100% Freshie Chapter 29 --PG-13

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librarian_7
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100% Freshie Chapter 29 --PG-13

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Disclaimer: The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended.

Special note: This work takes place in the world of Moonlight, but your favorite vamps are not the main focus. Sorry about that; try to enjoy the story anyway. You might be surprised.


100% Freshie

Chapter 29

Danni took a hesitant sip from her champagne flute, then smiled. Orange juice. She’d expected a mimosa, but evidently around Josef, even at a party at which she was one of the least important people present, no detail was too small. Thoughtful, too, to have her drink of choice delivered in a container that allowed her a modicum of apparent sophistication. She knew she looked all right, in the cobalt blue gown she’d rushed out and acquired as soon as the invitation had arrived. And at least she’d been spared the minor humiliation of having had a dress selected for her. Still, it was easy to feel like an unpolished hick among the high gloss of the other freshies here tonight.

When she’d gotten the email from Josef—or more likely his secretary—it had been clear enough that this was not a private party. He mentioned entertaining a number of business associates from out of town. So when the limo he’d sent for her arrived, she wasn’t surprised at the four other young women, and one very pretty and pouting young man, who were in it ahead of her. Some of them looked familiar, and everyone participated in the traditional freshie greeting—a flick of the eyes to exposed throats and wrists. Yup, everyone had their scars. We’re all members of the lodge here. Not for the first time, Danni wondered how it was the bite marks rarely bruised, and seemed to fade to white so quickly. She wasn’t complaining, but it was odd, no doubt.

And the party—she had no clue how she was expected to act. Some of Josef’s exclusives were there, but as usual, in his presence they had eyes for no one else, even if he was ignoring them in favor of discussion with the other vamps present.

Danni stood nervously, a little overwhelmed in the quiet opulence of the party room. To her eyes, this place in Kostan Industries headquarters looked like a cross between what she’d imagined a corporate boardroom would look like, and a private meeting room in a very upscale restaurant or hotel. Dark paneling, heavily curtained windows giving out onto spectacular views of the cityscape, the aura of money and power. Looking around, Danni could see eight or ten vampires, male and female, mingling with each other. There were over twenty freshies present, as well. Apparently Josef was in the habit of catering lavishly. Will wasn’t present, which didn’t surprise Danni, given the state of his relations with Josef, but she couldn’t help being a little disappointed nonetheless. She hadn’t seen him in over a week, or even talked to him on the phone. Troubling as this was, it hadn’t dismayed her nearly as much as the sad fact that he had failed to contact Emma, too, and her roommate was beginning to take it out on her.

Tonight, she’d left Emma curled up morosely on the couch, glaring daggers at her as she got ready for this party.

She knew she should be scoping out the guest vamps, but her eyes kept straying to Josef. He was making a circuit of the room, the consummate host, with a smile and at least a word or two for everyone, even the freshies. Josef wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, what she would describe as nice, but when he chose to adopt human manners, he did so impeccably.

She was standing alone when he halted in front of her, one of his girls on either arm. Lucky looked serene, and Faction, as usual, shyly determined.

“Danger, glad you could make it,” he said.

“Thanks for inviting me.” She smiled and nodded to Lucky and Faction. “Allara and Eris aren’t here tonight?”

Josef quirked a crooked smile. “They both told me to stuff it, they don’t do boring parties. I decided discretion was the better part of valor, and I didn’t want to find out what they’d do to liven things up.” He sighed. “Turbo was going into counter-threat mode, and Chaos never gives me advance warning of missile strikes. It can get—messy.”

Danni laughed dutifully. “It’s a lovely party, Josef.”

His brown eyes were warm as he smiled back. “Well, enjoy yourself.” And with a nod, he moved on.

