“I can wiggle my fucking toes!” I nearly yelled and then I turned my attention back to the real world around me. I could feel the connections in my head, the spinning lines to the people in my life. Then I remembered Jeanette's reaction, or lack thereof, to Natalie being kidnapped.

“How...” I gathered even more energy to myself. “...dare...” I saw Jeanette's eyes widen as I rose from my wheelchair. “...YOU!”

I still had a hold of Jeanette's arm, so I focused on her bond to me and to the vampires she 'owned' that have given blood oaths to her. She had bound both Nina and myself to her and she was in control of our power dynamic. I honestly didn't have a problem with that before, because she was there for me when I needed her and I let her be in charge of things. I also did everything she asked of me, because I loved her.

I have always had an affinity with the dead, being a necromancer, and that gave me control over all forms of the dead. I hadn't realized until recently that also included vampires, even though they had their own powers and personalities. The bonds that vampires formed were just another form of control used by the dead, which meant that it was a power that I could also control... or remove.

I jammed my gathered power into the connection Jeanette had to me and she screamed. I knew for a fact that she could siphon power from me through it on occasion and now knew that she had been doing it constantly since we had first bonded.

“N-no... please... stop. Stop!” Jeanette pleaded and dropped to her knees.

_______________

You now have another critical choice to make. What you decide will change the story and how things play out.

A) Listen to Jeanette. B) Ignore her and do what you want. C) Compromise. D) Fuck her.

What? I thought in surprise. That's a choice? Really? I asked myself. I'm riding this power high and... oh. Okay. Yeah, doing her like this would probably blow her mind. I almost laughed at the thought. No, I think the only real option that won't destroy everything in my life is C. I choose C.

_______________

I knew that I could sever my link to Jeanette and destroy the connection that she had given to me; but, I hesitated. I didn't want to hurt her permanently. She really had been there for me when I needed her, and we have had the best times together. Even when she had invited others to our bed, it was great. I never felt used or abused, and it was how I had met Nina.

At the moment, I wanted to keep my relationship to her and to Nina, even knowing Nina had brought Mina to our movie night. I looked into Jeanette and found her bond to Nina. I couldn't tell how or when it was formed, only that it was very similar to the one that Nina and I shared, which meant Nina was definitely a subordinate... and so was I.

I didn't like that.

“D-David... please... don't.” Jeanette said and looked at me with pleading eyes. “Nina needs my protection. You know she does.”

I opened my mouth to say that she didn't... and sighed. I did know that Nina needed more than physical protection and Jeanette's family was one of the most powerful in the city. So, I had to leave Nina attached to her.

“Just know that I can break your bond to her whenever I want.” I said and Jeanette nodded.

“Yes, I know.” Jeanette said. “I can feel your power touching my connections.”

I nodded this time. “You do realize I still have to show you who is the boss now, right?”

“Yes, my darling.” Jeanette said, sadly. “I misspoke before and I belittled your love for your kitten.”

I let my anger flow out and into her. She gasped at the strength of it and she stared at me. I let her feel it for a full minute, then I took her connection to me and reversed the flow.

“AHHHHHH!” Jeanette screamed as her blood bond to me changed from an input to an output in an instant. I could feel that her inherent power didn't change and the power she gained from her bonds was still there, and yet, I now seemed to share in them. The funnel of power, and for some reason feelings of devotion, now extended to me instead of me adding to it like I had been.

Then I felt my expanded power flow back down that funnel and into Jeanette. My eyes widened as it went down further and further, through the bonds Jeanette had formed with everyone under her protection. If I hadn't been paying so close attention, or had been using an absurd amount of power, I don't think I would have noticed it at all. It was so subtle that I had to look at Jeanette to confirm it.

“Yes.” Jeanette said and shivered. “The bond isn't a one way street as you would put it. It is more like a multi-lane highway with three lanes for me and one lane for you.”

“Then... even if I did take Nina...”

“She wouldn't have... the same benefits as she does... bonded to me.” Jeanette said, haltingly.

I thought about that as I felt Jeanette's body try to adjust to the changed bond between us. “Shh. Go to sleep for a few hours. You need to rest.”

“My darling...” Jeanette started to say and then fell unconscious and crumpled to the floor.

I picked her up easily and looked at the maid. “Take her back to her room. She'll wake again in a few hours.” I said and looked at the butler. “If she has any appointments before that, delay them until then.”

“Yes, master.” They both said.

I gave them a pointed look at the title and they both smiled.

“We can already feel your power as it... touches us.” The maid said, her face a little red. “It is... filling.”

“I thought you were human.” I said and she smiled.

“I am.” The maid said and took Jeanette from me. “I look forward to your return to the mansion, master.”

They walked away in different directions and left me alone for the first time, ever, and I stood there for only a moment as I thought about what to do next.

_______________

What will you do with your newfound abilities?

A) As much good as possible. B) Screw them, it's all for me. C) Use your head and do what you can.

