Here Comes The Bride, Part 7

Renee resisted asking how the rogue werewolves were precisely made because her Master had given her a complete file on werewolves in general and with footnotes that she'd yet to get all the way through and some of her questions could well be part of that mess on her desk. Given both of them seemed to have boned up on her basic information she decided to play it cool and just nodded. Her fiance, Carlos, wasn't sure who'd sent a dozen rogue werewolves to try to kill him but Renee didn't think for a minute that they exaggerated the threat. Vampires and werewolves were fighting to keep their lines clean and remain hidden at the same time. The combination wasn't a natural fit and blood was being shed on both sides of the silent war.

Marcus shook his head and stopped moving. It was the stillness predators got right before they pounced on unsuspecting prey. Renee waited to see what had disturbed the large creature. She tilted her head and heard the tires coming up the driveway.

"Down boy, that's dinner." She knew the sound of all the cars that the restaurant Mandarin and More used and the distinctive rumble was Sam Chin's muffler-free Ford Escort. The curtains were black out quality and the blinds were closed. She sneaked a peek out of the window, confirming it was Sam's beat up yellow and rust car.

The cute Sam Chin pulled out two large bags from the backseat and kicked the door shut with a swift boot. She smiled as she saw his face. At least Ming understood her call. At times the language barrier had proved to be thick and once she'd sent over three drivers when Renee had called in for her usual and two special plates. She hadn't specified the number on the menu and from there the confusion was born. That had been memorable.

The chime of the doorbell, and Renee put her hand out to Marcus saying, "Give me fifty bucks."

He looked upset, but with Carlos' nod reached back and pulled out a worn leather wallet. Removing three twenties he was nonplussed when she snatched all three saying, "Nice tip. He'll appreciate it."

"Hey, Sam!" Renee greeted the delivery driver from the Mandarin and More restaurant with a wide non-lethal grin. He smiled back and jauntily walked past her into the foyer. The two well-filled paper bags were held up and he said, "To the kitchen?"

They'd played out 'delivery driver and sexy housewife' more than once and usually he dumped the food in the kitchen before she got down to her more elemental food needs. He was smiling because she always tipped well and he left extremely happy. One of those benefits of being a vampire -- she could easily cause pain or joy -- it all depended on her mood. Sam was one of her favorites and she made sure he left very happy.

"Not this time. I really have dinner guests." He started at her reply. Frozen just past the door he turned back slowly.

"No way!" Sam Chin opened his eyes wide and looked around in disbelief. She held up the twenties and said, "Yep, and the boys are hungry."

"Dude, you are doing two men? Damn it, woman, you are totally amazing," Sam was well aware of Renee's personal needs and didn't mind the donation. The sixty bucks for dinner wasn't the real cost. Her Master sent over a sizable investment quarterly for her takeout meals. Not to mention he liked the buzz after he left. She made sure he was extremely pleased when she was done and it had served her well.

She knew Sam didn't want to flip over to the dark side of being a vampire, but liked being in the inner circle of knowledge. His family had been part of the vampires' world for centuries. Not just decades but hundreds of years -- they'd come over to escape the Asian vampire lords and stumbled upon the newly nesting seemingly less vicious Americans. Working out the details wasn't some sweet sit-down meeting held over tea and crumpets but a few years of wholesale slaughter and dramatic slaying of the Ming-Chin families before the ground rules were established. From what Renee had heard the Asian vampire lords were far more physical and tended to run through small villages and drain them all dry if they felt they'd been somehow disrespected -- and it didn't take much to cross that line on the Asian continent back in the day. She was pretty sure both sets of vampires were equally matched now but had no need to point that out to her favorite takeout place. The American vampires learned quickly that you couldn't simply play nice at times with humans and rapidly learned the proper methods needed to attain what they needed.

Eventually Ming and her associated family members understood the New World. She found it far safer than the Asian market and more profitable in the long run. Vampires paid well for home delivered hot meals. Ming and her Chin cousins simply figured out the menu and worked to provide the vampire clans what they needed without any more severe bloodshed. At least the bloodshed had a price tag attached. In Asia they weren't paid for their blood but allowed to reproduce like cattle. Since it wasn't like the American vampires weren't willing to pay but more along the lines of establishing the rules and regulations it was easy for Ming and her family to adjust. Thus the Mandarin and More restaurant chain was born. There were restaurants in most major cities and some minor suburbs.

"Sam Chin!" Renee mocked him, "Take the dinners to my guests and we will retire to the kitchen to settle up your bill." She grinned and he ducked his head and obeyed. Old World charm always thrilled her and Ming made sure that her staff was properly trained.

