Chapter 2: Heading for the Circus

There is something you have to understand about vampires. We are virtually indestructible, and our reflexes are crazy quick. Oh, and there is not one DMV that I have found that will stay open twenty four hours. So, for one, we do not have licenses to drive. Two, we happen to be very nervy and very crazy-ass drivers. We slip into the silk covered racing seats of her gloss black Viper after I gather the important things out of the piece of shit. Kikio-dono spots the folder on top of the pile.
"Your job?"
I jerk. "I was not aware that you know about what I do."
"Every vampire knows.' She throws the car into gear and whips out of the parking lot. "Especially the ones that live in fear of the day that you arrive to collect a bounty on their head." We fly through five yellow lights and hang a right onto 7th Avenue. Horns blare and she only waves to them.
"You have no reservations about killing. Neither do I."
She slams on the brakes and slides to a stop in front of my chiropractor. It's a five story building. He's on the fifth floor. There is a broken window on our side of the building, on the opposite end of the hallway from his office. Anyone putting two and two together yet? She obviously does.
"So, is this where you fell out?"
She rolls the car into a parking stall and parks, leaving the car running. The vibrations from the huge V-12 engine are doing wonders for more than one part of my body. I do not feel any pain from my back anymore. Then again, it could just be that adrenaline is surging from being so close to death.
"Yeah." I rub my neck. " I saved his life. But there was a slight misunderstanding. Now I get free work cause he feels bad."
"He owes you his life, Dylan."
"I know."
"Does he know what you are?"
I glance at her. "Yes."
Kikio-dono sighs. "You are one odd vampire, Dylan Cole. You really are."
I smile at that. "Yeah, I know." I look down at my Rolex. "I'm a half hour early."
"I know." The way she says this makes my nerves tingle. Oh no.
"What's going on?" I say this with as much force as I can muster. Surprisingly, I feel better asserting myself than just going with the flow as I was.
She sighs softly. "Dylan. As I said before, we have similar tastes. We are alike in many ways." She twists around to look at me, and in the light of the street lamps, she looks so god damned hot.
"We could be excellent partners."
My brain stops processing. The earth ceases to turn on its axis. Everything skips a few beats. And just as things start coming back into focus, she puts her hand on my lap and squeezes gently.
"Yes, that would be grand."
Right now, I don't know what to do. I am going nuts. If I start to speak, all that would come out would be a squeak. So not what I want to say, really. That doesn't mean I freeze up totally, either. My hands pull her close to me and I kiss here, allowing my fangs to come out. I can feel hers as well, which makes me wonder if this is a trap. Not like I care right now. I'm in heaven, kissing a devil in a red silk dress. I really couldn't give a damn that I could die right now. I just continue kissing her. Apparently she likes what I am doing, because she slides closer, putting our bodies in close contact. She then pulls her mouth away from mine, prompting a whimper from me that makes her giggle. Her hand has not moved from my pants, massaging and kneading this entire time, bringing me to full mast. She frees me from the confines of my black jeans and starts to mover her hand up and down, twisting at all the right moments. Kikio-dono looks into my eyes. "Do you like this, Dylan?"
"Oh, god, yes. Just don't stop. I might kill you if you do."
My breath is coming out in ragged gasps, and I still can not wrap my brain around this. That doesn't stop Kikio-dono from wrapping her luscious red lips around my cock.
"Oh, my god." That is all I can say for the next ten minutes as she gives me the most mind-blowing blow-job I have ever had, and I've been around for a while. My hands have a mind of their own, going straight for her voluptuous breasts, caressing and stroking the softness through the silk dress. Hell, they were even more sexy hidden by the fabric! Her other hand grips my right thigh tightly as she moans around the head of my main man. The vibrations are enough to set me off. My hips jerk and I fill her mouth with semen. Kikio-dono moans with satisfaction, and brings her head up. She looks at me with fire in her eyes. I know what she wants to do. I grab the back of her head, mindful of her updo, and kiss her. She opens her mouth and I slide my tongue past her lips, playing with her tongue and my come. Then I get a wild idea. I probe around until I find her right eyetooth and puncture my tongue. My blood mingles with the come, and she does the same with hers. We snowball come and blood for a minute, then we both swallow.
Suddenly, she pulls away. "Dylan, meet me back here when you come out. I need to feed."
I smile. "Of course, Kikio-dono." I stuff myself back in and open the door. "I am going to leave my things here." She nods and I get out and shut the door. She backs out of the space and lays rubber. I am left with her blood in my mouth and feeling very, very good.


I arrive at the chiropractors' office at around midnight, shaky and wired for sex, blood, and other things that I can not think about right now. I knock once, and hear shuffling behind the door.
The night I saved this man's life, I was only out to hunt. I entered the building through the fire door on the third story, looking for bums who wouldn't be missed. What I found was a dead elderly lady. She obviously had been a tenant here. Not anymore. Her eyes were still open, and her face was twisted into a horrific death cry. I could smell the blood, rusty and thick within the confines of the staircase. I inched closer and saw the knife wounds in her belly. She died very badly. I reached out and closed her eyes, angry that I wasn't there to stop this murder. That's when I heard a commotion above me, on the top floor. I crept up the stairs and paused at the fire door. On the other side, I heard some punk yell, "Fuck you, old man! Give me your fuckin' cash!"
