ForevaXena's FanFic . . .

The Darker Side Of Light

by Gabite

Disclaimer: 

Xenaerotica,
Lesbian fan-fiction.

Sex violence a little S&Mish

Another time, another place
Same beautiful face.

Xena and Gabrielle are borrowed,
Sometimes blue,
Sometimes naughty,

So if lesbian isn’t your liking
This is not for you.  

Cover by ForevaXena

(Click photo for larger image)

Part 3

Once Bitten

Simone and Alex took Madison back to the LemonTwist.

Two days had passed. Madison lay sleeping on a double bed between cream cotton sheets.

Butterfly sat watching her sleep. “Where do you go?” Butterfly wondered. Bending down she kissed Madison’s lips, lingering against their softness. “You’ll always be my warrior,” she whispered softly.

Simone entered the room and looked at her friend. “How are you doing?” she asked, concern evident in her voice.

“I’m OK,” Butterfly replied, smiling softly.

“And our guest?”  Simone inquired looking down at Madison.

“She’s fine,” Butterfly answered, caressing Madison’s head with her hand.

“She will be a little pissed when she wakes up,” Simone said looking at Madison. “But she’ll get over it.”

“I hope so,” Butterfly said, sadness creeping into her voice. “What will she think of me?”

Butterfly rose from Madison’s side. “ I don’t think I should be here when she wakes. In fact…” Butterfly looked at Madison with brewing guilt, “I might leave now. She’s been dreaming which means she’ll wake soon.”

“Pursha is expecting you,” Simone said as she sat down in the chair beside Madison’s bed.

Butterfly smiled warmly at Simone and left the room.

Simone watched the sleeping detective with quiet reserve. “ Butterfly should have taken you,” she sighed. “It would have made things easier.”

Xena pointed her sword at Syth, a former amazon who was now the vampire queen that stood before her.

Syth looked down at the body of her slain lover. Xena had decapitated him. She stared at the blade of Xena’s sword and watched as, in slow motion, a drop of her beloved’s blood fell from the sword and stained the dirt. Her eyes followed the line of the sword’s blade to Xena’s bloodied hands then locked into the cold stare of the warrior.

Rage coursed through Syth like lighting bolts from the gods. “You shouldn’t have interfered Xena!” the vampire snarled, her eyes glowing blood red.

Syth looked past Xena at the wounded Gabrielle. Barely able to stand, she was being held up by an amazon. Breathing the scent of Gabrielle’s blood, Syth smiled maliciously and raised her hands.

In that instant Xena knew they were in trouble. Vampires rushed from the shadows of the caverns and gathered behind Syth, their queen. Xena spoke hurriedly to the amazon, Alexandra, who had been brave enough to come with them into this most evil of places. “Get Gabrielle out quickly. Now!” she said, not moving her eyes from Syth’s.

“No,” Gabrielle protested. “I’m staying with you.”

An uncomfortable feeling of foreboding rose inside Xena. There were too many of them. “Go!” Xena shouted. “I’ll meet you outside the cave.” Xena moved between her companions and the approaching vampires, allowing Alexandra and Gabrielle a path of escape for as long as she could hold off the enemy.

Xena stared at the vampire queen. The Queen laughed at the warrior’s predicament. Xena held Syth’s gaze as Alexandra picked Gabrielle up in her arms.

“What’s the matter queenie?” Xena mocked.  “My blood not sweet enough for ya?” Xena swung her sword quickly, severing the head of the vampire that stood next to Syth. Alexandra made her move and took off with Gabrielle.  In that instant Syth and several of her servants lunged at Xena.

Nails as sharp as claws ripped, while teeth like daggers tore at Xena’s flesh. She head butted a vampire who was biting at her face and punched and kicked before flinging four vampires into the air.

She grabbed Syth by the neck, squeezing firmly. Syth clawed at Xena’s fingers, weakening the warrior’s grip.  The queen glared savagely into Xena’s eyes and pressed towards her. Xena could feel Syth’s blood stained breath on her face.

Syth smiled evilly as she grabbed Xena’s wrist. The skin on Xena’s wrist began to burn where the vampire held her. Xena ignored the burning pain and squeezed Syth’s throat tightly.  She bought her sword up and rested it on the side of the queen’s neck.

The other vampires backed off, not wanting to cause Xena to decapitate their queen. 

“Let Gabrielle go,” Xena said. “It’s me you want.”

Syth laughed cruelly and heated the handle of Xena’s sword with her mind. As the handle became almost unbearable to hold Xena cut the queen’s throat and let the sword fall to the ground.

Warm blood splattered across Xena’s face. The vampire queen clasped her throat to stop her blood from gushing through the deep wound. “You bitch!” she hissed.

Xena glared into the Syth’s glowing eyes and grabbed her bloody throat again. In that moment a swarm of vampires attacked Xena. Xena kept her grip on the queen as the other vampires lashed at her.

Syth bent Xena’s fingers back, snapping knuckles and forcing the warrior to let go. Once free, Syth quickly slipped back into the vampire swarm.

Xena fought the vampires fiercely. She hoped she could keep them busy while Alexandra and Gabrielle made their escape. As she swung around in a broad kick she caught sight of Syth and two other vampires making chase after Gabrielle and Alexandra. Xena threw her chakram in a desperate effort to stop them but the vampire queen’s reflexes were sharp and she ducked out of the path of the chakram. The chakram spun into the far wall bringing rocks down. Then it returned to Xena’s hand, decapitating vampires in its path.

Vampires lay slain all around Xena but as one fell, another would take its place. She fought furiously but she couldn’t break through the swarm of hellish creatures that encircled her.  

As Alexandra and Gabrielle reached the mouth of the cave Syth made her move. She swooped down and grabbed Gabrielle.  The two other vampires attacked Alexandra.

Gabrielle struggled but Syth was strong.

The vampire queen dragged Gabrielle, fighting and struggling, up onto one of the highest ledges in the cavern. She placed Gabrielle on the edge and stood behind her.

“Xena!” Syth’s cold voice echoed through the cavern. Gabrielle screamed out in pain as Syth pressed her fingers into her bleeding wound.

Instantly the fighting stopped. Xena spun around and looked up at Syth and Gabrielle.

Syth smiled maliciously at Xena and pushed her fingers further into Gabrielle’s wound. “Want a little taste Xena?” Syth laughed, glaring at the warrior. Then she withdrew her fingers from Gabrielle’s side and licked blood from them. “A true amazon,” Syth mocked as she bought her lips close to Gabrielle’s neck.

As the queen’s hot breath lingered on her throat, Gabrielle looked at Xena. Her eyes conveyed emotions of love and the knowledge that she was about to die.

“No,” Xena choked, her voice barely audible.  Xena quickly threw her chakram.

Syth caught the chakram in her right hand and bit savagely into Gabrielle’s neck, puncturing the jugular vein. As she drank, two of her fingers fell, dismembered, from the hand that held the chakram.

Gabrielle cried out with the intensity of pain that ravaged her. Syth looked at Xena through callous eyes and let the chakram fall at her feet. She bit more viciously, wanting every drop of Gabrielle.

Gabrielle’s body lurched with pain. Her knees buckled but the queen held her up and ferociously continued to drink. Gabrielle’s veins began to collapse and her eyes filled with blood. Through blurred vision she caught a glimpse of the chakram. She forced her leg to move and pushed the chakram from the ledge with her foot.

Xena looked on in helplessness, grief beginning to tear at her heart.

Gabrielle’s heart stopped and her body went limp.

The chakram spun in the dirt as it hit the ground. 

In a voice filled with fear, Xena cried out. “GABRIELLE!“     

The queen withdrew her teeth, licked blood from her lips and pushed Gabrielle’s lifeless carcass from the ledge.

Time slowed as Xena raced to catch Gabrielle. Xena fell heavily to her knees as Gabrielle landed awkwardly in her arms. Dirt and dust flew up around them. 

Xena looked at Gabrielle,

Gabrielle was dead.    

“No,” Xena whispered. “No, this can’t be.” Tears streaked through the dust that was settling on Xena’s face.

The warrior touched Gabrielle’s lips and wept softly.

Xena pulled Gabrielle to her chest. Her tears began to fall uncontrollably. “Gabrielle. My love.”

Xena became numb and frozen in time. She sat with Gabrielle in her arms, rocking gently. 

Syth laughed. Xena glanced at her for a moment then returned her attentions to Gabrielle.

“No,” Madison whimpered.

Simone watched as tears fell from the detective’s eyes.

“Gabrielle…” Madison opened her eyes. Her words had woken her. She was in a strange room. Where was Gabrielle?

“Gabrielle?” she called sitting herself up in the bed. Sweat beading on her naked skin.

She looked around. “Who are you?” she asked looking directly at Simone. “Where am I? Where’s Gabrielle?”

Madison rose to her feet. Overcome by a sudden dizziness she sat back down on the bed.

Simone got up and wrapped a small cotton sheet around Madison’s shoulders.

“How? How long have I been here?” Madison asked.

“Two days,” Simone answered softly.

“What happened? Where is Butterfly? And where are my clothes?” she demanded raising her voice at Simone as she started to remember her circumstances.

“She saved your life you know,” Simone said in a warm voice.

“Where is she?” Madison asked seeing her clothes on the chair and grabbing them.

“Finding solace in her memories I presume,” Simone answered stepping away from the detective. 

“What exactly did she do to me?” Madison questioned, knowing Butterfly had bitten her, but not fully comprehending what had gone down.

“She saved you from being a vampire’s conquest,” Simone said looking intently into Madison’s eyes. “Or a victim. It depends on how one looks at it, doesn’t it.”

Madison went to button her shirt but found that buttons where missing. She secured it in a knot.

“She’s a vampire?” Madison questioned. Madison was beginning to think her drink might have been spiked. She reached for her neck and touched the puncture wounds. They were almost healed. In that instant the memories of the club, the vampires and the bite flashed through her mind.

Madison sat on the bed. Her head was spinning. She tried to piece together all the information. Butterfly and Simone were vampires. Well that’s natural, she thought to herself sarcastically.

Madison suddenly remembered the exquisite pleasure of Butterfly’s bite.  Then she remembered Gabrielle being bitten and the blood that had soaked her eyes moments before her death. Tammi’s eyes had been the same. Fuck, she couldn’t quite remember what the vampire in her dream looked like.

“Fuck,” Madison said softly. “This was way too out there to process.”  

“I do believe these are yours,” Simone said bringing Madison back to the present and handing her her guns. Alex had picked one up from the dance floor the other was removed from Madison’s boot.

“Thanks,” Madison said as she reached for the gun and flicked the safety catch on. Her thoughts went to the vampire woman in the booth. Next time she’d just shoot the bitch and ask questions later.

Madison looked at Simone with inquiring eyes. “So are you and Alex vampires?” She couldn’t believe the question that rolled from her lips.

“Yes,” Simone replied. “There are many vampires in our city.”

“OK,” Madison thought as she placed her gun in its holster.

“And Butterfly doesn’t have a daughter?” Madison questioned.

