

Maria watched as Ethan turned pale, his mouth agape and his eyes wide with shock. She had hoped for a more gradual process of regaining his memories, but the inevitable had occurred. He reacted with complete disbelief and fear, and Maria worried that he might faint.

"Ethan, listen to me, it's alright," Maria reassured him, moving closer to him. "You're in safe hands, we..."

"She... it was HER! She bit me! She drank my blood!" Ethan screamed in terror, pointing a trembling finger at Rachel.

Thanks to her already alabaster white skin Rachel's paleness wasn't evident. Much to her relief, Maria misinterpreted his reference to Rachel's earlier feeding for the initial one. Maria attempted to calm Ethan, saying, "I know, Ethan, I saw it, I was there as well. But please, believe me, she won't be doing that again. There's no need to fear her." She turned to Rachel and said softly, "I think it would be best if you gave us a minute or so, Rach."

Rachel nodded, her anxiety hidden as best as she could manage, and she left the room. Once outside, she closed the door and let out a deep sigh. "Fuck! I hope he doesn't expose me... God, I'm such an idiot!"

Back in the room, Ethan had calmed somewhat now that Rachel was gone, although he was still agitated. "No, Maria... you don't understand, she's a vampire!"

Maria gently caressed his forehead and spoke soothingly, as if calming a child. "I understand more than you think, Ethan. I'm a vampire too."

Ethan tensed at her words, his brow furrowing in confusion. "You? No, it can't be, you saved me..."

Maria continued in the same reassuring tone. "Search your memories, Ethan. I was there with her. We both... drank your blood. But I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me. I am your friend."

He didn't want to believe it, but he sensed something was genuinely different about her as well. She wasn't an ordinary human, he could sense it, somehow. And then it hit him. He remembered her interrogating him and the image of her being trapped on a wall in a web. His memories were chaotic, but a sense of security in her presence remained. He even recalled a vivid memory of her atop him, riding him while feeding. Surprisingly, that memory was quite pleasant.

"I know it was you who helped me in my dreams... but you... fed on me as well. Why?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Maria sighed, realizing that the time for full disclosure had come. "I'll explain everything, Ethan, but it might take some time. I swear to you, I'm here to help you, so there's no need to fear me. Are you ready to hear the whole truth?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment, his emotions in turmoil, but then he nodded. "Yes, please. I need to understand all of this."

Making him eat my pussy and creating a bond with him in turn was genius. My influence took hold and I really got through to him, so now I'm here with this perfect chance to turn an experienced vampire hunter into a powerful ally. At the same time I might also get some more useful info from him along the way...

"Very good, but I'll need you to be honest with me as well, alright? And if there's anything you want to say, just shoot."

"Sure, Maria. I don't know why but... I trust you."

The night had fully descended as Maria joined Rachel on the porch, where Rachel was already puffing on a cigarette. She inhaled deeply, then released a slow stream of smoke into the cool, moonlit air.

"You were right, cigs aren't that satisfying anymore. Shame. So, everything go okay with Ethan?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with curiosity as she glanced at Maria through the haze of smoke. Her eyes bore into Maria's, searching for any signs of her knowledge of what had transpired in Ethan's room this morning.

Maria, however, remained a picture of composure, her expression unreadable. "Yeah, he's fine," she replied casually, taking a drag of her cigarette. "We've come to a mutual understanding. But now he just needs some time alone to wrap his head around all of this."

Rachel exhaled a sigh of relief, relieved that her secret had not been exposed. She flicked her cigarette ash into the night and said with a grin on her face. "Good. So, what's the plan now?"

Maria leaned back in her chair, the moonlight casting faint shadows across her face. She took another drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly. "There's no plan for tonight, if that's what you mean. But now that you mentioned it, I have to say I did notice something."

Rachel's curiosity was piqued. "What? What did you notice?"

Maria's gaze was fixed on the night sky as she spoke thoughtfully, "You've got quite the craving, don't you?"

Rachel looked slightly taken aback. "Craving? What do you mean?"

Maria finally turned her gaze back to Rachel, her eyes piercing and knowing. "Blood. You're itching for it, aren't you? You can't stop thinking about it, hunger is always at the center of your thoughts."

Rachel hesitated for a moment, then admitted, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Despite the fact I drank yesterday it's starting to drive me a bit mad."

Maria nodded in understanding. "I thought so. But you know, Rachel, sometimes blood isn't the only thing we crave. Maybe you desire something else as well."