In a surprisingly short time, each of the vamps had cut a freshie or two from the herd, and the party settled into quiet conversational groups. Danni had been invited to join the party of a rather haughty-looking darkly handsome vamp with a French accent. Etienne addressed most of his conversation, in French, to a female vampire, whose name Danni gathered was Solange, and although Danni understood none of the words, it was clear the conversation consisted of unflattering remarks about the freshies, which the vamps both found exceedingly humorous. Danni smiled pleasantly and wondered how upset Josef would be with her if she dumped her orange juice over Etienne’s head, or down Solange’s abundantly displayed cleavage, and stalked off. She wouldn’t do it, but the idea did manage to keep her expression cheerful.

So she had a mask firmly in place, and it only slipped slightly when a small, red-nailed hand fell on her shoulder, and Serena’s sultry tones crawled over her skin. “Well,” she said, “I am pleased. I’ve been hoping to run into you again, darling.”

Danni closed her eyes and wished urgently to wake up from this bad dream, but the talons tightening on her shoulder were all too real.

“Etienne, Solange, you won’t mind if I steal this morsel away, will you?” Serena pouted prettily. “I had a bite of this one about a week ago, and I’ve been longing for another taste.”

Danni knew Serena could see the terror rising in her eyes, and all three vamps could probably hear it in her startled heartbeat, smell it on her skin. She wanted to look around for Josef, but she couldn’t seem to tear her fascinated gaze away from Serena.

Etienne responded with a negligent Gallic shrug, and some comment in rapid French that caused Serena to dimple prettily. Then she looked down at Danni. “Come along, child,” she purred. “You know we’ve got simply tons of things to talk about.”

Danni gulped. “Please—“ she said.

Serena shook her head, and the coolness in her eyes dropped several degrees into cold. “Oh, no, dear, you are coming with me.” Her hand tightened on Danni’s shoulder. “Come. Now.”

Danni started to shake, but she rose as bidden, feeling Serena’s small hand sliding down her bare arm to her elbow, in what might have looked like a caress, but seemed to Danni more like a manacle. She clutched at her purse with both hands, thinking of the phone inside it. Her lifeline. Maybe. Josef could help her, if he would, but he seemed to be studiously ignoring her, deep in conversation with a group across the room.

Meanwhile, Serena was guiding her to a shadowy, secluded corner. There seemed to be more of those than Danni had realized. The lights were dimming slowly as the evening progressed, and the business chatter died down, replaced with more intimate murmurs, as the vamps began to feed.

“Sit,” Serena said, indicating an empty love seat. As Danni hesitated, she received an exasperated look from the petite vampire. “Why do you assume I wish to harm you? Never mind answering, it was rhetorical.” When Danni complied, reluctantly sitting, Serena flashed her a brilliant, red-lipped smile. “You are going to be just so much fun,” she commented, and slipped neatly into Danni’s lap, snaking an arm around the freshie’s neck and effectively immobilizing her.

As the vampire dipped her head toward Danni’s throat, her nostrils flaring to take in the girl’s scent, her hands stroked Danni’s shoulder, her cheek, reveling in the fine texture of her skin. “Please,” Danni said, barely able to force out the words, “I’m not willing. You know I’m not willing.”

Serena laughed softly, as though sharing some delicious little joke with a lover. Her lips twitched with delighted good humor. “What, you’re trying to tell me you were dragged here against your will?”

“No, but—“

“Or are you just disturbed because you’re not into the whole girl on girl thing?” Serena asked. “Because truthfully, darling, that has nothing to do with it.” She snapped her teeth close to Danni’s neck with an audible click, giggling as Danni winced. “You know the only thing I’m after is your—blood.”

Serena paused, tilting her head first to one side, then the other, a movement Danni found strangely repellent. She seemed to be trolling for information. “So you think Kostan is going to swoop down and save you from the wicked vampire? Let me clue you in, sweetheart. He doesn’t do that. He might get those nicely manicured hands dirty.”

Danni didn’t argue, but she still had hopes. Josef had said he would protect her. At least she thought he’d said that.