“No, she doesn’t,” Simone answered. “Butterfly was correct in her assumption that you would background check us. And you are correct in your assumption detective. Fictitious descendants are a way of continuing the family line for financial and background purposes.”

Madison thoughts returned to the vampires at Bloody Mary’s and the dead women. She looked directly into Simone’s eyes and asked, “How do I kill these vampires?”

Simone returned Madison gaze with an intense look of her own. “A silver bullet to the heart will do it,” she said. “So will decapitation and a wooden or silver stake to the heart.”

Madison touched the wound on her neck. Suddenly feeling angry and used by Butterfly she raised her voice at Simone, “Why the fuck didn’t she tell me?!”

Simone gave Madison a gentle smile. “Would you have believed her?”

Madison rolled her eyes and conceded defeat.  “No, I wouldn’t have believed her. I’m not sure I believe it now.” Madison ran her hand through her hair. What was she going to tell Peter? Jesus, they’d have everyone out looking for her by now.

“Where are you?” she thought as her mind returned to Butterfly. She should be angry as shit with her but she wasn’t. What was this hold that Butterfly had on her and what of the dream of Gabrielle?  It was so real it was now like a memory of her own life. 

“Where can I find her?” Madison asked as she buckled the fasteners on her boots.

“She needs time,” Simone replied, admiring Madison’s stature as the detective rose from the bed.

“She bites me and she’s the one who needs time?” Madison’s voice became curt. “I don’t think so, Simone.” 

 “All is not fair in love and war detective.” Simone gave the detective a cunning smile. “Julie is waiting for you in our library.”

Madison looked at Simone with surprise and concern in her eyes. “Julie? You didn’t…?” 

“No,” Simone quipped. “I didn’t and I’m offended that you would think that. Leave now, before I bite you myself. Alex will see you to the library.” Simone turned to walk out of the room.

Madison shook her head.  Feistiness must come with the vampireness, she thought to herself.

“I’m sorry,” Madison said, causing Simone to stop and turn to her. “There’s things I need to know, about the bite and about the bodies.”

Simone looked calmly at Madison. “I was wondering when you were going to ask.”

Simone leaned on the inside of the doorway, her arms crossed. “The effect of a vampire’s bite,” she said, “is not unlike that of a virus. We secrete into the bitten. Our essence mixes into their blood and transforms it into something more.” Simone walked towards Madison. “The amount of secretion that enters the body during a bite is dependent on how the vampire chooses to bite you.” Simone stopped in front of Madison and, meeting her gaze, she said softly, “Butterfly tried not to release any secretion into you, but it is unavoidable to secrete.”

Madison listened to Simone, unable to speak.

“The bite can be intensely erotic…” Simone smiled at Madison. “As you know. Or it can be intensely painful. We can do what we call a Death Bite, in which the heart stops and the bitten is in a state of death and dormancy. How long it takes for the essence to resurrect them as a vampire depends on the bitten’s immune system. Some do not resurrect and decay.

Seeing the look of growing concern on Madison’s face, Simone added, “Don’t worry Detective. There is not enough secretion in your system to turn you into a vampire.”

Madison’s thoughts went to Diana. “So your telling me that Diana is a vampire?”

Simone shifted her eyes to the floor. “Sadly, yes,” she said returning her gaze to Madison. “Diana suffered a Death Bite and will be a full vampire by now. Butterfly and I went to retrieve her body but someone had already taken it.” Simone closed her eyes for a second before looking back at Madison and continuing. “Without spiritual and feeding guidance, almost all vampires loose their humanity or go insane from the blood frenzy. I fear Diana’s humanity is lost. It is very rare for one who has experienced a Death Bite to regain human sensibilities.”

Madison closed her eyes as any hope of getting Diana back sunk like a stone. “Thanks,” she said looking back at Simone. “I have to go.”

“Detective,” Simone called. “Take this.” She picked up a wooden box from the side table and handed it to Madison. Madison took the box and opened it. Surrounded by red velvet were silver bullets specially gauged for her guns. She raised her eyebrow at Simone.

Simone picked up one of the silver bullets from the box and rolled  it gently in her fingers. She looked directly into Madison eyes and spoke softly. “ It’s the cleanest way for humans to kill vampires.” Simone smiled at the detective and replaced the bullet.

“You’ll find Julie in the library,” she said, and with that Simone left Madison to her own thoughts. 

~^..^~

Once were Amazons

Butterfly had called for Julie when Madison was bitten. Butterfly hadn’t given Julie the full details, just that Madison was injured and it was in Madison’s best interest not to get the police involved.

Julie had learnt at a young age how to read people’s intentions. Her instincts were telling her to trust Butterfly and to trust Madison’s choices, although everything in her professional training warned against it. She told Peter that she and Madison were taking a few days off and that they would ring him when they got back.

Upon arriving at the LemonTwist Julie was more than a little concerned about the marks on Madison’s neck and, although she was now a little more comfortable with Butterfly and Simone, she knew they were hiding something.

After spending the morning by Madison’s bed. Julie sat in Simone’s library.  She was pouring over books on vampires, amazons and warrior women.

Julie had books strung across the table. She had found a book called Light from Dark. It was written in Greek. It read like a novel. She slowly turned the pages of the old book. She perused the text with excitement and deciphered it as best she could. She had found Xena, Madison’s warrior princess.

She learnt that Xena’s title was Xena of Amphipolis. Xena’s lover and partner in life was a woman, an Amazon queen. Her name was Gabrielle. Gabrielle came from a village called Poteidaia. She read on with eagerness. Xena’s life was a journey of pain and enlightenment, love and loss, death and more death. The book was quite detailed. Xena had been a warlord with the taste for blood. She had killed many and sometimes without reason. “Nasty,” Julie muttered.

Skipping to the back of the book, a poem caught her attention:

The darkness that lies within,

Without you

I don’t know where to begin.

I have become the darkest I’ve ever been.

What you loved so long ago

I fear is lost

like melting snow.

I hold tightly to your memories. 

I don’t grow old. 

I ache for your touch,

the taste of your soul.

Replenish me.

Cleanse the blood from my lips.

Warm me,

to my fingertips.

I shiver without your arms,

without your warrior charms.

Xena,

I have done so much harm.

Forgive me.

G

Julie’s mind reeled at the implications she knew couldn’t be true but the similarities between Gabrielle and Butterfly’s poetry were overwhelming. She checked the published date. It was hand written in the seventeenth century.  Maybe it was one of Butterfly’s descendants, she thought. She read another poem.

Play with me

Kiss my lips

Drink my essence

Bite and nip

Lust and love

Blood and tears

Lay with me and drink my fears.

G.

Julie closed the book. On the back inscribed in gold was this:

With this gift of life

Comes eternal pain

A hunger

That leads to insane.

I have gained strength from your wisdom Xena

Strength from your words

Love from your memory,

in my heart you are burned.

The moon-rises,

the stars fall

Through it all

Images of you.

Your smile

Your laughter

Your strength.

You give me peace

A release from my pain

You tie me to humanity

You keep the animal sane.

 G.

Madison knocked on the door to the library. Julie looked up from the books and saw Madison. She smiled affectionately. “Hey you,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

Madison responded guardedly as she walked towards Julie.  “I’m good. You?”

Julie smiled at her friend. “I’m good. So are you going to tell me what happened? How did you get hurt?”

Madison sighed with quiet relief. Julie didn’t know about the bite or at least it seemed that way. “I’m OK Julie, but I need you to go to the station. I have something I have to do.”

“Are you sure?” Julie replied, uncomfortable that Madison was on edge and very stand off-ish.

“Yep,” Madison answered.

Julie stood up and embraced her friend. Madison returned her embrace and reassured her she was fine. “I’ll explain it all later, OK?”

Julie withdrew from the embrace. “OK, but I want to know everything.”

“Deal,” Madison said as she walked to the door. Julie grabbed the book she was reading and walked with Madison.

Madison rang a cab for Julie on her mobile and waited with her outside the LemonTwist.

Once Julie was in the cab Madison sent Harvey a text message.

Meet me at Bloody Mary’s in fifteen minutes. Bring backup.

Maddi.  

She didn’t feel like talking and she didn’t care if he got the message.

                                                            ~”

 ~^..^~

The devil you know

Night was creeping over the city. Madison knocked on the door to Bloody Mary’s. She pulled her gun and switched the safety catch off.

The door opened and a man peeked his head out. Madison cocked her gun and pressed it to his temple.

“Give me a reason not to blow your brains out,” she said as she walked him inside the club. “Take me to the redhead,” she demanded, her voice filling with anger. “Now!” 

The vampire flinched, then turned to Madison and said, “Your bullets won’t hurt me.”

Madison smiled sarcastically at him and quipped, “The bullets are silver. They have your name engraved on them. You tell me if they hurt.” She pressed the barrel firmer into his temple.

The vampire looked at her with distrust then bared his fangs. She pressed on the trigger and blew a hole in his head. He looked at her in disbelief as he fell to the ground. 

“My guess - it hurt,” she said as she stepped over his jerking body.

Madison walked down the steps to the cellar. She booted the cellar door in with her foot. A vampire rushed her. She shot, hitting it between the eyes. As it fell to the floor she shot it in the heart.

At the unfamiliar sight and sound of their own kind falling before a mortal human, the other vampires retreated into the lair. 

Madison followed them.

There were only a few in the lair. Seems the redhead had moved house. “Fuck it,” Madison said as she moved from room to room. Shooting first, asking questions as they ran.

Harvey found the door to Bloody Mary’s was already open when he arrived. Stepping over the first vampire’s body, he noticed the teeth.  “What the fuck?!” he whispered as he bent down to get a better look.

The vampire reached up and grabbed Harvey by his shirt.

BANG! Madison shot the vampire through the heart.

“Now that’s gotta hurt,” she said to the vampire as he took his last breath. 

“Where’s the back up?” Madison asked, looking at Harvey.

“I’m it,” Harvey said, a child-like smile appearing on his face.

Madison took a double take as she saw fangs slip down. “Fuck!” she exclaimed. “This gets better by the minute.”

A vampire grabbed at Madison from behind. Madison turned and, bringing up her elbow, struck it across the jaw. As the vampire reeled back from the blow she kicked it in the back of the head with a high kick from her right foot then shot it in the heart as it staggered away.

Harvey lunged at another vampire that approached them from the shadows. Madison held her gun on them, waiting for the outcome of the fight and a full explanation from Harvey.

Harvey staked the vampire through the heart. He watched the life drain from its eyes and when he was sure it was dead he turned to Madison. “Are you going to put that down?” he asked, motioning to the gun in her hand.

“That depends,” Madison said checking the clip. “Do you bite?” 

“Only good looking men,” Harvey replied suavely.

Madison laughed and slipped her gun back into its holster.

She walked behind the bar and poured herself a drink. “What’s your pleasure?” she said to Harvey as she up-turned a small glass.

“Whisky,” he replied as he sat down on the barstool.

Madison poured his drink then sat beside him. “So Harvey,” she said. “This vampire thing…  How long have you been…?”

“It was after we found the first body,” Harvey replied. “Those couple of weeks I took off early in the case,” he said sipping his drink. “Remember we went to the LemonTwist to check on the brandings?”