She saw no reason to let Carlos and Marcus watch her feed. They could slurp down some chow mein and Kung Pao Beef without her help. The paper wrapped chicken was to die for but she didn't have time to play with her food. Just smelling Sam was making her fangs drop. She followed Sam into the living room slowly.

Both Carlos and Marcus jumped up at her arrival. Their eyes flew to the bags and Renee wasn't sure but she thought she saw a strand of drool slip out of Carlos' lips. Ignoring the obvious she had Sam put the bags on the coffee table and sketched a wave to them saying, "Talk to you in a few. Enjoy the eats."

She studiously ignored the sounds behind her as she quickly led Sam to the kitchen leaving the boys to their meal. The noise of the werewolves crunching and tearing reached her ears as she walked away from the living room. She doubted there'd be any bones left from the crispy chicken wings or the pork rib appetizers. She thought of feral dogs feeding and quickly erased that thought given her liquid diet. Besides it made clean up easy that was for sure.

Sam was closing in on her. He'd been over a dozen times in the past few years and didn't know exactly how Renee did it but completely savored their time together. He knew she was a vampire and took blood from him but never remembered it. That was part of what she did. The Chin family expected absolute obedience from their children and Sam was no exception.

Between Ming and Renee they'd muddled his mind enough to enjoy the visits but not stress the blood loss. Since he knew she was a vampire, but wasn't sure what she took from him, he didn't ask anything given the afterglow. Not like she'd tell, and Ming wasn't going to give up her business edge. Sam Chin had been bred for feeding but didn't totally realize it. One of those dirty little secrets only vampires and their minions knew about, and Ming was pretty much minion after all the years she'd been doing business with her Master. Associating with vampires and feeding, Ming had crossed a line and wasn't fully human. That was another little ancient Chinese secret that she kept to herself. The Chin cousins were happy to get in on the action that Ming was running and their growing numbers were proof how little they argued the finer details.

"Mistress Renee, you look very good tonight," Sam oozed confidence and sex appeal.

Sam was growing up and she wouldn't be feeding from him for much longer. This was a common problem for vampires -- they outlived and outlasted their blood donors. After all, he was nearing the age of marriage and knowing Ming and her family they already had the perfect little bride chosen and the reception hall already booked. Hell, she'd mark it on her calendar and send a nice pretty silver platter or something. After all he may or may not realize it but he was in line to breed more vampire donations. His children were long spoken for like four donations back at least. Such was the world they lived in and she looked forward to his offspring. Vampires weren't horrible, just practical, Renee thought with more than a bit of pride. She carefully pushed down that thought to not taint her feeding.

"Thanks, Sam. You look tired. Let me get you some tea," Renee was starving but didn't rush the protocol. Ming had given her some special tea years ago that helped quicken the blood and relaxed her victims. Not that either of them referred to delivery drivers as anything more than drivers.

He grinned and allowed her to serve him the tea. He slammed the hot liquid back with a slight wince. His pulse was jumping and he was excited. Sam didn't know exactly what she was going to do, but was lusting for the event. The stories she pushed into his mind were always peaceful yet edging to erotic. He liked visiting her. For all his knowledge, he wasn't totally aware of what transpired. She liked that for her snacks.

His eyes began to shift and his normal intense focus fell off his relaxed face. She literally watched him fold into himself and drift. The tea was amazing. Renee figured it was an opium-based tea from what she'd observed over the years. When sipping his blood there wasn't any drugged feeling so Ming had perfected that blend. She smiled and tipped Sam's chin up slowly. He didn't bother to resist. He didn't care. His mind was locked down inside, contemplating some obscure bit of humanity or nature, and he wasn't even aware of what she was doing. She resisted sipping from his mind because she'd be trapped in his lotus blossom dreams and fog-filled thoughts.

Her fangs fully dropped into her mouth and she slowly licked a spot at the nape of his neck with her long rough tongue then simply slipped her fangs into his throbbing vein. Delicious coppery sweet liquid flooded into her mouth and down her throat. She sighed and began quenching her thirst. His mind was not attached and she enjoyed the buzz. He wasn't even aware of her drinking. His mind was busy wandering the opium world. He didn't care and just enjoyed. His limbs floated with his mind.

"Renee?" Her eyes snapped open as she heard a voice in the distance.

Marcus rudely interrupted her calling from the other room completely distracting from her feeding. Her sharp well-placed fangs retreated and she began to erase Sam Chin's concerns with playful teasing and mental promises of something more. Sam whimpered softly but didn't struggle. He was such a lovely treat. Renee would miss him. She'd overheard his thoughts of the new gal in his life. The girl had all the earmarks of Ming's control and she knew he'd be married and breeding soon. This was her last feeding on Sam.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand she sighed and headed to the living room. Marcus was really pushing her last nerve. Sam stumbled behind her saying, "Did I give you all of your order?"

To be continued ...