"Vampire's Kiss" An X-files Story by Jennifer Lyon Jenni10647@aol.com JennyAnn@ix.netcom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property of FOX network, Ten Thirteen Productions and Chris Carter. The remainder of this story is mine. Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my previous story "Promises to Keep," in which I introduce the character of Jason. Contact me if you need a copy of that story. Also note that this story will contain references to adult sexual activity, and assumes that a love/sexual relationship between Mulder and Scully exists. But this story is definitely PG-13 with some sugestive nature - use YOUR imagination! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Part One His eyes burned. Covering them with reddened hands, he twisted and turned in the white sheets of the bed. But there was no escape from the light, it flooded the room in waves of silent heat, piercing every inch of his skin, burrowing through the sheets and the hospital gown. He yearned for the blessed peace of darkness, the familiar shelter of the night. For his freedom and, above all else, for the blood. The red hunger crashed through him again and again. It was as much a part of him now as his skin and hair and bones. Never satisfied, it would ebb and tide within him, receding, then washing over him in waves of need so intense he couldn't even hear his own screams. Sometimes they would feed him, just enough to keep him from dropping into the relative release of total unconsciousness, then draw the precious fluid back out of him drop by drop with their endless needles. He tried to fight, once managing to draw a few precious swallows from one of his human jailer's arms, but it had not been enough. They had flooded his cell with the angry light, increasing the intensity until his skin had blackened and his strength had seeped from him like water through a sieve. A choking bitter laugh escaped through his dry lips, they didn't even bother to tie him down anymore. Instead they left him to the punishing, pulsating light, keeping him weak and controlled, but always alive. Always in torment. Centuries of clinging to life, and now he ached for the death that was denied. A small part of his mind was still awake enough to wonder what they were doing. Humans had hunted and killed his kind before, but these were deliberately keeping him alive. Feeding him blood, then draining it from him. Poking him and prodding him, wounding him, then watching silently as his nourishment-starved body began to heal itself. What did they want?! The door opened and another of the white-clad men entered, a syringe in his hand, walking towards him with purposeful steps, shoes clattering on the tiled floor. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and bared his fangs in an empty gesture of defiance. As the needle pierced the raw skin of his arm, he leaned back and howled, the eerie sound echoing against the colorless walls, then fading back into empty silence. "Let me die..." - - - - - Jason jolted upright in his bed. The room was still and silent, the darkness complete. Not one ray of light penetrated his sanctum, not one sound broke into his rest. Nothing but the echo of a scream in his mind. He ran delicate fingers through strands of his blond hair, mind struggling to focus. Normally, he woke abruptly from the day's slumber, asleep one instant, fully awake the next. But this time, he felt drugged. Weak and trembling, his mind was fogged. Jason stretched, then stumbled to his feet. Walking through the familiar darkness he found the bathroom and turned on the faucet, vigorously splashing cold water across his face, an old habit that hadn't faded over the long centuries since his death. It helped, though, and the coolness of the fluid drying on his skin brought with it the realization that the feeling of torpor wasn't his own. The sensation was already slipping away along with the voice that had cried into his mind. All it left were were feelings of familiarity and fear. Someone he knew - and the knowledge came in a sudden flash of certainty that it was another of his kind - someone was in trouble. All he could grasp was the weakness and the pain, and... Light. Jason winced as the other's panic stirred his own. He had been burned before, so badly that the memory made his stomach twist and cramp. "Who...?" he sent out the mental call, demanding, reaching, searching for the feel of that touch in his mind. But it was gone. - - - - - Music pounded at his senses, the heavy beat sending reverberation through the very floor itself. Male and female voices wound through it, up and down the scale, twisting around each other in a musical caress. Below them, the murmur of conversation filled the air, along with the smell of sweating flesh and alcohol. Jason slipped quietly through the crowd, unerringly finding the one he was seeking. "Charlotta," he spoke into her ear, pressing himself between the bar stools, so that he was looking down at her. Her long, black hair was coiled up onto the top of her head, a few strands artfully loose along her neck and cheeks. She was covered in black silk, the dress hiding just enough of her figure to be tantalizing and revealing at once. She smiled, almost purring as she gracefully turned to meet his eyes. "Jassson," she hissed, her blue eyes almost violet with the blood fever. "Come to join me in the hunt?" Damn, he cursed to himself silently. He needed answers, but she would not be sensible until she had fed. He had never understood why she let the need rise in her like this. She surrendered herself to it with abandon, glorying in the need almost as deeply as she did in the satisfaction. It was one of the reasons why they never would be more than friends and occasional companions. She had no more understanding for his desire to control his need than he did her delight in it. "Chara," he sighed, then gave in gracefully. "Yes, but we have to talk later." She grinned, the smile one of a predator, the fangs just barely visible behind her red lips. She was not far enough gone to fail to sense both the seriousness and the unspoken fear behind his carefully-controlled demeanor. But whatever it was could wait. Jason was always too intense, too focused, and she loved nothing more than a chance to push at his limits. Stretching out a black silk-clad arm, she tapped his cheek. "Come, I had hesitated to take them both myself, but together it will be perfect." Wrapping a hand around his arm, she led him through the crowd. "Chara," he started to protest, but then clamped his mouth shut. He always ended up whining her name, and he knew from experience it was a waste of time. But he did not share the taste some vampires had for their own sex, he might feed from a man when there was need, but he refused to play the games Chara would insist upon. Let her have both of her prey, whatever she might have said, she could handle two men, or five, easily on her own. She laughed against his ear, clearly reading his expression. "Not this time, my dear." She pointed at a pair of girls giggling in a corner table. One was thin and blond, the other rounder and darker, both wearing the standard costume of college students, jeans and sweaters, feet encased in white socks and sneakers. "They're too young," he murmured against the other vampire's neck. "Nonsense," she replied. "They know what they are looking for." And as though in confirmation, both girls turned to bestow welcoming smiles on a pair of men who reeked of sex and violence even from a distance. Jason knew the type - human predators who would use and damage the girls without thought. A growl deep in his throat, he pushed Chara towards the corner, settling between the young women and the men stalking them. The girls might loose a couple pints of blood tonight, but they would NOT be hurt. He would see to that. - - - - - The girls were sleeping on the bed together, the blond one's head resting against her friend's naked chest. The puncture marks on their necks were already fading, by the time they awoke the next day, there would be nothing more than a couple small pinprick scars. Their memories would be cloudy, but pleasant, like waking up after an alcoholic binge. And they would attribute the tiredness to that same cause. Jason was satisfied, and from Chara's sleepy smile, he knew she was as well. Pulling Chara across the room, he spoke softly, but clearly. The girls would not awaken, but there was no reason to avoid simple caution. "We need to talk. Something is wrong." The blood-hunger sated, Chara stretched gracefully, enjoying one last rush of warmth through her veins, then nodded. "I know. At least three of our people have gone missing." She frowned, her still-extended fang catching at her full lower lip. "What?" Jason exclaimed. "Who?" "You'd know if you socialized more," Chara chided, with a slight twinkle in her eyes. Vampires were by nature solitary, but Jason was even more of a loner than most of his kind. The others sought each other regularly, for the companionship it was not safe to find among the humans. Sometimes just to talk, sometimes to share the hunt. "Who!" he insisted again, not willing to take the bait. He was not about to argue his life-style with her. He was fine alone. A small voice in the depths of his mind added a question mark, but he locked it away with the ease of long-practice. "Gerain, Mark, and Louisa that I know of. There are rumors of more." She shook her head. "They are not dead, I can still feel Gerain sometimes." Her voice finally dropped into the first show of emotion. "He's hurt, Jason. Badly, but I cannot reach him, he is too faint." Jason's mouth tightened. "I heard him tonight. Just as I was waking up. A scream, and a sense of incredible weakness. And light. Too much light." The memory made him shiver. "I'm scared," Chara admitted. "Gerain was one of the oldest of us. He was much stronger. Some of the others have already fled the city, but this is my home." Her face darkened. "I won't run. Not again. But without knowing what we are fighting..." She spread her hands wide. "I don't know what to do." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Why should I?" She was angry now, her eyes sparkling. "You've always disdained our company." "Not always," he reminded her. "Gerain was my friend. I may not like hunting and feeding parties, but I respected him, and I've always cared about you." His eyes caressed her face tenderly. "I'm sorry, Jason. I should have contacted you. But what could you do? Louisa and Mark were looking for Gerain when they disappeared." Now she was letting the fear show openly, trusting him with it. "What about the others, if we all work together..." Jason broke off, and returned Chara's rueful smile. Vampires might socialize to some extent, respect some basic rules of co- existence, but more than two or three together always degenerated into a feeding frenzy or a territorial dispute. Which was one of the reasons Jason preferred his own company. "No one can decide what to do," Chara said. "Some have fled, others are trying to find what they can, others try to ignore the whole thing. Most went into hiding, especially after Mark and Louisa vanished. It's not as though we can go to the police." "No," Jason agreed. Then a sudden thought struck him and his mouth widened into a smile. "Not the police..." - - - - - FBI Special Agent Dana Scully rubbed wearily at her bloodshot eyes, trying to focus on the road in front of her. Just around the corner and down the block, and she'd be home. Beside her, Fox Mulder stirred in his sleep, twisting in the cramped front seat of the car, and she gave him a quick glance before pulling the car up to the curb. They had just finished a long and demanding case, finally turning the suspect over to the local police that very afternoon. Scully was beginning to understand why Mulder hated the serial killer cases he was so good at solving. She felt emotionally wrung out, drained, and filthy. The images of the victims kept flashing in front of her eyes, the splattered blood and broken bones. The gaping, empty cavities where organs had once supported life. And it was easier on her, since she dealt with the physical evidence. Mulder had to get into the mind of the killer, to reach into his world and understand him. And that connection with this kind of evil, it took a terrible toll on Mulder. She'd watched him with anxious eyes as he struggled with the case, focusing with an intensity that was nearly obsessive, wringing a profile out of himself that was terrifying in its exactness. He'd been right, far too right. And Scully had seen the flashes of mixed fear and amazement on the faces of the police and other agents involved. And now, they were left with the aftermath of too many nights without sleep, too many horrors witnessed, and the taste of evil in their mouths. But there was satisfaction, she thought grimly, turning off the engine, in the knowledge that one less killer would be stalking the streets tonight. "Mulder..." She tried to wake him gently, but he woke with a start, jerking in his seat. "Wwwhhaaat? Scully?" He focused his shadowed eyes on her face, mouth tightening at the deep-grooved lines etched into her face. "We're at my place," she told him. "Come on, lets get inside." "I...uhn..." he nodded, accepting the implicit invitation. Normally they tried not to spend too many nights together in Washington. If their superiors found out that their relationship was not totally platonic, they could be separated. Neither wanted to take that risk. But tonight, she was right. He was in no shape to drive the rest of the way home. He wasn't even sure he could walk to her door. Easing himself out of the car, he stood up unsteadily. It was a still and quiet evening, the stars shining in a clear sky. Reaching into the back seat, he removed his bag, then shut the car door with a bang. Then hefting it over his shoulder, he followed Scully into her apartment. They both dropped their bags onto the bedroom floor, too tired to care where they fell. Scully let Mulder take the bathroom, too exhausted to bother. Instead she stripped in the still-dark bedroom, dropping her suit on the floor beside their bags. Pulling a nightshirt out from under the pillows, she yanked it over her head even as she walked towards the kitchen. Passing the bathroom door, she heard the toilet flush and water run in the sink. Somehow the sounds were comforting, it was reassuring to know her partner was here. All she wanted in the world right now was to curl up in bed in his arms. To sleep with her head pillowed against his shoulder, his strong arms wound around her. Bare feet silent on the tile, she went to the refrigerator and drew out a half-full bottle of wine. Popping the cork, she took a couple of deep gulps straight from the bottle. The sweet alcohol was smooth going down her throat, and spread a wave of warmth through her belly. With a sigh, she took another swallow. Mulder stepped up behind her, dressed only in his boxers. He had attempted to leave his suit in decent condition, draping it over the back of the bed frame, but it would probably need serious dry-cleaning after having been worn for two days and nights straight. He didn't bother to say a word, announcing his presence by pressing a soft kiss into her hair. She leaned back against him, sighing under her breath, as his arms closed around her. He took the bottle out of her hand and set it on the counter. She let it go willingly, and turned to press her face into his chest. Putting the exhaustion aside for a few minutes longer, he slipped a hand under her knees and swung her up into his arms. She snuggled close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burrowing a hand deep into the dark silk of his hair. He nuzzled the top of her head as he carried her into the bedroom, laying her gently onto the bed. She reached up to help him pull the covers down, wriggling as he brought them down underneath her, then back up over her legs. Smiling sleepily up at the shadow of his figure, she reached out to pull him closer. He hardly needed the encouragement and he slipped into the bed to join her, releasing a soft sigh of relief as his head hit the pillow. Scully rested her head against his chest, closed her eyes, and fell instantly to sleep. Mulder caressed her shoulders gently for a moment, then closed his own eyes. His last thought, as he joined her in slumber, was that neither of them was going to have trouble sleeping this night. - - - - - ===================================================================== ====== From: jennyann@ix.netcom.com (Jennifer Lyon) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:"Vampire's Kiss" 2/10 Date: 6 Jul 1995 23:16:06 GMT ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Vampire's Kiss" An X-files Story by Jennifer Lyon Jenni10647@aol.com JennyAnn@ix.netcom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property of FOX network, Ten Thirteen Productions and Chris Carter. The remainder of this story is mine. Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my previous story "Promises to Keep," in which I introduce the character of Jason. Contact me if you need a copy of that story. Also note that this story will contain references to adult sexual activity, and assumes that a love/sexual relationship between Mulder and Scully exists. But this story is definitely PG-13 with some sugestive nature - use YOUR imagination! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Part Two Standing in the shadows by the bedroom door, Jason's cat-like eyes rested on the sleeping couple. The woman's flame- haired head was nestled against the man's shoulder, his head settled on the pillows, dark hair in disarray above sleep-refined features. Moving as silently as a ghost, Jason glided forward until he was standing right beside them, eyes half-shuttered as he gazed down at them. He reached out a hand to brush the silken bangs off of the slumbering man's temples, then arrested it in mid- air. The vampire's small, long-fingered hand hovered in the air for a moment, shaking with emotion, then stilled by a sudden act of will. He drew his hand back, ignoring the sting in his eyes from tears that could no longer fall, and fought back the flood of emotion. He had kept his distance after his first meeting with these two humans, the reaction to the man who wore his lost love's face too strong to be ignored, too painful and confusing to be borne. So he had settled for watching from a safe distance, keeping his promise without endangering his heart. But now he had to break that wall, take the risk, for this time he needed their help. "Mulder, Dana..." he whispered, his voice an echo of the night. Again, louder, "Mulder, Dana..." Scully shifted in her sleep, turning her head, as though in response to his call, then settling down again. "Mulder, Dana..." This time Mulder reacted, tightening his grasp on the woman in his arms, even as his eyelids began to flutter and his breath quicken. "Mulder, Dana..." Mulder's eyes flew open and focused on the dark shadow leaning over the bed. "Scully!!" he cried out in warning, leaping to a half- upright position. "Whhaa...?" she murmured, fighting to remain asleep, even as he pushed her to the side, instinctively trying to place himself between her and the unknown. "Wait," Jason started to speak again as Mulder reached for the lamp beside the bed and switched it on, sending a bright flare of light across the room. Jason shuddered and drew an arm across his eyes, backing away from the sudden glare. Mulder blinked, his body tensed. Then a sigh of relief crossed his lips as he recognized their intruder. "Jason?" The name was spoken with a mixture of disbelief, surprise and dawning joy. "Yes," Jason replied, dropping the shielding arm as his light-sensitive eyes readjusted. "I apologize for disturbing your sleep, but I need to talk to you." The man and the vampire studied each other for a moment, then Mulder nodded. "It's been a while." "Yes, it has." Jason smiled. "I've been around." Mulder smiled in return. "I know." It was Jason's turn for a look of surprise, but the expression faded into one of self- amused acceptance. Awakened by the light and sound of voices, Scully rubbed her eyes, then looked up at the visitor. "Hello Jason," she said sleepily, a small part of her wondering why she was reacting so calmly to being wakened in the middle of the night, in her own bedroom, by a real-life vampire. Perhaps she was becoming inured to weirdness, more likely it was the instinctive trust she felt in Jason. "Hello Lady," he replied softly, making the title ring true in his oddly-archaic English. His piercing eyes took her in, the cloud of copper-hair, the wide blue eyes, the full, slightly open mouth, the skin showing in the vee of her thin cotton nightshirt, then he pulled back visibly, turning his eyes onto Mulder's face. Scully had felt those eyes on her, and a slight blush reddened her cheeks, even as she drew the covers up higher and settled back against the pillows beside Mulder. Mixed with the embarrassment was another feeling, one she wasn't sure she wanted to recognize. Mulder sat up fully, leaving space for Jason to sit down on the bed facing them. He had caught both the way Jason looked at Scully and her response to that look, causing his own emotions to break into a turmoil. A confusion that was not aided by the way Jason was staring at him. Jason accepted the implicit invitation and sat down on the edge of the bed. A flash of light caught his attention, and he automatically reached out to finger the shiny object resting in the hollow of Mulder's throat. A small gold locket on a thick gold chain, it brought back a flood of memories, the scent of lilacs in the dark, the taste of cherries on lips redder than the fruit, green- tinged hazel eyes that could read his soul... Jason's hand began to shake, even as his fingers clasped onto the locket. Mulder's hand flew up to close upon Jason's, holding them both against his chest. Jason could feel Mulder's heartbeat below the warmth of his skin, Mulder could feel the cool porcelain of the vampire's skin next to his own. Jason stilled to a death-like silence as their eyes met and held. He could have been looking into Maria's eyes, the resemblance was as total in that instant as it had ever been, and the feelings it evoked were intense. The moment lasted no more than a second, then it was gone, Mulder releasing Jason's hand, Jason pulling his hand away and pressing it against his own chest as though he had burned. Mulder's pulse was racing in his veins, he felt like he could hear it pound in his temples. He took a ragged breath, carefully avoiding Scully's watching eyes, then framed the simple words precisely. "What's happened?" Jason's face settled into a calm mask, pale