He fell silent for a moment. “Well, I went back to the club. There was this cute guy.” Harvey stared into his drink and smiled. “We went back to one of the green rooms. Next thing I know I’m being bitten.”  

Harvey looked at Madison and grinned. “What can I say -  I liked it. In fact, I couldn’t resist. I went back for more.” He stared into his whisky again and spoke softly, “And now I have the hunger.”

“And the teeth,” Madison jested.

Harvey retuned his gaze to Madison. “Butterfly and Simone have helped me to control the blood lust and the insanity that it brings.”

Madison sat in silence and reloaded her gun. She remembered Harvey taking the time off. When he returned to work she remembered he did look a little peaky and, as the vampire genre goes, he had acquired a dislike for sunlight. 

“One good thing about Butterfly biting you,” Harvey said, his voice breaking into Madison’s thoughts. “Other vampires won’t be able to sense your humanness. You have Butterfly’s essence in you.” Harvey placed his empty glass on the counter. “You’ll feel a little different. Empowered.” He breathed deeply with pride, embracing his inner demon.

Madison thought long and hard about the bite. How should she feel about that? Obviously Butterfly had saved her life.  And what was she to do now? If she told Peter, what would happen? The world would go nuts, that’s what would happen. The cops would swarm in and kill or capture every vampire. Every vampire, including Butterfly.

“Shit,” Madison groaned.

“So do you know who is doing the killings?”  Madison said as she poured herself and Harvey another drink.

“No, I don’t,” Harvey said. He looked at her with concern. “Several vampires from Simone’s lair have been attacked. It’s not nice when vampire bites vampire. Double the pain, so I’ve been told…” Harvey smiled to himself before he spoke again. “Or double the pleasure.”

“So do you bite each other often?” Madison asked jokingly.

“More often than you think,” Harvey replied his smile lighting his face. “The pleasure part is quite intense, very sexual, and it can be another way of feeding without killing.”

Madison suddenly felt the pangs of jealously. She thought of vampires giving Butterfly pleasure through biting. 

“Incestual little bunch aren’t you,” she remarked as she sculled her drink. She’d bet her badge Simone was sucking on Butterfly’s neck.

Great, Madison thought. Now I’m jealous of vampires.

Madison’s mind went to previous encounters with Simone. Suddenly she understood why she felt some animosity from the tall French woman.

“Tell me about Butterfly and Simone,” Madison asked looking directly at Harvey.

“Simone and Butterfly are both vampire Queens, though very different in nature. A queen is a vampiress who develops high mental powers, she can master the elements and your mind.” Harvey gave a small chuckle “Just by looking at you a queen can bring you to your knees in pain, or make you come in your pants.”  He paused and engaged Madisons eyes. “Their power is immense.”

Harvey’s voice lightened.“ I think Butterfly is much older and wiser than Simone is. Butterfly and Alex go back a long way. Alex is not a queen.” He looked at Madison.  “But that’s not what you were asking is it?”

An uncomfortable smile appeared on Madison’s face. “No,” she replied. “Its not.”

Harvey looked at Madison with warmth in his eyes. “They had a thing,” he said. “But from what I’ve heard, it was a long time ago.” 

A sound echoed from the cellar. Madison picked her gun up from the counter and slowly crept down the stairs to the cellar door. Harvey followed behind her.

She quietly pushed the door with her foot and saw a vampire pushing a crate across the floor then opening a trapdoor that was underneath it.

The vampire then moved towards them. Madison and Harvey ducked stealthily into the shadows under the stairs. The vampire walked past them up the stairs and then returned, dragging the body of one of the  vampires Madison had killed.  Madison and Harvey watched as the vampire dragged its limp companion through the cellar and down the trapdoor.

“Come on,” Madison said as she pointed in the direction of the trapdoor. “Let’s see what he’s up to.”

Madison crept over to the hole in the floor. She looked down the stairs into darkness. 

“Is there a torch in your car?” she asked Harvey quietly. Harvey pulled the keys from his pocket and handed them to her. ”It’s the grey Ford two parks from the door.” He whispered. She quickly went up to Harvey’s car and retrieved a small baton torch from the glove box.

 “I’ll go in front of you,” Harvey said to Madison as they prepared to go down the trap door. “My eyes will adapt to the lack of light faster than yours.”

They followed quietly down the steps, Harvey’s eyes adjusting quickly to the environment.  They came to a ladder that led down into a tunnel. Madison guessed by the smell that it was some kind of stormwater or sewage outlet. Madison shone the torch down into the tunnel. Rats fleeing from the light squealed and scurried away from them.

As they descended the ladder, Madison’s eyes picked up a faint glowing smear on the floor of the tunnel. It disappeared when she shone the torch on it. The tunnel was damp and had bits of rubbish and needles strewn throughout.

It seemed as though they had walked for miles when the tunnel suddenly came to a fork and split into two smaller tunnels. Harvey looked down each. “He went down this one.”

Madison raised her eyebrow at him. “How can you tell?”

“I can see the blood from the body he is carrying,” Harvey replied pointing to a small blood smear on the wall.

Madison shone the torch on the wall. She couldn’t see any blood.

As they entered the smaller tunnel, water began to seep into Madison’s boots. “Yuk,” she exclaimed as she shone the torch at her feet.

Startled by the noise, a large rat leaped out at Madison from a ledge, causing Madison to jump back and drop the torch.

“Fuck!” Madison exclaimed as the touch left her hands and sunk through the murky water.

She quickly bent down to pick the torch up. Instinctively she blinked and, on opening her eyes again, found that she could see. Noticing that her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, she stood up with the torch in her hand and turned it off. Every thing went dark but her eyes swiftly refocussed. She looked around and was seeing everything in what seemed to her to be like night vision.

Madison stood perfectly still. How could she see so much in the dark? “Harvey?” she called. Her voice wavering.

Harvey was a little way in front of Madison. He turned and looked back down the tunnel. He could see Madison’s cat like eyes staring back at him.

He walked towards her, sensing her alarm, and spoke to her in a reassuring voice. “Guess you’re seeing everything I can,” he said pointing to the faint glow of blood on the wall where the dead vampire’s head had scraped upon it.

“Its blood,” he said wiping his fingers along the blood smear. “Blood has a funny glow. That’s how I knew he went this way.” Harvey looked directly into Madison’s eyes. “It’s one of the bonuses of a vampire bite. It doesn’t matter how much they secrete, the result is good night vision.” 

Madison watched Harvey sniff the blood on his fingers. She suddenly felt sick.

“Keep going,” Madison said as she looked down the tunnel. “Let’s see where this leads us.”

A small bat flew past Madison’s head. The irony of it wasn’t lost.

After walking for about twenty minutes, the trail of blood led them to a ladder that went down to a stream of water. Madison guessed this was the stormwater outlet and that this was how the vampires disposed of their dead. Nobody would find them. The bodies would get washed out to sea or eaten by vermin.

Madison looked around. She found another ladder that went straight up about 15 feet.  She tucked the touch into her belt and climbed up, pushing the steal lid to the side.  She was in what seemed to be a stone passageway. It smelt musty and old. Harvey followed her up.

Madison and Harvey silently walked through the stone passageway. They could hear voices mixed with faint whimpering sounds.

“Shit,” Madison thought. She was running low on silver bullets and didn’t know just how much could she trust Harvey.

Madison took a breath and calmed her mind. She followed the sounds and came to a wooden door laced with decorative metal. She listened through the door then opened it slightly. It creaked.

Madison prepared herself for confrontation but nobody was there. As they proceeded down the passageway the sounds became louder. Suddenly they could hear footsteps in the room behind them. Madison and Harvey quickened their pace. There was nowhere to hide.

“Fuck!” Madison cursed under her breath as her heart raced. They turned a corner and came to another door. Madison quickly opened the door and the two of them hid inside the room. Madison closed her eyes and held her breath as the footsteps walked past.

When she opened her eyes the room began to glow with blood. She looked at Harvey who was also looking at the blood soaked walls. She swallowed then looked at the chains that were secured to the centre of the room. 

“Some of this blood is fresh,” Harvey said breathing deeply and enjoying the rich flavours that delighted his senses.

Madison’s eyes followed the chain to the corner of the room.  In the corner, curled up, sat a terrified woman. She was naked. She couldn’t see Madison or Harvey as her eyes were swollen from being beaten but she knew they were there.

 “Jesus,” Madison said, then quickly put comforting tones in her voice. “Don’t be frightened. We won’t hurt you.”

Madison walked over to the woman and bent down. The woman flinched as Madison touched her. “I’m a detective,” Madison said quickly as she placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “What’s your name?”

The woman tried to focus her eyes but couldn’t. “Natalie,” she replied weakly.

“How long have you been here Natalie?” Madison asked.

“I, I don’t know,” Natalie said. “Two, maybe three days.”

Madison held the manacles that encased Natalie’s wrists. She looked at the locks. She needed something to pick them with. Madison searched her pockets but she didn’t have anything that would do it.

“What about this?” Harvey said pulling the wire clip out from his money holder and handing it to Madison.

“That will do it,” Madison said. “Keep your eye on the door.”

Madison bent the wire and inserted it into the lock on Natalie’s left wrist. With a click the manacle opened and Madison gently unclasped it. She undid the other manacle then tenderly touched Natalie’s bloodied and bruised wrists.

She looked at Natalie, frightened and half-dead. Madison became angry. She wanted to kill who ever had done this.     

“Thank you,” Natalie whispered.

“Can you walk?” Madison asked, taking her jacket off and helping the traumatised woman put it on.

 “I don’t know,” Natalie answered trying to stand with Madison’s assistance. Natalie’s legs buckled underneath her.

Madison picked Natalie up in her arms and walked to the door. The woman clung tightly to her saviour.

“Its clear,” Harvey said as he looked down the passageway.

“I’ll carry her,” Harvey offered, lifting the terrified woman from Madison’s arms before the detective could argue.

“Hayden!” a woman’s voice echoed through the passageway. Madison and Harvey momentarily froze and then slipped back into the room they had come from. Footsteps sounded close by and voices echoed around the stone passageway.

“I’m going out for awhile, make sure our guest is taken care of.”

Shit, Madison thought as she readied herself for a fight. They listened to one set of footsteps echo into silence. Then the next set came closer and the door started to open.

As Hayden walked unsuspectingly into the room Madison slammed the torch into the side of his head and jumped on his back. She wrapped her arm around his throat and squeezed tightly, adding extra pressure by pulling with her other arm.

Hayden stumbled and grabbed at her arm. He slammed the detective into the wall trying to free himself from her grip.

Madison was winded but held on, squeezing his throat in the vice-like hold. Hayden slammed Madison’s back into the wall again. This time she let go and quickly grabbed his right arm, twisting it back and snapping it at the elbow. The vampire screamed out in pain.

Harvey sat Natalie down near the door. “Get Natalie out,” Harvey told Madison as his fangs protruded. Madison, quick to see that Harvey was about to attack the other vampire, picked Natalie up and took her outside.