Robbers. God, do I hate greedy humans. I knew that I was on the right side; the voices were right behind the door. The 'old man' was the furthest away, whimpering, "Please, don't . . . I don't have any money . . . leave me alone. Don't hurt me, I'm blind."
Oh, now I was mad. I heard a slap, and I threw open the door. I knocked the first assailant out with the heavy door, and I attacked the second one, ripping his throat right the fuck open. I was no longer wanting to feed, and I definitely killed him right off. I was not worried about the old man seeing me. Unfortunately, the elderly black man figured I was one of the bad guys and laid a good one on the crown of my head with his cane. Stunned, I backed away, right into the one I had knocked batty. He had the knife, which I found out the hard way when the fucker stabbed me in the back, right above my kidney. Agony shot through me, and then instinct kicked in. I was still reeling from the can whack, but I grabbed punk number one and threw him out the damned window. At the last possible second, the son of a bitch grabbed the front of my t-shirt and dragged me out with him. I tried to catch myself, but to no avail.
The last thing I remember was the sound of breaking glass. I don't remember the fall itself. I woke up in a room, on the floor of what looked like a doctor's office. The old man was sitting in front of me on a chair. His eyes were on me. They were kind of fuzzy, but I still saw that he had brown eyes. They were looking right through me, which made me nervous, but then I remembered that he was blind. He couldn't see me at all. I chanced my voice.
"Where am I?" The words came out as a croak. The man held out a glass of water. His face looked apologetic.
"Sorry. I couldn't find any blood. I apologize for hitting you."
I shook my head, an a shock of pain shot through my body. Oh hell. "What the hell happened?"
"You fell out of a fifth story window. I was afraid that I had caused your death. But when I found you on the lawn, you were somehow still conscious. You told me a lot of things."
"Like what?" I was still fuzzy.
"You told me that you were hurt. You also said that you are a vampire, you were one of the good guys, that you would heal, and that a hospital was out of the question. Then you passed out. I examined you. The fall caused a lot of damage. A cracked skull, a broken clavicle, and you broke almost all of your ribs. Some of your vertebrae and your pelvis were also cracked, and I was afraid that you had internal injuries. Once I managed to get you into the elevator and into my office, you had healed most of the wounds. I couldn't believe it. And now you are awake, so I can see if you have a concussion."
I sigh. "No. I don't. And I appreciate the help, sir, but I must go now." I didn't bother telling him that he knew too much, and that I would probably have to kill him. Humans shouldn't know about our kind, that's what my sire told me. It is better that way. What the fuck ever. I made my decision rather quickly. I wouldn't kill this old man, not after what he already went through. No, I just wouldn't show my face around here anymore. But that gave me pause. The only problem with that is that when I was around, the other asshole vamps never showed their ugly fag faces. I kept the murderers at bay. I couldn't do that. Oh crap.
"Why?" The black man in front of me could not ever understand what really goes bump in the night. Crap.
I tried to pick myself up off the floor and failed. Shit. I sank back down. "You should have just gone. Left me alone."
"I couldn't do that. Not after you saved my life."
Uh-oh. Trouble. "Well, like I said. Thank you, but I should really be going now."
"I don't think you can leave yet. Not in this condition. Besides, I owe you-"
"Don't say it. Don't you dare. Once you say it, you can never take it back!"
"-my life."
Shit. SHIT! Shit. Now I do get up. "Mister. You don't owe me shit. I'm leaving."
"The least I can do is give you free adjustments."
Wait. What? "Adjustments? What the hell are you talking about, old man?"
"I am a chiropractor by trade."
My eyes bugged, and I laughed. "Wait. Let me get this straight. You are a old blind chiropractor who is willing to give pro bono adjustments to a vampire who just fell out of your window? Are you on crank or something?"
He smiles warmly. "No, I am not on drugs. And I am serious."
Oh boy.


So here I am, waiting for the man to come to his door. He did say midnight, right? Or did he think it was a joke and meant noon?
The door opens to reveal my chiropractor.
"Hello, my friend. How are you tonight?"
I shake my head. "How do you know it's me?"
"You smell the same, and you just confirmed your identity."
The room beyond the man had no light, but my preternatural senses quickly adjust. I peer in and see a hallway. "May I come in?"
"Of course." He backs away to allow me past him. His office is also his home, and the old saying that a vampire can only cross a threshold if invited is actually true. Something to do with the gates of Heaven and Hell or some shit like that. I don't know. I personally don't pay attention to that kind of thing. The only reason I remember some of the old lore is because my sire Andrew pretty much drilled it into my brain. But anyway, since this is my first visit, while conscious anyway, I need to ask permission. Besides, it's just plain good manners.
I walk over to the office portion of the apartment, passing a desk used as a workspace. Everything is so precise, so neat. This man is blind, I remind myself. This pretentious neatness is necessary for him. Poor guy. It makes me extremely conscious of my own enhanced senses.
