Challenge 102, My Bloody Valentine - Hers - PG 13 (02/14/09)

[nutmegger911]

Author's note: In response to Champaign Challenge No. 102. This is the companion piece to my original entry for the challenge, My Bloody Valentine - His and follows the events in that story.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

My Bloody Valentine - Hers

by Nutmegger911

“Doesn’t it just irk you? Why don’t they just keep to their own kind?”

“Look, it’s undead love, not undying love. There is a difference. You knew this would happen. It almost always ends this way.”

“He called me a whore! He said I was so smooth that he couldn’t see anything but my past indiscretions! What did he expect me to do, sit home crocheting lace for two hundred years?”

Claudia pulled her friend in and held her as she sobbed. She had been through it herself. At first your vamp seems off… a little distracted. Then he gets lazy. He wants you to accommodate his whims but has lost interest in satisfying your needs. When you finally have ‘the talk’ most of the men go on the offense. “There, there… You know he didn’t mean it. It’s just easier to cut at you than to admit he’s living in a fantasy.”

“I know. It’s… it’s just… They’re so…easy. How are we supposed to compete with that?” she wailed.

Mary had a point. With their limited senses, and low expectations, human women were just too easy. Even the most Caspar Milquetoast vamps had more stamina while holding back than any human suitor in his prime. And with their relatively short lifespan human women all felt like virgins. Let’s face it, after a century or two even the most prudish vamp was, well, experienced.

“Look on the bright side, Hon. If she ever does get married after Harold, you’ll have your vengeance. She’ll spend the rest of her nights disappointed. And if she doesn’t she’ll be passed around ‘til she becomes an anemic party favor.”

Mary tried to see the humor, but everything was just too raw. It was only moments before she was wailing again. “But what if he turns her? There are already almost two of us for every gentleman vamp!”

It was sad, but true; and it was just the nature of things. Most human men were not accomplished lovers, and didn’t need to be. The virgins they married didn’t know better. As a result vampire men were far more likely than vampire women to take a human lover. The natural progression meant there were more women turned than men. And yet the stories always focused on the men. That was telling.

“Well then you can teach her to crochet.” She patted her friend on the shoulder.

Mary pulled out of the hug with a small laugh. She smiled at Claudia and dried her eyes. “Yeah, maybe she will end up working at a flea bag joint trying to satisfy her appetite.”

“I’m sure she would make quite an impression. Come on, we’ll send her a bouquet of poison ivy for Valentine’s Day.” She smiled at her friend.

MLMLML

Claudia laughed to herself as she walked down the light green hallway. Mary had called this morning, very excited about her prank. The woman had actually sent Harold’s new girl a bouquet of flowers with poison ivy tucked throughout the greenery. The card professed his undying love. It was petty, and funny, and harmless. And if it made her friend feel better then it was OK with Claudia.

A commotion at the end of the hall called her back to the present. A group of policemen were carrying a gangster into the emergency ward. His toes dragged along the ground scuffing the tops of his shoes, and a trail of blood streaked behind him. It was an all too familiar sight, except this one was in worse shape than most who went straight to the morgue. She rushed down the hall and grabbed a gurney. “Here. Lie him down here.”

The men laid the gangster face down on the gurney. He was unconscious and his suit jacket was dark red, turning black. His heart rate was fast, but his pulse was weak. Claudia rolled the gurney into one of the ward’s few separate rooms. She grabbed the suit coat by one of the dozen’s of bullet holes and tore it up the back. She repeated the process with his shirt, exposing the wounds underneath. Large caliber, as if it mattered. With this many bullets in him it was amazing he made it this far. Another nurse came running with a bottle of the emergency ward blood. She suspended the glass bottle by its wire loop, expertly slipped a needle into the man’s arm and watched as the red liquid began to flow.

Claudia looked at the woman and shook her head. “Eternal optimist” she thought, “throwing good blood after bad.” Judith was a wonderful woman and a talented nurse, who had no business working in the emergency ward. Like her namesake, she was the patron saint of hopeless cases. She would continue helping until the doctor called for the morgue attendant. It was a touching waste of resources.

Doctor Perrone walked in, looked at the transfusion setup then at Claudia. She motioned with her eyes towards Judith and he rolled his in response. He walked over and surveyed the damage. He turned the man on his side, placed his hand against the man’s forehead and used his thumb to lift one eyelid. A crowd of policemen had followed the doctor into the room. “Doctor, Doctor,” they were all vying for his attention. “When can we talk to him?” Dr. Perrone turned to the crowd. He is unconscious right now. If he wakes up before they have an operating room open you can talk to him.” He leaned over the man and spoke lowly to Claudia. “Make him comfortable, and keep the circus to a minimum.” He turned on his heel and walked out of the room. “Yes, Doctor,” she called after him.

Just then the man started rousing. The hoard of detectives immediately swooped down on the waking man. “Frankie, what happened?”

“Nothin’”

Claudia kept busy as she watched over the group. She grabbed a small kidney-shaped basin and laid it against the gangster’s back then went to wet a small towel so she could clean him up. By the time she returned there was a mouthful of blood in the basin. She licked her lips, and then returned to the task at hand. She wiped down his back with the wet towel then spread a blanket over him. All the while the detectives hounded him with questions.

Eventually, one man emerged from the shouting bunch and squatted down so he was at face level with the gangster. His gentle voice below the din identified him as a friend. “Frankie, do you know who I am?”

The men locked eyes and the gangster smiled. “Tom Luftus.”

“Who did this to you? Who shot you, Hock?”

He looked beyond his friend at the group. “I’m not gonna talk – nobody shot me.”

