Vigilante Vampire

Vigilante Vampire

Copyright 2014 Arthur Roberts

Smashwords Edition

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

CHAPTER ONE

Velina the voluptuous vampire had almost made it. She'd managed to sleep nearly her entire trip across the Atlantic stowed away in the hold of a freighter bound for America. It was the ocean itself that woke her up with its turbulent tossing and turning. She clutched her stomach the instant she regained consciousness. She felt sick. Perhaps a walk out on deck would do her some good—assuming it was nighttime, of course. But how could she tell, deep in the belly of the beast?

Aha! she said softly so as not to be heard.

She had an idea! Using the edge of her fingernail the vampire made an incision in her leg between her knee and her red mini dress. She observed the cut as it healed itself almost as quickly as she’d made it.

Good! she said

The vampire sprung like a high-heeled cat ever higher upon the mountain of crates until she reached the hatch through which she’d entered the freighter. Wind and water gushed in when she opened it, thoroughly drenching her.

She spit out a mouthful of brine. Blame it!

Gigantic waves blown by a violent storm over the Atlantic tossed the huge cargo ship around as if it were a mere bathtub toy. A weary sailor, anxious for the end of his shift, struggled with the wheel when a flash of lightning illuminated the deck below. Surely his stinging eyes had fooled him, for he couldn’t possibly have seen a black-haired nymph in a little red dress and high heels strolling about outside. He craned his aching neck forward, anxiously awaiting the next strike when his relief finally arrived.

Did you see that? he asked his mate.

See what?

There on deck! A girl walking about like there was no storm at all; like she was out for a stroll in the park!

His relief looked at him as if he were crazy. Out there in that tempest? It’s all a man can do to stand upright in this squall, let alone a woman! When the next flash of lightning came and there was no girl to be seen he put his hand on the weary sailor’s shoulder. Storm’s just playing tricks on you, mate. Better get some rest.

The man at the wheel agreed with a long, weary sigh. Yeah. That must be it. Keep her steady, will you?

His relief chuckled and took the wheel. I’ll do my best. He shook his head at his loony mate then whipped it toward the window. Had he seen someone out of the corner of his eye, someone with long black hair? He threatened to twist the wheel out of shape with his calloused hands as he waited to see if he, too, were imagining things. He growled in disgust as the next flash revealed nothing but waves breaking over the bow.

"Now he’s got me seeing things!"

Since Velina with her super-sensitive hearing could barely hear herself over the crashing of the waves and the howling of the wind she figured no one else could. Well this isn’t helping! she commented. Not one bit!

She made her way to the crew’s cabins and put her hand to the door. She sensed no one’s presence so she went inside. It wasn’t long, however, before she could feel someone approaching. Several persons, in fact. She ducked into the nearest cabin and listened through the door as they passed by.

Why do we have to play cards down in the hold? I’d rather play up here.

"You know how the captain feels about gambling. He doesn’t go for anything that’s fun."

Once they were safely away Velina explored the cabin into which she’d fled. It was a hospital from what she could tell.

On an examination table had been laid a magazine. She flipped through its pages and what she saw made her jaw sag. It was full of naked people performing sex acts for the camera. It sure was a perverse time she'd landed herself in.

I thought the old days were bad, she commented to herself. "They were nothing compared to now!"

She tossed the magazine aside and eyed a curious metal box that stood taller than she. She opened it. It had a light inside and was cold. A newfangled icebox! An icebox without ice! She spotted something familiar contained in a clear substance that was altogether unfamiliar.

Is this what I think it is?

She removed a plastic plasma bag. I think it is! She licked her lips. She was so hungry! Surely they wouldn’t miss one little bag!

She was about to quit the cabin with her booty of blood when her eyes were magnetically drawn back to the magazine. Although the scenes depicted within shocked her, she had to see more. She tucked it under an arm and headed for her cargo hold hideaway.

Not long after the vampire left the medical bay the ship’s doctor entered. Guess I’ll have to get to that inventory now. Clipboard in hand, he began with the refrigerator. What the hell? He looked for the dirty magazine he'd left on the examination table. It was gone! Someone had stolen it!

Soon the doctor was making his way down a set of metal stairs leading to the hold, his feet making a clinking sound as he descended upon his crewmates and their poker game. All right. Which one of you practical jokers stole a plasma bag from the fridge?

The sailors shrugged their shoulders as one and ignored him otherwise.

Okay. Then I’ll take it to the captain. He’ll get to the bottom of this.

As the disgusted doctor stomped back up the stairs, an old salt said, It’s probably still in there, hiding behind something else, lousy butcher. What would anyone want with a bag of blood anyway?

