The night was ragged and bitterly cold. Heavy, wet snowflakes fell outside the window. They piled in heaps along the roadway as Elena heard the heavy growl of a snowplow passing by on the street below. The snowplow loudly scraped the street's surface as it moved, clearing the way for anyone brave enough to venture outside.
Elena brushed her hair slowly, looking in the cracked mirror at her pretty face and smooth black hair. Her Soviet-era apartment block was silent. There were many sleepers inside the worn concrete walls which surrounded them. But for Elena, her night was just beginning. She didn't really have any skills or ways of making money. The only thing she had to be proud of were her looks. And beautiful they were - she blinked slowly, seductively, and smiled at herself in the mirror. Her frosty gray eyes hid something - it was a secret which she told no one. Her lips glistened with the red lip gloss she'd just put on.
Satisfied that she was presentable enough, she strode to her closet. Elena walked quickly, stepping lightly on the cold, bare floor. She chose a gold dress from the closet and black stockings. She looked at a pair of black high heels, which were completely inappropriate for this sort of weather. Oh well, she thought. She'd have to wear them anyway, because that was what her customers demanded.
As she put on the clothes, she thought about her special customer. The wounds from last time had finally healed, leaving only a slight mark. It was worth it though, he paid her well and demanded little. On the other hand, perhaps she'd encounter a drunk businessman or desperate husband tired of his nagging wife. She didn't really care for those types of men because they were boring or sometimes just plain disgusting. If they had money, she'd service them, but with some reluctance. They were just a way of paying the bills. She'd lead them on, perform some sexual service to extract every ruble they had, and then leave as quickly as possible.
Elena picked a luxurious fur coat from the closet. It was her most prized possession. The softness of it was a reminder of what she knew she deserved - the best of everything in life. It was unfortunate that she lived in such a decrepit place, but Elena didn't think it would always be that way. One day she'd be famous - a star of some sort maybe. Wrapping the coat around her svelte body, she stepped through the door of her apartment, locking it behind her.
Her heels clacked on the concrete spiral staircase as she descended to the ground level. Voices came from some apartments. They were loud, drunken, and watching some soccer contest on TV which Elena knew little of. The sportscaster's voice echoed off the sullen walls of the building. Other rooms were quiet and no light was visible beneath their doors as their residents slept.
Outside the building were the usual Moscow cabs passing by, along with other unprofessional drivers who used their own private cars as a cab service. The gusting cold winds made Elena want to hop into one of the cars as soon as possible. She raised her hand and one of them screeched to a stop almost immediately. It was easy for a woman as pretty as her to gain attention.
As the car slid up to the curb, slush splashed out of its path and on to the sidewalk. Elena had been living here many years, however, and was used to this sort of thing, so she stood well back from the curb. She carefully made her way to the cab. She avoided the heaped up snow and slush with her high heels and opened the door in the back of the vehicle.
The driver looked in the rearview mirror at her. His eyes lingered on her longer than they should, and then as though he didn't believe what he was seeing, he turned and gawked at her as she settled into the rear seat.
“Where to, beautiful?”
“Darkness Club,” she answered.
Darkness Club was a place near the center of town where the more elite members of Russian society partied. However, it wasn't the place for celebrities, gossip-mongers, or any mainstream folks. It was for those powerful few who had tastes that were more eccentric and perverse. Nobody who entered the club was ever identified by their real name and it was forbidden to talk about what happened inside.
Elena wasn't sure if she would get inside tonight. Some nights they let her in, and other nights they didn't. It depended how crowded the place was. She had the beautiful looks for it, but she did not have the social connections that were required to guarantee entry every time. Figuring that most were at home watching the soccer tournament tonight, she thought her chances were better than on other nights.
When they arrived, the line was not as long as it usually was. Elena smiled. She stepped out of the car and she was noticed immediately. One of the bouncers stepped away from his post to help her out of the cab. He held her hand to prevent her from falling, although since the sidewalk was shoveled and coated with salt, falling seemed unlikely. The man led her through the doors into the club. She was secretly quite pleased with herself as she passed by the not-quite-so-pretty people who were stuck outside waiting in the cold. She was self-conscious and hated the times she'd been left outside in the past while others were let in.