With Natalie rested over her shoulders in a fireman’s hold, Madison pulled her gun from its holster and walked quickly up the passageway then up a set of stone steps. At the top of the stairs Madison came to an elevator. She aimed her gun straight at its closed doors. Taking a deep breath, Madison pressed the button to go up. 

The door to the elevator opened. It was clear. Madison stepped inside. “Where are we?” Natalie asked.

“On our way out of here I hope.” Madison answered pressing the up button.

The ride up seemed to take an eternity. Madison could hear her own heartbeat. The elevator stopped with a jolt. The door opened. Madison had her gun pointed ready to fire. She stepped out of the elevator and swept the area.  It was clear. As the wall behind her closed to conceal the lift’s door Madison noticed she was in the warehouse she had visited last week. 

 “Christ,” she said softly as she looked around. “Crystal was under our feet.”

Madison headed for the front door of the warehouse. Once safely outside and away from the warehouse she set Natalie down and called for an ambulance on the mobile, then she called Peter.

Harvey grabbed Hayden violently and bit into his throat. Hayden writhed under the intensity of the pain.

Hayden was an old and powerful vampire. His grey hair complemented his suave looks. Hayden gasped for air as Harvey bit into his vein, then with hypnotic powers, transferred his pain to Harvey. Harvey stopped biting immediately. Pain seared his heart like a stake. He fell to the ground and grabbed at his left pectoral muscle. 

Hayden looked at the attractive young man that had fallen at his feet. He smiled slightly. It had been centuries since someone had the balls to bite him in battle. Somehow in his twisted mind it made him like Harvey enough not to kill him.

“Do you have a name?” Hayden asked his voice dripping with lustful tones.

Hayden picked Harvey up and took him upstairs into the warehouse.

~^..^~

The ten minutes that it took for the ambulance to arrive seemed like forever. Madison’s emotions where on high alert. Every sound warranted the aim of her gun.  Natalie, still unable to see, held on to Madison tightly.

It was music to both Madison and Natalie’s ears when the sirens started to sound. The louder they became the sweeter they were.

Madison waved to the ambulance when it arrived. The police weren’t far behind them. 

“Don’t leave me,” Natalie said to Madison as the ambulance officers put her on the trolley.

“It’s OK,” Madison assured her. “You’ll be safe now.”

“But you don’t know what they are,” Natalie sobbed.

Madison took Natalie’s hand and squeezed it. “I know,” she said as she brushed a tear from Natalie’s face. “Believe me. I know.”

“Thank god,” Natalie whispered

Madison turned to the policewoman who had just arrived. “I want her to be guarded by a two blues at all times.” Natalie squeezed Madison’s hand in a gesture of thanks.

“You’ll be OK,” Madison assured Natalie as the ambulance driver closed the doors.

Madison was growing more concerned about Harvey. She told the blues to secure the area and not to let anybody in or out of the warehouse. She returned to the warehouse just in time to see Harvey being thrown out a window one story from the ground. 

Harvey landed heavily and lay still.

“Shit!” Madison exclaimed, convinced he must be dead. As she raced towards him Harvey began to move, dragging himself to the wall. Wearily he lent up against it. His chest was still hurting from Hayden’s bite and blood dripped from a fresh wound in his neck.

“Gimme a hand will ya?” Harvey said, looking a little worse for wear and reaching for Madison’s hand to help him off the ground.

Madison smiled with relief and helped Harvey to his feet.

“Hayden could have killed me quite easily but he didn’t,” Harvey said leaning his weight on Madison. “I guess I owe him one.”

Madison shook her head. It almost sounded as though Harvey liked this dude.  She helped Harvey to a quieter place away from the ambulances and the police. 

“What are we going to tell Peter?” she said softly. “We can’t tell him about the vampires,” she smirked at Harvey. “He’d have you put down.”

Harvey gave Madison a small laugh. “Make it up as you go. There’s not much else we can do.”

Cops were everywhere. Peter had arrived with Toomie and forensics and he was eager to see Madison and Harvey.

“What happen, Madison?” Peter asked making his way towards them.

“We got a tip off about a dungeon and vampire rituals under the warehouse,” Madison said, shifting her eyes from Harvey to Peter. “I’d say this is where Crystal was killed.”

Madison turned her gaze to Toomie who had joined them. “We found a girl chained to the floor. She’s alive.”

“Are you two OK?” Toomie asked, looking at Madison and Harvey.

“There were a couple of perps in there when we arrived,” Harvey answered. “But I kicked their arse.” 

Toomie looked Harvey up and down. He had blood soaked down his pale blue shirt. “I’ll take your word on it” she said raising an eyebrow.

“I want a full report on my desk by tomorrow,” Peter motioned at Harvey. He then put his arm on Madison’s shoulder motioning for her to walk with him.  “Where have you been for the last few days?” he said, his voice sounding concerned. “It’s not like you to get someone to call in sick for you in the middle of a case.”

Madison walked with Peter for a short distance. She stroked her chin thoughtfully. “I’m sorry Peter,” she said. “It was unavoidable.” She stopped and looked at Peter. “I’d like Toomie and Harvey to manage the case from here. I need to work it undercover.”

Peter knew what Madison was saying. She had found a way to get close to the killer.

“You got it,” Peter said, putting a fatherly smile on his face.

Madison thanked him. She looked back at Veronica. She wondered if Veronica would be cool with it. She needed to make the decision soon - whether to tell Veronica what was going on or keep her in the dark. Vampires, that would go down a treat.

~^..^~

How Sweet It Is

Madison stopped her bike by the river. She took her helmet off and let the breeze caress her face.  Without consciously thinking of it, she had brought herself to the place where she and Butterfly had walked after their date at the cafe.

She watched the city lights fading on the water and the night giving way to the new day.

“The bike suits you,” came a voice she knew well. “So does the leather.”

Madison turned to see Butterfly walking towards her. She was wearing a long white coat. Her emerald green eyes sparkled. Memories of Gabrielle flooded Madison’s consciousness. Her smile became wider. She stared at Butterfly and filled with love and affection. “You know, I still can’t get mad at you,” she said, smiling softly. “Where are we going from here?” 

Butterfly buttoned her leather coat. “I have a lot I need to share with you.” she said, gazing affectionately into the soft blue of Madison’s eyes.

Madison glanced at the rays of sun that were beginning to shine then noticed that Butterfly's face was starting to redden. “So it’s true,” she said. “Vampires do burn.” Madison started her bike. “Just how sensitive are you to the sunlight?” 

Butterfly smiled at her warrior. “I’ll put it this way,” she said quietly.  “If you leave me out here for a few hours, I’d be crispy and all my problems would be solved.”

“That’s sensitive,” Madison said handing her helmet to Butterfly and smiling affectionately. “Hop on and I’ll take you home.” 

Madison rode down the footpath, through the staggered poles intended to keep bikes and skateboarders off the path, and on to the road.

She raced the sun’s rays, weaving in and out of traffic and pedestrians. She stopped the bike under her apartment block just as the sun found its strength.

“How are you doing back there?” she asked as she dismounted the bike and reached for Butterfly’s hand.

Butterfly removed the helmet and gave Madison a beaming smile. “Nice riding.”

Madison smiled back at Butterfly. It was a nice piece of riding.  “Come,” she said, holding out her hand.

Madison greeted the blue that was on duty at her door. Butterfly had her coat collar pulled up close to her face. The blue tried to get a good look but Butterfly avoided his eyes and quickly stepped into Madison’s apartment.

“Can I take your coat?” Madison asked, her stare fixed on the warmth in Butterfly’s eyes.

Butterfly gazed back at the detective. Each time she looked at Madison, Madison became more like Xena. Or was Xena becoming more like Madison?

“Sure,” she said undoing her coat and handing it to the tall detective. 

Butterfly looked around Madison’s apartment. “Friends of yours, or just art?”  Butterfly asked, admiring the photographs of naked women on the walls.

Madison rested Butterfly’s coat on a chair. “Both,” she said, glancing at a large black and white photo of a naked runner doing up her shoelace. “Second year of college,” Madison said.

 “And this one?” Butterfly asked, pointing to a picture of a tall muscular Aboriginal woman walking into the ocean at night, the full moonlight shining on her skin.  “Her name is Lowana,” Madison smiled “We studied Wing Chun Kung Fu together.

‘Wing Chun,” Butterfly whispered. “Beautiful springtime.” A quiet smile lit her face. “She was a beautiful woman. Gentle,” Butterfly reminisced as she glanced at Madison. “Very cunning in her fighting.”

 “You’re a photographer?” Butterfly questioned, quickly changing the subject.

“In my spare time,” Madison replied, still pondering on Wing Chun.

Butterfly continued to admire the photographs. She recognised a youthful Julie. Julie was mid air through a graceful dive, her image mirrored in the water beneath her.

“Julie was on the diving team,” Madison said wrapping her arms around Butterfly. “We were lovers at the time I took the shot.”

Butterfly looked at Madison with deep affection. “We used to be lovers,” she said searching Madison’s eyes.

“I remember,” Madison said softly. “I have a memory of you wrapped in fur.”

Butterfly cupped Madison’s face with her hands and pulled the detective’s lips to hers. She kissed her hungrily. “Make love to me,” she whispered.

Madison reacted to the passion in Butterfly’s kiss. She wanted to rip her clothes off and take her right there. “I want you,” she said not taking her eyes from Butterfly’s and undoing the button that held Butterfly’s shirt closed. Butterfly looked wildly into Madison’s smouldering blue eyes and then kissed her passionately.

Madison removed the rest of Butterfly clothes and in her haste ripped her own shirt. Within seconds they were naked, pressed to each other’s bodies. Madison suddenly heard the policeman moving outside the door. Still kissing Butterfly, she walked them to the door, locked it and slid the safety chain across.

Madison scooped Butterfly up in her arms and carried her up stairs to the bedroom. The bed sheets were pulled half down, just as Madison had left them. She placed Butterfly on the purple sheet and threw the rest of the coverings on the floor.

Madison smiled wickedly and straddled Butterfly’s hips. She entwined their fingers and pulled Butterfly’s arms up in the bed, then she pressed the full length of her body against Butterfly’s. She lingered in Butterfly’s eyes. “I remember us,” she said tenderly. 

They could have been in an empty field or in a crowded elevator. It didn’t matter, for at this moment they were the only two people in the world.

The phone rang. They didn’t hear it. Madison’s alarm went off. They didn’t notice. They were reclaiming love, re-connecting their souls. 

Butterfly came in Madison’s mouth. Her emotions touched, she cried out in pleasure. Madison slid up Butterfly’s sweaty body and kissed her passionately.

Butterfly pressed her nails into Madison’s butt. The fine line between pleasure and pain excited Madison. She thrust her pelvis hard to her lover’s body. Butterfly’s teeth extended. She breathed in the scent of sex and placed her mouth on Madison’s neck.

“Yes,” Madison whispered as she felt teeth pressing on her flesh. “Do it. Make me come.”

Butterfly’s mouth began to water. She could taste the bite. Her body yearned and her eyes flashed amber.

“Arrghh!” Butterfly groaned in frustration, pulling away.