As if in answer to her unspoken plea, she heard Josef’s clipped, staccato accents. “Serenissima, at last,” he said. “It’s not like you to be late to the party. At least not without a much more dramatic entrance.”

Serena swiveled her head, eyes cycling back from silver to emerald again. “Josef, darling,” she said with another of those pretty pouts. “I may be late, but I could never stay away.” She shifted slightly, but her grip on Danni’s neck never eased. “You always have such outstanding—arrangements.”

“Well, praise from you…” Josef answered, his smug smile never wavering. Danni thought, he has to see what’s in my eyes. Please, let him notice. “And I see you’ve found a companion. Excellent choice.”

Serena smiled up at him, licking her lips. “Indeed. I may just have to take home what I don’t—drink here.”

Josef’s smile, if anything, broadened slightly. “Oh, what a shame,” he said, and she thought she saw some flicker in his eyes, but what it was, or what it meant, she had no idea. “I don’t provide ‘to go’ containers.”

Serena’s eyes snapped back to icy silver, although her tones remained lightly teasing. “Then I guess I’ll just have to finish it here.”

Danni saw Josef’s eyes flash to deadly coldness as he leaned forward, his speed blurring his outline. He brushed cold lips against her mouth as he turned his head to kiss Serena, and growled, so quietly Danni was sure only the two of them could hear, “No killing, Serenissima. Not here. All the freshies that walked in, walk out. That’s the deal.”

“There was a time, darling, when you used to be more fun.”

“Serena, sweetheart, you’re confusing me with someone else.” He paused. “Drink if you will, but not too deep.” As he straightened, he ran a hand under Danni’s chin, and lifted her face to look into her eyes. “And as for you…no screaming. I didn’t request a floor show.”

Danni nodded mutely against his hand.

As Josef walked away, Serena turned her full attention back to Danni. “So much for your vampire knight. Threw you under the bus, didn’t he?”

With a visible effort, Danni turned her face away. “Serena, can we just get this over with?”

Serena laughed. “You know, I’ve spent the last couple of decades in Europe, and I have to say that I’d quite forgotten how American freshies are. So practical. And so predictable. So—well, darling, not to be insulting—but so very, very provincial. A neck here, a wrist there.” She paused, tracing a finger along the strapless neckline of Danni’s dress. “Will’s never tasted the blood from your thigh, has he? Or one of those sweet little breasts?” She dragged a featherlight touch up to Danni’s mouth, and passed her finger over the girl’s lips. “I know a freshie in Paris—quite a popular one, too—who insists on feeding only from her tongue.” Serena leaned closer, running her own tongue over Danni’s ear. “What would you say, freshie, if I demanded to bite your pretty pink tongue? Would you do it? Would you protest?” Her voice lowered to the softest of breathy whispers. “You might beg me to stop—or not to stop.”

If the breath Danni pulled in sounded like a sob, it only amused Serena. She laid her hand on the bare skin of Danni’s upper chest. “Danger, your poor heart is hammering. I think maybe you like my little idea. I think it—excites you. You’re remembering the touch of my lips on yours, aren’t you? I remember your mouth, so soft, so ripe…” Her voice trailed off seductively, and Danni turned her face to Serena as though mesmerized by the vampires’ voice.

She felt Serena’s cool mouth descend on hers, and the gentle traction as her tongue was drawn inexorably to the vampire’s fangs. Even the sudden sharp pain of Serena’s bite only drew a small moan from her, and the sweet coppery taste of her own blood filling her mouth had a rightness that surprised her mildly. Her mind had disconnected, vague thoughts drifting by while Serena drank her fill. Danni felt the waves of sensation lapping gently through her body, and the weight of the vampire pressing against her made her want to writhe in response. Against her tongue, Serena chuckled, moving her hips to the rhythm of her pulls on Danni’s blood. The freshie shuddered, her soft moans muffled by Serena’s lips as she fed.