The crescendo of dark electronic music greeted Elena when she entered the club. Someone put their hands on her coat and helped her remove it so they could take it away to a closet. Elena blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the subdued lighting of the place. There was a little smoke in the air which made it hazy, but she could see that it was a quiet night. The stage was lit, but empty. A long bar was in one corner of the club. It was black with a black marble countertop. A few men in suits sat there. A couple beautiful women were leaning closely to their men, speaking and laughing softly, seductively.
A louder group of young men had pushed a couple tables together in the center of the room and were joking about something. She noticed a few of their eyes turn to her when she entered, but they were not who she was looking for. Elena was looking for the true masters of this club, the vampires.
Drifting along the wall of the club, Elena caught sight of who she was looking for. Dmitri was there with some other vampires, at a corner table in the club. His blue eyes caught her and she felt her heartbeat quicken as he seemed to look right through her. He was wearing an expensive tailored black suit, but he had a savage look about him – maybe it was because of his stubble of beard. It looked as though he hadn't shaved for a couple days. He smiled slightly, and then nodded his head towards the table as if calling her. Elena knew what that meant - he wanted her.
Trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, Elena approached the vampires' table. She thought that she looked quite regal tonight - a frown from a blonde mortal at the table confirmed that. The vampire next to the blonde, a tall heavyset man with sideburns, put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the blonde, who smiled softly at the attention. Elena cleared her throat and faced Dmitri.
“Dmitri, it's been so long. Do you mind if I join you?” she asked.
“Of course not, darling, I've been waiting for you.”
His voice was low and smooth. He sounded relaxed and in control, and if what Elena knew was right, he had good reason to be that way. She'd heard that he was the head vampire in control of all of Moscow. This only turned her on more. Power; it was something few men had, and those who had it were important customers to Elena.
She pulled a chair from another table and sat facing the vampires. They were arranged on a kind of extended couch which was wrapped inside the corner of the building. Upon the table were a few glasses which Elena knew to be blood - blood mixed with vodka. The red liquid shimmered beneath the lights of the club.
“Awfully quiet here tonight, isn't it?” Elena asked.
The vampires looked at her skeptically. One woman, an elder vampire with brown eyes and a revealing red dress, smirked. She hissed at Elena, “Anything could happen at any time, which is what makes life exciting. Even on the quietest nights. Don't you agree?”
Elena answered, “I suppose so.” She wasn't quite sure what to say. She was used to dealing with Dmitri only and not with the other members of his clan.
“Like this!” the woman said. She swept her arm across the table, shattering several glasses of blood on the floor. Reaching under her skirt, the woman pulled a small “Saturday night special” revolver from the top of her stockings. She held the gun on the tabletop, pointing it at Elena.
“I could kill you right now,” the brown-eyed woman said, “and there is nothing you can do about it. No one would even care!”
Elena's face paled. She looked at Dmitri desperately, hoping he'd intervene. The blonde mortal who'd frowned at her earlier seemed quite pleased by the turn of events. She smiled at her vampire lover and stroked his hair, but the man was fixated on the vampire pointing the gun at Elena. The brown-eyed woman's finger flexed over the gun's trigger.
Dmitri finally spoke. “Svet, enough of that! Elena is our guest, treat her well.”
“She's a fucking whore, Dmitri! A whore! You can do better than that.”
“Shut the fuck up, Svet!” Dmitri shouted.
He slapped the vampire woman. There was a loud crack when his hand hit her face - he wasn't holding anything back. A slight trickle of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. The woman shrugged and wiped her mouth with her fingers. She then licked the blood off her fingers and placed her hand on the table. She seemed to like the brutality. She licked her lips and looked at Dmitri longingly, placing the gun aside and digging her painted nails into the tabletop.
Dmitri ignored her.