Madison watched as Butterfly struggled to subdue the hunger. “What do you feel when you bite?” she asked, breathing heavily and wanting so much the exquisite pleasure of the vampire’s bite.

“It’s like a really long orgasm,” Butterfly answered. “It’s very addictive.” she closed her eyes. “It can’t happen again.”

Butterfly used her vampire strength to push Madison off of her and sat straddled on Madison’s hips. She held Madison’s hands tightly and pushed them down into the bed. With a vice like grip on Madison she stared deeply into the detective’s eyes. Seeing Madison’s arousal, a wave of raw sexual desire took control of her. She kissed Madison passionately, wanting everything.

Feeling herself turn, Butterfly released her grip on Madison and got up.

“Where are you going?” Madison asked, feeling flummoxed.

“I can’t bite you again,” Butterfly replied her eyes returning to their soft emerald green. “I’d turn you.”  She looked longingly at Madison. “I’m the animal type you know.” Butterfly paced up and down. “When I get excited, I tend to bite.”

“I trust you,” Madison said looking into the sensual green of Butterfly’s eyes. “You would never hurt me.”

Madison held out her hand and raised her eyebrow at Butterfly. She looked down at her own desire filled body and pleaded. “You can’t leave me like this.”

Butterfly stared at Madison. Madison was steaming with sensuality. Beautiful. Erotic. Her hair was flowing across her left shoulder. A fine layer of sweat glistened on her skin. Her nipples stood erect.

Suddenly the need to make love to Madison overtook all of Butterfly’s fears.

Madison gripped the bed so hard she ripped the sheets. She had never been loved so intensely, so deeply. She had never felt so much during an orgasm. Her emotions flowed like a river.  She couldn’t stop the tears. She held Butterfly tightly and didn’t ever want to let her go.

~^..^~

Madison woke to the seductive drum and bass of Kosheen’s Hide U. It was 3.15 pm and her radio alarm was still playing. She looked warmly at Butterfly snuggled in the nook of her shoulder while the words of the music echoed.

If you where in my heart I’d surely not break you.
If you where beside me and my love would take you,
I’d keep you in safety forever protect you.
I’ll hide you away from the world you rejected.
I’ll hide you.

The scent of sex lingered in the air. Madison smiled at the woman who moved her so deeply.

When Butterfly opened her eyes Madison was smiling and looking back at her. “Hey gorgeous,” Madison purred, kissing Butterfly on the back of her hand.

Butterfly grinned and rolled on top of Madison, kissing her. She looked down into her eyes. “You make me feel so much,” Butterfly said kissing Madison’s eyelids. “Things I haven’t felt for centuries.”

“Centuries?” Madison replied giving a small chuckle. “You mean you’re older than me?”

Butterfly pouted playfully. “Well yes and no. My body doesn’t age.”

“How did it happen?” Madison asked. “The vampire thing, that is.”

Butterfly rolled back onto the bed. She let out a small sigh. “I was wondering when that would come up. It was such a long time ago.”

“You have to tell me sometime. It might as well be now,” Madison said.

“OK. It goes a little bit like this… Xena and I were spending time with the amazons. An amazon named Syth had fallen from the amazon’s ways. She killed because it pleased her, not for food or clothing. Then she killed an amazon from another tribe.  So she was banished.” Butterfly paused for a moment and looked at the ceiling. “She swore vengeance.”

Butterfly’s eyes became sad. “ Six months later amazon’s from my tribe started to disappear. A few were found dead.  Each time we tried to give a traditional funeral by fire their bodies were stolen before the ritual took place. To cut a long story short,” Butterfly said, smiling uncomfortably, “we don’t know when or exactly how it happened but Syth had become a type of Bacchae. She was what we now call a vampire. A savage and blood thirsty creature.”

Madison listened quietly while Butterfly continued with the story. “We tried to rescue a friend from Syth’s lair.” Butterfly’s voice became full of regret. She shook her head.  “There were just too many vampires. I was wounded. Xena, as always, fought brilliantly while Alexandra and I tried to escape but we were trapped.”

Butterfly closed her eyes briefly. “After Alexandra and I were killed. Syth left Xena alone to drown in her sorrow. Then the night of our funeral Syth came into the village. Her vampires slaughtered the tribe leaving only Xena. I woke in Syth’s chamber.” Butterfly glanced at Madison. “I was to be her slave. Alexandra was taken to the nest.” A look of regret haunted Butterfly’s eyes. “ Knowing she could never beat Xena face to face, Syth decided I would make the perfect weapon.”

Butterfly looked into Madison’s eyes and took an emotional breath before continuing her story. “A week later I saw Xena again.” Tears were gathering in Butterfly’s eyes. “Syth had set the scene, A confrontation between Xena and herself, and Xena would be distracted by the sight of me feeding on the blood of a child.”

Butterfly broke eye contact and looked at the ceiling. “I must have looked like a monster.” She paused. “Since that day I have lived with the memory of Xena’s death.”

“And Alexandra is Alex?” Madison questioned bringing Butterfly back to the present “Yes,”  Butterfly answered,  “Love is the key to everything. After two hundred years on the edge of the abyss, Alex regained her humanity. A gift from Simone.”

“And what of your love?” Madison questioned, tenderly touching Butterfly’s face. Madison’s gaze became thoughtful, “I might have some of her memories but I’m not Xena you know.”

“No,” Butterfly replied, looking into the endless blue of Madison’s eyes. “You’re her reincarnation.”

“Was she good in bed?” Madison asked cheekily.

“She was just like you,” Butterfly replied smiling affectionately.

“Just like me?” Madison questioned kissing the back of Butterfly’s hand.

“Incredibly sexy and delicious,” Butterfly replied, resting her lips on the velvet softness of Madison’s.

“I love the way you smell,” Butterfly said, her voice dripping with sexuality. “And the way you feel.” She kissed Madison tenderly and a warm smile lit her face. Staring into Madison’s eyes, Butterfly rose from the bed.

Madison followed her to her feet and wrapped her arms around Butterfly, holding her so that she couldn’t take another step. “Come back to bed,” she said. “I want you.”

“I know,” Butterfly replied, smiling sensually.  “ I can see it in your eyes, feel it in your touch.” She ran her hands down Madison’s back. At that moment her soul ached for Madison. She whispered. “I can taste it on your lips.” 

Madison burned with desire. She took Butterfly’s  hand and drew it to her mouth. She ran her tongue over Butterfly’s wrist and palm. She sucked Butterfly’s fingers, enjoying the erotic flavours that she found there.  Butterfly went weak at the knees and surrendered herself to Madison.

Moving to Butterfly’s lips, Madison kissed her passionately. “Are you hungry?” she asked, pulling Butterfly to the bed. 

~^..^~

The Invitation

The sun started to sink. The city lights flickered on. People rushed home from work while others began.

Madison did the buttons up on her shirt then bent down and picked up Butterfly’s shirt from the floor. She noticed the buttons on Butterfly’s shirt were made of pearl shell, the same as the button she had found in the alleyway.

She checked the shirt. There was a button missing from the left cuff. Madison stomach tightened into a knot. She rubbed one of the buttons with her thumb. Why hadn’t Butterfly told her?

The shower shut off and Butterfly reached for the towel. She dried herself and went in search of her clothes.

“Looking for this?” Madison said as she watched Butterfly lace up her black leather pants. 

“You were there, in the alley,” Madison said curtly, handing the shirt to Butterfly. “I have your missing button.” 

Butterfly closed her eyes briefly before taking the shirt from Madison’s hand.

“I can explain,” she said, watching Madison fold her arms defensively.

“It’s complicated. I tried to keep you safe.” Butterfly said looking directly into Madison’s hurt and guarded eyes.

“And exactly when were you going to tell me?” Madison said angrily “Obviously not while you were fucking my brains out.”

As the words left Madison’s lips they cut Butterfly like a razor sharp knife. Madison searched Butterfly’s eyes with a knowing stare. “You’ve known who it was all along,” she said.

An uncomfortable silence pounded in Butterfly’s ears as she watched Madison turn away from her.

“Syth?” Madison questioned already knowing the answer. “She’s the vampire we are looking for and she’s the one from Bloody Mary’s.”

“Syth wants revenge.” Butterfly spoke to Madison’s back. “Revenge against Xena, revenge against me.” Emotion started to choke her words. “Syth has hunted almost all of Xena’s reincarnations. I’ve watched many die,  many be turned. Syth eventuality grew tired of the hunting and we called a truce.”

“Your resemblance to Xena amuses her. It’s awoken old grudges. That’s why she hunts you. All these deaths…” Butterfly looked at the ground. “Its just one of her twisted games. It’s you she thirsts for.”

Madison sat down on the bed.

Butterfly put her shirt on and continued the conversation. “Syth hated the amazons for turning their backs on her. She vowed to kill us all after she was banished.  She despised Xena for killing the only person she ever loved and me because I was one of the amazon queens that decided her fate. Ironically it was I who convinced the amazons to banish her not kill her.”

Butterfly looked sadly into Madison’s eyes “When Syth became a vampire she lost any humanity she had as a woman.  She hunted the amazon nations almost to extinction.” Butterfly paused, her face reddened and tears filled her eyes. “She started with my friends.”

Madison felt sorrow fill Butterfly’s heart. “So,” she said, her voice softening. “I guess this means I’m on her menu.”

Butterfly breathed a sigh. “I was hoping to stop her before that.”

“What’s with the brandings and the breast mutilations?”

“It’s an insult directed at amazons,” Butterfly answered. “In ancient times parents frightened their children by telling them stories of amazon archers who cut off their own breasts. Not in my lifetime,” Butterfly remarked. “Amazons worship the female form. They don’t mutilate it. Syth picks women that she sees as modern amazons. She mutilates to remind me of her hatred for us. The brandings she does by hand. It’s her signature.”

Just then there was a knock at the door. On opening the door Madison she was greeted by Diana, her vampire teeth resting upon her freshly bloodied lips.

Madison looked at the blue that lay in a pool of blood on the floor then at Diana, who looked more than a little dead. “Shouldn’t you be in a crypt or something?” Madison said coldly.

“Is that any way to treat an old flame?” Diana purred as she handed Madison a blood stained invitation.

“My Queen requires your presence at a party.” Diana’s voice turned cruel and sarcastic. “Its in honour of Julie.”

Madison grabbed Diana by the throat and slammed her into the wall behind. “ If you touch one hair, I’ll kill you!”

“Oh I’m touched,” Diana said mockingly. She gave Madison a scornful look, then she glanced over Madison’s shoulder at Butterfly who had felt the vampires presence and join Madison at the door.  “You’re invited to come too,” Diana crooned wickedly.

Diana grabbed Madison’s wrist and squeezed it until Madison thought her wrist would break. “If I don’t get back soon the Queen will kill our precious Julie.” Diana glared into Madison’s eyes and raised her eyebrow, “and then,” Diana’s mouth began to water, ”sweet, ever so tasty Julie, will be mine.” 