Velina hid in nearby shadows, sucking down the remaining contents of the missing plasma bag. She licked her ruby lips of blood then opened the dirty magazine. It was pitch black in her hidey-hole, but she could see the pictures just fine thanks to her black vampire eyes. She was playing with herself while perusing the periodical when something furry brushed against her ankle. Her eyes darted downward and caught sight of a giant wharf rat peering up at her with beady little orbs as dark as her own. She bounded out into the dim light, yelping in fright. The rat scurried off to the safety of the shadows, while scalawags surrounded her.

I think we have a stowaway, the old salt told his mates. He pointed at Velina. Do you know what we do with stowaways?

She had no idea what they did with the typical stowaway, but it was obvious what they had in store for her. The slavering circle of sex-starved seamen tightened. She was as fond of lovemaking as the next vampire, but love was the farthest thing from sailors' minds. The half pint of chilled blood, which sat in Velina's stomach, had restored some of her strength, but they were too many to fight off. She had to come up with something and fast, but all she could think of was one thing. Flee!

The circle of sailors was almost within arm’s reach now. What would she do? She caught sight of the stairway. They were her only escape. Using every ounce of strength she could muster, she leapt completely over the heads of the stunned seamen. Her high-heeled sandals scarcely made a sound on the steel stairs as she raced skyward with a speed too swift for any man to match.

A sailor who was justifiably proud of his throwing arm hurled a wrench upward in an effort to trip her up. He would have succeeded had she not paused when she heard the whooshing sound behind her. Instead of it hitting her legs, the tool bounced off her lovely skull. Her limp body tumbled down the stairs for what seemed an eternity, landing in a heavenly heap at the crewmen’s feet.

The men were mortified. Their only chance for sex at sea had quite probably been lost. Their horror turned to a rage directed toward their associate. They grabbed him and shook him.

If you’ve killed her, we’ll pitch you overboard!

The old salt checked Velina's carotid artery. She’s got a pulse! He glared at the relieved wrench-thrower. You’re damned lucky, you are! He pointed at the greenest sailor of the group. You! See if you can’t catch the doctor before he finds the captain.

And what if I do? Then what?

Have him meet us in the infirmary. Tell him there’s an emergency. Tell him we’re bringing someone in.

The young sailor sailed up the stairs. The doctor was on his way to report the missing plasma bag after obtaining his inventory list when the panting young sailor got between him and the captain’s quarters. Emergency, doctor! Bringing someone! Wait in infirmary!

The doctor’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. If this is some trick to try and keep me from seeing the captain…

Not long after the doctor had returned to the infirmary the door flew open. Men poured in. He thought his dreams were finally coming true when his fellow crewmen brought him a girl as curvaceous as any he’d masturbated over while perusing his perverted periodicals.

The old salt set the doctor straight right away. He showed him a moist red spot at the back of Velina’s head. Look, doc. Patch our stowaway up, revive her, and we’ll let you have your turn—if you know what I mean.

The doctor licked his lips as he ran his fingertips along Velina’s smooth shin. Leave us alone.

The old salt eyed him with distrust, but agreed since he had a winning hand waiting for him downstairs. All right. We’ll be back as soon as we finish our game. He pointed at the young sailor. Except for you. You’ll wait outside the door and watch for the captain.

The young sailor’s jaw sagged. Me? Why me?

Because you’re always trying to cheat!

The doctor had grown impatient. All right then. Everybody out! I have work to do! He waved everyone from the infirmary then fingered Velina’s scalp, looking for a wound to account for the blood in her hair. Huh! Where is it? Where is the wound? He shrugged. Well, it must not be that bad if I can’t even find it!

The doctor tiptoed over to the door and locked it as quietly as he could so the youth outside wouldn’t hear. He rubbed his hands in expectation as he drooled over his pretty patient. "Now I have you all to myself. Am I a dog to be fed scraps under the table? No! I’ll have you first and then they can have the scraps!"

The doctor climbed the table and spread Velina's legs. He took one last look at the door like a kid about to stick his hand in the cookie jar then raised the hem of her dinky dress the couple of inches necessary to expose her privates. He gaped at the black forest that lay before him and decided that he simply must plunge his wood into the red ravine within. He joined his patient on the table.

You want me, he said. Even unconscious you want me.

Velina opened her eyes. I want you dead!

The vampire scissored her legs about the doctor’s middle and squeezed so hard that he thought his back might break. She glared at him with blood red eyes that impelled his tongue to remain silent. She pulled him toward her ever-extending fangs. She drank enough of his blood that his heart ceased to beat then pushed the dead doctor from atop her. He rolled off the examination table and fell to the floor with a thump.