Rachel furrowed her brow, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Maria leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a sultrier tone. "Sometimes, we need more than just blood. Sometimes, we need... other pleasures."

Realization dawned on Rachel's face, and she blushed slightly. "Oh, I see where you're going with this."

Maria smirked. "I thought you might."

Rachel sat up straighter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, what's your suggestion, boss? We find some guys and bring them over?"

Hmm, tempting, but I wouldn't want Ethan witnessing... that. But maybe she'll find it easier to control her hunger if she'd be properly satisfied. Dancing, partying, a nice cock to play with and with enough blood, of course... yeah, that might do the trick.

Maria's smirk turned into a sly grin. "Even better, how about we find a party? A real, wild, all-nighter. You have some drugs from that dealer, right? They might not have the same effect on vampires, but they'll certainly add some spice to the whole experience. We should make ourselves nice and pretty, and then you'll get to see how irresistible we truly are."

Rachel's eyes lit up with excitement. "A party, you say? Sounds like just what I wanted! I'm in! You're the best! Let's get dressed up, hit the town, and paint it red, shall we?"

Maria stood up from her chair, flicking her cigarette butt into the darkness. "Absolutely. Let's remind ourselves what it means to be truly alive, or in our case, undead."

Once in their chambers Maria and Rachel slipped into their slinkiest, most provocative black bodycon dresses, which clung to their every curve like a second, sultrier skin. Their choices were all in the theme of darkness, ink-black garments adorned with lace and matching dark makeup. As they gazed at their reflections in the mirror, their eyes sparkled with anticipation, mischief dancing in their gazes. It washed away all the tensions and fears that had been lingering in the back of their minds. Even though her main goal was to ease Rachel and test her ability at controlling herself, Maria found herself genuinely looking forward to their night out.

Gussied up as two goth bombshells, they made their way back to Ethan's room to bid him farewell. Already barely awake, he wished them a great night, unaware of the wicked pleasures they were planning.

"Shit... it's really closed," Rachel groaned in disappointment as she stood before the nightclub's locked doors. This was the same club they used to frequent almost every weekend, the place where Maria had first encountered Nikolai what seemed like ages ago. Or even a lifetime, literally.

"Yeah... fuck. Well, there's no point in wasting time here. Let's go find a nice bar and..." Maria's tone matched her disappointment.

"Oh no you won't, we're not hitting some friggin' bar, Maria. We said we're gonna party, so let's stick to the plan."

"Uhm... who said we can't party at a bar? And where do you suggest we go, anyway?"

Rachel's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Well, we could head to that underground club you took me to last time. I loved it then, and I'll bet I'll love it even more this time, ha ha. What do you say?"

Maria had considered the same option, but she wasn't entirely sold on the idea. That club was fantastic, but the location was problematic. It was just minutes away from the alley where they had their encounter with the drug gang last night. "I don't know, Rach... We almost got into a fight with that gang near the club just yesterday."

Rachel rolled her eyes and grinned mischievously. "Oh, come on, don't be such a pussy! Don't tell me you're scared of a bunch of Latino wannabes!"

Maria chuckled but maintained her caution. "Cut that crap, Rachel. I'm not afraid of them; I'm just being careful. You know, something you used to excel at."

"Alright, alright! How about this: we'll head there nice and slow, super careful, just like you want. If we see anything suspicious, even one lone Mexican wearing a sombrero, we turn around, deal? No one's gonna notice us at all."

Maria couldn't help but smirk. "Yeah, sure, we look like every guy's goth fantasies, and we'll magically go unnoticed? Get a grip, Rach. Look... if you're really set on going there, I suppose we could give it a shot, okay?" Rachel's eyes widened in delight, and she began to celebrate, but Maria quickly intervened, maintaining her serious tone. "BUT! The moment we spot any trouble, we're out of there. Got it?"

"Yeah! Absolutely, I won't get us into any trouble this time, I promise! So, are we really going?" Rachel chimed with excitement.

Maria nodded, trying to temper Rachel's enthusiasm just a bit. "We're going, Rach. Just... take it down a notch. You're behaving like you're sixteen."

Rachel laughed heartily. "What can I say? I'm still young at heart, ha ha."

"That's exactly what's worrying me. Apparently I should've waited at least ten more years before I turned you." Maria mused.

Behind the stern, parental mask that Maria wore she actually enjoyed seeing Rachel being so bubbly and joyful. And it was contagious; soon, they were both laughing and having a good time as they drove to the underground club, with the anticipation of debauchery in the air.