Madison instantly released her grip on Diana’s throat. Diana curled her lips into a cruel smile. “That’s better. I prefer you submissive. Be punctual,” she snapped.  The Queen doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Diana stepped over the body of the policeman and walked away.

Madison, half in shock, half in disbelief, reached for the phone. She rang Harvey. “Where’s Julie?” she asked, trying to mask the concern in her voice.

“I thought she was with you,” Harvey answered.

Fuck it. Madison hung up and looked at the envelope that she held in her hand. It was white with a red rose embossed upon it.

Madison brought the envelope to her nose and breathed deeply. It was scented with Julie’s favourite perfumed oil - Frankincense. She slid her finger under the red wax seal and pulled out the invitation.

Written in blood upon silk white paper were these words:

Detective Chase

You’re invited to a party.

Let’s call it a Birth--day Party.

Bloody Mary’s

9pm tonight

A strand of Julie’s blonde hair was placed between the folds of the paper.

“Shit,” Madison muttered as the graveness of the situation took hold.

Butterfly placed her hand on Madison’s shoulder. “I’ll come with you,” she said. “But first I must take care of the blue.”

Butterfly slid a sai from her boot. “It will stop him from rising,” she said as she bent down over the policeman that lay motionless in the hall way. She checked his pulse, closed his eyelids and staked his heart.

Madison made a quick call asking Veronica to pull the cops back from Bloody Mary’s. She didn’t have time to explain.

“Can I use your mobile?” Butterfly asked. “Sure,” Madison replied taking the phone from her belt and handing it to Butterfly.

Butterfly quickly rang Simone and asked her to meet them at Bloody Mary’s.

With Butterfly on the back of her motorcycle, Madison sped to Bloody Mary’s. As she stopped the bike in a screech of rubber she looked at her watch. They had ten minutes. 

Madison knocked on the door. Diana opened it and looked Madison up and down. “You always knew how to dress,” she said admiring Madison’s leather attire and her well toned body.  She smiled cunningly at the detective.

“Where’s Julie?” Madison questioned abruptly

 “Don’t get your knickers in a knot,” Diana crooned. “She’s hanging around downstairs.”

Madison looked into Diana’s unkind and darkened eyes.  In that instance she knew that the Diana she loved was no longer in there.

“You’ve lost Diana’s beauty,” Madison said as she undid her leather jacket.

“Careful detective.” Diana replied as she turned her back to Madison and Butterfly. “You might hurt my feelings.”

“Your kind don’t have feelings,” Butterfly quipped.

“My kind?” Diana laughed. “Dead girls shouldn’t throw stones Gabrielle. You were made from the same blood.” Diana smiled to herself and led Madison and Butterfly down through the cellar to the place where Madison had followed her once before. 

~^..^~

Coloured by numbers

The club was thick with vampires. The continuous beat of the rave music filled the room and bounced around the walls. The air was stale and reeked of blood.

Madison felt slightly ill. She couldn’t see Julie anywhere. Then the swarm of bodies parted and Julie came into view. She was naked and spread eagled on the X shaped S&M station; the same X that Madison had been clasped to just nights before.

To Julie’s left was a woman Madison didn’t recognise. She was also naked and secured to a wooden X. Her body was limp. Blood dripped from a bite near her groin and a bite on her neck. She seemed dead or unconscious. To Julie’s right was another woman, her face wet with her tears. She was also naked and secured to a wooden X. Like Julie, she had  no visible bite wounds.

“Gods,” Butterfly said shaking her head.

“Pleased you could join us,” sounded a harsh and haunting voice. Syth stepped from the shadows. She ran her index finger over Julie’s naked thigh then licked Julies sweat from her fingertip.

She walked towards Madison and stared directly into the detective’s eyes. “You’re taller than Xena,” she said. Sniffing the air, she added, “but I see you have the same taste.” Syth looked down at Butterfly who stood beside Madison and gave her a knowing smile.

“Get her down,” Madison ordered, holding Syth’s stare and pulling her gun on the vampire.

“What? And miss out on the fun? In your dreams detective,” Syth laughed and raised her hands. In that instant Madison’s gun flew from her grip. Vampires grabbed Madison and Butterfly from behind and held them tightly.

“This,” Syth hissed, “is what Julie will want.” She moved closer to the woman on Julie’s right and smiled maliciously. Syth delighted in the smell of fear then grabbed hold of the frightened woman’s chin, her fingers digging into the woman’s jaw. She bared her teeth and breathed heavily upon the woman’s neck before biting savagely.

Pain flooded the woman’s body then it was replaced with a pleasure that consumed her.

Syth stopped biting then turned to Madison. “You want it detective. I can feel it.” Syth turned back to the woman and licked a drop of warm blood from her lips. Her smile was cruel and calculating. She moved to the woman’s breast and lingered her hot breath upon it. She licked the woman’s nipple with the tip of her tongue. Enclosing it with her mouth she sucked, then bit hard. The woman cried out in pain.

Butterfly’s vampire teeth slid down and her eyes glowed red with anger. She turned to Hayden who had her in his grip and glared at him. He unconsciously and automatically released her.   

“That’s enough,” Butterfly growled. “Let them go.”

Syth spat the woman’s nipple out of her mouth and on to the floor. She wiped the blood that was smeared across her lips.

“Gabrielle! How I’ve missed you.”  Syth moved closer to Butterfly. Madison struggled but couldn’t break free from the vampires that held her.

At that moment Simone, Alexandra and Harvey walked into the room. Simone started to fire an Uzi into the air.

Syth’s vampires turned to look at her. Simone pointed the Uzi at them. “Séjour en arrière! Stay back!” she growled.

“I’d do as the she says,” Alex shouted. “Nobody move or we’ll kill you.” The vampires looked to Syth who gestured for them to attack. As the vampires cautiously moved towards her, Simone shot at them. They dropped like mortals, the silver bullets burning into their flesh.

In the commotion Madison made her move. With a power punched to the head of the vampire that held her she broke free and made her way to Julie. Struggling with Julie’s leg restraints, she watched out of the corner of her eye as Butterfly hit Syth violently.

The ferocity of the hit surprised Madison. The force of Butterfly’s blow sent Syth flying into a swarm of vampires. Syth rose to her feet and shook herself. She moved towards Butterfly again. The fight that followed was fast and fierce. Madison could hardly see either Butterfly’s or Syth’s hands move. Then Syth went flying with Butterfly after her.

Madison had unclasped both of Julie’s leg restraints before she was stopped by Hayden. Hayden put his large hand on her shoulder and dug his fingers into her trapezius muscle, pulling her to her feet. She spun around and kneed him in the nuts. He dropped to his knees like a sack of potatoes falling out a window. The vein in his head pulsed as he gripped his groin. Madison kicked his face, splitting his lip and breaking his jaw.

Madison freed Julie’s hands and she dropped to the floor. quickly finding her feet.

Madison went to free the other women. Their heads were limp and hanging forward. Blood covered the front of their bodies. Madison checked their vital signs. Neither of them had a pulse.

Vampires started to encircle Madison and Julie. Stepping in front of Julie, Madison pulled the gun from her boot and started to shoot at them, aiming for their hearts.

Hayden rose to his feet and pressed his jaw back into place. Madison looked into his smoky grey eyes and aimed her gun directly at his heart.

“No!” Harvey shouted, scrambling to put himself between Hayden and the point of Madison’s gun.

“Fuck!” Madison growled as she turned the gun from Hayden and shot another vampire who dared to move towards her. Madison grabbed Julie’s hand. Keeping the vampires at bay, she swept the area with her gun and made for the door.

Hayden watched her stealthily then looked directly at Harvey. His lips forged a smile.

Simone and Alex held their Uzis on the rest of the vampires and backed out of the swarm slowly.

Madison caught sight of Butterfly surrounded by vampires and still fighting Syth.

“I should have killed you a long time ago,” Syth spat.

“Now!” Syth yelled. Three vampires thrust their wrists forward releasing silver tipped daggers that were loaded into small crossbow like devices. As Butterfly caught them, one of the daggers seared through her hand, slicing through her breast and burning through her ribs.

Butterfly grabbed at her chest and fell to her knees. Blood started to gush from her chest.

“No!” Madison yelled as she saw the dagger pierce Butterfly’s chest. She pushed past Simone and rushed towards Butterfly. Syth smiled cruelly as Butterfly eyes started to dull and her body hit the floor.

Simone rattled off the bullets in her Uzi, cutting down vampires. In the mayhem Madison was able to get close to Syth. She held her gun at Syth’s heart and pulled the trigger.

Click.

She was out of bullets.

“Fuck you!” Madison cried. With the gun still in her hand, Madison hit Syth hard across the face. The force of the blow sent Syth backwards. Syth shook her head, her smile became savage. “Well isn’t love sweet,” she said looking at Madison who was now at Butterfly’s side, her hand clasped around the dagger.

Simone let out a scream that could have shattered glass and stared revengefully at Syth.

“Till we meet again princess,” Syth whispered curtly to Madison, turning and retreating as Simone and Alex struggled to get a clear shot at her.

Butterfly’s blood seeped through Madison’s fingers. “Stay with me,” Madison pleaded. ”Stay with me.”

Butterfly looked up at Madison. She could hear the words leave Madison’s lips, feel them surrounding her. She was falling, falling. Her breathing became imperceptibly shallow.

 “Take my hand,” Madison said, holding Butterfly’s hand tightly. “Don’t you leave me!” Tears started to fill Madison’s eyes. “I won’t let you go,” she whispered. “I won’t.”

Still falling, Butterfly could see Madison’s hand outstretched. She reached up and grabbed it. 

Simone bent down and placed her hand over Madison’s. She pulled the dagger from Butterfly’s chest and stared at Butterfly. Butterfly was so still, so beautiful.

After a short while Simone looked at Madison and smiled warmly. “She’s still with us.”

“Thank the gods,” Madison whispered pressing Butterfly’s hand to her lips. Butterfly opened her eyes. “Hey,” Madison said softly.

Butterfly smiled back at Madison then closed her eyes.

Simone sent healing energy through her palm and into Butterfly chest causing the wound in Butterfly’s heart to close.

~..~

Vampires recover from injury quickly but Butterfly’s heart had been wounded and it would take a few days before she was fit enough to fight Syth again.

Back safely at the Lemon Twist, Julie was fairly pissed that Madison hadn’t forewarned her about the vampires.

“You said you’d tell me everything Madison. Vampires?!” Julie exclaimed. “Jesus Madison, next thing you’ll be telling me there are werewolves.”

“Well,” Butterfly interrupted, looking up from the sofa that she rested upon. 

Madison rolled her eyes at Butterfly while Simone saw the funny side and amused herself with it.

“Vampires,” Butterfly joked, trying to smooth the air between Julie and Madison. “They’re like flies - they’re everywhere. It’s one of the reasons we have never been able to defeat Syth.”

Madison was feeling really bad about Julie and she knew nothing she could say would make up for it. She looked Julie directly in the eye. “I’m sorry,” she said apologetically. “You wouldn’t have believed a word I said, as I wouldn’t have.”

“Take a seat Julie,” Butterfly cut into the conversation. She gestured for Julie to sit beside her. “Let me tell you about vampires.”  