skin stretched tight over well-carved bones. "I need your help." He paused, not sure how to continue. Even asking was difficult, trying to explain was nearly impossible. Was this a mistake? Chara had thought so, even given the very little he had told her. Scully and Mulder were both silent, letting Jason take his time. Both had some inkling of how difficult this was for the vampire, and both were willing to let him do it his own way. "I am not the only of my kind in this city. You knew about the mad one, but there are others more like me. Who live quietly among the humans. We don't need to kill to feed ourselves, so most don't." He smiled. "There are plenty of humans willing to trade a few ounces of blood for momentary pleasure. Some even become addicted to it, seek it out as a new kind of drug." Both Mulder and Scully felt a separate rush of understanding, each had had one experience with the vampire's bite, and the memory brought each a rush of tingling heat. Jason saw the reaction, his smile deepening, then resolving as he forced himself to continue. "We are not much of a community, most vampires are by nature solitary. But sometimes we need the company of others like ourselves. Others who understand the toll of the passing years, passing centuries." Scully saw the worry darkening Jason's pale features and she reached out instinctively to reassure him. He closed his hand on hers briefly, accepting the gesture, then released her. "Last night I sensed that another vampire, a friend, was in trouble. I'm less sociable than most, and hadn't talked to any of the others in almost two months. But after the sending from Gerain..." He shivered, his eyes filling with remembered pain. "I sought out another friend. She told me that Gerain, and two of the others have disappeared. A few of the remaining vampires have received similar sensations, calls for help that end as abruptly as they begin." "What did you feel," Mulder asked, his insistent curiosity engaged. Jason looked almost startled at the sound of his voice, then focused on it. "I heard the voice crying for help, very faint. I almost didn't recognize it. It came with an intense feeling of weakness, and then a burst of light." He shuddered openly. "Burning, burning light. Not...not enough to kill, just enough to hurt. Endless, endless torment." He pressed his hands to his eyes as though to shield them. Mulder grasped Jason's shoulder's steadying him. "Easy, easy. You can separate yourself from it." His voice was hypnotic, silken and persuasive. "You can see it without feeling it. Imagine that you are watching it on a TV screen, with the controls under your command. It is separate from you, you can see it, but cannot be hurt by it. It is under your control." He repeated himself, slowly - evenly. Jason slowly let his hands slip down, and he looked up into Mulder's face. He nodded slightly, his mouth opening and closing as though he had taken a breath, even though that was something he had not needed to do in centuries. "Good," Mulder urged. "Now try to rewind the tape to the beginning. Then let it go forward slowly." Jason tried to speak, but Mulder shook his head. "No, first just watch it through once." Jason nodded, his eyes turning inward, still braced against Mulder's hands. They sat like that silently for a moment, then Jason pulled himself upright. "Ready," he said slowly, drawing the syllables out. "Good," Mulder responded. "Now try to tell us everything you remember as you see or experience it." "I'm asleep, its almost time to awaken." Jason's voice came from deep inside, his eyes still unfocused. "A voice calls out to me faintly, and I wake. It calls again, crying for help. 'Stop the pain. No more, let me sleep!' I reach for it, but it fades. I feel weak, so tired. I can barely move. But I'm fully awake now, and I make myself get up. My feet are so unsteady, I can barely walk. I get to the bathroom, run the water, bury my hands in it, then splash it on my face. Better, I'm feeling stronger. The weakness wasn't my own - it came from the other. I know now, it is another vampire. One who is hurting, afraid. 'Where?' I call out, but there is no response. I grasp onto the edge of the sink. 'Who, where?' I call out aloud. Suddenly I hear the scream again, it crashed into my mind. Light, light, burning light. I can't escape from it. My skin is sore, my eyes blind, I can't stop them..." Jason faltered there, shivering, but Mulder urged him on. "Stop who, Jason?" "Stop them, the men in white. Stabbing, stabbing with needles..." Jason broke off and leapt to his feet. Scully moved to follow him, but Mulder held her back. They both watched Jason as he began to pace the room, trying to bring himself back under control. After several circuits of the bed, he stopped and turned to them. "He's in some kind of cell, but one that is all white. There is too much light, and men who stick him with needles. He's too tired to fight, too starved." Jason's eyes had turned bright red, and his fangs had extended enough to brush at his lower lip. "Hungry, so hungry..." He pulled back again, reaching out to grip the edge of the bedpost. The desire for blood became intense, the other's hunger rising within him. He could sense their heartbeats, smell their flesh. NO! "I've got to go..." He turned to flee the room. "No!" Mulder shouted, even as he and Scully both got up out of the bed. They met him by the door. Jason tried to push past them, but Mulder seized his arms. "You came to us for help, let us help!" "You don't understand," Jason squeezed out the words over the now-fully extended fangs. "We understand," Scully replied, grabbing his arm to make him look down at her. "If you need to feed, we'll take care of it, but right now you can't go out there alone. Its too dangerous. If what you sense is right," She almost couldn't believe the words coming out of her own mouth, but they FELT right. "If what you sense is right, then there are people out there preying on vampires. What if they take you next?" "Scully's right," Mulder agreed. "It's too dangerous. At least let us go with you." Jason struggled with the rising tide of hunger stimulated by his memory of the Gerain's need. He shouldn't need more blood, he had fed within the last few hours. But once awakened, the blood-hunger had a life of its own, and it was abetted by his own desires. Scully's nearness was tantalizing, he could smell her, sense the blood rushing beneath her clear, soft skin. And Mulder... Those emotions were ones he still didn't want to face. Never, never had he felt such desire for a man, and even though he realized that much of what he felt was actually for the man's ancestor, the beautiful Maria, it was difficult to separate the memories from the living breathing reality. Mulder was SO like her, from the demanding intelligence to the compassionate soul, the physical beauty and inner strength, the piercing changeable eyes, and above all, the intense curiosity. The need to *know.* How alike they were, and with all the things that had made him love her, extant in this man, how could he fail to love him too. Jason shook his head slightly, trying to focus through the red haze and the driving hunger. Mulder sensed some of the uncertainty and pressed his advantage. "I..." One look at Scully's determined features, and he forced the plural out, "WE...can feed you. Or we can go with you while you feed. But you are NOT going out there alone." - - - - - Mulder and Scully each took Jason's hand and together led him back towards the rumpled bed. He went with them shaking, a mix of need and fear short-circuiting his ability to react. They half-pushed him onto the bed, then both paused, eyeing each other with uncertainty. Jason was in no condition to make the decision, they had to make it for him - but neither knew what to do. Feeding a vampire was not a daily occurrence, not even for the FBI's experts on the paranormal. Should they find someone else, feed him themselves, and if so, which one would? Mulder cleared his throat, then found himself grinning. "I wonder if there's an all-night pizza delivery place nearby?" "Mulder, this isn't the time to order pizza, we need to help Jason." Scully scolded, watching with worried eyes as Jason lay on the bed, his red eyes staring at the ceiling, his body trembling. "I was thinking less of ordering a pizza, than of ordering a pizza-deliverer," he responded, as his grin widened. "We'll take a pint of blood with that pizza." "Mulder!!!" Scully threw him an annoyed glance, then sighed loudly. It actually wasn't such a hopeless idea. She didn't think Jason had enough control to go hunting in bars for a willing meal, so that left them with the responsibility. 'Don't fool yourself, Dana Scully. You *want* this.,' a very annoying inner voice chimed. 'Shut up!' she told it, even as she made the decision. "I'll feed him," she said, wishing her voice was steadier than it was. "Unh...No, Scully...I'll do it," Mulder's voice wasn't any calmer than hers, just deeper She met his eyes, about to start arguing, but the pained look on his face stopped her. As their eyes melded, they slid into one of their rare, extraordinary moments of total understanding. It suddenly occurred to her that however hard this was for her, it must be worse for Mulder. To feel such fascination, fear, and desire for Jason - Mulder had a hard time accepting his love for her, to have such deep emotions for the vampire - the very male vampire - must be a thousand times more difficult for him. And that didn't even touch the sense of betrayal of their own relationship. Mulder was deeply loyal, as was she, and they loved each other without bounds. Neither wanted to risk losing the other. Scully reached out to touch Mulder's hand. "It will be easier on us if we share this. He'll need less from each of us." Mulder swallowed and nodded, closing his hand upon hers. "I love you, Dana," he growled hoarsely. "I love you too," she whispered back, rising up on her tip-toes to brush his mouth with a kiss. Then, still holding his hand, she clambered up onto the bed. Mulder followed her silently. - - - - - Jason struggled valiantly with the hunger, his vision blurring, then focusing, feeling the waves of blood-thirst rise and fall within him. The sound of voices nearby barely impinged on his consciousness, his awareness too busy struggling with itself. He wouldn't take the one he still felt pledged to protect, however strong the desire, and he wouldn't take the woman. Not this way, not again. How very much he wanted to be with her while he was in control, when he could give her pleasure and romance, treat her like the Lady she was rather than a quick source of nourishment. There was sudden movement, and his senses were flooded with the smell of human flesh and the tantalizing sense of the blood that flowed below it. He could feel the heat, almost taste the sweat on their skin. He put his hands up to ward them away, opened his mouth to warn them to leave, but the need washed over him again, and he was lost to it. With an inhuman cry, Jason reached for the nearest source of blood, pulling it down over him, then pushing it to the side. Controlled by pure instinct he reached for the head, cradling it in his small, but powerful hands, lunging for the hollow of the neck. The hunger pounding through his temples, he only barely noticed the cry of surprise near his ear, the soft feel of hair under his