“Elena, I've prepared something special for us tonight,” Dmitri whispered. “Come with me.”
Elena was relieved to have an excuse to get away from the other vampires. Dmitri took Elena's hand and she stood. The vampire woman, Svet, turned away from Dmitri and Elena. She looked out at the floor of the club, seemingly thinking about something. The gun lay abandoned on the table.
Dmitri led Elena away from the table of vampires. Elena felt a little more calm now - she knew Dmitri, and he had been her favorite customer for quite some time. He had a strange blood fetish, but he always paid her well. She felt that he could deal with him alone, but the other vampires were too unpredictable. She followed him loyally, ignoring the glances of the other clubgoers. She wondered how many of them really knew what Dmitri was and how powerful he was.
Dmitri took Elena to a single steel door which was located the rear of the club. It had a fire alarm handle on it, but Dmitri pushed it open and no alarm sounded. He stuck his head out the door and looked back and forth and then grabbed Elena's arm and pulled her through after him. Elena was displeased that the door led outside. She stood outside with her dress blowing in the snow and no coat. She wrapped her arms around herself and started shivering.
“It's fucking freezing out here, Dmitri! Where are you taking me!” Elena said. “Can't I at least go back in and get my coat?”
Snowflakes fell on her and melted on her skin. Dmitri looked at her, surprised, as though he hadn't noticed before how cold it was. Of course, he was a vampire and so cold-blooded that it was certainly possible that he really didn't detect any difference in temperature.
“We're in a war with the werewolves again. I just have to be careful, that's all. They know that vampires use this club and our security cameras showed them waiting out front. We have to leave now.”
He put his arm around Elena's shoulders and pushed the door closed behind them.
“My limo will be here shortly,” he added. “You'll warm up quickly.”
Elena looked up and down the street. They were in the back of several clubs and a restaurant. It was mostly made up of old boxes and dumpsters. An overflowing trashcan nearby stunk horribly. It didn't seem the sort of environment that a vampire would choose. She was surprised by Dmitri's caution... and fear?
“It's the usual rate, Dmitri. I expect to be paid for my sexual services, you know,” Elena demanded. “I also expect you to buy me a new coat if mine isn't returned.”
Her voice was soft but strong. She didn't work for free. She hated to be treated like a piece of property that Dmitri thought he could move around as he pleased. Dmitri turned his head, looking down at her. He was about 6 feet tall, whereas she was only 5'9”. His eyes were unusually cold.
“You're lucky to be alive, bitch. I should have just let Svet shoot you. Or perhaps we can toss you out the front door and let the werewolves devour you?”
Elena bit her lip. Perhaps she had gone too far. She'd never seen Dmitri in such a hostile mood. It must have something to do with the stress from the whole war thing he'd been talking about. She sighed, hoping she'd get paid and not beaten and abandoned like had happened to her in the past with other less respectable customers.
A black limousine turned the corner at the end of the alleyway. Its lights were bright, almost blinding, and Elena covered her eyes. The car crept down the street and Dmitri tugged her arm when it stopped before them. A chauffeur got out and opened the passenger door. Elena couldn't help but notice the cold stare of the chauffeur and the pointed teeth - another vampire. He had some weird tribal tattoos on his hands and neck. Elena tried not to stare at them as she got in the car.
Elena looked around the interior of the car with wide eyes. There were not many like this in Russia. Dmitri sat beside her, pulling the door behind him and stomping snow off his feet on the car floor. The driver started driving without asking for any directions. Apparently he already knew where to go. After a slight fishtailing of the rear wheels, the car moved out of the alley and accelerated on to the main thoroughfare. The limo moved quickly, passing every other car on the way to whatever their destination was.
As Elena was warmed by the car's heaters, she massaged her cold arms. Dmitri whispered softly to her, “You look beautiful tonight,” as he kissed her neck. He turned her head to the side, admiring her pale and vulnerable skin. He could almost hear the blood pulsing beneath it.
“Darling, tonight I want to take you all the way,” Dmitri said.