Butterfly motioned for Madison to leave the room. Madison kissed Butterfly on the cheek and touched Julie on the shoulder. “I’ll see you later.” 

“Come with me,” Madison said walking from the room and grabbing Simone’s hand. “We have things we need to discuss.”

~..~

That Kind Of Girl

Sweat beaded on Madison’s hot, naked body as she tossed and turned. Butterfly was about to bite her. She could feel the warmth of Butterfly’s breath on her neck. She could taste the kiss, the bite, and the sex.

Pain shot through her like hot metal searing her heart. Syth’s face flashed before her. A sword pierced her flesh as teeth sunk into her throat. “No!” Madison screamed, waking violently.

“Are you OK?” Butterfly asked touching Madison gently.

“Fuck it,” Madison mumbled catching her breath and her composure. “It was just another dream.”

“It’s the forth night in a row,” Butterfly said softly. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“No,” Madison replied. “ I’m fine. I just have a lot on my mind.” 

~^..^~

Madison searched Butterfly’s side of the bed with her hand. She opened her eyes and found that she was alone in the bed. Madison looked at the clock. It was 8.05 am. She sat up and put her feet on the cool floor.

On the way out of the room Madison caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. “Err.” She looked like shit and she felt even worse. Madison ran her fingers through her hair and decided on a swim before a shower.

Coming to the entrance to the pool area she noticed Butterfly sitting alone and Simone leaving by the other door. Butterfly wiped a smear of blood from her mouth. Curious, Madison observed her for awhile.

Butterfly stood up slowly. Her shoulders pulled back and her back arched, her muscles tensed and she breathed deeply. In a naked and powerful display, she started to transform from woman to vampire.

Madison watched quietly from the doorway.

Butterfly’s eyes turned amber then went blood red. Her vampire teeth slid down and her head went back. She let out a long growl then retracted her teeth and returned her eyes to their soft emerald green.

As her composure returned to the familiar humanity that Madison had come to know so intimately, Butterfly turned to her. “How long have you been there?” she asked.

“Not long,” Madison replied. “I, I’m just going for a swim.”

“I have something I must do.” Butterfly said walking towards Madison. “Know that I love you.”

“OK,” Madison replied somewhat hurt by the thought of Butterfly and Simone still feeding from each other.  “I’ll be here,”  Madison said as she watched Butterfly leave. She needed that swim. Dropping her towel at the edged of the pool Madison dived in. The pool was heated but the water was cool on her skin. She swam laps for about an hour, then showered and sat down for breakfast. 

Simone walked into the kitchen. Madison looked up just in time to see her wipe Alex’s blood from her mouth.

“Morning detective,” Simone purred. “You’re looking refreshed today.”

Madison let out a sarcastic laugh. “Refreshed? I feel like shit.”

Simone bent down and touched Madison’s forehead. “You are warm. You should go see Pursha. She’ll have something to make you feel better.”  

“I’ll pop in and see her later,” Madison replied curtly. “Right now a good feed is what I need.” Madison picked up her knife and fork and cut into her soft eggs. The yoke proceeded to bleed all over the plate. Her stomach churned and she suddenly felt as though she would be sick. She got up quickly, covered her mouth and ran out of the kitchen.

Simone screwed up her nose and looked at the eggs. “That’s enough to make anyone sick.” She picked up the plate and scraped the eggs into the rubbish bin then joined Alexandra in meditation.

~^..^~

“You’re looking better,” Simone said, looking up from her book to watch Madison walk into the library.

“I’m feeling better,” Madison replied as she sat down opposite Simone. “I saw you and Butterfly feeding this morning.” Madison’s expression darkened. “Is it something I should know about?”

“Arrgh,” Simone laughed. “There is nothing more healing for a vampire than the blood of another vampire detective. And knowing Butterfly would never ask, I offered.” Simone smiled warmly. “She will be at full strength very soon.”

Madison felt a little embarrassed that her jealous streak was getting the better of her. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just a little…”

“I understand detective,” Simone interrupted. “Please don’t feel bad. I am not unfamiliar with matters of the heart.”

Madison smiled at Simone, then noticed the gold arm band that adorned Simone’s coffee brown skin. “Nice,” Madison remarked motioning to the arm band.

Simone smiled and placed her hand on the elaborately decorated band. “Yes,” she replied. “It was a gift from an African Queen.” Then she added, off-handedly, “Egyptian gold is so much more lustrous than the stuff that passes for gold these days.”

Madison admired the band for a moment and then gave voice to the concern that had been growing in her mind. “Have you seen Butterfly?”

Simone put her book down. “Not since this morning,” she answered thoughtfully. “Just after she fed.”

Alex appeared at the door and knocked softly.

“Did you find her?” Madison asked.

“No,” Alex replied shaking her head slightly.

“If you see her tell I’m looking for her. I’ll be in the gym.”

“No wait,” Alex said quickly. “Her chakram’s gone.” Alex looked at Simone. “So are her sais.”

“Shit!” Simone exclaimed, rising from the chair quickly. “She’ll get herself killed.”

Madison froze momentarily. She looked at Simone. “We have to find her.”

“It shouldn’t be hard,” Simone said walking swiftly from the library. “She will be at either Bloody Mary’s or the warehouse. We need to be quick.” 

“I’m ready,” Madison answered.

Simone and Alex kicked in the door to the warehouse and search quickly through the underground tunnels. Madison and Harvey did the same at Bloody Mary’s.   Both places were vampire free. Syth had moved her lair.

Madison sat at the bar of Bloody Mary’s. “Where would they go?” she asked Simone.

“I don’t know,” Simone answered.

Madison’s mind raced, going through all the places the victims’ bodies were found. “She’s always left her prey close to her lairs,” Madison said thoughtfully. “The docks. We found the first victim near the docks.” 

Madison pulled out her mobile phone and rung Julie who, at Madison’s request, was working from the safety of the station. “Julie,” she said, “I haven’t time to talk, but I need you to check the case file for a company called Black and Blue. See if any of the buildings at the docks are owned by them.”

“Sure,” Julie replied “I’ll do it now and ring you back.”

With no better leads and going with her hunch, Madison and the others went to the docks and waited for Julie’s call. Madison sat with her legs dangling over the side of the wharf. Simone sat beside her.

“There is beauty all around us,” Simone whispered as she stared at the stars that were becoming visible in the deepening twilight.

“You think,” Madison said looking directly at Simone.

Simone looked intensely into the clear blue of Madison’s eyes. “I think,” she said smiling softly. “We are not monsters. We have not lost our humanity. Love is what keeps us human.”

“Human,” Madison said looking back out to sea. “I’ve seen the nature of humanity and it turns my stomach.”

Madison’s mobile started to vibrate.

She stood up and answered it.

“You were spot on,” Julie said. “Black and Blue owns the old wool-house.” 

“Thanks babe,” Madison said ending the call. 

Madison reached for Simone’s hand and pulled the vampire to her feet. “Human and vampire,” Madison surmised, “They’re not that far from one another.”

Madison surveyed the buildings around her. Her thoughts went to Butterfly. She was more human than most people she knew.  “They’re in the wool house,” she said looking back to Simone. “Let’s go kick some of that evil vampire butt.”

“Let’s do it,” Simone said smiling at Madison then whistling a signal to Alex and Harvey.

When they reached the wool-house all was quite. No light or noise came from the building. Madison picked the lock and, slowly turning the door handle, opened the door. She expected an alarm, but all was quite.

“Fuck it,” Madison muttered as she looked around the empty building. “There’s no one here.”

“Wait,” Simone motioned. Every body stopped in their tracks.  Simone listened intently. Madison took in the surroundings. The wool-house was a brick building with wooden walls and stone floors. Just then Simone pointed to her feet and nodded.

Madison raised her eyebrow. “You can hear them?”

“No,” Simone said quietly. “I can feel them. Look for the entrance.”  Simone grabbed Madison by the hand. “If the entrance is guarded,” she said, “Don’t kill them. I’ll get them to lead us to Syth.”

“You can do that?” Madison questioned.

“Yes,” Simone answered. “It’s all in the mind. A bit like sex.”

“And here I was thinking it had something to do with the clitoris,” Madison said jokingly.

Just then Alex found the entrance and signalled to the others. In the far left hand corner of the room was a large square slab set into the stone floor. A metal ring protruded from it. Alex grabbed the ring and pulled on it. Her muscles strained and the door opened slowly.

Alex looked down into the opening. A corridor of stone led into darkness.

“This way,” she whispered.  Madison and the others walked down the  stone steps. Their eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness.

Carved into the stone walls were pictures of vampires hunting and feeding and killing each other. At intervals unlit torches stuck out of the wall, each with a flint hanging from a small chain. 

The faint sound of cheering became audible. Was Syth celebrating?

“Let those that enter. Be of our blood.” Simone recited, deciphering an inscription on the bottom step. “It’s Greek,” Simone said admiring the skill with which it was carved.

They came to a set of stone doors. As they approached, the doors automatically opened to reveal a room with a marbled desk. Behind the desk was a vampire dressed in a black toga. The vampire rose from her seat as they entered and walked to a book displayed between two decorative roman columns.

“You can’t go in without signing,” she said softly.

Madison’s looked the vampire up and down then her eyes went to the marble statues that stood in the doorway.

“They are Greek vampire queens,” Alex said quietly. “In victory poses.”

“They are quite beautiful,” Simone whispered, realising they were about to enter some sort of underground colosseum. “What event do you have for us tonight?” she asked as she signed them in.

“A death match,” the vampire crooned. “ Queen Syth has accepted a challenge.”

Simone turned to Madison and lowered her eyes. Madison knew as the words left the vampire’s lips that Butterfly was the challenger.  So did Simone and Alex.

They walked quietly down the stone corridor and came to the colosseum.

“You have been to places like this before?” Madison questioned Simone.

“Yes,” Simone answered “I like to watch the occasional vampire fight. The last one I saw was in Greece.” Simone looked around. “I never knew this place was here.” 

“Your masks,” said a young male vampire who stood near the entrance. His soft blue eyes still held some warmth. 

Simone grabbed a small black leather mask for herself. She handed Madison a gold coloured mask and Alex a blue feathered one. 

“This one will look good on you,” the young vampire said, smiling sweetly and handing Harvey a peacock mask.

“Let’s get down to the front,” Simone whispered. They walked down the steps to the front row. All the good seats were taken. The colosseum was filling quickly with Queens and Kings from other nests along with their fellow vampires. Simone took her mask off and glared at a row of vampires that were seated. As Simone’s eyes turned red, the vampires quickly got up and left.

“I should take you to the next Melissa concert,” Madison quipped. “I never get front row seats.” Simone rolled her eyes at Madison.

“Can you see her,” Madison asked?

“Not yet,” Simone answered. “ Dancers will come out first then an animal fight before the main event.”

“We’ve got to stop her,” Madison said urgently.

“We can’t.” Simone replied “Once a challenge has been accepted, the fight must proceed. There is no going back. Blood must be spilled.” Simone looked around. “To pull out of the challenge would bring death. It’s law.”