hands, the strong length of the body beneath him as he unerringly found the jugular vein and plunged his fully-extended fangs through the velvety layer of skin. Blood - it rushed into his mouth, hot and salty and thick, and he drew it in, letting it flood down his throat. - - - - - Mulder had not quite known what to expect, but the sudden assault came as a surprise. He barely had time to gasp for breath before he found himself laying across the bed, Jason's weight pressing down on him. Hands closed around his head, pinioning it and turning it aside in the same motion, and then there was a sharp, stinging pain in his throat. And then pleasure...wave upon waves of ecstasy flowing outward from the pressure on his neck. Uttering a ragged moan, he arched up against the source of that heat, seeking more of it. The hands holding his head relaxed, one moving to his shoulder to brace him, the other beginning to caress the opposite side of his face. Mulder drew in a ragged breath, and settled into the vampire's embrace. - - - - - Scully watched anxiously for a while, wishing she had some notion of how quickly Jason was drawing blood, and how much. She reached out to intervene, then drew her hand back. She gritted her jaw and forced herself to wait. Just a little longer, just a little longer. Maybe Jason would know when to stop, maybe he only needed so much. But how was she supposed to know? Scully watched as Mulder shifted and groaned beneath Jason, his eyes shuttered, his mouth half-open. Against Jason's pallor, his skin looked darker than it was, but it was still too white. Too many months working inside a basement office, working at night, living almost like... like a vampire. "Enough," Scully never realized she spoke the word aloud as she threw herself forward to seize Jason and yank him backwards. Not expecting it, he went with her, his fangs slipping out of Mulder's throat. Then he growled and fought, turning to face her. Scully felt her stomach flip as his face came within an inch of hers, eyes glowing bright red, fangs distended and dripping, an angry scowl contorting his handsome features. Reaching for the depths of her determination, she took hold of his shoulders and pulled him down on top of her, falling backwards onto the bed. As she fell, she angled her head to the side in open invitation, stifling a scream as he responded in nearly mindless hunger, biting deeply into her. An instant of pain - then pleasure. Hot, insistent, demanding. - - - - - "No!" Mulder cried out in dismay. It was gone, the source of the delight that had filled his senses, and he curled up into a ball of misery. His hand flew to the sensitive spot on his throat and held it, wishing for more, wanting resumption of that incredible ecstasy. Ignoring the wetness that came away on his hand, he forced himself upright, his mind still caught on the need... His eyes found Scully and Jason beside him, and the sight brought some flicker of awareness back. One part of him wanted to tear the vampire away from her, while another part wanted to take her away from the vampire. He wanted them both, and his slowly awakening consciousness staggered under the weight of that emotional recognition. Managing to climb to his knees, Mulder rocked himself, his arms wrapped tightly across his chest. Beneath Jason, Scully twisted and moaned, the sound finally stirring Mulder to act. Not bothering to care which he was trying to claim, perhaps both, he grabbed Jason and yanked him backwards. Scully cried out at the cessation of the euphoric sensations, reaching up blindly to drag Jason back to her. Mulder held on tightly to him also, placing Jason in the middle of a tug- of-war. The vampire hissed angrily, throwing off both sets of hands easily, and moving away. Turning to face them, he started to attack, then hesitated. Mulder's face was haunted, but mostly aware, while Scully still had the look of a sleep-walker, her eyes heavy-lidded, her breath coming in short gasps. Both sat still, watching him anxiously, waiting for him to make the next move. Blood trickled across both their chests, and the sight and smell of it made Jason's fangs ache and saliva pool in his mouth. But he was sated enough to be able to control the hunger, and he shut it down firmly. This had to stop before he took too much. Holding to his resolve, he leaned towards Mulder. "Hold still," he commanded, as his mouth found the still- bleeding holes on Mulder's neck. Mulder leaned into Jason, his head falling slightly to the side to allow better access. Jason felt the desire to draw more blood, but forced himself to seal the wounds off, settling for licking the already spilled blood from Mulder's skin. Then Jason pushed Mulder back against the pillows, making sure that his head came down gently. He pressed into his chest, telling him without words to stay put. Scully had watched this through slowly widening blue eyes, and she willingly accepted Jason's attention, pulling her own hair out of the way as the vampire sought the leaking puncture marks on her throat. Every so gently, he closed them, tasted the trickle of blood on her skin, then lowered her down against her partner. Mulder's arms encircled her, and she nestled into the heat of his body with a sigh of contentment. Jason watched them for a moment, the red of his eyes beginning to fade. A slow smile inched its way across his lips as he watched them doze, the fangs retracting. His movements were sure and deathly quiet as he got off the bed and settled the blankets back around them. His instinctive sense for the approaching dawn told him he still had a few hours of the safety of the night. He decided that he owed them at least an hour of that time. Turning off the bedside lamp, he curled up along the end of the bed sideways and settled down to wait. - - - - - ===================================================================== ====== From: jennyann@ix.netcom.com (Jennifer Lyon) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:"Vampire's Kiss" 3/10 Date: 6 Jul 1995 23:17:41 GMT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- "Vampire's Kiss" An X-files Story by Jennifer Lyon Jenni10647@aol.com JennyAnn@ix.netcom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property of FOX network, Ten Thirteen Productions and Chris Carter. The remainder of this story is mine. Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my previous story "Promises to Keep," in which I introduce the character of Jason. Contact me if you need a copy of that story. Also note that this story will contain references to adult sexual activity, and assumes that a love/sexual relationship between Mulder and Scully exists. But this story is definitely PG-13 with some sugestive nature - use YOUR imagination! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Part Three Mulder stirred in his sleep. Just a flutter of ghosts across the edge of his awareness, but they pushed him towards consciousness. Shadows, memories, glimpsed and then gone, the images were fragmented and faint. He twisted, and felt something warm against him. Drawing it closer, he breathed in a warm and familiar scent, coconut shampoo and human sweat, combined with that indefinable, but unique flavor that was Dana. He tightened his arms and curled up around her, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he tried to regain his sleep, but the sound and movement had echoes. There was a shift in weight, following by the abruptly insistent sensation of being watched. Mulder mentally brushed it away, but it returned. He closed his eyes and simulated sleep for a moment, then gave up and lay back. His slowly opening eyes soon focused on the figure sitting over him. His sleep-clouded mind was slower than his eyesight, and one part of his awareness took the time to ask another why he wasn't worried by waking up to find a stranger staring at him. The answer came back sluggishly, but it was definite - because this wasn't a stranger. "Jason," he murmured, adjusting his position to ease the arm taking all of Scully's weight. He pulled out from under her, and sat up, rubbing the cramps out of the elbow. The memories of what had happened earlier flooded him, and he found himself grateful for the darkness. Mulder didn't blush easily, but he could feel his cheeks burning. Jason watched him silently, easily recognizing that Mulder was feeling some embarrassment. But Jason couldn't find the words to reassure him, so he settled for saying nothing. He waited until he sensed that Mulder was fully awake, then said simply. "I wish I could let you sleep. But dawn is approaching soon," he eyed the large, thin-curtained windows with annoyance. As full as this night had been, it now seemed far too short. "Dawn?" Mulder understood quickly, and he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, then stretching his hands over his head. No time to deal with emotions now, something Mulder had to admit he was grateful for. Leaning over, he shook Scully gently. "Scully..." "Mulder..." she said, trying to push him away. But he insisted, and soon she was sitting up beside him, yawning. "We need to get Jason somewhere safe for the day," Mulder told her. "I will go home," Jason said. "No one knows where it is, except..." He frowned. "Except Chara and Gerain." Mulder seized on the familiar name. "He's the one who is missing, the one who is being held captive?" "Yes," Jason struggled with a mixture of emotions. "But he wouldn't tell them." His mouth thinned. "At least not willingly." Mulder shook his head. "Better not take the chance." He played out the floor plan of Scully's apartment in his head, but didn't like the result. Far too many windows, unless they stuck Jason in a closet it would be hard to protect him from the sun. "My apartment is probably best. Just the one window, and we can block it easily." Scully agreed. "I think that's best." Jason looked doubtful, but he couldn't think of another solution. Still... "We don't know for sure that I'm in any danger. Mark and Louisa were taken after they began actively looking for Gerain. It could be that they only wanted him, and they just got in the way." "Still, we shouldn't take the chance," Mulder insisted. "While you sleep, Scully and I can do some digging. We'll need to know where your friend lived and his full name - and those of Mark and Louisa too, if possible. We can at least file missing persons reports on them." Jason nodded. "That's what I wanted to ask you to do. I think they must have been taken during the day. It is difficult to overpower a vampire at night. It can be done, but not easily. During the day, they would have been much more vulnerable. I'm sure that they were taken by humans, if you can trace them by day, we'll have an advantage at night." Scully interrupted here. "We'll need more information about Gerain and the others. And we may need to talk to anyone who was close to them around the time they disappeared." "I'll do that!" Jason's voice rose nearly to a shout. At the sound of it, he visibly pulled back. When he spoke again, his voice was almost in a whisper. "It's not safe for you. I'll handle the nights, you handle the days." They could sense the plea in his voice, if not see it in his face. Mulder considered their options, weighing caution and fear against curiosity and duty. "Jason," he said carefully. "If we are going to do this, we need access to everything. Scully and I are trained investigators, experienced