"The examination room is on your left, my friend." I jerk out of my reverie. He mistook my hesitation for being lost.
"Just call me Mr. Cole, Doctor. And thanks." I walk in and flip on the overhead lights. The chiropractor table beacons me, and I slip off my jacket. I turn to face the man as he enters the room. "So, how do we do this? Do I lay down, or what, here?"
He smiles at me. "Face down, Mr. Cole."
I climb onto the table, face down as instructed. My face fits into the depression on the headrest, and I almost feel comfortable. But I still want to protest the whole crazy idea.
"You know, Doc, since I am a vampire, I am pretty sure that my back will heal itself. You don't have to do this." I almost add, 'for me', but I hold off on that.
"Well," he says, "I find that since you saved my life, I need to pay you back, just like I told you that night. This is the only way, since I really have nothing else to offer. I am part of the reason that you were hurt in the first place, am I not?"
The logical part of my brain has to agree. But it is also telling me that I should have killed this guy in the first place. I wouldn't be in this situation if I had. But the human part of me kicks the logical part in the sack. First and foremost, I do not EVER kill an innocent. That is part of my moral code. And second off, damn it, I do not like asking someone for help.
I hear the latex gloves snap on, and I am reminded of my one and only proctology exam. I say only because I fucking decked the Army doctor that did it. I had a good reason too. He said that I was fuckin' GAY! Just because my sphincter wasn't as tight as the others. Fuck him. I am not gay. Just open-minded. I shake my head to erase the memories trying to form, and focus on making small talk as the doctor steps up to the plate.
"So, you know my name. What's yours?"
"Emmett Lewis."
Okay, good start. "Okay, Dr. Lewis. Nice to meet you in better circumstances. You know, I don't blame you for the misunderstanding. Hell, you are blind. How could you know that there wasn't another man there, trying to stop those assholes from robbing you?"
Dr. Lewis slides his hands down the length of my back, feeling for the tight, damaged muscles. "I still feel bad. I should really get a guard dog."
"Hell, at least a seeing eye - Ow!" My pain level spikes, and I wince. "Shit, that hurt!"
I hear him mutter, "Oh dear."
"What?" I try to lift my head and crane it to see him. Let's just say I don't succeed.
"Your L2 and L3 vertebrae are chipped. Probably caused by the fall. L3 is also cracked. I am positive that is the cause of the pain that you just experienced. The pieces of bone are actually poking and tearing at the muscles of your lower back from the inside. Since you heal rather quickly, you don't notice it as much as a normal human would. In fact, a normal human would not be able to walk at this point."
I laugh. "Hell, a normal human would be dead from the fall, not worrying about a broken back."
"That would be true, Mr. Cole."
We share a chuckle. I get off the table. "Well, Dr. Lewis, it seems there is nothing you can do for me right now." I feel a twinge of pain, but I ignore it. "You gave it a shot, and I appreciate it. To be honest, I didn't think you could do anything anyway. I'm a vampire. I'm not sure normal chiropractic care would help me."
Dr. Lewis takes his gloves off. "It would seem so. I am sorry I couldn't help you."
"Goodbye, Doc. I'm taking off now." I walk out of the room and towards the front door.
"Wait!"
I jerk to a stop and turn, jacket half on. He is standing in the hall, with a hopeful look on his face.
"What?"
He steps forward, then stops. He's wringing his hands. He's gonna ask for money, I know it. I start to take out my wallet, thinking that a hundred bucks will cover what he needs.
"Mr. Cole, I know this will sound odd, but I would like to know more about you."
I peer at him. "What?"
"Honestly, I do. Could we talk? I would like to. I am afraid that I do not have very many friends, and I am sure that -"
I stop him. "Wait a minute, Doc. Just hold on. I understand that you don't have a lot of friends, but I know for damned sure that you can do a hell of a lot better than having a vampire as one. That's just not good for your health. I know that I saved your life, but that was a fluke. I was looking for someone to feed off, and I just happened to come to this building."
The old man nods. "Yes, I know that, Mr. Cole. But don't you think that it was fate?"
Whoa. "No. Pure luck on your part." I take a deep breath. "There is nothing that you can gain from being friends with a vampire. Especially me. I'm warning you now, Doc. Forget about me. Stay in at night, and get a damned dog. Please. For your own safety."
I turn to go, but Dr. Lewis stops me again. "Please. Take my number. Just think about it. Please?" I sigh.
"Fine." I turn, and he holds out a scrap of paper with a printed number on it. Like an idiot, I take it. "I will think about it. But do not be surprised if I never call."
"I know. Just knowing that you thought about it will make me happy."
I shake my head. Now I really feel sorry for this poor fool. "Whatever. Thanks." I walk out to the foyer, and he stops me again. This time, I look at him.
"Mr. Cole, I am an old man. I have always been blind. I have lived my life without fear. I look forward to talking with you." He then motioned me to the door and I opened it and exited without incident.
As I walk down the stairs, my back twinging all the way, I smile. For all his talk about no fear, despite his disability, he never once turned his back on me.