• I am the vampyre Maura. I have made the Earth my hunting ground for the last 7 centuries. Even as I write this a deep hunger assaults me, ensuring that I will leave my writing behind to find myself a meal. I slip away from my computer to my walk-in closet, searching for an outfit fit for bait. I find myself wishing for the rich taste of the healthy; clean, pure blood. I settle on a pare of black dress pants, a blood red button up shirt with three quarter sleeves. The first few buttons undone; showing just a hint of cleavage. I brushed my straight black hair out, pulling it into a high, sophisticated pony tale. Carefully, I outlined my green eyes in black eye liner, dusting my lids with a hint of dark red powder, dark red lipstick, and a light brush of rouge. An expensive diamond-studded watch adorned my right wrist, along with diamond earrings and a matching necklace. I looked like a young, rich, successful woman. I would be near impossible to resist. Perfect.
    I climbed into my bright red Porsche and headed to the local after-work hang out, a sophisticated club that was frequented by big shot lawyers and business men after a long day of work. It was early still when I arrived, not even seven o’clock. I parked my car in the front, in plain view of the front of the building. I was seeking attention, and attention was just what I was going to get. I made my entrance, turning heads. Slowly, giving them time to notice me, I sauntered up to the bar, seeking a drink.
    “What will it be?” The bartender, a handsome young thing that couldn’t have been a day over twenty two, said. He had rich blue eyes, dark brown hair, and delicious tanned skin that was almost too good to resist.
    “Martini on the rocks, dirty.” I answered, shooting him a grin, with the promise of later.
    I barely had my glass in hand before someone was sliding into the barstool beside me.
    “I haven’t seen you around here before.” A distinctly masculine voice said just to my right. I glanced over. Hmmm, not bad, I thought to myself as I appraised him. Dirty blonde hair, caramel colored eyes, and light tanned skin overtop a well developed physique.
    “Just moved here.” I held out a hand for him to shake. “The name’s Marie O’ Connor.”
    He grinned. “Zane Mathews.”
    “So what do you do?” I asked him, capturing his gaze over the top of my martini glass. I could tell, as he told me of the numerous court cases he had won, and the number of people he had stepped on to the top, that he was a total ego maniac. I scanned his thoughts, discovering that he was married, had two children, and a number of mistress’ on the side. Hmm, he would be fun. I listened to him describe his work to me, carefully forgetting to mention his family, until I could take the boredom no longer, and the hunger was eating me from the inside out.
    “Hey,” I interrupted him. “Do you want to go somewhere?”
    “Sure. Your place or my place?” His voice was almost too eager.
    “Your place.” I did not wish to spoil mine with his death. He slapped a 50 on the counter, enough to cover the drinks for the night, and led the way out. He drove a black Mercedes that looked like it wasn’t even a week old. We drove a short distance to a small cluster of apartments only a few blocks away. He led me up to his room, offering a drink as he shut the door behind me. Normally I would have accepted, to at least have a semblance of normalcy, but I was starving, and simply could not wait.
    “I’m okay.” I murmured, my eyes never leaving him.
    He came to stand before me, sliding his arms around my waist, in a surprisingly bold gesture. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He thought I was getting cold feet, he didn’t realize that it was simply my restraint that was getting to me. I pulled him against my lips, tasting him, and when his lips found my throat I tilted my head back, letting a moan escape my lips. I let him kiss me for a moment, before sealing my lips over his throat in a kiss of death, and then sinking my fangs into his jugular. The warmth of his life essence flowed through me, strengthening me as it moved through me. He sagged in my arms a groan escaping him as I slowly took his life from him.