at picking up nuances in a witness' statement that you might miss. We may not be of much help, if you restrict our access to necessary information." Mulder grasped Jason's shoulder before Jason could begin to argue. "I know - I *know* - that it could be dangerous for us. I'm sure the others won't like the idea of us knowing who and what they are. But our job *is* risky - it comes with the territory. I doubt your vampires are any bit more dangerous than the 'human' serial killer we just caught." Mulder's voice was rich with irony. "In fact I'd bet they are a lot more 'human' than he ever was." "Mulder's right, Jason," Scully concurred. "You need our help, so let us help. We did well once working together. I think we will again." "You don't understand," Jason tried again, looking from one determined face to another. "I may not be able to protect you. Chara...maybe. If I claim BloodRight to you both, she'll probably respect that. So will some of the others. But there are always the few who don't respect anything except their own hunger, their own will. And I can't watch over you every minute of every night." He left unsaid his wish that he could, his desire to try regardless, and the fact that he'd given it a very good attempt quite recently. And he didn't doubt that Mulder easily read it all. Scully, maybe not, but Mulder was too perceptive. Just like Maria. Scully started to argue back, but Mulder interrupted her. "Look, we're wasting time. I suggest we go by Jason's to pick up overnight," he grinned and corrected himself, "overDAY stuff and then get to my place as quickly as possible. Let us see what we can find out during the day, then we can plan from there tomorrow night." Jason and Scully had to accept the wisdom of that suggestion, though both were tight-lipped and grim as they got out of the bed. Mulder and Scully dressed quickly, both of their minds racing. Jason waited in characteristic silence by the doorway until they were ready, then he led them out of the apartment and into the early morning dark. As she locked her door, Scully threw one last yearning glance towards her bedroom window. So much for a good night's sleep. - - - - - In the soft light from the lamp, Jason's skin was like clear, white wax, shiny in its pallor. He lay breathless and silent, unmoving. Mulder sat on the edge of the couch beside the sleeping vampire and studied him closely. Thick blond hair fell in soft waves around a youthful face, marked by high cheekbones and pointed jaw. The mouth was red and full, the eyelashes thick and seemingly dark against the fair, unlined skin. He was beautiful in a cold, but haunting way - eternal youth, eternal death. The spark that gave Jason life was hidden in the shuttered eyes. Mulder hesitantly reached out and stroked Jason's cheek, feeling the coolness of the skin beneath his fingertips. There had been heat the night before, but that was gone. No sooner had the dawn arrived, than Jason had fallen into this lifeless coma. Only the knowledge of what he was gave hope, to all intents and appearances he was dead. It seemed amazing that he could awaken from this state - but Mulder held onto that belief with all his strength. Scully was still at the office, trying to trace the missing vampires. They had lived on the edge of society, leaving only minimal records of their presence. Like shadows, they were visible mostly by their reflections, the human lives they had touched, however briefly. And those were minimal. The day had been filled mostly with frustration, more questions than answers. It was the night that held the resolution, Mulder knew. But the night could be deadly. Scully and Mulder had not talked much about what had happened. About feeding Jason. They had let it be by mutual, unspoken consent. Too many raw emotions that neither wanted to face. There was a job to do, they would do it and face the consequences later. Mulder sighed to himself as he sat in the dim lamplight; someday they were going to run out of 'laters.' What then? Lost in thought, Mulder hadn't realized he was still caressing Jason's face with his hand until that hand was seized in a powerful grip. "Uhhn," Mulder's eyes flew downwards to find Jason's gray eyes open and intent upon him. "You're awake," Mulder said lamely, again grateful that the dimness of the light hid the blush rising below his skin. "Yes," Jason replied simply, still holding Mulder's fingers trapped between his own hand and his cheek. Jason took his turn to study Mulder, noting the shadows under the gleaming hazel eyes and along the jaw. Mulder's straight dark hair was tousled, bangs falling in several directions across his temples, a few strands nearly standing on end. Releasing Mulder's hand, Jason reached up to finger one of those strands then push it into place ever so gently. Mulder nearly shook with the contact, then drew away. Covering the reaction with a cough, he stood up. "Scully is at the office. We should join her as soon as you are ready." Jason nodded, sliding to his feet with agility. Several inches shorter than the six-foot-tall agent, the vampire was forced to look upwards to meet Mulder's eyes. "I'll be ready soon." - - - - - Jason had indeed been quick in washing and changing clothes, and they were soon on their way to FBI headquarters. Along the way, Mulder filled Jason in on the events of the day. Searches of the missing vampires' homes had revealed little, and their human neighbors had little to offer. The general consensus was that Gerain was a true gentleman, if a little weird. Louisa's neighbors simply settled for 'strange.' Mark's didn't even know his name. Basically they had disappeared without a trace, and there was almost no one to care. Mulder had seen something of himself in their life-style. If it wasn't for Scully - he'd have been the same. So it angered him that they could simply be taken without question. But not without retribution; Mulder was not going to let it go. Neither was Scully, nor Jason. The vampire was grim throughout the drive to the Hoover Building, and he eyed the sprawling monstrosity with distaste as Mulder pulled the car into the underground garage. They exited the car in silence, falling into step together with graceful ease, Mulder's longer stride letting him pull slightly ahead. Jason was willing to let him lead, following the taller, darker human with alert eyes and a watchful air. Even at night, the FBI building's main floor was brightly lit and active. The two men, vampire and human, waded through the commotion, people instinctively pulling out of their way. Mulder pushed through to the desk, brusquely requesting a guest pass for Jason, who donned it without a word. One pair of agents moved to intercept Mulder, sneering smiles on their faces. "What's new Spooky?" one challenged. "Seen any more little green men lately?" Mulder eyed the pair with ill-concealed annoyance. They were not Washington regulars. He'd run across them on an X- Files case a couple years ago, and he'd quite hoped to never see them again. Not perceptive enough to read the cold irritation on Mulder's face, they both chuckled at him. Jason didn't quite understand what was happening, but he could feel Mulder's emotions flare, anger and frustration barely masking the knife- edge of pain, and he reacted with instinctive protectiveness. He stepped up to Mulder's side and glared at the two interlopers. Neither would ever be able to say exactly what happened, even if they had been willing to try to explain. Both suddenly felt their insides crawl with fear, causing them to abruptly turn on their heels and flee the room. Mulder watched them leave with some astonishment. Then he turned to look down at Jason with a mix of amusement and suspicion. "What did you do?" he whispered. Jason merely smiled, barely revealing the tips of his fangs. - - - - - Scully lifted weary eyes from the computer screen at the sound of the door opening. Taking off her glasses, she stood up to meet Mulder and Jason in the middle of the room. "Hey Scully," Mulder said, shrugging off his suitcoat and dropping it over his chair. Easing himself into it, he asked, "Found anything new?" "No," Scully said, even as she exchanged a smile of welcome with Jason. He bowed his head to her, his eyes managing to caress her from a distance. She felt an electric shock race across her nerves, but managed to still her reaction. Turning her attention back to Mulder, she spoke calmly. "Nothing definite." She then explained for Jason's benefit. "I have been trying to get a line on who might have taken Gerain and the others. From your description it has to be someone with access to what sounds like a hospital or clinic." She perched herself on the edge of the desk between the two men, Mulder sprawled in his chair, Jason leaning against a file cabinet, both sets of eyes intent on her face. "Again, we're only guessing from what you sensed the other night, and from your exposure to the sun a few months ago. Exposure to direct sunlight is deadly for you, stimulates some kind of chemical reaction that burns into your skin like acid. Also, during the day, even when you are protected from the sun itself, you fall into a death-like coma. Its possible they may have found a way to control that reaction, using light." She shook her head, none of this quite made sense. Every time she went over the vampiric condition in her head, she got more confused. There had to be a physical cause, she just couldn't put her finger on it. She would love to get a blood sample from Jason, but knew without asking that he'd balk at that kind of intrusion. He was too proud to accept being a subject of experimentation, and she didn't want to hurt him in any way. Still, if only... Noting that she seemed to have gotten lost in thought, Mulder took over. "Jason, do you think its possible that being subjected to certain wavelengths of light, within the spectrum of sunlight might have that kind of effect on you?" Without letting Jason answer, Mulder plunged ahead, his excitement growing as he let his imagination roam free. "It could be that some wavelengths of light cause the burning, and others are responsible for the hibernation. If someone figured out how to tune fluorescent lamps in such a way to weaken a vampire without killing him..." "It's possible," Jason interjected. "But, how would they find out? They'd need to do some experimenting." He paused as the same thought struck them all. Jason forced himself to say it. "They have been experimenting." "I'd guess so," Scully agreed, looking at Jason with concern. "Maybe they stumbled on the first vampire by accident? I don't know." She rubbed her eyes wearily. "But when they realized what they had, they decided to find some more test subjects. After all, if they can figure out what causes vampirism, they could have their hands on a potential fountain of youth. Eternal life." "Eternal death," Jason countered with some bitterness. Both agents stared at him with wide eyes. He smiled wryly. "I made my peace with this a long, long time ago," he explained. "It wasn't my choice, but I've learned to live with it. And it has its good side. I've lived to see things I never would have dreamed possible when I was alive." He paced across the room. "Still, there is a price to be paid. Never to see the dawn, to feel the warmth of the sun on your face." His voice fell almost to a whisper. "And the hunger - the endless, driving