The Alley of the Shadow of Death

Nominated for a 1996 Fan-Q Award- - Cool, huh? ;-)

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"The Alley of the Shadow of Death"
      by Dianne T. DeSha (a.k.a. la Mercenaire)
         <moonlight@pobox.com>


The ancient vampire was here.

He raised his head slightly, looking around the dark alley for a 
figure he knew he would not be able to see.  But he could sense 
LaCroix, hovering there like a ghost, just out of sight. Watching, 
but always unseen.  Preparing for a little vicarious thrill.

Let him have it, then.  Tonight the hunger was too great to be 
denied.  Tomorrow he would have to face Natalie, and she 
would know...she always did.  The distress he knew he would 
see in her eyes once he had slipped back just ahead of the 
sunrise--it was almost enough to send him back.  Back to her 
arms, to the loving warmth of her embrace....

But not tonight.  Up ahead he could hear the faint sounds of 
movement; the faint scent of prey overwhelmed his senses.  The 
thought of his fangs sinking into that softness, of the warm, 
rushing blood spilling into his mouth, mesmerized instincts too 
long denied.

He moved stealthily forward, the ancient lure of the hunt 
bringing to the surface the primal bloodlust he usually kept 
buried behind a sweet, appealing fa forward, the scent flooding his mind 
with thoughts of blood and death.  Closer... until he could _feel_ 
the warmth of the body, hear the _unhurried_ breathing....

Almost before his conscious mind could give the command, he 
had sprung forward, his fangs sinking deeply into the neck of his 
victim with such speed that there was no sound of protest.

As Sidney lifted the mouse and turned back towards Natalie's 
apartment, LaCroix watched with an indulgent smile, before 
rising into the air to seek his own prey.

Comments, complaints, flames, blessings, revelations from the heavens, stakes, dead otters, chocolate, and the like may be sent to Cat.Goddess@pobox.com.