Vampire Trance Games

Roland retreated back towards the fireplace and watched the scene in front of him unfold.

Costello was still waving his chicken leg in the air cheerily, but Vlad's face had crumpled like a kicked little puppy and Kingsteignton had assumed a faintly supercilious smirk. Interestingly the usually loquacious Count was still silent and had got rather a blank look on his face.

'Maybe the Count is just a robot or zombie controlled by Kingsteignton after all' thought Roland to himself with a little inward laugh.

'M...Mm...Mike!' wailed Vladimirescu 'I was so worried about you! How can you be looking so cheerful! How can you eat!'

Mike Costello carried on chewing and swigged some more coke.

'It's cool Vlad, just pull up a chair and grab some fries' replied Mike happily.

Roland's eyes narrowed. Either he was getting paranoid or he was seeing the same blank look in Costello's eyes as he was seeing in the Count's.

Vlad was now just standing and staring at Mike in disbelief; it was as if the whole little tableau had just been instantly frozen in time.

Roland strolled over to the table and snapped his fingers under Costello's nose. Mike did not so much as blink. Vlad jumped at the noise but the Count still remained where he was staring at the table in a vacant, fixed manner.

'So what have you done to him Kingsteignton?' drawled Roland 'Very clever, big bad vampire hypnotises the human? Or have you drugged him?'

'What makes you think I have done anything to the human?' queried Kingsteignton softly 'I found him wandering around outside the house last night and gave him a bed for the night and his favourite breakfast'.

'Well, I knew that vampires were liars, but that one takes the biscuit' ground out Roland 'You know that I know that you took Costello from The Bricklayer's arms and so do the Laurel and Hardy of the vampire world over there?'

'Prove it!' retorted Kingsteignton childishly.

'Why' replied Roland, by now thoroughly confused and thinking he had fallen down the rabbit hole and into some Vampire Wonderland.

'Because I say so' shrieked Kingsteignton even more childishly.

'He's going off again' interjected Vlad 'He can't hold it together. He's going to start writhing and dribbling again in a minute!'

'Look Kingsteignton, I know you took Costello from the pub; I could smell him there and you left this behind'.

Roland took the elegant calling card out of his jean's pocket and held it out in Kingsteignton's direction.

Kingsteignton's eyes had lost all awareness and he gazed at the card dully.

'Prove it' he repeated again in a monotone voice.

Roland raised his eyes to the heavens and groaned. Inwardly he felt like howling. What had he ever done to deserve getting mixed up with the affairs of a bunch of vampires! Feeling the need to blame anyone rather than himself, he cursed Eunice Batchworth under his breath.

Checking Vlad's eyes carefully, and seeing a spark of what passed for normality in a vampire, he backed away from the table.

'It seems Vladimirescu that we are stuck in a vampire's house with one human and two vampires who are in some kind of trance. What do you suggest we do now? It wasn't very pleasant to watch the last time Kingsteignton fell apart, and it didn't smell to good either!'

Vlad gulped in dismay; he wished that someone had told him earlier that this leadership stuff wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Revelations in the Night

Eunice and Malvolio lay back in the bed, lazily replete and satisfied. The clouds had cleared and now the full moon shone brightly through the curtainless window.

'Makes it something special doesn't it, making love when I should be turning!' said Malvolio grinning and turning to kiss Eunice's soft white shoulder.

A cloud crossed Eunice's face. 'I think that we should stop doing this Malvolio, however good it feels. Roland will go nuts if he finds out that you are not turning as you should, and I could get thrown off the Witch's Council if they found out that I was helping you. Also, we are not sure if it's going to hurt you if you keep doing it!'

'You worry too much sweetheart' smiled Malvolio as he slipped his arm around her and pulled her to him 'No one is going to find out and I will be fine!'

But Eunice would not be placated.

'I really think that I should leave now, and that you should turn. Prosperpine is fine, I can feel her sleeping. It would be better for you!'

Malvolio just laughed. 'But I feel wonderful, my love. I have never felt better. Just relax and stay with me.'

'You know I told you that I met Roland today and then bumped into him as I was leaving earlier' started Eunice hesitantly 'Well, I'm not sure that I should mention this, but I think that he thought that I had come here to see him'.

'You think so' Malvolio asked shortly 'What makes you think that'.

Eunice could tell that Malvolio's body had stiffened under her.

'Well he was very flirty at Sue's and seemed disappointed that I had been visiting you guys. Why had you never told him about me, Malvolio?'

'Because there are some things that I like to keep private. This Clan business is all very well, but you don't get a life of your own. Everyone knows everything about you; what you do, what you say, who you know!'

'There is more to it than that though, isn't there?' prompted Eunice gently.

'Well I'm also not sure how cool Roland would be about you being a witch. I mean the usual Clan way is that you are put together with a selected Clan bitch at the turning time and nature takes over. By the time you are back in human form you are stuck with each other for life.'

'Another valid point, Malvolio, but it's still not the real reason is it?'

Eunice looked directly into Malvolio's face with cool, searching green eyes. He groaned and looked away.

'Oh you know! Roland is like this big stud. The big alpha male! I'm a mere beta and should know my place. If you must know, I'm scared stiff that he is going to sweep in here and take you from me. And you telling me that he is already sniffing around you just makes it worse. If he fancies you and finds out that we are an item, he'll lose it totally. He's not used to coming second!'

'Maybe you are underestimating him, and you are certainly underestimating me. I love you Malvolio, you know that. Do you think that means that I will let the big bad wolf carry me off to his lair and ravage me whenever the fancy takes him!'

Malvolio looked stricken. 'This is the first time I have crossed him, Eunice. And the only reason I can do it is because I love you so much. It would crucify me if he took you from me.'

She smiled gently down at him. 'He will never have me and I will never leave you. Especially not now.'

'Why not now especially' he asked cautiously.

'Because I am pregnant' she said simply 'We are going to have a child, Malvolio.'