hunger." "Jason?" Scully made the name into a question, and he read it instantly. "No, no, Lady. I'm fine." Both Scully and Mulder felt a mixture of relief and disappointment, both thrust the reaction aside fiercely. "Anyway," Scully got back to her feet and walked around the desk behind Mulder to look at the computer screen. "I made a list of all companies and government facilities in the Washington D.C. area that could support this kind of experimentation. They would need self-contained rooms to keep the vampires in, and a biological research laboratory - all assuming they are trying to figure out what vampirism is. But this could be a false trail." "I think it's a safe bet, Scully." Mulder insisted. "You did say, Jason, that Gerain was subjected to injections." "Yes," Jason replied. "And they took blood from him with needles." He frowned, joining them at the computer. "I know that passing the blood is necessary to convert someone. Traditionally, the vampire takes blood, then passes it back to the human. Then the human must go through a mortal death, after which he becomes a vampire himself. It doesn't take in all cases, some are rejected and simply die." "That would fit with the cause being some kind of blood-borne biological agent," Scully mused. "Perhaps a virus of some kind, that causes alterations on the host's body chemistry. By ensuring the continued existence of its host - eternal life - it keeps itself alive." "Quite an adaptation," Mulder said. "Yes," Scully answered, warming to her subject. "I'd guess a retrovirus, and one that feeds on red blood cells somehow." She nibbled at her lower lip, eyes focused in concentration. "But I don't see how a retrovirus could live in RBC's. Mature red blood cells don't have DNA or even nuclei in humans. Perhaps the virus-infected cells, white blood cells perhaps, like macrophages, take up and digest the red blood cells. A need for hemoglobin perhaps, or for the oxygen or iron that hemoglobin carries." "That's all fine and well, Scully," Mulder interrupted, "But it doesn't bring us any closer to knowing who our vampire- nappers are." Jason had been staring at the list of names on the monitor intently, his mouth tightening with increasing frustration. "It could be any of them, or none." He gestured widely, surprising Mulder and Scully with the outburst. "This isn't getting us anywhere!" "I know," Mulder said soothingly. "But it gives us a place to start. What we need now is more information. A way of narrowing down the possibilities. I think we need to talk to the missing vampire's friends. Anyone they might have told something to. Someone who might have seen or heard something that could give us a clue to the kidnapper's identity." "I'll do that," Jason insisted, heading for the door. Scully grabbed his arm as he attempted to pass by her. "It's not safe for you alone. We're coming with you." "No!" Jason glared at her. "It's less safe for you. I can take care of myself at night." "No one's invulnerable," Mulder argued, getting to his feet, unashamed of using his height in an argument. "If they know enough to capture and hold at least three vampires, maybe more, they may know enough to be able to overpower you even at night. You'll stand a better chance if we're with you." Jason shook his head. "Maybe so, but I'm more concerned about you. If they can overpower me, then you two don't stand a chance. Besides, there are the other vampires to think about also. Even if we could handle the kidnappers, and I hope we can, I can't guarantee your safety with the others. Some will accept my protection of you, but others may not. And some do still kill for blood, especially when they feel threatened. Your knowledge of them might be just enough excuse." "We'll just have to take that chance," Mulder insisted. He refused to let Jason go off alone, and he couldn't hide the intensity of his curiosity. There was a whole subculture out there he knew nothing about. A society of vampires here in Washington. It was fascinating! Scully knew her partner well enough to recognize the sparkle in his eyes. When he got a hold of something like this, he could be worse than a dog with a new bone. He would sink his teeth in and never let go. And she had to admit she felt some of the same excitement, even though she took Jason's warning very seriously. Having had time to think about it, she was a little frightened of the other vampires. Jason she trusted absolutely, but she had seen him come close to losing control. If he could do so, despite the depth of his caring for both her and Mulder, then what might the others be capable of? That fear warred with her worry over Jason's safety. There was no easy answer, but she hadn't become a federal agent by being meek. Her friend was in danger, it was time to act. Shoving the fear down, she reached out to touch Jason's arm. "I know it will be dangerous. We both do. But we can't stand by and watch you get hurt or worse without helping. We care about you, and I know that if the situation was reversed, you wouldn't let either of us go alone. Our best chance of surviving this, and helping your friends, is to work together." Jason wanted desperately to insist that they let him do this alone, but Scully's words had struck home. He still didn't like it, but she had a point. He stared at her, his face drawn tight with emotion. "Jason," she ran her fingers across his cheek. "We don't want to lose you. As long as we stay together, we'll be as safe as anyone can be. There are no guarantees in life. And we've both risked our lives for strangers as part of our job. How can we not do so for you?" Jason finally nodded, not able to speak. Scully smiled at his wordless acceptance, then turned to meet Mulder's diamond eyes. He met her gaze squarely, sending waves of understanding and support through the invisible contact between them. Still holding onto Jason, Scully reached out her other hand to Mulder. He grasped it tightly, stepping closer. Scully held onto them both for a long, charged moment, then let go of them simultaneously. "Let's go," she said, walking over to put on her coat. Jason helped her into it while Mulder donned his. They filed out of the office, Mulder locking the door behind them. - - - - - Jason led the way into the crowded nightclub, Mulder and Scully close behind. Chara was sitting in her favorite corner of the bar, this time sleek and satisfied, her olive skin glowing with the heat of the recently-taken blood. Her smile was tantalizing as she saw Jason, slowly arching herself upwards on the seat to greet him. "Hello Chara," he said, disentangling himself from her embrace. "Is there a place we can talk in private?" "Sure love," she said, her features narrowing. "I have a booth in the back. You found something?" "I'm not sure," he admitted, taking her arm. "Come on." He turned to angle his head at Mulder and Scully, not needing to see Chara's face to know she was following his eyes. He suddenly *SAW* them through her eyes, and found nothing lost in the vision. Or in the heat of her sudden desire. Mulder was tall and graceful in the rumpled remnants of his dark suit, Scully small and proud in her blue dress. Her hair glowed like flame, his eyes were sparkling and alert. And Jason could remember the way they both smelled and the way they both felt, causing the hunger to rise again within him. His eyes contained a fierce warning as he looked back down at Chara, but she responded with a bubbly laugh. "Interesting..." she whispered, her eyes glittering, her red lips drawn back from glistening white teeth. He gave her another stern look, and steered her through the crowd. - - - - - ===================================================================== ====== From: jennyann@ix.netcom.com (Jennifer Lyon) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:"Vampire's Kiss" 4/10 Date: 6 Jul 1995 23:19:15 GMT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- "Vampire's Kiss" An X-files Story by Jennifer Lyon Jenni10647@aol.com JennyAnn@ix.netcom.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property of FOX network, Ten Thirteen Productions and Chris Carter. The remainder of this story is mine. Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my previous story "Promises to Keep," in which I introduce the character of Jason. Contact me if you need a copy of that story. Also note that this story will contain references to adult sexual activity, and assumes that a love/sexual relationship between Mulder and Scully exists. But this story is definitely PG-13 with some sugestive nature - use YOUR imagination! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Part Four In a few minutes all four were seated in a sheltered booth, a dark curtain shielding them from the chaos of the club. Even the pounding of the music seemed distant, while the only light came from a pair of lanterns on the wall above their heads. Jason steeled himself for the conversation ahead, stalling the inevitable with introductions. "Charlotta, this is Dana and Mulder." He deliberately left out Mulder's first name, the man's distaste for it was apparent. Personally, Jason liked it very much, it was simple and strong. Mulder nodded, Scully smiled. Charlotta drew her eyes over each of them slowly, inch by inch, not bothering to hide her appraisal. "Very nice, Jason, VERY nice. I do hope this means you are going to share." The tip of one fang brushed her lower lip as she licked her lips suggestively. Jason sighed, appreciative of both Mulder's ability to contain all emotions behind that calmly handsome facade, and Scully's inborn poise. Only someone who knew Mulder well would see the mix of amusement and interest in those green- tinged eyes, or the amusement in the tilt of Dana's fiery head. "No, Charlotta. This is serious," he said, glaring at her. She grinned unabashedly and replied. "I am always serious about feeding." "NO!" Jason stated, his voice clipped and cold. "I claim BloodRight, Charlotta. Formally and fully. They are mine." Even Jason was astonished by the amount of possessiveness in his voice, but he let Chara have the full force of his determination. Baring his fangs he repeated. "They are mine by BloodRight, I will not tolerate any interference with them." Chara studied him for a moment, then looked over at Mulder and Scully who were still watching silently. She mimed a look of intense disappointment, then leaned over to brush Jason's cheek with a kiss. "As you wish, Jase." She smiled with growing amusement. "I must admit your taste has improved immeasurably. Didn't think you *liked* men." "I don't!" Jason blurted out. Then he felt a rush of embarrassment and uncertainty. He had never liked men, never. But Mulder was different... All three shot him looks of surprise, and he suddenly realized he had spoken the thought aloud. "Ahh..." He quickly decided to handle the situation by ignoring it, and changed the subject. "We're here to talk about Gerain, Charlotta. Mulder and Scully are helping me investigate. We need to know about his last days, and anything Mark or Louisa might have told you before they disappeared." Chara threw him a quick glance, as she took that information in. If he trusted them that fully, then there was more going on between these two mortals and the other vampire than she had even realized. For the first time she took his assertion of BloodRight seriously. Just who were these two? Scully spoke for the first