Elena giggled, thinking he was talking about sex. However, Dmitri had something else in mind. He ran his tongue along his teeth while keeping his mouth closed. He could feel his fangs elongating inside his mouth. His hands squeezed into fists, and he could feel his fingernails digging into his palms.
Looking at Dmitri, Elena smiled teasingly. She noticed his blue eyes seemed very sharp, staring straight into her. Dmitri turned, briefly looking out the window of the car at the passing buildings and falling snow. When he turned back to Elena, his fangs were extended. He grabbed her hair with his hand, forcing her head back. He pulled her hair tight, twisting it around his hand. He saw Elena's chest rise as she gasped in surprise.
As Elena sat frozen on the car seat, Dmitri leaned over her, inhaling her scent. It made her think of a wild animal smelling its prey. The driver of the limo didn't even look back. The car continued to roll down the highway, although there was no traffic at this time of the night. There was no one to help her.
“I want you,” Dmitri muttered.
Dmitri tore into Elena's neck with his teeth, penetrating her soft skin. Blood spurt forth from her severed arteries. Dmitri threw his leg over the whore so that he was straddling her. This was so she could not try to escape. He felt her heart thumping in her chest as he drank from her neck. Some of the blood he released from her body poured out of her neck while the rest of it went into Dmitri's mouth. It stained her gold dress - the fabric quickly absorbed the fluid, making her body damp and slippery.
Dmitri tore the top of her dress, exposing her bra. Her greedily ripped off that too, all while feeding on her. Her breasts became damp with the blood dripping from her neck. Writhing, she tried to get away, but Dmitri's strength was unbelievable.
Elena began screaming, but Dmitri quickly silenced her by covering her mouth with his free hand. His pupils dilated and he growled savagely as he ravaged the woman. He let her blood strengthen him as he fed. The smell of her perfume intermixed with the blood soaked into his consciousness. It was unfortunate that he was so hungry, or else he would have had sex with her before killing her. He pulled away from her neck, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He glanced at her smooth chest and curved hips.
Yes, she was a beautiful thing. A work of art in feminine form. However, right now he needed her blood more than her sex if he was going to be strong enough to fight the werewolves. He carelessly stroked his hand up and down her nylon stockinged leg, reaching under her dress to finger her panties. He could feel her pussy beneath the silk.
Unfortunately, the life inside her was rapidly escaping, and she became listless and limp on the car seat. She lay broken like a doll, her partially severed head at an impossible angle. She was dead.
Dmitri sighed. He could always find another whore to please him if he wanted. There were plenty in this city. He wasn't desperate enough to fuck a corpse. He climbed off of her and looked out the window. He felt satiated with blood but strangely empty and emotionless. His dick, which had started to harden while on top of Elena, began to soften.
By now, the car had gone beyond the outskirts of the city. Nothing was visible besides the occasional run-down house and endless banks of snow.
“Stop here,” Dmitri ordered the driver.
Immediately, the limousine slowed to a stop and Dmitri swung open the door. He picked up Elena's lifeless body and threw it over his shoulder. He looked up at the sky - he'd heard that there would be a blizzard the following day. No one would find the body of the woman for weeks. Dmitri took a few steps into the ditch next to the road and threw Elena's body into a snowdrift.
The falling snow speckled her body. She'd be completely covered in a matter of minutes. Dmitri took his lighter out of his pocket and lit a cigarette. His white shirt was stained with blood and open in the front. His naked chest was exposed to the winter air but the cold didn't bother him. His tie hung around his neck, no longer knotted.
“Sorry, honey, but you are just food to me,” he said to Elena's body. “Nothing personal.”
He spat in the snow and then returned to the car, although this time he chose the passenger seat next to the driver instead of the rear seats. The rear of the limo was drenched with blood, and not particularly pleasant to sit in.
Turning to the driver, he said, “I'm not gonna clean this fucking car. That's your job.”
The limo drove off into the night.
I'm interested in any comments on my writing.