Goddammit! All of them are good choices! I thought and read them again. No timer popped up, so I had some thinking to do. I considered all of the possibilities for each option. I think A is a bit too generic. As much good as possible? That could mean almost anything. Of course, B is so tempting! I would have chosen that if I hadn't gotten the use of my legs back. I sighed in relief and then smiled. Well, then it's got to be C. I choose C.

_______________

I surprised myself when I turned my attention inwards and towards Natalie. I found the tentative bond to her and concentrated hard on it. Why didn't I think of this before? I asked myself, then shook my head. I didn't have the ability to do anything with it even if I had. I admitted to myself. Natalie? Where are you? I thought very hard into that link.

Here. A very faint response came and I shivered. I could almost feel her and how weak she was after having her blood sucked out several times already. I pulled on the bond I had to her and she managed to barely give me a mental picture of where she was. It was in a graveyard on the outskirts of town, the one where I had laid to rest the first and largest amount of zombies. She was chained up inside one of the small mausoleums that I hadn't seen in the dark that night.

How could I have missed it? I berated myself, then I remembered the shadows that some vampires could use to conceal things and that was what must have happened. I hadn't seen it because they didn't want me to and had hidden it from view. “I'll be right there.” I said and sent her as much of a feeling of love as I could.

Hurry. Natalie sent to me and it was even weaker than before.

I tried to send her some energy and it didn't work. The bond isn't strong enough because I haven't changed yet, dammit! I thought and turned around to see three vampires step into the parlour. One was Jeanette's sister and the other two were her first and second bonds. I couldn't feel them through Jeanette's blood bonds, though. Maybe once they bond to someone else, those bonds are no longer available to other vampires?

“David.” Charlotte spat at me and I saw fury on her face.

“I don't have time for you today, Charlotte.” I said and I reached out with my power. Since I was now sharing it all along Jeanette's bonds, it was quite a bit less than it had been when I first accessed it. If I was using the zombies and the were-cats as batteries, then there were a few too many trying to pull on them at the same time. The charge and amount of power available was diminished.

“I can't believe you've done this.” Charlotte said. There was a flicker of regret in her eyes when she spoke again. “You have come into the home of the head of the family and attacked her. This challenge to her and her authority cannot go unpunished.”

It sounded like a line from a bad B-movie script and I didn't laugh at her, because she was being completely serious. I stared directly into her eyes and that was usually a big no-no for me to look at Charlotte like this, unless I was sure that she wouldn't try to use her vast mental tricks on me. Today however, I somehow knew that she couldn't touch me.

I felt her build up her own power and she focused on rolling my mind. Charlotte knew that I was particularly vulnerable to her charms, thanks to my bond to Jeanette and the several times we had all shared a bed together. I had to admit that those were some damn wonderful times, too. The things older vampires could do with their bodies in bed was... well, you can imagine what a century or two of sexual experiences could possibly feel like. Nope, even better than that. Yeah, there you go.

To Charlotte's surprise, I didn't even blink. Her power pounded on me with a force unlike anything I had felt from her before, and that surprised me in turn.

“Been holding back on me all this time, have you?” I asked sarcastically.

Charlotte's anger reached its peak at my taunt and I realized that it was a pale shadow to what I had in me. I opened up my necromancy ability that was combined with my anger and made it more powerful, and I shoved it into her. Charlotte gasped as her anger and indignation at the perceived insult was dwarfed by mine. I fed it to my own, chewed it up and spit it back out at her. Her eyes widened as I did this and she wasn't sure how to fight against me.

Her power faltered under her doubt, which gave me the upper hand, and she knelt on one knee on the floor. I walked towards her and my power assaulted her body and her senses. The anger I felt over Natalie being taken, nearly completely crushed her defiance and she was having a hard time resisting the draw of my necromancy. The two vampires beside her didn't try to interfere. They knew better.

“I didn't challenge Jeanette and I haven't accepted your challenge, either.” I said and stood in front of her.

Charlotte looked up at me with surprise on her face. “But... I just... we fought and...”

I reached down and touched her face. “A mere lover's quarrel.” I said and my power's assault on her changed into a comforting and caressing power instead.

“Oh, god.” Charlotte whispered and stood up. “David...”

“Can you feel it?” I asked and she closed her eyes. I could tell that she was checking her family bond with Jeanette. When her power touched the changed bond I had with her sister, her eyes flew open and she stared at me.

Charlotte didn't say anything at all and nodded, because she understood that I wasn't Jeanette's underling anymore. I had shown her who was the boss.

I went over to the DVD player and took the copy of the security footage disc. I asked Charlotte if I could borrow her car.

“Mason, take David anywhere he wants to go and be quick about it.” Charlotte said.

“Yes, master.” The tall vampire on her right said.

“David.” Charlotte said in a voice that didn't really suit her.

“Don't.” I said and gave her a quick kiss. “I like your defiant nature.”

Charlotte gave me a smile and she nodded.

With that, I left the mansion in one of the fastest cars I had ever been in. It was so fancy and expensive that I honestly didn't know the make or model. I was pretty sure it was Italian, though.