time, her voice soft and throaty. "We interviewed their neighbors, but no one had seen or heard anything unusual. Their homes look untouched, and there are no unidentified bodies in Washington morgues that match their descriptions. We also came up empty-handed at the hospitals and clinics." She smiled. "I somehow doubt that one of you would pass unnoticed in a hospital." "Who are you?" Charlotta interrupted, her blue eyes bright with suspicion. This time it was Mulder who responded, leaning towards her. "Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, Federal Bureau of Investigation, at your service, Ma'am," he drawled. "Federal... Dammit Jason, what have you done!" Charlotta hissed, drawing back in her seat. "It's OK, Chara," Jason tried to soothe, but she was not willing to be soothed. Baring her fangs at them, she glared at them. "I should kill them now. How could you involve the FBI? How could you tell them about us? Do you know what the government might do to us?" "It seems to me that the government may already doing things to you - or at least to your missing friends." Dana pointed out with apparent calm, though all of her companions could easily read the tension in her body. "You need our help to find and free them. We can operate during the day, and we have resources you don't." Charlotta simply hissed again, her fangs now fully protruding. Jason felt her preparing to attack, and his fear forced his hand. In a blink of an eye, his hand shot across the table to Mulder's chest. Closing his hand around the gold locket that rested against Mulder's skin just below the opening of his partially unbuttoned white shirt, his tie having been abandoned in the car. "This is why, Chara." he pulled it forward, forcing Mulder to lean forward onto the table, the chain tugging at the back of his neck. She almost ignored it, until the glint of light off the gold caught her eyes and she focused on the familiar object. Her eyes widened in shock. "Maria's locket. You gave *him* Maria's locket. I don't..." For the first time she really truly looked at Mulder, and her lips parted in what would have been a gasp of astonishment if she had been bothering to pretend to breathe. "My God, is he...?" "I think so," Jason replied. Then he asserted with more confidence, "I know so." "Well, well... no wonder you wanted him." Chara's anger lessened slightly. "How did you find him?" "By accident," Jason smiled at the memory. "They were investigating a series of deaths, caused by a maddened old-one who had invaded my territory. He attacked me, and they saved me from death by sunlight. Somehow, Mulder figured out what I was." "Well, she always was perceptive." Chara responded, eyeing Mulder with more respect. "She?" Mulder closed his hand over Jason's around the locket. His curiosity was spilling over, he felt like a thousand questions were about to burst through him. "Who is the woman in the locket? Is she this Maria? What does she have to do with me?" Chara broke out laughing. "He's got her curiosity too." Jason gave her a rueful look, and released the locket. Leaning back in his seat, the blond vampire closed his eyes and tried to find the right words. Scully saw the encroaching pain on his face, and she put her hand on Mulder's hand, trying to restrain him. But her partner needed answers, and wasn't about to let it go. "Jason," Mulder insisted. "She, Maria, was a woman who lived a long, long time ago. Nearly one hundred fifty years ago. I knew her, Charlotta did as well." Charlotta nodded. "Lady Maria Victoria Elizabeth Covington-Keans. She was married to the heir of an elderly Duke. We met her at one of London's interminable society balls." "She was unique," Jason took over, his face taking on a serene quality at the memory. "As graceful as an angel, more beautiful that Helen of Troy, and a mind that could rival the scholars of the age. She could be demure as befitted her station, but underneath was so much life. I've never met anyone more alive." "What happened?" Scully couldn't help being fascinated. She and Mulder had both studied the face in the locket, and had imagined what the woman might have been like. She wanted to know more. "I spent some time with her in the gardens that night. We talked and talked, about everything. I didn't see her for a while, then we met again at another ball. It was like fate. We felt - destined for each other. In time we became lovers. Her husband had no interest in her except as a broodmare to produce an heir." Jason's face tightened. "She hadn't known that being with a man could provide pleasure rather than pain. I taught her how to love. Sex is possible for us, more so when we are young, though it is usually abandoned in favor of the blood. And in time the physical ability wanes as well. At least we cannot father children, which meant our liaison was safe, though I doubt her husband would have cared too much where the heir came from as long as she produced a healthy boy." His audience was silent, Chara lost in her own memories, Mulder and Scully intent on Jason's every word. "One night," his voice almost broke. "One night I found her in bed, unwell. She told me that her husband had forced her to have sex repeatedly. She was bleeding, hurt. I got Chara immediately, to provide what medical care she could. And in time it became evident she was pregnant." The sorrow in Jason's voice pounded at all of their senses. "It was never a healthy pregnancy, Maria faded inch by inch. As her belly swelled, she grew weaker. She was sick constantly, and took to her bed. Chara and I spent night after night tending her, only to watch her slip away. And then she went into labor." He shuddered. "We could only watch from the shadows of the garden, and listen. Listen to her scream. It went on and on and on, I felt like I was dying with her. Then finally, just as dawn was about to force us to take cover, her cries were replaced with that of the child. It was louder than she had been, lusty and vibrant, full of the life it had stolen from Maria. "I went to her the next night, alone. She was dying and we both knew it. I begged her to let me help her, to convert her. I promised her we'd be together forever, but she refused. Instead, she kept asking me to care for her child. She wanted me to promise to protect him, but I couldn't stand the sight of the child that had killed her. But she wouldn't give up, and she was dying. I loved her so much, how could I refuse her anything? So I promised, and she died. Just smiled and closed her eyes and was gone." Tears pooled in the corners of Scully's eyes and Mulder's face was carved in stone. "I..." Jason shook his head, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "I have never hated anyone as much as I hated that child in that instant. It must have sensed its mother's death, maybe, for it started crying. I went over and looked at it, even reached out to touch it. I wanted to wring its neck, to crush its skull." his hands clenched into tight fists on the table. "But I kept hearing HER voice pleading with me to protect her baby, I couldn't kill it. But I couldn't stay with it either. So I fled. I ran and ran and ran. Spent years traveling throughout the world. I finally ended up in America." Silence descended upon the four sitting in the booth, the sounds of the chaotic nightclub seeming to recede into the distance. After a long uncomfortable moment, Mulder broke the calm. "But why me? Why give me her locket?" "When I first saw you," Jason answered wryly, "It was like looking into the past. You are the image of her; you could be her twin." "Not her twin, but her descendant," Scully said thoughtfully. She turned her shimmering blue eyes on Jason, "Maria's child. That's what you called Mulder when you first woke up in his apartment. You called him 'Maria's child.'" Jason nodded. "How can you be sure?" Mulder asked staring down at the face inside the locket critically. "Sure we both have dark hair and hazel eyes, but so do a lot of people. We're not that much alike." "Yes, you are." Charlotta responded. "I didn't know her as well as Jason did, but I spent enough time with her to see the resemblance. It's uncanny. You are a male version of Maria, and not just in coloring. You have her features, the same bone structure, the same mouth, the same build. She was tall and thin like you. And you even move like her. But it is the blood that tells." She looked at Jason. "There's no doubt, Mulder, you are a descendant of hers. I could taste her in your blood. I was sure that night in the street." "You saved my life before you tasted my blood," Mulder replied. "Why?" "Because you reminded me of her, because you needed the help. You were chasing a vampire gone mad - there was no way you could have survived without my help. And I needed to know if you were who I thought you were." "And you're certain that I am?" "Yes." "So you protected and helped Mulder and me because of your promise to Maria." Scully said. "Yes." Again Jason settled for the simple answer. "This is all very fascinating," Charlotta interrupted before Mulder could speak again. "I cared about Maria, too, Jason. But they are still federal agents. Protecting this one is well-enough, but it is still dangerous to involve them with us. For both them and for us." "I know," Jason answered. "And I wouldn't have if there was any other choice. But we *need* help, Chara. We've lost three that we know of, including our eldest. And there is some indication that there may have been others, too." "What!?" Chara leaned forward, eyes flashing. "Do you think that they could hold three of us without some knowledge of us?" Jason asked her. "Scully thinks that they are experimenting on them, and my contact with Gerain supports that. They were able to weaken him somehow, using light. " He shivered. "Yessss," Chara replied. "I have felt it too. But that only makes it more dangerous to involve them." She gestured sharply at Mulder and Scully. "Spreading the knowledge of our existence can be fatal Jason. If you wish to form your own blood-circle, fine. But you have no right to expose the rest of us!" "We are here to help," Mulder interrupted, fixing her with a piercing stare. "You cannot fight this alone. These people operate in the daylight, and they obviously have resources. Scully and I are trained and experienced to handle this. You are not." "We can take care of our own," Chara retorted angrily. "Don't think that locket protects you. *I* made no promise to your ancestor. It is only out of respect for Jason that I have not yet torn your throat out. Her eyes glittered dangerously. "I may yet." "No!" Jason insisted. "They are claimed by BloodRight, you know the rules." "BloodRight must be sworn in front of another vampire. Who was your witness? I have seen no evidence that you have even tasted their blood." Chara argued. Exchanging glances, Mulder and Scully both reached out to pull their collars back, exposing the small, twin marks on their throats. Chara eyed them both, then smiled mockingly. "Without a witness to the swearing it still does not hold." She replied, though her eyes traveled over both throats with unconcealed hunger. "Then you act as witness," Mulder said, meeting her eyes without fear. "Mulder..." Jason started to speak, then closed his eyes for a moment. "You do not have to do this. I told you both to let me handle this." "Jason," Scully responded, leaving her hand in the hollow of