City Limits

Chapter 1



Perched delicately on the metal rail, she surveyed the city with small, black eyes. Even at two in the morning, the city has a steady pulse. Far below, she could hear the thrum of music from the clubs that lined Eighth Avenue . A string of pin point lights dotted the highways and the city streets as cars plodded toward their destinations.

She'd been here before Eighth Avenue, before high rises had altered the landscape, before there was even a town. She'd gone away for a time now and then of course but always seemed to find her way back. Even Auchlinites would question someone who never aged.

Her talons twitched briefly as she let go of the metal railing on the balcony of her high rise loft. Spreading her leathery wings, she swooped down into the city, following the thrum of music like a lifeline. She passed under a bridge, startling the other bats. They knew what she really was and, unlike humans, they listened to their sense of self-preservation.

In a flurry activity, they broke free from the bridge and flew into the open air. Curious humans watched from the bridge top and from the ground, ooh-ing and aah-ing as the bats fluttered past them. The Auchlin bats where something of local celebrities. Seeing them take to the skies was just one of those things you had to do in Auchlin.



She chased the flock until they veered off from Eighth Avenue, her real quarry. The longer she glided above the street, the louder the music and general noise got as she closed in on the busier clubs.

She touched ground between two such clubs; the shade from the building covered her in a veil of darkness. She folded her wings back and felt the magic ripple through her body. She adjusted her newly formed black dress and let out a small yip; transforming always gave her a rush of adrenaline. She ran her long, slender fingers through her hair once before stepping out of the darkness.

The lights of the club gave her otherwise pale skin a luminescent glow as she approached the doors of Elysium. Unlike the patrons crowded on the wrong side of the red velvet rope, when she approached, the bouncer nodded respectfully and opened the door for her. She stood in the doorway a moment and sniffed the air appreciatively. She turned back to the wannabes and could hear their wildly pumping blood almost as much as she could smell it in the air.



She extended her arm and pointed to a geeky young lad. He couldn't be more than nineteen and in her world that counted as a lad. The bouncer motioned him forward and he fumbled for the hand of his girlfriend, clearly expecting entrance for both of them. The bouncer turned toward the woman questioningly. Her eyes traveled over the girl, she was unremarkable in every way. The woman shrugged and waved dismissively before entering the club.

The lad looked disappointed, though his girlfriend looked relieved and tried to pull him out of the line in search of another club after the door closed behind the mysterious woman. Before she could succeed though, the bouncer motioned them both forward and opened the door for them. The lad, like an eager puppy, skipped forward with the girl.



The woman in the black dress waited in the shadows; a huntress stalking her prey. She could wait all night if she had to, though she felt a familiar parch in her throat that made her track the boy through the crowd. His girlfriend looked anxious, trying to persuade the lad to leave again. "Lex!" he raised his voice an octive. No one else noticed over the noise but Mirelle smiled. He would abandon her soon, eager for the excitement the club could give him.



"You parched Mir?" the bartender asked, following her gaze.

The pale woman in the black dress nodded. "Very much so." she ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling a slight prick from her fangs. "Soon though..." The bartender nodded absently; the Regis had this one under a thrall but soon her time would run out. Mirelle didn't feel sorry for her though, she rarely felt sorry for anyone.

As expected, the lad pushed away from his girlfriend to get a drink and soon she was swallowed up by the crowd. Mirelle was by his side before he even had time to get the bartender's attention. "You smell delicious," she purred into his ear, running her carefully painted finger nail along his neck.



"Wha?" confusion flashed across his face as he turned toward her but as soon as his eyes locked with hers, the confusion fled his face. In fact all emotion was drained as he stared into her eyes.

"Come with me lad..." she whispered, placing a guiding hand on his. He loped after her like a puppy that had found his master. The bartender watched them disappear into the private elevator. Then he resumed washing the glasses, the lad disappeared from her mind completely.



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The attendant on the thirteenth floor nodded to them as they exited the elevator, "Room?"

"Yes please." Mirelle said with a polite smile.

"Very good, room 2 is available." she said and pointed to the left.

"Wonderful. Have a good evening." Mirelle nodded to the attendant and then led her boy into the room. He was still in a stupor as she sat him down on the couch. "Would you like something to drink Rick?"

"Hmm? Oh...how did you know my name?" the clouds were starting to clear as the life and animation returned to his face. He was fearful at first, being in a small, unknown room with a strange woman. But as he looked over the woman lust drove the fear from his mind. "Um....drink...sure?" It was more of a question than an answer but Mirelle handed him a glass she'd already poured for him. He took it gratefully and then took a large gulp of liquid courage.



Mirelle gently entered his mind as he drank. He was a sloppy drinker - or perhaps it was the conflicting emotions skirting around in his head that made him so. She crossed her legs in his direction, allowing her dress to slide just a touch up her leg, he stared at the pale skin with desire and the last trace of fear was gone. "You don't live in the city do you?" she asked, drawing his attention from her legs for just a moment.

"No." he answered automatically. "How'd you know?" his eyes were roaming over her body - she didn't mind, he wasn't the first, nor would he be the last. For what he was about to give her - he deserved a bit of eye candy.

"Lucky guess." she said as she plucked the name of a tiny town from his mind along with the name of his parents and his girlfriend - who was not the little miss from downstairs. She smiled patiently as he gulped down the rest of the drink, "All done?"



"Mmhmm." Rick said, swallowing anxiously. He handed the glass to her and she placed it aside. He wanted to touch her and he wanted her to touch him but he wasn't the type to make a move like that. At least not without getting batted away. So he stayed rooted awkwardly in his seat. She slid closer to him and placed her hand on his leg, his response was immediate. He put his hand on her leg awkwardly, not getting quite the same effect. She moved his hand to a more enjoyable spot and his eyes went wide with surprise.

When she threw her leg over him, delicately perched over his lap, his eyes grew even wider and the lust and desire in his body and mind was almost enough to set them both ablaze. She leaned in closer, her mouth was at his ear and her breath against his neck tickled. She heard him let out a soft chuckle and he fangs sprang forth.



They slid into his human flesh easily, like a hot knife cutting into butter. He let out a startled yelp and then a long moan of pure ecstasy. Mirelle was jealous, it had been a long time since she'd felt that bite herself but she still remembered the pleasure it could bring. His blood, his very life force, flowed past her lips and she felt her own surge. It was not one of ecstasy but one of power. When she was sated, she pulled back slowly and licked the wounds. They were already starting to heal and Rick was already starting to whimper because it was over. "Wha.." he made a series of incoherent noises.



When Mirelle leaned back and took his face in her hands, his eyes were glazed and he had a smile on his face. "There's a good lad." she said, patting his cheek.



"No! You can't go back there!" someone shouted, it sounded like the attendant. The door burst open then and little miss non-girlfriend came in, her eyes were burning with fury. The attendant was wringing her hands and looked terrified, she was so new she had no idea what to do.



Mirelle smiled, licking a trace of blood from her lips. "It's alright..." she said, waving the attendant away as if swatting at an unwanted fly.

End Chapter