Velina gave him a spiteful kick. "That’s for your perversity! For your information I was never out cold. I heard the wrench coming at me and purposely let it find my head. I was taking an awful risk that those rascals wouldn’t ravish me right where I lay. Thankfully, though, everything worked out according to plan and they left me here, alone with the likes of you."

The storm had soon all but blown itself out. The watchful young sailor stood outside the infirmary door, thinking about the sultry stowaway with his hand in his crotch when he heard the dull sound of the doctor hitting the floor. He tried the door. No luck.

He yelled through the door. Doc? What’s going on in there? He jumped in fright when the white-whiskered captain he was to watch out for appeared from out of nowhere.

"Yes. What is going on in there? he asked. I’ll have no skullduggery on my ship! He unlocked the door with a key he had on a huge ring. He’d seen a great many things in his travels across the globe, but never anything like the gorgeous nymph who stood over a member of his crew, blood dripping from her long, sharp fangs. He slammed the door shut and bellowed, Vampire!"

By then the other sailors had emerged from the hold. They looked at their captain like he’d lost his mind.

Vampire?

I saw it too, the young sailor agreed. The doc was dead! And she had fangs, fangs dripping with his blood!

A couple of you hold this door closed, the captain ordered. The rest of you swabs, arm yourselves!

Velina overheard the conversation on the other side of the door then smiled down at the dead doctor at her feet. You can still be of use to me, I think.

She picked him up, spun him around and around and, once she’d built up enough momentum, flung him. The human missile knocked the door off its hinges, pinning those who'd been holding it shut underneath.

Velina climbed over the door. In the hall she met the captain. He thrust forth a cross that hung by a chain about his neck.

The vampire chuckled. Although I don’t doubt your faith, captain, I think you’ve got it wrong. I think it’s a crucifix you need, not simply a cross. She headed out on deck, dragging the dead doctor behind. If you try to warn anyone on land of my coming then you’ll have to do so without the benefit of proof.

Velina pitched the doctor overboard then stood and stared out over the waters. Now that the storm was over the freighter’s destination was fully revealed to her. It was a city unlike any she'd ever seen before. Towers of Babel! she said. Hundreds of them!

So entranced was the vampire that she nearly lost her head. She barely ducked in time to avoid an oar swung in her direction. A line of serious-faced sailors encroached upon her from the left and the right. She kicked the man who had swung at her and he crashed into one line of sailors, knocking them down like dominoes. Velina managed to stay on her feet as three grown men jumped onto her back in a vain attempt to bring her down.

A couple of crewmen armed with long knives lunged. Before they could gut Velina she leapt backward, bearing her heavy burden and squashed it against the wall. The crushed crewmen fell off and the vampire, lightened of her load, jumped overboard.

She went feet first into the Hudson River, holding her nose until she popped up out of the water. The buoyant breasts she’d inherited from her even more endowed mother helped bring her right up to the surface after her long drop into the drink. She groaned at the wide expanse of water that she'd have to traverse to reach the shore. It looked a lot farther away now than it did from the ship, especially since she was no great swimmer. She shrugged, kicked off her sandals, and commenced her long dogpaddle toward the city.

Velina clambered out of the water onto one dock among many and noticed the glow of a fire in the distance. As she neared it, she saw that the flames burned inside a steel drum and that a group of disheveled looking people encircled it to keep warm.

A very dark-skinned man with curly white hair and whiskers spotted the delectable drenched damsel drawing near. Would you look at that? He then pointed at the Hudson. Don’t tell me you been taking a dip in that shit!

Velina stared at the dark speaker and canted her head to the side like a curious dog. First of all, he was the first non-Caucasian person she’d ever seen. Secondly, he was speaking gibberish.

Are you deaf? the man asked.

The more he spoke, the more sense the gobbledygook made to Velina. Words began to form in her mind and she let one roll out from her tongue. No, she said in English.

The enlightened old man nodded. Foreigner, huh?

The unabashed black man examined every enticing curve that stood out in bold relief under the vampire’s clinging mini dress. You’re a fine figure of a woman, damn fine. He offered her a half-finger gloved hand. Tinny’s the name.

He was bold but harmless, the vampire sensed, so she shook it. Velina.

Well, Velina, let’s get you by the fire before you catch yourself a cold.

The grungy group made a space and the vampire wedged herself into the tight circle about the drum. She breathed through her mouth while listening to their conversation, for the scent of unclean human flesh