her neck. "You need our help, and I think Chara knows that too." Scully withstood the lovely vampire's glare with calm composure. "We are no threat to you, Charlotta. You have committed no crime, and our duty is to protect all the citizens of this country, regardless of their...peculiarities. Jason assures us you do not kill to feed, and we are willing to accept his word. The question now isn't us or you, it is the three who are missing. Every moment we spend arguing here is a moment wasted towards rescuing them. Your enemies are out there, not here." Mulder and Jason both nodded, Chara frowned. There was logic in the woman's words, she had to admit. But Chara was still furious with Jason for involving strangers, human strangers, so deeply into their lives. "What you say makes sense, Dana." Chara's sibilant pronunciation of Dana's name charged it with erotic meaning. "But even if I let you pass, the others may not. Without proper ritual, the BloodRight claim will not hold up. You know that Jason." Jason nodded, then looked from Dana's face to Mulder's. "I do not like to ask you to do this, but it might save your lives." "What do we have to do?" Mulder asked. "I have to take blood from you in front of Chara as witness." "That's not difficult," Scully replied. "How do you want to do this?" "Your wrists will be fine." Jason felt a mixture of emotions, the most powerful being renewed disappointment. Why could he never get a chance to do this with them properly? Mulder and Scully eyed each other again, then each extended an arm across the table. Three pairs of eyes intent on him, Jason picked up Scully's hand first. Pressing a respectful kiss into her palm, he bit as gently as he could into the veins on her exposed wrist. She gasped and fell back into her seat, her eyelids drooping. Mulder moved to support her, but it was over in an instant. Jason closed the wound over with an expert flick of his tongue, and released her. "You okay, Scully?" Mulder whispered into her ear. "Yes, I'm fine," she stuttered. Blinking, she drew her hand back and held it against her chest. Then she pulled herself to an upright position, trying to regain her equilibrium. Chara's amused gaze was not helpful. "Mulder?" Jason's voice drew Mulder's attention back from his partner, and he took a deep breath as he extended his arm back across the table. This time Jason was even quicker, leaving Mulder to experience a flash of pain and a jolt of pleasure, and then a sudden emptiness. He, too, was quick to snatch the hand back, his breath coming in short gasps. He could feel Scully's eyes on him, and he turned to flash a grin at her in reassurance. "Satisfied?" Jason said to Chara, his voice thin and flat. She shrugged, her eyes lit with enjoyment. "Not really, but it will do. BloodRight sworn and witnessed by the ancient rule. So done, so shall be." "Good," Jason said coldly. He could attempt to cover his emotions, but it was like putting a thin blanket over a roaring fire. It seemed to do no more than smolder. Surely they could read all him easily, sense the desire that ran through him in hot streams of pulsing need. However, both Mulder and Scully were too caught up in their own thoughts to notice the roughness in his voice. And Mulder was well-trained to conceal his own feelings. He turned back to the reason they had come here in the first place. "Chara, we need you to tell us all you know about Gerain right before he disappeared. Did he seem worried or upset? Did he notice whether he was being watched? Did anything unusual happen?" Chara leaned back in her chair and considered the questions. She had mixed feelings about all this, but she WAS worried about her missing friends. And that concern found it easy to take the fore-front in her mind once her attention was focused on it. "No, I didn't notice anything wrong. But I didn't see him every night. Once a week, sometimes less often. I last saw him about three days before he disappeared. He was the same as ever." She grinned. "Hungry, but always the gentleman." She frowned, pursing her full lips together. "I didn't even know he was gone for over a week. I went to see him actually, but he was not home. I checked around and no one had seen him. And then I found that his prot‚g‚ was missing too." "Prot‚g‚!" Jason interrupted. "Who?" "Some young girl." Chara explained with another amused smile touching the edges of her mouth. "Gerain always did like them young. And this one was a beauty." Her voice grew more serious. "Though I think he was really serious this time. He even talked of converting her." "Converting her?" Scully drew in a deep breath. "How did she feel about it?" Chara shrugged. "Don't know. Only met her twice, briefly. But she seemed to be quite capable of deciding for herself. Older than her years, that one. But then, I've never understood this new practice of treating teenage girls as children. I was married and bearing my first child by the time I was sixteen. And a woman was considered a disgrace if she was not married by eighteen or nineteen. But that was a long time ago." Mulder found it hard to restrain the questions that rose unbidden to his mind. Just thinking about how much Chara and Jason must have seen over their long lives, the amount of history they contained - it tantalized and fascinated him. But now was not the time for it. Instead he asked quietly, "Do you remember her name?" "I'm not sure, Cynthia, maybe, or Sandy...No, it was Cynthia." Chara replied. "And her last name?" Chara shrugged. No. "Why didn't you tell me," Jason asked with annoyance. "It didn't seem important. She probably just went back to her life after he was gone." She looked from one face to another. "You don't think she had anything to do with this?" It was Mulder's turn to shrug. "Don't know, but it would be good to find out what happened to her. Do you know anyone who might know more about her?" Chara looked thoughtful for a moment. "Andreas, maybe, or Florence." Jason grimaced. Chara smiled. "You may want to approach them without your companions. I doubt Florence would have my self-control." "We'll see," Jason said tersely. "Is there anything else you remember, Chara?" "No not really." "What about Mark and Louisa?" Scully asked. "Did they tell you anything?" "Not much." Chara sighed. Despite her misgivings, she honestly did want to help. But if she had known something, she would have acted on it already. "Louisa said something about a lead. That they thought they had an idea why he was taken. But she was mysterious about it, she always was melodramatic." Jason grimaced. That was an understatement. Without the hindsight of knowing that she had been taken as well, Jason might have thought she was making it up. A picture of the voluptuous vampire formed in his mind. As different from Chara as night and day, it had always amazed him that the two managed to get along as well as they did. As well as any two female vampire hunting neighboring territories ever would. Chara thought for a while, then shook her head. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. But there was nothing. No warning that I could see." Her mouth grew tight. "But you are not the only one who has *heard* him, Jason. Find him soon, he's hurting bad. Gerain may have been... Gerain. But he helped me more than once." Her resolve strengthened, and the fierceness of her anger turned her face into an ivory mask, the skin stretched taught around sapphire eyes. "Find them and destroy them, Jason. Or tell me, and I will do it if you don't have the stomach for it." "We'll take care of it," Scully was the one who replied, her stomach doing somersaults as she truly realized for the first time just how dangerous the lovely, delicate vampire might be. "You do that," Chara answered, sliding out of her seat. Pausing as she pushed the curtain aside to leave, she gave one final warning. "Be careful Jason." Then she was gone. - - - - - The laboratory was strangely silent in the night, even with the constant hum of the freezers and the buzz of the centrifuge. Those sounds were background to the man sitting hunched over the lab bench, never penetrating his awareness. His mind was focused solely on the blood samples spinning in the centrifuge. When the machine came to a stop, he opened the lid and withdrew them. transferring the supernatant to a waiting set of empty tubes. Lifting the pipetteman, he stabbed at a yellow tip, then pipetted in the oligo-dT magnetic particles, adding them to each of the cleared samples, one-by-one. He then flicked the tubes with his forefinger to fully suspend the minuscule brown particles. Setting the small digital timer, he removed the gloves and stood up to stretch out the sore muscles of his back. He was getting close, he could feel it. The excitement and the worry drove him harder than he had ever been driven in his work before. He knew he was close to isolating the agent responsible for this disease called vampirism, and when he had that, then he was on the road to a cure. Walking over to the sink, he automatically watched his hands in smooth, routine motions, his mind miles away. Or more exactly, down the hall with his daughter. She had been so beautiful, so full of life, until that creature had entered her life. No, he told himself, not creature - just a sick human being. The only way he could cope with this was by applying the science to which he had devoted his life, and someday that science would find a way to save his daughter from the disease that ate at her mind and body. The last few months had been more painful than anything he could have dreamed of. To watch her fade into a blood-thirsty creature, sleeping like the dead during the day, screaming for blood in the night. But he had found a way to keep her from hurting herself or others, using fine-tuned lights to keep her confined to the hospital bed until he found a cure. Next he had taken the man who had infected her, and then two other diseased souls as well. The price they paid for spreading their infection would be to help him save his daughter from their sickness. He didn't much like the people he had had to turn to for assistance, but he had been desperate. His university lab had been devoted to other work, and his grants were thin. To spend so much time on personal research - there was no way he could have afforded it without help. And to pay others to work as well would have been impossible. The research assistants they had found for him were not men he would have chosen on his own, but they were necessary extra hands. Certainly he knew they wanted the understanding of this disease for purposes different from his own, but it didn't matter to him anymore. All that mattered was the driving need to find the causal agent and then a cure. What the men in black suits did with it after his daughter was restored to herself was not his concern. The timer sounded insistently, reminding him of work to be done. Pulling the gloves back on, he picked up the tubes and sat them into the magnetic stand. Soon the particles were pulled to the side of the small plastic tubes, and he could begin to wash them. Not much longer and he'd have more of the mRNA template to work with for the cDNA library construction. His primers and probes were prepared, already he had a line on the invading viral sequences. Soon, he'd have more, though it would never be soon enough. Picking up the P1000, he lost himself in the work. - - - - -