When the vampire broke the kiss, smiling at her victim with lips reddened by fresh blood, it was with a low contented purr. She laid her head on Danni’s shoulder like a child. “Are you sure, my dear, you don’t want to come with me? You seem so very—teachable.”

Danni went very still, struggling back to awareness. “Please,” she said, mumbling around her injured tongue, “please, Serena, you got what you wanted. Can’t you let me go?”

“Darling, you have no idea what I want.” Serena regarded her with an amused look. “But I’ll admit—only to you, sweeting—that I am feeling rather mellow at the moment.” She stood fluidly and pulled Danni to her feet. She dropped a final, delicate kiss on the pulse point at the base of Danni’s throat and said, cryptically, “Next time you see Will, tell him I do understand.”

Danni didn’t stop to look for Josef or Lucky on her way out. She merely stumbled to the elevator lobby, groping in her purse for her phone, and stabbed blindly for the button.

Will’s number rang a few times and went to voice mail. Danni was wondering if she should call Tyler instead, when she sensed a movement, and turned, startled to see Josef standing behind her.

“Leaving so soon, Texas?” he said. “We haven’t given out the door prizes yet.” He flicked his eyes over her, noting the apparent absence of fresh wounds, and frowned slightly. “You’re pale, I smell blood, and you seem distressed. Where did she bite you?”

Danni gestured to her mouth, parting her lips just a little, then burst into tears, collapsing on Josef’s shoulders.

“Texas, if you get blood on this jacket—I will have to kill you.” Josef put an arm around her, and plucked the phone from her grip, with his other hand. “I see Spence is screening his calls these days. He’s angry with you?”

Danni shook her head. “He was trying to—to protect me—from Serena.”

“Well, that certainly worked.” He handed the phone back to her, and pulled his own out of an inner pocket of his jacket, touching the screen one-handed. He listened for a moment, then spoke. “Spence. Long time and all that….I need you to stop by my offices…No, next week. Of course I mean tonight…there’s a stray freshie of yours here….Yes, there’s a problem…now why should I spoil the surprise?...very well.” He handed the phone to Danni. “For some reason he wants to speak with you.”

“Will?” She could hear that he was in the car; she hoped he wasn’t far away.

“Danger. Are you all right?” His voice was guarded, terse.

“Yes. No. I don’t know. I need to see you. Please. Can you come get me?”

“I was on my way somewhere, but—yeah. Sure.” He paused. “Look, wait in the lobby. I’ll come in.” The connection broke, and Danni looked at the phone stupidly until Josef relieved her of it. He stowed it back in his jacket, and snapped his fingers. The uniformed security man who appeared at this summons seemed particularly nervous, and Danni wondered if Josef had that effect on everyone.

“Mr. Kostan?”

“This young lady’s escort will be meeting her in the lobby shortly. Please be kind enough to stay with her until he arrives.” Josef stepped back, looked at her critically. “Before you go downstairs, Texas, I’d recommend you take a detour through the little freshies room. You could use some—freshening.”

Danni nodded.

“And if I may make an observation, doll, you chose this path. If you don’t like where it leads, choose another route. Am I clear?”

Danni nodded again. There didn’t seem to be much response to be made. Besides, Josef was already gone.
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francis
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Re: 100% Freshie Chapter 29 --PG-13

Post by francis »

Danni at a Kostan party – what for? Emma is jealous. I would hate it if Danni lost a friend over this.
I love that she entertains herself with malicious thoughts but behaves.
Serena is there and wants to talk – oh no, what does it mean? Josef sets the rules, but it doesn’t really help Danni. She’s actually aroused by this kiss of death. I wouldn’t have thought that.
Josef is right. She chose this. Will she decide to stop it, or will she go further?
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skyeeblue
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Location: Hanging with my hubby in the land of the sand.

Re: 100% Freshie Chapter 29 --PG-13

Post by skyeeblue »

I so love this story and reading it a second time is a joy
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Av by the awsome SS....and my beautiful banner by Eris.
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