Claudia’s interest was piqued, she wanted a taste of this brash gangster. She slipped behind the privacy screen with the small basin. There wasn’t much, but she savored that exquisite mouthful. Rage, defiance, and will bathed her senses. Mmm, courage – that heady mixture of fear and resolve… And there was lust; bloodlust – right down to his marrow. The tumultuous living cocktail was almost too much and Claudia began to swoon. She braced herself with one hand against the wall and held back tears. She couldn’t let this one go.

Claudia set the basin down on a small enamel-topped table, straightened her uniform and held her head high. She stepped from behind the privacy screen and addressed the small crowd.

“Gentlemen, you will have to leave now.” She directed the cops to the door. A tall man in a fedora started to argue and her eyes flashed at him. He couldn’t describe it but she raised an instinctual fear in him.

“Come on, boys, if tight-lips over here won’t give up his killers there ain’t much we can do about it.” He herded his guys away from the ice queen.

She closed the door behind them, dragged the privacy screen between the bed and the door, and then drew the curtains. She placed her thumb and forefinger on either side of his chin and turned his head to face her. “Do you want to live?”

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared back at her. His look conveyed his question. What kind of game was she playing?

She gave a slight shake to the head in her hand. “You’re dying. What if I had a way to keep you from dying? Would you be interested?”

He was listening, but starting to drift away. “Yes,” he mouthed silently.

“What if I told you it would change your whole world? Would you still be interested?” He was slipping, but again, a nod.

Claudia bit her lower lip and looked back towards the door. She couldn’t do this without showing him. She gently slapped at the side of his face to rouse him. She let her mask slip and looked him in the eye. He stared back with wild eyes. She smiled gently showing some fang. “If I save you,” she whispered, “will you be mine?”

There was a moment’s hesitation then an intent look and a silent nod. And she struck.

[francis]

What a great tale. Frankie, or Guillermo as we know him, finally some more backstory. And I instantly loved his sire. Her frustration with human men is so well explored, and her rush when tasting his blood was understandable.
Well done!!

[nutmegger911]

Hi Francis,
Thanks for commenting! I'll have to go back and look, now. I was hoping to convey the vamp woman's frustration with vampire men.

But, as is in heaven...

[mitzie]

You conveyed the vamp woman's frustration with vamp men very well here. It felt like frustration and desperation as it seems more women are turned than men!! Loved Frankie's sire, she knew exactly what she wanted and that was that!
Very well-written. Loved it!!!!

mitzie

[nutmegger911]

Mitzie - Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Any guess as to who his sire is?

[coco]

I do love stories about Guillermo. We don't get enough of those

[darkstarrising]

nutmeggeer911,

I love the way you've taken Guillermo's character back to his beginning. Tough guy who sees a chance with his own angel of death. You've given him dimension in the first story, and developed an interesting sire for him.

[nutmegger911]

DSR - Thanks! I just had to explore who would turn a dying mobster like that.

Coco - So happy to oblige. This could get addictive.

There was so much more I wanted to include, but that went past the point where he was turned. Thanks again for your comments

[Catmoon]

Good backstory. I love your take on the whole issue of vampire men that vamp women have to deal with! I never thought of that before, you really do show the women's pov. Josef's words in SB were actually quite wise (although gained thru tragic experience), I can see their being men who have no problem with turning their human girlfriends and then moving on to something else when they get bored. Perhaps it's time for some stories from the female vampires side? (of course I'm also enjoying the Guillermo storyline, and would love to hear more about his life and sire -- I'm really curious as to where she is now).

[allegrita]

Um...

I only know of one Claudia who has anything to do with Moonlight, and that's Claudia Black, who played the head Cleaner... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

Is that who Claudia is?!!? I hope so...

I like this a lot! Really cool look into the mind of female vampires. Because let's face it, female vampires got kind of short shrift on Moonlight.

So...am I right? Huh???

[moonlight_fan]

Wow, very well done Nutmegger!
Very intriguing, I hope you do another with Claudia. I'm greedy I know.

[nutmegger911]

Good backstory. I love your take on the whole issue of vampire men that vamp women have to deal with! I never thought of that before, you really do show the women's pov. Josef's words in SB were actually quite wise (although gained thru tragic experience), I can see their being men who have no problem with turning their human girlfriends and then moving on to something else when they get bored. Perhaps it's time for some stories from the female vampires side? (of course I'm also enjoying the Guillermo storyline, and would love to hear more about his life and sire -- I'm really curious as to where she is now).

Cat - Thanks for your comments. Glad to have opened the discussion on another POV. After all, insight to another perspective is one of the huge bonuses of fanfic (and even the general discussion in a community like this). You know, you keep poking at my muses like that and you may find out.

I only know of one Claudia who has anything to do with Moonlight, and that's Claudia Black, who played the head Cleaner... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

Is that who Claudia is?!!? I hope so...

I like this a lot! Really cool look into the mind of female vampires. Because let's face it, female vampires got kind of short shrift on Moonlight.

So...am I right? Huh???

Alle - Hmm, now where would we find a slightly jaded, ultimately practical, hard as nails female vamp?

And what type of girl would go all Sadie Hawkins on Valentine's Day?

[nutmegger911]

Hey, Moonlight_fan - Glad you liked it! Claudia is an interesting character to me, too (*smacks self on forehead, Well, duh! you wrote her.*). The muses have given me a few leads, let's see where that goes.

It is surprising how the comments get you thinking.

[starbucksjunkie]

What an imaginative two-fer! I adore G and am so glad he's getting some attention.

And an interesting angle--the relationship between male and female vamps.

So, if Claudia the Cleaner and G were an item, are they still?

Fun stuff!

[nutmegger911]

SBJ - Thank you! I'm glad you found the stories interesting. It started out as a one-shot about G. Then came the idea with his sire, and it grew from there. It's amazing how posting and getting feedback has affected my muses.

Folks have asked some really good questions which are stoking my muses. I'll try to answer them.