I looked into the rear view mirror and staring back at me was my own face, except that my eyes were jet black. There was no glow around my normal eyes or changed were-cat eyes like I had expected. They were just a pure and solid blackness. I was a little surprised that it didn't bother me in the least. I lingered on my reflection for another moment, then tore my gaze away as I recalled the security video.

Mina was the vampire that had turned Natalie over to whoever had her. As I thought about her and her kidnapping, the other kidnappings seemed to fall into place. Mina had access to all of them. Better yet, it might also explain why they were missing.

I think she wants revenge on Jeanette. I thought. I was positive that Jeanette had slept with the visiting Kratoa in a bid to gain his favor and his loyalty. The were-cat was still a mystery to me, since I didn't know him personally; but, he was a big strong male with tasty blood. It didn't take much to make those connections if Jeanette decided she wanted him, even for only a night.

Also, nearly every vampire Jeanette bonded with meant something to her, so that would explain pretty much every kidnapping. Hephastus was a little harder to explain, until I thought of Apollo and Hephastus being two of Jeanette's main bodyguards. Neither of them would want to work for her if the other wasn't there, since they were partners in work and in life. What better way was there to get back at Jeanette than by removing all of her protections, layer by layer?

It was a bit of a long drive back around the edge of town to get to the right cemetery. I had thought about running the whole way; but, considering I just got the use of my legs back, I figured it would be better to not push myself too hard too soon. It was a tempting thought, though. The feel of the pavement under my feet, my barely used sneakers scraping against my ankles, and even the feel of my jeans occasionally rubbing together between my legs as I ran, could be a welcome sensation.

Oh, hell. Any sensation was welcome. I thought to myself.

The extremely fast car rounded a corner with a squeal of tires and the graveyard came into sight.

I'm almost there, Natalie! I thought over our bond that was a bit stronger, now that I was so close. I can see the graveyard and...

My thoughts suddenly cut off and I blacked out.

The same darkness that I had seen in my visions before engulfed me. Once again I was inside the small concrete room inside the small mausoleum. This time, only the male vampire was there. I could see him pretty well in the darkness. I could see his clothes and the style of his hair, and the rise and fall of his chest. Vampires didn't have to breathe because they were dead; but, they did sometimes pretend to breathe if they wanted to pass for human.

Why would this one want to pass when I clearly knew he was a vampire? I asked myself.

“This is it. The final time.” He said, a bit of satisfaction in his voice.

What did he mean by that? I thought about it and it hit me like a slap to the face. This was the third time I had this kind of vision, the other two ending with Natalie being used as a blood donor. I wasn't sure if she had been bled more times than that, though. I didn't know why I was getting these particular visions and not seeing things through her eyes all of the time.

Multiple bites over successive nights was all a vampire needed to drain someone completely dry of their blood. Normally, if the vampire was powerful enough, the victim would rise as a vampire a short while later. The only problem was that Natalie was a were-cat. She couldn't be turned into a vampire, because she already had a blood ability that destroyed all other invasive influences. It was why they never got sick or suffered normal ailments like appendicitis and tonsillitis.

They were going to kill her! I yelled in my head. No! NO!

The male vampire moved closer, leaned in, and tried to give Natalie a kiss. She turned her head to stop him. He moved back and put a hand on her chin to hold her steady and tried again. Natalie darted her head forward and smashed her forehead into his face.

“Argh!” The vampire pulled his head back and felt his nose as blood poured out of it. “You broke it.”

“Try to kiss me again and I'll break more than that!” Natalie spat at him.

Yes! I cheered for her. I love you, Natalie!

“I'm sorry it had to be this way.” He said, not apologetic at all, and he wiped at his face. “My master wants your master. He has yet to contact us and submit, so you must suffer for his shortcomings.”

Natalie laughed in his face.

He had a puzzled look on his face and turned a quizzical eye on her.

“David isn't my master, you idiot. He's my best friend, my lover, and my saviour.” Natalie said. “He saw me as nothing more than a little girl to save, then he accepted me for who I was and not what he thought I was.” She said proudly. “He would rather kill himself than give up to you or anyone else. You could kill everyone he knows and it wouldn't make any difference, except that it would piss him off even more than he is now.”

The male vampire backed up slightly at her defiant tone, then he squared his shoulders and looked like he had made a decision. “Somehow, I think seeing his favorite killed will make quite a difference.”

Natalie's face was suddenly pointed towards the wall and I felt the vampire dig his teeth into her neck. She didn't scream at him or at her pain as the vampire did his best to suck the last bit of blood out of her.

Dav... David. I... I love... you. Natalie thought her last thought and then she was gone.

I had just enough time to scream in my head before my connection to her shattered apart. The darkness that had covered me disappeared as I felt a sharp pain in my heart, worse than any pain I had ever felt before. I opened my eyes and wondered why the car I rode in hadn't arrived at the cemetery yet, since we were right down the street when the vision had started.

Just then, the speeding car slid off the road, jumped a ditch, and hit a tree.