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”  Madison said.

“We’re in the right place,” Simone said in soft, warm tones. “Butterfly and Syth will enter from there.” She pointed to the arch that was the entrance to the arena. “Butterfly will sense us as she enters.”

Madison looked at the arena. The floor was red dirt.

“What was she thinking?” Madison said quietly.

“She was thinking of you.” Alex answered, putting her hand on Madison’s shoulder. “Syth will not give you up. Death is the only way. And in a colosseum, when a challenge is accepted it can only be one on one. No interference from nests. Its vampire law. May the strongest vampire rein.”

Drums started to beat and dancers flipped out of the stone archway. The fire-breathers and drummers followed. Minutes later a tall African vampire leading a white tiger walked from archway. The tiger stalked around the arena pulling on his lead and sniffing the air. He could smell stale blood and vampire flesh.

A well-muscled vampire dressed in tight leather shorts, a tiger skin belt and a leather bra entered the arena. She looked around and raised her arms. “Missfit” a voice echoed through a loud speaker. The crowd went wild and the dancers danced. The tiger became skittish.

The crowed cheered as Syth stepped into the arena clutching a white dove in her hand.

“Let the games begin!” Syth roared. She threw the dove to Missfit. Missfit plucked the dove from the air, smiled cruelly and ripped it apart with her hands. She rubbed the bird’s blood over her chest and threw its limp carcass at the tiger.

The tiger’s handler unclasped the leash. The tiger pounced on the bird and tore at its flesh.

Syth turned and walked from the arena. The entertainers followed her. 

“She knows we are here,” Simone said, her eyes flooding with red.

“Then so does Butterfly,” Alex replied.

“I don’t trust her to fight fairly,” Simone whispered. ”She will have a back up plan.”  

The roar of the crowd bought Madison and Simone’s attention back to the fight that was taking place. Although it had gotten in a few good bites the tiger was losing. Missfit had just ripped its front legs apart. The tiger started to fall forward. He was hurting.

Missfit lunged at the tiger again, picking it up by its limp front legs. She bit savagely into its throat, sinking her vampire teeth deep into its vein and drinking. 

Disgust welled up in Madison, she diverted her eyes . The tiger screamed as its blood soaked its white fur. The crowd cheered as Missfit raised the limp tiger above her head. Missfit walked to where Madison and Simone where seated and threw the tiger on the ground. She wiped her bloodied lips, smiled and took a bow.

A tear gathered in the corner of Madison’s eye as she stared into the tiger’s dulling eyes. The tiger took his last breath and lay still in the dirt.

Butterfly walked out into the arena. The crowd roared in anticipation of the fight that was to follow. She looked at the tiger that lay motionless. She walked to the tiger’s body, bent down and placed her hand upon it. The tiger was still warm, his fur as soft as silk. She closed his eyes and filled with sadness. She stood up, looked at Madison and then felt Syth’s presence. She turned to her.

The crowd exploded as Syth stepped in the arena. Streamers flew and red roses where thrown. 

Syth raised her arms to bring the cheering crowd to a frenzy. 

“Gabrielle! Xena’s little whore!” Syth roared. “Your death shall be at my hands.” She bowed to the crowd. The crowd cheered and then went silent. 

Butterfly pulled a blood red rose from her cleavage and held it out to Syth.

Simone whispered to Madison, “When the rose hits the ground, the fight begins.”

Butterfly stared into the endless blackness of Syth’s eyes.  She turned her wrist and let the rose fall.

“Kiss your sweet arse goodbye, Amazon queen,”  Syth spat.

Madison watched in slow motion, as the rose fell to the earth. Dust swirled as it hit the ground.

Syth attacked quickly. She lunged at Butterfly’s legs and kicked them out from underneath her. Butterfly landed on her back but quickly leapt to her feet. She attacked Syth’s with a high kick to the face. Syth’s head snapped back from the force of the kick and one of her vampire teeth was knocked from her mouth.

Syth swallowed blood and attacked Butterfly again. Butterfly deflected Syth’s blows and hit the vampire in the face again. Syth stumbled backwards. Then Butterfly stood perfectly still. Syth smiled and went to hit Butterfly again. With the control of a skilled warrior, Butterfly deflected Syth’s blow sideways and moved inside her defence, thrusting her hand forward. Her fingers found the muscle and nerves of Syth’s neck and heart.

Syth was instantly paralysed and fell to her knees.

”The thrusting fingers of Xena warrior princess,” Butterfly said pulling a sai from her boot and resting its cold tip upon the flesh of Syth’s left breast.  “You’ll be dead in 30 seconds unless I decide otherwise.”

Blood started to drip from Syth’s nose. She tried to mentally undo the pinch but Butterfly had control. Butterfly stared coldly at Syth, stopping any mental ability she had.

Fearing death, Syth gasped a plea to Butterfly. 

Butterfly acknowledged Syth’s plea and released the pinch. She turned from Syth and started to walk away. Syth coughed, regained her breath and raised her arm. A shot sounded and Butterfly stumbled backwards.

At that Madison leapt from her seat and raced into the arena. Butterfly grabbed at her chest and fell to the dirt. She looked at Syth in disgust. “You have no honour.”

 “Honour is for the weak,”  Syth hissed.  

Madison propelled herself at Syth, taking her to the ground. She punched at the vampire uncontrollably. Syth pushed Madison off her and rose to her feet.

“You’re scum!” Madison screamed launching herself at Syth again.

“I didn’t know you cared,” Syth growled as she deflected Madison to the ground. “But if it’s death you’re after, I’m more than happy to accommodate you.”

Up in the stands, Hayden grabbed the gun from Diana, the vampire that had shot Butterfly. He walked down the stone steps and into the arena.

Alex moved to help Madison but Simone stopped her. “Let the warrior find her spirit,” Simone whispered.

Alex glanced sideways at Simone. “Are you crazy? She’s no match for Syth.”

Simone looked directly at Alex. “The detective is strong. She has the mind for it. Butterfly is her passion.”

Madison picked herself up and stood directly in front of Syth. She looked at the missing fingers on Syth’s hand and raised her eyebrow. Her lips curled into a smile.

Madison stared into the cold dark eyes before her. She dug deep into her mind and raised her hand. Syth lifted slightly from the ground.

“Well,” Syth exclaimed. “Aren’t you the girl?!”

Syth eyes turned red and she floated back to the ground.

She thrust her hand out and Madison walked forward.

“You are mine,” Syth said coldly.

“You’re wrong,” Madison answered shutting her mind to Syth’s hypnotic powers and walking behind her. “I’m Gabrielle’s. I always have been.” Madison flashed her eyes blood red. Vampire teeth slid from her mouth and she bit into Syth’s neck.

Syth jerked from the violence of the bite and tried to transfer the pain back to Madison. She couldn’t. Madison was too strong. How could this be? Gabrielle wouldn’t turn her. Syth looked into the crowd.  Simone smiled back at her and blew her a kiss. Alex stood up and yelled, “All right!”

Syth’s chest burned with pain. Her veins started to collapse and her legs became weak. She saw Hayden walk into the arena. “Shoot her!” she cried. Hayden raised the sniper gun and aimed it at Madison’s head. He pulled the trigger slowly and, just before firing, glanced over to Simone who was calling to him telepathically.

Simone flared her eyes red. “The Queens and Kings will stand by vampire law.” she said.

Hayden nodded then he aimed at Syth’s heart. The shot sounded out through the arena. Syth dropped from Madison’s grip.

Madison roared, intoxicated by the primal rush induced by Syth’s blood rushing through her veins.

“Jesus,” Harvey shouted, dumbstruck in his seat.

The crowd erupted into a cheer.

Hayden looked at Madison, a sly smile appeared on his lips. “You developed quickly,” he said. 

He glanced at Syth lying in a pool of her own blood then back at Madison. “We do not condone such cowardliness in our Queens.  Welcome to the family detective.” He bowed his head, turned and walked away.

Madison wiped the blood from her mouth with her shirt. She bent down and looked at Butterfly. Butterfly was looking back at her, a single tear falling from her eye.

Madison cupped Butterfly’s cheek “Are you OK honey?” she asked, her eyes returning to their clear blue as she wiped the tear with her thumb. 

“Yep,” Butterfly answered. The silver bullet had been deflected by a locket which contained a lock of Xena’s hair. It was something Butterfly always took into battle.

Simone couldn’t get the smile off her face, even after Alex had told her that Butterfly would be more than pissed with her.

Madison picked Butterfly up in her arms and carried her out of the arena.

The silence between the four on the drive back to the LemonTwist was strangely comforting.

~^..^~ A day in the life ~^..^~

“Vampires,” Peter repeated. “We can’t file that.”

The case was closed. Peter and Veronica were in the know and Harvey had found true love. Julie had decided to stick around and study the lifestyle and psyche of vampires. She already had the name of the book she would write: Sleeping with Vampires.

Peter had asked Madison to head a special squad with Harvey, Veronica and Julie. He was uneasy with the prospect of vampires running around unchecked.

Madison and Veronica walked past detective Vincent Pigram on the way out of Peter’s office. Madison sniffed at him and whispered softly. “I’ll be watching you.”

A shiver went up Vincent’s spine. Madison laughed, flashed her eyes amber and kept walking.

~^..^~

Do That To Me One More Time

The full moon shone and the lights from the city lit the skyline. Madison stood beside Butterfly looking out from her apartment window.

Butterfly shook her head and turned to Madison. “You let her bite you? I can’t believe you let her bite you.”

“It was just a little bite,” Madison said raising her eyebrow at Butterfly.

“I can’t believe you let her bite you. I would have bit you if you’d asked.”

“No you wouldn’t,” Madison replied wrapping her arms around Butterfly.

Madison smiled wickedly. “Maybe you could bite me later.  I’m sure Simone didn’t give me the full treatment.”

Butterfly tingled with the pleasures that awoke in her.

“There’ll be no biting unless I’m invited,” Julie said walking into the room and handing Madison and Butterfly a white wine.  “Simone and Alex just rang. Wanted to know if we’re up for a night at the Lemontwist.”

Butterfly’s eyes flashed amber. She turned and looked into the smouldering blue of Madison’s eyes.  “Feel like getting hot and sweaty with me detective?”

Madison smiled seductively “I hear it’s double the pleasure when vampire bites vampire.” Madison raised her eyebrow and ran a seductive gaze over Butterfly. “You know you want it.”

“And I intend to get it,” Butterfly said bringing her drink to her lips and sipping.

“But first,” Butterfly motioned excitedly, putting her drink on the coffee table. “You’re in for a treat.” She looked Madison up and down. “We’re going to walk to the LemonTwist. You too Julie,” Her eyes sparkled. “You haven’t reclaimed the night until you walk it as a vampire.” 

“Ooo, I get it,” Madison grinned maliciously. “We walk the sleaziest way and when we get hassled we kill ‘em all. Oooo, I like that.”

Fade to rainbows.

Xena and Gabrielle were not harmed during the quilling of this fan fiction.  ;).

But Vampires were snacked upon. ;).

Help me Xena.

Thanks to d.vice for the use of their brand name

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